Soldiers June 2011 • VOLUME 66, NO.

During Warrior Adventure Quest, Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, participated in snow-
boarding lessons at Birch Hill Ski and Snowboard area, Fort Wainwright, Alaska. (Photo by Sheryl Nix)

[ On the Cover ] [ Coming Next Month ]

Pfc. Andrew Clouse, far right with guitar, Stories from around the Army
performs for Soldiers, Families and the
local community during the Soldiers
Show, Sept. 1, 2010, at Kansas State
University. (Cover illustration using
original photo by Katherine Rosario)
 Instructor Cindy Burkhour of the
U.S. Military Paralympics Organi-
zation teaches Staff Sgt. Lakizzy
Robinson, a Winn Warrior Transition
Battalion squad leader, introductory
techniques for aquatics activities at
the Newman Gym, Fort Stewart, Ga.
(Photo by Mindy Anderson)

Features

8
4 Opportunities for Soldiers, Families June 2011
FMWRC provides quality of life programs that support
the Army Family Covenant.

Contents
8 A Family program for every need
Army Community Service helps Soldiers and Families
decide which programs are best for them.

13 Good variety of child, youth programs

Army Youth Programs provides affordable and acces-
sible services for military kids.

13
16 Removing educational obstacles for kids
Army School Support Services connects Families,
schools and communities.

20 Strong Beginnings
Army Child, Youth and School Services program
preps kids for kindergarten.

20
28 Armed Forces Recreation Centers
An array of affordable, world-class vacation
opportunities for servicemembers, their Families,
retirees, civilians and veterans.

36 Leveling the playing field

Recreational opportunities abound for wounded
warriors.

36
In every issue
24 On Point

26 Army News

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 DEFENSE
MEDIA ACTIVITY
ARMY PRODUCTION
The Official
U.S. Army Magazine
Secretary of the Army Hon. John McHugh
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Editor in Chief Carrie McLeroy
Managing Editor David Vergun
The Army is our nation’s greatest resource in defense of our Soldiers Magazine NCOIC Master Sgt. Doug Sample
homeland. Every day Soldiers and civilians perform acts of Soldiers Magazine Writer/Editor Elizabeth M. Collins
valor. The heroic acts performed on the battlefield and the Soldiers Magazine Writer/Editor Jacqueline M. Hames
acts of kindness from humanitarian efforts demonstrate the
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how the Defense Media Activity, Army Production can tell ARNEWS Writer J.D. Leipold
your story, contact your unit public affairs officer or send ARNEWS Writer C. Todd Lopez
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Elizabeth M. Collins

2 www.army.mil/soldiers
 June 1, 2011

This will be one of the last times I communicate with you as

commander of the Army’s Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation
Command. This summer, we will case the command’s colors and integrate the
organization into Installation Management Command headquarters.

While it has been an honor and privilege to serve as the FMWR

commander for the past two years, I am very excited to be a part of this
integration process. I am confident it will improve the Army’s ability to provide
FMWR services and support to our Soldiers, civilians and their Families
around the world.

As we integrate with higher headquarters, FMWR programs will

continue to serve as a solid foundation for the Army’s home, by fostering
resiliency, restoring balance and enhancing recruitment, readiness and
retention.

While the name and structure of our command is changing, we’re

confident these changes will be for the better. I assure you we remain fully
committed to delivering on the promises of the Army Family Covenant and
fulfilling our mission to provide Soldiers, civilians and their Families with a
quality of life commensurate with the quality of their service.

MG Reuben D. Jones
Commanding

Soldiers • April 2010 3

 Family
Army MWR
enhancing lives
of Soldiers, Families

By Lt. Gen. Rick Lynch

I
had the privilege of swearing in 46
new Army recruits at this year’s San
Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo.
As I led the young men and women in
the Armed Forces Oath of Enlistment
and looked out over the stands full
of Soldiers and their Families (it was
Military Appreciation Night), I was
reminded in a powerful way of why we
in the installation management com-
munity do what we do. The Soldiers
who swear to serve and the Families
who trust us with their Soldiers—their
sons and daughters, husbands and
wives, fathers and mothers—rely on us
to do right by them.
The mission of the Installation • Employment Readiness
Management community is to provide
Soldiers, Families and Army civilians • Army Spouse Employment Partnership
with a quality of life commensurate
with their service. To do that, we • Exceptional Family Member Program
provide services, facilities and infra-
structure on installations around the • Family Advocacy Program
globe—things like housing, public
works, fire and police services, child
care and Family programs.
Our mission supports the Army today in the face of decreasing budgets. find ways to save money and operate
Family Covenant, the Army’s formal The release of the Army’s fiscal year efficiently.
pledge to sustain Soldiers and Families, 2012 budget and Five-Year Defense Last year, Secretary of Defense
and many of the programs and services Program confirmed what headlines Robert Gates launched a drive to
we provide deliver on the covenant’s have foreshadowed for months: We are reduce overhead and excess costs across
promises. Since the covenant’s launch all in for some belt tightening. Family the Department of Defense. To do
in 2007, Army leaders have been stead- programs will continue to be funded, our part to support the Army’s efforts
fast in their commitment to Soldiers but the installation management to find efficiencies and become more
and Families, and remain so, even community also has the challenge to cost-conscious, we took a hard look at

4 www.army.mil/soldiers
strong
• Survivor Outreach Services
• Army Community Service
• Mobilization/Deployment Readiness
• Relocation Readiness
• Sports and fitness centers
our operations and staffing across the
installation management community to
identify duplicate services and func-
tions.
One cost-saving initiative we
identified was to integrate one of
Installation Management Command’s
subordinate commands, the Family
and Morale, Welfare and Recreation
Command, into the headquarters. This
transition, through which FMWRC
will become IMCOM headquarters’
G-9, is expected to be completed this
summer.
The organization has played an
important role in the development of
modern Army life. From its beginning,
when the Army Morale Division was
established in 1918, until the 1960s,
the focus was on services for the troops.
The first Family services appeared in
the 1960s, when Army Community
Service and a Youth Activities Program
were established, but the attitude that
“if the Army wanted you to have a
Family, it would have issued you one,”
held on into the 1980s.
In the 1980s, the Army started to
take notice of a truth we readily recog-
nize today, that the success of Soldiers,
and ultimately the Army, is rooted
in the strength of our Families. The
creation of the U.S. Army Community
and Family Support Center in 1984
marked the shift in the focus of services
to include Families as well, as did the
establishment of the Army Family Ac-
tion Plan. The Community and Family
Support Center became the Family and
Morale, Welfare and Recreation Com-
mand when the Installation Manage-
ment Command stood up in 2006.
The programs and services provided
by MWR are indispensable to fulfill-
ing the Army’s pledge to Soldiers and
Families. In the most recent survey of
Army Families, spouses told us that
they need and are using MWR pro-
grams and services more than ever, and
that these programs and services are
making a bigger difference than ever in
their satisfaction with Army life.
In fiscal year 2010, Army Com-
munity Service staff alone had more
than 14 million contacts with Soldiers,
Family members and civilians through
programs such as Mobilization/Deploy-
ment Readiness, Relocation Readiness,
Financial Readiness, Army Emergency
Relief, Employment Readiness, the
Army Spouse Employment Partnership,
the Exceptional Family Member Pro-
gram, the Family Advocacy Program,
Survivor Outreach Services, Soldier
Soldiers • June 2011 5
and Family Assistance Centers, Army
Family Team Building and the Army
Family Action Plan. Other MWR
programs and services include child
care, youth programs, libraries, sports
and athletics, lodging, fitness centers
and the Better Opportunities for Single
Soldiers program.
In addition to integrating FMWRC
into IMCOM headquarters, we have
been working to increase the efficiency
of individual MWR programs. For
example, we recently launched an en-
hanced service delivery design for Army • Soldier and Family Assistance Centers
Community Service, which makes it
even easier and quicker for Soldiers and • Army Family Team Building
Families to access services when and
where they need them. • Army Family Action Plan
Under the new design, Army
Community Service is transitioning • Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers
a number of personnel into generalist
positions focused on helping Soldiers • Army Engineering Relief
and Family members navigate services.
Generalists will provide an array of
baseline services, while specialists will ily Member Program staff at stateside had more than 169,000 contacts with
still be available for the more complex and overseas garrisons to help Families Family members in the United States,
and extended services. Army Commu- connect to local, state and federal re- Germany and Korea—and in stream-
nity Service will also provide services at sources. We also increased the number lining program processes. For example,
satellite locations, such as at units, post of hours of respite care each month, in 2010, after it became clear that some
exchanges, commissaries and off-post providing Families with exceptional survivors were having difficulty even
sites. members a much-needed break. getting on installations to see Survivor
Likewise, with the Exceptional Launched in 2008, Survivor Outreach Services staff, we worked to
Family Member Program and the Outreach Services is a relatively new get standardized windshield decals for
Survivor Outreach Services, we have program charged with providing survivors’ vehicles.
worked hard to get the right people in dedicated and comprehensive sup- We have also reinvigorated the
place and improve processes, so that port to Family members of fallen Army Family Action Plan. The AFAP is
Soldiers and Families can access the ser- Soldiers. SOS staffs have been tireless a crucial tool for Soldiers, Family mem-
vices they need and deserve. We added in reaching out to surviving Family bers and Army civilians to communi-
system navigators to Exceptional Fam- members—in fiscal year 2010, they cate with Army leaders about issues

6 www.army.mil/soldiers

• Youth programs
• Libraries
• Financial readiness
• Lodging
• Child care
affecting their quality of life. About issues at any time.
90 percent of issues are resolved at the Because MWR services are so vital
local level, while the rest are elevated to the resiliency of our Army Fam-
to higher levels. For issues elevated to ily, we cannot become complacent or
the Army level, we have implemented fail to meet the challenges the current
a rigorous analysis and review process economic situation presents. No one
that has allowed us to reduce a back- should interpret any of our organiza-
log—from 86 active issues in February tional changes, in particular the inte-
2010 to 51 in February 2011—and to gration of FMWRC into headquarters,
address new issues in a timelier man- as negative commentary on the work
ner. We have also established the Active done up to now. We have a talented,
Issue Search feature on the Army dedicated workforce that has done a
OneSource website (www.myarmyone- tremendous job of supporting the well-
source.com), so that Soldiers, Families being and readiness of Soldiers and
and civilians can check on the status of their Families, and that will continue.
Soldiers and Families will continue to
receive the high quality support and
services they have come to rely on.
Behind the scenes, though, we will
be working smarter. By integrating
services and functions, we will reduce
duplication, inefficiency and cost. We
will streamline delivery of services to
our customers and generate savings
that can be applied to supporting
Soldier and Family programs and Army
Force Generation requirements.
Those new recruits I met that
Friday night in February and the
Soldiers and Family members who
cheered them on are the reason we
come to work in the morning. We are
committed to serving those who serve
our nation and to delivering on the
promises of the Army Family Covenant
to build Soldier and Family resilience
and readiness. So in response to the
current environment, we are making
the organizational changes necessary to
continue doing our jobs, only better.
The long-term strength of our all-vol-
unteer Army depends on the well-being
of Soldiers and their Families. More
than that, we owe it to our Soldiers
and Families for their ongoing service,
dedication and sacrifice. v
Lt. Gen. Rick Lynch is the command-
ing general of Installation Management
Command.
Soldiers • June 2011 7
Meeting needs
Story by Shayna Brouker

Anne Hwang
W
ANT to voice your con-
cerns about life on the
installation to top Army
leaders? Need help adjusting to post-
deployment life, or maybe just a sym-
pathetic ear? There’s a Family program
to help with each of these issues, and
for just about any others today’s Army
Families face.
Family and Morale, Welfare and
Recreation Command delivers a wide Cpl. Gretchen M. Sweeney (right) and New Parent Support Program home
range of programs for Soldiers and visitor Elaine Sexton, a registered nurse at Fort Lee, Va., enjoy a moment
with Emily, who was born six weeks premature. NPSP home visitors help
Families. From the transformed Army military parents deal with the challenges of caring for children newborns up
to three years of age.
Community Service program to the
Exceptional Family Member Program,
Jen Walsh

Family programs are constantly adapt-

ing to better serve those who serve.
Whatever the problem, there’s a
Family program with a solution, but
knowing where and how to find them
is half the battle. That’s where Army
Community Service offices can help.
Since the 1970s, Army Commu-
nity Service has served as the “answer
people,” according to Paulette Freese,
chief of Policy and Operations Branch,
Soldier Family Readiness Division.
They cover an array of programs and Registered nurse Pamela Krings, with New Parent Support Program, Army
support services, including the EFMP Community Service Family Advocacy, shows a 2-year-old how to hold her
future sibling as mom Laura Cashion looks on, at the Mannheim Community
and Employment Readiness. But a Baby Shower at the Sports Arena in Mannheim, Germany. The event was
comprehensive review of the ACS hosted by the Mannheim Army Health Clinic.

program found that Soldiers and Fam-

Rob McIlvaine

ily members faced difficulty deciding

which services best met their needs.
To ensure a smooth hand-off
between service providers, ACS will
now train more “generalists” to help
Soldiers and Family members find the
right services to address their needs.
From there, specialists will guide
customers through more extensive
services, as needed. A client tracking
Survivor Outreach Services Soldiers/mentors give Tragedy Assistance Pro-
system ensures continual contact with gram for Survivors kids a ride at the 2010 TAPS Fort Hood Military Survivor
Seminar and Good Grief Camp. About 120 kids, ranging in age from 4 to
the customer until they feel their needs 19, spent the weekend bonding with buddies. TAPS is an SOS program
have been met. that helps children of fallen servicemembers heal after the loss of a parent.

8 www.army.mil/soldiers
of Army Families
“We want to use the terms ‘No
wrong door for services,’” Freese said.
“And, ‘No customer left behind.’”
The pilot design was tested at 22
installations from February through
March, and all garrisons are expected
to operate under the new design begin-
ning in October.
Started in 1983 by Army spouses,
the Army Family Action Plan enables
Soldiers, retirees,
civilians and Fam-
ily members to
let Army leaders
know what works,
what doesn’t work
and what they
think will fix it.
This is the only program of its kind
in the Department of Defense; how-
ever, more than 60 percent of all active
issues impact all services. It begins at
the garrison level and culminates at
the Army Family Action Plan Confer-
ence. Information provided throughout
the process gives leaders insight into
current satisfaction detractors, quality
of life needs and expectations of Army
constituents. Leaders use the informa-
tion to affect changes that improve
standards of living and support pro-
grams, fostering satisfied, informed,
resilient individuals.
More than 660 issues have been
identified in the past 27 years, lead-
ing to 123 legislative changes, 172
Army and Defense policy changes
and 192 changes to programs and
services.
After a week of discussions at
the most recent AFAP conference,
delegates reported to Army lead-
ers on the five most critical issues:
identification cards for surviving
children, formal standardized training
for designated caregivers of wounded
warriors, medically retired service-
members’ eligibility for concurrent
receipt of disability pay, military child
development program fee cap and ex-
tending medical-retention processing-
time restrictions for reserve-component
Soldiers.
Army Family Team Building is
the primary education and training
mechanism for Army Families. The
modular training program is designed
to provide Family members with the
skills and tools necessary to successfully
maneuver through the Army system,
understand the military environment
and way of life, and access the many
resources and services available.
Classes are divided into three
levels—military knowledge, per-
sonal growth and professional develop-
ment—and are available online 24/7 at
http://www.myarmyonesource.com,
as well as at local Army Community
Service or Family Programs offices.
Army Family Team Building also offers
the Enlisted Spouse Training Series,
which prepares enlisted spouses for ad-
ditional responsibilities as their Soldiers
are promoted or assigned special duties
as drill sergeants or recruiters, for
example.
The Army Volunteer Corps is a
commander’s program to maximize
volunteering via community and
individual opportunities for Army
personnel and their Families. The
program exists to serve the needs of
the entire Army community: active
duty, National Guard and Reserve.
The AVC coordinator serves as the
installation point of contact for
volunteerism,
unifying volunteer
efforts of Army
activities and
private organiza-
tions across the
community.
The AVC
formalizes the Army’s commitment
to volunteers by embracing volunteer
programs and uniting volunteers.
In the continuous process of Army
community assessment and plan-
ning, volunteers share skills, infor-
mation and experience to improve
programs and services. Through
volunteering, they become more
active community members, enhance
their personal and professional skills,
reinforce their positive work habits
and achieve personal fulfillment.
Communities recognize their
volunteers in a number of ways, both
formally and informally. Every
year, National Volunteer Recogni-
tion week acknowledges the contri-
butions of volunteers. The theme for
this year’s tribute, held April 10-16,
was Celebrating People in Action.
The Army created the Excep-
tional Family Member Program in
the early 1980s to support the 16
percent of Family members with
special physical, emotional, mental,
developmental or educational needs.
The program provides community
support, housing, medical, edu-
cational and personnel services to
Soldiers • June 2011 9
 Families with an exceptional Family
member, and considers their needs
when assigning Soldiers to new duty
stations.
Army Medicine launched a new
website for the program, http://
etmp.amedd.army.mil, in January.
It offers information about Medical
Command support, including enroll-
ment, screening and medical care in
Europe. Families can also download the
required forms.
Since 1995, the New Parent Sup-
Wesley Hughes spends time learning with his Exceptional Family Members Program
port Program has given Army moms counselor. EFMP offers respite care to give Family members a needed rest from
and dads the tools to build strong caring for their EFM, reducing stress and enhancing home life.
Families with playgroups, home visits,

Christine June
parenting classes and professional
counseling. Licensed clinical social
workers and registered nurses sensitive
to the unique issues Army Families
face, offer advice on everything from
breastfeeding to deployment issues
for Families with children from birth
through the age of three.
All active, Guard and Reserve
Soldiers and their Families within a
50-mile radius of an installation are
eligible for these services, but first-time
parents, single parents and dual-mili-
tary Families have priority. Arabella Quick (left), U.S. Army Garrison Kaiserslaughtern, Germany’s assistant
The Army Family Advocacy Army Emergency Relief officer, and Jacqueline Boone, the Garrison’s Employee
Relations Program manager, inform a job hunter about Army programs available to
Program was established to identify him. The ERP helps Army spouses develop their own careers by providing valuable
and prevent domestic violence, child information and teaching job search skills.
abuse and neglect. Part of that effort
is treating and counseling victims and
Emily Brainard

even offenders. The FAP offers victim

advocacy support, parenting classes,
anger and stress management support
groups, new parent home visits, indi-
vidual and group counseling, education
and awareness, and information and
resource referrals.
The FAP also offers the Transi-
tional Compensation Program, which
provides financial support to a spouse
whose Soldier has been court-martialed
for domestic, child or sexual abuse.
As of Jan. 21, 2011, the duration of
Transitional Compensation benefits has
been standardized to 36 months.
Forty-nine Soldier and Family
assistance centers across the country
provide a nurturing atmosphere for
Soldiers and their Families as they Spc. Joshua Prieto Ruiz and his wife, Cristina, play with their 2-month-old son,
redeploy from war zones. These centers Caleb, at their on-post home. The Family participates in Army Community Services’
New Parent Support Program, where they receive professional parenting guidance
offer services such as entitlement and from a nurse.

10 www.army.mil/soldiers
benefits counseling, transition and
employment assistance, educational
services, substance abuse information
and referrals for Family members, child
care referrals and legal and pastoral
services, among others.
The centers coordinate with the
Army Wounded Warrior Program and
the Warrior Transitional Command,
which develop a holistic care plan for
each Soldier to help them rehabilitate
and return to duty or transition to ci-
vilian life. Dedicated to providing sup-
port whenever needed, the Wounded
Warrior and Family Hotline is avail-
able from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday
through Friday, at 1-800-984-8523.
Dedicated to supporting Family
members of Soldiers who have made
the ultimate sacrifice, Survivor Out-
reach Services helps surviving Family
members acquire benefits, maintain
financial stability through in-
vestment and estate planning
education, connect with sup-
port groups and counseling
services, and obtain life-skills
education. The program vows
to support surviving Family
members however long they
desire.
The Mobilization and
Deployment Readiness team
works with unit Family
readiness groups, Operation
READY (Resources for Educating
About Deployment and You), the Rear
Detachment Commander’s Course and
PDHealth.com to assist Soldiers and
Families throughout the Army Force
Generation cycle. This coordinated
effort provides Soldiers and Families
with guidance, resources and training
to help them cope with deployment
stressors.
The Army recognizes the impor-
tance of a spouse’s satisfaction with
Army life. Since spouse support is tied
to spouse perception of quality of life
issues, including financial well-being
and the spouse’s ability to realize
personal and professional goals, spouse
employment emerges as a major deter-
mining factor in Soldier retention.
Employment Readiness supports
the belief that every Army spouse
should have the choice to become em-
ployed, and provides resources to help
them pursue careers. Professional job
search trainers help job seekers identify
short- and long-term career goals and
develop an individual career plan. Job
search trainers also provide access to
seminars and workshops on job search
strategies and databases.
Employment Readiness program
managers coordinate with installation
civilian personnel offices, community
agencies, DOD contractors, local
employers and local Chamber of Com-
merce businesses to expand employ-
ment opportunities for spouses.
The Army has entered into partner-
ships with Fortune 500 companies and
public service organizations to further
expand spouse employment opportuni-
ties. The program, currently called the
Army Spouse Employment Partnership,
will soon be known as the Military
Spouse Employment Partnership. It
is an integral part of the Employment
Readiness Program and private-sector,
military and federal partners help
provide employment opportunities to
spouses of all branches of the military.
The ACS Financial Readiness Pro-
gram uses a varied approach to provide
training and counseling for Soldiers
and Families. The Military Saves
program, part of the financial readi-
ness campaign, encourages Soldiers
and their Families to establish healthy
financial habits through savings and
financial planning, encouraging them
to start small and think big.
Financial readiness and consumer
advocacy services are available at every
installation. Through the FRP, Soldiers
and Family members learn how to
invest their money, establish savings
goals, eliminate debt and save for emer-
gencies through classroom training and
individual counseling sessions.
Through partnerships with non-
profit organizations and the Office of
the Secretary of Defense, the FRP also
brings personal financial managers to
installations to address areas such as
foreclosure; credit management; and
saving and investing in stocks, bonds,
mutual funds, 401(k)s, annuities, IRAs
and the Thrift Savings Plan.
Relocation readiness is critical to
managing the challenges of the mobile
military lifestyle. The Relocation Readi-
ness Program provides support services
for Army personnel and their Families
during military transitions, and focuses
priorities to best meet the needs of the
expeditionary Army.
Those services include DOD
Military Homefront (www.
militaryhomefront.dod.
mil), a website with links to
military installation informa-
tion. Plan My Move assists
personnel and their Families
with pre- and post-move
needs, and counseling (indi-
vidual or group) for inbound
and outbound transferees.
Education and training
provides mandatory overseas
orientations, re-entry work-
shops, pre- and post-move orientations,
services to multicultural Families,
outreach services for waiting Families,
sponsor training and ACS liaisons to
the U.S. Bureau of Citizenship and Im-
migration Services.
Whatever the problem, a Family
Program solution is only a call, click or
visit away. As the Army continues to
adapt to a changing environment, Fam-
ily Programs will continue to adapt to
serve Soldiers and Families and ensure
mission readiness. v
Shayna Brouker works for IMCOM Public
Affairs.
Soldiers • June 2011 11
Army Family Action Plan
gives everyone a voice
Tim Hipps
First Swing instructor Marty Ebel of the National
Amputee Golf Association works with Sgt. Jameka
Promise of the Warrior Transition Unit in Orlando
during an Army Family and Morale, Welfare and
Recreation Command golf clinic at the Osprey
Golf Course on Walt Disney World Resort in Lake
Buena Vista, Fla.
Story by Tim Hipps
T
HE Army Family Action Plan
is a grassroots program that
identifies and attempts to solve
significant quality of life issues impact-
ing Soldiers of all components, Fami-
lies, retirees and Army civilians.
The process begins at the installa-
tion level, where almost 90 percent of
issues are resolved, according to Maj.
Gen. Reuben Jones, commander of the
Army’s Family and Morale, Welfare
and Recreation Command. Handling
issues at the local level results in ongo-
ing community improvements. Issues
beyond the local level are raised to
command-level conferences and then
to Army headquarters, where delegates
from across the Army determine which
will be selected for resolution by Army
staff and Department of Defense agen-
cies.
“The issues that make their way to
12 www.army.mil/soldiers
Rick Scavetta
Eria Laue, a victim advocate with Army Community
Services at U.S. Army Garrison Kaiserslautern, Ger-
many, offers Sgt. John Eads advice on reintegrating
to home life, post-deployment.
Department of the Army headquarters
all begin at a garrison or tenant unit,
such as 5th (Special Forces) Group or
an MI (military intelligence) brigade
that belongs to Intelligence and Securi-
ty Command, or maybe an engineering
company that belongs to the Corps of
Engineers,” explained Christina Vina,
a program analyst who manages Army
Family Action Plan Conference issues.
The issues are vetted at the local
level, and those that cannot be resolved
are forwarded to higher commands,
such as Forces Command, Training
and Doctrine Command, the Corps
of Engineers, U.S. Army Europe or
Eighth Army.
Those entities have their own
conferences, where the issues are pri-
oritized again. In addition to the Army
commands, two special-interest groups,
the Army Wounded Warrior Program
and Survivor Outreach Services, have
their own symposiums.
Rob McIlvaine
Toward the end of the 2010 Tragedy Assistance
Program for Survivors-sponsored Fort Hood
Military Survivor Seminar and Good Grief Camp,
the surviving children of the fallen had a chance
to release balloons with private messages. Here,
Soldier/mentor David Riecke helps Wayne secure
his message: “I miss you.”
“At those conferences, their issues
all deal with things affecting them,”
Vine said. “(They) send their issues that
cannot be resolved at their level up to
headquarters, Department of the Army,
and they come to me.”
Those issues are presented at the
DA-level conference, where delegates
vote on which are most important
and need immediate attention from
the Army and/or DOD. The remain-
ing issues are also worked toward a
resolution, but the delegates prioritize
the tasks, meaning they help focus the
direction of policy and programming at
the DOD level.
For more information about the
AFAP, visit www.myarmyonesource.
com, or contact your local Army Com-
munity Service office. v
Tim Hipps works for FMWRC Public
Affairs.
 Oodles of child,
youth programs
Story by William Bradner
A
RMY Youth Programs provides
affordable, accessible services
for eligible Families both on
and off post. Through formal partner-
ships with several nationally recog-
nized, youth-serving organizations such
as the Department of Agriculture, 4-H
Dan Degrave, Automotive Skills Center worker, teaches his group how to assemble a bicycle during the EDGE! program’s Pedal On class at Fort Wainwright, Alaska.
Sheryl Nix
and Boys & Girls Clubs of America,
Army kids have access to programs,
standardized curricula, special events,
camps, scholarships and more.
Middle school programs are gener-
ally for sixth- through eighth-graders,
and teen programs support youth in
grades 9 through 12.
After-school and summer programs
are provided through four service areas,
each focusing on specific developmen-
tal outcomes.
Sports, fitness and health options
help youth engage in fun physical
programs to develop life-long healthy
habits, and to acquire the skills needed
to achieve a balanced lifestyle. These
programs introduce them to a variety
Soldiers • June 2011 13

of traditional and non-traditional
sports and games that foster sportsman-
ship, teambuilding, goal setting, and
self-discipline in a positive setting.
Life skills, citizenship and leader-
ship opportunities are designed to
provide service opportunities, de-
velop leadership skills, experience the
democratic process and acquire skills
needed to become productive members
of society. Programs facilitate ongoing
workforce preparation, entrepreneur-
ship experiences, computer competen-
cy and opportunities for peer-to-peer
mentorship.
Arts, recreation and leisure activi-
ties focus on the fine arts, including
the performing, visual and literary
arts. Recreation and leisure programs
promote an appreciation for hobbies
and the importance of relaxation in
daily life.
Finally, academic support, mentor-
ing and intervention services provide
homework assistance and tutoring,
helping students develop study, goal
setting and research skills. Program
options promote health and prevention
education, and teach conflict resolution
and peer mediation.
The EDGE! program ties all four
service areas together, and provides
children and youth with opportuni-
ties to Experience, Develop, Grow and
Excel in a variety of areas through art,
fitness, life skills and adventure activi-
ties. It offers garrison youth programs
a standardized framework consisting of
four broad interest-area packages: Art
EDGE!, Life EDGE!, Fit EDGE! and
Adventure EDGE!
Art EDGE! promotes hands-on
learning, and focuses on the develop-
ment of lifetime skills through expo-
sure to the arts. Art EDGE! activities
increase creative development while
building self-esteem. Activities include
14 www.army.mil/soldiers
Kris Gonzalez
ceramics, computer graphic design,
digital filmmaking, digital music
making, digital photography, draw-
ing, fashion design, hip-hop, paint-
ing, scrapbooking, theater arts and
woodworking, and vary depending on
garrison resources.
Fit EDGE! educates and encour-
ages children and youth to live healthy
through physical activity and nutrition-
al awareness programs. Activities in-
clude adventure sports, aerobics, body
sculpting, bowling, customized fitness
programs, golf, nutrition, strength
training, stress management, team and
pick-up sports, weight management,
weight training and yoga.
Life EDGE! provides youth with
skills for lifelong growth and encour-
ages them to explore different career
fields. Activities include age-specific
basic cooking, baking and culinary art
activities, auto maintenance and repair,
book clubs, computer skills, consumer
skills, health and food safety, ecol-
ogy and living green, marketing and
advertising, money management, pet
care, research and study skills and time
management.
Adventure EDGE! encourages par-
ticipants to embrace the outdoors and
nature while being exposed to activities
that stimulate relaxation. Garrison-level
options include ecology, fishing, geo-
caching, hiking, kayaking, orienteer-
ing, rock or wall climbing, skiing and
swimming.
Programming varies by installa-
tion, depending on resources, and in
some cases (such as intramural sports
programs) the size of the garrison.
To learn more, visit your local
Child Youth and School Services offices
or www.myarmyonesource.com. v
William Bradner works for FMWRC Public
Affairs.
(Far left) Trevez Sandoval tries out tubing
for the first time on Lake Tholocco, Fort
Rucker, Ala., as an EDGE! program par-
ticipant. Other activities included archery
and badminton. (Photo by Emily Brainard)
(Left) The EDGE! program, an after school
and summer program for children 6 to
18, offers an array of classes, including
this do-it-yourself beauty class at Fort
Jackson, S.C., in which participants made
their own bubble bath. (Courtesy of the
Fort Jackson Leader staff)
Emily Nodine, 9, adjusts the legs of a spider she crafted during a Magic Tree House book club meeting at the Thomas Lee Hall Library, Fort Jackson, S.C. The book
club is part of the EDGE! program, an Army Family Covenant initiative.

(Far right) Kaylee Blumenfeld, Bailey Donato,

Elizabeth Witsken and Ashley Morris dance
and sing “The Prince Is Giving a Ball” during
rehearsal for “Cinderella” at the post theater,
Fort Leavenworth, Kan. The after-school pro-
gram Curtain Call, under the direction of Jeanne
Witsken, is part of the EDGE! Program. (Photo
by Russell Sellers)

(Right) Colton Stinger, 14, and Scott Howard,

14, face off during an indoor soccer scrimmage
at Fortenberry-Colton Physical Fitness Facility,
Fort Rucker, Ala. The event was part of the EDGE!
program’s activities. (Photo by Prudence Siebert)

Soldiers • June 2011 15

Removing educational
obstacles for military
school transition services
Story by Tim Hipps
T
HE Army is working to ease
the challenges of military
children who move, on aver-
age, three times more often than their
non-military peers and attend up to
nine schools before graduating.
Army School Support Services
aims to remove many of the hurdles
these students face, and helps fulfill
the Army Family Covenant—the
service’s promise to provide Army
Families with a quality of life com-
mensurate with their service and
sacrifice.
To deliver this promise, School
Support Services provides school
liaison officers with strong education
backgrounds and experience to each
Army installation. These liaisons offer
support to garrison commanders,
Army Families and school districts.
Of about 640,000 Army school-
age children, one in seven has special
needs. Each school district is different,
16 www.army.mil/soldiers
kids
deployment support
home-school linkage
as are its procedures and regulations.
Therefore, every time a child relocates,
the differences may pose obstacles for
Families.
About a decade ago, the Army con-
tracted with the Military Child Educa-
tion Coalition to study the impact
of school transitions on students and
Families. That research—the Secondary
Education Transition Study—illus-
trated a need for predictability and sup-
port in areas such as transfer of records,
systems to ease student transition
during the first two weeks they are in
a new school, access to extracurricular
activities and graduation requirements.
As a result of the study, nine school
districts collaborated and developed a
memorandum of agreement in 2001,
indicating they would work together to
support military transitioning students
and provide predictability for Families.
Since then, about 400 school districts
have signed the agreement.
post-secondary preparation
partnerships in education
Army school liaison officers played
a major role in this increase. They are
responsible for approaching all school
districts within 50 miles of their gar-
risons that have more than 250 military
students enrolled. Many have exceeded
that requirement by also enlisting the
cooperation of school districts within
that 50-mile radius with fewer military
students.
“Through collaboration and part-
nerships with non-profit organizations
and school districts, our Families have
grown to count on innovative transi-
tion and support programs,” said Lt.
Gen. Rick Lynch, commanding general
of the Installation Management Com-
mand and the assistant chief of staff
for Installation Management. “Senior
commanders stand ready and com-
mitted to support schools and com-
munities as active partners in order to
facilitate implementation of the needed
programs.
 Army School Support Services aims to remove
many of the hurdles these students face, and
helps fulfill the Army Family Covenant.

(Left) A Soldier speaks to school children about Army life during a Veterans Day event.

Many schools partner with the Army to develop Adopt-A-School and student mentoring programs.

“The school liaison program…de-

velops and nurtures valuable education-
al partnerships within the Army and
civilian communities. School liaison
officers work to ensure our students
have access to transition services that
will provide a smooth takeoff and a soft
landing,” Lynch added.
As the critical link between a Fam-
ily, the school district and the garrison,
each school liaison officer provides six
core services to assist Army Families:
school transition services, deployment
support, command-school-community
communication, home-school linkage
and support, partnerships in education/
Adopt a School and post-secondary
preparation.
“(There are) websites linking
schools to garrisons, active Adopt-A-
School and mentoring programs, work-
shops to facilitate community, school
and garrison understanding, support
through the utilization and placement

Soldiers • June 2011 17

About 400 school districts nationwide work with the Army to support military transitioning students.
of military Family life consultants,
assistance for all students—those in
regular class, in advanced classes, with
special needs and those who are being
home-schooled,” Lynch said.
During the 10 years since the
original SETS study, the Army has led
by example, Lynch said.
“We even put it in writing…
the Army Family Covenant promises
support with standardized programs,
quality health care and housing, along
with excellent support of all youth
services for our Soldiers and Families.”
Although building learning
environments that support students
during school transitions continues to
be an essential component of School
Support Services, academic and
personal management skills are also
critical elements to ensure positive
student outcomes in the 21st century,
he added.
It’s this level of support that
allows Soldiers to focus on their mis-
sion and be prepared for short-notice
calls to duty around the world. Since
2001, about 2 million children have
experienced parental deployment, in-
cluding 570,000 with parents serving
in all Army components.
18 www.army.mil/soldiers
The Army School Support Services
Strategic Plan was developed to address
overarching elements—learning envi-
ronment, academic skills, and personal
management skills—that combined,
produce a solid support system for
Army kids.
The plan details Child, Youth
and School Services’ commitment to:
standardized Army School Support Ser-
vices for all Army Families; advocacy
for quality education for Army children
and youth; promotion of programs
and services to support Army Families
and stakeholders during all transitions,
deployments, and Army transforma-
tion; and development of a strategic
marketing plan for Army School Sup-
port Services.
The plan was developed by an
interdisciplinary group of profession-
als from the Army Family and Morale,
Welfare and Recreation Command;
Army Community Service; the Office
of the Assistant Secretary of the Army
for Manpower and Reserve Affairs;
the Soldier Family Readiness Division
at the Office of the Assistant Chief
of Staff for Installation Management;
the Defense Education Agency; the
Departments of Education and Agri-
culture; and Education representatives
from school districts and nonprofits
nationwide.
“This strategy is an incorporation
of research-based goals established as
a result of current issues and trends
in education,” Lynch said. “It has es-
tablished strategies for measuring aca-
demic, social and emotional support
for Army children, pre-kindergarten
to 20 years old.
“Since we are talking about
research, we are well on their way to
completing the second phase of the
original research study, called Educat-
ing the Military Child in the 21st
Century,” Lynch continued. “Aca-
demic excellence, program access, and
related support services for 700,000
Army-connected, school-age children
Soldiers are afforded the opportunity to volunteer in their communities through mentorship programs.
have been investigated in this two-
year study.”
The components of the research
are: updating secondary education,
the implications of home-schooling
choices for Army Families and the
education-related effects of multiple
deployments on school-age children.
“I can’t wait to see what we learn
from these results,” Lynch said.
“These last (10) years were just the
start. We continue to be committed
to learning and leading as we begin
to fully comprehend the impact
of the military lifestyle on military
children. The continued research and
the School Support Services Strategic
Plan will assure that the Army will
be the driving force for student suc-
cess.” v
Summertime fun
for military children
By Tim Hipps
A RMY Child, Youth and
School Services officials
believe that well-planned summer
camps can have a positive impact
on the lives of military children.
Army installations host nearly
100 summer day camps school-
age children can attend during
the duty day. Some campers arrive
earlier in the morning and some
attend half days. Army Child and
Youth Services personnel staff all
camps.
The Army’s school-age sum-
mer camps provide options for
military parents that promote
quality educational, recreational,
social, enjoyable experiences for
their kids. Meals and snacks are
also provided.
Whether producing or act-
ing in a skit or play, painting a
mural, or going on a field trip,
summer camp is designed to be
educational, entertaining and
fun. Many of the camps feature
themed weeks—such as drama
week, music week and technology
week—and campers can pick and
choose when they would like to
attend. Fees are paid on a weekly
basis and costs are determined by
an income-based sliding scale.
With precision planning, sum-
mer camp can help supplement
structure in youths’ lives without
encroaching on their playtime,
and create memories worthy of a
lifetime.
“When I think back about
my childhood, what do I remem-
ber most? It’s not about being in
school. I remember everything
about being outside in the sum-
mer,” said Mary Ellen Pratt, chief
of Family and Morale, Welfare
and Recreation Child Develop-
ment Programs. v
Soldiers • June 2011 19
Kris Gonzalez

Strong
Beginnings
prepares children for kindergarten

20 www.army.mil/soldiers
 Karl Weisel
(Above) Jalen Custard, whose mother is on a 15-month deployment, shows his graduation certificate to
his second-tier guardian, Staff Sgt. Juanita Sealey after successfully completing the Strong Beginnings
program at USAG Wiesbaden, Germany. (Left) Students of Fort Jackson, S.C.’s Strong Beginnings program
are all smiles after graduation.

Story by Rob McIlvaine state to another,” said Mary Ellen Pratt, respected early childhood development
Family and Morale, Welfare and Rec- firms in the nation,” Pratt said.
reations chief of Child Development According to Pratt, Teaching

T
HE Army’s Child,
Youth and School
Services’ Strong
Beginnings pre-kindergarten
program, designed for 4- to
5-year-old children, prepares
young students for school
with lessons in everything
from science and technology
to how to hold a carton of
milk or carry a food tray.
Besides the basics of “kin-
dergarten protocol,” Strong
Beginnings also teaches math,
social studies, beginning
reading and writing skills and
good manners.
Thirty-eight states and the District
of Columbia (not counting Head Start
or Migrant Worker programs) have a
state- or district-operated, pre-kinder-
garten program similar to the Army’s.
However, space is sometimes limited,
and in six states enrollments are limited
to 800 or fewer children.
“In addition, each state has dif-
ferent learning standards, policies and
procedures, making it difficult for
mobile Families to transition from one
Programs. “The Army needed to ensure
that regardless of the Family’s location,
Army children are prepared to enter
kindergarten. Our pre-k standards
meet or exceed every state’s standards.”
In some locations, the Army has
partnered with states to jointly operate
the pre-k program.
The Army’s Strong Beginnings
program is available at every Army
garrison and has standard guidance
and procedures, making the program
consistent and predictable.
The program, which is three hours
long, five days a week, is provided in
child development centers’ full-day and
part-day programs for children entering
kindergarten in the fall. There is no ad-
ditional fee for children who attend the
full-day program, as it is included as
part of the monthly tuition, Pratt said.
Strong Beginnings children also
receive one instructional class as part of
their tuition, such as beginning Spanish
or tumbling.
Army early learning standards were
developed by Teaching Strategies of
Bethesda, Md. “Teaching Strategies
is one of the most well-known and
Strategies researched and analyzed the
standards of every state, D.C. and the
Department of Defense Education
Activity and garnered the “best of the
best” to create the Army-specific Strong
Beginnings Early Learning Standards
for Children Entering Kindergarten.
The Creative Curriculum for
Preschool is the only authorized cur-
riculum for Strong Beginnings and is
the most widely used curriculum for
pre-kindergarten programs in America.
“This comprehensive curriculum
and assessment system is scientifically
based, research-tested and provides
teachers with strategies for meeting
children’s individual needs and learn-
ing styles,” Pratt said. “It focuses on
literacy, math, science, social studies,
the arts, technology and process skills,
and includes a parent-participation
component.”
Parents play a major role in Strong
Beginnings, particularly during town
hall meetings where they discuss expec-
tations and learn about the Army’s abil-
ity to prepare their children for school.
There are also parent-teacher
conferences during the fall, mid-year

Soldiers • June 2011 21

Kris Gonzalez

Cheyanne Norman, 4, receives her Strong Beginnings graduation diploma from lead teacher Debra Asberry at Fort Jackson, S.C.’s Main Post Chapel. Cheyanne was
one of 40 preschoolers in the program.

Rob Schuette
and prior to graduation, where parents
receive updates on their children’s prog-
ress. Parents are also provided opportu-
nities to actively support the program
through volunteering in the classroom
and on field trips, for example.
There’s also a summer pre-k
bootcamp. This one-week, intensive
orientation to kindergarten is aimed
at children who never attended Strong
Beginnings or moved to the garri-
son over the summer. This provides
children an opportunity to learn about
their new community, as well as obtain
a better understanding of what kinder- Betsy Tadisch and Lisa Bjerke of the Strong Beginnings classroom lead Child Development Center youth in
garten will be like. a planned activity at Fort McCoy, Wisc.
Finally, there’s a graduation cer-
emony to mark the transition from parents get really excited over this big future. This day marks the beginning of
pre-kindergarten to kindergarten. day,” Pratt said. “Not having a gradu- the rest of their lives.” v
Although not a college graduation ex- ation would be a letdown for all the
travaganza, it does include caps, gowns children who worked so hard through-
and diplomas. out the year. It is recognition that these Rob McIlvaine worked for FMWRC Public
Affairs at the time this article was written.
“Most children and virtually all children are well-prepared for their He is now with the Army News Service.

22 www.army.mil/soldiers
OnPoint
The Army in Action

Georgia
Children from the Fort McPherson, Ga., Child Development
Center Preschool I and II class play ball during recess.
(Photo by Kevin Stabinsky)
24 www.army.mil/soldiers
www.army.mil/publications
Soldiers
Soldiers
• December 2010 25
• June 2011
 army news
Army adjusts retention-control points
N EW retention-control
points for privates through
staff sergeants took effect
June 1.
The new RCPs decrease
the time Soldiers and junior
NCOs can stay in their cur-
rent rank by an average of
three years. The new RCPs will
affect active-duty Soldiers and
those in the Active Guard Re-
serve, or AGR force, officials
said. They will not apply to
mobilized Guard and Reserve
Soldiers.
The change will align
RCPs with the Army Leader-
ship Development Strategy, said Sgt.
Maj. Dean Drummond, senior career
counselor, G-1.
One goal of the new RCPs is to
motivate Soldiers to “step it up a little”
with their professional development so
that they can be promoted with their
peers, Drummond said.
Army building first Block III Apache
T HE Army recently began construction
on the first fuselage of its next-gener-
ation AH-64 Block III Apache helicopter.
The new attack helicopter will be
built with a stronger engine, improved
avionics, better computer networking
capability and increased maneuverability
when compared with current models,
service officials said.  The Apache Block III aircraft will
DCMA and Boeing  representatives examine the
paperwork that accompanied the fuselage of the
first AH-64D Apache Block III helicopter upon its
arrival at the Mesa, Ariz., receiving dock earlier this
year. (Courtesy photo)
26 www.army.mil/soldiers
Sgt. Maj. of the Army Raymond F. Chandler III
tells members of Congress that the Army’s new
retention-control points will be one tool used to
eventually help draw down the Army’s temporary
end-strength increase of 22,000 Soldiers. (Photo
by C. Todd Lopez)
Beginning June 1, the RCP for
privates through privates first class
decreased from eight years service to
only five years.
The first Block III aircraft will roll
off Boeing’s Mesa, Ariz., production line
this fall, said Lt. Col. Dan Bailey, prod-
uct manager for the program. The first
two aircraft will be used for develop-
mental purposes, and the next five will
be used to train the first unit equipped,
he said.
begin to be fielded with units by the end
of 2012, Bailey said.  es—will also have High Performance
Overall, the Army plans to acquire
690 Block III Apaches between now and
2026 at a production rate of roughly
two battalions per year, beginning in
fiscal year 2013. Of those, 643 will be
re-manufactured aircraft and 56 will be
“new builds,” Bailey explained.  will allow aircraft pilots to control the
The Block III Apache features a
701D engine, composite rotor blades,
improved networking and communica-
tions avionics, and an Improved Drive
System of the 21st Century—known as
IDS-21—Face Gear Transmission.
The RCP for corporals
and specialists went from 10
years to eight years of ser-
vice. Promotable Soldiers in
the grade of E-4 will be al-
lowed to stay up to 12 years.
For the past three years, they
have been allowed up to 15
years of service.
Sergeants will be allowed
13 years and those who have
been selected for promotion
but have not yet pinned on
their stripes will be allowed
15 years of service.
The new RCP for staff
sergeants is 20 years of ser-
vice. Since 2008, they have been allowed
23 years.
There will be no change in the RCPs
for promotable staff sergeants through
command sergeants major. E-9s will
continue to reach their RCP at 32
years. v
— ARNEWS
“The new 701D engine has a sig-
nificant increase in reliability based on
new coating, new metal and increased
airflow, which allows it to operate at
higher temperatures,” Bailey said.
The IDS-21 improves efficiency
because the transmission combines
the output torque of two engines into
a single-power torque transmission. 
The Block III—like earlier Apach-
Shock Strut advanced landing gear,
which will allow for hard landings,
Bailey said.
In addition, the Apache Block
III will include level-4 manned-un-
manned teaming—technology which
sensor payloads of nearby unmanned
aircraft systems while viewing their
live, real-time video feeds, Bailey
said. v
— Kris Osborn/ASA(ALT) Public
Affairs

Army gears up for
largest network evaluation B
A S preparations for the Army’s
Network Integration Evaluation
kick into high gear, Soldiers, engineers,
combat developers and test officials
have been joining forces at Fort Bliss,
Texas, and White Sands Missile Range,
N.M.
The NIE, scheduled for June and
July, will be the Army’s largest and most
robust network test and evaluation
effort to date, according to program
officials.
“We have hundreds of subject-
matter experts from the test, acquisition
and requirements communities con-
verging at Fort Bliss to begin integra-
tion work in support of the Army’s top
modernization priority…delivering an
integrated network,” said Col. John
Wendel, deputy program executive of-
ficer for Networks, PEO Integration.
The NIE has been termed “the
largest operational test in the history of
the U.S. Army Operational Test Com-
Vehicles of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, are lined up at a sprawling motor pool,
ready to begin the Network Integration Exercise.
From Army News Service and other sources
mand, in terms of number of systems
being tested and number of personnel
supporting.”
This year’s NIE is actually the
first of a series of four major test and
evaluation events aimed at synchroniz-
ing multiple programs and evaluating
technologies to determine how well
they fit into a larger, integrated tactical
network, according to the Army Test
and Evaluation Command.
The culminating event, scheduled
for late 2012, will help slate the con-
tent for the first network “capability
set” to be fielded to deploying brigades
in the 2013-2014 timeframe.
More than 4,000 Soldiers of
the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st
Armored Division, will be executing
the six-week test and evaluation this
year. They have spent the past several
months preparing for the NIE in both
field training and classroom exercises. v
— Katie Cain/PEO Integration
Promotion-point
calculations change
EGINNING this month, Soldiers
seeking advancement to sergeant or
staff sergeant will find that the Army has
automated its promotion-point calcula-
tion and changed the way points are
earned.
The Army has modified it’s Semi-
Centralized Promotion System.
Soldiers can still earn a maximum
of 800 points on the promotion-point
worksheet, but where those points come
from has changed.
The biggest change is that points
will no longer come from either a
promotion board or a Soldier’s com-
mander—two areas in which Soldiers
were previously able to earn as many as
300 points. However, commanders will
still be able to recommend Soldiers for
promotions, and boards will still provide
a “go” or “no-go” for promotion.
“It…allows us to be more fair and
objective in our promotion points, as
opposed to a subjective system,” said
Brig. Gen. Richard P. Mustion, the
Army’s adjutant general. “Yet it retains
the responsibility of the chain of com-
mand. It doesn’t undercut the chain of
command in any way.”
Those 300 points have been moved
to other sections of the promotion-point
worksheet. The largest increase in max
points is in the area of military training.
The max points have also increased for
military education.
Another major change under the
new system: No points will be awarded
for sub-course completion, only for
finishing a course in its entirety.
Also beginning this month, pro-
motion points will be automatically
calculated from Army databases.
The manual calculation process is
gone, Mustion said.
“As soon as a Soldier makes a change
and it gets posted to the personnel and
training system, the promotion points
get recalculated. You’ll be able to go in
and see your promotion points went
from 700 to 710, based on completing a
course, or receiving an award.” v
— C. Todd Lopez/ARNEWS
Soldiers • June 2011 27
 Armed Forces Recreation Centers
Story by William Bradner

F
ROM strolling barefoot on
the sandy shores of Waikiki, to
exploring medieval European
castles or the exotic city of Seoul,
Armed Forces Recreation Center
resorts provide an array of affordable,
world-class vacation opportunities for
eligible guests.
The AFRCs are operated by the
Army Family and Morale, Welfare and
Recreation Command. Eligible guests
include active-duty and reserve-compo-
nent servicemembers, retirees, current
and retired Department of Defense
civilians, delayed-entry recruits and
Family members.
Room rates are based on a sliding
scale according to pay grade, so junior
servicemembers and their Families
can afford the same accommoda-
tions general officers might enjoy. The
resorts have the same force protection
measures found on Army garrisons,
ensuring safety and security.

T
HE Cape Henry Inn and
Beach Club is located on Fort
Story, Virginia Beach, Va., on
the Chesapeake Bay—one of the most
popular vacation destinations on the
Eastern seaboard. Cape Henry embod-
ies the simple joys of beach living, with
views of bottleneck dolphins and awe-
inspiring sunsets over the bay.
The inn offers a variety of comfort-
able lodging to fit all vacation styles,
from luxury suites with kitchenettes
and private balconies to bungalows, log
cabins and cottages on the beach with
bayside decks.
The inn sits on the edge of a
bustling tourist area, with historic sites,
nature walks, whale watching, muse-
ums, shopping and dining, all minutes
away. Nearby Jamestown, established in
1607, was the first permanent English
settlement in North America. The
Hampton Roads area is also home to
Williamsburg, where travelers can get a
glimpse of colonial life.

28 www.army.mil/soldiers
B
Y contrast, the Dragon Hill
Lodge in Seoul, is nestled
in the heart of a thriving
metropolis. The lodge, on Yongsan
Garrison, is minutes from downtown
Seoul’s historic landmarks, shopping
districts and the beautiful Namsan
National Park.
Despite its towering buildings and
neon-lighted streets, Seoul preserves its
historic spirit, traditions and culture.
Modern coffee shops share sidewalk
space with street vendors and traditional
teahouses. Visitors to the city also have
access to a wide range of cultural events,
parades and festivals.
The Dragon Hill can also help guests
arrange vacation activities ranging from
unique shopping trips in the heart of
Seoul to tours of ancient temples, with
stops at traditional entertainment
venues, ski slopes and amusement
parks.

E
DELWEISS Lodge and Resort
in Garmisch-Partenkirchen,
Germany, may never be called
a thriving metropolis. Fifty-six miles
from Munich, the resort sits at the foot
of the Bavarian Alps and offers guests
views of alpine vistas, Olympic-quality
skiing, mountain biking, rock climbing
and hiking.
The resort features intimate rooms
with spectacular views from private hot tub, spa, wellness club, massage
balconies, cozy cabins and camping services, casual and fine dining and a
facilities. The staff coordinates daily comfortable lobby with a fireplace.
activities, ranging from guided tours John Kelmelis, a recent guest,
of historic European castles to tandem summed up his stay: “Our military
paragliding from nearby mountaintops. deserves the best vacation experience—
The resort has an indoor pool, and you provide it!”

Soldiers • June 2011 29

F
OR those who love both beaches
and mountains, the Hale Koa
Hotel on the pristine shores of
Waikiki Beach, Hawaii, offers a 72-acre
recreational oasis.
Surfing, snorkeling, SCUBA div-
ing, hiking and golf outings can be
arranged through guest services, and
guests will also find easy access to ten-
nis and racquetball courts, sand volley-
ball, swimming pools and spa services.
In the evenings the resort offers
magic shows, local music and tradition-
al dance exhibitions, and what some
describe as the best luau on Waikiki
Beach.
“I just returned from 15 months in
Iraq, and this was my dream vacation.
The Hale Koa exceeded all of the rave
reviews I had heard about it,” wrote
Shannon Holdsclaw, a Fort Huachuca,
Ariz., Soldier, in a letter to the hotel.
“Thank you for providing such an out-
standing facility for military personnel
and their Families.”

30 www.army.mil/soldiers
 More info
:
The Cape H
en
1116 Kwa ry Inn and Beach Clu
jalein Road b
For t Story,
Va. 23459

B
Phone: (75 -50
ack on the mainland, the Iraq, and I break down in tears, I’m 7) 422-88 34
Shades of Green resort, located surrounded by people who under- Fax: (757) 1 8
42
in the heart of the Walt Dis- stand, have been there and can www.capeh 2-6397
enryinn.co
m
ney World Resort in Florida, offers help.”
friendly hospitality and choice accom- Because the resorts are owned Edelweiss
Lod
modations, and is a premiere vacation and operated by the U.S. military, From Euro ge and Resor t
pe: (00-49
From CONU ) 08
destination for Families. room rates and merchandise pur- S: (011-49 821-9440
Surrounded by cascading water- chased on the properties are tax M onday–Frid ) 8821-94
ay, 8 a.m. 40
falls, tropical gardens, Koi ponds, exempt, an added value to the E mail: vacati to 5 p.m. C
on@edelw entral Euro
Website: w e pea
several swimming pools and two budget-conscious vacationer. ww.edelwe isslodgeandresor t.co n Time
isslodgean m
world-class golf courses, the resort also The resorts also frequently offer dresor t.co
Hale Koa H m
offers guests free transportation to the discounts and specials. otel
Disney theme parks and early admis- For more information, Fro m CONUS:
Monday–S (800) 367-6027
sion to select resort attractions. visit www.afrcresorts.com. v aturday, 8
Email: rese a.m. to 4 p
When guests stay at Shades of r vations@ .m.
Website: w halekoa.co Hawaii Standard Tim
Green, the question is not, “What is ww.halekoa m e
.com
there to do?” but rather, “How much
Dragon Hill
can we fit into one day?” Lo
From CONU dge
Perhaps the most important S: (011-82
Email: rese -2) 7918-2
benefit to staying at any Armed Forces r vations@ 222 (24 h
Website: w dhl.korea.a ours)
Recreation Center is the fact that all ww.dragon rmy.mil
hilllodge.co
guests are members of the military m
Shades of
Family—people who serve together Green
From CONU
and share life experiences. S:
Monday–F (888) 593-2242
As one guest at the Shades of riday, 8:30
Email: rese a.m
Green explained, “If it suddenly r vations@ . to 5 p.m. Eastern T
Website: w shadesofg ime
ww.shades ree
dawns on me that (my husband) is ofgreen.org n.org
leaving in three days to go back to

Soldiers • June 2011 31

 Wanted:
Elite
Soldier-athletes

Story and photos by Tim Hipps

A
CTIVE-duty, Reserve and
National Guard Soldiers who
are competitive on the national
and international levels in any Olympic
sport can apply for the Army World
Class Athlete Program.
The program allows Soldiers to train
full time for a shot at the Olympics and
World Championships.
All applicants must be eligible to
represent the United States in interna-
tional competitions. Officers must be
branch-qualified, and enlisted Soldiers
MOS-qualified. They also must dem-
onstrate the potential to qualify for the
U.S. Olympic Team or U.S. Paralympic
Team.
Selection standards for each sport
are listed at www.armymwr.com
under Sports and World Class Athlete
Program. v

(Above left) Army World Class Athlete Program

bobsled pilot Sgt. John Napier drives to a sec-
ond-place finish at the U.S. World Cup Bobsled
Team Trials with WCAP brakeman 2nd Lt. Chris
Fogt aboard, Oct. 24, 2010, in Park City, Utah.

(Left) U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program

boxer Capt. Michael Benedosso (foreground
in red) advances to the light flyweight finale of
the 2010 Conseil International du Sport Militaire
Military World Boxing Championships with an
8-3 victory over Pvt. Debendro Singh of India,
Oct. 13, 2010, at Marine Corps Base Camp
Lejeune, N.C.
32 www.army.mil/soldiers
Army World Class Athlete Program runners Maj. Dan Browne (bib
No. 1) and Spc. Robert Cheseret (bib No. 11) flank the front line
of fast starters in the 26th Army Ten-Miler, Oct. 24, 2010 at the
Pentagon. Cheseret finished third with a time of 48 minutes, 28
seconds. Brown was fourth in 48:22.

Army World Class Athlete Program Greco-Roman

wrestler Spc. Jeremiah Davis (bottom in red) throws
Spc. Nathan Piasecki en route to victory in the finals
of the 60-kilogram/132-pound division of the 2010 U.S.
World Team Trials for Wrestling at the Mid-America
Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Soldiers • June 2011 33

 Sgt. 1st Class Raymond Piper
Story by Tim Hipps

W
ARRIOR Adventure Quest
is a training tool designed to
introduce recently redeployed
Soldiers to activities that serve as alterna-
tives to potentially destructive behaviors.
The program combines existing high-
adventure recreation activities—such
as whitewater rafting, rock climbing,
mountain biking, kayaking, paintball,
skeet shooting, canoeing, skiing and

So far, the program

skydiving—with a leader-led after action
debrief developed by the Army medical

has served about 1,450

professionals.
All of the activities are structured

platoons, or 37,554
and monitored by morale, welfare and
recreation outdoor recreation experts in a

Soldiers.
controlled setting, usually within 90 days
of returning from combat. The goal is to
prevent Soldiers from seeking high-risk
adventures on their own by introducing
them to safe, structured adventure activi-
ties, while keeping them surrounded by

34 www.army.mil/soldiers
 High-adrenaline activities help
Soldiers transition
“teammates” who help ensure safety
remains a top consideration.
WAQ incorporates resiliency
training to help redeployed troops
adjust to a calmer-paced lifestyle
than the one they left behind.
Experts said such psychological
resilience-building programs help
Soldiers recognize and respond to
fear during combat and mitigate
the cumulative effects of a sustained
deployment. They help Soldiers
mentally prepare to reintegrate
during the redeployment, post-
deployment and reset portions of
the deployment cycle.
Soldiers who participate in
WAQ are expected to incorporate
team building with skills learned
or reinforced during the program
and walk away with a newfound
passion for leisure activities that can
enhance their overall quality of
life.
So far, the program has
served about 1,450 platoons, or
37,554 Soldiers.
An initial data check of near-
ly 10,454 Soldiers who partici-
pated in a WAQ program found
that they were involved in 50.4
percent fewer accidents that
resulted in fatality, or permanent
or partial disability, compared to
a similar-sized cross section of
Soldiers who had not partici-
pated. They also reported 32.8
percent fewer accidents resulting
in restricted work ability or one
or more days away from work.
Monica Wood
For more information, con-
tact John O’Sullivan, the WAQ
program manager at john.osul-
livan1@us.army.mil. v
Soldiers • June 2011 35
 Spcs. Craig Smith (left) and Filipe Hill block a Navy competitor from the ball
during wheelchair-basketball preliminaries at the 2010 Warrior Games in
Colorado Springs, Colo. (Photo by Elizabeth M. Collins)

Leveling the
playing field
Story by Luke Elliott

Innovative recreation opportunities

available for wounded Soldiers

W
HILE providing premier
recreation opportunities
for Soldiers returning from
combat is a challenge, it is particularly
difficult for Soldiers who were wound-
ed in combat.
To help meet the recreational needs
of the Army’s wounded warriors, 180
recreation professionals participated in
a course called Inclusive Recreation for
Wounded Warriors.
The four-day course, provided
by the Pennsylvania State University
Outreach Programs, is designed to
train staff to successfully integrate
active-duty wounded warriors into
existing morale, welfare and recreation
programs and services.
“The course involves the ability
to recognize the unique needs and
characteristics of wounded warriors and
be able to respond to their needs,” said
Sandra Nordenhold, chief of MWR
recreation programs. “The course fo-
cuses on the real-life needs of wounded
warriors and their Families, and offers
personal perspectives by individuals
who have experienced a psychological
or physical disability.”
The course was developed in
response to increased demand for in-
stallation recreation staff to understand
how recreation can help wounded
troops and their Families cope after
long deployments and lengthy hospital
stays, she added.
“Appropriate inclusive recreation
programming is beneficial in helping
the injured, the spouse and the chil-
dren adjust to and thrive in their new-
found situation,” said Nordenhold. “By
adapting equipment and instituting
inclusive recreation programming, it
also allows the wounded warrior to
participate in a recreational activity
with his or her Family, where it may
not have been possible before. It brings
Families together and makes a Soldier
more resilient.”
FMWRC plans to continue imple-
menting this inclusion philosophy into
its programs and will send an addi-
tional 180 recreation professionals to
attend the course in the next few years.

36 www.army.mil/soldiers
 Some steps being taken to imple-
ment this program across the Army
garrisons include: the purchase of
adapted wheelchairs in Hawaii to
ensure wounded warriors can access
the beach; inclusive horseback riding
at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, and Fort
Campbell, Ky.; and the purchase of
adaptive bicycles and paving of fishing
areas for easier accessibility at Rock
Island Arsenal, Ill. A partnership is
also being developed with the National
Amputee Golf Association to bring an
amputee clinic to Fort Sill, Okla. v

Luke Elliot works for IMCOM Public Staff Sgt. Raul Martinez (right) instructs Staff Sgt. Robert O’Hagan on the finer points of drawing a bow
during a quarterly Warrior Transition Battalion adaptive sports competition at the Fort Sam Houston, Texas,
Affairs. archery field. (Photo by L.A. Shively)

Soldiers • June 2011 37

Par excellence
(Above photos) First Swing instructor Marty Ebel of
the National Amputee Golf Association works with
Staff Sgt. Jameka Promise of the Warrior Transition
Unit in Orlando during an Army Family and Morale,
Welfare and Recreation Command golf clinic at the
Osprey Golf Course on Walt Disney World Resort
in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

(Left) PGA Tour golfer Rory Sabbatini works with

Spc. Brandon Cornwell of the 53rd Infantry Brigade
in Cocoa Beach, Fla., during a Family and Morale,
Welfare and Recreation Command golf clinic for
wounded Soldiers and veterans at the Osprey
Ridge Golf Course on Walt Disney World Resort
in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

levels. It also included a short game

and putting contest. National Amputee
Golf Association instructors Marty
Ebel and Rick Monroe and PGA Tour

Wounded Warrior
The clinics also serve, for many players Rory Sabatini and Kris Blanks
warriors, as the initial exposure to a assisted with the instruction and pro-

golf clinics offer

game they can play for a lifetime. They vided a short demonstration of various
are designed to accommodate all skill shots.

rehab alternative
levels, introducing the game to first-
time golfers and coaching experienced
players through adaptive and game-
improving techniques.
Story by Steven J. Ryan The most recent of these clinics was
Photos by Tim Hipps conducted late last year in conjunc-
tion with the annual Disney Children’s
Eleven Soldiers from the local
warrior transition unit and 19 retirees
who were guests at Shades of Green
participated in the clinic. For the ma-
jority of the Soldiers, this was their first
experience with golf, though many of
the retirees were regular players.

“F
IRST Swing” Golf Clinics offer
warriors in transition an alterna-
tive to traditional rehabilitation
efforts.
The Family and Morale, Welfare
and Recreation Command developed
the clinics in partnership with the
National Amputee Golf Association to
introduce wounded warriors to a game
that allows them to have fun away from
the hospital, and reinforces their return
to normal daily activities.
Miracle Network Golf Classic. The
Disney Classic is an annual event on
the PGA Tour, and is conducted on
courses bordering the Shades of Green
resort, an Armed Forces Recreation
Center in Florida. The clinic was held
on the Osprey Ridge Golf Course, in
Orlando, Fla., and hosted members
of the local wounded warriors com-
munity.
The clinic consisted of a two-hour
block of one-on-one golf instruction
at the driving range for players of all
The FMWRC will continue to
coordinate with the National Ampu-
tee Golf Association, local medical
battalions, and other PGA adaptive
golf instructors to enhance the annual
Orlando clinic and add sites at other
garrisons to provide additional rehabili-
tation options for returning warriors in
transition. v
Steven J. Ryan works for FMWRC Busi-
ness Development.

38 www.army.mil/soldiers
 Helping Soldiers, Families, civilians

Story by Evan Dyson

I
MAGINE a tool that could bring
together geographically dispersed
Soldiers and their Families as inter-
active avatars. The space would provide
a venue for group activities including
live music performances, games, fitness
activities and team meetings.
Army OneSource, a service of
the Family and Morale, Welfare and
Recreation Command, is making this a
reality, developing a Virtual Resiliency
Campus within the Second Life virtual
community.
“The Virtual Resiliency Campus
will heighten the awareness of existing
programs and services, while expand-
ing the Army’s ability to interact with
Soldiers and Families in a modern,
safe and interactive virtual world,” said
Shaunya Murrill, chief of Outreach and
Strategic Integration within the com-
mand’s Family Programs Directorate.
“The campus contains five centers
that were specifically designed to
complement the five dimensions of
strength that serve as the cornerstones
of the Army’s Comprehensive Soldiers
Fitness Program,” said Murrill. “These
centers are physical, emotional, social,
Family and spiritual.”
Ron Huggler of Installation
Management Command’s office of the
chief of chaplains noted that chaplains
and counselors would be accessible
in the virtual world in the future. In
the meantime, virtual kiosks promote
the Army OneSource phone number,
1-877-811-ARMY, where visitors can ians,” he said. “Both sites are geared accountability and to give leadership an
seek help navigating most of the Army’s to help anybody wherever they are on opportunity to address all the warriors
support services. their spiritual journey.” at once.
Huggler says any material found in Although it is still in a develop- Additional applications will emerge
the virtual campus can also be accessed mental phase, Soldiers are already using as the Virtual Resiliency Campus
at www.spiritfit.army.mil or a garrison some areas. As an example, “Camp continues to develop. The campus is
chaplain’s office. Phoenix,” hosts events for warriors accessible through the armyonesource.
“Both (Second Life and the web- in transition. Rather than requiring com portal. v
site) have the same purpose, and that is wounded warriors to physically report
to help Soldiers, Family members and in a daily formation, “Camp Phoenix” Evan Dyson works for FMWRC Public
DA (Department of the Army) civil- holds daily virtual formations, both for Affairs

Soldiers • June 2011 39

 The Soldier Show experience
Story by Luke Elliott
E
ACH year, 14 to 18 active-duty
and reserve-component Soldiers
are selected to serve as cast mem-
bers of the U.S. Army Soldier Show.
With more than 100 performances
at 54 installations across the globe, the
Soldier Show is an annual song-and-
dance production presented by Family
and Morale, Welfare and Recreation
Command’s Army Entertainment Divi-
sion.
“We travel with lighting, video,
tractor trailers,” said John Stewart,
the show’s director. “It is a full-scale
production on the level of any profes-
sional travelling show. The only thing is,
Soldiers are putting on the show.”
The ability to sing and dance is only
part of the qualification criteria.
Cast members must represent the
Army well in appearance, fitness and
bearing, said Stewart, who has been with
the Soldier Show since 2007, serving as
the noncommissioned officer in charge
from 2007 to 2008, and as the director
since 2009.
“It is a reward and a privilege for
a Soldier to participate in the Soldier
Show,” said Stewart. “Units only allow
their best Soldiers to come and represent
them. I expect these Soldiers to give
a 100-percent effort. We don’t expect
them to know everything. All we need is
a Soldier who has a desire and is willing
to commit to putting in the required
time. Our staff will get them to where
they need to be.”
Soldier Show cast members can
expect to work seven days a week start-
40 www.army.mil/soldiers
ing in late February until the first show
in late April or early May, said Stewart.
Actual performance time is about 190
hours, technical time about 600 hours
and rehearsal time about 576 hours. Sgt. Kevin Cherry re-enacts the late Michael Jackson’s
“You take all of these requirements, song,”Billie Jean,” June 10, 2010, at the Fort Rucker,
Ala., Post Theater. Cherry and 21 other U.S. Army
and our average work week is around 72 Soldier Show cast members paid tribute to the late
musician. (Photo by Emily Brainard)
hours,” said Stewart. “It’s a lot of hard
work, but it’s one of the most gratifying
experiences in the Army because you are
touching people’s lives.”
With so many shows and locations,
life on the road with the Soldier Show is
a fast-paced experience.
“The Soldiers all travel together on
a bus, sometimes covering up to 500
miles a day,” said Stewart. “They room
together throughout the tour, so cama-
raderie and teamwork is something we
stress.”
While the 2011 season is currently
underway, the next season is just around
the corner, and it is never too early
to apply. Application deadline for the
Soldier Show is typically in January, but
recruiting efforts are year-round.
“We are constantly recruiting for the
next year,” said Stewart. “We are always
looking for talented Soldiers. We have
even auditioned people at shows (while
on tour).”
Soldiers interested in auditioning
should submit their application packet
before the January deadline. Details can
be found at www.armymwr.com under
the “Entertainment” tab. Qualified Sol- Spc. David Plasterer of Camp Hovey, Korea, and Pfc.
Andrew Clouse of Fort Gordon, Ga., play “Walking on
diers can also contact the Soldier Show Sunshine” during rehearsal for the 2010 U.S. Army Soldier
director by email at johnny.e.stewart@ Show at the Wallace Theater on Fort Belvoir, Va. (Photo
by Tim Hipps)
us.army.mil. v
 Spc. Richard Sianoya of Fort Irwin, Calif., seen
here dancing in the middle of a gospel section of
the 2006 U.S. Army Soldier Show, is the winner
of the Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation
Command-sponsored 2007 Operation Rising Star
singing contest. (Photo by Tim Hipps)

Sgt. 1st Class Michael Carter of Fort Irwin, Calif.,

sings “Indestructible” alongside guitarist Spc.
David Palmer of Fort Riley, Kan., during rehearsal
for the 2010 U.S. Army Soldier Show at Wallace
Theater on Fort Belvoir, Va. (Photo by Tim Hipps)

Sgt. Ericka Escalante is front and center as the U.S. Army

Soldier Show performs Prince’s “Seven” during rehearsal
for the 2007 U.S. Army Soldier Show tour. Sgt. Anthony
Gentilo stands in the middle, flanked by Staff Sgt. Patricia
Isaac (left). (Photo by Tim Hipps)

Soldiers • June 2011 41

 The Army’s version of
‘American Idol’

2010
Tat, Operation
con Rising
velissit nos autetStar contestants
wisisim perform
iure commy at Wallace
nulla am Theater,
zzrit wisisit Fort feum
eu feugue Belvoir, Va. onsequisl ea faccum dolorpercil dunt alit wissenim
dolorti

42 www.army.mil/soldiers
 Story and photos by Tim Hipps

O
PERATION Rising Star,
the annual singing contest
for U.S. military personnel
and Family members, was originally
licensed through Freemantle Media to
mirror Fox’s most popular TV show,
“American Idol,” complete with a trip
to Hollywood for the winner.
The production begins with local
competitions on installations and at
garrisons around the world. From the
local winners, a panel of judges selects
12 semifinalists who travel to Fort Bel-
voir, Va., for a weeklong competition
televised by the Pentagon Channel and
webcast worldwide on the Internet.
“American Idol” vocal coach Debra
Byrd, country music artist Michael
Peterson and the 12th Sgt. Maj. of the
Army Jack L. Tilley served as judges.
They have been joined in a musical
chair of celebrity judges including Josh
Gracin, Kimberly Caldwell, Kandi Bur-
russ and Jaci Velasquez.
Viewers get to vote online for their
favorite performers, who are narrowed
to three finalists by the third of four
shows during finals week. Following
that show, the winner is announced at
a reveal show.
Operation Rising Star champi-
ons earn a trip to California, usually
during Grammy Week, to record a
three-song demo album at Firehouse
Recording Studios in Pasadena.
The contest is open to all military
and their Family members, 18-and-
older. For more information visit
www.oprisingstar.com. v

2010 Operation Rising Star winner Melissa Gomez of Fort Bragg, N.C., performs during the reveal show, Nov. 19, 2010, at Wallace Theater, Fort Belvoir, Va.

Operation Rising Star host GeNienne Samuels announces

Melissa Gomez (right) of Fort Bragg, N.C., as winner of the
Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command-
backed military singing contest, Nov. 19, 2010, at Wallace
Theater, Fort Belvoir, Va. Runner-up Maj. Serelda Herbin of
Fort Hood, Texas, stands on the left.

got talent?

Soldiers • June 2011 43

Mobile MWR hits the
app store
Story by Evan Dyson
T
HE Family and
Morale, Welfare and
Recreation Com-
mand recently developed and
produced an iPhone applica-
tion, bringing its resources to
customers and employees on a
mobile platform.
The “Mobile MWR” app,
which will be updated progressively,
provides consolidated access to a
variety of resources available though
www.armymwr.com. Users can also
browse news updates, social media
sites and videos from the command.
“It’s impossible to know exactly
44 www.army.mil/soldiers
where the future is headed, but what
we do know is that more and more
people are turning from desktop
computers to mobile communication
devices,” said Ed Johnson, director of
FMWRC Public Affairs.
“It’s important to note that this
is not just developed for MWR
customers,” Johnson continued. “We
included resources for both customers
Rob McIlvaine
and employees; if you’re
affiliated with Army
MWR in any way, this
app may be of use to you.
“In the past, people
would use the Internet to
get information, now they
expect more. They want to
share it and they want to access it on
the go,” Johnson said.
“We’ve already expanded our so-
cial media resources to accommodate
this, and the app was simply the next
logical step.”
To find Mobile MWR, search the
Apple App Store for key words “Army
MWR.” v
Soldiers • June 2010 45
Shandi Dix

Col. Pat Rose, commander of the 22nd Mission Support Group, McConnell Air Force Base, Wichita, Kan., left, talks with members of Fort Riley’s flag football team,
Oct. 16, 2010, at the Warrior Zone following the Army vs. Air Force flag football game at Sacco Softball Complex, Fort Riley, Kan.

Story by Tim Hipps

W
ARRIOR Zones offer high-
tech recreation opportunities
for Soldiers who want to get
out of their barracks rooms but stay on
their installations.
While computer gaming is the main
attraction at these recreation centers,
run by Family and Morale, Welfare and
Recreation Command, troops also gather
to watch sporting events on large, high-
definition, flat-screen TVs, while eating,
gaming and mingling.
But all this can come at a high cost.
Recognizing the value of these facili-
ties, and with a cost-conscience business
model in mind, Europe Region officials
improvised by standing up interim facili-
Innovative recreation ties and renovating existing buildings.
Through a bulk-buy acquisition pro-
opportunities for Soldiers cess, they purchased the TVs, gaming sys-
tems, home theater units, computers and
furniture to standardize Warrior Zones
throughout the region. As time and funds
permit, FMWRC will continue to build
46 www.army.mil/soldiers
new structures, and the existing equip-
ment and furnishings will be moved to
the completed facilities.
“The Warrior Zone is kind of like a
recreation center gone high-tech,” said
Kris D’Alessandro, director of MWR at
Fort A.P. Hill, Va. D’Alessandro helped
develop the concept while working at
FMWRC headquarters. “The main
focus is all the technology. The concept
is for the gaming to be the main pur-
pose.”
Wi-Fi and high-speed Internet
access alone is enough to get traf-
fic headed to the technology-driven
activities centers. Toss in a few video
arcades with console, handheld, online,
personal computer and audio games,
and Warrior Zones can get busy in a
hurry.
Warrior Zone success came most
quickly in Europe, where 13 vacant
buildings were retrofitted to house
high-tech recreations centers.
“Some used old rec centers and
some used old clubs,” D’Alessandro
said. “The basic needs are the comput-
ers, the gaming computers, the theater,
the email computers (the building
should be Wi-Fi), sports lounge—com-
plete with flat-screen TVs for viewing
sports—and a bar that serves draft beer
and wine.
“Some of them might have a Better
Opportunities for Single Soldiers office,
an area outside for a picnic pavilion,
billiards, table tennis and air hockey—
if they have the room. But the big
things are the gaming, the computers
and the theater—all the technology
stuff.”
The original guidance from the Of-
fice of the Secretary of Defense called
for the creation of a “servicemember
techno-activity center,” which quickly
evolved into the Warrior Zone on the
Army side of the house, thanks in part
to FMWRC Commander Maj. Gen.
Reuben D. Jones, who coined the
name.
Army installations have Warrior
Zones in Ansbach, Bamberg, Baum-
holder, Grafenwoehr, Heidelberg,
Hohenfels, Kaiserslautern, Mannheim,
Schweinfurt and Wiesbaden, Ger-
many, and two in Italy at Livorno and
Vicenza.
Camp Zama, Japan, has a Warrior some nights—they’re really packed
Zone, and there are three in Alaska— with Soldiers—so you can see there was
on Forts Greeley, Richardson and a need for it.” v
Wainwright.
In the continental United States,
using empty buildings poses a chal-
lenge, as there just aren’t as many
available as found overseas. Joint Base
Lewis-McChord, Wash., and Fort
Riley, Kan., are both building War-
rior Zones—half of which are being
retrofitted. Three more Warrior Zones
are planned for Fort Hood, Texas, with
others coming soon to Fort Bliss, Texas,
and Fort Sill, Okla.
“It’s a different situation in Europe,
where they could leave post but there’s
nothing like it off post,” D’Alessandro
said. “Here, they could leave post
and go to similar places, but they also
might have these things at home.
“But Europe did jump on the
bandwagon to establish Warrior Zones
really quickly, so it is kind of a feather
in their cap and they should be com-
mended for that.”
From action, adventure and
role-playing to simulation, sports and
tournament game strategy, Warrior
Zones offer state-of-the-art platforms,
such as Xbox, PlayStation and Wii, for
gaming aficionados. Some of the games
include: “Call of Duty,” “Army of (Above photos) Soldiers enjoy food, drinks and
conversation at the Warrior Zone.
Two,” “World of Warcraft,” “America’s
Army” and “Street Fighter.”
“This is keeping up with the 18-to-
25 age-group of the computer age, of
Sieg Heppner
everything that they’ve been growing
up on, because that’s the thing they
mostly are interested in,” D’Alessandro
said.
Warrior Zones usually feature au-
dio and lighting for entertainment and
sporting events, along with meeting
spaces for social activities. Traditional
games such as billiards, chess, darts,
poker, table tennis and air hockey are
also available if space allows.
Keeping everything under one roof
and within walking distance of the
barracks has also proved important in
attracting customers and their guests.
“To have all that located in one During the grand opening of the new Warrior Zone
on Coleman Barracks in Mannheim, Germany, Sept.
facility is really special,” D’Alessandro 28, 2010, community members enjoy amenities that
said. “After talking with the folks at include pool tables, large-screen TVs, video games,
a mini movie theater and full food and beverage
Forts Lewis and Riley, Soldiers love the services.
Warrior Zone. It’s standing-room-only
Soldiers • June 2011 47

Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta
Giunta served in Company B, 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 503rd
Infantry Regiment. On Oct. 25, 2007, he was serving in Afghanistan
as a rifle team leader when he engaged the enemy to recover a
wounded Soldier they were trying to take prisoner. After throwing
hand grenades, Giunta moved forward without hesitation into
enemy fire to rescue his wounded comrade and assisted in keeping
www.army.mil/facesofstrength
him alive before the Soldier eventually succumbed to his wounds.
Giunta’s unwavering courage, in the midst of an ambush in which
two American paratroopers gave their lives and several more
were wounded, embodies the highest ideals of the Army Values.
It is for this event that Giunta received the Medal of Honor from
the president during a White House ceremony, Nov. 16, 2010.
The nation’s strength starts here.
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