Garrison leadership changes hands

Transcription

1 Published i the iterest of the people of Aberdee Provig Groud, Marylad Jue 21, 2012 Vol. 56, No. 25 Garriso leadership chages hads By YVONNE JOHNSON A ew era bega at Aberdee Provig Groud Jue 19 whe Col. Orlado W. Ortiz trasferred commad of APG Garriso to Col. Gregory R. McClito durig a chage of commad ceremoy at the post theater. McClito comes to APG from Norfolk, Va., where he served as the chief of staff for the Joit Staff Deputy Directorate for Joit Force Coordiatio (J31). Ortiz moves o to become director of Itelligece for the NATO missio i Afghaista. Davis D. Tidoll Jr., director, Atlatic Regio, U.S. Army Istallatio Maagemet Commad, presided over the ceremoy, passig the garriso colors from Ortiz to McClito, symbolizig the trasitio of resposibility. The ceremoy was dedicated to the more tha 1,200 Soldiers, civilias ad cotractors of the APG U.S. Army Garriso, accordig to Jaet Dettwiler, the ceremoy emcee ad director of Huma Resources. Garriso APG directorates work together to support the 90 garrisosupported orgaizatio missios which iclude extesive research, developmet ad egieerig, commuicatios, chemical ad biological defese, public See ORTIZ, page 8 Photo by Sea Kief (From left) Outgoig APG Garriso commader, Col. Orlado W. Ortiz; Davis D. Tidoll Jr., director of the Atlatic Regio, Istallatio Maagemet Commad; ad icomig APG Garriso commader Col. Gregory R. McClito stad at attetio after the passig of the colors durig the garriso chage of commad ceremoy at the post theater Jue 19. Voluteers build Wouded Warrior home By YVONNE JOHNSON With all the fafare of a small tow parade, Homes for Our Troops put o a red, white ad blue three-day build brigade i Havre de Grace for local Wouded Warrior Kelly Keck Jue 15. Fire trucks ad motorcycles escorted voluteers to the site o Old Level Road where a oe-story home is beig built from the groud up. More tha 200 voluteers were o had for Day 1 of the evet. APG Soldiers ad civilias voluteered to work durig the three-day evet to frame, side ad roof the house ad istall widows ad doors. Voluteers icluded persoel from the U.S. Army Public Health Commad ad U.S. Army Test ad Evaluatio Commad. Hudreds of commuity members participated i the three-day evet. Voluteers still are eeded for the project which aims to coclude withi 90 to 120 days. Keck is a ATEC civilia. He lost his right leg ad sustaied severe erve damage to his right had from a ati-persoel mie while servig i Afghaista. Garriso s APG s Fred Posadas, DPTMS, led the color guard of USAPHC persoel durig the opeig ceremoy. Master Sgt. Shelia Sago of ATEC led the Day 1 group of See HOMES, page 8 Olympic Sports Day set July 26 Staff report Team APG is hostig a post-wide orgaizatio day, dubbed Olympic Sports Day, July 26, at various locatios across the istallatio. The evet is ope to all Aberdee Provig Groud employees. This first-of-its kid evet is desiged to foster team buildig withi the orgaizatios ad across the istallatio, improve orgaizatioal morale ad camaraderie, ad promote fitess ad healthy competitio, said Commad Sgt. Maj. Keis J. Det, Commad Sergeat Major of the U.S. Army Commuicatios-Electroics Commad. See ORGANIZATIONS, page 10 Photo by Rachel Poder CDC celebrates the Army s Birthday Capt. Christia Marks, U.S. Army Test ad Evaluatio Commad, reads Happy Birthday Army to childre i the Aberdee Child Developmet Ceter Jue 14. Afterwards the class sag the Star Spagled Baer ad America the Beautiful. The celebratio cocluded with Marks cuttig a America flag shaped birthday cake. APG celebrates Sigal Corps aiversary By BOB DIMICHELE CECOM Public Affairs More tha 200 Soldiers, Family members, civilia employees, retirees ad idustry represetatives tured out for the celebratio of the Sigal Corps 152d birthday celebratio here Jue 13. Hosted by the Aberdee chapters of the Armed Forces Commuicatios ad Electroics Associatio ad the Sigal Corps Regimetal Associatio at Top of the Bay, the evet focused o traditio ad parterig. Maj. Ge. Robert S. Ferrell, commadig geeral of the U.S. Army Commuicatios- Electroics Commad, took the opportuity of the Sigal Corps 152st aiversary to highlight the sigificace that the Sigal Corps has played i the past ad the vital role it plays i meetig the challeges of the moder battlefield. He took time to recogize the Army s 237th birthday. So today joi me i celebratig the 237th aiversary of our Army as well as the 152d aiversary of our Sigal Corps, Ferrell said. We celebrate the stregth of our Soldiers, civilias, cotractors, Families, ad commuities. Together we are the stregth of the atio. The Sigal Corps traces its existece from Jue 21, 1860, whe Cogress authorized the appoitmet of oe sigal officer i the Army, ad a War Departmet order carried the See SIGNAL, page 8 WEATHER Thurs MORE INSIDE INDEX Pg 2... Street Talk Pg 5... Healthy Livig Pg 6... Mark Your Caledar ICE system Facebook, o.fb.me/hzqiow APG celebrates Army Birthday PAGE 11 Challege Academy graduates 99 studets PAGE 11 Fod Farewell Darabasz retires after 45 years of police ad federal service. page 10 League play League of Dreams celebrates ed of regular seaso. page 4 ONLINE voluteers. She said about 50 voluteers from ATEC orgaizatios would pitch i to help out over the three days, icludwww.apg.army.mil apgews.apg. army.mil apg.armylive. dodlive.mil/ facebook.com/ APGMd twitter.com/ USAGAPG flickr.com/photos/ usagapg/

2 2 Jue 21, 2012 OPINION What did you ejoy most about the Army Birthday festivities? I liked the way the whole day came together startig with the ru this morig with our Soldiers ad their camaraderie with our civilias. I also liked seeig the youg recruits ad the uiform pageat. Capt. Desmod Gittes U.S Army Test ad Evaluatio Commad I liked seeig my husbad (Spc. David Reese from the 22d Chemical Battalio) participate i the uiform pageat. I try to lear as Breey Reese much as I ca Military spouse about the military from my husbad ad by attedig military evets wheever possible. I am a stay-at-home mom, so these evets allow me to meet others i the military commuity. It is a good feelig to see everyoe come together to support the military. Timothy Kox APG Alcohol ad Drug Cotrol Officer I thik this evet bridges the gap betwee the Army s past ad future. I thik these evets are importat because they teach childre about the history of the Army ad military traditios. These childre might someday serve i our Army ad carry o these traditios. My Not-so-fu Fourth What s ot to love about the Fourth of July? Barbecues, stayig up late ad watchig all the magificet fireworks were aual traditios whe I was growig up. Oe afteroo, my frieds ad I decided to start the festivities a little early ad headed to a local fireworks stad. We looked i awe at all the woderful Chiese-made packages of fu ad picked out our favorites. My fried, Eric, chose bottle rockets, while aother fried grabbed some firecrackers. I picked out some Roma cadles. I those days, you could buy aythig you wated as log as you told the fireworks stad ower it was for your father. With our purchases i had, we happily rode our bikes back to Eric s house because he had a huge backyard ad his parets were ever home. After all, who wats parets aroud whe you re doig thigs you re ot supposed to do? Eric wet searchig iside his house for somethig we could blow up ad retured with several of his brother s model cars. After loadig the cars with fireworks, we spet the ext hour destroyig them. Yes, we did this without paretal supervisio, proper persoal protective equipmet or regard to our safety. Oce the cars were satisfactorily dismatled, it was time for the bottle rockets. We started off by lauchig them out of a old Pepsi bottle. At first, we d light them, step away ad watch them explode i the air. After a while, however, we decided it would be more fu to hold the Pepsi bottle so we could shoot them at various thigs i the yard. While this was fu, it was ot very smart or safe. Oce the bottle rockets ra out, it Courtesy photo To help celebrate a safe Fourth of July, visit for tips from the Natioal Coucil o Fireworks Safety. We decided to igore the warig ad hold the Roma cadles ayway. It started woderfully. Suddely I heard a weird pop ad saw a cloud of smoke. The I felt a searig pai i my right had. The cadle had exploded i my had! All I could thik of was the warig label ad how it was right. was time for the big fiale -- Roma cadles! For those who are t familiar with Roma cadles, they are log, arrow cardboard tubes that shoot fireballs. As I held oe of the Roma cadles, I oticed a warig o the side that stated, Do Not Hold i Had. Really, I thought. How ca we ejoy the fireballs if we do t hold them? Throwig cautio to the wid, we decided to igore the warig ad hold the Roma cadles ayway. It started woderfully -- colored balls of fire shootig everywhere. Suddely, as I poited mie at a tree, I heard a weird pop ad saw a cloud of smoke. The I felt a searig pai i my right had. The cadle had exploded i my had! All I could thik of was the warig label ad how it was right. I ervously looked at my had to survey the damage. There was a blister the size of a silver dollar swellig up, ad I was ow i horrible pai. Luckily, that was the extet of the damage. My figers were itact ad I was t bleedig. However, my parets did groud me for two weeks whe I told them what happeed. Take my advice ad heed the warig labels o fireworks. They re there for a reaso. (Ret.) Guery Sgt. Jeff Carlso U.S. Marie Corps, Lafayette, Id. Brig. Ge. Leslie Smith Commader of the 20th Support Commad (CBRNE) The Army Birthday celebrates the lieage ad customs of the Army. It also emphasizes how critical the Army is i defese of the atio. I liked seeig the etire APG commuity - Soldiers, Family members, retirees, civilias ad Freestate ChalleNGe Academy cadets come together to celebrate this evet. We deped o each other for success. To help you celebrate safely this Fourth of July, the Cosumer Product Safety Commissio ad Natioal Coucil o Fireworks Safety offer the followig safety tips: Always read ad follow label directios. Have a adult preset. Buy from reliable sellers. Use outdoors oly. Always have water hady (a garde hose ad a bucket). Never experimet or make your ow fireworks. Light oly oe firework at a time. Never re-light a dud firework (wait 15 to 20 miutes ad the soak it i a bucket of water). Never give fireworks to small childre. If ecessary, store fireworks i a cool, dry place. Dispose of fireworks properly by soakig them i water ad the disposig of them i your trashca. Never throw or poit fireworks at other people. Never carry fireworks i your pocket. Never shoot fireworks i metal or glass cotaiers. The shooter should always wear eye protectio ad ever have ay part of the body over the firework. Stay away from illegal explosives. APG SEVEN DAY FORECAST Thurs Fri Sat Su Mo Tue Wed The, a civilia eterprise ewspaper, is a authorized publicatio for members of the U.S. Army. Cotets of the are ot ecessarily official views of, or edorsed by, the U.S. govermet, Departmet of Defese, Departmet of the Army or the U.S. Army Garriso, Aberdee Provig Groud. The ewspaper is published weekly by the APG Public Affairs Office, ATTN: IMAP-PA, Buildig 305, APG, MD , Prited circulatio is 8,900. Everythig advertised i this publicatio shall be made available for purchase, use or patroage without regard to race, color, religio, sex, atioal origi, age, marital status, physical hadicap, political affiliatio or ay other omerit factor of the purchaser, user or patro. If a violatio or rejectio of this equal opportuity policy by a advertiser is cofirmed, the priter shall refuse to prit advertisig from that source. Editorial cotet is prepared, edited ad approved by the APG Public Affairs Office. The is prited by Homestead Publishig Compay, a private firm i o way coected with the Departmet of the Army, uder exclusive writte cotract with APG. The civilia priter is resposible for commercial advertisig ad mailig. To obtai a yearly subscriptio, which costs $16, the price for weekly mailig, or for problems with icorrect mailig addresses, cotact Customer Service at 139 N. Mai Street, Suite 203, Bel Air, MD 21014, or call The appearace of advertisig i this publicatio, icludig iserts or supplemets, does ot costitute edorsemet by the Departmet of the Army or Homestead Publishig Compay of the products or services advertised. For advertisig matters, call Homestead Publishig, Sed articles or iformatio for publicatio to the APG Public Affairs Office, Buildig 305, IMAP-PA, APG, MD ; call the editor at , DSN ; sed a fax to ; sed to patricia.g.beauchamp.civ@mail. mil or cotact reporters Yvoe Johso, yvoe.johso5.ctr@mail.mil or , or Rachel Poder, rachel.e.poder2.ctr@mail.mil or Deadlie for copy is Thursday at oo for the followig Thursday s paper. Staff APG Commader... Maj. Ge. Robert S. Ferrell APG Garriso Commader.. Col. Gregory R. McClito Actig Public Affairs Officer... Adriae Foss Actig Editor... Pat Beauchamp Cotract Photojouralists... Yvoe Johso... Rachel Poder Graphic Desiger/Web Desiger... Nick Petz Website...

3 Jue 21, Ramp closure set for Jue 28 Staff report Motorists should begi seeig variable messages boards (like the oe above) posted alog Route 40 ear the ramp outside of Aberdee Provig Groud s Route 715 gate. The sigs will aouce the Jue 28 ramp closure ad ultimately provide istructios to help motorists avigate the costructio area. I preparatio for the ramp closure, DPW will ope the Aberdee gate for iboud traffic o Moday Friday from 5:30 to 9 a.m. The log awaited costructio will be oe part of a $18 millio project that will improve area roads ad help accommodate additioal traffic geerated by Base Realigmet ad Closure-related growth. The state fuded costructio is expected to take place over the ext year, ad motorists are advised to take steps ow to help miimize cogestio ad travel delays. For a complete list of steps, visit the APG Homepage mil ad click o the ramp closure article i the Featured News box. Or visit the State Highway Admiistratio website for geeral iformatio o area costructio ad traffic: marylad.gov.

4 4 Jue 21, 2012 League of Dreams eds its third seaso with Churchville game Story ad photo by YVONNE JOHNSON Childre i the League of Dreams baseball played their fial game of the seaso at the Churchville Recreatio Ceter Jue 16. After practice sessios the teams played a full game with parets ad voluteers helpig out. Led by fouder ad former Major League Baseball player Frak Kolarek, the league provides childre, regardless of physical or metal capacity, the opportuity to experiece the joy, challeges ad persoal growth from playig baseball ad softball. The APG group, which bega three years ago uder the directio of former Garriso Commad Sgt. Maj. Rodey Rhoades, has grow sigificatly, from just over a doze players to 40, accordig to Kolarek. He thaked former Garriso Commader Col. Orlado Ortiz for support of the program ad iterim Garriso Commad Sgt. Maj. Master. Sgt. Joh Cavaliere for steppig i ad ot missig a beat. APG support has just bee icredible, said Kolarek. Added support came from Directorate of Family ad Morale, Welfare ad Recreatio Director Mike Lupacchio; Child, Youth ad School Services Youth Sports Director Bill Kegley; Nacy Goucher of the Army Commuity Service Exceptioal Family Member Program; ad voluteers from Picere Military Housig, which also provided voluteers ad fiacial support for the secod year. The seaso cocludes with a All Star game at Ripke Stadium Aug. 16. We ve built a model clearly that works, Kolarek said. Parets ad voluteers, may of whom have bee with the program sice it started at APG, agreed. Daiel Qui said his 14-year-old so Daiel is very ethusiastic about the program, addig that he wo three medals durig the Special Olympics of Marylad summer games earlier i the moth. He really looks forward to playig. He ejoys basketball ad other sports too Juliaa Lupacchio, 12, works her way home from third base durig the fial game of the League of Dreams 2012 seaso at the Churchville Recreatio Ceter Jue 16. A member of the leagues sice it bega o APG three years ago, Juliaa said her favorite part of the game is hittig. ad he just loves to ru, Qui said. Jay Ami ad Bruce Pugh of Picere said they were helpig out o their free weeked. I ejoyed it eough to come back this year, Ami said about workig with the childre. It s always fu ad worth the effort. The best part is to see the kids smile, Pugh added. Georgette Mauler ad husbad Joe Pop-Pop Mauler said their gradso Kyle, 8, was i his secod year with the league. This is so great. He loves it, Georgette said. It s amazig what they do for these kids. Some of them ca barely walk. Whe you see stuff like this happeig it really gives you hope, Joe added. Paul ad Terry Cotrio of Bel Air gave the program their stamp of approval as well for their so Michael, 11, the yougest of their five childre. It s amazig how excited he gets about comig here, Paul Cotrio said. There s a iteractio you do t ecessarily get with other programs. Kelly Lupacchio said that alog with she ad her husbad, the program has had a great effect o her so Nick, 17, who voluteers with their daughter, Juliaa, 12. He s always looked out for her ad he makes a poit to treat her ormal, she said. I just like seeig kids live their life better, Nick added. Kolarek offered a special thaks to retired Col. Charles Woodbury, the perso who first brought the League of Dreams idea to Rhoades. I just thought it was a good program for the military to support, said Woodbury, a member of Kolarek s church who was i attedace for the fial game. I was almost i tears today. I couted 75 people out here today. Whe we started, I thought we d be lucky to have a doze. O a persoal level, seeig the fruits of my blid effort ad to see it so successful o a beautiful day i Jue just meas a lot. I kew there had to be somethig I could do to give back. View ad dowload photos at www. flickr.com/photos/usagapg. Wat to make a differece i how services are redered at APG? Tell us how we are doig. Visit Click o ARMY the Aberdee Provig Groud.

5 Jue 21, Sleep keeps you, your uit Army Strog By KIRA M. KOON U.S. Army Public Health Commad Sleep is ofte thought of as a luxury that falls by the wayside whe we are busy ad stressed. However, gettig eough sleep is oe of the most importat thigs you ca do to be Army Strog. Sleep is a ecessity to sustai your performace just like food, water ad air. The effects of sleep deprivatio ca seak up o you ad cause a serious decrease i your ability to stay sharp durig traiig, while o duty ad o the battlefield. Some commo cosequeces of sleep deprivatio iclude decreased performace ad cocetratio, icreased stress, slow reactio times, cofusio, memory lapses ad poor judgmet. Iadequate sleep is also liked with icreased risk of motor vehicle accidets, icreased risk of diabetes ad heart problems, ad icreased risk for psychiatric coditios icludig depressio ad substace abuse. I other words, without eough sleep, you put both yourself ad your fellow Soldiers at risk. For optimal performace, most Soldiers eed seve to eight hours of sleep every 24 hours, ad it is best if this sleep is ot iterrupted. However, as a Soldier, you might ot be able to have seve hours of cotiuous sleepig time each day. I such cases, shorter sleep periods that add up to betwee seve ad eight hours for each 24-hour period ca also sustai alertess ad performace. Gettig quality sleep depeds o may factors, icludig your stress levels, the surroudig physical eviromet ad what you eat, drik ad do close to bedtime. Sleep experts recommed the followig tips: 1. Stick to a sleep schedule. As much as possible, go to bed ad wake up at the same time each day. 2. Establish a relaxig routie before bed. Give yourself time to uwid. A relaxig routie might iclude readig or listeig to soothig music ad lowerig the lights. 3. Have a dark, quiet, comfortable ad cool sleepig eviromet. Do t sleep i areas where there is regular activity. If eeded, miimize exposure to oise ad light by usig ear plugs, blackout shades or a sleep mask. Healthy Livig click o Well Beig Healthy Livig is a recurrig feature i the. It addresses health topics that matter most to our readers. To view more health topics ad the Commuity Health Promotio Coucil caledar of evets, visit the APG homepage ad click o the Commuity Health ico at the bottom right, or sca the QR code (at right) with your smart phoe or eabled device. To suggest health-related topics for the Health Livig series, patricia.g.beauchamp.civ@mail.mil or call Avoid large meals ad beverages right before bedtime. A light sack is OK, but avoid large meals ad too may fluids two to three hours prior to bedtime. A large meal ca cause idigestio that iterferes with sleep. Drikig too may fluids at ight ca cause you to awake to uriate. 5. Avoid caffeie ad icotie. Coffee, colas, certai teas ad chocolate cotai caffeie, ad its effects ca last for eight hours. Nicotie is also a stimulat ad ca cause smokers to sleep oly very lightly. 6. Avoid alcoholic driks before bed. While may people thik a drik or two will help them fall asleep, alcohol actually prevets you from fallig ito a deep sleep. 7. Avoid medicies that delay or disrupt your sleep. Some medicatios, such as heart, blood pressure or asthma medicatios, ad over-the-couter ad herbal remedies for coughs, colds or allergies ca disrupt sleep patters. If you are havig trouble sleepig, talk to your doctor to see if ay medicatios you are takig might be affectig your sleep. 8. Exercise is great, but ot before bed. Avoid exercisig withi a few hours before goig to bed. Exercise makes us more alert ad raises body temperature, which makes it harder to fall asleep. So, fiish your exercise at least three hours before bedtime. 9. Do t lie i bed awake. If you fid yourself still awake after lyig i bed for more tha 20 miutes, get up ad do somethig relaxig (like readig or listeig to music) util you feel sleepy. Ofte the axiety of ot beig able to sleep ca make it harder to fall asleep. 10. Talk to your doctor if you cotiue to have trouble sleepig. If you cotiue to fid yourself feelig tired ad ot alert, talk to your doctor. A uderlyig health problem might be affectig your sleep. For more iformatio o how to improve your sleep, refer to: Guide to Copig with Deploymet ad Combat Stress- Sleep Maagemet ad Soldier Readiess: A Guide for Leaders ad Soldiers. Uited States Army Public Health Commad, phc.amedd.army.mil (Search for Sleep ) Hooah for Health, U.S. Departmet of Health ad Huma Services, ih.gov/health/public/sleep/healthy_ sleep.pdf Natioal Sleep Foudatio,

6 6 Jue 21, 2012 MARK YOUR CALENDAR TODAY BLOOD DRIVE SLATED ECBC, MRICD, ad USAPHC are parterig with the Armed Services Blood Program to host their first blood drive of summer at Bldg. E4516 (Chemical Demilitarizatio Traiig Facility) o Douglas Road o APG South (Edgewood) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Appoitmets ca be scheduled at by usig the sposor code EDGMD. Show your support for our Soldiers ad military Families. Most of the blood collected will provide life-savig care for wouded Soldiers overseas. Doors are remided to brig a photo ID ad a list of ay travel ad medicatios. Appoitmets are recommeded, but walk-is are welcome. Drik plety of fluids all summer log, but especially if you are goig to doate. Cotact Spc. Matthew Baco at or matthew.baco3@us.army.mil for iformatio. OPEN MIC & KARAOKE Do you like to sig? The Ope Mic Thursday at Ruggles Golf Course is the place to show off your talets. Ivite your frieds ad co-workers to joi i the fu durig Ope Mic ad Karaoke, hosted by Lou Melo of Melo Time Karaoke, from 6 to 9 p.m. i the Ruggles Golf Course clubhouse. Admissio is free with complimetary bar foods, limited sack bar operatios ad a beer ad wie cash bar. Participats must be 18 ad older. For more iformatio, call THURSDAY JUNE 21 EVERYDAY LEADERSHIP FOR TEENS This free class is from 11 a.m. to oo at CYSS Bldg Tees ages will lear about the basic qualities ad characteristics that make good leaders. Register at CYSS Cetral Registratio Bldg. 2503, rooms 210 or 211. Walk-i registratio is 7:30 to 10:30 a.m., or call for a appoitmet at /7571. For more iformatio, cotact Jay McKiey at or jay.a.mckiey. af@mail.mil. FRIDAY JUNE 22 CONCERT IN THE PARK Come ejoy golde slippers, show tues ad ragtime i Mummers strutti style while listeig to the music of the Gloucester City Strig Bad, 7:30 p.m. i Millard E. Tydigs Park i Havre de Grace. Brig law chairs ad picic baskets. This evet is sposored by the Havre de Grace Arts Commissio. No rai locatio. For more iformatio, cotact the Havre de Grace Arts Commissio at or Mary Boehly at maryboehly2@verizo.et. JOB VERSUS CAREER A Job Versus Career Class for Tees will be held Jue 27 from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at ACS Bldg Tees will lear the differeces ad beefits of pursuig a career versus a job. Tees will lear what employers look for, how to apply for a job, resume writig ad iterview etiquette. Registratio is required. For iformatio or to RSVP, call /7572 or marily. e.howard.civ@mail.mil. Patricia Adams Audrey Alba Roberta Brow-Thurma (Fort Huachuca) Olivia Burette Kimberly Cars-Lambert Mejia Creola Adriee Creli Timothy Compto Gregory Czechowicz, Stephe Debellis SATURDAY JUNE 23 GALA TICKETS AVAILABLE AT DOOR Tickets will be available at the door for the aual Support Our Heroes Gala, set from 6-10 p.m. at the Residece at Bulle Rock, 1200 Bulle Rock Parkway, Havre de Grace, MD Tickets are $100; proceeds will beefit the Fisher House Foudatio i support of Wouded Warriors ad their Families. Evet highlights: cocktail gala, heavy hors d oeuvre, auctios, musical performaces, a USO travellig troupe, ad brief program at 8:30 p.m., followed by deejay ad dacig. WEDNESDAY JUNE 27 CONSTRUCTION MEETING The Marylad State Highway Admiistratio will hold a public meetig regardig the MD 22 ad Paradise Road itersectio improvemets Jue 27. The meetig will provide iformatio o the costructio project. Display areas will show the aticipated operatioal ad safety improvemets, ad SHA represetatives will be available to aswer questios. Visit for details. SATURDAY JUNE 30 ART CONTEST DEADLINE The submissio period for the 2012 Army Arts ad Crafts Cotest rus through Jue 30. Cotestats ca eter their origial works of art i categories such as ceramics, drawigs, fibers ad textiles, glass, metals ad jewelry, paitigs, mixed media, wood ad digital art. Submissios must have bee completed withi the curret cotest year, July 1, Jue 30, All authorized Family ad MWR patros are eligible to submit as may as three works per category at the garriso level. Etries submitted as official duty illustratios, traiig aids, or similar assigmets are ot eligible. To submit a work of art, complete the etry forms ad submit digital images of work olie at the cotest website: APPTRAC (must have a AKO accout to access web-based program). For complete cotest rules, visit THURSDAY JULY 26 OLYMPIC SPORT DAY SET Leave Doatios Meg Dowey Karea Edwards Melissa Edwards Joh Eppiger Melaie Espich Paula Friedma Daielle Hall Shaw Heilei Sarah Igram Evely Johso Mark Johso Caroly Moore Robert Merritt Team APG is hostig a commuitywide Orgaizatio Day, dubbed Olympic Sports Day, at various locatios o post July 26. The day is set aside for garriso ad teat orgaizatios to stregthe parterships ad build camaraderie while participatig i competitive sports. Scored evets iclude softball, kickball, volleyball, flag football, 3 o 3 basketball, two-mile race ad golf skills. Evets will take place at APG North s Shore Park, multiple softball fields, the recreatio ceter ad gym. Food will be provided, ad awards will be preseted for each evet as well as overall wier. The evet is ope to all APG To participate i the Volutary Leave Program, use forms OPM 630, Applicatio to Become a Leave Recipiet Uder the Volutary Leave Trasfer Program; OPF 630-A, Request to Doate Aual Leave to Leave Recipiet Uder the Volutary Leave Trasfer Program (withi agecy); ad OPM 630-B, Request to Doate Aual Leave to Leave Recipiet Uder the Volutary Leave Trasfer Program (outside agecy). For ifo, cotact Cathy Davis at or cathy.a.davis4. civ@mail.mil. Employees eligible for doatios i the Volutary Leave Trasfer Program Theresa Padro Stephaie Parrett Mary Pettiway Paida Rimchala Pedro Rodriguez Deborah Smith Roby Squires Samuel Tims Kimber Todd employees. Although missio will dictate participatio, the Olympic Sport Day will be cosidered the place of duty for Soldiers ad Departmet of the Army civilias. The uiform will be civilia casual for observers ad civilia sports for participats. FRIDAY JULY 27 WOMEN S SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINE The Marylad Tri-Couty Chapter Federally Employed Wome (FEW) presets the 2011 Dottie Dorma Workig Wome s Scholarship. The wome selected for this hoor will receive a $300 scholarship to pay for or offset college expeses icurred i pursuit of her cotiuig educatio. Applicatios must be received by July 27. For iformatio, cotact Melissa Smith at , ext 5129, or Kare Jobes at SATURDAY AUG. 11 TICKETS ON SALE NOW APG MWR ad Army Etertaimet preset Bosto with special guests Kasas ad Grad Fuk Railroad at the Aberdee Provig Groud Shie Sports Field. Advace tickets are $30. Tickets ca be purchased at www. apgmwr.com/evets.html, the Leisure Travel Office i the APG North recreatio ceter ad the APG South (Edgewood) recreatio ceter. For iformatio, call or SATURDAY AUG. 18 YOLANDA ADAMS CONCERT APG, i partership with Ames Uited Methodist Church will host a gospel cocert featurig Grammy ad Dove Award-wiig artist Yolada Adams at 3 p.m. at the Post Theater. The cocert pays tribute to Wouded Warriors i Marylad. Tickets are $30 ad ca be purchased at the APG North ad South recreatio ceters. Tickets for active duty Soldiers are $25 ad must be purchased over the couter. To purchase tickets olie, visit For more iformatio, call the APG Leisure Travel Office at ONGOING FOOD AND BEVERAGE SURVEY APG s Family ad MWR eeds your help. Please complete the survey to help us uderstad your food ad beverage prefereces o the istallatio. Your feedback is importat ad will assist us i plaig future iitiatives. Visit APG-Food-Services to take the survey. BLUE STAR MUSEUMS PROGRAM RETURNS Active duty military persoel ad their Families ca get free admissio to several Virgiia museums this summer. The Virgiia Museum of Natural History i Martisville, the Virgiia Museum of Fie Arts i Richmod ad several others are amog 1,600 museums atiowide that are offerig free admissio to military Families through Labor Day. The Blue Star Museums program is a partership with the Natioal Edowmet for the Arts ad Blue Star Families. TUESDAY SEPT. 25 HCC OFFERS ROME TRIP Experiece a arts-cetered trip to Rome with Harford Commuity College Jauary 3-12, The registratio deadlie is Sept. 25; istructor permissio is ecessary prior to registratio. This witer, Creative Photography, History of Furiture ad Decorative Arts, Drawig I, II, III, & IV, Sculpture I, II, III, & IV, ad Creative Writig are beig offered as part of the travel/ study experiece. The price (icludig gratuities & tour guides) is $3,750 per perso plus tuitio. The first 20 studets to register will receive a $250 discout. Cotact Dr. Elle Avitts at drelleav@yahoo.com or ay of the istructors for erollmet applicatio. BABES IN WOODS SUMMER CAMP Ede Mill Nature Ceter is takig registratio for Babes i the Woods summer camp for ages 4 ad 5. Dates ad topics are as follows: July 2- Be A Tree, July 3- Busy Beavers, July 5- Aimals Everywhere, July 16- Isect Ivestigators, July 18- Woderful Wetlads, Aug. 6- Turtle Time, Aug. 8- Tracks ad Trails, Aug. 10- Habitat Huters from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Preschoolers will ejoy a day explorig ature through hadso activities such as hikes, games, stories ad crafts. The fee is $25/member/date or $30/o-member/date. Pre-registratio is required by callig or edemillatureceter@gmail.com. Visit for iformatio. SEEKING 2ID VETS The Secod (Idiahead) Divisio Associatio is searchig for ayoe who served i the 2d Ifatry Divisio at ay time. For iformatio about the atioal associatio ad our aual reuio i Reo, Nev., Aug , visit or cotact the associatio s secretary-treasurer, Bob Hayes, at 2idahq@comcast.et or (224) AUDITION FOR DRACULA The APG Theater Group will perform Dracula i October. To auditio or to joi the theater group, visit the recreatio ceter Modays at 6 p.m., or call /4907. CHAPEL POSITION The APG mai post chapel is seekig someoe who ca serve as choir director, orgaist ad soloist. It is a paid positio, part-time, required for two services o Suday, special services ad rehearsal. If iterested, cotact Chaplai (Maj.) Joatha Morse at MANDATORY MOTORCYCLE TRAINING Motorcycle safety courses for active duty, Guard ad Reserve Soldiers begi this moth at APG. To fid out the schedule for the basic rider course, experieced rider course ad motorcycle refresher traiig, call Mike Allle at Attedees must register olie at imcom.army.mil/airs/. NOW CYSS TEEN SURVEY APG s Child Youth ad School Services wats to kow what activities ad programs iterest your tees. CYSS offers may classes ad sports activities but few tee recreatio ad leisure programs. We eed your help to uderstad what we ca do to meet their eeds while providig fu activities. Our ultimate goal is to have eough tee participatio to warrat opeig a tee ceter. Visit to take the survey. Your resposes are very importat. MSU OFFERS MASTERS IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING The Departmet of Electrical ad Computer Egieerig at Morga State Uiversity aouces its master s degree i electrical egieerig program, desiged for those iterested i pursuig a advaced degree with cocetratios i commuicatios, sigals itelligece ad RADAR. The program will be offered at APG ad Baltimore City, ad icludes a thesis or courseoly optio. A udergraduate GPA of 3.0 ad B.S. i electrical egieerig from a ABET accredited program are required. Other STEM degrees may be cosidered. Submit applicatios by July 1 for the fall semester at: Call or Jumoke.Ladeji-Osias@Morga. Edu for iformatio. DIY WHEEL BALANCE The APG Auto Craft Ceter has a ew top-of-the-lie wheel balacig machie for 10 to 24 wheels, to iclude low profile tires. Reduce expesive car repair costs ad do it yourself with the assistace of Auto Craft staff members. Stop by the ceter ad see how you ca save moey. For iformatio, call or visit www. apgmwr.com/recreatio/auto.html. IEPP PROGRAM CONTINUED Iteral Eterprise Placemet Program, the IMCOM program desiged to place over-hires from oe istallatio i vacacies at aother istallatio, has bee cotiued. APG garriso employees ca apply for positios that they qualify for at the same or lower grades. Vacacies are posted at us.army.mil/suite/page/ MORE ONLINE More evets ca be see at apg.army.mil/ caledar.

7 8 Jue 21, 2012 Sigal celebrates 152 years of service Cotiued from Page 1 followig assigmet: Sigal Departmet--Assistat Surgeo Albert J. Myer to be Sigal Officer, with the rak of Major, Jue 27, 1860, to fill a origial vacacy. Albert James Myer, a Army doctor, developed the idea of a separate, traied professioal military sigal service. He proposed that the Army use his visual commuicatios system called wigwag while servig as a medical officer i Texas i Whe the Army adopted his system Jue 21, 1860, the Sigal Corps was bor with Myer as the first ad oly Sigal officer. Usig flags for daytime sigalig ad a torch at ight, wigwag was first tested i combat i Jue 1861 to direct the fire of a harbor battery agaist the Cofederate positios opposite Fort Moroe, Va. For the past 152 years our Sigal Corps has bee ever watchful for the coutry, Ferrell emphasized. The regimet s motto, Prot Patria Vigilas, meas Watchful for the Coutry. Ferrell said Myer faced a umber of challeges while he was tryig to icorporate the ew techology of wigwag ito Army commuicatios. Photo by Bob DiMichele (From left) Sgt. Christopher Freema, of the Public Health Commad, yougest Soldier preset at the celebratio of the Sigal Corps 152d Birthday; Lt. Col. (ret.) Ed Cares, oldest Sigal Regimet member preset; Maj. Ge. Robert S. Ferrell; ad Commad Sgt Maj. Keis Det cut the birthday cake for the celebratio of the Sigal Corps 152d Birthday at the lucheo hosted by the Aberdee chapters of the Armed Forces Commuicatios ad Electroics Associatio ad the Sigal Corps Regimetal Associatio at Top of the Bay. We face similar challeges today, he said. From telegraphs to tactical radios, from radios to radar, from establishig the Natioal Weather Service to boucig the first sigal off of the moo, the Sigal Corps has provided the coutry with vital services to meet the eeds of the atio. The craft of our Sigal Corps is more complex tha ever, Ferrell explaied. He said that commuicatios-electroics systems such as WIN-T, Firefider ad the Distributed Commo Groud System-Army have eabled the America Army to domiate the battlefield i the 21st cetury. Ferrell said that cocepts such as the commo operatig eviromet ad the joit iformatio eviromet represet a sigificat cultural shift ahead for the Sigal Corps. The commo operatig eviromet will eable idustry by idetifyig the parameters withi which Army applicatios ad capabilities are desiged ad eable isertio of ew techologies withi specified architectures ad stadards. The joit iformatio eviromet will establish a commo iformatio techology ifrastructure. Followig log-stadig traditio, Sgt. Christopher Freema, a Soldier from the Public Health Commad who was a member of the color guard at the celebratio, ad Lt. Col. (ret.) Ed Cares, who was the oldest Sigal Regimet member preset, helped Ferrell ad Commad Sgt. Maj. Keis Det cut the Sigal Corps birthday cake at Top of the Bay to formally ackowledge the day. Ortiz bids farewell to Garriso APG Cotiued from Page 1 To the garriso staff, your efforts are recogized throughout the Army. I expect you to cotiue to excel. health ad vehicle ad weapos testig, Dettwiler said. Garriso support exteds beyod the istallatio boudaries, she added. The garriso works closely with local govermet agecies, commuity groups, emergecy services agecies, ad the surroudig couty school systems i support of the commuity. Tidoll ackowledged the leadership of Maj. Ge. Robert S. Ferrell, commader of APG ad the U.S. Army Commuicatios- Electroics Commad, who was uable to atted. He called Ortiz a outstadig leader who esured APG made tremedous cotributios to Army readiess. Listig Ortiz s accomplishmets, Tidoll credited him with overseeig the base realigmet ad closure trasitio that icluded more tha $1 billio i ifrastructure upgrades, the costructio of 18 ew buildigs o the istallatio, coordiatig housig ad trasportatio for icomig persoel, workig with the state to improve roadways, ad movig thousads of Soldiers ad civilias to APG from Fort Lee, Va., ad Fort Sam Housto, Texas. Tidoll called Ortiz s executio of the Ehaced Use Lease, which allows busiesses to lease istallatio property ad provide upgrades to the istallatio at o cost to the govermet, oe of Ortiz s greatest achievemets. With his leadership, APG s Ehaced Use Lease is oe of the largest ad most successful of its kid, he said. Orlado, you have doe well ad I m very proud of your success. He welcomed McClito, otig that he has impressive credetials for garriso commad. He will brig ew eergy ad excellece to APG, Tidoll said. Ortiz said his accomplishmets were more a testamet to the garriso workforce tha to himself. He expressed pride i the orgaizatios headquartered o the istallatio ad said he was grateful ad proud to have led the garriso staff through BRAC ad the loss ad gai of so may military commads. He thaked his wife, Family members ad frieds for their support, lastly askig the garriso staff to support ad embrace McClito. Thak you from the bottom of my heart for everythig that you have doe, he said. Support this getlema, support his Family, God bless you all. McClito thaked everyoe i attedace, assured Ferrell ad Tidoll that he looks forward to servig with ad for them, ad told local commuity ad busiess leaders that he looks forward to cotiuig established relatioships. To the garriso staff, he said, your efforts are recogized throughout the Army. I expect you to cotiue to excel. The APG Nocommissioed Officer ad Soldier of the Year Sgts. Olayiwola Kugbleu ad Matthew Gasel of Davis D. Tidoll Jr. Director, Atlatic Regio, IMCOM Kirk U.S. Army Health Cliic preseted flowers ad garriso cois to the Family members of McClito ad Ortiz. A combied color guard of Directorate of Emergecy Services police officers ad firefighters posted ad retired the colors, led by Colors Sgt. Thomas Demaria. Garriso Chaplai (Col.) Waye Boyd preseted the ivocatio ad Courtey Paye of the U.S. Army Test ad Evaluatio Commad s Army Evaluatio Ceter sag the atioal athem. Guests icluded Marylad State Seator Nacy Jacobs; represetatives of Marylad Seator Be Cardi ad Marylad Cogressma Dutch Ruprsberger; Harford Couty Executive David Craig; Aberdee Mayor Michael Beett; ad members of the Harford Couty Coucil as well as Gold Star Mothers. APG seior leaders i attedace icluded Brig. Ge. Leslie Smith, commader, 20th Support Commad; Brig. Ge. Joh Rega, deputy commader, U.S. Army Test ad Evaluatio Commad ad director of the Army Evaluatio Ceter; Dale Ormod, director, U.S. Army Research, Developmet ad Egieerig Commad; Brig. Ge. Peter Hiz, assistat adjutat geeral, Marylad Natioal Guard; Istallatio Commad Sgt. Maj. Keis Det, CECOM; ad several other commad sergeats major ad Seior Executive Service civilias. Col. Gregory R. McClito A ative of Harrisburg, Pa., McClito was commissioed as a secod lieuteat ito the Quartermaster Corps i His past assigmets iclude 101st Airbore Divisio, Fort Campbell, Ky.; U.S. Military Traiig Missio to the Kigdom of Saudi Arabia; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; U.S. Army Cadet Commad, Savaah, McClito Ga.; Quartermaster Ceter ad School, Fort Lee, Va.; 3rd U.S. Army, Camp Doha, Kuwait; Souther Uiversity ad A&M College, Bato Rouge, La.; Fort Greely, Alaska; ad IMCOM, Alexadria, Va. His military educatio icludes Quartermaster Officer basic ad advaced courses ad the Army Commad ad Geeral Staff College. McClito holds a bachelor s degree i marketig from Towso State Uiversity; a master s i computer resources ad iformatio maagemet from Webster Uiversity; ad a master s i atioal research strategy from the Idustrial College of the Armed Forces, Natioal Defese Uiversity. McClito is married to the former Vicky Arette Saylor. They have two childre Chelsea, a recet graduate of the Georgia Istitute of Techology, ad Gregory Jr., a recet high school graduate. Homes for Our Troops lays foudatio Cotiued from Page 1 ig ATEC Commad Sgt. Maj. Alle G. Fritzschig. It s all about espirit de corps, Sago said. We start together, we fiish together. She said that Keck, who is a civilia, ofte works out with ATEC Soldiers durig morig physical traiig. We have far fewer Soldiers tha places like Fort Hood but our civilia together with our military force is formidable, she said. Officials osite icluded Homes for Troops Executive Director Daw Teixeira ad Sgt. Maj. Robert Gallagher of the Army Wouded Warrior (AW2) Program. Teixeira said the home is the first i Marylad. There are may more aroud the coutry, she said. Sice 2004 we ve built over 100 homes for post-9-11 Soldiers. She added that voluteers still are eeded for the project which aims to coclude withi 90 to 120 days. Plety of help will be eeded for the ladscapig ope house, she said. To lear more, or to voluteer, visit Whe completed the specially adapted home will be a four bedroom, wheelchair accessible, oe level home, about 2,800 square feet of livig space; overall 3,500 square feet of maeuverable space. It will have wider doors ad hallways ad feature pull-dow shelvig i the kitche, accessible appliaces, ad two 5 feet by 8 feet bathrooms with therapeutic tubs. Keck said he ad his Family, wife Oksaa ad daughter Zoya, 6, were overwhelmed by the effort to provide them with a home that will greatly reduce the challeges he ow faces gettig i ad out of his home. I defiitely love my job ad the great support of the good people I ve worked with sice 2008, he said. We had looked at other properties but my wife foud this oe, he added. We ca t wait to call it home. Voluteers icluded Keck s soo-to-be eighbor, Lt. Col. Jeremy Bushyager a Reserve Officer Traiig Corps istructor at Johs Hopkis Uiversity ad Jeff Brock, presidet of the Susquehaa Chapter of the Military Officers Associatio of America. Frieds kockig o my door got me ivolved, said Bushyager, addig that his two sos also were helpig out. A lot more are comig out this weeked, he said. Wouded Warrior Kelly Keck helps his daughter Zoya hammer the first ail ito their ew home as wife Oksaa looks o. Photo by Yvoe Johso

8 10 Jue 21, 2012 Darabasz retires after 45 years Story ad photo by YVONNE JOHNSON Whe actig Director of Emergecy Services, Joseph J. Darabasz came to APG i March 1997, after 23 years with the Philadelphia, Pa. police departmet, he had o idea the place would grow o him. Darabasz retires ext week after 15 years with DES. A ative of Philadelphia, Darabasz was t eve sure where APG was. He kew his parets routiely traveled to the area but he had ever visited himself util he took his father to visit the former Ordace Museum. He said that with the discovery of this quiet place i the coutry, came the otio to seek out a differet eviromet for his family. Darabasz etered the Air Force i 1968 as a air traffic cotroller. He served i Vietam from 1969 to Da Nag s [Vietam] airport was busier tha Chicago O Hare Iteratioal Airport a the time, he said, addig that he joied because he thought it was the right thig to do. The upopularity of the war spilled over oto America troops, however, ad Darabasz recalled whe a beer ca was throw at him while i the Los Ageles airport. I left a lot of my comrades over there but I still thik it was right, he said. He stayed i for just over seve years. It was oly after leavig the military that he cosidered eterig law eforcemet whe his father told him the Philadelphia police departmet was hirig ad suggested he take the test. Darabasz came out high o the list ad i September 1976 he etered the police academy. Durig his career i Philadelphia, he moved up from patrolma to lieuteat detective, servig with the departmet s mobile crime lab ad special victims uit, ad processig more tha 534 murder ivestigatios throughout the city durig his career. He said that while lookig ito opeigs at APG, he actually wated a job as a paralegal but while scrollig through the OPM site he clicked o police supervisor istead. Whe he took the positio i March 1997, the Police Services Divisio was trasitioig from military police (MPs) to a civilia police force ad the former Directorate of Law Eforcemet ad Security (DLES) became DES. With the chage, the APG fire departmet was moved from uder the former Directorate of Safety, Health ad Eviromet umbrella ito DES alog with the Physical Security divisio. The chages were made to brig everythig i lie with the Stadard Garriso orgaizatio uder IMCOM, Darabasz said. Joseph J. Darabasz, deputy director of Emergecy Services retires Jue 28 after 15 years with the Aberdee Provig Groud police. A vetera of the U.S. Air Force, Vietam ad the Philadelphia Police Departmet, who has served the atio ad his commuities for 45 years, he ow plas to kayak, fish ad golf. Darabasz moved up steadily to take over deputy director duties after 10 years o the force. I December 2011 he became actig director whe former provost marshal ad Emergecy Services Director Robert Krauer retired. Uder Krauer, Darabasz hadled most base realigmet ad closurerelated issues regardig force protectio ad post security. He said he had made up his mid to retire after the BRAC completio i I just wated to see it through. My wife ad I decided o December but I could t leave the same time [as Krauer], he said, addig that he ever told his former boss his origial itetios. So, I decided to stick aroud ad give the commad time to fid aother replacemet. Plus, my wife told me, We are retirig i Jue, he said with a smile. He said the biggest trasitio durig his teure was goig from military to civilia ad the directorate s greatest challeges started the morig of Sept. 11, Whe we closed the gates it moved from trasitio to metamorphosis, he said. Nothig was ever the same agai. It was a logistical ightmare. We wet to [force protectio level] DELTA, we wet to 12-hour days, seve days-a-week; we had the 10th Moutai Divisio, Natioal Guard, reservists ad our ow Soldiers helpig out. Everyoe stepped up, though; everyoe chipped i. Of course with BRAC we welcomed Fort Momouth ad others to APG, he cotiued. Through those years we wet through some growig pais but it was all for the better. Thigs have settled dow a bit sice the ad ow my oly cocer is complacecy. We let our guard dow oce ad we should ever do that agai. He said that with APG s 144 miles of coastlie all of which must be secured force protectio of the istallatio must be paramout. We discuss it every day, he said. Whe you re resposible for the safety ad security of the Soldiers, civilias, Family members ad visitors who pass through these gates every day, it s somethig you ca t take lightly. We have a resposibility to protect them ad we ca t afford oe mistake. Darabasz described his early moths at APG as a culture shock. The first six moths were ubearable because it was too slow, he chuckled. [I Philly] I supervised 12 detectives ad hadled 2,400 icidets a moth. I was used to people takig umbers ad waitig o beches. But, we kew it was time to get our family orieted to a differet eviromet. I love Philadelphia. It s the birthplace of our atio. But I did t kow the coutry, he said. Today, Darabasz s daughter is a urse I m just thakful for the opportuity to work here. I put my heart ad soul ito this orgaizatio. I loved workig for the Army ad aroud Soldiers. It was a great experiece ad I m fortuate God always looked dow upo me. I wipe my brow Jue 28, thakful that I made it out of here without icidet. i Perryville ad his so, a former Baltimore city police officer, ow is o the DES police force. I tried to talk him ito goig ito computer sciece, he laughed, addig that kiship brigs o special treatmet. He s got to stad i lie like everyoe else, Darabasz said. We rarely discuss the job; just the gradkids. He credits his wife Carol, of 37 years, as beig his backboe. Thak God I have the support of my wife, he said. I do t kow what I would have doe without her. She took care of birthdays, holidays, you ame it. Ad she ever asked about the job; she d just be there for me ad the kids. The police officers, ivestigators, security persoel, firefighters ad emergecy medical techicias who make up the DES are the reaso Darabasz cosiders his teure successful. The real heroes are those o the gates, esurig they allow oly the right folks i, he said. I put 23 years i Philly, met a lot of folks ad received 17 commedatios for eat police work, but the folks here are what I will remember most. They re probably the best people I ve met i my life. They are motivated all the time. They are the real heroes. He said that oe of his favorite past times is kayakig ad he plas to do more of it durig retiremet. He recetly took up freshwater fishig ad golf ad plas to do more of both whe ot spoilig his seve graddaughters. I will sped a lot of time spoilig them, travel a little ad maybe eve try a part-time job but othig too serious, he said. I m just thakful for the opportuity to work here, he said. I put my heart ad soul ito this orgaizatio. I loved workig for the Army ad aroud Soldiers. It was a great experiece ad I m fortuate God always looked dow upo me. I wipe my brow Jue 28, thakful that I made it out of here without icidet. Christopher Ferris, from Fort Riley, Ka., assumes the positio of DES director Jue 28. Orgaizatios ecouraged to participate Cotiued from Page 1 Although missio will dictate participatio, the orgaizatio day will be cosidered the place of duty for Soldiers ad Departmet of the Army civilias who are participatig i competitive evets. Scored sportig evets will iclude golf skills, softball, volleyball, kickball, flag football, basketball ad relay ru. Uits ad orgaizatios that are slated to participate iclude: Army Test ad Evaluatio Commad Kirk U.S. Army Health Cliic U.S. Army Health Commad Public Health Commad 20th Support Commad Research Developmet Egieerig Commad Chemical Materials Agecy Commuicatios-Electroics Commad The Program Executive Office for Commad, Cotrol ad Commuicatios-Tactical Medical Research Istitute of Chemical Defese Army Materiel Systems Aalysis Activity Program Executive Office for Itelligece, Electroic Warfare, ad Sesors Joit Program Executive Office for Chemical Biological Defese 22d Chemical Battalio 203rd Military Itelligece Battalio Food will be available, ad awards will be preseted for each evet as well as a overall wier. The uiform will be civilia casual for observers ad civilia sports for participats. Seior Istallatio ad CECOM Commader Maj. Ge. Robert Ferrell, with Commad Sgt. Maj. Keis Det, will be the guest speakers. Cotiue to read the for more iformatio, icludig sig-up poits of cotact, for the Olympic Sports Day.

9 Jue 21, Istallatio Ru kicks off Army Birthday celebratio Maj. Ge. Robert Ferrell, commader of APG ad CECOM, ad his flag bearer ru alogside the mass formatio as it moves dow Aberdee Boulevard durig the Army Birthday Istallatio Ru Jue 14. Story ad photos by YVONNE JOHNSON The Aberdee Provig Groud 237th Army Birthday celebratio bega with a early morig ru from Fashaw Field Jue 14. Soldiers, civilias ad Family members ra the 3.2 miles aroud the istallatio led by Istallatio Commader, Maj. Ge. Robert Ferrell; Garriso Commader, Col. Orlado Ortiz, ad Istallatio Commad Sgt. Maj. Keis Det. The route woud aroud the istallatio ad the back to Fashaw Field where ruers passed uder the giat Garriso flag which was suspeded from ladder trucks provided by firefighters from the Directorate of Emergecy Services. DES police officers ad emergecy medical persoel escorted the ruers ad provided traffic cotrol. The commader awarded each uit a Army Birthday streamer ad the led a birthday cake cuttig with the istallatio s yougest Soldier, civilia ad ChalleNGe cadet. Ferrell said it was a woderful Army day. Ever sice Jue 14, 1775, we have supported ad defeded the costitutio of the Uited States agaist all eemies, foreig ad domestic. You have allowed freedom for all, Ferrell said. Later that morig, a huge crowd was i attedace o Fashaw Field for the official festivities. They icluded music by the U.S. Army Field Bad from Fort George G. Meade, a uiform pageat featurig Soldiers i uiforms represetig the Army s major coflicts sice its creatio for the Revolutioary War, ad a history of the America Flag with its three desigs posted o the field. Ferrell cogratulated the Garriso for puttig its heart ad soul ito the preparatios, from the morig ru to the mai evet. He oted that Soldiers, a dedicated civilia workforce ad lovig families are the foudatio of our stregth. Our spouses, parets, sos ad daughters are holdig it together o the homefrot, he said. Together, we are the stregth of a great atio. Durig the ceremoy ie military recruits from the Bel Air Recruitig Statio received Army Birthday ID tags from Ferrell ad Det who the led a Birthday Cake-cuttig, joied by the yougest APG Soldier, ChalleNGe Academy cadet ad civilia preset, alog with APG civilia Susa Nappi ad Spc. Cassadra Rousaye, who received certificates of appreciatio. The recruitig statio also provided a rock climbig wall alog with a Army Humvee which provided music for the ruers durig the istallatio ru. Guests ejoyed a food tastig courtesy of Morale, Welfare ad Recreatio after the program. Other displays icluded tactical vehicles from the U.S. Army Test ad Evaluatio Commad s Aberdee Test Ceter ad a giat slide from the DES Fire ad Emergecy Services divisio. APG Seior Leader Maj. Ge. Robert Ferrell thaks the APG Soldiers who modeled period costumes i the uiform pageat durig the Army Birthday Celebratio at Fashaw Field Jue 14. ChalleNGe Academy graduates 99 studets Story ad photo by RACHEL PONDER Military ad commuity leaders, Family members, cadre ad guests gathered to hoor the 99 youg me ad wome from Class 38 who successfully completed 22 weeks of rigorous traiig durig the Marylad Natioal Guard s (MDNG) Military Youth Corps Freestate ChalleNGe Academy commecemet ceremoy at the APG post theater Jue 16. Hosted by retired MDNG Col. Richard Kauer, the academy s special projects officer, ad retired MDNG Col. Richard Thuder Youg, the academy s director, the ceremoy icluded the awardig of scholarships ad savigs bods from local busiesses, educatioal istitutios ad commuity orgaizatios. Cadets received a total of $156,000 i scholarships ad savigs bods durig the graduatio ceremoy ad durig a award ceremoy held at the APG North recreatio ceter Jue 12. Special guests i attedace icluded APG ad CECOM Commader, Maj. Ge. Robert Ferrell ad CECOM Commad Sgt. Maj. Keis Det. Award preseters icluded the Director, Joit Staff for the District of Columbia Natioal Guard Brig. Ge. Key Ricket; Assistat Adjutat Geeral for Marylad Air Natioal Guard Brig. Ge. Allyso R. Solomo; ad the Director of the Capitol Guardia Youth ChalleNGe Program, Owe Johso. Youg thaked Col. Orlado Ortiz ad the Garriso staff for their cotiued support of the program. Located o APG, the Freestate ChalleNGe Academy provides a secod chace for at-risk youth ad high school dropouts to become productive members of society. Durig the five moth, quasi-military residetial program, cadets lear self-disciplie ad leadership skills while they prepare for the Geeral Educatioal Developmet Test. The Freestate ChalleNGe Academy is edorsed by the state of Marylad i a cooperative agreemet betwee the MDNG ad the Natioal Guard Bureau. These are youth who at oe poit i their lives were headed dow the wrog (From right) Cadets Joatha Amparo, Carrieaa Archie ad Kevi Argueta from Class 38 cheer for their Families ad frieds durig the Marylad Natioal Guard Freestate ChalleNGe Academy commecemet ceremoy at the APG post theater Jue 16. path, Ortiz said, who are ow completig somethig sigificat, somethig positive, that will hopefully serve as a steppig stoe for complete success for them idividually ad for our atio. Ortiz commeded the Freestate ChalleNGe Academy staff, metors, ad all who cotribute to the success of the program. They reiforce a message, ad the message to you should be that you matter, he said. Your success is our atio s success. Ortiz challeged the cadets to cotiue achievig their goals. He istructed the cadets to let disciplie ad itegrity factor ito all that they do. I salute you for takig advatage of this challege ad makig it to this poit, but remember this is oly the begiig, he said. Solomo also gave words of ecouragemet to the graduates. Life is about choices. By choosig to become part of Freestate ChalleNGe, it meat that you were choosig success, Solomo said. Embrace what you leared here as solid gold for your future. Class spokespersos, Madeli Rubio- Arago ad Seth Carrigto, shared how the academy chaged their lives. Carrigto said that after makig some bad decisios, he decided that he had to do somethig extraordiary to regai the respect of his Family. Sometimes you have to do the hard thig to get where you wat to go, Carrigto said. It feels good to do the right thig, to have my parets say I am so proud of you. Rubio-Arago said that her grades suffered ad she was bullied i school because Eglish is ot her first laguage. She said that the ecouragemet she received from her metor gave her the cofidece to succeed durig the program. I wated to show my Family that I am capable of doig aythig I set my mid to do, she said. I twety-two weeks I have grow up so much. The little girl who had so may hopes ad dreams is back. The Marylad Defese Force Bad provided the ceremoy s music. Top ChalleNGe Academy awards wet to the followig: Cadet of the Cycle, Cadet Jawo McGill Academic Excellece, Cadet Stevoe Craig Leadership, Cadet Joatha Amparo Physical Fitess, Cadets Timothy Hurley Jr. ad Madeli Rubio-Arago Most Improved, Cadet Toy Walker Scholarship presetatios The Aberdee Chapter of the Associatio of the Uited States Army, $1,000 awarded to Cadets Alicia Hies ad Desti Byas Marylad Natioal Guard Foudatio, $1,000 scholarship awarded to Cadet Nathaael Farmer Towso Rotary Foudatio, Ic., $1,000 scholarship awarded to Cadet Aaro Olivas Nacy H. Sevier Award, $1,000 scholarship awarded to Cadet Stephaie Fikes Pedro 66 Scholarship, $1,000 awarded to Cadet Jawo McGill Harford Commuity College, $5,000 scholarship awarded to Cadet Seth Carrigto DRS Scholarship, 1,000 awarded to Cadet Joatha Amparo Lockhead Marti Scholarship, $1,000 awarded to Cadet Dyla Fuller Natioal Guard Youth Foudatio Scholarship, $1,000 awarded to Cadet PabloVivar-Guzma Bo Coway Scholarship, $1,000 awarded to Cadet Shea Smith Licol Techical Istitute, $10,000 scholarships awarded to Cadets William Charey, Howard Joes, Giie Marcao, Colli Redwie, Jessia Reyes-Gomez, Bejami Rojas-Heradez, Madeli Rubio-Arago, Zachary Sutphi, Patrick Wille, Kevi Argueta, Carlito Thompso, Roald Stoe, Justi Morris ad Patrick Duffy.