Dcmilfamilylife mil081414

2 DCMilitary Family Life - Advertising Supplement August 2014

Circulation of 110,000 printedby offset as a civilian enter-prise quarterly magazinefor installations within theNational Capital Region by

Comprint Military Publications, a divisionPost Community Media, LLC. ComprintMilitary Publications is located at 9030Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD20877. Telephone 301-921-2800.

Editorial content, including graphic artand photographs that support mes-sages, new stories, and feature arti-cles, are prepared in the MarketingOffices of the installations that con-tribute the information and blogs from

DCMilitaryFamLife.com. Letters and sug-gestions may be mailed to DCMilitaryFamily Life Publisher, Comprint MilitaryPublications, 9030 Comprint Court,Gaithersburg, MD 20877.

The printer is a private firm in no wayconnected with the Department ofDefense. Opinions expressed hereinare those of the contributors to thisMarketing publication, and they are notto be considered an official expression ofthe Department of Defense. The appear-ance of advertisements in this publica-tion does not constitute an endorsementby the Department of Defense of theproducts or services advertised.

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By Chris Field

W ith PCS season windingdown, back to school seasonis already on the horizon. On

top of pressure to equip kids with thelatest trends in clothes, accessories andtechnologies, PCSing military familiesface an additional challenge of having tosend their children off to new schools inunfamiliar locations.All parents want the best for their kids,

and this includes affording their kids thebest possible education and growth expe-riences. Here are a few broad consid-

erations parents might keep in mind tohelp choose a new school and approachthe challenges of the upcoming schoolyear in a new environment.

1) Research, Research,Research.

Depending on the amount of time youhave prior to your PCS, you should planto do extensive research on the avail-able schooling options in your new area,the quality of education and staff atyour child’s potential new school, andthe logistics of how and when they will

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get to and from school. Then, weighthat information against whether thetype of school is right for your child andwhether the school puts him or her inthe best position to excel academicallyand flourish personally.Clearly, some school offerings (athlet-

ics, music or other extracurricular pro-grams) will appeal to certain families,while for others they aren’t nearly asimportant. For some families, child careprograms (before or after school) are anecessity.The Internet is a great way to address

those questions and smooth out theinevitable bumps that will occur dur-ing a PCS. There are a variety ofschool review sites online; I’ve foundthat www.greatschools.org and www.schoolquest.org (which targets militaryfamilies) provide fairly reliable resourcesfor parents investigating new schools fortheir children.Schooling will be a major factor in

your overall decision on where to live.Your child will likely be attending aschool that is directly linked to yourplace of residence. And as unfortu-

nate as it may be, the quality of yourchild’s education will be a function ofthe neighborhood in which you chooseto live.With children, a military couple will

not only be choosing a place to live interms of square footage and bedrooms.They will also have to factor in the qual-ity of schools when determining whichneighborhood or home is best suited totheir family’s needs.While every PCS isdifferent and certain installations mayor may not have on-post schools, youshould certainly take schooling into con-sideration when choosing whether to liveon or off post.This is where individual families have

to determine their own budgets, howmuch their Basic Allowance for Housingwill be in their new duty location andwhat sort of trade-offs the family is will-ing to make to ensure the best for itskids. For instance, if a newly marriedcouple is completely comfortable in acozy apartment in a humble neighbor-

See Schools, 12


by Alice Swan

Y ou’re settled in your new home,the boxes are all unpacked, andthe children are signed up for

school. Now it’s time to focus on you. Ifa new job or career transition is in yourplans while here in the Military Districtof Washington, a first step should be avisit to your installation Family MemberEmployment Assistance office.Victor Johnson, transition assistance

and Family Member EmploymentAssistance program specialist at JointBase Myer-Henderson Hall, explainedthat Employment Assistance centers offervaluable counseling, classes and connec-tions that can jump start your job search,especially if you are new to the area.Theprograms at each installation are opento military spouses, transitioning servicemembers, retirees and veterans of all theservices, so you can visit an office that’smost convenient to you.Because employers appreciate the expe-

rience, skills and qualities of those con-nected to the military, Johnson noted thatit is possible to find work, even in thisstruggling economy. Start with a visit tohis office at the Henderson Hall CareerResource Management Center, Johnsonsaid. “Drop in for a personal counselingsession,” he advised. “I am usually thereand you can meet with me right away. Inaddition to identifying your employmentgoals, I can sign you up for our email listfor notifications about job fairs, search tipsand upcoming employment workshops.”From resume writing to master-

ing federal job applications, the CareerResource Management Center, Room 201in Building 29 on US Military Road at

Henderson Hall, has a class to meet everyjob searcher’s need. Johnson outlined someof the programs offered:l Market ing Your Volunteer

Experience—Learn how to translateall those volunteer jobs and hours intomarketable experience on your resume.

l Portable Careers Workshop—Thefocus is on the rules and regulationsregarding transfer of licensure and certi-fications and how to navigate the process.

l Spouse Employment Orientation—Provides tools and tips for first-time jobseekers and those reentering the workforce.

l Social Media & Your Job Search—Designed to teach the value of expand-ing your network through sites such asLinkedIn, Facebook andTwitter.

l 10 Steps to a Federal Job andCracking the Code to the FederalHiring Process—Offers all the tips

you’ll need to secure a government job.The schedule for these monthly classes

can be found on the “Family Readiness”tab online at www.army.mil/jbmhh or theJB M-HH Facebook page. Check out thewebsites of area military installations to seetheir Employment Assistance class sched-ules. In addition to taking advantage ofthese free programs, Johnson also shared

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Joint BaseMyer-HendersonHall’s Army Career andAlumni Program,with the Virginia Employment Commission, sponsored a job fairin the Rec. Center, Sept. 10, 2012.

l Classes,counseling,connectionsopendoorsduring jobsearches l

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See Employment, 11


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Marine Corps Community Serviceswill host an Education and Career Fairon Sept. 25 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at theCorporal Terry Smith Fitness Center onHenderson Hall.According to Victor Johnson, Family

Member Employment Assistance programspecialist at the base’s Career ResourceCenter, this is an excellent opportunity forthose who are newly arrived to the area tonetwork and meet face-to-face with mili-tary-friendly employers and schools.Johnson said that 40 colleges and uni-

versities andmore than 60 public sector andprivate sector employers will be on hand tomeet with military spouses, retirees, veter-ans, active duty or recently transitioned ser-vice members of all military branches.

To boost your chances of being hired,Johnson said that the Career ResourceCenter will offer a “Career Fair Strate-gies” workshop prior to the event.You’ll learn how to prepare a knock-

out resume, how to approach an em-ployer and the right ways to make thatall-important first impression.Center counselors will also be on hand

during the fair to review resumes and of-fer advice.To learn more about the career fair or

to register for the workshop, contact theCareer Resource Center at 703-614-6828or visit the office in Building 29 on Hen-derson Hall, Room 201, Monday throughFriday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Upcoming Education and CareerFair can help you reach your goals

STOCKBYTE/THINKSTOCK


by Alice Swan

I t’s a circle of life issue everyone willhave to deal with, explained JoyceMurphy, Family Readiness Program

manager at Marine Corps Base Quantico.“In this economic climate, many servicefamilies are taking on the responsibilityof their parents,” Murphy said. “You alsohave families becoming empty nesters andturning their attention to their parents.The information we provide is relevant formilitary families at any stage.”Murphy and MC Family Team

Building Trainer Barbara Hawkins holdregular workshops on aging parents andElder Care for military families in the cap-ital region. “The program is for everyone,”

Murphy said. “Sometimes parents canbecome dependent on you for an unex-pected reason and you are left asking whatyou do now.”These workshops can be helpful to mil-

itary families for another reason, Murphysaid. She said that the transient lifestyleof the military means adult children oftenlive far from parents and may not befamiliar with local services. “They mayhave challenges connecting parents withavailable resources. Collecting informa-tion that would be beneficial in the deci-sion making process can be difficult ifrelationships with doctors, care givers andothers are not developed,” Murphy said.Workshop leaders can direct service fam-

ilies down the right paths for solving anyproblems, she added.But how do you know if there is a con-

cern, especially when families live far froma parent’s home? Barbara Hawkins sug-gested making home visits. “Are there anydifferences in your parents’ health? Arethey able to manage the upkeep of theirhouse? How are they driving?” Hawkinsasked, noting these as red flag issues. Ifthere seems to be developing problem,Murphy and Hawkins advised talkingwith siblings first to see if they share thesame concerns. As you discuss solutions,your past experience will come in handy.Military families are quite familiar with

handling many kinds of transitions. The

lessons learned from change-of-stationmoves or deployments can be put togood use when mapping out options foraging parents, according to Murphy andHawkins. The starting point on this lifemap is a simple, yet important question:Can your parent or parents age in place ormust they move? The answer sets up thenext considerations in your planning.It’s not unlike dealing with a duty sta-

tion move.Will you live in-quarters, buyor rent? Service families already know howto do the research to find the best answersfor their family regarding finances (BAH),location and community resources.Murphy said that those are the same con-siderations affecting decisions for parents.

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mapping the future

AIDING AGING PARENTS


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Parents’ finances: Will they supporteither housing choice and for how long?Murphy said that parents are often reluc-tant to share information about theirmoney situation, but be firm. She evenprovided a way to ask the money ques-tion. Research local senior benefits orother aid they may qualify for. Use thisbackground information for lead-in ques-tions, such as: “Mom (or dad), I heardabout this great benefit Community Xoffers seniors, would you be interested init?” or, “Have you heard about this newstate benefit for seniors? Let’s check yourfinances to see if you qualify.”Local resources: The skills you devel-

oped researching school districts, com-munity youth sports programs or otherservices can now be used to find sup-port for parents. Murphy said that whilesome information can be found online, itmay take a visit to the parents’ home toreally discover what is available. She saidthat when helping her in-laws through thedecision process, she took a week of leaveto stay with them and learn what serviceswere offered in their area. Murphy recom-mended local Councils on Aging or socialservice agencies as an important first stop

in your hunt. Community and state socialsecurity offices are also helpful in findingbenefits your parents may qualify for.Organizing: When going through a

move or deployment, military familieshave learned that having all their paper-work in order makes any transition eas-ier. Having powers of attorney, medicaland school records, orders, earning state-ments, leave forms and other documentswithin easy reach can head off potentialproblems.The same thing applies to par-ents, Murphy said.When organizing yourparents’ information, she recommendslearning the names of all their doctorsand having parents sign a HIPPA releaseallowing you access to their medical infor-mation. Do your parents have an updatedpower of attorney for you or a sibling? Dothey have a record of all their financialholdings, with account numbers? Havethey made a will? Use your experiencesin the military to help parents realize howimportant it is to have all these docu-ments on hand in case of emergencies.

Hawkins and Murphy said that eventhough you may have developed the per-fect battle plan for helping your parents,be prepared for some pushback. “Adult

children need to realize that there is agrieving process for parents as they facelosing their [independent] lifestyle,”Hawkins said. Acknowledging their feel-ings and helping them through the changecan smooth the transition.

To learn more about balancing care foraging parents and military life, look forElder Care workshops at a Marine Corpsbase or other installation family servicesoffice near you. Some of the topics cov-ered include:

l Defining Elder Care and Caregivingl Determining Whether a Loved One

Needs Helpl The Process of Aging:What Changes

are Normal?l Dementia vs.Alzheimer’sl Talking toYour Elderl Holding the Family Meetingl Types of Elder Carel Paying the Bills: What Options are

Available?l Safety for EldersWho Live Alonel Community ResourcesMurphy also recommended military

onesource.com for information on its freeElder Care consultation service. Militaryfamilies can also contact Murphy for more

information at 703-784-2687 or [email protected].

For more information on issues regardingaging parents, visit the followingwebsites:

l aplaceformom.com/articles/moving-elderly-parents is an insightful arti-cle with tips on how to talk to parentsabout making a move.

l The Armed Forces Crossroads sitehas valuable information for caregiv-ers, www.afcrossroads.com/eldercare/main.cfm.

l Information and rules on adding aparent as a dependent can be foundat Defense Finance and AccountingServices, www.dfas.mil/militarymembers/payentitlements/secondarydependency.html, or at your installation’s legalassistance office.

As Murphy said, it is never too earlyto start facing the issues of aging par-ents. “Begin talking to your parentsnow. Ask them what they want for theirfuture, and when they want you to stepin to help,” she said. Realize that theplanning and researching you do forparents can be invaluable for mappingyour own future plans. The circle of lifecomes around for everyone.


For more information on volunteering for the local Honor Flight program,visit facebook.com/honorflightdca or honorflightcr.org

Area military families are invited to join the DCMilitary Family Life staff in honoring our World War IIveterans on Saturday, September 13.

There are 2 separate groups arriving into Reagan National Airport on September 13, and there are severalways you can participate throughout the day:

Group 1:• Welcome 90 veterans at the US Airways, Terminal A at 10:02am to salute and cheer their arrival.• Salute these veterans as they visit the World War II Memorial on the National Mall from 2:30pm – 3:45pm.• At the end of the day, you can help bid farewell after their full day of touring as they return to ReaganNational Airport at 6:30pm.

Group 2:• Welcome 25 veterans at the AirTran Airways, Terminal C at 11:05am to salute and cheer their arrival.• Salute these veterans as they visit the World War II Memorial on the National Mall from 12:30pm –1:30pm.

• At the end of the day, you can help bid farewell after their full day of touring as they return to ReaganNational Airport at 6:30pm.

Look for a special pullout banner on the next page, or visit DCMilitary.com/honorflight to download aspecial welcome banner to customize and hold as you greet our veterans. Ourphotographers will be on hand to snap a photo of your family with your personalbanner for future publication.

Help DC Military Family Life and Comprint honor our veterans and meet othermilitary families while you are volunteering. It will be the perfect way to spend aSaturday in D.C.


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by Emily BirnbaumSpecial to The Gazette in Maryland

ARockville nonprofit that buildshouses near military and veteransmedical centers for relatives to stay

in would get a major funding boost undera measure introduced by U.S. Rep. JohnK.Delaney (D-Dist. 6) of Potomac.The measure, which passed by a voice

vote June 19, would increase federalfunding for Fisher House by $16 mil-lion. It was included in the House’s finalversion of the Department of DefenseAppropriations Act on June 20 and isbeing reviewed by the Senate.Fisher House has 63 houses in the U.S.

and Germany, including one in Bethesda,home to theWalter Reed National MilitaryMedical Center. The residences canaccommodate 16 to 42 family members.“The Fisher House provides a terrific

service,” Delaney said. “Some of thesefamilies’ situations are critical and intense.The Fisher House provides them theopportunity to be near their family mem-ber in the military as they recover fromwounds.”More than 20 military locations have

reported a need for a Fisher House,according to Mary Considine, the non-profit’s chief of staff.“The way we build houses is the

Department of Defense—Army, Navyor Air Force—and the Department ofVeterans Affairs let us know which com-munities they think need a Fisher House,”Considine said.The locations are prioritized based on

the number of patients who need to travelfrom outside the immediate area to getcare, according to Brian Gawne, vice pres-ident of operations at Fisher House.The Fisher House Foundation is

funded by donations from individuals andorganizations, plus a $4 million federalallocation, which would rise to $20 mil-lion under Delaney’s proposal. The non-profit had annual revenues of $48.9 mil-lion, according to its tax return for 2012.The $16 million increase in federal

money would be offset from a reductionin the Pentagon’s $32 billion operationsand maintenance account.“Usually, only about two-thirds of the

operations and maintenance account isused,” said Will McDonald, a Delaneyspokesman.Fisher House builds four or five houses

per year.With more money, more housescould be built to accommodate the familiesof those wounded inAfghanistan and Iraq.“My hope is that this increased fund-

ing would be used to build more FisherHouses,”Delaney said. “We are entering agenerational shift in how many wounded

veterans and servicemen are returninghome.There is a growing need for FisherHouses nationwide.”Last year, Delaney proposed the same

measure, which passed the House but diedin the Senate.This year, he is optimistic.“I think everyone in the House and

Senate wants to make sure that we sup-port our veterans and military fami-lies,” McDonald said. “There has beenincreased attention in the last year to vet-erans’ health care issues. There is strongconsensus on both sides of the aisle that weshould take care of our military families.”If the Senate passes the proposal, a con-

ference committee would create a finalversion.More information is at fisherhouse.org.

Editor’s note: This article was originally pub-lished on The Gazette’s website, Gazette.Net,Tuesday,July 8,2014.

BOWMAN ASHEPHOTOGRAPHY

There arefive FisherHouses atWalter ReedNationalMilitaryMedicalCenter inBethesda,Md. This isan aerialview of thethree new-est homes.

more funds for

FISHER HOUSE?


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his top five recommendations for thosestarting a job search:Visit the Military Spouse Employment

Partnership site, https://msepjobs.militaryonesource.mil/.The MSEP CareerPortal linksmilitary spouseswith private sec-tor and public sector employers across thecountry.“I have been to some of theMSEPconferences and met with the partner com-panies,” said Johnson, “and the programdoes work.” In fact,MSEP boasts that it hashelped more than 60,000 military spousesfind employment since it started in 2011.Don’t be afraid to network. “Be social,

talk to your new neighbors or people youmeet,” advised Johnson. “Communicatewith people about your employmentgoals,” he said. “You never know whatcan happen from a simple conversation.”He also noted that job searchers canexpand their networks through sites likeLinkedIn.com. Job fairs are also a part

of the networking process, he said (seesidebar on page 5).Can your current employer offer an

opportunity? Johnson suggested talkingto your boss before leaving a job becauseof a military change of station move.“You can find out if they have any jobopportunities where you are going orpossibly do some telecommuting workfor them.”Take advantage of other online career

resources. Johnson recommended www.mycareerspark.org for help with resumewriting. At myseco.militaryonesource.mil, you can get access to career counsel-ors for personal help and even do skillsassessments to identify your prime careerpath. Blue Star Families (bluestarfam.org), Military.com and the NationalMilitary Family Association’s (www.militaryfamily.org) MyMilitaryLife app arejust a few of the organizations offeringat-your-fingertips employment advice forservice members and their families.Are you prior service member or a vet-

eran? Johnson noted that today’s military

spouses are a diverse group who oftenbring their own military experience tothe job search table.The Department ofVeteran’s Affairs provides career counsel-ing and coaching.You can learn more atbenefits.va.gov/vocrehab.Courtney Dock-Abuhl, a pub-

lic affairs specialist with JB Myer-Henderson Hall Public Affairs Office,has firsthand experience with thepower of Employment Assistance pro-grams. The Navy veteran was con-nected to her position with the help ofthe HH Career Resource ManagementCenter. “These programs can makea big difference in your job search,”Dock-Abuhl said. “Take advantage ofthese resources, because they work.”Johnson heartily agreed. “There are

so many opportunities out there, espe-cially in this area,” he said. “All youhave to do is come into my office [orone of the other installation career cen-ters], stick with us for a few monthsand there is a high probability you’ll getseveral job offers.”

EMPLOYMENTContinued from 4


hood, they may have the resources to dineout several times per week and indulge ina luxurious vacation a couple of times peryear. But with children, that same couplemight want to rein in their discretion-ary spending to afford a more expensiveplace (with higher property and school taxrates) to access a higher-rated school dis-trict. Each family is different and couplesmust determine for themselves what theirbudgets allow in terms of monthly rent,mortgage and escrow payments, and howthat preference will translate to their kids’education.Public or private school? Again, this is a

function of location, family finances andpersonal sentiment.While it is reasonableto presume that a private school may, ingeneral, offer a child a better-than-aver-age education, that’s not always the case.Some public schools offer superior edu-cation; some private schools provide amediocre curriculum.Just remember that private schools, like

buying a home, involve costs that aren’talways taken into consideration: uniforms,busing or transportation costs and theregular fundraising efforts of the devel-opment office. And while I hesitate tomention certain duty sites whose pub-lic schools have received less-than-stellarreviews from parents with whom I’ve spo-ken, I would encourage you to considerthe private school option if your researchon schools in your new area repeatedlyturns up underwhelming reviews for yournew school district.In addition to broad Internet research,

there are a number of Facebook andother social media sites devoted to yournew area’s Parent Teacher Association orschool districts. These would afford greatopportunities to ask questions or expressconcerns about your child’s new school.I’d also recommend getting in touch

with the Family Readiness Group orSchool Liaison coordinators at your newduty station for firsthand accounts ofschools, and for an informed take on theliving and schooling situation in your newlocale. Parent and family services groupsare there to help; not taking advantageof those resources would be like leavingmoney on the table.

2) Some Checklist Items

Some families create an educationalfolder for their children’s academicrecord. Such a compilation may includereport cards, testing or assessment results,immunization records and past teacherrecommendations or evaluations. Youshould also review your rights as a mili-tary family. Many families participate inthe EFMP, but there are a host of rightsto which you are entitled as a transitioningmilitary family.I’d suggest checking out the Military

Inter state Chi ldren’s CompactCommission (www.mic3.net) for a thor-ough review of what you can expect (anddemand) for your child.You will also wantto collect as much information about yournew school as you can to determine regis-tration deadlines, enrollment requirements,

school calendars, and the availability ofextracurricular athletics, musical or perfor-mance opportunities for your child. Manyathletic teams begin practice for their fallsports before the school year begins. If youcan help it, you don’t want to put yourchild on a team that has already been prac-ticing for two weeks.

3) Helping Your Child Transition

A parent can assemble the most thor-ough and comprehensive list of schoolrankings, housing values and commutetimes to make as informed a decision asthey can about schooling. But all of thatdata may not even scratch the surfacewhen it comes to addressing one of yourpotentially greatest transition challenges:Your own children’s feelings and attitudesabout the move.

PIXLAND/JUPITERIMAGES/THINKSTOCK

SCHOOLSContinued from 3

HELPING FOSTERAN UPBEAT ANDOPEN ATTITUDEtoward their change to a

new school might be the

most important task a

parent can undertake.


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There is no shortage of online sugges-tions for making a PCS transition eas-ier for children. Some suggest familiar-izing your family with your new dutystation, including the installation itself,the surrounding area and the new stateor region in which you’ll be living.Familiarity is the key to dispelling manyfears; give your children as much infor-mation about their new home and schoolas you can. Your new duty station willbe an adventure for everyone in yourfamily. Impress upon your children thatyour PCS will be filled with unknowns foreveryone, not just them.Yes, children, espe-cially military children, might be resilient.But just because they’re resilient, doesn’tmean they’re impervious to fears both realand imagined. As an adult, you’ve facedfar more “unknowns” than your children.Children do not have the same experienceof embracing and overcoming major lifechanges as you do, and they don’t havethe same reservoir of success stories andaccomplishments. Try to soften the blowby showing pictures, videos, articles andstories of their new area and school as soon

as you know where you’re going. Nobodylikes going into a situation unprepared;your children are no different. When youarrive at your new duty station, see if youcan schedule a tour of the schools you areconsidering or possibly meet some of thefaculty and staff. By removing the mysteryand unfamiliarity of their new educationalsetting, you’ll nip those “first-day jitters” inthe bud.

But above all, listen. Listen to what theysay, of course. But also listen to what theyare not saying. Note how their behaviormay be changing. Be especially perceptiveof moods that linger longer than usual,emotional swings or withdrawal from nor-mally enjoyable activities. Don’t delegiti-mize their concerns or dismiss their fearsby telling them “there’s nothing to worryabout.” Acknowledge them, and remindthem that your family’s adventure involvesshared challenges and shared fears. Letthem know that they are not in this alone.There is strength in numbers and lettingyour kids know that you are all in thistogether. As a team, you can make facingthe unknown a little more tolerable foreveryone.

Finally, there are a few things to keep inmind to help ease your own anxiety aboutyour child’s transition:

1) Military children are likely to beentering a school whose students are quiteused to changing schools or are used towelcoming new students. Though it cer-tainly isn’t true in every case, there is afair chance that your child will be enteringa new school year with children of othermilitary families. Not only will those long-standing “cliques” be absent in schoolsfed by a prominent military demographic,your child may be one of a handful ofnewbies in his or her new classroom.

2) Friendliness and confidence are twoinvaluable traits for both you and yourchild. Even if you’re both stressed out(very likely) about the move or terrified(or apprehensive or squeamish) aboutapproaching school administrators, parentgroups or new students, a quiet sense ofself-assurance will go far. If you begin bybarging in with a raging sense of entitle-ment or arrogance (as though you’re theonly parent who wants good things fortheir kids), you’ll get off on the wrong foot.But, as a parent, you might begin with a

cordial deference to people’s experience,while emphasizing that you are all aim-ing toward the same goal. After winningthem with charm (but not smarm), youcan voice a few well-timed questions orconcerns will help solidify that interper-sonal connection. I believe that most peo-ple are genuinely helpful and want to be ofassistance. Give them every reason to be.Be the sort of parent you would want tohelp out. Be the sort of student you’d wantto befriend.

3) Even if you wind up in a less-than-ideal situation with your child’s newschool, the fact that your family will bemoving again in a couple of years shouldmake that unfortunate situation easier tobear.There’s no escaping the fact that, ina child’s mind, a year or two might seemlike an eternity.

But take stock in the idea that, in theevent that your child is forced to attenda school that isn’t well-suited to him orher, it really isn’t a “permanent” changeof schools. In all likelihood, the worstthing about your child’s new school willbe that, down the road, he or she won’twant to leave.


Fort MeadeBySerle-alanA.Wise

FMWR Marketing Office,Fort Meade, Maryland

The last month of the summer is hereand September will follow.There are plentyof activities everyone to enjoy at FortGeorge G. Meade, Md.

2014JobFairsEveryone—all services, all ranks, military

or DoD civilians, and the general public—iscordially invited to Club Meade for the lasttwo job fairs of 2014:

Community Job Fair—9 a.m. to 2 p.m.Wednesday,Sept. 17

Veterans Job Fair—9 a.m. to 2 p.m.Wednesday,Nov.19

The job fairs are free and feature morethan 65 employers, a free resume reviewfrom the Resume Doctors and freeAmerican Sign Language interpreter ser-vice.There will be plenty of free parking anda free parking lot shuttle bus service, as well.

Club Meade is just off Mapes Road. Goto the Fort Meade MWR website, www.ftmeademwr.com, for updates and detailedinformation or join us on Facebook at FortMeade Family and MWR.

2014SummerConcertSeriesThe U.S. Army Field Band will host free

summer concerts 7 p.m. at ConstitutionPark. Concerts are open to the general pub-lic. The final concerts scheduled for sum-mer are: Thursday, Aug. 7,TheVolunteers;Thursday, Aug. 14, Soldiers’ Chorus; anda finale concert Saturday, Aug. 23 withthe traditional “1812 Overture & AlumniConcert” featuring the Concert Band,Soldiers’ Chorus, The Jazz Ambassadorsand The Volunteers. Visit www.armyfieldband.com or www.ftmeademwr.com forfurther information.

ArtSale&AugustCraftsThe Fort Meade Arts & Crafts Center

offers a wide variety of services for everyoneto enjoy. During August, the Arts & CraftsCenter will host a sale on its Stivers artcollection. Internationally recognized artistDon Stivers has created some of the mostremarkable military art of this century withthe help of historians and his own desire toknow the most intricate visual details of thesubjects he portrays.

The Fort Meade Arts & Crafts Centerwill be holding a month-long sale on allnumbered Stivers prints. All prints areframed with suede mats and make greatretirement gifts, office artwork or to enjoyin your home. Come visit the Arts & CraftsCenter to see this awesome collection. Call301-677-7809 for details.

The Arts & Crafts Center also has a full-service Engraving Shop and can engraveany item a patron may wish to use. TheFraming Shop has custom and do-it-your-self framing. A special “Framing Night” isscheduled for Aug. 21, from 5 to 9 p.m.,with special hours and rates for do-it-your-self framers. A special “Crop Day” event isscheduled Aug. 16 and will feature a wideassortment of tools and materials, a spa-cious work area, plus food, fun and prizes.Call 410-575-4224 to register. The center

also offers a wide range of craft classes forall ages.Youth classes include: Kid’s CraftClub, Summer Craft Series, Mom & MeCrafts, Duct Tape Fun and many others.Adult classes include: scrapbooking, bragbooks, gift tags and bags, holiday card sets,home décor and many others. The centeralso offers Microsoft software classes everyMonday.The center is also available to hostbirthday parties, group activities or specialclub meetings with craft fun. For detailsand registration for classes and events dur-ing August, call 410-575-4224. For fur-ther details about all services offered at thecenter, call 301-677-7809 or visit www.ftmeademwr.com.

2014RunSeries

Everyone—all services, all ranks; mili-tary or DoD civilians; and the general pub-lic—is cordially invited to participate inthe remainder of the 2014 Fort George G.Meade Runner’s Series.

Each of the event features either a 5-kilo-meter or a 5- and 10-kilometer route. Allevents include a 1-mile walk and have aspecial theme with male and female posi-tions in various age categories. The gen-

eral public, other running groups, otherinstallations and members of neighboringcommunities are encouraged to participate.Registration and payment can be com-pleted on the Fort Meade website at www.ftmeademwr.com or at Gaffney FitnessCenter. The runs all begin at 8 a.m. Theremaining races include: Football FanFare5/10K, Sept. 29 at Constitution Park;Ghost, Ghouls & Goblin 5K, Oct. 25 atMeade Pavilion; Turkey Trot 5K, Nov. 22;and Reindeer Run 5K, Dec. 13; final tworaces will be held at Murphy Field House.All event details are subject to change,so please check the Fort Meade FMWRwebsite for current information. For moreinformation on the series, please call 301-677-7916 or visit www.ftmeademwr.comfor updates. Also, join us on Facebookat Fort Meade Family and MWR.

Weekend tripplanningAugust and September are great times

for making weekend plans, and the FortMeade Leisure Travel Office (LTS) is thebest place to begin your process.They canassist you with hotel reservations, discounttickets and much more.

New York City Day Trips: The LeisureTravel Office offers transportation to the“Big Apple” each month. Plan your dayin New York. Visit museums, attractions,take in a Broadway show, or just enjoygreat shopping. The Leisure Travel Officealso offers discounted tickets for attrac-tions such as Grey Line Tours, MadameTussauds’ Wax Museum, Circle LineCruises, NBC studio tours and manyothers. Trips are scheduled for: Aug. 23,Sept. 20, Oct. 18, Nov. 15 and Dec. 13.The Leisure Travel Office has also sched-uled a special tripThursday, Dec. 11, to seeRadio City Music Hall’s annual ChristmasSpectacular. Open to everyone—all ser-vices, all ranks, military and civilian.

Medieval Times: The Leisure TravelOffice offers discounts to the MedievalTimes Dinner & Jousting Tournamentshow at Arundel Mills mall, which is nearMaryland Live! Casino. Purchase your tick-

ets at the LeisureTravel Office; in addition,ask about having the “Royalty” treatmentadded to your purchase. See the website,www.ftmeademwr.com, for more.

Bowling

Not only does The Lanes Fort Meadeoffer beautiful state-of-the-art bowling, butthe venue also hosts several non-bowlingactivities for your recreation time indoors:

Karaoke Night: Warm up your vocalchords and sing us your favorite songs Aug.15 and Sept. 19, from 7 to 10 p.m. Opento everyone; all services, all ranks, militaryand civilian, free of charge. Karaoke night isheld the thirdThursday of each month.

Outdoor Barbecue: Come smell the deli-cious aroma of “hot off the grill” mealsAug. 27. Enjoy barbecued ribs or chicken.

Texas Hold’em Tournament: Put onyour best “poker face” and join us in theClubhouse on The Lanes—Fort Meadeevery Monday and Wednesday from 7 to9 p.m. Participants can join at any time;there are no buy-ins for this event. Wingreat prizes and just have fun playing yourfavorite card game. Open to everyone—allservices, all ranks, military and civilian.

Team Trivia Nights: Exercise those braincells. Get a group together and join usfor team trivia night every first, secondand fourth Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m.Free; open to everyone—all services, allranks, military and civilian—and the gen-eral public. Registration begins at 6:30p.m.; new members are always welcome.Teams must have a minimum of two peo-ple with a maximum of 10. Weekly prizeswill be awarded to the top three winners;the winning teams will advance in localMarylandTeamTrivia events, where teamsvie for cash awards. See the website, www.ftmeademwr.com, for more information.

Fort Meade Farmer’s Market

Held every Wednesday through Nov. 12from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Smallwood Hallparking lot on Fort Meade. The event isopen to the public and features local pro-duce, plants, baked goods, homemade icecream, soaps, desserts, dressings, hot lunchvendors and much more. Join us for lunchor stop by and grab fresh produce, breads,cookies or more at the market.

The Fort Meade Arts & Crafts Center will hold a month-long sale on all NUMBERED STIVERS PRINTS, all of which

are framed with suede mats.


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MCCS Henderson HallSubmitted by Doriann Geller,

MCCS Marketing Officer

MCCS Henderson Hall, located onJoint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, hasrecently undergone improvements to bet-ter serve our customers. We invite you tocheck out www.mccsHH.com, a com-prehensive site encompassing all thingsMCCS Henderson Hall. The site offersmobile content, optimized for smart-phones and tablets; you will be automat-ically redirected from our website whenyou’re on the go.

SMP is Active

The Single Marine Program has beenon the go this past spring and summer,and more great activities are planned forthe fall, including a cruise to the Bahamas.Each month the SMP council meets todiscuss quality-of-life issues and upcom-ing activities, which include volunteer ser-vice opportunities and trips to area attrac-tions. Some of the activities have includeda trip to the Prince William County Fair

and camping at Shenandoah NationalPark. Events are also held in the barrackslounge and include video game tourna-ments and free pizza nights. To find outmore about how you can join in the fun,please call 703-696-0033.

MCX Third Floor Addition

We’ve expanded—again. Our businesspartner, the NEX Uniform Center, ismoving into our Marine Corps Exchange.We’ve added space to the third floor tohouse the uniform center and more,including a weapons department, sched-uled to open this fall. On the second flooryou’ll find a new department: children’sclothing, by popular request. We’re nowcarrying clothing for newborns throughchildren’s size 16, plus accessories such asdiaper bags and blankets.

While the MCCS ITT Office closed in thespring, we still offer movie tickets for AMCEntertainment, Inc., and Regal EntertainmentGroup at the Customer Service counter in theMarineCorpsExchange.

NewatMarine&FamilyPrograms

MCCS Henderson Hall offers a widerange of services to Marines, other servicemembers and their families throughout thenational capital area and beyond to includea 105-square mile area around Joint BaseMyer-Henderson Hall. We have new staffand new classes, including “Warrior at Ease:Balancing Warrior Intensity with HolisticStress Management,” with topics such asstress management education and a gentle,restorative yoga practice. Interested in hav-ing this session or other lifestyle and rela-tionship classes conducted at your location?Call 703-693-9146 or 703-614-7204.

We also offer the opportunity to visitwith a National Service Officer fromAmericanVeterans (AMVETS) on the sec-ond and fourth Thursdays of the month,by appointment only, 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.Are you or someone you know thinkingof filing a claim with the Department ofVeterans Affairs? Schedule an appointmentby calling 703-614-7204. We’ll let youknow what you should bring with you, andthe National Service Officer will consult

with you about the condition for which youare considering filing a claim.

Also new is Parent Child InteractionTherapy, a short-term, specialized behav-ior management program designed foryoung children experiencing behavioral oremotional difficulties and for their care-givers. PCIT services are available to ser-vice members and their families in thenational capital area. If you would likemore information about this therapy orwould like to request PCIT for your fam-ily, please contact the MCCS HendersonHall Behavioral Health Branch at 703-614-7204 to discuss or schedule PCITservices with a trained provider.

Our Marine & Family Programs classescan generally be offered at your location.For an overview of the services available,visit www.mccsHH.com/MFS.html.Want to keep in the loop on MCCSHenderson Hall offerings?Visit us at www.mccsHH.com, follow us on Twitter atwww.twitter.com/mccsHH, and like uson Facebook at www.facebook.com/MCCSHH.

MCCS QuanticoMCB Quantico Car Show

The 3rd Annual MCB Quantico CarShow is back on Saturday, Sept. 6, 1000-1400, Daly Hall and Little Hall ParkingLot.This year we will showcase cars fromthe early 1900s to present in variousmakes and models.

This family-friendly show includeskids’ activities, music, food and anawards presentation. Show attendees willvote to determine the winners of eachaward. Admission is free for those notcompeting.

For more information, please contact703-432-0170.

Save the Date:Sept. 6, End of Summer Bash

Don’t miss out on this year’s End ofSummer Bash aboard MCB Quantico.Save the date, Saturday, Sept. 6.

More information will be available onwww.quantico.usmc-mccs.org as thedate gets closer.

Modern Day Marine ExpoYou must make time to attend this free

event Sept., 23-24 at Lejeune Field. Thisexpo showcases the latest in defense man-ufacturing, technology and war fightingproducts.

MCCS Quantico Stay in the KnowWant to know about all the events

aboard MCB Quantico? Then sign upto receive the Quantico MCCS LifeMagazine by email monthly. Simply sendan email to [email protected] or call 703-784-5803.

You can also“like” us on Facebook atfacebook.com/Quantico MCCS or followus on Pinterest at www.pinterest.com/mccsquantico/.

Quantico MCCS Phone Numbersl MCX: 703-432-8800l REC ITT: 703-432-8850l MARINE MART: 703-784-2712l GOLF COURSE: 703-784-2424

l PACKAGE STORE: 703-432-8151l BOWLING CENTER: 703-784-2210l THE CLUBS AT QUANTICO:

703-784-4264l CATERING: 703-432-0219l AUTO HOBBY: 703-784-2729l MARINA: 703-784-2359l BARBER PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

CENTER: 703-432-0590l THEATER: 703-784-2279 (movie hot-

line 703-784-2638)l CHILD DEVELOPMENT

CENTER: 703-784-2716/4470/3652l YOUTH/TEEN CENTER:

703-784-2249l QUANTICO FAMILY LIBRARY:

703-784-4348l THE CROSSROADS INN:

703-630-4444l HUMAN RESOURCES:703-784-3454


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