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ɨ Ê S Ê&#x2039; + ART WALK Traveller Off Duty in the Community column focuses on Petersburg activity that gives visitors a unique artistic experience SEE PAGE 12

SIMULATION STUDIES Fort Lee tenant responsible for oneof-a-kind sustainment training for future leaders, deploying troops SEE PAGE 8

Steelersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lineman reads to Lee kids SEE PAGE 3

HISTORICAL IMPACT Even after leaving military service, these veterans continued working for good through the modern civil rights movement SEE PAGES 10-11

2 | TRAVELLER | February 23, 2017 | www.fortleetraveller.com

COMMAND SPOTLIGHT | SAFETY REMINDER

Spike in military pedestrian fatalities prompts call for increased awareness

Lisa Smith Molinari Traveller Contributor

Everyone knows Murphy’s Law – “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong” – but few are aware of the fine print of this famous decree ... a military spouse clause that reads, “And when it does go wrong, it will happen during deployment.”

As a military spouse, I’ve seen my share of car breakdowns, hot water heater leaks and computer “blue screens of death” while my

active duty husband was away.

Such homefront mishaps are annoying, but they pale in comparison to an injured or sick child.

About 14 years ago, my husband Francis was away on temporary duty. I was at home with our three children in the suburbs of Virginia Beach. Hayden, Anna and Lilly were playing on our backyard swingset with two other neighborhood kids. I was doing yard work nearby, then took Lilly into the kitchen to get something out for dinner.

Fort Lee

Commanding General ........Maj. Gen. Darrell K. Williams Garrison Commander ..................... Col. Adam W. Butler Public Affairs Officer............................. Stephen J. Baker Command Information/Managing Editor...Patrick Buffett Senior Writer/Special Assignments ......... T. Anthony Bell Production/News Assistant Editor.................. Amy Perry Family/Community Life Reporter ...........Lesley Atkinson Production Assistant .............................. Ray Kozakewicz To reach the Traveller Staff, call (804) 734-7147.

when the Soldiers were off duty. Two involved alcohol. Beyond that, the environment and situations were all different.

What appears to be a common factor in

“Mrs. Molinari!” the bushyhaired neighbor boy and his little sister shouted, startling me out of the pantry. “Something’s wrong with Anna’s arm!”

I ran outside expecting to hear some cockamamie story how she scraped an elbow going down the slide backward. But instead, Hayden was crouched beside Anna, who sat on the ground, holding her arm.

“What’s the mat…” I stopped cold.

Anna’s tiny forearm was markedly bent at an unnatural angle. Her big brown eyes were wild, but she whispered to me, eerily calm, through gritted fiveyear-old jack-o-lantern teeth.

“I fell.” I could see that survival instinct had taken over my fun-loving daredevil daughter.

I scooped Anna up, and as she held her deformed arm tightly to her chest, I put her in our minivan along with the other children. I called the bushy-haired kids’ parents and asked if I could drop Hayden and Lilly off with their children while I took Anna to the emergency room.

They hesitated, still bitter about an incident the week prior when Anna spilled a bottle of hot pink nail polish on their white carpeting. I knew they couldn’t say no. They owed me for watching their kids all afternoon, and besides, I had no other options.

The Fort Lee “Traveller” is printed by offset process every Thursday as a civilian enterprise in the interest of personnel at the U.S. Army Combined Arms Support Command and Fort Lee, Va. 23801, by Military Newspapers of Virginia, P.O. Box 863, Colonial Heights, Va. 23834, in accordance with Department of the Army Regulations 210-20 and 360-1. This publication receives armed forces material and civilian newspapers are authorized to reprint such material without specific clearance except material specifically designated as copyrighted. Liaison between the printer and the commanding general, Fort Lee, is maintained by the Public Affairs Office, Fort Lee. Circulation: 13,000. This Civilian Enterprise newspaper is an authorized publication. Contents of the “Traveller” are not necessarily the official view of, nor endorsed by, the U.S. Army Combined Arms Support Command and Fort Lee. Advertising in this publication including inserts or supplements does not constitute endorsement by the Department of the Army or Military Newspapers of Virginia. Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation, or any other non merit factor. If a violation or rejection of this equal opportunity policy by an advertiser is confirmed, the printer shall refuse to print advertising from that source until violation is corrected. The “Traveller” is an unofficial publication authorized by AR 360-1, and printed by the Military Newspapers of Virginia, a private firm in no way connected with the U. S. Army Combined Arms Support Command or Fort Lee. The editorial content is prepared, edited and provided by the Public Affairs Office of Headquarters, U. S. Army Garrison, Fort Lee.

– Brig. Gen. Jeffrey A. Farnsworth, Director of Army Safety At the emergency room, I called Francis but got his voicemail.

“Honey, Anna broke her forearm, both bones. I’m at the hospital. The doctor said he has to move the bones back into place … They’ll give Anna morphine, but she might be awake. She is … we are … so scared. Call me.”

I made the second call an hour later.

“Francis, are you there? The nurse gave Anna morphine so she wouldn’t feel the pain, but she just got agitated. They said she is one of a few people who react adversely to morphine.

SEE STRENGTH, PAGE 16

COVER

Necessity reveals strength when parenting alone

Brig. Gen. Jeffrey A. Farnsworth

THE

In late October, a 24-year-old sergeant was struck and killed while attempting to cross a four-lane road while running with a fellow Soldier. One day prior, a 25-yearold sergeant inadvertently left a personal belonging on top of her vehicle and drove away. After realizing her mistake, she stopped and was attempting to retrieve the item in the roadway when she was struck and killed by a passing motorist.

In mid-October, a 21-year-old specialist was struck and killed on a rural Kentucky highway in the pre-dawn hours. Lastly, while on leave, a 26-year-old private was struck and killed by a vehicle while attempting to cross a roadway on foot.

All but one of these senseless accidents occurred during the hours of darkness

ON

Commanders, senior leaders, safety directors (and members of the Army Family).

I would like to draw your attention to a spike in pedestrian accidents. We’ve lost seven Soldiers in the first 100 days of this fiscal year; (a stark contrast to (the record low of two pedestrian fatalities in FY16.

Two weeks ago, a 57-year-old New York Army National Guard master sergeant was struck and killed by a sedan while walking during pre-dawn hours under an interstate bypass in the vicinity of Latham, N.Y. Two days into the new calendar year, a 26-year-old private was struck from behind by a sedan and killed as he walked alongside a roadway. In early December, a 33-year-old staff sergeant was killed by a sedan as he and his wife crossed a street.

each fatality, however, is every one of the Soldiers failed to recognize the hazardous and deadly situations they had put themselves into.

To heighten awareness and prevention, I encourage engaged leaders to coach our Soldiers to always take the following actions when walking or running on or near roadways.

• Always walk/run against traffic • Wear bright, reflective clothing at night • Always look both ways when crossing a roadway, then look left again before you step into the road • Stay out of the road unless crossing it • Cross only at designation locations (Civilian supervisors should remind their staffs and parents should talk to their kids about pedestrian hazards and preventive safety actions as well.)

Amy Perry

NFL lineman Alejandro Villanueva reads to children at the Multi-purpose Child Development Center here Tuesday. He visited to help kick off the 2017 youth football ProCamps sponsored by Procter and Gamble in partnership with DeCA. He also had a meet and greet. See story on Page 3.

www.fortleetraveller.com | February 23, 2017 | TRAVELLER | 3

NFL pro visits Lee, reads to CDC kids Children of the Multi-purpose Child Development Center here received a special treat Tuesday when Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Alejandro Villanueva read several books to them.

Villanueva, a former Army Ranger, visited Fort Lee to help kick off the 2017 youth football ProCamps sponsored by Procter and Gamble in partnership with the Defense Commissary Agency. He also participated in a meet and greet event with service members and civilians at DeCA headquarters.

From March - April, nearly 100 installations compete for the opportunity to host free, two-day ProCamps for first eighth grade youth of active duty military, reservists, retirees,and DOD Civilian employees. The 11 winning military installations qualify for a camp based on their patrons’ purchases of select items in their local commissaries.

“Beyond the everyday savings our patrons receive by shopping their commissary, our industry partners provide mil-

lions of dollars annually in additional or ancillary benefits to our patrons because a commissary is operating on their base,” said Sallie Cauthers, DeCA’s marketing and mass media specialist. “Thanks to this partnership event, our patrons receive quality products at savings significantly lower than commercial stores and our military youth learn some football from some of the pro players they see on television.”

Camp participants learn from and play with NFL players such as Villanueva, Patrick Peterson (Arizona Cardinals) and Steve Smith Sr. (Baltimore Ravens).

This marks the fifth year P&G has partnered with the commissary to run the NFL program at installations worldwide.

ProCamps are designed to teach the fundamentals of football, teamwork and how to make new friends. Summer camps have been conducted at Fort Lee for the past two years.

– Defense Commissary Agency

Amy Perry

Alejandro Villanueva, Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive tackle and former Army Ranger, reads a book to children at the Multi-purpose Child Development Center Tuesday. Villanueva visited Fort Lee to help kick off the start of the 2017 youth football ProCamps sponsored by Procter and Gamble in partnership with the Defense Commissary Agency. He also participated in a meet and greet event with service members and civilians at the DeCA headquarters.

$(5 FDPSDLJQ NLFNV RII 0DUFK The annual Army Emergency Relief campaign starts March 1 and continues through May 15.

Fort Lee will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the fund raising initiative with a campaign kick-off program March 2, 2 p.m., at the Lee Theater.

Col Adam W. Butler, garrison commander, will host the event, and the program will highlight the theme “Soldiers taking care of Soldiers in times of financial difficulties and emergencies.”

The guest speaker will be retired Sgt. Maj. Donald Vincent, loan management officer, Army Emergency Relief.

“For the past 75 years, AER has maintained a rich history of taking care of Soldiers,” said Patsy Piggott, Army Community Service, AER specialist.

“The focus, as always, is to continue to provide valuable resources for military members of all ranks and their families when faced with emergency financial difficulties. The goal of the campaign is to raise contributions to replenish funds and to increase awareness of the availability of AER.” AER is a nonprofit entity based solely on donations from Soldiers, retirees and civilians. AER provides a financial means

to all valid ID card holders who are facing temporary financial hardship.

Loans are interest free and

in many cases grants are given to prevent further financial hardship.

“This is why it’s so very

important to support our campaign and give generously because not only does Army Emergency Relief support Soldiers and retirees, but AER also provides emergency financial assistance to widows and dependent children,” Piggot said.

Last year, the installation provided financial support totaling $915,302.

AER recently implemented a new policy allowing sergeants and above direct access to assistance without going through their chain of command.

Soldiers needing AER financial assistance can either contact their unit chain of command or go directly to their local installation AER office.

By having reciprocal

agreements in place with the other military aid societies, Soldiers and families not near an Army installation also can receive AER assistance at the nearest Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard installation with the respective Military Aid Society, or from the American Red Cross call center at (877) 272-7337.

“Army Emergency Relief is so important to the installation because it helps to improve the quality of life for thousands of our Soldiers who make the ultimate sacrifice every day,” Piggott said, “So please give generously.”

Additional program information is available at www.aerhq.org.

– Staff Reports

4 | TRAVELLER | February 23, 2017 | www.fortleetraveller.com

Mid-Career Retirement Planning Seminar | March 7 Fort Lee civil service employees are invited to attend a free one-day seminar – Mid-Career Retirement Focus – March 7, 8 a.m., at the Lee Theater. The information session is being hosted by the Defense Commissary Agency.

The seminar is for employees who have been in federal service 7-12 years, and covers financial management options for retirement. Registration is required on a first-come, first-served basis to madoline.chambers@deca.mil.

For details, call (804) 734-8000 ext. 86064.

Temporary Closure of Memorial Chapel Sanctuary Beginning March 7, Memorial Chapel Sanctuary will be closed for approximately three weeks while a new sprinkler system is installed.

Roman Catholic Mass will be held 4 p.m. Saturdays at Liberty Chapel, corner of Mahone and C avenues, and Protestant worship is set for 11 a.m. Sundays at the Family Life Center at Memorial Chapel, Sisisky Boulevard and Battle Drive.

For details, call (804) 734-0970 or 734-1552.

Kenner Cancer Awareness Display | March 1-31

U. S. Army

The Army is dealing with a child care backlog of over 5,500 children, which senior leaders worry could affect the readiness of military parents.

Child care backlog, a big concern Dailey reports Sean Kimmons Army News Service

WASHINGTON – Access to quality child care is an essential benefit for service members with children, especially for those with spouses who work full time or are seeking employment.

But, with more than 5,500 children waiting to get into Army child care programs, senior leaders are worried the backlog could affect the readiness of military parents.

“This is a huge concern for us,” Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel Dailey told lawmakers Feb. 14. Child care is “critical to our success and something we have to continue to invest in for the future.”

Speaking at a family forum at the annual Association of the United States Army conference in October, Dailey noted that child care services account for about half of the Army’s $1.1 billion budget for family programs.

Testifying before the Senate Armed Forces Committee’s personnel subcommittee on Capitol Hill, Dailey said the backlog of thousands of children is the result of several issues.

The Army is in need of more child care facilities to accommodate military children, he said. Another reason he cited was the lengthy hiring process required for child care providers.

“We’re working this very hard,” he said.

“I think we’ve done an OK job at reducing the amount of backlog, but it’s compounded by the simple problem that (job applicants) often don’t want to wait for those background checks, and they need to seek employment.”

The average wait time to place children into child care centers is four months, with at least five installations with wait times of five months or longer.

SEE DAILEY, PAGE 5

Kenner Army Health Clinic will observe National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month with an educational display March 1-31 in the pharmacy lobby.

Community members are encouraged to wear blue in observance of National Dress in Blue Day March 3. Community members will receive information on colon cancer prevention.

For details, visit www.cdc.gov.

CWF Award Program Submissions | March 14 The Fort Lee Civilian Welfare Fund will present Outstanding Civilian Service Awards in the spring. The deadline to nominate an individual is March 14.

The award recognizes civilians who display an exemplary work ethic and take the time to get involved in the community with volunteer service or other philanthropic efforts. Any Fort Lee DOD Civilian may be nominated regardless of grade or position. Nominations do not require supervisor approval.

For a nomination form and details, email caroline.williams@deca.mil or call (804) 687-8000 ext. 48061.

Exchange Cash-Back Option Restored After an extended technical challenge, cash back at the Army and Air Force Exchange Service has returned.

Authorized shoppers using a debit card at the Exchange can get cash back in increments of $10, $20 or $50. Cash back options at the Express, PXtra Troop Store, Ordnance Troop Store, LogU Express and Military Clothing and Sales include $5, $10 or $20.

For details, call (804) 861-5970.

WOA Crater Chapter Scholarships The U.S. Army Warrant Officer Association, Crater Chapter, awards annual scholarships, and the deadline for submissions is April 1.

The scholarship program is open to family members of WOA members and, if funds permit, local Tri-Cities children, age 22 and younger, going to college in Virginia. All applicants must be in their senior year of high school or higher and plan to attend or continue their education in an accredited American college, university, vocational or technical institution on a full-time basis. Completed application packets should be mailed to: Warrant Officer Association – Crater Chapter, PO Box 5032, Fort Lee, Va. 23801-1601. Awards will announced by May 15.

To apply, visit https://www.facebook.com/FtLeeCraterChapterWOA/.

www.fortleetraveller.com | February 23, 2017 | TRAVELLER | 5

DAILEY | DOD has the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest

employer-sponsored child care program Continued from page 4 U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii has the longest at 16 months, according to Army officials.

A non-appropriated fund working group has been developing strategies to decrease wait times for child care. One of the strategies is the launch of MilitaryChildCare. com, a Defense Department-run website to assist military families in finding child care.

After initially going online in January 2015, the website has been rolled out in phases. Today, the website provides a map showing visitors the areas it currently covers.

The Army also offsets costs for Soldiers who pay for off-base child care services when they cannot get their children into on-base facilities, Dailey said.

The DOD has created the Extended Child Care Initiative. This allows base commanders to extend the operating hours of child care centers to 14 hours a day based on needs and requirements,

said Stephanie Barna, the acting assistant secretary of defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs.

The military, she noted in her testimony to the congressional committee, is a young force with over 40 percent of its members having children. Because of this, the DOD has the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest employer-sponsored child care program that supports about 180,000 children each day at over 230 locations around the world. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A quality child care system helps families balance the competing demands of work and family life and contributes to the efficiency, readiness and retention of the total force,â&#x20AC;? Barna said in her written testimony.

Also in the hearing, Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) asked Dailey and the other servicesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; top enlisted leaders what was being done to help more spouses get jobs.

The Armed Services Committeeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chairman said that 25 percent of military spouses are unemployed, while many of those

Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel Dailey

who do have jobs are underemployed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Obviously, the movement of our military personnel makes it extremely difficult for spouses to hold employment in

jobs,â&#x20AC;? McCain said.

Dailey told the committee that there has been success with the DODâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Military Spouse Employment Partnership, which connects spouses to military-friendly employers.

Since 2011, the program has grown to about 340 employers who have hired more than 100,000 spouses, according to his testimony. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We need to continue to strengthen that in every way, shape or form we can,â&#x20AC;? he said, adding that thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s room for improvement on getting the word out on job opportunities and programs for spouses.

He also suggested the military can take advantage of its internal resources for military members leaving the service and offer them to spouses. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Over the last several years, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done great work in regards to finding educational and training opportunities that enhance job opportunities for our young Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines as they exit the service,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With the appropriate resourcing to these things, we can easily extend these services to our families as well.â&#x20AC;?

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24 AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY AND COLLEGE ALUMNI NIGHT 7:30 pm against Greenville Swamp Rabbits Help us stick it to cancer by attending this game and learning more about the mission of ACS to help raise awareness of the ďŹ ght against the disease.

Wear your school colors for College Alumni Night at Scope!

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6 | TRAVELLER | February 23, 2017 | www.fortleetraveller.com

Contributed Photo

Col. Sean P. Davis, 59th Ordnance Brigade commander, poses with the Fort Lee Youth Bowling League mid-season champions at a Feb. 11 award ceremony in the bowling center here. The award recipients included winners of six league tournaments in January, and the top-scoring bowlers from

the Appomattox River USBC Tournament of Champions, Jan. 28-29, at the Holiday Bowl in Chester. Staff Sgt. Jeremy Scott, volunteer youth bowling league president, is pictured back left. About 120 youngsters are participating this season at the Fort Lee Bowling Center.

Youth bowlers rack up trophies at Fort Lee, Chester tournaments Participants of the Fort Lee Youth Bowling League have been busy competing and winning championship titles over the past several weeks.

While providing a mid-season rundown of tournament results, League Advisor Al Williams Sr. expressed pride in the teamwork and friendly spirit of competition post youths have consistently demonstrated since teams formed in September.

About 120 youngsters are participating this season, making it one of the most active in the league’s history, he noted.

During the league championship in January, the USO Stars and Strikes cruised

to a convincing 4-games-to-1 victory in the senior division. Emily Cox, Kabree Kenney, Jamison Jones and Donnel Berry proved too much for the competition despite entering the tournament as a fifth seed.

In the junior division, the Fort Lee Credit Union Money Rollers earned the crown after a 4-games-to-2 victory in the finals.

Elijah Duclairjeune, Aireana Roberson, Zhiyon Jordan, Lina Levave and Frederick Ferguson averaged 215 pins per game in the Team Bakers competition and contributed well-timed strikes that sent a clear message they were there to win.

CHESTER CHILD DEVELOPMENT & DAY CARE CENTER

January’s “Mid-Season Madness” showdown at the Fort Lee Bowling Center was an opportunity for the student-athletes to compete in five separate championship contests in less than four hours. The Crazy Tournament winners included Zia Olguin, Leonard Draft Jr., Reese Vertz and Kahlil Townsend.

Kyler Kenney and Dykashie Harris reigned over the Match Play Tournament.

The Senior Division No-Tap Tournament winners are Isaiah Duclairjeune (boys) and Liz McKown (girls).

Demetrius Simms and Kahlisha Kilgore are the boy and girl winners, respectfully, of

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the Junior Division No-Tap Tournament.

The duo of Annabelle Johnston and Reese Vertz took home the trophy for the Jr/Sr Scotch Doubles Tournament.

Closing out the most-recent round of pin-pounding matchups was the Appomattox River USBC Tournament of Champions – aka. City Tournament – at Holiday Bowl in Chester Jan. 28-29. The Fort Lee youths excelled during tournament play. The top-placing teams and individuals are as follows: • Division 2, team event, first place – Shelby Hanscom, Bridget Hanscom, Angel Hanscom and Reese Vertz.

• Division 3, team event, first place – LaWayne Bland Jr, Zakiyyah Bland, Adrian Colon and Emily Cox. • Division 2, singles event – Reese Vertz, 1st place; Daniel Blount, 2nd place; Jaylen Daniels, 3rd place; and Derrick Harrison, 4th place.

• Division 3, singles event – Javon Daniels, 2nd place; and Emily Cox, 4th place.

• Division 2, doubles event – Angel Hanscom and Reese Vertz, 1st place; Jada Scott and Jaylen Daniels, 2nd place; Janet Colon and Aireana Roberson, 3rd place; and Daniel and Louis Blount, 4th place.

• Division 2, All Events Champion – Reese Vertz who was presented a $224.50 scholarship award (out of the $2,000 up for grabs).

The coaches and volunteer parents of the youth bowling league offer their congratulations to the tournament winners and the enthusiastic and energetic kids competing this year. A special note of thanks also goes out to Col. Sean Davis, 59th Ordnance Brigade commander, who presented certificates and awards during a Feb. 11 ceremony at the bowling center.

– Fort Lee Youth Bowling League

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www.fortleetraveller.com | February 23, 2017 | TRAVELLER | 7

AMERICA’S MILITARY | SPOTLIGHT

3)& 1,&+2/$6 3$77(5621 Unit: 508th Transportation Company MOS: 88M – motor transport operator Age: 19 Time in service: 18 months Hometown: Rochester, Pa. Marital status: single Pastimes: “I usually work out, and my roommate and I usually go to the movies.”

How you would you describe yourself: “I’m a joyful person – I like to make people laugh.”

Worst fear: “Probably losing a limb.”

Pet peeve: “I don’t like it when people chew with their mouths open.”

Three things you would take to a deserted island: “Sunscreen, satellite phone and some flint.”

Your ideal life: “No worries about finance and being able to support my family.”

One lesson you like sharing with others: “Never give up. If you do, you’ll never succeed.

Then, you’ll get complacent in always giving up.”

Your favorite movie: “‘Thor’ – I’m really into comic books.”

Favorite quote: “Live life to the fullest and have no regrets toward your accomplishments.”

One person you most admire: “From my previous duty station (in Korea), Sgt. Christopher Pena.

He always motivated people, and he always motivated me. He also strived to be the best at everything he did, always giving that extra effort at whatever the task was.”

The celebrity or historical figure you would like to meet: “Jimi Hendrix – through his songs, he really showed me a lot of things I wasn’t really clear on; like he writes about respecting women and always being there for someone.”

One defining moment: “One day after school, I was talking to my mom about how some kids made me mad, and she was just going off on me. I flipped out and yelled at her. It was just something really stupid. The next week, I started to sign up for the military.

She was in the military and I wanted to get closer to her. My dad was telling me I shouldn’t leave bridges broken; never leave things unsaid. I apologized to my mom

and told her it was something stupid, I got worked up and didn’t mean to disrespect her.”

Why you joined the Army: “One of my friends said I couldn’t do it, and I proved him wrong.”

You joined the Army on a dare? “Yeah, basically, but since I’ve been in the Army, I’ve changed the reason. My dad was a Marine and my mom was in the Army. I strive to be like them.”

What it means to serve: “Giving it your all to make sure everyone in the nation is safe.”

Why you chose your MOS: “I’m more familiar with trucks, and I like driving them. My dad sells trucks (at a car dealership) and my grandfather is a mechanic.

I’m part of a tradition.”

What you like most about being a motor transport operator: “It never stops giving knowledge.

I learn something every day.”

The most difficult thing about your job: “Probably remembering all of the item numbers for each part of the truck.”

You are a scientist who has to

build the perfect Soldier. How would you build him? “I would make sure they put effort into everything they do, they’re always on time in the right uniform and the right place, and they’re ready to learn.”

If you were Chief of Staff of the Army ... “I would change the time for PT to 7 o’clock (as opposed to an hour earlier).”

Most important aspect of leadership: “Understanding your Soldiers and understanding how they are feeling and how you can best help them.”

Best thing about the Army: “The motivation (he sees among his fellow Soldiers).”

Worst thing about the Army: “Some NCOs don’t possess the ability to lead the right way (based on observations in his last unit).”

Future ambitions: “I’m working on college, and I want to earn a business degree. After that, my uncle wants me to help run his bar.

That’s what I really want to do.”

– Compiled by T. Anthony Bell

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8 | TRAVELLER | February 23, 2017 | www.fortleetraveller.com

Unique Lee organization offers digital sustainment training Amy Perry Production/News Assistant Editor

In a secure area on the edge of the Army Logistics University campus stands a building not many see the inside of without a clearance or a purpose.

Its tenant is the Logistics Exercise and Simulation Directorate, and the team there is responsible for providing real-world sustainment training to troops around the world through simulations, said Jay Grandin, director, LESD. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We provide realistic and challenging training to sustainment units worldwide,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The simulation is like a big computer game that relies on action and reaction. A situation may be that an aircraft bombs a convoy and two Soldiers are killed, four wounded and two trucks destroyed. The commander and staff will get a situation report requiring them to assess the situation, develop courses of action and execute the commanderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decision.â&#x20AC;?

Grandin said the staff has to determine how to conduct medical evacuations, work on securing the area and discuss what can be done to retrograde the vehicles, among

a wide range of other training opportunities. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our mission is to realistically portray the operational challenges faced in a real-world setting by using the Joint Deployment Logistics Model to conduct sustainment actions in an exercise environment. The objective is to provide commanders, staffs and Soldiers the opportunity to succeed and make mistakes in the computer simulations and learn from the experience. The lessons taken away from simulation exercise will prevent injury or death in a real-world operation.â&#x20AC;?

The top Army priority is readiness, and Grandin said thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a primary focus for his team. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We contribute to the training and readiness of sustainment units,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our overall mission is to build and maintain readiness to win in a complex world. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We provide realistic training to prepare Soldiers for war,â&#x20AC;? Grandin continued. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are the premier provider of sustainment simulation support in the world. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a one-of-a-kind organization â&#x20AC;&#x201C; thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no one like us in the world. These units want to train, and they canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take 1,000 people

out into the field and drive the trucks everywhere â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it takes up too much time and money. We can do a simulation much cheaper and faster, and we can give them a quality after-action review.â&#x20AC;?

LESD opened here in July 2009, coinciding with the ALU opening. The technical team built a Wide Area Network from scratch and can distribute exercises worldwide. This allows LESD to work multiple exercises for troops around the world, without the need to have personnel at each site to run the simulations, said Grandin. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our computer teams can work multiple scenarios from here,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have our network, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d have to send out simulation support teams to each exercise location, and I just donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have that many people. It also would be very expensive to send people out all the time.â&#x20AC;?

Grandinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s workforce includes a simulation support technical team, a futures team and an exercise support team who are logistics management training subject matter experts. â&#x20AC;&#x153;All of them work together,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our technical team stays here at Fort Lee and our exercise teams go forward to the

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exercise sites. They are called our ambassadors to the Soldiers. Their mission is to train, coach and mentor the troops on the use of the sustainment simulation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Every piece is critical,â&#x20AC;? Grandin said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You have to build the database correctly and conduct technical and functional tests.

You have to have the computers and networks running correctly. All of the teams need to work together to have a successful exercise. The ultimate success is that the training audience achieves their training objectives.â&#x20AC;?

The LESD also hosts students from the Department of the Army Intern Logistics Course for short on-the-job training sessions to learn more about logistics. This directorate is one of several that hosts interns on Fort Lee. Recent participant Naana Osei, who is working toward being a logistics management specialist, said she was thrilled she chose LESD as her first â&#x20AC;&#x153;assignment.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Being able to intern with an innovative organization such as LESD is a lifechanging experience for me professionally,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Within these few weeks, I worked with some incredible people who taught me the logistics aspect of simulation. This exposure will go a long way to help me grow professionally in my career as a logistician. It is a great experience and has provided me various opportunities to gain a better understanding of the Armyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s logistical operations through simulations.â&#x20AC;?

LUNCH BUFFET $13.95 DINNER BUFFET $18.95

www.fortleetraveller.com | February 23, 2017 | TRAVELLER | 9

Fort Lee ACS launches new Readiness Essentials course A new training series meant to increase the effectiveness of family readiness groups was launched by the Army Community Service Mobilization and Deployment Program here this week.

Called Readiness Essentials for Army Leaders, the training “emphasizes the mission essential tasks associated with the FRG and helps all involved to understand it is a commander’s program that can only be successfully executed through an organization leader’s vision and direction,” according to a recent announcement published by the Installation Management Command G9 ACS Division.

“This training is designed with the adult learner in mind,” the announcement also read. “It is a series of facilitated discussions, small group activities and practical exercises.”

Each participant will get the “REAL Smart Book,” which includes a compilation of resources, best practices, checklists, and templates for important documents like standard operating procedures and position descriptions.

“Everything a commander or FRG leader needs to know will be at their fingertips,” the IMCOM G9 announced. “This

Reeves J., Student Psychology. Mom. Army.

training is designed to have participants roll up their sleeves and delve into the Smart Book, ensuring individuals are familiar with the resources available to assist them in their mission.”

The training is divided into six course modules, starting with a 1.5-hour “Foundation” session that offers general descriptions, definitions and expectations.

The “Command Team” session is targeted toward company commanders and first sergeants, but battalion and brigade leaders may also find it informative. The Family Readiness Liaison session is meant to prepared those who are tasked with operational, logistical and administrative support. The three remaining sessions are for group volunteers, including the FRG leader and funds custodian.

Classes set for next week include a Funds Custodian session Feb. 28, 8:30 a.m. - 11 a.m., and an FRG Leader session, March 1, 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., both at the Ordnance Resiliency Training Center.

For more information about this training and to sign up for a session, contact the ACS-MDP office at (804) 734-6648.

– Staff Reports

Ordnance Artifact of the Month

V Q UP 61& U V J U J P O

TD I P M BST I J Q

GP S N J MJUBSZ BO E GBN J MZ XBSSJ P ST Ordnance Training and Heritage Center

Pictured is a mid-20th century U.S. olive drab steel 37 mm T259 experimental proof shot complete with a bright brass T68E10 casing. This particular projectile in the Ordnance Training Heritage and Heritage Center here was used in a wind tunnel test at Frankford Arsenal, Pa., circa 1955. As the T259 is experimental, the test was most likely used to analyze its aerodynamic design. The projectile has a long ogive that ends in a point, a square base, and a bottlenecked casing. A wind tunnel test would have been effective at showing whether these characteristics would affect the aerodynamics of the projectile positively or negatively. If the effect was positive, it is likely this experimental model would have been issued a standard model number and produced for Army use. Additional artifacts including a Civil War-era four-pounder revolving cannon and a U.S.-made “People Sniffer” created during World War II to detect enemy activity can be viewed at www. facebook.com/OrdnanceTrainingandHeritageCenter.

Advance your career with exclusive benefits toward graduate and undergraduate programs. TROY’s Military and Family Scholarship caps the cost of tuition at $250 per credit hour for active military, Reservists and National Guard. Also, your spouse and dependents receive up to 50% in tuition savings. TROY is committed to keeping higher education affordable.

That’s the Trojan Warrior Spirit, and it’s alive and well at Troy University.

Feel it at troy.edu/militaryspirit or call 1-800-586-9771.

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10 | TRAVELLER | February 23, 2017 | www.fortleetraveller.com

T. Anthony Bell Senior Writer/Special Projects

M

edgar Evers, a World War II veteran who participated in the famed Red Ball Express logistical effort, marched head-first into the teeth of the civil rights struggle years later, muddying himself in the trenches of the movement’s fight against segregation in Mississippi. Amid the commitment to the cause, he conceded danger was a lurking proposition.

“I’m looking to be shot any time I step out of my car ...,” he said. “If I die, it will be in a good cause. I’ve been fighting for America just as much as the Soldiers in Vietnam.”

Hosea Williams, like Evers, also was a World War II veteran. Having survived a Nazi bombing in Europe under the command of Gen. George Patton, Williams had teetered on the steps of death after being hospitalized for nearly a year as a result of the attack. He was reacquainted with the pain of his experience and introduced to the companions of rebuke and humiliation – after he was beaten by whites “like a common dog” upon his return home for using a whites-only water fountain, he said.

“At that moment, I truly felt as if I had fought on the wrong side,” Williams said later, noting his U.S. Army uniform worn at the time did not deter his attackers. “Then, and not until then, did I realize why God, time after time, had taken me to death’s door, then spared my life ... to be a general in the war for human rights and personal dignity.”

The experiences of civil rights icons like Evers and Williams and a long list of others formed a collective narrative of those who served in the U.S. military during WWII and the Korean War and returned to their communities with newfound hope and aspiration to improve their lot in American society through various efforts of the Civil Rights Movement.

From the perspective of retired Army Lt. Col. John Boyd, black war veterans were critical to the fight for civil rights.

“They had a great impact on the movement,” said the Mechanicsville resident and veteran of the Vietnam War. “I would go as far to say if it wasn’t for the black Soldiers who came back from World War II and the Korean War and lent their expertise to the cause, Dr. King and the other ministers

001TRA02232017.indd A10-A11

www.fortleetraveller.com | February 23, 2017 | TRAVELLER | 11

African-American men and women served by the hundreds of thousands in World War II despite sometimes dehumanizing conditions. Nevertheless, they expected better treatment in return for their allegiance. They also knew the mere expectation would be insufficient to change anything and set upon individual and collective efforts to facilitate ...

Freedom has never been free … I love my children and I love my wife with all of my heart. And I would die, die gladly, if that would make a better life for them.”

– Medgar Evers

Medgar Evers, Whitney Young and Ralph Abernathy were among the veterans who actively supported the Civil Rights Movement.

Photo Illustration

THE EFFECT would not have been able to effectively organize (the masses) as they did.”

Civil rights for African Americans, or the “human rights and personal dignity” Williams referred to, have been elusive commodities for the better part of their existence. WWII, like all wars before it (and many since), was yet another opportunity to validate their place as American citizens and claim the rights and privileges they were persistently denied. Retired Col. Porcher “PT” Taylor, a combat veteran of WWII and the Korean and Vietnam wars, said risking life and limb for one’s country makes a powerful argument for reciprocation.

“When you go out there on the battlefield and you’re fighting for your life and the lives of the people you’re serving with, it’s a big difference compared to the ordinary citizen who did not serve,” said the 91-year-old

How veterans and military service impacted the modern Civil Rights Movement Petersburg resident. “The country is then indebted to that person. It’s an obligation.”

African-American men and women who served during WWII and the Korean War numbered more than a million-and-a-half, despite enduring racism and discrimination on the homefront and within the ranks.

In addition to heightened expectations because of their battlefield sacrifices, many returned with unique perspectives about life and liberty, especially since many had been exposed to Europe and its more tolerant racial climates. Black military members also

gained communication, organizational and leadership skills they might have never acquired as civilians, said Taylor.

Take, for example, Whitney Young.

Enlisting in the Army in 1942, he attained the rank of first sergeant in only three weeks, according to www.mallhistory.org. His rapid ascension in a segregated unit caused some resentment among his fellow Soldiers and members of his unit’s white leadership. As a result, he was often called upon to mediate between the two groups.

“It was my Army experience that decided

me on getting into the race relations field after the war,” said Young. “Not just because I saw the problems, but because I saw the potentials, too. I grew up with a basic belief in the inherent decency of human beings.”

Young eventually became executive director of the National Urban League in 1961 and a major player in the Civil Rights Movement.

In addition to the varied and once-in-alifetime experiences common to military service, black veterans who served in WWII also were provided with unprecedented

educational opportunities. The Servicemen Readjustment Act of 1944, also known as the GI Bill, provided them access to a free college education, although discrimination prevented many from receiving benefits.

Williams and Evers were both educated under the GI Bill as well as others such as Ralph Abernathy, a confidante of King, and Harry Belafonte, an entertainer and activist.

Education was an important factor in the Civil Rights Movement, said Taylor, but the African-American war experience, especially the segregated conditions of WWII, was

the rock-solid premise for civic action and responsibility. He noted how blacks desired more important roles in the war effort than the menial jobs most were relegated to, and how they longed for some measure of human dignity in light of the humiliating subjugation they experienced in comparison to German prisoners of war.

Further, Taylor cited those like championship boxer Joe Louis, who enlisted in the Army while still the world heavyweight champion. Louis was familiar with the challenges blacks faced during the war and gladly gave up thousands of dollars in profits to advocate for their cause. His efforts resulted in helping future baseball player Jackie Robinson and others gain acceptance into officer candidate school. Robinson would go on to assume the lead role in knocking down major league baseball’s walls of segregation.

There are various other examples of this wartime service-civic responsibility dynamic.

The work of Amzie Moore and Aaron Henry, both WWII veterans who noted the racism inherent in military segregation, were spurred to wage war against segregation in postwar Mississippi. They did not command the spotlight like the high-profile Louis, yet their work as white establishment agitators was far more dangerous. The two eventually helped to organize such efforts as voter registration campaigns and economic boycotts all over the state despite looming threats of violence.

The sense of frustration AfricanAmericans felt while serving their country is perhaps no better illustrated than by the work of one Grant Reynolds. He, like so many before him, entered a WWII Army with high inspirations to do his part for the war cause. He was trained as a chaplain but resigned his commission a few years later due to the “brazen racism” he had witnessed, according to www.blackpast.org.

Ironically, Reynolds channeled his experiences and with A. Philip Randolph, established the Committee Against Jim Crow in

Military Service and Training in 1947. The group’s efforts led to President Harry S. Truman’s Executive Order 9981 that integrated the services in 1948.

Truman’s mandate, which did not erase military segregation all at once (complete integration did not occur until the mid1950s), served in many respects as the basis for the various legislation signed into law years later to include the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that guaranteed civil and voting rights for all people.

Those two pieces of legislation are the crowning achievement of the Civil Rights Movement and the signature of warriors like Williams and Evers, who committed themselves to the wellbeing of their country in and out of uniform, despite the cost.

Perhaps their earlier brushes with mortality served as the opening salvos in their fight for human rights and dignity.

Maybe it’s plausible to think they had little to lose in light of what could be gained.

Evers seemed to be at peace with the notion.

“Freedom has never been free …,” he said. “I love my children and I love my wife with all of my heart. And I would die, die gladly, if that would make a better life for them.”

Williams, one of King’s top lieutenants, fought long and hard for civil and human rights over the course of his life. He is best known for courageously leading the first Selma to Montgomery March of 1965. He died in 2000.

Evers participated in numerous causes in the name of equal rights and justice. He carried the title of NAACP field secretary for the state of Mississippi when he was tragically gunned down in 1963 at the hands of a white supremacist.

In 1994, Evers’ killer was brought to justice. Today, the state of Mississippi is far removed from its segregationist past.

2/22/2017 4:09:47 PM

10 | TRAVELLER | February 23, 2017 | www.fortleetraveller.com

T. Anthony Bell Senior Writer/Special Projects

M

edgar Evers, a World War II veteran who participated in the famed Red Ball Express logistical effort, marched head-first into the teeth of the civil rights struggle years later, muddying himself in the trenches of the movement’s fight against segregation in Mississippi. Amid the commitment to the cause, he conceded danger was a lurking proposition.

“I’m looking to be shot any time I step out of my car ...,” he said. “If I die, it will be in a good cause. I’ve been fighting for America just as much as the Soldiers in Vietnam.”

Hosea Williams, like Evers, also was a World War II veteran. Having survived a Nazi bombing in Europe under the command of Gen. George Patton, Williams had teetered on the steps of death after being hospitalized for nearly a year as a result of the attack. He was reacquainted with the pain of his experience and introduced to the companions of rebuke and humiliation – after he was beaten by whites “like a common dog” upon his return home for using a whites-only water fountain, he said.

“At that moment, I truly felt as if I had fought on the wrong side,” Williams said later, noting his U.S. Army uniform worn at the time did not deter his attackers. “Then, and not until then, did I realize why God, time after time, had taken me to death’s door, then spared my life ... to be a general in the war for human rights and personal dignity.”

The experiences of civil rights icons like Evers and Williams and a long list of others formed a collective narrative of those who served in the U.S. military during WWII and the Korean War and returned to their communities with newfound hope and aspiration to improve their lot in American society through various efforts of the Civil Rights Movement.

From the perspective of retired Army Lt. Col. John Boyd, black war veterans were critical to the fight for civil rights.

“They had a great impact on the movement,” said the Mechanicsville resident and veteran of the Vietnam War. “I would go as far to say if it wasn’t for the black Soldiers who came back from World War II and the Korean War and lent their expertise to the cause, Dr. King and the other ministers

001TRA02232017.indd A10-A11

www.fortleetraveller.com | February 23, 2017 | TRAVELLER | 11

African-American men and women served by the hundreds of thousands in World War II despite sometimes dehumanizing conditions. Nevertheless, they expected better treatment in return for their allegiance. They also knew the mere expectation would be insufficient to change anything and set upon individual and collective efforts to facilitate ...

Freedom has never been free … I love my children and I love my wife with all of my heart. And I would die, die gladly, if that would make a better life for them.”

– Medgar Evers

Medgar Evers, Whitney Young and Ralph Abernathy were among the veterans who actively supported the Civil Rights Movement.

Photo Illustration

THE EFFECT would not have been able to effectively organize (the masses) as they did.”

Civil rights for African Americans, or the “human rights and personal dignity” Williams referred to, have been elusive commodities for the better part of their existence. WWII, like all wars before it (and many since), was yet another opportunity to validate their place as American citizens and claim the rights and privileges they were persistently denied. Retired Col. Porcher “PT” Taylor, a combat veteran of WWII and the Korean and Vietnam wars, said risking life and limb for one’s country makes a powerful argument for reciprocation.

“When you go out there on the battlefield and you’re fighting for your life and the lives of the people you’re serving with, it’s a big difference compared to the ordinary citizen who did not serve,” said the 91-year-old

How veterans and military service impacted the modern Civil Rights Movement Petersburg resident. “The country is then indebted to that person. It’s an obligation.”

African-American men and women who served during WWII and the Korean War numbered more than a million-and-a-half, despite enduring racism and discrimination on the homefront and within the ranks.

In addition to heightened expectations because of their battlefield sacrifices, many returned with unique perspectives about life and liberty, especially since many had been exposed to Europe and its more tolerant racial climates. Black military members also

gained communication, organizational and leadership skills they might have never acquired as civilians, said Taylor.

Take, for example, Whitney Young.

Enlisting in the Army in 1942, he attained the rank of first sergeant in only three weeks, according to www.mallhistory.org. His rapid ascension in a segregated unit caused some resentment among his fellow Soldiers and members of his unit’s white leadership. As a result, he was often called upon to mediate between the two groups.

“It was my Army experience that decided

me on getting into the race relations field after the war,” said Young. “Not just because I saw the problems, but because I saw the potentials, too. I grew up with a basic belief in the inherent decency of human beings.”

Young eventually became executive director of the National Urban League in 1961 and a major player in the Civil Rights Movement.

In addition to the varied and once-in-alifetime experiences common to military service, black veterans who served in WWII also were provided with unprecedented

educational opportunities. The Servicemen Readjustment Act of 1944, also known as the GI Bill, provided them access to a free college education, although discrimination prevented many from receiving benefits.

Williams and Evers were both educated under the GI Bill as well as others such as Ralph Abernathy, a confidante of King, and Harry Belafonte, an entertainer and activist.

Education was an important factor in the Civil Rights Movement, said Taylor, but the African-American war experience, especially the segregated conditions of WWII, was

the rock-solid premise for civic action and responsibility. He noted how blacks desired more important roles in the war effort than the menial jobs most were relegated to, and how they longed for some measure of human dignity in light of the humiliating subjugation they experienced in comparison to German prisoners of war.

Further, Taylor cited those like championship boxer Joe Louis, who enlisted in the Army while still the world heavyweight champion. Louis was familiar with the challenges blacks faced during the war and gladly gave up thousands of dollars in profits to advocate for their cause. His efforts resulted in helping future baseball player Jackie Robinson and others gain acceptance into officer candidate school. Robinson would go on to assume the lead role in knocking down major league baseball’s walls of segregation.

There are various other examples of this wartime service-civic responsibility dynamic.

The work of Amzie Moore and Aaron Henry, both WWII veterans who noted the racism inherent in military segregation, were spurred to wage war against segregation in postwar Mississippi. They did not command the spotlight like the high-profile Louis, yet their work as white establishment agitators was far more dangerous. The two eventually helped to organize such efforts as voter registration campaigns and economic boycotts all over the state despite looming threats of violence.

The sense of frustration AfricanAmericans felt while serving their country is perhaps no better illustrated than by the work of one Grant Reynolds. He, like so many before him, entered a WWII Army with high inspirations to do his part for the war cause. He was trained as a chaplain but resigned his commission a few years later due to the “brazen racism” he had witnessed, according to www.blackpast.org.

Ironically, Reynolds channeled his experiences and with A. Philip Randolph, established the Committee Against Jim Crow in

Military Service and Training in 1947. The group’s efforts led to President Harry S. Truman’s Executive Order 9981 that integrated the services in 1948.

Truman’s mandate, which did not erase military segregation all at once (complete integration did not occur until the mid1950s), served in many respects as the basis for the various legislation signed into law years later to include the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that guaranteed civil and voting rights for all people.

Those two pieces of legislation are the crowning achievement of the Civil Rights Movement and the signature of warriors like Williams and Evers, who committed themselves to the wellbeing of their country in and out of uniform, despite the cost.

Perhaps their earlier brushes with mortality served as the opening salvos in their fight for human rights and dignity.

Maybe it’s plausible to think they had little to lose in light of what could be gained.

Evers seemed to be at peace with the notion.

“Freedom has never been free …,” he said. “I love my children and I love my wife with all of my heart. And I would die, die gladly, if that would make a better life for them.”

Williams, one of King’s top lieutenants, fought long and hard for civil and human rights over the course of his life. He is best known for courageously leading the first Selma to Montgomery March of 1965. He died in 2000.

Evers participated in numerous causes in the name of equal rights and justice. He carried the title of NAACP field secretary for the state of Mississippi when he was tragically gunned down in 1963 at the hands of a white supremacist.

In 1994, Evers’ killer was brought to justice. Today, the state of Mississippi is far removed from its segregationist past.

2/22/2017 4:09:47 PM

12 | TRAVELLER | February 23, 2017 | www.fortleetraveller.com

OFF DUTY

IN THE

COMMUNITY | THE WARD, PETERSBURG

Friday for the Arts

An overview scene of the main gallery during the Valentine’s Day-themed Friday for the Arts celebration Feb. 10 at Center for Contemporary Arts in Petersburg.

The hallway on the lower level of The Ward building with paintings placed outside of the artists’ studios.

Petersburg attraction showcases creative concepts of local artists Lesley Atkinson Family/Community Life Reporter

One of the largest artwork displays in central Virginia, along with live entertainment and a free buffet meal, are among the offerings of the Friday for the Arts celebrations every second Friday of the month, 6-9 p.m., in the heart of downtown Petersburg.

Friday for the Arts takes place at The Ward, Center for Contemporary Art, 132 Sycamore St. It has been a Petersburg tradition for the past 14 years.

Owners Isaac and Noelle Ward did a complete renovation of the 100,000-squarefoot complex in 2014. Located in the old Butterworth’s building, The Ward has 26,000 square feet of space allocated to the Center for Contemporary Art. The “mixed use” property also has 45 residential apartments, 53 artist studios, eight art galleries, and a commercial storefront.

The artist studio rooms are often rented by small businesses and creative individuals who want to showcase their craft items or artwork. The main art gallery can accommodate weddings, parties and meetings.

Attendees of the Feb. 10 Friday for the Arts gathering in Petersburg fill their plates with dinner entrees, side dishes, rolls and desserts. All available to the public for free in the central hall of the main art gallery.

“Our vision all along was to give the city and the community an art showcase and art walk,” said Noelle Ward. “This is where people can relax while browsing the main gallery and visiting some of the smaller businesses in the artist studios during an art gala evening. I think it’s a unique experience whether you want to see the artwork, hear the music or enjoy the spirit of our community.”

New discoveries are common at Friday for the Arts with different displays and artisans featured from month-to-month. The excitement is also kicked up a notch by the wide-ranging audience.

“We get people from Maryland, North Carolina and throughout the Northeast,” Ward said. “They come here to view the artwork and purchase the one-of-a-kind items, which run the gammut from paintings and jewelry to cutting boards and hair bows.

People are always looking for unique, handmade art.

“One evening, we had someone from Jamaica who made jewelry on-site and showed everyone how to make it,” Ward continued. “There also was a night recently when we (participants) made holiday ornaments.”

The opportunity to meet and talk to the individual who created a work of art is

Photos by Lesley Atkinson

Photographer Clyde L. Trent stands outside of his artist studio, which he uses to display his photos during Friday for the Arts.

something many Friday for the Arts particpants particularly enjoy, according to Ward.

The event allows artists to have an open platform to showcase their work.

“It is pretty exciting to meet the local artists who are attending,” Ward said.

To start off or complete a Friday for the Arts evening, consider visiting one of the surrounding restaurants and bars.

Establishments within walking distance of The Ward include Longstreet, Bucket Trade, The Brickhouse Run, Wabi Zabi, Croaker’s Spot, Dixie, Alexander’s, Saucy’s Barbeque, Maria’s Old Town 21 and others.

To find out more about The Ward, visit www.thewardcenter.com or call (804) 2529233. To see more on Petersburg, visit www.petersburgva.gov.

www.fortleetraveller.com | February 23, 2017 | TRAVELLER | 13

1&2 HGXFDWLRQ VXEMHFW WR ¶UHYROXWLRQDU\ FKDQJHV· WIESBADEN, Germany — What we are really facing right now is a moment in our history as noncommissioned officers – I think its revolutionary, not evolutionary – when changes are being made to our entire education system, Command Sgt. Maj. David Davenport, said Feb. 9.

Speaking during a town hall event at U.S. Army Europe headquarters, Clay Kaserne, the command sergeant major of Army Training and Doctrine Command, discussed expanding the focuses of TRADOC for the future of the Army's more than 91,000 NCOs. He cited new career maps, more emphasis on civilian education, attention to broadening opportunities, and increased opportunities for joint professional military education.

Even the name has changed, he explained, referencing the noncommissioned officer education system, or NCOES. “We will no longer call it the NCOES. We will call it the NCOPDS, the noncommissioned officer professional development system,” he said. “Because there is more to being a noncommissioned officer than just going to your required primary military education.”

In his remarks, Davenport also explained the Army's need for STEP, an acronym that stands for “select, train, educate and promote," a relatively new Army program that he calls a "forcing function to get our NCOs to school.”

STEP is an implementation of the noncommissioned officer

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professional development system across the Army, in accordance with Secretary of the Army Directive 2015-31.

“A year ago, we had almost 14,000 noncommissioned officers hadn't been to school,” Davenport said, referring to the professional military development classes provided by the Army and required for each rank.

“Of that 14,000, 4,000 were in their grade three or more years.

Of that 4,000, 1,200 had been scheduled for school six or more times and didn't go.

“This is why we need STEP,” he added. “This last year we are down to about 4,000 right now.”

Davenport discussed a multitude of changes within STEP; innovations and future programs currently in development or al-

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Command Sgt. Maj. David Davenport, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command CSM, shares information about innovative changes planned for the noncommissioned officer career program at a recent town Master Sgt. Crista Mary Mack hall in Germany.

ready implemented by TRADOC. He cited a reworking of the structured online self development courses, which are required for promotion, the addition of instructor badges for wear on the uniform, and even a new service school academic evaluation report, known as the Department of the Army Form 1059.

At the end of the brief, Davenport held a candid Q&A session with attendees.

“I think it should've been mandatory for all NCOs to be here,” said Sgt. 1st Class Leroy A.

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Hunter, a noncommissioned officer assigned to the U.S. Army Europe inspector general class that attended the event. "He put out some revolutionary information that us as leaders, not only as potential students of the future, need to know so we can take care of our Soldiers.”

Davenport invited anyone interested in learning more about these changes to read his blog at the TRADOC News Center at www.tradocnews.org.

– TRADOC Public Affairs Office

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14 | TRAVELLER | February 23, 2017 | www.fortleetraveller.com

KENNER CONNECTION | EYE CARE

IN A

DIGITAL WORLD

3527(&7 <285 9,6,21 Digital devices – such as computers, smart phones, tablets and other handhelds – are increasingly found in every aspect of our lives, whether reading, shopping, banking or being entertained online.

According to the American Optometric Association’s 2014 American Eye-Q® survey, 55 percent of adults use electronic devices for five or more hours a day. A separate AOA survey showed that 83 percent of children between the ages of 10 and 17 use an electronic device for more than three hours a day.

Digital use will continue to increase, making it more important than ever for consumers to make smart eye care choices and to see an eye doctor for yearly comprehensive eye exams.

In observance of AOA’s Save Your Vision Month in March, here are several tips:

Give Your Eyes a Break Follow a 20-20-20 rule to ward off digital eye strain by taking a 20-second break every 20 minutes and view something 20 feet away.

“Although ongoing technology use doesn’t permanently damage vision, regular, lengthy use of technology may lead to a temporary condition called digital eye strain,” said Dr. John Press, an optometrist at Fort Lee. “Symptoms can include burning or tired eyes, headaches, fatigue, loss of focus, blurred vision, double vision or

head and neck pain.”

Early research also has shown that overexposure to high-energy, short-wavelength blue and violet light emitted from electronic devices may contribute to digital eye strain. Blue light also could increase the likelihood of developing serious eye conditions such as age-related macular degeneration.

Optometrists offer options including non-glare or filtering lenses to help protect vision from harmful blue light.

Be a Savvy Shopper

Shopping online can be great for some products that aren’t individually custom-made like prescription eyeglasses are; health and safety trump convenience when it comes to eyewear. Internet orders often result in incorrect prescriptions or other problems with products that get sent through the mail, costing consumers more time and money in the long run. According to a 2011 study conducted by the AOA, the Optical Laboratories Association and The Vision Council, nearly half of all glasses ordered online had either prescription errors or failed to meet minimum safety standards.

“Eyeglasses are an investment in your health and must be custom-fitted not only to be comfortable, but also to be sure precise prescription needs are met so that you’re actually seeing your best,” said Press.

Skip Shortcuts When it comes to really seeing what’s going on with your eyes, there is no substitute for a comprehensive, yearly eye exam by an eye

doctor. Despite catchy claims, there is truly no ‘app’ for that. While a variety of new mobile applications claim to evaluate vision or the fit of eyeglasses, often these apps give inaccurate or misleading information, and misinformed consumers end up delaying essential, sightsaving exams. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical and can often prevent a total loss of vision and improve quality of life.

“Comprehensive, yearly eye exams are one of the most important, preventive ways to preserve vision, and the only way to accurately assess eye health, diagnose an eye disorder or disease, and determine if you need corrective lenses,” said Press.

To make an appointment for a comprehensive eye exam with Kenner Optometry Clinic, call (866) 533-5242. The clinic sees all TRICARE Prime enrollees (active duty, their family members, retirees and their family members).

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Soldiers credit physical resilience, readiness training for race success Tim Hipps U.S. Army Installation Management Command

BEND, Oregon – All-Army runners relied on physical resilience and readiness training to attain unprecedented results at the 2017 Armed Forces Cross Country Championships on snow-covered River’s Edge Golf Course.

The Army men and women dominated the 10-kilometer armed forces races against Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. The men swept 1st through 4th place, while the women took home gold and silver medals.

Volunteers used snow blowers to clear nearly two feet of snow and ice.

“It was a really nasty course,” said Capt. Kelly Calway of West Point, N.Y., a three-time winner of the event who had not run a crosscountry race in four years because of pregnancy, deployment and injury.

Calway instructs cadets in

physical readiness training, modern Army combatives and aerobic fitness at the United States Military Academy at West Point.

“If you’re going out there and doing tough training and hard workouts every day,” Calway said, “you’re definitely able to mentally adapt to the conditions on the ground at the time.

“I always feel like I have an advantage at every race I’m at because I know I train through tough weather,” Calway continued. “I don’t go inside on the treadmill.

In the Army, you don’t have the choice oftentimes to bring your whole unit and run inside on treadmills. You’re out there and in the environment that you’re going to be operating in, and it just makes you so much more mentally tough to be able to get through that when you’re actually out there on race day.”

Calway also emphasized the secondary benefits of physical readiness training.

“There are huge secondary

benefits to being physically in shape and ready to perform your mission,” she said. “I love teaching it to the cadets because it gives them a whole variety of really well planned out fitness plans so they can get their unit to mission ready and keep them there without injuring them so they have their entire team to take on the deployment or go accomplish whatever mission they have.”

Calway, 32, has trained through two pregnancies and learned a lot along the way.

“I would go crazy if I didn’t run,” she said. “I think the biggest shift is mental. You go from: ‘I need to be smart. I need to listen to my body.’ Then you go back to: ‘Alright, I need this to really hurt.’

I might have taken that to the extreme because I ended up at the Olympic Trials with a stress fracture in my femur. I got a little too good at hurting again and didn’t listen to my body – probably failed at the worst portion of the Army Performance Triad. I know

Contributed Photo

Army Olympian Spc. Leonard Korir (far left, bib 249) becomes the first Soldier to win a USA Track and Field National Cross Country Championship Feb. 4 at River’s Edge Golf Course in Bend, Ore. Korir completed the 10-kilometer course in 30 minutes, 12 seconds.

better, but I had to relearn that lesson.”

The triad is a comprehensive plan to improve readiness and increase resilience by getting quality sleep, engaging in activity, and improving nutrition – components endurance athletes thrive upon.

Teammate Capt. Meghan Curran of Fort Carson, Colo., crossed the finish line 10 seconds behind Calway, and agreed that resiliency was a key factor in her

performance.

“This was my fourth Armed Forces cross country competition and my best finish to date,” Curran said. “A few years ago, the whole competition was intimidating to me. What I have learned over time is to control the controllable.

Being resilient means that instead of getting down after a disappointing performance, you assess what you can control and what you can improve and you focus on that.

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(FKR ÀHOG WUDLQLQJ An Echo Company, 16th Ordnance Battalion, Soldier conducts a search on a mock prisoner of war during the battalion’s Ordnance Training Exercise Feb. 14 on the Ordnance Campus. The culmination event tests Soldiers’ competency to perform Warrior Tasks and Battle Drills as well as technical skills learned in the classroom.

Leroy Council

Contributed Photo

Army Logistics University students Capt. Seung Jong Song (far left) of South Korea and Capt. Fayez Ghanem H. Alharbi (far right) of Saudi Arabia salute as part of a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Feb. 8 in Arlington National Cemetery.

Twenty ALU students from its International Military Student Office visited the Washington, D.C., area on a field trip.

16 | TRAVELLER | February 23, 2017 | www.fortleetraveller.com

U-Pride shines at Loch Lothian 10k Alpha-244 supports drill meet

Contributed Photo

Sgt. 1st Class John Vick from Uniform Company, 262nd Quartermaster Battalion, crosses the finish line at the Loch Lothian 10k race Feb. 11 in Midlothian. Vick was part of a four-Soldier team that captured first place with a average run time of 50:43. He also placed third in the overall male category with his run time of 46:26:42. Part of the proceeds from the race registration fees were donated to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, which supports the families of military members who died while serving the nation. Other members of the 10k team are 1st Lt. John Booker, Staff Sgt. Louinique Pierre and Staff Sgt. Pablo Rivera. They are all staffers assigned to QM School’s Petroleum and Water Department.

STRENGTH | ‘I learned I was

much stronger than I ever knew’ Continued from Page 2 They have to set her arm without it …” I said, my voice cracking with fear.

Another hour later, I called a

third time. “Honey, I don’t know where you are, but the doctor set Anna’s arm. She’s better now, but it was really scary. They asked me to leave the room, but I stayed with Anna. They made me

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Sgt. 1st Class Dana Lovett from Alpha Company, 244th Quartermaster Battalion, evaluates a color guard’s performance during the Feb. 11 JROTC Drill and Ceremony Competition at Huguenot High School, Richmond. Eighteen Soldiers from the 23rd QM Brigade unit supported the event that featured Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps teams from 15 high schools across Virginia competing in various categories including rifle drill, color guard, squad and platoon marching maneuvers, and freestyle. The Fort Lee troops served as judges and advisors for the competing teams. Alpha Co. leaders said events like these “instill a sense of community involvement” in their young Soldiers.

sit in a chair because some parents faint. When they pulled on her broken arm, I held her face in front of mine and she screamed like I’ve never heard before. But it worked, and now she’s in a splint. Please call.”

By the time Francis called the next day, Anna had the first of three casts she would wear dur-

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LOCAL ACTIVITIES

FOR THE

EVENTS QM Brigade Bone Marrow Donor Drive | Feb. 28 The 23rd Quartermaster Brigade will host a bone marrow donor registration drive Feb. 28, 8 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., at the 23rd QM Bde. Multipurpose Room, building 11106, 3910 A Ave. There is no cost to register or donate.

Registration takes about 7 minutes. It is open to permanent party service members, civilians and DOD contractors and family members with government-issued IDs. Participants must be between the ages of 18-60. Advanced individual training Soldiers are not eligible.

For details, call 1st Lt. Michael Lee at (804) 734-7055.

FMWR Library Preschool Story Hours | Wednesdays The Family and MWR Fort Lee

FORT LEE COMMUNITY

Community Library hosts Preschool Story Hours for children each Wednesday, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. The next two dates are March 1 and 8.

There will be limited seating available so people should arrive early. Pre-registration is required for the free event. The library is located on the 2nd floor of the Army Logistics University, building. 12420, 34th Street – near the Mahone Gate.

For details, call (804) 765-8095.

ied and illustrative. The popular Military Hot Food Kitchen Challenge – the event in which the public is invited to try out gourmet-inspired meals prepared during the competition – will make a return appearance. The meals are $5.55 and a limited number of seats are available on a first-come basis.

For public event times and details, visit www.facebook.com/army.culinary or call (804) 734-3106.

Culinary Training Event | March 4-9

555th PIA Meeting | March 1

The 2017 Military Culinary Arts Competitive Training Event is set for March 4-9 at the MacLaughlin Fitness Center. Community members should note this is a new location and the event is not at the Post Field House that has hosted past events.

More than 200 military culinarians from all over the world will participate in the event. MCACTE features live cooking demonstrations, celebrity appearances and food displays that can be described as var-

The Jessie J. Mayes TriCities Chapter of the 555th Parachute Infantry Association, Inc., will hold its monthly meeting March 1, 6 p.m., at the Petersburg Public Library, 201 Washington St. Prior airborne experience is not a prerequisite for membership or attending.

For details, call (804) 733-2177.

PWOC Spring Retreat | March 11 The Protestant Women of the Chapel

will hold a Spring Retreat March 11, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., at Liberty Chapel, Mahone and C avenues.

The theme is “Overwhelmed by Him.” The guest speaker will be Karen Jaedicke and the guest worship speaker is Karen May. Childcare is available. A pre-retreat fellowship program is set for March 10, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at the Army Logistics University in the multi-purpose room.

Registration is requested for both events.

For details, visit www.facebook.com/ pwocfortlee.

Kenner Town Hall | March 14 The next Kenner Army Health Clinic Patient Town Hall is set for March 14, 3:30-4:30 p.m., in Major General Kenner Command Conference Room 2 (Room C-102), first floor Kenner Main.

The meeting is open to the Fort Lee community and all beneficiaries. The 2017 goal is to strive for greatness in customer service and reduce appointment no-shows.

For details, call (804) 734-9277.

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Contributed Photo Chris Hart

Command Sgt. Maj. Charles Tobin, senior enlisted leader of the Defense Logistics Agency, Richmond, speaks at a CASCOM Senior Leadership Professional Development session at the Fort Lee Petroleum and Water Department auditorium Feb. 16. The event kicked off with Tobin discussing how important junior Soldiers are to senior leadership successes. “I have a trust and confidence in the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines (I work with) and as long as I put my trust in them, they will never let me down., said Tobin. The meeting covered many topics on leadership, careers, and positioning for command leadership opportunities.

Capt. Jean’Shay Wright, commander, Victor Company, 262nd Quartermaster Battalion, and Belinda Urquhart, principal of Walnut Hill Elementary School, Petersburg, pose with a Memorandum of Agreement to begin an Adopt-aSchool program at the school Feb. 15. Chaundra Taswell, second from the left, Fort Lee school liaison officer, Soldiers from Victor Co., 262nd QM Bn. and other staff members from the school also took part in the signing event. The program will enable Victor Co. to foster a good relationship with the local school. The goal for the effort is to nurture the intellectual, emotional, social and physical growth of the children at the school.

18 | TRAVELLER | February 23, 2017 | www.fortleetraveller.com

Calendar, continued St. Patrickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day Shindig | March 17 A St. Patrickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day Shindig is scheduled for March 17, 8 p.m. - 2 a.m., at the HideAway, 5th Street, building 15013.

The celebration includes games, dancing, door prizes and bartendersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; specials.

There is no cover charge. The doors open at 6 p.m.

For details, call (804) 765-1539.

ACS Military Saves Week Kickoff | Feb. 27 The Army Community Service Financial Readiness Program will kickoff Military Saves Week with a program titled â&#x20AC;&#x153;Make Savings Automaticâ&#x20AC;? Feb. 27, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., in the food court of the Main Exchange.

The free event will feature money-saving strategies and handouts from financial representatives. Participants also can ask questions and sign a Saverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pledge.

The ACS table with financial information and more will be at the Exchange Feb. 27-28, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., and March 3 in the CASCOM CafĂŠ. In addition, a special Military Saves Information Fair is set for March 1, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., at the Regimental Community Center, and a Youth Center Reality Store will be held March 1, 4:30 - 6 p.m., in the School Age Center Gymnasium.

For details, call (804) 734-6388.

Financial Readiness Class | March 14 The Army Community Service Financial Readiness Program will offer a free class titled â&#x20AC;&#x153;Understanding Insurance,â&#x20AC;? March 14, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., at ACS, building 9023.

It is open to the Fort Lee community.

For details, call (804) 734-6388 or visit www.leemwr.com/financial-readinessprogram-frp.

SPORTS & FITNESS Registration Open for FMWR Snow Xperience Trip | March 11 Registration is underway for the Family and MWR Outdoor Recreation Center discounted Snow Xperience Trip to the

WORD SEARCH | BY SGT. MCGILLICUDDY

Wintergreen Resort March 11.

The reduced-rate cost varies for skiing, snowboarding or tubing rentals and lift ticket packages. Transportation leaves for the resort at 7:30 a.m. This is the final Snow Xperience Trip for 2017.

For registration and details, visit Outdoor Recreation, building 15014 on 5th Street, or call (804) 765-2059.

FMWR 3-D Archery Shoot | March 25 Fort Lee Family and MWR Outdoor Recreation will hold a 3-D Archery Shoot Competition March 25, 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., at the archery range adjacent to building 15014 on 5th Street.

There will be seven divisions of competition. The cost is $10 per adult, $8 for Fort Lee permit holders, $5 for youth ages 13-17, and $3 for cubs 12 and under.

For details, call (804) 765-2212.

OUTSIDE

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VWM Tribute to Veterans of Color | Feb. 25 The Virginia War Memorial will commemorate Black History Month with a special program â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Tribute to Veterans of Colorâ&#x20AC;? Feb. 25, 10 a.m., at 621 South Belvidere St., Richmond.

There is no admission charge, and the public is encouraged to attend.

For details, call (804) 786-2060 or visit www.vawarmemorial.org.

PNB U.S. Colored Troops Walking Tour | Feb. 26 Petersburg National Battlefield will provide a ranger-guided walking tour highlighting the role of United States Colored Troop regiments at the Battle of the Crater, Feb. 26, 1:30 p.m., at the Eastern Front Unit, 5001 Siege Road.

During the 90-minute walk, visitors will follow in the footsteps of the 43rd U.S. Colored Troops, the 30th U.S. Colored Troops and the 39th U.S. Colored Troops as well as white officers and other black Soldiers involved in the July 30, 1864 battle.

No reservations are needed. While the program is free, the fee to enter the park is $5 per vehicle.

For details, call (804) 732-3531, ext.

222.

%/$&. +,6725< 3/$&(6 2) ,17(5(67 T. Anthony Bell Senior Writer/Special Projects

Find the words and phrases related to African American history. The answers in the puzzle are forward, backward, vertical, horizontal and diagonal.

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20 | Traveller | February 23, 2017 | www.fortleetraveller.com