SECNAV:
Red White and Boom!:
Shiver Me Timbers:
Announces new Maternity Leave Policy
Fourth of July Celebration
Check out John Paul Jones boat winners!
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N A S SIG O N E L L A
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July 10, 2015
Vol. 32 No. 27
E-4 steps into CO’s shoes for day (and a half)
NAS Sigonella's Commanding Officer Capt. Christopher Dennis, center, discusses Interactive Customer Evaluation (ICE) criteria with Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Ernest Kyeremeh, the CO for the Day, right, and Lt. Paul Newell, public affairs officer, on matters of improving the base community, July 1. CO for the Day program was created to bring awareness and insight of a typical day in the life of the base commander. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ramon Go/Released) BY MC2 Ramon Go NAS Sigonella Public Affairs
NAS SIGONELLA, Sicily – Many enlisted service members won’t experience what goes on behind the closed doors of the officer community, let alone converse with the commanding officer about current base events, or what criteria must be weighted before a decision is made. For some, that’s just fine. For Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Ernest Kyeremeh, the opportunity to spend July 1 and 2 with Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella’s Commanding Officer, Capt. Christopher Dennis, was the eyeopening experience it is designed to be; even if Kyeremeh felt a bit uneasy at first. “I was nervous and excited at the
same time,” said Kyeremeh who was told about being selected as CO for the day two weeks prior. “The first meeting I attended was the tenant commander’s meeting, where I got to see and listen in on how they plan and work together.” In the fall of 2013, the program started with the selection of the Sig’ Citizen logo contest top three winners one E-5 Sailor, a local Italian employee, and a military spouse - who shadowed the installation’s executive triad to get intimately acquainted with the decisions and obligations necessary to safeguard the installation’s mission and those within the community supporting it. “There were some things I couldn’t understand because it’s outside of my knowledge and expertise, but skipper
prepared me beforehand and didn’t leave me out of anything that was going on,” said Kyeremeh, a dental technician at USNH Sigonella. “I felt very involved, he made me feel I was in charge, and wanted me to do things as he would.” The CO for the Day program was extended to a day and half so Kyeremeh could get a larger sampling of Dennis’ general duties, spending much of his time congratulating local employees who have dedicated themselves to serving NAS Sigonella 5, 10, 30, even 40 years. He also sat down with NAS Sigonella awardees of the quarter [SSOQ, SOQ, JSOQ, and Bluejacket] for a brown bag luncheon. Later on, the pair presented awards at the NEX associate quarterly awards ceremony. But it was not all about glad-
handing and happy snaps. Kyeremeh sat in on the CO’s Suggestion roundtable attended by other base leaders as they discussed comments made by the public and the best way to respond to each and every inquiry with Dennis who explained the process all throughout. “CO for the day is designed to give our service members the chance to ask why and how decisions are made and how requests are approved or disapproved by discussing my thought processes and going through the paperwork,” said Dennis. “Whatever the outcome, I try to give a broad understanding of the typical things a CO has to deal with. It’s a pleasure to try and meet the expectations of our community and a joy to share the experiences of the job I love with others.” Sharing experiences and stories can often lead to a learning opportunity for both senior and junior service members, where the junior can bring in new, fresh insights while the senior provides wisdom and knowledge from their experiences. “I’ve learned many things from the short period of time with the skipper and one thing that stood out the most is that he has clear goals and most importantly he takes measures to reach those goals,” said Kyeremeh. “You can tell how passionate he is about energy conservation and he takes the lead on it by setting the example. When we went for a 5.5-mile run at the end of the first day and a 4-mile run on the morning of the second day, he would stop to pick up trash and throw it in the bins. That got me started thinking on how I can be an advocate in my work center about energy conservation and how I can make it better.” If the two runs are any indication of the way the corpsman kept up with Dennis during the rest of the 36 hours
"CO" continued on Page 3
Morale Welfare & Recreation Sigonella adds BOOM to Fourth of July By MC2 Ramon Go NAS Sigonella Public Affairs
NAS SIGONELLA, Sicily – Morale Welfare & Recreation’s (MWR) Red White and Boom commemorated their annual Fourth of July celebration Saturday with many all-day activities for the Sigonella community and friends at the NAS 1 Midtown Complex. The festivities helped signify the importance of the revolutionary, world-changing document signed by 52 members of the Continental Congress in 1776 as the newly-formed United States of America declared its independence from the British Empire. “My 7-year-old son, Aidan, and I participated in the Color Run for a family fun event,” said Chief Logistics Specialist Dwayne Shultz. “It was my son’s first race and we had a lot of fun. We ran the whole time and got colored up.” Shultz added how grateful he and his family are to enjoy what MWR has provided for the community to bring everyone together. Families also participated in events such as the John Paul Jones cardboard boat race where Stacey Bowes and his son, Ian, competed in the adult and child category bringing home the fastest ship award with two gift cards. “For the past few years, Ian has wanted to compete in the boat race and so we did,” said Bowes. “We wrapped our boat with three layers of duct tape and about nine hours of preparation and finished the race in a minute and 18 seconds. We had a lot of fun and plan to use the same boat for next year.” The fun-packed activities started off with a red, white and blue color run, pool party, Nerf battle:
Morale, Welfare & Recreation (MWR) showcase a thirty-minute fireworks display during the Red White and Boom event at NAS 1 Midtown Complex, July 4. MWR hosted events throughout the weekend to bring a little Americana to Sicily. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ramon Go/Released)
Aliens vs. Marines, the cardboard boat race, corn hole tournament, food eating contest, lip sync battle, a live performance from local rock band Hyp-notik, and ended with a 30-minute firework show.
“I am a proud American and each year the celebration gets better and better,” said Ed Lucio. “The Fourth of July means a lot to me, my family and the rest of the Americans living in the U.S. and overseas.”
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THE SIGNATURE
July 10, 2015
MCPON's 4th of July Message
THE SIGNATURE
July 10, 2015
SECNAV announces new Maternity Leave Policy
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Mike Stevens
From the Office of the Chief of Information
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Shipmates and Navy Families, As we celebrate America's birthday and 239 years of independence, let us remember the meaning of the 4th of July, the meaning of the Independence Day. What bonds Americans is our allegiance to an idea first declared in a spare hall in Philadelphia-that all of us are created equal. It is that undeniable declaration and intentional commitment to equality that we take pride in as we serve our great nation. Let us reflect on a portion of the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights; that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness." While many of our comrades take this time to come together, give thanks, and enjoy some well-deserved time with their families, let us not forget the thousands of Sailors who are deployed around the world protecting our freedom. Remember our Navy families who stand the watch at home so our Sailors can focus on missions on the ground, in the air, and at sea. Our Sailors, families, and Navy civilians provide a tremendous amount of dedication and sacrifice in the name of protecting the ideals that America was founded on. Remember that you are our Navy's most valuable asset. Whether you are on the road or preparing for a family bbq, remember that your safety is paramount. If you choose to consume alcohol, do not drive. It's critical that each of you keep what you've earned. Theresa and I thank you for everything you do to help keep our nation safe. We care deeply for you and wish all the best for a very happy Fourth of July!
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Secretary Ray Mabus triples maternity leave: 18 weeks for women in the Navy and Marine Corps. On July 2, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced that effective immediately, women who serve in the Navy and Marine Corps will have 18 weeks of maternity leave available to use during the first year of her child's life. "In the Navy and the Marine Corps, we are continually looking for ways to recruit and retain the best people," Mabus said. "We have incredibly talented women who want to serve, and they also want to be mothers and have the time to fulfill that important role the right way. We can do that for them. Meaningful maternity leave when it matters most is one of the best ways that we can support the women who serve our county. This flexibility is an investment in our people and our services, and a safeguard against losing skilled service members." Department of Defense Instruction 1327.06, Leave and Liberty Procedures for the Department, charges secretaries of the military departments with publishing departmental guidance in accordance with the DoD instruction. Under the section that delegates to the Secretary the ability to designate the level of control for convalescent leave that exceeds 30 days, Secretary Mabus has directed that commanding officers
Very respectfully, MCPON and Theresa Stevens
Official U.S. Navy file photo of Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Mike Stevens. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Abraham Essenmacher/Released)
grant additional convalescent leave up to 84 days beyond the currently authorized 42 days following the birth of a child. For families, increased time following the birth of her child has tangible benefits for the physical and psychological health of both mother and child. For the Navy and Marine Corps, there is the likelihood that women will return to and stay in her career, yielding higher readiness and retention for the services. "When the women in our Navy and Marine Corps answer the call to serve, they are making the difficult choice to be away from their children - sometimes for prolonged periods of time - so that they can do the demanding jobs that we ask them to do." Mabus said. "With increased maternity leave, we can demonstrate the commitment of the Navy and Marine Corps to the women who are committed to serve." The policy, which is effective immediately, will also apply retroactively to any woman who has been authorized convalescent leave following the birth of a child since Jan. 1, 2015. Under the new policy, commanding officers are required to grant to a woman up to a total of 18 weeks, using a combination of maternity leave and convalescent leave beyond 30 days. A mother does not need to take all of her leave at once; however, she is only entitled to the use of this type of leave within one year of her child's birth. The Department of the Navy's increase in maternity leave is the latest in a series of personnel initiatives announced by the Secretary of the Navy.
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 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. * If you submit a "BZ" about a specific person or department, PLEASE PROVIDE YOUR NAME in order to ensure comment authenticity and therefore publically 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 have been recent changes in the past year on NAS 2 where contractors have removed beautiful green grass and replaced it with white rocks. From what I see the work is being done by contractors with small hand tools who each week remove only the growth, not the roots, thereby never actually solving the issue. I would think base leadership has a better fix than having people working in the blazing sun and rain to remove weed growth that returns shortly after. I’m curious as to whether there is a better use of our resources? Also, why did we replace the grass with stones in the first place? To keep from having to water these beautiful areas? It just doesn’t seem to make sense.
Response:
I appreciate your mind toward stewardship and the opportunity to clarify your points. First, yes, we selectively have replaced unmanaged areas of vegetation with Xeriscape (rocks and buried tarps). Xeriscaping is a proven method to conserve water – which is both precious and expensive to produce and reclaim. Additionally, Xeriscaping substantially reduces our maintenance costs (fertilizing, cutting, etc.). All things considered, Xeriscaping does exactly what you and I both want – it conserves our resources. As for how the work is done, we define the basic requirement for the work – keep the beds clear of weeds (for instance) but NOT how the work is to be done. Companies bid on the contract and the COMPANIES DECIDE how to accomplish the work. From a contractual point of view, folks can perform the work at midnight with any tool they deem necessary (as long as it doesn’t violate any laws), and if the work accomplishes the requirement we are satisfied. By the way, the main reason for the quick return of weeds is not a lack of effort but rather all the different plant pollens that germinate throughout the year. Also, in case you are interested, “Round Up” and other weed-killing chemicals are illegal in Italy. If you have additional questions or concerns about ground maintenance, please contact J.P Thomasseau, Deputy Public Works Officer, at 624-2905, or by e-mail at: JonPaul.Thomasseau@eu.navy.mil.
Comment regarding “NAS 1 Gym Locker Room Issue”:
Recently I discovered all my personal belongings from my NAS 1 Fitness Center locker had been removed. I was never notified of locker rental expiration (by note, e-mail, nor phone call). When I approached the manager she told me that locker system was a “broker system,” and in a rather rude, dismissive manner suggested I write an ICE comment if I didn’t like what happened. Due to the poor service I am taking the manager’s advice – not to be vengeful, but to request that some courtesy be instilled into the locker expiration process. I’m sure we can do better.
Response:
Wow, that is precisely not the response I want from managers. My expectation is that supervisors attempt to resolve issues at their level and if unable, ask for guidance from their directors. I sincerely apologize for the poor customer service you received. My expectation remains for EVERY PATRON to receive “CO Customer Service” at all base service centers. In addition to my hopes that you’ll accept my apology, I’d like to applaud your efforts in first seeking out gym management to resolve your situation before using CO Suggestion/ICE. As an aside, we have completely revamped and published new and improved locker processes – all due to you speaking up. Thank you!
U.S. NAVAL AIR STATION SIGONELLA Commanding Officer Capt. Chris Dennis Executive Officer Cmdr. Charles G. McKinney II Command Master Chief CMDCM Mike Kaszubowski
EDITORIAL Public Affairs Officer Lt. Paul Newell paul.newell@eu.navy.mil Editor M. Todd Butler michael.butler@eu.navy.mil Community Relations Officer Dott. Alberto Lunetta alberto.lunetta.it@eu.navy.mil PAO Staff Writers \ Photographers MC1 Tony D. Curtis anthony.curtis@eu.navy.mil MC2 Ramon Go ramon.go@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 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.
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 scrolldown 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".
Comment regarding “Base Removal of Grass and Weed Pulling”:
THE SIGNATURE
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
Commanding Officer's Suggestion Box
Interactive Customer Evaluation
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NAS Sigonella’s Commanding Officer Capt. Christopher Dennis, left and Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Ernest Kyeremeh, the CO for the Day, right, presents a 40-year Length of Service award to Antonino Carbonaro. The Length of Service award ceremony held at NAS 2 Chapel, July 1. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ramon Go/Released)
"CO" continued from Page 1 he served as co-CO, Kyeremeh got a lot of mileage out of the experience. And not surprisingly. Among his peers and supervisors, the Ghana native is considered a top performer in the Dental Directorate. Due to his efforts on the job and within the community, his chain of command hand-selected him to be their CO for the Day candidate. “He’s a jack of all trades and he’s always reliable; you can count on him to do anything, especially when he seeks out to helping people,” said Hospital Corpsman
1st Class John Hawley. “He gave up a lot to be where he is now; he sacrificed a college education in his home country to come to America and join the U.S. Navy.” Kyeremeh didn’t sacrifice his education altogether. He signed up for classes soon as he could and recently received his Associates Degree in General Education and is nine classes away from his bachelor’s degree. He was also USNH Sigonella’s Sailor of the Quarter at the end 2014. “Joining the Navy presented me with a lot of opportunities and there are certain goals I had in my life,” said Kyeremeh.
“Day in, day out, I was doubting if I was going to reach these goals, but being with the skipper for a day and a half, and hearing his story from where he came from and what his goals were and where he is now has given me much more motivation to keep striving.” Kyeremeh was inspired by the words of the skipper and continued to say, “ ‘For whatever I have set my mind and heart to do, I can definitely accomplish it as long as I am taking small steps.’ The skipper emphasized not to be in a hurry, but just keep steady and keep going. He made me feel that anything is possible.
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 anyanonymous 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. cnic.navy.mil/sigonella
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THE SIGNATURE
July 10, 2015
Country star Tyler Farr rocks Sigonella for 4th of July weekend!
July 10, 2015
THE SIGNATURE
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Eating at special occasions: Tips to help you enjoy your BBQ and not worry about the pounds from U.S, Naval Hospital Sigonella
Country music star Tyler Farr rocks NAS Sigonella during Morale, Welfare and Recreation's Red, White, and BOOM festival on July 5. Farr released his sophomore album, Suffer In Peace, on April 28. (Photo courtesy of MWR Sigonella) BY Vanessa Ogletree MWR Sigonella
NAS SIGONELLA, Sicily – As if a whole day of Patriotic entertainment for July 4 and Red, White and Boom, wasn’t enough, MWR brought two country music acts on July 5 for more Independence Day fun. The night of concerts started with Jeff Allen and his band as the opening act. Allen’s soulful voice warmed up the crowd by signing some of his hits like, Baby, I’m a Liar and Good to be Alive. While Allen was singing, some of the audience members strutted and danced to the music, while others checked out the food booths that were available through Sigonella private organizations. As Jeff Allen was finishing his performance, he asked the crowd, “Are you ready for Tyler Farr?” and an enormous cheer rang out from the piazza. Then Farr took the stage and the crowd gathered at the front to get a
better view of the country star. Farr’s performance for the fans of Sigonella did not disappoint. He interacted with people during the show, belted out his famous hits, brought a young fan on the stage and at one point grabbed a Sailor’s phone to take some "selfies", all the while shaking people’s hands and cracking jokes on the microphone. After the concert, Farr and his band went to Connections to sign autographs, take pictures, and meet the troops. The group of musicians stuck around, getting to know the Sigonella's service members until Connections closed at 11:30 p.m. Of his time in Sigonella, Farr said, “It’s exactly what I came to do. I wanted to give them a good show and hang out with the Sailors. Mission accomplished”. He also mentioned that being here at Sig and talking to the troops was his favorite thing while on tour. For pictures of the Jeff Allen and Tyler Farr concert visit www.sigmwr.com and the Sig' MWR Facebook page.
Need an appointment at the hospital? Call DSN 624-CARE (2273) or commercial 095-56-2273, M-F: 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. For non-emergent medical questions that arise over the weekend, holidays, or after office hours, please call 335-578-8077 if you are normally seen at the hospital or 335-578-8150 if you are normally seen at the Flight Line Clinic.
NAS SIGONELLA, Sicily - The summer is here and so are the BBQs and picnics. But people watching their weight may have a love/hate relationship with invitations to parties, weddings, picnics, or other social occasions. On one hand they love the excitement of the party atmosphere, but on the other hand they fear the possibility of eating too much. Here are some tips to help you enjoy your BBQs while still enjoying the food and not worrying about the pounds: 1. Don’t tempt yourself by hanging around the food table. Seek out friends and conversation on the far side of the room. Whatever you do – don’t get caught next to food with a boring conversationalist! 2. If you are logging your daily food intake, keep to your basic technique of recording your intake, and BE HONEST. 3. Try not to talk about watching your calories. Some people may find it a challenge to tempt you with high calorie foods. 4. Eat only the foods you like best. Why bother wasting calories on foods that don’t thrill you? 5. Have assertive answers prepared to respond to inappropriate remarks by friends and relatives. 6. Don’t clean your plate. If your hostess can’t resist adding something to your plate against your protest, push it around for a while, but don’t eat! Say everything was delicious but you are full. 7. Fill your dinner plate with vegetables, salad or soup as an appetizer. Remember that prefilling your stomach helps to reduce your total food intake for the meal. 8. Keep your hands occupied. Hold your purse, drink a glass of water or talk using your hands. Keeping your hands occupied makes it more difficult to eat. 9. Alternate low calorie drinks with alcoholic beverages. 10. Add club soda to wine with a twist of lime or use low calorie mixers to reduce calories from drinks. Skip the after dinner liqueurs. 11. Do not be the first person to arrive. It’s less fattening. 12. Never arrive at the special event when you are extremely hungry. Have a salad or a piece of fruit before leaving home. 13. Tell yourself that if you come out of the occasion weighing the same or less than when you began, you deserve a pat on the back! You were successful! 14. Bank calories for special occasions. You'll that will consume extra calories when you go out, cut back on the other meals that day. Drink water or low-calorie beverages to stave off hunger. 15. If possible, plan what you will eat and drink in advance. 16. Take small portions of everything you want to taste. Don’t skip something you want (even if you have a one teaspoon portion) or you may feel deprived. 17. If you are giving the party, prepare foods that are low in fat and sugar. 18. Give leftovers to guests as they leave. Just because you are trying to lose or maintain your weight doesn’t mean it should affect your social life. Plan ahead and be assertive. Eating and drinking our favorite foods and beverages in moderation is A-OK! If you are interested in further weight loss assistance your Health Promotion Department is here! Please call us at 624-4710 to learn more about our weight loss/management classes.
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THE SIGNATURE
July 10, 2015
Palermo to honor Saint Rosalia July 10 - 15 PALERMO, Sicily - Santa Rosalia, pensateci Voi! (Saint Rosalia, please take care of it!). This is how a Palermo devotee, who is puzzled over a small or big problem, invokes Santa Rosalia who, like all Catholic saints, is venerated as a special intercessor before God. The devotion displayed by the community of the Sicilian capital to the saint is full of great joy and gratitude. Through the eyes of an ancient traveler like Patrick Brydone, a Scottish intellectual and traveler who toured the south of Italy in the 18th century, we can relive the atmosphere of a typical Saint Rosalia Festival. In his book called A Tour though Sicily and Malta (dating to 1773) he gives a vivid description of the chariot's parade: The triumphal chariot was preceded by a party of men on horseback, with trumpets and drums, and by all the high officials of the city in full regalia. The "machine" is truly enormous: it measures seventy feet in length, thirty in width and over eighty in height; as it passes through the streets, it towers above Palermo's tallest houses. The lower part looks like a Roman galley, but it widens towards the upper part. The front part is broader and shaped like an oval amphitheatre, with seats all around: this is the great orchestra, thronged with musicians in several rows, one above the other. At the back of the orchestra rises a great cupola, supported by six Corinthian columns and adorned with numerous figures of saints and angels, with a gigantic silver statue of Santa Rosalia on the top. Today, thanks to modern technology, the festival is more spectacular than it used to be in the past. This year, the festino or little festival (the celebrations’ nickname) celebrates its 391st anniversary. During the festival, which runs from July 10 through 15, the city turns into both a colorful stage and a sanctuary featuring parades, concerts, shows, fireworks, food stalls and religious processions.The festino yearly draws thousands of local residents, tourists and Sicilian immigrants who return to the island to celebrate with relatives and friends their beloved patron saint. Life of Saint Rosalia Saint Rosalia, who is also affectionately called Santuzza or little Saint, was the daughter of a noble family of northeastern Sicily and a descendant of Charlemagne. She lived in the second half of the twelfth century. According to tradition, she left home when she was still a young woman to live as a hermit and she hid herself in a cave of Mount Quisquinia near Bivona and later in another of
Monte Pellegrino near Palermo. She lived in the latter cave until she died and she was also buried there. In 1624, her remains were discovered and brought to the Cathedral of Palermo. The devotion that palermitani (Palermo's townspeople) have for Santa Rosalia (Saint Rosalia) dates back to 1624. Rosalia is believed to have averted a terrible epidemic of plague that broke out in Palermo. According to tradition, despite the palermitani repeatedly invoked the four city copatron saints (Cristina, Ninfa, Oliva and Agata) against the terrible disease, plague still spread at a horrifying rate. But a miracle occurred when a soap manufacturer named Vincenzo Banelli, whose wife died because of the epidemic, urged the Palermo Cardinal to hold a procession featuring the relics of Saint Rosalia throughout the city. Tradition holds that Santa Rosalia appeared in a vision to Banelli instructing him that if her earthly remains would be taken in procession through the city, plague would cease. Thus, on July 14, 1624, a magnificent procession featuring the saint reliquie or relics placed in a silver case of crimson velvet, and accompanied by the Royal Council, the Senate, illustrious citizens and all the clergy, took place in Palermo. At the end of it, the plague was over. Since 1624, every year, the Palermo's community has been celebrating with true devotion its patron saint. Festival Schedule The evening of July 14 is the highlight of the festival that is running from July 10 through 15. Around 7 p.m., the spectacular re-enactment of the miracle performed by Saint Rosalia begins in the historic heart of Palermo. Shows featuring the parade of the Carro Trionfale or triumphal chariot, a spectacular Baroque-styled construction shaped like a ship that is built new every year, are performed along corso (avenue) Vittorio Emanuele, the Royal Palace, the cathedral and piazza Vigliena also known as Quattro Canti, a breathtaking octagonal square illuminated by the sun's rays from dusk to dawn in which the four oldest districts of the city intersect in one point. This year's chariot will showcase again choreography by Sergio Pausig, a Palermo Art Academy professor. The theme of this year’s festival will be Pink is the saint and black is the plague, to symbolize the eternal battle between good and evil and the miracle that, according to tradition, Saint Rosalia worked over the plague. A breathtaking and loud fireworks’ show is
"SAINT ROSALIA" continued on Page 12
One among the largest religious festival is set to return to the capital of Sicily on July 14. The Festa di Santa Rosalia, which attracts thousands of visitors to Palermo, features religious processions, masses, folklore parades, traditional food and a not-to-be-missed fireworks show. (Photo by http://www.mareterrasole.it/)
U.S. NAVY HEADLINES July 10, 2015
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Navy leadership approves Energy Training & Education Plan into career training pipelines for officer and enlisted Sailors. Over the past year, Navy leadership has been increasing the focus on direct SailWASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Navy's Energy Training & Education Plan was or engagement to highlight the importance of energy conservation. Fleet-hosted formally approved July 2 by Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Energy, Installations, energy training events were held at four installations in San Diego, Norfolk, Jack& Environment) Dennis McGinn, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Man- sonville, and Yokosuka, Japan during 2014 and 2015, which provided an opporpower & Reserve Affairs) Anne Davis, and Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for tunity to unite all sectors of the Navy community to raise awareness and gather Fleet Readiness and Logistics Vice Adm. Philip H. Cullom (N4). This signifies a feedback from the fleet. "It is absolutely essential that we get out here and talk to the fleet and understand major step toward Secretary Mabus' goal of enhancing energy training for all levels what the energy challenges we face are and to look for opportunities to get direct of Navy leadership. Endorsement of the plan initiates the process of incorporating energy awareness feedback on the policies we set for the Department of the Navy in Washington," said Assistant Secretary Dennis McGinn during the Nov. 6, 2014 event held at Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville. "There is nothing that happens in our Navy and Marine Corps team that does not rely on energy. We have to continue to improve our energy efficiency, so that we can be ready whenever the president calls on us. This is all about improving our warfighting capability and our operational effectiveness," said McGinn. Over the coming months, the Naval Education and Training Command will perform a detailed analysis of how energy lessons can be developed and implemented into existing courses. "We want to incorporate energy training in a seamless fashion so that it is embedded within long-standing core topics like planning, operations, and maintenance," said Director of the Navy Energy Coordination Office, Capt. Jeff Maclay. "We don't want to disrupt the training enterprise. What we want to disrupt is the way our Sailors think. We want them to think critically about their fuel consumption, whether it is afloat, in the air, or ashore." The full Navy Energy Training & Education Plan can be accessed here: http://greenfleet.dodlive.mil/library/policy/energy-guidanceand-documents/ For more information about the Navy Energy Program, please visit the public website: http://greenfleet.dodlive.mil/energy/ Surface Warfare Officer's School (SWOS) students navigate their virtual vessel through a number of DOD personnel can access simulated hazards in the school's full-mission bridge. Simulators have become a mainstay of training other Navy Energy resources, at SWOS. Relocating the machines to the school has allowed the students to receive additional training such as those below, on the CAC-enabled milSuite. whenever their schedule allows for it. SWOS trains the SWO community at the most critical junctures in their Navy Energy: https://www. careers. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason McCammack (RELEASED) milsuite.mil/book/groups/navy-energy Navy Energy Library: https://www.milsuite.mil/book/ groups/navy-energy-library Navy Energy Innovation: https://w w w.milsuite.mil/ book/groups/energy-warrior For more news from Chief of Naval Operations Energy and Environmental Readiness Division, visit www.navy.mil/ local/n45/. From Chief of Naval Operations Energy and Environmental Readiness Division Public Affairs
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Ristorante Bella Etna The Signature has established the "That's NOT What Right Looks Like" section in order to make the NAS Sigonella community aware of how the command is prosecuting improper behavior, along with the hope of deterring future bad decisions. In July, a local national contractor was cited for speeding in Marinai; Pizzarotti suspended driving privileges for 2 months. An E-6 had NEX shopping privileges and fuel coupon ration suspended for 12 months for knowingly violating the guest sponsorship policy and abuse of privileges. Three third country national citizens were indefinitely barred from the installation for wrongful access to the NEX and abuse of privileges.
All Hands News Bulletin
BREAKFAST Mon-Fri 6:30-8 a.m. Weekend/Holiday 7 -9 a.m. LUNCH Mon-Fri 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Weekend/Holiday 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. DINNER Mon-Fri 4:30 - 6 p.m. Weekend/Holiday 4:30 - 6 p.m.
To request publication of your message, please send it to thesig@eu.navy.mil
High School Track Closed Until Further Notice: Renovation to the high school track and field has begun. Access points to the track will be fenced off preventing entry to the track. For safety reasons the track portion of the perimeter jogging route will not be available due to the increased vehicle traffic entering/exiting the track area. This means that there will not be a jogging route connecting the back perimeter road with Hillis Drive. Please plan accordingly. If you have further questions regarding this project please contact Mr. Budny at 624-0541. OPM Breach: The SECNAV website is live and that the attached ALNAV has been issued. Information can be found at http://www.secnav.navy.mil/OPMBreachDON/Pages/ default.aspx Civilian Human Resources (CHR) Vacancy Announcements: Vacancy announcements for L.N. and U.S. appropriated fund positions may be viewed/downloaded from http:// www.cnic.navy.mil/regions/cnreurafswa/installations/nas_sigonella/about/jobs.html.
NASSIG Worship Services ROMAN CATHOLIC • Sunday - 9 a.m. Catholic Mass at NAS 1 Chapel • TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY & FRIDAY 11:30 a.m. - Catholic Mass at NAS 2 Chapel Sacraments of Reconciliation / Penance precede each Mass • FRIDAY - 11:30 a.m. Catholic Mass at NAS 1 Chapel LATTER-DAY SAINTS • SUNDAY - 1:30 p.m. at NAS 1 Chapel Contact: sigonellalds@gmail.com or 624-9049 JEWISH SHABBAT LAY SERVICE • FRIDAY - 5:30 p.m. at NAS 1 Chapel
PROTESTANT - NAS 1 CHAPEL • Saturday - 6:30 p.m. Contemporary Worship Services • SundaY - 11 a.m. Traditional Worship; 12 p.m. Sunday School PROTESTANT / Non-Denominational - NAS 2 Chapel • SundaY - 6 p.m. NIGHT STUDY • MONDAY - AA Meetings - 5:30 p.m., second deck at NAS 1 Chapel; Thursday - 7 p.m. at NAS 2 Chapel • Tuesday - Italian Class - 7 p.m. at Classroom at NAS 1 Chapel • Tuesday - Glee Club - 12 p.m. at NAS 1 Chapel • Tuesday - Awana Club - 4:45 p.m at NAS 1 Chapel
Chapel Offices: NAS I 095-56-3975, NAS II 095-86-9049, DSN: 624-3975, Chaplain Duty: 335-831-4493 RP Duty: 335-786-1950 NAS Sigonella Religious Ministries Department Facebook page: www.facebook.com/Naval Air Station Sigonella Chapel
DRIVE SAFELY SIGONELLA
Friday, July 10 Breakfast: Eggs to Order, Oven Fried Bacon, Grilled Minute Steak Lunch: Meat Loaf, Baked Chicken Speed Line: Pizza Dinner: Grilled Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onions, Fishwich Saturday, July 11 Breakfast: Eggs to Order, Oven Fried Bacon, Grilled Turkey Sausage Links Brunch: Eggs to Order, Oven fried Bacon, Grilled Turkey Sausage Links, Chicken Fried Steak Dinner: Saulsberry Steak, Crispy Chicken Sandwich Sunday, July 12 Breakfast: Eggs to Order, Grilled Minute Steak, Oven Fried Bacon Brunch: Eggs to Order, Grilled Minute Steak, Oven Fried Bacon, Oven Roast Turkey Dinner: Spaghetti with Meatballs, Lemon Baked Fish Monday, July 13 Breakfast: Eggs to Order, Minced Beef, Oven Fried Bacon Lunch: Roast Beef, Grilled Lemon Herbed Chicken Breast Speed Line: Pizza Dinner: Beef Ravioli, Chicken Fried Steak w/ Country Brown Gravy Tuesday, July 14 Breakfast: Eggs to Order, Grilled Turkey Sausage Links, Oven Fried Bacon Lunch: Home Made Beef Lasagna, Grilled Italian Sausage Speed Line: Tacos, Rice and Beans Dinner: Beef Stew, Teriyaki Glazed Chicken Wednesday, July 15 Breakfast: Eggs to Order, Creamed Ground Beef on Toast, Oven Fried Bacon Lunch: BBQ Chicken, Baked Fish with Cherry Tomatoes Speed Line: All American Burgers Dinner: Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, Baked Sea Scallops Thursday, July 16 Breakfast: Eggs to Order, Corned Beef Hash, Oven Fried Bacon Lunch: Roast Turkey, Chicken Fried Steak w/ Gravy Speed Line: Pasta Bar Dinner: Chili Macaroni, Baked Salmon Friday, July 17 Breakfast: Eggs to Order, Oven Fried Bacon, Minced Beef on Toast Lunch: Pepper Steak, Hand Breaded Catfish Speed Line: Pizza Dinner: Meat Loaf, Fishwich Breakfast: $3.45
Lunch: $5.55
Dinner: $4.85
As a reminder to everyone: Reminder - 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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held at midnight at the port (Foro Italiaco area) for about an hour. As for traditional food specialties, street food is king at Saint Rosalia’s feast. Specialties sold by street vendors include: snails (babbaluci), walnuts and chickpeas, boiled octopus (polpo bollito), watermelon (mulune), sweets, corn on the cob, sfincione (a pizza dressed with tomato sauce and minced onion), pasta with sardines (pasta con le sarde), the famous strong-tasting spleen sandwich (pani ca’ meusa, a round sesame soft bread, called vastedda, filled with chopped veal's lung and spleen that have been boiled and then fried in lard and dressed with caciocavallo or ricotta cheese) and stigghiola, a Sicilian food typical of Palermo consisting of goat intestines filled with onions. Don’t forget to try the traditional pane con le panelle (chickpea and parsley fried fritters served in a sandwich) and arancina the world-renowned deep-fried rice ball filled with minced meat. For more information and detailed schedules visit http://festinodisantarosalia.it/390/.
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GAME ZONE The Beach
Find and circle all of the beach words that are hidden in the grid. The remaining letters spell an additional beach word.
BARE FEET BEACH BALL BOAT CLOUDS DRIFTWOOD HAT KITE LIFEGUARD OCEAN PAIL PIER
SAILING SAND SEAGULL SEASHELL SEASHORE SKY STARFISH SUNGLASSES SUNSCREEN SUNSHINE SURFBOARD
SURFING SWIMMING SWIMSUIT T SHIRT TOWEL VOLLEYBALL WADING WATER WAVES
DIFFICULT
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Communicating well with other people By Fleet & Family Support Center Sigonella From http://lifeskills.endlex.com/article/ communicating_well.html
NAS SIGONELLA, Sicily - To communicate well really means to communicate so that other people understand what you are saying. You are able to communicate well when you can convey your thoughts and others can, in turn, understand them. Not an easy task. It does require substantial effort, but once you are willing to put in the effort, it will pay large dividends. In order to convey your thoughts and ideas to others, you must simply communicate clearly. Many of the suggestions given in this article may seem simplistic, but communicating well is nothing more than a simple conveying of one idea from your mind to the recipient's mind. It may seem simplistic, but is well worth a look because your thoughts and ideas and delivery of what you wish to impart to your audience will improve if you follow these simple suggestions. Examine your efforts. For writing, one way that you can know if you have communicated well is to read something that you have written in the past - maybe material from several years ago if you have those documents. Do you understand what you had written? Do you clearly know what your take-home message(s) is/are? If you don't have any of your past documents, you can just try it now. Write something and then read it a few weeks later (or if you can't wait that long, sooner). See if you understand what you have written. If even you yourself did not understand perfectly what you wrote,
it means that the passage was not clear enough. In that case, you should rewrite it so that you understand it. On the other hand, if you understand exactly what you have written, congratulations! In either of these two cases, you can now proceed to the next step. Ask someone to read what you wrote. Have them explain exactly what you meant. If it is not what you had wanted to communicate, it either means that that person cannot communicate his thoughts well himself, or he misunderstood something that you wrote. For giving speeches, the easiest thing to do is to stand in front of a mirror to give a talk. It may be necessary to up it one notch by using a camcorder to taperecord yourself and then watch it later. Alternatively, you could use a tape recorder and then play it back just to listen to your voice. One of the biggest problems of speakers is to speak too fast. Speak at a well-defined, moderate pace filled with pauses so that people can take in the information. Organize the information well. Perhaps one of the most effective ways to have others digest your information is to organize it well. So frequently, however, people organize their reports, essays, or speeches, in such a horrendous way that it makes it extremely difficult for the audience to digest the content. It certainly is possible to digest it, but it requires a lot of effort on the part of the reader or listener. It is almost as if the writer or speaker is asking the audience's mind to organize their article or speech for them. When you organize your report for them, it allows them to concentrate on the content so that they can take home the message more. Good organization means that you do not overwhelm the
reader with unrelated facts, but instead group items into broad categories so that they can take in the information more easily. You effortlessly flow through one related topic after another. Use smooth transitions while in the process. How do you organize your reports and speeches? You must have central themes. One central theme should be the general purpose of the article, which should run throughout the article. More minor themes should be present within each section of your report or speech. Impart a point to each message. You should have a general point for people to take home. Make it very clear what that point is. For each subtopic, you should also have a point. Hint at it or discuss it at the beginning of the subtopic. Throughout your presentation, gradually make point after point. The flow of the presentation should make sense as you traverse your way through a progression of ideas - one after the other, the ideas should progress as if you were walking down some steps on a stairway. Repeat what a point is when you finish the subtopic. Therefore, even if the audience has drowsed somewhere within your report or speech, they will once again become engaged as you make the final point clear to them before proceeding with the next topic. In doing this, your work will also be much more organized. Make people laugh, if possible. Humor is always an effective way to grab someone's attention. When people laugh, it makes them more receptive to what you say next. It also makes them happier and more relaxed, which further facilitates their intake of additional information. This is not to say that you should blatantly tell a joke, but the hu-
mor should merge seamlessly into your document. Not everyone knows how to use humor, however, but you may want to study it from professionals. Be careful not to be offensive. If you do not feel comfortable using humor, though, you may want to refrain from applying it. Be concise, clear, and specific. Communicating in generalities is one of the common plagues that infest most people's writing or speaking. Say your point loudly and clearly, but at the same time, not vaguely. Long sentences or phrases are also become quite confusing, so it is best to avoid them. State your thought concisely, clearly, and specifically. You will be able to impart your message much more readily that way. In summary, to communicate effectively you should try to: A. Examine your efforts. B. Organize your information. C. Impart a point to each message. D. Make people laugh E. Be concise, clear, and specific. The Fleet and Family Support Center offers a wide variety of support services to help with your communication goals. To learn more about our classes, workshops and counseling services, contact the Fleet and Family Support Center at DSN: 624-4291, Commercial: 095-564291.
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Sigonella hits the water for the annual cardboard boat race
Stacy Bowes, right, and son Ian paddle toward the end of a 25-meter pool during the 2015 John Paul Jones Cardboard Boat Race held July 4 at Splashers Pool. The Bowes finished in first place for the adult and child category as the fastest ship. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ramon Go/ Released) Story by MWR Sigonella
NAS SIGONELLA, Sicily - Ingenuity and craftsmanship came together for the annual Cardboard Boat Race on July 4 at the MWR Red, White, and Boom celebration. Fourteen of Sigonella's finest forged vessels and oars made solely from cardboard, duct tape, and a healthy dose of imagination. Spectators grabbed front row seats on the Splashers pool deck for the anticipated boat races. MWR Athletic Director, John Lenz and Youth Sports Director, Eric Barge emceed the races offering a welcome comedic touch to the jovial atmosphere. Onlookers supported contestants throughout the spectacle and were at the edge of their seats gauging whether the cardboard creations could make the voyage across the pool.
Teams of two competed in three categories divided by age. Contestants were awarded prizes for Fastest Boat and Most Creative in each of their respective categories. The Titanic Award was also awarded for the overall fastest sinking boat. Winners of this award recorded a sinking time of 0.1 seconds. Excitement, laughter, and a great sense of community were evident throughout the event. “ The cardboard boat race here in Sigonella was an excellent opportunity for us to demonstrate and show off our creativity while also having the opportunity to create lasting bonds with our boat crew!” stated Aquatics Teen Hire, Eric Wray. For some, this was their first time witnessing and even participating in a cardboard boat race but it goes without saying, it was an event to remember for all present.
FASTEST BOAT • Youth Category (Ages 8 to 17) – The Last Minuter, Aquatics Teen Hires • Adult/Child Category – Silverfish, Ian and Stacy Bowes • Adult (Ages 18+) – The Heavies, Ken Perez and Stan Peters MOST CREATIVE • Youth Category (Ages 8 to 17) – Mr. Rogers, The Levine Kids • Adult/Child Category – USS Enterprise, Eddie and Kira Martinez • Adult (Ages 18+) – The Heavies, Ken Perez and Stan Peters TITANIC AWARD • The Bean, Lynda Reed and Kaitlyn Bean
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