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I S S U E
N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 2
02
The AISG Newsletter
Announcement from our CEO
Team,
AISG is currently positioning
itself to have another
incredibly successful year,
thanks to all of the hard work
by you and your teams. Your
focus and dedication are
making this one of the best
companies on earth, and a
truly incredible place to work.
To recognize the efforts that
make this amazing feat
possible, I'm happy to
announce that we'll be
spotlighting an employee in
each of our upcoming
newsletters.
Know that I appreciate each
of you, and the hard work that
you put into continuing to
serve our customers.
Thank you for everything you
do!
Sincerely,
Kevin L. Jackson
President/CEO
In this issue
Contracting News P.1
Employee Spotlight P.2
What’s Happening P.3
Benefit News P.4
New Years ResolutionsP.5-6
Contacts Page P.7
03 Issue March 2013
Advanced Information Systems Group, Inc. (AISG) has just been awarded a contract to provide an effective, accessible, responsive and high-quality training program to maintain and increase the professional knowledge and skills of civil-service merchant mariners. AISG will provide educational support services for the professional development of up to 700 Civil Service Mariners (CIVMARS) and other merchant mariners, as designated, both afloat and ashore. AISG will provide educational and related services, including course instruction and administration, and curricula design, development, and modification. AISG will provide the personnel, organization, and administrative control necessary to ensure
that the services performed meet all requirements specified. Military Sealift Command (MSC) is owner and operator of more than forty (40) civilian-mariner (CIVMAR) manned ships and is responsible for ensuring the operational readiness of its ships throughout their active service period. Each shipboard supply department plays an important role in overall MSC ship operation and provides key services, including supply and configuration management, combat logistics, food and hotel/laundry operations. To a great degree, MSC’s ability to successfully execute its mission is dependent on effective and timely training of shipboard and food service personnel.
MSC awards Advanced Information Systems Group, Inc.
Contract #N00033-13-C-8012
AISG would like to thank each of you that participated in the
re-compete bid process for the contract listed above...
A job well done!
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Most people call me Chef. Do you think that maybe it’s
the uniform? It’s almost fun to be in a supermarket where
often people ask me culinary questions or share their
favorite recipes with me. Along the same lines if you want
to get excellent service in a restaurant try wearing a chef’s
uniform. I have been offered bottles of wine and free
meals. Occasionally I wear a chef’s hat that is shorter (and
more colorful) than those tall white ones out in public and
that attire is always guaranteed to start up a conversation
with strangers.
I think the main reason that strangers expect to be able to
talk to a chef is that chefs have always been servants and I
believe that all of the good chefs that I know have a,
servant’s heart.”
Being a new hire here at AISG I wasn’t really sure what to
expect in the way I was perceived and the professionalism, camaraderie, or work ethic of the people
around me. Those people who helped me get through the new hire process including Ray, Steve, Tracy,
and Karen were so professional and helpful, even at late hours of the day, impressing me with their own
servant’s hearts.
When I met Chef Randy Green it was like meeting my lost brother! Because we have so much in common
and the same core beliefs, in the future you may get us mixed up the way people mix up identical twins.
We are long-term members of the American Culinary Federation and adhere to its professional standards;
pledging our professional knowledge and skill to the advancement of our profession as we attempt to pass
it on to those that follow. Our organization is fraternal in nature, fostering a spirit of courteous
consideration within the profession and we place continuing the legacy of the honor of our profession, our
colleagues and culinary students as our highest priority.
Unfortunately, in days of old the good name and dignity of the culinary profession may have been
tarnished by “Chefs” who did not refrain from the criticism of their fellow colleagues or taking personal
advantage, to somehow advance themselves. We are not like that, “We will be just as enthusiastic about
the success of others as we are about our own and shall encourage our culinarians to be too big for worry,
too noble for anger, too professional to permit the pressure of our business dealings to hurt anyone within
or without the profession.” That is the Culinarian’s code.
In conclusion, I am extremely glad that I made the decision to come to work for AISG to be a part of such
a great team. I have been sending photographs of our student’s work to Karen Frey occasionally and she
seems to enjoy being more closely connected to these culinary activities through the media. If you would
like to start receiving photographs from the galley or the buffet line you can shoot me an e-mail at
[email protected] and I will capture your web address so that you can feel more connected to what
we’re doing in Norfolk.
By: Chef John Betts
Chef John C. Betts Employee Spotlight
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Welcome Aboard! AISG would like to welcome our new employees:
Clyde Byrd & Kelly Hackett
Federal law (5 U.S.C. 6103) establishes the preceding public holidays for Federal employees. Please note that most Federal employees work on a Monday through Friday schedule. For these employees, when a holiday falls on a non-workday -- Saturday or Sunday -- the holiday usually is observed on Monday (if the holiday falls on Sunday) or Friday (if the holiday falls on Saturday).
Tuesday, January 1 New Year’s Day
Monday, January 21 Birthday of Martin Luther
Monday, February 18 Washington’s Birthday
Monday, May 27 Memorial Day
Thursday, July 4 Independence Day
Monday, September 2 Labor Day
Monday, October 14 Columbus Day
Monday, November 11 Veterans Day
Thursday, November 28 Thanksgiving Day
Wednesday, December 25 Christmas Day
2013 Federal Holidays
Attention!
Happy Birthday!!!
Linda Wetzel February
John Gehrlich February
Clyde Byrd February
Karen Fray February
Vicente Salazar March
David Montgomery March
Staci Beasley April
Steven Larson April
1/27/2013 - The price of a first-class stamp for domestic purposes will rise by one cent, to 46 cents each. In addition to
raising the price of stamps by one cent on Sunday, the Postal Service will also be introducing a new Global Forever
Stamp for first-class mail that will allow customers to mail letters anywhere in the world for $1.10. The Forever
stamp will be available for mail pieces of one-ounce or less — forever, regardless of future price changes.
Postcards will now cost 33 cents to mail under the new price schedule. Regular letters weighing up to one ounce
will require a 46-cent stamp with each additional ounce added 20 cents to the cost of the postage.
Prices for all products (mailing and shipping services) will increase by 4-percent, but prices for mailing services,
such as regular letters and advertising matter, will increase only 2.6-percent.
Free tracking will be offered to all competitive packages, including retail Priority Mail and Parcel Post (recently
renamed Standard Post).
Customers shipping critical mail letters and flats will now have the option of receiving a signature upon delivery as
part of the service offering, which is a new service.
USPS RAISES PRICES, OFFERS NEW SERVICES
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AISG Benefit News
New W-2 Reporting of the Cost of Employer-Provided Health Coverage
Under a provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (passed in 2010), employers are required to re-port the aggregate cost of employer-sponsored health coverage provided to the employee on the Form W-2, be-ginning with the 2012 Form W-2. In accordance with this new requirement, employees who participated in the Insperi-
ty Group Health Plan during 2012 will see the aggregate cost of medical coverage reflected in Box 12 of their 2012 Form W-2 with a Code of DD. (The number reflected on the W-2 does not include the cost of dental or vision cover-
age, or contributions made to a health care flexible spending account or health savings account.)
The amount reflected on the Form W-2 is for informational purposes only and is not considered taxable in-come; thus, no action is needed from you.
Calculation of Benefit Cost The aggregate cost of coverage is based on the COBRA rates provided to Insperity by its carriers for the employee’s coverage option and category of coverage (e.g., employee only, family, etc.). Details of the calculation are available on the Employee Service Center.
Access your 401 (k) plan online 24/7 through John Hancock’s online portal for employees. The site provides a num-
ber of tools to help you manage and make changes to your account.
Visit their website: www.jhancockpensions.com
Or contact Tom Nguyen 407-581-2929 x206 for more information.
401(k) Limits Increased for 2013
The 401(k) contribution limit for 2013 is $17,500 if you are under age 50 and $23,000 if you are 50 or older. (SIMPLE 401(k) limits are $12,000 or 14,500 for 50 and older).
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Oh, self control! New Years Resolutions can be very difficult to keep, and many times they involve
drastic changes and lots of money. There are many empty gyms with memberships paid for with the
best intentions. The good news is that there are many resolutions that are cheap, easy to keep and come
with technology that can improve your chances of success.
1. Water:
If you’re not drinking enough water you‘ll notice a multitude of health problems including headaches,
low cognitive function, fatigue, constipation, dry skin and increased toxicity.
Everyone needs a different amount of water in their body and there is an easy way to find out how much
your body needs. Divide your weight in half and consider that number the goal of ounces of water you
should consume. If you weigh 200 pounds your goal should be 100oz of water daily. Even if you are
only drinking a couple glasses per day, start slowly and add 4-8 oz of daily water every week.
Eventually, you will reach a point where your body is hydrated and any more water is uncomfortable.
This is where you should be regardless of whether you are above or below your goal.
If we are going to use water to reduce headaches and clear out toxins we certainly don’t want to add any
more toxins by drinking out of flimsy plastic bottles. Find a nice glass jar or BPA-free container.
Hate water or just forget? No problem. Adding a splash of organic juice, chopped cucumbers or a fresh-
ly squeezed orange actually improves hydration. These exciting additions will turn your boring glass of
water into a hydration party.
Try some of the water apps (Water Your Body and Waterlogged ) on iTunes or Google play. They track
your water consumption and give you annoying reminders to drink your ounces. No excuse, no
problem.
2. Sleep:
I find that sleep is one thing that most people disregard. When the body cannot rejuvenate and fix itself
it begins to break down. The ideal amount of sleep for you is somewhere between seven-eight hours,
and it’s important to go to bed and wake at the same time.
Fortunately, two new fitness products have taken sleep aids to a new level. Both Fitbit and Jawbone
help you track your sleep and the quality of your sleep.
New Year's Resolutions You Can Keep!
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This Month’s Q&A Technology Tips
3. Exercise:
We all know that exercise is important but can find it very difficult
to do. In addition to tracking your sleep, Fitbit and Jawbone also
track your exercise. Most basically they are both pedometers,
telling you how many steps you have walked each day. Both have
additional ways to add and track other exercises. Each morning
when you wake up you get a report card of the previous days
exercise as well as a sleep report.
Why do we want to build muscle? Many people visit the clinic ask-
ing how to increase their metabolism. Muscle is the most metabolically active tissue in the body. Toning up with
regular muscle building exercises is going to reshape your body and increase metabolism. Short of hiring a trainer,
my favorite app is called Two Hundred Situps and can be found at http://www.twohundredsitups.com/. This free
app can train you in pushups, dips, pull-ups and many other simple exercises. This app will gradually increase the
amount of reps you do in each category until you have reached your goal. It’s easy and doesn’t take a lot of time.
Time and consistency is the key to your success and a slowly tightening body with an increased metabolism is
your reward.
4. Nutrition
Nutrition seems to be the most difficult aspect of our lives, because changing your nutrition means changing your
lifestyle. If you eat cereal for breakfast, microwave you lunch and eat out for dinner, your stove is merely an ac-
cessory to match your refrigerator. Those seeking optimal health will have to learn how to cook.
But that is not what this about. Right now we are seeking better health so here are some tips:
Protein: A small amount of protein at each meal will support that metabolically active tissue we call “muscle”.
Fruits and veggies at one or two meals per day provide the body with antioxidants and phyto-nutrients that will
fight disease and promote a long and healthy life. The deeper the color the better it is for you.
Whole Grains: If you are like most people you eat one grain, wheat. Try branching out into some other whole
grains such as steel cut oats, quinoa, barley and rye.
Reduce sugar and processed foods as much as possible
5. Breathing
Sounds simple doesn’t it? It is and also doesn’t take up very much of your time. If you can breath every day, or
every other day, for five measly minutes, you will improve your health in ways you never thought possible. Most
people notice a calming effect as well as increased focus and productivity.
Here are some tips on breathing:
Sit or lay down in a quiet place.
Close your eyes
As you breath in, push your stomach out (i.e. yoga breathing)
As you breath out, push out all the stale air lingering in the bottom of your lungs.
Repeat
Give it a shot! Start slow and don’t push yourself. It’s better to be slow and consistent than to burn out in a month.
By next year you will be a different person.
This column is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
By Chris Ogilvie, Naturopath Copyright © 2013 Patch. All Rights Reserved.
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11315 Corporate Boulevard Suite 210
Orlando, Florida 32817 (407) 581-2929 Phone
(407) 369-4659 Fax http://www.aisg.com
AISG, Inc. is an ISO9001:2008
Certified Company
Business Development Bob Kuzma
[email protected] (407) 581-2929
ext. 213
Finance, Contracts & 401(K)
Tom Nguyen [email protected]
(407) 581-2929 ext. 206
Human Resources,
Payroll Ray Bauza
[email protected] (407) 581-2929
ext. 223
Office Administration Tech Support
& Security
Steve Larson [email protected]
(407) 581-2929 ext. 204
*Please report any adverse
information or suspicious activity to your security office ASAP.
Community Corner Highlighting local events that contribute to the greater good of our community.
The Orange County Health Department is set to host the 7th Annual Washington
Shores 5K Walk & Health Fair Saturday, March 9th from 8am – 12pm at Hankins
Park located at 1340 Lake Park Court Orlando, FL 32805. This event encourages
residents to live a healthier lifestyle by becoming more physically active and
eating more healthy.
Attendees can also enjoy other fun activities such as interactive games and prizes
for children by the Radio Disney Road Crew, zumba, yoga, a hula hoop contest,
healthy cooking demonstrations, health information and screenings, and massages.
There will be a “challenge” among churches, schools, civic organizations, and
businesses. Prizes will be given to the ones having the most participants. Regis-
tration for the free 5K Walk can be done onsite at the event.
For more information about this event, please contact the Orange County Health
Department at 407-858-1464 or email [email protected].
March 9, 2013
On-site registration begins 8:00 a.m.
(We advise you to pre-register as the line gets VERY long for onsite registration.)
Walk begins 9:00 a.m.
Hankins Park
1340 Lake Park Court
Orlando, FL 32805
Register Now Online! http://www.orchd.com/onlinereg/index.asp
