Fort Meade SoundOff! for March 15, 2012

all that jazzJazz Ambassadors search for new trombonist

page 6

UPCOMING EVENtStOday, 7-10 P.M.: Karaoke Night - The Lanes 11th Frame LoungewEdNESday, 9 a.M.-2 P.M.: Technical Job Fair - Club MeadeMarCh 22, 11:30 a.M.-1 P.M.: Women’s History Month Observance - McGillMarCh 24, 9 a.M.: Ice Breaker Golf Tournament - The Courses

ON thE rUN2012 Fort Meade Run Series schedule announced

page 11

Soundoff!́vol. 64 no. 11 Published in the interest of the Fort Meade community March 15, 2012

photo by noah scialom

Medically retired Staff Sgt. Michael Kacer, who lost his arm in Afghanistan, gives his variation of a high-five to retired Sgt. Robbie Gaupp during the Army’s Warrior Games team qualification camp at Fort Meade. nearly 50 wounded warriors competed in track and field events, cycling and sitting volleyball from March 8 to Monday. For more, see Page 12.

Thrill of vicTory

http://www.ftmeade.army.mil� SOUNDOFF! March 15, 2012

Commander’s Column

Cont ent sNews............................. 3 Religion................................15

TroubleTicket............... 4 Sports..................................11

Community................. 16 Movies.................................18

Editorial StaffGarrison Commander Col. Edward C. rothsteinGarrison Command Sgt. Maj. Charles E. SmithPublic affairs officerChad t. Jones [email protected], Command informationPhilip H. Jones [email protected] Editor & Senior Writer rona S. Hirsch Staff Writer lisa r. rhodesStaff Writer Brandon Bieltzdesign Coordinator timothy davis Supplemental photography provided by Patuxent Publishing Co.

advErtiSinGGeneral inquiries 410-332-6300

allison thompson 410-332-6850 [email protected]

Michele Griesbauer 410-332-6381 [email protected]

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

Printed by offset method of reproduction as a civilian enterprise in the interest of the personnel at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, by the Patuxent Publishing Co., a subsidiary of The Baltimore Sun Media Group, 501 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, MD 21278, every Thursday except the last Thursday of the year in conjunction with the Fort Meade Public Affairs Office. Requests for publication must reach the Public Affairs Office no later than Friday before the desired publication date. Mailing address: Post Public Affairs Office, Soundoff! IMME-MEA-PA, Bldg. 4409, Fort Meade, MD 20755-5025. Telephone: 301-677-1361; DSN: 622-1361.

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

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

www.ftmeade.army.milYou can also keep track of Fort Meade on twitter at twitter.com/ftmeademd

and view the Fort Meade Blog at ftmeade.armylive.dodlive.mil.

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I want to acknowledge and support the commentary written this week by LTG Mike Ferriter, commanding general of U.S. Army Installation Management Command.

In his column, LTG Ferriter talks about the importance of cus-tomer service and the commitment it takes to consistently provide quality customer service.

I can confidently say this commitment to quality service is dem-onstrated every day here at Fort Meade.

As members of Team Meade, we are committed to making con-nections with our customers and doing whatever it takes to ensure that each customer believes we are listening to their concerns and working to find the appropriate solutions to their needs.

As you read LTG Ferriter’s column, I know you will be able to easily substitute faces and names of your teammates as exemplary examples of how we strive to excel in providing quality customer service.

Thank you Team Meade for meeting and, in most cases, exceeding the IMCOM standard for customer service. I am extremely proud of our team and what you do for service members, families and civilians every day.

COL. Edward C. rOthstEin

Garrison Commander

Every day across our installations, mem-bers of Team IMCOM are working hard to provide world-class customer service and make it a great day to be a Soldier, family member or Army civilian.

A prime example is when a 71-year-old retired sergeant first class visited the Fort McCoy ID card office in Wisconsin to renew his card. Ken Quade, a separation and retire-ment services specialist, noticed the retiree needed a different kind of card. He was not receiving all the benefits he should have.

Mr. Quade could see the customer needed help, and so he took corrective action. Incredibly, with Mr. Quade’s help, the retiree was eventually able to recover more than $41,000 in back pay and receive other ben-efits he had earned.

Just imagine the impact of this on the ser-geant first class and his wife. They returned to the office to tell Mr. Quade in person what a big difference it made in their lives.

We in the Installation Management Com-mand are charged with delivering the major-ity of installation services and Soldier and family programs, and we know that a critical element of service delivery depends on our people.

World-class customer service depends on making connections with the customers across the counter: listening to them, work-ing to find solutions and saying thank you. It doesn’t cost a penny to make someone feel like a million dollars. It does take a com-mitment to serve and provide leadership at every level.

Our focus on customer service is a prom-ise of predictable service. It is a promise that customers will always be treated with courtesy, respect and an attitude of “Let’s make this work.”

We can see many other great exam-ples of customer service across IMCOM.

There’s Carol Pryer, a Sur-vivor support group coor-dinator with the Florida Army National Guard, who with great per-sistence and compassion has built a strong network for our most revered members, Army survivors.

Or Robin Greene at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, who has worked hard to stream-line the process for providing housing for Soldiers with medical needs. Or Jessica Zagelow, Family Child Care director at Fort Bliss, Texas, who goes above and beyond for children who need extra care.

Or Nick Overstake and Pat Fielder at Campbell Army Airfield at Fort Campbell, Ky., who came in Christmas Day to repair runway lights and make sure a flight with redeploying Soldiers could land. There are way too many great examples to name them all, and to that I say, Go Team!

Thank you, IMCOM personnel for set-ting the standard for customer service. I am extremely proud of our team and what you do for Soldiers, families and civilians every day.

And thank you, too, to our customers for your feedback. Keep sending us those ICE comments. Visit the IMCOM Facebook page and tell us about our team members who deliver excellent customer service. We want to know how we can improve, and just as much, we want to hear about our stars.

Army strong!

Providing world-class customer service

LtG MiKE fErritErCommanding General

U.s. army installation Management Command

http://www.ftmeade.army.mil March 15, 2012 SOUNDOFF! �

News

By Denise Tegtmeyer and Paul FluckEnvironmental Division

The removal of methane-generating buried trash at the Manor View dump site is scheduled to begin next week.

The purpose is to address safety haz-ards associated with methane generat-ing from the buried trash. Removal of the methane-generating trash and the restoration of the site to a flat, open field allow the site to be returned to the community for beneficial use.

The trash will be disposed of at an approved off-post landfill.

The Army began preparing the site on Feb. 14 and continues to conduct site preparation activities such as fence installation, traffic controls and vegeta-tion clearing.

The next steps — trash excavation, off-post disposal and backfilling — are anticipated to start next week.

The Manor View dump site and other environmental projects are discussed

every other month at Fort Meade’s Res-toration Advisory Board meetings.

The next meeting is tonight at 7 p.m. at the Capt. John Smathers Reserve Center on Annapolis Road, off Route 175.

Meetings are open to the public. Interested community members are wel-come to attend and to apply as a com-munity board member.

For more information, call the Envi-ronmental Office at 301-677-9854.

Cleanup timeline• February to March: Site preparation (four

weeks)

• March to May: Trash excavation, off-post disposal and backfilling (nine weeks)

• May: Site restoration (two weeks)Throughout the work: Air monitoring, methane monitoring, traffic control, dust control, odor control, noise control and public outreach activities

Methane-generating trash to be hauled off post

News To UseBeginning in April, Fort Meade will transition to

USA Staffing, an automated tool that will streamline the announcement, referral and job selection processes.

Army vacancy announcements will continue to be posted on both www.armycivilianservice.com and www.usajobs.gov.

Jobs announced under USA Staffing will require some new application procedures and documents, which will be described in the individual vacancy announcements.

There are steps that an employee or potential applicant can take now to simplify and expedite the process of applying for specific jobs under USA Staffing:

• Create accounts under both USAJOBS and Applica-tion Manager.

A USAJOBS account is needed to apply for all Army positions. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, go to www.usajobs.gov and click on “First Time Visitors” and then “Create an Account.”

An Application Manager account will be required when you apply for jobs under USA Staffing. Go to www.applicationmanager.gov and click on “Create an

Account,” then follow the directions.• Pre-position your resume.You may create and store up to five versions of your

resume in your USAJOBS account. This allows you to tailor your resume content if you have significantly different types of experience/skills and apply for jobs in different occupational areas.

Be sure your resume clearly describes the duties you have performed and the level of your experience. Include the beginning and ending dates for each job and the hours worked if less than full time.

If you include volunteer experience, be sure to include the amount of time spent and describe the work you did.

• Upload supporting documents.Some documents are required to verify your eligibility

for employment, veteran’s preference, education and/or credentials.

You can scan these documents, save them on your computer and upload them to your USAJOBS account by following the instructions under the “Upload a New

Document” section.Once you correctly upload

a document, it is available for use in all future applications.

• Make sure your account always has your current con-tact information, especially your email address.

Review and update your resume periodically so it is ready to use when you find a vacancy in which you are interested.

By pre-positioning your resume and supporting docu-ments in your USAJOBS account, you will be ready to quickly respond when you see a vacancy that interests you.

If your resume and supporting documents are loaded in your account, the only requirement to finalize your application package will be completion of the assessment questionnaire for the specific job you are applying for.

For more information, contact the Civilian Personnel Advisory Center at 4432 Llewellyn Ave. at 301-677-6526.

USA Staffing to streamline job application process

By Mary L Doyle Chief, Media Relations Fort Meade Public Affairs Office

An Army Reserve Soldier accused of impersonating a superior officer by wearing unauthorized rank insignia

was sentenced in a military court at Fort Meade last week.

Capt. David A. Blumenthal was sentenced to six months confinement, and given a letter of reprimand on one specification of wearing false rank and insignia and one specification of making a false official statement.

Blumenthal, a member of the 422nd Medical Detachment, 338th Medical Brigade from Rockville, was acti-vated in October 2011 for the purpose of prosecution under the Uniformed Code of Military Justice.

Blumenthal was charged with false-ly wearing the rank of major along

with the unauthorized wear of insig-nia including the Ranger Tab, the Spe-cial Forces Tab, the Combat Infan-try Badge, the Expert Field Medical Badge, the Air Assault Badge, the Air-borne Badge and the 82nd Airborne Division Unit Deployment Patch.

In addition, Blumenthal was charged with making a false official statement by falsifying his medical profile to avoid participating in a physical training test.

Editor’s note: For more informa-tion, call Veronica Castro in the Fort Meade PAO at 301-677-1465 or email [email protected].

Reserve Soldier sentenced for wearing false insignia

Find Fort Meade on Facebook at Facebook.com/ftmeade


News

March 7, Wrongful damage of private property: Three juveniles threw rocks at a vehicle, causing scratches and dents on the rear, left side of the vehicle.

March 9, Larceny of private property, wrongful damage of government property: The victim stated that she had returned from a TDY and noticed the outer- and inner-room doors were damaged, and a diamond engagement ring was missing.

March 11, Assault consummated by a battery: Units were dispatched for a possible domestic disturbance. The

subject stated that she and her husband were involved in an argument, which turned physical when she punched her husband. Later, her husband pushed hard enough to knock her to the floor, where she hit

her head on the dishwasher.

March 12, Contraband: The Directorate of Emergency Services was notified of found contraband. During a health and welfare inspection, three bags marked as and containing small traces of what appeared to be “spice” (an herbal smoking mixture containing synthetic cannabinoids) were discovered.

CommunityCommunityCrime Watch

Compiled by the Fort Meade Directorate of Emergency Services

Trouble Ticket

Issue: Plan: Status:

Youth Services Sports Complex is in need of

renovations

Renovate the Youth Services Sports Complex

Actual use of fields is expected to be this fall

to allow grass to mature

Community members have concerns about golf

course service availability in light of Base Closure and

Realignment

Maintain a minimum of 18 holes at current site;

restoring golf operations on a site south of the

installation is also proposed

Golf operations will continue through

May 1; The Clubhouse will remain open for catering

and conferences

Have you noticed an issue on post and wondered if anything is being done to fix it? Email concerns and

issues to [email protected]. Each week, Soundoff! will

address issues identified on post and describe what is being done to

solve them.

file photo

Play equipment near the Boundless Playground is currently undergoing repairs.

The Installation Safety Office has deemed and marked some play equipment at Burba Lake as unsafe

Repair the play equipment so that it is functional

Repairs are under way

Jogger’s trail temporarily blockedThe Defense Information Systems Agency is scheduled to begin an

exterior building project from Monday through March 24 that will impact joggers who use the trail behind the agency’s complex.

The project involves window cleaning and will require workers to use a lift that has a support feature that expands outward from the unit when it is set up.

As a safety precaution, the span of the jogging trail immediately behind the DISA courtyard will be temporarily blocked.

Visible barriers and monitors will be put in place to guide joggers as a precautionary measure during the project.

Commander’s Open Door

Garrison Commander Col. edward C. Rothstein has an open door policy.

All service members, retirees, government employ-ees, family members or community members age 18 or older are invited to address issues or concerns to the commander directly by visiting Rothstein’s office on Mondays from 4 to 6 p.m. at garrison headquarters in hodges hall, Bldg. 4551, llewellyn Avenue.

Visitors are seen on a first-come, first-served basis. No appointment is necessary.

for more information, call 301-677-4844.


News

By Lisa R. RhodesStaff Writer

After seven years as a trombonist with the U.S. Army Field Band’s Jazz Ambassadors, Staff Sgt. Michael Bravin has set a high bar for the qualifications of his replacement.

“The person we’re looking for will be a consummate jazz soloist - a unique solo voice that will contribute to the identity of the Jazz Ambassadors,” said Sgt. Maj. Michael Buckley, the ensemble’s noncommissioned officer-in-charge.

The 19-member jazz ensemble is seeking resumes and music samples on CD from military and civilian musicians to fill the trom-bone vacancy. The deadline for submissions is March 23. In-person, live auditions with the ensemble will be held June 5 and 6 at Army Field Band headquarters at Fort Meade.

“The goal of the audition process is to replace the person who is leaving or moving on with someone of equal or higher skills,” said Master Sgt. Sammy Marshall, the auditions and support group leader of the Field Band who is coordinating the candidate search and audition process. “It’s an extremely high level of musicianship.”

Bravin, who will become the Field Band’s new instrument repair technician in May, studied classical trombone performance at the University of North Texas in Denton, which is considered to have one of the best jazz studies programs in the country.

The 39-year-old has also played with the late Maynard Ferguson’s Big Bop Noureau band, Guy Lombardo’s Royal Canadians with Al Pierson, the Paul Anka Orchestra and musician Bobby Caldwell.

Prior to joining the Jazz Ambassadors, Bravin had enlisted in the Navy for four years and played with the Electric Brigade, the premiere popular music ensemble of the U.S. Naval Academy Band in Annapolis.

The Jazz Ambassadors’ repertoire includes big band swing, bebop, Latin, contemporary jazz, jazz standards, popular tunes, Dixieland, vocals and patriotic selections.

More than half of the band members are graduates of the University of North Texas, and several have a master’s degree in jazz studies. One band member has a doctorate in the field.

Some ensemble members have also played with the new Glenn Miller Orchestra and trumpeter Nicholas Payton.

The Jazz Ambassadors, under the direc-tion of Chief Warrant Officer 4 William S. McCulloch, tours the U.S. approximately 100 days per year. When the musicians are not on the road, they are conducting rehearsals of new music for the next tour and recording

selections for CDs or the website.Candidates for the trombone vacancy must

be able to perform at a professional level and be proficient in a variety of jazz, big band and popular styles. They must have strong sight-reading skills and hold a baccalaureate degree or higher, although it is not required.

The position requires a minimum four-year enlistment. A prospective civilian hire will be informed of his or her acceptance to the band prior to enlistment.

The Soldier musicians are also required to undergo mandatory Army training.

For the highly competitive audition pro-cess, candidates must submit a resume and a CD of six music excerpts. The excerpts must be recorded along with the provided mp3s that are found online at the U.S. Army Field Band’s website.

Candidates must play along with three of the excerpts, which are samples of recordings by the Jazz Ambassadors. They must then per-form solo with the three remaining excerpts. Candidates are also required to provide three samples of improvisation.

Once application submissions are received, the CDs are scrubbed and marked anonymous. The CDs are then numbered and passed along to the audition committee, which is made up of band members and seniors leaders. The

committee selects the audition finalists.Civilian finalists are advised to see an Army

recruiter and are given six weeks to meet the qualifications for enlistment. Candidates must take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery and meet the Army height and weight requirements before being invited to the live auditions.

The live auditions will be conducted in two rounds. During the first round, which is held in the morning, each of the finalists will be required to play prepared pieces with the ensemble for about 30 minutes. The audition committee will then select the finalists who will go on to the second round, which is held in the afternoon.

The remaining finalists will sight read and perform new music they have never seen with the ensemble. The round ends with improvised solos.

“We are looking for how well they impro-vise and someone with great skills playing in tune with a great tone quality,” Buckley said. “[They must have] good style and a great understanding of the different styles of jazz.”

Musicians who make it through the second round are then interviewed by the audition committee.

Marshall said one candidate who has applied for the trombone position is a musi-

cian with Cirque du Soleil.“There are many ways to serve your coun-

try and this is one of them,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Loran McClung of the Field Band. “I look for people who will be proud to say they’re in the Army while they are doing this, rather than ‘The Army’s my employer, and I have to wear this costume for work every day.’ ”

Buckley said the new trombonist will be dedicated to the Field Band’s mission to serve as a Soldier representing Soldiers and must also be a team player.

“You can usually tell if there’s an arrogant streak going on or if somebody might be too self-centered,” McClung said. “We don’t have room for divas with as much time that we spend on the road in close quarters. ...That person needs to know how to get along with folks.”

After the interview, the prospective hire is selected. For a civilian hire, a letter of accep-tance is sent to the recruiter, who finalizes the enlistment. The new trombonist will then be sent to basic training.

Buckley said that although Bravin will be missed, the band is confident that the rigorous audition process with be successful.

“I’m sure we’ll find another great trombon-ist,” he said.

Jazz Ambassadors seek top trombonist

photo courtesy of u.s. army field band

The Jazz Ambassadors, the Army’s official touring big band, is seeking a top trombonist. Live auditions with the 19-member ensemble will be held June 5 and 6.


News

Fort Meade Directorate of Public WorksFrom time to time, it becomes necessary

to clean the water distribution system on Fort Meade.

American Water began flushing the sys-tem in February and plans to finish the project in June.

During the flushing, the water may become cloudy and discolored. It may also have an odor. To reduce these effects, let the water run from the cold tap for a few minutes.

Lower water pressure may be experi-enced during the flushing, however, the pressure will quickly return to normal.

To help avoid clothes-staining, the best time for washing laundry is from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., during nonflushing hours. Running an empty, short wash or short cold-rinse cycle prior to adding clothes will also help.

In addition, toilet flush mechanisms can possibly become clogged by small particles in the water, which can cause an erratic flushing operation that will normally stabi-lize with continued use.

Refer to the schedule to know when your

specific area will be flushed. Flushing will be conducted regardless of weather condi-tions.

For more information, call American Water at 443-591-0909.

Water system flushing schedule

• Monday, Section 3, Heritage Park, Taylor Avenue east to Roberts Avenue and south to Route 32 (Bldgs. 30 through 78, 6620 and 6622, 4200-4475, 2271-2286)

• March 26, Section 4, Commercial/DISA area, Cooper Avenue east to Garner Lane and Mapes Road south to Llewellyn Avenue (Bldgs. 2500-2699, 4407-4432, 4500-4551)

• April 2, Section 5, Medical/RV area, Redwood Road, east to Ernie Pyle Street and Llewellyn Avenue south to Morrison Street (Bldgs. 2300-2302, 2480-2491, 4424-4425)

• April 9, Section 6, Recycle area, Ernie Pyle Street east to Annapolis Road

and Llewellyn Avenue south to Route 32 (Bldgs. 195, 201-249, 294,375,393, 392, 2200-2257)

• April 4, Section 7, EPA/MWRA area, MacArthur Road east to Annapolis Road and Reece Road south to Llewellyn Avenue (Bldgs. 546, 601, 701, 830-855, 2501,2630, 2724-2790, 2849)

• April 4, Section 8, Potomac Ridge area, Ernie Pyle Street south to Reece Road and Cooper Avenue east to Ernie Pyle Street (Bldgs. 2900-3099, 4800-5012)

• April 30, Section 9, VCC area, Ernie Pyle Street east to Bldg. 1900 and 22nd Street south to Walker Drive (Bldgs. 900-1007, 1830-1850, 1900-1978, 2010-2122)

• May 7, Section 10, Patriot Ridge/Schools area, Cooper Avenue east to Annapolis Road and Ridge Road south to Ernie Pyle Street (Bldgs. 1100-1102, 1250-1252, 3100-3102, 3300-3320, 3400-3483, 3523-3564)

• May 14, Section 11, Pershing Hill area, Connector Road east to Wray Road (Bldg. 7600) and south to

Rockenbach Road (Bldgs. 7000-7755)• May 21, Section 12, 2nd Calvary

Avenue area, Rockenbach Road north to Bldg. 8122 and 79th Division Boulevard east to Mills Court (Bldgs. 7800-8122)

• May 21, Section 13, Meuse Forest area, Rockenbach Road north to Bldg. 8926 and Clark Road south to Barkley Street (Bldgs. 3900-3902, 8400-8926)

• June 4, Section 14, National Security Agency

All finish times are approximate.

Water distribution system undergoes cleaning

file photo

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News

Story and photo by Lisa R. RhodesStaff Writer

Nicole Shanabrough never imagined that a piece from her home-based jewelry com-pany would capture the eye of an actress at a pre-party for the Oscars. But it did.

On Feb. 23, Kate Linder, an actress on TV’s “The Young and the Restless,” took home one of Shanabrough’s hand-crafted necklaces that was displayed at a celebrity gift lounge during a pre-party for the 84th Annual Academy Awards.

“I’m still in shock,” said Shanabrough, who lives in Potomac Place with her hus-band, Spc. Christopher Shanabrough, a combat medic at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, and their 18-month-old son Jameson.

“I still pinch myself,” she said.Shanabrough is the owner of Nikkay

Fashions, a line of hand-crafted jewelry that she started three years ago.

The designer makes necklaces, earrings, rings and bracelets using wholesale colored acrylic and glass beads, fishing line, charms and odd ends such as gun metal, hardware washes, peacock feathers and acrylic crystals from chandeliers.

Linder, who appears as Esther Valentine on the soap, has not contacted Shanabrough about Nikkay Fashions, but the designer said she has noticed more hits to her website and Facebook page from Los Angeles and Beverly Hills.

Although she has made some income from the sales of her work, Shanabrough said she is focusing on creating a jewelry line for department stores.

The Army wife decided to create her own jewelry company in 2009 when she and

her husband lived at Fort Campbell, Ky. Shanabrough’s husband was serving a one-year deployment to Afghanistan when she was invited to an at-home jewelry show at a friend’s house.

The designer said many of the women at the show said they would like to own a unique piece of jewelry at a reasonable price.

“I thought it can’t be that difficult to make jewelry,” Shanabrough said. “I thought it would be a good hobby and a way to make new friends.”

With her husband away, Shanabrough said she also wanted to make good use of her time alone.

“I thought I can sit here and cry and mope that he’s gone, or I can do something with my life,” she recalled.

Shanabrough headed to local craft stores to purchase supplies. She started off mak-ing stretch bracelets and necklaces and sold them for $10 to friends and relatives.

Although she got positive feedback from her first clients, Shanabrough was turned away when she tried to sell her line to local retail stores.

Shanabrough later discovered she could purchase her supplies much cheaper from wholesale gem and bead fairs. She also started using fishing line to make her jewelry because it is much more durable than the string sold in craft stores.

In 2010, Shanabrough created a website and Facebook page. Luck struck when fashion bloggers Deana Spoitti and Dana Prigge saw her Facebook page and asked Shanabrough to create a piece they could advertise to their readers.

Later, Prigge, who was a guest fashion

stylist on “Glam Fairy” and knew the make-up artist and hairstylist on “Jerseylicious,” two hit fashion-reality shows on the Style cable channel, asked Shanabrough to create pieces for the cast of each show.

Nikkay Fashions has been featured on each show since November 2011. In January, the Shanabroughs moved to Fort Meade.

Although she grew up as a tomboy and athlete in York, Pa., Shanabrough said she has a keen fashion sense, despite the fact that her wardrobe is filled with shorts, T-shirts and hoodies.

“I eat, sleep and breathe fashion,” said Shanabrough.

“I read W magazine and watch ‘Project Runway’,” she said. “I set my DVR to record it.”

Last summer, a friend told Shanabrough about the Indie Exhibit, an organization that represents independent artisans and creatives at celebrity gift lounges. The lounges feature free promotional items for celebrities, media professionals and publicists at entertainment parties in Hollywood and elsewhere.

Shanabrough signed a contract with the Indie Exhibit and had her jewelry displayed at celebrity gift lounges for the American Music Awards in October 2011 and at the Oscars last month.

The designer said she hopes more celebri-ties will pick up her jewelry when the Indie Exhibit showcases pieces at actor Charlie Sheen’s post-viewing party for his upcoming film “She Wants Me” on March 30.

Her work will also be displayed at the gift lounge for the Kids’ Choice Awards, also on March 30.

Nikkay Fashions will be featured at Bal-timore Fashion Week on Aug. 17.

“I have a bigger goal for myself,” Shanabrough said. “I’m determined to make it to New York Fashion Week,” a premiere fashion event held every February and Sep-tember.

Next month, a bracelet from Nikkay Fashions will be featured on the cover of the New York Post’s Page Six Magazine.

Shanabrough said her ultimate goal as a jewelry designer is to become her family’s sole breadwinner. But for now, she is study-ing for an associate’s degree in nursing at Anne Arundel Community College.

Shanabrough plans to become a regis-tered nurse while working toward the fulfill-ment of her dreams — to produce a jewelry line sold in department stores.

“I’ve always set bigger goals for myself,” Shanabrough said. “That’s the only way that you can advance things in life.”

Designing WomanArmy wife’s hand-crafted jewelry makes it to Hollywood

Nicole Shanabrough, an Army wife and resident of Potomac Place, is the owner of Nikkay Fashions, a line of her hand-crafted jewelry. Shanabrough’s jewelry was displayed last month at a gift lounge for celebrities during a pre-party for the Academy Awards.

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News

By Staff Sgt. Dillon White70th ISR Wing Public Affairs Office

A local Air Force Reserve major is one of 20 contestants left in the running who are hoping for the chance to spend six weightless minutes 60 miles above Earth in a privately owned spacecraft.

Maj. Savan Becker, a Space Systems officer and contractor at Fort Meade, is one of 1,000 people who registered for Space Race 2012, a Facebook-hosted competition sponsored by the Seattle Space Needle.

Following the March 18 voting deadline, the five remaining hopefuls with the most votes will travel to Seattle for a final competi-tion with unannounced challenges to secure the grand prize.

“This is something I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid,” Becker said. “I’m a space geek, so I found this one day while I was online and I showed my girlfriend.

“She said, ‘You have to do this,’ and so I entered. Then I received an email that said I was selected, and to submit a two-minute video about why I should be the one to go — why I’m passionate about space — to basically justify why I should go into space. A few weeks passed, and now I’m one of 20 finalists.”

Michelle Koch, Becker’s girlfriend, said his passion for exploration and discovery is contagious. Becker takes his children fossil hunting, launches model rockets with them and shows them the stars and planets through a telescope at home.

Becker has an undergraduate degree in astrophysics and a master’s in space and plan-etary studies. He said his passion for space and space travel is something he shares with his children and came from his childhood in New York as he looked up to the night sky.

“I had great parents and teachers,” Becker said. “I grew up in the inner city and could hardly see the stars, but they picked up on my interest and fostered it. Now, as a father, I want to instill that passion for human discov-ery and desire to learn and explore to my kids. They’re my inspiration.”

Maj. David Ortiz, a friend and co-worker of Becker, said his friend’s interest in space is a common passion between them.

“Savan’s interest in space is at the very core of his being,” Ortiz said. “For a true sci-fi geek like him, it’s right down to the bone. Love of the futuristic unknown has guided him through career choices, educational choices, recreational choices, parenting choices and in his love life.”

Ortiz said Becker has a creative prowess that may have helped him secure his position in the top 20.

“He’s created books for his kids, pictures as well as art work and the movie he produced obviously was quality enough to get noticed by the judges,” Ortiz said. “I think he got through the first few rounds of review because when you see the video of him and his family talking about him going to into space, you could tell it was heartfelt.”

Becker said if he wins, his flight will be similar to Allen Sheppard’s first flight during the early Mercury missions.

“If I go up, my flight will be a bit longer than Allan Sheppard’s,” he said. “I won’t be granted official Air Force astronaut wings, but philosophically I will.”

Becker said that if he wins, he already has several mementos given to him by friends.

From a childhood inner-city window sill, to a father zooming plastic space shuttles around a living room with his children, Becker has always focused on the stars.

Perhaps one night, for a little longer than six minutes, his family and friends may be huddled by a telescope looking to the stars trying to focus on him.

For more information about the 2012 Space Race contest, visit http://www.spaceneedle.com/spacerace2012/index.html.

Local Reservist vies for chance at space flight

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Maj. Savan Becker, a Fort Meade Air Force Reservist, poses with his sons, Tristan and Kiran. Becker is a finalist in Space Race 2012, a Facebook-hosted competition sponsored by the Seattle Space Needle to win a suborbital space flight.

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http://www.ftmeade.army.mil10 SOUNDOFF! March 15, 2012

News

Story and photo by Lisa R. RhodesStaff Writer

Michelise “Mikki” Loiselle, a fifth-grade teacher at Pershing Hill Elementary School, encourages intellectual inquiry among her students.

“I’m not afraid to have my kids tell me, ‘I don’t agree with you,’ but they have to do it respectfully,” she said. “The ones who question and look for ways to improve things are the ones to make change and become leaders.”

Loiselle’s ability to treat students with intel-lectual respect is one of the reason’s why she was nominated for the Anne Arundel County Public Schools Teacher of the Year award.

“She teaches like a champion every day and ensures that she maximizes each child’s poten-tial,” said Pershing Hill Principal Tasheka Green, who nominated Loiselle for the honor. “She is a world-class educator.”

Loiselle is one of five public school finalists for the distinction, which is presented annually in partnership by the Anne Arundel County Public Schools and the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce.

The winner will be announced April 16 at the 2012 Excellence in Education banquet at the BWI Marriott in Linthicum.

In addition to receiving $1,000 and tickets from Southwest Airlines, the winner will repre-sent the county in the Maryland State Teacher of the Year competition.

Noreen Haenn, events coordinator for the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Cham-ber of Commerce, said the judging committee,

which is made up of educators and commu-nity leaders, will select a teacher “with excellent credentials and reputation and outstanding talents in the classroom.”

The judging committee also considers a finalist’s community involvement, leadership skills and other educational pursuits.

As part of the selection process, Loiselle was required to write several one-page essays on topics such as philosophy of teaching, greatest contribution and accomplishment in education, a solution for a major issue in public education, and suggestions on how to improve the teaching profession. Loiselle was also interviewed by a panel of judges.

She said her teaching philosophy is simple.

“I try to teach my kids there’s nothing you can’t do, if you believe it,” said Loiselle, who resides in Crofton with her husband, James Mischke, and their 9-year-old daughter Katie. “I hope learning is an adventure for my kids.”

Born at Fort Polk, La., Loiselle comes from a military family. Her father is a retired Army master sergeant who was once stationed at the Pentagon. Her grandfather served in the Army, and several uncles have served in the military.

Loiselle said she was inspired to become an educator by Neil McCloud, her fourth-grade teacher in Australia where her father was stationed.

“He accepted all of us unconditionally,” Loiselle said. “I had good people as teachers.”

Loiselle attended public schools in Prince George’s County and graduated from the Uni-versity of Maryland in 1991 with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She earned a master’s degree in elementary education from Bowie State University in 2000.

After graduating college, Loiselle worked for seven years at Crofton Elementary School and then taught at Ridgeway Elementary School in Prince George’s County from 1998 to 2004.

She became a talent development teacher for Anne Arundel County in 2004 and worked with teachers at several schools, including Per-shing Hill, to identify exceptional capabilities in all students.

In 2007, Loiselle became the talent develop-ment teacher at Pershing Hill and moved on to become a fifth-grade teacher at the school

last year.A National Board Certified teacher, Loiselle

said that to inspire curiosity and a love for learning in her students, she often invites pro-fessionals from different fields to share their knowledge in the classroom.

For example, a sign language advocate from Deaf Reach, a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that works with deaf adults, has visited Loiselle’s class several times to teach students sign language and how she works to dispel stereotypes about the deaf.

For her own professional growth and devel-opment, Loiselle said she is mentoring new fifth-grade teachers.

Duane Arbogast, chief academic officer for the Prince George’s County Public Schools, hired Loiselle in 1998 when he was principal of Ridgeway Elementary School. He wrote a recommendation for her for the Anne Arundel County Public Schools teaching award.

“Ms. Loiselle was very smart and creative. ... Her instruction included high expectations for all students. She treated her students with intellectual respect,” Arbogast said. “She is the complete package.”

Loiselle said she believes her chances of being selected are good.

“I believe in myself; I believe in what I do,” she said. “I hope my love for teaching and enthusiasm came across in my interview.”

If she does win, Loiselle said the honor extends to her students, colleagues and the Fort Meade community.

“I’m only as good as they are,” she said.

Pershing Hill teacher competes for top county honor

Michelise Loiselle, a fifth-grade teacher at Pershing Hill Elementary School, is one of five finalists for the Anne Arundel County Public Schools Teacher of the Year award.

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http://www.ftmeade.army.mil March 15, 2012 SOUNDOFF! 11

SportS

By Brandon BieltzStaff Writer

Next month, local runners can dust off their running shoes and break out their shorts.

The 2012 Fort Meade Run Series sched-ule has been announced and will feature seven races on the installation throughout the year. Runners will kick off the fourth annual event with the Earth Day 5K Run and one-mile walk on April 21 at 8 a.m.

For the past four years, the run series has averaged more than 300 service mem-bers and civilians at each race.

“People love it,” said Angie Wanner, sports specialist for the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recre-ation. “It’s a good workout and it’s com-petitive in nature, but not against other people — against yourself.”

Wanner said the series allows runners to compete for a lower fee than most other runs in the area. For pre-registered partici-pants, each run costs $15. The cost is $40 for families of three to six people and $85

for running groups of seven to 10.Participants can pre-register online at

ftmeademwr.com or at Gaffney Fitness Center until the Monday before the race.

Runners can also register for the entire series for $80.

The special registration rates do not apply for race day sign-ups. The cost increases to $25 for an individual and to $60 for a family. There is no group rate on the day of the event.

“It’s the cheapest run series in the area, by far,” Wanner said.

The seven runs will be held throughout the installation, with starting points at Burba Lake, Murphy Field House, the Rock Avenue pool, Constitution Park and the Pavilion. Each run will feature a new course.

Every race has a different theme, from running in costumes for the Halloween Ghost, Ghouls and Goblins 5K in October to earning a turkey at the Turkey Trot in November.

“We’re trying to make it exciting,” Wan-

ner said.After each race, awards will be given to

the top, overall male and female runners, as well as the fastest male and female run-ners in each age group. All children also will receive a ribbon for participating in a run.

New this year is the one-mile walk for those looking for a shorter race. The one-mile course will begin and end at the same location of the run, but will feature a tighter course inside the larger route.

“A 5K run may be hard for a 6-year-old, but they can certainly do the one mile,” Wanner said. “They can hustle that mile or walk it, whatever it is.”

Wanner said the friendly competition also allows participants to test the waters of competitive running.

“I think the best thing is when you see somebody finish who didn’t think they could,” she said. “People looking for a way to challenge themselves on a regular basis, this is a good way to do it because rain or shine, it’s time to run.”

2012 run series boasts seven races 2012 Run Series Schedule

• Earth Day 5K and one-mile walk, April 21, Burba Lake

• Patriot Pride 10K/Relay and one-mile walk, May 19, Murphy Field House

• Summer Sizzler 5K and one-mile walk, June 16, Rock Avenue pool

• Football FanFare 5K and one-mile walk, Sept. 22, Constitution Park

• Ghost, Ghouls and Goblins 5K and one-mile walk, Oct. 27, Pavilion

• Turkey Trot 5K and one-mile walk, Nov. 17, Murphy Field House

• Reindeer Run, 5K and one-mile walk, Dec. 15, Murphy Field House

All runs begin at 8 a.m.

file photo

The 2012 Fort Meade Run Series schedule has been announced and will feature seven races throughout the year. The first run will be the Earth Day 5K and one-mile walk April 21 at Burba Lake.


Cover Story

By Brandon BieltzStaff Writer

Nearly four years ago, Michael Kacer was struck by a Chinese missile while moving through an Afghanistan building and lost his left arm from the shoulder down.

While recovering from his injury, the medi-cally retired staff sergeant focused on the only sport he thought was left for him — running. This week, however, Kacer was on Mullins Field throwing a discus and a 6-kilogram ball, in between his several track events and swim-ming at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

“I thought I just had running,” Kacer said. “I kept myself really narrowed on that because I didn’t actually fathom I’d be as versatile as I am.”

Kacer was among the nearly 50 Soldiers and veterans who traveled to Fort Meade to compete for a spot on the Army team at the 2012 Warrior Games. The camp opened

March 8 and continued daily until the closing ceremony Monday afternoon.

Athletes competed in track and field events, cycling and sitting volleyball at installation facilities, while the swimming events were held at Walter Reed as part of the Army team’s consolidated qualifying camp. Qualification camps will also be held for shooting, archery and wheelchair basketball at separate sites.

The camps are conducted to pare down a large field of athletes trying to make the team. More than 300 Soldiers and veterans applied to participate in the Warrior Games, but only 50 will earn a spot on the team.

Previous camps helped coaches sort through all the applicants and find the best athletes. The top remaining athletes attended the qualification camp at Fort Meade for their last shot at making the team.

“Some of you in this room right now will represent the 10,000 wounded, ill and injured Soldiers, active Guard and Reserve, and vet-

‘Champions’Wounded warriors compete

at Fort Meade

erans,” said Brig. Gen. Darryl A. Williams, commander of the Warrior Transition Com-mand in Alexandria, Va., during Monday’s closing ceremony.

The Warrior Games was established in 2010 to allow wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans to compete against teams of all military branches in Paralympic sports. This year’s competition will be held from April 30 to May 5 at Colorado Springs, Colo.

During his remarks at the closing cer-emony, Williams referred to the event as the Super Bowl for wounded warriors. Despite the high level of competition, Williams said the athletes didn’t need to earn a medal to be considered champions.

“In my mind, we don’t need a Warrior Games to validate your service to your coun-try, to your family, to your wingman, to your brother, to your sister,” he said. “You are all already champions.”

Jessie White, who was assigned to the War-rior Transition Unit at Fort Meade before medically retiring as a staff sergeant, said it is “awesome” to represent the Army at the

Warrior Games.White has attended both Warrior Games,

earning a silver medal in the shot put in 2010. This year, he attempted to qualify as a veteran, competing in the shot put, discus and sitting volleyball.

“Last year there were 100 people; this year there’s only 50 spots to go,” White said. “The whole weekend for all the different events will be extremely competitive.”

While the camp was competitive by nature, Kacer said all of the athletes helped each other improve. If a coach was working with other athletes, it wasn’t uncommon for an experienced Soldier to help someone new.

“Everybody is everybody’s coach,” he said.

Kacer was aiming to make the Army team for a second year after competing in the first Warrior Games and missing last year’s event.

During the four-day camp, Kacer had a busy schedule as he tried to qualify in the 100-meter, 200-meter, 1500-meter, 4x100-meter relay on the track; 50-meter freestyle, 50-meter backstroke, 100-meter freestyle and 4x200-meter relay in the pool; and the shot

photos by noah scialom

Spc. Brynden Keller runs around the Mullins Field track during the final qualification camp for the Army’s Warrior Games team Sunday afternoon. Only 50 of the more than 300 athletes who applied for the team will compete at the Warrior Games from April 30 to May 5 in Colorado Springs, Colo.


put and discus. Training for all events, Kacer said, is intense.

“There’s tons of time and effort, blood, sweat and tears that going into getting here,” he said.

Although most of the athletes had sports experience prior to their injuries, Warrior Games events and equipment are modified to accommodate the service members’ injuries, such as recumbent bicycles for cycling and a smaller volleyball court where players sit on the ground.

“Some of these guys may have been cyclists or runners before they got injured,” said Staff Sgt. Jonathan Duralde of adaptive recondi-tioning at WTC. “What we’re doing is adapt-ing it to their injuries.”

Other athletes, however, had never com-peted in the event they attempted to qualify for. For the coaches, this meant starting with the very basics.

“Three weeks ago I found myself starting from scratch with athletes that wanted to do it but never did,” said Millie Daniels, Army’s field coach. “They were very motivated. They get the technique, and go back and train and

just get better.”In addition to earning a spot on the team,

several athletes said they participated in the events because they wanted to show spectators that their disabilities are not as important as what they still can do.

Kacer said watching the injured Soldiers and veterans compete can be inspirational.

“We got injured having a bad day; that’s how we got here.” he said, recalling his own injury on June 18, 2008. “It’s about moving on and progressing and not let anything stop you.”

Duralde, a Soldier who lost his left leg in Afghanistan, said the Warrior Games and the camps show the attitude and drive of the injured service members.

“We’re showing the Army what wounded warriors are all about,” he said, “striving to be better, getting past whatever difficulty we had and moving on.”

Medically retired Sgt. Michael Kacer celebrates after a good run during the track events at the Warrior Games’ qualifying camp. Kacer was attempting to qualify in the 100-meter, 200-meter, 1500-meter and 4x100-meter relay.

TOP RIGHT: Wounded warriors pedal through the installation during the cycling portion of the Warrior Games’ qualification camp. Cyclists competed in 10K and 20K races to earn a spot on the Army team for the 2012 Warrior Games.

LEFT: Soldiers and veterans trying to qualify for the Army’s sitting volleyball team cheer after winning their game at Murphy Field House on Monday.


SportS

Sports ShortsSunday closure at Murphy

Beginning April 1, Murphy Field House will no longer be open Sundays. Gaffney Fitness Center will maintain regular Sunday hours.

For more information, call Everette Carr, facility manager, at 301-677-3867.

Intramural volleyballThe intramural volleyball season will begin April 2 with games played at

Murphy Field House.Installation units can sign up as a team. Active-duty service members may

register individually and will be placed on a team.Registration is due by Wednesday.For more information or to register, call Angie Wanner at 301-677-3318 or

email [email protected].

Farewell Commander’s CupGarrison Commander Col. Edward C. Rothstein will host the Farewell

Commander’s Cup golf tournament on April 29 at the Courses.Final registration is at 11 a.m. with a shotgun start at noon.Cost is $75 per player or $250 per four-person team. Fee includes lunch,

cart prize and an awards banquet, which will follow the event.Registration is ongoing. Call 301-677-5236.

For more Fort Meade sports, visit www.quickscores.com/ftmeadesports.

I tried to keep things short this week because asking you to read would be cruel, especially this weekend when you need to be in front of a TV.

The first four days of the NCAA tourna-ment is the best four-day weekend in sports — nothing but basketball from noon to midnight.

And if you want any chance at winning the Meade TV/Picerne Sweet 16 Challenge (and the $100 gift card that goes with it), you are going to need to be watching all the basketball you can.

Now a couple of people have already asked me, “Chad, are you only making us pick games after the Sweet 16 just so you can look smarter?”

Uh, yeah. Me looking smart is pretty important.

But, just so you don’t think I’m a coward who is afraid to show you my picks, here are my predictions for who will make it to the Sweet 16:

• South: Connecticut, Wichita State, Baylor, Duke

• West: Michigan State, New Mexico, Murray State, Missouri

• East: Syracuse (even without Thad Melo), Wisconsin, Florida State, Ohio State

• Midwest: North Carolina, Michigan, Belmont, St. Mary’s.

Now that my rep is still intact, it is time to get to the serious business of preparing you for your Sweet 16 Challenge.

Even though my brackets have not always been stellar — I’ve correctly picked a total of four of the potential 12 Final Four teams over the last three years — 27 years of watching the tournament from tip to trophy has made me an expert on finding tenden-cies that championship teams possess.

1. Good teams will get tested.Do not let your picks be influenced by

a close contest. It’s OK if Kentucky trails Western Kentucky or if North Carolina is having a hard time disposing of Creigh-ton.

College kids are affected by things like

expectations and momentum, so the key in the tournament isn’t how you win, it’s if you can survive and advance.

2. Believe your eyes, not the hype.

By that I mean do not dismiss what you see just because you’ve never heard of the team playing. Anyone who watched VCUs run last year from the play-in game to the Final Four knew it wasn’t a fluke. Neither was Butler’s runs to back-to-back title games.

The eye test proved quickly that they both were really good teams. So when Belmont beats Georgetown, do not neces-sarily think it is only because Georgetown messed up. The fact may be that Belmont is just a better team that you were never able to see.

3. Look for teams with seniority.That’s a rarity now in this age of one-

and-done (players who play one year of college basketball before going pro), but it emphasizes the importance of experience.

Think about it. There is a huge difference between a team of 18-year-old boys, which is what powerhouses like Kentucky are comprised of, and a group of 22-year-old men who fill the roster of most mid-major teams.

Experience can be especially crucial in the Elite-8 round, where teams only have one day to prepare for their opponent and must compete with the pressure of poten-tially making a Final Four.

So, enjoy the games, take your notes and then fill out your Sweet 16 brackets by March 22. Bryan Spann and I will see you on the blog Tuesday with our Challenge picks.

And as always, if you have comments on this or anything to do with sports, contact me at [email protected].

Survive and Advance

Chad T. Jones, Public Affairs

Officer

Jibber Jabber - OpiniOn

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

www.quickscores.com/ftmeadesports.


Religion

Protestant servicesSunday8:30 a.m. Episcopal Post Chapel8:30 a.m. Apostolic Cavalry Chapel9 a.m. Protestant Sunday School Chapel Center10:30 a.m. Traditional Post Chapel10:30 a.m. Contemporary Cavalry Chapel11 a.m. Gospel Chapel Center1 p.m. Protestant Spanish Cavalry Chapel

Protestant Ministries

AWANA ReligiouS educAtioN

6:30-8 p.m. Tuesdays (Grades K3-6th) Chapel Center(held during entire school year)

PRoteStANt tRAditioNAl SeRvice

1st thursday of each month7 a.m. Monthly Prayer Breakfast The Courses

PRoteStANt lituRgicAl SeRvice

Sunday 9:45 a.m. Bible Study Post Chapel

PRoteStANt coNtemPoRARy SeRvice

Wednesday 7 p.m. Bible Study Cavalry Chapel

PRoteStANt goSPel SeRvice

Wednesday 6:30 p.m. Youth Bible Study Chapel Center7:30 p.m. Adult Worship/Bible Study Chapel Center

3rd Saturday of the month 9 a.m. Protestant Men of the Chapel Chapel Center

PRoteStANt WomeN of the chAPel

Wednesday 9:30 a.m. Bible Study Chapel CenterThursday 7 p.m. Bible Study Chapel Center

catholic MassSaturday 5 p.m. Vigil Mass Cavalry ChapelSunday 9 a.m. Mass Chapel CenterSunday 12:15 p.m. Mass Post Chapeldaily (mon.-fri.) Noon Mass Post Chapel(Wed.) 12:15 p.m. Mass NSA

(No weekday masses on federal holidays)

holy days of obligationNoon Mass Post Chapel7 p.m. Mass Chapel Center

catholic MinistriesSunday 10:30 a.m. Religious Education classes (Sept.-May) Pre-K to 9th Chapel Center10:30 a.m. Adult Bible Study Chapel Center5:30 p.m. Life Teen Chapel Center

monday (Sept.-may)RCIA classes (to be announced) Chapel Center

2nd monday of the month6:30 p.m. MCCW meetings Post Chapel

tuesday 9:45 a.m. Mother’s Prayers & Apologetics Post Chapel

1st thursday of the month6:30 p.m. Adoration of Blessed Sacrament Post Chapel

AdditioNAl cAtholic iNfoRmAtioNconfessions Daily 12:30 p.m., Saturday 3:45-4:45 p.m., Sunday 30 minutes before each Mass Cavalry Chapel

Baptisms, marriage, Sacramental Preparation or Personal appointments with the priest, contact Catholic chaplain at 301-677-3792

For Religious Education, call 301-677-6038

Jewish services

monday thru friday6:20 a.m. Shacharit Service Chapel Center

tuesday Noon Rabbi’s Luncheon & Mincha Ser-vice Chapel Center

MusliM Prayer rooM

The Fort Meade Islamic Community has a desig-nated room (120) at Argonne Hills Chapel Center on 7100 Rockenbach and Grandea avenues for daily prayers during Ramadan and Jummah services. For more information, contact Chad Jones at 301-677-1301.

oPen circleSunday4 p.m. Open Circle(Wicca Led) Cavalry Chapel

fAmily life miNiStRy ceNteR

family life ministry centerBldg. 7100, Rockenbach Road & grandea Avenue

† Soldiers & Family Support Ministries† Individual, Marital and Family Counseling

By Appointment: 301-677-3785/6035

foRt meAde chAPel fAcilitieS

† historic main Post chapel, Bldg. 4419, Llewellyn & Roberts Avenue, 301-677-6703/7842

† cavalry chapel, Bldg. 8465, Simonds Street & 6th Armored Cavalry Road, 301-677-5881

† Argonne hills chapel center, Bldg. 7100, Rocken-bach Road & Grandea Avenue, 301-677-6035/3785

† Religious education coordinatorsCatholic: 301-677-6038 Protestant: 301-677-0386

ReligiouS SeRviceS oN foRt geoRge g. meAde

Chaplain’s Word

I do not have a problem with caffeine. I have a problem without caffeine!

— Unknown

fiNd the foRt meAdeReligiouS Schedule

atwww.ftmeade.army.mil.

Look for the “Community” tab then click on “Religious Services” for

schedules, events and contact information.


Community news & notes

The deadline for Soundoff! community “News and Notes” is Friday at noon. All submissions are posted at the editor’s dis-cretion and may be edited for space and grammar. Look for additional community events on the Fort Meade website at www.ftmeade.army.mil and the Meade TV Blog at http://meadetv.wordpress.com.

For more information or to submit an announcement, email Chad Jones at [email protected] or call 301-677-1301.

Technical Job Fair A Technical Job Fair will be held

Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Club Meade, 6600 Mapes Road.

Anticipate lines. Bring plenty of resumes. Dress for success.

St. Patrick’s Day buffetA St. Patrick’s Day dinner buffet will be

served Friday at 5:30 p.m. at the Courses Clubhouse.

Enjoy Irish stew, corned beef and cabbage, breaded cod filets, shepherd’s pie, soda bread and Irish whiskey cake.

Cost is $16 for adults and $8 for children.

For reservations or more information, call 301-677-7043 or 301-677-5329.

Women’s History Month observance

Fort Meade’s annual Women’s History Month observance will be held March 22 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at McGill Training Center.

Admission is free and open to the public. Free food samplings will be served.

The event is hosted by Army Cyber Command/2nd Army.

The keynote speaker will be Michele S. Jones, director of External Veteran/Military Affairs and Community Outreach, U.S. Office of Personnel Management, President’s Veterans Employment Initiative.

All Fort Meade service members and civilian employees are encouraged to attend with supervisory approval and without charge to annual leave. Administrative leave is authorized.

For more information, call Sgt. 1st Class Kah at 301-833-2011, Ms. Telsee at 301-833-2002 or Sgt. 1st Class Bass at 301-677-6687.

NAF property saleThe Fort Meade Directorate of Fam-

ily and Morale, Welfare and Recreation will host a sale of used equipment and furnishings on March 24 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Pavilion.

Money generated from the sale goes back to the community.

Items include: ellipticals, treadmills, steppers, child care furniture, boats, campers, Apple computers and commer-cial-grade restaurant equipment.

Condition of equipment and furnish-ings vary from slightly used to nonopera-tional due to missing parts.

For a full inventory, visit www.ftmeademwr.com.

National Prayer LuncheonThe Fort Meade National Prayer

Luncheon will be held March 28 at 11:30 a.m. at Club Meade.

The event is sponsored by the Garrison Chaplain’s Office. Chief of Chaplains Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Donald L. Rutherford will be the guest speaker.

Suggested donation is $10 for civilian employees and service members with a rank of E-6 and above.

Seating is limited to 300 people. Tickets can be obtained through the unit sergeant major or noncommissioned officer in charge.

Service members and civilian employees are encouraged to attend with supervisory approval and without charge to annual leave. Administrative leave is authorized.

For more information on tickets, call the Garrison Chaplain’s Office at 301-677-6703 or 301-677-7842.

Easter workshop Design handmade gifts and cards at an

Easter workshop on March 23 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Arts & Crafts Center, 6530 York Ave.

Cost is $35 and includes all supplies.To register or for more information,

call 410-575-4224.

Karaoke NightThe 11th Frame Lounge at the Lanes

is hosting a free Karaoke Night on the third Thursday of the month.

The next Karaoke Night will be today from 7 to 10 p.m. The public is invited.

For more information, call 301-677-5541.

Dance nightsClub Meade is offering the following

dance events:• Country-Top 40 Night, March 23

and April 27, from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.• Latin Club Night, April 20, from 8

p.m. to 2 a.m.No cover charge. A cash bar is

available.For more information, call 301-677-

5298.

Company Commander/First Sergeant Course

The Military District of Washington Company Commander/First Sergeant Course will be held April 23 to 25 at the National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., in Lincoln Hall, Room #2212.

The course acquaints new and prospective company leaders with some of the challenges of command, and most importantly, the avenues and resources available to assist them in solving or addressing Soldier issues and concerns within the National Capital Region.

MDW Regulation 350-5, Company Commanders and First Sergeants Training, requires all Joint Force Headquarters-National Capital Region/MDW company commanders and first sergeants to attend this training.

Individuals interested in participating should contact their unit S3 or the

installation’s Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security.

Course allocations will be made in accordance with Chapter 6, MDW Reg. 350-5.

A final list of individuals recommended to participate in this training is due to the MDW J/637 Office no later than April 4.

For more information, contact Michael Egly at 202-685-2910 or [email protected], or David Stone at 202-685-1923 or email [email protected].

Resiliency workshop“Building Resiliency in Children and

Teens: A Workshop for Educators and Caregivers” will be presented March 22 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Meade High School Media Center.

Registration will be from 2:15 to 2:30 p.m. The workshop is free, but admission is limited.

The workshop will feature Dr. Ken Ginsburg, a leading authority on developing resiliency in children and adolescents.

To register, call 202-650-7634 or email [email protected].

EFMP workshopA workshop for military parents of

children with disabilities will be presented March 26 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Meade Heights Elementary School.

The workshop will focus on children

photo courtesy of teen center

pawn starsKyle O’Dowd, 15, a member of the chess team at the Fort Meade Teen Center, teaches a few moves to Samantha Dixon, a fifth-grader at the School-Age Care Center. Members of the chess team visited the center on March 2 as part of a community service project to promote a love of chess among Fort Meade youths.

NEWS & EVENTS

EDUCATION


Community news & notes

with autism; services parent can expect from the Echo program; and services from the infants and toddlers program and the Anne Arundel County Public Schools.

The workshop is sponsored by the Exceptional Family Member Program and the Anne Arundel County Public Schools Division of Special Education.

To attend, email Caraline Someck by March 23 at [email protected].

Fleet Center classesThe Fleet and Family Support Center

at 830 Chisholm Ave. offers free classes that are open to DoD identification cardholders. Advanced registration is required.

• Liquidating Your Debts: Tuesday, 9 to 11 a.m. Learn strategies to systematically wipe out debt.

• Interviewing Skills: Tuesday, 9 a.m. to noon. Learn techniques to help you succeed in your job search as well as the tools for networking and negotiating job offers.

• Anger Management: Wednesday, 9 to 11 a.m.

• Money Management: March 22, 1 to 3 p.m.

• Disability Transition Assistance Program: March 26, 9 a.m. to noon

• Medical Records Review: Have your medical records reviewed by Joseph Thornton of AMVETS. An appointment is required.

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

Auto care coursesThe Automotive Skills Center at 6530

Taylor Ave. is offering the following courses from 1 to 3 p.m.

• March 25: “How to change wheel bearings”

• April 8: “How to replace drive belts and anti-freeze”

• April 22: Proper procedures for replacing timing belts

Cost for each course is $10. For more information, call 301-677-5542.

ESC Scholarship AwardThe Enlisted Spouses’ Club Scholarship

Award, valued at $1,500, will be applied to the 2012-2013 school year. Multiple winners will be selected.

Scholarships may be used at any accred-ited college, university, business or vocational school for one year.

High school seniors or continuing educa-tion students born in 1989 or later may apply.

Applicants must be enrolled as a full-time student. They must be children of military members from any branch, active duty, retired, deceased, Reservist or National Guard. The service member must reside in the Fort Meade area.

Applicants must be enrolled as a full-time student and volunteer in their school or com-munity.

To apply:• Submit official transcripts for your junior

year and first semester of your senior year if in high school.

• Submit official transcripts from your appropriate higher level of education if you are a continuing education student.

• Submit a completed application with sup-porting documentation as listed in the applica-tion package, which may be downloaded, at www.ftmeadeesc.org.

Evelyn Silva ScholarshipThe Evelyn Silva Scholarship Award of

Excellence awarded by the Enlisted Spouses Club is valued at $2,000 and will be applied to the 2012-2013 academic school year.

This scholarship will be awarded to one graduating high school senior. This year, the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association Central Mary-land Chapter will contribute an additional $2,000 to this scholarship.

Scholarships may be used at any accred-ited college, university, business or voca-tional school for one year.

Only high school seniors may apply. Applicants must be the child of a service member from any branch, active duty, retired, deceased, Reservist or National Guard. The service member must reside in the Fort Meade area.

Applicants must be enrolled as a full-time student.

Applicants are required to:• Demonstrate continued volunteerism

in their school or community.• Submit official transcripts for their

junior year and first semester of their senior year if in high school.

• Maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA.• Submit letters of recommendation.• Submit a completed application

with supporting documentation as listed in the application package, which may downloaded, at www.ftmeadeesc.org.

Middle school activitiesChild, Youth and School Services is

offering several activities for grades six to eight:

• Roller skating trip, Friday, 7:30 to

10 p.m. Cost is $11 and $8 without skate rental.

• Grilling & Chilling Night, March 23, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Cost is $7 for meal and includes barbecue ribs, loaded baked potatoes and salad.

• Appetizers & Movie Night, March 30, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Cost is $5 for food and includes buffalo wings, cheese sticks and nachos.


StorytimeThe Medal of Honor Memorial Library

offers pre-kindergarten Storytime every Thurs-day from 9:30 to 10 a.m. and 10:30 to 11 a.m.

• Today: “It’s Easy Being Green Story-time” – Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day early by reading books about all things green.

• March 22: “Spring into a Good Book” – celebrating spring

• March 29: “Reading Makes Us Hoppy” - songs and finger plays about bunnies


Easter Bunny brunchHop over to the Courses Clubhouse

on March 31 for brunch with the Easter Bunny. Two seating times will be available: 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

Enjoy scrambled eggs, bacon, french toast sticks, tater tots, ham, boneless chick-en wings, macaroni and cheese, spaghetti sauce, fruit salad and beverages.

Seating is limited. Tickets are available from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Youth Center, 909 Ernie Pyle St.

Cost is $7 for ages 5 to 10 and $11.50 for ages 11 and older. Children ages 4 and under attend free.


Out & About• The Montpelier Spring Jazz Series

features Ethel Ennis on Friday at 8 p.m. and Dick Morgan on March 23 at 8 p.m. at Montpelier Arts Center, 9652 Muirkirk Road, South Laurel. Tickets are $20 for each concert. For more information, call 301-377-7800 or 410-792-0664.

• Leisure Travel Services is offering discounted tickets for active-duty service members to the Shen Yun Performing Arts Show from Wednesday to April 1 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. For more information, call LTS at 301-677-7354.

• Patient/Family Advisory Council meets the third Thursday of each month at 3 p.m. at Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center. The next meeting will be today in Kimbrough’s main conference room on the third floor, room 3C03.

The council is committed to improving the delivery of health care by collaborating with providers, patients and family members. For more information or to become a council member, call Patient and Family Centered Care at 301-677-8261.

• Retired Enlisted Association meets the third Thursday of the month from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Argonne Hills Chapel Center. The next meeting is tonight. For more information, visit www.trea.org or call Mary Gray, the local president, at 410-916-5385 or Arthur R. Cooper, national president, at 443-336-1230.

• Meade Area Garden Club will meet Friday at 10 a.m. at the Jessup Community Hall at the corner of Route 175 and Wigley Avenue. Susan Barbi, a national judge for the African Violet Society of America and a Maryland master gardener, will present a slide show on African violets. Refreshments will be served. Reservations are not required.

For more information, call Pat Loosararian, membership chairman, at 410-519-6443 or Lois Stephenson, club president, at 410-740-8024.

• EMPOWERING Parents of Teens Support Group meets the first and third Monday of every month from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at School Age Services. The next meeting is Monday. Refreshments and free child care provided. For more information, call Rikki Ford, parent support coordinator, at 301-677-3617 or email [email protected].

• Fort Meade BOSS (Better Opportunities for the Single Soldier) meets the first and third Tuesday of the month at 3 p.m. at the Freedom Center, Bldg. 6405. The next meeting is Tuesday. Single Soldiers are invited. For more information, call 301-677-7785.

• Parenting With a Purpose will meet Wednesday and March 28 from 1 to 3 p.m. at Meuse Forest Neighborhood Center at 8700 91st Division Blvd. Learn what your parenting style is and the art of judo-parenting. For reservations, call Rikki Ford, parent support coordinator, at 301-677-3617 or email [email protected].

• Society of Military Widows meets for brunch the fourth Sunday of the month at 11 a.m. at Club Meade. The next meeting is March 25. For more information, call Betty Jones at 410-730-0127.

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News & Politics

Fort Meade SoundOff! for March 15, 2012