Vol. 71, No. 44
October 31, 2013
www.cherrypoint.marines.mil
VMA-223 departs for USS Bataan, prepares for MEU
2nd MAW Marine crowned Career Planner of Year LANCE CPL. UNIQUE B. ROBERTS
LANCE CPL. UNIQUE B. ROBERTS
MCAS CHERRY POINT
MCAS CHERRY POINT
On Oct. 15, Staff Sgt. Wesley E. Helms, a career planner with the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wings Marine Air Control Group 28 was recognized as the Commandant of the Marine Corps’ Career Planner of the Year for the 2013 fiscal year. The Career Planner of the Year Award was established to recognize exceptional performance within the active duty career planning occupational field and to identify and award the Marine that displays the highest degree of leadership skills and ability. Whether he is processing reenlistments, processing special duty assignments or preparing quality citizens to enter back into the civilian world, Helms holds the careers of Marines in his hands. The career planners were selected to compete on a board held by Headquarters Marine Corps for a trip to an award ceremony in Quantico, Va., a meritorious promotion and the coveted title of Career Planner of the Year. “A unit career planner is a principle staff officer and he or she must be enthusiastically recommended by their
Marines with Marine Attack Squadron 223 departed from Cherry Point for the USS Bataan Oct. 24 and Oct. 26 in preparation for an upcoming deployment with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit. VMA-223’s mission is to provide offensive air support, armed reconnaissance and air defense for Marine expeditionary forces. “Our mission for the work up is to provide fixed wing tactical air assets for the MEU commander and augment the (Air Combat Element) with mission-essential tasks such as armed reconnaissance and air defense,” said Maj. James D. Banton, the Air Combat Element supply officer, with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263 (Reinforced).” The squadron completed training in preparation for the MEU. The pilots trained for this work up by conducting flights in AV-8B Harrier simulators, completing approximately five hours of flight time each week. Capt. Craig W. Freeman, a pilot with See HARRIER page A7
LANCE CPL. UNIQUE B. ROBERTS
Capt. Travis M. Morris, checks his gear before departing from Marine Attack Squadron 223 Oct. 26, to conduct training aboard the USS Bataan in support of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit. Morris is an AV-8B Harrier pilot with VMA-223. The squadron plans to provide fixed wing tactical air assests for the MEU’s commander and augment the Air Combat Element with mission-essential tasks such as armed reconnaissance.
Air station to test new emergency alert system CONTRIBUTED ARTICLE MCAS CHERRY POINT
A new emergency mass notification system will soon send alerts to all personnel on the air station who have “usmc.mil” email addresses as part of a Corps-wide program to improve emergency communications on Marine Corps installations. The AtHoc Emergency Mass Notification System, which was first fielded last December, was loaded to Cherry Pointbased computers on Oct. 3. Anyone here, including air station and tenant organizations such as the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, with a “usmc.mil” account in the Global Address System will receive computer pop-up alerts during qualified emergencies that could affect Cherry Point-based personnel. Plans are in place to add other addresses to the alert system, such as “navy.mil” and those for other tenant organizations. Additionally, notifications may be sent via work telephone, work email, text message, cell phone and personal email. Based on this capability, end-users have the ability to receive critical emergency notifications or instructions anywhere at any time. The first test message will be sent to end-users on Nov. 6 between 9 and 10 a.m. The pop-up test message on your computer desktop will require you to push “Acknowledge.” An audible alarm will accompany this pop-up on all computers. Please note that AtHoc’s trained operators See ALERT page A2
See CAREER page A7
Carteret County awards health clinic corpsman PFC. GRACE L. WALADKEWICS MCAS CHERRY POINT
The Carteret County Military Affairs Committee awarded Seaman Bobby C. Kieff Jr. the Service Person of the Quarter award Friday in Atlantic Beach . Kieff was awarded for his desire to give back to the community through countless hours of volunteer work. The Sailor was presented with the award by Master Chief Glenn Baxter, command master chief of the Naval Health Clinic Cherry Point along with the Carteret County Military Affairs Committee. “I was very surprised when I found out about this award,” said Kieff, a hospital corpsman with the Naval Health Clinic. “The feeling of being recognized in this way is almost indescribable, it just feels so great.” Kieff’s services have benefited the Naval Health Clinic at Cherry Point and the community by assisting with checking and treating pediatric and adult patients and by saving the See SERVICE page A7
PFC. GRACE L. WALADKEWICS
Master Chief Glenn Baxter (left) presents Seaman Bobby C. Kieff Jr. (right) with an encased American Flag after Kieff was recognized as the Carteret County Military Affairs Committee Service Person of the Quarter at a ceremony Friday. Kieff is a hospital corpsman working in the physical therapy department of the Naval Health Clinic at Cherry Point. Baxter is the command master chief of Naval Health Clinic Cherry Point.
MWHS-2 family recognized by Havelock MAC PFC. VICTOR A. ARRIAGA MCAS CHERRY POINT
Havelock’s Military Affairs Committee named Petty Officer First Class Carie L. Olson and her family the Service Family of the Quarter Oct. 22 at a local restaurant in Havelock, N.C. Olson and her family were invited to dinner to be recognized for their volunteer efforts in the community such as volunteering for baseball teams, cheerleading squads and hurricane cleanup. “We like to see families and how they participate in the community,” said Stephanie Duncan, the executive director of the Havelock Chamber of Commerce. “We want to see how they give back to the community and that’s what the Olson’s did.” Olson said she was surprised that the community went above and beyond to recognize her family for the things they do. “It was very overwhelming and unexpected to be recognized by the community,” said Olson. “My husband and I were totally surprised when I got a phone call explaining what was
going on.” Olson, a hospital corpsman for Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 2, said things can get busy with her job, but she will still find time to do volunteer service either by herself or with her family. Olson’s service did not go unnoticed; her children began to emulate her behavior and started volunteering on their own. “She’s been such an influence that our daughter has been trying to start her own fundraiser,” said Staff Sgt. Jeremy Olson, a maintenance controller with Marine Attack Training Squadron 203 and Olson’s husband. “She’s only 11 and already wants to get involved with the community.” Olson’s volunteer work and her influence on her children were also noticed by her peers at work. “Olson and I have known each other for a long time,” said Chief Petty Officer Sherry Morris, a hospital medic with MWHS-2. “I have been blessed to be her leader for a couple years now and the things that she See FAMILY page A7
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PFC. VICTOR A. ARRIAGA
Petty Officer First Class Carie L. Olson, her family and members of Havelock’s Military Affairs Committee come together after Olson and her family were named Service Family of the Quarter Oct. 22 at El Cerro Mexican Bar and Grill. Olson and her family were invited to the restaurant to be recognized for their volunteer efforts in the community such as volunteering for baseball teams, cheerleading squads and hurricane cleanup. Olson is a hospital corpsman with Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 2.
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