pentagram_031513

BByy RRhhoonnddaa AApppplleePPeennttaaggrraamm SSttaaffff WWrriitteerr

Marines from Headquarters& Service Battalion,Headquarters Marine CorpsHenderson Hall and civilianemployees from Marine CorpsCommunity Services and theMarine Corps Exchange had theopportunity to tour the MarineCorps commandant’s homeMarch 8.Officially known as Home of

the Commandants, the grandhouse is co-located with theMarine Barracks, 8th and I, inWashington, D.C. It is the cur-

rent residence of the 35thCommandant of the MarineCorps Gen. James F. Amos andhis wife, Bonnie.The group was greeted at the

front entrance by Mrs. Amosbefore gathering in the firstfloor drawing room.“It is our honor and our privi-

lege to be where we are and dowhat we’re doing right now inthis time in history,” Mrs. Amossaid, regarding her husband’srole as commandant of theMarine Corps. She explainedthe extensive renovation to thehome before she and her hus-band moved there in early June,

2011.“Every bit of furniture, every

mirror, portrait, chandelier, rod,and drapery – everything in thishouse came out, and the housewent under complete renovation… for structural, foundation,electrical, mechanical andHVAC [heating, ventilation andair conditioning]. They also tookoff all the exterior paint, whichwas 30 layers of paint and 10coats of primer on the redbrick,” she said.“What was interesting about

that was we got to see where thechanges in the house occurred.

Looking backHistorian reflectson career highlightspage 4

Living historySmithsonian archivesveterans’ stories

page 12

Published for Joint Base Myer-Henderson HallVol. 60, no. 10 March 15, 2013

IndexCommunity Spotlight p.2Commentary p.3Community p.4News Notes p.4Feature p.12Classifieds p.13

On Capitol HillArmy leaders learnlegislative processPg. 10

A humerus storyExercising safetyfirst when working outPg. 9

PentagramNO PARKING

BByyMMiicchhaaeell NNoorrrriissPPeennttaaggrraamm AAssssiissttaanntt EEddiittoorr

Depending on the buildingyou work in and the time youarrive, finding a viable parkingspot on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall can be a trial.Like a game of musical chairs,you may find yourself circlingaisles of cars trying to beatanother motorist to the lastremaining parking space.Some drivers improvise,

parking atop car-sized plots ofdirt where protected trees once

stood, or by positioning them-selves hodge-podge along traf-fic islands, sometimes imped-ing two-way traffic.Last week some employees

were alarmed to find parkingtickets affixed to their dash-board windows when they par-allel parked along the side of agrassy island separating thetri-service parking lot from theOld Post Chapel lot.“I’ve parked there for 11

years and never got a ticket,”one disgruntled employeefumed upon receiving the pink

notice.According to Lt. Ronald

Foster, chief of the TrafficInvestigation section of theJBM-HH Directorate ofEmergency Services, the onlylegal parking spaces on baseare ones that are outlined inwhite paint. Parallel parkingalong curbs is illegal unlessthere are designated parkingspaces, even if there is no signexplicitly stating so.“A legal parking space is any

9 x 18 area that’s marked, like

see PARKING, page 6

Parking inside lines is essentialto avoiding tickets on JBM-HH

PHOTO BY RACHEL LARUE

A car is parked in a no parking zone on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall to demonstrate areas on basewhere parking is not allowed.

Hagel notessequester’sparticular painfor civilians

BByy KKaarreenn PPaarrrriisshhAAmmeerriiccaann FFoorrcceess PPrreessss SSeerrvviiccee

Defense Department civilian employees willparticularly feel the pain sequester will bring tothe entire defense workforce, Defense SecretaryChuck Hagel said March 1.In his first Pentagon press briefing, Hagel out-

lined the steps the Pentagon and the services willtake as the budget mechanism known assequester, which took effect at midnight the begin-ning of March, trims roughly half a trillion dollarsfrom defense spending over the next 10 years.Along with cost-cutting actions by the services

to curtail training and maintenance, the depart-ment has already announced it will furlough civil-ian employees beginning in late April, cuttingtheir work hours and pay by 20 percent for therest of the fiscal year.“Our number one concern is our people, military

and civilian, the millions of men and women ofthis department who work very hard every day toensure America’s security,” the secretary said. “Iknow that these budget cuts will cause pain, par-ticularly among our civilian workforce and theirFamilies. I’m also concerned, as we all are, aboutthe impact on readiness that these cuts will haveacross our force.”Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter joined

Hagel at the conference and shared his viewsabout defense civilian workers.“As you know, our civilian workforce is about

800,000 strong,” Carter said. “Those people, too,are dedicated to the defense mission.”Nearly 90 percent of DoD civilians live outside

of Washington, he noted, and nearly half of themare veterans.“So they’re dedicated to the mission, too,” he

said. “And as the year goes on, many of them willbe subject to furlough.”Civilians make important contributions to the

see HAGEL, page 6

see COMMANDANT, page 6

Henderson Hall Marines, staff visit Home of the Commandants


A group from the Henderson Hall portion of Joint BaseMyer-Henderson Hall tours the Home of theCommandants March 8. The Marine commandant’shome is collocated with Marine Corps BarracksWashington in the district.

The Pentagram is an authorized publication for members of the Department of Defense. Contentsof the Pentagram are not necessarily the official views of the U.S. Government, the Department ofDefense, the Department of the Army, Department of the Navy, or Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall.

The content of this publication is the responsibility of the Joint Base Myer-Henderson HallPublic Affairs Office. Pictures not otherwise credited are U.S. Army photographs. News itemsshould be submitted to the Pentagram, 204 Lee Ave., Bldg. 59, Fort Myer, VA 22211-1199.They may also be faxed to (703) 696-0055 or e-mailed to [email protected].

Circulation of 24,000 is printed by offset every Friday as a civilian enterprise newspaper by ComprintMilitary Publications. Comprint Military Publications is located at 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg,MD 20877. Telephone (301) 921-2800. Commercial advertising should be placed with the printer.

Comprint Military Publications is a private firm in no way connected with the Departmentof the Army or Department of the Navy.

The appearance of advertisements in this publication, to include all inserts and supple-ments, does not constitute an endorsement by the Department of the Army or Department ofthe Navy of the products or services advertised. Everything advertised in this publication shallbe made available for purchase, use, or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex,national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation, or any other non-merit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. A confirmed violation of this policy of equalopportunity by an advertiser shall result in the refusal to print advertising from that source.

Printed on recycled paper

http://www.army.mil/jbmhh

EEddiittoorriiaall ssttaaffff

Commander Col. Fern O. SumpterCommand Sergeant Major Earlene Y. LavenderDirector of Public Affairs Mary Ann HodgesCommand Information Officer Sharon Walker

PPeennttaaggrraamm ssttaaffff

Editor Courtney Dock (703) 696-5401Assistant Editor Michael Norris (703) 696-7607Staff Writer Rhonda Apple (703) 696-1363Staff Writer Julia LeDoux (703) 696-7605Staff Writer Jim Dresbach (703) 696-5488Staff Photographer Rachel Larue (703) 696-7606

Pentagram

2 Friday, March 15, 2013 PENTAGRAM


High-fiveA player for the Generals team on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall high-fives his teammates as he comes off the court during the game against Fort Bragg, part of the CapitalClassic basketball tournament Feb. 16.

Caption This #9If you’ve ever looked at a photo, read the caption underneath and

thought you could do better, now is your chance. Each week, “Caption This”will have a photo taken from around the base. It’s up to you to figure outthe best, funniest or craziest caption that describes what’s going on in thepicture. The only rule is you have to KEEP IT CLEAN!“Caption This” submissions can be sent either by emailing them to pen-

[email protected], commenting on our Facebook page www.face-book.com/jbmhh or just stopping by Headquarters Bldg. 59, suite 116 anddropping it off. Don’t forget to add the “Caption This” number, your name,rank or position and where you work.Every week the Pentagram staff will pick their favorite. The winner’s

name, caption along with the photo, will be printed in the newspaper.Compete with your friends and coworkers and see who can come up withthe best one. And if you have a photo you think would make a great“Caption This,” send it in.

Caption This

Caption This #8

“Horizontal standing proficiency... win-ning!”

Lisa Lorentz


Commander, Joint Base Myer-Henderson HallCol. Fern O. Sumpter’s vision and philosophy:

With a team of resource management savvy and technically competent DoDprofessionals, establish JBM–HH as DoD’s premier provider of consistent, qual-ity services that enhance readiness and the overall well-being of our customers.We must be ...- Experts at what we do … constantly improving our skills and knowledge.- Focused … set priorities and complete the mission.- Committed … to the mission and each other, fostering a community of

excellence.- Professional/respectful … remain calm, even when others are not … count on

each other at all times, treating everyone with dignity and respect.

• Name: Airman Sydne Larkin.• Job title/where do you work: United

States Navy Ceremonial Guard.• Military service: Navy.• Favorite sports team: St. Louis

Cardinals.• Favorite book: “The Lucky One.”• Favorite foods: Spaghetti.• Favorite band/music artist: Jason

Aldean.• Favorite movie: “The Notebook.”• Favorite place you’ve ever traveled

to or been stationed: North Carolina.• What do you like most about work-

ing on /visiting JBM-HH: The USO andthe galley.• What are your goals for the year: Drill out to back section

in drill team.• What do you like most about living in the National

Capital Region: Always something to do or go see. Alwayssomething going on.• What’s your favorite attraction to see in the NCR:

Smithsonian.• What’s the best advice you’ve ever received: “Should

have bought a Ford.” [from] a Navy Honor Guard commandmaster chief.• If you won the lottery, what would you do: Go home and

get out of the Navy and go to college.

Community Spotlight

PENTAGRAM Friday, March 15, 2013 3

Rogers’ Standing Orders

BByy KKiimm HHoolliieennJJBBMM--HHHH HHiissttoorriiaann

Installation Management Command head-quarters has decreed that its seven historypositions be abolished. Therefore this is myfinal history column. I would like to dedicateit to all those families who have loved onesserving in the armed forces of the UnitedStates around the world for in the words ofthe 17th century English poet, John Milton,“They also serve who only stand and wait.”Maj. Robert Rogers (1731-95) was a bril-

liant frontier scout and small unit leader. Hedrew up a list of rules for warfare whilefighting the French and Indians on theAmerican Frontier in 1756 that becameknown as Rogers Standing Orders forWarfare. These rules are even more relevanttoday than they were at the time they werewritten. In the 20th century, KennethRoberts wrote the book “Northwest Passage”about Rogers’ famous raid on the Indian vil-lage of Saint Francis, which became themotion picture “Northwest Passage,” starringSpencer Tracy as Rogers.SSttaannddiinngg OOrrddeerrss –– MMaajjoorr RRoobbeerrtt RRooggeerrss ––

117755661. Don’t forget nothing.2. Have your musket clean as a whistle,

hatchet scoured, sixty rounds powder andball, and be ready to march at a minute’swarning.3. When you’re on the march, act the way

you would if you was sneaking up on a deer.See the enemy first.4. Tell the truth about what you see and

what you do. There is an army depending onus for correct information. You can lie all youplease when you tell other folks about theRangers, but don’t ever lie to a Ranger orofficer.5. Don’t ever take a chance you don’t have

to.6. When we’re on the march, we march sin-

gle file, far enough apart so one shot can’t gothrough two men.7. If we strike swamps, or soft ground, we

spread out abreast, so it’s hard to track us.8. When we march, we keep moving till

dark, so as to give the enemy the least possi-ble chance at us.9. When we camp, half the party stays

awake while the other half sleeps.10. If we take prisoners, we keep them sep-

arate till we have had time to examine them,so they can’t cook up a story between them.11.Don’t ever march home the same way.

Take a different route so you won’t beambushed.12. No matter whether we travel in big

parties or little ones, each party has to keepa scout 20 yards ahead, 20 yards on eachflank, and 20 yards in the rear so the mainbody can’t be surprised and wiped out.13. Every night you will be told where to

meet if surrounded by a superior force.14. Don’t sit down to eat without posting

sentries.15. Don’t sleep beyond dawn. Dawn is

when the French and Indians attack.16. Don’t cross a river by a regular ford.17. If somebody’s trailing you, make a cir-

cle, come back onto your own tracks, andambush the folks that aim to ambush you.18. Don’t stand up when the enemy’s com-

ing against you. Kneel down, lie down, hidebehind a tree.19. Let the enemy come till he’s almost

close enough to touch, then let him have itand jump out and finish him up with yourhatchet.

History

BByy RRoobbeerrtt DDoozziieerrUU..SS.. AArrmmyy IInnssttaallllaattiioonn MMaannaaggeemmeenntt CCoommmmaanndd

Army civilian personnel are bracing for theimpact of furloughs and changing financial priori-ties on their organizations. Approximately251,000 Department of the Army civilians expectto be notified soon if they will be furloughed up to22 days starting in April.In order to meet national security responsibili-

ties, IMCOM is prioritizing readiness and pro-grams based on the Army strategy, while adjust-ing to the fiscal resources available.Furloughs are a result of the Budget Control

Act passed Aug. 2, 2011, which requires more than$487 billion in cuts from the defense base budgetover 10 years, beginning in fiscal year 2013. A fur-lough places an employee in a temporary non-dutyand non-pay status.The Department of Defense has notified

Congress of their intent to furlough most civilianemployees up to 22 non-consecutive days — oneday per week until the end of the fiscal year.Active duty, reserve and National Guard areexempt from furloughs.How an individual employee or activity is affect-

ed by furloughs will be subject to the commandand the overall guidance of human resources andlegal advice.Furloughs have the potential to impact approx-

imately 27,000 IMCOM employees. There may besome exceptions for those deployed in a combatzone and those duties protect life, health and safe-ty of our Soldiers and their Families.All employees who may be furloughed are enti-

tled by law to a 30-day notice before implementa-tion. Notices are scheduled to go out betweenMarch 18 and 22.The financial burden of the furlough will be the

equivalent of an 8 1/2 percent annual reduction inpay. However, a one-day-per-week furlough duringthe last weeks of the fiscal year (from late Aprilthrough September) equates to a 20 percentreduction in pay during that time period.Overtime and comp time are curtailed, and no

employee will be allowed to volunteer servicesduring the furlough. Telework and the use of gov-ernment issued electronics, such as blackberries,laptops or iPods will not be permitted on furloughdays.An additional burden at IMCOM will be the

potential termination of temporary and termemployees. The permanent workforce may have topick up and fulfill these duties left vacant, whileworking 20 percent fewer man-hours.Health benefits, flexible spending accounts, fed-

eral group life insurance, vision and dental plansand federal long-term care plans are not impactedduring this furlough period. However, the employ-ee is still responsible for the full premiums due forthese benefits, even though their gross pay will bereduced.These factors are expected to increase the stress

on the workforce as they feel the impact on their

home budgets while attempting to balance workpriorities during a shortened work-week.Other questions on the furloughs are emerging.

For example, how the work week schedule will beaffected by furloughs is not clear. Some facilitiesand activities may accomplish their mission witha reduced workweek, while others may go to arotating schedule in an attempt to maintain cus-tomer service.Discretion is likely to be in the hands of the

supervisor or division leader with guidance fromthe garrison commander, but clear guidance is notyet available.Employee vacation days cannot be used to cover

a furlough day, but there is no prohibition to tak-ing accrued annual leave during the furlough peri-od, with supervisor approval. The scheduling ofannual leave during the furlough will likely be alot tighter due to the reduced work hours andannual leave may need to be cancelled to meet themission.If a furlough day is scheduled immediately

before and after a federal holiday, the employeewill not earn the holiday pay. This has the poten-tial to have additional impact on pay for pay-peri-ods including Monday, May 27 (Memorial Day),Thursday, July 4 (Independence Day), andMonday, Sept. 2 (Labor Day).The availability of unemployment compensation

to ease the effect of furloughs is difficult to sum-marize because the rules of each state will apply.Employees may seek part-time employment in thecivilian sector, however, they should discuss withtheir supervisor to meet ethics requirements.The effect of furloughs on an employee’s Thrift

Savings Plan depends on whether deductions arebased on percentage of basic pay or on dollaramount and it may affect the agency’s contribu-tion. Since some retirement contributions are alsobased on a percentage of pay, officials encourageemployees to meet with their human resourcesrepresentatives and/or financial planners to deter-mine how furloughs might affect their TSP andretirement contributions.The availability of Family and Morale, Welfare

and Recreation programs may also be affected, butthe full impact is not yet known. This may impactthe Army’s ability to mitigate the negative effectsof the furlough by providing MWR activities andFamily support programs.All sequestration and furlough plans and

actions are designed to be reversible. If Congresspasses a balanced deficit reduction plan that thepresident signs, the impact of sequestration oncivilian employees may be avoided.There is activity in the U.S. House of

Representatives and the U.S. Senate to write billswhich would soften the effects of sequestration;however there is no guarantee that furloughs willnot be enacted for the full term.For more information on how sequestration and

furloughs affect the IMCOM workforce, go tohttp://www.imcom.army.mil/Organization/G1Personnel.aspx.

Sequester furloughs – what itmeans to the IMCOM workforce

The executive director of the Army NationalMilitary Cemeteries announced in a hearing March13 that most of Arlington National Cemetery civil-ian employees will be exempt from defense-relatedfurloughs for fiscal year 2013.Kathryn A. Condon testified before the House

Appropriations’ Subcommittee on MilitaryConstruction, Veterans’ Affairs and RelatedAgencies to provide an update on the progress madeto date at Arlington National Cemetery, as well asprovide an update on impacts sequestration willhave at the cemetery.“As with most federal organizations, Arlington is

facing significant fiscal uncertainties from the com-bined acts of the current continuing resolution andsequestration designated in the Budget Control Actof 2011,” said Condon.On March 4, the secretary of the Army exempted

all Arlington personnel paid from the Cemeterial,Expense Army appropriation, from furloughs.Arlington National Cemetery previously reportedthat if furloughs were enacted, approximately 160fewer funerals would occur each month at the ceme-tery. Arlington National Cemetery will continue tobe subject to sequestration and related funding cuts.The president’s fiscal year 2013 budget request

for Arlington National Cemetery was $173.8 mil-lion. In the event that the federal government con-tinues to operate for a full year under a continuingresolution, Arlington’s budget for FY13 would bereduced to $45.8 million.“Operating under a CR would eliminate the $103

million for expansion projects which would extendArlington’s ability to bury our veterans, and the $25million for critical infrastructure restoration andmodernization,” said Condon.Due to sequestration, Arlington National

Cemetery funding is being reduced by 5 percent ofits FY 2013 continuing resolution level. Arlington is

absorbing this cut by using the last of the funds thatwere recovered from previous fiscal years.“Despite the challenges that further sequestra-

tion funding guidance and the continuing resolutionpresent, we can assure the nation of this: burialservices at Arlington will continue to be conductedwith honor and dignity,” said Condon.Arlington National Cemetery is committed to

honoring the legacy of our fallen heroes, veteransand their families through dignified military burialand inurnment services. The work that Arlington isundertaking today will further enable the cemeteryto be a place for people to honor, remember andexplore this nation’s rich history well into thefuture.(From an Arlington National Cemetery press

release.)

ANC employees exempt from furloughs,not sequestration-related budget cuts


Most Arlington National Cemetery civilian employees willbe exempt from defense-related furloughs for fiscal year2013. The announcement was made by the executivedirector of Army National Military Cemeteries March 13.

PHOTO BY CPL. LIZEL ROSALES

GraduationGraduates from Security Guard Academy class 006-13wait to receive their training certificates during the gradu-ation ceremony March 13. The joint training includedDirectorate of Emergency Services personnel from JointBase Myer-Henderson Hall (including Marines from theH&S Bn. HQMC Henderson Hall on the Henderson Hall por-tion of JBM-HH) as well as personnel from military basesaround the National Capital Region.


SSeeqquueessttrraattiioonn nneewwssGet the latest information and news on sequestra-

tion and how it will affect the Department of Defenseby visiting the JBM-HH website atwww.army.mil/article/96832/Sequestration_Resources/.

GGeett yyoouurr nneewwss ppuubblliisshheedd iinn tthhee JJBBMM--HHHHEEmmaaiill BBuulllleettiinn

Get your office’s important information pub-lished in the weekly JBM-HH bulletin. To get itpublished email [email protected] by Thursday at 4 p.m. The bulletin can beviewed 24 hours a day 7 days a week at www.army.mil/jbmhh under the JBM-HH Bulletinheading. For more information, call 703-696-2976.

TTaaxx cceenntteerrss ooppeennGet free tax preparation and electronic filing for

federal and state tax returns on JBM-HH at theJBM-HH Tax Center and the HQ U.S. MarineCorps Tax Center. They are open Monday throughFriday from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. The JBM-HH TaxCenter is located in Bldg. 406. For more informa-tion, call 703-696-1040. The HQ USMC TaxCenter is located in Bldg. 29, room 105. For infor-mation, call 703-693-7001.

FFoorrtt MMyyeerr TThhrriifftt SShhoopp sspprriinngg hhoouurrssThe Fort Myer Thrift shop is open Tuesday -

Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and will alsoopen on Saturday, March 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.For more information, log onto www.fortmy-erthriftshop.org/storehours.html.

FFiinnggeerrpprriinnttiinngg sseerrvviicceess ooffffeerreeddThe Directorate of Emergency Services visitor

control center, located at 108 Sheridan Avenue,Bldg. 415, on the Fort Myer portion of JBM-HH,offers fingerprinting services on Wednesdays andThursdays from 9–11 a.m. and 1–3 p.m. weekly.For additional information, contact MarilynGomez at 703-696-8968.

PPuullll--uupp cclliinniiccMarine Corps Community Services Henderson

Hall’s Semper Fit Division offers a pull-up clinicdesigned especially for women. The clinic is heldMondays, Wednesdays and Fridays (except holi-days) from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in the Cpl. TerryL. Smith Gymnasium on the Henderson Hall por-tion of JBM-HH. All Department of Defense iden-tification card holders are welcome, and noadvance registration is necessary. Call 703-693-9440 for more information.

AAOOWWCCGGWWAA sscchhoollaarrsshhiippThe 2012-2013 Army Officers Wives Club of the

Greater Washington Area scholarship informationis available at www.aowcgwa.org. Scholarshipsare awarded based on merit and are available forthe children or spouses of Army personnel whomaintain a dependent military ID card. All schol-arship application submissions must be post-marked no later than March 30.

CCYYSSSS hhiirriinnggJBM-HH Child, Youth and School Services has

vacancies for child and youth program assistants.For more information, visit www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/33698060.

RRoocckk ‘‘nn’’ RRoollll MMaarraatthhoonn iimmppaaccttss MMccNNaaiirr ttrraaffffiiccThe Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon will take place

March 16 from 5 a.m.-2 p.m. Part of the fullmarathon route is along 4th Street SW; P St. SW;and 2nd St. SW, which will interrupt entry andexit into the Fort McNair portion of JBM-HH dur-ing the race. Fort McNair is at the 16.5 - 17.5 milepoint of the race, so expect long delay times enter-ing and exiting post when the majority of runnersreach this point.

WWaattcchh tthhee UUFFCC aatt tthhee MMaarriinnee CClluubbThe Marine Club will show the Ultimate

Fighting Club 158 March 16, as UFC welter-weight champion Georges St-Pierre will defendhis title against former Strikeforce champion NickDiaz. The Marine Club opens at 8 p.m. and offersa special fight menu. Department of Defense iden-tification cards holders and their guests are wel-come. Transportation from the barracks and fromMarine Barracks Washington will be provided;check with your unit for transportation times andpick up locations. For more information on thefight, call 703-614-2125.

WWoommeenn’’ss hhiissttoorryy mmoonntthh cceelleebbrraattiioonnJBM-HH will celebrate Women’s History Month

March 20 from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at the communi-ty center, Bldg. 405. Guest speaker is Shelly Row.This year’s theme is women inspiring innovationthrough imagination. For more information call703-696-2964.

WWeellccoommee ttoo GGeerrmmaannyyCome to Army Community Service for the 411

on Germany. Learn about topics including spon-

News NotesBByy MMiicchhaaeell NNoorrrriiss

PPeennttaaggrraamm AAssssiissttaanntt EEddiittoorr

It’s not the end of history, butclose. When Kim BernardHolien retires from civilianservice March 15 after 18 yearsas the Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall historian, theposition itself will disappear.Holien, the son of an Army

medical officer, originally want-ed to be a foreign service intelli-gence officer, but he always hada passion for history.“I grew up at the dinner table

[in Alexandria] hearing storiesabout foreign service,” heexplained. “My dad had been onoccupation duty in Germanyfrom 1946 to 1948 and was sta-tioned from ’53 to ’57 onEisenhower’s White House med-ical staff, so the dinner conver-sation was always internationalaffairs and Washington politics.I got the inside skinny on howWashington really worked.”As the 1950s grew into the

1960s, “International Affairswere so intense, with the ColdWar and the dynamic of whatwas going on with the BerlinCrisis and the developing situa-tion in Southeast Asia and theCuban Missile Crisis,” he said.“Between that and the dinnertalk at the house at night, [thecareer path] was kind of a natu-ral.”Holien’s undergraduate

degree from Bethel Universityin Western Tennessee was in abroad area of social science,including course work in geog-raphy, history, government,anthropology and diplomacy. Healso got a double minor in histo-ry and psychology. He has amaster’s degree in AmericanHistory from George MasonUniversity and also attendedArmy Management StaffCollege at Fort Belvoir.Holien has worked a variety

of jobs during his career, includ-ing, among others, stints as anadministrative assistant at theNavy Annex, as a historian atArmy Materiel Command andas a teacher at Archbishop JohnCarroll High School in theDistrict of Columbia.After getting his undergradu-

ate degree in 1970, Holien wentto work at the U.S. StateDepartment in 1971. It took sixmonths for him to get the requi-site security clearance becauseof his having been born inStuttgart, Germany, as an ArmyFamily member. He entered atop secret program in which hewas responsible for 29 foreignposts. Two retired U.S. ambas-sadors served as his officialmentors, grooming him for acareer in the foreign service.“They were there to show us

the ropes, teach us tradecraftand take off the rough edges,”Holien explained.Holien next went to work at

the General Accounting Office.“Because I had a background inmilitary and State, I wasassigned foreign cases and vet-eran cases,” he said.In 1975 he began working for

the National Archives at a largegovernment warehouse workingon declassifying records from1940-1955.“One day they pulled a group

of us aside and said, ‘Well, we’vejust been delivered all theseboxes with no labels on them, sowe don’t know what’s inside ofthem,’” he related. “‘Each of youwill be assigned x amount ofboxes to go through.’“One of the boxes I got — the

size of a standard records box… which could hold up to 2,500pages of material — the onlything in it was a manila mailerat the bottom. In the left handcorner it read: War Department.Well, the War Departmentceased to exist in 1947, when itbecame the Department of

Defense. [The envelope] hadbeen in there since 1947.”“I very gingerly picked the

envelope up. All the glue hadbecome dried out,” he said. “Iturned it over and spread [thecontents] out, and there wereall these 10x14 brown, sepia-toned X-rays. I took one X-rayoff the top, and held it up by thecorners to the light. I was obvi-ously a dental X-ray, and in thelower corner it read: ‘A. Hitler.’”Holien said some GI probably

picked it up at Hitler’s resi-dence in Munich, passed it on toa superior who placed it in anenvelope where it sat since1945.“Working at the Archives was

a very enriching experienceeach and every day,” he said.In 1979, Holien went to work

for the Army Center of MilitaryHistory as a reference historian.“I had to be a jack of all

trades, because you never knowwhat was coming in on the nextphone call, walk-in or letter,” hesaid. “I handled everything fromCaesar’s 10th Legion throughStar Wars [the missile defensesystem].”Holien said he even fielded a

call from an Indiana kid whohad deserted the Army.“We would get phone calls

from the operators, saying, “‘I’vegot somebody on the line here. Idon’t know where else I can puthim within the Department ofDefense. Can I give him to youand you can figure it out?’” hesaid, explaining the circum-stances. Holien counseled theyouth on the phone for an hourand got the youth to turn him-self in and get his life squaredaway.After the Iraqi invasion of

Kuwait during Desert Storm,Kim got an urgent phone callfrom the vice chief of staff of theArmy.He said he was asked, “‘Kim,

how much water per man, perday in the desert?’” A few hourslater he got a similar call fromthe surgeon general of theArmy, and then another onefrom the Office of the DeputyChief of Staff for Logistics.“I immediately went to the

library at the Center of MilitaryHistory and pulled out thebooks from the official history ofthe British 8th Army in NorthAfrica in 1941-43,” Holien relat-ed. “I gave the facts and figuresto the three offices on the Armystaff that had called me, andthey figured how much waterper man per day, based onhuman consumption, hygiene,medical … and then they addedin the cooling off of computersand the cleaning of all the jetand vehicle engines. They cameup with a factor of 10 gallonsper man per day in the desert.So when you saw these hugeugly khaki water bags layingaround in the desert [during theGulf War] that were bigger thana truck … that’s what I wasinvolved with.”“When I was at the Center of

Military History,” he summa-rized, “I felt like I was an infor-mation cop at a very busy inter-section. And if I didn’t know theanswer, I knew who did knowthe answer. That proved veryhelpful to a lot of people at a lotof times.”In 1995, the position of the

Fort Myer Military Communityhistorian was created. Therewas already an Old Guard his-torian position on the installa-tion who served as The OldGuard Museum curator andMDW command historian. Kimsaid he likely got the jobbecause of his experience at theCenter of Military History andbecause he grew up in the areaand knew its heritage and his-tory. “They didn’t have to bringme up to snuff,” he said.“When I first got here I basi-

cally built the history programup from a few file drawers ofmiscellaneous paperwork that[the garrison commander] gaveme,” Holien recalled. The com-mander retired a week afterHolien came on board. “When Iwalked in to be introduced, hesaid, ‘Oh you’re the historian.Good. Here’s a file cabinet ofpapers for you. That was myintroduction to the historyarchives.”The week after Holien got

here, a Soldier came to his officecarrying a box labeled “WrightBrothers” that he found in athrow-out bin while conductinga building survey.“That was the original Wright

Brothers film taken in 1909here at Fort Myer,” Holien said.“Immediately, I knew he had atreasure, but I did not realizehow great a treasure it wasuntil it got transferred onto aVHS tape and I could view it.“When I saw it, here were the

Wright Brothers flying at FortMyer. And you could see themgoing by TOG headquarters andflying down Sheridan Avenueand flying past post headquar-ters … and along ArlingtonNational Cemetery, landing andtaking off,” he said. “I knew itwas a treasure. I knew it wascritically important.“I went over to the Air and

Space Museum, put [the video]in their machine. The[Smithsonian] fellow is sittingthere with me, looking at me,going, ‘Ho-hum, ho-hum,’because the tape was not con-tinuous. It was obviously a cutup tape in sections from two dif-ferent cameras with two differ-ent angles filming the sameevent. All of a sudden hejumped up and ran to the wallphone and called his boss andsaid, ‘Boss, you better get downhere right away.’“It turns out that cameras A

and B had been used to filmthis. The film footage from Ahad been saved completely, andeverybody knew that, but thefilm footage from B … had beenlost from 1909 until 1995. I

JBM-HH historian retires


Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Historian Kim Holien gives a private tourof the Fort McNair portion of JBM-HH the afternoon of Feb. 12. Holienretires March 15 after 41 years of federal service.

Continues on next pagesee HISTORIAN, page 7

Community

sorship, household shipments, per-sonal vehicle shipments, driving,pets, passport information, as well ascustoms, culture and language. Thenext class is set for March 21 from10-11 a.m. at Bldg. 201. To register,call 703-696-0156.

LLiill CChheessttyy’’ss ppllaayy ggrroouuppThe Marine Corps Community

Services Henderson Hall NewParent Support Program’s LilChesty’s play group that recentlyformed at Marine BarracksWashington will continue to meet onselect Tuesdays. The next meeting isMarch 26, 10-11:30 a.m. at MCCSPost 5 classroom in Bldg. 20. Thegroup, for children 5 years old andyounger and their parents, includesstory time, play time, snacks andactivities. For more information, call703-614-7204.

KKiinnddeerrggaarrtteenn rreeaaddiinneesssseevveenntt ccaanncceelleedd

The Ready, Set Go: KindergartenReadiness event scheduled forMarch 16 has been canceled. Formore information about schoolreadiness, call 703-693-8373.

CChheecckk ccaasshhiinngg ttoo bbee ddiissccoonnttiinnuueeddBeginning March 18, the cash

office in the Marine Corps Exchangewill no longer cash checks. Patronsmay continue to write checks forpurchases and may write for $25cash back over the purchaseamount. Patrons may also utilizetwo ATMs, one in the breezeway andone in the second floor frontvestibule. For more information, call571-483-1949.

NNeeww ssppoouussee mmeeeett aanndd ggrreeeettThe next new spouse meet and

greet is set for March 26 from noon-2 p.m. at Army Community Service,Bldg. 201, on the Fort Myer portionof JBM-HH. It offers newly arrivedspouses an opportunity to meetother spouses and obtain informa-tion on the joint base and surround-

ing area. They will talk about mili-tary and local resources, commutingand public transportation, shopping,dining and much more. For moreinformation or to register, call 703-696-0156.

SSmmooootthh mmoovveeA smooth move class is set for

March 28 from 1-3 p.m. at JBM-HHMCCS Bldg. 12. It is an informaljoint service brief for servicemem-bers planning a permanent changeof station. Learn about your newduty station, moving with Tricare,arranging household good shipmentwith the transportation office, spon-sorship, housing and more. To regis-ter, call 703-696-0156.

SSOOWWCC mmeeeettssCome tour with the Signal Officers

Wives Club and see the lovely cherryblossoms at Mount Vernon estateApril 2. The tour begins at 10 a.m.The cost will be $14 per person.Following the tour at 11:30 a.m.,lunch will be served at the MountVernon Inn. The cost is $22 per per-son with tax and gratuity included.To make your reservations, call AnnMarie at 703-455-2551.

MMoobbiillee DDMMVV ccoommiinngg bbaacckkttoo JJBBMM--HHHH

The JBM-HH Army Career andAlumni Program will sponsor theVirginia Department of MotorVehicle’s mobile unit April 9 from 9a.m.-4 p.m. in the parking lot infront of the bowling center andSpates Community Club. They willprovide all or most services found ata regular DMV office. For moreinformation, call 703-696-9603.

CCoommppaannyy ccoommmmaannddeerr//ffiirrsstt sseerrggeeaanntt ccoouurrssee

The USAMDW company com-mander/first sergeant course will beheld April 15-18 in room 3305,Lincoln Hall, National DefenseUniversity, on the Fort McNair por-tion of JBM-HH. The course is con-ducted to introduce new and

prospective company leaders topotential challenges of command,avenues and resources available toassist them and overall concernswithin the National Capitol Region.All JFHQ-NCR/MDW company com-manders and first sergeants arerequired to attend this training. Formore information, contact MichaelEgly at 202-685-2910 or via email [email protected] or DavidStone at 202-685-1923 or via emailat [email protected].

SSpprriinngg eedduuccaattiioonn aanndd ccaarreeeerr ffaaiirrPrepare for your future with local,

national and international educatorsand employers looking to connectwith you. MCCS Henderson Hallannounces their spring education andcareer fair April 18 from 11 a.m.-2p.m. in the Cpl. Terry L. Smith Gym,JBM-HH. Educators and employeeswill be on hand to meet prospectivestudents and employees, and break-fast and lunch refreshments will beserved. Resume review and assis-tance services will be available dur-ing the fair, which is open to DoD IDcard holders and the general publicwith photo ID. To prepare for the fair,the Career Resource ManagementOffice offers a career fair strategiesworkshop on April 11 from 10-11:30a.m., in Bldg. 29, classroom 104 on theHenderson Hall portion of the jointbase. For more information, call 703-614-6828.

NNCCRR//MMDDWW ccoommbbaattiivveessttoouurrnnaammeenntt

JBM-HH Family, Morale, Welfareand Recreation is looking for the bestwarriors to compete in this year’sNCR/MDW combatives tournament.The tournament is open to all service-members and DoD civilians from allinstallations within the NCR/MDWregion and will be held April 16-19 atConmy Hall, Bldg. 241. Combativesparticipating in the tournament willalso compete for a spot on the 2013NCR/MDW combatives team. Formore information, visit www.jbmhhMWR.com; email Billy Cook at

[email protected] or call 703-806-5176/6446.

AAOOWWCCGGWWAA ccoommmmuunniittyy ggrraannttssTheArmy OfficersWives Club of the

Greater Washington Area is nowaccepting applications for communitygrants. If you are interested in receiv-ing a community grant, visitwww.aowcgwa.org and click on schol-arships and community grants. Thedeadline for community grants appli-cations is April 17. All grant recipientswill be awarded checks June 27.

BBoooottss ttoo BBuussiinneessss wwoorrkksshhooppThe Career Resource Management

Center announces a new SmallBusiness Administration Boots toBusiness workshop. Geared towardtransitioning military servicemem-bers, military spouses and veterans,the workshop is designed to determineif starting a business is right for you.After the two-day workshop, each par-ticipant will have a feasibility analysisdeliverable that will serve as the basisfor future business planning. The firstsession on JBM-HH is May 13-14.Additional sessions are June 19-20and Nov. 12-13. The workshop is freeand reservations must be made bycalling 703-614-6828.

SSpprriinngg ssppoorrttss ssiiggnn--uuppRegistration is open for MCCS

Henderson Hall spring basketballand volleyball leagues. Games will beplayed in April and May on week-days, days to be determined, from 11a.m.-1 p.m. in the Cpl. Terry L. SmithGymnasium. Team size is 12 playersplus one coach, and play is open toDepartment of Defense identificationcard holders. Register atwww.mccsHH.com/AthleticSports.html or visit the Semper Fit office inBldg. 29, Rm. 3005. Registration clos-es March 15. For more information,call 703-697-2706/2708.

PPlleeaassee sseenndd yyoouurr nneewwss nnootteess ttootthhee PPeennttaaggrraamm aatt ppeennttaa--ggrraammjjbbmmhhhh@@yyaahhoooo..ccoomm


News NotesContinued from previous page

1037749B

1301 S. Joyce Street, Arlington, VA

703-415-4420 sineirishpub.comLocated at Pentagon Row

“Beannachtam NaFeile Padraig!”

HappySt. Patrick’s Day

March 17th

Join us for your favorite pintand a great selection of food

including traditional Irish fare.

1037843B

St. Patrick’s Day SoberRideThe Washington Region Alcohol Program’s2013 St. Patrick’s Day SoberRide program willbe offered March 17 from 4 p.m. to 4 a.m. onMarch 18. To receive a free cab ride home, call800-200-8294. AT&T customers may dial#WRAP from their wireless phones. Refer tothe SoberRide information listed below forimportant details concerning this program. Allrequests for SoberRide service must be calledto and dispatched from 1-800-200-8294. Do notcall a taxi company directly for SoberRideservice as the ride will not be covered underthis program.The goal of SoberRide is to provide safe trans-portation to would-be impaired drivers in thegreater Washington, D.C., area over high-riskholidays. WRAP’s SoberRide provides a freecab ride home up to a $30 fare. Callers arefinancially responsible for anything costingover $30. Those taking advantage of SoberRidemust be 21 years or older to use the service.

Road work set to beginMonday outside WrightGate to Route 110

Crews are scheduled to begin restoration ofMarshall Drive between Wright Gate and Rt.110 beginning March 18 and finishing by March22 (weather permitting). Milling and pavingactivities fromWright Gate to the entrance intoIwo Jima Memorial will take place between 7a.m. and 7 p.m. Crews will only work in/nearthe Route 110 intersection from 9:30 a.m. to 3p.m. to reduce the impact on traffic. During theroad work one lane will remain closed with one-way traffic controlled by flagmen. For moreinformation, call 703-696-0146.


Bench pressSpc. David Picklesimer, The Old Guard, participates ina weightlifting competition at the fitness center onJoint Base Myer-Henderson Hall March 13.


1038053B

nation’s defense, Carter said.“They do real things that are really important to

us. And they’ve had their pay frozen for years; nowthey’re subject to furlough.”The deputy secretary said the reason civilians

join the department, and the reason “I hope they’llstick with us,” is because of mission.“They’re committed to what we do, which is

defend the country and hope to make a betterworld,” he said. “That’s why they do it.”

This house started out as 1,500square feet, and you are in an origi-nal part of the house,” said Mrs.Amos. She told the group “the houseis now about 15,000 square feet,excluding the active basement,which is completely finished belowus, so we’re at about 20,000 squarefeet.”She said all the wallpaper was

completely stripped from the home’swalls and below ground structuralsupport was done. “We also discov-ered an original fireplace in thebasement below the ladies’ sittingroom fireplace … it was probablyused to cook in because bones werefound in there.”Mrs. Amos pointed out the house

has maintained its architecturalintegrity since it was originally con-structed in 1806. “It does not looklike we’ve had any add-ons since itwas built.”She also pointed out the house

was haunted. “Archibald Henderson[fifth commandant of the MarineCorps] is our resident ghost. He doesa lot of foolishness and sometimeshe does serious, costly damage to thehouse. Sometimes things happenthat there’s absolutely no explana-tion [for].” She described one inci-dent where a shower had beenturned on in the middle of the night,causing extensive damage.Marines, volunteering as docents,

toured the group through the three-story home.Master Sgt. Scott Smart, a docent,

pointed out, “the Home of theCommandants is the oldest continu-ously occupied residence inWashington, D.C., and it wasdeclared a historic landmark in1976 by the Department of Interior.”Some of the home’s history was

presented by Marine docentGunnery Sgt. Brad Chrisman,

including the original budget.Historical trivia and interestingfacts about furnishings and por-traits of past commandants werepresented throughout the tour.Other first floor rooms on the tour

included the sun room, music room,dining room and ladies’ sitting room.The tour includes characteristics

of the commandants’ official por-traits, facts about some of thehome’s furnishings, many of whichwere donated by the various com-mandants who resided there.Composer John Philip Sousa’s

eyeglasses, baton and flask are dis-played on the piano in the musicroom. Sousa served as the MarineBand director from 1880 to 1892. A1920s bronze Tiffany floor lampwith a green and blue dragonflyglass shade is also a significantpiece in the music room. The lamp

was actually saved from breaking byone of the staff Marines on duty atthe home during the rumble fromthe 2011 earthquake.The carpet in the dining room is

decorated with the original symbolof the Marine Corps. An antiqueblue plate, the oldest item in thehouse, is displayed on the diningroom mantel.The second floor of the home is the

personal living quarters of the com-mandant and his family, including afamily sitting area, the comman-dant’s personal study and bedrooms.Visitors can look into the study andthe commandant’s bedroom. Cpl.Brittney McGhee, another docent onthe tour, told everyone the Familysitting area is the only room in thehouse that is completely decoratedwith the current commandant’s per-sonal furnishings.

The third floor includes threesuites, named after ThomasJefferson, Col. [Charles] Waterhouseand Prince Phillip, as well as a toyroom, decorated year-round with aChristmas theme including antiquetoys and memorabilia from Gen.Amos’ childhood. A tapestry, whichoriginally served as a guest book forvisitors to the home, including MarkTwain, is hanging on a hallway wallon the third floor.Throughout the tour, guests were

allowed to walk in most rooms, whilea few were roped off, but viewablefrom the doors leading to thoserooms, including the commandant’spersonal study, personal bedroomand the toy room.The upstairs balcony boasts a

spectacular view of the residencegardens, parade ground and the his-torical buildings of MarineBarracks.At the conclusion of the tour,

everyone posed for a group photowith Mrs. Amos and a surprise guest– Chesty XIII, the current mascot ofthe Marine Corps.“I think the tour is important to

understand the history of theMarine Corps,” said Capt. AnnaAntoine, H&S Bn. supply officer.“I thought the tour was amazing

and [to] know we got to do some-thing not all Marines get to do, tour-ing this home,” said Staff Sgt.Alberto Rodriquez, an admin chiefat H&S Bn. “I liked the personal liv-ing spaces and the personal touchesGeneral and Mrs. Amos havethroughout the home as well as allthe portraits of the commandants.”“It was interesting to hear about

and see the renovation as well aspersonally meet Mrs. Amos,” saidPia Cacioppo, of the Marine CorpsExchange retail section. “As aMarine wife, it was interesting tosee a piece of history.”

Commandant, from page 1

Hagel, from page 1

in a parking lot,” Foster stipulated. “Anything otherthan that is not considered a parking space.” Headded that DES eventually plans to paint areasalong curbs where parking is prohibited.“The plan is to paint the curb so everyone can dis-

tinguish where you can and cannot park, similar towhen you go off post where curbs are painted eitheryellow or red [showing] where you can’t park,”Foster said. “That way everyone understands what’sgoing on, because that would be the national stan-dard – red for fire [lane], yellow for no parking.”Foster said the protocol for parking enforcement

is outlined in JBM-HH policy 190-15, which can befound at www.army.mil/jbmhh.“We try to make it as clear as possible. We’ve

never had any complaints from anyone saying theyhad a hard time interpreting what we put on paper,”he said. “We always stay within regulatory guide-lines.”DES statistics show there are 5,656 parking

spaces on JBM-HH, with 3,257 on Fort Myer, 1,899on Fort McNair and approximately 500 onHenderson Hall.Studies have shown, Foster said, that nobody

wants to park more than a thousand feet from theirworkplace. He said the parking squeeze is mostacute on the Army portions of the base, withHendersonHall parking having opened up consider-ably after the Navy Annex closed.Foster said the places on base that have the most

trouble with parking are the area around AndrewRader Health Clinic, where patients continually viefor spaces, and along Sheridan Avenue in front ofBldgs. 250, 249 and 248.Foster said some previously reserved parking

spaces (adjacent the back wall of the cemetery in thetri-service lot) that had previously been restricted toresidents and buses have reopened to the communi-ty at large, although not all spaces have been paint-ed yet. “We’ve got to go back and re-stripe all that,”he said.Foster also emphasized that the Old Post Chapel

parking lot is reserved for people attending funeralson base and shouldn’t serve as an overflow lot forthe tri-service facility.“Parking over there is very, very important,” he

said. “You don’t want folks who are paying theirrespects to be further upset. They’re already upset[and grieving]. You don’t want them to be any worse

Parking, from page 1


Bonnie Amos (right), wife of Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps Gen. James F.Amos, speaks with members of a group from the Henderson Hall portion of Joint BaseMyer-Henderson Hall after they tour the Home of the Commandants March 8.


A boot is placed on a car in a Joint Base Myer-HendersonHall parking lot March 13. The only legal parking spaceson base are ones that are outlined in white paint. Parallelparking along curbs is illegal unless there are designat-ed parking spaces.

OFFICIAL DEFENSE DEPARTMENT PHOTO

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said DefenseDepartment civilian employees will particularly feel thepain sequester will bring to the entire defense workforce.


01037745B

turned the original over to theNational Archives and kept a copyhere at Fort Myer.“It’s just been one of the great hits

of the past 18 years, because in 2008and ‘09 we had the centennial of theWright Brothers flying here at FortMyer. This was the birth not only ofArmy aviation and the U.S. AirForce. World military aviation allstarts right here on Fort Myer in1908/09.”Holien was also instrumental in

preserving Bldgs. 20 and 21 on FortMcNair when they were slated fordestruction. Bldg. 20 had historicalsignificance as the site where theconspirators in the assassination ofPresident Abraham Lincoln weretried.One elusive quest, Holien’s white

whale if you will, is the historian’ssearch to discover Civil War cannonsbelieved to be buried somewhere onFort Myer’s Summerall Field. Whilecannons and cannon balls were dis-covered by Directorate of PublicWorks employees in 1984, additionalartifacts have not been found,despite the employment of sophisti-cated detection devices and testexcavations.Holien remembers first contribut-

ing to the Pentagram around 1997,submitting extensive features onbattlefield anniversaries and othersubjects that eventually led to his bi-weekly history column in the news-paper.“I wanted them to be learning les-

sons,” Holien said of the column. “Tome, Army history is a constant learn-ing book. You just page through itand there are lessons learned inleadership, logistics, joint force oper-ations, battlefield discipline, prepara-tion for combat and training – it’s allthere.”As the FMMC historian, Holien

conducted staff rides and worked onDoD legacy projects, like the restora-tion of the 1887 Meigs House, one ofthe few remaining examples of earlyArmy housing built for noncommis-sioned officers. He also created aseries of historical markers on Fort

Myer and Fort McNair recognizingthe Buffalo Soldiers presence on FortMyer and women war workers whoperished in a munitions factoryexplosion in 1865 on Fort McNair.“It was a 100 percent challenge to

be the first ever historian here,because there was no informationresource base to build on,” he said.“If I had gone to be the post histori-an at Fort Benning, Ga., or FortRiley, Kansas, there would have beena well established history program,the files would have all been inplace, the historical photographs, thefilm footage, the maps, the docu-ments, the programs from cere-monies and functions, all of thatwould have been lined up, and noneof that was here.“While I was constantly answering

inquires, and walk-in and emails andphone calls and quick hurry-upsfrom VIPs, I had to be backpaddlingand try to build up this informationresource base to enable me toanswer these requests and ques-tions.”In his job, Holien has provided

source material and documentationto various books and facilitated themaking of documentaries and fea-ture films. He has conducted VIPtours, helped Family members navi-gate a labyrinth of bureaucracy intrying to obtain old records and lenta sympathetic ear to veterans whovisit his office, including notableslike retired Col. Jack Hyde, whosaved Gen. Patton’s life in the Battleof the Bulge, and Col. Melvin H.Rosen, a young artillery officer inBataan who survived three and ahalf years in a POW camp.The most rewarding part of the

job, he said, is bringing Army historyto life and helping people withimportant questions.After retirement, Holien plans on

pursuing a doctorate. He has sixbooks he’d like to write. The bookhe’s currently working on is“Manassas: The First Battle,” whichis two thirds complete. He plans tocontinue serving as a Civil War re-enactor, something he’s beeninvolved with for 50 years. He alsohopes to travel more.

Holien has a knack for bringinghistory to life. Even those whoaren’t history buffs speak of how hecan make a subject vivid by provid-ing anecdotes about the personalitiesin a period and quoting relevant his-torical figures along the way.He said he tries to focus on “flesh-

and-blood people making flesh-and-blood decisions that are very similarand very relevant to the decisionsthat have to be made today“We’ve been lucky to work with

him. He shows a lot of enthusiasm.His presentations are never dull ordry,” said Tom Dickenson, vice presi-dent of the Arlington HistoricalSociety about the historical toursHolien has provided over the years.“He has a great reputation in thecommunity. We have been very luckyto work with him. He can answerany question. He’ll point out where[Gen. George] Patton lived andwhere the Wright Brothers took offfrom.”Dickenson said the tours Holien

provides generally attract 70 to 80people and that they’re usually over-subscribed because of their accessi-bility.Holien has a gift for engaging peo-

ple.“When you have a five-minute con-

versation with Kim, it turns into ahalf hour,” said Tom Sherlock, theretired historian for ArlingtonNational Cemetery. “I mean that inthe most positive way. One thoughtturns into another and another…”“Military history is critical. You

can’t understand any aspect of histo-ry without understanding militaryhistory,” he emphasized. “When youlook at all the vast technologicaldevelopments during World War IIand everything that followed … thewhole world is built upon the WorldWar II era. It’s the same with all thepolitical ramifications we live withtoday, all the problems in the MiddleEast can basically be traced back tothe Treaty of Versailles followingWorld War I.”“A nation that forgets its past has

no future,” Holien said, again quot-ing Churchill.


Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Historian Kim Holien gives a private tour of the FortMcNair portion of JBM-HH the afternoon of Feb. 12. Holien retires March 15 after 41years of service.

Historian, from page 4


Furlough to affect Thrift Savings Plan contributionsBByy CCllaauuddeettttee RRoouulloo

AAmmeerriiccaann FFoorrcceess PPrreessss SSeerrvviiccee

Federal civilian employees could see theirThrift Savings Plan contributions reduced if fur-loughs take effect. The Thrift Savings Plan is aretirement savings and investment plan for fed-eral employees and members of the uniformedservices, including the Ready Reserve.“Employees who have selected their TSP con-

tribution to be a percentage of their pay will seesmaller contributions during the furlough perioddue to their reduced pay,” said Navy Cmdr.Leslie Hull-Ryde, a Defense Department spokes-woman.For example, an employee who earns $1,000 of

basic pay every two-week pay period and con-tributes 10 percent of it to the TSP would makea $100 TSP contribution during a normal payperiod. However, if the employee is furloughedfor two days per pay period, his or her basic paywould decrease to $800. As a result, the TSP con-tribution would be $80 per pay period.Employees who contribute a set dollar amountwon’t see that amount change with a reductionin pay, Hull-Ryde said. For this reason, now is agood time to review TSP contribution amountsto see if they are appropriate, Thrift SavingsPlan officials said.Basic pay reductions also will affect the

matching funds contributed by the DefenseDepartment and other agencies. According to a

Thrift Savings Plan news release, any reductionin pay will proportionally decrease the matchingfunds contribution, regardless of whetheremployees contribute a percentage of their payor a set dollar amount.The furloughs may cause financial hardship

for some employees, and in those cases they mayconsider making a hardship withdrawal fromtheir TSP fund. Such withdrawals have severalrestrictions:• If you take a hardship withdrawal, you will

not be able to make any TSP contributions forsix months after having received your funds.• You may withdraw only your contributions

and the earnings associated with them, and thetotal amount cannot exceed your financial hard-ship.• You must pay income tax on the taxable por-

tion of any withdrawal, and you may also be sub-ject to a 10 percent early withdrawal penaltytax.• If you are a Federal Employees Retirement

System participant, you will not receive agencymatching contributions.• A hardship withdrawal cannot be repaid, so

your TSP account is permanently reduced by theamount of your withdrawal.A better option may be taking a loan against

your TSP, officials said. Loans can be repaid —plus interest — but the account continues toaccrue earnings even as the loan is paid back.TSP officials recommend that employees think

carefully before decreasing or stopping their tra-ditional TSP contributions. Those contributionsare subtracted from pre-tax income, and termi-nating the contributions could increase incometax liability. Roth TSP contributions are sub-tracted from employees’ after-tax income, andchanges will not affect tax liability.“One of the great things about your TSP con-

tributions, no matter how small, is that theearnings compound over time. If you stop yourcontributions, even for a short time, you’ll missthis opportunity altogether,” the news releasesaid.Federal Employees Retirement System partic-

ipants would, in effect, be losing free money bystopping their contributions, because matchingcontributions also would stop, officials said.

Chairman:sequestration willaffect programs,readiness

BByy AArrmmyy SSggtt.. 11sstt CCllaassss TTyyrroonnee CC.. MMaarrsshhaallll JJrr..AAmmeerriiccaann FFoorrcceess PPrreessss SSeerrvviiccee

The Defense Department will see effects to long-term military readiness and support programssuch as the Tragedy Assistance Program forSurvivors under sequestration’s fiscal constraints,the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff saidMarch 11.Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey gave remarks

and fielded questions from the audience at theNational League of Cities Congressional CitiesConference.“Sequestration was the thing that was never

supposed to happen,” he said. The task now, headded, is to figure out how to proceed.The military must defend the nation and will do

so, the chairman said. But the bond of trustbetween the nation and its military must endure,he added. TAPS, Gold Star Families and theWounded Warrior Project are among organiza-tions that manifest that bond of trust, he added.“But there’s going to be some long-term readi-

ness issues that will affect the force,” he noted.“You can’t take $500 billion out over five years,$46 billion out over six months. I mean, Houdinicouldn’t figure that out. So when I get asked aboutwhy we’re not figuring it out, it’s because I’m notHoudini. There [are] some things we’re going tohave to do to sweep up every bit of money we canfind in the next six months.”Just as in businesses, the general said, more

than half of the Defense Department's budget isspent in the first half of the fiscal year.“So [the spending cuts are] going to have an

effect,” Dempsey said. “The commitment I’ve madeis we’ve got to keep faith and make sure the forcethat we’re deploying — the one that’s there nowand the next to go — they will clearly be the pri-ority.”The chairman was clear that wounded warriors

and their Families will remain a priority for DoD.“They’ve made a commitment to us,” he said.

“We’ve got to make a commitment to them. And[we have] our commitment to partnering withorganizations like TAPS. You can count on me tocontinue to be a strong advocate of that.”Despite these commitments, Dempsey said,

things will happen at the local level that Pentagonleadership won't see.“I [may] say I’m going to make sure we’re com-

mitted to wounded warriors, and then a woundedwarrior’s spouse tries to go to the commissary atFort Carson, Colo., and it’s closed,” he said. “[Thisis] going to happen, because of this issue of sweep-ing up the money we need to get through the year.There will be things done at the local level that wewon’t have any visibility on.”The chairman said troops and their Families

must communicate with each other so the effectsof sequestration are known.“There are going to be things that we don’t see

at this level that will affect your communities,”Dempsey said. “And what I’ve encouraged othermilitary members and Families to do is ... stay intouch with each other so we actually understandthe effect.”

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Nowhere is a traumatic brain injury (TBI)more evident and pervasive than in the dailylives of our servicemembers. The rate of com-bat-related brain injuries in servicemembersreturning from the current conflicts in Iraqand Afghanistan are higher than in previousconflicts. Some symptoms may appear imme-diately after the injury and others may notappear for days or weeks. Because of thenature of the injury and the symptoms, manyindividuals may not even recognize or admitthat they have a problem. In addition, forpatients who suffer from post-concussionmild TBI; recovery time is within weeks ormonths. A small percentage of patience withmild TBI encounter persistent symptoms andpatients with moderate to severe TBI maynever fully recover to their pre-injury level offunction.TBI occurs when the head sustains an

external blow or jolt that causes the brain toricochet off of the skull which can result inbruising, tearing of nerve fibers, and bleedingto the brain. The actual event that can causean individual to suffer a TBI is vast. TheCenter for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) shows that approximately 1.7 millionpeople sustain a traumatic brain injuryannually. There are four categories of TBI,mild, moderate, severe and penetrating. Amild TBI (mTBI), which is also known as aconcussion, is the most common form of TBI.Active duty male members of the military

were hospitalized due to TBI related injuriesat a rate of 231 per 100,000. The rate forfemale members of the military was 150 per100,000. Based on these statistics; over 4,000military personnel are hospitalized on aver-age each year for traumatic brain injuries.Some are diagnosed as a mild TBI, while oth-ers result in moderate to severe TBI, accord-ing to the report. As Family members andfriends, pointing these symptoms out couldhelp individuals seek immediate treatmentgiving them the best chance at avoiding seri-ous, long-term complications and enjoying themost comfortable lifestyle possible post activeduty.The CDC estimates that at least 5.3 million

Americans currently have a long-term or life-long need for help to perform activities ofdaily living as a result of a TBI. According toone study, about 40 percent of those hospital-ized with a TBI had at least one unmet needfor services one year after their injury. Themost frequent unmet needs were: improvingmemory and problem solving; managingstress and emotional upsets; controlling one’stemper; and improving job skills. It can alsocause epilepsy and increase the risk for con-ditions such as Alzheimer’s disease,Parkinson’s disease, and other brain disor-ders that become more prevalent with age.Health care professionals can provide hope

to this seemingly growing epidemic by follow-ing clinical practice guidelines: VA/DoDManagement of Concussion/mild TraumaticBrain Injury Clinical Practice Guideline, Apr09. This evidence-based guideline applies to

adult patients 18 years or older who are diag-nosed with a concussion or mild TBI andcomplains of symptoms related to the injuryand who are treated in VA/DoD clinical set-tings for these symptoms at least seven daysafter the initial head injury. The guideline isrelevant to all healthcare professionals pro-viding or directing treatment services topatients with a concussion or TBI in anyVA/DoD healthcare setting, including bothprimary and specialty care.On Aug. 27, 2012, now retired Army (Dr.)

Col. Geoffrey Ling, program manager at theDefense Advanced Research Projects Agency,addressed medical care providers on the mili-tary’s model approach to TBI in a lecture atthe National Intrepid Center of Excellence onthe campus of Walter Reed National MilitaryMedical Center. Ling called “a remarkableachievement,” that early screening and detec-tion is most essential to diagnose and treat aTBI from mild to severe cases. The diagnosticformula that is used is called the MilitaryAcute Concussion Evaluation (MACE).Another hope for TBI patients is in the areaof neurcognitive performance, EYE-TRACAdvance (ETA) is a Department of Defensefunded study which examines the relation-ship between eye-tracking, attention, andpredictive timing. ETA will enroll over 5,000athletes, 5,000 military participants, and sev-eral hundred civilian participants. Eye-track-ing and predictive timing can be defined as aperson’s ability to accurately eye track amoving target. Due to the nature of athleticand military activities, i.e., contact sports,combat, athletes and military personnel areamong the most at risk for experiencing aconcussion.In conclusion, with the use of diagnostic

tools like the MACE and ETA as well asother advancements in future science,research, and funding, can only give way topromise and hope, shining a light on themedical and emotional needs of our men,woman, and families whose lives have beendevastated by a TBI, there is always honor,compassion and hope.

Hope and promise for traumatic brianinjury military members and their Families

GRAPHIC COURTESY OF DEFENSE CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH AND

TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY

Traumatic brain injury is one of the invisible wounds ofwar, and one of the signature injuries of troops wound-ed in Afghanistan and Iraq. For more information aboutthe Defense Department's efforts to care for woundedwarriors suffering from this condition while promotingresearch to improve diagnosis and treatment log ontodefense.gov.


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Marines and their Family members mingledwith Headquarters and Service Battalion,Headquarters Marine Corps, Henderson Hallstaff for a town hall meeting held at the MarineClub on the Henderson Hall portion of Joint BaseMyer-Henderson Hall March 12.Renée Lilley, Family Readiness Officer coordi-

nated with Col. Ira M. Cheatham, commandingofficer of H&S Bn., HQMC Henderson Hall andSgt. Maj. Craig D. Cressman to spearhead thisevent for Marines and their Families attached toHenderson Hall. The relaxed atmosphere madefor an evening of good conversation and an oppor-tunity to share their concerns and ask questionsof the command staff.“We can make changes to better serve our pop-

ulation if they let us know what to change — italso develops a bond of trust,” said Lilley, the newFRO at Henderson Hall. “I hope that the Marinesand their families take away a better understand-ing of the Unit, Personal and Family ReadinessProgram (UPFRP) and what the command, FROand MCCS resources can do for them.“We started today, and we will continue on so

Marines on the outskirts at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling and in the Pentagon know about the serv-ices we have to offer,” said Cheatham.“As long as we can help one individual and pro-

vide the information to just one person we haveaccomplished our job,” said Cheatham. “We will

take care of every person who comes through thisdoor, whether it’s one person or 1,700 people.”Cressman added, “This was a success.”The MCCS Marine and Family Programs

encompass 13 organizations, which providedresource tables offering information on theirspecific programs and staff were available toanswer questions. On hand were the SingleMarine Program, Education and Career,Marketing, Exceptional Family Program, SchoolLiaison, Children and Family Services, MarineCorps Family Team Building to name a few, saidLilley.Marine spouse Arianna Foster and her hus-

band Staff Sgt. Clifford Foster, career retentionspecialist at Henderson Hall, had been dis-cussing the possibility of Arianna attending col-lege. Arianna spoke to the Education and CareerCenter representative.“I had no idea Henderson Hall offered so many

different kind of programs and services; I spoketo Anne Marie about going back to school,” shesaid. “I think this is great.”“I also believe that they will walk away know-

ing that the command cares and genuinelywants to know what’s going on, what concernsthey have and that the command will take theirquestions and suggestion seriously, to make animpact and to better education their Marinesand family members,” said Lilley.At the end of the evening, there were give-

aways, sending home gift cards from the MarineCorps Exchange.

“I won a twenty-five dollar gift card from theMCX,” said Sgt. Ottheia Searcy.“An event like this will hopefully inspire oth-

ers to come to the next one, thus generatingmore feedback and a better conduit for informa-tion to flow between both sides,” said Lilley.

PHOTO BY SOPHIA PIELLUSCH

Single Marine Program members and SMP CoordinatorLau Rae Upchurch, Headquarters and Service Battalion,Headquarters Marine Corps, Henderson Hall, engage inconversation at the first town hall meeting held at theMarine Club on the Henderson Hall side of Joint BaseMyer Henderson Hall March 12.

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Going to the gym is supposed to be good foryou.After all, exercising helps to lower blood pres-

sure, keeps your weight in check and gets you inshape for the summer.But what happens when the gym attacks?That’s what happened to me a couple of weeks

ago. I headed to my gym in Woodbridge afterwork, changed clothes and made my way to thefloor. I spotted an open treadmill (which doesn’thappen often, especially on a weekday afterwork) and made a beeline for it.Intent on securing my objective while develop-

ing a case of tunnel vision, I jumped on themachine, not realizing that somebody had left iton. I got thrown off, and came down on my leftarm.Ouch.Pain was the first clue that something was

wrong.My fellow gym goers helped me up. That’s

when I got my second clue that I’d done somedamage.Left arm, not moving so much. A trip to the

doctor and I had a diagnosis: Fractured humerusbone.So, exactly how can you prevent injuries at the

gym? Well, number one would be by not steppingon a moving machine, right? Natalia Dalton, whomans the front desk at the fitness center on theFort Myer portion of JBM-HH, said to stay safeat the gym, you should stay alert.“Watch where you’re walking,” she said. “Also

be careful in the weight area, because a lot oftime customers will put down the weights on thefloor.”Make sure there’s adequate space when you’re

walking between machines, Dalton continued.“Sometimes facilities have machines that are

close together, and you can trip,” she said.And that new-to-you machine that you’ve

never used before? Get a trainer or gym employ-ee to show you how to properly use it.“You don’t want to use a machine if you don’t

know how to use it,” Dalton stressed.Be cautious while working on floor mats, which

can slide or be unlevel.“If you’re at the gym and notice a spill, let

somebody know,” added Dalton.


Staying alert at the gym is one way to stay safe whenworking out. Other tips include asking a trainer for helpwhen using a new piece of equipment and making sureyou’re wearing proper workout attire. For more tips tostay safe while exercising, contact the Fort Myer FitnessCenter.

Arlington museum showcasesmilitary women’s contributions

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A living legacy to womenwho served in all branches ofthe U.S. military honors theirservice and sacrifice inside theWomen’s Memorial atArlington National Cemetery.The museum in the memori-

al depicts the duty, honor andpride of the two millionwomen who served to defendthe United States, from thebeginning of the RevolutionaryWar through today’s war inAfghanistan.Situated at the ceremonial

entrance to Arlington NationalCemetery, the $22 millionmemorial offers a grand wel-come to the sacred militaryburial grounds with its neo-classical architecture.Following 11 years of con-

struction, the museum wasdedicated on Oct, 18, 1997,after the Women’s MemorialFoundation spearheaded theeffort to educate the publicand honor women who defend-ed the nation during all erasand in all services.The museum’s “living”

exhibits depict the past, pres-ent and future of militarywomen on active duty, in thereserves, the National Guardand U.S. Public HealthService, in addition to theCoast Guard Auxiliary andCivil Air Patrol.Additionally, the women who

served in support of U.S.armed forces during wartimeoverseas in such organizationsas the Red Cross, UnitedService Organizations, SpecialServices and the PHS CadetNurse Corps have a place ofhonor in the museum.The Women’s Memorial is

the only national museum ofits kind, according to TheWomen in Military Service forAmerica Memorial FoundationInc. website. Its staff collects,preserves, documents and ana-lyzes the history of women’smilitary service by gatheringofficial and personal records,oral histories, photographsand memorabilia for itsexhibits.“Although women have

always volunteered in defenseof our nation, many of theircontributions have been for-gotten and are not recorded intoday’s history books,” thewebsite notes.

A signature feature of themuseum is the register, a com-puterized database of informa-tion on about 3,500 formermilitary and current active-duty women who voluntarilyregistered. Each entry showsthe service woman’s picture,dates of service, awardsreceived, key memories of herservice and other statistics.The foundation registry

invites veterans, active-duty,National Guard and Reserveservicewomen to register.Cadet nurses and serviceorganization employees whoserved overseas during a waralso are eligible to register.The museum’s Hall of Honor

pays tribute to fallen service-women in a somber room amidflags of U.S. states, territoriesand the military services. Asmall exhibit displays twobooks of female casualtieswhile serving in the line ofduty in Operation IraqiFreedom and OperationEnduring Freedom.The hall also honors women

who served with “ ... particularsacrifice and achievement.Honored are those who werekilled in action, died in theline of duty, were prisoners ofwar or were recipients of thenation’s highest awards forservice and bravery,” adescription reads. A marbleSister Block, taken from theTomb of the Unknowns atArlington National Cemetery,stands formidably tall andwide, nearly ceiling-high inthe room.The glass-enclosed exhibits

in the museum's main sectionvary by era, and among themare reminders of today's wars;one depicting The War onTerror, and another displayingservice uniforms worn in Iraqand Afghanistan with thebackdrop of a flag that reads,We Remember 9/11.Exhibits titled, Serving in

the Military, from 1901 to1945 and another Since 1946,comprise the work of earlyservicewomen. The exhibitsinclude World War II dog tags,identification cards, worn pho-tos and service manuals titled,If You Should be Captured,These are Your Rights, andSurvival on Land and Sea.A citation for a Bronze Star

medal, awarded to DellaPolacek, reads, “In support ofcombat operations against the

enemy in Manila, thePhilippines,” for her servicefrom April to July 1945.Today, the greatest genera-

tion of World War II veteransare in their 80s and 90s, andthe museum offers a multitudeof World War II-era artifactsfrom 1941 to 1945 in exhibitstitled, Overseas in theMilitary, POWs Under Fire,and The War Ends.A huge wall visual tribute,

The Greatest Generation, dis-plays life-like, hand-paintedportraits, taken from oldblack-and-white photographs.Men also are depicted in thisdisplay — the only mention ofmale servicemembers in themuseum.The Forgotten War exhibit

covers women who served dur-ing the 1950-53 Korean War.The Era of Conflict — theVietnam War — tells the storyof Army, Navy and Air Forcenurses who comprised 80 to 90percent of U.S. military womenin Vietnam working on theground, at sea and on evacua-tion flights, from 1964 to 1973.March 4 marked the opening

of Celebrating 40 Years ofWomen Chaplains: ACourageous Journey of Faithand Service. The Women inMilitary Service for AmericaMemorial Foundation Inc.website says the exhibit “tellsthe story of the scores ofwomen, beginning in 1973,who answered God’s call tominister to the nation’s mili-tary members and theirFamilies in times of war andpeace.”Of all the meticulously

planned exhibits and tributes,however, one extemporaneousdisplay features a painting onan easel of Army Staff Sgt.Jessica Clements, who left themilitary on a medical retire-ment following a roadside-bomb explosion in Iraq thatleft her with such severe trau-matic brain injury that shehad to learn to walk and talkagain. Behind her painting isa large wall, filled with hun-dreds of notes to her, writtenby visitors.Resident artist Chris

Demarest said it started witha single drawing by a 6-year-old child. One week later, hesaid, the wall was filled withnotes left by visitors, thankingClements for her service. Hecalls it The Wall of Thanks.


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Operation Homefront is a non-profit organization that helps thou-sands of military Families andwounded warriors each year, but thistime, it was their turn to receive atoken of thanks from the militarycommunity they serve.Maj. Gen. Michael S. Linnington,

commander of the Joint ForceHeadquarters - National CapitalRegion and the U.S. Army MilitaryDistrict of Washington (JFHQ-NCR/MDW) presented Jim Knotts,the chief executive officer ofOperation Homefront a certificate ofappreciation during a ceremony heldon the Fort Lesley J. McNair portionof Joint Base Myer-Henderson HallMarch 8.Linnington explained to guests

and staff present at the ceremonythat Knotts’ organization has provid-ed more than $150 million to return-ing servicemembers and theirFamilies and have also been a princi-pal supporter of MDW’s medicalevacuation to CONUS hospital mis-sions.Three times a week, sometimes

more, Soldiers from MDW travel toJoint Base Andrews, Md., and assistAmerica’s wounded warriors as theyreturn to U.S. soil. The team keepsArmy leadership aware of all casual-ties arriving at Andrews and ensuresaccountability for tracking theSoldiers whereabouts once they landand until they arrive at their homeunit or placed on further transport toother military medical facilities.Operation Homefront continues to

provide personal clothing, cellulartelephones and the monthly cost ofcell phone usage to military patientsremaining at Andrews.According to their website,

Operation Homefront met the needsof more than 150,000 military

Families, including active duty,guard and reserve members from allbranches of service and has servedmore than 4,200 wounded warriorsand their families.The organization is a a 501(c)(3)

nonprofit and provides direct servic-es to alleviate a military Family’s orindividual’s complete emergencyfinancial burden, as well as counsel-ing and/or recovery support.Emergency financial assistance is inthe form of checks paid directly tomortgage lenders, auto mechanics,contractors, hospitals, doctors, den-tists and other providers.If you are interested in volunteer-

ing through Operation Homefront,look for details on their web site at:http://www.operationhomefront.net/volunteer.aspx.

PHOTO BY GEORGE MARKFELDER

Maj. Gen. Michael S. Linnington, com-mander of the Joint Force Headquarters -National Capital Region and the U.S. ArmyMilitary District of Washington, presentsJim Knotts, chief executive officer ofOperation Homefront, a certificate ofappreciation during a ceremony held atFort Lesley J. McNair March 8.

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Senior members of the Army AirOperations Group,U.S.ArmyMilitaryDistrict of Washington, participatedin a legislative professional develop-ment seminar on Capitol Hill tofamiliarize themselves with the rolethe military has in the legislativeprocess, March 8.More than 30 AAOG members

were also given a tour of the U.S.Capitol to become familiar with thehistory of the building and congres-sional leaders from the past andpresent.“I wanted my staff to come here

with little to no preconceived notions,”said Col. William McGarrity, AAOGcommander. “It’s paramount that ourleaders be aware of how the militaryfits in with the legislative process.”The seminar included a brief by

Col. David P. Anders, Senate liaisondivision chief on the roles and respon-sibilities of the Office of the ChiefLegislative Liaison (OCLL). TheOCLL ensures the overall integrationof the Army's efforts with Congress,develops comprehensive congression-

al engagement strategies for Armysenior leaders, and disseminates crit-ical information on all major congres-sional activities.The Soldiers and civilians were

able to discuss important topics with-in the OCLL legislative procedureswith different OCLL fellows andreceived recruitment informationabout the program.The Army Congressional

Fellowship is a three and a half yearprogram for Army officers, seniornoncommissioned officers and civil-ians, which includes a pursuit of theMaster’s Degree in LegislativeAffairs, service on the staff of aMember of Congress, and utilizationon the Army or Joint Staff in a con-gressionally-related duty position.The program shows strategic rela-tionships between the Army andCongress.“Affording leaders the opportuni-

ty for growth is important for thefuture of the Army,” said McGarrity.“This seminar was a great way tobroaden my staff's perspectives ofthe legislative process while in theNational Capital Region.”

PHOTO BY SGT. JENNIFER C. JOHNSON

Senior members of the Army Air Operations Group, U.S. Army Military District ofWashington, during a legislative professional development seminar at the U.S.Capitol March 8.


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Gregory Olmsted, environmentalprotection specialist with the JointBase Myer-Henderson HallDirectorate of EnvironmentalManagement, spoke with 10 busdrivers from the 529th RegimentalSupport Company, 3d U.S. InfantryRegiment (The Old Guard) aboutthe importance of properly respond-ing to hazardous material spills,including materials like oil anddiesel March 8.“It is important to prevent oil and

hazardous materials from gettinginto the environment; this is thefirst step, if you had a spill, youwant to contain it before it gets intothe waterways,” said Rahul Patel,petroleum, oil, and lubricants tankprogram support, who was also at

the training.With any hazardous material spill

on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall— that can be anything from oil todiesel and beyond — the spill mustbe reported to the fire department,Olmsted said.“It does not really matter what

size the spill is, just report it to [thefire department], tell them howmuch, and they will decide [how torespond],” Olmsted said.Some other information the fire

department will need when notifiedinclude information on is the type ofmaterial spilled, how much, the loca-tion and anything nearby of signifi-cance like nearby storm drains orresidences.“It is important that anytime

someone encounters a hazardousmaterials spill they contact the firedepartment,” says Russell Miller,

Jr., JBM-HH fire chief, through anemail. “Immediate notification maybe the difference between a minorevent or a major event. Early notifi-cation could also minimize the envi-ronmental effect such as theamount of gasoline entering astorm drain and minimize the nega-tive effect on mission capabilities.Our personnel have specializedtraining and equipment for spillresponse.”Signs in the area around the

diesel pumps on the joint baseclearly state safety reminders.“One thing I do also want to

share with you, this will be kind ofa reminder for you, as you pull upwith one of your buses [to thepumps on JBM-HH], there is quitea bit of signage down here,” saidOlmsted. “You see there is a nosmoking [sign] within 50 feet, do

not leave vehicle unattended whilefueling and stop your motors.”A sign labeled “Spill response

action guide” gives a reminder ofwho to notify and what to do incase of a spill.“If there is anyone else out there,

make sure they shut off theirengines, make sure there is no onesmoking, make sure no other vehi-cles will be pulling in at the spill,keep traffic out, in other words,restrict the access,” said Olmsted.“And if you need to evacuate thearea, go up a gradient from thespill and up wind from the spill.Use common sense.”As a reminder, Olmsted also

asked the bus drivers to ensure thegas cap is in place before drivingaway from the pumps.To report an emergency on JBM-

HH, call 911 or 703-696-3600.

DEM provides spill response training for Soldiers

Thrift SavingsPlan officialswarn againstunsanctioned app

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A free iPhone app for the Thrift Savings Planavailable at the Apple app store could pose a secu-rity risk, program officials warned.A notice on the Thrift Savings Plan website says

the TSP Funds app, which asks participants fortheir account login information, is not sanctioned.“This app is not being offered through the TSP,

and the TSP does not recommend using this appli-cation to access your TSP account,” the noticesays. “Providing this information could result in asecurity risk to your account.”The Thrift Savings Plan is a retirement savings

and investment plan for federal employees andmembers of the uniformed services, including theReady Reserve. It was established by Congress inthe Federal Employees' Retirement System Act of1986 and offers the same types of savings and taxbenefits that many private corporations offer theiremployees under 401(k) plans.

Roman CatholicLent/Easter scheduleon Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall(All services at Memorial Chapel unless other-

wise indicated.)

March 15 and 22 – Stations of the Cross at 6p.m., followed by a penitential supper (meatlesssoup and bread) in the fellowship hall at 6:30 p.m.March 23-24 Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion,

rite of blessing and procession of palms. 5 p.m.Saturday Mass; 9 a.m. Sunday Mass.March 25-27 – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday

noon Mass.HHoollyy WWeeeekk TTrriidduuuumm lliittuurrggiieessMarch 28 – Holy Thursday, liturgy of the Lord’s

Supper, 6 p.m. (No other Mass is allowed. No noonMass).March 29 – Good Friday, liturgy of Our Lord’s

Passion and Death, 6 p.m. This is not a Mass, asnone is allowed on Good Friday.March 30 – Holy Saturday – Easter Vigil Mass,

7:30 p.m. Blessing and lighting of the new fire andthe paschal candle, procession in to the church forthe singing of the Easter proclamation, TheExsultet. Reception of new members withProfession of Faith and Confirmation.March 31 – Solemn Easter Sunday Mass, 9 a.m.

Special liturgical music provided by chapel choir,flutist and brass ensemble.


Veterans History Project chroniclesmyriad stories of everyday heroes

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A stringent endeavor isunderway to record service-members’ war time experi-ences — especially veteransof World War II and theKorean and Vietnam Wars.The equation involving

documenting surviving vet-erans is turning into a des-perate predicament. The sub-traction of elderly Americanveterans presently contin-ues. On average, 600 to 700World War II servicemenpass away each day and thesurvivor numbers continueto dwindle from the Koreanand Vietnam conflictcolumns.On stand-by is the

Veterans History Project, apart of the Library ofCongress’ American FolklifeCenter. The project’s goalsare to multiply the numberof first-hand war-era biogra-phies and pictures for futureAmericans to examine andresearch.Now more than a decade

old, VHP has collected morethan 86,000 video, audio andwritten collections of service-members from World War Ito present-day Afghanistan.The project is volunteer-based, with individuals andorganizations from through-out the country conductingaudio and video interviewsof veterans’ everyday activi-ties.“This isn’t about the grand

and the glorious — althoughwe have some grand and glo-

rious stories — as I oftensay, from the cockpit to thefoxhole, it is also from themess hall to the motor pool,”Veterans History ProjectDirector Bob Patrick.“Everybody’s story is impor-tant. That’s what we alwaysemphasize.”Sharing war stories has

become a common thread ofAmerican family reunionsand picnics, and that iswhere the VHP idea wasborn – at a familyMidwestern picnic.“It was a Father’s Day

weekend, and we were sit-ting around the picnic tablein the back yard. It was mydad, who was from the Koreageneration and my uncle, hisbrother, who was flyingbomber missions during thesecond world war in thesouth Pacific. They startedtalking about their experi-ences in the military… So Itold them to stop, and I ranin the house and grabbed thefamily video camera and setit up,” WisconsinCongressman Ron Kind saidabout his dual role as animpromptu videographer.Kind traveled back to

Washington and drafted leg-islation with the assistanceof Senators Max Cleland andChuck Hagel (the currentSecretary of Defense) andRepresentatives Steny Hoyerand Amo Houghton, and inrecord time, Congress creat-ed the Veterans HistoryProject.The premise behind the

project involves elementary

arithmetic. Combine civicgroups, schools, veteranshomes, veteran’s organiza-tions, hospices — those will-ing to volunteer as inter-viewers — with willing vet-erans and add a video oraudio recorder and part ofthe collection is produced.“When Congress set this

up, they didn’t give us a pileof money to go out and get abunch of oral historians.They thought this needed tobe a volunteer effort,”Patrick said. “[The thoughtwas] We needed to get com-munities involved and serv-ice organizations involved.We certainly need to getyoung people involved. Wewant that proponent of ayoung student — theyounger generation — talk-ing to an older person abouttheir experience.”A volunteer nationwide

effort has been undertakenduring the past dozen yearsto urge those who hunkeredin Battle of the Bulge snowor servicemen who withstoodthe Tet Offensive to tell theirstories.With the Department of

Defense currently observingthe 50th anniversary of theVietnam War, the VeteransHistory Project will proudlyassist any vet who served inSoutheast Asia during thattime period. The VHP notesthat 35 percent of all livingU.S. military veteransserved during the Vietnamera.“Understand, we are not

abandoning the Korean War

[vets] and the World War IIguys, but we have to reallystart thinking about [gather-ing] the Vietnam [stories],”Patrick said, as a total of14,000 Vietnam vets havecontributed to the project.“These guys aren’t gettingany younger either. They arethe next big group we needto start focusing on. We needto get their stories.”While surrounded by pic-

tures of USO shows andnurses aiding wounded war-riors in hospitals, Patrickadded that the project willaccept certain World War IIhomefront stories.“We’ll take Rosie the

Riveter accounts and USOentertainers and Red Crosspeople,” he said. “But weonly take first-personaccounts.”A major point behind the

project is to digitally captureliving history on a computer,DVD or compact disc.“There are still many sto-

ries out there which need tobe preserved,” said Kind.“My uncle’s [collection] is inthere, and as for my dad, Istill have his tape, but whatI want to do is to re-inter-view him.”The public is invited to the

Library of Congress’Madison Building to view orresearch the contributions.The office telephone numberis 202-707-5510.For information on obtain-

ing a Veterans HistoryGroup field kit or how tobecome involved as a volun-teer interviewer, contact theVHG at [email protected] or visitwww.loc.gov/vets.

COURTESY PHOTO

Veteran's History Project staff members prepare to video interviewJesse W. Greene, Sr., a World War II veteran, who served as a messsergeant with the 45th Engineer Battalion in the China-Burma-Indiatheater during an October 1, 2010 digital collection.

BByy JJiimm DDrreessbbaacchhPPeennttaaggrraamm SSttaaffff WWrriitteerr

Dozens of former militarypolice and officers who werebased at Fort Myer during the20th century have given theirfirst-hand accounts of wartime proceedings to theVeteran History Project.One veteran’s story provided

historical significance to atragic event on America’shome front in April, 1945. FortMyer Sgt. David C. Speicher ofthe 703rd Military PoliceBattalion and a Greenwood,Del., native recalled hisinvolvement in the ceremoniesfollowing the death ofPresident Franklin DelanoRoosevelt.“… Our whole unit marched

in President Roosevelt’s funer-al parade,” Speicher said inhis interview which is avail-able online or at the Libraryof Congress. “And we stood atparade rest for an hour onConstitution Avenue, waitingfor the body to come out of the[Capitol] rotunda to go downto Constitution Avenue intoUnion Station to be shipped toNew York.”In his donated memoir, then

Army Lt. William F. Brand, amember of 16th Field ArtilleryBattalion and a Battle of theBulge veteran, explained therole he played at Fort Myermonths before the Japaneseattacked Pearl Harbor. Thesolemn, traditional base ritu-als he described in his writ-ings are continued today byThe Old Guard Soldiers.“One of the claims to fame of

the 16th Field ArtilleryBattalion was that it had awhite horse battery whose pri-mary mission was to move thecaissons carrying the casketsof those to be buried inArlington Cemetery,” wroteBrand, who finished his mili-tary career as a colonel. “Isuppose the Army decided theonly way it was going to getany real use out of the 16thField Artillery was to move itout of Fort Myer away fromthe Washington area. So theArmy did that and ordered the16th Field Artillery to FortRiley, Kan.”More than a hundred Fort

Myer veterans, from WorldWar II to Desert Storm, haverecounted their wartime expe-riences to the VHP.To find Soldiers who have

given their oral histories tothe VHP, go towww.loc.gov/vets/ and click onthe search the veterans collec-tions link.

Myer Soldiers included in VHP collection

COURTESY PHOTO

Fort Myer veteran Col. William F.Brand stands next to a helicopter inAn Khe, Vietnam, in this 1966 blackand white photo, which is part of theVeterans History Project on-line digi-tal collection.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OLD GUARD

Tomb guardIn December 2012, we featured a story about Pfc.Jacob Davenport, a Soldier striving to become a TombSentinel like his late great-uncle, Col. Talmadge N.Gilley Jr. Davenport achieved this aspiration and wasawarded the 612th Guard, Tomb of the UnknownIdentification Badge.“I know that my great-uncle would have been proud tosee this. I’m happy to have reached this goal that I setfor myself,” said Davenport.The Old Guard is the Army's official ceremonial unitand escort to the president, and it also provides secu-rity for Washington, D.C., in time of national emer-gency or civil disturbance. Since World War II, “TheOld Guard” has served as the official Army HonorGuard and escort to the president.

PHOTO BY J.D. LEIPOLD

New VCSAAfter receiving his fourth star March11, Gen. John F. Campbell is swornin as the Army's 34th vice chief ofstaff by Secretary of the Army JohnMcHugh as Campbell's wife, Ann,holds the Bible. Campbell was nomi-nated by President Barack Obama inFebruary to succeed Gen. Lloyd J.Austin III as the second highest-ranking Army officer. In December,Obama nominated Austin to becomethe head of the joint U.S. CentralCommand, which oversees all mili-tary operations in the Middle Eastand Afghanistan.

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