Volume 13, Issue 10 Friday, January 13, 2012

We’re back: five 

JDG Soldiers reflect 

on their first JTF 

deployment

Command Climate 

Survey participation 

needed 

Johnny cake!

A taste of home for some, a taste of new 

culture for others (with free recipe cards!)
| News from the Bay The Wire | Page 3

News from the Bay

Are you about to separate from the military? Go to Bulkeley Hall Auditorium Jan. 19 

at 9 a.m. and make sure you get the required 

pre-separation counseling you need. This 

counseling will be held every third Thursday 

of the month.

For more information, call the Command 

Career Counselor office at 4812.

Bring a fishing pole to the Marina on Jan. 

13 at 6 p.m. for a free fishing trip for unaccompanied active duty servicemembers. Bait 

and snacks are provided. 

Reserve a spot by calling 2010.

Are you signed up for winter soccer or 

basketball? Make sure a team representative 

attends the coaches’ meeting on Jan 17. The 

basketball meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. and the 

soccer meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. 

For more information, call 2113.

Golf cart rentals will be half price every 

Tuesday in the month of January. A rental for 

one person is $5 and $7.50 for two people. 

Additionally, boat rentals will be half price 

every Wednesday this month. Prices vary according to the type of boat.

For more information, call 2345.

Come to Denich gym Jan. 14 at 7 a.m. for 

the Martin Luther King Jr. run/walk event 

hosted by MWR and the 525th Military Police Battalion. Registration will be held the 

day of the event and the first 100 people to 

register will receive a free t-shirt. 

For more information, call 77262.

MWR will host a half marathon Jan. 28 at 

7 a.m. with musical acts and cheering sections 

every mile. Registration is $25 per runner and 

runners must register by Jan. 20. There will 

be no same-day registration. This event is 

open to anyone 16 years and older. 

For more information, call 2157.

Hit the beaches on Guantanamo Bay at 

6:30 a.m. on Jan. 21 for the Lionfish Derby 

Challenge. Join the competition with a donation of $20.

 Prizes will be given for biggest lionfish, 

smallest lionfish, most lionfish caught and 

other categories. The scoring station will be 

open from 2 to 4:40 p.m. at the Marina. 

Money donated will go toward the Seabee 

Ball. For more information, call 4805.

Tomorrow marks the official reopening 

of Girl Scout Beach. All recreational activities, including diving, snorkeling and swimming, are now permitted.

Grab some friends and some sunscreen 

and get ready for the Blizzard Sand volleyball tournament. The tournament will run 

from Feb. 18-20. Register your team (four 

to six people) by Feb. 14 at 7 p.m.

There will be a coaches’ meeting Feb. 

16 at 5:30 p.m. Players must be at least 16 

years of age.

For more information, call 2113.

Tax season is here. W2s are now available 

via myPay. Don’t wait until the last minute to 

get your taxes filed.

The Camp America post office will be 

closed Jan. 16 in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

The Guantanamo Bay Black History 

Organization will hold their annual Martin 

Luther King, Jr. march Jan. 16 from 5 to 7 

p.m. Marchers will meet at the Windjammer 

and proceed to the naval station main chapel. 

Carol Leaphart of Fleet and Family Services 

is the guest speaker for the event.

For more information, call 78086.

The next bowling league meeting will be 

held Jan. 26 at 6 p.m. at the bowling alley. 

Participation does not require a full team.

For more information, call 2511.

MLK Jr. run/walk Sand volleyball 

tournament

INDEX

The Wire

january 13, 2012

It’s Tebow time! 5

Meet the new NAVSTA chaps 7

Command Climate Survey info 7

CG trains with MCSFCO 8

Delicious Johnny cakes 10

Five JDG Soldiers return 12

Cartoon: Only at GTMO 17

Movie review: Immortals 18

Winter sports 

coaches’ meeting 

Pre-separation 

counseling 

Tax season begins

MLK Jr. memorial 

march Jan. 16 

GTMO Rock & Roll 

Half Marathon

Lionfish Derby 

Challenge

Night fishing Jan. 13

Half price recreation 

in January

Girl Scout Beach 

reopens 

Post office closed 

Bowling meeting

The Wire | Page 2 Command Corner |

JTF Guantanamo

Commander

Rear Adm. David Woods

Command Master Chief

Cmd. Master Chief Reynaldo Tiong

Office of Public Affairs Director

Cmdr. Tamsen Reese: 9928

Deputy Director

Air Force Maj. Michelle Coghill: 9927

Operations Officer

Army Maj. Jon Powers: 3649

Senior Enlisted Leader

Sgt. 1st Class Jerome Grant: 3649

The Wire

Editor: Army 1st. Lt. Amelia Thatcher

Assistant Editor: Army Sgt. Saul Rosa

Photojournalists

Mass Communication Spc. 1st Class Ty Bjornson

Mass Communication Spc. 2nd Class Kilho Park

Mass Communication Spc. 2nd Class Louis Batchelor

Army Sgt. Landis Andrews

Mass Communication Spc. 2nd Class Jon Dasbach

Mass Communication Spc. 3rd Class Marquis Whitehead

Contact us

Editor’s Desk: 3651

Commercial: 011-53-99-3651

DSN: 660-3651

E-mail: amelia.c.thatcher@jtfgtmo.southcom.mil

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

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

It is produced by the JTF Public Affairs Office to inform and educate the 

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

sports and entertainment. 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 

Defense Logistics Agency Document Services with a circulation of 1,200.

Joint Task Force Guantanamo will 

once again host a military commissions 

event during the upcoming week – and 

will receive more than 100 visitors. 

These will include court officials, 

lawyers (prosecution and defense), 

media, victim family members, and 

other observers. Many of these guests 

have been to Guantanamo Bay several 

times over the past 

few years, yet some 

will be first-time 

visitors. All will be 

intently focused 

on the court 

proceedings: in this 

case, a series of 

motions hearings 

which will pave the 

way for a trial.

As hosts, we 

play a key role 

in supporting 

the military 

c o m m i s s i o n s 

process. Primarily, 

we serve to resolve 

any issues which 

could detract 

from the legal 

proceedings. Essentially we provide 

logistics, security, and support. 

Although that might sound simple, it 

requires a great deal of teamwork. So 

I want to describe some aspects of the 

teamwork we’ll need to demonstrate.

Advance planning and rehearsals 

help define the coordination required 

by all participants. In order to 

effectively coordinate our various 

responsibilities, we need to understand 

not just our individual roles, but also 

how our actions impact the overall 

process. This situational awareness is 

key – particularly because the visitors 

“expect” each of us to be able to help. 

This doesn’t mean that each of us must 

have all of the answers to any potential 

question. But each of us should be able 

to quickly contact someone who can 

help. In order to do that, we all need to 

know each other – and know who does 

what. We want to avoid anyone on our 

team being asked for assistance from a 

visitor, and not know who to contact.

Each of us knowing our individual 

job has not been an issue. Indeed, during 

the Nov. 9 al-Nashiri arraignment, it was 

impressive to see 

how professionally 

everyone conducted 

their duties. But 

arraignments are 

very straightforward. As we 

progress into the 

motions hearings 

we’ll need to be able 

to flex quickly to a 

changing demand. 

This responsiveness 

requires each of 

us to have a big 

picture view of 

the interactions 

between the various 

members of our 

team. 

For example, 

if a motions hearing goes into recess, 

and a court official needs to move 

from the Expeditionary Legal Center 

(ELC), an ELC security guard could be 

asked about what routes or means of 

transportation are available. Saying “I 

don’t know, because that’s not part of 

my job” is not the desired response.

Bottom line: military commission 

events will continue to get more 

complex and less pre-defined. We need 

to prepare ourselves to adapt to various 

changes and schedule revisions. Take 

the time to understand how each part 

of the team depends on each other. 

We performed superbly during the 

arraignment, and want to continue to 

provide outstanding support.

We play a key role 

in supporting the 

military commissions 

process. In order to 

effectively coordinate 

our various 

responsibilities, we 

need to understand 

not just our individual 

roles, but also how 

our actions impact the 

overall process.

Capt. Patrick Rabun

Chief of Staff, Joint Task Force Guantanamo

Cover: Morale Welfare and Recreation’s “Cooking from Around the World” class Jan. 10 featured Jamaican cuisine. Volunteer chefs cooked curry goat and Johnny cake, a famous fried bread treat. “Cooking from Around the World” plans to showcase a different culture’s foods each month, with Lebanese 

dishes coming up next. –photo by Army Sgt. Saul Rosa

Cc

ommand

orner
The Wire | Page 4 Trooper to Trooper |

“Failure is not an option.” 

How many times have you heard that 

statement? If failure were one of your 

options, would you choose to fail? I don’t 

think you would, and neither would I. No 

rational person would choose to fail. The 

statement “failure is not an option” implies 

that your two options are success and failure. 

So if we’ve established that no one chooses 

to fail, why do we sometimes fail anyway? 

We fail to advance, we fail to do our best, 

we fail to plan for retirement, we fail to take 

advantage of the opportunities afforded to 

us, and we fail in so many other ways. We fail 

because of poor choices we make in life. 

 I really feel that life is about choices. We 

don’t overtly choose to fail; we succeed in 

life by making good choices and fail when 

we make poor choices. Life isn’t as simple as 

declaring, “I want to succeed,” and it happens. 

There are many choices, opportunities, and 

circumstances along the way that determine 

the course of our lives. We were all born with 

free will. We are all adults and we are free to 

make big boy and big girl decisions about how 

we live based on the choices, circumstances 

and opportunities given us. 

Most of us are working our way through 

this life without the benefit of a trust fund 

or great wealth, or else we may choose to be 

somewhere else doing something else. Each 

of us made the choice to join the military 

and we enjoy the benefits and endure the 

sacrifices freely. Now that we’ve established 

that we are all here because we chose to be 

here, what are we going to make of it? The 

American people, our family, our friends, 

and our brothers and sisters in arms expect 

that we are making good choices regarding 

the privilege to serve in the United States 

military.

Let’s talk about advancement or 

promotion. What choices have you made to 

better your opportunity for advancement? 

Do you spend your time going to movies, the 

beach, or drinking or do you choose to spend 

your time preparing for your advancement? 

I’ll offer the observation that those among 

us who have advanced or promoted to the 

highest ranks in their respective service have 

made choices that led to their advancement. 

They chose not to fail; rather, they chose a 

course of action that led to success. They 

chose wisely and they made sacrifices that led 

to their success. I submit to you that there is 

no failure in reaching for E-9 and peaking at 

E-6. Put forth the honest effort and make the 

hard choices in the attempt. The failure is not 

in choosing to make the attempt, to make the 

sacrifice, to put forth the effort to make the 

reach to “be all you can be.”

I could go on and on about the choices 

we make regarding physical fitness, financial 

fitness, higher education, fidelity, nutrition, 

and so on. Let me close with this thought. 

We can’t always control what happens to us 

but we can control how we react to those 

circumstances. We have the opportunity, the 

right, and the obligation to make choices 

about whether we are going to make good 

choices that better our station in life and put 

us on the path of success or poor choices 

that leave failure as our only option.

I pray we all make good choices in 2012 

and beyond!

Trooper to Trooper

Senior Chief Kevin Doucette

J4 Senior Enlisted Leader

Don’t send work related material to personal email accounts!

Free email accounts are a great thing to have when used properly. Have you ever 

wondered why they are free? Those companies make money by signing up as many people 

as possible, not by providing secure email. Other companies spend millions of dollars to 

thwart hackers. Do you think free email websites do? Don’t send sensitive or work-related 

material via personal email accounts because they are not secure. USE OPSEC!

PSEC ALERT

PROTECT YOUR INFO!

failure is not an option!

| Student of the Game The Wire | Page 5

Chicken may know best, but 

I think I know a little something. 

I think I can prove to you that 

Tim Tebow, quarterback for the 

Denver Broncos, and his success 

is not a product of divine 

intervention. ESPN, Yahoo! 

Sports and any other company 

trying to make an advertising 

dollar off of him is offering an 

ark load of evidence against my 

case, but have fai—I mean, trust 

me.

Let’s start with the most 

recent piece of kindle. I’m not 

talking about your poor excuse 

for an iPad. I’m talking about the 

wood that is keeping this Tebow 

bush burning. 

In the unlikely victory over 

the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tebow 

threw for 316 yards. What is 

his favorite Bible verse? John 

3:16. Did you flip your lid? Well, 

turn it back over because it gets 

better. The Mile High Messiah 

completed 10 passes, which 

means he averaged 31.6 yards per 

pass. Your eyes aren’t deceiving 

you. That’s 316 again. Lids may 

now be flipped.

That’s not all. The Steelers 

offense had the ball for 31:06. 

Don’t mind that stupid zero. It’s 

just a place holder. Opposing 

quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, 

normally as cool as a cucumber, 

threw an interception on 3rd 

and 16 giving everlasting—sorry, 

new life to the Broncos’ Super 

Bowl hopes.

An additional piece of 

evidence for divine intervention 

came when it was reported that 

Demaryius Thomas, the receiver 

who scored the overtime 

touchdown, was running 13.6 

miles per hour the moment he 

made the game winning catch. 

Ok, it’s not quite 316, but it’s too 

close to ignore.

Can all this be coincidence? 

Could it be our 24-hour news 

cycle, viral video, Twittertrending society taking an 

insignificant occurrence and 

overdoing it? We would never do 

that. Just ask Justin Bieber.

Maybe I can’t say, with any 

amount of certainty, that Tim 

Tebow isn’t Jesus. But, what I 

do know is that Tebow is my 

homeboy.

With religious views as subtle 

as a four-star flag officer serving 

chow, Tebow has people of 

all ages and races hitting their 

knees in exaltation. Passengers 

on the Tebow Bandwagon who 

sing his praises call themselves 

“Believers.” And, the lack of 

spiral on most of his passes 

leave spectators saying, “Oh my 

God.”

Whether his success is 

attributed to reading the Bible 

or the playbook, his results are 

undeniable. He takes public 

beatings from men much larger 

than he is in the name of his 

passion: a Super Bowl win. And, 

riding this wave of emotion, if 

he doesn’t get the ultimate win 

this year, headlines in Denver 

will undoubtedly read, “Timmy 

wept.”

By Army Sgt. Landis Andrews 

Tebow is my homeboy

Student of the Game
| News The Wire | Page 7

Naval Station Guantanamo Bay recently 

welcomed two new chaplains to the 

community. Lt. Larry Jones and Lt. Tung Tran 

are taking the helm of naval station facilities 

supporting NAVSTA personnel, Joint Task 

Force Guantanamo Troopers, civilians and 

their families. 

Chaplain Tran is Naval Station 

Guantanamo Bay’s new resident Catholic 

priest. This is Father Tran’s first tour, coming 

from Naval Chaplain Corps School. The 

Pontifical North American College graduate 

feels he can identify with all of Guantanamo 

Bay’s audience, and hopes to be of service to 

the general populace.

“There is nothing new under the sun,” 

Father Tran said. “The only thing I can 

supplement Team Guantanamo with is a 

renewed expectation and a fresh face. I feel 

very comfortable here. I am a young priest, 

but I am ‘old school.’ I think I have something 

to offer young and old here.”

Chaplain Jones hopes to strengthen the 

programs already in place at Guantanamo 

Bay. Coming from USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7) 

Jones believes the current structure of the 

divinity program here is good and wants to 

reinforce the spiritual guidance provided.

“I promise to provide continual pastoral 

care,” Chaplain Jones said. “I will enhance 

what is in place, bringing in my thought 

processes and supplementing what we have.”

As the new gospel service pastor, Chaplain 

Jones hopes to pool together Troopers and 

their resources. He encourages younger 

Troopers especially to support the Chapel 

and its events. Jones said there are things for 

Troopers with variable skill sets to do.

“We are always in need of Troopers with 

new spiritual gifts; Troopers with the ability 

to speak to youth,” Jones said. “Older people 

are valuable and have seasoned leadership, 

and younger Troopers can be role models by 

volunteering, mentorship and discipleship in 

the faith.”

In this ever-changing world, Chaplain 

Tran believes now, more than ever, there 

is an imperative need to support and guide 

Troopers through the hardships of life. 

Father Tran understands with new progress 

comes new trials and hopes to help Troopers 

in their progression throughout life.

“New and changing events present new 

circumstances,” Father Tran said. “I hope 

Troopers and their families see us as a valuable 

asset, not only in their spiritual lives but their 

personal lives as well.”

by Mass Communication Spc. 2nd Class Louis Batchelor

New Guantanamo chaplains 

provide fresh faces to faith

From left: Chaplains Lt. Tung Tran and Lt. Larry Jones recently arrived to the Guantanamo Bay community. 

–photo by Mass Communication Spc. 2nd Class Louis Batchelor

All commands should conduct a Command Climate Survey at least annually.

Joint Task Force Guantanamo is no 

exception, despite the rotational nature of 

our manning. In completing the survey, 

you will have the opportunity to provide 

opinions on many “serious issues” that you 

believe warrant attention. Your thoughtful 

response will be key to the completeness 

and integrity of the results. The survey will 

ask you to provide demographic information such as your rank, race, and sex. Demographic information is used to ensure 

we have a proper representation of participants. No attempt will be made to identify 

you, so please respond openly and frankly. 

In addition to seeking your opinion 

about human relations and unit cohesion, 

your perceptions are valuable because they 

give me and other key leaders insight into 

the general climate of our entire command. For your answers to be useful, you 

must be honest. Do not tell me what you 

think I want to hear, or say what others 

might say; tell it as you see it. Even though 

the majority of questions are common to 

every military command, you’ll notice that 

the final 15 questions are specifically tailored to highlight conditions at JTF.

I need you to complete the survey no 

later than Jan. 27. If you’re busy now, you 

have two weeks to find a half hour that is 

less hectic. Again please be thoughtful and 

don’t rush through the survey. You should 

set aside about 25 minutes in order to 

have adequate time to write comments for 

some of the short-answer questions. You 

only need to complete the survey once. To 

begin the survey you must connect to the 

Internet. The survey can be found at the 

following site: 

https://www.deocs.net/user/login/login.cfm

Once you log in, you’ll be asked for an 

access code. Consult your chain of command for this code.

If you have questions concerning the 

survey, the point of contact is Capt. Kristine Espinola at 9717.

Thank you and your opinion counts!

JTF Command 

Climate Survey 

available online 

By Rear Adm. David Woods

JTF Guantanamo Commander

The Wire | Page 6 Trooper Focus |

trooper focus

Bullet Bio

Time in service: 9 years

Hobbies: Basketball, reading, 

watching movies

The boss says: “He is highly 

motivated and does an allaround fantastic job for the 

J-4 Property Book Office.”

Advice to junior Troopers:

“As you look forward, don’t 

forget to look back. Take care 

of your fellow Troopers.”

By Mass Communication Spc. 2nd Class Louis Batchelor

Sgt. DeAnthony Shaw is 

all business when it comes to 

tending to junior Troopers, especially when it comes to their 

educational future. The Michigan native promotes educational responsibility and believes 

Troopers should take ownership of their future educational 

endeavors.

“Regardless of your branch 

of service, or even if you are 

National Guard or Reserve, 

make the most of the opportunities and situations put in 

front of you,” Shaw said. “The 

Army puts a lot of emphasis on 

the Soldier as a warfighter, but 

there should be more awareness about the educational opportunities out there.”

Shaw is Joint Task Force 

Guantanamo J-4’s Property 

Book Office NCOIC. He 

takes care of Army equipment 

and believes, and believes JTF 

Troopers should take just as 

good care of their careers and 

educational futures.

“A lot of the time we get 

into what I call a ‘Private’s 

Mentality.’ We keep our heads 

down and listen to orders expecting for others to take care 

of us,” Shaw said. “That is ok 

for a while, but you have to be 

your own biggest fan and career 

promoter.”

Chief Warrant Officer 2 

Wendy Mathisen is Shaw’s divisional officer. She said Shaw’s 

level of professionalism is rivaled only by his pursuit of 

knowledge and his mentorship 

to other Soldiers.

“I’m very impressed with the 

level of education Sgt. Shaw is 

pursuing,” Mathisen said. “He 

is a fantastic example to junior 

Soldiers in the respect of educational programs and opportunities in the Army.”

Shaw, a reservist, holds a 

bachelor of arts in paralegal 

studies. He has recently applied to law school programs. 

Shaw said taking advantage of 

resources afforded to him by 

the military is what has brought 

him this far, and he believes every Trooper can find a similar 

program of interest to pursue.

“There are too many resources at your disposal not to 

use them,” Shaw said. “You 

don’t want to do four or more 

years in the military and waste 

this benefit. I know college 

is not for everyone, but there 

are also trade schools out 

there that are ready and willing 

to train military (personnel) for 

success, whether you choose to 

get out after this term or stay in 

for a whole career.”

Shaw implores junior Troopers to take a proactive approach 

to their professional and educational careers while they are 

still young. He said Troopers 

should want to have intangible 

skills and experiences alongside 

their military tenure.

“The information we are afforded here is valuable,” Shaw 

said. “We can parlay this information in other venues. Educational opportunities are out 

there, no matter who you are.” 

What advice would you give to someone new to the island?

“Get out of your room and 

find something to do!”

Pfc. 

Jonathan Williams

“There are plenty of 

extracurricular activities.”

Petty Officer 2nd Class

Kacey Nyberg

“Go to Morale Welfare and 

Recreation events.”

Petty Officer 2nd Class

Leroy Smith

“Take full advantage of 

what is offered to you 

here.”

 Sgt.

Jamie Colvin

BOOTS ON THE GROUND
The Wire | Page 8

MSST San Diego teams up

Background: The United States Coast Guard 

Maritime Safety and Security Team (MSST) San 

Diego and the Marine Corps Security Forces 

(MCSF) Company simulate the egress of injured 

personnel onto a Coast Guard fast boat during a 

casualty evacuation exercise. –photo by Mass 

Communication Spc. 2nd Class Kilho Park

Feature | 

It’s not quite 3 a.m. and all is quiet at the 

Coastie boathouse in Guantanamo Bay. The 

air is dense and salty and the stars sparkle like a 

handful of diamonds thrown into the night sky. 

The night crew of U.S. Coast Guard Maritime 

Security Detachment San Diego are diligently 

cleaning and maintaining their weapons and 

gear trying to get through another night. An 

infomercial about tile caulk can be heard on the 

television in the background when the phone 

rings. 

“MARSECDET, how may I help you, sir/

ma’am? What is your location? What is your 

frequency? What’s the precedence? Special 

equipment? How many...” 

The Marine Corps Security Forces Company 

(MCSFCO) has just called in a standard nine-line 

medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) request. The 

phone is put down, the waterside duty officer 

(WDO) is notified and a flurry of activity engulfs 

the boathouse. 

Within 30 minutes, two 25-foot transportable 

port security “fast boats” are deployed and the 

quiet waters of Guantanamo Bay give way to the 

wake and roar of the engines cutting through it 

at 40 knots.

MSST San Diego and MCSFCO spent the 

final week of 2011 conducting progressive 

training evolutions, testing expeditious reactionary 

time for insertion and extraction; mobilization; 

testing communications and researching and 

testing site locations. The MSST and MCSFCO 

team concluded a final exercise tying all training 

elements into one real-world scenario.

 “The scenario put my Marine casualties 

at the farthest point from the Coast Guard 

boathouse to the fence line for the worst 

possible scenario,” said Marine Corps Capt. 

Christian Ensign, Fleet Anti-Terrorism Section 3 

(3rd FAS), platoon commander. “The timely and 

effective treatment of my Marines is priority and 

the MSST San Diego gives us the quick response 

and significant flexibility that we need in our area 

of operations.”

This was the first time MSST San Diego had 

a chance to work with MCSFCO since arriving 

in Guantanamo late last fall.

The importance of getting the mission done 

safely, properly and expeditiously are the 

contributing factors to successful 

interoperable missions here. 

“We always do a risk 

assessment before we get 

underway,” said Petty 

Officer 1st Class 

Jared Campbell, 

the lead 

c o x s w a i n 

(boat driver 

and crew 

leader) for 

the MSST. 

“We mitigate 

certain risks and 

evaluate the situation. 

My responsibility is 

the safety of the crew, 

passengers and the boat. 

Getting there safe is my top 

priority.”

Lt.Jg. Jorge Teller, Waterside 

Division Officer for MSST San Diego, 

thought the entire process was a success. 

 “It went extremely well,” he said. “We found 

some gaps in the system and corrected them 

and now we’re establishing a standard operating 

procedure with the Marines.”

| Feature The Wire | Page 9

with Marines for training exercise

By Mass Communication Spc. 2nd Class Kilho Park
DIRECTIONS

1. Mix dry ingredients together. 

2. Add water a little at a time and knead dough. Dough should be soft but 

not sticky.

3. Pinch off golf ball-size pieces and roll into a ball.

4. Heat frying pan; add oil (keep at low temperature).

5. Put each Johnny cake in frying pan. When brown, flip to other side.

6. Remove from pan when each side is golden brown.

INGREDIENTS

3 c. flour

1⁄2 c. cornmeal (optional)

3 tsp. baking powder

1 1⁄2 c. water

1⁄2 tsp. salt

Oil (for frying)

Johnny Cakes

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs. carrots

1 lb. grapes

1 small pineapple or 1 qt. pineapple juice

4 limes or 1⁄3 cup lime juice

1⁄4 lbs. ginger

1 qt. water

2 c. sugar or to taste

Ice cubes

DIRECTIONS

1. Wash carrots, fruit and ginger. Dice in small pieces to fit in blender.

2. Add to blender with a cup of water. (Do not overload blender)

3. Blend for 3 minutes.

4. Have container and fine strainer ready. Pour puree into strainer and 

squeeze out as much juice possible. Discard pulp.

5. Cut limes, squeeze into a container and add to juice with sugar.

6. Mix until all ingredients are combined.

7. Serve over ice.

Jamaican Homemade Fruit Punch

DIRECTIONS

1. Season goat meat with salt, pepper, and thyme. Mix well and marinate in refrigerator 

for at least 2 hours.

2. In a coated pot on medium/high heat, sauté onion and garlic.

3. Add the pepper and curry powder and cook about two minutes until thick.

4. Add 1⁄4 cup water and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Keep stirring.

5. Raise heat and add goat, stirring to coat the meat. Cover and simmer.

6. Stir every few minutes for about 25 minutes, remove lid and turn up heat. Gradually 

add 3 cups of water. Bring to boil, turn heat to low.

7. Cover and cook for about 2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes. If needed, turn up heat 

or stir in corn starch to thicken gravy. Be careful not to burn.

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs. goat meat, cut in 1⁄2 inch pieces

1 medium onion, diced

3 crushed garlic cloves, 1 tsp. thyme

3 pieces green onion, 1⁄2 tsp. curry powder, for seasoning meat

1 1⁄2 tbsp. curry powder, for cooking

3 1⁄4 c. water

1 tbsp. corn starch (optional)

Jamaican Curry Goat

Left to right: 

Army Sgt. Bill Allen squeezes limes 

for Jamaican homemade fruit punch. 

Petty Officer 3rd Class Nicholas Fleischhauer prepares Johnny cakes for frying.

Sgt. 1st Class Meta Bailey stirs the goat 

curry before putting in the final ingredients. 

Fleischhauer and Bailey finally get to 

eat after preparing traditional Jamaican 

dishes.

Chief Petty Officer Mike Farrell pours 

Jamaican homemade fruit punch for 

“Cooking from Around the World” 

volunteer chefs.

–photos by Army Sgt. Saul Rosa

The smell of spicy curry and 

fried bread filled the small kitchen 

in the Marine Hill Liberty Center. 

The head chef for the evening’s 

meal was Paul Johnson, a Morale 

Welfare and Recreation assistant 

who hails from Jamaica. Johnson 

taught fellow volunteer chefs how 

to prepare dishes from his home 

nation. 

“My mom is a chef so I learned 

a lot from her,” said Johnson. “We 

made curry goat, a salad, a fruit 

drink and Johnny cakes.”

Jan. 9’s “Cooking from Around 

the World” featured Jamaican food. 

Many Troopers had to step out of 

their comfort zone to try the different dishes that were prepared. 

Curry goat, a traditional Jamaican dish, is prepared with onions, 

crushed garlic, thyme, curry powder 

and various other spices and pressure cooked to tender perfection. 

 “It was a different experience,” 

said Sgt. 1st Class Meta Bailey. “I 

never had goat before. It was similar to beef but had a more pungent 

taste.” 

Although cooking a successful Jamaican meal was the primary 

goal, it was the insight into a different culture that was the highlight of 

the evening. 

“Through preparing and eating 

a Jamaican meal, I tasted their traditions,” said Lance Cpl. Tyler Truesdale. “This was a great introduction 

to the Jamaican culture.” 

This is the second iteration 

of the monthly “Cooking from 

Around the World” program; last 

month’s dishes were Filipino.

“Our goal is to get Troopers out 

of their rooms and involved in the 

community, while introducing them 

to cultures of the people on base,” 

said LaToya Stewart, the program’s 

Morale Welfare and Recreation assistant.

Since this is a community event, 

Liberty finds volunteer chefs from 

the community.

“We tell people what culture we 

are going to highlight, and most 

people know somebody who is a 

capable cook,” said Chief Petty Officer Mike Ferrell, a United States 

Navy Chef and the volunteer head 

chef for the program. “Once we 

identify the cook, Jill Lynch and 

I meet with them and go through 

menu development, recipes and 

how to teach a class.” 

Members of the Guantanamo 

Bay community are able to step into 

the kitchen and be a head chef for 

a night. 

“We want to give other people 

a chance to come into the kitchen, 

develop a menu and teach them 

how to cook on a large scale while 

at the same time share their culture 

with everybody,” said Ferrell. 

Ferrell explained that the recipes 

had to be quick and easy, so Troopers would be able to replicate them 

at home. 

This was not the first time 

Troopers had the opportunity to 

learn how to cook on island, but 

this event had a different approach 

then in the past. 

“Before, chefs did a lot of 

the cooking and everybody just 

watched,” said Ferrell. “We wanted 

to change that. We wanted engagement from start to finish.” 

Continuing to provide new cultures and dishes to sample, “Cooking from Around the World” will 

feature Lebanese cuisine next 

month. 

“It’s been a hit. Students in the 

class say this is the best-kept secret 

in Guantanamo Bay,” said Ferrell. 

“We are totally invested in this program and hopefully this year we’ll 

get to experience 12 cultures from 

Guantanamo.” 

By Army Sgt. Saul Rosa

Would you like some Johnny cake?

The Wire | Page 10 Feature | | Feature The Wire | Page 11
Background: Camp Delta, which once housed 

several hundred detainees as Camps 1-4, now 

contains administrative offices and the detainee 

library, medical clinic, and classrooms.

–photo by Mass Communication Spc. Kilho Park

The Wire | Page 12 Feature |

Ten Years Later

By Sgt. 1st Class Jerome Grant

Five JDG leaders 

look back on their 

first deployment

| Feature The Wire | Page 13

Jan. 11 marked 10 years from the time Camp 

X-Ray was reopened in the wake of Sept. 11, 

2001, and began the evolution to the camps 

we have today. For five of the Joint Detention 

Group (JDG) staff currently serving their 

second deployment here at Joint Task Force 

Guantanamo, the changes from 10 years ago 

are evident. 

In May 2002, these five 170th Military Police 

Battalion Soldiers arrived as members of the 

178th Military Police Company. They guarded 

detainee single-cells and lived in tents. They 

ate MREs and hot chow served from Mermite 

containers. They look back at that time now 

and are impressed with the improvements 

made over the last decade.

 “It is certainly a different perspective for 

all of us,” explained Sgt. Maj. Callie Leaver, 

the JDG operations sergeant major. “We were 

much lower in rank then.”

Maj. Jonathan Adams, the JDG executive 

officer was 1st Lt. Adams, a platoon leader and 

duty officer. Now-Sgt. Maj. Leaver was Staff 

Sgt. Leaver, a guard staff noncommissioned 

officer in charge (NCOIC). Sgt. 1st Class 

Joshua Conwell, the detainee admin NCOIC 

was Sgt. Conwell, a guard.

Sgt. 1st Class Antonio White, the JDG 

detention operations and detainee movement 

NCOIC was Spc. White, a guard. Sgt. 1st Class 

Martin Sullivan, the JDG advance search team 

NCOIC was Spc. Sullivan, a guard who arrived 

a month later than everyone else because he 

still needed to finish basic combat training.

“The (current) headquarters building didn’t 

exist,” said White, “and the J3 conference 

center was a horseshoe-shaped building that 

had a laundry facility in it. We all did our 

laundry there.”

The soldiers noted that the living conditions 

improved for everyone at the Joint Task Force: 

not just for the detainees, but for the guards 

as well.

“The Cuzcos didn’t exist,” White explained. 

“It was all SEAhuts. We actually helped tear 

down the tents which the guards lived in near 

Camp X-Ray.”

The Trooper housing that started off as 

tents next to Camp X-ray transitioned to 

SEAhuts, which were located in what is now 

the Joint Task Force area of Naval Station 

Guantanamo Bay. Since then, housing areas 

have expanded to include Camp America, the 

Cuzcos and Bay Hill trailers, and Tierra Kay 

and Windward Loop housing areas.

 “MWR has definitely improved too,” 

Sullivan explained. “When we were here the 

first time, the bike trails weren’t here; now 

we’ve got Trail Blazers improving them.”

“We weren’t able to get to the other side 

of the island very much,” he added. “There 

weren’t any (MWR) Liberty centers like there 

are now. There was very limited Internet, about 

three or four computers with a sign-up sheet 

and a 30-minute limit. No cable was available 

in the housing either.”

One thing that surprised all the Soldiers on 

their second arrival here late last year was the 

knowledge that none of the detainees were 

actually housed in Camp Delta anymore.

“When we were here the first time, Camps 

1 and 2 had just been finished, and 3 was 

still under construction,” Adams explained. 

“Detainees were still being transferred when 

we got here. Camp 4 was under construction 

when we left.”

The construction of the state-of-the-art 

facilities which comprise Camps 5 and 6 allow 

the guards to do their jobs in a air conditioned 

environment now. Camp 4 was replaced by 

Camp 6 as the communal camp, and the 

JDG Soldiers agreed that the positive change 

in detainee behavior is largely due to the 

communal living. Unlike the 2002-era Camp 

Delta they guarded, today’s detainee population 

lives in an 85 percent communal setup. 

In addition to the everyday outdoor 

recreation center, detainees in communal 

living have 24-hour access to fresh air and 

privileges including television and movies, 

Xbox and Playstation, reading material, and the 

opportunity to eat and pray together. 

“There wasn’t a climate-controlled 

environment back then,” Sullivan said. 

“Everything was outdoors. If you were 

working in the blocks, you were for the most 

part in the elements. There might be a little 

shade for a break, but you were outside.”

“We worked roughly 10-12 hour days, three 

days on, two off; and four on, two off,” said 

White. “Every other month we would rotate 

working on the block to working detainee 

movement, and monitoring. There were only 

two blocks that had air conditioning. Most of 

the time you were out in the sun, in the heat 

and the rain.”

So, in addition to the controlled climate, an 

advantage guards have today is less detainee/

guard interaction. The communal living allows 

detainees to shower, enter recreation areas, and 

go to prayer and eating areas without needing 

escorts.

“The reasons for detention seemed a lot 

more clear back then,” Adams said. “We were 

all still raw from 9/11. This is still a necessary 

function, but to say clearly what the future of 

Guantanamo detention ops might be is difficult 

for the guard force. But the one consistency we 

have had as a guard force is the safe care and 

custody of the detainees.”
The Wire | Page 14 At Your Service |

O n T he win g

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Deployment can be hard on a family. It can be 

even harder for a service member who would 

normally read their children a bedtime story 

but are not around to do so. However, the Pat 

Tillman Memorial United Services Organization here offers a service to help close that 

gap.

The program is a cooperative effort between the USO and the federal nonprofit organization United Through Reading. It allows 

overseas personnel to read to their loved ones 

back home through recorded video. 

Cathe Ganley, the United Through Reading coordinator here, said the mission of the 

USO is to lift the spirit of the troops overseas 

or away from their family.

“One way we do that is by providing some 

of the comforts of home,” she said. “Some 

of these comforts include free phone calls to 

home, free computers and free WiFi. With 

the United Through Reading Program, we 

record service members reading a book and 

send both the book and DVD home to the 

states so the children, mom, dad, grandma or 

whomever can read with them whenever they 

want.”

USO patrons can bring their own book or 

choose from the selection provided. They can 

read for up to 30 minutes while being recorded. Afterwards, USO personnel will package 

and mail the book and disc.

Ganley said the Pat Tillman Memorial USO 

sends 60 to 100 packages to families in the U.S. 

every three days.

Master Sgt. Daniel Fish, deployed from 

Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, 

took the opportunity to read to his two daughters. 

“It’s a little more personal than me just 

reading a book over the phone,” Fish said. 

“My youngest daughter is in an accelerated 

reading program, so now I have a good reason 

to use the program and read with her.”

Master Sgt. Santiago Belen, deployed from 

the Puerto Rico Air National Guard, read a 

book in English and the second book in Spanish to his two children. Belen has also shipped 

DVDs via United Through Reading program.

“It’s another way which the USO has given 

us to reach out to our families back home,” 

Belen said. 

I n the fi g h t

Comics 4 Heroes auction to 

aid Wounded Warrior Project

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. – What do Marines 

have in common with Spiderman? The answer is simple: they both helped inspire the 

creation of a new kind of charity event taking 

place aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C. This particular event combines the 

love of comic books with the desire to help 

wounded Marines. 

“I call it Comics 4 Heroes,” said Sgt. Jacob 

Smith, a scout squad leader with Headquarters 

and Service Company, 2nd Light Armored 

Reconnaissance Battalion and founder of 

Comics 4 Heroes. “I take blank-covered Marvel comic books and get them into the hands 

of artists who create their own rendition of 

the character from the comic book they’ve 

chosen, which will be auctioned off. All proceeds will be going to the Wounded Warrior 

Project and a program called Stiggy’s Dogs.”

The Wounded Warrior Project provides 

help to injured service members with unique, 

direct programs and services to meet their 

needs, while Stiggy’s Dogs partners military veterans with rehabilitated shelter dogs. 

Stiggy’s Dogs was started by the mother of a 

Navy corpsman who died in Afghanistan during 2nd LAR’s last deployment, which made it 

personal for Smith.

“During our last deployment we lost six 

Marines and sailors from LAR and had a 

number of injured, so I have a lot of friends 

who are involved with these programs,” said 

Smith.

Although the program is in its early stages, 

Smith says he has had a great response from 

the artists who are taking part. 

“I was instantly interested in the idea,” said 

Cpl. Mark-Anthony Marshall, tech support 

chief for Headquarters Company, 2nd Marine 

Division. “The fact that I could use my art to 

help the wounded Marines was what really 

sold me on the idea.”

The Marines currently involved with the 

program learned about Smith’s Comics 4 Heroes through word-of-mouth and come from 

many different units across Camp Lejeune. 

Although Smith claims he isn’t so much 

an artist as he is a collector, he puts his confidence in the abilities of the numerous artists 

who are kind enough to donate their time and 

efforts to this worthwhile cause. 

“I would love for more Marines to get involved with the program and use their artistic 

skills to help,” said Smith. 

The first Comics 4 Heroes auction will 

take place May 5 at Fanboy Comics in Wilmington, N.C.

at the ready

By Lance Cpl. Joshua Hines

2nd Marine Division

ARLINGTON, Va. – On Dec. 18, 2011, 

when the final U.S. troops crossed the Iraqi 

border into Kuwait, the National Guard had 

deployed more than 250,000 Guard members 

in support of the war.

Already participating in combat operations in Afghanistan, the National Guard 

lived up to its motto of “Always Ready, Always There,” and answered the call in January 

2003 to send troops to Iraq for the beginning 

stages of what would later be known as Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Serving side-by-side with their active duty 

counterparts until the last Guard member 

came home, the Army National Guard deployed 222,485 Citizen-Soldiers for a total 

number of 259,467 deployments.

Providing air support missions throughout the world for Operations Iraqi Freedom 

and New Dawn, the Air National Guard deployed 34,243 Citizen-Airmen, successfully 

completing 44,882 deployments.

During those more than 300,000 deployments by the Army and Air National Guard, 

Guard members back in America answered 

the call and served on the home front - fulfilling the National Guard’s domestic mission.

The former chairman of the Joint Chiefs 

of Staff – retired Navy Adm. Mike Mullen – 

said more than once in 2010 and 2011, “We 

would not be anywhere close to where we are 

in terms of our execution of mission without 

the National Guard.”

NG completes more than 

300,000 Iraq deployments

By Tech. Sgt. Vernon Cunningham

455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

By Tech. Sgt. John Orrell

National Guard Bureau

USO connects 

families through 

reading

| At Your Service The Wire | Page 15

ARABIAN SEA – Forces assigned to the 

John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group rescued 

an Iranian fishing vessel from pirates in the 

northern Arabian Sea Jan. 5. 

At approximately 12:30 p.m local time, 

an SH-60S Seahawk from guided-missile 

destroyer USS Kidd (DDG 100) detected a 

suspected pirate skiff alongside the Iranianflagged fishing dhow Al Molai. Simultaneously, a distress call was received from the 

master of the Al Molai claiming he was being 

held captive by pirates.

A visit, board, search and seizure team 

from Kidd boarded the Al Molai and detained 15 suspected pirates who had been 

holding a 13-member Iranian crew hostage 

for several weeks. The Al Molai had been pirated and used as a “mother ship” for pirate 

operations throughout the Persian Gulf, according to members of the Iranian vessel’s 

crew. 

The pirates did not resist the boarding 

and surrendered quickly.

“The Al Molai had been taken over by 

pirates for roughly the last 40-45 days,” said 

Josh Schminky, a Navy Criminal Investigative Service agent aboard the Kidd. “They 

were held hostage, with limited rations, and 

we believe were forced against their will to 

assist the pirates with other piracy operations.” 

According to members of the Kidd 

boarding party, the Iranian crew said they 

were forced by the pirates to live in harsh 

conditions, under the threat of violence with 

limited supplies and medical aid. 

“When we boarded, we gave them food, 

water, and medical care,” said Schminky. 

“They had been through a lot. We went out 

of our way to treat the fishing crew with 

kindness and respect. 

“After securing the ship and ensuring the 

safety of all persons on board, we began distributing food and water to both the crew 

and the suspected criminals as is our standard practice in counter-piracy operations,” 

said Schminky. 

on the DE C K

Pirates captured in Arabian Sea

WASHINGTON – With election activity 

steadily picking up, defense officials are in the 

process of issuing regular election-year guidance to remind military and Defense Department civilians that they’re subject to rules regulating their involvement in political activities.

Several sets of rules help to protect the 

integrity of the political process, DOD officials said. DOD Directive 1344.10 applies to 

members of the armed forces, whether they 

serve on active duty, as members of the reserve components not on active duty, as National Guard members in a nonfederal status 

and military retirees.

 In addition, the Hatch Act applies to federal civilian employees, and employees also are 

subject to widely published DOD guidance 

that discusses participation in political campaigns and elections.

 These rules are designed to prevent military members’ or federal civilian employees’ 

participation in political activities that imply 

– or even appear to imply – official sponsorship, approval or endorsement, officials said. 

The concern, they explained, is that actual or 

perceived partisanship could undermine the 

legitimacy of the military profession and department.

 That’s not to imply, however, that military 

members and civilian employees can’t participate in politics. In fact, DOD has a longstanding policy of encouraging members to carry 

out the obligations of citizenship, officials 

said. DOD encourages its military and civilian 

members to register to vote and vote as they 

choose, they said. Both groups can sign nominating petitions for candidates and express 

their personal opinions about candidates and 

issues.

However, officials emphasized, they can do 

so only if they don’t act as – or aren’t perceived 

as – representatives of the armed forces in carrying out these activities.

Beyond that, the list of dos and don’ts differs depending on whether the employee is 

a member of the armed forces, a career civil 

service employee, a political appointee or a 

member of the career Senior Executive Service, officials said.

Military members, for example, may attend 

political meetings or rallies only as spectators 

and not in uniform. They’re not permitted to 

make public political speeches, serve in any official capacity in partisan groups or participate 

in partisan political campaigns or conventions. 

They also are barred from engaging in any political activities while in uniform.

Most civilian DOD employees, whose 

political activities are governed by the Hatch 

Act, are permitted to be active in and speak 

before political gatherings and serve as officers 

of political parties or partisan groups, officials 

said. These activities, however, cannot involve 

fundraising.

Civilian employees also are permitted to 

manage campaigns, distribute literature, write 

political articles or serve as a spokesperson for 

aparty or candidate.

There are, however, exceptions to this, including but not limited to Senior Executive 

Service.

While the dos and don’ts concerning political activity may vary, the basic tenets hold true 

for all DOD employees.

The bottom line, officials said, is that they 

should steer clear of any activity that may be 

reasonably viewed as directly or indirectly associating DOD or the military with a partisan 

political activity, or that “is otherwise contrary 

to the spirit or intent” of the rules described.

Rules restrict political activity by DOD personnel

By Donna Miles

American Forces Press Service

From Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs

M i ss ion fir s t

A U.S. Navy Sea Hawk helicopter provides support 

during the USS Kidd’s counter-piracy and maritime 

security operations. –U.S. Navy photo

 see PIRATES next page
| Mind, Body & Spirit The Wire | Page 17

Mind, 

Body

& Spirit

by Army Maj. Jon Powers

There is something about a New Year’s 

Eve that brings out the optimist in all of us. 

Maybe it’s the brand new calendar, wrapped in 

cellophane and filled only with possibility. Or 

is it the permission to stop beating yourself up 

and turn your back on the mistakes and wasted 

opportunities of the year gone by?

Either way, the large majority of us express 

this moment in a similar way. We create 

New Year’s Resolutions, or simply said, set 

goals. Goals define how to fill our empty 

daily planner or to not waste another chance 

at success. These are goals to make us look, 

feel or act like the person we truly want to be. 

But sadly, most of us are terrible at keeping 

goals. This leads to another New Year’s Eve 

champagne toast to yet another set of goals, 

this time we really, really mean it!

We are told goals must be tangible, 

manageable, measurable and sustainable. 

However, the first concept you need to know 

is a goal is not a plan. Good plans require 

balance, and are realistic in their demands on 

your time, energy and resources. If you can 

enlist support from others, do it. Share goals 

with coworkers, family and friends. Be there 

for them and they will keep you on track as 

well. 

Understand yourself, grasshopper. Are you 

a procrastinator? It’s ok; many of us are. You 

have to include this trait in your goal setting 

plan, and not just by placing the red “X” on the 

calendar method. Define stops along the way 

to be sure you stay on the correct path. Very 

large goals must be broken down into smaller 

sections and given their own timeframe. The 

procrastinator in you will wait until the last 

minute to act. If the planned interim goals 

take that into account you can be your old 

procrastinating self and still hit the mark. 

As the interim goals come and go, hey look 

at you...you are succeeding with your goal 

setting. Nothing succeeds like success!

There is infinite power in the word “now.” 

When you think about the next thing you 

should, don’t let yourself think “later.” Do 

it now. Pick the phone and make that call 

now. Get out of your chair and shred that 

paper now. Call your college and request your 

transcripts now. Close Facebook and write 

the article now...like I did. Anything can be 

accomplished with effort and it will be done 

much sooner if you start now. Do not accept 

weak excuses. Be firm with yourself. Say, “Self, 

you are being a pathetic whiner. Do it now and 

be done with it!”

Action is a habit. Practice taking action when 

a thought occurs to you and you will slowly 

erode your desire to procrastinate. Goals are 

much easier to attain when you do something, 

doing nothing results in, well, nothing getting 

done. Funny how that works.

A quick pseudo-scientific Google research 

project revealed 75 percent of us miss our goal 

by the second week of January. Half of the 

exciting New Year’s resolutions are forgotten 

by June. Only one in 10 goal-setting superstars 

meets or exceeds their own expectations by 

year’s end. If someone told you there was a 

10 percent chance of winning the lottery you 

would play. But when there’s a one in ten 

chance of being a better, happier person for 

the rest of your life, you throw up their hands 

in defeat? Come on.

Goals are not something to take lightly, 

saved just for that three...two...one...moment 

of yearly celebration with a drink in hand. 

Make goals a part of your morning routine or 

nightly prayers. They can define your life, and 

if they are well planned and pursued diligently, 

goals are guaranteed to bring more champagne 

happiness than any New Year’s party. So this 

year really, really mean it and make a plan to 

meet your goals. I bet you a bottle of bubbly 

you’ll be glad you did.

Goals: Scoring in the game of life

Only at GTMO by Mass Communication Spc. 2nd Class Louis Batchelor

For more guidance on how to stay on track 

throughout the year, consult the Fleet and Family 

Support Center and their pamphlet on “Effective 

Goal Setting,” available at JSMART.

The Wire | Page 16 Around the World |

PAKTYA PROVINCE, Afghanistan – In an area with an 

illiteracy rate of approximately 

70 percent, radio communication can be critical when sharing 

news and current events in Paktya province of Afghanistan. 

The Paktya Provincial Reconstruction Team recently partnered with local radio announcers in the unveiling of “Caravan 

Radio,” an Afghan-run radio 

station, focused on providing 

timely and accurate information 

to provincial residents.

Alwal Jan Taniwal, Latifullah, 

Wakil Ahmad Hamdar and Javed 

Dardman are Caravan Radio announcers at a station that has 

grown in popularity since first 

airing one month ago. 

“Our most popular program 

is a call-in segment, with more 

than 500 callers each night,” Alwal Jan said. “We receive endless 

song requests, poetry submissions and general questions from 

our listeners.”

The announcers use a radio 

system provided by coalition 

forces, known as a “radio in a 

box” or RIAB. The RIAB is an 

organic, self-sustaining radio station complete with the necessary 

components to transmit voice 

and music at 300 watts. 

“The coverage of the station 

is dependent on the terrain of 

the area,” said 1st Lt. Eric Ozburn, the Paktya PRT information operations officer. “Despite 

the rugged mountains prevalent 

in Paktya, the (announcers) voices can be heard in a 50-kilometer 

radius.”

“In the coming months, a new 

tower is scheduled to be erected, 

expanding Caravan Radio’s reach 

even farther,” Ozburn said. 

During Taliban rule, music 

was restricted from radio stations. Now, playing music for 

Afghans gives a sentimental joy 

for one announcer, as he recalls 

the first time he and his brother 

heard music playing from a radio. 

“It was exciting,” Latifullah 

said. “My brother and I were 

surprised, happy and laughing. 

Since that day, we no longer are 

in fear of listening to the radio. 

The Taliban can no longer keep 

music from us.” 

The announcers said their 

goal is to maintain a positive 

message of peace for their audience, in order to counter the 

negative, threatening words the 

Taliban frequently release.

“Our messages focus on 

peace and reconstruction,” Latif 

said. “Through our radio station, 

Afghans learn peace is attainable 

through cooperation and support of the government of the 

Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.”

Afghan announcers 

broadcast peace

By 1st Lt. Cammie Quinn

Paktya PRT Public Affairs

WASHINGTON President Barack Obama signed a bill into 

law Jan. 3 to streamline airport 

screening procedures for service 

members and their families traveling on official orders.

The Risk-based Security 

Screening for Members of the 

Armed Forces Act gives the 

Transportation Security Administration six months to develop 

and implement a plan to expedite screening services for service members on orders and in 

uniform and, “to the extent possible, any accompanying family 

member.”

The act, in part, calls for the 

agency to establish standard 

guidelines for the screening of 

military uniform items, such as 

combat boots.

In a statement released Jan. 

4, agency officials said they’re 

in the process of reviewing options for these new procedures 

in consultation with the Defense 

Department.

Even before this law, the 

agency had several measures in 

place to aid troops through the 

screening process. For example, 

troops in uniform with a military 

identification card aren’t required 

to remove their boots or shoes 

unless they set off an alarm, according to the agency’s website.

The agency also seeks to accommodate family members. 

Families who would like to accompany a deploying service 

member to the boarding gate or 

greet them upon their return may 

receive passes to enter the secure 

area of the airport, the site said. 

Family members, agency officials advise, should contact their 

air carrier representative at the 

airport for local procedures.

The agency also expedites 

the screening process for Honor Flight veterans, and partners 

with the Defense Department to 

expedite screening for wounded 

warriors and their families. The 

Honor Flight Network organization transports veterans to 

Washington, D.C., to visit their 

war memorials.

Also aimed at expediting 

screening procedures, the agency 

is testing a new program at the 

airport in Monterey, Calif. In 

mid-November, troops traveling out of Monterey Peninsula 

Airport began presenting their 

DOD identification to a document checker for card-reader 

scanning.

The pilot program is designed 

to test the technology to verify 

service members’ status. If successful, it could pave the way for 

service members to be included 

in the agency’s expedited screening program, agency officials 

said, enabling them to use special lanes at participating airports 

to pass more quickly through 

airport security. These expedited 

procedures could involve not 

having to remove their shoes, 

belt and jackets or their laptops 

from bags.

Programs such as this one 

strengthen security, officials said, 

explaining that separating out 

low-risk people, such as members of the armed forces, allows 

the agency to focus its resources 

on travelers who present a higher risk.

New law 

eases airport 

screening for 

troops, PCS’ing 

families

By Elaine Sanchez

American Forces Press Service

The pirates were detained 

on the Al Molai by the Kidd 

boarding party until the next 

morning when they could be 

transferred to the USS John C. 

Stennis where the matter will be 

reviewed for prosecution. The 

pirates currently remain on the 

Stennis. 

“The captain of the Al Molai 

expressed his sincere gratitude 

that we came to assist them. He 

was afraid that without our help, 

they could have been there for 

months,” said Schminky. 

Piracy is an international 

problem that requires an international solution and a threat to 

all mariners. The presence of 

U.S. Navy ships in this region 

promotes freedom of navigation and protects the safety of 

those who transit the sea.

The John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group is conducting 

maritime security operations in 

the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

PIRATES cont. 
The Wire | Page 18 Movie Review |

Over the last decade, there has been a substantial 

increase in live-action CGI-heavy hyper-reality 

movies. The film “Sin City” (2005) is an example of 

how this kind of picture is made right. That movie 

offered up a great story, interesting characters, and 

great visuals with enough balance to play off each 

other to successfully create a fascinating world in 

one of the most engaging films of the emerging 

genre. When it’s done wrong, all these elements are 

squandered and the whole picture caves in under its 

own weight. 

“Immortals” is another gladiator type film trying 

to cash in on the success of Zack Snyder’s “300” 

(2007). It opens in Greece with the dirty-rotten 

good-for-nothing King Hyperion (Mickey Rourke, 

“The Wrestler”) attacking and pillaging holy sites. 

He is seeking the mighty Eprius Bow, a supernatural 

weapon lost by the gods somewhere on Earth during 

a battle with the Titans. Hyperion kidnaps the virgin 

oracle priestess Phaedra (Freida Pinto, “Slumdog 

Millionaire”) to help in his diabolical quest to gain 

the Eprius Bow and conquer all of Greece. 

Standing in the way of Hyperion’s blitzkrieg for 

Greek dominance is the peasant Theseus (Henry 

Cavill, next year’s Superman in “Man of Steel”). 

For a young man of limited means, he has a Charles 

Atlas body and unparalleled combat skills. It also 

helps being the illegitimate son of the god Poseidon 

and in Zeus’ good graces, who in the guise of a wise 

old man (John Hurt, “Harry Potter and the Deathly 

Hallows”) has mentored Theseus on the art of war 

and how to fight. Apparently in ancient Greece, 

chiseled good looks and combat skills will increase 

your earning potential!

Theseus is alone when he begins his campaign 

against Hyperion. Eventually Theseus accrues allies 

to aid in his quest. There is no shortage of battles 

as Theseus thunders on to take down his man. All 

these fight sequences consist of various stabbings, 

spearings, beheadings and other acts of mass 

carnage. Judging by their inadequacies, Hyperion’s 

minions obviously had combat training at the same 

school the Star Wars imperial stormtroopers had 

theirs. Theseus liberates the exquisite Phaedra and 

she has visions of his fate and destiny. She can see 

the importance of Theseus’ life and helps him to 

achieve what he set out to do for the good of her 

people.

There’s no denying “Immortals” is one of 

the most visually stunning films in recent years. 

Through CGI and elaborate sets the backdrops, 

locations and set dressings are rich in complexity 

and beauty. You’re actually able to enjoy looking 

at them, an exception to the tendency of modern 

films to have the frame race around like a gerbil with 

ADD. The costuming is top notch. Who cares if the 

wardrobes are historically accurate or not? They just 

look cool.

However, apart from the eye candy, “Immortals” 

doesn’t give you anything else. Characters with hardto-pronounce names seem to show up at random 

and then vanish. Why were they even on the screen 

at all? Like models on a runway, maybe they were 

there only to showcase their exotic costumes. 

I also couldn’t help but wonder why all of Greece 

appears to be carved alongside a cliff thousands of 

feet in the air. Characters are shown strolling along 

the edge without the slightest regard to gravity or 

without fear of plummeting to the rocky shoreline 

of the ocean thousands of feet below. 

I don’t think “Immortals” will generate the kind 

of business or word of mouth interest in the movie 

the studio was hoping for. It’s incoherent and almost 

torturous to watch. The story is fragmented at best. 

But one thing is for sure, it will look great on Bluray. I’m sure the home theater aficionados will be 

pleased with it. Maybe that’s all “Immortals” is good 

for. It sure isn’t good for anything else. 

An immortally bad film, Henry Cavill (as CGIabdominal’d Theseus) and Freida Pinto (as hair 

extension’d Phaedra) lament recent career moves.

Movie Review

R

110 min. By Mass Communication Spc. 1st Class Ty Bjornson

Immortals

Downtown

Lyceum

Camp 

Bulkeley

GTMO Quick Reference 

Bayview Club - 75605

 Wed.-Fri. 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

Sun. & Holidays 8 a.m.-5 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.

Caribbean Coffee - 77859

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

Sun. 1-10 p.m.

Jerk House - 2532

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

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

KFC and A&W Express - 75653

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

MWR Liberty Centers - 2010 

Mon.-Th. 11 a.m.-12 a.m.

Fri. 11 a.m.-1 a.m.

Sun. 9 a.m.-12 a.m.

Sat. & Holidays 9 a.m.-1 a.m.

Library - 4700

Mon.-Sat. 8 a.m.-9 p.m. 

Sun. & Holidays 12-9 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 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.

Windjammer Club - 77252

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

Windjammer Sports Bar

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

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

Sun. 5-9 p.m.

Safe Ride - 84781

| Bulletin Board The Wire | Page 19

 FRI SAT SUN MON TUE WED THU 14

Call the movie hotline at 4880 or see the MWR GTMO Facebook page for more information.

13 15 16 17 18 19

Alvin & the 

Chipmunks 

(free popcorn!)

(G) 7 p.m.

Immortals

(R) 9 p.m.

In Time (last 

showing)

(PG-13) 7 p.m.

J. Edgar (NEW)

(R) 9 p.m.

Tower Heist 

(free popcorn!)

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

J. Edgar (NEW)

(R) 10 p.m.

The Rum Diary

(R) 8 p.m.

Mission: 

Impossible

(PG-13) 10 p.m.

Puss in Boots 

(last showing)

(PG) 7 p.m.

In Time (last 

showing)

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Tower Heist

(PG-13) 7 p.m.

Immortals

(R) 8 p.m.

Twilight

(PG-13) 7 p.m.

We Bought a 

Zoo

(PG) 8 p.m.

The Rum Diary

(R) 7 p.m.

Jack and Jill

(PG) 7 p.m.

War Horse

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Twilight

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Downtown

Lyceum

Camp 

Bulkeley

GTMO Religious Services

JTF Trooper 

Chapel

Daily Catholic

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

 Mass

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. 

Iglesia Ni Cristo

Sunday 5:30 a.m. 

Room A

LDS Service

Sunday 10 a.m. 

Room A

Pentecostal Gospel

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

Room D

Islamic Service

Friday 1 p.m. 

Room C

United Jamaican

Fellowship

Sunday 11 a.m. 

Room B

Liturgical Service

Sunday 10 a.m.

Room B

For other services, 

contact the NAVSTA 

Chaplain’s 

Office at 2323.

Protestant Worship

Sunday 9 a.m.

Bible Study

Wednesday 6 p.m.

For more information, 

contact the JTF 

Chaplain’s Office 

at 2305.

NAVSTA 

Main Chapel
Background: The halo-ringed moon over Guantanamo Bay late on Jan. 6 lasted 

only half as long as the full scientific explanation, but was beautiful nonetheless. 

–photo by Mass Communication Spc. 2nd Class Kilho Park

TheJTF

Renovations made to U.S. 

Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay’s primary 

care clinic will improve 

services to all residents 

here, including Joint Task 

Force Guantanamo Troopers. From left to right: JTF 

deputy commander Brig. 

Gen. James Lettko, Naval 

Station commander Capt. 

Kirk Hibbert, JTF commander Rear Adm. David 

Woods, and Naval Hospital 

commanding officer Capt. 

Richard Stoltz cut the ribbon Jan. 9. The renovations 

include more treatment 

rooms, an additional exam 

room, extra storage areas, 

and separate office space. 

–photo by Stacey Byington, 

U.S. Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay Public Affairs

Maj. Gen. 

Simeon Trombitas, 

commanding general 

of U.S. Army South, 

visited Joint Task 

Force Guantanamo 

and members of the 

525th Military 

Police Battalion 

Jan. 10. 

–photo by Mass 

Communication Spc. 

2nd Class 

Kilho Park