Vol. 13 No. 18 May 6, 2011Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif.

MCAS Miramar Website

www.miramar.usmc.mil

11TH MEU GATHERS GROUND, AIR, LOGISTICS ELEMENTS

FEMALE MARINES HELP BUILD AFGHANISTAN RELATIONSHIPSFemale Marines speak to locals in Af-ghanistan to help build up communities and improve trust with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. See page 6 for full story.

REACH US

EDITORIAL(858)-577-6000

Marine Corps Merit Award winning newspaper

The 11th MEU began its deployment cycle by assuming operational control of the elements that make it a complete Marine Air Ground Task Force. See page 5 for full story.

Courtesy Photo

A Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 267 AH-1W Super Cobra flies over the border city of El Paso, Texas, assisting U.S. Border Patrol in keeping an eye out for illegal immigrants. HMLA-267 has been dedicated to sending detachments in support of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit in Okinawa, Japan, and Southern California expeditionary units for the past few years, and is now deployed to Afghanistan as a full squadron for the first time since 2003.

HMLA-267 heads to the fi ghtMarine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 267 departed this week to support

combat operations in Afghanistan. This deployment marks the first squadron deployment since Operation Iraqi

Freedom I in 2003 as a full light attack squadron, according to 1st Lt. Dana R. Howe, the unit information officer and an AH-1 Cobra pilot for HMLA-267. For the past few years, the squadron has been dedicated to sending detachments in support of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit in Okinawa, Japan, and Southern California expeditionary units.

“Weʼve been preparing for a year,” he added. “The Marines are all excited to deploy together for the first time in years.”

According to Howe, their focus will be on taking care of the Marines on the ground by providing close air support, resupply, over watch, casualty evacuation, and joint tactical air strikes, for troops on the ground throughout Helmand province.

Sgt. W. Zach Griffi thCOMBAT CORRESPONDENT

‘Stomping out’ sexual assault

Cpl. Jamean R. Berry

Marines, sailors and civilian personnel participate in the second annual Sexual Assault Awareness Month walk aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., April 28. The SAAM walk is held to promote awareness and prevention.

Good workouts leave one sore, not in agony

Pain from physical training can mean “weakness is leaving the body,” or thereʼs a problem. If itʼs just the pain of a hard run, itʼs the primitive leftovers in the human brain from thousands of years ago trying to stop you from losing energy and valuable fat stores in your body.

Not too long ago, compared to how long the planet Earth has been around, humans that were grubbing around in caves had to catch or harvest their food before they ate it. Those early humans

had a survival instinct that said, “if youʼre not running to catch something to eat, you shouldnʼt be running.”

That instinct is part of what we, living in the time of fast food and refrigerators, have to overcome when we want to, or are required to, get into fi ghting shape. This means people, whose exercise was previ-ously limited to the walk to the kitchen, that start a real workout regime are not going to be used to the stress on their bodies.

“Your body has to go through a transition

Sgt. W. Zach Griffi thCOMBAT CORRESPONDENT

GO TO EXERCISE, PAGE 3

GO TO DEPLOYMENT, PAGE 3

Explosive Ordnance Disposal Marines con-duct training with their civilian counterparts on a regular basis, but for one Miramar Marine, that training introduced her to her husband.

Staff Sgt. Michelle Kuranishi, an EOD technician here, met her husband, Steven, a Los Angeles police officer and bomb squad member, during a training event in 2008, married him in 2010 and gave her own senior EOD badge to him during a ceremony at the Los Angeles Interna-tional Airport May 4.

“I am so honored that she is coming to pin me,” said Steven. “I donʼt think anybody I know of can say their wife can pull her senior EOD badge off her uniform and pin it on them.”

Steven says he feels so honored because he is married to his heroine.

Everything she has been through, done in the military and what she has accomplished are his reasons for calling Michelle a heroine. It is uncommon for females to be part of EOD and for her to go to war and experience the things she has is very impressive, explained the San Fernando, Calif., native.

Michelle has deployed twice to Iraq and lost her mentor, Master Sgt. Brett Angus, during the first deployment, she explained. She is a five-year veteran of the EOD military occupational specialty and is one of approximately eight females who currently take part in the EOD mis-sion.

“I was one of the first females to join EOD, possibly the third,” Michelle said, who is origi-nally from Cateaugay, N.Y. “I like to think that having done it this long hopefully can pave the way for others.”

Steven wanted to be part of the LAPD bomb squad since he joined the force in 1996. When

his senior officers interviewed him for the squad, they asked why he wanted to do it. His response was readily available.

“In my high school shop class, my teacher filled up three balloons, one with amphetalean, one with oxygen and one with both. He took his torch and popped the first balloon with ampheta-lean, and it was a big ball of fire and a lot of black smoke. The second balloon just popped and when he hit the third balloon it went BANG! I was thinking to myself ʻwow how cool is it that two gases by themselves are small explosions and the mixture produces a huge explosion,ʼ” Steven said.

Two years later, another explosion occurred in Michelleʼs and Stevenʼs lives when they met during training aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.

Michelle recognized Steven from previous training where they had not been introduced, so this time she made the introduction.

“During the course, all the EOD techs and [civilian] bomb techs went to an 80s rock band concert and we were hanging out there,” Mi-chelle said. “The course ended on a Friday, and that day I asked him out.”

Steven said he wasnʼt looking for a seri-ous relationship when he met Michelle but “the moons aligned,” and two years later the couple married.

The couple currently shares a job through the military and civilian workforces; however, Michelle is passing her badge to Steven.

“Iʼm leaving and he is carrying on, so Iʼm going to take my badge and give it to him,” said Michelle.

Next year, Michelle will end her active ser-vice with EOD and Steven will continue to carry on ensuring the safety of civilians and military alike by handling, transportation and rendering safe all explosive items he is called to handle.

FEATURE

www.miramar.usmc.mil May 6, 2011 Flight Jacket Page 2

Maj. Gen.Thomas L. ConantCommanding General

3rd Marine Aircraft Wing

Col. Frank A. RichieCommanding Officer

MCAS Miramar

Maj. Jay Delarosa Public Affairs Director

Gunnery Sgt. Steven WilliamsPublic Affairs Chief

Staff Sgt. Tiffany CarterInternal Information Chief

Sgt. W. Zach GriffithEditor

Cpl. Alexandra M. VazquezLayout and Design Specialist

The Flight Jacket is published every Friday.This newspaper is an authorized publication for

the military services, contents of the Flight Jacket are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. government, the Department of Defense, Department of the Navy or U.S. Marine Corps. It is for informational purposes only and in no way should be considered direc-tive in nature.

The editorial content is edited, prepared and pro-vided by the Public Affairs Office. Comments or questions should be directed to 858-577-6000.

Religious Services

The Chaplain s̓ Office, located in Building 5632 on Bauer Road, coordi-

nates regularly scheduled services. For the location and meeting schedules of religious activities, call (858)-577-1333, or visit www.miramar.usmc.mil.

Sunday:9 a.m. Protestant Worship Service

9:30 a.m. Protestant Children s̓ Worship

11 a.m. Roman Catholic Mass

Religious Education/Sunday:9:30 – 10:45 a.m.

Catholic CCD Children K-12

10 a.m. Protestant Adult Bible Study

Weekday Worship Service:Mon. – Fri. 11:30 a.m.

Catholic Mass

Mon. 6:30 p.m. Contemporary Praise and Worship Service

Wed. 7 p.m. Baptist Service

Study Groups:Mon. 7 p.m.

Night Bible Study, Classroom in the Chapel area

Tues. 6 a.m. Morning Prayer Service

and Study Group

Islamic Worship Service:Fri. at noon.

Located in the Chapel or visit www.icsd.org

Jewish:Jewish Outreach at (858) - 571 - 3444

www.jewishinsandiego.orgVisit us on

Sgt. Deanne HurlaCOMBAT CORRESPONDENT

EOD Marine, civilian make explosive connection

Staff Sgt. Michelle Kuranishi, an explosive ordnance dispoal technician, pinned her husband, Steven, with his senior EOD badge. Steven is a Los Angeles police officer and bomb squad member. He earned his senior EOD badge for five years of serive with the LAPD bomb squad. Michelle attended the ceremony at the Los Angeles Intrenational Air Port May 4, and gave Steven her own senior EOD badge. (Courtesy Photo)

www.miramar.usmc.milPage 3 Flight Jacket May 6, 2011

FEATURE

period,” said Dr. Joseph Moore, the medical director of the Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Therapy Clinic aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. “Any Marine whoʼs been through boot camp will understand that.”

That transition period can be a tough one, but a lot of it is mental, added Valerie Villerin, a recreational specialist and per-sonal trainer for Marine Corps Community Services.

“In the early phases of starting to exercise, your body is go-ing to be sore while it adapts,” she said. “Your body will adapt though. You have to make your exercises more strenuous if you want to get stronger or faster.”

According to Moore, everyone is at a certain level of fi tness - ranging from very bad to excellent with lots of levels in be-tween. Moving from one to the other is going to strain your body while it gets used to the new workload.

In general, it takes about seven to 10 days to get through the increased soreness, fatigue and decrease in fl exibility. The most common mistake for people trying to get to a higher level of fi t-ness is to push themselves too far, too fast, too soon, explained Moore.

“You donʼt start training for a marathon with really long runs,” he said. “You start with a distance you can comfortably do and then work from there. Itʼs the same thing for any exer-cise.”

Some people have a lower threshold for pain and even the regular muscle soreness can be too much for them, Villerin stated.

“An injury could just be an excuse,” she said. “But if you as a leader pay close attention to your Marines during PT, you can tell the difference between someone whoʼs injured and someone whoʼs just making an excuse.”

However, most Marines arenʼt medical professionals and should leave medical diagnoses to the professionals. One of the most common issues that Moore and his fellow therapists encounter is Marines or sailors injured due to inappropriate tech-niques during unit physical training events.

“There are a lot of bad techniques handed down through the ranks from some of the senior leaders,” Moore said. “Itʼs stuff that got handed down without professional input and some of it can be unhealthy.”

Traditionally, a lot of senior leaders came up in the Corps being told to “suck it up,” and ended up working out on injuries, Moore said. That led to a lot of chronic pain and joint problems in the leadership ranks.

With that in mind, one needs to keep an eye out for signs that there is a problem.

Pain that is present on only one side of the body, like pain in one shoulder or knee, is a good indicator of a strain or other in-jury. Those experiencing swelling or liquid on the joints should also have a medical professional take a look. Pain that interferes with normal daily activities is also a problem.

Injury prevention is the best medicine. “The older we are, the more time it takes our bodies to heal

and recover,” explained Moore. “Anyone over the age of 35 can start to see chronic skeletal and muscular injuries. If we catch it early, we can treat it early. If we catch it late, it is very diffi -cult to treat it. If someone has doubts, itʼs better to get yourself checked out.”

EXERCISE,CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Photo Illustration by Sgt. W. Zach Griffi th

It is important to know the difference between pain associated with an injury, and the simple pain of muscle burn and exhaustion. There are several indicators of injury; pain on one side of the body or in one joint, swelling or pain that interferes with normal daily activities. If in doubt, ask a medical professional.

“When Marines are in trouble and need close air sup-port or resupply, weʼll be there,” he said.

The squadron has spent the last seven years as basi-

cally the sole provider of AH-1 and UH-1 detachments to the 31st MEU and West Pacific MEUs, said Lt. Col. Matt Mowery, the commanding officer of HMLA-267.

“The unit has done an incredible job performing this mission but the constant turnover of personnel, pro-grams, and aircraft was beginning to have a negative

effect on the squadron as a whole,” he said.“I am extremely proud of the hard work my Marines

have done to prepare for this combat deployment and have absolute confidence in our ability to execute our assigned mission. We will continue to live up to our motto ʻany time, any where.ʼ”

DEPLOYMENT,CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

www.miramar.usmc.mil May 6, 2011 Flight Jacket Page 4

NEWS

Cpl. Ryan Rholes

Marines from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar act as a color guard during a ceremony at the recent unveiling of a public military working dog memorial at the Rancho Costal Humane Society in Encinitas, Calif. The color guard began the hour-long ceremony and several Marines from nearby Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton expressed their appreciation for the monument with speeches and statements for the small attending audience, which included a contingent of young Marines.

Courtesy Photo by MCB Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Capt. Porter B. Jones, a pilot with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 367, talks to visiting “Scarface” alumni as they walk through the squadron’s spaces aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton’s flight line April 29. HMLA-367 invited several former HMLA-367 members to tour the unit’s hangars and get an up-close look at the squadron’s new aircraft.

‘Scarface’ alumni return home

Honoring military working dogs

www.miramar.usmc.milPage 5 Flight Jacket May 6, 2011

NEWS

Unit takes form, begins deployment cycle

The 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit began its de-ployment cycle here May 2 by assuming operational control of the elements that make it a complete Marine air-ground task force.

The unitʼs major subordinate elements become – with all their attachments – Battalion Landing Team 3/1, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 (Reinforced) and Combat Logistics Battalion 11, the ground, aviation and logistics elements respectively.

“Our leaders at all levels are engaged, focused, and embrace the responsibility that comes with deploying as a MEU,” said Sgt. Maj. Scott T. Pile, 11th MEU sergeant major.

One of seven of its kind in the world, the unit has begun training to deploy later this year as a flexible, combined-arms, seagoing force that can conduct the Marine Corpsʼ full range of operations, from disaster relief to combat.

“As a MEU, training both during pre-deployment workups and while underway will remain a continual focus to place us in a position to be the most ready when we are tasked to execute our assigned mis-sion,” said Pile.

Teaming up with the Navyʼs Amphibious Squad-ron 5, the MEU is scheduled to deploy aboard three ships: USS Makin Island, an amphibious assault ship; USS New Orleans, an amphibious transport dock, and USS Pearl Harbor, an amphibious dock landing ship. The squadron aboard these ships forms the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, the “blue-side” partner to the MEUʼs “green side.”

“The blue-green partnership is the key to a suc-cessful deployment,” said Col. Michael R. Hudson, 11th MEU commanding officer. “A forward-de-ployed and fully integrated (Amphibious Squadron 5) and (Marine air-ground task force) team provides our leadership with solutions to problems and the ability to exploit opportunities in real time.”

Hudson, who is supported by a sergeant major and a staff, is at the helm of the MEU and its com-mand element, whose approximately 200 Marines and sailors provide leadership, planning and com-munications for the entire force of 2,200 service members.

Training the MEU will include several land-based exercises and specialized courses, but to prepare for amphibious operations, the unit has scheduled three at-sea periods wherein the Marine Corps and Navy staffs integrate and learn to operate success-

fully together. This blue-green team synchronizes by perfecting a rapid-response planning process, the MEUʼs baseline for planning and executing mis-sions.

The planning process is tested during several day and night training raids, facilitated by helicopters and landing craft operating from the flight and well decks of the three amphibious ships.

Pile said the major subordinate elements come “well trained, enthusiastic, and committed to our responsibility of deploying” as a MEU.

“The strength of the (Marine air-ground task force) comes from harnessing the power of each ele-ment as one team focused on the mission assigned,” Pile said.

The ground-combat element comes from 1st Marine Regiment and attachments from 1st Marine Division; the aviation-combat element comes from Marine Aircraft Group 39 and attachments from 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, and the logistics-combat ele-ment comes from Combat Logistics Regiment 17.

Parent commands of these elements have handed operational control and Department of Defense readiness-reporting responsibilities to the 11th MEU commander until 30 days after the unitʼs deploy-ment.

Gunnery Sgt. Scott DunnCOMBAT CORRESPONDENTWITH THE 11TH MEU

A CH-53E Super Stallion with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 462 taxis the fl ight line at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton here May 2. Squadron pilots fl ew four of the heavy-lift helicopters from their home station at MCAS Miramar, Calif., bringing a detachment of pilots, crew and assets to reinforce Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 (Reinforced), which will serve as the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s aviation combat element during an upcoming deployment. (Photo by Lance Cpl. Ryan Carpenter)

www.miramar.usmc.mil May 6, 2011 Flight Jacket Page 6

AROUND THE CORPS

GARMSIR DISTRICT, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Af-ghanistan - She has long brown hair, but itʼs coiled into a tight bun. Her glare burns through tactical sun-glasses but somehow doesnʼt betray the femininity in her mahogany colored eyes. Her M-4 rifle is slung loosely over her shoulder, and an M-9 pistol hangs from her hip.

Sergeant Kimberly Nalepka and the rest of her Female Engagement Team squad play an integral role in counterinsurgency operations here.

Nalepka, a Coral Springs, Fla., native, is a squad leader with the FET in Garmsir, the district where 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, operates.

“I have a passion for what I am doing,” Nalepka said. “Weʼre here to help the people, and itʼs excit-ing because being able to have a deeper impact on the Marine Corpsʼ mission is something I have always wanted to do. Interacting with the people is an amazing opportunity, and being able to see the smiles on their faces makes everything worthwhile, because a smile is universal no matter what language you speak.”

In some of the local communi-ties, a woman canʼt interact with men outside her family. This is where Nalepka and her squad come into the equation.

“Weʼre here to build up the local community and improve the peo-pleʼs trust in the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan,” the 28-year-old sergeant said. “The Female Engagement Team is able to reach the part of the population that male Marines (canʼt). In order to build a community, you have to build both the male and female side.”

Throughout Afghanistan, FET squads like this assist infantry bat-talions by supporting the counterin-surgency mission, but this is the first time 1/3 has worked with a FET.

The advantage of reaching out to Middle Eastern women was first re-alized in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2009, the first team was established with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, during their de-ployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Now, the FET is a necessary as-set to every Marine battalion.

“It makes me (proud) as a female

and a Marine to be able to work alongside an infantry battalion,” Nalepka said. “I think it is great women are being employed in this kind of role in Afghanistan, and [it] gives me a positive feeling about how far a femaleʼs role has come in the U.S. military and the Marine Corps.”

Each FET member volunteered for the duty and received the same pre-deployment training as the 1/3 infantrymen. They received Pashtu language and cultural training so they can be confident when interact-ing with the Afghan people.

When Lance Cpl. Victoria Rog-ers patrolled to a local school with her team leader, Cpl. Julie Buskirk, April 26, children stopped in the middle of the street and whispered to each other, and the men glanced blankly at the team. The childrenʼs curiosity soon took control and they swarmed the team, asking about their gear or for a piece of candy.

For some of the local residents, this was the first time interacting with a woman from the United States. For others, it was the first time seeing a woman of different ethnic descent.

Rogers, a native of Splendora, Texas, said these engagements mo-tivate her.

“Getting to know the local resi-dents and gaining their trust helps the battalion with their mission,” Rogers said, “because (we find more friends) to tell us when to be more watchful in an area if they know something bad might happen. Itʼs a once- in-a-lifetime opportunity to be a part of the Female Engagement Team.”

Although their primary mission is to engage females in Garmsir, the FET finds many other ways to help the local people. Currently in Garmsir, the squad regularly visits medical clinics and schools. These visits help the FET gain acceptance from the local community, which increases the likelihood of meeting more women.

The cultural difference is a chal-lenge, said Rogers, but being able to help the Afghans is rewarding.

“The mission is going smoother in Afghanistan, and maybe employ-ing females is the key,” the 22-year-old lance corporal said. “Itʼs obviously a combination of learning from our experience in Iraq and applying new ideas, but having the Female Engagement Team provides a different perspective of what can be done to help the local people of Afghanistan.”

Story and Photos byCpl. Colby Brown

COMBAT CORRESPONDENT WITH REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM 1

Female Marines: building relationships

in Afghanistan

Sgt. Kimberly Nalepka speaks to a teacher about the day’s lesson plan at a local school in Garmsir District, Afghanistan April 30. Nalepka is the team leader of the Female Engagement Team in Garmsir, where 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment operates. The FET supports Regimental Combat Team 1, 2nd Marine Division (Forward), which is heading the ground combat element in Helmand province.

Sgt. Kimberly Nalepka and Lance Cpl. Victoria Rogers speak to students at a local school in Garmsir District, Afghanistan April 30. Nalepka and Rogers, members of the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment Female Engagement Team, visit medical clinics and schools on a regular basis. The FET’s purpose is to interact with the female population in the local community and find the needs of the women in the area.

COMMENTARY

www.miramar.usmc.milPage 7 Flight Jacket May 6, 2011

Cpl. Steven H. Posy COMBAT CORRESPONDENT

Editorʼs note: Cpl. Posy is a regular contributor to the sports section of the Flight Jacket and an avid sports fan.

Learning to leave the ‘gun club’

Hawks, Grizzlies prey on favored opponentsItʼs hard to miss a raging bull and easy to miss a high-

flying Hawk , but how do you explain missing a giant griz-zly?

The first round of the 2011 NBA playoffs is over and the biggest surprise came from the Memphis Grizzlies who knocked out the number one-seeded San Antonio Spurs.

The Spurs dominated the regular season, finishing 61-21, and no one expected their season to be at the mercy of Zach Randolph and the 46-36 Grizzlies. Memphis held the worst regular season record of any team in the playoffs, and all of the sudden they have asserted themselves as a force to be reckoned with.

They out-played, out-matched and out-hustled the four-time champions in every way imaginable. Memphisʼ of-fense is well balanced, getting them an even distribution of points from all five of their starters and solid play from their bench.

They donʼt have 30-point-per-game superstars, or even all stars, but what they do have is toughness. Zach Randolph and Mark Gasol add up to 13 feet 10 inches and weigh more than 500 pounds. Together, they combine for 38 points per

game and 21.7 rebounds. This is a formidable adversary for even the best line ups in the league.

In the Eastern Conference, the Atlanta Hawks may have flown in under the radar and might steal a game or two from the Chicago Bulls. Although the Bulls are heavily favored in this matchup, donʼt expect this to be an easy series for Chi-Town.

Derrick Rose is a bona fide superstar and the Bulls fin-ished the season with the best record, but Atlanta will not be a walk in the park.

The Hawks mean business, which was best displayed in the first round, as they took out the favored Orlando Magic. Dwight Howard was frustrated all series long, and was kept at bay by Atlantaʼs well balanced assault from, Jamal Craw-ford, Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Al Horford and Kirk Hinrich, who all average in double digits.

The second round looks to be even better than the first, with two underdogs making their mark on the postseason. While the Lakers and Celtics are still in it, and expected to meet in the finals again, they will have a seriously rough road ahead of them.

Maybe you are retiring, maybe you are just ready for a change or maybe you just didnʼt get your boat space. Whatever the case, those of you preparing to reenter civilian life should make attending the Tran-sition Assistance Program class a high priority. Not just because it is mandatory (although that helps), but because it is packed with extremely useful knowledge that, when applied correctly, could help Marines thrive in the corporate world.

The experience was surreal for me. I wasnʼt Cpl. Rholes, I was Ryan. The man teaching our class wasnʼt Sir, he was Cliff. The military was out, and corporate, college and civilian were in.

TAP class was a shock to my system. I didnʼt

realize how intricately the Marine Corps is integrated into my life. Even learning how to dress for a busi-ness interview was something new. Did you know you shouldnʼt wear a tie clasp or pin to an interview, you should only wear certain colors, sit a certain way and your wallet should be a precise thickness? Yeah, I didnʼt either.

I also didnʼt know that as a federal employee I am eligible to receive unemployment insurance from any state. I didnʼt know that there are institutions spe-cifically designed to help me plan, fund and create a small business. I didnʼt know how many benefits I could receive from the Department of Veterans Af-fairs.

I learned all of this while practicing to conduct myself as a civilian. I learned how to prepare for an interview and how to write a professional resume that advocates my skills, knowledge and abilities. All of this information was packed into a tight, but manageable four-day schedule. And now here comes my gripe.

The class should be longer. I felt like the VA rep-resentatives had to move quickly through their cur-riculum. They provided great information, but I think they could give us more if they were given more time. I also think the class could focus a little more on preparing for college. I learned a lot about pre-paring for the corporate world, but very little about making myself competitive for higher education.

There are a lot of archaic perceptions from outsid-ers that the military isnʼt as concerned with people leaving its ranks compared to those joining. Howev-er, TAP class is a very professional and informative program that dispels that idea by preparing Marines to continue contributing to our society as successful Americans.

Although I am unsure about my future, I can hon-estly say I am optimistic. Transitioning back to civil-ian life is daunting and creates a lot of questions, but this class answered most of my questions and helped me realize I had options.

Cpl. Ryan RholesCOMBAT CORRESPONDENT

Editorʼs note: Cpl. Rholes is a regular contributor to the Flight Jacket.

NEWS

www.miramar.usmc.mil May 6, 2011 Flight Jacket Page 8

TRAIN THE TRAINER: FITNESS & NUTRITION FOR WEIGHT LOSSThis Train the Trainer Fitness Session will be held on Wednesday, May 11 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the Semper Fit Center. This session will focus on Correct Nutrition for Weight Loss by a Registered Dietitian and Better Workouts for Max Calorie Burn by a Certified Athletic Trainer. Call 858-577-1331 to register or for more information.

BEYOND THE BRIEF: CULINARY CONNECTIONNo matter what your comfort food looks like, the diverse Marine Corps family always finds a way to stress together, cope together, and eat together! Gather around the table to share fun, easy recipes and other ways to handle the stressors of deployment with Readiness & Deployment Support as we create around the world comfort foods. This exciting brief will be held on Thursday, May 12 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. in the L.I.N.K.S. House. Call 858-577-7993 to register or for more information.

Get help paying for child careVisit the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies website at www.naccrra.org to see information on eligibility for assistance to pay for and find child care services. Contact 1-800-424-2246 for information.

ICE ready for useThe Interactive Customer Evaluation set up for Miramar is ready for use. ICE is the internet version of the “Customer Suggestion Box.”

It collects feedback on services provided by installations throughout the Department of Defense. To submit a suggestion visit the ICE website at http://ice.disa.mil.

Important Phone NumbersVictim Advocacy 24-hour Hotline858-864-2815

Eagle Eyes877-356-EYES (3937)

Military One Source800-342-9647

D-Stress 24-hour Hotline877-476-7734 (All calls are strictly confidential)

• Sports Complex Marine Teen training Tues. & Sat. 858-577-4128/4129 • Deployment support for preschoolers, elementary and teenagers Mon. through Wed. 858-577-4588• QOL Golf: Two Hours After Twilight free Golf for Active Duty858-577-4155

Fri. May 6: Paul (R) 6:30 p.m.Battle: Los Angeles (PG-13) 9:00 p.m.

Sat. May 7:Swap Meet 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Limitless (PG-13) 6:30 p.m. Red Riding Hood (PG-13) 9:00 p.m.

Sun. May 8:*Mars Needs Moms (Not 3D) (PG) 1:00 p.m.*Rango (PG) 6:30 p.m.

Wed. May 11: The Lincoln Lawyer (R) 6:30 p.m.

Thurs. May 12:Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules (PG) 2:00 p.m.Paul (R) 6:30 p.m.

*Indicates Last Showing

friday saturday sunday monday tuesday wednesday thursday 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

SHOP AT THE MCX... MCX Fragrance Sale

April 27 – May 8 Mother s̓ Day Flower Shop Special

May 4 – 8 MCX Optical Center Trunk Show

May 7 Only Sight & Sound Sale

May 11 - 24

*Train the Trainer: Fitness & Nutrition for

Weight Loss 858-577-1331

R&DS Hearts Apart Social Hour

858-577-6306

Career Resource Center, “Federal Jobs

& Applications” 858-577-6710

Domestic Violence

Awareness 858-577-6585 to register

Exceptional Family Member ADHD Train-ing Series (Part 3 of 3)

858-577-4668

Fish & Chips Special Legends Sports Grill

858-693-1543 Anger Management II

1 – 3 p.m. Counseling Center

858-577-6585 to register

*Beyond the Brief: Culinary Connection

6:30 – 8:30 p.m. L.I.N.K.S. House

858-577-7993 to register

The Pendleton Roadhouse

Country Fest 7 p.m. – 2 a.m.

South Mesa Club Camp Pendleton 760-725-5496

“Marketing Yourself for a Second Career”

Seminar 9 – 11:30 a.m.

The Hub Room 177 858-577-6710

UCSD Student Veterans Organization

Event 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. UCSD Campus –

Porterʼs Pub 858-587-4828

MCCS FREE PRIZE GIVEAWAYS...

ITT/Travel Offi ce: San Diego Zoo Gift Pack

Winner will be drawn on May 31

Stop in and fi ll out an entry form today! MCAS Miramar

reminds everyone to recycle plastics, paper, cardboard

and electronics at the Miramar Recycling

Center.

Miramar Varsity Soccer Tryouts

11:15 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. Youth Sports Complex

858-577-1202 Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon Meetings

6:30 p.m. Counseling Center

858-577-6585

Motherʼs Day Brunch 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Offi cersʼ Club858-577-4808

for reservations