Ten things to know around DoD in August

1. The 1812 Overture concert. The U.S. Army Band presents its annual salute to the end of the summer with The 1812 Overture concert Aug. 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the Sylvan Theater on the Washington Monument Grounds Washington, D.C. Rain date is Aug. 14 at 7:30 p.m. This concert features The U.S. Army Concert Band, The U.S. Army Herald Trumpets and vocalists from The U.S. Army Chorus and Army Voices, and live canon fire by the Presidential Salute Battery of the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard). Free and open to the public; no tickets required. Bring lawn chairs and blankets; food allowed/no glass or alcohol. Weather call will be made on Aug. 8 at 8 a.m. and noted on the Army Band's website: usarmyband.com or on our Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/usarmyband.

2. August is National Immunization and Influenza Awareness Month. August marks National Immunization and Influenza Awareness Month. Service members and civilians should remind family and friends how important vaccinations are to their health in order to be resilient this coming flu season. For more information, visit http://go.usa.gov/xYZR4.

3. DoD announced updates to its Law of War Manual. The Department of Defense recently released an update to the 2015 Law of War Manual. The manual is a guide for DoD personnel responsible for implementing the law of war and executing military operations, according to a department news release. The updated version contains a revision to the section on journalists as well as minor updates to other sections. The changes reflect input provided by the news media and "communicate more clearly the department's support for the protection of journalists under the law of war," according to DoD General Counsel Jennifer O'Connor. To read the updated document, visit http://go.usa.gov/xYZnC.

4. Antiterrorism Awareness Month. August marks the Army's Antiterrorism Awareness Month. Each August, the Army makes a push to promote iWATCH, its antiterrorism awareness program. The iWATCH program encourages Soldiers, family members and civilians in the Army community to become familiar with and be able to recognize and report suspicious activity or behavior to Military Police or local law enforcement. For more information about Antiterrorism Awareness Month, visit https://www.myarmyonesource.com/Events/AntiterrorismAwarenessMonth/default.aspx.

5. New opportunities for enlisted to become officers. A recent change in eligibility requirements now allows enlisted service members up to age 33 to apply to become officers, according to an Army news article. There is also no longer a requirement to serve in the Army for six years before going to Officer Candidate School. A complete list of requirements and instructions for applying can be found in MILPER 15-270, by visiting http://go.usa.gov/xYZmW.

6. Feds Feed Families. The Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall team supports the Department of Agriculture annual Feds Feed Families food drive. The campaign runs through Aug. 31. Nonperishable food items are distributed to local food banks. Bring your donations to several places on the Fort Myer and Henderson Hall portions of the joint base: Bldg. 205, Bldg. 59, Bldg. 203, Bldg. 202, Andrew Rader U.S. Army Health Clinic, Bldg. 417-Education Center, the Post Office, the DFMWR Gym, Henderson Hall Bldg. 28 and Henderson Hall Gym. Locations on the Fort McNair portion of the joint base can be found at Bldg. 48 (J4) and chaplain's area, Bldg. 50 IADC kitchen, Bldg. 35 CMH, Bldg. 41 SDFCU, Bldg. 29 Post Office, Bldg. 39 lobby, Bldg. 43 Shoppette, Bldg. 64 Lincoln Hall cafeteria, Bldg. 62 Marshall Hall across from the ATM Machine, Bldg. 59 ES lobby and Bldg. 61 NWC lobby. For a complete list of food items needed, visit www.capitalareafoodbank.org/give/donate-food.

7. Dunford notes ways to measure fight against ISIL. Territory, resources and foreign fighters are the measurements Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. will use to measure progress in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Iraq and Syria, according to a DoD news article. Working with those nations to stop foreign fighters from entering, cutting off resources and reclaiming territory will be crucial in the ongoing effort to address the "physical and virtual caliphate" growing in the countries. Read the full article at http://go.usa.gov/xYZy3.

8. Registration open for USMC media training symposium. The Office of U.S. Marine Corps Communication (OUSMCC) will host the annual Commanders Media Training Symposium in New York, NY from Sept. 19-22. The symposium will highlight critical public affairs skills and provides media relations tools to commanders and other Marines in leadership billets who require expert communication skills and will likely interact with news media representatives, according to MARADMIN 374/16. Briefs, participatory exercises, and guest speaker presentations are scheduled at venues throughout New York. Command leadership is the primary focus of the effort, but commanders are encouraged to bring their public affairs officers. Those wishing to attend should submit registration requests no later than Aug. 31 via e-mail to neil.ruggiero@usmc.mil. For more information, visit http://go.usa.gov/xYZym.

9. Army announces upcoming deployment. The Department of the Army recently announced the deployment of the 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas with 800 Soldiers to Afghanistan in the summer of 2016. The deployment is part of a regular rotation of forces in support of Operation Freedom's Sentinel, according to an Army news release. For more information, visit http://go.usa.gov/xYZyJ.

10. Women's Equality Day. Women's Equality Day takes place Aug. 26. The day commemorates American women achieving full voting rights under the U.S. Constitution by the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920. JBM-HH will host a 5K race/1-mile walk Aug. 6 on the Fort Myer portion of the joint base. Registration to participate is available online at www.jbmhhmwr.com/fitness-centers-sports.