fort meade soundoff for june 7, 2012

bite sizeMeade Soldiers judge healthy eating competition

page 9

UPCOMiNG eVeNtstOday, 5:45-10 P.M.: “Live” Jazz Night - Club Meadefriday, 7 P.M.-MidNiGht: Chicago Steppin’ - Club MeadesatUrday, 9 a.M.: Armed Forces Kids Run - 2234 Huber Road parking lotMONday, 9 a.M.-NOON & 1-6 P.M.: Commissary bagger licensing - 4409 Llewellyn Ave.JUNe 14, 7:30 a.M.: Army Birthday/Flag Day Breakfast - Club Meade

lOst lettersVintage letters found in World War II-era building on post

page 8

Soundoff!́vol. 64 no. 23 Published in the interest of the Fort Meade community June 7, 2012

photo by Marcy rodriquez

Storm clouds brew over Piney orchard as the Fort Meade area has hit Friday with storms that sparked reports of two tornadoes touching down on the installation. There were no reports of injuries as the storms caused minor damage on the installation. This photo was submitted by Marcy Rodriquez, a Fort Meade Facebook follower. For more, see Pages 12-13.

weathering the storm

http://www.ftmeade.army.mil� SOUNDOFF! June 7, 2012

Commander’s Column

Cont ent sNews............................. 3 Classified.............................20

TroubleTicket............... 4 Sports..................................14

Community................. 16 Movies.................................19

Editorial StaffGarrison Commander Col. Edward C. rothsteinGarrison Command Sgt. Maj. Charles E. SmithPublic affairs officerChad t. Jones [email protected], Command informationPhilip H. Jones [email protected] Editor & Senior Writer rona S. Hirsch Staff Writer lisa r. rhodesStaff Writer Brandon Bieltzdesign Coordinator timothy davis Supplemental photography provided by Patuxent Publishing Co.

advErtiSinGGeneral inquiries 410-332-6300

allison thompson 410-332-6850 [email protected]

Michele Griesbauer 410-332-6381 [email protected]

If you would like information about receiving Soundoff! on Fort Meade or are experiencing distribution issues, call 877-886-1206 or e-mail [email protected]. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday through Sunday, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Printed by offset method of reproduction as a civilian enterprise in the interest of the personnel at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, by the Patuxent Publishing Co., a subsidiary of The Baltimore Sun Media Group, 501 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, MD 21278, every Thursday except the last Thursday of the year in conjunction with the Fort Meade Public Affairs Office. Requests for publication must reach the Public Affairs Office no later than Friday before the desired publication date. Mailing address: Post Public Affairs Office, Soundoff! IMME-MEA-PA, Bldg. 4409, Fort Meade, MD 20755-5025. Telephone: 301-677-1361; DSN: 622-1361.

Everything advertised in this publication must be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, creed, color, national origin, marital status, handicap or sex of purchaser, user or patron. A confirmed violation or rejection of this policy of equal opportunity by an advertiser will result in the refusal to print advertising from that source.

Printed by Patuxent Publishing Co., a private firm, in no way connected with the Department of the Army. Opinions expressed by the publisher and writers herein are their own and are not to be considered an official expression by the Department of the Army. The appearance of advertisers in the publication does not constitute an endorsement by the Department of the Army of the products or services advertised.

www.ftmeade.army.milYou can also keep track of Fort Meade on Twitter at twitter.com/ftmeademd

and view the Fort Meade Live Blog at ftmeade.armylive.dodlive.mil.

Soundoff!́Guaranteed circulation:

11,285

For the past couple of weeks I have been promoting the need to make safety a priority on post.

My goal is to ensure there is a high level of awareness that reminds everyone to consider ways to find balance in our lives, take steps to keep our families strong and be mindful that staying safe does not happen by accident.

A good example of Team Meade working together on safety awareness occurred last Friday when Fort Meade and our surrounding areas came under severe weather and tornado warnings.

The Directorate of Emergency Services and the Public Affairs Office worked together, airing warning messages on the installation’s public address system and posting information on the installation’s Facebook page and Twitter account starting early Friday afternoon and continuing through the evening until the storms had cleared our area.

The good news is that we suffered minor dam-ages on post and no lives were lost.

Following the storms, the Fort Meade Fire Department and the Directorate of Public Works worked together to remove fallen tree limbs and coordinated with the Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. regarding power outages on the installation.

Working together, Team Meade did all the things we would hope our emergency response teams would do to keep us safe in severe weather.

Friday’s storms were the first severe weather storms of the summer. As we experience hotter weather, summer storms will continue. Knowing what to do when severe weather occurs allows everyone to enjoy outdoor summer activities and may save your life.

When you hear a weather alert, take steps to protect yourself and your family. Listen to radio and television for information and updates about the storm. If you’re planning a trip out-doors, always listen to the latest forecasts and take necessary action if threatening weather is possible.

Severe weather is just one area we need to be mindful of as we continue our “101 Critical Days of Summer” campaign, which runs through the Labor Day weekend, ending Sept. 4.

Look for more information about ways you can keep safe throughout the summer in the Soundoff! Enjoy the summer months ahead and continue to make safety a personal matter.

Next week we celebrate the Army’s 237th birthday. A variety of activ-ities will be held on and off post as we celebrate with our local c o m mu n i t i e s and their stead-fast support of our Soldiers and families.

The 237th Army birthday commemorates America’s Army - Soldiers, families and civilians - who are achieving a level of excellence that is truly Army strong.

Army birthday activities kick off June 14 at 7:30 a.m. at Club Meade as the Francis Scott Key Chapter Association of the U.S. Army sponsors an Army Birthday/Flag Day breakfast. There will be a guest speaker, Scott Sheads, a historian and ranger at Fort McHenry.

At 10 a.m. June 14, I will participate in a cake-cutting ceremony with Howard County Executive Ken Ulman at the Columbia mall. Army units from our area also will have displays set up in the mall. The displays will be in place June 14 through June 16.

On June 15, the Bowie Baysox will help cel-ebrate the Army’s birthday. The game, which starts at 7:35 p.m., will feature the Army Color Guard from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard). The National Anthem will be performed by the U.S. Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps. “God Bless America” will be performed by Sgt. 1st Class Erika Lehmkuhl, First Army Division East. Pfc. Wesley Pattillo, 704th Military Intelligence Brigade, will throw out the first pitch.

The celebration will be highlighted by a group of future Soldiers who will be sworn into the Army.

I hope you are able to find time and join me for these events next week.

Summer safety, Army birthday celebration

COL. Edward C. rOthstEin

Garrison Commander

FollowFortMeadeonTwitter.com/ftmeademd

http://www.ftmeade.army.mil June 7, 2012 SOUNDOFF! �

By Brandon BieltzStaff Writer

After appearing before numerous mil-itary boards to answer countless ques-tions from high-ranking enlisted service members, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Janice Truong stood on the stage of the Post Theater to loud applause as she was pinned with the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.

The cryptologic technician from Navy Information Operations Com-mand Maryland was among the handful of service members who were honored May 30 at an awards ceremony for their success at the installation’s military boards. Most awardees won Soldier, noncommissioned officer or Ultima ser-vice member of a quarter.

Other service members were recog-nized for winning the installation-level year boards.

Soldier of the Year Spc. Gabriel Tur-nage and Ultima NCO of the Year Sgt. Jennifer Ream were unable to attend the ceremony due to deployments.

Truong was honored at the ceremony as the Ultima Junior Service Member of Year for 2012. The Ultima category is for service members of all military branches.

“I was very honored,” Truong said. “It’s very humbling to represent NIOC Maryland.”

Winners went through several board appearances to earn their awards. Prior to attending the installation’s boards, service members competed at their com-pany, battalion, squadron and then brigade boards. Year winners attended an additional board after winning a quarter competition.

Garrison Command Sgt. Maj. Charles E. Smith said service members were asked various questions rang-ing from military history to technical manuals. They also were critiqued on their appearance and physical fitness. Preparing for these boards, Smith said, is a huge time-commitment.

“You have to take your personal time to win these type of boards,” he said. “It’s not something you can pick up today and come up here tomorrow and regurgitate to everybody. You have to study and you have to apply yourself. You have to work on your physical fit-ness and weight control because your appearance comes into play.”

The studying and preparation process

Meade service members honored at awards ceremony

is ongoing because boards are so regu-lar, said Truong. But because the few weeks prior to a board are stressful, she said service members need to mentally prepare themselves for the “nerve-rack-ing” board.

“It’s difficult, it’s always going to be difficult,” she said. “I don’t think any service member is going to walk in there feeling super confident without any type of nerves.”

The long and tedious process, Smith said, pays off in the long run as success at the boards can give service members a boost when it comes time for promo-tions.

“This is a plus for their careers,” he said. “Those certificates go into their records. When the senior leaders review their records for promotion, it’s basical-ly a plus-up for them to being selected over their peers.”

The 20-minute ceremony to celebrate the achievements of the service mem-bers was attended by Smith, Garrison Command Col. Edward C. Rothstein and guest speaker NIOC Command Master Chief Scott Drenning.

During his speech, Drenning dis-

cussed leadership. He told the service members that is it crucial for leaders to be visible, including pitching in to help when needed.

“Your Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen need to understand that you aren’t above taking out the trash, rolling up your sleeves and getting a little dirty just because you hold a title,” Drenning said. “This is a great way to lead by example.”

He also encouraged the service mem-bers to remain humble, not forget where they came from and to show the people they lead that they are important.

“Even though you might have a lot going on at your desk, your people are your greatest asset,” Drenning said. “Make sure they know where you pri-orities are.”

Following the brief speech, the board winners were awarded monetary rewards in addition to a lunch pass to Club Meade, Commander’s Coin of Excel-lence, garrison plaque and prizes from sponsors.

“It feels amazing to be able to rep-resent NIOC and the Navy,” Truong said.

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Janice Truong poses for a photo on a Burba Lake pier on Monday afternoon. During an awards ceremony held May 30 at the Post Theater, Truong was named the Ultima Junior Service Member of the Year after completing a series of board appearances.

photo by noah Scialom

News

Army winners• Sgt. Timothy Greathouse, NCO of the First Quarter• Spc. Gabriel Turnage, Soldier of the First Quarter• Sgt. Zachary Carnaham, NCO of the Second Quarter• Spc. Kaya Hansen, Soldier of the Second Quarter• Spc. Gabriel Turnage, Soldier of the Year

Ultima winners• Sgt. Jennifer Ream, Utlima NCO of the First Quarter• Petty Officer 2nd Class Janice Truong, Ultima Junior Service Member of the First Quarter• Staff Sgt. Daniel Decook, Ultima NCO of the Second Quarter• Airman First Class Liam Tupper, Ultima Junior Service Member of the Second Quarter• Sgt. Jennifer Ream, Ultima NCO of the Year• Petty Officer 2nd Class Janice Truong, Ultima Junior Service Member of the Year


News

May 29, Larceny of private property: Person(s) unknown by unknown means removed a Maryland registration plate from a trailer located within the RV parking lot.

May 29, Larceny of private property: The victim stated that his laptop computer was stolen from his residence and that a power cable, one terabyte hard drive and six two-giga-byte RAM chips were missing.

May 31, Larceny of private property: The victim stated that her camera was removed from her vehicle.

June 2, Shoplifting: The sub-ject was observed by Exchange

video surveillance taking two shirts and departing the store without ren-dering proper payment.

CommunityCommunityCrime Watch

Compiled by the Fort Meade Directorate of Emergency Services

Trouble Ticket

Youth Services Sports Complex needs renovations

Renovate the Youth Services Sports Complex

Actual use of fields is expected to be this fall after the grass matures

Have you noticed an issue on post and wondered if anything is being done to fix it? Email concerns and

issues to [email protected]. Each week, Soundoff! will

address issues identified on post and describe what is being done to

solve them.

Issue: Plan: Status:

McGill Training Center HVAC is inoperative

(except in the ballroom)

Install a new HVAC Survey work has begun; full install set for completion

September 2012; portable A/C units being used in classrooms

Chaplain’s Word: SEEDS“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap

but by the seeds that you plant.”

— Robert Lewis Stevenson

AER cAmpAign suRpAssEs $80,000 goAlThe Fort Meade Army Emergency Relief campaign has collected $105,373.03 as of Tuesday, 131 percent of its $80,000 goal.

On the lookout for theftThe Directorate of Emergency Services is actively working to

keep neighborhoods safe.Families residing on post should remember to ensure that

windows and doors to homes, cars and garages are locked at all times, regardless of time of day.

Although the crime rate in military housing is lower than off post, it is important to remember that Fort Meade is not immune to crime. To protect your family and belongings, remember to take an active role in deterring crime.

Remain aware of your surroundings and immediately report any suspicious activity to the Fort Meade Police at 301-677-6622 or 6623.

By U.S. Army Europe Public Affairs HEIDELBERG, Germany — Anyone can now call the Army in Europe’s official Defense

Switched Network phone numbers from the U.S. via a standard stateside commercial telephone number: 301-981-1059.

The number gives callers in the U.S. who do not have a DSN line available immediate commercial access to an operator in Germany, who will then connect them to the appropriate DSN number in Europe.

“We realized that some people stateside not used to calling overseas are put off by foreign access codes and country codes,” U.S. Army Europe Chief of Public Affairs Bryan Hilferty said. “I know I was.

“So we designed this system to encourage communication with incoming Soldiers and families, as well as with U.S. citizens or researchers who have questions about the Army in Europe.”

However, callers still must know the unit they want to connect with or their DSN number so the operator can complete the call.

“And remember, the Army in Europe is six hours ahead of the East Coast, so best to call us when it is morning in the U.S.,” Hilferty said.

Callers must pay commercial calling costs to the Maryland 301 area code, but there are no over-seas calling charges.

The number is accessible from any phone and is for official use only — not for “morale and welfare calls” to access a civilian number, or for other personal use.

The primary method for official communications remains DSN or email.For more information, email [email protected].

stateside number gives callers easy access to Army in Europe

Connect with Fort Meade atFacebook.com/ftmeade


News

Casualty Assistance Center assists grieving familiesBy Lisa R. RhodesStaff Writer

It is the doorbell ring no military family wants to answer.When an active-duty Soldier has died in Maryland or

in theater with family members residing in the state, Fort Meade’s Casualty Assistance Center is the first to notify loved ones and provide them with the support to make funeral arrangements and apply for military benefits.

“You get to help someone at the worst possible moment,” said Antoinette O’Connor, chief of the Casualty Assistance Center. “The work is demanding, challenging, but it is rewarding.”

O’Connor oversees a staff of five Department of Army civilians, some of whom are retired, and former Soldiers, who operate the casualty assistance program in the region.

The CAC has jurisdiction in Maryland, except for Prince George’s and Montgomery counties; Pennsylvania, except for Philadelphia and the counties of Bucks, Delaware, Mont-gomery and Chester; Delaware; Virginia, in the counties of Accomack, Clarke, Frederick, Loudon and Northampton; and West Virginia, in the counties of Berkeley, Hampshire, Jefferson, Mineral and Morgan.

The center is responsible for providing notification officers, chaplains and casualty assistance officers for the families of deceased active-duty Soldiers. The CAO also assists families of Army retirees who died in the center’s jurisdiction and families of DoD civilians who died while temporarily assigned to the area.

Families of deceased dependents of active-duty Soldiers who have died in the center’s jurisdiction receive a casualty report from the center, which includes information about the dependent’s death.

When an active-duty Soldier dies, the Department of the Army notifies the Casualty Assistance Center within 10 hours of the incident and prepares a casualty report for the center.

Within four hours of the receipt of the report, the CAC sends a notification team to inform the family of the Soldier’s death.

O’Connor said CAC notifies the family first so they don’t hear the news through the media.

“We don’t want them to have to figure out if it’s their loved one,” she said.

Family members who are notified are listed on the Soldier’s DDForm 93, which is the Record of Emergency Data, which provides the names and addresses of the Soldier’s next of kin.

The notification team includes a chaplain and a Soldier at the rank of sergeant first class and above, chief warrant officer 2 and above, or captain and above, depending on the rank of the deceased Soldier.

The notification officer delivers a message on behalf of the secretary of the Army expressing deep regret for the Soldier’s death. The chaplain is on hand to provide support to the family.

A casualty assistance officer contacts the family four hours after the notification team’s visit. The CAO is responsible for helping to arrange the funeral and assisting the family in applying for Army and other federal benefits.

One of the first duties of a CAO is to help the family apply for the Army’s death gratuity, which is a one-time payment of $100,000 to the family within 72 hours of the Soldier’s death.

The CAO then works with the Person Authorized to Direct Disposition, or PADD, to arrange the funeral. The PADD is listed on the Soldier’s DD Form 93.

If the PADD chooses the Army option in arranging the funeral, the Army will prepare and dress the Soldier and transport the remains to the funeral home of the PADD’s choice.

The CAC then tasks the Soldiers who will perform the military duties at the funeral. The CAO also attends the funeral.

“It’s a big honor and a big responsibility,” said Delia Smith, the center’s benefits coordinator, who has worked as a notification officer and as a CAO. “The family just needs to know that someone cares.”

About two to three days after the funeral, the CAO then explains which Army and other federal benefits the family is eligible to receive and helps them to apply.

Army benefits include Servicemembers Group Life Insur-ance, which can range from $50,000 to $400,000, depending on the deceased Soldier’s specification, and the Montgomery GI Bill. The family also is entitled to Social Security Admin-istration and Department of Veterans Affairs benefits.

The receipt of benefits can take from two weeks to 60 days.

In addition to benefits, the family can receive a copy of the 15-6 Investigation report, which is prepared by the Army and summarizes the circumstances of the Soldier’s death but does not include classified information.

After the family has received all their benefits and entitle-ments, they are referred to the nearest Survivors Outreach Services branch.

O’Connor said Soldiers who serve as notification officers and CAOs are mandated by the Army to receive two days of training by CAC.

“To help our Soldiers’ families when the Soldier is not there is the biggest honor for me,” said Ragime Blaine, casualty operations coordinator and a former Army specialist. “The Army is not just an organization that the Soldier joins. Once you’re part of the Army family, you’re always a part.”

By Lisa R. RhodesStaff Writer

During the past year, the installation’s medical and substance abuse experts have seen an increase in stress among Soldiers and Department of the Army civilians that has resulted in concerns about suicide, workplace burnout and hostility.

“The operations tempo [of the military], global wars, fighting two wars, are causing a lot of stress,” said Kenneth Jones, Army Substance Abuse Program manager.

“We’re obviously concerned about the Soldiers, the increase in suicide activ-ity - gestures, attempts - and thoughts of suicide,” he said. “We’re starting to see cases of Department of the Army civilians under serious stress - expressing self-harm and thoughts of harm.”

Jones said the operations tempo of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and repeated deployments have taken a toll on the Army

in general.Although Fort Meade does not deploy

large numbers of Soldiers such as Fort Bragg, N.C., or Fort Campbell, Ky., those individual service members who do deploy do not have the same support that comes from the camaraderie of deploying with a large unit, Jones said.

In addition, Fort Meade also deploys an increasing number of government civil-ians who deploy as individuals and do not benefit from unit camaraderie.

Dr. Mark Fisher, chief of behavior pediatrics at Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center and a Medical Department Activ-ity subject matter expert on suicide, said Soldiers are experiencing stress from work-ing long hours with decreased resources, deployments and family issues.

“Stress comes in the form of relation-ship problems at work and home, loss of sleep, anxiety, depressed moods, irritability

and sometimes decreased productivity,” Fisher said. “With stressors and other risk factors piling up, along with a decreased sense of hope and not seeing a way out of their problems, service members start to think about not wanting to live or of killing themselves.”

Victor Arthur, Risk Reduction Program coordinator for ASAP, routinely surveys units on post using the Army’s anonymous Unit Risk Inventory to determine how sus-ceptible Soldiers are to risk factors relating to alcohol and drugs, and other stressors.

Arthur surveys Soldiers who are within 30 days of deployment and those who have returned from deployment.

Within the past four months, 10 Sol-diers have answered positively that they have had suicidal thoughts, Arthur said. Three Soldiers responded that they have made a plan to commit suicide.

In response to the inventory, Arthur

spoke with their unit commanders to inform them of the potential for suicide. A chaplain was assigned to the units to discuss stress and suicide.

In addition, Arthur said Soldiers also have expressed a lack of trust in their chain of command.

DA civilians also are feeling the strain of increased pressures in the workplace, mostly due to budget cutbacks.

Last July, the Installation Management Command directed Fort Meade and other Army installations to reduce its civilian appropriated funded authorizations for fiscal year 2013 to 15 percent below its June 2011 onboard civilian strength.

Other IMCOM directives also have mandated a reduction in the civilian workforce, according to the installation’s Resource Management Office.

The cuts mean remaining employees are required to take on additional respon-

Experts concerned about high stress on post


News

sibilities.“They’re under a lot of stress, having

to do the job of two or three people,” said Marcia Lang, clinical supervisor for ASAP and acting manager of the Employee Assistance Program.

The EAP provides confidential services for service members, government employ-ees, their dependents and retirees, including short-term therapy and referrals to civilian mental health professionals for psychiatric as well as abuse-related challenges. The program also helps civilians identify and resolve personal problems that affect their job performance and well-being.

Lang said the stress has made civilian employees more susceptible to physical aches and pains and colds due to a weak-ened immune system.

Clients also complain that the pressures of their job “consumes life outside of work,” Lang said, and that people find it hard to relax and spend quality time with family and friends.

In the past year, about 25 percent of the civilians Lang has served have been so depressed that they have contemplated suicide.

“Luckily, I have not had anyone so depressed that they acted on it, or had a

plan or a means of hurting themselves,” she said.

About 10 percent of civilian clients have been so stressed and angry that they have been referred to EAP for physical alterca-tions in the workplace and for damage to a co-worker’s property.

“The fact that this is happening is a concern,” Lang said.

In each of these cases, Lang has worked with managers and clients to resolve con-flicts. She also has helped clients devel-op ways to manage their stress and has referred them to civilian mental health professionals for treatment.

Lang said she routinely follows up with clients to see how they are progressing.

Dr. Beverly Maliner, chief of Preven-tive Medicine Services at Kimbrough, said the clinic’s Occupational Health team has evaluated an increasing number of civil-ian employees complaining of illnesses and distress related to the workplace and workplace relationships.

“They are pretty distressed. ... Employ-ees are unhappy with the pace of work-place change,” Maliner said.

A staff of three full-time Occupa-tional Health nurses assess the mental and physical health of civilian employ-

ees to determine their fitness for the workplace.

Maliner said many managers are requesting that the staff complete medical evaluations for employees who have behav-ioral issues and stress-related aliments.

Work-related stress has made some employees less available for full perfor-mance of duty and has increased absentee-ism, Maliner said.

The installation’s Community Health Promotion Council, which is chaired by Garrison Commander Col. Edward C. Rothstein, is working to integrate com-munity services and resources, identify gaps and overlap of programs and services and assess community health to enhance the well-being of service members, their dependents and civilian employees.

The council is comprised of four work-ing groups - the Installation Prevention Team, Physical Resiliency, Family Resil-iency and Spiritual Resiliency.

Lt. Cmdr. Marivic Fields, director of Behavior Health Patient Management and a licensed social worker at Kimbrough, is the council’s interim health promotion officer. She said suicide prevention is one of the main tasks of the council.

ASAP, under the leadership of Jones,

who also is a council member, funds Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Train-ing, a 15-hour suicide prevention work-shop. The course is considered to be suicide first aid. It is open to active-duty service members, Reservists, National Guardsmen, DoD civilians and military contractors. ASIST is offered on post every month.

The installation is also working to cre-ate a Resiliency Center/Campus at Fort Meade, which will focus on the Army’s five pillars of resiliency: spiritual, social, family, physical and emotional.

In the meantime, the experts said ser-vice members, civilians and family mem-bers must seek help if they cannot cope with the demands of military life and are thinking of hurting themselves.

“If anyone is even thinking about not wanting to live or of killing oneself, regardless if there are no plans or intent to act, walk in directly and immediately to behavioral health. After hours, go the closest emergency room or call 911,” Fisher said. “Do this also if someone you know is in this spot, and don’t leave them alone until help is received.”

For more information, call ASAP at 301-677-7121.


News


On Oct. 20, 1943, Wanda Hester from Dewar, Okla., sent a letter to her son Sgt. George Hester, then a Soldier at Fort Meade.

The mother wrote of her husband’s failing health from working in a smelter, their finan-cial troubles and the couple’s attempts to sell their property and move to California.

Despite her concerns, Hester promised to send her son a $25 bond to help him and his wife.

Hester’s touching letter was among 10 let-ters found by Melwood employees on May 24 as the men worked to put up dry wall in Bldg. 249 on Chisolm Avenue.

The letters, written in the early 1940s, were addressed to Fort Meade Soldiers and were found in a wall frame of the building.

Mike Bradford, a carpenter maintenance lead at Melwood, gave the letters to the Fort Meade Museum.

“I find you can change the date, but the story remains the same in the Army,” said Barbara Taylor, museum exhibits specialist. “Mothers sending news from home, Soldiers still asking their family for money, noncom-missioned officers still concerned about their trainees — it’s the human condition. It’s a window on the past.”

Taylor said no one knows why or how the letters were put in the building’s wall. The letters, which includes two Christmas cards, are fragile, but a museum volunteer is in the process of transcribing them.

Several letters are unopened and they technically belong to the U.S. Postal Service, Taylor said. The museum is in the process of contacting the postal service to determine whether the letters can still be delivered, or if the museum can take ownership of the find.

Taylor said another poignant letter also was sent in 1943 from Sgt. Henry Corvatz at Fort McClellan, Ala., (the Base Realign-ment and Closure Commission closed the installation in 1995) to Sgt. Chester Caudhill at Fort Meade.

It seems the men went through basic training together, Taylor said. Corvatz, a senior noncommissioned officer in charge of a barrack, writes of overseeing more than 200 Soldiers.

“They’re the same rank,” Taylor said. “Soldiers talk about the same things today, they have the same concerns. They take their job seriously and they are concerned that their Soldiers are well trained.”

Before ending the letter, Corvatz writes to his Fort Meade friend, “It seems you had a whale of a time in Baltimore. Must be swell to be near a city like that and be able to get

World War II-era letters discovered in wall

photos by Jason kelly

Barbara Taylor, Fort Meade Museum exhibits specialist, reads one of the 10 World War II-era letters written to Fort Meade Soldiers that were found by Melwood employees in the wall frame of Bldg. 249 on Chisolm Avenue on May 24. The letters (below), which range from a mother writing to her son about family troubles to a sergeant writing about the Soldiers under his command, were given to the Fort Meade Museum.

all the liquor you want — or is it rationed too!”

Mike Franklin, a Melwood general main-tenance worker who found the letters, said he didn’t think much of it when he saw them in the wall frame.

“We noticed how old they were. They had three-cent stamps. We thought that was kind of strange,” Franklin said.

The workers passed the letters around and tried to read them before telling Bradford of their discovery.

“He said it would be a good idea to take them to the museum,” Franklin recalled.

Bradford notified the museum and Frank-lin said he is glad he did.

“If not, they probably would have been discarded,” Franklin said.

Editor’s note: visit www.ftmeade.army.mil/soundoff/lostWWIIletters to watch local television stations’ coverage of the story.


News

Sgts. 1st Class Ron Seymore and Mary Mittlesteadt join Mark Furst, president and CEO of United Way of Central Maryland, to taste-test chicken nuggets cooked by students from Baltimore’s Dunbar High School on May 31 at Stratford University. The two Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Company helped judge the healthy cooking competition.

Story and photo by Brandon BieltzStaff Writer

Sgts. 1st Class Mary Mittlesteadt and Ron Seymore stood over a plethora of chicken nuggets as 16 high-schoolers close-ly watched their expressions.

Mittlesteadt and Seymore, both from Headquarters and Headquarters Com-pany, were two of four judges in a healthy food challenge held May 31 at Stratford University in Baltimore. Students from the city’s Dunbar High School created a healthy alternative to fast-food chicken nuggets.

The challenge was sponsored by Strat-ford University and the Urbanite Project, a project that “calls for creative, innovative, non-traditional ideas that address one or more of the barriers to affordable, healthy food for Baltimore City residents living in neighborhood food deserts,” according to its website.

Chef Todd Mohr of Stratford led the competition and instructed the students on the importance and benefits of eating healthy food, over fast-food. Healthy cook-ing is a daily emphasis at Stratford, said Keith Jones, a marketing specialist with the university.

“Each day in our culinary labs and classes, we strive to teach our students

healthy cooking habits and techniques that will help make a difference in our commu-nities,” he said.

Mittlesteadt and Seymore attended the demonstration and healthy cooking chal-lenge to support a healthy lifestyle like the one encouraged in the military.

“We’re taught in the military to eat the right food groups — use the pyramid — and it’s a lifestyle that we choose to stay healthy,” Mittlesteadt said.

Seymore noted that people seem to be trained to eat fast-food because it is conve-nient and doesn’t require them to actually cook the food themselves. It’s important, he said, to encourage people to eat healthy at a young age.

“This was a great opportunity to see how quickly you actually can prepare something that’s healthy, compared to sitting and waiting at a drive-through,” Mittlesteadt said.

During the demonstration, Mohr taught the students to create chicken nuggets using natural chicken breasts, flour, eggs and panko bread crumbs. Students then formed three teams and tried to copy the recipe.

“It was very easy and simple; it wasn’t time consuming for them,” Seymore said of the recipe.

Although it was a basic recipe, Mohr

Food for thoughtSoldiers help judge healthy cooking contest in Baltimore

encouraged participants to be more cre-ative in the future, suggesting they use crushed fruit loops or rice crisps instead of bread crumbs.

“I like how he expanded on being able to add your own flair,” Mittlesteadt said. “It definitely gave them the foundation.”

After each team baked their chicken nuggets, judges sampled each group’s and picked the best. Mittlesteadt and Seymore said they all tasted the same, and selected the winners based on uniformity.

“As a healthy eater, I eat things like this all the time,” Mittlesteadt said. “This is how I cook on a daily basis. It was definitely up my alley.”

In addition to supporting a healthy lifestyle, both Soldiers said they enjoyed the opportunity to interact and spend time with students in their area.

“It’s not often we get away from desks and what we do on a day-to-day basis to hang out with our local students,” Mit-tlesteadt said.

MRSA may be transmitted in workplaceBy Karla Simon, Industrial HygienistU.S. Army Public Health Command

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus is a potentially dangerous type of staph bacteria that is resistant to certain antibiotics.

It typically causes skin infection but can also affect the bloodstream, lungs, heart, bones and joints.

MRSA is transmitted most frequently by direct skin-to-skin contact or contact with shared items or surfaces that have come into contact with someone else’s infection such as towels, used bandages

and equipment.Some workplace settings have risk fac-

tors that make it easier to transmit MRSA. These factors, referred to as the 5 Cs, are:

• Crowding• Frequent skin-to-skin contact• Compromised skin (i.e., cuts or abra-

sions)• Contaminated items and surfaces• Lack of cleanlinessTo prevent MRSA infections:• Practice good hygiene.Wash your hands thoroughly with soap

and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Shower immediately after work-ing out on gym equipment.

• Cover your wound.Keep cuts and scrapes clean and covered

with a bandage until healed.• Do not touch.Avoid contact with other people’s

wounds or bandages.

• Do not share personal items.Avoid sharing personal items that touch

bare skin such as towels, razors, uniforms and personal protective equipment.

If you think you have a MRSA infec-tion, see your health care provider and follow the provider’s advice about return-ing to work.

Unless directed by a health care pro-vider, employees with MRSA infections should not routinely be excluded from going to work.

Exclusion from work should be reserved for those with wound drainage (pus) that cannot be covered and contained with a clean, dry bandage and for those who can-not maintain good hygiene practices.

Employees with active infections should be excluded from activities where skin-to-skin contact with the affected skin area is likely to occur until their infections are healed.

If you suspect that your uniform, cloth-ing, personal protective equipment or workstation has become contaminated with MRSA, wash uniforms, clothing, sheets and towels that become soiled in a washing machine set to the hottest water setting (with added bleach, if possible).

Dry the washed items in a hot dryer, rather than air-drying.

Cleaning contaminated equipment and surfaces with detergent-based cleaners or Environmental Protection Agency-regis-tered disinfectants is effective at removing MRSA from the environment.

The EPA provides a list of EPA-regis-tered products effective against MRSA.

For more information, call 1-800-CDC-INFO or visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/mrsa/ or the Environmen-tal Protection Agency at http://epa.gov/oppad001/chemregindex.htm.

http://www.ftmeade.army.mil10 SOUNDOFF! June 7, 2012

News


Last month, a Meuse Forest resident posted a complaint on the Fort Meade Facebook page about a man distributing flyers from a local pizza delivery com-pany who also attempted to find unlocked homes and vehicles.

According to Army Regulation 210-7, solicitation on an Army installation without an appointment in areas used for housing or processing transient personnel, or soliciting in the barracks areas used as quarters is strictly forbidden.

Only two businesses are contracted by the Exchange to solicit business on the installation: Sweetest Surrender, an ice cream vendor permitted in the housing areas, and Tony’s Diner, which serves lunch to workers at construction sites on post.

Sgt. 1st Class Roy Parker, the noncom-

missioned officer in charge of the Mili-tary Police Investigations Division at DES, said he has contacted two pizza delivery companies near the installation to inform them of the regulation. He also told them that if they persist, the companies may be considered for placement on Fort Meade’s off-limits establishment listing.

“If they continue to practice what is a criminal exercise, their businesses will suf-fer,” Parker said, noting that the man who was soliciting in Meuse Forest on May 12 was escorted off the installation.

Parker said he has learned that the pizza companies are hiring people to distribute flyers in the housing areas. The companies do not know the people they are hiring, Parker said, and only know many of them on a first-name basis.

The hires gain access to the post by trav-eling with pizza personnel who legitimately

come to Fort Meade to deliver pizza. The hires are dropped off in the housing areas to distribute pizza flyers and apparently, go from door to door.

There is concern that they then try to enter homes or unlocked vehicles, Parker said.

Capitol Meats Company, which sells discounted meat in bulk, has tried to take advantage of its ability to deliver goods by illegally soliciting business on post, Parker said.

All other businesses are prohibited from solicitation, Parker said.

A company that unlawfully solicits on post can be barred from the installation by Fort Meade’s Armed Forces Disciplinary Control Review Board, which examines solicitation complaints. The board’s recom-mendations are given to Garrison Com-mander Col. Edward C. Rothstein, who

has the authority to put a company on the off-limits establishment list.

A business is invited to attend a board meeting conducted by the AFDCB to address the concerns of the board. If the board is not satisfied with the business leader’s plan to change the behavior or unsafe practice, the board can recommend to have the business placed on the off-limits establishment listing.

If solicitors have been escorted off post and return to the post at another time, they are considered to be criminally trespassing and are issued a citation to appear in fed-eral magistrate court.

Parker said residents and employees should keep their homes and vehicles locked, and that if they see anyone solic-iting a business or service on post, they should call the Fort Meade Police at 301-677-6622.

On-post solicitation is prohibited without approval

Story and photo by Mike MilordArmy Cyber Command Public Affairs

Hammers, saws and jackhammers were the tools for 33 Airmen from the Air Force’s 707th Communications Squadron, 70th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing.

The uniforms were T-shirts, jeans and hardhats.

From April 19 to 20, the group reno-vated homes in Baltimore’s Pen Lucy community for Habitat for Humanity.

The project was a volunteer effort to reach out to the community, said Senior Airman Bryan Poole, cyber transport apprentice for the 707th CS, who orga-nized the workforce.

“I started doing this in November,” he said. “We started a group and have done this a few times already. When this project came up, we received approval to provide support.”

The revamped homes in the 600 block of Dumbarton Avenue had been aban-doned, said Matt Metzger, HFH director of resource coordination.

When the renovations are complete, these homes will have three bedrooms and one and one-half bathrooms.

“Habitat acquired the homes,” Metzger said. “Then we gathered a volunteer workforce to renovate them. Then they

are sold to people who are willing to work in the renovation.”

Prospective buyers are required to have worked a minimum 100 hours of their own labor into building their Habi-tat house and the houses of others before they are eligible, Metzer said. They must also make a down payment and monthly mortgage payments.

Poole said he previously volunteered for Habitat when attending technical school in Mississippi.

“I volunteered three or four times,” he said.

1st. Lt. Justin Klawitter, operations flight commander for the 707th CS, is one of the more experienced volunteers as well.

“I’ve done this before,” said Klawitter, who has been assigned to Fort Meade since November. “We decided this would be our monthly morale event.

“When we got here Thursday, the houses looked pretty empty; they had already been gutted “ he said. “Right now, we’re framing the inside for each room.”

A resident of Virginia Beach, Va., Klawitter also volunteers weekly at Sar-ah’s House, a transitional housing pro-gram for families in need.

During the project, first-time volun-

teer Staff Sgt. Melissa Lange wielded a jackhammer to break up a concrete sidewalk in back of a house.

A civil engineering operator for the 707th CS, Lange became involved with

Habitat when her fellow squadron mem-bers were seeking volunteers.

“I wanted to give back to the com-munity,” she said. “This is a way to help out where I can.”

707th Airmen revamp abandoned houses

Airman Staff Sgt. Kyle Garner cuts lumber for framing the walls at a Habitat for Humanity house in Baltimore. Garner was among the 33 Airmen from the 707th Communications Squadron, 70th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing who volunteered to renovate homes from April 19 to 20.

http://www.ftmeade.army.mil June 7, 2012 SOUNDOFF! 11

News

Photos courtesy of uso-Metro

USO HOSTS BBQUSO-Metro hosted more than 375 active-duty service members at its third annual Service Member Appreciation Barbecue on Friday at the Freedom Center barracks. Although held June 1, the event was part of USO-Metro’s May Military Appreciation Month activities, said Pam Horton, USO Balti-more/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport Services and Fort Meade operations manager. “It is an [opportunity] to recognize and say thank you to active-duty service members,” she said. USO-Metro also shared information about its new location, which will open later this sum-mer at the corner of Mapes and 6th Armored Calvary roads.

ABOVE: Service members compete in a Cha Cha Slide line-dance contest at the USO-Metro’s third annual Service Member Appreciation Barbecue on Friday.

TOP RIGHT: Some of the more than 375 service members who participated in USO-Metro’s barbecue dine on a lunch of hamburgers, hot dogs and chips in the courtyard at the Freedom Center barracks.

RIGHT: Active-duty service members burn a few calories during a push-up contest at the USO-Metro’s Service Member Appreciation Barbecue for a chance to win an Apple iPod.

By Kim DawleyAir Force Materiel Command Public Affairs

Gen. Janet Wolfenbarger became the first female four-star general in the Air Force and assumed the top position of Air Force Mate-riel Command during ceremonies Tuesday.

Wolfenbarger took the reins of the major command responsible for the technology, acquisition, test and sustainment of the ser-vice’s current and future weapon systems from Gen. Donald Hoffman during a change of command ceremony held at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.

Prior to the change of command, Wolfen-barger received her fourth star during a pro-motion ceremony.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz presided over the ceremony, lauding AFMC’s excellence in keeping Air Force weap-on systems ready, available and effective, and expressing his confidence that the command is in capable hands with Wolfenbarger.

“We honor Janet Wolfenbarger, an extraor-dinary public servant and a model Air Force officer,” Schwartz said. “Based on her record, Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley and I are entirely confident that she is up to the task of commanding this great organization.”

Wolfenbarger thanked Schwartz and Don-ley for their faith in her ability to lead AFMC and said she was looking forward to once again being part of the AFMC team.

“This opportunity only really exists because the Air Force has embraced a cul-ture of diversity,” she said. “This culture has been cultivated over many years, driven by leadership at every level who acknowledge and appreciate the value of contributions from every Airman.

“I promise I will serve in my role as AFMC commander with my absolute best effort. What’s more, I have total confidence in the men and women of this command. We will always rise to the occasion and accomplish

our difficult mission with determination and enthusiasm.”

Schwartz also highlighted Hoffman’s dedication to both AFMC’s mission and its workforce.

“Don, thank you for presiding over an impressive effort here at AFMC,” Schwartz said. “During your tenure, AFMC continued its longstanding excellence in research and development, test and evaluation, acquisition management and logistics support.

“During some of the most challenging and turbulent times for our Air Force, General Hoffman has inspired mission success. Don and Jacki, thank you for your combined ser-vice to our Air Force, and for your very impor-tant contributions to our nation’s security.”

Hoffman said he would most miss the qual-ity of the people one finds in the Air Force, and the unquestioned level of trust that Air-men exude.

“When you meet someone in the Air Force,

you know they’ve taken an oath to defend the Constitution and a pledge to live by core values of integrity, service and excellence,” he said. “Thanks to all of our Airmen. It has been my good fortune to be part of the best air force in the world. It was the best when I joined it. It’s smaller now, its missions have changed, but it’s still the best. And I have total confidence that those who follow me will keep it the best in the world.”

Hoffman, who had served as the com-mander of AFMC since November 2008, is retiring after 42 years of service.

After serving as the military deputy of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition at the Pentagon for the past eight months, Wolfenbarger becomes the eighth AFMC commander since AFMC stood up on July 1, 1992. She will now lead a workforce of approximately 81,000 people and manage an annual budget of about $60 billion.

Air Force’s first woman four-star takes command of AFMC


NewsCover story

By Philip H. JonesChief of Command Information

Severe weather and tornado warnings Friday set off a series of notification alerts to the post community by the Fort Meade Directorate of Emergency Services and Public Affairs Office.

The storms, which caused minor dam-age on Fort Meade, were the first severe weather storms of the summer and part of a larger weather system that resulted in 10 confirmed tornadoes that touched down in Maryland, according to the National Weather Service.

“On Tuesday, a NWS meteorologist said his initial assessment of damage at Fort Meade indicated two very weak tornadoes touched down on the installation,” said Lt. Col. J. Darrell Sides, Fort Meade provost marshal and director of DES. “The NWS said it would review its information before making a final determination.”

At approximately 5:29 p.m. Friday, the NWS issued a tornado warning for western Anne Arundel County, which includes Fort Meade, said Sides.

“We received a report that two of our police patrols spotted what appeared to be swirling winds similar to a tornado or water spout near the Post Exchange areas on Reece Road,” Sides said. “The gate guards at Reece Road also witnessed a circu-lar-spinning cloud approaching them with debris being thrown at ground level.”

There were no reports of injuries Friday as Fort Meade remained under the tornado

WEATHERING THE STORMTornado warnings set off DES/PAO notifications

High winds from Friday’s storms flipped over a variable message board trailer located near the Reece Road gate. The storms caused minor damage throughout the post.

watch as well as a flash flood watch until 2 a.m. Saturday, Sides said.

As a result of the NWS warning, Sides approved the airing of a tornado warning message on the installation’s public address system, also known as the “Big Voice.” (To hear the warning message, visit http://ow.ly/bnooH.)

However, the deafening sound of the rain during the height of the storm made it difficult to understand the tornado warn-ing announcement, Sides said, leading him to order a second airing of the safety alert.

The first storm cleared the area at approximately 6:30 p.m., Sides said. But less than 30 minutes later, the NWS issued a second tornado alert for the greater Fort Meade area. Sides ordered another airing of the tornado warning alert.

One of the challenges of using the instal-

lation’s public address system for emergency announcements is that people do not always understand the purpose of the system, Sides said.

“People have reported that they really can’t understand the ‘Big Voice’ if they’re in their homes or in a building,” he said. “That’s because the ‘Big Voice’ is designed as an alert system for people who are outside. If you are inside, please start actively monitoring the weather reports on TV, radio and on the Internet. Listen for updates and information about what’s going on around you.”

Sides emphasized that it’s important for people to realize that they should also monitor multiple media sources for severe weather information.

Another integral part of the post’s emer-gency notification system is the Fort Meade

Storms that were part of a larger weather system that resulted in 10 confirmed tornadoes knocked down power lines on Route 175. Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. and the Directorate of Public Works responded to the outages in Normandy Bluffs housing neighborhood.


News

photos by Lt. CoL. J. DarreLL siDes

A large tree fell onto Reece Road during Friday’s storms. Fort Meade was issued a tornado warning three times on Friday and remained under a tornado warning until 2 a.m. Saturday.

LEFT: Dark clouds cover the sky above the Capt. John E. Smathers U.S. Army Reserve Center on Route 175 on Friday. Gate guards at Reece Road reported witnessing circular-spinning clouds during the storm.

TORNADO WATCH

Tornadoes, the most violent natural hazard, are rotating, funnel-shaped clouds formed from thunderstorms. Strong winds are the most destructive aspect, with gusts reaching as high as 300 mph. The damage path can be a mile wide. Tornado season is generally March through August, but tornadoes can occur any time of the year. Tornadoes most often occur at the tail end of a thunderstorm. Eighty percent of tornadoes occur between noon and midnight.

How to prepare for a tornado:Stay informed and know tornado terminology:• Tornado watch - Weather conditions are favorable for the development of a tornado. Stay tuned to the radio or TV for more information and further instructions.• Tornado warning - A tornado has been spotted. Take shelter immediately.• Identify a place in your home to take shelter in case of a tornado. A storm shelter or basement provides the best protection. Otherwise, choose an interior room or hallway on the lowest floor possible.• Have frequent tornado drills.• If planning a trip outdoors, listen to the latest forecasts and take necessary action if threatening weather is possible.• Get an emergency supply kit and make a family emergency plan.

What to do if there is a tornado:• Take shelter immediately in the designated room.• If you are outside, find shelter immediately. If shelter is unavailable, lie flat in a ditch or low-lying area.• If you are in a car, stop immediately and find shelter. Do not try to drive through a tornado.• Stay tuned to radio or TV for information and instructions as they become available.• Stay in shelter until the tornado has passed.• Once you are in a safe place, report to your command if you are military or government civilian personnel.

Source: Ready Army

Public Affairs Office. The PAO issued its first update on the installation’s Facebook page and Twitter account early Friday after-noon, alerting the Fort Meade community that severe weather was forecasted.

The PAO continued posting updates as the storm intensified and instructed its social media users to take cover and move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building, and to avoid windows at the height of the storm until the tornado warning expired at 8 p.m.

“We reached more than 11,000 people on Facebook alone,” said Jason Kelly, Fort Meade’s emerging media manager. “People have come to count on us to provide cred-ible information when time and safety mat-ter. We’re constantly looking for opportuni-ties to find innovative and effective ways to serve our community.”

Text alerts from the Fort Meade PAO are one of those innovations.

Sides and Kelly suggested that members of the post community consider signing up to receive the messages, which were first used during Hurricane Irene last August.

Users have the option to receive text mes-sages, either through the enhanced mobile website or as a text message, Kelly said.

To receive text messages, users text the message “follow ftmeadealert” to 40404, without the quotation marks. Once reg-istered, users will automatically receive a text message for safety and weather alerts. The text is sent through Twitter but doesn’t require users to be registered Twitter users. Standard text messaging rates apply to any-one receiving text alerts, Kelly said.

Fort Meade patrols and 911 calls reported minor damage along Cooper Avenue and on both sides of Reece Road leading to Route 175, including a fallen tree that blocked traf-fic on Reece Road, Sides said.

The Fort Meade Fire Department responded to the damage reports and used chain saws to clear the fallen tree.

The Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. and the Fort Meade Directorate of Public Works responded to reports of downed power lines that knocked out electrical power to residents in the Normandy Bluffs residential neighborhood.

Other damage included fallen trees adja-cent to a facility used by Child and Youth Services (Bldg. 902) that destroyed a section of the fence, covered a storage shed and blocked a door in the rear of the building.

Two metal gate-access control bars at the

Demps Visitor Control Center at the Reece Road gate also were damaged, and a vari-able message board sign was knocked down. In addition, power lines and two transform-ers located near Route 175 were reported damaged by the storm, knocking out power to the Normandy Bluffs community.

Sides also urged the post community to consider safety first during severe weather.

“When you hear a tornado warning on a public address system, it not the time to run outside and take photos with your iPhone,” Sides said.

He advised people to move to a safe location inside their homes such as the bathroom or beneath a stairwell during a tornado.

“Tornadoes rarely level an entire struc-ture,” Sides said. “One of the safest areas is an interior room in the center of your home. During a tornado, you really do not have time to drive to a shelter.”

For more information on severe weather prep-aration, visit Ready Army at www.ready.army.mil; American Red Cross at www.redcross.org; the Department of Homeland Security at www.ready.gov/america/makeaplan/index.html; or the Federal Emergency Management Agency at www.fema.gov/plan/prepare/index.shtm.

photo by Sgt. 1St ClaSS brian Smith


SportS

Play ball!241st MPs rout 741st MI CobrasBy Brandon BieltzStaff Writer

When the softball season started in early May, the 241st Military Police Detachment team consisted of six players and lost its season opener 6-2.

“It was just really sloppy,” team coach Martin Hunt said. “We got wiped.”

But with a rejuvenated and full roster, the team won its third game in a row Monday night at Donahue Field with an impressive 14-3 victory over the Cobras of the 741st Military Intelligence Battal-ion. Hunt helped power his team to vic-tory with two home runs and four RBIs.

Having won its previous two games by defeating the 4-1 Coast Guard followed by a forfeit by the Jaguars, the 241st held a 2-2 record heading into Monday’s game.

With new members on the team, expe-rienced players are working to sharpen the skills of the recent additions, Hunt said. After only producing 11 runs in the first two games, the 241st found its stride in the batter’s box in the 12-11 victory against the Coast Guard.

“We’re getting better, so it’s starting to be fun,” Hunt said. “Once you’re good, people like to play and come more.”

The Cobras entered the game with a 3-2 record from an up-and-down start of the season that saw back-to-back losses to the 780th MI and 94th Intelligence Squadron by a combined 19 runs.

Cobras’ shortstop Michael Hopkins said the team’s struggles spawn from troubles in the field. Getting runners on the bases, he said, hasn’t been too dif-ficult for the Cobras.

“Defense was a big factor in the two we lost,” Hopkins said. “It seems like when we come together as a team and play defense is when we win games.”

The Cobras’ defense appeared to be on the ball early Monday, allowing only one hit in the first inning — albeit a big one. After retiring the first two batters, Hunt hit a home run to give the 241st an early 1-0 lead. But the Cobras bounced back to shut down John Reynolds for the third out.

Despite strong defensive play by the 241st’s shortstop Chris May, the Cobras scored two runs with RBIs from Hopkins and Neal West.

Down 2-1, the 241st regained the lead in the second with RBIs from Anthony Ogglesby and Anthony Bogues.

Hunt opened the third inning with a hard ground ball hit between first and second, which resulted in an in-the-park home run for a 4-2 lead. Hits by Bogues and Ogglesby resulted in additional runs to give the 241st a 6-2 lead.

After shutting down the Cobras’ three batters in the bottom of the third, the 241st continued to add to its lead in the fourth with RBIs from Mays and David Briggs.

With an 8-2 deficit, John Strauser’s single in the bottom of the fifth inning brought in the Cobras’ final run, cutting the lead to 8-3. A six-run sixth inning for the 241st led by Hunt’s two RBIs and single RBIs from Reynolds, Ogglesby, Bogues and Frank King ended any hope of a comeback for the Cobras.

Ogglesby and Bogues each had three RBIs in the 14-3 victory, while Hunt had a game-high four RBIs, including two home runs. Strauser, West and Hopkins each had an RBI for the Cobras.

Hunt said the 241st’s success came from simply getting disciplined runners on the bases.

“If you get people on base, things just happen,” he said. “They start throwing

Cobra Mike Wahlgren pitches during Monday night’s softball game against the 241st Military Police Detachment. The Cobras’ record dropped to 3-3 following a 14-3 loss.

photos by noah scialom

Martin Hunt of the 241st Military Police Detachment stands ready in the batter’s box during an intramural softball game Monday night at Donahue Field. Hunt had four RBIs, including two home runs, in the team’s 14-3 victory over the 741st Military Intelligence Battalion Cobras.

the ball around and you start scoring runs.”

Riding a three-game win streak, Hunt said his players will use the momentum from their recent success and continue to rack up wins.

“We can play,” he said. “We’ve proven to ourselves we can play.”


SportS

Jabber Nation, please raise your hand if you are sick and tired of all of this Dia-mond Jubilee nonsense.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m fine with you Edmund Burke lovers who think that lead-ership is earned by birth and not by deed. That’s why you’re not going to hear me make fun of The Queen — see, I even put her title in the upper case — because doing anything for 60 years deserves some recognition.

But this much? Really?This whatnot - constant coverage, bow-

ing, don’t speak unless spoken to, carriages, crowns and the rest of it - is annoying by any standard, and the reason why the Brit-ish monarchy ranks third on my list of the most annoying nonsport related things on this planet.

Here are my top five: 5. Political commentators - Hannity and

Maddow are equally annoying4. Taco Bell commercials3. The British monarchy2. People who fail to use their turn signal

before turning1. Smelly people. I’m not saying I’m Mr.

Clean, but you know darn well you can’t concentrate when the synapses in your olfactory are pinging double time because the person next to you is kickin’.

And since this is a sports column, osten-sibly, it’s only fair that I share my sports-related list:

5. Noise makers: Thundersticks or Vuvu-zelas.

I don’t know which one’s worse so watch, decide for yourself, and then tell me you wouldn’t rather be deaf.

Thundersticks:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpaF

6XHllmk&feature=relatedVuvuzela:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BIg

nEiT8ow&feature=topics (You are wel-come for the “Dumb and Dumber” clip.)

4. The Soldier metaphor: As a sports fan for 30 years, I get the metaphor; fields, victory, the bomb.

But as someone who served in the Army for seven years and been around it for almost 15, I realize how ridiculous it is when an athlete compares himself to a service member.

Case in point: Kellen Winslow Jr.h t t p : / / w w w . y o u t u b e . c o m /

watch?v=3X60mrYO1UU.

To be fair, it’s more ridiculous when singers like Kelly Clarkson talk about “sol-diering on” in their lyrics. But since she was an American Idol and he’s an over-rated tight end, I’ll cut her some slack.

3. Notre Dame: I’m cool with Catholics and the Irish. What I’m not down with are obnoxious fans who fail to realize a) Knute and The Gipper are gone; b) Rudy was a scrub and horrible movie; c) Their program is no longer relevant.

2. Guys like Fantasy Bruce. Anyone who plays fantasy sports knows a Fantasy Bruce. He just may go by another name like Fantasy Bo or Luke or even Fantasy Crazy Cooter.

He’s the guy who offers cruddy trades or claims he won’t make it to the draft but always shows up 15 seconds before his pick. He’s also the guy who caveats every virtual setback with an excuse like a gazillion-dollar budget he had to balance or family issues he had to solve. Worst of all, guys like Fantasy Bruce always make the playoffs.

1. Sissification of sports. I wrote about this a few weeks ago, so I will not regur-gitate the argument. Instead, I’ll post a link, http://www.ftmeadesoundoff.com/sports/9872/no-body-contact/, and drive on.

There are a few other things I could have added to my lists like “The Eagles” (band and sports team), the term “lame-stream” media, the flopping epidemic in sports, or even Lebron James.

But, I prefer to end on a happy note and send out a much-deserved congratulations to our friend Doug Wise, who is a grand-father for the second time.

Here’s hoping for a happy life, Little Eli — one filled with laughter, clean diapers, plenty of time to fish, and the where-withal to survive a family full of Steelers fans, who consequently came in at No. 6 on my list.

If you have comments on this or anything to do with sports, contact me at [email protected].

What bothers me

Chad T. Jones, Public Affairs

Officer

Jibber Jabber - OpiniOn Sports ShortsFort Meade Night at Bowie Baysox

Free tickets are available for service members, civilians, contractors and family members to see the Bowie Baysox, the Double-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, take on the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on June 15 for Fort Meade Day.

The game begins at 7:15 p.m. at Prince George’s Stadium, 4101 Crain Highway.

The 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment Color Guard will post the colors. The U.S. Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps will perform the National Anthem. A Fort Meade Soldier will perform “God Bless America.”

Another Fort Meade Soldier will throw out the first pitch.Tickets may be picked up at Leisure Travel Services, 2300 Wilson St.For more information, call LTS at 301-677-7354.

Mullins Field closureMullins Field will remain closed through June 11 to resurface the track.

Armed Forces Kids RunAmerica’s Armed Forces Kids Run will be held Saturday at 9 a.m. in the

parking lot behind 2234 Huber Road.The run, billed as the “world’s largest children’s running event,” is open

to ages 5 to 13.Cost is free; each youth participant will receive a T-shirt.Register online at americaskidsrun.org.For more information, call 301-677-1179.

Meade High School baseball campRegistration is under way for the Meade High School baseball camp

that will be held June 18 to 22 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the high school.The camp, which is open to ages 7 to 14, will cover hitting, bunting,

fielding, throwing, base running, stretching, playing at the next level and nutrition.

Cost is $150 if you register by Friday. Cost increases to $175 after Friday.

For more information, email Dave Lanham at [email protected] or call 442-336-2424.

EFMP bowlingThe Exceptional Family Member Program bowling events are held the

third Tuesday of each month at the Lanes.The next EFMP bowling events will be June 19 and July 17 from 5:30 to

7 p.m.Registration for the first event is required by June 15.The events are open to Fort Meade exceptional family members and their

family members and features free buffet food and giveaways.Exceptional family members ages 18 and younger and their siblings may

register for free games and shoe rental at https://webtrac.mwr.army.mil/webt-rac/meadecyms.html.

For more information, call 301-677-1156.Adult exceptional family members may register for free games and shoe

rental at the EFMP office at 301-677-4779. Discounted games and shoe rental will be offered to other adult family members.

For more information, email Anita Hendrix at [email protected] or call 301-677-4779.

For more Fort Meade sports, visit www.quickscores.com/ftmeadesports.


Community news & notes

The deadline for Soundoff! community “News and Notes” is Friday at noon. All submissions are posted at the editor’s dis-cretion and may be edited for space and grammar. Look for additional community events on the Fort Meade website at www.ftmeade.army.mil and the Fort Meade Facebook page at facebook.com/ftmeade.

For more information or to submit an announcement, email Philip Jones at [email protected] or call 301-677-5602.

Bagger licensingA limited number of licenses are available

for the Fort Meade Commissary summer bag-ger program on Monday from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 6 p.m. at the Public Affairs Office, 4409 Llewellyn Ave.

Eligible summer baggers are dependents, ages 14 to 18, of active-duty service mem-bers.

The first 35 eligible applicants will be taken. No additional applications will be accepted.

Waivers will not be granted for those who do not meet eligibility requirements.

For more information, call 301-677-1361.

VCC closureThe DEMPS Visitor Control Center will

close all day June 20 for a Commander’s Call and staff training.

The VCC will reopen June 21 for normal duty hours.

Anyone requiring access to the installation should follow the perimeter road behind the VCC to the inspection station.

All drivers must have a driver’s license and vehicle registration.


AER relocationArmy Emergency Services will tempo-

rarily relocate to 2462 85th Medical Bat-talion from Army Community Service, 830 Chisholm Ave.

For more information, call Wallace Turner, AER officer, at 301-677-5768.

780th change of commandCol. Jonathan E. Sweet will relinquish

command of the 780th Military Intelligence Brigade to Col. Jennifer G. Buckner in a ceremony on June 15 at 9 a.m. on McGlachlin Parade Field.

In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held at McGill Training Center.

NEWS & EVENTS

Army Birthday CelebrationsArmy Birthday/Flag Day breakfast

The Francis Scott Key Chapter of the Association of the U.S. Army will sponsor the Army Birthday/Flag Day breakfast June 14 at 7:30 a.m. at Club Meade.

The guest speaker is Scott Sheads, a historian and ranger at Fort McHenry. Sheads is the author of several books on the defense of Baltimore and Fort McHenry, birthplace of the National Anthem.

Tickets cost $10 and are available at the Fort Meade Community Credit Union or through your unit.

For more information, call retired Sgt. Maj. Jim Gilbert at 301-677-4864.

Cake-cutting, Army displays at Columbia mall

Garrison Commander Col. Edward C. Rothstein and Howard County Executive Ken Ulman will participate in a cake-cutting ceremony to celebrate the Army’s Birthday on June 14 at 10 a.m. at The Mall in Columbia in front of the Lord & Taylor department store.

After the ceremony, an hourlong family fun event will be held at the mall. Displays by Army units from the area also will be set up from June 14 to 16.

Bowie Baysox celebrates Army birthday

The Bowie Baysox will help celebrate the Army’s 237th Birthday with Fort Meade by hosting the installation for its game on June 15 at 7:35 p.m., when the team takes on the New Hampshire Fisher Cats at Prince George’s Stadium, 4101 Crain Highway, Bowie.

Free tickets are available at Leisure Travel Service, 2300 Wilson St.An Army color guard from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) will post the colors. The National Anthem

will be performed by the U.S. Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps.“God Bless America” will be performed by Sgt. 1st Class Erika Lehmkuhl of First Army Division East.Pfc. Wesley Pattillo of the 704th Military Intelligence Brigade will throw out the first pitch.A group of local, future Soldiers will be sworn into the Army, rounding out the day’s Army birthday celebration.For more information, call LTS at 301-677-7354.

CDC III celebrationGarrison Commander Col. Edward C. Rothstein will participate in an Army birthday cake-cutting and sing songs with

children at Child Development Center III on June 14 at 3 p.m.For more information, call Tracy Love at 301-677-1530.

CYSS celebration barbecueThe Youth Center and Teen Center each will host a barbecue in honor of the Army’s birthday on June 14 at 4:30 p.m.The barbecue is open to youths in grades six to 12 who are registered with Child, Youth and School Services.The event will feature hamburgers, hot dogs, cake and games.One guest is permitted per CYSS youth. Guest fee is $2.For more information, call 301-677-1149.

file photo

Brody Burke joins a group of pre-school children to blow out candles on a cake celebrating the Army’s 234th birthday in 2009.


Community news & notes

34th IS change of command

Lt. Col. Lisa Y. Stevenson of the 34th Intelligence Squadron will relinquish command to Lt. Col. Joseph M. Appel in a change of command ceremony on June 21 at 9:34 a.m. at National Vigilance Park at the National Security Agency.

For more information, email Capt. Monica Sowell at [email protected] or Master Sgt. Darcy Bailey-Smith at [email protected].

Email migrationOrganizational and generic email

accounts as well as distribution lists with a CONUS address will stop working within the next 60 days due to the migration to Enterprise Email.

Individuals who need one of these accounts or lists should contact their organization’s information assurance management officer to submit a trouble ticket to the Fort Meade Network Enterprise Center.

Talent show auditionsAuditions will be conducted today

and Aug. 8 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and Aug. 13 and 15 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. at McGill Training Center for the annual “Fort Meade’s Got Talent” show.

Contestants must participate in auditions to be selected for the finals.

The variety show will be held Sept. 8 at 7 p.m.

To register, call 301-677-7552.

Jazz nightRelax after work to the soothing sounds

of “live” jazz tonight from 5:45 to 10 p.m. in the Brass Station Lounge at Club Meade.

Cost is $5. Patrons can enjoy a special drink menu.


Chicago Style Steppin’Dance at Chicago Style Steppin’ on

Friday from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. at Club Meade.

Beginners can receive free lessons from 7 to 8 p.m. Food will be available for purchase.


Latin NightEnjoy a night of Latin dancing in a

nightclub ambiance at Latin Night on June 15 from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Club Meade.

No cover charge. A cash bar will be available.


Chamber Music ConcertThe U.S. Army Field Band will

present a Chamber Music Concert featuring mixed performers on June 17 at 3 p.m. at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 929 Ingleside Ave., Catonsville.

The free event is open to the public. No tickets required.

The series features a wide spectrum of chamber music literature, ranging from classical works to folk tunes performed both instrumentally and vocally.

For more information, call 301-677-6586 or visit www.ArmyFieldBand.com.

Rock star for a dayArmy Entertainment is sending one

talented Soldier to the Army Concert Tour on June 23 at Fort Knox, Ky., to be the opening act.

The winning Soldier will open with a 15-minute set for REO Speed Wagon, Styx and Blue Oyster Cult.

To enter, the Soldier must upload a video audition between 1:30 to 4:30 min-utes long. Instructions for uploading the videos are located on the promotion web-page: armymwr.com/rockstar.

EFMP eventsThe Exceptional Family Member Pro-

gram is offering several programs:• “School Discipline for Students with

Special Needs”: Wednesday, 6 to 8 p.m., Army Community Service, 830 Chisholm Ave.

Guest speakers are Maureen van Stone of Project HEAL and attorney Mark Martin. Registration is required.

For more information, email [email protected] or call 301-677-4473.

• EFMP informational display at the Fort Meade Regional Growth Manage-ment Committee’s celebration of the 237th Army Birthday: June 14, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., The Mall in Columbia. A cake-cutting ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. in front of Lord & Taylor.

Evening vet clinicThe Fort Meade Veterinary Treatment

Facility at 2018 Annapolis Road is offering an evening vet clinic June 20 from 4 to 7 p.m.

The clinic will provide health exams, vaccinations and sick appointments.

Services are available to active-duty service members, retirees and their

CONTINUED ON PAGE 19

photo by jen rynda

CHECKED OUTGinger Spruill of Piney Orchard has her blood pressure checked by Jean Spinks, a licensed practical nurse in the Red Clinic at Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center, during the medical facility’s annual Women’s Health Fair on Saturday. The event included mammograms, cholesterol checks and oral cancer screenings for women enrolled in TRICARE at Kimbrough.

families with military I.D.To schedule an appointment or for

more information, call 301-677-1300.

Food vendors wantedThe Directorate of Family and

Morale, Welfare and Recreation Special Events is seeking food/beverage and novelty vendors for Fort Meade’s Independence Day celebration.

For more information, email [email protected].

Tax Center openThe Fort Meade Tax Center at

4217 Roberts Ave. is open to take appointments until June 30.

If you filed an extension, have a tax question or received a tax notice and need assistance, call 301-677-9765 to schedule an appointment.

Fleet Center classesThe Fleet and Family Support Center

at 830 Chisholm Ave. offers free classes

to DoD I.D. cardholders. Advance registration is required.

• Developing Your Savings Plan: Today, 1 to 3 p.m.

To register or for more information, call 301-677-9017 or 301-677-9018.

ADSO/CDSR CourseThe next two-day Additional Duty

Safety Officer and Collateral Duty Safety Representative Course is scheduled for June 20 to 21 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at DPTMS Training Center in classroom 1.

Newly appointed primary and alternate ADSO/CDSRs are required to attend. It is recommended that all CDSRs who have not attended this training within the past five years also attend.

Nominations for training may be made by bringing a completed Form SF 182 to the Installation Safety Office, 4216 Roberts Ave., or faxing the form to 301-677-6147.

For more information, call Tony Simms at ISO at 301-677-4227 or email [email protected].

EDUCATION


Community news & notes movies

Auto care coursesThe Automotive Skills Center at 6530

Taylor Ave. is offering “Understanding A/C & Heating Systems” on June 17 from 1 to 3 p.m.

Cost is $10.An FMWR card is required to use the

Auto Skills Center. New patrons must first view a 20-minute safety video, then attend a 10-minute briefing before receiv-ing the FMWR card.


Newcomer’s seminarThe Military Spouse Newcomer’s

Seminar is held Wednesdays from 12:30 to 4 p.m. at the Community Readiness Center, 830 Chisholm Ave.

Spouses from all military branches are invited. Information is presented on different installation agencies. Door prizes are also awarded.

For more information and reservations, call the Army Community Service Relocation Office at 301-677-5590.

StorytimeThe Medal of Honor Memorial Library

offers pre-kindergarten Storytime on Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

• Today: “Get a Moo-ve on to the Library” with this cow-themed Storytime to Celebrate National Dairy Month

• June 14: “Hooray for Father’s Day” — stories, songs and finger plays about fathers

• June 21: “Reading Is So Delicious” — getting ready for the library’s summer reading program with a Storytime about food


Summer reading programChildren of all ages are invited to the

Medal of Honor Memorial Library to register for this year’s “Reading Is So Delicious” summer reading program that starts Tuesday and ends Aug. 25.

Participants will receive a reading log and a goodie bag. After seven days, they can bring their reading log to the

library for additional prizes.Prizes will be on display at the

library.For more information, call 301-677-

5522.

School’s out block partyChild, Youth and School Services will

celebrate a “school’s out block party” for registered middle school students on Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Youth Center.

The event will feature music and games including a water balloon barrage, weather permitting. Snacks will be available for purchase.

Registered youths may sign in one guest, who will be required to pay a $2 guest fee.


Preschool Dinosaur CampA preschool dinosaur camp for ages

3 to 6 will be held June 18 to 22 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Teen Center.

Youngsters will be actively engaged in hands-on paleontology experiences as they study the dinosaurs of the Mesozoic Era. All students will conduct an archeological dig and build their own dinosaur to be displayed in the FasTracKids Dinosaur Museum.

Cost is $175 for the week.To register or for more information,

call 301-677-1149.

Out & About• Harborplace Summer Live!

free summer concert series will be presented through Sept. 29 on Friday and Saturday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Harborplace Ampitheater, 200 E. Pratt St., Baltimore. Friday: Junk Yard Saints (zydeco); Saturday: 8 Ohms Band (funk); June 15: U.S. Navy Cruisers Rock Ensemble; June 16: Maryland Defense Force Band (military/brass); June 22: Tom Principato (blues/roots); June 23: Groove Stu (R&B/neo-soul); June 29: The Crawdaddies (zydeco/roots rock). In inclement weather or for more information, visit www.harborplace.com.

• Leisure Travel Services is offering a bus trip to New York City on June 16, with discounts to attractions. Bus cost is $55. For more information, call 301-677-7354 or visit ftmeademwr.com.

• Friday Night Live! Free Concert

Series will be presented through July 27 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Power Plant Live, 34 Market Place, Baltimore. Schedule features Lost in Paris on Friday, Reel Big Fish on June 15, Mr. Greengenes on June 22 and Split Decision on June 29. For more information, visit powerplantlive.com/index.cfm?page=calendar.

• Monthly Prayer Breakfast, hosted by the garrison, is held the first Thursday of every month at 7 a.m. at its new location, Club Meade, 6600 Mapes Road. The next break-fast is today. Post employees, family mem-bers, and civilian and military personnel are invited. No cost; donations are optional. For more information, call 301-677-6703 or email [email protected].

• Meade Rod and Gun Club meets the first Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. at Perry’s Restaurant and Odie’s Pub at 1210 Annapolis Road, Odenton. The next meet-ing is tonight in the banquet hall in back of the building. Dinner is served at 6 p.m. For more information, call 410-674-4000.

• Fort Meade E9 Association meets the second Friday of every month at 7 a.m. in the Pin Deck Cafe at the Lanes. The next meeting is Friday. The association is open to active, retired, Reserve and National Guard E9s of any uniformed service. All E9s in this area are invited to attend a breakfast and meet the membership. For more information, visit e9association.org or call 410-551-7953.

• Enlisted Spouses Club meets the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the clubhouse in Bldg. T-4, across from the Pet Care Center. The next meeting is Monday. For more information, visit ftmeadeesc.org.

• Single Parent Support Group meets the second and fourth Monday of the month from 6 to 8 p.m. at School Age Services, 1900 Reece Road. The next meeting is Monday. Free child care will be provided on site.

For more information, call Rikki Ford, Parent Support coordinator, at 301-677-3617 or email [email protected].

• NARFE Chapter 1519 will meet Tuesday at noon at Holy Trinity Parish Hall, 7436 Baltimore-Annapolis Blvd., Glen Burnie. The speaker will be Ron Bowers, NARFE Region II vice president who will install the chapter’s officers.

This is the organization’s year-ending luncheon. All current and retired federal employees and their spouses are invited to attend.

For more information or to join, call Diane Shreves, publicity chairman, at 410-760-3750.

The movie schedule is subject to change. For a recorded announcement of showings, call 301-677-5324. Further listings are available on the Army and Air Force Exchange Service website at www.aafes.com.

Movies start Wednesdays to Saturdays at 6:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $4.50 for adults (12 and older) and $2.25 for children.

Today through July 1

Today & Sunday: “The Five-Year Engagement” (R). An engaged couple keeps getting tripped up on the long walk down the aisle.

Friday: “The Cabin in the Woods” (R). Bad things happen when five friends go to a remote cabin in the woods.

Saturday & June 17: “The Pirates! Band of Mis-fits” (PG). An enthusiastic pirate captain (Hugh Grant) sails the high seas and dreams of besting his bitter rivals, Black Bellamy (Jeremy Piven) and Cutlass Liz (Salma Hayek).

Wednesday & June 15: “The Raven” (R). Author Edgar Allan Poe and a detective hunt a serial killer who is using Poe’s work as a basis for murder. With John Cusack, Luke Evans and Alice Eve.

June 14: “Safe” (R). A cage fighter tries to protect a young math prodigy who has been targeted by gangsters. With Jason Statham, Catherine Chan and Chris Sarandon.

June 16, 21-22 : “Dark Shadows” (PG-13). In this takeoff from the 1970s daytime drama, vampire Barnabas Collins emerges from a long slumber to 1972 Maine. With Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer and Helena Bonham Carter.

June 20, 24: “Think Like A Man” (PG-13). Four friends conspire to turn the tables on their women when they discover the ladies have been using comedian Steve Harvey’s relationship advice against them.

June 23, 27, 30 & July 1: “Marvel’s The Avengers” (PG-13). Creatures from another world, and a fairly significant set of egos, must be tamed when superheroes Captain America, The Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, Black Widow and Hawkeye team up to save the world from disaster.

YOUTH

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

RECREATION

MEETINGS

EDUCATION

fort meade soundoff for june 7, 2012

News & Politics