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Current Headlines
From Under The Bridge To A Home Of His Own
By June Spadachene
 Michael Hancock was a homeless Viet Nam Army Veteran just a short time ago, “ a drug dependent, out of work and out of hope, street person”, he says. Although he made several attempts to turn his life around, all the many programs he tried were of short duration and with no follow up of support. Hancock says, “You’ve got to have continued support to rid yourself of drugs and dependency.”
A Florida native, he came to Dallas following “a lady” who wasn’t happy to see him. He began living out of his truck and moved “under the bridge” in downtown Dallas. He had little or no contact with his ten children or twelve grandchildren. Finding his way to the North Texas Health Care System-- the Dallas VA medical center, life began to look hopeful again. He entered the twenty eight day rehab program and then was accepted for longer care in a year long program in the Bonham Domicile unit where he could live for one year while receiving drug rehabilitation. Hancock says he gives total credit to the Dallas VA , their support, nurturing him, and keeping him moving to a new level in his life, he says “sometimes we put our pride above all resources, the VA took me in even though I kept sliding back they never gave up on me”.
He is an employee now and extremely proud that he can help other Vets like himself, working with the terminally ill, feeding them and performing other tasks for them, he earns vouchers which helped him to qualify for his new house, the first one he has ever had, with four bedrooms, fully furnished, a fenced back yard where he plans to plant flowers. The Department of Veterans Affairs employees and Habitat for Humanity with many volunteers from the community, along with the vouchers he earned with the VA, were able to give this homeless Veteran, the first home he’s ever owned.
Jeffrey Milligan, VA North Texas Health Care System Director says, “we’re all excited for Mr. Hancock and will continue to support him every step of the way”.
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Exchange Store Manager Lends a Helping Hand in Afghanistan
 DALLAS – Putting in a 12- to 14-hour workday seven days a week in a combat zone would be enough excitement for most people. But Army & Air Force Exchange Service Store Manager Maria Schizas-Price wanted to do more. So she volunteered with a local Navy detachment to reach out to the local community near her base in the Helmand River Valley in Afghanistan.
For the past few months, Price has worked with the Navy Preventive Medicine Detachment, Charlie Surgical Company CLR 15 at Camp Leatherneck to collect and distribute badly needed winter clothes and school supplies for local children. So far she and the Navy detachment have collected and distributed over 200 pounds of supplies to an orphanage in nearby Lashkar Gah.
“I have children and grandchildren of my own, and it would tear my heart out if they would have to go an entire winter without a decent coat to wear,” said Price. “Back in the States we sometimes take for granted simple things like school supplies. But out here children cherish them because they are often a rare luxury. Through the generosity of many, many donors these children are able to get a better education and endure the harsh winter,” Price added.
This is the third deployment for Price, and in some ways it has been the most satisfying.
“I love my job managing the local Exchange store here on Camp Leatherneck,” said Price. The troops are fabulous. We really see the appreciation in their eyes when they can get that little taste of home like a can of their favorite soda or a bag of chips here in a combat zone. Plus helping the Afghan children makes it even more rewarding.”
Maria Schizas-Price is one of 7,500 Exchange associates who have deployed since 9/11.
The Army & Air Force Exchange Service is a joint non-appropriated fund instrumentality of the Department of Defense and is directed by a Board of Directors which is responsible to the Secretaries of the Army and the Air Force through the Service Chiefs of Staff. The Exchange has the dual mission of providing authorized patrons with quality merchandise and services at competitively low prices and generating non-appropriated fund earnings as a supplemental source of funding for military morale, welfare and recreation programs. To find out more about the Exchange history and mission or to view recent press releases please visit our Web site at http://www.shopmyexchange.com.
Created 2003-02-04 10:24:27 by install
Updated 2013-02-14 15:40:20 by dewaun
Navy Told To Begin Cutting Expenses
Navy flag officers and top executives were told Thursday to begin cutting expenses -- laying off thousands of temporary civilian workers, reducing base operations and preparing to cancel maintenance work on more than two dozen ships and hundreds of aircraft. Adm. Jonathan Greenert, chief of naval operations, directed the reductions in a memorandum sent to senior Navy officials. The cuts are driven by uncertainty over how much a divided Congress and the White House might approve for the Pentagon’s 2013 budget.
“We are making the following reductions, starting now, to ensure we can fund ongoing deployments and other mission-critical activities,” the memo said.
The reductions do not specifically mention Navy operations in Hampton Roads, but they are expected to affect numerous private and military facilities in the region -- as well as ships and aircraft. Southeast Virginia is home to multiple bases, including the Navy’s largest, Norfolk Naval Station, and Norfolk Naval Shipyard, a government-owned facility in Portsmouth where thousands of civilians work on Navy vessels.
The cuts include:
- Plans to cancel maintenance for about 30 Navy ships at private shipyards between April and September.
- Plans to cancel depot maintenance for about 250 aircraft between April and September.
- Terminations of temporary civilian employees and a civilian hiring freeze. This will reduce the shipyards’ workforce by more than 3,000 people.
- Reductions in base spending and plans to cancel most repairs and upgrades of piers, runways, buildings and other facilities.
Private ship-repair operators said last week they were already feeling the effects of the cutbacks, noting that new repair contracts aren’t being approved.
“This is a big deal for all those yards here that have been hiring,” said Craig Quigley, executive director of the Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance. “They have been investing.... They have been doing advance purchases. This completely pulls the rug out from under them.”
Greenert stated that if Congress takes action to provide more money or permits the Navy to shift funds, the cuts could be avoided.
“These reductions are intended to be reversible,” said Greenert, who will be in Norfolk today for an all-hands meeting with sailors.
The cutbacks are in response to Congress’ continuing to fund the Navy at the 2012 budget level, rather than providing what the service was expecting for 2013. Unable to agree on an annual budget, Congress approved a continuing resolution to keep the government operating at 2012 budget levels until March 27.
Congress will have to decide by then how to fund the remainder of the fiscal year.
The smaller budget and other “unplanned growth” leave the Navy with $4.6 billion less than it needs for 2013, the memo says.
Created 2003-02-04 10:24:27 by install
Updated 2013-02-14 15:40:20 by dewaun
Army & Air Force Exchange Service and U.S. Army Partner to Open ‘Wounded Heroes Service Center’
DALLAS – After more than a decade of war, the military continues to adapt to the changing needs of servicemembers. Even the 117-year-old Army & Air Force Exchange Service is adjusting to address new realities as it opens a new facility designed specifically for wounded warriors.
Just a short drive from Landstuhl Medical Center, the military’s largest hospital outside of the United States, the Exchange partnered with the Department of the Army to open a first-of-its-kind facility for wounded Soldiers in Kaiserslautern, Germany at Kleber Kaserne.
“Many injured servicemembers come to Landstuhl with little more than the clothes on their back,” said the Exchange’s Military Clothing Manager at Kleber Kaserne, Deniz Barcala. “Since 9-11, thousands of troops have been bused to our warehouse to pick up clothing, footwear and more after being evacuated from a war zone. About a year ago, Army and Exchange leadership decided we could serve these heroes better.”
The resulting “Wounded Heroes Service Center,” with handicap accessible dressing rooms, bathrooms and entrance, is a first for the Exchange. Now open, the new Military Clothing store is for the exclusive use of patients being treated at Landstuhl Medical Center.
“The opening of this facility is another example of the Army’s continued investment in the care of our wounded servicemen and women,” said the Commanding General of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command Maj. Gen. Aundre F. Piggee.
“Out of 3,100 operations worldwide, the Exchange has nothing else like it,” said the Exchange’s European Commander Col. Fredrick Hannah.
“Because they are bused in, visitors have a limited amount of time to pick up new gear. Beyond having a facility that is easier to navigate, we also have associates who shop with the servicemember, put items in their cart and even pack their merchandise up for the bus ride back.
Everything about the experience is designed to make getting a new uniform quick and easy.”
The Exchange’s “Wounded Heroes Service Center” officially opened on January 16, 2013. The facility offers a full assortment of uniforms, gloves, hats, boots and duffel bags.
Created 2003-02-04 10:24:27 by install
Updated 2013-02-14 15:40:20 by dewaun
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