Info Announced @ Woodworks

The following is additional information that was announced at Woodworks this month. Click here for the latest newsletter.

West Point

West Point Admissions presentation will be held on 30 AUG 2009, 1pm, at Nutter Field House on FLW.

Some topics being discussed:

• Admissions Procedures
• Academic and athletic programs
• Cadet life and career opportunities after graduation

For more details about the Soldier Program, go to http://Admissions.USMA.edu/Soldiers

Admissions requirements:

• U.S. citizen
• Unmarried
• No legal obligations to support dependents
• High school graduate
• Not be older than 23 on 1 July of the year entering West Point (not be older than 22 on 1 July of the year entering the Prep School)
• Have high moral character
• Have a sincere interest in attending West Point and becoming an Army Officer
• Application deadline: 26 FEB 2010

May also contact MAJ Easley to request an application or for more information at (845)-938-5780 or brian.easley@usma.edu.

News from GLWACH

1. Hours reduced for Labor Day weekend (Sept 4 & 7)

• Outpatient clinics will be closed
• Outpatient Pharmacies, including the PX branch, will distribute meds Sept 4^th with minimal staffing. All Pharmacies will be closed on Sept 7^th.
• ER will remain fully operational.

2. Northwest Parking Lot Closed (or the Main Parking Lot)

• This lot will be closed for paving Aug 28^th through Sept 4^th
• Lot will reopen on Sept 5^th
• Please plan for this if you have appointments!

3. All North side doors locked for construction

• Starting Aug 24^th all doors on the north side of the hospital will be locked during construction. This is where the Red, White, and Blue clinics used to be located.
• You may use any of the other doors to enter the hospital: Main Entrance, ER, and either of the 2 entrances on the South side.
• Please plan accordingly if you have appointments!
• Note that these doors will be closed for some time, as the construction is due to be completed in 2011.

Run for the Fallen ‘09

• Community run to complete one mile for each service member killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom.
• The run raises awareness about the lives of those who fought, to activate their memories and keep their spirits alive, to support organizations that help wounded veterans and the families of those killed, and to aid the healing process for those Americans whose lives have been affected by the war.
• Family-friendly run
• Date: October 3^rd
• Free registration at Specker Gym and Building 470 (Lodging) or email runforthefallen2009@yahoo.com.
• First 100 registered runners will receive a free t-shirt, or you may purchase one at run registration for $8.

From the School Liaison Officer

**FREE online tutoring for children in grades K-12 and college prep. Get Real-time help and find resources 24/7. Visit www.myarmyonesource.com/cyss_tutor for more information and to register for your pass code via email. Subjects supported are all grade levels of math, science, English, and social studies.

**For those that are living in Eagle Point (more specific, North Eagle Point), as you may realize bus service for children attending Partridge Elementary is no longer available because the housing area is located within 1 mile from the school. For the safety of the children who are walking, they need to follow the signs that have been erected in that area to the school. Last year bus service was a courtesy due to construction.

Armed Services YMCA

Strollin’ with the Y Walking Group at Colyer Park is now available every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9:30am. Strollers, bikes, and pets are welcome!

New Blog For Military Families

Find it here.

FLW Spouses' Club Membership Drive

Mark Your Calenders For

The Fort Leonard Wood

Community Spouses' Club

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP DRIVE

THURSDAY AUGUST 27, 2009

11 A.M.-2 P.M.

#1 ESSAYONS DRIVE

OPEN YOUR HEART TO A NEW YEAR OF

FUN, FELLOWSHIP AND

FRIENDSHIP!!

For more information please contact: Frances Dutchuk

at 573-774-3559 or fdutchuk@cablemo.net

The FWCSC is an ALL-RANKS Community wide spouses’ club that promotes friendship & raises funds for scholarships & welfare assistance to deserving individuals & organizations.

Membership is $20 for 1 year

Opened to all Armed Forces personnel: Active-Duty, Reserve, National Guard, retired military, surviving spouses and active or retired DOD civilian employees or spouses

Click here for a membership application.

Educational Opportunities

* Click on images to enlarge.

Military Spouses’ Workshop

*Click on the image to enlarge.

Military Spouses to Get Non-Compete Hiring Beginning September 11, 2009

On August 12, the final regulations on the non-competitive appointment/hiring of certain military spouses were posted in the Federal Register. The regulations will take effect on September 11, 2009.

After that date, three categories of military spouses will be eligible for non-competitive appointments to jobs with federal agencies:

* Spouses who are relocating with their service member on military orders
* Spouses of 100% disabled service members who were injured on active duty
* Unremarried widows/widowers of service members killed while performing active duty

The policy will pave the way for some spouses to potentially find jobs faster at their new location, and reduce their periods of relocation-related unemployment.

Certain spouse categories DON'T qualify for the program:

* Reserve component spouses whose service members are attending service schools or engaging in training duties
* Spouses who marry service members after PCS orders are issued
* Spouses who aren't physically relocating with the service member to the new location specified in the PCS orders
* An agency may waive the geographic limitation if no Federal agency exists in that geographic area
* Spouses married to 100% disabled service members aren't restricted to geographic parameters
* Spouses relocating in conjunction with retirement or separation orders (unless the retiring/separating member has a 100% service-connected disability)

Eligibility is limited to a maximum of two years after the date of the PCS orders, 100% disability award, or active duty death.

Jobs qualifying for the program can be found at http://www.usajobs.gov/

(Reminder: the new program doesn't take effect until September 11.)

Read more here.

Armed Services YMCA FREE Family Camping Weekend November 13-15, 2009

The Armed Services YMCA has received a grant to send military families to a weekend camp in November. There will be NO COST to the family to attend the camp!
Where: Camp Lakewood, YMCA of the Ozarks, Potosi, MO
Date: Friday, November 13-Sunday, November 15
Check-in: 3:30-5:00 PM Friday (Late check-ins OK with prior notice...dinner is at 5:30)
Check-out: After lunch Sunday
Who: At least one parent must be in attendance the entire weekend. This offer is available for the first 100 campers who apply. Application deadline is August 31, 2009. All military families are eligible. As space fills, priority will be given to families with a depolyed parent or recently returning parent. All branches.
Accommodations: Bunk beds in cabins--families accommodated together.
Ages: All ages permitted, but certain activities may be age specific.
Meals Provided: dinner Friday; breakfast, lunch, and dinner Saturday; breakfast and lunch on Sunday.
Transportation: Provided by parents to and from camp.
Activities: Likely activities to include: Archery, orienteering, nature hikes, fire building, climbing, trail ride, group games, camp fires, singing, arts and crafts. Weather permitting: canoeing and waterfront activities. Activities will be scheduled based on the ages and number of children registered.
Special Note: This is a family camping experience. Parents will be expected to chaperone their children and participate in all camping experiences where applicable. At least one parent/chaperone must remain with their children at camp the entire weekend. Activities will be scheduled and everyone will ahve an opportunity to participate in several different activities.

We would love to attend the Family Camping Weekend:

PLEASE PRINT

Parent’s names: _______________________________________________

Children’s names/ages/ M or F: ______________________Age____________ M or F

_______________________Age____________ M or F

_______________________Age ____________ M or F

Home address: ____________________________________

____________________________________

Phone: __________________________ home /work

__________________________ cell email: ______________________

Please email to ymca@cablemo.net or call 329-4513 to put your names on the list. All emails will be acknowledged.

Updates/Notes from 5 Aug FRG Mtg

Canoe Trip AAR: Great fun, but why was attendance less than last year? What more can we do to get the word out? Current Solution: This blog www.787mpbn.blogspot.com. The decision to work on a public blog is so that every spouse, family member, girlfriend/boyfriend, etc. can have access to know what is going on in the BN as far as activities go. LTC Fischer is going to have a traditional mailing to soldiers' spouses with a link to this blog. Hopefully this gives those who want to know what is going on the information they are looking for without having to wait for someone to contact them (or rely on their soldiers to fill them in after a long day at work)--they can jump online and be informed on any BN events. Please leave comments if you have any suggestions on how to involve more family members

Community Service to local Veteran's Home:
The BN will be partnering with the local Veteran's home to do some community service--not only to enrich the lives of the vets, but also to enrich our own lives from spending time with those who have served our country in the past. There are two upcoming events.
19 Aug: 40 soldiers from the BN will take 10-12 pies to the home for the vets to taste and judge. Assignments have been made for pies (each company will provide 2). If you have been asked to provide a pie, they need to be dropped off at the BN by 1200 on the 19th.
12 Sept: Soldiers (families are also welcome), will be taking the vets to a car show. Soldiers will push the vets in their wheel chairs so they are able to enjoy the show.

Upcoming BN Events:
4 Sept: Stress Reduction Lunch in the BN classroom from 1130-1330. Lunch is provided and families are welcome (kids will be in school by then, but those who have children who are not of school age are more than welcome).
26 Sept: Regimental Ball. More info to come.
31 Oct (tentative): 787 MP BN Fall Festival. We'll go to a pumpkin patch, pick pumpkins, have a hay ride, enjoy a petting zoo, and then head back to the BN for food, pumpkin carving contest, costume contest, and games for the kids. Check back for a firm date and information on an RSVP deadline (we need a count for the pumpkin patch).

Please leave a comment if you have suggestions, questions, or comments. Always feel free to drop an email to 787mpbn@gmail.com.

Back to School Sales Tax Holiday

This weekend, August 7-9, 2009, is the Missouri Back to School Sales Tax Holiday.While MO State taxes will be excluded for this weekend, individual cities have the option to opt out. In any case you can save 4.225% in taxes off your total bill (please see below for qualifying products and price limitations). FYI…Laclede County (where Lebanon is located) will be participating meaning no State OR City sales tax will apply.

For more information please read below or go to the website (also provided below).

Back to School Sales Tax Holiday - Information for Consumers

Section 144.049, RSMo, establishes a sales tax holiday effective during a three-day period beginning at 12:01 a.m. on the first Friday in August and ending at midnight on the Sunday following. Certain back-to-school purchases, such as clothing, school supplies, computers, and other items as defined by the statute, are exempt from sales tax for this time period only.

The sales tax holiday applies to state and local sales taxes when a local jurisdiction chooses to participate in the holiday. However, local jurisdictions can choose to not participate in the holiday if they enact an ordinance to not participate and notify the department 45 days prior to the sales tax holiday. If the jurisdiction had previously enacted an ordinance to not participate in the holiday and later decided to participate, it must enact a new ordinance to participate and notify the department 45 days prior to the sales tax holiday.

If one or all of your local taxing jurisdictions are not participating in the sales tax holiday, the state's portion of the tax rate (4.225%) will remain exempt for the sale of qualifying sales tax holiday items.

The sales tax exemption is limited to:

· Clothing – any article having a taxable value of $100 or less

· School supplies – not to exceed $50 per purchase

· Computer software – taxable value of $350 or less

· Personal computers – not to exceed $3,500

· Computer peripheral devices – not to exceed $3,500

Qualifying Items

Section 144.049, RSMo, defines items exempt during the sales tax holiday as:

“Clothing” - any article of wearing apparel, including footwear, intended to be worn on or about the human body. The term shall include but not be limited to cloth and other material used to make school uniforms or other school clothing. Items normally sold in pairs shall not be separated to qualify for the exemption. The term shall not include watches, watchbands, jewelry, handbags, handkerchiefs, umbrellas, scarves, ties, headbands, or belt buckles.

“School supplies” - any item normally used by students in a standard classroom for educational purposes, including but not limited to, textbooks, notebooks, paper, writing instruments, crayons, art supplies, rulers, book bags, backpacks, handheld calculators, chalk, maps, and globes. The term shall not include watches, radios, CD players, headphones, sporting equipment, portable or desktop telephones, copiers or other office equipment, furniture, or fixtures. School supplies shall also include computer software having a taxable value of three hundred fifty dollars or less.

“Personal computers” - a laptop, desktop, or tower computer system which consists of a central processing unit, random access memory, a storage drive, a display monitor, and a keyboard and devices designed for use in conjunction with a personal computer, such as a disk drive, memory module, compact disk drive, daughterboard, digitalizer, microphone, modem, motherboard, mouse, multimedia speaker, printer, scanner, single-user hardware, single-user operating system, soundcard, or video card.

http://dor.mo.gov/tax/business/sales/taxholiday/school/