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www.APGNews.comTHURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018 Vol. 62, No. 3 inside BRIDGE AWARD Soldiers and veterans can submit an original,play to the Arts in the Armed Armed Forces contest for a chance to win the $10,000 Bridge Award. AITAF | A2 KUSAHC Kirk U.S. Army Health Clinic hosts a town hall explaining the TRICARE changes that went into effect Jan. 1, 2018. TRICARE | A3 ALL THINGS MARYLAND The historic Hosanna School Museum in Darlington, Maryland APG NEWS FILE PHOTO provides a glimpse of Black History in Harford County. Shadow or no shadow, groundhogs signal Spring at APG Hosanna | A5 Arguably the country's mostfamous groundhog,Punxsutawney Phil, will come out of his hole tomorrow,Feb. 2, in nearbyPennsylvania. If he sees his shadow, tradition says there will be six more weeks of winter; no shadow, and we’re in for an early spring. Whether or not you’ve seen their shadow, you’ve definitely seen a groundhog or two (or more) scurry across a grass field at APG. Though APG resident groundhogs likely won’t awake from hibernation until later this month, they still point toward Spring’s arrival in Maryland. Groundhogs newsbrief have called the land at APG home longer than the U.S. Army -- likely infuriating the farmers who cultivated fields here before1917. They even made quite a name for themselves; before the APG News, the post newspaper was called the Aberdeen Proving Groundhog! Today, they continue to enjoy the large swaths of grass fields across the proving ground, providing them ample habitat. That habitat also provides DOD them plenty of food sources, so APG personnel are reminded to never feed wildlife. STUDYING WEARABLE Installation honors retirees DEVICES DEFENSE MEDIA By Yvonne Johnson ACTIVITY APG News Defense Department One noncommissioned officer and three officials are studying security government civilians with more than 141 years issues raised by physical of combined service were hailed for their conditioning trackers that also sacrifices to the nations during the installation can be used to track service retirement ceremony at the post theater Jan. members’ whereabouts, 25. according to a Pentagon The commanding general of the U.S. Army spokesman. Research, Development and Engineering The Defense Department Command, RDECOM, Maj. Gen. Cedric Wins urges service members and presided over the ceremony and presented DOD civilians with wearable awards, assisted by RDECOM Command Sgt. electronic devices to use the Maj. Frank Gutierrez. The honorees included strictest privacy setting. Steven J. Signoretti of the Communications- Officials made the suggestion Electronics Command, or CECOM; Ruth E. after publication of a “heat Badstibner, also of CECOM; and civilian map” showing concentration Melvin M. Spence and Sgt. 1st Class Ophelia of U.S military personnel Sheppard of the 20th CBRNE Command. overseas. Wins hailed the sacrifices of the retirees and “We take these matters their family members and called the opportu- seriously, and we are reviewing nity to recognize the service of retirees, the situation to determine if “special.” any additional training or “This is an opportunity to come together to guidance is required,” said collectively share our stories,” he said. “I think Army Col. Robert Manning III it shouldn’t be lost on anyone in this audience U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY LAMONT HARBISON, APG GARRISON during a Pentagon news the amount of sacrifice these retires gave to conference. this country. Retirees and family members, from left, Melvin Spence and his wife, Mary Spence (not shown), “The rapid development of “Onbehalf of Aberdeen Proving Ground,”he Steven Signoretti and his mother Agatha Signoretti; Sgt. 1st Class Ophelia Sheppard and her technology requires the rapid told the retirees, “I wish you the very best in sister Carolina Sheppard; and Ruth Badstibner and her husband John, stand for the Army Song refinement of policy and See RETIRE, page A7 at the conclusion of the Installation Retirement Ceremony at the post theater Jan. 25, 2018. procedures to enhance force protection and operational security,” Manning said. “DOD personnel are advised to place strict privacy settings on APG researchers exonerate tick wireless technologies and applications.” “Furthermore, operational security requirements provide thought to transmit Lyme further guidance for military personnel supporting operations around the world,” 30 years. he said. “The heat map Army Public Health The research was led by now-retired U.S. incident re-emphasizes the Army Public Health Center (APHC) ento- need for service members to Center determines mologist Ellen Stromdahl, who managed the be cautious about what data APHC Tick-Borne Disease Laboratory and to share via wearable Lyme disease is not U.S. Department of Defense Human Tick Test electronic devices” Program, based at Aberdeen Proving Ground. Manning didn’t say what among illness-causing One of the co-authors of the review was the department will do about biologist Robyn Nadolny, Ph.D., who is the the issue. bacteria spread by lone current APHC Tick-Borne Disease Lab pro- gram coordinator and lead for the DoD-wide star tick tick testing program. online “Exposure to ticks is an occupational health APG News Staff Report risk for military personnel training in the field, and to civilians and families who work and live Research from leading scientists, including COURTESY PHOTO on military installations,” Stromdahl said, www.APGNews.com an entomologist and a biologist with the U.S. U.S. Army Public Health Center-led research explaining the study’s direct ties to Army Army Public Health Center at APG, has has determined that whiile the lone star tick readiness. “The lone star tick is extremely twitter.com/ determined that not all ticks are alike— does carry illness-causing bacteria; Lyme abundant on military installations in the South USAGAPG particularly when it comes to their role in disease is not one of them. and Mid-Atlantic: more than two-thirds of all spreading Lyme disease. the ticks received by the DOD Human Tick facebook.com/ The bacteria that cause Lyme disease are latter should be exonerated. Though lone star Test Kit Program are lone star ticks. These APGMd transmitted to humans primarily by the ticks do transmit bacteria that cause several ticks are often so numerous that people who blacklegged tick (also known as the deer tick), human illnesses, the scientific evidence says encounter them can be bitten by two, three or flickr.com/photos/ which is abundant in the eastern U.S. Often Lyme disease is not one of them. more at the same time.” usagapg/ presumed guilty by association is the lone star In an article published this week in the Stromdahl, Nadolny and the other co- tick, a southern tick species that has spread Journal of Medical Entomology, a group of tick authors dug through research that encom- northward in recent decades. researchers argue that the lone star tick plays passed tests on more than 52,000 lone star However, a new review of three decades’ no role in the spread of Lyme disease. This ticks from 22 states by more than 35 research worth of research – led by U.S. Army Public conclusion is based on a comprehensive groups. According to the researchers, those Health Center researchers – concludes the review of more than 60 published articles over See TICK, page A7 index By The Numbers | A6 All Things Maryland | A5 Mark Yo ur Calendar | A8 MWR Events | A8 A2 APG News • Thursday, February 1, 2018 Playwriting award offers shot at $10,000 for active-duty, vets What’s your Arts in the Armed Forces opmental resources, helping to facilitate a favorite part of deeper understanding and more active Active-duty service members and veter- dialogue between military and civilian Super Bowl ans who are aspiring writers are encour- communities. The purpose of AITAF is to aged to submit an unpublished play to the provide high-quality theater programming Arts in the Armed Forces, AITAF, contest for active duty service members, veterans, Sunday? for a chance at a $10,000 prize. This year military support staff and their families. marks the AITAF 10th anniversary of The game is always drawing out raw talent. Along with the Adam Driver exciting, I like yelling $10,000 prize, known as the Bridge Award, at the the TV. It’s fun the AITAF will produce a reading of the Adam Driver can be seen in Director to watch with people winning play in the fall of 2018 in New York accepted. Full rules and details are available Steven Soderbergh’s “Logan Lucky,” along- and share that City or at the winning playwright’s installa- on the site. side Channing Tatum and Daniel Craig. He energy. tion if the winner is active duty, with a recently starred in Jeff Nichols’ “Midnight professional director and cast. This year’s The Bridge Award Special,” with Kirsten Dunst and Sam cast includes Laurence Fishburne and Shepard and he played Kylo Ren in J.J. “ Mark Ruffalo.A reception and feedback The Bridge Award was established in Abrams’ “Star Wars: Episode VII” with session will follow the reading. honor of the tenth anniversary of recog- Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher. Other Cpl. Elizabeth The award will be announced in May nizing an emerging playwright of excep- recent works include Martin Scorsese’s Scott 2018 and presented during the annual tional talent within the U.S. military. The 2016 historical film “Silence” starring Liam Maryland Army AITAF Broadway Show in November 2018. award consists of a $10,000 prize, and an Neeson, and director Jim Jarmusch’s 2016 National Guard Service members and veterans have until AITAF produced reading of the winning romantic comedy, “Paterson.” His role as March 1 to submit their works through a work.