Inside this issue:

205th MI BN Volume 2, Issue 16 Week ending 28 May 2010

Lantern Floating News/Comm. Briefs 10-Miler Info Teen Center Info 4th of July Event MWR Info Navy MWR Info ACS Info Misc Info

1 2-3 4-5 6-10 11 12-18 19 20-24 25-30

The contents of this binder are strictly for informational purposes and does not imply endorsement of any private or commercial organization by the 205th MI BN, 500th MI BDE, INSCOM or the Department of the Army.

THE VIGILANT VOICE

Special Points of Interest: • Teen Center

Info, pp 6-10 • 4th of July Infor-

mation, p 11

Attachments: • News You Can

Use

1:00 -9:00 pm Join us for a bus ride down to Ala Moana Park to participate in the official Lantern Floating Hawaii Memorial Day ceremony. Bring your gear for a

day at the beach, and a cover for the evening.

Food concessionaires will be available at the event. Cost: $11 for Adults, $4 for Children (under 18)

Registration is required by May 27 Call 655-0143 for more information.

Schedule for May 31:

12:00 pm Transportation will leave SGT Smith Theatre, Schofield Barracks.

12:30 pm Transportation will leave Richardson Theatre, Fort Shafter.

1:00 pm

Arrive at ceremony; relax on the beach and experience the event. Individual remembrance lanterns available (Limited quantities available on a first-come, first-served basis, not guaranteed for all participants).

5:00 pm BBQ with Outdoor Recreation.

6:30 pm Opening Ceremony Begins.

7:10 pm Remembrance and blessing, lanterns are floated.

8:30 pm Vehicles depart to return back to Fort Shafter and Schofield Barracks.

It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.

—General George S. Patton

Army Birthday — Tickets are available for the 235th Army Birthday Commemora-tion, June 12, at the Hilton Hawaiian Village’s Coral Ball-room, for $80. Visit www.usarpac.army.mil/235birthday.

Kolekole Pass Closure — Kolekole Pass, connecting the Waianae coast to Schofield Barracks through Naval Magazine-Lualualei, will be closed for training purposes May 21 and 28. Motorists are encouraged to plan alternate commutes and allow addi-tional travel time. Call 656-3152. Musical Tribute — U.S. Army-Pacific is hosting a Mu-sical Tribute to honor service members and families, June 9, 6 p.m., Kuroda Field, Fort DeRussy. The musical per-formance features two Hawaii community bands and three military bands; the U.S. Army Strolling Strings, the U.S. Pa-cific Fleet Band and the 25th Infantry Division Tropic Lightning Band. Discounted military parking is available at the Hale Koa Hotel or the Army Museum. Call 438-9761.

235th Army Birthday Com-memoration — Polish your shoes and dust off your blues for the U.S. Army-Pacific’s 235th Army Birthday Com-memoration, June 12, at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Honolulu. Open to all active duty, National Guard, Re-serve, Department of the Army civilians, contractors, family members, retirees and veterans. Visit www.usarpac.army.mil/235birthday. AAFES Living Free — The Army and Air Force Exchange Service has partnered with Coca-Cola to give military shoppers the opportunity to win one of 10 shopping sprees through May 27. Fill out an entry form at the PX for the “Coke Living Free” sweep-stakes and a chance to win a $5,000 or $500 AAFES gift card. Lantern Floating Hawaii — Outdoor Recreation is pro-viding a barbecue dinner and transportation to the Lantern Floating ceremony at Ala Moana Beach Park, May 31. Cost is $11 for adults and $4 for children. Transporta-tion leaves Schofield Barracks

at 12 p.m., Fort Shafter at 12:30 p.m., and returns by 9 p.m. Bring beach gear and a cover for the evening. Call 655-0143.

June

PJ Storytime — Dress up in pajamas, enjoy milk and cook-ies, listen to a story and spend quality time with your children June 3, 7 p.m., at Sgt. Yano Library on Schofield Barracks. Call 655-8002.

Home Alone Classes — Home Alone classes are sched-uled for children 9-11 years old, June 3, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., at Kalakaua Community Center on Schofield Barracks. Chil-dren will learn important safety information, first aid, fire safety and stress aware-ness. Call 655-1670.

Waikiki Party Bus — The free party bus to Waikiki runs again May 4, 9 p.m.-4 a.m. Reservations are required and pick-ups are available from Schofield Barracks and Fort Shafter. Call 655-9971 or 438-1985.

AAFES Cutest Kiddo — Up-load a picture of a child to the Army and Air Force Exchange Services Facebook page, by June 5, for a chance to win a

News and Community Briefs

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Peg Perego stroller and car seat in the Cutest Kiddo con-test. This contest is limited to children 5 years old and younger. Visit www.facebook.com/AAFES.BX.PX.

Library Movie — Bring the family and enjoy a nice, quiet evening with a free showing of the movie “Blue Crush,” rated PG-13, 6 p.m., June 10, at Sgt. Yano Library on Schofield Barracks. Call 655-8002.

Ongoing

Soldier Stories — Tripler Army Medical Center is look-ing for Soldiers to tell their story about their battle with and recovery from post-traumatic stress disorder or other behavioral health issues resulting from their combat tours. The testimonials col-lected will encourage Soldiers to come forward and seek medical care. Contact jan.clark@us.army.mil or 433-2809.

Newcomers Island Tour — Check out the free newcomers island tour that travels around the island. The tour departs at 8 a.m., from Schofield Barracks Army Community Service building,

the second and fourth Satur-day of the month, or from Fort Shafter Flats ACS, the third Wednesday of the month. Call 655-4227 or 438-4499.

Tutor.com — The Depart-ment of the Army contracted tutor.com to offer free, online tutoring to kindergarten through college prep students, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Tutoring services are available in all grade levels of math, science, English and social studies at no cost to Army families. Call 655-9818 or visit www.myarmyonesource.com/cyss_tutor.

Life Insurance Warning — Financial Readiness has seen an increase in false, deceptive or unfair life insurance sales. Soldiers should review their insurance contract with Army Community Service Fi-nancial Readiness to ensure the product they have meets their needs. Call 655-4227.

Give A Day, Get A Disney Day — Disney is celebrating the spirit of giving by inspir-ing people to volunteer a day of service to a participating organization in their commu-nity. Disney will give a free one-day admission to a Walt Disney World or Disneyland theme park. Call Army Volun-

teer Corps at 655-4227, e-mail tracey.clark@us.army.mil or visit www.disneyparks.com for more details.

Homeschool PE Classes — Army Youth Services offers physical education for the homeschooled child, 10-11 a.m., at Aliamanu and Fort Shafter. Call 836-1923. Schofield Barracks, Helemano and Wheeler classes are Wednesdays, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Call 655-6465.

PARC Cabins Closed — All Pililaau Army Recreation Cen-ter cabins on the Surf Side will be closed for renovation through July 3. All cabins on the Swim Side will be closed for renovation July 5–Sept. 30.

Auto Skills Center — The Auto Skills Center’s hours have changed to Wednesdays-Fridays, 11:30 a.m.–7 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.; closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Service prices have also changed. Call 655-9654. For more stories and up to date information, visit http://www.garrison.hawaii.army.mil/haw.asp

News and Community Briefs

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39th Annual Fourth of July Spectacular

• 9:00 am - 5K Run • 10:00 am - 1 Mile Children Fun Run • 12:00 pm - Kazoo Fun (stories and action rhymes for kids of all ages) • 1:00 pm - 25th ID Band, Lightning Jazz Project • 2:00 pm - 25th ID Band, MWA, Musicians with Attitude • 3:00 pm - 25th ID Band, Show of Force, Rock Band • 4:00 pm - BOSS Battle of the Band Winner, Delayed Resistance • 5:30 pm - SMASH MOUTH known for All Star and the theme from Shrek • Following SMASH MOUTH - drawing for a new car, courtesy of Tony Group Auto Plex • 8:30 pm - Awesome Fireworks Display • Avoid the rush off post and stay for the After Party on the MWR stage with FLUX CAPACITOR

*Scheduled entertainment including Smash Mouth is subject to change

PICNIC AREA PERMITS: Spaces may be rented at the Recreation Activities (Bldg 572) beginning 9 am, June 1st for 20’x25’ spaces located around the perimeter of Sills Field (along Trimble Road and Cadet Sheridan). Spaces are limited so register early. Each space is $75. These are the only spaces on the field where grills and canopies can be used. Call 655-0111 for additional informa-tion.

CRAFTS AND NEW PRODUCTS BAZAAR Booth areas will be 12’x15’. Rental for the area is $85. Call 655-4202 Wed - Sat, 10 am-3 pm, for additional info.

5K AND CHILDREN’S 1 MILE RUNS: Entry forms are available at all Army fitness centers. Pre registration fee for the 5K is $15 (includes T-shirt). The 5K run begins at 9 am on the Sills Field side of Trimble Road, across from the commissary. The 1 Mile fun run begins at 10 am at the same start line as the 5K and registration is free...finishers will receive a finisher’s ribbon. For more information call 655-9650.

Please be advised:

• No sound or video recording is allowed during the featured performance • For the viewing pleasure of all, please bring ground level or low-back chairs only • Pets, bottles, sparklers and firecrackers are not allowed in the venue • Grills & canopies will only be allowed in rented picnic spaces – AVAILABLE beginning June 1st, 9:00 am, in the Special

Events office, on the second floor of the Arts & Crafts building • Schofield Commissary and Flagview Mall will be closed on the 4th of July to accommodate the fireworks firing point so

please shop early and do not walk through the barricaded area

Road blocks on the 4th will include:

• The south side of Trimble Road, from Cadet Sheridan to Maile during the fun runs and • Both sides of Trimble Road from Cadet Sheridan to Burr for the whole day

4th of July 2010 Information

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HMR Pool Reopens on May 28 2010:

Hours of operation: Monday/Tuesday/ Holidays CLOSED Wednesday-Saturdays open swim 10:00am-5:00pm Sundays - 1:00pm-6:00pm

AMR Pool Opens on May 29, 2010:

Hours of operation: Monday/Friday: CLOSED Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/Saturday: 11:00-5:00pm (Open swim) 5:00-6:00pm (Lap Swimming only) Sunday: 11:30-5:00pm Open on (selected) Holidays: 10:00am-5:00pm

Fees/Charges: • Active duty no charge • Military Retiree: $1.00 • Family Members of Active Duty and Retired Military: $1.00 • DOD Civilian: $2.00

Guests: $3.00

Monthly Passes: (Good for each calendar month only) • Individual Military Family Member - $12.00 • Individual Blue Star card Holder: $10.80 • Family Pass ( Military Families only): $20.00 • Family Pass (Blue Star card only): $18.00 • Individual DOD- $15.00

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Navy MWR Activities FREE Hypnosis Show Featuring Chuck Milligan – May 28 and 29: Don’t miss the chance to see an entertaining hypnosis show. Chuck Milligan has been performing comedy hypnosis for over 15 years and now he’s coming to Joint Base Pearl Harbor‐Hickam to entertain all military‐affiliated personnel, DoD ID cardholders and their sponsored guests. For event details, visit www.greatlifehawaii.com and click on “Special Events.” Single Sailors – Movie at Ward Stadium 16 Theatre and Dinner at Buca di Beppo – May 28: Join Liberty for dinner and a movie. Transportation departs from Instant Liberty at 5:30 p.m. Bring money. For more information, call 422‐7167. Memorial Day Bash and Float Night at Scott Pool – May 31: Start the summer off with a splash at Scott Pool. From noon to 5 p.m., there will be belly flop contests, a bounce house, and other fun activities with prizes for winners and goodies for all. Later on, bring your favorite float and enjoy the pool after hours with root beer floats and good‐ies from 6 to 8 p.m. For details, call 473‐0394. Child and Youth Programs – Summer Camps and Teen Adventures: Online registration is on‐going for all day, sports, specialty, travel and overnight camps. Registration will continue until all camps have reached maximum enrollment. Payments are no longer being accepted online, so parents must come to Catlin Clubhouse to complete all paperwork and pay deposits. Visit www.greatlifehawaii.com to register. For more information, call Catlin Clubhouse at 421‐1556. 7th Annual Univibe DJ Dance Concert – Tickets Available at Information, Tickets and Travel (ITT): One of the biggest DJ Dance concerts of the year happens Memorial Day weekend. The party starts at 9 p.m. at the Warehouse and then moves on to Pipeline Café at 11 p.m. Military tickets are only $11. For more information, visit any ITT office or call 422‐2757. Upcoming Events: Command Fitness Leader Certification Course – June 7 through 11: This is the official 5‐day CFL course that provides policy and procedures for the Navy Physical Readiness Pro‐gram. Participants must register online at www.npc.navy.mil/command_support/physicalreadiness/. First session meets at Bloch Arena for PFA in PT uniform. For more information contact Mark McFarland at 473‐1703 or visit www.greatlifehawaii.com.

Youth Sports Pee Wee T‐Ball Registration – June 7 through 25: Youth ages 3 to 5 will learn the fundamentals of t‐ball in a fun, age‐appropriate manner. Season runs July through September. Registration fee is $40 and includes t‐shirt, hat, t‐ball and medal. For more details, call 474‐3501. MWR Athletics – Women’s Volleyball League: The league is open to women 18 years and older who are active duty, active duty family members or DoD employees from Pearl Har‐bor, NCTAMS, Barbers Point, West Loch and NIOC Kunia. The season runs July 10 through September 2010. Registration is free. For details, call 473‐2494.

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Serving the USAG-HI

Community

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1 Articles are for information only and do not reflect endorsement of referenced sites,

products, or services contained therein.

“NEWS YOU CAN USE” USEFUL INFORMATION FOR SOLDIERS, CIVILIANS & FAMILIES

May 2010

INFORMATION & REFERRAL:

Retreat for Veterans, Service Members & Families: May 27-31 Coming Home Project invites you to...

Join with other veterans, Service Members and Families Share stories and experiences of service Learn stress management and wellness skills Find comfort and strength in community with fellow veterans and Families. Improve communication and Family relationships. Renew mind, body and spirit in a beautiful, tranquil setting. Free: Lodging, meals and travel scholarships.

The intention of the Coming Home Project is to serve veterans and Families and contribute to their well-being and healing. There is space available for 35 veterans, their spouses, and their children. Eligibility: All veterans and active duty military personnel who have been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan since Sept. 11, 2001 and their Families. (Including: children, single veterans, wounded warriors, surviving Family members and all Family types.) Coming Home Project has planned a Resource Fair for Sunday, May 30, 2010 from 3:00pm-5:00pm. http://www.cominghomeproject.net/event/washington_dc_retreat_veterans_service_members_families_2010. DoD Changes R&R Leave Policy Some deployed Service Members will not be charged for rest and recuperation leave (R&R) under a new Defense Department policy. In the past, the leave was charged to Soldiers’ leave accounts, though travel time from the theater to the airport closest to their destinations was not charged. The new policy allows Soldiers in designated areas to go on R&R leave without charge to their leave accounts. For more information about this change, go to http://www.ng.mil/news/archives/2010/01/010610-Walt.aspx?src=rss.

Military Pathways Program Offers Mental Health and Alcohol Assessments To help those who may be struggling, the Department of Defense (DoD) has now teamed up with the nonprofit organization, Screening for Mental Health®, to launch Military PathwaysTM (formerly the Mental Health Self-Assessment Program®). The program is available online, over the phone, and at special onsite events held at installations worldwide. It provides free, anonymous mental health and alcohol self-assessments for Family members and Servicemembers in all branches, including the National Guard and Reserve. The self-assessments are a series of questions that, when linked together, help create a picture of how an individual is feeling, and whether they could benefit from talking to a health professional. The primary goals of the program are to reduce stigma, raise awareness about mental health, and connect those in need to available resources. To take the self-assessment, go to: http://www.militarymentalhealth.org/Welcome.aspx.

Puerto Rican Birth Certificates Canceled 30 June 2010 A Puerto Rican law will take effect 1 July 2010 invalidating all Puerto Rican birth certificates issued prior to that date. Affected military personnel, civilian employees and Family members must request issue of a new birth certificate. Those Puerto Rican-born persons living in the States will be able to request and receive their new birth certificates by mail. The fee is $5, but will be waived for people over 60 and veterans. The background fact sheet, the Law, advice, the application process, and down-loadable application for a new birth certificate are at the English and Spanish language links at:

2 Articles are for information only and do not reflect endorsement of referenced sites,

products, or services contained therein.

http://www.salud.gov.pr/Programas/RegistroDemografico/Pages/InformacionsobrenuevosCertificadosdeNacimiento.aspx

Tutor.com Offers Military Families Access to Free, Online Tutoring The Defense Department (DoD) has launched a free, online tutoring service for Servicemembers and their Families. The site, https://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2010/03/Tutor, offers round-the-clock professional tutors who can assist with homework, studying, test preparation, resume writing and more. Active-duty, National Guard and Reserve personnel on active duty in a deployed status, Defense Department civilians in a deployed status and their dependents are eligible to participate. Along with test preparation, the site is open to students of any age, from kindergartners to high school seniors, for one-on-one help in math, science, social studies and English. For further information, go to http://www.tutor.com/default.aspx?Nav=2.

Military Families Can Use Sitter Site Free The Defense Department now is paying for an Internet service that helps military Families find in-home child care, nannies, tutors, elder care providers, pet sitters and other services in their local communities. Active-duty Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps members and their Families, as well as National Guard and reserve members and their families, can receive a free membership to the service, which costs an average of $120 a year. Retirees are not eligible. You must go to www.sittercity.com/dod to activate your free membership.

RELOCATION: New Content for Parents Added to the Military Youth on the Move Website Military Youth on the Move (MYOM), a website that reaches out to youth with creative ways to cope with issues that arise in the face of a move, has just added an additional section entitled "Just for Parents." This new section is designed to help military parents successfully navigate the unique challenges they face by providing information and resources on topics specific to military life and on issues that come up in day-to-day parenting. http://apps.mhf.dod.mil/pls/psgprod/f?p=MYOM:HOME:1896594400005633

DoD Opens Access to Social Media Sites All users of unclassified computers in the .mil domain will now be allowed to access social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, subject to local control if bandwidth demand or Web integrity become issues. When it announced its policy review, the Pentagon said it would search for a way to strike a balance between giving troops the ability to use such social networking tools and maintaining security on its much-attacked computer networks and protecting the privacy of troops and Family members. In May 2007, the Pentagon blocked worldwide.mil computer access to YouTube, MySpace and 10 other popular sites featuring audio and video clips, citing concerns over the amount of bandwidth the sites took up. For further details, go to http://www.navytimes.com/news/2010/02/military_socialmedia_022610w/. To read more on this topic, go to http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-valley/technology/84251-bandwidth-troubles-could-threaten-pentagons-new-social-networking-rules.

DEPLOYMENT & FAMILY READINESS Video Programs Aim to Help Military Children Cope with Deployment The Military Child and Adolescent Deployment Support Video Program was developed by military pediatricians and behavioral health specialists to support military children and adolescents during deployment, and to sensitize the community to the unique culture and support needs of military children. The first video, “Military Youth Coping With Separation: When Family Members Deploy,” is narrated by Cameron, a teen who experienced Family deployment. Cameron interviews older children and teens who have also experienced separation during deployment. The videos are candid and capture the true feelings and coping strategies of military youth. The video emphasizes the resilience of military children and thanks them for their sacrifice. The second video, “Mr. Poe and Friends Discuss Reunion After Deployment,” features the animated host, Mr. Poe, interacting with Families at the airport

3 Articles are for information only and do not reflect endorsement of referenced sites,

products, or services contained therein.

as they await the return of loved ones who have been deployed. Mr. Poe mentors and provides guidance to children and Family members as they discuss the challenges and accomplishments accompanying various stages of deployment. The video features the voices of actual military children, parents and youth-serving professionals who have experienced deployment concerns. The videos can be ordered free of charge at Military One Source or by calling 1-800-342-9647.

New Chill Drills Playaway® Audio The newest addition to deployment resources is Chill Drills: Relaxing Your Body and Mind, designed to help service members take the edge off before, during, and after deployment. Each track has its own purpose: to relax the mind, release stress, ease back pain, or help the user get to sleep. The drills are designed to keep service members calm and focused on deployment, and help ease the stresses associated with returning home from combat operations. Chill Drills is produced in the ideal format for service members. The small, self-contained Playaway® format lets service members use the drills just about anywhere, whether they’re in transit, training security forces in a remote location in Afghanistan, at a military treatment facility, or back home in a hammock in the yard. There is no need for external electricity, computers, MP3 players, or other devices. The handy format, smaller than a deck of cards, means service members can slip Chill Drills into a utility pocket. Service members and their spouses can order Chill Drills by visiting http://www.MilitaryOneSource.com/chilldrills or by calling 1-800-342-9647.

Family Care Plan Policy Expands The Department of Defense (DoD) Family care plan policy will be expanded in the coming months to encompass a wider population of military parents. The new policy will require military parents with custody of children from a previous relationship to file a Family care plan. Servicemembers who anticipate that they will not be able to reach an agreement with or trust the noncustodial, biological parent should visit their legal assistance office. For assistance with a Family care plan visit a legal assistance office or go to the Military OneSource website at http://myarmyonesource.com/News/2010/04/MilitaryOneSourceor Military Homefront at http://www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil/. To learn more about the military legal matters, visit http://www.military.com/benefits/military-legal-matters.

Free “Welcome Home” Banner BuildASign.com respects the continued service and sacrifice that our military personnel selflessly provide every day. To express their support of our brave men and women in uniform, they want to invite you to take part in their free “Welcome Home” banner promotion. To date, they have given away over 60,000 banners. All banners can be customized in full color, including pictures; they just ask that the customer pay the shipping and handling fee, which varies based on how much in advance of the event you need the banner. For more information, go to http://www.buildasign.com/Troops

Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Training Extended to Families Resilience assessment and training is now available online for family members of Soldiers. The Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program has been available to Soldiers already for several months. Now their Family Members can participate, as well, beginning with a specially designed assessment tool -- a private, online assessment designed to measure strength in four dimensions of fitness. Comprehensive Soldier Fitness aims to improve people's overall strength in five dimensions: social, emotional, spiritual, family and physical. This online training comes in the form of Comprehensive Resilience Modules. These modules were created with the intent to provide people with tools and skills needed to immediately begin enhancing their coping and communication skills, among others needed to more effectively communicate with their spouse or deal with adversity. To take the Global Assessment Tool (GAT), go to www.army.mil/csf/family.html.

EXCEPTIONAL FAMILY MEMBER PROGRAM: Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Other Related Conditions class slated The Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Army Exceptional Family Member Program is sponsoring "ADD and Other Related Conditions" class and support group, Tuesday, May 11, from 11:30 a.m. to 1

4 Articles are for information only and do not reflect endorsement of referenced sites,

products, or services contained therein.

p.m. at Army Community Service on 201 Custer Road. Guest speaker will be Dr. Ruth Hoffman, Child Psychologist, Bethesda Naval Medical Center. Join them for a wonderful opportunity for families to learn about their family member's diagnosis and management and network with other attendees. Reservations are required. Luncheon refreshments will be served, but childcare will not be provided. For reservations, general or disabled access information call 703-696-8467 or 703-696-4675. Due to unreliability of answering machines, telephonic reservations must be made directly to the 703-696-8467 number.

Special Needs Military OneSource provides 60-minute consultations, up to 12 times a year, with a Special Needs Specialty Consultant. The consultant will assess your family’s needs and answer your questions about moving benefits, education, finances, housing, support groups, medical resources, and more. To schedule your consultation, call Military OneSource at 1-800-342-9647 and ask for an appointment with a Special Needs Specialty Consultant.

FINANCIAL: Spouses May Be Entitled to a Refund from their State Based on MSRRA The Military Spouse Residency Relief Act (MSRRA) provides that when a Soldier is on military orders, the Soldier's spouse may retain residency in his or her home state for voting and tax purposes, after relocating from that state to accompany the Soldier. When the military orders Soldiers to move, spouses who move with them may have to pay taxes in a new State or locality, and may lose the right to vote in the place considered home. This law alleviates these and other burdens on our military Families. Military spouses who paid state income taxes in 2009 in a state to which they moved to accompany a spouse on military orders may be entitled to a refund of taxes paid. This legislation is an important means of maintaining the morale and readiness of our Armed Forces, and significantly enhances the ability of our military to effectively recruit and retain these highly valued Soldiers. Below are links to individual state pages on the Military Spouse Residency Relief Act (MSRRA). California: Military Spouses Residency Relief Act Maryland: Employer Withholding Tax Alert, MW507 (Withholding Certificate, with instructions for military spouses) Virginia: 2009 Tax Relief for Spouses of Military Personnel, Tax Bulletin 9-10

American Legion Offers Nursing Scholarship Applications are available for the American Legion’s $3,000 Eight and Forty Lung and Respiratory Disease Nursing Scholarship for registered nurses. The deadline to apply for the nursing scholarship is May 15, 2010, with selections announced July 1, 2010. For more information about the nursing scholarship and other American Legion scholarship opportunities, or to request application packets, go to http://www.legion.org/documents/pdf/nursing_scholarship.pdf

FAMILY ADVOCACY PROGRAM Helping Children Deal with Grief "Helping Bereaved Military Children," co-authored by three leading experts, Robin F. Goodman, Ph.D.; Judith A. Cohen, M.D.; and Stephen J. Cozza, M.D. provides important insight on how to help your child handle grief. Tips for caring adults to use in helping children deal with their grief include: be honest and open; provide a sense of safety and security; be a good detective; support expression of feelings; and be a good role model. To read the complete article, go to http://www.dcoe.health.mil/blog/article.aspx?id=1&postid=87. In response to the death of someone close to them, some children develop the more serious condition called childhood traumatic grief. It is often difficult to distinguish between normal childhood grief, and childhood traumatic grief, because the same symptoms may be observed in children with both conditions. Children may feel very sad, experience sleep problems, lose their appetite and show less interest in Family and friends. Suffering from childhood traumatic grief will interfere with a child’s ability to work through the typical grief process. For more information on childhood traumatic grief, go to http://www.nctsnet.org/nctsn_assets/pdfs/reports/BriefInformationonChildhoodTraumaticGrief.pdf.

5 Articles are for information only and do not reflect endorsement of referenced sites,

products, or services contained therein.

ZERO TO THREE Materials on Military OneSource ZERO TO THREE provides a comprehensive collection of materials for parents, caregivers, and professionals who work to meet the needs of military families with babies and toddlers affected by events such as deployment and reunification. Order your free copy “Military Family Life" or go to www.MilitaryOneSource.com/MilitaryFamilyLife. Titles include “Little Listeners in an Uncertain World: Coping Strategies for You and Your Child During Deployment and When a Crisis Occurs”, “Supporting Young Children in Military Families” series, “Honoring Our Babies” and “Toddlers” series and more.

New Childcare Program for Service Members and their Families Army, Marines, Navy and Air Force families – you now have a paid membership to Sittercity to help you find the perfect local caregiver for your family. Sittercity is America’s largest and most trusted website for connecting families with local inhome care providers; babysitters & nannies, elder care providers, dog walkers and more! Sittercity has more than one million in-depth caregiver profiles showcasing the nation’s best sitters with reviews from users, background checks, references and more. Through this program, Sittercity is also a national resource for you to find CDH/FCC certified, military subsidized or authorized access to an installation care providers. Activate your membership today to find sitters right in your neighborhood/installation – takes less than 2 minutes! Go to www.sittercity.com/dod

ICanAchieve iCanAchieve is a 12 month program for teens ages 13 to 18 that will support their weight management efforts. It focuses on helping teens make behavioral changes that will allow them to set and achieve their goals. The program, based on scientifically proven methods, includes telephonic health coaching, a health assessment, online tools, and educational information. Have your teen call 800-342-9647 to complete their registration.

AFAP / AFTB / VOLUNTEER: Newman’s Own Awards for Volunteers and Nonprofits Supporting Military Families The Newman's Own Awards recognize volunteers and nonprofits supporting the nation's military Families. Organizations will be evaluated on their innovative plans for improving quality of life for members of the military and their Families. A total of $75,000 is available, with individual awards up to $15,000 each. Applications must be submitted online at http://www.fisherhouse.org/programs/newmansApp. The deadline for application is May 14, 2010. Eligibility requirements are: Your organization must be comprised primarily of volunteers, and/or be a not-for-profit organization as defined in Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Service Code; the project or program must improve the quality of life for Active Duty, Reserve, and National Guard military Families, and/or veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operating Enduring Freedom; Any organizations proposing programs that will affect or take place on a Department of Defense installation may be asked to present documentation that their programs are approved for operation on a Department of Defense installation by the installation commander or the commander’s designee; and Newman’s Own Award grant funds cannot be used to pay salaries or wages. Questions concerning eligibility should be directed to Mary Considine at 888-294-8560 or mconsidine@fisherhouse.org. Programs will be evaluated based on the following criteria: program description, relevance of problem, originality, anticipated benefits, resources and community/command/volunteer support.

OUTREACH: “Letters from Hollywood” on the Community Covenant Website The Community Covenant is helping to launch a new initiative called "Letters from Hollywood." Actor D.B. Sweeney collects letters from people in the entertainment industry to all Servicemembers expressing their thanks and support to the men and women in uniform. The introduction letter is from D.B. Sweeney. The first support letter is from actor Cuba Gooding Jr. The second "Letter from Hollywood" is from Joe Mantegna, currently starring on CBS's Criminal Minds. A new letter will be posted every Tuesday on the Community Covenant web site at

6 Articles are for information only and do not reflect endorsement of referenced sites,

products, or services contained therein.

http://www.army.mil/community/letter.html. To provide feedback about the letter on the discussion board of the Community Covenant Facebook page go to http://www.facebook.com/board.php?uid=109004309194&status=512.

Operation Homelink Helps Keep Families in Touch Operation Homelink provides refurbished computers to the spouses or parents of deployed junior enlisted (E1-E5) Soldiers, enabling email communication with their loved ones deployed overseas. To date, the nonprofit organization has partnered with corporate donors to link 3,200 deployed Soldiers with their Families using Internet-friendly computers. Regardless of where computers are sent, they are provided to units that are scheduled to deploy overseas in the next 90 days. Operation Homelink does not accept individual requests for computers. For more information, visit the Operation Homelink website at http://www.operationhomelink.org/.

New Voting Rules to Make Troop Vote Count Poor voter turnout by deployed Servicemembers and uncounted absentee ballots may be a thing of the past under a set of new voting rules planned by the Pentagon. Just in time for the 2010 mid-term elections this fall, the Department of Defense (DoD) hopes to have in place systems enabling troops and voter-aged dependents overseas to do most of the paperwork associated with voting online, including registering, downloading an absentee ballot and even filling out their electoral choices. An online system for registering to vote and applying for an absentee ballot should be in place this month. For more information, go to http://www.military.com/news/article/pentagon-aims-to-make-troop-vote-count.html.

SFAC / AW2 A Stress Dog Can Be a Soldier’s Best Friend Stress control dogs can be a source of therapy to Soldiers while in combat. The 85th Medical Detachment, 1st Medical Brigade, a combat stress control unit, recently worked with the stress control dogs to learn about their unique benefit to Soldiers in combat. The hope is that these service dogs can assist Soldiers who have experienced a traumatic event or Soldiers experiencing problems at home by having the animal be an icebreaker for conversation. VetDogs project is a new program from the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc. The Foundation has always served the needs of veterans, but it has done so as part of its overall mission to improve the quality of life for people who are blind or visually impaired. America’s VetDogs also provides guide dogs and service dogs for wounded veterans. To read more, go to http://www.army.mil/-news/2010/03/22/36180-stress-dogs-can-be-a-soldiers-best-friend/.

Program Helps Wounded/Injured with Their Recovery Wounded or injured military personnel face many challenges, but a program providing them assistive technologies helps empower them for continued employment. Since 2004, the Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program (CAP) has filled more than 15,200 requests by wounded servicemembers for assistive technologies. CAP provides wounded veterans with the tools necessary to access computer and telecommunications environments. CAP ensures Soldiers get information about and exposure to assistive technologies early in their rehabilitation process. Knowing what types of tools exist can have a profound impact on the recovery process, with servicemembers seeing themselves as able to work or learn in an electronic environment, despite their injuries. To read more, including how to submit a needs assessment request, go to http://www.tricare.mil/mediacenter/news.aspx?fid=611. To subscribe to the CAP newsletter, go to http://www.tricare.mil/cap/news/Subscribe.cfm.

VETERANS Little Known Veterans Program A little known and little used Veterans Administration program can help low income, disabled veterans receive needed medical, nursing, and home health care without depleting their savings. The program, known as the Aid and Attendance pension program, can be used to pay for adult day care, skilled nursing care and home care. It also can be used to pay a family member other than a spouse to care

7 Articles are for information only and do not reflect endorsement of referenced sites,

products, or services contained therein.

for the veteran at home. The Aid and Attendance Program began in 1953, but most veterans do not know about it. The program differs from the disability pension provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. For more information, visit the Military.com website. Applications can be submitted online through the VA's VONAPP portal. For more information, visit the Department of Veterans Affairs website at www.va.gov or contact your local veterans service organization.

NATIONAL GUARD AND RESERVE Army Guard Battles Soldier Suicides With 2010 suicide numbers slightly above last year’s and coming off the worst January on record, the Army National Guard is emphasizing resilience, transition programs and the importance of asking for help. The Guard is making behavioral health professionals available to all Soldiers. Army National Guard suicides increased 75 percent in 2009. 24 suicides are currently being investigated for 2010 a slight increase over the 22 who had taken their own lives during the same period last year. For more information, please click on the following link: http://www.arng.army.mil/News/Pages/ArmyGuardBattlesSoldierSuicides.aspx.

DEALS OF THE DAY: A General Military Discount Available Locally Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse stores provide all active, reserve, retired and medically discharged military personnel and their immediate families a discount of 10% off at all times for the purchase of any in-stock or Special Order merchandise up to $5000 ( the maximum discount for items costing $5000 or over is limited to $500). The purchaser must show valid military ID or VIC card at the time of purchase to receive the discount. The offer is shown at: http://www.lowes.com/cd_promotions_452036367_ Other chains and individual stores have military or senior discounts. These may not be advertised in the store. It does no harm and may result in savings if one asks. A list of major chains “known for offering discounts, but not all locations may participate” is at: http://www.4militaryfamilies.com/militarydiscounts.htm A much longer list is at the Army Times site: http://www.armytimes.com/marketplace/discounts/6/

Walt Disney World Celebrates the U.S. Military in 2010 As Disney Parks ask "What Will You Celebrate?" and invite guests to turn their personal milestones into magical Family vacations in 2010, America's military personnel will have more reasons to celebrate: Special offers on theme park tickets and accommodations. For information, go to http://www.ng.mil/news/archives/2010/01/010610-Walt.aspx?src=rss