Friday, March 05, 2010

BRAC FACT

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s New Campus East building has many unique design features, such as the peak of the tallest atrium roof arch, which sits 167 feet above the atrium floor.
This is almost double the height of a typical Washington, D.C. office building.

AAFES opens new firearms counte

By Travis Edwards

Residents and non-residents of Fort Belvoir who are authorized AAFES customers may now purchase firearms at the new Home and Garden Center firearms counter that opened Feb. 24.
Post resident Cpl. John Lumpkin, National Capital District Veterinarian Command, said it was “great to see AAFES selling firearms. This is where I’ll be coming from now on to get all my hunting gear, ammunition, and guns.”
The firearms counter sells handguns, rifles, shotguns, and ammunition that complement the expanded selection of hunting, camping, and outdoor gear at AAFES. The new hunting and firearms sections are located at the far back left of the Home & Garden Center near the Appliance section.
According to Raul Garcia-Rosario, the Home & Garden store manager, each individual is responsible for compliance with federal, state and installation firearms possession laws and regulations.
“Once they come here, they will be asked for [identification] to verify age and authorization as customers. Be prepared to fill out a package of forms,” he said.
Garcia-Rosario said all customers are given a memorandum to read and sign before taking ownership of their weapon. The memorandum explains the basic requirements the firearm owner must follow on Fort Belvoir.
“It was important that [Fort Belvoir] help to ensure that all customers approved for the purchase of a firearm at AAFES do not unknowingly violate a post policy, guideline or established laws,” said Deputy Director Frank Hentschel, Fort Belvoir Directorate of Emergency Services.
The memorandum covers standing policies and touches on a new area of concern regarding non-residents purchasing firearms on post.
“For non-resident customers, all weapons purchased at AAFES must be immediately be removed from post,” said Hentschel. “This is a new area of concern that we will be addressing in an upcoming update to the Fort Belvoir Regualtion 190-2.
For post residents, the weapon must be registered within 72 hours from the time of purchase with the Visitor Processing Operations Center. Of course, anytime a resident or non-resident transports a firearm, the weapon must be encased, stored separately from ammunition, and not be immediately accessible,” he said.
The VPOC is located at the Tulley Gate entrance to post at 9500 Pohick Road, Fort Belvoir, Va., in Building 1409. The VPOC is the same facility that issues decals for vehicles registered on post.
According to DES, residents registering their weapons will fill out Fort Belvoir Form 100 - Weapon Registration Card. By providing the information and completing the card, residents will be able to store their weapon in family or bachelor quarters. Residents living in troop quarters must store their weapon(s) in the unit arms room or off post.
Persons who fail to comply with the current guidelines of FB Regulation 190-2 and the memorandum provided at the time of purchase could be barred from the installation or held accountable under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, Hentschel explained.

OSAA welcomes McClure as new CSM

By Paul Bello
Staff writer

Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffrey McClure assumed his new role with the Operational Support Airlift Agency Friday, replacing outgoing Command Sgt. Maj. Victor Angry during a change of responsibility ceremony at Davison Army Airfield.
McClure joined the U.S. Army in 1983 as an advanced rifle marksmanship instructor before moving on to the Oregon Army National Guard two years later as a cavalry scout. During his career, he has served as an NCOIC at every level, including staff assignments at the four-star level.
“It’s an honor to serve with all the great Soldiers of the Operational Support Airlift Agency,” McClure said. “I will strive to build on your accomplishments and enforce the standards expected from all NCOs.”
He replaces Angry, who had been command sergeant major of OSAA since November 2007. In July, he was named interim command sergeant major of the Army National Guard. In this role, Angry acts as the representative and advocate for enlisted Soldiers and NCOs to both Army leadership and Congress.
“This is a unique day for me. I have to thank my pastor, family, friends and, of course, my OSAA family,” Angry said. “From [rotary]-wing to fixed-wing, you made me the Soldier I am today. I’m blessed to have spent time with all of you.”
In a final message to his fellow Soldiers, Angry said the National Guard was about making leaders out of men and women. He then encouraged everyone to think “outside the box” and pursue opportunities whenever possible, particularly those at the junior level.
At the end of his speech, Angry turned to McClure and said, “Protect this house.”
“Ceremonies like this are bittersweet for one, but humbling for the other,” said Col. Michael E. Bobeck, commander of OSAA. “Command Sgt. Maj. Angry’s efforts to improve the team here will not be forgotten. With the wealth of talent Command Sgt. Maj. McClure brings in, I’m looking forward to continuing our missions.”
Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth O. Preston also attended and said the ceremony was a perfect opportunity to recognize the contributions of not only two great individuals, but the work of many great Soldiers.
OSAA is a Department of the Army Field Operating Agency under the National Guard Bureau at Davison. It provides command, staff and resources for OSACOM, the 53-flight detachments of the U.S. and the five Army National Guard C-23 Theater Aviation companies.

Varying levels of exchange support available to entire military community

AAFES news release

Bring a contractor, family member, DoD civilian or other visitor onto Fort Belvoir and the first words out of their mouth typically are, “who can shop the exchange?”
While authorizations governing who can buy merchandise and services at the PX often apply to a chosen few, the doors to AAFES’ fast food and convenience stores, including Church’s Chicken, Taco Bell, Burger King and Shoppettes are open to virtually anyone looking for a quick bite to eat.
In fact, DoD policy allows all federal government employees, and even installation visitors, to dine at AAFES restaurants as long as the food is consumed on the installation. Furthermore, anyone can purchase single-serve consumables from a Shoppette.
“The ‘Snack Avenue’ inside most AAFES Shoppettes offers a robust selection of single-serve consumables,” said Rick Talbot, general manager. “Candy bars, soft drinks and even sandwiches can be picked up by just about anyone with business on the installation.”
Exchange service authorization begins with the House Armed Services Committee and ultimately ends with the Fort Belvoir commander. The guidelines, as prescribed by Army Regulation 215-8/Air Force Instruction 34-211 (I) and the Armed Services Exchange Regulations, Department of Defense Instruction 1330.21, require proper identification of authorized customers, including uniformed personnel and members of the Reserve components and family members, applicable DoD civilians, exchange associates, retirees and their dependents who possess a basic exchange purchase privilege authorization card.
Anyone who believes he or she may qualify for exchange benefits, including access to the main PX, can call 703-806-4371 for additional guidance.

Soldiers provide communications support in Haiti

By Lt. Arlo Abrahamson
American Forces Press Service

Soldiers assigned to the communications directorate for the Joint Forces Special Operations Component Command have played a critical role in supporting civil affairs and other humanitarian operations conducted by U.S. special operations forces in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, during Operation Unified Response.
Special operations forces served as the commander’s eyes on the ground during the early days of the rescue and recovery phases of relief operations in the wake of a magnitude 7.0 earthquake that struck Jan. 12. These tasks rely heavily on vital links between forward elements and operational commanders, a support capability that Signal Corps Soldiers bring to an operation.
“There’s a lot of coordination and streamlining that goes into our job, because we have to work across a variety of networks and satellite feeds,” said Army Staff Sgt. Kelly Williams, a communications team leader. “We have to ensure the end user, our people in the field, have the signal capabilities they need to accomplish their assigned tasks.”
To remain mission-capable, Williams said, computer networks must continue to run efficiently, and tactical, radio and satellite communications equipment must be managed and maintained.
“There’s a lot of security protocols and other procedures we must follow to run efficient networks,” Williams said, “but, we try to make that as transparent as possible for our users.”
But, as Army Staff Sgt. Wayne Potts explained, there’s also a hands-on portion of their mission.
“The civil affairs teams bring communications equipment with them to the field, but we show them how to get the most out of this equipment,” Potts said. “We want to make sure they have the right capabilities when they get to where they are going so they can concentrate on the overall mission we have here in Haiti.”
That mission, humanitarian operations, is one these Soldiers know they have enhanced with the skills they bring to the operation.
“We feel good knowing we played a part in the overall success of our mission,” said Army Sgt. Derek Auguste. “Communications are vital to any operation; everyone has to talk and coordinate with each other. We feel like we created an environment where that could be successful.”
The writer, a Sailor, serves in the Joint Forces Special Operations Component Command public affairs office.

Updated Web site helps Wounded Warriors, families

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Defense Department officials have updated and improved access to the National Resource Directory, a Web site for wounded, ill and injured servicemembers, veterans, their families and those who support them.
The site, NationalResourceDirectory.gov, is one-stop shopping for servicemembers and their families. The site brings together information from the DoD, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Labor Department.
The directory first went up in November 2008. “We had a vast array of information resources that had to be collated and coordinated and made easier to use,” said Noel Koch, deputy undersecretary of defense for Wounded Warrior care and transition policy. The current site takes the lessons learned from the first effort and improves on them, he added.
The three federal agencies provide most of the resources that Wounded Warriors and their families need. The directory touches on everything from benefits to current events to the processes servicemembers and veterans can use, Koch said. The site also provides addresses, contact points and links to nongovernmental agencies that provide assistance to servicemembers and veterans. And, because these organizations are on the site, users can feel safe that federal officials have checked to ensure they are legitimate organizations, Koch noted.
The site answers questions about benefits, education, transition and medical care. The information is much easier to access and more up-to-date. “We improved it by listening to the people who use the site,” Koch said. “They told us what they need, and we put it in place. It reflects the expressed needs of wounded, ill and injured servicemembers, veterans and their families.”
The site also has a news section, “and we’ve gotten smart about social media now, and that’s accommodated,” Koch said. The site also has a section developed with VA on homelessness and how the government can provide the information homeless veterans need.
The site contains a new “bookmark and share” application that users can click to point out content they’ve found most helpful through social bookmarking, Facebook, Twitter and other social networking tools. Visitors also can subscribe to RSS or e-mail updates to receive new content, events and features based on their specific interests and needs.

Academy women to become first female Submariners

By Lisa Daniel
American Forces Press Service

Female Sailors will begin serving on submarines by the end of next year, with Naval Academy graduates leading the way, Navy leaders told a Senate committee last week.
Navy Secretary Ray Mabus told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the Navy is in a good position to move forward with integrating women onto submarines.
“We think we learned a lot about integrating women in the services years ago, and those lessons are relevant today,” Mabus said. Those lessons, he said, include having a “critical mass” of female candidates, having senior women to serve as mentors, and having submarines that don’t require modifications: the SSBN ballistic missile and SSGN guided-missile subs.
Finally, Mabus said, “We have the lessons learned to make sure any questions are answered, ... and we’re very open and transparent on how we’ll do this. We think this is a great idea that will enhance our warfighting capabilities.”
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates notified Congress on Feb. 19 of the intended change to Navy policy. Mabus had pushed for the change since taking office in May. Adm. Gary Roughead, chief of naval operations, endorsed the change, saying in a September statement, that his experience commanding a mixed-gender, surface-combatant ship makes him “very comfortable” integrating women into the submarine force. The Navy changed its policy to allow women to serve on combatant ships in 1993.
“We have a great plan, and we’re ready to go for the first women to come aboard in late 2011,” Roughead told the Senate committee. In a prepared statement, he told the committee the change would enable the submarine force “to leverage the tremendous talent and potential of our female officers and enlisted personnel.”
Besides the incoming officers from the academy, the first women submariners will include female supply corps officers at the department-head level, Roughead said. The change will be phased in over time to include enlisted female Sailors on the SSBN and SSGNs, he said. Women will be added to the Navy’s SSN fast-attack submarines after necessary modifications can be determined, he said.
“This initiative has my personal attention, and I will continue to keep you informed as we integrate these highly motivated and capable officers into our submarine force,” Roughead told the committee.

Pumping gas makes a difference

By Staff Sgt. Carolyn Viss
376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

Pumping gas may not be the glamorous career most boys or girls dream of having, but petroleum, oil and lubricants specialists at the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing are heroes behind the scenes. They are the difference between success and failure for the troops in Afghanistan.
On Oct. 8, in a 24-hour period they pumped 544,758 gallons of jet fuel,  breaking the record of 501,662 gallons in 24 hours.
“It feels really good to know we’re helping from the background,” said Airman 1st Class Jason Rayner, a native of Houston, who personally pumped 43,744 gallons Feb. 18.
Rayner said he works 12 hours a day, six days a week and said the work load is expected to increase as the number of troops in Afghanistan climbs.
“We can do more,” said Senior Master Sgt. Henry Ellis, the 376th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels manager, deployed from Yokota Air Base, Japan. “This is just another milestone. It proves we’re busy, it proves we’re doing good things and supporting the troops, but we’re looking to break another record as other troops and rotators come through.”
His guess is that, in the next month, they’ll pump more than 600,000 gallons.
This gasoline supports air refueling operations, one of the main missions at the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan. KC-135 Stratotankers flying 24 hours a day and seven days a week over Afghanistan provide fuel to coalition aircraft that protect troops on the ground, but, without Airmen working around the clock to get the fuel to the tankers, the mission would come to a screeching halt.
“I feel I could do more,” Rayner agreed.

DPTMS Antiterrorism Primer

By Andrew Sharbel
Staff writer

Current world events have forced Americans to raise their awareness of suspicious activity while at work and in their daily lives.
On military installations across the United States, antiterrorism measures are implemented daily. It is essential for residents and workers on those installations to be able to recognize suspicious activity and report it to the proper authorities.
Richard Blackledge, Belvoir’s installation antiterrorism officer at the Directorate of Plans, Mobilization and Security identified actions that are deemed suspicious and what residents or employees should do should they witness them.
“If anyone sees an individual hanging around a gate, writing, taking photographs, then they are obligated to report that activity by calling 805-3105,” Blackledge said. “Also if citizens see a car parked in the same spot everyday for extended periods and witness individuals asking about important facilities or following people with badges, they should also report it.”
Lt. Gen. James Thurman, the Army deputy chief of staff, G-3/5/7 stated in the antiterrorism strategic plan that awareness and vigilance is our most certain defense.
“Remaining vigilant in all activities, maintaining situational awareness of your surroundings at all times and taking security measures to reduce vulnerability are a necessary part of our daily lives at home as well in theaters of operation,” Thurman said.
Blackledge said Belvoir’s antiterrorism office offers antiterrorism awareness classes and country threat briefs for individuals leaving the continental U.S.
“It is essential for all residents and employees of this installation to always be aware of their surroundings and notify law enforcement of any potential suspicious activity,” Blackledge said.
If you witness any suspicious activity, please call 703-805-3105.

DES Journal

From the Chief

At the Directorate of Emergency Services, we want to ensure the Fort Belvoir Community doesn’t fall prey to scams or deceptive ads via mail. Teach your family and friends to be aware when opening the mail. A general rule of thumb to remember is, “if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”  Many of us fall victim to offers and frauds sent to us through the mail.  Please take precautions and thoroughly read your mail to weed out these frauds.

Logbook
For the week ending Feb. 27, DES reported the following:
• Soldier charged with driving while license suspended, Pohick Road at Tulley Gate;
• Soldiers charged with traffic accident - improper backing, Gorgas Road;
• Soldier charged with desertion - apprehended by civilian authorities, Tygart Valley Regional Jail, W. Va.;
• Retired soldier charged with shoplifting, AAFES;
• Civilian charged with driving while license suspended and failing to display a Virginia inspection sticker, Rossell Loop;
• Civilians charged with shoplifting, PX main exchange;
• Traffic accident resulting in damage to government property, Davison Army Airfield;
• Larceny of private property and larceny of government property, Herryford Village;
• Wrongful damage of private property, (George Washington Village);
• Wrongful sexual conduct on or after Oct. 1, 2007, Baltimore;
• Wrongful damaging of private property, Woodlawn Road;
• Incidental damage to private property, Gunston Road.
Violations for the week:
• Traffic stops, 62; warnings, 24; citations, 24

Fire and Emergency Service responses for the week:
• Emergency medical treatment, 5; rescue calls, 1; hazardous condition calls, 4; service calls, 8; good intent calls, 3; false calls, 4; special incident, 1.

Total responses on Belvoir for the week, 26.
Total Responses since Jan. 1, 362.
There were no reported fire-related injuries.