7 December 2011 1HBCT Weekly Update, please pass along to Soldiers, Family and Friends of 1HBCT. You can always stay up to date with local events by going to 1st Infantry Division page at http://www.riley.army.mil/default.aspx. If you are having issues reading this you can click on this link to read the weekly news. http://www.riley.army.mil/UnitPage.aspx?unit=1bct. And we are always up and posting new information on Facebook! Join us at www.facebook.com/1HBCTDEVILBRIGADE?v=wall&ref-sgm

Junction City Wal-Mart is hosting a Military Appreciation day this Thursday from 4:00pm – 8:00pm. They

just sent the flyer to me at midnight last night. Please find it attached.

Ricochet will be holding an autograph session on Thursday, as well at the PX from Noon -1:00pm. They will be performing at Corey’s Corral in Grandview Plaza that same night. Please see attached.

Check out the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in Abilene - 7 Dec the Pearl Harbor Exhibit opens and much, much more. Free to the military Manhattan Gymnastics Plus has classes from 1030 to 1200 for more information contact 785-776-0400 Manhattan Parks & Recreation Ice Skating is now open for more information contact 785-587-2757 CYSS Playgroups – Free to registered patrons for more information contact 785-239-9885. CYSS also has classes available for children from 10 months to 7yrs old- please contact 785-239-9885 for more information The Mini mall food court now has a Subway- opened this week and by the end of the year the old Basket Robbins in the Mini Mall will be converted to a “Wing Out’ Burger King on the Hill is getting renovated 0n 15 Feb 2012, Phase 1 Dining Room- Drive thru will stay open, dining area will be closed. Phase 2 Kitchen- store will be completely closed. Looking to reopen towards end of April 2012. The WTB/MEB Legal Team will be relocating to building 671F on 5 DEC. The VA MSCs (Military Service Coordinators) will be relocating to building 673G on 6 DEC. There will be limited disruption during this time, but someone will be available and phone numbers will remain the same. Parking will be available in the WTB parking lot. We apologize for any inconvenience. SWISH! Attention all boys and girls ages 8-13, you can take part in a great event happening next Saturday, December 10th. The local Junction City Elks Lodge is sponsoring a Free Throw competition at the Freshman Success Academy from 3-5 PM. Local winners have the opportunity to advance to District, State and even a National Competition. For more information contact Larry Githerman at 761-9988. The Military Child of the Year Award recognizes military children who stand out among their peers in their community. Ideal candidates for the Military Child of the Year Award demonstrate resilience and strength of character, and thrive in the face of the challenges of military life. They demonstrate leadership within their families and within their communities. For the first time last year, the award was given to an outstanding military child from each branch of service – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. The winners, who each received $5,000 and a laptop, were flown with a parent or guardian to Washington, D.C., for a special recognition ceremony. Not only did we have the privilege to honor outstanding kids but First Lady Michelle Obama joined us in doing the same. We look forward to another year to recognize these young patriots.

Key dates 12/01/2011 – Nominations open. Click here; http://www.operationhomefront.net/mcoy.aspx?id=15151 01/15/2012 – Nomination period ends. 01/24/2012 – Top 20 from each branch of service announced. 03/01/2012 – Top 5 from each branch of service announced. 03/08/2012 – Winners from each branch of service announced. 04/05/2012 – Award Ceremony in Washington D.C.

Fort Riley Outdoor Recreation Update: Fort Riley has a new automated check-in-out system, iSportsman. *Staff members will be present to assist with registering in the new iSportsman system. Individuals wishing to register prior may do so at the Fort Riley iSportsman webpage: www.fortriley.isportsman.net. All persons recreating in a training area at Fort Riley will use the iSportsman website while accessing Fort Riley. Activities include hunting, fishing, hiking, canoeing and kayaking, mushroom collecting, fuel wood cutting, biking, horseback riding and other activities. Check-in and Check-out may be done with any personal device with Internet access or visit the iSportsman Kiosk located at 1st Division and Vinton School roads or visit the Environmental Division Office, Building 407, during normal business hours. Fort Riley iSportsman is the new standard and must be used by all persons recreating in a training area at Fort Riley in accordance with FR 210-15. The hunter card check-in-out procedure will be phased out during the fall 2011. For more information, contact the Environmental Division at 785-239-6211 Geary County USD 475: Stay in the Know and out of the Snow! Winter weather is here and it's important that you are informed on any school closing and/or late start due to inclement winter weather. With our 475 text alerts you can be the first to know about an emergency school announcement by enrolling in our free text messaging service. It's simple, fast and ensures that you are always up to date with the latest information. If you are not yet enrolled, the process is simple. Sign up today at http://my.textcaster.com/ServePopup.aspx?id=1290 The Fort Riley Tax Assistance Program will operate in Bldg 7034 Monday – Saturday from 19 Jan12 through 20 Apr 12. The Tax Center will be closed on Federal Holidays. More information to follow once it is posted. The POC for the 2011 Tax Assistance Program is the Installation Tax Attorney, Elizabeth Thurston at Elizabeth.g.thurston@us.army.mil or by phone at 239-3117 until 6 Jan 12 or 239-1040 between 9 Jan12-20apr12.

Fort Riley Custer Hill Lanes Bowling Update: Bowling with Santa will be from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 18 *at Custer Hill Bowling Center. Cost is $25 per lane and includes the “Family Fun Sunday” package. Santa will be visiting from 1 to 5 p.m. For more information, call 785-239-4366.

A New Year’s Eve Bowling Party will be from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Dec. 31 at Custer Hill Bowling Center.

*Cost includes a live DJ, bowling and shoes, party favors, two bottles of sparkling juice, door prize drawings, a $10 one-topping pizza and a breakfast buffet at 12:30 a.m. The bar will be open for the event. No admittance will be permitted to the facility without a ticket. For more information, call 785-239-4366

Fort Riley Calendar -Morale Welfare and Recreation Update - upcoming events on Dec. 17: Rudolph’s Run, a one-mile fun run, will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 17 at Eyster Pool, Building 6940. For more information, call 785-239-9441.

A Santa Day will be at Fire Station 3, Building 706 on Ray Road on Marshall Army Airfield, from 1 to 5 p.m. Dec. 17 to greet Families and pose for pictures. The event will include fun Family activities and free hot beverages – coffee and hot chocolate – for participants. For more information, contact 785-643-1660.

Santa Claus will be at the Fort Riley Post Library from 4 to 6 p.m. Dec. 17. For more information, call 785-239-5305.

Library movie night will be at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 17 at the Fort Riley Post Library. Popcorn and drinks

will be provided. The featured film will be, “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.” For more information, call 785-239-5305.

Fort Riley Religious Services has scheduled services for the holiday season: A combined protestant candlelight Christmas Eve service will be from 7 to 8 p.m. Dec. 24 in the Main Post Chapel Sanctuary. A regular Sunday service will be at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 24. What is traditionally Christmas Eve Midnight Mass will be at 10:30 p.m. Dec. 24 in St. Mary’s Chapel on Main Post. A regular Sunday mass will be at 11 a.m.

Dec. 25 at St. Mary’s Chapel

Call in prescription refills for faster service: Get faster service by calling the refill line at 785-239-PHAR (7427) two business days before you want to pick them up. For added convenience, you can select which pharmacy you want to pick up your prescription: Irwin Army Community Hospital, Farrelly Health Clinic, Custer Hill Health Clinic or the Post Exchange. For those who currently use network retail pharmacies, co-pays increased Oct. 1. The cost for formulary generic medications went from $3 to $5 for a 30-day supply; formulary brand medications went from $9 to $12 for a 30-day supply; and non-formulary medications went from $22 to $25 for a 30-day supply. TRICARE’s mail-order pharmacy service, Express Scripts offers home delivery service with reduced co-pays that began Oct. 1. Patients can receive 90-day supplies of their prescriptions delivered to their home, helping those who do not want to spend time or money driving to post to have prescriptions filled or paying increased out-of-pocket co-pays at network retail pharmacies. There is no co-pay for generic formulary medications, $9 for formulary brand medications and $25 for non-formulary medications. Visit www.expressscript.com/TRICARE for more information

Holidays Apart From Family Can Lead to Increased Stress: by Dr. Vladimir Nacev, DCoE clinical psychologist

on December 1, 2011.

Holidays are often a wonderful time for families to gather, reconnect and celebrate. But for families experiencing a military separation, holidays can be yet another reminder that a deployed family member is not at home to share in the festivities. The November DCoE webinar, “Holidays Apart From Family: Coping with Increased Stress,” provided ways deployed parents can connect with their children and discussed approaches to help individuals manage stress during the holiday season.

Deployed service members may experience a range of feelings while away during the holidays—loneliness, depression, homesickness, frustration, stress or guilt. Sometimes they may find it necessary to temporarily distance themselves from their own family because hearing about holiday festivities may be too painful. Additionally, some service members may find it emotionally uncomfortable to be around their buddies and choose to isolate themselves. However, being around others and socializing with friends and family are important steps for maintaining your well-being and future reintegration. Non-deployed family members face similar challenges during this time such as experiencing higher levels of stress. During the webinar, I emphasized the importance of continuing family traditions associated with the holidays and the idea of incorporating new ones deployed family members can take part in. Maintaining consistency and structure helps everyone who is affected by the separation, particularly families with younger children. If you’re a deployed parent, you might try these ideas:

Write your child a brief letter about all the different ways they’re loved and appreciated, consider several letters to be read on different days

Create a holiday ornament with your child’s name on it Record a reading of a favorite holiday book or story and send it to your child, which can be part

of a holiday or year-round bedtime routine Stay in touch through email, Skype or social media as often as possible to communicate and

participate in some of the holiday activities in real time, remotely Holidays are like a coin; happy times on one side and stressful times on the other. To cope and enjoy the holidays I encourage you to take time out for yourself. When you are rested and free of stress, it actually helps those around you. Here are a few ideas:

Engage in activities to help recharge your batteries and reduce stress such as exercising, going to the movies, shopping with family or friends, or getting a massage

U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Mike MacLeod

Consider doing something fun as a family for your service member, like assembling a care package containing their favorite goodies and pictures or mementos from home

Get involved in volunteer opportunities in your community as this can be emotionally and spiritually rewarding

We also need to remember to have realistic expectations and understand that no holiday celebration is perfect—we should stay focused on what’s really important to us and why the season is meaningful. The constant barrage of holiday advertising can make us forget what the holiday season is really about and negatively impact our stress levels. Dealing with a deployment at any time of the year poses difficulties. Talk with others about feelings of loneliness or missing a family member. Getting things out in the open can help you navigate your feelings and work toward a solution to successfully manage your stress. The webinar highlighted resources that service members and their families can reach out to for support including: DCoE Outreach Center; Military OneSource; Military Homefront; Military Families Near and Far; Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program; and FOCUS (Families OverComing Under Stress™).

Happy December from Military OneSource: I hope you are able to find some time to relax during the hustle and bustle of the season. As we head into the holidays, there are some articles you may find helpful when making newsletters or having unit holiday parties. You are also able to print MOS articles to hand out to service members and families at your unit functions. When printing, they look best in the PDF format, you can choose this option on the right side of the webpage. Budgeting for the Holidays http://www.militaryonesource.mil/MOS/f?p=MOS:CONTENT:0::::SV,UT,LG,CID,TID,SID,XID,COHE,MTYPE:Army%20Active,Member,EN,23.50.50.0.0.0.0.0.0,23.50.50.20.0.0.0.0.0,23.50.50.20.50.20.10.0.0,23.50.50.20.50.20.0.0.0,261711,Articles. The average American spends more than $1,000 during the holiday season. And much of that spending is on credit cards, which means that many people face big bills in the New Year. The key to keeping holiday spending under control is budgeting. Below you'll find tips for setting and sticking with a holiday budget. (Click on the hyperlink to read more of the article.) Holiday Stress and Deployment: http://www.militaryonesource.mil/MOS/f?p=MOS:CONTENT:0::::SV,UT,LG,CID,TID,SID,XID,COHE,MTYPE:Army%20Active,Member,EN,23.50.10.0.0.0.0.0.0,23.50.10.50.0.0.0.0.0,23.50.10.50.50.60.10.0.0,23.50.10.50.50.60.0.0.0,262102,Articles The winter holidays can be stressful for anyone, but when your loved one is deployed, they can be especially difficult. You may experience a range of emotions, from worry to loneliness -- even anger and disappointment. The holidays may magnify those feelings, but they can also be a time to strengthen your emotional commitment to your service member and your family. What Military OneSource Can Do For you: http://www.militaryonesource.mil/MOS/f?p=MOS:CONTENT:0::::SV,UT,LG,CID,TID,SID,XID,COHE,MTYPE:Army%20Active,Member,EN,23.50.30.0.0.0.0.0.0,23.50.30.60.0.0.0.0.0,23.50.30.60.50.20.30.0.0,,261813,Articles Military OneSource is a free service provided by the Department of Defense that supports military members and their families with a broad range of concerns. These concerns can include everyday issues like money management,

spouse employment and education, parenting and child care, relocation questions, deployment, reunion, and the particular concerns of families with special-needs members. They can also include more complex issues like relationships, stress, and grief. The program can be especially helpful to service members and their families who live at a distance from installations. Military OneSource is available 24 hours a day; 7 days week from any location in the world (call 1-800-342-9647 or go to www.MilitaryOneSource.com).

K-State is Headed to Texas for the AT&T Cotton Bowl: Cats Headed to AT&T Cotton Bowl for #6 vs. #8 Matchup with Arkansas Following a terrific year from Coach Snyder, our coaches and student-athletes; we’re pleased to announce that we have accepted an invitation to play Arkansas in the 2012 AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic. The AT&T Cotton Bowl is one of the most storied and tradition-rich bowls in the country, and will kick-off January 6 in arguably the best venue in all of sports, Cowboys Stadium. Also, the Cotton Bowl will be one of only three bowls this season, in addition to the BCS National Championship, to have matchups of two Top 10 teams. The Dallas-Fort Worth area is one of our top out of state markets, from our large alumni base to recruiting grounds for all of our programs, and we are looking forward to this terrific opportunity. Executive Director Rick Baker, Chairman Tommy Bain and the entire Cotton Bowl organization are well-known for their high level of integrity and commitment to a world-class event. We appreciate our fans’ continued support of our football program by making it a priority to pack Bill Snyder Family Stadium with purple, and with our storied and nationally renowned bowl travel, we know that Wildcat Nation will descend upon the Dallas area and tremendously represent Kansas State University. The demand and excitement surrounding the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic is at an all-time high and K-State’s allotment of 12,500 tickets has been sold out through pre-orders. Ticket locations for pre-orders will be assigned in order of the K-State Athletics Priority Point System and follow post-season priority limits. Ticket shipments are expected to be mailed by priority delivery at least two weeks prior to the game. Fans who did not pre-order tickets who wish to attend the Cotton Bowl should purchase tickets through the official ticket exchange on the AT&T Cotton Bowl website at www.attcottonbowl.com