‘‘Understanding Native American Heritage Now and Then” will be discussed during Walter Reed Army Medical Center’s American Indian Heritage Month observance Tuesday at 10 a.m. in Heaton Pavilion’s Joel Auditorium. Suzan Shown is scheduled to be the guest speaker. Everyone is invited to attend.

Warrior Care Day

Walter Reed Army Medical Center will celebrate Warrior Care Day Nov. 13 with special events in the Wagner Sports Center beginning at 10:30 a.m. Students from the Lafeyette Elementary School will perform a patriotic concert for Warriors, their families and the Walter Reed staff from 10:30 to 11 a.m., followed by motivational speaker Dirk Beveridge. A Purple Heart ceremony is scheduled to begin at noon.

Centennial lecture series

The National Museum of Health and Medicine on the campus of Walter Reed Army Medical Center will host a brown bag lunch program in honor of Veterans Day and to celebrate the centennial year of Walter Reed Nov. 13 from noon to 1 p.m. in Russell Auditorium. Dr. John Pierce, historian of the Walter Reed Society, will provide a general history of Walter Reed, including images from the recently-published book, ‘‘Walter Reed Army Medical Center Centennial: A Pictorial History.” For more information, call (202) 782-2673.

Health plan open season nears

The Civilian Personnel Advisory Center is sponsoring the Walter Reed Army Medical Center Annual Civilian Health Fair Nov. 13 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Old Red Cross Building (Bldg 41). The fair provides civilian employees with the opportunity to meet with representatives from local Federal Health Plan providers to explore health plan options available during the 2009 open season from Nov. 9 through Dec. 14. During the open season, employees can enroll in, change or cancel a health, dental or vision plan. For more information about the federal health program, visit the OPM Web site at www.opm.gov⁄insure.

Military Family Appreciation

Next week is Military Family Appreciation Week and Army Community Services at Walter Reed will have a comedy social Tuesday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the MWR conference room in Delano Hall (Bldg. 11). Thursday, there will be a storybook breakfast for children from the child development center, Mologne House and Fisher House at 9 a.m. in Doss Memorial Hall (Bldg. 17), lower level, ACS conference room. After the breakfast, commanders at Walter Reed and their spouses are scheduled to read books to children in the Wagner Sports Center beginning at 10 a.m. For more information, call (202) 782-0371.

SAMC induction ceremony

An induction ceremony for the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club, Walter Reed Chapter, is scheduled for Nov. 13 at 1 p.m. in the old hospital (Bldg. 1), Vorder Bruegge Auditorium. A reception will follow the ceremony. For more information about the ceremony, call Sgt. 1st Class Jason Alexander at (202) 782-7107 or Sgt. 1st Class Tiffany Reid at (202) 782-3266. Soldiers slated for induction include Master Sgt. Kesha White, Sgts. 1st Class Shaun C. Miles, and Todd Turner, and Staff Sgts. Gustavo Ruiz, Shad Lorenz and Anton Arbatov.

Free child care for WT families

Child, Youth and School Services at Walter Reed host Fantastic Friday Nov. 13 from 5 to 10 p.m. in the fitness center (Bldg. 88) on the main installation. The program is designed to give parents time away from the kids. Child care is free for Warriors in Transition families or those who are eligible for respite care. It’s open to youth ages 6 weeks to 12 years. People must sign up by Thursday for the program. For more information, call (202) 782-0565.

Commander’s blog

The Walter Reed Health Care System commander’s blog can be accessed at the site http:⁄⁄blogs.wramc.amedd.army.mil⁄hospital. The blog is designed to provide an avenue of communication between the hospital commander, patients, families and staff.