February 16, 2012 FREE COPY

Hey, Soldier:

Did you Know?

Valentines for VetsLive in concert with perform-

ance by The Platters, 7:30 p.m.Feb. 17 at the Jackson Conven-tion Complex, 105 E. Pasca-goula St. Jackson. Concert isopen to public and tickets arerequired. Call 601-364-1391

Marriage RetreatThe Mississippi National

Guard has scheduled a marriageenrichment retreat Feb. 17-19in Natchez. Limited to 30 cou-ples. Registration for the semi-nar begins Feb. 17 in the hotellobby at Natchez Grand Hotel,111 Broadway St. Natchez.601-446-9994. For more infoand registration form contactStaff Sgt. James Huffman,MSNG Family Program, 601-313-6712.

Golf tournamentRegistration is open for the

Wounded Minutemen of Mis-sissippi Golf Tournament and4-Man Scramble on March 19at the Pine Creek Golf Club inPurvis. All proceeds will be do-nated to the Wounded Minute-men of Mississippi. Registra-tion deadline is March 12. Formore information, contactSeller’s Chevrolet at 601-818-3872 or go to ms.ng.mil/ abou-tus/installations/shelby/reveille/Pages/default.aspx

USM ‘Military Night’The University of Southern

Mississippi's Military Appreci-ation Basketball Game is set for7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23,against Marshall. We have aspecial ticket promotion set forthe game. All active, reserve, orretired military members maypurchase tickets for $2 eachwith a valid military ID. Ticketsmay be purchased at the PatFerlise Ticket Office, West 4thSt., or the day of game at theticket booth in front of ReedGreen Coliseum. The uniformfor this event is ACU.

Vehicle decalsThe 2012 vehicle decals are

now available for issue at theMP desk located on the Northside of building 6606. Decalsare available 24/7. In order toobtain a decal, you must havewith you a valid driver's li-cense, current proof of insur-ance, valid vehicle registration,and a completed copy of yourapplication. No exceptions willbe made for expired or invaliddocumentation. Decals willonly be issued to full-time per-sonnel assigned to CampShelby and contractors with acontract exceeding 90 days. De-cals are not authorized for sol-diers in IDT or AT status.Please call 601-558-2232 withany questions.

See SOLDIER, Page 2

STAFF SGT. LATASHA WILLIAMS Camp Shelby Public Affairs

Celebrated in February, BlackHistory Month is an annualrecognition of achievements byAfrican Americans in U.S. his-tory.

Black History Month origi-nally began as a national NegroHistory Week in 1926, sponsoredby Harvard-trained historianCarter G. Woodson and promi-nent minister Jesse E. Moorland.The two founded the Associationfor the Study of Negro Life andHistory in 1915. This organiza-tion was dedicated to researchingand promoting the achievementsof African Americans and otherpeople of African descent. Theorganization encouraged schoolsand communities nationwide toorganize local celebrations, hostperformances and lectures.

Since 1926, Black HistoryMonth has been given annualthemes. President Gerald R. Fordofficially recognized Black His-tory Month in 1976. The first an-

nual theme was “TheNegro History.” “BlackWomen in AmericanCulture and History” isthe 2012 theme. Thistheme offers an oppor-tunity to recognizeAfrican American wo-men, their roles in in-fluencing the Nationand a celebration oftheir talents and ac-complishments.

African-Americanwomen have played a role inevery war effort in United Stateshistory, to include the Revolu-tionary War, the Civil War, bothWorld War I and II, the PersianGulf War and the War in Iraq andAfghanistan.

“I am very honored andblessed to be who I am and whereI am. I have sat in meetingswhere I looked around and didn’tsee anyone that looked like me,”said Capt. Hope Singleton, Head-quarters and Headquarters De-tachment commander.

“I counted it a blessing, be-

cause I know that it took constanttime and pressure from manypeople for me to have that oppor-tunity.”

Gay L. Polk-Payton, whograduated from the University ofMississippi School Of Law andhas been studying law for almost16 years, is a Forrest County Jus-tice Court Judge. She said thatshe was inspired by Sandra DayO’Connor to become a judge.O’Connor became the first fe-male United States SupremeCourt Justice.

“My profession is a white

Achievement of BlackWomen in Historycelebrated this month

See WOMEN, Page 9 See DIGITAL, Page 10

By STAFF SGT. KENNY HATTENCamp Shelby Public Affairs

The New York National Guard’s 27th InfantryBrigade Combat Team began arriving at Camp ShelbyJoint Forces Training Center in late January, ready totrain and deploy in support of Operation EnduringFreedom.

The brigade includes the New York NationalGuard’s 2nd Battalion, 108th In-fantry Regiment and theSouth Carolina NationalGuard’s 4th Battalion,118th Infantry Regi-ment.

The brigade is sched-uled to conduct inten-sive theater-specificmobilization and maneu-ver training, provided byFirst Army Division East here atCamp Shelby, which reflects current mission require-ments and up-to-date information from combatantcommanders in theater.

First federalized on July 15, 1917, for service inWorld War I as the 27th Division, the unit served withdistinction up until the end of World War II, and wasdeactivated for a short time before being re-formed asthe 27th Armored Division in February 1955.

Re-organized as a brigade of the 50th Armored Di-vision in 1968, the 27th underwent many changesthroughout the following years, up until the latest re-organization in 2006 as a newly-reset Infantry BrigadeCombat Team.

Their distinctive unit patch features the sevenbrightest stars of the constellation Orion, which is atribute to 27th Division Commander Maj. Gen. JohnF. O’Ryan, who led the unit during its service in WorldWar I. The monogram consists of the letters N, Y andD, which stands for “New York Division.”

27th IBCT arrivesfor training atCamp Shelby

U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Raymond Drumsta, 27th IBCT Public Affairs NCOICMORTAR TRAINING.... Spc. Dennis McNeilly, left, and Capt. Gene Hindman, right, train on the 60mm mor-tar at Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center Feb. 6. The soldiers belong to C Company, 4-118th Infantryof the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. The company is based in Mount Pleasant, S.C., and is preparingto deploy overseas with the brigade. See additional photo on Page 9.

Digital partnershipimproves healthcareaccess for veterans

BY ROBIN BOGGSFirst Army Div. East Public Affairs

Part of the demobilization process for Re-serve and National Guard troops has gonedigital with a partnership between the De-partment of Veterans Affairs Health Eligi-bility Center and First Army Division East.

In November 2011 the pair implementedan online application for returning servicemembers to register for health benefits dur-ing the demobilization process, rather thanthe traditional paper application. This onlineapplication is helping thousands of returningtroops get health benefits faster.

“To ensure that our demobilizing Guardand Army Reserve soldiers receive the med-ical care and benefits to which they are en-titled as new veterans, both the VA and FirstArmy concluded that a new and betterprocess had to be put in place,” said Maj.Gen. Mark MacCarley, First Army deputycommanding general-support.

The VA and First Army leaders decidedthat First Army Division East would providea strong test site at Camp Shelby for the newenrollment system designed specifically fordemobilizing service members.

“The First Army Division East MTC [mo-bilization training center] at Camp Shelby

TNCO Assoc. ConfernceThe Mississippi National Guard Non-Com-

missioned Officers Association is scheduledto hold its 44th Annual Conference at theHilton Jackson and Conference Center onApril 19-22. Registration is $50.00 per personand group room reservations are available atthe Hilton Jackson at the following rates: $77per night prior to March 20, and $91.00 pernight after March 20, using the group reser-vation code "NCO." For more information,call The Hilton Jackson at (601)957-2800 or1-888-263-0524 and advise them that you arewith the NCO Association. For conferenceregistration info, call Keith Ales at (601)816-6452.

AP WorkshopThe Veterans Administration has scheduled

several Transition Assistance Program em-ployment workshops at CSJFTC, which willbe conducted in room 227-228 at Bldg. 1001.The workshops are scheduled Monday-Thurs-day 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday 8 to 10 a.m.on Feb. 21-24, May 22-28, Aug.28-31 andNov. 27-30. For more information go tohttp://ms.ng.mil/aboutus/installations/shelby/reveille/Pages/default.asp

Free Credit ScoresIn support of the National Guard Bureau,

the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority(FINRA) and FINRA Investor EducationFoundation (which is part of FINRA) haveonce again provided service members withthe opportunity to check their credit scoresand credit analysis free of charge throughMarch 31, 2012. Checking your creditthrough this site does NOT go against yourcredit history.

Go to: http://apps.finra.org/myFICO/2/de-fault.aspx

On the right frame is the link to get thecredit score

Educator's code: NEU2BWJJ

Military Discounts• Military Discount- Pink's Presents located

inside The Secret Gallery gift store at New-pointe Shopping Center (Oak Grove) is offer-ing a 20% military discount on the purchaseof "Survival Straps" bracelets. Proceeds ben-efit The Wounded Warrior Project. Call Susan

Cucullu, (601) 264-1322 or go to www.sur-vivalstraps.com.

• Old Navy –Every Monday Old NavyClothing Store offers a 10% military discountto military members with a valid I.D.

• Lowe’s Home Improvement- Lowes of-fers a 10% military discount every day to uni-formed service members.

Tax CenterCamp Shelby’s Income Tax Center opened

Feb. 2 and offers free income tax services inbldg. 1485. Open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mon.,Tues., and Thurs. and from 9 a.m. to noon onWed. and Fri. (closed weekends) “Appt-Only” basis. Will take appointments throughApr. 12, 2012. Call 601-558-2190 to set appt.Walk-ins not accepted. Call Cpt. R.L. Ed-wards 601-558-2348.

Chapel servicesNoon Day at the Chapel on CSJFTC

Wednesdays from 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.An opportunity for encouraging one anotherin Praise and Worship. Call Chaplain (Maj.)Terry Partin.

GI Bill transferThe Chapter 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill provides

for a transfer of education benefits to Familymembers. Family members must be inDEERS and eligible Soldiers must make thetransfer prior to retirement. Failure to transferbefore retirement will terminate the capabilityto make the transfer.

All Ranks ClubCurrently undergoing renovations. Busi-

ness hours are still the same, but parking islimited.

Credit Union openCamp Shelby Federal Credit Union is now

open for business in new location at Ware-house Ave., bldg 82. Hours of operation arefrom 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mon. - Fri., drive thruopens at 8 a.m. Call 601-544-5421/601-558-2599.

Internet opportunitiesCamp Shelby has an Internet Café located

on 26th Street bldg 2614 and the hours of op-erations are Monday- Friday 8 a. m. to 10 p.m.and Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.which is free to the Soldiers.

JAG’s new homeThe Judge Advocate General’s office has

moved to bldg 1485. All contact numbers are

the same. Contact Maj. Ronald McBay.

ASVAB practicePractice GT exams are available at the ed-

ucation center. Appointment required. The GTscore is one of the most important line scorescomputed from a Soldier’s results on theASVAB test.

For more information contact Mr. Junkinsat john.junkins1@us.army.mil or 601-558-2029.

Troop storeNow accepting online applications for retail

positions. Friendly disposition and flexiblehours.

Apply online at www.aafes.com. Back-ground check is required. AAFES is an EOEemployer.

Poster IdeasIf you have an idea for a new suicide pre-

vention poster or video, please put your ideaon paper and send it to us or either drop byand present it to us. Contact Lt. Col. Con-stance Essex at (601) 558-2538.

Deployment storiesCmd. Sgt. Maj. (Retired) Ray Cordell is

now working for Lifetime network and he islooking for locations to film the next seasonof their Homecomings series.

If you have Soldiers returning from deploy-ment and want to get in on this opportunity totell your Army stories, please contact Ray atray.cordell@ymail.com or call (916) 409-5076 or (443) 370-3291.

Education CenterDefense Language Proficiency Tests

(DLPTs) are available (computerized) at theCSJFTC-DPCA Education center.

For more information on DLPTs and OralProficiency Interviews (OPI), call the educa-tion center at 601-558-2029 or go to Bldg.1813 on 18th Street.

ATM HoursNew ATM hours at billeting will be 7 a.m.

to 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. 11:30a.m. Saturday- Sunday. ATM can also befound at Post Exchange and Camp ShelbyFederal Credit Union.

American Red CrossThe American Red Cross Service to Armed

Forces (SAF) Program ensures that emer-gency messages are verified and delivered tothe proper authorities regardless of how far

away the service member may be. Effective June 13, 2011 a single call to send

urgent messages to a service member can bemade to 877-272-7337 (U.S. toll free).

Tell us your storyThe Reveille wants your story! The

Reveille highlights an Officer, Noncommis-sioned Officer, Enlisted Soldier and a Civil-ian in every edition.

Tell us about your job at Camp Shelby. Tellus about your military career, background,hobbies or accomplishments.

If you are interested in telling your story,contact the CSJFTC Public Affairs Office at601-558-2271 or 601-558-2835.

The Reveille wants to highlight your Fam-ily in a Family Corner article for specialachievements and events.

Whether you’re a contractor, DA Civilianor Soldier, the Reveille wants to highlightyour Family member’s latest news. ContactCSJFTC Public Affairs Office at 601-558-2271 or 601-558-2835.

NCO AssociationA raffle for a Honda Fourtrax Fourman 500

FE with tilt bed trailer will be held April 21,2012. Tickets are $10 each or 12 for $100. Formore information, contact Master Sgt. Timo-thy Bo Plunk, 662-902-4650 or visitwww.msncoa.org.

February is a month of observances andfun holidays, to include Mardi Gras, AshWednesday, Valentine’s Day, African-Ameri-can History month, President’s Day and ofcourse, the Super Bowl. Let the good timesroll with Family and friends, but rememberto always put safety first.

Members of the 27th Infantry BrigadeCombat Team, New York Army NationalGuard are incoming to Camp Shelby andpreparing for their upcoming mission in sup-port of Operation Enduring Freedom. Con-tinue the standard of excellence in training,medical and personnel readiness, and servicesupport. It is an honor and a pleasure to as-sist America’s finest as they embark on theirjourney in support of America’s continuedfight for freedom.

The mobilization mission continues tomove forward as we welcome the 869th Ver-tical Construction Engineer Company,Florida Army National Guard; the 3-20thSpecial Forces Company A, B, C and Dcomprised of Army National Guard Soldiersfrom Mississippi, Florida, North Carolinaand Illinois; the 781st Transportation Com-pany, Alabama Army National Guard; the

179th Ordinance Company, Kansas ArmyNational Guard; the 1157th TransportationCompany, Wisconsin Army National Guard;the 444th Chemical Company, Illinois ArmyNational Guard and the 210th Military Po-lice Company, Michigan Army NationalGuard. Continue the standard of excellencein customer service, training, and support aswe assist these units for their upcoming mis-sion readiness.

Team, help me welcome home members ofthe 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team,Oklahoma Army National Guard; 204th The-ater Airfield Operations Group, LouisianaArmy National Guard and the 418th MilitaryPolice Company, Florida Army NationalGuard. Thank you, comrades, for your serv-ice and sacrifice during the past months asyou served your country, state and commu-nity with honor and distinction during ongo-ing Overseas Contingency Operations.

Safety is always in the forefront of ourdaily mission and in everything we do. Con-tinue to support the Camp Shelby Safety Of-fice during “Safety Thursday” training. Thenext training is Composite Risk Managementand is scheduled for 9 a.m. Feb. 23. I encour-

age all Soldiers to attend and enforce themotto of “Safety First!” This event will befollowed by the African-American HistoryMonth observance; this is a great opportu-nity for Soldiers and leaders to attend both.

African-American History Month is recog-nized during the month of February and thetheme for 2012 is “Black Women in Ameri-can Culture and History.” This year’s obser-vance will be presented by the 177thArmored Brigade and the 158th InfantryBrigade at 10 a.m. Feb. 23 in the post the-ater, Dolton Hall. I encourage your supportto make our monthly Equal Opportunity ob-servances a success.

Thanks to all of you for your dedicatedsupport as we continue the mission of mobi-lizing and demobilizing American Heroes. Itis an honor and a privilege to assist Amer-ica’s finest patriots as they embark on theirjourney for the continued fight for freedom.Thank you for all that you do and keep upthe good work.

May God continue to bless you, yourFamilies, and this great country that we areso lucky to have the honor to serve.

“SOLDIERS FIRST”!

Laissez les bon temps rouler…

Col. Steve Parham

Page 2 Camp Shelby REVEILLE Thursday, February 16, 2012

Col. Steve Parham ....................CS Commander

Maj. Deidre Musgrave ........................PA Officer

Staff Sgt. Jackquline Moore................PA NCOIC

Staff Sgt. Latasha Williams ....................PA NCO

Staff Sgt. Kenny Hatten..........................PA NCO

Staff Sgt. Michael Williams.....................PA NCO

Dana Elise Smith ..........................Videographer

deidre.musgrave@us.army.mil

601-467-1064 601-558-2835

SOLDIERContinued from Page 1

Thursday, February 16, 2012 Camp Shelby REVEILLE Page 3

U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Belynda FaulknerCSM ANDREWS VISIT TO CSJFTC... First Army Command Sgt. Maj. Jesse L. Andrews, right andCommand Sgt. Maj. Steven Chancellor, Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center, buckle in to the hel-icopter before they depart for an aerial tour of CSJFTC Feb. 8. Andrews toured the mobilization trainingcenter as the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team prepared for mobilization training with First Army Divi-sion East.

U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Belynda FaulknerSPECIAL GUEST... First Army Command Sgt. Maj. Jesse L. Andrews, right, speaks with Command Sgt.Maj. Andrew Swanson of the 177th Armored Brigade during a site visit to Camp Shelby Joint ForcesTraining Center Feb. 7. Andrews toured the mobilization training center as the 27th Infantry BrigadeCombat Team prepared for mobilization training with First Army Division East.

Ladder safety, selection importantBy SGT. 1ST CLASS CECIL WILSON

CSJFTC Installation Safety Office

Ladders are useful tools that, when usedproperly, serve as a safety system for climb-ing. Working at an elevated height is inher-ently dangerous and the safety afforded by aladder is often circumvented by misuse.

Each year more than 300 deaths are attrib-uted to misuse. More than 160,000 people areinjured as a result of falls from ladders due tonot following safety precautions. Most in-juries are cuts, bruises, and fractures. Com-mon factors contributing to falls are; haste,sudden movement, poor quality of footwear,and lack of attention. However, the number

one cause of ladder accidents is overreach.Making a mistake while using a ladder canchange or end your life.

Ladders are built from one of three basicmaterials – wood, fiberglass or aluminum.The environment of your work site is the firstfactor in choosing the material from whichyou ladder is constructed. For example, if youare working near sources of electricity, ametal ladder should not be used, since alu-minum is an effective electrical conductor.Next, consider the duty rating of the ladder.This is an indication of the maximum weightcapacity the ladder can safely carry.

See SAFETY, Page 4

Page 4 Camp Shelby REVEILLE Thursday, February 16, 2012

By CHAPLAIN (Maj.) STEPHEN YARBERChaplain

Do you know the history of Valentine’s Day? Thereare several traditions.

The Catholic Church recognizes three different mennamed Valentine or Valentius. According to one account,the third century Roman Emperor Claudius II decided thatsingle men made better Soldiers and decreed that no moreSoldiers were to be married. This didn’t sit well withValentine who continued to perform wedding ceremoniesin direct violation of the emperor’s directive. WhenClaudius found out, he had Valentine killed.

Another tradition says that Valentine was helping Chris-tians escape Roman prisons. When his activity was dis-covered, he himself was imprisoned. While in prison, he

fell in love with his jailor’s daughter and wrote love lettersto her signing them, “Your Valentine.”

The “Mother of the Valentine” cards was Esther How-land, who began making and selling Valentine’s Day cardsin the 1840s. She probably didn’t know she was at theforefront of an industry that would see an average of onebillion Valentine’s Day cards mailed each year.

Most people “love” being loved. I won’t say all, butmost people enjoy receiving a card on that special day. Yetlove is more than a card (or box of chocolate).

The Bible says, “Greater love has no one than this: tolay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13 NIV).Love is a lifestyle more than words. Love is putting theneeds and welfare of others above our own.

The English language does the word “love” a disserv-ice. The word can mean different things in different con-texts. For me to say “I love hamburgers” is not the same

as when I say to my wife, “I love you.” I certainly don’t“love” hamburgers, but I do like them. We water the worddown when we use it flippantly, without considering justwhat level of affection we are stating.

The Greek language (in which the New Testament waswritten) expresses the idea of love much better. The Greekword for the highest form of love is “agape” denoting asacrificial feeling towards the intended. Jesus demon-strated this kind of love when He willingly died for ourtransgressions on the cross.

This Valentine’s Day when you get your loved onescards expressing your feelings, consider what the cardsays. Ask yourself, “Do my actions reinforce the mes-sage?” If not, we need to reevaluate how we treat andspeak them. Try to make every day special for those welove. After all, we aren’t promised tomorrow.

The following worship opportunities areavailable through Camp Shelby JointForces Training Center.

ON POSTGeneral ProtestantSunday, 9 a.m., Greer ChapelSunday, 12:30 p.m., Greer Chapel

Catholic MassSaturday, 2 p.m., Greer Chapel

(Confessions at 1:30 p.m.)

Sunday, 2 p.m., Greer Chapel(Confessions at 1:30 p.m.)

For Jewish, Latter-day Saints and Mus-lim services, please contact the PostChaplain for assistance at 558-2378.

OFF POST*Transportation provided for Jewish,

Episcopal, Lutheran, Muslim servicesONLY (due to time scheduling) Unitsare responsible for arranging trans-portation by calling 601-558-2622.

LutheranSunday, 8 a.m., St. John LutheranChurch, 2001 Hardy Street, 601-583-4898.

Latter-day Saints

Sunday, 9 a.m., Latter-day SaintsMeeting House, 1618 Broadway Dr.,601-268-2438/ Hall: 601-268-9706.Contact the Post Chaplain.EpiscopalSunday, 8 a.m., Trinity Episcopal, 509West Pine St., 601-544-5551

JewishFriday at Temple BʼNai Israel at 801Mamie Street, 601-545-3871. Every

Friday at 6 p.m.

MuslimContact Post Chaplain

OthersChurch of God at Bellevue, Hwy. 589,HattiesburgJesus Christ of LDS, 2215 BroadwayDrive, Hattiesburg

CAMP SHELBY AREA WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Do your actions say I love you?

To figure out the total amountof weight your ladder will besupporting, add your weightplus protective equipment thatyou will be wearing. Also,add the weight of tools andsupplies you are carrying andthe weight of tools and sup-plies stored on the ladder.

There are five categories ofladder duty ratings:

• Type IAA (special duty)375 pounds

• Type IA (extra heavyduty) 300 pounds

• Type I (heavy duty) 250pounds

• Type II (medium duty)225 pounds

• Type III (light duty) 200pounds

The duty rating can befound on the specificationlabel. Safety standards requirea duty rating sticker to beplaced on the side of everyladder. Do not assume that alonger ladder has a higherweight capacity. There is nocorrelation between ladderlength and weight capacity.

There is a wide variety ofladder types to choose from,including step, single, articu-lated, combination, extension,fixed, mobile ladder standsand ladder stand platforms.Probably the most importantfactor in determining the typeof ladder to use for a given jobis you work environment andthe physical size restrictions.

When climbing a ladder itis safest to utilize “ThreePoints-of-Contact” because itminimizes the chances of slip-ping and falling from the lad-der. At all times, you mustface the ladder and have twohands and one foot, or twofeet and one hand in contactwith the ladder steps or siderails. Also, avoid carrying anyobjects in either hand that caninterfere with your grip of theladder. In this way you arenot likely to lose your bal-ance. The three points-of-con-tact cannot be maintained andthe chance of falling is in-creased. You can reduce yourchances of falling during theclimb by:

• Wearing slip resistantfootwear.

• Cleaning the soles of foot-wear to maximize traction.

• Using towlines, tool beltsor having someone to assistyou in moving tools/materialsso that your hands are freewhen climbing.

• Climbing deliberately andavoiding sudden movements.

• Keeping the center of yourwaist between the ladder siderails when climbing or doingwork.

Many of the basic safetyrules that apply to most toolsalso apply to ladders. Youshould never use ladders inhigh winds or storms. Alwaysinspect ladders for loose ormissing parts and never use aladder if you feel dizzy or areprone to losing your balance.Before using your ladder,check the safety sticker to de-termine the load limit and themaximum safe height. Besure to follow all safety in-structions on your ladder.

Ladders are an essentialpart of many work and homeimprovement projects, butthey must be used properly.As always, safety is the mostimportant consideration onany job

SafetyContinued from Page 3

Thursday, Feburary 16, 2012 Camp Shelby REVEILLE Page 5

By CMD. SGT. MAJ. STEVEN CHANCELLORCSJFTC Command Sergeant Major

The Black History Month theme for 2012is “Black Women in American Culture andHistory.” Every year in February, we recog-nize the achievements and contributions ofAfrican-Americans throughout the history ofthe U.S.

African-American women have been mak-ing tremendous accomplishments throughoutthis nation, not only in the Armed Forces, butin other fields such as theater, music, litera-ture, politics, law and advocacy.

The 177th Armored Brigade and the 158thInfantry Brigade are sponsoring an obser-vance at the Post Theater at 10 a.m. Feb. 23. Iwant to encourage you all to participate andshow support for this event if time permits.

The nation celebrates George Washington’sbirthday on Feb. 20. Although we should rec-ognize our country’s veterans every day, thisday is another opportunity to honor our he-roes. Washington created the first militaryBadge of Merit on Aug. 7, 1782. Sgt. ElijahChurchill, a member of the Fourth Troop ofthe Second Continental Dragoons, was thefirst recipient of this award. He fought in theRevolutionary War. This award was the fore-runner of the present day Purple Heart.

The annual APFT and Weigh-in is ap-proaching. I will continue to stress the impor-tance of being prepared to exceed the standardin this mandatory event. The APFT is a partof being a Soldier in the U.S. Army and Na-tional Guard. It also determines your statuswith the new automated board system when itcomes to being promoted. There is still timeto get mentally and physically ready. Failureis not an option.

A majority of the Soldiers with the 27thIBCT, New York Army National Guard, haveboots on the ground here. They will be con-ducting mobilization training throughoutApril. Camp Shelby also has an influx of Sol-

diers from the 869th Vertical Construction En-gineer Company of the Florida Army NationalGuard and the 45th IBCT of the OklahomaArmy National Guard who have returnedhome for demobilization. Ensure you areobeying the post’s speed limits of 35 mph onForrest and Lee Avenue and reduce speed to10 mph when troops are present.

Team, the NCO Convention will be heldApril 19-22 at the Hilton Jackson and Confer-ence Center, 1001 East County Line Road. Iencourage you to make preparations to attendthis annual event. It provides an opportunityto connect and meet with other NationalGuard NCOs. It’s also informative and pro-vides room for development and growth as anNCO. I look forward to seeing you there.

Cmd. Sgt. Maj. Chancellor

COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR’S CORNER

Honoring African-American Women

Page 6 Camp Shelby REVEILLE Thursday, February 16, 2012

By DANA ELISE SMITHCamp Shelby Public Affairs

Sgt. 1st Class James Watts cur-rently works for the Directorate ofPlans Training, Mobilization andSecurity. His job is to maintain thecontingency operation locations onCamp Shelby Joint Forces TrainingCenter where Soldiers live andtrain.

“I enjoy my job. I work withgreat people and that makes my joba lot easier,” he said.

Watts, a native of Columbia, is amember of the 890th Engineer Bat-talion Headquarters Company lo-cated in Gulfport.

He has a total of 26 years of

service in the Mississippi ArmyNational Guard. His career in-cludes two deployments in supportof Operation Iraqi Freedom. Whiledeployed, he served as a battalionNuclear, Biological and ChemicalNCO and also served in battalionintelligence.

Watts graduated from East Mar-ion High School in Columbia in1979 and continued his educationat Pearl River Community Collegeand Hinds Community College inRaymond. He is working on an as-sociate degree in criminal justice.

He has a total of 25 years in thelaw enforcement workforce. Hespent 12 years in the uniformed di-vision of the Mississippi HighwayPatrol as a state trooper. He served13 years as a special agent in theinvestigation division of the Mis-sissippi Bureau of Investigationwhere he conducted felony crimi-nal investigations for the state ofMississippi.

In his spare time, he enjoys golf-ing with his brother, Desi Watts,who serves as the readiness NCOfor the 250th Asphalt Detachmentheadquartered in Purvis. He alsoenjoys spending time with hisdaughter, I’sha Watts, 27, and otherFamily members.

Soldier worked as special agent Sgt. 1st ClassJames Wattscurrently worksfor the Direc-torate of PlansTraining, Mobi-lization and Se-curity. Before hemobilized atCamp ShelbyJoint ForcesTraining Center,he worked as aspecial agent inthe investigationdivision of theMississippi Bu-reau of Investi-gation.

Photo by Sgt.LaTasha Williams,

CSJFTC Public Affairs

By STAFF SGT. MICHAEL WILLIAMSCamp Shelby Public Affairs

After moving up in the Non-Commis-sioned Officer ranks, one of Camp Shelby’sown has decided to hang up his uniform andretire from the Guard.

Master Sgt. Randell Marchant, a residentof Winona, is retiring from the MississippiArmy National Guard. He worked in thePlans and Service section of Directorate ofPublic Works and held the position of seniortechnical sergeant. Since Camp Shelby be-came a mobilization station in June 2004,Marchant has been a faithful member ofDPW.

“Thank you for your service to the DPW,”said Lt. Col. Jeff Ryan, director of PublicWorks, Camp Shelby. “You have been heresince the beginning of Camp Shelby’s mo-bilization and you have set the standard andhave done an outstanding job.”

During his retiring ceremony, which washeld at a DPW building, Marchant was pre-sented a Camp Shelby medallion from Col.Steve Parham, Camp Shelby Joint ForcesTraining Center installation commander anda host of other awards, medals and gifts.

“We (the Camp Shelby Family) appreciateyou for all the hard work you have providedand also the leadership you have contributedto Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Cen-ter,” said Parham.

Photo by Staff Sgt. Michael Williams, Camp Shelby Public AffairsA JOB WELL DONE... Master Sgt. Randall Marchant, a resident of Winona, receives awards from Lt.Col. Jeff Ryan, Director of Public Works on Jan 31. Marchant, who has been working for DPW since June2004, has retired from the Mississippi Army National Guard.

Master Sgt. Marchant retires

Soldiers of the New York Army NationalGuardʼs Alpha Company, 427th BrigadeSupport Battalion, 27th Infantry BrigadeCombat Team, conducted a road marchthrough the cantonment area of CampShelby Joint Forces Training Center onFeb. 7. The brigade is currently in mobilization training preparing for deployment in support of OperationEnduring Freedom.

By Staff Sgt. Michael WilliamsCamp Shelby Public Affairs

A Company 427th BSB Road March

By DANA ELISE SMITHCamp Shelby Public Affairs

Capt. Bryanna R. Thomes is from Litch-field, Minn., and serves as the training of-ficer in the Medical Battalion TrainingSite at Camp Shelby Joint Forces TrainingCenter. Her job is to develop trainingschedules, provide medical training andassist full-time staff in the training ofHealthcare Specialist courses.

She enlisted in the Minnesota ArmyNational Guard 11 years ago.

“I didn’t initially think it was going tobe a career for me, but after learning somuch through the experiences, training,and comrades, I don’t know where Iwould be without the military in my life,”Thomes said.

She received her commission in 2005from the Minnesota Officer CandidateSchool with an area of concentration inHealth Services Administration.

During her career, she has served as anofficer recruiter and served as the assistantdeputy state surgeon for the MNARNG.She deployed to Iraq from 2008 to 2009with the 834th Air Support Battalion, 34thCombat Aviation Brigade, headquarteredin St. Paul, Minn., as Troop MedicalClinic officer-in-charge.

Thomes has also pursued education op-portunities. She earned a bachelor’s de-gree in dietetics in 2006 from NorthDakota State University located in Fargo,N.D. She is currently pursuing a master’sdegree in nutrition and food systems atThe University of Southern Mississippi.She is completing her internship in dietet-ics at South Central Regional Medical

Center. Her duties there consist of outpa-tient and inpatient nutrition education andcounseling, patient nutrition assessments,and food service management.

In her spare time, she enjoys workingout with her fiancé, Capt. Scott Singleton,at Versus Strength and Conditioning. Sin-gleton is currently assigned to the MedicalTask Force Shelby.

By DANA ELISE SMITHCamp Shelby Public Affairs

The film “Red Tails” opened in the U.S. onFriday, Jan. 20. It is about the World War IITuskegee Airmen, the first African Americanmilitary aviators in the U.S.armed forces. Executiveproducer George Lucas pri-marily funded the film. It isdirected by Anthony Hem-mingway and features thetalents of actors CubaGooding, Jr., Gerald Mc-Raney and David Oyelowo.

During the past fewyears, various paintings byHattiesburg artist ClintMartin have been displayedin the Smithsonian, the Pen-tagon, the Mississippi Capi-tol building, MississippiArmed Forces Museum andthe Hattiesburg-Laurel Re-gional Airport.

“The president has one ofmy paintings and he keepsit at his house,” said Martinas he stood displaying some of his works at theHattiesburg Grand Theatre on Jan. 28.

Martin, a native of McComb, and his wife,Madeline, continued to display his paintingsthroughout opening week of the film, “RedTails.”

As a child, stories from his uncle, WalterDowns, a member of the Tuskegee Airmen,spurred his interest in the history of the airmen.

Martin is not the only one who was in-trigued by the stories of the airmen. Lucas ex-plained during an interview with USA Todaythat his own childhood interests drew him tomake the film.

"For those of us in my group of filmmakers,like Steven (Spielberg), Ron (Howard) orMarty (Scorsese), we want to make moviesthat enthralled us when we were little,” saidLucas in an interview with USA Today.

Lucas said he heard about the Tuskegee Air-men 23 years ago.

“It was a project that I instantly was at-tracted to and was determined to get made,"he said.

According to an interview with Tom Joynerfrom “The Tom Joyner Morning Show,” Lucassaid it took about 23 years, 14 scripts and

seven writers before principal photography ofthe film started in 2009.

Just as Lucas waited 23 years to make thefilm, it wasn’t until six years ago that the 73-year-old Martin started painting the historicalevents of aerial warfare of the Tuskegee Air-

men. “I use my art to keep the

history going,” said Mar-tin. “I am so proud thatGeorge Lucas spent hismoney to put it on the bigscreen.”

Martin pointed out thathe has portrayed many his-torical events in his paint-ings just as the filmmakersportrayed them in live ac-tion.

One such event waswhat is called, “the longestmission” that took place onMarch 24, 1945, when agroup of Tuskegee Airmenof the 332nd FighterGroup flew a 1600-mileround trip from Ramitelli,Italy, to the Daimler-Benz

tank works in Berlin. They destroyed threeGerman ME-262 jet fighters and damaged fiveadditional jet fighters without losing any of thebombers or any of its own fighter aircraft toenemy aircraft.

Another famous event portrayed by bothMartin’s paintings and the film was in June1944. A Tuskegee pilot, Lt. Gynne Pierson ofthe 302nd Fighter Squadron, attacked and sanka German destroyer in the harbor at Trieste,Italy, using one of his aircraft’s 50-caliber ma-chine guns.

Although Martin has no connection to thefilm “Red Tails, ” he is proud to have had theopportunity to serve as a historical advisor onthe 1995 HBO documentary film, “TheTuskegee Airmen.” The documentary featuredthe talents of Laurence Fishburne, Malcolm-Jamal Warner and Cuba Gooding, Jr.

Martin hopes to keep the history of theTuskegee Airmen alive through other means.On Feb. 1, he spoke to Congress and the Sen-ate in Jackson about the Tuskegee Airmen.

“I feel honored to be given time to speakabout the airmen, the art and hopefully we canget politicians to issue a license plate to com-memorate the Tuskegee Airmen,” said Martin.

Page 8 Camp Shelby REVEILLE Thursday, February 16, 2012

Celebrating Tuskegee Airmen

Capt. Bryanna R. Thomes, Litchfield, Minn., de-velops training schedules for medical trainingand assists full-time staff in the training ofHealthcare Specialist courses.

Capt. Thomes ensuresmed. training for Soldiers

Thursday, February 16, 2012 Camp Shelby REVEILLE Page 9

By DANA ELISE SMITHCamp Shelby Public Affairs

Zuric Mallard has been working as a com-puter system analyst for the Directorate ofInformation Management at Camp ShelbyJoint Forces Training Center for the pastseven years.

His job is to prepare and maintain equip-ment and training assets such as Blackber-ries, cell phones, copiers and laptopcomputers used by mobilizing and demobi-lizing units.

The Jackson native graduated from JohnW. Provine High School in Jackson. He con-tinued his education at Hinds CommunityCollege in Jackson where he earned an as-sociate degree in telecommunications. Mal-lard earned a bachelor’s degree in computerscience from Kentucky State University inFrankfort, Ky.

Mallard played the trumpet in marchingand concert bands from middle schoolthrough college. Now he enjoys watchingmarching band competitions.

His favorite band is Jackson State Univer-sity’s “Sonic Boom of the South.” The bandhas more than 250 members and is one ofthe largest marching bands of all the histor-ically black colleges and universities.

Mallard has one daughter who is a seniorat Jackson State University.

In his spare time, he enjoys sporting re-treats and watching his favorite televisionshows, “NCIS” and “NCIS-LA.” His fa-vorite movies include “The Waterboy,”“Terminator,” “The Predator” series and the“Transformers” series.

Mallard maintains equipment

Zuric Mallard, a computer system analyst, main-tains equipment and training assets for mobilizingand demobilizing units.

CIVILIAN PROFILE

U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. Belynda Faulkner/177th Armored Brigade Public Affairs, ReleasedDOROTHY WILLIAMS RETIRES.... Lt. Col. Gregory Hargett, the executive officer of the 177th ArmoredBrigade at Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center, presents Dorothy Williams with a plaque in recog-nition of her 15 years of service to the brigade on Jan. 27. Williams retires with a total of 27 years of gov-ernment service.

U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Raymond Drumsta, 27th IBCT Public Affairs NCOIC27th IBCT CLASS... New York Army National Guard Soldiers Spc. Brendon Hewson, right, and StaffSgt. Jason Whitman, left, teach a Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) gunnery class at Camp Shelby JointForces Training Center on Feb. 6. The Soldiers belong to C Company, 2-108th Infantry of the 27th InfantryBrigade Combat Team. Soldiers of the Gloversville-based company are preparing to deploy overseaswith the brigade. See story on Page 1.

male dominated professionand as a black woman, I al-ways had to work extra hardto prove that I was just asgood, if not better,” said thenewly-appointed Forrest Co.judge. “I didn't just have toprove it to my colleagues, butto society as a whole.”

Along with personal criti-cism, black women in the mil-itary had to face both racialand gender discrimination.The achievements and accom-plishments of women in thearmed forces have been sig-nificant.

According to the Associ-ated Press, Maj. Gen. MarciaAnderson became the firstAfrican-American woman toearn a second star as a generalin the U.S. Army. Accordingto The Black Collegian On-line, Brig. Gen. Mary L.Saunders, who is serving atthe Pentagon, is the highestranking African-American

woman in the U.S. Air Force. There are many famous

firsts by African-Americanwomen. The first black fe-male Secretary of State wasCondoleezza Rice. Mae Jemi-son became the first black fe-male astronaut in 1992. HalleBerry won the Best ActressAward in 2001 for her role in“Monster’s Ball.” VonettaFlowers became the firstblack Olympic gold medalistin the bobsled category duringthe winter games in 2002 andfour years later speed skaterShani Davis became the firstblack athlete to win in an in-dividual sport in the WinterOlympics.

“I feel that black womenare finally in a position wherewe can be strong and feminineat the same time. Blackwomen have been inspired togain an education and con-tribute in many different fieldsof studies despite the adversi-ties we had to face,” saidStephanie Dillon, CampShelby Joint Forces TrainingCenter’s Sexual Assault Re-

sponse Coordinator. “I am sothrilled to see as many blackwomen serving in the militarybut also becoming lawyers,business owners, political fig-ures, teachers, counselors andthe list goes on.”

Other African-Americanwomen’s firsts include OprahWinfrey and Regina Ben-jamin. As of 2003, Winfreywas the first billionaire. Ben-jamin was the first African-American female and theyoungest person to be electedto the American Medical As-sociation’s board of trustees.She is now the Surgeon Gen-eral of the U.S.

To encourage blackwomen to follow their dreamsand strive for success, mostpeople would need a little mo-tivation.

“Do not ever quit. Do notallow anyone to push you offthe path to your dreams andseize all opportunities that arepresented to you,” said Polk-Payton. “Keep God first andlet Him lead your decision-making and light your path.

WomenContinued from Page 1

Page 10 Camp Shelby REVEILLE Thursday, February 16, 2012

was selected as the first sitefor implementation of thenew enrollment system be-cause it gave the VA the op-portunity to test the newprocess with larger demobi-lizing formations,” said Mac-Carley.

First Army Division East isall too familiar with the busi-ness of mobilizing and demo-bilizing Reserve Componentservice members. The divi-sion serves as a major com-ponent in preparing bothsmall and large formationsfor both deployments and thereturn home.

Currently, returning serv-ice members complete form1010-EZ, Application forHealth Benefits, at one ofmore than 60 demobilizationsites during an informationalhealth care briefing. Thoseapplications are consolidatedby supporting VA facilitystaff and mailed to the HealthEligibility Center for pro-cessing. During the briefing,service members completethe form and potentially missvaluable information abouttheir benefits. In addition, be-cause there is a natural lagtime in the paper submissionprocess, veterans who imme-

diately visit a VA facility forcare may experience delaysin receiving the care theyneed.

“Service members return-ing from the theater of oper-ations have only a very shorttime to complete all require-ments during the demobiliza-tion process,” said JustinHoffman, supervisory healthanalyst at the VA Health Eli-gibility Center. “Becauseservice members were com-pleting the application duringthe briefing, they were dis-tracted from the informationbeing presented.”

The manual process wasalso not as efficient as the VAwould have liked for demobi-lizing service members, giv-ing rise to the new onlineprocess, he added.

Several returning units ex-perienced the new online ap-plication firsthand inNovember following their re-turn from Iraq. Other unitscontinue to use the process asthey return from theater oper-ations, like the 45th InfantryBrigade Combat Team.

“With the new process thedemobilizing soldier is in-stantaneously enrolled in the

VA health caresystem uponcompletion ofthe application,”said MacCarley.“This newprocess im-provement is agreat example ofFirst Army part-nering with theVA to supportour soldiers.”

All soldiers inthe units com-pleted the web-b a s e d ,drop-down format workstationsprovided by Di-vision East priorto receiving theinformationalhealthcare brief-ing from the VA.

The new 1010-EZ-DEMOBis tailored specifically to de-mobilizing service membersand captures all necessaryfields to complete initial reg-istration eliminating thedelay in processing the paperapplications.

“[The application] is tai-lored to collect just thosepieces of information that arerequired from these servicemembers,” said Hoffman.With a tailored form the timeto complete the application isreduced to less than two min-utes for each service member.

The online application alsoenables the VA to process ap-plications for enrollmentfaster than the traditionalpaper process. The paper ap-plication could take seven to10 days to process, but thenew demob online applica-tion has reduced the process-ing time to three days. A vastimprovement for those need-ing health benefits immedi-ately.

“This faster process resultsin quicker notification toservice members regardingtheir enrollment status andaccess to their medical bene-fits,” Hoffman added.

Benefits that could be sub-ject to different rules if notapplied for during the en-hanced enrollment periodcurrently ongoing. Recentlydischarged veterans servingafter Nov. 11, 1998, are eligi-ble for an enhanced enroll-ment period and five years ofcost-free care and medica-tions for conditions poten-tially related to combatservice. If a veteran is outsidethe enhanced enrollment pe-riod, enrollment and subse-quent care could be based onother factors such as compen-sable service –connected dis-ability, VA pension status, ora veteran’s financial circum-stances.

“For this reason, combatveterans are strongly encour-aged to apply for enrollmentwithin their enhanced enroll-ment period, even if no med-ical care is currently needed,”said Hoffman.

That’s just what First ArmyDivision East is ensuring forthese veterans as they returnhome, and the new process isyielding positive results.

“This new process proveda remarkable success duringits roll out test at CampShelby,” said MacCarley.

“As a result, the VA HealthEligibility Center in conjunc-tion with First Army – bothDivisions East and West – in-tends to field the system andsupporting staff at each ofour MTCs.”

First Army Division Easthas implemented the systemat two of its three MTCs. AtCamp Shelby, more than1,600 returning Soldiers haveregistered through the onlinesystem since November.Camp Atterbury rolled outthe system Jan. 6 and, in afew short weeks, has nearlymatched Camp Shelby regis-tration.

The VA echoes MacCar-ley’s thoughts on success.According to Hoffman, theVA HEC intends to continuerefining the online applica-tion system for health bene-fits for all RC servicemembers.

“VHA will continue itscollaborative efforts withDoD to ensure the best andsimplest approach to simplifythe application process forthe service member,” he said.

Maintaining partnershipslike the one with DivisionEast will only make those ef-forts easier. Division East,too, remains committed toproviding the most efficientand best care for all returningservice members.

First Army Division East,headquartered at Fort Meade,Md., mobilizes, trains, vali-dates, deploys and demobi-lizes Reserve Componenttroops. In 2011, the divisionhas demobilized more than26,000 service members insupport of overseas contin-gency operations, such asOperation Enduring Freedomand Operation New Dawn, atthree mobilization trainingcenters across the easternUnited States.

DigitalContinued from Page 1

U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Belynda FaulknerCpl. Eric McNulty, an infantryman from Southern Plains, N.C., fills out the e-benefitform with military service coordinator Nathan Talley after returning from deploymentwith C Company 279th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. Afterthe VA inputs the form, the service member will receive a password for the e-Benefitwebsite that allows them to apply for benefits online.

By STAFF SGT. LaTASHA WILLIAMSCamp Shelby Public Affairs

The Lady Eagles of the University ofSouthern Mississippi’s women’s basket-ball team and their coach made a specialvisit to Camp Shelby Joint Forces Train-ing Center, Dec. 20.

Lt. Col. Brad Smith, CSJFTC deputycommander talked with the team aboutdifferent comparisons between being aleader, making decisions in the militaryand being a part of a team sport.

From a military’s leader standpoint,Smith explained that leadership comes

from preparing the Soldier. He compared training for a mission to

practicing for a game. “Everythingworks right when you are looking at aplay book, but if one person does some-thing wrong, everything is thrown off,”said Smith. He then explained that theplayers would have to reassess theirplans just as it is done in the military.

Joye McNelis, USM’s Lady Eagleshead basketball coach, presented Smithand Maj. Scott Lindley, assistant super-intendent of Camp Shelby’s ManeuverArea Training Equipment Site with anautographed USM women’s basketball

team schedule.USM's Military Appreciation Basket-

ball Game is set for 7 p.m. Thursday,Feb. 23, against Marshall. We have aspecial ticket promotion set for thegame. All active, reserve, or retired mil-itary members may purchase tickets for$2 each with a valid military ID. Thesetickets may be purchased during theweek at the Pat Ferlise Ticket Office lo-cated on West 4th Street or the day ofthe game at the ticket booth in front ofReed Green Coliseum. The uniform forthis event is ACU as directed by Com-mand Sgt. Maj. Chancellor.

Lady Eagles ‘on a mission’ at CSJFTC

Photos by Staff Sgt. LaTasha Williams, Camp Shelby Public AffairsA BIG THANK YOU... Joye McNelis, University of Southern Missis-sippiʼs Lady Eagles head basketball coach, presents Lt. Col. BradSmith, CSJFTC deputy commander, and Maj. Scott Lindley, with anautographed USM womenʼs basketball team schedule at CampShelby Joint Forces Training Center. At right, members of USMʼsLady Eagles basketball team and Head Coach Joye McNelis posefor a picture with CSJFTC installation Command Sgt. Maj. StevenChancellor, Mobilization Deputy Commander Col. Timothy Damico,CSJFTC installation Deputy Commander Lt. Col. Brad Smith, andAsst. Supt. of Camp Shelbyʼs Maneuver Area Training EquipmentSite, Maj. Scott Lindley.

The University ofSouthern Missis-

sippiʼs Lady Eagleʼsbasketball head

coach, Joye McNelisand CSJFTC

Deputy CommanderLt. Col. Brad Smith,

pose for a pictureafter McNelis and

members of thewomenʼs basketballteam presented the

poster to Smith.