The Morning Calm Korea Weekly - August 21, 2009

Downloading the paper from home? Try www.pdfcoke.com/imcomkorea

Year of the NCO

Videos featuring local NCO’s now available on flickr: www.flickr.com/imcomkorea

August 21, 2009 • Volume 7, Issue 44

Published for those serving in the Republic of Korea

http://imcom.korea.army.mil

Ulchi Freedom Guardian 09

U.S. Navy photo by MC1 Bobbie G. Attaway

U.S. Army photo by Pvt. Song Chang-do

U.S. Army photo by Cpl. Oh Sang-yoon

(Above) U.S. and Republic of Korea service members train side-by-side during Ulchi Freedom Guardian 2009. Since last year’s exercise, the Republic of Korea has exercised operational control during UFG - moving from a “supporting” to “supported” role. (Top right) Capt. Thom W. Burke, commanding officer of the amphibious command ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) is being welcomed to the Republic of Korea by Chon Yea Un, the daughter of a Republic of Korea naval officer. (Bottom right) Col. Brad Booth, 8th Army Current Operations Chief, briefs Gen. Walter L. Sharp, commander of United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command and U.S. Forces Korea, and Maj. Gen. Robert Williamson, 8th Army Deputy Commander, at the 8th Army Command Information Operations Center at Command Post Oscar in Daegu.

By USFK Public Affairs

YONGSAN GARRISON – Ulchi Freedom Guardian 2009, a combined command and control exercise in and around the Republic of Korea, is being conducted from Aug. 17 - 27. The exercise is focused on preparing the U.S. and Republic of Korea militaries for Operational Control Transition, which will

take place in April 2012. OPCON Transition will see the standing up of two new commands, ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff, which will be the “supported” command in the lead role for the defense of the ROK and U.S. Korea Command, which will be in the “supporting” role. Combined Forces Command will be deactivated at that time. The U.S. will remain committed to the Republic of

GARRISONS Region News USAG-Red Cloud USAG-Casey USAG-Yongsan USAG-Humphreys USAG-Daegu

My Army Voice Spouse Quick Hire Movie Schedule Religious Support H1N1 Flu and You Korean Page

exercises, Key Resolve-Foal Eagle, to exercise our fight tonight mission,” added Gen. Sharp. “But, we are using UFG to lay the groundwork for a successful OPCON Transition, which will poise the Alliance for the future.” The process to prepare for both the fight tonight mission and OPCON transition is a year-round process that reaches its peak in the two annual exercises. FEATURE

OVERVIEW P02 P05 P05 P09 P21 P25

Korea and its defense after this change. “As we work towards OPCON Transition in 2012, the annual UFG exercises are vitally important,” said Gen. Walter L. Sharp, commander of United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, and U.S. Forces Korea. “Each exercise gets us one step closer to that historic day.” “We use the first of our two annual

P02 P13 P14 P15 P18 P30

Page 16 You’re fast... just not K-9 fast!

NEWS • PAGE 2 http://imcom.korea.army.mil The Morning Calm

Published by Installation Management Command - Korea

NEWS

THE MORNING CALM

Customer assessment window to open Monday

Commanding General/Publisher: Brig. Gen. John Uberti Public Affairs Officer/Editor: R. Slade Walters Senior Editor: Dave Palmer USAG-RED CLOUD Commander: Col. Larry A. Jackson Public Affairs Officer: Margaret Banish-Donaldson CI Officer: James F. Cunningham USAG-YONGSAN Commander: Col. David W. Hall Public Affairs Officer: David McNally CI Officer: Dan Thompson Staff Writers: Sgt. Lee Min-hwi, Sgt. Choi Keun-woo, Cpl. Hwang Joon-hyun, Pvt. Kim Hyung-joon USAG-HUMPHREYS Commander: Col. Joseph P. Moore Public Affairs Officer: Bob McElroy CI Officer: Lori Yerdon Writer-Editor: Ken Hall Designer: Cpl. Kim Hyung-joon USAG-DAEGU Commander: Col. Terry Hodges Public Affairs Officer: Philip Molter Staff Writers: Pfc. Park Kyung-rock, Pfc. Lee Do-dam, Kim Ayeon, Lee Ji-hye This Army newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the Department of Defense. Contents of The Morning Calm Weekly are not necessarily official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, or Department of the Army. The editorial content of this weekly publication is the responsibility of the IMCOMKorea, Public Affairs, APO AP 96205. Circulation: 9,500 Printed by Oriental Press, a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Government, under exclusive written contract with the Contracting Command-Korea. The civilian printer is responsible for commercial advertising. The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the U.S. Army or Oriental Press of the products or services advertised. Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, religion, gender, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation, or any other non-merit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. 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 the violation is corrected. Oriental Press President: Charles Chong Commercial Advertising Telephone: 738-5005 or 723-4253 Fax: (02) 790-5795 E-mail: [email protected] Mail address: PSC 450, Box 758, APO AP 96206-0758 Location: Bldg. 1440, Yongsan, Main Post SUBMISSIONS OR COMMENTS: Phone: DSN 738-4068 E-mail: [email protected]

Visit us online

The Morning Calm imcom.korea.army.mil

Each question has two parts – the first asks for a 1 to 5 rating on the importance of a service, the second asks for a performance rating from 1 to 5. — U. S. Army graphic by Slade Walters, IMCOM Korea Region Public Affairs

IMCOM Korea Region Public Affairs

YONGSAN GARRISON. – The window for the annual Customer Assessment survey officially opens Monday August 24 and runs through September 18. During this time, everyone who lives, works or does business in your Garrison Community is asked to take the survey and provide ratings for all of the garrison’s services. Customers need to log into the survey at http://www. myarmyvoice.org and spend 20 to 30 minutes online to answer all the questions. You can also go to your local Garrison Web page to access the survey link. Customers will first answer a number of basic, demographic questions which will steer them to the set of questions about services relevant to them. Each question has two parts – the first asks for a 1 to 5 rating on the importance of a service, the second asks for a performance rating from 1 to 5. Customer will only be required to provide comments for those services they give ratings of 1 (very poor) or 2 (poor). “This survey empowers customers – installation leaders, Soldiers, Department of the Army civilians and contractors, retirees and Family members - to have a real voice in evaluating all services,” said

Larry Shields, the Installation Management Command Korea Region Customer Management Services coordinator. “The voice of the customer lets us know how we’re doing. In turn, we let our customers know they are valued team members when we ask for their feedback.” The data will be collected in two main categories – corporate and constituent. The corporate survey includes input from all of the unit and directorate leadership on your Installation, down to the company commander and first sergeant level. Soldiers not in leadership roles, Family members, retirees, veterans, civilian and contractor employees will provide input into the constituent category. All feedback will be sorted by demographic category and returned to the Customer Management Service representative for analysis. “For example, we’ll be able to see exactly what our Soldiers and Family members think of all the Morale, Welfare and Recreation services and exactly what the commanders say about services that help them and their units accomplish their mission,” said Shields. “In turn, the directorates providing the services can use the feedback to help make adjustments and improvements to programs that are important to the customers.”

Retiree Corner:

TRICARE Retiree Dental Program Update By Jack Terwiel Military Retiree Assistance Office

Submitting to The Morning Calm Weekly Send Letters to the Editor, guest commentaries, story submissions and other items: [email protected]. For all submitted items include a point of contact name and telephone number. All items are subject to editing for content and to insure they conform with DoD guidelines. IMCOM-K Public Affairs and the Morning Calm Weekly staff are located at IMCOM-K, Yongsan Garrison. For information, call 738-4065.

The following TRICARE Retire Dental Program update was provided by Doug Schobel, the overseas marketing representative for Delta Dental. Delta Dental recently contracted with a new international dentist referral service to provide enrollees in the TRDP with assistance in locating an overseas dentist. With offices in more than 30 countries and access to the industry’s most comprehensive list of international dentists and dental clinics, our new referral service can help TRDP enrollees find a dentist virtually anywhere in the world. Toll-free telephone numbers for calling the referral service within the United States and collect-call numbers that can be dialed from any country 24 hours a day, 365 days a year are listed below. These numbers

connect callers directly to highly trained, multilingual assistance coordinators who will gather all the information necessary to assist TRDP enrollees in finding a dentist overseas. The Delta Dental international referral service phone numbers are: * Toll-free from within the U.S.: 888-558-2705 and 888-558-2706 * For collect calls from anywhere in the world: 312356-5971 and 312-356-5972 Note: The website http://www.trdp.org contains information about the new referral service. Additionally, we will be notifying all current Enhanced-Overseas TRDP enrollees by letter that this new referral service is now available.

AUGUST 21, 2009

NEWS

NEWS • PAGE 3 http://imcom.korea.army.mil

MP Blotter The following entries were excerpted from the military police blotters. These entries may be incomplete and do not imply guilt or innocence. A r e a I : C u r f e w Vi o l a t i o n ; Underage Drinking; Failure to Obey Order or Regulation (2ID Alcohol Policy); Subject #1 was observed by a gate guard attempting to gain access to the installation through a walk-in gate during the hours of curfew. Subject #1 was apprehended by MP transported to the PMO, where MP detected an odor of alcoholic beverages emitting from his person. Subject #1 was administered a Portable Breathalyzer Test, with a result of 0.227% BAC. A check of Subject #1’s ID card revealed he was under the legal age to consume alcohol. Due to his level of intoxication, Subject #1 was not advised of his legal rights and was processed and released to his unit with instructions to report to the PMO at a later time. Subject #1 later reported to the PMO, where he was advised of his legal rights, which he waived rendering a written sworn statement admitting to the offenses. Subject #1 was processed and released. This is a final report. Area II: Fraudulent Use of Credit Card; Unknown person(s), by unknown means, had used Victim #1’s credit card to make fraudulent purchases consisting of four items from a website. Victim #1 rendered a written sworn statement attesting to the incident. Estimated cost of loss is $400.00. Investigation continues by MPI. Area III: Shoplifting; Underage Drinking; Subject #1 was observed via closed circuit television, concealing two digital cameras and a video recorder on his person and exiting the PX without rendering proper payment. Subject #1 was apprehended and transported to the PMO where MP detected an odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from Subject #1’ person. A check of Subject #1’ ID card revealed that he was under the legal age to consume alcohol. Subject #1 was administered a Portable Breathalyzer Test, with a result of 0.036% BAC. Subject #1 was advised of his legal rights, which he waived rendering a written sworn statement admitting to the offenses. Subject #1 was processed and released to his unit. Estimated cost of loss is $840.00. This is a final report. Area IV: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol; Subject #1, operating a privately owned vehicle, was stopped at a KNP checkpoint where KNP detected an odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from Subject #1’s person on a highway adjacent to the North Daegu toll gate. Subject #1 was administered a Portable Breathalyzer Test, with a result of 0.060% BAC. Subject #1 was released into MP custody on a CJ Form 2 and escorted to the PMO where he was administered a Portable Breathalyzer Test with a result of 0.060% BAC. Subject #1 was further processed and released to his sponsor. Investigation continues by KNP.

Seoul’s close proximity to Bukhansan National Park and a number of mountains is no accident. When the Joseon Dynasty was founded in 1392, Seoul was chosen in part, because it is surrounded by mountains. — U.S. Army photo by Dave Palmer

SIGHTS AND SOUNDS: Off-post events and activities Trip to the Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty The Joseon Dynasty began in 1392 and lasted for 519 years. Rarely have any of the world’s royal dynasties lasted for over half a thousand years, but what is even more surprising is that the tombs of all the kings and queens of the Joseon dynasty have been preserved until the present day. The roads to the royal tombs lead travelers to an auspicious place. The sites of the royal tombs were carefully selected by Feng Shui experts, and the landscape, structures, and architecture surrounding the tombs combined to produce the highest art form of the time. Royal tomb sites are picturesque and places to relax and escape from the bustle of the city. Visit http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/ Damyang: A Garden without bamboo is like a day without sunshine Jeonju has bibimbap, Boryeong has its mud festival, and Damyang-gun in Jeollanam-do has bamboo. Bamboo may be universally associated with sword wielding ninjas, crouching tigers and hidden dragons, but Damyang, the northernmost point on the Korean Peninsula where bamboo grows in abundance, has cornered the market as far as Korea goes. There are plenty of attractions in Damyang, but the bamboo is inescapable and seems to pervade every aspect of life here. Not to be confused with the similar sounding Danyang in Chungcheongbuk-do, Damyang is a beautifully green county, teeming with nature and history. A short hop from Gwangju, it is a place where the specters of scholars live on in the pavilions and gardens that bear their names.

Visit http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/ Biodiversity of Suncheonman Bay Suncheon is the ecological capital of Korea. It represents Korea on the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and shares information on environmental conservation with the international community. Suncheonman Bay’s vast tidal flats and reed fields offer not only a beautiful landscape, but also incredible biodiversity. Other than the bay, Suncheon has many tourist attractions, including Seonamsa Temple, which is over 1000 years old, and Naganeupseong Folk Village, which has thatched roofs and dates back to the Joseon dynasty, but is still inhabited. Songgwangsa Temple, one of the Korea’s three major temples, is also located in Suncheon, as well as Suncheon Drama Film Set, where many popular TV dramas and films have been shot. Visit the Suncheon area to experience untouched beauty and get a taste of Korea’s history. Visit http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/ A Leafy Retreat! Spending your summer vacation in a forest is a great plan. Korea’s forests are well known for their beautiful valleys and cool mountain streams. Visitors can cool off from the heat by dipping their feet in the refreshing stream, and by taking a refreshing walk through the forest. Also, it has been scientifically proven that Phytoncide, the organic compound derived from plants is good for relieving stress and for restoring energy. Many of the forests have been designated as Natural Recreation areas and so often contain sports facilities and charming log cabins, where visitors can stay the night right in the middle of the forest. If you want to get away from scorching summer heat, then

VisitKorea recommends you pay a visit to a refreshing natural recreation forest. Visit english.visitkorea.or.kr Pohang International Fireworks Festival The Pohang Fire Light Festival held in Pohang’s Northern Beach is a summer festival which the theme this year is based on fire and light. Pohang is not only a sightseeing city where Homigot Beach is located, famous for its beautiful sunrise, but also an industrial city where Posco, the world famous steel-manufacturing company, is located. As the largest festival in Pohang which about three hundred thousand spectators visited in 2005, five large-sized barges will be set afloat on the sea 300~400 meters far from Pohang’s Northern Beach to light up Yeongil Bay by splendid fireworks from the barges. A multimedia show and a music concert are also planned. Visit http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/index.kto ‘Beautiful Kimchi’ Exhibition at COEX A special exhibition on Kimchi runs until August 30 in the Kimchi Museum, which is located in the COEX Mall in Seoul. The exhibition sheds a new light on Korea’s traditional cuisine, Kimchi, turning it into a piece of art. Kimchi, Korea’s traditional preserved cabbage dish is becoming widely known for its healthy properties. This exhibition, however, takes a new approach to Kimchi. 3 Korean artists have immortalized the dish in 12 different works of art, which include paintings and installations. The museum also holds a hands-on activity program, where visitors can try making kimchi themselves. Visit http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/

Source: english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu, www.korea.net, www.seoulselection.com, http://english.tour2korea.com, www.visitseoul.net — No endorsement implied.

NEWS

NEWS • PAGE 4 http://imcom.korea.army.mil

Government employee discounts on computers By 1st Signal Brigade IA Cell Did you know that some commercial vendors like Apple, Dell, HP, and IBM offer government employees discounts on computer products? Though the U.S. Computer Hardware, Enterprise Software and Solutions (CHESS) program all federal government employees can receive great discounts when purchasing computers and similar products. Visit CHESS at https://chess.army.mil/ascp/commerce/empPurchase/ govtEmpPurchase.jsp

1st Signal Bde

Senior leaders training highlights Good Neighbor Program

Jennifer Swan, right, wife of Capt. Jonathan Swan, commander of 304th Signal Bn. Charlie Company greets the children of the Geon Christian Children’s Home during a visit as part of the quarterly Senior Leadership Training on July 21. — U. S. Army photo by Sgt. Lajuan Hickman, 1st Signal Bde. Public Affairs Office

By Sgt. Lajuan Hickman 1st Signal Bde. Public Affairs Office YONGSAN GARRISON  The 1st Signal Brigade held its quarterly Senior Leaders Training, SLT, on Yongsan July 21 and 22. The purpose of the SLT was to inform new and current members of the brigade on personnel concerns and unit readiness. “We have had a large turnover of key personnel this summer so I felt it was important to bring our senior troop leaders together to review policies, standards, emerging doctrine and to take some time to get to know each other better,” added Col. Welton Chase Jr., 1st Signal Brigade commander. “My goal for SLT is that our leaders will leave better equipped to develop the strong teams that are required to take good care of our Soldiers and civilian work force.” During this time, spouses were encouraged to take part in the training and as a special highlight, were able to visit the Geon Christian Children’s Home, which is one of many institutions apart of the brigade’s Good Neighbor program. “Although the brigade has 22 programs that reach out and touch nearly 1,400 people, not all of our spouses are familiar with these programs. I felt it was very important to give them an opportunity to see the great volunteer work that our team is doing and to also explore how they may become more involved as well,” said Chase. According to Capt. Terry Cobban, 41st Signal Battalion chaplain, the Soldiers visit the orphanage to play and spend time

with the children. “It’s important for the orphanage to see that people outside the orphanage care about them and they can interact with them,” said Cobban. Gwendolyn Smalls, the 1st Signal Bde. Good Neighbor coordinator to 8th U.S. Army said the day’s visit was really just an orientation for her, family members and fellow Good Neighbor partners. “It is easy to talk about what the Soldiers are doing at this orphanage and what the orphanage looks like, but to have a handson and sight-on experience is even better. “I think our good neighbor partners can especially understand and appreciate what things this orphanage and other groups made need when we ask them for help with servicing,” said Smalls. During the trip, the visitors were given a guided tour of the orphanage’s facilities and children by Kook Ja Park, wife of the director of the Geon Christian Children’s Home. Family members and Good Neighbor partners alike left with a better understanding of what the brigade does. “This particular orphanage was nothing like what I thought an orphanage in Korea would be like. I was actually really impressed with how much they have, the family units and how they seem more individually taken care of,” added Swan. After visiting the orphanage, retired Col. Byung Won Park, general secretary and a Good Neighbor partner from the Association of the U.S. Army said he appreciates the Soldiers’ visits because the Soldiers give the children what they need – someone to play and study with.

THE MORNING CALM

AUGUST 21, 2009

AREA I

USAG-RC • PAGE 5 http://imcom.korea.army.mil

Marie Johnson, Area I’s new school liaison officer, examines criteria for new students and schools in Area I for the coming school year. Johnson will guide students and parents in placing their children in available schools in Area I or home schooling. — U.S. Army photo by Pvt. Jamal Walker

Warrior Country welcomes its first School Liaison Officer By Pvt. Jamal Walker USAG-RC Public Affairs RED CLOUD GARRISON — Keeping Warrior Country the assignment of choice is easier to explain to Soldiers arriving in Area I now that Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation has added Marie Johnson to the staff as school liaison officer. Johnson’s main focus is to answer any questions Soldiers, Civilians and their Family members might have about the local schools within different areas of South Korea. One of the important roles Johnson will perform is to help families transition and integrate into local schools. Johnson assists Families upon arrival, and

Three IR employees receive DFM certification Col. Larry ‘Pepper’ Jackson (far right), USAG Red Cloud commander, gives encouraging remarks to (left to right) Hong, Song Nan, senior evaluator, Song, Yong Hwa, evaluator, and Kim, Son Kyong, evaluator, in the Internal Review office on Red Cloud August 4. The three IR evaluators successfully completed the certification for Defense Financial Manager, which is designed for the Department of Defense financial management work force. The certification used to be limited to U.S. Civilians, but now it is open to Korean employees as well. There are eight Korean nationals who received this certificate throughout Area I. — U.S. Army photo by Cpl. Kim, Tae Hoon

continues to assist them throughout their stay on the peninsula. She also will advise the commander on educational issues. “It is fantastic that we have a representative because I get numerous questions about Area I,” said Susan Rowe, Installation Management Command Korea school transition specialist. “With the appointment of Johnson, Area I will have someone to help them and answer their questions.” Johnson was put to work immediately as she attended a Family Readiness Group meeting, answering questions about the schools in the local area, and discussing some of the plans she has for Warrior Country in the future. “Soldiers with school-age children are

well aware of the many challenges related to permanent change of station,” Johnson said. “Moving regularly also can create concerns about whether earned credit will be accepted, and if standards for exceptional performance match up.” School liaisons assigned to duty stations stateside find themselves answering questions on accreditation status, class sizes, tuition fees and other subjects. Warrior Country, however, is a new environment for Johnson, and the new Families to the area have many questions about schools in Area I because the closest Department of Defense School is located in Yongsan garrison. Johnson plans on helping by gathering as much information as she can about

these schools and more about the nonDOD schools like international schools, correspondence courses, or virtual learning environments, by attending orientations to spread the word about her new office, and how she will help Families new to Area I. Another area Johnson will tend to is home schooling. Johnson is working on helping parents by showing them how to create a stable location where their children can study and work on educational tasks given to them by their parents. In homes where no such space is available, Johnson is working on designing a place. “I have been in Korea for five years and everyone here has made me feel very welcome,” Johnson said.

USAG-RC • PAGE 6 http://imcom.korea.army.mil

AREA I

THE MORNING CALM

News & Notes BOSS Han River Casino Cruise The BOSS Han River Casino Cruise will be held Sept. 19 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tickets are $30. Cruise is for active duty U.S. military only. For information call: 732-6664. Workforce Town Hall Meeting The next workforce town hall meeting will be held at 9:30 a.m. Sept.11. For information call: 732-6151. Taxi Price Increase The cities of Uijeongbu and Dongducheon have increased the taxi prices to 2,300 won. For more information call: 732-6307. USAG-Red Cloud back gate The back gate to USAG-Red Cloud is open to outbound traffic only from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Mon.,Tues., Wed., Thurs. from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m., Fri. 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. For more information call: 732-7843. Operation Rising Star Auditions For Operation Rising Star 2009, Area 1 will have two qualification rounds: The first round will be held in the USAG-Casey Gateway Club Aug. 30 at 7 p.m., the second round will be held in the Hanson Field House parking lot on USAG-Casey Sept. 7 at 6 p.m. Semifinals will be held in the USAG-Casey Gateway Club Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. and the Finals in USAG-Casey Gateway Park Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. For more information call: 732-6274. Soldier Show Opens in Area I The Soldier Show will open in Area I Sept. 15 and 16. It will be held in the USAG-Casey Carey Fitness Center. For more information call: 732-6760 Administrative Training Administrative training will be held in building S-57 on USAG-Red Cloud Sept.10 at 11:30 a.m. For more information call: 732-9011. American Red Cross First Aid and CPR Course The American Red Cross will hold its First Aid and CPR course in Building 2317 (ACS classroom) Sept. 12 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Fee is $40. For more information call: 730-3184. Applications for Funded Legal Education Program The Office of The Judge Advocate General is now accepting applications for the Army’s Funded Legal Education Program. For more information call: 732-8339. Women’s Equality Day The Women’s Equality Day observance will be held Aug. 26 in the CG’s Mess at 11:30 a.m. Guest Speaker will be Command Sgt. Maj. (R) Diane Foster. For more information call: 732-6856. For more news and notes and information from around Area I log on to: http://ima.korea.army.mil/area1/ sites/local/

Son, Da Jung (center, standing), Korean language teacher, helps her Korean language students with their homework before class begins in the USAG-Casey Education Center July 30. Son recommends students learn to use at least one new Korean phrase per day to learn and retain the use of the language. — U.S. Army photo by Jim Cunningham

Soldiers learn to speak Korean on Casey By Jim Cunningham USAG-RC Public Affairs CASEY GARRISON — More than 40 Soldiers gathered for classes to learn to speak the Korean language July 30 in USAG-Casey’s Education Center. The class is taught by three Korean nationals hired by the Northern Gyeongi-gi Provincial Office to teach their native language to Soldiers who wish to learn from July 7 to Aug. 27. The class uses techniques, which will teach students to read, write and speak the language at the same time. Teacher’s use text books and work books written for the purpose of teaching Korean as a second language to English speaking peoples. “If a student can learn at least one Korean phrase per day they will be able to speak good conversational Korean in only

six months or a year,” said Son, Da Jung, a teacher of one of the classes. “I have been teaching the Korean language for six years, but this is the first time I have taught American Soldiers.” Most of Son’s students can learn to speak conversational Korean in three months, but the classes on Casey are only a few hours per week, she said. “If they can use one sentence every day, they would quickly learn to have conversations with Korean friends,” Son said. “If they try to use the language, it shows a good attitude toward wanting to communicate with people outside the post.” Learning academic Korean language would take many years of scholarly study, Son said. To speak well enough to be understood in daily conversation will take

from three months to a year depending on how much the student uses the language outside of class. “Learning one sentence per day is a common pace for learning Korean, especially if the written characters are so unfamiliar,” Son said. “If a student can learn one sentence per day, he will be able to speak in a short amount of time, depending on his diligence.” Students take home their workbooks with weekly assignments as homework, and they also have compact disks with the lessons on them to study between classes, Son explained. The classes are held Tuesdays for three hours and Thursdays for two hours and last for only eight weeks, but at one sentence per day, Soldiers will be speaking Korean like natives, Son said.

Customer Service Assessment now available

By Mandi Lovasz Customer Service Officer

The 2009 Customer Service Assessment survey window is fast approaching, and it will be available Aug. 24 through Sept. 18. The Customer Service Assessment is an anonymous, web-based, diagnostic tool centrally administered by Installation Management Command on an annual basis through the installation Customer Management Services program. The Customer Service Assessment is the only tool of its kind that asks installation leaders and individuals to provide direct communication to garrison and region

leadership, and headquarters IMCOM to ensure we are hearing and understanding the concerns and messages of the customer. The Customer Service Assessment allows all IMCOM customers, including: installation leaders Soldiers, Civilians, retirees, Family members, veterans, and contractors who are eligible, to use its service to voice their opinions. The purpose of the Customer Service Assessment is to provide installation leadership, Korea region, and headquarters IMCOM the customer’s opinion of how important the services are and how well installation leadership provides those services. You can access the Customer Service

Assessment through the internet at http://www.myarmyvoice.org. Also, links will be on the USFK and USAGRed Cloud websites. Your answers help leaders know which services are most important to you, so leaders can manage resources to meet your needs. Services being rated are those that have a customer service component, like Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation facilities, housing, military personnel services, and transportation. For more information, contact the Customer Service Officer, at 732-6788 or by e-mail mandi.odekirk@korea. army.mil.

AUGUST 21, 2009

AREA I

USAG-RC • PAGE 7 http://imcom.korea.army.mil

American Red Cross raises funds for Family programs to be held in Area I Jana Fullmer (third from left) looks on while American Red Cross volunteers prepare hot dogs for hungry patrons during the American Red Cross fundraising event held on USAG-Casey July 31. Fulmer said the event raised more than $1,200 for future programs being planned this year. More courses and classes are coming in September: A Baby-sitting Instructor Course will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 19 in USAG-Casey Army Community Services classroom. Community CPR and First Aid Course from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sept. 12, in the Army Community Services classroom. The course has a fee of $40. The American Red Cross Disaster Course will be held Sept. 24 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the USAG-Casey Family Readiness Group building 2403. This course is free and open to the public. The International Humanitarian Law Course will be held Sept. 25 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. also in the FRG building. It is also free and open to the public. For more information about American Red Cross courses call: 730-3184. — U.S. Army photo by Pvt. Jamal Walker

Family members search opportunities at Job Fair By Pvt. Jamal Walker USAG-RC Public Affairs CASEY GARRISON — Warrior Country provided another outlet for Soldiers and their Family members to settle in Korea by providing more than 40 agencies looking to hire at the USAG-Casey Digital Conference Center for the Fresh Start Career Job Fair July 31. The event, proffered for the Warrior Country spouses and Family members, featured a variety of jobs in education services, the American Red Cross, Equal Employment Opportunities as well as Army Community Services, who hosted the event. “With the increase in the number of spouses and Family members coming to Area I, we recognized the need to gather employment opportunities for Family members, Civilians, and future retirees in

Warrior Country,” said Lt. Col. Richard Fromm, USAG-Casey commander, during his opening remarks. Fromm continued by praising Joseph Lee, coordinator of the event, and gave him a commander’s coin of excellence. “The primary focus of the event is to support spouses,” Lee said. “We have many more Family members now, and I am pleased because from the 80 agencies I contacted, 43 came out to participate and search for job candidates.” “I came to the job fair to get career advice about working in Korea,” said Catherine Pemberton, a Soldier’s spouse stationed at Camp Stanley. Each agency provided information to job seekers about what types of jobs were available, requirements for those jobs, duties and salaries. “It has been very interesting, and the people have been outgoing and helpful with

(From left to right) Catherine Pemberton and Melissa Diaz speak to a representative from the Army and Air Force Exchange Services about future employment opportunities with AAFES at the Fresh Start Career Job Fair July 31, held in the USAG-Casey Digital Conference Center. — U.S. Army photo by Pvt. Jamal Walker everything I need,” said Sgt. Richard Ge, find out what jobs are available because I will Alpha 6-37 ammunition specialist. be staying in Korea while my wife finishes “I am going to be leaving the Army in the school. This job fair has given me a lot of next five months, so I came to the job fair to options to plan for the future.”

Camp Adventure counselors awarded certificates from commander Col. Larry ‘Pepper’ Jackson, USAGRed Cloud commander, gives certificates of appreciation and his Commander’s Coin of Excellence to (from right to left) Aimee Bloom, Samuel Walter, Chris Nowman, and Britta Holdun during the Camp Adventure closing ceremony held in the USAG-Red Cloud Community Activity Center Aug. 4. The four volunteers taught and supervised more than 50 children, from ages 5 through 13 who participated in Camp Adventure from June 15 to Aug. 14. Bloom and Walter worked in the USAG-Casey Camp Adventure and Nowman and Holdun worked in the USAG-Red Cloud Camp Adventure. All four counselors come to Area I from the University of Northern Iowa. — U.S. Army photo by Cpl. Kim, Tae Hoon

AUGUST 21, 2009

AREA II

USAG-Y • PAGE 9 http://yongsan.korea.army.mil

Yongsan winners bloom where they are planted By Pvt. Kim Hyung-joon USAG-Yongsan Public Affairs YONGSAN GARRISON — Many U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan families and Soldiers go above and beyond the call of duty when it comes to maintaining their yards, and to thank them, the garrison is recognizing outstanding lawns each month. Carol Jones, USAG-Yongsan housing officer, announced the August ‘Yard of the Month’ winners as Sgt. Maj. Arlene Horne and Maj. Chat Batettie in an Aug. 18 on-site ceremony attended by Garrison Commander Col. Dave Hall and Garrison Command Sgt. Maj. Ralph Rusch. The garrison’s Yard of the Month program was first launched in May 2009. Since then, two homes or yards have been recognized each month - one in the government leased housing areas (Black Hawk, Itaewon Acres, and Eagle Grove) and one the government owned housing area. The program is designed to inspire and recognize residents to take pride in the appearance of their yards and the exterior of their quarters, Jones explained. “The yards are evaluated by using a checklist,” Jones said. “There are many different types and sizes of yards, so this is taken into consideration by the evaluators when selecting a winner. Winners are nominated by neighbors, community members, and housing inspectors.” Each winner has a Yard of the Month sign posted in their yard and is mentioned in garrison media outlets like the Morning Calm newspaper and garrison Web site. Additionally, each winner receives a gift certificate from Army and Air Forces Exchange Service and Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation redeemable at any of their facilities.

Daurelle Balettie (left), wife of Maj. Chad Balettie, and their children receive their ’Yard of the Month’ sign Aug. 18 during an on-site ceremony attended by USAG-Yongsan Commander Col. Dave Hall and Command Sgt. Maj. Ralph Rusch. . — U.S. Army photos by Pvt. Kim Hyung-joon “It has always been my pleasure to recognize the makes out neighborhoods more beautiful, it sets a contributions of winners of the Yard of the Month,” great example that we hope others will follow. The said Jones. “The winners have always kept the yard nice satisfaction of getting outside and gardening and adding a personal touch to your quarters is rewarding and clean to make a better quality community.” Hall said he appreciated community members in itself. Great job!” taking the initiative and resources available to them — See YARD, page 12 — to make a positive impact. “What you do not only

Assistant Fire Chief is a sizzling supervisor By Sgt. Choi Keun-woo USAG-Yongsan Public Affairs

Assistant U.S. Army Garrison - Yongsan Fire Department Chief Choe Han-chol stands beside truck 10 at the Yongsan Fire Station Aug. 14. — U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Choi Keun-woo

YONGSAN GARRISON — Before sunrise, the darkness surrounding a boy’s village in the western part of Seoul lit up abruptly; a wooden house had caught on fire and the flames were jolting furiously back and forth. Fortunately, firefighters arrived in time and no one was hurt, but the charring scene made a lasting impression on a particular boy. That boy then told himself that he would become a firefighter one day. The boy became the man who is now an assistant fire chief with U.S. Army Garrison-Yongsan. Choe Hanchol directs and supervises the day-to-day operations of the firefighting force and was recently selected as the Supervisor of the Year by the U.S. Forces Korea. “He deserves to be recognized,” said USAG-Yongsan Fire Chief Alex Temporado. “His leadership has been a tremendous asset for the Yongsan Fire Department and I consider myself fortunate to have such a devoted firefighter by my side.” Choe, who served in the Army as a Korean Augmentation to the U.S. Army in the mid 1960s, joined the Yongsan Fire Department in 1967. “I always wanted to become a firefighter,” Choe said. “I guess my childhood experience may have been a factor. But really, what could be more rewarding than saving lives?” Indeed, peers say Choe’s commitment to saving lives and protecting the community’s property has

been nothing short of exemplary. “What really sets him apart, though, is his perspective,” said Temperado. “He understands how our mission as firefighters is intertwined with the overall mission of the garrison, which is to offer great service for the community members. And without a doubt he has been the forerunner in that area.” Ricky Oxendine, USAG-Yongsan Emergency Services director, also expressed his appreciation for Choe’s work. “During two years that I have known Choe, I have come to respect him as a powerful leader of his team,” Oxendine said. “He has served the community with dedication and total commitment.” Choe will be recognized by the USFK Commander, Gen. Walter L. Sharp, at an Oct. 23 ceremony at Knight Field on Yongsan Garrison. “What I’ve always done and will continue to do is work hard to accomplish the given mission,” Choe said. “I adhere to this philosophy so that when the time comes to finally retire I will be able say without a bit of hesitation that I gave it my best.” With that quote, Choe had to excuse himself from the news interview and left the Fire Department building to conduct routine smoke detector checks in residential areas. After all, fall is coming and while many of us may be craving for the cooler season to come, Choe knows that households are more vulnerable to fire accidents during the drier autumn season from his expertise in the field.

USAG-Y • PAGE 10 http://yongsan.korea.army.mil

News & Notes Back to school traffic School begins Aug. 31! Back to school traffic is anticipated to be heavy, so parents are strongly encouraged to utilize bus transportation when feasible and to not loiter at student drop off points. Military Police will be manning checkpoints at all approaches to the school to control traffic. When school is in session and the flashing yellow lights are flashing, the speed limit changes to 25 kph, or about 15 mph. After exiting the lane on X Corps Boulevard, drivers have to go straight toward Collier Field House because there will be no U-turns allowed. Kiss-n-drop lanes are not for parking. This holds up traffic, and causes delay.

AREA II

THE MORNING CALM

Yongsan team makes waves

Your Opinion Matters What do you think about USAG-Yongsan services and their importance? Let the Army know during the Customer Service Assessment Aug. 24-Sept.18. You can take the survey online from your office or home at www.myarmyvoice.org. Customer feedback has already led to customer-driven changes here in USAG-Yongsan. Have your voice heard! For information, call 738-5288. New Vehicle Processing Center Opening You asked, and USAG-Yongsan answered! Starting Aug. 24, a new Vehicle Processing Center will open on Camp Kim, Bldg. C-1244CK-068. Vehicle inspection, shipping, pick-up, and registration will all be at one location, thanks to community feedback. The old location, Bldg. C-5721-A at the TMP Compound will no longer be in service. For information, call 738-3249. Civilian Fitness Program You could use a portion of your work time to get fit! Open registration for ‘Y Fit For Life’ will be from Sept. 1-15. Registration packets may be downloaded from the garrison Web site and must be turned in to the Fitness Coordinator Tracey Briggs at Collier Field House, Bldg. 5200, Rm. 12 on workdays between 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Registration is limited to 50 participants on a first come, first served basis. Call 736-3340 for information.

Yongsan children Hanna Kim (below) and Jamie Lui (above) compete in the Youth Sports Championship Swim Meet 2009 held Aug. 8-9 at Camp Carroll. Yongsan won in eight of nine categories and tied for the first place in the remaining categoty. — Courtesy photo

BOSS group wins runner-up award

By Dan Thompson USAG-Yongsan Public Affairs

Pedestrian safety Exercise extreme caution when crossing roadways on and off post. Death and serious injury are consequences of not being aware of your surroundings at all times! Official use of Government Vehicles Goverment vehicles, to include rental vehicles to support exercises, are for official use only. Drivers are subject to forfeiture of vehicle dispathes for unauthorized use. Off Limits USAG-Yongsan has an updated off limits list. Visit http://yongsan.korea.army.mil to view the current off limits establishments. PWOC Fall Kick Off Ladies please come join us for a new semester of weekly Bible studies at the South Post Chapel Sept. 2, 9:30 a.m. Child supervision is provided. For more information visit www.yongsanpwoc.org or [email protected]. Women’s Equality day Trivia Contest 501st Military Intelligence Brigade is holding a Women’s Equality Day trivia contest Aug. 24, 11 p.m.-1:30 p.m. at the Main Post Exchange. For a complete list of community information news and notes, visit the USAG-Yongsan official web site at http://yongsan.korea.army.mil

New pet quarantine procedures anounced

LANSDOWNE, Va — United States Army Garrison-Yongsan Garrison won runner-up at the Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers’ Forum for its entry to the Best Installation/Display for a medium-size garrison at the 2009 Army BOSS event in Virginia last week. Accepting the award for USAG-Yongsan from left to right Command Sgt. Maj. Ralph Rusch, Pfc. Lakeisha Lowery, Park Mu-yong, Sgt. Bryon McGainey, with Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command Sgt. Maj. Abe Vega. “This national forum recognizes the best of the best, and Yongsan is in the best of the best with their BOSS program,” Rusch said. “Yongsan continues to lead the way.” — Courtesy photo

YONGSAN GARRISON — Changes are planned for how pets are brought into Korea, according to local press reports. As the change is very new, how the U.S. Army Garrison-Yongsan community will be affected has yet to be fully determined. The Korea Times reported last week that the Korean Customs Service pets needing quarantine will no longer be able to be picked up from the baggage claim area nor taken into the immigration hall. The change comes amid government concerns that animals may carry parasites capable of transferring diseases to humans. Although the change is designed to protect Koreans from possible parasites arriving with dogs from China, where Korea has already imported more than 3,000 dogs so far this year, all incoming pets will be affected by the tighter restrictions. Under the new procedure, pets needing quarantine will be separated from ordinary cargo upon landing and forwarded directly to a special cargo facility suited for handling pets, according to the Korea Times. The USAG-Yongsan Veterinary Clinic said that those with questions about the new policy should contact their airline for details.

AUGUST 21, 2009

AREA II

USAG-Y • PAGE 11 http://yongsan.korea.army.mil

Exercise named for Korean hero Commentary by Sgt. Choi Keun-woo USAG-Yongsan Public Affairs YONGSAN GARRISON — With Ulchi Freedom Guardian 2009 exercise in full swing, few people may know what the ‘U’ in UFG stands for. This may be understandable, given that there are many abbreviations used frequently in the community. And so in a way, one may use the term ‘UFG’ without giving it much thought. But Ulchi is a term steeped in Korean history. Ulchi Mundeok was the name of Korea’s ancient Goguryeo kingdom commander-in-chief who fought the emperor of the Sui dynasty of China, Yangdi, when in 612 he sent 1,303,800 men to conquer the Korean people. Yangdi was expecting a swift sweep of Goguryeo’s fortresses. The war, however, did not unfold quite as Yangdi had planned. Ulchi Mundeok had concentrated all of his Manchurian forces behind the fortresses of Liao River where his Soldiers and citizens put up a fierce fight. He had trained his men well and Yangdi’s million men simply could not breach the walls of the many fortresses. The war reached a stalemate. Frustrated by the embarrassing turn of events, Yangdi formed a contingent army of 350,000 men, headed by Gen. Wu Jung-mu, to bypass the fortresses and head straight to Pyongyang (now in present day North Korea). Ulchi Mundeok responded artfully. He rode to the Chinese Sui camp alone, appearing to deliver his intent to surrender, but it was actually a ploy to assess the strength of Sui’s contingent army moving down to Pyongyang. He pretended to be intimidated by the large Sui army but he could see that the state of the Sui infantry was hopeless; they were tired and short on

supplies. Already in the mind of Ulchi Mundeok, he was formulating a strategy to annihilate the Sui. Ulchi Mundeok returned to his base and sent a letter to Gen. Wu advising him to leave the Korean peninsula. When he refused and resumed the campaign, Ulchi Mundeok retreated seven times in order to lure his enemy deep inside Goguryeo territory. Wu took the bait and advanced to within five miles of Pyongyang when he realized that the supply lines had been stretched too far. The futility of continuing the campaign was obvious and he ordered his troops to turn back. O n t h e i r w a y b a c k , Wu’s c o n t i n g e n t a r m y faced the Chungchon River, which appeared to be uncharacteristically shallow. And what caused the drop in water level? Ulchi Mundeok had built a dam in the upper river which had blocked the natural flow of water. Fooled, Wu ordered his troops to cross the river and when they were half way across, Ulchi Mundeok broke the dam. All of the sudden, the shallow waters of Chungchon turned into a torrent of ferocious whitewater. Of the 350,000 men that had come to sack Pyongyang, only 2,700 survived and made it back to China, according to historical records. Today, Ulchi Mundeok is still very well respected among Koreans as a general who served his country selflessly. In facing such a strong opponent as the Sui army, a virtual super power in its day, he maintained composure, united his soldiers, and defeated his enemy. So now you know, if not briefly, the significance of the term ‘Ulchi’ in the present military exercise title “Ulchi Freedom Guardian.” It is a term which may lack a clear definition for those unfamiliar with Korean history, but still embodies a rich history of bravery, loyalty, and selfless service.

General Ulchi Mundeok, from whose name derives the title “Ulchi Freedom Guardian,” is a well respected Korean general who defended his country against overwhelming forces. — Courtesy illustration

Customers driving move to new Vehicle Processing Center By Dan Thompson USAG-Yongsan Public Affairs

Due to popular demand, U.S. Army Garrison-Yongsan will open a new Vehicle Processing Center on Camp Kim Aug. 24. — U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Choi Keun-woo

YONGSAN GARRISON — It used to be a long, complicated procedure fraught with inconveniences, but customer service feedback in U.S. Army Garrison-Yongsan is about to change how community members process their vehicles. The new Vehicle Processing Center opening Aug. 24 on Camp Kim will consolidate vehicle pick-up, drop-off, inspection and registration into one location - services that were previously scattered around the garrison. “Having everything under one roof is a huge quality of life improvement for our community,” USAG-Yongsan Management Program Analyst Jim North said. “When you think about the old way of going to one place to pick up your vehicle, and then having get temporary plates just to drive it to another place across the base, you can imagine how much time and money this is going to save people.” The change was completely customer driven, according to Nor th. “ The garrison has listened to a combination of Commander’s Hotline feedback, focus groups, town halls, surveys, and Interactive Customer Evaluation submissions to make this a priority. The timing is right, too, with tour normalization underway.” The new Vehicle Processing Center will be located in Bldg. C-1244-CK-068 on Camp Kim and may be reached by calling commercial 02-798-7032 for outbound inquiries and 02-798-7031 for inbound inquiries beginning Aug. 24.

USAG-Y • PAGE 12 http://yongsan.korea.army.mil

W

Housing Improvements

e are committed to providing S o l d i e r s a n d Fa m i l i e s a quality of life commensurate with their service. That’s why U.S. Army Garrison-Yongsan is always improving services and facilities to meet the needs of our community members. Earlier this month, we met with Hannam Village housing residents for a town hall meeting at the new community center. We had a ver y productive meeting where we frankly discussed issues and provided information. One of the issues we were happy to announce was the approval of a project to heat the Hannam Village swimming pool. This has been an issue for years at Hannam because the pool receives a lot of shade from the nearby highrise apartment buildings. The funding for this project comes directly from the Army Communities of Excellence winnings the garrison received for our 2008 third place victory. We also are putting up a bus shelter adjacent to Building G, something the HV residents have been asking for. Folks, we are making a difference by investing in our Soldiers and Family Me m b e r s ! Im p r ov i n g So l d i e r a n d Family housing is an imperative straight out of the Army Family Covenant. Hannam Village is currently u n d e r g o i n g e x t e n s i ve re n ova t i o n s b y t h e K o r e a Na t i o n a l H o u s i n g Corporation. This multimillion dollar project is on schedule. The contractor expects to have a model apartment a va i l a b l e f o r v i e w i n g by Ha n n a m Village residents very soon, probably by late August or early September.

YARD

AREA II

We have some good news for members of the Hannam Village Chapel congregation. A renovation project has been awarded and we are proceeding with $380,000 worth of repairs and updates to this important community facility. On Yongsan Garrison, our USAGYongsan Public Works staff has been hard at work replacing and installing lighting for our roads and sidewalks. In fact, we used money we earned from our garrison recycling program to reinvest in special LED lights, which are brighter and consume less energy. As good stewards of the environment, we continue to seek out energy savings. We haven’t forgotten our single and unaccompanied Soldiers! We’re working to finish 12 barracks renovation projects before the end of the fiscal year. Overall, it’s an exciting time to be a m e m b e r o f t h e U S AG - Yo n g s a n community. We continue to grow as part of the U.S. Forces Korea initative to allow for tour normalization. It is our goal to make serving in Korea a desirable assignment on par with other overseas tours of duty. We owe the best quality of life to our community members because the strength of our Soldiers comes from the strength of their Families. From me personally, and Command Sgt. Maj. Ralph Rusch, our senior noncommissioned officer, we are both very proud to call Yongsan our home, and look forward to the upcoming year living and working with all of you! Army Strong! from page 9

Malcom Horne, son of Sgt. Maj. Arlene Horne, accepts the garrison’s Yard of the Month award on behalf of his family. — U.S. Army photos by Pvt. Kim Hyung-joon

THE MORNING CALM

AUGUST 21, 2009

NEWS

IMCOM-K • PAGE 13 http://imcom.korea.army.mil

Quick Hire of Military Spouses Starts in September

Over 77 percent of military spouses indicated in surveys that they are interested in establishing careers By Gerry J. Gilmore American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON — Under a personnel rule that takes effect next month, some military spouses could be quickly hired for federal jobs without going through the usual competitive process. The new hiring authority takes effect Sept. 11. The Office of Personal Management issued the authority’s final regulatory guidelines Aug. 12. The guidelines are posted in the Federal Register under the title: “Noncompetitive Appointment of Certain Military Spouses.” The intended effect of the rule, according to documents listed in the Federal Register, “is to facilitate the entry of military spouses into the federal civil service as part of an effort to recruit and retain skilled and experienced members of the armed forces and to recognize and honor the service of members injured, disabled, or killed in connection with their service.” “Military spouse employment is a key to the quality of life of our military families,” Kathleen Ott, director of talent acquisition, development and management in the Office of the Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Civilian Personnel Policy, said yesterday during an interview with Pentagon Channel and American Forces Press Service reporters. The availability of jobs for military spouses contributes to the sustainment of the allvolunteer force, Ott said, citing a recent survey in which employed military spouses reported that their work income constitutes about 48 percent of total family income. “But, it’s really hard to keep a job if you have to move from station to station,” Ott said. Federal employment, she said, offers military spouses a portable career with transferable benefits and worldwide presence. “We thought, in order to help our military spouses continue theiremployment, it would be a good thing for us to facilitate their entry into the federal government,” she said. Eligible individuals, Ott said, include spouses of active-duty servicemembers who have been called on to relocate. This includes spouses of Guardsmen or reservists who’ve been called up for more than 180 days of active service other than training. Eligible spouses must be moving to another duty station accompanied by their servicemember husband or wife. Spouses of former servicemembers listed as 100-percent disabled and separated or retired, as well as widows or widowers of servicemembers who died on active duty and who have not remarried also are eligible. The new hiring authority does not constitute a hiring preference foreligible military

spouses, according to OPM. “This authority is a noncompetitive hiring mechanism; it does not establish or constitute a hiring preference for eligible spouses, nor does it create an entitlement toa federal job for an eligible spouse,” according to regulatory documents listed in the Federal Register. Applicants still must meet specific job-qualification criteria listed for individual positions, according to OPM documents. “This is not a preference. We firmly believe that our spouses can compete ontheir own merits,” Ott said, noting that the new hiring rules provide military spouses with “a streamlined, facilitated means of obtaining federal employment.” Use of the new hiring authority “is completely at the discretion of hiring agencies,” according to OPM documents, and “it is one of many hiring tools agencies may use to recruit needed individuals.” Spouses who complete three years of continuous satisfactory service will be converted from a career-conditional appointment to career appointment, Ott said. Personnel officials do not anticipate that the new military-spouse hiring authority would adversely affect the hiring of military veterans into the federal government, Ott said. Military spouses can find out about federal job opportunities through OPM’s USAJobs Web site, Ott said. The new hiring authority “sends a very important message to our military families that their sacrifice is recognized by the federal government, and that they recognize that having a career opportunity is really critical for their family’s well being,” said Barbara Thompson, director of the Pentagon’s Office of Family Policy/Children and Youth. More than 77 percent of military spouses have indicated in surveys that theyare interested in establishing careers, Thompson said. Other data, she added, indicates that military spouses are, overall, more highly educated than their civilian counterparts. “I think it’s a win-win situation that the federal government is accessing apool of spouses who have the same levels of commitment and caring and service to the nation,” Thompson said. The department’s Military Spouse Career Advancement Account, also known as MyCAA, provides employment, career, education/training, counseling and financial assistance for spouses of active-duty military and activated Guard and reserve members worldwide, she said. President George W. Bush issued an executive order establishing guidelines for the hiring authority in September 2008, but implementation of the order was delayed while it was reviewed by the Obama administration.

No Endorsement Implied

No Endorsement Implied

NEWS Awana Gearing Up for Another Year IMCOM-K • PAGE 14 http://imcom.korea.army.mil

By Maj. Todd Fleming Special to the Morning Calm Weekly

YONGSAN GARRISON – “The green team is awarded 200 points,” shouts the game director. The kids who just won the relay race cheer loudly. Meanwhile, a group of younger children, proudly wearing the red “Sparks” vests are listening to a Bible story as they look forward to their turn in the game room. At the same time, the youngest kids, known as the “Cubbies,” are practicing their scripture verse for the week while working on a craft. They are all taking part in what amounts to the fastest ninety minutes of the week, Awana. Awana, Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed, is a chapel-sponsored program for youth from age 3 through Middle School, meet every Monday night starting on September 21, from 6:30 p.m. through 8:00 p.m. at the South Post Chapel on U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan and will run throughout the school year. Registration night will begin on September 14 starting at 6:30 p.m. at South Post Chapel when parents can initially sign up their kids. There is a one-time registration suggested donation of $25 for each child, which covers uniforms, handbooks and awards, among other things provided throughout the year. During registration night, parents will be briefed on the calendar for the year, introduced to the leaders and helpers, and given general information about the program. “Awana is a great family program for kids and is one that we’ve been doing here at Yongsan for the past 10 years,” said Ned Stoll, the Awana

THE MORNING CALM

Commander. “The kids have fun and learn a lot in the process.” Awana is a name based on a Biblical passage in 2 Timothy 2:15. It is a popular Christianbased program that focuses on the spiritual growth of the children with thousands of clubs across the world, including several in Korea. The stated goal of Awana is “to reach boys and girls with the Gospel of Christ and train them to serve Him.” There are clubs for four different age groups this year as part of the Yongsan Awana program with each group wearing their own uniform. The youngest group, the “Cubbies,” is for pre-schoolers, ages 3-4. The “Sparks” Club is for children in Kindergarten through Second Grade. Truth and Training is for children from third through sixth grade with the group further being broken out into a boys group (the Pals and Pioneers) and a girls group (the Chums and Guards). The Middle School group is called “Trek.” The Awana Program has several things in common with Girl and Boy Scouting programs. The kids all wear a uniform, consisting of a different colored shirt or vest for each age group. They earn badges and patches to wear on their uniforms as they progress throughout the year. They also frequently earn points or “Awana dollars,” which can be applied towards various prizes. Each year the Awana Program hosts several special events including the Grand Prix in January (similar to the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby) where kids build and race cars; the older kids participate in a Bible Quiz in March,

Awana, Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed, is a chapel-sponsored program for youth from age 3 through Middle School. — Courtesy photo.

conducted by International Awana Missionaries, where clubbers and teams compete with other Clubs to see who has learned the most from Bible study during the year ; finally the Awana Games and Sparks-a-Rama, held in the spring, allows kids to compete against other Clubs from across Korea in some specially designed Awana events. The Yongsan Awana Club also helps sponsor Awana Clubs in foreign countries as part of the Awana International Adopt-a-Club Program. Currently, Yongsan’s Awana Club has been supporting clubs in Indonesia. For those families living in Hannam Village, Awana provides special bus transportation for each Monday night meeting, departing from the Hannam Chapel around 6pm and returning to the Hannam Commissary around 8:30pm. The bus is available for all Awana youth and adult volunteers. Awana is looking for additional volunteers to

help with the program for the 2009 school year. The only requirement is that you be a Christian and desire to work with youth in a really exciting and dynamic program, said Dr. Stoll. “We lost some of our club directors and helpers during the heavy summer PCS turnover,” said Dr. Stoll. “We are always looking for volunteers who can help with any of the age groups. Prior experience is not a requirement as training will be provided to all of the volunteers in September during our Missionary sponsored Fall Leadership Conference.” Anyone interested in helping with the program, or who have questions, should contact Yongsan Garrison Chaplain (Lt. Col.) David Crary david.crary@korea. army.mil, 738-3009 or either Dr. Ned Stoll at [email protected], 723-7317, or Mr. Tommy Kramer at Tommy.m.kramer@ us.army.mil, 725-3239.

August 21 - 27

LOCATION

Today

Saturday

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

CASEY 730-7354

YEAR ONE (PG-13) 6:30 p.m. G.I. JOE: RISE OF COBRA (PG-13) 8:30 p.m.

DISTRICT 9 (R) 6:30 p.m. G.I. JOE: RISE OF COBRA (PG-13) 8:30 p.m.

THE TAKING OF PELHAM 1 2 3 (R) 6:30 p.m. DISTRICT 9 (R) 8:30 p.m.

G.I. JOE: RISE OF COBRA (PG-13) 7:30 p.m.

NO SHOW

YEAR ONE (PG-13) 7:30 p.m.

NO SHOW

HENRY 768-7724

THE PROPOSAL (PG-13) 7 p.m.

ALIENS IN THE ATTIC (PG) 1 p.m. MY SISTERS KEEPER (PG-13) 7 p.m.

ALIENS IN THE ATTIC (PG) 3 p.m. THE TAKING OF PELHAM 1 2 3 (R) 7 p.m.

MY LIFE IN RUINS (PG-13) 7 p.m.

NO SHOW

NO SHOW

NO SHOW

HUMPHREYS 753-7716

G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA (PG-13) 6:30 p.m. DISTRICT 9 (R) 9 p.m.

G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA (PG-13) 3:30 / 6:30 p.m. DISTRICT 9 (R) 9 p.m.

G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA (PG-13) 3:30 p.m. DISTRICT 9 (R) 6:30 / 9 p.m.

THE PROPOSAL (PG-13) 6:30 / 9 p.m.

THE PROPOSAL (PG-13) 6:30 / 9 p.m.

MY SISTERS KEEPER (PG-13) 6:30 / 9 p.m.

MY SISTERS KEEPER (PG-13) 6:30 / 9 p.m.

HOVEY 730-5412

DISTRICT 9 (R) 7 p.m.

IMAGINE THAT (PG) 7:30 p.m.

G.I. JOE:THE RISE OF COBRA (PG-13) 7:30 p.m.

NO SHOW

IMAGINE THAT (PG) 7:30 p.m.

NO SHOW

THE TIME TRAVELERS WIFE (PG-13) 7:30 p.m.

DISTRICT 9 (R) 6 / 8:30 p.m.

DISTRICT 9 (R) 6 / 8:30 p.m.

THE TAKING OF PELHAM 1 2 3 (R) 6 / 8:30 p.m.

OSAN 784-4930

THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE (PG-13) 6:30 / 9 p.m.

ICE AGE (PG) 1 p.m. THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE (PG-13) 3:30 / 7 / 9:30 p.m.

HARRY POTTER (PG) 1 p.m. THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE (PG-13) 4 / 6:30 / 9 p.m.

RED CLOUD 732-6620

ALIENS IN THE ATTIC (PG) 6:30 p.m. THE PROPOSAL (PG-13) 9 p.m.

STANLEY 732-5565 YONGSAN 738-7389

KUNSAN 782-4987

Thursday

NO SHOW

NO SHOW

NO SHOW

ALIENS IN THE ATTIC (PG) 6 p.m.

YEAR ONE (PG-13) 7 p.m.

YEAR ONE (PG-13) 7 p.m.

THE PROPOSAL (PG-13) 7 p.m.

THE PROPOSAL (PG-13) 7 p.m.

NO SHOW

G. I. JOE: RISE OF COBRA (PG-13) 7 p.m.

YEAR ONE (PG-13) 7 p.m.

MY SISTERS KEEPER (PG-13) 7 p.m.

THE HANGOVER (R) 7 p.m.

IMAGINE THAT (PG) 7 p.m.

THE TAKING OF THE PELHAM 1 2 3 (R) 7 p.m.

THE TAKING OF THE PELHAM 1 2 3 (R) 7 p.m. DRAG ME TO HELL (PG-13) 9:00 p.m.

ALIENS IN THE ATTIC (PG) 7 p.m. TERMINATOR SALVATION (PG-13) 9 p.m.

ALIENS IN THE ATTIC (PG-13) 7 p.m.

MY LIFE IN RUINS (PG-13) 7 p.m.

NO SHOW

THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE (PG-13) 7 / 9 p.m.

THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE (PG-13) 5:30 / 8:30 p.m. G-FORCE (PG) 6 p.m.

THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE (PG-13) 2 / 5 / 8 p.m. G-FORCE (PG) 3:30 / 6:30 p.m.

THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE (PG-13) 2 / 5 / 8 p.m. BATTLE FOR TERRA (PG) 3:30 / 6:30 p.m.

MY SISTERS KEEPER (PG-13) 7 p.m. YEAR ONE (PG-13) 3:30 / 6 p.m. PAUL BLART: MALL COP (PG) 3:30 / 6 p.m.

MY SISTERS KEEPER (PG-13) 7 p.m. YEAR ONE (PG-13) 3:30 / 6 p.m. THE PINK PANTHER 2 (PG) 3:30 / 6 p.m.

THE PROPOSAL (PG-13) 7 p.m. MY SISTERS KEEPER (PG-13) 3:30 / 6 p.m. UP (PG) 3:30 / 6 p.m.

THE PROPOSAL (PG-13) 7 p.m. SECRET LIVES OF BEES (PG-13) 3:30 / 6 p.m. UP (PG) 3:30 / 6 p.m.

U.S. ID card holders enjoy free movies courtesy of Army MWR at U.S. Army installations in Korea.

CHAPLAIN

AUGUST 21, 2009

Area I Worship Schedule Protestant Services Collective Sunday Sunday Sunday Sunday Sunday Sunday Gospel Sunday

COGIC Sunday 1230 KATUSA Sunday 1930 Sunday 1300 Tuesday 1900 Tuesday 1840 Tuesday 1800 Tuesday 1830 Tuesday 1830 Thursday 1830

Catholic Services/Mass Sunday Sunday Sunday Sunday

1130 0900 1215 0930

Stone Chapel Stanley Chapel West Casey Chapel Warrior Chapel Crusader Chapel Hovey Chapel Memorial Chapel, Casey Casey Memorial Chapel Camp Stanley Chapel Stanley Chapel CRC Warrior Chapel CRC Warrior Chapel Jackson Auditorium Camp Stanley Chapel Casey Stone Chapel Camp Castle Chapel Casey Memorial Chapel Camp Hovey Chapel West Casey Chapel

Camp Stanley Chapel CRC Warrior Chapel West Casey Chapel Camp Hovey Chapel

Friday

1830

West Casey Chapel

Sunday Sunday Sunday

Liturgical Sunday Contemporary Sunday Traditional Sunday Gospel Sunday Mision Pentecostal Hispana Sunday Korean Sunday United Pentecostal Sunday KATUSA

Tuesday

Seventh-Day Adventist Saturday

0930 1030 1100

Brian Allgood Hospital K-16 Chapel Hannam Village Chapel

0800 0930 1100 1230

Memorial Chapel South Post Chapel South Post Chapel South Post Chapel

1430 0910

South Post Chapel Hannam Village Chapel

1330

Memorial Chapel

1830

Memorial Chapel

0930

Brian Allgood Hospital

Early Morning Service (Korean) Mon-Sat

0510

South Post Chapel

Sunday

1000

Memorial Chapel

1700 0800 1130 1205 1205 0900

Memorial Chapel South Post Chapel Memorial Chapel Memorial Chapel Brian Allgood Hospital Memorial Chapel

1900

South Post Chapel

Episcopal



Jewish

Collective

Collective Sunday Gospel Contemporary KATUSA Tuesday Korean Wednesday

1100 1100

Freedom Chapel Suwon Air Base Chapel

1300 1700

Freedom Chapel Freedom Chapel

1900

Freedom Chapel

1930

Freedom Chapel

Mass Daily Sunday

1145 0900 0900

Annex 2 Chapel Freedom Chapel Suwon Air Base Chapel

Every 2nd Friday

1830

Annex 2 Chapel

Catholic Services

Jewish

Area IV Worship Schedule Protestant Services

Protestant Services

Protestant Services 1000 1000 1030 1100 1100 1100 1100 1100 1100

Area III Worship Schedule

Area II Worship Schedule

IMCOM-K • PAGE 15 http://imcom.korea.army.mil

For information, contact Corey Ringer at [email protected], or call 753-3909

Collective Protestant Sunday Church of Christ Gospel Contemporary Friday Korean Tuesday Wednesday

1000 1030 1700 1215 1300

Camp Carroll Camp Walker Camp Walker Camp Walker Camp Carroll

1900

Camp Walker

1900 1830

Camp Carroll Camp Walker

0900 1130 1700

Camp Walker Camp Carroll Camp Walker

Catholic Services Mass Sunday Saturday

Jewish Worship Service

Every Friday at 1900 - Camp Walker Chapel, Classroom #1

Catholic Services Catholic Mass Saturday Sunday Sunday Mon/Fri Tues/Wed 1st Sat.

Jewish

Friday

The Command Chaplain’s Office is here to perform, provide, or coordinate total religious support to the United Nations Command, U.S. Forces Korea and Eighth U.S. Army Servicemembers, their families and authorized civilians across the full spectrum of operations from armistice to war. Visit the U.S. Forces Korea Religious Support site at: http://www.usfk.mil/usfk/fkch.aspx for helpful links and information.

Korea-wide Army chaplain points of contact USAG-Yongsan Chaplains

USAG-Humphreys Chaplains

USAG-Red Cloud/Casey

USAG-Daegu Chaplains

Chaplain (Lt. Col.) David B. Crary: [email protected], 738-3009

Chaplain (Maj.-P) Klon K. Kitchen, Jr.: [email protected], 753-7274

2ID Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Jonathan Gibbs: [email protected], 732-7998

Chaplain (Maj.) Kwon Pyo: [email protected], 764-5455

Chaplain (Maj.) Terry E. Jarvis: [email protected], 738-4043

Chaplain (Capt.) Anthony Flores: [email protected], 753-7042

Red Cloud Chaplain (Lt. Col) David Acuff: [email protected], 732-6169

Chaplain (Capt.) Billy Graham: [email protected], 765-6139

No Endorsement Implied

Chaplain (Maj.) Leo Mora Jr.: [email protected], 736-3018

IMCOM-K • PAGE 16 http://imcom.korea.army.mil

FEATURE

THE MORNING CALM

MPs put on a great show during Law Enforcement Day

The Special Reaction Team closes in on their target. humphreys garrison — 557th Military Police Company Soldiers gave the Humphreys community a glimpse inside their world Saturday at Independence Park here. The MPs set up static displays that showed off their weaponry and vehicles, the K-9 team demonstrated how they apprehend fleeing suspects and the 94th MPs Special Reaction Team showed how they search and seize a vehicle and suspects. There was also plenty of good food to eat and a dunker booth. Download these photos and more at www.flickr. com/usaghumphreys. — U.S. Army photos by Bob McElroy

Nobody outruns the K-9 unit.

Pfc. Junho Kim was one of the MP volunteers for the dunker booth.

(Left to right) Pvt. Christopher Griesemer, Pfc. Joseph Winn and Pfc. Adrian I. Navarrette of 557th Military Police Company check out the weapons.

Before they tossed their softballs, Kailyn Keller (left) and Aaron Myles had some fun with the MP who was sitting in the dunker booth.

AUGUST 21, 2009

FEATURE

IMCOM-K • PAGE 17 http://imcom.korea.army.mil

IMCOM-K • PAGE 18 http://imcom.korea.army.mil

NEWS

THE MORNING CALM

H1N1 and what you can do to prevent the swine flu 65th Medical Brigade YONGSAN GARRISON — As children in Korea prepare for a new school year, a question on many parents’ and school administrators’ minds is, How will we protect our students from H1N1 “swine flu”? According to officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which issued new guidelines Friday, Aug. 7 2009, for grades kindergarten through 12, preventing H1N1 infections includes the following measures: frequent hand-washing; coughing into sleeves (not hands); and keeping all children with flu symptoms at home. The CDC recommended that schools remain open, even during outbreaks of flu — a change from its recommendation at the beginning of the pandemic last spring, when schools were advised to shut down immediately when students became ill. Balancing the social costs of widespread school closures — including the risk of unsupervised children at home — against the potential health risks of remaining open, government officials advised schools to not shut down in most cases. “If there are a handful of [flu] cases in a school, the real goal is to keep the school open,” Secretary of Education Arne Duncan told reporters at a press conference also attended by Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and CDC director Dr. Thomas Frieden. The most significant change in the CDC’s guidelines, compared with those issued last spring, is to allow children back to school 24 hours after their fever subsides (without the benefit of fever-reducing medication). Previous guidelines, issued during the height of the outbreak, suggested that kids stay home for seven days after the onset of the first flu symptoms. “This recommendation is based on new information from studies

Remind students to wash their hands as often as necessary. Influenza virus can survive on surfaces and can infect a person for 2 to 8 hours. — Courtesy Photo

both in the lab and person-to-person on how the virus spreads,” said the CDC’s Frieden. “This is a shorter period, and it’s more practical.” Please visit our website www.korea.amedd.army.mil for additional information.

University to award 8 scholarships to students OKINAWA — The University of Phoenix, Asia-Pacific Military Campus is pleased to announce that it has established scholarship opportunities for active duty or reservists on active duty, their family members, and holders of SOFA status who are seeking to further their graduate education. Each of the (8) scholarships to be awarded has a value of $4000. They will be awarded based on merit. The scholarships are available to graduate students perusing either a Master of Business Administration or Master of Education degree at any of the University of Phoenix on ground campuses across the Pacific Theater. On-line students are excluded. Applicants must complete an application packet (available at a local University of Phoenix office) for consideration to earn the scholarships. Details can be obtained by visiting or calling your local University of Phoenix campus in the Pacific. The dates for application are 14 August to 9 October 2009. The award date will be 30, November 2009. If you are interested, please begin the application process immediately! Interested candidates should visit a University of Phoenix office for additional information and the application packet for this program. The University of Phoenix has offices at the following bases across the Pacific: In Japan - Kadena AB, Sasebo, Iwakuni, Misawa, Camp Zama, Yokosuka, Yokota. In Korea at; Yongsan, Osan AB, Camp Humphreys, & Taegu. UOPX is also located on Guam at Andersen AB.

Thirty five Yongsan students recently graduated from the University of Phoenix at a Dragon Hill Lodge commencement ceremony. United States Army Garrison-Yongsan Command Sgt. Maj. Ralph Rusch gave the commencement address. — Courtesy Photo

Shopping the commissary – it’s all about the savings By Millie Slamin DeCA Public Affairs FORT LEE — Have you ever made a quick stop at a local supercenter to “pick up a few things” only to look in bewilderment from your purchase to the register receipt and realize you would have saved more had you purchased these items at the commissary? Then you wonder, “How is it that I save so much more at the commissary?” “As the provider of the military’s most valued nonpay benefit, DeCA is mandated by the Department of Defense to ensure commissary patrons receive no less than 30 percent savings when they shop the commissary,” said Defense Commissary Agency Director and CEO Philip E. Sakowitz Jr., “so our customers are guaranteed to save at least that much. “That’s a huge savings in today’s market – and that percentage increases when customers use coupons in conjunction with their purchases,” he continued. “That’s a savings that would be hard to pass up!” Although 30 percent is impressive, the latest calculations by the agency’s sales directorate put customer savings, worldwide, at 31.1 percent. “To arrive at this figure, we conducted a comprehensive price comparison study,” said Randall Chandler, DeCA director of sales. “We

compared prices at commissaries throughout the continental United States, overseas, and in stores in Alaska and Hawaii with prices at supermarkets, major grocery chains and supercenters in the same respective areas.” According to Chandler, the process used to calculate the totals differs somewhat from one region to another, depending upon the geographical location. The total percentage of savings from each region is combined to determine the total percentage commissary customers save, worldwide. “For instance, to arrive at the total percentage of savings for the continental United States, grocery prices are compared using an industry database,” Chandler continued. “We take the prices of more than 30,000 items sold at our commissaries and compare them to the same items sold at supermarket prices from that geographical area. “We then factor in the price of fresh meat and produce from 30 commissaries and compare it with two local outside retail markets, using an on-site audit. Grocery items, meats and produce sold at commissaries are totaled, and the surcharge is added, and this total is then compared to the total of the same items sold at retail stores, adding the state sales tax,” he said. Because the industry database does not have outside retail prices for Alaska, Hawaii and overseas, an on-site audit is conducted in those regions to compare the price of up to 200 grocery items, fresh meats and produce items. To arrive at the worldwide total, overall

sales from all regions are combined to arrive at the worldwide percentage total. The resultant percentage is used in determining the cost-of-living allowance for military personnel. In addition to its study to determine the percentage of customer savings worldwide, DeCA uses Department of Agriculture figures for retail grocery food purchases consumed at home to calculate how much a service member and a family unit saves yearly. To calculate the dollar amount, they take the 31.1 percent savings and apply it to the U.S. Department of Agriculture results for food expenditures for family units. “We do this to give our shoppers an appreciation for how much they can save with consistent commissary shopping,” said Chandler. “For instance, we determined that the estimated yearly savings for a family of four is of $3,400, more than $2,600 for a family of three, more than $2,100 for a couple and nearly $1,200 for a single service member or retiree. The 5-percent surcharge that is added to the bill, unlike a sales tax, comes back to customers in the way of new commissaries, improvements to existing stores and state-of-the-art equipment to enhance quality and service for DeCA customers worldwide. “In today’s slumping economy, it is paramount that we stay committed to bringing increased savings to our customers,” said Sakowitz. “And, with savings at 31.1 percent, shopping the commissary is definitely worth the trip!”

AUGUST 21, 2009

AREA III

USAG-H • PAGE 21 http://imcom.korea.army.mil

Humphreys provides solid support to UFG 09 By Bob McElroy USAG-Humphreys Public Affairs H U M P H R EY S G A R R I S O N — Exercise Ulchi Freedom Guardian 2009 has begun and with it U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys reprises its role in support of the military forces that are participating in the exercise. The garrison commander and staff are also participating in the exercise and responding to scenario events as the tactical situation unfolds during the two-week training event. UFG is a combined-joint computersimulation driven exercise conducted annually. It demonstrates Republic of KoreaUnited States militaries’ interoperability, capabilities and the U.S. commitment to defend Korea. The exercise is designed to evaluate and improve combined and joint coordination, procedures, plans, and systems for conducting contingency operations between ROK and U.S. forces. Humphreys Garrison’s mission is to provide the best possible life support to American military forces that are participating the exercise. This entails setting up Life Support Areas at Yongin, home to the Third ROK Army headquarters, and on Camp Long in Wonju, and, to a lesser extent, supporting U.S. Marines at Baran ROK Marine barracks. The number of players in this year’s exercise is smaller than in years past but the garrison is committed to providing the best-

possible life support areas for the Soldiers and Marines who live and work at them. At Yongin, northeast of Humphreys, the LSA is a tent city complete with hot and cold showers, male and female latrines, a medical tent, dining facility tents, AAFES retail store and barbers, Internet connections and satellite television and other Morale, Welfare and Recreational activities. The approximately 150 Soldiers working at Yongin have air-conditioned sleeping tents and contract laundry service available to them. They have two hot meals a day— breakfast and dinner—and a Meal, Ready to Eat for lunch. At Camp Long, approximately ten Soldiers are staying in buildings but the camp has the capability and space to set up tents should additional troops arrive. Long provides the Soldiers with similar support as at Yongin, much of it from existing facilities, e.g. AAFES, showers, latrines and MWR. The Long LSA also has a containerized laundry facility which features several washers and driers inside of a container. This facility is free of charge to Soldiers. At Baran ROK Marine barracks, northwest of Humphreys, the 100 or so U.S. Marines from III Marine Expeditionary Force in Okinawa are staying in barracks and require less support from Humphreys. Still, the garrison coordinated with 194th Combat Service Support Battalion for one Mobile Kitchen Trailer to provide hot meals for the Marines. Exercise Ulchi Freedom Guardian 09 runs until Aug. 28.

Each of the life support areas that Humphreys Garrison set up for Ulchi Freedom Guardian 09 provides Soldiers with facilities similar to their home base, including AAFES barbers, as shown in this photo from the Baran LSA in Aug. 2007. — U.S. Army photo by Bob McElroy

NCO experience drives Warrant Officer Corps to success

By Ken Hall USAG-Humphreys Public Affairs

HUMPHREYS GARRISON — U.S. Army noncommissioned officers are among the best trained Soldiers in the world and have distinguished themselves on and off the battlefield since the days of the American Continental Army. Serving as a warrant officer is one way NCOs take their world-class training, experience, skills and leadership to the next professional level.

Chief Warrant Officer Darrell Martin, 3rd Military Intelligence Battalion served as an enlisted Soldier 15 years before he applied for the warrant officer program. “Becoming a warrant officer in 2008 was by far the best move I could have made for my career and my Family,” said

Chief Warrant Officer Darrell Martin, 3rd Military Intelligence Battalion. “As an NCO, the Soldier interaction was great, but making the leap from NCO to warrant was difficult. Though I’m no longer expected to handle Soldier issues on the same level, I’ve learned to use my experience as an NCO to mentor young Soldiers as well as NCOs.” Martin, who enlisted in the Army in 1992, said he’s learned to use his technical expertise to have a greater effect on Soldier welfare than he could have as an NCO. “I take pride in the fact that I was an NCO and spent years with Soldiers learning, developing and growing into what I hope others see as an effective leader,” Martin said. The job of an NCO is broad and difficult; the requirements are always growing and the Soldier needs are never completely met, but in true warrior fashion, our NCOs continue to step up to the plate, train and develop tomorrow’s Army.” Martin said as warrants, it becomes part of their expertise to influence and improve the enlisted corps and officer corps. “Warrant officers are a rare breed because of what we bring to the fight; our NCO expertise because we have been there and understand their perspective and it’s part of our responsibility to mentor NCOs as Soldiers without interfering,” he said. “What really makes us special is our experience as NCOs and how we return to the Army all that we received from our NCO experiences.”

Chief Warrant Officer Paulette Montgomery, 520th Maintenance Company, enlisted as a light flywheel mechanic in 1996 and was promoted to sergeant after just two years. “I originally joined the Army to take advantage of the educational benefits,” said Montgomery. “I wanted to start a master’s degree program and I thought I would serve three years and get out of the Army after that.” After serving ten years as an enlisted Soldier, Montgomery was encouraged by her command and peers to take her experience to the warrant officer career field. Getting accepted into the warrant officer program turned into the most memorable journey Montgomery had ever faced as a Soldier.

“There were times during the transition when I was frustrated because I applied to the warrant officer program four times and wasn’t selected,” she said. In late 2007, with the help of her first sergeant and guidance from Soldiers who worked at the Department Army Warrant Officer application section, Montgomery turned four consecutive defeats into a winning packet for warrant officer candidate school selection. “My first sergeant listened to my issues and told me to take a step back, catch my breath and submit my application packet again,” said Montgomery. While the Army reviewed her application, Montgomery deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. “I’ll never forget the day when I saw my name on the selection board Website,” said Montgomery. “I went to the military occupation section I had applied for –919A (Engineer Equipment Repair Technician) and saw my name there. It was one of the high points of my life, and I cried a lot as I printed out the selectee page with my name on it.” Montgomery said Soldiers who have been in the enlisted ranks have the advantage of experience and the potential to make great officers. “It’s a different kind appreciation when you’re down in the trenches and move up to the NCO level and then to warrant officer,” she said.

USAG-H • PAGE 22 http://imcom.korea.army.mil

News & Notes Volunteers Needed for Racquetball Event Korea-U.S. Forces Open Racquetball Championships will be held at Humphreys, Sep. 5-6. Volunteers are needed. Please contact Sgt. 1st Class Kovacs at 010-85775287 for more information. Responses will be needed as soon as possible. Family Readiness Center The Army Community Service FRC is looking for volunteers. Reception assistant and cooking instructors are needed. Please contact Denise Chappell at 753-8401. New DES Headquarters USAG-Humphreys Directorate of Emergency Services has moved to Bldg. S481. For on-post emergencies dial 0505-753-7911 and the MP Desk number has changed to 753-3111~2. For fire emergencies, call 753-6173. Freedom Road Traffic Signs Two stop signs on Freedom Road have been removed affecting traffic flow along Freedom Road and the intersection of Walmsley Road and Oflahavan Street (near the Chapel) to reduce traffic congestion. Vehicles at this intersection are still requried to yield to personnel utilizing pedestrian crosswalks. Please use caution in this area due to change in traffic flow. Customer Service Assessment It is nearly time for the annual Customer Service Assessment survey to capture feedback on the services you receive here. Your voice can make a difference in changing the quality of life at USAG-Humphreys. The survey begins late August and will close mid-September. For more information contact Sandra Peckins, Installation Customer Service Officer at 754-8060. CFC Unit Coordinators Training The Combined Federal Campaign Mandatory Training for Unit Coordinators and key Persons will take place at Bldg. 544, third floor briefing room, 9 a.m., Sept. 23, 2009. For more information please contact Suzanne Castillo, CFC Community Area Project Officer, Military Personnel Division, at 753-7327. Women’s Equality Day The Area III Equal Opportunity Office presents Women’s Equality Day to celebrate women’s right to vote at the USAG-Humphreys Post Theater, 11:30 a.m., Aug. 26. Free for everyone. For more information contact Sgt. 1st Class Harris at 010-5059-0659 or 753-8078. Humphreys American School New student orientation will begin Aug. 24 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. in the HAS cafeteria. Meet and greet your teacher 2-3 p.m., Aug. 28. Stop by and register your children. Call 753-8894 for more information. Humphreys Construction Update As Humphreys Garrison grows during the next several years construction projects will cause interruptions of electrical and water service as well as detours and delays on our roads. We ask your patience as we transform our post into the Installation of Choice on the Korean Peninsula. Freedom Chapel (S-701) is installing walkway covering due for completion Aug. 31. DoDDS North Campus playground is undergoing tile replacement due Sep. 9. PTSO “Welcome Back” Breakfast PTSO is hosting a “welcome back” breakfast for the HAS staff, Aug. 26. Coffee and hot cocoa will be provided. Bring your own food to Bldg. 557, Rm. 313, 7:15 a.m. For more information, contact [email protected] or 010-3675-4210.

AREA III

THE MORNING CALM

Humphreys takes lead role in virtual education By Ken Hall USAG-Humphreys Public Affairs H U M P H R EY S G A R R I S O N — American high school students in Korea will be able to take classes through any computer beginning Aug. 31 thanks to the virtual school program the Department of Defense Education Activity set up here. The DoDEA Virtual School program is in the new Humphreys Education Center and provides supplemental courses to students attending USFK traditional schools. DoDEA created the Virtual School program to deliver coursework to students worldwide and to provide synchronous instructional support via a “virtual hub” which places teachers in geographic locations closer to students. “A l l U S F K s t u d e n t s a t t e n d i n g Department of Defense Dependents Schools in Republic of Korea will be eligible to take classes, but since there are a finite number of seats available, enrollments are based on established priorities,” said Cynthia Flagg, DoDDS-Korea Transformation Specialist. “For example, if a course is needed for graduation by a 12th grade student, that is a high priority. Students in small high schools are also given priority; 11th grade students have priority over 9th grade students, etc.”

There will be 37 courses available through the DoDEA Virtual School Program. DoDEA Virtual School teachers will teach 13 of the courses; 24 courses will be available through a DoDEA contracted vendor. Most of the 13 courses are offered by teachers in the European hub. Eventually, courses will also be taught from a hub in the United States. The following semester-long courses will be taught using the DoDEA Virtual School teachers: Advanced Placement Calculus AB; AP Calculus BC; AP Computer Science; AP English Literature; AP German; AP Physics B; AP US History; Economics; Health Education; Humanities; JAVA I; JAVA II; and Marine Biology. Flagg said all core courses will be developed that are needed for graduation, plus elective and advanced placement courses to provide a comprehensive program of study. “Initially, the DoDEA Virtual School will serve only grades 9 thru 12. There are tentative plans to expand to middle school grades and eventually to elementary school grades,” she said. Flagg anticipates the Virtual School will have an enrollment very close to current distance learning enrollment numbers, about 25 students in Korea.

“There are more students enrolled in DoDEA’s Virtual School in other DoDEA-Pacific locations, all DoDEAEurope locations and in DoDEA’s domestic schools,” said Flagg. “The major goals of the DoDEA virtual hubs are to provide a fully accredited virtual school program to meet the graduation requirements and address supplemental course needs of eligible students. This will address the educational needs of military dependent students in transition and ensure students have access to a quality DoDEA educational experience, regardless of location or circumstance.” As a result of the Yongsan Relocation Program, the student population end-state at U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys will expand to almost 11,000 students. This is the most logical place to position the virtual hub in the Pacific, said Flagg. According to the web site, www.dodea. edu, DoDEA’s mission is to plan direct, coordinate and manage education programs for eligible dependents of U.S. military personnel and civilian personnel of the Department of Defense. DoDEA plans to have three virtual school hubs. By Aug. 31, there will be operational virtual school hubs in Wiesbaden, Germany and here. DoDEA plans to open third virtual hub the United States.

New safety measures for Humphreys American School By Ken Hall USAG-Humphreys Public Affairs

HUMPHREYS GARRISON — As students and parents prepare for another exciting year of learning and fun at Humphreys American School, new safety measures have been introduced to protect the community. “A new part of this school year with sixth, seventh and eighth grade students attending classes in the new Education Center is we’re putting in a new, 15 footwide crosswalk and caution lights so cars and traffic can definitely see the children,” said Randy Turnage, USAG-Humphreys Safety Manager. For the first time, kindergarten, first and second grade students attending classes at the south campus (next door to the youth center) will be dropped off in the morning and picked up in the afternoon in front of

the school. On the main campus side, buses will still park as they have in the past. In the past, students had to walk past Family housing to get to class. “Instead of making kids walk from the main campus to the south campus, now they are going to be dropped off and picked up at the south campus,” said Turnage. “Parents can’t drive in to where the buses will drop off and pick up their children, but they can also park their cars in the family housing area. From there, students can also walk to class on the sidewalk.” Another new safety measure this year: crossing guards will now be a fixture outside the school. “The school is going to have crossing guards in the morning time, lunch time and also at the end of the school day,” said Turnage. “The Ed center will be used as a temporary middle school until the new school is built. Parents will be able to drop

off and pick up their children in the parking lot in front of the Ed center and will also be the only ones able to park there during school hours.” During the first two weeks of school, safety and military police officials will be out in support of the new changes to assist parents, students and traffic flow. “The new Ed center is a really nice facility and I know the students, faculty and parents are going to enjoy it,” said Turnage. “We definitely care for the safety of our children and we’ll definitely put out there all the effort we can to mitigate any problems that could arise. Our children are our future and we’ve got to protect them.” The week prior to the first day of school, the Humphreys Garrison Safety office will be putting out fliers at the main gate to let community members know about the changes and traffic flow around the school zone area.

Customer Service Assessment offers community chance to be heard

By Sandra Peckins USAG-Humphreys Customer Services

HUMPHREYS GARRISON — It’s here – your chance to provide the garrison commander and staff with valuable input to how we stack up in delivering the services. The annual Customer Service Assessment survey begins on Aug. 24 and continues through Sept. 18. Go to www.myarmyvoice. org to tell us how installation services are being performed and how important those services are to your organization’s mission accomplishment and your needs. Please take 15 minutes of your valuable time to take the survey. We need your voice to let us know how we are doing in providing

services to our Soldiers and Families here at Humphreys Garrison. You might ask yourself: “Why is it important that I take the survey?” It is also important because the Customer Service Assessment gathers feedback from Service Members, Families, Civilians and contractors who live and work here and

provides the commander and staff with information they can use to improve or change services or create new services. The survey results can identify areas where installation services are not meeting customer expectations in performance. Please take the online Customer Service Assessment so your voice will be heard.

AUGUST 21, 2009

AREA III

USAG-H • PAGE 23 http://imcom.korea.army.mil

Army Family Action Plan accepting issues By Ken Hall USAG-Humphreys Public Affairs H U M P H R EY S G A R R I S O N — Beginning August 18 through the last week of September, Army Family Action Plan issues boxes have been placed across Humphreys Garrison in the Main Post Exchange lobby, Commissary, shoppettes, library, education center, Army Community Services, Morale, Welfare and Recreation facilities, Tommy D’s, Alaska Mining Company, and the Bowling Alley. U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys residents now have the opportunity to voice their quality of life concerns through the annual AFAP conference. “We want to hear people’s quality of life issues,” said Denise Chappell, Army Community Services Volunteer Coordinator.

“People can also e-mail their quality of life concerns to me at: denise.r.chapell@korea. army.mil. This year’s AFAP conference will be October 8-9.” Chappell said the A FA P c o n f e re n c e process can be equally as productive over two days as it was during the previous three-day conference format. Last year, AFAP working groups addressed 82 issues during the conference; 72 were resolved at the garrison level. The garrison sent ten issues to Installation Management Command Korea for action.

Three local issues remain unresolved going into the Oct. 2009 AFAP conference. Chappell expects the three remaining local issues to be resolved b e f o r e t h i s y e a r ’s conference begins. “Next time we have our council meeting, I believe we will have closed out our remaining issues,” said Chappell. “For the teen skate facility, we already know there is a new skate park in the master plan and the only reason why this issue is still open is because MWR is still waiting to get skating equipment in to use

at the old gym on certain nights until the new outdoor park is open.” Chappell said another issue still open from last year – lighting systems to be installed at Independence Park – but there are safety measures and protocols are being worked before they will be installed. The final local issue remaining entails English language training for the Army and Air Force Exchange Service barber shop employees. “I don’t anticipate as many issues being submitted this year because we have our customer management officer on board who has been taking on garrison issues yearround that wouldn’t normally be forwarded to Department Army level. If we only end up with half the number of issues from last year, that’s a wonderful thing because that also means our Interactive Customer Evaluation comment system works.”

New camera class aims to create better photographers

By Joni Ramsey USAG-Humphreys Public Affairs

H U M P H R EY S G A R R I S O N — Aperture, shutter speed, ISO, composition. These are just a few of the basics instructors George Smith and Mike Taylor discussed at a photography class they taught at the Community Activity Center here recently. Smith and Taylor are two camera enthusiasts who work at Humphreys Garrison; both volunteered to teach photography skills here. Their first class, sponsored by Family Morale, Welfare and Recreation attracted 30 people, ranging from age seven and up. “I just want to share my passion with others. Maybe it will encourage them to learn more, maybe get a better camera, and take better pictures,” said Smith. “Photography is a great family hobby that people of all ages can enjoy.” During the five-hour class, students experimented with their cameras, testing what they had just learned. Both instructors gave students one-on-one assistance as the day progressed. “My husband bought me a great camera, but I had no idea how to use it,” said Maria

Photography students tested their newly-learned skills outside of the Community Activity Center. — U.S. Army photo by Joni Ramsey

Thomas. “The class helped me learn how to use my digital SLR (single lens reflex). It’s so much easier when someone explains aperture and exposure to you and then gives you the opportunity to go out and apply it instead of just reading from a manual.” Amy Phillipy was another participant who found the class useful and informative. “I really enjoyed the class,” Phillipy said. “I would like to get a photography club together and take trips to different places in Korea to practice what we’ve learned.” Phillipy is not the only one who was motivated by this class. So many people want to learn about photography that Smith has offered to teach a class every month. Joon Auci, Child and Youth Services suggested that Smith teach a class for 4-H students. Plans are in the works, so be looking for advertisements. The next basic photography class will be on August 22, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the CAC. Classes are geared towards digital SLRs, but students can also bring their point-and-shoot cameras. If you would like to attend, contact MWR Marketing at 754-587. For those who would like to get involved with a photography club, contact [email protected].

AAFES surveillance system lowers theft, raises employee recognition

By Ken Hall USAG-Humphreys Public Affairs

H U M P H R EY S G A R R I S O N — Customers and employees of the Humphreys Garrison Army Air Force Exchange Service have much to celebrate. Thanks to an upgrade of high-tech electronic surveillance systems, shoplifter apprehensions at the Humphreys Garrison Main Post Exchange increased more than 60% since last year, according to AAFES manager Rick Fair. “The greatest benefit we’ve seen when we’ve had an instance of shoplifting is that it gives us the ability to go back and survey prior events that our detectives may not have noticed at the time,” said Fair. “So, (for example) if we stop someone for shoplifting

perfume, we can go back over a period of time and look at that area, and we usually find that person doing it before.” According to a recent AAFES news release, as a result of the new surveillance technology upgrades to all AAFES facilities and youth shoplifting awareness seminars, shoplifting cases dropped 15.7 percent, from 7,635 in 2007 to 6,437 in 2008. The value of merchandise involved in these incidents also dropped, from $985,244 to $686,000 in 2008. Fair said all theft reduces AAFES income and affects the amount of dividends paid to Family Morale, Welfare, and Recreation to

support community facilities. In addition to possible disciplinary action and/or criminal prosecution, the Federal Claims Collection Act, which began in March 2002 allows AAFES to enact an administrative cost of $200. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a candy bar or a television – t h e r e’s still a $200 administrative fee for this action,” said Fair. “If somebody’s thinking they can’t afford that $1, $10, or $25 item, maybe they should consider that $200 fee they get and nothing in return for. And if the $200 fee is not paid, we block all privileges like Star card use and check cashing.”

Along with the coast-savings and theft neutralizing effect surveillance systems have for AAFES, the system has also been utilized to provide background support to employees who are performing excellent customer service. “The system also allows us to recognize employees who are providing good customer service, taking the lead on improving safety measures for our customers and fellow employees and are generally doing things well”, said Fair. “We’ll make a quick recording of their actions, and when we present them with awards they can also see themselves doing something right.” During the past 10 years, AAFES has contributed more than $2.4 billion to Air Force Services and Army Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs worldwide.

AREA IV Soldiers, students interact in Uljin

USAG-D • PAGE 25 http://imcom.korea.army.mil

AUGUST 21, 2009

By Cpl. Lee, Jae Won 19th ESC Public Affairs ULJIN — 38 Soldiers and officials from 19th Expeditionary Sustainment Command and United States Army Garrison-Daegu volunteered to teach English as a second language in a program devised by 19th ESC and Uljin County Office back in October 2006. Students from six different elementary and middle schools participated in this month English camp Aug 8-9. Each month Soldiers from the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club volunteer to assist teachers with English classes in Uljin elementary, middle and high schools. Uljin County is relatively isolated area due to lack of highways and sequestered geographical reasons. However, Soldiers from Area IV have been actively participating in this program to help bright Uljin students to learn English, as well as, introduce them to American culture. Additionally, with the effort from Uljin County office, Soldiers and officials were able to culturally and socially interact with the people of Uljin through monthly English camp and festivals. The “Fun English Camp,” an English learning program which instructors form groups of four and visits six designated schools and teach and interact for two consecutive days. Students learn English through puzzle games, guessing games, group games, and other activities. This camp was held at Pyonghae middle school, and once again drew the attention of approximately 100 students and parents. The friendship between 19th ESC and

us what is truly valuable in our lives,” said 1st Sgt. Dean Farr, 25th Transportation Battalion, “I felt this program was a great way for Soldiers to interact with locals, while students learn English, not to mention this really supports a good relationship with local organizations and society, he added. We feel great that we have been receiving positive feedbacks and students are highly responsive and open minded to us,” Farr said. “I truly feel I am doing an important mission by playing a bridge role between American culture and Uljin community,” said Ms. Yeo, Sarah, G-9 Community Relations Intern, 19th ESC, “this is the best thing that happens in this program. It is true that the language they are learning, but it is the interaction that takes place, which makes this program special and distinguished.” After “Fun English Camp” was over, the Command Sgt. Maj. Edward L. Johnson, 498 Combat Support Sustainment Brigade, plays group was invited to “Organic Food Expo “guess me” game with Uljin students during Uljin English camp, Aug. 8-9. — U.S. Army photo Uljin Korea 2009” and obtained a chance by Cpl. Lee, Jae Won to experience the regional culture, food, and Uljin county traces back to Oct. 2006, Since the first camp, “Fun English Camp” entertainment. “Uljin’s long history and its fame of when Brig. Gen. Raymond Mason, former has gained tremendous momentum and commanding general of 19th ESC, was success. Uljin County is a rural area which highest quality of organic produces make invited to “2005 Uljin Organic Food Expo” is known for its fishing and agricultural Uljin County famous throughout Korea,” and agreed to form a brotherhood with Mayor lifestyle. As a result, students in Uljin are said Jeong, Yun Seon, education policy Yong-Soo Kim, Mayor of Uljin county. After not able to obtain sufficient educational & media relations officer, Uljin County Brig. Gen. Mason’s visit to Uljin, Team 19, opportunities and resources. Acknowledging Office. “I appreciate the effort and the dedication began to send Soldiers to the county in order the environment and its background, Team to teach English and to culturally interact Daegu’s support has been a heroic one to of Uljin people have been putting in throughout planning this event as well with local students and community. Uljin County. In August 2008, Brig. Gen. Mason invited “As a regular participant of the program, I as inviting us to their core community,” 29 Uljin students to Hawaii, where Mason is am always excited to visit Uljin County and said Cpl. Jang, Jae Han, G-9 Community currently stationed and guided the group on a interact with students. People appreciate us Relations, 19th ESC, “both English camp tour to see the beautiful creatures of Hawaii, for the fact that we teach our language and and the festival was special, I am proud of culture to students, but actually they teach myself for being a military diplomat.” which deepened the Korea-U.S. alliance.

Vacation Bible School in Daegu Community

(left) Children shout out ‘Fear not!’ which happens to be the motto of Vacation Bible School held at Camp Walker and Camp Carroll. Lee, Genie, a volunteer for Vacation Bible School, praises God by singing and dancing all together with Children. — U.S. Army photos by Christopher E. Miller By Christopher E. Miller & Christopher J. Mead USAG-Daegu Public Affairs DAEGU GARRISON — Fear not! This was the motto of all children that attended the Vacation Bible School this past week. Everyday the children get a new message for example one of them was “God is with us.” For each message the kids get fun activities and see the wonders of Gods grace. The Vacation Bible School is made up of only volunteers and it was not easy getting the support needed to get it running.

There were five stations, each of them have a different activity. The five stations are: Snack Shack, Bible Adventures, Games, Movie, and Arts & Crafts. Snack Shack is a station where the children eat delicious snacks that go along with the bible message for that day. The day that we went they talked about how God told Moses the part the water and told the Israelites to walk to the promise land. So the snack was two pieces of graham crackers with blue frosting on it with little chocolate kisses. Bible Adventures is where they read verses out of the bible and ask questions for

the children to answer. Then they create a little set and let the children interact with it. When we went they had the set where Moses parted the water. In addition to VBS at Camp Walker, Camp Carroll also held Vacation Bible School from Aug 12 to Aug 14 for children living in Waegwan community. The contents of the program were same to Camp Walker’s program. Interestingly there were some participants from former school at Camp Walker also. The day began with praising God by singing and dancing all together, which also happened to be the concluding activity of

the day. Children, volunteers, Soldiers and KATUSA Soldiers all gathered together and enjoyed one another praising God. “I think this is very good opportunity for children to aware that God is always with us,” said HHC, Daegu Garrison Chaplain assistant Pfc. Lim Eunkyu. “I hope all the kids enjoyed their experience from VBS. I also would like to thank all who helped out for this event. Without their helps, VBS could not be this much successful.” Special Barbeque party was held at Camp Carroll Chapel Annex on the last day of school to celebrate and praise God for them to get together.

USAG-D • PAGE 26 http://imcom.korea.army.mil t

News & Notes New Student Orientation

All (grades Pre-k through 12) students new to DAS are welcome to attend, at the Daegu American School, noon until 1:30 p.m. Aug. 28 in the school cafeteria. Information about school programs, classes, teams, and organizations will be available. High school and middle school student schedules will be provided as well. Light snacks will be provided. For information, call 768-9501. Now Hiring!

Apple Tree gift store is now hiring. There are two positions available: Assistant Manger and Bookkeeper. Please stop by the Apple Tree for details. For more information please contact Kelly Abbott, manager at 053-474-0884. Military Long-drive Competition

Come to the Sung Nam golf course Aug. 22 at 2:30 p.m. for the first step towards winning $10,000! Take your shots at the Military Long Drive Championship, $10 for six balls, no limit to attempts. The winner will go all-expenses paid to Mesquite, NV, to compete for $10,000. 2nd and 3rd place win gift certificates. Open to Active Duty, Reserve, Retirees and Family Members, 18 and over. For information, call 736-3483. UFG BBQ

Enjoy a free barbecue, courtesy of the Camp Walker USO! From noon, Aug. 22 until 3 p.m. on Kelly Field. Free food, drinks, and a Saltine Cracker challenge! For information, call 764-4438. Payday Golf Scramble

Shotgun start at the Evergreen Golf Course, Sept. 4. Sign up by Sept. 3. The format is four-person scramble with prizes for individual and team low scores. Sign up at the Evergreen Pro Shop or contact Sgt. 1st Class. Gibbons at the number below. $10 entry fee plus greens fees. For information, call 768-8689. USAG Daegu Gaming

If you want to meet other gamers in Korea, then you can just provide your Gamer tag or Online ID at your local USAG Daegu Gaming Corner. Sign up at your Community Activity Center Today! You will have a chance to organize and compete against other local teams. Casino Night

Try your luck at the Camp Walker USO, Aug. 21 from 5 to 9 p.m. There will be casino games, free food and fun for all! For information, call 764-4438. We Want Your Stories

If you want to advertise any events or information for the Area IV community in the Morning Calm Weekly, please send an e-mail to Cpl. Park Kyungrock, [email protected] or 768-8070 for Camp Walker, Henry and George and contact Cpl. Lee Dodam, [email protected] for Camp Carroll.

AREA IV

THE MORNING CALM

Would you give away your House Keys? By Christopher E. Miller & Christopher J. Mead USAG-Daegu Public Affairs Do you know where your ID card is right now? Well it shouldn’t be in your computer, it shouldn’t be in your car, and more importantly it should not be lost! Last week we visited USAG Daegu Department of Emergency Services Director Rob Nelson to discuss the importance of ID cards. “You should know where your ID card is at all times,” said Deagu’s Top Cop. “It is your golden pass to get on a military installation. In the first 6 months of the year there were 168 lost ID cards. We have more lost ID cards in the first 6 months this year than we had all of last year.” When you lose an ID card you should immediately report it - tell your supervisor, the ID card section, even your parents. And if you find your ID card soon after, you should immediately tell the ID card Section and give it to them. “You should not keep it because if you were to use it at the gate there would be an alert on your ID card that reads lost or stolen ID card,” said Nelson. Who has use for your ID card? The people that want to get on base could be criminals or terrorists. If they obtain admission to the installation they could creat terrible problems for us. The installation crime rate right now is very low; partly because we have a very good access control system. It is your

When you lose an ID card you should immediately report it - tell your supervisor and the ID card section. And if you find your ID card soon after, you should immediately tell the ID card Section and give it to them. — U.S. Army photo by Christopher E. Miller responsibility to know the whereabouts of your ID card(s) at all times. The time when most people report a lost or stolen ID card is usually Monday - so, especially on weekends, and the most popular time of year to lose ID cards is during the summer, so especially now be sure to keep track of that ID. Your ID card is the key to the castle and you don’t want any one to get it.

There is not really a limit on how many times you can lose ID cards but there are punishments. Soldiers can receive an Article 15 and an employee can receive administrative punishment if lost occasionally. Your ID card is one of the most critical documents you can ever carry. For more information you can call 764-4106. It’s your responsibility don’t forget it.

Customer Service Assessment Overview By Rick Cave Area IV Customer Service Officer

DAEGU GARRISON — Anyone who lives, works or does business at U.S. Army Garrison Daegu and throughout Area IV will have an opportunity to provide detailed feedback on all of the garrison’s services. The 2009 annual Customer Service Assessment will be available Aug. 24 through Sept. 18 The CSA, which falls under Customer Management Services, is the Installation Management Command’s annual program for collecting customer feedback and using the data to evaluate and improve the delivery of installation programs and services. Several installations participated in this survey in 2008 when more than 20,000 individuals completed the survey. The customers – leaders, Soldiers, Family Members, Retirees, Veterans, Civilian employees and Contractors – provided information about the importance of programs and services, as well as a rating how well the installation is providing services for them. The assessment is Web-based and can be accessed at www.myarmyvoice.org starting Aug. 24. When individuals take the survey, they will be asked to provide demographic data that will automatically direct them to the appropriate assessment questions. In that way, Family Members or Retirees, for example, will not be asked to rate services like the Central Issue Facility or the Ammunition Supply Point – two services used by Soldiers and certain Civilian members. Within the survey, customers will be asked to rate service performance on a scale of 1

(very poor) to 5 (excellent), and importance, also on a scale of 1 to 5. The assessment will ask that all low ratings be explained so importance and performance issues can be clearly identified. Data provided by commanders, command sergeants major, first sergeants, senior civilians, and senior staff will also be captured. They will also rate the performance and importance of installation services, but in relation to the accomplishment of their organization missions. “This is an extraordinary opportunity for members of the USAG Daegu and Area IV family to directly affect how the services they receive are provided,” said Larry Shields, the IMCOM Korea Region CMS manager. “All customers will be able to rate how well the

services they receive match their expectations. USAG Daegu and Area IV can use this feedback to improve services, which should ultimately affect Servicemember and family quality of life.” The more customers in each category who take the 20 to 30 minutes to complete the assessment, the more accurate and substantial the data collected. The data will be returned to the installation in November where it will be used to identify and document best practices and inform garrison leadership of services where customers say there are concerns. For more information about the upcoming CSA, contact Rick Cave, customer service officer, at 768-6274 or [email protected].

AUGUST 21, 2009

AREA IV

Dining facility strives for the excellence

By Cpl. Lee, Jae Won 19th ESC Public Affairs In order for the exercise to run at the highest level, providing the right food at the right time, brings significant impact. Crew in the Camp Henry dining facility are the people who work in the shadows to help the Soldiers of Team 19 and others participating in the current exercise fulfill their mission. Sgt. Autumn Hurt, 501st Special Troops Battalion, is the detached dining facility manager from Camp Carroll consolidated DFAC, leading crews throughout the 2009 Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise. Her primary role is to keep up the highest level of freshness, especially when the H1N1 virus is drawing large attention throughout the world. Also, she maintains the high morale of Korean National cooks and crews along with DFAC Soldiers since the working hours

are very demanding, which requires extra effort and patience. Hurt, who has 9 years of DFAC experience and the former winner of the Department of the Army Connelly Food Service program, shares her goal. “Our goal is to meet high standards of expectations from various people from different places.” said Hurt, “We serve nearly 300 souls but we tirelessly work to provide better satisfaction to our customers throughout the exercise.” “I feel great when I serve Soldiers who dedicate for their country,” said Mrs. Lee, Hwa Im, Camp Henry DFAC cook, “I feel like I am Soldiers’ mother who loves to cook for her children.” The extended DFAC service hours during the exercise are: Breakfast 5 a.m.-8:30 a.m. Lunch 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Dinner 4:30 p.m.-8 p.m. Midnight 11:30p.m.-1 a.m.

USAG-D • PAGE 27 http://imcom.korea.army.mil

AREA IV

USAG-D • PAGE 28 http://imcom.korea.army.mil

Meal Hours for UFG 09

THE MORNING CALM

27 Aug 09

15 Aug - 26 Aug 09

Camp Walker, Camp Henry and Camp Carroll DFAC Breakfast: 5 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.

Lunch: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Dinner: 4:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. Midnight Meal: 11:30 p.m. -1 a.m.

Breakfast: 5 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. Lunch: 12 p.m. -1:30 p.m. Dinner: 4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

AREA IV Job Opportunities ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER APF US CITIZEN POSITIONS KOEZ09685276 KOFM09707044 KOEZ09647050 KOEZ09236131R1 KOEZ09430766R KOEZ09555249R KOEZ09707081 KOEZ09365371R KOEZ09228585R KOEZ09558897R KOEZ09647512 KOEZ09696716 NAF US CITIZEN POSITIONS KRNAFEZ09-004-K4-R2 KRNAFEZ09-005-K4-R2

VACANCY Camps Henry, Walker , George Antiterrorism/Force Protect Spec IT Specialist Medical Support Technician Accountant (Int Review Evaluator) Mechanical Engineer Supv Logistics Mgt Spec Lean Six Sigma Prog Mgr Supv Housing Spec Supv Industrial Engineer Camp Carroll Family Readiness Prog Asst Practical Nurse IT Specialist Camps Henry, Walker , George CYS Functional Tech Spec CYS Program Assoc Tech Lab

GRADE

LOCATION

GS-12 GS-09/11 GS-04 YA-02 GS-11 YC-02 YA-02 YC-02 YC-02

19th ESC 65th MED BDE 18th MED COM IMCOM USAG, DPW 19th ESC 19th ESC USAG, DPW USAG, DPW

CLOSE DATE

Aug. 24 Aug. 24 Aug. 25 Aug. 25 Aug. 26 Aug. 28 Sep. 1 Sep. 3 Sep. 4

GS-04/05 498th CSSB GS-05/06 USA-MEDDAC Korea GS-11 35th Air Def Artillery

Aug. 21 Aug. 25 Sep. 1

NF-04 NF-03

Aug. 20 Aug. 24

DFMWR, CYS DFMWR, SAS

For more information, contact Employment Readiness Program Manager, Steven Wegley at 768-7951

August 21, 2009 AUGUST 21, 2009

KOREAN PAGE