December 18, 2020
Vol. 37 No. 22
2020
YEAR IN REVIEW
The Signature: 2020 Year In Review
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Direct Line Capt. Kevin Pickard, NAS Sigonella Commanding Officer
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uone feste, Sigonella. As we reflect on all of the events of 2020, it is safe to say that this year probably didn’t meet the expectations that we had for it in January. Like many of you, I suspect, it is hard to imagine how different our lives have become in such a short time! As news of the novel coronavirus began to hit the headlines, it was merely worrisome, but as the stories emerged from northern Italy, it began to hit closer to home. By the time the national Italian lockdown began in March, we all had to adjust our expectations. Then we watched as our own country was rocked with challenges unseen since the civil rights movement in the 1960s. Put all together and, let’s just say that this year probably didn’t meet any of our expectations. Though it has been a difficult year for many, I want to focus on what we have managed to accomplish together here at NAS Sigonella. All of you have shown incredible resiliency and grit as we adapted to our new normal. Even with all that 2020 had to throw at us, we have successfully navigated the choppy waters of the uncertainty of COVID-19 and maintained the high operational tempo right here at the “Hub of the Med.” For this year in review, I would like express my appreciation for everything that you have worked so hard to accomplish. Our tenant commands and NATO partners have never stopped in their missions. Whether it was the hospital providing critical testing and surveillance with their public health team, or the Fleet Logistics Center and DLA working to overcome critical worldwide logistics challenges, or CTF-67 and our rotational VP squadron maintaining record flight hours in support of distributed maritime domain dominance, or our U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, and U.S. Marine Corps partners unfailingly executing their critical missions, all of you have ensured that the mission continues despite the challenges of COVID-19. Right here within NASSIG, the operations department’s C-26 aircrew and pilots have been setting new records by flying round the clock to support critical logistical missions involving COVID tests, key personnel, and high priority supplies. The security department provided support to include vigilance during two protests while maintaining exceptional force protection and security for all of our operations. MWR has constantly flexed to support the constant influx of personnel, and the galley has provided thousands of ROM meals. The religious services department and Fleet and Family Support Center have supported our community during these times of high stress and uncertainty, and the NEX and commissary employees have managed through shortages to find and keep necessary items in stock. I could go on all day, as these are just a few of the ways that so many departments and tenant commands onboard NAS Sigonella have continued to go above and beyond to keep us safe and healthy while keeping the mission going.
As a community, we have pulled together. Students persevered through school closures, and parents balanced professional and personal duties to manage the changes. Our valued local national employees provided critical base services despite challenging conditions in their own communities. Service members and civilians have continued to work hand-in-hand to ensure we all remained open for business to achieve NAS Sigonella’s mission. I am proud of each and every one of you. As we enter the holiday season, I would like to remind you to stay safe as you celebrate. Although the restrictions on travel and gatherings can make living overseas even more difficult during the holidays, I am confident that we can find ways to honor our old traditions, make new memories, and look out for one another. Whether you’re making a holiday craft during an MWR Sig’s the Season event, playing your favorite video game in your barracks room, video-chatting with family and friends back home, or just enjoying some well-earned down time, there are moments of joy to be found. I am hopeful for the year to come not only because of the promising vaccine news, but because I’ve seen what we are capable of. No matter what the future has in store, it has been an honor to serve with all of you. I can’t wait to see what we accomplish in 2021. Buone Feste Sigonella!
The Signature: 2020 Year In Review
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THE SIGNATURE
U.S. NAVAL AIR STATION SIGONELLA
Commanding Officer Capt. Kevin Pickard Executive Officer Cmdr. Ronald Cappellini 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 MC3 Jacques Jean-Gilles jacques-laurent.jean@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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The Signature: 2020 Year In Review
MORALE, WELFARE, AND RECREATION
or decades, Morale, Welfare and Recreation F (MWR) Sigonella has focused on providing quality of life programs to military members and
their families. We are constantly motivated to offer exceptional service within our facilities, and we pride ourselves on providing unique programs to our service members and their families. This year has been a wild ride for our MWR Sigonella recreation professionals as we developed creative new programming to offer a sense of normalcy to our community. Fortunately, we were able to offer a range of in-person programs to children and adults alike with COVID mitigation measures in place. Some of these programs included the fitness department’s Strongman Competition, which was modified and offered by appointment only to allow competitors to compete individually rather than as a group. Our Child and Youth Programs (CYP) implemented a new “Grab and Go” program that allowed youth to pick up sweet treats and other snacks, and links and virtual programming to help keep them entertained throughout the spring lockdown. Although the COVID-19 restrictions impacted our major holiday festivals, we found innovative ways to celebrate. For example, we modified our annual “Red White and Boom” event so that our community could celebrate the 4th of July. The event was moved to Marinai Family housing, and patrons celebrated Independence Day with a socially distanced fun run, a variety of heavily sanitized games and activities, and a fireworks display visible from the comfort of their own yards. When traditional trick or treating was canceled, MWR introduced a reverse Candy Parade
where MWR employees and command leadership dressed up in costumes to toss Halloween candy to children the streets of Marinai. In addition to modified in-person programs, we were excited to roll out new virtual events this year, including e-sports gaming tournaments, youth sports drills, pet photo contests, sidewalk chalk contests, scavenger hunts, a Halloween costume contest, and custom in-home workouts that could be done from your living room or barracks room. We even launched our first ever virtual Sig’s the Season program, which included a virtual Christmas Tree Lighting, a threepart virtual Story Time with Mrs. Claus, and a virtual Jingle Bell Jog. All of these virtual events were offered through our social media channels to help keep our community engaged, even when our facilities were closed. An essential priority for our MWR Sigonella team this year was to provide new and improved activities for our single service members and unaccompanied Sailors. During the holiday season, the Liberty Center pulled out all the stops to offer Taste of Home Thanksgiving meals, a 12 Working Days of Christmas scavenger hunt tailored to Liberty eligible patrons, and Operation Santa Claus, which will provide over 450 goodie bag deliveries throughout the barracks on Christmas Eve. In addition to all of these programs, our CYP staff were busy ensuring that the School Age Care program earned a four-year accreditation through the Council on Accreditation (COA). COA is a rigorous and lengthy inspection process in which an external team reviews all internal processes to ensure high standards
The Signature: 2020 Year In Review
of stellar child-care are being maintained. CYP not only earned their accreditation, but did so with flying colors. All of our MWR and CYP staff members came to work every day this year unsure of what the ever-changing national decrees would demand of us and continually adapted our facilities to accommodate the decrees. Our new normal became flexibility and resiliency, and our mission was to tread gently between the lines of offering the most we could while still following
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host nation decrees. This year proved that MWR is nothing if not responsive, adaptable and determined to provide excellent quality of life programs no matter the challenges. We are excited to continue to bring new and creative programming for our Sigonella community in 2021! Please keep an eye out on our MWR Sigonella Facebook page, pick up a Preview at any of our MWR facilities, or visit www.navymwrsigonella.com for our upcoming events and virtual programs.
7TH RECONNAISSANCE SQUADRON F
or the Airman professionals at the 7th Reconnaissance Squadron (7th RS), 2020 was much like it was for other commands here at Naval Air Station Sigonella. Our success in executing our mission while balancing COVID-19 mitigation measures was only made possible by the commitment and expertise of our squadron members. This year we welcomed over 80 active-duty Airmen to the 7RS. These Airmen operate and maintain our new remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) command and control (C2) satellite communications (SATCOM) relay, commonly referred to as EUR3. The remainder of the new arrivals are Global Hawk maintainers who have begun training to develop the skills needed maintain the aircraft, and generate RQ-4 surveillance and reconnaissance missions. When you include the more than 75 contractor personnel to the total, the 7th RS becomes one of the largest tenant commands onboard NASSIG. With that, we have continued our support at Motor Vehicle Registration Office, and taken advantage of our joint environment to integrate the squadron’s security forces professionals with the Navy’s Master-at-Arms for joint patrols and base defense planning. We also have had the opportunity to work with our fellow RQ-4 teammates at NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) and the Italian Air Force (ITAF). This year, we have assisted every command on the flight line with shared resources and maintenance expertise. We have strengthened our own capabilities and propelled NATO AGS toward their full operational capability. Day in and day out, the Airmen of the 7th exemplify professionalism in all aspects of their performance. They are committed to blazing trails and accelerating change, relentlessly innovative and unrelenting in their efforts to break barriers. 2021 promises more historic milestones, exercising the agility, endurance, and reach of our platform, and our Airmen to continue to drive our critical operations in support of the security of the United States, NATO allies and partner nations. The Titans of the 7th Recon Squadron wish to thank the greater NASSIG community for all they do in assisting us in delivering world class, reliable, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance from the Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia theaters. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a prosperous New Year.
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The Signature: 2020 Year In Review
COMMUNITY RELATIONS O
ver the past year, the NAS Sigonella PAO Community Relations (COMREL) program maintained a high standard despite the COVID-19 pandemic, which inherently altered many of our activities. The COMREL program’s mission is to foster positive relationships and give back to our local Sicilian communities who have hosted American service members and their families since 1959. The COMREL program of Sigonella is only made possible by the gracious volunteer efforts from all commands and departments across the installation. These projects are extremely helpful to our host nation communities and the volunteer efforts go a long way in forging positive community relations with the Sicilians who live outside the NASSIG fence-line. This year, base volunteers contributed thousands of hours of their time through 140 events, to include environmental cleanups at parks, beaches, charities, churches, and historic sites; language interaction and painting projects at Sicilian schools and parishes; and participation in WW2 commemoration events, as well as ceremonies and social events. The volunteer efforts attracted the interest of local media, which praised them in 55 articles and a dozen segments aired during the daily television news across Sicily. The positive impact of their efforts also reached thousands of people in Sicily and abroad, through numerous social media posts and shares. In February, Sigonella COMRELs hosted a special guest of the U.S. State Department. During an official visit to Sicily, Naples U.S. Consul General Mary Avery joined hands with Marines deployed to NASSIG and Italian volunteers from the Knights of St. George’s religious association to partake in a special cleanup and painting project at the enchanting Baroque Church of Jesus and Mary in Acireale. In the same month, Marines of the Special-Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force were officially awarded by the Knights for their selfless efforts.
As the seasons shifted from winter to spring, the pandemic restrictions become a fact of daily life. Even though COVID-19 limited in-person gatherings, language interaction volunteering at Sicilian schools continued to thrive. Even though schools were closed, base volunteers joined virtual classrooms to continue to assist Sicilian students in improving their English skills. Another highlight of the Sigonella COMREL year included the installation-wide April food drive known as the “Good Neighbor” campaign. Sigonella personnel donated approximately 1,800 pounds of non-perishable food items, baby supplies and personal hygiene products to assist local Sicilian communities negatively affected by the COVID-19 lockdown. In July, the NAS Sigonella achieved a milestone when a Naval officer received an international award for community service. On July 22, Sigonella Naval Hospital orthodontist Cmdr. Corinne Devin was presented with the International Virdimura Award for her career and community service activities in Sicily. This marked the first time in NAS Sigonella history that an American service member was honored with this prestigious award. On the same day, Sigonella Marines also received a thank-you award for their ongoing COMREL support. The ceremony was hosted by the AIN, Associazione Italiana per Neurodisabili (Italian Neuro-disability Association) and the Sicilian Center of the Academy for the History of the Sanitary Art. It was patronized by the Italian Ministry of Education and University (MIUR) and the Società Italiana di Storia della Medicina e di Bioetica (Italian Society of the History of Medicine and Bioethics). Summer volunteer activities were also marked by a series of special initiatives held at three local schools with the goal of creating socially distanced classrooms for students and staff to minimize the transmission of COVID-19 during the school year. Thanks to Sigonella volunteers from the U.S.
The Signature: 2020 Year In Review
Air Force association, Public Works Sigonella, TOP IV and the rotationally deployed VP-47 and 16 squadrons, these efforts greatly reduced the burden of this massive and costly maintenance challenge for the school’s leadership. In August and September, additional projects were conducted at two Paternò schools, an elementary school in Biancavilla, and a middle School in Adrano. These projects consisted of painting and renovating the classrooms of these schools. These projected also provided local students a safer and cozier school environment upon their return in September. At the end of these projects, the mayors of Paternò and Biancavilla and the school principals presented volunteers with awards as a way to say thank you for their
flawless efforts conducted in the Sicilian summer heat. In the fall, Sigonella COMREL volunteers again made history as they partook in another unprecedented project. Under the supervision of the archaeologists of the Ragusa historic heritage department, they aided a dig in the town of Chiaramonte Gulfi. Volunteers were able to assist the team in unearthing a newly-discovered ancient Greek grave site dating back between the 2nd and 5th century BC. Though 2020 presented many obstacles, Sigonella volunteers continued to demonstrate how relatively small actions can add up and make a big difference in the lives of our local Sicilian community neighbors. We look forward to many more projects in 2021!
RELIGIOUS MINISTRIES
n spite of the challenges related to COVID-19, the I Religious Ministries Department (RMD) had a fantastic year!
The most challenging dynamic the RMD faced was providing both religious ministry and counseling support during the lock-down with social distancing measures in place. While religious services were cancelled from March through May, the chapel staff was able to keep chapels open during the week and on Sundays as a place of solace and prayer for the installation. Although traditional methods of ministry were difficult, the RMD adapted and garnered a significant virtual presence. They partnered with the Fleet and Family Support Center to create three dynamic videos to highlight important coping skills related to COVID-19 and the lockdown. Their series of five parenting videos was picked up by AFN and broadcast world-wide to 3.9 million personnel in 176 countries. During Suicide Prevention Month, RMD partnered with Naval Aircrewman (Mechanical) 2nd Class Erin Videll to launch a new suicide intervention letter writing initiative called “Letters for Life.” Thanks to a team of 14 volunteer Sailors and Airmen, Letters for Life has prepared and deployed 108 letters across the installation at eight strategic locations providing U.S. personnel with a note of encouragement and resources they can to reach out to. Finally, toward the end of
the year the START virtual suicide prevention training and ePREP marriage enrichment workshops became available to the installation. The RMD also spearheaded the Good Neighbor Campaign, an installation-wide food drive in partnership with the commissary as a response to the dire economic conditions in Sicily due to the COVID-19 lockdown. People from all commands aboard NASSIG participated and provided 1,439 meals for the communities of Acireale and Lentini. As a result of these efforts, Radiounavocevicia, a local radio station for the Episcopal Conference of the Italian Bishops of the Catholic Church, interviewed Chaplain Hervey for insight into the American response to a Sicilian crisis. The Good Neighbor Campaign was an incredible example of the ability of the service members stationed at NASSIG to come together and help those in need. In addition to these incredible resources, the live streaming of daily and weekly chapel services became part of their standard operating procedures. In addition to providing virtual ministry locally, the RMD was assigned to provide chaplaincy services to the United States Marine Security Guards stationed at 22 embassies in 18 countries across Europe. It was a year of great challenges, but also of significant steps forward in the provision of religious ministry.
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The Signature: 2020 Year In Review
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AIR TERMINAL
hen people think of Sicily, they usually envision sleepy Italian villages, pasta dishes and vino to spare. And while we are blessed with all of those things and more, this year Sigonella once again demonstrated why our nickname is the “Hub of the Med.” Over the last eight months, our little air terminal supported missions carrying 4,000 passengers per month on roughly 200 aircraft. Most air stations closed down during the global pandemic, and due to those closures, Sigonella’s air mission increased by 1800% as air traffic was rerouted through our terminal. This was a challenging year, and Team Sigonella pulled together to keep the mission moving forward, supporting U.S. Central Command and U.S. Africa Command. In May and June, we supported the search and recovery efforts of a downed Canadian aircraft in the Mediterranean. NAS Sigonella provided the redeployment and recovery of 50 tons of salvage gear, and air terminal personnel worked long hours to provide support throughout the search and recovery efforts. Their efforts highlight the global partnership with which NAS Sigonella has become synonymous. Our Sailors who work in the air cargo department also provided the necessary support for the $740 million U.S. Transportation Command Commercial Passenger Airlift Contract and the $216 million dollar Cargo Channel Contract. They oversaw all U.S. customs clearances and ensured all critical 6th Fleet cargo was prepped and loaded for air shipment in support of the warfighter and to ensure fleet mission success. Our air terminal contractor, ALGESE, worked 24/7 to support every facet of the air terminal mission. Many host nation workers teleworked during the pandemic, but ALGESE employees showed up day in and day out to provide support to the military mission. We absolutely have been lucky to have them as a partner. Most people know the USO is located in the air terminal, and although they are a separate entity from our air terminal, I would like to highlight the support they provided to passengers passing through Sigonella that most of the base will never know about. Through the midnight flights, the delayed missions, and the occasional COVID-19 overnight stays, USO was always there to provide support in the form of snacks, water, entertainment or just general morale boosting. They helped 4,000 passengers a months for eight months, which is quite the accomplishment. And at the heart of that support was Mr. Brian Coyle and his fantastic team. Bravo Zulu USO! The air terminal was successful in 2020 thanks to the dynamic team we have across Sigonella.
The Signature: 2020 Year In Review
On-base lodging facilities, such as Navy Gateway Inns and Suites, kept aircrews in a sterile environment and created “clean corridors.” Security provided Sailors to assist with passenger control on the flight line. Public Works Department installed immediate COVID shielding. Our base leadership on both Italian and U.S. side forged a way through all the bureaucracy and restrictions to allow the mission to move forward. Navy Hospital provided healthcare professionals to screen each aircraft that entered or departed Sigonella. In 2020 we also leaned on Emergency Management, who became the “honcho” for all things COVID. They assisted our air terminal by adding temporary shelters to provide space for up to 240 passengers per mission and tracking every soul that entered Sigonella for tracer action. I would like to think we could have done it without the support of these departments and many others, but we are happy we didn’t have to – we are all in this together. As we go into the holiday season, it gives us a chance to review the year and get ourselves reset for the next. Things are slowing down in this time of year, but the work is far from over. We have a great team here at Sigonella and I am sure we can handle any challenges set before us. Wishing you all a festive Holiday Season and a happy New Year; ready for 2021!
NAVY GATEWAY INNS AND SUITES
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avy Gateway Inns and Suites (NGIS) Sigonella is the installation’s premier lodging provider with 583 rooms and an average annual occupancy of 90%. We are located on both NAS I and NAS II and operate 24 hours a day year round. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have placed great emphasis on the wellbeing of our guests and staff by taking daily actions to disinfect and sanitize all touch points while utilizing personal protective equipment and practicing social distancing. We implemented the use of sanitizing nebulizers as
an extra measure to sterilize checkout rooms and high traffic areas. Being a hospitality service provider, NGIS is committed to providing hands-on service in order to ensure our Sailors’ mission readiness at all times. Congratulations to Mr. Antonio Sferrazzo, group coordinator, who was recognized as the 2020 Commander, Navy Installations Command’s (CNIC) Navy Lodging Program’s Front Desk Associate of the Year. Tony’s care, attention and communication with unit coordinators ensure consistent and dazzling customer satisfaction. Well done Tony!
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The Signature: 2020 Year In Review
FLEET AND FAMILY
t should come as no surprise that the NAS Sigonella I Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) has had a very busy 2020. Throughout the many difficulties,
uncertainties, and changing circumstances, FFSC staff remained available and ready to support the community in a variety of different ways. During the initial COVID-19 lockdown, FFSC remained open to the public, but we adjusted our methods to align with decrees and maintain safety while providing our critical support services. Clinical counseling was offered both face-toface utilizing social distancing protocols and via distance counseling, while crisis response for Family Advocacy Program (FAP), Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR), and Sailor Assistance and Intercept for Life (SAIL) continued in-person w. Non-clinical support, including financial counseling, Ombudsman Support, Employment Assistance, Life Skills Education, Cultural Adaptation, Information and Referral, and IA Support, is now offered via email and telephonically. Trainings, classes, and briefs, including Sponsor Training, Arrivederci/ Smooth Move, Federal Resume Workshop, and virtual Ombudsman Assembly, were offered online via webinar. Loan Locker services were offered by appointment, and the office support, including WiFi, copy machine, fax machine, and long-distance calling services continued to be provided during normal hours of operation. These shifts allowed FFSC to continue to provide outstanding service to our community during this difficult time. Another way FFSC adapted to the new normal was by launching the new Easy Italian class virtually via
Microsoft Teams CVR. Not to replace the college level Italian course, this two-hour class is meant to help participants experience a positive start in Sigonella, understand their new community and its culture, and assist with adapting to overseas life. It provides valuable skills, resources and referrals to help integrate successfully to this new culture and feel less intimidated to go out and use the language. FFSC also partnered with other organizations to provide resources to the community. Joining forces with USO, they created a restriction of movement (ROM) welcome letter to all newly arriving families to provide information on virtual classes, loan locker, and distance counseling; links to resources; and contact information. A collaboration with Religious Ministries Department led to three AFN videos on dealing with stress of the COVID-19, talking with children, and additional tools and resources. FFSC also collaborated with the NAS Sigonella Public Affairs Office on articles in The Signature on positive communications and “COVID coping� and later with CREDO, Religious Services, and Health Promotions on Healthy Relationships: 2-Part PAiiRs Class. Throughout the year, FFSC also supported the Navy-wide Transition Assistance Program (TAP) by providing virtual pre-separation counseling to over 500 military members across 25 installations worldwide. With limited services and the cancellation of many in-person programs across military bases worldwide, Commander, Navy installations Command (CNIC) provided alternative virtual support to service members prepping to navigate the retirement and separation process. As a result of the support from
The Signature: 2020 Year In Review
SUPPORT CENTER
FFSC Sigonella, service members across the world were afforded the opportunity to gain knowledge on the transition process and took a momentous step to ensure that their Career Readiness Standards (CRS) were met. In March, two FFSC Sigonella clinical counselors deployed to Naval Station (NAVSTA) Rota in the wake of a death of a NAVSTA Rota FFSC employee. Upon arrival, they helped set up a crisis center and offered crisis counseling to the NAVSTA Rota community and FFSC staff. This support within the region was greatly needed and appreciated by the NAVSTA Rota community, FFSC staff, and the employee’s family. In April, the NASSIG SAPR Team executed the Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention month events in April 2020 through virtual means. On a daily basis, there were activities posted on the FFSC Facebook page for the community to participate in and win small SAPR items such as stress balls, pens, magnets. This allowed not only the Sigonella community to participate, but also those around the globe as we had people participating from various states, Djibouti and Bahrain! In order to present a unified front against sexual assault, participants wore teal, and many people—and pets!—showed their support. For Military Spouse Appreciation Day on May 7, FFSC created a special military spouse appreciation video to extend a hearty thank you for all of the contributions, support and sacrifices of being a military spouse. In addition, the video provided a virtual celebration with a special cooking class on how to make carbonara.
October was Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and FFSC once again collaborated with NASSIG Public Affairs to place several articles highlighting different aspects of this important issue in the Signature newspaper. FFSC also published a calendar with a schedule of classes, publications, relationship exercises, and tips for healthy connections. In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Ombudsman Program in September, FFSC held a sociallydistanced Ombudsman Appreciation dinner. Capt. Pickard hosted the event to provide official public recognition to volunteer ombudsmen. He expressed genuine appreciation for all their generosity, countless time and efforts, and unwavering dedication to the command and community. MWR graciously donated movie and bowling passes to go along with the ombudsman gift. In November, FFSC participated in an International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women Walk and Panel Discussion with more than 300 attendees in Leonforte with Dr. Alberto Lunetta, NASSIG PAO community relations director. The SAPR team was invited by the Leonforte FIDAPA (Italian Chapter of Business and Professional Women International Fellowship) to participate in this event against gender-based violence. This event strengthened our collaboration with the local community and shined a positive light on SAPR, FFSC, and NAS Sigonella. Though it has been a dynamic time, no matter what 2021 brings, NAS Sigonella FFSC is prepared to support the community!
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U.S. NAVAL HOSPITAL SIGONELLA
020 has been quite a year for the hospital at Sigonella, with the most significant global pandemic since the Hong Kong 2 flu killed up to four million people in the late 1960s. Some of the differences in the COVID-19 pandemic have been the increase in rapid communication, including social media and the ease of spreading inaccurate or incomplete information, and
the use of newer medical technology, such as the equipment used to detect viral genetic material (beginning in the 1970s) and the advent of telemedicine in the 1950s with exponential growth beginning in the 1990s. Here, a few of our local subject matter experts share our responses to COVID-19. Nurse and Head of the Emergency Department (ED) Lt. Christopher Parker: We implemented the screening, treatment and disposition of infectious patients in the ambulance bay on Feb. 23. Care was executed in the ambulance bay utilizing an out of service ambulance and socially distanced seating throughout the ambulance bay as an overflow. On March 26, NAS Sigonella Fire & Emergency Services provided a decontamination tent to the hospital, and since this time, we have met enterprise-level standards of care while separating possibly infectious patients from physical hospital interaction. On April 8, the NAS Sigonella emergency management team provided a larger tent which was outfitted with dividers and easier to clean structure surfaces. On April 9, we initiated the use of a closed circuit video teleconference (VTC) system to improve patient interactions while we continued to use alternate screening processes and environments of care during the pandemic. These tents and VTC not only minimize in-person interactions between staff and possibly infectious patients, they also mitigate non-essential foot traffic throughout the hospital since radiology can collect portable images within the bay and the pharmacy delivers prescription medicines directly to patients. Nurse Anesthetist Cmdr. Jeremy Kilday and Anesthesiologist Lt. Cmdr. Brigid Maruszak: To maximize the care of our beneficiaries during the COVID-19 pandemic, we established a six-room intensive care unit (ICU), which, prior to the pandemic, was not a capability. While the ICU has not yet been needed, the planning and training of our staff has allowed us to prepare in the event our patients may require this advanced level of care. This was a command-wide initiative working across directorates to revamp our staffing model, tailor training towards COVID-19 specific healthcare, and practice utilizing personal protective equipment in both controlled and urgent/emergent situations. Working with the facilities department, we were able to reconfigure airflow to four additional patient rooms to expand the ICU and split the multiservice ward into COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 wards, ultimately ensuring the safety of all our patients and staff. While we hope that our beneficiaries will not need this asset, we are standing by. Please take care – wash your hands and wear a mask so that you will not need us! Virtual Nurse Manager Lt. Kayla Peterson: Our virtual health (VH) program allows beneficiaries to take advantage of 52 specialties in additional military treatment facilities (MTFs) across Europe. Since its inception as a collateral in February 2019 thanks to the efforts of nurse Lt. Jacqueline Canfield, it has grown considerably. Once COVID-19 began distressing healthcare systems, local network specialty providers were unable to continue seeing non-urgent patients, creating obstructions in access to specialty care. Our resolution was to heighten the VH program and dedicated an active duty nurse to running it full-time. We have expanded the program from an average of 19 to 32 appointments per month and have ensured the program stands in compliance with Defense Health Agency guidelines. We established new services for our clinic in Bahrain, spearheaded a new pilot to open services to our clinic in Souda Bay, and enhanced the referral processes for three MTFs and 11 specialties. During the restrictions, we coordinated 51 initial VH appointments with Naples ENT (ear, nose and throat) clinicians in preparation for upcoming site visits. This allowed clinicians to assess and prioritize patients, successfully maximizing time in the operating room during the visit. The same approach was used in preparation for the four-day site visit of the developmental pediatrician from Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany. This was critical for our beneficiaries, many of whom have
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needs that cannot be met in the local economy. Laboratory Officer Lt. j.g. Lina MacPartland: At no time in recent history have laboratories around the globe been more in the spotlight than today with the COVID-19 pandemic. Well-trained and talented laboratory professionals are the backbone of medical services, supporting clinical testing and diagnoses on a daily basis in theater, in the fleet, and at home. Our laboratory team saw an increase in testing demand due to the pandemic and met the challenge head on. We quickly increased capability to support testing for our community and deploying units. The laboratory spearheaded the Swab-ex evolution, which is a way to quickly sample and test large amounts of people. These evolutions ensure that service members and their beneficiaries are screened and tested for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. We have done this by coordinating with NAS Sigonella and tenant commands in Bahrain and Souda Bay in conjunction with 5th and 6th fleet. The screening and testing performed support mandated Department of Defense sentinel surveillance testing and operational risk reduction measures in addition to emergent symptomatic testing. U.S. Naval Hospital Executive Officer Capt. Walter W. Dalitsch III: And there you have it from our subject matter experts! On behalf of the hospital triad, I would like to say how proud we are of the flexibility, adaptability, resilience, passion and dedication of every single member of our staff to ensure the health and safety of both our own personnel and our precious patients. From E-1 to O-6, and all of our U.S. and local national civilians, the accomplishments of this team have been simply eye-watering to witness. In Sigonella…we’re always ready!
LEGAL SERVICE OFFICE SIGONELLA
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egion Legal Service Office (RLSO) EURAFSWA, Detachment Sigonella forged through an unprecedented operating environment, providing legal support services to more than over 30 tenant commands and personnel at NAS Sigonella in 2020. Although the RLSO is more than just numbers, these figures will provide a glimpse at the work that happens day in and day out to serve the Sigonella community. The RLSO’s local national language specialists successfully processed more than 900 sojourner’s permits with the Catania Immigrations Office, and our claims professionals investigated and adjudicated more than 30 cases. In the legal assistance department, the RLSO’s legal assistance attorney and paralegal staff drafted over 300 powers-of-attorney and notarized more than 500 documents. The department’s attorneys also advised nearly 200 clients on areas including family law, consumer fraud/protection, taxation, and estate planning, while the civil law staff also supported 20 clients through immigration and nationalization processes. Command services attorneys at the RLSO provided command advice to more than 30 tenant commands as well as the installation itself. The department processed documents supporting 25 non-federal entities in the community, and the staff judge advocates provided standards of conduct and ethics advice on 156 separate matters. Through a uniquely challenging year, RLSO EURAFSWA, Det. Sigonella was proud to support the commands and community at NAS Sigonella, and looks forward to providing high quality legal services to you, the Navy, and the nation in the coming year. Happy Holidays!
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The Signature: 2020 Year In Review
COMMANDER TASK FORCE 67 W
ith staff and major support commands based here in lovely Sigonella, Commander Task Force (CTF) 67 is responsible for command and tactical control of deployed maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft (MPRA) squadrons along with several rotary aircraft units throughout the European and African areas of responsibility (AOR). “2020 has been a challenge, but CTF-67 has risen to that challenge,” noted Capt. Tim Thompson, commanding officer of CTF-67 and Commander, Fleet Air Sigonella (CFAS). He continued, “While the majority of our forces are often on the road, the hub here in Sigonella has kept our team properly resourced for operations forward.” The team Capt. Thompson is referring to includes permanently stationed CTF-67 staff, CFAS staff, Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department (AIMD), Aviation Supply Depot (ASD), and Tactical Operation Center (TOC) Sailors, and civilians. This year, these deployed aircraft have included P-8A Poseidon aircraft, combat aircrews, and maintenance personnel from the Patrol Squadron (VP) 4 “Skinny Dragons;” VP-47 “Golden Swordsmen;” VP-16 War Eagles, who completed full deployments of around 6-months; and the current VP-9 “Golden Eagles” and VP-46 “Grey Knights.” Alongside each squadron are forces from Mobile Tactical Operations Center (MTOC) 8, MTOC 1, MTOC 4, and the current MTOC 2 and MTOC 6. These MTOCs supplement TOC Sigonella, which acts as the nerve center with tracking and coordinating operational aircraft in realtime. These teams have accounted for almost 1,050 individual flight events over the past year. Beyond Sigonella, support has also come from the VP26 Tridents, who supplemented with 23 flight events
during a critical operation. Additionally around the area of responsibility, helicopters from Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 79 Griffins, a helicopter from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 28 Ghost Rider, and an EP-3C ARIES II aircraft from Reconnaissance Squadron (VQ) 1 “World Watches” have supported the theater. On top of their normal requirements, deployed forces needed to overcome additional obstacles, to include COVID tests, quarantines, and restriction of movement. In spite of these perceived obstacles, operational commitments were fully achieved. Often this was due to air-to-air refueling and quick gas-andgo stops in which the team stays on the plane, allowing operations without breaking safety boundaries. This success is a testament of the entire joint team coming together to support operations. Speaking in praise of the hard working watch standers who have worked through the hardships, Lt. Cmdr. Peter Andrew, the officer-in-charge of TOC Sigonella said, “Through travel restrictions and other challenges, we’re happy that we are able to continue to support deployed MPRA during these difficult times.” The TOC, led by Lt. Cmdr. Andrew, has tracked over 9,300 flight hours of P-8A and EP-3C aircraft this year. Over the last 12 months, forces have conducted real world intelligence collection, submarine tracking, Search-and-Rescue, and allied and partnership cooperation. A great example of this was partnership was VP 4 and MTOC 8’s work in NATO’s DYNAMIC MANTA exercise, which ran from Feb. 24 until March 6, east of the Sicilian coastline. During this exercise, Sigonella was critical in basing aviation assets from the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Turkey. 2020 has been a highly successful year for CTF-67,
The Signature: 2020 Year In Review
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and we look forward to the next year with new challenges and an expected completion of new P-8A hangers here in Sigonella. Thanks for all you do each day to help our team achieve operational success.
HOUSING DEPARTMENT T
hroughout the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, the housing department has continued to push forward. Whether it’s moving the Sigonella community in or out of unaccompanied housing, economy housing, or Marinai government housing, or dealing with emergent issues in those homes, our staff strives to provide the best customer service and to improve everyone’s quality of life while stationed here. We don’t just talk about great customer service, we practice it. To back up that claim, the Marinai housing won this year’s award for customer service with a score of 87%, the highest across the region. This year, the Marinai housing staff streamlined many processes to adjust to the “new normal” of COVID-19. For example, check-ins were performed by phone, email and video, while check-outs were performed by simply leaving the keys on the counter. To keep our staff and customers safe, all preventative maintenance inspections and unnecessary inspections were halted, but Pizzarotti did not miss any maintenance requests or service calls during this time. The Marinai team, including Pizzarotti, SAC furnishing contractor, housing staff, and Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) staff, were totally prepared in having 30 ready-to-occupy housing units with furniture for incoming personnel. This is just one example of the team spirit throughout the housing program! In the economy, the housing department was able to work through some very intense issues during the lockdowns, to include maintenance issues, utility contracts difficulties,
internet issues, loaner furniture delivery issues, and changes to lease signings and tours. Though these issues were complicated by the strict lockdown measures, we were able to work through them all. The unaccompanied housing team, which includes 12 military staff and seven civilian staff, were also on top of their game. Throughout 2020, they prepared housing for over 400 additional personnel to facilitate the pandemic restrictionof-movement requirements. The staff’s responsibilities included ensuring rooms were clean, providing linen and room keys, and being on station after hours. During this time, the staff replaced mattresses in 350 rooms, replaced appliances such as refrigerators, stoves and microwaves, and provided new lighted building signs, as well as organizing two town hall meetings with the NAS Sigonella commanding officer, Capt. Kevin Pickard. Staff worked continuously through the year to improve the quality of life in the barracks and hold many events for the holiday season. Despite all the COVID-19 restrictions, the housing office stayed open for business. By utilizing the smart working program, the housing staff still took phone calls, answered emails, signed leases via email, conducted check-ins via phone calls, scheduled loaner furniture appointments and maintenance work from home. The housing staff has been totally dedicated to providing a high level of customer service and maintaining a high quality of life standard. All of this year’s successes were indeed a team effort. The entire housing program staff wishes the entire community a NAS Sigonella Happy Holidays!
The Signature: 2020 Year In Review
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NAVFAC / PWD
hroughout 2020, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC), which includes the Public Works Department (PWD) onboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella achieved many successes. This diverse team of 270 employees include active duty Seabees, Civil Engineer Corps officers, civil service members, and host national employees. They work together to plan, design, build, maintain and sustain NAS Sigonella. A few highlights from the year include preparing an old barracks building for the arrival of Naval Medical Research Unit 3, repairing the fuel station on NAS II, and erecting tents behind the Air Mobility Command Passenger Terminal to support social distancing. In addition, PWD completed hundreds of other piping, heating, cooling, electrical and related repairs in buildings across all bases. Moreover, the environmental department worked hard to keep the resources under their care both clean and safe. This year, they established a building flushing plan during COVID-19 and minimal manning to maintain safe water quality for building occupants as well as additional flushing and testing protocol prior to children returning to school. Additionally, the facilities management department (FMD) and production division (Facilities Management and Service Branch and Utility and Energy Management Branch) are always busy and COVID-19 did not slow them down at all. They processed more than 5,400 service requests, 138 utility outages, 79 digging permits and 69 road
closures. These are the unsung heroes that many times go unnoticed but are essential to day to day operations. In September, Capt. Jeffrey J. Kilian, commanding officer of NAVFAC Europe Africa Central (EURAFCENT), awarded Santo Pavone and Cristiano Perotti the Department of the Navy Civilian Meritorious Service Award for their dedication and assistance in the FIAR compliance and integrated planning with our Italian Air Force hosts. PWD Sigonella quality assurance evaluators supported the Navy Family Housing at Marinai housing area and were integral to the housing area receiving an 82% participation on the customer satisfaction survey. Builder 2nd Class Benjamin Branson from Laramie, Wyoming, builder shop supervisor, led a group of eight Seabees and two local nationals in the installation of three 25 foot flag poles, located in front of NAS Sigonella’s administrative building. The team was able to place eight cubic yards of concrete along with 200 square feet of cobble stone paving. They also completed a beautiful stone sign and utilized locallysourced ceramics for the base logo on the front of the sign. In the same month, September brought serious flooding issues to Sigonella both inside and outside the facilities. The PWD team stepped up across the installation to minimize installation damage. Production and FMD developed a plan to survey roofs, order materials and make repairs. Those repairs have effectively reduced the majority of the leaks.
The Signature: 2020 Year In Review
In addition, this year had seven base-wide power outages, including large events in August and September. The high voltage shop led by Mr. Nunzio Debole, with support from the PWD electrical engineer Michele Cali’ worked tirelessly through long hours both day and night to restore power and support the warfighting mission. Through their teamwork and
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initiative, the frequency and duration of outages has decreased dramatically in the final quarter of 2020. Even though 2020 comes to an end, the work and projects will continue in 2021, and NAVFAC and PWD Sigonella will continue their non-stop efforts to support the critical infrastructure needed to maintain the NAS Sigonella mission.
FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES
s you well know, 2020 was a challenging year for all. As COVID-19 started to impact our daily lives, every A person, family, and organization on the installation was affected in some way. The fire and emergency services (F&ES) department was not immune to the challenges presented by the pandemic; in fact, because we are a 24-7
operation, we eat, sleep, and bathe at work. Our unique work environment meant our precautions were quite different in application from most organizations on base. As each new Italian decree was published, we adjusted, created and briefed new compliance procedures to our workforce. We were able to capture all of these lessons learned and incorporated to a pandemic standard operating guide to aid future responses to pandemics of the future. All of the mitigation measures proved effective as we maintained our mission to respond to any installation fire or emergency throughout the year. The theme of COVID-19, though socially distanced, is teamwork. In mid-February, U.S. Naval Hospital Sigonella sought assistance. To minimize any potential spread of COVID-19 in the hospital and to maintain regularly scheduled appointments, they were seeking a shelter to allow them to screen patients outside the hospital prior to entry. The fire department took action to provide and erect a decontamination tent at the emergency room entrance. This tent allowed the hospital staff to screen patients prior to entry to the hospital in an effort to minimize the risk of contagion inside. We take pride in being able to provide a solution which allowed our NAS Sigonella community to continue to be seen by health care professionals for medical issues and concerns other than COVID-19! On the firefighting side of the coin, every year, NCTS Niscemi endures brush fires in and around the site. In an effort to organize a response to these emergencies, we spearheaded discussions with the Sicilian Bureau of Land Management, Sicilian Forestry Department, city of Catania and Niscemi Fire Department to raise the level of fire protection for our two main installations and U.S. Transmitter Site in Niscemi. This effort had immediate benefits. The forestry department supported our efforts during two larger wildland fires on Niscemi and the large brush fire adjacent to NAS 1. This collaborative effort will strengthen our combined response to future brush fires and ensure we continue to protect our community and installation assets. As we conclude 2020, we reflect on the teamwork and flexibility of our team with pride. They adjusted on the fly and took the initiative necessary to provide outstanding F&ES services to our entire NAS Sigonella community. We look forward to carrying this momentum into 2021.
The Signature: 2020 Year In Review
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NCTS SICILY
aval Computer and Telecommunications Station (NCTS) Sicily experienced a 2020 full of recognition, challenges and opportunities. In 2020, the command was recognized as European DISA End Switch Facility of Year for 2019 and by the Navy for Retention Excellence. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly challenged our Sailors and operational model; however, it also created opportunity for us to innovate how we execute our mission, sustain our readiness and ensure our resiliency. NCTS Sicily has a 24/7 mission executed across three watchfloors located in three geographically dispersed locations. The nature of our operations means that reduced manning or telework are not an option, so NCTS Sicily Sailors had to stand the watch. Nevertheless, safety was a top priority. Demonstrating exceptional agility and resiliency, the watchteams modified workstation layouts, revised watch schedules, and self-enforced mask protocols. These efforts ensured that throughout 2020, COVID-19 had zero impact on NCTS’s 24/7 electromagnetic spectrum and cyberspace missions that enable assured command and control for Navy, joint & coalition forces across the European Command (EUCOM), Africa Command (AFRICOM) & Central Command (CENTCOM) theaters. While our mission continued uninterrupted, COVID-19 did impact NCTS Sicily in a number of significant ways. Most notable, all of our externallysupported maintenance and system upgrades planned for 2020 were deferred indefinitely. Again, NCTS Sailors demonstrated their focused commitment to warfighting readiness, advocating successfully for Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) support to correct issues with the ultra-high frequency satellite communications and data link equipment on NCTS Sicily’s tactical support
communications (TSCOMM) watchfloor. A combined team of NCTS information systems technicians (ITs), electronics technicians (ETs) and NIWC engineers worked around-the-clock for two weeks to restore maximum readiness for systems directly enabling Commander, Task Force 67 operations. Additionally, NCTS was able to commence a year-long fire suppression upgrade to our headquarters building, commence a SIPRNET upgrade to our command and control capability, and partner with the NASSIG Public Works Department to take on operations and maintenance responsibilities for four backup diesel generators supporting our facilities. Of all the months in 2020, August was probably the most eventful for NCTS Sicily. It began with a series of brush fires at Navy Radio and Transmitter Facility (NRTF) Niscemi. During one of these brush fires, intense flames came within several hundred feet of the main building, significantly threatening equipment worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Battling the flames and 95 degree heat, NCTS and NASSIG Security Sailors worked together with the support of local firefighting helicopters and personnel to extinguish the blaze. Coincidently, both the NCTS Senior Enlisted Leader, Senior Chief Lewis, and the NASSIG Command Master Chief, Master Chief Wood, were on hand to lead the combined NCTS-NASSIG team. During the month, our team also worked closely with the NASSIG Security Office to enhance our combined agility and readiness to protect NCTS’s national-level strategic mission conducted at NRTF Niscemi. August ended on a high note with an open house designed to provide NCTS families an opportunity to see and understand the critical work and mission their Sailors do every day. The event was a huge success, featuring tours of our tech control facility and our iconic satellite
The Signature: 2020 Year In Review
dish, various interactive activities, and concluding with a cookout at the command pavilion in the shadow of Mount Etna. The events above are simply the wave top highlights of all the activities and achievements at NCTS Sicily during 2020. While it proved to be a challenging year, it also brought opportunities for individuals to step up to
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support each other and innovate to solve tough problems. NCTS Sicily Sailors did this and more, exceeding every expectation of our Commodore, Capt. Jody Grady, and Fleet Commander, Vice Adm. Ross Myers. As a command, we look forward to the new challenges and opportunities 2021 will present, steadfast in our commitment to agility and sustaining our warfighting focus.
NAVAL CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIVE SERVICE n 2020, Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) I Sigonella continued its mission of supporting the NAS Sigonella community, albeit with some changes that became necessary in a COVID-19 operating environment. Our organization’s guiding principles are agility, integration, and impact, and throughout the year we have had to embrace new ways to remain faithful to those ideals. As always, we were focused on three things: preventing terrorism, protecting secrets, and reducing crime. As the “Hub of the Med,” NASSIG remains a potential target for extremist groups and foreign adversaries. Our job here is to identify, analyze, investigate and counter threats to our community. In 2020, part of that responsibility included providing protection to senior leaders visiting the area. To support this mission, in February we welcomed a new intelligence specialist with the language skills and experience to help us keep a pulse on what’s happening in our area of responsibility. During the strict lockdown measures imposed in March and April of 2020, we saw a sharp decrease in incidents of crime, both within our DoD community and across the local area. Overall, though, the number of reports we received in 2020 remained relatively comparable to previous years. What was different about this year was how we conducted investigations. COVID-19 safety became a paramount concern, and as a result we conducted more remote or virtual interviews, practiced social distancing, and put a greater emphasis on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
Increasing integration with NASSIG commands and our host nation counterparts was one of our top priorities in 2020. Our agents routinely met with commanders to discuss emerging threats and the proactive steps were are taking to minimize any potential negative impacts to their respective missions. We worked with the Security Department to provide training to patrol units and collaborate on areas of shared interest. We worked closely with our partners from the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response team and Family Advocacy Program. Our office also grew our relationships with host nation law enforcement agencies such as the Carabinieri and Polizia di Stato. Working together, we were able to curb criminal activity outside the fence line that impacted our community. Earlier this month we said “fair winds and following seas” to our colleague, Special Agent Veronica Caban de Gracia from the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. Though her primary focus was supporting U.S. Air Force personnel and assets, she was a strong advocate for the entire Sigonella community and a dedicated law enforcement partner. She will be missed. In all, 2020 challenged us all to find ways to accomplish our mission with minimal interpersonal interaction and an increased reliance on digital communication. Despite these hurdles, we like to think that our efforts have helped make Sigonella a safer and more secure community. All of us are grateful to continue to support the NASSIG mission in 2021.
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The Signature: 2020 Year In Review
FLEET MAIL CENTER I
’m Mr. Ajaka (AJ) Chesterfield, and I have the pleasure of being your Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Sigonella Postal Manager. Our Fleet Mail Center Sigonella team provides support to NAS Sigonella and deployed units in the 6th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR). For mail destined to deployed units in the AOR, we work very closely with NAVSUP Navy Mail Routers, 6th Fleet and Commander, Task Force 63 in particular, to ensure the mail can be delivered to the customer once it arrives in Europe. That teamwork and cooperation is displayed in the incredible amount of mail we move on a daily basis. During the last year we’ve processed over one million pounds of mail! This includes over 801,714 pounds of mail incoming mail and over 213,868 pounds of outgoing mail processed respectively. Operational units are critically important; however, the military and civilian members
stationed in Sigonella who support the warfighter are equally important. To that end, we strive to provide a level of service equal to or greater than a United States Postal Office that you would find back home. Sigonella receives a large portion of our mail from the Rome Mail Control Activity (MCA). MCA Rome dispatches Sigonella mail via commercial air flights on a daily basis. Although we receive mail from Catania airport daily, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted NAVSUP’s normal mail movement routes leading in and out of our AOR. As a result, we receive the bulk of our mail via weekly mail trucks from MCA Rome due to commercial airline restrictions and cargo limitations. Once onboard, all incoming mail is processed and prepared for delivery to you, our Sigonella Family. We value each and everyone one of our customers and cannot express our gratitude enough for your ongoing support. Wishing you a Happy Holiday Season from the NAVSUP Fleet Mail Center Team.
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SIGONELLA COMMUNITY SCHOOLS emote learning, social distancing, contact distanced classrooms, and mask wear for all. Without R tracing, quarantine, restriction of movement, the tremendous support we received from our mask wear, brick and mortar, and Department of community, including volunteers who spent hours at Defense Educational Activity (DoDEA) Virtual School (DVS)—these are all terms that were rarely or never used a year ago, but which have become part of our daily vernacular here at Sigonella Community Schools. Flexibility has been the key to navigating this very unusual year. In March, we experienced a school closure on a Tuesday evening and reopened with remote learning that Friday. Our teachers and staff learned to teach virtually practically overnight. Team Sigonella provided tremendous support to the schools to help us get through the spring closure, including but not limited to providing technology resources to families. In March, the Sigonella Middle/High School Choir released a video of an acapella performance that struck a chord with people all over the world. With more than three thousand shares on Facebook, this rendition of Heavenly Father by Bon Iver lifted spirits far and wide. Summer brought about a whole new set of conditions as we geared up to welcome students back to brick and mortar schooling in August after many months away. All families had the option to enroll in the newlyexpanded DoDEA Virtual School (DVS) or to return to in-person school. As teachers were assigned to the DVS from the brick and mortar schools, we retooled schedules and teaching assignments, demonstrating our newly found flexibility. A true team effort made Sigonella schools work in a brand new way, instituting one-way hallways, socially
the school helping us prepare the building, we would not have been ready for the return of the students. Despite the challenges, we opened successfully and started to navigate school in this new normal. As we began the 2020-2021 school year, our administrative team looked a little different. Dale Moore took a short walk from Sigonella Elementary School principal’s office over to the Sigonella Middle/High School side of things to become the M/ HS principal. Richard Dye served as interim principal for Sigonella Elementary School until Courtney Schonffeldt arrived, and several new staff members also hit the ground running this year as well. Later in the fall, our in-person school switched to remote learning for three weeks as a precaution, requiring us to present instruction virtually for the second time in a calendar year. The M/HS choir once again created a beautiful video to accompany the MWR Virtual Tree Lighting, but thankfully our time apart was short this time. We were thrilled to be able to bring the students back in the building to work with them face-to-face once more. Our students, our families, and the command have all been incredibly supportive, patient, hard-working, and kind as we have worked through these transitions we never thought we would have to face. Everyone has remained flexible and has made the best of a difficult situation to ensure that student learning, no matter what, still takes place. We’re proud to be part of team DoDEA and Team Sigonella!
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The Signature: 2020 Year In Review
RISTORANTE BELLA M
any have called 2020 a “curse” and are already anxious for 2021 to start, and we really can’t blame them. We acknowledge that this year has posed significant global challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With this in mind, as our Bella Etna team looks back on the events that have shaped the past twelve months, we won’t dwell on the trials we faced. Instead, we are focusing on how we rose to the occasion. The year started very fruitfully when the Secretary of the Navy announced that Ristorante Bella Etna was selected for the 2020 Captain Edward F. Ney Memorial award for having the best ashore food service operation in the Navy for the third consecutive year. This was followed by another notable achievement as our very own Signore Agatino Grasso was selected as NAS Sigonella’s Junior Civilian Employee of the Year. We are all aware of what happened in March when COVID-19 was officially declared a worldwide pandemic. It impacted our way of lives as the entire country of Italy, the base, and all food service facilities was put on lockdown, but Ristorante Bella Etna has remained operational and open. With the galley’s dedicated staff and crew, the team was able to seamlessly feed our warfighters in order to continue to provide critical support our nation’s, NATO allies’, and partner nation’s mission. The Ristorante Bella Etna team, consisting of local national employees and military personnel, innovated and blazed the trail of implementing effective science-based COVID-19 mitigation measures. The NASSIG galley was one of the first galleys not only in the region but across the Navy to utilize social distancing, require facemasks, and strictly enforce the hand washing requirement for all patrons. We saw our services reduced from almost 300 seating capacity to 52, and down again to 27, and we finally shifted to take-out meals only. During this time, the galley still averaged 700 customers
a day. From April to mid-June, Ristorante Bella Etna was the only food service establishment that safely remained open to provide meals to service members within the NASSIG community. While shifting to a unique feeding situation, the galley team supported a rigorous turnover between troops from Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force (SPMAG-TF) and Sailors from four Patrol and Reconnaissance Squadrons. With restricted movement in effect, the galley team prepared hundreds of boxed meals daily for the quarantined personnel while maintaining a galley take-out operation. To date, the galley personnel prepared over 317,000 meals, with 51,000 of those meals being delivered to personnel in a Restriction of Movement (ROM) status. April was our busiest and most memorable month as Bella Etna saw our former Food Service Officer Chief Warrant Officer 4 Jonathan Delacruz promoted to Chief Warrant Officer 5 and successfully turned over the operations to another brilliant leader in the food service field, CWO4 Rolando Abad. Abad joined us after completing a successful yet rigorous tour aboard the forward deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) stationed in Yokosuka, Japan. It was a flawless transition which allowed us to reopen the Mess Hall with socially-distanced seating in June. During this time, the galley also went through Commander Naval Installation (CNIC) Five Star Accreditation inspection and received the highest accreditation grade in EURAFECENT region, ultimately resulting in galley nomination as the NEY award finalist for the forthcoming year’s final evaluation. Despite the ever changing guidelines from the local government, CDC and the Navy, Ristorante Bella Etna expertly balanced and implemented the safety measures to also serve numerous special themed meals to include the Navy birthday meal and the most recent Thanksgiving feast. In
The Signature: 2020 Year In Review
ETNA GALLEY the process, the galley also successfully hosted numerous luncheons for VIPs and dignitaries including Adm. Robert Burke, commander, Naval Forces Europe-Africa; Rear Adm. Scott Gray, commander, Navy Region Europe Africa Central; and Maj. Gen. Michael Langley, commander, U.S. Marine Forces Europe and Africa to name a few. A very tall order indeed, but our team proved over and over again that we were ready to handle any challenge. Maintaining a culture of excellence and providing consistent “five-star” quality service has always been the top goal of Ristorante Bella Etna every year, and the team never came short of this goal in 2020. On September, after months of waiting due to the delay of the E8/E9 advancement board results, Ristorante Bella Etna received more good news. Our leading culinary specialist, Chief Marco F. Guevarra, was advanced to the rank of senior chief petty officer, a very well deserved promotion for our offgoing departmental deck-plate leader. Only a month later, the galley team once again competed for this year NEY final assessment and submitted our package to CNIC and NAVSUP for its final evaluation. The results are still pending, but the team is in high spirits and confident that it will be another successful year for the “famiglia” to maintain the title and well on track to set a record in Naval history as the Navy’s first food service operation to receive a NEY award for four consecutive years. “To us, winning the award is just a bonus. Keeping our patrons and service members well fed and happy is our main concern,” said Domenico “Mimmo” Strano, our well-loved galley manager. This positive attitude and way of thinking is one of the reasons why he was also selected as the first civilian “Bravo Strike” awardee for promoting “Signature Behaviors” in the COMNAVEURAFCENT region, an award given by
Adm. Robert Burke during a virtual award ceremony with NAS Sigonella’s command triad. His genuine concern and valiant efforts to maintain Sigonella community’s morale proved worthy of the recognition. Continuing the list of positive things for 2020, our supply manager and government purchase cardholder, LSSN Phillip Jaurequi was selected as the Blue Jacket of the Year, proving his win for the 2nd quarter BJOQ was not just luck but sheer consistency and greatness as a Sailor. “I couldn’t have done this alone. Thank you to my Bella Etna Family!” he said after learning of his selection. Capping off the year, our Storeroom Foreman and Manager (Jack of the Dust) Sergio Spampinato was selected as NASSIG’s Civilian Employee of the Quarter, an achievement and testament for his efforts in ensuring our food supplies and provisions were on adequate levels despite the logistical challenges caused by the pandemic. “I didn’t expect this, but I appreciate my team recognizing my efforts. This is why I love being a membri della famiglia!” Sergio said. Famiglia indeed is how we treat each other at the “Ristorante,” and somehow we made 2020 a little bit easier for each other; truly there is strength in numbers. This year alone, our entire galley team received 111 letters of recognitions and appreciations from the command, in addition to our LN staff’s Years of Service awards for their continued efforts, consistency, courage and dedication to perform to perfection. “I am blessed to be the food service officer of this awesome group, a well-oiled machine with efficiency and excellence in mind during its daily operation” a very thankful CWO4 Abad said. Year 2020 wasn’t that bad after all because we know we have each other during these trying times. We lifted each other up and we pulled through! That’s what the Ristorante Bella Etna “FAMIGLIA” is all about.
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