Lewis Ledger, Nov. 13

Northwest Guardian

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.

Grief counseling

Madigan Army Medical Center Behavioral Health professionals, Madigan and Fort Lewis Pastoral Care professionals, and Army Community Services Family Life consultants, are ready to provide needed counseling services to all members of the Fort Lewis community as a result of the tragic attack at Fort Hood. Active duty, spouses and family members can call Military OneSource, which offers 24-hour assistance, at 1-800-342-9647.

For Madigan’s Behavioral Health services, including grief counseling and crisis intervention, call 968-3172 or 968-2700. For Madigan Pastoral services during duty hours, call 968-1125, after duty at 968-1385 or the on-call chaplain at 967-0015. For Army Community Services Family Life consultants, call 495-8425.

Stress management

The Fort Lewis Family Advocacy Program offers a weekly stress management class, from 1 to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays in the FAP Conference Room, Building 2013B. Get a better understanding of stress and its effects on health and readiness. Identify physical and emotional reactions to stress. Learn about stress management tools and how to use them effectively. Call 967-5901 to schedule a class for your unit or family readiness group.

Museum closing

The Fort Lewis Military Museum will close to the public on Nov. 16, for renovation and restoration of the historic building. The Fort Lewis Gift Store — the Cannon Shop — located in the museum, is holding a sale to clear inventory prior to the museum’s closure. The museum will reopen to the public in spring 2011.

This will be the most extensive renovation of the building since its construction was completed in 1919.

The Fort Lewis Museum originally housed the Red Shield Inn and was built and operated by the Salvation Army. Although the First World War ended in November 1918, the post was still very active as thousands of Soldiers returned for demobilization. In 1921 the Salvation Army transferred ownership of the Red Shield to the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps for the nominal fee of $1. Under various names the building continued to be used as a guest house until 1972. In 1973, the inn was converted into the Fort Lewis Military Museum. On Feb. 5, 1979, the Fort Lewis Military Museum building was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places.

Please check the Museum’s Web sites for periodic updates during the construction period:

http://www.lewis.army.mil/ or http://www.fortlewismuseum.com/flm/.

Tax preparation volunteers

The Fort Lewis Office of the Staff Judge Advocate is seeking civilian volunteers to assist at the Tax Center. Volunteers will assist in a high-volume environment, assisting Soldiers, dependents and retirees in preparing their 2009 tax returns. The center’s operations begin Jan. 20 and run through April 16. Volunteers are required to complete a one-week training during Dec. 14-18. This training is put on by the Internal Revenue Service, and at the end of the training, each volunteer is certified as a tax preparer. Persons with prior experience in tax preparation, accounting or legal backgrounds are especially welcome.

To become a volunteer, visit www.myarmyonesource.com — the volunteer position “Tax Clerk/Data Entry (No Prior Experience Needed)” is located under JAG — General.

Holiday concert

The 56th Army Band, along with Navy Band Northwest, will present a holiday concert Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. in Carey Theater. Enjoy all your holiday classics and get the season started in the finest style. Admission is free.

Team Lewis

Join BOSS Nov. 20 at the Cascade Community Center for Team Lewis from 3 to 6 p.m. Enjoy complimentary gourmet pizza from Garlic Jim’s, fun games and great prizes. You must be at least 18 to attend and 21 to purchase or consume alcohol. For more information, call the BOSS Team at 967-5636.

UFC Fight 106

If you like mixed martial arts, combatives or just enjoy a good fight, come out Nov. 21 to watch UFC Fight 106 at Cascade Community Center. Doors open at 6, and fights start at 7 p.m. Order a cold beverage and watch the undercard fights before the big matchup. For more information call 964-0331.

UXO destruction

In accordance with the fall 2009 Fort Lewis range-clearance program, 3rd Ordnance Battalion will conduct dud clearing and destruction of unexploded ordnance in the Fort Lewis Artillery Impact Area, Monday to Nov. 20. Timeline for actual days for UXO destruction is Wednesday to Nov. 20. UXOs in the targeted area are mostly 105 mm, 155 mm and some 8-inch artillery high-explosive rounds. C-4 will be used to destroy the UXOs; therefore, live-fire noise concerns will be as follows: (1) 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 to 5 p.m., C-4 charges of less than 20 pounds; (2) C-4 charges larger than 20 pounds will only be used between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m.

WLC inprocessing

The Henry H. Lind NCO Academy Warrior Leader Course, Class 003-10, will inprocess Dec. 2. Students must report to Building 3114 at 5 a.m. Sponsors must report to Building 5996 at 5 a.m. For more information, call 967-7294.

FCC amnesty

To decrease the risk of child abuse and neglect in unauthorized care, the Family Child Care Program has initiated an amnesty program allowing individuals who are not certified FCC providers, but are regularly caring for children in on-post housing, an opportunity to register with Child, Youth and School Services without penalty.

If you are currently providing unauthorized child care in your home, call the FCC Program at 967-3039 for information on how you can become certified, or pick up an application in Building 2013B on Pendleton at 3rd Avenue.

FCC provides free training, as well as free child care while you become certified. Any training and credit gained through the FCC program is transferable to working in a child-development center.

Healthy living

Learn about the great fitness programs offered at your local fitness centers. Call 966-3757 and ask for a tour. Talk to the experts and learn proper exercise techniques for the best results and to avoid injury. Arrange a free appointment with a personal trainer and ask about a free MicroFit and Wellness assessment. Did you know that Jensen Family Health and Fitness Center has free child care? What are you waiting for? Call 966-3757 today. Come alone, bring a friend or bring the whole family and get started on a new, healthy lifestyle together. For more information about the Healthy Living series, call Army Public Health Nursing at 968-4382.

Got Health? The choice is yours.

New Year’s celebration

Celebrate New Year’s Eve with a black-and-white-themed gala at American Lake Community Center Dec. 31 from 8 p.m. until 2 a.m. Ticket prices are $45 for singles and $80 for couples. Dinner choices include prime rib, game hen or vegetarian butternut squash ravioli. There will be a breakfast buffet served at 12:30 a.m. Dance to a variety of music by DJ Eric, and ring in the New Year with party favors and a complimentary New Year’s toast. Reservations are required by Dec. 15. For more information call 964-1209.

Job fair

There will be a job fair sponsored by Fort Lewis Employment Readiness Service Dec. 4, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the ACS Annex, Building 2166, on Liggett Avenue and 12th Street, across from Waller Hall. Attendees will meet many local employers and have opportunities to interview for available positions. For more information, call 967-7287, 966-8325 or 967-3538.

Job opening

The Fort Lewis Thrift Shop has an opening for a full-charge bookkeeper. Interested parties can send their resumes to the Thrift Shop, P.O. Box 33274, Fort Lewis, WA 98433. For more information, call 964-0445.

Road closure

Fort Lewis will close an 8,000-foot section of North Gate Road SW, also known as Huggins Meyers Road SW, which is outside the North Fort D Street Gate, beginning Monday for 45 days for repair and resurfacing.

North Gate Road SW is used for commuter traffic from Lakewood to DuPont. North Gate Road SW is the property of Fort Lewis and must be closed during the construction period because the road is too narrow to keep one lane open and safely do the work while traffic passes in the opposite lane. During the road closure, the D Street Gate on Fort Lewis will remain open.

ACS Holiday Assistance

Army Community Service traditionally offers commanders a holiday dinner program to assist Army families in need during the holidays. ACS will provide commanders with cash vouchers for identified Soldiers.

Vouchers are redeemable at the Fort Lewis Commissary for food purchases only. Commanders determine which Soldiers within their commands will receive assistance. Basic guidelines for establishing need will be provided to command sergeants major.

Fort Lewis does not have a program to connect Soldiers and families with people off-post. Those who want to support Soldiers and their families during the holidays can make donations to the Army Community Service Holiday Assistance Program by calling (253) 967-9917.

Closure

The Waller Hall ID card and DEERS facility will be closed Nov. 26 through 29 for Thanksgiving weekend. Normal customer service operation will resume Nov. 30, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call 967-7888.

Night firing notices

● 14th Engineer Battalion will train with demolitions in the Fort Lewis Artillery Impact Area, from midnight Nov. 22 until midnight Nov. 24, from midnight Dec. 2 until midnight Dec. 3, and from midnight Dec. 8 until midnight Dec. 10, using Range 57.

Calendar

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

● Nov. 26, Thanksgiving

● Nov. 27, DONSA

● Dec. 24, DONSA

● Dec. 25, Christmas

● Dec. 31, DONSA

● Jan. 1, New Year’s Day

● Jan. 15, DONSA

● Jan. 18, MLK Day

● Feb. 12, DONSA

● Feb. 15, Presidents Day

Family Connections

The Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, in collaboration with Sesame Street Workshop, recently unveiled the “Sesame Street Family Connections” Web site: www.sesamestreetfamilyconnections.org/.

This interactive Web site allows service members and their families to stay connected in a safe and nurturing environment surrounded by their favorite Sesame Street friends.

Whether the distance between service members and their loved ones is due to deployment or recovery from an injury suffered while deployed, the “Family Connections” Web site offers young children an online environment to stay connected, while offering tools for the entire family, to aid in the recovery of the visible and invisible wounds of combat.

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.

Hourly child care

The Warrior Hourly Child Care Center is located adjacent to the Madigan Army Medical Center parking area in Building 9037 on Gardner Loop. The mission of the Warrior Center is to provide quality child care for Soldiers assigned to the Warrior Transition Battalion; however, all families registered with CYSS may use the facility on a space-available basis. Child care reservations can be made two weeks in advance. The staff provides child care for children from 6 weeks to 12 years old while Soldiers or family members attend medical appointments or use Army Family Covenant respite-care hours.

The center hours are 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. To use the facility, families must complete a free registration at the CYSS Central Registration, Building 2295 at 12th and Bitar. Call 967-2494 to make a registration appointment.

New patrons are offered the initial hour of child care free. There is a minimum reservation of two hours. Warrior Hourly Care Center also offers an early-bird special through Oct. 31. Cost is 50 percent off from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. with a minimum two-hour reservation.

To make hourly child care reservations at the Warrior Center, call 968-5656.

Clarkmoor center

Clarkmoor Hourly Care Center is located at Building 2094 on Bitar Avenue. All families registered with CYSS may use the facility. Child care reservations can be made two weeks in advance. The staff provides hourly child care for children 6 weeks to 6 years old. Hours of operation are: Monday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesday, 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Wednesday, 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, closed.

Families must complete a free registration at the CYSS Central Registration, Building 2295. Call 967-2494 to make a registration appointment.To make hourly child care reservations, call 966-2490.

Waiting families

The Waiting Families Support Group is open to family members of active-duty Soldiers on unaccompanied tours or extended TDY. It is a place to exchange ideas on how to cope with unique problems faced during a sponsor’s absence and have some light-hearted fun.

WFSG provides information on community events and ACS programs. It offers short-term crisis-intervention services and, when needed, acts as a liaison with military and civilian agencies. WFSG also addresses practical aspects of separation and relocation. Children are welcome.

WFSG meets the first Wednesday of each month at Waller Hall, ACS Room 400, from 6 to 8 p.m. For more information call 967-3633.

Free test-prep

Military family members looking forward to moving on to higher education can now get free help in preparing for standardized tests: eKnowledge Corporation, the leading supplier of interactive learning software for college test preparation, is donating $200 test-prep programs free to military families worldwide through 2010. Active-duty, Reserve, retired, National Guard and and their family members may order the software by visiting eKnowledge.com/military. For more information, contact Lori Caputo, vice president of Military Donation Programs, at (770) 992-0900.

Parenting help

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.

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 the Web site www.pwocftlewis.org, for more information.

Tutor.com

The Department of the Army now offers an online tutoring service at www.myarmyonesource.com/CYSStutor designed for kindergarten through high school students of Army service personnel.

If there are problems, call (678) 516-3667.

Emergency services tips

According to Lt. Col. Ted Solonar, Fort Lewis provost marshal, the Military Police recently received a report from an on-post quarters occupant about an individual claiming to represent a service-provider company and attempting to gain access to their home when the resident had not requested service or reported an issue.

The alleged service provider said that there was some kind of problem that needed to be checked and that he needed to come into the house to fix the problem. The individual was asked to leave and subsequently did so — but there’s a lesson to be learned here.

Residents are urged to use caution before allowing an unknown person into their homes. Service providers (telephone, TV cable, power) do not typically show up unannounced. Either the resident requests the service or the providing company notifies the customer of a problem requiring access and contacts customers to schedule times to perform the work.

If service providers arrive unexpectedly or you are suspicious of their authenticity, don’t let them into your home. Ask them to wait outside and call the provider company to confirm who they are and why they are there.

If you are still concerned, do not grant access, and ask them to reschedule the visit. If they remain persistent and do not leave, contact the Military Police and request that a patrol respond.

Remember, you are the one who decides whether these people can come into your home. When in doubt, keep them out.

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.

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.