Community Ledger, Jan. 15

‘See Something, Say Something’

From May to December 2009, Americans experienced eight terrorist plots or incidents targeting our homeland. The tactics included suicide bombing attempts on U.S. commercial aircraft, car bomb plots in New York, Illinois and Texas, backpack bombs targeting New York City mass transit systems, a small-arms plot targeting Marines at Quantico, a man-portable air-defense system plot in New York, and active shooter events at a recruiting stations in Arkansas and at Fort Hood, Texas.

Since the failed attempt to blow up Northwest Airlines Flight 253 en route from Amsterdam to Detroit on Christmas Day, several suspicious incidents have closed airports or disrupted flights. As we examine the global terrorist threat, it is clear that while fixated on a large-scale mass-casualty-producing attack on the airline industry, al-Qaida and ideologically affiliated groups, cells and individuals continue planning, preparing and executing small-scale operations using firearms, explosives or combinations of both.

Even as the al-Qaida focus shifts from Iraq to Afghanistan and Pakistan, its franchises in Africa, Yemen and other locales continue operations. Within America, the specter of a small group or lone-wolf action remains, and a mass-casualty producing attack or a small-scale event is acceptable to most Islamist plotters. America is, and will remain vulnerable to small-scale operations using firearms or explosives.

Recently disrupted plots show that homegrown terrorists and extremists recognize the impact of a properly executed small-scale event. Several such events, conducted simultaneously, could result in severe second- and third-order effects that could cripple major facets of the American economy.

In the face of these events, we all question our roles in responding to such threats. The most important thing you can do is participate in the Fort Lewis ‘See Something, Say Something’ campaign. If something is suspicious, bothers you or makes you nervous, report it. Points of Contact include; Fort Lewis Police, 967-7112; 902nd Military Intelligence Office, 967-2501; Fort Lewis CID, 967-3151; and the Force Protection Division 966-7303, 966-7317 or 677-9752, any time, day or night.

Also see the Ready Army Web site http://www.ready.gov/america/getakit/army.html/. Ready Army is an Armywide campaign developed by the Department of the Army. Preparing in advance could prevent an emergency from becoming a disaster for you and your family. When an emergency strikes, knowing what to do can save time, property and lives. Ready Army, a proactive campaign to prepare the Army Community, encourages Soldiers, their families and Army civilians to “get a kit, make a plan and be informed.”

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.

Operation Care Fair

Are you tired of the wintertime “blahs”? Do you just want to get out of the house? Come join FMWR for Operation Care Fair “Body Strong, Mind Strong, Spirit Strong,” a free day of wellness and pampering at the American Lake Community Center Jan. 30 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Enjoy consultations for skin and hair care, and aromatherapy. The event is for both women and men; mature children are also welcome.

Child care reservations can be made by calling 967-2300 (Clarkmoor Hourly Care). For more information, call 967-6744 or e-mail elizabeth.thunstedt@us.army.mil.

East Gate construction

Fort Lewis’ East Gate will undergo construction through April to upgrade existing facilities and improve service and security. This construction requires traffic revisions limiting inbound traffic to one lane. High volumes of traffic in the mornings for PT and work can result in extensive traffic back-ups.

Motorists are reminded that the Transmission Line Gate is a viable alternative for access to main post in the mornings. The Transmission Line Gate opens at 5:30 a.m., Monday through Friday. The gate is accessed by turning right from East Gate Road onto 7th Infantry Regiment Road. This intersection is just past the railroad tracks. After traveling a few miles, motorists will arrive at the intersection of Transmission Line Road, where they will turn left.

For more information, call the Directorate of Emergency Services at 966-3930.

Commissary hours

The Fort Lewis Commissary will open at 9 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. on Jan. 18, in observance of the Martin Luther King holiday. The commissary will open Jan. 19, At 9 a.m., normal business hours. The McChord Commissary will have normal hours, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Dear John Books-to-Movies

On Monday, 51 Army libraries will begin “Dear John Books-To-Movies” promotions featuring Nicholas Sparks’ latest romantic novel, coming to the big screen Feb. 5.

The promotion offers authorized FMWR patrons, at least 18 years old, opportunities to win movie-related prizes. Those who visit Grandstaff or Crittenberger libraries and check out books between Monday and Feb. 14 can enter for a chance to win a Dear John T-shirt or movie poster. Call 967-5889 for details.

Join the online virtual book club at ArmyMWR.com, read the book and answer questions for a chance to win an autographed movie poster or copy of the novel each week. While online, enter for a chance to win the grand-prize sweepstakes trip for two to Charleston, S.C.

Children and deployment workshop

There will be a Children and Deployment Workshop Tuesday, designed to help parents minimize stress, enhance resiliency and ensure the well-being of children and youths during their parents’ deployments. Attendees will learn how to tell their children about deployments, about possible reactions their children might have and will receive suggestions on how to handle situations that might arise. Attendees may come any time throughout the deployment cycle.

If you would like to attend the Tuesday workshop at the ACS Annex (Liggett and South 12th Street) from 6 to 7:30 p.m., call ACS at 967-8430 or e-mail pamela.j.allen@us.army.mil to register.

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

Mock dining-in

Calling all Fort Lewis spouses to join the Officers’ Spouses’ Club on Feb. 17 at 6 p.m. at the American Lake Community Center for its annual mock dining in.

Win prizes for best costumes, most unit participation, best unit-inspired table decorations and most items donated to the Fisher House. OSC will be collecting pantry items for Fisher House pantry this year; a list is on its Web site. Cost of the event is $20 per person, which includes dinner and festivities.

Tickets will be presold by Feb. 1 by either mail — to OSC 2nd Vice President, Box 340, Dupont, WA 98327 — or in person at the OSC cottage (Building 4201, between West Way, Pendleton Avenue and Lewis Drive) on Tuesday and Jan. 21, 26 and 28, from noon until 2 p.m. and Feb. 1 from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. and from 4 until 6 p.m.

The Child Development Center will have extended hours for child care until 10 p.m. the evening of the event. For more information, contact Terry Drushal at secondvicepres@fortlewisosc.org or visit the Web site at www.fortlewisosc.org.

OSC Store

Check out the Officers’ Spouses’ Club Ways and Means store at the OSC/ESC cottage. Open noon until 2 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the store has a variety of items for sale, including some unique Fort Lewis gifts, such as charms, stained glass and other items. The cottage is located between West Way, Lewis Drive, and Pendleton Avenue.

Army Center for Enhanced Performance

The Army Center for Enhanced Performance is offering a one-day seminar Jan. 27 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Battle Command Training Center, Building 1240, on Railroad Avenue, south of the DuPont Gate.

Just as physical training strengthens the body, mental training strengthens the mind and enhances human performance. You can develop a foundation in mental and emotional skills based on applied sport psychology techniques that include goal-setting, confidence-building, energy management, attention control and imagery. Use state-of-the-art technology and then apply these techniques during this seminar.

Call 968-7642 or e-mail LewisACEPWebmaster @conus.army.mil to reserve a seat. Space is limited.

OSC luncheon

The Officers’ Spouses’ Club invites you to its monthly members-only luncheon: “Rain, rain go away — Let’s celebrate with some wine today!” Tired of the weather? Tired of another deployment? Join OSC for a “whine and cheese” party Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. at the Officers’ Spouses’ Club Cottage, corner of West Way and Pendleton. Enjoy a wine and cheese tasting, lunch, and retired Army wife and author Judy Woods Knight will speak about what it was like back when she was an Army wife.

RSVP by Saturday with payment of $5 to reservations@fortlewisosc.org. Payments can be mailed to OSCFL, PO box 340, Dupont, WA 98327. For more information, visit the OSC Web site www.fortlewisosc.org/.

Predeployment workshop

How do you prepare for a deployment? Let Army Community Service give you the tools to help you get prepared. The predeployment workshop is Wednesday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the ACS Annex (12th and Liggett). Discussions include finances, the emotional aspect, Red Cross, care teams, communication, children and deployment, and more. Walk away with tools to help you prepare yourself and your family for the upcoming deployment.

To register for the workshop, call ACS at 967-8430 or e-mail pamela.j.allen@us.army.mil. Free child care is available with prior reservations by calling Clarkmoor Hourly Care Center at 966-2490. Children must be registered with CYS Services.

Joint Service E-9 Ball

This year’s Northwest Pacific Joint Service E-9 Ball will be sponsored by the Air Force. It will be held Feb. 6 at 6 p.m. at Hangar 9 on McChord Field. All E-9s, active-duty, Reserve, Guard, retired, and their guests are invited to attend. Attire is Mess Dress or service equivalent, or civilian formal atire. To sign up, contact the service representative listed below no later than Wednesday.

Points of Contact:

● Air Force — Chief Master Sgt. Charles Bell, 982-0064.

● Army — Sgt. Maj. Robert Carmel, 948-2968.

● Coast Guard — Master Chief Petty Officer John Dunn, (206) 220-7192.

● Navy — Command Master Chief Michael Fasano, (360) 627-2078.

● Marine — Sgt. Maj. Richard Smith, (360) 265-5248.

● Retiree — Sgt. Maj. (Ret.) Harry Schreiber, 661-9064.

Community garden

Planning is under way for a Jont Base Lewis-McChord Community Garden, and organizers want your input. An initial planning and brainstorming meeting will be held on Thursday from 2 to 3:40 p.m. The focus of the meeting is on how to make the Community Garden a convenient, accessible and fun place for the JBLM community. If you’re interested in attending this meeting or any future community garden activities, contact the JBLM sustainability outreach coordinator at 966-1734 or e-mail miriam.easley@us.army.mil.

Massing of the Colors

The 2010 Massing of the Colors ceremony will be March 7 at Carey Theater. The ceremony begins at 3 p.m. Participating colors report by 2 p.m.

Recycling changes

Fort Lewis recycling is “Mixing It Up!” In an effort to make recycling easier, the section is converting to single-stream recycling. Residents can now mix paper with their plastic bottles (No. 1 to 7), aluminum cans, tin cans and milk and juice cartons. Continue to put cardboard in the blue, grated bins. LeMay, Inc., is in the process of delivering new, gray containers throughout the installation to replace the existing two-can system. Glass products are, unfortunately, out of the mix, but these items can be taken to the recycling center for recovery. More glass drop-off locations will be coming soon.

For these locations, call 967-3803.

CYSS cross country

Registration for Child, Youth and School Services cross country (ages 9-15) ends Jan. 22. Training begins Jan. 25 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4 to 5 p.m. There is a $25 registration fee. Train for the following FMWR races: the St. Patrick’s Day 5K and 10K, the Airfield Challenge, the 5K and 7K Mud Runs and the Army Half-Marathon.

For more information call 967-2405.

Register for sports at CYSS Central Registration, Building 2295, at 12th Street and Bitar Avenue. If you have a full CYSS registration on file and current sports physical, you can use the new FAST lane. For a full CYSS registration, bring current shot records, military, DOD or contract ID cards, three local emergency contacts and sports physical (must be updated annually).

Call 967-2494 for more information.

Stay connected to your teen

Join Army Community Service for a workshop on how to stay connected to your teen. There will be five sessions: Monday, Jan. 25, Feb. 1, 8 and 22, from 1 to 3 p.m.

The workshop will be held in the third floor FAP conference room of Building 2013B. The program is designed to help you guide your teenager successfully from childhood to adulthood.

Learn how to identify and reduce risks, how to bond with your teen and strengthen resiliency, how to work with your family to solve problems and how to supervise without being invasive. For more information, call 967-5901.

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.

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.

Calendar

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

● Today, DONSA

● Monday, MLK Day

● Feb. 12, DONSA

● Feb. 15, Presidents Day

● March 12, DONSA

● April 9, DONSA

● May 28, DONSA

● May 31, Memorial Day

● June 11, DONSA

● July 2, DONSA

● July 5, Independence Day Holiday

● Aug. 13, DONSA

● Sept. 3, DONSA

● Sept. 6, Labor Day

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.

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.