Lewis Ledger, July 10

Action Line

An Action Line has been established to allow Fort Lewis community members to express their concerns and ideas directly to the commanding general. Your issues will be addressed by the commander and his staff. The Action Line number is 967-0093.

Reunion Workshop

Is your Soldier coming home soon? ACS wants to help your reunion be the best possible experience. Join the ACS Reunion Workshop on July 21 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. at the Family Resource Center.

RSVP by calling Pamela Allen at 967-8430. You can also schedule unit/FRG reunion workshops.

Free child care is available with prior reservations by calling Clarkmoor Hourly Care at 966-2490. Children must be registered with CYSS.

Employer day

The Fort Lewis ACAP Center will host an employer day on July 29 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the ACAP Center (Bldg. 2013A on the corner of 3rd and Pendleton).

Expected employers include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boeing, the Department of Social and Health Services, the Social Security Administration, the Law Enforcement Support Agency, the Oregon Department of Transportation, Advanced Healthcare, the Port of Seattle, Volt, AirGas, WyoTech, and Commercial Drivers’ Services. No registration is required and the event is open to anyone seeking employment. For more information, call the ACAP Center at 967-3258.

Got Health?

Lewis-McChord Communities are partnering with the Fort Lewis/Madigan Army Medical Center Department of Preventive Medicine Community Education Team in support of a new health promotion program, “Got Health? The Choice is Yours!”

Starting in August, subject matter experts will be visiting neighborhood community centers to offer a series of healthy living classes, including community resources for healthy living, stress management, portion distortion and financial planning. Meet your neighbors, increase your knowledge about basic nutrition and disease prevention and learn all that Fort Lewis has to offer for living a healthier and happier life.

Class No. 1 — Community Resources for Healthy Living:

● Aug. 1, 3 p.m. in Greenwood

● Aug. 12, 1:30 p.m., in Clarkdale

● Aug. 19, 6 p.m. in Discovery

● Aug. 22, 10 a.m. in Eagleview

Attendees will learn the importance of disease prevention through managing weight, tobacco cessation, stress management and self-care. Also, learn what healthy living programs are available on-line, on-post or off-post and receive a fee self-care handbook.

Are You Ready?

Army Community Service has tools and tips to help better prepare you for deployment. Join ACS at the July 16 predeployment workshop from 1:30 to 3 p.m. at the Family Resource Center.

To register, call ACS at 967-8430 or e-mail pamela.j.allen@us.army.mil.

Child care is available with prior reservation by calling Clarkmoor Hourly Care at 966-2490. Children must be registered with CYSS.

Team Lewis Beach Bash

Join BOSS July 17 at the Cascade Community Center for a Team Lewis Beach Bash from 3 to 6 p.m. Enjoy free food, fun games and great prizes. You must be at least 18 to attend and at least 21 to purchase or consume alcohol.

For more information, call the BOSS team at 967-5636.

Tacoma Rainiers

Children ages 12 through 17 can join CYSS Teen Zone for a free Tacoma Rainiers baseball game July 27. The bus departs Building 2295 at 10:30 a.m. and returns at 4:30 p.m.

Participants will receive a free Rainiers hat and a free meal — hot dog, chips and drink — at the ballpark.

Preregister by July 24. For more information, call 967-2494.

Start Smart Sports Camp

Registration for Start Smart Sports Camps runs through Aug. 7 for ages 3 to 5. The next camp is Aug. 11 to 13. The cost is $15.

Start Smart helps children learn the basic motor skills necessary to play organized sports. The program focuses on teaching children and their parents basic sports mechanics without the threat of competition or the fear of getting hurt.

Register at Building 2295, 12th and Bitar. Call 967-2494 for more information.

State jobs

Washington State Department of Personnel will hold a veterans’ workshop to describe employment opportunities with the state of Washington, July 21 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., at WorkSource Lakewood Affiliate, 5712 Main Street SW, Suite 200, in Lakewood.

There will be an additional presentation by the Washington State Patrol recruitment supervisor. To register, call 982-2009.

WorkSource is an equal-opportunity partnership of organizations that provide employment and training services. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to people with disabilities.

Youth volleyball camp

Registration for Bump, Set, Spike Youth Volleyball Camp runs until July 30, for ages 9 to 15. The camp is Aug. 3 to 5 from 10 a.m. to noon; the cost is $15. Learn the fundamentals of volleyball. All skill levels are welcome.

Register at Building 2295, 12th and Bitar. Call 967-2494 for more information.

Fort Lewis Toastmasters

Toastmasters has a new meeting location and is looking for new members.

The Melting Pot Toastmasters is an award-winning Toastmasters club based on Fort Lewis. The club meets for an hour every Wednesday at 12:10 p.m. in the first floor conference room 1025, in the 191st Infantry Brigade headquarters building on Division Drive near the Family Resource Center.

Watch ‘UFC Fight 100’

If you like mixed martial arts, combatives or just like a good fight, the Fort Lewis clubs have an event for you.

Come out on Saturday and watch “UFC Fight 100” at Club North or Cascade Community Center. Doors open at 6 p.m. Order a cold beverage and watch the undercard fights before the big matchup.

For more information call 967-2539 or visit FortLewisMWR.com.

Sergeants major golf

The Fort Lewis Sergeants Major Association is holding its annual four-person golf scramble July 17, at 1 p.m. at Eagles Pride Golf Course on Fort Lewis. The tournament is limited to the first 36 teams to sign up. Cost of the tournament is $60 per golfer, which includes golf, cart and dinner.

To register call Ron Hernandez, at 968-7877 or register online at www.orgsites.com/wa/fortlewissma/index/html.

Sign up as a team or as an individual and organizers will team you up with others.

Poster contest

The Office of Suicide Prevention is currently accepting submissions for the 2010 Suicide Prevention Poster Contest. Posters should be creative and employ specific suicide-awareness messages.

Posters are required to be 8 x 12 inches and may be submitted by individuals or teams of up to five members. The winning poster, chosen in early September, will be the lead display for 2010 Suicide Prevention efforts.

Submissions can be sent by e-mail to gary.ouellette@us.army.mil or hand delivered to the Office of Suicide Prevention, Building 2008B, Room B111.

Stress-management class

The Fort Lewis Advocacy Program offers a stress-management class on the third floor of Building 2013B, in the FAP Conference Room, from 1 to 3 p.m. on Tuesday and July 21 and 28. Get a better understanding of stress and its effects on health and readiness; learn to identify physical and emotional reactions to stress, and learn about stress management tools and how to use them effectively.

For more information, call 967-5901.

1st SFG organizational day

The 1st Special Forces Group will host a unit organizational day today at the unit’s compound on Fort Lewis. Military organizational days are traditionally held to promote esprit de corps and camaraderie in a unit, as well as provide time together for unit members and their families.

The 2009 1st SFG organizational day will feature a pistol and skeet-shooting competition, and other events for Soldiers and other attendees. Children’s events, including face painting and a water-balloon toss, are also scheduled. The organizational day is open to current and former members of 1st SFG and their families. The event is free.

For more information, call Capt. Houston Sheets at 967-8848.

Family communication

If you would like to know more about healthy ways to communicate with your spouse, sign up for a family communication class. Offered by the Family Advocacy Program and the Family Life Center, the class is held on the first Tuesday of each month, in Building 9120, Four Chaplains Memorial Chapel, from 1 to 3 p.m.

For more information, call 967-5901.

Warrior Leader Course

The Warrior Leader Course, Class 008-09 will in-process Wednesday. Students must report to Building 3114 at 5 a.m. Sponsors must be at Building 5996 at 5 a.m.

For more information, call 967-7294.

Basketball camp

Registration for Craig Hodges’ basketball camp runs through Aug. 17. This camp is for children of deployed Soldiers. Craig Hodges, an assistant coach for the L.A. Lakers, has won three NBA championships.

The camp will be Aug. 17 through Aug. 21 at the Youth Center Teen Zone Gymnasium. Ages 5 to 10 will meet from 9 to 11 a.m. and ages 11 to 18 from 1 to 3 p.m.

Fall soccer

Jump, kick and run into the new school year with fall soccer. Registration for fall soccer will run until Aug. 14, for ages 3 to 15. The season is Aug. 24 through Oct. 17. Learn the fundamentals while having fun. Register at Building 2295, 12th and Bitar. For more information, call 967-2494.

British Soccer Camp

Registration is under way for British Soccer Camp, July 20 to 24, for ages 3 to 16. Register online at www.challengersports.com.

Cost of the camp is: $69 for ages 3 to 4; $81 for ages 4 to 5; $107 for ages 6 to 16; and $154 for ages 7 to 16, full days.

British Soccer Camps provide players of all ages and abilities with the rare opportunity to receive high-level soccer coaching from a team of international experts. Each day includes individual foot skills, technical drills, tactical practices, small-sided games, coached scrimmages and a daily tournament. The Challenger coaching staff provides lessons in respect, responsibility, integrity, sportsmanship and leadership.

Japanese spouses’ group

If your husband is deployed or deploying, you are new to the area, you have questions or if you just want to meet and talk with other Japanese spouses, the Japanese Spouse Support Group is here for you. You can join the group for monthly meetings, fundraising events, fun activities, such as barbecues, lady’s night and other events.

For more information, contact japanesearmywivesupportgroup@gmail.com.

Summer reading program

Fort Lewis Library System is launching its 2009 summer reading program: “Be Creative at Your Library!” The reading program is open to young people — preschool through young adult (parents are welcome to read, too) — with reading incentives, activities, crafts, story times and more.

● Storytime at Book Patch: Tuesdays, 10:30 to 11 a.m.

Tuesday — Dress as your favorite storybook character

July 21 — Bring a brown bag lunch to the library (enjoy our courtyard)

July 28 — Summer fun! (bring your beach towel to sit on)

● Super Saturday storytime, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at Crittenberger: Saturday, July 18 and 25

● Weekly activities at Book Patch: Wednesdays, 1 to 2 p.m.

Wednesday — Sidewalk chalk

July 22 — Collages

July 29 – Origami

● Summer Reading Program ends July 31. Last day to collect prizes.

● Grand finale and recognition ceremony at Grandstaff Library Aug. 5, 1 to 3 p.m.

For more information call 967-5533, 967-5889 or visit www.fortlewismwr.com/library/.

Walk to Iraq

Registration for all ages is ongoing for “Walk to Iraq.” Track your fitness improvement while you “Walk to Iraq” until your Soldiers return. “Walk to Iraq” meets Mondays and Wednesdays. There is no cost, and everyone is welcome to join in the fun. Register at Building 2295, at 12th and Bitar.

Call 967-2494 for more information.

Calendar

The following holidays and days of no scheduled activities are planned:

● Aug. 7, DONSA

● Sept. 4, DONSA

● Sept. 7, Labor Day

Firing notices

● 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment will fire mortars in the Fort Lewis Artillery Impact Area, until midnight tonight, using Mortar Point 7.

● 2nd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group will fire mortars in the Fort Lewis Artillery Impact Area, from midnight Aug. 10 until midnight Aug. 14, using Mortar Point 4.

WNBA

Come celebrate military and veterans appreciation night with the the Seattle Storm WNBA team, at Key Arena in Seattle, at 5 p.m. July 19. The Storm will play the Minnesota Lynx. There will be a 3-point shooting contest for all pre-purchased military ticket holders before the game. Tickets are just $10.

For information call Tom Adamski at (206) 272-2526 or e-mail him at dferguson@stormbasketball.com.

Homework help

Fort Lewis Libraries offer free online homework help. Tutors who are specialists in their subject areas are waiting to help every day from 2 to 9 p.m. This service is for any grade level, any subject.

Just log on to www.fortlewismwr.com/library/.

For more information call 967-5533 or 967-5889.

Alcohol awareness

To help promote healthy drinking habits, TRICARE Management Activity has a Web site to combat alcohol abuse and promote responsible drinking. The Web site, found at www.tricare.mil/alcoholawareness, provides information, links and news about alcohol, underage drinking, alcoholism and substance abuse.

Common Sense Parenting

Are you tired of having to ask your child three times to do something? If so, then give Common Sense Parenting a try. The New Parent Support Program’s Common Sense Parenting is a class that helps form strong and healthy families by building on existing parenting skills and learning new ways to deal with children’s problem behaviors.

Classes are free and are led by trained facilitators committed to helping parents create a positive and healthy environment in which both children and parents can thrive.

To register for Common Sense Parenting, call 966-1088. Limited child care is available with three weeks’ prior notice; call 966-1088.

CYSS Youth Fitness

Registration for CYSS Youth Fitness is ongoing. Workout times at the Jensen Family Health and Fitness Center are Monday through Friday, 3 to 7 p.m. and at McVeigh Sports and Fitness Center on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There is no participation fee. Register with Child, Youth and School Services. A parent or guardian must be present during the on-site assessment with the physical trainer. Proper workout attire is required. Youth fitness is open to ages 13 and older. Visit Central Registration at Building 2295 at 12th Street and Bitar Avenue to register for CYSS Sports. Bring the following: ID card, sports physical, immunization record and three local emergency points of contact.

For more information, call 967-2494.

PWOC

Are you new to Fort Lewis? Are you tired of the long days of deployments? Are you looking for a place where you can join other women and be refreshed and renewed? Then join the ladies of Protestant Women of the Chapel every Wednesday morning from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at the Main Post Chapel.

Check out the group Web site, www.pwocftlewis.org, for more information.

Community Resource Guide

A comprehensive tool listing Fort Lewis services is now on the Web. The Community Resource Guide provides contact information on services available for those working or living on Fort Lewis. It also contains links to services near the installation.

Access the guide at http://www.lewis.army.mil/resourceguide/ or by selecting the appropriate link on Fort Lewis public Web sites.

Family life consultants

No-cost, confidential civilian military family life counseling services are now available at local off-post locations. Meet with licensed family counselors to clarify problems, handle crises, develop action plans or prioritize and resolve problems. Locations include Lacey and Lakewood.

To schedule appointments, call 1 (800) 977-7595.

American Legion Vetcam

Soldiers and other service members deployed overseas can now use Webcams to talk with their families back home, thanks to the American Legion’s new “VetCam.” This free Webcam service enables face-to-face talk on personal computers by simply registering as a user. Once registered, each user can connect with two Webcams and use the service 24/7 from any place with an Internet connection.

To initiate the service, users need a Webcam or a computer with a built-in Webcam. Then, just go to the American Legion Web site, click on “VetCams,” register and start communicating. Once registered, simply log in at any time to connect. Visit http://www.legion.org/ for more information.

ACS volunteers needed

Do you want to serve your community? Would you like to get free child care while you serve? Become an Army Community Service volunteer. ACS is currently searching for a volunteer coordinator to manage the ACS volunteer program. ACS is also seeking volunteers to provide administrative support to various departments within the ACS office in Waller Hall.

For more information go to www.myarmylifetoo.com or call 967-6399.

Youth fitness training

Child, Youth and School Services youth cardio strength training is open to those at least 13 years of age. Program workout times: Jensen Family Health and Fitness Center: Monday through Friday, 3 to 8 p.m. and McVeigh Sports and Fitness Center: Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Register at CYSS Central Registration, Building 2166 (bring ID, sports physical, shot record and three local emergency contacts).

Registration is free.

For more information, call 967-2494.

E-cycling waste

Fort Lewis has a free, convenient and environmentally responsible electronics recycling program for computers, monitors, laptops and televisions.

The Fort Lewis Recycle Center located at Building 5290 (behind the commissary off Nevada Avenue) is an approved collection site for electronics waste from all persons with installation access. The Recycle Center phone number is 381-5169; the hours of operation are 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

It is important to recycle electronics rather than just throw them away. Many contain toxic materials, such as lead, cadmium and mercury. If you have electronic items that still work, first consider donating them to the Fort Lewis Thrift Store.

Gate hours and locations

Fort Lewis gate hours and locations:

● Liberty (Main), 24 hours, 7 days a week, I-5 Exit 120 to Main Post;

● 41st Division (North Fort), 24 hours, 7 days a week, I-5 Exit 120 to North Fort;

● Logistics Center, 5 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday to Friday (closed on federal holidays), I-5 Exit 123 — Thorne Lane;

● Madigan, 24 hours, 7 days a week, I-5 Exit 122 — Berkeley Street;

● East Gate, 24 hours, 7 days a week, East Gate Road and 4th Division Drive (connects to SR 507);

● DuPont Gate, 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., 7 days a week, I-5 Exit 119;

● D Street (POV), 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., 7 days a week, access to North Fort from DuPont-Steilacoom Road;

● D Street (CVIP), 5 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday to Friday (closed on federal holidays), same as D Street (POV);

● Scouts Out, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., 7 days a week (closed on federal holidays), 2nd Division Range Road;

● Transmission Line (ASP), 5:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Friday (closed on federal holidays), Transmission Line Road;

● Center Drive (outbound only), 4 to 6 p.m., Monday to Thursday, 3 to 6 p.m. on Friday (closed on federal holidays), adjacent to the Regional Confinement Facility;

● I Street Gate (North Fort) (inbound only), 5 to 9 a.m., Monday to Friday (closed on federal holidays), 1 1⁄2 miles north of DuPont Exit 119, Just off DuPont-Steilacoom Road;

● Lincoln-Rainier Gate, 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. 7 days a week, from off post — access via Perimeter Road/150th Street; from on-post — access via Rainier Drive and Lincoln Street on the Logistics Center.

McChord gate hours and locations:

● Main Gate, 24 hours, 7 days a week, I-5 Exit 125 (Bridgeport Way);

● Barnes Gate, 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., 7 days a week, Perimeter Road, approximately 1/2 mile from the Lincoln Boulevard gate exit of Fort Lewis;

● Commercial Vehicle Inspection Point 5 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday (closed on federal holidays), Perimeter Road approximately 1⁄4 mile from the Lincoln Boulevard gate exit of Fort Lewis;

● Woodbrook Housing Gate, 6 to 9 a.m. and 3 to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday, I-5 Exit 124 — Gravelly Lake.

Wounded Warrior Sports

Disabled Soldiers on active duty may participate in the Wounded Warrior Sports Program, where they may compete in a variety of sports at the state and national levels.

For more information, call Dale Eichhorst, DFMWR Sports, at 967-2604.

Education counseling

Army education counseling is available at Stone Education Center (967-7174), Monday through Wednesday, and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; at Madigan Army Medical Center (968-2707), Room No. G-94-6 (the ground floor re-enlistment office), every Tuesday from 8 to 11:30 a.m. and Thursday from 1 to 4:30 p.m. On-site education counseling includes: GoArmyEd, MGIB information, scholarships and financial aid, tuition assistance, college information, chapter counseling and other education matters. No appointment is necessary.

Giant Campus

Giant Campus, a nationwide leader in technology training, offers free on-site and at-home technology courses, free-of-charge to the Fort Lewis community. You can take Web design, digital photography, programming, EXCEL, Word, PowerPoint, game design, 3D animation, and computer fundamentals and basics.

These courses typically cost as much as $699 and are offered exclusively to Soldiers, family members, retirees and DOD civilians.

For more information, log on to http://fortlewis.giantcampus.com or, for class information, to http://fortlewis.giantcampus.com/MRMS/Schedule.aspx.

Cooperative preschool

Carousel Parent Cooperative Preschool is located on North Fort Lewis.

The preschool provides a safe and caring place for both children and families to grow. In a cooperative preschool, the parents work alongside the teacher to ensure that each child benefits fully from the curriculum. Families who participate in the program will receive a college credit from Clover Park Technical College.

Parents are integral to the success of our program.

Your involvement helps your children grow and develop and prepares them for kindergarten. The preschool currently has openings for children who turned 3 by Aug. 31, 2008. The school has a waiting list for those interested in enrolling their children into the class for 4-year-olds.

For more information, call the preschool at 964-8450.

National Resource Directory

The National Resource Directory, the online “yellow book” for wounded, ill and injured service members, their families, veterans and those who care about them, was launched in November. This resource, a joint DOD, VA and DOL initiative, brings together more than 10,000 programs in Warrior Care, which are organized into six major categories: benefits and compensation; education, training and employment; family and caregiver support; health; housing and transportation; and services and resources.

Go to https://www.nationalresourcedirectory.org.

FAA Written Examinations

The Voluntary Education Testing Center at McChord Air Force Base has been granted authorization by The Federal Aviation Administration to administer all FAA written examinations. It is one of six FAA testing centers throughout DOD to be authorized for this program. Exams include commercial pilot; recreational pilot and private pilot; instrument rating, aviation mechanic general, powerplant, and airframe; and parachute rigger; flight and ground instructor; flight engineer; aircraft dispatcher; airline transport pilot, and sport pilot.

● Fully funded by DOD for eligible active-duty, National Guard and Reserve,

● Common Access Card must say “Armed Forces of the United States” not “United States DOD/Uniformed Services,”

● No civilian testing, including retired military is authorized.

Call the Education and Training Center (982-5695) to be registered in the FAA Airman Knowledge Testing database and then be scheduled for the exams.

TARC

You may use Stone Education Center’s Technical and Academic Resource Center (a high-tech, multi-media, and computer resource facility) to access the Internet, pursue distance learning programs, type term papers, perform official work when unit or office computers are not available, brush up on typing skills, scan pictures or documents, produce slide shows for briefings or classes, prepare assignments, setup and access free e-mail accounts, perform research from the CD ROM library (i.e. encyclopedia, mathematics, English, and computer programs), study from the educational CD-ROM collection (English and mathematics), make photocopies and print documents (please provide your own paper).

The hours of operation are Monday through Thursday 8:15 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Friday 8:15 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.. The TARC is closed on all federal holidays.

For more information call 967-2171.

Tobacco and health

A health-promotion class is available to units or family readiness groups.

The class is about one hour long and covers the effects of secondhand smoke, tobacco industry tactics to keep users addicted, importance of protecting yourself and your children from secondhand smoke, how a tobacco user can create a quit plan and cessation programs available at Madigan.

To arrange a class, call Cynthia L. Hawthorne, MAMC Department of Preventive Medicine, at 968-4387. To obtain a tobacco-cessation appointment, call TRICARE at (800) 404-4506.

Chapel program for children

Kids for Christ, a youth group for children in grades 1 through 6, is now offered weekly at the Main Post Chapel. The group meets every Wednesday from 6 to 7 p.m.

For information on the new program, call Ali at 377-3836.

Reproductive information

Army Public Health Nursing Service provides education to units on pregnancy prevention, family planning attitudes, reproductive cycle, contraceptive options and responsible decision-making. This class is to have Soldiers take control of their reproductive lives and realize that there is a safe and effective method of birth control for each individual. This is a three-hour interactive session at the unit location. Classes may be co-ed.

To schedule a workshop, call 968-4382.

Fort Lewis Thrift Shop

For great prices on clothes, furniture and a whole lot more, come to the Fort Lewis Thrift Shop, located in Buildings 2070 and 2071 on Pendleton Avenue across from the old fire station — open for shopping Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and the first Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Consignments are accepted Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the first Saturday of the month.

Also, the Thrift Shop accepts donations and needs volunteers (will pay for child care). Call the Thrift Shop at 964-0445 for more information.

Unit tobacco training

The annual Unit Tobacco Training class, “Tobacco and Its Effects on Readiness,” is available to units now. The class can be arranged for 30, 45 or 60 minutes, whatever the unit schedule allows. The federal tax on cigarettes may increase 60 cents per pack, bringing the price of the average pack of cigarettes in Washington state close to $6.

Recent research indicates that nicotine addiction can put a significant financial strain on the junior enlisted Soldiers — and that they report financial problems among their leading causes of stress.

Call Cynthia Hawthorne, MAMC Department of Preventive Medicine, at 968-4387 to arrange a class date and time.

School district Web sites Auburn — www.auburn.wednet.edu/

Bethel — www.bethelsd.org

Bremerton — www.bremertonschools.org

Clover Park — www.cloverpark.k12.wa.us/

Eatonville — www.cruiser.eatonvillewednet.edu/

Federal Way — www.fwps.org/

Fife — www.fifeschools.com

Franklin Pierce — www.fp.k12.wa.us

Lakewood — www.lwsd.wednet.edu/

North Thurston — www.nthurston.k1.wa.us/

Olympia — www.kids.osd.wednet.edu/

Orting — www.orting.wednet.edu/

Peninsula — www.peninsula.wednet.edu

Puyallup — www.puyallup.k12.wa.us/

Renton — www.renton.wednet.edu/

Steilacoom — www.steilacoom.k12.wa.us/

Sumner — www.sumner.wednet.edu/

Tacoma Public Schools — www.tacoma.k12.wa.us

Tahoma — www.tahoma.wednet.edu/

Tumwater — www.tumwater.k12.wa.us

University Place — www.upsd.wednet.edu/

Vashon Island — www.vashonsd.org/

More Information — Puget Sound Educational Service District, www.psesd.org.

Fort Lewis Military Museum

Visit the Fort Lewis Military Museum Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. (closed federal holidays). The Fort Lewis Military Museum collects, preserves, displays and interprets artifacts relevant to Fort Lewis’ history and the units that have served here. The museum features an outstanding collection of uniforms, weapons, military art and memorabilia associated with post and the U.S. Army.

Located in Building 4320 on North Fort Lewis, the staff can be reached at 967-4523.

BOSS designated drivers

Going out to the clubs on post and need a safe ride? Take advantage of the BOSS Designated Driver Program. Volunteer Soldiers drive the BOSS van on Friday and Saturday nights between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m., transporting Soldiers between the on-post clubs.

Call 208-9169 for a safe, no-questions-asked ride.

Web-based refills

Many Madigan patients have already used the call-in refill line at 968-2999 or (800) 544-3298 (Option 4), but there’s also a Web-based refill service. When patients input their request, they will receive real-time feedback on the status of their medications. Go to www.mamc.amedd.army.mil, and click on “pharmacy prescription refills.”

Off-limits

The Armed Forces Disciplinary Control Board places the following areas and establishments off limits:

● Ginseng Spa, 125588 Pacific Highway in Tacoma;

● Royal Steam Bath, 9324 1/2 South Tacoma Way in Tacoma;

● Shanghai Sauna, 12507 Pacific Highway in Tacoma;

● Café Arizona, 2012 South 320th Street in Federal Way;

● Club NAF, 6327 West Marginal Way in Seattle.

● Studio B (formerly Club FX), 333 Elliott Avenue West in Seattle; and

● United State of Consciousness events, P.O. Box 13350 in Des Moines.

● Advance-Til-Payday, 2500 6th Street, Bremerton.

Sergeants Major Association The Sergeants Major Association of Fort Lewis meets the third Wednesday of each month at 4:30 p.m. at the Cascade Community Center.

All active and retired sergeants major of the U.S. Army, reserve components or equivalent grades of other branches, are eligible for membership in the association. For more information, call 297-3403.

ACAP Web site

ACAP online is a valuable Army tool that enables Soldiers anywhere in the world to access essential transition information. ACAP online can be accessed at www.acap.army.mil.

The Web site has a more modern look and provides eight user paths, each tailored to a specific population. The paths are Army leaders, active, Reserve, retirees, Army veterans, DA civilians, family members and employers.

Attention all tobacco users

Did you know that night vision is affected by tobacco use?

Chemicals from using tobacco products get into your bloodstream and can damage the delicate blood vessels inside your eyes. Nicotine constricts veins and arteries, which reduces blood flow throughout the body.

Circulation is important to the eyes and their function. Nicotine inhibits the production of rhodopsin which is the chemical pigment responsible for adaptation to darkness.

Tobacco users can develop cataracts at an earlier age than non-users. A plaque of whitish material covers the back of the lens, scattering light rays and causing blurred vision and glare, especially at night with oncoming lights. Ready to quit?

Call Tricare at 1-800-404-4506, Okubo at 966-1991 or Army Public Health at 968-4382. For annual unit training: Tobacco: Effects on Readiness, call 968-4387.

Society of Military Widows

Society of Military Widows meets the first Tuesday of each month at the the McChord Air Force Base club. Please join us for luncheon and vital information you might need.

For more information call Liz at 539-5171.

Designated Driver program

Designated Driver is a program supported by volunteer Soldiers, who drive the BOSS van on Friday and Saturday nights, transporting Soldiers to and from the clubs on-post.

Call 967-9777 for a safe, no-questions-asked ride, Friday and Saturday nights from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. Attention dippers and chewers

Although many people think smokeless tobacco is a safe alternative to smoking, it’s not.

Did you know that a person who uses eight to 10 dips a day receives the same amount of nicotine as a heavy smoker who smokes 30 to 40 cigarettes a day?

Smokeless tobacco is made from a mixture of tobacco, nicotine, sweeteners, abrasives, salts and chemicals. It contains more than 3,000 chemicals, including about 28 known carcinogens. Harmful chemicals in smokeless tobacco include Polonium 210 (nuclear waste), tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines or TSNAs (cancer-causing agents found in tobacco), formaldehyde (embalming fluid), nicotine, cadmium (used in car batteries), cyanide, arsenic, benzene and lead.

Like smoking tobacco, smokeless tobacco affects the cardiovascular system and may be associated with heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure. Long-term effects of dipping and chewing include leukoplakia, tooth abrasion, gum recession, gum and tooth disease, loss of bone in the jaw, yellowing of teeth, and chronic bad breath.

Other health consequences of using smokeless tobacco include cancer of the mouth (including the lip, tongue, cheek and floor and roof of the mouth) and throat.

Want to quit?

Army Public Health Nursing has tobacco cessation clinics on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at 1 p.m. — call 968-4382. Okubo has a clinic every Friday at 9 a.m. — call 966-1991. Or call Tricare for an appointment at Internal Medicine, 1-800-404-4506.

Attention all tobacco users

Did you know —

Atherosclerosis is a process that develops over years but is accelerated by tobacco use. When cholesterol and other fats deposit in the arteries, leaving them narrow, blocked or rigid circulation is impaired and blood clots are likely to form. Tobacco use accelerates the hardening and narrowing process in your arteries: it starts earlier and blood clots are two to four times more likely.

Approximately eight out of 10 heart bypass patients use tobacco.

Blood clots in the heart and brain are the most common causes of sudden death.

Tobacco users who have a heart attack are more likely to die and die suddenly (within an hour) than are non-tobacco users.

You’re working hard for your retirement — don’t surrender it to a tobacco caused disease.

Call Tricare at 1-800-404-4506 to book an appointment at Family Medicine or Army Community Health Nursing or call Okubo Clinic at 966-1991 to book an appointment in their Friday tobacco cessation clinic. Does your unit want to conquer their tobacco addiction? Call Cindy Hawthorne at 968-4387.

Attention smokers

Enjoy better health in 2006 — conquer your nicotine addiction! The following program options are available: MAMC offers a three week in-depth group program, weekly group classes, in-patient counseling and individual appointments because one size does not fit all. Call 968-4487/4387 for program information.

● Option 1: Army Community Health Nursing three week tobacco cessation program. Classes are 2 hours once a week for three weeks, located in the Community Health Nursing Conference Room at Old Madigan, Bldg 9912 B. Book through TRICARE: 1-800-404-4506

● Option 2: Okubo Clinic, North Fort Lewis. Tobacco Cessation Clinic every Friday at 9 a.m. Call 966-1991

● Option 3: Unit Training — we come to you — 968-4387

● Option 4: In-patient, individual or pregnant counseling — 968-2937

● Option 5: Army Community Health Nursing Cessation Clinic, the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at 1 p.m. — call TRICARE at 1-800-404-4506. Individual appointments call 968-4382.

● Option 6: Are you a shift worker or in the field a lot? Call 968-4387.

● Option 7: Washington State Quitline – toll free 1-877-270-7867 — speak with a counselor from the comfort of your home.

Or go on-line to www.smokefree.gov.

Unit tobacco cessation training

Attention all first sergeants and commanders: a tobacco use cessation class for units has been created to discourage use of tobacco products. Unit Soldiers are educated on the progressively debilitating effects of tobacco use and second-hand smoke on physical and mental well-being.

Discussion includes impact on the health of families and units, what causes the tobacco addiction and the impact on the service member’s personal finances.

Civilian employees and family members are encouraged to attend, too. Possible outcomes are increased camaraderie as the unit supports the efforts of tobacco users to stop, increase in overall unit readiness and APFT scores, and an increase in unit productivity due to fewer smoke breaks and decreased sick call.

For more information please call Cindy Hawthorne, MAMC Community Health Nursing, at 968-4387 or 968-4382 or e-mail: cynthia.hawthorne@amedd.army.mil.

POV Resale Lot

New at Fort Lewis? Need a second car? Check out the POV Resale Lot, located at the corner of Kaufman Street and Pendleton Avenue.

You can place your vehicle in the Resale Lot by registering at the Arts and Crafts Center, located in Building 5038.

Attention tobacco users

Did you know:

● Approximately 60 percent of people in the U.S. have biological evidence of secondhand smoke exposure;

● Using tobacco accelerates the aging process causing joint and back pain;

● It takes an average of 39 weeks for a bone fracture to heal in a tobacco user versus 21 weeks in a non-user; and

● Tobacco use negatively affects formation of new bone and users are more apt to develop degenerative disorders and injuries and to have more trouble recovering from surgery?

Want to learn more?

Please call Army Community Health Nursing, at 968-4387 to arrange for an annual unit training class or Tricare at 1-800-404-4506 for an individual Tobacco Cessation appointment.

Attention

Event announcements must be received no later than the Friday before publication.

They can be e-mailed to nwgeditor@nwguardian.com.Announcements can be viewed online at NWGuardian.com. The Northwest Guardian office is located in the basement of Building 2026-B.

For more information, call 967-0173.