January 22, 2016• VOL. 73 • NO. 02• NAVY.MIL/LOCAL/GUANTANAMO • FACEBOOK.COM/NSGuantanamoBay
NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA • PSC 1005 BOX 25 • FPO, AE 09593 • 011-5399-4520
NAVSTA Receives Retention Excellence Award
Naval Station Guantanamo Bay Commanding Officer Capt. David Culpepper, right, and Navy Counselor 1st Class Sean McCormick hoist the Retention Excellence Pennant. MC2 Kegan Kay Photojournalist
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aval Station (NS) Guantanamo Bay Commanding Officer Capt. David Culpepper and Navy Counselor 1st Class Sean McCormick, the installation Career Counselor raised the Retention Excellence Award pennant in honor of having earned the award during the 2015 fiscal year, at the Buckeley Hall flag pole, Jan. 13. According to the Navy message put out this past November, the annual Retention Excellence Award “recognizes superior accomplishment in executing programs and policies that best enable our sailors to succeed in their Navy careers and directly supports the concept of brilliant on the basics.” McCormick stated that being able to fly the new pennant is not the only recognizable sign that a command has received the award. The installation also is allowed to the paint their anchors gold thus paying homage to the award’s original name, the Golden Anchor Award. “I could not be prouder of the efforts of our Command Retention Team for bringing the Retention Excellence Award back to Guantanamo Bay,” remarked NS Guantanamo Bay Command Master Chief Rodd Tooker. “Being nominated and ultimately receiving this award reflects the efforts of Naval Station’s Leadership to ensure our Sailors have all the tools and knowledge to make an informed decision as to
their careers.” With less than a year onboard McCormick remarked how big of a milestone it is for him to be able to bring the pennant back to Guantanamo Bay. “My goal was to come into this command and meet all of the career development programs requirements and expectation so that we would be eligible to achieve this prestigious award,” reflected McCormick. “I feel exceptionally proud of the team that helped made it possible for us to do this.” With McCormick’s and the help of his team of highly trained departmental and divisional career counselors, the base was able to surpass the required average of a 51.3% with an overall reenlistment rate of 90%. “It is not a goal but a by-product of taking care of our Sailors,” said McCormick. “We just need to address our Sailors needs. Take care of them every step of the way. Keep the ones that want to stay in and allow the ones that want to transition to go along.” “Our department and command career counselors as well as every leader from the First Class Mess, Chiefs, and Wardroom are responsible for Sailor development and it is readily apparent that this Team is doing it right,” concluded Tooker.
PAGE 2• THE GUANTANAMO BAY GAZETTE
NS Guantanamo Bay Commanding Officer, Capt. David Culpepper congratulates NC1 McCormick on his selection as Sailor of the Week.
NC1 SEAN MCCORMICK
■Job/Department: Command Career Counselor/ ADMIN ■Age: 37 ■Hometown: Clarksville, TN ■Ambition/goal: To make my parents proud of me. Earn my college degree; advance to CPO; raise a wonderful family and be the best husband to my wife, Carrie. ■Book: “Watership Down” by Richard Adams ■Musician: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ■Hobby: Tabletop Role Playing Games ■Sailors of the Week Because: NC1 Sean McCormick was selected as Sailor of the Week for his work as the Career Development Program Manger for Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. NC1 is instrumental in providing the command Triad with resources and information on command retention rates. NAVSTA obliterated the FY15 retention goals with an overall reenlistment rate of 90%. A staggering 38.7% over the required average reenlistment rate of 51.3% NC1 leads a team of 18 highly trained Departmental and Divisional Career Counselors through the direct application of latest Career Development Program Initiatives. McCormick ensures that the installation remains compliant on all requirments, meeting or exceeding all benchmarks that lead to NAVSTA receiving the Retention Excellence Award for FY15. VOL. 73 • NO. 02
COMMANDING OFFICER EXECUTIVE OFFICER COMMAND MASTER CHIEF
Guantanamo Bay Gazette
CAPT. DAVID CULPEPPER CMDR. AL ROSS CMDCM (SW/AW) RODD TOOKER
PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER GAZETTE EDITOR
NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA
MCC(SW/AW) KEITH BRYSKA MC2 KEGAN KAY
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.
NAVY HOUSING AND YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES
January 22, 2016• PAGE 3
Christin Nigbur NS Guantanamo Bay Housing Office
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iving in Navy Housing can be an adjustment if a person has never lived in government quarters. While the houses are owned and operated by the Navy, there are ways residents can make the houses feel like their homes. The Navy Family Housing Manual assigns maintenance responsibilities to residents of family housing, which is consistent with those assumed by prudent private homeowners. It is important for residents to know what responsibilities they have while living in government quarters and how the Family Housing Office is here to help. Residents are encouraged to take pride in their houses to make them feel like their homes during their time here. Residents are responsible for maintaining their yards and are encouraged to enhance their areas. Maintaining the yards and adding to the curb appeal gives a sense of community to the neighborhoods. The next resident can build upon what was left and will appreciate the effort put in by those that went before. Lawn care equipment is available to all Family Housing residents to borrow at the Self-Help store. They are open Monday through Friday from 1430 to 1830 and Saturday and Sunday from 1000 to 1600. Watering hours are Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 1700-1800. Any modifications to the units must be approved by the Housing Area Manager prior to any work beginning. Some minor maintenance issues can be taken care of by the resident. The Self-Help store provides water filters for the refrigerators, light bulbs, and pest control bait. It is also important for residents to check their smoke detectors. The smoke detectors located in Housing units are hard wired to the electrical system, are all connected to each other, and have a back-up battery in case the power goes out in a unit. Every
few months, residents should check their smoke detectors. If the light is green, it is good to go. If the light is blinking, the battery is starting to go out and should be changed. When one is ready to be changed, the batteries in the other smoke detectors should be changed at the same time. If a detector has been changed several times within a short amount of time and continues to beep, please call the trouble call desk to ensure the smoke detector is functioning properly. Another issue is air conditioning. Air conditioning is very important living in Cuba. Housing HVAC systems have 90 day filters in them and are to be changed quarterly. If a resident’s air filter has not been changed in 90 days, please call the trouble desk to schedule the maintenance. If a resident has access to the HVAC mechanical room, the yellow tag will have the date of the last maintenance on the tag. Trouble calls are categorized by routine, urgent, and emergency. They each have a different time frame of when the work must be completed. Routine service calls are to be completed within 5 days, urgent service calls are to be completed within two days, and emergency service calls are responded to within 30 minutes and completed within two days. The type of service call issued is determined by the work needing to be completed. Housing understands it can be frustrating when needing work done. The number for the trouble call desk is 5138/5262 and it is manned 24 hours a day. If at any time a resident needs assistance, has questions, or has the same maintenance issue several times, the resident should call the Housing Office at 4172 and ask to speak to the area manager for their neighborhood. We are here to assist you and make your time at Guantanamo Bay as pleasant as possible.
SECNAV, Secretary of Agriculture Launch Great Green Fleet Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Environment
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ecretary of the Navy Ray Mabus and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack kicked off the Great Green Fleet Jan. 20, with the deployment of the USS John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group (JCS CSG) during a ceremony at Naval Air Station North Island. The Great Green Fleet is a Department of the Navy initiative highlighting how the Navy and Marine Corps are using energy efficiency and alternative energy to increase combat capability and operational flexibility. At the close of the ceremony, the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Stockdale (DDG 106) left the pier to begin its deployment, becoming the first U.S. Navy ship running on an alternative fuel blend as part of its regular operations. “When it comes to power, my focus has been about one thing and one thing only: better warfighting,” said Mabus. “The Great Green Fleet shows how we are transforming our energy use to make us better warfighters, to go farther, stay longer and deliver more firepower. In short, to enable us to provide the global presence that is our mission.”
The blend fueling the JCS CSG’s surface ships contains alternative fuel made from waste beef fat provided by farmers in the Midwest. It was purchased at a cost-competitive price through a partnership between the Department of the Navy and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) aimed at making alternative fuel blends a regular part of the military’s bulk operational fuel supply. With the USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) and Stockdale in the background, Mabus and Vilsack explained why this milestone alternative fuel purchase is important to the Navy and Marine Corps, and how it supports America’s farmers, ranchers and rural manufacturing jobs. Mabus said, “Diversifying our energy sources arms us with operational flexibility and strengthens our ability to provide presence, turning the tables on those who would use energy as a weapon against us.” “The Navy’s use of renewable energy in the Great Green Fleet represents its ability to diversify its energy sources, and also our
Story continued on Page 6
Residents March in Commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. MCC Keith Bryska Public Affairs Officer
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ase Residents at Naval Station (NS) Guantanamo Bay march from the Navy Exchange to the base chapel to honor Martin Luther King Jr., Jan 18. The march was organized by the Black Heritage Organization (BHO) as a way for people to come out and remember Dr. King’s contributions to the civil rights movement. According to Stephanie McPhail, the BHO Public Affairs Officer, the BHO also hosted an event at the youth center and the turnout was wonderful. “I think the families that came out to support the MLK Family day at the Youth center had a great time and the wonderful essays that were read were very touching,” said McPhail. “The MLK march was amazing and it felt great to have the community come out and support it, along with the distinguished guest that attended. I know next year’s events will be even bigger, because each year the word spreads wider. NS Guantanamo Bay Commanding Officer, Capt. David Culpepper was one of the guest speakers and talked about Dr. King’s legacy and the importance of his “I have a dream” speech “We came out here to celebrate and remember a man of peace, equality and love,” said Culpepper. “Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was a man who changed history, a man who was an example and taught us how to live and work together peacefully and amicably. He challenged Americans, and his
efforts forced us to examine our way of life, helping us to transform ourselves, to grow and to prosper.” Hailed as one of the greatest speeches of all times Dr. King’s speech used several historical references to include the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, the Bible and the Emancipation Proclamation. Shortly after the speech Dr. King was named TIME magazine’s “Man of the Year” and in 1964 he became the youngest person to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. “Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy is important because of what he accomplished and what he stood for. It sends such a powerful message then and even more now. His dedication to nonviolent resistance to overcome injustice is something to be remembered,” said Mcphail. “It is important for our youth to know that freedom was not free and because of Dr. Martin Luther King we are equal, we are not a world divided and everyone stands for something, it is unity among the diverse.” The march commemorates the fifty third anniversary of the one that Dr. King led in 1963 and concluded at the base chapel where other guest speakers talked about Dr. King’s legacy. “His legacy will never go unnoticed and that is why it is so important to get it out to the Guantanamo community, because even on this small island we still need to appreciate, remember and celebrate Dr. King’s life and dedication,” said McPhail.
PAGE 6• THE GUANTANAMO BAY GAZETTE
Chaplain’s Corner
Great Green Fleet Continued... nation’s ability to take what would be a waste product and create homegrown, clean, advanced biofuels to support a variety of transportation needs,” said Vilsack. “Today’s deployment proves that America is on its way to a secure, clean energy future, where both defense and commercial transportation can be fueled by our own hardworking farmers and ranchers, reduce landfill waste and bring manufacturing jobs back to rural America.” JCS CSG, the centerpiece of the Great Green Fleet, deployed using energy conservation measures (ECMs), including stern flaps, LED lights and energy efficient operational procedures, and alternative fuel in the course of its normal operations. Other ships, aircraft, amphibious and expeditionary forces and shore installations using ECMs and/or alternative fuels in the course of performing planned mission functions will be part of the Great Green Fleet throughout 2016. Stockdale is the first surface combatant to receive alternative fuel as part of its regular operational supply. Following the ceremony, Mabus and Vilsack flew out to the destroyer USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110) to witness it replenishing its tanks with alternative fuel from fleet replenishment oiler USNS Guadalupe (T-AO 200). The remainder of the CSG’s surface ships will receive fuel from fast combat support ship USNS Rainier (T-AOE 7), which will take on over 3 million gallons of the alternative fuel blend in Washington state before joining the CSG on deployment.
The advanced fuel blend was produced by California-based AltAir Fuels from a feedstock of beef tallow - waste beef fat - provided by Midwest farmers and ranchers, and traditional petroleum provided by Tesoro. Pursuant to Navy requirements, the alternative fuel is drop-in, meaning it requires no changes to ship engines, transport or delivery equipment, or operational procedures. The Defense Logistics Agency awarded a contract to AltAir Fuels for 77.6 million gallons of the alternative fuel blend, at a cost to DLA of $2.05 per gallon, making it cost competitive with traditional fuel. Through the Commodity Credit Corporation, USDA is able to partner with the Navy to help diversify its fuel supply and simultaneously support America’s own farmers, ranchers and rural economies. Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9, guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay (CG 53), and guided-missile destroyers USS Stockdale, USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110) and USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93) are part of the JCS CSG. Sailing the Great Green Fleet (GGF) in 2016 was one of the five energy goals Mabus set in 2009 for the Navy and Marine Corps. It was named to honor President Theodore Roosevelt’s Great White Fleet, which helped usher in America as a global power on the world stage at the beginning of the 20th Century. The GGF will usher in the next era of Navy and Marine Corp energy innovation.
GTMO SHOPPER
MOVIES
E-mail classified ad submissions to
C L A S S I F I E D A D S @ G T M O . N A V Y . M I L If sent to
any other e-mail, it may not be published. Submit your ad NLT noon Wednesdays for that week’s Gazette. Ads are removed after two weeks. Re-submit the ad to re-publish. The Gazette staff and NS Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, page. The Public Affairs Office has final editorial discretion on all content. Call MCC Keith Bryska at 4520 with your questions or concerns. Please keep ads to a minimum of 5 items.
contact Mary Caldwell at mary. caldwell@gtmo.navy.mil. POKER 101 for WOMEN Wed., February 10 the Family Advocacy Program is hosting a Poker 101 for Women as part of their Women Empowerment Series. The event is free to all women 18 and older. Meet at the Windjammer Classroom from 7 to 8 p.m. No money will be used in the game. For more information please call 4141.
and will need close early. Mon., Jan. 25 the Leeward Point Mini-Mart will close at 1 p.m. Wed., Jan. 27Camp A Mini-Mart will close at 5 p.m., TK MiniMart will close at 9 p.m. and the Marine Hill MiniMart will close at 7 p.m. but will re-open on Thurs., Jan. 28 at 7 a.m. On Sat., Jan. 30 the Main Store will close at 5 p.m.
January 22, 2016• PAGE 7
DOWNTOWN LYCEUM
FRIDAY 7 p.m.:
Jan 22
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Road Chip PG
9 p.m.:
Point Break PG13
SATURDAY Brooklyn 7 p.m.:
Jan 23
PG13
CHICKEN & WAFFLES OMBUDSMAN The Black Heritage Ride Along 2 PG13 Naval Station Guantanamo Organization will be selling 9 p.m.: Bay is currently seeking Chicken and Waffles on Jan 24 applicants for our next Sat., Jan. 30 from 10 a.m. SUNDAY OMBUDSMAN. Applicant to 2 p.m. at the NEX atrium. 6:30 p.m.: Krampus PG13 should be the spouse of a Stop by early as the chicken NAVSTA Active Duty member. and waffles will sell fast. SEABEE BALL AUCTION This is a great opportunity to 8:30 p.m.: Sisters R The Seabees are hosting a make a difference in the life’s PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB live auction to help support of others. Please contact The Guantanamo Bay MONDAY Jan 25 their upcoming Seabee Ball. CMDCM Tooker for more Photography Club will be In the Heart of the Sea 7 p.m.: The Auction will take place information or to be place on having a meeting on Sun., PG13 on Feb. 11 at 6:30 p.m. at the the interview list at 84115 or Jan. 31 at the Windjammer Bayview during Mongolian cmc@gtmo.navy.mil. Pavilion at 3 p.m. Questions, Jan 26 Night. If anyone is interested comments, or interested TUESDAY Star Wars: Episode VII7 p.m.: in donating merchandise NEX CLOSURES in joining? Contact us: The Force Awakens or services to support the The NEX will be conducting photographyclub.GTMO@ PG13 Seabee Ball Auction please their annual physical inventory gmail.com or call 77951. WEDNESDAY Jan 27 Spotlight 7 p.m.: OMBUDSMAN CONTACT INFORMATION:
The
Scoop
NAVSTA: Laura McManus ombudsmangtmo@gmail.com Cell: 84792 Home: 77182
NAVFAC: Brittany Roley gtmopwdombudsman@gmail.com Home: 78096
Brittany Morrell nsgtmoombudsman@gmail.com Cell: 55268 Home: 77129
Naval Hospital: Lauren LaBoy Usnh.gtmo.ombudsman@gmail.com Home: 75877
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THURSDAY Jan 28 7 p.m.: Daddy’s Home PG13
CALL THE MOVIE HOTLINE @ 4880