mountaineer 2013 04-12

Vol. 71, No. 14 April 12, 2013

Pages 10-11

Pages 18-19

6

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Photo by Staff Sgt. Craig Cantrell

Sgt. Phylicia Rolland, health care specialist, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Special TroopsBattalion, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, assembles an OE-254 omnidirectionalantenna used by FM radios, during the testing phase of the Black Death Communications Academy, April 5 atCamp Buehring, Kuwait. See story on Page 12.

Improving communications Convening authority

By Karen ParrishAmerican Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON — Defense SecretaryChuck Hagel will ask Congress to change military law so that commanders cannot overturnmajor convictions, the secretary announced in awritten statement issued Monday.

Article 60 of the Uniform Code of MilitaryJustice currently gives power to “conveningauthorities,” or commanders, to set aside a conviction or decrease punishment following a court-martial, although convening authoritiescannot change a “not guilty” verdict or increasea sentence.

Under the secretary’s proposed changes, aconvening authority would no longer have theauthority to set aside a conviction for majoroffenses such as sexual assault. The accusedwill continue to have the right to appeal theconviction. Also, convening authorities would berequired to explain in writing any changes madeto the findings or sentences of a court-martial.

“These changes, if enacted by Congress,would help ensure that our military justice system works fairly, ensures due process, and isaccountable,” the secretary wrote in the statement.“These changes would increase the confidence ofservicemembers and the public that the militaryjustice system will do justice in every case.”

His proposal has the full support of theJoint Chiefs of Staff and the service secretaries,Hagel said.

“I look forward to working with Congresson these proposals and others to improveaccountability for these crimes,” he added.

Hagel ordered a review of Article 60 in

See Hagel on Page 2

Hagel seeks to limit powersunder UCMJ

2 MOUNTAINEER — April 12, 2013

This commercial enterprise newspaper is

an authorized publication for members of the

Department of Defense. Contents of the

Mountaineer are not necessarily the official

view of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government or

the Department of the Army. Printed circulation

is 12,000 copies.

The editorial content of the

Mountaineer is the respon sibility of the Public

Affairs Office, Fort Carson, CO 80913-5119,

Tel.: 526-4144. The e-mail address is

[email protected].

The Mountaineer is posted on the

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The Mountaineer is an unofficial

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Military Newspaper Group, a private firm in

no way connected with the Department of the

Army, under exclusive written contract with

Fort Carson. It is published 49 times per year.

The appearance of advertising in this

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MOUNTAINEERCommanding General:

Maj. Gen. Paul J. LaCamera

Garrison Commander:Col. David L. Grosso

Fort Carson Public Affairs Officer:Dee McNutt

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Commentary by Jessica RawlingsProgram evaluator,

U.S. Army Public Health Command

Drunken driving kills. On average, someone dies as aresult of drunken driving every 53 minutes, and someone isinjured as a result of drunken driving every 90 seconds.

According to the National Safety Council, at any givenmoment one in 50 drivers is not just impaired but legallyintoxicated; this number jumps to one in 10 on the weekends. In 2012, there were nearly 300,000 incidents of drinking and driving each day. Drunken driving costs theU.S. an estimated $132 billion per year, and costs each adult in the U.S. almost $500 per year in increased taxesdue to the higher demand for law enforcement.

In an effort to draw attention to this national tragedy,the National Safety Council has designated April as“Alcohol Awareness Prevention Month.”

Alcohol is a depressant that slows down the brain andbody. The first abilities that are altered are judgment and coordination. An impaired driver cannot recognize a dangerous situation and react quickly enough to avoid an accident. Unfortunately, because judgment is impaired,impaired drivers do not often realize they have had too much.

Heavy alcohol consumption is a problem nationally and in the military. The Institute of Medicine recently reported the use of alcohol has spiked since the wars in Iraq andAfghanistan began. Nearly half of active-duty military personnel report being binge drinkers. Binge drinking is having five or more drinks on a single occasion at least oncein the past 30 days; one drink is equal to five ounces of wine, 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits, or 12 ounces of regular beer. Unfortunately, 20 percent of the populationstill admits to drinking and driving.

Drunken driving can be prevented. Appoint a designateddriver who sticks to nonalcoholic beverages. If a

designated driver slips or cannot be decided on, call a taxi (make sure to keep a taxi company telephone numberin your cell phone).

If you are throwing a party, offer nonalcoholic drinks, arrange for a cab for someone that has had too

much to drink, and do not be afraidto take someone’s car keys. You may save someone’s life.

Even if you have not been drinking, there are ways to protectyourself on the road by knowing what to look for. According to lawenforcement officials, there are severalsigns of drunken driving: wide turns,weaving, swerving, drifting, driving onthe wrong side of the road, driving at a very slow rate and stopping withoutreason are just a few. If you encountersomeone on the road who you thinkis driving under the influence, keep a safe distance and call 911.

Alcohol Awareness Month

Drunken drivingputs lives at risk

ResourcesFor more information on alcohol and alcohol abuse or drunk driving, visit:Ø Army Substance Abuse Program

http://acsap.army.mil/sso/pages/public/facts/facts-training-packages.jsp

Ø Mothers Against Drunk Driving http://www.madd.org/drunk-driving/

Ø U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventionhttp://www.cdc.gov/Features/VitalSigns/DrinkingAndDriving/

March, after convening authority AirForce Lt. Gen. Craig Franklin, the 3rdAir Force commander, overturned thesexual assault conviction of Air ForceLt. Col. James Wilkerson. Last year, apanel of military officers foundWilkerson guilty in court-martial pro-ceedings at Aviano Air Base, Italy. Thejudge sentenced him to a year in prisonand dismissal from the Air Force.

Franklin was the convening authorityfor the court-martial and reviewed thefinished case and sentence. The generalused his Article 60 authority to dismissthe charges against Wilkerson, whoreturned to service and was reassigned.

Defense officials speaking toreporters on background Monday said the

proposed changes to Article 60 are notbased on that case alone, but are part ofa range of comprehensive actions thedepartment has taken and will takerelated to sexual assault in the military.

Hagel acknowledged in his state-ment that despite the efforts of seniorleaders throughout the department, thecrime of sexual assault “is damagingthis institution (the military).”

Thousands of victims in DOD, bothmale and female, have seen their livesand careers upended by sexual assault,Hagel said.

“And that is unacceptable,” he saidin his statement. “The current situationshould offend every single service-member and civilian who, like me, isproud of their association with theUnited States military.”

The secretary said he is reviewing

other options to strengthen the depart-ment’s sexual assault prevention andresponse efforts, and he will announcehis decisions soon.

“Consistent with the 2013 NationalDefense Authorization Act, I will soon benaming individuals to sit on independentpanels to review and assess the systemsused to investigate, prosecute, and adju-dicate crimes involving sexual assault,and judicial proceedings of sexual assaultcases,” Hagel said. “I will closely reviewtheir recommendations when complete.”

The secretary said he’s committedto taking steps that bring about tangiblechange and real results.

“Addressing the problem of sexualassault will remain a top priority for thedepartment’s leaders for as long as thiscrime continues to hurt our people andweaken the force,” Hagel said.

from Page 1

Hagel

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Secretary of Defense

By Karen ParrishAmerican Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON — Defense SecretaryChuck Hagel signaled possible big changesahead for his department in acquisition, personnel and organization ashe delivered his first major policy speech as Pentagon chief, April 3.

Hagel outlined his plan of attack for thestrategic and financial challenges the DefenseDepartment faces during remarks at theNational Defense University on Fort McNair.

“We need to challenge all past assump-tions, and we need to put everything on thetable,” he said.

Hagel said the Department of Defense’stask is to prepare for the future, “but not ina way that neglects, or is oblivious to, therealities of the present.”

At his direction, Hagel said, DeputyDefense Secretary Ash Carter, working withArmy Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman ofthe Joint Chiefs of Staff, is leading a reviewof the department’s strategic choices andmanagement. The review is intended to identifythe challenges, uncertainties, risks andopportunities connected to both strategicpriorities and budget uncertainty. It’s also“about matching missions with resources —

looking at ends, ways and means,” he said.The review will consider big choices —

“change that involves not just tweaking orchipping away at existing structures andpractices but, where necessary, fashioningentirely new ones that are better suited to21st-century realities and challenges,” thesecretary said.

Reshaping the defense enterprise meansconfronting “the principal drivers of growthin the department’s base budget — namelyacquisitions, personnel costs and overhead,”Hagel said.

The Pentagon’s biggest budget challengeis not its top-line budget, he said, but “wherethat money is being spent internally.”

Spiraling costs to sustain existing structuresand institutions, to provide personnel benefits,and to develop replacements for aging weaponsplatforms will, if unchecked, eventuallycrowd out spending on procurement, operationsand readiness, he said, which are the budgetcategories that enable the military to be, andstay, prepared.

Hagel said the U.S. military has grown moredeployable, expeditionary, flexible, lethal“and certainly more professional” since 9/11.

“It has also grown significantly older — as

DOD review will lead to ‘big choices’

Photo by Glenn Fawcett

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel tells the audience of the strategic andfiscal challenges facing the Department of Defense during his speech atthe National Defense University on Fort McNair in Washington, D.C., April 3.See Review on Page 4


Child, Youth and SchoolServices

Due to serious staffing shortages,Child, Youth and School Services hastemporarily suspended enrollment inall full-day child care programs andSchool Age Services.

The health and safety of childrenenrolled in CYSS is the primary concern and focus of the organizationand was the most important factor inthis decision.

Children currently enrolled inCYSS programs are not affected bythe enrollment suspension.

CYSS is still enrolling childrenand youth in SKIES instructionalclasses, youth sports and in the middleschool and teen programs at the Fort

Carson Youth Services Center. Families are encouraged to visit

Parent Central, located in building1518 on Prussman Boulevard, to register their children and placethem on a waiting list for child care,as well as to obtain informationabout the variety of services provided by CYSS.

Because CYSS cannot projectwhen new staff will be hired andbrought on board, the suspension fornew enrollments will continue untilrequired staffing ratios can be met.

CYSS off icials appreciate the patience of the Fort Carson com munity while they work toresolve this issue and are grateful forthe opportunity to serve the Familiesassigned to Fort Carson.

By Catherine RossSpecial to the Mountaineer

The Special Events Center willtransform into a hub of safety informa-tion and displays Tuesday.

Sponsored by the garrison safetyoffice, the Safety Day Fair from 10 a.m.to 3 p.m. will feature representativesfrom agencies both on and off post,educating the Fort Carson communityon spring and summer-focused issues.

Fort Carson safety specialistScott Rider said the safety officehopes to “give a sense of safetyissues as we transition into warmerweather and more outdoor activities.We want to help recognize some ofthe risks, and help (the Fort Carson

community) be safe this summer.”Participating organizations

include Fort Carson’s MedicalDepartment Activity, Directorate ofEmergency Services to include thefire department, Army CommunityService and the Army SubstanceAbuse Program. El Paso CountyPublic Health and Colorado SpringsUtilities will also have a presence.Rider said a static boat display isamong the expected displays.

Food will be available for purchaseat the event, courtesy of a Familyreadiness group.

The safety off ice will hostanother safety-focused event laterthis year to highlight issues specificto the fall and winter seasons.

Safety takes centerstage Tuesday

CYSS suspendsenrollments

measured by the age of major platforms— and it has grown enormously moreexpensive in every way,” he said.

The department will “get outahead” of challenges, Hagel said. Hesaid he has told the senior leaders acrossthe department and the services that “weare all in this together, and we will comeout of it together.”

Hagel said the military’s modern-ization strategy “still depends on systems that are vastly more expensiveand technologically risky than whatwere promised or budgeted for.” The department must develop an acquisitionsystem that responds more quicklyand effectively to the needs of troopsand commanders in the f ield, he said — one that rewards cost-effectiveness “so that our programsdo not continue to take longer, costmore and deliver less than initiallyplanned and promised.”

Right mix of personnelOn the personnel front, Hagel

said, DOD leaders must determinehow many military and civilian peoplethey have, how many they need andhow to compensate them for their service. He said that process willinvolve questioning the right mix ofcivilian and military members, the rightbalance between officer and enlistedservicemembers and the appropriatetroop strength dedicated to combat,support and administrative duties.

Hagel said he also advocates ahard look at defense organization. Themilitary’s operational forces, its battalions, ships and aircraft wings,have shrunk dramatically since theCold War era, he noted.

“Yet the three- and four-star command and support structures sittingatop these smaller fighting forces havestayed intact, with minor exceptions,”he added, “and in some cases, they areactually increasing in size and rank.”

Hagel said the review will examinefunding for those headquarters andsupport structures, along with DODelements including the Office of theSecretary of Defense, the Joint Staff,the combatant commands and the

defense agencies and field activities.“The military is not, and should

never be, run like a corporation,” Hagelsaid. “But that does not mean we don’thave a good deal to learn from whatthe private sector has achieved over thepast 20 to 30 years, in which reducinglayers of upper and middle managementnot only reduced costs and microman-agement, it also led to more agile andeffective organizations and moreempowered junior leaders.”

The secretary acknowledged thatmaking dramatic changesin acquisition systems,benefits and force struc-ture could prove unwise,untenable or politicallyimpossible.

“Yet we have nochoice but to take a veryclose look and see howwe can do all of this better,” he said.

Hagel noted that histwo immediate predeces-sors as defense secretary— Leon E. Panetta andRobert M. Gates — eachled efforts to cut costsacross the department.But sequester cuts andbudget uncertainty have“led to far more abruptand deeper reductionsthan were planned orexpected,” he added.

The sequesteraffect

“Now, DOD is grap-pling with the serious andimmediate challenges ofsequester — which isforcing us to take asmuch as a $41 billion cut in this current fiscal year, and if it continues,will reduce projected defense spendingby another $500 billion over the nextdecade,” the secretary said.

Much more hard work, difficultdecisions and strategic prioritizingremain to be done, he said, and “deeppolitical and institutional obstacles tonecessary reforms will need to beengaged and overcome.”

The secretary said the department’senduring mission — defending the

nation and advancing America’s strategicinterests — must be approached in the context of “unprecedented shifts in the world order, new global challengesand deep global fiscal uncertainty.”

21st century challengesThe 21st-century security land-

scape is marked by the threat of violent extremism from weak statesand ungoverned spaces in the MiddleEast and North Africa, Hagel said.Other security issues, he said, include

the proliferation ofweapons and materials;increasing access toadvanced military tech-nology among state andnonstate actors, risks ofregional conflict thatcould draw in the UnitedStates, and “the debili-tating and dangerouscurse of human despairand poverty, as well asthe uncertain implica-tions of environmentaldegradation.”

Hagel said cyber -attacks, “which barelyregistered as a threat adecade ago, have growninto a defining securitychallenge” which allowsenemies to strike security,energy, economic andother critical infrastructurewith the benefit ofanonymity and distance.

All in all, Hagelsaid, the world is com-bustible and complex,and America’s responsi-bilities are enormous.The military’s role in

meeting those responsibilities isessential, he said, but as part of a totalgovernment approach.

“Most of the pressing securitychallenges today have importantpolitical, economic, and culturalcomponents, and do not necessarilylend themselves to being resolved by conventional military strength,” thesecretary noted.

Defense leaders need time, flexibility, budget certainty and partnership with Congress to effectively

explore new approaches to acquisition,personnel and overhead costs, he said.Hagel emphasized that future strategicplanning will emphasize DOD’s “inherent strengths” of leadershipdevelopment, training, mobility andlogistics, special operations, cyber,space, and research and development.

“The goal of the senior leadershipof this department today is to learnfrom the miscalculations and mistakesof the past drawdowns and make theright decisions that will sustain ourmilitary strength, advance our strategicinterests, and protect our nation wellinto the future,” Hagel said.

America’s global leadershipThe secretary concluded with

comments on the nation’s role in theworld. Amid budget turmoil, financialcrisis and a war-weary population,Hagel said, questions arise aboutAmerica’s global leadership.

“America does not have the luxuryof retrenchment,” the secretary asserted.“We have too many global interests atstake, including our security, prosperity,and our future.”

If America leaves a leadershipvacuum, he said, the next great powermay not be as judicious or responsibleas the United States has been sinceWorld War II.

“We have made mistakes and miscalculations with our great power,”Hagel said. “But as history hasadvanced, America has helped make abetter world for all people with itspower. A world where America doesnot lead is not the world I wish my children to inherit.”

Quoting President TheodoreRoosevelt, Hagel said America “cannotbear these responsibilities aright unlessits voice is potent for peace and justice… with the assured self-confidenceof the just man armed.”

What distinguishes America and itspeople, he said, is “our commitment tomaking a better life for all people.”

“We are a wise, thoughtful andsteady nation, worthy of our power,generous of spirit, and humble in ourpurpose,” he added. “That is theAmerica we will defend together, withthe purpose and self-confidence ofthe ‘just man armed.’”

from Page 3

Review

“A worldwhereAmericadoes notlead is not theworld Iwish mychildrento inherit.”

— Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel


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2nd GSAB continues aviation legacyStory and photo by Spc. Nathan Thome

4th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office

A blue guidon, which was sheathed for two years,was unfurled in front of Soldiers and their Familiesduring the activation ceremony for 2nd GeneralSupport Aviation Battalion, 4th Aviation Regiment, atthe Special Events Center, April 3.

During the ceremony, Lt. Col. TylerSmith, commander, 2nd GSAB., 4th Avn.Reg., 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4thInfantry Division, and Command Sgt. Maj.Rickey Davis, senior enlisted leader, 2ndGSAB, assumed command and responsibilityof the troops in the newly-reactivated unit.

“Today is a historic day for the division’scombat aviation brigade. It’s one step closerto being a fully-formed and recognized unit,”said Brig. Gen. Ryan Gonsalves, deputycommanding general for maneuver, 4th Inf.Div. and Fort Carson. “Many here today maynot know that the 4th Inf. Div. CAB has astoried history, particularly recently, flying insupport of Operation Iraqi Freedom, as wellas Operation Enduring Freedom; defendingthe nation and supporting every mission theywere called on to execute.”

After uncasing the battalion colors,Gonsalves presented the flag to Smith, recognizing him as the newest leader toassume command of the aviation Soldiers.

“Family and friends of the ‘Mustangs,’ itis with great humility and honor that we activate

the 2nd (GSAB), 4th Avn. Reg., whose historic rootsare no stranger to the ‘Iron Horse Division,’” saidSmith. “This battalion has been activated within thisdivision on three previous occasions; initially in1963, again in 1982 and 1996; today marks thatfourth activation, and represents the rebirth of that long and storied relationship.”

The activation ceremony not only marked a newbeginning for the aviation Soldiers, but also reignitedthe spark for retired Soldiers previously assignedto the unit.

“While the people and equipment have changed,the mission remains the same,” Smith said. “Thisceremony honors not only the skilled Soldiers and

leaders that stand before you, but honors alegacy to the tradition of Army aviation.Today we have a representative for thatlegacy, (retired) Chief Warrant Officer 3 TimWilkerson, also known as ‘Blackjack 17’during his time in Vietnam, in Company A,2nd Bn., 4th Avn. Reg., (in) 1968-1969.

“We’re proud that he was able to be heretoday, for he represents not only the historicroots of this battalion, its first combat action,but also the legacy of aviation branch,” addedSmith. “It is men like Tim Wilkerson whoearned the ground forces’ trust, not throughword, but through action. We are proud of hislegacy, built by combat-proven warriors, and

Lt. Col. Tyler Smith, left, commander, 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 4th Aviation Regiment, 4th Combat AviationBrigade, 4th Infantry Division, and CommandSgt. Maj. Rickey Davis, senior enlisted leader, uncase the battalion colors during an activation ceremony at the Special Events Center, April 3.

See Activation on Page 8


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‘Iron’ Brigade holds annual Soldier of the Year competitionStory and photo by Sgt. Grady Jones

3rd Armored Brigade CombatTeam Public Affairs Office, 4th

Infantry Division

Competitors from the “Iron”Brigade tested their skills and knowl-edge to find out who was the bestduring the brigade’s Soldier andNoncom missioned Officer of the Yearcompetition, April 3-4.

The Soldiers and NCOs wereselected by battalion-level units underthe 3rd Armored Brigade CombatTeam, 4th Infantry Division.

The winners of the Iron Brigadecompetition are both from 3rd SpecialTroops Battalion: Pfc. HeatherScogin, medic, Headquarters andHeadquarters Company, is the Soldierof the Year and Staff Sgt. DarhemParker, combat engineer, Company C,is the NCO of the Year.

“Everyone in the brigade shouldknow who these Soldiers are and thatthey are the standard bearers for theirorganizations,” said Command Sgt.Maj. Douglas Maddi, senior enlistedleader, 3rd ABCT, 4th Inf. Div.

Competitors were given an ArmyPhysical Fitness Test and participatedin various Warrior tasks and drillssuch as marksmanship, first aid, landnavigation and weapon assembly.

“The competition was great andchallenging,” Scogin said. “This

competition allows Soldiers to beable to experience events they haven’texperienced before.

“It’s a boost of confidence,” shesaid of taking top honors.

Parker said that the competitionhelped him to refresh some skills andensured he is knowledgeable abouthis job.

There was a consensus among thewinners that the board was the mostdifficult portion of the competition.

Scogin said it was the most mentallychallenging because mistakes madeduring the other tasks could be correctedwithout someone watching over her.

“Having someone right there staringat you during the board, and notallowing for self-correction, was verydifficult,” said Scogin.

The skills tested were focused onthe basic skills each Soldier or NCOshould know at their level.

“(The competition is about) core

competencies, dedication to professionof arms and knowledge,” said 1st Sgt.Michael Conaty, Headquarters andHeadquarters Company, 3rd STB, 3rdABCT, 4th Inf. Div. “All Soldiersshould be able to compete.”

Sgt. Mark Campbell, infantryman,Company A, 1st Battalion, 68thArmor Regiment, 3rd ABCT, 4th Inf.Div., said he enjoyed the experience andparticularly “liked the land navigationand (marksmanship) shooting.”

The competitors also participatedin a board where they were askedmultiple questions on different subjectsafter reporting to the board in theirdress uniforms.

“Having to focus in areas thatweren’t necessarily in my area (of)expertise really expanded my knowl-edge,” said Spc. Luke Pata, medic, 1stBattalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rdABCT, 4th Inf. Div.

All nine participants were awardedwith an “Iron” Brigade coin and thewinners were each awarded with ArmyAchievement Medals at a luncheonheld at Wolf Dining Facility, April 5.

The winners will move on tocompete at the division-level compe-tition, scheduled May 13-17.

“You have to make it a priority,”Scogin said. “You’ll have to put inthose extra hours. That is one of thebig differences that might separate awinner from someone who doesn’t (putin the extra hours).”

Pfc. Heather Scogin makes adjustments to her assigned rifle during a zeroing rangewith the help of her sponsor, Staff Sgt. Steven Thorsen. Both are medics withHeadquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4thInfantry Division. Scogin took first place in the Soldier’s category of the Iron BrigadeSoldier/Noncommissioned Officer of the Year competition, held April 3-4.

April 12, 2013 — MOUNTAINEER

Miscellaneous

The Directorate of Public Works Recycle Programstaff — is marking all outside, military unit orcontractor, recycling dumpsters and roll offs containing the wrong recyclable commodity ortrash with a red sign and the containers will not bepicked up for emptying until the problem is corrected. The signs state “Red tagged containeris not acceptable until content meets Fort Carsonrecycling requirements.” Segregating wastemanually through the recycle staff is time consumingand costly. Units needing assistance with wasterecycling can call 526-5898.

German Armed Forces Military Proficiency Badge— training and testing is conducted monthly. Eventsinclude swimming, marksmanship, track and fieldevents (100-meter dash, shot put, long jump or highjump and 3,000-meter run or 1,000-meter swim)and a 12-kilometer road march. Upon completionof all required events, Soldiers are awarded abadge in gold, silver or bronze level — determinedby results of the marksmanship and road march.This is a foreign military award authorized to beworn on the Class-A or Army Service Uniform.Soldiers should submit packets through their chainof command to Sgt. Michael Phillips at 524-4944or email [email protected]. Formore information contact Chief Warrant Officer 4David Douglas at 720-250-1221 or [email protected].

Finance travel processing — All inbound andoutbound Temporary Lodging Expense, “Do itYourself ” Moves, servicemember and Familymember travel, travel advance pay and travel payinquiries will be handled in building 1218, room 231.Call 526-4454 or 524-2594 for more information.

Recycle incentive program — The Directorate ofPublic Works has an incentive program to prevent recyclable waste from going to the landfill.Participating battalions can earn monetary rewardsfor turning recyclable materials in to the Fort CarsonRecycle Center, building 155. Points are assigned forthe pounds of recyclable goods turned in and everyparticipating battalion receives money quarterly. Call526-5898 for more information about the program.

First Sergeants’ Barracks Program 2020 — islocated in building 1454 on Nelson Boulevard.The hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.Monday-Friday. The office assists Soldiers withroom assignments and terminations. For moreinformation call 526-9707.

Sergeant Audie Murphy Club — The Fort CarsonSergeant Audie Murphy Club meets the thirdTuesday of each month at the Family ConnectionCenter from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The SAMCis open to all active members and those interestedin becoming future SAMC members. The clubwas originally a U.S. Forces Command organizationof elite noncommissioned officers but is now anArmywide program for those who meet the criteriaand have proven themselves to be outstandingNCOs through a board/leadership process.Contact SAMC president Sgt. 1st Class DawnaBrown at 526-3983 for information.

Directorate of Public Works services — DPW isresponsible for a wide variety of services on FortCarson. Services range from repair and maintenanceof facilities to equipping units with a sweeper andcleaning motor pools. Listed below are phonenumbers and points of contact for services:

• Facility repair/service orders — FortCarson Support Services service order desk can bereached at 526-5345. Use this number for emergen-cies or routine tasks and for reporting wind damage,damaged traffic signs or other facility damage.

• Refuse/trash and recycling — Call EricBailey at 719-491-0218 or email [email protected] when needing trash containers, trash

is overflowing or emergency service is required.• Facility custodial services — Call Bryan

Dorcey at 526-6670 or email [email protected] for service needs or to report complaints.

• Elevator maintenance — Call BryanDorcey at 526-6670 or email [email protected].

• Motor pool sludge removal/disposal —Call Dennis Frost at 526-6997 or [email protected].

• Repair and utility/self-help — Call GaryGrant at 526-5844 or email [email protected]. Use this number to obtain self-helptools and equipment or a motorized sweeper.

• Base operations contracting officerrepresentative — Call Terry Hagen at 526-9262or email [email protected] for questionson snow removal, grounds maintenance andcontractor response to service orders.

• Portable latrines — Call Jerald Just at524-0786 or email [email protected] torequest latrines, for service or to report damagedor overturned latrines.

• Signs — Call Jim Diorio, Fort CarsonSupport Services, at 896-0797 or 524-2924 oremail [email protected] to request a facility,parking or regulatory traffic sign.

The Fort Carson Trial Defense Service office — isable to help Soldiers 24/7 and is located at building1430, room 233. During duty hours, Soldiersshould call 526-4563. The 24-hour phone numberfor after hours, holidays and weekends is 526-0051.

Briefings 75th Ranger Regiment briefings — are held

Tuesdays in building 1430, room 150, fromnoon to 1 p.m. Soldiers must be private-sergeantfirst class with a minimum General TechnicalScore of 105; be a U.S. citizen; score 240 orhigher on the Army Physical Fitness Test; andpass a Ranger physical. Call 524-2691 or visithttp://www.goarmy.com/ranger.html.

Casualty Notification/Assistance Officer training —is held Tuesday-Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. atVeterans’ Chapel. Class is limited to the first 50people. Call 526-5613/5614 for details.

Retirement briefings — are held from 8 a.m. tonoon the second and third Wednesday of eachmonth at the Freedom Performing Arts Center,building 1129 at the corner of Specker Avenueand Ellis Street. The Retirement Services Officerecommends spouses accompany Soldiers to thebriefing. Call 526-2840 for more information.

ETS briefings — for enlisted personnel are heldthe first and third Wednesday of each month.Briefing sign in begins at 7 a.m. at the SoldierReadiness Building, building 1042, room 244,on a first-come, first-served basis. Soldiers mustbe within 120 days of their expiration term ofservice, but must attend no later than 30 daysprior to their ETS or start of transition leave.Call 526-2240/8458 for more information.

Disposition Services — Defense Logistics AgencyDisposition Services Colorado Springs, located inbuilding 381, conducts orientations Fridays from12:30-3:30 p.m. The orientations discuss DLAprocesses to include turning in excess property,reutilizing government property, web-based toolsavailable, special handling of property and environ-mental needs. To schedule an orientation, contactArnaldo Borrerorivera at [email protected] for receiving/turn in; Mike Welsh [email protected] for reutilization/web tools; or

Rufus Guillory at [email protected]. Reassignment briefings — are held Tuesdays in

building 1129, Freedom Performing Arts Center.Sign-in for Soldiers heading overseas is at 7 a.m. andthe briefing starts at 7:30 a.m. Sign-in for personnelbeing reassigned stateside is at 1 p.m., with thebriefing starting at 1:30 p.m. Soldiers are required tobring Department of the Army Form 5118, signed bytheir physician and battalion commander, and a pento complete forms. Call 526-4730/4583 for details.

Army ROTC Green-to-Gold briefings — are heldthe first and third Tuesday of each month at noonat the education center, building 1117, room 120.Call University of Colorado-Colorado SpringsArmy ROTC at 262-3475 for more information.

Hours of OperationCentral Issue Facility

• In-processing — Monday-Thursday from7:30-10:30 a.m.

• Initial and partial issues — Monday-Friday from 12:30-3:30 p.m.

• Cash sales/report of survey — Monday-Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Direct exchange and partial turn ins —Monday-Friday from 7:30-11:30 a.m.

• Full turn ins — by appointment only; call526-3321.

• Unit issues and turn ins — requireapproval, call 526-5512/6477.

Education Center hours of operation — TheMountain Post Training and Education Center,building 1117, 526-2124, hours are as follows:

• Counselor Support Center — Monday-Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Fridays 11a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Army Learning Center — Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Defense Activity for NontraditionalEducation Support and Army Personnel Testing —Monday-Friday 7:30-11:30 a.m. and 12:30-4:30 p.m.

Repair and Utility self-help — has moved to building217 and is open Monday-Friday 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Medical Activity Correspondence Departmentoffice hours — The Correspondence (Releaseof Infor mation) Off ice in the PatientAdministration Division hours are Monday-Wednesday and Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.and closed Thursday and federal holidays. Call526-7322 or 526-7284 for details.

Work Management Branch — The DPW WorkManagement Branch, responsible for processingwork orders — Facilities Engineering WorkRequests, DA Form 4283 — is open for processingwork orders and other in-person support from 7-11:30 a.m. Monday-Friday. Afternoon customer sup-port is by appointment only, call 526-2900. The WorkManagement Branch is located in building 1219.

Claims Office hours — are Monday-Friday from 9a.m. to noon and 1-4 p.m., located on the first floorof building 6222, 1633 Mekong Street. Shipmentunder Full Replacement Value claimants must submit Department of Defense Form 1840R or AfterDelivery Form 1851 for additionally discovereditems to the carrier within 75 days online. Claimantsmust log into Defense Personal Property System athttp://www.move.mil and submit the claim withinnine months directly to the carrier to receive fullreplacement value for missing or destroyed items.All other claims should be submitted to the ClaimsOffice within two years of the date of delivery ordate of incident. Call the Fort Carson ClaimsOffice at 526-1355 for more information.

Fort Carson dining facilities hours of operation

DFAC Friday Saturday-Sunday Monday-ThursdayStack Breakfast: 7-9 a.m.

Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.Dinner: 5-6:30 p.m.

Breakfast: 7-9 a.m.Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.Dinner: 5-6:30 p.m.

Breakfast: 7-9 a.m.Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.Dinner: 5-6:30 p.m.

Wolf Breakfast: 6:45-9 a.m.Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.Dinner: Closed

Closed Breakfast: 6:45-9 a.m.Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.Dinner: 5-6:30 p.m.

Warfighter (Wilderness Road Complex)

Breakfast: 7-9 a.m.Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.Dinner: Closed

Closed Breakfast: 7-9 a.m.Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dinner: Closed

LaRochelle10th SFG(A)

Breakfast: 7-9 a.m.Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.Dinner: Closed

Closed Breakfast: 7-9 a.m.Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.Dinner: Closed

Special Forces briefings areheld Wednesdays from noonto 1 p.m. Special Operations Forcesbriefings are heldWednesdays from 1-2 p.m.Briefings are held in building 1430, room 123. Call524-1461 or visit http://www.bragg.army.mil/sorb.

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Road readyit is with full resolve that this organizationstands ready to honor that warrior spirit.”

Unit officials invited Wilkerson to bea part of the activation ceremony.

“It’s a tremendous honor, the receptionhere is just beyond belief,” said Wilkerson.“I’m just so proud of you guys, proud ofwhat you’re doing, and I’m proud to seeus continuing, that’s what we’re here for.”

Wilkerson spoke with the aviationSoldiers, telling them stories of when hewas an aviation Soldier and wishingthem luck in their missions.

“Just keep doing what you’re doing,keep the pride in the unit and what youdo,” Wilkerson said.

As the ceremony came to a close,Smith told his Soldiers what he planned toaccomplish during his time in command.

“I’m privileged and honored to bestanding up this unit, the Soldiers whohave been here for 15 months standing itup have done a fantastic job of settingthe groundwork,” said Smith. “Thisorganization is a trained organizationthat’s ready to go out and support theSoldiers of 4th Inf. Div. My goals forthe unit are simply to be prepared todeploy to combat, and train so that weare ready to deploy where needed by the4th Inf. Div.”

from Page 5

Activation

Staff Sgt. ScottJarrett, motorcyclesafety mentor, 3rdSquadron, 61stCavalry Regiment,4th BrigadeCombat Team, 4thInfantry Division,discusses T-CLOCSinspections duringa training classMarch 28. T-CLOCS— tires and wheels, controls, lights, oil,chassis and stand— serves as aneasy way to checka motorcycle prior to a ride.Safety classes are conducted regularly to educate Soldierson how to avoid injuries while riding.

Story and photos by Spc. Andrew Ingram1st Armored Brigade Combat Team PublicAffairs Office, 4th Infantry Division

CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait — Pulling hardon the lanyard gripped tightly in his hands, a

cannon crewmember sent a 155 mm M107 highexplosive artillery round thundering from anM109A6 Paladin self-propelled howitzer, arcingover the Kuwaiti desert.

Spc. Christopher Pearsall, Company B, 4thBattalion, 42nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st

Armored Brigade CombatTeam, 4th Infantry Divi -sion, joined his fellow“Straight Arrow” Battalioncannon crew members inverifying artillery skillsduring Table VI certifica-tions at Udairi Range, April 1-4.

“Table VI certificationstest our individual teams,”said Command Sgt. Maj.Joseph James, senior enlisted

leader, 4th Bn., 42nd FA Reg. “These Soldiers arecontinually training, and this certification is animportant step toward improving as a collective unit.”

Each morning of the four-day certificationcycle, a different platoon traveled from CampBuehring to the artillery lanes at Udairi Range toundergo the certification gantlet.

Throughout the day cannon crews conductedmultiple fire missions under the direction of theirplatoon leaders and platoon sergeants.

“Table VI is about halfway through the trainingand certification process for artillery,” James said.“In addition to testing the individual crew’s abilities,we also test the young lieutenants and platoonsergeants on their abilities to direct their Soldiersduring missions.”

Before firing, crews quickly loaded theirPaladins with ordnance, as senior noncommis-sioned officers watched closely, taking note oftheir speed, adherence to proper procedures andsafety standards.

“This whole exercise is about more than certifying our basic skills,” said Staff Sgt. JasonPatruno, cannon crewmember, Company B, 4th Bn.,42nd FA Reg. “We are doing this in Kuwait, whereour mission is to partner with the local forces.

“They can see the way we train and learn fromit,” said Patruno. “I’m sure we will have the chanceto see how they train and learn from them as welldown the line.”

After loading up, the crews moved to the firinglane and proceeded to conduct multiple fire missions on targets miles away.

“Every time we get out to the range, we learn

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Staff Sgt. Jason Patruno,cannon crewmember,Company B, 4th Battalion,42nd Field ArtilleryRegiment, 1st ArmoredBrigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division,secures a 155 mm M107high-explosive artilleryround in his M109A6 Paladinself-propelled howitzer during team certifications at Udairi Range, April 3.

Soldiersassigned to

Company B, 4thBattalion, 42nd

Field ArtilleryRegiment, 1st

ArmoredBrigade Combat

Team, 4thInfantry

Division, fire a round from

an M109A6Paladin

self-propelledhowitzer during

the direct fireportion of

Table VI teamqualifications,

April 3 at Udairi Range.

Cannon crews certify skills

“We are at our bestwhen we are workingagainst the clock andthe stakes are high.”

— Sgt. Zahn Mather

something different,” said Sgt. Zahn Mather, cannoncrewmember, Company B. “We are always gettingbetter at our job, always getting faster. If we improveour time and don’t repeat any of the mistakes we’vemade in the past, it’s a good day.”

The cannon crews completed the training afterconducting direct fire missions, a tactic used todestroy enemies posing a direct threat to themselvesor their rear element.

“I like to be graded under pressure,” Mathersaid. “We are at our best when we are workingagainst the clock and the stakes are high.”

While most crews certified their skills during

gunneries at Fort Carson, the difference in terrain atUdairi Range made the qualifying process challenging.

By training in Kuwait, many less-experiencedSoldiers gain knowledge they could not haveobtained in the field at Fort Carson, said Spc.Alexander Bush, cannon crewmember, Company B.

“The terrain is similar to much of Iraq andAfghanistan,” Bush said. “After training here, if Iam required to perform combat operations in thedesert, I will be ready.”

The Straight Arrows are slated to continue trainingand partnering with their Kuwaiti counterpartsthroughout their deployment.


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Training enhances communicationStory and photo by

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Infantry Division

CAMP BUERHING, Kuwait —Armed with radios, Blue Force Trackersystems and antennas, 12 Army SignalCorps Soldiers welcomed the challengeof instructing “Raider” BrigadeSoldiers from a variety of specialties atthe Black Death Communications

Academy, Camp Buehring, Kuwait. During two iterations, the instructors

of the BDCA trained 99 Soldiers onthree different communicationsdevices; the Blue Force Tracker andFM and high frequency radios. TheBFT is used to digitally coordinateforces on the battlefield, and FM and HFradios allow Soldiers to communicateat different distances.

“We have taken a full militaryoccupational specialty and streamlinedit down to a basic course that takes about

a week to teach,” said 2nd Lt. JasonMorehouse, platoon leader, Company B,1st Special Troops Battalion, 1stArmored Brigade Combat Team, 4thInfantry Division. “This course isdesigned to give the operators a basicinstruction on how to operate andmaintain the equipment.”

During the Raider Brigade’s rotationto the National Training Center, FortIrwin, Calif., Morehouse said he noticedthat many of the Soldiers did not knowhow to properly operate and maintain

their communications equipment.The BDCA offers Raider Soldiers

the opportunity to refresh or expandtheir knowledge on the Army’s com-munications equipment.

“The communications academy wasa good refresher and also taught meabout capabilities I never knew about,”said Spc. Buddy Rash, horizontal construction engineer, Company C, 1stSTB. “Communications are veryimportant in the Army, because if youcan’t communicate with your fellowSoldiers on the ground, you can’taccomplish your mission.”

Students will be able to take thistraining and educate their fellowSoldiers.

“The course forced me to brush upon some things about the radios that Ihaven’t done in a long time and givesthe students a knowledge base to goback and train their units as subjectmatter experts,” said Staff Sgt. WillieBridges, radio operator maintainer,BDCA instructor, Company B, 1st STB.

The BDCA staff ran its first twocourses with 1st STB Soldiers, butplans to open the course to all RaiderBrigade units in July.

“Before I attended this course Iwas not very proficient on communi-cations equipment,” said Spc. JaymieHonold, health care specialist,Headquarters and HeadquartersCompany, 1st STB. “This is somethingevery Soldier should attend.”

Pfc. Cameron Jackson, right, 1st Special Troops Battalion, 1st Armored Brigade CombatTeam, 4th Infantry Division, installs an antenna for a Blue Force Tracker system on aHumvee while Sgt. Brian Boyles, 1st STB, monitors his progress during the testing phase ofthe one-week Black Death Communications Academy, Camp Buehring, Kuwait, April 5.


SFAC assists with med board processStory and photo by

Catherine RossSpecial to the Mountaineer

A handmade quilt hangs above the fireplace, drawing eyes up to a wood-beamed ceiling; there areplenty of couches and chairs, a nookfor watching television and a fullkitchen. The Soldier and FamilyAssistance Center feels like a retreat.

Stepping through the doors of theSFAC removes all thoughts of beingon a military installation, and that isexactly the effect the staff would likethe center to have on its customers.

Part of Army Community Service,SFAC human resources assistant RandyHart said, “We provide all of the sameservices, but in a different environmentand different perspective.”

Any Soldier going through themedical board process can benefitfrom the SFAC, said Hart. Whether aSoldier is separating from the militaryor returning to duty, is in the WarriorTransition Battalion or falls under the Individual Disability EvaluationSystem, the SFAC has much to offer.

In order to take advantage of those services, eligible Soldiers must in-process with the SFAC. In-processing briefings are heldTuesdays and Thursdays at 1 p.m. andlast about one hour. Married Soldiersare encouraged to bring their spouses.

Hart said he’d like to see the number of attendees, currently averagingabout six per briefing, increase so moreeligible Soldiers could take advantage of the services offered.

“As soon as they start the medboard process, the SFAC can startworking with them on all of their military benefits,” Hart said. “Theopportunities are endless. We’re a one-stop shop for all wounded warriors

getting out of the military, and some of them do retrain and re-class.”

“I’m already in the process of getting my resume done,” said Sgt.Jacob Carbajal, 4th Squadron 10thCalvary Regiment, 3rd ArmoredBrigade Combat Team, 4th InfantryDivision, following an in-processingbriefing April 4.

Wounded warriors in the process ofseparating can prepare financially forlife after the military by meeting with afinancial counselor who can pull creditreports, develop a household budget and provide salary negotiating advice.

The Army Wounded WarriorProgram assigns Soldiers with a counselor who can advocate for themon a variety of issues.

“We don’t focus on any onething,” said AW2 advocate TonyBarnes. “We know all the programsavailable and go to bat for (theSoldiers), for example, with the(Veterans Affairs).”

Bill Price, regional coordinator for The Wounded Warrior Educationand Employment Initiative, explainedhow his program helps Soldiers prepare for the future.

“We sit down and look at whereyou are now, what your goals are andwhere you want to go,” he said, addingthat E2I “works to make the Soldier as marketable as possible.”

Another program that helps preparewounded warriors with future careerpossibilities is Operation Warfighter,which matches Soldiers with internshipsat participating federal agencies.

“It’s not a job placement tool, butsometimes it turns out that way,” Pricesaid. “Regardless, you’re picking upthose needed skills that will help you transition to the outside world.

“And learning new skills equatesto healthy healing,” he said.

Other programs that prepareSoldiers for futures outside the Armyinclude a version of Army Career andAlumni Program tailored to woundedwarriors, federal resume writing classesand computer certification classes.

“I push a lot on my Soldiers interms of education,” said Carbajal.“Taking classes, taking the workshopsthey have here so they can learn moreand educate themselves, because it’s notjust about exiting the Army, but whatyou’re going to do when you get out.”

Carbajal added that the SFAC staffknows “what’s going to help the most,who’s going to help you the most.They try to help everybody out.”

That help includes assistance withopportunities that apply to woundedwarriors whether or not they are separating from the military.

“Soldiers have the opportunity …(to) get Social Security while on activeduty,” said Hart, explaining that if awounded warrior is unable to executehis military occupational specialty, hecan apply for Social Security benefits.

The SFAC can also assist

Soldiers with Army TraumaticServicemembers’ Group LifeInsurance, unemployment benefits,counseling services through the military and family life consultantprogram, religious services, andchild care.

With extensive communityinvolvement, the SFAC also offerswounded warriors and their Familiesunique chances for travel, outdoorrecreational adventures and more, via donations.

“There are a lot of people out in thecommunity who want to thank you foryour service,” said Yvette Allan, out-reach and donations program manager.

A warrior support group providesoccasions for Soldiers and theirFamilies to socialize, and is not justfor WTB Families, but for IDESFamilies as well, Hart said.

Noting the staff is comprised ofmany veterans and military spouses,Hart said, “We can relate to what they’regoing through, but we don’t understandwhat they’re going through. No one can understand but them.”

The Soldier and Family Assistance Centerprovides assistance to wounded warriorsseparating from the military or returningto duty and those who falls under theIndividual Disability Evaluation System.


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Legal Assistance Office

The Fair Debt Collection PracticesAct is a federal law that regulates thebehavior of collection agencies.

The FDCPA is a two-step process.Determining if the agency is a debtcollector, as defined by the law, andthen determining if its behavior violates the law.

Debt collectors are defined as people or agencies whose main businessis the collection of debts originallyowed to another person or organization.The most important aspect of this definition is that in order to qualify as a debt collector, the debt must have first been owed to someone else.

If the person contacting you is theperson you originally owed the money,he is not a debt collector and is notbound by any of the provisions below. Attorneys may qualify as debtcollectors if they regularly engage in consumer debt collection activity.

Repossession companies are normallynot considered debt collectors, butthere are some limited exceptions.

The FDCPA outlines severalduties and restrictions on debt collectors’ communication. The firsttime debt collectors make contact,whether written or oral, they must tellthe person that they are debt collectorsand that any information they gather is for the purpose of debt collection.Within five days of this initial contact,debt collectors must send a writtennotice with the amount of the debt, the name of the creditor to whom thedebt was owed and notification thatverification of the debt may berequested. They also must state thatfailure to request such verificationwithin 30 days means that they willassume the debt is valid. Verificationof the debt is just a report outliningthe details and accounting of the debt. Once verification is demanded,all communication from debt

collectors must stop until they provide the verification.

The act also controls the means and methods of debt collectors. Debtcollectors can only contact debtorsbetween 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. local time,unless consent is given. They are alsoforbidden from contacting people atinconvenient places, which includes the workplace. With some limitedexceptions, debt collectors cannot contact third parties about the alleged debt. Debt collectors arealso forbidden from usingharassing or abusive language or methods intheir communications.

Debt collectorsface possible penal-ties of up to $1,000per violation, as wellas other damages if aperson can show theywere directly caused bythe violations. However,

it is important to note that the FDCPAonly controls the method by which debtcollectors can pursue debt collection. It normally does not affect their abilityto collect debt. While the act may allow a person to force debt collectorsto cease communication with them and third parties, debt collectorsmay still seek judicial remedies, including filing a lawsuit.

Debt collectors

Act outlines communication restrictions

Contact the FortCarson LegalAssistance Office at526-5572 for moreinformation or assistance concerningan alleged debt.


Upcoming events

Installation Safety Day — The Garrison SafetyOffice hosts the Installation Safety Day Tuesdayfrom 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Special EventsCenter. Contact Master Sgt. Edward L. Smith at526-2123 or email [email protected] more information.

Drug take-back week — National Prescription Drug Take-Back Week takes place April 22-26. In the four previous Take-Back events, the DrugEnforcement Administration in conjunction withstate, local, and tribal law enforcement partnershave collected more than 2 million pounds (1,018tons) of prescription medications. The take-backweek aims to provide a safe, convenient, andresponsible means of disposal, while also educatingthe general public about the potential for abuse of these medications. Evans Army CommunityHospital officials will post two collection boxesdaily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. outside of the MainHospital Pharmacy, building 7500, room 1020, and the Soldier and Family Care Center Pharmacy,building 7505, room 1302.

Scouting for Food Drive — Cub Scout Pack 264 and Boy Scout Troop 164 host the 2013 Scoutingfor Food Drive April 27 from 8-11 a.m. All donations benefit the Care and Share Food Bankfor Southern Colorado. Contact Janita McGregorat 284-0186 for more information.

Spouse Master Resilience Trainer — Fort Carson is looking for spouses to become certifiedComprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness andMaster Resilience trainers. Applicants must beactive-duty military spouses with at least 12months left at Fort Carson and have good communication and public speaking skills.Interviews will be held Tuesday-Wednesday andtraining takes place May 13-23 from 8 a.m. to 5p.m. Applicants must attend all team meetings andtrainings. Applicants should contact their Soldier’scommander for more information on applying.

General announcements

Seeking volunteers — Cub Scout Pack 264 needs volunteers for den leaders and committeemembers. No experience is needed. Training will be provided by Boy Scouts of America staff.There is always a need for new volunteers to fill positions or just help out at various activities.Contact the Committee Chair, Johnathon Jobsonat [email protected] or the Cub Master,Robert Jepsen, [email protected] put Scout Volunteer in the subject line.

M-TEENS — Families with 12- or 13-year-old children may be invited to participate in a studybeing conducted by the RAND Corporation onhow food and physical activity environments inneighborhoods and schools influence children’sdiet, physical activity and body weight. SelectedFamilies will receive an invitation to the parent’sAKO email by April 20. Questions about thestudy may be addressed to the installation school liaison officer, Carmelita Carrillo, 524-0642. Visit http://mteens.rand.org or emailthe study team at [email protected] or call 800-836-4779.

Summer youth program — The American RedCross and Evans Army Community Hospital arelooking for motivated young adults to apply forthe Summer Youth Program, which allows youngadults to volunteer within the hospital and clinicsso they can get exposure to the medical field.Applications will be available from Mondaythrough May 8 in the hospital Red Cross office.Interviews will be held May 11 from 8 a.m. to4:30 p.m. Program participants will be selectedand notified by May 17. Participants selected for the program must be available for mandatoryorientation dates that will take place May 28-31and be current with their immunizations. Contact526-7144 for more information.

Donated annual leave for Fort Carson civilianemployees — is currently being accepted for the following civilians under the Voluntary LeaveTransfer Program. The employees who have exhausted all available leave because of medicalemergencies and are currently accepting leave donations are Brad Hanerkratt, Dental Activity;

Michele Bower, Space and Missile DefenseCommand; Vincent Lupercio and Tracy Paul,Directorate of Emergency Services; FrankOquendo, Directorate of Logistics; JacquelineWoodward, Directorate of Contracting; TeresaMiller, Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfareand Recreation. Government civilian employeeswho wish to donate annual leave may completeform OPM-630A, “Request to Donate AnnualLeave.” Nonappropriated Fund employees who wish to donate complete form OPM-630B “Out of Agency.” Call 526-4270 for more information.

Triple Threat expands — The Southeast FamilyCenter and Armed Services YMCA hosts TripleThreat meetings for Family members of militarypersonnel dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder. Groups meet at 6:30 p.m. Thursdayevenings at the YMCA located at 2190 Jet WingDrive in Colorado Springs. Contact Larry Palma at559-376-5389 or [email protected] for details.

Medications self-care program suspended — Due tofiscal constraints, Evans Army Community Hospitalis suspending the over-the-counter medication self-care program. All self-care classes have been cancelled pending further information, and traininginformation will be removed from the EvansPreventive Medicine Web page. Contact PreventiveMedicine at 526-8201 for more information.

Free all-day kindergarten — The Fountain-FortCarson School Board approved free all-day kindergarten at the February Board of Educationmeeting. Beginning in the 2013-2014 school year, parents will no longer have to pay. An informational meeting, Kindergarten Roundup, will be held at each Fountain-Fort Carson SchoolDistrict 8 elementary school on April 9 at 1:30 p.m.Visit the District 8 website at http://www.ffc8.orgor contact your school for more information.

New post office hours — Retail hours at the Fort Carson Post Office changed March 30. Newhours will be 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.Saturday hours remain the same.

Operation Mentor — Big Brothers Big Sisters seeks children ages 9-16 from military Families to participate in the military mentoring program,which matches children with adult volunteers whoserve as positive role models. Visit http://www.biglittlecolorado.org/ for more information.

Annual Weingarten notice — In accordance withthe requirements of 5 USC 7114(a)(3), this is toadvise bargaining unit employees that: you areentitled to union representation in meetings heldin connection with an investigation if: 1. Themeeting is conducted by one or more agency representatives. 2. The agency representatives areconducting an examination in connection with aninvestigation. 3. You are in the bargaining unit. 4.You reasonably believe that the examination mayresult in disciplinary action. 5. You request unionrepresentation. All five conditions must be met.

Flu shots — Influenza vaccinations are available atpost clinics and local pharmacies. Soldiers andFamily members older than 6 months may receive a vaccination. Visit http://www.express-scripts.com/TRICARE/pharmacy/ or call 877-363-1303 option5 for more information. Visit http://www.evans.amedd.army.mil/PM/flu(underscore)information.htm or call 526-6422 for appointment information.

New immunization hours — The Allergy/AdultImmunizations Clinic at Evans Army CommunityHospital has new walk-in immunization hours:7:45-11:30 a.m. and 1-3:30 p.m. Monday-Thursdayand Friday from 7:45-11:30 a.m. for adult immunizations only. Allergy shot schedulingremains the same. The clinic will not provide vaccinations on training holidays, federal holidaysand during clinic administration time on Fridayafternoons. Call 503-7379 for more information.

Inclement weather procedures for Gate 19 — The Directorate of Emergency Services operatesGate 19 Monday-Friday from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m.,regardless of inclement weather or road conditions along Essayons Road, which is an unimproved road. Essayons Road is also used to access several ranges and training areas, so the road remains open during all conditions. In order to notify the motorists of the actual roadconditions, two “Downrange Road Conditions”status signs are now located along Butts andEssayons roads showing whether road conditions

are green, amber or red. One sign is at the intersection of Butts Road and Airfield Road, facing north, and the other is on Essayons Road just inside Gate 19, facing inbound traffic.

Clinic name changes — Two of the Family medicineclinics are in the process of changing names. IronHorse Family Medicine Clinic (located on the second floor of Evans Army Community Hospital)is changing its name to Warrior Family MedicineClinic. Evans Family Medicine Clinic (located onthe second floor of the Woods Soldier Family CareClinic) is changing its name to Iron Horse FamilyMedicine Clinic. These are only name changes.Beneficiaries will continue to see assigned primarycare manager/team in their regular clinic location.

Automated medical referral — A new automatedreminder system is now in place for medical referrals. Beneficiaries who are referred to a civilian specialist in the network will receive a phone call from the Colorado Springs MilitaryHealth System. The call will remind patients tomake an appointment. If a patient has already madean appointment, an option will allow him to reportthat information. There is also an option to cancelthe referral. Unless acted upon, these reminderswill recur at 20, 60 and 120 days. Call 524-2637 for more information on the automated call system.

Thrift shop accepts credit cards — The FortCarson Thrift Shop is now accepting debit andcredit cards. The shop, located in building 305, isopen Tuesday-Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.Contact Gail Olson at 526-5966 or email [email protected] for more information or to learn about volunteer opportunities. Donationsmay be dropped off at the store during normalbusiness hours or at the recycling center locatednear the main exchange.

IMCOM recruits — Installation ManagementCommand is recruiting junior and mid-levelemployees to participate in a DevelopmentalAssignment Program. DAP is designed to supportfunctional and leadership training, which is one ofthe essential pillars of the HQ, IMCOM CampaignPlan LOE 3. Eligible applicants are IMCOM appropriated-fund employees (GS7-GS13) and nonappropriated fund employees (NAF-5 and below,in positions comparable to GS7-GS13). The DAP is based on a systematic plan specializing in devel-opmental assignments through various functionalareas for a period of up to 60 days. The programprovides multifunctional training and assignments to strengthen the experience of employees and prepare them for broader responsibilities, improveorganizational communication, and develop well-rounded personnel. Applications can be obtained bycontacting your organization’s training coordinatoror the Workforce Development Program.


Rec. specialists plan for summerStory and photos by Andrea Sutherland

Mountaineer staff

As the snow and ice melt with each warmer day, recreation specialists at the Fort Carson OutdoorRecreation Center anxiously await the summer season.

“We’re looking forward to a lot of good climbing,” said CarletonLane, supervisory recreation specialist, Outdoor RecreationCenter, Directorate of Family andMorale, Welfare and Recreation. “I can’t wait to get outside to outdoorrock as the weather improves.”

After being cooped up at indoorgyms, Lane said he’s psyched to getclimbers out to Shelf Road, Eleven Mile Canyon and Sugarite Canyon inNew Mexico for weekend excursions.Dates and cost for the climbing trips are still being determined.

New climbers interested in the weekend trips need to complete abelay test and certification. It is recommended climbers also take partin the outdoor rock instruction course.Both courses are offered through the Outdoor Recreation Center. Visithttp://www.mwrfortcarson.com/ rock-climbing.php#.UV7tNDcXZ8Efor updated information on climbing trips and for information on instructional classes.

With more than 50 peaks reaching the “14er” status, diehardadventurers can tackle one ofColorado’s 14,000-foot-plus peaks byarranging customized mountaineeringtrips. Visit http://www.mwrfortcarson.com/mountaineering.php#.UV7vUzcXZ8E for more information.

For those who get queasy a fewfeet off the ground, outdoor rec officials offer mountain biking,white-water rafting and kayaking.

Mountain biking classes andlocal trips take place throughout thespring and summer with the first“How to Mountain Bike” trip toCheyenne Mountain State Park takingplace May 7. A weekend trip to

Fruita for desert single track bikingtakes place Sept. 20-22. Visithttp://www.mwrfortcarson.com/mountain-biking.php#.UV7wkjcXZ8Efor details.

With a better snowpack than last year, recreation officials hope for better white-water.

“It’s going to be a family friendly year,” said TrevorMcConnell, program director,Adventure Programs and Education.“It’s going to be a very good year to learn how to kayak.”

Half- and full-day rafting trips toBighorn Sheep Canyon and the RoyalGorge take place most weekends, but require reservations. Cost variesbased on the trip and group size.Overnight trips in Browns Canyontake rafters through one of the most scenic runs in Colorado withcamping alongside the Arkansas River.Visit http://www.mwrfortcarson.com/rafting.php#.UV72BjcXZ8Efor prices and dates.

In addition to rafting, white-waterjunkies can get some practice on theirkayaks this season with weekend tripsto the Arkansas River. Kayakers canhone their skills prior to the weekendtrip with pool sessions and the QuickStart Kayak course, a two-day programcovering the basics of kayaking and“reading” the river’s current. Visithttp://www.mwrfortcarson.com/kayaking.php#.UV73tDcXZ8E formore information.

For those not quite ready to give up winter, there may be a fewmore weekends to chase ski runs atMonarch Mountain, Loveland SkiArea and Arapahoe Basin Ski &Snowboard Area, although outdoorrecreation trips ceased Sunday.

For more outdoor recreationopportunities, visit http://www.mwr-fortcarson.com/adventure-program--education.php#.UV74-zcXZ8E or call526-5176. The Outdoor RecreationCenter is located in building 2429 offof Specker Avenue. It is open Tuesday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. andSaturday from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Rafters paddle through white-water June 1 in Bighorn Sheep Canyon. The Fort Carson Outdoor Recreation Center offers numerous rafting trips including half- and full-day excursions as well as overnights throughout the summer. Visithttp://www.mwrfortcarson.com/adventure-programs--education.php#.UWLu4DcXZ8E formore information.

Kendra Rodgers, a fieldarchaeologist with Fort

Carson’s CulturalResources Management

Program, climbs “ZamboniMan” during an OutdoorRecreation Center rock

climbing trip to ElevenMile Canyon, July 23,

2011. Each year OutdoorRec staff members lead

small groups of climbersto various locations forday and weekend trips.

Adventureawaits


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Military children conquer burdensStory and photo by Cpl. William Smith4th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office

Mothers and fathers hung up diagrams of their Family trees with their children April 5 incelebration of the first week of the Month of the Military Child.

The children, ranging from 6 weeks to 5 yearsold, who go to the Cheyenne Mountain ChildDevelopment Center, made Family trees to highlight

the military service that has affected their lives.In 1986, Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger

designated April as Month of the Military Child to honor servicemembers’ children for their sacrifices and courage. Since then, installations,organizations and communities have created special events to pay tribute to military children.

“It is a time where we can fully promote ourmilitary children,” said Shontrell Bessert, leadteacher, Strong Beginnings, preschool and

prekindergarten, Cheyenne Mountain ChildDevelopment Center. “It is a time for them to have that acknowledgement from everyone.

“A lot of times people don’t understand thehardships that they go through,” Bessert said. “It is also a time for the kids themselves to bask in that acknowledgement of them.”

Bessert said military children face many challenges that people don’t always see or realize.

“Military children sometimes have difficulties,” Bessert said. “Sometimes both parents are deployed and they are staying with agrandparent or friend of their parents. Sometimesthey are frustrated because their parents are gone, and they can’t always verbalize that.”

Many parents said they are grateful and appreciative of this month.

“For me, (Month of the Military Child) is therecognition of the young brave sons and daughtersof military parents and them supporting their parents; whether it is through a deployment or moving from one country to another,” said MelissaDawoud, spouse of 1st Lt. Tony Dawoud, 43rdSpecial Troops Battalion, 43rd Sustainment Brigade.

She said having special activities this monthhelps the children express themselves and lets them know that, while what they go through is hard, they are very important.

Elijah Dawoud, 4, said he enjoyed the time set aside to do family activities.

“I enjoyed making my Family tree with my parents,” said Elijah, son of Tony and MelissaDawoud. “It is hard when my dad is gone for a really long time and I have to wait for him to come home.”

For more information on activities celebrating the Month of the Military Child, call the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation at 524-2457 or visit http://www.mwrfortcarson.com/event.php?cn=1917.

Makenna Burk, 4, daughter of Sgt. Max Burk, 4thEngineer Battalion, and her grandmother, Lolita Reese, hang up their Family tree to celebrate the Month of the Military Child at the Cheyenne Mountain Child Development Center, April 5.

19April 12, 2013 — MOUNTAINEER18 MOUNTAINEER — April 12, 2013

Layout by Jeanne Mazerall

Story and photos by Spc. Nathan Thome

4th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office

“Remember the Love, Celebrate theLife and Share the Journey.”

This was the theme of the TragedyAssistance Program for Survivors RegionalConference as Family and friends gatheredto remember and honor the lives of theirloved ones, at the Elkhorn ConferenceCenter April 5 and Saturday.

“TAPS is the national organization for allthose who are grieving the loss of a loved onein the military,” said Bonnie Carroll, TAPSpresident and founder. “It’s an opportunityfor Families to connectwith others who are also grieving a loss, so they cansupport each other, learncoping strategies, be herewith a military Family andhonor their loved one.”

The conference was open to all thoseaffected by the passing of a servicemember.

“One of the mostimportant things about ourorganization is that wehonor all those who serve,and care for their Families,regardless of their relation-ship to the person,” saidCarroll. “It’s about the loveand the life (of Soldiersand their Families) and honoring all thosewhom that servicemember left behind.”

Spouses and children, who were dividedinto age groups, broke off into their respectiveareas to participate in “grief camps,” wherethey could mourn with their peers.

Children were paired with their mentors,who spent time with them and participated in

a variety of activities, including circle time.“Eight years ago I lost my brother. I was

a month away from graduating basic trainingand I never really dealt with it myself, sothis was a way for me to start dealing withit,” said Staff Sgt. Robert Stearns, cavalryscout, Headquarters Support Company,Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion,4th Infantry Division. “I thought the bestway to help myself was to help someoneelse; so I started mentoring last year.”

Stearns spent his time at the conferencementoring Krystle Lane, daughter of thelate 1st Sgt. Christopher Lane, 3rd ArmoredBrigade Combat Team, 4th Inf. Div.

“This is my third time mentoringKrystle,” said Stearns.“We were paired uptogether at the FortCarson event last year and then again in D.C. I feel like she was the one who picked me.”

Stearns said thebiggest accomplishment isto get the children to openup, to get them to talkabout what they’ve beenthrough and the lossesthey’ve experienced.

“Being a mentor, tome, means holding out ahand for those who needit,” said Stearns. “I thinkthe most important thingis to make these kids

feel special; they need to feel like they arethe most important thing. I’m here for her, I’m not here for me; my goal all day is tomake her feel like she’s No. 1 today.”

Stearns and Krystle have developed abond through the mentorship program provided by TAPS.

“I noticed when I first started mentoring

her, (that) she was very, very shy,” saidStearns. “Slowly, she started coming out of her shell; she became more expressiveand (today she) shared things with thegroup (for the first time).”

During the adult group, spouses, friendsand other loved ones discussed coping skills,grieved together and conversed about howtheir lives have been affected by their loss.

“This weekend we hope Families walkaway with the knowledge that they are notalone, that there is support for them, that theirloved one is remembered and honored,” saidTina Saari, director of regional programs,TAPS. “We put Families in groups with otherswho have lost loved ones in similar situations.They can talk to each other about grieving,learn from each other, develop coping skills and know that there are others outthere who they can turn to for help.”

After the grief camps concluded, atten-dees wrote letters to their loved ones on tissuepaper and attached them to helium-filled balloons, which they released into the sky.

“The balloon release is something forFamilies and children. They want nothingmore than to send a message to their loved one, so very symbolically, we writethose messages, things we would want totell our loved ones; just a simple messagelike ‘I love you and I miss you,’” said Saari.

TAPS conferences are held across the country throughout the year and the program provides a 24-hour hotline forthose seeking help, peer-mentoring programs and casework assistance.

“The big thing is don’t do what I did andbury it away,” said Stearns. “Get help; don’t beafraid or think that you have to hide it. (TAPS)is there, it’s available and it’s worthwhile; Iwish I would have done it a long time ago.”

For more information about TAPS, call 800-959-TAPS (8277), or visithttp://www.taps.org.

Elijah Simmons, son of fallenSoldier Sgt. Matthew Simmons,

whispers a secret message toSgt. Kalynn Casey, health care

specialist, Company C, 64thBrigade Support Battalion, 3rd

Armored Brigade Combat Team,4th Infantry Division, while

playing a game of “telephone,”during the Tragedy Assistance

Program for Survivors conference at the Elkhorn

Conference Center, Saturday.

Tragedy Assistance Program forSurvivors conference attendees discuss grieving, life without loved ones and various coping skills, during a regional conferenceSaturday at Fort Carson.

Spouses, children and friends release

balloons attached withletters to their loved

ones during the TragedyAssistance Program for

Survivors seminar at the Elkhorn Conference

Center, Saturday.

Honoring life, legacyof fallen heroes Transition

AssistanceProgram

forSurvivors

“They can talk to

each other about

grieving, learn

from each other,

develop coping

skills and know

that there are

others out there

who they can

turn to for help.”— Tina Saari


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6576 or Cheryl Sims at 719-304-9815 for details.Spanish Bible Study meets off post. Contact

Staff Sgt. Jose Varga at 719-287-2016 for studytimes and location.

Jewish Lunch and Learn with Chap. (Lt. Col.)Howard Fields takes place Wednesday from noon to 1 p.m. at Provider Chapel. For more information, call 526-8263.

Chapel briefsFacebook: Search “Fort Carson Chaplains (Religious

Support Office)” for events and schedules.Club Beyond is a program for military middle

school teens. Volunteers are welcome. Call719-355-9594 for dates and times.

Youth Ministries: Christian Youth Group forsixth- through 12th-graders meets Sundayfrom 2:30-4:30 p.m. at Soldiers’ MemorialChapel. Call 526-5744 for more information.

Military Council of Catholic Women meetsFriday from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at Soldiers’Memorial Chapel. For information call 526-5769 or visit “Fort Carson Military Council of Catholic Women” on Facebook.

Knights of Columbus, a Catholic group for men 18 and older, meets the second and fourthTuesday of the month at Soldiers’ MemorialChapel. Call 526-5769 for more information.

Protestant Women of the Chapel meetsTuesday from 9:30 a.m. to noon at Soldiers’Memorial Chapel. Free child care is available.Email [email protected] or visit PWOC FortCarson on Facebook for details.

Latter Day Saints Soldiers: Weekly Institute Class(Bible study) is Wednesday at 6 p.m. at VeteransMemorial Chapel. Food is provided. Call 971-219-0007 or 719-433-2659 or email [email protected] for more information.

Heartbeat, a support group for battle buddies, Family members and friends whoare suicide survivors,meets the second Tuesdayof each month from 6:30-8p.m. at the Fallen HeroesFamily Center, building 6215,6990 Mekong St. The groupis open to members of allbranches of service. ContactRichard Stites at 719-598-

Chapel Schedule

ROMAN CATHOLICDay Time Service Chapel Location Contact PersonSaturday 4-45 p.m. Reconciliation Soldiers’ Nelson & Martinez Chap. Manuel/526-8583Saturday 5 p.m. Mass Soldiers’ Nelson & Martinez Chap. Manuel/526-8583Sunday 8:15-8:45 a.m. Reconciliation Soldiers’ Nelson & Martinez Chap. Manuel/526-8583Sunday 9 a.m. Mass Soldiers’ Nelson & Martinez Chap. Manuel/526-8583Sunday 10:30 a.m. Religious education Soldiers’ Nelson & Martinez Pat Treacy/524-2458Sunday 10:30 a.m. RCIA Soldiers’ Nelson & Martinez Pat Treacy/524-2458Mon-Fri 11:45 a.m. Mass Soldiers Nelson & Martinez Chap. Manuel/526-8583Mon-Fri 11:45 a.m. Mass Healer Evans Army Hospital Fr. Nwatawali/526-7347

PROTESTANTFriday 4:30 p.m. Intercessory prayer, Soldiers’ Nelson & Martinez Chap. Stuart/524-4316

Bible StudySunday 9 a.m. Protestant Healer Evans Army Hospital Chap. Gee/526-7386Sunday 9:15 a.m. Sunday School Soldiers’ Nelson & Martinez Heidi McAllister/526-5744Sunday 9:30 a.m. Sunday School Prussman Barkeley & Prussman Heidi McAllister/526-5744Sunday 10 a.m. Orthodox Service Provider Barkeley & Ellis Chap. Oanca/503-4570Sunday 11 a.m. Protestant Soldiers’ Nelson & Martinez Chap. Stuart/524-4316Sunday 11 a.m. Gospel Prussman Barkeley & Prussman Ursula Pittman/503-1104Sunday 10 a.m. Chapel NeXt Veterans Magrath & Titus Chap. Palmer/526-3888Sunday 2:30-4:30p.m. Youth ministry Soldiers’ Nelson & Martinez Heidi McAllister/526-5744Tuesday 9:30 a.m. PWOC Soldiers’ Nelson & Martinez Chap. Stuart/524-4316

JEWISHFort Carson does not offer Jewish services on post. Contact Chap. (Lt. Col.) Fields at 503-4090/4099 for Jewish service and study information

ISLAMIC SERVICESFort Carson does not offer Islamic services on post. Contact the Islamic Society at 2125 N. Chestnut, 632-3364 for information.

(FORT CARSON OPEN CIRCLE) WICCASunday 1 p.m. Provider Chapel, Building 1350, Barkeley and Ellis [email protected]

COLORADO WARRIORS SWEAT LODGE

Meets once or twice monthly and upon special request. Contact Michael Hackwith or Wendy Chunn-Hackwith at 285-5240 for information.

Commentary by Chap. (Capt.) Samuel L. RicoHeadquarters and Headquarters

Battalion, 4th Infantry Division

If you’re like me, you might havea new 21st century addiction. I’m still awaiting official diagnosis but Icall it “techno-dependency.”

I admit, I’m guilty. Sometimes I wait for conversations to get boringso instead of twiddling my thumbs Ican twiddle my smartphone. It glows, it wakes me up, it takes me to restaurants and parks and it guidesme in truth (I read my Bible on it); it shows me worlds I knew not of and worlds to be.

I was listening to the radio a fewmonths back when the hosts were discussing anticipated gadgets for2013. One gizmo in particular isindicative of our modern era — augmented reality glasses. These 22ndcentury specs will allow a person toaccess the World Wide Web right infront of their face. They connect to asmartphone via Bluetooth, so peoplewill be able to walk, talk, gaze at stock quotes and update your Twitteraccount and you just saw a bird flyover your head. Thus, you’ll able be to live stream whatever it is that you

can’t live without for five seconds. The disease, the pandemic, is

this: we can’t live without it for fiveseconds. While I believe that technologyis morally neutral, it’s not evil or wrong in itself, it’s what humans dowith it that causes a potential moraldilemma. I’vebecome dependenton it. I often findmyself preferring the cloud existenceover my immediate surroundings.

It’s easy to getcaught in the Web’selectromagneticsphere. We humans,however, are primarily spiritualbeings created byGod who is spirit,eternal and righteous. We are notrobots that you put gas in or just add oil to keep running. We all must disconnect our electro currentfixations from time to time andreconnect to the Lord who is our life.Revelations 4:11 says, “Worthy areyou, our Lord and God, to receiveglory and honor and power, for youcreated all things, and by your willthey existed and were created.”

Let us take time to disconnect andunplug the phone charger and pluginto God. To do this, at least in mycase, will require a resolution of thewill, mind, spirit and heart. Instead ofhours frivolously searching the Web,maybe we can search out the Messiahwho “made from one man everynation of mankind ... having determined ... their dwelling place,

that they should seek God, in the hopethat they might feel their way towardhim and find him. Yet he is actuallynot far from each one of us, for ‘In him we live and move and haveour being,’” Acts 17:26-28.

God is not far from each of us, but you won’t find him on the Webbrowser, he’s on another cloud. Seekhim in prayer, not a URL.

“Worthy are you, our Lordand God, to receive gloryand honor and power, foryou created all things, andby your will they existedand were created.”

— Revelations 4:11

Seek him through prayer, not a URL


Story and photos by Walt JohnsonMountaineer staff

Following weeks of practice, Family members of Fort Carson’s two Special Olympicsbasketball teams took to the court for a friendly scrimmage to test their abilities.

The first sport organized following aSpecial Olympics grant awarded in the summer,basketball will soon be followed by softball and track and field.

Dale Veneklasen, a coach for one of thetwo post teams, said there was a need to establish a program on post for athletes withspecial needs. He said the grant got the program off to a “great start,” helping fund uniforms and equipment, butthere was another key elementneeded to help the program getestablished — support from the post command structure.

“This has been a wonderful program because the commandteam on post and the post community have embraced it, and they have supported what the Family members andthe kids are trying to dothrough the sports program,” he said. “Now we have twosolid teams that will representFort Carson in our basketballprogram with athletes that have remarkable skills.”

The emphasis for the

basketball program has been to work with theathletes on the fundamentals of the game,which, according to Veneklasen, the players are picking up well.

Although basketball has already begun,new athletes are encouraged to come out andtest their skills. Teams continue to practice the fundamentals of the sport, such as dribbling,free-throw shooting and passing, while testingtheir abilities in a friendly competition.

Contact Jessica Brown, Exceptional FamilyMember Program, at 526-4590 or GeorgeannKulton at 574-8480 for more information about the Special Olympics sports offered atFort Carson. Athletes and volunteers areencouraged to participate.

Special Olympics

Program continues to grow at Carson

Photo by Walt Johnson

Mountaineer Sports Feature

Members of the Fort community prepare for the Iron Horse Sports andFitness Center dodgeball tournament, which took place Saturday atthe facility. In the first-ever dodgeball tournament held at the facility,Parks and Recreation defeated the Navy Ocean 10 team to capture thetitle. The event was held as part of the recreation program expansionof intramural sports events for Soldiers and their Families, accordingto Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation officials.

Left: Members of FortCarson’s two SpecialOlympics basketballteams work on skillsduring a scrimmage at the Special EventsCenter Saturday.

Above: SpecialOlympics player Sam

James III, right, shootsa jump shot during

action Saturday at theSpecial Events Center.

The Colorado Springs Sky Sox will host FortCarson Appreciation Night May 11.

The Sky Sox play the Omaha Storm Chasers,the Kansas City Royals triple-A affiliate, at 6:05 p.m. at Security Services Field in ColoradoSprings. Free ticket vouchers — a limit of 10 perFamily — are available at the Information, Ticketsand Registration office. The vouchers need to be exchanged at the Security Service Field boxoffice, located near Powers Boulevard and BarnesRoad. If the game is cancelled, the tickets will begood for admission to another game this year.Gates open at 5 p.m.

The Colorado Springs Sky Sox next homestandbegins April 20.

The Colorado Rockies triple-A affiliatehosts the Las Vegas 51s, a farm team of the New York Mets, April 20-23. The Sky Sox will be on the road before returning to SecurityService Field to host the Iowa Cubs, the Chicago Cubs affiliate, May 7-10.

The Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfareand Recreation hosts the second SpartanMilitary Sprint May 4-5.

The competition will consist of a four-mileobstacle course built and designed by Fort CarsonSpecial Forces units and combat engineers,according to Sprint officials. The competition isopen to anyone 14 years and older. Visithttp://www.spartanrace.com to register.

The Fort Carson Sergeants Major Associationholds its second annual fundraising golf tournament in June.

Held at Cheyenne Shadows Golf Club, theevent is designed to help the association providebackpacks and school supplies for installationstudents, holiday food baskets and scholarshipsfor military Families, and to support non-commissioned officer and soldier of the year programs.

The four-person scramble includes 18 holes of golf, lunch, cart, range balls and acomplimentary future round of golf. Registrationdeadline is June 5; tournament is limited to

the first 144 golfers. Playerscan register by [email protected].

The National PhysiqueCommittee 2013 Axis Labs Northern ColoradoBodybuilding, Figure, Bikiniand Physique and Expochampionships will be held in Golden Saturday.

The event takes place at the Bunker Auditorium in the Green Center, ColoradoSchool of Mines, 924 16th St.Prejudging begins at 10 a.m.and the finals begin at 4 p.m.Visit http://www.jefftaylor.comfor tickets.

The DFMWR sports office willhost an Early Bird SoftballTournament April 26-27.

The event features men’s,women’s and coed divisions.Teams must be registered byApril 22, according to sportsoffice officials. The tournamentfee is $200. Teams are limitedto 15 players; must be 16 orolder. Team rosters must besubmitted with payment (cashor money order) to Iron HorseSports and Fitness Center. The tournament will be played in an open, double-elimination format. For moreinformation call 526-3972.

There will be preseason intramural softball action in May at the Mountain Post Sports Complex.

According to DFMWR officials, the preseason guarantees each team four games, playis on Wednesdays beginning May 1. All gameswill be played at the complex at 6:30, 7:30 and8:30 p.m. The cost for the tournament is $100 to cover the cost of officials and game balls.

Preseason action will not count toward regular season play and is designed as preparationfor the upcoming regular season, according to officials. The preseason tournament is open to all Department of Defense identification

cardholders. Registration deadline is April 26. For more information call 526-3972.

The next Commanding General Golf Scramble is scheduled May 3 at Cheyenne Shadows Golf Club.

The event, which begins with a shotgun startat 1:30 p.m., is a four-person team concept,according to golf course officials. Call 526-4102to register. The golf course is scheduled to hold aCG golf scramble each month through September.

— Compiled by Walt Johnson


BENCHOn theOn the


Fort Carson’s Francisco Martinez, Headquarters and HeadquartersCompany, 4th Engineer Battalion, waves to the crowd at the DenverNuggets vs. Houston Rockets game Saturday at the Pepsi Center inDenver. Martinez was honored during the Nuggets game day salute tothe military, which the team does at each home game this season.

Mile High applause


Passing fancy

Fort Carson Family member Sirr Bartley, left, fires a passdownfield during youth footballaction Saturday at Memorial Park in Colorado Springs. Manypost Family members take part in the Colorado Springscity league on Saturdays withgames beginning at 8:30 a.m.Email Walt Johnson [email protected] tonominate an athlete to be featured in the Mountaineer.


Mountaineer Athlete of the Week


Cierra MozerHigh school lacrosse player

How did you get started playing in sports?I really wasn’t that interested in sports until my dad introduced me to

sports. He felt I would be good at playing. My dad really took the pressure off me to learn the sports because he said “you don’t have to be really good at it, just give it a try.”

What sports did you enjoy playing through the learning process?I started running, in particular cross-country, because it was the easiest

sport for me to participate in. Then I started playing softball, basketball and lacrosse.

What do you consider your favorite sports moment?The team bonding we have (at Air Academy High School) has been the best

of any team I have played with. I enjoy being on the field when we do somethingwell, and everyone is proud of what we’ve done. Those are great moments.

If you could spend a day with any athlete who would you want it to be?I would love to be able to talk to Serena Williams and especially talk to

her about how she handles all the pressure that comes with being one of the best players in the world. I would be really interested in talking to her about her training and how she deals with all the negative things that people say about her and how she turns those into positives.

People who don’t know me would be surprised to know that ...I am a lacrosse player. At first glance you wouldn’t associate me with

anyone that played sports at all, and especially because lacrosse is not traditionally a sport that African-Americans play. When I tell people I’m a lacrosse player the first thing people ask me is if lacrosse a sport. When I go home on vacation with my parents, who are from North Carolina, I usually take my lacrosse cross with me because I want to introduce people to the game.

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The Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum specialexhibit “To the Moon: Snoopy Soars withNASA” closes April 20. The exhibit looks at the Apollo 10 mission and the role of Peanutscharacters in that flight. The museum is free. It isopen 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and is at215 S. Tejon St. Call 685-5990 for information.

Military personnel can save 50 percent on Major Marine Tours’ Wildlife and GlacierCruises in Alaska by making reservationsthrough the Seward Military Resort 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday. The offer is valid for this one day on all 2013 departures. Call 800-770-1858 or 907-224-5559.

The Pikes Peak Center, 190 S. Cascade, has these performances scheduled:• Bill Cosby is on stage Tuesday at 8 p.m.• “The Ugly Duckling,” an Imagination

Celebration presentation, is in the theater April 29 at 7 p.m. Children are encouraged towear their pajamas or favorite character attire.Preshow activities are in the lobby and milk and cookies are available after the performance.

Call 520-SHOW or 576-2626 for tickets.

Disney on Ice presents “Treasure Trove” in theWorld Arena April 18-21. Opening night ticketsstart at $12; tickets for other shows are $15, $22 and $27 at http://www.Ticketswest.comor call the box office at 866-464-2626.Performances are at 7 p.m. April 18-20, and 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. April 20. April 21 performances are at 1 and 5 p.m.

Earth Day at Garden of the Gods is April 20, 9 a.m.to 3 p.m. The day starts with a park cleanup at8:30 a.m. (free lunch for all volunteers). The Visitorand Nature Center holds Earth Day activities,such as a chemical magic show at 10 and 11 a.m.;Native American dancers at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m.and 12:30 p.m. Throughout the event, there willbe live animals, Segway demonstrations, wildlife

touch tables, arts, crafts, children’s activities and more. See the story on pages 28-29.

Rock Ledge Ranch has free admission on EarthDay, April 20, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. All living history areas, Rock Ledge House and OrchardHouse will be open. Rock Ledge Ranch is next tothe 30th Street entrance to Garden of the Gods.

Earth Day Walk at Garden of the Gods,sponsored by the Falcon Wanderers VolkssportAssociation, is April 20, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30p.m., beginning with registration at the CarriageHouse at Rock Ledge Ranch. The five-kilometerwalk is moderate; the 10-kilometer walk is challenging. For information, call 494-9188 or231-9643 or email [email protected].

Cheyenne Mountain State Park Earth Day eventsinclude a naturalist-led trail hike April 20 at11 a.m. at the visitor center, reservations arerequired as well as a parks pass. There’s also a Wildlife Encounters Junior Ranger Program at 1:30 p.m. at Camper Service. Junior rangersshould make a reservation and pick up a trainingbooklet. A park pass is required. CheyenneMountain State Park is just across Highway 115from Fort Carson’s Gate 1.

Mueller State Park celebrates Earth Day April21, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Meet at the visitorcenter parking lot for a hike at 10 a.m. Familiesare welcome. Make reservations for an Earth Day arts and crafts session for children at 11 a.m.in the visitor center. Stories will be read and children will make picture frame projects; registerby calling Chelsea Murray at 719-687-2366, ext.107 or email [email protected]. TakeHighway 24 west to Divide, take Highway 67south 3.5 miles to the park entrance. A park pass is required.

Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center’s 2013 theater schedule includes “The DrowsyChaperone” May 9-June 2; and “Jacques Brel isAlive and Well and Living in Paris” June 20-30.Call the box office, 634-5583 for tickets andinformation. The theater is at 30 W. Dale St. and has a free parking lot in front of the center.

Buell Children’s Museum in Pueblo has anexhibit in which math plus toys multiplied by art equal smart fun. The “Under the Big Top:

Math and Art” exhibit runs until June 1. BuellChildren’s Museum, 210 N. Santa Fe Ave., inPueblo, is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Admission is $4 for adults and $3 for children. Visit http://www.sdc-arts.org formore information.

The Sangre de Cristo Arts Center, 210 N. Santa Fe Ave. in Pueblo, has a Family Theater Series production:• “Todd Oliver and Friends,” at 11 a.m. and

2 p.m. April 27. Tickets are $8 each; call 719-295-7200.

• “Swan Lake,” a Sangre de Cristo BalletPerformance, is April 19 at 7:30 p.m. and April 20 at 2 p.m. at the Sangre de Cristo Ballet theater, 210 N. Santa Fe Ave. in Pueblo.Tickets are $10 at the box office, 719-295-7200.

The Denver Art Museum has opened a special exhibit that runs through April 28:“Georgia O’Keeffe in New Mexico:Architecture, Katsinam and the Land.” The exhibit features 53 of the renowned artist’sworks. Regular admission is $10 for adultColorado residents, $8 for military and studentsand $3 for ages 6-18. The museum is at 100 W.14th Ave. Parkway in downtown Denver.

The Denver Museum of Nature and Science has“Mammoths and Mastodons: Titans of the IceAge” in the museum through May 27. Visitorswill be able to see fossils from the Ice Ageunearthed near Snowmass Village in 2010. Themuseum is at 2001 Colorado Blvd. and is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Call 303-370-6000 fortickets for this special exhibition, $21 for adultsand $12 for juniors and students. Tickets areavailable on a timed schedule. Go online to pre-purchase tickets at http://www.DMNS.org.

An additional concert of “An Evening of John Williams,” has been added. Tickets for the May 10, 8 p.m. concert are being sold at 520-SHOW. The concert is in Pikes Peak Center, 190 S. Cascade Ave.

Cheyenne Mountain State Park holds a FamilyMystery Hike Sunday, beginning at the visitorcenter. The naturalist-led hike challenges familiesto solve a riddle, puzzle or mystery by cluesalong the trail. Call 576-2016 for reservations. A park pass or day pass ($7) is required.

GETOutOut


Story and photos by Nel Lampe

Mountaineer staff

The Garden of the Gods Park isa spectacular local attraction thatdraws visitors from around theworld. On the west side of ColoradoSprings, unusual, vertical red sandstone rocks in the park can beseen from many parts of the city, butthe best place to see them is upclose, in the free city park. It’s a goodplace for biking, jogging and hiking.

People have always been drawnto the Garden of the Gods. Evidenceshows that the area was inhabited or visited at least 3,000 years ago.Members of the Ute tribe winterednear the red rocks for many years.

The founder of ColoradoSprings, Gen. William Palmer,selected a site for his own homenorth of the Garden of the Gods,which also has some of the red rocks.

Palmer’s friend, Charles EliottPerkins, head of the BurlingtonRailroad, bought 240 acres of theGarden of the Gods in 1879, intending to build a summer home.Although he never built that home,he did buy additional acreage andallowed people to visit the property.

When Perkins died in 1909, hisheirs donated the property to the cityof Colorado Springs with the stipula-tion that it remain free to the public.

Just across from the 30th Streetentrance to the Garden of the Godsvisitors may want to stop at the free Visitor and Nature Center at1805 N. 30th St.

The center has murals about the park’s history and prehistory and photos from a century ago.There are also educational exhibits,displays showing the park’s plantsand wildlife and a topography mapof the Garden of the Gods. There’salso information about the dinosaur,the Theiophytallia Kerri, found in the Garden of the Gods in 1878. It’s named after the park and was a plant eater, about 30 feet longfrom head to tail.

A 14-minute film, “How DidThose Red Rocks Get There?”explains the rock formations’ origin.It’s shown in the visitor center theater every half hour. Tickets for the film cost $5 for adults and$3 for children.

While in the visitor center, exitto the terrace for the iconic view ofGateway rocks framing Pikes Peak.That’s the view seen on postcards,and news sets and TV commercials.

Visitor center attendants answerquestions, make suggestions abouthiking trails and hand out maps.

Interested in rock climbing?Technical climbing is permitted bygroups of two or more people usingproper equipment. Technical

climbers must have a permit,obtained at the visitor center.

However, rock scrambling —climbing more than 10 feet abovethe base of a rock — is prohibited.

Climbing on sandstone rockscan be dangerous, especially forinexperienced climbers. Many people have been seriously injuredin climbing incidents in the Gardenof the Gods, and many climbershave required rescue.

A snack bar in the visitor centeroffers lunch and snack items.

Two attractive shops have gifts,books, photos, postcards, souvenirsand T-shirts.

When leaving the visitor center,take the entrance to the park for agreat view of snow-covered PikesPeak, framed by red rocks.

A parking lot near the KissingCamels rock formation allows visitors to park and explore some of the walking paths.

Free naturalist-led walks arescheduled daily at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.Call 634-6666 for information about the walks and lectures that are presented in the visitor center.

When leaving the parking lot,take a driving tour of the park.

A few pull offs are available for drivers to stop to take pictures,but few actual parking areas.

There are a few parking spacesnear the popular Balanced Rock and

Just the Facts• TRAVEL TIME — 15 minutes

• FOR AGES — anyone• TYPE — natural park

• FUN FACTOR — ★★★★★(Out of 5 stars)

• WALLET DAMAGE — FREE

$ = Less than $20$ $ = $ 21 t o $ 4 0

$ $ $ = $ 41 t o $ 6 0$ $ $ $ = $ 61 t o $ 8 0

(BASED ON A FAMILY OF FOUR)

The classic view of the Garden of the Gods’Gateway rocks framing a snow-coveredPikes Peak is against a Colorado blue sky.

Garden of the Gods

Unique parkwith vertical

red rock formations

Balanced Rock is probably the most visitedrock formation in the Garden of the Gods Park.


Places to see in thePikes Peak area.

The Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center is opposite the30th Street entrance to the Garden of the Gods, and is open 9 a.m. to5 p.m. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, its hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

A visitor looks through souvenir photos at a gift shop in the Garden ofthe Gods Visitor and Nature Center.

The Garden of the Gods is scenic even with a touch of snow.

nearby Steamboat Rock, a popular stop for visitors.

Other named rock formationscan be found on the map, such as Cathedral Spires, Three Gracesand Tower of Babel.

People can do their own self-guided tour using a map picked up at the visitor center.

For a guided horseback ridethrough the park, contact theAcademy Riding Stables, 633-5667.

Not actually part of the park,many visitors stop at the Garden ofthe Gods Trading Post just outsidethe park near the Manitou Springsentrance to the park. The tradingpost has been in business for morethan 100 years and features a hugeinventory of T-shirts, souvenirs,Native American jewelry, art, gifts,belts and moccasins. The tradingpost has The Balanced Rock Caféthat serves buffalo burgers, saladsand other lunch items.

A big event at the Garden of

the Gods visitor center is Earth Day,being celebrated April 20. The day begins with an early morningcleanup by volunteers. Programsstart at 9 a.m., continuing until 3 p.m.

Children’s activities include a chemical magic show, music, military dog demonstrations, guided nature walks, Segway displays, climbing displays, NativeAmerican dancers, live animals and a hot-dog stand.

Located south of the entrance toGarden of the Gods Park is RockLedge Ranch Historic Site, that willalso observe Earth Day April 20,with activities and free admission.

The Garden of the Gods Parkcan be reached by taking Interstate25 north to Garden of the GodsRoad, then head west. Follow signsto the 30th Street entrance. An alternate route is to take ColoradoAvenue or Highway 24 west toManitou Springs, then follow signsto the park’s southern entrance.

Don’t climb those large rocks in Garden of the Gods, even if others are doing so. Rock scrambling —

climbing more than 10 feet above the base of the valley without technical

equipment — is illegal. Scramblers are subject to a $500 fine and/or jail time. If rescue is necessary, scramblers may

have to pay rescue costs.

However, technical climbing is allowed within the rules:

technical climbers must get a permit at the visitor center,

have proper technical equipment and follow rules and regulations.

Regulations are available athttp://www.gardenofgods.com.


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2013 HondaCR-V EX

42 month closed end lease , $189/month plus tax. $1000 due at signing, plus fi rst month’s payment and taxes.

10,000 miles per year. WAC. No security deposit required.

BASED ON 2012 NATIONAL DEALER RANKING

42 month closed end lease , $149/month plus tax. $1000 due at signing, plus fi rst month’s payment and taxes. 10,000 miles per year. WAC. No security deposit required.

42 month closed end lease , $219/month plus tax. $1000 due at signing, plus fi rst month’s payment and taxes. 10,000 miles per year.

WAC. No security deposit required.

MSRP $24,290MODEL CODE DDA PACKAGE 01

STOCK #130321

$219/MONTH - $1000 DUE$149/MONTH - $1000 DUE

42 month closed end lease , $149/month plus tax. $1000 due at signing, plus fi rst month’s payment and taxes. 10,000 miles per year. WAC. No security deposit required.

MSRP $18,665MODEL CODE DJA PACKAGE 01

STOCK #132264

2013 FORDEscape SEL

2013 Nissan

*Based on Polk registration data in the U.S. 2002-2012. – Based on manufactures’ website data as of January 2013 for the 2013 Subaru Forester 2.5X Premium , 2013 Honda CR-V EX 4WD, 2013 Ford Escape XLS 4WD, 2013 Nissan Rogue SV. **MSRP excludes destination and delivery charges, tax title and registration fees. Dealer sets actual price. ***EPA-estimated fuel economy for Forester 2.5X models. Actual mileage may vary.

$28,170

23city / 33hwy

YES

$25,050

22city / 26hwy

Heuberger Motors is

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mountaineer 2013 04-12

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