the opportunity to meet Kelly

know what a change Navy life

has been. She has shared some

fun stories and great laughs with

us.

Shana is not leaving Alaska or the

Command yet but is leaving the

team. She will be adding more

classes toward her degree and

continue to work . So needless

to say her plate is full.

Thank you Ladies for your ser-

vice.

If any of you are interested in

becoming an Ombudsman or

have questions you may contact

myself for an application or ques-

tions. You may also contact

CMC Lassiter.

Wishing you all a warm and safe

Summer, Cindy

For many of you this is your first

Newsletter. I would like to wel-

come you to the Command. A

Recruiting Command is very differ-

ent from any other Navy Com-

mand as you are aware. We are

more spread out and than most

commands. Please know this does

not mean that you are alone. The

Newsletter is published quarterly.

All of you are welcomed and en-

couraged to submit photos and or

articles.

We also have a Command Face-

book page along with an Ombuds-

man Facebook page. Please join

them. Both pages post information

and resources. The Ombudsman

page is also open for you to post

things going on in your area that

you think other families might be

interested in.

With the staff changes come many

changes in the Ombudsman team. I

would like to take a moment to

thank Lisa, Kelly, and Shana for

their time and caring of the fami-

lies and Sailors with NRD Seattle.

Lisa will soon be relocating to

another Command. Lisa has been

our longest volunteer. The one

thing I will take with me from

working with Lisa is her love for

her family and wanting nothing less

for others.

Kelly will be moving to Hawaii

soon and has lots of preparing to

do for her move. Kelly I know this

has been an experience for you

being a new wife and moving to

the middle of no where. You have

expressed that you are over the

snow and looking forward to sun-

shine. Those of you that have had

By Lisa Roux

Saving a life does not have to re-quire medical training. In fact it is as simple as donating blood. Do-nating through one of the many Red Cross Blood drives can be one of the easiest and meaningful things you ever do.

Here is an interesting statistic from the Red Cross website.

Only 38 % of the population is able to donate and of those people only 8 % actually do.

There is a constant need for blood

both in our country and abroad.

It takes about an hour of your time but has the potential to save numerous lives.

There are circumstances that can make you ineligible to donate such as taking certain medica-tions, recent tattoos, & traveling abroad to name but a few. You can check their website at

http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/eligibility-requirements for detailed infor-

mation on eligibility.

Check out their website to find a blood drive near you and to regis-ter.

http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood

Here you can also read up on the process and tips to make it a posi-tive experience.

Go ahead, what are you waiting for?

Go save a Life!

Welcome to NRD Seattle and some goodbyes.

I N S I D E T H I S

I S S U E :

Message from the

Skipper

2

Ombudsman

Fairwell

4

Compass and

Credo

5

Moving during the

Middle of College

6

Navy Relief

Thanks You

7

Important

Numbers

8

For the Kids

Recycled crayons

9

Save a Life … Donate Blood

NRD SEAT T LE Family

Newsletter S P R I N G / S U M M E R I S S U E

P A G E 2

The Skipper is doing

the renewing of vows

with the Stephan’s

Family.

From the Skipper Greetings All,

I am extremely

proud of the NRD Seattle

team and of the accomplish-

ments the recruiters contin-

ue to achieve. In all aspects

of enlisted, officer, and

ROTC recruiting, active and

reserve, the NRD Seattle

team has come together to

meet and exceed all goals.

This is a critical mission and

is not an easy task. Despite

budget cut-backs, increased

security measures, and chal-

lenging recruiting software

upgrades, the recruiters

continue to excel. NRD Se-

attle is one of the first dis-

tricts in the nation to “re-

organize” into a new re-

cruiting model that most

notably teams the Officer

and Enlisted recruiting func-

tions and personnel. This

also adds Division Officers

and Leading Chief Petty

Officer “division leadership

teams”, further strengthen-

ing leadership and support

functions in the remote are-

as of our district. You are

part of this team and family.

These achievements would

not be possible without the

support of the families and

friends of NRD Seattle per-

sonnel.

Recruiting is the

bedrock of our nation’s de-

fense; enabling a strong

Navy to defend our country.

The recent take-down in Paki-

stan of Usama bin Laden clear-

ly demonstrates the capabili-

ties of our country thanks to

the efforts of our recruiting

team. We began the initial

training of those SEALS and

the numerous personnel that

supported them.

Security for our re-

cruiters has become para-

mount following this raid. It

cannot be stressed enough to

continue to be aware that we

are a nation at war. Despite

this condition, recruiters must

continue to be visible in our

communities in order to man

the fleet. This in turn makes

them potential targets of retal-

iation. Our defense against

this possible threat is vigilance,

teamwork and communica-

tion. Please get word to me if

you notice unusual activities

near recruiting stations or your

homes.

The announcement of

the upcoming Enlisted Reten-

tion Board has brought addi-

tional stress to many in our

command. Despite the fact

that the majority of personnel

in this command are stellar

performers with sustained

superior performance that will

ensure selection for retention,

we continue to provide all op-

tions to those who will be re-

viewed by this board in Au-

gust. The list of personnel

who will be reviewed will

be officially released this

week. We will verify the

names to ensure accuracy

and assist with rate conver-

sion packages for interest-

ed personnel. The rate

conversion package deliv-

ery deadline is 15JUN11.

We are quickly

heading into the best part

of the year in the Great

Northwest. Festivals and

events will have to be sup-

ported with recruiting

efforts and are being

planned out now. Take the

time to plan your summer

family leave and liberty as

well. Enjoy a well deserved

family vacation some time

during this summer. Plan

now to make it happen.

A special thanks to

Lisa Roux, Shana Brown,

and Kelly Kelly for the sup-

port they gave as Ombuds-

man. The time and effort

you provided is greatly ap-

preciated. To all interest-

ed, I am looking for a new

Ombudsman. Please con-

tact me if you would like to

serve in this important role.

Thank You All

again for your continued

support to your loved one

and in turn to NRD Seattle

and the U.S. Navy.

F A M I L Y N E W S L E T T E R

P A G E 3

Command Mission Statement

F A M I L Y N E W S L E T T E R

Command Mission Statement

As spring fever sets in, millions of motorcyclists are taking to highways and back roads across the United

States. In recognition of May Motorcycle Awareness Month, the Navy and the Motorcycle Safety Founda-

tion (MSF) reminds all motorcyclists to follow these five critical safety messages:

1. Get Trained and Licensed - Take a Rider Course or refresher course and get licensed by the Department of Motor Vehi-

cles..

2. Wear Protective Gear - Wear proper protective riding gear, most importantly a helmet made to Department of Transportation

standards.

3. Ride Unimpaired - Ride unimpaired, never drinking or using other drugs before getting on a motorcycle.

4. Ride Within Your Limits - Stay within your personal skill limits, never riding faster or farther than your abilities can handle.

5. Be a Lifelong Learner - Be lifelong learners, regularly returning for refresher riding courses.

As a fellow rider I think motorcycle safety is an extremely important topic. From the cruisers to the sport bikes, I feel it is imperative riders familiarize themselves with not only the equipment they are riding with, but the surrounding environment as well. We lose too many of our fellow riders each year due to either lack of knowledge or the failure to respect their motorcycle. It’s also important to keep that wisdom fresh by taking rider courses at least once every couple years. One thing individuals can do to improve safety is positive peer pressure on their buddies who might be riding unsafe. There is a time and a place to ride fast and it’s not the road, but race tracks. A bigger bike is not always better for the rider. Smaller CC bikes handle better for a beginner and an intermediate rider According to the Navy Safety Center, the below fatalities have occurred since the start of the New Year:

Navy 30 Apr 2011: (Jacksonville, FL) E-6 died in a single-motorcycle mishap when rider lost control while entering interstate. 23 Apr 2011: (Seattle, WA) E-6 died in a single-motorcycle mishap when he struck a concrete barrier during a group ride. 31 Mar 2011: (San Diego, CA) E-3 died in a motorcycle mishap after hitting the passenger side of oncoming car as it turned in

front of him. 29 Mar 2011: (Temecula, CA) E-9 died in a motorcycle mishap when he collided with the car in front of him, was ejected from

his motorcycle and then struck by an 18-wheeler. 19 Mar 2011: (Bergen, Belgium) E-7 died in motorcycle mishap when he hit a farm tractor that pulled out in front of him. 30 Jan 2011: (Chula Vista, CA) E-3 died in a motorcycle mishap after colliding head-on with another motorcycle. 09 Jan 2011: (Oxnard, CA) E-5 died in a motorcycle mishap when she struck a vehicle that turned into her lane. 30 Nov 2010: (National City, CA) E-4 died on 31 Jan 2011 from injuries sustained in a motorcycle mishap when he was struck

by a truck. 28 Nov 2010: (Jacksonville, FL) O-3 died on 03 Dec 2010 from injuries sustained when he was struck in a hit and run incident

while riding a bicycle.

Marine 16 Apr 2011: (Escondido, CA) E-3 died in a single motorcycle mishap when he lost control and crashed while traveling at 100+

mph. 10 Apr 2011: (San Gregorio, CA) E-3 died in a single-vehicle mishap after he lost control of the vehicle and was ejected. 21 Feb 2011: (Pauma Valley, CA) E-5 died after hitting a tree with his motorcycle. 03 Jan 2011: (San Diego, CA) E-3 passenger died when the driver (E-2) lost control of the vehicle and struck a tractor-trailer. 25 Nov 2010: (Buckeye, AZ) E-5 died in a motorcycle mishap when he struck the rear of another vehicle. 21 Nov 2010: (Camp Pendleton, CA) E-3 died in single-vehicle motorcycle mishap. 14 Nov 2010: (Julian, CA) O-4 died in a motorcycle mishap in a head-on collision with another motorcycle. 05 Nov 2010: (29 Palms, CA) E-4 died in a motorcycle mishap after being struck by a vehicle.

Each rider should keep in mind that staying alert and being a defensive driver will increase your chances of staying alive. Enjoy the ride, keep both wheels on the road, and maybe I will see you out there.

By CMC Lassiter

P A G E 5

We are here for you…..

Families In Recruiting Please if you have not already

take a look at this publication. It

has some good information in it

for Recruiters and their families.

Just go to the this site . www.cnrc.navy.mil/noru/html/index.htm

Get Help from a Tutor Right Now!

Free Tutoring for

Navy Families. Go to: tutor.com and select tutor for the Military.

Spring and summer is a perfect time for a picnic. The Families of East and Central Zone will be getting to-

gether for a family event at the Lilac Festival in May.

June 30th will be the headquarters and surrounding divi-sions family picnic. Watch for details all are invited. So if you are planning a trip to the Seattle area come join us.

Fourth of July, Alaska will be having their second annual family camping trip.

This is a time for spouses to get involved contact your division MWR representative and ask if they need help with food, games for the kids, etc.

I am sure they would love your help.

F A M I L Y N E W S L E T T E R

been married, my husband has been in recruiting. Yea, imagine that, 9.5 years of recruiting! I’ve never lived on or near a base. I’ve never attended a Navy Ball. I’ve never experienced a deploy-ment. But as a recruiter’s wife, I have managed to survive. I strive to learn more about the Navy and through volunteering as an Om-budsman I have gained so much knowledge. It isn’t always a walk in the park, but to know that someone is there to listen or give a supportive word makes me feel as though I am not alone. So to NRD Seattle, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve as a zone Ombudsman. To the fami-lies in this Command, thank you for trusting me and allowing me

My first experience with an Om-budsman was well, when I be-came one at our last Command. Having just relocated 2,000 miles from our family with a 10 month old and a husband who was a recruiter working long hours, I felt lost. I remember stopping in at my husbands’ office one day and telling one of the recruiters “there has got to be support for the spouses”. Well one week later he called to tell me that the Command was looking for an Ombudsman, just the support I was looking for, but that it would be me doling out the support. My hesitation was only slight and soon I found myself at Ombuds-man training. I did not grow up military and as long as I have

into your life. I hope that when anyone is in need you will reach out to the command, they will direct you and be that resource that you need to make it through this recruiting tour! You are not alone!

All the Best to All of you!

Lisa Roux

NAVY REPORTABLES

Family members should be aware that not all communication with a Command Ombudsman is confidential. Safety and well be-ing of every individual takes precedence over confidentiality

rights. OPNAVINST 1750.1F requires mandatory reporting by all ombudsmen for the following:

All suspected child abuse/neglect

Alleged domestic abuse

Suspected/potential homicides, violence or life endangering situations

All suspected/potential suicidal risks

Mandatory reports are made to the CO and/or other designee, and to respective agency of law enforcement.

*All Ombudsmen are appointed by the CO of the Command*

Ombudsman Farwell Lisa Roux

Lisa, thank you for your service the

past three years. You will be missed.

Best wishes at your next Command.

P A G E 7

https://www.cnic.navy.mil/…/Programs/…/CREDOPacificNorthwest/

Mission: To provide a program of retreats to enable military members and their families to develop personal and spiritual resources.

History: CREDO began in 1971 as "Chaplain’s Response to the Emerging Drug Or-der" to confront the use of drugs by Sailors and Marines. CREDO evolved into a re-treat ministry that is applicable to a broad spectrum of people seeking personal and spiritual development. The name became the Chaplains Religious Enrichment Development Operation.

Philosophy: Our program is distinctly spiritual and builds trust by facilitating an

experience of unconditional acceptance resulting in a heightened sense of person-

al responsibility, and a deeper commitment to community.

CREDO-SPIRITUAL FITNESS DIVISION PACIFIC NORTHWEST (Next to the Fire Station on Naval Base Kitsap - Bremerton)

2240 Decatur Ave Bremerton, WA 98314 Comm: (360) 476-3793

Fax: (360) 476-3808 DSN: 439-3793

CREDO Chaplain Religious Enrichment Program

COMPASS

"A course for Navy life"

www.gocompas.org

A mentoring program developed by

spouses for spouses.

Moving During the Middle of College by Shana Brown

P A G E 8

Ok, so as a military spouse, I

am used to the PCS moves and the

headaches it brings. I have become

accustomed to it – at least as much

as possible. However one thing I

didn’t think about was trying to finish

college while moving.

When I started college, we

had just moved here as our new duty

station. I knew there was a possibil-

ity I may not finish before it was time

to move again, so I chose an accred-

ited online school. Now, I have come

to find out that my plans may not

work.

As I finish up my Associates

program and get ready to start my

Bachelor’s classes I have found out

that my school is restricted from

teaching my particular area of study

in some states. A few of these states

could possibly be our next duty station.

Although we are not up for

orders for another year, I don’t want to

waste time and money on something I

can’t finish. What to do now?

As a little bit of panic set in, I

went over my options. I could switch

schools, either now or when we move.

However my credits may not transfer. I

could wait, but it would be hard to start

up again after waiting so long. My hus-

band could do a geo-bachelor move at

least for a year while I finish, something

we are far from crazy about. No option

looks like a good one.

So with no good option in

sight, I called Military One Source to see

if they could help. I explained my con-

fusing situation to them. They turned

me on to SOCNAV, a program for mili-

tary members and their spouses. With

this program members should be

able to work with military approved,

accredited schools to transfer

schools without losing credits. My

college is one of them!

There are still a lot of ques-

tions that I have, but with Military

One Source’s help, I can at least

breathe a temporary sigh of relief. I

know that I can still finish my degree

and move with my family. At least I

know when it is time to move, my

headaches won’t be from college!

To get to the SOCNAV website go to

http://www.soc.aascu.org/socnav/

Default.html

Here is a summary of the program:

Available to spouses of active duty service members in pay grades E1-E5, W1-W2, and O1-O2. including the spouses of activated Guard and Reserve members within those ranks. Spouses of Guard and Reserve members must be able to start and complete their courses while their sponsor is on Title 10 orders.

Offer a maximum financial benefit of $4,000 with a fiscal year cap of $2,000. Waivers will be available for spouses pursuing licensure or certification up to the total maximum assistance of $4,000

Require military spouses to finish their program of study within three years from the start date of the first course

Be limited to associate degrees, certification and licensures

More details available at Military OneSource

MyCAA

Navy Relief P A G E 9

Are you looking for an inexpensive, outdoor camp for your teen this summer? (14-18 years old)

Check out the following! There is a $25 registration fee – and that’s it! What a great deal!

The link for the page is:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/WSU-Military-Teen-Adventure-Camps/220244057991831?ref=ts

Contact Information:

Raymond Faini, Director

WSU Chelan County Extension

400 Washington Street

Wenatchee, WA 98801

509-667-6540

Military Teen Adventure Camps Submitted by Jeni Richards

Navy Marine Corp Relief Society Thanks You!

Navy Marine Corp Relief Society thanks all of you for your generous donations. While other relief agencies are reducing

assistance and programs, we are able to increase ours due to your generous donations.

This last month we were able to support the family members involved in the voluntary evacuation from Japan. Staff from

NMCRS was able to be of financial assistance around the clock right in the SEATAC airport as spouses, children, and

pets made their way back to their designated safe haven destinations. (At one count, there were 48 dogs barking in

unison – I felt very fortunate to be able to go to my home the next morning - and not be one of the ‘evacuees’.) We

were also able to support members of the other military services whose aid organizations were not able to provide full

support – so a huge thank you to all the volunteers who made that happen!

Finally, in the event of a government budget shut down, NMCRS was prepared to move into ‘disaster assistance’. While

we do not have the funding to replace an active duty member’s full paycheck, we are prepared to get you through the

tough spots with $300 for single sailors and $600 for families, and as always, additional assistance would be available on

a case-by-case basis.

These situations are a good reminder of why it is so important to have an emergency savings account. While the military

compensates many of our needs, we still need to be prepared!

Thank you for your family’s commitment to serve!

Jeni Richards

Important Contact Information:

P A G E 6

Command Ombudsman

Cindy Martinez

seattleombudman@hotmail.com

206-450-5361

American Red Cross

425-304-4476

After hours

360-563-2047

Navy Lodge

1-800-NAVY-INN

Tri-West

1-800-874-9378

Domestic Violence Hotline

1-800-854-0638

Deers

1-800-538-9553

The Everett Naval Station is our

support base below are a few

helpful numbers.

Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society

425-754-5977

Fleet and Family Support Center

(FFSC)

425-304-3367

ID Cards (PSD)

425-304-4256

NAVSTA Everett Chaplain

425-304-3342

Navy Legal Services

425-304-3203

Just about everyone is on Facebook check it out:

NRD Seattle Ombudsman

NRD Seattle Recruiting Command

Tri-West

Military One-Source

US Navy Fleet and Family Readiness

USO

Red Cross

www.navyformoms.com

www.cnrc.navy.mil

www.triwest.com

www.nmcrs.org

P A G E 1 2

Great project with

kids of all ages.

Recycle your crayons… by Shana Brown

What to do with your bro-

ken crayons?

Coloring is always a good

go-to activity when children

are stuck inside complain-

ing of nothing to do. Al-

most every home with chil-

dren in it has one thing in

common, they have cray-

ons. Most likely, your kids

have a lot, and I mean tons,

of crayons. There are prob-

ably many of them that are

broken in to tiny pieces too.

If your kids are like mine,

they don’t want to use the

broken ones. So what to

do with them? What about

make new ones? Here are

some ideas to make new

and funky crayons that your

kids will love! Have them

help, and they will be

proud to use them!

How to do it:

Preheat the oven to about

200 degrees. Gather all

broken, small, dull crayons.

Take any wrappers off

(have this kids do this). You

can take any larger pieces

and break them down fur-

ther if you want.

Using a small muffin tin,

spray it lightly with cooking

spray (it makes it easier to

get the crayons out). Take

the broken crayons and

place them in the tins. Mix

colors to make it fun. They

should be filled about 1/3

to ½ full.

Place them in the oven. In

about 10 minutes check

them. The actual timing

will depend on the types of

original crayons (each have

different wax contents).

You can tell when they are

done; there won’t be any

clumps of half melted cray-

ons. Take them out when it

looks like a pool of melted

wax.

To make them look really

cool (especially if you have

contrasting colors), take a

toothpick and swirl the

colors! Be careful not to

mix them too much though

or it looks like mud.

Let them cool and pop

them out. You now have

cool looking crayons that

your kids will love!

Fun Variations:

Use metal cookie cutters

and with about two layers

of foil around the bottom

(make sure it is tight

around the base though).

Makes shaped crayons!

To make fat, toddler friend-

ly, crayons use Mini M&M

tubes in the microwave.

Make sure to spray it with

cooking spray to get it out!

Use an electrical skillet in-

stead of the oven, and your

kids can watch the crayons

as they melt!

F A M I L Y N E W S L E T T E R

P A G E 1 3

F A M I L Y N E W S L E T T E R

BRYAN LASSITER

TASK GROUP TRIDENT

APO AE 09354