Vol. 37 No. 15
September 3, 2020
VOTING WHILE OVERSEAS pages 6 & 7
Sigonella Students Return to School National Preparedness Month: Are You Ready?
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Direct Line CMDCM Anna Wood, NAS Sigonella Command Master Chief
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reetings! I am Command Master Chief Anna Natsuyo Wood. What an honor and privilege it is to serve as your new Installation Command Master Chief! I am extremely excited for this opportunity to serve you in this capacity. I would like to share with you a little bit about family, how I was raised and some of my focus areas as a CMC. As anyone who knows me will tell you, I am always eager to talk about my family as they are the center of my world. I am here with my husband, Master Chief Hospital Corpsman Albert Wood, who happens to be the CMC for Naval Medical Readiness and Training Center, Sigonella, also known as our Naval Hospital. We are Surgical Tech “C” school sweethearts and have been married for 23 years and counting. We are big on family values and are blessed with four AMAZING children. Alex is an Airman in the Navy with Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron FOUR ONE in Coronado, California. Mikayla is a senior at the University of San Diego studying international business. Madison and Melody are here with us in Sicily and are considered the “lucky ones” by their older brother and sister because they get to experience youth in this beautiful country. Madison is a junior in high school and Melody is a mighty middle schooler starting 6th grade. For the majority of my childhood, I grew up in Cecilia, which is about an hour from Fort Knox, Kentucky. My father was in the Army, but by the time I was born, he was preparing for retirement and was settling down in the Bluegrass State. I was raised on a farm with lots of cattle, pigs, chickens and a healthy vegetable garden in the back yard. Shout out to my mother who built me into who I am today--she never allowed my sisters or me to give up or say that we couldn’t do something. In her own Okinawan way, she preached one of our Navy Chief mottos of “results, not excuses!” During this initial message, I would like to focus on a simple area of leadership--building good character. What do I mean by “good?” As Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “It’s always the right time to do the right thing.” Over the last 27 years as a Sailor and leader and 22 years as a parent, I have learned that “good” is more than just a simple word; it has a deep meaning for a high standard and doing what is morally right. When I made Chief, I used to think that my
role was solely to build junior Sailors into future leaders in the Navy. Then I started to realize that my parenting skills at home were very similar to my leadership skills at work. At first, I kept both worlds as separate as I could, but finally realized that was impossible for me. I wanted to see everyone succeed not only as quality professionals, but also, and more importantly, as good citizens. I felt that if I modeled and taught the behaviors expected as a quality citizen, the professional Sailor would naturally emerge. By all means, I am not perfect, so I often remind myself, “Don’t strive to LOOK good, strive to BE good.” In closing, I am excited to help further strengthen the bonds among our US militaries, our civilians, and our host nation and NATO partners. I am proud to be here as an American ambassador and am a team player and team leader. I believe in servant leadership and I will work hard for you and what is right. Thank you to all of you--the team of professionals in the workforce, both military and civilian, and those on the home front as well--who make magic happen every day!
September 3, 2020
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Interactive Customer Evaluation Response to Customer Comments Regarding ROM: We have received several comments regarding the restriction-of-movement (ROM) procedures in family housing, temporary lodging, and around base. We have recently published guidance as a note on the NAS Sigonella Facebook page and further information is available at https://www.c6f.navy. mil/COVID-19/ We remind everyone that these are lawful standing orders based on higher DoD orders in conjunction with national and international regulations. Violations of these orders may result in disciplinary action under the UCMJ and/or administrative action for those not subject to the UCMJ. As always, one of our priorities is safety, so please continue to abide by all COVID-related requirements. Customer Comments Regarding Gym Limitations for Dependents and Civilian: I’ve seen that group fitness classes are being reimplemented at the Nas 1 gym and I’m questioning why a group setting class comes before active duty spouses and dependents being allowed back daily? As of now we can only go to use the gym facilities every other day depending on our last name. I would have thought that allowing people to resume everyday attendance where they can still distance would come before a allowing people to group up in a class. Thanks for your time in this matter. --Is it possible to allow patrons to use the NAS 1 gym every day regardless of last name? Every time I have gone, there are less than 7-8 people at most. Perhaps allowing a first come, first serve approach or opening up the space to everyone during late morning/early afternoon when it is less busy? Response: Thank you for taking the time to express your concerns about limitations on fitness facilities. We are happy to announce that the NAS I Fitness Center and the NAS II Fitness Center are now open to all eligible patrons regardless of name/last day, with a reservation. This change, along with the group exercise classes, will provide dependents and civilians more opportunities to work
out during the week. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please feel free to contact our Fitness Director, Elizabeth Leonard, at 6240504 or at Elizabeth.leonard@ eu.navy.mil Response to Customer Comments Regarding Early Pool Closures: We have received comments regarding lifeguards closing the pools earlier than the posted hours. Thank you for reaching out about your concern of our aquatics center. Our pools have designated closing times, and there would have been no reason to close the pool earlier. I’m sorry you had that experience. We will make sure the lifeguards are given clear directions that customers are allowed inside the facility until the closing time. If you have any other concerns, please reach out to Elizabeth Leonard, Fitness Director at DSN 624-0504. Customer Comment Regarding MVRO: When people are PCSing, purchasing vehicles, selling them, trying to renew road tax and get everything needed to abide by the law when operating vehicles it makes it harder to understand why they have shorter hours when we need them most. You are required to call to schedule an appt because walk ins are not allowed but they NEVER answer the phone. Then I get an appointment and they schedule me before lunch and as soon as I get there they continue to take lunch orders and insist that I MUST WAIT because its almost lunch when they scheduled me for that time. Why do we get emails to update insurance and pay road tax but they are never available and with a 0800-1300 they get a lunch when I am trying to set aside time to get things done. UNACCEPTABLE and very unprofessional but I assure you if for any reason they are unable to see me, they will still cut my gas card and email me about not following up faster than you can imagine. "ICE" cont’d on page 11
THE SIGNATURE
U.S. NAVAL AIR STATION SIGONELLA
Commanding Officer Capt. Kevin Pickard Executive Officer Cmdr. Patrick J. Moran Command Master Chief CMDCM Anna Wood EDITORIAL Public Affairs Officer Lt. Karl Schonberg karl.schonberg@eu.navy.mil Assistant Public Affairs Officer Megan Mills megan.mills@eu.navy.mil Public Affairs Leading Petty Officer MC1 Kegan Kay kegan.kay@eu.navy.mil Community Relations Officer Dott. Alberto Lunetta alberto.lunetta.it@eu.navy.mil PAO Staff Writers \ Photographers MC2 Joshua Coté joshua.m.cote@eu.navy.mil MCSA Triniti Lersch triniti.lersch@eu.navy.mil CONTACT US
Naval Air Station Sigonella, Sicily thesig@eu.navy.mil DSN 624-5440; 095-86-5440 PSC 812 Box 7, FPO, AE 09627-0001
This newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the military services overseas. Contents of The Signature are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense (DoD), or the U.S. Navy. Editorial submissions are welcomed from all Naval Air Station Sigonella departments, divisions and tenant commands. Editorial submissions should be sent to the Public Affairs Office via thesig@eu.navy.mil. All articles submitted by non-staff members will be considered contributing writers.
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Name: Angelo Pavone Command: NAS Sigonella Department: Safety/ Fire and Emergency Services
42 Years of Service to Naval Air Station Sigonella
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ngelo was born in Sicily and spent his school years in Cape Town South Africa till 1975. He came back to his home land the following year to continue his studies at the University of Catania. He was attracted by employment opportunities offered by the U.S. Naval Facility and decided to take an offering as firefighter on 31 July 1978. “It is my sincere privilege to join your loved ones, friends, aviation professionals, and military service members in congratulating you on your well-deserved retirement. We celebrate your 42 years of loyal service as a Fireman and Safety Specialist and the contributions you have made to NAS Sigonella’s Fire and Safety programs.” - Capt. Kepper Pickard, NAS Sigonella Commanding Officer
His encounter with his wife Maria made him decide to apply for a job that did not have shift work. He was promoted to Shipment Clerk for the Supply department on 31 July 1981. He then proceeded with another promotion to MVRO Clerk for the Security department on 01 May 1982. His sound ambition made him progress to payroll Technician for the Comptroller department commencing 01 August 1984. An opportunity arose for him to be able to return
to his first job at Sigonella as firefighter and he immediately took a promotion as fire inspector for the Fire Department on 15 October 1990 where he worked as installation fire liaison officer till 31 March 2008. Working for the safety of others prompted his desire to proceed to the safety world where he was promoted to safety specialist commencing 01 April 2008. His successful career at the Naval Air Station has earned his retirement after 42 years of loyal service. “I can express my experience to the U.S. Navy with one word: Gratitude. Gratitude for having given me the possibility of raising a family comfortably. Gratitude for having given me the possibility of working with so many wonderful people. Gratitude for having obtained many friends with whom I am still in contact worldwide. Gratitude for having given me the opportunity of living this wonderful experience. Gratitude for having all of your here today. Grazie for being present today and arrivederci.” -Angelo Pavone, retired
His family is composed of Maria, his son Francesco married to Isabel and Cristina who is currently employed for NAVSUP HQ Sigonella and set to marry Dario shortly. Favorite hobbies are wine making and hiking on mount Etna.
September 3, 2020
Surfactants: Is Doing Your Laundry Bad? By Kenny Eiford, Environmental Engineer, NAS Sigonella Public Works
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he day you’ve been dreading has finally arrived. You’re out of clean underwear and you’re wearing a dress shirt with sweatpants. It’s time to do laundry. You notice your shirt smells worse than normal. Better throw in some extra detergent just to be safe. What’s the harm? Well, before we judge you too harshly for poisoning the earth in exchange for a clean shirt, let’s explore what is actually in that detergent: surfactants! “Surfactants” is shorthand for surface-active agents. The molecular structure of a surfactant molecule reduces the surface tension of a liquid by attracting solids on one side and clinging to water on the other. Basically, that means it makes stuff slippery. This makes surfactants ideal for use in detergents, soaps, cleaners, solvents and paints, among many other products. So what’s the big deal? Well, at high enough concentrations, surfactants can be toxic to plant and animal life. They can also increase the solubility of other toxic substances such as pesticides, helping them spread throughout the environment. And since all detergents and soaps have surfactants, that means we are constantly washing these molecules down the drain. At Sigonella, everything that goes down your drain goes to a wastewater treatment plant. These treatment plants establish conditions which allow the bacteria already present in wastewater to naturally degrade surfactants and other contaminants in our sewage into removable sludge, leaving only water behind. However, too many surfactants at once can overwhelm this process, making the plant less effective at filtering all waste. It can also cause other negative effects such as excessive foaming, thereby creating the grossest foam party imaginable. For all these reasons, Sigonella has set limits for surfactant concentration in our wastewater, and we need your help to meet them. Now, before you go telling your spouse that you can’t do laundry or clean anymore because you love the planet too much, understand that no one expects you to stop using surfactants. Just try to stop using so much. As always, moderation is the key. Here is what you can do to limit surfactant usage: At home: • Use only the recommended amount of any given cleaning product. It’s designed to be more than enough. • Use products with fast-biodegrading or low surfactants. Look for products with an EPA “Safer Choice” icon on the label or search for products at https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice/products Here are some examples of “Safer Choice” products. o ECOS Dishmate Dish Soap o Seventh Generation All Purpose Cleaner o Simple Green All Purpose Cleaner o Honest Co. Laundry Detergent o Arm & Hammer Clean and Simple Detergent • Minimize excessive waste down the drain by buying only as much as you need, or giving away whatever you cannot use. • Lecture your friends on this topic, they will love it! (SPOILER: They will not love it, but do it anyway.) At Work: • Verify that products (even those purchased in town or at the NEX) are on the Authorized Use List (AUL) if they are to be used on base. • Prior to ordering, contact the Environmental Office to see if there is a more environmentally friendly alternative. • Obtain and read the SDS (Safety Data Sheet) of any product you use and follow guidance for product use. • Industrial cleaners, paints, detergents, and other items containing surfactants must be designated for proper disposal by Sigonella Environmental staff, even when diluted. When in doubt, ask. Please don’t just dump it down the drain without permission. In addition to asking for your help, Sigonella will soon be upgrading their wastewater treatment plants and installing membrane bioreactors. This should improve wastewater effluent quality overall and more effectively remove surfactants. Thanks for your help! Let’s clean up this planet… but not with surfactants.
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Voting While Overseas By MC1 Kegan E. Kay, NAS Sigonella Public Affairs
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eing stationed or deployed overseas can be both rewarding and challenging. Staying connected and informed regarding policies and issues back home can be one those challenges; however, even while overseas, U.S. citizens can make sure their voices are heard through absentee voting while overseas. The Uniformed and Overseas Citizen Absentee Voting Act pertains to and safeguards voting rights for U.S. citizen who are 18 years or older and are active duty service members of the Uniformed Services, Merchant Marine, or commissioned corps of the Public Health Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; their eligible family members; and U.S. citizen residing outside the United States. According to the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP), the first step is to submit a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), which is a standardized application used across all states. The FPCA is used as both as a voter registration form and absentee ballot request form and will extend a person’s eligibility to receive a ballot for all federal elections for at least one calendar year. Information regarding elections, both federal and state, are released to commands through the command Voting Assistance Officer(s) (VAO)
who are responsible for ensuring all military members, U.S. citizens working overseas, and their dependents have all the tools necessary to exercise their right to vote. Their duties also include getting the word out and encouraging everyone to vote. “We, as VAOs, cannot do it for you,” said Lt. Timothy Martin, Naval Air Station Sigonella VAO. “Everyone must be proactive to ensure they can vote. We are here to assist in any way we can, but only assist. We cannot fill out the forms for you.” Which elections a person is eligible to vote in is based on their voting residence within their state of legal residence. FVAP.gov describes voting residence as “the address that you consider your permanent home and where you had a physical presence. Your state of legal residence is used for state income tax purposes, determines eligibility to vote for federal and state elections and qualification for in-state tuition rates.” “If you aren’t already registered, do it now,” encourages Martin. “I have put out that August 1st was the date to register by but it’s not too late. Register now or you will not be able to request an absentee ballot.” Ba
From (Your name and current complete military or overseas mailing address)
U.S. Postage Paid 39 USC 3406
PAR AVION International airmail postage is required if not mailed in the U.S. Postal Service, APO/FPO system, or diplomatic pouch.
Ballot Enclosed for __________ Election. (MM/YY)
OFFICIAL ABSENTEE BALLOTING MATERIAL – FIRST CLASS MAIL NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IN THE U.S. MAIL – DMM 703.8.0
To (Your local election office in the United States. Check your State’s pages in the Voting Assistance Guide on FVAP.gov for contact information.)
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September 3, 2020
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Ballot/FWAB States Transmissio
Ballot/FWAB States Transmissio
With the general elections right around the envelope. However, FVAP warns, “some states corner it is important to track your mail-in ballot require you to place ballots and FWABs inside an and state and postal deadlines. anonymous security/secret envelope.” Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics FVAP also suggests, “When sending your voting Center (NAVSUP FLC) Sigonella recommends all materials, make sure you have two envelopes; one personnel stationed in Italy to mail all absentee for the ballot Transmission or FWAB and one for actual mailing. Ballot/FWAB States Methods ballots by no later than Oct. 19, 2020 to ensure Place the security envelope along with the other the ballot arrives back to the U.S. in time to be balloting materials inside the mailing envelope.” Transmission Methods counted; however, someBallot/FWAB states have different States “Don’t simply drop your absentee ballot in the Ballot/FWAB States Transmission Methods deadlines, so it is important to know what your mailbox,” said Joe Yanik, NAVSUP FLC Sigonella state’s requirements are. Public Affairs Officer. “Instead, bring it to your local If a person is worried about their absentee ballot military post office to receive a tracking number not arriving in time to mail back by the deadline, for in-transit visibility and delivery confirmation a backup option is to use the Federal Write-In when it arrives at your local election offices.” Absentee Ballot (FWAB) which is available on It is up to the individual to educate themselves the FVAP.gov website. To use the FWAB, fill it in, on the issues and decide who they want to vote review to make sure everything is correct, print it, for, but for any problems or questions in regards to sign it, and then mail it. registering to vote, absentee ballots, or eligibility, In the event that the absentee ballot arrives then the command or sponsor’s command VAO is after having mailed the FWAB, FVAP.gov said to the person to contact. “complete and return it. If both the FWAB and *FVAP.gov also has a Frequently Asked Question Alabama – Online also available. Online * Florida - Fax only if the voter is outside state absentee ballot are received by the deadline, page assist people questions. onlythat if votermay requested absentee ballot with thetheir U.S. by email/online and voter isand located only one will be counted.” “Go to FVAP.gov select your state,” explains * Iowacan – Email and fax only for overseas outside the territorial limits of the U.S. allot/FWAB States Transmission Methods When mailing the ballot, postage is not necessary Martin. “Every question you have be answered Uniformed Service members and all if using the postage-paid template on FVAP. there and if you need assistance reach out towho [the * Arizona – Online also available. Online other UOCAVA voters are located submission in a hostile fire area. gov which can be printed on any available blank VAOs]. ” available if a voter receives instruction from their local election
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The breathtaking Catania Opera House, one of the most magnificent opera theaters in the world, is named, like many other places in the city, after legendary 19th-century composer Vincenzo Bellini. It was inaugurated in 1890 with a performance of Bellini’s masterpiece Norma. (photo by Giuseppe Stimolo)
Catania Opera House and Pasta alla Norma, it’s all about Bellini!
By Dr. Alberto Lunetta, NAS Sigonella Public Affairs hen you first landed in Sicily, you might have noticed that the Catania Airport is named after Vincenzo Bellini, one of the most famous opera composers of the 19th century who was nicknamed “Il Cigno catanese” (The Catanian Swan). Bellini is also the name of Catania’s Teatro Lirico (Opera House), one of the most beautiful theaters in the world which is located in the historic heart of the enchanting city. So, who was this composer whose name can be found all over Catania? Vincenzo Bellini was born in Catania, Sicily, on November 1st, 1801. He lived with his grandfather, who was among those who taught him music. Music ran in the family; his grandfather was a composer-organist for a local nobleman. By the age of seven, he already composed holy music. A Sicilian nobleman, struck by this child’s musical talent, persuaded Bellini’s father to allow his little son to be sent to Naples, where he offered to pay the child’s expense for learning music in the city. Bellini’s first work for the stage was produced while he was still at the musical academy. “Adelson e Salvini” was performed in 1825, after which he collected other successes with operas like, “La Sonnambula,” “Il Pirata,” and “I Capuleti ed i Montecchi,” which was a brilliant success. Part of its fame was due to its popular subject, the story of Romeo and Juliet, a famous Shakespearean tragedy. His eighth opera, “Norma,” staged on December 26, 1831, was a fiasco at first. After few more performances, though, it became one of the world’s opera masterpieces. Even if you are not an opera buff, at some point in your life you have probably listened to “Casta Diva,” the most
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famous aria of Vincenzo Bellini’s “Norma,” which was made famous by legendary singer Maria Callas. According to tradition, the popularity of “Norma” led to the name of a traditional mouthwatering pasta dish from Catania with tomato sauce, eggplant and plenty of grated ricotta salata, or salty ricotta cheese. The story goes that Sicilian playwright Nino Martoglio was so impressed by this pasta that he compared it to the famous Bellini opera. In 1883, Bellini was invited to direct his operas in London and Paris, but eight months later, his short life ended. He was only 33 years old. He body was brought back to his hometown, Catania, and there he was buried in the Cathedral. In order to honor its famous son, the city of Catania decided to give his name to the opera house, the public gardens (Villa Bellini), the Music School, the museum located in the house where the composer was born, and, most recently, the airport. The must-see Bellini opera house was designed by Andrea Scala and Carlo Sada and was inaugurated in 1890 with the famous “Norma.” Its orchestra pit can host 105 musicians, 1,200 seats and a choir of 84. This architectural jewel is located inside the historic center of Catania and represents the core of the city’s artistic life. Ernesto Bellanti painted the frescoes on the ceiling that represent the” Triumph of Bellini,” as well as scenes from four of his famous operas. The auditorium has an excellent acoustics thanks to the concave shape of the ground under the floor of the theater. For more information, details about the opera and symphonic seasons as well as guided tours, please visit https://www.teatromassimobellini.it
September 3, 2020
Sigonella Students Return to School By Megan Mills, NAS Sigonella Public Affairs
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n Monday, August 24, Sigonella students stepped into school buildings for the first time in 167 days. After a spring spent in remote learning, Sigonella Elementary School and Sigonella Middle/High School opened their doors to students for the start of the 2020-2021 school year. In order to serve its mission of educating military-connected students, the Department of Defense Educational Activity provided all students with the choice of either in-person school or virtual school. Families selected their mode of education by July 28, at which time around 90% of students in DoDEA schools in Italy chose to return to brick and mortar schools. Meg Lynes’s first grade daughter was excited to return to the classroom. “She was so excited to see her friends in person and get to sit at a real desk. She loves learning and truly missed being in a classroom,” she said. Sigonella teachers returned to work on August 17 to plan for the new school year and prepare for new precautions, based on guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and the Department of Defense, to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. One safeguard involved rearranging classrooms to maximize space between desks. “Sigonella is an incredibly supportive community,” said Dale Moore, principal. “In addition to the hundreds of man hours teachers put in to preparing classrooms and learning how to mitigate Covid-19, we were fortunate to have a group of dedicated military members who volunteered their time to work alongside the teachers to prepare the building. They turned a deserted campus into a whole new learning environment in the matter of a couple of days.” Other safety measures are in place to protect students and staff. When six feet of distance cannot be maintained, students and teachers must wear masks. Water fountains may only be used for refilling water bottles, students may not share supplies, and times for hand washing and sanitizing are built into the daily schedule. Nevertheless, teachers and staff have found ways to keep students engaged and learning. Though playground equipment is closed according to DoDEA guidelines, students are still able to take breaks. “We are utilizing outdoor spaces around campus in new ways and encouraging mask-free time when students can appropriately maintain social distancing requirements,” said Richard Dye, assistant principal. Virtual school also began on August 24. In addition to the existing DoDEA Virtual High School, the newly created DoDEA Virtual School K-8 option serves younger students in an online format. Students enrolled in the virtual option must commit for one semester but may return in January if they choose. While NAS Sigonella is currently in Health Protection Condition Bravo, which allows for in-person schooling, if the HPCON changes to Charlie, students in the building will transition to remote learning led by their classroom teachers. Virtual students would not be affected. In a newsletter to parents, incoming SES principal Courtney Schonffeldt wrote, “It’s been amazing to see students back in the building, and our staff is working diligently to provide the safest learning space for each child.” For more information on the DoDEA Returning to School guidelines, visit https://www.dodea.edu/returntoschool. cfm.
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National Preparedness Month: Are You Ready? By ABH2 Kelly Williams , NAS Sigonella Emergency Operations Center eptember is National Preparedness Month (NPM) and emergency occur. Decide on fire escape route for each room one of Emergency Management’s favorite times of the of your home, locations where you can meet up if you get year. NPM was started in 2004 and is sponsored by FEMA, separated, or perhaps what to do or where to hide if there’s an with a goal of helping communities throughout the nation active shooter or a shelter-in-place is ordered. to take steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, You have the ability to make plans for every instance, so do businesses, schools, and communities to include natural it! Should a disaster occur, you’ll be glad that you prepared disasters and terrorist attacks. No one ever plans to be in a your plans. “real world” disaster, and that in itself is the reason why we Your plans should also include who will be in charge of should all be prepared. your emergency / disaster response kits. Don’t have one? As our nation continues to respond to COVID-19, there On https://www.ready.gov you can see a great list of items is no better time to be involved than this September. Here to have in your kit for a multitude of occasions and don’t in Sigonella we encourage everyone to do what they can to forget to make a kit for your pets too! If you need any further prepare themselves and their families. This year’s theme is: assistance with kits, we at Emergency Management can point “Disasters Don’t Wait. Make Your Plan Today.” you in the right direction for putting one together and also One of the most important things you can do to ensure you help you think of ways to tailor your kits personally and for are prepared for any emergency is to Make a Plan. Talk to your specific instances. friends and family about how you will communicate before, And as always please make sure all your information during, and after a disaster. Make sure to update your plan including any dependents are up to date for our AtHoc, based on the Centers for Disease Control recommendations also referred to as Mass Warning and Notification System. due to the Coronavirus. Taking a few minutes or even a few If you should ever find yourself in a real world emergency hours every now and again to sit down with your family please don’t hesitate to call the EOC’s Emergency Dispatch and create or go over existing emergency plans. Including Center (our 911) at 095-86-1911 or DSN 624-1911. For children in this process will help them to understand all of non-emergencies, you can contact the Emergency Dispatch the details and their individual responsibilities should an Center at 095-86-5225 or DSN 624-5225.
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Response from Jenna Towers, MVRO Director: Thanks for taking the time to provide your comments concerning your recent experience at the MVRO. Your feedback is extremely important to the Command in letting us know where we can improve delivery of services to youthe Customer. While the COVID pandemic has unfortunately reduced MVRO’s office hours, it has not limited our customer service responsiveness. Walk in services are currently being provided Monday- Friday 0800-1300. Please refer to the most current NASSIG All Hands Messages in your email for the most up to date information or any future changes to our operating hours or services. At this time we are in the process of implementing an automated prompt system designed to answer general questions regarding the services the MVRO provides as well as a voicemail system, which ideally will alleviate any future unresponsiveness issues. In the meantime, we greatly apologize for missing your call and its undue inconvenience. As always, if you are not able to reach us by DSN, inquiries are encouraged to be sent via email to nassigmvro@ eu.navy.mil where it will be met with a response. With respect to your comment surrounding your lunchtime appointment- you are correct. Your appointment should have begun at its scheduled time. Please keep in mind, however, that not all employees provide the same services and that our appointments are scheduled at specific intervals to allow adequate time for transactions to be accomplished. Without specifics on your initially scheduled slot and incurred wait time, it is difficult for me address. We will, however, try to mitigate this through employee training to ensure that you have as smooth an experience as possible when you visit the MVRO. Finally, in any case where a less
September 3, 2020
than professional interaction with a member of the staff occurs, it should be immediately brought to the Supervisors attention or to the attention of the Security Officer so it can be addressed. Customer Comments Regarding Hours of Fitness Facilities: We have received numerous comments about the hours of fitness facilities here at NAS Sigonella and we thank you for reaching out about your concerns. Regarding the fitness center hours, we understand that the current hours of operation are more limited than in the past, but low staffing levels and increased COVID-19-related cleaning requirements have restricted our schedule. Fortunately, we will be onboarding additional staff members during the next few weeks and we are happy to inform you that, barring any additional changes or restrictions, the fitness center hours of operation will be expanding in the near future. Regarding the pool hours, with weekend recreational swim coming to an end on September 7, the number of lap swim lanes will increase, providing more opportunities for active duty service members to utilize that service. For the winter season, which began on September 1, the lap swim hours will be as follows: NAS I: Monday through Friday from 1100-1300 and 1500-1800. NAS II: Monday through Friday from 1100-1300, Monday/ Wednesday/Friday from 0530-0830, and Friday from 1500-1800. These hours are identical to last year’s. As it stands, we only have enough lifeguards to accommodate morning lap swim at one pool facility, and we chose NAS 2 for morning lap swim to accommodate the large population of service members that work and reside there. If you work early at NAS 1 and cannot make
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it to NAS 2 for morning swim, we encourage you to utilize the NAS 1 lunch swim hours (1100-1300) or afternoon/evening lap swim hours (1500-1800). We understand that our hours may not meet everyone’s needs. If your situation does not allow you to use the gyms or pools, we encourage you to download the NOFFS app which will provide an array of workouts that can be done outside of a fitness center to achieve the same effective results. If you have any other concerns, please reach out to Elizabeth Leonard, Fitness Director at DSN 624-0504. Customer Comment Regarding The Signature: I have been onboard now for about 8 months and I was told that the Signature used to be in print format instead of online. Being an older woman I enjoy reading paper instead of a computer screen. Can we readdress this and go back to printing the Signature? I can also use the paper to start my BBQ grill which is a plus after I read it! Response from PAO: Thank you for your question. As has been previously discussed, there are several benefits to the switch to an all-digital format: we have reduced our environmental impact, we are able to provide higher quality coverage, and we have improved our online experience. For example, on the Issuu publishing platform, our readers are able to zoom in to enlarge text as well as access mobileoptimized articles on their phones. If you prefer to read The Signature on paper or start your BBQ, we recommend printing the PDF at https://www.cnic.navy.mil/regions/ cnreurafcent/installations/nas_ sigonella/news/The_Signature.html or buy a propane grill :).
WWII TOURS
SEPT 20
Landing Tour Part I
Depart: NAS II 7:00 am, Marinai 7:15 am, NAS I 7:30 am Return: 6:30 pm Cost: $65/$50 Liberty (Includes transportation, local guide, fees & lunch)
SEPT 26
Plemmirio Archeological Hike Depart: NAS II 8:00 am, Marinai 8:15 am, NAS I 8:30 am Return: 5:00 pm Ages: 18+ Cost: $45/$35 Liberty (Includes Sicilian beer and panino)
SEPT 27
Landing Tour Part II
Depart: NAS II 8:00 am, Marinai 8:15 am, NAS I 8:30 am Return: 7:30 pm Cost: $50/$40 Liberty ($45 if you took part in the WWII Part 1 Tour)
