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Celebrating 20 years of serving the Hampton Roads Navy family
Vol. 21, No. 7 Norfolk, VA | flagshipnews.com | 02.21-02.27.13
The multitiered display case that Lt. Carmelo Ayala had in his office holds more than 1,300 of the coins in his military coin collection. He has accumulated at least 1,800 coins in his career.
Naval Station Norfolk holds eating disorder awareness seminar By MC3 Molly Greendeer Naval Station Norfolk Public Affairs
NORFOLK
out to sea, its performance while in theater and the ship’s safety record. “It has taken a team effort to win the 2012 Battle ‘E,’ as well as the departmental ‘Es,’ said Capt. Marcus Hitchcock, Ike’s Commanding Officer, as he announced the results to the crew. “We can take great pride in this accomplishment as it represents that Ike is the best of the best on this waterfront.”
Naval Station (NAVSTA) Norfolk hosted an eating disorder awareness seminar at the base auditorium, Feb. 7. February is National Eating Disorder Awareness Month and NAVSTA Norfolk leaders took the opportunity to focus on the subject, bringing awareness to Sailors and discussing resources for treatment. With the growing concern, NAVSTA Norfolk Command Master Chief David Carter said there is no better time to train our Sailors and leadership on the dangers of eating disorders. “It is important for all levels of leadership to know about eating disorders and be able to recognize some of the symptoms,” he said. “Only through proper training can we get our shipmates the help they need to deal with the disorder and get them on track to a healthy life and Navy career.” There are many factors that play a role in the development of an eating disorder, but according guest speaker Dr. Kim Dennis, a board-certified psychiatrist who specializes in eating disorder treatment at Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center in Lamont, Ill., genetic disposition, early life events and a family history of eating disorders, increase the overall risk of developing an eating disorder. Dennis said that many of the same personality traits, such as perfectionism and the rigid thinking that many patients with disorders possess, are also often found in people serving in the military. “Those traits are what make you good at your job,” said Dennis. Dennis said that joining the military does not necessarily mean someone will develop an eating disorder, but it is a life-altering event. Meaning, for those who already pose a risk of developing an eating disorder, partaking in the intense physically and mentally demanding profession can act as the trigger for the onset of an eating disorder. Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class David Pendly, who attended the seminar, said he is all too aware of the pressure of meeting the physical fitness standards that is put on his Sailors and himself. “The pressure is on for those of us who have struggled with weight problems our whole lives,” he said. “We have to do what we have to do to meet the Navy’s standards or we’re out (of
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Rebecca A. Perron
Navy Lieutenant boasts more than 1,800 coins in military coin collection By Rebecca A. Perron NMCP Public Affairs
PORTSMOUTH
For many service members, transferring from a command means packing up a box or two with family photos and some knick-knacks that once sat on a desk, but for Lt. Carmelo Ayala, who transferred from Branch Health Clinic (BHC) Oceana on Feb. 13, it meant packing up more than 1,800 military coins. Ayala, the former head of the Primary Care Clinic at the branch health clinic, began collecting military coins more than 25 years ago, accumulating them over the years and keeping them on display in his office. His main display rack holds at least 1,300 coins, his secondary about 300. Several smaller racks he kept on his desk hold between 20 and 50. Although he hasn’t counted them in a while, he estimates there are at least
■ that’s a lot of coins Lt. Carmelo Ayala’s main display rack holds at least 1,300 coins, his secondary about 300. Several smaller racks he kept on his desk hold between 20 and 50.
1,800 in the collection – a number that grows by the day. “I really appreciate it when someone gives me a coin,” he said. “It means a lot to me, so I try to do something nice to them in return. Sometimes I have helped them with something already, like putting in an officer package, and this is their way of thanking me.” For Ayala, the coins are more than a piece of metal. “It’s a memory,” he said as he stood on a stool, stretching up to scan through some of the coins displayed on the overhead compartment of his
desk. “Memories. I have to go back and think about it, but I can tell the story of how I got each one.” He definitely remembers the first one, his only wooden coin in the collection. Ayala had joined the Navy in 1985 as a deck seaman, later becoming a hospital corpsman and joining the Nurse Corps. He received that first coin in 1987 while stationed on USS Cimarron (AO 177), a now-decommissioned oiler. “It was a basic coin for Sailor of the Month,” he said. “I was supposed to turn it in to get special liberty. I didn’t need special liberty, so kept the coin. My second was in 1988 for Shellback initiation. I had collected coins as a child, but I realized this was another level because of the intricate level of detail. I always liked coins, but the cool part is these are all different.” There’s a range of sizes within the collection, from as small as a quarter
up to just fitting in the palm of the hand. There seem to be no limits to the designs. Some are holographic, contain photographs or have intricate custom cuts. The cuts include a scorpion, spider, syringe, domino, paw print, ship’s wheel, throwing star and deck of cards. Many have a spinner in which the middle part is cut to spin within the frame of the coin. Some are hand-painted and made with different colors and brush techniques. Ayala looks for any opportunity to add to his collection, and with the word out about the collection, many are always looking for coins to give him, from family and friends to coworkers and patients. “I think they believe I work for food and coins,” he joked. He estimates about 70 percent of the coins were presented to him by the person the coin was made for, or
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INSTALLATIONS TO CONDUCT CITADEL SHIELD IN CONUS Press Release Commander, Navy Installations Command Public Affairs
WASHINGTON
Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces (USFF) and Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) will conduct an annual Force Protection and Anti-Terrorism (FP/AT) exercise Citadel Shield (CS) 2013 onboard naval bases and installations throughout the continental United States, Feb. 19 - March 1. This annual exercise is designed to enhance the training and readiness of Navy security forces to respond to threats to installations and units. The CS 2013 exercise will test different areas of the Navy’s anti-terrorism program and naval security force personnel’s ability to respond to real-world threats. There will be an increase in patrols on and around Navy installations as a result of this planned exercise. Exercise CS 2013 is not in response to any specific threat, but is a regularly scheduled exercise. Measures have been taken to minimize disruptions to normal base and station operations, but there may be times when the exercise causes increased traffic around bases or delays in base access.
SAILORS GIVE BACK TO VETS Honor Flight Historic Triangle Virginia (HFHTVA) takes local WWII and terminally ill veterans to the WWII Memorial built in their honor.
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U.S. Navy file photo
IKE RECEIVES BATTLE ‘E’ By SN Brian Wilbur USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Public Affairs
NORFOLK
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) “Ike” was named the top aircraft carrier in the Atlantic Fleet in the 2012 Commander, Naval Air Force Aircraft Carrier Battle Efficiency and Departmental Awards program, Feb. 11. The Battle “E” is awarded annually to ships that display the maximum condition of readiness in their group and
PANETTA ANNOUNCES DISTINGUISHED WARFARE MEDAL
for their capability to perform their wartime responsibilities. The Sailors of Ike won the Battle “E” after a 6-month deployment to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR). The awards come in recognition of Ike’s superior operational performance and accomplishments in 2012. The Battle “E” Award consists of an in-depth overview of the ship’s battle readiness, taking into account a wide variety of factors from the number of days the ship was
Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta approved a new medal designed to recognize service members directly affecting combat operations who may not even be on the same continent as the action.The Distinguished Warfare Medal recognizes the changing face of warfare.
MILITARY-ONLY SCHOLARSHIPS The March deadline for scholarship applications is approaching.The Flagship has compiled important information, including requirements, contact information and more!
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