Eagle BELVOIR
Fort Belvoir 23rd Oktoberfest. See pages A6-A7 for more.
October 10, 2019
www.belvoireagleonline.com
Practice Belvoir Warrior home escape Transition planBrigade Soldier for flourishes Fire Prevention at DoD Warrior Week Games
By Paul Lara One of the most common issues Belvoir cause your arms are not your legs By Mary Therese Belvoir Eagle firefighters are discovering are dryer vent Griffin –it’s all arms and upper body. I’m Army Warrior Care and Transition ort Belvoir Garrison and Fire and problems. If clothes dryer ventilation systems pretty much limited from the chest Emergency Services leaders observed Fire get clogged with lint, it can overheat the eleup. It’s hard, but once I got fitted in gt. 1st Class Jay Martin, a Prevention Week, this week, by signing a ment and spark a fire. Clothes taking longer the bike, I realized I have to get in trumpet player in the Army’s proclamation and thanking firefighters for all to dry is often an indicator the vent is clogged. Guard Fife and Drum there and keep going, because pracThe speed that a house fireOld spreads can the hard work they do every day to help keep the tice makes perfect,” said Martin. Corps, be startling, and there can be asopenly little asadmits two he was never Belvoir community safe. He won a bronze medal for his really athletic. “I was not athletic why it’s important The National Fire Protection Association minutes to escape, which is classification in hand cycling for my fire mid-forties written escape and I started Team Army at this started Fire Prevention Week in 1922, which is for every family to have auntil year’s DepartPhoto courtesy FBFES racing twoBMX exitsbicycles, from believe it or ment of Defense Warrior Games observed each year during the week of Oct. 9, in plan. The plan should have Col. Michael Greenberg, Fort Belvoir Garrison comnot,” said twiceMartin. a year – commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire. The every room, and be practiced in Tampa. Martin knew about the mander, signs Biking was his new un- the Fire Prevention Week proclamafire killed more than 250 people and left 100,000 in daylight and in dark – and have everyone tionhobby games before his accident but now at Fire Station 465 as Fire Chief Shane Crutcher til an accident Jan. 6, 2018, at an realized homeless. That week changed the way firefight- meet at a nearby tree or sign. he could participate. He exlooksknew on, Sept. Fire Prevention Week, observed indoorhomes. bike park. Martin im- 30. But fires don’t just threaten Shane ers and public officials thought about fire safety. plains why he believes the Warrior since is on record as the longest running public mediately on impact that 1922, his legs said whether at safety Games are important. Fire prevention has come a long way since Crutcher, Belvoir fire chief, observance. were not going to be the same. After know where “Just like sports are important then, with the advent of smoke and gas detec- work, out shopping or dining, immediate surgery he learned he for kids with developing personality your exits are. tors, sprinkler systems in all commercial buildwould never walk again. and growth, sports at this point for U.S Army photo by PFC Dominique Dixon “Situational awareness is a skill people need ings, and proactive departments. For instance, Fire Prevention events: he transitioned Sgt. 1st ClassFire Jay and Martin participates in the cycling event June 23 they in go,” As wherever Crutcher said. “No through the injured or handicapped individuFort Belvoir Emergency Services is to use Fire Training Warrior Transition at Extinguisher als is the same kind of thing . . . it Tampa, during the 2019 Department of Defense an are, look matterGames, where you for available exits. IfBattalion spending this month voluntarily inspecting ev- Warrior Exchange Parking Lot Fort Belvoir, he decided not to give shapes development and helps you adaptive sports competition for wounded, ill and injured Service memery home on the installation to minimize the risk the alarm system sounds, take it seriously and Today, 9:30 – 11 a.m. up on biking and used it in his adapbers and veterans. Approximately 300 athletes representing teams of fire, and briefly educate residents on impor- exit the building immediately.” tive reconditioning. from U.S. and Allied military forces compete in a variety of athletic Fort Belvoir Fire and Emergency Services can Fire Prevention OpenGames, House page A5 See Warrior tant practices in the home and kitchen. Annual competitions. “Hand cycling is different, bebe contacted at 703-805-2091. South Post Fire Station fire safety inspections are underway on Belvoir For information about home escape planning, Saturday, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. and residents can sign up for an inspection on visit www.fpw.org. the housing portal.
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Academic program could boost Soldier retention
DoD changes transition assistance program
Credentialing, along with changes to promotion By Defense.gov boards, helps ensure the best are promoted and retained
bachelor’s degrees to senior NCOs who attended the Sergeants Major Academy at Fort Bliss, Texas. Dailey said the Army will provide Soldiers with some college credit or professional credentialing for each level of NCO training. “The expectation is we give something back for that service,” Dailey By Joe Lacdan said at an Association of the U.S. Army News Service Army breakfast in Washington, he Army could add to its D.C. “Not just be able to say that record retention numbers by you served and sacrificed, but (getproviding more incentive for ting) tangible results. That’s what Soldiers to stay on duty, the ser- we owe to the American people–is a better product, to be more producvice’s top enlisted leader said. The Army has been testing a pilot tive in their hometowns.” Dailey said the Army has been program for academic credentialing at Fort Hood, Texas, and plans to working out the finer points of the extend the program to several ma- program to ensure higher quality jor installations by the end of 2019, training for Service members and said Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel deciding how agencies will get payDailey. The Army plans to spread ment. The program will also be Photo to by Sgt. 1st ClassGuard LaTonya and Kelly National the program to all installations in available The Soldier for Life Transition Assistance Program is making changes that Army Reserve members. fiscal year 2020. willRecently, be more the beneficial Soldiers. Dailey said the Army has been Army to provided 110
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Oktoberfest CYS 40th Anniversary
working with each of the military centers of excellence to provide technical skill training equitable to academic skills.significant alterations to the Defense Department’s he first “WeTransition thought we need to build on since 2011 took effect with the new Assistance Program that more, 60 percent by of the fiscalbecause year, mandated the Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Army is combat arms, so what tanAuthorization Act. gible skills do TAP theyremains leave the same, officials said, but the new Thetechnical purpose of DoD’s with?” he said.will reflect a different process of execution. requirements “It is our hope these changes will provide ample time for transitioning Skilledmembers labor required Service to begin thinking about their transition and begin planPhoto by Luc Dunn, AUSA ning accordingly,” said H. of Newton, director of DoD’s Transition to Dailey cited that 80Tamre percent Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel Veterans Office. AmericanProgram jobs require skilled labor, Dailey speaks about retention TAP is Soldiers an outcome-based program opportunities, services and that can become pro- that and bolsters academic credentialing at the and training for transitioning ServiceAUSA members as they prepare for their ductive members of the work force Institute of Land Warfare post-military goals, and should not bebreakfast confused in with TAPS, an acronym after leaving the Army. Arlington, June 26. for“There the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, officials noted. is a great opportunity mandatory components of TAPlate are applicable for all Service skills, memforThe many of our Soldiers to fulfill those to civilian-sector bers with at continuous or more on active duty; including the ranks of least those180 skilled labor re-dayswhich we had not done.” members of the National Guard and quirements in our hometowns of Reserves. Last year, with the help of ConAmerica, and they have the tangible gress and the Army Continuing What TAP will look like: skills,” Dailey said. “We just need to Education System, the Army cre TAP starts no later than a year before transition for those who make it now official. ated the credentialing are separating or retiring. Officials recommend that retireesassistance begin the “We saw the opportunity to be able to capitalize on the great skills See Credentialing, page A8 our Soldiers have now, and trans-See Transition Program Changes, A4
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