Volume 13, Issue 17 Friday, March 2, 2012

Living the 

dream

Black & White Gala 

commemorates black 

women in history 

Also:

Commissions report

Journey 2 reviewed

Taxes, parte deux

Seeking mental 

health services
| News from the Bay The Wire | Page 3

News from the Bay

MWR will host an April Fools, all night 

softball, one-pitch, softball tournament. The 

field is capped at 12 teams, so register your 

team of 11-15 players now. In the spirit of 

April Fools, you have to run the bases in reverse – third base is first base and first base 

is third base! 

For more information, call 2113.

Get a group of friends together and relive 

some of your favorite childhood playground 

moments with the kickball league. Teams can 

be coed and participants must be 16 years 

and older. Each team will bat 11 and field 

10 players at a time. The number of players 

on the roster is up to you. Registration ends 

March 7 at 7 p.m. A coaches meeting will be 

held on March 14 at 5:30 p.m. 

For more information, call 2113.

Due to customer demand, the Wood 

Shop has extended Sunday hours. 

Sunday: 12 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Tuesday-Friday: 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Saturday: 2 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Enroll in the Command Fitness Leader 

Certification Course. Register online by 

March 9 at the following address:

www.navyfitness.org/fitness/cfl_information 

The course runs from March 26 to March 

30. For more information, call 2157.

INDEX

The Wire

March 2, 2012

The diversity of JTF

Tax time, the sequel

Black & White Gala

Cartoon: Only at GTMO

Commissions report

Seeking mental health services

Movie review: Journey 2

Updated chapel schedule

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Visit the Fleet and Family Support Center 

in Building 2135 from 2 to 4 p.m. for Anger 

Management support. Learn to manage your 

emotions and stay healthy. 

For more information, call 4153 or 4141. 

Specialty care providers will be available at 

U.S. Naval Hospital Guantanamo:

GI – March 

ENT – March/April

Audiology – April

Dermatology – April 

Podiatry – April 

Urology – April 

For a referral, NAVSTA personnel can 

schedule an appointment with Primary Care 

Clinic at 72110. JTF personnel can call 3394.

The Tricare office has temporarily 

relocated to building H-11, behind the 

hospital barracks complex.

The MWR Community Library is closed 

for renovations. The children’s section will 

be available at the elementary school, room 

B9 on Tuesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 

noon. Story time will also be held in room 

B9 on Fridays at 10 a.m. 

Wi-Fi access, public computers, the scanner, fax and copier will be available at the 

Teen Center from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday 

to Wednesday.

Command Fitness 

Leader cert course

Library renovation

Rhythm Extreme will put on a free show 

Saturday at 8 p.m. at Downtown Lyceum. 

Styled after the theatrical success “Stomp,” 

Rhythm Extreme takes the popular appeal of 

percussion performances one step further.

The Cooper Field parking lot near the 

tennis courts will be closed until further 

notice. For more information, call 2113.

The Navy Legal Services Office is ready 

to help Guantanamo residents through tax 

season. The naval station location will be 

open 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Mon-Fri., and the 

JTF Trooper One Stop office 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

Mon.-Fri. Appointments are now available.

For more information, call 4692.

The test dates are as follows:

E5 candidates: Mar. 8

E4 candidates: Mar. 15 

The Windjammer Ballroom doors open 

at 7 a.m. and close at 7:30 a.m.

For more information, call 9541.

Join MWR Liberty for a free fishing trip 

tomorrow at 6:30 a.m. Bait will be provided. 

Bring your own fishing pole. This event is 

open to unaccompanied military members.

For more information, call 2010.

Day fishing

April Fools all-night 

softball tournament

Wood Shop hours Advancement Test 

exam schedule

Kickball league

Cooper Field lot closed

FFSC: Anger 

management training

NLSO tax assistance 

Rhythm Extreme

Tricare office relocated

Specialty care 

providers at USNH

The Wire | Page 2 Command Corner |

JTF Guantanamo

Commander

Rear Adm. David Woods

Deputy Commander

Brig. Gen. James Lettko

Command Master Chief

Cmd. Master Chief Reynaldo Tiong

Office of Public Affairs Director

Cmdr. Tamsen Reese: 9928

Deputy Director

Air Force Maj. Michelle Coghill: 9927

Operations Officer

Army Maj. Jon Powers: 3649

Senior Enlisted Leader

Sgt. 1st Class Jerome Grant: 3649

The Wire

Editor: Army 1st. Lt. Amelia Thatcher

Assistant Editor: Army Sgt. Saul Rosa

Photojournalists

Sgt. 1st Class Kryn Westhoven

Mass Communication Spc. 1st Class Ty Bjornson

Mass Communication Spc. 1st Class Keith Simmons

Mass Communication Spc. 2nd Class Kilho Park

Army Sgt. Landis Andrews

Contact us

Editor’s Desk: 3651

Commercial: 011-5399-3651

DSN: 660-3651

E-mail: thewire@jtfgtmo.southcom.mil

Online: www.jtfgtmo.southcom.mil/wire/wire.html

The WIRE is the official news magazine of Joint Task Force Guantanamo. It is 

produced by the JTF Public Affairs Office to inform and educate the Troopers 

of JTF Guantanamo through news, features, command guidance, sports 

and entertainment. This DoD news magazine is an authorized publication 

for the members of the Department of Defense. Contents of The WIRE are 

not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, 

the Department of Defense, or Joint Task Force Guantanamo. It is printed 

by Defense Logistics Agency Document Services with a circulation of 1,300.

Great job, Joint Task Force 

Guantanamo! This past week has been 

one of the busiest and most complex 

weeks in the past several months. Our 

team executed all events flawlessly, and 

once again we have raised the bar on 

performance and professionalism. 

This week we executed one of our 

missions in supporting the military 

commissions. On Wednesday, Majid 

Khan was arraigned and pled guilty to 

a variety of charges. This was the first 

high value detainee 

to plead guilty. The 

entire JTF supported 

this historic event 

in many ways. Our 

Commissions Liaison 

Office developed 

and designed the 

support plan with 

the assistance of the 

entire JTF team. All 

of our Troopers, from 

our escorts, external 

security, support 

from Naval Station 

Guantanamo Bay, the Coast Guard 

Maritime Safety and Security Team 

– San Diego, BEEF, Joint Detention 

Group, Joint Medical Group, Staff Judge 

Advocate, PAO, staffs and our partners 

came together to execute another flawless 

operation. As part of the proceedings, 

we had 18 media representatives, six 

observers; two victim/family members in 

attendance, observing our operation and 

the proceedings. The support our escorts 

provided to our visitors was invaluable.

As we executed our commissions 

support plan we continued to perform 

the other components of our mission: 

detainee operations and intelligence 

collection analysis and dissemination. 

We were honored to have Command 

Sgt. Maj. Louis Espinal, the United States 

Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) 

CSM visit us and spend time with our 

senior enlisted leaders. We also had 

visitors from the Army Office of the 

Judge Advocate General.

While here, their teams attended one 

of several scheduled “all hands calls” 

where JTF Guantanamo commander 

Rear Adm. David Woods spoke to us 

about a variety of issues, including the 

professionalism and performance he 

expects of us on and off duty, as well as 

refinements we can make to our operation 

that will enhance our effectiveness.

One of the comments Woods made 

during the all hands 

calls is that “Troopers 

are our most valuable 

asset.” We know we 

cannot execute our 

“no fail” mission 

without you. Not 

only is our training, 

knowledge and job 

performance vital to 

mission success, but 

maintaining the right 

balance between our 

professional duties 

and our personal 

activities is equally important. 

The results we have achieved this past 

week did not happen by chance. Rather, 

we struck the right balance and stayed 

focused on our mission. We trained 

as individuals, then in small teams and 

finally in larger teams to ensure we all 

knew our positions on the playing field. 

We then conducted rehearsals to allow 

us to include our new team members 

and document and refine our standard 

operating procedures. 

We are in the national and 

international spotlight every day, but 

this week more than usual because of 

our commissions support for the Khan 

case. Our preparation was the key to our 

success and the efforts of the entire team 

resulted in a flawlessly executed series of 

events. So once again, job well done JTF! 

Let’s maintain the focus on our mission 

and train for the next event.

We are in the national 

and international 

spotlight every day. Our 

preparation was the key 

to our success and the 

efforts of the entire team 

resulted in a flawlessly 

executed series of events. 

Job well done, JTF!

Brig. Gen. James Lettko

Deputy Commander, JTF Guantanamo

Cover: Keanna Peck, a high schooler at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, walked in the Black 

Heritage Organization’s Black & White Gala fashion show Saturday. The Afro-centric portion of the 

program featured ethnic styles of dress, including Peck’s ornate tunic.

–photo by Sgt. 1st Class Kryn Westhoven

Cc

ommand

orner
Tell your family about OPSEC!

Have you talked to your family about OPSEC? Do they know how to protect their information, 

or what information should be protected? Tell them to check their online privacy settings and 

make sure they know that some information just shouldn’t be posted online. Make sure they 

don’t inadvertently give away information about you or your unit that the adversary could use. 

Keep your family and friends aware of operations security. Protect yourself, your family and the 

mission. Use OPSEC!

PSEC ALERT

PROTECT YOUR INFO!

The Wire | Page 4 Trooper to Trooper |

Trooper to Trooper

Senior Chief Petty Officer Robin Guy

J2 Senior Enlisted Leader

diversity matters!

 In today’s society, we often 

hear about diversity and the need 

to have a diverse work force. 

When we think of diversity we 

generally think of differences in 

gender, race, and national origins. However, a well-rounded 

workplace requires a more subtle 

variety of characteristics, such as 

a broad range of talents, skills, 

experience, and ideas. 

At Joint Task Force Guantanamo, we have a diverse work 

force! Just look around: we see 

Troopers with varying skills and 

experiences working together to 

successfully complete our mission. We notice personnel from 

each of the armed services with 

common yet varying service 

cultures. We are from both the 

reserve and active components, 

have been on all kinds of previous deployments and home-state 

missions, and have anywhere 

from less than a year to more 

than 30 years of service.

These uniformed personnel 

can be seen working with civilian employees who bring new 

ideas and talents to the workplace. Male and female Troopers 

and Joint Task Force personnel 

of all races and national origins 

work alongside one another. We 

hear different languages spoken 

on a daily basis. The JTF Guantanamo work force comes from 

all over the world, and everyone 

brings with them cultural and religious differences. This diversity 

helps us to form a strong team. 

By recognizing the diverse 

talents, skills, and experiences 

that each of us brings to the 

fight, and valuing those differences and listening to your fellow 

Troopers, we are able to incorporate the best of the best and 

enhance mission readiness. The 

whole team can benefit from the 

ideas and fresh perspective that 

younger Troopers can bring to 

the table, while those who are 

new to the military can learn 

from the experience of their seasoned leadership.

The diversity at JTF Guantanamo keeps the job interesting as we learn and develop new 

skills. By tapping into each person’s individual talents, the JTF 

is poised to succeed! The more 

we embrace diversity, the better 

we will perform and the more 

we will achieve. This diversity 

and the joint environment makes 

Guantanamo Bay unique among 

deployments. When you leave 

here, ensure that your “leader 

toolkit” is full of new skills and 

lessons learned – including the 

benefits of diversity!

Last year, several hundred U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay and Joint Task Force 

personnel received assistance in preparing 

their income taxes courtesy of the Naval Legal Service Office (NLSO) and their team of 

nine dedicated volunteers.

Whether you choose to meet an Internal 

Revenue Service (IRS) trained assistant at the 

NLSO or at the JTF Trooper One Stop, an 

appointment is only a phone call away.

The IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance 

(VITA) program provides free basic income 

tax return preparation to qualified individuals. 

“The assistance is geared towards junior 

officers and enlisted,” said Navy Lt. Courtney 

Gordon-Tennant, officer in charge of the legal services detachment at Guantanamo Bay.

According to the IRS, the VITA program 

generally offers free tax help to people who 

make $50,000 or less and need assistance in 

preparing their own tax returns. Certified volunteers can inform taxpayers about special 

tax credits for which they may qualify, such as 

Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, 

and Credit for the Elderly or the Disabled.

What the VITA folks cannot do, GordonTennant added, is assist with preparation of 

business tax returns, or personal returns that 

include rental or divide income.

Prior to making an appointment, GordonTennant recommends that you get all your 

paperwork together. Download your military 

W-2 wage and earnings statement from MyPay. Reservists should have W-2s from civilian 

employers. Homeowners need to have their 

1099, showing what was paid out in interest and real estate taxes. These forms can be 

downloaded, or if they are back home, have 

them scanned and emailed or mailed to you 

via the postal service.

When you have all your documents ready, 

call 4692 or 4619. Sign and send to the IRS, 

and you are done.

Appointments last approximately 30-60 

minutes and are available every weekday from 

8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with options for evenings and 

one Saturday each month.

For married couples filing jointly, Gordon-Tennant recommends having an limited 

Power of Attorney, so your spouse can sign 

your name to the tax returns done back home. 

The other option would be to complete the 

forms here and then mail them home for your 

spouse’s signature prior to filing.

For Troopers new to taxes entirely, the 

NLSO and the Guantanamo residents who 

volunteer to help service members can make 

filing the 1040EZ like it is supposed to be: 

easy! NLSO is located at building 760 next to 

Fleet and Family Services, with a satellite office at the JTF Trooper One Stop.

Next week, we look at preparing your income taxes online and how to e-file them. 

| Command Information The Wire | Page 5

By Sgt. 1st Class Kryn Westhoven

Tax assistance is just a phone call away

MONEY MATTERS

Money really does matter, 

especially to the IRS in April: this 

is part two of a three-part series on 

how to file your taxes while at Joint 

Task Force Guantanamo.

Super Troopers

Congratulations to the Joint Task Force Troopers 

who recently received commander’s coins! 

AD3 Ferrell

MA2 Gallardo

SGT Hiza

SPC Michaud

SGT Morela

SPC Nixon

MA3 Sineath

PS2 Torio

It’s a leap year. What did you do with your extra day?

“I was working with 

public affairs with the 

commissions.”

Sgt. 1st Class 

John Bunkley

“Just another day at work. 

Sometimes you have to 

work more.”

Information Systems 

Technician 2nd Class 

Vondou Turner

“I worked, but when I got 

home I went straight to 

sleep.”

Staff Sgt. Jerry Sanchez

BOOTS ON THE GROUND

“I went snorkeling at the 

reef on Leap Day.”

Boatswain’s Mate 2nd 

Class Daniel Hernandez
The Wire | Page 6 Feature | | Feature The Wire | Page 7

The Windjammer Ballroom was filled Saturday night with civilians 

and service members from U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay and 

Joint Task Force. Together they enjoyed a meal, watched a fashion 

show and were inspired by the guest speaker as they sat at tables that 

featured a balloon centerpiece in the colors of the event’s name: the 

Black and White Gala.

 The Black Heritage Organization of Guantanamo Bay coordinated the annual event following the Black History Month theme of 

“Celebrating Black Women in American Culture and History” for this 

year’s gala. 

The theme, selected by the Association for the Study of AfricanAmerican Life and History, encourages all Americans to reflect on the 

value of their contribution to the nation. Those thoughts were echoed 

when the Commander-in-Chief, President Barack Obama proclaimed, 

“Today, we stand on the shoulders of countless African-American 

women who shattered glass ceilings and advanced our common goals. 

In recognition of their legacy, let us honor their heroic and historic 

acts for years to come.”

The keynote speaker, Cmd. Master Chief Betty Watson from U.S. 

Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay did exactly that, highlighting several 

African-American women who have paved the way for others to succeed in the military.

But first she acknowledged the large audience for the style the 

guests brought to the gala.

“Look at how beautiful everyone looks,” she said. “I am excited 

everyone got dressed up to celebrate Black Women in American Culture and History.”

Watson recounted success stories, to include Navy Rear Adm. Lillian Fishburne, who became the first black woman promoted to flag 

officer in February 1998. 

“All our military forces are leaders in promoting equal opportunity regardless of race or sex,” Watson said. “She did not allow life’s 

tragedies or bitter disappointments to oppress her, cause her to lose 

hope or rob her of her expectations,”she said, describing the admiral’s 

ascension.

“I can tell you: black women are still making history, changing the 

world, living the dream,” added Watson. “Not being judged by the 

color of their skin but the content of their character,” as she evoked 

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Since joining the Navy in 1985, Watson has learned from leaders like Cmd. Master Chief Laura Martinez, who went on to become 

the female African-American to serve as a Force Master Chief of the 

Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery.

The Texas native described how the five generations of her family 

have changed through the years. 

“My grandmother and mother overcame past troubles through 

faith; my daughter and I are conquering struggles through determination, and my granddaughter is going into the future with hope,” 

Watson explained.

The hospital’s senior enlisted leader implored the crowd to “overcome obstacles with confidence; rise above trauma with triumph, know 

comfort in the midst of crisis, activate your power that has come from 

the pain of experience.”

For one of the 

Troopers present, 

Watson’s speech 

brought back 

memories of his youth. “I remember the struggles my mom went 

through,” said Staff Sgt. William Johnson, a member of the Joint Detention Group.

“It was an excellent presentation for Black History Month,” added 

Staff Sgt. Elton Rush, JTF Guantanamo’s J-3 training noncommissioned officer. 

“Rise, as Maya Angelou would tell you,” exclaimed Watson as she 

began to recite Angelou’s poem “Still I Rise.” The audience providing 

the chorus of voices joining in with “I rise” at the end of the verses.

On the last verse Watson took the liberty to change the last two 

lines:

“Leaving behind nights of terror and fear, I rise

Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear, I rise

Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I rise

‘You rise, we all rise.’”

Making history

Only at GTMO by Mass Communication Spc. 1st Class Keith Simmons

By Sgt. 1st Class Kryn Westhoven

Interested in joining the 

GTMO History Club?

Call Sgt. 1st Class Michael Shimer at 84048 or 79622.

The first meeting will be March 10 at 10 a.m. 

at Starbucks (Caribbean Coffee and Cream)

Left: Cmd. Master Chief Betty Watson of U.S. Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay addressed the Black 

& White Gala Saturday, describing the struggles and triumphs of African-American women throughout 

history. –photo by Sgt. 1st Class Kryn Westhoven

Right: The Black Heritage 

Organization’s annual 

Black & White Gala 

included a two-part 

fashion show, consisting 

of both traditional 

Afro-centric and 

modern clothing. 

–photo by Sgt. 1st Class 

Kryn Westhoven
The Wire | Page 8 At Your Service |

FORT MEADE, Md. – The only legal U.S. 

resident being held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, 

today became the first high-value detainee to 

plead guilty Wednesday to charges of helping 

terrorists plot and carry out attacks.

Majid Shoukat Khan, 32, pleaded guilty 

to all charges against him as part of a plea 

deal that will give him a reduced sentence 

in exchange for cooperating with the U.S. 

government, including possibly testifying at 

other detainees’ trials.

Khan is charged with conspiracy, murder 

in violation of the law of war, attempted 

murder in violation of the law of war, 

providing material support for terrorism and 

spying.

The charges come from Khan’s role 

in delivering funds used to carry out the 

August 2003 bombing of the J.W. Marriot 

hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia, and his attempted 

assassination of former Pakistani President 

Pervez Musharraf.

In addition, he is accused of collaborating 

with self-proclaimed 9/11 mastermind Khalid 

Sheikh Mohammed on several domestic 

plots. These included plans to poison U.S. 

water reservoirs and blow up underground 

fuel storage tanks at U.S. gas stations.

Sentencing will be delayed for four years 

and will be based on Khan’s compliance, 

Army Col. James L. Pohl, the judge, explained 

during Khan’s arraignment.

Should Khan provide “thorough, truthful 

cooperation and assistance” in support of 

upcoming proceedings, his sentence will be 

reduced to a maximum of 25 years, and as 

little as 19 years, in accordance with the plea 

deal, Pohl explained. Sentencing guidelines 

for his offenses typically would be be 25 to 

40 years.

Time served beginning today will count 

toward fulfilling that sentence, Pohl said.

Khan responded “yes” when Pohl asked 

if he had entered into the plea agreement 

voluntarily and of his own free will as he 

waived his right to appear before a military 

jury.

“I understand the charges and 

specifications, and I am aware I have a legal 

and moral right to plead not guilty and to 

leave the government with the burden of 

proving my guilt beyond a reasonable doubt 

by legal and competent evidence,” he noted 

in signing the pretrial agreement. However, 

based on the terms of the deal, he continued, 

“I offer to plead guilty to all charges and 

specifications.”

The plea deal also bars Khan from filing 

suit against the U.S. government or any of its 

agencies regarding his capture, detention or 

confinement conditions before his plea.

Pohl denied the defense team’s request 

to seal details about the plea deal to protect 

the defendant and his family. The judge 

noted the need to keep the commission 

proceedings transparent and the fact that the 

plea arrangement is a public document.

Khan acknowledged during questioning by 

Pohl that the agreement does not guarantee 

his freedom, and that the convening authority 

has no power to change his status as an 

“alien unprivileged enemy belligerent.” He 

recognized that after serving his time, he may 

have to file a habeas corpus petition to apply 

for release.

“I am making a leap of faith here, sir,” he 

told the judge.

Born in Pakistan, Khan moved to the 

United States with his family in 1996 and 

lived there until 2002. He graduated from 

Owings Mills High School near Baltimore 

and worked at his family’s gas station and in 

various office jobs.

Army Brig. Gen. Mark Martins, the 

chief prosecutor, said Khan admitted that 

he became radicalized after watching smoke 

rise from the Pentagon during the 9/11 

attacks from the office building where he was 

working in northern Virginia.

He has been in U.S. custody since March 

2003, when Pakistani forces raided his family’s 

home in Karachi and turned him over to U.S. 

authorities. Khan was held at an undisclosed 

overseas facility before being transferred to 

Guantanamo Bay in 2006.

Wearing a dark suit, white shirt and tie 

during his arraignment, Khan told Pohl 

in fluent English that he understands the 

charges against him and acknowledges his 

guilt. He emphasized that although he was 

part of a conspiracy to commit terror attacks, 

he did not necessarily know details about the 

attacks.

Khan noted, for example, that he did not 

know the money he delivered to al-Qaida 

affiliates in Bangkok would be used to bomb 

the Jakarta Marriott, and that he already 

was in custody when the attack occurred. 

Under questioning by Pohl, he did, however, 

acknowledge that he was part of the broader 

conspiracy that ultimately led to the attack 

that killed 11 people and wounded 81 others.

Khan also acknowledged his direct role 

in an unsuccessful assassination attempt on 

Musharraf. He is charged with recording a 

“martyr video” at Khalid Sheik Mohammad’s 

direction before donning an explosives-laden 

vest with the intent to use it to kill Musharraf. 

The former Pakistani president foiled Khan’s 

plot by not arriving as expected at a mosque 

where the attack was to take place.

“I volunteered to do a lot of things” 

between January 2002 and March 2003, Khan 

acknowledged to Pohl. However, he said he 

never took any kind of formal oath vowing 

allegiance to al-Qaida or any other terrorist 

organization.

Army Lt. Col. Jon S. Jackson, Khan’s 

military defense counsel, told reporters 

following the arraignment that Khan wishes 

he had never been involved with al-Qaida, 

had never been confined at Guantanamo Bay 

and had never been involved with the military 

commission system.

Khan’s plea today demonstrates his 

remorse for what he has done, Jackson said, 

and his desire to accept responsibility for 

his actions and, ultimately, go on to live a 

productive life with his family.

“This is a story of atonement,” agreed 

Katya Jestin, one of Khan’s civilian defense 

counsels. Khan “has taken a leap of faith,” 

she said, that the military commission process 

will work as intended.

Army Brig. Gen. Mark Martins, the 

chief prosecutor, offered high praise for 

reforms incorporated into the 2009 Military 

Commissions Act that have reduced legal 

uncertainty and made outcomes more 

predictable.

“This system is fair, and it is not politically 

driven,” Martins said. “We believe that these 

reformed military commissions are fair and 

that they serve an important role in the armed 

conflict against al-Qaida and associated 

forces.”

The case against Khan was based on 

“irrefutable and lawfully obtained evidence” 

that Martins said validates the interagency 

efforts that enabled it to come together. 

This includes investigators from the Defense 

Department’s Criminal Investigative Task 

Force, the FBI and other federal agencies, as 

well as the soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines 

and Coast Guardsmen of Joint Task Force 

Guantanamo, he said.

“We must reject the false choice presented 

by those who say that only law enforcement 

or only the military may be used to take 

down vicious organizations that attack out 

of the shadows and hide among civilians,” he 

said. “Instead, we must use all of the lawful 

instruments of our national power and 

authority to do so.”

HONOR BOUND

Khan pleads guilty in deal

By Donna Miles

American Forces Press Service

| Mind, Body & Spirit The Wire | Page 9

Mind, 

Body

& Spirit

by Hospitalman 3rd Class 

Dominique Cannon

JSMART

A show of strength: Get help 

for mental health concerns

Many people have a certain amount of 

hesitation in seeking mental health. Popular 

culture and societal attitudes have given a 

negative stigma to psychiatry and those who 

seek its services. This is even more apparent 

among the armed forces. Fear of being 

labeled as crazy, weak, or unfit for service 

has caused many service members to turn 

away from seeking help with mental health 

issues. However, as with any other medical 

field, psychiatry and psychology are crucial 

in maintaining overall physical and mental 

wellness. By increasing awareness of mental 

health and removing the stereotypes, we 

seek to break the barriers which prevent 

people from utilizing available psychological 

services and care. 

One of the chief concerns voiced by many 

who are considering seeking professional 

mental health treatment is the issue of 

confidentiality. Service members may be so 

worried about their private issues becoming 

known by their command, their friends, and 

others that they shy away from approaching 

mental health, even when they desperately 

need help. This couldn’t be any further from 

the truth. 

Seeking help for mental health, or any 

medical services for that matter, is protected 

by privacy laws and restrictions which strictly 

forbid those who work in the medical field 

from discussing matters related to your 

treatment without authorization. Your privacy 

and comfort is always a concern whenever 

you seek any form of medical treatment, 

to include mental health care. There are, 

however, some limitations to confidentiality 

that you should be aware of. The threat of 

suicidal or homicidal behavior, suspicions of 

child or domestic abuse/neglect, or violations 

of the Uniform Code of Military Justice or 

federal laws will need to be reported to the 

appropriate medical and legal authorities as 

well as the chain of command to ensure your 

safety and the safety of others.

Service members considering mental 

health services may feel that their issues are 

either too great or too insignificant to warrant 

professional help. Again, this is not the case. 

The fear of being seen as weak in the eyes of 

friends and peers provides further motivation 

to “tough it out,” even though the individual 

may be struggling. Seeking help is actually 

a sign of strength and maturity, and one 

of the best indicators for a good prognosis 

in the future. In addition, psychiatry and 

psychology have made significant strides 

over the years. Combining professionalism, 

medication, empathy, and new research in 

our understanding of how the mind works, 

your problems are never too big or too small 

to be addressed. 

Furthermore, mental health is imperative 

in improving quality of life. Whether it 

is stress management, substance abuse, 

marital counseling, sleep dysfunction, 

or even quitting smoking, mental health 

professionals work tirelessly to facilitate a 

positive change in people’s lives. A diagnosis 

is not a prerequisite to utilize our services.

Psychiatry and psychology are often 

misunderstood within mainstream society. 

The main problem lies in the fact that mental 

health doesn’t treat injuries that can be seen, 

touched, and fixed during a single visit with 

the doctor. Mental health treatment requires 

a deep understanding of an individual’s 

personal issues, lifestyle, relationships, 

upbringing, and personality for us to assist 

them. Whereas some medications can assist 

those who are diagnosed with disorders 

that afflict the brain, much of psychology is 

dedicated to “talk therapy.” A broken leg can 

be put into a cast, a cavity can be filled, and 

an infection can be treated with prescription 

medication. But someone who has any kind 

of “invisible injury” requires more than 

a single visit, or even a few visits, to the 

doctor. 

It takes time to change one’s lifestyle or 

behaviors. The sheer amount of work that 

goes into treating any mental disorder can 

often dissuade people from seeking help. But 

the benefits of leading a healthy and happy 

lifestyle always outweigh the amount of work 

and time needed to reach it.

The Joint Stress Mitigation and Restoration Team is the mental health asset available to Joint Task Force 

Guantanamo personnel. We are here to address any stressors you may be dealing with. Should you just need 

a quiet place to relax and decompress from work, our two massage chairs are available for use during our 

Monday through Friday working hours. We are open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and are closed on the weekends 

and federally recognized holidays. During regular hours, you can call the front desk at 2321. 

The JSMART duty phone is manned 24 hours per day, 7 days a week at extension 3566.
| Bulletin Board The Wire | Page 11

GTMO Religious 

Services

NAVSTA 

Main Chapel

Daily Catholic Mass

Tues.-Fri. 5:30 p.m.

Vigil Mass

Saturday 5 p.m. 

Mass

Sunday 9 a.m.

General Protestant

Sunday 11 a.m. 

Gospel Service

Sunday 1 p.m.

Christian Fellowship

Sunday 6 p.m. 

 Islamic Service

Friday 1 p.m. 

Room C

Pentecostal Gospel

Sunday 8 a.m. & 5 p.m. 

Room D

LDS Service

Sunday 10 a.m. 

Room A

Protestant Communion

Sunday 10 a.m.

Room B

Protestant Worship

Sunday 9 a.m.

Bible Study

Wednesday 6 p.m.

Intense Spiritual 

Fitness Power Lunch!

Study the Book of 

Romans with 

Chaplain Chouest

Thursday 11-11:30 a.m.

JTF Chaplain’s Office

JTF Trooper 

Chapel

For other services, contact the NAVSTA 

Chaplain’s Office at 2323.

Downtown

Lyceum

Camp 

Bulkeley

 FRI SAT SUN MON TUE WED THU 3

Call the movie hotline at 4880 or see https://intranet/movies.html for more information.

2 4 5 6 7 8

NO MOVIE

Stage prep 

for musical 

performance 

by Rhythm 

Extreme

NO MOVIE

Enjoy musical 

performance by 

Rhythm Extreme

8 p.m.

We Bought a 

Zoo

(PG) 8 p.m.

Contraband 

(NEW)

(R) 10 p.m.

Journey 2

(PG) 8 p.m.

Haywire 

(NEW)

(R) 10 p.m.

Contraband 

(NEW)

(R) 7 p.m.

Act of Valor 

(NEW)

(R) 8 p.m.

Act of Valor 

(NEW)

(R) 7 p.m.

Adventures 

of Tintin (last 

showing)

(PG) 8 p.m.

Safe House

(R) 7 p.m.

Mission: 

Impossible 

(last showing)

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Journey 2

(PG) 7 p.m.

Haywire 

(NEW)

(R) 7 p.m.

Safe House

(R) 8 p.m.

Darkest Hour

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Downtown

Lyceum

Camp 

Bulkeley

For more information, contact the JTF 

Chaplain’s Office at 2305

Review continued

comic relief? The mystery deepens.

A film like this features a barrage 

of grand vistas, chiefly of the 

mysterious island. Strangely, the 

CGI looks to be a step above what 

can be achieved with a budget of 

a television show. The visuals are 

definitely not on par with the island 

that was presented in the 2005 

incarnation of “King Kong.” In the 

plus column, the visuals are vibrant 

with vast arrays of color.

Everyone in “Journey 2” is so 

chipper and the level of tension 

in the scenes of 

characters

 in peril is so completely minor, I’m 

a little surprised at the film’s “PG” 

rating. Had this film been released 15 

years ago, it likely would have been 

a “G” rated film. How times have 

changed.

“Journey 2: The Mysterious 

Island” is the epitome of “bubblegum” cinema. This movie is rather 

witless with subpar special effects 

used in abundance trying to awe its 

viewers. This is not a good movie by 

any means. To its credit, it is pure 

escapism and the good 

naturedness of the adventurers is 

in abundance. That’s something 

“Journey 2” got right. If you put 

your feet up and just let the movie be 

that light-hearted romp it wants to 

be, maybe, just maybe, you’ll be that 

kid you once were in your backyard 

riding high on the innocence of it all. 

How can you lose on those terms?

Traditionally, the months of 

January and February are not good 

movie months at the box office. 

That’s when film studios put out 

whatever they can just to make a 

buck. I don’t know about you, but 

I’m ready to move on and finally see 

a film that’s worth seeing. “Journey 

2” may be good for a little childhood 

nostalgia, but that’s about all. Enough 

with these appetizers and let’s have 

the main course. 

The Wire | Page 10

Did you ever play in your backyard as a 

youngster, pretending you were in another 

time and place? I used to do it all the time 

before the end of my elementary school 

days. During that time, my backyard took 

me to the Cretaceous Period with dinosaurs 

galore and to outer space into the deepest 

recesses of the final frontier. This was a time 

of innocence where the sense of wonder and 

awe was all that was needed to propel you in 

a journey through the imagination. This was 

always a jovial experience and you happily 

went there without looking back.

As I watched “Journey 2: The Mysterious 

Island,” I channeled my playtime as a child. 

Here’s a movie that is so straightforward in 

its simplicity, it makes no apologies for not 

being anything else. In this case, “Journey 2” 

is a “paint by numbers” family film. So be it. 

“Journey 2” is loosely based on Jules 

Verne novels which have been, and continue 

to be, landmarks in fantasy literature for 

over a century. These books set the standard 

against which all other published fantasy 

works are measured. Not only is “The 

Mysterious Island” actually a title of one 

of Verne’s works, but this new film also 

borrows quite heavily from his books, in 

addition to other fantasy writers’ works, to 

getting through the adventure. Just when 

the characters are unsure of how to proceed 

in their quest, they literally bust out a Jules 

Verne book to use as a road guide to achieve 

their goals. How’s that for faith crossed with 

a poor man’s GPS?

This loosely based “Journey to the Center 

of the Earth” sequel follows the anxious 

Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson) as he 

frantically tries to decipher a coded message 

from his missing grandfather Alexander 

(Michael Caine, “The Dark Knight”). The 

concerned teen’s actions catch the attention 

of his new stepfather Hank (Dwayne “The 

Rock” Johnson). Instead of interfering with 

the boy’s mission, he decides to support it. 

Hank has the know how and cash to be an 

asset to the quest.

Hank and Sean trace the origin of the 

coded message to a remote location in the 

southern Pacific Ocean, where they travel 

to find the fabled Mysterious Island of 

Verne’s book. Naturally, Sean believes all the 

works of Verne to be a trail to a real island 

while Hank is skeptical, yet wanting to be a 

supportive step-dad. 

At the island of Palau, helicopter pilot 

Gabato (Luis Guzman, “Arthur”) is all too 

quick to grab Hank and Sean’s cash for 

transportation to “the most dangerous part 

of the ocean,” where the mysterious island 

is believed to be. The voice of reason against 

this venture is Gabato’s daughter Kailani 

(Vanessa Hudgens, “High School Musical”). 

Do you think anybody is going to listen to 

her wisdom? Definitely not. Do you think she 

will tag along for the ride? Well, of course!

A series of events ultimately brings our 

weary travelers to “The Mysterious Island.” 

Here’s a place where everything we know as 

giant in size is small, such as elephants and 

Great White sharks. How much you want to 

bet everything we know as small is large, such 

as spiders and lizards? Are these spoilers to 

you?

To say this is a “paint by numbers” film 

would be a kind assessment. The characters 

exist to take the audience on what is suppose 

to be an amazing journey. Here we have a 

montage of fanciful elements that include 

the lost island of Atlantis, the location of 

Captain Nemo’s submarine, the Nautilus 

and the Lilliputian elements of “Gulliver’s 

Travels.” The only thing missing from this 

assortment would be a chocolate river from 

“Willy Wonka.” Somebody must not have 

been able to secure the rights from Roald 

Dahl’s estate to do that. 

Do you think our travelers find Grandpa? 

Oh, the suspense! Do you think the cute 

Kailiani will initially not like Sean, only to 

come to love him by the end? Gee, I wonder. 

Will Sean save Kailani’s life? Whoa, I hope 

so! Do you think Luis Guzman’s role exists 

only to go “oooh” and “aaaah” and provide 

By Mass Communication Spc. 1st Class Ty Bjornson

Movie Review R

117 min.

Movie Review |

 see REVIEW next page

Journey 2

The Mysterious Island

PG

94 min.

“Watch out!” says that bird. At least Michael Caine’s 

storied career can endure how lame this movie is.
The Bart Walker Band played a special 

show at Marine Hill Saturday for U.S. 

Naval Station Guantanamo Bay families 

and personnel and Joint Task Force 

Troopers. The country-blues group 

regularly shares the stage with country 

stars, playing their weekly set at 

B.B. King’s Club in Nashville. 

–photo by Army Sgt. Saul Rosa

TheJTF