Photo by Jennifer Tyler Elizabeth Smith, right, a Graduate Student from NMSU college of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, shows the kids a display of a groundwater model as they gather around with amazement during the Jan. 26 Science Museum and Science Fair at White Sands Schools. The Groundwater Model is an interactive tool that is designed to show the flow of water and toxins though differing gradients in a groundwater system. It demonstrates flowage through confined and unconfined aquifers as well as the effects of pumping on these aquifers. This is a great demonstration of the system we have in the Mesilla Valley area.

The White Sands School was transformed the evening of Jan. 26 into a Children’s Science Museum and Science Fair.

The school celebrated science by giving the children the opportunity to not only display their individual discoveries in the 2012 Science Fair held in the cafeteria but to make new discoveries in the Children’s Science Museum, which was set up in the school gym.

Over 80 students participated in the 2012 Science Fair. Student projects ranged from determining what type of liquid mixture could hold up a lacrosse ball to an investigation on the absorbency of paper towels.

The students eagerly stood by their experiments discussing their discoveries with others as well as a team of four judges.

Engineers train for deployment

Courtesy photo 2nd Engineer Battalion conducts training to prepare for deployments.

The 2nd Engineer Battalion conducts several different levels of training, but every Thursday is dedicated to “Sergeants Time Training” or STT. The workday starts at 7 a.m. and each Company submits a plan weeks in advance to train on specific tasks for STT.

On Jan. 12, 3rd platoon from 595 Sapper Company planned and trained on a unique Engineer task: rapidly breach through an obstacle, in this case, a concertina wire obstacle, using manual hand tools. First Lt. Jason Bulson and Sgt. 1st Class Ricardo Miramontes, the Platoon Leader and Platoon Sergeant, utilized the Army’s “crawl/walk/run” training philosophy by ensuring the Soldiers of 3rd platoon received classes from their Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) and did rehearsals on breaching obstacles with the grapnel and wire cutters prior to Thursday. This ensured that the Soldiers were prepared to execute the breaching mission at “walk” and then “run” speed during STT. The Platoon conducted a ruck march out to the training area with their equipment, practicing different combat drills as they moved. Once they arrived at the site, the platoon practiced two different breaching techniques at the squad level.
Feb 2, 2012, 03:17 pm

White Sands Hall of Fame nominations due in March
White Sands Missile Range is now accepting nominations from all sources until the end of March for its hall of fame. The hall of fame was established in 1980 to honor former missile range personnel who made lasting contributions of an outstanding nature.

Past honorees include such individuals as Wernher von Braun, the famous German rocket scientist, and Dr. Clyde Tombaugh, the astronomer who discovered Pluto. Recent inductees are Mary Beth Reinhart (Las Cruces) and Dale Green (Socorro). There are now 46 individuals in the White Sands Hall of Fame.

For information on nominating an individual contact Terry Garcia at the missile range’s Incentive Awards Office at (575) 678-3221 or email her at HYPERLINK "mailto:terry.garcia.civ@mail.mil" terry.garcia.civ@mail.mil and request the recently revised White Sands Hall of Fame Pamphlet. In addition to the nominating forms, the pamphlet outlines the guidelines and procedures for the hall of fame. The pamphlet also is available by contacting the White Sands Missile Range Public Affairs Office at WSMRPAO@conus.army.mil.
Feb 2, 2012, 03:20 pm