TRAVEL USA
| 06/08/2010

Howdy Pardner! Welcome to Frontier Town, Ocean City, Maryland’s premier camping resort! Our Woodall’s® Double 5W rated waterfront campground is situated along the beautiful Sinepuxent Bay and features nearly 600 spacious campsites caterin’ to primitive tentin’ all the way up to luxury 45 foot motor homes, deluxe rental trailers and campin’ cabins. Just five minutes away is Ocean City, Maryland with its’ beautiful sandy beaches, famous boardwalk, great fishin’ and amusements galore.

| 12/07/2009

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is considered an anxiety disorder. Anxiety is comprised of worrisome thoughts plus excessive emotional and physical pain.

Alcohol dependence (defined as five or more drinks in the same sitting) is a powerful disorder with enormous health consequences. Alcohol dependence and chronic, excessive alcohol consumption are associated with a high risk of developing various types of chronic diseases, including psychiatric conditions, neurologic impairment and cardiovascular disease, some of which are fatal. It is estimated that in the year 2000, alcohol-consumption was responsible for 85,000 deaths, or 3.5% of all deaths, in the United States, making alcohol consumption the third leading behavioral cause of death after tobacco use, poor diet and physical inactivity. More than 55,000 veterans were admitted into addiction treatment facilities in 2000 .

Chaplains Corner
By Cpt. Jennifer K. Cotten | 12/07/2009

Sgt. Luz “Lucy” Frausto, a drill sergeant with 1/354th, 1st Brigade, 95th Training Division (IET), Tulsa, Okla., has been a Soldier since joining the Army Reserve in November 2005. But on July 16, 2009, she officially became a citizen-Soldier when she took the Oath of Allegiance to the United States during a naturalization ceremony in Kansas City, Mo.

Frausto was born in Mexico City and came to the United States in 2003 on a student visa. She worked as a translator while attending school. In 2004 her employer petitioned for Frausto’s permanent residency which was granted one year later. Frausto said she had always wanted to be in the Army and to be a drill sergeant. After her residency was established, Frausto joined the Reserve.

Sam Morishima | 12/07/2009

When I was young I loved the old comedies.   The Honeymooners with Jackie Gleason and Art Carney was one of my favorites next to the Three Stooges. I remember whenever things went right for Jackie Gleason he would shout, “How Sweet It Is!”

Now whenever I ski or board, and those magic moments come when I blast through bumps or lace my way down steeps or float through powder I think “How Sweet It Is!”

I realize now, how true that statement is. No matter if you are skiing or snowboarding, every great run begins with a great turn and continues with a series of turns.  

To have those great turns you need to master the “sweet spot.” 

From The Commanding General
Maj. Gen. James B. Mallory III | 06/07/2010

As I reflect on the last 38 months in command I marvel at the accomplishments of the Soldiers of the 108th Training Command — but am not surprised.  I knew that as we consolidated, reorganized and transformed Initial Entry Training units from six different DIVITs, each with their own proud legacy, that the whole would be greater than the sum of the parts.  The leveraging of our collective experiences and capabilities has created a uniquely capable and flexible training organization.   With hard work at every level you have increased qualified Drill Sergeant strength from less than 50 percent to nearly 90 percent, with 100 percent just within reach.  Concurrent with massive reorganizations you have accomplished every mission: from our assigned training base expansion missions at the TRADOC Army Training Centers; to standing up and executing pre-deployment training at the Army Reserve Regional Training Centers; to training recalled IRR and over one-half of the individual augmentee Sailors at Task Force Marshall;  to changing Sailors, Airmen and Marines into Soldiers at the Warrior Transition Course; to continued support with trainers in Iraq and Afghanistan; to establishing a new Office of Program Management in support of training Saudi Arabian facility protection forces; to training a new generation of future officers at the ROTC Warrior Forge and Leader Training Courses; to West Point support; and most recently a short fuse mission to establish the first female Afghan OCS program by a 100 percent female contingent of six of our Drill Sergeants, 1st Sgt. and company commander.   Bottom line, you have done all required to establish your bona fides as an operational reserve; ready and able to train not only basic trainees, but Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen or Marines of any country, stateside or overseas.

MyCAA
Timothy M. Riley | 12/07/2009

Staff Sergeant Timothy M. Riley spent eight years, two months, and six days (not that he was counting) in the U.S. Army working as a Satellite Communications Controller and Terminal Operator. Although his initial plans did not include furthering his education through college-channels, the military’s focus on higher education helped to change Riley’s mind.

Upon exiting the Army, Riley went to work for PanAmSat Corporation in January 2001 as a Satellite Controller. Within a year, due to his military experience, he rose to a shift-management position. Riley returned to school in 2004 and spent a year balancing college against the demands of work and family. When his career was elevated to the ranks of middle-management, he again found it exceedingly difficult to allocate time for the traditional college classroom. In early 2005, a coworker introduced Riley to UMT. He immediately changed schools.

The Griffon
Col. Paul Wegman | 06/07/2010

Soldiers of the 98th Training Division (IET) returned to school from March 8th through 14th at Iroquois University.  Their campus was the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Atlanta, Ga. and their professors were Soldiers and civilians from the 98th Training Division and Army Reserve Command Headquarters.

“We had Soldiers and civilians attending from across the eastern portion of the country.  We needed a high quality low cost site to conduct our training.  The USARC headquarters is right down the road from the hotel, so the combination of factors was perfect for our needs,” said Sgt. Maj. Rick Wark, 98th Training Division, G3.

This year’s curriculum consisted of classes on the new Unit Status Reporting (USR) system, Individual Training and Readiness System (ITRS), and the Duty Appointed Retention NCO (DARN) program.  The classes were offered in response to comments noted during the division command inspection program.

The USR class was well received by the student body.  “We should do this a lot more often, this was very informative,” said Master Sgt. Jodi Johnson, 2nd Brigade Operations non-commissioned officer in charge. Mr. Clement Knight, unit administrator, 1/417 of 3rd Brigade added, “This was extremely helpful to a new employee like me.  Overall it was a great experience.”  This is the third year the 98th Division has offered classes through Iroquois University. 

TRAVEL USA
| 02/19/2010

Visitors to the Museum of Aviation in Warner Robins, Georgia, can say hello to a Super Jolly Green Giant that weighs over 30,000 pounds. Capable of flying in total darkness and finding its way into and out of hostile territory, the giant is a 38-year-old MH-53 special operations helicopter that has been around the world from Thailand to Europe to Iraq and has seen combat action in three wars.  

| 06/08/2010

Just outside Charleston, SC, Berkeley County, offers visitors a 12,000 year old education. Take a moment to read about all the exciting adventures that await you with a visit to Berkeley County.   

TRAVEL USA
| 02/19/2010

Harlingen’s “Dutch Name, Texan Heart” is open to receive you at its Valley International Airport, hotels, and restaurants. Harlingen, TX has unique attractions with an American downtown full of antiques and boutiques, outdoor nature trail-where parrots and sub-tropical birds rule, and heroes are made and celebrated at the Iwo Jima Memorial and Marine Military Academy. Your senses will come alive as you taste Mexican bakeries, enjoy our famous free Blues on the Hill concerts, feel our pleasant sub-tropical breeze and see our Texas Highways featured Mural Trail.