soundoff october 16, 2014

repair workMeade receives over $57M in year-end funding

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UpCoMiNG eVeNTSTUeSday, 11:30 a.M.-1 p.M.: Red Ribbon Week kickoff - McGill Training CenteroCT. 25, 8 a.M.: Ghosts, Ghouls & Goblins 5K Run/1-Mile Walk - The PavilionoCT. 25, 9:30 a.M.: Halloween Pet Costume Contest - The PavilionNoV. 1, 10:30 a.M.: Veterans Appreciation Day Luncheon - Club MeadeNoV. 4, 3 p.M.: Army Vs. Navy Flag Football game - Mullins Field

New leaderGarrison chaplain leads religious communities amid challenges

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Soundoff!́vol. 66 no. 41 Published in the interest of the Fort Meade community october 16, 2014

Photo by Navy Mass CoMMuNiCatioN sPC. 2Nd Class ZaCh allaN

Fort Meade Fire Capt. Shaun Bagley explains fire safety to leon Raolosky, 4, and other preschoolers during Storytime held oct. 9 at Kuhn Hall. Children at the Fort Meade library annex got a lesson in fire safety during Fire Prevention Week, which began oct. 5 and ended Friday. The Storytime theme was “Working Smoke Alarms Saves lives.” For more, see 0.

Burning questions

http://www.ftmeade.army.mil� SOUNDOFF! October 16, 2014

Commander’s Column

Cont ent sNews............................. 3 Sports..................................14

CrimeWatch................. 8 Movies.................................13

Community................. 12 Classified.............................16

Editorial StaffGarrison Commander Col. Brian P. foleyGarrison Command Sgt. Maj. rodwell l. forbesPublic affairs officerChad t. Jones [email protected], Command informationPhilip H. Jones [email protected] dijon [email protected] Editor & Senior Writer rona S. Hirsch Staff Writer lisa r. rhodesStaff Writer Shari rosendesign Coordinator timothy davis Supplemental photography provided by the Baltimore Sun Media Group

advErtiSinGGeneral inquiries 410-332-6300or email [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 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: 301-677-5602; DSN: 622-5602.

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 The Baltimore Sun Co., LLC, 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:

11,285Hello again, Team Meade!Fall is here, Halloween is right around

the corner and the Orioles are playing in the American League Championship Series. It’s truly a great time of year.

Before I go on, I would like to take the opportunity to thank the Baltimore Orioles for their outstanding support of Fort Meade and the United States military. The team hosts numerous military appreciation events throughout the year and provides 500 free tickets to Fort Meade service members and civilians for every Sunday home game.

They have already invited 150 service mem-bers to unfurl the American flag at Game 1 of the World Series, which will be held in Camden Yards when the team overcomes a 3-0 deficit to beat the Kansas City Royals. Go O’s!

The past three weeks saw great success in our effort to resource the installation. Thanks to our hardworking staff and partners, Fort Meade stood ready at the end of fiscal year ’14 to take advantage of money other installations were not able to spend.

We had contracts ready to go and we con-tinued accepting funding made available to us from Installation Management Command right down to the wire. As of Sept. 30, we had obligated funding for $57.4 million towards badly needed projects and renovations across Fort Meade. This amount is almost three times that of our annual requirement, and took a big chunk out of the backlog in sustainment, reno-vation and maintenance work that has been building steadily over the past few years.

I attribute our year-end success to two primary efforts. First is the success we have enjoyed in the past six months in raising awareness of Fort Meade to the Installa-tion Management Command and Army staff. IMCOM and the Army are now aware of the massive cyber-related growth on Fort Meade and as a result, our large renovation projects were raised high on the end-of-year prioritiza-tion list.

The second and most important component of our success was the hard work and dedica-tion of our staff and partners. This effort was a massive team-undertaking in every way. The Directorate of Public Works, along with the Resource Management Office, teamed with our hardworking Mission and Installation Contracting Command Office, Army Corps of Engineers and IMCOM staff to achieve success.

I thank each and every person who played a role on behalf of the Team Meade community. We will all benefit from their hard work.

In addition to the ongoing construction across the installation, we will also start see-ing sorely needed renovation and maintenance

work to begin on roads and parking lots in the next few months.

H i g h l i g h t s of the projects that received year-end fund-ing include:

• The reno-vation of Hale Hall: The his-torical building that was damaged in a fire in 2006 will finally get a new roof. Work will begin to create a 60,000-square-foot office space.

• Renovation of Bldg. 4552: U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command’s No. 1 priority is to upgrade historical buildings cur-rently housing two large INSCOM brigades.

• Parking lot repaving: We will completely renovate and repave the commissary, Child Development Center II and School Age Ser-vices parking lots.

• Road paving and the repaving of MacAr-thur Road, English Avenue, Simonds Street and several portions of Reece Road. This work also will be supported by additional planned sidewalk- and safety-related projects.

I am also happy to announce that Fort Meade will host the IMCOM Cyber Installa-tion Support summit Oct. 22. The event will brief IMCOM and Army leaders at the two-star level on installation resources needed to support cyber-related growth at Fort Meade and Fort Gordon, Ga.

Have a happy Halloween! (Don’t forget to come to the Pavilion for the Hallelujah Festi-val first.)

I look forward to relaying outcomes of the Installation Support Summit in my next col-umn. Thanks for all you do, and I’ll see you around campus.

Renovating our installation

COL. Brian P. FOLeyGarrison Commander

Commander’s Open DoorGarrison Commander Col. Brian P. Foley

hasanopendoorpolicy.Allservicemembers,retirees,government

employees, family members or communitymembersage18orolderareinvitedtoaddressissuesorconcernstothecommanderdirectlybyvisitingFoley’sofficeonMondays from4to6p.m.atgarrisonheadquartersinHodgesHall,Bldg.4551,LlewellynAvenue.

Visitors are seen on a first-come, first-servedbasis.Noappointmentisnecessary.

Formoreinformation,call301-677-4844.

http://www.ftmeade.army.mil October 16, 2014 SOUNDOFF! �

News

By Lisa R. RhodesStaff Writer

As of Sept. 30, Fort Meade has received $57.4 million from the Army’s Installa-tion Management Command to fund the renovation and repair of several buildings, barracks and roads on the installation.

Daniel Spicer, director of the Director-ate of Public Works, said that efforts to obtain the funding, the majority of which came at the end of the fiscal year, were a collaboration between the garrison com-mand, DPW, Mission and Installation Contracting Command Office, Resource Management Office and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Baltimore.

“Our team is well versed in the Army’s spending cycle, and so when year-end money became available, we were prepared to accept it,” said Garrison Commander Col. Brian P. Foley. “We were successful because our staff worked throughout the year to ensure we remained focused on our priorities.

“The Directorate of Public Works did a great job identifying needs. The con-tracting office was prepared to execute contracts and our Resource Management team made sure we were ready to spend the money efficiently when funding became available.”

The garrison command and other agen-cies worked together to ensure that Fort Meade was prepared to take advantage of the resources from the Army Budget Office when other Army installations were “unable to execute their projects and obli-gate their funding” at the end of Septem-ber, Spicer said.

“As the end of the fiscal year got clos-er, Installation Management Command worked closely with the Army Budget Office to identify projects throughout the entire Army that were ready to be funded before September 30,” Spicer said.

“As the clock wound down, the Fort Meade team was ready to act on any funds that became available. We were fortunate that funds became available and well pre-pared to act when they did.”

Danielle Miner, budget officer at Resource Management, said $9.8 million of the funding was allocated as part of Fort Meade’s annual budget for sustain-ment, restoration and modernization.

When Lt. Gen. David D. Halverson, commander of IMCOM, and Thomas J. Schoenbeck, region director of IMCOM Central Region, visited Fort Meade earlier this year, the garrison command informed them of the need for building renovations

Garrison secures millions for year-end projects

and road repairs on the installation.Several major projects are targeted with

the funding, including $20.6 million for the renovation of Tallmadge Hall, which will begin in the next 45 to 50 days and will take 18 months to complete; $13.7 million for the modernization of the student company training barracks at Bldg. 8609, which will begin when the renovations to Bldg. 8606 are finished later this month, and will take 18 months to complete; $12.8 million to replace the roof at Hale Hall and abate all hazardous material, gut the interior and provide force protection upgrades; and $3.5 million to pave and repair roads.

“While new road construction and wid-ening requires congressional approval, we have local authority to fund and execute road repairs,” Spicer said. “We were able to put together and award two significant

contracts to repair Fort Meade roads.“These repairs will be occurring virtually

everywhere on campus, and we are working with [the Directorate of Emergency Servic-es] to finalize the schedule and sequencing to minimize impact to folks using the roads while the work is happening.”

Spicer said road repairs should start within the next month and will continue until it is too cold for asphalt work. Repairs will resume in the spring.

On Oct. 22, Fort Meade will host the IMCOM Cyber Installation Support sum-mit. The garrison and leaders from cyber organizations will brief IMCOM and Army leaders at the two-star level on installation resources needed to support cyber-related growth on Army installations including Fort Meade, which is home to Army Cyber Command.

Upcoming Fort Meade projects• Tallmadge Hall: $20.6 million

• Student company training barracks at Bldg. 8609: $13.7 million

• Hale Hall: $12.8 million

• Road repairs: $3.5 million

• Commissary parking lot: $250,000

• Child Development Center II and School Age Services: $336,000

file photo

The Army Installation Management Command has provided $12.8 million in fiscal year-end funding to replace the roof at Nathan Hale Hall, which burned during a six-alarm fire on Oct. 20, 2006. The vacant building, located at 4554 Llewellyn Ave., had served as headquarters for the 902nd Military Intelligence Group.


News

Story and photo by Lisa R. RhodesStaff Writer

When Garrison Chaplain (Col.) War-ren Kirby Jr. was 21, the course of his life changed.

Successful and newly married, he encountered a young boy in a Virginia jail while working as a police officer.

The boy was from a prominent family, but was addicted to alcohol and was suf-fering from withdrawal.

Kirby prayed at home and confessed to God that although he had everything the boy’s family probably had, he was not happy.

“I asked Christ to enter my life,” Kirby said. “There was just a peace.”

Today, Kirby is Fort Meade’s senior reli-gious leader. He replaces Chaplain (Col.) Carl Rau, who retired in the spring.

Kirby previously served as the senior garrison chaplain at the U.S. Army Gar-rison in Stuttgart, Germany, for two years.

Since his arrival in July, Kirby has been busy building an administrative infrastructure for the Religious Services Office and tasking his small staff of four chaplains to write policies and procedures for office operations.

A shrinking budget has prompted Kirby to re-evaluate RSO’s ability to properly serve the Fort Meade commu-nity.

“How do I provide qualitative religious support versus quantitative religious sup-port?” he said.

RSO has had to draft a policy stating that its chaplains will not perform funer-als and that its facilities cannot be used for funerals.

Kirby explained that funerals are not a garrison mission and that chaplains can only perform worship services and memorial services.

“It really breaks my heart because we can only do so much,” he said.

Another recent change has been the redesignation of Fort Meade’s Lutheran-Episcopal service held Sundays at 8:30 a.m. in the Post Chapel.

“Due to changes in the ecclesiastical status of the Lutheran-Episcopal church, there no longer exists a church of that ‘label’ on Fort Meade,” Kirby said.

The Lutheran and Episcopal churches have merged internationally, creating a religious denomination. Kirby said that Army regulations and statutory law do not allow Army commands to support religious denominations.

New garrison chaplain leads religious communities

As a result, Fort Meade’s Lutheran-Episcopal service is now called the “litur-gical service.” Fort Meade’s liturgical chaplains volunteer to pastor the con-gregation.

Kirby said that with so many admin-istrative concerns on his plate, his three immediate goals are to create the appro-priate infrastructure to facilitate the needs of the community; to focus on the qual-ity rather than the quantity of religious services; and to educate the Fort Meade community about necessary changes.

“I want there to be more transparency of what we’re doing in the context of the community,” he said.

A native of Alexandria, Va., Kirby was raised in Fairfax County with his two younger siblings. His father Warren Sr. worked as a barber. His mother Alice was a real estate agent.

Kirby served as a police officer with the Fairfax County Police Department from 1980 to 1984 before being called to the ministry.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in Bible studies from Southeastern University in Lakeland, Fla., and a Master’s of Divinity from the Assemblies of God Theological Seminar in Springfield, Mo. Kirby also is certified in marriage and family therapy and clinical pastoral education.

Kirby served as the pastor of the Georgetown Assembly of God Church in Mobile, Ala., and the Seymour Assembly of God Church in Springfield, Mo.

After entering the military in 1987, Kirby served at Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Sill, Okla.; Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.; Fort Det-rick; and Fort Stewart, Ga.

Kirby served three tours in Germany

and one tour in Korea. He has deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; Tazar, Hun-gary; Bosnia, Herzegovina; Kosovo; Albania; and Tikrit, Iraq.

Kirby and his wife, Peggy, recently cel-ebrated their 37th wedding anniversary. The couple lives in Severn and has two sons, Nicholas and Warren III.

Looking back over his 28-year career, Kirby said hearing from Soldiers whose lives he touched more than 20 years ago is what has been most rewarding about being a chaplain.

“Out of the blue they will contact and find me,” he said. “To me, this business has been like planting a tree. You plant it, but you never see it grow.

“To realize you made a difference — that’s what we all want.”

Editor’s note: To view more photos, visit www.flickr.com/photos/ftmeade/.

Garrison Chaplain (Col.) Warren Kirby Jr. stands beside a copy of the King James Bible in the sanctuary of the Post Chapel. Kirby took over leadership of the Religious Services Office in July.


News

By Lisa R. RhodesStaff Writer

Two Fort Meade service members are first-time homeowners, thanks to a Howard County Housing program for moderate-income individuals and families.

Senior Airman John Park of the 707th Force Support Squadron and Staff Sgt. Joshua Lee of the 34th Intelligence Squad-ron, both located on the National Security Agency campus, each purchased a town-house in Elkridge.

The purchase was made through Howard County Housing’s Moderate Income Hous-ing Unit Program.

“So far, it’s great,” said Park, who lives in the house with his wife, Jennifer, and their 14-month-old son John Jr. “It’s a brand new home with a one-year warranty. It’s much better than the apartment we used to live in, in Jessup. Overall, [my wife] loves it.”

Lee, who lives in his new townhouse with his wife, Ahsun, said the location is perfect for “getting around the Beltway.”

“I like the house. My wife actually loves it,” said Lee, who previously lived in an apartment within walking distance of his new home. “I like the neighborhood. It’s quiet.”

Park and Lee said their townhouses are part of a residential community and cost in the mid-$200,000 range.

The MIHU Program is an inclusionary zoning program that requires developers of new housing in specific zoning districts to sell or rent a portion of the housing unit to households of moderate income, according to Howard County Housing’s website.

Housing is sold or rented through the county. Individuals and families whose income ranges from $60,953 for one person to $114,939 for a family of eight are eligible to buy a home through the program.

Individuals and families whose income ranges from $45,714 for one person to $86,204 for a family of eight are eligible to rent a home.

In addition to meeting income qualifica-tions, those interested in purchasing a home must apply during one of the program’s four enrollment periods in January, April, July or October. There are no open enrollment

periods for prospective renters.Applicants also must have a 620 credit

score, be able to obtain mortgage financ-ing according to mortgage-lending industry standards, and have savings of at least $2,500.

Prospective buyers also may qualify for one or more purchasing preferences such as first-time home buyer; living or working in Howard County; or employed by the county government, school system or nonprofit organization.

The county will consider giving preference to service members sometime next year.

Kelly Cimino, division chief for Housing Opportunities Programs for Howard Coun-ty Housing, said the program, which was established in 1996, is one of several simi-lar inclusionary zoning programs becoming popular across the country.

“A teacher earning $46,000 per year in Howard County cannot afford to buy a home on their own. The market rate homes are too expensive,” Cimino said. “Housing programs that assist low-income families require subsidies from the federal or county government. Federal funds have been and will continue to be cut in future years. County governments cannot continue to subsidize low-income families.

“The MIHU Program does not require any subsidies or funding from the govern-ment,” she said. “Builders of MIHU units have to consider the reduced prices and rents they receive as a cost of doing business in Howard County.”

Eligible applicants are placed on a wait-ing list. As housing units become available, eligible applicants are notified and invited to attend a lottery drawing to select an eligible purchaser for each home. The selected pur-chaser must contract with the seller, obtain a mortgage commitment, and pay all down payment and settlement costs.

Cimino said home buyers may be eligible for down payment and closing cost assistance through the county’s Settlement Downpay-ment Loan Program if they meet the income and asset requirements. Buyers can also apply for assistance through the state.

Park was told about the program by a friend who purchased a home in October

Howard County Housing program targets middle class

2013. Park initially applied for the program in December, but the home he was offered was too small. After reapplying in March, his name was drawn from the lottery a few weeks later.

“I knew I was going to win,” Park said. “I had a feeling.”

Park closed on his new home in May.“This program is awesome,” he said.

“You get to buy a brand new house. At an E-5 salary you can’t afford that quality of a house on our single income. This program is a generous offer.”

Lee learned about the program through Park and applied in April. He was notified of his eligibility for the lottery in August and closed on the townhouse earlier this month.

“The house is big enough for a family,” Lee said, noting that if he and his wife had purchased an older home, they would have

to pay to make repairs and renovations. “This is a decent [mortgage] payment that we have to make.”

Park and Lee each applied for a Vet-erans Affairs loan for their respective 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage, and both received assistance from the county for the down payment.

If they PCS, Park and Lee are required to sell their home back to the county.

Since 2007, about 135 individuals and families have become MIHU homeown-ers. Cimino said 10 more home buyers are expected to close by the end of the year.

“The MIHU is very successful,” Cimino said. “Many other jurisdictions in the state and elsewhere are trying to duplicate it.”

Editor’s note: For more information about the MIHU Program, call 410-313-6318 or go to www.howardcountymd.gov.

photo courtesy of howard county housing

This four-bedroom townhouse in Elkridge is an example of the homes sold through Howard County Housing’s Moderate Income Housing Unit Program. Recently, two Fort Meade service members each purchased a townhouse through the program, which will consider giving a home-purchasing preference to military personnel sometime next year.


News

3. The FTC will never ask a consumer to provide a Social Security number, bank account numbers or other personal informa-tion.

The FTC also will never ask a consumer to forward money to file a complaint. All refunds from an FTC settlement are forwarded from the FTC to the consumer by check.

If you have been targeted by someone claiming to be from the FTC, file a complaint online with the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov.

To schedule an appointment to speak with an attorney at the Fort Meade Legal Assis-tance Office, call 301-677-9504 or 301-677-9536.

By Jane M. WinandChief, Legal Assistance Division

The Federal Trade Commission was estab-lished to protect consumers from deceptive and fraudulent practices in the marketplace.

The FTC conducts investigations, initiates lawsuits against individuals and companies that violate the law, and educates both con-sumers and businesses about consumer law issues.

And now, the FTC has been used as a pawn in the latest scam, known as imposter fraud, directed at consumers.

The Cuban Exchange, also doing business as CrediSure America and MyiPad.us, oper-ated a robocall (automated calls) scam in which the caller claimed to be working with the FTC to help consumers get refunds of money lost in scams.

The company made illegal robocalls and provided a fake “seizure identification num-ber” to enter at ftcrefund.com to claim the refund. Of course, the website was not oper-ated or associated with the FTC.

To add more legitimacy to the scam, the company used technology to spoof the FTC’s actual consumer help number so that the FTC information appeared on the caller ID when the consumer received the call.

More than 13,000 people were tricked into providing personal information and bank account numbers.

The FTC sued the Cuban Exchange in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. The court entered a default order and final judgment that permanently bars the Cuban Exchange from claiming an affiliation with the FTC.

If you have filed a consumer complaint with the FTC and are expecting a refund, consider the following:

1. The FTC does not use robocalls to notify consumers of the status of a refund.

To keep consumers informed, the FTC posts information on cases resulting in refunds on its website at ftc.gov. Those notices include the contact information for each case.

2. Be wary of unsolicited phone calls even if your caller ID lists the name of an organi-zation that you trust such as the FTC.

Scammers can use technology to cause a legitimate number to be displayed to trick consumers into picking up the phone.

Scammers pretend to work for the Federal Trade Commission

Oct. 10, Shoplifting: Police met with the commissary manager who stated that an unknown person filled a shopping cart with various items of food and products, entered a self-check-out lane, scanned 44 items and proceeded beyond the point of sale without rendering proper payment for the items.

Oct. 10, Wrongful destruction of private prop-erty, larceny of private property, wrongful damage of government property, larceny of government property: Police met with a Directorate of Public Works supervisor who stated that he was advised by his heavy equipment operator that construction vehicles were damaged by unknown person(s) by cutting and removing the heavy-duty battery cables from the vehicles.

Oct. 11, Larceny of private property: The victim stated that her son’s unsecured bicycle had been stolen from the front porch.

Oct. 13, Assault consummated by a battery: The vic-tim stated that she and her husband were involved in a verbal altercation that became physical when her husband choked her with both hands.

CommunityCommunityCrime Watch

Compiled by the Fort Meade Directorate of Emergency Services

FORT MEADE ARMY EDUCATION CENTER: 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. FridayAdvising hours: 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday or call 410-672-2117Claudia Velazquez, Coordinator of College Services www.aacc.edu

Visit our office at the Fort Meade Army Education Center to learn about AACC’s many education programs for active duty, veterans and dependents:

• Transfer options allow you to complete a four-year degree.

• Career advising and workforce training for continued career development.

• Interest-free tuition payment plans and other payment options.

• Online, weekend and evening classes for flexible scheduling.

• Opportunities for spouses and dependents, including the Military Spouse Career Advancement Account program that provides up to $4,000 in financial assistance to eligible military spouses.

• Early College Access Program classes for high school students.

• AACC Military and Veteran Resource Center.

• Classes at Fort Meade High School, AACC at Arundel Mills, Center for Cyber and Professional Training, Glen Burnie Town Center, AACC’s Arnold campus and many other locations in the county.

For a challenging education that directly applies to the real world, look no further than Anne Arundel Community College.

FREE ADVICE.Just one of the ways we’re “military friendly.”

http://www.ftmeade.army.mil10 SOUNDOFF! October 16, 2014

News

By Mark A. GeorgeAntiterrorism OfficerDirectorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security

The Fort Meade Directorate of Emer-gency Services performs several security-oriented tasks that meet or exceed Fort Meade’s Force Protection posture.

In addition, the installation has a Neigh-borhood Watch (crime prevention program); iWATCH (antiterrorism awareness pro-gram); and Operation Security (OPSEC).

Each program fortifies a robust exist-ing Force Protection Program. A collective proactive approach between the garrison command, DES Police and the community

helps to make Fort Meade a safe place to work and live.

As the holidays approach, give mail screening its due diligence. Review your mail and package deliveries.

Mail screening is conducted on post. However, there is individual responsibility for reviewing mail and packages delivered to your house.

Awareness and vigilance are the first lines of defense against IED attacks. Ter-rorists hope individuals receiving mail do not inspect the package or letter prior to opening it.

The Army Criminal Investigation Divi-sion recommends identifying all addresses

when receiving an unknown parcel. If a package is received that was not requested or the sender is unknown, stop! Do not open!

Visibly inspect the package and ask the following questions:

• Are there indicators of a liquid or pow-der leaking from the package?

• Is there an odor coming from the pack-age?

• Is the package labeled with poorly or illegibly typed or written address?

• Is the package sent to a restrictive address destined for a specific or high-profile person?

• Does the package contain a return

address?• Is the parcel lopsided or uneven? Does

the package have excessive tape or postage?• Does the envelope have an unusual

thickness or feeling?If the answer is yes to any of these

questions, then the package is considered suspicious. The individual should return the package to the courier service or contact local law enforcement.

Report suspicious activity observed on Fort Meade to the DES at 301-677-6622 or at the following website: https://iwatchft-meade.org/?site=ftmeade.

Report suspicious activity observed off the installation to the local police.

Antiterrorism: Remain vigilant when opening mail

Photos by Navy Mass CoMMuNiCatioN sPC. 2Nd Class ZaCh allaN

fiRe sAfetyLEFT: Fort Meade Fire Capt. Shaun Bagley explains fire safety to Leon Raolosky, 4, during Storytime held Oct. 9 at Kuhn Hall. Children at the Fort Meade library annex got a lesson in fire safety during Fire Prevention Week, held Oct. 5-10. The Storytime theme was “Working Smoke Alarms Saves Lives.” Following Storytime, the youngsters toured the Fort Meade Fire Safety Trailer. The trailer, which is designed to teach children about fire safety, features an area filled with nontoxic smoke that allowed firefighters to show children the path that smoke takes and how to crawl low and find “good air.”

RIGHT: Firefighter Andrew Boyle high-fives children at Child Development Center 1 during Fire Prevention Week, which ended Friday. To help children learn not to be afraid if they need a firefighter’s help, Fort Meade firefighters demonstrated the lights and sounds of the fire engine and showed children their equipment. Editor’s note: To view more photos, visit www.flickr.com/photos/ftmeade/.

http://www.ftmeade.army.mil October 16, 2014 SOUNDOFF! 11

News

photo by navy mass communication spc. 2nd class zach allan

Members of the Fort Meade community gather Tuesday for Sukkot lunch in a sukkah constructed outside Argonne Hills Chapel Center as part of the weekly “Lunch with the Rabbi” program led by Rabbi Leonard Finkelstein (far right). The Jewish holiday of Sukkot commemorates the exodus from Egypt when Jews lived in the desert.

kah must have at least two walls and an open roof covered with foliage so there is shade during the day but visibility at night.

Fort Meade’s sukkah, located in the rear courtyard of the chapel center, consists of a wood wall and a roof of branches. Two of the other walls are brick, conjoining the sukkah with the chapel.

In addition to eating in the sukkah, Jews also greet guests and sometimes even sleep in the sukkah.

“During the holiday of Sukkot, there’s a commandment that we should eat in the sukkah and we should sleep in the sukkah,” Finkelstein said. “But because of where we are, because the Jews have dispersed — we were in Poland and Russia and it’s very cold in those areas — most

people don’t sleep in the sukkah. But some do.”

Finkelstein said he tried to sleep in his sukkah and woke in the middle of the night with a big, furry animal inside.

Another holiday tradition is to recite a Hebrew blessing and shake a lulav, or palm, with an etrog, or large yellow citron.

Navy Chief Petty Officer Theresa Ver-ity, U.S. Tenth Fleet, recited the blessing while holding together Finkelstein’s lulav and etrog, then waving them in six direc-tions.

Verity explained that it was often dif-ficult to practice Judaism when she was deployed, so she was excited to attend Sukkot lunch.

“There’s a member of the community

here who works on base who actually sent out an email,” said Verity, a Columbia resident. “I received that email that men-tioned that there was going to be lunch in the sukkah.”

She said that during her deployment in Japan from 2001 to 2003, she saw a suk-kah made completely of bamboo.

After eating, participants recited the grace after the meal in Hebrew.

“From the Sukkot celebration, they should have a closer feeling to God and realize that life is not a monetary object,” Finkelstein said. “A person should feel that the more important part of life is connection to God.”

Editor’s note: To view more photos of this event, visit www.flickr.com/photos/ftmeade/.

By Shari RosenStaff Writer

For the last 44 years, Rabbi Leonard Finkelstein has celebrated the Jewish holi-day of Sukkot with members of the Fort Meade community.

In observance of the weeklong holiday, many Jews eat all their meals in a sukkah, or makeshift hut, outside their home or synagogue.

Tuesday at noon, about 14 service members and civilian employees came together to celebrate with a festive lunch in the sukkah outside Argonne Hills Chapel Center.

“I come for two things: the company and the food,” said Robert Weincraup, a National Security Agency contractor, who lives in Crofton.

This lunch was part of the weekly “Lunch with the Rabbi” program held Tuesdays at noon and sponsored by the Office of the Chaplain at Fort Meade.

Before the holiday meal, visitors washed their hands and made blessings over the food and drink. Finkelstein served kosher New York hot dogs, beans, mashed pota-toes, salami, chicken noodle soup and chocolate cake.

This year, Sukkot began Oct. 8 at sun-down, following the solemn high holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. It commemorates God’s protection over the ancient Israelites when they lived in the desert after the exodus from Egypt.

“It’s a joyous holiday,” Finkelstein said.

Finkelstein explained that by re-enact-ing their ancestors’ journey through the desert to Israel, Jews should focus on giving up material things just as their ancestors did.

“The wealthy and the poor should both feel a closeness to God,” Finkelstein said. “There’s more to life than money and physical things.”

In accordance with Jewish law, the suk-

Community shares in festive lunch to celebrate Sukkot

‘From the Sukkot celebration, they should have a closer feeling to God and realize that life is not a monetary object.’

Rabbi leonard Finkelstein


The deadline for Soundoff! community “News and Notes” is Friday at noon. All submissions are posted at the editor’s discretion 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.

NEW: For more information or to submit an announcement, email [email protected] or call Editor Dijon Rolle at 301-677-6806.

Kimbrough town hall Dr. (Col.) Michael J. Zapor, deputy

commander for clinical services at the Fort Meade Medical Department Activity, will conduct a mini town hall meeting today from 6 to 7 p.m. at Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center in the lab reception area.

The purpose of this forum is to disseminate information, answer questions and discuss concerns regarding Kimbrough.

All beneficiaries are invited.

Passport office closureThe Fort Meade Passport Office

will be closed today and Friday for processing initial official applications.

The office will reopen Monday at 7:30 a.m.

Alternate processing locations are the Bethesda Passport Office at 301-295-1067 and Andrews Air Force Base at 301-981-4408 or [email protected].

Contact one of the above offices if you require an official passport to be processed before Oct. 20.

If your official passport has already been processed and comes in during this time, you will be contacted to schedule an appointment and your passport will be issued.

For more information, call 301-677-9930.

Voting informationThe 2014 general election is scheduled

for Nov. 4.Service members, DoD employees,

family members and contractors are reminded that they can contact their unit or organizational voting officers for questions or concerns about voter registration, absentee ballots or their upcoming state elections.

Community members can also visit the Fort Meade Installation Voting Assistance officer in Room 108 of the Max J. Beilke Human Resources Center at 2234 Huber Road.

For more information on available voting resources, call 301-677-2506 or go to fvap.gov.

Red Ribbon WeekIn observance of Red Ribbon Week,

Oct. 23-31, the Army Substance Abuse Program will host a Red Ribbon kickoff program Oct. 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the McGill Training Center ballroom.

The event provides an opportunity for communities to unite and take a visible stand against substance abuse, and to show personal commitment to a drug-free lifestyle through the symbol of the red ribbon.

The ASAP is seeking volunteers to help place ribbons and signs around the installation, symbolizing unity in maintaining a drug-free community.

To volunteer, call Samson Robinson at 301-677-7983 or Latonia Stallworth at 301-677-7982.

Veterans Appreciation Day Luncheon

The Retired Officers’ Wives’ Club and co-sponsors are sponsoring the annual Veterans Appreciation Day Luncheon on Nov. 1 at Club Meade.

Socializing will be from 9:45-10:20 a.m. The program will begin at 10:30 a.m.

Cost is $30. Reservations are required by Oct. 24.

The keynote speaker is Carolyn M. Clancy, interim undersecretary for health for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Jay Thompson will perform a patriotic musical tribute.

This event is for all ranks, veterans, family, friends and the civilian community.

Tables seat 10 and will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Guests wishing to sit together must submit payment and reservation forms in the same envelope.

For reservations or more information, call co-chairpersons Lianne Roberts at 301-464-5498 or Genny Bellinger at 410-674-2550.

Karaoke NightThe next free Karaoke Night is Friday

from 7-10 p.m. at the Lounge in the Lanes.


Pet Costume ContestThe annual Pet Costume Contest

will be held Oct. 25 at 9:30 a.m. at the Pavilion.

Registration will be conducted from 7-9 a.m.

Prizes will be awarded in several categories.

Earlier that day, pets and owners may participate in the Ghosts, Ghouls and Goblins 1-Mile Fun Walk on Oct. 25 at 8 a.m. at no charge.

For more information, call 301-677-4059 or go to ftmeademwr.com.

Threat-awareness trainingFort Meade garrison security

personnel and the 902d Military Intelligence Group will conduct the Army’s Threat Awareness and Reporting Program annual training for all Department of Army personnel on Monday at 1 p.m. at the Post Theater.

DA personnel include active-duty, Reserve and National Guard service members, DA civilian employees and DA contractors.

All garrison and non-garrison units are encouraged to take advantage of this training opportunity.

For more information, email [email protected].

Autism Education SeriesPathways Autism Education Series is

offering a free two-day seminar designed for military parents or caregivers of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

The seminar will be held Tuesday and Wednesday from 9-11:30 a.m. at the Rascon Training Room, 2481 Llewellyn Ave.

• Day 1: Assessing and Managing Challenging Behaviors

• Day 2: Choosing and Using Evidence-Based Practices for the Treatment of Children

Pre-registration is required.To register, call Allison Judd at 301-677-

8086 or email [email protected].

Domestic Violence Awareness events

The following Domestic Violence Awareness events are being offered:

• Women’s Empowerment Group: Oct. 22 or Oct. 29 from 2-4 p.m. at Community

Readiness Center, 830 Chisholm Ave.• Hands Are Not For Hitting:Wednesday from 10-11 a.m. at CDC III• Youth Domestic Violence Video:

Tuesday and Oct. 30 from 3-4 p.m. at the Youth Center

• “1, 2, 3 - Magic Parenting”: Oct. 24 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Community Readiness Center, 830 Chisholm Ave.

• “Scream-Free Marriage Dating Game”: Oct. 30 from 1-4 p.m. at the Soldier & Family Assistance Center, 85th Medical Battalion Ave.

For more information, call 301-677-5590/4117/4124/4118.

Free classesThe Navy Fleet and Family Support

Center offers a variety of classes at its new facility at 2212 Chisholm Ave.

The free classes are open to DoD identification cardholders including active-duty service members, retirees and their family members, DoD civilian employees and contractors.

Registration is required for each class.• Pre-Deployment Brief: Today, 10-

11:30 a.m.• Meet & Greet: Today, 5-7 p.m.,

featuring friendship, food, prizes and information about Fort Meade and Maryland.

• Common Sense Parenting: Monday, 9-10 a.m. Topic: “Parents As Teachers”

• Boots2Business: Tuesday and Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at McGill Training Center: Small Business Association workshop

• 10 Steps to a Federal Job: Tuesday, 9 a.m. to noon

Learn how to understand job vacancy announcements, write a federal and electronic resume, and track applications.

• Retirement Brief: Oct. 27 from 8-11:30 a.m. Information will be provided on Tricare, Johns Hopkins Family Health Plan and the Navy Mutual Aid Financial Planning/Survivor Benefit Plan.

• Medical Record Review: Have your medical records reviewed by an AMVETS representative. Appointment required.

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

Financial, Employment Readiness

Army Community Service offers Financial Readiness classes to all ranks and services and to DoD civilian employees at the Community Readiness Center, 830 Chisholm Ave.

Registration is required for each class.

Community news & notes

NEWS & EVENTS

EDUCATION

http://www.ftmeade.army.mil October 16, 2014 SOUNDOFF! 13

• Planning for the Holidays: Tuesday, 9-11 a.m.

• Investing: Oct. 28 from 9-11 a.m.• First-Term Financial Readiness:

Oct. 28 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Online class

ACS also offers several Employment Readiness classes:

• Ten Steps To Federal Employment: Tuesday, 9 a.m. to noon

• Career Exploration: Oct. 28 from 9 a.m. to noon

• Social Media for Job Seekers: Nov. 13, 9 a.m. to noon

To register or for more information, call 301-677-5590 or go to fortmeadeacs.checkappointments.com.

Movie NightMovie Night, for grades six to eight,

will be presented Friday from 4:30-6 p.m. at the Youth Center.

The free, scary feature movie will be “Gremlins”.


Cupcake wars and bake sale

Teens in grades 9 to twelve are invited to bake and decorate their own cupcakes Friday Oct. 17 from 4-8 p.m. at the Teen Center.

Cupcakes will be judged on appearance and taste by a judging panel.

Teens will conduct a cupcake sale to raise money for the American Diabetes Research in observance of American Diabetes Month.


Hallelujah FestivalThe annual Hallelujah Festival will be

celebrated Oct. 31 from 6-8 p.m. at the Fort Meade Pavilion.

The free event, for ages 3-12, will feature a a moon bounce, grab bags, crafts, games, food, candy and popcorn.

No scary costumes.For more information, call Marcia

Eastland at 301-677-0386 or 301-677-6035.

StorytimeThe Children’s Library offers pre-kin-

dergarten Storytime on Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. at Kuhn Hall, 4415

Llewellyn Ave.• Today: “Busy Little Squirrels” - Sto-

rytime about squirrels• Oct. 23: “Put on your hat and shine

your shoes” - Storytime about clothingFor more information, call 301-677-

5677.

Out & About• The 4th Annual Cancer and

Compassion Ministry Tea will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Odenton Church of God, 1460 Berger St., Odenton. If you or a loved one has been affected by cancer or any medical issues, come and be blessed. Contribution is $15.

For more information, call 630-660-7628 or email [email protected]

• The 7th Annual Harbor Harvest will be held Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at West Shore Park, 400-500 block of Light Street, Baltimore.

The free event will feature a pumpkin patch, petting zoo, hay maze, face painting, pumpkin decorating, pony rides, food trucks, and an interactive science and music show for children by the Curiosity Crew, which will perform two 45-minute shows.

Kids passes costs $5 and includes: one pumpkin, pumpkin decorating, cookie decorating, a fall craft, and a Harbor Harvest tote bag. Pony and trackless train ride tickets cost $3 each.

For more information, go to waterfrontpartnership.org.

• Officers’ Spouses’ Club monthly luncheon is today from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Club Meade. The luncheon will feature a mur-der mystery, “Cafe Murder.” Help solve the mystery while enjoying good food and good conversation.

Registration is required. Cost is $18, payable by cash or check at the door. For more information, go to http://www.fortmeadeosc.org/events.

• Meade Area Garden Club will meet Friday at 10 a.m. at the Jessup Community Hall at the corner of Route 175 and Wigley Avenue.

Leslie Rucker, a master gardener, will pres-ent the program “Living with Deer.”

Reservations are not required. Refresh-ments will be served.

For more information, call Jennifer Garcia, membership chairman, at 443-949-8348 or Sharon Durney, club president, at 410-761-5019.

• Swinging Squares Square Dance Club dances the first and third Saturday of the month from 7:30-10 p.m. through May at Meade Middle School. The next dance is Saturday. Admission is $6. Square dance attire is optional.

Dance classes are offered Thursday nights at 7:30 p.m. at Meade Middle School. Each class costs $6.

For more information, call Darlene at 410-519-2536 or Carl at 410-271-8776.

• Families Dealing with Deployment meets the first and third Monday of every month from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Meuse Forest Neighborhood Center. Children welcome. The next meeting is Monday. For more information, call 301-677-5590 or email [email protected].

• Retired Enlisted Association meets the third Tuesday of the month from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Perry’s Restaurant, 1210 Annapolis Road, Odenton. The next meeting is Tuesday. For more information, visit trea.org or call Elliott Phillips, the local president, at 443-790-3805 or Arthur R. Cooper, past national president, at 443-336-1230.

• Air Force Sergeants Association Chapter 254 meets the fourth Wednesday of the month from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the multipurpose room of Building 9801 at the National Security Agency. The next meeting is Wednesday. For more information, call 443-534-5170 or visit afsa254.org.

• Society of Military Widows meets for brunch the fourth Sunday of the month at 1 p.m. at the Lanes. The next meeting is Oct. 26. For more information, call Betty Jones at 410-730-0127.

• Calling All Dads meets the second and fourth Monday of every month from 4 to 5 p.m. at Potomac Place Neighborhood Center, 4998 2nd Corps Blvd. The next meeting is Oct. 27.

The group is for expecting fathers, and fathers with children of all ages. Children welcome. For more information, call 301-677-5590 or email [email protected].

• Marriage Enrichment Group, sponsored by Army Community Service, meets the sec-ond and fourth Monday of every month from 3 to 4 p.m. at the Community Readiness Center, 830 Chisholm Ave. The next meeting is Oct. 27. For more information, call Celena Flowers or Jessica Hobgood at 301-677-5590.

• Women’s Empowerment Group meets Wednesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m. to provide a safe, confidential arena for the support, education and empowerment of women who have experienced past or present family violence.

Location is only disclosed to participants. To register, call Samantha Herring, victim advocate, at 301-677-4124 or Katherine Lamourt, victim advocate, at 301-677-4117.

moviesCommunity news & notes

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 Fridays and Saturdays at 6:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.

PRICES: Tickets are $5.50 for adults (12 and older) and $3 for children. 3D Movies: $7.50 adults, $5 children.

Today through Oct. 31

Friday & Sunday: “The Identical” (PG). Twin brothers are unknowingly separated at birth; one of them becomes an iconic rock ‘n’ roll star, while the other struggles to balance his love for music and pleasing his father. With Blake Rayne, Ray Liotta, Ashley Judd.

Saturday: “Dolphin Tale 2” (PG). The team of people who saved Winter’s life reassemble in the wake of her surrogate mother’s passing in order to find her a companion so she can remain at the Clearwater Marine Hospital. With Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, Nathan Gamble.

Oct. 24: “No Good Deed” (PG-13). An unstable escaped convict terrorizes a woman who is alone with her two children. With Taraji P. Henson, Idris Elba, Leslie Bibb.

Oct. 25: “A Walk Among the Tombstones” (R). Private investigator Matthew Scudder is hired by a drug kingpin to find out who kidnapped and murdered his wife. With Liam Neeson, Dan Stevens, David Harbour.

Oct. 26: “This is Where I Leave You” (R). When their father passes away, four grown siblings are forced to return to their childhood home and live under the same roof together for a week, along with their over-sharing mother and an assort-ment of spouses, exes and might-have-beens. With Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Jane Fonda.

Oct. 31: “The Equalizer” (R). A man believes he has put his mysterious past behind him and has dedicated himself to beginning a new, quiet life. But when he meets a young girl under the control of ultra-violent Russian gangsters, he can’t stand idly by. He has to help her. With Denzel Washing-ton, Marton Csokas, Chloë Grace Moretz.

YOUTH

RECREATION

MEETINGS


SportS

Sports ShortsVolunteer coaches needed

Volunteer Youth Sports coaches are needed for winter sports including basketball, wrestling and futsal.

All volunteers will receive free training and will be certified through the National Youth Sports Coaches Association.

Volunteers must submit and complete a background check.Apply at the Youth Sports & Fitness Office at 1900 Reece Road.For more information, call 301-677-1179 or 301-677-1329.

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

Photo by Steve ellmore

Army Ten-miler TeAmMembers of the Fort Meade Army Ten-Miler team pose Oct. 9 for a photo with Garrison Commander Col. Brian P. Foley outside garrison headquarters. The Fort Meade women’s team placed seven of 13 in its division. The men’s team placed 16 of 39 in its division.

An estimated 35,000 registered runners participated in Sunday’s race. Held annually in October, the Army Ten-Miler is the second largest 10-mile race in the U.S. The race starts and finishes at the Pentagon, with a race route that encompasses roads in parts of Washington, D.C., and Arlington, Va. The run is sponsored by the U.S. Military District of Washington.

Members of the Fort Meade Army Ten-Miler Team pictured above:Front row: Sgt. 1st Class Joshua Volcy, Maj. Ligeia Zeruto, Capt. Iris Yao and Sgt. Ari Holden.Middle row: Petty Officer 1st Class Nate Middleton, 2d Lt. Margaret Smith, Staff Sgt. Jennifer Negley and Staff Sgt. Jamie RaybownBack row: Petty Officer Third Class Alex Ammons, Tech Sgt. John Mannahan, Tech Sgt. Erik Carlsson and 2nd Lt. Steele Rackley.(Not pictured: Senior Airman Deborah Foy and Brig. Gen. Patricia Frost)

The older I get, the more questions I can’t seem to answer.

For example, will Sammy Brady ever realize that her beloved EJ isn’t dead in “Days of Our Lives” or that she can never — ever, ever, ever, ever — trust a DiMera? bit.ly/1vrQebn

Or, why would Cowboys running back Joseph Randle, a man who makes $587,500 per year, get busted shoplifting a tester bottle of cologne and a couple pairs of underwear? I could also ask why in the heck does Florida State quarterback, and reigning Heisman trophy winner, Jameis Winston ever leave his dorm room?

Since we are on the subject of football, I have a couple of questions that hit a little closer to home.

One is inexplicable and goes directly to the nature of man. The second is a straight-up conundrum that may impact my boys’ athletic futures.

Question One: Why does football make me so aggressive? I’m by no means a pacifist, but I have coached several Youth Sports ranging from tennis clinics to soc-cer and baseball, and during all those sports, I’m pretty sure I never uttered a cross word toward an official.

But that’s all changed this year. I’m sure the CYSS chief flag official Mahlon Thomas thinks I’m a jerk because I’m chirping in his ear like it is my J-O-B. That’s not to say Mahlon doesn’t need a stronger prescription for his glasses: The dude misses a lot of calls, but he also has a hard job chasing 10 kids around a 50-yard field. So why can’t I cut him some slack?

I’m sure it has something to do with me wanting to win. Our longtime friend and former CYSS director Bo Lepinsky made it clear that winning had no place in Youth Sports. And until this fall, I completely agreed.

Before taking over the Flag Football Lions, the word “win” was only uttered after a child asked me if he won or not. And I always had the same answer:

“Did you have fun?” I’d ask. “Did you learn something? If so, then yes, you won.”

Heck, part of the reason I chose to coach younger kids is because I only had to worry about them having fun and, hopefully, liking the sport enough to con-tinue playing. That’s why, when kids had a hard time focusing, instead of getting

frustrated, I’d just start run-ning around and let them chase me, or start up a game of “Red Light, Green Light.”

That’s not always the case with football. When one of my players doesn’t want to focus, I’m quicker to send him on a lap to the concession stand and back than to give him a spin or make a joke.

As much as I try to preach fun and sportsmanship, there is a point in every game when I want to win, and that desire tends to impact my actions. I end up smil-ing a little less or am quicker to tell a kid to “suck it up” if he gets banged up.

In baseball, if a kid limps a bit, I sprint to carry him or her around the bases.

I also complain to poor Mahlon about everything. Last Friday I was trying to get him to throw an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on a 6-year-old for sticking his tongue out at one of my players.

Before that, I had beef with Mahlon’s clock management — a legitimate beef, BTW. What are the chances that the very last play of four straight halves is a Pan-thers’ touchdown? #Zero.

Regardless, I am a different animal on the gridiron, and truth be told, not a very tame one at that. But funny enough, this change is not uncommon, according to CYSS employee James Dey.

Dey says lot of parents - moms and dads - make the metamorphosis from mild-mannered baseball parent to mania-cal football fan.

“I can’t explain the change,” said Dey after a recent Friday night game when I felt compelled to explain my change in demeanor.

After two months on the gridiron, I still can’t explain it either except to say it’s football.

I’ll handle Question Two and my kids’ athletic future next week.

Until then ...If you have questions on this or anything

to do with sports, contact me at [email protected] or hit me up on Twit-ter @CTJibber.

Why I gotta be so rude

Chad T. Jones, Public Affairs

Officer

Jibber Jabber - OpiniOn

soundoff october 16, 2014

News & Politics