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AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION OF COMPRINTMILITARY PUBLICATIONS AT JOINT BASE ANDREWS,MD.DCMILITARY.COM FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 2014 | VOL. 3 NO. 9

Teens, tweensgather for triviaand hope

4DAV leadsOperation: Keepthe Promise

3 A.F. Strings andEllington Schoolcelebrate BlackHistory Month

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BY SCOTT BOLDENANDREWS FEDERAL CREDIT UNION

Andrews Federal CreditUnion partnered with theArmed Forces Financial Net-work to present gift cards tothe Joint Base Andrews FisherHouse. AFCU and AFFN, eachpresented $2,000 in gift cards,for a total of $4,000 in dona-tions. The gift cards will bedistributed to families living atthe Fisher House to help defraytravel costs and other necessi-ties associated with daily livingexpenses.“Andrews Federal is always

happy to assist our servicemembers and their familiesin any way possible,” said JimHayes, president and CEO ofthe credit union.For the families of wounded

warriors transitioning froma war zone or those receivingtreatment for other illnesses,the gift cards are a welcomedresource while their loved onereceives medical treatment.Fisher House serves as a homeaway from home for our mili-tary heroes by providing a calmand caring atmosphere wherefamilies can gain support andencouragement from each other.

AFCU AFFN helps militaryfamilies at JBA Fisher House

From left, Fisher HouseManager Janet Grampp, Andrews FederalCredit Union President and CEO JimHayes, AFCUChief Retail OfficerOmaGeorge and AFCU Joint Base Andrews BranchManager Rosa-lind Bishop hold an representation of the Feb. 28 donation AFCU andArmed Forces Financial Network presented to JBA Fisher House.

BY DARAN STEELELODGING MANAGER JOINT-BASEANDREWS PRESIDENTIAL INN

Permanent Change of Sta-tion season is upon members ofthe National Capital Region andJoint Base Andrews. With chil-dren finishing up with school,orders pending to or from JBAand Transportation Manage-ment Officer pick-up dates,there are a hundred things ser-vice members need to do to asthey plan and execute the PCSmovement.Arranging for temporary

lodging is critical to the peaceof mind of a family departing orarriving at JBA. Lodging is thefirst thing families and singleservice members see upon ar-rival at Andrews, and the lastthing they see before leaving.The Presidential Inn opened

up a brand new, 50-room Tempo-

rary Lodging Facility in August2012, an increase from the 16former units, in an effort to in-crease the quality of life for allservice members and families.Service members with a PCS

date in hand can make their res-ervations at any time; space islimited for pet-friendly rooms.Make reservations by calling301-981-4614, option 1or 2.Reservations can be made for30 days (based on availabil-ity); lodging offers free Wi-Fiand a business center with aCAC-readable computer. Theaverage cost per night is $60.50compared to local hotel rates of$199.00 per night.The Military and Family Sup-

port Center has additional infor-mation for your family’s needs,such as the sponsorship pro-gram, which is critical to mem-bers arriving to the NCR for thefirst time.

Plan for lodgingthis PCS season

PHOTO/BOBBY JONES

Airman 1st Class KaitlynneAnzur, 779thDental Squadron dental assistant, shows center children how to brushthe teeth of Dino theDinosaur as part of a show-and-tell lesson on dental hygiene.More photos on page 3.

DENTAL SQUADRON PROMOTES

CHILDREN’S DENTAL HEALTH MONTH

BY SUSAN D. HENSONCENTER FOR PERSONAL ANDPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

PUBLIC AFFAIRS

The Center for Personal andProfessional Development isasking Sailors to submit theirNavy Tuition Assistance re-quests - and now would be good-- said the director of Navy Vol-untary Education March 3.According to Ernest D’Antonio,

CPPD’s VOLED program direc-tor, the expenditure rate for TAfunding is currently below nor-mal levels, which means there’smore funding available thanusual at this time of the year.“We use historical ‘burn rates’ asa guide for allocating TA fundingthroughout the year,” he said.“We plan really well for routineyears. After furloughs and a gov-ernment shutdown, Fiscal Year

2014 hasn’t been a routine year,”he said.Lt. Cmdr. Mark Wadsworth,

director of CPPD Support SiteSaufley Field in Pensacola, Fla.,leads the team that monitorsCPPD’s Navy TA spending. Hesaid FY-14 TA execution is cur-rently trailing FY-13’s executionrate by just over $6 million year-to-date.“We think a variety of things

influenced our being belowthe TA budget right now,” saidWadsorth. “Our execution ratedropped in October with thegovernment shutdown and that’scarried through the year. Theusage rate steadily increased inNovember and December. Butthen it dropped back down inJanuary, probably due to uncer-tainty with the federal budget.Although we have funding now,

the usage rate hasn’t increasedsignificantly since then. Sailorsneed to understand that theireducation benefits reset eachyear, and unused amounts don’t

carry over.”D’Antonio said, “We want

Sailors to continue to pursuetheir education and submit theirTA requests - we work hard to al-

locate every TA dollar availableto give Sailors the most oppor-tunities to use their TA fundingallotment for each fiscal year.”He said more than 25,000

Sailors have used TA benefits sofar this fiscal year and empha-sized that a Sailor’s command isan important part of TA authori-zations because they’re the firststep in the process after a Sailorsubmits a request.“It’s each command’s respon-

sibility to ensure their Sailorsare aware of and meet all rel-evant TA policies, are comfort-able with their Sailors’ ability tocomplete a requested course, andprocess each Sailor’s TA requestpromptly,” said D’Antonio.“A command approver can re-

view a Sailor’s request and denyit if all Navy requirements aren’t

Tuition Assistance Program funds await Sailors’ use

U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY MASS COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST 3RD CLASS NICHOLAS A. GROESCH

Gil Williams, director of the Navy College Site, reviews college degreerequirements with Airman Marti Gardea, from Delano, Calif., assignedto the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), at the Navy Col-lege. Gardea is one of many Ronald Reagan Sailors taking advantageof the Navy College Program.

see TUITION, page 5

BY CHASE COOKTHE PRINCE GEORGE’S GAZETTE

Creators like Rembrandt andPicasso get most of the attentionfrom art enthusiasts, but at anart gallery’s silent auction, PrinceGeorge’s County special needs art-ists took center-frame as a localfoundation raised money for itsprograms.The Special People Enhancing

Communities Foundation held acharity auction Feb. 26at Annie’sArt Gallery in Camp Springs tosupport special needs children.The money raised, about $1,300,went toward the upcoming OneCommunity event to help publicsafety officials better understandspecial needs children, said LindaGrantham, SPEC Foundation vicepresident.“Ultimately we want to figure

out a way to connect service pro-viders and special needs childrenin crisis,” said Debrah Martin,

SPEC Foundation president. “Sothey know, when they come upona child, to interface with the childdifferently.”

Prince George’s County specialneeds children in kindergarten

Prince George’s Countynonprofit auctions off art

PHOTO/BILL RYAN FOR THE PRINCE GEORGE’S GAZETTE

Nia Baker, 17 of Bowie, created “Obama Love,” held by SPEC Founda-tion President Debrah Martin of Michellville on Feb. 26 during a silentauction of work by special needs children at Annie’s Art Gallery inCamp Springs.

see ART, page 6

2 Friday, March 7, 2014Andrews Gazette

HOTTICKETSAround Town

Andrews Gazette is published by Comprint Military Publications,9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, Md., a private firm in no wayconnected with the U.S. Air Force or any branch of the UnitedStates military. The appearance of advertising in these publications,including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement

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BY CHRIS BASHAMSTAFF WRITER

Last weekend’s Academy Awardsheld no great surprises. Good filmswere recognized, the adorable Jen-nifer Lawrence demonstrated whythere should be a flat shoe optionfor women’s formal wear, outrageousamounts of money were spent tocelebrate fabulously wealthy peopledoing glamorous things. The moststriking moments of the evening’sbroadcast came from what some-times seems to be the unlikeliest ofplaces: A deep sense of gratitude andhumility.Accepting the Best Actress in a

Supporting Role Oscar for her por-trayal of Patsey in “Twelve Years aSlave,” Lupita Nyong’o was quick tothank not only those who workedwith her on the film, but the peoplewhose lives were crushed under byan inhumane institution, genera-tions ago:“It doesn’t escape me for one mo-

ment that so much joy in my life isthanks to so much pain in someoneelse’s. And so I want to salute thespirit of Patsey for her guidance.And for Solomon, thank you for tell-

ing her story and your own.”Nyong’o’s acceptance speech re-

minded watchers that her work,and the support she received alongthe way to her first film, are onlypart of the story. Though AcademyAwards night is for the luckiest few,sometimes the most elevated amongus are privileged not just by powerand riches, but by the opportunity toshare the important stories of peoplewithout any opportunity. Remember-ing those who have gone before--notonly the great influencers of historybut also those for whom life was littlemore than struggle--is the responsi-bility of all those who come later.And then there was Matthew Mc-

Conaughey, a career actor and pro-fessional slacker not known for hiswise words. Receiving the Best Actornod for his role in “Dallas BuyersClub,” McConaughey surprised andconfused his audience with a ram-bling and hard-to-follow acceptancespeech in which he thanked God.“There’s a few things, about three

things to my account that I needeach day. One of them is somethingto look up to, another is something tolook forward to, and another is some-one to chase. Now, first off, I want to

thank God. ‘Cause that’s who I lookup to. He has graced my life with op-portunities that I know are not of myhand or any other human hand. Hehas shown me that it’s a scientificfact that gratitude reciprocates.”McConaughey’s speech raised

a few eyebrows, but after a littlethought, it does make sense. In a fo-rum where he is free to say almostanything, he chose to praise thosehe feels deserve praise, and to give alittle life advice for the rest of us: Begrateful, be humble, be determined.He finished with something of a hip-pie Hollywood benediction:“So, to any of us, whatever those

things are, whatever it is we look upto, whatever it is we look forward to,and whoever it is we’re chasing, tothat I say, ‘Amen.’ To that I say, ‘Al-right, alright, alright.’ To that I say,‘Just keep living.’ Thank you.”Nyong’o and McConaughey don’t

have to have all the answers anymore than any of the rest of us do,but for a few seconds last weekendthey each had the bully pulpit tospeak from the heart. I’m glad thateach of them, in their own way, calledattention to the powerful good thatsurrounds us all, if we but look.

CommentaryAlright, alright, alright

COURTESY OF THE RETIREEACTIVITIES OFFICE

Dental screenings setfor MayMilitary retirees and eligible

dependents in the National Capi-tal Area are invited to participatein a dental screening programthat could lead to potential treat-ment for selected members. For the20th straight year, the 79th Medi-cal Wing’s Advanced Education inGeneral Dentistry program at JointBase Andrews and Joint Base An-acostia-Bolling is offering dentalexaminations. Interested personsshould call the Bolling Retiree Ac-tivities Office at 202-767-5244 from10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, April

23. Calls at any other time to theRAO or dental clinics will not behonored. Dental technicians willreview the caller’s dental history,looking for conditions that meetthe needs for resident training.Selected retirees and dependentswill be scheduled for examinationsWednesday morning, May 7 at theAndrews dental clinic, and Wednes-day, May 14 at the Bolling clinic.Col. Jeffrey Denton, director of

residency training, said they plan tooffer examinations to as many as 96retirees – 48 at each location. “Re-sults of the exams will be reviewedby the dental staff. Those with con-ditions determined to meet the edu-cational needs of our residents willbe considered for appointments,

probably starting in October andrunning through next summer.”Col. John Moser, RAO director,

expressed his appreciation to thedental staff for this unique opportu-nity for local retirees. “We continueto be indebted to the dental staff forincluding the retiree community tothe extent possible.”

Scholarships awardedTwo daughters and a son of re-

tired enlisted Airmen were among25 persons selected to receive$1,000 scholarships through the AirForce Club Membership Scholar-ship Program. There were no recipi-ents in the National Capital Area.

Retiree Corner

see RETIREE, page 5

March 8Early Keepers Women’s History programThe Mall at Prince George’s, Center Court, 3500 East-

West Highway, Hyattsville, Md.NoonParents and children ages 3-7, share storytelling,

music, movement, arts and crafts. For information andto register email the Prince George’s African AmericanMuseum and Cultural Center at [email protected].

March 8-102014 CAA Men’s Basketball ChampionshipBaltimore Arena, 201 West Baltimore Street, Balti-

more, Md.Session times varyThe Colonial Athletic Association’s Division 1 athletic

conference championship offers limited Military Person-nel Appreciation tickets for active duty, retirees, Reserv-ists and Guardsmen. For information call 410-347-2020.

March 8-9Mamma Mia!National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.,

Washington, D.C.Showtimes varySophie hopes to identify her father in time for her wed-

ding, in a story told through the music of ABBA. Saturdaymatinee is an ASL performance. Sunday matinee is anaudio-described performance. For information visit the-nationaldc.com.

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3Friday, March 7, 2014 Andrews Gazette

Bolling and Andrews Dental Residency Programs are accepting applications from re-tiree and dependent patients to be screened for possible dental care by the Fall 2014 classof dental residents. Call the Bolling Retiree Activities Office 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. April 23 toschedule your screening appointment. The Bolling RAO can be reached at 202-767-5244.

Dental residents need patients

PHOTOS/BOBBY JONES

A Judith P. Hoyer Center III child animates a make believe toothbrush over a group ofother children representing individual teeth during a hands-on lesson in how to brushteeth.

A Judith P. Hoyer Center III child concentrates on brushing Dino the Dinosaur’s teeth.

A team of 779th Dental Squadron members briefed children about dental care Feb. 25at the Judith P. Hoyer Child Development Center III for Children’s Dental Health Month.The members talked to the center’s children about healthy food choices and proper toothbrushing techniques.

DENTAL SQUADRON PROMOTES

CHILDREN’S DENTAL

HEALTH MONTHBY CHARITY EDGAR

DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS

Disabled American Veterans led hun-dreds of veterans in a February 25 rally,Operation: Keep the Promise, on CapitolHill, and more than 811,000 supportersnationwide, in urging Congress to passadvance funding for all veterans’ ben-efits, programs and services.DAV Department of Maryland Com-

mander Lamarr A. Couser of WindsorMill, Md. was among those gathered onCapitol Hill. “I’m here to support theDisabled American Veterans’ efforts toget Congress to fulfill their commitmentto our veterans’ families, which is keep-ing the promise, passing advance appro-priations for all our veterans,” he said.The goal of the national day of ac-

tion was to pressure Congress to passthe Putting Veterans Funding First Act(H.R. 813, S. 932), which would shieldthe Department of Veterans Affairs fromWashington’s near-perpetual budgetgridlock.During last October’s government

shutdown, critical services for veteranswere delayed, disrupted and, in someinstances, suspended, creating hardshipand needless worry to America’s wound-ed heroes and their families. Workstopped on more than 250,000 veteransdisability claims awaiting appeals, buri-als at national cemeteries were scaledback and vital medical and prostheticresearch projects were suspended.Had the shutdown continued for even

a few more days, even mandatory obliga-tions of the government, including dis-ability compensation and pension pay-ments to veterans and their survivors,would have stopped. More than four mil-lion wounded, injured, ill or poor veter-ans rely on these payments – for some,their primary or only source of income.“Imagine trying to run a large busi-

ness or organization without knowingwhat level of funding you will receiveeach year or when it will arrive,” saidDAV National Commander Joseph W.Johnston. “This is the unfortunate chal-lenge VA officials have faced 22 out ofthe past 25 years when Congress hasfailed to pass a budget on time.”To join DAV’s grassroots campaign

to urge Congress to take the appropri-

ate action to keep the promise to thosewho served, visit http://capwiz.com/dav/mlm/signup and become a member ofthe DAV Commander’s Action Network.

DAV leads Operation:Keep the Promise

DAV National Commander Joseph W.Johnston urges passage of the PuttingVeterans Funding First Act, legislationthat would ensure all VA services receivea timely, sufficient and predictable bud-get through advance appropriations.

Congressman Mike Michaud stressesthe importance of the Putting VeteransFunding First Act to hundreds of veter-ans and supporters during a Capitol Hillrally for Operation: Keep the Promise.This nationwide campaign pushed forlegislation that would shield all of theDepartment of Veterans Affairs’ pro-grams, benefits and services fromWash-ington’s budget battles.

For more news from other bases around the Washington, D.C. area,

visit www.dcmilitary.com.

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BY RICH LAMANCEAIR FORCE NEWS SERVICE

Defense industry leadersand analysts received an in-sight into the proposed AirForce transformation and apreview of the Fiscal Year2015 Air Force budget dur-ing the Bloomberg Govern-ment Defense Transforma-tion Spending and StrategySummit Feb. 26.Secretary of the Air Force

Deborah Lee James said theAir Force, like the rest of theDepartment of Defense, isgoing through a transitionperiod following 13 yearsof war, and will be makingtough choices as personneland budgets dwindle andthe possibility of sequestra-tion looms during the yearsahead.“We are repositioning to

focus on the challenges andopportunities that will de-fine our future,” said James.“We have to get ready for thenew centers of power, suchas the Pacific, and what willbe a more volatile and un-predictable world. A worldwe can no longer take forgranted.“We can no longer as-

sume, as we have over thepast 50 years, to dominatethe skies, and more recent-ly dominate space. Manyother countries are advanc-ing their technologies, sowe need to prepare now, notonly for that world 10 yearsfrom now, but also today. Itcomes down to balance.Thatis the strategy.”James said during times

when strategy and budgetsdon’t match, the Air Forcehas to make judgment calls,looking at which risks areprudent and which are lessso.Specifically, she refer-

enced tough decisions in theareas of personnel down-sizing, force shaping mea-sures, and investments inthe future, highlighting theimpact with and without se-questration. While the ser-vices have received some re-lief in Fiscal Years 2014 and2015, she said that for FiscalYears 2016 through 2019,the president has askedCongress for a defense bud-

get $115 billion above thesequestration level, with theAir Force getting a share ofroughly $34 billion.“We’re doing this because

we believe that sequestra-tion-level spending willcompromise our security. Itwill compromise in the shortterm on readiness and inthe longer run on importantmodernization programs.”On the manpower side,

James said the force will getsmaller with a cut of up to25,000 Airmen, mostly fromthe active duty over the nextfive years, and each servicehas also been tasked to trimheadquarters spending by20 percent over a five-yearperiod.“We looked at some of

the overlapping organiza-tions and how they can becombined more efficiently.We need to centralize policyand oversight of installationsupport in such areas asengineering, security forcesand contracting, among oth-ers.We want to reduce someof the tasks that are not re-quired by law, and in doingso, we won’t foist extra workon fewer people.”James told the audience

that in the area of force

structure, the Air Forcelooks at vertical cuts, elimi-nating entire fleets of air-craft instead of taking hori-zontal cuts that “take a fewfrom here and a few fromthere.” She said one exampleis the A-10, retiring about283 close air support air-craft, beginning in FY 2015.She said the retirement ofthe fleet will save more than3 and a half billion dollarsover five years, with no deg-radation to the close air sup-port mission.“We chose the A-10 be-

cause it’s a single purposeaircraft, with a very impor-tant mission, but we haveother aircraft like the AC-130, the F-15 Eagle, the F-16Falcon, the B-1 Lancer andthe B-52 Stratofortress thatcan also do that mission. Allare dual or multi-purposeaircraft. In fact, 80 percentof all close air support inAfghanistan has been ac-complished by aircraft otherthan the A-10.”James told the audience

that the U-2 has also beenmarked for retirement,beginning in the FY 2016and FY 2017 timeframe.The Secretary said thatkeeping both the U-2 and

the Global Hawk were tooexpensive and that theyboth give more high alti-tude reconnaissance thanthe Air Force needs. Sheadded that initially theGlobal Hawk was ear-marked for retirementbecause of its expense tomaintain, but advances intechnology over the pastcouple of years have madethe U-2 more costly andthe Global Hawk less.Even some of the expan-

sions, such as combat air pa-

trols like the MQ-1 Predatorand the MQ-9 Reaper willincrease more graduallythan originally planned. Shesaid initially the Air Forcewanted to increase the num-ber from 50 to 65, but withAfghanistan winding down,there won’t be a need for asgreat a capability. She saidthe plan is to slowly phaseout the Predators and havean all MQ-9 Reaper inven-tory.James also talked about

investments the Air Force

wants to make, committingto the F-35 Lightning II,the new tanker, the KC-46Pegasus, and the long-rangestrike bomber. She said theAir Force also wants to in-vest in readiness, stay com-mitted to the triad of ICBMand bombers and invest abillion dollars in jet enginetechnology that promises re-duced fuel consumption andlower maintenance.But the Secretary em-

SecAF discusses Air Force future, budget during defense summit

see FUTURE, page 5

Youth ages 9-18 and their parents gathered Feb. 21 atthe Youth Center for a Teen Trivia Challenge, games, in-spirational speakers and information on teen dating vio-lence. The event was co-hosted by the Andrews Revolu-tion Keystone Club and the Joint Base Andrews FamilyAdvocacy Center.

TEENS, TWEENS GATHER FOR TRIVIA AND HOPE

PHOTOS/ANNE TIERNEY YOUNG

Kilana Jenkins, 2014 Joint Base Andrews Youth of theYear, shares her story of hope and how the Youth Centerhas been there for her through it all. Teens and participants group up to take on the Teen Trivia Challenge.

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Caption This

Send your silly captions for this week’s photo to [email protected]. The funni-est ones will be used in a future edition of The Andrews Gazette.

SECAF VISITS USAF BAND,

HONOR GUARD AIRMEN

U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO/JIM VARHEGYI

Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James applauds the performance of The U.S.Air Force Honor Guard Drill Team during an immersion tour Feb. 7 at Joint Base Ana-costia-Bolling, D.C. A standard USAF Drill Team performance features a profession-ally choreographed sequence of show-stopping weapon maneuvers, precise tosses,complex weapon exchanges, and a walk through the gauntlet of spinning weapons.

phasized that sequestration is still thelaw of the land, and if the Air Force isforced to revert to sequestration limits, asmuch as $34 billion will be reduced fromthe budget.In addition, the Air Force would be forced

to retire 80 more aircraft, completely retir-ing the KC-10 tanker inventory; defer sen-sor upgrades to the Global Hawk; purchase19 fewer F-35s over the five year defenseplan, and have 10 fewer combat air patrols.Also, funds for the next generation jet en-gine program will not be available.Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Larry

Spencer participated on the panel withJames and addressed issues from Airmenmorale to force structure and acquisitioncosts, to include working to keep require-

ment costs under control during develop-ment.“What has happened in the past when

we’ve developed new platforms… is the pricejust starts to skyrocket as people want to putmore and more stuff on it,” Spencer said. “Astechnology changes, people want more andmore capability.We have had to turn back thetemptation to put more on the [long-rangestrike] bomber. But I can tell you, the peopleworking on this program are really workinghard to get us the capability we need for thatprice, which is what we want.”James told the audience that “tomorrow’s

Air Force has to be the most agile, credibleand affordable one we can provide. Ourjob, today and in the future is to fly, fightand win our nation’s wars. We feel that bymaking the tough choices today, we will setourselves on a path to be the most modernand ready Air Force in the world, albeit asmaller one.”

FUTURE, from page 4

BY MASTER SGT. CLEVELAND CHANDLERAIR FORCE STRINGS

The Air Force String Orchestra joinedforces with the Duke Ellington School forthe Arts and the combined choirs fromthe Metropolitan AME Church Feb. 9 atthe historic Metropolitan AME Church on1518 M St N.W., Washington, D.C., whereicons of black history such as FrederickDouglass and Paul Lawrence Dunbarspoke and worshipped. Featured on thisprogram were Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s“Four Novelettes” and “Onaway! Awake,beloved,” from his oratorio “Hiawatha,”as well as William Grant Still’s, “Danzasde Panama,” for string orchestra. Tradi-tional spirituals were also featured, withorchestrations arranged by Master Sgt.John Bliss especially for this occasion.Sharing the podium for the evening’s con-cert were 1st Lt. Shanti Nolan, officer incharge of the Air Force Strings, Dr. Ste-ven Allen, director of the Duke EllingtonChamber Singers, and Dr. Lester Green,director of Music at Metropolitan AMEChurch.Both the church and the Duke Elling-

ton School for the Arts are prominent fig-ures in Washington, D.C., history and Af-rican-American culture. The MetropolitanA.M.E. Church is shrouded in the uniquehistory of the parent African MethodistEpiscopal denomination. Founded in 1838,it is the oldest A.M.E.. Church in Washing-

ton, D.C. The church represents the 1870smerger of two A.M.E. congregations, IsraelBethel (1821) and Union Bethel (1838), astop on the Underground Railroad. Thename “Metropolitan” was officially des-ignated and recognized by the generalA.M.E. Church in 1872.A native of Washington, D.C., Duke

Ellington’s prominence as a musicianemerged in the 1940s and continuedthroughout his lifetime. Established in1974, The Duke Ellington School of theArts has a long tradition of the study andperformance of classical choral music,starting 40 years ago with the inception ofthe school. The vocal music program wasthen revised in 2012 to include the cham-ber singers. Under the direction of Dr. Ste-ven M. Allen, composer, conductor and eth-nomusicologist, the singers are made up ofupper classmen, maintaining the traditionof the classical art form, expressed by theperformance of traditional choral litera-ture as well as Spirituals, and new musicby emerging contemporary composers.In addition to making wonderful mu-

sic, this kind of outreach is crucial for re-cruitment and positive military image tothe civilian community. Said Dr.. Green,“We [were] ecstatic to be able to celebrateFounder’s Day with such an array of tal-ent! When the opportunity presented itselfto work with the Air Force Band, I knewthat the partnership would produce some

amazing and uplifting results.” Green ex-plained that, “working with the exception-al talent from the Duke Ellington School,and the support from the Air Force Band,has made this dream a reality.”Attending the evening’s performance

were the secretary of the Air Force, TheHonorable Mrs. Deborah L. James; Col.William Knight, the commander of 11thWing and Joint Base Andrews; and Col.Larry H. Lang, the commander of The U.S.

Air Force Band.Mrs. James had visited TheAir Force Band earlier that week during atour of Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling. Uponhearing about the Band’s school and com-munity outreach program, AIM (AdvancedInnovation Through Music) and about theupcoming Black History Month concert,she was thrilled by the Band’s outreach tothe civilian community-at-large and excit-ed to attend the upcoming concert, even onsuch short notice.

A.F. Strings and Ellington School celebrate Black History Month

COURTESY PHOTO BY TSGT NI SANTIAGO

Members of the Air Force Strings combine with choirs from The Duke Ellington Schoolfor the Arts and the Metropolitan AME Church to perform in honor of Black HistoryMonth.

Each of the winners also received a laptopcomputer and portable printer. A total of156 entries were submitted. Each includ-ed a 500-word essay about what inspiredthem to be successful. For more informa-tion about Air Force Clubs programs, howto apply for this scholarship and to viewwinning essays, visit www.afclubs.net andclick on the Club Scholarship logo.

Stateside service centersto closeAdministrative walk-in services at 189

TRICARE service centers in the UnitedStates will end April 1. Service centersoverseas are not affected. Beneficiaries canaccomplish administrative tasks online orby phone. The change does not affect anyTRICARE medical benefit or health careservice. The change is expected to save anestimated $250 million over the next fiveyears. About half of visits to the centers

are for in- and out-processing and requeststo change primary care providers, officialssaid. The rest involve billing-related ques-tions. The TRICARE website receives about38,000 hits per day. Tests have been runto ensure the website and call center canhandle the expected increase in volume.The service centers, staffed by contractors,were opened in the 1990s. For more infor-mation, call the Northern Regional office at877-874-2273.

The Retiree Activities Office is open 10a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday.Visit the office in Building 1604 at Cali-fornia and Colorado Avenues or call us at301-981-2726. Our e-mail address is [email protected]. Call the office before yourvisit to ensure a volunteer is on duty. TheRAO has a website at www.andrews.af.mil;Under “Helpful Links” click on “RetireesActivity Office” for information on retireesubjects, including past copies of “RetireeCorner.”

RETIREE, from page 2

met, if the Sailor’s performance isn’t upto standards, or if the command’s missionmight not permit the Sailor to completethe course. Ultimately, it’s the command-ing officer’s decision,” said D’Antonio.D’Antonio also recommended each

command approver continually reviewthe Sailor’s education progress.“Our biggest reason for disapproval of

TA requests is they aren’t received fromthe Sailor’s command approver prior tothe course start date, as required by DODinstruction. Often when we review a TArequest, a Sailor may be missing some ofthe TA prerequisites such as a currenteducation counseling by a Navy CollegeOffice (NCO) or Virtual Education Centercounselor, or an individual education planor degree plan on file, or missing a gradefrom a past course,” he said.VOLED professionals work with Sail-

ors to get the requirements in on time,but if the Sailor’s account is incompleteor not updated before the course startdate, they are unable to fund the TA re-quest, D’Antonio said. “So I repeat thismessage constantly: 30 days prior to thecourse start date is not too soon for Sail-

ors to submit their TA request. In fact, aTA application can be submitted a yearbefore the actual class start date, whichwill help ensure the Sailor’s TA requestis funded and allows us to better manageexpenditures.”D’Antonio also stressed that Sailors

should work closely with an NCO or VECcounselor to help them reach their educa-tional goals. “The VOLED team is here tohelp, bottom line. Our job is to work withSailors, inform them about options, pro-vide impartial counseling and point outavenues for Sailors to pursue their life-long educational and credentialing goals.”According to CPPD Commanding Offi-

cer Capt. John Newcomer, Navy leadersare committed to providing Sailors withvoluntary education opportunities.“We know that educated Sailors are

strong performers with well-developedcritical thinking skills and the ability tomake informed decisions,” said Newcom-er. “A college degree is an investment in aSailor and a contributing factor in Navymission accomplishment.”For more information about the Cen-

ter for Personal and Professional Devel-opment, visit: https://www.netc.navy.mil/centers/cppd/.

TUITION, from page 1

Daylight Saving Time begins this Sundayat 2 a.m. Set your clocks forward by one hour,and tell yourself that spring is almost, almost

on its way. It’s also a great time to check thebatteries in all the smoke detectors and car-bon monoxide detectors in your home.

Spring forward this weekend


The National Capital Region Quantico Marines’ basketball team got revenge by beating the Andrews Falcons 66 to59 at the conclusion of a Washington Area Military Athletic Conference tournament basketball game held Mar. 1 atJoint Base Andrews West Fitness Center. The NCR Marines had fallen prey to the Falcons 77 to 72 Feb. 22 in overtimegame at JBA Andrews.

NRC MARINES CLIP ANDREWS FALCONS’ WINGS

Loren Thomas, National Capital Region Marines Quantico shooting guard, shoots a quick jumper for two points dur-ing a fast break against an Andrews Falcons forward.

PHOTOS/BOBBY JONES

Lavar Gilliam, Andrews Falcons power forward, powersthrough two NCRMarine defenders for a layup duringthe first half of the WAMAC tournament game March 1 atJoint Base Andrews.

The NationalCapital RegionQuanticoMarines teamrallies duringthe final min-utes of the sec-ond half of theWAMAC Playofftournament.

MEDGRU GARNERS

INTRAMURAL BASKETBALL

CHAMPIONSHIP WIN

PHOTOS/BOBBY JONES

Members of the 779thMedical Group Intramural Basketball team pose for a photoFeb. 26 after winning the 2014 Intramural Basketball Championship at theWest FitnessCenter.

Omar Ogburn,center, 779thMedical Groupforward, goesin for a layupfrom under thebasket againsta pair of 11thCivil EngineerSquadron teammembers dur-ing the secondhalf of the 2014Intramural Bas-ketball Cham-pionship gameFeb. 26 at JointBase Andrews.The 779 MDGwon the deci-sive game 56to 38, winningback-to-backIntramural Bas-ketball Champi-onships.

BY CORY HANCOCKU.S. ARMY MILITARY DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON

Sgt. 1st Class Bernardo (Bernie) Escarce-ga has been in federal service for 14 years.When he’s not serving as the Wounded War-rior chaplain assistant at the Joint ForceHeadquarters-National Capital Region/Mili-tary District ofWashington Chaplains Office,he enjoys singing, snowboarding, theater,carpentry, board games, photography, danc-ing, acting, watching movies and softball,among other hobbies. Here’s what he hadto say about his job and his life beyond themilitary:I am the chaplain assistant supporting

the Wounded Warrior Mission at Joint BaseAndrews. I also provide administration sup-port for the Chaplain Office for the JointForce Headquarters-National Capital Re-gion/Military District of Washington. I havealways liked being a chaplain assistant. I en-joy meeting and helping Soldiers and theirfamilies. Also, being very close to historicsites, like Arlington National Cemetery, thePentagon, the National Mall and all the dedi-cated memorials make me realize this is avery unique place.My most memorable experience during

my time here at JFHQ-NCR/MDW wouldhave to be the mission at Joint Base An-drews, welcoming the wounded soldiers com-ing in from downrange. It’s a very eye-open-ing experience.I happened to get into acting by acci-

dent. Through networking, I found myselfon the TV show Star Trek Voyager. I was onabout 22 episodes or the last two seasons of

the show. From there, I was able to join theScreen Actors Guild, Actors Equity Associa-tion and American Federation of Televisionand Radio Artists. Since then I have been inseveral movies, TV shows and theater pro-ductions.My first job in high school was working

in a theater house. I was doing live musicalperformances and shows. So, since the ageof 15 I have been working in entertainment.Gradually, I worked my way from behind thescenes to in front, performing. My first mu-sical production being on stage was, “DesertSong,” back in 1999, and I have been per-forming and singing ever since.I have to admit that the two (acting and

military service) go together, hand in hand.I always claimed that drill sergeants weresome of the best actors in the military and inthe business. I don’t think I would have beenable to portray an ensign in the commandgroup on Star Trek, if it wasn’t for my mili-tary background. I learned a lot from beingin the military and like most life experiencesyou translate that over to whatever careeryou choose once you leave the service.

Army spotlightSgt. 1st Class Bernardo (Bernie) Escarcega

Sgt. 1st ClassBernardo (Bernie) Escarcega

through 12th grade, some with autism orattention deficit hyperactivity disorder, sub-mitted artwork to the silent auction. The artranged from drawings of Sonic the Hedgehogvideo game characters to abstract paintings.Nia Baker, 17, of Bowie, said she contrib-

uted artwork to the show because she be-lieves in SPEC’s cause.“Everybody needs help once in a while,”

Baker said. “Instead of watching TV, pick upa paintbrush.”Dana Scott of Temple Hills whose son,

James Roberts, 16, has autism and contrib-uted art, said the event raised awareness inPrince George’s about people with specialneeds, allowed James to exercise his creativ-ity and was a way to support his art.“We thought it would be a good idea for

him to submit the work … he loves to draw,”Scott said. “We want to encourage it more. Ihope it gets people to understand that … justbecause someone doesn’t communicate theway you do … their possibilities are endless.”Martin and her nonprofit plan to hold

more charity auctions in an attempt to raise$5,000 for the One Community event planedfor September.County police and sheriff ’s deputies re-

ceive training on how to handle special needsindividuals, who may run or not understandpolice commands, but more training is nota bad thing, Sheriff Melvin High said. Evenwith all the training that officers receive, spe-cial needs children also need to be exposedto law enforcement so that they understandofficers are there to help, not hurt, High said.

This story originally appeared in the Feb.28 edition of The Prince George’s Gazette.

ART, from page 1


BY JASON ALDERMAN

We all love a good bar-gain, no matter what ourage. For senior citizenson fixed incomes, findingdiscounted goods and ser-vices can mean the differ-ence between making endsmeet and going without.The good news is that

tons of senior discountsare available ? often forpeople as young as 50. Onecaveat right up front: Al-though many senior dis-counts are substantial, yousometimes can find betterbargains ? especially ontravel-related expenseslike airfare, hotels andrental cars. So always doyour research before re-questing the senior rate.Here’s a roundup of

some of the best senior dis-counts I’ve found:An AARP membership

costs only $16 a year foranyone over age 50, in-cluding free membershipfor spouses or partners.AARP’s discounts websiteat www.aarp.org featuresdiscounts on dozens ofproducts and services in-cluding rental cars, hotels,restaurants, clothing anddepartment store chains.AARP also offers an in-expensive driver safetycourse for drivers over 50(members and nonmem-bers alike) that can lowerauto insurance premiumsby up to 10 percent ormore.Popular AARP dis-

counts include:• 20 percent discount on

installation or upgrades toADT home security sys-tems.• 45 percent off mem-

bership to Angie’s List.• 20 percent off pur-

chases from 1-800-FLOW-ERS.com.• Up to 25 percent off

car rentals from Avis andBudget.• Up to 20 percent dis-

count at many hotel chainsincluding Hyatt, Hilton,Wyndham, Best Western,Days Inn and Ramada,among others.• 10 to 20 percent off at

many restaurant chains,including Claim Jump-er, Denny’s and OutbackSteakhouse.• 15 percent off many

Geek Squad services fromBest Buy.• A free, 45-minute con-

sultation with an AllstateLegal Services Networkattorney, as well as 20 per-

cent off member attorneys’fees.A quick Google search

will uncover numerousother senior discount re-sources.. One popular siteis SeniorDiscounts.com, anonline directory of morethan 220,000 U.S. busi-ness locations that offerdiscounts to people over50. Registration is free,although they also offer a$12.95/year premium thatoffers members-only dis-counts and other perks.Other good sites includeBrad’s Deals, Sciddy.comand Savvy Senior.Other commonly avail-

able senior discounts in-clude:• A 15 percent discount

on the lowest availablerail fare on most Amtraktrains for travelers overage 62.• Greyhound offers a

five percent discount onunrestricted fares for trav-elers over 62.• Southwest Airlines of-

fers senior fares for travel-ers over 65. Although notnecessarily their lowestavailable rates, South-west’s senior fares are ful-ly refundable.• The U.S. Geologic Sur-

vey senior pass for travel-ers over 62 provides free,lifetime access to morethan 2,000 government-managed recreationalsites, including nationalparks, and discounts on

camping and other ame-nities. Senior passes cost$10 in person or $20 bymail. For information visithttp://store.usgs.gov/pass/senior.html.• Verizon Wireless of-

fers discounted mobilephone service for subscrib-ers over 65.• Both Walgreens and

Rite Aid offer monthlysenior discount days formembers of their rewardsprograms when most non-prescription items are 15to 20 percent off. Ask yourneighborhood pharmacyif they offer similar pro-grams.Many restaurants, de-

partment stores, movietheaters, museums, theme

parks, banks, credit cardissuers, utilities (includ-ing gas and electric, water,garbage, telephone and ca-ble) and other businessesoffer special discounts orpromotions for seniors. Al-ways ask before your pur-chase is rung up.Bottom line: Abundant

resources are available tohelp seniors save moneyon purchases large andsmall. You just have to doa little research – and askwhether senior discountsare available. Remember,10 percent here and 20percent there can reallyadd up.

Jason Alderman directsVisa’s financial educationprograms.

Seniors can save money

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Meet with dozens of employers, schools, and other great organizations,including: Lockheed Martin; Coca-Cola; HP; State Farm; National Security Agency;Camber Corporation; Engility Corp.; Columbia Southern University; DeVry University;Acquisition, Research & Logistics; BAE; Bureau of Economic Analysis; Dante; DavidGriswold & Associ-ates; GEICO; Milton Hershey School; MilitaryByOwnerAdvertising; Prince William County Police Depart-ment; Prince William County PublicSchools; URS; Veterans Transition Forum; Virginia Department of Transportation;Yorktel; and more. Free and open to all candidates with military experience, spouses,and civilians. Free Parking. Bring plenty of resumes!

Military-Friendly Career Fair

Thursday, March 13, 9 am - 12:30 pmThe Waterford, 6715 Commerce St, Springfield, VA

www.CorporateGray.com1038087A


JBA BuzzHow are you planning for your financial future?

Alex Collins, sonof retired AirForce Lieuten-ant Col. FrankCollins TempleHills

Staff Sgt.Joshua Denny,Patrolman 11thSecurity ForcesSquadron

Tech. Sgt. ChrisSandoval, 779thMedical Opera-tion Squadron

Aviation Sup-port Equipmenttechnician 3rdClass EvanDemas, FleetReadiness Cen-ter Mid-AtlanticWashington

“I am currentlymajoring in MassMedia at Univer-sity of the District ofColumbia and I’m inmy last semester. I’malso applying for jobson USAjobs.gov tosecure my financialfuture.”

“One step I’m tak-ing to secure myfinancial future isre-enlisting in themilitary becauseit brings in a goodincome. Also, I’vetaken a financialmanagement classand continue to learnabout better ways tobudget my money.”

“I’m currently usinga Thrift Savings Plan.In the future I plan onusing my GI Bill whenI retire from the mili-tary to go to college.”

“I’m going in for a jobinterview for a part-time job as a healthand fitness trainer.I’m also currentlyonly spending cashso I can see wheremy money is going.”

Master Sgt. Serena Vierimaa Attention all personnel: Lt. Col. Virgil L. Scott regret-fully announces the death of Master Sgt. Serena Veirimaa. Anyone having claims againstor indebtedness to the estate of Master Sgt. Serena Vierimaa, contact Lt. Col. Virgil L.Scott, Summary Court Officer, at 703-681-5597.

Death announcement

COMMAND CHIEF OF ANG

ADDRESSES AIRMEN DURING

ANDREWS TOWN-HALL MEETING

U.S. AIR NATIONAL GUARD PHOTO BY MASTER SGT. MARVIN R. PRESTON

Command Chief of ANG addresses Airmen during Andrews town-hall meeting ChiefMaster Sgt. James W. Hotaling, the command chief of the Air National Guard, address-es airmen during an enlisted town-hall meeting Feb. 25 at Joint Base Andrews, Md.Hotaling also talked about the National Guard’s 377-year history of performing stateand federal missions and three key areas where the ANG excels: protecting the home-land, fighting America’s wars and building global relationships through the State Part-nership Program. Hotaling discussed the Command Chief Aim Point document, whichaddresses a renewed commitment to that profession of arms, health of the force andrecognizing the accomplishments of Airmen.

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