Volume 12, Issue 37 Friday, September 2, 2011

Denich’s Giant

Weight-lifting Trooper

stands out at the gym

SCUBA comes to a halt

The what, where and why of 

next week’s safety stand down

PLUS:

JMG takes flight

Medical acquires its first 

Airmen in JTF history
Cc

ommand

orner

The Wire | Page 2

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. 

The WIRE seeks to provide maximum disclosure with minimum 

delay with regard to security, accuracy, propriety and policy. 

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 the Defense Logistics Agency 

Document Services with a circulation of 1,200.

Command Corner

JTF Guantanamo

Commander

Navy Rear Adm. David Woods

Command Master Chief

Command Master Chief Reynaldo Tiong

Office of Public Affairs Director

Navy Cmdr. Tamsen Reese: 9928

Deputy Director

Air Force Maj. Amy A. Oliver: 9927

Operations Officer

CW2 Scott Chapman: 3649

Senior Enlisted Leader

Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Cossel: 3499

 

The Wire

Executive Editor:

Army Sgt. Meredith Vincent: 3651

Layout Assistant: 

Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class 

Maddelin Angebrand

Photojournalists:

Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Sally Hendricks

Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joe Ebalo

Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kilho Park

Army Sgt. Mathieu Perry

Spc. Kelly Gary

Contact us

Editor’s Desk: 3651

From the continental United States

Commercial: 011-53-99-3499

DSN: 660-3499

E-mail: thewire@jtfgtmo.southcom.mil

Online: www.jtfgtmo.southcom.mil

COVER: Master-at-Arms 1st Class Christopher Voge, Navy Expeditionary Guard 

Battalion training department leading petty officer, lifts two 100 pound dumbbells 

during his lifting routine at Denich Gym, Aug. 18. – photo by Mass Communication Specialist 

2nd Class Maddelin Angebrand

“Leadership is leaders inducing followers to act for certain goals 

that represent the values and the motivations – the wants and needs, 

the aspirations and expectations – of both leaders and followers. 

And the genius of leadership lies in the manner in which leaders see 

and act on their own and their followers’ values and motivations.” – 

McGregor Burns

“His cardinal mistake is that he isolates himself, & allows 

nobody to see him; and by which he does not know what is 

going on in the very matter he is dealing with.” –Abraham 

Lincoln

We (leaders) can learn a lot from former president, Abraham 

Lincoln. During his presidency, Abraham Lincoln spent the majority 

of his time among his troops. He realized these were the ‘doers’; 

these were the people who were going to get the job done. He met 

with key leaders of his cabinet and senior military members in their 

homes, offices, and in the field, principally to provide direction and 

leadership. He toured various strategic interests in Washington D.C., 

all to obtain accurate knowledge of the workings and abilities of the 

armed forces. This contact gave him first-hand knowledge needed 

to make informed and accurate decisions. He didn’t have to rely 

solely on the word of others. He visited members of Congress, 

key confidants and toured other venues that housed the sick and 

wounded, which demonstrated his compassionate and caring nature. 

Leadership is being in touch with ‘your people’ and the internal 

and external stakeholders of the organization. It facilitates innovation 

and makes possible the teaching of values to every member of your 

organization. Listening, facilitating, teaching and reinforcing values 

is invaluable. What is this except leadership? Thus, MBWA

(Managing by Walking Around) is a management technique of 

leadership. Leading is primarily paying attention to your environment 

and its surroundings. As leaders, we can not assume anything. You 

can not lead effectively by sitting behind the desk everyday, checking, 

and answering email. You must be out and about ‘walking around’ 

your area of responsibility, talking to people and reinforcing the 

command message and your Commander’s vision and intent. You 

are your Commander’s Ambassador – you and your fellow Troopers 

are an extension of your leadership’s command voice. 

The leader must get everyone working together toward fulfilling 

 see COMMAND, page 19

Trooper to Trooper featuring

Staff Sgt.

Heather Elias

What do you want to achieve while stationed on Guantanamo 

Bay, personally and professionally?

I have been here since October 2010 and will be for possibly 

another six months as the non-commissioned officer-in-charge of 

J8. I have seen lots of new faces during my current stay, causing me 

to think of the following questions for new Troopers coming here. I 

will share my answers and thoughts on these questions:

What are your personal and professional goals while here?

My personal goals were to work on me as a person and learn about 

myself. I wanted to learn and try new things, rather than staying in 

my room. My other goal was to save money during my time here. 

My professional goals were to tackle each challenge given to 

me while discovering other issues needing to be addressed. I have 

learned so much in my current job. Every day I learn much more 

than I thought possible from all branches of the armed forces and 

J-codes. 

What do you want to achieve at GTMO personally and 

professionally? 

Personally, I wanted to focus on my physical health. I have lost 

weight by focusing on my physical fitness, participating in new 

activities like kayaking, hiking, disc golf, ceramics, pottery and diving. 

MWR offers so much to do, you just have to go and do it. I would 

like to personally thank the Guantanamo Bay Liberty program, Jill 

Lynch and MWR for making my deployment so enjoyable. 

Professionally, I believe these idioms: “Leave it better that you 

found it,” “Treat others as you would like to be treated” and “Look 

at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself if you did the right thing 

and would you do that again?” I strive to do that every day.

When was the last time you stopped and reflected on what you 

have done and where you are going next? I am looking forward to the 

time I have left on the island. My next personal goal is to learn the 

pottery wheel and complete the Marines’ half-marathon on October 

1. My professional goal is to master a new computer system. Then 

soon it will be time to go back to my civilian job as a middle school 

special education teacher. 

| Trooper to Trooper The Wire | Page 3

PSEC ALERT

PROTECT YOURSELF FROM IDENTITY THEFT!

Beware the shoulder surfer.

Surfing the waves is fun, but shoulder surfing is something to watch out for! Identity thieves can get your 

information by standing behind you at the ATM while you enter your PIN. It can also happen at the store if 

you use a debit card and enter a PIN to pay for your purchase and get cash back. It can even happen when 

opening a door that requires a code for entry. Make sure you know who is around you and cover the keypad 

while entering your PIN or entry code. Keep your information safe, use OPSEC! 

Senior Enlisted Leader, J8

When you are home, what will you say you did during your time 

with the Joint Task Force? Will you have bettered yourself or will you 

not want to say due to the choices you made? I believe in working 

hard and playing hard but watch out for situations that can get you 

into trouble, i.e. overconsumption of alcohol. Enjoy your time here 

and make the best of it.
The News from the Bay | Wire | Page 4

News from the Bay Stories and reporting by

 Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Maddelin Angebrand 

and Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Sally Hendricks

TRADOC Rock band to 

perform for Troopers

Get your rock on with TRADOC 

Rock, a band comprised of U.S. Army 

Training and Doctrine Command Band 

from Ft. Monroe, Va. 

Join them and fellow Troopers Sept. 7 

at 7:30 p.m. at the Tiki Bar, Sept. 8 at 6:30 

p.m. at Bayview Mongolian Night and 

Sept. 9 at the Camp Buckeley Lyceum at 

6 p.m.

The group meets the demand for 

classic Top 40, R&B, Motown and 

Country music, along with sounds of 

today’s pop.

“The TRADOC Rock Band contacted 

MWR to come play for the troops in 

GTMO,” said Aimee MacDonnell, Morale, 

Welfare and Recreation’s community 

activities director. “They were excited 

to have the opportunity to play as many 

venues as possible during their stay.”

The command also plans to visit with 

youth groups and inspire an appreciation 

for music with young minds in the 

community.

Dedicated to providing support to 

U.S. troops around the globe, TRADOC 

Rock is sure to entertain and relate to the 

GTMO audience.

For more information, contact MWR 

at x4882.

Bluzapalooza craft 

fair plus free BBQ food

Armed Forces Entertainment and 

Guantanamo Bay’s Morale, Welfare and 

Recreation are hosting a craft fair with 

entertainment, Sept. 3, from 6 p.m. to 9 

p.m. at Ferry Landing Beach.

The event will offer youth art, relay 

games, a craft fair and a barbeque dinner 

to kick off the event. There will be fun 

for everyone.

The Bluzapalooza concert will also 

make blues history - Bluzapalooza veteran 

Billy Gibson, the “Prince of Beale Street,” 

will take the stage at 7 p.m. 

Bluzapalooza is dedicated to showing 

the military appreciation for the selfless 

service they give to their country. 

“To perform for the troops is a small 

gesture compared to the sacrifices they 

are making every day,” said Gibson. 

“We are thrilled to be entertaining the 

troops.”

This craft fair and Bluzapalooza show 

will be an event you won’t want to miss. 

Crafters must sign up at the ceramics 

shop. The cost is $15 per table. For more 

information, call x74795 or x84435.

GTMO Moves class now

offered on Saturdays

Morale, Welfare, and Recreation is 

adding another day for Troopers to try 

GTMO Moves. This class will now also 

be offered Saturdays at 10:15 a.m. at the 

Marine Hill group fitness room.

Tanya Henigman, MWR fitness 

coordinator, is a certified Zumba instructor 

and has the GTMO moves mastered. This 

is an opportunity to move your body in 

ways you may never have thought you 

could. 

“I’ve been a Zumba instructor for 

two years now,” said Henigman. “I was 

Sailors host auction at 

Bayview to raise funds

Join the Navy Ball Committee at the Bayview’s Mongolian Night Sept. 8 for a friendly 

auction to raise money for the upcoming 

Navy Ball.

An assortment of more than 35 items, 

ranging from celebrity signed T-shirts to dinner for four certificates and an FBI polo shirt 

with coin will be offered up for auction.

The event will start at 6:30 p.m. with Mass 

Communication Specialist 2nd Class Justin 

Ailes aka Radio GTMO’s “Dr. J,” as the auctioneer and emcee. 

Anyone can participate - military members, civilians and dependants. Committee 

member Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class Chris 

Pullan said IOUs will be accepted, to be paid 

by Sept. 16. 

“The more money we raise, the more we 

can spend on the ball,” said Pullan. “Plus, 

people get a chance to support the Navy and 

get a good deal on items.” 

Pullan said Radio GTMO plans to buy 

their donated celebrity T-shirt back so bidding 

will be competitive. 

Most starting bids are between $10 and 

$20, with a few starting at $30 and $40.

“It’s a good event because it promotes 

commraderie among shipmates and helps us 

celebrate the Navy Birthday and other Navy 

traditions,” said Pullan. “Here on GTMO, it 

gives everybody a chance to get out and have 

a good time too.”

For more information, contact Pullan at 

x84125.

uncomfortable and nervous at first but 

now I love it! It’s a great workout and I’m 

having a blast doing it.”

GTMO Moves is just another way to 

stay fit.

“Doing different types of exercise is 

crucial for keeping your body in shape,” 

explained Henigman. “It can be a life 

saver.”

For more information, contact 

Henigman at x2113 or the Denich gym at 

x77262. 

9/11 prayer breakfast

at Seaside Galley

Remember, reflect and renew at the 

Seaside Galley prayer breakfast, Sept. 9 at 

7 a.m.

For more information, contact the JTF 

Chaplain’s office at x2305 or x3203.

trooper

Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Cossel

Bullet Bio

Time in service: 3.5 years

Pet peeves: people who talk 

behind your back

Next goal: go to independent 

duty corpsman school

Advice to junior Troopers: 

“Take advantage of things 

when they are available to 

you and never be afraid to 

make a mistake”

| News The Wire | Page 5

After 10 plus years languishing away in the 

corporate rat race with IBM, Charles Blalock 

decided he needed a change.

“I realized running around selling 

computers really wasn’t amounting to much,” 

the easygoing Hospitalcorpsman Second 

Class said.

Following in the footsteps of his father 

and grandfather, in 2008 Blalock enlisted in 

the Navy.

“I wanted to be apart of something 

bigger,” he said. “And I wanted to do 

something my son could be proud of.”

While serving as a corpsman wasn’t his 

first choice, Blalock has made the most of his 

rate and currently serves as a camp medical 

lead petty officer, a position normally held by 

a first class petty officer.

“Blalock’s leadership skills are superb,” 

said camp doctor, Army Lt. Col. Ricky 

Thomas.

“He has really stepped up to the position 

and exhibits all those military values we look 

for in a leader,” the doctor added.

Thomas said he’s been impressed with 

Blalock’s ability to mentor younger corpsman 

working in the stressful environment of 

camp medical facilities.

“He always makes sure his corpsmen are 

doing what they’re supposed to, maintaining 

their professionalism, providing excellent care 

to all our customers,” said the Lt. Col.

“Communication is one of the keys to 

leadership,” Blalock explained. “There’s a lot 

of trust that has to be earned doing this job, 

we work with a fair amount of autonomy – 

so staying in communication with my guys, 

letting them know what I expect is critical to 

the mission.”

Blalock calls the eastern seaboard of the 

United States home where he lives with his 

wife and family. Citing his reasons for joining 

the Navy, Blalock said for him, the importance 

of family could never be understated.

“Like I said, I want my son to be proud of 

me in everything I do,” he said.

When he’s not providing excellent care to 

his charges or keeping a mindful eye on his 

younger Sailors, Blalock indulges his musical 

Boots on the Ground

If you could start your own business what would it be?

“I would open an all foreign 

region restaurant. With 

me traveling all around the 

world, I’ve experienced lots of 

different foods.” 

Machinist Mate 

2nd Class Zack Thomas

 “I would open a winery and 

have my own blends. I would 

blend all different types of 

wines. I would have helicopter 

access that actually flies you 

into my winery.” 

Sgt. 1st Class 

Sharlene Downer

Air Force Master Sgt. 

Darren Milner

“I would be a tour guide in 

Hawaii – then I would get to 

wear what I want and have a 

good time.”

“I would start a bicycle shop 

because I like bicycles and 

it’s one of man’s most noble 

inventions.”

Culinary Specialist 

3rd Class Tyrney Fisher

focus

Hospitalcorpsman 2nd 

Class Charles Blalock

see FOCUS, pg. 19
The Wire | Page 6 Sports |

Story by Army Sgt. Mathieu Perry

SCUBA SAFETY

STAND DOWN

All recreational scuba diving on Naval 

Station Guantanamo Bay will be secured 

from 1 a.m. Sept. 6, until 11:59 p.m. Sept. 

11.

Daily briefings will be held to address 

the recent increase in recreational scubarelated incidents, ensure compliance with 

base regulations and enhance diver safety. 

Class attendance is required before diving 

can recommence for each person.

“There have been several instances 

of individuals who have signed the local 

diving instruction saying they have read it 

and then not followed [it], whether willfully 

or otherwise,” said Navy Lt. Shawn Ware, 

Naval Station Guantanamo port services 

officer.

The intent of the stand down is to start 

all divers off on the same slate, Ware said.

“We are going to educate people on the 

instructions, some of the environmental 

restrictions in place, restricted locations 

and again some of the [other regulations] 

set forth in the instruction that some divers 

have failed to become familiar with,” Ware 

expanded. “We are going to make sure 

people are more familiar with it before we 

let them back into the water.”

The stand down is not meant to be a 

punishment, but a chance for greater 

education.

“This is strictly from a safety standpoint,” 

Ware said, adding that while the stand 

down may seem inconvenient, it was still a 

necessary measure to ensure the safety of 

Guantanamo Bay’s diving community. 

Boatswain’s Mate Senior Chief Carl 

Jakubec, assistant port operations officer, 

said the lack of compliance with base 

regulations can be seen in the change of 

attitude toward diving.

“In my opinion, the actions of 

recreational scuba divers on island has 

taken on the mindset that diving is a right 

and not a privilege,” said Jakubec.

He hopes this move will help the diving 

community to better police themselves.

“Diver’s can no longer use the, ‘I didn’t 

know’ excuse,” said Jakubec. “An additional 

form has been made that draws out the main 

points and each one has to be initialed.”

The majority of all diver-related issues 

dealt with by port services are divers 

forgetting to call port operations to secure 

their dive plan, explained Ware.

“Divers need to call up here and give 

us a dive plan with a start and stop time,” 

said Ware. “When they hit their stop-time, 

port control has 15 minutes to find them. 

At that point, if they haven’t found them, 

we contact security.”

Jakubec wants to help divers better 

understand the role of port services in 

addition to creating greater diver awareness 

of base regulations, new stricter penalties 

for violations and safety aspects of diving.

“We are also trying to educate 

divers that port control is there for the 

professionalism and safety of the bay,” 

said Jakubec. “Alongside their intended job 

responsibilities are added the safety and 

responsibility of each diver, buddy team 

and boater that goes out there and we are 

going to try to accommodate them as much 

as we can.”

Eleven briefs will be held during the 

week of the safety stand down. The classes 

will be in the Bulkeley Hall auditorium at 

8 a.m., 12 p.m., and 6 p.m. on Tuesday, 

Wednesday and Thursday and at 8 a.m. and 

12 p.m. on Friday. For more information, 

contact port control at x4898.

| News The Wire | Page 7

Story and photo by Mass Communication Specialist 

2nd Class Joe Ebalo

Troopers make history as first 

Airmen of Joint Medical Group

Joint Task Force Guantanamo 

servicemembers are accustomed to seeing 

Navy Hospital Corpsmen and Army Medics 

when they go to sick call, but now they’ll be 

seeing new faces and uniforms as Air Force 

medics recently arrived on Guantanamo Bay 

joining JTF’s Joint Medical Group.

Master Chief Hospital Corpsman Brian 

Domino, Joint Medical Group senior enlisted 

leader, said they are the only Airmen ever 

assigned to the unit.

“We welcome the diversity and experience 

they bring to the Navy and Army Troopers 

we have here,” Domino, who recently 

departed, said before he left. “We are very 

happy to have them as part of the team.”

Master Sgt. Ted Kraszka, noncommissioned officer-in-charge of Joint 

Stress Mitigation and Restoration Team, Joint 

Trooper Clinic Health Administration’s Staff 

Sgt. Albert Coronado, Staff Sgt. Andrew 

Waggoner, Senior Airman Paul Borrell and 

Senior Airman Charles Skinner, had no 

idea they would be the only Airmen at their 

deployed location. All agree it is an honor to 

represent the Air Force.

“We want to set the standard for future 

personnel stationed here and do the best 

job we can do,” said Kraszka, who is homestationed at McDill Air Force Base in 

Florida.

His junior NCOs are on the same page.

“It’s important for us to contribute to the 

team and help out in any way we can,” said 

Coronado, who deployed from Lackland Air 

Force Base in San Antonio.

The medics did not waste any time getting 

to business.

“In the short time we have been here so 

far, we have been able to show our Navy 

and Army counterparts a little of how we 

do things back at our home stations,” added 

Waggoner, who came from Wright Patterson 

Air Force Base in Ohio. 

“It feels good to bring something different 

to the table.”

As the junior members of the group, 

Borrell and Skinner, from Travis Air Force 

Base in California and Langley Air Force

Base in Virginia respectively, said they were 

most interested in gaining knowledge from 

their new Navy and Army teammates as well 

as from their senior Airmen.

“I’m motivated and excited about the 

opportunity I have to learn from everybody 

I’ve met here,” said Skinner. “The Sailors and 

Soldiers have already taught me a lot about 

taking care of patients and my Air Force 

leadership here has shown me firsthand how 

to carry myself in a joint environment. I’m 

just going to keep asking questions and do 

what I need to do to get the job done.”

Despite the difference in rank and 

experience, each of the Airmen joined the 

Air Force to do the same job – to help save 

lives. 

“We have to set a good example for how 

Air Force medics operate and do their jobs,” 

said Waggoner. “We also need to be good 

wingmen and teach our counterparts how 

we help and look after each other, the Air 

Force way.”

The senior member of the group 

understands the responsibility of being the 

first wave, but he also recognizes there will 

be more Airmen coming in as well.

“What we do now will set the tone for all 

future Airman coming in to take over these 

positions,” Kraszka said. “We’re aiming high 

and we will hit the mark.”

Air Force medics Staff Sgt. Andrew Waggoner (right) and Senior 

Airman Charles Skinner (middle) check a Sailor in for a medical 

appointment at the Joint Task Force Guantanamo Joint Trooper 

Clinic, Wednesday. The two Airmen are part of a five-man team 

who are the first Air Force medics deployed to the Joint Medical 

Group in support of JTF Guantanamo operations.
The Wire | Page 8 Feature |

The Woman 

behind the Rank

Colonel, boat captain, volleyball player, fisherman –

 is there anything Col. Linda Ross can’t do?

Photographing a Morale, 

Welfare and Recreation 

volunteer appreciation dinner 

for Troopers who serve as 

boat captains for the MWR 

fishing trips, I met Linda Ross.

 We exchanged a stiff handshake, made 

direct eye contact and Ross said, “You must 

work with your hands.” I looked down at 

my palms – she must have noticed they 

were a bit rough. Intrigued by her keen 

observation, she struck me as a positive, 

confident and friendly woman. 

Story by Mass Communication Specialist 

2nd Class Maddelin Angebrand

| Feature The Wire | Page 9

Army Col. Linda Ross addresses Troopers at the Women’s Equality 

event, held Aug. 19 at Joint Task Force Guantanamo’s Trooper 

Chapel. As the guest speaker, Ross spoke about the challenges 

women face in the military and her own career as a female 

servicemember. - photo by Spc. Kelly Gary
The Wire | Page 10 Sports | | Sports The Wire | Page 11

S

ettling into a chair, I glanced around at my surroundings. There 

was a pile of folders directly in front of me. Looking down I 

realized, “Colonel – she’s a Colonel!” A flush of nervousness 

came over me. Her name was on the list of boat captains – 

Army Col. Linda Ross, volunteer boat captain. Instantly, I 

recapped our introduction. ”Would I have acted differently knowing she 

was a Colonel?” I pondered. “Did I call her Ma’am?” 

It wasn’t until coming across Ross’ biography in a Women’s Equality 

event flyer, for which she was the guest speaker, that I decided to write a 

story about her. She played five years of All-Army Volleyball, was a prior 

enlisted mechanic and earned a doctorate degree in clinical psychology. 

As I read this, my interest in Ross peaked. Within a few days, I secured an 

interview and set out to understand the woman behind the rank. 

This is her story.

Ross joined the Army in 1975 to pay for college. She never desired 

a commission - in fact, she loved being a non-commissioned officer 

and mentoring junior Soldiers. She became an officer after being told 

her leadership experience as an active duty and National Guard noncommissioned officer was needed in her college’s newly implemented 

ROTC program. They wanted her to be the battalion commander.

Thirty years later, Ross is still proudly serving. Currently, she is the 

Director of the Behavioral Science Consultant Team. She and her noncommissioned officer in charge teach a class to new Troopers before 

they begin working inside the detention facilities. Their class focuses on 

(clockwise from left) Army Col. 

Linda Ross, director of JTF’s 

Behavioral Science Consultant 

Team, poses with a Trooper during 

a Morale, Welfare and Recreation 

sponsored night fishing trip. 

Ross makes the best of her time 

here, cutting a ceremonial cake 

with the most junior Trooper at the 

Army birthday celebration 2010,

 proudly holding a barracuda she 

caught while fishing on the bay 

and posing with American Idol 

contestant and performer Bo Bice 

after a concert, Jan. 1, 2011.

the mental preparation guards and medical providers need when working 

with detainees.

Ross says the best way to get her message across is through interactive, 

realistic and fun training.

“I want to communicate that we are approachable,” Ross shares, 

describing her team’s approach to teaching. “I sometimes joke that 

BSCT stands for the “no BS” zone. We are no BS consultants, because 

we talk about the difficult obstacles they will have to deal with. The class 

involves role playing of recent difficult guard-detainee interactions and 

an explanation for the changes in the detention facility over the years.” 

During the training, Ross goes in-depth through each aspect of the 

safe, humane, legal and transparent mission of care and custody of the 

detainees. 

 “This is a critical job,” Ross explains. “Our guards and medical 

providers are at the tip of the spear, entrusted to interact with dangerous 

detainees we have in custody. It is critical that they understand every 

aspect of their mission.”

Combining her experience in sports and psychology, Ross 

incorporates the use of a sports psychology model of attention and 

performance to show Troopers how to maintain their focus when 

dealing with detainees.

“I try to think, ‘What is the essence that they need to know and how 

can we best present it in order to increase their learning curve right out 

of the gate so they are prepared for any type of manipulation by the 

detainees?’” Ross explains while drawing a four-square attentional model 

for me – the same one she uses in the BSCT class. “They are told to ‘Be 

professional and follow the SOP at all times.’ This is true, but I try to give 

them the tools they can use in every situation, as well as indicators so they 

can be aware of when they might be drifting one way or the other.” 

Ross has observed that being a colonel often gets in the way. 

“They see colonel,” Ross says pulling at the insignia centered on her 

uniform. “And they think, ‘Oh, I can’t talk with her, she’s a colonel.’ 

“What I want them to get is that I am a Soldier with some experience 

and training that I got for the specific purpose of helping everyone in 

this command to be as successful as they can be.”

She actively finds ways to minimize the typical reaction she gets from 

junior Troopers toward her rank. First, she ensures the BSCT training 

provides valuable information in a dynamic manner. 

“PowerPoint training is not effective for our purposes,” says Ross. 

“We want to get to know them, ensure that they really understand why 

they are here and give them specifics on how they can always be mentally 

prepared for their tasks.” 

Doing this helps her and her NCOIC reach the Troopers more 

effectively and help them feel more comfortable approaching the team 

for advice.

Second, she volunteers as a boat captain with MWR. “When 

volunteering, I show up in civilian clothes and I don’t know who will be 

on my boat. When I meet them, I say ‘I’m Linda,’” she explains. “I never 

give them my rank, so to them maybe I’m an NCO, a civilian – who 

knows? They just relax and we go out on the boat.”

Once out on the water, Ross notices a dynamic among the group 

and enjoys just being “Linda.” She recalls a particular fishing trip with a 

group of junior Sailors and a few senior enlisted. 

“We’re out on the boat and these very junior Sailors are talking about 

the Navy and what they might want to do,” Ross narrates. “At that point, 

the more senior Navy Sailors started giving them really great advice and 

mentoring.”

Most important to Ross is the opportunity to bond with Troopers 

over a common interest while at the same time being available to provide 

guidance. 

“Not having my rank makes others reticent from the start,” Ross 

says. “Being able to chat with junior Troopers, see things from their 

perspective, share ideas or bring people together who can mentor one 

another is very fulfilling.”

Having been on Guantanamo Bay for over a year now, Ross’ time 

to rotate is drawing near. She will take with her a mental picture of her 

time spent with Troopers out on the bay and a great appreciation toward 

Jill Lynch, MWR Liberty Program Manager for making the boat trips 

successful. 

“Being out on the bay at night with the moon and the stars shining 

brightly, due to the lack of city lights here, is one of the quietest and 

peaceful places you can be. I love it!” Ross concludes. 

Not having my rank makes others reticent from 

the start. Being able to chat with junior Troopers, 

see things from their perspective, share ideas 

or bring people together who can mentor one 

“

another is very fulfilling.”
The Wire | 

Page 12

Feature |

Story and photos by Mass Communication 

Specialist 2nd Class Maddelin Angebrand

For Voge, lifting isn’t about how much 

weight he can put up - it’s about pride in 

himself and well, looking good. 

Voge, currently the Navy Expeditionary 

Guard Battalion N7 training leading petty 

officer, said he started lifting weights while 

serving on the USS John S. McCain in Japan 

and has been building muscle ever since.

“I had a bunch of friends I worked with in 

engineering,” Voge remembers. “I used to be 

a Damage Controlman. The guys did a lot of 

lifting, so my good buddy Tito and I went to 

the gym. I just got into it – it became my stress 

reliever.”

When he first arrived on Guantanamo Bay, 

Voge worked inside the camps and found his 

way up to the assistant watch commander 

position – a stressful one.

 “If I have a long day at work, it’s always that 

place [the gym] I can go – my little sanctuary,” 

Voge shares. “I go and get lost in my thoughts 

and my music and just pound away.” 

Soon after he became an assistant watch 

commander, Voge was selected to attend 

training at the National Rifle Association 

where he earned his small arms instructor 

qualification. Upon returning to the joint task 

force, Voge was moved to the NEGB training 

department. 

“I love it,” Voge exclaims. “It’s the most 

rewarding job I’ve had yet within my naval 

career. I can give back, not only to the Sailors 

who work under me, but to the entire battalion 

- all 500 plus of them.” 

Voge helps set up and coordinate the 

training pipeline for new NEGB Sailors.

“Seeing the Sailors from the time they get 

here until they leave - it’s rewarding,” Voge 

explains. “You get to see a lot of different 

people transition and become better people 

and better leaders.”

Although his new job title isn’t as stressful 

as the old, he still hits the gym on a regular basis 

and says it isn’t always second nature.

“You have to make time,” Voge admits. 

“It’s never easy getting back into it if you take a 

break..., but you have to push past that.”

Reading magazines and watching others is 

how Voge gains most of his knowledge.

“It’s all about form – look around,” Voge 

instructs as he does a scan of Denich Gym’s 

weight room, full of sweaty and determined 

Troopers. “Watch what other people do and 

learn from it. Then try your own twist on it but 

don’t forget your form.”

Listening to music is another ingredient in 

Voge’s motivation. His iPod holds a seemingly 

endless list of eclectic titles and artists.

“I listen to techno, anything upbeat and 

anything new,” he shares. “It depends on my 

mood; I need something energizing. Last time 

I updated my iPod, I had 14,000 songs.”

He works out for about an hour and a half 

The 

Body Builder Weighing in at 266 pounds and standing 6-foot-4-

inches tall, there is no doubt Master-at-Arms 1st

Class Christopher Voge is a formidable presence.

He’s not just a big guy though - he’s an iron pumping machine. 

With 115 pound dumbbells in each hand, Voge takes a deep 

breath as he leans back on a bench a Denich Gym - he exhales 

and up it goes - 230 pounds.

Master-at-Arms 1st Class Christopher Voge, Navy 

Expeditionary Guard Battalion training department 

leading petty officer, does a chest press exercise 

during his lifting routine at Denich Gym, Aug. 18. 

|

FeatureThe Wire | Page 13

at a time and says he prefers to go alone, not for 

selfish reasons but for the safety of his friends.

“I don’t do well with partners,” Voge 

explains. “I try to take friends under my wing, 

and, unfortunately, I break em’ every time 

because they try to keep up with me. [Plus], 

getting that pause between switching weights, 

I end up loosing my momentum, speed and I 

get cold.”

Although he prefers going solo, Voge always 

lends a helping hand at the gym, whether it’s 

spotting a buddy or giving advice to someone 

new. 

“Find a friend,” Voge advises, “Go together 

and you’ll feel better about yourself.”

Voge says the most important part of lifting 

weights and working out is the balance of 

eating right and making time for the gym.

“They have a saying here,” Voge says. “You 

can either be that hunk, that chunk or a drunk 

– you choose!”
On The Deck

Inside the Jar

MILLINGTON, Tenn. – Officials 

said the Navy has updated the 

geographical areas of interest 

(GAOI) affected under an order 

to account for Navy personnel and 

their families following Hurricane 

Irene, Tuesday.

The updated order released in 

NAVADMIN 258/11 expands the 

GAOI to include Vermont, New 

Hampshire and two additional 

New York counties, Albany and 

Greene. 

The order requires commanders 

to conduct a personnel 

accountability muster of all Navy 

personnel and families in the 

following areas: 

North Carolina counties: 

Beaufort, Bertie, Brunswick, 

Camden, Carteret, Chowan, 

Craven, Currituck, Dare, Gates, 

Hertford, Hyde, Jones, Martin, 

New Hanover, Onslow, Pamlico, 

Pasquotank, Perquimans, Pinder, 

Tyrrell, and Washington.

Virginia counties: Accomack, 

Charles City, Chesapeake, 

Essex, Franklin, Fredericksburg, 

Gloucester, Hampton, Hopewell, 

Isle of Wight, James City, King 

William, Kings and Queen, 

Lancaster, Matthews, Middlesex, 

New Kent, Newport News, 

Norfolk, Northampton, 

Northumberland, Petersburg, 

Poquoson, Portsmouth, Prince 

George, Richmond, Southampton, 

Suffolk, Surry, Sussex, Virginia 

Beach, Westmoreland, 

Williamsburg, and York.

Maryland counties: Anne 

Arundel, Baltimore, Baltimore 

City, Calvert, Caroline, Cecil, 

Dorchester, Harford, Kent, 

Queen Anne’s Somerset, St mary’s, 

Talbot, Wicomico, and Worcester. 

Delaware counties: All

New Jersey counties: All

Pennsylvania counties: Bucks, 

Chester, Delaware, Monroe, 

Montgomery, Northampton, 

Philadelphia, Pike, and Wayne. 

New York counties: Albany, 

Bronx, Columbia, Duchess, 

Greene, Kings, Nassau, New 

Navy extends family accounting for hurricane relief

By Chief Mass Communication 

 Specialist Maria Yager

MARINE CORPS BASE 

QUANTICO, Va. – With more 

and more Marines opting to remain 

in the Corps, the reenlistment 

process is becoming increasingly 

competitive. Marine Corps 

Recruiting Command’s ActiveReserve Program offers Marines 

another chance to stay in and 

experience a side of the Corps that 

many don’t know exists. 

Though the primary purpose 

of AR Marines is to support the 

reserves, they serve side-by-side 

with active duty Marines, work 

full-time, receive active duty pay 

and benefits and can change duty 

stations as often as active duty 

Marines. Active-reserve Marines 

also deploy, serve in billets such as 

drill instructor duty or recruiting 

duty and qualify for the same 

retirement benefits of active duty 

More active-reserve billets open to Marines during FY11

Marines. 

There will be more opportunities 

for Marines to join the AR program 

during Fiscal Year 2012. The AR 

program has 276 available billets 

for FY12 in comparison to the 

198 billets available during FY11. 

According to Master Sgt. Donald 

Ogden, prior service recruiting 

quality control chief, MCRC, there 

are a few MOS’s with a large number 

of billets available for Marines.

“We are looking for a 

lot of Marines in the (0111) 

administrative specialist, (3451) 

fiscal/budget technician, (2111) 

small arms repairer/technician and 

(3043) supply administration and 

operations clerk job fields,” said 

Ogden. 

Though some MOS’s are of 

particular importance, Marines 

from any job field may submit 

packages for the AR program. 

“There are active-reserve billets 

for Marines in most job fields,” said 

Ogden. “Retraining in a new MOS 

is also available for sergeants and 

below.” 

To be eligible for the AR 

program, active component 

Marines must be within six months 

of their expiration of active service 

date, be eligible for reenlistment 

and be willing to serve in an MOS 

required by the AR program. 

Marines must also meet specific age 

and rank requirements to join the 

AR. A list of maximum ages and 

corresponding ranks may be found 

in Marine Corps Order 1001.52J.

The program is not limited 

to active duty Marines. Per MCO 

1001.52J, Marines in the reserves 

and individual ready reserve are 

also eligible to apply for the AR 

program. 

“Active-reserve packages are 

evaluated based upon their own 

merits. There is no selection 

board,” said Ogden. “Marines who 

submit packages should expect to 

hear from their monitor within 15 

to 30 days with a decision on the 

package and a list of potential duty 

stations.”

In addition to the AR program 

needs for FY12, there are still 

three available billets for Marines 

interested in making the move 

during FY11. 

“There are still two billets 

available for (3451) fiscal/budget 

technicians and one for a (6152) 

CH-46 helicopter airframe 

mechanic,” said Ogden. 

An incentive for noncommissioned officers interested 

in the AR program is bonuses. 

Bonuses of $10,000 for corporals 

and $15,000 for sergeants are 

available for NCOs who hold a 

qualifying MOS. The qualifying 

MOS’s will be released via a 

MARADMIN in early October. 

By Lance Cpl. David Flynn, Marine Corrps 

Recruiting Command

The At Your Service | Wire | Page 14

York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, 

Rensselaer, Richmond, Rockland, 

Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster, and 

Westchester.

Connecticut counties: All

Rhode Island counties: All

Massachusetts counties: All

New Hampshire counties: All

Vermont counties: All

This order includes active and 

Reserve component Sailors, Navy 

government service employees and 

family members.

Command representatives 

must muster and account for 

all affected personnel, including 

family members within the 

area. Commanding officers are 

responsible for ensuring the muster 

is entered in the Navy Family 

Accountably and Assessment 

System (NFAAS).

NFAAS standardizes a 

method for the Navy to account, 

manage, and monitor the 

recovery process for personnel 

and their families affected and/

or scattered by a wide-spread 

catastrophic event. 

Navy personnel and families 

severely impacted by the 

storm must log into NFAAS 

at https://navyfamily.navy.mil 

at their earliest convenience to 

update contact information and 

complete a needs assessment.

Individuals who are unable to 

contact their command should 

log on to NFAAS and muster 

on the Navy Family Members 

section. Impacted personnel 

unable to contact their command 

or the NFAAS website can call 

the Navy Personnel Command 

(NPC) Emergency Coordination 

Center (ECC) at (877) 414-5358.

Additionally, NPC has 

established a Hurricane Irene 

emergency information page 

on its website, www.npc.navy.

mil, which will be continually 

updated with guidance, resources 

and contact information as it 

becomes available throughout 

the storm and recovery period.

For more news from Navy 

Personnel Command, visit www.

navy.mil/local/npc/. 

NEW YORK, – Crews aboard the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ 

New York District’s three drift-collection vessels have been 

working to clear drift and debris from the waters in and around 

the New York and New Jersey Harbor after Tropical Storm Irene. 

While the mission happens all year, Irene brought storm surge, 

heavy winds and lots of rain to the region over the weekend and 

Army Corps crews have been working hard to gather the additional 

drift that may be in the New York and New Jersey Harbor following 

the storm to ensure safe navigation.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers personnel aboard DCV 

Gelberman worked to secure large pieces that broke off of an 

old pier in the busy Erie Basin (pronounced like the Great Lake) 

in Brooklyn. 

Large objects like those that broke off the pier are one of the 

Army Corps crews work to clear debris from Irene

By Chris Gardner, USACE potential hazards to navigation the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ 

drift-collection vessels remove objects routinely from the waters 

in and around the New York and New Jersey Harbor to help 

ensure safe navigation for all kinds of vessels, ranging from small 

recreation vessels to water taxis, to large container ships and oil 

tankers.

Large hazards like those broken off the pier could cause 

damages ranging from piercing a hull to damaging or destroying 

propellers to potentially causing an environmental hazard like an 

oil spill or leak. A large piece from the old pier was called into 

the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers by the U.S. Coast Guard while 

drift-collection crews were working after the storm.

The DCV Hayward, a catamaran rigged with a steel net attached 

to its side to gather debris, also worked the harbor to clear it of 

potential hazards to navigation. Tuesday morning, the Hayword 

collected a load of debris weighing about 17,000 pounds. 

In The Trenches

| At Your Service The Wire | Page 15

On the Wing

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) – Approximately 7,675 National Guard 

Airmen and Soldiers from 18 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto 

Rico responded, Aug. 28, to support Hurricane Irene relief efforts.

According to Guard officials, three capabilities are enhancing the 

National Guard’s contribution to the joint state and federal support for 

civil authorities responding to Hurricane Irene.

The National Guard Bureau’s 24/7 National Guard Coordination 

Center here boosted coordination and communication between the 

Army and Air National Guard and local, state and federal partners, 

Guard officials said. Also, the appointment of dual-status commanders 

to lead state National Guard and federal forces sped up response, and 

the deployment of strategically placed force packages ahead of the storm 

increased readiness.

The coordination center, dual-status commanders and pre-placed force 

packages are relatively new capabilities born from lessons learned from 

past natural and manmade disasters.

Guard members cleared debris and performed high-water search-andrescue missions in Connecticut, officials said. They helped transportation 

officials control traffic in the District of Columbia, and handed out cots 

and supplies in Delaware. They flew helicopters from Alaska, Florida, 

Mississippi, New Mexico and Ohio to stand by in the affected region for 

search and rescue, damage assessment, transportation and other missions.

Guard members provided command-and-control support in Maine, 

filled sandbags and assessed damage in Massachusetts, performed search 

and rescue and provided security and transportation in North Carolina, 

and provided shelter in New Jersey, officials said. Members also provided 

maritime transportation to the islands of Vieques and Culebra in Puerto 

Rico, supported communications in Rhode Island and provided engineers 

to local authorities in Virginia.

Throughout the Eastern Seaboard, Guard members helped neighbors 

hit by Irene. For example, 129 New York Guard members traveled in 

speed boats to help rescue 21 people stranded by floodwaters in an upstate 

New York hotel Aug. 28.

About 101,000 Guard members were available in the affected 

region, Defense Department officials reported, and the National Guard 

Coordination Center worked with the states and other federal agencies to 

ensure the right numbers reached the right places at the right time.

“As Irene approached the United States, our NGCC was coordinating 

New efforts enhance Irene response with 24/7 National Guard

By Army Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill

National Guard Bureau

with the states, territories and the District of Columbia; the Federal 

Emergency Management Agency; and U.S. Northern Command to ensure 

the most effective National Guard support to civil authorities,” said Gen. 

Craig R. McKinley, the chief of the National Guard Bureau. “(It enabled) 

us to bring the full benefit of our size, skills, training, experience, command 

and communications infrastructure, and legal flexibility to the whole-ofgovernment response to the storm.

“Hurricane Irene demonstrated the vital importance of our new 

National Guard Coordination Center, which enables us to work seamlessly 

with our state and federal partners at the first warning of potential disaster,” 

McKinley added.

Among assets coordinated and monitored by the center were force 

packages that allowed Guard officials to strategically position assets to 

respond to any additional needs states may have.

For example, in Eastover, S.C., Guard officials stood up an aerial force 

package of 17 aircraft -- including UH-47 Chinooks, UH-60 Black Hawks, 

UH-72 Lakotas, OH-58 Kiowas and C-27 Spartans -- with about 100 

Guard members.

“Assembling and pre-staging ground and air force packages -- drawn 

from Army and Air National Guard assets contributed by multiple states 

-- in strategic locations out of harm’s way but near potentially affected 

areas meant the National Guard stood ready to respond faster than ever 

to civil authorities’ critical needs that might arise in the storm’s aftermath,” 

McKinley said.

The appointment of four dual-status commanders in support of 

relief efforts marked the first time the dual-commander concept has been 

implemented in support of a natural disaster, officials said.

When agreed upon by the secretary of defense and the governor of an 

affected state, dual-status commanders can direct both federal active-duty 

forces and state National Guard forces in response to domestic incidents, 

Defense Department officials said. The concept is intended to foster 

greater cooperation among federal and state assets during a disaster.

The nation’s governors led the creation of this new opportunity for 

collaboration, the officials said. Dual-status commanders ensure that state 

and federal military forces will work effectively together when states request 

federal forces through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“This storm also demonstrated how dual-status combatant 

commanders who can direct both state National Guard and federal forces 

in response to domestic incidents increases collaboration, communication 

and coordination between federal and state assets, improves leadership, 

avoids duplication of effort and enhances the team response,” McKinley 

said.
The Wire | Page 16 At the Movies |

Movie Review

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Call MWR at ext. 2010 for more information. Movie Hotline - call 4880.

Monte Carlo

(PG) 8 p.m.

Bad Teacher

(last showing)

(R) 10 p.m.

Cars 2

(last showing)

(G) 8 p.m.

Larry Crowne

(PG- 13) 8 p.m.

Green Lantern

(last showing)

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Transformers

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Zookepper

(PG) 8 p.m.

Downtown

Lyceum

Camp 

Bulkeley

Winnie the Pooh

(G) 8 p.m.

Harry Potter & the

Deathly Hallows: 

Part 2

(PG-13) 10 p.m. 

fri. sat. sun. mon. tues. wed. thurs.

Army Sgt. Meredith Vincent

Green Lantern

(last showing)

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Bad Teacher

(last showing)

(R) 8 p.m.

Winnie the Pooh

(G) 8 p.m.

Harry Potter & the 

Deathly Hallows: 

Part 2

(PG-13) 10 p.m.

Horrible Bosses

(R) 8 p.m.

Transformers 3

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Larry Crowne

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Zookeeper

(PG) 8 p.m.

Monte Carlo

(PG) 8 p.m.

High winds and treacherous flood waters 

have halted the transportation and arrival 

of Guantanamo Bay’s newest cinematic 

experience. And really, what’s more important 

here than the new movie schedule? Short 

answer, nothing. 

At a loss, I glanced at the movies showing 

this week and realized I either a) already 

reviewed them, or b) really didn’t want to 

review them. So instead, we’re flying without 

a net this week. 

That doesn’t mean I’m not going to 

deliver. Like it or hate it, this is my page and 

although I very much enjoy chatting movies 

with you, I’ve got other talents as well. They 

mostly all hinge on sarcasm. 

So, without further ado, I present “Seven 

Days in GTMO: An Anti-Boredom Guide.”

The following words, sentences and 

paragraphs will introduce Guantanamo Bay 

veterans and newbies alike to some of the 

island’s most treasured pastimes and meal 

spots. Think of it as a Seven Wonders of the 

World, but take out the word “wonders” and 

replace it with “Random Stuff ” and then 

take out the word “world” and replace it 

with “GTMO.”

Let’s begin with Monday. It’s the start of 

another work week, people are sluggish and 

grouchy. And what is on everyone’s minds? 

Coffee! Get ready quicker than usual and 

find time to make your way up to the Triple 

C coffee shop, located between the Bayview 

Club and the BOQ. My personal favorite is 

vanilla chai tea. If you’re not in a hurry, have 

a few sips while looking out over the water. 

Close your eyes, breath in the fresh morning 

air and vow not to strangle the people you 

work with. A well-made cup of coffee 

can almost always cure a bad case of the 

Mondays. (Cue “Office Space” joke here.)

Skip ahead eight hours. The first day 

of your week is over – you’ve survived. If 

your job is anything like mine, you’re ready 

to hit something. Luckily, Morale, Welfare 

and Recreation had the forethought to 

offer free disc golf on Monday evenings, 

enabling servicemembers to throw discs at 

baskets with force and abandon. Show up 

at the Lateral Hazard golf course office at 

5 p.m. and put your disc-throwing skills to 

the test. Then, after a brutal day of work 

and golf with frisbees, hit the galley for 

dinner, do something productive like laundry 

or studying and go to sleep – Mondays are 

typically lame anyways.

Tuesdays aren’t as ominous as Mondays, 

but still have their challenges. Relieve some 

of that residual Monday tension after work 

by hitting the batting cages, located right 

next to Denich Gym. A couple of bucks 

will get you a decent amount of balls. Make 

sure you’re wearing the proper safety attire 

(mostly because it makes anyone who wears 

it look like a goober and the rest of us need a 

laugh) and make like Barry Bonds. 

A manly sport needs to be followed with 

a manly meal and I guarantee you, the Jerk 

House’s BBQ sauce will kick you in your... 

Seven Days in

GTMO

An Anti-Boredom Guide

 see BOREDOM, page 19

| News you can Use The Wire | Page 17

August was the deadliest month for 

the U.S. military so far in the decadelong war in Afghanistan.

A total of 66 U.S. troops died last 

month, topping by one the death toll 

for July 2010, which previously had 

been the deadliest single month for 

the United States in Afghanistan since 

2001.

August’s death toll includes the 30 

U.S. troops killed in the downing of 

a Chinook helicopter by insurgents in 

eastern Afghanistan. The dead included 

members of the elite U.S. Navy SEALs. 

It was the worst loss of life for the 

United States in a single incident during 

the Afghan war.

Meanwhile, NATO said one of its 

service members died Wednesday in a 

bomb blast in eastern Afghanistan. The 

coalition did not provide any additional 

details.

More than 390 international troops 

have been killed in Afghanistan so far 

this year.

Taliban insurgents are increasingly 

using improvised explosive devices to 

target both security forces and Afghan 

civilians.

Last month, the United Nations said 

the number of deaths from roadside 

bombs increased by 17 percent this year 

compared to the same period in 2010, 

making them the single-largest killer of 

civilians in the first half of this year.

August 2011 deadliest month 

for US in Afghanistan

Voice of America News Service

The United States’ extensive outsourcing 

of military functions in war zones has been 

controversial since the beginning of the 

conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

A report by the bipartisan Commission on 

Wartime Contracting has heightened concerns 

with details of allegations of billions of dollars 

lost due to waste and corruption.

To lessen wartime strains on America’s allvolunteer military force, the Pentagon hires 

private businesses to provide a vast array of 

support services.

Reliance on contractors expanded 

drastically during the Iraq and Afghanistan 

wars, feeding what is now a large for-profit 

military industry funded by U.S. taxpayers.

The commission’s co-chairman, Michael 

Thibault says not all of the money has been 

well-spent.

“Total spending on contract and grants in 

Iraq and Afghanistan amounts to $206 billion. 

We estimate that $31-$60 billion of that total 

has been or is being lost to waste and fraud,” 

said Thibault.

At a news conference Wednesday, 

Thibault stressed that the commission’s aim 

is not to attack the reputations of individual 

contractors, but rather to identify problems in 

the government’s contracting process. He says 

many problems have been identified.

“The cost of contract support has been 

unnecessarily high. [The U.S.] government has 

not effectively managed contracts to promote 

competition, reward good performance, and 

impose accountability for poor performance 

and misconduct by both government and 

contractor personnel,” Thibault said.

As an example of counter-productive 

efforts, the commission alleges that some U.S. 

funds for construction projects in Afghanistan 

wound up in the hands of insurgents battling 

American troops.

Contractors do everything from serving 

meals to troops to building power plants and 

guarding diplomats.

The commission urges an overhaul of 

government contracting procedures in war 

zones, and even phasing out the use of 

contractors for certain functions.

The other commission co-chairman is 

former Congressman Christopher Shays.

“The way forward demands reform. With 

tens of billions of dollars already wasted, with 

the prospect of more to follow, and with the 

risk of re-creating these problems the next 

time America faces a contingency, denial and 

delay are not good options,” said Shays.

Questions surrounding private military 

contractors are not new. In 2007, Congress 

held hearings on allegations that contractors 

targeted Iraqi civilians with excessive and 

reckless force. Eric Prince, founder of 

Blackwater, a well-known military contracting 

firm, denied any wrongdoing by his 

employees.

“I disagree with the assertion that they 

acted like cowboys,” Prince said.

Democratic Senator Jim Webb of Virginia 

says the commission’s report is a call to action 

for Congress. “These recommendations will 

be listened to and, when appropriate, acted on 

by the United States Congress,” Webb said.

In May, the Congressional Research 

Service reported that the United States 

had 155,000 private contractors in Iraq 

and Afghanistan, compared with 145,000 

uniformed personnel.

By Stephanie Ho

Voice of America News Service

Report: Up to $60 billion wasted in Iraq, Afghanistan

French army Captain Jeremy Reynaud (C) walks with U.S. soldiers 

after a joint patrol with Afghan troops in a village in Wardak province, 

Afghanistan. photo by Reuters

The U.S. military says no American 

service members died in Iraq in 

August, marking the first month with 

no U.S. military casualties there since 

the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

The milestone is a sharp contrast 

to June, when 15 U.S. soldiers were 

killed in the deadliest month for U.S. 

personnel in Iraq in two years.

Overall more than 4,400 U.S. 

military personnel have been killed 

since the war began.

Fewer than 50,000 U.S. troops 

remain in Iraq, all of whom are set 

to withdraw by the end of this year. 

U.S. and Iraqi officials have expressed 

concern about Iraq’s ability to handle 

security after the withdrawal.

August marks first fatalityfree month for US in Iraq

Voice of America News Service
Mind, Body & Soul

Under the circumstances:

Making the best of your deployment

GTMO Religious Services

Daily Catholic Mass

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

Main Chapel

Vigil Mass

Saturday 5 p.m.

Main Chapel

Mass

Sunday 9 a.m.

Main Chapel

Catholic Mass

Saturday 5:30 p.m.

Troopers Chapel

The Mind, Body & Soul | Wire | Page 18

Protestant Worship

Sunday 9 a.m.

Troopers’ Chapel

Islamic Service

Friday 1:15 p.m.

Room C

Jewish Service

Friday 7 p.m.

Chapel Annex

LDS Service

Sunday 10 a.m.

Room A

Seventh Day Adventist

Saturday 11 a.m.

Room B

Iglesia Ni Christo

Sunday 5:30 a.m.

Room A

Pentecostal Gospel

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

Room D

Liturgical Service

Sunday 10 a.m.

Room B

Church of the Sacred Well

Call x2323 for information

General Protestant

Sunday 11 a.m.

Main Chapel

United Jamaican

Fellowship

Sunday 11 a.m.

Sanctuary B

Gospel Service

Sunday 1 p.m.

Main Chapel

GTMO Bay Christian Fellowship

Sunday 6 p.m.

Main Chapel

A preacher was visiting an elderly widow 

in his congregation and asked her how she 

was.

“Well, preacher,” she replied. “I’m doing 

all right, under the circumstances.”

“What are you doing under there in the 

first place?” asked the preacher. 

As I look back on my time here at 

Guantanamo Bay, I am realizing more 

and more how much your attitude has to 

do with what your experience here is. If 

you maintain a good attitude, it can be a 

good experience. On the other hand, if 

you throw a “poor me” pity party every 

day, you’ll end up under the circumstances 

every time.

My advice is to use the time you have 

here to make yourself better. Take time to 

improve yourself in all of the major areas 

of life while you are on this island. I’m 

going to concentrate on three: the physical, 

mental, and spiritual.

For the physical, there are a lot of 

options available. Try to improve your run 

time. Learn a new sport (beer pong doesn’t 

count). Take up SCUBA or sailing. Get 

out of the barracks and enjoy yourself.

In terms of the mental, there are a lot 

of routes to take as well. Take a class at 

the college. Read a good non-fiction 

book on a topic you are interested in. 

Take correspondence courses for your 

occupational specialty. Download Rosetta 

Stone and learn a new language. You 

can even take up a new hobby and learn 

Army Capt. Daniel Price, Chaplain

woodworking or pottery.

To improve your spiritual well-being, 

put time into studying your religion – or 

someone else’s religion, for that matter. 

Read a book on a spiritual topic you are 

interested in. Spend more time talking to 

God and listening to Him. The possibilities 

are endless.

The choice of how you leave Guantanamo 

Bay is up to you. Are you going to be better, 

worse or the same as when you got here? 

In the end, you are the one responsible for 

the choices you make. You can’t change or 

be accountable for what others do, but you 

can change what you do. And that’s what 

makes the difference.

And now, in the words of an Irish 

blessing: may the road rise to meet you, 

may the wind be always at your back, may 

the sun shine full upon your face and, until 

we meet again, may God hold you in the 

palm of his hand.

| The Last Word The Wire | Page 19

BOREDOM cont. 

COMMAND cont. FOCUS cont. 

the organization’s mission. This requires 

two things; “a ‘STRATEGIC FOCUS’ and 

a ‘BURNING DESIRE’ to succeed.”

Here are some simple principles Lincoln 

advocated during his public life:

Lincoln Principles 

* Explain yourself in writing and offer 

advice on how to solve problems.

* It is important that the people know 

you come among them without fear.

* Seek casual contact with your 

subordinates. It is as meaningful as a 

formal gathering, if not more so. 

* Don’t often decline to see people who 

call on you.

* Take public opinion baths. 

fancy with time on the guitar, piano and 

drums – unless it’s baseball season. 

Stop for a minute to talk baseball 

with the corpsman and one thing quickly 

becomes apparent – the man is a die-hard 

Boston Red Sox fan.

“I’m not one of those jump on the 

bandwagon type fans either,” Blalock 

said. “I’ve been a Sox fan since I can 

remember.”

Whether it’s rooting for the Beantown 

Bombers, mentoring his Troopers or 

providing quality care to his customers, 

whatever Blalock does, he brings a fire and 

passion to the mix – a trait he intends to 

pass on to his son and use to serve him as 

he progresses in the Navy.

teeth. Located right next to the coffee shop, 

the Jerk House is a Guantanamo Bay must, 

especially for certifiable carnivores.

Wednesdays are historically one of the 

best days of the week. Mind you, when I say, 

“historically,” I don’t mean in any quantifiable, 

scientific or statistical way. I just mean, in all 

of my 27 years, Wednesdays are usually pretty 

awesome. 

On Guantanamo Bay, Wednesdays make 

their mark in a few ways. First, the Liberty 

Center sponsors a night of free bowling 

and pizza or wings for servicemembers 

at Marblehead Lanes. First two games of 

bowling are free; remember to bring socks. 

Don’t be afraid to rock the vintage look, either 

– everybody looks good in bowling shoes!

If embarrassing yourself with three gutter 

balls in a row wasn’t enough, go straight 

to the Windjammer and sign up for some 

humiliatingly obnoxious karaoke. Watch 

audience members cringe and grimace as songs 

like “I Will Always Love You” and “Friends in 

Low Places” are put through the ringer and 

inevitably destroyed. You might even catch 

yours truly with her enthusiastic rendition of 

Bob Segar’s “Old Time Rock ‘n Roll.” Just 

please remember two things: ballads are always 

a bad idea and most of you probably still work 

in the morning – take it easy.

Thursday. I feel bad for Thursday. Never 

as fun as Wednesday, always in the way before 

you get to Friday, the best thing Thursday 

ever had going for it was Thursday Must-See 

TV when the “Friends” and “Seinfeld” crews 

were still around. 

Alas, now Thursdays can get some love, 

too. On the island, Thursdays are Mongolian 

Night at the Bayview. In my humble opinion, 

the food and view are totally worth the wait. 

The portions are so big you’ll have leftovers 

for a week. And it’s still delicious cold, which 

is the true test of any Asian cuisine. 

Before you help yourself at the Bayview, 

however, what about whacking some golf 

balls at the driving range? I’ve never been 

coordinated enough to take on the whole 

course, but the driving range requires barely 

any skill. Perfect for golf amateurs who, like 

me, just enjoy whacking things. 

TGIF – you thought Friday would never 

arrive. Celebrate the start to the weekend by 

picking up this fine, respectable publication 

and devouring it from cover to cover. I know 

many of you are fans of the movie review but 

if you take the time to peruse the rest of it, 

you’ll find fun, cheeky stories written by my 

colleagues and friends. They work hard for 

their money, why not throw ‘em some love? 

(FYI: Naval Station Guantanamo’s Gazette

comes out this day, too, helmed by Mass 

Communications Specialist 2nd Class Justin 

Ailes, also known as the Voice of the Talking 

Iguana – for realz!)

After you’ve been shocked and awed by 

the talented crew of The Wire, double check 

that movie schedule and make your plans 

accordingly. The MWR consistently schedules 

newer movies on weekend nights, so make 

sure to clear your schedule and catch at least 

one show, if not a double feature. And don’t 

worry about dinner because the snack window 

has hotdogs, nachos and popcorn for days. It’s 

the weekend and I hereby condone reckless 

eating behavior - no movie theater experience 

is complete without a giant buttery popcorn.

Fast-forward to Saturday morning. As we 

chug full-steam ahead into the weekend, your 

very first stop should be the paintball range 

– MWR offers free paintballin’ from 9 a.m. 

to 2 p.m. to anyone who wants to get down 

and dirty. 

After you clean up from your strenuous 

paintball mission, grab your broski’s and 

head to the Windjammer for dinner. (The 

nacho appetizer is delish, as are the Guinness 

Wings.) And since you’re already there, 

stay for the soothing crooning of Country 

Night, held on the back patio of O’Kelly’s 

Irish Pub and deejayed by my good friend 

and colleague, Pfc. Amanda Russell. There’s 

no country tune this gal doesn’t know, and 

no dance step she can’t teach. (Don’t get any 

ideas though, fellas, this little lady is taken.) I 

was actually surprised by how many country 

music loyalists call this island home – they 

show up in full force on Saturday nights and 

it really is a sight to see. 

“Lazy Sunday, wake up in the late 

afternoon...” Even if you roll over on 

Sunday and the clock reads 1:35 p.m., you still 

have time to make the Bayview’s delightful 

Sunday Brunch. Served from 10 a.m. to 2 

p.m., this event is sometimes the highlight 

of my week. Cooked to order omelets, sinful 

biscuits and gravy and much, much more, it 

will soak up all the beverages you consumed 

the night before (cranberry juice, Coca Cola, 

you know, the usual...) and leave you happy 

and satisfied. 

How do you top off a delicious brunch 

overlooking the bay? Lazy Sunday continues 

by heading to the Windjammer pool for some 

sun and some fun. How often do you have so 

many relaxing amenities available to you for 

free? After you look like a Jersey Shore cast 

member, top the day with some ice cream 

from Triple C. Then go home, relax and start 

it all again the next day.

These are just a few examples of how to 

spend your time on Guantanamo Bay. There 

are many other activities offered, including 

sailing lessons, mountain biking, paddle 

boating, kayaking and much more. Don’t 

become a GTMO hermit – it’s not good for 

your complexion. If I’ve learned anything 

here, it is that this place is what you make of 

it. So don’t be lame and make the best out of 

it. Mostly ‘cause I told you so, and I can be 

very intimidating. 

* Be the very embodiment of good 

temper and affability. 

* Remember, everyone likes a 

compliment.

* If your subordinates can stand it, so 

can you. Set a good example. 

You must seek and require access to 

reliable and up-to-date information. A 

leader must be honest with themselves and 

the people they lead. Finally, a leader must 

be a person of integrity, of honesty and 

humility.

In my second installment of “Leadership 

101”, I will talk about leaders’ personal 

interaction with their subordinates and 

counseling those in our organizations. 
HONOR BOUND

Troopers from the J4 department pose for a group photo in front of the Honor 

Bound pillars, Wednesday. - photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Sally 

Hendricks

ROCK AND ROLL

Sailors attached to Navy Mobile Construction Battalion 23 load a piece of 

cement into the bucket of a backhoe at Windmill Beach, Wednesday. - photo by 

Army Sgt. Mathieu Perry

PATRIOTIC

The U.S. flag flies high over Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Monday. - photo by 

Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kilho Park

TheJTF

IRENE TAKES HER 

TOLL

Hurricane Irene 

pounds Phillips 

Dive Park, Saturday 

as gusts of wind 

and water rush the 

beach.

- photo by Chief 

Cryptologic Technician 

Christopher Hileman