Thoughts while working out in the gym

Maj. Gen. Dana J. H. Pittard 1st AD and Fort Bliss Commanding General

Maj. Gen. Dana J. H. Pittard,
1st AD and Fort Bliss Commanding General:

Easter weekend
Most Soldiers will be off work on Friday and Monday to enjoy the long Easter weekend.

Fort Bliss has several events scheduled throughout the weekend. Freedom Crossing will hold their “Friday by the Fire” Karaoke event at 6 p.m.

Then, on Saturday, the Easter-avaganza Holiday Parade and Family Concert will kick off at noon in front of Biggs Park. After the parade, head over to Biggs Park for a fun-filled afternoon of games and crafts (to raise money for FRG unit funds), free pictures with the Easter Bunny, a family-friendly concert featuring Kiddle Karoo. You can bring your own picnic basket and enjoy the great Spring weather with your Family.

Easter Sunrise Service will be held at Noel Field, between Sheridan and Pershing Road on West Bliss, at 7am.

Also, on Easter Sunday the PX will host an Easter egg hunt at 10 a.m. inside the Garden Shop. The Centennial will have their annual Easter Champagne Brunch from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information about the brunch, call 744-8427.

Make it a safe and fun holiday weekend!

Military Family Life Consultants
As part of our goal of having no preventable Soldier deaths, I want you to know that we have many resources available to help you. If you need someone to talk to – Military Family Life Consultants (MFLACs) are a great choice.

MFLCs are licensed counselors who provide support, coaching, education, and problem solving consultations for all military personnel and their Families. The sessions are confidential – no records are kept! They are also short termed and solution focused. We now have MFLCs available at the brigade level and through ACS. For more information, call 915-525-4330.

Maj. Gen. Dana J. H. Pittard, 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss commander (right) and CW5 Kevin Smith of the 3-501 Attack Helicopter Battalion prepare to fly an Apache. Prior to the flight Maj. Gen. Pittard spent several hours in a flight simulator with instructor pilots, as part of his preparation. Photo by Sgt. Brandon K. Anderson, 1st AD Combat Aviation Bde.

Standardized Service Dog policy
Team Bliss is committed to providing the best healthcare and quality of life for our Soldiers while remaining focused on deployment readiness. Some of our Soldiers require Service Dogs as part of their medical treatment. All must have a permanent profile and review from their chain of command and medical professionals prior to obtaining a Service Dog. Our new Service Dog Policy will be posted online tomorrow (Friday). The new policy outlines the proper procedures for obtaining and maintaining ownership of Service Dogs at Fort Bliss. The policy includes steps to make Service Dog ownership standardized, healthy, and safe for the Servicemember, the dogs, and Fort Bliss Community.

Autism Awareness Month
It’s Autism Awareness Month. Here at Fort Bliss, we have good resources and support systems for our Family members with Autism and special needs. One year ago, the Fort Bliss Autism and Special Needs Support Group began their program and it has continued to grow each month. The support group meets the last Thursday of each month from 10 a.m. to noon at Building 440 (corner of Merritt and Pershing on West Bliss). The group offers a “soft place to land,” – a place to share ideas, coping skills, and concerns with one another.

For more information, email FBAutism.SpecialNeeds@gmail.com or call Jennifer Neal at 706-332-8749. The group can also be found on Facebook at Fort Bliss Autism Spectrum and Special Needs Support Group.

You can also help create Autism awareness through the “Light it up Blue” campaign. Throughout the month of April, change your outdoor light bulbs from white to blue – bringing much needed attention to the disorder.

On April 28, the 4th Annual Walk/Run for Autism will kick off at 8 a.m. at Ascarate Park.

Fort Bliss has a team participating! Contact Jennifer Neal for more information.

Zero tolerance for sexual assaults on Fort Bliss
There is zero tolerance for sexual assaults or sexual harassment by members of Team Bliss. There is no place in our Army for sexual assaults. Our worst offenders are ourselves. Soldier-on-Soldier sexual assault is increasing throughout the Army; but not at Fort Bliss. We simply will not tolerate it! If you are a victim of sexual assault please call 915-490-3896. If you are being sexually harassed please call 915-568-1213. Help us to stop sexual assaults and sexual harassment.

Job openings: Lifeguards
Team Bliss Aquatics needs to hire 19 lifeguards. With the Community Pool opening on May 5, we need certified lifeguards ready to work. These jobs are open to Soldiers (with commander’s approval), Family members, and civilians. If you are already certified, go to www.usajobs.com to apply. If you are not certified, the Replica Pool will host a Red Cross certification class beginning April 13. The class costs $350, and includes the registration. For more information, call 915-592-0208.

Well, back to the track. We have the 10K Post Championship on April 13. The race begins at 6:30 a.m. in front of Soto Fitness Center. Registration is before the race at 5:30 a.m. Then in May, we have the Fort Bliss Armed Forces Day Triathlon on Saturday, May 19. For more information on either event, call 915-744-5730.

The resilience theme for the month of April is “mental agility.” In a complex world where situations are often uncertain, flexible and accurate thinking enhances the likeliness of success. Taking others’ perspectives, clearly identifying and understanding problems, and developing a willingness to try new strategies enhance performance and resilience by building the competency of mental agility.

Be combat ready, be fit, be healthy, recycle and be Iron Strong!

Iron Soldiers – Team Bliss!