CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
To submit information for news briefs, send an e-mail to airlift.dispatch@charleston.af.mil with subject NEWS BRIEFS. Submissions must be received no later than close of business Friday the week before publication.
Spotlight
437th Airlift Wing change of command: Charleston AFB will welcome a new base commander during a wing change of command ceremony May 8 at 10 a.m. in Nose Dock 2, Building 578. Col. John Wood will take over as the 437th Airlift Wing commander as Col. John "Red" Millander becomes the chief of the Air Force's Global Mobility Division at the Pentagon. Colonel Wood is currently part of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force's Fellows Program at the Pentagon. For those wanting to attend the ceremony, there will be a shuttle picking people up starting at 9 a.m. at the three following locations: the base theater parking lot, Graves Avenue in front of the 437th Aerial Port Squadron and at the intersection of N. Graves and Stewart Avenue in front of the 437th Civil Engineer Squadron. Shuttle service will stop 15 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony.
Around the base
Traffic delays: There will be traffic delays and intermediate closure of facilities on Charleston AFB May 13 for an exercise. All individuals visiting the base on this day are encouraged to plan accordingly. For more information, please contact the 437th Airlift Wing Inspector General Office at 963-7740.
May Fair is here: Spring is in the air and the May Fair is near. The Base Exchange is hosting "May Fair" from May 7 to 9, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Come and join the fun and select the perfect Mother's Day gift. There will be many different artisans and food to enjoy. May 9 we have special events for your children including free face painting and the base fire truck. For all you golfers, come try your luck on the putting green. Call the BX Admin Office at 552-5000, ext. 130 for more information.
NASCAR is coming May 14: The Crown Royal NASCAR will be at the Base Exchange May 14 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and then at the Shoppette from 3 to 6 p.m. Come and see the car and trailer, along with memorabilia. They will be here for one day only. Don't miss this rare opportunity.
Commissary to hold mega case-lot sale: The Charleston AFB Commissary is holding another May Mega Case-lot Sale in the Commissary parking lot May 7 to 9 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The sale will feature more than 215 items with savings of up to 65 percent off regular prices. A list of featured products is available at the Commissary's welcome table just inside the entrance, or you can email L.B. Rice at lb.rice@deca.mil and request a copy electronically. For more information, call 963-5259 or 5706.
Airman Battle Uniform headgear policy: The ABU patrol cap is the authorized hat with the ABU. ABU "Boonie" floppy hats are authorized in the area of responsibility. Exceptions to this policy include:
Berets continue to be authorized for wear, with no change to current color worn by security forces, pararescue and combat rescue, Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape school, combat patrol and special tactics, combat weather and the Tactical Control Air Party.
Campaign hats continue to be authorized for wear with no change to current color worn by Special Operations Command units, basic military training instructors and Defense Language Institute English Language Center instructors.
Organizational caps are authorized for RED HORSE squadrons.
437th Medical Group closed for training: The medical group will be closed all day May 13 for training.
Lost and found: The 437th Security Forces Squadron investigations section maintains all lost and found items turned into security forces. Please telephone 963-3605 or 7266 if you have lost an item on Charleston AFB. As a reminder, in accordance with Air Force Instruction 31-206, security forces will generally not take custody of property, except for weapons, left with another installation agency, for example, luggage left by passengers at the passenger terminal or personal property left in or around the dorms, Base Exchange or the Commissary.
Mom and Tot Play Group: The Mom and Tot Play Group meets every Wednesday in the base Youth Center at 9:15 a.m. The play group is open to all mothers and their children. For more information please contact Lauren Gonzalez at 819-6541, via e-mail at lauren.gonzalez16@gmail.com; or Aubrey Arnold at 405-924-2433, via e-mail at aubarnold@gmail.com.
CAC Registration: Everyone with a common access card is required to register it in the new Defense Biometric Identification System located at the Visitor Control Center Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cards may also be registered at the 437th Force Support Squadron Military Personnel Flight, Building 503, Monday through Friday between 7:30 a.m. and noon. For more information contact Bob Trout at 963-3623 or George Kennedy at 963-7807.
Legal assistance change of hours: Hours for legal assistance have changed. All wills and health care powers of attorney will be completed by appointment only (excluding deployers). Appointments will be available Thursdays from 8 a.m. to noon. All other legal assistance (consumer affairs, divorce, etc.) will be held on a walk-in basis Tuesdays from noon to 1 p.m. for active-duty Airmen and from 1 to 3 p.m. for all clients, including active-duty members. For more information or to make an appointment, contact the 437th Airlift Wing Legal Office at 963-5502.
Spread the Word available electronically: An electronic version of the Spread the Word briefing is now available online at https://ask.afpc.randolph.af.mil/pubaffairs/word/word.asp. Briefing topics range from the assignment cycle and tempo banding to upcoming uniform changes and civilian hiring procedures. Questions can be sent to the Spread the Word team at ste.workflow@randolph.af.mil.
All classes and briefings sponsored by the Airman and Family Readiness Center will be held at Building 500 unless otherwise noted. If interested in signing up for an event, call 963-4406.
Making a good marriage better: Married couples, or those contemplating marriage, can discover the keys to maintaining a healthy marriage, the impact of marital stages and how to dispel marital myths May 4 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
SC employment services: A representative from the South Carolina Employment Services will be here May 13 to meet with job seekers. Half-hour appointments are held from 10 a.m. to noon. Individuals seeking an appointment must register online before the appointment at www.scjoblink.org.
Troops/spouses to teachers: Workshop will be held May 14 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. Spouses to Teachers provides support to spouses of active-duty military and reservists in their pursuit of K-12 teaching positions. Eligible spouses consist of spouses of active duty personnel, spouses of members of Reserve and Air National Guard and spouses of members of individual Ready Reserve recalled to active duty.
Family pre-deployment briefing: Families of Airmen deploying within the next 30 days can meet every Tuesday and Friday from 2 to 3 p.m. The briefing provides information on all realms of deployments, and there will be tips for a successful deployment for both the Airman deploying and his or her family.
Reintegration seminar: There is a reintegration seminar every Tuesday from 9 to 10 a.m. for Airmen returning from a deployment to help them reintegrate back into their family lives.
MFLC Program: The A&FRC now has a Military Family Life Consultant who is available by phone at 609-8717, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and available on weekends as well. The service is free and confidential with some restrictions and no kept records or documents. The consultant can also meet with Team Charleston Airmen on base or in a public setting such as a library or a restaurant. The consultant acts as a "life coach" in preventing issues from becoming problems and work with a wide variety of issues including relationships, anger and stress management, communications, parenting, work-related stress, decision-making skills, issues related to deployments and other "life adjustments."
Airman's Attic in need of donations: The Airman's Attic is in need of 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 Monday through Friday 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 A&FRC Monday-Friday 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.
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 ThriftLine at 877-968-3778.
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.
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.
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.
Possible assistance for homeowners: President Obama introduced a comprehensive Financial Stability Plan and a critical piece of this effort is the Home Affordable Refinance Program. The program will give homeowners with loans owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac an opportunity to refinance into more affordable monthly payments. The consumer Web site, www.MakingHomeAffordable.gov, provides homeowners with detailed information about these programs along with self-assessment tools and calculators to empower borrowers with the resources needed to determine eligibility for a modification or refinance under the Administration's program. The Web site also allows borrowers to connect with free counseling resources to help with outstanding questions; locate homeowner events in their communities; find a handy checklist of key documents and materials to have ready when making that important call to their servicer as well as frequently asked questions from borrowers in similar circumstances and much more.
Myrtle Beach Military Appreciation Days: Myrtle Beach will honor active-duty and retired military service members from all branches with Military Appreciation Days, May 28 to 30. Please visit the Military Appreciation Days Web site at www.militaryappreciationdays.com for a schedule and list of events.