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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.