Interactive Customer Evaluation

Comment Regarding Help With Landlord: I need help with my landlord. What can Family Housing do to help?

Response:

While this is not ideal, off-base homes can at times need maintenance or repairs. Available home listings always meet Housing’s minimum requirements but unfortunately this does not guarantee they will be free of maintenance during your tenancy. The impacts to your time, money and quality of life are frustrating. Responding to major/ extraordinary maintenance is the landlord’s responsibility, similar to CONUS off-base rentals. The Housing Office can help to communicate on your behalf with landlords and utility companies, but Housing staff do not confirm work dates or manage repair projects. Direct communication between tenant and landlord is the fastest way to communicate an issue, get advice, or schedule further investigations.

Additionally, when the amount of maintenance or landlord’s repair approach does not align with your needs, advice in these situations is to consider terminating their lease with a 6-month notice to the Landlord. This can be done at any time and without a reason, but requires a specific letter to be prepared by the Housing Office. Housing staff will process the lease and utility contract terminations, coordinate loaner furniture/ furnishings, and schedule your check-out. Per Italian law, chronic/severe maintenance problems on their own are not a justification to immediately terminate a lease contract. The Housing Office’s other roles are focused on maintaining available listings, showing units to interested personnel, supporting tenant communication through translation services, informing service members of OCONUS housing allowances, assisting personnel accessing available housing resources, supporting lease and utility contract processing, check-in/checkout services, coordinating loaner furniture and furnishings, and assisting personnel understand their housing options both before and during their tenancy. Your lease or utility contract are only between you and your landlord; not the Housing Office nor the Navy.

Comment Regarding Parking and Abandoned Cars:

Parking is a premium on both NAS I/II yet why do I see so many abandoned vehicles? I’ve seen some that are parked in the same spot for over 6 months. Why isn’t anything done about it?

Response:

If you believe a vehicle has been abandoned, report it to Security at 624-5225. Any vehicle that has been identified as possibly abandoned is ticketed with the owner having 72 hours to move it, lest it be towed. Security responds to all reports of alleged abandoned vehicles but also has been directed to look for vehicles during their regular patrols. Remember: posts on social media, especially unofficial groups, do not constitute an official report.

Comment Regarding the Post Office

The post office has sent out emails saying they’re open from 8-12 on DONSA’s but they didn’t honor these hours. They sent an email stating I had packages for pickup but when I arrived, the doors were locked. When I called, they answered but stated they wouldn’t allow anybody in as they were only there to sort mail. Why are they sending notifications to pick up mail if they won’t honor these hours?

Response:

Depending on the holiday as listed in COMNAVREGEURAFCENTNOTE 5000 published 18 May 2022, the post office may have modified or closed hours, but the post office is ALWAYS closed on Saturdays and Sundays. There may be post office personnel present on these days to sort the mail as it is common practice for a mail truck to arrive on Saturday but they will not be accepting customers.

When the post office releases information regarding hours, note which hours apply to which days. The post office will be open for specific hours for DONSA’s during the normal workweek. The post office is closed on weekends and federal holidays.

Comment Regarding NAS 2 Gym: What is the possibility of providing the NAS 2 gym a face lift or adding some additional equipment. The function of the facility is met but its appearance and timeliness of repair could use some improvement.

Response:

The basketball court, flooring throughout the ground floor, broken mirror and paint are all issues being addressed by NAVFAC in response to the flood that occurred in November 2021. There is a repair project that was awarded in FY22 so we are just awaiting a design for the repairs. However,

U.S. NAVAL AIR STATION SIGONELLA

Commanding Officer Capt. Aaron Shoemaker

Executive Officer

Cmdr. Ronald Cappellini

Command Master Chief CMDCM Randy Dickerson

EDITORIAL

Public Affairs Officer Lt. Drake Greer drake.e.greer.mil@us.navy.mil

Public Affairs LPO MC1 Kegan Kay kegan.e.kay.mil@us.navy.mil

Community Relations Officer Dott. Alberto Lunetta alberto.lunetta.ln@us.navy.mil

PAO Staff Writers \ Photographers

MC1 Joshua Coté joshua.m.cote2.mil@us.navy.mil

MC2 Kelsey Culbertson kelsey.s.culbertson.mil@us.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.

By MC2 Kelsey Culbertson, NAS Sigonella Public Affairs

Logistics Specialist 3rd Class Louise Anne Ramos, from Bulacan, Philippines, joined the Navy January 19, 2021, for two reasons: to see the world, and to get her bachelor’s degree.

“I’m about to go back to school, and hopefully get my degree,” said Ramos. She is pursuing an associate’s degree in business administration.

To Ramos, serving in the military pushes her out of her comfort zone, and while her place of duty isn’t typical for an LS, she maintains a positive attitude as she orders gear, operates at Navy post offices, and maintains inventory databases.

“In the military, you may find that your job is not exactly what you are going to do like in the civilian world,” Ramos said. “You need to be open-minded and flexible.”

Ramos has advice for her fellow service members and shipmates: “feel the fear but do it anyway!”

Ramos is currently working at Naval Air Station Sigonella’s galley, Ristorante Bella Etna, as a cashier. Due to many of her responsibilities varying in level of importance, she does not have a structured daily routine.

“If I had to say an example of my work day, it would have me working either on department purchases, work contracts, inventory management and or serving at the line,” Ramos said. While her duties improve her strength as an LS and a Sailor, she performs the duties of a culinary specialist as well.

Ramos also holds her department’s Government Purchase Credit Card as her primary collateral duty. A GPC Holder can purchase supplies for their command.

“I am able to go out in town to purchase supplies for the galley,” Ramos said.

Culinary Specialist 1st Class Delmesha Calloway stated that Ramos’s always has a positive attitude, and is always willing to go above and beyond of what’s requested of her.

“Her work ethic is unmatched, and has the perfect mix of technical competence and professionalism,” remarked Calloway, Ramos’s leading petty officer at the galley. “She has left a mark working in Bella Etna’s Galley and in different departments here on NAS Sigonella!”

Ramos’ proudest moment while serving in the Navy at NAS Sigonella was assisting the base during Operation Allies Refuge, an event supporting the Department of State’s mission to facilitate the safe relocation of U.S. citizens, Special Immigration Visa recipients, and other populations from Afghanistan.

“I helped initially set up the refugee’s temporary quarters,” Ramos said. “I then assisted in escorting the incoming refugees to their temporary living quarters.”

Ramos has traveled around Europe since she got to NAS Sigonella.

“Ever since I got here, I have been to Romania, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Malta, Czech Republic and Germany,” Ramos said. “All of them are equally majestic on their own, but Hungary actually stood out to me. I fell in love on how warm the people are, the food is good, and I like how they preserve their history and culture.”

“Traveling around Europe is so easy and cheap,” Ramos said. “Every time I go to a different country, I get to try or discover something new!”

Ramos is planning on staying in the Navy, and hopes on going to San Diego or Japan as her next duty station.

Ramos’ hobbies include learning how to cook new dishes for her friends, traveling around Sicily, and watching thriller or horror movies.