November 8, 2011

US AFRICOM Family Readiness Group

HQ AFRICOM
Volume 1, Issue 11

Family Readiness Group Leader

Is it too early to say Happy Holidays? Well here it goes anyway! On behalf of the entire AFRICOM FRG, here is to a wonderful Holiday Season for each and every one of you! We have set our clocks back, started planning for that Thanksgiving meal or perhaps a nice get-away, and before you know it the gift giving starts and the New Year will be upon us! Your FRG is doing some planning of our own this Holiday Season. Please come out and join us on December 1st as US ARMY Garrison Stuttgart is holding Winter Fest on Kelley Barracks. Your FRG will be hosting a Gingerbread House competition at this event. Here each Directorate within AFRICOM with competes for the best built house, and your donations decide the winner! It should be a wonderful time for the whole family. Dont forget to keep your eyes open for the exciting things we will have in store for everyone after the New Year as well. Until then, all the best to you and yours over the Holidays, and as always we are here for you! Thank you!!! Regards, Harmony AFRICOM Family Readiness Group Leader

Inside this issue:

Family Readiness Group News Representative Rosters Angel Tree Program SCSC Basket Auction Post office Hours Dental Clinic Winter Fest 2 2 3 3 4 5 6

Nothing is more honorable than a grateful heat. ~ Seneca

Special points of interest

Medical Clinic News Tire Law Single Service Member

Announcements
CYS Services: Consolidation for Care on 25 Nov. Child care consolidation at Panzer CDC/ SAC/MST Normal Working Hours Contact your child care facility for more information. Stuttgart Health Clinic will close in observance of the following training holiday and federal holiday: 10 & 11 November 24 & 25 November Please contact the military police in case of an emergency and for immediate health care needs, contact the Nurse Advice Line to speak with a nurse who has access to make an appointment for you.

events Important Phone Numbers/ Websites

AFRICOM Family Readiness Group

The Family Readiness Group would like to welcome our new Secretary Ms. Toni Sponheimer! If you are in Command Group and would like to volunteer we have a spot for you! Command Group and C4 Systems (J6) are looking for a Representative , for more information contact Harmony Hutman at africom_frg@yahoo.com

Africa Command Directorate FRG Representatives Directorate Name

Africa Command Honorary Advisor Africa Command Senior Advisor Africa Command FRG Leader Africa Command FRG Treasurer Africa Command FRSA Africa Command Secretary Command Group Special Staff J1/ 8 (Resources) J2 (Intelligence & Knowledge Development) J 3/ 4 (Operations and Logistics) J5 (Strategy Plans and Programs) J6 (C4 Systems) J7 (Joint Force Development & Readiness) J9 (Outreach)
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FRG Directorate E-mail

Mrs. Ham Mrs. Meg Leidig Harmony Hutman Rosanne Gandy Trudie Lara-Smith Toni Sponheimer Kendall Schellie-Daniels Laurie Miller Vicky Johnson Jessonda Mellin Shari Lipsky Beth Morehead Vacant Candice O'Halloran Crystal Eaddy

africom_frg@yahoo.com africomfrgtreasuerer@gmail.com trudie.larasmith@africom.mil africomfrgcommandgroup@gmail.com africomss.frg@aol.com africomresource@aol.com africom_ikd_frg@yahoo.com africom_opslog_frg@yahoo.com africomfrgspp@yahoo.com africom.j6.frg@gmail.com africomfrgjfd@gmail.com africom_outreach_frg@yahoo.com
US AFRICOM Family Readiness Group

Upcoming Events for the Family Readiness Group

The AFRICOM Family Readiness Group will be starting a new project kicking off in December. We will be continuously collecting items to send to our Service Members on the Continent and who are currently serving in Afghanistan. We will be collecting Holiday items for the Service Members in Afghanistan to be sent in the month of December. The items collected for the Service Members on the Continent will be everyday use items not connected to a holiday. Each Directorate will have a collection box in their work area. We will start packaging at our meeting on December 1st at 10a.m. in the Patch Chapel Annex. Sunflower seeds Chap sticks gum and/or mints hard candies
Small cheer and great welcome makes a merry feast.

If you have any questions please contact Harmony Hutman, FRG Leader at; africom_frg@yahoo.com

Gummies, etc

Some, Holiday items are needed for our Service Members boxes in Afghanistan.

Please see the list of items needed!

DFMWR Outreach Services: Angel Tree Program

The 2011 U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart Angel Tree Program is looking for military families in the ranks of E-5 and below who are experiencing financial hardship. Gifts will be provided to family members who have been nominated through their units. Nomination forms are available from the Army Community Service Financial Readiness Program. Send an e-mail to zulma.f.munoz@eur.army.mil mailto:zulma.f.munoz@eur.army.mil Nominations are due by Nov. 18. If you want to donate a gift to a child, Angel Trees will be set up Nov. 16 at the Broadway Caf on Kelley Barracks, at the commissary on Robinson Barracks, on Patch Barracks at Service Federal Credit Union and AAFES Theater, and on Panzer Kaserne at the Exchange, ACS and Service Federal Credit Union. Just select an ornament off one of the trees and purchase a gift for the designated child. For more information, call 431-3362/07031-15-3362.

Volume 1, Issue 11

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Holiday Season Post Office Hours

Post Office Holiday Season is from 15 November 30 December Mailing Deadlines; Not Guaranteed Space Available Mail (SAM) Parcels: Friday, 25 November Partial Air Lift (PAL) Parcels: Friday, 2 December Priority/1st Class Letters and Cards: Friday, 9 December Express Mail: Friday, 16 December Army Post Office Hours: Patch: Mon-Wed and Fri 0900-1600 Thursday, 1000-1700 *Saturday, 1100-1500 Panzer: Mon-Fri, 1000-1600 *Saturday, 1100-1500 Kelley: Mon Fri, 1000-1600 Robinson BKS: Tues & Thurs, 0930 -1600 * Open 19, 26 November and 03,10,17 Dec. 2011 Customers may make appointments for holiday mailing by call their servicing Army Post Office (APO) Kelley APO 421-2542 Panzer APO 431-2563 Patch APO 430-7226 Appointments will be made for the one (1) hour period before the APO opens for business. Call for appointments during the hours that the APO is open for business

Winter Tire Law/Patch Commissary Parking Lot/ Seasonal Workers Needed

What is a winter tire? According to the UN-ECE-Regulation (ECE-R 30 and 54), EC Directives (Directive 92/23 EEC), and Road Traffic Ordinance, winter tires need to be marked with M+S (M&S, M.S.). This applies also to so-called all season tires, which are marked accordingly. Starting on Friday, 25 November through Sunday, 27 November the parking lot of the Patch Commissary will be closed. The parking lot will be repaved by DPW. The Commissary will be open but be prepared to look for parking. Seasonal postal workers are needed from Nov 1-Jan 15. The work hours are Monday-Friday from 9am-6pm., and all Saturdays during December. Applicants need to be physically fit and able to lift up to 70 pounds. Interested applicants should call the Civilian personnel Advisory Center at 431-3123/07031-15-3123.

U.S. Army Health Clinic Self Help Appointment Center:

Self-Help Appointment Center available at the clinic for access to; ERMC Care Call Center (Central Appointments) Nurse Advice Line International SOS Help Desk ( Host Nation Referrals) Minimizes lines and wait times Improve clinic patient work flow, reduces congestion E-mail Appointment Reminders are now available. Provide your e-mail to the USAHC from desk staff or the ERMC Care Call Center. The reminders are sent 24 hours before appointment including time, date and location. Emails are Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) compliant. The e-mail message will NOT include type of appointment, medical information, or any details regarding the appointment.

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US AFRICOM Family Readiness Group

ASAP SWPC Fall Events/USO Steppin Out

FREE E1-E7; To Register call DSN: 431-2530 19 November, Ramstein Shuttle, 0900 Outdoor Recreation, Leave Ramstein at 1800 10 December, St. Anton, Austria Day Trip; 0430 Outdoor Recreation, Panzer (passport) FREE Trips for Single and Unaccompanied Military Service Members. 27 November Freilichtmuseum Glentleiten and Bad Tolz 10 December Bostogne, Belgium Historical Walk POC: Ms. Stephanie Norby at snorby@uso.org USO Closures Veterans Day. 11 & 12 Nov. Thanksgiving Meal, 17 November, Close at 1400 Thanksgiving, 24-26 November Christmas Meal, 15 December, close at 1400 Christmas, 24-26 December Christmas Day the USO will be open for a potluck meal. No other services will be available. More information to follow.

Dental Clinic: Orthodontist Care

The Clinics Orthodontist is currently doing a screening process is based on a scoring system for each potential patient. Patients must have an updated Annual Exam with a General Dentist. Once the exam is complete, the General Dentist can give an initial screening, based on specific parameters. If the patient screens as a potential candidate, they will be referred to the Orthodontist who will conduct an Orthodontic evaluation where the patients will be scored to determine if the patients score is high enough for Orthodontic treatment. All patients are advised that they can receive a statement of non availability and be seen directly off post without seeing the military Orthodontist. Family Member Dental Care: Family member care is on a space available basis, depending on readiness and appointment availability. ** Reminder Family Members have the option, and are recommended to utilize the United Concordia Dental Insurance plan. By using the plan along with appointments in the clinic they an increased their access to care. www.tricaredentalprogram.com

Directorate of Emergency Services (DES)

Did you Know? The Polizei can forcibly administer a Blood Alcohol Test Children Under 12 years of age must sit in rear seat A person can renew his /her vehicles registration 75 days prior to expiration There is a mandatory 7 day suspension of driving privileges for not wearing your seatbelt MPs must be notified of all vehicular accidents both on and off post within 72 hours All vehicles must stop if a pedestrian is in any part of the
Know the rules of where your seeds are growing

crosswalk Hand-held cell phones can only be used if POV is stationary and motor is switched off

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Important Numbers/Websites
Base Operator: 0711-680-113 or DSN: 113 Military Police Desk: 0711-680-5261/5262 Police-110 Ambulance-112 Poison Control: 001-800-222-1222 American Red Cross: 07031-15-2812 On-call Chaplain: 07031-15-3079 Social Work Services: 07031-15-2676/2677 Road Condition Hotline: 07031-15-3744 Army Community Center: 07031-15-3362 Military Family Consultants: 0170-708-0715 Medical Clinic: 0711-680-8610 Patient Liaison: 0711-680-5262 TRICARE: 0711-680-4381 Nurse Advice Line: 00800-4759-2330 Dental Clinic: 0711-680-8626 Patch High: http://www.stut-hs.eu.dodea.edu/ Patch Elementary: http://www.patch-es.eu.dodea.edu/ Bblingen Elementary/Middle: http://www.stut-esb.eu.dodea.edu/ Robinson Barracks Elementary/Middle: http://www.rbar-es.eu.dodea.edu/ To access more information on the information provided go to the Website

p://www.stuttgart.army.mil/DPTMS/bri efings.html