It’s a zoo 

in there!

Community library

reopens to public

525th Trooper finds solace in rock ‘n roll

Chaps, JSMART, MWR, FFSC

join forces to help joint forces

Volume 13, Issue 24 Friday, April 20, 2012
News from the Bay

MWR Liberty is looking for fun facilitators. Do you have your captain’s license? 

Volunteers are needed to take boats out on 

day and night fishing trips. Are you good at 

Texas Hold’em poker? Pool? What about 

ping-pong? Call MWR Liberty at 2010 and 

volunteer to teach others the your favorite 

games.

Help keep the trails of Gitmo beautiful and clean. The Trail Blazers are looking 

for volunteers to help cut grass, trim tree 

limbs, remove trash and anything else it 

takes to keep your hikes, trail runs and bike 

rides fun and easy. For more information, 

call Martin Sullivan at 8243/8242 or email 

Martin.E.Sullivan@jtfgtmo.southcom.mil.

The American Red Cross is selling challenge coins at the NEX Saturday to support 

wounded military personnel and volunteers.

Buy one coin for $10 or three for $25.

For more information, call 2511.

Attention! Navy personnel, E-5 and 

above, who are interested in the Limited 

Duty Officer and Chief Warrant Officer 

programs are invited to a luncheon at Gold 

Hill Galley April 27 at 10:30 a.m. 

For more information, call Lt. Baldwin at 

4650 or Lt. Pecci at 4606.

Reggae/hip hop artist Rayvon will perform Saturday at 10 p.m. at the Windjammer 

Ballroom with Miami’s own DJ Epps. 

For more information, call 2157 or 75237.

All hands are invited to participate in 30 

minute intervals of GTMO Moves, circuit 

training kickboxing and yoga at Denich Gym 

Wednesday from 5:30-7:30 p.m. 

For more information, call 2113.

MWR Liberty will take Troopers and 

Guantanamo Bay residents on another history hike on May 5. This time it will be centered around Hicacal. 

Call 2010 to find out how you can help.

The recompression chamber will be 

down for maintenance May 7-11. There will 

be no civilian and recreational diving during 

this period.

For more information, contact the Command Diving Officer at 4444.

Military personnel stationed at Guantanamo Bay are encouraged to exercise their 

right to vote using absentee ballots.

For more information, call Lt. Cdr. Smith 

at 6157, Lt. Jg. Ricker at 72871, or Petty Officer 1st Class Robles at 4721.

Radio GTMO is holding a Radiothon 

fund drive the week of April 23 from 8 a.m. 

to 4 p.m. Proceeds go to the Navy-Marine 

Corps Relief Society.

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/RadioGTMO, or call 3333 or 

2100.

Record a Guantanamo shout-out to all 

the mothers in your life! Send your loved 

ones a personalized message this Mother’s 

Day. Simply stop by the Camp America sign 

Monday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

For more information, call 8200 or email 

Robert.W.Stephenson@jtfgtmo.southcom.

mil.

Watch Jon “Bones” Jones and “Suga” Rashad Evans engage in light-heavyweight fisticuffs Saturday at 9 p.m. on the flat screens at 

O’Kelly’s Irish Pub.

For more information, call 75503.

All hands are invited to Ferry Landing 

Beach for a free community event April 

28, 2-6 p.m. featuring a performance by the 

Dirty Sock Funtime Band. 

For more information, call 84616.

LDOs who lunch

No pressure, man!

Radiothon fund drive

Fitness Aerobathon

I love you, Mom! Trail Blazers

Volunteer everywhere

Red Cross challenge 

coin sale

DJ! Turn it up!

UFC 145 at O’Kelly’s

History hike sequel

Day at the Bay

Your vote counts

News from the Bay The Wire | Page 3

INDEX

The Wire

April 20, 2012

TSP, part II

193rd Troopers say uncle

Nom nom burgers

525th Trooper rocks out

Library reopens, with giraffes

Cartoon: Batman & Robin

Movie Review: Wanderlust

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.

5

8

9

10

12

17

18

Cc

ommand

orner

Cmd. Master Chief Reynaldo Tiong

Command Master Chief, JTF Guantanamo

Joint Task Force

Guantanamo Safe Humane Legal Transparent l l l

Cover: A watchful giraffe can be seen in the children’s section of the U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay 

Community Library, which reopened to the public April 12 after an extensive renovation project. The library 

serves thousands of Naval Station community members and Joint Task Force Troopers every year. 

–photo by Spc. Ryan Hallock

As my tenure here at Joint Task Force 

Guantanamo comes to an end, 

I have been reflecting about the 

interactions I have had with people I have 

met and worked with in the last 12 months.

My experience here has been 

overwhelmingly positive as I have been 

blessed to work with two rear admirals, two 

brigadier generals, and three chiefs of staff. I 

also have been able to meet 

many professionals from all 

branches of service who 

have had an impact on my 

life.

Even though my overall 

experience has been great, 

I have to admit there have 

been some very challenging 

times here. So if I could 

leave you all with some 

advice based on my 

experience here this is what 

I would say: “Make every 

effort to get along and find 

the good in each other.” 

Rise above, Troopers. 

Rise above personality 

differences. Rise above petty 

differences. Rise above those 

who are inconsiderate or 

rude. Rise above reacting out of frustration 

or anger. Rise above the critics and naysayers. 

Remember what Thumper said in the 

movie Bambi? “If you can’t say something 

nice, don’t say nothin’ at all.”

Start with that simple rule. Make a 

decision to start being kind to those around 

you so you can begin to create a positive 

environment. Sometimes, that kindness 

starts as simply keeping your mouth shut 

when you have the opportunity to really stick 

it to someone you don’t really care for.

Show respect to one another. Respect isn’t 

only about standing at attention or parade 

rest, especially when we talk about showing 

respect to our peers:

Respect is often shown most 

clearly in the little things. Don’t 

interrupt people when they are 

talking. Include everyone in 

your conversations. Look others 

in the eye when they 

are speaking to you. 

These and other 

seemingly minor 

considerations for 

others can have a 

major impact on the 

level of respect in 

your relationships. 

– Ralph Marston, 

The Daily Motivator

If you do get treated 

rudely or inconsiderately by 

another, reach deep in to 

yourself and find that part 

of you that was willing to 

sacrifice for your country. 

Take that same self-sacrifice 

and apply it to the individual 

who slighted you and think 

of them first. If you do not respond in kind, 

but rather be kind, you could be the one who 

helps them turn their attitude around and 

maybe even make their day better.

Troopers, you are among a special class 

of citizens who have chosen to serve your 

country as part of an all-volunteer force. All 

of you have volunteered to put yourself in 

harm’s way and frequently be separated from 

loved ones in your call to duty. You deserve 

each others’ respect.

Look out for each other with kindness. 

Rise above, Troopers, rise above.

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

Command Information Officer

Army 1st. Lt. Amelia Thatcher

Editorial Staff

Army Sgt. Saul Rosa

Spc. Ryan Hallock

Spc. Vanessa Davila

Pvt. Loren Cook

Photojournalists

Sgt. 1st Class Kryn Westhoven

Mass Communication Spc. 1st Class Ty Bjornson

Army Staff Sgt. Lewis Hilburn

Mass Communication Spc. 1st Class Keith Simmons

Mass Communication Spc. 2nd Class Kilho Park

Contact us

Editor’s Desk: 3499

Commercial: 011-5399-3499

DSN: 660-3499

E-mail: thewire@jtfgtmo.southcom.mil

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

Rise above, 

Troopers: all 

of you have 

volunteered to 

put yourself in 

harm’s way and 

frequently be 

separated from 

loved ones in 

your call to duty. 

You deserve each 

other’s respect.

The Wire | Page 2 Command Corner
While some financial gurus have said that 

the Thrift Savings Program (TSP) is 

too conservative in the limited offerings of 

investment funds, those experts must never 

have spoken to the 4.5 million people who 

have $308 billion invested.

Eighty-six percent of TSP investors were 

very satisfied or satisfied with the program, 

when surveyed in 2011. More than half of the 

survey participants said TSP competition was 

above other investment options.

That kind of satisfaction could come from 

not what contributors look upon as a limitation, but more at the simplicity of being able 

to easily control their financial future.

“Once you expose your money to (investment) risk, you can reap the rewards of it going up in value for you, but you also get the 

downside if it goes down,” according to Walter Barrett, personal finance specialist with the 

Fleet and Family Support Center at U.S. Naval 

Station Guantanamo Bay.

Money contributed to TSP is similar to 

401K retirement plans offered by civilian employers. You are leaving the secure and safe 

world of savings accounts and certificates of 

deposit and entering uninsured world of investments and the stock market.

TSP contributors enter the investment waters more or less on their own, without the aid 

of financial advisors or stockbrokers. There 

are detailed tools to help first time thrift savers 

stick their toes into the water at www.tsp.gov.

This is where you begin once you start 

TSP deductions and you have received your 

PIN in the mail. Initially, all TSP contributions 

are allocated to the G Fund, the government 

securities fund which offers consistent rates 

that are lower than riskier investments. Last 

year the G Fund averaged 2.45 percent.

That PIN and your social security number 

allow access to your account whether on the 

website or through the Thriftline at 1-TSPYOU-FRST (1-877-968-3778). Both account 

access points allow you to get balance and 

allocation information, make interfund transfers and change fund allocation percentages. 

The fund allocation is where choices are 

made to invest in various individual or lifecycle funds. Next week we will go into greater 

detail about each funds investment goal and 

how to view the risks versus rewards.

The TSP website offers the current rates 

offered on each fund, which are calculated 

after stock and bond markets close. The 

daily net earnings for each investment fund 

minus fees are divided into the total number 

of shares. What you will see is a incremental 

change in share prices, what investors need to 

focus according to experts is the long term, 

year after year performance of fund in relationship to your retirement goals.

Internal Revenue Services rules govern 

withdrawals after age 59 and a half. A participant may leave their funds in the TSP, but 

must withdraw the entire balance or receive 

monthly payments by April 1 of the year following the year the member reaches the age 

of 70 and a half. Also, once out of uniform, 

service members may roll over a TSP account 

into a qualifying retirement account, either 

with the new employer or an IRA.

Like most IRA or 401K plans there is a 

loan provision, but Barrett warns, “the money 

is off the playing field.”

There are two types of TSP loans and a 

service member can have one of each type 

active at any one time. The minimum term 

lengths run from one to five years for personal loans and up to 15 years for the residence 

loan. The loans start at $1,000 and the maximum is $50,000, depending on the amount of 

contributions in the account.

Loans are repaid through payroll deduction. There is no penalty for pre-payment 

and the G Fund return rate is the interest rate 

charged at the time the application is processed. 

That low interest rate is enticing, but Barrett warns that money borrowed is losing the 

ability to earned income and dilutes the power 

of compounding. 

“Look at it as a retirement vehicle. You 

need to leave it alone so it can compound,” 

said Barrett.

Barrett added that TSP contributors benefit from a do-it-yourself investment model 

with much lower costs to run the program. 

The expense ratio is .025 percent compared to industry averages that are more 

than 10 to 25 times higher. For example it 

costs 25 cents to manage a $1,000 in TSP, 

while the average expense ratio in 2010 for 

money market funds would put that cost 

at $2.80 for that same amount invested.

Barrett is available every Thursday from 8 

a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Fleet and Family Support Center satellite office located next to the 

Camp America post office. Call 4050 or 4141 

to set up an appointment.

did you know...

The Joint Task Force Intranet has classified ads! 

Click through the new SharePoint page with the 

Intranet tab. Scroll down to “classifieds” under 

“useful JTF links” and see what your buddies have 

for sale! Someone here must be going off island soon 

- buy their furniture!

JTF stuff!

Money Matters

By Sgt. First Class Kryn Westhoven

The alphabet soup of TSP funds

Make the G fund a viable option

News The Wire | Page 5

Money really does matter, 

especially when it comes to building 

a nest egg: this is part two of a 

three-part series on managing 

Thrift Savings Program funds.

Communication is a tool we use to get others to understand what we expect of 

them. “Effective Communication,” on the 

other hand, ensures that your instructions 

are understood exactly as you meant it to be 

understood. Communication is simply the 

act of giving instructions and not really stating your expectations. 

Example: you want your Trooper to provide lunch relief for the Quarterdeck today; 

however, what you really want is for them to 

provide relief for the entire week. It is truly amazing how the omission of one small 

word can make such a big difference.

Using effective communication would 

have rendered the best product the first time. 

Effective communication is a skill the best 

leaders possess and they get the most out 

of their personnel. These leaders are usually 

very direct and specific with their instruction. They sometimes come across as being 

overbearing or micromanaging. The bottom 

line is they get more done with less because 

of their ability to effectively communicate. 

When we fail at communication, we fail at 

the single most important aspect of leading 

others. We are judged and evaluated by our 

peers and superiors on how well we communicate up and down the chain of command. 

Failure to clearly communicate can render 

catastrophic results and tear an organization 

down. 

Effective communication is like a blueprint that contractors use when building 

a house. Each part of the blueprint is specific for each contractor, the electrician, the 

plumber and the carpenter. Each individual 

provides a specific service with exacting 

specifications. If there is a change to the 

blueprint and it is not effectively communicated, your four bedroom home may now 

become a three bedroom home instead. Effective communication is critical not only 

in our place of business; it is also alive and 

relevant in our everyday life. There is no substitute for effective communication! People 

who think they do not need to work on their 

communication skills could be leading under 

a flawed pretense. Nobody is immune: I often make mistakes, and when I think about 

what I said versus what I actually wanted, 

they are sometimes two different things. 

Effective communication is something 

leaders at all levels should work on: not just 

for themselves, but for the sake of others as 

well. Joint Task Force Guantanamo Troopers of all levels work a no-fail mission, and 

effective communication is crucial to its success.

Trooper to Trooper

the power of effective communication

Master Sgt. James Johnson

J1 NCOIC

The Wire | Page 4 Trooper to Trooper

PSEC ALERT

PROTECT YOUR INFO!

Identity theft happens every day

Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personally identifying information, like your name, Social Security 

number, or credit card number, without your permission, to commit fraud or other crimes. The Federal Trade Commission 

estimates that as many as 9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year. The crime takes many forms. Identity 

thieves may rent an apartment, obtain a credit card, or establish a telephone account in your name. You may not find out 

about the theft until you review your credit report or a credit card statement and notice charges you didn’t make – or until 

you’re contacted by a debt collector. Identity theft is serious. Some identity theft victims spend hundreds of dollars and 

many days repairing damage to their good name and credit record. Some consumers victimized by identity theft may 

lose out on job opportunities, or be denied loans for education, housing or cars because of negative information on their 

credit reports. Protect yourself from identity thieves. Practice good OPSEC!
The Wire | Page 6 Trooper Focus

I

f you’ve arrived at the 

Naval Station Guantanamo 

Bay Air Terminal in the last 

eight months you’ve probably 

been greeted by Sgt. Xenia 

Luna. She is responsible for inprocessing arriving troops, and 

she does it with a big smile. 

“I get to see everybody 

when they first get off the 

plane,” she said. “I like that.”

It is no surprise then that 

the thing Luna has enjoyed 

the most about her 15 years in 

service has been the people. 

“You’re only going to meet 

people for a few months 

but you’ll be surprised the 

friendships you develop in 

the short time span you know 

them,” she said. “It will carry 

you for years to come.” 

Luna’s vibrant personality is 

present everywhere. It is hard 

to miss the pink bedazzled 

stapler and computer mouse 

on her desk. Her boss, Army 

Master Sgt. James Johnson says 

that Luna’s warm personality 

is her greatest trait. Make no 

mistake though; there are many 

reasons why she is an asset to 

her team. 

Luna is currently serving as 

a human resources specialist in 

Joint Task Force Guantanamo 

Bay, but she is also MOS 

(Military Occupation Specialty) 

qualified as a chaplain assistant 

and military police Soldier. 

Back in Florida she is the fulltime UA (unit administrator) 

for her reserve unit, the 641st 

Regional Support Group. As 

the UA she was responsible for 

the majority of the preparations 

for the unit’s deployment to 

Guantanamo Bay. The cherry 

on top: her master’s degree in 

criminal justice. 

“I look at a person’s body 

of work. Not necessarily what 

they do in one mission. It’s 

what they bring to the table as 

a whole and I think Sgt. Luna 

has done exceptionally well,” 

said Johnson.

What do you think about the Navy’s new uniform?

“The new uniforms look 

like guacamole!”

Yeoman 2nd Class 

Breanna Brown

“The new uniforms look 

better than the blues. They 

look a lot like ours in the 

Marine Corps.”

USMC Sgt. Rose Coleman

“It’s great. It’s better fitting 

and cooler-feeling.”

Master-at-Arms 2nd Class 

Marijka Temple

“I didn’t like the blues, but 

these are so much better.”

Spc. John Demeres

Boots on the Ground

trooper focus

By Spc. Vanessa Davila

Time in service: 15 years

Hobbies: Sudoku, crossword puzzles, 

decorating

The boss says: “She has a very warm, 

pleasant personality. She’s friendly, very 

outgoing, and always smiling.”

Advice to junior Troopers: “You will 

make a lot of mistakes; learn from them 

but also learn from others’ mistakes.”

Bullet Bio:

SGT Xenia Luna

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii – 

Two Sailors were interviewed 

about their use of Spice and the 

consequences – it ended their 

careers in less than two months.

After 30 days confined in the 

brig and separation from the 

Navy in March, the two Sailors 

volunteered to come forward 

and talk about how the use of 

synthetic drugs affected their 

lives. At their request, their last 

names were withheld for the 

purpose of this story.

“I was a little bit surprised, 

but I had a feeling when I got 

caught my life was going to 

change,” said Joel, who was 

caught in possession of Spice.

In February 2012, two Hawaii-based Sailors, Joel and 

Bridgette, were arrested after a 

routine traffic stop when a police 

officer discovered evidence of 

Spice concealed on their person 

and inside their vehicle.

Spice, a synthetic drug, looks 

similar to marijuana or oregano 

and is used for its psychoactive 

and hallucinogenic effects. The 

Navy has zero tolerance for drug 

abuse, including the use of designer and synthetic compounds 

such as Spice.

An investigation ensued and 

the two Sailors were court-martialed and sentenced to 30 days 

confinement, forfeiture of twothirds pay for one month and 

reduction to E-1.

For both Joel and Bridgette, 

Spice and other synthetic drugs 

are easy to come by. Aside from 

their peers, the illegal products 

are falsely marketed by manufacturers in commercial-like packages as a safe way to get high 

while avoiding drug testing.

Stephen Ludwig, the evidence custodian for the Criminal 

Investigation Division of Commander Navy Region Hawaii, 

said the military in Hawaii is the 

biggest customer of synthetic 

drug sales. He said the artwork 

on the packaging can look very 

attractive, no one would guess 

that they actually contain illegal 

substances.

It did not take long for Spice 

to have a negative effect on both 

Joel and Bridgette.

“After it all cleared and faded 

away, I felt groggy,” said Joel. “I 

felt tired. I woke up in the morning puking for like 10 minutes at 

a time.”

Lt. Jg. John White, a Navy 

judge advocate assigned at the 

Region Legal Service Office Hawaii, said that using Spice puts 

one’s career at risk, but there is 

also the risk to the user’s health.

“When on Spice, one’s mental faculties are diminished, making it potentially fatal when one 

is working on military vessels, 

aircraft or with weaponry, where 

errors in judgment can cost 

lives,” said White.

Joel and Bridgette were both 

discharged from the Navy at the 

end of March 2012. 

The Navy’s capacity for testing for designer drugs will continue to expand. During fiscal 

year 2012 the Navy will invest 

$1.73 million to test for synthetic chemical compounds and expects to increase that amount to 

$2.9 million in fiscal year 2013.

“They’re going to see Spice 

everywhere they go because it’s a 

bigger problem than people actually realize,” said Bridgette.

Malware makes numerous 

system modifications which 

then make it extremely difficult to terminate unauthorized activities and 

remove the program. It also 

causes realistic, interactive security warnings to 

be displayed to the computer user. Criminals distribute this type of malware using search engines, 

emails, social networking 

sites, Internet advertisements and other malware. 

The presence of pop-ups 

displaying unusual security warnings and asking for 

credit card or personal 

information is the most obvious method of identifying 

a fake antivirus infection. 

Fake antivirus software use 

fake names to mimic real 

antivirus software. Some 

examples are Internet Antivirus Pro, Antivirus 360, 

and Antivirus System PRO.

– Be cautious when visiting web links or opening 

attachments from unknown 

senders. 

– Keep software patched and 

updated.

– To purchase or renew 

software subscriptions, 

visit the vendor sites directly.

– Monitor your credit cards 

for unauthorized activity.

Command Information The Wire | Page 7

re: 

information 

assurance

Super Troopers

Congratulations to the Joint Task

Force Guantanamo 

Troopers who recently received 

commander’s coins!

SPC Cox

SCPO Hanson

SPC Hayes

LTC Holcombe

MCPO Roberts

TSGT Sprake

PFC Swearingen

Fake antivirus is malicious software (malware) 

designed to steal information from unsuspecting 

users by mimicking legitimate security software.

The consequences of using ‘Spice’

From Navy Region Hawaii Public Affairs
Feature The Wire | Page 9

The mental health and welfare of Troopers is one of the many factors in the success 

of the Joint Task Force Mission. Four organizations stand in the forefront in the battle to ensure Troopers’ wellbeing, and now 

they’re located next to one another. 

The Joint Stress Mitigation and Restoration Team, the Troopers Chapel, and Fleet 

Family and Support Center held a Burger 

Burn April 13 with the help of the Morale, 

Welfare and Recreation (MWR) to showcase 

their new facilities and let Troopers know 

that their services are available. 

“We all worked together to make this 

happen,” said Joint Task Force Command 

Chaplain Navy Capt. Bradley Thom. “A lot 

of people pitched in a cooperative spirit.” 

Now that the four organizations share the 

same buildings, they can cooperate better to 

identify and help solve Troopers’ problems. 

“Let’s say you came to see me as a chaplain and you have various things going in your 

life,” said Thom “I might say ‘your problem 

isn’t a spiritual problem’ and so I’m going to 

either take you over to the Fleet and Family 

Support Center or JSMART.” 

Each chain of support offers Troopers 

different services or techniques to address 

their issues and stresses. 

The Fleet and Family Support Center offers Troopers deployed to Guantanamo Bay 

a wide range of services and programs ranging from career development to financial 

education and counseling. 

“We offer counseling and assistance for 

Troopers and everyone on the island,” said 

Kathy Selves the Licensed Clinical Social 

Work Director. “We are there to help support the Trooper and make sure they can do 

their job by helping them take care of their 

personal issues.” 

By fighting back the stress before it becomes debilitating, JSMART actively reaches 

out to Troopers through one-one and group 

counseling. 

“Our mission is to support all the JTF and 

help get them through what their mission is,” 

said Navy Lt. Erin Graham JSMART Officer in Charge. “If they are having difficulties 

with co-workers, work or with things going 

on back home and it’s getting to their breaking point, we’re there to support them.”

The chaplain’s office offers spiritual and 

moral guidance to deployed Troopers and 

can be a private channel for Troopers to talk 

about their personal problems. The Chaplains also offers programs to help Troopers maintain contact with their loved ones 

in unconventional ways, such as the United 

Through Reading. The program lets Troopers record and send a video message to their 

families back home. 

MWR threw their talents into Friday’s 

Burger Burn by grilling chicken and hamburgers for the Troopers who came down 

to the open house event. Although they are 

most often remembered for the “R” in their 

name, the MWR is dedicated to the morale 

and welfare of Troopers. 

“I think it all goes hand in hand,” said Jill 

Lynch, the MWR Liberty program manager. 

“If you are out there enjoying yourself in the 

recreational area, your morale and welfare is 

definitely going to improve because you’re 

not at work.”

With the organizations now collocated 

next to one another, the cooperative support can be appreciated by all members of 

the JTF. 

“I have attended several of the classes 

with the Fleet and Family Support Center,” 

said Tech. Sgt. David Poitras of the Prime 

Base Engineering Emergency force, 474th 

Expeditionary Civil Engineering Squadron. 

“I feel that they all do a lot for the troops 

here.”

By Army Sgt. Saul Rosa

Cmd. Master Chief Renaldo Tiong, JSMART Lt. Erin Graham, Joint Task Force Chaplain Capt. Bradley Thom, Kathy Selves of the Fleet and Family Support Center, Joint 

Medical Group Commander Capt. Richard Stoltz, and Joint Task Force Chaplain Lt. Col. Alan Chouest gathered to cut the cake at a Burger Burn on April 13. 

–photo by Army Sgt. Saul Rosa

training noncommissioned officer. “It’s 

a whole different environment down 

here at Guantanamo compared to 

what they may have been trained for at 

Advanced Individual Training.”

Pre-service training covers a wide 

variety of different subjects, including 

behavioral science, cultural awareness 

training, water survival training, 

preventive medicine, and unarmed selfdefense.

“These Soldiers have a complex 

mission,” Renn said.

While the training is focused toward 

detention facility operations, Soldiers 

in supporting roles receive the same 

training.

“I like the training. It affirms that 

we’re still Soldiers even though we’re 

here for support,” said Pfc. Edwina 

Figueroa, a paralegal with the battalion.

“My favorite part was the water 

survival training,” said Pvt. Breyana 

Lewis, a food service specialist. 

“Although I can’t swim, I learned how 

to use my uniform pants as a flotation 

device.”

Pre-service training is an integral 

part of the battalion’s commitment to 

provide tough, realistic training to all 

Soldiers.

“It’s our job as NCOs to provide 

these Soldiers with the training they 

need – not just to do their job here, but 

to tackle any task they may face,” Renn 

said.

525th MP Bn. conducts 

pre-service training

Background: Staff Sergeant 

Richard Renn demonstrates a 

defensive tactic to Troopers 

in the 525th Military Police 

Battalion. New Troopers with 

the battalion practice Unarmed 

Self Defense training as part 

of their pre-service course.

–photo by Mass 

Communication Specialist 

1st Class Ty Bjornson

The Wire | Page 8 Feature

A group of Soldiers gathered in a circle in the baseball diamond 

at Cooper Field. Suddenly, pairs of 

Soldiers got on their knees, faced each 

other, and started pushing and pulling 

one another, trying to force each 

other to the ground. As Soldiers fell 

to the turf, they began rolling around 

with each other, each trying to get a 

dominant position.

Was it group hysteria? No. Anarchy? 

Negative. A particularly nasty afteraction review? Wrong again!

These Soldiers were conducting 

Modern Army Combatives training, 

just one part of the pre-service training 

conducted by the 525th Military Police 

Battalion in the past week.

Pre-service training is given to all 

new Troopers when they arrive at 

the 525th and is designed to put new 

personnel on an equal footing with 

veterans of the unit.

Troopers newly assigned to the 

525th MP Battalion are already trained 

and proficient with their warrior tasks 

and drills before they arrive, but the 

pre-service training they receive upon 

arrival ensures they are experts at their 

craft.

“We give new Soldiers specialized 

training for a specialized mission,” said 

Staff Sgt. Richard Renn, the battalion’s 

‘Specialized training for 

a specialized mission’

By Pvt. Loren Cook
Top: 525th Military Police Battalion’s Master Sgt. Vince 

North rocked out with Genius Kong at the Tiki Bar.

525TH LEADER LETS THE GOOD TIMES ROCK ‘N ROLL

When Army Master Sgt. 

Vince “Ollie” North arrived to Guantanamo Bay 

with the 525th Military 

Police Battalion, he already knew how he 

wanted to spend his free time. Self-taught 

on the electric guitar, North sought out 

the Gitmo music scene and found a home 

in rock quintet Genius Kong. 

 “I ran into another member of the 

band and simply mentioned that I play 

guitar,” he said, describing how he met his 

fellow rockers.

North called himself “a metal child of 

the ‘80s” and “a musician by habit.”

“I’m not formally trained,” he said. “I 

don’t read music; I’ve been playing by ear 

for so many years, I just pick up songs. 

You can develop a lot of musical theory 

just by listening.”

North’s music was a staple hobby during a previous deployment to Afghanistan, 

where he played “guitar night Thursdays.” 

Now as the lead guitarist for Genius 

Kong, he’s out of the barracks and playing for audiences at O’Kelly’s Irish Pub, 

the Tiki Bar, and the Chief Petty Officers 

199th Birthday celebration.

 “We do the crowd-pleasers, contemporary rock and old school metal,” North 

said. “Pretty much everyone in the world 

likes the (Red Hot) Chili Peppers.”

North’s six-string echoed across the 

Tiki Bar patio into the fading late afternoon sun as he, lead singer Petty Officer 

1st Class Mike Braun and rhythm guitarist 

Petty Officer 2nd Class Justin Ailes, both 

from U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay; 

and Naval Station civilians bassist Andrew Perry and drummer Jamie Bodlovic 

finished their sound checks and prepped 

their set. With three shows now under 

their belts, the rockers of Genius Kong 

are here to stay. Mostly.

“We have some personnel changes 

coming up,” North said, referring to 

Braun’s upcoming departure.

But Genius Kong should have no 

trouble finding a replacement, as long as 

North is around to act as the Pied Piper 

of musicians.

KryptoniteBad Fish 

Snuff

Like a Stone

Lollipop

The Kids Aren’t Alright

Simple Man

Brain Stew

 Let the Good Times Roll

Twilight Zone

By Army 1st. Lt. Amelia Thatcher

Photos by Army Sgt. Saul Rosa

Genius Kong, left to right

Petty Officer 2nd Class Justin Ailes, rhythm guitar

Petty Officer 1st Class Mike Braun, vocals

Master Sgt. Vince North, guitar Jamie Bodlovic, drums

Andrew Perry, bass

The Wire | Page 10 Feature Feature The Wire | Page 11
Feature The Wire | Page 13

By Spc. Ryan Hallock

There is no knowledge that is not power.” An old Mortal Kombat proverb is inspiration 

to any motivated Trooper. So where does one obtain 

knowledge? Where does the quest for enlightenment 

begin? Let us enter the library.

The Morale, Welfare and Recreation Community 

Library at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba 

reopened to the public April 12 and is stocked with 

enough brain food to feed the entire island. The 

library closed in February to undergo renovations.

“It hadn’t had any work done to it in at least 

seven years,” said Amy Roumell, MWR supervisory 

librarian. “The carpet was worn, stained and pink. 

The walls were really worn down. We get thousands 

of people a year coming through here and you could 

really see the wear and tear.”

With the improvements completed, the library’s 

new atmosphere provides a relaxing environment 

and welcomes all those hungry for knowledge and 

entertainment. The library offers something for all 

ages with more than 25,000 items to check out. Books, 

audio books and DVDs are readily available for check 

out by members. A person must be on island 45 days 

to become a member and to obtain a library card: the 

key to the untapped knowledge on the shelves.

“That’s really the beauty of public libraries, the 

access to information for everyone,” said Roumell. 

“You can learn about anything from the flowers on 

Guantanamo Bay to JFK.” 

Sunlight radiates through the library windows and 

bounces off the refinished floors onto the pages of 

readers’ paperbacks. That familiar, pleasant booksmell lingers in the air; a smell a reader can’t get from 

his brand new Kindle. The leather recliners are perfect 

for an afternoon read, and better yet, if one has the 

luxury of time, a nap.

There are 18 brand new computers all updated 

with Windows 7 and Microsoft Office 2007. Each 

workstation has a free web cam providing guests 

with the ability to connect with loved ones across the 

world.

If you’re lying in bed late at night wondering what 

your family and friends are doing, take comfort in the 

fact that new LED lights and extra electrical outlets 

were installed outside of the library. Free wireless 

internet is available between six a.m. and one a.m. 

for the public to set up camp with their laptops and 

mobile devices. 

“It’s been good,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class 

Seth Bustillos, who uses the library’s WiFi to contact 

home. “Skype works and I’m able to see my family. 

It’s nice to see them; I usually contact them about 

once a week.” 

Roumell expects new items to come in monthly 

and takes requests for new orders. The library offers 

free books and many are brand new or newly released.

If you haven’t been to the library since your 

grandmother took you when you were little, come 

check out this one. Kick back and let the stress of life 

deployment as you dive into a new book and mind 

adventure.

“Imagination is a wonderful thing,” said Roumell. 

“I always like seeing the movie that goes along with 

the book, but I always want to read the book first.”

Enter the MWR library and gain power from the 

knowledge within.

With much-needed renovations 

now complete, MWR reopens 

the library doors

Enter THE library

The Wire | Page 12 Feature

Library Hours

Mon.–Sat., 8 a.m.–9 p.m.

Sun. & Holidays, 12 p.m.–9 p.m.

The MWR Community Library boasts more than 25,000 lendable items and 

serves thousands of U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay community members 

and Joint Task Force Troopers every year. The recently completed renovation 

replaced worn carpeting, paint, and the wear-and-tear from years of devoted 

bookworms’ visits. –photos by Spc. Ryan Hallock
O n Th e wing

Shuttle Discovery flies final mission, 

ends chapter in aerospace history

FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. – 

After almost 27 years and 39 flights 

in Earth’s orbit, the space shuttle 

Discovery arrived at Dulles Airport 

in Washington, D.C., April 17 on its way to 

its final resting place. 

The last moments in the air for Discovery 

began at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., mounted on top of a modified Boeing 747. The retired spacecraft will take final residence in a 

hangar at the Smithsonian’s Steven F. UdvarHazy Center April 19, in Chantilly, Va.

At its new home, Discovery will stand on 

the same spot the shuttle Enterprise occupied since the center’s opening in 2003, according to Dr. Valerie Neal, the curator at 

the National Air and Space Museum. Unlike 

Discovery, Enterprise was only a test vehicle 

and was never used for space flight, making 

it a less significant artifact to experts. Therefore, it was moved to the Intrepid Sea, Air 

and Space Museum in New York.

On duty since 1984, Discovery was the 

third orbiter that was built and is now the 

oldest shuttle remaining in the fleet. 

“Because it started service so early, it flew 

all different types of missions shuttles were 

assigned,” said Neal. “In our view, it’s the 

champion of the shuttle fleet and really helps 

tell the story of the shuttle era.”

Most visitors will be shocked by the immense size of the orbiter, which on TV 

often seemed dwarfed by its external tank 

and booster rockets, Neal said. Others may 

wonder about the shuttle’s outer condition. 

Its exterior is well worn and the black tiles 

of its heat shield show the scars that earth’s 

atmosphere inflicted.

“We asked NASA not to clean the exterior or repaint it,” Neal said. “We wanted 

Discovery to be as it was after it flew its last 

mission.”

Changes to the orbiters were minor, Neal 

said, but included required deinstallation of 

maneuvering pods, which contained traces 

of hazardous fuels, and the removal of the 

shuttle’s main engines, which NASA is planning to reuse in the 

future.

As the 

shuttle takes 

its place among 

the Enola Gay and 

other iconic aircraft, it also puts a close 

to a chapter of Air Force history.

“The intention in the 1970s was to put all 

missions, civil and military, on the shuttle 

once it became operational,” said Rick 

Sturdevant, the deputy director of history 

at the Air Force Space Command. “It was 

supposed to become the only launch vehicle for the U.S., but a lot of Air Force 

personnel doubted it was a good idea to 

put all of our eggs in one basket.”

“However, as the shuttle approached, 

Air Force planning intensified with the 

construction of a shuttle launch complex at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., and a Shuttle Operations and Planning Center at Shriever Air Force Base, 

Colo.,” Sturdevant said. “One of the 

primary reasons for the creation of 

what was later to become Air Force 

Space Command was the intention 

of administrating and planning 

shuttle operations for the Department of Defense.”

While much of these installations were never used to full capacity, the Air Force provided 

services, such as range support 

during launches and tracking of orbital debris in 

protection of the 

shuttle.

Sturdevant 

said he believes the 

s h u t t l e 

c a u s e d 

A i r 

Force 

leadership to think more operationally about 

space and what the Air Force could do to use 

space in support of war-fighting capabilities. 

The shuttle was supposed to become essential in transporting those war-fighting assets 

into orbit.

“For 30 years, it was the premier aerospace vehicle in the world,” said Tom Jones, 

a former shuttle pilot. “It was the most 

complex machine ever built and had capabilities in space that have yet to 

be matched, thirty years after it 

came onto the scene.”

The shuttle established a 

semblance of routine space 

flight, Neal said. Space flight 

seemed like it was no longer going to be extraordinary, but that 

it was becoming a normal enterprise of the United States.

Two of the originally five 

sister-ships were destroyed during operations. In 1986, Challenger exploded shortly after 

take-off, and in 2003, Columbia 

was torn apart during re-entry 

into earth’s atmosphere. During both accidents, all seven 

crew members were lost.

“In many ways, the orbiter 

left a bitter taste in the mouth 

of many senior Air Force officials,” said Dwayne Day, a 

senior program officer with 

the National Research

By Airman 1st Class Alexander Riedel

Defense Media Activity

The Wire | Page 14 At Your Service

 see DISCOVERY next page

Space shuttle Discovery, mounted atop a NASA 747 

Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, flew near the U.S. Capitol 

April 17. The first orbiter retired from NASA’s shuttle 

fleet, Discovery completed 39 missions, spent 365 

days in space, orbited the Earth 5,830 times, and traveled 148,221,675 miles. NASA will transfer Discovery 

to the National Air and Space Museum to begin its 

new mission to commemorate past achievements in 

space and to educate and inspire future generations of 

explorers. –NASA photo

Council. “It helped de velop a number of important technologies, and delivered numerous important scientific and national security 

payloads.”

But the military did not get as much out 

of the program as hoped, and stopped DoD 

shuttle operations after the Challenger tragedy.

“People died in very public ways,” said 

Day, who worked on the Columbia accident 

investigation board in 2003. “There were 

no ejection seats, no escape pods,” Day said. 

“ If the vehicle was damaged, the crew was 

doomed. It was a bad situation.”

“The shuttle educated the military about 

having a distributed way of getting into orbit,” said Jones. “Challenger only exposed the 

vulnerability of having only one way of getting your payloads into space.”

The Air Force quickly responded and 

broadened its base, said Jones.

“What the orbiter did gain for the military was cutting-edge experience on human 

operations in space,” explained Jones. “Now, 

with the classified X 37, which is sort of a derivative of the shuttle, the Air Force is taking 

full advantage of the lessons learned.”

It took a lot more maintenance than was 

anticipated, said Neal, and maintenance took 

a long time in between flights, so the shuttle 

never deployed as routinely as desired.

“It was a very expensive vehicle,” said 

Day. “It was so expensive that it made it difficult to find funding to develop a replacement 

vehicle.”

Retired Air Force Col. John Casper, a 

former shuttle pilot, said the shuttle lasting 

legacy will be its contribution to building the 

International Space Station.

“Sixteen different nations are involved, 

forming what is often called the largest international program since the cooperation of 

the Allies in WWII,” said Casper. “Another 

legacy is the Hubble Space telescope, which 

the shuttle carried into orbit.”

For Casper, the transition, from an Air 

Force squadron to the astronaut corps, was 

an easy one.

“There is real joy in working as a team and 

experience tremendous teamwork with people that are very dedicated, very much like it 

was the Air Force,” said Casper about shuttle 

crews. “It was a talented, educated and disciplined team, that was very passionate about 

what they do.”

Like many missions in the Air Force, 

shuttle operations called for precision, professionalism and complete immersion in the 

job, said Jones.

Memories of experiences with the shuttles will always stay with the astronauts, they 

said.

“To look down onto our home - this 

great, beautiful planet - was very fulfilling,” 

said Jones. “It is so lovely that tears came to 

your eyes when you get a chance to reflect 

upon what you are seeing.”

For Casper, flying the shuttle was unlike 

anything possible on earth.

“The shuttle was not like a fighter. The 

only time you really flew it like a plane was 

the landing,” said Casper. “And then it could 

only glide back to earth. There was no way 

to try the landing again - you only got one 

chance.”

After the Columbia accident, Casper became NASA’s Mishap Investigation Team’s 

deputy for the debris recovery operation. 

While the nation was in shock, he said he lost 

friends.

“The community of astronauts is very 

small. We all know each other. Some even 

flew together in the Air Force,” said Casper. 

“I guess it was also in the Air Force that you 

find out what happened, try to correct the 

problem and get back to the mission.”

“You can’t let it stop you,” said Casper. 

“You can’t stop flying planes in the Air Force 

and you can’t stop exploring in space.”

But the shuttle mission is over and new 

technology is needed to move onto bigger 

and better things, said Casper. But a certain 

sadness remains for the astronaut and space 

enthusiasts alike.

“Most shuttles have about 25 to 35 

flights,” said Casper. “But they were built for 

100 flights each. So they’re in pristine shape.”

Thinking that the shuttles were old and 

decrepit is a common misconception, said 

Neal.

“The fleet has, in fact, been constantly updated, to the point that the shuttles that flew 

in 2011 were hardly the same as in 1984,” said 

Neal. “It was the same airframe, but a lot of 

the technology inside was new,” said Neal.

For Casper, now an assistant for program 

integration for NASA’s Orion program, a 

strong space program is an essential political and military tool of the future, he said. 

“Venturing into space is a demonstration to 

the world that we have the ability and the will 

to do so,” he said. “It is a necessary extension of aerospace power and the Air Force’s 

mission.”

One important mission for the shuttle will 

continue even at the museum - it will continue to inspire.

“Seeing the U.S. Flag hanging on the hangar wall behind the shuttle, just like it did 

when it was in its assembly and servicing 

hangar, you realize that the shuttle is an icon 

for the United States,” Neal said.

Neal’s team wanted to make the arrival 

at the museum as accessible as possible, she 

said. The transfer from NASA was free to the 

museum and seeing the shuttle will be free to 

the public -after all it was the public that has 

supported and financed the shuttle program 

all along, Neal insisted.

“This is the spacecraft of your generation, it is an American icon.” said Neal. “If 

you never made it to a launch or landing, you 

really owe it to yourself to see how the U.S. 

went into space during your lifetime. Come 

and take pride and ownership in it.”

Mission first

WASHINGTON – Military members and civilians have a unique opportunity to support 

military hospitals, ships, combat support hospitals and medics on the frontline regardless 

of where they are stationed by giving blood 

and platelet donations to the Armed Services 

Blood Program.

The ASBP is a military blood program in 

the United States that provides quality blood 

products and services to customers worldwide in peace and war. 

“Donating blood is important because, 

currently, there is no substitute for whole 

blood or platelets for the human body to 

nourish its cells once there is a large amount 

of blood loss due to injury or some type of 

disease process,” said Jerrick Alexander, a 

blood donor recruiter. 

Individuals are given the option to donate 

whole blood or platelets. 

Whole blood donation takes approximately an hour and about one pint is withdrawn at 

a time, while platelet donation can take up to 

two hours, Alexander said. The big difference 

in the two is when giving platelets, only part 

of the blood is donated. The rest is returned 

intravenously to the person.

Since platelets are a component of blood 

that is essential for clotting, they are routinely 

needed to support cancer therapy, open heart 

surgery, blood disorders and organ transplants, he said. And, because platelets must be 

transfused within five days of collection, the 

supply is in need of constant replenishing. 

For more information about ASBP, visit 

www.militaryblood.dod.mil.

Armed Services Blood Program saves lives

By Staff Sgt. Tiffany Trojca

Air Force Public Affairs Agency

At Your Service The Wire | Page 15

DISCOVERY cont. 
HAVANA – Ovidio Ulloa swings open his 

iron gate and lets in a group of women who 

had seen the handwritten “Se Vende,” or For 

Sale, sign in the window of his home. He 

gives them a tour of the dining room, the 

brightly lit patio and the kitchen, pointing out 

selling points including high ceilings and colorfully patterned hydraulic floor tiles. 

The women appear unimpressed, but that 

does not seem to bother Ulloa. He already 

has several offers for the home in Havana. 

And he is eager to move out after living there 

for 20 years.

“Because this place is too big for me,” he 

said. “I want to downsize, look for a smaller 

place for me and my son, and have money left 

over to live on.”

That is allowed under a law passed last 

year that permits the sale of real estate in 

Cuba. Already, there’s a bustling real estate 

market, with homes being sold at informal 

street exchanges as well as on websites such 

as cubisima.com and revolico.com.

 Recently, President Barack Obama faced 

criticism from other leaders at the Summit 

of the Americas in Colombia for insisting on 

democratic reforms in Cuba before the United States will lift its 50-year-old economic 

embargo against the island nation. But Cuba 

is pushing through economic reforms in the 

hope of preserving the political status quo.

“In Cuba, we are updating the Cuban 

economic model to make our socialism sustainable,” the official in charge of privatization, Vice President of the Council of State 

Manuel Murillo, told reporters covering Pope 

Benedict XVI’s recent visit. 

Another home for sale is a palatial neoclassical structure. At $90,000, it would be a 

bargain in many other markets, but it needs 

work. Crumbling Corinthian columns are 

buttressed by wooden struts. Plaster has 

crumbled from the ceiling to reveal rusted 

steel reinforcing bars.

Owner Francisco Prats says President 

Raul Castro’s reforms are necessary. “The 

world is developing and this society is part of 

that world and also has to develop,” he said.

Across Havana, street after street of dilapidated architecture harks back to a more 

prosperous era. So do the classic automobiles 

- 1950s Studebakers, Cadillac Fleetwoods and 

de Villes - that now can also be sold by individuals. 

Since taking over from his brother Fidel, 

Raul Castro has recognized the need for 

change, says Philip Peters of the Lexington 

Institute research group near Washington, 

D.C. “It is an economy that does not produce 

enough and the government has been very 

blunt about saying that,” he said.

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, 

Cuba suffered severe shortages and economic crisis. But the farm sector was restructured 

in the 1990s and markets now teem with the 

organically grown produce. On the streets, 

the reforms of the last year-and-a-half have 

increased the number of small entrepreneurs 

selling ice cream, eggs and crafts. 

La Casa is one of a growing number of 

home restaurants known as paladares that 

have been around since the 1990s.

Co-owner Silvia Cardoso reveals her secret of success.”Lots of work and trying to 

obtain quality products even if it means less 

earnings,” she said.

Although largely for foreigners, the paladares increasingly cater to local clientele. 

Cardoso’s husband, Manuel Robaina, worked 

in restaurants before Cuba’s communist revolution and says his business is not about profits. “I have never looked at it like a capitalist 

because I have bad memories of that,” he 

said.

Cuba reforms economy in effort 

to preserve political system

The Wire | Page 16 Around the World

By Jerome Socolovsky

Voice of America News

I n t h e fig h t

Moroccans, 24th MEU Marines prep for 

completion of Exercise Africa Lion 2012

CAP DRAA, Morocco – Marines of 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, Battalion Landing Team, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit 

and Moroccan Armed Forces service members, teamed up to rehearse the final exercise 

for Exercise Africa Lion 2012 in Cap Draa, 

Morocco.

Starting at their encampments, Marines 

and Moroccan soldiers boarded helicopters, 

flew to the target objective and worked bilaterally to eliminate a simulated enemy threat. 

“The entire goal of this exercise is to be 

able to combine forces, integrate and complete a mission using both countries’ style of 

tactics,” said Lance Cpl. Samuel-Jesse Landry, 

a squad automatic weapon gunner with 1st 

Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, BLT, 24th 

MEU. “I think we did that.” 

The multinational force was cooperating 

days prior to the rehearsal and was able to 

complete the mission in less than 15 minutes. 

Landry thought this was important, not only 

for the final exercise to be a success, but for 

success in future operations. 

“Maybe one day down the road, since 

we’re allies, we’ll need to cooperate and lean 

on the Moroccans’ expertise in a real world 

mission,” he said. Squad leader Sgt. Justin B. 

Orange added he would be glad if he had the 

opportunity to work alongside his Moroccan 

counterparts in the future. 

“They’re a good fighting force, and we’ve 

had a good time out here training with them,” 

he said. “They’ve picked up quickly on the 

things we’ve taught them, and they actually 

showed us how they embarked and departed 

from helicopters.” 

Landry said the experience he’s had with 

the Moroccan service members at Cap Draa 

was a memorable one. 

“I’ve never been out of the U.S., I’ve never 

seen big sand dunes, and I’ve never communicated with people from another country, so 

this is definitely something I can tell stories 

about,” Landry said. “Not many people can 

say they’ve ever done the things I’ve gotten 

to do here.” 

AL-12 is a U.S. African Command-sponsored, Marine Forces Africa-led exercise involving various types of training including 

command post, live-fire and maneuvering, 

peace keeping operations, an intelligence capacity building seminar, aerial refueling/lowlevel flight training, as well as medical and 

dental assistance projects. 

The annual exercise is designed to improve 

interoperability and mutual understanding of 

each nation’s military tactics, techniques and 

procedures. 

By Lance Cpl. Tyler Main

Marine Forces Africa

Navigating the sandstorms of marriage

I

n March 2003 coalition forces pressed 

into Iraq from Kuwait despite a blinding 

sandstorm of near apocalyptic magnitude 

and timing. A young Army specialist was 

deployed in support of Operation Iraqi 

Freedom. Like many others he had been 

married only a few months. His sweetheart 

anxiously waited for his return home and 

prayed for his safety. A few months into the 

deployment they had a phone conversation 

that was formative. The young bride said, “I 

can’t take it anymore. I can’t do this.”

The Army specialist was devastated. As 

a devout Christian he never thought his 

marriage would fall apart. He loved her. She 

loved him. They loved God. Why couldn’t 

they make it work? 

Have you ever found yourself in a 

relationship sandstorm? “Visibility” is so 

low, communication and progress grind to a 

halt. Tensions run high. For a time it feels 

like you are never going to make it. Maybe 

the tensions blow over and the dust settles, 

but the damage is 

done. 

As a Christian 

Chaplain I find 

principles for life 

in the Hebrew 

and Christian 

scriptures. The first principle I give couples 

in counseling or premarital counseling is 

from Genesis chapter 2, verse 24: husband 

and wife are one flesh. Each person in 

marriage is an equal complimenting half to 

his or her spouse. 

Imagine a piece of paper torn in half. 

Each half has a smooth edge and a jagged 

edge. Husband and wife bring their own 

strengths (smooth edges) to the relationship. 

They also bring their weaknesses (jagged 

edges) but unlike paper our jagged edges 

can grow. Let’s call them “growing edges” 

instead. Your role in marriage is to learn your 

own strengths and growing edges. 

Your next role is to learn your spouse’s 

strengths and growing edges and become 

a complement to those growing edges. We 

encourage them in their growth and try 

hard not to get upset when they act out of 

their jagged edge. I am not saying we allow 

destructive behavior to go unchecked like 

substance abuse or domestic violence. I am 

referring to those times of disagreement that 

flow out of insecurities or misunderstandings.

One flesh means finding common ground 

with your spouse; not “who’s right.” One 

flesh means one mind with shared dreams; 

not “getting my way.” When we allow 

competing goals and dreams, when we 

have more than one mind, when we see our 

spouse’s “growing edges” as annoying and 

not an opportunity to show love, when we 

operate as more than one person, it is not 

healthy.

That young Army specialist in 2003 was 

me. My wife and I made it through that 

deployment and will celebrate 11 years of 

marriage this year. In addition to talking and 

listening to folks with wisdom (e.g. chaplain, 

counselor, pastor) we also read books. We 

learned about our own strengths and growing 

edges. We then learned about each others’. 

In 2003, the dust storm ended and the 

coalition forces marched successfully to 

Baghdad. Know that the storms of your 

marriage will 

blow over and in 

years to come you 

can celebrate the 

victories. Love. 

Learn. Grow. And 

love some more.

Only at GTMO by Mass Communication Spc. 1st Class Ty Bjornson

Mind, Body & Spirit The Wire | Page 17

Mind, 

Body

& Spirit

by Navy Lt. Jeremy Selitto

NEGB Chaplain

Chaps recommends the following reading list, for great relationship success:

“For Men Only: A Straightforward Guide to the Inner Lives of Women,” by Shaunti Feldhahn

“For Women Only: What You Need to Know about the Inner Lives of Men,” by Shaunti Feldhahn

“The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts,” by Gary Chapman
Bulletin Board The Wire | Page 19

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. 

Pentecostal Gospel

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

Room D

Protestant Communion

Sunday 10 a.m.

Room B

LDS Service

Sunday 10 a.m. 

Room A

Islamic Service

Friday 1 p.m. 

Room C

Protestant Worship

Sunday 9 a.m.

Bible Study

Wednesday 6 p.m.

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 21

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

20 22 23 24 25 26

The Hunger 

Games

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Act of Valor

(R) 10 p.m.

Gone (NEW)

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Wanderlust

(R) 10 p.m.

Gone 

(NEW)

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

This Means 

War

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Journey 2 

(last showing)

(PG) 8 p.m.

Safe House

(last showing)

(R) 8 p.m.

Safe House 

(last showing)

(R) 8 p.m.

Journey 2

(PG) 8 p.m.

This Means 

War

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Wanderlust

(R) 8 p.m.

Tyler Perry’s 

Good Deeds

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Wrath of the 

Titans

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

The Hunger 

Games

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Tyler Perry’s 

Good Deeds

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Downtown

Lyceum

Camp 

Bulkeley

For more information, 

contact the JTF 

Chaplain’s Office 

at 2305.

Caribbean Coffee & Cream – 77859

Mon.-Sat. 6 a.m.-10 p.m. 

Sun. 1-10 p.m.

Jerk House – 2535

Sun.-Th. 5-9 p.m.

Fri. & Sat. 5-10 p.m. 

Bowling Center – 2118

Mon.-Fri. 6-11 p.m.

 Fri. 6 p.m.-12 a.m

Sat. 1 p.m.-12 a.m.

Sun. & Holidays 1-11 p.m.

KFC and A&W Express – 75653

Daily 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

MWR Liberty Centers – 2010 

Deer Point: Mon.-Fri. 4 p.m.-12 a.m.

Sat. & Sun. 9 a.m.-12 a.m.

Marine Hill: Mon.-Th. 11-12 a.m.

Fri. 11-2 a.m., Sun. 9-12 a.m.

Tierra Kay: Sun-Th. 7-12 a.m.

Fri. & Sat. 7-2 a.m.

Camp America - open 24 hours

Pirate’s Cove

Th.-Sat. 7 p.m.-12 a.m.

Cuban Club – 75962 (call ahead!)

Mon.-Sat. 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

McDonald’s – 3797

Mon.-Th. 5 a.m.-11 p.m.

Fri-Sat. 5 a.m.-2 a.m.

Sun. 6 a.m.-11 p.m.

Pizza Hut – 77995

Mon.-Th. 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Fri. 11 a.m.-11 p.m.

Sat. & Sun. 12-9 p.m.

Windjammer – 77252

Fri. & Sat. 5 p.m. - 2 a.m.

Windjammer Cafe

Mon.-Th. 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Fri. 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Sat. 5-10 p.m.

Sun. 5-9 p.m.

O’Kelly’s Irish Pub

Mon.-Th. 5-9 p.m.

Fri. & Sat. 5 p.m.-2 a.m.

Sun. 5-9 p.m.

Safe Ride - 84781

The Wire | Page 18 Movie Review

Wanderlust R

98 min.

Movie Review

By Mass Communication Spc. 1st Class Ty Bjornson

I love my friend Lisa. She’s a sweet girl who’s always been 

searching for herself. She’s 

spent a lot of time traveling 

and studying other cultures 

and philosophies. I remember 

corresponding with her when 

she lived in the woods at a 

commune in Florida. That’s been 

quite awhile back. Last I knew, 

she wants to conceive a “shaman 

baby” that will grow up to be a 

great spiritual leader and teacher. 

I couldn’t help but think of 

Lisa as I watched “Wanderlust,” 

the latest Paul Rudd and 

Jennifer Aniston date comedy. 

In addition to Lisa, there were 

many characters in the movie 

that I could totally relate to. That 

is what struck me the most: all 

the people in the movie that 

reminded me of many people 

I’ve met over the years and 

still hold friendships with to 

this very day. “Wanderlust” 

overflows with “Lisas.” In the 

opposite end of the spectrum, 

is a materialistic character of 

great independent wealth with 

his dissatisfied trophy wife. 

Wow, do I know my fair share of 

these guys in real life too. These 

self-employed businessmen may 

have it made financially though 

they might not be happy. I am 

also sure many do not know 

what they really want.

The film opens with the fortysomething yuppie-wannabe 

couple George (Rudd, “I Love 

You Man”) and Linda (Aniston, 

“The Bounty Hunter”), who 

are trying to make it in New 

York City. They purchased 

an overpriced micro-sized 

apartment believing, no, hoping 

this is the world for them. 

They want to be self-sustaining 

and successful. After George’s 

employer goes bankrupt, he 

finds himself out of work. 

Linda’s documentary pitch to 

HBO also didn’t pan out. Down 

and out in today’s economy, 

things look really grim. 

George’s self-serving 

brother Rick (Ken Marino, 

“Californication”) offers to 

take George and Linda into his 

oversized Georgia home and 

give George a job. On their way, 

George and Linda take lodging 

at Elysium, a free-spirited 

commune off the beaten path. 

It is here, George and Linda 

encounter a variety of kind, yet 

eccentrically open souls. George 

and Linda immensely enjoy 

their Elysium stay. They are 

welcomed by those who dwell 

there to live with them, but they 

decide to continue on their way 

to George’s brother’s place.

When the couple finally 

makes it to Rick’s enormous 

home, they see firsthand what 

a miserable life Rick leads. He’s 

arrogant, condescending and 

adulterous. His bored wife 

Marissa (Michaela Watkins, 

“Enlightened”) is perpetually 

boozed-up to help her cope with 

loneliness and a virtual nonexistence. Deciding to leave it 

all behind, George and Linda 

elect to move into the Elysium 

commune.

What we get here is the “fish 

out of water” story. There are 

some funny bits about George 

and Linda trying to grasp the 

concepts of “free-spiritedness.” 

Alan Alda (“Tower Heist”) is 

great as the former hippie Carvin 

who helped to buy this property 

in 1971. A lifetime of being free 

of society’s materialism and 

regular “overindulgences” have 

helped Calvin to remain as the 

gentle being that he is. 

Probably one of the most 

memorable characters in the 

movie is Wayne (Joe Lo Truglio, 

“Role Models”). He is a nudist 

vintner who likes to write novels 

and screenplays. It doesn’t 

matter if the material he writes 

is boring and mundane. He’s a 

happy camper no matter what. 

His first on-screen appearance 

is what will stand out for most 

people.

The sultry Eva (Malin 

Akerman, “Watchmen”) is allabout a free-love encounter with 

the married George. Meanwhile 

the maniacal Seth (Justin 

Theroux, “Your Highness”) 

has designs of his own in store 

for Linda and the fate of the 

commune. 

There is an earnest sappiness 

about those living at Elysium. 

Each character exhibits a strong 

dislike and mistrust of the world 

outside. They are perfectly 

content with themselves and 

their spiritual journeys. For 

them, there is no other way to 

live. These characters are rather 

chipper and, unfortunately, 

contrived. Maybe that’s why I’m 

giving this movie a mediocre two 

and a half banana rats. 

I felt the subject of a yuppie 

couple moving to a rural 

commune was ripe for a comedic 

ribbing. After all, the stories 

I’ve heard about what goes on 

in these places, including how 

genuine and dear the people 

who reside in them are, would 

lend to a very interesting and 

very humorous movie. However, 

in the case of “Wanderlust,” I 

couldn’t help but feel that the 

characters on the screen are 

fairly stereotypical ones. They 

were one-dimensional “cookiecutter” weirdos, so to speak. 

Sure, there were some funny 

bits in this picture, but not 

enough for me to recommend 

it. Where were the big laughs? 

This kind of “fish out of water” 

story should have been “off the 

hook” with side-splitting laughs. 

Why weren’t they there? 

“Wanderlust” was directed 

by David Wain, who also did 

the much funnier film “Role 

Models” (2008). The cast 

features some of the usual actors 

that appear in the Judd Apatow 

(“The 40 Year Old Virgin” and 

“Superbad”) “potty-mouth” 

comedies of the last decade. All 

the makings for a great overthe-top comedy seemed to be in 

place for “Wanderlust,” but the 

film ultimately feels a little tame 

to me. With this much talent 

involved, there’s no excuse for 

“Wanderlust” to be as pedestrian 

as it is. 

“Wanderlust” is an okay film 

with likable folks. It aspires to be 

more than what it is and it shows. 

I hope the topic of communal 

free-spirited living will be 

revisited someday by filmmakers 

willing to do something daring 

and outrageously funny with 

the material. Hopefully those 

filmmakers would have enough 

sense to talk to Lisa. Man, does 

she have some great stories. Now 

any one of those tales would be 

“infinitely” funnier than what 

this movie was. 
Left: Troopers with the 525th Military 

Police Battalion waded out of the 

Caribbean after completing a water 

survival training exercise April 11. 

The exercise was conducted as part of 

pre-service training for new Troopers 

with the battalion. 

–photo by Mass Communication Spc. 1st 

Class Ty Bjornson

Background: The sun rose over the U.S. 

Naval Station Guantanamo Bay 

lighthouse April 18.

–photo by Mass Communication Spc. 

2nd Class Kilho Park

TheJTF