9 June 2017
Community Newsletter The Army Family is the foundation of our military; military readiness can only be as strong as the foundation can support
DOES YOUR UNIT HAVE A CARE TEAM? FRG TRAINING FRG Foundations Tng *required tng before any of the other FRG courses: -Baumholder: 8 Jun @1000 13 Jul @1030 -K’Lautern: 14 Jun @0830 10 Jul @1030 FRG Care Team Tng -Baumholder: 8 Jun @1300 -K’Lautern: 14 Jun @ 1000 FRG Key Caller -Baumholder: 8 Jun @1500 -K’Lautern: 28 Jun @1300 FRG Informal Fund Tng -K’Lautern: 18 Jul @0930 FRG Leaders Tng: -Baumholder: 13 Jul @1300 -K’Lautern: 10 Jul @1300 Spouse Sponsorship Tng: -Baumholder: 2nd Thursday of every month @1000 -K’lautern: 4th Thursday of every month @0900 Volunteer Tng: -Baumholder: 23 Jun VIMS OPOC @0900 23 Jun Vol Orien @1000 -K’Lautern: 6 Jun VIMS OPOC @0900 6 Jun Vol Orien @1000 * FRG Leaders may coordinate off-cycle training through your FRSA or the ACS Mob/Dep S&SO Program Manager
The Battalion Commander or Rear Detachment Commander may activate a Care Team to assist a Family when a trauma in the unit occurs. The purpose of the Care Team is to offer short-term care and support to Families of deceased and seriously wounded Soldiers/ Civilians until the Family’s own support structure is in place. It is important to note that the Care Team will only be utilized at the request of the Family and should not be assumed to be needed in all traumatic events. Care Teams are not mandatory, but are an additional way battalions can provide valuable support to Families. What Does A Care Team Do? Car e Team volunteer s pr ovide assistance that complements the assistance provided by the Casualty Assistance Officer (CAO), Chaplain, and Battalion Commander. The focus of Care Team volunteers’ efforts is on providing practical assistance and emotional support to the Family on a short-term basis so that the Family can continue to function while dealing with a traumatic event. The actual support provided depends on Family needs and command guidance, but can include: • Call support • Transportation • Home care assistance • Assistance to visiting Family • Childcare support • Meal support • Other Family support.
The next Care Team Training will be the 8th of June in Baumholder and the 14th of June in Kaiserslautern. Please call the ACS to sign up at DSN 541-9000 or 0611-1435419000
TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS There is no such thing as being too prepared. It is important to make the necessary arrangements to ensure that your loved ones and family will be taken care of if the worst should happen. It is a difficult subject to discuss, but may be one of the most important discussions a Soldier can have with those they love. During the MOB/DEP Conference in Texas last week we had several survivors speak to us; each case was very unique: there was a very young wife of a Soldier that died downrange from an IED; a husband who lost his wife to cancer; a medical Colonel who lost her husband (also a medical Colonel) in a helicopter crash; a wife who had a husband that had suffered from PTSD and died of "accidental overdose". In every case, the family was not prepared with the correct paperwork; this turned a really tragic situation even worse. In one case, all of the insurance and inheritance has been caught in up in courts for many years; in another case, the insurance went to the incorrect person because the documentation had not been updated in years. However, it takes only a little time and is not difficult to fix, if done before the tragedy. Bottom Line: Prepare for the worst, hope for the best. There are some great videos explain which forms and what documents a Soldier should complete to ensure their final wishes are observed: Search for "Taking Care of Business Army One Source". There are a few videos there, all about 4-5 min long. I recommend to pay close attention to the DD93 (Record of Emergency Data); this helps determines who will be notified of a death and who will be the beneficiary of benefits.
LOCAL STUFF TO DO: Ramstein Wine Festival. June 9 @ 6:00 pm - June 10 @ 11:00 pm. Free admission! A variety of booths on the Market Square will offer more than 20 German, Italian and Spanish wines as well as culinary delights. Visitors can enjoy live musical entertainment on both days. The event starts Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 4 p.m. Flat Stanley the Musical. KMC Onstage Theater - SalingstraĂ&#x;e 15 Kaiserslautern 67657. The beloved children's book written by Jeff Brown is a literary and pop cultural phenomenon, delighting readers all around the world. And now, everyone's favorite two-dimensional hero has a new life in The Musical Adventures Of Flat Stanley JR. Filled with infectious songs and non-stop adventure, Flat Stanley JR. is a perfect show to introduce young performers to the magic of live theatre. Stanley Lambchop is your ordinary, everyday ten-yearold until the bulletin board on the wall above his bed comes loose and falls right on top of him. The next morning, Stanley wakes up flat. In a whirlwind musical travelogue, Stanley - the ultimate exchange student scours the globe for a solution to his unusual problem. He's stamped, posted and cancelled from Hollywood and France to Honolulu and beyond, all in an effort to become a three-dimensional boy once more. Stanley's journey takes him all across the globe, to many interesting locales, filled with lots of colorful characters. Dates/Time: June 10 @ 7 p.m. June 11 @ 3 p.m. June 16 @ 7 p.m. June 17 @ 7 p.m. June 18 @ 3 p.m. Cost Adults $10-15; Youth/Seniors $7-12 Private Sector Resume Writing Workshop. Date: Jun 7, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Army Community Service (ACS) - SalingstraĂ&#x;e 15 Kaiserslautern 67657. Are you looking for a job and don't know where to start? Army Community Service (ACS) can help get you prepared! Take this class designated to help you prepare for your future career search. You can learn important information about what an employer would look for on a resume. The civilian resume is a selling tool that outlines your skills and experiences so an employer can see how you can contribute to the employer's workplace. The goal of an effective civilian resume is to highlight and summarize a person's qualifications. Topics Include: Four key principles for developing your resume; Types of resumes: how to choose the best approach; Parts of the resume: what information to include, what to leave out and how to describe your experience effectively; and Completing the package: formatting and submitting your resume. This class is free to all ID card holders but registration is required; call your ACS at 0611-1435419000. Cost: Free. Discover Ladenburg - Ladenburg City and Museum. 10 June 0730-1730. Each month the USO Kaiserslautern Discover program offers several train orientations that provide useful information about riding the rails in Germany. During the class, you will tour the train station and even practice purchasing your ticket. The USO instructor will share information about special offers, such as group and family tickets before we board the train to one of the many fascinating destinations in the local area! Transportation and city orientation are included. Entrance fees included when indicated. Please bring money for lunch and shopping as well as snacks and other refreshments on the train. Large strollers are not recommended for these trips. Contact the USO for more information (these trip fill up quickly) at https://kaiserslautern.uso.org/discover Kinderfest. June 10. Free. The Fruit and Gardening Association Dansenberg cordially invite you to their annual Kinderfest (kids festival) on their premises on June 10 from 4p.m. Children will be entertained with games, quizzes, balloon animals and plenty of space to play while parents can catch up over a cup of coffee and a slice of cake. The festival will take place regardless of the weather. Admission is free. For more info go to www.gartenbauverein-dansenberg.de Page 2
Community Newsletter
Medieval Spectacle. June 10 - June 11. Join Obermoschel on a journey through time and experience the Middle Ages at their annual medieval market on Moschellandsburg castle from June 10 to 11. Actors and vendors will entertain knights and damsles of the castle of all ages from 10a.m. Admission costs €6 per adult and €3 per child and visitors that come dressed up in medieval costumes. For more information and an English program go to www.mittelalter-obermoschel.de Ramstein Cancer Relay “Heroes for Heroes”. June 10 @ 10:00 am. The First Annual Charity Run in support of the “Elterninitiative krebskranker Kinder im Saarland e.V.” (parent support group of children with cancer University Hospital Homburg) takes place at the Reichswaldstadion (next to AZUR Swimming Pool) in RamsteinMiesenbach on Saturday, June 10. The event starts at 10 a.m. and ends at midnight. The relay is officially sponsored by the mayor of Ramstein-Miesenbach, Ralf Hechler. Everyone can participate. This relay relies on teams and the more team members a team has, the more rounds the team can perform that can be counted. Put your team together with people you know, your friends, your squadron, company, organization, school, preschool, daycare, everyone is invited. Participants donate € 1 per round (one round is approximately 400 yards). All proceeds will go directly to support the children in the cancer ward at the hospital in Homburg. Donations can be provided in cash at the event or via bank transfer at any Sparkasse. There will be a varied entertainment program throughout the day, food and drinks will be available for purchase. Download the registration form and the detailed event information here: www.ramstein-miesenbach.de There is a link on the facebook site “HeroesforHeroesRamstein“. Please fill out the registration form until June 7 POCs are: Joe Felka (joefelka@hotmail.com) or Esther Day (day.esther@yahoo.com). Summer Jam. Date: Jun 10, 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. Armstrong's Club - Arizona Boulevard Kaiserslautern 67663. Celebrate the beginning of summer at Summer Jam! DJ J-Smooth will play the hottest summertime hits. Bring your friends and dance the night away! Enjoy drink specials all night long; Food and beverages will be available for purchase; Open to ID cardholders and their guests, ages 18 and older. Cost: No cover charge
Spring fair. June 10 - June 12. Free. Otterberg has been celebrating its traditional spring fair since the middle of the 18th century. In the majestical Abteikirche’s (abbey church) shade, you can enjoy a glass of wine and regional delicacies during the fair’s opening on June 10 from 7p.m. More than 1000 participants will contribute to a colorful and musical parade the next day at 1p.m. Afterwards, all guests are invited to resume the family-friendly party at Waldfestplatz, circa 2km out of town. Shuttle buses will help everyone get there and back throughout the day. If you thought that was it, you’ve clearly underestimated Otterberg’s citizens. The festival continues on Monday, June 12, with more live music, food and kids entertainment. Admission is free. For more information go to www.kaiserslautern.de Fit in Lautern run. June 11 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm. Schulzentrum Süd, Im Stadtwald Kaiserslautern, 67663 Germany. Join a 1k, 5k or 10k run through or walk through the woods at the Fit in Lautern charity run starting at Schulzentrum Süd in Kaiserslautern on June 11 from 9:45. Admission is free. For more information go to www.kaiserslautern.de
German Hunting Course & Certification. Baumholder Outdoor Recreation. This is an intensive 8-week course (approximately) which covers all facets of hunting in Germany. During this course, participants will learn land management, game disease and harvest plans. As well as, earn the right to hunt and own firearms. Class Schedule: Mondays & Tuesdays: 6 - 10 p.m. and Saturdays & Sundays: 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Participants must attend all 4 classes offered throughout the week in order to progress toward certification. Cost: Course Fee: $200 plus additional fees. This course involves: Field trips; Drive hunts; Field maintenance on the reserve; and Trap and Skeet Range and long rifle qualification. All books are supplied and the course culminates in taking a German proctored exam. Once the exam is successfully completed, participants will be awarded a certificate of completion 215-145E*. Open to all hunters, ages 18 and older and open to U.S. citizens. Contact Baumholder Outdoor Recreation today at 06783 -6-7182 *Certificate of completion 215-145E is used to obtain a German hunting license. Volume 1, Issue 1
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ACS Mobilization/Deployment, Stabilization and Support Program Program Manager: Dr. George Brown George.B.Brown10.civ@mail.mil Kleber Kaserne, Kaiserslautern, Building 3210 Clinic Kaserne, Baumholder, Building 8746 DSN: (314) 541-9005 Civilian: 0611-143-541-9005
LOCAL RESTAURANT RECOMMENDATION OF THE WEEK
Zur Berg In my humble opinion, this is where to find the Best Steak in Kiserlautern at a somewhat reasonable price with an awesome historic German atmosphere. The Zur Berg is located in the old part of the city on Steinstr. 18. Call ahead and make reservations; I have been turned away without a reservation, even when the restaurant was empty. www.zur-burg.com/index.php/en/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/RheinlandPfalzACS Sponsorship Site: www.r p.ar my.mil/sponsor ship/index.html
INTERESTING INFORMATION: A local place to go on a Nice Day…. Landesgartenschau (Garden show): this area is a nature and cultural highlight at Kaiserslautern. Each season (April -October) the Gartenschau offers a huge variety of different events, like Europs largest dinosaur -exhibition with life-size-models up to 46 m at the Neumühlepark -area, the Ice-Age Garden, the flower-hall, the playground area with a giant slide, beach-volleyball, streetball, a rollerblading-field, the largest children-playground in the region, a little lake and many more... The Garden Fair opening hours are from April to October 31 Monday through Friday 9:00 o’clock am to 7:00 o’clock pm Saturday and Sunday 10:00 o’clock a.m. to 7:00 o’clock pm. Dogs are not allowed. The cost varies, but not very expensive