AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION OF COMPRINTMILITARY PUBLICATIONS AT JOINT BASE ANDREWS,MD.DCMILITARY.COM FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2014 | VOL. 3 NO. 37

AIR FORCE NEWS11th WG Commander recognizes

volunteer victim advocate, Page 9

COMMUNITYPGFD hosts annual 9-11 Memorial

Stair Climb/Walk, Page 6

COMMENTARYWhy I became a victim advocate

for fellow Airmen, Page 2

BY AIRMAN 1ST CLASSJ.D. MAIDENS

11TH WING PUBLIC AFFAIRS

The tried-and-true methodof calling law enforcement dis-patchers during accidents andemergencies has been the stan-dard for generations, but nowthere is a new way to report in-cidents to Security Forces - anapp.

The 11th Security ForcesSquadron has recently begunusing LiveSafe, a service thatsynchronizes with Law En-forcement to report crimes.

“The app provides individu-als the ability to report an in-cident with photos or videos,”said Staff Sgt. Kraig Wright, 11SFS law enforcement adminis-trator. “The tip goes directly tothe law enforcement desk fordispatch.”

The tip, which can be sentanonymously, also embeds thegeographic location from whereit’s sent.

“The Joint Base AndrewsLiveSafe App is one way the11th SFS is trying to keep up

Joint Base Andrews usesapp to help report crimes

BY BOBBY JONESSTAFF PHOTOJOURNALIST

Jaime Salazar, a ThurgoodMarshall Middle School sev-enth-grader, was all smiles ashe stood in line for his free vac-cinations given by Nurse An-gella Ndege Jorina at Oxon HillHigh School Sept. 13.

Jaime’s mother, MaribelSalazar, noted, “It’s a good thingthey are doing; giving the freeshots to the students.”

Jaime Salazar joined morethan 100 students in takingadvantage of the free, yet man-datory, vaccinations at the freeimmunization clinic held at

Oxon Hill High School prior tothe deadline date of Sept. 16.

Prince George’s County Pub-lic Schools set up free immuni-zation clinics for all students toreceive their shots at the Fair-mount Heights, Bladensburg,Northwestern and Oxon Hillhigh schools.

According to Karen BatesRN, MS, Health Policy Ser-vices and Innovation Supervi-sor in Oxon Hill, “The PrinceGeorge’s County Health De-partment provided the vac-cines and the school nursesadminister the shots to thestudents to meet the 2014-2015 requirements. However,

there will be other communityagencies that we can refer theparents to for their child’s im-munization shots if they missthis opportunity.”

Bates further noted, “Thisyear Kindergarten studentsare required to have two dosesof the chickenpox vaccine. But,the seventh-graders must havea shot for Tetanus, Diphtheriaand Pertussis. And, they arerequired to have the meningi-tis vaccine. Next year, the first-and eighth-graders will needshots. There are plans to do theshots annually until all of thegrades have the mandatory im-munization.”

Prince George’s Schoolsoffers free immunizations

PHOTO/BOBBY JONES

Jaime Salazar, receives his Diphtheria, and Pertussis immunization shot from Nurse AngellaNdege Jorina during a free immunization clinic held at Oxon Hill High School Sept. 13.

BY ANDREA BLACKSTONESTAFF WRITER

The Annual DowntownHyattsville Arts Festival at-tracted art fans who did notlet rain spoil their plans tojoin the festivities on Sept.13. Jewelers, performers,painters, crafts, authors andexhibitors were featured inthe Gateway Arts Districtalongside food and drink se-lections. The seventh annualarts festival was marked by

increased growth and newlyinterested festival-goers whograbbed umbrellas and head-ed toward the intersection ofBaltimore Avenue and Jeffer-son Street in Hyattsville tosee what was available in thecreative community.

Alicia Auckland attendedthe festival for the first timebut stayed longer than sheanticipated. After her sonfinished a soccer game inMagruder Park, she took a de-tour to the Annual Downtown

Hyattsville Arts Festival.“We did not know we would

be here for so long. There’s somuch to do,” Auckland said,while Malika Bryant paintedher 5-year-old son’s face.

Bryant, a pre-K teacherand visual artist, belongs toHyattsville Community ArtsAlliance. While participat-ing in the festival for herthird year, Bryant said thatshe loves Hyattsville’s warmvibes and describes artwork

Hyattsville arts festival well-attended despite rain

see CRIME, page 8see ARTS, page 3

BY LESLIE C. SMITHSTAFF WRITER

The Andrews Spouses’ Club(ASC) held its Annual Kickoff-Open House and MembershipDrive Sept. 9 at The Courses atAndrews Air Force Base.

Traditional dancers fromHonduras highlighted the eve-ning as the ASC celebratedand honored Hispanic HeritageMonth. The organization willcontinue this celebration ofworld cultures with each newmonthly meeting.

Smiles and hugs greeted cur-rent and new members whileinviting prospective membersto become involved. Havingfound so much support throughthe organization, the mem-bers were more than excited toshare their experiences.

“I had met one girl and Icalled her and said, ‘I have tohave an emergency C-section.’ Ihad two little boys and my hus-band was out of town and shecame and picked up my boys.

She and another young ladydrove 30 minutes off base everynight for a week to bring medinner and I will never forgetthat,” said Linda Mize, shar-ing her first encounter witha spouses’ club 25 years ago.“When they asked if I wanted tobe on board, I told them I want-ed to do newcomers; I want to

Andrews Spouses’Club offers support,opportunity to serve

The 11th Security ForcesSquadron has begun using anew crime reporting app, LiveS-afe. The app allows individualsto text a tip with photos or vid-eos directly to the law enforce-ment desk.

see CLUB, page 5

PHOTO/LESLIE SMITH

Edward VanCourt and MandyHuckins, Scholarships Com-mittee Chair. VanCourt is look-ing forward to serving whileexpanding the face of the ASC.

Andrews Gazette2 Friday, September 19, 2014

COMMENTARY BY ANONYMOUS

(Editor’s note: Though the authorchose to remain anonymous, this isthe real story of one Airman’s experi-ence with sexual assault. Be mindfulthat no two sexual assault stories arethe same. If you, or anyone you know,has been or is currently a victim ofany sexual crime, contact the SexualAssault Response Coordinator or avictim’s advocate.)

When I was in college I had an in-cident happen to me that I wouldn’tever wish to happen to anyone, noteven my worst enemy. In one nightmy whole perspective on my life andmy world was changed.

I had just turned 21, and it wasthe first semester of my junior yearin college. Another weekend hadrolled around, and I was going tohang out with the girls. A friend ofmine, “Amy,” decided instead of goingout we could just have a small houseparty at her apartment. Amy pickedme up so I could drink and not haveto think about driving my own car.

About seven or eight guys cameover, brought drinks and everythingseemed fine. We were all having agood time, playing drinking games,listening to music and dancing.There was one particular guy, whoI noticed had taken a real liking tome. At times he had gotten a littletoo close, but it was a party; we werejust having fun.

When the end of the night rolledaround, Amy had gotten ridiculous-ly drunk and started yelling andscreaming for everyone to leave. Shehad forgotten the other girls and Iwere staying with her. She wanted

us to leave, but .... we had no car.The same guy that had been

paying me a little too much atten-tion all night spoke up and said hecould take us home no problem. Wedidn’t live too far from each other.My friend, “Kara” and I decided wewould both ride with him to “be safe.”While walking to the car, I started tocomplain about having a headache.After we got in the car, we droppedKara off first. That’s when I shouldhave noticed something was wrong,because in order to get to her place,we had to pass mine. Instead, Ithought to myself, “Whatever, thisheadache is killing me.”

After dropping Kara off, the guyasked me if I wanted to stop by the24-hour gas station and grab someTylenol. “Sure. I don’t care; just getme home,” I said. I stayed in the carwhile he got out for the Tylenol. I feltthe alcohol kicking in a little more,but I was still aware of my surround-ings. He got back in the car andhanded me a pill. I took it withoutquestion.

That’s where everything stopped.To this day, I don’t know what

kind of pill I really took.All I know iswhen I got to my place and collapsedin bed, all I remember saying was“No.” Even now, writing this, I stillhave some very explicit flashbacks,and the one clear thing is I remem-ber saying “No!”

A couple hours later I woke up inmy bed naked, cold,my arms coveredin bruises with blankets and pillowson the floor. I was a mess. I got inthe shower, crouched down in thecorner and just let the water hit mybody.What happened?Why were myarms covered in bruises? When did

I get home? And then it hit me ... Ihad been raped. It was all so blurry,but the bruises on my arms didn’tlie. I stayed in the shower for whatseemed like hours. I was differentnow. I was broken. I threw the sheetsoff the bed and into the trash; I layon the bare mattress and cried my-self to sleep.

I didn’t remember the name of theguy who took me home that night.He could have walked right past me,and I would have never known it washim. I tried to reach out to a couplefriends the next week. I reached outto Amy because she had been the onewho invited the guys over.

I remember her saying, “Youknow you weren’t raped; why areyou are lying?” I was called a “hoe”and a “slut;” I was told I wanted it. Ieventually reached out to a friend Ihadn’t spoken to in a while, and sheurged me to see a doctor even thoughit had been a couple days since myrape happened.

I had never been taught aboutrape; I didn’t know what to do, whoto turn to, who to talk to. I was lost. Itried to forget it all, chalking it up asa life experience, and I made myselfforget ... or so I thought.

After graduating college, I joinedthe Air Force. I was at my first dutystation and in my brand new apart-ment - alone again. I started havingnightmares, and there were nightsI could still see the bruises on myarms. I needed help, but I didn’tknow how or who to ask.

I got to work one day and saw anemail seeking victim advocates towork with the Sexual Assault andPrevention Response program.

CommentaryWhy I became a victim advocate for fellow Airmen

Retiree Day SetAn Air Force salute to mili-

tary retirees and their families isscheduled for Saturday, October 25,at the Joint Base Andrews Club.Hosted by the 11th Wing, workingwith Retiree Activities Offices atAndrews and Joint Base Anacos-tia-Bolling, the annual event alter-nates between the two bases. Theseven-hour program opens witha health fair at 7 a.m. and offersa buffet lunch. Lt. Gen. Sam Cox,the Air Force deputy chief of stafffor Manpower, Personnel and Ser-vices will be the keynote speaker.Ballroom presentations begin at9:15. They will include reports onthe status of Capitol Hill legisla-tive issues affecting military retir-ees. Similar information will coverchanges in Tricare benefits and le-gal assistance available to retireefamilies. General Cox is completinghis first year as the Personnel chief.An Air Force Academy graduate, hisprevious assignments include Com-

mandant of Cadets at the schooland commander of Dover AFB, Del.He came to the Pentagon followingpositions with the U.S. Transporta-tion Command at Scott AFB, Ill.

Veterans RetirementHomes

The Armed Forces RetirementHome’s (AFRH) two campuses inWashington and Gulfport, Miss., of-fer model retirement communitiesdesigned for male and female resi-dents to maintain an independentlifestyle. Military retirees fromeach service branch are eligible tolive at the homes. One requirementis that at least one-half of the vet-eran’s active service cannot havebeen commissioned service, otherthan as a warrant officer or limited-duty officer. Applicants must be atleast 60 years of age. There are noinitiation or registration fees. Forcomplete eligibility requirementsand to receive an informationalbrochure, contact the AFRH Mar-

keting Office at 1 800 422-9988,or write to AFRH, PAO/Market-ing, #1305, 3700 N. Capitol St. NW,Washington DC 20011-8400.

White House GreetingsTheWhite House will send greet-

ing cards signed by the President tocommemorate special events suchas birthdays (age 80 and above)and significant wedding anniver-saries. Send written request to TheWhite House, ATTN: Greetings Of-fice, Washington DC 20502. Includename and home address of honoree;date of occasion; birthday age ornumber of years of marriage. In-clude your phone number.

The Retiree Activities Office isopen 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Mondaythrough Friday. Visit the office inBuilding 1604 at California andColorado Avenues or call 301 981-2726. Call before your visit to ensurea volunteer is on duty. The RAO hasa website at www.andrews.af.mil.

Retiree Corner

see ADVOCATE, page 8

Andrews Gazette is published by Comprint MilitaryPublications, 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg,Md., a private firm in no way connected with the U.S.Air Force or any branch of the United States military.The appearance of advertising in these publications,

including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsementby the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force orthe products and services advertised.

Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available forpurchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion,sex, national origin, age,martial status, physical handicap, political af-filiation or any other nonmerit factor of the purchases, user or patron.

COMPRINT MILITARY PUBLICATIONS

Maxine Minar, presidentmminar@dcmilitary.com

John Rives, publisherjrives@dcmilitary.com

Deirdre Parry, page designdparry@gazette.net

Leslie Smith, editorlsmith@dcmilitary.com

Bobby Jones, photographerbjones@dcmilitary.com

September 20H Street Festivalnoon-7 p.m.H Street, between 4th & 14th Streets, NE. Wash-

ington, D.C.More than 150 local restaurants, vendors and

food trucks will offer a variety of food selections andthere will be several beer gardens and vodka tast-ing areas. Fourteen stages will feature a variety ofentertainment, including rock-n-roll, rap, jazz, op-era, soul music, gospel, Caribbean and more. Visithttp://hstreet.org/ for more information.

September 20DC International Beer & Wine FestivalNoon -8 p.m.Andrew W. Mellon AuditoriumAttendees will get their own tasting cup and

enjoy three hours of unlimited tastes of more than120 American craft and international beers andmore than 30 wines. Add in tons of games, arts, ac-tivities and a bunch of food options-- you have arecipe for a great time. Visit http://www.eventbrite.com/e/dc-international-beer-wine-festival-tickets-11917350115?aff=es2&rank=1 for more informa-tion.

September 20-21Mount Vernon’s Colonial Craft Fair9 a.m. - 5 p.m.3200 Mt Vernon Memorial Hwy, Mt Vernon, VA

22121The fair is a re-creation of an early American

marketplace with artist demonstrations, family en-tertainment and 18th-century amusements.

September 21Fiesta Musical at the National Zoo11 a.m. - 5 p.m.3001 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington, D.C.Enjoy a celebration of Latin American culture

and wildlife through a variety of family-oriented ac-tivities, live music and dance, special keeper talks,and a Latin American food court.

September 21Fiesta DC 201410 a.m. - 1 p.m.Pennsylvania Avenue, between 9th and 14th

Streets NW Washington, D.C.Fiesta DC, is an annual celebration highlighting

the Latino culture with a Parade of Nations, a chil-dren’s festival, a science fair, a diplomatic pavilionfor embassies and consulates, arts & crafts, and in-ternational cuisine. Visit www.fiestadc.org for moreinformation.

Hot ticketsaround town

Andrews GazetteFriday, September 19, 2014 3

that fellow artists create as “amazing.”Participating exhibitors from Arling-

ton and Baltimore were represented atthe festival along with bands like Mar-lee In The Mixx. The indie progressiveband performed on the main stage as amother and daughter listened to theirmusic in the rain.

“We love art and original pieces inour home. That’s why we’re here. We’reseeing a lot of cool things today. Themusic is awesome. It’s our first time be-ing there,” Imani Treadwell said.

“Jacci” Pope relocated to the areafrom Atlanta, Ga. The urban artist as-pires to represent women in urban art.

“My motto is ‘urban art depictedthrough a woman’s point of view.’ I feelas an artist we have more males domi-nating. I’ve been drawing ever since Iwas a kid. It’s just been in my heart,”Pope said. “My other job is a hairstyl-ist, but this has been my passion. I domore custom work than anything. Oncepeople see what I can do, they wanttheir own face or own image depicted,because they feel that I can get thepoint across for them.”

Bella Kuper is also a self-taughtmosaic artist from Baltimore who hasbeen creating art approximately eightyears. Kuper said she loves meetingpeople and showing her art while sell-ing what she creates. Some of her mostpopular items she creates include jew-elry and glass letters.

“I’ve always been crafty and lovedart. I do this as a second, part-time job– a fun way to spend some free time.Most of my things focus on nature.Some are Asian-inspired,” Kuper said.

Maggie Mills, owner of Hope HoneyFarm, sells honey and handmade itemsthat contain honey and beeswax, suchas soaps, body scrubs and solid lotionbars. The business placed first for ex-tracted honey in a contest that washeld at the Maryland State Fair.

“People are excited to have local hon-ey. They especially like that it is certi-fied naturally grown, so it’s pure andsustainable,” Mills said.

In a tent located on the other sideof the street, four local authors wereshielded from rain. Samuel Williams,Jr. said that his book is a collector’sitem, because he is the first African-American writer to write a SherlockHolmes adventure. Dr. LaVonne Jack-son Leslie is a historian whose latestbook is about the history of the Na-tional Association of Colored Women’sClubs Inc. Richard Morris, authored

several books, including a VietnamWarsatire.

Justin Fair, Economic DevelopmentCoordinator for the Hyattsville Com-munity Development Corporation,and one of the project managers of thefestival, said there is a large arts com-munity in Prince George’s County andthe D.C. area. Fair said he thinks thatthe creative community is getting moresupport. In the Prince George’s Coun-ty’s Gateway Arts District, and alongthe Route 1 Corridor, various publicarts programs have been implementedin the past year or two.

“You can actually measure some ofthat growth. We’re growing a betterresource for community engagement,”Fair said.

A few of this year’s 14 festival spon-sors included The Prince George’s Artsand Humanities Council, East City Art,Maryland-National Capital Park andPlanning Commission (M-NCPPC) De-partment of Parks and Recreation. Theevent was a team effort.

“We were actually given the oppor-tunity to be the festival organizers thatare on this site, whereas before the fes-tival had been up the street on Long-fellow. We’ve been able to facilitate itsmove. I think it’s been quite an oppor-tunity. We can grow each year with thislocation,” Fair said.

PHOTOS/ANDREA BLACKSTONE

Marlee, lead singer of Marlee In TheMixx, sings as festival attendees listento the indie progressive band in therain.

Lorenzo, 5, gets his face painted during the Annual Downtown Hyattsville ArtsFestival.

ARTS, from page 1

1042617

Andrews Gazette4 Friday, September 19, 2014

BY ANDREABLACKSTONESTAFF WRITER

Despite steady rainshowers, that did notsubside until later in theafternoon, crowds werenot discouraged fromcelebrating the 200thanniversary of the StarSpangled Banner inBaltimore, Md. on Sept.13. The Inner Harborand surrounding areasbrimmed with opportuni-ties to learn the history ofFrancis Scott Key’s Star-Spangled Banner, the flagand how the British werestopped in the port cityduring the defining mo-ment of the War of 1812.Special events were heldin and around Baltimore’sInner Harbor and FortMcHenry during a week-long celebration. Visitingtall ships were one of thebig attractions during theStar-Spangled Spectacu-lar.

Sail Baltimore is theofficial visiting ships com-mittee for the city of Bal-timore. Funded by donors

and sponsors, it bringstall ships, gray hulls andsea service vessels to Bal-timore at various timesduring the year.

Mike McGeady, presi-

dent of Sail Baltimore,a nonprofit organizationwhich has been runningsince 1975, managed wa-ter logistics and crew hos-pitality for Star-SpangledSpectacular. Thirty-threetall ships sailed in anddocked at the Inner Har-bor, Fells Point, UnderArmour Pier and NorthLocust Point. Free tourswere given from Sept. 11to Sept. 15.

“We recruit ships byvisiting Washington andall of the Naval attachésin D.C. Our mission is toconnect the city residentsand visitors to the ships

to have educational op-portunities, cultural ex-change and commercialdevelopment for the ar-ea,” McGeady said. “Froma historical perspective,after the British burnedWashington, they werecoming to Baltimore totry to burn the shipyardsat Fells Point. Because itwas a maritime bombard-ment of Fort McHenry, wefelt that having the shipshere was very appropri-ate.”

Dale Hummel trav-eled from Reading, Pa.,to see the old clipperships and Navy ships.

Twenty-eight Boy Scoutsand 12 scout leaders alsocamped, hiked and expe-rienced the history of FortMcHenry. Like Hummeland his troop, 1.5 millionwere estimated to attendStar-Spangled Spectacu-lar festivities in Balti-more.

While dressed in cos-tume, seven employees ofParks Canada remindedcelebrants that the mili-tary foes are now allies.Inclusion of Parks Can-ada 1812 On Tour staffserved as a reminder whysome individuals hadcome from far and nearto be a part of Baltimore’scelebration.

“We’re down here cele-brating 200 years of peacefor the War of 1812.We’vehad an excellent time inBaltimore. It’s been veryspecial for us to be cele-brating this big weekend,”George Muggleton said.

Instead of standingin line to take a tour ofthe ships, Don Mullinssnapped a keepsake selfiein front of a ship.

“I wanted to come andsee the exterior becauseit’s so close to home.Since the rain stopped, Isaid, ‘You have to go downand experience this. It’s ahistoric event,’ ” Mullinssaid.

Capt. Sharon Dounceand the crew of the Kal-mar Nyckel welcomedvisitors aboard the tallship from Wilmington,Del. The ship travels tofestivals up and down thecoast, during spring andfall education program-ming for children, and for

public sailing adventures.More than 65 volunteersgave over 1,200 tours aday in Baltimore beforethe weekend.

“We do a little bit of ahistory spiel at each sta-tion and tell our guests alittle bit about the partsof the ship when theycome on board. Over theweekend my role is basi-cally to see all of the ac-tivities on the ship, and tomaintain the safety of theship and the passengerson it,” Dounce said.

The Gazela Primeirowas once a cod fishingvessel. The Portuguese-built tall ship, which isnow homeported in Phil-adelphia, Pa., attractedvisitors who patientlystood in line to exploreit. Melissa Simmons,secretary of the board ofdirectors, sailed to the In-ner Harbor with a crew of21. Simmons said the triptook about 25 hours sincethey anchored overnightbefore arriving in Balti-more. The ship offers on-board educational oppor-tunities for crew wantingsailing skills and visitors.

“Gazela is an authen-tic ship. She’s well over ahundred years old. Mostof ships here are replicas.We have some hands-onactivities. They can seethe dories that the fish-ermen use to pull in thecod. We have some coolenvironmental informa-tion about why she hadto stop fishing, becausethe cod were depleted be-cause of overfishing, andwhat we can do today tobring the cod back.”

Tall ships, fun abound at Baltimore’s Star-Spangled Spectacular

PHOTOS/ANDREA BLACKSTONE

El Galeón Andalucía was built in Seville, Spain. It is headquartered in Florida andis the only galeon class ship sailing today.

Capt. Bruce Drake (Ret.) served 38 years in the Navy.Jene, his wife, has patriotic fun with her husband onSept. 13 in Baltimore during Star-Spangled Spectacu-lar.

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Andrews GazetteFriday, September 19, 2014 5

reach out to those comingin – that is so key. That’show it’s blessed me so; Ihave always been involvedbecause of that.

“When you move to aplace and you don’t knowanyone, your husbandhas a job and the kidshave school, you wonder,‘what do I do.’ I’ve alwaysfound it a good way toplug into the base andmeet people... It was al-ways a blessing to me,”Mize continued.

“I’m so glad for thenew faces.”

The organization hasmade a concentrated ef-fort to shift and growwith the changing mem-bership.

Brenda Leftwich,President, of the ASC,took a moment to sit andshare about the changes.

“Up until last year itwas the Andrews OfficersSpouses’ Club. We madea membership decisionwith members voting thatwe would open it up to allranks, feeling like therehere was no enlisted cluband we needed to reachout so that everyone hada place to belong.”

“Our motto is friend-ship, fun, and philanthro-py. It gives them a placeto belong, to make friend-ships. We’re all in thesame situation; we’re allspouses with some mili-tary connection and weall know how hard it is tomove every two or three

years. It gives everyonefriendships to attach to.

“We have monthly lun-cheons and other eventsfor fun. This year we aredoing something differ-ent and adding eveningevents because of the vastdifference of our newermembership, thinking itwill open it up to thosewho have jobs, or havechildren, or waiting forsomeone to come watchtheir children.”

The ASC celebrates itsphilanthropy arm withan annual thrift shopfashion show. “We not on-ly give people an opportu-nity to volunteer but weare putting money backin the community. Peoplecan consign their goodsthrough the shop. All theprofit at the thrift shopgoes to charitable dona-tions.” Last year they do-nated more than $24,000.

Along with the thriftshop, they hold monthlyevents offering anotheropportunity for peopleto give during differentdrives for the Airman’sAttic or the mobile unit.

“We’re trying to findthings for all people, forall interests and we’reopen to all suggestions,”Leftwich noted.

“We’re proud to beopening up to all ranks.We know that changemeans progress; and we’relooking forward to a fabu-lous year,” Leftwich said.

As the organizationlooks forward to growingto meet the needs of itsexpanding and diversemembership, it has taken

on the task of ensuring toprovide opportunities andsupport.

Promise Sandlin, Pro-grams Committee Chair,shared, “My vision is forit to grow. We’ve changeda lot of things. The oldschool notion of the spous-es club we’re putting outthe door and revampingthe whole thing, makingit to where everyone is in-volved – whether it’s dayor night events so every-one is accommodated.

“And for most, we’re asource of support, so otherpeople can meet new peo-ple get to know somebody-- get a workout partner.We have a creativity club,we have fitness club, amommy and me fitnessgroup. We have the lunchbunch, which is awesome.We have movie Mon-days. We are doing a fewmember-plus-one – ratherthan couples – events justin case someone has a de-

ployed spouse or deceasedspouse.

“I’ve always been in-volved, since I first gotmarried. I’ve always triedto be there for anyone whoneeds for anything -- I’mthere,” Sandlin said, be-fore she was swept up inanother hug and greeting.

“I love them they’rewonderful!”

Laughter abounds asmembers make their waythrough the room.

Liz Waters, Advisoron the Executive Board,looked to the future inbroadening activities soall are included.

“When we got ready todo the regular calendar,

we wanted people to feel,‘It’s still my club – evolv-ing and growing – but it’sstill my club and I can findmy place here – wherepeople can really find aplace to belong.’ ”

Excited about the newface of membership, par-ticularly the drive to havemale spouses included,“It has challenged us tobroaden our thinking toinclude male spouses butit’s exciting to have themon board. They lend some-thing to it that we’ve nev-er had before.”

Attending an event forthe first time, Edward VanCourt is one such gentle-man paving the way forall to become involved inthe ASC. Sharing whatbrought him out to theevent, he said, “Not somuch what I can gainbut what can I give back?What can I do for the oth-er spouses?” echoing thesentiment of many look-ing to serve.

The ASC wants tomake certain they are pro-viding service for its mem-bers as they serve.

“The big buzz word forthe military right nowis resiliency; and part ofresiliency is social con-nectedness. But we alsohave the spiritual resil-iency which is serving

a higher purpose; so wehave our whole philan-thropy arm,” Waters said,sharing, “I would like todebunk the myth of thespouses’ club of old la-dies sitting around withgloves and drinking tea;one of my missions is todebunk that. We are anawesome group of intel-ligent, involved, profes-sional, people; that weserve a piece in the wholeresiliency picture, thatprivate organizations bol-ster resiliency. We helpspouses withstand therigors of military life; itis challenging, and, if wehave each other, we areso much further aheadof the game. This groupis in the community; thisgroup is raising the nextgeneration of patriots.”

Andrews Spouses’Club is open to all mili-tary spouses regardlessof rank of the servicemember; accepting maleand female spouses ofmilitary members fromall branches of service,active duty, retired,guard/reserve, DoD Ci-vilian, and deceased. Tofind out more about theAndrews Spouses’ Club,visit their website at an-drewsspousesclub.org orsee their Facebook page.

PHOTO/LESLIE SMITH

Andrews Spouses’ Club Executive Board looks for-ward to changes and progress with growing organi-zation.

CLUB, from page 1

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Andrews Gazette6 Friday, September 19, 2014

BY BOBBY JONESSTAFF PHOTOJOURNALIST

On Sept. 13, approximately450 combined firefighters andcitizens from throughout theNational Capital Region partic-ipated in a 9-11 Memorial StairClimb and 5K Walk hosted atthe Gaylord National Resortand Convention Center at Na-tional Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md.

Sponsored by the PrinceGeorge’s County Fire Depart-ment, the event was to honorthe 343 firefighters who madethe ultimate sacrifice at theWorld Trade Center in NewYork on Sept. 11, 2001.

A huge U.S. flag, draped be-tween two ladder trucks servedas the starting line for the 5kWalk portion of the annualevent.

Stair climbers carried oneor more photos, including abiographical sketch, of one ofthe 343 New York Fire Depart-ment firefighters. Participantshad the choice of climbing theequivalent of the 110 stories ofthe World Trade Center towersat the Gaylord Resort or join inthe 5K along the National Har-bor.

Among the participants werePrince George’s County Council

Member Karen R. Toles (D) –District 7, and Prince George’sCounty Fire Chief Marc S.Bashoor, who walked the stairclimb together.

Council Member Toles noted,“Last year I did the 5k, but thisyear I decided to take it up anotch by doing the stair climb.I intend on doing all 110 sto-ries; the same amount that

those firefighters on 9/11 had toclimb. This event is in remem-brance of their sacrifice.”

Fire Chief Bashoor alsostepped up his game as he per-formed pushups alongside hisgroup of Prince George’s Coun-ty Recruit Class No. 50 andFredrick County Recruit ClassNo.17. After, Bashoor braggedon his new recruits.

“This is our Recruit Class No.50 and they graduate in eightdays. It was a little competi-tion between the two classes tokeep their blood pumping,” saidBashoor, wiping sweat from hisforehead. “It’s a milestone, be-cause it’s also the 50th classof graduating Prince George’sCounty recruits participatingin this momentous event here.”

Bashoor admitted, “they outpushed me, but that’s OK, be-cause they’re younger and theyshould.”

During the climb, amongpants and breath, the soundsof cheers also could be heardfrom local residents, firefight-ers and policemen. Some of thefirefighters and policemen usedair packs and carried hoses orfirefighting apparatus.

Throughout the event a totalof six radio broadcasts recap-ping the significant events ofthat tragic day were amplifiedby speakers throughout thebuilding and portable radiosheld by firefighters and emer-gency medical services person-nel stationed throughout thebuilding and outside the hotel.

At 8:46 a.m., the exact mo-ment the first plane hit thePentagon, shortly before theWorld Trade Center, a momentof silence was held before par-ticipants resumed the stairclimb and 5K walk.

“We radio broadcast at thatmoment to ask participants in-side the stairwell to pause for amoment of silence,” said MarkBrady, Prince George’s CountyFire/EMS public information

PGFD hosts annual 9-11 Memorial Stair Climb/Walk

PHOTO/BOBBY JONES

Ariel Sutphin, OF Calvert County, rings the bell in honor of New York firefighter, Carl E. Molinaro.

see 9/11, page 7

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Andrews GazetteFriday, September 19, 2014 7

officer. “A total of six announcementswere broadcasted, bench-marking thetragic events which occurred 13 yearsago.”

Anna Lagrave Prince George’s Coun-ty firefighter, participated as safetymonitor inside the building during thestair climb.

“I did the stair climb during my firstyear in the department because I want-ed to show my pride and how much Icared about the sacrifices of my fellowfirefighters,” said Lagrave, a three-yearveteran. “This year they needed safetymonitors, so I volunteered.”

Along the stair climb, employeesfrom the Gaylord Resort passed outwater and cheered words of encourage-ment to the participants as they circu-lated from out the building and backinto the exhausting climb.

The event culminated with each par-ticipant ringing a bell five times for theNYFD member they represented.

Among the stair climbers participat-ing in the event included several fire-fighters from around the region, includ-ing, but not limited to: Fairfax County,Fredrick County Recruit firefighters17, Annapolis, Prince George’s CountyRecruit No. 50, Montgomery County,Cockeysville, Glenmont, Elkridge Vol-unteer Fire Department, Joint BaseAndrews Fire Department and PrinceGeorge’s County veterans.

Proceeds from the 9-11 MemorialStair Climb and Walk benefited the Na-tional Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

Anita Reynolds, Fairfax Fire and Res-cue Cave-In technician gives motivat-ing high-fives to participants as theystart their stair climb.

Eric Lee, Prince George’s County fire-fighter, prepares to hoist a fire hoseonto to his shoulder and carry it up the110 stories in remembrance of the 343fallen firefighters of Sept. 11.

A bell sets inside the courtyard of the Gaylord National Resort and ConventionCenter for participants to ring after completing the 110 story climb.

PHOTOS/BOBBY JONES

A group of firefighters from various regions walk in unison toward the grueling110-story stair climb during a 9-11 Memorial Stair Climb at the Gaylord NationalResort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md. Sept. 13.

9/11, from page 6

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Andrews Gazette8 Friday, September 19, 2014

Great! This was my chance toget help without really havingto tell anyone what happened tome, and maybe, I would have thechance to help someone else too.

I had never dealt with thesituation, and I only blamed my-self. I had kept things so far backin my mind that I almost had anervous breakdown. I had ran-dom crying spells at work beforeanyone came in, and when I gothome, all I could do was cry andcry some more. No one aroundme was aware; that’s how well

I had taught myself to play thepart of the “happy girl.”

Once I became a part of theSAPR program and finally toldsomeone what had happened tome, I was finally able to beginto heal; I am no longer broken. Iam able to work with other sur-vivors of sexual assault and helpthem begin to heal, and it feelsgood. I hope that sharing mystory reaches at least one personout there who may have thoughtthey were alone.

If you or anyone you know hasbeen a victim of sexual assault,there are many programs avail-able to help you. It doesn’t mat-

ter when it happened: the SARC,victim advocates and chaplains,are all here to help you heal andovercome.

There are many things I couldhave done differently that night.Sometimes I sit and I play the sit-uation over and over in my head.I have finally come to the conclu-sion that if someone wants to doyou harm, they will find a way nomatter what you do. It wasn’t myfault, I was a victim, but now Ihave become a survivor.

For more resources and in-fomration, visit http://www.sexu-alassaultpreventionresponse.af.mil/

ADVOCATE, from page 2

with the mobile revolution andrecent trends with people’scommunication habits,” saidLt. Col. Grant Hargrove, 11SFS commander. “The app is acommunity policing reportingtool which recognizes the factthat in today’s world, moreand more people feel comfort-able with texting and commu-nicating via electronic mediaon their cellphones and smart-phones.”

The app is free and avail-able on the Apple App Storeand Google Play. LiveSafe isonline, and updated regularlyby 11 SFS for Joint Base An-

drews’ specific needs.The app provides a few ad-

vantages over manually calling911.

“LiveSafe can present policewith more visual informationin real time than a phone call,”Wright said. “Geotagging thesite of the tip can improve theresponse times of respondersby having an exact location.”

Also included in the app arelaw enforcement contact num-bers, 911 and the line straightto the 11 SFS dispatch desk, andsoftware that allows families totrack their children and lovedones.

“With LiveSafe’s anonymousreporting and texting features,it provides concerned members

of JB Andrews with a more in-formal medium to report theirsafety and security concerns toSecurity Forces without hav-ing to make an intimidatingEmergency 911 phone call,”Hargrove said. “As the numberof LiveSafe registered usersand reports increases, the 11thSFS will gain a better under-standing of the community’sconcerns, and we will be able tomore efficiently focus our lawenforcement resources to ad-dress these problem areas.”

While the traditional waysof contacting emergency servic-es will remain fully functional,LiveSafe is an alternative forfamilies seeking better flexibil-ity in contacting the police.

CRIME, from page 1

The Security Forces Blotteris intended to keep members ofthe Joint Base Andrews Com-munity informed and awareof the crimes and offenses thatoccur throughout the baseeach week. If you have anyinformation that may help theSecurity Forces solve a crimeor prevent a criminal act,please contact BDOC (BaseDefense Operations Center) at301-981-2001, CRIME STOPLINE 981-2677 (COPS, or theinvestigations section at 301-981-5656).

Sept. 5 at 10:08 a.m.:There was an attempted en-try at the Main Gate. Theindividual misinterpretedthe directions given and wasstopped by the barriers. Pa-trols responded and accom-plished reports.

Sept. 5 at 6:53 p.m.:There was a minor vehicleaccident in housing. Whilebacking out of a parking spot,the vehicle struck the vehicleparked in another spot caus-ing a scratch on the bumper.Patrols responded and accom-plished reports.

Sept. 10 at 8:45 p.m.:There was a loud noise com-plaint in the dormitory. Theresidents were briefed on

quiet hours and complied.Sept. 11 at 12:08 a.m.:

There was an attempted entryat the Main Gate. The indi-vidual was given instructionsto turn around but missedthe turn. The individual wasstopped by the barriers andescorted off the installationby responding forces.

Sept. 11 at 12:30 p.m.:Security Forces received acall stating damage to a ve-hicle. The individual statedthat the damage was noticedafter coming back to workform lunch off-base. The dam-age consisted of dents andscratches. Patrols respondedand accomplished reports.

Sept. 11 at 7:12 p.m.:There was a loud noise com-plaint in the dormitory. Theresidents were briefed onquiet hours and complied.

AS A REMINDERThere has been an increase

in loud noise complaints. Bemindful of your neighborsand your surroundings.

For reporting any emer-gencies or non-emergenciesplease feel free to utilize theLiveSafe app. LiveSafe is ananonymous reporting appthat can be downloaded forfree on your smart device.

Security Forces Police Blotter

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This special guide highlights localnon-profit organizations that needyour support through donationsto help those in need.

Look for the special pullout guidein this week’s paper or visitDCMilitary.com/CFC for a fulllist of participating charities andthe e-Edition of this year’s guide.

Please support theirefforts and donate today!

The Combined Federal Campaign is Underway!

Andrews GazetteFriday, September 19, 2014 9

BY JONATHAN STOCKAIR FORCE SURGEON GENERAL PUB-

LIC AFFAIRS

All Airmen have a responsibil-ity that last much longer thana one-month campaign. This re-sponsibility extends beyond our-selves and includes our work en-vironment, our families, friends,fellow Airmen and our communi-ties.

While Suicide PreventionMonth is observed across theUnited States in September, themonth-long event is a reminderof everyone’s 24/7, 365-day re-sponsibility to be a true Wing-man. That means knowing ourfellow Airmen, family members,coworkers and what is happen-ing in their lives, as well as beingwilling and able to support themwhen they are facing challengesthat test their resilience.

The Air Force has undertakenseveral initiatives to improve re-silience for individuals and ourcommunities. These efforts canbe found under the umbrella ofComprehensive Airmen Fitness(CAF) which focuses on main-

taining a balanced and healthylifestyle across physical, mental,social and spiritual domains. In-dividuals practicing comprehen-sive fitness are more likely toseek help when needed and beable to identify risk factors andwarning signs when an individu-al is off balance.

“Prevention begins with eachindividual working to strengthenand maintain their overall well-being across all CAF domains,as well as being able to identifywhen others need help. A goodWingman offers help knowingwhat resources are available, andfollows up to stand by their sidethroughout a challenge,” saidLt. Col. Kathleen Crimmins, AirForce Suicide Prevention man-ager. “Assisting Airmen to gethelp... whether peer or profes-sional, is what a Wingman does.”

A number of resources areavailable to include the Air ForceSuicide Prevention website, theAirman’s Guide for Assisting Per-sonnel in Distress, the MilitaryCrisis Line by calling 1-800-273-

Suicide Prevention Month 11TH WG COMMANDER RECOGNIZES

VOLUNTEER VICTIM ADVOCATE

U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO/AIRMAN 1ST CLASS J.D. MAIDENS

Maj. Dianne A.N. Dreesman, an 11th Wing Sexual Assault Prevention and Response vol-unteer victim advocate, is this week’s Warrior of the Week, Sept. 17. Dreesman constantlystrives to expand her knowledge with qualification progression and training opportunities.The Fort Lauderdale, FL native displays professionalism and commitment to mission suc-cess by frequently volunteering to take after-hours on-call responsibilities. Her primaryinterests are reading and spending time with her family.

A reminder of our 24/7/365 responsibilityto ourselves and each other

see SUICIDE, page 10

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Andrews Gazette10 Friday, September 19, 2014

JBA BuzzHow do you promote green?

Lisa Price, 11thForce SupportSquadron An-drew Youth Cen-ter operationsclerk

“I promote greenby saving every-thing that comesthrough the emailonto my externalhard drive forfuture reference.That includes bankstatements, 401Kinformation andbills as well.”

Hope Rawlings,Andrews YouthCenter cook,11th Force Sup-port Squadron

“I recycle all of thepaper from the foodproducts I use inmeals here at theyouth center daily.”

Kayla Williams,10, Imagine An-drews PublicCharters School5th Grader

“When we comeback from thegrocery I fold thepaper bags and putthem in the pantryso we can reusethem again.”

Khai Williams,MRP Realty of-fice manager,Washington,D.C.

“I’m big into green.At my job we’ve gonetotally paperless. Ourpayroll departmentis paperless, andwe use recycle bins.Also our companyhas an annual shredday, and we alsorecycle old electron-ics like cell phones.”

8255, press 1, text 838255, or go onlineto chat at www.militarycrisisline.net,with access to peer counselors in per-son and through online chats and textmessaging.

You can also find help by contactingyour local agencies who make up the in-stallation Integrated Delivery System.

In addition to the crisis phone line,help is also available through theVets4Warriors peer support chat lineat 855-838-8255 or online at www.vets4warriors.com. This line will con-nect an individual with veteran peerswho understand the unique challengesof military life and assist with problemsolving and resolution.

Family members, retirees, and vet-erans can also use these resourcesfor themselves if they feel the need tospeak with someone.

According to Crimmins, Air Forcemental health clinics reported an in-crease in the number of visits annuallyover the last few years which are posi-tive results of the Air Force’s effort toremove the perceived stigma of seekinghelp. Leaders at all levels must contin-ue to promote and encourage individu-als to seek support agencies and clini-cian services as a normal step in main-taining a good work and life balance.

Early resolution of stress helps Air-men maintain a balanced lifestyle,which in turn allows them to withstand,recover and grow in the face of adver-sity.

“We can all make a difference byhelping our Wingmen understand theyare not alone,” said Crimmins. “Sharingour stories and highlighting our ownpersonal resilience and perseverancewill let others know their Air Forcefamily is behind them and those need-ing help are not alone.”

For more information and resources,visit the Air Force Suicide Preventionwebsite at www.airforcemedicine.af.mil/suicideprevention.

CALL TO ACTIONOne of the most effective ways to

promote the 24/7/365 approach to sui-cide prevention is for Airmen, theirfamilies or friends to step forward andshare their own experiences of howthey recognized they needed help andsought out support and resources. Per-haps your resilience was tested in someway; or someone close to you had theirresilience challenged and you reachedout to them. We want to hear your sto-ries of resilience encouraging others toseek treatment and understand whatresources are there to help. Please con-tact your local Public Affairs office tocoordinate sharing your story.

SUICIDE, from page 9

For more news from other bases around the Washington, D.C. area,

visit www.dcmilitary.com.

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Andrews GazetteFriday, September 19, 2014 11

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Andrews Gazette12 Friday, September 19, 2014