Community Ledger, Jan. 22

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? If so, then come join FMWR for a free day of wellness and pampering at the American Lake Community Center Jan. 30 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Be sure to catch the women’s, men’s and children’s fashion show starting at noon, and enjoy consultations for skin and hair care and aromatherapy throughout the day.

While this event is for adults, 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.

Care team training

Care teams are ACS-trained volunteers who support and assist the primary next of kin of a fallen warrior, filling the gap between notification and arrival of their personal support system. Training for care-team volunteers will take place Feb. 2 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the ACS Annex, Building 2166 (Liggett Avenue and South 12th Street).

To register, e-mail pamela.j.allen@conus.army.mil or call 967-8430. Child care is available with reservations by calling Clarkmoor Hourly Care Center at 966-2490. Children must be registered with CYS Services.

WLC graduation

The Henry H. Lind NCO Academy Warrior Leader Course, Class 004-10 will graduate Wednesday, 1:30 p.m. at Carey Theater.

WLC inprocessing

The Henry H. Lind NCO Academy Warrior Leader Course, Class 005-10, will inprocess on Feb 3. Students must report Building 3114 at 8 a.m. Sponsors must report to Building 5996 at 8 a.m. For more information, call 967-7294.

Reunion workshop

Is your Soldier coming home soon? Army Community Service has a workshop to walk you through the reunion process Monday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the ACS Annex (at 12th and Liggett). Discussions cover how to prepare for reunion day, what to do to help the transition and some possible expectations.

RSVP by calling Pamela Allen at 967-8430 or e-mail pamela.j.allen@us.army.mil. You can also schedule reunion workshops for your unit or FRG.

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

Madigan neonatal advisory council

Are you the parent of a child who spent time in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Madigan? Join with those who are working to improve patient satisfaction and make positive changes in the NICU. The NICU Advisory Council meets on the third Wednesday of every month. Please consider joining the council for its next meeting, Feb.17 in the 5th floor conference room of the Madigan Nursing Tower from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m.

For more information, contact Maureen Dewey, at 968-4462.

Valentine’s Day deliveries

Don’t let Valentine’s Day fly under the radar. Let BOSS play cupid by making special deliveries convenient and affordable. BOSS will take orders through Feb. 8 for its annual Valentine’s Day deliveries. This year, deliveries will be made on Feb. 11 and Feb. 14.

For pricing information and package options, visit the BOSS page at FortLewisMWR.com. For more information call 967-5636.

Predeployment Workshop

Let Army Community Service give you the tools to help you get prepared for a deployment. Join ACS at the Jan. 28 predeployment workshop from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the ACS Annex (at Liggett Avenue and South 12th Street). Discussions include finances, the emotional aspect, Red Cross, care teams, communication, children and deployment and much more. Walk away with tools to assist you in preparing 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 reservations by calling Clarkmoor Hourly Care Center at 966-2490. Children must be registered with CYS Services.

East Gate construction

Fort Lewis’ East Gate is undergoing 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.

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 before 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. 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 Thursday, 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.

Crime report

Selected Offenses on Fort Lewis from Christmas Day until Jan. 7 included: driving while license suspended, 38; drug offenses, 13; assaults, 12; larceny and theft, 12; failure to register a weapon, 5; driving under the influence, 4.

Most cases of driving with a suspended license were identified at Fort Lewis gates. Of the drug offenses, several were cases of Soldiers detected with “pep spice,” a substance that is legal in Washington but illegal on the installation. Possession by Soldiers, either on or off the installation, is prohibited. The most common type of assault was domestic violence.

For questions about domestic violence, contact Family Advocacy at 966-SAFE (7233). Most of the larcenies and thefts were committed at the Post Exchange. All Soldiers assigned to Fort Lewis are required to register their weapons on post even if they reside off post and the weapons are never brought onto the installation. Individuals convicted of driving under the influence lose their on-post driving privileges for one year for the first offense.

Tip of the week: Don’t leave valuables, such as cell phones, individual music players, global positioning systems, laptop computers, purses and wallets, inside your vehicle or in the open where they can be seen by anyone walking by. Cover them up with something so they can’t be seen, store them in the glove compartment or put them in the trunk.

Recruiting recruiters

A “Recruit the Recruiter” team will provide a series of presentations about volunteering for recruiting duty Monday through Thursday at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. in Building 6452, Room C235. The Recruit the Recruiter Team will brief the benefits and challenges of, as well as the qualifications for, recruiting duty.

All NCOs, from sergeant to seregeant first class are welcome to attend. Spouses are encouraged to attend, as well. This briefing in no way obligates attendees for recruiting duty. A personal interview following the briefing will determine qualifications.

Enhance your career progression while helping provide the future legacy of the U.S. Army! All questions regarding this presentation should be addressed to: Sgt. 1st Class Michael Hayes, at (502) 851-4598, or by e-mail to michael.hayes@usarec.army.mil/.

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.

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.

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:

● 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.

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.

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 separation 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.

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. 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.

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.

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.

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.