VP-5 Squadron Working With Spain Joint Anti-Submarine Warfare Exercise
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Committed To Excellence
The Raye Montague Story
NCTS Achieves Significant Milestone
Breaking Barriers, Part 1
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N A S SIG O N E L L A
PAGES 8-9
FEBRUARY 9, 2018
Vol. 35 No. 5
NAS Sigonella Hosts Navy COOL and VOLED
SIGONELLA, Sicily (February 8, 2018) – David Adkins, Navy Credentialing Opportunities Online (COOL) program analyst, instructs Sailors onboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella on how to utilize Navy COOL. COOL helps Navy service members find information on certifications and licenses related to their jobs. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Christopher Gordon/Released) By Glenn Sircy and MC2 Christopher Gordon
NAS SIGONELLA, Sicily – Navy Credentialing Opportunities On-Line (COOL) and Voluntary Education (VOLED) representatives shared important information about their respective programs with Sailors onboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella, February 8 and continues today, February 9. The Navy COOL and VOLED offices regularly send representatives to specific geographic locations to brief their Navy programs to area Sailors at no cost to the hosting command. These briefs are normally one hour in length and the COOL representatives discuss and demonstrate the importance of credentialing and licensing during and after a Sailors Navy career. The team walks Sailors through the Navy COOL website, Navy COOL mobile application, voucher submission processes, eligibility, and requirements for credential attainment. They will also discuss and emphasize the importance of the learning and development roadmaps (LaDRs), Navy advancement bibliographies, and the United Services Military Apprenticeship Program (USMAP). COOL (Credentialing Opportunities On-Line) helps Navy Service members find information on certifications and licenses related to their jobs. Use COOL to get background information on credentialing and find detailed information on: • Credentials related to a Navy rating, collateral-duty/out of rate assignment, designator, or completed academic degree or academic certificate • Credential requirements and potential gaps between Navy training and civilian credentialing requirements • Resources available to fill gaps between military training and civilian credentialing requirements • How to get a COOL funded voucher to pay for credential exam and maintenance fees • Other key resources such as Advancement Bibliographies (BIBs) and Learning and Development Roadmaps (LaDRs) “The Navy COOL program is very cool, and I think sailors should attend because this is where they get the opportunity to ask questions on the way they can get certifications out here overseas,” said Navy Counselor 1st Class Roberto Vite, the NASSIG COOL representative. “It’s also good to go and see which certifications Sailors might be eligible for, which helps them in or outside of the Navy.” This is a great opportunity to share the importance of the value of certifica-
tion/licensure, and as many Navy leaders know, this information can enhance career development boards (CDBs), advancements, along with individual personal and professional goals. Representatives from the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Navy Education Strategy and Policy Branch (OPNAV N127), will be available to discuss aspects of VOLED and tuition assistance, including recent changes to the Navy College Program and the GI Bill. "These programs allow Sailors to develop themselves while on active duty and prepare for life after the Navy,” said Thom Seith, Navy COOL representative. “It's really all about personal and professional development and I encourage all Sailors to take advantage of the opportunities that the Navy COOL and VOLED programs offer.” The Navy COOL and OPNAV N127 representatives are excited to share their programs with all Sailors to ensure they have the latest and greatest information. Navy COOL is located with the Center for Information Warfare Training, which delivers trained information warfare professionals to the Navy and joint services, enabling optimal performance of information warfare across the full spectrum of military operations. The briefs for today are as follows: m 09 Feb ..............1100 - 1230....................NAS 2 Duomo Conference Room m 09 Feb ..............1330 - 1500....................NAS 2 Duomo Conference Room m 09 Feb ..............1500 - 1630....................NAS 1 Base Theater m 09 Feb ..............1900 - 2030....................NAS 2 Duomo Conference Room For more information about Navy COOL, visit www.cool.navy.mil/ or call (850) 452-6683. For more news from the Center for Information Warfare Training organization, visit www.navy.mil/local/cid/, www.netc.navy.mil/centers/ciwt, www.facebook.com/NavyCIWT, or www.twitter.com/NavyCIWT NAS Sigonella, “The Hub of the Med”, is a U.S. Navy installation and an Italian Air Force base in Sicily, Italy. NAS Sigonella is the Navy’s second largest security command, second only to that located at Naval Support Activity Bahrain. Because of its location near the center of the Mediterranean Sea, NASSIG is well placed to support operations by the U.S. 6th Fleet, other U.S. military units, and U.S. allies and coalition partners.
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FEBRUARY 9, 2018
Direct Line
Scott Huckins, Commissary Director My name is Scott Huckins and I am the Store Director at the Defense Commissary Agency Sigonella Commissary. My office is located on the second floor of Bldg. 225 above the commissary however often times you can find me on the sales floor assisting our customers. I would now like to inform you of the new and exciting additions to the commissary stock assortment – Commissary Store Brands. The Defense Commissary Agency is continuing its rollout of commissary store brands to give shoppers a vibrant variety of low-cost, quality equivalents to national brand products. Over the next three to four years, DeCA is gradually rolling out commissary store brands to increase its private label inventory to about 3,000 to 4,000 items. Varieties of commissary brand products will differ from store to store depending on store size and location. Commissary store brands are high quality, low cost
alternatives to national brand products that offer commissary customers additional savings. Commissary store brands are sold under three names: Freedom’s Choice for food items; HomeBase for nonfood items such as paper products and other household items; and TopCare for products such as first aid supplies, vitamins, overthe-counter medications and beauty care. The TopCare brand is not exclusive to DeCA. Commissaries introduced store brands because some of our authorized customers have indicated they shop off base to take advantage of the savings offered by store brands at retail grocers, where approximately 20 percent or more of their total sales are generated by store brands. Commissary store brands undergo rigorous testing for quality that meets or exceeds industry standards and edible products meet or exceed USDA guidelines for wholesomeness. We stand behind commissary store brand products with a money back
guarantee on every label. Commissaries will be introducing additional commissary store brands over the next two to three years. Availability of commissary store brand items varies by location. Sigonella Commissary is now offering commissary store brand cold and flu remedies, bathroom tissue and kitchen paper towels, oral care and first aid product, garbage bags and re-sealable storage bags, over twenty different canned vegetables and tomato sauces, and six rice and instant rice products. The next wave of commissary store brands soon to arrive will include cheese, shelf stable juices, water enhancers and powdered soft drinks. Be on the lookout for these dollar stretching products. Deli Department Meal Options Expanded- We have recently added made to order sandwiches to our selection of affordable mealtime options. Due to the positive feedback we received, over the next several months we will increase the variety
of precut meat, cheese and condiment selections offered. As always, if you would like a sandwich made with a deli product not on the sandwich bar, just ask, we will be happy to prepare it for you. Special Orders help you and help us- Placing special orders in advance helps us to ensure sufficient product is available for both your needs, and the needs of the entire community. Special Orders for most products car"DIRECT LINE" cont’d on Page 5
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 Sug-
gestion 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 “PSD/SATO ticketing procedures”:
I am very disappointed with my recent experience trying to book a flight for my pet and the lack of communication from Personnel Support Detachment (PSD), Navy Passenger Transportation Office (NAVPTO), and the Naples Scheduled Airline Ticket Office (SATO). I submitted all the required paper work PSD needed 45 days prior to my departure date. As my departure date approached I began contacting PSD and was informed that my case was pending because SATO Naples was having issues booking a flight for my 55 lb. dog. I called PSD every week and then every day as my departure date got closer, but kept being told the same information each time. On the day prior to my departure I called Naples and was told that SATO informed PSD, on November 10th, that I would not be able to book a flight for my dog. I had to make the difficult decision of flying without my dog, but due to the last minute nature of the information I received I could not find any one to care for or adopt my dog and had to cancel my flight. When I informed PSD they did the best they could to book me another flight for a different departure date. I got conflicting information regarding flying pets from the airlines, PSD, and NAVPTO. Ultimately they rebooked me and I was told that everything was fine and the dog was allowed to fly. When I questioned why I was initially told that this airline would not fly my dog I felt their response was inadequate. I tried to confirm my flight with the airline and was told that no flight had been booked. I called SATO Naples and they told me that they never received a message from Sigonella PSD to book a flight.
I thought I was doing everything right. I submitted my PRR in October 2017 and since that date I was continuously told my flight was pending because of my dog. The thing that bothers me the most about this entire situation is that it could have been prevented by PSD, NAVPTO or SATO Naples. All someone had to do was tell me that my dog couldn’t fly, and this would have given me plenty of time to figure out another option. Bottom line is that I couldn’t wait anymore and booked my own flight because I needed to make my report date. There is a big disconnect between PSD, NAVPTO, and SATO Naples. I sincerely hope these organizations take it more seriously to prevent things like this from happening to anyone else. Sincerely, CS1 Jose Heredia CS1
Response:
Dear CS1 Heredia, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience when trying to book travel for your pet back to the States. I have looked into the below case and concur that the process for booking and confirming pet transportation from Sigonella can be long and complicated. There are times when the airlines do not send us confirmation notifications until the very last minute. PSD Sigonella makes every effort to communicate this process to command assigned Command Pay/Personnel Administrator’s and at the Arrivederci/Smooth move Brief. Additionally, we have briefed command leadership on pet transportation issues and limited availability. NAVPTO Naples and SATO have made
"ICE" continued on Page 3
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THE SIGNATURE U.S. NAVAL AIR STATION SIGONELLA
Name: Cpl. Brady Rowl
Hometown: Farmington, Missouri Department: Financial management resource analyst
Joining the Marine Corps was a stepping stone for laying the foundation for a better future for Cpl. Brady Rowl. Everything about it clicked. He felt like he would fit in and succeed and couldn’t envision joining another branch. “It was a surreal moment stepping off the bus on my 18th birthday at the Marine Corps Recruiting Depot in San Diego,” he said. “All I wanted was to earn the title of being a Marine and become part of the family; be part of something special.” Public affairs was his main priority because he enjoys reading and writing, especially sports articles, but this was not to be as the option was unavailable at the time of his enlisting; he chose financial management resource analyst as his career. As a financial management resource analyst, he is in charge of fixing any issues arising from any procurement or financial transactions. It’s like financial detective work. With hard work and the desire to become the best, the Farmington, Missouri native earned a meritorious promotion to Lance Corporal as an honor graduate with 99.18% from his military occupational school. “I remember raising my hand on our
first day in class when we were asked who thought they would graduate as an honor graduate,” Rowl said. “I believe in putting in work and effort towards anything you set your mind on.” Even though Rowl has had a lot of responsibility placed on his young shoulders during this deployment, he hasn’t disappointed even one bit. He has been the go-to person when it comes to matters to do with the unit finances and or procurement. “He is a truly dedicated and hardworking Marine who is instrumental to the financial stability for the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force
Logistics Combat Element,” said GySgt. Nathanael Ruble, organic supply chief. “Not only has he been able to perform all the responsibilities bestowed on him to the best of his ability, he has also grown in knowledge, responsibility and definitely as a leader.” True to his belief of hard work and self-determination to succeed, Rowl was nominated for and won the Marine of the Quarter award. And, he was recently promoted to the rank of corporal. To escape the daily hustles of life and reset, Rowl derives joy by participating in fun activities with his friends and family.
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
Comment regarding “feeding cats on base”:
"ICE" continued from Page 2 numerous attempts to contact Alitalia to gain information on their pet policy with limited to no response. Neither organization can confirm pet reservations without the airline’s response. As indicated in the Navy Passenger Transportation Manual(NAVSUPINST 4650.9) para 2.9.a. "Pet shipping information varies for each commercial airline and can be obtained from the airline directly or through their website. Travelers with confirmed pet space must contact the airline to re-confirm the pet shipment before departing for the airport. The pet owner has overall responsibility for confirming pet reservations, providing the necessary information, and making payment to the airline. The Commercial Travel Office will assist with making pet arrangements for all commercial Permanent Duty Travel when permitted by the airlines and at a minimum will identify airlines and types of aircraft that can accommodate pets. Currently there are only two airlines that fly pets out of Catania to the States. Those are United (to New York) and Alitalia (to Atlanta) and each airline has the authority to set their own requirements/guidelines. NAVPTO Sigonella and Naples have exhausted every avenue possible to gain resolution on issues pertaining to pet transportation. Until that happens, there is nothing that we can do. Again, I am truly sorry about your recent experience. If you would like to discuss this issue further please do not hesitate to contact the PSD Officer in Charge, Lt. Makia Fox, at 314-624-5425 or Makia.Fox@eu.navy.mil.
On a daily basis when walking past the CDC I notice employees feeding cats out of the back door. As I understand it is a base policy to not feed the cats. This policy should not just be applied to military personnel, but the contractors that work on our base as well. This will help diminish the cat population on base and provide a safer environment for all the children that attend the CDC. Especially with a sand box being so close to where the cats get fed.
Response:
Thank you for your comment regarding the contractors feeding the cats outside of the child development center. All personnel should follow the installation policy with regards to feeding the stray animals at NAS Sigonella. The contract employees that work at the child development center are employed by a third party company, not by the center or NAS Sigonella. The Child and Youth Program Director has contacted both of the companies that employ the contractors and has asked them to remind their employees of the installation policy pertaining to the feeding of stray animals. I take this very seriously and will rescind base access for any personnel (active duty, civilian, dependent, contractor, Italian, American, etc.) that I catch feeding stray animals. Should you have any other questions or concerns regarding the CDC, I encourage you to contact Jennifer Hardy, the Child and Youth Program Director at 624-3736 or Jennifer. hardy@eu.navy.mil.
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.
EVERY DISH IS A MASTERPIECE
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VP-5 Joins Spain in Anti-submarine Warfare Exercise
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FEBRUARY 9, 2018
COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE NCTS ACHIEVES SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE
Lt.j.g. Ridgely Riggs VP-5 Public Affairs
NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain—Four months into deployment and still going strong, the ‘Mad Foxes’ of Patrol Squadron (VP) 5 dispatched an aircraft to Naval Station Rota to participate in an anti-submarine warfare exercise, one of many the squadron has taken part in since departing from Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville in the fall of 2017. The talented aviators, flight officers, and sensor operators of Combat Air Crew (CAC) 4 departed early morning on Jan. 19 from NAS Sigonella, where VP-5 is currently deployed in support of U.S. 6th Fleet operations. Upon arrival at Rota, the crew wasted no time preparing for the subsequent flight events. The first mission flown was a training flight involving the employment of an expendable mobile ASW training target (EMATT). An EMATT is a small torpedo-shaped device that travels through the water and mimics the acoustic signatures and movements of a submarine. EMATTs are deployable through the P-8A’s sonobuoy launch system (SLS) and provide valuable training for the crew. “Our training syllabus is thorough,” said Naval Aircrewman 2nd Class Lawrence Rosado. “But hours in the books have a diminishing return after a certain point. Training opportunities like these are what truly allow us to hone our skills and learn to work effectively as a crew.” The crew then flew multiple missions to practice operations against an actual submarine. A U.S. submarine assumed the role of an adversary vessel for the duration of the exercise. Accompanied by a Spanish warship and a U.S. guided-missile destroyer, with its onboard helicopter, CAC-4 skillfully employed the aircraft in prosecution of the submarine. Once gaining contact, the crew demonstrated its tactical proficiency by executing simulated attacks. “We were enthusiastic about this detachment opportunity before arriving here, and I can safely say our experience was no disappointment,” said Lt. Sean Conkle. “We experienced firsthand the professionalism of our allies on the Iberian peninsula and it’s comforting to know they’re both willing and very able to hunt submarines.”
by ET1(SW/AW) Corey R. Crawford
Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station (NCTS), a small command located in a seldom visited corner of Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella, has achieved a significant milestone. As of January 12, NCTS has achieved 383 continuous days of no alcohol related incidents. A signed banner hangs proudly at the building entrance reflecting a record-setting accomplishment. “I have been stationed on an aircraft carrier and the longest they achieved was 210 days,” said Capt. Donald E. Hocutt, NCTS commanding officer. “I am really proud of our NCTS family. I feel great pride in turning over such an outstanding group of women and men to the oncoming CO.” Lt. Cmdr. James Scianna, NCTS executive officer, was equally impressed. “I have been to eight different commands, and none have even come close to this achievement. This speaks to the sense of true family, the culture of togetherness, and accountability for self and our fellow Sailors.”
“Achieving such a milestone is extremely impressive,” states CMDCS William Worthen. “This is a testament of the command’s ‘family first’ mentality that originates within the TRIAD, permeates throughout the organization, and resonates with our most junior Sailors.” Chief Yeoman Jennifer Finch, NCTS Drug and Alcohol Program Advisor, expressed her amazement as well. “I think it is awesome. Sigonella is so remote and most young Sailors think alcohol is the only way to have a good time,” said Finch. “Our command has a lot of junior Sailors. This command not only talks about support, but actually performs the actions to discourage destructive decisions. People making the right decisions helps to eliminate the pressure to make wrong decisions.” As a result of the commitment of the command’s 162 Sailors, civilians, and Local Nationals to deglamorize alcohol, making smart decisions has become a trademark of NCTS, Sicily, and they have challenged themselves to remain free of alcohol related incidents for all of 2018.
FEBRUARY 9, 2018
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"DIRECT LINE" cont’d from Page 2 ried should be placed at least one week in advance or two weeks in advance prior to a Host Nation or Federal Holiday due to accelerated ordering schedules and customs office closures. Coupon Usage- Commissaries may only accept manufacturer coupons. This includes “military” or “commissary” coupons, which are provided by manufacturers. DeCA does not offer store coupons nor provide any coupons offered in the commissary. Store coupons from commercial grocery stores are in-store promotions, which are part of their advertising program. Commercial grocery stores that offer these store coupons use their profits to pay for them. Since manufacturer, military, and commissary coupons are all manufacturer coupons, they cannot be used
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together on a single product. For the same reason, DeCA cannot double or triple the face value of manufacturer coupons. As a reminder, paper coupons in overseas areas outside of the 50 United States, will be accepted up to 6 months following their prescribed expiration dates. This 6-month extension does not apply to Commissary Rewards Card digital coupons; they will not be accepted after the expiration date. If you are interested in learning more about coupons and finding an additional source for coupons please contact me in the store. I consider it a privilege to be here in beautiful Sicily and have the chance to support our nation’s military members stationed overseas. Please contact me at any time for any concerns, comments or suggestions at 624-3777 or scott.huckins@deca.mil.
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FEBRUARY 9, 2018
Carnival Merrymaking continues in Sciacca this weekend Story by Alberto Lunetta
If you have already checked out the spectacular Acireale Carnival that will continue this weekend, you know what we are talking about here. Fun for the entire family! There is another town in Sicily, located in the Agrigento province, which boasts a unique Carnival tradition. This weekend Sciacca will host a spectacular 400-year-old festival featuring the breathtaking satirical floats parades. Celebrations marking the 118th anniversary of this must-see event kicked off this week and will run thru February 13 in the historic heart of the town. The word Carnevale (“Carne Levare”, Latin for Cessation of Meat) refers to a penitential 40-day period of fasting preceding the beginning of Lent, during which Roman Catholics abstained from eating meat. It was celebrated with excessive revelry and masquerades. Some believe that Carnival comes from the pagan Saturnalia festivities, which were held by Romans to honor the God Saturn, hoping he would grant a good harvest. Celebrations included feasting, gift giving, drunkenness, big meals, and pranks. Masked parades of merrymaking young men and girls on board allegorical floats were also held through the streets of the cities. It was a time when masters and slaves exchanged roles. On the last night of the festival, Romans burnt the effigy of the "King of the Saturnalia." It was a grotesque puppet that embodied the feast and after a time of glory was pub- Carnival is pretty much celebrated everywhere in Sicily, attending the Sciacca one is definitely worth a drive to licly destroyed with fire. Agrigento. The 118th edition of these breathtaking Carnival celebrations will run through Tuesday, February 13 Today, this practice is still performed in many coun- featuring spectacular floats, parades, and a plethora of fun events. (Photo by Sciacca Carnival Press Office) tries. In Sciacca, the puppet is named "Peppi 'Nnappa" and it is burnt on the night of Shrove Tuesday. Sicilian priest Mario Ciaccio was the first historian to write about the Carnival of Sciacca in 1890. But, historic sources tell us that the carnival had been already celebrated since the 17th century. Sciacca's Carnival started as a farmers’ festival featuring peasants, fishermen, and herdsmen with painted faces and funny hats, playing pranks and cursing one another. It was also a role reversal game and a time for political satire. This festival was called "Lu gabbu" (the mockery).The grand finale for the celebrations was the burning of "Lu Nannu," (today’s "Peppi 'Nnappa") a straw puppet embodying the spirit of carnival. In doing so, bad luck and the sins of the community were burned away, paving the way for good things to come. Today, the allegorical carri or floats are at the center of the celebrations. Associations including amateur musicians, ceramists, costume designers, poets, craftsmen, and decorators begin creating these majestic parading papier-mâché floats after the summer. At the end of every working day around midnight, everyone who is involved in building a float gathers for the "schiticchio" (dinner among friends). The carri, allegorici (allegorical floats), which depict political and social satire, are truly works of art. Ballets and performances are held during the parades. This year’s festival highlights include float parades to be held on February 10, 11, 12 and 13 in the historic heart of the town. Don’t miss to see the traditional burning of the "Peppi 'Nnappa" puppet that is performed around 2 a.m. on February 13 ending the celebrations. Sciacca is about two and a half hours from Catania. Exit Caltanissetta on the Catania-Palermo highway. Take the Agrigento-Caltanissetta national road. Once you get to Agrigento, take State Road 115 (Agrigento-Sciacca) and follow directions for Sciacca. For more information, visit the official web site of the celebrations at http://www.sciaccarnevale.it/ , detailed schedules of the parades are available at the following address: http://www. sciaccarnevale.it/programma-carnevale-2018/
Venice authorities step in after four tourists charged €1,100 for meal Story by The Guardian Quartet of Japanese tourists ordered steak, grilled fish and water and were charged €1,100 in restaurant The police chief and mayor of Venice have pledged action after four Japanese tourists said they were presented with a bill of €1,100 (£970) for four steaks and a plate of mixed grilled fish, washed down with water.
"ITALIAN NEWS" continued on Page 14
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Naval War College Issues 'Call for Papers' on Women, Peace, Security By Daniel S. Marciniak U.S. Naval War College Public Affairs
Naval NEWPORT, R.I. (NNS) -U.S. Naval War College (NWC) has issued a "call for papers" in preparation of its 6th annual Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Conference that will be held May 31 to June 1, at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. In an effort to gather theoretical and practical ideas from a wider audience not normally represented in a limited conference format, the conference series chair is soliciting papers from academics, researchers, military personnel, non-governmental organizations and individuals who have an interest or experience in issues pertaining to WPS. "Conferences have limited room for participants," said Mary Raum, NWC professor and chair of the WPS Conference series. "To have available, online and in the networked world, some quality thoughts on components of WPS from thinkers and practitioners who have a direct tie to the subjects being discussed is an invaluable resource. "This call for papers will allow for a broader reach in exchanging ideas and enable us to network on a global scale - a first step for formalizing the sharing of ideas allied with conference precepts."
Since the inception of the U.S. National Action Plan on WPS in 2011, NWC has been at the forefront of exploration into national and international issues involving WPS, working toward the goal of empowering women in conflict prevention and peace. According to Raum, the conference continues to grow in perspective and scope to ensure the participation and inclusion of ideas from sister services
and international partners across the globe. "Any person tasked with protecting the national interest must be aware of the linkages between the security of women and the security of states," said Raum. "They should also be aware of the broad-level interconnections of the role of WPS with military, economic and social freedoms around the globe." In support of the conference theme,
Navy Stands Up Readiness Reform and Oversight Council From Navy Office of Information
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- On Jan. 30, the Navy established the Readiness Reform and Oversight Council (RROC), expanding the role of the initial oversight board stood up to oversee change after the collision reviews. The new council will manage and ensure the implementation of Strategic Readiness Review and Comprehensive Review of Surface Force Incidents recommendations, among others. Co-chaired by the Honorable Thomas Modly, under secretary of the Navy and Adm. William Moran, vice chief of naval operations, the council was established to "provide continuity to see reforms and recommendations through to effective completion, and thereby guard against similar future trends and challenges that adversely impact the Department of the Navy's Readiness," according to its founding charter dated Jan. 30. The council
will serve as the senior Department of the Navy integration, advisory and oversight body for readiness reform. The Comprehensive Review of Surface Force Incidents, completed Oct. 26, is a wide scope review of systemic causes that led to the collisions between USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) and Motor Vessel ACX Crystal and between USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) and Motor Vessel Alnic MC, along with other similar incidents over the previous year. The Strategic Readiness Review, released Dec. 14, was a secretary of the Navy ordered independent review by a team of subject matter experts that examined the systemic conditions influencing and existing within the Navy over the last 30 years. This review ran concurrently with the U.S. Fleet Forces-led Comprehensive Review and considered its findings, but the Review's assessments and judgments were independent of the Comprehensive Review findings.
"Promoting Global Leadership," those with an interest or experience in WPS issues are encouraged to submit a paper on current events or historical commentary within the context of the four pillars of United Nations Resolution 1325: participation, conflict prevention, protection and relief and recovery. An attempt should be made to incorporate the topic of "leadership" at some point in the ideas presented. "Being a contributor to this call for papers will allow for an additional avenue of exchange between theorists and practitioners in academia, military and non-governmental organizations," said Raum. "These ideas are important for better operationalizing WPS components in the most meaningful way possible." Proposals must be submitted by March 31. Papers should be in the English language only and saved as a Word document. The maximum word count is 5,000 words, double spaced with a 12-pitch Times New Roman font. Submissions should be emailed to mary. raum@usnwc.edu with the subject line heading, "WPS Call for Papers: Last Name." While acceptance of a paper does not mean participation as a panelist, selected papers will be published and accessible via the NWC website at www.usnwc.edu.
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The Raye M Raye Montague revolutionized the way the Navy designs ships and submarines, and became the first female Program Director of Ships.
Breaking Barriers, Part 1 By Elizabeth M. Collins Defense Media Activity Seven-year-old Raye Jordan gasped with excitement, her eyes wide with delight, as she held on tight to her grandfather's hand. She had never seen anything like the small German submarine before. Captured off the coast of the Carolinas, it held just one sailor, it had been on a tour of the U.S. in 1942, and was now docked in her hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas. Montague climbed the ladder and went down the hatch. She looked through the periscope, and examined the dials and mechanisms. "What do you have to know to do this?" she asked the tour guide, fascinated. "You'd have to be an engineer, but you don't ever have to worry about that," he replied.
"I didn't realize that I had been insulted," she said in an interview a lifetime later. Jim Crow In 1935, Raye Jordan Montague had been born into a world of segregation, Jim Crow, poll taxes, separate lunch counters and backs of buses. Society, especially Southern society, expected her to be a wife, a mother and a maid, or, maybe, if she was lucky, a secretary or a teacher. She certainly wasn't expected, or even allowed, to be an engineer. In fact, the only engineering program in the state expressly forbade African-Americans - or, "Negros" as they were called then - from enrolling. As the tour guide had indicated, engineering was the preserve of white men. He would be one of many to tell Montague that no, she couldn't do something, that her race or her sex made her less of a person, less smart, less talented. Like so many others, he didn't realize that he was challenging her, making her all the more determined to succeed.
"I asked my mother to take me to find out what was required to become an engineer, and she did: the math, the science and thinking outside the box," Montague remembered, calling her mother, Flossie Graves Jordan, the wind beneath her wings. "My mother told me, 'Raye, you'll have three strikes against you.' Now, remember I'm a little kid. She said, 'First, you're female and you're black ... and you have a southern, segregated school education. But you can do or be anything you want to be provided you're educated. ... There's no such thing as women's work or men's work if you're educated.'" Education was everything to Jordan, a single mother for much of Montague's childhood. She supported her daughter as first a teacher and then as a hairdresser. Montague actually spent a lot of time playing with white children. In the innocence of youth, she didn't even know she was different. She didn't understand the color of her skin mattered. She couldn't understand why they went to one school and she went to another.
Now in her 80s, bers the day she reali color of her skin did much: "My mother w green eyes and red h white on her driver's At that time, black p point on the bus to th bus was crowded. Th and gave my mother down in the white s er drove off until m and pulled me up on stopped the bus and s that white woman yo done something wro so I started to cry. ... she told me that I ha that was the law of t the only way we coul be educated and to v Even voting was h South, African-Ame poll tax to vote, but J her only child with election. When she r moved 45 miles away sure to help buy new American school. It h down books from th worn and out-of-date "That upset me," "Our teachers in Pin graduate school and go to graduate schoo sas. They received a out of state. ... Whe convinced our paren us that were state o
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Montague Story
Montague still rememized that in Arkansas, the d matter. It mattered very was very fair skinned with hair and she was listed as s permit. She was not. ... people sat from a certain he back of the bus. ... The This white Soldier stood up r his seat. My mother sat section and the bus drivmy mother reached down n her lap. The bus driver said, 'You get up and give our seat.' I thought I had ong and hurt my mother When we got off the bus, adn't done anything, but the land at that time and ld change that law was to vote." hard: At that time in the ericans had to pay a $1 Jordan made sure to take her to vote during each remarried and the family y to Pine Bluff, she made w books for the Africanhad been using hand-mehe white school that were e. Montague remembered. ne Bluff wanted to go to they were not allowed to ol in the state of Arkanstipend to go to school en they came back, they nts to buy new books for of the art, essentially. So
DAHLGREN, Va. (April 4, 2017) - The Navy's 'hidden figure' Raye Montague and Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) Commanding Officer Capt. Godfrey 'Gus' Weekes meet at NSWCDD headquarters. (Photo by U.S. Navy)
we actually had better books than kids at the white schools and we were being taught at a higher level because our teachers had masters' degrees. At that time, the white schools could be taught by teachers who had two years of college, but in our schools, the black schools, the teachers had to have a four-year degree. And, of course, here I am all of a sudden being taught by people who are getting masters' degrees." Soon, Montague was so far ahead that she was helping her white friends with their homework. Of course, she still couldn't get into the engineering program at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, but her mother and her teachers encouraged her to dream anyway. "Aim for the stars," Mrs. Irma Holiday told her. "At the very worst, you'll land on the moon." Rising Above Montague planned to do just that. She didn't waste time regretting what could never be. Instead, she went to college in Pine Bluff, to Arkansas A&M College (now the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff), the same school her mother had attended before her, the same one her great uncle had graduated from in 1902. She majored in business, signed up for the debate club and joined a sorority. Then, halfway through her first year, Jordan's money started running out. She didn't know how she would get her daughter the education she so valued. Then, just as Montague would have to withdraw from school, she was hit by a truck while crossing a road that cut through campus, her hip cut, her leg broken. "This was a Godsend," she said. The pain, the
recovery - they didn't matter. "The state of Ar- revolutionize Navy shipbuilding, becoming kansas was then responsible for my education. the highest ranked African-American woman They had to pay for my tuition and books for the in the whole department. rest of the time I was in college. ... The money's In the process, she broke barrier upon barrunning out. My mother doesn't know how I'm rier for women and minorities. She made hisgoing to finish college, and here, the state of Ar- tory. kansas had to support me in school." "It's beyond my wildest dreams," she said. Montague graduated in 1956. The next day, "I look on it in this vein: Had I been accepted she took her shiny new bachelor of science de- to the engineering school at Fayetteville, I gree, "marched off for Washington, D.C., fanned probably would have been stuck in a little my resume around and ironically enough, the cubby hole someplace, never being allowed to first people to call me in for an interview was the do the wonderful things that I've been able to Department of the Navy." do, to touch the lives that I've loved or to have She had a bachelor of science, "the cutting the lives touch me." edge of technology," so she must know how to work a computer, they said during the interview. These were the days when computers took up entire rooms, and all of the dials and switches resembled airplane cockpits. There wasn't a single computer in the whole state of Arkansas. Montague had certainly never seen one. "Well, of course I do. I know all about it," she bluffed. The Navy hired Montague as a clerk-typist, grade GS3. Two weeks later, she had figured out how to work the computer. A decade and some later, Raye Montague - the Navy's 'hidden figure' - works at her Naval Ship Engineshe used a computer to ering Center office in this undated photograph.
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FEBRUARY 9, 2018
NAS SIGONELLA COMMUNITY PAGE All Hands News Bulletin:
SAPR T-SHIRT DESIGN CONTEST
UMUC SIGONELLA-SPRING 2018 ON-SITE SESSION 2
Command, Department or Organization: Fleet & Family Support Center, SAPR Team Date of Event: 14 February (design due by date) Point of Contact Name: Amy Jo Jenkins, SAPR Civilian Victim Advocate Point of Contact Phone Number: 624-4291 Point of Contact Email Address: amy.jenkins@eu.navy.mil Additional Information: The FFSC SAPR program is holding a T-Shirt Design Contest for Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM) in April. We are looking for folks to come up with some creative designs and the winner of the T-shirt design will receive a $50 gift card. Design must be SAPR-related, no more than two colors, and will go on the back of the t-shirt. The entries will be judged by our SAAPM planning committee in February. The shirts will be given out to the first 100 participants who cross the finish line at the SAAPM 5k in April. All entries should be submitted to amy.jenkins@eu.navy.mil. Must be 18+ years and out of high school to submit an entry.
UMUC Sigonella - Spring 2018 On-Site Session 2 Command, Department or Organization: UMUC Sigonella Date of Event: Spring 2018 Session 2 (On-Site) : 12 Mar - 6 May 2018 Point of Contact Name: UMUC Sigonella Office Staff Point of Contact Phone Number: DSN: 624-4492 Point of Contact Email Address: sigonella-europe@umuc.edu Additional Information: UMUC Europe Sigonella would like to remind the community about our upcoming, on-site course opportunities from 12 Mar - 6 May 2018. From courses like Bacteria, Viruses, and Health - BIOL 302 and Principles of Accounting I - ACCT 220 to Introduction to Sociology - SOCY 100, students have the opportunity to earn upper-level credit, as well as reach their higher education goals! To request a full course list or more information, please contact us at: 624-4492 or stop by our office on NAS I in Bldg. 318.
Sigonella Religious Ministries Department Worship Services NAS 1 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 Youth for Christ (YFC) Youth Meeting: . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1200-1530 Choir Practice: . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1630-1800 The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA): . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1800-2030
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
Saturdays First Saturday Rosary and Mass: . . . . . . . . . . 1100-1200 Liturgical Protestant Service NAS I Chapel - . . . . . . . . . . . 1800 Sundays Catholic Mass: . . . . 0900-1000 Catholic Religious Education (DoDDS):. 1045-1200
Fridays Daily Mass: . . . . . . . . . . 1130-1230 First Friday Mass and Holy Hour:. . . . . . . . 1700-1830
Protestant Service: . . . . . . . 1100-1200 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1330-1600
NAS 2
Wednesdays Knights of Columbus (1st Wednesdays): . . . . . . . . . . . 1700-1800 Protestant Women of the Chapel (PWOC): . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1800-2100 Thursdays AA Meeting: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1800-1900 Sundays Protestant Service and Fellowship: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1800-2000
Weekly Traffic Report: Jan. 29 - Feb. 5, 2018
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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GAMEZONE Trees
PEAR PECAN PLUM PINE POPLAR REDBUD RUBBER TREE SEQUOIA SPRUCE SYCAMORE TULIPTREE WALNUT WITCHHAZEL WILLOW YELLOWWOOD
MEDIUM
COTTONWOOD ELM FIR GINKGO GOLDENRAIN HAZELNUT HEMLOCK HICKORY LARCH LINDEN LONDON PLANE MAPLE NECTARINE OAK PALM PEACH
EASY
APPLE APRICOT ASH ASPEN ARBORVITAE BALD CYPRESS BEECH BIRCH BOXWOOD BUCKEYE BUTTERNUT CATALPA CEDAR CHERRY CHESTNUT
DIFFICULT
Find and circle all of the Trees that are hidden in the grid. The remaining letters spell a secret message - a Greek Proverb.
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PAGE 14 "ITALIAN NEWS" continued from Page 6 Another three women in the same group suspected they might be taken for a ride at the restaurant near St Mark’s Square and ate elsewhere, the Ansa news agency reported, but still ended up paying €350 for three dishes of seafood pasta. “We will thoroughly examine this episode over the coming days. We’ll make sure the complaint was justified,” the mayor, Luigi Brugnaro, said on Twitter. “If this shameful episode is confirmed, we’ll do all we can to punish those responsible. We are for justice, always!” It is unclear why the tourists, among an estimated 30 million who visit Venice each year, did not refuse to pay the bill. They filed a complaint after leaving the city in Italy’s northeast and upon returning to Bologna, where they were on a study visit. A spokesman for the restaurant, which according to local media is owned by Chinese investors and managed by an Egyptian, reportedly told journalists he had “no recollection of any problems with Japanese customers”. A residents’ action group, Gruppo 25 Aprile, jumped on the case as further evidence of the risk that tourists run of being ripped off. “We defend local residents, and whoever puts the good name of Venice at risk harms all Venetians,” it said. The group’s spokesman, Marco Gasparinetti, said that in the immediate vicinity of St Mark’s Square in the historic city center, only 1% of restaurants were still owned and operated by locals. With Carnival fast approaching, he said, the group planned to publish “a user’s guide for visitors on how to survive in Venice, with details on the kind of situations to avoid” on its Facebook page. Other associations are considering introducing a seal of approval for strictly local businesses. In November, a British family of three from Birmingham were charged €526 for lunch – including €297 for a platter of grilled fish – in the Trattoria Casanova on a busy tourist route between St Mark’s Square and Santa Maria Formosa.
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Italy puts 200,000 classic Italian songs online for free Story by The Local Have you been hunting for the definitive version of 'O Sole Mio? The original Volare? Folk songs of deepest Puglia? Or how about pop diva Mina covering The Beatles' Hey Jude? You're in luck: Italy's Ministry of Culture has just put a century of Italian popular music online, for free. Go to canzoneitaliana.it and you'll find some 200,000 tracks available to stream to your heart's content, courtesy of Italy's Central Institute for Sound and Audiovisual Heritage, ICBSA. Created in partnership with the Spotify streaming service, the site launched on Monday to coincide with Italy's biggest music festival, Sanremo, which opens on the Ligurian seaside on Tuesday. The catalogue covers Italian music from 1900 to 2000 and is divided chronologically, geographically and thematically. You can search for traditional songs from each of Italy's regions, explore political songs from the first half of the 20th century, track down Italian hits used on movie soundtracks, or work your way through 49 years of Sanremo archives. Not sure what you're looking for? Browse the specially curated playlists for an overview of everything from Enrico Caruso's greatest hits to the women of Italian rock to cult TV theme songs. Each section is accompanied by historical and musical context, available in eight different languages. If despite all that you can't find what you're looking for, have hope: another 5,000 songs will be added each month, according to Culture Minister Dario Franceschini, who says the idea is to make the site "a sort of central state archive that will last throughout time". While popular music has sometimes taken a back seat to Italy's more highbrow cultural
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FEBRUARY 9, 2018 "ITALIAN NEWS" continued from Page 14 exports, he told reporters on Monday, this project finally recognizes the artistic and social significance of the tunes that form the soundtrack to Italians' lives.
Italian hometown of country’s most wanted mafia fugitive registers record €42m tax black hole Story by The Telegraph The small Sicilian town that is home to Europe’s most wanted mobster has a record €42 million in unpaid taxes after the mafia-infiltrated administration turned a blind eye to years of outstanding bills, Italian authorities have discovered. For five years, 65 per cent of Castelvetrano’s residents never paid their taxes. But still, life plodded on normally in this quiet corner of Sicily’s wild western interior, near Trapani. In the heartland of Cosa Nostra where Italy's most notorious mobster is believed to be hiding out, residents ran a bigger risk not paying the "pizzo" mafia protection money than not paying their tax bill, the latter rarely carrying any consequences. In fact, the mafia had so thoroughly infiltrated city management of bids, permits and administrative tasks
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that Italy’s president issued a decree last summer to dissolve the entire Castelvetrano city administration and appoint a special commission to clean house. An Interior Ministry accounting review found €42 million in taxes missing, earning Castelvetrano the new record for the largest municipal debt in Italy. The review found that from 2012-2017, Castelvetrano received €32 million from the state, which city administrators used for investments, loans, expenses, and outsourcing city services. However, city revenues showed 65 percent of tax bills sent out to residents had never been paid, leaving a €42 million shortfall. For five years, tax notices went unpaid, either being returned to sender, or because residents claimed “no longer at this address,” or because they simply ignored the bills. City officials turned a blind eye, knowing the cases would expire after five years under the statute of limitations. The city's thorny relationship with the state is an ongoing battle. For more than two decades, Europe’s most shadowy mafia fugitive – Matteo Messina Denaro – has been hiding in the countryside around Castelvetrano, aided by a network of clans and conspirators. Wanted in connection with multiple murders and mafia crimes, the 55-year-old mob boss was last seen publicly in 1993. Police regularly search and seize homes in the area looking for clues to his whereabouts.
PAGE 15 But Messina Denaro has always eluded capture, mysteriously disappearing into thin air, a bit like his hometown’s public monies. “It seems a tranquil little city, but ever since I have been here the thing that most characterizes this city is its silence,” said Salvatore Caccamo, the Interior Ministry official heading up special commission to clean up the city. “There is no reaction. . . . but of course we know that many of the most powerful elements are able to mobilize in an underground way, completely hidden.” “Partly it is just the culture here – it is very hard to get people to pay taxes. They don’t pay . . . but yet they expect services,” said Mr Caccamo, whose commission must now try to collect on 1,400 outstanding cases in a town where everybody knows everybody, but nobody claims to knows anything. City services, in fact, were never interrupted in Castelvetrano. The private companies who won bids to provide services regularly performed their duties, although they too, it turns out, owed vast back taxes. The company that installed the water treatment plant, owes €1.7 million. The company that updated the network of public lighting owes €1.8 million, while the waste removal owes €700,000. Wind farms, photovoltaic stations and a number of business entities known to be associated with Messina Denaro also never paid their taxes.
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