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!"#&$"%%!´ WEDNESDAY, NOV. 23, 2016 |68th Ye ar Number 46 PUBLISHED IN THE INTEREST OF THE FORT MEADE COMMUNITY FTMEADE.ARMY.MIL PARTNERSHIP FORGED MacArthur Middle, NIOC celebrate Veterans Day PAGE 4 TRANSITIONAL HELP $4.3M federal grant to support Md. veterans PAGE 3 24/7 SUPPORT Army program connects Reservists with services PAGE 10 FFoorr tthhoossee UPCOMING EVENTS Thursday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.: Thanks- giving at Freedom Inn wwhhoo sseerrvveedd Dec. 3, noon-4 p.m.: ESC Children’s Holiday Party at Pershing Hill Elem. Former foes, now allies, Dec. 7, 7 p.m.: U.S. Army Field Band remember the fallen PG 10 Holiday Concert at Meade High PHOTO BY STEVE RUARK Garrison Commander Col. Tom Rickard, Capt. Juergen Looft of the German Attaché, Lt. Col. Luigi Bramati, deputy of Dec. 10, 8 a.m.: Reindeer Run 5K the Italian Attaché, and Garrison Command Sgt. Maj. Rodwell L. Forbes accompany the Navy Information Operations and 1-Mile Walk at Murphy Command Color Guard to the German and Italian Wreath-Laying Ceremony on Sunday at the Post Cemetery. 2 NEWS WEDNESDAY, NOV. 23, 2016 |SOUNDOFF! COMMANDER’S COLUMN !"#&$"%%!´ Thanksgiving: An EDITORIAL STAFF Garrison Commander American tradition Col. Thomas S. Rickard Garrison Command Sergeant Major hanksgiving is abroad or are unable to celebrate Rodwell L. Forbes America’s national with their loved ones. Public Affairs Officer T harvest festival. Let’s also honor families, espe- Chad T. Jones 301-677-1301 It’s a time to reflect on our cially those of the fallen. We [email protected] beginning as a nation. It’s should present our heartfelt Chief, Command Information also an opportunity to cele- gratitude to them for theirs and Larry Whitley Sr. 301-677-5602 brate the blessings of all the their loved one’s service and [email protected] freedoms we have while be- Garrison sacrifice. Editor ing mindful of the hardships Commander On behalf of my family and the Col. Tom Ganesa R. Robinson 301-677-6806 we also have to endure. Fort Meade garrison, I offer my Rickard [email protected] www.ftmeade.army.mil Iam thankful our nation heartfelt gratitude to our men Assistant Editor & Senior Writer or ftmeadesoundoff.com and our armed forces are and women in uniform and their strong and enduring. families. You make a difference Rona S. Hirsch 301-677-1438 JOIN THE CONVERSATION [email protected] On behalf of the Fort Meade garri- every day. son, I want to wish our service We are strengthened by your sup- Staff Writer Like - facebook.com/ftmeade members and their families a happy port, your resilience and your love of Lisa R. Rhodes 301-677-1432 Thanksgiving. Thank you for all of the country. Thank you. [email protected] Follow - twitter.com/ftmeademd hard work accomplished amid the Staff Writer challenges of military service during a View - instagram.com/ftmeademedia Maddie Ecker 301-677-5159 time of war. [email protected] View - flickr.com/photos/ftmeade Fort Meade’s garrison mission is Design Coordinator dedicated to providing quality support Warren Walker301-677-1431 Watch - youtube.com/FortMeadeMD to our service members and their [email protected] families. Supplemental photography provided Get text alerts from Fort Meade Our mission has always been to by The Baltimore Sun Media Group by texting “Follow FtMeadeAlert” ensure that you have the support and to 40404 peace of mind needed to accomplish DEADLINES your mission. ADVERTISING Those of us who are in our homes Community notices are blessed to be able to spend this Friday, noon General Inquiries 410-332-6300 holiday with family and friends. Let’s [email protected] [email protected] also remember those who are serving Death Notices: 410-332-6781 CIRCULATION [email protected] If you would like information about receiving Soundoff! on Fort Meade or are experi- encing distribution issues, call 877-886-1206 or e-mail [email protected]. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday through Sun- day, 8 a.m. to noon. Printed by offset method of reproduction as a civilian enterprise in the interest of the personnel at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, by The Baltimore Sun Media Group, 501 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, MD 21278, every Thursday except the last Thursday of the year in conjunction with the Fort Meade Public Affairs Office. Requests for publication must reach the Public Affairs Office no later than Friday before the desired publication date. Mailing address: Post Public Affairs Office, Soundoff! IMME-MEA-PA, Bldg. 4409, Fort Meade, MD 20755-5025. Te lephone: 301-677-5602; DSN: 622-5602. 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Guaranteed circulation: 12,339 SOUNDOFF!|WEDNESDAY, NOV. 23, 2016 NEWS 3 Funds allocated to help transition to civilian life Federal government earmarks $4.3M in grant money to assist service members, veterans and spouses in Maryland as they transition to civilian workforce By Maddie Ecker veterans to help grow their workforce to Staff Writer bring economic prosperity.” The grant will directly benefit transi- $4.3 million federal grant will tioning service members, veterans, mil- be allocated to programs that itary spouses and administrators who A will help veterans and service will work with veterans, Murray said. members as they separate from the military to pursue a civilian career. Anne Arundel County officials held a ACritical Cause news conference Tuesday at Fort Meade The need for this type of grant is to announce critical for Maryland, the National said Schuh, who Dislocated “What this initiative will noted that the state Worker Grant do is to make sure vet- has the highest un- awarded by employment rate for the U.S. De- erans that are transition- veterans in the United partment of States. Labor. Speak- ing — who are looking to “The unemploy- ers included ment rate for veterans Garrison stay here, who are is 8.5 percent,” Schuh Commander said at the press con- PHOTO BY GANESA ROBINSON Col. Tom Rick- looking to get good-pay- ference. “The unem- During a news conference Nov. 15 at McGill, Garrisson Commander Col. Tom Rick- ard, Kirkland ing jobs — have that op- ployment rate for fe- ard and Anne Arundel Workforce Development Corp. CEO Kirkland Murray listen Murray, presi- male, active-duty as County Executive Steve Schuh discusses the federal grant. dent and CEO portunity.” spouses is 32 percent of the Anne and the unemploy- veterans, service members and their Arundel Kirkland Murray, president and CEO, ment rate for female spouses. Workforce De- Anne Arundel Workforce Development veteran spouses is 22 The two-year program will target velopment Corp. percent.” skills from a variety of industries, based Corp and This initiative aims on their growth in Maryland and what Anne Arundel to bring those statis- veterans are interested in pursuing. County Exe- tics down and ensure that veterans don’t “This is a very holistic grant that will cutive Steven Schuh. stay unemployed long term. not only help veterans transition, but One of the programs that the grant “No one who has fought for our make sure they have the skills employers will support is the Maryland Corps freedom, who has fought for this na- are looking for,” Murray said. “They Career Connect, a two year program also tion’s freedom, should have trouble need to have the resume that can known as the C3. It’s an initiative to finding employment after his or her communicate the skills that they gained connect veterans and their families with mission is complete with the United in the military. And they can then show jobs during their move into the civilian States Armed Forces,” Schuh said. how they can be of value to businesses sector. Murray acknowledged the different here in the state of Maryland.” The grant will benefit service mem- partners that will contribute to the bers at four Maryland installations: Fort success of the program and the service Skilled Employees Meade, Joint Base Andrews, Naval Air members who will benefit from it. Station Patuxent River and Aberdeen “We work closely with businesses to During his remarks, Rickard spoke Proving Ground. get them the skilled workforce that they One goal of this initiative is to about the prized skills that service need,” Murray said. “A lot of our members can bring to future employers. strengthen the partnership between businesses here in the state of Maryland transitioning service members and local “Sixty-five percent of Fort Meade want to hire veterans. They feel like service member jobs fall into IT and businesses. that’s the right thing to do — to reward “What this initiative will do is to make signal field,” he said. “As you know, the people who have given to their country. experience men and women in uniform sure veterans that are transitioning — Many employers, many businesses here who are looking to stay here, who are can bring to the civilian work in terms of want to have that skilled workforce.” leadership, project management and looking to get good-paying jobs — have Maryland Corps Career Connect will that opportunity,” Murray said.