The Signature | December 1, 2017

Beat the Holiday Stress Learn Healthy Ways to Cope

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Upholding Operations Security Your Social Media Responsibility

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Safety Corner

N A S SIG O N E L L A

Christmas Tree Safety Tips

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DECEMBER 1, 2017

Vol. 34 No. 45

NAS Sigonella 2017 Sailors of the Year

By MC2 Christopher Gordon NAS Sigonella Public Affairs

NAS SIGONELLA, Sicily – Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella announced its 2017 Sailors of the Year recently. Out of numerous applicants only one representative of each rank from E6 to E3 can hold the title of Senior Sailor of the Year, Sailor of the Year, Junior Sailor of the Year, and Bluejacket of the Year respectively.

“I think the 2017 Sailors of the Year are all fantastic professionals with very positive attitudes. Each of them are not only great at their job, but also involved in the command and the community. It is important to recognize those of us who do a great job representing all of the rest of us. As with most of these boards, we had several outstanding candidates to choose from and it typically comes down to some very small details as tiebreakers. I want to congratulate not only those who were selected, but all who were recognized just by being nominated.” – Command Master Chief Nancy Estrada Senior Sailor of the Year Gunner’s Mate 1st Class Clare Calvery Hometown: Corvallis, Montana Department: Security As Leading Petty Officer of the armory on NAS Sigonella, Senior Sailor of the Year Gunner’s Mate 1st Class Clare Calvery is in charge of the safekeeping, maintenance and issue of around 350 weapons, along with instructing all of Security in small arms.

“I firmly believe that I couldn’t have done what I have without the support of my junior Sailors,” said Calvery. “Some of the things I do and say mold them and help them with their decision making but for the most part they take so much pride in their own work. I think by me taking pride in my work that attitude is reflected in my Sailors, and due to that I’ve been able to step away and do things with full confidence that everything in the armory will be okay.”

Advice Calvery would give to anyone interested in earning Sailor of the Year is to look out for your juniors, peers and seniors at all times.

“Don’t worry about yourself, but do realize that you do deserve recognition for the work that you do,” said Calvery. “One of the hardest lessons I had to learn in the Navy is that you deserve reward, and you can and do deserve recognition for the things that you do, and if you don’t go for that and make that opportunity for yourself then you’re never going to get to that point. You also have to realize that winning Sailor of the Year means so much more than just you winning it, it means your junior Sailors have a win, your peers have a win, your seniors, whole department and even command have a win.”

On top of her strenuous job as LPO of the armory, Calvery is the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) point of contact for NAS Sigonella, keeping the command informed of everything from ongoing cases to important documentation. She also occasionally gives SAPR trainings for all of NAS Sigonella.

Additionally, Calvery volunteers her free time to different volunteer avenues. In the past she helped out with the Sigonella Swordfish swim team, and she currently spends her time with CPO 365 and the First Class Petty Officer Association (FCPOA).

“I was the volunteer coordinator for CPO 365, I helped with the heritage run, and I’m a member of the FCPOA and volunteer as much as I can,” Calvery said.

Calvery’s favorite part about working on Sigonella is the community, and says the leadership is something she’s very impressed with.

“Sigonella honors their Sailors a lot and they do a lot for them, they are there for them when they need them,” said Calvery. “I’ve seen some great examples set by our leadership and I think that’s what I love the most, I have great examples of Sailors ahead of me to look up to and hopefully one day I’ll be one of them.”

Gunner’s Mate 1st Class Clare Calvery

Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Alejandro Castillo

Master-at-Arms 3rd Class Daniel Sanchez

Master-at-Arms Seaman Isabella Miranda

Sailor of the Year Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Alejandro Castillo Hometown: Modesto, California Department: Housing This year’s Sailor of the Year for NAS Sigonella is Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Alejandro Castillo.

With two barracks of around 350-400 rooms, keeping them clean, the maintenance complete and trouble calls responded to is just part of Castillo’s everyday life.

“I was surprised I got Sailor of the Year,” said Castillo. “I try to stay involved, take on collaterals and volunteer; so to do all of that you’re going to have to sacrifice a little bit of your down time. Saturday mornings, waking up to volunteer instead of going out the night before—it’s the accumulation of the little things.”

Another piece of advice Castillo has for those interested in becoming the Sailor of the Year or Sailor of the Quarter is to practice “boardmanship”. Even though it isn’t worth a lot of points on the grading sheet, it can make the difference between two people that are very close.

“Volunteering to be a board member for Bluejacket of the Quarter helped me because I got an idea of the process from the other side of the table,” said Castillo, “It’s impossible to know what questions will be asked but some things will be the same in almost every board: facing movements, the Sailors Creed, uniform inspection, the general question topics, and the point system. I did my best to prepare for the things that I could somewhat control. The rest is out of your hands so try to relax and sound confident.”

As a building supervisor for housing department, Castillo also spends some of his time at the front desk of the housing office to help with the flow of customers.

“I really like working at the front desk here,” said Castillo. “You’re meeting everyone that’s coming through here either when they’re first arriving or they’re leaving, and usually they’re excited on both ends.”

Going to housing can also be a stressful situation for people, and Castillo is there to help make things go smoothly.

“You might be coming from a new command, finding a new place to live, on top of that it’s a foreign country –so you have to deal with a lot, and I know how to help deal with peoples’ emotions,” said Castillo. “I find it rewarding being able to calm people down from certain situations.”

When asked what his favorite part of being in Sigonella is, Castillo answered with travel.

“I’ve been to a few places but plan on going to a lot more,” said Castillo. “It’s a big difference, my last duty station was in Japan, so the cultural differences is like night and day, I’ve been able to appreciate the differences.”

Outside of work, Castillo enjoys riding his motorcycle around Sicily and playing soccer with a team out of Sigonella.

“I enjoy playing soccer a ton, we won the championship a couple seasons ago. Just getting a committed team is sometimes difficult but we’re getting there,” said Castillo.

"Sailors of the Year" cont’d on Page 3

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DECEMBER 1, 2017

Direct Line

Command Master Chief Nancy Estrada Congratulazioni!

To all the newly selected Petty Officers; Congratulations! This is one of the best times of the year in the Navy as we find out who was selected for advancement and prepare to frock those Sailors. For those who are not in the Navy, “frocking” is defined as “authorized to assume the title and wear the uniform of (the next paygrade) effective immediately. The appointment carries with it the obligation to exercise increased authority and willingly accept greater responsibility although not entitled to pay and other monetary allowances of (the next paygrade) until actually advanced to the paygrade for which selected.” Many do not realize that the tradition of frocking in advance of the selected date of pay is unique to the Navy enlisted.

According to the Navy History and Heritage command, there are ex-

amples of frocking in the Navy Regulations dating back to the early 1800’s.

This usually happened in a time of war when a vacancy presented itself and someone who was qualified was temporarily promoted into the position pending official approval by the Department of the Navy. Of course, it could take a Commander at sea in the days of sail quite some time receive return documentation after submitting for the promotion of one of his Officers. The long coat that the Officers wore was generally referred to as a frock, and a midshipman--who typically wore a short coat-- that was temporarily promoted into an Officer billet would don the “frock” of the position they were fulfilling.

For enlisted Sailors, “tacking on the crow” of their uniform is a momentous occasion. As with many traditions, this one has changed over the years. Again, back to the days of

sail, Sailors were responsible for the sewing and upkeep of not only their own uniforms but sail making, other shipboard repairs and patchwork as well. Most performed their own tailoring, but in the event of a shipboard promotion it would not be unusual for a shipmate to tack (a temporary stitch meant to be removed, which is intended to hold something in place until it can permanently sewn) on the new rank. This started as a positive tradition, and over time degraded to the point where Sailors were getting seriously injured and required intervention by naval leadership to correct the course this had taken.

In the place of this, many new “traditions” have sprung up: shipmates literally sewing on the new rank for those selected, presenting personally owned rank insignia from a mentor to a protégé, or pinning the new rank on a subordinate.

We have a rich naval heritage with many traditions that date back hundreds of years, but as we move forward we each contribute to the culture and heritage that we take into the future as well as what we set around us in the present. Ensure that YOUR contribution is a positive one, and reflects well on the country and the branch of service that you volunteered to represent.

Commanding Officer's Suggestion Box The ICE/CO Suggestion Box is for our community and Commanding Officer to discuss, with an eye toward constant improvement, how we are excelling* and how we can improve**. The community is strongly encouraged to leave contact information when submitting comments. This ensures that a response will come directly to you. The Signature and NASSIG Facebook Page typically publish comments and responses for the benefit of the Sigonella community.

Comments/suggestions are useful when objective, constructive, and specific.

ICE/CO Suggestion Box is NOT a forum for mean-spirited attacks. Anonymous comments will be published only if they benefit the greater community at large. * If you submit a "BZ" about a specific person or department, PLEASE PROVIDE YOUR NAME in order to ensure comment authenticity and

therefore publicly recognize employees or organizations. ** The Commanding Officer will ensure a response to all signed comments/ suggestions and the vast majority of anonymous ones but reserves the right to disregard those comments/suggestions disinterested in the spirit of the program!

There are two ways to submit; go to: 1) Interactive Customer Evaluation (ICE) home page on a One-Net computer at: http://ice.disa.mil, All Sigonella services are found under the Navy Europe Listing in the scroll-down menu.

– or – 2) NAS Sigonella's website www.cnic.navy.mil/Sigonella, go to the "About" drop down menu and click on "CO Suggestion Box".

Interactive Customer Evaluation Comment regarding “Bravo Zulu for FFSC Employee”:

Mr. Andrea has been incredibly helpful. I needed assistance resolving a situation with a toll gate and contacted him on a weekend. He has gone beyond expectations when assisting us multiple times and we are very thankful for his help.

Response:

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. Your feedback is extremely important and means a lot to the staff. We take great pride in knowing that the community is well served by all the remarkable programs and services offered at our center. It is great to hear that Andrea, our Intercultural Relations Specialist, went above and beyond to provide you with excellent customer service.

I will be sure to share your feedback with him, his supervisor, and his peers. Your comment means a great deal to Andrea who strives to provide everyone with the most helpful information and quality service, and I know he will be thrilled.

Comment regarding “NAS 2 basketball court condition”:

The basketball floor at the NAS 2 Gym is not being properly maintained. The floor is dangerously slick and continues to cause slips and falls. I (and others) have complained to the staff as far back as last year and nothing has changed. I have played basketball on courts around the world and have never had issues like this.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Response:

Thank you for sharing your concern about the condition of the basketball court at the NAS 2 Fitness Center. The NAS 2 Fitness Center serves 3,000 customers per week and the basketball court is a key facility feature for sports activities, PRT events and other physical training.

Management believes the basketball court was slippery due to dust and other debris lingering on the court surface. The base cleaning contract schedules sweeping of the basketball court once per month and the fitness center employees supplement the contract by sweeping the court once per week. As a result of your feedback and our concern for everyone’s safety, the fitness center staff has increased their cleaning of the basketball court to twice per day including removal of debris and sweeping the court.

Although we expect the additional cleaning to be effective in resolving the issue, MWR management will continue to monitor the condition of the floor to determine if further maintenance is required in the basketball court. Thank you again for your feedback.

If you have further concerns, please contact the Fitness Director (Acting), Mr. Joshua Burkhard. He can be reached at 624-4301 (or +39-095-56-4301) or via email at joshua.burkhard@eu.navy.mil.

Comment regarding “Abandoned vehicle at Marinai”:

I’m not sure who to contact about an abandoned car in Marinai. It’s parked in the parking area directly in front of my fence. It doesn’t seem to have any base pass so I can’t figure out who it belongs to. The problem is not the car, but the fact that it’s been sitting for two months with a cover that flaps all over the place making a huge noise. If the vehicle is not going to be used I would ask that it be moved to an area where it won’t cause a noise disturbance. I like to open my windows and I feel that I can’t because of the constant whipping of plastic. It comes off every few days causing the noise to be ridiculous. I didn’t know who else to contact but I think I’ve dealt with the nuisance long enough. Thank you so much for pointing me in the

"ICE" continued on Page 3

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DECEMBER 1, 2017

"SAILORS" continued from Page 1 Additionally, Castillo volunteers his time with the Second Class Association and just started working as a kind of caseworker with the American Red Cross.

“I’m in school trying to do a masters program in social work while I’m here, I actually just extended so I can get it mostly done while on shore duty,” said Castillo. “No matter where I’m at I’m trying to make a difference in peoples lives and it’s rewarding to me.”

Junior Sailor of the Year Master-at-Arms 3rd Class Daniel Sanchez Department: Security Hometown: New York Joining the Navy with the goal of becoming a Master-at-Arms (MA), NAS Sigonella’s Junior Sailor of the Year Masterat-Arms 3rd Class Daniel Sanchez had to join as an Undesignated Airman, where he was sent launching and recovering aircraft on USS George Washington (CVN 73). After being sent to Deck department and later to Armed Security Forces (ASF), Sanchez received a letter of recommendation by the Washington’s security officer, and finally was allowed to strike MA after three long years of waiting.

“I love the rate, I really enjoyed it from the shipboard side and I learned that being an MA has vast and broad opportunities,” said Sanchez. “My job is different at almost every single base you can go to.”

When asked how Sanchez thought he earned Junior Sailor of the Year he replied: “It’s because I go above and beyond the rank I hold, I promote good Sailorization amongst my shipmates here at NAS Sigonella and I motivate the Sailors I work with, which gives my leadership faith in my ability to do the job well and excel in

it. I love just helping out Sailors.”

For advice on becoming Sailor of the Year, Sanchez says doing the basics and doing them well will get you where you want to be.

“Don’t try to be Sailor of the Year, just do your work as best you can, keep your chief happy, give it your all and keep your chin up each day and good things will come to you,” said Sanchez. “You’re going to have good days and you’re going to have bad days, if you really want to look good you have to keep a positive attitude and diversify your activities.”

On top of his normal work schedule, Sanchez is working toward becoming Watch Commander qualified as well as Assistant Command Fitness Leader, and currently works as a field training officer.

Additionally, Sanchez is a board member for the Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions (CSADD) as Master-at-Arms, and tries to volunteer at least once a month.

“I love it, volunteering has always been in my heart,” said Sanchez. “Before the Navy I did a lot of volunteering with my community church, so now I’m mostly volunteering for CSADD and giving back to the Sailors in my community.”

When he’s not at work or volunteering his time, Sanchez likes to partake in the usual tourist activities: doing Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) sponsored trips, travelling on his own off-island, and even has an interest in being a DJ. But most of all, Sanchez enjoys his job and helping out his fellow Sailors.

“Sometimes I like covering down at the gate just to help the watch bill rotation,” said Sanchez. “So on my off time you can see my at the gate giving training to the Sailors, asking how their days have been going—especially in the middle of the night, because we all feed off each other.

"ICE" continued from Page 2 right direction. If my vehicle were causing distress, I would want to know.

Sincerely, Brooke Carter

Response:

Thank you for your comment regarding the abandoned vehicle in Marinai. The owner of the vehicle has been contacted and asked to either adjust or remove the cover from the vehicle. In this particular case, the owner moved the vehicle. Should you ever encounter a situation like this again, Marinai Housing has a process in place for the removal of abandoned vehicles. If you see a possible abandoned vehicle at Marinai, please call the Marinai Housing Office at 624-1731 or commercial 095-5611731 with the location of the vehicle and they follow procedures below to determine if in fact the vehicle is abandoned.

1. Inspectors will take a photo of the license plate and/or registration that should be in the window.

2. The Housing Office then contacts the Security Desk Sergeant with the information on the vehicle.

3. The Security office cross references the data we provide to find the last known owner.

4. If the vehicle is determined to be abandoned, a Security Patrolman will leave an "Abandoned Vehicle" notice on the vehicle.

5. If the owner fails to contact Security within 72 hrs, MVRO is contacted.

6. MVRO finds a responsible party to charge the towing fee to.

7. The vehicle is towed.

The process for possibly having the vehicle removed is lengthy and can take several weeks. Also please note that Marinai in-

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Hopefully I can be that guy that anyone can come to and know, whether it’s on or off duty, I’ll be there if they have any issues.”

Bluejacket of the Year Master-at-Arms Seaman Isabella Miranda Hometown: Lancaster, Pennsylvania Department: Security One of the eight lines of operations installations utilize to stay in the fight is Security, and the Bluejacket of the Year, Master-at-Arms Seaman Isabella Miranda, contributes to NAS Sigonella’s powerful security force as a patrolman.

“I think for the most part my personality is geared toward leadership and I’m not afraid to put myself out there even though I am E3 and below,” said Miranda. “Sometimes it’s hard for people to find others that will sit down and help because everyone is super busy. I think it’s important to do that because I had good people to help me get my qualifications, so I feel like it’s my turn to pass that along to the new Sailors that I get.”

Miranda said she also believes that the key to her success is not being selfish with her time.

“Not everything is always going to be about you, we’re a big team so it’s definitely worth your time to help as many people as you can,” said Miranda. “It’ll show that you have initiative and it’s also really rewarding to see people you help succeed.”

Just like a civilian police officer, Miranda works as a patrolman and drives around in one of the marked military police cars on base.

“I like being a patrolman, it’s fun because I get to respond to different types of things, you never really know what you’re going to get called for,” said Miranda. “Whether

"Sailors of the Year" cont’d on Page 4

spectors also look for possible abandoned vehicles when they conduct the yard/carport inspections every Wednesday. Again, thank you for your comment. If you have any questions or would like to discuss this issue further please contact Mr. Peter Faulk, the Housing Director, peter.faulk@eu.navy.mil or by phone at at 614-4070 and he will be happy to assist.

Comment regarding “Quickly addressing ICE comment”:

Shout out for your swift and timely response to a previous comment about the front gate access. Within a day of my comment card about the "blue arrow" facing Marinai traffic and not the traffic flowing from Motta, personnel at the front gate ensure the arrow is placed facing Motta traffic EVERY SINGLE DAY that the second access is open. What a relief to know that we can depend on this one little consistent detail. Thank you!

Response:

Thank you for your compliment regarding the actions taken at the NAS 1 front gate in response to your previous ICE comment about the morning traffic flow there. The NASSIG Security personnel do an excellent job in the mornings handling the high traffic flow during the morning rush while keeping the bases safe and secure. Your comment helped point out a fix that would keep inbound traffic to NAS 1 flowing and reduce wait times for patrolmen and drivers alike. Once again thank you for your recognition.

Comment regarding “Take 5 Liberty Center A/C”: I'd like to report the conditions at Take 5. Every week when

"ICE" continued on Page 14

THE SIGNATURE U.S. NAVAL AIR STATION SIGONELLA Commanding Officer Capt. Brent Trickel Executive Officer Cmdr. Patrick J. Moran Command Master Chief CMDCM Nancy Estrada EDITORIAL Public Affairs Officer Lt. Andriana Genualdi andriana.genualdi@eu.navy.mil Community Relations Officer Dott. Alberto Lunetta alberto.lunetta.it@eu.navy.mil Editor MCC Jessica Vargas Jessica.Vargas@eu.navy.mil PAO Staff Writer \ Photographer MC2 Christopher Gordon Christopher.Gordon@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 PUBLISHER Stampa Generale S.r.l., Sig. Bruno Brandi, Publisher, Naval Support Activity Capodichino (Naples), Italy stampagenerale@tin.it Tel. 081-568-7884 Fax 081-568-7887 This civilian enterprise (CE) 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. The appearance of advertising in this newspaper, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the DoD or Stampa Generale S.r.l., of the products or services advertised. Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other non-merit factorof the purchaser, user or patron.

A confirmed violation or rejection of this equal opportunity policy by an advertiser will result in the refusal to print advertising from that source until the violation is corrected.

The Signature is published weekly by Stampa Generale S.r.l., Sig. Bruno Brandi, Publisher, Naval Support Activity, Capodichino (Naples), Italy.

Tel. 081-568-7884. Fax 081-568-7887.

E-mail: stampagenerale@tin.it.

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, guard mail stop #68 or hand-delivered to our office no later than the close of business on the Friday proceeding the expected publication date. All articles submitted by non-staff members will be considered contributing writers.

The Signature will not publish any anonymous articles. All advertisements in this publication are the property of Stampa Generale S.r.l. Any reproduction of advertisements in The Signature is unauthorized without the written consent of the publisher.

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Beat the Holiday Stress

By Lt. Mark Knutson Health Promotions Coordinator

My home town in Appleton Wisconsin is the picture perfect scene of snow covered trees, kids ice skating, sweaters, and hot chocolate.

The holidays bring a special awareness that it’s a special time of year.

Living in Sicily, the snow is up on Mt. Etna. The real Christmas trees are hard to come by and forget about the snow shovel, it’s practically a tropical heat wave compared to the Wisconsin frozen tundra. None the less, it still can be very busy, busy, busy and stressful!

Traveling to family and friends across the world, finding that perfect gift, wrapping up year-end work projects, and the looming tax filing just around the corner can make this time of year stressful. Here are some quick and easy things to keep the holidays cheerful and stress levels low. Focus on family and not on gifts. It’s okay if you can’t afford the latest gadget for your loved one, time and meaningful relationships can be the best gift! If it’s too hard to make that travel plan work this holiday season, a phone call, skype or other means of contacting your loved ones is just as important and treasured!

It’s okay if you can’t afford to travel. Lastly, don’t let time slip by.

Enjoy the little things. If you are entertaining, slaving away in the kitchen making the perfect dinner takes you away from your guests.

Instead, have a communal potluck, everyone contributes to the dinner so that everyone can relax, and enjoy the time. If you want to learn more on how to beat the holiday stress, stop by or call Health Promotion and Wellness to sign up for the free “Beat the Holiday Stress” class. Mr. Graves will be teaching valuable healthy ways to stave off the stress this holiday season. Call our office at 624-4710 or visit Naval Hospital (NAVHOSP) Sigonella’s Facebook page, or visit NAVSOP’s website under the Health Promotion tab to learn more.

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"SAILORS" continued from Page 3 it’s a fire or a traffic accident out in town, it’s nice to be able to quickly respond and help people.”

When she’s not on patrol, Miranda works as a SAPR advocate and takes her job very seriously.

“I’m super passionate about helping others, giving them a voice, and helping them learn about the can and can’t do’s as far as reports—because that can be a crazy time in someone’s life,” said Miranda. “Someone might not know where to go or who to talk to, whether they want to report it or not, or sometimes they just need someone to be there for them. I love to talk to people and I’m a good listener.”

DECEMBER 1, 2017 As well as being a SAPR advocate, Miranda is the treasurer for CSADD, and continuously volunteers her free time with either CSADD or Security department’s numerous events.

When she’s not working, Miranda likes to hang out with friends, go shopping, and plans on doing some travelling while she’s here.

“I haven’t gone off island yet but I plan on going out and seeing more of Europe,” said Miranda.

“I’m going home for Christmas, then after that I hope to see a lot more countries.”

Miranda is currently working toward her degree in biology with a minor in psychology, and wants to utilize her degree and stay in law enforcement, whether that’s in or out of the Navy.

VP-5 Conducts Operations in Keflavik, Iceland

By Lt.j.g. Mary Carter Jordan VP-5 Public Affairs

QUICK FACTS: - VP-5 is on a dual deployment to Sigonella, Italy and El Salvador.

- VP-5 has several CACs detached to Keflavik, Iceland.

- VP-5 recently provided range clearing in support of exercise Formidable Shield 2017 while in Keflavik, Iceland.

- U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of Joint and Naval operations, often in concert with allied, joint, and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.

KEFLAVIK, Iceland – Multiple P-8A Poseidon crews from the ‘Mad Foxes’ of Patrol Squadron (VP) 5 are conducting routine maritime domain awareness operations while on detachment in Keflavik, Iceland. U.S. Navy P-8As routinely operate out of Keflavik in order to advance U.S. national interest, security and stability.

VP-5 arrived in Keflavik, Oct. 5, 2017, just days after deploying to Sigonella, Italy, and has been conducting long-range, anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations. The combat air crews (CAC) have been determinedly and successfully operating to provide vital maritime information back to U.S. 6th Fleet.

“This has been an incredible opportunity to not only demonstrate the United States’ maritime patrol capabilities, but to strengthen our relationships with our NATO allies,” said Lt. Cody Berreman, CAC-10’s mission commander. “The experience and knowledge gained from working in the North Atlantic area of responsibility has been invaluable towards strengthening the U.S. and NATOR presence in 6th Fleet.”

VP-5 has started on their six-month deployment to U.S. 4th and 6th Fleet at a sprint. In just one month, they have already operated out of four countries in U.S. 6th Fleet and have no plans to slow operations anytime soon. The CACs cur- KEFLAVIK, Iceland (Oct. 30, 2017) Lt. Bryant Alsup, rently operating out of Keflavik have assigned to Patrol Squadron (VP) 5, pre-flights the P-8 played a vital role in improving maritime Poseidon aircraft before a maritime domain awareness security and dominance through these flight over the North Atlantic Oct. 30, 2017. (U.S. Navy photo by Lt. j.g. Erik Pederson/Released) continued operations.

DECEMBER 1, 2017

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Upholding Operations Security

By Navy Social Media Team

Operations security (OPSEC) should be maintained online just as it is offline. OPSEC violations commonly occur when personnel share information with people they do not know well or are unaware of loose privacy settings. Focus on communicating these four key tips with Sailors and personnel to avoid OPSEC violations at your command.

1. Protect your families by limiting the amount and type of information you post about family members such as names, addresses, local towns or, schools.

2. Understand each of your social network’s security settings so you can make informed decisions about who is and is not able to view your information and/or photos.

3. Keep classified and sensitive information safe by not discussing critical information such as ship movements, deployments, personnel rosters, and weapons information.

4. If you hesitate when deciding whether you should share information, don’t post it online! If you or another person identifies a potential OPSEC breech, document and remove it as soon as possible.

Many times, OPSEC breeches are a result of error or ignorance, so it’s important to communicate with the individual who posted the information to inform him/her of the violation. Work with your public affairs officer and ombudsman to further communicate OPSEC guidelines with sailors and their families.

OPSEC Checklist Take the following steps to avoid OPSEC breeches at your command.

1. Identify personnel authorized to post content to social media sites and ensure they are the only individuals with access to those sites.

2. Establish local procedures to ensure that all information posted on social media is releasable.

3. Ensure all information posted is in accordance with local public affairs guidance and Navy Public Affairs Regulations.

4. Monitor your command’s social media sites for posts that violate OPSEC and if there is a violation, remove the information.

5. Conduct periodic training with Sailors and families on appropriate versus inappropriate social media behavior.

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DECEMBER 1, 2017

NASSIG SAPR Victim Advocate (VA) team attend Fiumefreddo event marking International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

PHOTO STORY BY ALBERTO LUNETTA/ PHOTO BY CHIARA PITTERA

FIUMEFREDDO, Sicily - To commemorate the November 25th "International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women," a delegation of representatives of NAS Sigonella (NASSIG) Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) Victim Advocate (VA) team, yesterday, attended an event, hosted by the City of Fiumefreddo at the Casa Papandrea community art center, aimed to raise public awareness on domestic violence and mobilize people everywhere to bring about change and commit

to a world free from violence for all women and girls around the world.

The NASSIG delegation included Shannon Harden, the Sexual Assault Response Coordinator for Fleet and Family Support Center, Chelsea Elian, Meilanie Hassan and Jessyca Bellinger and was accompanied

by NASSIG Community Relations Director Alberto Lunetta.

The event, which was moderated by City of Fiumefreddo Equal Opportunities Chairwoman Maria Azzia, included a panel of advocates: Catania Highway Police Chief Giuseppina Pirrello, Vera Squadrito and Giovanna Zizzo, the mothers of Giordana and Laura

Saint Barbara Festival returns to Paternò Dec. 3-5 Story by Alberto Lunetta

It’s that time of the year again! The long-awaited annual Santa Barbara Festival will be held in Paternò from December 3 through 5 featuring religious processions, arts and crafts and music entertainment.

Santa Barbara is the patron saint of Paternò. The town’s devotion to Santa Barbara originated in 1576 when she saved the town from a terrible plague epidemic.

Legend has it that Saint Barbara had appeared in a dream to a nun promising to save the town if townspeople would proclaim her as the patron saint. The nun disclosed the dream to the community, who hailed her as the Santa Patrona (patroness saint) right away. A few days later, the plague ended, so Santa Barbara became the official protector of the Paternò community. Townspeople erected a cathedral to honor her.

According to legend Santa Barbara also intervened to stop a terrible Etna eruption in 1780. The “miracle” occurred after Paternò townspeople carried her relics in procession near the town of Ragalna on the slopes of the volcano.

Saint Barbara is still invoked to grant safety from lightning, thunderstorms, and fires. Since the Middle Age, she has been regarded as the patron saint of those who are in danger of fire or explosions. She is also associated with artillerymen, fire fighters and ordnance disposal personnel.

Historically her image was placed on arsenals and powder magazines. In

Italian, the ammunition magazine on a war ship is still called Santabarbara.

As reported by Catholic.org, the Spanish word santabárbara, the corresponding Italian word Santa Barbara, and the obsolete French Sainte-Barbe signify the powder magazine of a ship or fortress. It was customary to have a statue of Saint Barbara at the magazine to protect the ship or fortress from suddenly exploding. She is the patron of the Italian Navy.

Saint Barbara’s Day, December 4, is celebrated by the British (Royal Artillery, RAF Armourers, Royal Engineers), Australian (Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery, RAAF Armourers), Canadian (Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technicians (EOD), Canadian Air Force Armourers, Royal Canadian Artillery, Canadian Military Field Engineers, Royal Canadian Navy Weapons Engineering Technicians), New Zealand (RNZAF Armourers, RNZA, RNZN Gunners Branch) armed forces. Additionally, it is celebrated by Irish Defence Forces Artillery Regiments, Norwegian Armed Forces Artillery Battalion, United States Army and Marine Corps Field and Air Defense Artillery, many Marine Corps Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technicians, and other artillery formations.

The units and sub-units celebrate the day with church parades, sports days, guest nights, cocktail parties, dinners and other activities. Several mining

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two victims of domestic violence (the first who was 20 years old, was murdered by her partner in 2015, the second by her father when she was 12 years old in 2014), they focused on increasing measures to protect victims of stalking and domestic violence and creating awareness about female homicide, abuse and violence.

In attendance was Fiumefreddo Mayor Sebastiano Nucifora who delivered remarks.

The event also included a brief presentation of the SAPR mission, an emotional musical performance by singer Elisa Caudullo and pianist Luigi Caporarello from Piedimonte-based "Carpe Diem" Musical School, as well as poetry reading.

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SECNAV Visits Bahrain

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Brian Morales U.S. 5th Fleet Public Affairs

MANAMA, Bahrain (NNS) -- Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer met with leadership and spoke to service members aboard Naval Support Activity Bahrain as part of a multinational tour of the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Nov. 21.

Spencer began his visit by meeting Vice Adm. John C. Aquilino, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet/Combined Maritime Forces and other base leadership before participating in an all-hands call with more than 600 Sailors and Marines assigned to the area.

"It's a privilege to serve the Navy/Marine Corps team. It's just the best medicine in the world to get out here and be with you all," said Spencer.

During the all-hands call Spencer spoke about policy changes, process improvements and mission requirements but his focus was directed on the im- MANAMA, Bahrain (Nov. 22, 2017) Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer speaks to Sailors and Marines as portance of the Sailor and the Marine team. part of a visit to the 5th Fleet Area of Operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class "We can't accomplish anything without people McLearnon/Released) and it is my job along with all the commanding officers, leadership, senior enlisted and officers, to for their service, conveying his appreciation and wishing everyone a Happy provide an environment for everyone up and down the ladder to be chal- Thanksgiving. lenged and engaged. The whole reason why we are here is to deliver the fight During his visit the Secretary met with the U.S. Ambassador to the Kingtonight as you all know and we can't do that without people." dom of Bahrain Justin Siberall and Kingdom of Bahrain government officials.

Spencer also took the time to answer questions from Sailors and Marines Spencer was sworn in as the 76th secretary of the Navy Aug. 3. In 1976, he about topics including pay, tour lengths, shifting of resources to accomplish joined the United States Marine Corps and served as an H-46 pilot until 1981 mission objectives and reservist retirement benefits before thanking every one before departing active duty to enter the private finance sector.

For Fleet and Force: Science Solutions, from Cyber to the Skies

By David Smalley Office of Naval Research

ARLINGTON, Va. (NNS) -- An engineer steps into the cockpit of an FA-18 Super Hornet in Norfolk.

Meanwhile, another launches a huge parasail from the back of a patrol craft off the coast of Florida, complete with an intelligence package that gives the ship's commanding officer beyond-line-of-sight information.

And yet another works with her peers in Scotland on the latest unmanned autonomous platforms.

These are the science advisors (SAs) from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Global. And they play a key role in today's naval technology-connecting the warfighter to cutting-edge capabilities in the air, at sea, on land and in the information/cyber domain.

"These men and women augment the eyes and ears of the fleet and force," said Rear Adm. David Hahn, chief of naval research, "connecting new technology to the warfighters, across the country and around the world."

All of the above examples are real. And the work doesn't stop-two more examples include pivotal experiments during the Bold Alligator exercise, held last month at Camp Pendleton, North Carolina; and assisting with an upcoming demonstration of AACUS, the Unmanned Aerial Cargo Utility Sys-

tem, designed to provide autonomous flight capabilities to helicopters.

A new video (https://youtu.be/g1sQEEsIpls) is being released today, bringing viewers into the science advisor's fast-paced world. Viewers can see how each advisor is embedded with a Navy or Marine Corps staff or command, aligning technology with naval priorities; accelerating new technologies to Sailors and Marines; and informing ONR where new operational research is needed.

"There's an urgent need for the work of the science advisors," said Tom Gallagher, director of the SA program at ONR Global. "Being embedded with commands, with Sailors and Marines and at command levels, is essential for both sides of the tech equation.

"It not only helps us understand warfighter

needs-which leads to new research and new capabilities-but it also helps us inform naval leadership of technology they might not have known about that is already out there."

The men and women who comprise the SA component usually come from technical or engineering backgrounds, and often have prior experience at naval warfare centers, working on research and development across a wide range of naval warfighting disciplines.

In other words, they're familiar with technology, and not afraid to get their hands dirty-a key factor for someone who will be working daily with different operational forces. Some work with Marine Corps units in the field, others on surface ships or submarines, while others focus on cyber warfare or naval aviation.

"The new video being released this month from ONR really does a good job of capturing what makes the science advisor tick," said Gallagher. "It takes a combination of engineering and subject matter expertise, mixed with the energy that comes from working with the fleet and force every day, and topped off with a healthy dose of good, old-fashioned patriotism-these folks love that what they do is an asset to national security."

Science advisors typically serve a maximum of

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Congratulatio

Photos by MC2 Ch

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ons Awardees!

hristopher Gordon

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DECEMBER 1, 2017

NAS SIGONELLA COMMUNITY PAGE All Hands News Bulletin:

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR 2017 IRS SERVICE VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE (VITA)

Command, Department or Organization - Base Legal (Region Legal Service Office) Point of Contact Name - Caterina Di Bella • Point of Contact Phone Number - 624-2953 Point of Contact Email Address - caterina.dibella.it@eu.navy.mil Additional InformationWe are offering a great opportunity to support the community!

Volunteers are needed for the 2017 IRS Self Service Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.

Volunteers will receive free IRS training and a certificate upon completion.

The training will take place from 22-26 January 2018.

The VITA center will be open during the tax season (overseas from 05 February till 15 June 2018).

Anyone interested in volunteering to assist service members and their families with income tax filing should contact the Region Legal Service Office (RLSO) (DSN: 624-2953 - comm 095-86-2953) or send an email at sigonella.legal@eu.navy.mil.

NAS 1

PERSONAL PROPERTY SHIPPING OFFICE AND VEHICLE PROCESSING CENTER HOLIDAY CLOSURES

Command, Department or Organization - NAVSUP FLCSI Site Sigonella Date of Event: See Below Location of Event: Personal Property Shipping Office and Vehicle Processing Center Point of Contact Name - Joseph Williams, Instillation Transportation Officer (ITO) Point of Contact Phone Number - DSN: 314-624-5503, Comm: +39-095-86-5503, Cell: +39-389-836-0507 Point of Contact Email Address - joseph.l.williams@eu.navy.mil Additional InformationThe Personal Property Shipping Office and Vehicle Processing Center will be closed on the following days: 08 Dec 17 - Immaculate Conception 25 Dec 17 - Christmas Day 26 Dec 17 - St.Stefano Day 01 Jan 18 - New Year's Day 15 Jan 18 - Martin Luther King Day

Sigonella Religious Ministries Department Worship Services

Mondays AA Meeting:

1800-1900

Tuesdays Protestant Women of the Chapel: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0900-1100 Daily Mass: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1130-1230 AWANA: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1645-1900 Youth for Christ (YFC) Youth Meeting: . . . . . . . . . . . 1200-1430 Wednesdays Protestant Men of the Chapel: .0600-0700 Daily Mass: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1130-1230 Catholic Ladies' Guild (3rd Wednesday): . . . . . . . . . . 1600-1800 Thursdays Daily Mass: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1130-1230

Phone Numbers: NAS I 095-56-3975, NAS II 095-86-9049, Chaplain Duty: 335-831-4493, RP Duty: 335-786-1950.

Facebook page: www.facebook.com/Naval Air Station Sigonella Chapel

Youth for Christ (YFC) Youth Meeting: . . . . . . . . . . . . 1200-1530 Choir Practice: . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1630-1800 The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA): . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1800-2030 Fridays Daily Mass: . . . . . . . . . . . 1130-1230 First Friday Mass and Holy Hour:. . . . . . . . . 1700-1830

NAS 2

Wednesdays Knights of Columbus (1st Wednesdays): . . . . . . . . . . . 1700-1800 Protestant Women of the Chapel (PWOC): .

1800-2100

Liturgical Protestant Service NAS I Chapel - . . . . . . . . . 1800

Thursdays AA Meeting: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1800-1900

Sundays Catholic Mass: . . . . 0900-1000 Catholic Religious Education (DoDDS):. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1045-1200

Sundays Protestant Service and Fellowship: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1800-2000 Roman Catholic Mass NAS I Chapel - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0900 Non-Liturgical Protestant Service NAS I Chapel - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1100 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon) - NAS I Chapel - . . . . . . . 1300 Non-Liturgical Protestant Service NAS II Chapel - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1800

Saturdays First Saturday Rosary and Mass: . . . . . . . . . . . . 1100-1200

Protestant Service: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1100-1200 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1330-1600

Weekly Traffic Report: Nov. 20 - Nov. 27, 2017

As a reminder to everyone: There are no PTUs allowed at the Galley. Appropriate athletic gear is authorized at the discretion of the Galley staff. Please remember that for sanitation purposes and for the consideration of other customers, if you have been out for PT, been working out at the gym, or have just been engaged in any physical activity where you and or your clothing has become soiled or sweaty you will be asked to turn around.

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"FLEET and FORCE" cont’d from Page 7

two tours, each tour up to three years long, before going on to other jobs. The experience, they say, stays with you-and they grow professionally and personally from the role.

"Being a science advisor is an incredible experience," says Dr. Marcus Tepaske, science advisor to Fleet Forces Command. "It puts you out there as a central voice of technology within the fleet-you work on everything from artillery to aircraft carriers, cognition to cyber, and lasers to landing craft, improving capabilities for our naval forces."

For those interested in applying: https://www.usajobs.gov/ GetJob/ViewDetails/482576200. The current application period closes Nov. 26.

David Smalley is a contractor for ONR Corporate Strategic Communications.

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook. com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from Office of Naval Research, visit www. navy.mil/local/onr/.

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DECEMBER 1, 2017

GAMEZONE

Christmas Gift Ideas

PLANT SCARF SHIRT SLIPPERS SNEAKERS SOCKS STUFFED ANIMAL SWEATER TELEVISION TOOL SET TOY TREE ORNAMENT WATCH WINE

MEDIUM

ELECTRONICS FLOWERS GAME GIFT BASKET GIFT CARD HERBAL TEAS JEWELRY MONEY MOVIE MUSIC NECKLACE NECKTIE PANTS PENDANT PERFUME

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DIFFICULT

Find and circle all of the words that are hidden in the grid.

The remaining 13 letters spell an additional Christmas gift idea.

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"ICE" continued from Page 3 I go inside there it's freezing. The last few Sundays I have tried to enjoy watching football, but I can't because the AC is blowing cold air. I asked the staff several times if they could turn the heat on, but they told me they could not.

They even had on hats, gloves, coats and blankets at the front desk area. It's been like this for weeks. I keep having to get up and go outside to warm up, and then come back in. I know this may seem small, but to do it every 15 minutes is not worth being there. I end up going to Jox Pub having a beer and watching the game there instead. The problem has been this way for a while. I informed the staff that I was going to write a complaint because it’s been too long for such a simple solution. Shouldn't it be easy for them to just turn the knob and turn the heat up? I know there is only so much the folks who work there can do, but seriously why are all of us freezing inside Take 5?

"ITALIAN NEWS" cont’d from Page 6 institutions also celebrate it, such as some branches of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. The West Australian Mining Club celebrate St Barbara's Day and use it to remember those people who have died working in the mining industry during the year.

Although they do not celebrate her saint's day, she is also the patron saint of US Navy and Marine Corps Aviation Ordnance men.

Festival Schedule Highlights On December 3, blank cannon shots announce the beginning of the festival at 8 a.m.

A solemn Holy Mass is celebrated at 11 a.m.

In the evening, the holy procession featuring the saint’s relics kicks off at 7 p.m. leaving from the Chiesa Matrice (the one located on the hill near the Norman castle) and reaching piazza. S. Barbara.

Later, a children’s choir will sing traditional religious chants (Cantate delle corporazioni cittadine) by the “Mulinari” and “Muratori” religious clubs in piazza Indipendenza at 9 p.m. A firework and music show will follow at the end of the celebrations.

The highlight of the festival is on December 4. Celebrations will begin early in the morning with cannon shots and bell ringing at dawn. Later, the statue depicting the saint and her holy relics will be unveiled at 7:30 a.m. (Svelata del Simulacro di S. Barbara).

Later at 10 a.m., the statue depicting the saint will be carried out in procession throughout the town center, among bell rings and a spectacular fireworks’ show, leaving from via S. Caterina and reaching the Church of Idria

Response:

Thank you for your feedback about the Liberty Center's climate control system. MWR management and NAVFAC were aware of the issue concerning cold temperatures in the Liberty Center. Unfortunately, the issue is not as easy as flipping a switch to turn the heat on. Starting in July 2017, the Liberty Center (and all of building 568) received the installation of a new heating and air conditioning system. This project lead to temperatures outside of the normal ranges as the system stabilized. As of 21 November 2017, the temperatures have reached a more comfortable 74 degrees Fahrenheit inside the Liberty Center.

We will continue to closely monitor the situation to ensure that the facility is at a comfortable temperature for our customers.

If you have additional comments for the Liberty Program, please contact the Liberty Program Manager, Ms. Ivory Harris, who can be reached at 624-5187 (or +39-095-56-5187) or via email at ivory.harris@eu.navy.mil.

(Uscita del Simulacro e delle Reliquie di S. Barbara). A music show by the local city band will be performed at 10:15 a.m. in piazza Indipendenza (the concert will be repeated in the evening at 6:30 p.m.)

At 12:30 p.m., the fercolo (carriage carrying the reliquary and the statue) will make its triumphant entry in piazza Vittorio Veneto.

After that, an amazing firework show will be performed in piazza Vittorio Veneto.

In the afternoon at 4:30 p.m., the holy relics of the saint will be brought in procession throughout the historic center for several hours. The procession will leave from the Church of Saint Antonio Abate and reaches piazza S. Barbara. A firework show will be performed at the end of this procession by the Church of Saint Biagio.

At 11:30 p.m., a spectacular fireworks show will take place in piazza Santa Barbara. The carriage of the saint will return to its church.

On the last day of the festival (December 5), at 11 a.m., the Catania Archbishop Salvatore Gristina will celebrate a solemn holy mass at the church of Saint Barbara.

In the afternoon at 4:30 p.m., the saint relics will again be carried on the devotees ‘shoulders throughout the town’s historic heart. A group of about ten varette (baroque styled carts containing a tall wax candle (cerei) decorated with lights, small flags and statues depicting angels, saints and flowers) will join the procession around 9:30 p.m.

Around midnight, the afternoon procession will return to the Church of Saint Barbara and a breathtaking fireworks show by the medieval castle will then end the festival.

For more information and detailed schedule, visit www.parrocchiasantabarbara.org

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