August 7, 2020
Vol. 37 No. 13
SIGONELLA USO STAYS THE COURSE pages 6 & 7
IN MEMORIAM HN ARTURO RIVERA
ADMIRAL BURKE VISITS NAS SIGONELLA
The Signature
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Direct Line NAS Sigonella Security Officer Lt. Nathan Ouellette
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iao Sigonella Warriors, Many of you may have noticed that traffic in the triangle was on the decline up until about a month or so ago. As we a transition to a new normal, it is now picking back up. The cars you see on the road carry shipmates, fellow employees, and families with young children, as well as Sicily’s workforce getting back out after being cooped up for months. This means that we will all be more at risk for car accidents as our communities come back out on the roads. Italy has some unique driving norms that we don’t see in many other places, especially in the United States. Speeding and illegal passing is commonplace, and, unfortunately, some drivers in our NAS Sigonella community tend to adopt that norm. However, this should not be the case. On average, NAS Sigonella experiences at least one traffic accident a day, and most, if not all, are completely avoidable. Just in the past two months we have received reports of multiple flipped over vehicles and dozens of traffic accidents, some with injuries. So what can you do? Slow down; plan ahead. Nothing is ever too urgent to place you, your passengers, or others on the road in danger. It is always better to arrive five minutes later than to put yourself at risk of a speeding ticket, an accident, or worse—injuring or killing someone. Speed kills! ALWAYS wear your seatbelt. Develop the habit for yourself and your passengers. Make it a rule to never put the car in drive without everyone buckled up. Some accidents cannot be prevented by you alone, and seatbelt usage is your best first and last line of defense. It could also be the factor that allows you to walk away from a major accident with only minor injuries. Report unsafe driving practices. Provide the Security Department or your supervisor with a good description of unsafe driver’s vehicle and plate numbers if possible. In all cases, we can collaborate with host nation (HN) Law Enforcement to assist. In cases where the drivers are issued NATO licenses and registered with the base, we can and will engage unsafe drivers. In several recent cases, where a swift and accurate reports were made, we were able to find and engage with violators through their leadership. Call us. We are here and ready to assist 24 hours a day for emergencies: Base dispatch – from a landline on base: 911; from a cell or off base: 095-86-1911 or 095-56-1911.
For non-emergencies: Security CID – DSN 624-4995 or commercial line 095-86-4995. Security Desk – DSN 624-6063 or commercial line 095-86-6063. NAS I Security Liaison – DSN 624-4522 or commercial line 095-56-4522. NAS II Security Liaison – DSN 624-2795 or commercial line 095-86-2795. Our goal is to keep our shipmates and HN partners safe and alive to continue the phenomenal work that we all do here at NAS Sigonella. This will also ensure you have a great time while you are assigned here to enjoy the warm Sicilian people, distinct culture, and long history that this place has to offer. Let’s take care of each other through personal and proactive involvement when it comes to driving safely. The bottom line is you CAN make a difference through driving safely and reporting those who don’t.
August 7 2020
Interactive Customer Evaluation Comments Regarding NAS II Barracks Parking : Can we get the parking situation for the NAS2 barracks straightened out? Are we allowed or not allowed to park on the gravel? We are also not allowed to park next to the building but the military building managers park there during work, during a stop at the barracks. Lastly can the government vehicles for the barracks NGIS and whoever else move. There is no need to take up our parking with a 20ft van occupying two spots or a small golf cart doing the same. I would assume the same issue is at NAS 1 as well because MWR and NGIS are right there as well. Response from CO: At a previous town hall, a question was asked about parking on the gravel for NAS II barracks, and I gave the okay. After further review and discussion with Public Works and Housing departments regarding the issue, it became clear that I was in error, and I apologize. I have decided that the NAS II parking garage is the primary parking lot for residents at Building 623. While we recognize that this parking area isn’t immediately adjacent to the barracks, it does provide an appropriate number of parking spots and has the additional benefit of being covered to protect your vehicle from the elements. The zero-scaped gravel area is designed as maintenance free landscaping and not a parking area. Continued use of the landscaping as a parking area inevitably damages the landscaping due to the weight of the cars. This damage is exacerbated when it rains. In the long term, we recognize that parking will continue to be an issue but we will coordinate with public works to determine the feasibility of other more convenient parking areas. I assure you that a Sailor’s quality of life is one of my top priorities. With respect to concerns about housing staff parking, building managers and housing staff should only park in designated areas. Parking in fire lanes or other unauthorized areas is not permitted.
We appreciate your concern, and you are always encouraged to your questions to your barracks Resident Advisor (RA) or Duty Complex Manager (DCM) in person or by cell phone. Phone numbers are posted outside their office. Additionally you can always reach out directly to the Unaccompanied Housing Manager, Tim Cremeans, at 6244075 (norman.cremeans@eu.navy.mil) or the Installation Housing Director Peter Faulk at 624-4070 (peter.faulk@eu.navy. mil). Comment Regarding Marinai Maintenance: Good morning. I would like to lodge a complaint about the notification process for planned maintenance in Marinai Family Housing. I received an email this morning regarding work being done on the roofs of all the units in Marinai to install “anti-fall” equipment. The notice stated the work was going to be initiated and completed a few days later. Approximately one hour after receiving the notification, the maintenance workers began drilling into the roof, completely taking us by surprise, as we were not expecting them until the later in the week. I understand that the contractor likely was working faster than expected. The notification process should have been more thorough and indicated a window of time the work could be completed, instead of a singular date and then the workers showing up two days before. It would be appreciated if in the future, the notification process was more timely and thorough. Thank you. Response: We received a comment in which a resident of Marinai received only one hour’s notice before a maintenance crew started working on their house. Thank you for notifying us of this issue. We discussed your comment with the housing director, and we recognize that lack of advance notice is a problem and should not have happened. We strive for constant process improvements, and we are working to make sure that this does not happen again. If you are given insufficient maintenance notice please reach out to the "BZ" cont’d on page 11
3 COVER PHOTO: Courtesy of USO Sigonella, by Clara Jenkins.
THE SIGNATURE
U.S. NAVAL AIR STATION SIGONELLA
Commanding Officer Capt. Kevin Pickard Executive Officer Cmdr. Patrick J. Moran Command Master Chief CMDCM Nancy Estrada 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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ARTURO RIVERA
1998 - 2020
In Memoriam
By Lt. William Spence, Pharmacist, Naval Hospital Sigonella cannot say enough good things about this Corpsman, and I am clearly not alone in this sentiment. People from across the entire hospital, the entire installation, people from the States, people from the Navy Pharmacy community, people who used to be stationed here – they have all reached out to talk about the positive impact he made in their daily lives. I have never met another individual who is always smiling, always happy, always laughing. And his positivity was resilient. He could weather me on my grouchiest day and come back for more. I could accurately gauge my level of grouchiness by whether or not a shot of espresso would magically appear on my desk. There was nobody he did not like and there was nobody that did not like him. Patients absolutely adored him. He truly cared about each and every one of them and treated them all with dignity and respect. He could handle even the most challenging patient with a smile on his face and kindness in his heart. He was the heart and soul of this pharmacy and he was the perfect choice to serve as the one in charge of Morale, Welfare, and Recreation. In the ways that mattered, he was already responsible for our happiness so this appointment just made it official. He loved this responsibility. He put an incredible amount of time, effort, energy, and love into every facet of this job – honestly, he put those words into everything he did. HN Rivera even cared about people he never met. He volunteered at least 50 hours in the service of those less fortunate than him in our local community of Sicily. It brought HN Rivera joy to bring others joy. I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about his intelligence, work ethic, and dedication to patient safety. Although a brand new Corpsman, he was fully competent to staff in all areas of the pharmacy. This is fortunate because it seemed like all the challenges and difficult patients coincided with HN Rivera’s overnight call schedule. Because of his attitude, intelligence, and confidence-inspiring abilities, I had no hesitation allowing him to train new Corpsman – a pretty huge level of trust in someone who had only been a pharmacy technician for approximately 6 months at the time. In fact, because of the level of trust he earned, he was put in charge of all training for the entire department. He had that spark, that drive, in him coupled with an innate ability to make people feel good about themselves. He would have made the best kind of leader. He was the best kind of leader. I want everyone to know how honored I am for the chance to have had this individual in my life. I am so incredibly thankful for the time I had with him and I will be forever changed by his impact on my life.
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August 7 2020
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Europe’s Top Admiral Visits Critical Naval Air Station in Italy By MC1 (SW/AW) Kegan E. Kay, NAS Sigonella Public Affairs
dm. Robert P. Burke, commander, U.S. Naval Forces A Europe-Africa (CNE-CNA) and commander, Allied Joint Force Command (JFC) Naples, visited Naval Air Station
(NAS) Sigonella, Italy, for his first regional familiarization visit, Aug. 6, 2020. During his time onboard NAS Sigonella, Burke met with base and NATO leadership before holding an all hands call with Sailors, Marines, and civilians from NAS Sigonella and tenant commands. “As the new commander of U.S. Naval Forces EuropeAfrica and Allied Joint Force Command Naples, I wanted to come here to introduce myself, learn more about the critical missions NAS Sigonella facilitates, and meet with the men and women who execute our mission day in and day out,” explained Burke. His remarks as the new CNE-CNA focused on different topics such as Sigonella’s mission capabilities, accomplishments, strategic location to support U.S. military operations, and quality of life concerns. Burke also said that he, as the former Vice Chief of Naval Operations, was keenly aware of all the operational and logistical “miracles” NAS Sigonella performed on a daily basis. “The critical importance of what this air station does is often invisible to the rest of the fleet,” said Burke. “But it is absolutely essential to a global Navy like ours.” Burke also stressed the importance of working well with each other and communication within departments in mitigating COVID-19. “Make sure you’re talking to your team, that they understand the risk and how to take necessary precautions,” said Burke. “COVID is still a concern; we must not let our guard down. We’ve done a good job mitigating risk in our theater, but we need to be ready for another wave of the virus
here in Europe.” Following the all hands call, Burke toured the CNE Maritime Ashore Support Team (DET MAST) prior to having lunch with Sailors at Ristorante Bella Etna Galley. The CNE DET MAST is a mobile communication detachment that has the ability to support full mobile command, control, communications and computer capability. “I appreciate everything you do in support of our Navy, our Nation and our Alliance,” said Burke. “Your accomplishments have been remarkable. You are at the tip of the spear, and your work is vital to our operations.” After lunch, Burke continued his base tour, meeting with commander, Task Force (CTF) 67 leadership and participating in tours of Naval Supply Systems Command Sigonella, Naval Hospital Sigonella, Fleet and Family Support Services, Department of Defense Education Activity Schools on base, and the Air Force’s 7th Reconnaissance Squadron and 324th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron. “Sigonella is a critical hub in support of U.S. military operations and engagements throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East,” said Burke. “What all of you do here is critical to almost everything the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps and NATO are doing across our area of operations.” NAS Sigonella’s strategic location enables U.S, allied, and partner nation forces to deploy and respond as required to ensure security and stability in Europe, Africa and Central Command. CNE-CNA, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with Allied and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.
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Sigonella USO Stays the Course Story by Megan Mills, NAS Sigonella Public Affairs
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he United Service Organizations, more commonly known as the USO, has been alongside America’s military through a variety of challenges since its founding during World War II, so the speed and capability with which it has adapted to the new normal of COVID-19 is not surprising. As Italy, followed by the rest of the world, imposed restrictions to halt the spread of the novel coronavirus, the USO quickly found new ways to continue its mission of keeping service members “connected to family, home and country throughout their service to the nation.” A non-profit organization that works closely with the United States Department of Defense, the USO has more than 250 locations around the world. Here at NAS Sigonella, the USO center has been providing valuable programming since 2016. In addition to regular flight support at the terminal, they have hosted weekly free lunches, the Taste of Home meal event for unaccompanied service members, trivia and game nights at Umberto’s, the Teddy Bear Club for families with young children, and more. As USO Center Director Brian Coyle puts it, “We do things to put a smile on people’s faces and lift their spirits.” Their work relies on the efforts of a dedicated and trained volunteer force, mostly made up of active duty military members, as well as three full time staff members.
Changing with the Times
Many of these activities were halted when the lockdown was enforced, but that didn’t stop the USO from finding ways to support NAS Sigonella’s community. First, the USO Italy Area began presenting virtual programming, followed by the higher levels of the organization. This initiative quickly took off; in the month of July alone, the USO has hosted virtual events with Jeff Gordon, Kenny “The Jet” Smith, Tamron Hall, David Boreanaz, Charlize Theron and Kiki Layne,
Stephanie Quayle, Chef Joel Gamoran, Craig Morgan, and a star-studded Independence Day special online event and recently a Call of Duty tournament. Many of our local USO programs have adapted with virtual components as well. USO Sigonella began hosting daily cyber challenges, weekly meditation, online trivia and bingo with winners picking up prizes in person, and the Teddy Bear Club became a live video event for families to follow at home with craft kits available from the office. USO Italy has also been hosting Speed Friending online with great success. Now, as restrictions have eased, several in-person programs have resumed with new safety measures in place. Before the pandemic, the USO hosted a weekly Tuesday lunch that served upwards of 70 people with free hot dogs, chili Photo by Jaymi Schap dogs, chips, drinks, and chance to relax and connect with fellow service members. These weekly lunches have resumed, but are now grab and go out of the Air Terminal on NAS II. Some new initiatives borne of the pandemic are quite creative. You may have seen a dinosaur roaming NAS II; that was the USO premiering Insta-Trivia, in which Programs and Volunteer Coordinator Jaymi Schap and her prehistoric helper brightened unsuspecting sailors’ days by surprising them with tricky questions to win fun prizes. A twice-monthly Cup of Joe with coffee and breakfast treats outside the barracks is a new event that has also proven popular, as well as the Appreciation Drops in which they surprise various commands with gift baskets.
Flight Support Continues
Photo by Clara Jenkins
One program USO Sigonella maintained throughout the pandemic has been its flight support program. “We have seen six or seven flights a week since March,” said Coyle. “We’re the only center that has stayed open the entire lockdown, though with modified hours of course,” he added. For arrivals at the air terminal, the USO provides snacks, water, WiFi, and a place to relax. With the new restrictions, the USO continued this program in a “contactless” fashion. In just one weekend, they provided this support more than 600 in-transit military members.
August 7 2020
Volunteers Return
The USO has thrived thanks to the amazing efforts of its volunteers. Unlike in the United States, where USO volunteers are often retirees or other non-military members, here at NAS Sigonella, many of the volunteers are active duty service members. According to Schap, USO Sigonella has nearly 60 volunteers on the books, and that number has stayed Photo by Jaymi Schap constant throughout this year. While many were on standby during the strictest lockdown, they are now gradually rejoining the efforts when possible to do so safely, most often with flight support and Appreciation Drops. “Our primary concern in bringing volunteers back is that nobody gets sick. We have a hand-washing station, gloves, and masks for people to use,” said Coyle.
Challenges and Successes
Adapting to a world with COVID-19 hasn’t been easy, but the USO has demonstrated how an organization can pivot effectively. “We’ve had to reimagine and modify things going forward,” said Coyle. “We are building connections in new and different ways with both service members and volunteers.” “Not being able to provide our in-person programs was a challenge,” said Schap. “We really thrive off being able to see the smiles on people’s faces and connect with those attending our programs, so it will be great to connect with our service members and their families, even at social distance. We are starting to bring some programs back in August and some new ones as well, in compliance of the health and safety standards set by the Command.” Some initiatives, such as virtual trivia and bingo, may be here for the long haul. “Going all virtual was such a hit we are continuing to keep some of our virtual programs going, even with us being in-person again,” added Schap.
A Star Rises to the Occasion and Earns an Ovation
Though the USO Sigonella office is supposed to have three full time staff members, by the time June rolled around, they were unexpectedly down to one. Jaymi Schap joined the team in July 2019 as the programs and volunteer coordinator, but took on more than just that role when the need arose. And while she was the only one left in the office, she also had three school-age children who were embarking on distance learning at home. According to Coyle, the USO employed a very liberal work from home policy early in the pandemic, and Jaymi was able to take the reins and run with the new rules and restrictions.
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“Jaymi’s efforts in creating the virtual programming went above and beyond what was in her job description before,” he said. “She maintained a great repertoire, including all of the live programming.” That, according to Schap, was a particular challenge. “It can be very intimidating getting on Facebook Live and inviting people into your home,” she said, “but after a while it became very natural and it was fun to see people connect with me on there and have fun with the programs.” In addition to the early virtual pivot, starting in June when she was the only staff member for more than six weeks, Schap handled all of the Center Manager duties, including reporting, keeping the center open, and continuing the contactless flight support, which included transporting large amounts of water and snacks and being available at difficult hours, depending on flight schedules and delays. Considering Schap’s background, her success isn’t a surprise. She has a background in community health and developing programs to serve diverse communities, which perfectly fits the USO’s mission. “We work hard to provide each demographic we serve here in Sigonella programs that can help them meet new people, boost morale along with serving as a familiar place to go where they know they will always be welcomed with open arms,” she said. Nevertheless, she faced the same challenges that many working families did during this pandemic. “I have been a military wife for 17 years, so adapting to situations thrown at me is something I have become accustomed to,” she said. “It was almost like I didn’t have time to think about it; I had my kids to take care of and a job to do for our community.”
Photo by Luisa Mazzella
She added, “I may have been on autopilot there for a while. I would do a live, then help my 2nd grader with math, then it’d be time to plan or jump on a call, and then look over history for my 4th grader.” Schap’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. She recently won the USO’s Ovation Award in recognition of her work. “I couldn’t be more proud of the way that she has stepped up and taken on the leadership role and done a great job in serving our service member and their families,” Coyle said. Both Schap and the USO will continue to adapt as needed to continue to serve the NAS Sigonella community. As Schap says, “Our mission is to strengthen America’s service members by keeping them connected to family, home and country throughout their service to the nation, and we truly are dedicated to achieving that any way we can.” "Sigonella USO" cont’d on Page 11
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The Signature
Discover Sicily’s History at Donnafugata Castle By Dr. Alberto Lunetta, NAS Sigonella Public Affairs
The Donnafugata Castle in Ragusa gives the chance to visitors to travel back in time to discover the life Sicilian noblemen in the 19th century. Photo taken from WikiMedia Commons.
riving through the hills outside Ragusa, you can D picture what Sicilian poet Giovanni Virgadavola wrote about the Donnafugata Castle, one of the most
imposing fortresses in Eastern Sicily: “Si viri ri luntanu ‘stu castieddu comu ‘u suli ca spunta a matina,” which translates to, “You can see this castle in the distance just as you see the sun rising in the morning.” Immersed in a carob forest that is part of an 85,000 square meters park, the castle overlooks a breathtaking landscape crossed by an amazing network of “muri a siccu,” low dry-stone walls dividing the local farmers’ properties. The castle was built in the 11th century as a blockhouse featuring a fortified watchtower. The name of the castle derives from the Arabic words Aian as iafaiat which mean “spring of health.” Historians believe that this name refers to a spring, located in the neighborhoods of the castle, from which wholesome water still spouts today. Over the centuries, the name of the castle was corrupted into Donnafugata which in English translates to “woman who escaped.” According to tradition, this name is linked to a legend that tells of the daring flight of Queen Bianca of Navarra from the castle in 1412. Bianca was appointed as the regent Queen of Sicily after the death of her husband King Martino I in 1410. According to the tale, Count Bernardo Cabrera, an old powerful and ambitious noble from Ragusa asked Bianca to marry him to not only give him a young wife but would also make him the king of Sicily. To his dismay, Bianca refused the proposal. The angered Cabrera, who had a private army, had her arrested and locked up inside the Donnafugata Castle. Allegedly,
Bianca managed to escape and reached Palermo, where she ordered the conviction of the impudent count. The castle remained an anonymous stronghold for centuries until 1648 when Baron Vincenzo Arezzo bought it and transformed it into a “casina” (mansion) to spend summer holidays and hunting trips. In the 19th century, eclectic Baron Corrado Arezzo inherited the mansion and turned it into a magnificent castle featuring 144 rooms over an area of 2,500 square meters. Arezzo, born in 1824 in Ragusa, was a cultured man who loved art, music and theatre and was also a witty politician. He designed his castle to be an eclectic masterpiece, which is why the castello (castle) features different art styles which combine traditional elements with modern features. Even though the legend of the fleeing Queen Bianca is a historic fake, a true elopement from the castle did take place in the 19th century when French nobleman Gaetano Combes de Lestrade fell in love with Clementina, Baron Corrado’s granddaughter, and ran away with her. Baron Corrado’s guards chased them and brought them back to the castle to arrange a “reparatory” marriage. Despite frequent traveling across Europe, the couple lived in the castle for many years. Their grandson, Count Gaetano di Testasecca, was the last private owner of Donnafugata before selling it to the city of Ragusa in 1982 which turned the castle into a museum. Today, the castle’s 19th century splendor remains on display due to the recent restoration carried out to preserve the original materials. The Sicilian Region spearheaded the castle renovation project which cost about eight million Euro and lasted six years. About 20
At the castle you can visit about 20 richly decorated and furnished rooms and enjoy a fascinating collection of period costumes. (Photo by Luigi Strano)
"Italian News" cont’d on Page 11
August 7 2020
Mental Health Matters Onboard NAS Sigonella By MCSN Triniti Lersch, NAS Sigonella Public Affairs
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hen it comes to mental health for service members, civilians, and their families, Naval Air Station Sigonella has many available resources. . The Fleet and Family Service Center, the mental health clinic at the U.S. Naval Hospital Sigonella, and the NAS Sigonella chaplains are all here to provide such resources. Mental health is one of the key components in a healthy life. It goes hand in hand with physical health, and research shows that a strong mental health lowers the levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, which bolsters the immune system. If you ever hit a low and need someone to just listen and maybe provide some friendly guidance, meeting with a chaplain is always a good choice. “When I sit down to meet with a person, I let them lead them guide the conversation to what they want to talk about,” said Chaplain Lt. Ryan Albano. “I often ask guided questions to help identify underlying issues, supportive relationships, and tangible actions they can start doing that same day.” Chaplains can also help with grief and loss. “Our approach is to listen with compassion and walk through the grief process with our people and help them heal,” said Chaplain Lieutenant Commander Steven Hervey. “This includes education on the grief cycle, working together on coping skills for dealing with difficult emotions, providing a 100% confidential place to vent and process, and simply listen at times when others may not.” The chaplains are committed to confidentiality. Albano added, “Anything you share with us stays with us.” The Fleet and Family Service Center provides brief, nonmedical counseling for individuals, couples, and families that address defined problem areas. “FFSC provides individual, including child from age five and up, couples and family counseling,” said John Ferreira, NAS Sigonella’s Family Advocacy Representative. “Our role is to provide brief solution focused counseling.” “There are a wide variety of issues that bring people to counseling,” said Ferreira. “For example, we assist people with issues that include adjustment (such as coming to Sig), a death, COVID or another significant stressor in their life.” Some other issues that can be discussed in counseling include marital concerns, conflict with supervisor or coworker, coparenting, family issues or issues children commonly face. The mental health clinic at the NAS Sigonella Hospital
is another mental health provider on base. It provides psychology services, psychiatric services and Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Programs (SARP). They assist with therapy, treatment, and evaluations for things like anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessivecompulsive disorder, drug and alcohol abuse or dependence, and medication management. “We start with 90 min assessments discussing current symptoms, past treatments and experiences, medical conditions, health history and plan of treatment,” said Mental Health and SARP Department Head Lieutenant Commander Chai Wu. “Treatment pace and content is usually patient driven. Medication and therapy are the primary modalities of treatment. For people who want to work on their mental health on their own, Wu has some suggestions. “Optimize sleep, diet and exercise,” said Wu. “Meditation and mental health apps like Headspace or CBT are good for anxiety and insomnia.” Mental health resources are still available amid the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are unable to make it to the mental health providers or counselors, there are easy options to communicate without face to face conversation. For example, FFSC offers teleconference appointments, and the chaplains offer dialogue through email or a HIPAAcompliant virtual platform. Although mental health providers onboard NAS Sigonella have changed the way they provide their service, they still give the same quality of assistance. “COVID-19 has created new challenges for service members and their families,” said Chaplain Albano. “I often tell my boys that they are living through historical times as nothing like this has happened for almost 100 years.” If you feel like you need extra support during uncertain times you can contact any of these services and they will help you in your time of need. ”Regardless of faith or no faith, race, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation,” said Albano. “I care about you and would love to support you in any way I can!” Military personnel have always had to take care of their health physically, but mental health is equally essential to mission success. If a service member is struggling mentally, NASSIG can provide the necessary care to support them and others in our community.
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Commander, Task Force 67 Changes Hands in Sigonella By Lt. Erik D Arstein and Lt. Ryan E Miller , Commander Task Force 67 apt. Tim Thompson relieved Capt. William “I’m committed to continuing the momentum created Pennington Jr. as commander of CTF 67 and by Commodore Pennington and setting the conditions for commander, Fleet Air Sigonella during a ceremony presided our deployed squadrons and aircrew to excel on station in by Vice Adm. Gene Black, commander, U.S. 6th Fleet (C6F). support of Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa Black recognized Pennington’s accomplishments and and U.S. 6th Fleet,” said Thompson. presented him with a Legion of Merit. During his time in Sigonella, Pennington worked toward “Commodore Pennington’s depth and breadth of strengthening the C6F operational and partnership goals knowledge are unsurpassed,” said Black. “He is an invaluable in Europe and Africa. Under his command, CTF 67 leader in the maritime patrol community and our Navy.” executed numerous operational missions including the first Along with thanking Pennington for his hard work while P-8A Poseidon aircraft detachments in Bulgaria, Finland, in Sigonella, Black also expressed his excitement of having and Georgia. Along with supporting the U.S. European Thompson in the C6F area of operations. Command, CTF 67 also operated under U.S. Africa “And to your relief, Capt. Tim Thompson, it is great to Command in countries such as Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, have you on the team,” said Black. “I know you will apply Morocco, and Tunisia. your vast experience and training as you command CTF Additionally, P-8A aircraft took part in over 53 multi67.” national exercises, executed armed flight operations, Pennington’s outgoing speech highlighted the team’s and conducted aerial re-fueling throughout the region in accomplishments during his tenure. He also spoke about support of allies and partners. CTF 67’s continued high quality work and expectations for Pennington’s next assignment will be to the Pentagon, the future. where he will work on the Office of the Chief of Naval “The most impressive thing is how the team goes about Operations’ staff. their business,” said Pennington. “This culture of excellence CTF 67 is responsible for command and tactical control doesn’t just happen; it takes work.” of deployed maritime patrol and reconnaissance squadrons After Thompson assumed command, he thanked throughout the European and African areas of responsibility. Pennington for his contributions to naval aviation and U.S. For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces forces in Europe and Africa. Europe and Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet, visit www.c6f.navy.mil.
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August 7 2020 "BZ" cont’d from Page 3
housing director, Peter Faulk at any time. Comment Regarding Marinai Maintenance: This is in regards to the Tim internet services in Marinai. This is the 2nd time my internet has gone out and my TIM box has an error light that cannot be cleared by reset or power off. Both times it happened on a Friday at 1500. I called the help desk and was told that nothing can be done until Monday. Not only is this a major inconvenience but it is also significant QOL issue here in Marinai. Please get someone to either improve the infrastructure, be on repair duty over the weekend, or allow other companies to provide internet at a more reliable factor and reasonable cost. Response We received a comment regarding internet service on Marinai. We recognize that the internet is an inescapable part of all of our lives and consistent service is a necessity for work and quality of life. As such, we continue to advocate on your behalf to both TIM and Pizarotti for improved service on Marinai. For example, we are working with Pizarotti to replace the copper wire connection inside the houses. Thank you for sharing your concern with us. Although NAS Sigonella does not directly control internet service for Marinai, we will continue to work with the NEX to serve as a conduit to provide a liaison between residents and TIM to help facilitate paying of bills and scheduling of service and repairs. As a short term solution, the NEX can help with hardware concerns. Once you have attempted to restart your router and checked any issues with uninterrupted power supplies, you can call the helpdesk at 095-784-9191 from Monday to Saturday from 09:30 to 18:00. Another alternative solution may be to obtain a wireless hotspot from your cell provider. Though this will not be a quick fix, we hope it will improve service in the future. "Italian News" cont’d from Page 8
rooms are now open to the public for visits. After you enter the castle, the tour begins with a staircase made of black pitchstone that is typical of the Ragusa area. The tour continues through several richly decorated and furnished rooms such as the Women Hall, the Library, the Smokers Hall, Music Hall, the Pool Hall, and the Queen’s bedroom where, according to legend, Bianca lived during her imprisonment. The red-velvet Bishop Hall (where the local bishop used to spend his vacations) and the medieval-styled Coat of Arms Hall, including armors, are also worth seeing. The castle also contains a small picture gallery. The real highlight of the fortress is the sumptuous Mirror Hall where aristocratic society would gather to enjoy performances and concerts. Today you will see it features an elegant grand piano and richly decorated mirrors. The museum inside the castle features an extensive collection of period clothes. Outside, the castle showcases a remarkable loggia in Venetian-Gothic style. As you leave the castle, you will find a park that is worth the walk even though it has not yet been renovated. It contains a stone maze, an artificial
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Bravo Zulu BZ to Housing:
The HSC has been one of the most positive experiences I’ve encountered in my time in the Navy! Mr. Faulk and his team are extremely professional and are top-notch in customer service and trying to help Sailors such as myself. I’d like to personally thank Mr. Faulk, Carmelo, Rosario, Eleonora, and especially Antonella - she especially has helped in housing process as my counselor. Thank you again for such an amazing experience in my first overseas tour and helping me navigate through the process! It means everything to my family and me!
BZ to Housing:
Ms. Kathleen Seymour and her team’s customer service was the best! She’s very responsive with all our inquiries, questions, and concerns and always provided positive/firm response. Very professional and polite with her communications with us before and during our move into Marinai Community Housing. Made our move smooth and easy. She went far and beyond to assist! BZ!
BZ to the NEX:
Stefania at the NEX dry cleaning/business center has 10/10 customer service! Through multiple transactions involving large amounts of linens she was always very cheerful, attentive, patient, and overall just made the whole experience very positive! BZ to Post Office
Kristin Ceresola is a true professional and such a kind person. She is a wonderful example of what customer service should be. Big thanks to her for always greeting us with a smile and going above and beyond for the customers!
grotto and a small neoclassic building that one served as a coffee and teahouse. While you tour the castle, you may run into a number of fans of the internationally popular “Inspector Montalbano” television series, based on the detective novels of Sicilian author Andrea Camilleri, who died last year at the age of 93. The Donnafugata Castle is one of the filming locations of the popular Montalbano series, which has been translated into 32 languages with more than 30 million copies sold across the globe. Many of these novels are available in English translation at the MWR Sigonella library. The Castle is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. 7 p.m. The cost of a ticket is six euros. Admission is free for children under six years old, disabled people with their caregivers, tourist guides, tour operators and scholars. There is a reduced fee of three euros fees for adults 65 and over people and for students between 18 and 26 years. For more information send a mail message to castello. donnafugata@comune.ragusa.gov.it or call 093-267-6500.
MWR LIBRARY
k r a m k o Bo Design Contest
AUGUST
3-27
We're challenging aspiring artists to create a bookmark inspired by elements from their favorite book. Winning designs will be printed and distributed at the library! Pick up your entry form at the library and return it by August 27th for a chance to win. Bookmark entries will be on display August 28th – September 3rd for public voting
