Vol. 28 No. 42
November 4, 2011
http://www.cnic.navy.mil/sigonella
Wegman departs the pattern
Over 300 students and their teachers from Naval Air Station Sigonella's Department of Defense Dependent School participate in a 'Story Book Parade' around the base here, Oct. 28. The students were encouraged by their teachers to dress up as their favorite character from a book of their choice.
Outgoing ETD OIC, CDR Andy Wegman (right), shakes hands with incoming OIC, CDR Scott Needle (left), before going flying in Catbird.
DoDDS Sigonella students hold Story Book Parade By MCSA Brian Glunt
By Lt. Cmdr. Charlie White ETD Operations Officer
On Nov. 1, Cmdr. Andy Wegman relinquished his duties as Officer In Charge, Executive Transport Detachment (ETD), Sigonella, after more than two years at the helm. The change of charge marks not only Wegman’s departure from Sigonella, but also the end of his 22-year Navy career. During Cmdr. Wegman’s tenure as OIC, ETD flew more than 300,000 air miles in direct support of Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe/U.S. Naval Forces Africa/Allied Joint Force Command, Naples. Throughout the vast and challenging Area Of Responsibility(AOR)—which covers all of Europe and Russia, most of the African continent, and spans the North Pole to Antarctica—ETD enabled crucial engagement and bi-lateral talks between the commander and 14 foreign heads of state, 17 civilian ministers of defense, 23 military chiefs of defense, and 18 chiefs of naval operations. In the process, ETD reached 52 years of “Catbird” service in Sigonella. As OIC, Cmdr. Wegman establi-
shed a pattern of success and innovation at ETD. Under his leadership, the detachment received recognition for exceptional achievement from both military and civilian organizations. ETD earned the 2009 Fleet Logistics Support Wing award for Maintenance Excellence, and in 2010 was one of only seven U.S. Navy organizations to win the Alfred P. Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility. Cmdr. Wegman officially retires from active duty on Feb. 1, 2012. He is a 1990 graduate of Aviation Officer Candidate School, and was designated a Naval Aviator in October 1991. He departs the Naval service having flown nearly 4000 hours in six different military aircraft, qualified as a NATOPS Instructor Pilot in two aircraft, twice served on flag executive staff, served at seven CONUS and OCONUS duty stations, conducted operations in every geographic Combatant Command AOR, while raising three sons. His relief is Cmdr. Scott V. Needle, whose previous tour was as Commanding Officer, Navy Operational Support Center (NOSC) Alameda, California.
NPASE
Approximately 300 students from Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella’s Department of Defense Dependant School (DoDDS) participated in a Story Book Parade here, Oct. 28. The students were encouraged by their teachers to read a book of their choice and dress as their favorite character from that book to be displayed in the parade around the base. “The school wanted to do something to celebrate the holiday event here with Halloween coming up, but at the same time tie it to a learning
Sigonella’s newest chaplain
Celebrating Autumn
Chaplain Cauble is the newest face out of NAS Sigonella’s Religious Ministries Department. Get to know him in this month’s Chaplain’s Corner.
MWR Sigonella held their annual Autumnfest event this past weekend. Check out some photos from the two-day event.
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activity,” said Barry Tanner, DoDDS Sigonella’s Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) treasurer. “By having the Story Book Parade, we can tie the ‘dressing up in costumes’ to a learning activity that they are doing here in the school.” The teachers joined their students in the events by also dressing up and parading around the base as their favorite character while sporting the books they have read. “This is a great event. Every year the kids have been very excited about it,” said Tanner. “My daughter has been planning her costume for at least a month.”
The DoDDS PTO has helped sponsor many of the school’s events, like the Story Book Parade, by using their website and Facebook page to get the word out to the parents. “I dressed up as the sister from ‘The Glunk That Got a Thunk,’” said Kathryn Barto, a second grader in the parade. “It’s a really good book and there’s a lot of fun stuff in it. Reading is one of my favorite hobbies. I have plenty of favorite hobbies, but reading is one of my top ones.” For more information on DoDDS Sigonella, visit their website at www.eu.dodea.edu.
Come out to the craft fair tomorrow MWR is holding their annual holiday craft fair tomorrow in the Midtown Complex. Get more details!
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