It’s an annual event for many. Friends and family will gather around the flat screen across the Sunflower State Feb. 5 in a midwinter tradition known as Super Bowl Sunday.
While sharing the latest cheese dip or hearty bowls of chili, many also may be more inclined to drink and drive. This is why the Kansas Department of Transportation is urging Kansans to plan ahead to avoid driving impaired. KDOT Traffic Safety Spokesperson Chris Bortz is encouraging everyone to be proactive.

It was well after dark, and I’d been staring at a lot of Interstate 40 West that December day. I was halfway across Oklahoma, and home in San Diego was another day-and-a-half drive. It was time to find a cheap hotel and get some sleep.
I saw an exit ahead and, off to the right, the lights of a gas station. I took the off ramp, which fed onto a street headed toward the town. It had snowed that day, but I was supremely confident that my all-season radials could handle the snow and slush. Growing up in Southern California, I’d never actually driven on snow.

Now more than ever, leaders from the squad up through the chain of command “get” safety and its importance to the mission.
Leaders have gotten back to the basics of leadership, becoming more involved in pre-combat checks and inspections, taking a more active role in training and simply ensuring every standard is met every time. By getting the mission done and doing it safely, today’s leaders are setting a superb example for the Soldiers in their charge, especially those who will assume leadership roles in the future.

24/7/365 Crisis Line — 682-9131

Munson Army Health Center On-Call Physician — 684-6000

Army Community Service (duty hours) — 684-2800

Staff Duty Officer — 684-4448

On-Call Chaplain (through SDO) — 684-4448

Military and Family Life Consultants  — 547-2551

Installation Victim Advocate — 683-2537

Sexual Assault Response Coordinator — 683-1443

Military One Source  — (800) 464-8107

American Red Cross  — (800) 272-7337

The fall and winter seasons are full of opportunities for celebrating. Football games, holidays and extended vacations from work all offer ample time for fun, food and fellowship. And for many people, tailgates and parties wouldn’t be the same without a splash or two of their favorite alcoholic beverages.
While social gatherings offer a perfect opportunity to let loose, Soldiers, family members and civilians must be extra vigilant and have a plan if they choose to drink, regardless of the time of year. But when you factor in other variables unique to winter, including adverse weather conditions like ice and snow, prior planning becomes even more important.

It was well after dark, and I’d been staring at a lot of Interstate 40 West that December day. I was halfway across Oklahoma, and home in San Diego was another day-and-a-half drive. It was time to find a cheap hotel and get some sleep.
I saw an exit ahead and, off to the right, the lights of a gas station. I took the off ramp, which fed onto a street headed toward the town. It had snowed that day, but I was supremely confident that my all-season radials could handle the snow and slush. Growing up in Southern California, I’d never actually driven on snow.

Ah, fall — there’s nothing like crisp, cool air, the first months of school and luscious foliage to build excitement about the changing seasons. Many of us are welcoming a break from hot, sticky weather, but we must be aware that fall is also a time of lurking dangers. From carbon monoxide poisoning to fire hazards, the season can be a minefield. By following a few simple tips, however, we can keep our homes and families safe and healthy during the coming months.

About 25 women participated in a self-defense seminar taught Nov. 16 at Harney Sports Complex by Frank Barry, a retired military member who now works at the Mission Command Training Program. The seminar was offered at Fort Leavenworth by the Family Advocacy Program through Army Community Service and the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation.  
The free quarterly seminar focused on self awareness, assertiveness, verbal control skills and physical defense techniques. During this session, students learned some wrist grab escapes, counter-choke moves, basic blocks and self-defense strikes.

“Living with animals can be a wonderful experience, especially if we choose to learn the valuable lessons animals teach through their natural enthusiasm, grace, resourcefulness, affection and forgiveness.” — Dr. Richard H. Pitcairn, Veterinarian.
As your newest veterinarian at Fort Leavenworth, I wrote this article to introduce myself and also to address a safety issue that we have encountered at the clinic recently.
 

If you’re the appointed turkey cook this Thanksgiving and are stressing to the max because you’ve never done it before, take comfort in knowing this: Roasting the turkey is the easiest part of the entire traditional feast. Peruse your commissary aisles for the turkey tailored to your specific needs — the commissary has them big and small and everything in between. Arm yourself with these basic guidelines and tips, and you’re “good to go.”
How much do you need? Plan on 1/2 to 3/4 pound per person for a regular bone-in turkey and about 1/3 pound per person for a boneless breast or turkey roast. Allow a bit more if you want plenty of leftovers.

For Will Eggleston, a safety professional with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Huntsville, Ala., frying a turkey for the holidays wasn’t as simple as it seemed.
“I thought frying the turkey would be a great way to speed up the cooking process,” Eggleston said. “Depending on the size, you can fry a whole turkey in about 30 minutes versus slow roasting one for four or five hours.”

After years of being bullied in school and online, 14-year-old Jamey Rodemeyer was reaching his breaking point.
The openly gay teenager talked about his experiences in a video he posted on YouTube last spring.
“They’d taunt me in the hallways, and I felt like I could never escape it,” the Buffalo, N.Y., native said. “People would just constantly send me hate.”
Afraid of what lay ahead for him in high school, Rodemeyer committed suicide last month.
In the past, bullying was deemed a rite of passage, but that’s not the case any more, a Defense Department official said.

Deer can be spotted near Kansas roadways any time of the year. However, in the fall, motorists should be especially vigilant for deer crossing the highways.  Deer breeding season peaks in mid-November, and this marks the period when deer-vehicle collisions are highest. That’s why the Kansas Department of Transportation, the Kansas Highway Patrol and the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism are working together to raise awareness and help drivers avoid collisions with deer.
According to KDWPT biologist Lloyd Fox, the increase in deer-vehicle crashes is strongly influenced by the deer mating season, called the “rut.” During the rut, deer focus on mating. They travel more than in other seasons, and pay less attention to hazards such as vehicles. Also during the fall, many deer move to new locations as crops are harvested and leaves fall from trees and shrubs, so they are less secure than in their summer habitats.

Halloween is a cherished tradition but the excitement of the night can cause children to forget to be careful. There is no real “trick” to making Halloween a real treat for the entire family. The major dangers are not from witches or spirits but rather from falls and pedestrian/car crashes. Many communities officially designate a “beggars’ night” and assign specific hours for trick-or-treat activities.
Both children and adults need to think about safety on this annual day of make-believe.

Special agents from the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command are once again warning the American public, as well as citizens from other nations, to be extra vigilant and not to fall prey to Internet scams or impersonation fraud — especially scams that promise true love, but only end up breaking hearts and bank accounts.
CID continues to receive hundreds of reports of various scams involving persons pretending to be U.S. Soldiers serving in Iraq or Afghanistan, according to Army CID special agents.

According to statistics from the U.S. Army Public Health Command (Provisional), the average Soldier who suffers an eye injury is an E3–E5, 20- to 24-year old male, who is struck by an object while performing combat soldiering, participating in sports, or doing maintenance, repair or servicing. He is not wearing eye protection at the time of the injury. And, he will lose an average of 6.1 workdays at an average cost of $9,724 because of the injury.
Many of these injuries are avoidable if Soldiers don’t take their vision for granted, and leaders ensure that appropriate eye protection is worn.

Ah, fall — there’s nothing like crisp, cool air, the first months of school and luscious foliage to build excitement about the changing seasons. Many of us are welcoming a break from hot, sticky weather, but we must be aware that fall is also a time of lurking dangers. From carbon monoxide poisoning to fire hazards, the season can be a minefield. By following a few simple tips, however, we can keep our homes and families safe and healthy during the coming months.

Bicyclists and drivers have been voicing concerns through the Interactive Customer Evaluation system about riding bicycles on sidewalks along Grant Avenue. It has been a long-standing policy for bicyclists to ride on the sidewalks along Grant Avenue.
The reasons for the policy are many, stated Chief of Police Aaron Henderson.
“More than 18,000 vehicles travel on Grant Avenue each day,” Henderson said. “This road is the main thoroughfare for the installation and does not have the required shoulder space to allow safe passage for bicyclists in traffic.”

Fire Prevention Week is almost upon us, and that means firefighters and fire departments around the country are asking members of our communities to take a pause and consider fire safety and prevention.
Fire Prevention Week traditionally occurs in the same week in October as the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. It’s a very fitting time for everyone to consider how well we protect ourselves and our family members from the dangers presented by fires, not just because of the historical significance of the date, but also because of the transition from warm weather to cold weather. Each year we see an increase in residential fires as the weather grows colder and people spend more time indoors. But Fire Prevention Week is more than just a one-week campaign for fire safety — it’s a time to plan for an entire year of fire safety and prevention for everyone around you.

Ever wonder what your bullet might hit if you miss while hunting?
It was a crisp fall morning as I headed out to a large pond on post to try and bag a duck. I worked my way around the east side of the pond to a promising area. My single-shot 20-gauge lacked the range of a 12-gauge, so I needed to get close to have any chance at success.
I was just about where I wanted to be when I suddenly heard the loud crack of a high-powered rifle from across the pond. The bullet ricocheted off the water near a duck and passed within a few feet of me. Talk about an instant pucker factor!