Vol. 14, No. 21 November 3, 2006

Ansbach • Bamberg • Illesheim • Schweinfurt • Wuerzburg

CalendarThru Nov. 5 – Nuernberg Consumenta, a consumers’ goods show, at

Messe Nuernberg, offers more than 1,000 internationalvendors. E-mail consumenta@afag.de for info.

– Dinkelsbuehl’s 21st annual Fish Harvest, in the Wein-markt, featuring farmer’s markets and entertainment.Call 09851-90240 for info.

Nov. 3-8 – Volkach wine festNov. 5 – Irish folk-rock music, Studio 13, Bamberg, Luitpold Str.

40, 8 p.m. Cost €11. Info: www.studio13bamberg.deNov. 5-6 – Martini market in Iphofen, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 100 vendors

and children’s rides. Stores open Sunday. Call 09323-870306 for info.

Nov. 6 – Martin’s Market/Fair, Rathausplatz in Bad Kissingen 8a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Nov. 10 – Blue Train Orchestra performs big band, swing, Latinand modern funk music at Bamberg’s Jazz Keller, ObereSand Str. 18. Doors open at 8 p.m.

Nov. 11 – Autumn Concert by Hammelburg city band, Heinrich-Köppler-Haus, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 18 – Country blues singer Willie Salomon performs duringBamberg’s “12 Guitar Days” at the Neue Palais, LuitpoldStr. 40a, at 8 p.m. Ticket €15. Info: www.bvd-ticket.de

Nov. 25-Dec. 3 – “Wuerzburger Bachtage”, classical music concerts, St.Johanniskirche, see: www.bachtage-wuerzburg.de

War casualtiesSchweinfurt fondly remembered Staff Sgt. Joe A.

Narvaez, Mortar Platoon, 1st Battalion, 26th InfantryRegiment and part of Task Force Spader in a memorialceremony at Ledward Chapel Oct. 11. Narvaez waskilled in action by small arms fire Oct. 2 in Baghdad,Iraq. Remembered as “a kid magnet,” Narvaez was de-scribed as a solid friend and Soldier.

The Department of Defense recently announced thedeath of two Soldiers from Schweinfurt’s 1st Battalion,26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team,supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom:

Staff Sgt. Garth D. Sizemore, 31, of Mount Sterling,Ky., died Oct. 17 in Baghdad, Iraq, from injuries suffered when his patrol came in contact with enemyforces using small arms fire. Sizemore, a two-time recipient of the Bronze Star Medal, is survived by hiswife, Nedelko, and parents Glen and Caroline Size-more.

Sgt. Willsun M. Mock, 23, of Harper, Kan., diedOct. 22 in Baghdad, Iraq, from injuries suffered whenan improvised explosive device detonated near hisvehicle.

New ‘Team of Teams’ emerging

Town hall meetings to introduce new personnel systemby Sgt. Aimee MillhamUSAREUR Public Affairs

For U.S. civil servants in Europe needing information about the newNational Security Personnel System (NSPS), clarity is on its way.

About 55 town hall meetings will be held at various sites over thenext few months to educate Army civilian employees and their man-agers – including servicemembers and local national supervisors – onthe ins and outs of NSPS.

“We will answer everything we can,” Brig. Gen. Rusty Frutiger,U.S. Army, Europe deputy chief of staff for personnel and NSPS tran-sition manager, said during the initial meeting Oct. 20 at Mannheim.“If we don’t have the answer we’ll take your questions and e-mail youa response.”

Jennifer Tavares of the ETG civilian personnel office said she hadnot received dates and times of NSPS town hall meetings for the read-ership area, but said she would announce them once they are received.

USAREUR and 5th Signal Command’s conversion to NSPS – a De-partment of Defense initiative to replace the current, seniority-basedpay system with a performance-based one – is scheduled to begin Oc-tober 2007, according to Jim Biggs, assistant deputy chief of staff forUSAREUR personnel transformation. Other Army commands in Eu-rope will convert to NSPS over the following six months

The town hall meetings are part of DoD’s plan to flow NSPS infor-

mation to the workforce, Biggs said.A panel of experts will answer questions at every meeting. At

Mannheim, this included officials from USAREUR’s Civilian Person-nel Directorate, the Heidelberg Civilian Personnel Advisory Centerand the Civilian Human Resources Agency-Europe. Their presencewas effective considering the variety of questions posed.

“I wanted to know if I’ll lose my (living quarters allowance),” saidRich Glass, an engineer with Mannheim’s Directorate of Public Works.He was relieved to learn that NSPS will not affect overseas housingpay.

Glass also wanted an explanation of the NSPS pay band system,which allows for the flexibility to adjust salaries to be competitive withprivate industry.

A military spouse asked whether the family member priority in thehiring process would be threatened. Again, the answer was “no im-pact” as NSPS will not affect any of the current priorities for familymembers and veterans.

Biggs encourages all employees to seek information or trainingthrough web-based resources, noting they are authorized a reasonableamount of time to do research during work hours. The following web-sites have more information on the program: www.per.hqusareur.army.mil/cpd; http://cpol.army.mil/library/general/nsps; and www.cpms.osd.mil/nsps.

Relationship between ETG,USAG Schweinfurt developsby Mark HeeterThe Point

“Team of Teams” is not a new concept to military communities inLower Franconia. It’s been the motto here for years.

But things changed when U.S. Army Garrison Franconia became theEurope Region Transformation Group (Nord Bayern) (Provisional), orETG, Oct. 15. The ETG’s mission, in part, is to bring Army garrisonsin Ansbach, Bamberg and Schweinfurt up to speed as direct reportingelements to the recently renamed Installation Management Command– Europe Region, or IMCOM-Europe, formerly known as InstallationManagement Agency-Europe. The garrisons will likely begin report-ing directly to their higher headquarters in spring 2007.

The ETG headquarters remains in Wuerzburg’s Faulenberg Kaserneand is commanded by Col. Russel Santala. The ETG’s existence is tem-porary and will dissolve next summer.

In the meantime, control of community services that remain atWuerzburg’s Leighton Barracks are now the responsibility of USAGSchweinfurt.

“The biggest goal is to keep in mind that we’re one community.There can be no difference between us and Leighton,” said Lt. Col. An-thony Haager, USAG Schweinfurt commander, recently.

An immediate goal, he added, is to eliminate the “us” and “them”mentality that has defined the Wuerzburg/Schweinfurt relationshipsince the days of the 98th Area Support Group.

“It’s a paradigm that we’ve got to break. The mountain isn’tWuerzburg, and the mountain isn’t Schweinfurt. We are one commu-nity,” Haager said.

“Cooperation has been great. The key is communication,” Haageradded, noting that his staff and directors have been working transitionissues with their Wuerzburg counterparts for several months.

See Community on page 14

Scott RouchLeighton in transition An emotional Leslie Garza-Munoz, left, touches her son’sstone following dedication ceremonies for the Fallen Sol-dier Memorial on June 6, 2005. The stones with names ofthe 193 Soldiers who died during the 1st Infantry Division’sdeployment to Operation Iraqi Freedom were shipped lastweek to Fort Riley, Kansas, where the monument will be re-erected.File photo by Mindy Campbell

Inside:CougarsroarAnsbach facesAFNORTH ina battle of unbeatens inSaturday’s Division III final.

See page 19for area sportscoverage.

Inside:

Mark Heeter

A Soldier pays final respects to Staff Sgt. GarthD. Sizemore at a memorial service in Schwein-furt Oct. 24.

Jim Hughes

‘All theway’More than700 Soldiersfrom the173rdAirborneBrigade Com-bat Teamdropped fromthe sky atGrafenwoehr.

See page 18

Arthur McQueen

PumpkinmagicMove over, Linus. JamaalEvans, MannyGomez andGabby Ramosand otheryouthdiscovered agreat pumpkinpatch nearWuerzburg.See page 16.

Scott Rouch

Milestones

American generosityby Russell B. HallRegion Director, IMCOM-Europe

As Americans, a key part of our national identity is gen-erosity toward others. Nowhere is this trait more evidentthan in the contributions being made every day by our Sol-diers and civilians here at Installation Management Com-mand-Europe Region.

Each year we demonstrate oursupport to dozens of hard-workingresearch, educational and charitableorganizations through the Com-bined Federal Campaign. The CFCenables Soldiers and civilians tohelp these organizations make anenormous – possibly lifesaving –difference in the lives of our fellowAmericans and people around theglobe.

You will be contacted by your CFC representative. He orshe will provide a booklet listing CFC agencies as well asthe forms necessary to make an annual gift or to pledge yourcontinuing support through payroll deductions.

Please take a close look at the array of organizationslisted in your CFC booklet. It’s hard to image a broaderspectrum of groups and agencies working to better the livesof our families, our nation and our world.

One of the things I like most about CFC is its flexibility.We can make a single contribution to one organization orsmaller amounts to several.

We live in challenging and exciting times. As membersof the Army team, we’ve chosen to make a difference; tohelp those around us. And we back our beliefs through ser-vice, commitment and tangible actions.

One of those actions, one of the “extra miles” we take tohelp those around us is annual CFC campaign.

Let’s continue our tradition of generosity this year.Whether your contribution to the Combined Federal Cam-paign is large or small, I urge you to join me in supportingthis worthy effort.

Thank you for your service and your generosity.

Thank avet andstay safe

World War I officially endedwhen the Treaty of Versailleswas signed on June 28, 1919,outside the town of Versailles,France. Fighting had ceasedseven months earlier when anarmistice – a temporary cessa-tion of hostilities – between theAllied nations and Germany

went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of theeleventh month.

For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded asthe day that “the war to end all wars” officially ended.

In November 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed

Nov. 11 as the first Armistice Day. The original concept was forthe day to be observed with parades and public meetings and abrief suspension of business beginning at 11 a.m.

Veterans Day as we know it today came into being on June 1,1954, when Congress officially changed the holiday fromArmistice Day to Veterans Day, a day to honor American veter-ans of all wars.

Throughout the Army and here in U.S. Army, Europe, weenjoy a four-day weekend during the Veterans Day observance.During this weekend I ask each of you in all our Army Garrisonsto make the following commitments: to take a moment to thanka veteran for his or her service to our nation, to remember ournewest generation of veterans, and to ask a family member of adeployed Soldier how they are doing.

I also ask that you make a personal promise to be safe through-out the long weekend and throughout the year. Be aware of po-tential hazards. We need to “own the edge” when it comes to ourpersonal safety and the safety of our families.

In The Point and through other command information chan-nels, we constantly address the dangers of winter driving andother seasonal hazards. Regrettably, we all too often lose Sol-diers and family members in preventable accidents.

Let’s make a conscious decision to do our very best to stopthese accidents.

Safety basics will certainly help: slow down, get plenty of restbefore a long drive, take regular stretch breaks, and stay alert forchanging weather and road conditions during your travels.Check your vehicle’s lights, windshield wipers and washer fluidlevels so you can see and be seen. Keep your vehicle in top con-dition by having your brakes, exhaust and coolant systems ser-viced regularly.

Let’s make this Veterans Day weekend especially meaningful,and make a personal commitment to be accident free.

Team of Teams!

RUSSEL D. SANTALAColonel, Air Defense ArtilleryCommander, U.S. Army Europe RegionTransformation Group(Nord Bayern)(Provisional)

2 The Point, November 3, 2006 Team of Teams!

Red Ribbon Week Essay Winner

by Luqman Alhaj8th Grader, Wuerzburg American Middle School

Man has been created with perfect mind to reason and instincts to differentiate between right and wrong, good andevil.

Adolescence is almost like a midpoint in one’s life; when aperson is neither a kid nor an adult. At this period, teens havepassed the age when they were called kids but not yet qualifiedto be adults. Teenagers want to think like adults, behave likeadults and also start to view themselves as independent beings indecision making.

Peer pressure plays a major role in the harmful behavior ofteens. Teens who want to fit in among their friends are most es-pecially prone to this. They try to make friends as much as pos-sible by drinking and using drugs. These are not true friends be-cause they are bad influences and lead to failure.

In life we all go through our bad moments. Being bored doesnot mean one should explore harmful material. Although schoolstry to fill most youths’ brains with extra-curricular activities,many teens find this association boring and repetitive.

Think about it, how much fun one can actually have atschool?

Sports and other curriculums are shunned by many teens be-cause of the appearance they give off. They want something newin their lives. Teens tend to feel drugs can make them feel likethey are important because they are on something.

When you say “no” to drugs and alcohol, you are saying “no”to ignorance and hopelessness and taking control of one’s ownlife. The difference between man and animal, in my opinion, isthe ability to make choices and have the willpower to say no totemptations and desires.

By consuming alcohol or drugs, one loses their ability to con-centrate and make decisions, and because that is what makes aperson lose their willpower and alertness, is not good for you andleads to trouble at home and school.

Staying away from drugs and alcohol prolongs life and re-duces crime rate, violence, accidents and prevents abuse. Thewhole society will benefit from young adults because they arethe cornerstone of the future.

Therefore, I have already decided to run my own life by stay-ing awake and conscious, and I am sure I will succeed in life.

Congratulations to all Red Ribbon Week participants. At WuerzburgElementary School, first grader (age 6) Carter Blunden wrote an essayentirely on his own. He was awarded a prize for his initiative. Other win-ners were:

Wuerzburg Middle School: Essay contest – Luqman Alhaj, firstplace, Bakisu Jobe second, Kirby Eavey, third. Poster contest – Car-oline Jones, first, Rhett Newton, second, Michaele Lemmons, third,Bobbie Manchester, honorable mention. Madison Queen won thegraphic design flyer award.

Wuerzburg High School: Essay contest – Lindsey Cole, first, Lori-Ann Daley, second, Zach Smith, third.

Schweinfurt Middle School: Essay contest – Charles Jacobi, first,Wilson Hall, second, Joshua Tyus, third. Poster contest – MelissaThompson, first, Amani Core, second, Bailey Reynolds, third, andHarley Carlos, honorable mention.

❋ ❋ ❋

Congratulations to Chaplain (Col.) David Bates who re-ceived the Meritorious Service Medal for service as USAG Fran-conia command chaplain from June 2005 to October 2006. Hisdedication to duty and outstanding leadership ensured all Sol-diers in the garrison were cared for.

Congratulations to Mrs. Jane Bates who was awarded theFlying Eagle Award for her exemplary and untiring volunteersupport to the USAG Franconia military community from June2005 to October 2006. The spirit of her helpfulness and genuineconcern for the community enhanced the quality of life for manySoldiers, family members, civilians and retirees.

Run Your Own Life

Ansbach • Bad Kissingen • Bamberg • Giebelstadt • Illesheim • Kitzingen • Schweinfurt • Wuerzburg

Producer: MILCOM Advertising AgencyRoswitha Lehner

Zeilaeckerstrasse 35 · 92637 WeidenTelefax 0961-67050-32

Internet: www.milcom.deFree classifieds 0931-2964397 · Fax The Point 0931-2964626

THE POINT is an authorized unofficial Army newspaper, published every two weeksunder provisions of AR 360-1, for members of U.S. Army Garrisons Ansbach, Bam-berg, Schweinfurt and Franconia. A commercial enterprise, THE POINT is printed byMILCOM Advertising Agency, a private firm in no way connected with the UnitedStates Government or Department of Defense. The contents of THE POINT do notnecessarily reflect the official views or endorsement of the U.S. government, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Army.The appearance of advertising, including inserts and supplements, does not con-stitute endorsement by the Department of Defense. Everything advertised in THEPOINT shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard torace, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation, or any other non-merit characteristic of the purchaser, user orpatron.Editorial content is provided, prepared and edited by the Public Affairs Office of theEuropean Transformation Group. Editorial offices are located in building 208,Faulenberg Kaserne, Wuerzburg, Germany, telephone DSN 351-4564 or CIV 0931-296-4564. Mailing address: Editor – THE POINT, European Transformation GroupPAO, CMR 475, APO AE 09036. By e-mail: roger.teel1@us.army.mil or scott.rouch@us.army.mil. Circulation is 8,000 copies per issue.

Col. Russel D. Santala Donald KlingerCommander Public Affairs Officer

Roger Teel Scott RouchEditor Assistant Editor

European Transformation Group – Faulenberg Kaserne, 351-4749 or 0931-296-4749Command Information Officer ................................................................. Larry Reilly

USAG Ansbach – Building 5257, Barton Barracks, 468-7649 or 0981-183-649Command Information Officer ................................................................. Jim HughesVolunteer Journalist.................................................................................. Emily Gourgues

USAG Bamberg – Building 7089, Warner Barracks, 469-7581 or 0951-300-7581Command Information Officer ................................................................. Cheryl Boujnida

USAG Schweinfurt – Building 354-6381, CIV 09721-96-6381)Command Information Officer ................................................................. Mark HeeterJournalist ................................................................................................... Kimberly Gearhart

Street talk: Photos by The Point staff

Sgt. John Queen, 69th Air De-fense Artillery PAO, Wuerzburg“The motto has got itspurpose. It can be agood recruiting tool.”

What are your thoughts on the Army’s new advertising slogan – Army Strong?

Dennis Bolenbarker, retiree,Warner Barracks, Bamberg“The campaign pro-motes a Soldier’s char-acter traits and that’sexactly what we needright now.”

Sgt. James Miller, USAG Ans-bach Headquarters Detach-ment, Barton Barracks“We are one of thestrongest armed forcesin the world and theArmy is all about teameffort. I think this is agood slogan that repre-sents that.”

Staff Sgt. Jose Montero, 200thTheater Distribution Bri gade,Warner Barracks, Bamberg“I think Army Strong is agreat motivational cam-paign for Soldiers andit’s something new forthem. I watched a videorecently that looked re-ally good, too.”

Capt. Stephen Short, USAGAnsbach Directorate of Emer-gency Services, Barton Bar-racks“To me, Army Strong iswhat we are. Army ofOne could be miscon-strued as being moreabout the individualrather than the team.”

Sgt. Javier Rodriguez, Head-quarters and HeadquartersCompany, Wuerzburg“Army Strong soundsbetter than An Army ofOne. When civilianshear An Army of One, itsounds like a selfishArmy. Strong is morelike the Army shouldbe.”

Pfc. John McManus, 1st Battal-ion, 26th Infantry Regiment,Ledward Barracks, Schwein-furt.“It’s appropriate. To bein the Army you have tobe physically and men-tally strong. So the newslogan represents ourlifestyle.”

Pvt. Reuben Shurtleff, 1st Bat-talion, 26th Infantry Regiment,Ledward Barracks, Schwein-furt.“It sounds better thanArmy of One because it’slike it’s more of a teameffort, being in theArmy. It’s not an individ-ual job; it’s about beinga team, strong togeth-er.”

Focal Points The Point, November 3, 2006 3

Scott RouchHaving a ballSabertooth Ammon Scott, with ball, looks to teammate Austin Jannotti, left, as Little Strykers Lexy Cole,Nicholas Cousin and Dominic Gomez give chase during the last day of Child and Youth Services peewee soc-cer Oct. 26. The Little Strykersʼ volunteer coach Victor Gomez helped keep the action under control.

Capt. Scott PreuskerTaking commandMaj. Michael Cohen, right, takes command of the new-ly activated Wuerzburg Health Clinic Oct. 30. Clinicnoncommissioned officer in charge Staff Sgt. JefferyJohnson and Spc. Maria Nunez are also pictured.

Courtesy photoVaccinatedSchweinfurt Middle School student Bailey Reynoldsgets an inoculation Oct. 5 from Robin Stworzydlak, aregistered nurse from the USAG Schweinfurt healthclinic. Soldiers from Company D, 9th Engineers, spentthe day at the school, helping the school nurse andhealth clinic medics vaccinate grades 6-8.

Scott RouchWinnersPoster and essay contest winners at Wuerzburg Amer-ican Middle School pose with guest speaker Bob Mor-timer during Red Ribbon Week activites. The winnersare listed on page 2.

Leslie GordnierCarving a new sloganMilitary Academy Cadet Third Class Jason Schreuder,a member of the class of 2009, decided to honor theArmyʼs new advertising slogan, which will kick off na-tionwide just before Veterans Day. Schreuder spentapproximately 12 hours creating the pumpkin, com-plete with a detailed Abrams Main Battle Tank and the“Army Strong” campaign slogan.

Scott RouchGet a tasteAntonio Pecoraro of the Wuerzburg City Council getsa sample of what the Leighton Commissary has to of-fer during a tour of the post with the rest of the citycouncil Oct. 24.

Jim HughesWhat a deal!Chief Warrant Officer Steven Conway shops with hisson, Elijah, and wife, Natasha, at the USAG AnsbachHolidays in Bavaria Bazaar Oct. 20 on KatterbachKaserne. Hundreds of people got an early start ontheir Christmas shopping. Ansbach Spousesʼ andCiviliansʼ Club officials, who sponsored the eventalong with USAG Ansbach Morale, Welfare and Recre-ation, said more than $127,000, was spent at the eventwith $17,000 earmarked for the community via Ans-bach Spousesʼ and Civilians Clubʼ grants to non-prof-it agencies.

Scott RouchChecking choppersEighth-grader Adam Tavares has his teeth checked bySpc. James Larsen at Wuerzburg Middle School Oct.16 on Dental Health Day. The Wuerzburg Dental Activ-ity checked all sixth through eighth-graders for dentalproblems visible to the naked eye and sent evalua-tions home for parents.

Kimberly GearhartHoliday greetingsLacy Alvira and 3-month-old Faith, right, record a holiday greeting with Rick Baumgardner, Heidelberg publicaffairs, Oct. 18 in Schweinfurt. Alvira recorded greetings for her husband who is deployed with 1st Battalion,77th Armor Regiment, and for her family in Texas. Baumgardner recorded a number of Schweinfurt families,most of whom sent messages to loved ones in the U.S. and downrange.

6 The Point, November 3, 2006 Health & Fitness

Poison control prevention is in your handsFollow tips for safe use, postpoison control hotline numberby Johanna L. EdwardsWuerzburg Health Promotion Coordinator

There is nothing that scares a parent more than walking in ona toddler with an empty pill bottle in their small hands, or notknowing where to turn or who to call when a chemical splash-es your spouse in the eyes.

Many of the usual household substances you use for treatingcolds and flu, cleaning your house, or doing craft projects arepoisonous when ingested or used improperly.

Every household substance is labeled with the contents ofthe package and instructions on proper dosage for safe use.These instructions should be followed carefully to avoid turn-ing an everyday material into a potentially hazardous – andpossibly lethal – substance.

Following are safety tips adapted from the American Asso-ciation of Poison Control Centers and the Center for DiseaseControl:

– Always use poisonous products safely.– Always store household products in their original contain-

ers. Do not use food containers such as cups or bottles to storechemical products such as cleaning solutions or cosmetic prod-ucts.

– Always read the labels before using a potentially poiso-nous product.

– Never leave the product unattended while using it and al-

ways return the product to a locked cabinet when you are fin-ished.

– Make sure you have plenty of light when using any haz-ardous substance so you can clearly read the label and see whatyou are doing.

– Do not call medicine candy or any type of sweets.– Avoid taking medicine in front of children because they

tend to imitate adults.– Follow directions on the label when taking any medica-

tion. Be aware of potential interactions with other medicationsor alcohol and never share your prescription drugs with anyoneelse.

– Turn on a fan and open the windows when using poten-tially hazardous chemical products.

– Wear protective clothing, such as gloves, long pants andlong sleeves, when spraying pesticides and other harmfulchemical materials.

– Never mix household and chemical products together asthis may cause poisonous fumes or fires.

– Do not burn fuels or charcoal or use gasoline-powered en-gines in a confined space such as garages, tents, or poorly ven-tilated areas.

If a poisoning occursRemain calm. If you have a poison emergency and the vic-

tim has collapsed, or is not breathing, immediately call 112, theemergency line in Europe. If you have a poison exposure andthe victim is alert, call either 486-7070 or 00-800-444-88-4444in Germany for immediate poison control assistance. Thesenumbers, when called in Germany only, roll over to the Poison

Control number in Washington, D.C., when dialed directly.Have as much information available as possible to give to

the emergency responders:Name of the person, their age and approximate weight.The name of the substance used, or medicine consumed.The container or bottle of the poisonous product, if avail-

able, noting how much of the product remains and any amountof spillage in the area of the victim.

Follow the instructions from the emergency operator or poi-son control center and stay with the victim and assist as direct-ed.

Safeguard your homePost the poison control number in an obvious place for all to

see and recognize in time of an emergency. In Germany, thepoison control number is 486-7070 from a military line or00800-444-88-4444 from a home or civilian line.

Store all medicines, household products and chemicals outof reach and locked away from small children.

Know the type of plants in your home, and also place themout of reach of young children.

Talk to your children about the safe way to use substancesaround the home and make them alert to the potential dangerwhen products are inhaled, swallowed, or splashed onto theskin.

Take precautions to guard against poisons, and make sureeveryone in the family knows the Poison Control number tocall in an emergency.

Stay safe, stay alert and stay healthy.

Aaah-choo! Protect yourself and your familyfrom easily transmitted diseases

Johanna L. Edwards

Sgt. MelindaBraith waite administers one ofthe first flu shotsof the year toSpc. Michelle Bailey atWuerzburg HealthClinic. Considered“at high risk,”health care per -sonnel such asBailey are amongthe first to receivethe immunizationeach year.

Do you see what I see?Vision screening is an integral part of Soldier readiness

by Johanna L. EdwardsWuerzburg Health Promotion Coordinator

Vision readiness is an integral component to deploymentreadiness. All the best training in the world will not help a Sol-dier who can’t see the target.

In order to be deployment ready, Soldiers are required to com-plete a vision screening and classification every year.

A vision screening is different than an eye exam. A visionscreening is a test of eye acuity with the reading of an eye chart.It is a quick test to detect any vision problems that might need tobe referred to a health care professional for further evaluation.

Soldiers take this eye screening wearing any usual eye cor-rection glasses that they routinely wear everyday. Contact lens-es will not be worn during a vision readiness screening unlessthey are mission/operationally required. Servicemembers whoare required to wear contact lenses must have his/her visual acu-ity screened twice, once with contact lenses and once with glass-es. All those Soldiers who fail this initial eye screening with a vi-sual acuity of less than 20/40 corrected vision are then referredfor a full eye exam to either an optometrist or ophthalmologist.It is only with a follow-up appointment that Soldiers will receivea full exam and any needed eyeglass prescription.

Soldiers will see a reminder notice pop up in through theirAKO account when they are due for their annual eye screening.Vision readiness is classified in one of 4 categories:

Soldiers whose vision is 20/20 or better on all visual acuityscreenings.

Soldiers whose corrected vision is at least 20/40 in all visual

acuity screenings. They also have all their required mask insertsand eyeglasses needed for routine use and deployment.

Soldiers whose corrected vision is at least 20/40 for all re-quired visual acuity screenings, but does not have the needed op-tical devices for deployment.

Soldiers whose vision is worse than 20/40 in the required vi-

sual acuity screenings, and does not have any of the necessaryoptical devices for deployment.

Soldiers classified in Class 1 and 2 are considered fully opti-cally ready. Soldiers in class 3 or 4 are considered not opticallyready and deficient in their deployment readiness. All such Sol-diers need to follow-up and make an eye exam appointment tohave their eyes fully examined and obtain the needed optical ma-terials to correct their vision readiness to Class 1 or 2.

The responsibility for insuring that Soldiers are screened an-nually is a unit-level responsibility, with unit-level vision screen-ers conducting these annual screening tests for their Soldiers. InApril 2005, the Department of the Army directed that all unitsappoint unit-level vision screeners to perform the annual re-quired vision screening on their Soldiers.

“We are here to support and train unit-level personnel in thevision-screening process. Units are welcome to contact us at theWuerzburg Clinic, and we will provide the necessary trainingand educational materials needed for vision screenings at theirunit. This is an annual requirement, and it is recommended thatunits include vision screening as part of their regular SRPprocess,” said Maj. Jeffrey Blunden, chief of the Wuerzburg Op-tometry Clinic.

Blunden also reminds units that all vision screening updatesmust also be entered in MEDPROS to ensure the Soldier’s med-ical readiness. Units needing training for their personnel can con-tact the Wuerzburg Optometry Clinic at 350-3870 or, for Schwe-infurt units, call the Schweinfurt Health Clinic at 354-6501.Units outside the Wuerzburg or Schweinfurt area should contacttheir local health clinic for assistance and information.

by Johanna L. EdwardsWuerzburg Health Promotion Coordinator

The leaves are turning colors, theweather is turning cooler, and cold andflu season is upon us.

The single best way to prevent get-ting the flu is to get an annual flu shot.Every year, according to the Center forDisease Control, more than 200,000hospitalizations are attributed to the fluvirus, with an estimated 30,000 deathsper year.

The flu virus is highly contagiousand easily passes from person to per-son. Certain groups of individuals areconsidered at high risk and encouragedto get their flu shot early, includingpeople with chronic medical illnesses,such as diabetes and asthma, healthcare workers, adults over the age of 50,children from 6 months to 6 years,women who will be pregnant duringthe flu season and those on immunesuppressed medication.

Good hygiene habits are also a must:

Avoid close contact with others whoare sick. Keep your distance from those

with a cold or cough, and do the samewhen you have a cold.

Stay home from school or workwhen you are sick. It is much better totake a few days off or keep your kidshome than pass your germs around theoffice or classroom.

Cover your mouth and nose whenyou cough or sneeze.

Wash your hands, as often as you canwhen you have a cold or any virus.

Avoid touching items around youwithout first washing your hands. It iseasy to pass germs along to othersthrough contamination of toys, officesupplies or home products.

Take care of yourself with goodhealth habits like getting plenty of rest,staying physically active, drinkingplenty of fluids and practicing good nu-trition.

Health care clinics in the area willpost their vaccination schedules assoon as the serum becomes available.Call your local health clinic to find outmore about the availability of the fluvaccine.

Johanna L. Edwards

Staff Sgt. Danny Castro, noncommissioned officer incharge of the Wuerzburg Optometry Clinic, performs avision screening on Sgt. Jason Bemak, 412th Mainte-nance Company.

8 The Point, November 3, 2006 U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach (Illesheim, Katterbach)

‘New and improved’ Katterbach gate opens Nov. 11

Schools celebrate Red Ribbon Week with flairby Emily GourguesThe Point

Students in USAG Ansbacharea schools reaffirmed theiranti-drug stance during RedRibbon Week Oct. 23-27.

Red Ribbon Week is a na-tionally-recognized anti-drugcampaign that began in re-sponse to the death of Drug En-forcement Agent Enrique“Kiki” Camarena who diedwhile fighting the war on drugsin Mexico.

Since Camarena’s death in1985, Red Ribbon Week hasgrown into the biggest anti-drug campaign in the country,according the U.S. Drug En-forcement Administration.

Ansbach Elementary School’smotto this year: “I’ve got betterthings to do than drugs,” in-cluded events aimed at creatingcelebrations each day of theweek to blend in with the im-portant messages.

“I like wearing mismatchedsocks to school,” said BriannaFerguson, a third-grader refer-ring to Tuesday’s theme, “Sockit to drugs.”

Fellow third-grader NataliaCorrea said, “I’m looking for-ward to wearing my shirt back-wards,” for Thursday’s “Turn-ing our backs on drugs.”

Other activities included“Hats off to a drug free life -style,” where students could wear a crazy hatand also “Wear something red day.”

The celebration culminated on Friday with aschool-wide “Walk away from drugs.”

The Ambassador Club, a student-run serviceorganization led by Julia Winslow, was orga-nizer of the week’s activities. Winslow said club

members, mostly third-grade students, had beenbusy preparing for the week by making posters,banners and information packets.

“It was really fun making all the signs we putup in the cafeteria. I hope everybody will likewhat we’ve been doing,” said third-grader Mi-randa Texeira.

Rainbow Elementary School celebrated RedRibbon Week with special daily activities to in-spire and educate students, said Jenny Ober-schlake, school nurse and Red Ribbon Week co-ordinator.

The week began with an essay contest to dis-cuss the dangers of drugs and alcohol. The win-

ner from each class will havetheir essays printed in the schoolnewspaper.

The highlight of the weekcame on Wednesday with“Planting the promise.”

Kindergarteners, assisted bythe sixth-grade class, plantedred tulips in the school’s court-yard as a visible reminder of theschool’s stand against drugs.Oberschlake said the tulips willbloom in February, which is al-cohol awareness month, servingas a double reminder for the stu-dents.

Carl McClelland, principal ofAnsbach Elementary School,said Red Ribbon Week is an ex-tension of the DARE programthat is taught by the military po-lice to the sixth-grade class forone semester.

Red Ribbon Week “is a wayfor all grades to get involved indrug education. It’s already partof the sixth-grade curriculum,but this extends to the wholeschool,” he said.

Ansbach High School hadspecial events in honor of RedRibbon Week, including an as-sembly featuring anti-drug pre-sentations by Club Beyond,Child and Youth Services, theband “Static Image” and speakerBob Mortimer.

Mortimer, a triple amputee asa result of a drug- and alcohol-related accident,passed his anti-drug message to the middle andhigh school students.

“Alcohol and drugs is a handicap; it cripplesyou. You cannot use alcohol and other drugs andbe at your best, period.”

Emily GourguesAnsbach Elementary School third-graders Miranda Texeira, Natalia Correa and Gerard Peacock pose in frontof one of the posters they designed that were displayed throughout the school during Red Ribbon Week.

Self help shop helps people help themselves by Emily GourguesThe Point

When it comes to home improvements like sprucing up theyard, steam cleaning the carpet or touching up the paint on thewalls, the self help shop has what you need.

But for bigger projects like constructing a gazebo, spacklingwalls or retiling floors, call on the extended self help shop for as-sistance.

The extended self help shop is a free service provided by theArmy that offers the necessary tools, supplies, assistance and in-struction to accomplish projects that benefit the community andmilitary units.

Harry Heiselbetz, Illesheim’s repair and utility coordinator,said extended self help differs from the regular self help shop inthat projects are usually of a grander scope, and only militaryunits and community organizations can use the service.

“We’ve done all sorts of projects for units, like building bul-letin boards, map boards and partition walls in offices. We’vealso built things for the community like picnic tables and a deckfor Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers,” he said.

Because the shop’s services don’t extend to personal projects,Heiselbetz suggests that people go to the directorate of publicworks for assistance with projects around the house.

To get extended self help to take on a project, Heiselbetz saida plan must be submitted for approval. Once approved, theamount and type of materials needed for the project is estimatedand sent to the Katterbach warehouse.

Customers are responsible for picking up the free materials

from the warehouse. From there, repair and utility coordinatorsassist in completing their project.

Jeffery Skeete, the Katterbach repair and utility coordinator,emphasized, “I assist. I do not do the project for you.”

Customers, like Capt. Kevin Woolf from Illesheim’s 2nd Bat-talion, 159th Aviation Regiment, said it is a great way to learnthe ins and outs of do-it-yourself repairs and woodworking.

“We used the extended self help office while 2-159 Attack wasin the field and completely renovated the basement of our head-quarters, repaired walls in the hangar and built a work bench fora new repair office,” he said.

Though he expected it to be a daunting task, Woolf said that,“using the extended self help office is easy and Harry was a hugehelp.”

For more information about what is available or to get startedon a project of your own, call Heiselbetz in Illesheim Mondaythrough Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 467-4637 or 09841-83-4637. In Katterbach, call Jeffery Skeete at the same times at467-2149 or 09802-832-149.

by Jim HughesThe Point

Drivers entering Katterbach Kaserne will have morechoices beginning Nov. 11 when a new access control point(ACP) opens near the old high school gate.

German road construction followed by work on the newACP kept the back road to the installation closed for aboutsix months.

The new gate is being described by area officials as safer,more secure, more visually appealing, more convenient andmore comfortable for security guards.

“It helps the community by providing another entranceand exit,” said Patrick Willhoite, Securitas site manager inAnsbach. “It’s more convenient for people in housing, theschools, school buses and also gives the installation a moreequal traffic flow so everyone’s not bunched up at one gate.”

The guards will be more comfortable, too. The guard-house and lanes are now heated, which will make the com-ing winter months more bearable. Bathroom facilities arealso now on site.

“I’m sure we will have plenty of volunteers who’ll wantto work here, but we’ll rotate everyone through,” Willhoitesaid. “Our people will need a little additional training for thetechnical side of the barriers and overall operations of theACP.”

The project took 2 1⁄2 years from design to completion ata cost of about $1.5 million, said Falk Staeublin, chief en-

Jim HughesSecuritas, garrison, contractor and U.S. Army Europe RegionTransformation Group officials watch as Falk Staeublin, chiefengineer for the ETG, tests the clearance of his car against the“tire killer” system during an Oct. 24 on-site inspection of thenew access control point on Katter bach Kaserne. The newACP is scheduled to open Nov. 11.

Project Tips:1. Write your plan in the form of a memo-

randum

2. A viable plan you are willing to followthrough with is needed for approval.

3. Be open to suggestions and learning newthings.

gineer for the U.S. Army Europe Region TransformationGroup (formerly known as USAG Franconia, also called theETG).

“The project went very well,” he said. “It was a compli-cated project with a lot of agencies – on both the Germanand American sides – involved. That is why it took so long.”

Staeublin said a good plan, lessons learned from buildingother ACPs in the region, good work from a good contrac-tor and stellar coordination from all sides made the projectwork.

The payoff will be fully realized when the gate opens,said Curtiss Johnson, USAG Ansbach force protection offi-cer.

“The new ACP will allow more efficient ingress andegress while providing enhanced security to the installa-tion,” Johnson said. “It is also more aesthetically pleasingcompared to the old one. I’m comfortable with the newACP. It will provide the proper protection for the commu-nity and the contract security guards, and it meets or ex-ceeds all Department of Defense standards.”

Johnson said the ACP will be turned over to SecuritasNov. 7 and open for use Nov. 11. That date could still slideto a later date, he added, if any technical problems arise. Noissues are expected following an on-site inspection by allagencies Oct. 24.

Once opened, the ACP will be open for entry and exit atKatterbach from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

YRR relocatesThe Katterbach Yellow Ribbon Room has

moved to building 5845 on Bismarck Kaserne.Hours are Mon-Fri, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. and 2-6 p.m.For more information call 467-2775 or 09802-832-775.

Shuttle stops runningThe Wuerzburg clinic shuttle run will be dis-

continued Nov. 15. Call John Davis at 468-7957 or0981-183-957.

Who bought your car?A permit of transfer is required if you sell your

vehicle to a German junkyard or sell other usedpersonal property to non-ID card holders. Stop bythe U.S. Forces Customs-Europe, Ansbach FieldOffice on Barton Barracks, building 5251, room13, open Mon–Fri, 8 a.m. to 4.30 p.m., or call 468-7842 or 0981-183-842.

See EuropeOutdoor Recreation offers a one-day trip to

Dresden Nov. 5, a three-day trip to Budapest Nov.11-13, and a three-day ski trip to Taxenbach, Aus-tria, Nov. 10-12. Cost of the ski trip is $219 per per-son including rentals, hotel room, two-day ski passand two meals a day. Those who sign up after Oct.31 pay an additional $15. For more info or to signup, call 467-3225 or 09802-83-3225.

Stay informedThe USAG Ansbach Public Affairs Office pro-

duces a weekly “On the Scene” e-mail newsletterdesigned to keep people informed. To receive thenewsletter, send your e-mail address to JimHughes at jim.k.hughes@cmtymail.98asg.army.mil or Rabia Nombamba at rabia.nombamba@cmtymail.98asg.army.mil. PAO also produces a

monthly Cultural Calendar that offers details onupcoming concerts, flea markets, travel highlightsand other things to do in the local area. To sub-scribe, send an e-mail to rabia.nombamba@cmty-mail.98asg.army.mil.

Club BeyondClub Beyond holds weekly meetings for sixth-

to eighth-graders Wednesdays from 3:30 to 5 p.m.in Katterbach, and Tuesdays from 4:30 to 6 p.m. inIllesheim. Weekly meetings for ninth- to 12th-graders are Wednesday from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at themiddle/high school cafeteria. For more Club Be-yond information, call 467-2685 or 09802-832-685.

German-American ClubThe German-American Club Ansbach offers

an opportunity to make German friends and learnmore about host-nation culture. Activities rangefrom tours of local sights to arts and crafts projectsand German cooking classes. Monthly meetingsare at Gasthaus Kern in Lehrberg the secondThursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. For more in-formation, call Brigitte Meske at 0981-65184, or e-mail: bmeske@odn.de.

Craft your presentsCobbled Corner Crafts on Barton Barracks of-

fers opportunities to craft your own Christmaspresents. Classes through November includesewing, pottery, framing and matting, wood shopsafety and a Christmas quilting class. For more in-formation, call 468-7627 or 0981-183-627.

One-day excursionsOutdoor Recreation offers several one-day

shopping trips. The first is to a crystal factoryNov.4. The bus leaves ODR on KatterbachKaserne at 8 a.m. and returns at 5 p.m. Cost for

adults is $38, children age 4-11 are $23 and chil-dren under the age of 4 are $5. The next trip is toa nutcracker and stuffed animal factory Nov. 15.Bus departs ODR at 9 a.m. and returns at 2 p.m.Cost is $20 per person. Sign up by Nov. 10. Formore information, call 467-3225 or 09802-83-3225.

Sing like a starIf you love to sing or just have fun watching

others, don’t miss the Karaoke Bash at the Un-derground Club on Bismarck Kaserne. Karaoke isheld every Thursday at 7 p.m. For more informa-tion on events at the Underground, call 467-2935or 09802-832-935.

Garrison Roundup The Point, November 3, 2006 11

USAG Ansbach

Winterize, stay safeUSAG Schweinfurt/Leighton offers free win-

terization vehicle inspections at building 53,Leighton Barracks, Nov. 9 from 8 a.m. to noon and12:30 to 3 p.m. A special team of auto mechanicswill inspect your vehicle before winter sets in.

Kids’ night at DFACThe Vanguard dining facility, building 167,

Conn Barracks, hosts kids’ night the second andfourth Thursday of every month. Enjoy a kid-friendly dinner from 4 to 6 p.m., then settle in foran after-meal movie from 6 to 8 p.m. For more in-formation, contact Sgt. 1st Class Williams, diningfacility manager, at 353-8261 or 0160-924-15184.

Parent’s night outChild and Youth Services Outreach Services is

giving parents a night off Nov. 17 from 6:30-11p.m. in Wuerzburg and Schweinfurt. Give yourselfa break, see a movie, or go on a date with yourspouse. Child care is free for children 6 weeks oldthrough fifth grade. Space is limited, register in ad-vance. If you plan on drinking, have a designateddriver. Register in person at Central Registration(Schweinfurt) or the Child Development Center(Wuerzburg) no later than the close of businessNov. 15. Phone requests for reservations will notbe accepted. For more information, call 354-6517or 09721-96-6517 in Schweinfurt, or 350-7762 or0931-889-7762 in Wuerzburg.

DoDEA surveysThe Department of Defense Education Activ-

ity (DoDEA) will administer its bi-annual Cus-tomer Satisfaction Survey at Schweinfurt MiddleSchool Nov. 8. The survey provides feedbackabout the quality of education being provided andidentifies areas needing improvement. Surveyswill be given to teachers, parents and students ingrades 6-8. Officials estimate surveys take 20 min-utes to complete. For more information call09721-804301, e-mail pinkie.hall@eu.dodea.eduor go to www.dodea.edu/css/.

Join ‘Lunch Bunch’USAG Schweinfurt/Leighton Army Commu-

nity Service Center invites everyone to lunch onthe economy Nov. 21. Meet old friends and makenew ones while dining in a local restaurant withthe support of German-speaking ACSC em-ployee Monika Goodman. Get out of the house

and learn about the local community and culture.Children are welcome! RSVP with ACSC at 354-6751 or 09721-96-6751 by Nov. 17.

Get kids movingKIDS In Motion is an after-school exercise

program for kids with a BMI of over 85 percentand an opportunity for them to have fun whilelearning healthy habits. Held at the Leightontrack or gym every Mon, Wed, Fri, with elemen-tary school sessions at 2:45 p.m. and middle schoolat 3:15 p.m. Parents and children must attend aninformational meeting before beginning the pro-gram. Call 0931-804-3801 for more information.

Sign up for sportsUSAG Schweinfurt/Leighton youth basketball

and cheerleading registration ends Nov. 15. Signup in The Commons, building 224, Ledward Bar-racks, at Child and Youth Services Central Regis-tration, or at the Child Development Center inWuerzburg. Call 354-6822 or 09721-96-6822.

SNAPS NOWUSAG Schweinfurt ACS offers the Schwein-

furt Newcomer Awareness Program for Spouses(SNAPS) and the Newcomer Orientation andWelcome (NOW) for Wuerzburg monthly to helpnewly arriving families become comfortable intheir community. November’s program is Nov. 13-17. Child care is provided for children registeredwith Child and Youth Services. For more informa-

tion call 354-6751 or 09721-966751 in Schweinfurt,and 350-7103 or 0931-889-7103 in Wuerzburg.

Student immunizationsWuerzburg Health Clinic will be at Wuerzburg

American High School Nov. 13-14 to immunizestudents in need of shots. Janean Linder, schoolnurse, checked all student health files for specificneeds with letters and permission forms beingsent home to parents. Those who do not get theirimmunizations at school will have to arrange forthem on their own by Nov. 30.

Book fairWuerzburg Elementary School hosts a scholas-

tic book fair Nov. 14-15 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., andNov. 16 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The fair will be inthe PTA room across from the large gym.

WCSC eventsThe Wuerzburg Community Spouses’ Club’s

Fall Celebration is at the Kirschbaum in Rotten-dorf Nov. 14. For reservations e-mail: wcsc.reser-vations@gmail.com by Nov. 8. The WCSC diningout series presents dinner at the WürzburgerRatskeller Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. For reservations e-mail: wcsc.specialactivities@gmail.com. For moreinformation on WCSC events call 350-7103 or0931-889-7103 or 354-6933 or 09721-96-6933.

CAC carves dinnerThanksgiving dinner will be served at the

Wuerzburg Community Activity Center onLeighton Barracks Nov. 23 from 11:30 a.m. to 2p.m. Reservations will be taken until Nov. 16. Costis €12 a person and €5 for E-5 and below. Call350-6305 or 0931-889-6305 for more informationor to make your reservation.

Marriage retreatThe Chaplain Family Life Center hosts a free

marriage retreat weekend Dec. 1-3 at EdelweissLodge and Resort in Garmisch. Free onsite childcare will be provided. To register or for more in-formation, call 453-6135 or 09721-96-6135. Prior-ity is given to couples in reintegrating units.

Leighton has roomEffective Dec. 1, the Leighton Yellow Ribbon

Room will serve as a 24-hour checkout facility forfamily readiness groups and community organiza-tion needs. To reserve meeting space, call or stopby the Leighton Army Community Service(building 14) during business hours. For more in-formation, call 0931-889-7103.

School celebrates Native AmericanHeritage Month

Wuerzburg American Middle School cele-brates Native American Heritage Month withevents that culminate in an assembly in the multi-purpose room Nov. 21 at 1:50 p.m. Parents are in-vited to attend. Presentations on the folklore, tra-ditions, dance, and food of various Indian nationsare planned. Special guests – the Native AmericanDancers – will perform a Fancy Shawl dance. Aschool-wide essay contest is being held in con-junction with the annual celebration. This year’stheme – “A Warrior’s Tradition: Contributing toOur Nation’s Freedom.” For more informationcall 351-4631 or 0931-296-4631.

ADHD information and managementA class designed for parents of children with

ADHD, presented by Brian Olden, LCSW, Be-havioral Health Clinic, Nov. 15, 10 a.m. to noon atthe Abrams Entertainment Center across fromLedward Barracks in Schweinfurt. Call the ACSoffice in Schweinfurt or Leighton Barracks. formore information or to register. Schweinfurt: 354-6751 or 09721-96-6751; Leighton: 350-7103 or0931-889-7103.

USAG Schweinfurt/Leighton

Counselor servicesMilitary Family Life Consultants are available

for drop-in appointments at Bamberg Elemen-tary School every Thursday from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.Discuss parenting concerns or daily life issuessuch as homework struggles, hassle-free bed andmealtime routines, strategies to reduce disciplineproblems and learn to help your children gain theskills to make friends and work through con-flicts. Consultants are licensed mental health pro-fessionals and offer confidential assistance.Counselors rotate out of the community on amonthly basis. No records are kept. To schedulean appointment, call 0175-600-8373 or 0151-169-89433.

Warner Club brunchThe Warner Club offers an all-you-can-eat

brunch buffet the first and third Sunday of eachmonth from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is $7.50 per adult,$4.50 for children under 12, or $22 for families(two adults, two children). Reservations are rec-ommended. Call 469-7596 or 0951-300-7596.

BSCC holds auctionDon’t miss the annual Bamberg Spouses’ and

Civilians’ Club charity basket auction at theWarner Club Nov. 17. This year’s theme is “ANight in Las Vegas” and doors open at 6 p.m. Costis $12 per person and includes a Vegas-style buf-fet and bidding paddle. Guests can enjoy dinner,preview the live and silent auction items or shopat displaying vendors and crafters. Buy a ticket atthe thrift shop or make reservations by sending ane-mail to bscc_reservations@hotmail.com or call0951-209-9210. RSVP by Nov. 14. Attire: cocktaildresses or khakis. All Elvis and showgirl imper-sonators welcome.

Annie takes stageSee performances of Annie at Bamberg’s Sta-

ble Theater Nov. 9–12 and 16–19. Performancesbegin at 7:30 p.m. except Sundays which has a 5:30p.m. curtain. Tickets are $9 for adults, $7 for stu-dents and Soldiers E-4 and below. Buy a familyticket for $25. Group rates are also available. Formore information or to make a reservation, call469-8647 or 0951-300-8647.

USAG Bamberg

Nicole Karsch-MeibomA salute to all VetsGirl Scouts march in the annual Veteranʼs Day parade on Warner Barracks inBamberg. This yearʼs parade, organized by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post10592, is Nov. 11 at 10 a.m., starting at the VFW building near the recycling cen-ter. Marchers will go down JFK Boulevard to Memorial Park where Lt. Col. MarkGatto, USAG Bamberg commander, will address those in attendance. For moreinformation call Tim Gallton, 469-9058 or 0951-300-9058.

Kathryn DeBoerIt’s your careerClare Sowinski talks with Soldiers about transitioning into the civilian world. Soldiersone year from possible separation or two years from possible retirement should con-tact their Army Career and Alumni Program representative for a pre-separation coun-seling appointment. Upcoming ACAP briefings in Ansbach include a job search work-shop Dec. 12-13, a resume writing lab Dec. 18, and a separation brief Dec. 19. VA ben-efit briefings will resume in January or February. Soldiers who may be stop-lossedprior to their scheduled ETS should attend all ACAP appointments prior to deploy-ment. For more information, call Sowinski at 467-3312 or 09802-833-312.

Courtesy photoJoin the Lunch Bunch on their next outing.

by Cheryl BoujnidaThe Point

More than 250 Soldiers with 3rd Corps Support Com-mand (COSCOM) are back in Bamberg after a one-yeardeployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom IV.

Families and friends greeted approximately 65 Sol-diers with 71st Corps Support Battalion (CSB) at a wel-come home ceremony in the Freedom Fitness FacilityOct. 7, and 220 Soldiers with 317th Maintenance Com-pany were hailed at homecoming ceremonies Oct. 18and 19.

Soldiers with 71st CSB deployed in October 2005 andset up operations at Forward Operating Base Endurancein northern Iraq.

Col. Martin Pitts, 7th Corps Support Group comman-der, addressed Soldiers and family members highlight-ing the battalion’s accomplishments.

“Tremendous statistics have redefined the history andlegacy of the 71st CSB,” he said.

Pitts noted the battalion planned the execution ofmore than 1,800 combat logistics patrols with trans-portation companies and accumulated over 6 million dri-ven miles.

“This ensured the delivery of over 11,000 pieces ofequipment, over 11,000 flatbed loads of classes I, II, IVand IX and over 38 million gallons of petroleum prod-ucts,” he said. “Thirty-three percent of the battalion’stransportation assets were used in direct support of thehistoric Iraqi elections ensuring millions of Iraqi citizensthe opportunity to safely cast their votes.”

In 2007, the 71st CSB will convert to a Brigade Sup-port Battalion and 240th Quartermaster and 317th Main-tenance Company units will be reassigned within Ger-many. The 71st CSB will gain command and control ofadditional units under the new structure.

At 317th Maintenance Company’s ceremonies, Pittsemphasized the significance of the unit’s role in Iraq.

“You are truly the model of what Army transforma-tion is all about – returning home to Germany with allyour Soldiers is a remarkable achievement and speaksvolumes to the caliber of young first-line leaders facingcombat conditions for the first time in the Armycareers,” he said. “You were the backbone and standardbearer for the 71st CSB while deployed and I’m proud tostand before you as the model company for the future.”

Pitts said the company of “warriors” accomplishedmany great tasks while serving in Iraq.

“Everything from installing up-armoring packagesthat directly resulted in the saving of Soldier’ lives to fix-ing the power generation pumps that supplied the Q-West base complex with water,” Pitts said. “Outside thewire, these Soldiers recovered vehicles and aircraft andalways met their 30 minute response limit routinely beat-ing the quick reaction force to the scene.”

Sgt. Antonio Epps returns to his wife and daughtersafter a second deployment with the company. He plansto visit family in Florida during his block leave. Eppssaid reintegration practices are a vital part of cominghome.

“It’s important because the process helps Soldiersreadapt to changes in their environment regardless ofhow prepared we think we are,” he said. “Family is theheart of the military and reintegration is important whenyou look at the big picture.”

12 The Point, November 3, 2006 U.S. Army Garrison Bamberg

Cheryl BoujnidaFamily members greet Soldiers with 317th Maintenance Company at the Freedom Fitness Facility Oct. 18.

First Lt.David Kelley,71st CorpsSupport Bat-talion, hugshis wife anddaughter ata welcomehome cere-mony Oct. 7.

Maj. Madelyn Gainey

Spc. Walton McJordanSgt. Roy Nichols checks his headset inthe cockpit of a Husky before a mission.

Bamberg support, maintenance Soldiers return

by Spc. Walton McJordanV Corps PAO

Soldiers from the 54th Engineer Battalionconducted one of their final missions in Iraqbefore redeploying to Bamberg while showingtheir replacements the area during a route-clear-ing mission Oct. 11.

The 321st Combat Engineers took over themission requirements the battalion executedduring the past year in support of Multinational-Force-West.

During the deployment, 54th Eng. Bn. con-ducted 1,290 route clearance missions, encoun-tering enemy contact through small arms fire,IED attacks and RPG attacks on more than 150missions.

The unit cleared approximately 60,000 kilo-meters of road, and removed over 1,000 explo-sive devices. This allowed coalition and Iraqiforces to move freely in the area while forcingterrorists to change their tactics.

Second Lt. Tyson Behnke led those types ofmissions on a regular basis while riding in hisBuffalo, the largest of all the specialized vehi-

cles employed by the battalion. Behnke said hefelt safe riding in the Buffalo despite a few closecalls.

“When we find explosive devices and destroythem, we know those devices could have injuredSoldiers on a mission,” he said. “We feel goodknowing that we have removed the threat once itis discovered.”

Spc. Jared Revard with 321st Combat Engi-neers is a team combat medic and rides in the pri-mary casualty evacuation vehicle. “We are outhere doing our job – as long as we are findingexplosive devices, our job is being done suc-cessfully,” he said.

Revard said that during the mission, he feltvery safe in the Cougar, but it was mainly theanticipation of staring out of the window waitingfor something to happen that was difficult forhim.

Sgt. 1st Class Robert Estep, assistant patrolleader with 54th Eng. Bn., said on an averagemission the team found several explosivedevices and destroyed them. “Finding as manyas seven or eight on one mission is not uncom-

mon, which makes for a really long night,” hesaid.

“The most difficult part for me is the time ittakes – you can’t speed it up”, Estep said refer-ring to the tedious process that follows after anexplosive device is located.

Estep said he has confidence in finding explo-sive devices in his Cougar, but the vehiclereceived minor damage during a recent mission.

“The vehicle is a well built piece of equip-ment that can take direct hits and keep ongoing,” he said.

As Soldiers with 54th Engineer Battalion lookback at their time in Iraq they know their job pre-vented the injuries of countless coalition Sol-diers.

“We know the 321st Combat Engineers willcontinue to keep the routes safe for all service-members while fighting against terrorism,”Estep said.

About 500 Soldiers returned to Warner Bar-racks greeted by family and friends at welcomehome ceremonies in the Freedom Fitness Facili-ty Oct. 7, 24, 26-27.

Engineers conduct final missions before redeploying

by Cheryl BoujnidaThe Point

Bamberg’s Health Clinic has increased its medical staffingstructure with the addition of two medical providers and a der-matologist.

Dr. Barbara Yu-Strobel, a general practitioner, Dr. Aris Cal-houn, family-medicine, and Dr. (Capt.) Jonathan Hindman, der-matologist, recently came to the clinic.

“These new hires give our community a total of six providersnow,” said 2nd Lt. Amanda Benko, Bamberg Health Clinicexecutive officer.

She noted in addition to the staffing increase, changes inscheduling will add about 40 new appointments each week.

“In the past, our providers were on a 30-minute appointmenttemplate, and now they are on 20-minute templates, except forwellness appointments,” Benko said.

With this adjustment, the number of acute visits a providercan see in one day increases, however for wellness and preven-tive medicine visits the numbers remain the same.

Patients can also expect to see improvements in advancedbooking times too.

“Prior to, patients could only book appointments in the after-noons up to two weeks in advance, and morning appointmentswere same-day bookings, giving preference to active-duty sickcall,” Benko said. “Now we are allotting one provider foradvanced bookings in the mornings with same day booking inthe afternoon, and all routine appointments can now be bookedup to 30 days in advance.”

Maj. James Stein, Bamberg Health Clinic commander, said

the changes impact positively for several reasons.“It provides more appointments overall, thus increasing

access. The additional providers enhance our capability to offerour female population a visit to a female provider,” he said. “Byallowing up to 30 days to book routine and wellness, it allowsour patients greater flexibility in accessing care at our facility onthe day and time that is most convenient for them.”

Stein said community members requested advance bookingsfor well-women appointments in order to arrange child care dur-ing the visit.

“This allows for that and we have teamed up with Child andYouth Services to make it easier too. We schedule well-womenappointments on Tuesdays, which is the day hourly care hasextended hours,” he said.

With the transition of the Wuerzburg Hospital to a clinic, thedermatology slot was moved to Bamberg to provide support forthe footprint from a more central location.

“He will see patients in Bamberg and travel to the communi-ties of Katterbach and Illesheim, Schweinfurt, Hohenfels andGrafenwoehr and Vilseck to see patients on a regular schedule,”Stein said.

Clinic increases staff, adjusts appointment schedule

Yu-Strobel Calhoun Hindman

Communityfrom page 1

Noting how simple economics havedictated that some concessionaires closeor reduce hours, Haager encourages cus-tomers to continue supporting the pro-grams they have always used on LeightonBarracks.

“You vote with your feet or your money.The way to keep things open is to usethem,” he said.

One organization greatly affected by thetransition is the Morale, Welfare andRecreation Division.

“The population is reduced but we aretrying to maintain everything we had on asmaller scale,” said Charlemagne Ter-tulien, USAG Schweinfurt MWR directorwho spent several years working inWuerzburg.

“As a government organization, evenwhen we are losing money, if we have amarket base – Soldiers and family mem-bers – we are going to continue to provideservices. It’s not just the bottom line,” Ter-tulien said.

“You want me to provide a service toyou. I provide that service, but you need tosupport that service,” Tertulien said, echo-ing Haager’s advice.

“We’re going to provide services andlook forward to finding out what (people)need, but we need their support,” he said.

The direction USAG Schweinfurt andthe ETG take are in the hands of the peo-ple who work and live here, according toHaager.

“We can either shape the future the waywe want it shaped, or we can allow some-one else to shape our destiny. I would pre-fer that (those of us) in the Schweinfurtgarrison, the community we represent,shape the destiny ourselves instead of al-lowing somebody else to do it,” he said.

“We need that to-and-from communica-tion, so that we understand where they’recoming from and they understand what wecan provide them and what our limitationsare,” he said.

14 The Point, November 3, 2006 U.S. Army Garrison Schweinfurt

Vanguards ready, push into Iraqby Pfc. Jake Wisneiwski2d BCT Public Affairs

Addressing Task Force 1st Battalion, 18th In-fantry Regiment Vanguards prior to their depar-ture from Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Col. J.B.Burton, 2nd Brigade Combat Team commander,got right to the point.

“When I look at these Soldiers, I see a forma-tion of disciplined, prideful, and well-trainedSoldiers,” Burton said Oct. 13 as the unit pre-pared to move into Iraq.

Burton drove three main points home to hisaudience. First, always to ensure everyone –down to the lowest-ranking Soldier – under-stands the mission, whether they leave the for-ward operating base or not, he said.

“We take pride and teamwork wherever wego,” Burton said.

Second, Vanguards must ensure pre-combatchecks and inspections are completed for per-sonnel and equipment prior to moving out onany mission.

Burton’s third point was to make sure Soldiers

don’t fall into a routine. Routines can becomedeadly, he said.

“The speech was good about telling Soldierswhere and how to keep their mindset and to keepeveryone safe,” said Sgt. Kyle Watkins, Com-pany A, 1st Battalion, 77th Armor Regiment, at-tached to Task Force 1-18.

“(Burton) didn’t beat around the bush andwent straight to the point,” said Staff Sgt. Clif-ford Gabriel, Co. A, 1st Bn, 18th Inf. Reg.,adding that his unit is more prepared than in histwo previous deployments, and better trained.

For Watkins, Burton’s speech reiterated ex-actly what he is there to do.

“My job is to keep my guys sharp and pre-pared with everything they do,” Watkins said.

Burton’s final words of encouragementechoed these sentiments and reminded the Sol-diers that they are not alone.

“When you get to (your final destination),take with you the hopes and pride of our smallcommunity in Europe,” Burton said.

Sgt. Lance Wail

Col. J.B. Burton addresses Task Force 1-18 prior to their movement into Iraq.

Blue Spader off to Military Idol finalsby Kimberly GearhartThe Point

Pfc. Randy Holmes always loved to sing, butnever really considered entering the MilitaryIdol. He certainly never expected to win.

“I heard about it from a friend who had en-tered and decided to give it a try,” said Holmes,adding he hadn’t competed since third grade.

As a cook with Headquarters and Headquar-ters Company, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Reg-iment, Holmes was scheduled to deploy withTask Force 1-26, but was allowed to stay back tobe present for the birth of his third child. The de-lay coincided with the timeframe for the MilitaryIdol competition.

“My wife (Lucinda) didn’t know about theMilitary Idol until after I’d entered. I didn’t findout until just a couple of days before the try-outs,” Holmes said.

Without any coaching and not much time toprepare, Holmes figured it would be a fun wayto pass the time while waiting for Lucinda togive birth.

“I was supposed to leave the week after theSchweinfurt competition ended,” he said. “My

baby was born the night of the last show. I neverfigured I’d actually win.”

With the win, Holmes was selected for the MIfinals in Fort Belvoir, Va. Holmes left Oct. 27 totake part in the finals held Oct. 28 to Nov. 6.

Twelve finalists will compete in Virginia forMilitary Idol 2006, four coming from Europe.

“My company commander and first sergeanthave been really understanding and supportive.Command Sgt. Maj. (Keith) McMullen, too.They’re all behind me,” Holmes said. Mc-Mullen, USAG Schweinfurt’s senior enlisted ad-visor, was a judge during the local competition.

As an added surprise, members of Holmes’family from Texas planned to vacation in Vir-ginia to visit an aunt who lives near Fort Belvoir.

“It worked out so well. They may even bethere to cheer me on,” Holmes said.

Area supporters can also cheer Holmes on asthe Military Idol finals will be broadcast viaArmy Knowledge Online.

‘Shuffle out the door …’Sgt. 1st Class Johnny Holley, left,of Troop A, 1st Squadron, 91stU.S. Cavalry, and Capt. PeterGilbert, 1-91 Cavʼs Forward Sup-port Troop commander, wait forthe green light on a recentairborne jump at Grafenwoehr. Intheir first drop at the trainingareaʼs bunker drop zone, 1-91Cav dropped 138 troops out ofthe sky as part of theirtransformation into Sky Soldiersof the 173rd Airborne Brigade.See story on page 18.

Schweinfurt ACSC moves to bigger officesby Kimberly GearhartThe Point

Schweinfurt’s Army Community Service Center was alwaystight for space, and with expanded responsibilities coming withthe addition of Wuerzburg services, it was time for a change.

“As the Army transforms, ACSC is being resourced with moreservices and more people. The timing was right for the com-mand, who have always been supportive, to say ‘make this hap-pen’,” said Hal Snyder, USAG Schweinfurt ACSC director.

ACSC didn’t move far. It swapped offices with the educationcenter next to it in building 242 on Ledward Barracks.

“The redesign allows the center to be front-door customer ser-vice friendly,” Snyder said. A large reception area with restroomfacilities and ample seating is immediately noticeable.

“It is a much more comfortable waiting area, and we havemore room to display program information,” Snyder said. “Weplan to have DSN lines for Soldiers to use, and we will move theCoupon Connection here, too.”

Out front are some of the most-used programs ACSC has tooffer. The information referral desk, Army Emergency Relief,Financial Readiness, Employment Readiness, and Exceptional

Family Member Program offices are in an open office space justinside the main entrance.

“The loan closet, which was the main push for the move, ismuch more accessible and has a much greater inventory now,”Snyder said.

ACSC now offers a greater variety of lending items, includingmicrowaves and vacuum cleaners.

ACSC will continue its partnership with the chapel in provid-ing child care for participants in ACSC classes. Thanks to themove, ACSC classrooms are now located within the center.

Snyder’s office is upstairs, as is the Family Advocacy Pro-gram (FAP) that needs a bit more privacy as well as more space.

“Before, the space was unusable and cramped. Now we candisplay our information and help people,” said Suzanne Mikkel-son, FAP educator.

“People can visit and breathe and browse materials and notfeel like they’re taking up someone else’s space,” Snyder added.

The move and redesign are a work in progress, but ACSC isstill open.

“We could have gotten this done much faster if we’d closedour doors, but that’s not what we wanted. We’re here for the com-munity,” said Snyder.

ACSC can be reached at 354-6751 or 09721-96-6751.

Kimberly Gearhart

Pfc. Randy Holmes performs duringSchweinfurtʼs Military Idol competition.

Kimberly Gearhart

Marcia Palmer assists Capt. James Harville at the re-ception desk in Schweinfurtʼs redesigned Army Com-munity Service Center.

1st Sgt. Kevin Briody

Pumpkin magicYouth discover a great pumpkin patch

Task Force 1-26 in Iraq

Sgt. Lance Wail

Schweinfurt Soldiers from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1stInfantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, releasecargo straps and access their personal baggage followingtheir flight from Kuwait to Baghdad International Airport onOct. 19.

Courtesy 2d BCT Public Affairs

Capt. Mike Baka, commander, Company C, Task Force 1-26,hands out school supplies to elementary school children inAdhamiyah during the unit’s first few days in Iraq. Other mem-bers of TF 1-26 performed health screenings on Iraqi childrenat local clinics, conducted dismounted patrols through areaneighborhoods, and provided improved security aroundschools and other public areas.

Courtesy KOJAK

Audience surveyAFN Europe is surveying its radio audience

to see how they like AFN, The Eagle. The net-work is taking comments on its website –www.afneurope.net – until Nov. 19.

Winter tiresTires “suitable to the weather” are now

required by German law. Driving with summertires on icy or snowy roads is an offense, and canlead to a fine of €20-40. Insurance companiesmay deny coverage to motorists who drive withsummer tires on winter roads. In a winter acci-dent, police can assign blame to a motorist with-out snow tires, regardless of fault.

Tires labeled “M+S” or with a “snowflake”are legal if their tread pattern is at least 1.6 mil-limeters. It is best, however, if winter tires witha tread pattern of less than 4 millimeters bereplaced. Tires can be safety inspected atAAFES garages, tire shops or road serviceproviders such as ADAC. Experienced motoristsput winter tires on at first snow and leave themon until early spring.

‘Unhook’ cell phoneAAFES reminds customers with cell phone

contracts that T-Mobile requires a three-monthwritten cancellation notice. Two-year contractshave termination provisions that customers areinformed of at the time of purchase.

If a two-year contract is not cancelled and isextended, T-Mobile still requires the same three-month written notice to terminate. Customerswho receive PCS orders during their contractmay be released with shorter notifications.

Retiree fairA Retiree Appreciation Day health and dental

fair is Nov. 9 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at WuerzburgHealth Clinic. Dental exams will only be per-formed from 8 to 11 a.m. Evaluations, medicalscreenings, and other diagnostic screenings suchas cholesterol, vision and hearing tests will beconducted. If blood needs to be drawn, such asfor the cholesterol check, do not eat or drinkafter 10 p.m. the night before. Refreshments willbe available. Services are offered free to allretiree ID card holders.

Battery recallSony Electronics Inc. is recalling recharge-

able lithium-ion batteries used in VAIO Note-book computers due to overheating, which canbe a fire hazard. Sony sold the battery packsfrom December 2004 through October 2006.Contact Sony at (888) 476-6972 or log on tohttp://esupport.Sony.com/battery to see affectedbatteries and computer models.

by Roger TeelThe Point

Give it up, Linus. The GreatPumpkin has already been pickedthis Halloween.

Fifth-graders from WuerzburgElementary School joined forceswith area SURE Start kids to carryout a four-day raid on a 21⁄2 hec-tacre pumpkin patch in the Germanvillage of Duellstadt, about a 20-minute drive east of Wuerzburg.The patch has been home to greatpumpkins for many years.

Owned and operated by Andreasand Carola Pauly and their son Mar-cus, the patch offers many varietiesof kurbis, that’s German for pump-kin.

This year the Paulys noticed theloss of Soldiers and their familiesfrom Army installations in nearbyKitzingen, but said their field continues to bevisited by people from throughout the Unter-franken region.

They know Halloween is coming when peo-ple start shopping for pumpkins.

SURE Start teacher Peggy Olden has takenkids to the patch the past 15 years.

“They all love it. It’s a great experience and a

change from their normal routine,” she said.

Fifth-grade teacher Al Rumsch brought hisclass to the patch for the first time.

“We’ve been studying how pumpkins grow.We went on the Internet and looked at howthey’re planted, how they’re pollinated, howlong it took them to grow and their otheruses. Today they actually saw the big long vines

and the little flowers and all the different kinds of pumpkins,” hesaid.

SURE Start assistant JackieSimpson explained that kids learnpumpkins are vegetables and usedin pies and other dishes.

“They learn that they don’t justcome from the commissary,” Simp-son added.

“All the kids talk about is the sizeof their pumpkins,” said TomWilliams, USAG SchweinfurtChild and Youth Services coordina-tor. “We don’t measure them, butthe kids do, in their hearts andminds.

“Actually, what they’re gettingout of it is that they’re out of theclassroom and interacting withnature and with each other. Youcan see in their faces how much

they love it. I enjoy watching them having agood time… Just look at them,” he said asthe kids paraded by with their new-found trea-sures.

Fifth-grader Evi McKearn already haddesigns for her pumpkin.

“I’m gonna carve it,” she said.That’s what Linus would’ve done, too.

by Roger TeelThe Point

Rock ‘n roll aficionados know a good sound whenthey hear one, and for alternative rock fans in andaround Lower Franconia, the name KOJAK now getsthem jumping.

The band formed in early 2005 and features threeArmy and Air Force Exchange Service employees anda German drummer.

Fronting the band is the volatile Jamie Vox, brotherof “human jukebox” Donnie Vox, from Los Angeleswho works days at AAFES central vending on ConnBarracks. On bass is steady Sid Harris, safety andsecurity manager for AAFES facilities in Wuerzburg,Schweinfurt and Bamberg for the past six years. Gui-tarist Bernard Engel hails from Eritrea, Ethiopia, andhas worked at Schweinfurt’s Ledward Shoppette thepast 15 years. Tapping skins for KOJAK is Schwein-furt native Daniel Gruenewald.

Things are looking bright for the band. They recent-ly won a Global Battle of the Bands (GBOB) regionaltitle in Cologne, where they will return Nov. 4 to bat-tle again in the German national finals. The winnersadvance to the GBOB international finals in LondonDec. 2, where the winners pocket $100,000 and a lotof lucrative press.

“Three of us are Army brats,” confides bassist Sid.“When we met and first started playing we just want-ed to enjoy what we were doing, to explore our owndiversity. We come from so many different parts of theworld we wanted that to bring a musical influence tothe group.”

The band is cooking on other fronts, too.MTV recently signed KOJAK to a licensing deal to

have their original songs “Jumpback,” “Cry,” “Hold-ing On,” and “Waiting for your Heart to Bleed” usedin their reality/dating shows “NEXT” and “Date my

Mom.” The four tunes are from the group’s first album,“Simply Complicated.”

There’s also a second album in the works, one thatpromises greater depth.

KOJAK’s music recently captured the attention ofproducer Wade Norton from NRG Studios (producersof bands such as Linkin Park, Incubus, Hoobastank,KORN, and others). Norton was in Germany in Octo-ber to help the band record and produce their secondalbum.

Norton has worked with many successful artistsincluding Hootie and the Blowfish, White Zombie,Static-X and others. He is on the inside with producerslike Rick Rubin (Red Hot Chili Peppers, System of aDown) and artists like Beck who rely him on for histechnical expertise.

“We’ve been inspired by our people,” Harris said.“The German response to our music has been largerthan we ever expected.”

Sing-along anthems like “Jumpback” deliverKOJAK’s signature formula of angry guitars, sillymelodies, and lots of punk rebellion. But it’s their out-rageous on-stage energy that has earned them the fol-lowing and status they now enjoy.

“They have a very distinctive sound,” said fan BobGordon after a recent show. “They certainly get yourattention and hold it.”

“It’s their energy,” said Jim Wagner, owner ofWuerzburg pub “Jimmy’z” where the band regularlyperforms. “People are just hypnotized when they seethem perform live. You can’t take your eyes off them.”

The band is on the road nearly every weekend, rock-ing in clubs throughout Germany.

“We didn’t start out as a business venture,” Harrissaid. “But it looks like were headed that direction.”

For more information and play dates, checkKOJAK’s website at: www.kojakonline.com

Briefs

Scott Rouch (2)Autumn Alford, left, and Jessica Martin make off with theirpumpkins after a visit to “the great pumpkin patch.”

KOJAKcatches a new groove

16 The Point, November 3, 2006

The Point, November 3, 2006 17

Customspamphleteases holidaymail rushby Robert SzostekU.S. European Command

MANNHEIM, Germany – Mailingpackages stateside from Europe involvesmany prohibitions, restrictions and importduty rules. U.S. personnel can avoid the pit-falls by getting the “International MailImports” pamphlet from a military customsoffice.

“Many people do not know that Customsand Border Protection may fine you at least$100 if you mail meat or any meat productsto the States,” said Bill Johnson, director ofthe U.S. European Command Customs andBorder Clearance Agency. Banned prod-ucts include canned meats, pâté, salami,sausage and soup mixes containing meat. Itis also illegal to mail handguns, alcoholicbeverages and a whole list of other items tothe United States. Other articles not on thebanned list may be restricted and need spe-cial import permits.

A customs declaration must be fixed toevery parcel going to the States and falsify-ing it is a federal crime. “You must alsorealize that foreign-made goods sent to theUnited States are subject to the payment ofduty,” Johnson cautioned. “Even if youmail the items to yourself or buy them in amilitary exchange, the recipient may stillhave to pay duty and the customs user fee,”he explained. U.S. residents may receive upto $100 worth of foreign-made goods perday, but have to pay duty on the total valueof gifts exceeding that amount.

The International Mail Imports pamphletis available at any military customs officeand online at www.customs.gov/xp/cgov/travel/.

Customs guide for the holidaysShipping banned food items carries$100 fine, deliberate smugglers jailedby Robert SzostekU.S. European Command

MANNHEIM, Germany – Some people are just not good at buyingthe right gifts. While this is usually a matter of taste, many items availablein Europe that seem like good Christmas presents violate U.S. customsrules.

Some products are banned from the United States and others may be car-ried in baggage, but not mailed. Violations of customs, agriculture orpostal regulations can lead to hefty fines and confiscation of the goods.

Meat and meat products are the biggest problems, said William Man-ning, Department of Agriculture attaché to the U.S. European Command.

Sought-after items“European delicacies like French pâté, German wurst, Spanish chorizo

salami and Italian Parma ham are here for the buying and much sought-after in the States,” he said. “Unfortunately, they can also carry the sporesof Foot and Mouth Disease, a virulent livestock ailment eradicated in theUnited States.” These products are therefore banned, as are canned meatsand even soup mixes or pasta containing meat. Fresh fruits and vegetablesare also prohibited because they could harbor pests like the Mediterraneanfruit fly.

The threat to U.S. agriculture is so great that Customs and Border Pro-tection fine people who mail or take banned foods to the States a minimumof $100 and a maximum of $250 as a deterrent. Criminal action for delib-erate cases of smuggling can result in a $5,000 fine and a year in jail.

Europe boasts many fine wines, spirits and liquor-filled candies thatmake original Christmas gifts. Unfortunately the U.S. Postal Service bansall liquor from being mailed, even if it is inside a piece of candy. Howev-er, customs allows travelers over 21 years of age to import one liter of duty-free liquor. Manning said the federal taxes and duties are currently lowenough to make it worthwhile to take more than one liter of beer or winestateside as gifts. However, state laws must also be met which can add tothe cost. Taxes on distilled spirits like Scotch whiskey are generally con-sidered high, he noted.

Cuban cigars prohibitedCuban rum and cigars are also available in Europe but prohibited from

import stateside by economic sanctions.Wildlife products also present problems. Buying ivory as a gift is a bad

idea, according to customs officials.“Only ivory pieces previously registered with Customs and Border Pro-

tection may be imported,” said Bill Johnson, director of the EuropeanCommand’s Customs and Border Clearance Agency. Whale teeth carv-ings, known as netsuke or scrimshaw, are also prohibited from import.When buying furs, shoppers should insist on a certificate of origin statingthe animal’s scientific name to avoid buying prohibited endangeredspecies products. The movement of caviar is also restricted.

Many European countries have a tradition of making nativity scenes thatAmericans love to buy. However, the natural products used to make themare often banned from import to the United States because of the agricul-tural pests that could be nested in them, Johnson noted. Shoppers shouldrealize that they can be fined $100 or more if they mail scenes that containmoss, bark, pinecones, untreated straw or other materials found to containinsects. However, agriculture officials say nativity scenes that are pro-duced using stripped wood, plastic, or commercially cleaned and lac-quered straw are fine to mail.

Military customs offices can provide more advice on these and otherholiday mail questions. There are many informative pamphlets availablefrom Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Agriculture toensure holiday gifts don’t present problems stateside. Information is alsoavailable at www.customs.gov/xp/cgov/travel/.

File photoHoliday shopping on the economy is a wonderful experience,but shoppers should be mindful of what they can legally shipto the States.

18 The Point, November 3, 2006

Army activates IMCOM to improve support to SoldiersU.S. Army MWR release

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Army activated the InstallationManagement Command Oct. 24 to consolidate and strengtheninstallation support services to Soldiers and their familiesthrough the full authority of command.

Lt. Gen. Robert Wilson assumed the IMCOM command at aPentagon ceremony hosted by Lt. Gen. James Campbell, Direc-tor of the Army Staff. The new command places the formerInstallation Management Agency, the former Community andFamily Support Center and the Former Army EnvironmentalCenter under a single command as a direct reporting unit.

“Today we take the next step in the evolution of Army instal-lation management … in order to create a more efficient, effec-tive and agile organization to ensure the best Army in the worldis supported by the best installations in the world,” Wilson said.

In keynote remarks, Campbell drew a parallel between theIMCOM and the new Army advertising slogan, “Army Strong.”He defined “strong” as the ability to take stand up for oneself,while “Army Strong” is the ability to stand up for everyone else.

“In my mind, the Installation Management Command shows

that it is Army Strong each and every day,” Campbell said, “withthe strength to make an installation a community; a set of quar-ters a home; and complete strangers, friends.

“[IMCOM has the strength] to ease separation and connectthe Soldier on point with a family at home; the strength to gen-uinely care for the loved ones back home so that young Soldierfacing life and death can focus on the mission at hand.”

As IMCOM commander, Wilson is dual-hatted as the Army’sAssistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management, reportingdirectly to the Army Chief of Staff. Brig. Gen. John A. Mac-donald, former IMA director, became IMCOM’s deputy com-mander.

Under IMCOM, CFSC is renamed the Family and Morale,Welfare and Recreation Command, and becomes a subordinatecommand of IMCOM, commanded by Brig. Gen. BelindaPinckney, with its own flag. The AEC is now the Army Envi-ronmental Command–also a subordinate command, command-ed by Col. Michael O’Keefe, and with its own flag.

The flag casings and uncasings were a symbolic focal pointof the activation ceremony and the three gold and red flags,

standing together in a rank, seemed to further underscore theunity of purpose inherent in the new organization.

“The Army has never been in greater need of installations asflagships of readiness than it is now,” Wilson said, citing theconstruction, personnel and equipment realignments required tosupport Base Realignment and Closure, Army Modular Force,and Global Defense Posture Repositioning. He said BRACalone accounts for more than 1,200 actions that impact theIMCOM mission.

The Army announced the establishment of the InstallationManagement Command as a direct reporting unit in August.This initiative is part of Army efforts to reorganize its com-mands and specified headquarters to obtain the most agile com-mand and control structures to support the expeditionary, mod-ular force.

The new command, currently headquartered in Virginia andMaryland, will relocate in 2010 to Fort Sam Houston, Texas, inaccordance with requirements of the 2005 Base Realignmentand Closure round. The deputy commanding general will locatein Texas, while the commanding general and ACSIM functionsremain at the Pentagon.

by Arthur McQueenU.S. Army, Europe Public Affairs

GRAFENWOEHR Germany – As eight C-130 Hercules transports slowed to 130 knots 800feet above the ground, more than 700 U.S. and German paratroopers jumped from the aircraft.

The Oct. 16-17 jumps marked the first mass tactical jump by the four Germany-based bat-talions of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team since the BCT’s Sept. 15 designation as amodular unit.

The exercise will not be the last for the troops in Bamberg and Schweinfurt, who are part ofa 173rd ABCT that is now six battalions strong. The headquarters and two remainingbattalions are based in Vicenza, Italy.

“This is just the beginning,” said Col. Chip Preysler, 173rd commander.The jumps kicked off a series of training events meant to build teams and mold unit leaders

into an effective combat force, Preysler said, as the battalions progressed through small-unitlive fire and artillery training on Joint Multinational Training Command ranges inGrafenwoehr.

These exercises “are the building blocks that enable our Soldiers to progress in their criticalskills,” Preysler said. “Getting boots on the ground safely is essential to being a paratrooper.”

On the first day’s jump, Soldiers contended with overcast skies, a slight breeze and com -munication problems.

The second day, however, was nearly perfect with minimal winds and few issues, accordingto combat jump veteran Sgt. 1st Class Michael Levesque.

“It was a textbook operation,” said Levesque, who in his five years with the 173rd has runmore than 30 drop zones.

Levesque’s team, which organized and oversaw the jump, included Air Force liaison offi-cers from the 37th Airlift Squadron out of Ramstein, medics, and a detail of troops collectingparachutes on the drop zone.

“It was beautiful jump,” said German Army Staff Sgt. Salvatore Grillo. “It’s a beautiful dayto be a Soldier.”

Grillo was one of 29 from the German Army Parachute School to join the second day’sjump.

The combined jump enabled the German Soldiers to earn American jump wings – officiallythe U.S. Army Parachutist Badge.

“We have been working with the German Airborne for quite a while, using their 34-footjump tower,” Preysler said. “Thanks to them, we have been able to complete all our Basic Air-borne Refresher training.”

Preysler also noted the value of JMTC’s facilities.“This is one of the premier training spots in the world. It offers us a very large drop zone,

and offers live-fire training in conjunction with this airborne operation,” he said. “We reallycouldn’t do that anywhere but here.”

One of many recently-assigned 173rd Soldiers who participated in the event, 1st Sgt.William Groene of Headquarters and Headquarters Troop 1-91 Cav., critiqued the exercisewith the enthusiasm of a relatively novice jumper with the perspective of a senior NCO.

Groene, completing his first jump since he earned his wings in 1986, said, “I waited 20years to do this again. I volunteered for it. This jump is getting us one stepcloser to being combat ready.”

Arthur McQueen

Above: Soldiers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Teamexit a C-130 Hercules transport.

Right: Paratroopers from the173rd Airborne Brigade Com-bat Team gather their chutesafter the redesignated unit’s

first mass tactical jump.

173rd BCT paratroopersjump en masse at Graf

Gar

y K

ieff

er

by Jim HughesThe Point

Playing in front of a home crowd, the Ans-bach Cougars swamped the Rota Admirals 34-0Oct. 28 to earn a berth in the Department of De-fense Dependents Schools Division III champi-onship game versus AFNORTH.

The game will be played at Baumholder highschool’s football stadium Saturday, Nov. 4, at 4p.m.

The trip to Baumholder marks the fifth-straight DoDDS-Europe Super Six appearanceby the Cougars, who won titles in 2002-2004,but fell to Hohenfels last year.

“The kids are excited,” said head coach Mar-cus George. “They don’t know anything else.The seniors were in seventh grade when we went

to the first championship game. There are greatexpectations in Ansbach. We’re expected to playwell and to be in the show.”

Despite the final score, the Admirals madewaves in the first quarter, forcing three-consec-utive Cougars’ punts. But led by quarterbackJohn Willis-Morris and running back XavierSheppard, the Cougars hit their stride in the sec-ond quarter.

“Our passing game opened things up for ourrunning game; John threw the ball really well,”George said. “And that’s what we needed to do.Rota’s a very good ball club and they gave us thetest we needed going into the championshipgame.”

Willis-Morris and Sheppard each had twotouchdown runs and the quarterback threw foran additional score to Josh Hale.

On defensethe Cougarswere led byJacob Burn-side who reg-istered 11tackles andforced a fum-ble.

“It wastough for thefirst two quar-ters,” saidHale, who re-covered theA d m i r a l sfumble. “Wemade some

mistakes, and then we came back and fixedthem.”

George, who preaches the need for players toalways get better, loved seeing his team over-come a challenge.

“I was impressed with how the team closedranks to win the game. We have to learn from ourmistakes and grow,” he said. “After the game, Itold the kids to enjoy the win, but to get up onSunday focused on AFNORTH. We can’t live onwhat we did Saturday.”

George said unbeaten AFNORTH, whodowned Hanau 17-8 in the Netherlands to earnits place in the championship, has a decisive sizeadvantage. The Cougars are giving an average ofabout 70 pounds per player on the offensive anddefensive sides of the line.

“We’ve been outsized all year,” George said.“We have to keep our defense off the field be-cause we have no depth. We have nice athletes,just not a lot of them. We’re a young and inex-perienced team.”

George reminded the Cougars of last year’smistakes (five turnovers in the championshipgame) during the week’s practice and it seems tohave sunk in.

“We’re excited and happy to be back in theSuper Six,” Hale said. “We worked hard allweek and we’ll do the same thing we always do,work to get better every day.”

That’s music to the coach’s ears.“I always tell the players we’re our own worst

enemy,” he said. “If we play the football we’recapable of playing and correct our mistakes thenwe can beat AFNORTH – even if on paper weshouldn’t.”

Sports The Point, November 3, 2006 19

Cougars rout Rota, eye championship again

by Scott RouchThe Point

The Wuerzburg American High SchoolLady Wolves volleyball team headed intothe Department of Defense DependentsSchools-Europe Division II playoffs hav-ing won four of their last five matches.

After beating the Bamberg Lady Baronsand Hohenfels Lady Tigers at home Oct.21, the Lady Wolves finished the regularseason with road wins against Hanau andMannheim while losing to Vilseck Oct. 28.

Seeded 5th in the tournament, the LadyWolves opened pool play againstMannheim Nov. 2, followed by matcheswith Bitburg later that day and with BlackForest Academy Nov. 3. Should they ad-vance out of pool play, the Lady Wolveswould have to win two matches Friday toadvance to Saturday’s championshipround.

Wuerzburg’s sweep Oct. 21 was thefirst time all season they walked awayfrom a weekend without a split.

The Lady Wolves (8-5) were too muchfor Bamberg (25-13, 25-14, 25-13) andHohenfels (25-16, 25-19, 25-18) to han-dle, even after sophomore setter JordanRoberts sprained her ankle in the openingmatch against the Barons.

Team captain Brittny Dallen took overfor Roberts, controlling the action withwell-placed sets, allowing Allison McK-earn and Kristin Hickey to record killswith strong spikes.

Hickey was especially dominant at thenet with seven kills and two blocks, andkept the pressure on her opponents with

strong serves, recording two aces.Kaylah Cousin and Anne Goho chipped

in with two kills along with three and twoaces, respectively.

“I think the biggest difference todaywas our setting. Brittny Dallen, she reallyset, especially Kristen (Hickey) and Allie(McKearn) where they needed to be set,”said coach John Sullivan. “I thought Kris-ten did a really good job today, and she’sbeen doing a good job all year. Last weekwhen we got beat by Hohenfels, shewasn’t there, she was taking the SATs, so Iwas really happy to have her back.”

While missing a match she could haveinfluenced for the SATs, it gave Hickey achance to come back stronger.

“I was able to focus a little bit more onthe court today,” Hickey said. “I think itgave me time to rest my shoulder. I had ashoulder injury a couple of weeks back butit’s fine now.”

McKearn had another strong day withnine kills while Dallen recorded 12 assiststo accompany her three kills and threeaces.

While Bamberg’s Lady Barons droppedtheir second match of the day againstGiessen (23-25, 22-25, 25-22, 18-25),first-year head coach Wade Krauchi waspleased with the way his team has comealong during the season.

“They’ve actually won their first com-petition in two years, which is their dream,so their dream came true,” Krauchi said,referring to the Lady Barons’ previouswins over Ansbach and Giessen. “I thinkwe have the largest team ever – we have

over 18 girls out for volleyball. They’rejust a wonderful group to work with. I’mhaving such a good time this year I mighteven apply to do it next year.”

Having notched some wins while com-peting hard has given the team a strongsense of confidence.

“We’re ready to beat some butt out there(Europeans),” said co-captain VanessaHernandez. “We lost some games last yearand some games this year, but we’re get-ting there.”

Lady Wolves peaking for playoffs

Steven KudukFlagging excitement69th Air Defense Artilleryʼs Christopher Hall (#23) stretches the ball toward teammate Walter Minor (#2) whileMEDDACʼs Jason Bernard (#3) goes for his flag. 69th ADA came from behind to beat MEDDAC, 30-22, in theUSAG Schweinfurt Flag Football playoffs on Leighton Barracks Oct. 21-22. The ADA exacted a measure ofrevenge, beating the MEDDAC twice in the playoffs after losing to them three times in the regular season.

Mike GourguesAnsbach running back Xavier Sheppardshreds the Rota defense on this gain inthe Cougars’ 34-0 win.

Scott RouchKristen Hickey rifles the ball overthe net during the Lady Wolves vic-tory against Hohenfels Oct. 21 inWuerzburg.

Emily GourguesAnsbach quarterback John Willis-Morris threw for a touchdown and ran for two more.

RoundupTennis

Wuerzburg and Bamberg squads had their seasons end at theDoDDS-E Tennis Championships in Wiesbaden Oct. 26.

Wuerzburg’s Lori-Ann Daley was toppled in the second roundby Vittoria Musotto (Milan), 6-0, 6-2 while Sean Danganan wasbeaten 6-2, 6-1 by Felipe Diaz (Vicenza). In doubles, Kelli andStefanie Montano were toppled 6-2, 6-1 by Angela Conner/Ste-fanie Fair (Aviano).

Bamberg’s Andrew Duque defeated Dylan Blomgren(Sigonella) 6-0, 6-0 in the second round before falling 6-1, 6-0to Ryan Umstaedter (Naples) in the quarterfinals. AshleeKozel/Sofia Engel were first-round victors beating Melissa Sei-dow/Brooke Gillespie (Incirlik), 6-2, 6-1, losing 6-2, 6-2, toJackie Ventrice/Lindsey Jones (Ramstein) in round two.Volleyball

Oct. 21 – The Ansbach Lady Cougars defeated Bitburg 19-25,25-6, 27-25, 18-25, 15-8 and swept Mannheim 25-21, 25-14, 25-17.Wolves, Barons exit early

Similarities abound about the Wuerzburg Wolves and Bam-berg Barons football seasons.

Both had their seasons end in the first round of the DoDDS-Europe Division II and III playoffs, and both lost by courtesy rule39-0 scores. The Wolves were ousted by top-seeded Bitburgwhile the Barons were beat by finalist AFNORTH.

The Wolves (2-4) ended on a three-game losing streak whilethe Barons (2-4) finished with four-consecutive losses followinga 2-0 start.

Wolves head coach Eric Mead was proud of what his team histeam accomplished in its year of transition.

“We had little experience returning; only five players returnedfrom last year,” he said. “We had no shortage of heart though.The guys worked their butts off and played hard each weekend.Anthony Miles and Sean Hipe led the defense while DonaldBryant was our rock on offense.”

Bryant finished the season with 1,110 yards on 116 carries (9.4yards per carry).

“Bryant was able to do this behind our great o-line, led byBlake Whitemire and Taylor Dallen,” Mead said.Aerobathon on tap

Work off Thanksgiving dinner with USAG Schweinfurt’sTurkey Blow Out Aerobathon Nov. 25 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. atthe Leighton Fitness Center in Wuerzburg. Free T-shits will begiven out and all will be entered to win a Proform C700 dumb-bell weight bench. For more, call 350-6115 or 0931-889-6115.Turkey Trot

Bamberg’s Turkey Trot 5 and 10K fun run is Nov. 18 onWarner Barracks beginning at the Freedom Fitness Facility at 10a.m. Same-day registration is 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Open to ID cardholders only. Registration can be paid by donating any type ofpet food. Walkers, strollers and pets are welcome in the 5K run.Trophies will be awarded to the top two finishers in the 10K racein each category. Call 469-8890 or 0951-300-8890.Flag football

The 2006 Army Europe MWR flag football championshipwill be held on Bamberg’s Pendleton Field Nov. 17-19. Openingceremony is Nov. 17 at 9:30 a.m.; games begin at 10 a.m. Formore information, call 469-7597 or 0951-300-7597.Bowling upgrades

Bamberg’s Birchview Lanes Bowling Center re-opened Oct.25, following renovations. The center now has new lane mask-ings, front counter, restrooms, food concessionaire and party,video and recreation rooms. For more information on events call469-7722 or 0951-300-7722.