Army Holds Suicide Prevention Sessions at Fort Meade

The Army is requiring its service members and civilian employees to attend sessions with experts during Suicide Prevention Month.

The Army will hold several mandatory suicide prevention training sessions this Wednesday, as part of its ongoing effort to reduce suicides among service members.  The Fort Meade public affairs office reports that the trainings are being held as part of the Army's suicide prevention month, and are required for all service members, civilian employees and leaders. The sessions are also part of an Army-wide stand down, after a report revealed two confirmed suicides in the Army in July and another 36 under investigation.  The Capital reported earlier this month that there have been six suicides on base in the last year.  All of the training sessions will be held at the Post theater.  The sessions will feature panels of experts in religion, …

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Federal Jobs at Fort Meade

Here's a look at the latest job openings for those looking to work for the Federal Government at Fort Meade.

Despite lots of talk of government budget cuts, the folks over at Fort Meade are definitely hiring. Here's a look at five recent job postings with agencies on base. Please click on the links to see the full listing and to find out how to apply.   Budget Analyst Agency: Defense Media Activity Salary Range: $51,630 to  $81,204. Duties: Assist with budget estimates and justifications. Requirements: GS-09 level or one year of specialized experience or equivalent education.   Human Resources Specialist Agency: Defense Intelligence Agency Salary Range: $51,630 to $115,742. Duties: Advises management on personnel actions, offers input on policies relating to compensation, benefits, and employee relations. Requirements: Experience in interpreting …

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Local Man Helps Wounded Troops Ride In Style

Scott Mallary and his family have purchased three high-end trucks and use them to transport injured troops to the airport and to special events.

Scott Mallary knows he’s helping when he hears the horns. On the ride up Interstate 97 from his Crownsville home, fellow motorists will honk and many will wave. They will stare up at his Ford F-650 Super Crewzer adorned with patriotic colors and they will find whatever way they can to show their thanks. They are not thanking Mallary, but his passengers, who are American service members. Many are recovering from wounds sustained in battle and are patients at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda. Mallary has made it his mission to help these troops and their families attend special events, take day trips and simply have fun—all while riding in style. “The hooting and the honking … it puts a smile on your face,” he said. Mallary and his …

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How Do You Feel About American Forces Leaving Iraq?

The United States formally ended its involvement in Iraq at a special ceremony Thursday, marking the end of a nine-year campaign.

The United States formally ended its military involvement in Iraq on Thursday, as Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta gathered at a small ceremony at the Baghdad Airport. It marked the end of nearly nine years of U.S. involvement, which included the removal of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.  The Washington Post reported 4,487 Americans died in the war, with more than 30,000 injured. The war's closure complied with the terms of a security agreement in 2008 requiring the removal of U.S. troops by Dec. 31 of this year. There had been some desire to see some troops stay beyond the deadline, but the United States was unable to reach an agreement. Diplomats and civilian contractors will remain in Iraq as part of a massive rebuilding effort. For …

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Military Monday

Honoring Troops and Their Families This Holiday

There are plenty of ways to ensure our service members and their families have a happy holiday season, and special ways to honor our fallen troops.

As the leftover turkey recipes run out and the pumpkin pie has long since been devoured, it’s time to turn our attention to the Christmas season. In past years, our family has chosen a charity to support during this time. Last year, we filled shoe boxes with small gifts for children. This year though, I wanted to find something related to the troops overseas. In searching for some options, I came across three interesting organizations that help spread holiday cheer to our deployed troops and also to support the families here at home. The first organization is Trees for Troops. Since 2005, Christmas tree growers across the nation have donated more than 84,000 trees to our troops. This year, they hope to donate 100,000 trees to military …

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Military Monday

It's Never Too Early to Plan for Civilian Life

There's a lot to think about when looking ahead to retirement from the military.

Although retirement is still seven years away for us, my husband and I have put a lot of thought into the preparations that we need to be making now in order to optimize our chances of a seamless transition into the civilian world. Milspouse.com has a military to civilian pay calculator. This is where we started.  We typed in all of our numbers and the calculator let us know how much we would need to make in the civilian world in order to maintain the same lifestyle that we now enjoy. For me, it was a little shocking. Panic immediately set in when I saw that if we were to retire this year, we would need to make almost $40,000 more than we are today. I can’t imagine how much more that is going to need to be in seven years. There are some …

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