U.S.-BASED STUDENT ATHLETES VISIT NSA BAHRAIN
Story by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class MacAdam Kane Weissman, NSA Bahrain Public Affairs
More than 70 U.S. high school wrestlers visited Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain following their participation in the International School Sports Federation’s Gymnasiade games in Manama, Bahrain, Oct. 31.
The visit allowed the athletes, parents and coaches the opportunity to interact with Sailors and observe the day-today operations of a forwarddeployed Navy installation.
“We teach our kids that they have a personal responsibility to their physical fitness,” said Jessica Carpenter, the wrestling team coordinator and a U.S. Army veteran. “If you’re not doing what you need to do off the mat, then you won’t succeed on the mat. We think that translates really well to the professional environmentespecially the military.”
Students met with firefighters from the base Fire Department, Naval Security Forces assigned to Harbor Patrol Unit and had lunch at the Blue Jacket Bistro Galley. The students and chaperones had the opportunity to man and
operate a live firehose as a team, and board a 33-foot Force Protection-Medium Harbor Security Boat.
“I love Bahrain and everyone has been so nice,” said Ned Kauffman, a student athlete and wrestler from Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. “I’m really grateful
to be on this base and the food here has been really good. My favorite thing has been getting to shoot the firehose.”
The team competed from Oct. 28-30, ranking 5th out of 16 countries in the freestyle category, 4th out of 12 in the Greco-Roman category, and 1st out of 12 in the
women’s category. Their visit to NSA Bahrain was their last major event in the Kingdom of Bahrain before returning to the U.S.
“This is a once in a lifetime experience,” said Zachary Prall, one of the wrestling team coaches.
“How many times do you get to be, especially in the Middle East,
on a U.S. Navy base? It’s unlike anything else I’ve seen.”
NSA Bahrain enables the forward operations and responsiveness of U.S. and allied forces in support of the Navy Region Europe, Africa, Central mission to provide services to the fleet, warfighter and family.
Marines and Sailors with Task Force 51/5 Celebrate the Marine Corps Birthday
Story by Staff Sgt. Anabel Abreu Rodriguez , Task Force 51/5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade
MANAMA, Bahrain – On November 7, 2024, over 140 Marines and Sailors assigned to Task Force 51/5 Marine Expeditionary Brigade participated in unit physical training in honor of the Marine Corps birthday.
As the sun creeped over the horizon, members of TF 51/5 were in formation as they received the command “double time”
commencing the run portion of the unit physical training event. During the over two mile run, Marines in the formation took turns calling cadence.
“Hearing the cadence call during the run gave me an extra boost of motivation”, said Tulsa, Oklahoma native Sgt. DaCoda Buchner, a legal clerk with TF 51/5.
Upon conclusion of the run, participants gathered on the baseball field where Brig. Gen. Stephen Lightfoot, the commanding general of TF 51/5
addressed the Marines and Sailors highlighting the importance of unit cohesion.
“I think it’s important for everyone to come together and share physical and mental toughness, as it showcases that when we work together as one, we can break barriers,” said Lightfoot
The participants were then instructed to perform 249 repetitions each of physical body weight exercises, given the options between crunches, squats and pull-ups.
Lightfoot wanted to set the example by opting to do 249 pull-ups as a handful of Marines joined him on the bar.
Task Force 51/5 responds to crises and contingencies; coordinates, plans, and executes operations; conducts theater security cooperation; and advances emerging Naval concepts at sea, from the sea, and ashore in order to support U.S. Central Command, 5th Fleet, and U.S. Marine Corps Forces Central Command theater objectives.
NSA Bahrain, NAVSEA Conduct Annual Oil Spill Response Training Exercise
Story by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Shayla D. Hamilton, NSA Bahrain Public Affairs
MANAMA, Bahrain - Naval Sea System Command's (NAVSEA) Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV), in coordination with Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain’s Environmental Division, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Europe Africa Central, successfully completed a salvage and pollution response drill as part of an annual oil spill response training exercise onboard NSA Bahrain, Nov. 4-8.
The five-day exercise aimed to demonstrate SUPSALV’s readiness in deploying its Tier II and III spill response capabilities from the Emergency Ship Salvage Material (ESSM) base, and to increase the overall proficiency of all personnel involved in oil spill responses.
SUPSALV is responsible for providing offshore and salvage-related spill response equipment and expertise to Navy operational commands. SUPSALV procures, operates, and maintains spill response equipment through NAVSEA contracts. In order to comply with federally mandated training and drill requirements, the Navy elected to participate in the National Preparedness for Response Exercise Program (NPREP). SUPSALV is comparable to an oil spill response organization (OSRO) and must deploy its equipment in each region of responsibility. This exercise allowed NSA Bahrain to meet NPREP requirements for an equipment deployment exercise in the Bahrain region for 2024.
“Oil spills, in the absence of good planning and preparedness to combat them, have the potential to turn into serious disasters,” said Johnson Pereira, acting environmental division director, NAVFAC EURAFCENT. “The SUPSALV Spill Response Training Exercise plays a major role in increasing our level of readiness and preparedness to combat oil spill incidents and mitigate its effects and the damage to the marine environment, and share our expertise and extend cooperation with host nation entities.”
The SUPSALV team, led by Robert McClellan, NAVSEA 00C26 Environmental Operations, NAVSEA, simulated various aspects of fuel-spill response, including containment, cleanup, environmental monitoring, and the promotion of health and safety measures.
“The ability to come out and put this equipment in the water and operate it is vital to readiness,” said McClellan. “There are so many issues in the maintenance
cycle that can only be identified and addressed by using it in the field. Pairing that with the opportunity to coordinate with our other response partners, both on and off base, is what maximizes these events and ensures we are able to respond in a meaningful and effective way.”
In attendance were several host-nation agencies including Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO), APM Terminals, Royal Bahraini Naval Force, Ports and Maritime Affairs (PMA). Participants received a tour of the SUPSALV Emergency Ship Salvage Material (ESSM) facility where they received a briefing on the capabilities and overall functions of various salvage systems, and equipment including a command van, rigging van, salvage skimmer system van, oil containment boom van, high-speed skimmer support van, shop and firefighting system vans. Participants also observed an in-water demonstration of the SK0050 high-speed current buster and boomhandling boats along with the oilcontainment boom in an operationalskimming configuration. The participating agencies were able to assess readiness and enhance their collective ability to mitigate environmental damage and protect public health.
"Exercises like this provide our personnel the sets and reps we need to respond to any situation we encounter from an environmental protection standpoint," said Capt. Zachariah Aperauch, commanding officer, NSA Bahrain. "The goal is to be ready for all potential contingencies, and by training to a high standard and maintaining open lines of communication with our host nation partners, we continually push towards that objective.”
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.
Kickin’ it with Shaun: Turkeys Ahoy!
By: Shaun Gillespie, NSA Bahrain MWR Athletic Trainer
Let’s set the scene – it’s a perfect November morning in Bahrain. The weather is sunny, warm, and just a little humid. My wife and I are preparing for the upcoming Thanksgiving dinner which has become somewhat of a tradition at our modest villa. Bringing people together; the environment of friendship and thanks for the year’s blessings, is the true essence of happiness. With full bellies and drinks in hand, the singing and talking will go on well into the night. It has been a long stressful year, and we deserve to let go a little.
Don't you agree? Of course you do. Until…
We wake up the next morning and realize this is but the start of the festive season, when we throw away all hope of maintaining waistlines and temporarily put a hold on fat loss and fitness goals while we subconsciously make those new-year resolutions to get back in the shape we lost so quickly.
If this is relatable, it's an annual cycle that comes and goes. Weight fluctuations are indeed normal and should be nothing to be concerned about. With weight increases as much as 10-15 pounds during the festive season, we can incorporate a few small changes that will enable us to get the scales back to baseline by the end of January.
1 – Back to the Basics. Get back to the same standardized food regiment that you had at the base line with the same portions.
2 – Patience is a Virtue. You need to accept that it took you one to two months to add the weight that you have accumulated. Be patient, your body will naturally go back to baseline metabolic rate, it's going to feel almost too easy
3 – One Step at a Time. If you do have a routine of walking, basketball or any other activity, it will help speed things up once you get back into it.
The above is a great start to get you back to metabolic maintenance. The holidays are all about giving thanks – but it’s important that we give ourselves a little grace as well.
In the next article I will tell you how to minimize the weight gain of the festive period to make it easier to bounce back in 2025.
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STRENGTHENING THE WHOLE PERSON
Are we as humans designed to simply survive the day-to-day grind of work, home, and family life, or is there more? Are we two dimensional beings consisting of a mind and a body, or is there something more that animates the human person? The mind and body are powerful and interconnected dimensions of the human person. When both are healthy, they work in harmony to ensure the human person can flourish. After all, is it not our minds that process the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that affect the performance of our bodies? Our mental and physical health should be priorities for every human person seeking to flourish. However, are we here to simply have good positive thoughts and strong physical bodies? There has to be something more. The Navy’s Warrior Toughness program, as well as classical philosophy, would argue that there is a third dimension to the human person; the soul.
Regardless of our religious or philosophical background, it is important for us to ask the question, how does my soul fit into my understanding of who I am? How can an assessment of our soul help us to pursue human flourishing in a way distinct from the material dimensions of mind and body? For some, the soul is the dimension which allows us to experience a connection to the divine. For others, the soul is the dimension that allows us to experience a sense of belonging within a command, community, or family environment. It is also in the realm of the soul where we discern our inner peace and inner purpose. But like our minds and our bodies, we must begin to “work out,” and “take care of” our souls.
So, next time you are taking a thorough look at your health, don’t forget to assess your spiritual health. Ask yourself, am I pursuing a connection with what I understand as the divine? Am I connected to a community, whether it be work, family, or friends? Finally, what is my inner purpose? What motivates me to work, live, and pursue happiness? By setting goals to connect with our inner self, our sense of the divine, and the greater good, we can truly begin to thrive in life. The three dimensions of the human person work in concert with each other. If we spend time strengthening our minds and our bodies, it would be wise of us to take time to strengthen our souls as well.
NSA BAHRAIN MENTAL HEALTH ROADMAP
There’s no wrong door to start—we’ll get you to the right place!
New MOVIES at the MWR Cinema
Joker (R) - 2h 18m
Struggling with his dual identity, failed comedian Arthur Fleck meets the love of his life, Harley Quinn, while incarcerated at Arkham State Hospital. | Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Venom: The Last Dance (PG-13) – 1h 49m
Eddie and Venom, on the run, face pursuit from both worlds. As circumstances tighten, they're compelled to make a heart-wrenching choice that could mark the end of their symbiotic partnership.
| Cast: Tom Hardy, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Juno Temple
NMCRS volunteers generously give their time to help assist Sailors, Marines, & their families when faced with financial crisis
Develop marketable skills to enhance your resume & give back to your military community! Scan
Here (PG) – 1h 44m
A generational story about families and the special place they inhabit, sharing in love, loss, laughter, and life.
Never Let Go (R) – 1h 41m
A family that has been haunted by an evil spirit for years. Their safety and their surroundings come into question when one of the children questions if the evil is real. | Cast: Halle Berry, Percy Daggs IV, Anthony B. Jenkins
