NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY
BAHRAIN SAILORS VISIT BAHRAIN MOBILITY INTERNATIONAL CENTER
Story By MC1 MacAdam Kane Weissman, NSA Bahrain Public Affairs
MANAMA, Bahrain – Twenty Sailors from eight tenant commands at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain visited the Bahrain Mobility International (BMI) Center in Isa Town, Bahrain, Aug. 20-21.
NSA Bahrain’s Sailor 360 program, a Navy-wide leadership development initiative, co-coordinated the event with U.S. Naval Forces Central Command’s (NAVCENT) religious ministries team (RMT), culminating in a two-day evolution tailored to restore and prepare classrooms and the building’s entryway for the upcoming school year.
Established in 1979, BMI is a non-governmental humanitarian organization that offers speech therapy, occupational therapy and other special needs services to the Bahrain community. U.S. military personnel have supported BMI for decades, and Adel Sultan Al Mutawa, chairman of the board of directors for BMI, expressed his gratitude for the Sailors’ continued involvement and participation.
“Bahrain Mobility is 45 years old now,” said Mutawa. “Since as far as I remember back in 1982 when I joined, [the Navy] has been working and volunteering to participate on projects. We like it when [the Sailors] are playing with the kids. The kids are interested and even learning some English.”
“I like when the Sailors come to play with our kindergarten kids,” said Zainab Radhi Hassan, BMI’s physiotherapy director. “They were doing things that we were not expecting from [Sailors]. They would play with toys, coloring and getting the kids moving.”
Capt. Leroy Young, NAVCENT and U.S. 5th Fleet chaplain, acknowledged the longstanding trust and mutual
understanding between BMI and NSA Bahrain’s 147 tenant commands.
“I am reminded of the significant impact that our partnership has had since the 1980s,” said Young. “BMI's dedication to empowering individuals with disabilities and enhancing their quality of life has been inspiring.”
In addition to the volunteer service, NAVCENT RMT also donated $4,000 in air conditioning units, laptops, and paint supplies to BMI.
“NAVCENT is proud to support and participate in initiatives aligning with our service and community values,” added Young. “Our joint efforts have brought about tangible improvements in the lives of many and have reinforced the strong ties that bind our organizations and our nations.”
The initiative to visit BMI is part of U.S. Forces’ commitment to grow Sailor engagement and reinforce social responsibility through support of the society’s mission - to raise understanding and acceptance for individuals with disabilities in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Young plans to explore new opportunities for Sailors to volunteer through collaboration, ensuring the relationship continues to grow and adapt to meet the evolving needs of the local community.
“What better way to say ‘Thank you,’ to our host nation than by giving back,” said Religious Programs Specialist 2nd Class Bianca Harriott, NAVCENT RMT community relations lead. “Service members feel a great amount of pride and responsibility when we participate in these types of events. The partners that we work with are truly appreciative of the work we do and that helps us create a tight bond. Often times we focus too much on the negative in the world, but these events remind us all that one small
act of kindness goes a long way.”
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.
AFN Will Stream All NFL Games
Airman & Sailor in the Spotlight
A Woman and a Skipper: Commanding Officers’ Perspectives on Women’s Equality
A Woman and a Skipper: Commanding Officers’ Perspectives on Women’s Equality
Story By Naval Support Activity Bahrain Public Affairs
Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain takes pride in highlighting the exceptional women on the installation who serve in many capacities. This year’s theme for Women’s Equality Day, “One Piece at a Time,” reflects on the lives and contributions of remarkable individuals who played pivotal roles in women gaining the right to vote.
Two commanding officers, Capt. Katie Abdallah of Naval Computer and Telecommunication Station (NCTS) Bahrain, and Capt. Evelyn Lee of Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Fleet Logistics Center (FLC) Bahrain, shared their personal experiences regarding women’s equality in the U.S. Navy.
Since the beginning of your Navy career, how has women's equality across the enterprise changed/evolved/improved?
Abdallah: “When I first joined the Navy, there were still some restrictions for women serving in the Navy, but the culture continues to adapt over time. For example, women are now allowed to serve on submarines. Being a Naval Academy (USNA) graduate, it is inspiring to go from 55 female graduates in 1980 to over 350 female graduates in 2024. During my time, I had the pleasure of experiencing the first female Blue Angel pilot, first female CO of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, first female USNA superintendent, and the first female CNO [Chief of Naval Operations]. Women leaders continue to make waves in the Navy and those waves are not going to stop any time soon.”
Lee: “I have been fortunate to witness various improvements and evolutions for women during my career. As a detailer, I had a front row seat for the integration of ‘Women in Submarines,’ as the first round of
females, in particular, Lt. Cmdr. Supply Corps officers were detailed to submarines. During my department head (DH) tour on a cruiser, I witnessed the first enlisted female arrive to the ship. Side note, I was the first female DH on the ship, and we had about half a dozen female division officers. In addition to these integration achievements, I have been very appreciative of the improvements in uniform regulations to better fit the female form, as well as strides in family considerations for male and female Sailors.”
How do you view the significance of Women's Equality Day in the context of your role as a commanding officer?
Lee: “Representation absolutely matters when it comes to future generations being
able to ‘see’ themselves in various roles that historically have not been held by folk that look like them. The significance that younger sees me, who also looks like them, and knows or can believe, ‘If she can, then I can too.’"
Abdallah: “I would have never had this opportunity to be a CO if it wasn't for the men and women who fought for equality years ago. In 1920, women were granted the right to vote and in 1948, women were granted the right to serve as permanent member of the Navy and other armed services. It is a true honor and privilege to have this opportunity to lead an amazing team in Bahrain. I would not have gotten to this position without my service brothers
and sisters who supported me along the way. Our diversity in the Navy makes us stronger than any other Navy in the world. It's an honor to continue to pave the way for women's equality for the future. Who knows where we will go next?”
What advice would you give to the young women joining the Navy today, or women that might consider the Navy as a career, based on your years of experience?
Lee: “I will always advise anyone to do the best they can do. Strive for the best they can achieve, and remain true themselves. Drawing from my own experience, I once believed the feminine or cutesy hobbies I loved needed to be suppressed or supplemented with more male-friendly hobbies. I now embrace my love of paper crafting and I find ways to incorporate my hobby into my professional environment.”
Abdallah: “Be yourself - don't be someone you are not or you will be miserable. You can still abide by the Navy's regulations without changing who you are. Never give up on your goals and dreams. Use your strengths to your advantage. Be humble. Continue to self-assess, learn and grow from your mistakes or shortcomings. No one is perfect. You are not alone. Don't be afraid to ask for help. We are here to help each other thrive. It takes a team to accomplish the mission.”
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.
Navy’s first contracted Robotics Warfare Specialist
By MC1 Jasen MorenoGarcia
PHOENIX – Future Sailor (FS) Karla Torres-Casillas became the Navy’s first contracted Robotics Warfare (RW) Specialist after enlisting in the Navy at Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) Phoenix, Aug. 27, 2024.
The RW rating became available for active duty contracts on Aug. 27, 2024.
“I came here not sure of what job I wanted or qualified for,” said Torres-Casillas. “I got so happy when I received the news that I got the job. I am going to be the first member of my family to serve in the military. My parents sacrificed a lot to provide our family with a better quality of life and I owe it to them to do well with this amazing opportunity the Navy is giving me. My family moved to San Diego from Mexico when I was young. It was really hard to move and leave behind my uncles, aunts, cousins, and friends. I can’t even imagine how hard it was for my parents. That is why I want to make them proud and show them that it was worth the sacrifice.”
Damage Controlmen 1st Class Kreig Newton, assigned to Navy Talent Acquisition Group (NTAG) Phoenix and the senior classifier for MEPS Phoenix, led Torres-Casillas in the history-making enlistment. During the job-picking process, he realized that Torres-Casillas was fully qualified for the newly available RW rating.
“I was surprised when I saw that RW was available as of today,” said Newton. “I called headquarters to confirm RW and then realized she was qualified based on her [ASVAB] line scores. I mentioned the job to her and she was super excited. I will never forget the look on her face after I told her she was going to be the first contracted female Robotics [Warfare] Specialist.”
“Petty Officer Newton was amazing,” said Torres-Casillas.
“He asked me a lot of questions about my interests. Then he told me about Robotics [Warfare] Specialist. It sounded perfect to me. It is a little overwhelming to be first but I am ready for the challenge.”
Torres-Casillas, now a Delayed Entry Program Future Sailor, will continue to work with her recruiter Aviation Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class Tremaine Smith, assigned to NTAG Phoenix, Navy Recruiting Station Desert Sky. Smith is no longer just a recruiter to Torres-Casillas; he is her first Navy mentor, and his new job is to help her get ready for the next step in her Navy career: boot camp. Torres-Casillas is expected to depart Phoenix for the Navy’s boot camp in Great Lakes, Illinois in January 2025.
a dedicated enlisted workforce specialized in unmanned and autonomous technology.
The establishment of the RW rating, announced in the U.S. Navy’s NAVADMIN 036/24, underpins the Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti’s plans for building and developing “a team who has the reps and sets in sensors, platform autonomy, and mission autonomy programs, and can provide input in machine-learning feedback processes,” a priority she discussed in her keynote address at the WEST 2024 naval conference.
The creation of the RW rating has distinguished the Navy as the first Department of Defense branch to establish
The Navy’s Fact Sheet focused on RW Conversion Opportunity provides further details on the specific NECs, ASVAB scores, and background requirements for applicants: https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Portals/55/Messages/ NAVADMIN/FACT_SHEETS/Fact_Sheet_NAV_036_24_ Conversion.pdf
For information regarding the application process, visit the RW enlisted community management page on the MyNavy HR website at: https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/ Career-Management/Community-Management/Enlisted/ Robotics-Warfare/
DOD RELEASE
The Defense Media Activity (DMA) and the American Forces Network (AFN) invites its overseas audiences to enjoy the military network's full coverage of the 2024 NFL season, beginning this Thursday, September 5.
With the generous support of the National Football League (NFL), AFN will stream all NFL games on its free television app, AFN Now. The availability of every kick-off through to the Super Bowl is a first for the AFN streaming app. Complete season coverage of the NFL season on AFN will now be a combination of traditional television coverage and live streaming on the AFN Now app, with the convenience of video-on-demand for later viewing.
"The NFL's continued partnership and support of U.S. military audiences overseas has been tremendous," says Jim Alexander, Director of the AFN Broadcast Center. "The game access the NFL has provided U.S. service members and their families this year is beyond measure and so appreciated
AFN Will Stream All NFL Games
by our military forces serving overseas."
The video-on-demand service now allows viewers to not miss a moment of this Fall's NFL action. With additional content from the NFL channel, fans on AFN Now will be able to continuously stream highlights, replays, and exclusive NFL content 24/7.
"This is our second full season covering the NFL on AFN Now and die-hard military football fans are going to be thrilled," says Kim Antos, Chief of AFN Digital Media. "In addition to all 272 regular-season matchups and the post season playoffs, this year's coverage on AFN Now includes access to the NFL Network's own content, archived games, highlights and analysis, all available anytime."
The 2024 NFL season begins Sept. 5, when the Baltimore Ravens take on the Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday Night Football. AFN television will air the game live and simultaneously stream it through the AFN Now app. Viewers are encouraged to download the
AFN Now app from the Google Play or Apple App store and register before kickoff.
The AFN Now app will make available those NFL games not shown on regular AFN television. Those games will be available as video-on-demand, usually 24 to 48 hours after the game ends, and available for seven days. AFN's overseas audiences can stream those games on up to four devices, including smartphones, tablets, or streaming devices like Roku, Apple TV, or Amazon's Fire Stick.
"AFN is a service all overseas military members and their families are able to access." says Antos. "AFN Now offers audiences the ability to stream a wide variety of news, sports, movies and entertainment on their favorite devices for free."
NFL fans stationed overseas simply need to download the AFN's free app, AFN Now, and register.
Recent coverage of the Paris Summer Olympics on AFN Now far exceeded the apps expectations, notes Antos. In the first
week of Olympics coverage more than 25 thousand hours were streamed. AFN Now currently streams 23 linear channels and offers a wide range of sports programming, to include NBA and MLB games, WWE, and the U.S. Open. Launched just two years ago, the app is now on more than 71 thousand mobile devices worldwide and has proven highly popular with military audiences.
AFN Now is available to service members, families, and retirees living overseas. For the app to work, registrants must be verified by the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS). The app is easy to download, and users can register at AFN Now. The AFN Now Help Desk is manned around the clock to provide support. They can be reached at DMA. AFNnow.Help@mail.mil.
For a full listing of all NFL and other sports content airing on AFN television, go to myafn.net. Or contact the American Forces Network at dma.march.afn.list. affrel@mail.mil.
E-Scooter Safety: A Shared Responsibility
By: Asif B. Thaj, Deputy Safety Director, NSA Bahrain
The advent of e-scooters has provided a convenient mode of transportation for many. However, with this newfound mobility comes a responsibility to operate these devices safely and responsibly. Our base has received feedback from the local community expressing concerns about the unsafe operation of e-scooters by personnel associated with the Navy.
It is imperative that we emphasize
the importance of adhering to traffic laws and regulations, both on and off base. E-scooters are subject to the same rules of the road as bicycles. This includes obeying traffic signs, yielding to pedestrians, and traveling in the same direction as vehicular traffic. Operating an e-scooter in the opposite direction of traffic is not only illegal but also incredibly dangerous for both the rider and others.
We remind our community that the
authorization to use e-scooters on base is a privilege, not a right. This privilege is granted under strict guidelines outlined by Naval Safety Command. These guidelines include the mandatory use of personal protective equipment, proper storage, and prioritizing pedestrian safety etc.
Unsafe operation of e-scooters can lead to accidents, injuries, and damage to property. It also reflects negatively on the Navy and our relationship with the
local community. We urge all e-scooter users to exercise caution and good judgment. By following the rules of the road and practicing safe riding habits, we can ensure that e-scooters remain a safe and enjoyable mode of transportation for everyone.
If unsafe e-scooter operation continues, we may be forced to reconsider the privilege of using these devices on base. Let us work together to maintain a safe and harmonious environment for all.
Great Warfighters use Better Words
By LT Nathan Sehi, CTF-55 Chaplain
When looking at the climate and morale of a work center there are several ways to qualify health vs toxic work centers. Words are one of those. What kind of words does your work center use? Do your words create a team environment, promote excellence, and care for our battle buddies? Words can create positive community or words can divide. Words can encourage, mentor, and motivate people to excellence. It is amazing what good job can accomplish. Or what a 20-minute team sync can do to create a work center focused, working together, towards a common goal. On the other hand, words can create toxic environments. The same 20-minute can flatten and demotivate the entire team. The point – words matter for mission accomplishment. Sailor’s lives are better when we use good words. Words our foundational to good leadership. To be direct – good words help create and sustain war fighter toughness during arduous, high-tempo, exhausting, and/or combat oriented deployments. The Challenge: Be a great warfighter by using great words!
Critical words! In every command, there is that “Critic”. Don’t be the constant critic in the work center. Critical people do not accomplish great things, but tear down great things. Critical people do not promote excellence in the shop, but deplete the shop from its true warfighting potential. One of my favorite quotes comes from Theodore Roosevelt. “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly” Don’t be the critic, be the one in the fight accomplishing great things!
Hostile Words! Some words are soft words and some words stir up conflict. Often we take short cuts to what we want by using hostile words. Here is the problem. That is a quick fix for a long term problem. I may win the argument at that moment, but I then have to eat, sleep, and work in that mess. Considering the nature of sea life, we literally eat, sleep, and work in the mess of our words.
Argumentative Words! Some words do not simply stir up conflict, but in fact they stir up arguments. If we reexamine the shouting match across flight deck we will find words were used that tee’d up the conversation from a polite discussion to a raging argument.
Corrupt Words! Some words corrupt morals, subvert good values, and leave is empty. Sometimes this is moral corruptness. Crude words do not build up people into highly principled, great people. A culture of excellence uses words that are excellent. Exaggeration! Most of us would abhor lying. While many morals have changed in our society, lying continues to be a universal wrong in society. Regardless of culture, lying always seems to be a culture wrong. Yet, I would challenge us that most of us habitually lie in arguments and disagreements. How? Ask yourself if you have ever said, “You always ...” or “You never...”. That can be called an exaggeration, but it also can be called a lie. Exaggeration always adds a toxic element to conversation. It is harsh word that causes even the most peaceful people to feel wronged. Consider when someone told – “You always” or “You never”. How did you feel? Most of us have a memory of someone accusing us with these kinds of words and it always made us angry. One way to avoid conflict is to be careful to accurately describe the disagreement rather than saying “You always” or “You never”. I challenge you: Be a great warfighter by using great words!
New MOVIES at the MWR Cinema
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
Marketing maven Kelly Jones wreaks havoc on launch director Cole Davis's already difficult task. When the White House deems the mission too important to fail, the countdown truly begins. | Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, Woody Harrelson
