Thursday, March 29, 2018 Volume 11, Issue 12 Published for members of the SHAPE/Chièvres, Brussels and Schinnen communities Benelux News Briefs American Festival The city of Chièvres and USAG Benelux are co-organizing the American Festival on June 16 and 17. The organizers are looking for American vendors who are interested in selling food, drinks, clothes, accessories or other products. To find out more about how to manage a booth, call the Public Affairs Office at DSN 361-5694 or +32 (0)68-275694. Motorcycle Course The next Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic Rider Course 2 (MSF BRC II training) will be held in Schinnen on April 11 and May 3. The training is for service members only. If you want to sign-up, contact the Benelux Safety Office in Schinnen at DSN 360-7242 or +31 (0)46-4437242. Easter Observed The U.S. Army Garrison Benelux Religious Support Office is conducting services for Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter. Visit the USAG Benelux website at http://www.usagbenelux.eur. army.mil/org-rso.html for the full schedule. Table of Contents Families celebrate the beginning of springtime News..............................2-6 A little boy opens eggs he grabbed during the egg hunt to see what treats are inside during Child, Youth Inside the Gate.............7-10 and School Services’ Eggstravaganza event March 24 on Chièvres Air Base, Belgium. The event was an opportunity for the U.S. Army Garrison Benelux and SHAPE communities to celebrate the beginning of Outside the Gate..........11-14 springtime and Easter. (U.S. Army photo by Jessica Ryan) See Page 6 March 29, 2018 Don’t hesitate to report suspicious activity By U.S. Army Garrison Benelux Antiterrorism Office The U.S. Army Garrison Benelux Antiterrorism Office is before you go, check the U.S. State Department website, asking you to assist our security professionals across the EuroNews channel, local channels, and official news sources Benelux in extending your eyes and ears to report incidents to educate yourself and your family. which might precede terrorist attack preparation or in-the- DON'T HESITATE act of target surveillance. Please report suspicious activity when you see it. Most Anyone reading or watching the news has heard the importantly, don’t hesitate! Report suspicious activity to stories of how worldwide intelligence leaders are concerned the U.S. Military Police Desk at your location: about the potential for an increase in terrorist activity here • Brussels: DSN 368-9769 or +32 (0)2-7179796. in Western Europe. • Chièvres Air Base: DSN 361-5301 or +32 (0)68-275301. Pay attention to events such as Easter celebrations, • JFC Brunssum: DSN 606-244-2616/3200 or spring festivals, May Day and other events which traditionally +31(0)45- 526-2616/3200. can result in protests throughout Europe. • Schinnen: DSN 360-7555 or +31(0)464-437555. Be mindful especially of May 1, which is observed as • SHAPE: DSN 423-3343 or +32(0)65-443343. Labor Day in Belgium and the Netherlands. Although not If you observe suspicious activity in your community, report specifically directed at U.S. personnel, many large cities can it to the nearest police agency by calling 112 (emergency and will have marches and demonstrations on or around call number in Europe). Labor Day. For questions or concerns regarding the Antiterrorism If in the vicinity of one of these events, use common Program, call DSN 361-6290 (Belgium) or DSN 360-7313 sense. Stay away from the area of the protest, research (Netherlands).u Courtesy graphic of U.S. Army. To submit or subscribe, email [email protected] The Gazette is an unofficial publication published under the provisions of AR 360-1 for members of the Commander....................Col. Kurt Connell Department of Defense. Contents of The Gazette are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, Department of the Army or the USAG Benelux. The Gazette is a free weekly publication Public Affairs Officer.....Marie-Lise Baneton distributed via email every Thursday, except when that day is an American, Belgian or Dutch Holiday, then The Gazette is published on Wednesday. The editorial content of this publication is prepared, edited, provided, Editor.............................Christophe Morel approved and published by the USAG Benelux Public Affairs Office, Unit 21419, APO AE 09708. Telephone (0032) 068-275419/DSN 361-5419. Everything advertised in this publication will be made available for purchase, Staff Writers..................Rita Hoefnagels use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, Clarisse Peche political affiliation or any other non-merit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. If a violation or rejection of this Julie Piron equal opportunity policy by an advertiser is confirmed, the publisher will refuse to print advertising from that Jessica Ryan source until the violation is corrected. The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or Chloe Van Nieuwenhove supplements, does not constitute endorsement of the products or services advertised by the U.S. Army. Submit content or story ideas to [email protected] by Monday at 3 p.m. [2] March 29, 2018 Young Lives, BIG Stories Contest calls for submissions in April By Jessica Ryan USAG Benelux Public Affairs retirement services officer at U.S. Army Garrison Benelux in Schinnen, was the overall contest winner. Her essay about how growing up in a military environment captured the remarkable impression it has on her life. Ronald served in the U.S. Army for 34 years and retired as a sergeant major. During his military career, his family experienced a global adventure as they lived overseas. “In short, life as Courtesy graphic of U.S. Army. a ‘military brat’ has April is Month of the Military Child, and U.S. Army proved a truly worldly experience,” she wrote in her essay. Installation Management Command’s G9 Family and Morale, “As such, the hardest question a military child has to answer Welfare and Recreation is recognizing the brave hearts is ‘where are you from?’; I’ve made home wherever the Army and resilient souls of Army youth by sends us. Where am I not from?” conducting its annual Young Lives, Amanda graduated from the BIG Stories Contest from April 1 to 30. AFNORTH International School on The contest gives U.S. Army children Joint Force Command Brunssum, The an opportunity to tell their stories for Netherlands, last year, where she a chance to win prizes. participated in the Junior Reserve The contest is open to children of Officers’ Training Corps program and U.S. active-duty Soldiers, Army National camps. She is currently attending Guardsmen, Army reservists, military the U.S. Military Academy in West spouses or Army retirees. Children are Point, New York, and is studying asked to submit entries which answer environmental engineering. the question: What does it mean to “As a military child, I feel be a military child? my upbringing has prepared me for Children age 3 to third grade can anything and everything. Leaving submit drawings, and children in fourth high school and my home overseas, to twelfth grade can submit written I’m ready to take on the world,” she entries. wrote in her essay. Entries must be submitted online Amanda’s essay, along with or by mail by 11:59 p.m. U.S. Central the other winning entries in the 2017 Standard Time on April 30. More Young Lives, BIG Stories Contest, information, such as rules and entry are on the official contest website. submission, is on the official contest Family and MWR will host website at www.armymwr.com/momc. Amanda Macauley, overall winner in the 2017 "Young Lives, Big Stories Contest", shows her pride depicting her journey special events in observance of In 2017, Amanda Macauley, from Junior ROTC, through graduation and acceptance at the Month of the Military Child. For more daughter of Ronald Macauley, Central U.S. Military Academy at West Point. (Photo courtesy of the information, go to www.benelux. Processing Facility coordinator and Macauley family) armymwr.com. u [3] March 29, 2018 How to get a driver’s license in Belgium By Jessica Ryan USAG Benelux Public Affairs their certificate to the Registration Office (SHAPE Bldg. 210) where they are issued a SHAPE driver’s license. Contrary to popular belief, the SHAPE driver’s license is only valid in Belgium. “The SHAPE driver’s license is a transcription of your stateside license,” said Deprez. According to Deprez, people should still carry their U.S. driver’s license along with their SHAPE driver’s license at all times. If they are stopped by the police, they should show both licenses in order to avoid possible language barriers. Since the SHAPE driver’s license is only valid in Belgium, people who want to drive in other European countries must The driving age in Belgium is 18 and older. (Courtesy photo) obtain either a Belgian driver’s license or international Arriving to a new country means getting the proper driver’s license. To clarify, the licenses are not the same identification cards. One of the necessary ID cards is, of so the names are not interchangeable. course, a driver’s license. One must carry a valid European Getting a Belgian driver’s license (Belgian Protocol ID driver’s license when driving in Belgium and other European cardholders) countries, and getting one is a multi-step process for U.S. Despite the name, the Belgian driver’s license is valid personnel. in all countries in Europe. To get a Belgian driver’s license, U.S.