JANUARY 24, 2014 • VOL. 71 • NO. 3• NAVY.MIL/LOCAL/GUANTANAMO • FACEBOOK.COM/NSGuantanamoBay
NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA • PSC 1005 BOX 25 • FPO, AE 09593 • 011-5399-4090
Guantanamo Bay Honors Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Base residents participated in a march to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Jan 20. The march started at the NEX and concluded with a ceremony at the base chapel. MCC Keith Bryska Gazette Editior
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aval Station (NS) Guantanamo Bay community members marched from the Navy Exchange to the base chapel to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Jan. 20. 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. “We do this march every year to bring the community together and honor King’s Legacy,” said Chief Chris Caton (ret.) BHO President. “We want to make sure that we don’t forget all of the things Dr. King did. We also need to remember we are not there yet, but we are getting there.” According to Derrick Abson a student at W.T. Sampson High School, it was important for him to come out as a way of honoring such a great man. “He fought for the independence and equality for all and it was a great thing and I look up to him for it. It’s also special to do this in GTMO” said Abson. “How many
people can say they were in a march honoring Dr. King all the way in Cuba.” High school student Kwasi Navarro who was being recognized for his speech he gave to the youth center honoring Dr. King also felt that this was a special moment to come out and support. “This march gives us the opportunity to continue Dr. King’s beliefs in human rights and equality,” said Navarro. “He fought hard for his beliefs and it felt great to be able to write about him.” The march concluded at the base chapel where guest speaker Capt. Daryl Daniels, Commanding Officer U.S. Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay gave an account of what Dr. Kings legacy detailed and what it meant to him. “It’s always an honor to speak about a man that has made such a difference in so many lives,” said Daniels. “This is my first MLK day in Cuba and it’s great to see the community come together to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy.”
PAGE 2• THE GUANTANAMO BAY GAZETTE
NS Guantanamo Bay Commanding Officer, Capt. J.R. Nettleton congratulates MA2 Jackson on her selection as Sailor of the Week.
■Job/Department: Security/Dispatcher ■Age: 22 ■Hometown: Nixa, Missouri ■Favorite Movie: Lord of the Rings ■Favorite TV Show: Walking Dead ■Favorite Hobby: Painting ■Favorite Sports Team: Cubs ■Favorite GTMO Restaurant: Cuban Club ■Greatest Accomplishment: Joining the Navy ■Greatest Passion: Animals ■Hero: My Dad ■Sailor of the Week Because: She was selected for her knowledge of dispatch procedures while being interviewed by the JSIVA team, and was specifically mentioned while dispatch division received accolades during the JSIVA debrief.
MA2 SAMANTHA JACKSON
VOL. 71 • NO. 3
COMMANDING OFFICER EXECUTIVE OFFICER COMMAND MASTER CHIEF
Guantanamo Bay Gazette
CAPT. JOHN NETTLETON CMDR. COLIN CASWELL CMDCM (SW/EXW/AW) ROSS CRAMER
PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER GAZETTE EDITOR PHOTOJOURNALIST
NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA
KELLY WIRFEL MCC(SW/AW) KEITH BRYSKA MCSN JASON BAWGUS
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 1,000.
Chaplain’s
JANUARY 24, 2014• PAGE 3
Corner
No Shortcut To Glory Cmdr. Gabriel Mensah
NS Guantanamo Bay Command Chaplain
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e live in an era of instant products – instant soup, instant tea… pretty much instant everything. Deep down we know that the quality of these instant products suffers, but we are willing to sacrifice for the time saved. Our age might also be called the age of the push button. Thus, today all we have to do is to push a button or turn on a switch and viola, things happen without any further efforts on our part. The push button mentality, undoubtedly, encourages the short cut approach to everything. It can easily lure us into a false sense of security, always seeking the easy option, even if there is none. The result of living in a world of instant products and push button is that we want results and want them fast. We grow impatient and frustrated if we have to wait. What we tend to forget is that there are certain things in life that cannot be rushed. If you plant a seed in your garden, for example, you
must wait for it to grow. You cannot rush the growth of a plant. The truth of the matter is that even in the era of the push button and instant products, old problems still remain. For example, there is the problem of bringing up one’s children well. There is no magic switch for that. There is the problem of passing an examination or acquiring a skill. There is no magic wand for that. As a matter of fact, all the worthwhile things in life require a lot of patient effort. The old Navy salties out there know the term “gundecking” – taking shortcuts or bypassing the required steps a sailor has to take to accomplish a task. Let us beware of going for the quick results or taking false shortcuts. We should not settle for cheap imitations. Submitted by: Cdr. Gabriel Mensah
Up-to Date Emergency Data Critical for Family Readiness From Navy Personnel Command Public Affairs
“It’s not going to happen to me,” is probably something each of the Sailors who died in 2013 was thinking. Considering only one percent of these deaths were in theater, it is important that Sailors prepare for the unexpected, Navy Casualty officials said Jan. 17. “Sailors often don’t take the time to update their record of emergency data (NAVPERS 1070/602, or Page 2), or their Service Members’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) elections. While command leadership works diligently to ensure their Sailors have done this, the best and most reliable person to ensure records are up to date, is you,” said Cheryl Dockery, branch head, Navy Casualty Operations. “We take the death of a Sailor very seriously, and intend to provide for the primary next of kin and each additional beneficiary as compassionately and professionally as possible,” Dockery said. “Too many times we’ve discovered that Sailors don’t take the time to update their Record of Emergency Data (Page 2), or their SGLI, and that causes undue stress for their families. We only have the Sailor’s documents to rely on - when there is a discrepancy, we are obligated to ensure payments are made in accordance with the Sailor’s desires.” Sailors are encouraged to review their current documents
in the Electronic Service Record (ESR), and check their Leave and Earning Statement (LES) to ensure the deductions for SGLI premiums match their intent. “We need Sailors - and commands, for that matter - to be proactive in encouraging regular reviews and updates of beneficiaries and Page 2s. They should also keep hard copies of all documents on hand,” said Dockery. According to Dockery, there are more than 4,000 Sailors who have elected zero (SGLI) coverage and more than 10,000 who elected less than the full $400,000 coverage available. “While saving the premium costs may seem like a good idea, when a Sailor dies leaving their family with little or no money to continue, it doesn’t seem like a good place to have conserved,” Dockery said. Contact the Personnel Support Detachment or personnel office if changes to beneficiary data are needed. For more information on death benefits, Sailors should contact the Navy Casualty Assistance office at 1-800-3683202/(901) 874-2501/DSN 882-2501 or call the Navy Personnel Command (NPC) Customer Service Center at 1-866-U-ASK-NPC, e-mail CSCMailbox@navy.mil or visit NPC’s website at www.npc.navy.mil.
SUDS Comes to Guantanamo Bay Story by MC3 Jason Bawgus Photo’s by Russ Wampler and Kelly Wirfel
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variety of organizations from Naval Station (NS) Guantanamo Bay hosted Soldiers Undertaking Disabled Scuba (SUDS) veterans, Jan. 16-28. SUDS is designed to help improve the lives of injured service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. By training the warriors in a challenging and rewarding activity it can help facilitate the rehabilitation process and promote mobility. Offering scuba diving provides the service member with a sport they can enjoy during their rehabilitation and throughout their life. “It makes you weightless in the water, so it really takes away from any obstacles you have on the land,” said Michael Martinez, SUDS participant. “All of the pressure and weight on your joints doesn’t matter when you are in the water. None of that matters down there.” SUDS is based at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMC) in Bethesda, MD. The SUDS program is for OIF (Operation Iraqi Freedom) and OEF (Operation Enduring Freedom) service members under physical therapy and occupational therapy care. “I started SUDS in 2007 after a visit to Walter Reed National Military Center,” said Jason Thompson, President of the SUDS Board of Directors. “As soon as you walk through the door you are immediately impacted by some of the injuries and I just wanted to try and help in any way I could.” The SUDS foundation makes yearly trips to many destinations with NS Guantanamo Bay being the only military base the SUDS members visit.
“Guantanamo Bay was the first trip we made and ever since then it has been such a hit we just have to come back,” said Thompson. “More than 100 people volunteered to help with the SUDS divers. That spirit just shows the camaraderie among service members and everyone living and working here.” This year SUDS brought seven wounded warriors to NS Guantanamo Bay to dive. Reef Raiders Dive Club provided the SUDS divers and instructors with air as well as Scuba gear for some of the members of SUDS who didn’t have their own. “The amount of volunteers that showed up was absolutely amazing,” said Gregg Carson, a SUDS instructor. “I’ve always said that Guantanamo Bay rolls out the red carpet for us every year and just really knows how to treat people.” Numerous sponsors and volunteers including NS Guantanamo Bay’s Joint Task Force (JTF), Port Operations Dive Locker, American Red Cross, Ocean Enterprise Dive Center, Prime Projects International, Burns and Roe, SoBran, International Organization for Migration (IOM), Marine Corps Security Force Company (MCFCO), the Guantanamo Bay Scouts and many others assisted in making the trip possible. “It was our honor to have veterans come to Guantanamo Bay,” said Captain J.R. Nettleton, NS Guantanamo Bay Commanding Officer. “These guys sacrificed a great deal for their country and I know that everyone who had the opportunity to interact with them walked away a better person.”
PAGE 6• THE GUANTANAMO BAY GAZETTE
Sailors to Receive Faster Payments for Moves Navy Personnel Command Public Affairs
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ayments to service members for Personally Procured Moves (PPMs), formerly known as “Do-it-Yourself ” or DITY moves, will be received sooner via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) to service members’ checking or savings accounts, officials announced Jan. 17. “Right now, it takes about 7-10 days for a Sailor to receive a compensatory check for a PPM. EFTs process quickly, and can get money to a Sailor in less than half the time,” said Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Commander Rear Adm. Jonathan Yuen. “The current business process is costly and time consuming. It makes financial sense for the Navy and benefits our Sailors’ wallets to move to EFTs,” Yuen said. “The Navy PPM checklist is being updated to include instructions along with a form that allows service members to safely and securely provide their electronic funds payment information as part of the PPM process,” said NAVSUP Household Goods Director Francis Piacine. Payment by EFT is currently voluntary and will remain so until April 1 when it becomes mandatory for all Navy
members performing a full or partial PPM. The new capability was developed by NAVSUP in partnership with the Defense Finance and Accounting Service.
MA2 Stephanie Broussard recites the Oath of Enlistment given by Lt. Brian Parsons during a reenlistment ceremony held at Naval Station Security Forces.
GTMO SHOPPER
E-mail classified ad submissions to
PAO-CLASSIFIEDADS@ USNBGTMO.NAVY.MIL 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.
VEHICLES 2010 Nissan Altima SL fully loaded with heated leather seats, moon roof, good A/C, and with 30,000 miles for $14,500 Contact at 84703 for more information 2012 Honda CRZ-Hybrid, 5500 miles asking $12000 2000 Toyota Tundra, $4000 (OBO) Call 77116 or 55337 for more information.
family photos and lots of Russian language apps and games. Would love to have the iPad back. Home – 75721, Work – 8562 Rgwelch1@gmail.com
GTMO JOBS MWR is offering the following jobs:
Couch with matching love seat, less than 1 year old, great condition, asking $650 call 77294
OUTDOOR REC 23 ft. pontoon boat for sale $1,800 call 84165 Bike - Diamondback 20’’ large – response sport bike with disk brakes. $ 200.00, Two Kawasaki STX 12F Jet Ski’s - year 2006, with double trailer (trailer can be broken down for ship out), Jet Ski covers, water ski’s, knee board. $ 8,000.00 Contact Richard @ 90068
YARD SALE
Yard Sale Jan 25, 0800-1100 Grandillo Point 13D
ELECTRONICS
X-box slim for sale! Comes with 8 games (GTA, Batman, Halo, etc) Wireless headphones Couple months old $325 Call 77801 after 1600. Traves 6” star-band internet dish $550 Neg email: skilbert_1981@ yahoo.com call: 75849
MISC iPad Black (Missing) from Pier 33 near the Main Post office. A reward of $50 is being offered. The iPad is in a Black rubberized case and contains
NEX
Recreation Asst.
The Navy Exchange will be doing their annual inventory beginning Jan. 29. The main store and mini-marts will be running on adjusted hours. See base roller for store hours.
Maintenance Worker
FUNDRAISING
Recreation Aid
Food Service Worker Custodial Worker Laundry Worker NEX is offering the following jobs: Department Manager For more information check out the base roller
HOUSEHOLD GOODS Computer Hutch $200 Oak Entertainment Center/TV Stand $100 2 book cases $20 each or 2 for $30 Water Bed Bladder size double or 2 singles. $30 each or 2 for $50 Small 3 drawer chest $25 Contact JoAnn @ 75559
Jan. 18 from 0900 to 1400 at the Downtown Lyceum. Come on out and get your car washed, dried and vacuumed by local MA’s. They will be accepting donations only.
The
scoop
There is a new fundraising opportunity on base! Officially recognized organizations can now bag groceries on Saturdays and Sundays from 1000 to 1400 to raise money for their organization. For additional information contact 4696.
BREAKFAST IN BED
The Guantanamo Bay House of Pancakes is back! JEA and CSADD are partnering together to provide breakfast on Saturday, Feb. 1 from 0800 to 1100. Delivery is available for BEQ/ CBQ, BOQ and Marine Hill. Pick up is also available at the BEQ/ CBQ kitchen. For more information or to order call 84021 or 84275. Then on Feb. 14 the JEA and CSADD are hosting “A Valentine’s Day Red Affair.” The event will be held at the Windjammer Pool Pavilion and begins at 2100. See base roller for additional details.
RED CROSS
The American Red Cross will be holding Adult First Aid/CPR/AED classes on Feb. 1 from 1230 to 1630. Pre-registration is required. To register call 2511 or 2512.
POWER OUTAGE
A schedule power outage will take place Saturday, Jan. 25 and Friday, Feb. 7 from 0800 to 1600. Please see the base roller for a list of affected areas.
SEABEE
The Seabee Ball committee is holding a live auction to raise money for their upcoming ball. The auction is scheduled for Feb. 20 at 1830 during Mongolian Night at the Bayview. Items up for auction include flags, coins, meals, ceramics, hand crafted items and much more! For more information contact LTJG Ambler at 5629.
SECURITY
Naval Station Security Department is holding a car wash on
Local 24/7 Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program Contact #:
84578
Your Installation Sexual Assault Response Coordinator’s Contact #:
84577
JANUARY 24, 2014• PAGE 7
MOVIES DOWNTOWN LYCEUM FRIDAY 7 p.m.: Grudge Match
Jan. 24
R
9:15 p.m.: Lone Survivor R
SATURDAY 7 p.m.: 47 Ronin
Jan. 25
PG13
9:15 p.m.:Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit PG13
SUNDAY Jan. 26 6 p.m.: Walking With Dinosaurs PG
8 p.m.: Out of the Furnace R
MONDAY Jan. 27 7 p.m.: Philomena PG13
TUESDAY Jan. 28 7 p.m.: Saving Mr. Banks PG-13 WEDNESDAY 7 p.m.: The Nut Job
Jan. 29
THURSDAY 7 p.m.: The Hobbit 2
Jan. 30
PG
PG-13
CALL THE MOVIE HOTLINE @ 4880
Cub S c o ut Pa c k 3401 Pack Champion Marcus McIlrath Second Place Warner White Third Place Caden Brake
Pinew ood Derby
JANUARY 24, 2014• PAGE 7