Once completed, the plan gets re-written into a project book that includes, pictures, write-ups, spreadsheets, financial sheets, letters, and other supporting documents, and then goes through a full approval process, eventually culminating in a re-view board of senior Scout Council mem-bers and executives. These plans are hard to design and even harder to come by. CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 ...

I am a Scout leader. Working with both Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts is always a treas-ure, and keeping up with them is a test of faith and strength. The one huge problem we always face as leaders in Boy Scout labeled organizations, and from my experi-ence any other organization where you manage a group of dissimilar people, is coming up with a plan. You are constantly battling with what to do, and when to do it. Then Private Murphy (or as the Boy Scouts sometimes say, “Tenderfoot Scout Mur-phy”) comes along and changes all the rules. For example: That five day scout camping trip in the Great Smoky Mountains becomes that great water-logged, miserable week in the one leak-free tent with 22 drippy, cold and miserable boys. Sure, any good Scout Leader can turn that misery into a great learning experience for leaders and boys. Between breaks in heavy rains, the troop can hold competitions in two-match-only, wet wood firemaking, and/or you can have a troop cooking and knot tying competition (or all of the above). Some Soldiers/Scout Leaders would push the boys onward, into the freezing rain. But then calmer heads must remind the “Gung-Ho” leader that the boys do have to attend school next week, and parents will be very upset if they come home with hypothermia, or worse, pneumonia. As usual, we struggle to find a plan… and parents, kids, charter organizations and other leaders with less experience (or strange ideas) often cause plans to be less than stellar, or to fail. Then it comes to projects.

Our Boy Scout Troop subscribes to the “Old School” method of service projects. Each rank requires some service time in the community anyway, but Star Scouts and Life Scouts have to plan (with plenty of leader help) and lead (also with leader help) a 30 to 100 man-hour service project that improves something in the community. The project must be approved by the Scout-master (the senior leader in the Boy Scout Troop), the Troop Committee, and the Charter Organization (a Lion’s Club, Church, Elks Club, Masonic Lodge, or other such organization). The badge of Eagle Scout, like the Girl Scout’s Gold Award, requires a massive project and a massive plan. An Eagle Scout project takes between 25 and 200 pages of planning, pictures, de-signing, and drawing paperwork. The plan has to be proposed to all the Troop Leader-ship (and subsequently approved), then sent as a packet to the Troop Committee (and approved), then signed by the Scout-master, then approved by the Scouting District Representative and the Council Representative. The entire plan and project must take resources and budgeting, over 100 total man-hours of work, and the project must complete an effort to improve the community, a charitable organization, or the lives of a sizable quantity of people.

JOINT STAFF, GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

August 17, 2012 Volume 3, Issue 9

A Newsletter Production of the

J-9 Joint and Family Services Directorate Special points of in-

terest:

FINDING A PLAN...

SMA Message on

Suicide

An adaptive-bike

for Ashleigh…

FOUNDING FA-

THERS SERIES

WATCH YOUR BACK!

Inside this issue:

FINDING A PLAN...

1,3

From S1Net:

SMA Message

on Suicide

2

An adaptive-

bike for Ash-

leigh…

2

ARTICLE: ONLY A

HEARTBEAT

AWAY

2

WATCH YOUR BACK! 4

Founding Fathers:

Alexander Hamil-

ton

3

- CW2 Barry Long

"I refuse to accept the view

that mankind is so

tragically bound to the

starless midnight of racism

and war that the bright

daybreak of peace and

brotherhood can never

become a reality... I believe

that unarmed truth and

unconditional love will have

the final word." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Those who can win a war

well can rarely make a good

peace and those who could

make a good peace would

never have won the war." ~

Winston Churchill

“Friendships born on the

field of athletic strife are

the real gold of competition.

Awards become corroded,

friends gather no dust.” ~ Jesse Owens (American

Olympic Athelete, 1936)

Page 2

PUBLIC SERVICE AN-NOUNCEMENT WITH SMA CHANDLER ON THE SUI-CIDE PREVENTION LEADERS' GUIDE. The Sergeant Major of the Army, SMA Raymond F. Chandler III, shows his support for health promotion, risk reduction and suicide prevention in a public service announcement (PSA) on the "Suicide Awareness: Guide for Leaders." The SMA empha-sizes leadership involvement at all levels and the need for leaders to know their available local and national resources. Leaders are highly encouraged to embrace and communicate this message. https://forums.army.mil/communitybrowser.aspx?id=1797353&lang=en-US ***MUST BE A MEMBER OF S1 NET and USE CAC***

by Ms, Kimberley M. Garrett Family Assistance Center Manager- Family friend-

American Legion Post 251 Auxiliary Member

Ashleigh Coleman isn’t your typical American teenager. She is an earthbound angel. When she was born her parents SFC Charles & Sharon Coleman were told she would only be here for a short while and not to expect too much from little Ashleigh. In spite of the doctor’s diagnosis, Ashleigh has been touching hearts for the last 16 years, giving everyone she comes in contact with hope and inspiration that anything is possible as long as you have faith in God and believe in miracles. This is Ashleigh’s story: Ashleigh Coleman is a freshman at Jackson County Comprehensive High School with a career concen-tration in Early Childhood educa-tion and development, an active member of Living Word Worship Center where she participates in all Youth Group activities and volun-teers with Smallville ages 3-5 years. She volunteers with her father’s Military Family Readiness Group assisting with Events and activities for the youth. Ashleigh enjoys sing-ing, dancing, listening to music and making new friends. Ashleigh was born with multiple birth defects to include a cardiac defect, lung, digestive system and limb deformities. She has endured 15 surgeries and a magnitude of various other medical procedures to sustain her multiple medical conditions. Her most recent diag-nosis of aplastic anemia has caused the need for many blood transfu-sions over the last year and will eventually lead to the need for a bone marrow transplant. Recently her three siblings were tested to see if they were a bone marrow match, however the results were not what her family hoped for. Ashleigh will be placed on the bone marrow registry once she reaches the critical phase of needing blood transfusions every two weeks, per her physician. Over the last sixteen years Ashleigh has worked with multiple disci-plines to include speech language

pathology, occupational and physi-cal therapy to assist her in meeting fine and gross motor skills neces-sary to function independently. Ashleigh has managed to meet all goals set for her over the last 16 years with the exception of one, riding a bicycle. So as most sixteen year olds are wishing for a new car and passing their drivers test, Ash-leigh and her parents only wish was for her to meet the only goal left unaccomplished, to independ-ently ride a bicycle. It is not possible for Ashleigh to ride a normal 2 wheeled bike. So a family friend went on a mission to find away to make Ashleigh’s Sweet 16th birthday extra special. This friend went to American Le-gion Post 251 and told them how amazing Ashleigh was and that for her 16th birthday we could help her reach yet another milestone. They were totally on board! The Ameri-can Legion went out in search of this special bike for Ashleigh. They ordered the bike and it finally ar-rived on Wednesday August 9, 2012. Jack Theilman, one of our devoted members, put all the parts together to form this bike. Thank you Jack!! The Coleman family was asked to come to the American Legion Post 251 in Duluth, GA for a secret sur-prise for Ashleigh! When the Cole-man family arrived the American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary, and Kim Garrett, Family Assis-tance Coordinator, GA, National Guard presented Ashleigh with a 3 wheeled bike she could ride inde-pendently! Ashleigh's life milestones and ac-complishments have included her first open heart surgery (5weeks), first stomach surgery and gastric feeding tube placed (2 months), first foot surgery (5 months), sit-ting up unsupported (11 months), speaking first words (13 months), eating solid foods by mouth; all

liquids were tube fed due to pri-mary aspiration (15months), crawling (18 months), walking (26months), graduate of Chal-lenged Child and Friends special needs school (6 years), kindergar-ten graduate (8 years), ALL tube feedings ended and gastric feeding tube removed (9years), Lions Club Writing Award (11 years, 5th grade), Rotary Club Middle School Leadership Award (15years, 8th grade), Camp Brave-heart Courage Award (15 years, 8th year camper first time com-pleting the zip line) and her most recent accomplishment Riding a bike Independently (16years). Throughout her life endeavors, developmental delays and many painful procedures she has contin-ued to grow spiritually in her faith in God, love of her family and friends and continues to always keep a positive outlook on life with a happy personality. Ashleigh is the daughter of SFC Charles & Sharon Coleman the sister of Haleigh, CJ & Gabriel Coleman. Sergeant First Class Coleman is currently serving with Echo Com-pany, 148th Brigade Support Bat-talion, 48th Infantry Brigade, of the Georgia National Guard. SFC Coleman began his military career in 1990 with the Marine Corps. He served in support of Operations Desert Storm, Desert Shield, and Liberation of Kuwait with the Marine Corps. SFC Coleman took a break in service from 1994 to 2000. In October 2000 SFC Cole-man joined Charlie 1st of the 121st Infantry Regiment Mechanized in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He has been married 21 years to his wife Sharon.

The battle for the plan, whether in

the military or in an organization like scouting, requires input and ideas that will (hopefully) create “buy-in” from the leadership, the person creating the plan, and the individuals who will carry the plan to fruition.

This is where Scout Leaders differ from military leaders. We cannot

easily order young boys or girls to

complete a project they have no stake in, or that they do not like. Potential Eagle Scouts struggle to find projects that speak to their needs and the spirit of scouting within them.

I ask you, as Soldiers and leaders, seek out the Scouting organizations and get to know them. Look for large (not outrageous or overly ex-

pensive) community projects to im-prove the lives of others, and help a Scout “buy-in” to your ideas. You

can change the world, starting with one Eagle Scout.

Project ideas include:

1. Sensory Rooms to benefit children with special needs (such as

Autism). 2. Conservation of lakes,

parks, nature trails, etc. 3. Building community picnic

or learning shelters for churches, schools, or sports teams.

4. Etc.

Famous Eagle Scouts? Famous Girl Scouts? Look here:

http://usscouts.org/eagle/bsfamous.asp or http://

www.girlscoutsdiamonds.org/Volunteer/Alumnae/FamousFormerGirlScouts.aspx

Support Scouting! Help Find (and Build) the Plan!

firm in St. Croix, the bright and ambitious young lad quickly impressed his employer. Hamilton’s boss, businessman Nicolas Cruger, pooled his resources with a minister named Hugh Knox to send Hamilton to America for an education

In 1773, when he was around 16 years old, Hamilton arrived in

New York, where he enrolled in King’s College (later renamed Colum-bia University). Despite his gratitude toward his generous patrons, with the American colonies on the brink of a revolution, Hamilton was drawn more to political involvement than he was to academics. In 1774, he wrote his first political article defending the Patriots’ cause against the interests of pro-British Loyalists.

A quick learner, Hamilton deemed himself quite capable of becoming a self-made man. Intent on learning through hands-on experience, he left King’s College before graduating to join forces with the Patriots in their protest of British-imposed taxes and commercial business regulations.

In 1775, when the Revolutionary War broke out, Alexander

Hamilton became part of the New York Provincial Artillery Company and fought in the battles of Long Island, White Plains and Trenton.

In 1777, after Hamilton fought in that year’s battles of Brandy-

wine Creek, Germantown and Princeton, he was promoted to lieuten-ant colonel of the Continental Army. During his early service in the fight for American independence, Hamilton caught the attention of General George Washington, who made Hamilton his assistant and trusted advisor. For the next five years, Hamilton put his writing skills to work. He wrote Washington’s critical letters and composed numer-ous reports on the strategic reform and restructuring of the Continen-tal Army. During this time, Hamilton also married Elisabeth Schuyler, who was from an affluent New York family.

Alexander Hamilton was born circa January 11, 1755 or 1757 (the exact date is unknown), on the island of Nevis, British West Indies. In 1777, he became General George Washington’s assistant. In 1788, he convinced New Yorkers to agree to ratify the U.S Constitution. Hamilton served as the first secretary of the treasury, from 1789 to 1795. On July 1, 1804, in New York City,

he died of a gunshot wound sustained during a duel with Aaron Burr.

Founding Father Alexander

Hamilton was born circa January 11, 1755 or 1757 (the exact date is unknown), on the island of Nevis in the British West Indies. Hamilton was the product of an adulterous affair. His mother, a Frenchwoman named Rachel Fawcett Lavine, was married to someone else when Hamilton was born.

When Rachel’s husband threw her out of the house, she moved

in with Alexander Hamilton’s father, a Scottish trader named James. But the living arrangement did not last long. James abandoned the family when Alexander was still a baby, leaving Alexander and his mother impoverished. John Adams would one day come to illustrate Hamilton’s rise from humble beginnings by describing the young Hamilton as “the bastard brat of a Scottish peddler.”

Determined to improve his lot in life, Alexander Hamilton took his

first job at the tender age of 11. Working as a clerk in an accounting

Restless in his desk job, in 1781 Hamilton convinced Wash-ington to let him taste some action on the battlefield. With Washing-ton’s permission, Hamilton led a victorious charge against the British in the Battle of Yorktown. Cornwallis’ surrender during this battle would eventually lead to the signing of the Treaty of Paris and the Treaties of Versailles in 1783.

Find more from: http://www.biography.com/people/alexander-hamilton-9326481?page=1

- An Editorial by

CW2 Barry D. Long

Page 3 Volume 3, Issue 9

Born: November 20,

1755, Nevis Died: July 12, 1804,

New York City

Party: Federalist Party Spouse: Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton (m.

1757–1854) Books: A Farmer Re-

futed, A Full Vindication of the Measures of

Congress, More Children: James Alex-ander Hamilton, William

S. Hamilton

“The sacred rights of mankind are not to be rummaged for among old

parchments or musty records. They are written, as with a sunbeam, in the

whole volume of human nature, by the Hand of Divinity itself, and can

never be erased or obscured by mortal power.” - ALEXANDER HAMILTON

“The constitution shall never be construed...to prevent the people of the

United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms.”

- ALEXANDER HAMILTON

“On the other hand, it will be equally forgotten that the vigor of govern-ment is essential to the security of liberty; that, in the contemplation of a

sound and well-informed judgment, their interest can never be separated;

and that a dangerous ambition more often lurks behind the specious mask

of zeal for the rights of the people than under the forbidden appearance

of zeal for the firmness and efficiency of government. History will teach us that the former has been found a much more certain road to the intro-

duction of despotism than the latter, and that of those men who have

overturned the liberties of republics, the greatest number have begun

their career by paying an obsequious court to the people; commencing

demagogues, and ending tyrants.”

- ALEXANDER HAMILTON, The Federalist Papers

NATIONAL GUARD BUREAU Family Programs (NGB-FP) Mission: To establish and facilitate

ongoing communication, involvement,

support, and recognition between Na-tional Guard families and the National

Guard in a partnership that promotes

the best in both.

Family Programs Web Sites

GuardFamily.org - The National Guard

Family Program

GuardFamilyYouth.org - The National

Guard Family Youth Program

Newsletters

Air National Guard Family Guide [PDF]

Contact Information

Phone: (888)777-7731 Fax: 703-607-0762

Email: ngb.J1.fp@ng.army.mil

ing. Place your feet shoulder width apart with one slightly in front of the other (like a karate stance). Squat down to the level of the object, get a good grip on it and keep it close to your body. Tighten your abdominal mus-cles, keep your back straight, and lift with your legs. If you will look slightly upward it will aid in keeping your back in good alignment. Also avoid bending, jerking, or twisting motions. It is also important to know your limits. Large, heavy, or odd-shaped items should be lifted with assistance. When performing a 2-person lift, one person should count aloud so both lift together, and again when set-ting the object down. In using a dolly or hand-truck, it is better to push than to pull. This gives

Everyone who has suffered with back pain will agree that it affects every part of your life. When your back hurts you can have trouble sleep-ing, have trouble staying focused at work, and have a much shorter fuse with those around you. Common back injuries can be prevented with a few simple rules. The old adage that “Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance” holds true in preventing back injuries. Stop and think about what you are trying to do and develop a plan for it. Is the object large, unbalanced, or odd shaped? Is it positioned in a way that will allow you to get a good grip on it? Where does it need to go? Would it be easier or safer to move it with assis-tance or mechanically on a dolly or handtruck? If you are lifting with another person, make sure you both understand the plan before you start. Posture is key to injury prevention. The muscles in your back are de-signed for stability instead of power. Get in close to whatever you are lift-

you more control over the load, and utilizes the large muscles of your legs more than the long, thin muscles of your back. The question usually comes up regarding the use of back belts. These belts alone will not prevent an injury. They are better thought of as a reminder to use good body mechan-ics If you do suffer from back pain, see your health care provider before you do something to make it worse.

Serving the Georgia DoD, The U.S. Military, and our Veterans, One Family at a Time.

We are on the web:

www.georgiaguardfamilyprogram.org

J-9 JOINT AND

FAMILY SERVICES

DIRECTORATE

Georgia Department of Defense

1388 First Street, Bldg 840 (Finch Bldg)

1000 Halsey Avenue, Bldg 447,

Mailroom

Marietta, GA 30060

Point of Contact:

CW2 Barry D. Long

Human Resources/Systems/ATSO/

Safety Officer

barry.long@us.army.mil

“Military Personnel, Families, and Veterans First!”

Our directorate services the military community of Georgia, providing those

services, support and information that are vital to their care. Our staff is com-

mitted to providing the best care, in a timely manner, and followed-thru to a

successful conclusion so that Military Personnel, their families, and Veterans in

Georgia will have the resources, help, and information they need to thrive.

The J-9 Joint and Family Services Directorate and The Georgia Guard Family

Program:

Article by

CW2 Jennifer J. Long, CO, A Co, 4th BN, 1st BDE,

GSDF