FRSA FLASH THURSDAY, 29 MARCH 2012 .

THOUGHTS 2

OPERATION PURPLE

5

THEATER 8

SPECIAL NOTE 12

ACS MRT 16

FRG MEETINGS 17-18

Special Points of Interest

Contents of this newsletter are compiled from multiple Military Family news sources. Material pre-

sented does not represent the views or endorsement of the 10th CAB or the Army. This material is for

personal use of the readers. All readers are encouraged to do further research for all applicable re-

strictions and guidelines.

LTC Stiller

TF MTN Eagle Cdr

CSM Escalera

TF MTN Eagle CSM

Michele Galloway

TF MTN Eagle FRSA

Office 315-774-1206

Cell 315-836-6496

FROM 277th FRSA: Operation Purple Camp applications are being ac-

cepted now. These are free summer camps for qualifying military depend-ents. There are 2 camps available in NY State, Camp Wabasso locally from July 29, 2012 - August 3, 2012 and Pioneer Camp from July 8, 2012 - July 13, 2012 in Western NY. There are also camps available in other areas of the country as well. To find out more about the camps, the qualifications to apply, and to register go to www.militaryfamily.org.

SPRING HAS SPRUNG!!!

WINTER IS VISITING!!!

THOUGHTS TO CONSIDER !!!

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Successful people are people of action. Merely knowing what needs to be done is not sufficient. It is necessary to both know and also to act. A person must get all the knowledge they can get, but then, do something. Dreaming about what needs to happen will not bring the change necessary. You may have heard the following story about the necessity of doing something. There once were four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. An important job had to be done, and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought Somebody would do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done. Refuse to merely dream about what needs to be done. Stop waiting for Somebody to do what Any-body can do. Be the person who takes action and makes something happen!

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Fort Drum Tax Assistance Center offers free tax return preparation Capt. Jordan Walerstein Tax Assistance Center Officer in Charge The Fort Drum Tax Assistance Center is scheduled to open Tuesday. Staffed by IRS trained and certified Soldiers, the TAC will prepare and electronically file your federal and state in-come tax returns free of charge. By filing your return electronically, you can receive your re-fund in as little as one week. Part of the Legal Assistance Office and the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate, the TAC staff assists active-duty Soldiers, mobilized Reservists on active duty for more than 29 days, retired service members and their Families. Under Army regulations, self-employed taxpayers and those involved in other private business activities are not eligible for tax assistance services. (Family Child Care providers remain eligi-ble.) The TAC staff also is equipped to prepare 2010 returns for Soldiers returning from deployment who were not able to file last year. Located on South Post at the corner of Lewis and Conway / First Street West in Bldg. T-120 (near the AAFES gas station and across the street from Behavioral Health), the TAC will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Beginning Monday, you may call 772-6727 to schedule a next business day appointment. Throughout tax season, the appointment line will open at 1 p.m. each day and will remain open until all appointments are filled for the next business day. The following documents are required to schedule an appointment:

Military ID (Common Access Card)

Social Security cards for you, your spouse and dependents and/or a Social Security num-ber verification letter issued by the Social Security Administration. (Your military ID is not suffi-cient.)

Birth dates for you, your spouse and dependents listed on the tax return. Your Army W-2, which is available at www.mypay.dfas.mil. (Your leave and earnings state-ment is not sufficient.)

A voided check to receive your refund by direct deposit. To file taxes electronically on a married-filing-joint tax return, both spouses must be present or have a special power of attorney or IRS Form 2848 authorizing you to sign the return. The following documents may be necessary depending on your circumstances:

Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) assignment letter for you, your spouse and dependents;

(Next Page Please)

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Check out all the FACEBOOK

pages. We have a page for the 10th

Combat Aviation Brigade as well as

each of our Task Forces within our

Brigade.

Proof of foreign status, if applying for an ITIN; Wage and earning statement(s) Form W-2, W-2G, 1099-R from all employers of all of your Family Members; Interest and dividend statements from banks and brokers, including mortgage interest state-ments (Forms 1099); A copy of last year’s federal and state returns if available; Divorce decrees and receipts for alimony paid or received; Child custody and support orders; Receipts for IRA contributions;

Total paid for day care provider and the day care provider’s tax identifying number (the pro-vider's Social Security number or business Employer Identification Number); and Receipts and other supporting documentation if you plan to itemize your deductions in lieu of the standard deduction. Visit www.facebook.com/drumtax for the most up-to-date information on the TAC. For more information, call the Fort Drum Tax Assistance Center at 772-3735.

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APRIL 2012 Preview Is Now Available Online

http://www.drummwr.com/ClassesandEvents_files/

April%202012%20Pre-

view_FMWR_Preview.pdf

When you hear "Operation Purple camp" you should think: Kids Serve Too! The National Mili-tary Family Association's Operation Purple camps are a time for having fun, making friends, and reminding military kids that they are the Nation's youngest heroes. The Operation Purple program was created in 2004 in response to the call from military par-ents to "help us help our kids." The mission of the Operation Purple program is to empower military children and their families to develop and maintain healthy and connected relation-ships, in spite of the current military environment. We do this through a variety of means, in-cluding the healing and holistic aspect of the natural world. The program is joint or "purple"— and open to children and families of active duty, National Guard or Reserve ser-vice members from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, or the Commis-sioned Corps of the US Public Health Service and NOAA. Since its creation in 2004, the Operation Purple program has grown to serve approximately 45,000 military children and teens. The Operation Purple program also includes family re-treats at national parks and specialized family camps geared to address the needs of children

and families of our nation’s wounded service members.

The 2012 traditional Operation Purple camp applications are now available! For information about a camp, please view http://www.militaryfamily.org/our-programs/operation-purple/2012-camps/ for the full alphabetical list of camps by state.

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What’s Playing at the Movies?

Post Theater

Bldg 10725, North Riva Ridge

Admission is $4.50 for adults; $2.25 for children 6-11; FREE for children 5

and younger.

For more movie information, call 772-5571

THU MAR 29 - 1900 Safe House (R) ALL SEATS FOR THIS SHOWING $1 FRI MAR 30 - 1900 Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (PG-13) 2130 Tyler Perry’s Good Deeds (PG-13) SAT MAR 31 - 1400 Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (PG)

1900 This Means War (PG-13)

2130 Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (PG-13) SUN APR 01 - 1400 Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (PG)

1700 Tyler Perry’s Good Deeds (PG-13)

APR 05 - 1900 This Means War (PG-13) ALL SEATS FOR THIS SHOWING $1 FRI APR 06 - 1900 Wanderlust (R) 2130 Act of Valor (R) SAT APR 07 - 1400 Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (PG)

1400 Act of Valor (R)

2130 Wanderlust (R) SUN APR 08 - 1400 Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (PG-13) 1700 Wanderlust (R)

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MARCH 2012 UPCOMING

EVENTS

Joe Wietecha , Our Personal Financial Counselor, is

back and here to help 277th Soldiers and Families on

Thursdays (at BN) with any financial issues or just to ask

questions until April 13, 2012. Call him at 586-350-7650 to help set up a budget, check your credit, develop a plan to

get out of debt, get started investing, or whatever you need

assistance with.

MFLC-PFC

March 30 – Right Arm Night – The Commons April 3 – Stress Management Class – Army Community Service April 4 – Teen Career Fair – Army Community Service April 5 – Mother-To-Be Breakfast – Army Community Service April 5 – Employment 101 – Army Community Service April 5, 6, & 7 – NY Hunter Education Course – Adventure Training April 6, 7, & 8 – Used Book Sale – McEwen Library

MARCH/APRIL 2012 COMING ATTRACTIONS AND ITEMS OF INTEREST

Fort Drum spouse from A Company, 3-10 GSAB promotes first children ’ s

book: Mindy Whitten will be selling and signing copies of her first

published book, “ An Alpaca in My Pocket, ” from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

March 30 and 31 at the Post Exchange. Whitten also will read her book

during story time at McEwen Library March 23, April 17 and June 12.

For more information or to purchase a book, email Whitten at AnAlpacaIn-

MyPocket@gmail.com <mailto:AnAlpacaInMyPocket@gmail.com> .

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Battle Rhythm: We are Moving

In Gear! Hear the Sound, See the Smoke!!!

Stay Clear! 277th is Coming Through

This Year! Yeah!!!