The Signature, January 15, 2016

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PAGEs 8-9

N A S SIG O N E L L A

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January 15, 2016

Vol. 33 No. 2

SAC Program re-accredited for four years

By LT Jake barreiro NAS Sigonella Public Affairs

NAS SIGONELLA, Sicily -The Sigonella School Age Care (SAC) program recently received re-accreditation from the Council On Accreditation. The accreditation - which can take from nine to 18 months - was expedited and completed in six months as a result of not receiving any out of compliance ratings in any of the fundamental practice or core standards, making this accreditation a truly amazing achievement.

“The COA standards are very rigorous and are intended to push organizations to operate at the next level. Sigonella’s SAC program excels at these standards as demonstrated through our re-accreditation,” said Sue Proctor, CYP Director.

The COA is an international, independent, non-profit, human service accrediting organization that has more than 2,200 organizations and programs that serve over seven million individuals and families. The COA inspects child welfare, behavioral health, and community-based social services including child and youth development programs and many military family readiness programs.

The accreditation process was an extremely in-depth review of all programs and services offered by the SAC which included submission of a self-assessment and a two-day on-site evaluation by a thirdparty observer. The self-assessment criteria looks at the administrative, HR and programming components of the SAC program. These programs were not only assessed by the COA, but also by the families of NAS Sigonella. Many self-studies and surveys were completed by the staff and families prior to the inspection team’s arrival. During their two-day inspection, the team observed day-to-day operations and program reviews as well as spoke with the children and the families to ensure the highest quality of child care was being met. All findings are reported to the COA review board for final determination. This entire process can take up to 18 months depending on the findings of the investigation team during their visit.

Proctor stated, “Typically, the time it takes for an organization to complete the COA process is nine to 18 months from intake until the final decision is made regarding accreditation. Under the impressive leadership of our Youth Program Director, Jennifer Hodges, our SAC team successfully completed the process within six months of Jennifer’s arrival at NAS Sigonella.”

After the on-site assessment, organizations with deficiencies are required to submit additional information before receiving reaccreditation. Typically organizations with deficiencies can take 14 months to complete the process due to outstanding issues in their programs or services. However, Sigonella's SAC's accreditation was expedited and completed in six months as a result of not receiving any out of compliance ratings in any of the fundamental practice or core standards.

“Teamwork is what got us through this whole process. This is truly an amazing achievement for our team!” added Martinez.

Amanda Wells assists children at the SAC center with an arts and crafts project. (Photo courtesy of MWR)

From left to right: SAC team members Amanda Wells, Edith Barfield, Laura Martinez, Jennifer Hodges, Megan McGarr and Kayla Straub worked as a team to expedite the nine-18 month process as a result of not receiving any out of compliance ratings in any of the fundamental practice or core standards. (Photo courtesy of MWR)

Home is where the heart (and your vote) is!

By Nicole Ybarra NAS Sigonella Public Affairs

NAS SIGONELLA, Sicily – The morning following Election Day 2000, George W. Bush held an unofficial lead in Florida, a state necessary for him to clench the presidential election. Within a week, recounts would erode Bush's unofficial lead to just 300 votes. His best hope of ensuring victory in Florida, and ultimately the presidency, was the absentee ballots still arriving in the mail from Florida residents living abroad. Controversy aside, this historic event underscores the significance of voting, especially while overseas.

There are endless reasons why people don’t vote – a disconnect with issues or candidates, unfamiliarity with the process or the feeling that their vote simply doesn’t matter. But, as active duty service members, you owe it to yourself to help elect your next commander-in-chief, and let your voice be heard at the federal and local levels.

“It’s important to vote not just in a presidential election year, but at the local level as well. Some day you are going to return to your local community and you want to ensure that you have had a say on issues that will help to create a great community,” said Niki McBain, Voting Assistance Officer for NAS Sigonella. “Make your vote count locally just as much as you make it count federally.”

Most states require you to complete an absentee ballot application to start the absentee voting process.

While registration requirements vary from state to state, programs such as the Federal Voting Assistance Program (www.fvap.gov) help make registering to vote quick and convenient. “Many people don’t

know that they have to register each year in order to vote,” explains McBain. Voters can either print off the PDF form from the FVAP website (fvap.gov/ uploads/FVAP/Forms/fpca2013.pdf) and mail it in (no postage required) or they can submit the form to their command’s voting assistance officer who will ensure the forms are sent. It is important to verify the deadline that ballots must be postmarked by in order for them to be counted.

To ensure you continue to receive absentee ballots during your time away from your voting residence, be sure to submit a new FPCA every January and each time you change your address and at least 90 days prior to the election you want to vote in.

When registering, list the address in your home of record, not your current overseas location.

For more information on FVAP or assistance with the absentee voting process, visit FVAP.gov, call FVAP at 1-800-438-VOTE or DSN 425-1584 (CONUS)/312-425-1584 (OCONUS), or email vote@fvap.gov. Remember, you also can contact your unit or installation voting assistance officers for assistance during any step of the process. Facebook.com/DoDFVAP or Twitter@FVAP.

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January 15, 2016

Direct Line

"ICE" continued from Page 2

Commanding Officer, Capt. Chris Dennis Sunday, January 17, marks the 25th Anniversary of Operation Desert Storm - the war to liberate the Kingdom of Kuwait. A war that punctuated the end of the Cold War with a comma, and the beginning of the new, less clear period in which we are living today. Many remember watching Desert Storm unfold on live television. Folks were fixated by planes, tanks, Tomahawks, Patriot missiles, prisoners, SCUDs, burning oil fields...all real. Still others will remember the concern they felt for the 35 nations' brave coalition forces as they faced the world's then fourth biggest army on its home turf. Finally, others will remember the sincere attempts of the world to resolve this crisis peacefully - diplomats the world over and 12 times found consensus that Iraq's naked aggression and annexation of Kuwait was illegitimate.

Amazingly, world leaders constructed a wall of United Nations Security Council Resolutions, 660, 661, 662, 664, 665, 666, 667, 669, 670, 674, 677 and 678 in hopes of a peaceful outcome. What I remember above all is being proud. I was proud our Nation worked shoulder to shoulder with other nations to seek peace first through diplomacy. I was proud a coalition was willing to confront unbridled aggression and avarice. And most of all, I was proud member nations exercised respect and restraint. By the end of the ground war, it was clear the coalition could do as they pleased. Instead of being seduced, the coalition respected the mandate and limits of UNSCR 678, which "authorised all means necessary" to compel Iraq to "withdraw its forces unconditionally from Kuwait to the positions in which they were located 1 August 1990, the day before Iraq invaded Kuwait."

How it began... The seeds of war were sewn the decades prior. Iraq's fifth president, Saddam Hussein, rose to power over decades of struggle. Following his participation in an attempted assassination in the 1950s, exile and jail in the 1960s, Saddam rose to prominence within his government in the 1970s by perfecting the use of largess to win and maintain personal loyalty to him by critical elements across Iraq's government. By the 1980s his mixed thirst for oil revenues and tribalism led to him to initiate the Iraq-Iran

War - a war which ended in a stalemate, tragically cost a half-million dead or missing, saw the use of chemical weapons, and left Iraq $80 billion in debt to his tiny yet oil-rich neighbor, Kuwait. When the war ended in 1988, crude oil prices were at historic lows creating an inability for Iraq, and Hussein in particular, to pay debts abroad and reward loyalty at home. This quandary left Saddam Hussein vulnerable politically and inspired him with the idea to annex the sovereign Kingdom of Kuwait. In one bold move, Kuwait's annexation as Iraq's 19th province looked to absolve all Iraqi debt, add substantial oil reserves to Iraq's portfolio and most importantly to him, allow Saddam Hussein to retain power.

So on Aug. 2, 1990, in just six hours, a portion of Hussein’s army penetrated and seized Kuwait’s capital allowing Saddam Hussein to control 20% of the world’s known oil reserves. The invasion was a calculated risk hinging on his belief the Arab world would tacitly reward Hussein for being a loyal Warrior and the rest of the world would turn a blind eye or be too impaired to resist his naked aggression. The question of tacit approval was quickly put to bed, however, with a short, emphatic statement just three days after Iraq’s invasion. “This will not stand. This will not stand, this aggression against Kuwait,” spoken by U.S. President George H.W. Bush and echoed across the world, ultimately unifying many who shared its cry to resist tyranny.

When the fighting started 25 years ago, it didn’t take long for the coalition to overwhelm Saddam’s forces – 43 days to be precise. The rout was in fact so decisive many global citizens wondered aloud why the coalition did not invade Iraq and rid the world of the man who many viewed as a threat to humanity, having committed war crimes for a decade as well as perpetrating genocide against his own countrymen and women.

The United Nations Security Council Resolution 678 mandate's objective, however, was achieved with the unconditional removal of the Iraqi army from Kuwait to well behind their positions of Aug. 1, 1990. There was no mandate to overthrow Saddam Hussein, for naked aggression is naked aggression in any form. Consequently, with

the mission achieved, coalition forces drew down. By exercising restraint, the Coalition leaders and forces proved themselves to be respectful of the rule of law, devoted to the right to self-determination, committed to the preservation of peace and in the moment, worthy of the world's trust. To me, this is worthy of reflection and admiration on this 25th anniversary. I remain proud today to serve alongside men and women from the world over who continue to represent our Desert Storm predecessors and their fine spirit and example of cooperation, respect, restraint and commitment to sovereignty and self-determination.

This article was prepared by the author in his personal capacity. Statements and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not reflect the views of the DON, the DOD, or the U.S. government.

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 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 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 "Internet and Phone Issues in Marinai":

We are paying more for Internet/phone service and the service does not work.

No land line for over a week – thank goodness there have been no emergencies with my children at school or a situation at home where I need to call 911. Paying for services and not getting those services in return is unacceptable. If this is what this base considers “Sig Citizenship” then I’m highly disappointed. We haven’t had Internet for days. Our neighbors switched their service last month and were told that their upgrades would be happening in early January! They don’t even have the service and still had to pay the inflated service price! How is this allowed?!

I’m upset that I can’t call my friends and family from the comfort of my home.

I’m upset I have to sit in Midtown with my headphones to Skype with my family back home. The people in Marinai deserve explanations, apologies, and refunds.

Response:

January 15, 2016

Dear Residents, I apologize for all the frustrations you are experiencing – the same ones folks living on the economy experience from time to time. Please remember the base and Navy Exchange have limited jurisdiction in adjudicating any resident’s private contract (which is between you and Telecom Italia). That said, we are pressuring Telecom Italia on residents’ behalf to meet contractual requirements.

Where breaks in service are occurring, NEX is attempting to force Telecom Italia to prorate customer’s bills. In the future, we expect service to in fact be upgraded which should alleviate most problems permanently.

Remember, before the switch all these services were managed collectively by the government. This prior arrangement we learned was against regulation which is what forced the new arrangement.

Here is a summary of efforts/status update: 1. International Calling: Telecom Italia (TI) reports international calling was restored to customers with these phone services on Friday, 18 Dec. 2. Lack of techs to address customer issues: TI has increased its staff to three fulltime techs and two part-time techs to address customer issues and expedite instal-

lations. TI continues to monitor the situation to provide more techs as required and available.

3. Internet customers who signed up for the transition of services before 11/30/15 and had a delay in service will not be invoiced for their time without internet service. These customers should please contact Julie Herring at Julie.herring@nexweb. org with your name, address and dates without service. This information will be provided to TI and your bill will be prorated for the month of December.

4. TI will provide a reasonable timeframe of any scheduled equipment or service outages to the NEX in order to notify customers.

5. TI will set up new appointments with the customers directly. As each of us now has a private contract with Telecom Italia, we should make service complaints first to 081 777 5774. In the event, you do not receive remediation, please contact the NEX Telecom representative at 624-4974. Thank you.

Comment regarding "Improper Hiring":

I have recently read about the firing of a commanding officer for improper civilian hiring practices. I also have been reading the complaints of many due to “shady” hirings of relatives, sons, daughters, etc. Are you aware there are employees working at HRO who have several family members working on the base? Is this appropriate?

Response:

Thank you for bringing forward your concern. I am sure your question is on the minds of many across our installation. First, yes, I am aware of many family employees across the base to include some of our HRO employees. Before I continue, I must point out; we have many Americans as well as Italians who have family members employed on base. A family relationship is not a disqualifier for employment. Employing family members happens and can be perfectly appropriate.

"ICE" continued on Page 3

The items you have specifically cited involved possible abuses or ethical violations of hiring policy. Thankfully, the vast majority of base hires do not.

HRO is organized to provide dedicated support to specific departments or tenant commands in a transparent and ethical way to uphold Merit Systems Principles. For example, an HR Staffing Specialist with a relative at the Public Affairs Office (PAO) is strictly forbidden to provide recruitment support to the PAO; an HR Staffing Specialist with a relative at the Safety Department is strictly forbidden to provide recruitment support to the Safety Department; etc. This is also true for those HR staff members that have relatives at tenant commands.

HRO refers qualified individuals for management consideration based on the information provided in applications. Selections are not made by HRO. Each selecting official (i.e. supervisor) reviews referral certificates and decides which candidate is best for the position. I HAVE DIRECTED SELECTING OFFICIALS WITHIN MY TWO NASSIG UICs - 62995 AND 46131 – TO USE EITHER A SELECTION BOARD OR A SELECTION ADVISORY PANEL PRIOR TO MAKING A SELECTION TO ENSURE A STRUCTURED, OBJECTIVE, AND FAIR PROCESS FOR FILLING ALL COMPETITIVE LN AND U.S. POSITIONS. OTHER COMMANDS ARE STRONGLY URGED TO FOLLOW SUIT. If anyone suspects an unethical or illegal hiring, or would simply like more information about NAS Sigonella’s hiring processes, please contact our Human Resources Director, Terry Williams, at 624-4181 or by e-mail at: Terrence.

Williams@eu.navy.mil.

Alternately, you can contact our Base Judge Advocate General, LCDR Tracy Harp at 624-6324 or at tracy.harp@ eu.navy.mil. Again, thank you to our community for guarding against abuses. I can’t see everything, but together we can!

Comment regarding "Removal of Dividers between Housing Units":

In Marinai we live in very close quarters. The close proximity can cause folks to feel as if they have no privacy or the right to make our spaces our own. Visits from management instructing us to remove dividers due to aesthetics take away our right to individuality and are embarrassing. People want to make the best out of living so closely to others. They want to at least have the illusion of privacy.

- Sincerely, Karry Birnley

Response:

Thank you, Ms. Birnley, for your comment. I appreciate your points but also must remind everyone none of us own these leased houses. When we accept housing at Marinai or NAS 1 or 2 we do so on the terms of the owner. In the case of Marinai the property is owned by the private company, Pizzarotti. To protect their property Pizzarotti has placed limits on what residents can and cannot do. Accordingly the Marinai resident handbook states alterations or any new construction, additions or alterations to family housing units, including patios and surrounding grounds, must be approved in writing before starting the work by using the Alteration Request form. The required authorization request must be submitted to your Housing Office. Bottom line: dividers are allowed IF properly submitted, evaluated and approved

by Pizzarotti vis-à-vis the Housing Office. Any unauthorized alteration/addition may be removed and the area restored by the government AT YOUR EXPENSE. I am confident, properly approached, residents can come to terms with Pizzarotti for issues like yours – the procedures are in place to do so. Every resident’s first stop should be the Resident Handbook. The next stop is usually your assigned Housing representative. Please contact your housing inspector for additional guidance. For other Marinairelated questions, please contact our Marinai Housing Director, John Sammarco at 624-4113 or john.sammarco@eu.navy.mil.

Comment regarding "Ongoing issues in Marinai":

Throughout my entire stay in Marinai I have had more issues than I can recall. One thing has been consistent, the lack of professionalism and respect for people’s time. I have placed many trouble calls that were never addressed. I’ve had four appointments where I have waited and the workers never showed. When I would follow up, I was told “We don’t have anything in our system” or “I’m surprised nobody showed up!” I completely under-

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stand sometimes things happen, but in these cases a courtesy call isn’t too much to ask. It would not be fair for me to schedule an appointment with Housing then not be home. My time is valuable. Please stop wasting my time. Thank you for taking your time to read my family’s frustrations.

Response:

Dear Marinai Resident(s), thank you for voicing your concern.

In the past, did you bring these issues up to our Marinai Housing Director, Mr. John Sammarco? He is the best POC for thorny problems in Marinai. I am confident he and his team will address concerns such as yours immediately. Going a bit deeper, our Marinai service call method has been less than ideal. We are working to speed up this process by better organizing the interface between the public and the three supporting entities – Housing, Public Works, and Pizzarotti. Housing is revamping its procedures for service calls, appointments, and follow-ups by assigning Marinai Housing Area Managers. Housing Area Managers will be your point of contact for all housing-related needs: service calls, vacates, absent of Quarters, or any other concerns.

Housing Area Managers are being challenged to ‘own’ their areas of responsibility and be reliable in following up with residents via email, text or phone. In the near future you will receive a flyer introducing your Housing Area Manager, and providing all relevant contact information for the Marinai Housing Office.

Special Note: Should your government-issued stove or refrigerator break after normal working hours Monday through Friday, or during a weekend or holiday, contact the Marinai on-call emergency number (335-7391578) to have the malfunctioning appliance replaced. Housing’s required response time for these events is within four hours to include nights, holidays, and weekends. Appliance breakdowns that occur during normal working hours are handled by Pizzarotti.

For any housing-related questions or concerns, please contact Marinai Housing Director, John Sammarco at 624-4113 or john. sammarco@eu.navy.mil.

Comment regarding "Bad Roads in the Triangle":

Good evening sir, have any discussions taken place between Navy leadership and the local government to fix/update the roads between NAS 1 and NAS 2? Is the local government concerned about the safety of the roads? Is there some sort of incentive the US government can provide? I am aware that this may be a long shot, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. Thank you. Safer road conditions benefit everyone in the Sigonella community.

Response:

Your comment is my thought most days; driving here can truly be unsafe. The first line of defense for each of us is to drive cautiously, appropriate to the conditions, and never distracted.

The Italian government, like our own, has many competing requirements and very limited resources. On behalf our community, I periodically express our concerns about the condition of “the Triangle,” 192-106-105. Last year, following our urging, Italian authorities did modest patching in the Triangle, but as you have pointed out, these are neither complete nor permanent. I have once again approached Italian authorities for temporary repairs to ‘the Triangle.’ I am hopeful we will see some relief in the coming weeks.

Farther out we might have a more permanent solution. In FY17 our Public Works team, in coordination with Italian provincial road authorities, expects to replace the 30-year water pipeline that runs from the beginning of the SS-192/SP-106 intersection to NAS 2. An intended collateral benefit will be US government funded road improvements. In closing, it is always our goal to bring visibility and even contribute to longer-term off-base projects when and where we can, but please remember, as guests in a foreign country, we ultimately do not control final outcomes off base.

As always, I ask each Sig’ Citizen to drive defensively, put your Health and Welfare and our children’s above aggressive or impatient driving impulses, and please report aggressive/unsafe drivers to our Security Duty Chief at 624-6063. You may also contact our NASSIG Security Officer, LT Cardona, at 624-6392, or email him at: juan.cardona@eu.navy.mil.

For comments, questions or suggestions concerning road maintenance, please contact our Deputy Public Works Officer, Jonpaul Thomasseau, at 624-2905, or by e-mail at: Jonpaul.Thomasseau@eu.navy.mil.

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THE SIGNATURE 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 Nicole Ybarra nicole.ybarra@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 PUBLISHER Stampa Generale S.r.l., Sig. Bruno Brandi, Publisher, Naval Support Activity Capodichino (Naples), Italy stampagenerale@tin.it Tel. 081-568-7884 Fax 081-568-7887 This civilian enterprise (CE) newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the military services overseas. Contents of The Signature are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense (DoD), or the U.S. Navy. The appearance of advertising in this newspaper, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the DoD or Stampa Generale S.r.l., of the products or services advertised. Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other non-merit factorof the purchaser, user or patron. A confirmed violation or rejection of this equal opportunity policy by an advertiser will result in the refusal to print advertising from that source until the violation is corrected.

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

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

E-mail: stampagenerale@tin.it.

Editorial submissions are welcomed from all Naval Air Station Sigonella departments, divisions and tenant commands. Editorial submissions should be sent to the Public Affairs Office via thesig@eu.navy.mil, guard mail stop #68 or hand-delivered to our office no later than the close of business on the Friday proceeding the expected publication date.

All articles submitted by non-staff members will be considered contributing writers.

The Signature will not publish 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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January 15, 2016

January 15, 2016

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Pouring alcohol down the drain: Mailing alcohol is prohibited

Marines and Sailors spread holiday cheer

From NAVSUP FLC Sigonella

By LT Jake Barreiro NAS Sigonella Public Affairs

NAS SIGONELLA, Sicily - Cottanera Etna Rosso, Maneti Cerasulol di Vittoria, and COS Pithos. These are only a few of the great wines that Sig’ Citizens have recommended that I try while living on this beautiful island.

I have also heard rumors of almond wine, pistachio liquor, and let's not forget limoncello. All of these are great for cooking, with a meal, or simply to enjoy by themselves.

However, there is one thing that you cannot do with them: send them through the Military Postal System (MPS) via the United States Postal Service (USPS).

I can almost hear my fellow wine enthusiasts moaning, trying to find any loophole in this policy, "But I know someone in the States who would love this wine," or "This is the perfect birthday/anniversary/Christmas present.

Can't you make an exception?"

The answer is: NO! According to the DoD Postal Manual, postal supervisors are required to destroy alcoholic beverages if they are discovered in the mail system.

NAS Sigonella Postal Officer, Wes Smith says, “Once we started using the x-ray machine we identified a large amount of alcohol in packages. As a result of our publicity campaign, we saw a significant decrease in alcohol being shipped. However, as of late, attempts to send alcohol through the mail have picked up again. When mailing a box, each customer is asked if the package contains alcohol and customs forms are checked for the box’s contents. To date, I have not seen a custom form that listed wine, beer, liquor or any other form of alcohol. The customs forms usually state “olive oil” or “mis-

NAS Sigonella Postal Officer, Wes Smith, informs Sailors of items that are not authorized to be mailed through USPS during a base indoctrination course onboard NAS Sigonella. (U.S. Navy photo by Shannon Haney/Released)

cellaneous gifts.” All outgoing packages are X-rayed, and it is immediately obvious that the customer erroneously listed items on the customs form.

Consequently, Smith and his team were forced to do the unthinkable. In accordance with the DOD 4525.6M Postal Instruction, all 16 bottles of wine were poured down the drain.

Smith has encountered several

items unauthorized to be mailed through USPS: lighters, bullet casings, cigarettes, perfumes containing alcohol, nail polish and perishable items such as meats or produce. International airlines transport mail from Italy to the U.S. Because such items are not allowed on these airlines (e.g. items resembling weapons) they are prohibited from being mailed through

USPS. When this happens, items are returned to the Fleet Mail Center for removal.

Smith soundly proclaims, "I am very proud of our Postal Team here on NAS Sigonella. The Sailors here are hard-working and always try to do right by the customer.” For the sake of those 16 bottles of vintage vino, please Sig’ Citizens, let’s do what’s right!

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 the Nurse Advice Line at 800-877-660 (local/Italy only) Need a medication refill or results from your Provider?

Create an account with Relay Health using your PCM... www.relayhealth.com (click: register, patient, then add PCM)

NAS SIGONELLA, Sicily – 2015 was a busy year for community relations (COMREL) projects. Last month, Marines from Construction Logistics Battalion 6 and Sailors from VP-9 partnered with the local community to help bring some holiday cheer to Sicily.

The Marines have participated in several visits in recent months assisting high school students in their English language education.

During the most recent visit, they compared and discussed Sicilian and American Christmas traditions. Then students prepared sugar cookies using recipes in English as well as completing several group exercises to re-enforce their English.

On Dec. 11, Sailors from VP-9 participated in a celebration preparing for the holiday season at the Giovanna Romeo Sava Institute. VP-9 donated Christmas gifts and helped organize the party for the 18 children who live at the Institute.

Established in 1955, the Giovanna Romeo Sava Institute began as an orphanage to house and feed homeless and neglected children after World War II. Today the Institute not only houses children, but provides education, therapy, health care, and even small trips around Sicily.

"Helping fix the hall and celebrating with

the children is important for the children to feel they live somewhere they are proud of,” said Fabiola Chiarenza, a teacher at the Sava Institute.

The Sailors laughed and smiled as they played with the children and many look forward to helping at the Institute again.

On Dec. 15, Marines from CLB 6 visited the Sava Institute to repaint and repair the main hall where the children play and preform shows on their stage. Originally estimated to take several days, the Marines worked with several local high school students to complete the project far ahead of schedule with minimal supplies. They painted over 5,500 sq. ft. to help prepare the Institute for their Christmas season. The Marines returned the following week to have a celebration with the children and make Christmas decorations for the newly painted hall.

Many faculty members will bring the children to their homes this holiday season to celebrate with their families. “We try to make the children feel happy and like they are all a part of our families so that they will grow up and have happy families themselves,” said Carmelo Signorello, the Director of the Board for the Sava Institute. “It is critical to have opportunities like these to spend time with young Sailors and Marines, for we are showing them positive role models of what they can become and what they should work towards.”

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January 15, 2016

U.S. NAVY HEADLINES January 15, 2016

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CNO releases 'A Design for Maintaining Maritime Superiority'

Saint Sebastian Festival in Acireale By dr alberto lunetta

From Chief of Naval Operations Public Affairs

"Evviva Sam Mastianu! Evviva lu rizzareddu, Vàddatilu quant’è beddu, li miraculi ca fa” (Long live Saint Sebastian! Long live the curly-headed! Look at his beauty and the miracles he performs). This ancient prayer shows how the devotion towards San Sebastiano (Saint Sebastian) is deeply embedded in the religious history of Acireale, an elegant town in the Catania province. Every year, thousands of pilgrims and tourists swarm the streets of the historic center to show their love and respect to this celestial patron. In addition to being the town’s compatrono (co-patron saint) along with Santa Venera, whose festival is celebrated on July 26, Sebastiano still gets most of the attention of Acireale’s religious community. The festival honoring him, which will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 20, is undoubtedly a prominent religious event filled with emotion.

San Sebastiano is probably one of the most famous martyrs in the Christian tradition. His martyrdom was a favorite subject of Renaissance painters who depicted him as a handsome young man who kept his dignity and beauty through the pain of the terrible arrows’ wounds and eventually triumphed over physical suffering.

Sebastiano was born in northern France around 300 AD. He served as an officer in the Roman army under Diocletian, the Emperor who issued an edict in which he prohibited Christianity. As Sebastiano was discovered to be a Christian, he was martyred in 288 AD. He was tied, pierced with arrows and left for dead; but tradition holds that he survived the arrows, which miraculously failed to pierce any vital organ.

Thus, the arrow, a symbol of the plague, became his identifying attribute as well as his wounds that resemble plague boils. Tradition holds that he was eventually beaten to death.

A true hero of Catholicism, San Sebastiano is also worshipped almost everywhere in Sicily, but particularly in the province of Siracusa and in Maniace. Acireale townspeople consider him a protector against the plague as he reportedly saved the city in several times of trouble, especially during plague epidemics. According to one tradition, the city was spared from the plague in 1466, and therefore, devotees built a church to thank him.

The church was heavily damaged as a result of a catastrophic earthquake that struck the Catania province in 1693. Undeterred, the Acireale devotees erected a new magnificent basilica dedicated to San Sebastiano in the 17th century. The Basilica Collegiata di San Sebastiano is among the most beautiful Baroque buildings in Acireale, as well as the most requested local church for wedding ceremonies. Gian Battista Marino, a sculptor from Catania, decorated its façade in the second half of the 17th century in a Baroque style. The church’s interior was frescoed with some paintings by Paolo Vasta depicting scenes from the life of the saint and other masterpieces telling the story of Christ by Venerando Costanzo.

San Sebastiano is still been invoked by pilgrims to help people heal from illnesses and thanked for surviving a natural disaster or accident.

If a miracle is worked, devotees would offer tall waxes, money and small golden objects.

Sometimes, they would tape these objects on red ribbons that are tied on the branches of the stump against which the statue depicting San Sebastiano is placed. Tradition also holds that, in the past, one who would miraculously survive plague epidemics would offer white linens to the saint. At that time, an infected person was required to wear white linen around their neck to show that they carried the disease. Once the epidemic was over, these linens were taped on the pillars that support the carriage on which the statue of the saint is carried in procession. Even today, devotees wear the linen around their chest and head.

Festival Schedule The festival starts Jan. 20 at 7:30 with the opening of the little chapel located inside the Saint Sebastian church where the statue of the Christian martyr and the relics are kept. Holy mass is performed at 9:30 a.m. by Acireale Bishop Antonino Raspanti.

Later at 11 a.m., the statue of San Sebastian begins its procession through the following streets of the town’s historic heart: vie: R. Settimo, Piazza Duomo, Cavour, piazza San Domenico, San Carlo, San Biagio, piazza San Biagio, Gozzano, J. Da Todi, piazza San Francesco, Petrarca, piazza Dante, Manzoni, Gozzano, piazza San Biagio, Collegio Pennisi, piazza San Michele, Dafnica, piazza San Giovanni, Lanzafame, Turchia,L. Da Vinci, S. Vigo, Mascagni, Ponchielli, Dafnica, San Martino and piazza G. Marconi, Meli.

The “fercolo” or float, on top of which the statue depicting the saint is placed, will be taken around by a group of 60 “divoti" (devotees) who perform spectacular maneuvers even running and going up steep climbs. The divoti who carry the float around the city belong to a confraternity boasting an ancient tradition handed down for centuries from father to son. The procession is repeated at 3 p.m. throughout the following road and squares of the historic center: vie: Vittorio Emanuele, pizza Carmine, via Vittorio Emanuele, viale Libertà, piazza A. Pennisi, S. Vigo, San Girolamo, Archimede, Quartiere (neighborhood) Mandorle, S. Vigo, chiesa Madonna della Fiducia, S. Vigo, Rossini, piazza Madonna della Pace, Verdi, San Martino, San Francesco di Paola, del Popolo, Maddem, Scaccianoce, Galatea, Roma, c.so Umberto, largo Giovanni XXIII, Currò, piazza Porta Cusmana, P. Vasta, R. Margherita, Mancini, c.so Umberto, piazza Indirizzo, c.so Italia, Veneto, Principe Amedeo, SS. Salvatore, corso Savoia, Caronda, M. di Sangiuliano, Atanasia, c.so Savoia, p.zza Duomo, Davì, Musmeci and will go back to the Basilica at 4 p.m.

Then at 4 p.m. the statue is moved to piazza Agostino Pennisi, the old train station area, for the traditional blessing of the “train passage.” At midnight, the statue is brought back to the San Sebastiano church.

Firework shows and ringing church bells are performed all day long and throughout the city. The San Sebastiano church is located in piazza Leonardo Vigo next to the Acireale Cathedral.

Eight days later, on Wednesday, Jan 27, a smaller-scale festival called “Ottava” is held in the historic center. Highlights include a solemn Holy Mass at 7 p.m. at the Saint Sebastian Basilica celebrated by the deputy bishop of Palermo and the evening procession to be held at 8:30 p.m. in piazza Lionardo Vigo.

For more information and detailed schedules contact the San Sebastian Church at 095601313 or visit http://www.diocesiacireale.it/

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson released 'A Design for Maintaining Maritime Superiority,' Jan. 5, a document that addresses how the Navy will adapt to changes in the security environment and continue to fulfill its mission.

The term 'design' refers to the document's built-in flexibility, recognizing the rapid rate of change occurring in both technology and the maritime domain.

"This guidance frames the problem and a way forward, while acknowledging that there is inherent and fundamental uncertainty in both the problem definition and the proposed solution," said Richardson.

"As we move forward, we'll respect that we won't get it all right, and so we'll monitor and assess ourselves and our surroundings as we go. We'll learn and adapt, always getting better, striving to the limits of performance."

The CNO's design reaffirms the Navy's mission, describes the strategic environment and identifies four lines of effort, each with corresponding objectives to guide the actions of the Navy and its leaders.

The four lines of effort are the following: - Strengthen Naval Power at and from Sea - Achieve High Velocity Learning at Every Level - Strengthen our Navy Team for the Future - Expand and Strengthen our Network of Partners The document also details four 'Core Attributes' that serve as guiding criteria for command decisions in decentralized operations: integrity, accountability, initiative, and toughness.

Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. John Richardson and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Mike Stevens answer Sailors' questions during an all-hands call as part of their visit to Naval Support Activity Bahrain. Stevens and Richardson are in Bahrain as part of their round-the-world tour, visiting Sailors in Hawaii, South Korea and Japan. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Martin L. Carey/Released)

The Festa di San Sebastiano, which honors Acireale’s co-patron, takes place on Jan 20. It is one of the most attractive festivals held during the winter in the Catania province and features religious celebrations, music, fireworks and entertainment. (Photo by City of Acireale Tourist Office)

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Ireland and Scotland adventures by bleecker Marquez

I have wanted to visit Ireland and Scotland ever since I can remember. I always envisioned a misty, foggy land of vibrant green rolling hills, with delightfully accented friendly locals, and just a touch of magic. After spending almost two weeks there this past fall, I was certainly not disappointed. In fact, I left even more enchanted than before.

Northern Ireland

Our trip began in Belfast, Northern Ireland, which I admit, I expected to be a little scary and possibly dangerous. Instead, it was quirky, energetic, and charmingly real, with quite literally the friendliest people I have ever encountered. The drive along the craggy, rocky coast from Belfast to Giant’s Causeway was exactly as beautiful as expected, and a stop at the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge is an absolute must! I suggest allowing an entire day to have time to hike along both the upper and lower paths on the Causeway, drive along the coast in both directions, and stop at some of the castles littered throughout the countryside. Also, I missed it, but apparently there is a tree tunnel from the Game of Thrones that is worth finding.

Scotland

From Northern Ireland, we took the ferry to Scotland, where we visited Edinburgh, the Scottish Highlands, and even stayed in a castle one night. Edinburgh is one of the most beautiful cities I have visited, and Harry Potter fans will recognize many sources of inspiration for the books. With Edinburgh Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, countless churches and historic buildings, and the breathtaking views from Arthur’s Seat (where we watched the sunrise one morning), Edinburgh should be on your must-see list. The Scottish Highlands were absolutely spectacular, especially the fall leaves and endless rolling hills spotted with countless sheep and cows. Pitlochry also hosts the amazing Enchanted Forest, an annual light and sound show in the woods. Nearby and worth a stop is beautiful and history-filled Stirling Castle. On my next trip to Scotland, I hope to make it all the way north to the Isle of Skye, which sounds truly stunning.

Ireland

Our next stop was Dublin, the vibrant, history and culture-rich hub of Ireland. I think we met more Brits there for a party weekend than locals, but who can blame them, Dublin is a fun city! Temple Bar (for which the neighborhood is named) is worth a nighttime visit, as is the Guinness Storehouse during the day. The highlight for me though, was touring the Kilmainham Gaol (old jail). For a very small fee (4 euro I believe), you will get an amazing history lesson and insight into Irish culture that will impact your understanding of the entire country and culture. The Glasnevin Cemetary tour also provided a lot of fascinating historical information, and the Botanical Gardens next door were really beautiful.

"ADVENTURES" continued on Page 14

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All Hands News Bulletin: VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!: Youth Sports is looking for dedicated volunteers to help coach during the upcoming MWR Youth Basketball season for ages 5-18. If you are interested in coaching by yourself or with a group of friends, please contact Youth Sports at eric.barge@eu.navy.mil or 624-1750. The season runs from the first week of February and ends the last weekend in March.

FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES CLASS: You are invited to participate in the Five Love Languages Class and FREE Luncheon on Friday, the 19th of February at the NAS 1 Chapel Fellowship Hall from 1030 to 1300. Chaplain Erwin, Chaplain Myers and CDR Goldberg will be teaching and facilitating a best-selling inspirational book on the importance of loving relationships and marriages -- The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman. This class is open to single and

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married service members and their spouses. You will receive practical insights for living by Gary Chapman on The Five Love Languages and a FREE gourmet meal. FREE Child care, on a space available basis, will also be provided. Sign up is required by February 12th; sign-up is limited to 30 participants. For more information and to register, you may call the NAS 1 Chapel at 624-3975 or contact Rebekah.Gumm@eu.navy.mil.

SIGONELLA RUN SERIES FANS: The 2016 Base 2 Base Run is coming up on March 19!

If you plan on registering, now is your chance to get it at a discounted rate of $10!! (Jan 15-28 Registration is $15/Mar 1-18 Registration is $20) You can also register at NAS 2 Fitness Center Thurs, January 14 from 0530-2030 for the same discounted rate.

We only have 1 run left before the final Base 2 Base so make sure you get your run in!

Call 624-4483 or visit: http://www.sigmwr.com/event.php?id=3798 for more details.

Sigonella Religious Ministries Department Worship Services 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 ROMAN CATHOLIC • Sunday - 9 a.m. Catholic Mass at NAS 1 Chapel • Tuesday - Friday - 11:30 a.m. at NAS 1 or NAS 2 Chapel PROTESTANT WORSHIP SERVICE • Sunday - 11 a.m. Traditional Worship at NAS 1 Chapel; 6 p.m. Non-Denominational Sunday at NAS 2 Chapel • Wednesday - 7 p.m. Bible Study at NAS 2 PROTESTANT MEN OF THE CHAPEL • Wednesdays 6 a.m. @ NAS 1 Fellowship Hall PROTESTANT WOMEN OF THE CHAPEL • Tuesdays - 9 a.m. at NAS 1 Fellowship Hall; Thursdays 5 p.m. @ NAS 1 Fellowship Hall LATTER-DAY SAINTS • Sunday - 1:30 p.m. at NAS 1 Chapel Contact: sigonellalds@gmail.com or 624-9049

CLUB BEYOND • Middle School Club & Small Group - Tuesday - 2:45 - 4:45 p.m. at NAS 1 Chapel • High School Club and Small Group - Wednesdays - 6 - 8 p.m. at Marinai Home Catholic Religious Education • September - June - 10:30 a.m. at DoDDS Knights of Columbus • First Wednesday of the month - 5 p.m. at NAS 2 Chapel NIGHT STUDY • AA Meetings - Monday - 5:30 p.m., 2nd Floor at NAS 1 Chapel; Thursday - 7 p.m. at NAS 2 Chapel • AA Family Group - Tuesday - 7 p.m. at NAS 2 Chapel • Tuesday - Italian Class - 7 p.m. at NAS 1 Chapel Classroom • Tuesday - Awana Club - 4:45 p.m at NAS 1 Chapel

Weekly Traffic Reports: Jan. 4 - 11, 2016

Ristorante Bella Etna

Breakfast: $3.45 Mon - Fri: 6:30 - 8:30 a.m.

Weekend / Holiday: 7-9 a.m.

Lunch: $5.55 Mon - Fri: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Weekend / Holiday: 11 a.m. -1 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 8 Breakfast: Eggs to Order, Grilled Sausage Patties, Ham Slices Lunch: BBQ Spareribs, Fried Chicken Speed Line: Fresh Assorted Pizza Dinner: Chili Macaroni, Grilled Cheese & Ham Sandwich

Sunday, Jan. 10 Breakfast: Eggs to Order, Grilled Minute Steak, Oven Fried Bacon Brunch: Eggs to Order, Grilled Minute Steak, Oven Fried Bacon, Sauerbraten Dinner: Spaghetti w/ Meat Sauce, Onion-Lemon Baked Fish

Tuesday, Jan. 12 Breakfast: Eggs to Order, Biscuits and Gravy, Oven Fried Bacon Lunch: Taco Tuesday Speed Line: Pasta Bar with choice of Freshly Made Pasta Sauce Dinner: Baked Italian Sausage, Meatloaf

Saturday, Jan. 9 Breakfast: Eggs to Order, Oven Fried Bacon, Corned Beef Hash Brunch: Eggs to Order, Oven Fried Bacon, Corned Beef Hash, Corn Dogs Dinner: Spaghetti Carbonara, Savory Baked Chicken

Monday, Jan. 11 Breakfast: Eggs to Order, Minced Beef, Oven Fried Bacon Lunch: Roast Turkey, Hamburger Yakisoba Speed Line: Fresh Assorted Pizza Dinner: Roast Pork, Chicken Alfredo w/ Penne Pasta

Wednesday, Jan. 13 Breakfast: Eggs to Order, Grilled Sausage Patties, Oven Fried Bacon Lunch: Beef Stew, Fried Catfish SPEED LINE: Grilled Hamburgers Dinner: Fried Chicken, Pasta al Forno

Dinner: $4.85 Mon - Fri: 4:30 - 6 p.m.

Weekend / Holiday: 4:30 -6 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 14 Breakfast: Eggs to Order, Creamed Ground Beef on Toast, Oven Fried Bacon Lunch: Lasagna, Grilled Pork Chops Speed Line: Panini Bar and Cold Cuts Dinner: Veal Steaks, Chicken Tetrazzini Friday, Jan. 15 Breakfast: Eggs to Order, Oven Fried Bacon, Grilled Ham Slices Lunch: Chicken a la King, Baked Fish Speed Line: Fresh Assorted Pizza Dinner: Salisbury Steak, Penne Alfredo

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 Hanukkah

NAS SIGONELLA, Sicily – Are you disciplined? Goal-oriented? A self-starter? Most military personnel are which makes them natural entrepreneurs! Why not put those skills to good use and apply what the Navy has taught you by starting your own business? After all, no one can ‘mind your business’ like you can!

In the next few years, it is expected that over 250,000 service members will transition annually into the private sector. As the jobless rate rises and unemployment among veterans continues to outpace the national average, training in entrepreneurship can be viewed as a logical and necessary endeavor. Capitalizing on the talents of service members promotes self-employment and helps stimulate the economy.

Reports from the U.S. Small Business Administration show that Veterans are 45% more likely to be self-employed as compared to nonveterans, contributing more than $1 trillion in sales. Fortunately, the military has responded to this increasing trend and has created resources, such as the ‘Boots 2 Business’ Workshop, to help service members venture into the small business workforce.

The Boots to Business (B2B)

Workshop is an entrepreneurial education program offered once a quarter by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) as an additional track and is open to service members and their dependents. This energizing curriculum provides assistance in exploring self-employment opportunities, key steps for evaluating business concepts and foundational knowledge for developing a business plan.

Participants also learn business fundamentals, work through an initial feasibility analysis of their business concepts and are introduced to SBA resources. These resources help access start-up capital and additional technical assistance but the best part about it all is that it is FREE! After the B2B Workshop, participants can elect to further their study through an instructor guided, eightweek, online course with Syracuse University. Course com-

pletion requires approximately 10 hours of weekly study, and guides participants through the fundamentals of developing a business plan.

So, if you are remotely interested in the idea of owning your own business, we highly recommend that you attend our B2B Workshop on Feb. 4-5, 2016. The workshop covers two days of class time from 0800-1600.

After completing the workshop you will have the tools and knowledge that you need to identify a business opportunity, draft a business plan, and launch your own enterprise… after all, who better to ‘mind your own business’, than you?

Call FFSC at 624-4291 or email mackenzie.smith@eu.navy.mil to sign up today!

MENORAH MIRACLE OLIVE OIL PONTSHKES PRAYERS PSALMS SEVIVON SHAMASH SONGS SUFGANIYOT TALMUD TORAH TRADITION YEARLY YEHUDIT

MEDIUM

From Fleet and Family Support Center

HALLEL HANEROT HALALU HEBREW HOLIDAY HOLY TEMPLE JERUSALEM KISLEV LATKE LEVIVOT LIGHTS MA'OZ TZUR MACCABEES MATISYAHU

EASY

Mind your own business: Boots 2 Business workshop

BIMUELOS BLESSINGS CANDLES CHANUKIAH CHARITY CUSTOMS DAIRY FOODS DREIDEL EIGHT DAYS FAMILY FEAST FESTIVAL GAMES GELT GIFTS

DIFFICULT

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

The remaining 42 letters spell a secret message.

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"ADVENTURES" continued from Page 8 The things I most regret missing are Trinity College and the Book of Kells, as well as the famous parks, St. Stephen’s Green and Merrion Square, so they are definitely on my list for next time.

Leaving Dublin, we headed to Blarney Castle, which despite rumors of it being a cheesy tourist attraction and of locals using the Blarney Stone as a toilet (we were assured this is not true), I consider it to be an absolute must! In fact, I wish we had allowed more time to hike the numerous trails around the gorgeous grounds. Even if you just go for the Castle and Stone, it is absolutely worth it – the castle is in a perfect balance of ruin and preservation, and kissing the Blarney Stone is quite an experience. I wish was had also visited Kilkenny Castle and its namesake town on the way, which I have heard is very interesting and beautiful. We stayed the night in Cork, which was bigger and less charming than we anticipated, but convenient to Blarney Castle.

From Cork, we drove to Kenmare and then around a small part of the Ring of Kerry to Killarney National Park. It could take a day or more to drive around the entire Ring, but we were told that this was the best part if you have limited time, and it was truly breathtaking. Killarney National Park is another must. The drive through alone is amazing, but it is also home to Ross Castle in the middle of the lake, the beautiful and easy to reach Torc Waterfall, Muckross Abbey, and Muckross Farm, which we missed but sounds similar to Williamsburg.

Our next stop was Dingle, on the Dingle Peninsula, which was my absolute favorite part of

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the entire trip. The town is adorable, the people are amazing, and the drive around the peninsula is incredible! We actually loved it so much that we changed our plans to stay another night. Visit O’Sullivan’s Courthouse Pub for live music every night, skip the brewery, but definitely take a tour of the distillery – they make the best gin I have ever tasted, and their whiskey will be released for the first time this year.

Last, but certainly not least was a visit to the Cliffs of Moher, which are of course an absolute must-see. I wish we had gone at sunset, but they are spectacular anytime. Allow a few hours here

PAGE 15 and wear hiking boots. Walk along the path in both directions to get all the best views. Apparently there is also a cave nearby, so that is on the list for my next visit.

There were a couple of places that we did not have time for, but since I certainly plan to see them next time, they seemed worth mentioning. Several locals said that their favorite part of Ireland was Connemara and the Arann Islands, west of Galway. Also, fans of the new Star Wars might like to visit the Skellig Islands, off the coast of County Kerry, where the final scene was filmed.

Finally, a few suggestions on getting there and getting around. RyanAir and Aer Lingus have cheap direct flights from Catania to Dublin from the spring through fall (RyanAir’s may only be in the summer). I highly suggest planning your trip to take advantage of them, otherwise it can take much longer and cost a lot more (trust me, I did this on the way there and really wished I had not). I also highly suggest renting a car. You can take buses or tours to most of the major sites, but driving gives you much more freedom, and the ability to visit more remote places. Driving on the other side of the road takes some getting used to, but if I can do it (in a manual, no less), anyone can! As for when to plan your trip, I suggest in the spring or fall. Winter is apparently very cold and damp, and many places close down. While summer is an extremely popular, and somewhat warmer time to visit, many locals told us that it is the most rainy season, and very crowded and expensive. In the spring, you’ll see flowers blooming, while in the fall the leaves are gorgeous (and we only had one day of rain in two weeks) so take your pick and pack your bags!

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