News and features News flash Youth of the Year
U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden’s Youth of the Year, Natalia Lynch, was recognized with top honor from the Boys and Girls Clubs of America as the 2014 Military Youth of Lynch the Year in a reception at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial in Arlington, Va. She will visit Washington, D.C. Sept. 12-17 to meet with President Barack Obama, receive a $20,000 scholarship and serve as the BGCA’s official youth advocate for military teens across the country and abroad. Lynch will also join five other finalists from state clubs to vie for the National Youth of the Year honor and another scholarship from Tupperware Brands Corporation, the official sponsor of the overall National Youth of the Year program.
Central Issue Facility closed
Wiesbaden’s Central Issue Facility will be closed Sept. 22-26 for inventory. For emergencies call civ (0611) 546-6030/6023.
Medical Town Hall
Meet the new health clinic commander, Lt. Col. LaShanda Cobbs, and address your patient concerns during a Medical Town Hall to be held Sept. 30 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Tony Bass Auditorium on Clay Kaserne and from 6-8 p.m. at the Taunus Theater at the Hainerberg Shopping Center.
Retiree Appreciation Day
The Wiesbaden Health Clinic hosts a Retiree Appreciation Day Oct. 25 starting at 10:30 a.m. Military retirees can stop by for immunizations, optometry care, blood pressure checks, pharmacy refills and more. Visit the clinic’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/wiesbadenAHC for the latest information. The event will also feature subject matter experts at the Community Activity Center providing assistance on pay inquiries, Customs, postal services, military ID cards and more. Call the Retirement Services program manager at civ (0611) 143-548-1614 for details.
Estate claims
Anyone having claims on or obligations to the estate of Pfc. Francisco M. Castillo of 515th Transportation Company, 39th Transportation Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade, should contact the summary court officer, 2nd Lt. Spencer Bolduc at spencer.g.bolduc. mil@mail.mil or call civ (0151) 1758-5690.
Human resource award nominees
U.S. Army Europe commanders will have until Nov. 14 to nominate their top performing human resources personnel for the annual Frederick E. Vollrath Human Resources Award for Excellence. The six awards categories are junior officer (second lieutenants through captains), junior warrant officers (warrant officers through chief warrant officers three), noncommissioned officers (corporals through sergeants first class), junior enlisted (privates through specialists), civilians (GS-9s and below and non-appropriated fund equivalents, senior civilians (GS-10s to 15s and NAF equivalents). Call U.S. Army Europe’s G-1, Awards and Actions Branch, at mil 337-9147 or civ (0611) 705-9147 for details. (USAREUR Public Affairs)
Competing to be USAREUR’s best Thirty top Soldiers, NCOs and junior officers from U.S. Army Europe’s major subordinate units will compete in USAREUR’s 2014 Best Warrior Competition and Best Junior Officer Competition at the Joint Multinational Training Command in Grafenwöhr, Germany, Sept. 14-19. The six-day event challenges competitors to complete a series of about 20 tasks and missions designed to test Soldiers’ knowledge and proficiency with situational testing and oral and written examinations. Competitors will tackle a day and night land navigation exercise, an Twenty-nine top Soldiers, NCOs obstacle course, a physical and junior officers from across U.S. fitness test, a hand-to-hand Army Europe will compete in the combat tournament, a battle- 2014 USAREUR Best Warrior and field medical scenario and Best Junior Officer Competitions in other physical activities. Grafenwöhr, Germany, Sept. 14-19. Soldiers and officers also Alfonsi, A Company, 24th Military participate in a simulated media interview, write an essay, Intelligence Battalion; 1st Lt. Kyle take a written examination, and Amonson, D Company, 2-159th demonstrate their military knowl- Attack Reconnaissance Battalion; edge and bearing for a board of Staff Sgt. William Chavis, 7th Army NCO Academy; Sgt. Nicholis sergeants major. The USAREUR-level com- Couture, 319th Field Artillery; Cpl. petitors were previously selected Kyle Craig, C Company, 44th Expeas their organizations’ top Soldier, ditionary Signal Battalion; 2nd Lt. NCO or officer in competitions at Kristen Daisy, Service Company, their units across Europe. While 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artilunits throughout the Army conduct lery; Staff Sgt. Jessie Darrett, 5th competitions each year to select Signal Command; Staff Sgt. Carlos their best Soldier and NCO, the Eggins, USAREUR Headquarters Best Junior Officer Competition is Battalion; Staff Sgt. Miguel Garza, unique to USAREUR, and high- U.S. Army Public Health Command lights the command’s best lieuten- Region Europe; Sgt. Andrew Gunner, A Company, 1st MI Battalion; ants and captains. This year’s competitors are Pfc. Pfc. Nicholas Hanson, 319th Field Kevin Alba, Bavaria Medical De- Artillery; Spc. Donald Irvine, C partment Activity; 2nd Lt. William Company, Allied Forces South Bat-
talion; Pfc. Paul Islas, D Company, 2-159th AR Battalion; Pfc. Brandon Kirk, Service Company, 5th Battalion, 7th ADA; Spc. Roberto Mendez, Headquarters and Service Company, USAREUR Headquarters Battalion; 1st Lt. Mitchell Messick, A Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry; Sgt. Steven Miles, K Troop, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment; Spc. Brody Moran, A Company, 24th MI Battalion; Sgt. Elliot Pratt, D Company, 2-159th AR Battalion; Pvt. Benjamin Ranew, B Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry; Sgt. Ricardo Ruiz, C Company, Allied Forces South Battalion; Sgt. Sean Salter, Service Company, 5th Battalion, 7th ADA; Spc. James Simo, Headquarters, 21st Theater Sustainment Command; 2nd Lt. Sebastian Smoak, 2nd Cavalry Regiment; Staff Sgt. Jordan Stipp, 709th Military Police Battalion; 1st Lt. Michael Theising, 15th Engineer Battalion; Spc. Felix Vallegarcia, C Troop, 1st Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment; 1st Lt. Kirk Van Everen, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry; 1st Lt. Steven White, USAREUR Headquarters Battalion. Winners in the Soldier and NCO categories of the Best Warrior Competition will represent USAREUR in competition at the Department of the Army level, Oct. 6-10 at Fort Lee, Va. For more information and updates on USAREUR’s Best Warrior and Best Officer Competitions, visit www.eur.army.mil/bestwarrior and the USAREUR Facebook page at https://www.facebook. com/USArmyEurope. (Courtesy of U.S. Army Europe Public Affairs Office)
bell marked the occasion by placing USAREUR’s patch on the German general’s shoulder as a large group of U.S. and German military and civilian officials looked on at the parade field by the Keyes Building, USAREUR’s Headquarters. “We don’t know what the next crisis will be, where it will happen or who will be affected, but we do know that the U.S. Army will not engage alone,” Campbell said. “So if we are going to deploy together, we need to train, live and serve together. Our mission depends on it.” Lt. Gen. Jörg Vollmer, the Bundeswehr’s deputy chief of staff and operations commander, who said he served with Laubenthal in
Afghanistan, echoed Campbell’s assessment that the appointment was a “historical day.” “I think this is an investment into the future,” he added. As USAREUR’s chief of staff, Laubenthal is responsible for organizing, directing and supporting USAREUR’s more than 800 military personnel. This entails supervising the staff to accomplish the training, readiness, supervision, management and synchronization of operations of the headquarters and all subordinate units. He also helps manage USAREUR’s budget and the integration of NATO and other partners into USAREUR activities.
Welcome Laubenthal . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Continued from page 1 a question about why multinational operations are vital. “Having a multinational leader as part of our staff not only provides USAREUR with a traditional chief of staff to synchronize our operations, it brings the concept of ‘train-as-you-fight’ to our daily garrison operations. “Nations don’t have relationships, people do — and now, more than ever, relationships are vital to our mission. We must continue to strengthen our ties with our host nations and allies. … We must remain committed to increasing transparency and accessibility,” USAREUR’s commander said. Calling it a historical day, Camp-
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Herald Union
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