the jan. 14 issue of the signature
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The Jan. 14 issue of The SignatureTRANSCRIPT
Vol. 28 No. 2 January 14, 2011
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Inside
Weather
update
Top S
torie
s
Direct Line
2
Navy News
3
Community Calendar
4
MWR Corner
11
Il Mercato
14
It’s not uncommon toworkout and listen tomusic on your MP3 playerat the same time, but justhow loud do you haveyour music turned up? Ifyou have it up too loudly,you could be doing a lotof damage to your hear-ing.
PAGE 2
It’s time for the playoffs!See how our panelists dowith this weekend’s AFCand NFC divisionalgames.
PAGE 3
This weekend is the SaintSebastian festival inAcireale. Read about thelife of Saint Sebastian inthis week’s Italian newcolumn.
PAGE 6
During the month ofDecember, MWR held aphotography contest,where budding photog-raphers were encouragedto submit photos that fitthe theme Nature. Seethe top three finishers!
PAGE 8
MWR’s Miles for Lifeencourages participantsto log their miles running,biking, or using the ellipti-cal machine. Once theyreach 100 miles, theirphoto is placed in the FitDistrict.
PAGE 11
Traffic Numbers
Jan. 11 Jan. 10
Accidents 1 300
Injuries 2 63
DUIs 1 11
Traffic
Deaths 0 0
Please,
don’t become
a statistic!
Jan. 14
H: 64L: 45
Jan. 15
H: 68L: 43
Jan. 16
H: 63L: 42
Jan. 17
H: 66L: 41
Jan. 18
H: 61L: 43
Jan. 19
H: 63L: 49
Jan. 20
H: 55L: 41
The coming year will bring bigchanges to Navy leadership, uniforms,physical fitness and hardware.
Pay RaisesGood times may be over in terms
of pay raises; 2010 marked the first timein 11 years that Congress did notincrease military pay by more than theaverage increase in private-sector wages.And it was the second year there was nocost-of-living adjustment in militaryretired pay.
No COLA for retirees is the resultof no increase for two years in theConsumer Price Index, something thatcould change if the economy picks up.For sailors, Congress has been approv-ing annual raises half of a percentagepoint greater than the average private-sector raise, aiming to close the gapbetween military and civilian pay.
That the military is getting a raiseat all, when President Obama wants tofreeze federal civilian wages for twoyears, is a sign that even in tight budgetclimates, the military continues to getspecial treatment.
Next CNOTop Navy posts are set to open
next year, and several naval observersand industry sources contacted byNavy Times are making theirpicks. Adm. James Stavridisleads the pack to replaceChief of NavalOperations Adm. GaryRoughead, whose termends in the fall, theindustry sources said.Stavridis - a surfacewarfare officer, a NavalAcademy graduate whoholds a doctorate in inter-national relations, and theauthor of the Watch Officer'sGuide, along with countless arti-cles - is widely seen as one of the mili-tary's best strategists. He is head of U.S.European Command and previouslycommanded Southern Command.Stavridis is also viewed as a candidate forchairman of the Joint Chiefs, butPentagon watchers feel that top spot isunlikely to go to two admirals in a row.
If Stavridis is chosen, it wouldn't
be the first time he has relievedRoughead. When Stavridis became skip-per of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer
Barry earlier in hisc a r e e r ,
R o u g h e a dwas theoutgoingCO.
Butthere may
be challengesto Stavridis' selec-
tion. He would be thefourth consecutive CNO from the sur-face fleet. And the new CNO will needto steer the sea services into an era ofdeclining defense budgets that will likelyentail axing some favorite weapons andplatforms.
Because of that, Adm. JonathanGreenert, a submariner and vice CNO,
could be tapped for the top job.Greenert has served as both an operatorand a budgeteer, a diverse backgroundheld in high esteem.
The dark horse candidate, sourcessaid, is Adm. Patrick Walsh, a naval avia-tor and Pacific Fleet commander. Walshpreviously served as VCNO, has pro-gramming experience and also holds aPh.D.in international relations. Anotherpossibility is Adm. John Harvey, anuclear-trained surface officer who hastaken a no-nonsense approach to histwo most-recent jobs: chief of naval per-sonnel and head of Fleet ForcesCommand.
New UniformsOn Jan. 1, it will be official: No
more utilities for sailors and wash khakisfor chiefs and officers. The blue-and-gray camouflage Navy working uniformwill be the working uniform for all ranks.Most of the fleet must own four com-plete sets of NWUs and all the acces-sories by Jan. 1, with the exception ofroughly 45,000 sailors who accidentallydid not receive enough cash to buy theuniforms. Those sailors must own all
uniforms by Oct. 1.Here are other uniform changes
on the way:Throwback khakis. Given nomi-
nal approval by Roughead in January2010, the final development of the serv-ice dress khaki uniform is ongoing andfinal prototype versions are under con-tract.
Final design, fabric and over-blouse issues will be debated by the uni-form board sometime in the comingyear. Recommendations must then goback to CNO for final approval.
Wear tests began in April 2008with the aim of remaking World War II-era service dress khakis. Chiefs and offi-cers will need to pay for the uniform, butit will be optional,
Improved crackerjacks. First class-es and below could also get a reworkedversion of their iconic dress uniformlater in 2011.
Leaders hope to improve the func-tion, not the look, of white-and-blue
Welcome home, Warriors!
2011 gets underway: From pay to leadership to uniforms, 16 things every sailor should knowArticle from Navy Times
2011, continued on
page 12
By MCSA Cameron Bramham
The Signature Staff
Friends and co-workers gatheredin the main entrance lobby of U.S. NavalHospital Sigonella to welcome back twosailors from deployments with a special“Warrior Breakfast” and celebration onJan. 4.
Hospital Corpsman Petty OfficerSecond Class Kenneth Moore andHospital Corpsman Maikol Vegasuarezreturned from separate deploymentsand back to work to the sounds of cheersand a warm breakfast.
“It feels really good to be homeafter being augmented and basicallythrown into a group there and not reallyknowing anybody,” Vegasuarez said.
“While I was there, I worked at a placecalled Joint Stress Medication andRestoration Team (JSMART), and ourjob was to provide medical support fortroops there.”
Deployed to Joint Task ForceGuantanamo (JTF GTMO) as part ofJoint Medical Group, Vegasuarez wasgone for six months but before returningback to Sigonella, got the opportunity totake leave and go home to visit family.
“To go home for a while thencome back here to something like thisgives you a great feeling,” Vega said.
Co-event organizer and LeadingPetty Officer of Radiology, HospitalCorpsman Petty Officer Second ClassTroy Biggham said the hospital doesthis as a way to recognize those who go
on deployment.“The hospital does this to show
how much we appreciate people who goon deployments and step up to fight thegood fight,” Biggham said. “It givesthem a sense that even if they may nothave family here, they still have familyhere who will greet them back with openarms.”
Another tradition that takes placeduring the ceremony is that each return-ing sailor is giving a star with their rankand name on it to put on the floor of themain lobby after returning home.
Deployed to Ft. PayneAfghanistan as part of First Medical
WARRIORS, continued on
page 13
Page 2 January 14, 2011
NASSIG Commanding Officer, Capt. Scott ButlerDirect LineBeing stationed on a military
installation overseas brings with it aset of challenges not faced regularlyby our stateside counterparts. Inemergency situations, our successand very survival will likely be basedon how well each of react to the cri-sis, not just on our emergency respon-ders. This requires a level of individ-ual preparation which would proba-bly be considered absurd and over-bearing in the States.
This past year has been filledwith reminders that preparation iskey. We’ve watched devastatingearthquakes in Haiti, skies overEurope filled with volcanic ash, andcontinuing acts of terrorism. Morerecently, we had reasons for concernas package bombs went off in twoforeign embassies in Rome and ingovernment buildings aroundAnnapolis. Even though no one waskilled in any of these attacks, theseincidents underscore the nature of theunpredictable world we live in. They
serve as a clear reminder as to whywe need to be constantly prepared forthe challenges that may come.
As always, communication isKEY. As long as we are able to main-tain constant communicationbetween us, we will be able to suc-cessfully deal with any potentialproblems. The NASSIG Communityis spread throughout the island, sothere’s no single way I can ensure thateach of you receives the critical infor-mation you might need; however, ifdisaster strikes, I will use all availablemethods to communicate andincrease our odds of reaching asmany of you as possible. These willinclude notifying your chain of com-mand, employing AFN Radio andTelevision, sending messagesthrough the Computer DesktopNotification System (CDNS), AllHands Mass Emails, our fan page atf a c e b o o k . c o m / n a s s i g o n e l l a ,Command Phone Trees andCommand Ombudsmen. The bottom
line is that if you are unsure what isgoing on or have a question, pleaseactively search for information fromone of these sources in addition tochecking with your chain of com-mand.
I can’t overemphasize the impor-tance of being properly preparedahead of time. The time to do thatpreparation is NOT once the crisisemerges. Part of that preparation ismaking sure you can provide for yourfamily in the event of an emergency:you must understand what is requiredif an emergency requires that youShelter in Place. Know what youneed to have in order to survive in anemergency. It is recommended thatyou keep a five-day emergency sup-ply of food and water, as well as anemergency kit which should include abattery-powered radio, flashlightsand other important safety measuresavailable at all times in your homes.Check with our world-classEmergency Management team here
or consult the Red Cross formore detailed lists of emer-gency supplies that everyoneshould maintain.
Beautiful Sicily presentsits own challenges, includingan active volcano, several seis-mically active regions, heavyrains, and very challengingdriving conditions, even ingood weather. The Navy hasinvested considerable time andresources to ensure that theNASSIG Community is as pre-pared as humanly possible forwhatever may come; however,all of our planning and prepara-tion will only succeed if eachof you is informed and activelyprepared to act on your planswhen the need arises. Please:help me help you. Prepare nowso that we can avoid becomingjust another lesson learned onhow not to do things in the event of areal crisis.
Commanding Officer
Capt. Scott Butler
Public Affairs Officer
Lt. Matt Knight
Deputy Public Affairs Officer
Dott. Alberto Lunetta
Editor
Tracie Barnthouse
Staff Writers/ Photographers
MC1 Christopher DelanoMC2 Gary PrillGM2 Kris CarmodyMCSA Cameron Bramham
The Signature editorial office is
located at:
Naval Air Station Sigonella, Sicily PSC 812 Box 3020, FPO, AE 09627 Telephone: 095-86-5440: DSN 624-5440This civilian enterprise (CE) newspa-
per is an authorized publication formembers of the military services over-seas. Contents of The Signature are notnecessarily the official views of, orendorsed by, the U.S. Government, theDepartment of Defense (DoD), or theU.S. Navy. The appearance of adver-tising in this newspaper, includinginserts or supplements, does not con-stitute endorsement by the DoD orStampa Generale S.r.l., of the productsor services advertised. Everythingadvertised in this publication shall bemade available for purchase, use orpatronage without regard to race,color, religion, sex, national origin,age, marital status, physical handicap,political affiliation or any other non-merit factor of the purchaser, user orpatron. A confirmed violation or rejec-tion of this equal opportunity policy byan advertiser will result in the refusalto print advertising from that sourceuntil the violation is corrected. TheSignature is published weekly byStampa Generale S.r.l., Sig. Bruno
Brandi, Publisher, Naval SupportActivity, Capodichino (Naples), Italy -Tel. 081-568-7884, Fax 081-568-7887.E-mail: [email protected] submissions are welcomedfrom all Naval Air Station Sigonelladepartments, divisions and tenantcommands. Editorial submissionsshould be sent to the Public AffairsOffice via [email protected] orhand-delivered to our office no laterthan the close of business on theFriday proceeding the expected publi-cation date. All articles submitted bynon-staff members will be consideredcontributing writers. The Signaturewill not publish any anonymous arti-cles. All advertisements in this publi-cation are the property of StampaGenerale S.r.l. Any reproduction ofadvertisements in The Signature isunauthorized without the written con-sent of the publisher.
Be prepared to be on your
own for at least three days.
Seven is better! The BASIC
FIVE: Water, Food, Heat,
Cash, Radio; Family
Communications Plan:
Phone Numbers & Rally
Points; Public Protection
Strategies: Evacuation and
Shelter-in-Place; Web info:
Ready.gov; Emergency
info: AFN 106.0 FM;
Questions? Call the EM
Office at 624-2630, 8265
or 2621.
Emergency
Management
Office
NASSIG WORSHIP SERVICES
Chapel Offices: NAS I 095-56-3975, NAS II 095-86-9049
ROMAN CATHOLIC
Sunday0900 Catholic Mass (NAS I Chapel)1200 Catholic Mass (NAS II Chapel)Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday1130 Catholic Mass (NAS II Chapel)
PROTESTANT
Sunday1045 Protestant Worship (NAS I)Wednesday1700 Fellowship Meal1800 Adult Bible Study
Youth GroupChildren’s Class
JEWISH LAY SERVICES
First Friday1800 Shabbat Service (NAS I Chapel)[email protected]
CHURCH OF CHRIST LAY SERVICE
Sunday1530 NAS I Chapel Call 624-5128 or 338-736-3061
OTHER SERVICES/ACTIVITIES POINTS OF CONTACT
Latter-day Saints: Sunday 1300 Catania Chapel, [email protected]; 624-1393AA Meetings: Monday,Wednesday, Friday – 1900, NAS II Chapel, 346-840-7745
Let’s MakeSigonella ASuicide SaferCommunity
We are offering another AppliedSuicide Intervention Skills Trainingworkshop this month (January 27-28).The worship begins at 0800 and endsby 1630.
ASIST is a two-day workshopdesigned for everyone civilian or mili-tary, hence, all are invited.
ASIST is a standardized learningexperience using a common language
to help increase suicide first aid skillsand build community networks amongacross NAS Sigonella.
Normally ASIST workshops costaround $450.00. We have a much bet-ter deal for our Sigonella community.
It’s free! ASIST greatly enhances a per-
son’s skills to intervene until theimmediate risk of suicide is reduced,or additional life-assistance resourcescan be found. Oftentimes, a directcomparison to the basic CPR (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation) program ofthe American Heart Association is use-ful. Honestly, you are much more like-ly to run into someone consideringsuicide than suffering from a heartattack.
Like the “Heart Saver” program,the workshop is designed to providepeople with essential first aid skills.Diet and exercise cannot eliminate allheart attacks. To an even greaterdegree, primary suicide preventionprograms that help people deal withproblems more effectively cannot pre-vent all thoughts, behaviors, and actsof suicide.
The causes of suicidal behaviorsare too complex and incompletelyunderstood. The mere number of sui-cides, non-suicidal behaviors and per-sons with thoughts of suicide showsthat suicide is a major communityhealth problem. Therefore we needyou to get actively involved in makingSigonella a suicide safer community.
Hearing lossBy Lt. Gary Rosonet, AuD
Yes I know, you love yourMP3 player and you like it loud!The problem is, Iam diagnosingmore and moreyoung people withhearing loss pat-terns remarkablylike that of theirGrandparents!
So what canyou do to enjoyyour music and, atthe same time, notdamage your hear-ing? Here are a few suggestions.
First, throw the ear buds thatcome with the unit away. Ear Budsare far more likely to cause hearingloss than the muff-type head-phones. Ear buds are placed direct-ly into the ear; this placement canboost the sound signal by as muchas nine decibels above the volumesetting.
The volume on an iPod canbe raised to 109 decibels (dB)which is the equivalent of an ambu-lance siren going off in your ear,and can cause irreversible damagein less than fifteen minutes!
The average individual cantolerate up to eight hours of soundat 85 db before suffering hearingdamage. For every 5 db over 85, the
exposure time before irreversibledamage occurs, is cut in half.
Which bring us to my secondrecommendation; not too loud fortoo long! The volume and the
length ofexposure tonoise arekey. Thelouder asound is,the shorterthe dura-tion youcan listen toit beforepermanentdamage to
your hearing occurs. If you need toset a time limit, you can listen toyour iPod for an hour and a half at80% (volume of level eight) andnot increase your risk for hearingloss. Keeping the volume level atsix or below, allows you to listen allday.
If you are concerned thatyour iPod may have already causedsome damage, be aware of thewarning signs which may includeringing in the ears (tinnitus), anddifficulty hearing what people aresaying in a noisy room.
If you have any of these symp-toms or concerns about your hear-ing, please schedule an appoint-ment to have your hearing checkedand relieve your worry.
Department Head of Audiology,
Naval Hospital Sigonella
SAFE, continued on
page 13
CNE-CNA-C6F/CNREURAFSEA IG Hotline
It’s everyone’s responsibility to report fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement in Navy activities to:
Office of the Inspector General, Naples, ItalyLeave a recorded message 24/7: DSN 626-2983, Comm: 081-568-2983
Speak to the Investigator: DSN 626-2964, Comm: 081-568-2964Email: [email protected]
Website: www.cnic.navy.mil/europe/index.htmYou can choose to remain anonymous or confidential.
ASIST Workshop, January 27-28NAS I ChapelClassrooms 3&48 a.m. -4:30 p.m.
January 14, 2011 Page 3
Picolo
S p a g h e t t iHouseNew Hope
Clifton: I believe that the Patriotshave taken over the title of America’s team.Being that we are all great patriots, I hopethey go all the way. Not to mention I hateall New York teams in every sport, GoPatriots!
The Ravens and Steeleres will be agreat match-up. Both teams play greatdefense, but the difference maker in thisgame is the Steelers offense. Steelers willwin this game in a close finish.
The Packers are a hot/cold team andyou never really know which team is goingto show up each week. The consistency ofa well balanced Atlanta Falcons team willbe the key to victory and i believe they willwin this game.
Now for the one we have all beenwaiting for. The upset last week of theSaints has the entire country jumping onthe Seahawk band wagon, but not thisguy. The Cinderella story ends in Chicagowhen the entire Seattle offense turns backinto pumpkins at midnight (well, midnightour time anyway.)
Record: W-L
Overall Record: 57-43
Last week: 3-3
Record: W-L
Overall Record: 57-43
Last week: 6-0
Record: W-L
Overall Record: 58-42
Last week: 3-3
ABH1 EzekialClifton, Emergency
Management
LSSA AshleyDiem/Rivera, FISC
AC3 MichaelVazana, NASSIG
Capt. Joe Beadles,NASSIG
Jeremy Glasser,MWR
Patriots vs. Jets
Ravens vs. SteelersPackers vs. Falcons
Record: W-L
Overall Record: 63-37
Last week: 3-3
Patriots
RavensFalcons
Seahawks
Record: W-L
Overall Record: 65-35
Last week: 5-1
Glasser: Wow! What great games thispast weekend, definitely worth staying upfor. Yeah, REAL sad to see those Colts lose...uh huh... real sad... boo hoo!! Now on withthe show.
Patriots! Enough said!SteelersFalconsSeahawks! my wife likes the lime
green uniforms. Go, Cinderella!I think all four of these games will be
close, and down to the wire. This truly is thebest football of the year!
Diem: Pats vs. Jets: I’m still goingwith the Jets! AFC Championship game isgonna end just like how the season began,with the Baltimore Ravens whooping someJets! So, the Jets need to get through NewEngland to get to said game!
Ravens vs. Steelers: RAVENS! We arenot repeating last year’s game! Let’s goBaltimore!!
Packers vs. Falcons: Well, I’ll say this
much; whoever wins this game is going tothe Superbowl for NFC... and I am favoringthe Falcons more.
Seahawks vs. Bears: “Da Bears!!” If theSeahawks come in and beat the Saints andthen the Bears... the world is coming to anend! And one more time, “Da Bears!!”
Vazana: Pats: No chance for the Jetsto “sneak” in a win here. They pulled one outof you know where to beat the Colts, butthe Princess himself Brady will not givethem an opportunity this game. Patriotsblow them out, or at least I hope they do.
Ravens: I got two names, Ray Lewisand Ed Reed. And if you forget where theywent to school, just remember the U.Ravens are looking supremely hot now anddon’t see the Steelers as such a majorthreat.
Falcons: The way rookie back Starksran against the Eagles makes this gamehard to predict. In the end though, I thinkthat extra week of rest and the “fire” offense
of the Falcons proves too much for thePacks D to handle. Falcons win a shootout.
Seahawks: I am on the bandwagon. Ienjoy seeing underdogs win it all, and amnow an official Seahawks fan for the remain-der of the season. Plus, the way these guysare playing makes it seem as if they deserveto be where they are right now.
Beadles: Patriots vs. Jets - more hairgel than sweat will spill on the gridiron forthis one! Battle of the pretty boy QB partTre! Brady will do his best Blue Steele andsend Mark Sanchez and the rest of the Jetsback to Zoolander “School for the teamsthat don’t play so good!”
Ravens vs. Steelers” Ben, meet RayLewis. A LOT! Ravens!
Packers vs. Falcons: Falcons will showthat despite their success over my Iggleslast week - the pack is not back.
Seahawks vs. Bears: Upset specialwith the Hawks taking the Bears to thewoodshed...
Patriots
FalconsSeahawksSeahawks vs. Bears
Jets
Ravens
Falcons
Bears
RavensFalcons
Seahwaks
Patriots
Steelers
FalconsBears
Patriots
Steelers
2011, continued from
page 1
crackerjacks.Changes would make both ver-
sions easier to wear, with side zippers onthe uniforms' jumper. Another improve-ment - new fabric for the blues - wouldallow year-round wear in all climates.The pants would have hidden zippers,making the 13-button flap purely deco-rative. Extra pockets are in the works aswell - answering a long-standing com-plaint from sailors.
The whites would look more likethe dress-blue uniform, with pipingadded to the sleeves and back flap, and adesign change would improve the fit ofthe female jumper. New fabrics arebeing tested here, too.
New running suit. Officials finaliz-ing the results of wear testing for a newrunning suit, which will be worn whileworking out in colder weather.
Approval won't be given untilthose results are presented to the uni-form board, which will decide on a finaldesign and manner of wear.
Officials promise the uniform willbe available to the fleet sometime in2011.
What's still up in the air is whetherthe duds will be issued to recruits andwhether they will be a mandatory seabagitem. That decision will be up toRoughead.
Cutlasses for chiefs. Ceremonialcutlasses for chiefs were approved thispast year.
The ceremonial weapon has ablade that is shorter, curved and thickerthan a sword. The officer sword ismandatory for O-4s and above whenworn with the full dress uniform; thecutlass will be an optional ceremonialcomponent of the chiefs' dress uniform.The idea for the senior enlisted item wasapproved March 31 in a Navy-wide mes-sage, but in reality, it's still being devel-oped, and the uniform board has yet tomake its final recommendations.
The design is being worked by theNavy and Vanguard Industries. Officialshope to have cutlasses available for salesometime in 2011.
But first, officials must decide onthe exact specifications for the cutlass.This includes a working belt systemdesign, which must be approved by theuniform board and Roughead.
FitnessFitness rules were tightened over
the past year, and you should expectthem to get tougher.
The Navy has already changed therules so that sailors can be tossed out ofthe fleet for three physical fitness assess-ment failures in four years. Plus, theNavy has imposed restrictions onwaivers and stated that if a sailor fails his
body composition assessment, he'sfailed the PFA, no matter how well heperformed on the physical part of thetest.
Still, there is a cadre of Navy lead-ers who believe the rules should be eventighter. Expect movement on this nearthe beginning of the year, most likelyinvolving the body fat portion of thePFA.
AdvancementsAfter three straight cycles with
drops in overall petty officer advance-ment opportunity, Navy officials say thechance to move up has stabilized andshould improve slightly in 2011.
Record-breaking retention - duein part to the sluggish economy - is themain reason opportunity has slowed.
Still, if things improve, it won't beon a large scale. Expect only slightimprovements - a few percentage pointsat most, officials said.
End strengthThere won't be much, if any,
drawdown of sailors in 2011, as Chief of
Naval Personnel Vice Adm. MarkFerguson told Navy Times in August.The Navy is expected to hold steady inthe coming year before eventually mak-ing its way down to 325,000.
Ferguson didn't give a timeline forgetting to that level, but expect the Navyto slowly creep in that direction in 2011.The service had planned to drop to322,000 by 2013, but the lingering indi-vidual augmentee issue caused Navyleaders to rethink how many sailors thefleet needs.
As of Dec. 22, there were 328,015on active duty, meaning the service isbelow the 328,700 authorized for Oct. 1,though it is common for end-strengthnumbers to fluctuate during the year.
GI Bill improvementsThe Post-9/11 GI Bill reached
maturity in the fall 2010 term, with morepeople using the new education benefitand fewer complaints about slow orinaccurate payments.
Better training of the VeteransAffairs Department workers processing
claims, and students and institutions ofhigher learning who better understoodthe benefit, were part of the reasonthings started running smoother. Butsoftware to manage the complicatedprogram is the real reason for progress.Success in automating GI Bill claims,which cut the time to process claimsfrom an average of 28 days in 2009 to 10days in 2010, makes VA officials opti-mistic similar improvements are possi-ble with other veterans benefit claims.
'Don't Ask'With the repeal of "don't ask, don't
tell," service members can expect 2011to be the first year gays can serve openlyin uniform.
The precise timeline remainsunclear, but Defense Secretary RobertGates has signaled that preparations forthe change will take about a year. Beready for a political battle betweenPentagon leaders and activists for thegay community as they wrangle overimplementation details and the pace ofchange.
Don't expect any new barrackconstruction projects for gay troops. But2011 will probably be filled with newtraining session on how to work along-side gay troops and how commandersshould respond to potential problems.Also, expect new reminders on the mili-tary's rules against public displays ofaffection for all troops, gay and straight.
CMC firingsExpect to hear more about com-
mand master chiefs getting in trouble inthe coming year, following
Master Chief Petty Office of theNavy (SS/SW) Rick West's call to pub-licize firings when they occur, which: iswhat the fleet already does for com-manding officers. After, telling NavyTimes last fall that this was a priority,West made good on his promise byreleasing the names of all five CMCswho had been fired up to that point.Since then, the Navy announced its sixth
2011, continued on
page 12
Page 4 January 14, 2011
Do you have a passion for
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MagnoliaNew Place
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American Red Cross
Babysitter Training0800-1530
American Red Cross
Closed for MartinLuther King Jr. Birthday
Celebration
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ICR 0800-1530TAP Class 0800-1600
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Fleet and FamilySupport CenterAdministrationBuilding Bldg. 319 (NAS I)
Monday–Friday7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. DSN 624-4291 Commercial 095-56-4291
Motta
January 14, 2011 Page 5
Empower. Enrich. EDUCATE.
Alphio
Kartodromo
Pentagon
Days Inn
Article by
Michele Weiner-Davis
Having marriage problems?Are you considering divorce? Well,it’s time you put your assumptionsabout marriage issues to the test!Take the Relationship IQ Quiz andfind out what makes a healthy mar-riage, what causes divorce, and whatmost people do after infidelityoccurs.
If you’re looking for a divorcequiz, or trying to decide if youshould get divorced, then this is agreat place to start. As always,remember, it’s never too late to savea marriage from divorce.
By Michele Weiner-DavisAnswer "True" or "False" to
each of the following questions:1. Conflict and anger are
signs that your relationship is failing.2. You're more likely to
divorce if there are differences inyour backgrounds, likes and dislikesand interests.
3. In healthy relationships,major disagreements get resolvedover time.
4. In healthy marriages,spouses have the same definition ofwhat it means to be loving.
5. People just fall out oflove.
6. Affairs don't have to ruinmarriages.
7. Most people are much
happier in their second marriagesbecause they've learned from their mis-takes.
The Answers1. Conflict and anger are signs
that your relationship is failing. (False)It's amazing to me how many peo-
ple believe that their marriages are dys-functional when there is conflict. Thefact is, the single best predictor ofdivorce is the constant avoidance ofconflict! All marriages, even the best ofmarriages, have their ups and downs,times when spouses are angry and argu-mentative. It's impossible to live underthe same roof with another humanbeing for any length of time and not dis-agree now and then.
2. You're more likely to divorceif there are differences in your back-grounds, likes and dislikes and interests.(False)
Here's a surprise for you. Theanswer to this question is false.Research shows that people who staytogether and are happily married are nomore similar than those who divorce!They come from decidedly differentbackgrounds, hold different beliefs andhave sharply different interests. Butwhat separates those who have success-ful relationships from those who don't isthis- they learn effective ways to dealwith their differences. They have defi-nite methods for handling conflict.Although they don't necessarily have a
lot in common, they nurture theinterests they do share and try todevelop new ones from time to time.Successful couples understand thattheir partners are not supposed to betheir clones. They believe that lifewould be incredibly boring if theirspouses were mirror images ofthemselves. Instead, happily mar-ried people learn to both appreciatetheir differences, find ways to growfrom them or simply make peacewith them.
3. In healthy relationships,major disagreements get resolvedover time. (False)
Research tells us that approxi-mately sixty percent of what couplesargue about is unresolvable! If youeavesdrop on couples' arguments asnewlyweds and then again afterthey've been married for twenty-fiveyears or more, you might be sur-prised to find that much of the con-tent is the same. Certain issues willremain sticking points throughoutone's entire marriage, even in thebest of marriages! However, the wayin which people discuss these heatedissues does change over time. Wetend to mellow a bit, which makes ahuge difference in how our partnersreact to us and visa verse.
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholic Anonymous meet-
ing will be held on Monday
evenings from 5:30 p.m. to
6:30 p.m. at the NASII Chapel.
If additional meetings are
needed or for more information
please call x3267
MARRIAGE, continued
on page 13
Page 6 January 14, 2011
Alberto Lunetta
The Signature Staff
Agip
Eno
Saint Sebastian Festival to be held in Acireale
Photo by Giuseppe Sottile
On Jan. 20 and 27, Acireale
townspeople will honor San
Sebastiano or Saint
Sebastian, the town's co-
patron. Hundreds of devo-
tees will pay homage to their
beloved saint by attending
holy masses and religion
processions during which
the saint’s relics and statue
will be carried throughout
the historic center. The festi-
val will also feature fire-
works and arts and crafts.
"Evviva Sam Mastianu! Evvivalu rizzareddu, Vàddatilu quant’èbeddu, li miraculi ca fa” (Long liveSaint Sebastian! Long live the curly-headed, look at his beauty and themiracles he performs). This ancientprayer shows how the devotiontowards San Sebastiano (SaintSebastian) is deeply embedded in thereligious history of Acireale, an ele-gant town in the Catania province.Every year, thousands among pil-grims and tourists swarms the streetsof the historic center to show loveand respect to their celestial patron.Despite being just the town’s compa-trono (co-patron saint) along withSanta Venera, whose festival is cele-brated on July 26, Sebastiano stillgets most of the attention by theAcireale’s religious community. Thefestival honoring him will be held onThursday Jan. 20 at the SaintSebastian Basilica.
The celebration will be repeatedin a smaller scale on Thursday, Jan 27- when a new day of festivities called“ottava” (8-day period of observanc-es beginning with a festival day) -will once again pay homage to thesaint.
Life of San SebastianoSan Sebastiano is probably one
of the most famous martyrs in theChristian tradition. His martyrdomwas a favorite subject of Renaissancepainters who depicted him as a hand-some young man who kept his digni-ty and beauty through the pain of theterrible arrows’ wounds and eventual-ly triumphed over physical suffering.
Sebastiano was born in northernFrance around 300 AD. He served asan officer in the Roman army underDiocletian, the Emperor who issuedan edict in which he prohibitedChristianity. As Sebastiano was dis-covered to be a Christian, he wasmartyred in 288 AD. He was tied,pierced with arrows and left for dead;but tradition holds that he survivedthe arrows, which miraculously failedto pierce any vital organ.
Thus, the arrow, a symbol of theplague, became his identifying attrib-
ute as well as his wounds that resem-ble plague boils. Tradition holds thathe was eventually beaten to death.
A true hero of Catholicism, SanSebastiano is also worshipped almosteverywhere in Sicily, but particularlyin the province of Siracusa and inManiace. Acireale townspeople con-sider him as a protector against theplague as he reportedly saved the cityin times of trouble several times,especially during plague epidemics.According to one tradition, the citywas spared by the plague in 1466,and therefore, devotees built a churchto thank him.
However, the church was heav-ily damaged as a result of a cata-strophic earthquake that struck theCatania province in 1693. But theAcireale devotees did not give up anderected a new magnificent basilicadedicated to San Sebastiano in the17th century. The Basilica Collegiatadi San Sebastiano is among the mostbeautiful Baroque buildings inAcireale, as well as the most request-ed church for wedding ceremonies.Gian Battista Marino, a sculptor fromCatania, decorated its façade in thesecond half of the 17th century in aBaroque style. The church’s interiorwas frescoed with some paintings byPaolo Vasta depicting scenes from thelife of the saint and other master-pieces telling the story of Christ byVenerando Costanzo.
San Sebastiano is still beeninvoked by pilgrims to help peopleheal from illnesses and thanked forsurviving a natural disaster or acci-dent.
If a miracle is worked, devoteeswould offer tall waxes, money andsmall golden objects. Sometimes,they would tape these objects on redribbons that are tied on the branchesof the stump against which the statuedepicting San Sebastiano is placed.Tradition also holds that, in the past,one who would miraculously surviveplague epidemics would offer whitelinens to the saint. At that time, aninfected person was indeed requiredto wear white linen around their neck
to show that they carried the disease.Once the epidemic was over, theselinens were taped on the pillars thatsupport the carriage on which thestatue of the saint is carried in proces-sion. Even nowadays, devotees stillwear the linen around their chest andhead.
Festival scheduleThe festival starts on Jan. 20 at
7:30 a.m. at the Saint Sebastianchurch with the opening of the littlechapel that houses both the statue ofthe Christian martyr and the relics.
Holy mass is then performed at9:30 a.m. by Acireale Bishop PioVittorio Vigo. Later at 11 a.m., thestatue of San Sebastian begins its pro-cession through the streets of thetown’s historic heart.
The “fercolo” or float, on top ofwhich the statue depicting the saint isplaced, will be taken around by agroup of 60 “divoti" (devotees) whoperform spectacular maneuvers evenrunning and going up steep climbs.The divoti who carry the float aroundthe city belong to a confraternityboasting an ancient tradition handeddown for centuries from father to son.The procession lasts all day and endsat midnight when the statue isbrought back to the San Sebastianochurch.
Firework shows and ringingchurch bells are performed all daylong and throughout the city.
The Jan 27 festival will featureHoly masses to be performed at 9:30/10:30 a.m., noon, 5 and 7 p.m. at theSaint Sebastian church where thestatue of the Christian martyr and therelics are kept.
Later at 8: 30 p.m., the statue ofSan Sebastian will be taken outsidethe church to the main square whereit will be displayed for about thirtyminutes. Firework shows will endthe festival around 10 p.m.
The San Sebastiano church islocated in piazza Leonardo Vigo nextto the Acireale Cathedral. For moreinformation and detailed schedulescontact the San Sebastian Church at095-601313
January 14, 2011 Page 7
Old Wild West
Mammuth
Stella
Gambino
Bellini Opera opens 2011 with Gnecchi's CassandraSigonella opera
buffs will be happy tohear that the CataniaBellini Opera haslaunched its new 2011season, on Tuesday, Jan.11, with Italian compos-er Vittorio Gnecchi’sCassandra.
This rarely-per-formed and controver-sial music drama, whichwas last staged in Romein 1942, was written fouryears before Stauss’sElektra. It tells ofAgamemnon’s return tohis wife Klytemnestra,who intends to kill himas revenge for his sacri-fice of their daughterIphigenia at the start ofhis voyage to Troy, andof course to preserve herrelationship withAegisthus. Agamemnonbrings Cassandra withhim from Troy, and sheprophesies death. Hebelieves her, but his wifewhisks him away and the deed isdone. The opera ends with the deathof Agamemnon, though Cassandrawill die later because that is her fatewhen someone finally believes her
prophecies (Markronan.word-press.com).
As reported by Historum.com,Gnecchi, who died at 77 in 1954, wasinvolved in a bizarre controversy,
being accused of plagiarism inthe composition of Cassandrabecause of similarities toRichard Strauss' Elektra, eventhough he had composed hispiece before Strauss'.
Despite high-profile for-eign advocacy -- a 1911Vienna performance withMaria Jeritza, conducted byMengelberg; the 1914American premiere featuringRosa Raisa - the damage wasdone, and both Gnecchi andhis opera faded into obscurity(Classicalcdreview.com).
The cast includesGiovanna Casolla (SEEPHOTO), Mariana Pentcheva,John Treleaven and CarmeloCorrado Caruso. Directionwill be provided by GabrieleRech, conductor will beDonato Renzetti.
The opera will be stagedon the following days: Friday,Jan 14 /8:30 p.m.; Saturday,Jan 15/ 5:30 p.m.; Sunday,
Jan. 16 5:30 p.m.; Tuesday, Jan18 5:30 p.m. and Wednesday,
Jan 19, 5: 30.For more information and tick-
ets visit http://www.teatromassimo-bellini.it
Photo by Bellini Opera Press Office
Cost of visits to Rome risesas city introduces newtourist tax
By Dailymail.co.uk
A glimpse of the Coliseum in
the morning sunlight or a stroll
across St Peter’s Square, before
the crowds arrive, costs a little
more from this week – as Italian
authorities invoke a new tax on
visitors to Rome that is designed
to protect the city’s many monu-
ments.
The charge, which came in
on January 1st, will be levied on
top of accommodation costs.
Tourists will pay an extra €2
per person per night if staying in
hotels up to a three-star rating,
and an extra €3 per person per
night if they have chosen a four-
or five-star hotel.
Even campsites fall within
the tax’s remit, with campers pay-
ing an added €1 per person per
night to sleep under canvas –
although youth hostels are
exempt from the charge, while the
fee does also not apply to visitors
younger than the age of ten.
The tax will be levied on the
first ten nights of any hotel stay in
the city – or the first five nights for
those staying on a campsite.
Local authorities hope it will
raise around €80million (£69mil-
lion) per annum, which will be
used on the maintenance and
promotion of a city that attracts
some 30 million visitors every
year. Rome has some 3,800
hotels, guest houses and bed-
and-breakfast options.
Although the fee is theoreti-
cally small – for example, a three-
night weekend away for a couple
in a three-star hotel will equate to
an extra cost of €12 (£10) at the
end of the break, an amount that
will barely pay for two cappuccinosin a central coffee shop – the tax maycause a certain amount of inconven-ience when guests come to pay it.
The fee must be settled onchecking out of a hotel at the end of astay – and only in cash, meaning that21st century travelers used to payingfor everything with a credit card willneed to remember to hold back a lit-tle paper money to take care of theextra amount.
Some foresee problems with thecharge.
“These increases – especiallytax on accommodation – will make itmore difficult to compete with coun-tries such as Spain and Greece, whichhave more competitive hotel prices,”Giorgio Sansa, a Rome-based touroperator, told The Scotsman.
“Tourism is our main incomeand prices in Rome are already highenough, so although it appears only asmall increase, for a family on abreak in the city it will add more tothe final bill and be noticed.”
“I don’t think it will stop peoplecoming to Rome,” Mr Sansa contin-ued, “but I think we will see groupschoosing to go to other destinationsinstead, as we now have to add thecharge when we sell tours.”
Nor is the accommodationcharge the only new fee that will hitvisitors to the Italian capital in thepocket this year. January 1st also sawthe adding of a supplementary €1 tothe price of museum entry in Romefor non-residents.
MoroboshiMiliciPietro
Page 8 January 14, 2011
During the month of December, NAS Sigonella photographers were given the chance toshow off their best work during the MWR photo contest. The theme was “Outdoor Sicily.”Here are the top three finishers. For more information about the next photo contest, call624-5602.
First place: Brandon Hardin
Some reasons why people chose hisphoto:
- “I love the color definition”- “I want to go there.”- “Like the B&W with the coloredboat in foreground. This is the eyeof an artist and photographer.Thank you for posting artwork -culture is important!”- “ Great port.”- “Contrast of the color of the boatwith the background.”- “Because I like the contrast and Ilike the black and white with selectcolors... good stuff.”- “Because it was the best one.”- “I like the boat.”- “Because the artistic ability that itpossesses is well developed.”- “I liked the color contrast.”
Moroboshi Gelso Oleficio
January 14, 2011 Page 9
Second Place: Dustin Farris
Some of the reasonspeople voted for his
photo:- “Most fits the themeand is a beautiful spot.”- “Suggestive”- “Great nature pictureand really shows thebeauty of Italy.”- “It has more to do withnature.”-“Most portraying ofnature”-“Favorite place I’vebeen”-“Love the picture”-“It is an actual naturephoto”-“It was between [thisone and another one,but the other one] isn’treally nature, it’ssuburban, so I pick thisone.”-“Because it’s better thanthe others and I like it.”
Third Place:Liz Byrne
Some of the reasons people chose herphoto:
- “Shows authentic Sicilian herding. We seethem everyday driving.”- “Great lighting/feeling of Sicily.”- “It’s awesome.”- “It captures the true nature and culture ofSicily, with a touch of the past.”- “There is a great contrast of color. Thebackground and geep are a calm vanillaand the dog is a black one. Great contrast.”- “This typifies the total culture of workingthe land - Geepers and Farmer.”
Page 10 January 14, 2011
Breakfast: Hot Oatmeal, Grilled Sausage Links, Oven Fried Bacon, Asstd Omelets, Eggs to Order, Roasted Potatoes, Waffles, AsstdDoughnuts, Cinnamon Rolls.Lunch: Cream of Potato Soup, Beef with Broccoli, Baked Fish, Penne alla Norma, Tempura Fish, Oven Glo Potatoes, Tossed GreenRice, Seasoned Mix Vegetables, Summer Squash, Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, Chocolate Cake, Vanilla Pudding.Speed Line: Grilled Hamburger/ Cheeseburger, French Fried Potatoes, Baked Beans, RIKPAK.Dinner: French Onion Soup, Grilled Chicken Breast, Steamed Rice, Spinach, Cauliflower Polonaise, Oatmeal Raisin Cookies,Chocolate Cake, Vanilla Pudding.Choice hamburger or hotdog by order.
Breakfast: Farina, Grilled Ham Slices, Oven Fried Bacon, Asstd Omelets, Eggs to Order, Roasted Potatoes, Buttermilk Pancakes, AsstdDoughnuts, Crumb Cake.Brunch: Breakfast Items, Beef Barley Soup, Swedish meat balls, Buttered Pasta, Brown Gravy, Sprouts Superba, Fried Cabbage w/Bacon, Snickerdoodle Cookies, Apple Crisp.Dinner: Pepper Pot Soup, Fishwhich, Rice Pilaf, O’Brien Potatoes, Peas w/ Celery, Okra Melange, Snickerdoodle Cookies, Apple Crisp.Choice hamburger or hotdog by order.
Breakfast: Rolled Oats, Grilled Minute Steak, Oven Fried Bacon, Asstd Omelets, Eggs to Order, Roasted Potatoes, French Toast, AsstdDoughnuts, Italian Croissant.Brunch: Breakfast items, Chicken Gumbo Soup, Chili Macaroni, Oriental Stir Fry, Lima Beans, Peach Cobbler, White Cake w/ Frosting.Dinner: Manhattan Clam Chowder Soup, Teriyaki Chicken, Paprika Buttered Potatoes, Pork Fried Rice, Carrots, Whole kernel Corn,Peach Cobbler, White Cake w/ Frosting.Choice hamburger or hotdog by order.
Breakfast: Hot Grits, Minced Beef on Toast, Oven Fried Bacon, Asstd Omelets, Eggs to Order, Roasted Potatoes, French Toast, AsstdDoughnuts, Butterfly Rolls.Lunch: Creole Soup, Turkey Curry, Baked Fish Fillet, Steamed Rice, Savory Style Beans, Cauliflower, Crisp Drop Cookies, CherryCrumble Pie, Strawberry Gelatin.Speed line: Hotdog.Dinner: Tomato Bouillon Soup, Baked Stuffed Pork Chops, Steamed Rice, Brown Gravy, Green Beans Nicoise, Carrot Slices, Crisp
Drop Cookies, Cherry Crumble Pie, Strawberry Gelatin. Choice hamburger or hotdog by order.
14
15
16
17
18Breakfast: Farina, Oven Fried Bacon, Asstd Omelets, Eggs to Order, Roasted Potatoes, Waffles, Biscuits and Gravy, Asstd Doughnuts,Bran Muffins. Lunch: Spanish Soup, Beef and Fish Tacos, Burritos, Chicken Fajita, Mexican Rice, Refried Beans, Calico Corn, Herbed Broccoli,Jalapeno Cornbread, Raspberry Filled Cake, Pecan Pie.Speed line: Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich, Onion Rings.Dinner: Navy Bean Soup, Roast Turkey, Steamed Rice, Mashed Potatoes, Chicken Gravy, Seasoned Asparagus, Honey Dijon
Vegetables, Raspberry Filled Cake, Pecan Pie.Choice hamburger or hotdog by order.
Breakfast: Rolled Oats, Creamed Ground Beef, Oven Fried Bacon, Asstd Omelets, Eggs to Order, Roasted Potatoes, BlueberryPancakes, Asstd Doughnuts, Danish Diamonds.Lunch: Puree Mongole Soup, Fish Amandine, Country Style Steak, Brown Gravy, Potatoes Au Gratin, Steamed Rice, Turnips & Bacon,Peas w/Carrots, Vanilla Cookies, Strawberry Shortcake, Tapioca Pudding.Speed line: Grilled Hamburger/Cheeseburger, French Fries, Baked Beans.Dinner: Beef Barley Soup, Baked Chicken, Steamed Rice, Savory Squash, Steamed Broccoli, Vanilla Cookies, Strawberry Shortcake,Tapioca Pudding.Choice hamburger or hotdog by order.
Breakfast: Hominy Grits, Corned Beef Hash, Oven Fried Bacon, Asstd Omelets, Eggs to Order, Roasted Potatoes, French Toast, AsstdDoughnuts, Danish Diamonds.Lunch: Velvet Corn Soup, Baked Chicken, Braised Beef & Onions, Oriental Rice, Oven Brown Potatoes, Steamed Cabbage,Cauliflower Au Gratin, Easy Chocolate Cake, Crisp Drop Cookies.Speed line: HotdogDinner: Cream of Asparagus Soup, Chicken Tetrazzini, Ratatouille Eggplant, Lyonnaise Rice, Mustard Greens, Easy Chocolate, CrispDrop Cookies.Choice hamburger or hotdog by order.
19
20
Breakfast: Rolled Oats, Sausage Links, Oven Fried Bacon, Asstd Omelets, Eggs to Order, Roasted Potatoes, Waffles, Asstd Doughnuts,Apple Fritters.Lunch: New England Clam Chowder, Lemon Baked Fish, Grilled Pork Chops w/ Mushroom Gravy, Steamed Rice, Garlic RoastedPotatoes, Asparagus, Creole Green Beans, Sugar Cookies, Cheese Cake, Vanilla Cream Pudding.Speed line: Grilled Hamburger/Cheeseburger, French Fries, Baked Beans.Dinner: Vegetable Supreme Soup, Teriyaki Chicken, Oven Browned Potatoes, Spinach, Oriental Stir Fry, Sugar Cookies, Cheesecake,Vanilla Cream Pudding.Choice hamburger or hotdog by order.
21
PizzarottiAnnual OHA Utilityand MaintenanceSurvey Weeks Away
U.S. service members in Italy wholive off-post or base, have a pri-vate lease, and receive anOverseas Housing Allowance(OHA) are encouraged to gathertheir utility and maintenancereceipts for the upcoming annualOHA Utility and RecurringMaintenance Survey!
The online survey is only weeksaway (specific dates and link willbe announced soon)! Surveyinformation is used to updateOHA utility/recurring mainte-nance rates for your area. It isimportant that accurate figures beprovided in the OHA Survey. Thetime and effort spent answeringthe survey questions will enablethe Department of Defense to setequitable OHA utility.
E-4 Personnel Now Eligiblefor Unaccompanied HousingFrom Commander Navy Region
Europe, Africa Southwest Asia
Public Affairs
NAPLES, Italy —Unaccompanied E-4 personnelstationed aboard Navy installa-tions across Europe, Africa, andSouthwest Asia are now eligibleto live in unaccompanied hous-ing, according to a newCommander Navy RegionEurope, Africa, Southwest Asia(EURAFSWA) policy that wentinto effect Jan. 1.
Under the previous policy,unaccompanied on-base accom-modations were generallyreserved for E-3 and below.Newly arriving E-4 servicemembers will be mandatorilyassigned to unaccompaniedbase housing where space isavailable and where it is deter-mined to have no adverseimpact on potential occupancyfor unaccompanied E-3 andbelow.
“This new policy now inplace allows us to better ensureour incoming E-4 personnelhave the on-base housing sup-port they need,” said NavyRegion EURAFSWA CommandMaster Chief Robert White.“But I want the E-3 and belowto know that they will not beimpacted. They are still the toppriority for unaccompaniedhousing and will continue to gettop consideration for requests.”
According to SandraSchlosser, the regional housingprogram director, exceptionswill be considered on a cases-by-case basis for incomingunaccompanied E-4 personnelwho received permanent changeof station orders prior to imple-mentation of the new policy.
“Some service members
already received their ordersand shipped household goodsand pets,” said Schlosser.“These service members, aswell as any for whom assign-ment to unaccompanied hous-ing would result in undue hard-ship, will be given case-by-caseconsideration.”
An estimated 200 vacan-cies in unaccompanied housingexist at current Navy RegionEURAFSWA installations. Newvacancies may be created in thefuture by reactivating otherfacilities.
Unaccompanied E-4 per-sonnel currently residing in pri-vate rentals on the local econo-my are not required to relocatefrom their current residence, butthey may request reassignmentto unaccompanied housing onbase on a space-available basis.Members seeking this type ofrelocation are responsible forany related moving costs.
Assignment to unaccompa-nied housing for geographicbachelors will be considered ona case-by-case basis.
For specific questions onthe policy change for unaccom-panied E-4, personnel shouldcontact their respective installa-tion housing offices.
For more news and infor-mation about the EURAFSWAregion, log ontowww.cnic.navy.mil/europe orv i s i twww.facebook.com/cnreuraf-swa.
January 14, 2011 Page 11
On the Go with MWR
For more information on MWR’s
programs and services, call
624-3968.
Friday, January 14
5:00pm Yogi Bear PG
5:30pm Tron Legacy PG
7:30pm The Next 3 Days PG-13
8:00pm Skyline PG
Saturday, January 15
2:00pm Harry Potter: Deathly Hallows PG-13
2:30pm Yogi Bear PG
5:00pm Little Fockers PG-13
5:30pm The Next 3 Days PG-13
7:30pm For Colored Girls R
8:00pm Due Date R
Sunday, January 16
2:00pm Tron Legacy PG
2:30pm True Grit PG-13
4:30pm Skyline PG-13
5:00pm Unstoppable PG-13
6:30pm Conviction R
Monday, January 17
2:00pm Despicable Me PG FREE
2:30pm Legend of the Guardians PG
FREE
5:00pm Yogi Bear PG
5:30pm Tron Legacy PG
7:30pm The Next 3 Days PG-13
8:00pm For Colored Girls R
Tuesday, January 18
5:00pm Little Fockers PG-13
5:30pm True Grit PG-13
7:30pm Skyline PG-13
8:00pm Due Date R
Wednesday, January 19
5:00pm Megamind PG
5:30pm The Next 3 Days PG-13
7:30pm Hereafter PG-13
8:00pm Unstoppable PG-13
Thursday, January 20
5:00pm Tron Legacy PG
5:30pm Litttle Fockers PG-13
7:30pm Due Date R
8:00pm Conviction R
Friday, January 21
5:00pm Harry Potter: Deathly Hallows PG-13
5:30pm Little Fockers PG-13
7:30pm Burlesque PG-13
8:00pm Due Date R
Jellystone Park has been losing business, so greedy Mayor Brown decides toshut it down and sell the land. That means families will no longer be able toexperience the natural beauty of the outdoors -- and, even worse, Yogi and BooBoo will be tossed out of the only home they've ever known. Faced with hisbiggest challenge ever, Yogi must prove that he really is "smarter than the aver-age bear" as he and Boo Boo join forces with their old nemesis Ranger Smithto find a way to save Jellystone Park from closing forever. (83 min.)
YOGI BEAR- Dan Akroyd, Justin Timberlake, Christine Taylor, TomCavanagh, Ana Faris
Sam, a rebellious 27-year-old, is haunted by the mysterious disappearance ofhis father Kevin, a man once known as the world's leading video-game devel-oper. When Sam investigates a strange signal sent from the old Flynn's Arcade,a signal that could only come from his father, he finds himself pulled into adigital world where Kevin has been trapped for 20 years. With the help of thefearless warrior Quorra, father and son embark on a life-and-death journeyacross a visually-stunning cyber universe -- a universe created by Kevin him-self that has become far more advanced with never-before-imagined vehicles,weapons, landscapes and a ruthless villain who will stop at nothing to preventtheir escape. (125 min.)
TRON LEGACY- Jeff Bridges, Garret Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, BruceBoxleitner, Michael Sheen
LITTLE FOCKERS- Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, TeriPolo, Blythe Danner
The test of wills between Jack Byrnes and Greg Focker escalates to newheights. It has taken 10 years, two little Fockers with wife Pam and countlesshurdles for Greg to finally get "in" with his tightly wound father-in-law, Jack.After the cash-strapped dad takes a job moonlighting for a drug company,however, Jack's suspicions about his favorite male nurse come roaring back.When Greg and Pam's entire clan -- including Pam's lovelorn ex, Kevin --descends for the twins' birthday party, Greg must prove to the skeptical Jackthat he's fully capable as the man of the house. But with all the misunderstand-ings, spying and covert missions, will Greg pass Jack's final test and becomethe family's next patriarch -- or will thecircle of trust be broken for good? (98min.)
THE NEXT 3 DAYS- Russell Crowe, Elizabeth Banks, Brain Dennehy,Lennie James, Olivia Wilde
Strange lights descend on the city of Los Angeles, drawing people outside likemoths to a flame where an extraterrestrial force threatens to swallow the entirehuman population off the face of the Earth. (100 min.)
SKYLINE- Eric Balfour, Crystal Reed, Scottie Thompson, Neil Hopkins,David Zayas
Movie schedule is subject to change.Please call to
confirm. Movie Hotline: 624-4248
Life seems perfect for John until his wife Lara is arrested for a gruesome mur-der she didn’t commit. Three years into her sentence John is struggling to holdhis family together raising their son ans teaching at college while he pursuesevery means available to prove her innocence. With the rejection of their finalappeal Lara becomes suicidal and John decides there is only one possible bear-ing solution: to break his wife out of prison. Refusing to be deterred by impos-sible odds or his own inexperience John devises an elaborate escape plot andplunges into a dangerous and unfamiliar world, ultimately risking everythingfor the woman he loves. (122 min.)
Midtown Movie Theaters
Schedule & Descriptions
Miles for lifeLet a little inspira-
tion into your life withFit Districts’ miles forlife program.
It’s never too late tostart!
Fit District launchedthe Miles for Life pro-gram Oct. 1, 2010.
It is a programdesigned for people totrack their miles thatthey run, walk, or use theelliptical, whether it beat the gym or outside.
After 100 personalmiles, your picture willmake the Miles for Lifepicture wall inside NASI Fit District.
At 500 miles youwill receive a prize. Asof January 1, 2011 there
were nine people in theSigonella communitythat completed the 100personal miles!
How far is 100miles? 100 miles is6,336,000 inches,528,000 feet, 1,760 foot-ball fields, or almost fourmarathons. It’s no smallfeat, so congratulationsto the nine who have fin-ished and were all dedi-cated to the 100 miles,they are well on theirway to 500.
The Miles for Lifeparticipants that havecompleted the 100 milesare Chris Hill, ShantishaCarpenter, MarcelaRhodus, Maria Rapale,Nicci Jones, Kristen
Matella, Jill Hathaway,Barry Tanner, andThomas Matella.
Chris Hill was thefirst to finish and hascurrently ran over 450miles. Everyone hadtheir own inspirationwhen they set out to con-quer the 100 miles.
Take Nicci Joneswho decided to partici-pate in the program inpreparation for the 2011Greece marathon.
Whatever personalgoals our participantsmay have, they caninspire us all to join theMiles for Life program.
Volcanic Ash in concertVolcanic Ash is a local band. They will be performing at Jox Pub on January29 at 10 pm. This is a free 18 and over event. They are a cover band for rockand classic rock music.
Page 12 January 14, 2011
Palermo
Stampa
2011, continued from
page 1
Stampa
firing after sacking the CMC of a P-3squadron.
Fleet Snapshot* The aircraft carrier Enterprise
spent early December at sea for jointtask force exercises with its carrier strikegroup as they prepared for an early 2011deployment. This is expected to be theship's final deployment.
* Nimitz, fresh from theannouncement of a permanent changeof home port - from San Diego toEverett, Wash. - saw its hull go dry Dec.16 at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard andIntermediate Maintenance Facility inBremerton, Wash., the start of a year-long overhaul. By the end of 2011, thecarrier will shift across the sound toEverett.
* Dwight D. Eisenhower, afterback-to-back deployments, is goingthrough a six-month yard period formaintenance and the revamping of itsliving and work spaces. It will then con-duct work-ups in the coming year.
* Carl Vinson left San DiegoNov. 30 to finish its pre-deploymentwork-ups and will begin 2011 fresh intoa seven-month deployment to theWestern Pacific and Persian Gulfregions.
* Theodore Roosevelt willbegin the year nearly halfway through itsmajor 36-month midlife refueling andcomplex overhaul in Newport News, Va,and will come out of dry dock this com-ing year.
* Abraham Lincoln will beginthe year deployed in the 5th Fleet regionin the midst of a busy schedule that willbring the carrier home to Everett thisspring. Months later, it will change itshome port to Norfolk, Va., where it willbegin its mid-life refueling and complexoverhaul, expected to last four years.
* George Washington spent theholidays at home in Yokosuka, Japan,after fall joint exercises and a highly-vis-ible presence in the 7th Fleet regionamid escalated tensions on the KoreanPeninsula.
* John C. Stennis in mid-December wrapped up a maintenanceperiod at Puget Sound and went to seabefore returning to Bremerton. It willbegin work-ups for its next deployment
* Harry S. Truman returned toNorfolk on Dec. 20, ending a seven-month deployment spent mostlyaround 5th Fleet. It is not scheduled todeploy in 2011.
* Ronald Reagan prepared forits joint task force exercise before adeployment - its fifth in six years - to theWestern Pacific in early 2011.
* George H.W. Bush will cele-brate its first deployment in 2011 afterat-sea work-ups with its strike group.
Comings And GoingsThe Navy is scheduled to remove
eight ships and one submarine fromactive service this coming year, accord-ing to Navy spokeswoman Lt. CourtneyHillson:
* The frigates Jarrett and Doyleare being set aside for foreign militarysales.
* The amphibious assault shipNassau is being inactivated.
* The amphibious transportdocks Cleveland and Dubuque arebeing inactivated.
* The attack submarineMemphis is being dismantled.
* The ammunition ships Flint,Kiska and Shasta are being dismantled.
The Navy will welcome threeships and one submarine to the fleet in2011, Hillson said. They are:
* The destroyers William P.Lawrence and Spruance.
* The attack sub California.* The amphibious transport
dock San Diego.On the aviation side, only one
move is planned, said Lt. Aaron Kakiel,spokesman for Naval Air Forces. The"Sidewinders" of Strike FighterSquadron 86 will complete their movefrom Marine Corps Air StationBeaufort, S.C., to Naval Air StationLemoore, Calif., by June, and continuethe transition from Hornets to SuperHornets.
LCS Manning
Congress signed off Dec. 21 onthe Navy's plan to buy both designs oflittoral combat ships, 10 hulls each.
The Navy was expected to awardcontracts for LCS 5 and 6 in lateDecember, meaning both LockheedMartin - which designed the monohullFreedom - and Austal USA - which builtthe all-aluminum trimaranIndependence - will begin building newships in 2011.
The Navy christened LCS 3, FortWorth, in Marinette, Wis., Dec. 4 and isset to christen LCS 4, Coronado, inMobile, Ala., in 2011. Both Coronadoand Fort Worth are scheduled to bedelivered in 2012.
By building two separate types ofLCS hulls, the Navy is creating someunique manpower challenges.
How having two distinct designswith almost no commonality will trans-late into career opportunities for sailorsis still being debated. Sources close tothe program tell Navy Times that thetwo different classes will require "sepa-rate manpower pools" because many ofthe positions in the bridge, combat andengineering departments differ so muchthat sailors won't be swappable betweenthe platforms. But with 20 more shipson the way, expect these issues to beworked out during 2011.
Aviation MilestonesKey advancements coming for
naval aviation in 2011:* F-35 Lightning II. The F-35B
Marine Corps variant will continueflight test envelope expansion, includingshort-takeoff-and-vertical landing test-ing, aboard an amphibious ship. Thecarrier variant, the F-35C, will continueflight test envelope expansion, includingcatapult and jet-blast deflector testing,at Naval Air Station Lakehurst, N.J.
* Fire Scout. The unmannedMQ-8B helicopter has two deploymentsscheduled for 2011. The system willsupport intelligence, surveillance and
reconnaissance missions aboard thefrigate Halyburton in the MediterraneanSea and Horn of Africa, and ground-based operations in U.S. CentralCommand.
* X-47B unmanned strike air-craft. This carrier-based UAV will con-tinue flight tests at Edwards Air ForceBase, Calif.
* Cargo UAS. The Navyintends to field the cargo unmanned aer-ial system this fall for a six-monthdeployment, then choose one of twocontractors' designs for production.
* P-8A Poseidon. The P-8A willcontinue integrated testing at Naval AirStation Patuxent River, Md., and is ontrack for fleet introduction in 2013.
* EMALS. The ElectromagneticAircraft Launch System planned forGerald R. Ford-class carriers justlaunched an F/A-18E Super Hornet andwill expand its test envelope by launch-ing T-45 and C-2 aircraft at theLakehurst test site in 2011.
Changes On SubsTwo changes will affect the Navy's
undersea warriors in the upcoming year:female shipmates and no smoking.
The Navy's first female sub-mariners, now enrolled in the officertraining pipeline, will begin arriving inthe fleet at the end of 2011. They willjoin the ballistic-missile subs Wyomingand Maine and guided-missile subsGeorgia and Ohio. Both blue and goldcrews will receive two female officers,along with a female supply lieutenantwho's there to serve as a role model.There are 21 women in training.
Two more subs will be integratedin 2012, followed by one each year until2015, according to the plan. There areno plans to integrate the more crampedattack subs, and the Navy is studyingways to integrate the enlisted ranks.
Another change will effect Jan. 1:The smoking light extinguishes acrossthe sub fleet at the stroke of midnight.
Next SECDEFThe DoD is due for a major shake-
up in 2011 with the retirement ofDefense Secretary Robert Gates.
On the job since 2006, before Iraqthe surge of troops in Iraq, Gates said heplans to retire in 2011. That could havea big impact on Pentagon budgets, sinceGates was among the strongest advo-cates for cutting some big weapons sys-tems like the Air Force's F-22 and theArmy's Future Combat Systems.
For troops, the biggest may bewhether Gates sticks around longenough to push for health care reform.Gates famously said the military's healthcare costs are "eating us alive," and somefear that will mean fees for Tricare bene-ficiaries.
It's unclear whether Gates retirebefore the end of the surge inAfghanistan and controversial draw-down the White House promised forJuly.
Hill ChangesThe 2010 congressional are a
career-ender for many moderate to con-servative House Democrats who hadspent political their careers on militaryissues.
In an election turn control of theHouse over to Republicans, the mostprominent among the defeated was 17-term Rep. Ike Skelton of Missouri, theHouse Armed Services Committeechairman, who had fought for improve-ments to professional military educationand family support programs - andbalked at any reductions in the size ofthe military.
Five of the six most-seniorDemocrats on Skelton's committeewere also defeated, as were 13 of 18Democrats on the House Veterans'Affairs Committee. However, the fresh-man class of incoming representatives -mostly Republicans include 18 veterans,nine of whom served in Iraq orAfghanistan.
January 14, 2011 Page 13
Ben Turner
WARRIORS, continued
from page 1
Battalion Charlie Surgical Company fora year, Moore said it was so good to behome and off the front line of the battle-field in Afghanistan.
“There were times where wewould have to go the casualties our-selves,” Moore said. “It feels great to behome, I’m ready to start my life again.”
SAFE, continued from
page 2
The workshop affords all partici-pants extensive opportunities to devel-op and practice real skills that canassist and support a person at immedi-ate risk, keep them safe and seek fur-ther help.
The two day program encour-ages participants to reflect on theirindividual and societies attitudes andbeliefs about suicide and how to iden-tify invitations for help and to directlyconfront suicide.
The ASIST workshop welcomesand encourages diversity in each work-shop. Participants come from all walksof life and leave the workshop withpractical skills and increased knowl-edge of the risks associated with sui-cide and strategies for intervention.
The overarching goal of theworkshop is to make sure that all par-ticipants are READY, WILLING andABLE to intervene with confidence.
If you are interested in this work-shop send me an email [email protected], and Iwill mail you a registration form. Oryou can also pick one up at the chapel.We currently have room for 12 partici-pants. If you would like more informa-tion email me or call the NAS I Chapelat 624-3975.
MARRIAGE, continued
from page 5
4. In healthy marriages, spouseshave the same definition of what itmeans to be loving. (False)
No two people define love inexactly the same way. What it takes foryou to feel loved is probably fairly dif-ferent from what it takes for yourspouse to feel loved. There is a goodreason for this. Your definition of lovesprings from a number of factors, yourupbringing, your culture, your genderand your life experiences in general.Since you and your spouse have had dif-ferent life experiences, you willundoubtedly view love differently aswell. Sometimes very differently, in fact.Although this, in and of itself, is notproblematic, it will become a problem ifyou fail to honor and accommodateyour partner's point of view.
5. People just fall out of love.(False)
Some people believe that theyneed to divorce their spouses becausethey've fallen out of love. They didn'tmean for it to happen, it just happened.To them, love is a feeling that is eitherthere or it's not there. If it's there, youget married. If it's not there, youdivorce. This is one of the silliest ideas Ihave ever heard.
The number one cause for thebreakdown in marriages in our countryis that people don't spend enough timetogether. They take their marriages andtheir spouses for granted. Everything-work, the kids, soccer games, communi-ty activities, extended family obliga-tions, and so on- becomes more impor-tant than spending time together-. Themarriage gets placed on the bottom ofthe priority list. When this happens,people grow apart. They become twostrangers passing in the night. They'reno longer a team. And, because they'redistant, the little time they do spendtogether, they end up fighting.
This distance and alienation
sometimes fools people into thinkingthey've fallen out of love. They feelnumb. They can't imagine ever re-ignit-ing those loving feelings. But the truthis, the love hasn't been destroyed, it'sjust camouflaged beneath the numb-ness. And, by retracing the steps takento weaken love's bond, the feelings ofwarmth, connection, friendship andintimacy can be restored.
6. Affairs don't have to ruinmarriages. (True)
There is little that is more devas-tating than to discover your spouse hasbeen unfaithful. Most people take toheart the promise they make to forsakeall others. An intimate relationship isone of the primary things that set mar-riages apart from all other kinds of rela-tionships. The connection, closenessand satisfaction you feel with your mateis very personal, something that ismeant just for the two of you. This iswhy infidelity feels like such a violation.
Yet affairs happen, with some reg-ularity, I might add. And when they do,the repair of the marriage is no easytask. Sometimes those who have beenhurt swear they will never recover.They're convinced that they will not beable to forgive and move forward in themarriage. And although I completelyunderstand why people feel this way, Ialso know that the future isn't as bleakas they are anticipating. Most peoplesurvive infidelity and can, in fact maketheir marriage stronger once they workthrough the issues infidelity hasbrought into their lives.
7. Most people are much happi-er in their second marriages becausethey've learned from their mistakes.(False)
Is love more beautiful the secondtime around? Although it's true thatsome people learn from their mistakesin their first marriages and are able todevelop happier second marriages, byno means, is this the rule. In fact, sixtypercent of second marriages end in
divorce!One of the reasons there are more
divorces in second marriages is thatpeople enter their second marriageswith the bad relationship habits theylearned the first time around. They sim-ply find new partners with whom theycan do that old familiar dance. Step-par-enting issues make second and subse-quent marriages challenging. But thereis another reason second marriagesaren't necessarily better than first ones.
Unless you understand that mar-riage doesn't make people happy, youwill spend the rest of your life trading inmarital partners for new ones. It isunfortunate that too few people recog-nize and internalize that no one canmake you happy. Happiness is a do-it-yourself job. You can't rely on anotherperson to fulfill you. You need to lovewhat you do in your life, regardless ofwhat your spouse brings to the mar-riage. Love needs to be icing on thecake, not the cake.
If you are of the belief that mar-riage should make you happy, then youwill undoubtedly start to think some-thing major is lacking in your spouseand that you should get out of your mar-riage. The problem is, unless you feelsatisfied with your own life, you will notbe able to decipher whether yourunhappiness stems from personal orrelationship issues. If you jump to con-clusions and assume you need to dumpyour partner and try another, you arelikely to be sorely disappointed becauseyou will find yourself in the same stateof unhappiness. Your next marriagewon't cure the unhappiness problemeither.
For more information on how top prepare your own financial spendingplan contact you Command FinancialSpecialist or the Fleet and FamilySupport center at 624-4291