salute
J J J TO THE MILITARY
Sponsored by
A special supplement to
Soldiers at Aberdeen Proving Ground salute the colors. PHOTO BY MIKE MORGAN
SALUTE TO THE MILITARY | MARYLAND LIFE
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OPERATION MEND Healing the Wounds of War with Reconstructive Surgeries for U.S. Service Members Operation Mend is a pioneering program that treats U.S. military personnel that have been wounded and disfigured in Iraq and Afghanistan. Established in 2007, Operation Mend combines the best of the military’s resources with the skilled doctors and staff at UCLA Health System. The goal is to give returning service members with severe facial injuries access to the private sector’s best plastic surgeons, located at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. The uncompensated costs associated with the reconstructive surgeries and follow-up care can be as high as $500,000 per patient. DRS Technologies is pleased to support these efforts for the men and women of our armed forces. Contribute online at www.drsfoundation.net 2 MARYLAND LIFE | SALUTE TO THE MILITARY
Dear Friends: The men and women of the U.S. armed forces and their families serve our country year after year, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. Their service and sacrifice make our nation stronger and the world a safer place. On this Memorial Day, it is important to remember those we have lost, and honor those who work tirelessly for our country. I am so proud of the Marylanders serving as active duty military or in a civilian role, and our veterans, who have dedicated their lives to protecting our country and our freedoms. I’m also proud of Maryland’s leadership in our national security and defense. Maryland’s
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eight military bases truly are national assets. They are centers of excellence in our national security and military readiness at the cutting edge of technology in the fields of cyber security, medical care, biodefense, and aviation technology. And with the headquarters of civilian defense agencies such as the National Security Agency and Defense Information Systems Agencies located in Maryland, our state truly is today’s global leader in defense. We also train the leaders of tomorrow at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis. This year in the field of cyber security we welcomed the re-establishment of the Navy’s 10th Fleet with the Navy Fleet Cyber Command at Ft. Meade. This means new jobs for Maryland and will showcase Maryland’s know-how and can-do spirit as we work to defend the United States against the complex and evolving attacks by hackers and cyber spies that our nation faces each day. Even as we lead in defense, we show over and over again that we also lead in heart. In the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Haiti, Maryland accepted the call for help. Our very own USS Comfort set sail from the Port of Baltimore and Maryland’s Air National Guard deployed from Martin State Air Base to provide relief and medical care in Port-au-Prince. I am so proud of what Maryland and Marylanders have done and what they continue to do to help save lives in Haiti. Maryland has answered the call for help with extraordinary capability, kindness and verve. Every day I think about the men and women risking their lives overseas as they stand sentry on the front lines of our defense. I think of their families and their loved ones. They are in my prayers for a safe return home. We remember those who have paid the ultimate price for our country’s freedom. We thank all veterans for their service to our country. I salute our Maryland military – past, present and future, and promise to fight for you and for the state. Not with just one piece of legislation, not just for one day of the year, but in all that we do every day. Thank you and God bless you, Barbara A. Mikulski United States Senator
SALUTE TO THE MILITARY | MARYLAND LIFE
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Dear Reader, It is an extreme honor to be part of Maryland Life’s special Salute to the Military. The people of DRS Defense Solutions are proud to sponsor this issue and be counted among those who are a part of Maryland’s vital defense fabric. As a supplier of critical electronics and equipment to the warfighter and peacekeeper, we are focused on bringing the best that industry has to offer to help them perform their essential missions. As outlined in Sen. Mikulski’s message, Maryland is a leader in national security and homeland defense. We all can take pride in that position. This edition is a tribute to those who selflessly serve in our armed forces and is a
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tremendous testimony to the special connection between our military and the state of Maryland. We salute our men and women in uniform of all services and their families. They protect us. They truly deserve our gratitude and support. As you read the following stories, I want to especially point out two organizations that deserve your attention: Fisher House Foundation and Operation Mend. Fisher House Foundation supports America’s military by providing a home away from home enabling family members to be close to a loved one at a most stressful time -- during hospitalization. Headquartered in Rockville, Fisher House Foundation builds and donates homes to be used for temporary lodging while a military member receives medical care. Fisher Houses allow families to stay together. Currently there are 45 Fisher Houses located on 18 military installations and 15 VA medical centers. Twelve more houses are under construction or in design. Operation Mend is a project that offers hope and healing to those suffering casualties while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Through a unique collaboration between Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, and UCLA Medical Center in Southern California, Operation Mend ensures that our wounded warriors receive the best care that the military and private sector can offer. The program focuses on reconstructive surgery following burns and related trauma. I point out these two organizations because they illustrate how those who gave their best for our country receive the best in return. Further, the employees of DRS Defense Solutions support these organizations as a way to honor our returning injured soldiers. Thank you to those who serve. You are appreciated.
Richard S. Danforth President and CEO DRS Defense Solutions Bethesda, Maryland
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DRS DEFENSE SOLUTIONS PHOTO ARCHIVE
BY JENNIFER KEATS CURTIS
CHRISTINE REINHART LUGS TWO STUFFED ANIMALS WITH HER
helping
to work at McCormick & Company in Hunt Valley every day. The voice in the well-loved bear and monkey, which can be activated by tapping the paws, belongs to her son, 20-year-old Brandon, who was deployed to Afghanistan last year on her birthday…and Mother’s Day, May 11. While Reinhart holds tight to these inanimate reminders of her son, it is the fact that she can talk live with the real Brandon nearly every day for which she is most grateful. When Brandon was first deployed, he only phoned home sporadically because of the poor quality of the connection and the expense of using pre-paid phone cards. Now he, like other deployed troops, has access to an Internet Café, an ingenious way for servicemen and women stationed overseas to stay connected to their loved ones at home via the Internet and telephones. This type of immediate link is invaluable. “We mothers protect our children, we shield them and help them to make the right decisions,” says Reinhart, who carries her cell phone with her everywhere in case her son calls. “Now, he’s in harm’s way, and I can’t really do anything for him, but I can talk to him.” Thanks to a versatile system designed by a DRS Defense Solutions business unit -- DRS Technical Services Inc. (TSI) -- in support of the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center (SPAWAR) Atlantic-European Office, Internet Cafes have become a 21st-century, high-tech mail call. (DRS TSI is one of the world’s largest satellite communication providers to the Department of Defense; it uses satellite bandwidth to help connect people, organizations, and the military worldwide. SPAWAR, a member of the Naval Acquisition Enterprise, designs, develops, and deploys advanced communication and information capabilities for the military worldwide.) Currently located at every major U.S. military base worldwide—including nearly 600 active sites in Iraq and 200 in Afghanistan—these cafés certainly help service members take part in milestone events, such as a birth or a school graduation. But equally important is the connection it gives them to everyday events—like banking online or helping a spouse get her car repaired—24 hours a day, seven days a week. And thanks to the low cost of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoilP) calls, the service member may not feel quite so rushed during their conversations. “This ability to stay involved in family life and to respond quickly when needed makes a huge difference in the stress levels of soldiers, airmen, Marines, and civilians deployed to help support them,” explains DRS program manager Darin McCloy, who is stationed at the DRS Vaihingen, Germany, operation.
soldiers stay connected DRS DEFENSE SOLUTIONS PHOTO ARCHIVE
Thanks to Internet Cafés, home is just a mouse-click away
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more unusual problems may plague café users. “Sandstorms and winds can affect the connection; infrastructures can be [damaged]; or troops may relocate and take the café with them,” explains Hartman. “The troops will set it back up as best they can, and call us if a tech is needed to set up a dish or re-calibrate.” Fortunately, staff at the NOC is available to help 24/7, says McCloy. “We monitor the network, teleports, and satellites at three different locations in Germany, Italy, and in Greece.” Technicians also monitor and check the help status in every café deployed. “Technicians on watch can log in remotely and analyze and solve issues quickly,” says McCloy. “If we get a call or email about a trouble in the field, we try to respond within an hour, and we do our best to get it resolved immediately.” Since most of the SPAWAR and DRS staff members have previous military experience, they understand the importance of quickly establishing and maintaining these communication systems. “We know these guys are out there talking to their kids, parents, and wives, and that it’s a traumatic experience when the [lines] go down,” explains McCloy, a retired Marine. “Our technicians have the greatest jobs, because when they show up, they are heroes.” He adds, “Troops have deployed so often that they know how to find us, and if a café isn’t there,
they will send us an email to ask what needs to be done. The SPAWAR folks know what needs to get done and make sure the troops get connected to home.”
J TO HELP TROOPS CONNECT to their loved ones back home, several organizations, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars, sponsor “free call” days. And to show their support for HaitianAmerican military families dealing with the aftereffects of the recent earthquake near Port-au-Prince, DRS and SPAWAR have suspended charges for calls from Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom troops to Haiti.
DRS DEFENSE SOLUTIONS PHOTO ARCHIVE
Cafés, which house five to 20 computers and phones, are located within tents, sheds, or buildings, and are anchored by nearly six-foot-wide satellite dishes that make communication possible. The cafés can also be set up in mere hours. “The hardest part is shipping them around to a central location,” explains McCloy. “We provide the gear, but it is the unit’s responsibility to get it to the site and to set up the wiring and telephones. For the most part, these are young kids who grew up with computers, and they can certainly plug them in and turn them on. This type of self-help is part of what keeps the cost low.” After the troops set up the café, a DRS field technician comes in to bring the café “on air” and to commission it. About 63 DRS techs are currently deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Unlike the Internet provided in the U.S., the Internet and phone connections in these remote areas are supplied by satellite. “This is certainly not the norm, and because [there is only so much bandwidth] available, we do have to control café access and usage to be sure that everyone gets an equitable experience and a guaranteed level of service so that there is good quality,” explains Michael Hartman, SPAWAR’s senior program manager for the Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) Internet Cafés. While civilians may have occasional trouble with a disconnected cable or a modem issue,
SALUTE TO THE MILITARY | MARYLAND LIFE
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fisher
why
EARLIER THIS SPRING, NELLIE BAGLEY worriedly kissed her son and then prepared him for a now common occurrence: undergoing major surgery at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda. On March 1, 2006, her son, Staff Sergeant Jose Pequeno, a military policeman in Iraq, was blown out of a Humvee during a grenade attack. “When the medics arrived, they thought my son was dead,” says Bagley. “His whole left side was shattered. The driver had died instantly.” Because of the extent of his injuries, including severe brain trauma, Pequeno, now 36, has spent much of the past four years in military hospitals under the care of doctors desperately trying to improve the quality of his life. “Your whole world turns upside down; you lose a piece of yourself, and you never get it back,” says Bagley. “When you go through something like this, you lose all sense of normalcy.” You also lose all sense of home. Although Bagley was living in New Hampshire in 2006, she left everything behind to be at her son’s hospital bedside, no matter where he was admitted—in Maryland, DC, Boston, or Florida. Now, she says, “Home is wherever my son is.” In several places, she stayed on the floor of Pequeno’s hospital room or in a hotel. But, with only her daughter Elizabeth for support and limited funds, Bagley’s options were quickly running out. (Standing) David Broome and Kimberly Bennett (Seated) Elizabeth and Nelida Bagley and Merlin, the dog 8 MARYLAND LIFE | SALUTE TO THE MILITARY
house is home
LISA HELFERT
LISA HELFERT
BY JENNIFER KEATS CURTIS
Fortunately, she finally connected with the Fisher House. Today, Bagley has a “home away from home.” The Fisher House on Stokes Road in Bethesda is one of three current homes in Maryland and 45 nationwide, all of which are located in close proximity to major military and VA medical centers. Two more Fisher Houses are under construction in Maryland, and many more are being built nationwide. Founded by Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher in 1990, the Fisher House Program is a privatepublic partnership that provides the food and comforts of home, free of charge, to America’s active and retired military and their families during medical crises. Depending upon its size, each Fisher House (which has been donated to the military and Department of Veterans Affairs by the Fisher House Foundation) can house between seven and 20 families. Amenities include private bedrooms and baths and shared kitchens, laundry rooms, and dining and living areas. Quiet quarters to meditate, to rest, or to play—like the fish pond at the Stokes Road home—are common. “This is one way of giving back to these men and women who make great sacrifices for us, who make us free, and who defend us every day,” explains Fisher House manager Becky Wood, whose passion for her job and dedication to these families stems from a feeling that “we need to do more than just say thank you to the men and women who serve.” While Fisher House is intended for members
of all military families in need, including parents with premature infants and retirees with cancer, wounded warriors do receive top priority. In Maryland, because of the proximity to the Bethesda medical center and Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC, many families are tending to soldiers who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan with missing limbs and/or traumatic brain injuries. “Families are triaged so that those with the greatest needs, be they financial, emotional, or the gravity of illness, get a room first,” explains Wood, one of two paid Fisher House employees. “This is the best thing that could have ever happened to us,” proclaims Bagley, whose son was able to stay at the Fisher House with her and her daughter before his surgery. “You need a place where you can feel normal, to relax and have a cup of tea, and to cry, but not at the hospital in front of everybody.” Bagley also appreciates the close ties she shares with other families who are staying at Fisher House. “Nobody knows what we are going through unless they are in our shoes,” she says. “You lose so much and you have such stress, but [the other families and I] can talk about it so that we don’t feel so alone.” Wood understands this sentiment. “There is a real bond that happens with these families,” she says. “In the evening, after everyone has returned from visiting their loved one at the hospital, and when they are all watching TV or playing games, you can’t tell where one family ends and the next begins.”
Want to help? Each Fisher House is run by two paid staff members and helped by a corps of military and non-military volunteers. Community members also regularly donate non-perishable items, drop off movies and books, and decorate the house during holidays. To find out the best way to help, please call 301-295-5334 or 301-981-1243.
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Text “HERO” to 40579 to donate $10 to the Fisher House Foundation. This text number can be tailored to track a specific corporate campaign or a single event. Visit www.fisherhouse.org for more information. The Fisher House Foundation is a nationally recognized, premier nonprofit with a four-star Charity Navigator rating and an A+ from the American Institute of Philanthropy. Of the 39 military/veterans charities rated in the December 2009 report, only four received an A+. President Barack Obama gave the largest portion of his Nobel Peace Prize award, a $250,000 grant, to the Fisher House Foundation.
2009 Highlights:
FISHER HOUSE INSPIRES FURTHER GIVING North Carolina National Guardsman Dale Beatty was so inspired by his stay at Maryland’s Fisher House that he became the first recipient of its services to become a Fisher House Foundation trustee. He also began his own nonprofit organization to help other wounded veterans. After losing both his legs below the knee during his deployment in Iraq, Beatty was transferred to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. His wife and two young sons were able to stay at a Fisher House during his 35-day hospitalization. For the 11 remaining months of his outpatient treatment, he stayed at Fisher House with them. “By the time we left, my youngest son had lived over half of his life at Fisher House,” says Beatty, 32, who started Purple Heart Homes with Staff Sergeant John Gallina, who was injured in the same explosion that took Beatty’s legs. Their new charity will assess wounded veterans’ homes and then facilitate the reconstruction, remodeling, or renovations needed to make the homes as accessible as possible. For more information, visit www.phhnc.org.
Families served – approximately 11,000 Average length of stay – 16 days Average length of stay for combat casualties – 45-60 days Saved families more than $12 million in lodging costs, plus food and transportation More than 75,000 hours of volunteer service
Since 1990: Families served – more than 130,000 Number of lodging days – nearly 3 million Saved families more than $150 million in lodging costs, plus food
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THROUGHOUT THIS GREAT STATE, patriotic Americans passionately serve their country and fellow countrymen every day. A strong body of defense and aerospace industry employees supports our Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, and government agencies by creating, improving, and deploying military products, systems, and services that help keep us safe. At DRS Defense Solutions, LLC, headquartered in Bethesda, employees are keenly aware that their jobs help troops thwart threats, re-establish peace, and recover from disaster. They have responsibilities that may directly impact the lives, well-being, and future of others. “Our employees are dedicating their lives and their careers to the betterment of our armed services,” explains Richard Danforth, president and CEO, DRS Defense Solutions. “We have a strong connection to the products that we design and build because we know who is using and operating that equipment.” A well-kept secret for years, awareness of DRS is growing, not only because of the tragic events on our own soil on September 11, 2001, but also since the Department of Defense’s Base Realign10 MARYLAND LIFE | SALUTE TO THE MILITARY
CHAS TUORI
DRS
defense solutions
Bethesda is home to DRS Defense Solutions headquarters.
Supporting our warriors on the battlefield
ment and Closure (BRAC) is bringing changes to the military installations in our region. The people employed by the Montgomery County company are experts in intelligence, communications, avionics, sensor technologies, control systems, security, cyber warfare, sonar, training systems, satellite communications, and unmanned technologies. Operations are nationwide. While some employees work directly with warfighters and peacekeepers here and abroad, engineers and technicians at business units in Gaithersburg, Columbia, and Stevensville also create products that protect and defend U.S. troops and their allies on land, by sea, and in the air. DRS’ employees design and develop products that are deployed on high-profile military platforms like destroyers, tanks, helicopters, jet fighters, cargo aircraft, and submarines. Their integrated systems support various military platforms.Sister units produce sustainment products that support military forces, such as chemical/biological decontamination systems. Employees work hand-in-hand with all branches of the U.S. armed forces, homeland security forces, and government and intelligence agencies. These programs include intelligence systems and supports that help thwart potential terrorist
attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as here. They also include situational awareness optics, sensor devices, and sonar. One example is the Driver Vision Enhancer (DVE) A-Kits that are installed on Army and Marine Corps vehicles so that drivers can see—and survive—night driving through harsh, hazardous conditions where mines may be present. DRS also offers troops the invaluable ability to respond rapidly over satellite, wireless, and land networks, meaning they can communicate within their unit, as well as with loved ones at home. “Our mission is tantamount to being in the military, because our job is to provide the best capabilities to the world’s best fighting force and to make sure it works flawlessly every single time to keep these people alive,” explains Danforth. A wholly owned subsidiary of DRS Technologies, Inc., DRS Defense Solutions is comprised of seven business lines, with over 3,000 employees worldwide. DRS Technologies, Inc., is a wholly owned subsidiary of Finmeccanica S.p.A., a global leader in the aerospace, defense, and security industries, more than 73,000 employees worldwide. In 2009, revenues were $24 billion. For more information, visit www.drs.com.
Made in Maryland DRS Defense Solutions Products and Services
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DRS Defense Solutions, headquartered in Bethesda, provides advanced products, services and systems integration in the areas of intelligence and sensor technologies, security, cyber warfare, sonar, communications, electronic warfare, training systems, satellite communications, control systems and unmanned technologies. Although business units are scattered across the country, operations in Maryland account for a significant proportion of the business. In Gaithersburg and Columbia, signals intelligence (SIGINT) is the business focus. DRS is a world leader in providing commercialoff-the-shelf products and custom SIGINT solutions. These solutions leverage more than 45 years of experience in the design, development and manufacture of a broad range of high performance radio frequency surveillance equipment. Applications, including geo-location, are deployed worldwide by virtually all United States military as will as many allies and prime contractors.
TODD BORKEY
Also made in Maryland are integrated recording, processing and special storage systems for the SIGINT, instrumentation, Information assurance and niche telemetry and telecommunications markets. These products target high performance data acquisition, processing, storage and archiving applications. Reflecting the DRS culture of honoring the military, employees banded together to clean the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC.
LOOKING FOR A FEW GOOD MEN AND WOMEN DRS Defense Solutions – Advancing Technology, Advancing Careers. DRS Defense Solutions is always looking for talented engineers, program managers, and business development managers with defense and aerospace industry experience, technical degrees, and senior-level military or technical backgrounds. DRS Defense Solutions is committed to recruiting and retaining the best talent in the defense and aerospace industry. We offer an exciting and challenging work environment, a competitive salary and benefits package, and a business culture that rewards performance. Our culture also fosters innovation, high performance, and community involvement. For more information, visit www.drs.com/Careers.
Elsewhere in Gaithersburg, the sonar business area focuses on undersea warfare systems (UWS) for defense and homeland security applications. Stevensville is home to the DRS Defense Solutions Advanced Marine Technology Center (AMTC). AMTC is an advanced software products development and marine technology organization specializing in research and development, design, analysis, and testing primarily for naval applications. Major engineering disciplines and technologies focus on naval architecture, advanced ship design software, hydrodynamics and high performance computing, and marine engineering. AMTC’s mission is to provide high quality and cost effective technical capabilities and solutions for applications on aircraft carriers, surface combatants, submarines, unmanned vehicles, and commercial vessels.
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HOW MARYLAND DOES MEMORIAL DAY
J J J DRS’ CULTURE REFLECTS COMPANY MISSION At a recent corporate meeting, DRS executives viewed a short video that left few dry-eyed. The film featured servicemen and women who have been horribly disfigured and debilitated by improvised explosive devices (IEDs) during their tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. But now, these badly burned and injured soldiers are receiving free care from some of the world’s best plastic surgeons at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, thanks to a project, aptly named Operation Mend, which is supported by the DRS Technologies Charitable Foundation. After seeing the video and learning that uncompensated costs for these types of extensive reconstructive surgeries and follow-up care can go as high as $500,000 per patient, DRS executives were further moved by a surprise guest. Cpl. Aaron Mankin, Operation Mend’s first patient, severely burned after an IED explosion, walked out to demonstrate how far he’d come after more than 50 surgeries. That night, top management donated more than $400,000 to Operation Mend. “A great deal of our employees have served in the military or have family currently serving, and this connection is part of our culture,” says Richard Danforth, president and CEO, DRS Defense Solutions. “We realize the sacrifices that our servicemen and women make for us, and we are committed, from management to hourly workers, because we all realize that this is but a small token compared to what military men and women are doing for us.” In fact, DRS employees regularly and generously donate and encourage outside contributions to aid military and family members in need. Besides Operation Mend, DRS employees were instrumental in funding the new National Intrepid Center of Excellence in Bethesda by supporting the Intrepid Fallen Heroes fund with a $650,000 donation. Upon completion, the 72,000-square-foot, two-story facility, which will be dedicated to the research, diagnosis, and treatment of wounded warriors suffering from traumatic brain injuries, will be handed over to the Department of Defense. DRS Technology employees hope Operation Mend giving will hit record levels through a company-wide charitable campaign. In addition to donating money, DRS employees frequently seek ways in which they can honor those who serve. A team at DRS Signal Solutions places boxes by the elevators to solicit cards and goodies (such as food, magazines, comic books, and gum) for military care packages that are shipped off to soldiers overseas. And, last fall, 50 DRS employees banded together to clean the Korean War Veterans Memorial. For more information, visit www.drsfoundation.net.
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By Jennifer Tilley The Free State is bringing out its patriotic swag at these sometimes playful, sometimes somber Memorial Day events happening all over the region. So dab on some sunscreen, put on your red, white, and blue, and get ready to celebrate our nation’s heroes.
CENTRAL REGION “God Bless America” Kids Parade and Ice Cream Social (Middletown) May 29, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. A Memorial Day celebration for all ages! Watch (or participate in) a parade around Middletown Park before kicking back to enjoy an afternoon of fun activities and free ice cream. Middletown Park, Coblentz Road. Call 301-371-6171 or visit www. middletownartsandactivities.com. Hometown Holidays (Rockville) May 29-31, Sat.-Sun. 1-10 p.m., Mon. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. A weekend full of fun in Rockville: food, games, parades, art, and activities for kids and teens. Rockville Town Center. Call 240-314-8620 or visit www.rockvillemd.gov. Memorial Day Observance (Gaithersburg) May 30, 2 p.m. Honor our nation’s veterans at Gaithersburg’s holiday observance. Christman Park, 304 W. Deer Park Road. Visit www.gaithersburgmd.gov. Memorial Day Parade (Bowie) May 29, 11 a.m. Take pride in America’s heroes at this patriotic parade in Acorn Hill Park on Stonybrook Drive. Call 301-809-3011 or visit www.cityofbowie.org.
BALTIMORE METRO REGION Annual Westminster City Memorial Day Parade and Service (Westminster) May 31, 10 a.m. Celebrate Memorial Day with a Main Street parade, followed by a ceremony. Westminster Cemetery, Church Street. Call 410-848-6179 or visit www.carrollcountytourism.org. Community Memorial Day Service (Westminster) May 30, 1:45-3 p.m. One of the oldest services in Carroll County, featuring music by the Wm. F. Myers Band. Pleasant Valley Cemetery. Call 410-848-6179 or visit www. carrollcountytourism.org.
MARYLAND MILITARY BASES
Fort Detrick
Baltimore
HOWARD
VIRGINIA
Ellicott City
Dundalk
MONTGOMERY Columbia Rockville Potomac
Air Force:
National Naval Medical Center
Aberdeen Proving Ground—Aberdeen Fort Detrick—Frederick Fort Meade—Odenton
PRINCE GEORGE’S
Oxon Hill
Military Appreciation Week (Aberdeen Proving Ground) Week of May 16th This week-long celebration honors those who have served in the U.S. military and culminates with a Military Appreciation Luncheon at Top of the Bay on May 20 at 11:30 a.m. Visit www. harfordchamber.org.
St. Michaels
Waldorf
CHARLES
Easton
DELAWARE
CAROLINE
CALVERT Cambridge
Prince Frederick
La Plata
DORCHESTER
Poto mac R iver
Andrews Air Force Base
WICOMICO Salisbury
Drum Point Solomons Lexington Park
St. Mary’s City
Patuxent River Naval Air Station
Berlin
Ocean City
WORCESTER
Chesapeake Bay
Smith Island
Princess Anne Tangier Sound
Snow Hill
SOMERSET
Crisfield
VIRGINIA
10 MILES
WESTERN REGION Annual Sharpsburg Memorial Day Commemoration & Parade (Sharpsburg) May 29, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Enjoy a wreath-laying ceremony in Sharpsburg’s town square at 11 a.m., followed by the oldest continuous Memorial Day parade in the U.S. from 1:30-3 p.m. Call 301-432-6854 or 301-432-8410. Boonsboro Memorial Day Parade (Boonsboro) May 30, 1 p.m. Celebrate this patriotic holiday with a wreath-laying ceremony at 1 p.m. and a parade down Main Street at 2 p.m. Call 301-432-5634. Fillmore Fest (Fillmore) May 29-31 This Memorial Day Weekend, enjoy all-day festivities, including a Civil War encampment, box-car races, and lots of other fun activities in the town of Fillmore. Visit www.discoveralleganycounty.com.
EASTERN SHORE REGION
Remembering the fallen at the Annual Sharpsburg Memorial Day Commemoration
TALBOT
ANNE ARUNDEL
Delaware Bay
Denton
North Beach Chesapeake Beach
Navy:
Memorial Day at Fort McHenry (Baltimore City) May 31, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Celebrate the holiday with poetry readings, a wreath-laying ceremony, flag demonstrations, and historic speeches at the Fort McHenry National Monument. Call 410-962-4290 or visit www.nps.gov.
Centreville Queenstown
Annapolis
ST. MARY’S
Naval Air Station Patuxent River—Patuxent River Naval Station Annapolis—Annapolis United States Naval Academy—Annapolis National Naval Medical Center—Bethesda
NEW JERSEY
Naval Station & U.S. Naval Academy
QUEEN ANNE’S
Severna Park Bowie
Washington D.C.
Andrews Air Force Base—Camp Springs
Army:
Wheaton
Silver Spring Bethesda
Chestertown
Rock Hall
Glen Burnie
Gaithersburg
KENT
Bay
WEST VIRGINIA
y
Oce an
P
De
Towson
Randallstown
agu e
h nc
Mount Airy
Frederick
C & D Canal
At lan tic
a Br
LuthervilleTimonium
r ive
th or N
CARROLL Eldersburg
ot
ac
FREDERICK er Riv
Elkton
Havre de Grace Fallston Bel Air Aberdeen
R re wa la
om
BALTIMORE
Westminster
Ch inc ote
Oakland
c Ri v er
HARFORD
Hampstead
Thurmont
Ba
Deep Creek Lake
CECIL
Taneytown
Hagerstown
e
ot om a
Ch esa pe ak
ALLEGANY
McHenry
P
WEST VIRGINIA
WASHINGTON
Cumberland Frostburg
GARRETT
Aberdeen Proving Ground
Fort Meade
PENNSYLVANIA
Chestertown Tea Party (Chestertown) May 28-31 Enjoy activities for the whole family, including a historical reenactment, games, a parade, performances, and even a distance run. Held in and
Military Vehicles at the Annual Westminster City Memorial Day Parade and Service
around downtown Chestertown, the event features a cocktail party on Friday, reenactment on Saturday, and parade on Sunday. Call 410-778-0416 or visit www.chestertownteaparty.org. Memorial Day Free Skipjack Sails (Cambridge) May 31, noon-3 p.m. Enjoy a short sail on the Nathan of Dorchester at no cost! Free sails will be offered at noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m. Sails depart from Long Wharf in Cambridge. Visit www.skipjack-nathan.org. SALUTE TO THE MILITARY | MARYLAND LIFE
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Councilman David Craig, Councilman Richard Slutzky, and County Executive David Craig present proclamations to COL Jeffrey Weissman, APG Garrison Commander and Major General Fred D. “Doug” Robinson, Jr., RDECOM Commander.
THE MONTH OF MAY ISN’T JUST ABOUT REVELING IN THE
blooming flowers and the balmy temperatures. It’s also about honoring our servicemen and women, because May is National Military Appreciation Month. In Harford County, May includes the 33rd annual Military Appreciation Week, which honors men and women who previously served or currently serve in the United States military. During the week of May 16, Harford County’s Chamber of Commerce will sponsor this patriotic celebration. “The goal is to foster a stronger community relationship between the public and Aberdeen Proving Ground,” says Harford County Chamber of Commerce CEO Bill Seccurro. The week kicks off with Armed Forces Day, when Aberdeen Proving Ground invites the public to the base to celebrate. Activities will include a 10-k run, aircraft demonstrations, and a uniform pageant, as well as other activities. Military Appreciation Week will be capped off by the Military Appreciation Luncheon on May 21 at Top of the Bay, where awards for excellence in service and in the community will be given to service members. “It’s important now—and for the last 33 years—to recognize the commitment that military personnel and their families make to their community and their country,” says Seccurro. For more information about Military Appreciation Week and the luncheon, visit www.harfordchamber.org.
military appreciation BY JENNIFER TILLEY
Military Vehicles on display at the Top of the Bay.
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week
Preparing to receive Proclamations, from left to right: SGM Juanita R. Kruegar, SGT Benjamin Salazar, Soldier of the Year, SGT Abigail D. Lentz, Marine of the Year, TSGt Stevin W. Mountz, Airman of the Year.
“Let the praise be given not to me,...but to the inspirers (defenders) of the song!” —F S K,
years ago, Francis Scott Key captured the events of September th, , in a poem. “The StarSpangled Banner” found its way to become
our official national anthem in . Has
there ever been a song dedicated to our
country with such unwavering strength?
That ever invokes the grandeur of
patriotism and a thunderous ring of
courage? Each time you hear it
remember those military personnel
who have vowed to defend our land
of the free and the home of the brave.
Visit our display at The Gallery Mall, in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, second floor and be inspired! Help the NAC celebrate our National Anthem. w w w.osaycanyousee.org The NAC, Inc. is a registered (c) organization
SALUTE TO THE MILITARY | MARYLAND LIFE
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| SALUTE TO THE MILITARY 16 credit: MARYLAND LIFE Photo Mollie Miller, U.S. Army