Serving the NATO, Naples and Gaeta Military Community in Italy
61th year, No. 5
Friday, February 5, 2016
Eagle Scout Projects Help Renovate Thrift Shop By MC1 Daniel Barker NSA Public Affairs
The Thrift Shop on NSA Naples Support Site is undergoing a facelift, thanks in part to Troop 007 Boy Scout Eagle projects. The Thrift Shop is a community resource that relies on donations and volunteer efforts that give back to the local community. “Basically what we are trying to do is just rejuvenate and breathe new life into the thrift store,” Store Manager Melanie Brokoski said. “The Thrift Shop serves a huge service to the community. We are a huge recycler of everything. If we weren’t here, all of this would go into a trash dump.” Operated by the NOSC, the Thrift Shop also contributes to Department of Defense school organizations, clubs and sports teams in addition to offering support for community events, USO, MWR and Navy and Marine Corps Relief Society. Other programs include the Gift Basket Program, Free Book Program, SOY Support and Personal Emergency Fund. “From the profits we make we contribute to the community. Last year we gave
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg
NATO Secretary General Describes State of the Alliance Life Scout Jacob Kemp, 13, of Boy Scout Troop 007, renovates bookshelves as part of his Eagle Scout Service Project at the Thrift Shop onboard NSA Naples Support Site. Photo by MC1 Daniel Barker
in excess of $40,000 to local scholarships and then we gave additional funds to different local organizations like children’s basketball and the Boy Scouts. This is a huge community part that some people don’t even know exists,” added Brokoski. Jacob Kemp, 13, an Eagle Scout Candidate has been working to help Brokoski renovate the Thrift Shop
through his Eagle Scout Service Project. “Recently we have been working on painting the walls, repairing and building things like bookcases,” Kemp said. “Later we will finish organizing donated books; some will go on the bookcases for sale, others we will deliver to area organizations like the hospital and bachelor housing.” Kemp along with fellow
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The NATO alliance has been challenged in the past year, but the alliance’s 28 member nations are responding, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in Brussels on January 28. The secretary general briefed the press as part of his annual report on the alliance. No one can ignore the challenges, he said. “We saw this in the brutal terrorist attacks in our cities and in the biggest refugee crisis in Europe since World War II,” he said. “We also saw it in Russia’s continued actions in Ukraine and its recent military build-up in Syria and the Eastern Mediterranean.” But, he noted, NATO countries rose to face these challenges together. “We implemented the greatest strengthening of our collective defense since the end of the Cold War,” Stoltenberg said. “And cuts in defense spending among European allies have now practically stopped.” Since the end of the Cold War, NATO allies aimed at 2 percent of gross domestic product being spent on security. Few countries managed that – the United States being one. Now the defense cuts have stopped and seem to be reversing, Stoltenberg said. “In 2015, defense cuts were close to zero,” the secretary general said. “Five allies now meet our guideline on spending 2 percent of GDP or more on defense. Sixteen allies spent more on defense in real terms in 2015, and 23 allies increased the amount they are spending on new equipment.”
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NATO SECRETARY GENERAL Page 11
Eagle Scout candidate James Clove, also age 13, have both selected the Thrift Shop for their Eagle Scout Service Project. The Eagle project requires a significant amount of time and effort on the Scout’s part to successfully complete. The Thift Store is located at NSA Naples Support Site Building 2088, next to the Veterinary Clinic and behind the Fire Station.
Carnevale and San Valentino Countdown Underway Italians side-step winter with carnival colors and revelry at these locales.
By Lou Freed
This weekend, renowned Italian Carnevale destinations are set to stage exuberant programs leading up to Fat Tuesday on February 9, with grand allegorical float and costume parades teeming with merrymakers and music. Take at least a camera to capture the clamorous entertainment and chromatic intensity at this pre-Easter tradition. Once Carnevale’s sights and sounds fade away, sit back, relax and re-charge for sedate Valentine’s Day events. Carnevale Add an extra dimension to your European memories by experiencing how
Northern Italy Ivrea in Piemonte region celebrates Carnevale with a unique “Battle of Oranges” to symbolically reenact a medieval revolt against oppressors. For details visit http://www.storicocarnevaleivrea.it/ Meanwhile, Venice in Veneto region boasts elegant, outrageous costumes plus masks for the event, besides programming exclusive and extravagant masquerade balls. For details visit http://www.carnevale.venezia.it/ Heading towards Viareggio in Tuscany region, the city spells fun with
mammoth-sized floats and puppets satirizing celebrities and politicians or promoting a worthy cause or protesting a situation. For details visit http://viareggio.ilcarnevale.com/ Southern Italy Both Putignano in Puglia region and Acireale in Sicily explode and regale with monstrous allegorical floats, fascinating costume parades, competitions and loads of musical entertainment. For the Putignano events, visit http://www.carnevalediputignano.it/ and for Acireale, visit http://www.carnevaleacireale.info CARNEVALE Page 11 CAPTAIN’S CORNER. . . . . . . . . 2 BASE NOTES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 NAVY HISTORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 FFSC CALENDAR . . . . . . . . . . . 5 SOUND OFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 MOVIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 JOBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
70% NAVY COOL APP NOW AVAILABLE . . . . . page 5
DENTAL HEALTH MONTH . . . .page 14
By Jim Garamone DoD News