1A HOME OF THE BIG RED ONE THE 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION POST home.army.mil/riley FRIDAY, JANUARY 17, 2020 Vol. 12, No. 2 FORT RILEY, KANSAS More veterans welcomed Bill expands Fort Riley services to eligible military veterans Will Ravenstein said DFMWR director Tod get their card and make sure SPECIAL TO THE POST Scalf. “So, it’s a great op- that it’s properly annotated portunity for the post to be that they are a qualifying On Aug. 13, 2018, supportive of our veterans.” veteran. At the Visitor Con- President Donald J. Trump “Feels like a passion re- trol Center, we’ll do a back- signed the John S. Mc- alized after working in this ground check on them, and Cain National Defense Au- business over 20 years,” said as long as they successfully thorization Act for Fiscal Commissary director Pe- pass, they’ll be issued a one Year 2019 — H.R. 5515. ter Howell. “Our deserving year badge, so that they can Through the act, access men and women of another have access to MWR, com- was granted to eligible U.S. segment finally get what missary and PX privileges.” veterans who didn’t already they deserved, a benefit Once the pass has been have access to military in- desired.” issued to the veteran, they stallations and some of the According to the Purple just present it at any of the facilities within them. Heart and Disabled Veteran access points and can use Veterans who were hon- Equal Access Act of 2018, the facilities. orably discharged and are which was included in Fort Riley offers many Purple Heart recipients, for- H.R. 5515, newly eligible facilities for the Soldiers, mer prisoners of war, those veterans must show a Vet- family members and retir- who have a service con- eran Health Identification ees. Most of these will be nected injury or individuals Card that displays “PUR- available to veterans — with approved and designated as PLE HEART”, “FORMER some exceptions like War- the primary family care- POW” or “SERVICE CON- rior Zone, the gyms and the givers of eligible veterans NECTED” below the photo Post Library. under the Department of on the front of the card. The veterans and care- Veterans Affairs Program of This card, along with an givers will have access to: Comprehensive Assistance acceptable credential like a SpareTime Interactive En- for Family Caregivers, are REAL ID compliant driver’s tertainment, The Hobby eligible to shop at both the license or a U.S. Passport, Studio, Outdoor Adventure Exchange and Commissary can be used at Fort Riley’s Park, Leisure Travel, Animal and use most of the facilities Visitor Control Center, Shelter, Auto Body Skills Outdoor Adventure and do, especially as a group ac- simulator — multitude operated by the Directorate outside Henry Gate off of Center, both Custer and Travel Center, where you tivity. They also have a food of family opportunities to of Family and Morale, Wel- I70, and the veteran will be Eyster Pools and equipment have tickets and travel and beverage operation up come and enjoy including fare and Recreation. issued a one-year pass for rentals. where you’re being able to there. a great food and beverage This law went into effect access. “At Camp Funston, we rent and do courses out- “And then you also have snack bar.” Jan. 1. “The key thing is that have building 1806 as our side. We have golf driving our entertainment center Howell said the newly “I think that they’ve the veteran should already equipment check out rent- range, we have paint ball, called SpareTime,” he said. added veterans and family earned that right, and it’s have the Veterans Health als,” Scalf said. “We have we have batting cages, we “It’s a multi-faceted facil- caregivers will have the same great that we’re being able ID,” said Fort Riley Securi- all kinds of equipment from have a ropes course that’s ity with not only bowling rights as the current custom- to now transfer that op- ty Branch chief Mark Dom- tent equipment to kayaks extremely unique, which is lanes, but then you also ers “they just need to come portunity to them — let browski. “If they don’t have to tent trailers — it’s all rental by group only, but have batting cages, you on in and start saving.” them take advantage of all one, they should go ahead available for rental. Also, it’s one of the most unique have an interactive climb- the opportunities on post,” and get with the VA and up on the hill we have the things you’re gonna find to ing wall, you have a golf See VETERANS, page 3 Getting back on road Spouses invited to join transition program By Gail Parsons after driving offenses 1ST INF. DIV. POST Amanda Ravenstein canceled, suspended The Soldier for Life Transi- 1ST INF. DIV. POST or revoked license tion Assistance Program helps u Operating a vehicle Soldiers position themselves for After a Soldier gets a without registration civilian employment after sepa- ticket for driving under the or with an expired rating from the Army. Howev- influence, installation driv- registration er, when they hang up the green ing privileges are revoked. To u Driving without suit — so does their spouse. reinstate those privileges, the insurance The Kansas Employment Soldier must go through a pe- u Talking on a cell Exploration Program invites riod of suspension and eight phone while driv- spouses to participate in classes hours of driver training. The ing without using a and trips to visit Kansas com- U.S. Army Garrison Fort Ri- hands-free device munities to learn about job ley Safety Office handles the availability. training. “The policy also allows Master Sgt. Sergio Partida, Courtesy photo “The Remedial Drivers commanders to command re- 1st Infantry Division transi- Soldiers from Fort Riley visited JE Dunn Construction Group during the Training is a sub-element of fer Soldiers for reckless driv- tion liaison, said KEEP formed Kansas Employment Exploration Program trip to Wichita in December. The the Army Traffic Safety Train- ing behaviors that may not in 2017, but had little move- program introduces Soldiers and spouses to community leaders and ing program,” said Richard have been cited through the ment until a concerted effort employers in cities around Kansas. Hearron, Garrison Safety Of- [military police],” Hearron was made this year to increase fice director. said. participation. In August, the leaving the Army at Fort Riley Crosswalk — all the classes. February, they will travel to According to the policy The training is scheduled program restarted with a trip can sign up to visit Kansas com- All those classes that Soldier Topeka where they can make signed in November by Maj. once a month during a day of to Salina, followed by visits to munities to learn what kind of For Life offers and are manda- more formal contact with po- Gen. John S. Kolasheski, 1st no scheduled activity, begin- McPherson, Manhattan and job opportunities are available. tory for the Soldier, the spous- tential employers. Infantry Division and Fort ning at 7 a.m. and ending at Wichita throughout the end of Partida said he wants spouses to es are allowed — encouraged Aside from learning about Riley commanding general, 4 p.m. 2019. know they are welcome and en- really - to come too.” job opportunities, visiting the the training is mandatory for “When you take a day off “The job opportunities that couraged to come along. The next city on the KEEP communities allows families to Soldiers meeting one of the away from a Soldier, its seri- Kansas actually offers - espe- “It’s a joint (effort),” he said. schedule is Topeka. Partida said learn what the city has to offer. following criteria: ous business,” he said. “So, a cially with a lot of the trade jobs “When the service member the plan is for Topeka officials For example, Brown said Sa- • Soldiers who commit a Soldier is losing a day of be- - and then all the trade trainings transitions out — the spouse and employers to come to Fort lina has a $300 million capital single intoxicated driv- ing off because they’re going that we have as part of the career transitions out too.” Riley. Then, in February, Sol- investment happening, about ing offense to sit in class for eight hours.” skills programs allow (Soldiers He said the spouse is often diers and spouses will follow up half of which is in downtown • Soldiers cited for any of Hearron says the course and families) to transition very more stressed about the im- with a trip to Topeka. redevelopment. the following offenses isn’t meant to be a punish- easily into the into the Kansas pending transition because the “The people (from Topeka) “There’s a lot of different on two different occa- ment but is more to change community,” Partida said. Soldier is out there taking class- that want to hire these transi- quality of life aspects that we sions within a one-year the Soldier’s behavior. Eric Brown, president and es and training, but the spouse tioning Soldiers are going to either have now or will have period: “The intent of the pro- chief executive officer of the may be unsure what’s in store come here,” he said. “We’ll put shortly that we didn’t have even u Speeding more than gram is to reinforce positive Salina Area Chamber of Com- for their own futures. on a networking event where two years ago,” Brown said. fifteen miles per driving behaviors and the merce, said Saline county show “The great thing is that the soldiers are allowed to come “And we are 17% underneath hour above the post- curriculum is an eight-hour 2,219 unique jobs posted in spouses are allowed to come talk to talk to them one-on-one the national average for cost of ed speed limit road rage course,” he said.