Absentee voting

keeps overseas
voters relevant
By Chelsea Bissell
Staff Writer
GRAFENWOEHR, Germany
With the presidential tick-
ets decided and convention
season now in the rearview
mirror, voters are preparing
to cast their ballots and cross
their fngers Ior their candi-
dates. Casting a ballot Irom
Germany, however, isn`t as
simple as skipping over to the
local polling place. Overseas
and military voters must regis-
ter in their state oI residence,
request an absentee ballot and
return the completed ballot to
eIIectively cast a vote.
These steps are, oI course,
met with strict deadlines
which vary Irom state to state.
Listed below are the voting
cutoII dates Ior states boasting
large numbers oI residents in
the armed services. Residents
oI all states and territories,
however, may register to vote
and request a ballot within
their state at the VFAP.gov,
which streamlines the process
Ior overseas military person-
nel, Iamilies and civilians. The
General Election is held in all
states on Nov. 6.
Florida: Registration dead-
line: Oct. 9; Ballot request:
Oct. 31; Ballot return: Nov.
16, postmarked by Nov. 6.
Election.myFlorida.com
is a wealth oI inIormation Ior
voters. Florida residents can
scroll through the names oI
every candidate running Ior
every oIfce in the Sunshine
State. To simpliIy matters, vot-
ers may search by county, oI-
fce or group such as Iederal
Story and photos by
Chelsea Bissell
Staff Writer
GRAFENWOEHR, Germany For StaII Sgt.
David Sanders, Headquarters and Headquarters
Company, 172nd InIantry Brigade, the recruit-
er`s call came at 'the perIect time.
Just weeks previous, the attack on the Twin
Towers on Sept. 11, 2001, had leIt Sanders en-
raged and itching Ior a way to help his trauma-
tized nation.
'The only thing that went through my mind
was, Oh hell no! Not my country. You did not
just do this to my country,` he said.
So when the recruiter rang, Sanders enlisted.
Tuesday marked the 11th anniversary oI
9/11, the catalyst that altered the nation`s sense
oI security. In the patriotic Iervor that overtook
the U.S. in the post-9/11 months and years, men
and women focked to recruiting stations or an-
swered a recruiter`s entreaty with an energetic
'yes.
Though this post-9/11 demographic is
shrinking, many in their ranks have remained,
turning a patriotic impulse into a liIetime oI ser-
vice. Furthermore, newer Soldiers, Iundamen-
tally aIIected by the attacks, still cite 9/11 as the
driving Iorce behind their military service.
Lt. Col. Michael Stanley, regimental sur-
geon, Regiment Headquarters and Headquar-
ters Troop, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, was work-
ing as a doctor in Brooklyn when the planes hit
the Twin Towers. Stepping oII the subway that
morning, the smoldering buildings were the
frst things he saw.
That moment, recalled Stanley, trans-
Iormed his physical horizons the Manhattan
skyline and his emotional horizons.
'Emotionally, I mean, we were attacked. I
was angry and Irustrated and the thought that
burned through my mind was, How could I
ever prepare Ior something like this?`
www.grafenwoehr.army.mil U.S. Army Garrisons Grafenwoehr, Hohenfels, Garmisch and Schweinfurt September 12, 2012
Editorials 2
News 3-4, 12
What's Happening 6
Travel 9
Health 10
Movies 14
Index
Vol. 8, Nr. 17
We're listening
Army Family Action Plan is ready
to address community issues at
its annual conference, Oct. 2-4
PAGE 3
Ride em cowboy
Pullman City offers a taste of
the American Wild West, right
here in the heart of Bavaria
PAGE 9
Cooking up success
The Hickey DFAC puts its best
fork forward, winning another
Phillip A. Connelly Award
PAGE 4
By Mark Iacampo
USAG Hohenfels Public Affairs
HOHENFELS, Germany HohenIels
Middle-High School sophomore David
Vidovic took a major stride toward the
Iulfllment oI a liIelong dream when he
was invited to join the Football Univer-
sity International All Stars European
team aIter a combine in Ansbach, Aug.
26.
'I`ve always wanted to go stateside and
play Iootball, said Vidovic, the varsity
running back Ior the HohenIels Tigers.
In conjunction with the U.S. Army
All-American Bowl, played annually at
the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas,
and broadcast live on NBC, the FBU
is currently run-
ning combines
throughout Eu-
rope to select a
team that will Iace
teams Irom Cana-
da and the U.S. in
Jan. 2013.
Two other Ho-
henIels students,
Chris Terell and
Perry McCune,
attended the combine, but only Vidovic
was eligible Ior the European team due
to his dual citizenship.
'Out oI three trials, he won two,
said proud stepIather Kenneth McKoy,
USAG HohenIels command sergeant
major. 'And he earned co-MVP.
Accolades are nothing new Ior the
5-Ioot 11, 179-pound Vidovic, who
earned MVP oI the Vilseck JV Iootball
team last year, as well as MVP oI the JV
basketball team. He remains humble,
though, crediting his coaches and his Iel-
low teammates Ior much oI his success.
The Ansbach event Ieatured Iormer
NFL coach Thurmond Moore and Ior-
mer Philadelphia Eagles Iullback Cecil
Martin, who conducted tackling drills
and running plays with participants.
'They taught us a lot, said Vidovic.
'They ran us through drills, ... and we
played a little seven on seven.
Vidovic`s time on two oI the trials
took the top spot, fnishing the 40-yard
dash with a time oI 4.6 seconds.
'I think I could do better, he admit-
ted. 'There was a crosswind and the
terrain was kind oI bad, and one oI the
European team coaches said iI it wasn`t
Ior that, I`d have run a little Iaster.
In preparation Ior the January game
in San Antonio, Vidovic said FBU
coaches will be sending him a playbook,
and he`ll be practicing with his coaches
and teammates in HohenIels.
'My main goal is to get a little bit
Iaster, and improve my agility, he said.
While Vidovic aspires to one day
play in the NFL, right now he`s Iocused
on the Tigers` upcoming season and
their opening day game in Naples, Sept.
15.

The BMC will conduct

a suicide stand-down
Sept. 20 to build resiliency.
Contact your chain of
command for more.
8uicide stand-down
Call of duty:
Hohenfels youth earns spot on FBU European team
Your vote counts
AIvarez Gookins StanIey
Vidovic
Sanders
New sports complex set
to open next summer
Story and photos by
Molly Hayden
Assistant Editor
GRAFENWOEHR, Germany It`s a
common occurrence Ior construction
projects to run well past the allotted
time, but when you combine the Army`s
attention to detail peppered with Ger-
man ingenuity, a project like FMWR`s
high ropes course can be cooked up ear-
ly; fnishing in time to support an impor-
tant Army program is the cherry on top.
A new Outdoor Recreation complex
is currently underway near Dickhaeu-
ter Lake on the GraIenwoehr Training
Area. The new Iacility will oIIer an in-
door climbing wall, onsite camping, a
snack bar and a Iull range oI rental gear
Ior every adventure including canoeing,
klettersteig and skiing. Additionally, the
complex includes an onsite outdoor high
ropes course that allows participants to
climb, negotiate and traverse more than
1,000 Ieet oI obscure obstacles. While
the complex itselI is not set to open until
May 2013, the high ropes portion was
fnished early and released in support
oI redeploying 172nd InIantry Brigade
Soldiers as they tread through the War-
rior Adventure Quest program.
WAQ oIIers adrenaline-pumping ad-
ventures, testing the limits and abilities
High ropes course delivered early
The new high ropes course on the Grafenwoehr Training Area wiII open to the pubIic in May 2013.

3ee V0TER8, page 12
Four Soldiers discuss the
event that changed their lives

3ee wA0, page 12

3ee 80L0|ER8, page 12
Re|ated story: u.3. Arry Europe Corrard|rg 0erera|
Ll. 0er. Var| lerl||rg relecls or 9/11. 3ee page 2.
Come out for the 2nd
annual Walk a Mile in Her
Shoes event, Sept. 22,
from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at the
Rose Barracks Chapel.
Dudes in Heels
An interactive alcohol
awareness program will
educate community
members this week.
See page 6.
8ave a Life Tour
oI Soldiers as an alternate Iorm oI
reintegration. Currently in its Iourth
iteration in GraIenwoehr, the Family
and Morale, WelIare and Recreation
program has emerged as an integral
part oI the redeployment regimen
a process that is easier to Iulfll
now that the high ropes course is on
'home base.
'The course is right here, we
have control over it, said JeII Car-
son, WAQ program manager. 'We`ve
been involved since the beginning
stages and with that comes a sense oI
pride with what we can now oIIer our
Soldiers.
The principal idea Ior the complex
dates back to 2002 with initiation oI
proposals and submissions Ior proj-
ect approval, Iollowed by Iunding
requests. In 2007 a Department oI
the Army initiated project validation
assessment was conducted, which
resulted in approval oI Iunds Ior fs-
cal year 2009. Landscape architects
at Fetsch LandschaItsarchitekten de-
signed the course soon thereaIter.
Ground breaking took place in
May 2011 and execution continued
meticulously through a partnership
with the Bauamt (German govern-
ment) and the U.S. Army Corps oI
Engineers Europe District. Mickan
GmbH built the course.
The price tag Ior the course ran
about 275,000 euros, according to
WolIgang Schultes, Outdoor Recre-
ation director Ior FMWR; ringing up
at three percent oI the total contract
cost. While this may seem like a heIty
bill to be placed on the table, Schul-
tes explained having the high ropes
course on the training area is expect-
ed to save nearly $2,000 a day Ior
the WAQ program. With the program
running fve days a week Ior nine
weeks during its current iteration,
FWMR will see a savings oI $90,000
within the frst Iew months. The con-
tinuation oI the WAQ program com-
bined with recreation utilization oI
the community once the site opens
next year will enable the course to
pay Ior itselI in less than fve years.
'You spend a lot oI money ini-
tially and you get a quality product,
which we`ve gotten, said Carson.
The course contains Iour obstacle
levels ranging Irom 'a kid could do
it easy to 'heart pounding out oI
your chest diIfcult. One oI the de-
sign goals was Ior the Iacility to blend
seamlessly into its environment;
thereIore natural materials were used
throughout. Ropes and planks are
well hidden amongst the tall Douglas
frs. This natural backdrop adds an-
other element to the experience, said
Carson.
'II you look back at how challenge
courses developed over the years, it
goes hand-in-hand with experimental
education. It`s about getting people
outside and using those moments to
teach and learn.
This is the same philosophy oI the
WAQ program, and the high ropes
course supports it well. Soldiers push
themselves physically with each ma-
neuver, but learning goes beyond the
tangible.
'It`s not always easy to take about
Ieelings with Soldiers. But when you
put yourselI in a situation that you`re
not used to, being scared or uncertain
is a natural Ieeling. Creating those
uncertainties is what the program is
about, explained Carson.
WAQ is intended to push Soldiers
outside oI the norm oI returning to a
garrison, in turn recreating the adren-
aline rush oIten Ielt downrange.
'They are used to dealing with
this high level oI stress, it`s what
their bodies learn and accept Ior over
a year, said Carson. 'Then they are
told to go back to liIe, stand in line
at the grocery store, fll up your gas
tank, all oI that coupled with the re-
medial tasks oI redeployment.
Having an adventure like the high
ropes course provides that rush while
the leader-led aIter-action debrieI-
ing aIIords an outlet Ior discussion.
While many Soldiers dismiss it as
twaddle, the Ieelings associated with
the activities are valid.
'We want Soldiers to talk, said
Carson. 'It`s important Ior their well-
being to let go oI that taboo that they
can`t have Ieelings.
While many Soldiers said the
adrenaline they Ieel during WAQ may
not be the same as it was downrange,
the camaraderie is oIten comparable.
'You spend so much time with
these guys downrange, said ChieI
Warrant OIfcer 3 Tim Keyes, Head-
quarters and Headquarters Company,
172nd InIantry Brigade. 'It`s just one
more type oI bond.
As Keyes and his Iellow company
Soldiers maneuvered the high ropes
course during a recent WAQ Pro-
gram, they buoyed one another with
a bond oI encouragement and playIul
ribbing.
'We`re here to have Iun, too, said
Keyes.
Editors Note. See the next edition
of the Bavarian News for an article
on the people behind the program,
the hnal piece in the three-part series
on the Warrior Adventure Quest pro-
gram.
12 8avar|ar NeWs 3epleroer 12, 2012
NeWs
global issues, which aIIects Army
readiness and well-being. Issues
submitted at the AFAP annual con-
Ierence are placed into one oI the
Iollowing subject area groups: Iam-
ily support and employment; Iorce
support and entitlements; child and
youth, medical and dental; housing
and relocation or customer services.
At the annual conIerence, del-
egates are placed into working
groups to develop, prioritize and
recommend what they would like
to see happen when the issue is re-
solved. Issues that can be resolved
locally are assigned to the appro-
priate directorate or organization.
That directorate or organization
is responsible Ior researching and
working the issues, and briefng the
chain oI command on their fnd-
ings. The organization will indicate
iI the issues are completed, are in
an active or open status, or deemed
unattainable, as every issue submit-
ted cannot be resolved.
The garrison commander and
the AFAP steering committee mem-
bers make the fnal determination
on the status oI all issues and rec-
ommendations.
Issues that cannot be resolved
locally are Iorwarded to the major
command, where these issues are
reviewed and prioritized at its annu-
al AFAP conIerence. Issues beyond
the scope oI the major command
may be Iorwarded to the Depart-
ment oI the Army, which also con-
ducts an annual conIerence.
Army Community Service will
host the USAG GraIenwoehr AFAP
conIerence Irom Oct. 2-4 on Rose
Barracks. Active duty, Reserve and
Guard Soldiers, retirees, surviv-
ing spouse, DA civilians and their
Iamilies are all invited to participate
in the AFAP conIerence. Individu-
als interested in serving as an AFAP
delegate should contact their unit
commander. Those interested in
volunteering should call DSN 475-
8371 to sign up.
For more inIormation or to vol-
unteer at the conIerence, contact
Michelle McLaughlin at DSN 475-
8371, CIV 09641-83-8371 or e-
mail michelle.r.mclaughlin2.civ
mail.mil.
Corl|rued lror page 3
WAQ offers high ropes adventure for Soldiers
Sgt. MichaeI Bertsch, HHC, 172nd Infantry Brigade, maneuvers
across a Iarge cargo net section of the high ropes course during
a recent Warrior Adventure Quest program.
His answer was to join the Army.
Stanley contacted a recruiting agent
in October 2001, and in July 2002, he
was a Soldier.
'It seemed like the right thing to
do to oIIer my skills to the military,
and Ior that I have no regrets, said
Stanley. 'It`s an honor Ior me to take
care oI Soldiers and their Iamilies and
make sure they`re ready to deIend
their nation.
Sanders, who Ielt a similar call
to deIend in the immediate shock oI
9/11, said that his anger over the at-
tacks, not his sense oI purpose, has
soItened over time.
'I stayed in. I re-enlisted because I
wanted to serve my country. I wanted
to protect my country and its people,
said Sanders, adding, 'I`m going to
be doing this until I retire. I`m going
to be fghting terrorism. I live to serve
and this is how I choose to serve. I put
on this uniIorm.
AIter nearly 11 years embroiled
in war and an economic downswing
in the U.S., patriotic Iervor has been
upstaged by the Army`s more tangible
benefts. But, young initiates moved
by the attacks as children and teen-
agers are still joining the Army with
9/11 as their driving Iorce.
Spc. Carlos Alvarez, Regiment
Headquarters and Headquarters
Troop, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, joined
in 2009, directly out oI high school.
A native oI the Bronx, the attacks in
2001 touched him personally. Caught
up in the conIusion oI the day, Alvarez
Ieared his brother had been trapped in
the middle oI the destruction. He later
discovered that numerous Iriends lost
parents in the Towers.
It was then, at age 12, that Alvarez
inIormed his parents oI his intention
to join the Army.
'It was the Iact that I Ielt so help-
less when things like that happen, he
said. 'It was reassurance that things
could get a little better. Maybe I could
change something, you know.
Alvarez says he`s Iound his niche
in the Army and has learned Irom his
time in service. His deployment in
2010 to AIghanistan opened his eyes
to the striIe oI local civilians.
'Not everybody is guilty down
there. Some need the help. Some
want the help because they can`t get
it because oI where they are, Alvarez
said. 'They want to progress.
Spc. Lloyd Gookins, Regiment
Headquarters and Headquarters
Troop, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, saw
his thought process Iollow a similar
path. Emotionally jostled by the at-
tacks on 9/11 when he was only 10
years old, Gookins began talking to
an Army recruiter at 15, determined
to have a Iuture in the military.
'I Ieared Ior Iurther attacks, ex-
plained Gookins. 'The impact it had
on me as a young child enticed me
to join the military and ensure these
things don`t happen anymore. I want-
ed to fght the war on terrorism.
AIter a deployment in AIghani-
stan, Gookins explains he 'became
much more knowledgeable.
'I became much more cultur-
ally aware and realized that people
wanted us there and that`s something
you can`t experience without going
there. It made me much more open-
minded.
As Ior 9/11 and the reason he be-
came a Soldier, Gookins says it`s not
really a topic oI discussion among his
comrades in arms.
'People don`t really talk about
why they joined, said Gookins.
'We`re fxated on the Iact that we
work with each other. Why we joined
doesn`t matter. What we do matters.
Corl|rued lror page 1
AFAP opens
its ears to
community
Soldiers step up, defend after 9/11 attacks
Corl|rued lror page 1
States requiring a photo ID: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Penn-
sylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee and Wisconsin. States requiring a non-photo ID: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado,
Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Utah, Virginia and Washington.
Voters may be required to show copy of photo ID
Corl|rued lror page 1
or state. To learn more about overseas
voting, head to 'For the Voters, then
'Voting InIormation, and 'Absentee
Voting. The site also lists committees
and parties, FAQs and a voter assis-
tance hot line in English or Spanish:
1-866-308-6739. First time voters in
Florida must send a copy oI a photo
ID (military ID card, passport, driv-
er`s license, etc.) along with the ab-
sentee ballot application.
For more inIormation, visit www.
longdistancevoter.com/forida.
Virginia: Registration deadline:
Oct. 30; Ballot Request: Oct. 30;
Ballot Return: Nov. 6. Attention Vir-
ginia voters: Because Virginia now
requires voters to present a Iederal
ID at the polls, overseas voters voting
Ior the frst time must include a copy
oI a driver`s license, military ID, or
voter ID card with the mailed ballot
or the vote will not count. Addition-
ally, overseas voters without a physi-
cal abode in Virginia who are not
active duty or Iamily members may
only vote in Iederal elections unless
employment inIormation is provided
along with the ballot request. The
elections website in Virginia, www.
sbe.virginia.gov, is dense, wordy and
Iull oI restrictions. Read the 'Mili-
tary and Overseas Voters page care-
Iully.
Washington: Registration dead-
line: Nov. 6; Ballot request: Nov. 6;
Ballot return: Nov. 26.
Washington voters can visit www.
sos.wa.gov to register to vote online
with MyVote or a Facebook App, or
the old Iashioned way oI snail mail.
The 'Overseas and Military Vot-
ers page provides straightIorward
directions. Washington State takes
admirable pains to ensure its voters
are inIormed. Click on '2012 Ballot
Measures Ior state initiatives and
reIerenda. Residents can also request
voters` pamphlets and access county-
specifc candidate inIormation on the
'Military and Overseas Voters page.
New York: Registration deadline:
Oct. 12; Ballot request: Oct. 26 Ior
military and Iamily members, Oct. 12
Ior overseas civilians; Ballot return:
Nov. 19, postmarked by Nov. 5
State primaries: New York resi-
dents already in possession oI a state
primary ballot may still vote in the
primary elections iI the ballot is post-
marked by Sept. 12 and received by
the local board oI elections no later
than Sept. 18.
The New York state Board oI
Elections website, www.elections.
ny.gov, is easy to navigate and pro-
vides ample inIormation. For material
on military or overseas voting, click
'Need an Absentee Ballot? or 'Are
you in the Armed Forces or live over-
seas? The latter will direct visitors to
https://overseasvoteIoundation.org.
This exceptionally user-Iriendly site
allows voters to register, request a bal-
lot, track a ballot and access all dates,
deadlines and contact inIo.
California: Registration deadline:
Oct. 22; Ballot request: Oct. 30; Bal-
lot return: Nov. 6.
Even iI already registered to vote
in CaliIornia, residents must apply Ior
a Special Absentee Ballot by flling
out and sending in the Federal Post
Card Application beIore requesting a
ballot. For the vote to count, the ballot
must be mailed and received by the
county elections oIfcial no later than
8 p.m. on Nov. 6, when the state`s
polls close. For more, visit www.sos.
ca.gov/elections and click 'Military
and Overseas Voters under the 'Vot-
er Registration headline.
Georgia:Registration deadline:
Oct. 9; Ballot request: Nov. 2; Ballot
return: Nov. 9, postmarked by Nov. 6
For historical and up-to-date elec-
tion results and statistics, county elec-
tions oIfce contact inIo, a general
rundown on voting in Georgia and ab-
sentee voting guidelines, visit www.
sos.ga.gov/elections. The military and
overseas voters page answers ample
FAQs, provides video demonstrations
and allows visitors to download all
necessary Iorms.
Texas: Registration deadline: Oct.
9; Ballot request: Oct. 30; Ballot re-
turn: Nov. 12, postmarked by Nov. 6.
At www.sos.state.tx.us/elections,
Texans can retrieve basic run-downs
on candidates and state specifc data
Ior overseas and military voters.
Overseas voters may also download
the Federal Post Card Application to
register and request an absentee bal-
lot.
In a recent rash oI legislation,
many states now require a photo ID
to cast a vote. How these new laws
aIIect overseas or military voters var-
ies state-by-state. Some states, such
as Florida, require frst-time voters to
provide identifcation beIore casting a
ballot. Other states, such as Alabama,
waive the photo ID requirement Ior
overseas and military voters, while
New Hampshire provides zero excep-
tions. State election websites should
list ID obligations Ior enIranchised
residents.