Andrews 120415 flipbook

an independent publication of comprint military publications at Joint base andrews, md. dcmilitary.com friday, december 4, 2015 | Vol. 4 no. 48

MedicalMalcolm Grow Phase I construction nears completion,

Page 3

intraMural SPOrtSIntramural Football is Flag-tastic,

Page 4

cOMMentarYVolunteerism affects positive

change, Page 2

By BoBBy JonesStaff Photojournalist

Several county residents took advantage of the op-portunity to enroll in low or no cost health insurance coverage at the Wayne K. Curry Sports and Learn-ing Complex in Landover Nov. 21.

The event was jointly hosted by the Prince George’s County Department of Social Services, Prince George’s County Health Department, Capi-tal Region Connector Entity and Maryland Health Connection where more than 100 residents enrolled in Qualified Health Plans, commercial insurance, and Medicaid medical insurance offered through Maryland’s official health insurance marketplace.

According to Michelle LeSane, ACA Outreach and Enrollment Program Public Relations Specialist, “People were able to shop, renew or sign up for Med-icaid or a qualified health plan. We’re in our third year of open enrollment for participants to sign up for the Affordable Care Act, signed into law by Pres-ident Barack Obama in 2010.

“We have found also that everyone is not comfort-able with enrolling online. So that’s why we have events like this to provide assistance one-on-one to people,” LeShane shared. “The people we are target-ing are who we call the ‘Young Invincibles.’ Their

county residents take advantage of one-stop shop for health insurance

By BoBBy JonesStaff Photojournalist

William Dunn, Marlow Heights Community Cen-ter facility director stood on the sidelines directing local residents to sign in before receiving a free tur-key, accompanied with the all fixings, during the center’s Fifth Annual Turkey Giveaway Nov. 22.

Dunn shared that his inspiration to start an out-reach program to the community was sparked five years ago after providing a young needy family with a turkey prior to Thanksgiving.

“They were so excited about it. I didn’t realize how important having a turkey was,” said Dunn, shar-ing a candid testimony. “There was this well-dressed woman who came to the center looking like she was angry and upset. She knocked on my office door ex-cited, and the first thing I thought was what’s wrong. She started thanking me profusely. ‘I just wanted to thank you, thank you, thank you,’ she said. I said, ‘For what?’ She replied, ‘for the turkey. My son

Marlow Heights community center turkey Giveaway bonds the community

see Bonding, page 5

see health, page 3

By LesLie C. smithStaff writer

It was all about the female veteran at the Wash-ington DC VA Medical center on November 20 as the center celebrated Ladies’ Night.

Hosted by WMJC 102.3’s own April Watts, the night was filled with fun, gifts, information and ca-maraderie. The aim of the event was to introduce women Veterans and transitioning active-duty to the benefits and services the VA has to offer.

“Ladies’ Night is our opportunity to appreciate women Veterans and service members who have recently enrolled for VA health care. The outreach event offers women Veterans and service members looking to retire a chance to experience, first-hand, gender-specific services, health care initiatives and community resources in a fun and engaging atmo-sphere,” said Gloria Hairston, Director of Public Af-fairs Washington DC Medical Center.

A red carpet invited the guests into the event as pictures were taken and the attendees were open to enjoy the catered affair. Attendees were invited to participate in the many activities including a paint and sip. Also on tap was an exhibition performance of participants of the center’s creative writing pro-

Va medical center celebrates the female veteran

BoBBy Jones

Center, left to right, JuWann Jones, Marlow Heights Community Center assistant facility direc-tor; William Dunn, MHCC facility director; and Ronnie Gathers, Director, Department of Parks and Recreation, are surrounded by several members of Maryland law enforcement who partici-pated in the giveaway.

see ladies, page 4

LesLie C. smith

Margot Beausey takes a turn at stand up at the comedy and creative writing workshop during the Washington DC VA Medical Center Ladies Night November 20.

Andrews Gazette2 Friday, December 4, 2015

Andrews Gazette is published by Comprint Military Publications, 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, Md., a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force or any branch of the United States military. The appearance of advertising in these publications,

including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force or the products and services advertised. Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, martial status, physical handicap, political affilia-tion or any other non merit factor of the purchases, user or patron.

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Hot ticketsaround town

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By Lt. CoL. Stephen A. Simko349th Maintenance Group

Throughout our military ca-reers, we often talk of being a volunteer force, a subset of our culture that has volunteered to serve our country in the profes-sion of arms.

Without disrespect to anyone currently in uniform or those that have served before me, I have always been in conflict over the military/volunteer discussions. Granted, there were times in our past when the draft was in place and a number of our nation’s citi-zens were forced into service. My conflict centers on the aspect that we are all compensated for our service, we receive some amount of pay, housing allowances, bo-nuses at times, medical benefits and a variety of other benefits throughout our career.

By definition, yes, we did all volunteer to serve our country in the military. However, when I talk about volunteerism, I am referring to those that have giv-en their own time and energy to serve others. It is this type of vol-unteerism I think each and ev-ery one of us owes to the various communities we live in through-out our careers.

One quote in particular that struck a chord with me about vol-unteering is from Gandhi, who said, “The best way to find your-self is to lose yourself in the ser-

vice of others.” As members of the Air Force, we all live very busy lives. It is easy to fall into a ordi-nary pattern of life. If volunteer work isn’t already part of your life, I would challenge you to start out with finding just an hour a week to “lose yourself in the ser-vice of others.”

If we were to take the diverse skill set of the microcosm of “Any Base, USA” and match it up against the needs of just about any community, and you should easily find a volunteer opportuni-ty that matches your specific skill set or interest.

Volunteering doesn’t have to be a big, formal program or event; it is oftentimes a simple act we may take for granted that is received with the most thanks.

Although, the basic premise of volunteering is to help someone else, there are a number of bene-fits the volunteer receives as well. Mark Snyder, a psychologist and head of the Center for the Study of the Individual and Society at the University of Minnesota, states that “people who volunteer tend to have higher self-esteem, psychological well-being, and happiness. All of these things go up as their feelings of social con-nectedness goes up, which in real-ity, it does. It also improves their health and even their longevity.”

In a recent study from Carnegie Mellon University, published in

the Psychology and Aging jour-nal, adults over age 50 who vol-unteered on a regular basis were less likely to develop high blood pressure than non-volunteers.

The reward I have found most beneficial is affecting positive change in the lives of others. Most of my volunteer efforts have cen-tered on coaching youth sports and volunteering with Boy Scouts of America. Were those opportuni-ties challenging, time consuming, stressful and lots of work? Ab-solutely. However, that is never what comes to mind when I look back on my efforts.

The best memories that come to mind are that of a kid that was very shy and afraid of camping on his first trip earning his Eagle Scout five years later; or that 12 year old that was about to quit volleyball but grew into the sport and went on to play collegiately; or even a former athlete I coached at the middle school level that later joined the military.

There is no way of measuring the specific impact I’ve had over the years on those I have served, but I like to think that I have, at a minimum, been a positive role model to all those I have volun-teered with.

In closing, former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill stat-ed, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”

Volunteerism affects positive change

Commentary

Retiree CornerCommissaries PopularWhile the Defense Commis-

sary Agency is in its 25th year, the commissary benefit is almost 150 years old. In 1866, Congress authorized the Army to sell food items, at cost, starting July 1, 1867. Sales areas were a table or counter in a warehouse. The stock list was 82 items. Since the early years of the 20th century, commissaries have been similar to civilian grocery stores and su-permarkets. In the last 24 years, store facilities have been further upgraded; more people have be-come eligible to enjoy the benefit. In 1991, commissaries provided average customer savings of 20 percent when compared with lo-cal grocery chains. Today, average savings are more than 30 per-cent. Customer surcharges fund new stores or renovate existing ones. While the Congress-man-dated surcharge has remained at 5 percent since 1983, the num-

ber of items stocked by commis-saries has increased, from about 13,000 in 1991 to 22,500 items in the larger stores in 2015. Nation-al Guard and Reserve personnel were granted full-time commis-sary benefits in 2004.

Drone RestrictionsAerial drones top many Christ-

mas lists this year. Military ex-changes in this area are among retailers offering these popular items. However, prospective buy-ers should be aware of restric-tions established by the Federal Aviation Administration. Most of the military installations in the National Capital Area fall within the FAA’s Flight Restrict-ed Zone as national defense air-space. Affected are model aircraft operations, model rocketry and unmanned aircraft systems. For latest FAA guidance, go to www.faa.gov/uas/b4ufly.

ID Card UpdateReplacing the Social Security

Number with a 10-digit number unique to the Department of De-fense on all ID cards started in 2011. Some retirees, family mem-bers and survivors with an “IN-DEF” expiration date still have an SSN on their cards. It’s time to have those cards updated. Fami-ly members and survivors have their own DoD number on the new cards, not that of their spon-sor. Cards may be obtained from any military installation with an ID card issuing capability. To find your nearest facility, visit www.dmdc.osd.mil/rsl.

The Retiree Activities Office is open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. Please consider joining the volunteer staff. Vis-it the office in Building 1604 at California and Colorado Avenues or call 301 981-2726. Call to en-sure a volunteer is on duty. The RAO website is www.andrews.af.mil.

Andrews GazetteFriday, December 4, 2015 3

By Kathleen Canfield779th Medical Support

Squadron

Phase I construction of the new Malcolm Grow Medical Clinics and Surgery Center is nearing completion and se-lected clinics will begin mov-ing to the new building on Feb. 19, 2016.

“Not all clinics will move at once. Some clinics will re-main in their current location for another year, until Phase II construction is completed. All changes in clinic locations will be well advertised,” said 779th Medical Group Facility Manager, Rob Graham.

The following clinics will be the first ones to move to the new building:

•Feb. 19 — Physical Med-icine, Internal Medicine, Ophthalmology/Warf-ighter Eye Center, Op-tometry, Dermatology, Neurology

•Feb. 26 — Flight Medi-cine, Pediatrics, Allergy and Immunology, Cardio-pulmonary

•Mar. 4 — Oral Surgery, Women’s Health, Opera-tional Medicine

•Mar. 11 — Radiology, Pharmacy

•Mar. 16 — Emergent Care Center

Beginning Feb. 19, 2016 patients should be sure to confirm where their clinic is located before going to a scheduled appointment.

“When patients call to schedule an appointment, the call center staff will noti-

fy them of any change in clin-ic location. In addition, signs will be posted in all clinics to inform patients of pending moves. Clinic move dates will also posted on the 79 MDW website at www.79MDW.af.mil and the 79 MDW and 779 MDG Facebook pages,” said 779th Medical Group

Administrator Lt. Col. Mela-nie Carino.

Patients arriving at the new facility should park in the four-story parking ga-rage, which is connected to the main facility by a covered pedestrian bridge. The garage has 598 spaces reserved for patients, with easy access to

the entrance of the new facil-ity.

“It’s important for patients to understand that they will need to park in the covered parking garage to access medical clinics in the new facility. The Family Health Clinic is not scheduled to move until the end of Phase II. Patients using the Fami-ly Health Clinic should con-tinue to park in the spaces available in front of that clin-ic,” said Graham.

Once inside the entrance of the new facility, signage is clearly visible to easily locate clinics within the building. Volunteers will be on hand to assist patients, as necessary.

Patients are highly encour-aged to sign up for MiCare, an online secure messaging system, to ensure they re-ceive the most current news and updates about the con-struction project. Stop by your primary care clinic for more information and to sign up.

Volunteers are still needed to help staff information desks in the new building. Anyone interested in volunteering should call the marketing of-fice at (240) 857-8925.

Phase I construction nears completion at Malcolm Grow Medical Clinics and Surgery Center

AF Photo by tech. Sgt. briAn P. FerguSon

The Phase I construction of the new Malcolm Grow Medical Clinics and Surgery Cen-ter is nearing completion and selected clinics will begin moving to the new building on Feb. 19, 2016.

ages range from 18 to 34. They’re called ‘Young Invin-cibles,’ because they believe they are invincible; they think they don’t get sick, but every-one gets sick,” said LeSane. “Everyone gets a cold, some get sinusitis or something more serious like appendi-citis. You never know when you’re going to get sick. So it’s important to be covered.

“Through research we also found that there are people who are retired but who are not yet eligible for Medicare which is not available until age 65. There are also people who had previous medical conditions who couldn’t get insurance, but now under the Affordable Care Act they can,” said LeSane.

Angela Perry, a Fort Wash-ington resident was smiling brightly after signing up for health insurance at the Open Enrollment services offered. “I took too long to reinstate my insurance so they told me to wait for open enrollment.

I just prayed to not get sick while I was waiting to sign up again for health insurance,” said Perry a self-employed 34-year-old. “I received great service today. They were awesome. I feel 100 percent

better now that I’m fully in-sured.”

“I signed up for Medicaid to-day because I didn’t have any health insurance,” said Patri-cia Madden, Prince George’s Country resident. “It’s an op-

portunity to be able to come in and have your needs taken care of quickly. I feel satisfied with the insurance I came out of here with,” said Madden.

“I’m getting older and I needed some insurance. I

needed to know that I can go and receive health care and not worry about the cost or be-ing overwhelmed about how I’m going to pay it,” Madden added.

Open enrollment for health coverage is now through Jan. 31, 2016. More than two doz-en certified navigators as-sisted residents during the open enrollment services. In-dependent insurance brokers were available to enroll in-dividuals in qualified health plans. Some insurance plans certified by the state include essential health benefits, such as doctor’s visits, emergency care, prescriptions and pre-ventative care.

To find out more about health coverage for Prince George’s County residents, visit www.marylandhealth-connection.gov., 24-hours, 7 days a week or call 1-855-642-8572 toll free. You can also in-quire in person with a health navigator; sign-up locations can be found by visiting www.capitalhealthconnection.org/sign-up-locations.

health, from page 1

bobby JoneS

A certified navigator assisted residents during the open enrollment services event. In-dependent insurance brokers were available to enroll individuals in qualified health plans.


gram which included some standup comedy, spoken word and prose per-formances.

The event promoted whole health for women Veterans — the fastest grow-ing population of veterans — and of-fered health screenings, flu shots, and introductions to alternative therapies

such as acupuncture, Reiki and medi-tation. Numerous organizations were on hand to not only to provide infor-mation but to say “Thank you.” Linda Frazer, Regional Manager, Service to the Armed Forces American Red Cross in the National Capital Region, im-parted just that sentiment, “The Red Cross is very passionate about serving our men and women who have served this country and served this country well.”

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By Senior AirmAn Mariah Haddenham11th Wing Public Affairs

The Intramural Foot-ball Championships took place here, Nov. 23, 2015, and after two games the 79th Medical Group team rose as the victors.

The 79 MDG played the Air Force District of Washington.

The 11 AFDW team had a league record of 9-5, then won three games and lost two in the playoffs, ending with a record of 12-7.

Football is one of sev-eral intramural sports offered at Joint Base Andrews.

“Programs like this provide unit cohesive-ness and pride within each squadron,” said Craig Crews, AFDW Analysis, Assessments, and Lessons Learned di-vision chief. “It provides healthy competition in

a controlled environ-ment.”

79 MDG lost to 11 AFDW in the regular season, sending them to the loser’s bracket.

They met again fac-ing AFDW in the base championships where they won both games against AFDW making them the 2015 Intramu-ral Football Champions this year.

“Intramural sports, especially football, are great for camaraderie because it’s a total team sport, not just one indi-vidual player,” said Staff Sgt. Kivynn Pabst, 79th Medical Wing physi-cal therapy technician. “Everyone must work together and trust each other to be effective, much like the military as a whole. You make many friends, from your team and opposing teams. I’m looking for-ward to next year. “

Intramural Football is Flag-tastic

U.S. Air Force photo by Senior AirmAn mAriAh hAddenhAm/releASed

Craig Crews, AFDW Analysis, Assessments, and Lessons Learned division chief, intercepts a football during the Intramural Football Championship game. The 79th Medical Group came from the losing bracket and won the 2015 Intramural Football Championship.

Ladies, from page 1

leSlie c. Smith

Linda Frazer, Regional Manager Service to the Armed Forces American Red Cross in the National Capital Region, takes a moment to pose with Marian Davis, US Army Veteran, after thanking her for her service at the Washington DC Medical Center Ladies Night November 20.


“SECURING A SENIOR-LEVELPOSITION IN THE FEDERALGOVERNMENT.THATWASMYMOMENT.”Gene Sizemore25-Year Army VeteranBachelor of Science, Management Studies

Call 301-981-3123 or visitmilitary.umuc.edu/andrewsbiz to learn more.

TRANSITION TO A SUCCESSFUL POST-MILITARY CAREERGene’s UMUC education gave him the confidence to apply for a senior-level position in the federal government after he retiredfrom the military. Learning online with coursework featuring real-time projects prepared him with the skills to get the job.Now he leads teams in today’s digital business environment.

At UMUC, you can

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*Military Times ranked UMUC No. 1 in its Best for Vets: Colleges 2015 annual survey of online and nontraditional colleges and universities. Copyright © 2015 University of Maryland University College

Learnmore at ouropen house at Andrews AFB.

Wednesday, December 9, 20159 a.m.–4 p.m.

Visit umuc.edu/eventsfor more information.

comes to this center everyday but my husband passed away six months ago and I’m barely making it. I know I may look like I have it all together, but I’m working nights and have three jobs. I told my son that I don’t think we’ll be able to have Thanksgiving this year like we had when daddy was living. But the turkey you gave us we’ll be able to have a real Thanksgiving.’”

“That moment really began my movement to help others in the community. After that, I started reaching out to dif-ferent partners like family services, local businesses, non-profit organizations, po-lice departments, churches and individual donations to bring this to fruition,” said Dunn.

“I’ve had about 15 different partners helping to support this movement. Comcast also came out and made a dona-tion. The turkey giveaway is also a good way of marketing; letting people know about the different programs we have.

“We’re not just giving away turkeys. It’s giving a turkey and telling you how you can

come back and receive more services that we offer. I enjoy seeing the look on their faces knowing that someone helped them out by giving them a turkey,” Dunn said.

“What you’re doing here is a blessing,” said Lakeisha Cooper, a Marlow Heights resident, referring to the cen-

ter’s generosity of providing Thanksgiving meals, includ-ing the turkey. “A relative told me that they were giving out turkeys and I just thought it was fantastic for them to give to those who are in need.”

Law enforcement members from the Marlow Heights, Maryland Park and Plan-

ning and the Prince George’s County Police departments joined forces to support the event delivering more than 81

turkeys to the center.More than 300 turkeys were

given away to feed local fami-lies on Nov. 22 and 23.

BoBBy Jones

Two brothers work in unison to carry a free turkey do-nated by the Marlow Heights Community Center Nov. 22.

bonding, from page 1

BoBBy Jones

William Dunn, Marlow Heights Community Center facil-ity director, talks with Deborah Jetter, Regional Manag-er, Hillcrest Heights Community Center, as he brings in more turkeys Nov. 22.


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By Robins AiR FoRce bAsePublic Health Office

Colder weather is settling in and it’s time for warm cider, pumpkin spice lattes, deep-fried turkeys and visits from the relatives this holiday sea-son.

Kids love being involved in cooking pies, cookies and oth-er sweet treats, while most of us love to overindulge on all of the fantastic food.

With an overindulgence of foods like turkey, ham and potato salad, folks should be mindful of ways to keep food safe.

Here are some tips to ensure your holiday season stays joy-ful and merry:

•Wash your hands. Pos-sibly one of the easiest ways to prevent a food-borne illness is to keep your hands clean. Ensure you wash your hands pri-or to handling food, in between different tasks, after using the restroom, and after touching some-thing such as you nose,

hair, face, or pets. You should wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 sec-onds to minimize cross contamination.

•Clean and sanitize food contact surfaces. Count-ers, cutting boards, knives, and other dishes should be washed after each use and prior to being used for a different food item. Keep in mind that cloth rags can harbor bacteria if not properly cleaned; therefore, you can use pa-per towels with a home-made sanitizing solution (one capful of bleach per a gallon of water) to clean surfaces as needed.

•Keep foods separated. Along with using sepa-rate utensils, foods should also be physically sepa-rated. Raw meats should go on the bottom shelf of a refrigerator, below any ready-to-eat foods. Foods should also be prepared on separate areas of the

counter.•Invest in a food thermom-

eter. Improper tempera-tures are a major factor in bacterial growth in food, which can lead to a food-borne illness.

Temperature matters:•Proper holding tempera-

tures. Cold foods should be kept at 41 degrees or below and hot food should be kept at 135 degrees or above.

•Don’t overfill your refrig-erator. Holidays means company which means a lot of food. Too much food in your refrigerator can lessen air circulation and slow down cooling.

•Properly cook foods to the right temperature. Don’t rely on the color of meats to determine doneness. Typically, chicken-based foods should be cooked to 165 degrees for 15 sec-onds. Beef-based foods should be cooked to 155 degrees for 15 seconds, with the exception of

ground beef, which should be cooked to 165 degrees for 15 seconds. Pork and egg products should be cooked to 145 degrees for 15 seconds. When in doubt cook your food to 165 degrees for 15 sec-onds. Use a thermometer to make sure foods reach the right temperature to kill bacteria.

•All leftovers should be cooked thoroughly to at least 165 degrees for 15 seconds. If using a micro-wave, stir the food regu-larly for even heating.

•After cooking, you are sure to have leftovers. Use shallow pans to help the food cool quicker and stir regularly, if possible. Food should be cooled to 70 degrees within two hours and then to 41 de-grees within four hours after that.

•Properly defrost the tur-key. The sheer size of a turkey makes it a chore to thaw. When thawing

a turkey, it will take 24 hours per five pounds to thaw in the refrigerator. Do not let the turkey sit out on the counter as the outside will thaw quickly and begin to gather bacte-ria while the inside stays firmly frozen. Another op-tion is to buy the turkey fresh.

•Thoroughly cook all eggs and egg products. Eggs are a yummy treat around the holidays. Whether you are eating cookies, deviled eggs, or drinking eggnog, you are likely to come across this food item. Make sure you and your family are not eating raw or undercooked eggs. Look out for ready-to-cook cookie dough as it could have raw eggs.

This time of year is meant for happiness and family. Just make sure you keep safety on your mind and enjoy all of that holiday food as you sit around the fireplace with friends and family. Happy holidays!

Food safety tips for the holiday season


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*To be eligible for entry and win: Perform 15 or more signature based transactions with your Andrews Federal Visa Debit Card between 12:00 AM EST on 12/1/2015and 11:59 PM EST 12/31/2015. “Signature based” is a Visa Debit Card purchase transaction that does not require the use of your PIN for authorization. Odds ofwinning depend on the number of entries. Five (5) winners will be randomly selected from all eligible entrants. Winners will be notified by phone or email by1/15/2016. Winners will have all of their eligible Debit Card purchases reimbursed, up to a total of $500 per winner (Total prizes of $2500). Funds will be deposited tothe winner’s Andrews checking account within 30 days of winner selection. Total possible prizes of $2500.00. For complete rules, visit www.andrewsfcu.org.

andrewsfcu.org | 800.487.5500 U.S. | 00800.487.56267 International

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Documents

Andrews 120415 flipbook