Installation town hall updates Team APG

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md.-APG senior leaders provided critical updates during the last town hall meeting of 2021 at the Myer Auditorium Dec. 13.

Topics included COVID-19, housing, winter weather and Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation services. Participants had the opportunity to ask questions throughout the meeting.

APG Garrison Commander Col. Johnny Casiano and APG Garrison Command Sgt. Maj. Ruth Drewitt wished the APG community a happy and safe holiday season.

Casiano thanked those who participated and planned the installation holiday tree lighting event.

“The turnout was remarkable,” he said.

APG COVID-19 screenings 

Chief, Plans and Operations U.S. Army Garrison APG/ Adelphi Laboratory Center Clint Zangle and Dr. W. Thomas Frank, Public Health Emergency Officer at Kirk U.S. Army Health Clinic, discussed updated COVID-19 procedures.

Zangle said if you’re fully vaccinated, there is no need to go through weekly screenings, but be sure to maintain your proof of vaccination at all times. Similarly, if you are fully recovered from a recent case of COVID-19, you are exempted from screening testing for 90 days after being medically cleared by a healthcare professional. You will be provided a form to allow you access to Department of Defense facilities.

If you are an unvaccinated employee, you can report to work or speak with your supervisor about the option of telework. If reporting to work in person, employees will need to do a weekly self-test with a supervisor. If the test is negative, then work can proceed and the supervisor will sign a form allowing you access to facilities. In the event of a positive result, the supervisor will give further instructions.

Zangle said telework is also an option, however, if you wish to return on-site, talk to your host or supervisor for proper information. In that event, you will need a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of returning to work. Visitors will need proper guidance and instruction from their hosts. Visitors will need to do COVID-19 screening tests if using DoD facilities, excluding Commissary use, Army & Air Force Exchange Service, Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation services, or outdoor recreational activities.

Each organization will be responsible for ordering their test kits, screening their unvaccinated workforce and visitors and keeping records as required.

A question was raised about the safety of conducting a COVID-19 test in the workplace. He said test results usually take about 15 minutes.

“The supervisor’s role is principally to observe the test and confirm the results of the test,” Frank said. “I would recommend the employee come in, conduct the testing in front of the supervisor, leave the card [test] with the supervisor and return to your car or someplace you can be reached by telephone.”

A question was raised about when the mask mandate will be lifted. Casiano said the guidance they received from the DoD is for leadership to look at transmission rates of local communities.

“As we move to a place where our local communities have a lower transmission rate, we will reassess as to what HPCON position of the post is and what mask mandate we will eventually move to,” Casiano said.

Frank said in the near future he does not anticipate the local transmission rates will justify the mask mandate to be lifted. This has to do with a number of factors including the Omicron variant and people gathering indoors more due to the winter weather and the holidays.

“The guidance that we have received from our executive level of decision-makers, the DoD is that we look at the local communities that we are adjacent to and we look at the transmission there,” Frank said.

According to Frank, a vaccinated individual who contracts COVID-19 is just as contagious as an unvaccinated person initially but their level of contagion drops off much quicker than an unvaccinated person.

“Usually it’s just a matter of a very few days that they are contagious, versus an unvaccinated person can be quite a bit longer,” he said.

Frank said the rapid tests are designed for people who have COVID-19 symptoms.

“If you get a positive test and you are symptomatic you do not need any other kind of test you are positive COVID and should be treated as such,” he said.

Frank said if you have a negative test and are symptomatic you will need to get a confirmatory test because it is possible to get false negative tests with these rapid tests. We do the rapid tests because they can be done quickly, easily and cheaply. The PCR test, which takes longer to deliver results, is more accurate.

Frank said check the APG Facebook page for upcoming vaccination and booster clinics. He said it is better to reserve an appointment for these clinics. For more information call 410-278-5475.

Corvias on-post housing communication

Corvias Assistant Operations Director Sandi Berry-Turner said reaching out to Corvias on-post housing has never been easier. Residents can now text APG to 51378 for detailed instructions to sign up for the Resident Portal.

“It’s very simple,” she said.

Residents can also call the Community Center Office if preferred at 410-305-1076, or email at APGNeighborhoodOffice@corvias.com. Office hours are Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. -5 p.m.

Emergency notifications

Chief of Protection and Emergency Management Richard Ellis discussed winter tips and emergency notifications.

In the event the Senior Commander decides to close or delay opening of the post, notice will be provided via the:

-APG Weather Line at (410) 278-SNOW; 410-278-7669

– APG Facebook Page http://www.facebook.com/APGMd

– APG News Page http://apgnews.apg.army.mil

– APG Digital Garrison App (Your Army Community)

– Local news and radio stations

– ALERT mass notification system

-Email sent to the Tenant Emergency Action Officers (EAOs)

An upcoming article on winter safety will be published in the APG News.  

SHARP

Victim Advocate April Marinakes, with CECOM, discussed the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention Fusion Directorate pilot program. The People First Task Force (PFTF) evaluated the Army’s response to SH and SA. This task force recommended structural changes to the SHARP program to include piloting a multi-disciplinary SH/SA fusion directorate under the direct oversight of the installation senior commander.

Existing APG SHARP resource center and personnel will serve as the nucleus of the one-year pilot program. Requirements include additional staff and resources and realignment under the installation senior commander.

The Fusion directorate pilot program will be led by the director and deputy director with APG Garrison SA response coordinator and victim advocate personnel attached to the directorate.

The goal is to be fully operational by March 31, 2022, she said.

The SHARP Fusion Directorate is located in Bldg. 4305 on the second floor. For more information, call  410-278-3612.

FMWR facilities and events

FMWR Director Joe Moscone said hours have increased at the gyms and athletic facilities since the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We constantly assess our situation in relation to the post conditions, COVID, resources, staff, put that all together to see what hours and services we can increase,” he said. “Trying to slowly recover back to our pre-COVID levels, which is an ongoing process for us.”

Moscone highlighted other MWR facilities and other events. Top of the Bay and Bowling Center are both now open. Some upcoming events include Sunday brunches and sunset dinners at TOB by Jan. 16 and Jan. 28, respectively. Bowling Center will host a Super Bowl Bash on Feb 13. As well, Wing Wednesdays will continue into the new year.

New bowling leagues for the Bowling Center are always needed and welcomed, he said.

Bookings for private events are accepted at both facilities. For more information, call 410-278-

5915.

 More caregivers needed for CYS  

The Child and Youth Services sports leagues and clinics are ongoing. New fee structures are in place for fiscal year 2022. Mascone said CYS needs to hire more caregivers to work in the child development centers and youth centers on the installation.

“This is a great exciting career,” he said. “More than satisfying.”

For more information call 410-306-2297.

 ACE

The APG Community Exchange or ACE is coming soon. There is a new forum for information sharing

and synchronizations held at TOB. This is expected to be a regularly scheduled event, projected

to start on Jan 27, 2022. More information to follow.

Survey

Team APG is invited to provide feedback to MWR through a 10-minute survey, at www.tinyurl.com/APGCommunitySurvey.

“As we plan the future of this program, it is really important to get that feedback,” he said.

Moscone thanked the Cohort team who produced a “very compressive” survey.

The survey works on the Network/VPN and mobile devices. However, if it does not work,

disconnect from the VPN and try again. For further questions, contact Michael Hoban at michael.m.hoban.civ@mail.mil.

A question was asked about the movie theater. Moscone said the Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers program operates the theater and refreshments are sold as a fundraiser for BOSS.

Visit https://aberdeen.armymwr.com/ for all upcoming FMWR events.

Behavioral and mental health awareness

The Army Substance Abuse Program’s Employee Assistance Program Prevention Coordinator Jenise Bryce said the holidays are meant to be a time of celebration, family, and togetherness, but it can also be a time of stress and loneliness. She said it is important to take care of yourself during this time.

Bryce said these feelings can often produce depression and exacerbate other feelings over this time of

year. It’s easy to fall into the trap of addiction from those difficult-to-manage feelings. The COVID-19 pandemic can also make celebrating with family more difficult, but there are many ways to connect in other ways. Delivering food to families in need and volunteering can both be an asset to connection.

“Be sure to focus on the things that are within your control,” she said. “Don’t entertain crippling thoughts. Instead, focus on creating new traditions and making the holidays special for you.”

Bryce recommends setting boundaries with alcohol, especially if there is a family history of alcoholism or drug addiction.

“If you know you can only have one drink, only have one drink,” she said.

Resources for help

If you are feeling sad, depressed, and/or lonely, reach out to a friend, a family member, or a national hotline. The National Suicide Prevention Hotline can be reached at 1-800-273-8255, or you can text NAMI to 741-741 for the Crisis Text Line. For immediate need, call 911.

The Employee Assistance Program office is available to all DoD civilians and their families for short-term counseling. Contact Bryce at 410-278-5319

Recording

To view a recording of the installation town hall, visit https://dod.teams.microsoft.us/l/meetup-join/19%3adod%3ameeting_987f6d18c1464142a0476a268b2ee248%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22fae6d70f-954b-4811-92b6-0530d6f84c43%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%225367987d-e4d5-4dc5-b5b6-6b7ef39f5fbc%22%2c%22IsBroadcastMeeting%22%3atrue%7d.

Story by Rachel Ponder and Megan Clark, APG News