February's post-its, promotions and news picks Published Feb. 2, 2012 By Senior Airman Ashley Ramirez 146th Airlift Wing CHANNEL ISLANDS AIR NATIONAL GUARD STATION, Calif. -- Here is the latest information and names that you need to know for this month! Be sure to check out all the new stories and photos on our website as well as our facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/146thAirliftWing Welcome our newest Airmen of the 146th! Captain Tony Montes- 146th Maintenance Squadron Senior Airman Nojin Ian Park- 146th Maintenance Operations Flight Staff Sergeant Roppert Gammy Gutierrez Beltran- 146th Civil Engineering Squadron Airman 1st Class Darrel Wenhon King- 146th Maintenance Operations Flight 2nd Lieutenant Jared Quincy Adams- 146th Civil Engineering Squadron Captain Neil r. Schultz- 146th Airlift Wing Headquarters Staff Sergeant Abraham Steven Virata- 146th Medical Group Staff Sergeant Christopher Ball- 146th Communication Flight Congratulations to recent graduates from formal schools! 2nd Lieutenant Joshua Kramer- Pilot Initial Qualification 2nd Lieutenant Yasha M. Tabrizy- Academy of Military Science Dining Facility Menu Saturday Chicken rice soup Salisbury steak w/ demi reduction Fried chicken Oven brown potatoes Mashed potatoes Medley bean combo Cabbage and carrots Sunday Chicken gumbo soup Southern fried catfish Pork chop calypso Baked macaroni and cheese Rice pilaf Scrambled eggs Breakfast sausage Bacon Pancakes w/ blueberry or banana cranberry whip toppings Asparagus Mixed vegetables Religious Services: Catholic Mass: 1100 Protestant Service: 1230 Both services are held in the Commanders Conference Room, Bldg 119 Commission opportunity for enlisted This announcement is intended for enlisted members of the 146th Airlift Wing who wish to apply for a commissioning opportunity. This opportunity is not for a particular vacancy but is intended to enable our enlisted members to be considered for a variety of opportunities that may presently exist in the wing. Resumes will be accepted for all members who meet the following criteria: 1) Bachelors Degree at an Accredited University 2) Age: 20-33 3) Current and Passing Score on PT Test 4) Worldwide Qualified for Duty Those who wish to apply must submit the following: 1) Cover letter explaining why you are interested in a commission and areas of interest 2) Resume 3) Report Individual Personnel (RIP) 4) Letter of Recommendation Submission Date: NLT: 3 Mar 12 Submission Location: FSS (Attn: Maj. T. McDonald) You may contact Lt. Col. Cowgirl, Maj. T. McDonald or the undersigned if you have any questions. New Air National Guard Referral Rewards Program The new Air National Guard Referral Rewards Program was created for current and retired ANG members who are helping to recruit new Airmen. To get started, log on to www.refer2ang.com to create an account. Once an account has been created, members will receive a welcome kit in the mail, which contains Referral Rewards Program business cards with your unique four-digit code. Once the individual joins, it will be noted on your online account. Then you can choose your reward. It's that easy! Rewards are redeemed via a tiered system. After your first recruit joins, you can choose a reward from the first tier. When your second recruit joins, you can pick a reward from the second tier, and so on. The more new Airmen you find, the more valuable the reward you are eligible to receive. Your story is our number one recruiting tool. We want you to let potential Airmen know how you have benefited from being in the California Air Guard. The recruiting office will be in front of the Dining Facility on Saturday 4 Feb from 1030-1230 to answer any questions you have about recruiting and the new referral program. New Customer Service hours The entire wing is impacted by the various upcoming assessments and inspections. Our first is an Air Force Vulnerability Assessment which will take place beginning Feb 10th followed by a Compliance Inspection, two Health Services Inspections, and a Logistics Compliance Assessment all taking place in May; and then an Environmental, Safety, and Occupational Health Assessment in October. To provide some dedicated time for our service organizations to prep for these inspections, beginning Tuesday, 17 January, we will transition to the following service/counter hours Monday: Open 0800-1200 hrs Tues-Fri: Open 0900-1500 hrs UTAs: Open 0900-1500 hrs Commanders and first sergeants have free access and will be able to determine when exceptions are necessary. Units may also identify someone who can assist with this determination. We all contribute to each others' success and this accommodation I know is appreciated by all affected areas. Need to register with the VA? VA will bring its mobile VA registration clinic to the 146th on Sunday February 5th in front of the Medical Group building. . VA Physicians, nurses and intake coordinators will be on hand to give physical assessments that can start the process for VA disability ratings and/or start your free VA health care (if you have served in a combat zone in the last 5 years). To qualify for VA Healthcare you must: * Have two years of prior service active duty and/or * Have served 1 day in a combat zone (where you have received hazardous duty pay) *Appointments will take approximately 45 minutes *The VA Greater Los Angeles in offering VA examinations to Veterans that live in the following boundaries: From Camp Roberts in the North down to East LA, and from the Coast out to Bakersfield. *If you do not live in the boundary area please visit http://www2.va.gov/directory/guide/division_flsh.asp?dnum=1 to find the VA hospital closest to you. Although all appointments are full, walk-ins will be taken from 0700-1100 in front of the Medical Group building. There will also be another opportunity to register during the July/August UTA. Want to stop smoking? The County of Ventura has offered to bring their free smoking cessation classes to the 146th AW. The classes are 1 hour per week for 8 weeks. We need a minimum of 5 people to have the class brought to the wing. Date, time and location TBD as we will work to accommodate everyone's work/lunch schedules. Classes: Each week participants will be provided with information and assistance on smoking cessation as well as free nicotine replacement therapy products (patches, gum or lozenges). Class is open to all who work at the wing, family members, loved ones etc. There is no charge to attend these classes. Email or call Kim Evans or Julie Morency at the wing for additional details and to sign up at Julie.morency@ang.af.mil or Kimberly.evanslogie.ctr@ang.af.mil Classes are also available through Ventura County Public Health Department Tobacco Program. To find community based classes or additional information on the stop smoking program please go to http://www.vchca.org/public-health/tobacco.aspx Free tax preparation resources for military personnel There are several options for military personnel to file their 2011 taxes for free. The military has a strong Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program. Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Guardsmen, and their families worldwide receive free tax preparation assistance at offices within their installations. These VITA sites provide free tax advice, tax preparation, and assistance to military members and their families. They are trained and equipped to address military specific tax issues, such as combat zone tax benefits and the effect of Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) guidelines. Most service members file their tax returns electronically at their tax centers and, by selecting direct deposit, receive their refunds in as little as 1 week. This combined effort ensures that service members receive free tax assistance from well-trained and equipped military tax preparers. Please note eligibility to use VITA will vary by base. Some bases only see active duty members while other bases require individuals to be below a certain income threshold. Please contact your local base VITA office to determine eligibilty and for further assistance. If you prefer to do your taxes yourself, there are several options to efile your taxes online. The Military OneSource Tax Program is once again offering a free, electronic tax filing service. If you are eligible under the Military OneSource program, you can complete, save, and file your 2011 federal and up to three state returns online free with the H&R Block At Home® tool. If you have questions about this tax service or about preparing your own tax returns, please call 1-800-342-9647 and ask to speak with a Military OneSource tax consultant. Trained tax consultants are available 7 days a week from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., EST. For online assistance with questions about deductions, exemptions, and filing deadlines, send inquiries to TaxQuestions@militaryonesource.mil. H&R Block At Home® is free to active duty, National Guard, and Reserve service members and their families. TaxSlayer.com offers free e-file of federal and state returns for active duty military using their classic edition. The U.S. Defense Department considers Active Duty Military for the 2011 Tax Year to be those personnel whose W2s contain one of 12 EINs. The EIN ( Employer ID Number ) is the number in Box 'b' of the W2 form. Reserve and National Guard personnel who are classified as permanent 'Active Duty' by the Defense Department will have a W2 containing one of the EINs. This offer applies to those active duty military personnel who received a 2011 W-2 form. TurboTax Freedom Edition offers free online federal tax preparation and efiling for Active Duty, Reservists and National Guard personnel. To qualify, you must have a 2011 W-2 form from the military and have an Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $57,000 or less in 2011. IRS Free File is available to taxpayers with an Adjusted Gross Income of $57,000 or less in 2011. Northern Trust Open invites members of 146th to event The Northern Trust Open will host the best 144 PGA TOUR professionals at the Riviera Country Club starting Tuesday, February 14, 2012 - Sunday, February 19, 2012. The Open invites military members and guests to attend several events and gives a variety of options for attending. Northern Trust Open Military Ticket options: Complimentary admission for active duty/retired and Reserve military personnel; and their dependents w/ valid IDs. You must show your military ID at the gate and at the Birdies for the Brave® Patriots' Outpost presented by the Annenberg Foundation. ▪ Download your Northern Trust Open military ticket at http://www.ticketmaster.com/promo/7m9at0 and enter the code: GOLF. On the ticket website, its day specific, so print out the days you would like to attend. ▪ If you need to make a bulk order of tickets specifically for active duty, retired or Reserve military personnel, please contact Kristi Lee at 310.573.5810 or kristifowlks@pgatourhq.com ▪ Show your military ID at the Northern Trust Open main gate during tournament week and receive your tournament ticket ▪ If you are from a veteran's organization and would like to bring a group out, please contact Kristi Lee at 310.573.5810 or kristifowlks@pgatourhq.com Birdies for the Brave® Patriots' Outpost presented by the Annenberg Foundation - Wednesday, February 15 - Sunday, February 19, 2012 The Annenberg Foundation is sponsoring a private hospitality tent to all active duty/retired and Reserve military personnel, veterans and their dependents. This hospitality tent is located on the 10th green and open Wednesday, February 15 - Sunday, February 19, 2012 with complimentary food and beverages. Military Appreciation Ceremony - Saturday, February 18, 2012 This even is designed to honor and show support for the sacrifices made by military members and their families. The Military Appreciation Ceremony will include the participation of a color guard, the singing of the National Anthem. Other activities scheduled for the day include the placement of the American flag and uniformed military service members on 10th green and military tee announcers on the 10th tee. If anyone is interested or know of a military personnel interested in volunteering, please have them contact Kristi Lee. If you have any questions at 503.320.4317 or kristifowlks@pgatourhq.com
February's post-its, promotions and news picks Published Feb. 2, 2012 By Senior Airman Ashley Ramirez 146th Airlift Wing CHANNEL ISLANDS AIR NATIONAL GUARD STATION, Calif. -- Here is the latest information and names that you need to know for this month! Be sure to check out all the new stories and photos on our website as well as our facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/146thAirliftWing Welcome our newest Airmen of the 146th! Captain Tony Montes- 146th Maintenance Squadron Senior Airman Nojin Ian Park- 146th Maintenance Operations Flight Staff Sergeant Roppert Gammy Gutierrez Beltran- 146th Civil Engineering Squadron Airman 1st Class Darrel Wenhon King- 146th Maintenance Operations Flight 2nd Lieutenant Jared Quincy Adams- 146th Civil Engineering Squadron Captain Neil r. Schultz- 146th Airlift Wing Headquarters Staff Sergeant Abraham Steven Virata- 146th Medical Group Staff Sergeant Christopher Ball- 146th Communication Flight Congratulations to recent graduates from formal schools! 2nd Lieutenant Joshua Kramer- Pilot Initial Qualification 2nd Lieutenant Yasha M. Tabrizy- Academy of Military Science Dining Facility Menu Saturday Chicken rice soup Salisbury steak w/ demi reduction Fried chicken Oven brown potatoes Mashed potatoes Medley bean combo Cabbage and carrots Sunday Chicken gumbo soup Southern fried catfish Pork chop calypso Baked macaroni and cheese Rice pilaf Scrambled eggs Breakfast sausage Bacon Pancakes w/ blueberry or banana cranberry whip toppings Asparagus Mixed vegetables Religious Services: Catholic Mass: 1100 Protestant Service: 1230 Both services are held in the Commanders Conference Room, Bldg 119 Commission opportunity for enlisted This announcement is intended for enlisted members of the 146th Airlift Wing who wish to apply for a commissioning opportunity. This opportunity is not for a particular vacancy but is intended to enable our enlisted members to be considered for a variety of opportunities that may presently exist in the wing. Resumes will be accepted for all members who meet the following criteria: 1) Bachelors Degree at an Accredited University 2) Age: 20-33 3) Current and Passing Score on PT Test 4) Worldwide Qualified for Duty Those who wish to apply must submit the following: 1) Cover letter explaining why you are interested in a commission and areas of interest 2) Resume 3) Report Individual Personnel (RIP) 4) Letter of Recommendation Submission Date: NLT: 3 Mar 12 Submission Location: FSS (Attn: Maj. T. McDonald) You may contact Lt. Col. Cowgirl, Maj. T. McDonald or the undersigned if you have any questions. New Air National Guard Referral Rewards Program The new Air National Guard Referral Rewards Program was created for current and retired ANG members who are helping to recruit new Airmen. To get started, log on to www.refer2ang.com to create an account. Once an account has been created, members will receive a welcome kit in the mail, which contains Referral Rewards Program business cards with your unique four-digit code. Once the individual joins, it will be noted on your online account. Then you can choose your reward. It's that easy! Rewards are redeemed via a tiered system. After your first recruit joins, you can choose a reward from the first tier. When your second recruit joins, you can pick a reward from the second tier, and so on. The more new Airmen you find, the more valuable the reward you are eligible to receive. Your story is our number one recruiting tool. We want you to let potential Airmen know how you have benefited from being in the California Air Guard. The recruiting office will be in front of the Dining Facility on Saturday 4 Feb from 1030-1230 to answer any questions you have about recruiting and the new referral program. New Customer Service hours The entire wing is impacted by the various upcoming assessments and inspections. Our first is an Air Force Vulnerability Assessment which will take place beginning Feb 10th followed by a Compliance Inspection, two Health Services Inspections, and a Logistics Compliance Assessment all taking place in May; and then an Environmental, Safety, and Occupational Health Assessment in October. To provide some dedicated time for our service organizations to prep for these inspections, beginning Tuesday, 17 January, we will transition to the following service/counter hours Monday: Open 0800-1200 hrs Tues-Fri: Open 0900-1500 hrs UTAs: Open 0900-1500 hrs Commanders and first sergeants have free access and will be able to determine when exceptions are necessary. Units may also identify someone who can assist with this determination. We all contribute to each others' success and this accommodation I know is appreciated by all affected areas. Need to register with the VA? VA will bring its mobile VA registration clinic to the 146th on Sunday February 5th in front of the Medical Group building. . VA Physicians, nurses and intake coordinators will be on hand to give physical assessments that can start the process for VA disability ratings and/or start your free VA health care (if you have served in a combat zone in the last 5 years). To qualify for VA Healthcare you must: * Have two years of prior service active duty and/or * Have served 1 day in a combat zone (where you have received hazardous duty pay) *Appointments will take approximately 45 minutes *The VA Greater Los Angeles in offering VA examinations to Veterans that live in the following boundaries: From Camp Roberts in the North down to East LA, and from the Coast out to Bakersfield. *If you do not live in the boundary area please visit http://www2.va.gov/directory/guide/division_flsh.asp?dnum=1 to find the VA hospital closest to you. Although all appointments are full, walk-ins will be taken from 0700-1100 in front of the Medical Group building. There will also be another opportunity to register during the July/August UTA. Want to stop smoking? The County of Ventura has offered to bring their free smoking cessation classes to the 146th AW. The classes are 1 hour per week for 8 weeks. We need a minimum of 5 people to have the class brought to the wing. Date, time and location TBD as we will work to accommodate everyone's work/lunch schedules. Classes: Each week participants will be provided with information and assistance on smoking cessation as well as free nicotine replacement therapy products (patches, gum or lozenges). Class is open to all who work at the wing, family members, loved ones etc. There is no charge to attend these classes. Email or call Kim Evans or Julie Morency at the wing for additional details and to sign up at Julie.morency@ang.af.mil or Kimberly.evanslogie.ctr@ang.af.mil Classes are also available through Ventura County Public Health Department Tobacco Program. To find community based classes or additional information on the stop smoking program please go to http://www.vchca.org/public-health/tobacco.aspx Free tax preparation resources for military personnel There are several options for military personnel to file their 2011 taxes for free. The military has a strong Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program. Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Guardsmen, and their families worldwide receive free tax preparation assistance at offices within their installations. These VITA sites provide free tax advice, tax preparation, and assistance to military members and their families. They are trained and equipped to address military specific tax issues, such as combat zone tax benefits and the effect of Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) guidelines. Most service members file their tax returns electronically at their tax centers and, by selecting direct deposit, receive their refunds in as little as 1 week. This combined effort ensures that service members receive free tax assistance from well-trained and equipped military tax preparers. Please note eligibility to use VITA will vary by base. Some bases only see active duty members while other bases require individuals to be below a certain income threshold. Please contact your local base VITA office to determine eligibilty and for further assistance. If you prefer to do your taxes yourself, there are several options to efile your taxes online. The Military OneSource Tax Program is once again offering a free, electronic tax filing service. If you are eligible under the Military OneSource program, you can complete, save, and file your 2011 federal and up to three state returns online free with the H&R Block At Home® tool. If you have questions about this tax service or about preparing your own tax returns, please call 1-800-342-9647 and ask to speak with a Military OneSource tax consultant. Trained tax consultants are available 7 days a week from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., EST. For online assistance with questions about deductions, exemptions, and filing deadlines, send inquiries to TaxQuestions@militaryonesource.mil. H&R Block At Home® is free to active duty, National Guard, and Reserve service members and their families. TaxSlayer.com offers free e-file of federal and state returns for active duty military using their classic edition. The U.S. Defense Department considers Active Duty Military for the 2011 Tax Year to be those personnel whose W2s contain one of 12 EINs. The EIN ( Employer ID Number ) is the number in Box 'b' of the W2 form. Reserve and National Guard personnel who are classified as permanent 'Active Duty' by the Defense Department will have a W2 containing one of the EINs. This offer applies to those active duty military personnel who received a 2011 W-2 form. TurboTax Freedom Edition offers free online federal tax preparation and efiling for Active Duty, Reservists and National Guard personnel. To qualify, you must have a 2011 W-2 form from the military and have an Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $57,000 or less in 2011. IRS Free File is available to taxpayers with an Adjusted Gross Income of $57,000 or less in 2011. Northern Trust Open invites members of 146th to event The Northern Trust Open will host the best 144 PGA TOUR professionals at the Riviera Country Club starting Tuesday, February 14, 2012 - Sunday, February 19, 2012. The Open invites military members and guests to attend several events and gives a variety of options for attending. Northern Trust Open Military Ticket options: Complimentary admission for active duty/retired and Reserve military personnel; and their dependents w/ valid IDs. You must show your military ID at the gate and at the Birdies for the Brave® Patriots' Outpost presented by the Annenberg Foundation. ▪ Download your Northern Trust Open military ticket at http://www.ticketmaster.com/promo/7m9at0 and enter the code: GOLF. On the ticket website, its day specific, so print out the days you would like to attend. ▪ If you need to make a bulk order of tickets specifically for active duty, retired or Reserve military personnel, please contact Kristi Lee at 310.573.5810 or kristifowlks@pgatourhq.com ▪ Show your military ID at the Northern Trust Open main gate during tournament week and receive your tournament ticket ▪ If you are from a veteran's organization and would like to bring a group out, please contact Kristi Lee at 310.573.5810 or kristifowlks@pgatourhq.com Birdies for the Brave® Patriots' Outpost presented by the Annenberg Foundation - Wednesday, February 15 - Sunday, February 19, 2012 The Annenberg Foundation is sponsoring a private hospitality tent to all active duty/retired and Reserve military personnel, veterans and their dependents. This hospitality tent is located on the 10th green and open Wednesday, February 15 - Sunday, February 19, 2012 with complimentary food and beverages. Military Appreciation Ceremony - Saturday, February 18, 2012 This even is designed to honor and show support for the sacrifices made by military members and their families. The Military Appreciation Ceremony will include the participation of a color guard, the singing of the National Anthem. Other activities scheduled for the day include the placement of the American flag and uniformed military service members on 10th green and military tee announcers on the 10th tee. If anyone is interested or know of a military personnel interested in volunteering, please have them contact Kristi Lee. If you have any questions at 503.320.4317 or kristifowlks@pgatourhq.com