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Vol. 32, No. 3 February 6, 2015

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Social Media What’s Inside

Fire Fighter Recognized forEfforts, p. 4

Naval Medical LogisticsCommand Retires Lipella After37 Years Of Service, p. 5

Show Your Heart Some Love,p. 6

SHANNON BISHOPUSAG PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Hand-drawn cards and heart-felt notes made by local childrenin support of our Nation’s militaryare an instant, visible sign of sup-port for those wounded in battlewhen walking through the frontdoors of the Fort Detrick SoldierFamily Assistance Center, locatedat the Walter Reed National Mili-tary Medical Center in Bethesda,Maryland. These notes are just thebeginning of the outpouring ofsupport our military members re-ceive during their transition timefrom the Warrior Transition Unit.

“When someone walks throughour doors, they are first greeted byour volunteers who manage ourclient intake,” said SFAC DirectorCraig Branagan. “Our volunteersget people started with the pro-cess and get them pointed in theright direction.”

The SFAC continues to provideunwavering support to WoundedWarriors and their families evenduring this time of transition to anew program director, Branagan.

“We have great people herethat can help Soldiers during achallenging time,” said Branagan.“This job is about taking care ofour Soldiers.”

Branagan, previously the FortDetrick Education Services officer,assumed the role of the SFAC direc-tor in December 2014, and plans toassist the organization in makingsure their daily operations are run-ning smoothly and effectively.

“One of my areas of expertise isgetting programs to run smooth-ly,” said Branagan. “I hope to beable to do that here as well. It canbe challenging to navigate theNavy systems, Fort Detrick andWarrior Transition Programs si-

multaneously. You have to be onyour toes to get the job done.”

The SFAC provides tailored sup-port services to the Warrior Transi-tion Unit, where Wounded War-riors receive care and treatmentfor illness or injuries. According tothe Army Community Service web-site, the SFAC is a comprehensive,centralized office that provides avariety of services to assist Soldiersand their families with administra-tive and personal needs during theirtransition process.

According to Branagan, servic-es offered within the SFAC includethe Wounded Warrior AssistiveTechnology Program, financialcounseling, education counseling,referrals to community resourcesand social services support, aswell as human resources includ-ing an identification/CommonAccess Card office.

Branagan highlighted many ofthe programs available to Soldiersfrom the WTU thanks to the sup-port of so many local organiza-tions. One program provides taxifares for Soldiers two times perweek to allow them to run errands,enjoy time with friends or visitfamily members.

“Over the past several years,thousands of dollars have beenspent by these community orga-nizations to support our Soldiers,”said Branagan.

The transition assistance pro-gram within the SFAC provides ca-reer counseling, resume buildingand business workshops for Sol-

diers who are transitioning out ofthe military.

“We focus on the Soldier LifeCycle here.Wewant Soldiers think-ing ahead to when they are even-tually leaving the military,” saidBranagan. “We want Soldiers to beprepared to be better civilians.”

For more information aboutthe SFAC, call (301) 400-0208.

Soldier Family Assistance Center ProvidesUnwavering Support for Wounded Warriors and Families

Soldier Family Assitance Center Director Craig Branagan is eager to work on continuing toimprove the programs available through the SFAC. Branagan began his role as the new director inDecember 2014.

Photo by Shannon Bishop, USAG Public Affairs

The Soldier Family AssistanceCenter front desk is adornedwith hand-drawn cards andletters for the Wounded War-riors who use programs withthe SFAC.

Photo by Shannon Bishop,USAG Public Affairs

2 Fort Detrick StandardFebruary 6, 2015 Sustaining a community of excellence through restoration, environmental stewardship and workforce development

Commentary:

Command StaffMaj. Gen. Brian C. Lein

Commanding General, U.S. Army Medical

Research and Materiel Command

and Fort Detrick

Col. Steven P. MiddlecampU.S. Army Garrison Commander

Editorial StaffPAO Staff

The STANDARD is an authorized unofficial newspaper,published every two weeks under the provisions of AR360-1 for the military and civilians at Fort Detrick. Circula-tion is 7,000. The STANDARD is a commercial enterprisenewspaper printed by Comprint Military Publications, 9030Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, Md., 20877, a private firm,in no way connected with the United States Government orDepartment of Defense. The contents of the STANDARD donot necessarily reflect the official views or endorsement ofthe U.S. Government, the Department of Defense or the U.S.Army. The appearance of advertising in this publication, in-cluding inserts and supplements, do not constitute endorse-

ment of DoD. Everything advertised in this publication shallbe made available for purchase, use or patronage withoutregard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age,marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation, or anyother nonmerit characteristic of the purchaser, user or patron.Editorial content is prepared and edited by the Fort DetrickPublic Affairs Office, 810 Schreider Street, Fort Detrick, Md.21702-5000. Editorial Offices are in Bldg. 810, Suite 004,telephone 301-619-2018; e-mail: [email protected].

Display ad salesFrederick County 301-921-2800Montgomery County 301-921-2800Classified ads 1-888-670-7100

ext+. 2684Circulation 301-670-2591Editorial 301-619-3319Printed on recycled paperRecycle when finished

Visit our Web site at: www.detrick.army.mil

Provost Marshal Office (301) 619-2652

Fire and Emergency Services (301) 619-2528

Near Miss Hotline (301) 619-3164

USAG Network Enterprise Help Desk (301) 619-2049

Balfour Beatty (240) 379-6518

Directorate of Public Works Trouble Desk (301) 619-2726

Barquist Army Health Clinic (866) 379-3981

Post Operator (301) 619-8000

After Duty NumbersImportant After Duty Hour Numbers

The U.S. Army Garrison Child Youth and SchoolServices administration office has moved. BeginningFeb. 9, the new location is the Community SupportCenter, Building 1520 on Freedman Dr. Offices are lo-cated directly across from Café Too on the first floor.For more information, call (301) 619-7100.

We’ve Moved!

COMMAND SGT. MAJ. RICHARD D. JESSUP

Let’s start with the bad news. Punxsutawney Philsaw his shadow and six more weeks of winter are set.With that, the good news is that the Directorate ofPublic Works and so many others across this instal-lation will do whatever is necessary to make sure weare safe, warm and have events to get us throughthis winter that enable us to celebrate each otherand our dedication.

As Fort Detrick continues to brace against thewinter winds and bitter cold, let me start this weekby thanking all the men and women of our Director-ate of Public Works who continue to get the job done.When we are anticipating severe weather, the crewsfrom DPW often spend the night and wake early toclear our roads and parking lots. During a storm,roads are what everyone notices, however as manyof you know, cold weather has the potential to affectour buildings. DPW I want to thank you for keepingour roads clear and our buildings warm. It’s truly ademanding job, and I could not be more proud.

Speaking of pride, let me express mine and offera heartfelt thank you to the members of our commu-nity who are retiring. At 10 a.m. on Feb. 11 at theCommunity Activities Center, Fort Detrick will hosta retirement ceremony. Those being recognized aremilitary and civilians. Please take a moment to wishour fellow colleagues the best of luck as they beginthe new phases of their lives. I personally want tothank you for your dedication and contributions, notjust to Fort Detrick and the Army, but to our Nationas well.

Let me also recognize the work our team at Fam-ily and Morale, Welfare and Recreation do every dayto us together as a community. Even with the pre-

diction of bad weather, the Super Bowl partly was agreat success. The recent Right Arm Night I believeit is the most people I have seen at this event since Iarrived. What many of you do not know is the FMWRstaff works tirelessly to be creative and come up withideas to bring us and our families together. They of-ten work on the weekends and very long hours so wecan get to know each other better. Their next bigevent is a Zumbathon on Feb. 21 at the fitness cen-ter. Sign up, come out and get a great work out. Partof being resilient is being fit. By challenging your-self and learning how to cope with new experiencesmakes us stronger individuals. If you have never par-ticipated in the new Zumba craze, now is the time.Its great music, great instructors and you will feel sogreat afterwards.

As I mention long hours, I cannot go any furtherwithout thanking our gate guards. These men andwomen are at the forefront of our security. Theseindividuals work night and day to ensure the safetyoff all of us each day. I and the rest of the CommandStaff want to say thank you. Thank you for your pa-tience and your dedication. We see each of you ev-ery morning when we enter the gates. To have some-one greet you with a good morning and a smile juststarts our days off right. Thank you.

For our new employees, Soldiers and their fami-lies. Welcome to Fort Detrick. Often thought ofas little sleepy Detrick, this installation does greatthings. Its’ people care about what they do each dayand the local community gives their full support inour mission and role in national security. They areproud to have Fort Detrick in Frederick, Md.

As I mentioned there are many upcoming eventsto look forward to including the senior commandersTown Hall on Feb. 17 at the Balfour Beatty Commu-

nity Center and the Black History Month Observanceon Feb. 20. Up-to-date information on future FMWRevents is always available at: http://detrick.armym-wr.com/us/detrick/.

Take the time to acknowledge the hard work anddedication of the person to your left and your right.This is a team effort and as a teamwe should look outfor each other and thank them for a job doing well.We lift them during times of need and we stand be-side each other to provide words of encouragement.So as we start the countdown to spring, and you startthinking about playing golf or cookouts, I ask you toget to know each other and continue your dedica-tion. After all, spring is only 42 days away.

Recognizing Dedication and Commitment to Our Community

Command Sgt. Maj. Richard D. Jessup

3Fort Detrick StandardFebruary 6, 2015Sustaining a community of excellence through restoration, environmental stewardship and workforce development

LISA MORRISUSAMRMC PUBLIC AFFAIRS

The U.S. Army Center for Environmen-tal Health Research will welcome the Afri-can clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) back intoits laboratory this month to study the levelof toxicity in periodate, a compound thatcould be used to replace perchlorate.

Perchlorate is most commonly used forpropellants in rockets and fireworks. As ex-tensive as its use is, an increasing numberof studies show perchlorate contaminationcan have negative effects on the environ-ment and human health.

Together with the U.S. Army Institute ofPublic Health, USACEHR scientists will con-duct an Amphibian Metamorphosis Assay todetermine any toxic effects of periodate onthe normal functions of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis, which is part of the en-docrine system responsible for metabolism.

The AMA is a well-studied Tier 1 screen-ing protocol used to evaluate chemicals thatpotentially interact with the estrogen, an-drogen or thyroid systems, and the only as-say that detects thyroid activity in an animalundergoing morphological development.

The Environmental Protection Agencyuses the AMA as part of a larger EndocrineDisruptor Screening Program to help withregulatory decision-making.

The EDSP formed as a result of the FoodQuality Protection Act and the Safe DrinkingWater Act amendments in 1996 in an effortto identify chemicals that produce negativeeffects on the endocrine system, potentiallyleading to diabetes, thyroid disease, growthdisorders and more.

The USACEHR’s role in the study itself in-cludes an extensive preparation period and

three 21-day test periods, all of which willtake approximately one year to complete.

“We’re really looking forward to this be-cause within the USAMRMC, we’re the onlylab with this capability,” said Col. ThomasTimmes, USACEHR commander. “We havea very unique aquaculture mission.”

The USACEHR’s unique aquaculture facili-ties allow their scientists to house and studyfrogs as opposed to other USAMRMC labs thatmay study rodents or other small mammals.

With other USAMRMC labs attractedto the USACEHR’s unique capabilities, theUSACEHR will invite other veterinarians tovisit and learn from the study.

Frogs Returning in February

The U.S. Army Center for Environmen-tal Health Research will house Africanclawed frogs to study toxicity levels inperiodate, a compound that could beused to replace perchlorate.

Photo provided by USACEHR

NICK MINECCIUSAG PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Every year on Feb. 2 millions watch, wait-ing to hear the results from arguably themost famous weather predictor in the Na-tion. Tens of thousands gather, hoping forthe promise of an early spring.

His name is Phil.He’s a rodent.How did a simple groundhog named

Punxsutawney Phil, perhaps the most fa-mous resident of Punxsutawney, Penn-sylvania, come to hold such interest for somany, and what exactly does it mean whenhe “sees his shadow” or doesn’t?

According to legend, when the groundhogwakes from a long winter’s nap, stretches hisgroundhog arms and goes outside for somefresh air, if it’s a sunny morning and he seeshis shadow, Phil goes back to his groundhoghome and grabs some more sleep as six moreweeks of winter are set to follow.

If there is cloud cover and Phil doesn’tsee his shadow, he plays groundhog gamesoutside for a while to celebrate the fact that

spring is just around the corner.The tradition of Punxsutawney Phil mak-

ing the weather call dates back to 1887, butthe practice of determining if winter wouldcontinue or spring would make an early ap-pearance came to the United States with im-migrants from Germany.

As new arrivals settled in hills of Penn-sylvania, they continued an old tradition ofusing the groundhog to predict the arrival ofspring, based upon Candlemas, the day thatis the midpoint between winter and spring.There is a Candlemas poem explaining theshadow/no shadow dynamic:

If Candlemas be fair and bright,Winter has another flight.If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,Winter will not come again.While there are many towns across the

fruited plains that hold a festival with ani-mals to predict the coming season, Punx-sutawney Phil has become the face of rodentweather prognosticators.

This year Phil saw his shadow, so sixmore weeks of winter for 2015.

How the Groundhog Became Our WeathermanNICK MINECCI

USAG PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Winter months see an increase of injurieson Fort Detrick, usually from slips and fallsdue to icy or slick conditions. According tofigures from the Fort Detrick Safety Office,falls from the same level occupational inju-ries, commonly known as slip/trip/fall ac-cidents, historically rank as one of the toptwo accident causes at Fort Detrick. Sixtypercent of all reported slip/trip/fall injuriesoccur between the months November andMarch when the region is subject to inclem-ent winter weather conditions.

“Approximately 41 percent of all record-able accidents at Fort Detrick are categori-cally attributed to falls from the same level,and contributing factors leading up to theseinjuries can typically be attributed to the fol-lowing three conditions: icy/slippery side-walks, icy/slippery parking lots and wateraccumulation in facility entryways and hall-ways,” said Chad Betoney, safety specialist.

If you have an accident while on duty,Jennifer L. Murrell, injury compensationspecialist with Fort Detrick’s Civilian Per-sonnel Advisory Center, advises employeesto, “Immediately report it to your supervi-sor. If your injury requires medical treat-ment, obtain care as soon as possible.”

“You have the right to select the first doc-tor who treats you for your injury,” contin-ued Murrell. “This may be an available mili-tary treatment facility or your own personalmedical provider.”

According to Murrell, if you suffer an in-jury on the job, “You must file an official in-jury claim electronically, with the assistanceof your supervisor, in order to initiate theworker’s compensation process with the De-partment of Labor. It is important that this isdone as soon as possible following the injury.”

The Federal Employees’ CompensationAct, administered by the U.S. Departmentof Labor’s Office of Workers’ CompensationPrograms, provides reparation benefits suchas medical care, wage loss replacement andhelp in returning to work for federal civilianemployees who suffer work-related injuriesor illnesses. Murell added that compensa-tion for surviving dependents, if a work-related injury or illness results in the em-ployee’s death, is also available.

“It is the exclusive remedy for federalemployees for work-related injuries ordeath,” said Murrell.

Fort Detrick Army federal civilian em-ployees who are injured at work may con-tact their injury compensation specialist at(301) 619-2176 for additional information.

Organizations seeking training for super-visors or for their Army federal civilian em-ployees on worker’s compensation can call(301) 619-2176.

Additional information on injury com-pensation for federal civilian employeescan be found on the Department of Laborwebsite at: http://www.dol.gov/owcp/dfec/. The CA-11 “When Injured at WorkInformation Guide for Federal Employees”is available at: http://www.dol.gov/owcp/dfec/regs/compliance/ca-11.htm.

Season of Slips: What You Needto Know if Injured on the Job

SHANNON BISHOPUSAG PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Army medicine recognizes patients eachFebruary as part of Patient RecognitionMonth. This year, the Barquist Army HealthClinic staff plans to further improve clientservices by improving the safety, satisfac-tion and general well-being of patients.

“This is what we do every day. We arealways doing things in our patient’s bestinterest,” said Lt. Col. Jason Sepanic, BAHCcommander. “Even if it’s behind the scenes,we are always working to improve servicesto ensure the best quality of care for each ofour patients.”

In the last year, the BAHC has made ef-forts to make the clinic experience a morepleasant and efficient one through changesto the phone system, patient care systems,the Nurse Advice Line and emphasizingprograms such as the Performance Triad.

“Through programs like the PerformanceTriad, we are noticing that patients are moreaware of nutrition and sleep,” said Sepanic.“I’ve also started to notice that through allof the education provided by the Army, thestigma for mental health care is starting towear off. People are becoming less fearful totalk to someone when they have concerns

Quality of Care is FocusatBarquist Clinic

The Fort Detrick Barquist Army Health Clinic plans to continue to improve thesystems in place to better the patient experience.

Photo courtesy of the Barquist Army Health Clinic

See QUALITY, continued on page 7

4 Fort Detrick StandardFebruary 6, 2015 Sustaining a community of excellence through restoration, environmental stewardship and workforce development

FirefighterRecognized for Efforts

Fort Detrick Firefighter Ian Swisher is recognized by a local community orga-nization Jan. 26 for his unwavering support for the day to day operations ofthe fire department, according to Fire Chief Brian Wheeler. According to othermembers of the Fort Detrick Fire Department, Swisher works quickly andefficiently and gets the job done right the first time, allowing the departmentto be ready, reliable and able to perform the most important mission-- servingthe workforce, families and visitors to Fort Detrick as well as the citizens ofFrederick County. Photo provided by Brian Wheelr, Fort Detrick Fire Department

The Balfour Beatty Communities Foun-dation is now accepting scholarship appli-cations for the 2015-2016 academic yearfrom high school seniors, undergraduateand graduate students that are children ofour military family housing residents.

Scholarship applicants must be the childof an active-duty Service Member currentlyresiding at a Balfour Beatty Communitiesmilitary housing property, and planning toattend or already attending an accreditedcollege or university on a full-time basis inthe fall of 2015, or be enrolled in a programof study designed to transfer directly into afour-year program.

The Balfour Beatty Communities Foun-

dation is committed to supporting the post-secondary educational goals of residents wholive at a Balfour Beatty Communities prop-erty. Since the scholarship program’s incep-tion in 2009, the Balfour Beatty Communi-ties Foundation has awarded more than 150academic scholarships to active duty ServiceMembers. Scholarship awards range from$1,000 to $2,500 with larger amounts grantedfor exceptional submissions.

For more details regarding scholarshiprequirements and to complete an applica-tion, visit the foundation’s website at www.bbcommunitiesfoundation.org. Applica-tions must be postmarked no later thanApr. 15.

Balfour Beatty CommunitiesFoundation Accepting

Scholarship Applications

The Child Youth and School Services Sports department islooking for spring soccer coaches. All coaches will become certi-fied youth sports coaches through the National Alliance for YouthSports. The coaches training is scheduled for Mar. 19 at the YouthCenter, Building 949 at 6 p.m. All head coach’s children will playfor free, while assistant coaches receive free play for their firstchild. The season runs from April to June. Contact the CYSS sportsdirector at (301) 619-2538 for more information.

CYSS SoccerCoaches Needed

Let’s Get Ready to Rumble

Soldiers from across the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command gathered on Fort Detrickthis week for the USAMRMC Best Warrior Competition. The week-long event tests the Soldier’s knowl-edge of the Army, physical fitness, and Soldier skills to find the non-commissioned officer and Soldierthat best demonstrate their commitment to the Army values and embody the Warrior Ethos. The winnerswill represent the USAMRMC and the U.S. Army Medical Command Best Warrior competition.

Photo by Nick Minecci, USAG Public Affairs

5Fort Detrick StandardFebruary 6, 2015Sustaining a community of excellence through restoration, environmental stewardship and workforce development

JULIUS EVANSNMLC PUBLIC AFFAIRS

When an employee retires andher co-workers fill the room, thatsays something about how muchthat retiree is admired. And duringher speech, when a quarter of theroom starts crying along with thehonoree, one might consider thathonoree as well cherished. Suchwas the case when JoAnn Lipellaretired after 37 years of Federalcivil service Jan. 22 at a ceremonyheld in her honor at the NavalMedical Logistics Command onFort Detrick.

Wet eyes were disbursedthroughout the room when Lipel-la reminisced about her 29 yearsat the NMLC. It was very tellingby the sheer number of those whofilled the conference room; a loca-tion that usually has enough seatsto host the entire command.

Though several speeches weregiven in honor of her service andcontributions to the command,and recognizing her personaltouch and influence, it wasn’t untilLipella took the podium when theflood gates of tears began to flow.

“I started here when my sonwas three months old. Sendinghim off to daycare was one of thehardest things I have ever had todo, but now I leave today with anawesome government retirementthat I’m proud of,” said Lipella.“When he graduated from college/law school and passed the bar be-coming a lawyer last year, it wasone of the proudest moments ofmy life. Many of you here sharedin those proudmoments withme.”

Speaking of young men, ChrisCullen, Lipella’s supervisor, toldthe story of how she nurtured himwhen he first came aboard.

“Joann taught me how to be agovernment employee, she wasmymentor,” he said, speaking of whenhe reported to the NMLC 14 yearsago. “We have had so many greatexperiences together throughoutthe years and she is such a won-derful person and human being,she will be sorely missed by every-one who knows her.”

Another of Lipella’s supervi-sors shared words about her andhow her influence on him over theyears still has an impact today.

“Joann has never said an un-kind word about anyone. Theremay have been times when shehas gotten upset or frustratedabout something, but you wouldnever have known it,” said ArtCronk. “She is one of the kindestemployees I have worked with.”

It was also very telling whatseveral United States Presidentshad to say regarding Lipella’sservice. Having served under sixpresidents, the letters received bytoday’s service were from Presi-dent James Earl “Jimmy” Carter,Jr., and George H. W. Bush. In fact,President Bush wrote, “Barbaraand I are checking in to offer ourpersonal congratulations on yourretirement following an illustriouscareer of federal service that spans37 years. Well done!”

Before she departed, she want-ed to share a “well done” to a fewpeople as well.

“I want to thank my husband -my best friend, for always believ-ing in me and trying to push mewhen I just wanted to sit still in mycomfort zone,” said Lipella. “Tomy sister, thank you for being myguiding light through all my upsand downs. To my brother-in-law,you have been a wonderful friendand husband to my sister. I can’tsay enough good about you.”

She also shared a few directthoughts about the people she hasspent the majority of her workinglife with here at the NMLC.

“I was privileged to be part ofseveral amazing teams; whichachieved success that we can all beproud of. It’s rare to find a group ofpeople, let alone an organization,as passionate and dedicated indoing the right thing for our ship-mates,” continued Lipella.

“I want to thank Chris Cullenand the Acquisition Support Di-vision for their patience and helpthis year. I also want to personallythank everyone who contributedto making this luncheon possible.

All of you have been my secondfamily and you have supportedmycareer and my personal life. Youlistened to many stories about myson and you cared when I talkedabout my mom. My mom wouldbe so proud of this moment. Mom,I did it,” she said.

Lipella’s longest serving super-visor, Randy Routzahn, was herboss the entire time she worked infinance at the NMLC from 1986-2013. He reminisced about whenthey first started working together.

“We worked in another buildingonFortDetrick andwhenwemovedto a new location, we had to paintit ourselves. Well, JoAnn wasn’tmuch of a painter,” he quipped. “Iremember she accidentally paintedthrough something our officer in

charge had just painted. Then sheended up spilling a whole can ofpaint over our commander/comp-troller’s shoes. I don’t think she gotan award that year.”

Lipella has more than madeup for that time and has receivedcountless awards. Now, she is pre-pared to leave the Department ofthe Navy to spend time in the sun-shine of Fort Lauderdale.

“I am looking forward to visit-ing my son and spending a littletime on the beach, and in my fa-vorite chair,” she said.

After 37 years at Fort Detrick and29 years at the Naval Medical Logis-tics Command, Lipella has enjoyedMaryland’s four seasons and willnow have a chance to experience allthe sunshine she can handle.

Naval Medical Logistics CommandRetires Lipella After 37 Years Of Service

Chris Cullen presents JoAnn Lipella with her 37-year plaque, creat-ed by her co-workers, to commemorate 37 years of federal serviceand 29 years of service at the Naval Medical Logistics Command.

By Julius Evans, NMLC Public Affairs

Sandy Musgrove, JoAnn Lipella and Margaret “Peggy” Sueverpause a moment as the retirement celebration gets under way tomemorialize the event through photography.

By Julius Evans, NMLC Public Affairs

USAMRMCEQUALEMPLOYMENTOPPORTUNITYOFFICE

Join the Fort Detrick and Freder-ick communities at the CommunityActivities Center Feb. 20 from 11:30a.m. to 1 p.m. to take part in theBlack History Month Observanceandhear fromguest speakerDamienRobinson, activist for the advance-ment of communities of color.

Black History Month, or Na-tional African American HistoryMonth, is an annual celebrationof achievements by African Ameri-cans and a time to recognize the

central role they have played inU.S. history. The story of BlackHistory Month begins in 1915,half a century after the ThirteenthAmendment abolished slavery inthe U.S. Few could have imaginedAfrican Americans’ future contri-butions to music, art and litera-ture that would be recognized bythe global community.

Credit for the evolving aware-ness of the true place of AfricanAmericans in history can, in largepart, be attributed to one man:Carter G. Woodson. In 1915, Wood-

son established the Association forthe Study of Negro Life and His-tory. Woodson wanted to changethe world’s perception of AfricanAmericans and recognize their con-tribution to American society andculture. This month’s Black Histo-ry/National African American His-tory observance will provide snap-shots of themany accomplishmentsmade over the last 10 decades andsome of the African Americanswho have made major impacts inscience, education, government,sports and entertainment.

Black History Month: ‘A Century of Black Life, History and Culture’

6 Fort Detrick StandardFebruary 6, 2015 Sustaining a community of excellence through restoration, environmental stewardship and workforce development

MAJ. JASMINE PETERSONU.S. ARMY PUBLIC HEALTH COMMAND

Did you know that your heart beats more than 100,000times a day, pumping nearly 1,900 gallons of blood? Thismeans your heart is beating almost 42 million times andpumping about 700,000 gallons of blood a year!

February is American Heart Month, a time to bringawareness to the risks of heart disease and ways to stay‘heart healthy.’ So, show your heart some love this month.

One of the first steps to cherishing your heart is to knowand understand your heart health numbers:

- Monitor and know your blood pressure. High bloodpressure, or hypertension, is often called the ‘silent killer’because many do not know they have it; and it is one ofthe leading causes of death within the U.S. A healthy bloodpressure is a systolic pressure (the top number, pressurewhen the heart is beating) below 120 and a diastolic pres-sure (the bottom number, pressure when the heart rests be-tween beats) below 80.

- Check your cholesterol. Cholesterol is a waxy fat-likematerial that your body needs. However, too much of itputs you at risk for heart disease and stroke. You can checkyour cholesterol through a simple blood test. Get your cho-lesterol checked every five years, unless your health careprovider recommends more frequent checks, ensuring thatyour heart is pumping as smoothly as possible.

- Track your weight. Maintain a healthy weight. Beingoverweight or obese can increase your risk for heart disease.

- Be passionate about your heart’s health by puttingsome prevention into play:

- Get a yearly check-up; Work with your health care teameven if you feel healthy. This is a great way to check for andcontrol conditions that may be putting you at risk for heartdisease such as hypertension or diabetes.

- Eat healthy; Eat foods high in fiber and low in saturatedfat, trans fat, salt and cholesterol. Aim to eat at least fiveservings of fruits and vegetables a day. Choosing to eat ahealthy diet can help you avoid heart disease.

- Exercise; One of the best ways to make your heartstrong is to work it out. Getting at least 150 minutes of exer-cise a week, like brisk walking, can help you stay at a healthyweight and lower your cholesterol and blood pressure.

- Don’t smoke; If you smoke, quit. If you don’t, do notstart. Smoking cigarettes greatly increases your risk forheart disease. Your health care team can help you quit, sogive them a call if you smoke or use tobacco products.

- Limit your alcohol; Drinking too much alcohol overtime can increase your risk for heart disease. If you are awoman, stick to no more than one alcoholic beverage a dayand if you are a man, no more than two.

So, go ahead and make your heart your valentine thismonth and try these tips. As always, contact your healthcare provider before starting any diet and exercise programas well as to get more information about improving yourheart health.

Show YourHeart Some Love

February is American Heart Month, a time to bringawareness to the risks of heart disease and ways tostay ‘heart healthy.’

Tax Center Opens for MilitaryCol. Perry C. Clarkshakes the hand of Ret.Navy Commander Nor-man Birzer during theJan. 26 Tax Center open-ing ceremony. Active andretired members of thearmed forces, includingmobilized reservists andtheir families, are eligiblefor tax assistance. Formore information, call(301) 619-1040.

Photo by Siegfried Bruner,Visual Information

Patriots Fan Shows EnthusiasmCol. Perry C. Clark andCommand Sgt. Maj. Rich-ard Jessup smile for aphoto with enthusiasticPatriot’s fan Spc. PatrickFischer during the Feb.1 Superbowl event atthe Community ActivitesCenter.Photo by Marilyn Flynn, FMWR

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for kids and adults

about their mental health.”In line with the U.S. Army Medical Com-

mand values, the BAHC is also committed tosynchronizing military health care efforts,redefining the patient care experience andcontinuing to create a health system builton quality care and patient safety.

“We want to do everything we can to en-sure veterans get the best quality of care,”said Sepanic. “We appreciate the feedbackour patient’s provide to us. When some-one leaves a feedback form or an Interac-tive Customer Evaluation comment withcontact information we always try to returntheir message within 24-48 hours. Evenwithout contact information, we take allfeedback into consideration so we can con-tinue to improve the patient experience atthe BAHC.”

Chief Nurse Sylvia Nye commented thatBAHC nurses focus on starting every ap-pointment with a positive attitude.

“We are currently working to get whiteboards in each room so patients can seetheir name, as well as their nurse’s and doc-tor’s name,” said Nye. “We want this to bea personal experience for them. One of theother great things we have here is the con-tinuity of care. Each doctor has their ownnurse, which allows the patient to see thesame team of providers at each visit. Theproviders are able to get to know the pa-tient and provide personalized care basedon their history.”

In the coming year, in an effort to con-tinue to improve the patient experience,the BAHC plans to start a Patient AdvisoryCouncil. The council will consist of com-munity members who can provide feedbackabout the quality of care, access of care andother relevant issues, according to Sepanic.

“We want to be able to communicatewith our community about what we areworking on,” said Sepanic.

For more information about the BAHC,call (301) 619-7175.

7Fort Detrick StandardFebruary 6, 2015Sustaining a community of excellence through restoration, environmental stewardship and workforce development

College Basketball TeamHosts CYSS Youth Night

The Frederick Community College men’s basketball team hosted “Fort Det-rick Youth Sports Night” recently in a pivotal divisional game match-up. Allparticipants and families of the Child Youth and School Services sports bas-ketball teams were given the opportunity to attend the game for free, whilebeing recognized during the night’s events. The CYSS teams scrimmagedagainst each other during half-time of the contest. At the end of the night,the FCC Cougars found themselves in first place with control of the division.Not only did the Cougars pick up some new fans, but the Fort Detrick CYSSsports basketball teams did too! For more information regarding the CYSSsports department, please contact the sports director at (301) 619-2538.

Photo by Mike Wilder, CYSS

SUPPORT, continued from page 3

For more news from other bases around the Washington, D.C. area,

visit www.dcmilitary.com.

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8 Fort Detrick StandardFebruary 6, 2015 Sustaining a community of excellence through restoration, environmental stewardship and workforce development