October: DV awareness month
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Oktoberfest:
Sigonella Yearbook:
Best of the biergartens
A year of memories
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N A S SIG O N E L L A
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October 16, 2015
Vol. 32 No. 39
Spotlight on Naval Munitions Command By mc3 Amber Porter VP-9 Public Affairs
NAS SIGONELLA, Sicily - Rain billows down heavily on the deck of USS Mt. Whitney (LCC-20), Sept. 30 and spills over onto the already soaked platform while Naval Munitions Command (NMC) Sailors load the vessel with ordnance. Seemingly unaffected, the command continues their operation, each dedicated to loading the ammunition and preparing the ship for deployment. NMC is responsible for operating and maintaining explosive ordnance facilities in Sigonella, Italy and providing fleet ordnance support to U.S. Naval Forces Europe, AFRICOM, and other U.S. Fleet Forces commands and DOD conventional ammunitions requirements. “The command receives requests on a continual basis to assist squadrons and Marines on Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella. We head to Augusta Bay every two or three months to assist ships that pull into port,” said Chief Aviation Ordnanceman John Clark. “Our purpose here is to supply the needed ammunition,” said Chief Aviation Ordnanceman Chad Thomas. “The USS Mt. Whitney cannot pull into some ports unless it has the right amount of ordnance and it has to be combat ready if it needs to defend itself against the enemy.” Training, safety, and planning are emphasized by the command to accomplish its mission. “Safety is our number one priority,” said Thomas. “Everything we work with goes ‘kaboom’ and the equipment we work with can also cause potential danger to personnel. We train continuously to prepare our Sailors.” Throughout the Augusta Bay evolution, NMC Sailors demonstrated that training, working together to transport pallets stacked with ordnance from the truck to the crane and finally to the ship in a safe and coordinated manner. “Teamwork is the most essential part of an operation like this,” said Thomas. “Everybody has a job, each job is in place to check the other, so when the final product leaves, we know it is 100% accurate and accounted for. We have a lot of checks and balances to account for human error.” All Sailors are trained and qualified in every ordnance family group. Sailors hold themselves responsible for completion of the mission in a safe and thorough manner, during all weather conditions except for thunder and lightening. “We have worked in some pretty terrible weather before,” said Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Sarapheena Presson. “If it starts to thunder though, we halt operations. That has happened before, it’s for the safety of ourselves and the ordnance we handle.”
Sailors assigned to Naval Munitions Command (NMC) conduct ammunition onload aboard the U.S. 6th Fleet command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) in Augusta Bay, Sept. 30. Mount Whitney, is conducting naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility in support of U.S. national security interest in Europe. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Amber Porter/Released)
Navy announces rollout and wear dates for upcoming uniform changes By Chief of Naval Personnel Public Affairs Office
Washington (NNS) -- The Chief of Naval Personnel released NAVADMIN 236/15 Oct. 9, which announces several key uniform changes. The Navy has been working to meet Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus' plans to redesign several uniform elements for Sailors that improve uniformity across the force as well as improve the function and fit of their uniforms. Several wear-tests have been conducted and the Navy has incorporated Sailors' feedback into the final uniform and cover designs announced Friday.
NAVADMIN 236/15 provides detailed information on the upcoming uniform changes and rollout plans, including: * Unisex covers - Effective immediately, the Alternative Combination Cover (ACC) and current male combination cover for officers and CPOs can now be worn by both men and women in service dress uniforms. - The ACC is now available in Navy Exchange (NEX) Uniform Stores and
"UNIFORM CHANGES" continued on Page 14