Ten things to know around the DoD in July

Courtesy Photo | Maura C. Sullivan, currently the assistant secretary for the Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, will be named the new assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs, Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced. (Photo courtesy U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)  

JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, VA, UNITED STATES

06.25.2015

Courtesy Story

Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall

Compiled by JBM-HH Public Affairs
Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall

JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, Va. - 1. Feds Feed Families. The Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Agriculture Department’s annual Feds Feed Families food drive runs through Aug. 31.

The campaign is a voluntary effort undertaken by federal employees to bring nonperishable food items to their offices for distribution to local food banks. Bring donations to several places on the Fort Myer portion of the joint base: The Commissary - Bldg. 523, the Fitness Center - Bldg. 414, the Exchange, Bldg. 450 and Buildings 202, 203, 205, 417 and 59. On the Fort McNair portion of the joint base, bring non-perishable food items to National Defense University, Marshall Hall - Bldg. 62, National War College – Bldg. 61, Dwight D. Eisenhower School - Bldg. 59, Lincoln Hall - Bldg. 64, Inter-American Defense College - Bldg. 50, Military District of Washington Headquarters - Bldg. 39, the Shoppette - Bldg. 43, the State Department Federal Credit Union - Bldg. 41 and the Fitness Center – Bldg. 69. If you wish to add a collection point in your building, send an email to [e-mail] or [e-mail] or call 703-696-3291.

Among the items on the “most-needed” list are low-sodium or no salt canned vegetables, canned proteins (tuna, salmon, chicken, beans), canned fruits and soups, condiments, multigrain cereals, individually packaged snacks and crackers, peanut butter, brown and white rice and pasta. Families also need 100 percent fruit juices, paper products, cleaning supplies and hygiene items.

2. Marine Corps change of command. After two years at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall and some 25 years in the Marine Corps, Headquarters and Service Battalion, Henderson Hall, Headquarters Marine Corps Commanding Officer Col. Anthony S. Barnes will relinquish command during a change of command ceremony at the battalion July 10.

Barnes will also retire from the Marine Corps during the ceremony. Acquired by the U.S. Government in 1954, Henderson Hall is named after the fifth Commandant of the Marine Corps, Brevet Brig. Gen. Archibald Henderson.

Henderson served some 38 years as commandant, longer than any other commandant of the Marine Corps to date. H&S Battalion provides administrative, operational and logistical support to more than 2,000 Marines and civilians stationed throughout the National Capital Region.

3. Army Ten-Miler Team qualifier. The last day to try out for the 2015 JBM-HH Army Ten Miler Team is July 10.

Registration and participation is free. The June 26 qualifier begins at 6:45 a.m. at the Fort Myer Fitness Center, Bldg. 414. To be eligible for a space on this year’s JBM-HH ATM Team, runners must be active duty. If selected for the JBM-HH team, Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation pays your entry into the 2015 Army Ten-Miler.

The team will be formed based on results of all three races. Register online at www.jbmhhmwr.com or register the morning of each qualifier from 5:30 to 6:30 a.m. at the Fort Myer Fitness Center, Bldg. 414.

For more information contact Todd Hopkins at 703-696-0594 or [e-mail].

4. Moral leadership. The next moral leadership luncheon takes place at the Memorial Chapel Fellowship Hall on the Fort Myer portion of the joint base July 7 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Army Lt. Gen. James C. McConville, deputy chief of staff, G1, at the Pentagon will be the guest speaker. All active duty military, DoD civilians, contractors and retirees are invited to attend. Lunch will be served at no cost.

RSVPs are due no later than July 2. The leadership luncheon series provides learning opportunities for attendees from the experiences of key leaders in the area of moral leadership. Questions are welcome concerning the topic presented following the presentation.

For more information, contact Chap. (Maj.) Fred Wendel at 703-696-5688 or via email at [e-mail].

5. A Salute to the Nation. A 50-gun salute to the nation will take place at noon on July 4 at JBM-HH’s Whipple Field by Soldiers of the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) Presidential Salute Battery.

According to Army regulation, “in commemoration of the Declaration of Independence, a salute to the Union (50 guns) will be fired at 1200 hours on Independence Day at all Army installations provided with the necessary equipment for firing salutes.” In 1810, the “National Salute” was defined by the War Department as equal to the number of states in the Union. The Presidential Salute Battery is the only unit of its kind in the Army and its schedule includes more than 300 ceremonies each year.

For more information, see www.oldguard.mdw.army.mil/specialty-platoon.psb.

6. ACS 50th anniversary. Army Community Service celebrates its 50th anniversary in July. ACS Centers are operated at Army installations where 500 or more military members are assigned. The mission of ACS is to facilitate the commander’s ability to provide comprehensive, coordinated and responsive services that support readiness of Soldiers and their families. Pentagram coverage of anniversary events will be featured in July issues.

7. TRICARE coverage expands for new mothers. TRICARE’s Breast Pump policy now includes coverage of breast pumps, supplies and breastfeeding counseling.

These supplies and services will be retroactively covered as of Dec. 19, 2014. American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and continued breastfeeding for at least the first year as foods are introduced. TRICARE’s breastfeeding support benefit is considered to be preventive care.

Therefore, the equipment, supplies, and services covered under this benefit are exempt from cost-shares and copays. To be covered, the breast pump and supplies must be obtained from a TRICARE authorized provider, supplier or vendor. A separate DoD memorandum announced an increase to TRICARE enrollment fees, which begins Oct. 1. Enrollment for individuals will increase to $282.60 annually and $565.20 for a family

8. Medical prep course open to enlisted Marines. Enlisted Marines can now apply for a program offered through the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU). The Enlisted to Medical Degree Preparatory Program (EMDP2), is now accepting applications from enlisted Marines for its 2016 class.

The Secretary of the Navy has authorized five slots for Marine applicants in the 2016 EMDP2 class. The application deadline for the 2016 class is Nov. 1, 2015. Additionally, any Marine who feels he or she meets the requirements in Marine Administrative Message 277/15 (MARADMIN), and would like to apply for EMDP2’s 2015 class, must do so by June 30.

9. Combat engineer MOS now open to women. Military Occupational Specialty, or MOS 12B, Combat Engineer is now open to all female enlisted Soldiers of all components, according to Army Directive 2015-27. The June 16 directive from Army Secretary John M. McHugh makes available 20,563 additional positions for women and opens the last of the 16 engineer MOSs, previously closed to women.

Soldiers in MOS 12B are expected to be proficient at a wide-variety of tasks, including demolitions, route and mine clearing, constructing fighting positions, erecting fixed and floating bridges and operating heavy equipment.

10. New DoD spokesperson, Public Affairs chief. Maura C. Sullivan, the current assistant secretary of public and intergovernmental affairs at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, will be named the new assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs, Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced in a DoD news release issued June 22. Sullivan will take over the position from Brent Colburn, who will step down in July, according to the release.

In a separate release, Carter announced that former Bloomberg TV’s chief Washington correspondent, Peter Cook, will serve as the new Pentagon press secretary and primary spokesperson.

• Date Taken: 06.25.2015
• Date Posted: 06.25.2015 12:59
• Story ID: 168108
• Location: JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, VA, US