Thursday, Aug. 7, 2014 Volume 7, Issue 31 Published for members of the SHAPE/Chièvres, Brussels and Schinnen communities Benelux news briefs Gate closure on SHAPE Luxembourg Gate on SHAPE will be closed through Aug. 17. The main gate and Ottawa Gate are open. Luxembourg Gate will reopen Aug. 18 at 7:30 a.m. IACS changes hours To better serve its customers, the USAG Benelux Installation Access Control Office on Chièvres Air Base will change its operating hours. Starting Aug. 11, the IACS office will be open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4:30 p.m. AFCU closes for Org Day Andrews Federal Credit Union on Chièvres Air Base will be closed Saturday, Aug. 16, for an organization day. For account assistance, consider using automated teller machines on SHAPE and Chièvres, online banking, phone banking and mobile banking as well as a night drop for non- cash deposits only. Alterations Shop closes The Chièvres Alterations Shop at the PXtra will close its doors Aug. 14. Army and Air Force Exchange Service, or AAFES, is seeking a replacement. Table of Contents WWI centenary at local cemetery recalls bravery, sacrifi ce British service members stand among the graves of fallen Soldiers in the shadow of the obelisk during News..................................1-8 the Aug. 4 World War I centenary commemoration at St. Symphorien military cemetery near Mons. In this cemetery rest 229 Commonwealth service members and 284 German Soldiers, most of whom Events & Happenings.....9-11 died during the Battle of Mons in August 1914. Among them are John Parr and George Lawrence Price, Community Roundup....12-13 believed to be the fi rst and the last Commonwealth Soldiers killed in action during WWI. It is also the site of the grave of the fi rst Iron Cross recipient of WWI. (Photo by Edouard Bocquet) See page 4. Aug. 7, 2014 Blues, Reds battle in final playoff game by Charles P. Foote SHAPE Sports and Fitness The teams that squared off in the The Devils entered the weeklong last game of the USAG Benelux 2014 championship as the third-ranked Intramural Softball Championship team and moved through the brackets Tournament were both Air Force to meet with the first-ranked Blues teams: the 424th Air Base Squad- July 25 on SHAPE Softball Field 8. ron Red Devils coached by Tech. Sgt. The Devils played well, but ulti- Brian Haskell and Staff Sgt. Justin mately they couldn't stop the early Monty, and the SHAPE Air Force Ele- momentum gained by the Blues. The ment Blue team led by Master Sgt. game went to the Blues, who scored Justin Laurie. 8 runs over the Devils' 6. Clavon Wooldridge from 650th Military Intelligence Amateur Softball Association (ASA) Because of missions and other unit Group jumps over the fence to try to catch a home run. officials included Mickey Mourn- requirements, 424th ABS and AFELMRita Hoefnagels Air Force Master Sgt. ing, Dotty Thompson and Sgt. Maj. weren't able to play in the IMCOM-E Justin Laurie leads the Emanuel Carter as well as Danny Unit-Level Softball Championships SHAPE Air Force Ele- White and Matthew Gillard, who both Aug 1 to 3 in Grafenwoehr, Germany. ment Blue team as the traveled from Stuttgart, Germany, to The 21st Theater Sustainment Com- Blues gain an unstop- pable momentum dur- help the Benelux teams. mand team (Kaiserslautern) won. ing the USAG Benelux Air Force Master Sgt. Justin Laurie hits the ball under the watchful eyes of Umpire Matthew 2014 Intramural Softball Gillard and 424th ABS catcher Staff Sgt. Ryan Shimek. (Photos by Salvador Rodriguez) Championship Tourna- ment played on SHAPE Softball Field 8 recently. Army Sgt. 1st Class Dewayne Orender from 39th Signal is at bat during the softball playoffs. To subsubscribe,scribe, eemailmaillu [email protected] benelux.iximcom-europe.pe [email protected] The Gazette is an unofficial publication published under the provisions of AR 360-1 for members of the Col. Marty Vannatter Department of Defense. Contents of The Gazette are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed USAG Benelux by, the U.S. Government, Department of the Army or the USAG Benelux. The Gazette is a free weekly Editor publication distributed via email every Thursday, except when that day is an American, Belgian or Dutch Commander Holiday, then The Gazette is published on Friday. The editorial content of this publication is prepared, Andrea Wales edited, provided, approved and published by the USAG Benelux Public Affairs Office, Unit 21419, APO Marie-Lise Baneton AE 09708. Telephone (0032) 068-275419/DSN 361-5419. Everything advertised in this publication will be USAG Benelux Staff Writers made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, Donovan Abrassart age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other non-merit factor of the purchaser, Public Affairs Officer user or patron. If a violation or rejection of this equal opportunity policy by an advertiser is confirmed, the Rita Hoefnagels publisher will refuse to print advertising from that source until the violation is corrected. The appearance Keith Houin of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement of Cis Spook the products or services advertised by the U.S. Army. Submit content or story ideas to usarmy.benelux. [email protected] by Monday at 3 p.m. [2] Aug. 7, 2014 Open house welcomes parents, students to new SHAPE schools by Andrea Wales USAG Benelux Public Affairs Office On the first day of school, things can look unfamiliar, even if you're a return- ing student, but this experience will be intensified for the students and staff of the SHAPE American Elementary School and Middle School. The first day of school, Aug. 18, will begin in new school buildings, which have been under construction since 2012. Parents and students of the SHAPE International School community are being offered an opportunity to get a preview of the new facilities at an open house of the schools, which are sections of the SHAPE International School, Aug. 15 from 2 to 4 p.m. The Navy Element will be cooking food so families can grab something to eat and socialize, said the new principal of SHAPE American Middle School, Dr. Mario Vanheuckelom. Near completion July 17, the SHAPE American Elementary School and Middle School project broke The goals of the open house are "to ground in 2012 under U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Europe District construction management. answer any questions and to familiar- It is funded by Department of Defense Education Activity Europe. (U.S. Army photo by USACE) ize the parents and students with the lay of the land of both the elementary from Guam, is the new principal of the drop children off and pick them up at and middle schools," Vanheuckelom elementary school. the SHAPE Chapel lot or the Carrefour said. "Parents and students will have Located around the corner from the shopping center parking lot as well as the opportunity to take a look at the SHAPE Alliance Movie Theater, the new instruct children to use designated walk- facilities, find out where the classrooms facilities are just the first step in the ing paths. are and get together with old and new SHAPE community’s modernization of To learn more, call DSN 423-5718 or friends." all national school sections operating civilian 065-445718, or the U.S. Army Vanheuckelom came to the middle at the SHAPE International School. The Corps of Engineers at DSN 423-3987 school from SHAPE American Elemen- modernization is expected to continue or civilian 065-443987. tary School where he was principal. Dr. through 2019. Paul Jerome of USACE contributed Bernadette Schlueter, who just arrived When school starts, parents should to this report. Trenches to Foxholes 365th Fighter Group vets speak on Chièvres AB Airmen, Soldiers, U.S. and a group of 22 people associ- host-nation civilians have a ated with WWII's 365th Fighter chance to listen to veterans of Group visiting Chièvres AirCourtesy photo the "Hell Hawks" relate their Base that day. World War II experiences at To obtain more information Courtesy Photo Hangar 1 on Chièvres Air Base about the "Hell Hawks" speak- Aug. 9 at about 2 p.m. ing engagement and their visit The two "Hell Hawks" vet- to Chièvres Air Base, contact erans — one of whom was the USAG Benelux Public Af- stationed in Chièvres in early fairs Office at DSN 361-5419 October 1944 — are part of or civilian 068-275419. A pilot sits in his P-47 Thunderbolt on Chièvres Air Base in winter 1944. [3] Aug. 7, 2014 Trenches to Foxholes VIPs gather in Mons, Liège to honor WWI dead Notables greet the people of Mons during the Aug. 4, 2014, commemoration to mark the centenary of the start of the World War I at the Mons town square. From left, the acting mayor of Mons, Nicolas Martin; British dignitaries Prince Henry of Wales, commonly known as Prince Harry; the former Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge; her husband, Prince William; and Belgian Prime Minister and Mayor of Mons Elio Di Rupo. (Photo by Steve Howarth) Dignitaries pay their respects at the obelisk during the Aug. 4, 2014, commemoration to mark the centenary of the start of the World War I at St. Symphorien military cemetery near Mons. The cemetery carries particular symbolism as a near equal number of British and Commonwealth Soldiers and German Soldiers are buried here. The event was attended by King Philippe of Belgium and his wife, Queen Mathilde; as well as British dignitaries Prince William and his wife, the former Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge; Prince Henry of Wales, commonly known as Prince Harry; Prime Minister David Cameron; and a host of other foreign dignitaries.