Photo by Adam Skoczylas Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Commander Col. Carl R. Coffman Jr., left, and Military District of Washington Staff Judge Advocate Col. Mark Rivest, flank Staff Sgt. Carrie cole, Headquarters Co., as she cuts the ribbon to open the Tax Center Jan. 22.

Capt. Jacquin Gilchrist, legal assistance attorney, Military District of Washington, Office of the Staff Judge Advocate, supervises JBM-HH’s Tax Center operations. Gilchrist welcomed everyone who attended.

‘‘This year marks the 14th year of tax center operations at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall,” Gilchrist said. ‘‘I’d like to thank the entire Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall community for celebrating this important day. We really look forward to serving servicemembers, retirees and their Families. I’d like to welcome all of you to the 2010 tax center grand opening.”

Col. Carl R. Coffman Jr., JBM-HH commander, also addressed the audience.

‘‘This year the Soldiers received an intensive week of Internal Revenue Service Volunteer Income Tax Assistance training at Fort Belvoir,” Coffman said. ‘‘The Soldiers were required to pass an eight-hour exam to become certified.

‘‘These Soldiers have taken on this mission with enthusiasm and have demonstrated great teamwork,” he said. ‘‘They are to be commended for balancing this mission along with their other duties as Soldiers and their personal lives in order to serve this community.”

Coffman asked Soldiers on base to talk with other Soldiers in an effort to spread the word about the free quality services JBM-HH Tax Center provides.

Coffman’s opening remarks were followed by a ribbon-cutting and a cake-cutting ceremony to officially open JBM-HH’s Tax Center for business.

‘‘Last year we saved Soldiers, retirees, and Families $299,483,” Gilchrist said. ‘‘We hope to beat those figures this year.”

JBM-HH’s Tax Center will prepare federal and state tax returns until May 7 for members of the armed forces on active duty, military retirees and their Families in Bldg. 406 from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Weekend hours may emerge if demand increases for the JBM-HH’s Tax Center services.

‘‘This is the second year I’ve gotten my taxes done at the JBM-HH Tax Center,” said Sgt. Jennifer Lagnese from the Anacostia Naval Station in Washington D.C. ‘‘They do a great job. It’s hard for me to do my own taxes, and it’s a good thing the military offers these free services.”

Call the JBM-HH Tax Center to make an appointment at (703) 696-1040. Walk-ins are welcome to clients who have a W-2, or a 1099 form or are filing a 1040EZ.

The JBM-HH Tax Center will do taxes for active duty military personnel, retirees and Family members filing Form 1040 with schedule 1, 2, and 3 and Earned Income Credit. The center will also prepare 1040 A with schedule A, B, EIC, D and R, Form 1040-V, 1040-ES as well as Form 2441: Child and Dependent Care Credit, Form 8863: Education Credit and Form 8812: An additional Child Tax Credit.

Beverly Whiteside, tax center coordinator, wants to remind all servicemembers, Family members and retirees to be sure to bring military identification cards, social security cards, all W-2s,1099s, and HUD-1s. Be sure to bring a voided check for an electronic funds transfer that ensures a quicker refund, Whiteside said.