2024 NATIONAL MILITARY
YOUTH OF THE YEAR HONORED AT CELEBRATION
Story By David I. Umoru Jr.
Each year, the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, in partnership with the Department of Defense, selects a member from the military youth center community as the National Military Youth of the Year.
The program was created in 2013 to celebrate militaryconnected teens who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and service skills, as well as a strong dedication to academic excellence. Out of the many teens who participate in local, state and regional competitions, five are selected as finalists.
On August 8, the 2024 National Military Youth of the Year was announced as Taylor R., a rising high school senior and an active member of the Naval Support Activity Bahrain Youth Center. Over the course of six years, Taylor
has become an integral part of his Boys and Girls Club affiliated youth center, aiding with coaching their football, basketball, and soccer leagues, as well as reviving their Keystone Club and serving in the Teen Employment Program. Taylor has also achieved a 4.15 GPA with over 215 community service hours in the past 12 months.
Taylor credits his Boys and Girls Club affiliated youth center as a big part of his development as a leader.
"From first to eleventh grade I have spent time with caring staff that prepared me to become the confident, forward-thinking leader that I am today. From a very young age, I learned the importance of hard work, respect, setting an example for others and leading my peers," he stated.
He also points to his various experiences in Boys and Girls Club affiliated youth centers as a child when
discussing his open perspective of all people. "I believe that recognizing and celebrating our differences empowers us to reach our full potential as individuals and as a generation," said Taylor.
During the state and regional levels of the Military Youth of the Year program, Taylor was awarded $22,500 in college scholarships. At the National Military Youth of the Year celebration in Washington, D.C., Taylor was awarded an additional $20,000 scholarship, bringing his total scholarship amount to $42,500. After high school graduation, he plans to attend Brigham Young UniversityIdaho, where he will study engineering, music and education.
For more information, visit https://www.bgca.org/ programs/youth-of-the-year/.
NAVCENT N4 Receives Admiral Stan Arthur Award for Logistics and Sustainment Team of the Year 2023
Sailor in the Spotlight
First Bahraini Civilian Firefighter Graduates from DoD Fire Academy
First Bahraini Civilian Firefighter Graduates from DoD Fire Academy
Story By MC1 Shayla D. Hamilton, Naval Support Activity Bahrain Public Affairs
For the first time, a Bahraini civilian employee at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain has completed the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Fire Academy in San Angelo, Texas. Abdulla Albaloosi, a firefighter with NSA Bahrain’s Fire and Emergency Services Department, graduated from the Louis F. Garland Fire Academy.
The DoD Fire Academy provides comprehensive training to both military and civilian personnel across all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, including the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and other organizations.
Reflecting on his experience at the academy, Albaloosi detailed the extensive hands-on training he received, which included five blocks of learning covering fundamentals like donning gear, tying
knots, ladder operations, and using knots to hoist equipment, and more advanced training such as vehicle extrications, fighting above and below grade fires, car fires, and more.
One aspect of the academy that stood out to Albaloosi was the quality of the trainers and the equipment provided.
“What I liked most about the academy were the trainers and the equipment that was made available to us,” said Albaloosi.
“Nothing had to be simulated. If they wanted to teach us about how to enter a C-130 to rescue someone, we went inside a C-130. We learned the entire sequence from chocking the wheels, turning the plane off, getting the victims out, and activating the fire suppression system. It was a great experience learning everything without it feeling simulated; it was real-life, hands-on experience.”
Albaloosi, who joined NSA Bahrain’s Fire Department in June 2023, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to train alongside U.S. military personnel.
“Becoming a part of NSA Bahrain’s Fire Department is a dream come true,” said Albaloosi. “This is something I’ve always wanted to do and having the opportunity to be flown out to the DoD’s only firefighter academy and receiving the same quality of training as all of the other military firefighters in the different branches was an incredible experience. I was able to represent myself as a Bahraini national, and as a member of NSA Bahrain’s fire department. My classmates and I worked well together as partners; as a team, and had that level of camaraderie, academically.”
Albaloosi also said that firefighting and emergency services runs in his family, with
his grandfather serving as a career firefighter in Bahrain, and his sisters working in the emergency medical field. Albaloosi’s dedication paid off as he graduated top of his class with a 95% average.
The Louis F. Garland Department of Defense Fire Academy graduates approximately 2,400 joint service and international students each year for the DoD.
NSA Bahrain's mission is to support U.S. and coalition maritime operations throughout the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations by providing security for ships, aircraft and tenants on board NSA Bahrain and assigned detachments. NSA Bahrain provides efficient and effective shore services to sustain the fleet, enable the fighter and support the family with honor, courage and commitment.
DCPAS and CENTCOM approve Standard of Living Allowance for Bahraini Grade Employees
By: Lt. j.g. Bryan Blair, Naval Support Activity Bahrain Public Affairs
At the recommendation of Joint Civilian Personnel Committee Bahrain (JCPC), U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and Defense Civilian Personnel Advisory Services (DCPAS) have approved an increase to the monthly Standard of Living Allowance for Bahrain Grade (BG) employees, effective Aug. 1, 2024.
This increase is the first of its kind since the addition of the Standard of Living Allowance to the Total Compensation Comparability Plan in 2018. This increase in the standard of living allowance will be an increase of 40 BHD monthly for BG's 1-8 and 35 BHD monthly for BG's 9-14.
Capt. Zachariah Aperauch, commanding officer, Naval Support
Activity (NSA) Bahrain, applauded the efforts of the JCPC for an achievement that will mean so much for NSA Bahrain’s BG personnel.
“Our local national workforce is the heart and soul of this installation,” said Aperauch. “The majority of our BGs have been a part of our family for years, if not decades. This is a well-deserved and long overdue win for the BG community, and absolutely a win for NSA Bahrain as well.”
NSA Bahrain's mission is to support U.S. and coalition maritime operations throughout the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations by providing security for ships, aircraft and tenants on board NSA Bahrain and assigned detachments. NSA Bahrain provides efficient and effective shore services to sustain the fleet, enable the fighter and support the family with honor, courage and commitment.
NAVCENT N4 Receives Admiral Stan Arthur Award for Logistics and Sustainment Team of the Year 2023
Story by NAVCENT Public Affairs
MANAMA, Bahrain – The Office of the Chief of Naval Operations recently awarded U.S. Naval Forces Central Command’s Directorate of Logistics and Infrastructure the 2023 Admiral Stan Arthur Award for Logistics and Sustainment Team of the Year.
“This award is only possible because of the amazing Sailors who continue to advance operational logistics and supply chain support for all our naval forces and assets in the 5th Fleet,” said Capt. Marcus Jones, Assistant Chief of Staff for Logistics at NAVCENT.
The Admiral Stan Arthur Award for Logistics Excellence recognizes both
military and civilian logisticians who epitomize excellence in the realm of logistics and sustainment planning, representing the top individuals for global naval logistics. The awardees exemplify the importance of logistics to achieving the Navy’s mission and advancing a competitive edge over adversaries.
“This award is distinctly a humbling acknowledgement of the value that the U.S. Navy places on logistics and the profound impact of the work the NAVCENT N4 team has done in support of combat operations in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility,” said Cmdr. Colin Engels, NAVCENT Logistics Readiness Center
Chief. “I have a tremendous amount of pride in our team.”
The NAVCENT team demonstrated exceptional leadership, unparalleled flexibility and tremendous logistics proficiency synchronizing logistics requirements for 15 task forces, 10 subordinate units, the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, and USS Bataan Amphibious Readiness Group by rapidly developing a full transportation plan and establishing crucial supply nodes across the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.
“The work we put in over the last year had immediate real-world impacts in a
combat environment and the team repeatedly demonstrated their ability to quickly think outside the box to solve a myriad of complex logistics challenges,” said Lt. Cmdr. Joseph Murphy, NAVCENT Force Fuels Officer. “Receiving the Stan Arthur award reinforces the camaraderie of our group and affirms that we are logisticians of the highest caliber.”
The U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations encompasses approximately 2.5 million square miles of water space and includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean and three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, Suez Canal and Strait of Bab al-Mandeb.
Kuwait Assumes Command of Combined Maritime Forces' Combined Task Force 152 from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
commander of Combined Task Force 152. Alamari had assumed command of CTF152 on Aug. 28, 2023. Under his leadership, the multinational team conducted 11 exercises and operations to promote maritime security and stability. This included four focused operations, two search-and-rescue exercises, and five joint
patrols with international and regional navies in the Gulf. Alamari also conducted six key leader engagements which enhanced relations between CTF-152, CMF, and regional countries.
Alkandi comes to CTF-152 after commanding Squadron 73 in Kuwait.
Established in 2004, CTF 152 is one of
five operational task forces under Combined Maritime Forces, a multinational naval partnership of 45 nations, promoting security, stability and prosperity across approximately 3.2 million square miles of international waters, encompassing some of the world's most important shipping lanes.
Story by NAVCENT Public Affairs
MANAMA, Bahrain - The Kuwait Naval Force assumed command of a multinational naval task force focused on maritime security in the Arabian Gulf during a ceremony here, Aug. 18.
Brig. Gen. Talal Alkandri relieved Capt.
Assem Alamri of the Royal Saudi Navy as
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Deadpool & Wolverine (R) – 2h 8m
Deadpool is offered a place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe by the Time Variance Authority, but instead recruits a variant of Wolverine to save his universe from extinction. | Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Alien: Romulus (PG-13) – 1h 59m
While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonists come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe. | Cast: Cailee Spaeny, David Johnson, Archie Renaux
Borderlands (PG-13) – 1h 41m
Based on the best-selling videogame, this allstar action-adventure follows a ragtag team of misfits on a mission to save a missing girl who holds the key to unimaginable power. | Cast: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Edgar Ramirez
Fly Me to the Moon (PG-13) 2h 12m
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