June 30, 2017• VOL. 74 • NO. 44• NAVY.MIL/LOCAL/GUANTANAMO • FACEBOOK.COM/NSGuantanamoBay
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CYP Goes to Boys and Girls State
PAGE 2• THE GUANTANAMO BAY GAZETTE
Great Navy Campout Under the Stars
by Bill Mittenzwey, School Liason Officer
Nine members of the W.T. Sampson High School junior class were invited to attend the Boys State and Girls State Programs in Kentucky, an adventure which began when the group boarded the rotator, June 2. The entire trip was made possible by Naval Station Guantanamo Bay’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) Child and Youth Program (CYP). Riley Yeich, Ra’Mya Ricks, Deidre Johnson, Isabel Quiroz, and Veronica Engel attended the Girls State down in Williamsburg, Kentucky, while Shaher Ghueim, Conor O,Leary, Cameron Davila, and Kristian Sapien went north to Campbellsville. The girls’ and boys’ programs were structured differently and there appeared to be more opportunities for the boys to run for offices. The Boys State offices mirrored the Kentucky State Government offices and the boys had to declare their candidacy and be voted into these positions. Shaher was elected the Mayor of his Boys State City, and also elected to the Boys State Senate and again to the position of Secretary of the Senate. Conor O’Leary, was also elected to the State Senate and received the distinction as the best overall senator for his party. Christian Sapien was awarded the newest honor, Boys VOL. 74 • NO. 44
COMMANDING OFFICER EXECUTIVE OFFICER COMMAND MASTER CHIEF
Naval Station Guantanamo Bay’s (NSGB) Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) participated in the second annual Great Navy Campout, June 24, at Cooper Field. “It was fun camping on the football field,” said Dominic Sapien, event attendee. “My family had a good time. It was a unique opportunity to be able to participate.” During the event, NSGB’s community members learned about the dos and don’ts of camping during Camping 101, while also having the opportunity to sleep under the stars. “The goal of the Great Navy Campout is to get service members and their families outside to enjoy the great outdoors,” said Christina Neumann, MWR Outdoor Recreation manager. According to one event attendee, it was a great event that motivated attendees to try camping on their own and set
State International Ambassador as well as being chosen to Clerk the General Assembly where bills were presented, debated and voted upon. Cameron Davila had the distinction of writing and presenting his bill that was presented to and passed by the Senate and made into law. The programs’ events culminated in all of the students visiting the state capitol, where they were presented Commonwealth Ambassador awards from the Kentucky Secretary of State’s office. In both programs, the students had opportunities that could not be matched in any classroom. Hands-on government experience over the course of a back-toback work week left our kids tired, but proud.
Guantanamo Bay Gazette
CAPT. DAVID CULPEPPER CMDR. DENNIS MOJICA CMDCM (SW/AW) THOMAS MACE
by MC1 John Philip Wagner, Jr., NAVSTA PAO
PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER PHOTOJOURNALIST EDITOR/LAYOUT
NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA
MS. JULIE ANN RIPLEY MA1 MEAGANN FOSTER MC2 JOHN PHILIP WAGNER, JR.
The Guantanamo Bay Gazette is an authorized publication for members of the military services and their families stationed at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Navy, and do not imply endorsement thereof. The editorial content is prepared, edited and provided by the Public Affairs Office of U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. The Guantanamo Bay Gazette is printed by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Document Services with a circulation of 535.
June 30, 2017• PAGE 3
up their own camp site. NSGB has abundant opportunities to be outdoors and enjoying the base, including activities such as camping, fishing, hiking, kyaaking, boating, swimming, snorkeling and diving, as well as the many sports teams and fitness events that take place on base. “During the summer-long season, NSGB families are encouraged to get outside and enjoy GTMO’s great escapes,” said Neumann. MWR will have events throughout the summer to get people to enjoy the base, such as paddle board excursions on the bay, photography hikes, and other events. “If patrons participate in events during the summer, they will receive raffle tickets for a drawing at the end of the summer,” said Neumann. “Our grand prize will be our glamping package, a safari tent set up by our MWR staff at a site of the winner’s choice.”
New Bayview Brings Touch of Class
by MA1 Meagann Foster, NSGB PAO
The Bayview restaurant is Guantanamo Bay’s equivalent of New York City’s Tavern on the Green. It feels more upscale than other available dining options and seems like a bit of an escape from the norm. Last week, the Bayview hosted several pre-opening six course dinners for selected guests. Thankfully, I responded first to the invitation, so I was one of those lucky guests. The dishes were prepared by Scott Houser, the head chef of the Bayview, who did a phenomenal job with our limited food supplies available here. The first course was a spicy hummus from the appetizer selection. Unlike regular hummus which is traditionally prepared with chick peas, Scott’s take on this included a base of white beans with a kick of sriracha, served with pita slices. As someone who was stationed in the Middle East, I was worried about starting with hummus, as I have honestly been hummus-ed out. However, the white beans made the hummus less hummus-y and more of a light bean dip, which I greatly appreciated. The second course, also from the appetizer section, was the sweet chili shrimp, which consisted of crispy shrimp in a sweet chili sauce garnished with cilantro. The name of the dish didn’t lie; simple, yet so good. The Bayview salad was explained before we were
allowed to eat it, due to the “melted roma tomato” which we concluded seemed a bit lost in a salad that was so fresh. Suggestions of not melting the tomato, or simply removing it, were met with a positive concurrence from the staff. The melted tomato would have performed much better in the soup course, where we were served a light, but somehow decadent, tomato bisque. This simple soup consisted of basil, cream, a parmesan tuille (cheese crouton) and you guessed it- tomatoes. The parmesan tuille stole the show and, if I were served a whole bowl of only that, I would’ve been happy. The pasta course consisted of a Bolognese where the fresh chiffonade basil tied the dish together. Following was the entrée. We were served the market fish, which was a seared snapper, served on a bed of whipped yukon potatoes with a caper-dill sauce. I was hoping for a dessert course, but as with most things in life, hoping alone didn’t make it happen and all good things must come to an end. Thankfully, the Bayview will be serving dessert once the restaurant officially opens, set for tonight, June 30. You can try for these dishes and many more for yourself on Fridays and Saturdays from 5-9 pm. Morale, Welfare and Recreation has proven that with the help of a head chef as talented as Scott Houser, luxury in the form of food is possible in Guantanamo Bay.
Crews Prepare for Worst Case photos and Story by MC1 John Philip Wagner, Jr., NAVSTA PAO
Emergency responders from the Naval Station Guantanamo Bay (NSGB) Fire Department, Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay (NHGB) Emergency Medical teams, and the NSGB Emergency Operations Center (EOC) participated in an airfield aircraft incident drill, June 22. The drill was held to test the team’s ability to respond to an incident, extinguish the simulated aircraft fire, and evacuate and transport the simulated victims to NHGB for treatment. “The drill is actually fairly new,” said Lt. Clay Arthur, NSGB training officer. “This is the first time we have actually done one of these drills in realtime, but we plan to do these drills three times a year.” The drill consisted of a simulated aircraft inbound with an in-flight emergency resulting from the plane sustaining an engine fire prior to landing. “They gave us about an eight minute heads up that they were coming inbound and they were going to need the crash crew on standby,” said Arthur. “That was the scenario of what we were trying to test the response time of the crash crew (ambulance , EMT’s, fire and rescue) and coordinate with the hospital so that we can get transportation from the crash site to the actual hospital so everyone onboard
would get treated.” The goal of drills like this is to ensure all parties involved are able to respond in a safe, efficient manner and have the ability to work together to accomplish the goal of saving the lives of those passengers that might be on the plane. “The main thing these drills accomplish is to provide a real life scenario so that any type of responder that is going to be associated with this crash is tested,” said Arthur. “The biggest thing is, if we get into a real world situation like this we want to be able to respond as quickly as possible to ensure the survival of the plane’s occupants.” One other major goal of the drill is to evaluate the situation, establish communications, and implement controls so that the team can respond in a more efficient manner during any future drill or real world event. I feel that the drill went real well; it’s one team, one fight,” said Arthur. “Everyone that participated in the drill gave their best effort in the heat while we were training. I just want to thank everyone for coming out and taking this drill as serious as possible to an actual event. We are looking forward to the next drill and everyone being more proficient.”
2016 Drinking Water Quality
PAGE 6• THE GUANTANAMO BAY GAZETTE
The annual report on the quality of water delivered by the U. S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay (NSGB has been released. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay’s water is in compliance with the Overseas Environmental Baseline Guidance Document (OEBGD) and the Final Governing Standards (FGS) for Cuba. The base’s raw salt water supply is drawn from Guantanamo Bay, approximately 160 feet north of the Desalinization Water and Power Compound, and is turned into drinking water through reverse osmosis. The drinking water may be expected to contain a small amount of contaminants and does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking water hotline at 1-800-426-4791. You can find out more information about this report by contacting the Public Works Environmental office at extension 5625 or by viewing details of the report at:
https://cnic.navy.mil/content/dam/cnic/cnrse/NSGuantanamoBay/CCR_2016.pdf
Staying Safe in the Heat When the body is unable to cool itself by sweating, several heat-induced illnesses such as heat stress, heat exhaustion, or heat stroke can occur, with the last being capable of resulting in death. Factors Leading to Heat Stress High temperature, humidity, direct sun or heat, limited air movement, physical exertion, poor physical condition, some medicines, and inadequate tolerance for hot work places How to Prevent Heat Stress • Wear Sunglasses • Wear loose-fitting, lightweight clothing • Drink plenty of water • Wear a large-brimmed hat • Apply sunscreen (at least SPF 15) regularly • Use a beach umbrella to provide shade • Avoid alcohol • Seek medical attention immediately if showing symptoms Symptoms of Heat Exhaustion • Headaches, dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting • Weakness and moist skin • Mood changes such as irritability or confusion • Upset stomach or vomiting Symptoms of Heat Stroke • Dry, hot skin with no swewating • Mental confusion or losing consciousness • Seizures or fits What to Do for Heat-Related Illness • Call 9-1-1 (or local emergency number) at once While waiting for help to arrive: • Move the person to a cool, shaded area • Loosen or remove heavy clothing • Provide cool drinking water • Fan and mist the person with water
10 Tent Tips for Happy Camping 1. Tuck the edges of your ground cloth under your tent so water dripping off the rainfly won’t collect and pool underneath. Or, buy a footprint, a ground cloth made to fit the tent floor without extending beyond the fly. 2. Stake out your rainfly using a handy taut-line hitch. Loop the guyline around a tent stake. Bring the end under and over the tight line and twice through the loop you just made. Then, again, bring the end of the rope under, over and through the new loop you formed, and slide up on the line until the knot holds. 3. No stakes? If you have stuff sacks handy, fill them with rocks and attach to the guylines. At the beach? Fill the sacks with sand and bury them. 4. On snow, anchor your tent by burying a trekking pole or ice axe “deadman” style. Tie into the center of the pole or axe, then bury it so that the line and stake form a “T”. Be sure to bury several feet deep or they can melt out. 5. Many tents have two grommets at the corner stake-out tabs. Poles normally fit snugly in the outer grommets when you set up the tent. When wet, the tabs can stretch and allow the walls to droop. Move the poles to the inner grommets to restore the nice taut pitch. 6. Travel light! Carry just the poles, fly and footprint. This setup won’t fend off mosquitoes, but it’s cool and airy and will save room in your pack. 7. Outwit mosquitoes! (Wait, do mosquitoes have wits?) Anyway, in breezy weather, face your tent door into the wind. The buggers will be hiding on the downside of the tent to keep from being blown away, so your clever scheme will prevent them from following you in! 8. Always dry out your tent before packing to prevent smelly mildew! Too late? It’s possible to remove the odor by soaking the tent in a tubful of water and MiraZyme, or similar product, and hanging it out of direct sunlight to dry completely. 9. Shock-corded poles: Don’t shock the cords, man! Collapse poles starting in the middle, not the ends. And flinging poles like light sabers? Fail! 10. Each time you put your tent back in its stuff sack, fold it differently, or simply stuff it in. This helps prevent creases that can wear out the waterproof coatings.
CYP Director Recieves Regional Award By Naval Station Guantanamo Bay Public Affairs
Karen Sloan, Child and Youth Program director, won the nomination to compete for the Diane Long Spirit of Service Award at Commander, Navy Region Southeast. Sloan was chosen by Naval Station Guantanamo Bay’s Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) because of her strong leadership, attention to detail and deadlines, and her nurturing attitude towards the children in her program. “I can trust Karen completely,” said Tara Culbertson, MWR director. “She delivers an incredibly high volume of high quality work – all the time. Karen has faced so many challenges in her two tours here in GTMO,
but continues to create an attitude of calm and perseverance in CYP. The facilities issues have been enormous, but Karen dives in to face them, work toward solutions, and build partnerships with other departments.” Sloan has established a good rapport with colleagues, staff and patrons alike and has demonstrated follow through. In so doing, she has earned trust and support. “We often say “Guantanamo is unique,” and it really is,” said Culbertson. “Karen is terrific at finding creative solutions where none readily appear. She isn’t just someone to suggest ideas that don’t create work for herself, like a “good idea fairy” might. She is willing to commit her own time to helping, finding volunteers, researching options. She is a real asset to our team’s morale.”
NHGB Recieves Honors by Joycelyn Biggs, NHGB PAO
Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay earned the Navy Surgeon General’s Health Promotion and Wellness Blue H award, Gold Star level for the third consecutive year. The hospital received the award based on excellence in clinical primary prevention services, community health promotion, and medical staff health. Topics included alcohol abuse prevention, active lifestyle, injury prevention, nutrition, psychological health, sexual health, tobacco free living, and weight management. “We are doing the very best we can to educate and assist our community in maintaining a healthy lifestyle,” said Lt. Ayesha Edwards, NHGB clinical social worker. “This award speaks to that commitment.” The Blue H recognition can be attained at Gold Star, Silver Eagle, or Bronze Anchor level, with Gold Star being the highest level. Tacallie Robinson, a 2017 graduate of W.T. Sampson High
School, was impressed with the hospital’s achievement. “It’s great they obtained the highest level,” Robinson said. “It says to me that I am receiving care from people who are dedicated to my well-being.” Lt. Cmdr. Jacob Singer, NHGB health promotions officer, gives credit to the hard work of committee members. He said their commitment and drive led to high quality health promotions throughout the community. The Blue H award is managed by the Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center (NMCPHC) and is designed to encourage and reward the promotion of health in Navy and Marine Corps organizations. For additional information concerning Navy Medicine’s wellness programs, visit the Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center at www.med.navy. mil/sites/nmcphc/health-promotion.
NHGB/JMG Change of Command Joycelyn Biggs, NHGB PAO
Staff, family, friends, and distinguished guests watched as Capt. John C. Nicholson, prospective commanding officer, Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay and Joint Medical Group Joint Task Force Guantanamo, relieved Capt. David E. Jones, commanding officer, NHGB and JMG. The ceremony was held at NHGB Campos Circle on June 29. Rear Adm. Edward Cashman welcomed Nicholson to his new position and praised Jones for his remarkable performance in that role. “You and your teams faced operational and logistical challenges as well as administrative requirements, scrutiny, and expectations unlike anything in any other environment,” said Cashman. “You were consistently able to lead both your teams through a complex web of command relationships and requirements and keep them focused on what was important, to provide the best possible care and treatment.” Jones began his speech with words of appreciation to his staff. “Let me start with my sincerest thanks to the dedicated military, civilians, contractors and foreign nationals from Naval Hospital and Joint Medical Group active and reserve components for making this the best job I’ve ever had,” said Jones. “It has been my honor and privilege to serve with you.” Before releasing his authority to Nicholson, Jones officially recognized a group of Sailors. Hospital Corpsman Third Class Conchetta Dixon, Hospitalman Erica Barnes and Hospitalman Suriel Cruz were selected for meritorious promotion. As they stood, Jones invited the crowd to join him in congratulating the trio by applause. Jones assumed command on May 21, 2014. Under his leadership,
NHGB sustained 96 percent medical readiness for the base, the highest of the 20 activities assigned to Navy Medicine East. He also engaged Navy perinatal experts to review hospital birthing services, leading to the assignment of a second obstetrical nurse at the command and creating the framework for other prenatal facilities in remote locations. Additionally, Jones increased the number of certified emergency technicians and ambulance drivers by 80 percent, maintained Joint Commission accreditation and the Navy Surgeon General’s Blue H awardGold Star status, and provided care for the Navy’s only home health program. Nicholson, NHGB and JMG JTF’s incoming commanding officer, was previously the executive officer of U.S. Naval Hospital Guam. He is a native of Houston, Texas. Nicholson expressed excitement in accepting the new role and acknowledged accomplishments of the teams. “By every measure of success, you are just knocking it out of the ballpark every single day,” said Nicholson. “I pledge to you this morning to do my very best every day to honor the privilege of leadership of these two fine teams and to be worthy of your trust.” Nicholson went on to express his feelings concerning his new role. “To the crews of Naval Hospital and Joint Medical Group, I am honored and humbled to be your new Skipper,” said Nicholson. “I look forward to serving you and working alongside with you as we meet head-on the many requirements and challenges of our missions.”