Flagship 01.12.2023

Pigeons: The Navy’s first aviators

ByMC3JordanGrimes

NORFOLK, Va Jan. 5 is National Bird Day, and although the Bald Eagle is a popularsymboloffreedomamongtheAmerican people there is a much smaller feathered friend who may just be the true American hero.Thepigeonhasahistoryofbeingavital forcewithintheNavy Pigeons were first used in the military as message carriers in the late 1880s, but were not officially bred and trained for the job until 1891 when Henri Marion, a French professorattheNavalAcademyinAnnapolis Md builtanexperimentalpigeonloftin anacademyboathouse.Marionhadreceived the pigeons from the Army after they had failedasimilarexperimentthreeyearsprior Marion began conditioning the birds

aboard USS Constellation, training them to fly back to their loft from the ship The distance they were expected to fly slowly increased until they were able to travel up to150milesoverwater

The noble pigeons were finally able to prove their worth June 7, 1893 when a seaman was killed in an accident when Constellationwas12milesoutfromitsport in Annapolis. Two birds strapped on identical messages for the academy’s screw tug Standish,andthetugwastherewithinthree hourstocollectthefallenSailor

Withtheirdependabilitynowestablished, pigeonswentontohelpdelivermessageson a much larger scale The U.S. Naval Pigeon Messenger Service was established by the Navy in 1896, and the Secretary of the Navy ordered pigeon lofts to be built at Boston

Only three years later, the Navy shifted its efforts to radio communications and by 1902, all new Navy ships were outfitted withwirelesstelegraphequipment,rendering pigeons useless Shortly after, the Naval Pigeon Messenger Service was disestablishedandallthepigeonswereauctionedoff

Theirretirementwasshort-livedthough, asthefaithfulbirdmadeacomebackduring World War I. At the time, the Navy implemented a new rate specifically for their pigeon trainers or Pigeoneers as they were often called. The new rate fell under Quartermaster, deeming them Quartermaster (Pigeon) (QM(P)). QM(P)s attended a specialist’sschoolforsixto12monthsbefore

beingshippedouttotheirfirstpigeonloft. PigeoneersheldtheirrateintoWorldWar II,butwererenamedasSpecialistXSPX(PI) in1941.Twoyearslater,theratingwasmade availabletoWomenAcceptedforVolunteer EmergencyService(WAVES)

After the end of World War II, the rating was phased out. Those who stayed in the NavyasaSPX(PI)weremovedtotheemergency service rating category, and were eventuallydisestablishedcompletelyin1961.

Through their over 70 years of service to the Navy, pigeons delivered countless messages which aided Sailors in their missions TheymaynotbeAmerica’ssymbol offreedom buttheywillalwaysberememberedasprotectorsofit

ByNinoshkaBasantes, Public Affairs Specialist, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic

FleetandFamilySupportCenter(FFSC) Norfolk offers a monthly workshop on “DevelopingYourSpendingPlan”atNaval StationNorfolkthathelpsattendeescreate a realistic spending plan to reach shortterm financial goals. With the current inflation in the economy, a spending plan in place can alleviate financial stress and doubt

“Taking this class is important because it is the bedrock of a good financial plan,” said Nicole Brown-Griffin an Accredited Financial Counselor with Fleet & Family SupportCenterwhohasbeenteachingthis class with FFSC for a little over two years

Topics covered during this workshop include bringing awareness of how much incomeiscomingintothehousehold,where money is being spent, setting up adequate insurance, learning to live beneath your means settingupasavingsplan,andhowto utilizeafinancialplanningworksheet.

Brown-Griffin explained that whether or not you grew up with money or how moneymakesyoufeel,thereisanemotional attachmenttothewaywespendourmoney

“There is a huge emotional component to money management,” said Brown-Griffin. “Even when we think about multimillionaires, people who win the lotto what happens a few years down the line? They end up losing it all because they never set up that foundation of creating a spending plan better known as a budget.”

Navy Yard, Portsmouth Navy Yard, Naval Station Newport, Brooklyn Navy Yard, Key West,andMareIslandNavyYard

(COURTESYPHOTO)

Answering the call Reserve Marine saves the lives of two in New York

ByLanceCpl LeslieAlcaraz Marine Forces Reserve

MCGUIREAIRFORCEBASE,NJ “It’s justtherightthingtodoandIwouldexpect thesamefromanyoneelse.”

At the time, Lance Cpl Joseph Howard, a mortarman with Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division walked home from work with two friends when they witnessed a vehicle collision between four vehicles in Levittown,NewYork,onDec.30,2017

AMercedes-Benzwastravelingatspeeds close to 100 miles an hour when it ran through a red light of an intersection, strikingapick-uptruckonthedriver’sside.Once struck,thepick-uptruckflippedoverseveral times landingabout300feetfromthepoint of impact and colliding with a Volkswagen. The Mercedes also struck another vehicle beforefinallystrikingatree

Afterhearingaloudcrash,Howardandhis two friends ran to the accident and headed totheoverturnedpick-uptruck,wherethey foundtwounconsciouspassengers.

“Howarewegoingtogetthemoutsafely and as quick as possible?” Howard asked himself as he was recollecting his memory oftheincident

Howard took the lead and advised bystanders to call 911, saving himself valuable time He started working though a damaged door With the help of his friends, hequicklymanagedtoopenthedriver’sside door to tend an unconscious victim. After safely cutting away the seatbelt and airbag, he moved the driver to a safe location away fromthevehicle

“Iwasscared,butIwasnotwillingtoleave them behind,” Howard said, describing the chaoticscene

As his friends tended to the driver, Howard ran back to the vehicle now engulfedinflames,cutawaythepassenger’s seatbelt and airbag, and safely removed her from the vehicle Seconds after pulling the passengerout,thevehicleexploded

The passengers of the Volkswagen and other vehicle suffered unspecified injuries. The driver of the Mercedes fled the scene andwaslatercaughtandarrestedfollowing afullinvestigationoftheincident.

For his selfless act of courage in the face of danger, now a sergeant, Howard would receive the Navy and Marine Corps medal,theNavyandMarineCorps’highest non-combatdecorationawardedforadistin-

guishedactofheroismduringaceremonyat McGuire Air Force Base New Jersey Dec. 9,2022.

The driver of the pick-up truck, John LoRusso, suffered broken ribs, pulmonary contusions, and a traumatic brain injury His passenger, Stephanie Nuner, suffered a broken collar bone and fractures to both anklesandafoot.

“The nurse was writing 1-18-18 on the white board, so I said ‘you’re writing the wrong date,’ she replied, ‘no sweetheart, you’vebeensleeping’,”LoRussosaid,recallinghisfirstmemory.Hehadtobeplacedina medicallyinducedcomaduetohistraumatic braininjuryandseverebleedinginhisbrain.

“I am grateful to not only be here but (Howard)alsogavemethechancetobeable interact in everyday life,” said LoRusso as he explained the implications his injuries caused He had to relearn how to walk and evenhowtotalk.

“I was shell shocked; he saved my son’s life,” said Vicky Keill, LoRusso’s mother She described the long days and nights of recoveryandtherapyLoRussoenduredand expressedherextremegratitudetoHoward “TofindoutthatheisaMarineandapoliceman he’sallhero,he’samiracle.”

Howard was born in Yonkers New York, and attended Nassau Community College where he studied criminal justice Asa fulltime student, he also worked two jobs and enrolledintheMarineCorps’DelayedEntry Program. In summer 2014, Howard joined theMarineCorpsReserve.

“As a kid I always wanted to be a Marine, (and) I also wanted to be a police officer,” Howard said while explaining his family’s history of serving in the military and the policeforce, Becoming a Reserve Marine afforded himtheopportunitybeabletoserveinboth the Marine Corps and with his local police department as a police officer at the same time.

“That’swhyIjoinedtheReserve,soIcan bethefirsttodoboth,”Howardsaid.

He joined the New York Police Department in 2016 He was then assigned to the 75th Precinct, East New York, Brooklyn, where he began his patrol duties as an officer. Multiple witnesses, including testimonials from the victims, the Levittown Fire department, and Nassau County Police Department,havestatedhisactionsthatday savedthelivesofLoRussoandNuner

ABOVE:AlexLoRusso,one ofthe twovictims ofa carcollision saved bySgt.Joseph Howard, aYonkers,NewYorknative and an infantry mortarmanwithWeapons Company,2nd Battalion,25th Marine Regiment 4th Marine Division,pose fora photo afterSgt.Howard was awardedwith a Navyand Marine Corps Medal at McGuireAirForce Base,New Jersey,Dec.9,2022.The Navyand Marine Corps Medal is the highest non-combatant decoration awarded.

LEFT: U.S.Marine Corps Brig Gen.Douglas K.Clark,commanding general of4th Marine Division,and Sgt.Howard pose fora photo afterthe Sgt.was awardedwith a Navyand Marine Corps Medal.(U.S.MARINECORPS PHOTOSBYLANCECPL LESLIEALCARAZ)

Active Component in a myriad of ways, to include operational deployments, support to training, participation in bi/multi-lateral exerciseswithpartnernationsandallies and service-levelexperimentationinsupportof Force Design 2030 and refinement of new concepts, tactics, techniques, and procedures.

Followusat:twitter.com/marforres www.facebook.com/marforres www.instagram.com/usmcreserve www.youtube.com/marineforcesreserve1 www.marforres.marines.mil

MCAS New River Go-Getter: Sgt. Carlos Lopezllamozasguzman

ByCpl AlexisSanchez Marine Corps Installations East

OnSeptember11 2001 theunimaginable happened “What’s going on? asked Carlos Lopezllamozasguzman, a 12-year-old student at Rizzuto Elementary School in La Porte, Texas.“Whyiseveryoneleaving?”

Lopez looked around his classroom confused One by one, students were being pulledfromschool.Itwasn’tuntillaterthat daythatheheardthenews

“WhenIfinallyheardthenews Iremember being scared, said Lopez. “I asked myself,‘isthisevenreal?

The uncertainty was overwhelming However, while watching the news, Lopez couldn’t help but notice the unwavering resilience of the United States Marines in responsetothe9/11attacks

“Hearing about the Marine Corps when I was younger and what they were doing motivated me,” said Lopez. “Everyone else wantedtobeapoliceofficerorafirefighter, butIwantedtobeaMarine.”

Years later,U.S.Marine Corps Sgt.Carlos Lopezllamozasguzman, an MV-22 Osprey avionics instructor evaluator with the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit (CNATTU), is now Marine Corps AirStation(MCAS)NewRiver’sGo-Getter oftheMonth.

Since arriving at CNATTU, Lopez has shown intrinsic leadership and an undeniable drive to cultivate excellence in his students and the future of MV-22 Avionics Marines “He is the epitome of what it means to be a Marine maintainer,” said Staff Sgt. DustinEmmett,leadMV-22Ospreyavionics instructor CNATTU MCASNewRiver “He isthedefinitionofinspirationalleadership.”

No matter the occasion, Lopez always finds a way to help his Marines the best that he can, whether it is with their career, fitness,orpersonallife

“I’ll be someone they can rely on when helpisneeded,”saidLopez.

NotonlydoesLopezgoaboveandbeyond to help his Marines and those around him but he also takes the time to be the best fatherhecanbe “Whenmysonwasborn,Iwasgonealot,” saidLopez.“Andbecauseofthat,itwaschallenging for me to take on that fatherly role andbeanactivefather.”

Although he was gone a lot in the beginning,Lopezfoundwaystostillbeaspresent as he could be and help his wife in any way possible Hefoundlittlewaystohelphiswife by doing things as small as helping get his sonreadyfordaycareinthemornings

As Lopez gains more experience in the Marine Corps and as a father, he continues toshowhisselflessnessanddedicationtoall thosearoundhim.

“Now that I’m an instructor, my primary goalistoteachMarinestheirmilitaryoccupationalspecialty(MOS),”saidLopez.“But beyond that, I want to help them in their personal lives, just to excel and know what toexpect.”

Lopezhopestoensurethathisfamilyand thiscountryarekeptsafe,andhedoessoby leadingtheMarinesoftomorrow

is confirmed, the publisher shall refuse to print advertising from that source until the violation is corrected. Editorial content is edited, prepared and provided by the Public Affairs Department of Commander, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic. Stories may be submitted via email to news@flagshipnews.com. The Flagship® is published every Thursday by Flagship, Inc., whose offices are located at 150W. Brambleton Ave., Norfolk, Va 23510. © 2021Flagship, Inc. All rights reserved

Howard responded without hesitation

to a dangerous and chaotic situation, his bravery in the face of multiple known and unknown hazards saved multiple lives and reducedtheseverityofinjuriestoothers.

Who We Are: The United States Marine Corps Reserve is responsible for providing trained units and qualified individuals for mobilization to active duty in time of war, national emergency, and crisis or contingency operations On a day-to-day basis, Marine Forces Reserve (MARFORRES) consists of a talented and dedicated pool of nearly100,000Marinesabletoaugmentthe

U.S.Marine Corps Sgt.Carlos Lopezllamozasguzman,an MV-22 Ospreyavionics instructorwith the CenterforNavalTechnicalTraining Unit

Marine CorpsAirStation (MCAS) NewRiver poses fora photo on MCAS NewRiverinJacksonville,North Carolina,Dec.12 2022 Lopez,the recipient ofthis month’s MCAS NewRiverGo-Getteraward,enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2015 from Doral,Florida.(U.S.MARINECORPSPHOTO

BYCPL.ALEXISSANCHEZ)

DOD releases memo expanding Military Parental

ByJimGaramone DOD News

The Defense Department has released guidelines for the expansion of the military parentalleavepolicy Thememo released yesterday issignedbyGilbertR.Cisneros, Jr.,theundersecretaryofdefenseforpersonnelandreadiness

Thememoappliestoallservicemembers and is effective as of Jan. 4, 2023 The memo provides details on transition to the new expanded parental leave for Service members who were on leave under the old militaryparentalleaveprogramasofDec 27, 2022,andhadnotusedalloftheirmaternity convalescentleaveortheircaregiverleave.*

(SeeEditor’sNote)

“It is important for the development of military families that members be able to care for their newborn adopted or placed child or children, Cisneros says in the memo.

Thememofurthersaysthatcommanders mustbalancetheneedsoftheirunitsversus the needs of service members to use parentalleave

The memo specifically says that service memberswhogivebirth“willbeauthorized 12weeksofparentalleavefollowingaperiod of convalescence to care for the child.

Service members who are the non-birth parent will also be authorized 12 weeks of leavetocareforthechild.

The memo explains that convalescent leave may be authorized for the recovery of the mother from giving birth if a doctor recommends it to address a specific medical condition and it is approved by the unit commander.

Program

ArmyCol.Eli Lozano delivers a Mother’s Meal to Hannah Lombardi,wife of ArmyStaffSgt. Thomas Lombardi, afterthe birth of theirdaughterat FortWainwright AlaskaApril 5, 2022 (PHOTOBY BRANDYOSTANIKTHORNTON)

Service members who adopt a child or who have long-term foster care children placedwiththemwillalsobeauthorized12 weeksofparentalleavetocareforthechild

Members who were on maternity convalescent leave or who had unused caregiver leave when the new policy went into effect willtransitiontothenewpolicywithoutany lossofbenefitandwillreceivetheexpanded

benefit.

The twelve weeks of parental leave may be taken in the first year of the child’s life.

“Parental leave may not be transferred to create a shared benefit, even between membersofadualmilitarycouple,”accordingtothememo

“Members will be afforded the opportunity to take full advantage of the Military

Parental Leave Program consistent with their desires [and the] operational requirementsandtrainingworkloadsoftheirunit,” Cisneroswrote

* Editor’s Note: An additional sentence has been added to provide context and clarity

USNCC to graduate first Naval Studies Certificate recipients

ByChiefPettyOfficer AlexanderGamble

U.S. Naval Community College

The U.S. Naval Community College announced its first cohort of students will be recognized at the graduation ceremony planned for Jan. 13, 2023

These 34 Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen represent USNCC’s pioneers in naval education as the college has more than 1,300 students enrolled in degree-seeking programs that include the Naval Studies Certificate

The U.S. Naval Community College was established in 2019 to provide enlisted

members of the Naval Services naval-relevant education. The cornerstone of this initiative is the Naval Studies Certificate This unique certificate is designed to provide naval professionals a common understanding of the complex maritime environment in which they operate

“This is a significant milestone for our students,” said USNCC’s President Randi R. Cosentino, Ed.D “These graduates are setting the bar for the future of our Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard The naval-relevant education they earned and learned from these five courses will set themupforsuccessintheirnavalcareers.

The five courses are: Naval Ethics and

Leadership; Modern Naval History; Naval Force Design; Civilian and Military Relations,Organization,andAmericanGovernment;andIntroductiontotheGeopolitical Environment These rigorous courses are transferable to each of USNCC’s partner institutions and fulfill 15 credits toward USNCC designed associate degrees

“IwishthisprogramexistedwhenIwas a young Marine,” said USNCC’s senior enlisted leader, Sgt. Maj. Michael Hensley “ThefutureofourMarineCorps Navy and Coast Guard are going to be intellectually stronger as we develop enlisted leaders withbettercriticalthinkingskillstoensure we have enhanced operational readiness

and increased warfighting capabilities amongst our naval forces.”

The graduation ceremony will be released on USNCC’s website www usncc.edu, as well as its official Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn channels

The United States Naval Community Collegeistheofficialcommunitycollegefor the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. TogetmoreinformationaboutUSNCC,go to www.usncc.edu. Click on the Inquire Now link to learn how to participate in USNCC academic programs

DOD begins implementing Naming Commission recommendations

ByJimGaramone DOD News

Solong,FortBragg Hello,FortLiberty.

TheNamingCommissionprocess isnow over and the names of bases, posts, ships, streets and more named after Confederate soldierswillchange.

William A. LaPlante the undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, today directed all DOD organizations to begin full implementation of the Commission on the Naming of Items of the Department of Defense recommendations LaPlanteactedattheendofa90-daywaiting periodthatbeganaftertheNamingCommission released its third and final report in September.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III accepted the renaming recommendations inSeptember.

The services and other DOD agencies have until the end of the year to complete theprocess.

Retired Navy Adm. Michelle Howard chaired the congressionally mandated Naming Commission. The commission’s missionwastoprovideremovalandrenaming recommendations for all DOD items “thatcommemoratetheConfederateStates ofAmericaoranypersonwhoservedvoluntarily with the Confederate States of America.”

WhileArmybasesarethemostconspicu-

ousexamples manyinstallationshavestreet names or buildings named after Confederates The Navy will rename the cruiser USS Chancellorsville, which commemorates a Confederatevictory,andtheUSNSMaury namedafteraU.S.Navyofficerwhoresigned hiscommissiontofightfortheConfederate Navy willalsoberenamed Battlestreamers commemorating Confederate service willnolongerbeauthorized.

Some Army bases established in the build-up and during World War I, were named for Confederate officers in an effort to court support from local populations in the South That the men for whom the baseswerenamedhadtakenuparmsagainst the government they had sworn to defend wasseenbysomeasasignofreconciliation betweentheNorthandSouth.Itwasalsothe heightoftheJimCrowLawsintheSouth,so there was no consideration for the feelings of African Americans who had to serve at basesnamedaftermenwhofoughttodefend slavery.

All this changed in the aftermath of the police killing of George Floyd in 2020 Manypeopleprotestedsystemicracismand pointedtoConfederatestatuesandbasesas partofthatsystem Congressestablishedthe commissionintheNationalDefenseAuthorization Act of fiscal 2021. Then-President Donald J. Trump vetoed the legislation because of the presence of the commission,andhugebipartisanmajoritiesinboth

housesofCongressoverrodehisveto

The commission issued its first report in May 2022, which addressed renaming Army bases The commission finished theirmissiononOct.1,2022andtherewasa 90-dayperiodforpubliccomment Thathas now expired and the renaming of the bases mayproceedapace

Fort Benning, Georgia, will be renamed Fort Moore after Army Lt Gen Hal Moore and his wife, Julia Compton Moore. Moore commanded U.S. forces in the first largescalebattleoftheVietnamWar.Hisbook “We Were Soldiers Once…And Young” was madeintothe2002movieWeWereSoldiers.

Fort Gordon, Georgia, is renamed Fort Eisenhower after General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower, the leader of the liberation of Europe in World War II, and the34thpresidentoftheUnitedStates

Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia, is renamed Fort Walker after Dr Mary Edwards Walker the first woman surgeon in the Civil War, and the only woman awarded the Medal of Honor

FortHood,Texas,isrenamedFortCavazos inhonorofArmyGen RichardE.Cavazos,a Hispanic-AmericanheroofboththeKorean andVietnamWars

Fort Lee Virginia, is renamed after two soldiers and will become Fort Gregg-Adams Army Lt Gen. Arthur J. Gregg was an African-American soldier who rose from privatetothree-starduringacareerinmili-

tary logistics Army Lt Col Charity Adams wasthefirstAfricanAmericanofficerinthe Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps in World War II and led the first African-American WAACunittoserveoverseas

Fort Pickett, Virginia, is renamed Fort Barfoot in honor of Army Tech Sgt. Van T. Barfoot, who received the Medal of Honor for his actions with the 45th Infantry DivisioninItalyin1944

Fort Polk, Louisiana, is renamed Fort Johnson to commemorate Army Sgt. William Henry Johnson. Johnson was a memberofthefamousHarlemHellfighters that fought under French Army command during World War I. Johnson belatedly received the Medal of Honor for an action in the Argonne Forest of France where he fought off a German raid and received 21 woundsinthehand-to-handfighting President Barack Obama awarded Johnson the medal in 2015, long after the soldier died in 1929

Fort Rucker, Alabama, is renamed after Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael J. Novosel.Thechiefwasanaviatorwhoflew combat in both World War II and Vietnam and received the Medal of Honor for a Medevac mission under fire in Vietnam wherehesaved29soldiers

Finally, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, is renamedFortLiberty

BELOW: Graphic from the Naming Commssion’s Final Report to Congress (DODPHOTO)

Team Jackpot: Reinforcing a culture of performance and safety

ByUSSGeorgeH.W.Bush(CVN77)

The2ndQuarterPerformanceCampaign Plan - started during the second quarter of

theship’sregularlyscheduleddeploymentis a sports analogy that references the need to make critical, in-game assessments of performance that further enable planning, briefingandoperationalexecution Thebest teams are those that rapidly assess, learn, adaptandgrowasateammorequicklythan theiropponents Leadershiprecognizedthat therewasnorequirementtowaitforanartificialdeadlinelikehalftime,andsotheteam started the concerted effort started in the secondquarterofthedeployment

“The best teams in any competition are

abletocriticallyself-assessinstridetomake the small changes required to excel in the second half of the game,” said Capt. Dave Pollard,commandingofficerofGeorgeH.W. Bush. “Our combined teams perform at a higher level than any World Cup or Super Bowl winning team, and to keep our warfighting edges sharp this ongoing effort is essential.

The performance campaign plan is led byCmdr DylanBeyer, the ship’ssafety officer, and Lt Cmdr Daniel Landerholm, the air wing safety officer Although more than

70%ofthecarrier’screwiscomprisedoffirst termSailors,theleadershipteamembarked aboard the ship recognized that Sailors are adapting well to deployment routines Steady routines in complex aircraft carrier operations, maintenance, and safety can morphintocomplacency,increasingriskand degradingreadiness.Theaimoftheperformance campaign plan is not only to keep individual Sailors focused, but to develop a culture where Sailors do not normalize

ADRIATICSEA USSGeorgeH.W.Bush (CVN 77) and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 7 Team Jackpot (77+7) made strides in a performancecampaigntodrivewarfighting readiness and reinforce a culture of self-assessmentandimprovementwithsafetyand procedural compliance at the core while deployedintheNavalForcesEurope-Africa areaofoperations

ATLANTIC OCEAN (June 21 2022)An E/A-18G Growleraircraft,attached to ElectronicAttackSquadron (VAQ) 140 moves to a catapult on the flight deckofthe aircraft carrierUSS George H.W.Bush (CVN 77),June 21 2022 The George H.W.Bush CarrierStrike Group (CSG)

Norfolk Naval Shipyard demonstrates robotic technology to bring innovative tools to the workforce

ByKristiRBritt Norfolk Naval Shipyard

TheNorfolkNavalShipyard(NNSY)PreservationandHabitabilityDepartment(Code 970)recentlysoughtinnovativetechnology to demonstrate at the shipyard in order to bring new ways to conduct blasting work, including hydro, sand, and surface preparation. Code 970 Process Manager Gaston Shaw led the charge and hosted an event Dec. 13 inviting shipyard employees and seniorleaderstoseetheSARCOSGuardian® DX and Guardian® 6M in action and how it could benefit America’s Shipyard’s mission inservicingthefleet.

“The drive for me is to introduce new innovationsandtechnologiestoNNSY,”said Shaw.“Safetyisalwaysfirstandparamount andtakingcareofouremployeessuchasour mechanicsandwrenchturnersbyremoving a lot of physical barriers and unsafe conditions will produce a better product for the U.S.Navy.”

Hydroblasting is the process of using specialized water pumps to intensify water pressure to remove grime and hard deposits from surfaces Sandblasting similarly uses sand and surface preparation blasting creates spikes on the surface of an object to help coating adhesion. All processes are used regularly at the shipyard and require employees to follow precise safety guidelinesandapplicationrequirementsinorder to complete the work.Inordertofind ways to bring safer alternatives to the mechan-

ByLt.j.g MaryroseStone Public Affairs Officer, USS Roosevelt

MEDITERRANEAN SEA Sailors aboardtheArleighBurke-classguided-missile destroyer USS Roosevelt (DDG 80) participate in a weekly Leadership Summit designed to cultivate command-wide leadership Roosevelt,forward-deployedtoRota, Spain, is currently on its fourth Forward Deployed Naval Forces-Europe (FDNF-E) patrol EverySailorjoiningtheNavygoesthrough anextensiveschoolingpipelineontheirpath toserveaboardaship Theylearnbasicmilitary doctrine the technical skills required for their job firefighting skills, and more. After arriving aboard, the training continues as Sailors put their schooling to test. Twogenerationsofcommandmasterchiefs aboard USS Roosevelt have ensured that leadershipbecomespartofthatcurriculum.

Command Master Chief Michael Maclin and Roosevelt Chaplain Lt Chancellor Jenkins facilitate the Leadership Summit The goal has been to create an environment for Sailors to learn new methods of communication, develop awareness of decision making processes, and to play a biggerroleinleadershiponboard.Withthe implementation of the Navy’s Get Real, Get Better campaign, additional problem solving techniques and tools will be taught and discussed.

The venue was originally conceived and put into practice May 2021 by Roosevelt’s previous CMC, Command Master Chief James Kuroski, and it has been a regular occurrence underway every week since Maclin held his first Leadership Summit with Jenkins December 2021 centering on a conversation on the book Turn the Ship Around,byDavidMarquet.Discussionledto thoughtfullessonsontherolealeaderplays in a culture of consistency accountability andintegrity

The Leadership Summit is available to all ranks and rates aboard Roosevelt, both enlistedandofficer ThisisunlikemostNavy learning, in which Sailors are trained with

Two technologies from SARCOS were broughtinthatareintheproductionstages and can be fitted to best meet the needs of the customer With that in mind, various representatives from across the shipyard

TheGuardian®DXtechnologyisadexterous mobile manipulation robot that can enhance productive in complex areas, the

worker able to teleoperate it from a remote environmentutilizingavirtualheadsetand controls The robot is able to grab tools as wellasbefittedwithmoresecurefeaturesto meet the needs of the job, providing a wide rangeofmotionfortheuser TheGuardian® 6M is a robotic arm capable of performing complex algorithms via software and a controller being manned by a user in a remoteenvironment.

“Our people work on state of the art warships and training platforms Bringing the latest technology to help our craftsmenergonomically can ensureour greatest assets ourpeople aresafeandcanutilize theirvaluableskillsformanyyearstocome,” said Code 900S Safety Advocate Mathew MacCord.

Following the demonstrations, Shaw is gathering the feedback from the shipyarders in attendance and providing that input with SARCOS on how the products could beimprovedandadjustedforuseatNNSY.

“Theseinnovationscouldbeusedonboard shipsandacrossourwaterfrontwithadjustments noted by our personnel,” said Shaw. “As we continue to pursue these innovative solutions for the future, we’re aiming to bring technologies onboard that greatly benefitAmerica’sShipyard itspeopleand theworkbeingdonebythemonadailybasis. Thisishowwegetbetteratwhatwedo.”

Tolearnmoreaboutthetechnologyused in the demonstration, please visit https:// www.sarcos.com/company/#about-us

peersofasimilarrank.Atthesummit these barriers do not exist and there is only one rule respecteachother’sopinions.

“I think of the leadership summit as a way to recharge and learn how to navigate the Navy through different perspectives,” saidLogisticsSpecialist2ndClassCourtney Thomas,aregularattendantofthesummit. “It gives me the opportunity to learn more aboutmyjob myself myleadershipstyleand how to more effectively lead those around me.”

Eachsummitincludesareadingfollowed byagroupdiscussionexercise Participants split into small teams to debate three questions created from that day’s reading the

conversationsgeneratedbythosequestions often include a variety of opinions and past experiences, from the most junior Sailors aboardtothemostseniordepartmentheads The questions pose problems that can only be solved through group collaboration and diversityofthought.

“The Chief of Naval Operations recently gaveustheguidanceto‘GetReal,GetBetter’ we’ve heard that loud and clear on Roosevelt,andwerecognizethatoneofthemost important aspects is to be investing in our people, said Maclin. “After just one year of the Leadership Summit, I can see the command developing cohesiveness and strivingtobebetter thatchangehasbeen

inspiringtowitnessandisatestamenttothe characterofourcrew.”

USSRoosevelt,forward-deployedtoRota, Spain, began its fourth Forward Deployed NavalForces-Europe(FDNF-E)patrolSept. 27 in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet to defendU.S.,alliedandpartnerinterests HeadquarteredinNaples,Italy,NAVEURNAVAFoperatesU.S.navalforcesintheU.S. EuropeanCommand(USEUCOM)andU.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) areas of responsibility U.S. Sixth Fleet is permanently assigned to NAVEUR-NAVAF, and employs maritime forces through the full spectrumofjointandnavaloperations.

ics performing blasting operations, Shaw andhisteamresearchedonwhatcouldbest benefittheshipyard

including mechanics and senior leaders cameouttoademonstrationofthetechnology in action, providing their thoughts and feedbackonhowthiscouldbeimplemented onthewaterfront

ASARCOS representative tests the Guardian® 6M technologyduring a sandblasting demonstration Dec.13 at NorfolkNaval Shipyard (PHOTOBYDANIELDEANGELISNORFOLKNAVALSHIPYARD)

ASARCOS

NSWCPD hosts in-person career fair at Penn State University on the Navy Yard

ByJermaineSullivan

Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia Division

Forthefirsttimesincefall2019theNaval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Divisionhostedanin-personcareerfairatPenn StateUniversityontheNavyYardcampusin PhiladelphiaonDec.14,2022.

Positions being sought by NSWCPD during the career fair included engineers, electricians marine machinery mechanics computer scientists data scientists/ analysts, mathematicians, physicists, informationtechnology/cybersecurityspecialists, logistics management specialists, financial managementanalysts,accountants,program managers, contract specialists, contract price cost analysts and contract officer representativestofillcriticalroles.

“Each position at NSWCPD is vital in supporting the warfighter and maintaining our maritime superiority Career fairs are integral in ensuring we fill vacant positions so there are minimal delays in completing our mission I want to thank all oftheemployeesinvolvedforputtingonan awesomeevent.Additionally,Iwanttothank allofthecandidatesfortheirinterestinserving their country,” NSWCPD Commanding Officer Capt Dana Simon said emphasizing the importance of the career fair to the command.

“Career fairs are important to the Navy because they help fill positions that require specific skills to support the warfighter,” added NSWCPD Recruitment Coordinator

VictoriaGonzalez

Gonzalezrequestedrepresentativesfrom allNSWCPDdepartmentstoassisttheover 200 job candidates pre-registered for the career fair. Candidates were encouraged to attend either in-person or to submit their resumeonline,whicheverway bestfit their needs

“Go to all the tables Don’t put yourself into a niche Your skillset could probably benefit any of the departments. You don’t know unless you try Come with physical copies of your resume I know we’re in a digitalworld,butbringingaphysicalcopyof your resume will ensure you are prepared, Gonzalezsaid,recommendingthatallcandidatescomereadyandbeopenminded.

NSWCPD Technology Deployment Branch Manager Jose’ Rosario served as a representativefortheMachineryPrograms andPlatformsdepartment.

“Ourcodeisimportantbecauseweensure the installation of new technology onboard in-service ships are in compliance with the Q.A.(qualityassurance)thatisrequiredand arecompletedinasafeandefficientmanner

following the Navy technical instructions andindustrystandards,”Rosariosaid,detailing to candidates how his branch supports thefleet

StephenHopko,amechanicalandchemicalengineerwiththeWastewaterIn-Service Engineeringbranch,wasarepresentativefor the Machinery Research, Logistics & Ship Integritydepartment

“OurOilPollutionAbatement(OPA)work and Fleet support is important because we help ensure that shipboard generated oily wastewater can be processed to meet environmental regulations before Navy ships discharge the processed clean water overboard. We also serve a key role in ensuring thattheFleet’sOPAsystemsaremaintained

andcertifiedtohelpmeetthisgoal,”Hopko said, highlighting his section’s role at NSWCPDtopotentialnewhires SharonCaldwell anaccountant,servedas arepresentativefortheComptrollerdepartment.

“MyjobisimportanttotheNavybecause Iensurethatourfinancialreportingisaccurate and in compliance with laws and regulations,” Caldwell said in explaining the criticalityofherpositionatNSWCPD

Management is currently reviewing resumestoseeifskillsetsalignwithcurrent vacancies,accordingtoGonzalez.

Key requirements to work at NSWCPD include U.S. Citizenship and the ability to obtainandmaintainasecurityclearance In

someinstances,apre-employmentphysical may also be required NSWCPD’s compensation package includes medical benefits a 401kprogramcalledtheThriftSavingsPlan, agovernmentpension andlifeinsurance.

NSWCPD employs approximately 2,800 civilian engineers, scientists, technicians, and support personnel. The NSWCPD team does the research and development, test and evaluation, acquisition support, and in-service and logistics engineering for the non-nuclear machinery, ship machinery systems and related equipment and materialforNavysurfaceshipsandsubmarines NSWCPDisalsotheleadorganization providingcybersecurityforallshipsystems.

Sharon Caldwell,a Naval SurfaceWarfare Center Philadelphia Division accountant speakswith a potential candidate during the NSWCPD careerfairat Penn State on the NavyYard in Philadelphia,on Dec.14 2022 Careerfairs are important to the Navybecause theyhelp fillvital positions.(U.S.NAVYPHOTOBYSGT.JERMAINESULLIVAN/RELEASED)

Recruit Training Command Staff in the Spotlight

MeetNavyCounselor1stClassDionnaK.Mills,thecommandcareercounseloratthe Navy’sonlybootcamp.MillshasbeentheprimaryNavycounselorforRecruitTraining

Commandfortwoyears

Mills is also the Navy’s Manpower, Personnel, Training, and Education’s fiscal year 2022CareerCounseloroftheYear(CCOY).

Althoughsheputapackagetogetherinafewdays,theselectionisgearedtowardhow wellsheperformedthroughouttheyear It’snotalast-minutepreparation.

“It’s very black and white,” she said. “You’re either a good Navy counselor or you’re not.Thecommand,thenumbers,theretention,itkindofprovesthat.

During the past two years at RTC, the command received the retention excellence awardandpassedthecareerinformationprogramreviews MillssaidtheCCOYprogram basicallylooksathowwelltheNavycounselortakescareoftheSailors

“Although it’s been a struggle because there’s so many people here at RTC, and I am kindofbymyself,”Millsadded.“It’sbeennicetohavetheassistance,theleadership,and everyonearoundmetomakesureeverythinggetsdone.”

Millssaidshewasstillinshockthatshewon,andshewasnotexpectingit.

“It’snice don’tgetmewrong I’mdefinitelyappreciative, shesaid.“It’sveryhumbling AlthoughIknowI’magoodNavycounselor,Ifeellikeweallsaythataboutourselves,as farasbeinggoodatourjobs.”

Mills has been a rated career counselor since she received her direct conversion approvalin2014.Shewasaquartermasterbeforesheconverted,anddidn’tgetselected withherfirstpackage

“Iwasdoingit,honestly,mostofmycareer,”Millssaid “Ididn’thatebeingaquartermaster, but I was more passionate about helping Sailors and helping people in general. Ilovemyjob.”

She enjoys helping Sailors educating them, giving them the tools to make informed careerdecisions ShesaidconvertingtoNavycounselorwasthebestdecisionsheevermade “Ifeellikealotpeopleendupinsometypejobthattheyjustkindofdotogetthrough, to pay bills,” she said. “It’s nice to be able to enjoy what you’re doing on top of helping everyoneelsearoundyou.”

There’sblackandwhiteguidanceforSailorstorefertowhenlookingforinformation abouttheircareer However,Navycounselorshelpeducateotherswiththecorrectinformation,sothatinformationcanbepassedontojuniorSailors

“The biggest thing is getting the information out about the programs that the Navy offers to allow Sailors to make better decisions to allow them to decide that they want to stay Navy,” Mills said “Even if they choose to separate I make sure that their transitionoutoftheNavyisassmoothaspossible.Ideallythegoalisretention,butkeepingthe bestSailorsisthebiggerpicture.”

Boot camp is approximately 10 weeks and all enlistees into the U.S. Navy begin their careers at the command. Training includes physical fitness,seamanship, firearms, firefighting and shipboard damage control along with lessons in Navy heritage and core values,teamworkanddiscipline.Morethan40,000recruitstrainannuallyattheNavy’s onlybootcamp.

Jackpot

deviation from established standards and procedures, while completing continuous andrigorousselfandteamassessment Complacencycommonlyshowsupinthe adoption of shortcuts and workarounds that deviate—apparently harmlessly from safe practices and procedures These micro-deviations, lined up across multiple Sailors’ routines and create what is often termed the Swiss-cheese model, whereby a series of seemingly small deviations lead to a mishap

“TheworkSailorsdobelowdecks inthe hangar ontheroof andinourworkcenters aroundtheship,allhaveanimpactonsafety and operations,” said Beyer. “We’re taking a critical look at processes and procedures that span the air wing and ship teams to make sure we have the rigor, data, and information we need to drive safety, and ultimately, the warfighting capability our nation needs to deter and defend against our adversaries.”

Landerholm, the air wing safety officer and landing signal officer agreed.

“We work in a dangerous environment and profession,” he said. “Team Jackpot is anoutstandingteam,andwewanttoensure that all Sailors are mindful and vigilant while they are completing their assigned mission. It’s not hyperbole to say that the equipment and operations out here can cause serious injury or death when we are deviating from processes and procedures We can’t afford injuries to Sailors simply because we weren’t willing to make the concerted effort to deliberately reinforce our culture of safety.”

Theperformancecampaigntookaholistic approach to looking at safety and readiness across Team Jackpot and leveraged a numberofkeyinitiativestohelpreinforcea positivesafetyculture.Animportantaspect of the work was providing teams and units the latitude to do extensive assessment of their own programs in order to develop strategiestosolvethem.Insomecases,the solutionswerenotasfruitfulastheywould have hoped, though in others cases, they were successful. This sort of organic team development, driven by a culture of information sharing is a benefit to the entire carrier, air wing, and carrier strike group team.

“Manyofouraviatorsthroughouttheair wing are TOPGUN graduates a school that drives tactical proficiency across all warfare areas enabling our squadrons’ mission to deliver decisive combat victories as part of the carrier strike group weapons system,” said Capt. Tom Bodine, commander CVW-7 “What we’re doing is taking a similar approach across Team Jackpot to further develop our culture throughrigorousself-assessmentandqualitative and quantitative assessment.”

First, a hotline was established in the ship’s safety department to provide an avenue for Sailors to voice concerns anonymously All were encouraged to report normalized problems and what they thought the next mishap would look like.

The Daily Avenger the ship’s daily news publication - advertised the hotline and published call-in subjects and the steps taken to address issues This extended throughout multiple ship-force departments, embarked staff, and CVW-7 For transparency, all solutions to the unresolved issues were clearly explained or defined.

BeyerandLanderholmalsocollaborated withtheship’smediadepartmenttocreate avideowhichwasbroadcastedtoall-hands explaining the concept of the normalization of deviation through case studies and literature. The normalization of deviation is a commonly used phrase in the Navy in recentyears,essentiallyreferringtoacceptingwhatwasonceunacceptable.Thiscould involve shortcuts or workaround violations that come from overdependence on self-knowledge or a desire to finish tasks more quickly, which can lead to mishaps ThebroadcastalsoincludedChiefofNaval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday’s Get Real, Get Better video

George H.W. Bush heads of department were also required to temporarily pause under-instruction training for all watch stations and provide the commanding officer with honest, constructive feedback to establish guidelines for training newly qualifying watch standers This had immediate qualitative impact, led to fruitfuldiscussion,andensuredthatallpersonnel from the most senior qualified to the mostjuniorunderinstructionwatchstanders were on the same page

“Theperformancecampaigngaveusthe latitudetopullbackonthereigns,acknowledge our blind spots, and refocus on the basics - with excellent results,” said Lt Cmdr AndrewWhelan,assistantnavigator on board George H.W. Bush. It was energizing to hear both qualified and unqualified Sailors discuss their concerns so candidlyandconfidentlywiththeirchainof command. This enabled us to put controls in place that improved our processes and renewedconsistencythroughoutourtraining pipelines.”

Hangar bay walk-downs schedules and processes were formalized and conducted fourtimeseachdayledbytheship’sAircraft Intermediate Maintenance (AIMD), Air, and Safety Departments along with khaki representatives from each of the squadrons within CVW-7 Their main objective was to detect safety deficiencies provide onthespotcorrection andfurtheridentify processes that lead to the normalization of deviation. Findings were reported immediately to squadron maintenance master chief petty officers and published daily on the air wing’s Safety Officer of the Day

“Inadditiontoallofthosenames,welldeservingnames,sheistheconductorofthe symphony, saidCommandMasterChiefVan-TroiSibiliaMartinez,RTC.“Sheensures all instruments are tuned and keeping up with the right tempo She has served in her capacityforoveradecade Infact,shewasservinginthatrolesincemytimeasa[Hospital Corpsman 1st Class] over 14 years ago.”

SibiliaMartinezalsosaidshehasawealthofinformationandhelpsthetriadcomplete a smooth transition while acclimating to RTC.

She said she likes the structure of the military more. When the position at RTC opened up she said it was a win-win “It’s nice to work with the government, she said. “Civilian [life] just wasn’t a good fit for me.”

She likes professionalism and common courtesy, things that she says you don’t find as much on the civilian side. She also enjoys meeting distinguished guests and highlevel officials

“I also like to be here and support the triad,” said Tillery “This is one of the best jobs to have at RTC because I’m in the headquarters; in the head shed. I’m where it’s happening I get to see it all and hear it all.”

AfterTilleryretiredfromtheMarines shewantedtostayinthegovernmentsector Tillery tried the civilian sector before.

“My passion is photography, she said “I take pictures on the side I love photography, and I love singing.”

Tillery helps at command events through these passions She’s sung the National Anthem for the Recruit Division Commander’s “C” school graduations and changes of command. She also takes pictures of Sailors and staff

“I do a lot of selfies of me,” she added with a laugh. “I like to capture people, not necessarilybuildingsorthings,Ilikepeople,candidshots.Igooutofmywayandtake a lot of pictures, and I don’t have to Then I send the picture to the people and they appreciate it.”

Bootcampisapproximately10weeksandallenlisteesintotheU.S.Navybegintheir careers at the command. Training includes physical fitness, seamanship, firearms, firefighting and shipboard damage control along with lessons in Navy heritage and corevalues,teamworkanddiscipline Morethan40,000recruitstrainannuallyatthe Navy’s only boot camp

For more news from Recruit Training Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/rtc

(SOOD) report for ship-wide stakeholder awareness

“It’s great to see Team Jackpot coming together and holding each other accountableforresultsfromtheformalizedhangar bay walk downs,” said Lt Sarah Huston, who was formerly the V-3 division officer within the ship’s air department, now serving as the V-1 division officer “Khaki supervision increased in the hangar bays, and compliance deficiencies decreased immediately.”

Additionally, khaki leaders from various departments and squadrons were selected aspanelmembersforaliveSailor360event on the ship’s mess decks in November Sailors asked questions made comments and heard from senior leaders about how normalizing deviations, the “Renter’s Mindset, and Fighting Drift affects their shipmates,workcenters,anddepartments and puts their effectiveness and safety at risk.

“Working in an up-tempo environment constantly,dayinanddayout,isextremely dangerous on all levels Complacency can easily set in because every day feels like ground hog day on a deployment, said event panelist Senior Chief Aviation Boatswain’s Mate Dequon Smith, who is also the V-2 division leading chief petty officer within the ship’s air department. “Leadership should continue to push to our troops that no two days are ever the same, and must continue to learn how to better communicate to junior troops.”

The goal of the Sailor 360 event was not only to achieve exceptional performance, but to showcase the leadership’s raw, honest self-assessment of the crew’s mindsetinanefforttoself-correct,problem solve,andpreventmishapstothepursuitof achieving excellence among every Sailor

Leaving no stone unturned, they also rallied the support of the Carrier Strike Group10CenterforNavalAnalyses(CNA) representative, Dr Simca Bouma. Landerholm and Beyer worked with Bouma to review non-compliance events and code CVW-7 SOOD reports throughout deployment. Further, Bouma analyzed data from previously deploying aircraft carriers to compare data sets and look for trends and statisticallysignificantdatapointstoacton. Aftercombingthroughthedata,thepicture aroundcarrierairwingandaircraftcarrier safety started to come in more clearly

“Although it is possible to compare aviation mishaps to other CVN/CVW teams, thecomparisongivesrisetofewactionable recommendations due to the infrequency of aviation mishaps: mishaps are ‘the tip of the iceberg,’ so to speak,” said Bouma. “However,collectingconcreteinstancesof normalizationofdeviationfromSafetyOfficer of the Day reports helps measure the rest of the proverbial iceberg, and we see that many of these instances can be rectified through on the spot training which decreases risk and fends off complacency.”

“Every time normalized deviation is recognized, elevated, discussed, and resolved before it contributes to a mishap, Team Jackpot wins both by shrinking the ‘iceberg’andbyreinforcingasafetyculture where Sailors look out for each other and speak up when they see something amiss,” she continued.

The combined effort throughout the performancecampaignledtoaTeamJackpot safety council meeting in November where leaders across the aircraft carrier and carrier air wing team came together to discuss the qualitative and quantitative findings, and to bring up areas of concern thatcouldbeaddressedthroughteamwork and leadership

“We spend a lot of time talking about safety, processes, and procedural compliance to keep our Sailors safe and equipment in good condition,” said Lt Cmdr Jason Hosler, the ship’s aircraft handling officer “The most important part of this is the communication between pilots, maintainers, air wing reps, and the ship’s crew Humility on all sides is at the core. When issuesarise thebetterwecanmakecorrectionsonthespotdrivenbycriticalfeedback, themoresuccessfulwecanbe Iamincrediblyproudofmyteamandtheworktheydo to keep an open, safe deck for flight operations.”

The Team Jackpot 2nd Quarter PerformanceCampaignPlan’simmediateimpact to daily operations aboard the ship the renewed focus on the deliberate development of a culture of safety and the identifications of areas for further growth and development in reporting reflect the teamwork that both Pollard and Bodine look favorably upon. The teams across the departments and divisions aboard George H.W. Bush and the squadrons of CVW-7 already collected data and will continue to dosothroughouttheremainderofdeployment.Thisinformationwillnotonlyinform Team Jackpot’s self-assessment, but also provide insight for future carrier and carrier air wing teams to hold standards and increase performance across multiple organizations.

“InmyentiretimeintheNavy,I’venever seen a closer air wing and carrier team,” said Bodine “It is a reflection on all of the leaders in this room and the effort you put into taking care of our Sailors with a focus on mission readiness that is the difference between us and our competitors.”

Meet Mrs Vyonnie “Vonnie” Tillery, the Recruit Training Command’s (RTC) command suite secretary at the Navy’s only boot camp Tillery,aretiredU.S.MarineCorpsGunnerySergeant,hasbeenthefaceofthefront desk for 20 years She takes pictures and enjoys singing during her off time She’s a preacher’s wife and sings in their church choir She’s known around the command as RTC’s first lady and the RTC Gate Keeper

Navy Counselor 1st Class Dionna K. Mills

Vyonnie “Vonnie” Tillery, Command Suite Secretary

A Resounding Yes: An artist’s journey

ByPettyOfficer2ndClass CameronEdy U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S Sixth Fleet

TheGirabaldiTheaterof

NAPLES Italy

Santa Maria Capua Vetere sits on a cobbled road, Christmas lights twinkling above an Italian and American crowd as they move between tall, carved doors Laughing children, winter wardrobes and starched suits, sparklingwithmilitarymedals,alllandona velvet carpet where they wait as Musician 3rdClassBobbyNovoa’screscendobegins.

His voice reverberates through the theater’s marble-arched foyer, across its plush seats and up through four levels of golden galleries, until it bounces off the full-ceiling mural and back to waiting ears Now stilled to a whisper, his voice slowly rises again with a palpable yearning a lifetime of music packed into a moment of breathtaking vocals, and this is only the sound check. Soon Bobby Novoa’s moment will begin, amid the brass and woodwind rhythmsoftheU.S.NavalForcesEurope-AfricaBand

For Bobby Novoa, singing is his life in fact,hewassingingbeforehecouldspeak.

“EvenbeforeIcouldremember,mymom has videos of me with this little keyboard and microphone that they had I didn’t even know words yet,” Novoa reminisced, sharp face softening with the memory. “I was making noises and trying to sing with thislittlemic Fromthere,itneverstopped.”

Novoa,supportedbyhisfamily,keptatit. ButPatBrotherton,hisgrandmother,always kept the title as his number one fan. She wouldbeghimtosing,exclaimtoherfriends howtalentedhewas,campaignnonstopfor his performances, and would even write a letter to the President of the United States imploringhimtohearNovoaperform.

“I don’t know whether it was the family dynamic me being the youngest, and the only boy but we just had this really special bond,” he said, swiping to a picture of her Presidential letter, and another to the two hugging in their backyard. “I just felt so much love from her. She was always talking me up, like a song would come on andshe’dsay ‘OhBobbycansingbetterthan that. Especially looking back and hearing old recordings I wasn’t that good. That support has carried me for so long, it’s hard toevenputitintowords.”

He’s unsure of exactly when he fell for singing.Itmayhavebeenthosenightsinlate 90s,watchingMichaelJacksonandmimickinghisvoicetomatchthecadence Another “aha” moment was when he sat transfixed during “Selena,” a biopic of the American Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla Pérez. Or it could have been the nights he would sit andlistentohissister’stunes rhythmand blues, hip hop, pop an eclectic mix that turnedhisSanFranciscohomeintoanurban concert hall. Regardless of how it started, it led to him joining the Golden Gate Opera companyinelementaryschool aprogram that demanded scheduling rehearsals and consistent dedication. For the first time, art tookwork.

This didn’t last though. Middle school rolled around, and suddenly he was out of thebandandthecompany.Withnorehearsals,hebegantoslide firsthisgrades,then ambition, at least until high school where anearlymixofNavalJuniorReserveOfficer Training Corps (NJROTC) and an induction into the gospel choir birthed renewed dedication Strangely consideringhiseventual career in the U.S. Navy, he describes NJROTC as more or less a footnote in his life,whereastheTouchofClassChoirwasa god-sendforthevocalist.

His days were filled with choruses, swapping lunchtime for singing, electives for choir class, and ballpark play for after schoolvocalpractice Showspoppedupand schooldaysweremissed,soacademicexcellencewasdemanded.Ifhefailedchemistry, there would be no choir All told, it instilled in Bobby at an early age that if he wanted to do what he loved for a living, he had to workatit.

“There’s this expression that really resonates with me now, looking back at it all,” Novoamused “Itgoes,‘Ifyoudosomething for10,000hours youbecomeamasteratit.’ I’msureIhad10,000hoursofsingingbythe time I finished high school, but in no way, shape,orformwasIamaster.”

Whenhegraduatedin2008,hisnextstep

wasobvious LosAngeles

“Iwassoconfident,”hesaid,laughingand shakinghishead “Iwaspursuingmusic,and I knew that’s all I wanted to do So, I said to myself‘I’mnotgoingtocollege I’lljustmove toLA,getononeoftheseTVshows,andcall itaday.Ofcourseitdidn’twork.”

He soon found himself living in a Craigslist-advertised apartment, trying out for shows while working full-time Throughoutitall,hekeptauditioning,keptswallowing rejection and telling himself it is “not a no justanothistime.”

As time crept on, he found himself doing more retail work and less singing, sliding quickly into the “struggling artist” stereotype,untilhecaughtaluckybreak hewas laidoff

With days no longer consumed by work andhismusictakingcenterstage,heturned his eyes toward college. He found a school, appliedtoitsgospelchoir andbegantopick up the keys missing from his career At this pointhewas,inhiswords,littlemorethana “glorified karaoke singer.” He began studyingmusictheory,theInternationalPhonetic Alphabet,andthetechniquebehindmaking music.

Novoasaidthatthistypeofclassicaltraining from a university helped him emphasize core skills while also showing him a systems-based approach to master the art of his craft. College saw his hobby broken down,analyzed,andcraftedintoascience.

French warship seizes illegal drugs in North Arabian Sea

ByU.S.NavalForcesCentral Command/U.S.5thFleet

AFrenchwarshipseizedillegaldrugsworth atotalestimatedU.Sstreetvalueof$24million from a fishing vessel transiting international watersintheNorthArabianSea Dec.27

French Marine Nationale frigate FS Guépratte(F714)waspatrollingregionalwaters in support of Combined Task Force (CTF) 150 when it seized 3,492 kilograms of hashish and 472kilogramsofheroinfromthefishingvessel.

Led by the Royal Saudi Navy, CTF 150 is one of four task forces organized under the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), the largestinternationalnavalpartnershipintheworld consistingof34member-nations.

CMF has seized nearly $1 billion worth of illicit narcotics since 2021 while patrolling internationalwatersintheMiddleEast Guépratte previously seized 271 kilograms of heroin from another fishing vessel while patrollingtheGulfofOmaninFebruary2022.

NORTHARABIAN SEA (Dec 27 2022) Boarding teams from the French Marine Nationale frigate FS Guépratte (F714) interdict a fishingvessel in internationalwaters in the NorthArabian Sea, Dec.27 (FRENCHMARINE NATIONALEPHOTO)

ABOVE: SANTAMARIACAPUAVETERE,Italy(Dec 15,2022) Musician 3rd Class Robert Novoa,memberofthe U.S.Naval Forces Europe-Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) Band,performs during a concert atTeatro Garibaldi in Santa Maria CapuaVetere Italy Dec.15,2022 NAVEUR-NAVAF operates U.S.naval forces in the U.S.European Command (USEUCOM) and U.S.Africa Command (USAFRICOM) areas ofresponsibility.U.S. Sixth Fleet is permanentlyassigned to NAVEUR-NAVAF,and employs maritime forces through the full spectrum ofjoint and naval operations. (U.S.NAVYPHOTOBYMASSCOMMUNICATIONSPECIALIST1STCLASSCAMERONC.EDY)

DODwill be delivering Bradleyfighting vehicles to Ukraine

ofa largershipment

RIGHT: SAN FRANCISCO (Dec 28 2022)Aletter written byMusician 3rd Class Robert Novoa’s grandmotherto the President ofthe United States on Feb.1,2021.(COURTESYPHOTOFROMMUSICIAN3RD CLASSROBERTNOVOA)

Formal establishment of Commander, Space Command

Jan. 1, 2023,

Navy Space Command (NAVSPACECOM), Fort Meade, Maryland is formally established On April 26, 2019, the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) directed the establishment of NAVSPACECOM to serve as the Navy’s component to US Space Command (USSPACECOM).ASubsequentCNOletter ofMarch6,2022conveyedintenttoformally establish NAVSPACECOM as a separate command under Commander, Fleet Cyber Command (FCC).

NAVSPACECOMisNavy’seffortinmaintaining maritime superiority from the sea floor to space with a core emphasis on lethality, readiness, and capacity, conducting space-enabled targeting and protection of critical maritime assets

By working with USSPACECOM and servicecounterparts,FCCisabletoprovide

the best integration possible of space capabilities throughout the Fleet.

NAVSPACECOM develops integrates and conducts full-spectrum space domain

operations as the Navy service component to United States Space Command, in concert with coalition, joint, inter-agency andotherpartners NAVSPACECOMadvocates on behalf of the Fleet to obtain space capabilities in support of maritime operations, establishes requirements for training and integration of space capabilities and provides space planning and operations expertise to the Fleet.

FCC is responsible for Navy information operations offensive and defensive cyberspace operations space operations, and signals intelligence Comprised of more than19,000Sailors,Reservists,andcivilians stationed across the world, Commander, U.S. 10th Fleet (C10F) is the operational componentofFCCandexecutesitsmission through a task force structure similar to other warfare commanders In this role C10F provides support of Navy and joint missions in cyber/networks cryptologic/ signals intelligence and space

MCIOC Marine receives 2022 Major General Robert A. McClure Medallion Award

ByCapt KarenJensen Marine Corps Information Operations Center

QUANTICO, Va The U.S. Army’s Psychological Operations Proponent’s Office announced the recipients of the MajorGeneralRobertA.McClureMedallion Awards December 19 2022, for the recipients’ sustained meritorious contributions insupportofU.S.ArmySpecialForces,Civil Affairs, and Psychological Operations Regiments Gunnery Sgt. Jeffery D. Jones, an Influence/PsychologicalOperationsMarinefrom the Marine Corps Information Operations Center is one of four U.S. Marine Corps service members selected as Bronze award recipients. The three other U.S. Marine Corps recipients, all previous MCIOC Marines, are Staff Sgt. Taylor J. Dieckman, Gunnery Sgt. William Correa, and Maj. Christopher B. Hampton.

The Major General Robert A. McClure Medallion Award is awarded to any person who, while serving with the U.S. Army, distinguishes themselves by meritorious achievement through their service as role models advocates and public examples promoting the war fighting ethos and an unwavering sense of pride and selflessness forallU.S.ArmySpecialForces,CivilAffairs, and Psychological Operations Regiments “GunnerySergeantJoneshasconsistently distinguished himself and is consistently recognizedasoneoftheMarineCorps’foremost experts in Psychological Operations The McClure Award is the official recognition of Gunnery Sergeant Jones’s contributionstotheoccupationalfield.WeatMCIOC areveryfortunatetohaveGunnerySergeant Jones serve here as the Operations Chief,” said Colonel Rory D. Kent, Commanding Officer, Marine Corps Information Operations Center

Gunnery Sgt. Jones tirelessly supported Psychological Operations for multiple U.S. Militarybranchesandpartnernations’military forces between 2012 to present day. Gunnery Sgt. Jones directly contributed to thegrowthoftheU.S.MarineCorpsPsychologicalOperationsfieldthroughhissuperior workmanship perseveranceandloyaldevotion to duty in the face of a rapidly expanding, dynamic, real-world environment.

Gunnery Sgt. Jones hails from Kilmarnock,Virginia.HeenlistedintheU.S.Marine Corpsin2005andattendedrecruittraining at Parris Island, South Carolina. Gunnery Sgt. Jones is currently assigned to Marine CorpsInformationOperationsCenterasthe Operations Chief For more information on this subject, please contact Captain Karen Jensen at KAREN.JENSEN@USMC MIL

$37.6M task order awarded for Trident Training Facility Kings Bay additions

ByJeffreyHamlin Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Southeast

Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Southeast awarded a $37.6 million firm-fixed-price task order, underamultipleawardconstructioncontract (MACC), Dec. 30, 2022, to Sauer Construction LLC from Jacksonville, Florida, to provide construction of two additions to the TridentTrainingFacilityKingsBay(TTFKB)

The new additions include a Strategic Systems Program (SSP) Missile Control CenterTeamTrainerandNavalSeaSystems Command (NAVSEA) Weapons Handling

SystemTeamTrainer

“The procurement process for this project had a very strict schedule in order to meet mission deadlines of the supported commands,” said Lindsay Betteridge, supervisorycontractspecialistforNAVFACSoutheast. “The project was procured as a task order through the NAVFAC Southeast Area ofOperations(AO)largeareaMACC MACCs savethecommandandthegovernmenttime andresources.”

The work to be performed includes foundations superstructure, metal and precast panels,interiorfinishes,mechanical,plumbing, fire protection, electrical, communications, and security systems and incidental

relatedwork

Alsoincludedinvolvesworktobothphysical and utility connections to the existing building Site work includes concrete and asphaltpavement,stormwaterfeatures,utility distributions, erosion control measures, andlaydownareas

TheTTFKBmissionistotrainofficersand enlisted personnel in the necessary knowledgeandskillsrequiredtobuildcompetence and proficiency in operating and maintainingtheTridentsubmarineandallassociated systems Work will be performed in Kings Bay, Georgia,andisexpectedtobecompletedby March 2025.

Whattypesoffamily

A: There are three types of housing available to families:

Public/PrivateVenture(PPV) Housing is also referred to as privatized housing in the Navy The Navy partnered with different private management companies to provide housing to Service Members. These companies are responsible forthe construction, renovation,maintenance and day-to-day management ofthe housing PPVhousing may be located on oroffgovernment property and in most cases will be formermilitary housing

GovernmentOwned (also known as Military Housing orNavy Managed Housing is what was formerly called on-base housing While only available in limited quantities CONUS,Government Owned Housing is still widely available OCONUS.

CommunityHousing is any housing that a Service Member may choose that is not PPVor government operated This is housing outside ofthe base that is privately owned and operated

NAVY HOUSING

Norfolk: 757.445.2832

757.462.2792

757.433.3268 Yorktown: 757.847.7806

Ukraine troops to get Bradley fighting vehicles

ByJimGaramone DOD News

DOD will be delivering Bradley fighting vehiclestoUkraineinthenearfuture White Houseofficialssaidtoday

Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said the Bradleys are part of a larger shipment of equipment to Ukraine thatwillbeannouncedlater

The Bradleys are armored vehicles that cantransportinfantryincombatzones They have both offensive and defensive capabil-

ities and provide “a level of firepower and armor that will bring advantages on the battlefieldastheUkrainianmilitarycontinues to defend their homeland,” Ryder said duringanewsconference Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, expectingaquickvictoryagainstthesmaller country The Ukrainian military punched wellabovetheirweightandstoppingRussian pincers aimed at Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital. The United States and partner nations have supplied the Ukrainian military with the capabilitiesitneedstoturnbacktheinvaders

includinganti-armorcapabilities,airdefense equipment, armored vehicles, ammunition, suppliesandmuch muchmore Ukrainiansoldiersmustlearnhowtouse the vehicles and maintain them and Ryder said this will be part of the training that Ukrainian soldiers receive from U.S. and partnernations.

Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed a ceasefire to celebrate Orthodox Christmas, Jan. 7, but there is skepticism abouttheRussianshonoringtheceasefire

“Understandably I think that there’s

significant skepticism both here in the U.S. and around the world right now given Russia’s long track record of propaganda, disinformation and its relentless attacks against Ukrainian cities and civilians,” Ryder said. “If Russia was truly interested in ceasing the violence and the bloodshed that they have brought to Ukraine’s people, theywouldpulloutofUkraineimmediately.”

“While Russia seems to be pretty good at exporting violence, they don’t seem to be pretty good at exporting the truth,” Ryder said.

BySgt.SavannahMesimer

III Marine Expeditionary Force

CAMP COURTNEY, OKINAWA, Japan

The III Marine Expeditionary Force Commanding General, Lt Gen. James W. Bierman, presented the U.S. Armed Forces Meritorious Service Medal to retired Col. Rikiya Kondo with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, Jan. 6, 2023

The Meritorious Service Medal is a personal award given to service members whoperformtheirdutiesinadistinguished, outstandingmanner,whichKondoaccomplished while serving as the commanding officerofFujiTrainingCenter JGSDF from September 2020 until June 2022.

“Under Colonel Kondo’s leadership hundreds of Marines and JGSDF soldiers haveparticipatedinrealistictraining,bilateral Professional Military Education, and shared cultural events,” stated U.S. Marine Corps Col. Robert Bodisch, who served as the CATC Camp Fuji commanding officer from June 2020 to May 2022.

Shortly after being assigned to the Fuji Training Center Kondo noticed that although the center was established 20 years earlier, the troops had never conducted training with the U.S. Marine Corps.Kondotooktheinitiativeofcontacting Marine leadership at Combined Arms Training Center Camp Fuji and requested a meeting between the JGSDF and U.S. forces Byestablishingthismeeting Kondo allowed personnel from CATC Camp Fuji and planners from III MEF to begin bilateraltrainingintegrationforthefirsttimein the 69 years of Camp Fuji’s existence After the initial meeting, Kondo had the interest of the Marine Corps leadership and began working on the first iteration of aforce-on-forceexercisebetweenaMarine Corps infantry battalion and the JGSDF’s Opposition Force Battalion. The goal of theexercisewastofullyintegrateIIIMEF Marine Corps Installations Pacific, and CATC Camp Fuji’s mission goals

Integration between the forces was officially approved and sanctioned in 2021, when Kondo spent five months working directlywithIIIMEFand4thMarineRegiment Planners at Camp Fuji, Fuji Training Center and Camp Schwab, Okinawa. KondowasthefirstFTCcommandingofficertoevervisitaMarineCorpsbaseonthe island of Okinawa, indicating the U.S.-Japan alliance was strengthening drastically “Col. Kondo projected a persona of confidence and determination in fulfilling all III MEF desired training objectives in the name of promoting the alliance and enhancing bilateral warfighting tactics, techniques,andprocedures,”saidBodisch.

Once the planning phase was complete Kondo announced that the force-on-force exercisewouldbecalled“SHINKA,”which translates to “infinitely improving.” A logo was created by Marines and included the USMC eagle, Mount Fuji, and Takeda

The exercise was slated for June 2021

Marines from 2nd Battalion, 2nd

and JGSDF

Force Battalion soldiers Throughout the exercise commanding generals from 3d Marine Division and MCIPAC, the CommandantofFujiSchool,theCommandant of Intel School, and the former Chief of Staff

Security

observedthetrainingconductedfromboth forces Byhavingseniorleadershippresent attheexercise,Kondowasabletoshowcase how Camp Fuji could be used successfully as a bilateral training area.

During the after-action portion of SHINKA 21, U.S. Marine Corps Col. Matthew Tracy, former commanding officer of 4th Marine Regiment, 3d Marine Division, spoke about the effectiveness of the exercise “This has been the most substantial and effective training that any of my battalions have received during my time in command in Japan,” said Tracy SHINKA 21 was so successful that it has becomeareoccurringmulti-domainforce-

on-force

the JGSDF.

“Col. Kondo is a warrior with vision who displayed relentless determination to establish and cultivate bilateral training that quickly and continuously adapted to today’s strategic landscape,” said Bodisch.

“HissteadyandtirelessdedicationtoJapanese Soldiers and United States Marines have made enduring impacts to the alliance’s lethality and combat readiness He wastrulyoneofthemostimpactfulJGSDF leaders over the past couple of years and it wasmyutmostprivilegetoworkwithsuch a warrior.”

Shingen, the most famous Japanese samurai of the Kanto Plain where Camp Fuji is located Theseelementswereusedtoshow pieces of both the Marine Corps and Japanese forces’ significance in the exercise, as wellasKondo’scommitmenttoenhancing bilateral relationships and skillsets of both forces

with

Marine Regiment,

Opposition

of the JGSDF and current National

Advisor to the Prime Minister

Exercise with units that rotate under 3d Marine Division, establishing a training relationship between Marine Corps leadership and

Theater-wide influence and global effects

ByCapt KevinBuss 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit

Three amphibious ships, occupying approximately 262,000 square feet of the Indo-Pacific’s 100 million square mileage, with the ability to provide theater-wide influence and global effects this is the valueofawestcoastMarineExpeditionary Unit(MEU)embarkedwithanAmphibious Ready Group (ARG). On Dec. 3 2022, the 13thMEU,whichbringsthefullcapabilities ofanafloatMarineAir-GroundTaskForce to U.S. 7th Fleet, executed an over-water flight of approximately 500 nautical miles (nm)toGuam,transportingpersonneland conducting follow-on, unit-level training Three MV-22B Ospreys part of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 362 (Rein.),flewthetwo-and-a-half-hourflight shortly after the confirmation brief was deliveredtotheMakinIslandARGand13th MEU leadership

“We’re continuing to test the maximum range of the MV-22B over water,” said Lt Col. Ricky Buria, commanding officer of VMM-362 (Rein.) Even though this flight requires approval from the 13th MEU commanding officer, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing’s standard operating procedure establishes a maximum distance of 600 nm from ship-to-shore, over-water flight distance, and 350 nm from shore-to-ship While the blue-green team continues to test the capabilities of the Osprey, safety remains the number one priority “I have full trust and confidence in the maintenance and reliability of the aircraft after hundredsofmiles,”saidCol SamuelMeyer, commanding officer, 13th MEU “This excellent maintenance generated on ship enables us to go anywhere we want and

project power, when needed.”

For a shore-based squadron, it would normally take three to five days to prepare aircraft to travel this distance over water “This(maintenance)iswhatourmaintainers do on the ship every day,” said Buria. “Because we’re operating in open water, it

doesn’t matter if we’re conducting normal flight patterns or going long ranges over water we are always ready.”

Forward presence and consistent aviation readiness enable this amphibious team to respond swiftlyto crisis,wherever needed “AswemovethroughtheIndo-Pa-

cific area of responsibility, we can reach out from the ship and touch just about anywhere we want to operate,” said Buria. Having 10 MV-22B’s with high levels of readiness on amphibious ships allows for persistentcoverageacrosstheIndo-Pacific The synchronized choreography of ship movements and the MV-22B’s reach make theMakinIslandARG/13thMEUteamthe go-to crisis response force

As a self-sustained amphibious force, no external assistance is required for Ospreys embarked aboard the Makin Island ARG/13th MEU From maintenance, arming, and fueling to command andcontrol,everyaspectisprovidedacross the three amphibious ships Although this long-range flight would be possible without the ARG, the resources manpower, and time to accomplish the mission would dramatically increase. “Projecting the Osprey from ARG shipping extends the reach and improves response time for the combatant commander,” said Meyer. By having a sea-based, ready squadron, the Makin Island ARG/ 13th MEU team can quickly and efficiently provide long-range reach across the spectrum of competition,providingtheater-wideinfluenceand global effects

The13thMEUiscurrentlyembarkedon theMakinIslandAmphibiousReadyGroup, comprised of amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8) and amphibious transport dock ships USS Anchorage (LPD 23) and USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26), operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operationstoenhanceinteroperabilitywith Alliesandpartnersandserveasaready-responseforcetodefendpeaceandmaintain stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

PACIFIC OCEAN (Dec 5, 2022) - U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey pilots with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 362 (Rein.), 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit take off from amphibious transport dock USS Anchorage (LPD 23), Dec. 5.A force in readiness, the 13th MEU trains to rapidly to respond to crisis across all domains.The 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit is embarked with the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group comprised of amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8) and amphibious transport dock ships USSJohn P. Murtha (LPD 26) and the Anchorage, and operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with Allies and partners and serve as a ready-response force to defend peace and maintain stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S MARINECORPSPHOTOBY SGT.BRENDANCUSTER)

ByLanceCpl NatalyEspitia

Corps Base Camp Pendleton

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program has operated for over 50 years VITA sites offer free tax help to people who generally make $60,000 or less per year; people with disabilities; and limited English-speaking taxpayers who need assistance in preparing their own taxreturns

The VITA program aboard Marine Corps Base Camp PendletonisoperatedbyservicemembersintheFleetAssistantProgramfromdifferentunitsacrossthebase andoffers freetaxpreparationservicestoallmilitarypersonnel,retirees,andtheirfamilies Theprogramisapartnershipbetween theInternalRevenueService(IRS)andthemilitary

Theprogramwasofferedonbasestartingasearlyas2011 and finished after completing the 2021 federal and state tax returns (2022 tax filing season). The service will not be offered aboard Camp Pendleton for the 2023 tax filing season.

Military OneSource offers an alternative free tax assistance program for the upcoming 2023 tax season. This service is called: MilTax, and it’s intended for active-duty personnel,militaryspouses,immediateandextendedfamily members, and service providers MilTax software will be availablestartinginJanuary2023

For more information about tax assistance, please visit, www.militaryonesource.mil.

Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Aviation Maintenance Technology SkillBridge Program holds a Ribbon Cutting at Sewell’s Point Golf Course

EmbryRiddleAeronautical UniversityAviation MaintenanceTechnology SkillBridge Program holds a Ribbon Cutting at Sewell’s Point GolfCourseJan.9, 2023 to commemorate its introduction to Naval Station Norfolk in May2022 The program provides great opportunities for transitioning service members in the Hampton Roads area that are seeking employment in the aviation maintenance industry Pictured are left to right: ChrisToppin,VP Human Resources,Repair and Engineering Services, AAR; Karen Melvin,Work & FamilyLifeAdvisor CNRMAFleet & Family Support Program; Dr John R.Watret Chancellor Worldwide Campus ERAU;

https:// www.militarynews.com/norfolk-navy-flagship/aviation-maintenance-technology-skillbridge-program-expands-tonaval-station-norfolk/article_88a1f260-c0dd-11ec-ab9f-d379dc4a44c5.html.

CWO5 Brian Baker Aviation Maintenance and Material SafetyAssessments Branch Head,Naval SafetyCommand; Dr KennethWitcher Dean,College ofAviation,ERAU To learn more about theAMTSkillBridge program pleasevisit:

Marine

“Until this point, I was describing music by saying ‘I want it to have this feeling,’ and most of the time the response to that was, ‘uhhh,what?’It’sthedifferencebetweenme dependingonthebandtosupportmyvision, and knowing exactly what I want and how the whole band can accomplish that,” said Novoa.

College came and went Struggling to makeendsmeetsolelyonaperformer’spay, musiconceagaintookabackseat

It would be unfair to say the next seven years weren’t worth mentioning Novoa still attended vocal courses, fell in and out oflove,madeandlostmoney Heperformed as much as he could and kept up with the industry,butthedreamwouldn’tstick

Then, in 2021, during a daily ritual of perusing social media groups for potential gigs,hecameacrossaflyeradvertisingpositions in the United States Air Force Band He’d seen military bands and watched a couple of online performances, but he just assumedtheywereengineersoradministrators,withaside-giginthearts.Thatis,until he started researching military music and thegearsstartedrolling

Atthispoint,Novoahadseenartistscome and go, some realizing their dream, some giving up and moving back home But the success stories were all the same they jumped into the deep end when the game demanded it. With the added nuances of COVID-19’s crippling effect on the entire music industry, this Air Force flyer became a call to action. He auditioned with a classical-focused package that, as he would say, “nearlykilled him andwasrejectedalmost immediately “That just fueled my fire even more, to make sure everything for my Navy audition was as perfect as possible,” said Novoa passionately “I already wanted the Navy more than the Air Force anyway and at this pointrejectionwasnothingnew Ihadauditioned for each singing show two or three times andit’sallthesame Youstandinfront ofsomebodyfor15or30secondsforthemto say, ‘Thank you, but no.’ I don’t know why, orwhenithappened,butIstoppedseeingit as‘no.’Instead,Isawitas‘It’sanothistime.’ It’s going to be a yes eventually, I just have to keep trying. So, what can I do to be more successfulforroundtwo?”

The stars aligned for Novoa’s naval audition.COVIDlockdownsmeantamonth-long coordinationfortheirzoommeeting which gave him time to practice the expected pieces Friends came to set up his gear and acted as a vibrant audience for his takes And the surprise song (in naval auditions, attendees are asked to memorize a song 24 hours in advance), ‘Golden’ by Harry Styles, was simple enough for someone with his pop-centric background. To this day, he’s convinced that he missed a lyric, sang the wrong part or changed a tempo, but an education in free-form jazz saw him through. He finished his living-room concert to the blank stares of naval judges, withpolitecommentsandapromiseofacall.

Hisheartfell He’dheardthatbefore.

Ten minutes later he got the call. They saidyes.

“There came a point, especially when I was finishing college, where I was being a little bit more realistic about my aspirations,”Novoasaid.“AslongasIcouldmake somekindofincomewhiledoingmusic,I’d be satisfied…so that moment, getting that call, it felt like destiny realized.”

With days blurring together he was in a recruiter’s office in the blink of an eye, signing paperwork, then raising his right hand at a Military Entrance Processing Station, then on a bus to Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes A far cry from struggling to sing in LA, less than a month laterhewaswearingauniform,nestledinto oneofbootcamp’s900“triplethreat”divisions namedbecauseoftheirband,choir, and drill-team composition. Like others he learned the ins-and-outs of Sailorization knots and ships following and giving orders Unlike everyone else, his Saturdays were dedicated to rehearsing music, Fridays for graduation performances

“For what it was, and what we had to workwith,itinitiallyfeltbasic,”Novoasaid. “Simplesongs,simpleacts,butstillmusicin aplacewherewewereoftendeprivedofit. Saturdays were a break from the demands ofbootcamp butFridayswerespecial.My first graduation performance was really special it almost felt like we were the score of the ceremony. You had all these new Sailors marching, with friends and family watching them proudly, and then there we were, elevating the whole thing, making it almost cinematic.”

It wasn’t easy though boot camp is intentionally a lonely experience separating the would-be Sailor from their previouscivilianlife Butanintrepidclassof3rd graders from Apricot Valley Elementary changedthat.Alongtimefamilyfriendand schoolteacherfoundoutNovoawasjoining the Navy and asked if she could write him letters when he was away This developed intoherwholeclasswritingletters andthe first outside contact Novoa received was a giant bag of drawings and letters from the kids so giant it became too much just for him.Hestartedstickingthelettersinbunks and bags for the whole division to receive.

He’d eventually graduate and make that final march himself on a cold November morning in 2021. But he remembered the letters Wearingadress-whiteuniformand joinedbyalocalmusicianfriend,hemadea surprise appearance to a shocked elementary school class.

“The kids flipped out they knew me, and they just lost it when I started to sing,” he said. “It felt so empowering, building otherpeopleupandshowingthemtheycan succeed. They were also, technically, my firstshow.Itwasreallysweet.Theywanted to take photos and didn’t want me to go They were so supportive when I needed them, so it was great to be able to give that back.

During his initial naval school, he receivedorderstoItaly morespecifically, totheU.S.NavalForcesEurope-Africafleet band. It’s here in Italy that Novoa would

find his passion realized.

Throughoutrelayinghisstory Novoahad been a soft spoken, cautious interview At first glance he seemed almost nervous he pauses, thinks about what he says, and how he says it There’s also a hint of quiet destiny in the way he talks, like he’s not shy of the past mistakes that led him here But thenhe’llspeakaboutsinging specifically, the moment he connects with a crowd, and his eyes light up all caution gone When he beganreminiscingonhisfirstengagementin Italy thatpassioncamepouringout.

His first official live event was this year, in Normandy, France, unveiling a Lone SoldierstatueincommemorationofD-Day. The event, hosted by the French military and attended by U.S., Danish, and British forces, requested a vocalist and offered a diverse set-list, including each of the country’snationalanthems Novoa,stillnew was requested on short-notice and had a week to learn all three national anthems. In their native languages. Sung to a crowd of native speakers.

So he learned at every waking opportunity he could find during the day - in the shower, at the gym, in bed, and at work He wouldpractice,recallinghiscollegecourses ontheInternationalPhoneticAlphabetand referring to the native speakers for guidance.Alongwiththeband,hearrivedatthe massive French venue, with a crowd equal insize,andnervouslybeganhisvocalwarmups.Tomakemattersworse,theorganizers weren’t expecting him to sing the national anthems and didn’t prepare a microphone for that portion of the concert. In fairness, who would expect an American to learn three anthems in multiple languages for a single performance? Skeptically they offeredhimthepodium,frontandcenterof the stage Their doubt was palpable Then, hesang.

“It felt so cool, to get there and in a week be like ‘I got this,’ and confidently sing their national song in their honor,” Novoa said, bubbling with the excitement of it. “The response was great I had French and Norwegian people coming up asking how I learned that. Putting in all that time and effort,andseeingthatresponse,itmakesall theworkworthit Theentireexperienceleft me saying to myself ‘oh my gosh, I’m here.’ Like my destiny led me here how crazy is that. All those setbacks happened for a reason, and now they’re not even setbacks. It just wasn’t for me Everywhere we go, I havearandommomentofawe.”

His life now is peppered with these moments Concertsthathostworldleaders, venuesthatpullentiretownstotheirdoors. He’s sang in seven languages, traveled to eightcountriesforconcerts,andsangevery genre. But it’s the sentimental harmonies, inthehostcountry’slanguage,thatconnect himwiththecrowd

“Musicissomethingthatresonateswith everyone if you hear a beat, you tap your foot, Novoa said. “It translates beyond language barriers It’s an expression of emotion that people can feel and understand, that opens the heart and mind to making a connection It’s hard to do that with anything else It’s pretty cliché, but

they say it all the time in our program. Music is a universal language That’s why I love it.”

As a naval musician, he finally has free rein to do what he loves but more than that,he’sapartofsomethinggreater.Workingalongsideothertalentedartists,henow performs for a cause bigger than himself

“Alotoftimeswe’rethefaceofthisthing they think of as the ‘U.S Navy,’ ” he said. “Most of the places we go to are part of NATO, so it genuinely feels like what we doisstrengthening thoseconnectionsthat [the U.S. Navy] has. It opens their minds to discussions way above my pay grade, but it feels important It’s funny, but I kind of see it as the same thing as visiting someone’s house for a party either you show up empty-handed, or you show up with us Whether it’s doing outreach in foreign communitieswheremanyofthemareable toseeandhearliveAmericanmusicforthe first time or for fellow Service Members and Veterans that have sacrificed so much -it’ssuchanhonortoserveandliftpeoples spirits.”

During his holiday performance in Girabaldi Theater, there was a breathtaking moment. The band had wound down from a lively jazz ensemble and it felt like the night’s concert was beginning to end. ThenNovoa,gearedinadressblueuniform, looking solemn, approached the mic. He thankedtheaudiencefortheirsupport,and in Italian said, “In honor of, and as thanks for hosting us on this wonderful night, we have a special song we’d like to play.”

Then,quietly,hebegantosing“TuScendi DalleStelle,”or“YouComeDownFromThe Stars,” a famous Italian Christmas carol. It started sweetly quietly His voice was smooth and crisp with a gravitas towards the song that translated through his voice Then, someone in the crowd began to sing along Thenanother,andanother,untilthe hallwasfilledwithItalianvoices,carriedby theband.Meanwhile,Novoa,anAmerican vocalist,ledthemthroughtheclimaxofthe song his voice returning to the forefront, his arms spread wide towards the ceiling asthelastsnotesrangtrue Thecrowdwas silent for a moment, then thunderous applause, shouts, all on their feet. It wasn’t the final song of the night, but by far the most beloved.

The performance came to an end and the audience, buoyed in spirt by his fluent rendition of their beloved song, slowly exited the theater and emptied onto the street. With the lights dimming an elderly Italian woman, who had waited in the wings as the crowd moved through their congratulations, approached him with her husband.

The husband gestured to Novoa, holdinguphisphone,askingNovoatostayfora photo Novoa,happytooblige,stoodnextto the woman and asked how long she’d been waiting Her husband replied in broken English good-naturedly “Not long. All she wanted was a picture with the singer.” Novoa smiled.

All those setbacks, all those hours, all those no’s here in Italy, it’s a resounding yes.

Celebrate coastal wildlife in Virginia Beach during the Winter Wildlife Festival

One week of engaging programs presented by Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation

PressRelease

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va Join the flock and celebrate winter wildlife in Virginia Beach during the 2023 Winter Wildlife Festival! For the 13th year, Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation is hosting the annual festivalfromJanuary28throughFebruary5 andofferingover50programsandactivities, manyofwhicharefree,thatinviteattendees toembraceandenjoynature.

Thewinterseasonisaspecialandunique time of year to explore our coastal habitats and learn about the wildlife that calls Virginia Beach home, including waterfowl, songbirds, whales, seals, terrapins Sand more. Register for festival activities online at www.vbgov.com/government/departments/parks-recreation/special-events/ Pages/winter-wildlife-festival.aspxandjoin

theWinterWildlifeFestivalFacebookgroup (https://www.facebook.com/groups/vbwinterwildlife)toconnectwiththecommunity onallthingswinterwildlife.

Festival highlights include:

Saturday, January 28 at Princess Anne RecreationCenter

„ Workshops offeredfrom9:30a.m.to2:30 p.m.(Freebutregistrationrequired)

„ Exhibit Hall from 10 a.m to 3 p.m. featuring live animals exhibitors, children’s activities, door prizes, and more (Free and open to the public)

Sunday,January29atTheGoodeCenter atVirginiaWesleyanUniversity

KeynoteSpeakerspresentingfrom2:30-4 p.m. (Free): Join award-winning literary

PressRelease

The Virginia Arts Festival will welcome back a long-time audience favorite on February 25, 2023—but this time the Jazz atLincolnCenterOrchestra’sperformance will cap a unique collaboration including Historically Black Colleges and Universities

The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, led by Wynton Marsalis is made up of 15 of the finest soloists ensemble players andarrangersinjazzmusictoday.Anegalitarian enterprise, the Orchestra accords every member equal importance, based on Wynton Marsalis’ core belief about the art form. As he puts it, “Jazz music is the perfect metaphor for democracy We improvise, which is our individual rights and freedoms; we swing which means we are responsible to nurture the common good, with everyone in fine balance; and we play the blues, which means no matter how bad things get, we remain optimistic while still mindful of problems.”

Wynton Marsalis is an internationally acclaimed musician, composer and band leader, an educator and a leading advocate of American culture. Winner of nine Grammy Awards (with an astonishing 32 Grammynominations),hehascreatedand performed an expansive range of music

fromquartetstobigbands,chambermusic ensembles to symphony orchestras and tap dance to ballet, expanding the vocabulary for jazz and classical music with a vital body of work that places him among the world’s finest musicians and composers Asanambassadorforjazz,hehasmade an indelible mark on our culture, and has

A

AllMonth-Jan1throughFeb5 „ Photo Contest for nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts. Enter your bird’s eye view in the photography contest for a chance to win exclusive prizes across five different categories: wildlife, festival in action, landscape, youth, and people’s choice (Free to participate; see full contest rules some restrictions apply)

Formoreinformation,visitVBParksRec. comorcall(757)385-1100.SignupforParks & Rec email newsletters at VBgov.com/ eNews Find us on Facebook at facebook. com/VBparksrec.

blesfromthemosthighlyregardeduniversity jazz programs in the country; and now theVirginiaArtsFestivalembarksinanew collaborationwiththemtoshineaspotlight onthebandsofHistoricallyBlackColleges and Universities.

Over the course of this new HBCU residency, student ensembles will receive coaching from the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra members participate in a question-and-answer session with Wynton Marsalis join in an open jam, and have the opportunity to attend the Virginia Arts Festival Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra concertonFebruary25 Thetopensembles willperformliveonstagethatnightforthe first half of the program.

“We’re excited about the opportunity to showcaseHBCUjazzbands,”saidVirginia ArtsFestivalPerryArtisticDirectorRobert W.Cross “Thereisphenomenaltalenttobe celebrated,andsomuchtobelearnedonall sides The residency and the performance promise to be among the highlights of our 2023 Festival season.”

Tickets for the February 25th Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis are on sale now, available online at vafest.org, by phone at 757-282-2822, or at the Festival Ticket Office 440 Bank St Norfolk (Monday-Friday, 10am-5pm).

beenrecognizedwiththePulitzerPrizefor Music and the National Medal of Arts.

key mission of Wynton Marsalis and Jazz at Lincoln Center is education, and the Orchestra organizes jazz education at everylevel,includingbandcompetitionsat thehighschoolandcollegelevel.TheirJack RudinJazzChampionshipfeaturesensem-

2022 WinterWildlife

Photo Contestwinners clockwise from top left: Landscape ScenicWinner Susan Mangan; WildlifeActionWinner HeatherCormier; Wildlife Portrait Honorable Mention,

BettySue Cohen; Nature Enthusiast InActionWinner JudyOzmar; WildlifeAction Honorable Mention,JudyJones

Monster Jam returns to the Hampton Coliseum next weekend, driver Coty Saucier tells Monster Jam truck stories

Monster Jam, the most action-packed motorsportsexperiencesuretopleaseeveryone young and old, returns to the Hampton Coliseumnextweekend,January20th-22nd, featuringworldclassathletesutilizingtheir driving skills and competing at the highest levelpossible OnSaturdayandSunday,theMonsterJam Partywillbeheldfrom10:30am-12:00noon.

Fans get to see the Monster Jam Trucks up close and personal, meet the drivers, take picturesandsomuchmore

For tickets, times and more info, go to https://www.hamptoncoliseum.org/events/ detail/monster-jam-9

Yiorgo: With us today is Coty Saucier the fanfavoritedriverofDragon Coty, why should people come to the Monster Jam show? What will they see and experience if theyhavenotbeentherebefore?

Coty Saucier: Monster Jam is totally unexpectedandunscripted.It’sthecraziest form of motor sports there is We are doing things with these Monster Jam trucks that dirt bikes are doing. That gives you an indicationofwhatthetrucksarecapableof The sky’s the limit with these things They are 12,000 pounds, 1,500 horsepower, 12 feet tall, 12 feet wide, completely custom built MonsterJamtrucks Theyaresupercharged on methanol fuel and we have a good time It’s a combination between a top fuel dragster and a dirt bike mixed, and that’s what yougetataMonsterJamtruckevent.

Y:WhatistheMonsterJamPitParty?

CS:It’sreallyagoodtimeforthefanswho get a chance to walk the track, see how big someoftheobstaclesare,whatkindofroom weworkat,theactualspeedway,getupclose tothetrucks,seewhattheyaremadeof,the smell, the fumes and get pictures with the drivers and the trucks It’s a chance to chat with the drivers The name says it all it’s a pitparty.

Y:Asadriver,whatisyourfavoritepartof theshowandwhy?

CS: It’s hard to just pick one thing, I am such a fan of this stuff I have always been a big fan of the industry I’m a diehard racer I love competitive racing To start up the event, we do Monster Jam heads up racing and that’s probably one of my favorite elements Free style we can just cut loose it’snotnecessarilymyfavorite Iloveitdon’t get me wrong. There is nothing like a hard, honestcheckeredflagwincrossingthefinish line first, after the final round of racing at MonsterJam.

Y:Asafan,whenyou’renotcompetingor arewaitingyourturntogonext,whodoyou keepyoureyesonandwhy?

CS: That’s a good question because I’m alwayswatchingthecompetitionnotjustat oureventsbutonyoutubeandsocialmedia I want to see what they are doing At our events, I’m sitting in the truck watching a rookie do their thing for the first time and we try to help each other, see what they are doing from right to wrong, but at the same time,Iwanttooutdothem Nowsayastrong competitorlikeBrendonVinsonwhodrives Grave Digger and is actually from Chesapeake Virginia I believe I’m watching him like a hawk. I know he will be the crowd favorite being that he is from the Hampton Roads Area but I’m coming for him. (Ed note: Brendon Vinson is the reigning Monster Jam World Finals Racing champion.) I’m going to make sure they remembertheDragon.

Y: For those that are coming for the first time, can you describe the actual competitionprocess,howitworks,whovotes,what winnersget,etc?

CS:Thewaythecompetitionworksisthat therearefourdifferentcompetitionsinthis orderataMonsterJamevent:thereisracing, two wheel skills, donut and a freestyle We goheadtohead,downtothefinaltwoanda winneriscrowned.Withtheskills thedonut and freestyle competitions, we get judged by the fans At the event, the announcer describes the process of voting by the fans byusingtheirownphones.

So at the end of the night the winner gets atrophy Therewillbeanoverallchampion ofthatparticularevent.Therearealsopoints given throughout the entire season that are typically about 15 weeks long We start in January and run through May. All those points are tallied up and if you get enough, you get to go to the Monster Jam World Finals.ThisyearitisinNashvillesometime inJuneorJuly

Y:WhatcanyoutellusaboutDragon,the MonsterJamtruckthatyoudrive?

CS: This is my second season driving Dragon.IthinkTheDragondebutedin2012 and has a lot of winnings behind it. Scott Liddycoat, was one of the drivers and now livesintheHamptonRoadsArea.Heisapro hydroplaneboatracer

Y: How did you become the driver for Dragon?

CS: I was driving the truck Monster Energy for Monster Jam for 8-9 seasons That contract ran out and Monster Jam came to me and said we need a driver for Dragon and I said, absolutely sign me up It is a fire breathing, Monster Jam Truck. It hasaflamethrowerinfrontofit,poweredby propanethatshoots,nojokeabouta20foot flame out in the front. Sometimes it’s cool and sometimes it gets me in trouble but it’s really cool to see the fans reaction when it

CS:

Theyhavetookitbeforewecanuseit.I alwaystrytouseitinacleverway,likeifI’m uponarealslowwheelstand,it’sarealcool photo moment to see the truck standing on a big wheel stand and there is a big flame coming out of the front of it. I use it when it’s least expected, to give the fans a wow moment. Oh my God, did that just happen? Wasitsupposedtohappen?Iamincomplete controlofitandIcangetagood15-20bursts outofonepropanetank.

Y: This is a live action packed show and anything can happen Any anecdotes, mishaps,funnymomentsyouwanttoshare?

CS: It’s always happening It can be anything with us like laughing about something then trying to outdo each other with a particular stunt. Sometimes the stunt works and sometimes it does not. And if it doesn’t work, you get clowned pretty hard As competitive as we are, it’s always fun to jokearound

Y: Where were you born and what made youfallinlovewithcars,trucks,etc?

CS:I’m37yearsoldfromLafayette,Loui-

siana and I have always been fascinated with engines. As I got older I tinkered with motors,collectedtools,Ialwaysfanciedthe monster trucks and I always wanted to do that someday I am very blessed to be doing whatIamdoingnow,fromdoingthisinterview,totravelingtheworld,racing,performing,entertaining,Ihavedoneitall.

Y:HowdidyougetintoMonsterJam?

CS:MyfamilytookmetotheMonsterJam truckeventswhentheycametothisareaand whenIgotolder,Istartedgoingonmyown. Iwouldpurposelygoearlyandvolunteerto help in any way possible, just to get my foot in the door It slowly snowballed into a part timejob,intoaseasonaljobandfinallyintoa fulltimejob.In2014,theyaskedmetodrive the second Monster Energy Monster Jam truck and I have been driving ever since I loveeverythingaboutthewholeprocess It’s beenaride.

Y:Wherehavebeensomeofthefaraway placesyoutraveledbecauseofMonsterJam?

CS: There were so many, like the events wedidintheOlympicstadiuminAbuDhabi and in Osaka, Japan in an airfield, that was really cool Wealsodidan entire tour ofthe bigger cities in Australia. I have toured all overEurope Overall,IthinkIhavecounted

28countriesIhavevisitedandcompetedin, thankstoMonsterJam.

Y:Howaboutapinchmemomentortwo?

CS: Honestly this past summer I got to compete it was a last minute schedule change because one guy couldn’t compete and I took his spot at the Louisiana Superdome ThatwasoneoftheplacesIwentfor my first events as a kid and even though I had competed there before, this time I won everything,Iwonthewholeevent.Icouldn’t believe it. I was not supposed to be there.

My parents were there my family I was on cloudnine Ihavepicturesofmeinthatparkinglotwithsomeoftheoldtrucksthatdon’t compete anymore. I was like, look how far I have come Truly a dream come true for somebodythathasworkedhardtogetwhere they are at and I am proud to say that. Also, they don’t let us keep the trophies anymore but I said, I don’t care what they say, I’m taking this trophy home. I earned this one Itmeanssomethingtome It’shangingloud andproudinmygarageaswespeak.

Yiorgo is an arts, entertainment and sports writer A stage, TV and movie actor, he is also a sports entertainer, educator, motivational speaker, writer, storyteller and columnist

InterviewByYiorgo

ABOVE: Dragon’s driverCodySaucier(ALL PHOTOSCOURTESYOFMONSTERJAM)

FromHealth.mil

JanuaryisNationalBloodDonorMonth. Historically blood donations decrease in the holiday and winter season as scheduleschangeduetotravelandleave,weather conditionsintensify,andseasonalillnesses take hold However, the need for blood remains constant.

Donated blood is used every day at hospitals and clinics worldwide across the Military Health System. The Department of Defense maintains stores of blood to be available for contingencies, disaster response and potential humanitarian missions Since blood is perishable, these stores must be constantly maintained and replaced to maintain readiness Celebrate National Blood Donor Month by making plans to donate in 2023

Armed Services Blood Program (ASBP)

Also known as the Military Blood Program - is the official military blood program of the U.S. armed forces The

ASBP is not the same organization as the American Red Cross The military blood programwasbegunbyPresidentTrumanin 1952 andhasbeenitsownfullyoperational, distinct blood program since 1962.

After the Korean War, the ASBP took over collecting, processing, and transportingbloodproductsforthemilitarycommunity from the American Red Cross

The ASBP is one of four organizations that ensure this nation has a safe, potent bloodsupply.Itworkscloselywithallcivilian blood agencies; American Red Cross America’s Blood Centers, Blood Centers of America and other local hospital organizations in times of need. However, the ASBPisaDepartmentofDefenseprogram, supporting the military community first and foremost.

As a joint operation among the military services(Army,Navy AirForce),theASBP: „ Provides quality blood products for servicemembers theirfamilies retirees and veteransworldwideinbothpeaceandwar.

„ Collects, processes, stores, transports, and distributes blood worldwide „ Workscloselywithciviliancounterparts in times of need

Blood Donations Help

Whenever and Wherever Needed

The ASBP is focused on equipping the warfighter with lifesaving blood products needed on the battlefield as well as in militarytreatmentfacilitiesaroundtheworld.

Bloodproductsareusedforpatientsofall agesformanyreasons—fromcancerpatients to those with battlefield injuries military membersandtheirfamiliesdependonblood donorseveryday.

Blood Donor Facts:

Ofthe38%ofAmericanseligibletodonate blood,only3%do „

Every two second someone in the U.S. needsblood.

When you donate whole blood, it can be used for blood loss emergencies/trauma, andsurgery.

Whenyoudonateplatelets,itcanbeused for cancer treatments, anemia, and blood disorders

When you donate plasma, it can be used

for bleeding disorders and burn patient treatment.

Resources: „ Armed Service Blood Program: www. militaryblood.dod.mil „ MilitaryDonor.com: Find an ASBP centerorblooddriveandreviewbasiceligibility and common deferrals before you donate „ SocialMedia:The#DHAArmed ServiceBloodProgramcollectsbloodand shipsoutallovertheworldtosupportU.S. Militaryoperations.Army,AirForce,Navy andDODciviliansleadblooddrivesand donateintheirlocalcommunity Withan ongoingshortageofbloodproduct,the needtodonatebloodisvital!Whatbetter timethanduringNationalBloodDonor Month?#NationalBloodDonorMonth #LivingGivingSavingLives #NBDM23#ThankYou4SavingLives #CelebrateAndDonate”

FromFamilyFeatures

Nomatteryourmotivations it’snevertoo late or too early to start focusing on your heart health, and taking steps now can make a big difference Small changes, like following a healthier eating plan, can help you start down a path toward improved heart health.

One step you can take is following the DASH eating plan, which is a flexible and balanced way of eating that stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension and was developed by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Requiring no special foods, DASH provides daily and weekly nutritional goals to help lower two major risk factors for heart disease: high bloodpressureandhighLDL(bad)cholesterol.

Being more physically active, managing stress getting quality sleep and not smoking combined with DASH can put you on a path toward a healthy heart for life Encouraging others to join you on your heart-health journey can also be rewarding. Research shows social support and personal networks make it more likely you’ll stick to healthy habits like eating healthy.

Sharing heart-healthy recipes with family and friends is an added bonus and these DASH-friendly meals can help you taketheguessworkoutofputtingnutritious dinners on the table Greek-Style Flank Steaks with Tangy Yogurt Sauce offer the bold flavors of the Mediterranean while Teriyaki-Glazed Salmon with Stir-Fried Vegetables is as easy to make as it is colorful. For a complementary combination of pork and sweet fruit flavor, these Baked Pork Chops with Apple Cranberry Sauce are perfect to serve alongside brown rice or steamed broccoli Learn more about heart health and find DASH-friendly recipes at nhlbi.nih.gov/ DASH.AllrecipescourtesyoftheNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Greek-Style Flank Steak with Tangy Yogurt Sauce

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Servings: 4

Marinade: „ ¼cuplemonjuice

1tablespoonoliveoil

2teaspoonsfreshoregano rinsed, driedandchopped

YogurtSauce: „ 1cupcucumber,peeled, seededandchopped

1cupnonfatplainyogurt

2tablespoonslemonjuice

1tablespoonfreshdill,rinsed driedandchopped

1tablespoongarlic,minced(2-3cloves) „ ½teaspoonsalt

To make marinade: In large bowl, combine lemon juice, olive oil, oregano and garlic.

Lay steak in flat container with sides and pour marinade over steak. Marinate at least 20 minutes or up to 24 hours turning severaltimes

Tomakeyogurtsauce:Combinecucumber, yogurt, lemon juice, dill, garlic and salt. Setyogurt sauceasideatleast15 minutes to blendflavors Saucecanbepreparedupto1 hourinadvanceandrefrigerated.

Preheatbroilertohighwithrack3inches fromheatsource

Broilsteakabout10minutesoneachside to minimum internal temperature of 145 F. Letcool5minutesbeforecarving

Slicethinlyacrossgraininto12slices

Servethreesliceswith½cupyogurtsauce

Tip: Serve in sandwich with pita bread, lettuceandtomato.

Teriyaki-Glazed Salmon with Stir-Fried Vegetables

Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes

Servings: 4

Salmon:

¼cupmirinorsweetricewine

2tablespoonsricevinegar

2tablespoonsscallions, rinsedandminced

1½tablespoonsginger,minced

12ouncessalmonfillets,cutinto fourportions(3ounceseach)

Vegetables:

1bag(12ounces)frozenvegetables stir-fry

½tablespoonpeanutoilorvegetableoil

½tablespoongarlic,minced (about1clove)

1tablespoonginger,minced

1tablespoonscallions, rinsedandminced

1tablespoonlightsoysauce Preheatovento350F.

To prepare salmon: Mix teriyaki sauce mirin, rice vinegar scallions and ginger well Pour over salmon and marinate 10-15 minutes

Removesalmonfrommarinadeandplace onbakingsheet.Bake10-15minutes,oruntil fish flakes easily with fork in thickest part andreachesminimuminternaltemperature of145F.

To prepare vegetables: Thaw frozen vegetables in microwave or place bag in bowlofhotwaterabout10minutes Inlarge wokorsautepan,heatoil Addgarlic,ginger andscallions;cookgently,butdonotbrown, 30-60seconds

Add vegetables and continue stir-frying 2-3 minutes, or until heated through Add soysauce

Serveonepieceofsalmonwith1cupvegetables.

Baked Pork Chops with Apple Cranberry Sauce

Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

PorkChops: „ 4bonelessporkchops (about3ounceseach)

teaspoongroundblackpepper

1mediumorange,rinsedandzested

tablespoonoliveoil

Sauce: „ ¼cuplow-sodiumchickenbroth „ 1mediumapple,peeledandgrated (about1cup)

cinnamonstick

cupdriedcranberries

cup100%orangejuice

Preheatovento350F.

To prepare pork chops: Season pork chopswithpepperandorangezest.

In large saute pan, heat olive oil over mediumheat.Addporkchopsandcookuntil brownedononeside,about2minutes.Turn and brown 2 minutes. Remove pork chops from pan, place on nonstick baking sheet and bake 10 minutes to minimum internal temperatureof160F.

To make sauce: Add chicken broth to sautepanandstirtoloosenbrownbitsfrom porkchops Setaside

Insmallsaucepanovermediumheat,cook grated apples, cinnamon stick and bay leaf untilapplesbegintosoften Add cranberries orange juice and reserved broth. Bring to boil then lower heat to gentle simmer Simmer 10 minutes, oruntilcranberriesareplumpandapplesare tender Removecinnamonstick.

Peelorangeandcutintoeightsections Serveoneporkchopwith¼cupsauceand twoorangesegments.

Why less sunlight in the wintertime can put you at risk of depression

ByJanetA.Aker MHS Communications

DuringwintermonthsatFortWainwright in Alaska, the sun comes up around 10 a.m. and sets a little bit before 3 p.m. Along with the frigid weather, the extended darkness creates an increased risk of depression and othermentalhealthproblems.

That’swhyatinstallationslikeFortWainwright,militaryofficialsareacutelyawareof therisksofSeasonalAffectiveDisorder,also known as SAD, which is the medical term for a seasonally triggered change in behavior that can affect anyone but especially at higherlatitudeswherethedaysareshortest SAD can be hard to recognize because its onsetisasslowasthechangingseasons

“Oneofthemostchallengingthingsabout identifying Seasonal Affective Disorder is thattheonsetcanbeverysubtle,”saidArmy Capt.JulieDederer,apsychologistatBassett

Army Community Hospital at Fort WainwrightnearFairbanks Alaska,said.

“This can cause delays in patients identifying that something is wrong, and in accurately identifying it for treatment once the patientdoesseektreatmentforit.”

Theproblembecomesmostacutearound thistimeofyear,nearthewintersolstice,or the northern hemisphere’s shortest day of theyear,whichusuallyfallsonDec 21.

Anyonecanbeaffectedeachyearregardlessoflatitude

“SAD can occur regardless of geographic location, especially if people have a history of mental health issues or depression,” said U.S. Public Health Service Officer Lt Hana Kim, the assistant department head of the outpatientbehavioralhealthdepartmentat the Navy Medicine Readiness and Training CommandinJacksonville Florida.

There is a relatively high rate of reoccurrence “in that individuals who experience an episode of SAD are significantly more likelytoexperienceanotherepisodethenext year,” Dederer said. The good news is that this“providesanopportunityforpreventive measures.”

At Fort Wainwright, soldiers can borrow lightboxes,whichprovidebroad-spectrum light that mimics daylight Light boxes are bestusedinthemorning,Kimsaid.

“FormildtomoderateSAD,lightboxtherapy is the first line of therapy,” she said. For more severe cases, antidepressant medications such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors known as SSRIs, might be prescribed

Lifestyle Changes Can Help

AgooddealoftreatmentforSADinvolves behavioralandlifestylechanges

There are other contributing factors to SAD and its severity, which can include reduced physical activity poor diet, social isolation, and spending less time on enjoyable activities Dederer said. To address someoftheseissues,sherecommends:

Socializingmorewithfamilyandfriends

Additionally, she suggested getting your vitaminDlevelscheckedduringthewinter Low vitamin D is a possible medical factor with SAD, although there is no conclusive scientific evidence to support that. Fort WainwrightprovidesfreevitaminDsupplementson-post.

Kimemphasizedasimportant“goodsleep hygiene going to bed at the same time every night, no naps, and no caffeine in the afternoon.”

Additionally, she suggested adopting a “generally healthy lifestyle and exercising whichreleasesgoodendorphinsinthebrain and can help counteract any weight gain caused by overeating, and limiting excess alcohol.”

SAD Education

At Wainwright, the potential for SAD is addressed immediately upon a service member’s arrival, regardless of the time of year

Wainwrighthasanoutreachcomponent, where behavioral health staff brief every soldierwithintheirfirstweekonbase They discuss challenges in Alaska’s climate and environment, signs of SAD and resources for addressing the condition.

“The hope is that the brief gives soldiers the information to encourage them to be proactive in identifying and preventing SAD symptoms,” Dederer said

If SAD symptoms are identified in a soldier, the behavioral staff at Bassett “assess the extent to which symptoms might be seasonally driven” and recommend a treatment plan, she added.

SAD and Social Isolation

“Beware of the challenges in comparing your own needs to those of the people around you,” Dederer said.

“In winter, many people socialize less, which means they interact with their friends less often,” she said.

Forinstance “Theymaybelievetheyare the only one struggling with the ‘winter blues’ and are reluctant to seek help due to stigma. Or they think everyone is experiencing the same thing and there is no reason or benefit to seeking help Both comparisons can be harmful in preventing someonefromseekinghelptoaddresstheir symptoms,” Dederer cautioned.

“The upside is that these interventions areeasytodoonyourownandaccessibleto pretty much anyone,” Dederer said.

“The downside however is that the nature of SAD is cyclical those with SAD have lower energy because of the reduced sunlight exposure, so they spend less time doing activities such as exercising and socializing with friends and the withdrawal from these activities increases feelingsoffatigueanddepression,makingit hardertoputthelifestylechangesinplace.”

“The most important thing is to not take it lightly,” Kim said. “Don’t chalk it up to winter blues, especially if you feel this way for more than two weeks.” Since SAD is a subtype of depression, it can lead to more severe depression and suicidal ideation

“There are good treatment options for SAD, so reach out.”

More inclusive research key to understanding prevalence of dementia

By:ClaudiaSanchez-Bustamante MHS Communications

Rather than being considered a specific disease, the National Institute on Aging defines dementia as a general term for a range of neurological conditions that affect thebrainandgetworseovertime Itincludes losing the ability to remember, think, and reasontolevelsthataffectyoureverydaylife andactivities.

Thoughdementiaaffectsoversixmillion people in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that womenareathigherrisk—nearlytwicethat ofmen—ofdevelopingAlzheimer’sdisease, one of several progressive cognitive disorderscommoninolderadults.

According to the NIA, there are several typesofdementia: „ Alzheimer’sdisease:Causedbychanges in the brain, including abnormal buildups ofproteins,it’sthemostcommondementia diagnosis among older adults. According to the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease, “It is a major public health issue and will increasingly affect the health and well-beingofthepopulation.”

„ Frontotemporal dementia: Rare and tends to occur in people younger than 60 who have abnormal amounts or forms of certainproteins.

„

Lewybodydementia:CausedbyabnormaldepositsofaproteincalledLewybodies.

„

Vascular dementia: Caused by conditionsthatdamagebloodvesselsinthebrain orinterrupttheflowofbloodandoxygento thebrain

„ Mixed dementia: A combination of two ormoretypesofdementia

Risk Factors for the Military

Military service members “may be at greaterriskfordevelopingdementiaduetoa higherprevalenceoftraumaticbraininjury post traumatic stress disorder, and depression, accordingtoa2019NationalInstitutes of Health study the Department of Defense supported

The study included a cohort of female veterans aged 55 and older and concluded that women with TBI, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder had an increased risk of developing dementia than women without those diagnoses It also found that female veterans with multiple risk factors had more than twice the risk of developingtheconditionthanthosewhodid nothavethoseconditions

Thisandotherstudieslikeithelpexplain why “veterans are at increased risk of dementia due to some risk factors associated with being in the military,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Elizabeth Trahan a clinical neuropsychologist and mental health flight commanderwiththe96thMedicalGroupat EglinAirForceBase,inFlorida.

Deployed service members “probably aren’t sleeping as well,” Trahan continued. “Andtheymaybeatincreasedrisktotrauma exposure if they’re in a combat zone or if they’reexposedtoalotofexplosives.”

“But those risks don’t only happen in a deployedenvironment,”saidTrahan

“We have a lot of service members who havetraumaandTBIfromtrainingexercises ornonmilitaryrelatedactivities,butdeploymentsmakeservicemembersmoreproneto beexposedtothoseconditionswhichcould potentiallyincreasetheirrisk,”shesaid

Although there were more than 458,000 reportedtraumaticbraininjuriesintheDOD between 2000-2022, “most TBIs occur in noncombat settings,” according to the Defense Health Agency’s Traumatic Brain InjuryCenterofExcellence

“For example, service members can sustain a TBI during day-to-day activities, such as while playing sports or participating in recreational events, military training, and military deployment,” according to the TBICoE.

Reasons Behind the Inequity

Thereareseveralreasonsfortheinequity, saidTrahan.

“For a long time, the argument was that womenlivelongerthanmen,”shesaid.“So, of course, we were going to have higher numbers of women with dementia simply becausetheywereoutlivingmen.”

But experts know now that that’s not the only reason and that doesn’t solely explain whythathappens,sheadded.

“It’s a complex issue that involves hormones, inflammatory markers, differentrisk factorsthat womenmight be prone to that men might not, but also probably to somestereotypesandbiasesagainstwomen thathaveresultedinlessaccesstoeducation andhealthcareinsomecases.”

Geneticsandreproductioncouldalsoplay a role, said U.S. Air Force Col. (Dr.) Mary Anne Kiel, a pediatrician and chair of the DefenseHealthAgency’sPrimaryCareClinicalCommunity

Yet, for both men and women, there are waystopreventdementia.

“Researchshowsthatupto60%ofdementiamaybepreventablewithahealthierlifestyle”, said Kiel “Other leading research in thisareaestimatesthatoptimizingone’slifestyle may reduce the risk of dementia by as muchas90%.”

Impacts on Readiness

“It’s key to focus on preventative efforts, preventative medicine, those self-help thingsthatpeoplecandototrytogetahead ofitbeforeitbecomesanissue impactsreadiness, and so that it has less of an impact on thestrainonourhealthcareresourcesavailable to veterans and military members,” Trahansaid

“Recommended preventative strategies include a healthy diet, exercise, routine health care, those kinds of things,” she added, emphasizing they’re the same for menandwomen.

“Honestly if it’s good for your body it’s goodforyourbrain, shesaid.

For Kiel, a healthy diet implies changing to a predominantly whole plant foods diet more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, while minimizingprocessedfoodsandeliminatingredand processedmeats.

Sheagreedthatpreventivestrategies “can not only improve our individual readiness but also significantly protect us from negative effects of stressors—such as injury and illness—and aid in recovery as well as minimize the risk of developing future chronic diseases,includingAlzheimer’sdisease.”

Promoting Brain Health

Trahanexplainedimprovingyoursleepis keytobrainhealth.

Shenotedadditionalresearchshows“that peoplewhohaveprolongedsleepproblems arealsoathigherriskfordevelopingdementia.”

Kiel explained that during sleep, “our brainsusethattimetocleanupthetrashthat has accumulated while we’re awake. If we don’tgetadequaterestfulsleep,thoseharmfultoxinsremainandaccumulateovertime in the brain. The buildup of toxic proteins has been linked to Alzheimer’s and dementia.”

Since“sleepisachallengeinthemilitary, justduetothenatureofourjobanddeployments, practicing healthy sleep habits and trying to get an adequate amount of sleep is something else that people can do,” to promotebrainhealth,saidTrahan.

She added it’s important to take on activities that activate the brain “Makesure you do things that are cognitively stimulating,” she said, like staying engaged in social or academic activities with a goal of learning somethingnew.

“Constantly doing something that keeps your brain active helps keep your brain young,”shesaid

Someoftheseactivitiescanincludecrossword puzzles playing a musical instrument, or learning a new language to keep your brain active, challenged, and engaged. However, if you’re already good at those things, it’s time to challenge yourself to do

somethingnew,sayexperts.

More Diverse and Inclusive Research

“Therearelotsofdifferentcorrelationsto thedevelopmentofdementia,”saidTrahan “We need to do more research; we need to learn more about those. And as part of that research, it’s really important to make sure weareincludingwomen.”

She said that some of the limitations and the reasons there are so many unknowns is becausetheresearchisnotincludingdiverse populations Inthecaseofwomen,“wejustdon’tknow enough about why women are at increased risk,” yet much of the available research shows “some pretty big discrepancies in terms of the sample population or that the studypopulationisconductedprimarilyon men,”Trahansaid As such, recruiting women to be a part of theresearchisespeciallyimportant.

DOD Efforts

The DOD has a variety of resources on TBIs, including fact sheets podcasts and more

InJune2022,DODputinplacetheWarfighter Brain Health Initiative, a joint effort betweenoperationalandmedicalcommunitiestobetteraddressthebrainhealthneeds ofservicemembers,theirfamilies,lineleaders, commanders, and their communities atlarge

“The strategy and action plan addresses brainexposures toincludeblastexposures TBl,andlongtermorlateeffectsofTBl,with thegoalofoptimizingbrainhealthandcountering TBI,” said the memorandum Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff ChristopherW.Gradysignedtoimplement theinitiative.

“Ourgoalmustbetoensureourwarfightersareperformingatoptimizedcapacityand if exposed or injured by a known or emerginghazard,wereturnourwarfighterstofull healthtoincludetheirbrainhealthtomaximize each individual’s quality of life,” they saidinthestrategyandactionplan.

Theinitiativeaimsto: „ Optimizecognitiveandphysical performance „ Identify,monitor,andmitigatebrain exposures

Prevent recognize andminimizethe effectsofTBI „ Reduceoreliminatelong-termandlate effects „ Advancewarfighterbrainhealthscience Italsoemphasizesgoodsleepasacritical healthelement.

“We are emphasizing sleep quite a bit in the Comprehensive Strategy and Action Plan for Warfighter Brain Health, said Dr David Brody, chief science and innovation officer at the Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, inBethesda,Maryland

“Across the DOD, including USU, Walter ReedArmyInstituteofResearch,andmany othersites wearedoingmanyresearchstudies to learn how to better treat sleep problemsthatoccurinthemilitary Good,quality sleepiskey, hesaid

For more information on brain health, memory loss, and other markers of dementia,talktoyourhealthcareprovider

U.S.Airmen carrytheirdeployment gearas theyarrive at theJoint MobilityComplexfor exercise PolarForce atJoint Base Elmendorf-Richardson,Alaska,Nov.16 2021.PolarForce is a two-weekexercise designed to testJBER’s mission readinesswhile strengthening and developing the skills service members requirewhen facing adverse situations.