Vol. 72, No. 11
March 13, 2014
www.cherrypoint.marines.mil
2nd LAAD completes grenade, machine gun qualifications
NHC TRICARE walk-in Service Centers closing LANCE CPL. JOSHUA R. HEINS MCAS CHERRY POINT
The TRICARE walk-in service center located in Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point’s Naval Health Clinic will close April 1. All TRICARE services from that point on will be provided online at tricare. mil or at 1-877-TRICARE (1-877-8742273). TRICARE is a health insurance program for active duty, reserve and retired military members and their families, as well as the National Guard. More than nine million people participate in TRICARE. TRICARE walk-in service centers located across the United States will no longer provide walk-in service due to technology that makes TRICARE more accessible via the internet and toll-free telephone numbers. The changes will help facilitate administrative tracking and ease of access for patients. The TRICARE website has received recent updates, said Laurie Varner, the public affairs officer for the NHC. The website answers frequently asked questions without requiring a patient to visit an office. Service members and other TRICARE beneficiaries should expect no changes to actual healthcare services due to the closures, said Navy Lt. Nandu Polavarapu, the health care business department head with the NHC. Patients will still be able to seek medical treatment as they always have. What will change, however, is how patients enroll, check on claims, change their assigned primary care manager or find answers to general TRICARE questions. “One of the biggest effects will be the medical check-in process when people re-
LANCE CPL. JOSHUA R. HEINS
Lance Cpl. Alex R. Vieira fires an M-240B machine gun during a two-day field exercise at Camp Lejeune, March 6. Vieira is a gunner with Battery B, 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion.
LANCE CPL. JOSHUA R. HEINS MCAS CHERRY POINT
Nearly 50 Marines with Battery B, 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion conducted a two-day field exercise March 5 – 6 at Camp Lejeune. The purpose of the exercise was to qualify and maintain proficiency with both the M-203 grenade launcher and the M-240B machine gun. 2nd LAAD provides air defense for
See TRICARE page A5
Marines operating in combat. Each Marine in the battalion needs to know how to employ different weapons to provide maximum support for Marines conducting combat operations, according to Sgt. Rico L. Roads, a section leader with the battery. “One day we will be attached to an infantry unit and will need to understand not only our own jobs, but the jobs of the Marines around us,” said Roads.
During the training, the Marines of Battery B learned how to mount, maintain, aim and fire the M-203 grenade launcher. The M-203 is a single shot, 40mm grenade launcher that attaches to the M16A4 service rifle and M-4 carbine. The Marines shot four rounds during the grenade range, three of which were for practice in the prone, kneeling, and See LAAD page A5
Cherry Point announces 2014 Air Show theme contest winner PRESS RELEASE MCAS CHERRY POINT
Cherry Point service members donate blood
The 2014 Cherry Point Air Show “Inspiration to Innovation,” will take place May 16 – 18 aboard Cherry Point. Friday’s show will feature nighttime performances, while Saturday and Sunday’s shows will feature many daytime performances. Gates will open for the Friday night show at 5 p.m. and flying will go from 5:45 – 10 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday, gates will open at 8 a.m. and flying will go from 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. This year’s air show theme, “Inspiration to Innovation,” was inspired by Chris Kling, of Vanceboro, N.C., one of 237 entrants in the biennial theme contest. Kling will receive various prizes from Marine Corps Community Services to include a ride with one of the performing aircraft. “We had some really creative entries from people spanning 17 different states, so it was very tough to choose only one,” said Col. Chris Pappas, Cherry Point’s commanding officer. “In the end, the real winners will be the air show attendees who will meet America’s Marines, from aviators to infantrymen, showcasing the Marine AirGround Task Force.” This year’s air show highlights include the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter, the Black Diamond Jet Team, a Marine Air-Ground Task Force demonstration, the Smoke-n-Thunder jet car, a host of civilian and military aerobatic demonstrations, a fun zone for the kids, plus historic and modern static aircraft displays on the flight line. The night show will include a variety of night-oriented aerial See AIRSHOW page A5
News can also be found online
LANCE CPL. JOSHUA R. HEINS
Sgt. Antwan Reyna donates blood at the Naval Health Clinic Camp Lejeune Mobile Blood Donor Center at Cherry Point, March 11. “The blood donated at the Mobile Blood Donor Center stays within the military,” said Renellen Rodriguez, supervisor of the center. “There will be another blood drive at the exchange in another 57 days.” Reyna is a military policeman with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron.
News Briefs
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Taxes
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Broken Resolution
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Family Readiness
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Corps News
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Announcements
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