Briefs

Newcomer's orientation
The next newcomer's orientation is Monday in the Barden Education Center Auditorium.
Participants can learn about Fort Belvoir and what resources and events are available in the community, meet the installation command staff and key directorates among the installation.
Child care is provided with advance registration.
More information is available from Jaimie Gordon, 703-805-5058/3436 via e-mail to Relocation@conus.army.mil.

Enlisted spouses
The Belvoir Enlisted Spouse's Club has its monthly meeting Dec. 9 at 6:30 p.m., in Vernondale Community Center. Enlisted Spouses of all services are encouraged to become members of this private, not-for-profit organization designed to create a family-oriented, informative and social interest group among enlisted families of the Belvoir and Military District of Washington.
Information about the organization, membership or the meeting is available by calling 703-781-4050.

International Spouses Group
Army Community Service's International Spouse Group meets Dec. 8 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at George Washington Village Community Center, 5714 Surveyor Road.
The group is intended for foreign-born spouses who want to meet others.
Information is available from Christine Robinson, Christine.Robinson5@us.army.mil, 703-805-3436.

Items lost
A watch and some rings were lost at the end of October, believed to be in or near Specker Field House parking lot. They have sentimental value only. Anyone who has found the jewelry is asked to call Shari Myers, 703-704-2509.

Found items
Over the past several months, the Directorate of Emergency Services, Law Enforcement Lost and Found Property Custodian have collected several unclaimed bicycles and other items. Items are held for 90 days before they are turned over to the Defense
Reutilization and Marketing Office.
People who have lost any items and want to find out if they have been recovered by DES Police may contact Tim Brown, lost and found property custodian, 703-806-0146. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Mondays through Fridays and voice mail is available after normal duty hours. Some reasonable proof of ownership is required to claim any found property.

Flu shots
The DeWitt Army Community Hospital continues its series of scheduled flu vaccination clinics. Because of a limited supply of the vaccine, mass immunization clinics are only open to eligible beneficiaries - people who are eligible to receive care at DeWitt.
Typically, beneficiaries include active-duty, Guard, Reserve and retired personnel and their family members. Unfortunately, there is not an abundant supply to vaccinate others.
Beneficiaries are able to receive either the FluMist or injectable vaccines. FluMist is for ages 2 to 49 with no chronic health problems. Injectables are for those individuals who are high risk - for example, those over 49 or have diabetes, asthma, heart disease, cancer, etc. - and are not eligible for the FluMist.
Flu shots are available from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Specker Field House on the following days: Tuesday, Wednesday; Dec. 4, 9, 10 and 11.
Flu shots at Barden Education Center, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., are Dec. 11.
More information is available from the flu hotline, 703-805-0506.

Talent show
The Sisters in Spirit Book Club's Talent Show, An Evening with the Stars, Chapter II, The Showdown, is Dec. 6 in the Franconia Moose Lodge, 7701 Beulah St., Alexandria, 22315.
Doors open at 7:30 p.m., followed by the talent show and free food at 8 p.m., and an after party from 10 p.m. to midnight.
Tickets are available for $15, two for $25.
Information is available from Sue Hubbard, pax_diva@hotmail.com; or Danita Anderson, danitaanderson@aol.com.

USO photo contest
USO-Metro conducts an annual photography contest to determine the photo that will be on the front cover of its Guide to Metropolitan Washington. Monday is the deadline for the 11th annual contest. The winning photographer receives $300, and the winning photo will be featured on the upcoming guide's cover.
Photos must have a military theme. The contest is open to all military ID card holders. Submissions can be mailed to Photography Contest, Attn: Leslie Smith, P.O. Box 1710, Fort Myer, Va., 22211-1101; or e-mailed to Smith at leslie@usometro.org.

CYS in the villages
Staff from Child and Youth Services bring arts and crafts activities to the housing community centers. The events are free and open to all ages. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Events are from 10 a.m. to noon. Dates are:
•Dec. 3, Lewis Village
•Dec. 9, Vernondale
•Dec. 17, George Washington
More information is available by calling 805-9117 or 9114 or 9116.

AFTB I
Army Family Team Building Level I, Navigating the Military Life, is Dec. 9 to 11 from 9:30 to 3 p.m. The class gives new spouses and employees new to the military an understanding of military life.
Classes are at 9800 Belvoir Road, Building 200, the Sosa building.
Child care will be provided. All children must be registered with Child and Youth Services before the class, with a child-care registration deadline of Monday.
Registration and more information, including AFTB unit training requests, are available from Colandra Sealey, 703-805-5556, or via e-mail to
Fb-mwr-aftb@conus.army.mil.

Retired federal employees
Springfield Chapter 893 of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees, a nonprofit organization, meets Dec. 10 at 1:30 p.m.
The meeting is at The American Legion Post 176, 5620 Amherst Ave., Springfield, adjacent to Kay Jenning's Springfield Toyota.
Information about the meeting or about the group is available from Sharon Forrest, 703-960-9017, taffyjoe@aol.com.

Religion

Events
Advent lunches
The Fort Belvoir Chaplain Office hosts Advent lunches Dec. 3, 10, and 17 at noon at Woodlawn Chapel. Advent is a time when the Christian community celebrates the coming of Jesus Christ. The lunches include a meal, fellowship and homilies.

Christmas tree-lighting
Fort Belvoir's annual Christmas tree-lighting ceremony is 4 p.m. Dec. 4 at Belvoir Chapel.

Protestant Confirmation Classes
A Protestant confirmation class will be conducted from January to March, for Protestant children, 7th grade or older, who were baptized as children or want to be baptized. Parent approval is required to attend.
Chaplain Major Saul Cardona, Director of the Family Life Center, will lead the class. More information will follow. More information is available from Mike Webb, 703-806-4179.

Handel's Messiah
Each year, Fort Belvoir's choirs combine with community members to form a Belvoir Community Choir. The group performs, with a professional orchestra and soloists, Part One, the Christmas Section, of Handel's Messiah.
This year's performance is Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m. at Belvoir Chapel. Music is provided. The last rehearsal, in the chapel's basement, is at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. A mandatory dress rehearsal is at 1 p.m. Dec. 6 at the chapel.
More information is available from Mary McAdory, 703-878-0551, mzzmac@aol.com; or Jan McKeever, 703-313-8468,
JaniceMMcK@aol.com.

Children's Christmas Play
The Children's Christmas Play is Dec. 14. Practices are from 9 to 9:20 a.m. Sundays. All children are invited to participate. A dress rehearsal is Dec. 13 at 10 a.m.
More information is available from Mike Webb, 703-806-4179.

Praise moves
Praise Moves, the Christian alternative to yoga, are Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:30 a.m. in the Religious Education Center. More information is available from Cynthia Thomas, 703-499-3380.

Protestant
Winter Sunday School
The winter quarter of Sunday School starts Dec. 7, with two adult classes scheduled: "Human Commitment," character studies in the books of Luke, Exodus, Joshua, Judges, 2 Kings, 2 Samuel, Esther and Isaiah; and Walk As Jesus Walked.
There are also classes for pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, elementary, junior and senior high students.
More information is available from Mike Webb, 703-806-4179.

Jewish
Upcoming Jewish services are: Dec. 19 - Shabbat Hanukkah Dinner, 6:30 p.m. in the Religious Education Center, with services following and a designated offering for Koby Mandell Foundation. $5 per person; $20 max per family. RSVP to Sara Astrow, 703-806-4196.
•Dec. 20 - Saturday morning service, 9:30 a.m., with Rabbi Bash.
•Dec. 21 - Menorah-lighting on chapel steps, 6:30 p.m., with program following in Fellowship Hall.
Fort Belvoir Jewish Congregation is in search of all new Jewish Soldiers and families. The Fort Belvoir Jewish Congregation has weekly Friday night services at 8 p.m. at Belvoir Chapel.
Information is available from Sara Astrow, 703-806-4196.

Islamic services
The following are Islamic services in the area.
Salat Al Zuhr, afternoon prayer, 1:30 p.m. daily, Washington Navy Yard Chapel, Washington, D.C. Point of contact: Chaplain (Lt. Cmdr.) Saifulislam, 202-433-2611
Jumah, Friday prayer, 1:15 p.m., Quantico Prayer Center, Quantico Marine Corps Base POC: Mohammad Mukhtar, 703-670-0894
Jumah, 2 to 2:45 p.m. Fridays, Pentagon Room 1E438, Zadil Ansari, 703-602-7462
Salat Al Zuhr, daily from 2 to 2:45 p.m., Pentagon Room 1E474, POC: Zadil Ansari, 703-602-7462
Jumah, 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., Dar Ul Huda, 6666 Commerce St., Springfield POC: 703-922-0111.

MWR
Miracle of Christmas
The Civilian Employee Fund sponsors a bus trip to see The Miracle of Christmas show Dec. 6. The event is at the Sight & Sound Millennium Theater in Lancaster, Pa., and costs $70 per person, due at signup.
The trip includes round-trip bus transportation, show and a buffet dinner and is open to all Belvoir DoD civilian employees and three guests on a first come, first served basis. Tickets are available through Charlene Anderson, 703-805-4126, Bldg. 210, Mondays through Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The bus departs the Route 17 commuter lot at 7:30 a.m. and the Sosa, Bldg. 200, at 8:45 a.m., with snacks provided on the bus.

All-Army photography contest
Army MWR has a photography contest through Dec. 7. The contest is an annual, juried competition of digital image photographs, with separate divisions for active-duty and eligible civilian patrons. Each division has two classes: monochrome digital and color digital, with six categories each.
This year's theme is "Animal Friends." The contest is web-based and entries can only be submitted online at the contest site, https://artscrafts.fmwrc.army.mil.

Barden Education Center
Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University classes are available at six locations in the D.C metro area, including Belvoir. Registration for Spring 2009 classes begins Monday.
The university offers a master of science in administration degree. Concentrations are available in human resources, leadership, public administration, acquisition, information resource management and general administration.
CMU accepts applications year round. Classes meet on alternating weekends or weekday evenings and new sessions begin every six weeks. Degrees can be completed in 18 months or less.
More information is available from Mary Pat Mabeus, 703-360-5336. CMU is in Room 139 at Barden.

Webster University and seminar
Webster University is registering for Spring 1 & 2 2009. Registration ends Dec. 19 and classes begin Jan. 5.
The university has a Research and Writing Skills Seminar Dec. 18 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Reservations must be made by Dec. 15.
Programs offered at Fort Belvoir include Master of Business Administration, Business & Organizational Security Management and Procurement & Acquisitions Management.
The GRE/GMAT is not required for admissions.
Evening classes are held at Barden Education Center.
Office hours are Mondays to Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Fridays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
More information is available by calling 703-781-7942; stopping by Room 143 of Barden, via e-mail to Belvoir@webster.edu or from www.webster.edu/dcmetro.

UMUC
University of Maryland University College is registering for spring classes. Face-to-face classes start Jan. 26 and March 23.
UMUC has four spring online sessions with the first one starting Jan. 18.
Some of UMUC's Belvoir evening and weekend spring courses will be offered in a hybrid format. Students meet once a week in Barden Education Center and also in an online environment. Hybrid classes offer a great deal of flexibility for working adults.
UMUC is in Room 128 of Barden. Office hours are Mondays through Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon.