The Signature | July 27, 2018

NAS Sigonella Assists Firefighting Efforts in Motta

FCPOA Hosts Mentorship Fair

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The Planning of Operation Husky

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N A S SIG O N E L L A

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JULY 27, 2018

Vol. 35 No. 29

U.S. Naval Hospital Sigonella Holds Change of Command

SIGONELLA, Italy (July 13, 2018) Rear Adm. Anne M. Swap (back row from left to right), commander, Navy Medicine East; Capt. Kim Lefebvre, off-going commanding officer; Capt. William E. Todd, commanding officer; and Lt. Lloyd Wicker salute the American flag during U.S. Naval Hospital (USNH) Sigonella’s change of command ceremony at U.S. Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy, July 13. USNH Sigonella is a community hospital located in the heart of the Mediterranean in Sicily, Italy. It is comprised of a local satellite clinic and two branch health clinics located in Bahrain and Greece. (U.S. Navy photo by HM3 Adkins.)

By Lt. Mark Knutson U. S. Naval Hospital Sigonella Public Affairs

SIGONELLA, Sicily – Capt. Kim Lefebvre, Medical Service Corps, relinquished command of U.S. Naval Hospital Sigonella (USNH Sigonella) to Capt.

William E. Todd, Medical Corps, during the change of command ceremony at U.S. Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy, July 13th.

Presiding officer and guest speaker, Rear Adm. Anne M. Swap, commander, Navy Medicine East, praised Lefebvre for her leadership, regional impact, and for her institution of best business practices that distinguish USNH Sigonella as a leading regional hospital.

“Your team accomplished a great deal,” said Swap. “You did it so well, you get to do it again!” Swap said regarding Lefebvre embarking on her new assignment as the commanding officer of Naval Medical Research Center in Groton, Connecticut.

Lefebvre, who assumed command of USNH Sigonella August 2016, fostered a strong collaboration with Navy European military medical treatment facilities to deliver the best possible care.

Her inspiring leadership accomplished numerous command achievements, including the recent April 2018 Joint Commission and Navy Medical Inspector General re-accreditation. Lefebvre led successful partnerships and collaboration in joint exercises with the Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force-Crisis Response Teams, demon-

strating both ability and effectiveness of coordinating and providing casualty care. Her focus on customer service and high reliability have led to multiple scores ranked as best of the best across military medicine.

The success of the command, under her leadership, awarded Lefebvre the Legion of Merit.

“What I have enjoyed the most is seeing the pride you all take in doing your jobs,” said Lefebvre. “You truly work as a team and I am going to miss you all greatly”.

Lefebvre passes on to Todd an exceptional command and highly motivated staff. “I know that Capt. Todd will continue on with encouraging excellence and supporting this command in being the best in the Navy Medicine,” she said.

In Todd’s warm welcoming statement, he expressed that he intends on building on Lefebvre’s legacy of positive change and achievements. Todd thanked everyone for Lefebvre’s warm send-off as she goes from one command to another, stating, “You are most fortunate.”

Todd praised the command for the work accomplished and the work that lies ahead.

“This is our command, every one of us has a part of this command making a difference. Cumulatively and collectively, the sky is the limit. We have the best job, because we have something that is intrinsically valuable to people… we help people in their time of need!” said Todd. “We make a difference, a positive

difference when a difference matters... through our words, actions, and deeds, we make a difference, we are Navy Medicine!”

Todd became USNH Sigonella’s 12th commanding officer. He previously served as the executive officer of Naval Hospital Jacksonville.

USNH Sigonella is a community hospital located in the heart of the Mediterranean in Sicily, Italy. It has been providing care since its opening in January 1993. It is comprised of a local satel-

lite clinic and two branch health clinics located in Bahrain and Greece. USNH Sigonella’s staff of 493 serves approximately 8,500 active duty, family members, NATO members, and retirees as well as serving other beneficiaries based on international collaborations and a status of forces agreement.

To find out more information about USNH Sigonella, please visit http:// www.med.navy.mil/sites/sigonella/ or https://www.facebook.com/US-NavalHospital-Sigonella

SIGONELLA, Italy (July 13, 2018) Capt. William Todd, commander, U.S. Naval Hospital (USNH) Sigonella, salutes Capt. Kim Lefebvre, off-going commanding officer, as Rear Adm. Anne M. Swap, commander, Navy Medicine East, witnesses the change of command at U.S. Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy, July 13. USNH Sigonella is a community hospital located in the heart of the Mediterranean in Sicily, Italy. It is comprised of a local satellite clinic and two branch health clinics located in Bahrain and Greece. (U.S. Navy photo by HN Hornsby.)

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JULY 27, 2018

Direct Line

Cmdr. Patrick J. Moran, NAS Sigonella Executive Officer Buongiorno Sigonella, The last time I wrote in the Direct Line I mentioned the importance and virtues of sound financial planning and saving for the future. As part of that we can add planning for higher education, either for military service members or for their dependents.

The financial costs of continuing education will not go down as time goes by—quite the contrary. Average college tuition and fees increased almost 4% (after adjusting for inflation) between 2016 and 2018, according to online source insidehighered.com.

Another online resource, collegraptor. com, shows the average annual tuition cost for out-of-state students at public four-year institutions is over $36,000 while their private counterparts charge an average of almost $47,000. Again, that is per year, and does not include room and board costs. The 2017 Trends in College Pricing Report (trends.collegeboard.org) shows that since 1998, the average price of tuition and fees for a public four-year institution has more than doubled (in 2017 dollars).

For military members and their families, I cannot think of a benefit more valuable and more applicable than the GI Bill. Whether service members will use the GI Bill benefits themselves or not, the following change in

GI Bill policy is critical to understand.

Recent NAVADMIN 170/18 announced updated changes to the Post9/11 GI Bill. Effective July 12, 2019, eligibility to transfer those benefits is limited to Sailors with less than 16 years of total service, active duty service and/ or selected Reserves as applicable.

In other words, anyone with over 16 years of active service has less than one year to transfer the GI Bill benefits to dependents if they plan to provide for their dependent’s continuing education. Even if this new restriction were not the case, if service members intend to transfer the benefits to dependents it is critical that it is done now, rather than later. Benefits cannot be transferred after death or permanent incapacitation of a service member. A somber truth indeed, but critical to realize.

Another change from the NAVADMIN is that all approvals for transferability of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits continue to require a four-year commitment in the Armed Forces and, more importantly, the member must be eligible to be retained for four years from the date of election.

As is true for many parents next summer, daughters and sons will be graduating and many will be going on to college or other continuing education. My family had spent some time

this summer to visit more than a few campuses in the States. Each school was different and what was offered varied. However, each public, and indeed most private institutions, accepted the GI Bill. I transferred my benefits years ago and I am certainly thanking my former self now that I did. Without the benefit, the costs can be astronomical.

Indeed, in some locations, the GI Bill will cover 100% of tuition and fees, as well as room and board. If service members have more than one dependent, benefits can be divided among them, in whichever way works best.

But none of this can happen unless those benefits are transferred!

The following types of education are all covered by the GI Bill: College degree programs including Associate, Bachelor, and advanced degree programs; Vocational/Technical Training including non-college degree programs; onthe-job/apprenticeship training; licensing & certification reimbursement; national testing programs such as SAT, CLEP, AP, etc.; flight training; correspondence training; work-study programs; the tuition assistance “Top-Up” program; and tutorial assistance.

Transferring your benefits is quick and easy and can be done online at: https://benefits.va.gov/gibill/post911_ transfer.asp. If you need assistance,

contact your command’s career counselor.

More information on Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits can be found at the following sites or by calling 888-442-4551: http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/ post911_gibill.asp http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/ docs/pamphlets/ch33_pamphlet.pdf http://www.military.com/education/ gi-bill/new-post-911-gi-bill-overview. html http://www.esd.whs.mil/DD/ Once again, this is a tremendous benefit available to service members and dependents and I highly encourage each Sailor, Airman, Marine, and Soldier to at least understand what it has to offer, if you haven’t done so already.

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 Enforcing Designated Smoking Areas:

Is there anything that Security personnel can do about people smoking in undesignated spots on base? Every day, I feel like I'm dodging cigarette smoke.

It's unfortunate that people are not following the rules for designated smoking locations. When I go to the NEX on NAS II the employees are smoking right outside the door near the ATM. When I go to Big Al’s there are people huddled outside the front door smoking. If I go through the Big Al’s back entrance, the Marines are out there smoking. Just today, I was outside Take 5, which has become an ash tray, trying to do homework but had to move to the Pavilion because of smokers. I will say, the manager was kind enough to ask them to go elsewhere, but I just think it's wrong that they are doing this all over the base. The outside area of Take 5 used to be the place I did my homework at night, but now it’s filled with smokers and drinkers after hours. Is there a safe place on base where people can go who don't smoke or drink? Can security or the CO please do something to ensure that people are smoking in the designated areas?

Response:

Thank you for taking the time to submit this comment. Providing a safe, healthy, and non-polluted workplace to protect the welfare of all personnel, and to reduce tobacco exposure to the environment to the greatest extent possible is something I take very seriously. I would like to take this opportunity to remind the community of my no smoking policy.

All military, civilian, and dependent personnel are advised that smoking cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and the use of smokeless tobacco is not permitted in buildings, near entry or exit areas, or near air intake ducts outside buildings.

Smokers must maintain a distance from the buildings of at least 50 feet or 15.2 meters. Inclement weather does not change this policy. This is a lawful order.

Violation of this order subjects military personnel to disciplinary action under the UCMJ. Civilian personnel, to include Local National employees and dependents, may be subject to administrative actions. Where conflicts arise between the rights of smokers and rights of non-smokers, those of non-smokers prevail.

Thank you again for your comment. In the future if you are in a smoke free area outside of Take 5, Big Al’s, Jox’s or the Navy Exchange please notify management immediately so that they have an opportunity to correct the issue.

Comment Regarding Establishing a Common Area Kitchen in Barracks:

I’ve been living in barracks for some time now and I remember when there was mention of establishing a resident advisor training room and a full common area kitchen which would include big metal counters, family size refrigerators, and an oven in each building. This would allow residents to have the option of roasting a turkey or baking a loaf of bread. I think this is a grand idea! Is this still going to happen? I think it would be huge morale booster to be able to cook.

I know other barracks that have ovens in the rooms, but we only have microwaves which doesn’t allow many healthy food options. If you can please consider this idea, it would be great. Thanks sir.

Response:

Thank you ffor the comment regarding the possibility of establishing a common area kitchen in the unaccompanied housing buildings. We are always looking to improve and welcome these ideas. Initially, the Housing staff was planning to dedicate multiple rooms for RA training but are now taking another look. Once there is a decision made, the Hosing staff will post the final answer in the barracks or on Facebook. We are also considering providing common area kitchens. We do have the appliances for each building, but also need to ensure that all requirements for full kitchens (including fire safety, cleanliness, and implementing proper inspections) are met. This process takes time. In the meantime, if you would like access to a full size kitchen, please contact the Community Recreation Manager, Tom Kubalewski, by phone at 624-4488 or email at Thomas.Kubalewski@eu.navy.mil for more information on how to reserve the kitchen at Midtown on NAS I. For other recommendations on what you would like to see in the barracks please contact the Installation Housing Director, Peter Faulk, at Peter.Faulk@eu.navy.mil..

Comment Regarding Base Sponsorship Procedures:

My department has a new employee that is a contractor with Sterling Medical. She is a U.S. citizen and has military orders but does not have a Common Access Card yet. There is a sponsorship rule where gate staff calls the sponsor every two hours to renew the security pass. Our new employee is currently at-

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JULY 27, 2018

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THE SIGNATURE U.S. NAVAL AIR STATION SIGONELLA

Name: Master-at-Arms 2nd Class Derrick Jamroz Department: Security Hometown: Cleveland One of the biggest departments onboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella is the security department, and for good reason. Sailors like Master-atArms 2nd Class Derrick Jamroz work day and night to keep the people and the base safe.

Jamroz works as the patrol supervisor, training officer, and career counselor for his section of about 24 Sailors.

He’s in charge of ensuring that all of his Sailors on patrol and sentry duty are qualified to do their duties, and he also helps with making sure their career goals are being pursued or met.

“I love my job; it’s cool when you’re able to see the different aspects of it and when you’re able to help people,” said Jamroz. “The ability to help people with their careers or even with their personal lives is definitely rewarding.”

On top of his numerous duties, Jamroz qualified for watch commander, a position usually held by an E-6. If the need arises where he needs to fill in as a watch commander, he would be in charge of every aspect of that security section’s functions that day, from op-

erations to administration work.

When he isn’t busy at work, Jamroz stays occupied by volunteering with the USO, and is interested in eventually coaching youth basketball.

After work and volunteering, Jamroz likes to play basketball, cook, relax

"ICE" continued from Page 2 tending a mandatory base indoctrination and they are calling her sponsor every two hours to renew this pass. This has caused an inconvenience as they do this every day she is at work.

It almost seems wiser for her to stay in her off base hotel until whatever department fixes her CAC issue.

My biggest complaint is that it seems as if this is an issue everywhere on base. If a technician comes to fix hospital equipment they have the same issue. This is an inefficient use of time. If the goal is safety and anti-terrorism, it seems that two hours is plenty of time to be destructive. The two hour rule only inconveniences people who have an actual, helpful job to do.

Maybe a discussion can happen with other larger bases, with more top secret items to protect, on how they do not inconvenience and waste the work day of staff and contractors. There are much larger bases that give 24 hour and even 30 day passes for a U.S. citizen guest of a CAC holder. Please remember that taxpayer dollars are being wasted every time these employees have to make their way to the gate to get signed on every two hours. There are better and more efficient ways to do this.

Sincerely, Sharifa Gayle

Response:

Thank you for your comment regarding access control onboard NAS Sigonella. NAS Sigonella Security follows all applicable higher headquarter guidance on access control procedures for a military installation. Authenticating an individual’s identity and determining their security fitness is a core principle of installation access control along with identity proofing which is the process of providing sufficient information (e.g., identity history, credentials, and documents). Without an ap-

at home, and travel around Europe.

“My favorite part about living in Sicily is being able to live out in town and experience the Italian culture,” said Jamroz. “I live right next to a bakery so I’m able to try new and delicious desserts every night.”

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 Assistant Public Affairs Officer Janine Scianna janine.scianna@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

proved credential such as a CAC, an individual has not been properly identity proofed, vetted, or determined to have the appropriate justification to be given unescorted access.

Recently, there have been two other cases of new employees being sent to NAS Sigonella and being told that they would receive their CAC at the installation. In those cases, the departments reached out to my Security Department’s Physical Security Division and an access method was established. I encourage you to do the same if you have not already. Regarding escorted personnel, the two-hour rule was put in place after unfair hiring practices were discovered. Any member of the community that escorts an individual is bound by the escorting rules which includes not leaving them unescorted. If you are escorting an individual and they become “destructive” you are required to immediately contact Security. Along those lines, if you are found to be in violation of the escort rules by letting your escortee out of your control, you will have your escort privileges immediately revoked. There are also procedures in place for technicians requiring longer than two hours which other departments at the hospital have utilized, but again, this requires coordination with Physical Security and Pass and ID. I understand your frustration because the security requirements seem to be inconvenient to your situation. If you or someone from your command had reached out to my Security Department to inquire what the access control requirements/ policy are before the new employee had arrived, then this inconvenient situation would have never happened. A long term pass could have been processed and provided until the individual obtained their CAC ID. If you have any additional comments or questions about installation access control procedures please feel free to contact Mr. Lewis Biddlecome, Installation Physical Security Officer, at Lewis.biddlecome@ eu.navy.mil.

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JULY 27, 2018

NAS Sigonella Firefighters Assist Local Town

By NAS Sigonella Public Affairs

NAS SIGONELLA, Sicily – The Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella Fire and Emergency Services (FES) Department assisted local Fire-fighters 22 July in putting out a blaze that threated the town of Motta Sant'Anastasia near NAS 1. The Navy crew, along with crews from the Province of Catania, and Italian Civil Protection personnel from the City of Motta responded to the fire near the north side of the town.

On Sunday evening, the base received a call from the Mayor of Motta asking for assistance in fighting fires near the town. Sigonella FES made the call that they would be able to send one truck and one command vehicle to assist while still being able to respond to any fires or emergencies that might come up on base.

The Commanding Officer of NAS Sigonella, Capt. Brent Trickel, approved the request for assistance and Engine 11 got on their way. “We are committed to providing support to our local com-

SIGONELLA, Sicily (July 22, 2018) Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella Fire and Emergency Services Department and the Province of Catania fire department work together to fight a fire near the town of Motta Sant’Anastasia. (U.S. Navy photo

by Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 1st Class Kira Edgehill)

munities,” said Trickel of the FES efforts to support the town.

NAS Sigonella sent four personnel on Engine 11 and one Senior Fire Officer in a command vehicle to the scene to see where they could be useful. The on-scene commander, one of the fire officers from Catania, assigned the Navy crew to the northern end of the fire line. After extinguishing the fire in that area, they were reassigned to fight the fire at a construction material storage warehouse belonging to the company Edil Motta.

This is the first time in over six years that the base has been called to fight a fire off of the installation. The NAS Sigonella personnel who responded to the fire were a mixed crew composed of two local national firefighters, two Sailors, and Assistant Fire Chief Lucas Lechtenberg, the Senior Fire Officer in charge of the group.

“This is the first time that our crews and the Italian crews have worked together on a joint scene,” said Lechtenberg. “When we got there everyone knew what to do and got right to work.

Firefighting is the same here in Italy as it is in the United States.”

After about two hours on the scene, thanks to all of the crews working together, the fire had been extinguished and Engine 11 was able to pack up and head back to the base.

On Monday 23 July, FES once again was asked to help fight another fire in Motta. This time the fire, although smaller, was much closer to the inhabited areas of the town. With Trickel’s approval, three vehicles were sent and six more firefighters from Sigonella got the opportunity to work with their local counterparts.

“Though we won’t always be able to respond, we are very happy to assist when we can,” said John Ogletree, NAS Sigonella Acting Fire Chief.

“Of course the safety of the base and the success of NAS Sigonella’s mission comes first, but part of that is ensuring the surrounding areas also stay safe.”

Due to its proximity to NAS Sigonella, Motta is a popular place for American personnel to live, and to frequent for shopping and dining.

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.

SIGONELLA, Sicily (July 22, 2018) Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 2nd Class Daniel Heard and Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 1st Class Kira Edgehill assigned to the Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella Fire and Emergency Services Department assist the Province of Catania fire department in fighting a fire near the town of Motta Sant’Anastasia. (U.S. Navy photo by Assistant Fire Chief Lucas Lechtenberg)

JULY 27, 2018

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NAS Sigonella FCPOA Hosts Mentorship Fair

By MC2 Christopher Gordon NAS Sigonella Public Affairs

NAS SIGONELLA, Sicily – Service members and civilians onboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella participated in a mentorship fair hosted by the First Class Petty Officer Association (FCPOA) on the turf field, July 20.

The event was designed to bring Sailors together with mentors and also introduce existing community resources like the Navy College office and Navy Federal Credit Union.

“Having an event like this helps Sailors meet people throughout the community that could help them with their career and personal life,” said Information System Technician First Class Krystal Landrovediaz, the mentorship fair coordinator. “Some Sailors are a part of small tenant commands so this is a good way for them to meet people throughout the community that they normally wouldn’t see.”

As an incentive to get more participation

and have a little fun, everyone who entered the turf field was given a punch card. If the participant got 12 stamps from the different tables, or did activities like playing a sport or buying food from one of the food stands present, then that Sailor was placed in a raffle. A cooler set, gift cards for the NEX, and movie and bowling passes were raffled away.

“I got a lot of valuable information; there were a lot of things I thought I knew but I didn’t actually know,” said Master-at-Arms 3rd Class Nicole Rivera, a participant at the mentorship fair. “But most importantly, I met a lot of people that I think would be really good mentors.”

According to Navy.mil, mentoring is a developmental relationship, one that permits mentors to become invested in the career progression and development of the protégé and often provide essential functions such as counsel, challenge, and support. Oftentimes mentorship becomes enduring friendships even after the active phase of the relationship has ended.

SIGONELLA, Sicily (July 20, 2018) Master-at-Arms 3rd Class Nicole Rivera answers a question about the Blended Retirement System (BRS) in order to win a popsicle during the First Class Petty Officer Association (FCPOA) mentorship fair onboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella.

NAS Sigonella is an operational ashore base that enables U.S., allied, and partner nation forces to be where they are needed and when they are needed to ensure security and stability in Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Christopher Gordon)

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JULY 27, 2018

Savoca, on the Tracks of Coppola’s Godfather

By Alberto Lunetta NAS Sigonella Public Affairs

Maria set up the tables as usual, smiling at any tourist passing by “Bar Vitelli,” a retro-fashioned café she owns in the historic heart of Savoca. The bar’s name that used to be D’Arrigo (Maria’s family name) was later changed after Francis Ford Coppola chose it as a setting for “The Godfather.”

Even though Maria noticed that you were not interested in sipping a cappuccino or a delicious granita, she would graciously invite you anyway to sit down and chat with her. When you took a look inside, you realized this café is a real movie museum as she proudly showed you pictures and mementos from those summer days in 1971 when one of the most famous Hollywood directors and a few excellent actors were her guests.

Savoca was preferred over Corleone for the location to shoot the Godfather scenes of Michael’s (Al Pacino) trip to Sicily. The sign at the entrance of the town that says “Savoca” was replaced with another in which “Corleone” was written. Easily done, as the two towns look similar; they both fascinate their visitors as they represent a typical Sicilian inland burgh.

The story of Bar Vitelli is double linked with the life of Maria who passed away in 2009 when she was 86 year old. Maria, who was nicknamed “the Godfather’s woman,” was one of the most generous women in the area, as she would always buy drinks for friends and visitors. She was proud to offer her traditional delicious “granita di limone”, Sicily’s centuries-old icy delicacy which she use to make in the traditional way. She never got married and had no children. At the end of the Godfather’s filming, Coppola left a blank check for her over the café’s counter but she politely gave it back.

I met her years ago for an interview and I still vividly remember her enthusiasm and passion about her great customer service activity.

“Every year, tourists and media from all over the world visit my bar including many Hollywood stars. Everybody is welcome here. This café is all my life. Sometimes I think I am too old and I should shut it down for good. But the warmth I feel from the people of Savoca and the thousands of tourists who encourage me to go on and keep alive this fascinating corner of Sicily, which is part of the history of Hollywood, gives me the strength to stay open forever,” Maria said.

Besides being a famous shooting location for Godfather’s scenes, Savoca is also a picturesque hilltop Sicilian village located in the Messina province. It lies atop a 303-meter rock above the sea level, as the saying goes:“Supra na rocca Sauca sta, setti facci sempri fa” which means that Savoca and its residents “always show seven faces.” This is because each corner of its territory shows a different and magnificent view such as the sea, Mount Etna, the surrounding valleys and the coasts of the Calabrian peninsula. Strolling through Savoca is like looking through colored windows.

As for Savoca inhabitants, stories say they are cunning people as documented by many historic accounts. According to historians, one among the most reliable stories describes when Savoca people stole a painting depicting St. Michael the Archangel that was being carried in procession in the neighboring town of Forza d’Agrò and brought it to the church of St. Michael in Savoca.

As a result of this incident, the relationships between the two towns became harsh. After some time, Savoca residents tried to make peace with their neighbors by inviting them to a lavish banquet. But even on this occasion, Savoca residents tricked again their unaware guests as they served them dog meat while they enjoyed delicious beefsteaks! Whether or not those stories are true it is difficult to say but they certainly tell us about ancient rivalries between the Sicilian towns.

The name “Savoca” derives from “Sabak” which in Arabic means “uniting.” Historians say the Saracens unified under the district of Savoca several surrounding castles. The town was also elected as an important religious center as it was the see of an “archimandrite,” a high-ranking cleric who was the head of a group of monasteries. Norman Count Roger founded the city in 1072, building a fortress, which no longer exists, atop an ancient Roman site.

At the end of the 16th century, when the town had an estimated 5,000 residents, Savoca boasted 17 churches, which are still well preserved. Among them, the most important is the Chiesa Madre, or main church. It was built in 1163 and has a beautiful Renaissance rose window on the portal. The church

"ITALIAN NEWS" continued on Page 14

Bar Vitelli, one of the most famous cafés in Sicily, is known around the world for being one of the shooting locations of the movie “The Godfather” by Francis Ford Coppola. It is located in an old aristocratic 18th century Sicilian building owned by the Trimarchi family and restored in 1773. The café is one of the highlights of the many “Godfather Tours”, as it still preserves the original atmosphere. (Photo by Alberto Lunetta)

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The Planning of Operation Husky—Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures

By MC2 Raymond Minami Defense Media Activity

War breeds unlikely relationships and alliances, usually determined by the old saying, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend." Most of the early war period had American forces focused on German and Japanese forces.

However, during times of war, preparation is key, and several members within the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) noted the lack of intel in the Mediterranean and began a mission to increase their knowledge of the area using an unlikely source: the Sicilian and Italian crime families of New York. The unlikely paring led to an increase in intelligence gathering and would arguably play a small part in the successful Allied invasion of Sicily in 1943.

The Navy's involvement with organized crime during World War II was dubbed "Operation Underworld," a wartime cooperation between elements of the U.S. Navy and the American Mafia. The goal of the intelligence collected from Underworld was twofold: to gain a better understanding of the area and to assist with patrolling the New York coastline.

In February 1942 there was a fire on SS Normandie which sparked an increased desire for more and better intelligence gathering.

"A ship in New York harbor was burned, it was the SS Normandie," said U.S. Navy History and Heritage Command Historian Matthew Cheser.

"There was a question of who burned it, whether it was organized crime in New York trying to get the Navy's attention. There's been talk of German sabotage, but I believe an after- war investigation said there was no sabotage

by Germans or by the Mafia. However, after the burning of Normandie, certain elements of the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) in New York started cooperating with organized crime."

The fire on SS Normandie, which was being converted to Navy Auxiliary Lafayette, and the repeated hassling of U.S.-flagged supply ships suffering German U-boat attacks off the New York coast, led ONI to believe rumors that there were Nazi and fascist sym-

pathizers living in New York. ONI believed that if this was true, they were possibly supplying enemy submarines with fuel and supplies via fishing vessels to maintain their secret blockade of northeastern American ports.

It was well known at the time that underworld societies and mischiefmakers had influence over the ports of New York. ONI's third district office was based in Manhattan and led by Lt. Cmdr. Charles Haffenden. Haffenden used his knowledge of the city and its inhabitants and began to seek out representatives of the American Mafia to find a solution to the Navy's problems.

"Haffenden made a connection with the underworld personality, Joe 'Socks' Lanza," said Cheser. "Through Lanza, ONI monitored the New York waterfront and the surrounding areas."

Among numerous cooperation initiatives, the mafia helped ONI agents join the United Seafood Workers Union in order to operate and collect information on docks and fishing vessels, without drawing attention from the civilians not aware of the cooperation efforts.

"In an attempt to combat foul-play off the waters of New York, ONI began working with individuals on the waterfront to try and spot any U-boats or any axis collaborators and try to root them out," said Cheser. "It came to the point where the Navy was putting intelligence officers on fishing boats through the union to better monitor was happening in the water. Cooperation with organized crime helped to get ONI a greater level of access to sources of information throughout the city."

As the war progressed, the U.S. was planning Operation Husky, the allied invasion of Sicily. The Navy wanted to collect as much information as possible about the island of Sicily, where the invasion would begin. Because much of the focus up to that point in the war had been on Japan, the U.S. didn't have much intelligence on Italy and Sicily.

To fill intelligence gaps, ONI worked with the Sicilian communities residing in the U.S. Cheser explained that the Navy hoped that through another underworld source, Charles "Lucky" Luciano, they would be able to make contacts in

Sicily or find people who knew about Sicily, how much it actually helped however is debatable.

"To gain access to those communities, Lanza said that he could get ONI in contact with Charles 'Lucky' Luciano, who was extremely influential in organized crime in the United States, he was the head of The Commission, which ran organized crime in New York."

Luciano was being held in a maximum security prison in Northern New York, when the Navy sought him out, serving time for crimes committed before the war began. In order to better assist the government, in May 1942 Luciano was transferred to Great Meadow Prison in Comstock, New York. Now positioned much closer to Manhattan, the Navy asked Luciano for help, first on issues related to the waterfront, and later in obtaining sources with knowledge of Sicily, to which he agreed. Although the government did not offer Luciano any guarantee of early release or parole, the mobster's lawyer advised him to cooperate, on the hope that his assistance could later facilitate his release.

Information concerning Italy, including pictures of the Sicilian coastline and corrections to existing incorrect naval maps of Sicily, was needed.

"Using Luciano's name and influence, the ONI investigators could make contacts with the community to ask these questions," said Cheser.

Operation Husky and the allied invasion of Sicily began in July 1943.

"In the lead-up to the invasion, ONI

sent the ground level intelligence officers from New York who had worked with the sources in New York to the Mediterranean. This included the most famous Paul Alfieri," said Cheser.

"Alfieri goes in with the invasion and obtained extremely important documents behind enemy lines. There was talk about this being a result of a cooperation with the local contacts that came from [Operation Underworld].

This information was extremely valuable, and he ends up being awarded the Legion of Merit for his contribution."

The invasion involved not only Americans like Alfieri, but forces from the United Kingdom, Canada and a token Free French contribution as well.

Cheser describes Operation Husky as the result of a compromise between American forces, who wanted to focus more on the war in the Pacific and on an invasion in northern Europe, and the British forces who wanted to open a new front in the Mediterranean. The Western allies ultimately agreed on an invasion in the Mediterranean to relieve pressure on the Soviet Union, which at the time that was the lone Allied power engaging Axis ground forces in Europe. They also hoped to put pressure on Italy's unpopular government, intending to hasten its collapse.

With the help of intelligence collected throughout the war, the allies brought special equipment to help with the difficult terrain of the Sicilian southern coast. Some of the equip-

"Operation Husky" continued on Page 15

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Sigonella Participates in Reg

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gional Security Assessment

Photos by MC2 Christopher Gordon, NAS Sigonella Public Affairs

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JULY 27, 2018

NAS SIGONELLA COMMUNITY PAGE All Hands News Bulletin:

NATIONAL NIGHT OUT

Command, Department or Organization: NASSIG Security Department Date of Event: 07 August 2018 Time of Event: 1700 - 2000 Location of Event: Marinai Soccer/ Softball Field Point of Contact Name: MAC Ronny Metzger Point of Contact Phone Number: 624-2784 or 349-782-9264 Point of Contact Email Address: ronny.metzger@eu.navy.mil Additional Information: Please come join us in Marinai for National Night Out 2018 on August 7th, beginning at 1700!

National Night Out is a great opportunity to raise community awareness about crime prevention and public safety. This year's National Night Out event will commence with our parade beginning at the Marinai Youth Center (1700) and ending at the parking area near the soccer field. The parade will include military, law enforcement cars and motorcycles, fire trucks, military working dogs, U.S. Marines, and Local National law enforcement agencies. As always, there will be free food at the event, but only as supplies last. We'll also have activities for all ages including bounce houses, NEX sponsored raffle, weapons displays, dunk tank, Scruff McGruff and much, much more!

There will also be several outstanding demonstrations from our Security K9 Team and their host nation counterparts.

This year's National Night Out event is going to top all others. Join us for a great event in Marinai, on 07AUG15 at 1700.

NEX AND MINI MART ADJUSTED HOURS Command, Department or Organization: NEX Date of Event: July 28-30 • Location of Event Navy Exchange NAS 1 and NAS 2 Point of Contact Name: John Sisson • Point of Contact Phone Number: 624-4379 Point of Contact Email Address: john.sisson@nexweb.org Additional Information: The Navy Exchange Sigonella Complex will be conducting its Annual Physical at all locations between Saturday 28 July and Monday 30 July. Please note adjustments to operating hours below: Saturday 28 July: NAS 2 Mini Mart will close at 16:00. (Regular Hours at NAS 1 Main Store.)

Monday 30 July: NAS 1 Main Store CLOSED for Inventory. (Regular hours at Mini Mart on NAS 2.)

Sigonella Religious Ministries Department Worship Services NAS 1 Tuesday Protestant Women of the Chapel: 0900-1100 Daily Mass: 1130-1200 Chapel Youth Middle School: 1445-1615 AWANA: 1645-1900 Wednesday Protestant Men of the Chapel: Daily Mass:

0600-0700 1130-1200

Thursday 1330-1500 Chapel Youth High School: Choir Practice: 1545-1700 The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults: 1800-2030 Friday Daily Mass: 1130-1200 First Friday Mass and Holy Hour: 1700-1830

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

Saturday First Saturday Rosary and Mass:

1100-1200

Sunday Catholic Mass: 0900-1000 Catholic Religious Education: 1045-1200 1100-1200 Protestant Service: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints: 1330-1600

NAS 2 Tuesday AA: 1730-1830 Wednesday Protestant Women of the Chapel: 1830-2100 Thursday Daily Mass:

1130-1200

Weekly Traffic Report: July 16 - July 23, 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.

JULY 27, 2018

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GAMEZONE FORK ICE PICK ICICLE JAVELIN KNIFE NAIL NOSE PENCIL PINE NEEDLE POINTER STICK PYRAMID QUILL RHINOCEROS HORN ROCKET SCALPEL SCISSORS

SEWING NEEDLE SHARK TOOTH SHERIFF'S BADGE SPEAR SPIKE STAPLE STAR STYLUS SWORD THORN THUMBTACK TOOTHPICK TRIANGLE TRIDENT VULCAN EAR WOODEN STAKE

MEDIUM

ANTENNA ANTLER ARGUMENT ARROW BACKGAMMON BOARD BALLPEN BEAK BIRD TALON COMPASS CONE CORKSCREW CRAYON DART DECIMAL FINGER FISH HOOK

EASY

Find and circle all of the things with points that are hidden in the grid.

The remaining letters spell a secret message.

DIFFICULT

What's the Point?

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PAGE 14 "ITALIAN NEWS" continued from Page 6 basement housed the site in which the Capuchin friars used to perform mummification, according to a method of Egyptian origin that took sixty days to perform. If you think it isn’t too spooky, go ahead and visit it. Thirty-four embalmed bodies of 19th century nobles, lawyers and monks are permanently displayed inside a crypt within the 16th century Capuchin Convent which is open every day. Admission is free although donations are accepted.

The Capuchin Convent, built in 1603 and dedicated to Saint Francis, houses several painting works of great historical and artistic value such as the canvas of “Madonna di Loreto” (16th century) and the canvas of “Madonna e il Bambino tra gli angeli con San Francesco e Santa Chiara” (1661). The first one has been nicknamed “Holy Mary of the water”, who was invoked for rain during the periods of great drought. The second work, placed on the main altar, represents the Madonna with the child Jesus in her arms, surrounded by Saint Francis and Saint Chiara, while she blesses the city of Savoca.

The City Museum is also worth a visit. It features agriculture implements used by peasants in 19th century Savoca and showcases a rich collection of objects such as clothes, armorial bearings, and documents that belonged to the local aristocratic families from the time. The Museo is open every morning except Monday from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and in the afternoon, from 4 to 8 p.m.

If you are planning to visit Savoca in the evening, don’t forget to taste the “Pani cunzato” (freshly baked bread dressed with olive oil, oregano, cheese, tomato, anchovies and anything else you like!) Some bakeries and deli shops in the area stay open until late night.

Savoca can be reached by exiting Roccalumera on the Catania Messina A-18 highway. Drive through Furci Siculo and then Santa Teresa di Riva until you get to the intersection where you will find a sign that says “Savoca.”

Take it and drive up to the hills for about two miles. Once you arrive in Savoca, it is advisable you park outside the city, as the streets are narrow and parking is not permitted in many areas. For more information, visit http://www. comunesavoca.gov.it/turismo/ tradizioni/.

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JULY 27, 2018 "Operation Husky" cont’d from Page 6 ment utilized was portable pontoon causeways to land forces further out to sea past naturally occurring sand bars. These would provide passage from the false beaches that would foul and trap heavier landing craft while approaching the shore. The troops could then pass from the false beaches to shore on the causeways.

Once the allies began their invasion they were met by enemy forces.

"Italian Command stationed local Sicilian coastal divisions to oppose the landing," said Cheser. "These coastal divisions mostly surrendered or didn't put up much of a resistance.

The real problem came on the second day of the Operation Husky landing, when the German armored divisions on the island came down on the landing sites."

As Cheser describes the events, columns of tanks approached the American beachhead at Gela; however, U.S. Navy gun support, army divisional artillery, and American infantry divisions held off the German counter attack and were able to hold their beachhead and from there move inland. The invasion of Sicily (Invasion of Italy would come later) lasted for another month, ending August 17 with the capture

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of Messina.

In the end, Operation Husky was considered a success and was the beginning of largescale fighting for the Western allies in Europe.

Lessons learned from the amphibious assault of Sicily were later applied to landings in Italy and the D-Day invasions of France. After World War II ended, so did the Navy's cooperation with the mafia.

Though post-war studies debate the value of mafia assistance to the allied cause, Cheser makes reference to a letter Haffenden wrote late in the war to the New York State Government dealing with Luciano's case. In the letter, Haffenden, the ONI district head, revealed Luciano's assistance, claimed that it was important in the development of intelligence leading up to Operation Husky, and supported the mobster's parole. The letter's existence was later revealed by a New York State investigation and embroiled the Navy in scandal. Whether or not Haffenden's letter was a primary reason for Luciano gaining parole is a point of contention.

Post-war investigations show definitively that ONI sought Luciano's assistance and used it. To what extent that assistance was helpful is unknown. Luciano was paroled in January 1946 and deported to Italy in February.

NEX Customers Support Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society

In June, Rear Adm. Robert J. Bianchi (Ret), Chief Executive Officer, Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM) presented a check for $241,030 to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS), representing money donated by NEX customers during a fund drive held this April.

Since 2011, NEXCOM has been partnering with NMCRS on an annual fund raising effort, raising nearly $2 million in donations through this effort. This year, in return for a $5 donation to the NMCRS, customers received a card that entitled them to specific discounts for a one-time purchase at the NEX. (Photo by NEXCOM)

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