Soundoff February 13, 2015

plan ahead100 percent ID checks start Friday at all Meade gates

page 3

UpCOMInG eVenTSTOday, 10 a.M.-2 p.M.: Cooking Matters tour - CommissaryFeb. 19, 11:30 a.M.: Black History Month Observance - DISA Conference Center Feb. 19, 6 p.M.: Kimbrough town hall - Kimbrough Ambulatory Care CenterFeb. 23-27: Fort Meade Military Saves WeekFeb. 26, 9 a.M.-4 p.M.: Financial Readiness Fair - McGill Training Center

ShInInG STarFort Meade Soldier only female playing men’s basketball

page 13

Soundoff!́vol. 67 no. 6 Published in the interest of the Fort Meade community February 12, 2015

photo by tina Miles

Sgt. 1st Class Tammy Cross, victim advocate for the 780th Military Intelligence Brigade, and Staff Sgt. Marie Boyd, security manager of the 780th MI, braved the 31-degree waters of the Chesapeake Bay during the 2015 Maryland State Police Polar Bear Plunge on Jan. 23 at Sandy Point State Park, Annapolis. The 19th annual event raised $1,536,887 to benefit the Maryland Special olympics. The 780th MI Brigade has had volunteers take the plunge every year since the unit’s activation in December 2011.

http://www.ftmeade.army.mil� SOUNDOFF! February 12, 2015

Commander’s Column

Cont ent sNews............................. 3 Sports..................................14

CrimeWatch................. 8 Movies.................................19

Community................. 17 Classified.............................21

Editorial StaffGarrison Commander Col. Brian P. foleyGarrison Command Sgt. Maj. rodwell l. forbesPublic affairs officerChad t. Jones [email protected], Command informationPhilip H. Jones [email protected] dijon [email protected] Editor & Senior Writer rona S. Hirsch Staff Writer lisa r. rhodesStaff Writer Shari rosendesign Coordinator timothy davis Supplemental photography provided by the Baltimore Sun Media Group

advErtiSinGGeneral inquiries 410-332-6300or email [email protected]

If you would like information about receiving Soundoff! on Fort Meade or are experiencing distribution issues, call 877-886-1206 or e-mail [email protected]. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday through Sunday, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Printed by offset method of reproduction as a civilian enterprise in the interest of the personnel at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, by The Baltimore Sun Media Group, 501 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, MD 21278, every Thursday except the last Thursday of the year in conjunction with the Fort Meade Public Affairs Office. Requests for publication must reach the Public Affairs Office no later than Friday before the desired publication date. Mailing address: Post Public Affairs Office, Soundoff! IMME-MEA-PA, Bldg. 4409, Fort Meade, MD 20755-5025. Telephone: 301-677-5602; DSN: 622-5602.

Everything advertised in this publication must be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, creed, color, national origin, marital status, handicap or sex of purchaser, user or patron. A confirmed violation or rejection of this policy of equal opportunity by an advertiser will result in the refusal to print advertising from that source.

Printed by The Baltimore Sun Co., LLC, a private firm, in no way connected with the Department of the Army. Opinions expressed by the publisher and writers herein are their own and are not to be considered an official expression by the Department of the Army. The appearance of advertisers in the publication does not constitute an endorsement by the Department of the Army of the products or services advertised.

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With February upon us, we could still get that staggering Snowpocalypse or another Snowmageddon!

Sometimes, heavy snowfall means power out-ages. Some people use candles for extra light, but candles aren’t just for emergency use. They can be used to set ambiance or to release a pleasant fragrance into the room.

However, like most things, candles can be very dangerous if not used carefully.

According to Fort George G. Meade Post Fire Regulation 420-7, lit candles are not permitted for use in any building on post except for homes and religious buildings.

However, if you do enjoy using candles in your home, here are a few tips to help stay safe:

• More than one-third (36 percent) of home candle fires started in bedrooms.

These fires caused 39 percent of the associated deaths and 45 percent of the associated injuries. The 16 percent of fires that started in living rooms, family rooms or dens caused about one-quarter (24 percent) of the deaths.

Fourteen percent of the fires started in bath-rooms and 11 percent began in kitchens or cook-ing areas.

• Candle fires start with a variety of burnable items.

Eleven percent began with a mattress or bed-ding; these fires caused 17 percent of home candle fire deaths. An unclassified type of furniture or utensil was the item first ignited in another 11 percent of fires.

Nine percent started when a curtain, blind or drapery ignited. Cabinetry was first ignited in 7 percent of the fires. Upholstered furniture was first ignited in 6 percent of the fires, resulting in one-quarter (25 percent) of home candle fire deaths.

• Twelve percent of the home candle fires occurred in December, 1.5 times the monthly average of 8 percent.

December candle fires often involve combus-tible seasonal decorations that would not have been present at other times of the year.

From January to November, decorations were first ignited in only 4 percent of home candle fires. This jumped to 11 percent in December.

The heightened candle fire risk around the win-ter holidays reflects a combination of increased candle use and more items that can burn in the area around the candles.

• The top three days for home candle fires were

Christmas, New Year’s Day and Christmas Eve.

• More than half (56 percent) of home candle fires occurred when some form of combustible material was too close to the candle. Keep candles at least 12 inches from anything that can burn.

• Unattended equipment or abandoned mate-rials or products were contributing factors in almost one of every five (18 percent) home candle fires. Never leave a burning candle unattended. Blow out candles when you leave a room.

• Four percent were started by people (typically children) playing with the candle. Keep candles out of the reach of children. Never leave a child unattended in a room with a candle. A child should not sleep in a room with a lit candle.

• Two percent of fires started when the candle was bumped into or knocked over. Make sure candles are placed on a stable piece of furniture in sturdy holders that won’t tip over. Place candles away from spots where they could be knocked over by children or pets.

• Improper containers were a factor in another 2 percent of the fires. Candles should fit in the holders securely, and holders should be made from material that can’t burn.

• Falling asleep was a factor in 11 percent of home candle fires and 37 percent of the associ-ated deaths. Extinguish all candles before going to sleep.

During 2007-2011, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average of 10,630 home structure fires started by candles per year.

These fires caused an annual average of 115 civilian deaths, 903 civilian fire injuries and $418 million in direct property damage.

Candles caused 3 percent of the reported home fires, 4 percent of home fire deaths, 7 percent of home fire injuries, and 6 percent of direct prop-erty damage during this period.

On average, 29 home candle fires were reported per day.

Have a warm and safe February from the Fort Meade Fire Prevention Office.

Use caution when burning candles

Capt. Shaun m. bagley Fort meade Fire prevention Office

http://www.ftmeade.army.mil February 12, 2015 SOUNDOFF! �

News

By C. Todd LopezArmy News Service

Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel A. Dailey was sworn in Jan. 30 as the 15th sergeant major of the Army during an afternoon ceremony at the Pentagon.

Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Ray Odierno administered the oath to the new senior enlisted advisor. Dailey most recently served as the command sergeant major at U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Com-mand.

The role of the sergeant major of the Army is primarily to advise the chief of staff of the Army on issues related to the enlisted force, and to pursue objectives laid out by the CSA.

Before he was sworn into office, Dailey said Odierno had already discussed objec-tives with him, and that after he settles into his new job, he is expected to start off in his new position by visiting with Soldiers throughout the Army.

“The chief wants me to get out and see the force,” Dailey said. “It’s critical I hear their voice, and carry that back to the chief and the secretary of the Army.”

Dailey said he expects to visit areas with large Soldier populations. Included among those might be the 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss, Texas; the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas; the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kan.; and the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Ga.

Dailey also brings with him ideas about Soldier development, physical fitness and women in combat — topics he became familiar with while serving as the senior enlisted advisor at TRADOC.

Most recently, the Army announced that female Soldiers will be allowed for the first time to attend Ranger School on a trial basis. This April, 60 slots will be made available to female Soldiers during a Ranger Course assessment at Fort Benning, Ga.

The change is something Dailey said he welcomes.

“Is the Army ready for women in com-bat arms? I think we are past due,” Dailey said. “I think we should give every Soldier, regardless of gender, the opportunity to serve in any military occupational specialty. What I am excited about is that we are using a standards-based approach, just like we should for everything we do in the Army.

“Regardless of gender, those Soldiers who are physically capable and want to compete and try out for these schools and military occupational specialties will be eligible to do so. I think it will make our Army better.”

A key area of focus for TRADOC, and now the newest sergeant major of the Army, is continued maintenance and development of the noncommissioned officer corps.

“I am carrying on some of the initiatives that we started when I was the TRADOC sergeant major,” Dailey said. “I truly believe that we have a lot of work we have already done, and there also is a lot that still needs to be accomplished, to further professionalize our professional military education system for our NCOs and Soldiers.”

One area of development, Dailey said, is firmly on the shoulders of Soldiers them-selves: structured self-development and civil-ian education.

“Our noncommissioned officers and Sol-

diers need to understand that a critical part of the development phase for a Soldier is the development they do on their own — utili-zation of the structured self-development platforms that we initiated and utilization of tuition assistance for them to take college credit and certifications,” Dailey said.

Equally important, he said, is mainte-nance of the operational skills Soldiers have learned from 12 years of combat. Soldiers who have participated in combat operations

in Iraq and Afghanistan will eventually leave the Army, and their experience will leave with them — unless they pass it on to the Soldiers that follow in their footsteps.

Dailey also said that with combat opera-tions having been drawn down, there will be more time for Soldiers to develop those professional skills, and to transfer what they have learned from 12 years of conflict to the new Soldiers arriving in the force, fresh from basic training.

“We have to make sure our NCOs are using those skills they learned over the 12 years of war, and translating those skills to our young Soldiers, and ensuring they are maximizing the time,” Dailey said.

He said there’s more time now for NCOs to spend with younger Soldiers to do critical unit-level training.

Dailey said the Army is becoming an “Army of preparation,” and must be ready for whatever the nation asks it to do — and that means continued training.

“I’ve always said the harder you train in garrison, the easier your combat experi-ence should be,” Dailey said. “It’s critically important for our NCOs, and our leaders and officers that have served overseas for the last 12 years, to maintain those skills. And they also have to educate and train the future Soldiers.”

The world is still dangerous, Dailey warned. There is a significant amount of uncertainty that the Army, and Soldiers, must be prepared to face.

One way to prevent war — which is the most desirable course of action, he said — is to show potential adversaries that the U.S. Army is still very capable of combat.

New SMA shares ideas about leadership

‘I truly believe that we have a lot of work we have already done, and there also is a lot that still needs to be accomplished.’

Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel A. Dailey

Beginning Friday, Fort Meade will conduct 100 percent identification checks at all of its Access Control Points for the next two weeks.

The effort, directed by Installation Management Command, is designed to count all non-Department of Defense visitors entering the installation.

“The inventory will undoubtedly cause additional delays at our gates,”

Garrison Commander Col. Brian P. Foley said. “We will work hard to streamline the process while continu-ing to ensure the safety of our com-munity.”

Visitors should be prepared for lon-ger waits at the gates and the possibility of traffic impacts on the surrounding roads and highways including Routes 175, 198 and 32.

Fort Meade will conduct these checks for two weeks each month throughout the 2015 calendar year.

This month’s 100 percent check will run through Feb. 27.

IMCOM installations are conducting the count of visitors to ensure Visitor Control Centers are properly staffed. The visitor count is being conducted at all IMCOM installations.

Fort Meade to conduct 100 percent ID checks at all gates


News

By Lisa R. RhodesStaff Writer

Lt. Col. Eric Smith, commander of Headquarters Command Battalion, rec-ognized seven of the battalion’s Sol-diers in a brief, formal ceremony Friday morning.

It has been more than a year since the battalion conducted a similar cer-emony.

In the past, Smith said the achieve-ments of battalion Soldiers were recog-nized at the garrison’s monthly Com-mander’s Call.

The ceremony is a way of “getting back to the garrison mentality” and hon-oring Soldiers in front of their peers.

During the ceremony, Smith presented the Army Commendation Medal to Spc. Chelsea M. Raser for “exceptionally meritorious support while performing duties as a fund technician for the Reli-gious Support Office.”

Raser began working in the RSO as an installation chaplain assistant three years ago, and then became a fund tech-nician for two years.

“It felt really great,” Raser said after receiving the medal. “I feel like being recognized and appreciated is really always a great opportunity, especially if you’re lower enlisted.”

Raser has been reassigned as a chap-lain assistant at Fort Riley, Kan., in March.

Smith then presented certificates of achievement to six Soldiers.

Spc. Marie I. McCreary received a certificate for her work as a military investigator during the installation’s Force Protection Exercise on June 17, 2014.

Staff Sgt. 1st Class Dionne Davis, Staff Sgt. Ricky Hayden, Staff Sgt. Stafford Thomas, Spc. Jordan Lockhart, Spc. Chelsea Raser and PV2 Nathan Mann each received a certificate for helping to raise $1,400 for the battalion’s holiday party and organizing the event.

“Let’s congratulate these deserving people,” Smith said.

The mission of Headquarters Com-mand Battalion was established in 1971 and provides a broad spectrum of administrative and logistical support to the post community and several part-ner units. Multiple military occupations make up the battalion.

The 241st Military Police Detach-ment is attached to the battalion for administrative and training purposes. Its purpose is to provide law enforcement, military working dog teams and force protection to the garrison.

Headquarters Command Battalion honors its own

Photo by SPc. JeSSica huger

Lt. Col. Eric Smith, commander of Headquarters Command Battalion, pins the Army Commendation Medal on Spc. Chelsea M. Raser during an awards ceremony Friday. Raser was one of seven Soldiers to be recognized in the battalion’s first formal ceremony in a year.

By Maj. Jasmine PetersonNurse, U.S. Army Public Health Command

Did you know that your heart beats more than 100,000 times a day, pump-ing nearly 1,900 gallons of blood? This means your heart is beating almost 42 million times and pumping about 700,000 gallons of blood a year.

February is American Heart Month and a time to bring awareness to the risks of heart disease and spotlight ways to stay ‘heart healthy.’

One of the first steps to cherishing your heart is to know and understand your heart-health numbers.

• Monitor and know your blood pressure.

High blood pressure or hyperten-sion is often called the “silent killer” because many people do not know they have it, and it is one of the leading

causes of death in the U.S.A healthy blood pressure is a systolic

pressure (the top number, pressure when the heart is beating) below 120 and a diastolic pressure (the bottom number, pressure when the heart rests between beats) below 80.

• Check your cholesterol.Cholesterol is a waxy fat-like mate-

rial that your body needs. However, too much of it puts you at risk for heart disease and stroke.

You can check your cholesterol through a simple blood test.

Get your cholesterol checked every five years, unless your health care provider recommends more frequent checks, ensuring that your heart is pumping as smoothly as possible.

• Track your weight.Maintain a healthy weight. Being

overweight or obese can increase your risk for heart disease.

• Get a yearly checkup.Work with your health care team

even if you feel healthy. This is a great way to check for and control condi-tions that may be putting you at risk for heart disease such as hypertension or diabetes.

• Eat healthy.Eat foods high in fiber and low in

saturated fat, trans fat, salt and choles-terol. Aim to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Choos-ing to eat a healthy diet can help you avoid heart disease.

• Exercise.One of the best ways to make your

heart strong is to work it out. Getting at least 150 minutes of exercise per week, like brisk walking, can help you

stay at a healthy weight and lower your cholesterol and blood pressure.

• Don’t smoke.If you smoke, quit. If you don’t

smoke, do not start. Smoking ciga-rettes greatly increases your risk for heart disease. Your health care team can help you quit, so give them a call if you smoke or use tobacco products.

• Limit your alcohol intake.Drinking too much alcohol over

time can increase your risk for heart disease. If you are a woman, stick to no more than one alcoholic beverage a day. If you are a man, no more than two.

As always, contact your health care provider before starting any diet and exercise program, and to obtain more information about improving your heart health.

Show your heart some love: Get heart-healthy


News

By Shari RosenStaff Writer

From free lunches and Family Fun Nights to big-screen TVs and a lounging area, the USO Metro-Fort Meade Center provides a comfortable and entertaining atmosphere.

The center is open 12 hours a day, 365 days a year for active-duty service mem-bers and their families.

“This place is an inviting environment,” said Laura Dexter-Mootey, USO Metro-Fort Meade Center specialist. “It’s a com-fortable environment, a safe environment, an environment where you can just come in here, kick up your feet, relax a little bit and just chill.”

Located at 8612 6th Armored Cavalry Road, the facility may seem small, but in reality, it is jam-packed with amenities such as big-screen televisions, video gam-ing systems, computers and comfortable seating.

“[The amenities] are great,” said Spc. Max Bertrand over lunch. “I come here all the time.”

The installation’s center is run com-pletely by volunteers.

“We have a number of volunteers who donate their hours and time to be able to keep the facility and amenities open to our active-duty members and their fami-lies,” Dexter-Mootey said.

These volunteers also support the majority of the center’s programs.

“We have programs for every aspect of the military community,” said Shawn Sabia, USO Metro-Fort Meade Cen-ter program coordinator. “There’s never a week without something going on, whether it’s our Bakery Bonanza, our SuperMarket Sweeps, our Y.U.M.s (Your USO Meals), other little small programs, our family programs, bingo nights, movie nights.”

One of the facility’s biggest programs, Dexter-Mootey said, is Y.U.M., which is held the second and fourth Wednesday of every month from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Y.U.M. provides active-duty service members with free lunch. The next Y.U.M. lunch will be Feb. 25.

“We’ve had Ernst & Young sponsor our Y.U.M. lunches here at Fort Meade for an entire fiscal year, so that will end in June of 2015,” Dexter-Mootey said. “But we have other people who are start-ing to line up for other Y.U.M. [lunches] after that.”

Another popular program, Dexter-Mootey said, is SuperMarket Sweeps,

Fort Meade’s USO provides variety of programs

photo by steve ellmore

Seaman Casey J. Hopkins studies during his lunch break Tuesday afternoon at USO Metro-Fort Meade Center. The center provides programming and amenities for active-duty service members and their dependents.

which allows active-duty service members and their spouses to obtain free produce and nonperishable goods.

SuperMarket Sweeps is held the third Thursday of every month from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and is currently in its winter loca-tion of 77 Rock Ave., near McGill Train-ing Center. In May, SuperMarket Sweeps will return to the USO center.

“I think the programs they offer here foster growth and camaraderie between services,” said Seaman Recruit Dana D. Legg of the Defense Information School during a visit to the center.

Other Fort Meade USO-Metro pro-grams specifically target female active-duty service members as well as female active-duty spouses.

Project Cinderella provides them the opportunity to enter a raffle to win free ball gowns, makeup advice, accessories

and classes on military etiquette for for-mal events.

“Project Cinderella is actually some-thing that started here at Fort Meade,” Sabia said. “It was so well liked that it was taken to the entire organization.”

Registration for Project Cinderella will remain open until March 2. Approximate-ly 100 winners from the metropolitan area will be chosen and notified by March 3.

Family-oriented USO programs include Family Fun Nights once a quarter; Oper-ation Back to School, in which corpo-rate sponsors donate school supplies to military children; Turkey for Troops; and Project Elf, in which donors provide holi-day gifts for military children.

“We’re trying to figure out what works, what’s needed,” Dexter-Mootey said.

The center also features an emergency food pantry for active-duty service mem-

bers and their families that they can utilize once every 30 days. The pantry is stocked with nonperishable food items.

“It’s to help them get over a rough bit, which we’ve all had at some time or another,” Dexter-Mootey said.

Both Dexter-Mootey and Sabia rec-ommend that service members and their dependents register for USO Metro-Fort Meade Center’s email list, which provides information on upcoming events and programs.

“We do a lot and we want folks to know we’re here and we’re here for them,” Sabia said.

Editor’s note: For more information on the USO Metro-Fort Meade Center, visit http://us.uso.org/WashingtonBaltimore/?p=75 and sign up for the email newsletter or call 410-305-0660. To volunteer, visit the center to fill out an application.

http://www.ftmeade.army.mil February 12, 2015 SOUNDOFF! �

News

dental health month

Preschooler Lillian Kiep brushes her teeth at one of Fort Meade’s

Child Development Centers, where children brush their teeth

after every meal and snack. February is National Children’s

Dental Health Month. The annual observance is sponsored by the American Dental Association to

raise awareness about the impor-tance of good oral health for chil-dren. Parents and caregivers are reminded that developing good

habits at an early age and sched-uling regular dental visits can help

children maintain a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums.

PHOTO BY DIJON ROLLE

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News

By Lisa R. RhodesStaff Writer

How would you respond during a zombie pandemic?

That’s the question Megan O’Connell, an intergrative behavioral health consultant at Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center, asked during her presentation for Kimbrough’s monthly Lunch and Learn Series on Tuesday afternoon.

The seminar was held at Kimbrough’s Rascon Center, Bldg. 2481.

McConnell used a story she wrote about a hypothetical zombie pandemic to talk about ways that people can be resilient when faced with life’s challenges.

The idea for the story was inspired by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse” campaign, which was launched in 2011 to educate the public about how to respond in an emergency.

McConnell’s story focuses on a mother and her two children who find themselves in the middle of a zombie attack. McConnell used their responses to the attack to discuss how people can deal with traumatic experiences.

One of the most important skills in learning to be resilient, she said, is being able to cope with the changing dynamics of everyday life.

“One of the things that is most difficult

when you are in a hard situation is to accept the reality of that situation,” McConnell said. “And because we fight it, that drains our energy, rather than accepting the situation and making decisions based on a new reality.”

McConnell said the ability to be proactive and make decisions based on the reality of the situations people face helps them to move forward.

However, an individual’s temperament affects his or her ability to deal with change and to adapt.

All people respond to difficult situations with their emotions, said McConnell. To be resilient, she said people must express them-selves.

“Avoiding those feelings doesn’t make them go away,” McConnell said. “Learning to toler-ate your own stress is what helps you manage those emotions.”

McConnell said there are also holistic ways to learn resiliency. One way to deal with hard-ship, she said, is by helping other people and focusing on one’s values.

“What are you willing to stand for? What is most important to you?” McConnell asked.

By helping others, people learn to put their own troubles in perspective while supporting the well-being of family and friends.

Being mindful is also an important tool.“Learn ways to step back from your feel-

ings so that when you are under stress, it becomes your automatic response,” McCon-nell said.

Mindfulness, however, is a skill that must be learned and practiced, she said. For example, when McConnell is under stress, she relaxes her muscles so she is able to think her way through the situation.

“But I had to train myself to do that,” she said.

After the seminar, retired 1st Sgt. Brian McLean said the seminar was helpful.

“To be resilient can always help you in life, always building on the ability to bounce back and keep moving,” the Odenton resident said. “[This] is something I can definitely improve upon.”

A combat veteran with 26 years of Army service, McLean said that McConnell’s point about controlling one’s emotions is one of the most important skills in learning how to be resilient.

“Being able to analyze a situation and be realistic is a big thing in being resilient,” McLean said. “When something bad hap-pens, I can be calm and analyze the situation to think of the most practical solution.”

Editor’s note: Those interested in a seminar on how to learn mindfulness techniques should call the Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center Red Team at 301-677-8949.

Lunchtime seminar focuses on resiliency

Feb. 5, Theft of private prop-erty: The victim notified units from the Directorate of Emergency Services that six 32-inch Panasonic tele-visions were stolen from his building.

Feb. 5, Larceny of private property: The victim stated that after arriving at Gaff-ney Fitness Center, he placed his personal belongings — including his wallet — inside his locker in the men’s locker room. When he returned to the locker, he noticed his wallet was missing.

CommunityCommunityCrime Watch

Compiled by the Fort Meade Directorate of Emergency Services

For week of Feb. 2-8:• Moving violations: 33• Nonmoving violations: 12• Verbal warnings for traffic stops: 8• Traffic accidents: 6• Driving on suspended license: 2• Driving on suspended registration: 3• Driving without a license: 0

U.S. Army News ReleaseArmy Secretary John M. McHugh

announced Friday that he has approved awarding the Purple Heart and its civil-ian counterpart, the Secretary of Defense Medal for the Defense of Freedom, to victims of the 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, following a change in the medals’ eligibility criteria mandated by Congress.

Thirteen people were killed and more than 30 were wounded in the attack by Maj. Nidal Hasan, who was convicted in August 2013 of 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted murder.

“The Purple Heart’s strict eligibility cri-teria had prevented us from awarding it to victims of the horrific attack at Fort Hood,”

McHugh said. “Now that Congress has changed the criteria, we believe there is sufficient reason to allow these men and women to be awarded and recognized with either the Purple Heart or, in the case of civilians, the Defense of Freedom Medal.

“It’s an appropriate recognition of their service and sacrifice.”

Under a provision of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2015, Con-gress expanded the eligibility for the Purple Heart by redefining what should be con-sidered an attack by a “foreign terrorist organization” for purposes of determining eligibility for the Purple Heart.

The legislation states that an event should now be considered an attack by a foreign

Army approves Purple Hearts for Fort Hood shooting victimsterrorist organization if the perpetrator of the attack “was in communication with the foreign terrorist organization before the attack” and “the attack was inspired or motivated by the foreign terrorist organiza-tion.”

In a review of the Fort Hood incident and the new provisions of law, Army offi-cials determined that there was sufficient evidence to conclude Hasan “was in com-munication with the foreign terrorist orga-nization before the attack,” and that his radicalization and subsequent acts could reasonably be considered to have been “inspired or motivated by the foreign ter-rorist organization.”

Previous criteria required a finding that

Hasan had been acting at the direction of a foreign terrorist organization.

McHugh directed Army officials to iden-tify Soldiers and civilians now eligible for the awards as soon as possible and to contact them about presentation of the awards.

Soldiers receiving the Purple Heart auto-matically qualify for combat-related special compensation upon retirement. Recipients also are eligible for burial at Arlington National Cemetery.

Following his 2013 conviction, Hasan was sentenced to death by a general court-martial. He is incarcerated at Fort Leaven-worth, Kan., while post-trial and appel-late processes continue.

Better Opportunities for Single Service Members is the voice for the single Soldier, Marine, Seaman and Airman. For more information, contact the Fort Meade Garrison BOSS Representative Cpl. Victoria M. Johnson at 301-677-6868.

http://www.ftmeade.army.mil10 SOUNDOFF! February 12, 2015

News

DoD News, Defense Media ActivityMembers of the Justice Department

announced Monday that under its settle-ments with five of the nation’s largest mortgage servicers, 952 service members and their co-borrowers are eligible to receive more than $123 million for nonju-dicial foreclosures that violated the Service Members Civil Relief Act.

The five mortgage servicers are: JP Morgan Chase Bank N.A.; Wells Fargo Bank N.A. and Wells Fargo & Co.; Citi Residential Lending Inc., Citibank, NA and CitiMortgage Inc.; GMAC Mortgage, LLC, Ally Financial Inc. and Residential Capital LLC; and BAC Home Loans Servicing LP, formerly known as Coun-trywide Home Loans Servicing LP (Bank of America).

In the first round of payments under the SCRA portion of the 2012 settlement known as the National Mortgage Settle-ment, 666 service members and their co-borrowers will receive more than $88 mil-lion from JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citi and GMAC Mortgage.

The remaining 286 service members and their co-borrowers already have received more than $35 million from Bank of America through an earlier settlement.

The non-judicial foreclosures at issue took place between Jan. 1, 2006 and April 4, 2012.

“These unlawful judicial foreclosures forced hundreds of service members and

their families out of their homes,” Act-ing Associate Attorney General Stuart F. Delery said. “While this compensation will provide a measure of relief, the fact is that service members should never have to worry about losing their home to an illegal foreclosure while they are serving our country.

“The department will continue to active-ly protect our service members and their families from such unjust actions.”

“We are very pleased that the men and women of the armed forces who were sub-jected to unlawful nonjudicial foreclosures while they were serving our country are now receiving compensation,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta of the Civil Rights Division.

Section 533 of the SCRA prohibits non-judicial foreclosures against service mem-bers who are in military service or within the applicable post-service period, as long as they originated their mortgages before their period of military service began.

Even in states that normally allow mort-gage foreclosures to proceed nonjudicially, the SCRA prohibits servicers from doing so against protected service members dur-ing their military service and applicable post-military service coverage period.

Under the National Mortgage Settle-ment, for mortgages serviced by Wells Fargo, Citi and GMAC Mortgage the identified service members will each receive $125,000, plus any lost equity in the prop-

erty and interest on that equity.Eligible co-borrowers will also be com-

pensated for their share of any lost equity in the property.

To ensure consistency with an earlier private settlement, JP Morgan Chase will provide any identified service member either the property free and clear of any debt or the cash equivalent of the full value of the home at the time of sale, and the opportunity to submit a claim for compensation for any additional harm suffered, which will be determined by a special consultant, retired U.S. District Court Judge Edward N. Cahn.

Payment amounts have been reduced for those service members or co-borrowers who have previously received compensa-tion directly from the servicer or through a prior settlement, such as the independent foreclosure review conducted by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Reserve Board.

The Bank of America payments to identified service members with nonju-dicial foreclosures were made under a 2011 settlement with the Department of Justice.

The NMS also provides compensation for two categories of service members:

• Those who were foreclosed upon pur-suant to a court order where the mortgage servicer failed to file a proper affidavit with the court stating whether or not the service member was in military service

• Service members who gave proper notice to the servicer, but were denied the full benefit of the SCRA’s 6 percent inter-est rate cap on pre-service mortgages

Service members entitled to compensa-tion for these alleged violations will be identified later in 2015.

Points of contact:Borrowers should use the following

contact information for questions about SCRA payments under the National Mortgage Settlement

• Bank of America: Rust Consulting, Inc., settlement administrator, at 1-855-793-1370 or write to BAC Home Loans Servicing Settlement Administrator, c/o Rust Consulting, Inc., P.O. Box 1948, Faribault, MN, 55021-6091

• CitiBank: 1-888-326-1166•GMAC Mortgage: Rust Consulting

Inc., settlement administrator, at 1-866-708-0915 or write to P.O. Box 3061, Faribault, MN, 55021-2661.

• JPMorgan Chase: 1-877-469-0110 or write to P.O. Box 183224, OH-7160/DOJ, Columbus, Ohio 43219-6009

Wells Fargo: Wells Fargo Home Mort-gage Military Customer Service Center at 1-877-839-2359.

Service members and their dependents who believe that their SCRA rights have been violated should contact an Armed Forces Legal Assistance office and go to servicemembers.gov.

Troops to receive millions under Civil Relief Act

By Tanesha Matthews PettyAttorney Advisor, Legal Assistance Division

Divorce is frightening for most people. The idea of litigating a divorce without the help of an attorney (litigating “pro se”) may seem even more daunting, but it does not have to be.

If your divorce is uncontested, mean-ing you and your spouse agree that the marriage is over and have come to an agreement regarding the divorce settle-ment, proceeding pro se might be right for you.

The Maryland court system tries to make it easier for parties to represent themselves in divorce actions. Not only has the court published numerous forms necessary for the process (some with instructions), but it has also created self-help centers in various counties

throughout the state where litigants may seek free help from practicing attorneys.

The first step to proceeding pro se is for one of the spouses to complete a “complaint for absolute divorce.” This document tells the court what you are seeking.

The person who completes the com-plaint is the plaintiff; the other party is the defendant. Along with the complaint, the plaintiff must complete a “domestic case information report,” which the court uses to prepare for your case.

The next step is for you to file these documents, along with a property settle-ment agreement if you have one, with the circuit court for the county in which you live. You will be required to pay a filing fee; the amount varies from county to county.

After you have filed the documents with the court, you will receive a “writ of summons” from the clerk’s office. You will need to serve on your spouse a copy of the documents you filed with the court and the writ of summons.

If your spouse lives in the state of Maryland, he or she will have 30 days to file an answer/response to the com-plaint. This time frame is extended to 60 days if your spouse lives out of state, and to 90 days if your spouse lives out of the country.

If your spouse fails to answer in the prescribed time, you should file a “request for order of default.” However, if your spouse responds to the com-plaint, your next step should be to file a “request for a hearing or proceeding” so that a court date will be set.

Be sure to bring a corroborative wit-

ness to the hearing. Divorces in Mary-land may only be granted after a judge hears testimony from a person who can corroborate or confirm the facts you present. Generally, a witness can only testify to what he or she heard or saw. Additionally, a witness can testify to what your spouse told him or her.

This is a basic overview of how to proceed pro se in the state of Maryland. You must be a resident of Maryland to get divorced in Maryland. All of the aforementioned forms and information can be found online at mdcourts.gov/family/formsindex.html.

To receive personalized advice and assistance on these or other legal mat-ters, call the Fort Meade Legal Assis-tance Office to schedule an appointment with an attorney at 301-677-9504 or 301-677-9536.

Divorcing in Maryland without a lawyer


News

By Chanel S. WeaverPublic Health Command

Service members must meet stringent physical standards to serve. But main-taining a high level of fitness can be a challenge for pregnant and postpartum Soldiers.

That’s why the Army provides Preg-nancy Postpartum Physical Training, or P3T, developed several years ago to assist these moms with staying healthy and fit. The intent is to provide safe, standard-ized physical training and education led by personnel trained in pregnancy and postpartum fitness.

“The program is designed to promote readiness through health by maintain-ing fitness levels of pregnant Soldiers, and successfully integrating postpartum Soldiers back into unit physical-readi-ness training,” said Lisa Young, a health educator at the U.S. Army Public Health Command and program coordinator for P3T.

Army policy mandates enrollment for all pregnant and postpartum Soldiers. Upon confirmation of pregnancy, the Soldier is exempt from regular unit physi-cal-readiness training. After the Soldier receives medical clearance from her health care provider, commanders are instructed to ensure that all eligible pregnant or postpartum Soldiers enroll.

Here are some answers to basic ques-tions about P3T:

Why was P3T created?

Based on several Army studies and current literature, it was shown that after 15 months of pregnancy and postpartum, Soldiers who return to unit physical train-ing without intervention demonstrate reduced fitness levels, increased body fat, and increases in injuries and illness rates.

P3T offers specifically designed PT for these Soldiers to help them maintain overall health and well-being.

Where is P3T available across the Army?

There are currently P3T programs at

26 installations in the United States; 17 programs in Germany, Japan, Korea and Italy; and remote P3T programs overseen at numerous small installations, Reserve and Army National Guard units.

What are some benefits to enrolling in the P3T?

Health experts say participation in P3T provides a Soldier with an exercise and health education program that meets the unique needs of pregnant and postpar-tum Soldiers.

P3T provides a safe setting and trained leaders to assist Soldiers in making adjustments to their exercise regimen as the pregnancy progresses, and to teach special skills that will help with delivery and recovery. It also provides emotion-al support and encouragement through group activities with others in similar circumstances.

“Getting to know other Soldiers that are also moms can help give the reassur-ance, positive reinforcement and motiva-tion that are needed to meet the challeng-es of motherhood and return to required fitness levels,” Young said.

How has it helped women? What have been the outcomes?

In a recent evaluation, postpartum participants reported that P3T was help-ful to them in passing their diagnostic APFT, returning to their unit before or at 180 days post-delivery, and meeting body-composition standards.

They also perceived P3T participation as a positive influence in boosting their morale, and as helpful in being able to continue to perform their duties on the job.

How often should a pregnant woman exercise?

According to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, in the absence of either medical or obstet-ric complications, pregnant women can accumulate 30 minutes or more of moder-ate-level physical activity most, if not all,

days of the week to maintain health and well-being.

A recent article in the Army Times states that such exercise improves mood, sleep and energy; prevents pregnancy-related diabetes; and promotes an easier birth and faster recovery.

What are some tips for a healthy postpartum training regimen?

After the baby is born, fetal safety is no longer an issue, but potential inju-ries for Soldiers continue due to persis-tent musculoskeletal and cardiovascular changes.

Postpartum exercises are designed to regain pre-pregnancy fitness levels, meet mission requirements, pass the APFT and meet Army body-composition standards. Exercise sessions should be conducted a minimum of five times a week.

This is a basic postpartum fitness ses-sion, according to Young:

• A 10-15 minute warm-up segment,

which includes slow movements, dynamic stretching and slow-cadence calisthenics.

• A 10-20 minute muscular condition-ing segment that may incorporate calis-thenics drills, strength endurance exercis-es with free weights or resistance bands, situps and pushups. The focus now is to prepare the Soldier to pass the situp and pushup portions of the APFT.

• A 30-45 minute cardio-respiratory segment that may include low-impact aerobics, speed and agility drills, cardio machines, circuit training, and ability group walk/jog/runs.

The postpartum Soldier is encouraged to gradually begin running, increasing the frequency so that after the first two weeks of returning to P3T, the Soldier is jogging/running three times a week.

• A 10-minute cool-down segment, which may include a slowing down of the aerobic activity followed by gentle stationary stretching. All Soldiers’ heart rates must be at or below 100 beats per minute before leaving the area.

Army helps moms maintain fitness

before, after childbirth

file photo

The Army provides Pregnancy Postpartum Physical Training to assist mothers with staying healthy and fit.

http://www.ftmeade.army.mil February 12, 2015 SOUNDOFF! 13

SportS

By Shari RosenStaff Writer

When Sgt. Sharmaniik Lawson takes to the court, heads turn.

Spectators do not expect to see a female starting point guard among the all-male Fort Meade intramural basketball league.

“If I play up to [the men’s] expectations and I can hang with them, then I’ll be one of the top females,” said the South Caro-lina native, who plays for the 327th Signal Company Spartans. “I love it.”

The 27-year-old joined the Army three months after graduating from Timberland High in South Carolina, where she started for four years.

“I came in as a freshman, competed with a senior for a starting spot,” said Lawson, who resides in Sutton, Md., with her wife, Sgt. Charmaine Lawson, and daughters Anyyah and Ziyonnah. “You got to prove yourself.”

At her first duty station, Fort Bragg, N.C., Lawson was recruited for the all-women’s Army basketball team in the summer of 2007.

“I didn’t get to play because when we got the final physical, I was pregnant,” Lawson said.

Following the birth of her daughter Anyyah in August 2008, Lawson joined Fort Bragg’s women’s varsity basketball team as well as the installation’s intramural league where she was once again the only female.

Lawson was named most valuable play-er in the intramural league’s championship game that went into double overtime. She scored 23 points and had 11 assists.

“They say, ‘She’s just a girl,’ and then I really surprise them,” said Lawson, who is nearly 5-foot-6.

While stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington in 2010, Law-son played on the all-women American Basketball Association team, which is a step below professional. That same year, she was named the team’s runner-up for MVP.

After coming to Fort Meade last Febru-ary, Lawson joined her company’s intra-mural football team and was soon invited to play on the company basketball team.

Lawson, who works in human resources for the 327th Signal Company, said she wanted to play and was put on the compa-ny’s intramural basketball roster.

“She works really hard,” said 2nd Lt.

Powered by passionOnly female basketball player shines on installation intramural league

George Smith of the 327th. “She’s a valu-able member to the team, and without her we couldn’t do what we do.”

The rest of the company was surprised, though, when Lawson showed up to the first day of practice.

“You’ve got to show people what you’re about,” Lawson said.

Since the initial practice, Lawson has been starting point guard for the Spar-tans.

“I’m very competitive, so anything com-petitive, I’m all for it,” Lawson said. “I

think [the intramural basketball league] builds camaraderie.”

Lawson plays basketball every day at Murphy Field House during her lunch break.

“I [could] play basketball all day and I won’t complain,” she said.

Initially, Lawson did not know there was a sign-up sheet at Murphy to reserve court time. Male players were getting to play before her even though she had arrived at the gym before them.

“I’m the type of person who is like, ‘You

will not run me over,’ ” Lawson said. “I think the very first time I actually played, I really shocked them.”

Lawson also plays pickup games at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C., with her wife.

“Weekends, after work, during lunch, if I’m not doing anything else with my kids, I’m playing ball,” Lawson said. “I even have [my kids] in the gym, playing basket-ball. I’m teaching them how to play.

“I just love basketball. It’s a stress-reliever for me.”

PHOTO BY NATE PESCE

Sgt. Sharmaniik Lawson of the 327th Signal Company Spartans tries to drive the ball past a 32nd Intelligence Squadron defender at an intramural basketball game held Tuesday night at Murphy Field House. Lawson is the only female in the installation basketball league.


SportS

By Bryan SpannFort Meade Public Affairs Office

Rich Holzer, head football coach at Meade High School, received the U.S. Marine Corps “Semper Fidelis” Coach Award in a brief ceremony held Saturday at the Hyatt Regency Baltimore hotel during the Glazier Sports Clinic.

According to the Glazier Sports web-site, members of the Marine Corps and Glazier Sports work together “to honor high school football coaches who display faithfulness to the mission of their team and exemplify the Marine standard of excellence in developing leaders.

“It recognizes a high school football coach who lives out the Marine Corps

Meade High coach receives Marine Semper Fi award

motto: ‘Semper Fidelis’ (“always faith-ful”), and who models the Marine Corps leadership values of honor, courage and commitment.”

Holzer is in his fourth year as football coach at Meade High.

“I try to do what football coaches are supposed to do — build men,” he said. “You’re supposed to make people better, do what my coaches did for me, what my father did for me — my father was a coach.

“I saw how he built young adults, turn-ing student athletes into young men, and they would come back and thank him. And that’s something I’ve always wanted to do. I’ve always wanted to coach. …

I not only wanted to win games, but to make a difference … and serve my com-munity in my own way,” Holzer said.

According to the Marine Corps, the Semper Fi Coach is not necessarily selected based on his record or number of winning championships, but rather on leaving a legacy of intentional lead-ership.

In this case, Holzer is winning games. His Mustangs hold a record of 33 wins and 13 losses since his arrival, and are two-time regional champions.

In addition, Holzer has taken dozens of young men under his wing. Fifteen have earned scholarships to play college football.

PHOTO BY STEVE RUARK

The Marine Corps’ 2015 Semper Fidelis Coach Award is presented to Rich Holzer, head football coach at Meade High School, during a football coaching clinic Saturday at the Hyatt Regency Baltimore. Rich Holzer is in his fourth year as Meade High’s football coach.

RIGHT: Holzer huddles with his team during the 2013 season.

filE PHOTO

PHOTO BY STEVE RUARK

Meade High football coach Rich Holzer


SportS

A 3-point jumper by Francis with 2:19 to play gave the Patriots a commanding 73-59 lead.

“The win felt great,” Francis said. “We’re a better team [than our record shows]. We just have to go out there and prove it. We just have to prove it.”

Bennett agreed with Francis’ assessment of the game.

“We kept passing [the ball] when things got

tough,” Bennett said. “We kept building on our chemistry and believing in ourselves.”

The Patriots will take a break from confer-ence play this weekend as they compete in the Annual Capital Classic Basketball Tourna-ment sponsored by Joint Base Myer-Hender-son Hall.

Fort Meade returns to conference play Feb. 21 to face off against Fort Belvoir at 1 p.m. at Murphy Field House.

By Philip H. JonesChief, Command Information

The Fort Meade Patriots snapped a two-game losing streak Sunday, defeating Joint Base Andrews 80-64 at Murphy Field House.

The win gives the Patriots a 2-5 record in the Washington Area Military Athletic Con-ference and keeps the team’s hopes alive to secure a 4 or 5 seed ranking by season’s end, going into the WAMAC playoffs.

“This was a very good win,” Patriots head coach Ronny Cunningham said after Sunday’s game. “The team saw something yesterday [Saturday] when we hung in there against the first-place team in the conference. This win can jump-start our season.”

On Saturday, the Patriots lost a highly com-petitive contest 86-81 to the National Capital Region Marines. The Marines currently lead the WAMAC with a 6-1 record.

After Sunday’s win, Cunningham believes the Patriots are ready to take the next step to become a WAMAC playoff contender.

“This [win] gives us momentum [for the remainder of the season],” Cunningham said. “We still got some more tough games left, but we can go .500.”

Sunday’s contest showcased the playmak-ing and basketball skills of Tyler Francis and Keenan Bennett, making a statement that Fort Meade may have the best starting guard combo in the WAMAC.

Francis finished the game with 18 points, while Bennett led all scorers with 21 points.

The first half of Sunday’s game against Joint Base Andrews was a seesaw battle. With 3:34 remaining, Francis connected on his first 3-point jumper of the game, tying the score at 25-all.

JB Andrews regained the lead moments later when Raymond Steward scored on a contested layup. Bennett would tie the game at 27-all on a hard-driving layup with 2:50 remaining in the half.

JB Andrews, however, finished the first half outscoring the Patriots, 10-2, to take a 37-29 lead.

DeeCourey Carrawell led Fort Meade in scoring at the half with five points, while Ben-nett chipped in 4 points. Joseph McNeil led JB Andrews with 12 points, followed by Travares Peterson’s 8 points.

Playing a tough zone defensive, Fort Meade scored the first 8 points in the second half, tying the game at 37-all with 17:20 remaining.

With 13:07 remaining, the Patriots went on another run, outscoring JB Andrews 14-0, and taking a 59-44 lead after an inbound pass play led to a Bennett layup with 7:40 remaining in the game.

Fort Meade finished the game playing relentless defense and relying on a steady diet of jump shots, layups and free throws by Francis and Bennett.

Patriots defeat Joint Base Andrews

Photos by Nate Pesce

Dararius Evans finishes off a layup during Sunday’s Patriots’ game against Joint Base Andrews at Murphy Field House. Evans scored 11 points.

Fort Meade’s Derek Bailey

probes for an opening in the Joint

Base Andrews defense

Sunday during a Washington Area Military

Athletic Conference game. The

Patriots defeated JB

Andrews, 80-64 to improve its conference record to 2-5.


SportS

Sports ShortsTexas Hold ‘Em Tournaments

All service members and civilians are invited to play in the Texas Hold ‘Em Tournaments held Mondays and Wednesdays at 7 p.m. at the Lounge at the Lanes.

Tournament is free to enter. Prizes are awarded for the top winners.Food and beverages are available for purchase.For more information, call 301-677-5541.

Youth spring sportsRegistration for spring sports is underway.Spring sports include baseball, softball, tennis, lacrosse, basketball, track,

NFL flag football and soccer.To register online, go to ftmeademwr.com.For more information, call 301-677-1179.

Youth Sports seeks volunteer coachesVolunteer coaches are needed for baseball, softball, tennis, lacrosse,

basketball, track, NFL flag football, and soccer.All volunteers will receive free training and will be certified through the

National Youth Sports Coaches Association.All volunteers must complete a background check.Apply at the Child, Youth and School Services’ Youth Sports & Fitness

Office at 1900 Reece Road.For more information, call 301-677-1179 or 301-677-1329.

Tae kwon doChild, Youth and

School Services offers tae kwon do classes for youths of all ages Tuesdays and Thursday at the Youth Center.

Classes are broken into different age groups. Cost is $45 for ages 4 to 6 and $85 for ages 7–17.

For more information, call 301-677-1149.

2015 Run Series ScheduleThe Fort Meade Run Series will resume in April.There will be a total of seven 5K runs and 1-mile walks throughout the

year with a variety of themes:• Earth Day 5K and 1-Mile Walk: April 18, 8 a.m., Burba Lake Park• Patriot Pride 5K/10K: May 16, 8 a.m., Murphy Field House• Army Birthday Summer Sizzler 5K: June 13, 8 a.m., The Pavilion• Football Fanfare 5K: Sept. 19, 8 a.m., Constitution Park• Ghosts, Ghouls & Goblins 5K: Oct. 24, 8 a.m., The Pavilion• Turkey Trot 5K: Nov. 21, 8 a.m., Murphy Field House• Reindeer Run 5K: Dec. 19, 8 a.m., Murphy Field House

Dollar DaysDollar Days at the Lanes are offered every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 11

p.m.Bowlers receive a game of bowling, shoe rental, a hot dog, hamburger,

small fries, pizza slice or small soda for $1 each.For more information, call 301-677-5541.

Looking back over my 41 years, it’s fair to say I’ve had some experiences worth shar-ing: There was that time I ran a hall-of-fame pitcher off the cheap tables at the Hard Rock Casino in Vegas. (I won’t tell you his name, but Orioles fans might be able to fig-ure it out since the big lefty had a real hard time beating the Birds in the mid-90s.)

Speaking of Vegas, the story about my spur-of-the-moment move to Sin City with my older brother was pretty fantastic. We left from Michigan in my P-O-C Chevy with $800 and dreams of a new life. A flat tire proved to be all the omen we needed to spend an extra night at the first casino we found in Nevada, and we lost more than half our stake before we ever saw the Strip.

There’s also that time I slammed a keg through a college kid’s hatchback and had the gall to ask him, “Why’d you leave,” as he stood among the shattered glass while the Michigan snow covered his interior.

Then there are the stories I’ve embel-lished: Claiming I was All-Conference in cross-country when I was really “most improved”; Being recruited by a D-1 Col-lege football team as a defensive back; Tell-ing Cousin Claw that Heather Yankovich was my girlfriend in elementary school. We were good friends, but I had no shot at young love with any girl, even less so with the cutest girl in the history of fourth grade.

I share these stories with you to say I understand why NBC reporter Brian Wil-liams may have stretched the truth on some of his journalistic escapades.

All of my embellishments were done for one reason: I wanted to be respected. I didn’t feel my experiences at the time gave me enough juice to get the props I deserved, so I might have lied a bit.

The consequences of those mistruths have stuck with me. To my closest circle of friends, my credibility is shot. For example,

Claw won’t play me in “Words with Friends” anymore because he thinks I cheat.

I don’t, nor have I ever cheated in a game. But he doesn’t believe that because one day in the heat of a discussion when my value was being challenged, I got some facts “accidentally” mixed up. And then I may have stuck to my story a little too long.

But in every case, the truth did come out — generally from a chance encounter with a former schoolmate who gladly verified my true credentials.

The pain from the reckonings, along with some quality Army leadership on the importance of integrity, and some legiti-mate accomplishments have reduced my need to tell tall tales. However, I do try to keep some sympathy for those who get caught in the same cycle.

With all that said, Brian Williams’ career as a journalist is pretty much toast. A lie may be a lie, but “Tall-Tale 101” teaches context and scope are key to the webs you choose to weave.

There is a huge difference between a young man telling tales to his buddies about whom he held hands with in fourth grade, and a national news anchor saying his helicopter was hit and forced down in a war zone.

In one case, the consequence of lying is some heckling by your friends who have stretched a few tales of their own. In the other case, you go from being a popular, respected national TV anchor to a national joke who wouldn’t be trusted spitting news on TMZ.

If you have comments on this or anything to do with sports (or telling tales), contact me at [email protected] or hit me up on Twitter @CTJibber.

Lying in bed like Brian Williams did

Chad T. Jones, Public Affairs

Officer

Jibber Jabber - OpiniOn

For all your varsity and intramural sports schedules, scores and standings, visit

www.quickscores.com/ftmeadesports.


Community news & notes

The deadline for Soundoff! community “News and Notes” is Friday at noon. All submissions are posted at the editor’s discretion and may be edited for space and grammar. Look for additional community events on the Fort Meade website at www.ftmeade.army.mil and the Fort Meade Facebook page at facebook.com/ftmeade.

For more information or to submit an announcement, email [email protected] or call Editor Dijon Rolle at 301-677-6806.

No Open Door MondayDue to Presidents Day, there will be no

Commander’s Open Door on Monday.

Fort Meade to conduct listening session

Maj. Gen. Jeffrey S. Buchanan, commander, U.S. Army Military District of Washington, Joint Force Headquarters-National Capital Region, will host a public listening session March 5 at 1 p.m. at McGill Training Center.

Buchanan and a representative from the Army’s Operations and Plans Office will discuss the Army’s ongoing planning effort to achieve fiscal reductions required by the Budget Control Act of 2011.

Additionally, Garrison Commander Col. Brian P. Foley will discuss ongoing growth at Fort Meade.

Leaders will then take questions from the audience.

All members of the Fort Meade community including current employees, retirees, concerned citizens and family members are invited to attend the session.

The listening session will be live-streamed from the Fort Meade website; individuals will be able to submit questions online.


Black History Month observance

The Defense Information Systems Agency will host an African-American Heritage Month observance Feb. 19 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the DISA Conference Room (M3C31).

The guest speaker is Dr. Wayne Frederick, president of Howard

University in Washington, D.C.Light refreshments will be served.The event is open to Fort Meade

service members and civilians.A sign language interpreter will be

provided. No electronics (including cellphones) will be permitted in the building.


Kimbrough/Tricare briefing

A Kimbrough/Tricare Community Education outreach briefing will be held today from 6-7 p.m. at McGill Training Center, 8452 Zimborski Ave.

The discussion topic will be “Tricare: Transitioning from Active Duty to Retirement.”

Kimbrough town hall Dr. (Col.) Michael J. Zapor,

commander for Clinical Services at the Fort Meade Medical Department Activity, will conduct a town hall meeting on Feb. 19 at 6 p.m. in the Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center lab reception area.

The purpose of this forum is to disseminate information, answer questions and discuss concerns regarding Kimbrough.

All beneficiaries are invited.

Mardi Gras partyThe Hearts Apart Deployment

Support Group will sponsor a Mardi Gras celebration on Feb. 17 from 5:30–7:30 p.m. at Potomac Place Neighborhood Center.

The event will feature New Orleans-style food, children’s crafts and piñatas.

This event is free but registration is required in advance.


Pepper Road gate openThe Pepper Road gate is now open for

pedestrians and cyclists Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Cars and other motorized vehicles are not authorized to access this gate.

Pepper Road is located toward the southeast corner of Fort Meade near Range Control off Route 175 (adjacent to Route 32) in Odenton.

The gate is also close to the MARC station and Odenton Town Center.

The gate opening is part of Fort Meade’s ongoing efforts to improve

transportation options to and from the installation.

KaraokeKaraoke Night is held every Friday

from 7–10 p.m. at The Lounge at the Lanes.

The free event is open to everyone.Food and drink specials are available

for purchase.For more information, call 301-677-

5541.

ESC scholarshipsThe Enlisted Spouses’ Club is offering

scholarships for graduating high school seniors and continuing education students for the 2015-2016 academic school year.

Applicants must be a dependent child of any military member from any branch: active-duty, retired or deceased military personnel; Reservist; or National Guard

The service member must reside in the Fort Meade area.

Application packages must be completed and submitted to the ESC by March 27.

The complete application package and a full list of scholarship requirements are available at www.ftmeadeesc.org/scholarship-oportunities.

For more information, email [email protected].

OSC scholarshipsApplications are now being accepted

for the Fort Meade Officers’ Spouses’ Club scholarships.

Applications must be postmarked by March 2.

Applicants must possess a valid military dependent ID card or be a dependent of a Fort Meade OSC member, enrolled at an accredited institution as a full-time student for the 2015-2016 academic school year, and meet one of the following criteria:

• The military sponsor must be an active-duty or retired service member assigned to, attached to or working on Fort Meade.

• Applicants must reside on Fort Meade and have a parent who is a member of the Fort Meade OSC.

• Applicants may have another affiliation with Fort Meade. For example, the sponsor deployed from

Fort Meade or the sponsor was assigned to Fort Meade, but was recently reassigned to another duty station.

Scholarships include:• Merit Scholarships: Applicant must

have a cumulative, unweighted grade point average of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale. Applicants must be a candidate for graduation from high school in the spring of 2015 or enrolled in college prior to June 2015.

• Etta Baker Memorial Scholarship: High school seniors who apply for the Merit Scholarship will automatically be considered for the Etta Baker Memorial Scholarship, the club’s highest merit scholarship.

• OSC Family Member Scholarship: The scholarship is awarded to a high school senior who is a family member of an OSC member in good standing as of Jan. 1. Scholarship will be based highly on the applicant’s community service.

To download an application, go to www.fortmeadeosc.org.

For more information, email Anita Skelton, scholarship chairperson, at [email protected].

Cooking Matters Commissary Tours

The next Cooking Matters Commissary Tours & Challenge are today and Feb. 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the commissary.

Tours are free and open to all eligible commissary patrons.

Hands-on store tours are offered every hour and teach participants the skills to compare foods for cost and nutrition.

Select tours will receive a $10 coupon.To sign up for the event, go to http://

cmatscommissaryfm.eventbrite.com.For more information, email

[email protected].

Financial, Employment Readiness

Army Community Service offers Financial and Employment Readiness classes to all ranks and services and to DoD civilian employees at the Community Readiness Center, 830 Chisholm Ave.

Registration is required for each class.• Home Buying: Tuesday, 9 a.m. to

noonEmployment Readiness:• How to Work a Job Fair: Feb. 19, 9

a.m. to noon

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Community news & notes

• Job Search Strategies: Feb. 24, 9 a.m. to noon

Learn techniques to help you succeed in your job search as well as the tools for networking and negotiating job offers.

To register or for more information, call 301-677-5590 or go to fortmeadeacs.checkappointments.com.

Free classesThe Navy Fleet and Family Support

Center offers a variety of classes at its facility at 2212 Chisholm Ave.

The free classes are open to DoD ID cardholders including active-duty service members, retirees and their family members, DoD civilian employees and contractors.

Registration is required for each class.• Common-Sense Parenting:

Monday, 9-10 a.m. Topic: “Preventing Misbehavior”

• Build Healthy Relationships: Tuesday, 9-11 a.m.

• Pre-Separation Brief: Feb. 19, 9-11:30 a.m.

• Pre-Deployment Brief: Feb. 19, 10-11:30 a.m.

• Meet & Greet: Feb. 19, 5-7 p.m.Learn about available resources in

a fun, interactive orientation to Fort Meade. The free event will feature food and prizes.

• Time Management: Feb. 24, 9-11 a.m.

• Sponsorship Training: Feb. 24, 2-3:30 p.m.

• Assessing Higher Education: Feb. 25-26, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

To register or for more information, call 301-677-9017 or 301-677-9018.

Financial Readiness Fair The Army Community Service’s

Financial Readiness Fair will be held Feb. 26 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at McGill Training Center.

The free event, which is open to all military services and ranks and to civilians, will feature guests speakers, informational displays and break-out sessions.

Bag lunches will be available for purchase.

For more information, call Army Community Service at 301-677-5590 or the Fleet and Family Support Center at

301-677-9410.

Financial Readiness WeekArmy Community Service is offering

the following classes during Financial Readiness Week at the Community Readiness Center, 830 Chisholm Ave.

• Transitioning to Retirement: Feb. 23, 9 a.m. to noon

• Getting Out of Debt: Feb. 24, 9-11 a.m.

Learn strategies to wipe out debt. Topics include: budget development, record-keeping and credit.

• First-Term Financial Readiness (Online): Feb. 24, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Raising Money-Smart Children: Feb. 25, 9-11 a.m.

• Financial Planning for Caregivers: Feb. 27, 9-11 a.m.

To register or for more information, call 301-677-5590 or go to fortmeadeacs.checkappointments.com.

Teen eventsThe Teen Center is offering the

following events for grades nine to 12:• Valentine’s Day Dance: The Cupid

Shuffle: Friday, 4-8 p.m.• Career Readiness: Job Search

Strategies: Feb. 19, 2:30-4 p.m.• Mardi Gras Mask Making: Feb. 18,

3:30-4:30 p.m.• Mardi Gras Party: Feb. 20, 3:30-4:30

p.m.For more information, call 301-677-

6054.

Youth Center eventsThe Youth Center is offering several

activities for grades six to eight.• Valentine’s Day Dance: Friday, 5:30-

8 p.m.Youths will enjoy a night of dancing

and music with their friends.This event is free for registered

members and $2 per guest.• Black History Month Poetry Night:

Feb. 20, 4:30-6 p.m.• February Birthday Party: Feb. 27,

5-8 p.m.For more information, call 301-677-

1437.

Girl Scouts of Fort MeadeThere is still time to join Girl Scouts.All levels of Girl Scouts are offered

on Fort Meade, beginning with kindergarten through high school.

Slots are available in all levels. Registration is required.

To register, email Megan Horton at [email protected] or Jessica Pryor at [email protected].

StorytimeThe Children’s Library offers pre-

kindergarten Storytime on Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. at Kuhn Hall, 4415 Llewellyn Ave.

• Today: “Love is in the air!” Valentine’s Day celebration - Stories, songs and finger plays about love and friendship

• Feb. 19: “Zoom, Zoom!” - Stories and fun about all things that “go”

• Feb. 26: “Quiet as a Mouse” - Storytime about mice


Out & About• The Meade Area Garden Club is

sponsoring a bus trip to the Philadelphia Flower Show on March 2.

This year’s theme is “Lights, Camera, Bloom” with iconic movie scenes depicted in floral displays.

The bus will leave from the Ridgeview Shopping Plaza on Route 175 and Rockenbach Avenue at 8:45 a.m. and return by 6 p.m. Cost of the trip, which includes the bus and admission, is $63 for club members and $68 for nonmembers.

Reservations are required along with payment. No refunds after Feb. 20. For reservations or more information, call Beverly Durana at 410-551-2263.

• Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers (BOSS) invites single service members to a day trip to Philadelphia on March 21 from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Cost is $15 and includes transportation. Registration is required by Tuesday.


• The Anne Arundel Genealogical Society will host the program “An African-American Quaker: Journey to Home,” by Margo Lee Williams on March 5 from 7-9:30 p.m. at Severna Park United Methodist Church, 731 Benfield Road, Severna Park.

The event is open to the public. Refreshments will be served prior to the start of the program.

For more information, call 410-760-

9679, Thursday-Friday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

• The Freestate Happy Wanderers will host a 6- and 10-kilometer Black History Walk on Feb. 21 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Queen’s Chapel United Methodist Church, 7410 Old Muirkirk Road, Beltsville.

Registration is not required. Walkers will receive commemorative black history items, while supplies last.

For more information call 301-572-5574 or email [email protected] or visit http://www.mdvolks.org/freestate/.

• The Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African-American History and Culture in Baltimore will host a showing of the documentary “Half Past Autumn: The Life and Works of Gordon Parks” on Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. at 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore.

The documentary focuses on Parks’ life and career as a celebrated photographer, novelist, journalist, poet, musician and filmmaker.

Admission is free with the purchase of museum entry. For more information, call 443-263-1800 or go to rflewismuseum.org.

• The Medical Museum Science Café is featuring “Vietnam War Medicine: A Look at the Medical Museum, 2nd Surgical Hospital” on Feb. 24 from 6-7 p.m. at the National Museum of Health and Medicine, 2500 Linden Lane, Silver Spring.

After the 2nd Surgical Hospital (Mobile Army) was established in 1966 at An Khe in Vietnam, Army surgeon Maj. Norman Rich began collecting retrieved foreign bodies (fragments and shrapnel) from patients he was treating. Rich established a traveling museum of those objects in his Quonset hut operating room

Learn more about Rich’s experiences as a surgeon during the Vietnam War and see artifacts he has donated to the NMHM.

For more information, go to medicmuseum.mil or call 301-319-3300.

• The Harlem Globetrotters are coming to the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center on the Eastern Shore on Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. at 500 Glen Ave., Salisbury.

Tickets cost $22 through $246 and are on sale now at 410-548-4911 or online at www.WicomicoCivicCenter.org.

For more information, go to http://www.wicomicociviccenter.org/events-listings/harlem-globetrotters-1#sthash.FX0RURZO.dpuf.

• Leisure Travel Services is offering tickets to Monster Jam, which will be held Feb. 27 at 7:30 p.m., Feb. 28 at 2 p.m. and

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YOUTHRECREATION


moviesCommunity news & notes

7:30 p.m., and March 1 at 2 p.m. at the Royal Farms Arena, 201 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore.

For ticket prices or more information, call LTS at 301-677-7354.

• Leisure and Travel Services, located at 2300 Wilson St., sells discounted tickets to movie theaters, the Baltimore Zoo, National Aquarium, Maryland Science Center, Colonial Williamsburg and other historical sites, and theme parks.


• Fort Meade E9 Association meets the second Friday of every month at 7 a.m. in the Pin Deck Cafe at the Lanes. The next meeting is Friday.

The association is open to active, retired, Reserve and National Guard E9s of any uniformed service. All E9s in this area are invited to attend a breakfast and meet the membership. For more information, go to e9association.org.

• Meade Branch 212 of the Fleet Reserve Association meets the second Saturday of each month at 10 a.m. at VFW Post 160, 2597 Dorsey Road, Glen Burnie. The next meeting is Saturday. Active-duty, Reserve and retired members of the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard are invited.

For more information, call 443-604-2474 or 410-768-6288.

• Families Dealing with Deployment meets the first and third Monday of every month from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at Meuse Forest Neighborhood Center. Children welcome. The next meeting is Monday. For more information, call 301-677-5590 or email [email protected].

• Retired Enlisted Association meets the third Tuesday of the month from 7:30-8:30 p.m. at Perry’s Restaurant, 1210 Annapolis Road, Odenton. The next meeting is Tuesday. For more information, visit trea.org or call Elliott Phillips, the local president, at 443-790-3805 or Arthur R. Cooper, past national president, at 443-336-1230.

• Air Force Sergeants Association Chapter 254 meets the third Wednesday of every month from 3-4 p.m. in the auditorium of the Airman Leadership School, 8470 Zimborski Ave. The next meeting is Wednesday. For more information, call 831-521-9251 or go to AFSA254.org.

• Military District of Washington Ser-geant Audie Murphy Club meets the third Wednesday of each month from noon to 1 p.m. at the Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Dining Facility in Virginia. The next meet-

ing is Wednesday. All members and those interested in joining the club are welcome. For more information, contact Master Sgt. Erica Lehmkuhl at [email protected] or 301-833-8415.

• Officers’ Spouses’ Club will meet Feb. 19 at 10:30 a.m. at Club Meade. The theme is a winter luau. The meeting is open to OSC members, spouses and guests. Cost is $20.

For more information, go to http://www.fortmeadeosc.org/monthly-luncheons-2/ or email [email protected].

• Prostate Cancer Support Group meets at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda on the third Thursday of every month. The next meeting is Feb. 19 from 1-2 p.m. and 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the America Building, River Conference Room (next to the Prostate Center), third floor.Spouses/partners are invited. Military ID is required for base access. Men without a military ID should call the Prostate Center at 301-319-2900 at least two days prior to the event for base access.

For more information, call retired Col. Jane Hudak at 301-319-2918 or email [email protected].

• Swinging Squares Square Dance Club dances the first and third Saturday of the month from 7:30-10 p.m. through May at Meade Middle School. The next dance is Feb. 21. Admission is $6. Square dance attire is optional.

Dance classes are offered Thursday nights at 7:30 p.m. at Meade Middle School. Each class costs $6.

For more information, call Darlene at 410-519-2536 or Carl at 410-271-8776.

• Society of Military Widows meets for brunch the fourth Sunday of the month at 1 p.m. at te Lanes. The next meeting is Feb. 22. For more information, call Betty Jones at 410-992-1123.

• Women’s Empowerment Group meets Wednesdays from 2-3:30 p.m. to provide a safe, confidential arena for the support, education and empowerment of women who have experienced past or present family violence.

Location is only disclosed to participants. To register, call Samantha Herring, victim advocate, at 301-677-4124 or Katherine Lamourt, victim advocate, at 301-677-4117.

• Moms Walking Group, sponsored by Parent Support, meets Thursdays from 8:30-9:15 a.m. at Potomac Place Neighborhood Center. To register, call Colaina Townsend or Michelle Pineda at 301-677-5590.

• Project Healing Waters meets Thursdays from 6-8 p.m. at the Soldiers and Family Assistance Center, 2462 85th Medical Battalion Ave.

The project is dedicated to the physical

and emotional rehabilitation of wounded warriors and veterans through fly fishing, fly tying and outings.

For more information, call Larry Vawter, program leader, at 443-535-5074 or email [email protected].

• Dancing with the Heroes, free ballroom dance lessons for the Warrior Transition Unit, meets Thursdays at 6 p.m. at Argonne Hills Chapel Center in the seminar room.

Participants should wear loose clothing, comfortable shoes with leather soles. No super high heels or flip-flops.

• Spanish Christian Service is conducted Sundays at 1 p.m. at the Cavalry Chapel located at 8465 Simonds St. and 6th Armored Cavalry Road.

For more information, call Elias Mendez at 301-677-7314 or 407-350-8749.

• Couples Communication Group, sponsored by Army Community Services, meets every Monday from 2:30-3:30 p.m. at the Community Readiness Center, 830 Chisholm Ave.

For more information, call Celena Flowers or Katherine Lamourt at 301-677-5590.

• Cub Scout Pack 377 invites boys in first through fifth grades, or ages 7 to 10, to attend its weekly Monday meetings at 6 p.m. at Argonne Hills Chapel Center.

For more information, email Cubmaster Christopher Lassiter at [email protected] or Committee Chairperson Marco Cilibert at [email protected].

• Boy Scout Troop 379 meets Mondays at 7 p.m. at Argonne Hills Chapel Center on Rockenbach Road. The troop is actively recruiting boys ages 11 to 18. For more information, email Lisa Yetman, at [email protected] or Wendall Lawrence, Scoutmaster, at [email protected].

• Catholic Women of the Chapel meets every Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. for prayer and Bible study in the Main Post Chapel, 4419 Llewellyn Ave. Monthly programs are held Mondays at 6:30 p.m. The group is open to all women in the community ages 18 and older — active duty, retiree and civilian — for prayer, faith fellowship, and service. For more information, email Mariana Yinh at [email protected].

• American Legion Post 276 is open to veterans and active-duty service members at 8068 Quarterfield Road in Severn. Breakfast may be purchased beginning at 9 a.m. Lunches may be purchased from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Happy Hour is 4-6 p.m. Dinner may be purchased at 6 p.m. on Fridays and the fourth Sunday of every month.

Membership discounts are offered for active-duty military. For more information, call 410-969-8028 or visit americanlegionpost276.org.

MEETINGS

The movie schedule is subject to change. For a recorded announcement of showings, call 301-677-5324. Further listings are available on the Army and Air Force Exchange Service website at www.aafes.com.

Movies start Fridays and Saturdays at 6:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.

PRICES: Tickets are $5.50 for adults (12 and older) and $3 for children. 3D Movies: $7.50 adults, $5 children.

Today through Feb. 22

Friday: “American Sniper” (R). Navy SEAL snip-er Chris Kyle’s pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and turns him into a leg-end. Back home to his wife and kids after four tours of duty, however, Chris finds that it is the war he can’t leave behind. With Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Kyle Gallner.

Saturday: “Into the Woods” (PG). A witch tasks a childless baker and his wife with procuring magical items from classic fairy tales to reverse the curse put on their family tree. With Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, Anna Kendrick.

Sunday: “Exodus: Gods and Kings” (PG-13). The defiant leader Moses rises up against the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses, setting 600,000 slaves on a monumental journey of escape from Egypt and its terrifying cycle of deadly plagues. With Christian Bale, Joel Edgerton, Ben Kingsley.

Feb. 20: “Taken 3” (PG-13). Ex-government operative Bryan Mills is accused of a ruthless murder he never committed or witnessed. As he is tracked and pursued, Mills brings out his par-ticular set of skills to find the true killer and clear his name. With Liam Neeson, Forest Whitaker, Maggie Grace.

Feb. 21: “The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death” (PG-13). Forty years after the first haunting at Eel Marsh House, a group of children evacu-ated from WWII London arrive, awakening the house’s darkest inhabitant. With Helen McCrory, Jeremy Irvine, Phoebe Fox.

Feb. 22: “Selma” (PG-13). A chronicle of Martin Luther King’s campaign to secure equal voting rights via an epic march from Selma to Mont-gomery, Ala., in 1965. With David Oyelowo, Carmen Ejogo, Tim Roth.

Soundoff February 13, 2015

News & Politics

Transcript of Soundoff February 13, 2015