THE 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION POSTFORT RILEY, KAN.

HOME OF THE BIG RED ONE

1DivPost.com FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2015 Vol. 7, No. 43

13NOV.

The next USAG Resilience Day Off will be:

1DivPost.com

NASCAR TROOPS TO TRACK BRINGS 1ST INFANTRY DIVI-SION AND FORT RILEY SOLDIERS TO KANSAS CITY SPEEDWAY FOR TOUR AND MEET AND GREET, SEE PAGE 15.

HIGHLIGHTS

GET INSIDE LOOK AT POST OFFICE STAFF, SEE PAGE 11.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUESAFETY HOLIDAY

As of Thursday, Oct. 15

days have passed since the last vehicular fatality at Fort Riley. Sixty four more and the post will celebrate with a safety holiday to take place at each unit’s discretion.

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By Amanda Kim Stairrett1ST INF. DIV. PUBLIC AFFAIRS

As the 1st Infantry Division Artillery was re-activated at Fort Riley Oct. 16, it was welcomed back with the boom of big guns from a distant range.

The DIVARTY Soldiers, leaders and family members were officially greeted with a traditional ceremony — complete with ceremonial cannon, salute battery, “Big Red One” band and the Commanding General’s Mounted Color Guard — while one of the division’s field artillery battalions conducted gunnery in a training area far from the parade field.

The Big Red One’s DIVARTY was inactivated 10 years ago in Germany, and the Oct. 16 activa-tion signified the Army’s effort to bring brigade headquarters-sized units back to its 10 divisions.

Staff Sgt. Jerry Griffis | 1ST INF. DIV.

Col. Tom Bolen (center), commander, 1st Infantry Division Artillery, salutes Maj. Gen. Wayne W. Grigsby Jr., 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley commanding general, during the 1st Infantry Division Artillery activation ceremony Oct. 16 at Cavalry Parade Field. While the ceremony marks DIVARTY’s official return to the Big Red One, Soldiers and leaders were in place months ago to move the mission forward. The unit is still to building and is expected to be at 90 percent strength by January, according to information from the DIVARTY officials.

Division Artillery returns‘An amazing history:’ Division Artillery

returns to ‘Big Red One’“Our DIVARTY,

like all of our units, will

conduct tough, realistic training

that will build capable and

adaptable leaders to face the future.”

MAJ. GEN. WAYNE W. GRIGSBY, Jr.

1ST INFANTRY DIVISION AND FORT RILEY

COMMANDING GENERAL

Soldiers conduct exercise in KuwaitBy Pfc. Aiden Flack1450TH TRANSPORTATION COMPANY

Camp Buehring, Kuwait — The 3rd Platoon of 1450th Composite Truck Company, 541st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 1st Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade, with Soldiers from other platoons within the company, conducted tactical convoy operation training Sept. 15 to 18 at forward operating base Gerber.

The company used this as a chance to train junior leaders to step up and lead, with many of the convoys headed by upcoming noncommissioned officers or recently promoted NCOs.

“Because of the deployment of many staff leaders being sent on other missions, we were given the rare opportunity to let junior leaders lead,” said Sgt. 1st Class Robert McClure, 1450th CTC, third platoon sergeant and a native of Fleetwood, North Carolina. “Taking advantage of the opportunity, we focused on troop-leading procedures. We increased the stress on the training environment to give … a real-world feel to the missions they were given. All convoy commanders and assistant convoy commanders performed well. I feel that everyone took something home from the training event.”

During the training, they were introduced to one of the hardest obstacles for a convoy to experience, which is integrating both convoy escorts and logistical elements along with Soldiers from other platoons. In order to accomplish the difficult task, Soldiers had to study convoy tactics, techniques and procedures.

“I ran the third run as the convoy commander,” said Sgt. Derrick Cavenaugh, 1450th CTC, the company armorer and team leader within third platoon and a native of Wilson, North Carolina. “It was wonderful. I liked how it felt like a real-life mission. (It) gave me a feel for what it would be

See EXERCISE, page 10

See DIVARTY, page 10

Staff Sgt. Jerry Griffis | 1ST INF. DIV.

Maj. Gen. Wayne W. Grigsby Jr., 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley commanding general, speaks during the 1st Infantry Division Artillery activation ceremony Oct. 16 at Cavalry Parade Field.

Annual meeting shows pride in ‘Big Red One’Story and photo by Amanda Kim Stairrett1ST INF. DIV. PUBLIC AFFAIRS

WASHINGTON — The message to the Army’s top leaders was clear: the “Big Red One” is the premier warfighting division and Fort Riley is the best place to live, train, deploy from and come home to.

It was a declaration 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley and local community members carried to the nation’s capital when they attended the 2015 Association of the U.S. Army Annual Meeting Oct. 12 to

14. Civilians who make up the Fort Riley-Central Kansas AUSA chapter stood alongside Maj. Gen. Wayne W. Grigsby Jr. and Command Sgt. Maj. Joseph Cornelison, the 1st Inf. Div. command team, and Col. Andrew Cole and Command Sgt. Maj. Jason Schmidt, the garrison command team, among other current and former division leaders, to talk about the subject they know best: the capabilities of the post and division and the strength of its surrounding communities.

“Everybody I see out walking around the hallways,

that’s all I’m talking about,” Grigsby said of his message.

During his time in Washington, the commanding general talked with key leaders, including Eric Fanning, who was nominated as the next Secretary of the Army; Hon. Katherine Hammack, assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment; Gen. Daniel B. Allyn, Army vice chief of staff; Gen. Frank J. Grass, National Guard Bureau chief; and Lt. Gen. David Halverson, U.S. Army Installation Management Command, about how the

1st Inf. Div. and Fort Riley could support their respective missions.

Those missions boil down to one thing: building combat readiness, Gen. Mark A. Milley’s, the Army chief of staff ’s, No. 1 priority.

The goal at the AUSA Annual Meeting was to let everyone know the division was, through its world-class training facilities and ranges, building combat readiness at Fort Riley and, through partnerships with the local communities and

Maj. Gen. Wayne W. Grigsby Jr., 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley commanding general, thanks Lefty Clark, a Navy veteran from Arizona, for his service Oct. 14 at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. See MEETING, page 10

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2 | OCTOBER 23, 2015 HOME OF THE BIG RED ONE

K-State faculty, students visit Fort Riley to observe SoldiersStory and photo by Maria Childs1ST INF. DIV. POST

The Douthit Gunnery Complex staff was vis-ited by Kansas State University faculty members Oct. 13 as one piece of the Fort Riley and K-State partnership, which was re-signed Sept. 17.

Daryl Youngman, associate professor at K-State, was one of the faculty who visited. He worked with division and brigade leadership to develop a joint academic and military cur-riculum that uses K-State faculty and graduate students to support training Soldiers for future deployments.

“We agreed to share resources with each oth-er to advance each other’s missions,” he said. “I have been coordinating pre-deployment lectures and lectures to various active units about culture in the area they are going to be deployed.”

Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, showed their tactical vehicles to the staff and students while they were observing the training environment.

The Douthit Gunnery Complex invites K-State faculty and students to the training envi-ronment so they can get to know Soldiers and their atmosphere better.

“The benefit of faculty and students coming out here to the range is that they see the Soldier’s perspective instead of just seeing them as someone who fills up a chair in a lecture hall,” Youngman said.

While Youngman and his colleagues were visiting, they presented Fred Siebe, manager of the Douthit Gunnery Complex, with a certificate of appreciation to the range staff for their effort and support in sharing the Fort Riley experience with numerous K-State faculty members and students.

Youngman said K-State also has programs for family resiliency, transitioning families and Dagger University, which he partnered with 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team leadership to develop.

Over the last number of years, the percentage of military-connected students at K-State has increased drastically, according to Youngman. He said it is important that the staff at K-State understands the Soldier’s perspective and Fort Riley provides an outlet to do that.

The range staff is one piece of that puzzle be-cause they promote community involvement.

“We really enjoy showcasing our Soldiers to the community,” said Gary Smith, range liaison at the Douthit Gunnery Complex. “We’re so proud of these guys and the work they do.”

Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, greet faculty members and students from Kansas State University Oct. 13 at the Douthit Gunnery Complex to observe training and get to know what the Soldiers do every day.

Story and Photo by Hannah Kleopfer1ST INF. DIV. POST

Departments on installation and partnering departments off installation came together Oct. 9 for a table top seminar to discuss the Water System Vulnerability Assessment of the installation in a severe natural hazard situation. The seminar was intended to get people from every department talking about what they would do step-by-step in the case of a hazard potentially causing damage to the post’s water sytem.

“The purpose of this is to update our emergency response systems,” said Chris Hallenbeck, Fort Riley Emergency Manager for the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security. “This was the first time we have conducted a table top seminar specifically dealing with our installation Water System. I think bringing all the key directorates, agencies and off post partners into the seminar gave us an opportunity to collectively review and update our Water System Emergency Response Plan. It gave everyone an opportunity to hear and understand what each other’s role is during a disruption or destruction of the water system as a whole or separate components of it.”

The annual assessment brings potential problems to the table and creates a brainstorm among departments. Participants were given a natural hazard scenario to synchronize and test the actions established in the installation Water System Emergency Response Plan amongst

departments to prepare for the case of a similar, real-life event.

“Evaluating the emergency response plan is effective in identifying deficiencies that need to be prevented and what the corrective actions are,” said Mike Witmore, directorate of Public Works.

“Everybody brings something to the table,” said Benny Zerr, supervisor of the Fort Ri-ley Operations Center. “With all the people in one room, one mentions power and my pumps won’t work without that power. And my generator works on natural gas, so long as someone can give me gas ... So it’s all the dif-ferent experts talking out loud and then the light bulbs start coming on to ‘how do we get around this corner without losing this?’ That’s the big thing.”

The seminar was broken into three modules. The first discussed the initial watches and warnings, and representatives reviewed what their general guidelines would be for those situations. The second went over incident and response. The third reviewed the short-term recovery actions such as power-restoration of natural gas and electricity and restoring or maintaining essential operations.

At the end it seemed as if everyone took away a better perspective of the installation water system Hallenbeck said.

“More importantly, I think everyone was able to see how their individual directorate or agency works into the overall installation Emergency Response plan,” said Hallenbeck.

Seminar discusses possible hazards to Fort Riley water system

Chris Hallenbeck, Fort Riley Emergency Manager for the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security, starts the Water System Vulnerability Assessment seminar with a quick overview and introductions. “The purpose of this is to update our emergency response systems,” said Hallenbeck.

WWW.1DIVPOST.COM

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OCTOBER 23, 2015 | 3HOME OF THE BIG RED ONE

LEFT TO RIGHT: Ivan May, Adam Rothgeb, Richard Watson and Andre Ebaben, all firefighters of the Fort Riley Fire Department, stand following the memorial ceremony of two fallen Kansas City Fire Department firefighters at the Sprint Center Oct. 17. The four firefighters were part of the honor guard at the ceremony.

Story and photo by Hannah Kleopfer1ST INF. DIV. POST

JUNCTION CITY, Kansas — The staff and students from Junction City High School hosted the annual Tribute to the Troops Military Appreciation Night as the Junction City Bluejays football team took on Wichita’s Southeast High School. This is the tenth year of the collaborative effort to celebrate the partnership between the Fort Riley and Junction City communities.

“We reach out to our Fort Riley community in any way, shape or form to make them feel like part of our community when they move in,” said Matt Westerhaus, athletic director of JCHS. “Tonight is just a way for us to say thanks for everything that they do, not only here but abroad for our country.”

Soldiers expressed appreciation about the partnership and the opportunity to continue to participate in the military appreciation night multiple years in a row.

“This is my second year,” said Spc. Travis Dunn, 97th Military Police Battalion. “I think it represents unity that we come out to support them,

and honor them supporting us. It helps us accomplish our mission.”

The game gave students a chance to show their appreciation and interact with the Soldiers who live in and near their community.

Students were able to talk to Soldiers during the game at the end zone.

“This event is for Junction City High School,” said Pfc. Precious Grant, 97th MP Bn. “I think it’s good to have the Soldiers to support them to win and motivate them.”

The Soldiers of the 97th MP Bn. got the game started by welcoming the Bluejays’ football team onto the field and judging the coin toss.

Soldiers also suited up in Bluejay jerseys and one Soldier donned head of the mascot’s costume.

Throughout the game, Soldiers and students did push-ups for each point the team put on the board.

During the game’s halftime show, the Soldiers of the 97th MP Bn. conducted a military working dog demonstration. The demo began with one of the Soldiers trying to run from the end zone to the 50-yard-line in a protective bite suit while one of the dogs chased him across the field.

Bluejays give tribute to the troops at high school football game

Soldiers from the 97th Military Police Battalion wait for the football team to arrive before the Junction City High School “Tribute to the Troops” Military Appreciation Night football game Oct. 16. “I think it’s good to have the Soldiers to support them to win and motivate them,” said Pfc. Precious Grant, 97th MP Bn.

Maria Childs | POST

ABOVE: Sophia Hobley from the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation took third place for her team in the pie eating contest at Garrison Organizational Day Oct. 16.

RIGHT: Soldiers from the 1st Replacement Company try to turn the tarp under their feet without stepping on the grass around them at Garrison Organizational Day Oct. 16. The team won 1st place.

Maria Childs | POST

Maria Childs | POST

Representatives from The Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security and the Fort Riley Resource Management Office battle in Family Feud at Garrison Organizational Day Oct. 16. The day consisted of muiltiple team-building activities such as a tarp turning competition and a pie eating contest. DPTMS won 1st place in the overall competition.

THERE’S NO ‘I’ IN ‘TEAM’

By Maria Childs1ST INF. DIV. POST

Four Fort Riley firefighters joined more than 5,000 people who attended a community memorial service at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri, honoring two fallen Kansas City Fire Department firefighters — Larry Leggio and John Mesh.

According to reports from the Kansas City Star, the two men died when a wall collapsed Oct. 12 as fire crews battled a fire in a three-story commercial and residential structure in Kansas City. They saved others’ lives before they paid the ultimate sacrifice.

R i c h a r d W a t s o n , inspector for the FRFD, was one of the f i re f ighter s who was part of the honor guard Oct. 17 in Kansas City. Firefighters take an oath to protect the community they serve from whatever danger they may face.

“It happens far too often, but to lose them like that, it gets to you,” said Watson.

Watson was joined by fellow firefighters Ivan May, Capt. Andre Ebaben and

Adam Rothgeb. Fort Riley Fire Department was one of more than 50 departments who deployed honor guards for the event including departments from across the United States and Canada.

May said it was an honor to be part of the guard for the ceremony.

“We were one part of the huge amount of people who were there,” May said. “It was quite an honor to be there representing one of our firefighter brothers.”

Watson said to have the ability to be at the memorial service and pay respects to the family of the fallen was humbling, but it is

never easy to r e m e m b e r that it could happen to anybody.

“We all knew when we signed up, we knew there is a p o s s i b i l i t y that might happen to us,” said Watson. “We

don’t talk about it, but it is a reality every day.”

Watson said their job is to learn from this experience and train to get better.

“We’re one big family,” said Watson. “Brothers and sisters — doing the same job.”

Firefighters honor fallen comrades Kansas City

“We’re one big family. Brothers and

sisters doing that same job.’”

RICHARD WATSON | FIRE

INSPECTOR AT THE FORT

RILEY FIRE DEPARTMENT

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4 | OCTOBER 23, 2015 HOME OF THE BIG RED ONE

Story and photo by Hannah Kleopfer1ST INF. DIV. POST

Inspirational speaker Jared Estes came to Fort Riley for the second time this year to share another message with the troops who he said give him so much hope. His message was titled “Fire Back.” Through his story Estes shares how he learned to deal with physical and emotional pain and how he came back from the flames.

“I tell my story and I learned a lot of tough lessons throughout that,” said Estes. “I took a chance to process those lessons and learned we can use them more like weapons that we can always use to fight our way out of the dark.”

Estes’ story begins with his high school sweetheart, Paige. A short six months after they were married, they were in a car wreck due to a drunk driver and Paige was killed in the accident. Estes was in a coma for two weeks, but as he told his story his fight continued for years after that.

“I went through a lot of dark stuff and a lot of dark days and it took me the better part of 50 surgeries and about three years to come back re-ally mentally and physically,” said Estes.

He now goes around sharing his story with groups such as the Soldiers of Fort Riley. In his message he shares how to come through one’s darkest days and struggles, giving listeners something to take away in their own way.

“I learned a lot about resilience,” said Maj. Erik Peterson, 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. “Everyone’s in a bad situation, and you see somebody suffering something like this, and then setting goals to get past and keep going.”

Goals were something Estes realized he needed after accom-plishing his only goal of getting to his late wife’s grave. While that was a short-term goal, he needed long-term goals to get him through.

“The biggest thing to me was him realizing that his short-

term goals weren’t enough and that he would have to push through some difficulty and find long-term goals to get through a really hard circum-stance,” said Pfc. James Clark, 2nd Bn., 34th Armor Regt., 1st ABCT, 1st Inf. Div.

At the end of Estes’ story, Soldiers rendered a standing ovation that echoed throughout Morris Hill Chapel. Maj. Peterson then presented Estes with a battalion coin.

CONSTRUCTION ON RIFLE RANGE ROAD CONTINUES

Construction on Rifle Range Road will af-fect traffic flow for approximately the next 374 days. As a result, the work will affect travel to the schools in the area. School officials have been briefed and can offer guidance. There are detour and guidance signs posted, includ-ing detour routes along tank trail purple and through the Forsythe Housing area. Motorists are asked to exercise patience and follow all guidance posted on signs.

ALL SCHOOL ZONES IN EFFECT School zones are now in effect. Tickets will

be issued. Be vigilant. Some school zones have lights and others have posted times.

ACP HOURS OF OPERATION

Access control point hours are:Four Corners/Trooper/Ogden: Open

24/7 Henry: Open 24/712th Street: Open from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m.,

Monday to Friday; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Satur-day; closed on Sunday and federal holidays.

Rifle Range: Closed to all traffic.Grant: Open from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m.,

Monday to Friday; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Satur-days; closed Sundays and federal holidays.

Estes: Open from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday to Friday; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday; closed on Sunday and federal holidays.

TRAFFIC REPORTJared Estes shares, brings tears, laughter to Fort Riley

Jared Estes, inspirational speaker, gives his “Fire Back” speech to Soldiers of Fort Riley at the Morris Hill Chapel the morning of Oct. 16.

TUESDAY TRIVIA CONTEST WINNER

The Oct. 20 question was: “Where do I view the Hours of Operation of the Fort Riley Retirement Services Office? The Retirement Services Office, along with the

Fort Riley Military Retiree Council members are scheduled to host Retiree Appreciation Day 2015 Oct. 23 at Riley’s Conference Center.“

Answer: www.riley.army.mil/Services/RetireeServices.aspx

This week’s winner is: Samantha McLaughlin. Samantha is pictured with her daughter Nola McLaughlin. They are the family of

Sgt. Benjamin McLaughlin, Forward Support Company, 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division.

CONGRATULATIONS SAMANTHA!

CONNECT WITH US AT WWW.TWITTER.COM/FORTRILEY

By Marvin SpringerFAMILY ADVOCACY SPECIALIST, ARMY COMMUNITY SERVICE

Domestic violence goes against all relation-ship and military core values and standards of conduct. Abuse can take on several forms and isn’t always easy to see. No one deserves abuse, no matter the form.

Abuse can be verbal, physical, emotional or sexual. At the end of the day, there is no kind of abuse that is justified or acceptable. Regretta-bly, many individuals continue to be victimized. Sometimes they fear retaliation or are convinced they are at fault. Sometimes it is because they are unaware of the help and support available to them.

Therefore many victims of domestic violence may stay in abusive relationships because:

* Too young to communicate the violation* Fear or threats from the perpetrator

* Bribed by perpetrator or another* Affection for abuser* Told the abuse is normal* Wants to please* Guilt* Shame * Protect livelihood* Victim believes they are responsible for per-

petrators abusive behavior* Isolation from family and friends

Domestic violence is preventable. Help and support are available. The Family Ad-vocacy Program provides services to prevent domestic and child abuse, promote early identification and reporting, provide support to victims and render treatment options for offenders.

For more information, support or resources please contact FAP at 785-239-9435.

Domestic Violence signs, prevention

By Maria Childs 1ST INF. DIV. POST

The park is the perfect place to visit. It has a cabin, garage, gazebo, a clock tower, three art sculptures, two fountains and a train.

But it also holds a significant meaning for its creator, Staff Sgt. Donald Downey, a Soldier from the Fort Riley Warrior Transition Battalion.

“Right at the entrance, I have four emblems of the military and at the top above the entrance, I have a WTB coin,” said Downey. “I have established a link with the WTB because if it wasn’t for the WTB I wouldn’t have done it.”

Downey built his exhibit, which won 1st place in the “original craft not listed” category in the Kansas State Fair, out of craft kits the WTB gave him. The project took him

six months to complete, but it was more relaxing to him than work.

“I like to have everything organized and tedious,” Downey said. “There are no blueprints to it. Everything is done and put together from me re-directing what the project was originally for, building it and then after everything was built, it was taking the time to get it properly arranged.”

The project went on to receive 4th place with an honorable mention in the Army Arts and Crafts competition. The origin of the project was just to relax. Downey uses working with his hands as his form or relaxation from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

“It’s hard for me to relax,” Downey said. “And when I work with my hands, I’m able to focus. Working with my hands, that is where my relief comes.”

Downey built the project in the lobby of the Soldier and Family Assistance Center at Fort Riley. While working on the project, he wanted the different pieces to symbolize the evolution of the military as a whole. There is a cannon on the exhibit to symbolize the Army’s field artillery and its evolution over the years and a hero bell to honor the heroes who gave their life.

Downey departed from the WTB Oct. 5 after receiving word about winning the Army-wide competition. He will officially retire from the Army Nov. 22.

“The WTB is a valuable resource, regardless if it’s just Fort Riley,” Downey said. “I’m just fortunate enough to be at a WTB with these kinds of crafts and the support network that I have here is just awesome.”

Wounded Soldier builds park, wins in two competitions

Photo by Jorge Gomez | Irwin Army Community Hospital Public Affairs Officer

Staff Sgt. Donald Downey, a Soldier from the Fort Riley Warrior Transition Battalion, built a scale model of a park which earned first place in the Kansas State Fair and 4th place with honorable mention in the Army Arts and Crafts competition.

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OCTOBER 23, 2015 | 5HOME OF THE BIG RED ONE

RILEY ROUNDTABLE

“The Lego Books.”

DAVID ALLEN

Child of Becky and Sgt. David Allen, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division

“Princess. It has games in it.”

DINNETTA LAWSON

Child of Sgt. Christopher Lawson, Medical Department Activity

“The Series of Unfortunate Events.”

JORDAN CHAPMAN

Child of Shawna and Spc. Nigel Monrose, 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division

“Harry Potter. I like Prisoner of Azkaban best.”

MENA MANN

Child of Lesilie, Alternate Contract Manager of the library, and Michael Mann

“I like Dinotrucks.”

QUINTON MANN

Child of Lesilie, Alternate Contract Manager of the library, and Michael Mann

THE 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION POST

This civilian enterprise newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the Department of Defense. Contents of The 1st Infantry Division Post are not necessarily the official views of,

or endorsed by, the U.S. Government or the Department of the Army. The editorial content of this publication is the responsibility of the 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley PA Officer

and is printed by Montgomery Communications, Inc., a private firm in no way connected with the U.S.

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The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts

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violation is corrected. Circulation 8,800 copies each week .

A licensed newspaper member of the Junction City and Manhattan

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COMMANDING OFFICER AND PUBLISHER

Maj. Gen. Wayne W. Grigsby, Jr.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER Lt. Col. Kimeisha McCullum

PRINTER John G. Montgomery

FORT RILEY EDITORIAL STAFF

EDITOR Patti Geistfeld

ASSISTANT EDITOR Andy Massanet

STAFF WRITER Maria Childs

Hannah Kleopfer

MEDIA SALES MANAGER Melissa Tyson

MEDIA SALES REPRESENTATIVES Jessica Wineinger, Julie Morgan, Kim

Maguire and Shannon Fritz

CONTACT US For business or advertising matters,

call The Daily Union in Junction City at 785-762-5000.

For news offerings, call the Fort Riley Public Affairs Office at 785-239-8854

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While at the library we asked:“What is your favorite Book?”

CommentaryHOME OF THE BIG RED ONE OCTOBER 23, 2015 PAGE 5

By Clint Strutt, AFC®FINANCIAL READINESS PROGRAM MANAGER, ARMY COMMUNITY SERVICE

One of the late Yogi Berra’s most famous quips was, “It’s like déjà vu, all over again.” If you have been following the news about the possibility of a government shutdown, then you understand exactly what Yogi meant.

For those of you who may not be aware, federal services and federal employee salaries are funded through appropriations. Annually, Congress appropriates funds specifically to the various federal departments and agencies. These funds are used to buy equipment, pay salaries and fund the general operation of programs.

When Congress can’t agree on appropriations for an entire year, it will appropriate funds through continuing resolutions. These appropriations are usually short-term efforts meant to provide funding until an annual appropriation can be agreed upon. This often sets up another “shutdown” event in the near future ... like déjà vu, all over again.

So, if you’re wondering why you should care, ask yourself this one simple question. Can you pay your bills if you don’t receive your next paycheck?

If you can, how many paychecks can you miss before you start to fall behind?

In our history, there have been 18 separate shutdowns since 1976. The most

recent government shutdown in 2013 lasted for 16 days. The longest, in 1995, lasted 21.

While government shutdowns and the political fights that often inspire them will always dominate the news, there are dozens of reasons to have fully funded your emergency savings, many of them much more common and likely: You, or your spouse lose your job or have to give it up due to PCS. Your car doesn’t start or starts but won’t drive or drives but makes an awful knocking noise or you zig when you should have zagged, hit a deer and need to pay a deductible. You, or a family member gets injured or falls ill … maybe requiring another wage earner to quit work to care for them. You have to pay an out of pocket medical of dental expense. A friend or relative needs a place to stay to recover from a crisis. Your wallet is stolen and you have to lock your credit cards and bank accounts while the issue is corrected.

Hopefully, you are convinced that an emergency fund is in your best interest, but now you need to know how much you should save and where should you keep it? Unfortunately, there is no one size fits all answer to either of those questions. So here are some guidelines. If you have no high interest debt, three months of expenses will help you weather most any financial storm. If you do carry high interest debt, your emergency savings should be coordinated with paying down

your debt. Dave Ramsey, author of The Total Money Makeover, recommends first putting $1,000 in emergency savings, then aggressively paying down your debt. Personally, I like the idea of enough money to cover one month’s bills, then paying down debt.

Now, where should you keep your emergency fund? Your emergency fund location should have two important characteristics. First, it should be accessible. You want to keep it in a place that you can get to in an emergency but not so readily available that you risk dipping into if for non-emergencies. Second, it should be stable. You don’t want to have your fund in an account that fluctuates in value. A Certificate of Deposit, commonly referred to as a CD, fits both criteria perfectly. A CD will be separate from your other accounts and would still be accessible should your checking or savings accounts be frozen due to fraud. Additionally, a CD will earn a higher interest rate than a savings account. While it is true many CDs charge a penalty for early withdrawal, this can be seen as a feature. You will be less likely to take the money out unless it is a true emergency.

For more information about this or any other financial topic, visit your local Army Community Services Financial Readiness office for assistance, and like us on Facebook to stay informed of financial issues that may affect you at: www.facebook.com/rileyfrp.

Looming shutdown talk illustrates need for financial readiness plan, emergency funds

WASHINGTON — For the seventh year in a row, Congress has failed to pass a defense ap-propriations bill in time for the start of the fiscal year, and for four years, the Defense Depart-ment and other federal agencies have struggled against sequestra-tion impacts, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said today.

He delivered the keynote re-marks during the Association of the United States Army annual meeting, taking time to thank Army leaders past and present, Army colleagues, those on his staff and Soldiers everywhere for their continued service to the nation.

“Making indiscriminate cuts is managerially inefficient and therefore … wasteful to taxpay-ers and industry … it’s danger-ous for our strategy and frankly it’s embarrassing around the world. And it is dispiriting to our talented people and their families who deserve to know better what the future holds,” Carter said.

The DOD has done its best to manage through this pro-longed period of budget uncer-tainty, the secretary said, making painful choices and trade-offs among size, capabilities and readiness of the joint force.

“We cannot as a nation allow this to become the new normal,” he said. “In today’s security environment we need to be dynamic and we need to be responsive. What we have now is a straitjacket.”

THREE COMMITMENTSCarter also described three

commitments he made when

he became defense secretary and how the Army is central to each one. His commitments are to the current force, to the president to provide candid strategic advice, and to the future of the nation and the force.

“Through 14 years of counterinsurgency and count-less missions our Soldiers per-formed with excellence. No other force in history, in the world, could have executed or adapted as well as our total Army, (along with) our Guard and Reserves. They learned hard-fought lessons and quick-ly adjusted,” Carter said.

Today, he said, Soldiers of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team are training Ukrainian security forces to defend against aggression, and the 8th Army stands on the Korean Peninsula, where “fight tonight” is not a slogan but a mindset.

Soldiers of the 1st Infan-try Division advised Iraqi and Kurdish forces confronting ISIL, he added, and Soldiers of the 25th Infantry Division and others reinvented forward de-ployment as part of the Pacific Pathways to enhance coopera-tion in the Asia-Pacific region.

GLOBAL DEMANDS“In a complex, unsafe world

with increasing global demands on American leadership,” the secretary said, “it’s our people, our Soldiers, and their un-matched ability to seize and dominate physical and human terrain, shape the strategic envi-ronment and prevent conflict.”

Addressing the nation’s defense strategy, Carter dis-cussed the need for a 21st century NATO playbook that includes countering new chal-lenges like hybrid warfare and cyber, better integrating con-ventional and nuclear deter-rence, and adjusting the U.S. posture and presence to adapt and respond.

Because the Army is at the center of the strategy, he said, elements of the 173rd Air-borne Brigade Combat Team were deployed to train Ukrai-nian security forces under Operation Atlantic Resolve, and units from the 173rd trained alongside U.S. allies in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.

For the same reason, Carter said, Stryker units and brigade-sized elements moved from the 2nd Cavalry Regi-ment through 1,800 kilome-ters of Eastern Europe with allies from Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary.

And the 3rd Infantry Di-vision, with whom Carter re-cently spoke in Grafenwoehr, Germany, trained alongside 10 NATO allies and three partner nations as part of Combined Resolve, he added.

Carter also discussed the situation in Europe and Rus-sia’s aggression there. He dis-cussed the Middle East and Russia’s behavior in Syria. And he discussed Afghanistan and how the United States and its allies are committed to continuing to support the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces.

FUTURE CAPABILITIESOn his commitment to the

future of the nation and the department, Carter said the DOD needs a 21st-century personnel system to match a 21st-century military, that it must be open to a wider world of technology and that it needs a sensible long-term budget.

“To build the force of the future we have to attract, compete for and retain the best talent from a new gen-eration,” he said, adding that another way to keep an edge in the future is to continue to innovate and invest in the best technology.

In recent times the mili-tary has used high-end tech-nology against relatively low-tech capabilities, Carter said, but today other militar-ies and non-state actors are acquiring high-end military technologies.

Nations like Russia and China are closing the technology gap, Carter said, “developing platforms to thwart our advantages of power projection and freedom of movement. They’re fielding new aircraft and ballistic, cruise, anti-ship, and anti-air missiles that are longer-range and more accurate.”

The nation’s imperative is clear, he said.

“We must innovate to stay the best-equipped and prepared so we can ensure that the skill of each Soldier is wielded in the most effective and safest way possible,” Carter said.

Carter: Unstable budget harms capabilities

Photo by Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Adrian Cadiz | DOD

Defense Secretary Ash Carter delivers remarks at the Association of the United States Army sustaining member luncheon in Washington, D.C., Oct. 14.

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6 | OCTOBER 23, 2015 HOME OF THE BIG RED ONE

By Andy Massanet1ST INF. DIV. POST

When wintry weather hits, Fort Riley will be ready.

That is the goal of ongoing co-ordination efforts. The plan, named Snowburst, is in place and will be in effect from Nov. 1, , to April 30, 2016.

The plan was drafted and imple-mented by a number of Fort Riley Garrison agencies and 1st Infantry Division’s G-3 Shop.

The Garrison agencies include the Directorates of Emergency Ser-vices; Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security; Public Works; the Gar-rison Safety Office and the Garrison Public Affairs Office.

In addition, mechanics from the Logistics Readiness Center are on-call to repair snow clearance equip-ment in the event of breakdowns. The Directorate of Family and Mo-rale, Welfare and Recreation is pre-pared to set up warming shelters in the event of power outages. Corvias Military Living will clear neighbor-hood streets and sidewalks.

The U.S. Air Force’s Detachment 2, 3rd Weather Squadron, stationed at Marshall Army Air Field, provides up-to-the-minute weather forecast-ing services for installation ground and air operations 24 hours a day, Monday through Friday, and on an on-call basis when necessary.

The aim is to mitigate the poten-tial impact of all degrees of winter weather certain to hit the Fort Riley-Greater Flint Hills Region this season.

“Fort Riley has an excellent team for preparing for, minimizing impact on and helping to get the installa-tion back to normal operations after a snow event,” said Clay Nauman, DPTMS Operations and Plans Chief, “DPW and snow removal contractors are the heavy lifters behind Snow-burst Operations, they keep primary and secondary roads and parking lots clear while units maintain their unit areas, residents and tenants clear their own home and work areas.”

Last winter there were 22 separate weather events. Thirteen of those events hit the region with “mini-mal regional impacts and accumu-lations,” planning documents said. Last year’s winter season resulted in one installation delay and one school closure. Several of those episodes oc-curred on weekends.

According to the plan, the Fort Riley personnel footprint — mili-tary, families, Department of the Army civilians, etc. — encompasses a radius of approximately 70 miles. Therefore, planners say, Snowburst involves coordination with outside agencies as well, to include civilian law enforcement and emergency per-sonnel, Unified School District 475 and various news outlets.

WHEN POOR WEATHER IS FORECASTED

A weather forecast of impending bad weather will initiate the Snow-burst procedures. The Fort Riley Operations Center of DPTMS will initially receive the weather warn-ing and notify senior leaders. At that time, Fort Riley will coordinate with civilian authorities.

The DES responders will notify law enforcement patrols and pro-ceed with road assessments south of Vinton School Road, an area that encompasses the major share of Fort Riley roadways. Directorate staff will also alert personnel at recreation ar-eas and gates.

Assets from DPW will evaluate road clearance plans based on priori-ty of the effected roadways and begin spot sanding of problem areas.

ONCE WEATHER HITSPersonnel from DPTMS will

maintain communication with the weather forecast team, command group and outside agencies.

The DES will maintain com-munication with patrols, gates, the FROC and the weather team. They will also prepare to deploy law en-forcement and fire protection as-sets as needed. The PAO will begin issuing advisories to alert off-post personnel of what actions to take and what they can expect once the weather settles in.

As general guidance, the plan states personnel should remain shel-

tered until roads are passable. All agencies must account for all their personnel.

Concurrently, assets from DPW will begin snow and ice removal. The main emphasis for drivers, Nau-man said, was caution and safe driv-ing practices around snow removal equipment.

“Operators must split their time,” Nauman said, “between focusing on the location of their equipment as it relates to the roads — watching for curbs, hydrants and so forth — and are not always able to focus on road traffic. We also encourage everyone to conduct refresher drivers train-ing and to allot extra time during their commutes during the winter months.”

OFFICIAL ROAD CONDITION DESIGNATIONS

As in years past, roadways are assessed and assigned a color ac-cording to their passability and the availability of the post. The follow-ing color codes and their definition are as follows:

• Green – No restrictions for any vehicle on Fort Riley

• Amber – No restrictions for privately owned vehicles. For motor pool and commercial fleet vehicles, senior leaders will ensure only mis-sion essential vehicles are dispatched. Other vehicles dispatched will in-clude those in support of DES and essential base operations, supply ve-hicles, public works repair vehicles, recovery vehicles, mail service vehi-cles and command or staff vehicles. For tactical vehicles, battalion com-manders or designees will ensure only mission essential vehicles are dispatched. Other mission essential tactical vehicles as defined by com-manders and directors may be dis-patched as needed.

• Red – No restrictions for pri-vately owned vehicles. Official vehicles will be limited to DES emergency vehicles, snow removal equipment, ambulances, hospital food and linen trucks, engineer re-pair vehicles, dump trucks, crew bus-es and recovery vehicles. Tactical ve-hicles are limited to DES emergency vehicles, snow removal equipment, vehicles dedicated to personnel safe-ty and emergency resupply. Battalion

commanders will ensure only emer-gency vehicles are dispatched.

• Installation Closed – No move-ment of privately owned vehicles is authorized. Official and tactical ve-hicle movement are limited to those dedicated to recovery, emergency law enforcement, ambulance response and snow removal.

“Amber and Red road conditions indicate the extent that conditions have deteriorated,” Nauman said. “Drivers should allow themselves extra distance between cars to al-low for stopping time and consider only driving if there is truly a need. Fewer vehicles on the road translates to quicker and safer snow clearance operations by the DPW Team.”

POLICY FOR LATE ARRIVALS AND EARLY RELEASE

Personnel needed to meet mini-mum manning requirements, called mission essential personnel, are iden-tified in writing by supervisors. As a rule, they include medical, police, fire, snow crews, FROC and food service personnel.

The policy for late arrivals and early release applies to non-minimal manning personnel. Those who are uncertain of what their status is should consult with their supervisor.

The PAO alerts the media to the posture of Fort Riley and whether late arrivals and early releases are authorized.

Decisions on late arrivals and early releases will be made not lat-er than 5 a.m. the morning of the storm and disseminated prior to 5:15 a.m.

The early release plan for non-essential personnel will be staggered according to the following criteria.

• “H” hour: release employees who live 25 miles or more from post.

• “H” hour plus 30 minutes: re-lease employees who live less than 25 miles from post.

“The key to a successful snow season,” Nauman said, “is making sure leaders understand the process-es. We’ve informed all the instal-lation key leaders of the processes behind making decisions impacting school and workforce reporting de-cisions, early releases and physical training cancellations. The driving fac-

tor behind reporting decisions is the safety of our newest Soldiers and fami-lies that may have minimal experience driving in snowy conditions and may have a false sense of confidence.”

Nauman added Soldiers, fami-lies and employees can sign-up for AtHoc messaging service that will expedite receipt of workforce delay or service reduction decisions.

There are two ways personnel can ensure they and their fam-ily members are notified of severe weather and workforce notifications while you are deployed or at work.

One is by requesting AtHoc mes-sages. How-to guidance can be ob-tained visiting www.riley.army.mil/Portals/0/Docs/About/Advisories/AtHocFeb15.pdf

The other is by downloading the Fort Riley App.

Go to the Fort Riley Facebook page and click on the “Use App” link. Then use the appropriate code to download the app.

Users can also search their smart-phone or tablet App Store. Enter “MyBaseGuide” into the search bar. Once the App is downloaded you can choose your location as Fort Riley.

Snowburst: planning will get Fort Riley through the winter ahead

Local radio outlets

KJCK-AM, Junction City, 1420 AM and 97.5 FMKQLA-FM, Junction City, 103.5 FMKMAN-AM, Manhattan, 1350 AMKMKF-FM, Manhattan, 101.5 FMKHCA-FM, Manhattan, 95.3 FMKXBZ-FM, Manhattan, 104.7 FMKACZ-FM, Manhattan, 96.3 FMKFRM-AM, Clay Center, 550 AMKCLY-FM, Clay Center, 100.9 FMKSAL-AM, Salina, 1150 AMKANI-AM, Abilene, 1560 AMKSAJ-FM, Abilene, 98.5 FMKBLS-FM, Abilene, 102.5 FMWIBW-AM, Topeka, 580 AM

Local TV outlets

WIBW-TV, Topeka, Channel 13KSNT-TV, Topeka, Channel 27KTMJ-TV, Topeka, Channel 43KTKA-TV, Topeka, Channel 49

By Staff Sgt. Bernhard Lashleyleidner1ST ABCT PUBLIC AFFAIRS

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — Sgt. Miles Ray, an M1 Abrams tank system main-tainer with the 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, along with three Soldiers from Fort Leavenworth, re-enlisted on the 50-yard line Oct. 7 at Ar-rowhead Stadium.

The reenlistment ceremony was hosted by two Kansas City Chiefs hall of fame football players, Danan Hughes and Gary Spani.

“This means a lot to me,” said Hughes. “My son is also serving in the military.”

Hughes also said how great it was to be able to attend the reenlistment ceremony.

“It’s really nice knowing that the Kan-sas City Chiefs and the surrounding com-munities support the military,” said Ray. “It meant a lot to me to have two Kansas City Chief players attend my reenlistment ceremony.”

Jon Rittenberg, Army liaison, Kansas City Chiefs Football Club, said they re-ceive many requests from service members to have their reenlistments in the stadium.

“The Chiefs love the military,” said Rittenberg. “We try to accommodate all the military installations in the Chief ’s kingdom.”

Rittenberg said the Chiefs care about service members and always arrange spe-cial VIP tours to show their appreciation.

Following the ceremony, service members and their guests were given a tour

of the stadium and learned about history of the Chiefs organization.

“It was wonderful being able to tour the coaches and luxury box,” said Ray. “Walking through the Hall-of-Fame section with all the bronze busts of the Kansas City Chiefs’ greatest players and old memorabilia was awesome.”

Ray said he wished the ceremo-ny could have been performed during a Kansas City Chiefs game, but he was happy the career counselor, Sgt. 1st Class Pena, was able to make his reenlistment dream a reality.

“We try to make each reenlistment spe-cial,” said Sgt. 1st Class Laura Pena, career counselor, 2nd Bn, 34th Armor Regt., 1st ABCT, 1st Inf. Div. “As long as the request is reasonable.”

Ray said it meant a lot to him to have his family on the field watching him during the ceremony.

“Over the past four years, the Army’s continued support to me and my family has been outstanding,” said Ray. “The pride and brotherhood you feel from wearing the uniform is like nothing else you can find in a civilian job.”

Ray will return to Arrowhead Sta-dium to be recognized as the “Hero of the Game” during the Chiefs’ Oct. 25 game.

Kansas City Chiefs reenlistment ceremony takes place on Arrowhead Stadium field

Spc. Derrik Tribbey | 1ST ABCT

Sgt. Miles Ray, an M1 Abrams tank system maintain-er with the 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, reenlists Oct. 7 at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri. Ray has served in the U.S. military for four years and reenlisted for an additional six years.

By Bob EverdeenFORT RILEY PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Visitors to the Post Ex-change Oct. 17 were treated to a special thank you from the NFL and USAA during the “Salute to Service Tour.”

As part of a 77-day trip with 27 events at 19 different locations across the United States, the inter-active “Salute to Service” display delivered hands-on experiences to service members and their fami-lies. The traveling display show-cased the NFL’s Lombardi Trophy and engaged visitors with a virtual “quarterback accuracy challenge” game.

According to Dan Mishket, USAA Military Affairs representa-tive, the visit was designed to thank the military community.

“As a partner with the NFL, we’re here to honor those who have served and to show our apprecia-tion — it’s our way of giving back,” he said. “Fort Riley, being the home of the 1st Infantry Division, was chosen because of its history, its relationship with the surrounding communities and its importance of what it does for our Army.”

The Salute to Service tour cul-minates in November during the NFL’s Salute to Service month and is one of several events being of-fered leading up to Super Bowl 50.

“USAA understands military life has many challenges and can be stressful at times, so bringing our ‘Salute to Service’ experience on-base is a unique and exciting way to recognize and thank the military community during a his-toric NFL season,” said John Bird, USAA senior vice president of military affairs.

The tour’s next stop is at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, before head-ing south to Texas, Georgia and Washington, D.C.

For those who missed the trav-eling display, there’s still a chance to enter to win tickets to Super Bowl 50. Visit salutetoservice.com and submit your story or nomination.

NFL’s Lombardi Trophy visits Fort Riley

Bob Everdeen

FORT RILEY PUBLIC AFFAIRS

FOR SEVERE WEATHER ALERTS

Multi-agency effort seeks to minimize bad weather’s impact on installation

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OCTOBER 23, 2015 | 7HOME OF THE BIG RED ONE

By Spc. Derrik Tribbey1ST ABCT. PUBLIC AFFAIRS

In 2013, a young lady liv-ing in Georgia was rejected by her recruiter because she was a mother of two. But through her determination, she enlisted in Virginia.

Pfc. Ja’Leesa Williams, a pe-troleum supply specialist with Company I, 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Ar-mored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, joined the Army to create a better life for herself and her children.

Williams is the daughter of retired Air Force Master Sgt. Cord Fields. She was born on George Air Force Base in Vic-torville, California. Being a

child of the military, Williams relocated frequently.

Of all the places Williams lived, Warner Robins, Geor-gia, had the most impact on her life, she said.

In Georgia, Williams lived with her two young children and their father.

Williams was determined to join the Army, she said. She spoke with a recruiter in March 2013, but because she had dependents the recruiter rejected her.

“I moved to Virginia from Georgia because I knew I de-served better,” said. Williams. There she met with a new re-cruiter who gave her the guid-ance to successfully join the military.

Williams enlisted in the U.S. Army on April 21, 2014. She held student leadership positions at both Basic Com-bat Training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and Ad-vanced Individual Training at Fort Lee, Virginia.

Now at Fort Riley, she is responsible for complete fuel accountability, organization of refueling missions and distribu-tion to her battalion, she said.

“Anything I need done I can give it to her and she can make it happen,” said Staff Sgt. Patrick Atkins, a Bradley fight-ing vehicle system maintainer with Co. I, 3rd Bn., 66th Ar-mor Regt. “She has a superior work ethic and excels to be the best of any section that she is a part of.”

Williams said her goal is to complete her first contract as a sergeant. She keeps this goal in mind as she remembers why she serves.

“I motivate me to serve in the military, and being able to feed and clothe my family in the meantime is a huge plus,” said Williams. “I want to be that role model and living proof that ‘better’ can be accomplished, no matter what bad choice was made in the past or situation you think you can’t get out of.”

Mother of two joins Army for a chance at a better life

Spc. Derrik Tribbey | 1ST ABCT

Pfc. Ja’Leesa Williams assists and reviews documents from Cpl. Adrian Mercado, both petroleum supply specialists with Co. I, 3rd Bn., 66th Armor Regt., 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Sept. 17 at the Co. I, 3rd Bn., 66th Armor Regt., office, Fort Riley, Kansas. Williams is responsible for com-plete fuel accountability, organization of refueling missions and distribution to her battalion.

Child of the military, Army veteran changes states for successful enlistment

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8 | OCTOBER 23, 2015 HOME OF THE BIG RED ONE

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OCTOBER 23, 2015 | 9HOME OF THE BIG RED ONE

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10 | OCTOBER 23, 2015 HOME OF THE BIG RED ONE

The DIVARTYs effectively synchronize joint fires across their divisions and standard-ize artillery training. The pro-cess began Army-wide more than a year ago and the 1st Inf. Div.’s and the 10th Mountain Division’s were the final two DIVARTYs to activate.

Many of the unit’s young-er Soldiers and officers have never served in an Army that had division artilleries, Col. Tom Bolen, DIVARTY com-mander, said.

“So to them, it may seem like Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster,” he joked. “They’ve seen some grainy photos and perhaps heard the elders talk in low voices about mysterious happen-ings in the old days. But while the Big Red One DIVARTY is legendary, it is by no means fictitious.”

History and lineage have been an important part of the unit’s activation since Soldiers and leaders started filing its ranks this summer and reached out to former DIVARTY members. It’s an emphasis the unit’s command team, Bolen and Command Sgt. Maj. Jonathan Stephens, continued at the ceremony by inviting three former DIVAR-TY commanders — retired Maj. Gen. Richard Longo, re-tired Lt. Gen. Michael Dod-son and retired Col. Walter Gilliam — to help unfurl the colors on the parade field.

“I thought that was great,” Bolen said of the former com-manders’ presence. “You can’t describe that.”

Bolen and Maj. Gen. Wayne W. Grigsby Jr., 1st Inf. Div. and Fort Riley com-manding general, harkened

back to the DIVARTY’s sto-ried history during the activa-tion ceremony. It’s a history that started with the division’s in 1917 when it was organized as the 1st Field Artillery Bri-gade. The brigade’s artillery-men fired the first American rounds in combat in World War I, landed on Omaha Beach in June 1944, fired more than 6 million rounds in Vietnam and fired more than 18,000 rounds and rockets in the first Gulf War.

“It’s just an amazing his-tory,” Bolen said.

While an appreciation for the “Drumfire” roots was apparent, the commanding general encouraged those in attendance to focus on the Army chief of staff ’s current priority: readiness.

“We cannot afford to let our nation’s blood and trea-sure — our Soldiers — go into harm’s way untrained, lacking equipment or with less-than-competent leader-ship,” he said.

The DIVARTY, he said, like the Big Red One’s other units, will conduct tough, re-alistic training that will build capable, adaptable leaders.

“We will maintain capabil-ities to fight along the entire spectrum of military opera-tions, from fighting terrorists to fighting nation states, and our fires capabilities are cru-cial for that,” Grigsby added.

He praised Bolen and Stephens, saying they were the right team to lead the DIVARTY into the future.

“Both are battle-tested field artillerymen and more than up to the challenge that our uncertain security envi-ronment poses,” Grigsby said.

like leading a security element within an actual convoy mission.”

At FOB Gerber, the 1450th CTC conducted both day and nighttime operations using night-vision technology.

The integration of so many different elements was not the only challenge posed to Sol-diers. They were also tasked with providing convoy defense. Many of these scenarios in-volved reacting to either one or more improvised explosive de-vices. They also trained on how

to treat a casualty on a convoy and react to contact.

“There was some differences, but there wasn’t that many dif-ferences between the scenarios,” said Sgt. Bryan Cyphers, 1450th CTC, second platoon team leader and a native of Statesville, North Carolina. “However, when it came down to the day and night portions, the training became much harder. This was due to the low visibility at night, unable to see the IEDs, ambushing troops and all of that.”

institutions like Kansas State University, the post was the best place to live and come home to, Grigsby said.

Col. John M. Cyrulik, 1st Combat Avia-tion Brigade, 1st Inf. Div., commander, said Fort Riley should not be overlooked by Army officials as a place where joint forces, special operations forces and armored brigade com-bat teams – “the entire flavor of units that exist in our Army” – can train.

“We can provide a first-class and world-class training environment at Fort Riley for all of those customers,” he added.

Cyrulik said the trip was a success as the delegation was surrounded by the Army’s top leaders.

“(They) want to interact with those of us that are in the field, training and preparing for an unknown future and to win in a com-plex world.”

Army leaders want to talk to those from the Big Red One, the colonel went on to say.

“We are a historic division, we are the na-tion’s First Division,” he said. “We know we are all looking at potential deployments in the future and so senior leaders want to en-gage us. They’re interested to hear about our training and our readiness and our facilities at Fort Riley in particular.

While the attendees spent much of their time at the annual meeting speaking about the division’s and post’s capabilities, they also made an effort to reflect on the history and accomplishments of the Big Red One.

Early in the week, they lauded the 1st Inf. Div. and Fort Riley Ten-Miler Team, which finished the Oct. 11 race in seventh place. At an Oct. 13 reception, eight cur-rent and former division commanders and four current and former division senior noncommissioned officers gathered with the delegation to celebrate the Big Red One.

One of those former commanders was retired Gen. Gordon R. Sullivan, former Army chief of staff and current AUSA presi-dent, who led the division from June 1988 to July 1989. Sullivan served in the Big Red One four times throughout his career.

“There’s only one 1,” he said to the crowd. “There’s only one 1. There’s only one Big Red One.”

“The proudest moment of my life was becoming the CG of the 1st Infantry Divi-sion. I understand some may find that odd, but when you can say that you’ve been in the 1st Infantry Division, you are saying something. It is special.”

MEETING Continued from page 1

Amanda Kim Stairrett | 1ST INF. DIV.

Maj. Gen. Wayne W. Grigsby Jr., 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley commanding gen-eral, speaks to a delegation representing the Fort Riley-Central Kansas Chapter of the Association of U.S. Army on Oct. 14 in Washington, D.C. Grigsby, other leaders across the 1st Inf. Div. and members from the local communities were in the nation’s capital to attend the 2015 AUSA Annual Meeting.

COURTESY PHOTO

Soldiers with the 1450th Composite Truck Company, 541st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 1st Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade, talk over the upcoming mission before loading their vehicles Sept. 17 at forward operating base Gerber, Kuwait. Soldiers of the 1450th CTC conducted tactical convoy opera-tion training Sept. 15 to 18 at FOB Gerber.

EXERCISE Continued from page 1

DIVARTY Continued from page 1

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OCTOBER 23, 2015 | 11HOME OF THE BIG RED ONE

Community LifeHOME OF THE BIG RED ONE OCTOBER 23, 2015 PAGE 11

TRAFFIC UPDATESFor traffic updates, see the

Traffic Report on page 4 or visit www.riley.army.mil and click on “Advisories.”

GENERAL INFORMATIONFor general information about

events and services at Fort Riley, visit www.facebook.com/FortRiley or follow @FortRiley on Twitter.

HALLOWEEN INFORMATIONParents and commuters

should know that Fort Riley youngsters will be authorized to enjoy Halloween with trick or treat activities Oct. 31, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

The siren will sound to signal the beginning and end of the trick or treat times.

Halloween is a loved tradition but the excitement of the night can cause children to forget to be careful. The real dangers of this make-believe night are from slips, trips, falls and pedestrian/car crashes. Both children and adults need to think about safety on this day.

For more information on how to help Halloween revelers enjoy the day in safety, go to http://www.riley.army.mil/News/Article-Display/tabid/98/Article/471089/trick-or-treat.aspx

SOLDIER FOR LIFETRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM EVENTS

• Oct. 26: Start date of Commercial Driver’s License class sponsored by ABF Freight. To apply, contact David Miles at david.m.miles2.civ@mail.mil or 785-239-2193.

• Oct. 29: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Salina Police Department Employer Day, building 210, room 118D, Fort Riley.

• Oct. 30: 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Project Management Seminar, Education Center, building 217 room 210.

• Nov. 2: 1 to 2:30 p.m., Employer Workshop, Fort Riley Transition Center, building 212, room 201.

• Nov 5: 9 a.m. to noon, Doss Aviation Employer Day, building 210, room 118D, Fort Riley.

• Nov. 10: 9 a.m. to noon, Warrior in Transition Forum, Networking and Mentorship. Event Sponsored by Society of American Military Engineers, building 580, room 110, Fort Riley. Spouses are invited.

• Dec. 7: Start date of CDL class sponsored by ABF Freight. To apply, contact Mr. David Miles at david.m.miles2.civ@mail.mil or 785 239-2193.

• Dec. 7: 1 to 2:30 p.m., Employer Workshop, Fort Riley Transition Center, building 212, room 201.

IMPORTANT REMINDERVisitors to Fort Riley are

reminded that a temporary Fort Riley Access Badge or Pass is required for anyone without a Department of Defense ID card. If you know the exact date of your visit, it is highly recommended to get a temporary badge or pass early by stopping by the Visitor Control Center, calling 785-239-2982 or emailing usarmy.riley.imcom-central.mbx.des-vcc@mail.mil

Please note there are longer wait times for passes during periods of higher traffic-especially weekday mornings and weekday afternoons-when Soldiers and civilian employees are travel-ing to work and physical fitness activities.

If you’re unable to get a pass early, make sure to allow extra time the day of your visit to get through processing at the Visitor Control Center.

Please visit our website at www.riley.army.mil/Units/GarrisonCommand/EmergencyServices/AccessInformation.aspx.

HALLOWEEN BADGING PROCESS

Part of the badging process requires the visitor center to take a photo of the person receiving the pass. This photo must be of the person and they cannot be in any mask or make-up that will disguise their face while the picture is being taken. When entering the installation, identity must be verified — do not wear any masks or make-up while entering the access control point.

IN BRIEF

1DivPost.com

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Family pumpkin patch celebrationStory and Photos Hannah Kleopfer1ST INF. DIV POST

Staff of Army Community Service hosted a pumpkin patch for families of special needs children in the community the morning of Oct. 17.

“It’s important to continue to offer families opportunities to get out and socialize and network with other families,” said Laurie McCauley, manager of the Exceptional Family Member Program, a program within ACS. “It’s just a smaller environment and learning opportunity for the kids. It’s important as you can see that parents are involved in the painting and selecting the pumpkins and taking pictures. It’s an opportunity for parents to be able to come and

do events with their kids. This is a smaller environment, but it still give them the opportunity to network.”

Multiple programs through ACS were represented at the pumpkin patch to help grow stronger networks between the families of Fort Riley.

“We are partnered with EFMP, and our families get to come participate and just enjoy crafts and the atmosphere and it’s just really to celebrate our families,” said Courtney Neill, a Registered Nurse and home visitor for the New Parent Support Program.

For people who are new to the community, it gave them the chance to see what Fort Riley had to offer their families. Karaya Pratt, daughter of Kariga Pratt, Family Assistance

Program specialist, picks out her pumpkin to decorate from the Army Community Service Pumpkin Patch Oct. 17.

Gail Parsons | POST

Jo Ann Williams Chief, Postal Operations Center assists her team of Soldiers with sorting the mail. She makes sure everyone in the small lobby and mail room knows exactly what needs to be done.

Post Office staff serves community, Soldiers

Seems like chaos but it is a choreographed operation

By Gail Parsons1ST INF. DIV. POST

At first glance it looks like chaos, but to someone observing

the Fort Riley Postal Service on a Monday morning, it’s a well-choreographed operation that disperses thousands of pieces of mail throughout the post.

Directing the choreographed moves is Jo Ann Williams, chief, postal operations center.

“Who’s next, who’s next? Is 1-16 here, is 1-16 here? I need a look up, I need a look up,” Williams calls out orders in duplicate making sure everyone in the small lobby and throughout the mail room knows exactly what she needs, where she needs it and when she needs it.

Making it all the more remarkable is how the Soldiers fall into step. Williams is the only permanently assigned employee. She admits she could sure use another permanently assigned person in the office.

Every three months she trains a new crew of Soldiers who are

appointed to the position by their commander. In a matter of a couple of weeks they lean the lingo, they learn where everything is, how it works, a slew of postal regulations and the steps to keep in synch. Many of them are working with profiles — some come in with serious medical conditions.

“Before these Soldiers come on board I have to vet them to make sure they meet security requirements,” she said. “I work directly with their commanders because the Soldiers still have training that is required, they still have medical appointments, and they still have other appointments that’s critical for them to attend.”

The answer to making it work, for her, is simply to do what has to be done and work together no matter what it takes. She has organized the mailroom so there are jobs for anyone who comes in regardless of how limited their ability is because of a profile. One Soldier might find himself doing administrative work or scanning mail while another moves packages.

She recalled one Soldier who came to her with a serious back injury preventing him from lifting more than 10 pounds. In addition to his physical injury, he was beginning to struggle with the emotional affects of the profile.

He confided that he felt he couldn’t do anything, he couldn’t even pick up his daughter.

“I asked him ‘has your wife left you?’ he said no. I told him she is sticking in there that is her job. When she said ‘I do’ she meant it, and when I said I accept you, I meant it — we are not throwing you away,” she said.

Community walks to rememberStory and photo by Hannah Kleopfer1ST INF. DIV. POST

To respect International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance day, staff of Irwin Army Community Hospital hosted events throughout Oct. 15 to allow the community to honor and grieve for their loved ones. In the morning there was a prayer breakfast, at noon there was a memorial service and during the late afternoon there was a walk for anyone who wanted to participate.

“When I came to Fort Riley, I realized there were no formal observations of this day happening in the area,” said Chap. (Capt.) Raja Kandanada, IACH. “So we wanted our hospital to provide the Flint Hills community with a way to gather together, grieve and support each other through the journey of grief, and also to connect families with each other and with resources that could be of help.”

See POST OFFICE, page 13

See WALK, page 13

Historic ghost tour tradition continues

By Season OsterfeldSPECIAL TO THE POST

She can’t remember just how the tradition started, but with each town and new post, Ashley Noce and her husband would always find another ghost tour to attend. When they moved to Fort Riley, it was no different.

“It’s just something we’ve always done,” she said. “It’s just fun.”

This year, Noce is the Ghostess of the Historical and Archeological Society of Fort Riley. HASFR will host their annual ghost tours Oct 25. Tours will run from 4 to 7:40 p.m. Fort. Riley and surrounding residents are invited to join. The tour is free! But Fast Passes, the chance to move to the front of the lineare available for a fee.

“The Custer House has a teddy bear that moves daily,” said Noce.

She also tells stories of falling books, a moving picture frame and even stains that appear on walls over and over again. HASFR will have all four volumes of the Ghost Books available for purchase. There are so many ghost stories from Fort Riley; one evening of tours is just not enough said Noce.

The one-mile walking route takes approximately one hour. Stops along the way include the Custer House and the firehouse. At each stop classic, as well as new stories will be shared.

Noce said last year Fort Riley had more than 800 people participate in the tours, and they are expecting the same amount this year.

“As far as I’m concerned, Fort Riley has one of the best relations with their town that I have ever been in.” The tours attract many different people with different backgrounds, different stories and different expectations for the evening. Fort Riley and HASFR try to accommodate everyone as best as they can, said Noce.

The staff and volunteers with HASFR sponsor events like the ghost tours to support and honor the history of Fort Riley. From the stories told, to the historical clothing worn, they provide information for those who

See GHOST, page 14

“We need to make sure the Soldiers receive their mail in a timely manner

just like the private sector does.”JO ANN WILLIAM

CHIEF, POSTAL OPERATIONS CENTER

File Photo

Ghostesses conduct ghostly tours of historic areas.

See PUMPKIN, page 13

The “Meditation Reflection” is placed on the table where participants of the walk could write down the name of their infant on a rock.

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12 | OCTOBER 23, 2015 HOME OF THE BIG RED ONE

Story and photo by Hannah Kleopfer1ST INF. DIV. POST

Eyster Pool was filled with the glow of neon lights throughout the building

during the second annual Glow Swim. In the deeper end of the pool was a climbing wall and obstacle course for patrons to try, while in the shallow end there was a mini pumpkin patch with p u m p k i n -like floating devices for kids to play with. Also around the pool, was a snack table, games and craft table where kids could paint pumpkins.

The pool party was designed as a safe weekend event for families to socialize and still be active.

“Being on base and so close to home is a big part,” said Bonnie Conrad, wife of Capt. David Conrad, 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. “Our son loves the obstacle course.”

The Conrads were able to bring their two sons Max, 10 months old and Cameron, 10 years old, to the event. They said

they got a great opportunity to spend time with the whole family.

Many efforts were made to make the night a success like the previous year and other events and programs by staff of Eyster Pool.

“It brings everyone together and makes everyone happy,” said Gavin Carey, a lifeguard at Eyster Pool. “There’s a meeting or two where we brainstorm events like stuff we want to do and we establish what parts are going to stay from the previous times we’ve done it.”

The event was for all ages, making it an easy way for parents to come out and create relationships with their family as well as other families on the installation. Parents could let their kids swim knowing they were safe under the watch of the lifeguards on duty and talk with other parents and friends.

“The kids get the energy blown out,” said Dunja Mandley, wife of Capt. Todd Mandley, Health Facility Planning Agency, Medical Department Activity. “I like that there are a lot of lifeguards and I don’t have to worry. And there’s lots of age groups here.”

To find out about similar events, go to rileymwr.com/sports.

Eyster’s neon light glow swim brings families together

Sgt Trent Johnson, 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, and his son Michael go through the floating obstacle course together during the Glow Swim at Eyster Pool Oct. 17. The pool party was an event for families of all ages and lifeguards were provided for safety.

It can be easy, convenient to use, but beware of the dangers. It may seem like a way to have lots of great

presents or trips home during the holiday — just charge it on a credit card. But if you don’t use credit responsibly, you can get into debt quickly, ruin your credit and possibly impact your career as a Soldier.

When choosing a credit card determine if the card has an annual fee and the interest rate. Don’t choose a card just because it has the logo of your favorite team or theme park. Don’t fall for a card just because it offers a bonus. For instance, will you really use the type of bonus provided? Also, if there is a higher interest rate do you really come out ahead by getting a bonus?

Be cautious when offered pre-approved cards. They may carry a high interest rate or hidden fees.

Credit cards can be helpful when traveling as they are often required for a hotel or car reservations. They can prevent the need to carry large amounts of money, but be sure the trip is in your budget and can be paid off when you return home.

Don’t skip the fine print when you get ready to apply for a credit card. It can be confusing to understand what it all means, but the Financial Counselors at Army Community Service will be glad to take a look

and make sure you understand it all. Another danger can be making only the

minimum payment. Just because you can afford the minimum payment doesn’t mean you can afford all the purchases the card will let you make. It can take years to pay off and if you are paying a high interest

rate, the great deal you found could cost several times more than if you save your money and pay cash.

For instance, by making a monthly minimum payment of $42.00 with a balance of $1,200 dollars and an 18 percent interest rate. It would take approximately 89 months to pay off and you would pay about more than $700.00 in interest.

Charges made to a credit card don’t usually incur an interest charge during the billing cycle they are made, but if you take cash advances, the interest charges can start from the date of the transaction. They may also be subject to additional fees. This includes convenience checks some companies include when they send the bill.

Don’t ignore the statement. Check the charges that are placed on the card. You might have recurring charges that

you didn’t authorize or thought you had cancelled. This is also a good way to check if the card information has been stolen. If you see charges on the card you didn’t make, it is your responsibility to contact the credit card company quickly to file a dispute.

Avoid paying late. Some banks have a high fee for paying late and this will also show up on your credit report. They may not report the information if it is only late once, but if it is a recurring pattern, the company will collect the late fees and report it to the credit reporting agencies.

Stay aware and don’t get in a trap this holiday season where you overspend just because you use credit.

Contact ACS at 785-239-9435 to take advantage of the no cost resources available to Soldiers, families, civilians and retirees.

Easy credit contains hidden dangers to finances

ColonelAndrew Cole Jr.

“It brings everyone together

and makes everyone happy.”

Gavin Carey | LIFEGUARD

EYSTER POOL

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POST OFFICE Continued from page 11

She sent him home to take his pain meds and think about it. She let him know he needed to come back the next day, if he wanted to stay there was a place for him — if he couldn’t, she would understand. The next day he came in standing a little taller and ready to work. His wife later called and said he was a changed man — all he had really needed was to see that he wasn’t useless.

“He signed his name on that dotted line to support our country in good times and bad, now he has injured himself while on active duty — he is still a worth to me, still a worth to Fort Riley and his command,” she said.

She has created an environment in the mailroom that lends to everyone easily and quickly looking after each other and working together to get the job done and support one another.

Hers is the mailroom that handles all the mission-side and garrison mail, which includes the barracks. It’s a job she takes to heart. Every single piece of mail reaching the hands of a Soldier is of ultimate importance.

In her small, cramped office, surrounded by Army posters espousing values of loyalty, courage and dedication, her overwhelming emotional connection to the job she does, her country and each Soldier becomes evident.

Next to her computer, flattened and covered so as not to get damaged sits a picture of her parents. Her father was the first to instill in her the importance of respecting Soldiers and their work. Although he was killed in an accident when Williams was young she carried with pride the patriotism her father had planted inside her soul.

Her patriotism swelled when her then-boyfriend told her he was joining the Army, she said she was the proudest girlfriend in the world.

“He came back and asked me to marry him, I was in a

ball of tears, the thought of me standing beside a person who was going to honor our country, serve our country — and I was going to be his wife I was going to be his supporting element,” she said tearing up with pride and love for the man who served his country for 30 years before retiring 12 years ago.

Her passion for the Soldier and their families spills into the work she does and oversees.

“We need to make sure the Soldiers receive their mail in a timely manner just like the private sector does,” she said. “Some gave some, some gave all and when you think about that, and you think about not providing those Soldiers with the same quality mail services — I can’t do.”

Mail is extremely important to the Soldiers, especially the single Soldiers and the deployed Soldiers. While the holiday season is the generally the heavy traffic time, for a post office on or near a military installation deployment and redeployment times are as busy if not busier.

Frequently mail comes in improperly addressed;

addressed to a Soldier, but with the post office address; or simply addressed with address unknown.

“A lot of times you have Soldiers who are inbound, a lot (of ) times they don’t know where they are going,” Williams explained.

It then becomes their job to track the Soldier down because she understands how critical it is to the Soldier and the family — to the mother sending a care package to her baby before he deploys to a war zone, to the girlfriend sending a love letter to remind him that she is there waiting for him at home.

“Mail is critical to the Soldier,” she said. “It raises their hope when they are on the battlefield — I don’t care if it’s junk mail, it is mail and it is from home,” .

Williams said she has a “red, white and blue toe,” and after hearing the passion in her voice when she speaks about the Soldiers one would have to wonder if her heart isn’t as well.

Gail Parsons | POST

The team of Soldiers at the Post Office sort the large quantity of mail that arrives each day.

“I spend my time at home all day so it was a good way to get out,” said Paola Annilus, wife of Pfc. Edgyr Annilus, 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division. ”This is my first time here. I like it a lot, specifically for the kids. They can have fun and play.”

The event included a small pumpkin patch where each child could choose one pumpkin, Halloween-themed crafts, face painting and

snacks and drinks for the kids and their parents. Children were also welcome to come dressed up in their Halloween costume.

There were also raffle ticket drawings throughout the event where participants could win book bundles, paintings and bags from ACS.

Find out more about ACS and the services and programs they offer by calling 785-239-9435.

PUMPKIN Continued from page 11

Hannah Kleopfer | POST

Children work on coloring and other crafts during the Army Community Service Pumpkin Patch Oct. 17.

The guest speaker was Heidi Faith, founder of Still Birthday, an organization for those who have lost a child before birth.

“It’s an honor to be here today to talk about our stories and gather our tears and our hopes together,” said Faith.

The day was a time for people to remember, share and

support fellow members and to open up a conversation.

“I miscarried in March so I wanted to just go for a walk in remembrance of my baby,” said Melissa Alfaro, wife of Spc. Alfredo Alfaro, 601st Aviation Support Battalion, 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division.

The Remembrance Walk gave families the

opportunity to come together and talk about their stories and help open a conversation with other members of the community who are going through something similar.

To get more information about the events IACH sponsors go to iach.amedd.army.mil.

WALK Continued from page 11

Hannah Kleopfer | POST

Participants took hearts with names of lost babies printed on them and then let them go during the Remembrance Walk. Heidi Faith, founder of Still Birthday, talks to participants about the significance of letting go of the hearts with the names of babies and loved ones who were lost.

Story by Hannah Kleopfer1st Inf. Div. Post

Fort Riley Corvias Military Living ranked in the top four in a recent Army housing survey done by the Headquarters Department of the Army. Ellis Heights and Historic Main Post received the A List award, which is awarded to neighborhoods with a score of at least 85 percent and a response rate of at least 20 percent. Ellis Heights had a score of 86.9 percent and a response of 33.8 percent while Historic Main Post had a score of 87 percent and response of 40.5 percent.

“We’re very honored that our residents and the installation leadership gave us the opportunity to do so well,”

said Jim Champagne, business director of Corvias Military Living. “They’re recognizing the customer service that we’re giving our residents, so that’s exciting.”

Champagne believes in the passion and values that Corvias represents.

“Our passion is for our military families and what they do for our country” said Champagne. “We are very passionate about giving a high quality of life to the installations”.

Elizabeth Wert, community manager of Ellis Heights and Historic main post makes sure to let her residents know that she cares.

“You have to listen to the residents” said Wert. “You have to listen to their wants and needs and you have to be empathetic”.

She also acknowledged they have a good team and customer service keeps the communities running smooth. As a military spouse, Wert also has a distinctive understanding of the members in her community.

“I think our residents are really unique. said Wert. “There’s a lot of stressors that are involved, there’s deployments, there’s training and we have a really strong understanding of our residents”.

Five Corvias installations were ranked in the survey’s top ten. Corvias also ranked number one in a survey done by Satisfax in 2014. To learn more about Corvias military living at Fort Riley go to corviasmilitaryliving.com.

Post Housing ranked top four

Above are fee schedules for Child, Youth and School Services that go into effect Nov. 1. Fees have slightly increased by one to two percent in most categories.

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Story and photo by Hannah Kleopfer1ST INF. DIV. POST

Children went down through the rabbit hole and found themselves at a tea party with Mad Hatters and Queens at the Fort Riley Library Oct. 17. The Alice in Wonderland themed tea party and costume contest was the monthly party the staff of the library hosted.

“All of our parties are pretty much based on books or something you can find in the library,” said Lesilie Mann, Fort Riley Library alternative contract manager.

Kids were dressed up as different characters from the Alice in Wonderland book and films and sat around decorated tables filled with sweets including cookies and sugar cubes.

After the kids filled up on sweets, library staff, dressed elaborately themselves, announced winners for the costume contest. Sister Jennifer and Jessica Kim, daughters of Spc. Kate Kim, military paralegal for United States Army Garrison Fort Riley, each won a book for dressing up as a queen and a rabbit.

Parents could also get involved and win prizes. Amy Staraitis, mother of Abby, 2, and wife of Maj. Jason Staraitis, Division Artillery, won a reading tablet for her costume as the White Queen.

“We come as often as we can,” said Staraitis. “I like that the library is on post and they do so many activities here which is nice. I like getting her (Abby) to the library as much as we can because she loves books.”

After the costume winners were announced, kids ran around looking through books and continued talking and eating. It also gave parents some time to talk to one another and let their children be in a social, creative and safe environment.

“We love these parties because people who would not typically meet each other on the street or at the commissary or something like that, they can get together and they can sit here in a semi-intimate setting and meet new folks,” said Mann.

attend as well as an opportunity for an evening of entertainment.

About 30 people volunteer each year to help with the Ghost Tours. Noce says they work hard to help get the event set up and without them, there would be no event.

During the tours, there will be a bake sale to cover costs of water and snacks for the volunteers.

The Historical and Archeological Society of Fort Riley also hosts events such as Apple Day and Tour of Homes.

People driving from Manhattan should exit I-70 at 301 to Marshall Army Air Field. If you do not have a Department of Defense identification card you need to stop at the Visitor’s Center. Participants need two forms of ID as well as car insurance and registration to obtain a pass to access the post.

The Historical and Archaeological Society of Fort Riley was formed to preserve, protect and maintain Fort Riley’s heritage. For more information about HASFR visit www.fortrileyhistoricalsociety.org.

Lesilie Mann, alternate contract manager of the library, hands out prizes to costume winners at the Alice in Wonderland Tea Party.

Library Alice in Wonderland tea party

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23

• Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials (PG-13) 7

P.M.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24

• Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials (PG-13) 2

P.M.

• The Perfect Guy (PG-13) 7 P.M.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11

• The Visit (PG-13) 5 P.M.

For movie titles and showtimes, call

785-239-9574Barlow Theater is now

in digital!Tickets cost $6.00 for

adults and $3 for childrenTickets for 3-D and first-run movies cost extra.

Children younger than 5 are admitted free.

FILE PHOTO

More than 30 people volunteer each year to help with the Ghost Tours.

GHOST Continued from page 11

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OCTOBER 23, 2015 | 15HOME OF THE BIG RED ONE

PAINTBALL SHOOTOUTDress up and get painted

up with Outdoor Recreation. Themed games and scenarios are on the menu for this blacklight-infused, glow-in-the-dark zombie extravaganza.

The Zombie Paradise Paintball Shootout is set for 6 p.m. Oct. 24 at the Outdoor Recreation Center paintball course. It’s open to participants ages 13 and older. For minors ages 13 to 17, parents must be present during the event.

All equipment and supplies are provided, or use your own equipment. Sign up in three person teams or individually. Outdoor Rec can create teams. Advance registration is required and the cost is $25 per person.

The Outdoor Recreation Center is at 1806 Buffalo Soldier Drive. For more information, visit rileymwr.com/odr or call 785-239-2363.

GLO RUNDress up in your best neon

gear, add in a few glow-in-the-dark accessories, lace up your running shoes and get glowing. Celebrate Military Family Appreciation Month with the GLO Run, a free 2.5-mile fun run set for Nov. 6 at Riley’s Conference Center. The run starts at 7:30 p.m. On-site registration begins at 6:30 p.m.

Warm up with a special glow Zumba session before the run.

Feel like you’re not shining your brightest? Check out our glow paint area and add a little neon to your night, or purchase some of the cool glow swag available for sale. Hit up our photo booth to document your glow experience, and enter our costume contest too. There will be prizes awarded for the best neon outfit.

Riley’s Conference Center is at 446 Seitz Drive. For more information about the GLO Run, visit rileymwr.com.

YOUTH SPORTS OFFICIALSChild, Youth and School

Services is looking for officials for youth outdoor and indoor soccer, flag football, basketball, baseball and softball.

Volunteer and paid positions are available. Training provided and experience is not necessary. A background check is required.

For more information, call CYSS Sports at 785-239-9223 or 785-240-5207.

LOOKING FOR A WAY TO SERVE VETERANS?

Team Red, White and Blue is a national veterans outreach organization and enriches lives of America’s veterans by connecting them to their community through physical and social activity. For more information, visit www.teamrwb.org.

For Team RWB local chapter events, see “Team RWB Fort Riley” on Facebook.

ISPORTSMAN SYSTEMFort Riley has an automated

check-in-out system, iSportsman. Individuals can register at the Fort Riley iSportsman webpage at www.fortriley.isportsman.net.

Everyone recreating in a Fort Riley training area must use the iSportsman website. Check-in and Check-out may be done with any personal device with Internet access or visit the iSportsman Kiosk at 1st Division and Vinton School roads or the Environmental Division Office, Building 407, during normal business hours.

For more information, contact the Environmental Division at 785-239-6211.

IN BRIEF

1DivPost.com

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HigH Speed SoldierS

Troops to the Track brings 1st Infantry Division Warriors to Kansas Speedway

Soldiers from 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley pose for a photo with professional race car driver, Greg Biffle, during the Troops to the Track event Oct. 18 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas. The Soldiers got a tour of the NASCAR garages; met professional driver, Greg Biffle; were recognized at the Hollywood Casino 400 crew chief and driver brief; and carried the drivers’ flags as the point leaders were announced.

Fort Riley Modern Army Combat-ives is looking for Soldiers who have what it takes to train and win.

Those selected — two Soldiers in each of seven weight classes — will rep-resent the “Big Red One” at the 2015 All Armed Forces Combatives Tourna-ment from Dec. 9 to 12 at Fort Bragg, N.C. Competitors will be assigned Spe-cial Duty assignment and report daily to the Fort Riley Combatives Training Facility.

Team members will participate in daily strength and conditioning training; participate in weekly group and individual counseling sessions fa-cilitated by Fort Riley Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness counselors; and receive regular analysis on weight and body composition facilitated by the Fort Riley Army Wellness Center. For more information, contact Maj. Carl J. Johnson at 785 240-3408 or carl.j.johnson40.mil@mail.mil.

Train, win with Army combativesBy Sgt. 1st Class Abram Pinnington

1ST INF. DIV. PUBLIC AFFAIRS

FALL RIVER, Kan. — Soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley, along with more than 35 hunters and sponsors, gathered Oct. 16 to 18 to raise awareness for veteran resiliency during the sixth annual Kansas Salutes the Troops at the Flint Oaks Lodge.

The three-day affair featured a trap tournament, banquet-style dinners and a European pheasant shoot. While attendees were given opportunities to participate in world-class events, the focus was centered on Soldier and veteran interaction with fellow hunters in hopes of easing stress while creating lifelong memories.

“We want Soldiers to know they’re not alone,” said Ty Brookover, KST organizer and an agriculture executive from Garden City. “One of our goals is to create an environment for veterans that can assist in rehabilitating, get them out and be with fellow hunters.”

Partnering with the Outdoor Recreation Heritage Fund, Brookover and other associates are taking aim at making an impact on Soldiers and veterans by helping them find peace through hunting and other outdoor activities.

“All of us have things we love to do,” Brookover said.

If Soldiers were injured or are suffering and can no longer do

Hunting for resiliency: Fort Riley Soldiers, outdoorsmen join during weekend event

Story and photos by Staff Sgt. Jerry Griffis1ST INF. DIV. PUBLIC AFFAIRS

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley got an opportunity to see racing from an insider’s per-spective Oct. 18 as part of NAS-CAR’s Troops to the Track at the Kansas Speedway.

The Soldiers got a tour of the NASCAR garages; met profes-sional driver, Greg Biffle; were recognized at the Hollywood Ca-sino 400 crew chief and driver brief; and carried the drivers’ flags as the point leaders were an-nounced.

While not every Soldier in at-tendance was necessarily a huge fan of NASCAR, the Soldiers said they appreciated the experience.

“There was actually a lot of stuff that we learned about NAS-CAR,” said Spc. Brandon Quin-tanilla, 1st Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Combat Aviation

Capt. Perry Pham, 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, presents a chase flag for professional driver, Jeff Gordon, during the pre-ceremony for the Hollywood Casino 400 Oct. 18 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas. Soldiers from the “Big Red One” and Fort Riley got an opportunity to see racing from an insider’s perspective as part of the annual event.

See HUNTING, page 16

Brenda Edwards | FLINT OAKS LODGE

Maj. Gen. Wayne W. Grigsby Jr. (right), 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley commanding general, readies his shotgun in prepara-tion before pheasants are released Oct. 17 during a European Pheasant Shoot at the Flint Oaks Lodge in Fall River, Kansas. The hunt was the one of two shooting events Soldiers and civilians participated in during the sixth annual Kansas Salutes the Troops event, which focused on Soldier and veteran resiliency.

See TRACK, page 16

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16 | OCTOBER 23, 2015 HOME OF THE BIG RED ONE

Maria Childs | POST

Soldiers from 601st Aviation Support Battalion, 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, and Irwin Army Community Hospital faced each other in an intramural flag football game Oct. 15 at Long Fitness Center.

RECREATION ON THE GRIDIRON

Story and photo by Hannah Kleopfer1ST INF. DIV. POST

On a brisk Saturday morning parents and kids bundled up and walked through crumbling leaves for their weekend soccer match-es. The soccer teams spon-sored by the Children Youth and School Services at Fort Riley played Ogden Oct. 17.

Parents bundled up on the sidelines in blankets and jackets while cheering on the kids, and the kids warmed up by running up and down the field, making for a physically

active and social weekend gathering.

“I think it’s good for the boys because they develop teamwork,” said Latoya Lowe, mother of Justin Lowe, 9, and wife of Com-mand Sgt. Maj. Timothy Lowe, 1st Sustainment Bri-gade, 1st Infantry Division.

“They belong on a team so they build camaraderie amongst each other and friendships,” said Jamie Brown, mother of Andrew Brown, 9, and wife of Col. Miles Brown, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division.

The children’s soccer team for 9 and 10 year olds was strong during the game, scoring four goals by half-time and another two in the second half, ending the game 6 to 0. However, the score is not what the coach, Lt. Col. Jeff Mrochek, Division Headquarters and Headquar-ters Battalion, 1st Infantry Division, teaches his team to focus on.

“We don’t keep track of the score,” said Mrochek. “The focus is to have fun. That’s the primary objective.”

To learn more go to ri-leymwr.com/main/.

A good match: fall weather and children’s soccer

ABOVE: Justin Lowe (right), 9, son of Latoya Lowe and Command Sgt. Maj. Tim Lowe, 1st Sustainment Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, goes for the goal during the soccer match against Ogden Oct. 17.

Story and photo by Hannah Kleopfer1ST INF. DIV. POST

The staff of the Fort Riley skeet and trap range and the members of the Kansas State University Shotgun Sports Club joined together for a nighttime skeet shoot Oct 17, providing an opportunity for the two groups to further build the relationship be-tween Soldiers and students.

The event was also a good opportunity for people to come out and enjoy a sport and hobby.

“We like to do these things as much as we can.” said Mike Moore, Fort Ri-ley range manager. “It’s fun. That’s all it is — it’s fun.”

Senior Kyle Colner of the K-State Shotgun Sports Club said “getting to meet all the other Soldiers and make con-nections here is pretty fun. We get to tell them some of our stories. They’re really in-terested in where we’ve gone to shoot, and we’re pretty interested in where they’ve gone in general because they get to travel a lot more than we do.”

The members of the Sports Club come out to shoot at the range as frequently as they can to better their skill.

“This is their home range. They just adopted us,” said Moore.

“It’s a great facility to have out here, and it makes it a lot easier to come out and prac-

tice and make us better as a squad,” said Colner.

The relationship between the Soldiers and students has be-come beneficial to both.

“We like to come out as much as we can to help try to bring some money and revenue and hang out with people who we know here already” said Col-ner. “We’ll come back in May and do a shoot against Fort Ri-ley.”

For the event, participants shot four rounds of 25 shots each. The shoot included or-ange targets filled with glitter and prizes as participants took turns in each range with up to a four foot lead.

To find out more about the skeet and trap range, go to rileymwr.com.

Fort Riley, K-State join for night skeet shoot

Ollie Hunter of the Fort Riley Outdoorsmen Group takes a turn during the the Night Skeet Shoot at the Fort Riley Skeet Range Oct. 17. Sportsmen and women from the Fort Riley skeet and trap range and the members of the Kansas State University Shotgun Sports Club joined together for a skeet shoot that evening.

WWW.1DIVPOST.COM

those things they love, the rehabilitation process becomes extremely difficult, Brookover said. So, if people like him can help bring them back into what they love and it helps with the healing process, that is success, he added.

As Soldiers and organizers arrived Oct. 16 and started socializing in the lodge’s large great room, the atmosphere was relaxed and calm. However, as the second day’s shooting and hunting events came and went, camaraderie was on full display as the room was filled with laughter and animated conversations about shared experiences.

“When I first got here, I was excited but I was a little nervous and didn’t know what to expect,” said Spc. Zachary Alba, a military policeman assigned to the 97th Military

Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade. “But, as we did more together, it was like a big group of friends hanging out and hunting together. This was an unbelievable event for Soldiers. I had a blast.”

The fun did not stop when the final shot was taken. When the night’s feast concluded Oct. 17, sponsors announced they would give away hunting trips to five veterans. As all-inclusive hunts to Colorado, Maryland and Kansas were given away to elated Soldiers, one supporter decided he needed to give more and added one last trip – an alligator hunt in Florida. The giveaway capped off a night filled with thanks, handshakes and high fives.

When participants started to filter back to their homes in Chicago, Virginia, Colorado, Nebraska and Kansas the next

day, they left with more than they came: friendships.

“We definitely made some new friends here this weekend,” said Alba, as he looked around his table of fellow Soldiers nodding their heads in agreement. “This was an incredible place, filled with even more incredible people. This definitely made an impact on me and I’ll never forget this.”

Brookover was happy with the event’s impact.

“In the end, we just want Soldiers to come out, have a good time and hunt — speak if they want to speak, but leave knowing they have someone there for them if needed,” Brookover said.

For more information on Kansas Salutes the Troops, go to kansassalutesthetroops.com. For more on the Outdoor Recreation Heritage Fund, go to www.orhfund.org.

Brigade, 1st Inf. Div. “It was a good experience, all in all.”

Brandon said the event showed him how the community appreciated its service members.

That support was some-thing many of the “Big Red One’s” participants felt during their day at the speedway.

Staff Sgt. Frank Keffales, 1st Infantry Division Sustain-ment Brigade, said, “I think the entire experience was great especially because they really showed their support to the troops.”

Troops to the Track allowed NASCAR drivers, their crews

and the organization to thank the Soldiers, and the crowd in attendance followed suit.

Keffales said, “Not only did NASCAR show their support, but everybody who attended NASCAR, all the fans and ev-erybody who works here, ev-erybody was just great.”

HUNTING Continued from page 15

TRACK Continued from page 15

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OCTOBER 23, 2015 | 17HOME OF THE BIG RED ONE

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18 | OCTOBER 23, 2015 HOME OF THE BIG RED ONE

Travel & Fun in KansasHOME OF THE BIG RED ONE OCTOBER 23, 2015 PAGE 18

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Join Hiawatha’s 101st Halloween Frolic

Story by Hannah Kleopfer1ST INF. DIV. POST

For those looking for a different twist to Halloween this year, consider visiting Hiawatha, Kansas. Members of this northeast Kansas com-munity, in Brown County, north of Topeka and west of St. Joseph, Missouri, just off Hwy 36, is set to celebrate the 101st Halloween Frolic.

Halloween has long been more than a holiday to resi-dents of Hiawatha. The Frolic features the oldest Halloween parade in the nation and citi-zens in Hiawatha and from the surrounding communities embrace the tradition.

The theme for this year’s Frolic is “100 Years Into the Future,” with the day includ-ing two parades — one in the afternoon and one in the evening — as well as float contests, costume competi-tions and a marching band competition. The Halloween Queen, who joins the fes-tivities, is selected through a scholarship competition be-tween young ladies from Hi-awatha and the surrounding communities.

The parade began in 1914 when Mrs. John Krebbs held a party for the children of Hiawatha, at which they decorated their tricycles and wagons for the holiday. These were considered the first floats. Over the years the little

party and parade have evolved into a significant event of re-gional interest.

Trick-or-Treating for the kids of Hiawatha lasts for two days, on Oct. 29 and 30. Peo-ple decorate their property and create their own haunted houses for the holiday.

On Halloween day, they start off with float and cos-tume competitions and the af-ternoon parade begins, where the children of the communi-ty are divided into age groups and can walk down Main Street in their costumes. Later in the evening, the marching band competition begins in front of the Brown County Courthouse right before the crowning of the Halloween Queen. Then the evening pa-rade begins as families, busi-nesses, clubs, churches and other organizations ride their floats and toss out candy.

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Visitors never know who, or what, they might meet at the Halloween Frolic in Hiawatha, Kansas.

Kansas community has had its own brand of Halloween since 1914

• Business Window Painting: Painting began Oct 1 and continues through Oct. 26. Judging takes place from Oct 26 to Oct. 30. Winners are announced during the parades Oct 31.

• Queen Contest: Judging will take place at Hiawatha High School, 600 Red Hawk Dr, Oct. 24, and crowning will take place at 6:30 p.m., Oct. 31, at the Historical Center located at 611 Utah Street.

• Trunk or Treat: on 7th Street, 3:30 to 5 p.m., Oct 30

• Kid’s Costume Contest, 1 p.m., Oct. 31 at Historical Center

• Afternoon Parade: Oct 31. Line up , begins at 12:30 p.m.; judging begins at 1p.m. The parade begins at 3 p.m.

• Evening Parade: Oct 31. Line up begins at 3 p.m.; judging begins at 5 p.m. The parade begins at 7 p.m.

For more information about the parade, go to hiawathachamber.com.

MORE INFORMATION ON HIAWATHA’S 101ST HALLOWEEN FROLIC

HAVE A STORY IDEA?Send it to usarmy.riley.imcom.mbx.post-news-paper@mail.mil or call 785-239-8854/8135.

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