www.TeamAPG.com THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2016 Vol. 60, No. 49

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Memories of ’Nam | A6 All Things Maryland | A5 Mark Your Calendar | A8 MWR Events | A8index

The Soldier for Life -Transition Assistance Program,or SFL-TAP, provides transitionservices to Soldiers whotransition from active duty. Themandatory program includesresume writing, military skillstranslation, and financialplanning.

In November 2016, the Armystarted a transition pilotprogram that tailors careerreadiness standards to anindividual Soldier’s transitionneeds. The Army plans to useresults from the pilot to modifycareer readiness standardsrequirements for Soldiers withthe goal of focusing moreresources on Soldiers who are inneed of additional assistanceduring their transition.

SFL-TAP also requirescommanders to take an activerole in a Soldier’s transition.Certain pilot sites involve directcommander input to helpdetermine what careerreadiness standards the Soldiershould complete. Soldiers areencouraged to start theprogram 18 months prior totheir transition or 24 monthsprior for retirees.

The SFL-TAP resources helpSoldiers transition from militaryservice to civilian life.Connecting Soldiers to civilianemployment is good for acompany’s bottom line, but alsofor Soldiers, who can leaveactive duty with a sense ofpride and truly become aSoldier for Life.

For more information aboutSFL-TAP, visithttps://www.sfl-tap.army.mil.

newsbrief

SOLDIER FOR

LIFE

TRANSITION

ASSISTANCE

U.S. Army HumanResources Command

RESILIENCY

ATEC puts a focus onrecognizing signs of stressand depression, as well ascoping mechanisms, duringrecent resiliency training asthe holiday season arrives.civilian careers.Staying | A4

VIETNAM

A local veteran remembersfeeling compelled to go to‘Nam and serve his countryafter his brother was killedin action in 1967; he got hiswish in 1969, deploying toCamp Evans in centralVietnam.Suffering | A6

INNOVATION

This week, APG’s C4ISRCenter of Excellence takesover ‘Inside the Innovation’exploring the installation’ssupport to the Army’sC4ISR needs, from basicresearch to fielding andsustainment.C4ISR | B1

inside Holiday season arrives at APG

Santa, wearing bunker gear borrowed from an APG firefighter, poses for a photo with Alayna Coble, daughter of Pfc. BrandonCoble with the 20th CBRNE Command, during the tree lighting festivities at the APG South (Edgewood) recreation center Dec. 2,2016. The open house event included refreshments, caroling and a variety of gifts children could choose from for mom and dad. TheAPG North tree lighting and open house was held Dec. 5, 2016.

U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY YVONNE JOHNSON, APG NEWS

JOPPA, Md.— For Army Lt. Col. Jeff Nelson,an expert on nuclear weapons and emergencymanagement, a recent visit to JoppatowneHighSchool offereda chance topay it forward.

Students enrolled in the school’s HomelandSecurityandEmergencyPreparednessProgram,known as HSEP, benefit from interaction withSoldiers and civilians at nearby AberdeenProvingGround.Nelson,50,whowill soonretireafter nearly a quarter century in uniform wasglad tobondwith anewgeneration, he said.

“It was a fantastic opportunity,” Nelson said.“Seeing kids this far ahead in the field ofemergencymanagement andhomeland securityis amazing. I wanted to sharemy experience, sothey canbenefit from it.”

Nowpartofanucleardisablement teamat the20th CBRNE (Chemical, Biological, Radiologi-cal, Nuclear, Explosives) Command, Nelson’scareer included several challengingCBRNEandemergencymanagement roles.

“Emergency management is service,” Nelson

A new education model, 10 years laterAPGmentors bring expertiseto Joppatowne High Schoolhomeland security program

By Rick ScavettaU.S. Army Garrison APG

Lt. Col. Jeff Nelson, an expert on nuclear weapons and emergency management from the 20thChemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives Command, shares stories from his careerwith students at Joppatowne High School’s Homeland Security and Emergency Preparednessprogram.

U.S. ARMY PHOTO RICK SCAVETTA, USAG APG

See JOPPATOWNE, page A7

Aberdeen Proving Ground hailed a civilianand a Soldier with a combined 58 years ofservice during the Installation RetirementCeremony at the Ball Conference Center, Dec.1.

TimothyM. Kogler, a test manager with theProgram Executive Office for Intelligence,Electronic Warfare and Sensors, or PEOIEW&S, retired after a 33-year career, and Sgt.1st Class Shemya C. Brown of the U.S. ArmyCommunications-Electronics Command, orCECOM, retiredwith 25 years of service to thenation.

The executive deputy to the commander ofthe U.S. Army Research, Development andEngineering Command, Jyuji Hewitt, hostedthe ceremony and presented awards, assistedby RDECOM Command Sgt. Maj. James P.Snyder.

Hewitt said he was proud to honor theretirees on behalf of the commander.

TimothyM.KoglerKogler began his career at APG as a

mathematician with the U.S. Army BallisticResearch Laboratory. He served as a humanfactors engineer with the U.S. Army ResearchLaboratory and on multiple projects as a

Two retire in December ceremonyBy Yvonne JohnsonAPG News

(From left) Jyuji Hewitt, RDECOM executive deputy, congratulates Timothy M. Kogler and hiswife Cathy Kogler along with RDECOM Command Sgt. Maj. James P. Snyder during the installa-tion Retirement Ceremony at the Ball Conference Center Dec. 1, 2016.

U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY LAMONT HARBISON, USAG APG

See RETIREMENT, page A7