CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
To submit a news brief, send an e-mail to airlift.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.
Change of Command
437th Security Forces Squadron change of command: Lt. Col. Seth McKee with relinquish command to Maj. Christopher Callis during the 437 SFS change of command ceremony June 26 in the Charleston Club at 10 a.m. For more information, contact 1st Lt. Zachary Carey at 963-3641.
437th Civil Engineer Squadron change of command: Lt. Col. Jeffrey Todd will relinquish command to Maj. Richard Sanders during the 437 CES change of command ceremony June 26 in the Charleston Club at 1 p.m.
437th Force Support Squadron change of command: Lt. Col. John Silverman will relinquish command to Maj. Tara White during the 437 FSS change of command ceremony June 30 in the Charleston Club at 1 p.m. For more information, contact 2nd Lt. Ryan Peake at 963-7080.
437th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron change of command: Lt. Col. Gerald McCray will relinquish command to Maj. Jonathan Downing during the 437 AMXS change of command ceremony June 30 in Nose Dock 2 at 10 a.m. For more information, contact 2nd Lt. Michael DeFeo at 963-6097.
1st Combat Camera Squadron change of command: Lt. Col. Robyn Chumley will relinquish command to Lt. Col. Aaron Burgstein during the 1 CTCS change of command ceremony July 1 in the Charleston Club at 10 a.m.
437th Medical Support Squadron change of command: Lt. Col. James Barber will relinquish command to Lt. Col. Bonnie Goodale during the 437 MDSS change of command ceremony July 2 in the Charleston Club at 9 a.m. For more information, contact Tech. Sgt. April Arter at 963-6899.
Retirements
437th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron: A retirement ceremony will be held for Master Sgt. Keith Lyons June 26 in Building 72 at 2 p.m.
Spotlight
Airman Leadership School commandant position opening: The Charleston AFB Airman Leadership School is accepting applications for the commandant position. Master sergeants with managerial experience may apply for the ALS commandant position. The report no later than date is set on or before Jan. 4, 2010. Packages must be submitted no later than the close of business July 10. Contact Master Sgt. Beth Dickens, ALS commandant, at 963-4074 for any questions, or via e-mail at beth.dickens-02@charleston.af.mil.
AMC seeks 2009 Air Force Marathon participants: The annual Air Force Marathon will be held Sept. 19 at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. An Air Mobility Command sponsored active-duty team will be selected upon submitting an AF Form 303. Submit forms to the Fitness and Sports Center by July 3. All others interested in competing are encouraged to do so at their own expense. For more information, call the Fitness and Sports Center at 963-3347.
Airman and Family Readiness Center events are held at Building 500 unless otherwise noted. To sign up for an event, call 963-4406.
Family pre-deployment briefing: Families of Airmen deploying within the next 30 days can meet Tuesdays and Fridays from 2 to 3 p.m. The briefing gives information about deployments and tips for a successful deployment for Airmen and their families.
Sponsor training: A class to teach to requirements of sponsorship and tips on being an effective and efficient sponsor will be held July 1 from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.
Reintegration seminar: There is a reintegration seminar held Tuesdays from 9 to 10 a.m. for Airmen returning from a deployment to help them reintegrate back into their family lives.
Heart link spouse orientation: Spouses of military members can learn Air Force culture, traditions, military language, benefits, services and mission, all while making friends July 25. Reserve a seat no later than July 18. Childcare issues will be addressed at time of registration.
Parenting workshop classes are held from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Time management and organization for teens: Brown bag lunch workshop for parents and teens June 29. Learn to balance and organize responsibilities with time for having fun.
Effective discipline for school-age children ages 6-9: Learn effective tools for setting guidelines, shaping behavior, and discipline July 6.
Effective discipline for pre-teens and teens ages 10-17: Learn effective guidelines for setting rules, limits and consequences July 13.
Around the base
Fall culture class: Enrollment for the Fall Introduction to Culture class starting Sept. 7 is currently open. Registration started June 8, through the Air University Portal Web site. Air University is looking to enroll 320 students. For any questions regarding the course, call Katie Gunther at 334-953-9017 or Olin Goodhue at 334-953-7197.
More storage available: The recreational vehicle storage lot has available spaces for boats, campers or trailers not exceeding 30 feet in length for individuals living on or off base. The fee is $35 per month or $360 per year. For more information, contact the Outdoor Recreation Center at 963-5271.
Educational resources available: Parents of school-age children can access educational resources to support their child's math and reading skill development by registering for a free account at www.soarathome.org. For parents who are relocating, the site offers a test students can take on state learning standards and directs students to a tutorial that will improve their skills if needed. Student Online Achievement Resources cover skills in math, reading and language arts for students in grades 3-12.
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 Mondays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, contact Betsy Crump at 963-4411.
Airman's Attic needs volunteers: Volunteers are needed to help at the Airman's Attic located in the Airman and Family Readiness Center Mondays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to sort donations and assist customers. There is also a need for individuals who own a truck or a trailer to volunteer as delivery drivers. Volunteers are eligible to participate in the base Recognizing Achievement and Volunteer Excellence program, which provides monthly incentives based on the number of hours volunteered. For more information, call 963-4408.
Lost and found: The 437th Security Forces Squadron maintains lost and found items. Call 963-3605 or 7266 to inquire about a lost item. In accordance with Air Force Instruction 31-206, security forces will not take custody of property, besides weapons, left with another installation agency.
ID Registration: Persons over the age of 16 issued a Department of Defense identification card are required to register in the new Defense Biometric Identification System at the Visitor Control Center or the 437th Force Support Squadron Military Personnel Section, Building 503, weekdays between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. and weekends at the VCC from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call 963-7807.
TSP transfers to Roth IRAs: Separated Thrift Savings Plan participants and active participants eligible for age based in-service withdrawals now have the option to transfer all or part of TSP withdrawal payments to a Roth Individual Retirement Account as well as to traditional IRAs or other eligible employer plans. Keep in mind that members must meet eligibility criteria and they must pay tax on any amount that is transferred into a Roth IRA for the year of the transfer. For more information, see the "Questions and Answers" on the TSP Web site or the TSP tax notice "Important Tax Information About Payments From Your TSP Account," available from the TSP Web site, www.tsp.gov, or by calling the Thrift Line at 877-968-3778.
Lower cost hearing aids available for military retirees: Naval Health Clinic Charleston is now participating in the Retiree At-Cost Hearing Aid Program. RACHAP makes hearing aids available at significantly reduced costs to retired military service members. The program is available for those who are under 65 years old and enrolled to a primary care manager at NHCC or to the 437th Medical Group. Those receiving 10 percent or more disability from the Veteran's Administration are not eligible for hearing aids through RACHAP. Anyone interested in obtaining a hearing aid through RACHAP should call the Naval Health Clinic directly at 743-3709. Those wishing to change their primary care enrollment to NHCC should call 800-444-5445 or visit the TRICARE Service Center at the Naval Health Clinic on Rivers Avenue. For more information on the services available at NHCC, go to www.nhchasn.med.navy.mil.
Interest rates on federal education loans to drop July 1: Persons considering a federal student loan consolidation of their variable-rate loans should seriously look into doing so immediately after July 1. At that time, interest rates on these consolidations will drop to a historic low and will be "locked in" for the life of the loan, potentially saving thousands of dollars in interest for borrowers. Federal student loans that were taken out before July 1, 2006 have variable rates. Interest rates on federal consolidation loans are capped, meaning they cannot go higher than 8.25 percent. Borrowers who have variable-rate federal loans who consolidate them after July 1 can lock in these new low rates:
· Stafford Loan Consolidation (In-School/Grace Period): 2 percent
· Stafford Loan Consolidation (Repayment Period): 2.50 percent
· PLUS Loan Consolidation: 3.38 percent
Some of the important aspects of this initiative are:
· Borrowers who have already consolidated their loans cannot take advantage of the drop in interest rate.
· Persons with loans originated after July 1, 2006 are not eligible for the new lower rate.
· Private student loans cannot be included in a federal consolidation loan.
· Borrowers who are still in school cannot consolidate their loans until they graduate, as Congress repealed the early repayment status loophole in 2006.