Family

July 2011
Article from www.military.com Submitted by Magda Lawrence Information & Referral

Times
However, a Committee of Five was appointed to draft a statement presenting to the world the colonies' case for independence. Members of the Committee included John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Robert R. Livingston of New York and Thomas Jefferson of Virginia. The task of drafting the actual document fell on Jefferson. On July 1, 1776, the Continental Congress reconvened, and on the following day, the Lee Resolution for independence was adopted by 12 of the 13 colonies, New York not voting. Discussions of Jefferson's Declaration of Independence resulted in some minor changes, but the spirit of the document was unchanged. The process of revision continued through all of July 3 and into the late afternoon of July 4, when the Declaration was officially adopted. Of the 13 colonies, nine voted in favor of the Declaration, two -- Pennsylvania and South Carolina -- voted No, Delaware

The History of Independence Day

On July 4, 1776, the thirteen colonies claimed their independence from England, an event which eventually led to the formation of the United States. Each year on July 4th, also known as Independence Day, Americans celebrate this historic event.

Conflict between the colonies and England was already a year old when the colonies convened a Continental Congress in Philadelphia in the summer of 1776. In a June 7 session in the Pennsylvania State House (later Independence Hall), Richard Henry Lee of Virginia presented a resolution with the famous words: Resolved: That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.
Lee's words were the impetus for the drafting of a formal Declaration of Independence, although the resolution was not followed up on immediately. On June 11, consideration of the resolution was postponed by a vote of seven colonies to five, with New York abstaining.

was undecided and New York abstained. John Hancock, President of the Continental Congress, signed the Declaration of Independence. It is said that John Hancock's signed his name with a great flourish so England's King George can read that without spectacles! Today, the original copy of the Declaration is housed in the National Archives in Washington, D.C., and July 4 has been designated a national holiday to commemorate the day the United States laid down its claim to be a free and independent nation.

In This Issue
Directors Corner..2 Newcomers......................................2 ACS Directory..............2 Financial Readiness..........3 Safety....4 AFTB/Vets....5 AFAP.........6/7 FAP......8/11 Employment........................9/12 Volunteer Corp.......................10 SOS.................12 Relocation.......................................13 Calendar..................14

Directors Corner
Mission Statement:
ACS will assist commanders in maintaining readiness of individuals, Families, and communities within Americas Army by developing, coordinating, and delivering services that pro-mote self-reliance, resiliency, and stability during war and peace. Fort Hamilton ACS Vision: Empowering the Total Army Family through education to promote self-reliance and resiliency.

Have a wonderful 4th of July!!

Carmen E. Borrero, ACS Director

Carmen

ACS PROGRAMS & STAFF

ACS Director Carmen Borrero 718-630-4457 Army Emergency Relief 718-630-4471 Army Family Team Building John Mapes 718-630-4498 Army Family Action Plan John Mapes 718-630-4498 Army Volunteer Corps Joseph Gamez 718-630-4756 Deployment Readiness Madeline Pastorella 718-630-4462 Employment Readiness Joseph Gamez 718-630-4756 Exceptional Family Member Program Vincent DiMaira 718-630-4460 Family Advocacy Vincent DiMaira 718-630-4460 Financial Readiness 718-630-4471 Front Desk/Information & Referral Magda Lawrence 718-630-4754 Lending Closet Madeline Pastorella 718-630-4462 Outreach Program Coordinator Carson Schefstad 718-630-4467 Relocation Readiness Madeline Pastorella 718-630-4462 Sexual Assault & Victim Advocacy Vincent DiMaira 718-630-4460 Survivor Outreach Services Carson Schefstad 718-630-4467

New to Ft. Hamilton?

Come to our Newcomers Orientation

July 28, 2011 Beginning at 8:30 a.m. At the ACS Conference Room Bldg. 137-C Poly Place, 1st Floor
Call Maddy to Reserve Your Seat!

(718) 630-4754

Parents and Children Moving Away from the Joneses

and CDs in addition to books. Your community library may offer reading classes and/or other programs geared toward younger children and teens. You may also be able to take computer and job skills or language classes. Host family game night. When your budget does not have the flexibility to cover recreational expenses, such as going to the movie theater, families can still enjoy "fun" time together. Grab a board game and snacks, invite friends and have them bring a potluck meal. Achieve the same amount of fun for more than half the price. Buy used. When the cash flow is slow, think about buying used items (electronics, bikes, or clothing) in an effort to save money. Buy used and save the difference. Volunteer. A great way to teach "giving" values is by volunteering time to charities. Teens will learn the value of having a giving spirit-where emphasis is placed on contributing rather than consumption. Initiate a clothes swap. Many teens want to keep up with the current clothing trends and that can become costly. See if other families in your community would be interested in a clothes swap. Parents and kids should not feel that they have to keep up with the Joneses. Emphasis should be placed on what fits their lifestyle and most importantly, their budget. Choose to save your money rather than risk losing it all to keep up with the trends of others.

Article from www.militarysaves.net Financial Readiness Program

The recent economic downturn has families thinking twice about their spending habits, especially when it comes to spending money on their children. In today's society, the role of daily consumption for parents and children includes a substantial amount of money spent on toys, electronics, clothing, eating out, and many extracurricular activities. The good news: parents and their children do not have to keep up with the Joneses (aka your neighbors and friends). All it takes is one family to start the "saving threat" and others may join this savings movement. When parents implement a positive financial plan, their children will notice and understand. This plan includes, but is not limited to, spending less than you earn, living with a budget, saving for college expenses, paying down debt or simply paying yourself first. Children are eager to learn from parents and they in turn might just teach other kids about positive money management behavior. Today's family can ignore keeping up with today's trends in order to be satisfied or happy. Families can achieve a perfect balance without

the presence of money, or if need be, at a fraction of the cost! Find your tribe. Team up with other families that share your money-saving views. Strength in numbers is a power tool. You will come to notice your children aren't competing with their peers because everyone shares the same values. Visit your neighborhood park. The park is a great place to spend time free of charge. Parents can turn the experience into a learning one--discuss animals and plants that are native to the area. Or the importance of keeping the park clean for both wildlife and humans. Have a picnic lunch. Plan a picnic lunch rather than purchase lunch at the drive-thru. Encourage your kids to create menus. Head to the supermarket for ingredients and discuss the various prices of items and how coupons lower the cost per item. Visit the library. Many community libraries lend out DVDs

ARMY COMMUNITY SERVICE 137-C POLY PLACE, 1st Floor FORT HAMILTON WERE ON

FACEBOOK!

PHONE: 718.630.4754 MON-FRI 0800-1630

Safety: Protect Your Eyes from the Sun

Article Submitted by Joseph Gamez

As you pack your sunscreen and other items to enjoy your favorite outdoor activities dont forget to bring along some ultraviolet radiation protection for your eyes. Wearing sunglasses that block the suns glare without screening ultraviolet (UV) radiation may actually cause eyes more harm than good. Not all sunglasses block UV radiation, in fact, products that shade the eyes without screening UV radiation may dilate the pupils and let in more harmful rays. The sun emits many types of radiation, including visible light what we see as color; infrared rays - invisible but felt as heat; and ultraviolet rays - also invisible but often called the sunburn rays. According to PREVENT BLINDNESS AMERICA, the UV radiation that has been linked with eye damage is divided into several categories, including UV-A and UV-B. Long-term exposure to UV rays contributes to the development of cataracts; pterygium (tissue growth on the white of the eye that can advance to block vision); skin cancer around the eyes; and macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss among older Americans. Excessive short-term exposure can cause sunburn to the eyelids and photokeratitis, and a painful sunburn of the cornea. While everyone is at risk of UVs harmful effects, certain individuals are at increased risk, especially those spending long hours in the sun because of work or recreation. Additionally, individuals with certain retinal disorders, and persons taking particular medications, such as tetracycline, are more sensitive to UV rays. UV radiation is greatest during the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., when 60% of the effective UV radiation reaches the earths surface. The amount of UV radiation reaching your eyes also increases greatly at high altitudes and closer to the equator.

PREVENT BLINDNESS AMERICA offers the following tips for maximum UV protection:
Select sunglasses that provide 99-100 percent protection from both UV-A and UV-B. Avoid products that say Provides UV Protection without specifying exactly how much UV radiation the product blocks. Examine the lenses for scratches, bubbles, or distortions. The lenses should be perfectly matched in color. Sunglasses should also block 75-90% of the visible light spectrum. Wear a wide-brimmed hat, sunscreen, and quality sunglasses for maximum protection!
UV protection in eyewear is inexpensive, does not interfere with vision, and can be incorporated into nearly all-optical materials currently in use. Whether your sunglass lenses are polarized, mirrored, or photo chromic is purely a personal preference. As long as the lenses absorb the necessary amount of UV radiation, they will protect your eyes. Comfort and fashion are important, but an even better reason to wear sunglasses is your eye health. For additional tips on selecting sunglasses, call PREVENT BLINDNESS AMERICA at 1-800-331-2020 or visit their web site at http://www.preventblindness.org/.

Financial Readiness First Term Soldiers

July 19, 2011 0830 to 1500 Education Center Building 218A To Reserve a Seat! Call (718) 630.4471 or (718) 630.4754

Financial Readiness PCS Financial Class

July 20,2011 1400 to 1500 ACS Conference Room Building 137C To Reserve a Seat! Call (718) 630.4471 or (718) 630.4754

What is Army Family Team Building?

AFTB is a series of training modules that cover topics such as basic information about the Army, personal growth skills and leadership skills. AFTB improves personal and Family preparedness which enhances overall Army readiness and helps Americas Army adapt to a changing world.

If youre interested in taking any of the over 30 AFTB classes or becoming a volunteer for the AFTB Program contact: John Mapes @ (718) 630-4498 or e-mail john.mapes1@us.army.mil

LOCAL VETERINARIES
Felton Veterinary Services www.feltonvets.com (718) 388-1172 Hope Veterinary Services Pc www.hopevet.com (718) 852-4219 Banfield the Pet Hospital www.banfield.net (718) 448-5558 Windsor Terrace Veterinarians (718) 431-8950 Carroll Gardens Vet Group Pc www.thegardenvet.com (718) 875-7007 Brooklyn Veterinary Group www.brooklynvetgroup.com (718) 331-7775 Veterinary Hospital www.fifthavenueveterinaryhospital.com (718) 748-1066 Ft. Dix Veterinary Treatment Facility (609) 562-6636 Paws and Claws Veterinary Hospital www.bregmanvetgroup.com (718) 782-8387 Battery Park Veterinary Hospital www.dvmhospitals.com (212) 786-4444 (Manhattan) Central Brooklyn Veterinary Center www.centralbklynvet.com (718) 338-9600 Vincent George Veterinarian 5 (718) 444-5151

The Army Family Action Plan (AFAP) Conference was held on 4 November 2010 to develop and prioritize issues from the Fort Hamilton Community. There were 23 issues prioritized from over 55 submitted issues. These 23 issues are being reviewed by the Garrison Commander and the AFAP Steering Committee quarterly. The results of our last AFAP Steering Committee Meeting held on 29 March 2011 are below.

Issue
The Installation does not have a newspaper.

Resolution
CLOSED: Due to the size of this installation and associated resources to print and distribute a hard copy version of a post newspaper make this issue impractical. However, the installation does publish a weekly electronic version of a post publication, The Hamilton Connection. (See remarks) CLOSED: Fort Hamilton is currently and actively supported by NYC Fire Department. As part of the installation Fire Program, the Installation Fire Specialist sends out seasonal reminders via e-mail, goes to CYSS every three months for inspection, attends special events and briefs during the Newcomer Orientations. He is also available to provide on-site fire hazard training to individual residents. CLOSED: Recruiting Command does not have the resources (weapons and ammunition) or the storage facilities to provide this training. CLOSED: Youth Services has offered trips in the past to teens. Unfortunately teens have been slow to sign up and attend these trips. Once membership is up, teens can plan trips related to programming and club activities. CLOSED: Career/College fairs have been offered to the youth in the past; however, teens do not attend these events. The Outreach Service Director has forwarded information to families on College Fairs held in the outside school communities and CYSS club activities offer College Board information. Outreach Service will conduct a survey to find out how many teens are interested in 6 attending a College fair on Fort Hamilton.

Installation and housing fire safety

Non-deployable unit weapons training Extend weekend/weeklong field trips for teens. Career/college fairs on-post.

Issue Teen focus group for PX.

Resolution CLOSED: The Corporate Office in Dallas Texas is responsible for all merchandise sold in AAFES Exchanges. There is not a Local Buyer who can order special items to be sold in this store which is classified as a Small Retiree Store. Ms. Sharron Wilson and Ms. Barbara Rodriguez are available to meet with any teen who would like to suggest a line of clothing. These suggestions are then elevated to the Corporate Office in Dallas Texas and given to the buyers who will make a decision whether to stock the store with the suggested items or not. CLOSED: Resiliency training is being provided through Army Community Services, however, we do recognize the need for additional outreach. Accordingly, we will pursue identifying and adding additional trainers to offer more training sessions for Family Members and DoD Civilians. (See remarks) Regular updates have been published to include resident access to their individual monthly usage/billing statements via an on-line website which is run by MINOL. Residents may stop by the community management office located at 222-A Washington Rd. with questions/issues relating to this program. RCI is currently working with Balfour Beatty Communities to develop/implement more programs aimed at educating and informing residents of this program.

Resilience training.

Communicating of energy efficient programs.

Remarks: If you are interested in receiving The Fort Hamilton Connection electronically, please contact Bruce Hill at 718-630-4780 If you are interested in receiving the ACS Newsletter electronically, please contact Magda Lawrence @ 718-630-4754 If you are interested in Resilience Training, please contact John Mapes at 718-630-4498
7

Sexual Assault Prevention

Sexual assault is a crime. Sexual assault can happen to men and women of all ages. Sexual assault is intentional sexual contact, characterized by the use of force, physical threat of force, or the abuse of authority when the victim does not or cannot consent. Rape, nonconsensual sodomy, and indecent assault are all forms of sexual assault. If you are a Service Member and are a victim of a sexual assault, ACS has a sexual assault response coordinator, he can be reached at 347-452-4302 24/7. The sexual assault victim has two reporting options:

Restricted- Allows victims the option of receiving medical treatment, advocacy, and counseling without triggering the official investigative process or command involvement.
Unrestricted- Allows victims to also receive medical treatment, advocacy, counseling, and an official investigation of their allegation by law enforcement. The option insures the widest range of rights and protections to the victim. As members of the Ft. Hamilton Community we are duty bound to Intervene, Act, and Motivate others to stop sexual assault. To report Child or Spouse Abuse, please contact For more information, please contact: Vincent DiMaira, SARC at 718-630-4460 or 347-452-4302 24/7. Department of Emergency Service (DES) at 718-630-4456 For Confidential Reporting of Domestic Abuse or to report Sexual Assault, please contact the USAG Victim Advocacy Hotline at 347-452-4302

Military Family Life Consultant

Exceptional Family Member Program

NEED HELP COPING?

MILITARY & FAMILY LIFE CONSULTANTS are licensed, clinical counselors providing free, anonymous support Provide non medical short term, situational, problem-solving counseling Services can be provided on or off Military installations Services can be provided to individuals, couples, Families, and groups The Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) is a mandatory program designed to meet the needs of Family Members with physical, emotional, developmental or learning difficulties that require special medical treatment, therapy, or education. To enroll your Family Member in EFMP, please contact Ms. Brenda Shea, Occupational Health Nurse at Ainsworth Clinic, phone number 718-630-4907. For any questions concerning the Exceptional Family Member Program, please contact Vincent DiMaira, Family Advocacy Program Manager at 718-630-4460

To access MFLC services please call: (718) 757-9408

Employment Readiness Program

Adult Career Skills Training
Are you looking for a Job? Do you want help preparing yourself against the competition? Do you need assistance in preparing your resume?
Are you or your children in grades 3-12, or about to go to college? Then make an appointment and allow us to assist you with your needs.

Youth Career and Education Assistance

Sign up for one or all of our following classes:

Making the most out of a Career Fair Translating Volunteer Experience into a Resume Secrets to Resume Success Workshop Federal Employment and the Federal Resume Networking 101

We will provide you with helpful resources in the following:

NYS Regents Exam Prep for grades 3-12 Free Tutoring: Provided by certified teachers, college professors, professional tutors or graduate school students with expertise in Math, Science, Social Studies and English. GED Prep

AP Exam Prep
Academic Skills Question Bank Job Searches-Summer Youth Employment Program Family College Planning Center SAT Prep Tools ACT Prep Tools College Searches College Application Help Resume for College Application Scholarship searches for College 9

Labor Market Information

Interview Skills & Dress for Success Career Plan Development

POC: Employment Readiness Program Manager 718-630-4756

Find out more information about the Fort Hamilton Volunteer Program, including: How to add your agency so you may use volunteers How to search and apply for positions How to register as a volunteer

Offered at the Army Community Service Building 137C, 1st Floor, 3:30 4:30 on the following dates: February 2, 16 March 2,16
April 6, 20 June 8, 22 August 3, 17 October 5, 19 December 7, 21 May 4, 18 July 6, 20 September 7, 21 November 2, 16

First come first served. Only four seats per class. For registered students ONLY. TO REGISTER please call (718) 630-4756 or email joseph.gamez1@us.army.mil

Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) Respite Care

The EFMP Respite Care Program is designed to provide a temporary rest period for Military Families responsible for regular care of persons with disabilities. The EFMP at Fort Hamilton is pleased to announce the availability of funds that have been allocated by the Department of the Army to cover the cost of Respite Care. To qualify for respite care funding, your Exceptional Family Member (EFM) must have at least one of the following conditions: little or no-age appropriate skills; severe continuous seizure activity; ambulation with neurological impairment that requires assistance with activities of daily living; tube feeding; tracheotomy with frequent suctioning; apnea monitoring during hours of sleep; and inability to control behavior with safety issues requiring constant supervision. For more information on the EFMP Respite Care please contact: Vincent DiMaira, EFMP Manager at 718-630-4460

Family Advocacy Program

The Family Advocacy Program: a. Promotes awareness of domestic violence within the Army community and coordinates professional intervention at all levels within Military and Civilian communities.

b. Strives to break the cycle of abuse by identifying abuse as early as possible, providing intervention, and coordinating treatment for the offender and affected Family members.
c. Recognizes that many incidents of domestic violence constitute violations of the law and that a commander has authority to take disciplinary or administrative action in such cases. The goal is to prevent spouse and child abuse, to encourage the reporting of all suspected or known instances of such abuse, to ensure the prompt assessment and investigation of all abuse cases, to protect victims of abuse, and to treat all Family members (victims and offenders) affected by or involved in abuse. For assistance, please contact: Vincent DiMaira, FAPM at 718-630-4460 11

The Family Advocacy Program (FAP) is established to prevent spouse and child abuse.

Waiting Families
Have a Deployed Service Member? Join Waiting Families Support Group for fun, outings & support! NYC Aquarium July 16, 2011 Meet at ACS, Bldg. 137 C, 1st Floor 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Survivors Outreach Services

Please call to reserve your seat!! Contact: Madeline Pastorella Phone: 718-630-4754 At ACS Bldg. 137C, 1st Floor

Survivor Outreach Services (SOS) provides assistance and support to the Families of Fallen Soldiers and the Families of Veterans who died from a service connected disability. Information and referral services are provided to survivors. Services include casualty assistance, benefits coordination, financial counseling, and memorial affairs coordination. For more information please call 718-630-4754

Employment Readiness Program

The program provides a lab that operates as your office while you are developing your job search campaign.

Army Volunteer Corps

Get Connected! Become A Volunteer!

-Meet new people -Make new friends -Learn new skills -Gain work experience -HAVE FUN!

You will have use of the computer lab, printer, and fax. We provide assistance with the following: Job Search Career Assessment One-on-One assistance on resume writing CPOL Resumix assistance Joseph Gamez, ERP (718) 630-4756

Contact: Joseph Gamez 12 (718) 630-4756 joseph.gamez1@us.army.mil

FRG Training course was developed to train FRG Leaders on their roles and responsibilities to the FRG. Below is a list of the four sections of the course Lending Connection Empowering Managing Army Community Service is conducting its Annual FRG Training on

Thursday, August 25 2011, starting at 1000-1500 held at

ACS, 137-C Poly Place, 1st Floor.
Call 718-630-4754 to reserve your spot!

Army Community Service is conducting its Annual Rear D Training on Friday, August 26 2011, starting at 1000-1500 held at ACS 137-C Poly Place, 1st Floor.
RDC course was developed to train Commanders on their roles and responsibilities as an RDC. Below is a list of the four sections of the course: Organization, Training, Programs, Support. For more information and to reserve your seat please call 718-630-4754

July 2011
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
1 ACS HOURS 0800-1630 Computer Lab 0800-1600 2

Saturday

5 ACS HOURS 0800-1630 Computer Lab 0800-1600

6 Volunteer Orientation 1530-1630 ACS Comp Lab

7 ACS HOURS 0800-1630 Computer Lab 0800-1600

8 ACS HOURS 0800-1630 Computer Lab 0800-1600

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11 ACS HOURS 0800-1630 Computer Lab 0800-1600

12 ACS HOURS 0800-1630 Computer Lab 0800-1600

13 ACS HOURS 0800-1630 Computer Lab 0800-1600

14 ACS HOURS 0800-1630 Computer Lab 0800-1600

15 ACS HOURS 0800-1630 Computer Lab 0800-1600

16 Waiting Fam. 1000-1600 Meet at ACS Conf Rm.

17

18 ACS HOURS 0800-1630 Computer Lab 0800-1600

19 Financial Readiness 1st Term Soldiers 0830-1500 Ed Center

20 FRP PCS 1400-1500 ACS Conf. Rm. Volunteer Orientation 1530-1630 ACS Comp Lab 27 ACS HOURS 0800-1630 Computer Lab 0800-1600

21 ACS HOURS 0800-1630 Computer Lab 0800-1600

22 ACS HOURS 0800-1630 Computer Lab 0800-1600

23

24

25 ACS HOURS 0800-1630 Computer Lab 0800-1600

26 ACS HOURS 0800-1630 Computer Lab 0800-1600

28 Newcomers Orientation 0800-1230 ACS Conf. Rm.

29 ACS HOURS 0800-1630 Computer Lab 0800-1600

30

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