Operational Readiness Training Complex

& Track and Field Ribbon Cutting Ceremonies

www.liggett.army.mil

Commander’s Notes……….………………. 3

News…………………………………………. 4

Mission Highlights…………….….…………. 5

In the Spotlight………..…………………….. 7

Feature stories………………………………. 8, 12

Garrison Highlights……...………………….. 10

Community Engagements………...…...….. 14

Chaplain’s Message………..………………. 20

Sexual Assault Prevention Awareness....... 21

Safety First…………..………………………. 22

Employee Bulletin..…………………………. 23

Community Events..………………………… 24

COMMAND TEAM

Col. Jan C. Norris

Garrison Commander

Brian Adkins

Deputy to the Garrison Commander

Lt. Col. Meritt Phillips

Deputy Garrison Commander

Command Sgt. Major DeeAnn Dunstan

Garrison Command Sergeant Major

GOLDEN GUIDON STAFF

Amy Phillips

Public Affairs Officer

The Golden Guidon is an authorized quarterly

publication for members of the U.S. Army

Garrison Fort Hunter Liggett. Content in this

publication are not necessarily the official

views of, or endorsed by, the U.S.

Government or the Dept. of the Army, or Fort

Hunter Liggett.

SUBMISSIONS

Submit story ideas, photographs, and other

information of interest to the FHL community

to the Public Affairs Office Email: mailto:usarmy.hunterliggett.imcom-central.list.fhl-

pao@mail.mil.

or call 831-386-2690.

FEEDBACK WELCOMED

Help us create a relevant and meaningful

product to meet your information needs.

Visit ICE site: https://ice.disa.mil/index.cfm?

fa=card&sp=113492 or click on QRC:

COMMAND INFORMATION PRODUCTS

www.liggett.army.mil

www.dvidshub.net/unit/FHL-PAO

www.facebook.com/FortHunterLiggett

Official Command Publication of

U.S. Army Garrison Fort Hunter Liggett

COVER PHOTO by Bryan Lee: FHL’s Senior Commander, the 63rd Regional Support Command Commanding Gen. Maj. Gen. Brian Alvin; Congressman Jimmy Panetta and Garrison Command-er Col. Jan Norris at the Track & Field Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.

Photo

by A

my P

hill

ips

Pho

to b

y E

ric U

nwin

Operational Readiness Training Complex, Track & Field Ribbon Cutting Ceremonies

Page 12

Best Warrior Competition

Page 5

Greetings Team Fort Hunter Liggett, Happy New Year! 2017 started quickly and brought much needed rainfall to the area while creating a few flooding hazards in and around the Fort. We recently held ribbon cut-ting events to open our Track and Field Fitness Complex, the Opera-tional Readiness Training Complex (ORTC) as well as the Subway Café eatery. These additions will serve to enhance training, fitness and nutrition for our troops, Families and civilians. As Spring approaches, we can expect to see the typical increase in our unit training volume from all ser-vice components. The Spring will al-so see completion of our taxiway ex-pansion at Schoonover landing strip. The taxiway expansion will increase aircraft parking or maximum on ground (MOG) capacity for up to five C-17 (or C-130) aircraft, and signifi-cantly enhance our strategic lift capa-bility to enable expanded training op-portunities. We are also developing a formal training partnership with Camp Rob-erts to optimize our complimentary training resources into a combined regional training center. This partner-ship is expected to draw more Army units across all components (AC/RC/ARNG) for collective training and to meet future Objective-T training re-quirements. With increased training capacity comes increased work and stress. One has to be physically, mentally and spiritually resilient in order to handle stress. The Army strives for a Ready & Resilient military and civilian workforce to keep up with the chal-lenge of “working more with less.” For the physical aspect, always be mindful of incorporating the

Army’s Performance Triad into your daily regimen. The Performance Tri-ad includes Nutrition, Activity and Rest and strives for all employees to get 8 hours of sleep per day (24 hour period), go caffeine free 6 hours be-fore bedtime, engage in exercise (agility and aerobic) 3-4 days per week, and eat at least 8 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Sometimes, taking a break from

your work helps reduce stress. I high-

ly encourage everyone to attend the

many events throughout the year

which provides an opportunity to get

to know not only the event topic but

each other. One such event is the

Army Reserve’s 109th Birthday -

we are celebrating this occasion dur-

ing the annual Youth Fishing Derby

on April 22. Other events include the

Month of the Military Child in April

and Military Spouse Appreciation in

May.

I’m continually honored to be a part of the Fort Hunter Liggett team. Let’s keep charging in our efforts to make a Fort Hunter Liggett a better place to train, work and live. Thanks for all you do in service to our Nation!

Support the Fight, Support the Soldiers, Support the Family!

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR COMPUTER

Keep Your Firewall Turned On Install or Update Your Antivirus Software

Install or Update Your Antispyware Technology Keep Your Operating System Up to Date

Be Careful What You Download Log Off Your Computer at end of Day

For more tips, visit: https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/cyber

ARMY RESERVE REDUCES ENERGY USE IN FY16 By Jonelle Kimbrough, Office of the Chief, Army Reserve Energy touches nearly every aspect of the Army Reserve’s mis-sion, from the electricity that powers our Army Reserve Centers to the fuel that powers our vehicles. To maintain readiness and adapt to a constantly evolving global presence, the Army Reserve is striving to conserve ener-gy and other vital assets. According to the Army Reserve FY16 Annual Energy Management Report, the Army Reserve achieved a 17.9 percent reduction in energy use intensity last year, compared to the fiscal year 2015 baseline. The reduc-tion far exceeded a Federal goal of a 2.5 percent annual reduction in ener-gy use intensity. Diverse initiatives throughout the enterprise contributed to the Army Reserve’s efforts to save energy, in-crease energy efficiency and reduce America’s dependence on foreign fossil fuels. For instance, Fort Hunter Liggett used heat pump technologies and other holistic energy recovery oppor-tunities to increase the energy effi-ciency of four Transient Training En-listed barracks and push the Installa-tion toward Net Zero, when it will pro-duce as much energy as it con-sumes. For complete story: https://www.dvidshub.net/news/221172/army-reserve-reduces-energy-use-fiscal-year-2016

IMCOM’S TRANSITION AS-

SISTANCE PROGRAM HELPS ARMY SAVE $900 MILLION By Leslie Hargett, IMCOM G1 and William Bradner, IMCOM PAO Unemployment Compensation for Soldiers leaving the Army during fiscal year 2016 dropped to the lowest amount recorded in 13 years. The Army ended the year at $172.8 million, according to the De-partment of Labor's unemployment compensation report. Army expendi-tures had peaked in 2011, at $515 million. This is the first time expendi-tures dropped below $200 million since 2003. In the last four years the Army has saved over $900 million in cost avoidance for unemployment com-pensation expenditures through pro-grams like the IMCOM Soldier for Life Transition Assistance Program (SFL-TAP), which prepares Soldiers for finding employment in the civilian sec-tor when they leave active service. In 2016 alone, over 117,000 Sol-diers successfully transitioned into the civilian community using SFL-TAP services. SFL-TAP Centers help Sol-diers alleviate many employment-related difficulties and prepare them for success. IMCOM SFL-TAP Centers have partnered with the Department of La-bor, DOD, the Small Business Admin-istration, and Veterans Affairs to pro-vide employment and training infor-mation to Soldiers and their eligible spouses within one year of their sepa-ration or two years of their retirement from the military. For more information on the SFL-TAP: http://soldierforlife.army.mil

Army launches Soldiers Jour-

nal, a monthly television news

magazine that covers accurate

and timely information about

Soldier missions, training, op-

erations and achievements of

today's Army: https://

www.dvidshub.net/feature/

SoldiersJournal

CHILD CARE DELAYS, UNEM-

PLOYED SPOUSES STILL MAJOR CONCERNS, DAILEY TELLS CON-

GRESS. With more than 5,500 chil-dren waiting to get into Army child care programs, senior leaders are worried this could affect the readiness of military. Speaking at a Family fo-rum at the annual Association of the United States Army conference in October, Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel Dailey noted that child care services account for about half of the Army's $1.1 billion budget for Family pro-grams. Read full article: http://go.usa.gov/x9uFk

Return to Table of Contents

Return to Table of Contents

Readiness is the Army’s #1 priority; there is no other #1.

BEST WARRIOR COMPETITIONS

Click for

VIDEO

In February, Soldiers from the 75th, 86th and 91st Training Divisions participated in the Best Warrior

Competitions held at Fort Hunter Liggett. During the four-day event, Soldiers from across the Army

test their aptitude by conquering urban warfare simulations, physical fitness and written tests, Warrior

tasks, and much more. Only the top winners move on to the next level of the competition. (U.S. Army

Reserve photos by Specialists Derek Cummings and Eric Unwin, 91st Training Division Public Affairs)

The 102nd TASS Training Center conducts engineers course which

includes classroom and hands-on training on many different equip-

ment. This Total Army center trains active and reserve Army Soldiers

from across the nation. (Photo by Eric Jones)

Sailors of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion-1, from Port Hueneme

trained on squad tactics, such as the deployment and use of trip flares.

(Photo by Eric Jones)

The Strong Bond mission

is to increase individual

Soldier and Family mem-

ber readiness through re-

lationship education and

skills training. It is con-

ducted in an offsite retreat

format in order to maxim-

ize the training effect. The

retreat provides a fun,

safe, and secure environ-

ment in which to address

the impact of relocations,

deployments, and military

lifestyle stressors.

“Sgt. 1st Class Thomas Ninkovich has been doing an ex-ceptional job at Range Operations and he exemplifies the Army values,” said Tony Trutanich, Range Control Officer. Ninkovich is pictured above helping a customer at range control. In addition to serving additional shifts when need-ed, he volunteers for community events, such as the King City Christmas Parade and the Veterans Stand Down. Ninkovich has 19 years of military service and joined the FHL team in 2016. (Photo by Amy Phillips)

Utility systems operators at the FHL Wastewater Treat-ment Plant, Frank Brinkman and Ron Garner, are respon-sible for managing, maintaining and monitoring water quali-ty and cleaning the waste waters of FHL. Everyday, thou-sands of gallons of wastewater enter the plant to be treat-ed and eventually returned back to the earth. Learn more about the Wastewater Treatment Plant on page 12. (Photo

by Eric Jones)

FHL’s Senior Commander Maj. Gen. Brian Alvin recognized eight exceptional employees for their service and dedication to the mission. (L-R) Security Specialist Matt Smith, DPW; Police Officer Sgt. Dustin Rodriguez; DES; Police Officer Lt. Mark Keller, DES; Range Inspector Staff Sgt. Augustine Sarpong, DPTMS; 63rd Regional Support Command Command-ing General Maj. Gen. Brian Alvin; FHL Commander Col. Jan C. Norris; Management Support Assistant Carol Lange, DHR; Gardner Trevor Delacruz, DPW; Firefighter / EMT Chris Williams, DES; and Firefighter / Paramedic Paul Sobyra, DES. (Photo by Brian Adkins)

RESILIENCY TO COUNTER POLITICAL ANXIETY

By Amy Phillips, Public Affairs Office

You thought relief was in sight

now that the endless barrage of com-

mercials by presidential candidates

ceased. You thought the stress from

the highly-charged election would

subside now that a new president is

chosen. Think again.

Regardless of political prefer-

ence, income-level or ethnic back-

ground, many are still experiencing

stress and anxiety, and all the associ-

ated effects that come with change

and uncertainty.

According to the National Insti-

tute of Mental Health (NIMH), “Stress

is how the brain and body respond to

any demand” and it affects everyone.

Psychology Today says, “Stress is

simply a reaction to a stimulus that

disturbs our physical or mental equi-

librium.”

Like many things in life, stress

can be good or bad. Stress motivates

some to perform at their peak level.

Stress may also lead others to de-

pression or negative behaviors, like

drug or alcohol abuse. “Stress can

even be life-saving in some situations.

In response to danger, your body pre-

pares to face a threat or flee to safe-

ty.” (NIMH)

People have different levels of

tolerance and ways to cope. While

some turn to yoga or gardening, oth-

ers turn to over-eating or drugs and

alcohol. There is no one solution to

stress but resiliency is the key to

combat emotional turmoil and

staying healthy. Without good

health, your ability to handle stress

is minimized and can lead to in-

creased anxiety.

RESILIENCY

Stress is part of life and a nor-

mal human reaction, however, learn-

ing to manage it in a healthy and

productive manner is critical to your

well-being. “You may not be able to

control the stressors in your world,

but you can alter your reaction to

them.” (Psychology Today)

“Resilience is the process of

adapting well in the face of adversi-

ty, trauma, tragedy, threats or signifi-

cant sources of stress - such as

Family and relationship problems, se-

rious health problems or workplace

and financial stressors. It means

"bouncing back" from difficult experi-

ences.” – American Psychological As-

sociation.

The Army’s Ready and Resilient

Campaign (R2C) and Performance

Triad Program are excellent sources

to maintaining a Physical, Psychologi-

cal, Social, and Spiritual well-being.

These standards apply to Soldiers,

Army Civilians and their Families be-

cause it takes all three groups to be a

Strong Total Force. Everyone has a

responsibility to be the best they can

be and support each other.

(Continued on page 9)

Family, Morale, Welfare, and Recreation hosts many fitness enhancing activities such as

the Pre-Thanksgiving Spin Class which encouraged participants to exercise and eat healthy

during the holiday season. (Photo by Brian Lee).

Return to Table of Contents

The R2C provides a collection of

“comprehensive and far-reaching pro-

grams” designed to create “a holistic,

collaborative and coherent enterprise

to increase individual and unit readi-

ness and resilience.” These programs

include the Army Community Services

(ACS) which offers training and coun-

seling in areas such as Alcohol and

Substance Abuse Prevention and Fi-

nancial Readiness. ACS also manag-

es the Army Emergency Relief Fund

which can help those needing a little

financial assistance.

R2C also encompasses the Fam-

ily, Morale, Welfare, and Recreation

(FMWR) morale boosting events such

as the popular Asian Pacific Heritage

Luau, Oktoberfest and trips to local

attractions. They also offer many

physical fitness activities such as the

High Intensity Interval Training and

recreational tournaments.

The Performance Triad advo-

cates a balance of quality sleep, en-

gagement in physical activity and a

healthy diet. Healthy nutrition provides

energy, helps manage weight, and

reduces your risk of chronic conditions

such as high blood pressure and type

2 diabetes.

WAYS TO REDUCE

POLITICAL STRESS

Turn it Off. Turn off the TV and

social media – you don’t need to hear

the divisive debates or the biased

analysis. Do not engage in political

discussions if you know your stress

and emotions will increase.

Take Control - Take Action.

RESILIENCY - Continued from page 8 Take control before stress controls

you. Don’t waste energy worrying,

rather channel it to something pro-

ductive like joining a group that share

your concerns. Exercise is a great

way to reduce stress and be healthy.

Pick up a new hobby, like ham radio

(see story on page 12). Whatever

you do, don’t react before you know

the facts.

Seek facts. It’s good to stay

informed but don’t believe everything

you hear or read – research credible

and unbiased sources for the facts.

Keep in mind that the media are

trained and paid to present infor-

mation that causes reactions and

emotions. Rumor mongers spread

information to gain popularity, seek

control or just want to cause dis-

course - don’t be fooled. The Internet

contains facts and misinformation so

chose your sources carefully and fact

check before you take a potentially

irreparable or adverse action.

Factcheck.org is “a nonpartisan,

nonprofit “consumer advocate” for

voters that aims to reduce the level

of deception and confusion in U.S.

politics.” Snopes.com is “the defini-

tive Internet reference source for ur-

ban legends, folklore, myths, rumors,

and misinformation.” (FHL is not en-

dorsing either of these sources but

merely providing information on po-

tential resources.)

Seek Support. It’s OK to seek

help. “Stress is a natural part of

God's design to remind ourselves to

reevaluate our priorities,” said the

garrison chaplain, Chaplain Gregory

Long (Col.). The FHL Religious

Support Office has a team of com-

passionate professionals to support

you. You don’t have to be religious to

reach out to them – they are available

to anyone seeking support or simply

someone to talk to. What you discuss

with them is confidential. They can be

reach 24/7 at 925-719-3075.

There are many 24-hour help

lines that provide confidential help:

Military Crisis Line

800-273-TALK (8255), Press 1

National Suicide Prevention

Lifeline 800-273-TALK (8255)

Military One Source

800-342-9647

Help others. Helping others is a

good way to give back and boost your

own happiness and self-worth. Volun-

teer at charities and non-profits organi-

zations such food banks, public librar-

ies, the Veterans Transition Center in

Monterey, and FHL’s Heritage Center.

Like pets better than people? Consider

volunteering at a pet shelter or the Pa-

cific Wildlife Care (PWC) in San Luis

Obispo. The PWC treated and cared

for a bald eagle that was injured at

FHL several years ago, and released it

back to FHL in December 2016 (see

the December issue of the Golden Gui-

don: https://www.dvidshub.net/publication/

issues/30967. There’s also the Redwings

Horse Rescue & Sanctuary in Lock-

wood.

If not addressed, stress can be

harmful to your health and well-being.

It can lead to health issues such as

sleep disorders, auto-immune issues

and digestive problems. It can also

lead to other problems such as drug

and alcohol dependencies. If you have

trouble managing stress, please seek

help. Reach out to Family and friends,

co-workers, support groups, or medical

By William Lorz, Chief of Real Property To comply with HQDA EXORD 164-15, Reduce the Instal-

lation Facility Footprint, FHL and PRFTA have identified

approximately 774,000 square feet of facilities for demoli-

tion through 2021. The goal is to save money through low-

er energy consumption by consolidating use in newer more

efficient buildings and demolishing the older inefficient

buildings that are near the end of their life cycle and re-

VERIZON CELL SITE BRAVO

The installation of Verizon Wireless' newest cell site Bra-

vo in January should improve wireless services to the

post's central core and cantonment areas. In addition,

and as part of a broader initiative to improve wireless

services on base, Verizon is currently upgrading its exist-

ing Alpha cell site. Together, these joint solutions will

provide much needed capacity relief and coverage for

the base, resulting in greater data speeds and connectiv-

ity for the end user.

“Verizon is dedicated to serving those who serve our

country and grateful for this opportunity and the collabo-

ration with the military to improve wireless services on

the base,” said Edward Godfrey with Verizon Wireless.

REDUCING GARRISON

FOOTPRINT SAVES MONEY

quire expensive maintenance. Reducing the footprint today

will result in lower operations and maintenance costs, im-

prove quality of life, and allow us to effectively compete for

military construction (MILCON) dollars tomorrow. The 2014

National Defense Authorization Act calls for mixed use de-

velopment for easy access and cost savings. Rutgers Uni-

versity research has shown mixed-use development can

reduce the cost of roads by 25 percent and utilities by 15

percent.

Demolition of the garage at building 124.

(Photo by William Lorz)

Return to Table of Contents

Garrison and Verizon members celebrate the new cell tower with a

ribbon cutting ceremony. (Photo by Eric Jones)

Emergency response personnel conducted two swift water rescues in Feb-ruary. Significant rainfall caused the Coleman Reservoir to spill over and flood the roads along Mission Creek. Low water crossings were closed for safety reasons but people still attempted to cross. DO NOT attempt to cross areas with standing or moving water. A mere six inches of fast moving water can knock an adult over, and it takes just 12 inches of rush-ing water to carry away a small car. The CDC report over half of all flood-related drownings occur when a vehicle is driven into hazardous flood water.

Turn Around Don't Drown®

LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERSHIP PROTECTS POST

The FHL Police Dept., the Monterey County K9 Unit and the California Dept. of Corrections partner to conduct random drug sweeps on post to prevent the introduction of controlled substances onto post, and to protect the FHL community. (Photo by Eric Jones)

Watch the National Weather

Service video, “Turn Around Don’t

Drown” at http://tadd.weather.gov.

Photos by C

hris McG

uire

By Eric Jones, Public Affairs Office

Maintaining the largest Army Re-

serve installation in the nation is a

complicated and diversified operation.

One aspect that is often overlooked is

a vital infrastructure and one of the

most basic utilities - the wastewater

management plant.

The wastewater management

plant is important as, or even more so

than, having power. The plant is a

huge operation in practice while de-

pending on a very small staff to run it.

Utility systems operators Frank

Brinkman and Ron Garner work for the

Directorate of Public Works and are

responsible for managing, maintaining

and monitoring water quality and

cleaning the waste waters of FHL.

Everyday, thousands of gallons of

wastewater enter the plant to be treat-

ed and eventually returned back to the

earth.

Brinkman explained the

wastewater cycle from start to finish.

Once the wastewater is flushed from a

toilet or the sink drained, it flows down

the line to the wastewater plant. At the

plant, the wastewater goes through a

grinder to break up solids and inorgan-

ic materials are removed. The

wastewater flow is managed and mon-

itored in the wet well.

Next, the wastewater is pumped

to the primary lagoon to go through an

anaerobic digestion process. The

wastewater eventually enters the sec-

ondary lagoon where it undergoes an

aerobic digestion process. Both the

anaerobic and aerobic digestion are

processes where microorganisms

break down the waste material. Over

time, water in the secondary lagoon

either evaporates or, in the summer

when conditions permit, is sprayed

out on the spray fields behind the

Cantonment area.

According to Brinkman, some

items that cause issues with the

wastewater plant are feminine hy-

giene products, diapers, plastics, and

cooking grease which clog the pipes.

“Just because it says it is biodegrada-

ble on the box does not mean it is

flushable,” said Brinkman.

The primary and the secondary lagoons at the Fort Hunter Liggett wastewater manage-ment plant. (Photo by Eric Jones)

Brinkman and Garner are also

responsible for maintaining and treat-

ing the fresh drinking water for FHL.

There are currently two water wells

with a 1.2 million gallons capacity and

a third well to be added. “In peak

summer period, FHL can use up to

half a million gallons a day”, said Gar-

ner.

“Just because it

says it is biode-

gradable on the box

does not mean it is

flushable.” - Frank Brinkman

Return to Table of Contents

INFRASTRUCTURE, THE KEY TO MISSION SUCCESS

On Feb. 23, 2017, FHL conducted a ribbon cutting ceremo-ny for the Operational Readiness Training Complex (ORTC) which increases training and billeting capacity by 30 per-cent, and provides a safe and modern facility for the total force customers. The ORTC consists of barracks housing up to 800 transient Soldiers, maintenance sheds, administrative offices, and supply and training space. The design includes DOD anti-terrorism/force protection measures, intrusion de-tection systems, energy monitoring control systems, and energy efficient solutions.

The Track & Field ribbon cutting ceremony was held after the ORTC event with five Army World Class Athletes kicking-off the event; among them was Spec. Paul Chelimo (pictured bottom right) who won the men’s 5,000 meter run during the 2016 Rio Olympics. The Army World Class Athlete program (WCAP) (https://www.armymwr.com/programs-and-services/

world-class-athlete-program/about/) trains Soldier-athletes to compete and succeed in national and international competi-tions leading to Olympic and Paralympic Games, while maintaining a professional military career and promoting the Army to the world. Pictured below left are WCAP Soldiers Spec. Paul Katan and Sgt. Hillary Bor demonstrating Total Soldier Enhancement Training (TSET) to participants.

FHL Commander Col. Jan Norris speaking at the ORTC Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. (Photo by Eric Jones)

Photo by Bryan Lee Photo by

Tim Hipps

New Facilities Increase Training Capacity, Enhance Military

and Civilian Physical Resiliency

Read story on

Chelimo: http://

www.fortcarsonmo

untaineer.com/201

6/08/soldier-wins-

silver-in-rio/

Return to Table of Contents

TRANSGENDER AWARENESS TRAINING

In February, FHL began training the civilian

workforce on the DOD and Army policy on al-

lowing transgender Soldiers to serve in the mili-

tary. The training includes an overview of roles,

responsibilities and associated processes for a

Soldier going through gender transition. Soldiers

received this training in January. The Army sup-

ports treating everyone with dignity and respect.

(Photo by Amy Phillips)

SPIRITUAL RESILIENCY

On Feb. 28, the Army supports spiritual, mental and physical resilien-

cy for the military and civilian workforce. The Religious Support Office

held a Prayer Luncheon to celebrate Lent and educate participants of

its historical background. Cajun-style food was served for the Mardi-

Gras theme. (Photo by Amy Phillips)

GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY

The Monterey Peninsula Foundation hosts the annual Pebble beach

Pro Am event which has supported hundreds of local non-profit organi-

zations since 1937. Fort Hunter Liggett employees gave back to the

community by volunteering at the event held from Feb. 6-12, while

others took their Families to just enjoy star-gazing and the golfing.

More info: http://www.attpbgolf.com/charity/ (Courtesy photo)

HEART DISEASE #1 KILLER OF WOMEN

Fort Hunter Liggett conducts an annual “Go Red for Women Walk” in

Feb. to increase awareness of heart disease amongst women. “Heart

disease is the #1 killer of women, causing 1 in 3 deaths each year.

That’s approximately one woman every minute!” (https://www.gored

forwomen.org/fight-heart-disease-women-go-red-women-official-site/about-heart-

disease-in-women/facts-about-heart-disease/) (Photo by Bryan Lee)

Return to Table of Contents

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

On Jan. 25, Lt. Col. Meritt Phillips, FHL’s deputy commander, in-

formed participants of the King City State of the City Luncheon on the

positive community economic impact post activities provide from con-

struction projects to troop patronage at local establishments. (Photo Eric

Jones)

KEEPING THE WORKFORCE INFORMED

In January, the Garrison Command Team hosted the quarterly em-

ployee, tenants and resident town halls to provide information, and a

platform for feedback and questions. Presentations on the ICE cus-

tomer feedback program and the garrison footprint reduction plan were

given. (Photo Eric Jones)

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY WALK

In January, FMWR hosted a presentation celebrating Martin Luther

King, Jr. and other African Americans that have made a huge impact

on society. Participants braved the rain to take a reflective walk in hon-

or of this national observance. (Photo Eric Jones)

SUBWAY CAFÉ GRAND OPENING

On Dec. 21, 2016, Subway Café opened their

doors for the first time to customers at Fort

Hunter Liggett. It is the first of its kind on a mili-

tary installation and first in central California.

They join three other vendors on post that pro-

vide meals to the military and civilians working

and living on post: Rosa’s, Liggett Lanes and

the Dining Facility. (Photo by Eric Jones)

“Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached

in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.” -Booker T. Washington

The Army finds its strength not only in its diversity, but in its

ability to weave together people of different faiths, cultures

and races who share common values like duty, honor, self-

less service, loyalty and respect.

Even before Benjamin O. Davis, Sr. became the Army’s

first African American General Officer in 1940, past and

present African American Soldiers and Army Civilians were

building a legacy of professionalism, selfless service, digni-

ty and respect, and continue this legacy today while inspir-

ing generations to come.

Today’s Army stands on the tradition of sacrifice of African

American Soldiers such as the Louisiana Free Men of Col-

or in the War of 1812; the 54th Massachusetts Infantry

Regiment; the Tenth Cavalry Buffalo Soldiers; the Harlem

Hell Fighters and the Black Rattlers of New York’s 369th

Infantry Regiment; the “Triple Nickels,” the “Red Tail An-

gels” of the 99th Pursuit Squadron, the brave drivers of the

“Red Ball Express” and the “Black Panthers” of the 761st

Tank Battalion. Thank you for your service.

To learn more about African American’s contributions to

the Army, visit: https://www.army.mil/africanamericans.

Staff. Sgt. Augustine Sarpong was the guest speaker at

FHL’s Black History Month Observance on Feb. 16. He is

a native of Ghana, Africa and moved to New York City at

17 years old. He joined the Army in 2005, despite his

mother’s objections. “I wanted to be a U.S. Soldier and

nothing was going to stop me.” When he arrived at his first

duty station, he received orders to go to Iraq. “My mother

wasn’t even done crying about me joining the Army and

now I have to go to Iraq,” said Sarpong. He holds a Bache-

lor’s degree in Homeland Security. Sarpong joined FHL’s

Range Control team in 2016. (Photo by Amy Phillips)

STAFF SGT. AUGUSTINE SARPONG

WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA

The King City VFW hosted the city’s first

Wreaths Across America Ceremony at the King

City Cemetery on Dec. 17, 2016. FHL Com-

mander Col. Jan Norris was the keynote speak-

er and Chaplain Vaughn Benner conducted the

Invocation. The event was held simultaneously

with 1,100 other locations across America. The

ceremony is meant to “remember, honor and

teach” people about the importance of Veteran’s

service and sacrifice. For info:

www.wreathsacrossamerica.org. (Photo by Eric Jones)

DECEMBER 2016 HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES

FMWR hosted many fun and festive activities during the holiday season engaging the entire FHL community. (L-R) The Command Team judged the door decorations contest (pictured at the Re-source Management Office). FMWR did an outstanding job with decorations for the Tree Lighting Ceremony.

(L-R) It was a full-house at the Hacienda for Breakfast with Santa. Soldiers and their Families rode in the FHL float during the King City Holiday Parade. (Photos by FMWR staff)

Looking for an inexpensive hobby that can be fun

and invaluable during emergencies? Try “ham radio”

which is also known as amateur radio operations. You

can communicate to a network of local, regional and na-

tional operators and even the International Space Sta-

tion.

“I became interested in ham radio operations

through friends when camping in a remote area,” said

Fort Hunter Liggett (FHL) Cultural Resource Manager,

Lisa Cipolla (KK6VGH). “It is a safety issue…that is the

main reason I have my [Technician] License and carry a

radio when camping or hiking.”

“[Ham radio is a] great opportunity to get to

know people, keep track of weather, emergency

situation, and it’s just so much fun!” said Keith

Grommes (KG1USA). He says he has “always

been passionate about technology, since I was a

child playing with CB radios.”

Grommes liked radios so much that he joined

the Navy and served as a Radioman (RM)/Navy

Information Systems Technician (IT) from 1989-

2009. He didn’t pick up ham radio as a hobby until

after his retirement. “I wish I had started as a Ham

a lot sooner. I didn’t realize how much fun it can

be,” said Grommes.

Grommes is the Motorola contractor that man-

ages and maintains FHL’s radio network/system.

He ensures that the radios and frequencies as-

signed to the garrison and troops training at FHL

are functional at all times.

Ham radios can be simple as a handheld ra-

Return to Table of Contents

By Amy Phillips, Public Affairs Office

dio for about $35 from a local store, to an amateur radio

station with a teletype, television, radio modulators, and

more. Ham radio is a popular hobby with people from all

walks of life and of all ages.

Local residents and ham radio enthusiasts, Tom Fos-

ter (N6FVY) and Jack Lindley (W6YOY), have been

providing free introductory classes to the community since

2011. They are official volunteer exam proctors registered

with the National Association for Amateur Radio (ARRL).

Foster learned ham radio operations while in high

school and now holds an Extra Class License allowing him

to access the full spectrum of frequencies authorized by

the FCC for amateur radio.

“I use it while riding my motorcycle, doing simple

chores, use it with grandkids during hiking trips, and espe-

cially during fires,” said Foster. According to the ARRL,

“Hams can even bounce signals off the moon!”

Foster is also the President of the Southern Monterey

County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT);

a FHL community partner. CERT members and local

(Continued on page 19)

Tom Foster (far left) demonstrates how an electro-magnetic wave is easily

created with a battery and magnet while using participants of his ham radio

class as a conduit. FHL employee, Lisa Cipolla (blue vest) has been using

ham radios for several years and recommends the hobby to everyone.

(Photo by Amy Phillips)

residents saw first-hand how useful

ham radio operations were during

the Chimney Fire in June 2016.

In order to operate on radio

frequencies known as “Amateur

Bands,” a Federal Communications

Commission (FCC) Technician Li-

cense is required. The exam to ob-

tain the license consists of 35 multi-

ple-choice questions on regulations

and technical radio topics.

“I studied in the vanpool during

HAMMING IT UP - Continued from page 18 my commute to work and back,” said

Cipolla. In addition to emergency

uses, she enjoys “rag chew” (chat)

with friends outside of the State.

“The nice thing about the local group

is that everyone helps each other,”

said Cipolla.

There are three types of ama-

teur radio licenses: Technician, Gen-

eral and Amateur Extra. The basic

Technician License allows you to

operate with frequencies of 50 MHz

or higher.

Local ham radio clubs include

the Training Net hosted by Foster and

Lindley, the Paso Robles Amateur

Radio Club (W6LKF).

“Ham, to me, isn’t a hobby. It’s a

way of life,” said Grommes. “It’s like

magic, being able to communicate on

a single device around the world and

meet new people.”

For more information on amateur

radio, exam guides and locations visit:

www.arrl.org/home, wednettrain-

ing.com and QRZ.com. There are also

free phone applications for those with

licenses.

FAMILY LIFE

CENTER GRAND

OPENING

The FHL Command Team and Religious Support Office leaders conducted a ribbon cutting ceremony on Feb. 15, 2017, to celebrate the grand

opening of the Family Life Center. The center is located at building 288, by the ID Card and Safety buildings. (Photo by Eric Jones)

The Family Life Center (FLC) provides

pastoral counseling, relationship edu-

cation skills and programs for both

Families, single Soldiers and DOD

civilians. Sessions are 100 percent

confidential and strictly pastoral.

Religious support activities are a

critical component to readiness and

resiliency. When you integrate person-

al spiritual and religious faith as a vi-

brant part of your life, you are stronger

and most resilient to whatever comes

your way.

The FLC is a place that provides

opportunities to build upon spiritual

readiness to enable individuals to ac-

complish their assigned mission. Just

like your physical fitness, spiritual fit-

ness must be trained and the reli-

gious support staff is here to help.

Two upcoming programs at the

FLC are:

"Laugh Your Way to a Better Mar-

riage." Starting March 16, Chaplain

(Maj.) Vaughn Benner will conduct

five 90- minute, weekly sessions. If

you are interested in other hours or

days for this class, contact him at

386-2603.

Financial Peace University. Start-

ing April 11, Chaplain (Col.) Greg

Long this 13-week course. For your

convenience, two different time offer-

ings are available: 1100 and 1800

hrs.

Contact info for chaplain team:

Garrison Chaplain, Chaplain (Col.)

Greg Long 386-2465

Deputy Garrison Chaplain/Family Life

Chaplain, Chaplain (Maj.) Vaughn

Benner 386-2603

Pastoral Care Chaplain, Chaplain

(Capt.) Levi Marshall 386-2808

RSO NCOIC, Sgt. 1st Class Jeremy

Glasco 386-2932

Emergency on-call duty chaplain

24/7: 925-719-3075

Military Crisis Line: 800-273-8255

(press 1)

Suicide Prevention Lifeline:

800-273-8255

Return to Table of Contents

By Daime Meyers,

FHL SHARP Advocate

The SHARP program is an

integral part of the Army’s Ready

and Resilient campaign and aims

to ensure that all members of the

Army community are treated with

dignity, respect, and professional-

ism.

As part of that effort, each April

the Army participates in Sexual As-

sault Awareness and Prevention

Month (SAAPM). The origins of

SAAPM in the U.S. dates back to

1978, when San Francisco was one

of the first cities to participate in a

“Take Back the Night” event. The

nation observed its first month-long

awareness campaign in 2001, and

the DoD has observed SAAPM eve-

ry year since then.

According to the CDC, nearly 1

in 5 (18.3%) women and 1 in 71

men (1.4%) reported experiencing

rape at some time in their lives and

an additional 13% of women and 6%

of men reported they experienced

sexual coercion at some time in their

lives. Sexual violence is an issue

that affects many people that we

know, and SAAPM is a great time to

learn what you can do to help vic-

tims. Learn how you can help

change the culture and attitudes sur-

rounding sexual assault.

Throughout April, service mem-

bers, civilian employees, and Family

members of Fort Hunter Liggett have

several opportunities to participate in

SAAPM and raise awareness of is-

sues relating to sexual violence in

our communities.

FHL will participate in

#TealTuesday by wearing the color

teal; the nationally recognized color

for sexual assault awareness. Don’t

worry if you don’t already own some-

thing teal, though – starting on April

4 (the first Tuesday of the month)

and continuing each Tuesday in

April, look for the SHARP display

around post to pick up a teal ribbon

or bracelet to wear in observance.

All throughout SAAPM, the

SHARP Team also invites you to

stop by any of our information tables

and sign out 2017 Banner for Survi-

vors, where we will invite you to

write a message of support and en-

couragement for survivors of sexual

violence.

It’s very common for survivors

of sexual violence to feel alone, and

our Banner helps to remind them

that there are many people out there

who support the survivor and who do

not condone sexual violence in any

form. At the completion of SAAPM, the

banner will go on display at SHARP

events throughout the year.

You can also participate in the

Denim Day Run/Walk on April 26

(details to follow). Denim Day is an

international event highlighting the

dangers of victim blaming in relation to

sexual assault.

In 1998, the Italian Supreme

Court overturned a rape conviction on

the grounds that since the victim was

wearing very tight jeans, she must

have helped her attacker remove

them, thereby implying consent.

The women of the Italian Parlia-

ment wore jeans to work the next day

in protest. Since then, Denim Day has

grown to be observed all over the

world as a way to highlight erroneous

and destructive attitudes and myths

surrounding sexual assault.

If you would like more information

about any of the events during sexual

assault awareness month, please con-

tact the Fort Hunter Liggett SHARP

office at building 196 (IHG) or 831-

368-2582.

For more information:

https://www.cdc.gov/

violenceprevention/pdf/sv-datasheet-

a.pdf

http://denimdayinfo.org/

http://

www.preventsexualassault.army.mil/

APRIL IS SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS

& PREVENTION MONTH

Congratulations FHL and thank

you for looking out for yourself, your

coworkers and your Families. The 4th

quarter of FY16 was our first injury

free quarter for the Garrison. Please

continue to conduct all your operations

both at work and at home in a safe

manner.

To help keep the thought process

going, please read below information

from Occupational Health and Safety

Administration (OSHA) on ladder safe-

ty.:

Falls from portable ladders (step,

straight, combination and extension)

are one of the leading causes of occu-

pational fatalities and injuries. Falls

from ladders are preventable, and yet

they account for about 20,000 injuries

and 300 deaths each year.

Read and follow all labels/

markings on the ladder.

Avoid electrical hazards! – Look

for overhead power lines before han-

dling a ladder. Avoid using a metal

ladder near power lines or exposed

energized electrical equipment.

Always inspect the ladder prior to

using it. If the ladder is damaged, it

must be removed from service and

tagged until repaired or discarded.

Always maintain a 3-point (two

hands and a foot, or two feet and a

hand) contact on the ladder when

climbing. Keep your body near the

The proper angle for setting up a

ladder is to place its base a quarter

of the working length of the ladder

from the wall or other vertical surface

(see diagram).

A ladder placed in any location

where it can be displaced by other

work activities must be secured to

prevent displacement or a barricade

must be erected to keep traffic away

from the ladder.

Be sure that all locks on an ex-

tension ladder are properly engaged.

Do not exceed the maximum load

rating of a ladder. Be aware of the

ladder’s load rating and of the weight

it is supporting, including the weight

of any tools or equipment.

SAFETY WORKS

EXCUSES DOESN’T

middle of the step and always face

the ladder while climbing (see dia-

gram).

Only use ladders and appropri-

ate accessories (ladder levelers,

jacks or hooks) for their designed

purposes.

Ladders must be free of any

slippery material on the rungs, steps

or feet.

Do not use a self-supporting

ladder (e.g., step ladder) as a single

ladder or in a partially closed posi-

tion.

Do not use the top step/rung of

a ladder as a step/rung unless it was

designed for that purpose.

Use a ladder only on a stable

and level surface, unless it has been

secured (top or bottom) to prevent

displacement.

Do not place a ladder on boxes,

barrels or other unstable bases to

obtain additional height.

Do not move or shift a ladder

while a person or equipment is on

the ladder.

An extension or straight ladder

used to access an elevated surface

must extend at least 3 feet above

the point of support (see diagram).

Do not stand on the three top rungs

of a straight, single or extension lad-

der.

From the Garrison Safety Office:

Return to Table of Contents

GARRISON HUMAN RESOURCES

OFFICE CONSILIDATION

DHR has consolidated and all per-

sonnel are located in building 238,

where the ID Card Office is.

VETERANS ASSISTANCE OFFICE

RELOCATION

The VA Office has moved to the IHG

Building and are open during the

second and third Tuesdays each

month. Contact is the Monterey Of-

fice of Military and Veterans Affairs

831-647-7616.

DISABLED VETERAN LEAVE

The Disabled Veteran Leave

(DVL) benefit is for new employees

hired on or after Nov. 5, 2016, who

have a veteran service-connected

disability rated at 30 percent. Veter-

ans with a service-connected disabil-

ity rated at 30 percent or more hired

before 5 Nov 16 are not entitled to

this benefit.

The DVL benefit is for medical

treatment associated with the ser-

vice connected disabilities. The pur-

pose of this new leave benefit is to

help disabled veterans attend medi-

cal appointments for their service

connected disability as they transi-

tion to their civilian job without hav-

ing to take unpaid leave.

Newly-hired veterans will have

immediate access to up to 13 days

(104 hours) of paid leave so that

they can receive treatment of their

service-connected injuries. Any DVL

NEW CYBERCAREERS.GOV

The U.S. Office of Personnel Manage-

ment (OPM) launched the CyberCa-

reers.gov website. The CyberCa-

reers.gov website is a critical piece of

the Federal Cybersecurity Workforce

Strategy that was published in July

2016.

The new website highlights infor-

mation and tools from reputable web-

sites, including a heavy reliance on

Federal Government web-

sites. CyberCareers.gov will provide

specific cybersecurity information and

resource portals to job seekers, man-

agers and supervisors. This website

will be a completely new, multi-use

platform used to recruit new talent,

including students. The platform will

also assist hiring managers and HR

professionals with tools and guides for

developing and supporting their cur-

rent strategies.

FEDERAL EMPLOYEES SURVEY

The 2016 Federal Employee View-

point Survey (FEVS) was adminis-

tered to 407,789 employees repre-

senting 80 (38 large / 42 small) Feder-

al agencies. This survey contain

scores for two major indices — Em-

ployee Engagement and Global Job

Satisfaction across the Federal gov-

ernment. For the second year in a

row, the government-wide employee

engagement and the global satisfac-

tion indices have risen by one percent

breaking a four-year decline.

benefit not used during the 12

month benefit period may not be

carried over to subsequent years

and will be forfeited.

DVL is a once in a lifetime

benefit. You can only use DVL

once in your career. For more info:

OPM News Release

OPM Memorandum

Federal register

VA NATIONAL CEMETERIES

NOW OFFERING PRE-NEED ELI-

GIBILITY DETERMINATIONS

In December 2016, the Depart-

ment of Veterans Affairs (VA) an-

nounced it now provides eligibility

determinations for interment in a

VA national cemetery prior to the

time of need. Through the Pre-

Need Determination of Eligibility

Program, upon request, individuals

can learn if they are eligible for

burial or memorialization in a VA

national cemetery. Interested indi-

viduals may submit VA Form 40-

10007, Application for Pre-Need

Determination of Eligibility for Buri-

al in a VA National Cemetery, and

supporting documentation, such as

a DD Form 214, if readily availa-

ble, to the VA National Cemetery

Scheduling Office by: toll-free fax

at 1-855-840-8299; email to Eligi-

bilty.PreNeed@va.gov; or mail to

the National Cemetery Scheduling

Office, P.O. Box 510543, St. Louis,

MO 63151.

Return to Table of Contents

Return to Table of Contents

For more info: 831-385-3243

www.salinasvalleyfair.com/

MONTEREY

Carmel Valley Ranch Kite Festival

April 1 from noon-6pm

One Old Ranch Rd, Carmel

For more info: 831-626-2577

Classic Car Show

April 1 from 10am - 4pm

Vince DiMaggio Park

3200 Del Monte Blvd, Marina

For more info: 831-601-5856

www.marinarotaryclub.org/

PASO ROBLES

9th Annual Paso Robles Dog Jog

Sherwood Dog Park

April 1, 10am-2pm

http://www.parks4pups.org/

Eroica California Cycling Event

April 8-9

http://www.eroicacalifornia.com/

Easter Bunny at Downtown Park

April 15 from 11am - 2pm

http://bit.ly/2kzQRkJ

Vintage Vehicles & Recycled

Treasures

April 22 from 9am - 3pm

http://bit.ly/1YssaQv

SAN LUIS OBISPO

SLO International Film Festival

March 14-19

For more info: 805-781-2670

Annual Children’s Day in the Plaza

April 8 at 10a, Mission Plaza

For more info: 805-782-4723.

For more community events:

http://kingcitychamber.com

http://pasoroblesdowntown.org/

http://www.seemonterey.com/events

http://sanluisobispovacations.com/

things-to-

http://soulofca.org/events/

THE MISSION

Mission Days

April 1 from 11am - 3pm

missionsanantonio.net/mission-days

JOLON/LOCKWOOD

Southern Monterey County Rural Co-

alition Town Hall/Potluck with elected

March 24 at 6-7p social, 7p mtg

Lockwood Community Center

HESPERIA

Apple Grafting Class

March 17 at 5pm

Community Potluck

April 21 at 7pm

http://hesperiahall.org/calendar.html

KING CITY

Salinas Valley Fair

May 18-21

Military & Family, DOD Civilians

FREE Admission on May 20

salinasvalleyfair.com

We’ll be celebrating the Army Reserve Birthday and the Month of Military Child during the Youth

Fishing Derby on April 22. This fun-filled annual event includes free fishing and raffles for chil-

dren. There’s also free BBQ lunch for all participants courtesy of our great sponsors. This is a

free public event. Contact the Recreations Center at 831-386-2406 to register your children.

Event info available at https://hunterliggett.armymwr.com.