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Show STIMES "' J - S J BY AIRMAN 1ST CLASS JENNY CHONG Hilltop Times staff For those with a sweetheart it's.a day of snuggles and smiles. Those who find themselves single may not feel as warm towards Feb. 14. Either way, there is no escaping the fact that Valentine's Day is only a few days away. Valentine's Day has its origins in Roman Christian history, but questions remain on who the real St. Valentine was. There are three main characters that Catholic tradition associates with this history, but the one most associated with Valentine's Day is a priest from Northern Italy named Valentine who was serving during Emperor Claudius' time. "It was very tough for Christians to live during this time," said Chaplain (Capt.) Brandon Parker. "He led an underground movement as a priest. Eventually, he was found out and placed Photo by Airman 1st Class Clayton Hurray ' Stacy Hansen, from the Base Exchange Floral Shop, arrange a Moulin Rouge for the display ease. Employees of floral stores everywhere become increasingly busy during the Valentine's Day season. " in prison. While he was in prison, he healed the jailor's blind daughter. Emperor Claudius heard about this and sent the prison guards to kill him. Before Valentine was killed, he wrote a letter to the jailor's daughter. No one knows what the letter said but it was signed 'from your Valentine.' That's where the expression 'from your valentine' comes from." Another legend states that Emperor Claudius thought that all the men who were married were less able to be good soldiers because they were more concerned about their families. He outlawed marriage for men, but Valentine continued to conduct marriage ceremonies, and was eventually found out and beheaded. These legends illustrate Valentine as a sympathetic, heroic and romantic figure, Valentine's Day originated to commemorate the anniversary of the death of Saint Valentine, who was executed on Feb. 14. By the Middle Ages, Valentine became one of the most popular saints in England and France. Although seeped in romantic lore of love letters and those who died for love, the more cynical among us say that Valentine's Day is driven by the greeting card and chocolate industry. This is easy to believe when store shelves turn into a sea of pink and red at the end of January. "Valentine's Day has been greatly commercialized," Chaplain Parker said, referring to g the popular tradition of cards, flowers and chocolates. "Though I think it has lost a lot of its Christian meaning and its intended purposes, I think we can all use Valentine's Day as an opportunity to show our love for those in our lives." Valentine's Day cards are a big part of our culture and history, especially with young children. USN Special to American Forces WASHINGTON - Military members and their families can now file their taxes for free, thanks to a partnership between a group that helps military people deal with financial issues and a civilian financial services company. "Military OneSource" has partnered up with Intuit, a fi- product for federal and state returns at no cost. Military members can download this program and also benefit from tax consultations and have access to appropriate resources. The Military OneSource Web site will provide annual upto the TurboTax software at no cost. grades !o avail- fill HTUla . Ofid able telephonically toll free and at ho cost to the servicemembers from any deployment location in the worM," acting Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy Jane Burke said. "Military OneSource tax consultants are also familiar with the IRS publication 'Armed Forces Tax Guide." Ms. Burke said DOD has a long history of offering tax sistance to military members, but this year the department is offering the opportunity for servicemembers to self-fil- e AMA..l4-.n4- (800-342-964- 7) electronically at no cost, using a popular software product that double checks for accuracy. "For many years, help has been available, at many installations through the Voluntary Income Tax Assistance program. VITA volunteers will continue to be available through legal centers at most installations. VITA volunteers help servicemembers to file their taxes free of charge," said Ms. Burke. rt Defense Department personnel noticed the need for a tax filing system that met military members' needs. TurboTax modifies itself based on the customer's information relevant to their unique tax situation. Providing an easier way to file taxes is an important quality-of-lif- e issue, officials said. "DOD recognizes the reciprocal relationship that .binds Black History N n U vice." TurboTax customers can expect to see a new and improved lan-way of filing their taxes as well. The guage allows users to feel more confident about the infor- mation they receive. Users can also click on an "Explain withiir the TurboTax Web" site to get refer help. TurboTax also Includes timesaving summary screvi, allowing users to quickly review and edit their data. "The department is proud to offer innovative options, like free electronic access to Turbo Tax and telephonic support, for addressing the challenges that military members and their dependents face. The Department of Defense recognizes that families also serve and is committed to supporting military families," Ms. Burke said. - This-butt- on . LnJ J) -- Murray CoUf o B EYE D r O C B E DpA El IR ti I wToTplb D O I N r N N L s aN L E f MO iNJDlA E B A TMEtsl V1.E nct ibTarretTt ..I o bTH itJmo J H AW R U Nl J EN TP 8 Aj E N P I N O 81 IS A XjH O R N TcTtAtZT' H U mTtTsI (E M B R Y O C I JTJAMjr ifTJTBjM A Nl WR Ll IA r prLday W AMOEBA) IT U'R N E A88 Ntf El M to Km Contralto, Marian Anderson became the first African American to sing on stage Metropolitan Opera House New York. Qt Who was th first African American ntertainer to star In his own T.V. soriosT A: Nat King Cole in his 7 variety series that aired for 64 weeks on NBC. 1956-195- rotatio , exttzZzd for an additfv If my -- zfrm hU deploy-.i- ri ment rotatikw ts i not eligible to go to Korev ::rr;iaote assign-- . ment? discuss and tell me Why can't myiw everything he does at his job all the time? What can I do as a military spouse to help my husband further his career? What is the most challenging thing a military family has to face throughout a military career? How many times have you moved in your military career and how long have you been in? What can I do if my husband is deployed, there is a family emergency, and I can't get in touch with my husband? For more information, call the Family Support 1 to sign up for the Heart Link Center at Seminar. x at the ander, Vsof the s It oi ipie J E iR Af o a m mTTTr -- will tion som ANSWERS TO LAST WEEK'S BLACK HISTORY MONTH CROSSWORD PUZZLE 1 "Refreshments and free spouseff childc Tech. Sgt. Lana Angla reads a book to a group of children at the Child Development Center as part of Black History Month volunteer activities. The outreach reading program has been part of Black History Month sctivitles for more than a decade. V E RI Family Support holds Heart Link Seminar The Air Force can be a confusing way of life. As a new military spouse, do you understand the "language" you hear at home such as, "My NCOIC told me to take my LES to the MPF ASAP because my DORS is incorrect since our last PCS? If not, spouses are invited to attend a Heart Link Seminar Feb. 22, from 5 8:30 p.m. at the Family Support Center. The Heart Link Seminar is designed especially for spouses who have been married to their military member for less than five years. It provides spouses the opportunity to learn about the mission of the Air Force, what Qurces are available, meet other Photo by Airman 1st Clayton 1 bag." "I see Valentine's Day rooted in history, because history does not confirm it," he added. "Valentine's Day is an opportunity to show affection for the one I chose to love for the rest of my life and to show affection to my children in special, tangible ways." Chaplain Parker encourages making Valentine's Day personal, not commercial. "I think it's important," he said. "For me, cards written by someone else is not the way to go. Making a card yourself and decorating it is more personal." the military member, the military mission, and military families. The Department is working hard to make a difference in the quality of life of servicemembers and their families," Ms. Burke said. "The Military OneSource program, available worldwide 247, leverages technology to help servicemembers and their families deal with the stresses of the military lifestyle. Providing access to electronic tax filing with the free telephonic support of a tax consultant is just one of the services offered by the Military OneSource ser- Press Service 7 ((TAR bag. I remember it was uncool, especially with the boys, to put a romantic valentine in a girl's gift-givin- BY PETTY OFFICER 3RD CLASS CHRIS M. HWANG I "When I was younger, you made Valentine's Day cards yourself," Chaplain Parker said. "We would take our bags to the front of the classroom and hang them up on the chalkboard. You would put cards into each person's tax filing service available to military members Free ; AS "... j I t February 9. 2006 777-468- |
