AAPGPublishedP in the interestG of the people of AberdeenNNEWS Proving Ground,E MarylandWS www.teamapg.com THURSDAY, MARCH 20, 2014 Vol. 58, No. 11 Training addresses suicide, substance abuse issues By ALAN FEILER APG News Last sum- mer, Curtis Thompson was paying a visit to Red- stone Arsenal in Huntsville, Photo by USAF Senior Airman Susan Moreno Ala., when Dust and noise, generated by APG test missions, like the event shown here at an APG test site, are the focus of a Joint Land Use he met Rod- Study currently looking at ways to accommodate new growth and economic development with surrounding communities, and pro- erick “Skip” Johnson tect public health, safety and the environment while protecting operational missions. JLUS findings will be released February 2015. Johnson, a substance abuse/suicide prevention program manager for the U.S. Army Materiel Command Wellness Divi- A PG JLUS aims to promote sion. He was impressed, to say the least, and he knew he had to bring Johnson to APG. “He’s a professional and very compatibility with communities passionate about his work,” said Thompson, a retired Army offi- cer who works in the Transi- By ALAN FEILER Land Use Study, or JLUS, currently boundary, we’re not going to build an tion/Wellness Office at the U.S. APG News being conducted at APG. The JLUS is industrial complex parcel next to it. We would build something similar to their Army Chemical Materials Activi- It all comes down to being a good a cooperative planning effort between land use, and we’d expect the same of ty at APG South (Edgewood). “He neighbor, according to Robert J. Melas- an active military installation, surround- delivers the message in a very dif- them. It’s a two-way street where we caglia, installation master planner for ing cities and counties, state and federal ferent way. It’s hard to explain, you agencies and other stakeholders. identify encroachment issues and how the Master Planning Division at APG’s to minimize them. The counties have to have to be there in attendance to “That’s the goal,” Melascaglia said. feel the difference. Directorate of Public Works. “If there’s housing right outside our See JOINT, page 12 “Some of these speakers, you’re Melascaglia was referring to the Joint like, ‘Hurry up, hurry up!’ But Skip leaves you with a taste in your mouth for more. He’s got the gift. FWP training workshop set for March 31 Folks will be in for a real treat.” The APG Army Substance By RACHEL PONDER Women of Character, Courage and Com- Abuse Program will present John- APG News mitment” -- attendees will hear a presenta- son March 26 and 27 for a series tion by U.S. Army Reserve Deputy Chief of two-hour training sessions, one In honor of Women’s History Month, the Maj. Gen. Marcia Anderson. Anderson on substance abuse and one on APG community is invited to attend a free has served since 2011 as the senior advi- suicide prevention. On March 26, training workshop from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at sor to the Chief, Army Reserve on poli- the first session will be held at the Mallette Training Facility, Bldg. 6008, cies and programs for the USAR including CECOM/Myer Auditorium, Bldg. March 31. The free annual event is hosted 6000, from 9 to 11 a.m. and also by the installation’s Federal Women’s Pro- See WORKSHOP, page 14 at the Post Theater, Bldg. 3245, gram (FWP) committee. Rachel Acevedo, from the Civilian Human from 1-3 p.m. The following day, Workshop-goers will have the oppor- Resource Agency, sang “I am Woman the sessions will be held at the tunity to attend one training in the morn- (Hear me Roar),” by Helen Reddy, at last ing and one training in the afternoon. In year’s Women’s History Month observance See SUICIDE, page 14 keeping with the 2014 National Wom- at the Mallette Training Facility March 13. en’s History Month theme -- “Celebrating Photo by Sean Kief “Make Sure Your Vote Counts” ROVR collects animal health records It only takes a few quick steps to make sure your vote is counted no matter where you are in the world. The Federal Post By JANE GERVASONI The new system is called the Remote Online Card Application (FPCA) can be easily completed by using the U.S. Army Public Health Command Veterinary Record, or ROVR, for short. The sys- FPCA online assistant, filling out the PDF or picking up a hard- Military Families value their electronic health tem will offer Army veterinary service personnel copy version from your unit voting assistance officer. record system and are grateful that they no longer worldwide new methods for recording and main- 1. Complete and sign the FPCA using your State’s instruc- have to take paper copies of their health records taining veterinary clinical information about the tions. Find your state’s instructions at http://www.fvap.gov/ with them each time they move. Now, the U.S. animals they treat. military-voter/registration-ballots Army Public Health Command is training veter- “ROVR is a secure, web-based application that 2. Fold and seal your FPCA. If using the online FPCA, print, inary personnel on a similar system for govern- provides the means to electronically record, store, sign and put it in an envelope. By using the approved envelope ment-owned animals and privately-owned animals template, you qualify for free postage. Get your envelope tem- belonging to military Families. See MILITARY, page 14 plate at http://www.fvap.gov/eo/overview/materials/forms 3. Address and mail the FPCA to your local election offi- cial. Be sure to include your return address, and affix postage if Veterinarian Carol using a foreign postal service. Bossone gives Maria 4. Your ballot should arrive at least 30 days prior to the election. Schnople’s dog, Daisy, 5. Fill out the ballot and send it in a routine check-up at For more information, the APG Installation Voting Assis- the APG veterinary tance POC is Janet Dettwiler; APG North (Aberdeen), Bldg. clinic. Information on 4305, Rm 151; 410-306-2302; DSN 458-2302 the dog’s health will be entered in the For additional information on FVAP or assistance with ROVR system and can the absentee voting process, visit FVAP.gov. For live be accessed by other chat assistance, call FVAP at 1-800-438-VOTE or DSN Army veterinarians if 425-1584 (CONUS)/312-425-1584 (OCONUS), or email Schnople and her dog [email protected]. Remember, you also can contact your move to another mili- unit or installation voting assistance officers for assis- tary installation. tance during any step of the process. Photo by Rachel Ponder Facebook.com/DoDFVAP and Twitter @FVAP ONLINE INDEX IN THIS ISSUE WEATHER www.teamapg.com Pg 2 .................. Street Talk facebook.com/ Pg 3 ........... At your service Thursday APGMd Pg 8 .... Mark Your Calendar twitter.com/ Pg 9 ................... Crossword Mostly Sunny USAGAPG chance of rain 0% Pg 11........APG News history flickr.com/photos/ usagapg/ Pg 14.............Did you know? ICE system http://ice.disa.mil/ Facebook, http://on.fb.me/HzQIow More inside Bullying and disability discrimination PAGE 3 MWR travel fair offers Analyzing the protective APG hosts suicide prevention awareness training PAGE 5 getaways, special attractions capability of body armor AER kicks off this year’s campaign PAGE 10 Contracting cutoff dates for Fiscal Year 2014 PAGE 15 Page 5 Page 10 54° 33° 2 APG News • March 20, 2014 OPINION Celebrate National Social Worker Month If you could go on The Army Substance Abuse Program (ASAP) lives of others. a spring getaway, Social workers across the globe work diligently and tireless- Fast Facts about Social where would you go ly, joining forces with organizations, schools, medical facilities, Workers: health care companies, and politicians to name a few in joint Social workers held and why? effort of pursuit of the well-being of all mankind. The National approximately 595,000 jobs in Association of Social Workers is pleased to announce the 2014 2006, according to the Bureau Social Work Month theme: “All People Matter.” According to of Labor Statistics. the NASW this year’s theme and logo were selected to help raise Social workers are awareness about the American social work profession’s 116-year the nation’s largest group “I would go to commitment to improving social conditions and quality of life Miami to visit opportunities for everyone. Worldwide social workers believe of clinically trained men- my son. It has that all people have dignity and deserve respect. NASW’s goal tal health service providers. nice weather -- for Social Work Month 2014 is to educate the public about how Social workers provide more a lot better than these values are essential to improving relationships within Fam- mental health services than psychologists, psychiatrists, and here.” ilies, making social support systems more effective, and building psychiatric nurses.(SAMHSA) stronger communities. The Department of Veterans Affairs is the largest employ- er of social workers in the country. Over 6,000 social workers What Is a Social Worker? are employed to assist Veterans and their Families with individu- Betty Social workers are professionals who help people with a wide al and Family counseling, client education, end of life planning, range of issues including psychological, financial, health, rela- D’Angelo substance abuse treatment, crisis intervention, and other services. tionship, social, educational, and substance abuse problems. Exchange There are hundreds of social workers in national, state, Associate social workers improve people’s lives by assisting them in a variety of ways.