The Signature | August 21, 2020

August 21, 2020

Vol. 37 No. 14

NCTS SICILY:

A 62 Year Legacy pages 6 & 7

NAS Sigonella Firefighters to the Rescue!

Sigonella Navy Lodge Employee Wins Worldwide Associate of the Year Award

The Signature

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Direct Line NCTS Sicily Commanding Officer Cmdr. Brian Evans

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uon Giorno, I am Commander Brian Evans, Commanding Officer of Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station (NCTS) Sicily. My family and I recently arrived from Naples and are truly excited for another tour in Italy. As I settled into my command tour, the opportunity to interact with numerous other Navy and Joint commands highlighted for me the many amazing missions our Sigonella community is executing on behalf of our nation. To this end, let me first acknowledge each and every one of you—active duty, civilians, local nationals and family members. Without your sacrifice and support, the vital missions occurring at NAS Sigonella would be impossible. Thank you!

Within the NAS Sigonella operational community, I have the great privilege of leading the diverse and talented officers, enlisted, civilians and local nationals that constitute the crew of NCTS Sicily and Task Unit 1010.6.1. As a forward tactical unit aligned under Navy Fleet Cyber Command and U.S. 10th Fleet, NCTS Sicily’s mission is to continuously plan, synchronize and execute actions in the electromagnetic (EM) and cyberspace domains that shape conditions and generate capabilities advantageous to U.S. and partner forces.

Simply stated, NCTS Sicily is an operational warfighting command. Our task is to operate, secure and defend the Navy’s networks and access to the EM spectrum. Aspects of this mission occur locally, while others span the European, Central and African theaters. Regardless, NCTS Sicily Sailors and civilians are among the Navy’s premier EM and cyberspace operators, making them more than ready to meet the challenge!

Many of you have likely worked with our Base Communications Office (BCO) for fiber connectivity to your building fiber or Defense Switched Network (DSN) phone capability, or with our ONE-Net Local Network Support Center (LNSC); however, those activities represent a small subset of our full range of responsibilities.

In addition to the BCO and LNSC, NCTS Sicily sustains three 24/7 watchfloors; operates and maintains a 600 acre transmitting facility in Niscemi, Italy; operates one of four ground stations for the MUOS satellite constellation; assures maritime patrol aircraft and afloat unit communications; and operates a Defense Information System Agency

node for a multi-path resilient connection between NAS Sigonella and the global DOD Information Network.

My team and I look forward to working with all the NAS Sigonella tenant commands and organizations in pursuit of our common mission— defense of our nation. The reality is that our nation’s competitors and potential adversaries are actively contesting the Navy’s ability to freely operate in the EM and cyberspace domains. In response, NCTS Sicily is committed to three core principles: Warfighting Focus, Agility, and Precision. With a mission-centric perspective in all we do, planned adaptability, and pursuit of expert knowledge and accuracy; we will remain ready—ensuring EM and cyberspace superiority for our fellow Navy and joint warfighters.

Thank you again for all you do in support of our Navy and nation!

August 21, 2020

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Interactive Customer Evaluation Response Regarding 24/7 Childcare: We have received several comments about 24/7 childcare.

Worldwide, the Navy operates two 24/7 childcare centers at the high fleet concentration areas of Norfolk and San Diego. Currently, both centers see minimal enrollment and at times have expanded their services to drop in hourly care for command events and date nights in order to keep the centers afloat. For example, Norfolk serves 40,000 active duty members with only 18 families enrolled. A third 24/7 childcare center was built at NSA Bethesda in 2016 in order to support shift workers at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The need for 24/7 care was brought up almost daily by hospital leadership and staff. When the center opened, only 12 eligible families came forward and only one signed up for care. After operating for a year with one full time enrolled child and multiple outreach initiatives, the center closed. We understand that there will always be some outstanding needs of child care for military families across the world but 24/7 centers have not proven to be the answer for the Navy. Their lack of success in high fleet concentration areas and at a large hospital command tell us that a 24/7 center at NAS Sigonella will not meet the needs of our community. If you feel that you are unable to meet your mission due to the childcare available on the installation, we encourage you to speak with your chain of command to find the best solution for yourself, your children and your family.

Comment Regarding Commissary Hours: Those of us on twelve hour day shifts get out at 1800 at the earliest and have no opportunity to visit the Commissary. The switch from the original 1900 Commissary closing time to 1800 was implemented at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, presumably to fit in with the host countries nighttime curfew laws, but has since remained 1800 even after the lockdown lift. Its a huge inconvenience, especially for those working the 3 day weekend work sets.

Response: Last month the commissary updated its hours to better accommodate the NAS Sigonella community and has restored their regular hours. Currently, the commissary is open Saturday and Sunday from 1000 to 1800, Tuesday through Friday from 1000 to 1900, and closed on Mondays. Early bird

hours are not yet available again. It appears that this change has not been adequately publicized, and we hope that these hours better serve your needs.

Customer Comment Regarding Post Office: Hello. I’m not sure if this issue is with the actual post office here or not but we’ve had about 5-6 packages of mail that went missing/lost just in the last 2-3 months.

Mostly Amazon purchased and some mail in envelopes.

Also, it takes weeks to sometimes a month or two for the mail to get processed as “picked up”. I still have a bunch of Amazon items showing as “still on the way” but I received it weeks ago. It causes issues with trying to return items through the mail, etc.

Thank you.

Response from NAVSUP FLC: NAVSUP FLC Sigonella is committed to ensuring the secure and timely delivery of NASSIG postal customers’ important mail and packages to their intended destinations.

We regret whenever any of our postal customers experience an interruption to the movement of their mail, as was the case for this customer. When mail that is moving in and out of our AOR does not reach its intended destination, listed below are the most common reasons why. Also included are actions a postal customer can take to locate and track their mail and packages.

1. One possible cause for disruptions to the movement of our customers’ mail and packages is that they are delayed in transit.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted NAVSUP’s normal mail movement routes leading in and out of our AOR. From the beginning of the pandemic through the present, NAVSUP’s postal managers have worked tirelessly to establish, and maintain, alternative mail routes so that our customers’ mail moves with minimal delay.

Take action: If you have reason to believe your mail is delayed, contact the NASSIG postal officer who can assist in tracking it. If the mail item is a purchased product, track the delivery status on your electronic customer account with the vendor. Another way to track your delayed mail is using the tracking number provided to the sender. Or obtain it by contacting the vendor.

2. Another reason that customers’ mail may not reach its intended destination is the extremely rare occasion that the mail is mishandled at the post office. By the end "ICE" cont’d on page 11

THE SIGNATURE

U.S. NAVAL AIR STATION SIGONELLA

Commanding Officer Capt. Kevin Pickard Executive Officer Cmdr. Patrick J. Moran Command Master Chief CMDCM Anna Wood EDITORIAL Public Affairs Officer Lt. Karl Schonberg karl.schonberg@eu.navy.mil Assistant Public Affairs Officer Megan Mills megan.mills@eu.navy.mil Public Affairs Leading Petty Officer MC1 Kegan Kay kegan.kay@eu.navy.mil Community Relations Officer Dott. Alberto Lunetta alberto.lunetta.it@eu.navy.mil PAO Staff Writers \ Photographers MC2 Joshua Coté joshua.m.cote@eu.navy.mil MCSA Triniti Lersch triniti.lersch@eu.navy.mil CONTACT US

Naval Air Station Sigonella, Sicily thesig@eu.navy.mil DSN 624-5440; 095-86-5440 PSC 812 Box 7, FPO, AE 09627-0001

This newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the military services overseas.

Contents of The Signature are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense (DoD), or the U.S. Navy.

Editorial submissions are welcomed from all Naval Air Station Sigonella departments, divisions and tenant commands. Editorial submissions should be sent to the Public Affairs Office via thesig@eu.navy.mil. All articles submitted by non-staff members will be considered contributing writers.

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Name: Yao Zoumavor Command: NAS SIGONELLA Department: Emergency Management

By MCSN Triniti Lersch, NAS Sigonella Public Affairs

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viation Boatswains Mate [Handler] Second Class Yao Zoumavor, from Lome, Togo in West Africa, originally intended to join the Army. However, after speaking with the Army recruiter for ten minutes, a Navy recruiter tried to poach him as a joke. Luckily, it worked; Zoumavor joined the Navy on September 24, 2013.

Zoumavor currently works in Emergency Management in Naval Air Station Sigonella, and he has been stationed here for the past two years.

His favorite part of Emergency Management is the challenge of working on something different from his previous commands.

“It’s very challenging because every single day is different,” said Zoumavor. “You can come to work, and there is new stuff going on. Because I’m an ABH, I’m working on stuff I never dealt with. I’m not used to working in emergency management.”

Zoumavor stays busy even when nothing urgent is happening. “If I have nothing going on, I join the crew on the watch floor and start working on the COVID-19 stuff, sending reports to region and updating trackers,” said Zoumavor.

Despite working in an unfamiliar field, Zoumavor has excelled. “His attention to detail as our AtHoc database manager ensures all personnel receive timely Emergency Notifications contributing to the health and safety of the NASSIG community,” said Aviation Boatswains Mate [Equipment] Chief Tinisha Franklin, the Leading Chief Petty Officer of Emergency Management.

His collateral duties consist of being the Emergency Management Career Counselor, Key Custodian, Restricted Area Monitor, and the Electronic Key Management System Manager.

“ABH2 Zoumavor’s impact and influence as our Departmental Career Counselor has contributed to a 90% retention rate, spearheading our US Map enrollment improving both professional and personal development,” said Franklin For his first command, Zoumavor served aboard the USS Ronald Reagan in San Diego for two years. During a hull swap, Zoumavor stayed with the ship and then it homeport swapped to Japan.

When he was stationed aboard a ship, Zoumavor worked on a flight deck which was intense and busy all day. Now onboard NAS Sigonella, he finds that working in a building involves different pace, which has allowed him to take college classes.

“His commitment to excellence is evident as he has only two semester hours remaining before completing his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration,” said Franklin.

Zoumavor believes strongly in the importance of making an effort, as demonstrated by his favorite quote from George Eliot: “Failure after long perseverance is much grander than never to have a striving good enough to be called a failure.”

“Sometimes you want to do something, but you feel like you can’t do it,” said Zoumavor. “You don’t give yourself the chance to at least try, so you just give up. I think if you really want to go for something, at least give it a try. Even if you fail, try another time. Keep trying.”

This attitude is evident to his supervisors. According to Franklin, “ABH2 Zoumavor demonstrates his pride and professionalism with a calm demeanor and a can do attitude no matter the task.”

Zoumavor enjoys his time in Sicily, because of the lifestyle. He also enjoys watching finance-based documentaries, reading, soccer, and traveling. His favorite part of Sicily is Taormina due to the busy streets and the food.

August 21, 2020

NAS Sigonella Firefighters to the Rescue!

Story by MC2 Joshua Cote, NAS Sigonella Public Affairs, Photos by MCSN Brandon Pitts and NAS Sigonella Fire and Emergency Department

F

ires around the farmland in Sicily are a common sight, especially in the summer. Most of the time, farmers set them in a controlled manner to improve the health of their land, although some are started inadvertently. On occasion, the fires can get a little out of hand.

Recently, two fires spread rapidly near Naval Air Station Sigonella facilities. Thanks to efforts from our own fire and security departments, they were both put out with no damage to our property.

On August 10, a fire approaching the base fence line quickly covered a lot of ground. NAS Sigonella fire and emergency services worked side by side with Catania firefighters on the ground while Italian Forestale attacked it from the air.

This time of year, fires seem to be more common inside the triangle.

“It seems like it is a pattern were more fires happen during the summer time,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 2nd Class Francisco Perezguillen, firefighter onboard NAS Sigonella. “When we have brush fires they come in groupings. On average we have a brush fire about once or twice a week. Then the rest of our calls are dealing with building alarms around base.”

Many factors come into play when dealing with big brush fires that you wouldn’t have to deal with aboard

a ship.

“When it comes to fighting a wild fire, you don’t really need to wear a Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus,” said Perezguillen. “As long as you are far enough upwind from a fire, you can get enough oxygen on your own.

The way you fight wild fires depends on the conditions of the environment such as humidity and heat and, most importantly, the wind direction and speed. On a ship you wouldn’t have to think of those things in most cases.”

At the fire station, Sailors and firefighters work schedules called 48s. That means they have to be ready to go at any moment for two days straight, and then they have a two-day break.

If you see a fire, the very first thing you should do is if on base call 911 to report it, and off base call 095-861911.

“When it comes to wild fires, the most important and helpful thing for us is to report it right away,” said Perezguillen. “What has been happening lately is when the fires start and people notice them, they post photos on Facebook or to SigList, and we don’t get notified to 30 or 40 minutes later when the fire gets bigger.”

Remember to report the fire and not try and fight it yourself, because you don’t know how fast it is going to grow. It can look really small, but with a quick shift in the wind, it can get out of hand very quickly.

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U.S. Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station (NCTS) Sicily: Story and Photos by MC1 Kegan Kay, NAS Sigonella Public Affairs

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n the far side of NAS II, away from their American counterparts and surrounded by radars and satellite communication dishes, is the U.S. Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station (NCTS) Sicily.

The command has undergone many name and technology changes since it was originally established as a communication center in August of 1958. In 1972, all of Naval Air Station Sigonella’s communication needs were transferred to the responsibility of NCTS, then known as Naval Communication Station Italy, and became Naval Communication Detachment Sigonella. In 1987, the name changed once again, this time to Naval Communication Station (NAVCOMMSTA) Sigonella.

Two major changes happened in October 1991.

First, Naval Radio Transmitter Facility (NRTF) Niscemi was established and became responsible for the bulk of operations supporting Navy, Joint and Allied forces in the Mediterranean, Southwest Asia, Indian Ocean, and Atlantic Ocean areas.

Secondly, NAVCOMMSTA Sicily was redesignated as NCTS Sicily to reflect the continued and many technological advances that had taken place during recent years.

The mission of the strategically-positioned NCTS Sicily is to provide mission-critical communication support to U.S., NATO, and coalition forces operating in the AFRICOM, CENTCOM, and EUCOM areas

of responsibilities.

“As a forward tactical unit aligned under Nav Fleet Cyber Command and U.S. 10th Fleet, NCT Sicily’s mission is to continuously plan, synchroniz and execute actions in the electromagnetic (EM and cyberspace domains that shape conditions an generate capabilities advantageous to U.S. an partner forces,” said Cmdr. Brian Evans, commandin officer of NCTS Sicily. “Simply stated, NCTS Sici is an operational warfighting command. Our task to operate, secure and defend the Navy’s network and access to the EM spectrum.”

Since 1972, NCTS Sicily has been responsible f the overall base communication systems to provid internet access and telecommunications such as fib connectivity, Defense Switched Network (DSN phone capability, and ONE-Net Local Netwo Support Center (LNSC), for NAS Sigonella and few tenant commands.

On August 13, 2020, NCTS Sicily held an ope house and cookout for their families to show n only what they do here in Sigonella, but also to sa thank you for their continued support.

The event started off with an awards ceremony an the announcement of their 3rd quarter Sailor, Juni Sailor and Blue Jacket of the Quarter winners.

Families, wearing face masks, were then broke up into small groups and lead by a tour guide wi hand sanitizer at the ready to explore NCTS. “The open house allows our family and friend

August 21, 2020

A 62 Year Legacy of Supporting NAS Sigonella

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to see the true work that goes on to ensure the internet or email or the phone works at a moment’s notice,” said Utilitiesman 1st Class William Sturgeon. “It gives a true appreciation on how we communicate around the word and also an idea of what is in the near future.”

Each tour group was taken to various stations to learn about specific departments and what they were responsible for. Each station also had an activity, hands outs or even a treasure hunt for the children to participate in, including a small personnel qualification standard (PQS) booklet to be signed at each station.

At the end of the tour, the PQSs were finalized by Evans and NCTS Sicily Executive Officer Lt. Cmdr. Cayanne McFarlane, and according McFarlane, the children were now “qualified to work at NCTS Sicily.”

The day ended with a cookout of burgers, chicken and hot dogs, and the families and Sailors of NCTS Sicily relaxed under a canopy to enjoy the food, company and time to relax.

“It is always important to allow our support to see what we do and how important it is as U.S. and NATO maintain peace in this part of the world,” concluded Sturgeon.

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Dining with Julius Caesar: A Journey Through Ancient Roman Eating Habits

By Dr. Alberto Lunetta, NAS Sigonella Public Affairs

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hen you look at the list of foods available in ancient Rome, you may be surprised to learn that many ingredients Italians consider essential today were missing.

You may ask yourself: how did the Roman civilization survive without tomatoes, potatoes, coffee, and even pasta? After extensive studies in ancient recipes, scholars are now able to answer just that question.

Many modern staples of European cuisine were not available to citizens of the Roman Empire. In addition to tomatoes, which are now integral to Italian food, many of today’s most common ingredients are native to North America and only recently arrived in the sixteenth century.

Potatoes, chili peppers, corn and turkey were not available until over a thousand years after Martial and Petronius lived. Although the Romans imported rice from India, it was only used as starch to bond ingredients—they would not recognize risotto!

“You will dine well, Julius Cerialis, at my house. If you have no better invitation, come on over. You will be able to spend the eighth hour as usual. Indeed, we will bathe together; you know how close to my house the baths of Stephanus are. The first course will be lettuce (a useful digestive aid) and tender shoots cut from leek plants, and then a pickled young tuna which is larger than a small lizard fish and will be garnished with eggs and rue leaves. And there will be more eggs, cooked over a low flame, and cheese from Velabrum Street, and olives which have felt the Picene cold. That’s enough for appetizers. You want to know what else we are having? I’ll lie so that you will be sure to come. Fish, oysters, sow’s udder, stuffed with wild fowl, and barnyard hens that are not usually served except at rare and special dinners.”

-Martial (40-104 AD), Epigrams, 11.52

One aspect of modern Italian cuisine recognizable to Romans would be olive oil. Olive oil was commonly used for a multitude of purposes including cooking, for fuel for lamps and cosmetics (perfumes, body oils etc.).

Romans had a variety of produce at their fingertips.

Apples, pears, lemons (coming from Greece), apricots (coming from Armenia), cherries, plums, grapes, walnuts, dates (from northern Africa), almonds and chestnuts were all widely available. The most widespread vegetables were broad beans, lentils, cabbages, leeks, garlic, onions, water cress and chicory. Mushrooms and olives were also very popular. Asparagus and artichokes were rare, so they were mainly a privilege of the rich.

As for grains, wheat was the staple food of all Romans.

It was mainly imported from Egypt, which was considered as the “bread basket” of the Empire. Wheat was baked into bread or boiled into a type of porridge similar to grits or cream of grains or legumes. Romans baked about 100 different kinds of breads, and their ring-shaped bread mold

A mosaic from a Roman house in Pompeii shows the rich variety of food available at the time. (Photo by https://www.nationalgeographic.com)

is still very popular in the Mediterranean area.

Bread was also the main food of the legionaries of the Roman Army. Soldiers were required to pay up to one third of their wages for their food. They accompanied bread with cheese or beans and water or even diluted vinegar when the weather was too hot.

At the time of the Romans, the Mediterranean Sea was rich in fish. Anchovies, sardines, jackfish, mackerels, giltheads, red mullet, hake, sprats, tuna, white breams, squids, lobsters, oysters, all varieties of shellfish found a place on the tables of the Romans.

“The next dish represented the twelve signs of the zodiac arranged in order, over each symbol, was set a food appropriate to it. Over Aries some chickpeas with tendrils that curled like ram’s horns ; over Taurus, a slice of beef, over Gemini, prairie oysters and kidneys and so on…then the top of the dish is removed and inside: fat fowls and pig’s bellies, and a hare decked out with wings like Pegasus. Four figures of Marsays sprinkle sauce over fishes in the corner of the dish. A little later a huge boar is brought in with buckets of dates hanging from the tusks, and surrounded by confections in the shape of piglets, which were for the guests to take home in their napkins. When the side of the boar was pierced, thrushes flew out, only to be caught at once by fowlers.”

- Petronius (d. 66 AD), Dinner of Trimalchio

Today’s steak lovers would be disappointed to hear that Romans did not eat beef. Cows were used to work in the fields; therefore, their meat wasn’t tender enough for the sophisticated Roman’s palate!

On the other hand, pork, lamb, venison, hare, chicken, ducks, geese, partridges, goats, porpoise cranes, flamingos, thrushes, turtles, “onagers” (wild donkeys), snails and "Italian News" cont’d on Page 11

August 21, 2020

Command Master Chief 30 Years of Service

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Nancy Estrada Retires August 12, 2020

THE WATCH

For thirty years, this Sailor has stood the watch While some of us were in our bunks at night This sailor stood the watch While some of us were in school learning our trade This shipmate stood the watch Yes, even before some of us were born into this world This shipmate stood the watch In those years when the storm clouds of war were seen brewing on the horizon of history, This shipmate stood the watch Many times she would cast an eye ashore and see her family, standing there, Needing her guidance and help,

Needing that hand to hold during those hard times But she still stood the watch She stood the watch for thirty years She stood the watch so that we, our families and Our fellow countrymen could sleep soundly in safety, Each and every night, Knowing that a sailor stood the watch Today we are here to say ‘Shipmate... The watch stands relieved Relieved by those You have trained ,Guided, and Led Shipmate you stand relieved.

We have the watch...

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Sigonella Navy Lodge Employee Antonio Motta Wins Worldwide Associate of the Year Award

By Megan Mills , NAS Sigonella Public Affairs

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ntonio Motta, maintenance associate at Navy Lodge Sigonella, has been named the Navy Exchange Service Command’s (NEXCOM) Navy Lodge Associate of the Year for 2019.

“Antonio has one of the best attitudes throughout the Navy Lodge because he always comes in motivated and will take on any issue or project,” said Rory Chatman, General Manager, Navy Lodge Sigonella. “Daily, he goes beyond his duties to ensure the operation continues to flow without hiccups.”

This annual award is given to one associate from one of the 39 Navy Lodge locations worldwide.

In his 18 years at the Navy Lodge, Motta has become known as a jack-of-all-trades. In addition to handling maintenance calls, managing contractors, landscaping, organizing inventory, and maintaining records, he also routinely goes above and beyond for guests, helping with luggage, restaurant recommendations, and even minor car troubles.

When a scheduled water outage led to several pipe leaks in the Navy Lodge, repairs were estimated to take two days.

Instead, Motta stayed behind and ensured that the repairs were completed in one day.

“Antonio ensured that families had water to shower within a 24 hour period. This is the type of stellar associate he is,” said Chatman.

Recently, Motta helped save the Navy Lodge Program $12,000 during the procurements process for replacing washers and dryers, revamping end stairwells, and revamping landscaping. When a major roof repair project arose eight years ago, Motta provided in-house expertise to overcome the issue and save the Navy Lodge over $5,000.

In addition to always striving to ensure that guests have a wonderful experience, Motta is also highly valued by his

fellow staff. “Antonio will cover undesired shifts to keep our guests satisfied, and also maintains a great rapport with all his coworkers, third parties, and leadership,” said Chatman.

Furthermore, though he never studied English in school, he learned it on his own and is now able to have helpful conversations with staff and guests. “This highlights his dedication and humility to want to learn and use his skills to expand the hospitality of Navy Lodge,” Chatman added.

Sigonella has been a part of Motta’s life since childhood.

A native of the nearby town of Motta Sant’Anastasia, Motta grew up with children of American service members on his street. “I could only say hello and goodbye, but we could still play,” he recalls. His aunt even married an American.

Working on base is also a family affair for Motta. “My father worked here, and my brother works for NGIS (Navy Gateway Inns and Suites),” he said.

In his nearly two decades working at Navy Lodge, Motta has not only seen a great deal of change on base, but has also earned many awards and letters of appreciation.

Motta finds working at Navy Lodge Sigonella very rewarding. “When you do the same thing all the time, it can become boring. What I like about this job is it’s always a little bit different. Here, you never know what will happen. It’s always a new day.”

“The main thing for us is to take care of the guests. If the guest is not satisfied, you are not doing a good job,” Motta said.

In years past, the Associate of the Year award was presented at the annual conference held in different locations around the world and involves a presentation by the winner. Although this year’s event was canceled, Motta is proud of the honor and hopes to participate in the future.

"ICE" cont’d from Page 3

of August, NAVSUP FLC Sigonella postal managers will have conducted refresher training with the unit mail orderlies to ensure ALL mail processing procedures are strictly followed.

3. Lastly, possible mail theft. Although mail theft is uncommon and extremely rare, it does happen.

Take action: If you suspect you are a victim of mail theft, contact the sender to confirm the package was actually sent out. Then, contact NASSIG’s postal officer who can assist with creating a postal offense report.

In the cases that a mail item is a purchased product, pursue a claim with the vendor.

Regarding the customer who submitted their comment, the reason that he/she has not received his/her mail cannot be determined without more information. But it is very likely due to one/any of the above reasons. Nevertheless, NAVSUP remains committed to ensuring the highest level of customer service to NASSIG’s postal patrons, especially when it comes to the secure and timely delivery of their important mail and packages.

Customer Comment Regarding NEX Shoe Selection: Why does this exchange have the worst selection of shoes I have ever seen at an

August 21, 2020

exchange? It appears that Sigonella receives all the shoes that no one in the world would like. For the amount of people that utilize the exchange it would seem that we could receive a better selection or more variety of shoes.

Response: Thank you for highlighting this topic as the NEX absolutely agrees that the shoe selection is below standards. Manufacturers stopped producing and shipping product in March 2020 due to COVID-19. This affected retail stores worldwide. The good news is we are starting to see shipments arriving, which will help bolster our shoe department. If you don’t see the shoe of your choice, customers are highly encouraged to visit mynavyexchange.com and use the shipto-store option. Orders are shipped free of charge directly to the NEX, and average days of shipping are 3-5.

Bravo Zulu

BZ to Housing:

Mr. Faulk your staff is nothing but OUTSTANDING! Simona and Monica are rock stars who have been so helpful in figuring about either a bill or getting an

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appliance replaced in less than 24 hours! I am so happy to have the support from your department and if you can promote these two ladies to a higher paygrade you have my vote!

Press 100!

BZ to Post Office:

During my visit to the post office I asked for assistance to determine if I needed more than 1 stamp on a letter I was mailing (due to the weight form multiple documents to send).

PO2 Ceresola weighed the letter for me, and when I was about to put another stamp on it (which it needed), she recommended that rather than putting a stamp on it, she could create postage label indicating the remaining required amount, and I could just pay that. Even though it was a difference of only 50 cents, which I could easily afford, I appreciated that she made the suggestion and took the time to help me. I am sure there are service members out there in whom that may have made the difference on whether they could send a letter or not. She should be commended for her willingness to help, her kind and friendly attitude, and her knowledge of the process and applying it to help the customer. Well done, PO2 Ceresola!! And THANK YOU!

"Italian News" cont’d from Page 8

frogs were very popular. Sheep and goat cheeses were very popular as they were also used to make food gifts.

Archaeologists have found all kinds of recipes ranging from the preparation of nightingale or flamingo tongues to pickling peaches. Even “foie gras,” which is commonly believed to be a French specialty, is actually a Roman invention. Historic sources tell that Apicius, the famous eccentric rich man known for his sauces and extravagant dishes, was the first to come up with the idea of force-feeding dried figs to geese to enlarge their livers. Apicius also authored one of the most important cookbooks in history, “De Re Coquinaria” (On Cookery).”

The Romans did not have the variety of drinks that we have today. Water, milk, wine, beer and herb infusions were the main beverages. Camel milk was imbibed in the Asian and African provinces, while horse and donkey milk were mainly used as medicine or cosmetics.

Beer (cervisia), which was invented by the Ancient Egyptians, was consumed as a tonic. It was made by the alcoholic fermentation of wheat and barley, but it lacked hops, an essential ingredient of modern beer that gives it a unique aroma and contributes to its preservation. Romans did not typically offer beer to their guests; instead, they would provide it as a beverage for the troops stationed outside Europe.

Wine, the national drink, was considered as a “divine drink.” Since it was very strong, it was diluted with water or mixed with honey to prepare “mulsum,” a cooling aperitif

that accompanied the first course at dinner. The dregs of the grapes left after wine was made were used a food preservative.

The Romans ate three times a day. The “ientaculum” was a small breakfast. Adults basically ate leftovers from the previous night such as bread, cheese, olives, eggs, capers, dried fruits or honey. The children had milk, flat cakes or bread. The “prandium” (lunch) was a snack consumed during the midday work break. It also consisted of leftovers just like at breakfast time. It was eaten at thermal baths, the equivalent of today’s fitness centers, where people used to workout, gossip and make business deals. The main meal of the day was the “coena” (dinner). It was eaten at sunset after work.

Dinners were very elaborate and could go on for hours.

Evening meals were a time that families spent together and an opportunity to build social and business relations. Guests sat according to a prescribed order that reflected their social status.

Dinner consisted of three parts. The first course, called “gustum,” consisted of appetizers such as salads, eggs, cheeses with herbs, mushrooms, truffles, and various fruits.

After appetizers, there was the “mensa prima” (main course) which was a variety of meat, game or fish. The third course, “mensa secunda,” was dessert.

Just like in today’s Italy, food played a vital role in the life of the Italian ancestors. Though their ingredients were much different than what we see, it becomes apparent the Romans still managed to eat well.

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