Fort Meade Soundoff March 6, 2014

Soundoff!
´

vol. 66 no. 9

Published in the interest of the Fort Meade community

March 6, 2014

Respecting ‘old glory’

PHOTO BY Stephen Ellmore

Marines from Marine Detachment Fort Meade gather the flag after Retreat at McGlachlin Parade Field. Members of the Fort Meade community take special pride in rendering
honor to the U.S. flag. For the story, see Page 10.

plan ahead

Nail Biter

Military Saves
Week offers tips
to reduce debt

Patriots hand MyerHenderson first loss of
season with 93-92 win

page 3

page 12

UPCOMING EVENTS

Sunday, 2 a.m.: Daylight saving time begins; change batteries in smoke alarms
March 19, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.: Technical Job Fair - Club Meade
March 19, 5:30 p.m.: EFMP Bowling - The Lanes
March 20, 11:30 a.m.: Women’s History Month Observance - McGill Training Ctr.
April 4, 6:30 a.m.: Sexual Assault Awareness Run - McGlachlin Parade Field

Soundoff!
´

Editorial Staff
Garrison Commander
Col. Brian P. Foley
Garrison Command
Sgt. Maj. Thomas J. Latter
Public Affairs Officer
Chad T. Jones
Chad.T.Jones.civ@mail.mil
Chief, Command Information
Philip H. Jones
Philip.H.Jones.civ@mail.mil
Assistant Editor & Senior Writer
Rona S. Hirsch
Staff Writer Lisa R. Rhodes
Staff Writer Brandon Bieltz
Design Coordinator Timothy Davis
Supplemental photography provided
by The Baltimore Sun Media Group

Guaranteed circulation:
11,285

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www.ftmeade.army.mil
You can also keep track of Fort Meade on Twitter at twitter.com/ftmeademd
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Co n t e n t s
News.............................. 3

Sports................................... 12

Crime Watch.................. 8

Movies.................................. 15

Community.................. 14

Classified.............................. 16

SOUNDOFF! March 6, 2014

Commander’s Column

Thanks to our
CYSS professionals
Hello again, Team Meade. March has
arrived and is truly “coming in like a lion.”
We’ve had a fairly harsh winter this year.
Hopefully, Monday’s snowfall will be the last
and March will “go out like a lamb,” as the
old saying goes.
I want to thank our hard-working road
crews who labored 24/7 during several of
the events to ensure our streets were cleared
and safe.
The missions executed by the people who
work on our installation are vital toward
our national defense, and our road crews
ensured we were able to continue execution
during some pretty harsh conditions. Thanks
to all.
I also want to focus this month’s column on the hard work and professionalism
exhibited every day by our Child, Youth and
School Services staff.
We said goodbye Friday evening to our
long-time director of CYSS, Lida-M H
Payne. Lida grew up on Fort Meade, and
then spent the past 39 years serving our
community in just about every CYSS capacity possible.
She retired last week after having served
at the top of her profession for the past four
years and as acting chief for another year.
Lida is just one of an estimated 350 equally
dedicated and hard-working Youth Services
and education professionals who care for our
children on Fort Meade. Our providers open
up their facilities well before PT in the morn-

ing, keep them
open until well
after retreat,
and close under
only the most
extreme conditions.
They
are
held to the very
highest state,
federal, and
national stanCOL. Brian P Foley
.
Garrison Commander
dards — with
good reason.
No one would argue that our children are
our nation’s most precious asset.
Our child care and education professionals
charge themselves with caring for this most
precious asset, caring for our children as if
they were their own.
They help us as parents educate, raise
and prepare the next generation, the future
of our nation. For that we owe our deepest
gratitude, and a proverbial standing round
of applause.
We have a busy spring ahead. The weather
will warm up soon and the snow will melt
— promise!
Until then, stay warm and be safe.
If you must drive before the streets are clear,
remember to keep extra distance between you
and the vehicle in front, slow down, and tap
your brakes to stop.
Easter is right around the corner!

Commander’s Open Door
Garrison Commander Col. Brian P. Foley has an open door policy.
All service members, retirees, government employees, family members and
community members age 18 or older are invited to address issues or concerns to the commander directly by visiting Foley’s office on Mondays from
4 to 6 p.m. at garrison headquarters in Hodges Hall, Bldg. 4551, Llewellyn
Avenue.
Visitors are seen on a first-come, first-served basis. No appointment is
necessary.
For more information, call 301-677-4844.
http://www.ftmeade.army.mil

News
Financial planning tips offered during Military Saves Week
Story and photo by Lisa R. Rhodes
Staff Writer
Retired 1st Sgt. Brian McLean wishes
he had been better informed about the
importance of saving for retirement.
“Think how much money I would
have,” said McLean, who retired from
Fort Meade in 2009 after 26 years in the
Army. “I would be sitting on a million
dollars, easy.”
McLean was one of more than 40
service members and DoD civilians
who learned how to better manage their
finances at “Military Saves: A Day of
Financial Fitness” on Feb. 27.
The daylong seminar, sponsored by
Army Community Service at the Community Readiness Center, was held during
Military Saves Week.
Held Feb. 24 to March 1, Military
Saves Week is part of the Military Saves
Campaign, which is sponsored by DoD
and coordinated by the Consumer Federation of America. The campaign is
dedicated to helping service members and
their families save money, reduce debt
and build wealth.
Ryan Yarnell, personal Financial
Readiness specialist for ACS, said the
seminar was a way to “encourage people
to focus on their finances and pledge to
take the next step.”
Presentations on various financial topics were provided by ACS, Fort Meade’s
Fleet and Family Support Center, the
Fort Meade Community Credit Union,
PNC Bank, the Better Business Bureau
and the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board.
Topics included financial planning,
outsmarting scammers, credit management and buying a home. Organizers
provided a free lunch and a presentation
on the Thrift Savings Plan, a defined
contribution retirement savings plan for
federal employees.
Yarnell gave a presentation on financial
planning and spoke about the importance
of setting short- and long-term goals and
setting up a budget plan to meet them.
“A budget is the best thing to do, but
it’s the one thing that people don’t use,”
Yarnell said.
A budget plan allows people to keep
track of their income, expenses and
spending, and provides the opportunity
to decide how much discretionary income
is left over for savings.
Once a budget plan is in place, the next
step is to build an emergency savings fund
that should cover three to six months of

Terri Darvish, a mortgage loan officer at PNC Financial Services Group in Laurel, talks
about the importance of conducting research before purchasing a home during “A
Day of Financial Fitness” seminar on Feb. 27. The daylong seminar was sponsored
by Army Community Service as part of Military Saves Week.

expenses.
“This protects you from Murphy’s Law
— what can go wrong, will go wrong,”
Yarnell said.
The fund can be used for sudden home
or car repairs, or for mortgage and car
payments during a period of unemployment.
Yarnell said that the recent government
shutdown is proof that an emergency savings fund can come in handy.
“If you had an emergency savings
fund, you could have used that” to cover
expenses during the shutdown, he said.
Paying off debts and saving for retirement are other important steps to building wealth.
Jacqueline Smith, president of the Fort
Meade Community Credit Union, spoke
about managing credit and explained how
the three credit reporting agencies work.
Smith said that consumers should
check their credit report at least once
a year for errors and to secure a good
credit score.
“Nowadays, they’re pulling your credit report for everything — to work at
McDonald’s, rent an apartment,” she
said.
Currently, a good credit score ranges

from 720 to 850.
Smith advised participants to protect
their Social Security number to avoid
identity theft, and to pay the monthly
minimum and finance charges on credit
card balances to reduce debt faster.
She also said it is important to pay
bills on time.
In her presentation on how to buy a

home, Terri Darvish, a mortgage loan
officer at PNC Financial Services Group
in Laurel, advised participants to research
the home buying process the way they
research buying a car.
“Nobody’s doing that research before
they buy a home,” Darvish said. “That’s
the reason for the housing meltdown.”
Darvish said that before purchasing a
home, participants should determine if
it is in their best interest to rent or buy
property.
Renting is best for service members
who are not financially secure and anticipate frequent permanent change-of-duty
stations.
Home ownership is best to build equity
and to gain a tax write-off, Darvish
said.
Darvish also spoke about the advantages of a Veterans Affairs home loan,
which offers a no-down-payment home
loan program.
“The VA is the best loan there is,” she
said.
Darvish recommended that participants consider a rent-to-own or a foreclosed property.
A 30-year fixed mortgage is preferable
to an adjustable mortgage, said Darvish who advised against an interest-only
mortgage.
Once new homeowners move in, Darvish said, they should change the locks
on their property and the password to
the garage.
“I hope that [the participants] take one
idea and apply it to their financial lives
to improve their situation,” Yarnell said
after the event.

Tax Center Update
The Joint Installation Tax Center has
saved more than $287,500 in filing
fees, generated more than $2.3
million in tax refunds and has saved
the average client more than $300
in tax preparation fees.
Active-duty personnel, military retirees
and their dependents can schedule
an appointment to have their taxes
prepared by calling 301-677-9366.
The deadline to file federal 2013 tax return is April 15.

March 6, 2014 SOUNDOFF!

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Meade chemist wins
forensic science award
Story and photo by Lisa R. Rhodes
Staff Writer
Michael Smith, a supervisory chemist
at Fort Meade’s Forensic Toxicology Drug
Testing Laboratory, was presented a lifetime achievement award from the American
Academy of Forensic Sciences on Feb. 21.
Smith received the Rolla N. Harger Award
for his contributions to the field of forensic
toxicology during a career spanning more
than 25 years.
“I feel ecstatic,” said Smith, a retired colonel. “There’s only one winner. I feel pretty
honored.”
The Fort Meade Forensic Toxicology
Drug Testing Laboratory is one of six DoD
drug testing laboratories supporting military
readiness through a scientific, rigorous drug
detection and deterrence program. It is the
only DoD military laboratory certified by
the Department of Health and Human
Services to test DoD civilian specimens for
drug testing.
“We are honored as a drug testing program to have him here,” said Capt. Robert
Nadeau, acting commander of the Fort
Meade Forensic Toxicology Drug Testing
Laboratory and its chief of Research and
Development. “It is a huge accomplishment.”
Smith was presented the award at the
academy’s annual conference held Feb. 1722 in Seattle. He attended the event with
his wife, Marilyn Huestis, a tenured senior
investigator and chief of the Chemistry and
Drug Metabolism Section at the National
Institute on Drug Abuse at the National
Institutes of Health.
Huestis was presented with the Rolla N.
Harger Award in 2005.

Smith, who has worked at Fort Meade
since 2010, is responsible for overseeing drug
testing for DoD civilians,
DoD civilians who work in safety or security, or have a top secret security clearance,
are randomly tested once a year.
Smith said civilians who test positive for
drug use have not committed a crime, as it is
for service members. However, they have violated DoD policy and can lose their security
clearance and be removed from their job.
Smith was drafted into the Army as
he was completing a doctoral degree in
biochemistry at Purdue University in West
Lafayette, Ind.
In 1984, he was serving at the William
Beaumont Army Medical Center in El Paso,
Texas, when he and nine other Army biochemists were assigned to Fort Meade to
help develop drug testing laboratory methods that would stand up during court-martial proceedings.
The assignment lasted about three months.
Smith’s contributions helped to establish the
Army’s criteria for its drug testing program.
A year later, Smith was assigned as the
commander of Army drug testing at Wiesbaden Air Base in Germany. He was in
charge of drug testing for Airmen and Soldiers serving in the European theater.
In 1989, Smith was assigned as chief for
forensic testing at the Armed Forces Medical
Examiner’s Office in Rockville. During this
time, Smith worked as an expert investigator
in criminal investigations of drug-related
deaths on military installations.
“It was like CSI,” he said.
In addition to investigating crimes, Smith
also participated in medical research to
help improve military drug-testing programs.

Michael Smith, supervisory chemist at Fort Meade’s Forensic Toxicology Drug Testing
Laboratory, was awarded the Rolla N. Harger Award for lifetime achievement from the
American Academy of Forensic Sciences on Feb. 21. A retired colonel, Smith oversees
drug testing for DoD civilians.

Some of the research was conducted in
collaboration with NIH, where he met his
wife.
In 2000, Smith was assigned to be scientific programs officer in charge of drug demand
reductions for the Army at the Pentagon.
Four years later, in 2004, Smith retired
from the Army. He then became a DoD
contractor and returned to work at the
Armed Forces Medical Examiner’s Office as
an expert medical witness in military courtmartial proceedings.
He worked there for six years before coming to Fort Meade.
Smith said that during his career, he has

helped to conduct medical research that has
been published in more than 90 publications,
including Clinical Chemistry, Journal of Analytical Toxicology and Journal of Forensic
Sciences.
“He has a wealth of knowledge, not only
of the drug testing program, but how the
Army’s program has evolved,” Nadeau said.
“He is incredibly wise.”
Smith said although he has been recognized for his career in forensic sciences, he
has no plans to retire.
“I’m going to keep working in this field
until I decide to do something different,”
he said.

ASAP unit leader training begins March 24
The Fort Meade Army Substance
Abuse Program is offering a 40-hour UPL
Certification Course from March 24-28.
Training will be held from 8:30 a.m. to
5:30 p.m. at Smallwood Hall, 4650 Griffin Avenue.
In accordance with AR 600-85, commanders of corps, division, brigade, battalions, and companies are to appoint an
officer or noncommissioned officer (E-5
or above) on orders as the unit prevention leader.
The UPL has the primary responsibil SOUNDOFF! March 6, 2014

ity to assist the commander in implementing all aspects of the ASAP within the
organization.
UPLs must be certified through training provided by the local ASAP office.
There will be no excused absences during the week.
UPLs must attend all portions of the
course to become certified.
Requirements include that nominees
must:
• Be E-5 or above, includes officers
• Not be enrolled in the ASAP rehabili-

tation program or under investigation
• Be appointed in writing as UPL by
the current commander
• Have retainability of at least a year
• Have a favorable background check.
Commanders should request a local
review of the UPL candidate’s medical,
personnel and criminal record.
• Complete records check and ASAP
checklist
To enroll, nominees must:
• State on the fax cover sheet they will
attend the March 2014 course

• Include a confirmation phone number
and email
• Fax or email records check, ASAP
checklist and signed UPL appointment
orders (include Social Security number)
to 301-677-7953 by March 4.
Fort Meade Soldiers have priority for
this course.
For more information, call Samson
Robinson at 301-677-7983 or Latonia
Stallworth at 301-677-7982.
U.S. Army Recruiting Command
should call 800-223-3735.

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Fake degrees can cost
you more than money
By Jane M. Winand
Chief, Legal Assistance Division
You may have decided that your
chances for a promotion or getting
hired into a better job would be better
with an advanced degree.
Certainly, higher education and earning a degree can make you more marketable as you look for a new job or a
promotion with your current employer. Many distant learning centers and
online schools are legitimate.
However, there are also many organizations that hand out bogus degrees.
These “diploma mills” require little
or no class work and will provide you
with a degree for a flat charge in a
very short time. Not only will these
fake degrees cost you money, but some
employers and educational institutions
consider it lying when you claim to have
earned such a bogus degree.
Claiming to be the recipient of a
fake degree may result in you not getting hired for a new job; getting fired
from an existing job if you apply for a
promotion with the bogus degree; and
perhaps prosecution.
The following are indications that
you may be dealing with a diploma
mill:
• The diploma mill offers a degree
in a few days or weeks. Although some
schools do offer accelerated degrees,
earning a legitimate sheepskin takes
months and often years.
• Accredited schools require a substantial amount of work for the student, along with interaction with professors and other students.
If a school is promising to deliver a
degree without studying, taking exams
or interacting with faculty members, it
is probably a diploma mill.
• Diploma mills charge a flat fee for a
degree. A legitimate university charges
by the credit or semester.
• A popular tactic for diploma mills
is to offer a degree based solely on work
or life experience.
Legitimate colleges may give you a
few credits for life or work experience
that directly relates to a specific degree
program, but you will still be required
to complete a substantial amount of
credits through the university to earn
a degree.

• Diploma mills are trying to sell a
product — a “quickie” degree — and
frequently engage in aggressive sales
tactics.
If a school is advertising through
spam, high-pressure telemarketing calls
or pop-up ads, you probably are being
contacted by a diploma mill.
To protect yourself from a diploma
mill, check out the following resources
to determine if a school is legitimate
before paying any money for a degree
program: www.chea.org/search/default.
asp and www.ope.ed.gov/accreditation.
Also, contact a local university or
college and ask the registrar if they
would accept transfer credits from the
school you are thinking of attending.
Check your state attorney general’s
office to see if there have been complaints filed about the school.
If you think that you have been the
victim of a diploma mill, you may
schedule an appointment to speak with
an attorney at the Fort Meade Legal
Assistance Office at 301-677-9504 or
301-677-9536.

Spring forward
Don’t forget to set your
clocks forward one hour
Sunday at 2 a.m. when
daylight saving time ends.
Also, change the batteries in your smoke and fire
alarms.

A
AMAHOUSE
Y H
POWEER LER
DA

WHILE-YOU-WAIT OIL CHANGES
HOURS: M-F 10am-7pm • Sat 10am-5pm • Sun - Closed


N ews

Eating right on a budget
By Claudia Drum, Registered Dietitian
U.S. Army Public Health Command
Have you given up on eating healthy
because you feel that it costs too much? Are
you not sure how to save money while at the
grocery store?
While it is true that more convenient items
like precut veggies cost more when compared
to their made-from-scratch counterparts, it is
possible to eat healthy while on a budget.
Good nutrition combined with adequate
sleep and regular physical activity are identified as key initiatives in the Army Medicine’s
“Performance Triad” for good overall health.
Below are eight tips to help you stretch your
food dollar and eat right while shopping at the
grocery store:
• Plan menus and make a list.
Wandering around the grocery store without a list only increases the likelihood that you
will overspend. Plan a weekly menu and write
an ingredient list that matches up with the
store aisles at your favorite grocery store.
• Shop seasonally.
Buy fresh fruits and vegetables that are in
season to help you get the freshest produce at
the lowest cost.
In addition, check your local farmer’s market for deals on fresh fruits and vegetables.
For produce not in season, frozen and
canned fruits and vegetables (with little or no
added salt or sugar) are a nutritious option.
• Shop the perimeter, then think meatless.
Start on the outer edge of the supermarket
where you will find fresh produce, meats, dairy
and breads. Then, shop the aisles with meatless
alternatives like beans.
Dried or canned (low-sodium, without

added fat) is less expensive than most meats,
and make a tasty meal that is not only high
in protein and fiber, but also low in fat and
saturated fat.
Aim for at least one meatless meal per
week.
For more tips and recipes ideas, go to meatlessmonday.com.
• Use coupons and inserts.
Check the local newspaper, online and at
the store for sales and coupons of products
you normally purchase. Clipping coupons or
printing them from websites can save you 1015 percent on your grocery bill.
Consider joining your supermarket’s shoppers club to enjoy price specials or to receive
additional coupons.
If you shop at the commissary, use your
commissary rewards card. You can redeem coupons electronically after you register it online.
For more information on the benefits of
registering your commissary rewards card,
visit commissaries.com/rewards/.
• Buy store (private label) brands.
Choose the private label brand if it is comparable in size and ingredients. Oftentimes,
private label brands are not only 15-20 percent
less expensive, but just as high in quality.
• Compare unit prices.
Locate the unit price (price per ounce,
pound or pint) on the shelf tag directly below
the product. Use it to compare different
brands and different sizes of the same brand
to decide which item is the best buy.
If your store doesn’t list the unit price, bring
a pocket-sized calculator or use the calculator
on your phone to speed up the process.
Be on the lookout for items labeled “more

COURTESY OF ARMY NEWS SERVICE

Spc. Logan Burnett picks out eggplant during a recent shopping trip at Fort Hood’s
Clear Creek Commissary in Texas.

economical” because sometimes, after you
have examined the price per unit, the larger
size may not be the better buy.
• Buy on sale and in bulk.
Look for sales on shelf-stable items or
products you use regularly. However, only
buy larger quantities if you have proper storage space or if you will use the food before it
expires or spoils.
• Read food labels.
Compare nutrients using the Percent Daily
Value in the nutrition facts panel. Aim for low
or less than 5 percent in saturated fat, trans
fat, cholesterol and sodium. Aim for high or

greater than 20 percent in fiber, vitamins and
minerals.
Editor’s note: March is National Nutrition
Month. This year’s theme is “Enjoy the Taste
of Eating Right.”
National Nutrition Month is a nutrition
education and information campaign created
annually in March by the Academy of Nutrition
and Dietetics. The campaign focuses attention
on the importance of making informed food
choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits.
For more information, visit: www.eatright.
org/NNM/.

AER campaign kicks off with $90K goal
By Brandon Bieltz
Staff Writer
Last year, Fort Meade’s Army Emergency
Relief fund helped area service members, retirees and family members through times of
financial hardship by awarding a total of
$688,000 in loans and grants.
During the next two months, the installation’s AER office and campaign coordinators
aim to raise $90,000 to help those in need. The
money raised at Fort Meade will be added to
the total AER fund, which has helped more
than 3.2 million Soldiers and family members
with more than $1 billion since 1942.
“It is a program of the Soldiers and for the
Soldiers,” said Sgt. 1st Class Nathan Kerr, the
post’s campaign coordinator. “It provides interest-free loans and grants to those with a valid
emergency. Almost everyone is approved.”

AER is open to active-duty Soldiers, retirees,
Reservists, Guardsmen and their family members, and surviving spouses and orphans of
Soldiers who died while on active duty.
The program provides financial assistance
for a wide range of situations including emergency transportation, rent, and medical and
funeral expenses.
For those in financial need, AER’s interestfree loans and grants provide a better alternative to high-interest loan services.
“Soldiers that feel that they’re in a tight
situation, a lot of them go off post to a title
pawn — take the title of their car and put it
as collateral for a super-high-interest loan,”
Kerr said. “We’re trying to stamp that out on
this post. There’s no need for that. When you
have a valid emergency, you come to us. It’s
interest-free.”

The program also provides college scholarships to children and spouses. Of every dollar
donated, 88 cents goes directly to the fund
— only 12 cents goes to administrative costs.
“That’s a phenomenal rate for a charity,”
Kerr said.
Individuals can donate through three avenues: contacting their unit AER representative;
stopping by the installation’s AER office at 830
Chisholm Ave; and online at AERGQ.org.
Fort Meade’s AER office decided to keep
the same goal as last year’s campaign due to
the lingering effects of sequestration in the
community.
“We figure $90,000 is still a robust goal, but
achievable,” Kerr said.
Kerr, a former recruiter, said one of his goals
is motivating active-duty service members to
donate since retirees normally give the most

donations. His plan is to provide more face time
with the Soldiers and their units.
“The main goal is 100 percent, Soldier-toSoldier, face-to-face contact between myself
and the unit reps,” Kerr said. “We believe that
if we can get just 100 percent face-to-face contact in groups of three or less, then Soldiers are
going to step up to the plate and give.”
While the goal is to raise money, the campaign also provides awareness of the program.
“It also gives the Soldiers the benefit to
understand AER,” said Wallace Turner, the
installation’s AER officer. “The most important thing is that it gives the Soldiers a chance
to help fellow Soldiers.”
Editor’s note: For more information about
the AER campaign, call Sgt. 1st Class Nathan
Kerr at 410-538-2769 or Wallace Turner at
301-677-5768.

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Motorcycle safety training offered on post

file photo


By Aaron C. Rowell
Installation Safety Office
Motorcycle safety is still on the hot
topics list and will be until we get a handle on the needless fatalities and injuries
resulting from careless riding.
The U.S. Army Combat Readiness
Center reports that in fiscal year 2013, 41
Soldiers were killed in motorcycle accidents and another 177 were injured.
The majority of these mishaps are a
direct result of excessive speed and speed
too great for road conditions.
The second greatest contributing factor is not wearing proper protective gear
or not wearing the proper gear correctly.
Some state laws do not require helmets, but military members are required
to wear all protective gear for every ride.
This includes a helmet that meets Department of Transportation standards.
Most of the fatal accidents involved
operators who were properly trained
to Army standards. However, lessons
learned in training are only good when
applied. Some of the fatalities had no
training or were operating without a
license.
Motorcyclists must keep their riding
skills sharp and their attention focused
at all times. To aid military personnel,
the Installation Safety Office is sponsoring the Motorcycle Safety Foundation
Basic Rider Courses, Experienced Rider
Courses and Military Sport-Bike Rider
Courses.
All courses have limited registration on
a first come, first-served basis.
Training will be provided at no cost
to all tenant military personnel stationed
at Fort Meade, and for all active-duty
personnel Armywide.
Army Reservists and National Guard
personnel must be on training orders to
take the training. Training is not authorized for civilian personnel unless their
specific government work duties dictate
the use of a motorcycle.
All courses have limited registration on
a first-come, first-served basis.
An approved MSF course is mandatory in accordance with Army Regulation 385-10, and Department of Defense
Instruction 6055.4, DoD Traffic Safety
Program, for all military personnel who
ride.
Students taking the ERC or MSRC
must bring their own motorcycle with
a fully charged battery and a full tank
of gas, and a valid driver’s license with
motorcycle endorsement, proof of insur-

ance and registration.
Motorcycles will be provided for the
BRC. Students who choose to bring their
own bike (this is recommended) must
bring a valid learner’s permit or driver’s
license with motorcycle endorsement,
proof of insurance and registration.
If you use our motorcycles, these
articles are not required.
Tentative training dates:
• Basic Rider Course: Monday and
Tuesday, March 18-19, April 8-9, April
15-16, May 20-21, June 10-11, July 15-16,
Aug. 12-13, Sept. 16-17, and Oct. 8-9
• Experienced Rider Course (one day):
Wednesday and March 20, April 7, April
17, May 22, June 12, July 17, Aug. 14,
Sept. 8 and Oct. 6
• Military Sport-Bike Rider Course:
March 31, April 14, May 19, June 9, July
14, Aug. 11, Sept. 15 and Oct. 7
To register go to https://imc.army.mil/
airs/usg_disclaimer.aspx.
For more information, go to www.
ftmeade.army.mil/pages/safety/.

Community
Crime Watch
Compiled by the Fort Meade
Directorate of Emergency Services
Feb. 19, Shoplifting: AAFES
security personnel at the
Exchange observed the subject use the women’s fitting
room to conceal clothing and
makeup. She then exited the
store beyond the point of sale
without rendering payment for
the items.
Feb. 20: Larceny of private property: The victim
stated she left her backpack in an unsecured
and unattended locker in the locker room at
the Army Wellness Center. When she returned,
she discovered her prescription sunglasses and
cleaning cloth for the glasses had been taken
from the locker.

For week of Feb. 17-23:
• Moving violations: 34
• Nonmoving violations: 9
• Verbal warnings for traffic stops: 36
• Traffic accidents: 7
• Driving on suspended license: 6
• Driving on suspended registration: 0
• Driving without a license: 0

N ews

Releasing personnel information may violate federal law
Story and photo by David Vergun
Army News Service
Releasing unauthorized portions of a
Soldier’s personnel records is a violation
of federal law and could result in fines or
prison sentences.
There have been cases recently where
Soldiers or Army civilian employees have
unintentionally violated the Privacy Act,
said Peter A. Robinson, chief of the Freedom of Information and Privacy Office,
Army Human Resources Command, Fort
Knox, Ky.
HRC is responsible for maintaining
all Army personnel records of active and
Reserve components as well as veterans.
Commands throughout the Army also
maintain personnel records.
Robinson said he wants to ensure these
human resource professionals are aware
of important privacy concerns before
responding to a records request.
Personnel records are covered under
the federal Privacy Act and the Freedom
of Information Act, or FOIA. These
statutes stipulate what portions of records
can and can’t be released and to whom.
Even acknowledging the existence of
certain derogatory or adverse personnel
information could violate the statutes,
Robinson said. For instance, telling someone, “We found the information you’re
seeking but can’t release it,” is a violation
of the statutes.
Robinson said the correct response to
such a query would be: “We can neither
confirm nor deny” the existence of such
records.
The response is especially important
when a requester is specifically seeking
derogatory information. One example
would be if a requester wanted to know
if a Soldier had ever received nonjudicial
punishment.
Robinson emphasized that if there are
any doubts about what to do, Soldiers
and civilian employees should contact
their unit legal office, their local FOIA
office, or the HRC FOIA office.
While not a comprehensive list, some
of the information that can usually be
released includes a Soldier’s name, rank,
occupational specialty, duty status, service dates, duty assignments, awards and
military education.
Information that is not releasable, Robinson said, includes personal phone numbers or email addresses, reasons why a
Soldier was discharged, medical information, and information regarding adverse
administrative actions and demographic

Personnel records are covered under the federal Privacy Act and the Freedom of
Information Act.

material such as age, religion, marital
status, children and relatives.
Rather than struggling to figure out
what’s releasable and what’s not, Robinson advised those who process thirdparty FOIA requests seeking personnel
information to call HRC’s FOIA office
at 502-613-4400.
Robinson provided a few examples of
requests that HRC does not routinely
handle.
Requests for criminal investigative files
from civilian law enforcement agencies
will normally be fielded by the Army’s
Crime Records Center in Quantico, Va.,
said Robinson.

Those who seek child support enforcement and need information about a Soldier’s status, should contact the Federal
Parent Locator Service. That service is
part of the Office of Child Support
Enforcement, which is a branch of the
Department of Health and Human Services.
Employers can request information
pertinent to a position or job applicant, but Robinson said it would benefit
employers to obtain the consent of the
Soldier or veteran first to gain greater
access to material.
Other common requests are court
orders or subpoenas seeking personnel

records. Soldiers and civilians whose
duties include processing personnel files
for release should exercise caution when
these requests are made because those
documents might not carry the proper
scope of authority, Robinson said.
If a subpoena is signed by an attorney
and not a judge, for example, that would
be insufficient authority, Robinson said.
Another red flag would be a court order
signed by a traffic court magistrate when
the related lawsuit is actually related to a
divorce action. That would be a jurisdictional violation.
Another common request comes from
people seeking default judgment against
Soldiers. This relates to cases that go to
court and require the determination of
the status of Soldiers — whether or not
they are on orders, duty status or duty
station.
In that particular category, Robinson
said, Soldiers are afforded certain protections under the Soldiers’ Civil Relief
Act.
Robinson emphasized that HR professionals in possession of personnel records
should seek legal advice or HRC assistance prior to releasing records to a third
party.
A particularly sensitive type of FOIA
request involves casualty assistance
cases.
FOIA officers need to be familiar not
only with Army Casualty Assistance Regulation 600-8-1, Robinson said. They also
need to understand the supplement to
that regulation, Army Directive 2010-02.
The directive is a guide on how information is sanitized for release to the
primary next of kin, he said, meaning
not releasing such things like sensitive
material affecting national security.
Robinson pointed out that there have
been cases where release of information
to primary next of kin has been delayed
due to not following the directive, which
spells out the roles and responsibilities of
the releasing authority.
Those delays were unacceptable, Robinson said.
Personnel at HRC are familiar with
handling all kinds of FOIA requests,
Robinson said, and they’ll try to expedite
the release of records and work with
people to get them what they need.
Often, they will even call the requester
to get clarification or more information
rather than denying the request. Assisting
the public is something they take pride in
accomplishing, Robinson said.

C over S tory

Marine Pfc. Booker Thomas III, a public affairs student at the Defense Information
School, retires the flag flanked by Marines from the Defense Information School
during the Retreat ceremony at McGlachlin Parade Field.
RIGHT: Marine Pfc. Christopher Greer holds salute during Retreat. The flag is raised
every morning on the first note of “Reveille” and lowered in the evening at the first
note of “Retreat.”
10 SOUNDOFF! March 6, 2014


Army Spc. Curtis Weber fires the cannon to mark the start
of Retreat.
LEFT: Marine Pfc. Christopher Greer and Pfc. Ian Leones
gather the flag during Retreat.
RIGHT: Marine Pfc. Booker Thomas III gives instructions while
fellow members of Marine Detachment Fort Meade create a
triangular fold of the flag.

Paying respect to the flag
Story and photos by Stephen Ellmore
New Media Manager, Public Affairs Office
The “Stars and Stripes” fluttered briskly as the sun
slowly slipped behind the horizon. The Marines stood at
attention awaiting their next command while a Soldier
readied the cannon for the military ceremony known as
Retreat.
At precisely 5 p.m., the sound of a bugle signaled the
beginning of the ceremony. Powder ignited as the second
note played, blasting smoke from the cannon with a fiery
roar.
The Retreat song was followed by “To the Colors.” A
young Marine called “Present arms!” The others snapped
a salute as the flag that waved proudly above their heads.
The community grew silent and turned toward the
flagpole to watch the flag slowly lowered, placing a hand
over their heart or rendering a salute.
While some recognize Retreat as marking the end
of the duty day, few are familiar with the origin of the
ceremony and how it relates to our military’s legacy of
patriotism.

For many, the respect we pay to our flag has a deep
connection to why we serve.
“Flags have long held special significance for warriors,”
said Robert T. Jordan, retired Marine Corps major and
senior faculty instructor at the Defense Information
School.
In combat, the flag is referred to as the standard and is
where the troops rally for battle, he said.
Soldiers would defend the flag with their lives and
given the chance, would give their own lives to capture the
enemy’s flag, Jordan said.
In addition to signaling the end of the day, retreat represents a time to regroup and rest, said Jordan.
Patriotism has different meanings for different people.
For some, it is the sole purpose for why they serve.
“I’ve always had a huge sense of nationalism,” Marine
Pfc. Booker Thomas III, a public affairs student at DINFOS, said when asked what patriotism means to him.
“Since before I could remember, I’ve been waving the
American flag with pride, and I’ve always been sure to
respect it.”
March 6, 2014 SOUNDOFF! 11

S ports

Patriots take down conference’s top team
By Brandon Bieltz
Staff Writer
A back and forth game with scoreless
droughts by both teams ended well for the
Fort Meade as the Patriots defeated Joint
Base Myer-Henderson 93-92 on Sunday
at Murphy Field House.
With a 18-5 run by the Patriots in the
final minutes of the game, Fort Meade
handed Myer-Henderson (7-1) its first
loss of the season.
“To come back from 10 points like
that in four minutes, that’s heart and
that’s mental toughness,” said head coach
Ronny Cunningham.
Mike McKenzie and Wallace Ruffin
led the Patriots with 21 points each in
the 93-92 win at Murphy Field House.
With Sunday’s win and an 89-86 loss to
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst on
Saturday, Fort Meade improved to 5-3 in
the Washington Area Military Athletic
Conference.
With Saturday’s loss at McGuire Air
Force Base all but ending the Patriots’
hopes of winning the conference, the
team has quickly refocused its attention to
securing the No. 2 seed in the playoffs.
“We can still get the No. 2 seed, but we
need to win the rest of our games,” Cunningham said.
The Patriots’ first hurdle to closing out
the season 7-0 came the next day when
Myer-Henderson traveled to Fort Meade.
The two teams met earlier in the season
with the unbeaten Myer-Henderson winning 86-73.
On Sunday, Myer-Henderson jumped
out to a 9-2 lead in the opening minutes
of the game as the Patriots struggled with
ball control during their slow start.
Near the midway point of the half,
the Patriots went on a 15-3 run to take
a 17-12 lead behind the strong efforts
of Fort Meade’s interior defense, which
managed to temporarily shut down MyerHenderson’s offense.
However, as the Patriots’ defense maintained control within their paint, the
Myer-Henderson offense transitioned to
perimeter shooting and utilizing the pick
and roll.
Fort Meade and Myer-Henderson
exchanged the lead eight times in the
final 10 minutes. A Taras Newby jumper
gave the Patriots a 44-42 halftime lead.
Deion McClenton and Darion Bethea
each scored 10 points in the half.
The back-and-forth battle resumed at
the start of the second half, with five lead
changes in the first two minutes.

photo by nate pesce

Fort Meade Patriots’ Zavian Cooper rebounds during Sunday’s home game against Joint Base Myer-Henderson. The Patriots
improved to 5-3 with the 93-92 win over the previously undefeated Myer-Henderson.

Fort Meade held a 3-point lead with
10 minutes left in the half, but a scoreless
drought for the Patriots allowed MyerHenderson to pull away to a 12-point lead
with five minutes remaining.
Fort Meade went on a 16-2 run to
regain the lead 91-90 with a minute
remaining. A foul by Ruffin brought
Myer-Henderson to the free-throw line to
take a 92-91 lead.
Down by 1 point with 45 seconds

remaining, Bethea intercepted a pass
to give Fort Meade possession of the
ball. Ruffin drew a foul with six seconds
remaining and sank both free-throws to
give the Patriots a 93-92 lead.
A late-game scramble under the Patriots’ net yielded no points for Myer-Henderson, giving Fort Meade the win.
“We handled business today,” McKenzie said. “We just wanted to come out here
today and stay focused.”

After the game, Cunningham said the
win was bittersweet due to the fact that
Myer-Henderson only had six players.
“A win is a win and I’ll take that,” he
said. “But they’re short-handed. ... That is
the No. 1 team in the conference.”
McKenzie said the Patriots were excited to put the first blemish on MyerHenderson’s record.
“I’m proud of the boys,” he said. “They
hung in there.”

S ports
Meade Mustangs weekly roundup
Basketball

Both Meade High basketball teams advanced through the first round of the
4A East Region Section I playoffs on Friday night.
The boys fought off a slow start to win 79-65 over Chesapeake (8-15) behind
Tristan Easton’s 23 points and additional 20 by Kavon Witherspoon. The win
improved the team to 17-6 on the season.
“They wanted to come out and prove that they should be the No. 2 seed and
they took care of home court,” said head coach Pete Correiro. “We’re proud of
the guys for stepping up like that.”
Friday’s win set up a semifinal against Glen Burnie (13-9). Initially scheduled
for Friday, the game was postponed to Wednesday due to snow. If the
Mustangs win, they will play in the section finals against the winner of Severna
Park (21-2) and North County (7-16).
Meade lost to Severna Park 55-43 on Feb. 4, but swept Glen Burnie during
the regular season with 72-65 and 77-67 wins.
The girls also moved onto the semifinals to play Old Mill with a 63-50 win
over North County on Friday. Alexis Jackson scored 22 points and had 11
rebounds in the game as the team improved to 16-7.
If Meade defeats Old Mill in the semifinals, the team will play Glen Burnie
(7-15) or Arundel (12-10). The girls defeated Arundel 67-66 in January and beat
Glen Burnie twice, 50-34 and 48-37.

Wrestling

Travis Chidebe was the only Meade wrestler to earn a title at this week’s 4A/3A
East Region championship. Chidebe defeated Atholton’s Zachary Smith in the
160-pound final.
Segun Aboye, who also advanced to the finals, was pinned by River Hill’s Logan
Kirby in the 195-pound weight class.
Game results are as of press time on Wednesday.
For more coverage of Meade High School sports, including Wednesday’s
playoff games, go to ftmeadesoundoff.com/sports.

Sports Shorts
AAU basketball tryouts
The Meade Youth Basketball Association is hosting tryouts and registration
for spring basketball.
Tryouts for boys ages 8- to 13-years-old will be today from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at
Meade Middle School.
For more information, go to mybawildcats.org.

Spring sports
Registration for spring sports is underway at Parent Central Services, 1900
Reece Road.
Spring sports include soccer, swimming, baseball, track, flag football and
basketball.
Participants can register at the CYSS Central Registration Office at 1900
Reece Road or online at https://webtrac.mwr.army.mil/webtrac/meadecyms.html.
For more information, call 301-677-1149 or 1156.
For more Fort Meade sports, visit quickscores.com/ftmeadesports.

Jibber Jabber - Opinion
Sports fallacies
I have always been a fan of logic.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean I always
use it. This is especially true when it comes to
my fandom.
I am a proud Michigander whose favorite
football team is the Dallas Cowboys and NBA
team is the Los Angeles Lakers.
Regardless of how much I try to explain why
my loyalties do not lie with the Lions or Pistons
— it’s my older brother Sam’s fault — most
people find my reasoning illogical.
To explain almost every belief I held, or decision I made growing up, could be tied to Sam.
He was, and in some ways, still is my hero.
Anyway, when I first started liking football,
the Cowboys were his favorite team, which
makes sense because they had Tony Dorsett.
bit.ly/1eWjUVt
Conversely, we must have been fighting when
I started liking basketball because he rooted
for Dr. J bit.ly/1oqDIAQ and the Philadelphia
76’ers, while I decided to root for the Lakers
and a man by the name of Magic Johnson. bit.
ly/1e1mRQj
Over time, Sam ended up rooting for his home
teams, while I have remained loyal.
So where am I going with this?
The boss decided that yours truly was ready
to take the Civilian Education Service Advanced
Course, which prepares civilian employees for
senior leadership roles.
My first assignment in the Distance Learning
portion of the course was on critical thinking,
and as I poured through the reading assignment,
I got to the part about common logical fallacies.
I was struggling to comprehend these fallacies in
the context of the military.
However, as things normally do, the fallacies
became clear when I put them into the context
of sports.
• Arguments against the person is when someone attacks the person, presenting an argument
and not the argument itself:
You know you are locked in this fallacy
when you hear words like “jerk,” “stupid,”
“Mongoloid,” or “No one has ever thought
that before.”
For example, Cousin Claw and I argue constantly about who is better, Barry Sanders or
Emmitt Smith? I point to the facts that Emmitt
is the NFL’s all-time leading rusher, has the
most rushing touchdowns, won three Super
Bowls, etc.
However, the discussion always boils down to
me being stupid, or my texts have grammatical
mistakes, or whatever else Claw can use to avoid
any fact outside of yards per carry. But grammatical mistakes caused by fat fingers or eagerness have nothing to do with the facts.

• False dichotomy
is when someone
presents a complex
situation in black
and white terms:
The Washington Redskins must
Chad T. Jones,
change its name
Public Affairs
because it is racially
Officer
insensitive to Native
Americans. This argument removes the possibility that some Native Americans are not offended
by the name.
• Appeal to unqualified authority is a fallacy in
which a person who is cited as an authority isn’t
really an authority:
Think sports talk shows where a former tennis
star like Andy Roddick pontificates about why
Albert Pujols is struggling at the plate.
Just because Roddick swung something at
a ball doesn’t make him an expert in sports
psychology or baseball. If that logic was true,
he might as well break down the Cricket World
Cup, which is currently ongoing. Let’s go Pakistan. Let’s go!! bit.ly/1mVlJHq
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman being the authority on what is or isn’t
offensive because he happens to be black and an
athlete is another example of this.
• Weak analogy: A friend of mine recently
said something to the effect that people not liking Jimi Hendrix because of his weak lyrics is
similar to people saying they do not like Peyton
Manning because they do not like the Broncos
uniform …
Yeah, I didn’t get it either. But the point is
people will take giant leaps to prove a point — if
you let them get away with it.
• Red herring is a fallacy committed when
the attention of a listener is diverted with the
insertion of some distracting information that is
flashy, eye-catching and generally not relevant to
the topic at hand:
Skip Bayless has made a mint using this ploy.
For example, he argues Tim Tebow would be a
good quarterback because you would want your
daughter to date him or because his passer rating
in the last three minutes of a game played outside
after 2 p.m. is higher than Peyton Manning’s.
Who cares that he can’t hit the broadside of a
barn and had a substandard passer rating during
the other 57 minutes of the game?
Despite the facts, folks untrained in the ways
of logic will take red herrings and other fallacies
as Gospel, as opposed to what they really are
— faulty logic.
If you have comments on this or anything to do
with sports, contact me at chad.t.jones.civ@mail.
mil or hit me up on Twitter @ctjibber.

C ommunity N ews N otes
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.
For more information or to submit an
announcement, email Philip Jones at philip.
h.jones.civ@mail.mil or call 301-677-5602.

EDUCATION

Free classes

Due to limited staffing, the Leisure
Travel Services office must temporarily
adjust its operating hours.
Hours will be Monday to Friday from 10
a.m. to 4 p.m.
The office will be closed Saturdays and
Sundays.
The community will be notified when
normal operating hours resume.
For more information, call 301-677-7354.

The 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.
• Common Sense Parenting: Friday,
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• Stress Management: Monday, 9-11
a.m.
• Car Buying: Monday, 1-3 p.m.
• 10 Steps to a Federal Job: Tuesday,
9 a.m. to noon
Learn to understand job vacancy
announcements, write federal and
electronic resumes, and how to track
your application.
• Anger Management: Wednesday, 911 a.m.
• Gambling Awareness: March 24, 1-3
p.m.
• Interviewing Skills: March 25, 9
a.m. to noon
This workshop teaches basic
interviewing skills and tips on dressing
for success. Learn the dos and the don’ts
at job interviews, and strategies on how
to successfully work a job fair.
• Credit Management: March 31, 1-3
p.m.
To register or for more information,
call 301-677-9017 or 301-677-9018.

Mardi Gras Party

ACS financial classes

Hearts Apart Deployment Support
Group’s Mardi Gras Party will be held
today from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Potomac
Place Neighborhood Center, 4998 2nd
Corps Blvd.
The free event will feature masks,
beads, piñatas, food, games, crafts and
door prizes.
Advance registration is required.
For more information, call 301-6775590 or 301-677-9017.

Army Community Service is offering
Financial Readiness workshops at 830
Chisholm Ave.
The free classes are open to DoD ID
cardholders including active-duty service
members, retirees and their family
members, DoD civilian employees and
contractors.
Registration is required for each class.
• Banking Basics: Tuesday, 9-11 a.m.
• Investing 101: March 18, from 9-11
a.m.
• Term Financial (online class):
March 25, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
To register or for more information,
call 301-677-5590.

NEWS EVENTS

Technical Job Fair
A Technical Job Fair will be held
March 19 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Club
Meade.
The free event is open to the public.
More than 60 employers will
participate. Bring resumes. Dress for
success. ASL interpreters will be on site.
Free parking and shuttle service will
be available from the Smallwood Hall
lot.

LTS change of hours

Jummah prayers
Individuals interested in participating
in Jummah prayers on Fort Meade
should call 301-677-1301.
Fort Meade has a room available
at Argonne Hills Chapel Center, 7100
Rockenbach Road.
The community also is seeking
individuals to join in a morning prayer
on Fridays.

Lunch and Learn Series
Kimbrough Ambulatory Care
Center hosts a monthly brown bag
Lunch and Learn Series on the second

photo by spc. rob carter

on board

Sgt. Caitlin Ernst of Cyber Command snowboards during a Better
Opportunity For Single Soldiers outing on Feb. 22 at Liberty Mountain
in Fairfield, Pa. The BOSS program is open to single, enlisted service
members of all military branches.
Tuesday of the month on the first floor
of the Rascon Building, adjacent to
Kimbrough.
The next lunch is Tuesday at noon.
The topic is “Healthy Fast Foods.”
The sessions, which are open to the
public, are an opportunity to review
a presentation and discuss new health
topics.
For more information, call Capt.
Alyson Rhodes at 301-677-8949.

ESC scholarships
The Fort Meade Enlisted Spouses Club
has posted its 2014 scholarship applications
on its website at FtMeadeesc.org.
High school seniors and students
currently enrolled in college who are
dependents of a military member of any
rank or branch who is on active duty,
deceased, a Reservist or in the National
Guard can apply for the scholarships.
High school seniors with an outstanding

academic record and volunteer community
service will be considered for the Evelyn J.
Silva Scholarship of Excellence.
Sponsors for all scholarships must reside
in the Fort Meade area.
Applications and all required
documentation must be received by March
28 at the ESC, PO Box 105, Fort Meade,
MD 20755, attn: Scholarship Director
Gerry Humphrey.

“Godspell” at Meade
High
Meade High School will present
the musical “Godspell” today through
Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Meade High
auditorium.
Tickets cost $8 ($6 with a canned
food donation) and are available at the
door.
For information, email Caitlin Lucia
at CLucia@AACPS.org.

C ommunity N ews N otes

M ovies

Ticket cost is $29. For more information, go to shamrockfest.com or call
877-521-4191.
• Leisure Travel Services is offering its
next monthly bus trip to New York City on
March 22, with discounts to attractions. Bus
cost is $60. For more information, call 301677-7354 or visit ftmeademwr.com.

The movie schedule is subject to change. For
a recorded announcement of showings, call 301677-5324. 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. After this week,
there will be NO showings on Wednesdays and
Thursdays.
PRICES: Tickets are $5.50 for adults (12
and older) and $3 for children. 3D Movies:
$7.50 adults, $5 children.

YOUTH

Kids Craft Club
The Kids Craft Club for toddlers and
preschoolers will meet Tuesday at 9:30 a.m.
at the Arts and Crafts Center.
Remaining sessions are: April 15 and
May 6.
Fee is $5 per session. Cost includes a
craft, snack and juice.
Space is limited. Registration is required.
To register or for more information, call
301-677-7809.

Pool tournament
A pool tournament for grades nine to
12 will be held Friday from 3-6 p.m. at
the Teen Center.
There is no charge.
For more information, call 301-6776054.

Game Night
The Youth Center is sponsoring
several events for grades six to eight:
• Game Night: Friday, 6-8 p.m.
• Appetizer Night: March 21, from
6-8 p.m. Youths will create a variety of
appetizers.
• Grilling Chilling: March 28, from
6-8 p.m., features hamburgers, hot dogs
and beverages.
Participants must register at the
center.
For more information, call 301-6771437.

Romp ‘n Stomp
Romp ‘n Stomp playgroup for children
age 5 and younger and their parents
meets Tuesdays from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
from September to June at the Youth
Center gym at 909 Ernie Pyle St. and
from June to August at the Boundless
playground on Llewellyn Avenue.
For more information, call 301-6775590 or email colaina.townsend.ctr@
mail.mil.

RECREATION

Out About
• National ShamrockFest’14 will be
held March 22 from 3-11 p.m. at RFK
Stadium, 2400 E. Capitol St., SE Washington. The annual event features seven
concert stages, 13 party areas, extended
hours, and new festival grounds filled
with amusements, rides and games.

MEETINGS
• Monthly Prayer Breakfast, hosted by
the Garrison Chaplain’s Office, is held the
first Thursday of every month at 7 a.m. at
Club Meade.
The next prayer breakfast is today.
There is no cost for the buffet; donations
are optional. All Fort Meade employees,
family members, and civilian and military
personnel are invited.
For more information, call Diana Durner at 301-677-6703 or email diana.l.durner.
civ@mail.mil.
• Meade Rod and Gun Club meets the
first Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. at
Perry’s Restaurant and Odie’s Pub at 1210
Annapolis Road, Odenton, in the banquet
hall in back of the building. The next meeting is tonight. Dinner is served at 6 p.m. For
more information, call 410-674-4000.
• National Alliance on Mental Illness of
Anne Arundel County offers a free support
group for families with a loved one suffering
from mental illness on the first Thursday of
every month at 7 p.m. at the Odenton (West
County) Library, 1325 Annapolis Road.
The next meeting is tonight. For more
information, visit namiaac.org.
• Meade Branch 212 of the Fleet Reserve
Association meets the second Saturday of
each month at 10 a.m. at VFW Post 160,
2597 Dorsey Road, Glen Burnie. The next
meeting is Saturday. Active-duty, Reserve
and retired members of the U.S. Navy,
Marine Corps and Coast Guard are invited.
For more information, call 443-604-2474
or 410-768-6288.
• NARFE Chapter 1519 will meet
Monday at 1 p.m. at Holy Trinity Church
Hall, 7436 Baltimore-Annapolis Blvd.,
Glen Burnie. The meeting will be canceled
if there is inclement weather and schools
are closed.
The speaker is Terry Douglas, elder
law attorney and a former member of the
Office of the Judge Advocate General and
civilian legal assistance attorney for the
federal government.
Douglas helps individuals and families
with issues related to wills, living trusts,
powers of attorney, and personalized
legal services related to incapacity, family
inheritance and estate planning.

Personnel are needed to become active
members of the chapter and attending
meetings. For more information, call
Diane Shreves, publicity chairman, at 410760-3750.
• New Spouse Connection meets the
second Monday of every month from 7
to 8:30 p.m. at the Community Readiness
Center, 830 Chisholm Ave. The next
meeting is Monday. The program provides
an opportunity for all spouses new to the
military or to Fort Meade to meet and get
connected. For more information, contact
Pia Morales at pia.s.morales.civ@mail.mil
or 301-677-4110.
• 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 Monday.
The group is for expecting fathers, and
fathers with children of all ages. Children
welcome. For more information, call 301677-5590 or email colaina.townsend.ctr@
mail.mil.
• Single Parent Support Group meets
the second and fourth Monday of the
month from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at School Age
Services, 1900 Reece Road. The next meeting is Monday. Free child care is provided
onsite.
For more information, call 301-677-5590
or email colaina.townsend.ctr@mail.mil.
• Bully Proofing Support Group meets the
second and fourth Monday of the month
from 4 to 5 p.m. at Potomac Place Neighborhood Center. The next meeting is Monday. The group is geared for school-age children and parents. For more information,
email Kimberly.d.mckay6.ctr@mail.mil.
• Marriage Enrichment Group, sponsored
by Army Community Service, meets the
second and fourth Monday of every month
from 3 to 4 p.m. at the Community Readiness Center, 830 Chisholm Ave. The next
meeting is Monday. For more information,
call Celena Flowers or Jessica Hobgood at
301-677-5590.
• Fort Meade TOP III Association meets
the second Wednesday of each month at
3 p.m. at the Courses. The next meeting is
Wednesday. The association is open to all
Air Force active-duty and retired senior
noncommissioned officers. For more information, call Master Sgt. Jonathan Jacob at
443-479-0616 or email jajacob@nsa.gov.
• Fort Meade E9 Association meets the
second Friday of every month at 7 a.m. in
the Pin Deck Cafe at the Lanes. The next
meeting is March 14. The association is
open to active, retired, Reserve and National Guard E9s of any uniformed service.
All E9s in this area are invited to attend a
breakfast and meet the membership. For
more information, go to e9association.org.

Today through March 21
Today: “Her” (R). A lonely writer develops an
unlikely relationship with his newly purchased
operating system that’s designed to meet his every
need. With Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Scarlett Johansson.
(The Fort Meade Theater will no longer be opening on Wednesdays and Thursdays after today’s
showing.)

Friday Saturday: “Ride Along” (PG-13). Fasttalking security guard Ben joins his cop brotherin-law James on a 24-hour patrol of Atlanta
in order to prove himself worthy of marrying
Angela, James’ sister. With Ice Cube, Kevin Hart,
Tika Sumpter.
Sunday: “Labor Day” (PG-13). Depressed single
mom and her son offer a wounded, fearsome man
a ride. As police search town for the escaped convict, the mother and son gradually learn his true
story as their options become increasingly limited.
With Kate Winslet, Josh Brolin, Gattlin Griffith.
March 14: “The Monuments Men” (PG-13). An
unlikely World War II platoon is tasked to rescue
art masterpieces from Nazi thieves and return
them to their owners. With Matt Damon, George
Clooney, Bill Murray.
March 15, 16: “The Lego Movie” (PG). An ordinary LEGO minifigure, mistakenly thought to be
the extraordinary MasterBuilder, is recruited to
join a quest to stop an evil LEGO tyrant from
gluing the universe together. With Chris Pratt,
Elizabeth Banks, Will Ferrell. (3D March 16)
March 21: “Winter’s Tale” (PG-13). A burglar
falls for an heiress as she dies in his arms. When he
learns that he has the gift of reincarnation, he sets
out to save her. With Colin Farrell, Jessica Brown
Findlay, Russell Crowe.

Fort Meade Soundoff March 6, 2014

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Fort Meade Soundoff March 6, 2014