JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. –
To submit a news brief, send an e-mail to 628abw.dispatch@charleston.af.mil. Make the subject line "NEWS BRIEFS." Submissions must be received no later than close of business the Friday prior to publication.
Specials:
Blue Star Museums free admission: The National Endowment for the Arts along with the non-profit Blue Star Families has started a new summer program called Blue Star Museums, a partnership with more than 750 museums across America to offer free admission to all active-duty military personnel and their families from now through Labor Day.
Museums in all 50 states and the District of Columbia are taking part in the Blue Star Museums initiative. In addition to 30 children's museums across the country, participating museums represent a broad range of art, history, science and cultural topics.
To obtain a list of participating museums in the area, visit www.arts.gov/bluestarmuseums and click a state on the map to see a list of museums.
Events:
Thursday
Commander's Challenge, Family Run and Info Fair: The Commander's Fitness Challenge for July will be a 2.5 mile run July 1. The run begins at 7:30 a.m. at the Charleston Club. This month's Fitness Challenge will also host a Year of the Air Force Family one-mile Family and Pet Fun Run at the same time. Both events will start and end at the Charleston Club where there will be healthy snacks and drinks. Representatives from the 628th Force Support Squadron will have an Info Fair set up in the ballroom to answer any questions about their facilities, programs and activities. For more information, call Fitness and Sports Center at 963-3347.
Family night at the club: The Charleston Club hosts a "1st Thursday Family Night" every month. The next Family Night is July 1 and the fun begins at 5 p.m. with a pizza and spaghetti dinner. For club members, the cost of the meal is $5.50 per adult and junior members 12 years old and under eat free. All others please add $2. Kid's Bingo with cash prizes starts at 6 p.m. and there will be free ice cream cones served after the final game. Dining reservations are not required. For more information, call the Charleston Club office at 963-3914.
Newcomer's Tour: Take a free guided tour of Charleston's Historic district, Fort Moultrie and the Isle of Palms July 1 from 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Lunch will be on your own. Transportation will be provided from the Airman and Family Readiness Center. Call 963-4406 to reserve your seat on the bus.
Making a good marriage better: Learn how temperament impacts a healthy marriage, how to define a healthy marriage and maintain it by developing communication, negotiation and conflict resolution skills July 1 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Couples only and no children, please. A light snack will be provided.
Friday
Freedom Fest 2010: The Naval Weapons Station invites all Joint Base Charleston Airmen, civilian employees, retirees and their families to Freedom Fest 2010 on Friday, July 2. Gates open to Marrington Plantation at 5 p.m., with free admission and parking. Along with the giant fireworks display, there will be music, food, face painting, an inflatable playground, paintball, sumo suit wrestling and jousting tournaments. A new attraction this year will be hot air balloon rides. All are encouraged to bring a blanket or beach chair for seating to view the fireworks. For more information, call the Liberty Office on Naval Weapons Station Charleston at 764-7002.
Wednesday
S.C. employment services: Meet with a South Carolina job services representative to help in your job search and provide limited resume assistance July 7. Individuals seeking service must register online and identify job leads before arriving at the Airman and Family Readiness Center, Building 500. This service is first-come, first-serve. Walk-ins begin at 10 a.m. Call 963-4406 to register.
Sponsor Training: Learn the keys to being a good sponsor by attending this training class July 7 from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Class is held at the Airman and Family Readiness Center. Call 963-4406 to reserve your seat.
Resume I and cover letter class: Learn how to put together a resume during a class July 7 from 9 a.m. to noon. The class will include the purpose of a cover letter, what it should contain as well as formats for a resume.
Thursday
Ready, Set, Parent: New and expecting parents will learn about Shaken Baby Syndrome prevention, infant care, baby playtime, TriCare Issues, budgeting and more July 8 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Each parent is given a "bundle" from the Air Force Aid Society containing cribbing, a receiving blanket, hooded towel and a three-pack of onesies. Call 963-4406 to sign up.
July 9
Moose Scramble: The 17th Airlift Squadron is scheduled to host a 4-man scramble July 9 at the Wrenwoods Golf Course on Joint Base Charleston with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. The cost is $40 and includes a BBQ pork sandwich lunch along with raffle entries and a chance to win prizes. To register submit your name as part of a 4-man team by July 2 to Patrick.griffin.3@charleston.af.mil.
Education and Training:
Scholarship deadline July 1: Charleston Club Members and their families have the opportunity to submit an entry to vie for one of the 25 Air Force Club scholarship awards being offered this year Current Air Force Club members and their family members who have been accepted by or are enrolled in an accredited college or university for entry during the fall of 2010 term as a part-time or full-time student are eligible to submit an application. To enter, applicants are asked to write and submit a 500 words or less essay on "What does it mean to be a part of the Air Force Family." All submissions must arrive at the 628th Force Support Squadron Marketing Office in Bldg. 322 by close-of-business Thursday, July 1. For complete submission requirements and an online scholarship application, visit the Club's website at www.afclubs.net.
Funding change to testing: Effective Nov. 20, Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support will only fund a military member's initial examination fee for each subject College Level Examination Program, DANTES Subject Standardized Tests and Excelsior College Examinations exams. Due to the change, all military members taking CLEP, DSST or ECE examination on or after May 20 will be informed they will not be allowed to retest with DANTES funding, on that specific exam, if they do not obtain their desired passing score. However, re-testing will continue to be available on a personally-funded basis. Individuals who took a test prior to May 20 must retest prior to Dec. 11. For additional background and details, call 963-4579.
Records management training: Records management training is scheduled the last Tuesday of every month in the conference room of the 2nd floor in Building 302 from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Members can sign up on the Enterprise Information Management website. For any questions or concerns, contact Airman 1st Class Francisco Bastian or Airman 1st Class Miguel Batista at 963-8270.
Meetings and Registrations:
Commissary/BX advisory council: The next quarterly Commissary/BX Advisory Council will convene July 22 from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. in the 628th Mission Support Group Conference Room. Contact Ed Wigim at 963-6255 if you have any items or issues for discussion or recommendation.
Healthy Thinking Workshop registration: Do you find yourself feeling angry or stressed more often than you would like or regret how you act when you are upset? Do you wish you could express yourself more clearly and be more assertive? Consider registering for the Healthy Thinking Workshop. This is a voluntary class focused on helping participants manage anger and stress and learn more effective ways of communicating their emotions. The workshop is divided into four 90 minute sessions held on consecutive Wednesdays from 10 to 11:30 a.m., with a new group beginning the first Wednesday of every month. To sign up or for more information, contact Family Advocacy at 963-6972.
Summer reading registration: The 2010 Base Library Youth Summer Reading Program is underway through Aug. 7. The theme this year is, "Voyage to Book Island." This program is designed to encourage and improve reading skills among youth. To register for the program, stop by the Base Library and pick up a summer reading packet. All books in this program must be checked out from the base library. For more information on this and other base library programs, call 963-3320.
Palace Chase, Palace Front briefings: The new in-service recruiter, Master Sgt. Robert Denehy, will be conducting Palace Chase and Palace Front briefings at 9 a.m. on the first and third Tuesday of every month in Building 503, Room 201. Air Force Instruction 36-3205 mandates that eligible Airmen who are separating be informed about the benefits and opportunities available to them within the Reserve, such as cross training, continued service, retirement, education, medical insurance and promotion. For more information, contact Sergeant Denehy at 963-4499.
Girl Scouting on Joint Base Charleston: Girls in grades four to six, or six to seven are eligible for membership in the Girl Scout troop on JBC. Meetings are held at Building 245 on Tuesdays at 6 p.m. for fun, earning badges and getting to meet other girls. Please contact Carolyn Kolva at 743-5020 for more information.
Updates and Closures:
Trespassing notice: The small arms firing range is located off Arthur Drive on Range Road near the munitions operations area and explosive ordnance disposal building. Do not trespass into the surface danger zones; they are identified by posted warning signs. Trespassing is not only illegal; it is dangerous because of gunfire. Personnel requesting entry into firing range impact zones must contact the security forces combat arms noncommissioned officer in charge at 963-1121 or via e-mail at 437sfs.catm@charleston.af.mil.
Base shredding area open: The base shredder has been repaired. To make an appointment, contact Airman 1st Class Miguel Batista at 963-3289 or Airman 1st Class Dawn Voigt at 963-8270.
Base pool open: The base pool is now open for the summer. Season passes are on sale at the Outdoor Recreation Center. There will be no-cost lap swimming and military training Tuesdays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to noon. Open swimming will be Tuesdays through Sundays from noon to 7 p.m. Without a season pass, the daily entrance fee during open swim times is $2.50 per person. The ORC is also taking reservations for pool parties. Parties can be booked at the base pool for Tuesdays through Sundays from 6 to 9 p.m. with a maximum group size of 100 people. Call 963-1732 for more information.
Free pool admission for Airmen: All Airmen E-1 through E-4 now have free entrance to the base pool anytime during open swim times, which are Tuesdays through Sundays from noon to 7 p.m. The pool is closed Mondays. Call the pool office at 963-3344 for additional information on pool activities and events.
Retiree activities office now at new location: The Joint Base Charleston Retiree Activities Office has moved to Building 503, Room 122. The hours of operation remain 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. For more information, call 963-2228 or e-mail rao@charleston.af.mil.
Airman's Attic in need of donations: The Airman's Attic needs household items, children's clothing to size eight, appliances, food and furniture. If anyone has items that have been gently used, consider donating them to the attic. Donations can be dropped off at Building 500, Mondays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, contact Betsy Crump at 963-4411.
Military News:
Civilian Force Development Reference Center: The Air Force recently launched a Civilian Force Development Reference Center on the Air Force Portal for civilians and supervisors to learn about CFD framework, tools and programs designed to help civilians focus on professional development. An introductory video by Gen. Howie Chandler, Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force, a webinar introducing the CFD framework, programs, tools and an evaluation to provide feedback have been placed on the CFD Reference Center. You can get the reference center through the AF Portal > Life & Career > Force Development > Civilian Force Development Reference Center. Contact Joint Base Charleston Employee Development Specialist, Kathyann Hopkins at 963-4493 with questions.
Online legal assistance: The Air Force Legal Assistance website can be viewed at www.aflegalasssitance.com. Beginning Feb. 1, Airmen, their families and retirees will have access to this website to complete online worksheets for wills, advance medical directives and powers of attorney and submit customer feedback about their office experience. The 628th Air Base Wing Legal Office provides notary services from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on normal duty days. In addition, the office provides attorney consultation on a walk-in basis Tuesdays from noon to 1 p.m. for active-duty members in uniform, and 1 to 3 p.m. for all others.