Big LosersCompetitors drop 494 pounds for Dump Your Plump

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UPCoMiNg eVeNTsWedNesday, 9 a.M.-2 P.M.: Technical Job Fair - Club MeadeWedNesday, 5:30 P.M.: EFMP Bowling - The LanesMarCh 20, 11:30 a.M.: Women’s History Month Observance - McGill Training Ctr.aPriL 4, 6:30 a.M.: Sexual Assault Awareness Run - McGlachlin Parade FieldaPriL 10, 11:30 a.M.: Holocaust Remembrance Observance - McGill Training Ctr.

ModeL hoMeCorvias begins pre-leasing for Reece Crossings

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Soundoff!́vol. 66 no. 10 Published in the interest of the Fort Meade community March 13, 2014

photo courtesy Anne Arundel county fire depArtment

fire displaces familiesUnits from Fort Meade’s Fire and Emergency Services are the first to arrive at a three-alarm fire at Seven oaks apartment complex in odenton that damaged 10 apartments and displaced nine Fort Meade military families. For the story, see Page 3.

http://www.ftmeade.army.mil� SOUNDOFF! March 13, 2014

Commander’s Column

Cont ent sNews............................. 3 Sports..................................11

CrimeWatch................. 6 Movies.................................15

Community................. 13 Classified.............................16

Editorial StaffGarrison Commander Col. Brian P. foleyGarrison Command Sgt. Maj. thomas J. latterPublic affairs officerChad t. Jones Chad.T.Jones.civ@mail.milChief, Command informationPhilip H. Jones Philip.H.Jones.civ@mail.milassistant Editor & Senior Writer rona S. Hirsch Staff Writer lisa r. rhodesStaff Writer Brandon Bieltzdesign Coordinator timothy davis Supplemental photography provided by the Baltimore Sun Media Group

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Counseling has been and still is a great tool for developing subordinates.

Unfortunately, in many cases leaders have fallen out of practice due to concentrating on other mis-sion aspects over the past decade or more.

The counseling I am referring to is not for an event or situation, or because someone just did something right or something wrong. It is perfor-mance counseling and developmental counseling.

Everyone in a leadership position — military or civilian — knows they are responsible for periodic performance counseling for those subordinates they rate. Whether it be monthly performance counsel-ing of a junior enlisted service member, quarterly counseling for NCOs/CPOs and officers, or semi-annual counseling for our civilian workforce, every subordinate deserves performance counseling from their supervisor to show them what is expected of them, where they are doing well, and where they need to improve.

Basics for counseling still apply. Preparing and picking the right time and place for the counseling, and ensuring you allow enough time to have a good interactive counseling session are key.

Take advantage of periodic, performance coun-seling sessions to reinforce to the individuals the importance of their work and how it helps support the organization’s larger mission and ultimately, the defense of our nation.

Provide clear feedback on the individuals’ per-formance to date, and where you rate them on whatever scale is being used.

Ensure you cover what the individual needs to focus on in the coming period before the next counseling session, and be clear in your expectations and standards.

Evaluations should provide clear statements of what the individual’s potential is, and should be backed up by qualitative and quantitative state-ments of current performance. Work those same types of statements into the counseling so individu-als have a clear understanding of exactly where they are on the road to exceeding the standards.

Remember, while performance counseling is directed by the rater, you still need to actively listen and may have to adjust your focus and goals for the upcoming period based on what you hear.

The more the individuals are engaged in develop-ing their plans and goals, the more likely they are to take ownership and achieve them.

Developmental counseling isn’t as structured or periodic as performance counseling, but I would ask leaders to find the time to sit down with their

subordinates — the people they actively mentor — and listen to what their goals are and help them develop a plan to obtain them.

Developmen-tal counseling can be more of a structured men-toring session; it does not necessarily have to be between supervisor and subordinate. Keep in mind that as a leader, your subordinate’s goals may not be yours. But in these sessions, you are there to help them develop a plan.

Some of the hardest developmental sessions for me were to help stellar Soldiers plan to achieve goals that were not to become senior noncommissioned officers — the goal I had for them.

Many of the senior NCOs/CPOs reading this col-umn may be thinking, “Why is he writing about this subject as if we don’t know what performance and developmental counselings are, and how important they are to maintaining our profession of arms?”

I’m taking the time to write this column because these counselings are simply not being done for everyone. There are civilians, officers, NCOs/CPOs, and junior enlisted service members who are not receiving the counseling they need to achieve their goals, improve their performance, meet mission requirements, and develop into the future leaders of our organizations.

If you are one of those subordinates not being counseled, you need to demand that of your lead-ers.

Many of the tools such as counseling, which leaders early in my career used to develop me, have atrophied in our force over the last decade-plus of war. This is a skill we must reapply ourselves to use.

These types of counseling sessions help subor-dinates build their resiliency by understanding the commitment the organization has to them, and builds the trust that their supervisor cares about them — not just about the mission.

I want to remind all leaders it is your responsibil-ity to develop your subordinates to not only replace you, but to exceed your standards and take the organizations we have dedicated our lives to into the future of our nation’s defense.

Who have you counseled lately?

Garrison command sGt. maj. thomas j. latter

http://www.ftmeade.army.mil March 13, 2014 SOUNDOFF! �

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By Lisa R. RhodesStaff Writer

At 10:10 a.m. Friday, Fort Meade’s Fire and Emergency Services units were dispatched to a three-alarm fire in the Seven Oaks apartment complex outside the installation.

Fort Meade firefighters responded to the initial alarm and were the first to arrive at 2100 Peaceful Way off Blue Water Boulevard in Odenton.

Nine Fort Meade families from the Army, Navy and Air Force were affected by the fire, which damaged 10 apart-ments.

No one was injured.Fire departments from Anne Arun-

del, Howard and Baltimore counties, Annapolis and Baltimore were called to the apartment complex and worked more than three hours to put out the flames, which were coming from an attic.

“It took a long time to place the fire under control because some of the floors collapsed, making it hard to get water to the fire in the collapsed areas,” said Fort Meade Deputy Fire Chief Bruce Smith Jr. “Anne Arundel County fire department kept a fire watch there for the night just to make sure there were no rekindles.”

The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation and no estimate of the damage has yet been determined, according to a statement by Anne Arun-del County Fire Department Division Chief Keith Swindle.

The three-story building was not equipped with fire sprinklers due to the age of the building, Swindle said in the statement.

Garrison Commander Col. Brian P. Foley and Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas J. Latter arrived at the scene to help the military families.

Representatives from Fort Meade’s Residential Communities Initiative also visited the site to provide the families with information about discounts at local hotels.

Corvias Military Living offered fami-lies the option to relocate to military housing on post. One family has been relocated to Midway Commons.

All of the families have been referred to their respective family support centers on post.

The Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation can accept mon-etary donations for the families affected

Fire damages 10 apartments at Seven Oaks

by the fire through gifts to the Army website.

Donations will be divided among the families to purchase goods and services.

The website is: http://giftstoarmy.army.mil/SoldiersFamilies.aspx.

To specify the families, donors must write Fort Meade 7 Oaks in the “In Honor of” box on the website.

PHOTO BY M. BOguskY

Nine Fort Meade families from the Army, Navy and Air Force were affected by the three-alarm fire, which damaged 10 apartments. The three-story building was not equipped with sprinklers.

RIGHT: Fire departments from Anne Arundel, Howard and Baltimore counties, Annapolis and Baltimore worked more than three hours to extinguish the flames, which were coming from an attic.

PHOTO BY Jen underwOOd wilBanks

http://www.ftmeade.army.mil� SOUNDOFF! March 13, 2014

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By Corvias Military LivingPrivatized housing is opening for a

new population of Fort Meade’s service members.

Reece Crossings, built by Corvias Mili-tary Living, is now pre-leasing apartments in the first community designed for unac-companied junior enlisted personnel.

“We are excited to be the first privatized partner to build homes for our junior enlisted, unaccompanied service members on an Army post,” said Scott Kotwas, program manager for Corvias. “We want to offer the same increased quality of life and amenities we provide in family housing as an option for all the personnel assigned to Fort Meade.”

Service members who want a preview of Reece Crossings are invited to stop by the leasing office and model home located at 4751 Cooper Ave. Tours of the fully-fur-nished, two-bedroom apartment model are available by appointment or walk in.

The modern community will feature 432

one- and two-bedroom apartment homes for unaccompanied, junior enlisted service members, ranked E-1 through E-5.

Reece Crossings is a garden-style apart-ment community located at the intersection of Mapes Road and Cooper Avenue and within walking distance of the commissary, Exchange and installation services.

The first buildings will be delivered in June and offer numerous modern and convenient apartment amenities including lockable master bedroom suites with pri-vate bathrooms, personal climate controls, private storage, walk-in closets, a full-size kitchen with breakfast bar and dining area, a spacious living room, modern appliances, and full-size washer and dryer.

“The community is the best of both off- and on-post living,” Kotwas said. “In addi-tion to the quality amenities of modern apartment complexes, Reece Crossings is designed for unaccompanied service mem-bers with the policies and floor plans that meet their needs and exceed expectations.

Reece Crossings now pre-leasing

“For example, if one person moves out, the remaining roommate does not have to pay any difference in rent. And we do the work of finding a new, compatible room-mate.”

Both the one- and two-bedroom floor plans come furnished with queen-size beds, desks, a sofa, media cabinet, coffee table and bar stools — all at no additional cost.

Reece Crossings, like other Corvias Mili-tary Living communities, does not charge any move-in fees or require credit checks and deposits.

“One of the biggest differences between what is off post and what we offer is the master suites,” Kotwas said. “Many apart-ments off post are designed for families and only have one master. The two-bed-room floor plan is actually two master suites, so each person has the same per-sonal space.”

Rental rates will be standard based on floor plan features and include all utilities, cable, Internet, renter’s insurance, appli-ances and 24-hour maintenance.

Rates may allow some service members to pocket a portion of their Basic Allow-ance for Housing. For example, an E-4 with a roommate would retain $300 of his current BAH based on the Fort Meade unaccompanied rate.

Corvias also offers apartments that meet the handicap accessible requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Residents at Reece Crossings will enjoy access to the Wi-Fi accessible clubhouse

and numerous high-tech offerings such as a video gaming room, lounge with wide-screen television, cyber café with charg-ing stations, state-of-the-art weight-lifting equipment, cardio room, outdoor grill with fire pit and resort-style swimming pool.

“Some off-post communities charge for amenities, either up front or monthly,” Kotwas said. “At Reece Crossings, all the amenities and services are included.”

“Reece Crossings is a no cost initiative to the Army,” said Fort Meade Garrison Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas J. Latter. “The project will give junior enlisted single service members, not living in barracks, a place to live on post.”

Corvias Military Living currently man-ages on-post family housing at Fort Meade and Aberdeen Proving Ground.

Other posts where Corvias Military Liv-ing has privatized on-post housing include Fort Bragg, N.C.; Fort Polk, La.; Fort Rucker, Ala.; Fort Riley, Kan.; and Fort Sill, Okla.

In addition to the Army, Corvias man-ages base housing for the Air Force at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.; Eglin AFB, Fla.; Eielson AFB, Alaska; Hurlburt Field, Fla.; McConnell AFB, Kan.; and Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.

Service members interested in leasing an apartment should visit the Reece Crossings Leasing Office and model home Monday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

For more information, visit ReeceCross-ings.com or call 410-672-4076.

photos courtesy corvias military living

All service members living at Reece Crossings will enjoy private master suites which include individual bathrooms, walk-in closets, personal climate controls and private climate-controlled secure storage for military gear.

The garden style apartments will feature a full-size kitchen with breakfast bar and dining area, a spacious living room, modern appliances and full-size washer and dryer. Reese Crossing, like other Corvias Military Living communities, does not charge any move-in fees or require credit checks and deposits.

http://www.ftmeade.army.mil� SOUNDOFF! March 13, 2014

News

photo by lisa r. rhodes

MUSIC MANEric Zaho, a sophomore at Meade High School and a baritone saxophon-ist, was recently named an All-State Musician — one of the best student musicians in the state — by the Maryland Music Educators Association. The 15-year-old performed with the All-State Senior Band at Morgan State University on Feb. 23.

For week of Feb. 24-March 2:• Moving violations: 32• Nonmoving violations: 9• Verbal warnings for traffic stops: 22• Traffic accidents: 13• Driving on suspended license: 2• Driving on suspended registration: 0• Driving without a license: 1

For week of March 3-9:• Moving violations: 32• Nonmoving violations: 4• Verbal warnings for traffic stops: 23• Traffic accidents: 8• Driving on suspended license: 2• Driving on suspended registration: 1• Driving without a license: 3

Feb. 25, Larceny of private property: The victim stated that while at Gaffney Fitness Center, unknown persons removed her items from a locker, which was unsecured and unattended.

Feb. 25, Simple assault: An inves-tigation revealed that two juve-niles had an altercation, which turned physical when the subject attempted to kick the victim but missed. The victim retaliated by punching the subject in the left eye.

CommunityCommunityCrime Watch

Compiled by the Fort Meade Directorate of Emergency Services

By Lisa R. RhodesStaff Writer

A lunch at a popular fast food eatery that offers healthy options may not be so healthy.

That’s the message Nancy Reed, the registered dietician-nutritionist at Kim-brough Ambulatory Care Center and a certified diabetes management educator, shared during Kimbrough’s first Brown Bag Lunch and Learn on Tuesday after-noon.

Col. Michael Zapor, deputy command-er of clinical services, and Capt. Alyson Rhodes, a physician’s assistant, came up with the idea for the series late last year.

“What we wanted to do was find a way to share health information with our patients outside of the clinical setting,” said Rhodes, who organizes the series. “We hope that we come up with topics that will be interesting.”

Tuesday’s presentation was part of the monthlong observance of National Nutri-tion Month.

Reed gave a 60-minute presentation on healthy fast foods and dispelled many of the assumptions that most people have about what should comprise a nutritious meal.

For example, a tuna salad sandwich on whole wheat contains 28 grams of fat, compared to 5 grams of fat for a roast beef sandwich on whole wheat.

Reed said many people assume that tuna fish mixed with mayonaise is healthier than roast beef.

“But all fast foods are not what they seem,” she said.

Reed said that one of the biggest prob-lems in eating right is finding the time to prepare a nutritious meal.

“But there are fast and easy ways to do a healthy lunch,” she said.

Reed suggested that people follow the joint recommendations for proper nutri-tion from the American College of Cardi-ology and the American Heart Association when planning meals.

Each meal should be comprised of at least three different food groups — pro-tein, vegetables, fruit, grains and dairy— and should be 500 to 650 calories.

Each meal should have no more than 4 grams of saturated fat or 800 milligrams of sodium.

“Variety is important,” Reed said. “You can be very creative in how you put these food groups together.”

For example, including vegetables for breakfast is a good way to add variety to a meal.

A lunch of Greek yogurt, a mini granola protein bar, strawberries and a bowl of salad provides plenty of protein, dairy, and a mixture of vegetables and fruit.

On the other hand, a double-stacked hamburger, medium fries and a mocha iced tea adds up to 1,100 calories, 47 grams of fat (15 grams of saturated fat) and 1,340 milligrams of sodium.

Reed said salt is used as a preservative in most fast foods so the food can remain on a shelf or in the freezer for a long time.

When it comes to condiments such as mayonnaise and butter, Reed suggested that people use a teaspoon less.

“The goal is to be healthier,” she said. “Eat from these food groups and eat in moderation.”

Reed said that years ago, a 9-year-old patient gave her the best definition of what it means to eat in moderation.

“Eat a little bit of everything and not a whole lot of one thing,” she recalled.

After the program, retired Master Sgt. Art Marshall said the presentation was very informative.

“Don’t take your health for granted,” the Laurel resident said. “Make sure you give yourself an extra 10 minutes in the morning to prepare yourself a healthy meal.”

Editor’s Note: Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center’s Brown Bag Lunch and Learn series is held the second Tuesday of the month at noon. The topic for April 8 is resiliency.

Lunch and Learn series provides health tips

text FolloW FortMeade to 40404 to sign up for Fort Meade news alerts on your mobile phone

http://www.ftmeade.army.mil� SOUNDOFF! March 13, 2014

News

By Jonathan E. AgeeU.S. Army Field Band Public Affairs

After more than a year of restricted travel, the U.S. Army Field Band returns to the road where they will share the Army story with Americans in the North-east.

Soldiers of the U.S. Army Field Band departed Fort Meade on Monday and will return April 17.

The Soldiers will perform community outreach concerts in 10 states through-out the Northeast as part of the band’s spring tour.

“Our Soldiers are thrilled to get back on the road and do what we do best — showcase Army excellence through our music,” said Col. Timothy Holtan, com-mander and conductor of the Army Field Band. “We put together a musical pro-gram that has something for everyone.

“If you are in the Northeast, or know someone who is, come out to our con-certs, enjoy wonderful music, and speak to a few of America’s Soldiers who live

the Army values and showcase its pro-fession.”

The Field Band’s last tour took place throughout the Midwest in the fall of 2012. Shortly after the Soldiers returned, the band was restricted to a 100-mile radius from Fort Meade as part of sequestration.

“During restricted travel, we dem-onstrated resiliency,” Holtan said. “We toured locally, engaged students and produced educational content. We even implemented online education clinics where we worked with students through-out America in a virtual forum.

“But getting back on the road is where we belong,” he said. “I can’t wait!”

All Army Field Band concerts are free and open to the public. However, due to venue size restrictions, tickets are required.

For more information about tickets and performance locations, go to the Field Band’s website at www.armyfield-band.com/pages/schedule/sched.html.

On the road again ...

Army Field Band tours after restricted travel

PHOTO COURTESY OF U.S. ARMY FIELD BAND

Members of the Soldiers’ Chorus of the U.S. Army Field Band perform in Torrington, Conn., during fall tour 2011. After a year of restricted travel, the Field Band returns to the Northeast this month as part of spring tour 2014, performing community outreach concerts in 10 states.

By Joslyn DambraIntern, Legal Assistance Division

How many times have you seen a commercial or advertisement for the latest and greatest dietary supplement?

Whether the supplement claims to be an all-natural traditional remedy or a simple pill to take without changing your habits, the marketing is convincing and can sound life-changing.

These supplements may consist of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and herbs — just to name a few — and come in the forms of capsules, liquid and powders.

An important fact concerning dietary supplements is that they are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration before they’re sold.

While they may present similar out-comes, they are not drugs and should be taken with precaution.

Some of these supplements may pro-duce negative outcomes if combined

with different drugs or medications.Always read the nutrition label of

the ingredients, intake amount and precautions of taking the supplement to make the most informed decision before adding a dietary supplement to your daily routine.

Dietary supplements are extremely attractive to people looking for cures for diseases, or for weight loss or body-building.

Some key terminology to look for that may be misleading includes claims that one product provides a solution for a variety of health issues, has cured and treated diseases before, and because of this success, has received recognition from a well-respected health and/or scientific organization.

This claimed success is accompanied by testimonials from people who will vouch for the improvement in their own lives from taking this simple pill. Yet, the documentation is not verified.

Requiring advance payments due to the limited availability of a product is another sign of wanting to collect from the consumers before the offer expires.

An additional promise claims “money-back guarantee” if this prod-uct does not live up to the high stan-dards set forth.

Keep in mind that not all ingredients are listed on the nutrition label and can result in dangerous symptoms and/or side effects. These supplements could lead to a potential threat to one’s health and bank account.

While dietary supplements are allowed to claim maintenance with a body’s regular function or current state, the companies must include a disclaimer that this product is not approved or endorsed by the FDA and their standards.

FDA-approved companies must have significant-based scientific evidence and research to provide a link between the

product offered and a disease/health condition, and can only claim the prod-uct reduces specific health problems — not diagnose, treat, cure or prevent problems.

Next time another commercial and/or advertisement promotes dietary supple-ments, be aware of products claiming to be alternatives for FDA-approved products, legal alternatives for steroids, marketing materials in foreign languag-es, and promises for rapid results.

For more information on how to spot and report a potential problem, go to the FDA website at fda.gov.

Take a closer look at your dietary supplements

Connect with Fort Meade at Facebook.com/ftmeade

http://www.ftmeade.army.mil March 13, 2014 SOUNDOFF! �

News

Public Notice on Manor View dump site

The U.S. Army at Fort Meade invites the public to comment on a Proposed Plan that evaluates proposed remedial action alternatives to control and mitigate exposure pathways at the Manor View dump site.

The approximately 10-acre site is near the intersection of MacArthur Road and 2nd Corps Boulevard in the north-central portion of Fort Meade. The site is sur-rounded by residential housing (Potomac Place) to the north along Phelps Avenue, to the west along Hayden Drive, and to the south along 2nd Corps Boulevard.

Manor View Elementary School is to the east.

Site backgroundThe site was discovered during construction activities at Potomac Place in 2003

and was found to contain waste from the 1940s.Because some of the waste was found to generate methane, approximately 20

homes in Potomac Place were evacuated.The Army initially installed a system to control the methane and began monitor-

ing methane levels. Following a comprehensive investigation, the Army excavated approximately 30,000 tons of methane-generating waste, disposed of the waste off post, and placed a soil cover over the site.

Alternatives evaluatedThe Proposed Plan evaluates the following remedial action alternatives:• Alternative 1: No further action• Alternative 2: Maintenance of existing soil cover, land use controls, and long-

term monitoring.• Alternative 3: Installation of a low permeability cap, land use controls, and

long-term monitoring.

Preferred response actionAlternative 2 is the Preferred Response Action for the site.This alternative provides an optimum balance between the selection criteria and

is protective of human health and the environment.The Preferred Response Action may be modified or a new alternative may be

developed based on public input.

The Final Response Action selected will be documented in a Record of Decision that summarizes the decision-making process. The Army will summarize and respond to comments received during the comment period as part of the Record of Decision.

Public comment periodStarting March 20, copies of the Proposed Plan will be available for review at www.

ftmeade.army.mil/environment (click the links for Cleanup Program, Program Site and Manor View Dump Site).

Paper copies are available at:• Fort Meade Environmental Division Office4215 Roberts Ave. Room 320Fort Meade, MD 20755Hours are weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.For more information, call 301-677-9648.• Anne Arundel County LibraryWest County Area Branch1325 Annapolis RoadOdenton, MD 21113Hours are Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from

9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m.For more information, call 410-222-6277.The public may submit written comments during the 30-day comment period,

March 20 to April 19.Comments must be postmarked by April 19 and sent to Mary Doyle, U.S. Army

Garrison Public Affairs Office, 4409 Llewellyn Ave., Fort Meade, MD, 20755-7058.Following the 30-day public comment period, written responses will be prepared

and included within the Administrative Record.

Public meetingThe U.S. Army invites the public to attend a meeting on March 27 at 7 p.m. at McGill

Training Center, Classroom 6, 8452 Zimborski Ave. to discuss the Proposed Plan and the U.S. Army’s plan to remediate the site.

Community members also are invited to attend the Fort Meade Restoration Advisory Board bimonthly meetings.

The next RAB meeting will be held March 20 at the Holiday Inn Express, 7481 Ridge Road, Hanover.

For more project information, visit Fort Meade’s Environmental Management System website at www.ftmeade.army.mil/environment (click the links for Cleanup Program, Program Sites and Manor View) or call the Fort Meade Public Affairs Office at 301-677-1361.

By Loma LohnMeade MEDDAC Patient Safety Manager

Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center is celebrating Patient Safety Awareness Week, a national educational campaign aimed at improving patient safety across the coun-try.

The theme this year is “Navigate Your Health … Safely.”

As part of an ongoing effort, the staff will focus on encouraging patient involvement in their health care by encouraging questions.

We want you to be involved in your care and by asking questions you will have all the information you need to make informed decisions and take steps in improving patient safety.

By maintaining open lines of commu-

nication and understanding your health issues, we, as a team, can prevent medical errors and keep patients healthy. Remember, you the patient is the center of the health care team, and your active involvement as a team through open communication is the key to navigating your health safely.

The medical team at Kimbrough is com-mitted to providing high-quality health care. We want to partner with you and your families to ensure you are comfortable and confident about the care you are receiving.

To achieve this goal, we need you to be an active participant in your health care. How involved are you in your care?

Do you understand your current health conditions? Do you understand the recom-mendations for improving your health? Do

you know how to manage your medicines? Do you ask questions if you are not sure what the provider is telling you? Do you keep all of your medical information in one place, such as a medical journal?

If you answered yes to all the questions, then you are active in your own health care. If not, let’s work together to improve patient safety to make sure your experience and outcome are a positive one.

In order to be more involved in your health care, here are some steps to take when you visit your health care provider:

• Ask questions if you have concerns. It is OK to bring someone with you to be your advocate if necessary.

• Keep an updated and complete medica-tion list, which includes over-the-counter

medicines, and bring the list to all your appointments.

• Tell the staff about your allergies and verify that it is documented in your health care record.

• Get your test results. Do not take the “no news is good news” approach.

• Make sure you are asked to state your name and date of birth before receiving care or treatments.

• Check the medications you are given and know what they are for and that they are yours.

• It is OK to ask the staff member to wash their hands before they treat you.

These are just a few simple ways to be involved in your health care and improve patient safety.

National campaign aims to improve patient safetyCommentary

http://www.ftmeade.army.mil10 SOUNDOFF! March 13, 2014

News

By Terri Moon CronkAmerican Forces Press Service

March is National Save Your Vision Month, and the Defense Department wants service members to take care of their eyes by wearing eye protec-tion when performing dangerous work, reducing eye strain and routinely under-going eye examinations.

Dr. Robert Mazzoli, an ophthalmolo-gist at the Vision Center of Excellence at Madigan Army Medical Center at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., noted the Iraq and Afghanistan wars of more than a decade produced a historic high in the percentage of eye injuries.

“When we were first going into Iraq, eye injuries accounted for 25 percent of all combat casualties,” he said. “That’s because people weren’t wearing their eye protection.”

That was when warfare was differ-ent and comprised mostly of artillery, Mazzoli said. After the introduction of improvised explosive devices, he said, eye injuries dropped to about 10 to 15 percent, which still is higher than it’s been in the U.S. history of war.

After witnessing fellow troops with compromised or lost vision, service

members eventually began to under-stand the importance of wearing their protective eyewear, he noted.

The military is assertive about its service members wearing protective eye wear, Mazzoli said.

“If you can’t see, you can’t shoot [and] that becomes ineffective to the unit and the service member,” he said.

The military spent a lot of money on improving its eyewear, Mazzoli said.

“We have continually modified, improved and refined combat eye pro-tection,” for such issues as visual clar-ity, he said, adding that the combat eye protection the military is fielding is bul-letproof and can stop fragments.

In addition, since about 2005, com-mercial eyeglass companies have con-tracted with the military to make com-bat eyewear a bit more fashionable too, the doctor said.

“Prevention is always better than treatment,” Mazzoli said. “The No. 1 point is to wear eye protection even when you don’t think you need it, because that’s when you’re going to wish you had it. Eye injuries are completely avoidable.”

Even outside the combat arena, some

90 percent of eye injuries that happen at home could be prevented by wearing eye protection, he said.

Simple activities such as using a ham-mer, stretching a bungee cord or using weed eaters are common causes of eye injuries when protective eyewear isn’t used, Mazzoli said.

Recreational activities also can take a toll on eye injuries. Basketball is a com-mon source of eye injuries, he said.

“Even LeBron James [of the NBA’s Miami Heat] wears a big plastic mask because he got elbowed and broke his nose,” he said.

When an eye injury occurs, it is critical to not apply pressure to the eye before seeing a doctor to avoid further damage, Mazzoli emphasized. Unlike tight tourniquets and compress-es used to stop bleeding in other parts of the body, eye injuries should not be patched, he said.

Shielding the eye with glasses or sun-glasses is acceptable as long as they do not touch the eye, Mazzoli said.

Another approach to keeping eyes healthy is to take breaks from electron-ics, such as computer monitors, smart-phones, tablets, GPS units and other

items with screens, because they strain the eye from “near work,” he said.

Activities such as crocheting, wood-working and reading books also qualify as “near” work, he pointed out

Televisions usually don’t apply because they are not close enough to cause eyestrain, Mazzoli said.

For “near” activities, Mazzoli sug-gests the “20/20/20 rule:” Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

Routine eye examinations are impor-tant to maintaining healthy eyes, he said, adding that a family eye history of a disease such as glaucoma or diabetes dictates how often people should visit their eye doctor.

Wearing sunglasses with ultraviolet protection year-round also is important for healthy vision, he said.

The eye “is the window to the body, because [certain] diseases such as hyper-tension and diabetes can be seen in the back of the eye,” Mazzoli said.

“If we see diabetic changes going on in the eye, there’s a good chance those kinds of changes are happening in the kidney, brain, heart, liver and every-where else in the body,” he said.

Eye injuries avoidable with use of eye protection

FUTURE LEADERS

Meade High School students Jevian Gudger, 18; Averi Ayala,

17; Rio Tate, 17; and Tayler Watkins, 17, are recipients of

the Tribute to Women of Color Future Leaders Award from the YMCA of Annapolis and

Anne Arundel County’s Racial Justice Committee. Each stu-dent was awarded a college

scholarship ranging from $500 to $2,500 at the organization’s annual luncheon on March 1 at La Fontaine Bleu in Glen

Burnie.

photo by lisa r. rhodes

http://www.ftmeade.army.mil March 13, 2014 SOUNDOFF! 11

SportS

Story and photo by Brandon BieltzStaff Writer

For the second straight week, the Fort Meade Patriots squeaked out a win at home as the team narrowly defeated Fort Belvoir 80-79 on Sunday.

Despite holding a commanding lead through a majority of the first half, the Patriots nearly collapsed as Fort Belvoir (2-9) recovered from a 14-point deficit to take a 10-point lead.

Fort Meade was able to fight back in the waning minutes of the game, how-ever, to earn the team’s sixth win of the season.

“We squeezed that one out,” said head coach Ronny Cunningham. “We don’t like it.”

Dararius Evans led the Patriots with 26 points, and Mike McKenzie scored an additional 16 points.

The win split the team’s weekend as the Patriots lost to Joint Base Andrews 87-74 on Saturday. The games dropped Fort Meade to 6-4 for third place behind Joint Base Fort Myer-Henderson (9-1) and Joint Base Andrews (7-4) in the Washing-

ton Area Military Athletic Conference.Fort Meade opened Sunday’s game

taking an early lead despite the Patriots’ interior defense struggling to slow down Belvoir.

The Patriots held a 31-27 lead with eight minutes left in the half. But defen-sive problems finally caught up with the Patriots, as Belvoir outscored Fort Meade 23-11 to close out the half.

Despite the surge by Belvoir, the Patri-ots held a 42-40 lead at halftime.

Belvoir started the second half on a 15-3 run, jumping out to a 10-point led over the Patriots. While Belvoir maintained its lead as the Patriots continued to struggle on defense, foul trouble caught up with Belvoir.

A turnover at midcourt set up Taras Newby to tie the game at 78 with 46 seconds left. In the final seconds, the Patriots played with a man advantage as Belvoir players fouled out and McKenzie gave the Patriots the 80-79 lead.

After the game, Evans said if the Patriots could improve its defense, games wouldn’t be coming down to the final

shot.“We have the offense chemistry

already,” he said. “If we can get our defense together, it wouldn’t be close games.”

Cunningham agreed, adding that chemistry is among the team’s biggest problems.

“They’ve got to realize defense is heart and discipline,” he said. “Defense isn’t hard. When people don’t communicate and don’t play with heart on defense, that’s what happens.”

The Patriots will close out the regular season with four straight home games at Murphy Field House. This week-end, they will play the National Capital Region Marines (6-4) on Saturday and the National Security Agency-Bethesda (2-10) on Sunday.

Fort Meade will have to win out to hold the No. 2 in the post season.

“We’ve got the players on both ends of the court,” Cunningham said. “This is the time of the year when you have to be mentally tough and come out and play hard for 40 minutes.”

Patriots squeak out win over Fort Belvoir

By Brandon BieltzStaff Writer

For the past two months, staff mem-bers at the Fort Meade Community Cred-it Union banded together in the battle to lose weight in the annual Dump Your Plump competition.

“We brought in salads to eat together at lunchtime and we did walk-arounds whenever we really felt like eating sweets,” said Jacqueline Smith, CEO of the credit union.

By the beginning of March, the group of four women dropped a combined aver-age of 9.2 percent body fat with Smith leading the way, losing 12 percent.

The team, along with other winners of the flexible weight-loss program, were honored during an awards ceremony March 5 at Gaffney Fitness Center.

Participants from the Fort Meade Credit Union won the team competition, while Smith was also the contest’s overall winner.

“It feels amazing,” Smith said. “I intend to keep going. I have more weight to lose.”

Sharon Priester won the women’s com-petition with a 7.2 percent loss. Edward

Lindsay topped the men’s category by dropping 10.2 percent.

The 47 contestants combined to lose nearly 500 pounds during the two months, for an average of 10.5 pounds per person.

“It went well,” said Katie Harrington, the program’s organizer. “There was a lot of healthy weight loss.”

Dump Your Plump, which began Jan. 6, allows contestants to design their own workout plan and diet. Participants could enter as individuals or as teams.

“It gives you a jump start,” Smith said. “Everybody wants to lose weight at the beginning of the year. This program gives you a set date and you’ve got to get going. I think it’s great.”

Competitors were required to weigh in weekly to measure the percentage of weight lost — not total pounds. Missing weigh-ins resulted in penalties of adding a pound or elimination.

This year the competition utilized the services of the Army Wellness Center. The center welcomed walk-ins from the competition to use the BOD POD, which measures body mass. The readings gave participants a base line at the start and

a more detailed assessment at the end of the competition.

The Wellness Center also hosted classes on nutrition, fitness and stress manage-ment.

“It was great that we had Army Well-ness,” Harrington said. “I think they gave great services to us. A lot of people took advantage of it.”

During last week’s awards ceremony, the top finishers were honored for their success at beating the battle of the bulge. The winners received a bag, sweatbands, cold/hot pack and water bottle, as well as an eight-week pass to Gaffney’s aerobics classes.

Second-place finishers received a bag, sweatbands, water bottle and hot/cold towel.

Lindsay said it feels “good” to be named the top men’s finisher. The captain from Fort Meade Fire and Emergency Services has competed on Dump Your Plump teams in the past, but chose to see what he could do on his own this year with personal goals.

“I actually ran on the treadmill, I actu-ally took four minutes off of my mile since I’ve been doing it,” Lindsay said.

“I’m still continuing it every day.”Smith focused on her calorie count and

hitting the treadmill for her weight loss. She plans on continuing her track in the lead-up to her son’s wedding in June.

“I’ve got more energy,” Smith said. “I’ve got more strength than I had before.”

Dump Your Plump competitors lose combined 494 pounds

Dararius Evans fights off a Fort Belvoir defender during Sunday’s game at Murphy Field House. The Patriots narrowly defeated Belvoir 81-79 to improve to 6-4.

Dump Your Plump winnersOverall1. Jacqueline Smith: 12 percentMen1. Edward Lindsay: 10.2 percent2. Matthew Maki: 9.2 percentWomen1. Sharon Priester: 7.2 percent2. Shermeen Baig: 7 percentTeams1. Fort Meade Community Credit Union (Breonna Smith, Jacqueline Smith, Lola Jenkins and April Forbes): 9.2 percent2. Ripped Dragons (Michael Lennon, Aaron Sannutti, Christopher Arvin and Davida Patton): 8.3 percent

http://www.ftmeade.army.mil12 SOUNDOFF! March 13, 2014

SportS

Welcome to March Madness, Jabber Nation!

And to prove Mother Nature has a sense of humor, after a horrid winter she held out on decent weather until now — the one time of year that sports fans want nothing more than to be indoors, on the couch, with a bag of chips (or peanut butter). on.fb.me/1ix78eQ

Anyway, for the better part of 30 years, I have made it my life’s mission to watch as much March Madness as possible. I’ve faked sick, skipped work, buried my Uncle Art three times, and visited more than a few sick grandmas just to ensure I had the opening Thursday and Friday of the NCAA tournament free.

As I got older, I realized faking a family member’s death or illness could be insen-sitive. Fortunately, I also became big time enough to realize how awesome it is to have cable TV in my office. Pair that with legitimate leave time and I no longer have to come up with reasons to skip work.

Of course, life — like Mother Nature — has a twisted sense of humor. Just as I squared away my weekday watching, children and all things domestic made the most maddening part of March trying to catch a weekend game.

Soon enough, instead of using ole Uncle Art to take advantage of my employer’s good nature, I contemplated telling my real boss, Mrs. Jones, that my employer showed no nature, and hit me up with a last-minute weekend assign-ment.

But anyone who is married will tell you the only thing worse than trying to pull a fast one on your wife is when she catches you. And she will catch you, which is why I abstained.

Instead, I developed a work around to ensure I get my madness, which, by the way, started on Sunday with the tip-off of Championship Week.

When life’s got you down and putting a crimp in your basketball style, remember the Three Ds. No, not drive, draw and dish, which happens to be my favorite basketball terminology.

I’m talking Discipline, Delivery and Digital Cable.

• Discipline:I love my family, and I’d do anything

for them, but sometimes — especially dur-

ing March Mad-ness — you gotta put yourself first and say no.

For example, “No, son, I’m not going to wrestle with you now.” Or, “No, dear, I will not clean those gut-ters until after Michigan finishes beating Iona by 40 points.”

It’s hard. It could get you yelled at, and even lead to a mini-revolt where the spouse will not want to provide you food. That’s where Delivery comes in.

• Delivery:If you aren’t keeping your local piz-

zeria, curry hut or crab shack in business during March, then you are ate up like a soup sandwich. Besides, March shouldn’t be a hardship on anyone.

It would be selfish and cruel of me to make someone cook when all I have to do is pick up the phone.

• Digital Cable:Back in the day of rabbit ears when the

games were only on CBS, nothing irked me more than when the network refused to move from a game that was already decided because of regional loyalty.

Plus, there was always one game (usual-ly in the West region) that I’d have to miss because the yokels wanted their news.

We don’t have to worry about that any-more. Now you can watch every minute of every game in crystal-clear high defi-nition. It is a beautiful thing you should take advantage of.

Heck, peeps, we can even watch games on our computers and phones.

Though, if you are following the Three Ds, you’ll make the riffraff watch their whatnot on the portable devices, so you can get your March on in front of your 42-, 46-, maybe even 50-inches of Love.

I would be remiss if I didn’t give a shout-out to former Cowboy linebacker DeMarcus Ware. Dallas never won a ring during Ware’s nine years in Big D, but it certainly wasn’t his fault. bit.ly/PpZieM

If you have comments on this or any-thing to do with sports, contact me at chad.t.jones.civ@mail.mil or hit me up on Twit-ter @ctjibber.

Your 3-Ds

Chad T. Jones, Public Affairs

Officer

Jibber Jabber - OpiniOnMeade Mustangs weekly roundup

BasketballThe Meade basketball teams were bounced from the 4A East Region

sectional playoffs March 5 as the boys were upset by Glen Burnie 61-60 and the girls were defeated 55-50 by Old Mill in the semifinals.

The losses wrapped up successful seasons for both teams as the boys finished the year 17-7, while the girls held a 16-8 record.

As the No. 2 seed, the Mustangs hosted the No. 4 seeded Glen Burnie (14-10). Down 31-23 at halftime, Meade battled back in the second half, but went 1-for-8 on free throws in the fourth quarter and fell short by 1 point.

Marcus Smith led the Mustangs with 13 points. Tristan Easton scored another 12.

“We didn’t really have a great shooting night,” said Pete Corriero, head coach of the Meade boys team. “We fought back. We turned an 8-point lead. It came down to the last second of the game. ... I’m proud of the guys for how they fought to the end.”

Glen Burnie advanced to the sectional finals, but lost 74-45 to Severna Park (23-3). Annapolis (17-8) won the 4A East Region and will play Whitman High School (20-6) at the Comcast Center in College Park today at 7 p.m.

The girls, the No. 4 seed, led the top-seeded Old Mill (21-5) for a majority of the game, but were unable to hold onto the lead. Bria Gates scored 15 points and Alexis Jackson scored 12.

Old Mill lost to North Point (23-2) in the region finals, 57-51.

WrestlingJunior Travis Chidebe capped his 38-0 season with a state championship

win this weekend at the University of Maryland. Chidebe defeated Northern’s Jackson Drum in the 160-pound weight-class finals.

Meade finished the state tournament in 24th place with 25 points.

FootballThree more Meade football players have committed to play in college. A total

of 12 players have signed.Defensive end Segun Aboiye will join fellow Mustangs Daniel Gilbert and

Robert Hogan at Concord University Athens, W. Va.Linebacker Chris Harris committed to Lycoming College in Williamsport,

Pa. Wide receiver David Richards signed with Shenandoah University in Winchester, Va.

For more coverage of Meade High School sports, go to ftmeadesoundoff.com/sports.

Team Meade/Corvias 2014 NCAA ChallengeIt’s March Madness and for the sixth straight year, Meade TV, the Fort Meade

Public Affairs Office and Corvias Military Living are teaming up for our annual NCAA pick’em contest.

Look for details next week on the Fort Meade Facebook page and Soundoff!

Spring, summer, fall or winter...Get involved with Youth Sports on Fort Meade, call

301-677-1105/1146/1156/1179.

http://www.ftmeade.army.mil March 13, 2014 SOUNDOFF! 13

Community news & notes

The deadline for Soundoff! community “News and Notes” is Friday at noon. All submissions are posted at the editor’s discretion and may be edited for space and grammar. Look for additional community events on the Fort Meade website at www.ftmeade.army.mil and the Fort Meade Facebook page at facebook.com/ftmeade.

For more information or to submit an announcement, email Philip Jones at philip.h.jones.civ@mail.mil or call 301-677-5602.

Death noticeAnyone having claims against or

indebtedness to the estate of Senior Air-man Christian Miltersen should contact 1st Lt. Dan Bond, Summary Court offi-cer, at 240-373-6186.

Tax Center updateThe Joint Installation Tax Center has

saved more than $330,700 in filing fees, generated more than $2.7 million in tax refunds, and has saved the average client more than $300 in tax preparation fees.

The deadline to file the federal 2013 tax return is April 15.

Active-duty personnel, military retirees and their dependents can schedule an appointment to have their taxes prepared at 301-677-9366.

Women’s History Month Observance

Fort Meade and First Army Division East invite the community to attend the annual Women’s History Month Observance on March 20 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at McGill Training Center, 8542 Zimborski Ave.

Admission is free and open to the public.

The keynote speaker is Dr. Christine Altendorf, director of the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention Office, Army G-1 in Washington, D.C.

For more information, call Sgt. 1st Class Torey Palmore at the Equal Oppor-tunity Office at 301-677-6687.

Technical Job FairA Technical Job Fair will be held

Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Club Meade.

The free event is open to the public.More than 60 employers will

participate. Bring resumes. Dress for

success. ASL interpreters will be on site.Free parking and shuttle service will

be available from the Smallwood Hall lot.

Karaoke NightThe next Karaoke Night is March 21

at 7 p.m. in the 11th Frame Lounge at the Lanes.

The free event is held the third Friday of the month

For more information, call 301-677-5541 or visit ftmeademwr.com.

Team TriviaTeam Trivia for teams of two to 10

players is held every Thursday at 7 p.m. in the 11th Frame Lounge at the Lanes.

For more information, call 301-677-5541 or visit ftmeademwr.com.

Jummah prayers Individuals interested in participating

in Jummah prayers on Fort Meade should call 301-677-1301.

Fort Meade has a room available at Argonne Hills Chapel Center, 7100 Rockenbach Road.

The community also is seeking individuals to join in a morning prayer on Fridays.

Resiliency seminarThe Fort Meade garrison will host

a two-day resiliency seminar for Army and joint service military and DoD civil-ian leaders (company level and higher) from May 12-13 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at McGill Training Center, 8452 Zimborski Ave.

Approximately 70 slots are available.It’s important to take quality time to

share critical skills that strengthen our warriors’ health and wellness, promote trust among service members and leaders, establish a culture of resiliency, reduce negative incidents, and ultimately improve and maintain force readiness.

• Day 1: Hunt the Good Stuff, Avoid Thinking Traps, Energy Management, and Active Constructive Responding, Mental Skills Foundations, Sustainment Training, and Goal-Setting.

• Day 2: Hunt the Good Stuff & Deliberate Breathing, Operational and Institutional Resilience, Detect Icebergs, Attention Control, Put It In Perspective, Integrating Imagery, Discussion Setup/Implementation Plan

This is a unique course that will con-tinue on a regular basis based on the participation of Team Meade partners.

RSVP to Linda Winkels at linda.m.winkels.civ@mail.mil or call 301-677-4719. or Chris Thiel at christopher.w.thiel.civ@mail.mil or call 301-677-4381.

For more information, visit http://csf2.army.mil/exec-course.html.

Women leaders summitBuilding Resilience in Women Leaders

Summit will be held March 27 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Arlington, Va.

Objectives are to understand the skills needed to be a resilient woman leader, and to utilize a goal-setting model to lay out necessary resilience skill development, leadership skills, and opportunities to advance both in the workplace and personal life while mentoring.

The summit is for women in the military: active-duty, National Guard or Reserve commissioned officer, warrant officer or enlisted service member.

For more information, go to http://events.signup4.com/Resillience2014.

Free classesThe Navy Fleet and Family Support

Center offers a variety of classes at its new facility at 2212 Chisholm Ave.

The free classes are open to DoD identification cardholders including active-duty service members, retirees

and their family members, DoD civilian employees and contractors.

Registration is required for each class.• Gambling Awareness: March 24, 1-3

p.m.• Interviewing Skills: March 25, 9

a.m. to noonThis workshop teaches basic

interviewing skills and tips on dressing for success. Learn the dos and the don’ts at job interviews, and strategies on how to successfully work a job fair.

• Credit Management: March 31, 1-3 p.m.

• Financial Counseling: available every Monday

To register or for more information, call 301-677-9017 or 301-677-9018.

ACS financial classesArmy Community Service is offering

Financial Readiness workshops at 830 Chisholm Ave.

The free classes are open to DoD ID cardholders including active-duty service members, retirees and their family members, DoD civilian employees and contractors.

Registration is required for each class.• Investing 101: Tuesday, 9-11 a.m.• Term Financial (online class):

March 25, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.To register or for more information,

call 301-677-5590.

NEWS & EVENTS

EDUCATION

CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

http://www.ftmeade.army.mil14 SOUNDOFF! March 13, 2014

Community news & notes

Lunch and Learn SeriesKimbrough Ambulatory Care

Center hosts a monthly brown bag Lunch and Learn Series on the second Tuesday of the month on the first floor of the Rascon Building, adjacent to Kimbrough.

The next lunch is April 8 at noon. The topic is “Healthy Fast Foods.”

The sessions, which are open to the public, are an opportunity to review a presentation and discuss new health topics.

For more information, call Capt. Alyson Rhodes at 301-677-8949.

OSC scholarship applications

The Fort Meade Officers’ Spouses’ Club has posted its 2014 scholarship applications on its website at www.fortmeadeosc.org/scholarships.

College-bound, high school seniors and dependent children currently enrolled in college can apply for the merit scholarship.

High school seniors with an outstanding academic record also will be considered for the Etta Baker Memorial Scholarship.

A Military Spouse Scholarship is also available.

Applications must be postmarked by April 1.

Read the eligibility requirements carefully before applying.

For more information, email the OSC scholarship chair at scholarships@fortmeadeosc.org.

ESC scholarshipsThe Fort Meade Enlisted Spouses Club

has posted its 2014 scholarship applications on its website at FtMeadeesc.org.

High school seniors and students currently enrolled in college who are dependents of a military member of any rank or branch who is on active duty, deceased, a Reservist or in the National Guard can apply for the scholarships.

High school seniors with an outstanding academic record and volunteer community service will be considered for the Evelyn J. Silva Scholarship of Excellence.

Sponsors for all scholarships must reside in the Fort Meade area.

Applications and all required documentation must be received by March

28 at the ESC, PO Box 105, Fort Meade, MD 20755, attn: Scholarship Director Gerry Humphrey.

StorytimeThe Children’s Library at Kuhn Hall

offers pre-kindergarten Storytime on Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

at the Children’s Library in Kuhn Hall, 4415 Llewellyn Ave.

The free event features stories, songs or a finger-puppet theme.

• Today: “It’s Easy Being Green” - celebrating St. Patrick’s Day and the environment

• March 20: “Spring into a Good Book” - Storytime about spring

• March 27: “Reading Makes Us Happy” - Stories, songs and fingerplay about bunnies

For more information, call 301-677-

5522.

Movie and dinnerThe Teen Center is offering Movie

and Dinner Night for grades nine to 12 on Friday from 6-8 p.m.

Teens pay for their order.For more information, call 301-677-

6054.

Game NightThe Youth Center is sponsoring

several events for grades six to eight:• Appetizer Night: March 21, from

6-8 p.m. Youths will create a variety of appetizers.

• Grilling & Chilling: March 28, from 6-8 p.m., features hamburgers, hot dogs and beverages.

Participants must register at the center.

For more information, call 301-677-1437.

Romp ‘n StompRomp ‘n Stomp playgroup for children

age 5 and younger and their parents meets Tuesdays from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. from September to June at the Youth Center gym at 909 Ernie Pyle St., and from June to August at the Boundless playground on Llewellyn Avenue.

For more information, call 301-677-5590 or email colaina.townsend.ctr@mail.mil.

Out & About• Caroline Center presents the

Baltimore premiere of “Sing-a-long-a Grease,” an audience participation film experience, on March 29 at 7 p.m. at the Hippodrome Theatre, 12 N. Eutaw St., Baltimore.

Enjoy the original film with on-screen lyrics that invite the audience to sing and dance along; a movie-themed costume contest; and prizes.

The event benefits Caroline Center, a nonprofit workforce development organization sponsored by the School Sisters of Notre Dame.

For more information, go to baltimore.broadway.com/shows/sing-long-grease/ or call 800-343-3103 for tickets.

• National ShamrockFest’14 will be held March 22 from 3-11 p.m. at RFK Stadium, 2400 E. Capitol St., SE Washington. The annual event features seven concert stages,

photo by phil grout

ON CUEAnthony Hawthorn stretches out to get the shot during a pool tourna-ment at the Fort Meade Teen Center. The Meade High School freshman went on to win the round at the center, which offers a variety of after-school programs and activities for grades nine to 12.

EDUCATION

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

YOUTH

RECREATION

http://www.ftmeade.army.mil March 13, 2014 SOUNDOFF! 15

moviesCommunity news & notes

13 party areas, extended hours, and new festival grounds filled with amusements, rides and games.

Ticket cost is $29. For more information, go to shamrockfest.com or call 877-521-4191.

• Leisure Travel Services is offering its next monthly bus trip to New York City on March 22, with discounts to attractions. Bus cost is $60. For more information, call 301-677-7354 or visit ftmeademwr.com.

• Fort Meade E9 Association meets the second Friday of every month at 7 a.m. in the Pin Deck Cafe at the Lanes. The next meeting is Friday. The association is open to active, retired, Reserve and National Guard E9s of any uniformed service. All E9s in this area are invited to attend a breakfast and meet the membership. For more information, go to e9association.org.

• Families Dealing with Deployment meets the first and third Monday of every month from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Meuse Forest Neighborhood Center. Children welcome. The next meeting is Monday. For more information, call 301-677-5590 or email colaina.townsend.ctr@mail.mil.

• Retired Enlisted Association meets the third Tuesday of the month from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Perry’s Restaurant, 1210 Annapolis Road, Odenton. The next meet-ing is Tuesday. For more information, visit trea.org or call Elliott Phillips, the local president, at 443-790-3805 or Arthur R. Cooper, past national president, at 443-336-1230.

• Military District of Washington Sergeant Audie Murphy Club meets the third Wednesday of each month from noon to 1 p.m. at the Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Dining Facility in Virginia. The next meeting is Wednesday. All members and those interested in joining the club are welcome. For more information, contact Master Sgt. Erica Lehmkuhl at erica.lehmkuhl@us.army.mil or 301-833-8415.

• Prostate Cancer Support Group meets at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda on the third Thurs-day of every month. The next meeting is March 20 from 1 to 2 p.m. and 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the America Building, River Conference Room (next to the Prostate Center), third floor.

Spouses/partners are invited. Military ID is required for base access. Men with-out a military ID should call the Prostate Center 48 hours prior to the event at 301-319-2900 for base access.

For more information, call retired Col. Jane Hudak at 301-319-2918 or email jane.l.hudak.ctr@health.mil.

• Society of Military Widows meets for brunch the fourth Sunday of the month at 1 p.m. at the Lanes. The next meeting is March 23. For more information, call Betty Jones at 410-730-0127.

• Calling All Dads meets the second and fourth Monday of every month from 4 to 5 p.m. at Potomac Place Neighborhood Center, 4998 2nd Corps Blvd. The next meeting is March 24.

The group is for expecting fathers, and fathers with children of all ages. Children welcome. For more information, call 301-677-5590 or email colaina.townsend.ctr@mail.mil.

• Single Parent Support Group meets the second and fourth Monday of the month from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at School Age Ser-vices, 1900 Reece Road. The next meeting is March 24. Free child care is provided onsite.

For more information, call 301-677-5590 or email colaina.townsend.ctr@mail.mil.

• Bully Proofing Support Group meets the second and fourth Monday of the month from 4 to 5 p.m. at Potomac Place Neighborhood Center. The next meet-ing is March 24. The group is geared for school-age children and parents. For more information, email Kimberly.d.mckay6.ctr@mail.mil.

• Marriage Enrichment Group, spon-sored by Army Community Service, meets the second and fourth Monday of every month from 3 to 4 p.m. at the Commu-nity Readiness Center, 830 Chisholm Ave. The next meeting is March 24. For more information, call Celena Flowers or Jessica Hobgood at 301-677-5590.

• Air Force Sergeants Association Chapter 254 meets the fourth Wednesday of the month from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the multipurpose room of Building 9801 at the National Secu-rity Agency. The next meeting is March 26. For more information, call 443-534-5170 or visit afsa254.org.

• Women’s Empowerment Group meets Wednesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m. to provide a safe, confidential arena for the support, education and empowerment of women who have experienced past or present fam-ily violence.

Location is only disclosed to participants. To register, call Tina Gauth, victim advocate, at 301-677-4117 or Samantha Herring, victim advocate, at 301-677-4124.

• Project Healing Waters meets Thursdays from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Soldiers and Family Assistance Center, 2462 85th Medical Battalion Ave.

The project is dedicated to the physical

and emotional rehabilitation of wounded warriors and veterans through fly fishing, fly tying and outings.

For more information, call Larry Vawter, program leader, at 443-535-5074 or email thecarptman@msn.com.

• Spanish Christian Service is conducted Sundays at 1 p.m. at the Cavalry Chapel located at 8465 Simonds St. and 6th Armored Cavalry Road.

For more information, call Elias Mendez at 301-677-7314 or 407-350-8749.

• Cub Scout Pack 377 invites boys in first through fifth grades, or ages 7 to 10, to attend its weekly Monday meetings at 6 p.m. at Argonne Hills Chapel Center.

For more information, email Cubmaster Christopher Lassiter at pack377_cm@yahoo.com or Committee Chairperson Marco Cilibert at pack377_cc@yahoo.com.

• Boy Scout Troop 379 meets Mondays at 7 p.m. at Argonne Hills Chapel Center on Rockenbach Road. The troop is actively recruiting boys age 11 to 18. For more information, email Lisa Yetman, at lisayetman@verizon.net or Wendall Lawrence, Scoutmaster, at lawrencewendall@juno.com.

• Military Council for Catholic Women is open to all women ages 18 and older for prayer, faith, fellowship and service at Argonne Hills Chapel Center, 7100 Rockenbach Road. The Catholic Women of the Chapel meets Tuesdays from 9:45 a.m. to noon when Anne Arundel County schools are in session. Monthly programs are held Mondays from 6:30 to 9 p.m.

For more information, email Loretta Endres at bradanloretta@yahoo.com.

• American Legion Post 276 is open to veterans and active-duty service members at 8068 Quarterfield Road in Severn. Breakfast may be purchased beginning at 9 a.m. Lunches may be purchased from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Happy Hour is from 4 to 6 p.m. Dinner may be purchased at 6 p.m. on Fridays and the fourth Sunday of every month.

Membership discounts are offered for active-duty military. For more information, call 410-969-8028 or visit americanlegionpost276.org.

• Monthly Prayer Breakfast, hosted by the Garrison Chaplain’s Office, is held the first Thursday of every month at 7 a.m. at Club Meade.

The next prayer breakfast is April 3.There is no cost for the buffet; donations

are optional. All Fort Meade employees, family members, and civilian and military personnel are invited.

For more information, call Diana Durn-er at 301-677-6703 or email diana.l.durner.civ@mail.mil.

MEETINGS

The movie schedule is subject to change. For a recorded announcement of showings, call 301-677-5324. Further listings are available on the Army and Air Force Exchange Service website at www.aafes.com.

Movies start Fridays and Saturdays at 6:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. (The Fort Meade Theater will no longer be open on Wednesdays and Thursdays.)

PRICES: Tickets are $5.50 for adults (12 and older) and $3 for children. 3D Movies: $7.50 adults, $5 children.

Today through March 29

Friday: “The Monuments Men” (PG-13). An unlikely World War II platoon is tasked to rescue art masterpieces from Nazi thieves and return them to their owners. With Matt Damon, George Clooney, Bill Murray.

Saturday & Sunday: “The Lego Movie” (PG). An ordinary LEGO minifigure, mistakenly thought to be the extraordinary MasterBuilder, is recruited to join a quest to stop an evil LEGO tyrant from gluing the universe together. With Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Ferrell. (3D Sunday)

March 21: “Winter’s Tale” (PG-13). A burglar falls for an heiress as she dies in his arms. When he learns that he has the gift of reincarnation, he sets out to save her. With Colin Farrell, Jessica Brown Findlay, Russell Crowe.

March 22: “That Awkward Moment” (R). Three best friends find themselves where we’ve all been - at that confusing moment in every dating rela-tionship when you have to decide, “So ... where is this going?” With Zac Efron, Michael B. Jordan, Miles Teller.

March 23: “Endless Love” (PG-13). The story of a privileged girl and a charismatic boy whose instant desire sparks a love affair made only more reckless by parents trying to keep them apart. With Gabriella Wilde, Alex Pettyfer, Bruce Greenwood.

March 28 & 29: “Robocop” (PG-13). In 2028 Detroit, when Alex Murphy - a loving husband, father and good cop - is critically injured in the line of duty, the multinational conglomerate OmniCorp sees their chance for a part-man, part-robot police officer. With Joel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton.