Fort Bliss Monitor

Community

Art show

There will be a fundraising softball tournament May 14 at 9 a.m. at the Bradley Softball Complex for the Team Bliss varsity softball team. The tournament is open to all unit teams and will be played in double elimination or pool play format, depending on the number of teams entered. The entry fee is $75 per team and the registration fee is due May 13 at noon. For more information, call Joe Fedak at 568-5995.

Pat Mora library visit

Nationally renowned children’s author Pat Mora will be at the Armijo Branch Library, 620 E. 7th St., tomorrow at 2 p.m. for a special program. The program is free and open to the public. For more information, call 533-1333.

Children’s Day transportation

Sun Metro will offer free transportation to and from the Dia de los Ninos and Dia de los Libros celebration Saturday at Washington Park. In addition, a free shuttle will run from the County Coliseum and Fox Plaza to the event courtesy of Sunwest Charter and Tours. Free parking will be available at both the Coliseum and Fox Plaza. For more information, call 274-3336.

EPAA meeting

The El Paso Art Association welcomes all of our members to the general meeting May 8 at 1:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Art Junction, 500 W. Paisano. The guest speaker for the meeting will be the Director of Education at the El Paso Museum of Art, Amy Reed, who will be giving an update on some of the museum’s educational and outreach activities.

Leukemia, Lymphoma Society

Have you ever wanted to walk or run a full or half marathon, complete a century cycle ride or take on the challenge of a triathlon? You can do this, receiving personalized coaching, while helping the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Join the Las Palmas Lifecare Center May 5 at 6:30 p.m. or at the Eastridge YMCA May 18 at 6:30 p.m. For more information, call 522-5761 or e-mail kkhanson@ zianet.com.

DHR/AG closure

The Directorate of Human Resources/ Adjutant General will be closed tomorrow at 3 p.m. for fumigation. Their next business day will be May 2. For emergencies, call 568-1310.

Law Day celebration

Law Day Celebration is May 2, and the theme is “American Jury: We the People in Action.” The Fort Bliss Office of the Staff Judge Advocate will be deploying community service teams to various local schools to discuss juries and their importance to our system of democracy. One of OSJA’s community service teams will instruct any Fort Bliss home-schooled students who wish to participate. Home school instruction will begin May 2 at 9 a.m. in Bldg. 50. For information, call Capt. Autumn Hayes at 568-0740, or visit www.abanet.org/publiced/lawday/home.html.

Expectant sibling class

The Family Assistance Center is offering an Expectant Sibling class May 18 from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Army Community Services Center, located at 2494 Ricker Rd. This class is to educate parents on how to prevent and reduce sibling rivalry. It also educates children ages 3 to 8 on what to expect from a new baby, and upon completion of the class they will receive a certificate. For more information, call Esylen Stephens at 568-1132.

Recycling program

To better serve the Fort Bliss community, the Recycle Center will be re-evaluating its current scheduled pick-up route. This is a great opportunity to start a recycling program in your building if you do not already have one. If you would like to be added to the recycle route, submit your request by calling the Recycle Center at 568-1537, no later tomorrow. Those buildings that are already on the route will be advised of any changes in writing. The Recycle Center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call Gilbert Garcia at 568-1537 or stop by the Recycle Center at Bldg. 1336.

Financial training

Financial Liability Investigation of Property Loss and Hand Receipt training will be held May 11 in the first floor conference room of Bldg. 777 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Reservations may be made by calling 568-5118 or by e-mailing clackc@emh1 0.bliss.army.mil.

ADAPTC date changes

The Army Substance Abuse Program has changed the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Training Course dates for May. The course was originally scheduled for May 3 and 4, but has been changed to May 10 and 11. For more information, call the Fort Bliss ASAP at 568-1033.

Troops to Teachers

Military personnel, veterans, spouses and civilian employees who are interested in becoming a teacher are invited to the Troops to Teachers seminar, “The Realities of Becoming a Teacher,” being held May 6 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. in Bldg. 515A, room 107. Meryl Kettler, coordinator of Texas Troops to Teachers, will be the speaker at the event. For more information, call Catherine Narlock at 568-7996.

HazMart open for turn-ins

The Fort Bliss HazMart turn-in site, Bldg. 2515, will be open Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. to accept items from on-post housing residents as part of Spring Clean-up 2005. Items that will be accepted include used oil, oil filters, batteries, solvents, paints, oven cleaners, antifreeze, brake fluid, toilet bowl cleaners, pool chemicals, degreasers, drain cleaners, dry cleaning material, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizer, charcoal, rust removers and furniture polish. Items not accepted include explosives, ammunition, radioactive waste, business-generated waste, commercial hazardous waste, biomedical waste, non-hazardous waste and used tires. For more information, call 568-0317.

AFTB Golf Tournament

The 10th Annual Army Family Team Building Golf Tournament will be held May 13 at the Underwood Golf Course. The cost to play is $30 for DoD ID cardholders and $40 for civilians. Registration forms for the event can be picked up at the Army Community Service building. For more information, call 568-2672 or 568-2382.

Health and Fitness Expo

A Health and Fitness Expo will be held May 14 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at EP Fitness, located at 1224 Wedgewood. Admission is free. Individuals interested in vendor space, or to register for any of the competitions, call 534-9090 Ext: 33 or 46.

FCC applicant training

The Family Child Care program of Child and Youth Services is conducting applicant training for potential FCC providers May 9 through 13 at the Logan Child Development Center, Bldg. 3500. May 17, the New Orientation Class begins for transferring providers from any military installation at the same location. The classes start at 8 a.m. each morning. For more information, call 568-4198.

Consumer complaints

The Army Community Service Financial Readiness program has partnered with the El Paso Better Business Bureau to provide a streamlined consumer complaint resolution process and to better track trends in the community. The BBB will provide a representative at ACS every Tuesday and Thursday from 2 to 4 p.m. They will offer a class beginning at 2 p.m. on complaint issues specific to El Paso or that are of top concern in the United States. After each class, they will be available for questions, concerns or to file formal complaints. Clients can still come in Monday through Friday to file a compliant against a company with the Consumer Affairs Office at ACS.

Art show

The art show “Expressions Within the Self” will be held May 2 through 31 at Café West, located at 7933 N. Mesa St. The displays will be open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily and the opening presentation will be May 6 at 8 p.m. Experience a visual journey of emotions within the self by artist June Smith.

Pharmacy search tool

TRICARE announces the new pharmacy Formulary Search Tool, which allows beneficiaries to find medication-specific information using either a drug name or a medical condition. The Formulary Search Tool can be accessed through the TRICARE Pharmacy Web site at www.tricareformularysearch.org.

Youth football

Westside Youth Football is a new youth football team. They are now registering players from 8 to 11 years old. The cost is $50 to register and the season begins in July and ends in November. For more detailed information, call Tito Faulks at 584-0879 or Adrian Cerceres at 877-9928.

Polk book published

World War II Letters and Notes of Col. James H. Polk has been published and is now available at Amazon.com. It gives a firsthand and very personal account of the campaign to defeat Nazi Germany through the unique perspective of Polk’s loving letters to his wife, Josephine. The book can be ordered through Amazon.com or directly from the publisher, Red Anvil Books. For more information please call (800) 431-1579. The cost is $19.95 plus shipping.

PAO internship

Anyone interested in competing to become a DA central Public Affairs intern should submit their resume electronically to donovjf@hqda.army.mil or by facsimile to (703) 697-2792 with their undergraduate collegiate transcript. If you have not yet graduated, you should send your transcript to date. Submit copies of college transcripts or a list of college courses taken that identify for each course the college or university, semester or quarter hours earned, grade and grade point received. Copies of transcripts are acceptable. Original transcripts are not required. Please do not submit anything by surface mail. Deadline for submission of these documents is May 13.

The selection process this year will occur under the authority of the Federal Career Intern Program. To be considered, candidates must have at least a grade point average of 2.95 in all their undergraduate courses, or provide evidence from the college that they were in the top one-third of their graduating class. It will take about a month to review and screen applications. Eventually, about 30 finalists will be identified and interviewed in June, and 14 to 20 of them selected. Selections will probably not be announced until early July. Interested parties should also check the Web site at www.army.mil/internship to be sure they understand what they are applying for.

Reach for Recovery

Reach for Recovery, a program where breast cancer survivors visit with newly diagnosed breast cancer patients to talk to them, answer questions and demonstrate post surgery exercises, is looking for volunteers. The volunteers must go through training, and the next training date is tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The volunteers must have had treatment for breast cancer, be at least one year post-surgery and if applicable, at least three months post-reconstructive surgery. They must also have approval of their physician or surgeon and must not be presently under adjuvant treatment, with exception of hormonal therapy. For more information, call Judy Heredia at 544-4427 ext. 114.

Paintball Championship

The post Paintball Championship will be April 30 at Biggs Paintball Park, at 9 a.m. Team members must be at the site no later than 8:30 a.m. to draw brackets and begin play. Teams will consist of five members who must be from the same unit. For more information, call Jim Reyes at 568-7318.

New earplugs

There are new, improved combat arms earplugs that are double-ended and protect against both the steady noise of machinery and the impulse noise of weapons fire. These allow Soldiers on foot patrol to hear most speech and detect combat sounds. For information, call 568-3407.

National Stuttering Assoc.

The El Paso Chapter of the National Stuttering Association is dedicated to providing a safe friendly atmosphere for those affected by stuttering. Meetings are held every third Monday of the month at 7 p.m. at 109 S. Festival Drive. For information, call 562-4397 or email timchavez@sbcglobal.net.

Well-Being survey

The inspector general requests participation in the Fort Bliss Well-Being Survey. The survey is for the entire Team Bliss – Soldiers, civilian employees and family members. This survey will assist the commanding general in determining areas that need improvement and areas that are doing well. Your feedback is critical. Participate by completing the survey online at https://airdefense.bliss.army.mil/ surveys/ig/wellbeing.htm. For information, call 568-1241.

Chili cook-off

The El Paso Sergeants Major Association is sponsoring an Armed Forces Day Chili Cook-Off May 21. This is a major event and teams are limited. The entry fee is $35 and at least one team member must be a military ID card holder. For more information, call Karen Beaman at 568-8875.

Command briefing and tour

The Rio Grande Chapter of the Silver Caduceus Society will visit the El Paso Intelligence Center for a Command Briefing and tour today at 10 a.m. The event will be followed by a luncheon buffet at the Centennial Club in the Dallas Room in conjunction with a command briefing from Joint Task Force-North. For more information, please call Maj. Todd S. Nicolson at 569-3119.

Vane farewell luncheon

A farewell luncheon will be held May 19 for Liane Vane at the Fort Bliss Officers’ Club from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. All Fort Bliss personnel are welcome to attend. Reservations are accepted by calling 566-4502 if your last name ends in A-M or 585-3293 if it is N-Z. The deadline for reservations is May 16.

Soldier care package

Anyone wishing to send care packages to Soldiers deployed overseas can visit www.anysoldier.com for information.

Relationship course

Sign up now for the free, nine-session Enhancing and Improving Your Relationship course. You will learn key concepts that may enhance communication and increase respect and set your relationship on the road to success. The course will be held Tuesday and Thursday starting May 3 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Bldg. 2494. For information or to sign up for the course, call 568-1132.

SAMC scholarship

The Fort Bliss Sergeant Audie Murphy Club is sponsoring a scholarship fund. Dependents, civilians, active duty military and retirees who need financial assistance to attend college are encouraged to apply. The deadline for the two $2,500 scholarships is May 16. The winner will be announced during the Fort Bliss SAMC induction ceremony in June. If you are interested, go to Army Community Services, William Beaumont, the Post Exchange or the commissary and pick up the guidelines for the scholarship and application, or e-mail bret.rogowitz@ emh10.bliss.army.mil to request a copy of the scholarship packet.

Membership drive

Want to know more about the historical Fort Bliss Officers’ Club? Want to know what you can receive by becoming a valued O’Club member? Looking for a facility to have your next function? Well, come and find out at the Officers’ Club Open House/Mini-Membership Drive, April 16 at 2 p.m. You will be able to tour the facility for possible functions and tables will be set up to speak one-on-one with the manager and special events coordinator. There will also be a sign up table for new membership. All will be accompanied by wine and cheese tasting, music, and your friends from the Fort Bliss Officers’ Club. For information call Lauren at 568-3164.

Health Awareness Fair

There will be a Health Awareness Fair April 30 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Logan Elementary School to raise awareness of important health issues and educate the community about the many services available here. Several health organizations will have booths set up. There will be dental and asthma education presented, as well as presentations on vision, glaucoma, blood pressure, sugar, and cholesterol screenings.

Soldier spotlight

To nominate a hard-working Soldier who is personally accountable and responsible for his or her work and believes that work has intrinsic value, submit a letter with a brief explanation detailing why the Soldier should be recognized. If letters meet the criteria they may be submitted for publication to other local sources.
E-mail letters to dieter.jester@bliss. army.mil or mail them to:

Public Affairs Office
Bldg. 15
Fort Bliss, TX 79916
Include daytime contact information for both yourself and the servicemember you are nominating. For more information, call 568-4320.

Warrant officer selection

If you are interested in becoming a warrant officer, the Office of the Chief of Air Defense Artillery is assisting soldiers in Military Occupation Specialties 14E, 14J, 14R, 14S, 14T, 27X and others in putting together packets in preparation for upcoming warrant officer selection boards. Openings are available for MOS 140A, command and control systems technician, and MOS 140E, patriot system technician. Information on prerequisites and sample packets can be found at www.usarec.army.mil/hq/warrant/. For information, call 568-1300 or 568-6157.

Post-wide yard sale

Fort Bliss hosts the annual Post Wide Yard Sale from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday in all housing units on main post, Biggs, Beaumont, Logan Heights, Hayes and 801 Housing (off Martin Luther King Blvd.). Those who want to participate in the yard sale may simply display their items during the designated times; no formal permission is required. This event is open to the El Paso, Juarez and surrounding communities. All guests entering Fort Bliss property will be required to have a valid driver’s license, proof of insurance, and valid car registration and safety inspection sticker; and will be subject to vehicle search. Note that military police will not allow yard sale shoppers in the housing areas prior to 7 a.m. All Fort Bliss residents are encouraged to participate. For information, call 568-6741.

Tennis club opens

The Fort Bliss Tennis Club and Fitness Zone, Bldg. 262, scheduled to open May 13. The facility, aimed at Soldiers, family members, retirees, and civilians, will offer a five-court tennis club and fitness area with a 20-piece circuit training room. The facility will also have two practice courts. A contracted tennis pro will offer lessons for an additional fee. The workout area will have hydraulic weight machines, cardio equipment and a romper area for small children to play under their parent’s supervision while working out. The facility will have a tiered monthly payment rate ranging from $20 to $35, depending on factors such as rank, additional family members, length of membership and whether the member is using only the Tennis Club or Fitness Zone or both. Those DA/DoD civilians enrolled in the six-month long Fort Bliss Civilian Fitness Program may attend for free. Off-post civilians who become a member of the facility will be issued a special vehicle decal and a membership card for easy on-post entry. The Tennis Club and Fitness Zone will host a grand opening social May 13 at 7 p.m. followed by a tennis scramble tournament May 14. Special promotions will also be conducted the entire month, including drawings for a free week of tennis instruction or week of personal training, and other gift certificates. For information, call 568-6741 or visit www.blissmwr.com.

Pre-K Olympics

MWR Child and Youth Services will host a Pre-Kinder Olympics tomorrow from 3 to 5 p.m. at Biggs Park. The mini-Olympic events are tailored to children ages 3 to 6 and will include competitions such as tricycle races, three legged races, a water balloon toss and piggyback races. Prizes will be given for participation. Children with their parents are cordially invited to attend. A picnic is scheduled to follow the competitions. Admission is free. For additional information, call Elizabeth Bernal at 569-5040.

Mothers Day brunches

The Officers’ Club is having its annual Mother’s Day Brunch May 8, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Breakfast selections will include pancakes, eggs, and crepes, and lunch entrees that make the Officers’ Club famous. The cost is $11.95 for members, children ages 7 to12 are half price, children 6 years and under are free. Nonmembers pay $13.95. Reservations are required so reserve a seat for you and your mother soon by calling 568-7013. The Centennial will also host its annual Mother’s Day Brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Cost is $12.95 for adults. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 562-5969.

Bring your right arm night

A post-wide Bring Your Right Arm Night will be held from 4:30-7:30 p.m. May 20 at the Officers’ Club. The event will include stand-up comedy from New Mexico native Russ Rivas. Attendees will have the opportunity to relax with co-workers and friends and enjoy a delicious tray of hors’ doeuvres, spirits of their choice, and comedy. Door prizes will be given throughout the evening. Bring Your Right Arm Night is open to all Fort Bliss active duty and civilian personnel and give commanders and managers the opportunity to thank those individuals who prove invaluable in the course of every work day. Commanders and managers may invite those individuals to this event as a means of showing their gratitude for all the hard work. Tickets are $6 each and they may be obtained at the Officers’ Club and ITR. For information, call Lauren at 568-3164.

O’Club dinner

In keeping with the traditions for regular O’Club members but adding a new twist for the newer members, the Officers’ Club will host its first ever Wine and Dinner Pairing, June 10 at 6 p.m. The night will include a display of various wines from Blue Teal Vineyards to showcase their exquisite taste. A four course meal will be accompanied by music and candlelight in the historical ballroom. Each meal showcased will have a complementary pairing of wine – bringing out the taste in the food that will be presented. Tickets will be on sale at the beginning of May at the Officers’ Club. Tickets are $20 for members and $25 for nonmembers. For information call 568-3164.

AER test program

Fort Bliss AER office is running a pilot program - The Fort Bliss AER Office is going to do away with the appointment schedule and run a test program for 120 days on a walk in basis. This program is an effort to streamline the AER loan process and to make AER more user friendly and decrease the amount of time the Soldier is away from the unit. Soldiers wanting AER assistance can walk in and pick up a loan application or use forms flow and when they have completed the loan application return it to the AER office with all the required documentation and signatures. This program will run similarly to the commanders referral program in which the loan application is dropped of by 1 p.m. the loan is ready for pick up the same business day, after 1 p.m. the loan is ready the following business day. Emergency leaves still have priority and will always be processed first.

Veterinary services

The Vet Clinic would like to apologize for the confusion over the last couple of weeks in regards to the clinic schedule. Additional veterinarians have been hired and this will allowed for a transition to a schedule which will provide improved service and more convenient access to care.

The new schedule is: Walk-In Wellness clinics (vaccines, microchips, deworming, heartworm and feline leukemia tests) every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and from 1 to 3:30 p.m. If the pet needs to be seen for something other than vaccines, sick call appointments are offered every Tuesday and Thursday — call 569-2266 to schedule an appointment.

The Surgical Service is up and running, offering spay/neuter for your pet. Call the Appointment Line 569-2266 to get more details and to schedule your pet. Lastly, the lobby hours for clearing, pet registration, sale of Heartguard medications and flea and tick preventatives are Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m.

Free practice testing

The U.S. Army General Library Program offers free practice tests for a wide variety of college, graduate school and qualification exams at the online U.S. Army Library Education Resource Center, developed, designed, and hosted by Thomson Peterson. Available at base libraries all over the world through a customized Web site at www.petersons.com /army, the Center also offers information on colleges, graduate school programs, and scholarships, in addition to test preparation.

Service personnel will find online practice tests for the SAT and ACT college admission tests, 10 subject tests for the CLEP exam program for earning early college credit, the GRE graduate school admission test, and the ASVAB, which is familiar to many as the exam used to admit enlistees and place them in the appropriate job. There are three separate full-length practice exams for each available test. Dates include May 7 and June 4. To get access, service personnel and their families should see the base librarian and ask for an activation key code. This code is also the Library Access Code of a particular base library. Test takers are prompted to type in the activation key code when registering for a practice test. Or, they can call 877-433-8277 to speak with a Thomson Peterson’s technical support representative. Access to the tests is free, unlimited, and available 24/7.

The Army Library Education Resource Center also includes downloadable test-preparation handbooks for the DANTES Subject Standardized Test and the various aptitude tests to qualify as a military pilot, including the Army Flight Aptitude Selection Test.

Kids-N-Co.

Kids-N-Co. will present Mary Lynn Dobson’s hysterically funny new take on the legendary hero of Sherwood Forest, directed by Derek K. Niegemann, May 21 through June 12. Performances will be Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Kids-N-Co. Theater, 1301 Texas Street. Tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for children, students, seniors and active military and are available at the door. For information call 820-1794.

Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity is in El Paso and is looking for teens ages 14 and up that are interested in joining Habitat for Humanity from June 20-23 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Teens will earn a certificate from the Habitat of Humanity indicating 32 hours of community service. In addition, teens will earn a leadership/citizenship certificate from SKIESUnlimited.

An orientation and a safety class are mandatory and will be provided by the Habitat for Humanity prior to working on worksite. Safety tools and lunch will be provided by the Habitat for Humanity. For information and sign up, contact Gabriele Johnson at 569-7732.

Storytime at Mickelsen

Mickelsen Community Library hosts Read Me a Story every Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. for children 2- to 5-years-old in the Children’s Room of the library. The library also hosts Family Story Time for 2- to 6-year-olds at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Each session lasts 30 minutes to 1 hour, and parents or guardians must stay with their child throughout the duration. Each week features a new theme and includes some movement, singing, and crafts. Mickelsen Community Library is located in the basement of E-wing, Hinman Hall For information, call 568-6156.

Lock and Leave Storage

Lock and Leave Storage invites all military personnel, their dependents, retirees and other individuals withmilitary ID cards to store their personal goods with us. Moving frequently with PSCs and TDYs, a person can accumulate a lot of stuff. Lock & Leave, your official on-post storage center, offers specials such as Welcome, Buddy and Frequent Renter Coupons. Come visit or call 566-8321 for more information.

Toddler and infant playgroups

The Family Assistance Center conducts toddler and infant playgroups Tuesday’s and Thursday’s of each month. The toddler playgroup ranges from ages 18 1/2 months -3 years of age at the Logan Child Development Center from 10 a.m. to noon. The infant playgroup is offered at the Youthplex every Thursday from 9 to 10 a.m. This is an excellent way to interact with your children and meet other parents within the community. For additional information, contact Esylen Stephens at 568-1132.

Stray pet policy

The Vet Clinic wants to remind everyone about the stray policy on Fort Bliss. Per USAG Regulation 190-4, if a stray is picked up by animal control, it will be held at the Impound Facility at the Vet Clinic for three working days. Strays will be checked for microchips and/or tags when caught. If the owner/sponsor does not appear to claim the animal within three days, it will be either put up for adoption or euthanized. Strays that are seriously injured or ill and appear to be suffering may be euthanized prior to the three days if an owner cannot be located or contacted.

Kids on the Block

The Kids on the Block Puppet shows are available for performances free of charge. The performances cover a variety of topics such as bicycle safety, school safety, vehicle safety, child abuse, bullying, and deployments. Shows can be performed for schools, FRG events/meetings, youth groups, daycare centers, and scout troops. For further information contact Lyn Matsey at 568-1132, or at the Family Assistance Center located at Bldg 2494, on Ricker Road.

Foreign exchange program

Many high school students from around the world are looking for host families from El Paso and Las Cruces. Students from Belgium, Italy, Germany, Asia and South America want to stay here for either an entire school year or for one semester beginning in August. All of the students speak English and have their own spending money and insurance. Host families can claim $50 a month as a deduction with the IRS. Contact the local coordinator at 544-5992 for information

Water management training

Bayjet Inc., a Las Cruces-based company, will be offering a free, one-month Water Resource Management Training course to four or five eligible Soldiers or their spouses. The course will begin June 6 at New Mexico State University and will train students to become certified water technicians, immediately employable for federal, state, county, city and private consultant jobs. Candidates must meet the following requirements to be considered for the training program:

• An endorsement letter from their commanding officer
• A high school diploma or GED
• Plans for higher education or career development
• A brief, one-page statement on reasons for wanting to join the program
• General information on your education and experience
• An application for the training program before May 15
• A signed pledge that you will remain alcohol and substance-free during the program. Students will receive free room, board and tuition. For information, call (505) 526-3353.

IA training

In an effort to protect data from threats, the Army has established a directive requiring all Army-wide computer users to complete information assurance training no later than June 4. You can satisfy your IA training requirement by logging onto the Army e-Learning Program, the G-6’s preferred method for fulfilling this requirement. For information on how to access Army e-Learning for IA training, go to www.us.army.mil, click on “My Education” then the “Army e-Learning” portal page. For information, call (757) 369-2886.

Gate construction nearing end

Construction on the Robert E. Lee and Chaffee gates is going well as construction nears an end. The Robert E. Lee gate, which is primarily used by the general public, is scheduled to open Saturday followed by the Chaffee gate, for tactical and commercial traffic in June.

The new Visitor Control Center at the Robert E. Lee gate will safely and quickly clear visitors and issue identification badges. At the Vehicle Inspection Canopy, the newly configured gate will provide four lanes, two for vehicles selected for random inspections, and the remaining two for traffic allowed to proceed directly to the pass and identification checkpoint, before being allowed to proceed on post.

The Chaffee gate will utilize an existing structure to serve as the Visitor Center that will issue identification badges to those entering the post. This gate will have a more intense inspection due to the commercial traffic that will be using this gate.

Construction has also implemented some new force protection features at both gates such as active barriers that are also known as “pop-up bollards.” The pop-up bollards can be operated manually or by automatic detection of a vehicle approaching at an excessive speed. Installation of stand by generators will ensure power is available at all times.

Resident responsibility signing

The Resident Responsibility Agree-ment, which authorizes residents to live in a specific privatized military home, must be signed by June 30, prior to moving into, or continuing to live in post housing. All current assignments to government quarters will be terminated on that date. Dates have been set for individual neighborhoods. Residents are requested to appear on their scheduled day with their current LES, power of attorney (if applicable) and government issued ID. The schedule for the signing of the RRA at Stayton Theater located at 2495 Ricker Road, will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. is as follows:

Lindquist Heights, George Moore and The 108s - May 16
Logan Heights - May 17
Hayes and North Main Post - M



www.bliss.army.mil	Published for the Fort Bliss/El Paso, Texas Community	April 28, 2005

<map name="boxmap-b4"> <area shape="rect" coords="0, 589, 120, 600" href="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm/privacy-policy.html?o=1" > <area coords="0,0,10000,10000" href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=&creative=92501&camp=8117&link_code=dl1&path=subst/misc/amazon-cobrand-cc/v3/marketing-from-associates-step1.html/ref%3Db1_assoc_29" > </map>	Community Art show There will be a fundraising softball tournament May 14 at 9 a.m. at the Bradley Softball Complex for the Team Bliss varsity softball team. The tournament is open to all unit teams and will be played in double elimination or pool play format, depending on the number of teams entered. The entry fee is $75 per team and the registration fee is due May 13 at noon. For more information, call Joe Fedak at 568-5995. Pat Mora library visit Nationally renowned children’s author Pat Mora will be at the Armijo Branch Library, 620 E. 7th St., tomorrow at 2 p.m. for a special program. The program is free and open to the public. For more information, call 533-1333. Children’s Day transportation Sun Metro will offer free transportation to and from the Dia de los Ninos and Dia de los Libros celebration Saturday at Washington Park. In addition, a free shuttle will run from the County Coliseum and Fox Plaza to the event courtesy of Sunwest Charter and Tours. Free parking will be available at both the Coliseum and Fox Plaza. For more information, call 274-3336. EPAA meeting The El Paso Art Association welcomes all of our members to the general meeting May 8 at 1:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Art Junction, 500 W. Paisano. The guest speaker for the meeting will be the Director of Education at the El Paso Museum of Art, Amy Reed, who will be giving an update on some of the museum’s educational and outreach activities. Leukemia, Lymphoma Society Have you ever wanted to walk or run a full or half marathon, complete a century cycle ride or take on the challenge of a triathlon? You can do this, receiving personalized coaching, while helping the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Join the Las Palmas Lifecare Center May 5 at 6:30 p.m. or at the Eastridge YMCA May 18 at 6:30 p.m. For more information, call 522-5761 or e-mail kkhanson@ zianet.com. DHR/AG closure The Directorate of Human Resources/ Adjutant General will be closed tomorrow at 3 p.m. for fumigation. Their next business day will be May 2. For emergencies, call 568-1310. Law Day celebration Law Day Celebration is May 2, and the theme is “American Jury: We the People in Action.” The Fort Bliss Office of the Staff Judge Advocate will be deploying community service teams to various local schools to discuss juries and their importance to our system of democracy. One of OSJA’s community service teams will instruct any Fort Bliss home-schooled students who wish to participate. Home school instruction will begin May 2 at 9 a.m. in Bldg. 50. For information, call Capt. Autumn Hayes at 568-0740, or visit www.abanet.org/publiced/lawday/home.html. Expectant sibling class The Family Assistance Center is offering an Expectant Sibling class May 18 from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Army Community Services Center, located at 2494 Ricker Rd. This class is to educate parents on how to prevent and reduce sibling rivalry. It also educates children ages 3 to 8 on what to expect from a new baby, and upon completion of the class they will receive a certificate. For more information, call Esylen Stephens at 568-1132. Recycling program To better serve the Fort Bliss community, the Recycle Center will be re-evaluating its current scheduled pick-up route. This is a great opportunity to start a recycling program in your building if you do not already have one. If you would like to be added to the recycle route, submit your request by calling the Recycle Center at 568-1537, no later tomorrow. Those buildings that are already on the route will be advised of any changes in writing. The Recycle Center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call Gilbert Garcia at 568-1537 or stop by the Recycle Center at Bldg. 1336. Financial training Financial Liability Investigation of Property Loss and Hand Receipt training will be held May 11 in the first floor conference room of Bldg. 777 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Reservations may be made by calling 568-5118 or by e-mailing clackc@emh1 0.bliss.army.mil. ADAPTC date changes The Army Substance Abuse Program has changed the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Training Course dates for May. The course was originally scheduled for May 3 and 4, but has been changed to May 10 and 11. For more information, call the Fort Bliss ASAP at 568-1033. Troops to Teachers Military personnel, veterans, spouses and civilian employees who are interested in becoming a teacher are invited to the Troops to Teachers seminar, “The Realities of Becoming a Teacher,” being held May 6 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. in Bldg. 515A, room 107. Meryl Kettler, coordinator of Texas Troops to Teachers, will be the speaker at the event. For more information, call Catherine Narlock at 568-7996. HazMart open for turn-ins The Fort Bliss HazMart turn-in site, Bldg. 2515, will be open Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. to accept items from on-post housing residents as part of Spring Clean-up 2005. Items that will be accepted include used oil, oil filters, batteries, solvents, paints, oven cleaners, antifreeze, brake fluid, toilet bowl cleaners, pool chemicals, degreasers, drain cleaners, dry cleaning material, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizer, charcoal, rust removers and furniture polish. Items not accepted include explosives, ammunition, radioactive waste, business-generated waste, commercial hazardous waste, biomedical waste, non-hazardous waste and used tires. For more information, call 568-0317. AFTB Golf Tournament The 10th Annual Army Family Team Building Golf Tournament will be held May 13 at the Underwood Golf Course. The cost to play is $30 for DoD ID cardholders and $40 for civilians. Registration forms for the event can be picked up at the Army Community Service building. For more information, call 568-2672 or 568-2382. Health and Fitness Expo A Health and Fitness Expo will be held May 14 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at EP Fitness, located at 1224 Wedgewood. Admission is free. Individuals interested in vendor space, or to register for any of the competitions, call 534-9090 Ext: 33 or 46. FCC applicant training The Family Child Care program of Child and Youth Services is conducting applicant training for potential FCC providers May 9 through 13 at the Logan Child Development Center, Bldg. 3500. May 17, the New Orientation Class begins for transferring providers from any military installation at the same location. The classes start at 8 a.m. each morning. For more information, call 568-4198. Consumer complaints The Army Community Service Financial Readiness program has partnered with the El Paso Better Business Bureau to provide a streamlined consumer complaint resolution process and to better track trends in the community. The BBB will provide a representative at ACS every Tuesday and Thursday from 2 to 4 p.m. They will offer a class beginning at 2 p.m. on complaint issues specific to El Paso or that are of top concern in the United States. After each class, they will be available for questions, concerns or to file formal complaints. Clients can still come in Monday through Friday to file a compliant against a company with the Consumer Affairs Office at ACS. Art show The art show “Expressions Within the Self” will be held May 2 through 31 at Café West, located at 7933 N. Mesa St. The displays will be open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily and the opening presentation will be May 6 at 8 p.m. Experience a visual journey of emotions within the self by artist June Smith. Pharmacy search tool TRICARE announces the new pharmacy Formulary Search Tool, which allows beneficiaries to find medication-specific information using either a drug name or a medical condition. The Formulary Search Tool can be accessed through the TRICARE Pharmacy Web site at www.tricareformularysearch.org. Youth football Westside Youth Football is a new youth football team. They are now registering players from 8 to 11 years old. The cost is $50 to register and the season begins in July and ends in November. For more detailed information, call Tito Faulks at 584-0879 or Adrian Cerceres at 877-9928. Polk book published World War II Letters and Notes of Col. James H. Polk has been published and is now available at Amazon.com. It gives a firsthand and very personal account of the campaign to defeat Nazi Germany through the unique perspective of Polk’s loving letters to his wife, Josephine. The book can be ordered through Amazon.com or directly from the publisher, Red Anvil Books. For more information please call (800) 431-1579. The cost is $19.95 plus shipping. PAO internship Anyone interested in competing to become a DA central Public Affairs intern should submit their resume electronically to donovjf@hqda.army.mil or by facsimile to (703) 697-2792 with their undergraduate collegiate transcript. If you have not yet graduated, you should send your transcript to date. Submit copies of college transcripts or a list of college courses taken that identify for each course the college or university, semester or quarter hours earned, grade and grade point received. Copies of transcripts are acceptable. Original transcripts are not required. Please do not submit anything by surface mail. Deadline for submission of these documents is May 13. The selection process this year will occur under the authority of the Federal Career Intern Program. To be considered, candidates must have at least a grade point average of 2.95 in all their undergraduate courses, or provide evidence from the college that they were in the top one-third of their graduating class. It will take about a month to review and screen applications. Eventually, about 30 finalists will be identified and interviewed in June, and 14 to 20 of them selected. Selections will probably not be announced until early July. Interested parties should also check the Web site at www.army.mil/internship to be sure they understand what they are applying for. Reach for Recovery Reach for Recovery, a program where breast cancer survivors visit with newly diagnosed breast cancer patients to talk to them, answer questions and demonstrate post surgery exercises, is looking for volunteers. The volunteers must go through training, and the next training date is tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The volunteers must have had treatment for breast cancer, be at least one year post-surgery and if applicable, at least three months post-reconstructive surgery. They must also have approval of their physician or surgeon and must not be presently under adjuvant treatment, with exception of hormonal therapy. For more information, call Judy Heredia at 544-4427 ext. 114. Paintball Championship The post Paintball Championship will be April 30 at Biggs Paintball Park, at 9 a.m. Team members must be at the site no later than 8:30 a.m. to draw brackets and begin play. Teams will consist of five members who must be from the same unit. For more information, call Jim Reyes at 568-7318. New earplugs There are new, improved combat arms earplugs that are double-ended and protect against both the steady noise of machinery and the impulse noise of weapons fire. These allow Soldiers on foot patrol to hear most speech and detect combat sounds. For information, call 568-3407. National Stuttering Assoc. The El Paso Chapter of the National Stuttering Association is dedicated to providing a safe friendly atmosphere for those affected by stuttering. Meetings are held every third Monday of the month at 7 p.m. at 109 S. Festival Drive. For information, call 562-4397 or email timchavez@sbcglobal.net. Well-Being survey The inspector general requests participation in the Fort Bliss Well-Being Survey. The survey is for the entire Team Bliss – Soldiers, civilian employees and family members. This survey will assist the commanding general in determining areas that need improvement and areas that are doing well. Your feedback is critical. Participate by completing the survey online at https://airdefense.bliss.army.mil/ surveys/ig/wellbeing.htm. For information, call 568-1241. Chili cook-off The El Paso Sergeants Major Association is sponsoring an Armed Forces Day Chili Cook-Off May 21. This is a major event and teams are limited. The entry fee is $35 and at least one team member must be a military ID card holder. For more information, call Karen Beaman at 568-8875. Command briefing and tour The Rio Grande Chapter of the Silver Caduceus Society will visit the El Paso Intelligence Center for a Command Briefing and tour today at 10 a.m. The event will be followed by a luncheon buffet at the Centennial Club in the Dallas Room in conjunction with a command briefing from Joint Task Force-North. For more information, please call Maj. Todd S. Nicolson at 569-3119. Vane farewell luncheon A farewell luncheon will be held May 19 for Liane Vane at the Fort Bliss Officers’ Club from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. All Fort Bliss personnel are welcome to attend. Reservations are accepted by calling 566-4502 if your last name ends in A-M or 585-3293 if it is N-Z. The deadline for reservations is May 16. Soldier care package Anyone wishing to send care packages to Soldiers deployed overseas can visit www.anysoldier.com for information. Relationship course Sign up now for the free, nine-session Enhancing and Improving Your Relationship course. You will learn key concepts that may enhance communication and increase respect and set your relationship on the road to success. The course will be held Tuesday and Thursday starting May 3 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Bldg. 2494. For information or to sign up for the course, call 568-1132. SAMC scholarship The Fort Bliss Sergeant Audie Murphy Club is sponsoring a scholarship fund. Dependents, civilians, active duty military and retirees who need financial assistance to attend college are encouraged to apply. The deadline for the two $2,500 scholarships is May 16. The winner will be announced during the Fort Bliss SAMC induction ceremony in June. If you are interested, go to Army Community Services, William Beaumont, the Post Exchange or the commissary and pick up the guidelines for the scholarship and application, or e-mail bret.rogowitz@ emh10.bliss.army.mil to request a copy of the scholarship packet. Membership drive Want to know more about the historical Fort Bliss Officers’ Club? Want to know what you can receive by becoming a valued O’Club member? Looking for a facility to have your next function? Well, come and find out at the Officers’ Club Open House/Mini-Membership Drive, April 16 at 2 p.m. You will be able to tour the facility for possible functions and tables will be set up to speak one-on-one with the manager and special events coordinator. There will also be a sign up table for new membership. All will be accompanied by wine and cheese tasting, music, and your friends from the Fort Bliss Officers’ Club. For information call Lauren at 568-3164. Health Awareness Fair There will be a Health Awareness Fair April 30 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Logan Elementary School to raise awareness of important health issues and educate the community about the many services available here. Several health organizations will have booths set up. There will be dental and asthma education presented, as well as presentations on vision, glaucoma, blood pressure, sugar, and cholesterol screenings. Soldier spotlight To nominate a hard-working Soldier who is personally accountable and responsible for his or her work and believes that work has intrinsic value, submit a letter with a brief explanation detailing why the Soldier should be recognized. If letters meet the criteria they may be submitted for publication to other local sources. E-mail letters to dieter.jester@bliss. army.mil or mail them to: Public Affairs Office Bldg. 15 Fort Bliss, TX 79916 Include daytime contact information for both yourself and the servicemember you are nominating. For more information, call 568-4320. Warrant officer selection If you are interested in becoming a warrant officer, the Office of the Chief of Air Defense Artillery is assisting soldiers in Military Occupation Specialties 14E, 14J, 14R, 14S, 14T, 27X and others in putting together packets in preparation for upcoming warrant officer selection boards. Openings are available for MOS 140A, command and control systems technician, and MOS 140E, patriot system technician. Information on prerequisites and sample packets can be found at www.usarec.army.mil/hq/warrant/. For information, call 568-1300 or 568-6157. Post-wide yard sale Fort Bliss hosts the annual Post Wide Yard Sale from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday in all housing units on main post, Biggs, Beaumont, Logan Heights, Hayes and 801 Housing (off Martin Luther King Blvd.). Those who want to participate in the yard sale may simply display their items during the designated times; no formal permission is required. This event is open to the El Paso, Juarez and surrounding communities. All guests entering Fort Bliss property will be required to have a valid driver’s license, proof of insurance, and valid car registration and safety inspection sticker; and will be subject to vehicle search. Note that military police will not allow yard sale shoppers in the housing areas prior to 7 a.m. All Fort Bliss residents are encouraged to participate. For information, call 568-6741. Tennis club opens The Fort Bliss Tennis Club and Fitness Zone, Bldg. 262, scheduled to open May 13. The facility, aimed at Soldiers, family members, retirees, and civilians, will offer a five-court tennis club and fitness area with a 20-piece circuit training room. The facility will also have two practice courts. A contracted tennis pro will offer lessons for an additional fee. The workout area will have hydraulic weight machines, cardio equipment and a romper area for small children to play under their parent’s supervision while working out. The facility will have a tiered monthly payment rate ranging from $20 to $35, depending on factors such as rank, additional family members, length of membership and whether the member is using only the Tennis Club or Fitness Zone or both. Those DA/DoD civilians enrolled in the six-month long Fort Bliss Civilian Fitness Program may attend for free. Off-post civilians who become a member of the facility will be issued a special vehicle decal and a membership card for easy on-post entry. The Tennis Club and Fitness Zone will host a grand opening social May 13 at 7 p.m. followed by a tennis scramble tournament May 14. Special promotions will also be conducted the entire month, including drawings for a free week of tennis instruction or week of personal training, and other gift certificates. For information, call 568-6741 or visit www.blissmwr.com. Pre-K Olympics MWR Child and Youth Services will host a Pre-Kinder Olympics tomorrow from 3 to 5 p.m. at Biggs Park. The mini-Olympic events are tailored to children ages 3 to 6 and will include competitions such as tricycle races, three legged races, a water balloon toss and piggyback races. Prizes will be given for participation. Children with their parents are cordially invited to attend. A picnic is scheduled to follow the competitions. Admission is free. For additional information, call Elizabeth Bernal at 569-5040. Mothers Day brunches The Officers’ Club is having its annual Mother’s Day Brunch May 8, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Breakfast selections will include pancakes, eggs, and crepes, and lunch entrees that make the Officers’ Club famous. The cost is $11.95 for members, children ages 7 to12 are half price, children 6 years and under are free. Nonmembers pay $13.95. Reservations are required so reserve a seat for you and your mother soon by calling 568-7013. The Centennial will also host its annual Mother’s Day Brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Cost is $12.95 for adults. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 562-5969. Bring your right arm night A post-wide Bring Your Right Arm Night will be held from 4:30-7:30 p.m. May 20 at the Officers’ Club. The event will include stand-up comedy from New Mexico native Russ Rivas. Attendees will have the opportunity to relax with co-workers and friends and enjoy a delicious tray of hors’ doeuvres, spirits of their choice, and comedy. Door prizes will be given throughout the evening. Bring Your Right Arm Night is open to all Fort Bliss active duty and civilian personnel and give commanders and managers the opportunity to thank those individuals who prove invaluable in the course of every work day. Commanders and managers may invite those individuals to this event as a means of showing their gratitude for all the hard work. Tickets are $6 each and they may be obtained at the Officers’ Club and ITR. For information, call Lauren at 568-3164. O’Club dinner In keeping with the traditions for regular O’Club members but adding a new twist for the newer members, the Officers’ Club will host its first ever Wine and Dinner Pairing, June 10 at 6 p.m. The night will include a display of various wines from Blue Teal Vineyards to showcase their exquisite taste. A four course meal will be accompanied by music and candlelight in the historical ballroom. Each meal showcased will have a complementary pairing of wine – bringing out the taste in the food that will be presented. Tickets will be on sale at the beginning of May at the Officers’ Club. Tickets are $20 for members and $25 for nonmembers. For information call 568-3164. AER test program Fort Bliss AER office is running a pilot program - The Fort Bliss AER Office is going to do away with the appointment schedule and run a test program for 120 days on a walk in basis. This program is an effort to streamline the AER loan process and to make AER more user friendly and decrease the amount of time the Soldier is away from the unit. Soldiers wanting AER assistance can walk in and pick up a loan application or use forms flow and when they have completed the loan application return it to the AER office with all the required documentation and signatures. This program will run similarly to the commanders referral program in which the loan application is dropped of by 1 p.m. the loan is ready for pick up the same business day, after 1 p.m. the loan is ready the following business day. Emergency leaves still have priority and will always be processed first. Veterinary services The Vet Clinic would like to apologize for the confusion over the last couple of weeks in regards to the clinic schedule. Additional veterinarians have been hired and this will allowed for a transition to a schedule which will provide improved service and more convenient access to care. The new schedule is: Walk-In Wellness clinics (vaccines, microchips, deworming, heartworm and feline leukemia tests) every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and from 1 to 3:30 p.m. If the pet needs to be seen for something other than vaccines, sick call appointments are offered every Tuesday and Thursday — call 569-2266 to schedule an appointment. The Surgical Service is up and running, offering spay/neuter for your pet. Call the Appointment Line 569-2266 to get more details and to schedule your pet. Lastly, the lobby hours for clearing, pet registration, sale of Heartguard medications and flea and tick preventatives are Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. Free practice testing The U.S. Army General Library Program offers free practice tests for a wide variety of college, graduate school and qualification exams at the online U.S. Army Library Education Resource Center, developed, designed, and hosted by Thomson Peterson. Available at base libraries all over the world through a customized Web site at www.petersons.com /army, the Center also offers information on colleges, graduate school programs, and scholarships, in addition to test preparation. Service personnel will find online practice tests for the SAT and ACT college admission tests, 10 subject tests for the CLEP exam program for earning early college credit, the GRE graduate school admission test, and the ASVAB, which is familiar to many as the exam used to admit enlistees and place them in the appropriate job. There are three separate full-length practice exams for each available test. Dates include May 7 and June 4. To get access, service personnel and their families should see the base librarian and ask for an activation key code. This code is also the Library Access Code of a particular base library. Test takers are prompted to type in the activation key code when registering for a practice test. Or, they can call 877-433-8277 to speak with a Thomson Peterson’s technical support representative. Access to the tests is free, unlimited, and available 24/7. The Army Library Education Resource Center also includes downloadable test-preparation handbooks for the DANTES Subject Standardized Test and the various aptitude tests to qualify as a military pilot, including the Army Flight Aptitude Selection Test. Kids-N-Co. Kids-N-Co. will present Mary Lynn Dobson’s hysterically funny new take on the legendary hero of Sherwood Forest, directed by Derek K. Niegemann, May 21 through June 12. Performances will be Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Kids-N-Co. Theater, 1301 Texas Street. Tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for children, students, seniors and active military and are available at the door. For information call 820-1794. Habitat for Humanity Habitat for Humanity is in El Paso and is looking for teens ages 14 and up that are interested in joining Habitat for Humanity from June 20-23 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Teens will earn a certificate from the Habitat of Humanity indicating 32 hours of community service. In addition, teens will earn a leadership/citizenship certificate from SKIESUnlimited. An orientation and a safety class are mandatory and will be provided by the Habitat for Humanity prior to working on worksite. Safety tools and lunch will be provided by the Habitat for Humanity. For information and sign up, contact Gabriele Johnson at 569-7732. Storytime at Mickelsen Mickelsen Community Library hosts Read Me a Story every Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. for children 2- to 5-years-old in the Children’s Room of the library. The library also hosts Family Story Time for 2- to 6-year-olds at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Each session lasts 30 minutes to 1 hour, and parents or guardians must stay with their child throughout the duration. Each week features a new theme and includes some movement, singing, and crafts. Mickelsen Community Library is located in the basement of E-wing, Hinman Hall For information, call 568-6156. Lock and Leave Storage Lock and Leave Storage invites all military personnel, their dependents, retirees and other individuals withmilitary ID cards to store their personal goods with us. Moving frequently with PSCs and TDYs, a person can accumulate a lot of stuff. Lock & Leave, your official on-post storage center, offers specials such as Welcome, Buddy and Frequent Renter Coupons. Come visit or call 566-8321 for more information. Toddler and infant playgroups The Family Assistance Center conducts toddler and infant playgroups Tuesday’s and Thursday’s of each month. The toddler playgroup ranges from ages 18 1/2 months -3 years of age at the Logan Child Development Center from 10 a.m. to noon. The infant playgroup is offered at the Youthplex every Thursday from 9 to 10 a.m. This is an excellent way to interact with your children and meet other parents within the community. For additional information, contact Esylen Stephens at 568-1132. Stray pet policy The Vet Clinic wants to remind everyone about the stray policy on Fort Bliss. Per USAG Regulation 190-4, if a stray is picked up by animal control, it will be held at the Impound Facility at the Vet Clinic for three working days. Strays will be checked for microchips and/or tags when caught. If the owner/sponsor does not appear to claim the animal within three days, it will be either put up for adoption or euthanized. Strays that are seriously injured or ill and appear to be suffering may be euthanized prior to the three days if an owner cannot be located or contacted. Kids on the Block The Kids on the Block Puppet shows are available for performances free of charge. The performances cover a variety of topics such as bicycle safety, school safety, vehicle safety, child abuse, bullying, and deployments. Shows can be performed for schools, FRG events/meetings, youth groups, daycare centers, and scout troops. For further information contact Lyn Matsey at 568-1132, or at the Family Assistance Center located at Bldg 2494, on Ricker Road. Foreign exchange program Many high school students from around the world are looking for host families from El Paso and Las Cruces. Students from Belgium, Italy, Germany, Asia and South America want to stay here for either an entire school year or for one semester beginning in August. All of the students speak English and have their own spending money and insurance. Host families can claim $50 a month as a deduction with the IRS. Contact the local coordinator at 544-5992 for information Water management training Bayjet Inc., a Las Cruces-based company, will be offering a free, one-month Water Resource Management Training course to four or five eligible Soldiers or their spouses. The course will begin June 6 at New Mexico State University and will train students to become certified water technicians, immediately employable for federal, state, county, city and private consultant jobs. Candidates must meet the following requirements to be considered for the training program: • An endorsement letter from their commanding officer • A high school diploma or GED • Plans for higher education or career development • A brief, one-page statement on reasons for wanting to join the program • General information on your education and experience • An application for the training program before May 15 • A signed pledge that you will remain alcohol and substance-free during the program. Students will receive free room, board and tuition. For information, call (505) 526-3353. IA training In an effort to protect data from threats, the Army has established a directive requiring all Army-wide computer users to complete information assurance training no later than June 4. You can satisfy your IA training requirement by logging onto the Army e-Learning Program, the G-6’s preferred method for fulfilling this requirement. For information on how to access Army e-Learning for IA training, go to www.us.army.mil, click on “My Education” then the “Army e-Learning” portal page. For information, call (757) 369-2886. Gate construction nearing end Construction on the Robert E. Lee and Chaffee gates is going well as construction nears an end. The Robert E. Lee gate, which is primarily used by the general public, is scheduled to open Saturday followed by the Chaffee gate, for tactical and commercial traffic in June. The new Visitor Control Center at the Robert E. Lee gate will safely and quickly clear visitors and issue identification badges. At the Vehicle Inspection Canopy, the newly configured gate will provide four lanes, two for vehicles selected for random inspections, and the remaining two for traffic allowed to proceed directly to the pass and identification checkpoint, before being allowed to proceed on post. The Chaffee gate will utilize an existing structure to serve as the Visitor Center that will issue identification badges to those entering the post. This gate will have a more intense inspection due to the commercial traffic that will be using this gate. Construction has also implemented some new force protection features at both gates such as active barriers that are also known as “pop-up bollards.” The pop-up bollards can be operated manually or by automatic detection of a vehicle approaching at an excessive speed. Installation of stand by generators will ensure power is available at all times. Resident responsibility signing The Resident Responsibility Agree-ment, which authorizes residents to live in a specific privatized military home, must be signed by June 30, prior to moving into, or continuing to live in post housing. All current assignments to government quarters will be terminated on that date. Dates have been set for individual neighborhoods. Residents are requested to appear on their scheduled day with their current LES, power of attorney (if applicable) and government issued ID. The schedule for the signing of the RRA at Stayton Theater located at 2495 Ricker Road, will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. is as follows: Lindquist Heights, George Moore and The 108s - May 16 Logan Heights - May 17 Hayes and North Main Post - M