JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. -- To submit a news brief, send an e-mail to patriot@charleston.af.mil. Make the subject line "NEWS BRIEFS." Submissions must be received no later than close of business the Friday prior to publication.

Events:

Tuesday

Career Connection: Transitioning from the military? Is your spouse seeking employment or are you just looking to change your career? Check out the Career Connection workshops offered at Fleet & Family Support Center, Bldg. 755. Find the Right Career is Feb. 8, from 10 to 11 a.m. Call 764-7480 to register.

Budget making day: Learn the basic skills and techniques for managing your money and budgeting, gain an awareness of credit cards and loans and learn how to plan savings goals. The most important financial class you will ever have. This workshop is Feb. 8, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the Fleet and Family Support Center. Call 764-7480.

Friday

Joint Base Charleston-Weapons Station Valentines Banquet: Join us Feb. 11 at 6:30 p.m. for Valentine's Day at the Hyatt Place Hotel, 3234 West Montague Avenue, near Tanger Outlet. Registration is $10 per couple for active duty members. Sponsored by IDS, Airman and Family Readiness and the Chapel and Family Advocacy, registration information is available at the NSA Chapel, 764-7222.

Feb. 14 and 15

Ombudsman Basic Training: FFSC is conducting Basic Ombudsman Training, Feb. 14 and 15, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Bldg. 755. Training is an important factor of a successful Ombudsman program. Trained Ombudsmen are better able to enhance the readiness of Navy families. This course provides the foundational information necessary for Ombudsmen to properly execute their duties required by OPNAVINST 1750.1F. Basic training is required of all Ombudsmen and must be documented. Please fax a Commanding Officer's request for ombudsman training to 764-7492 or call Becky Bowers, Ombudsman Coordinator at 764-7443 for more information.

Feb. 17

Mini job fair: Join us Feb. 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Reagan Center, Bldg. 777 for a Mini Job Fair. This small-setting job fair boasts various employers, jobs and industry. Employers will accept resumes and applications to fill vacant positions, both locally and out of the area. Mark your calendar now to attend. Call 843-764-7480.

Special Announcements:

Wise Credit Choices: Did you know that your credit score is a huge deciding factor for interest rates, mortgages, insurance costs, employability, loans, deposits, etc.? Many people are unaware of the impact debt can have on not just your financial life, but your whole life. Make some new year resolutions to enhance your well-being. Call our Personal Financial Manager at the Fleet & Family Support Center for an appointment at 764-7480.

Women's personal training offered: The Weapons Station fitness program is offering women's small group personal training free of charge at Sam's Gym. The service is offered Monday-Friday from noon to 1 p.m. and 5 to 6 p.m. It focuses on muscular strength, endurance and increased functionality of gross body movements. This program is offered to all fitness levels, so bring some water and a positive attitude and be ready to work. Call 764-4173 for more information.

Developing Your Spending Plan: Would you like to increase your cash surplus? Do you have any extra money at the end of the month? Let a financial education specialist at the Military and Family Readiness Center on Joint Base Charleston-Weapons Station give you the tools and resources you need to develop the financial plan of your dreams. The purpose of a financial plan is for you to determine where you are now, where you want to go and how you plan to get there by starting today. Contact the Military and Family Readiness Center at 764-7480 for more information.

Updates and Notices:

Volunteer needed for pre-schooler's program: Do you have a couple of hours per week to spend volunteering at the library for our pre-school program? This program is designed for pre-schoolers with story time, crafts and a lot in interaction. Parent or guardian must attend. The program meets on Thursday mornings from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. For more information, call 764-7900.

NSA Library is a computer "Hotspot:" The Naval Support Activity Library is a computer "hotspot" for wireless-ready laptop work and surfing the web from a patron's personal computer. Some service providers charge for this convenience; it's free at the Library. Just show up with your wireless-ready laptop, equipped with a network card, find yourself a seat anywhere in the building, and go to work.

MWR's Recycling Department calling for all metal: Containers for empty aluminum cans are located throughout the Naval Support Activity. Aluminum cans are the mainstay of the recycling program; however, all types of metal are accepted. If you have heavy metal products that need to be picked up, call the Recycling Department at 743-0510. Remember, all recycling proceeds go towards enhancing your Morale, Welfare, Recreation facilities and programs.

DVDs wanted: Do you have DVDs you have viewed that are just setting around gathering dust? Why not donate them to the library so others can enjoy them. Drop them by the library or use the after- hours book drop box.

Become a Family Child Care Provider: Do you like children? Need extra cash? The Family Child Care program offers you a chance to provide childcare in your home. The options available to Family Child Care providers are numerous and include:
· Before/after school care
· Part-time/drop-in care
· Full-time care for infants, toddlers or pre-school ages
· Evening and weekend care

As an FCC provider, you determine your fees and hours. Although the Navy determines the maximum childcare ratios, you can choose and interview families that have children fitting the hours and ages you are looking for. If interested or for more information, please call 764-7347.

Parents ... need a night out? The Child Development Homes program has certified providers available for Friday night child care. Call the CDH office for a list of available providers at 764-7347.

Resale vehicle lot: Selling a car, truck, camper, boat or motorcycle? MWR's "Hot Deals on Wheels" used vehicle lot offers the only authorized place to display vehicles for sale on Naval Support Activity. The lot is located near Red Bank Road in the New Wave Pool parking lot. The cost is $8 per week for military and immediate family and $10 per week for retirees and DoD civilians. Reservations and payment are accepted at the Information, Tickets and Tours Office. Call 764-2120.

"Early Bird" drop-off service: The Auto Skills Center, located on Fletcher Street, offers "Early Bird" drop-off service for your convenience. Vehicles in need of service can be dropped off prior to our normal operating hours using the key drop-box, located outside the facility. Patrons can simply fill out the provided envelope with an explanation of the mechanic services needed, place the vehicle keys in the envelope, and drop them in the box. Then all you have to do is call the Auto Skills Center during their normal operating hours to receive an estimate or to provide any additional information concerning the work needed. At the end of your busy workday, stop by and pick up your serviced vehicle and "off you go!"

Meetings and Registrations:

Join the Redbank Plantation Golf Association: The Redbank Plantation Golf Association invites you to become a member at a cost of only $20 per year. Benefits of the Golf Association membership include: USGA Handicap, participation in monthly tournaments, participation in Association Club Championship and participation in the Association Blitz. Membership is open to all military and civilian golf patrons. Membership applications are available in the golf course club house. Applications and payment may be placed in the silver locked box near the Pro Shop. For more information contact Tournament Chairman Tina Bohannon at tinab@sc.rr.com or call the Pro Shop at 764-7802.

Education and Training: 

Jujitsu classes:  Free to active duty military: Get in shape, build self confidence and learn self defense with Judo and Jujitsu classes. Classes are held in the group exercise room Bldg. 725 and are free to active duty military and $2 per class for all others. Judo classes are offered Monday and Wednesday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Jujitsu classes are offered on the first Friday of each month from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. For more information, contact Nancy Haynsworth at 764-4067.

Free MWR Fitness Classes: Did you know that MWR offers group exercise classes free of charge to active-duty military and only $2 per class for all other patrons? A variety of classes such as yoga, spinning, step and sculpt and more are available in the Group Exercise Room, located in Bldg. 725 next to the Post Office. Call Sam's Fitness Center at 764-4173 for more information.

Recreation

BINGO: If you like to play BINGO, Marrington Bowling Center has two great ways for you to play! Enjoy Quick-Play (electronic) BINGO in our game room or stop by the front desk to purchase Bonanza Bingo cards where the numbers change daily.

RV/boat storage area: Morale Welfare and Recreation operates the Recreation vehicle and boat storage area located on Fletcher Street, across from the Housing Office. There are currently 54 sites available at a cost of $35 per month (paid quarterly). Reservations are handled at the Auto Skills Center located on Fletcher Street, directly across from the storage site.

Camping is a breeze with help from the Outdoor Adventure Center: Your Outdoor Adventure Center has everything you'll need to enjoy the great outdoors. Tents that will accommodate from one to five people, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, lanterns, two-burner stoves and coolers are all available for rent at a nominal fee. Kayaks, canoes and mountain bikes are also available to make your weekend get-away complete. The Outdoor Adventure Center is located in the Building 1700 on Fletcher Street, across from The Dive. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and closed Sundays and holidays. Stop by the OAC for all of your outdoor recreational needs or call 764-2120 for more information.

Disc Golf Course: There's more going on these days at Locklear Park than just baseball and softball. A nine-hole disc golf course runs throughout the park with many varied and challenging holes. Disc golf is played just like traditional golf, with a Frisbee-like disc substituting for the golf ball and club and a basket acts as the golf hole. Access to the course is available any time during daylight hours. The discs are available for check-out at the Outdoor Adventure Center at no charge.

OAC Rock Climbing Wall: Nothing offers stress relief quite like exercise, and one of the most fun and exciting ways to get a total body workout here on the Naval Support Activity, is at the Outdoor Adventure Center's climbing wall. The climbing wall stands 30 feet high and offers many different climbing routes with varying degrees of difficulty. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced climber, the OAC has a climbing program to suit you.
Climbing Rates:
Introductory climb $2
One hour or less: $4
Daily pass: $6
Ten pass punch card: $3
Shoe rental: $1.50
Chalk bags: $1

Armed Forces Vacation Club: The Armed Forces Vacation Club offers weeklong stays for only $329 on "space available" accommodations to Department of Defense-affiliated personnel. With AFVC, you'll save on vacation accommodations in exciting destinations worldwide. There are more than 200,000 accommodations in more than 100 countries. Program registration is free and easy. Just call toll-free at 877-270-4624. Once approved, you can immediately begin planning your next exciting get-away. All active and retired members of the U.S. military are eligible, including spouses and children, as well as civilian employees of the Department of Defense. As an added bonus, the Naval Support Activity Morale Welfare and Recreation department receives a rebate for every confirmed reservation. Simply enter the base code 169 when registering. For more information, check online at afvclub.com, and join the Armed Forces Vacation Club today.

ITT offers lay-away on cruise reservations: The Information, Tickets and Tours Office here on the Naval Support Activity has everything you'll need to plan and reserve your affordable cruise vacation, including a convenient lay-away payment plan. Soon, you will be sailing away to the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexico or any of a number of exotic ports of call. There are now many cruises departing from right here in Charleston! Call your ITT Office today at 764-2120.