Friday, November 25, 2011

 Joint Task Force Guantanamo gives thanks 

Here to serve

Volume 13, Issue 3

In this edition:

Holy Joe’s Cafe

Reel Rock Film Tour

Budgeting for the holidays
 The Wire | Page 2 Command Corner |

Cc

ommand

orner

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: 3651

Layout Assistant: 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

Mass Communication Spc. 2nd Class Jon Dasbach

Army Sgt. Landis Andrews

Contact us

Editor’s Desk: 3651

Commercial: 011-53-99-3651

DSN: 660-3651

E-mail: thewire@jtfgtmo.southcom.mil

Online: www.jtfgtmo.southcom.mil

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.

A little boy and his father were 

crossing a bridge. The father was a bit 

scared so he asked his little boy, “Son, 

please hold my hand so that you don’t 

fall into the river.” 

The little boy said, “No, Dad. You 

hold my hand.” 

“What’s the difference?” asked the 

puzzled father. 

“There’s a big difference,” replied his 

son. “If I hold your hand and something 

happens to me, chances are that I may let 

your hand go. But if 

you hold my hand, I 

know for sure that no 

matter what happens, 

you will never let my 

hand go.” 

In any relationship, 

the essence of trust 

should always be like 

a child trusting his 

father.

Likewise, this 

kind of trust is also 

a must-have quality 

when building and maintaining successful 

leader-subordinate relationships. 

Leaders must be able to rely on and 

trust their subordinates to follow through 

on their tasks and fulfill their directed 

and unspoken obligations. They need to 

trust that their subordinates understand 

their role and responsibilities, and 

that they will take care to maintain the 

welfare of the Troopers in their care and 

be united with their peers in support of 

their leader.

Troopers must be able to trust their 

leadership to have their best interests 

and the success of the mission at heart. 

They need to trust the instruction 

they are given and believe they will get 

the support and guidance they need 

to carry out their assigned tasks and 

responsibilities. 

It is every leader’s obligation, at every 

level, to foster an environment of trust.

Donald T. Phillips, in his book 

“Lincoln on Leadership” shares this 

passage from a speech Abraham Lincoln 

gave when accepting his nomination for 

senator in Springfield, Ill. on June 16, 

1858:

“A house divided against itself cannot 

stand...Our cause must be entrusted to, 

and conducted by its own undoubted 

friends – whose hands are free, whose 

hearts are in the work – who do care for 

the result.”

The Joint Task Force Guantanamo 

mission is the “Safe, Legal, Humane, 

and Transparent 

Care and Custody 

of Detainees.” But 

as leaders, especially 

as enlisted leaders, 

our cause is 

taking care of the 

Troopers who are 

carrying out the 

mission and giving 

our full support to 

those officers who 

are ultimately held 

responsible for the 

success or failure of the mission.

“Undoubted friends... whose hearts 

are in the work—who do care for the 

result”: this is who we are supposed to 

be as leaders. We are to be the ones who 

are trusted. 

We need to be trusted by those over 

us, those under us, and importantly but 

often neglected, we need to be able to 

trust and be trusted by our peers and 

coworkers.

Without trust, we will be divided. 

Without trust leaders become selfseeking individuals who care not for 

the result, but only for their own 

gain or preservation. People who 

“snipe” the efforts of others, malign 

the work of their peers behind their 

backs, who misrepresent the motives 

of their directives – these people are 

untrustworthy.

Untrustworthy people, particularly 

Leaders must be 

able to trust their 

subordinates to follow 

through on their 

tasks and fulfill their 

directed and unspoken 

obligations. 

Cmd. Master Chief Reynaldo Tiong

Command master chief, Joint Task Force Guantanamo

Cover: Thursday’s Thanksgiving festivities at Seaside Galley brought a taste of home to Troopers 

courtesy of U.S. Southern Command commander Gen. Douglas M. Fraser himself. 

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

 see COMMAND next page

| News from the Bay The Wire | Page 3

News from the Bay

 The U.S. Naval Hospital Junior Enlisted 

Aassociation will host a nighttime glow-inthe-dark 10K run/walk for breast cancer 

awareness on Nov. 26, beginning at U.S. Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay on Sherman 

Avenue. There will be a $10 registration fee 

per person. All participants must arrive by 

6 p.m., and the run will begin at 7 p.m. All 

participants are required to have proper reflective gear. The first 25 people to register 

will receive a free gift. Donations will be accepted for pink glow-in-the-dark items. 

For more information call 74795 or 

84435. 

To promote active lifestyles and healthy 

living, the Navy Child Youth Program is 

hosting a track meet at Nov. 26 11 a.m. to 

1 p.m. on the track at Cooper Field for the 

youth of Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. 

Kids will participate in several short trackand-field events.

Following the track meet, from 1–3 p.m., 

there will be pick-up hockey at the hockey 

rink. The turnout for the hockey will gauge 

the community’s interest in a youth hockey 

league.

For more information, call 55346.

The deadlines for making reservations 

or cancellations for the Dec. 23 and Dec. 30 

flights are Dec. 20 and Dec. 27, respectively.

For more information, call 4850.

10K for breast 

cancer awareness

Treasures & Trivia, the thrift store next to 

the Downtown Lyceum, is having a quarter 

sale. Everything in the store will be sold for 

25 cents. The sale will be from 7 a.m. to 1 

p.m. Saturday. Sale excludes formal wear and 

Christmas items. 

The Bayview Inn will be serving prime 

rib on select Friday nights in December. The 

nights will be Dec. 2, 9, and 16 to accommodate community and command events. The 

regular Saturday serving will resume Dec. 

24. 

For more information call 75604.

The Bayview Inn will be kicking off the 

holiday season with dinner and a movie Nov. 

25 at the Bayview Patio 6–9 p.m. The movie 

will be “A Christmas Story” instead of the 

originally planned “Deck the Halls.”

For more information call 75604. 

The Navy Exchange Holiday Trees will be 

judged Nov. 26 at 4 p.m. in the NEX atrium 

for the most original, most holiday feel, and 

most “Guantanamo.” 

For more information call 74547.

Treasures & Trivia 

25 cent sale The Fleet and Family Support Center 

will host an interview training session on 

Wednesday, Nov. 30 from 1:30–3:30 p.m. 

at FFSC building 2135. Participants will 

learn techniques to prepare for job interviews. For registration information, call 

4141.

The women’s All-Army football team is 

still looking for players to take part in the 

Army vs. Navy football game on Friday, 

Dec. 10. If you would like to participate, 

email William.Monserrate@jtfgtmo.southcom.mil or Jerzibol@gmail.com.

This year’s parade will take place on 

Dec. 3 at 6 p.m. The parade line-up will 

start at 4:30 p.m. in the SCSI parking lot 

off Sherman Avenue. All entrants must be 

parked by 5:45 p.m. All who wish to participate must register by Nov. 28. 

The parade is accepting walkers/

marchers, bicycles, golf carts, vehicles, 

and floats (vehicle and trailer). Safety is 

of the utmost importance and should be 

considered when designing themes. 

Register at Morale Welfare and 

Recreation Admin. Bldg. 760. 

Following the parade, a concert featuring 

Emerson Drive will begin at 9 p.m. at the 

Downtown Lyceum.

For more information, call 4882.

NEX tree judging 

Fit Factor track meet 

Guantanamo holiday 

parade and concert Bayview holiday dinner and a movie

Bayview Friday night 

prime rib dinners

Interview training

Calling All-Army 

females

INDEX

The Wire

November 25, 2011

Turkey Shoot-Out 5

Holy Joe’s Cafe 7

Mail call 9

Reel Rock Film Tour 8

Transition Assistance Center 9

Thanksgiving 10

Holiday budgeting 13

Movie review: Tower Heist 18

leaders, breed mistrust in others. It 

results in low morale and, ultimately, 

undisciplined behavior in those entrusted to 

our care because they see the lack of unity 

in leadership.

I challenge every leader here to step up 

and put their heart into the work and care 

for the result, the result of well-disciplined, 

well-cared-for Troopers who enjoy good 

morale. Put aside your selfish desires and 

whatever grievances you have against your 

coworkers and care for the team. 

Rebuild trust. Own your shortcomings; 

make a resolution to change divisive speech 

and behavior whether it is public or private. 

Stop looking out only for what you want, 

and care for the cause of caring for our 

Troopers. A house divided against itself 

cannot stand. Let us challenge ourselves to 

trust like a child who never fails to put his 

welfare, his confidence and his life into his 

father’s hands. 

COMMAND cont. 

AMC flight deadlines
 The Wire | Page 4 Trooper to Trooper |

Trooper to Trooper

You honorably serve our great nation in the Army, Navy, Air 

Force, Marines and Coast Guard. The citizens of our country are 

grateful. You wear our uniforms with pride because you are in the 

public eye. While you are concerned about the appearance of the 

uniform you wear, do not forget you are the most valued asset. You 

need to protect and preserve this asset: you! In each day, there are 

1,440 minutes. Schedule 30 of those minutes for daily exercise!

As a mentor to young Soldiers, Airmen and Sailors and as an 

advisor to officers and senior enlisted Troopers, I challenge all 

to partake in a daily regimen for improved physical conditioning. 

Serving in the military is oftentimes strenuous. Regular exercise 

is a critical part of staying healthy. This enables us to engage in 

and accomplish the arduous tasks which our profession requires. 

Also, the ability to cope with mental stress is enhanced by regular 

physical exercise. 

Physical fitness is your level of muscular endurance, flexibility, 

muscular strength, cardiovascular endurance, and a lean body mass 

composition. In order to achieve a high level of physical fitness, 

we must remove ourselves from a sedentary lifestyle. Become more 

active! Approximately 24 percent of all Americans don’t exercise 

at all! Do we wonder why chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, 

weight-related diabetes and hypertension are endemic?

You may ask what you can do to get started in an exercise 

program. If you have any medical concerns, always check with 

a physician before getting started. You already possess a level of 

physical fitness in order to serve in the military. 

First, in order to motivate yourself, select a form of physical 

exercise you enjoy. This will enable you to maintain your exercise 

program. Here at Guantanamo Bay, you can participate in numerous 

physical activities: walking, jogging, bicycling, swimming, weight 

training, basketball and trail hiking, to name a few.

Second, incorporate your physical activities into your daily 

schedule. If weather becomes a factor, substitute another activity 

to fulfill your exercise program. Do not revert to a sedentary 

lifestyle!

Third, build variety into your fitness program. Design a program 

which includes several activities. For example, jog on Mondays and 

Wednesdays, lift weights on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and swim on 

Fridays. You can participate in group exercise programs as well. 

Fourth, be consistent and persistent in your participation in a 

physical fitness routine. Increased strength and flexibility are direct 

results of regular physical activity.

As you engage in a regular physical fitness program, remember 

to start slowly. Do not exceed your capabilities. I realize you 

are determined to succeed. However, increase your endurance, 

strength, and flexibility at a steady pace to avoid injury. This is a 

long distance, lifelong race. A fast start does not mean you will be 

the first to cross the finish line. Your fitness level will improve if 

you maintain your discipline.

First Sergeant Peter Hunter

474th Expeditionary Civil Engineering Squadron

 see TROOPER next page

SHOPSEC

The weeks after Thanksgiving are a time when everyone is rushing to get their 

holiday shopping done. Be careful when entering credit card information online, and 

always make sure a website is legitimate. Avoid “phishing” scams by deleting emails 

which may look like they are from real websites, but ask you for financial or personal 

information. Only use shopping sites which offer buyer protection. Take extra care 

when shopping “Cyber Monday,” the online answer to in-store Black Friday sales. 

Identity theft and credit fraud always spike this time of year. Be safe and enjoy the 

holiday season. USE OPSEC! 

PSEC ALERT

PROTECT YOUR INFO!

Air Force First Sgt. Peter Hunter and Air Force Staff Sgt. Crystal Toyne prepare for 

the day’s tasks at the Base Emergency Engineering Force (BEEF). –photo courtesy 

Tech. Sgt. Kevin Logue, 474th Expeditionary Civil Engineering Squadron

| Sports The Wire | Page 5

They met just shortly after noon; they only 

had one load of rounds to prove their worth. 

Every shot counted in this match-up. In the 

end only one could claim top marksman in the 

Paintball Turkey Shoot-Out. 

Morale Welfare and Recreation held a 

Paintball Turkey Shoot-Out Nov. 20 at the 

paintball range. The shoot-out was point based 

and tested paintball gunners’ accuracy. To make 

the playing field even, the gunners were required 

to use the same Spyder paintball gun and Valker 

Redemption paintballs instead of their own. 

“We wanted to make it fair; some people 

have really high-end guns that shoot much 

straighter because they use more pressure,” said 

Tim Baugh, the MWR Outdoor 

Recreation Director. “So, it just 

makes it fair if everyone uses 

the same gun, the same paint, 

and the same masks.”

The targets, an assortment of 

outdated recreation equipment, 

were valued at either one or two 

points depending on the difficulty of hitting 

it. This allowed for different approaches of 

success and strategies when shooting at the 

targets. 

“Since I couldn’t use my own equipment, I 

shot my first few rounds to gauge the gun,” said 

Petty Officer 2nd Class Robert Eller. “Then I 

went to the biggest target and just unloaded on 

it.” 

When all shooters were finished, Eller, 

a master-at-arms, won second place and an 

MWR gift bag.

Beyond the competitive side, the Turkey 

Shoot-Out offered Troopers an opportunity 

to come out and have a good time with the 

community and be role models to the younger 

generation. 

 “We encourage the younger kids to come 

out,” said Eller. “Safety is paramount. I come 

out every weekend. It’s my hobby and I’ve been 

playing since I was young.” 

Paintball enthusiasts like Eller hope that 

events like the turkey shoot-out will draw in 

new people to the sport. 

“What I hope is that exposes people to 

paintball so more will come out and play,” said 

Eller. “It’s cheaper here then playing in the 

States and that’s great.”

With paintball events held each month, 

competitors can be sure to hit their targets 

again.

Above: Master-at-Arms 2nd Class Robert Eller wins second place at the MWR Turkey Shoot-Out 

Nov. 20. Right: Shooters find their targets at the paintball range. –photo by Army Sgt. Saul Rosa

Improving your physical fitness level 

does not guarantee you will live to the age 

of 100. However, the quality of your life 

will be better through improved fitness. 

It should not be attained merely to pass a 

test. Fitness should be a way of life as long 

as you are alive. Eat healthy foods and 

obtain proper rest as you embark on your 

life journey toward physical fitness. Doing 

so will add to your level of success. 

I challenge all Joint Task Force 

Guantanamo Troopers to incorporate 

physical fitness into their lifestyle. 

Remember, with 1,440 minutes in a day, 

use 30 minutes to exercise!

TROOPER cont. 

By Army Sgt. Saul Rosa 

Turkey Shoot-Out: Good fun, no fowl
 The Wire | Page 6 Trooper Focus |

If you asked Army Sgt. Heather Blackwell 

what she does, she would answer that she 

simply does her job. But as a recently promoted 

sergeant in the Joint Trooper Clinic, her job 

encompasses a lot. 

“If they are in the Joint Task Force, I do 

their medevac,” said Blackwell. 

A medical evacuation is not always an 

emergency situation, but arranged when a 

patient needs services off the island. Blackwell 

is responsible for routine flights as well as 

finding doctors and hospitals outside of 

Guantanamo Bay which can provide a medical 

service the hospital on base cannot. She is also 

responsible for setting up appointments for 

Troopers. 

“It’s a lot of phone calls, e-mails, and 

paperwork,” said Blackwell. 

When Blackwell arrived, she learned 

different medevac procedures and quickly 

adapted to her new role in the clinic. She 

persevered and has improved the system in 

the process by updating old and new files and 

expanding the contacts database. 

“Now there’s a hard copy of everything 

I do and it’s universal,” said Blackwell. 

“Everybody has a folder and everybody has a 

digital copy.” 

Blackwell came to the island in January 2011 

as an E-4 with a list of goals to accomplish 

before leaving Guantanamo Bay. 

“I received my volunteer award while I 

was here,” said Blackwell. “I went to school 

and made the commandant’s list. I went to 

the Warrior 

L e a d e r s h i p 

Course, and I 

got promoted.”

Blackwell’s 

role in the office 

has impressed 

her noncommissioned 

officer in charge, Army Staff 

Sgt. Darol Burdge.

“She’s outstanding, 

honestly,” said Burdge, the 

clinic’s NCOIC. “She’s one 

of those people that any time 

you need something done 

right and you don’t want to 

worry about it, you ask her.”

Prior to making E-5, 

Blackwell had been 

promotable for over a year. She 

focused on advancing from the 

time she arrived to Guantanamo 

Bay, and accomplished her goal 

in October. As a woman in 

the military, Blackwell offers 

her advice to fellow female 

Troopers. 

“Make sure you work for 

what you get, and don’t let 

someone just hand it to you,” 

said Blackwell. “I promise, it’s 

a better feeling knowing you 

worked for it.” 

What is the best part of a tropical Thanksgiving?

“The water. I plan to spend 

Thanksgiving taking 

photos of the reefs.”

Spc. Bobby Allen 

trooper focus

“The food. Lt. Col. Shields 

is hosting a J1 potluck.”

Logistics Spc. 2nd Class 

Casey Schedule

“The food and the tighter 

camaraderie we will all 

have that day.”

Army Sgt. Xenia Luna

“Diving! I just got qualified 

Sunday. I will be spending 

the holiday at Phillips Dive 

Park.”

Fire Controlman 2nd Class 

Jorge Carpio

Bullet Bio

Time in service: 4 years

Hobbies: Fishing, tanning, boating

The boss says: “She does her job and she does it well.”

Advice to junior Troopers: “Don’t give up, especially on promotion. That’s really big.”

By Army Sgt. Saul Rosa

Boots on the Ground

 The Wire | Page 7

It’s here. It’s here! It’s finally here!

After weeks of anticipation, a package 

from home finally arrives. The card is full of 

old news and the cookies are a little crushed, 

but it’s all in Mom’s handwriting.

“We’ve had quite a few holiday boxes 

already,” said Army 2nd Lt. Mercie Turner, 

525th Military Police Battalion S1 officer in 

charge.

Turner, who counts postal officer among 

his additional duties, has already noticed 

an uptick in the homey goodies coming in 

with the usual pile of letters. His section is 

responsible for distributing mail to Soldiers 

of the 525th MPs.

Despite email’s wide availability, either at 

the office, Internet cafe or SCSI hookup, there 

is just no electronic substitute for holding a 

loved one’s words in one’s hands. 

“You can tell someone took the time to 

get a card, write a letter, get a stamp, and take 

it to the post office,” said Navy Petty Officer 

2nd Class Jeffrey Powell. “It’s a keepsake. You 

can’t keep email unless you print it out.”

Powell, an information systems technician 

for J6, is stocked up on Guantanamo Bay 

T-shirts and mugs to send home. He plans on 

sending his family’s presents in the next few 

days to get them home in time for Christmas.

However, other families’ holidays won’t 

have to wait.

“People are buying stuff on Amazon and 

sending it directly,” Turner said. 

Unless it’s a Guantanamo Bay-unique 

banana rat plush toy or a Radio GTMO T-shirt, 

it might be a good idea to take advantage of 

holiday discounts and free shipping from an 

online retailer so close to Dec. 25. But no 

matter which direction the mail is moving, 

keep writing letters and have your family do 

the same. 

“Mail is the number one morale enhancer 

in a deployed environment,” said Army Master 

Sgt. James Johnson. “It’s often the only way 

you can get anything from home.” 

Johnson, who is the noncommissioned 

officer in charge for both the Joint Task Force 

Guantanamo J1 section and Camp America 

postal operations, encourages everyone 

sending gifts back home to do so as soon as 

possible.

“We’ve started tracking how much mail we 

get,” he said. “We expect a 40 to 60 percent 

increase in volume for Nov. 15 through Jan 

15., which is the holiday rush.”

Either way, Johnson added, figure about 

two extra weeks into the equation.

“Letters and first class are the first thing on 

the truck,” he said. “Registered is the safest, 

and you can track it, but it’s slower. Priority is 

the best way to send everything to your loved 

ones for the holiday.”

Priority mail boxes and envelopes are 

available in the Camp America and naval station 

post offices. The Camp America location takes 

cash only, and customs forms are required to 

mail most items from Guantanamo Bay to the 

States. Johnson recommends sending gifts to 

the U.S. no later than Dec. 5, and earlier for all 

other international locations.

And when the mail does finally arrive, 

whether it be a week early or a month late, 

you’ll feel just like a little kid on Christmas.

Mail maximizes morale

Send the holiday joy home – now

By Army 1st Lt. Amelia Thatcher

Thank heavens!

Free coffee available 

for Troopers

The Joint Task Force Guantanamo 

Chaplain Section has a new ministry 

brewing through the support of Holy 

Joe’s Cafe and Green Mountain Coffee. 

Holy Joe’s Cafe is a nonprofit organization based out of the First Congregational Church in Wallingford, Conn., 

which supplies free Keurig coffee makers and K-cups to deployed service 

members in all theaters of operation.

“I first benefited from Holy Joe’s 

while deployed in Fallujah, Iraq with 

the Seabees in 2007–2008,” said Navy 

Chaplain Capt. Bradley Thom, JTF 

Guantanamo chaplain.

Thom said he was reintroduced to 

the organization by a chance phone call 

routed to his Pentagon office as he was 

preparing for his assignment to JTF 

Guantanamo. 

In talking with Thomas Jastermsky, 

founder of Holy Joe’s Cafe, Thom 

mentioned his past experience and his 

upcoming assignment to Guantanamo. 

Even before Thom arrived in October, 

four pallets of Green Mountain Coffee, equal to about 20,000 cups, had 

been received by Air Force Chaplain 

Lt. Col. Gary Bertsch and were in use 

at the Iguana Cafe on Chapel Hill, on 

the naval station side of Guantanamo 

Bay. The first Holy Joe’s Cafe appeared 

in the JTF chaplains’ office earlier this 

month. Anyone can stop in during the 

office hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday for a free cup of 

coffee and some light conversation to 

take the edge off the day.

As new Keurig Elite coffee makers 

began arriving at JTF Guantanamo, 

Holy Joe’s Cafe coffee became more 

widely available. Just last week, the 

next two Holy Joe’s Cafes began offering free coffee at Camps 5 and 6 in the 

main buildings’ break areas.

“Chaps is a good man,” said a member of the guard force. “The Chaps and 

these guys here, they take really good 

care of us.”

Navy Chaplain Lt. Cmdr. Marc McDoweoll, Petty Officer 2nd Class Vanessa Rocha, and Petty Officer 3rd Class 

Dana Pratt, all from the JTF Chaplains’ 

office, delivered the first of the guard 

force coffee makers and several boxes 

of coffee on Monday afternoon.

“I haven’t been on any ships with 

free coffee,” another guard exclaimed. 

“I love free coffee!” 

For more information on Holy Joe’s 

Cafe, visit www.holyjoescafe.org or 

hwww.deansbeans.com/coffee/holyjoes.html.

By Sgt. 1st Class Jerome Grant

| News
A Rockin' 

Good Weekend

atDowntown

Lyceum

Below: Petty Officer 3rd 

Class Nicholas Fleischhauer scales the rock 

wall on Saturday’s Reel 

Rock Film Tour excursion. –photo by Army 

Sgt. Saul Rosa

 The Wire | Page 8 Feature |

The wall stood nearly 20 feet 

tall, gouged by tiny nooks and 

handholds. The objective was 

simple: scale the wall as quickly as 

possible, an extreme challenge for 

the extreme Reel Rock Tour.

Liberty Guantanamo Bay hosted 

the first Reel Rock Tour Saturday at 

the Downtown Lyceum. The event 

brought together the Reel Rock 

Tour and some hands-on rock 

climbing.

 The Reel Rock Tour combines 

climbing and outdoor adventures 

with filmmaking and the cinema 

experience. The film consisted 

of six short films about climbing 

and the winning videos of the 

2011 Reel Rock Tour Filmmaking 

Competition. 

“We were hoping to bring the 

community of Guantanamo Bay 

together, and be able to offer 

something new and different for 

the community that hasn’t been 

offered before,” said Jill Lynch, the 

Liberty Program Manager.

The Reel Rock Tour kicked 

off with free climbing on the rock 

wall, which led into the climbing 

competition. The only rule: hit the 

red button as fast as possible. 

“I figured it would be a good 

idea to come out here,” said 

Petty Officer 3rd Class Nicholas 

Fleischhauer. “I was a little bit 

nervous and afraid to rock climb. 

But when I got into the full swing 

of things it turned out I did a little 

better then I though I would.” 

Fleischhauer, a hospital 

corpsman, did quite well. He 

pulled in first place in the rock wall 

climbing competition. 

“I felt like a dog chasing a ball, 

the red button being the ball,” said 

Fleischhauer. “All I could think was 

go faster, get that red button, get 

up there. That’s what I focused on. 

I just looked at the red button and I 

blanked out everything else.”

As a father and noncommissioned officer, Petty 

Officer 1st Class Andrew Wilson 

understands the benefits of new and 

different events to keep Troopers 

engaged in positive activities.

“I think this is really good for 

the families and the enlisted,” said 

Wilson, a hospital corpsman. “This 

incorporates fitness with having a 

fun time.” 

Fleischhauer welcomes events 

like the Reel Rock Tour which add 

to the lifestyle on the island. 

“I think Cuba would be nowhere 

as fun without these events,” said 

Fleischhauer “I think there should 

be more encouragement to get 

people out here because anybody 

who is not here is missing out.” 

With the wall conquered and 

Guantanamo’s first Reel Rock Tour 

complete, the evening’s success 

answered the question of what can 

Troopers do on a Saturday night to 

have an extreme time.

By Army Sgt. Saul Rosa

U.S. Southern Command Gen. Douglas M. Fraser shares 

Thanksgiving dinner with Joint Task Force Guantanamo Trooper 

of the Quarter Petty Officer 1st Class Alexander Bates. Bates is a 

master-at-arms in the Navy Expeditionary Guard Battalion.

| Feature The Wire | Page 9
 The Wire |

Page 10

Feature | | 

Feature The Wire|Page 11

Gen. Douglas M. Fraser, commander 

of U.S. Southern Command, played host 

to service members and their families 

during Joint Task Force Guantanamo’s 

Thanksgiving celebration Thursday.

Fraser and his family served Thanksgiving 

dinner as a way to show their appreciation 

to Troopers currently deployed to JTF 

Guantanamo. Several Troopers also had 

the honor of eating their Thanksgiving meal 

with the general, including Petty Officer 1st 

Class Marcus Thomas, a member of the Joint 

Task Force’s Legal Services Department.

“I think the general coming down here to 

show his support means a lot,” said Thomas. 

“He and his family could have spent their 

Thanksgiving anywhere, but their decision to 

come here has gone a long way for Trooper 

morale.”

Fraser understands the importance 

of sustaining Troopers’ well-being, and 

recognizes that some service members may 

find the holiday season difficult due to being 

separated from their families. He said his 

family’s decision to have Thanksgiving at 

JTF Guantanamo was to encourage the 

bonds Troopers have with each other, and 

to strengthen the bonds service members 

have with their families.

“Thanksgiving is an important day to 

be with family,” Fraser said. “Most of the 

men and women here unfortunately do not 

have that luxury this holiday season. We 

wanted to be with these service members to 

honor their contributions and their family’s 

contributions to the military service.”

Thomas said he appreciates General 

Fraser and his family coming to JTF 

Guantanamo to show their support. 

 “I think the general’s visit symbolizes the 

support, not only that Joint Task Force has 

from its seniors, but the support Troopers 

have from their families as well,” Thomas 

said. “We are separated from them physically, 

but they are with us in our hearts.” 

Fraser’s visit was part of the Guantanamo 

Bay community’s seasonal celebration this 

weekend, which includes Thursday’s Turkey 

Trot 10K run and a tree lighting ceremony, 

to be held in the Navy Exchange atrium 

tonight. 

By Mass Communication Spc. 2nd Class Louis Batchelor

Right: U.S. Southern Command leaders serve Thanksgiving dinner to Joint Task Force Guantanamo troops. 

Gen. Douglas M. Fraser, his wife Rena and daughter Hannah Green; and U.S. Southern Command Sgt. Maj. 

Louis Espinal and his wife Margarita formed the serving line Thursday at Seaside Galley. –photos by Mass 

Communication Spc. 1st Class Ty Bjornson and Mass Communication Spc. 2nd Class Kilho Park

A family tradition
Breaking the bank

Keep that holiday budget under control

Money M att ers

It’s Friday morning after Thanksgiving and the turkey is barely cold 

in the fridge, and half the town has already started lining up outside 

big-box stores in search of a great deal on flat-screen televisions. 

Internet retailers, too, are poised for massive sales traffic in the days 

between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

With the Guantanamo Bay Naval Station Navy Exchange opened at 

6 a.m. as well, the scenery should look similar to stores back home. 

“Lines go to the parking lot,” said NEX manager Mark Good. 

“It’s like Customer Appreciation Day. We have a 400 to 500 percent 

sales increase just that morning.”

However, young or cash-strapped Troopers should take note: it’s 

not all about the stuff.

“There is always a danger when the holidays come,” said Navy Lt. 

Tung Tran, a chaplain at the naval station main chapel. “People want 

to give material gifts. But we are gifts to one another.”

Fleet and Family Services advises Troopers to spend with caution. 

While Troopers deployed here won’t have a houseful of family 

members to feed and entertain, they must factor in things like food 

and beverages for the office party and the cost of shipping gifts 

home.

According to Military One Source, the average American spends 

more than $1,000 during the holiday season, and puts much of that 

on a credit card. Always try to avoid starting the new year with credit 

card debt.

Instead of running up large bills all at once, make a list of people 

you’d like to buy for and set a limit. And if you don’t make it to the 

Black Friday NEX sales, keep in mind there will be more throughout 

the month of December. 

“This is the Thanksgiving season,” Tran said. “All of us have 

something to be thankful for and have someone to thank.”

Either way, your loved ones will be grateful for the toy iguana you 

send home not because it’s cute and cuddly, but because you’re the 

one who took time to send it. 

By Army 1st Lt. Amelia Thatcher

| Feature The Wire | Page 13

– Make a list of everyone 

you want to buy a gift for, 

and set a dollar limit on 

how much to spend.

– Host a potluck meal 

instead of supplying all the 

food yourself.

– Don’t forget to factor 

traveling expenses into your 

holiday budget.

–Cut back on airfare by 

driving or visiting family 

members soon after the 

holidays, as opposed to 

buying expensive lastminute tickets.

– Reuse last year’s 

decorations.

– Consider a family “secret 

Santa” instead of having 

each person buy everyone 

gifts.

– Consider homemade

presents or give the gift of 

time. For example, promise 

to help an elderly relative 

with chores twice a month 

throughout the coming year.

For more tips, go to 

www. militaryonesource.com

If your military service is coming to 

a close because of retirement, retention 

boards, or the end of your orders, you may 

want to start looking toward your future 

plans now. The Fleet and Family Services 

Transition Assistance Center and Joint Task 

Force One Stop can help.

Helping Troopers find a new career isn’t 

the only thing the Transition Assistance 

Center does. 

“I’m here to help with a variety of things,” 

said April Holland, a work and family life 

specialist at the Fleet and Family Support 

Center, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

 In addition to helping people search for 

government employment on USA Jobs and 

craft private industry resumes, Holland also 

helps Troopers build their college resumes 

and graduate school applications. 

The help doesn’t end once applications 

and resumes start rolling out to various 

employers. 

“If a potential employer needs documents 

and a troop needs things scanned, we can do 

that,” Holland said. “And if a person needs 

to contact a potential employer by phone in 

the States, we can help with that too.”

Troops looking to transition out of the 

military should start at least 12 months 

before their end of service; earlier if possible 

so they can get familiar with all the resources 

available. However, it’s never too late to start 

gathering information. 

“We’ve had people come in and load up 

on info the day before they get on the plane 

to leave,” Holland said.

To get a head start on information 

gathering and all that Transition Services 

has to offer, Troopers and their dependents 

can go to the main Department of Defense 

site for transition services at www.turbotap.

org. Here, troops and their families can 

take advantage of free webinars on resume 

writing, preparing for job interviews, 

obtaining federal jobs, and even how to use 

social media in finding a job.

Speak with a career counselor or pick 

up informational materials at the Fleet and 

Family Services Center on the Naval Station 

side, Monday through Thursday from 7:30 

a.m.–4:30 p.m. and Fridays from 10:00 a.m.–

4:30 p.m. Additionally, the Joint Task Force 

One Stop offers transition services assistance 

every Thursday from 12-4 p.m. in building 

1451. For specific questions regarding these 

and other services, call JTF One Stop at 8127 

or FFSC at 4079/4141.

The buck doesn’t stop here

By Sgt. 1st Class Jerome Grant

 The Wire | Page 12 Feature |
| At Your Service The Wire | Page 15

c o a s t t o co a s t

WASHINGTON – As the sun sets on the career of Maj. Gen. Alfred 

K. Flowers, he looks back with a sense of accomplishment. 

Flowers, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Budget, Office of the 

Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management and 

Comptroller, is set to retire from the Air Force on Jan. 1, 2012. 

With 46 years of service to his country, Flowers is the longest serving Airman and currently the longest serving Air Force officer who 

began their service since the creation of the U.S. Air Force in 1947. 

“When you start at age 17, you can get a lot done by the time you 

are 60,” Flowers said.

A Kinston, N.C., native, Flowers was raised by his grandparents, 

who were sharecroppers. He credits humble beginnings as the foundation that carried him to where he is today. 

“Being raised by grandparents who instilled the morals, the values, 

the integrity of doing the right thing and treating people the way you 

want to be treated has been important,” he said. “I credit a lot of my 

makeup, morals and ethical values and attitudes to them.”

These values guided Flowers to perform his best in school and propelled him to graduate high school at 17. He followed the model of a 

cousin who had joined the Army a few years earlier and was doing well. 

He asked his grandmother’s permission to join the Air Force in 1965.

Upon completion of basic military training, Flowers received a direct to duty assignment as a supply warehouseman at Grand Forks Air 

Force Base, N.D., which he recalls was a completely different environment from where he grew up. 

After spending two years at Grand Forks Air Force Base, Flowers 

was retrained into air transportation and received one of his most difficult assignments of his career – casualty collection at Da Nang Air 

Base, Vietnam, in 1968.

“I knew that there was a war going on and it was a dangerous place,” 

Flowers said. 

In Vietnam, Flowers’ primary mission was to haul wounded and deceased soldiers out of the jungle at night.

“It was a job that had to be done but one that was very difficult,” 

Flowers said. “Those young Soldiers and Marines deserved all the dignity and respect we could give.”

There were many mentors who helped mold Flowers’ career and he 

recalls his time at the 374th Tactical Fighter Squadron Moody AFB, Ga., 

and Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley AFB, Va., as assignments where his leadership helped unlock his potential as an officer. 

Through the selfless leadership of others, Flowers said he was allowed to try and succeed or fail based on the support of others around 

him. This is something he has tried to pass on to enlisted and officers 

alike throughout the years.

One important piece to a successful mission, according to Flowers, 

is everyone working together as a team. He said at times he felt a distinct 

advantage having spent 13 years as an enlisted Airman; it allowed him to 

mesh officer and enlisted capabilities. 

“The thing that you can never forget as an officer is if you are going 

to be successful, the enlisted community and all of those around you 

are what make you successful,” Flowers said. “None of us are good 

enough to make ourselves successful, and I never forgot where I came 

from.”

Longest serving Airman calls it a career

USCG vessels rescue commercial fishers off Florida

KEY WEST, Fla. – Coast Guard planes, helicopters, cutters and small boat crews responded to three boats taking on water in the vicinity 

of Key West, Fla., Saturday.

Coast Guard watchstanders at Sector Key 

West were notified at 5:39 p.m. Nov. 19 of a 

43-foot commercial fishing vessel Deep, taking on water with two people 34 miles west of 

Key West. The Coast Guard issued an Urgent 

Marine Information Broadcast, diverted Coast 

Guard Cutter Nantucket, and launched a Station Key West 45-foot Response Boat Medium 

and a Coast Guard Air Station Miami HH-65 

Dolphin rescue helicopter crew.

Nantucket crewmembers arrived on scene 

and discovered one person sitting on the hull 

of the over turned vessel and the other person 

in the life raft. The two people were rescued 

by Nantucket crewmembers. No medical concerns were noted.

At 7:44 p.m. the same evening, Sector Key 

West watchstanders were notified of a 73-foot 

commercial fishing vessel taking on water 

50 miles northwest of Key West. The Coast 

Guard issued an Urgent Marine Information 

Broadcast, diverted cutter Nantucket and 

launched an Air Station Miami HC-144 fixed 

wing aircraft crew. A “good Samaritan” aboard 

the commercial fishing vessel Southern Grace 

also responded.

The vessel partially sunk, causing the three 

people aboard to abandon ship and board a 

life raft. The life raft capsized and the three 

people entered the water. Two of the three 

people were rescued by Nantucket crewmembers. One person was rescued by Southern 

Grace. One of three people rescued sustained 

minor injuries.

Coast Guard Cutter Ocracoke diverted and 

monitored the situation until commercial salvage assistance arrived. 

“Coast Guard patrol boats like the cutter 

Nantucket and Ocracoke deliver the Coast 

Guard’s unique blend of military capability, 

law enforcement authority and lifesaving expertise wherever needed along the Coast,” said 

Cmdr. Gary Tomasulo, Deputy Commander, 

Sector Key West. “I am proud of our highly 

trained and proficient crews.”

Coast Guard Cutters Nantucket and Cutter Ocracoke are 110-foot Island-class Patrol 

Boats homeported in St. Petersburg, Fla.

By Tech Sgt. Richard Williams

Air Force Public Affairs Agency

By 7th District Coast Guard Public Affairs

United States Coast Guard

O n T h e wing

 The Wire | Page 14 At Your Service |

I n th e fig ht

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – 

Religious cultural advisors (RCAs) from the 

Afghan Air Force and the Afghan National 

Army met with U.S. Army religious support 

teams from the 159th Combat Aviation Brigade at Kandahar Airfield Nov. 15 to further 

expand an evolving partnership.

Chaplains have been a part of the U.S. Army 

for 236 years, explained Maj. Brian Curry, the 

brigade chaplain for the 159th CAB, which is 

partnered with the Kandahar Air Wing of the 

Afghan Air Force. In the U.S. Army, chaplains 

help Soldiers to keep their faith and morale, 

similarly to their Afghan partners.

There have been many miscommunications 

about what American Soldiers do, said Afghan 

Lt. Col. Sayed Balkishah, the religious and cultural advisor for the Kandahar Air Wing. 

“We have three main missions,” Curry said 

of the chaplains. “We nurture the living, care 

for the wounded, and honor the dead.”

To demonstrate how the chaplains nurture 

the living, Curry and his team showed the Afghan RCAs a coffee shop that was built and is 

operated by the religious support teams. The 

shop is run primarily off of donations, many 

of which come from schools and churches in 

the United States. It provides a place for Soldiers to take a break from their work, watch 

movies, read books, play games, or use computers or phones to talk to their families in the 

United States.

“This is very good for the Soldiers’ brains,” 

said ANA RCA Col. Khalilullah as he looked 

around the computer room in the coffee shop. 

“This makes morale high.”

The RCAs also run a literacy program and 

a language program to teach their Soldiers how 

to read and write, and how to speak English. 

More than 200 Afghan soldiers participated in 

the last iteration of the training. 

“The Quran tells us that education is important, and so we try to teach our soldiers,” 

said Balkishah.

Afghans partner with U.S. chaplains

The girls are back in town: FET resets

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – A 

surge of over 40 Marines with the Female Engagement Team came to Camp Leatherneck, 

Helmand province, where they were able to 

kick up their boots and talk about their experiences in Afghanistan since they began their 

deployment.

During their time on Camp Leatherneck 

FET received reset training, which the unit 

conducts every 45 days. In their reset training classes the Marines covered topics such as 

Rules of Engagement, escalation of force and 

basic lessons learned on relationship building 

with the local Afghan populace. 

“It gives us an opportunity to re-group 

and re-organize our missions,” said Sgt. Jessica 

Lugo, the FET 6 team leader in Sangin district, 

who grew up in Los Angeles. “A lot of things 

can happen in 45 days. When we come back 

(here) we can do those lessons learned, recap, 

learn anything and revise anything that we 

might need to execute later on in the future.”

The mission of FET is to reach out to and 

interact with Afghan women and their children. Until FET was established, women and 

children were not heard from because of cultural restrictions. Afghan women past the age 

of puberty are not permitted to talk to men.

Since FET, made up of nearly two dozen 

two- to three-member female teams of Marines and Sailors serving as hospitalwomen, 

were stood up nearly two years ago, they have 

been able to build relationships with Afghan 

women within their communities. 

A main priority of the FET team members during reset training is to talk among one 

another about lessons learned and come up 

with new ideas on how to approach women, 

different ways to get word out in the villages 

about upcoming meetings, or even different 

ways to possibly get local Afghans to understand the importance of sending their children 

to school.

It is nice to hear about the progress being 

made in other districts such as Marjah and what 

they are doing, so when it comes time when 

teams such as the ones in Sangin are ready to 

do something new, they already have an idea 

about what should and should not work, emphasized Lugo, who is a military policewoman 

by trade. 

Armed with lessons learned during reset 

training and the successes of previous FETs, 

current team members said they are looking 

forward to accomplishing their missions and 

goals within the communities of Helmand 

province in the upcoming months.

WASHINGTON – Sailors considered by 

Phase I of the Enlisted Retention Board may 

now view their retention status on BUPERS 

Online, according to NAVADMIN 354/11. 

The Phase I ERB reviewed the records 

of ERB-eligible E-4 and E-5 Sailors from 31 

overmanned ratings. The board was charged 

with reviewing each candidate’s official military personnel file and any correspondence 

submitted by the member to identify the best 

qualified Sailors to receive the finite number 

of retention quotas available in a fair and 

transparent manner.

Sailors considered by the board are classified in one of three categories in BOL.

S- Selected for retention

N- Not selected for retention 

C- Selected for rating conversion.

ERB Phase II, for E6-E8 Sailors, adjourned Oct 27. Phase II results will be reviewed by BUPERS for conversion opportunities prior to release. Commanders will 

notify ERB Phase II Sailors in the same manner as Phase I.

Sailors not selected for retention will have 

access to the Navy’s transition assistance 

management program and other benefits 

for members who are involuntary separated. 

This assistance will be proactive, comprehensive, tailored and supported by every level of 

the chain of command. 

“If you’ve served in the Navy, you’ve 

been a good military team member, and we 

want to give you and your families the best 

possible transition benefits,” said Rear Adm. 

Martha Herb, director of Personal Readiness 

and Community Support.

“If you are not selected to stay in the 

Navy, you can succeed on the outside with 

your proven military values, education, training, and experience,” she said. “The transition tools we’re providing for separating Sailors will help you hit the ground running and 

get off to a good start.”

Sailors separating due to the ERB will be 

eligible for targeted ourreach assistance from 

various transition service providers. Additionally, the following Web-based resources 

are available:

Navy chaplain support: 

http://chaplaincare.navy.mil

Military One Source:

http://www.militaryonesource.com

By Cpl. Katherine Keleher

II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward)

From the Chief of Naval Personnel

Naval Personnel Command

on th e D EC K

By Sgt. 1st Class Stephanie L. Carl

Army.mil

on th e groun d

Phase I ERB 

results available 

to sailors
| Mind, Body & Spirit The Wire | Page 17

Mind, 

Body 

& Spirit

by Mass Communication Spc. 

2nd Class Louis Batchelor

Physical readiness is a key element in Joint Task Force Guantanamo’s 

unique mission. Troopers must adapt to the ever-evolving undertakings 

and activities surrounding our day-to-day lives.

However, sometimes it can be difficult to fit physical training 

into our busy schedules. Troopers sometimes forgo gym activities 

altogether, opting to find other alternatives to winding down from a 

long day’s work.

Jen Norton, Naval Station Guantanamo Bay’s Resident Fitness 

Director, and her team of certified fitness experts work hard to ensure 

Troopers have a volume of fitness options available, no matter what 

their current schedule dictates.

“There is always time to exercise,” Norton said. “We have a lot 

of fitness opportunities here. We have a variety of classes available 

to troopers and their families, ranging from cycling and kickboxing 

to yoga and total body conditioning. If that doesn’t fit your schedule, 

something as little as walking instead of catching the bus is a benefit.”

Tanya Henigman, Naval Station Guantanamo Bay’s Lead Fitness 

Coordinator, agrees. Henigman’s major focus for Guantanamo Bay 

is fitness activities and awareness. She acts as Norton’s right hand, 

coordinating multiple fitness events, fun runs, sports schedules, classes 

and more for Guantanamo Bay’s Troopers and families.

“According to the ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) to 

obtain a training effect from a cardio vascular workout, you only need 

to participate in a cardio workout program three times per week, 20 

minutes consistently,” said Henigman. “To gain a muscular affect you 

need to participate in a strength building program twice a week. Even 

if you do not have the time to come to the gym and train, creating a 20-

minute workout routine and doing it while you watch TV will do the 

trick. Troopers cannot tell me they don’t find the time to watch TV.”

Norton and Henigman both understand the importance of 

balancing professional schedules with off duty activities. They implore 

all service members to utilize Morale Welfare and Recreation facilities 

and classes whenever possible. 

“If a Trooper can’t find the time to work out one hour, three times 

a week, he or she needs to examine their lifestyle and determine what 

is important,” Henigman said. “Besides, a Trooper’s well-being and 

career depends on staying mission ready.”

Henigman challenges Troopers to think about the future. She said 

most people move on to their post-military life after one or two tours. 

She wants people to understand that whether they decide to make a 

change in their habits for the military or not, the one thing people 

always have to face is themselves. According to her, that should be 

enough motivation by itself.

“It is up to you to make the positive change in your life,” Henigman 

said. “What do you want to look like in 20 years?”

For more information on upcoming fitness events, sports schedules 

and activities, or to set up an appointment with a personal fitness 

trainer, contact the MWR Fitness Desk at extension 2113.

Fitness options for all schedules

There is always time to work out

G.J. Denich Gym Hours of Operation

Mon.–Fri. 24 hours

Sat. & Sun. 9 a.m.–9 p.m.

Contact: 77262

Marine Hill Gym Hours of Operation

Mon.–Fri. 5–2 a.m.

Sat. & Sun. 9 a.m.–9 p.m.

Contact: 2285

Is it your week to run PT?

Command-organized physical training may be 

conducted at Denich Gym. Reservations must 

be made in advance at the front desk.

Treat people as they should be treated. Treat others with dignity and respect while expecting others 

to do the same. Respect is what allows us to appreciate the best in other people. Respect is trusting 

that all people have done their jobs and fulfilled their duty. Self-respect, which is just as important as respecting others and their work, results from knowing you have put forth your own best effort. 

Joint Task Force Guantanamo is one team and each of us has something to contribute.

Value of the Week: Respect

 The Wire | Page 16 Around the World |

WASHINGTON – Troops could see fewer 

military jobs, less dwell time, more outdated 

equipment and plenty of frustration for 

military planners for years to come, now that 

congressional efforts to trim the federal deficit 

have failed.

For the last three months, members of the 

bipartisan committee on deficit reduction – 

the so-called “supercommittee” – have been 

working on plans to cut $1.2 trillion in federal 

spending over the next 10 years.

But on Monday, committee members said 

they could not reach a deal, disbanding the 

effort without offering any plan.

In a statement, co-chairs Rep. Jeb 

Hensarling, R-Texas, and Sen. Patty Murray, 

D-Wash., said that “despite our inability to 

bridge the committee’s significant differences, 

we end this process united in our belief that 

the nation’s fiscal crisis must be addressed 

and that we cannot leave it for the next 

generation to solve. We remain hopeful that 

Congress can build on this committee’s work 

and can find a way to tackle this issue in a 

way that works for the American people and 

our economy.”

Here’s what troops need to know about this 

budget battle:

What happened this week?

The supercommittee had until this week to 

approve a plan, but fighting over whether tax 

hikes or other new revenue would be included 

in the proposal ultimately derailed the work.

Under terms approved by lawmakers 

in August, since the supercommittee could 

not reach a deal, $1.2 trillion in other federal 

spending curbs will automatically go into 

effect. 

Half of that sequestration amount will 

come from defense programs, and the other 

half will be spread over nonsecurity programs 

(although Social Security and Medicaid would 

be protected). The cuts would go into effect 

starting in 2013.

Should the military be worried?

Administration officials earlier this year 

promised $450 billion in defense cuts over 

the next decade. Pentagon leaders for months 

have been saying they can handle that funding 

reduction with minimal risk, and that the 

military must be part of the solution to the 

country’s budget crisis.

The $600 billion in automatic cuts would 

be on top of that promised $450 billion. For 

months, top military leaders have warned 

that slashing more than $1 trillion in defense 

money over the next decade could cripple the 

armed forces.

“It’s a ship without sailors,” Defense 

Secretary Leon Panetta said at a Pentagon press 

conference earlier this month. “It’s a brigade 

without bullets. It’s an air wing without enough 

trained pilots. It’s a paper tiger, an Army of 

barracks, buildings and bombs without 

enough trained soldiers able to accomplish the 

mission.”

In testimony before Congress this month, 

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton 

Schwartz said that “Sweeping cuts would slash 

our investment accounts, raid our operations 

and maintenance accounts ... and inflict real 

damage to the effectiveness and well-being of 

our airmen and their families. Ultimately, such 

a scenario gravely undermines our ability to 

protect the nation.”

Lawmakers are considering a total defense 

budget of roughly $680 billion for fiscal 

2012. With the two sets of cuts, Pentagon 

planners would be facing at least $100 billion 

less annually, almost a 15 percent cut in 

defense spending.

How will those cuts affect me?

Pentagon officials have not outlined 

specifics of what will be cut, saying they’ll 

make those decisions public when the fiscal 

2013 budget plans are announced in February.

However, service chiefs have given 

lawmakers hints of what to expect during 

recent hearings before Congress.

End strength and equipment replacement 

would face drastic cutbacks. Army Chief of 

Staff Gen. Ray Odierno said National Guard 

response to U.S. natural disasters would likely 

be curtailed, and fewer personnel could 

mean longer deployments for the troops left 

serving.

Operations like the U.S. involvement in 

Libya, the response to the Japanese earthquake 

and humanitarian missions across the globe 

would be impossible without that money, 

according to Chief of Naval Operations Adm. 

Jonathan Greenert. Overseas bases in Europe 

and the Pacific could be shrunk or closed.

White House officials have already publicly 

discussed changes to military retirement and 

new Tricare fees for veterans, both moves that 

could save hundreds of millions. 

No one so far has discussed cutting military 

pay, but troops have seen cost-of-living 

increases of less than 2 percent in their base 

pay each of the last two years.

Civilian defense workers remain under 

a pay freeze as part of cost-cutting moves 

announced late last year.

Can lawmakers just reverse those 

automatic cuts?

Some are trying, but President Obama 

said he will veto any attempt to do so, defying 

Republican lawmakers who arguue the 

automatic cuts in defense spending would 

jeopardize national security. McKeon said he 

will introduce legislation repealing the $600 

billion in defense cuts in the next few days.

But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has 

vowed to block those efforts, telling reporters 

last week that piling all of the cuts onto 

nondefense spending would be unfair and 

unrealistic.

None of the automatic cuts would go into 

effect until 2013, so lawmakers would in theory 

have all of next year to negotiate alternative 

cuts or tax increases to replace those budget 

reductions.

Is this the only budget fight to 

worry about?

No, Congress still hasn’t approved the 

defense budget for fiscal 2012, which began 

Oct. 1. Last week, lawmakers passed another 

extension of a continuing resolution keeping 

the federal government running until Dec. 16.

How will failure of ‘super committee’ affect the military?

WASHINGTON – China is criticizing the 

West for imposing new sanctions on Iran 

over its controversial nuclear program.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu 

Weimin told reporters in Beijing Wednesday 

the fresh sanctions will make the situation 

more complicated and could hurt the chances 

for peace and stability.

China’s condemnation of Western 

sanctions follows similar statements from 

Russia’s foreign ministry. Moscow Tuesday 

called the sanctions “unacceptable and 

contradictory to international law.” 

The U.S., Canada and Britain each 

announced new steps Monday to increase 

economic pressure against Iran in response to 

international concerns Tehran is developing 

nuclear weapons.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman 

Ramin Mehmanparast on Tuesday called 

the new sanctions “propaganda and 

psychological warfare.” He predicted they 

would prove ineffective, saying Iran’s trade 

and economic ties with the U.S. and Britain 

are small anyway.

The International Atomic Energy Agency 

released a report earlier this month citing 

intelligence about Iranian efforts to develop 

the technology needed to build nuclear 

weapons. Iran has said the report is based on 

fabrications and insists its nuclear program 

is peaceful.

By Leo Shane III

Stars and Stripes

China decries latest sanction against Iran

Voice of America News Service
As a moviegoer, you have to suspend your 

state of disbelief and accept, maybe even go 

along with, whatever is on the movie screen. 

That’s a given. “Make believe” is the name 

of the game, right? After all, horror films 

ask that you believe it’s possible for hockeymasked madmen to be virtually indestructible. 

Science fiction films ask you to believe life on 

other planets resemble E.T. and Mr. Spock. 

Romantic comedies would have you believe the 

lunatic ravings of a man in love is acceptable 

as charming courtship. Now comes “Tower 

Heist,” a madcap caper movie that would like 

for you to believe in an openly visible $44 

million dollar heist from a Manhattan highrise in full-view of the Macy’s Thanksgiving 

Day parade in progress. After all, why not?

The farfetched premise of “Tower Heist” 

is right up director Brett Ratner’s alley. Ratner 

seems to make only over-the-top high octane 

films like the Rush Hour pictures, the Hannibal 

Lector prequel “Red Dragon” (2002) and 

“X-Men: The Last Stand” (2006). That’s his 

bag. In fact, I once read an interview where he 

said his goal as a movie director was to “make 

cool movies.” Mind you, a “cool movie” and a 

“great movie” are usually two different things. 

That’s not to say a “cool movie” will be any 

good either.

“Tower Heist” opens with the ever-reliable 

Josh Kovacs (Ben Stiller) overseeing the daily 

routines of his staff at 

a plush, high-profile Manhattan apartment 

building. The building, known simply as “The 

Tower,” is home to Wall Street billionaire 

Arthur Shaw (Alan Alda) who has made a 

career in smart investments and growing new 

finances. Shaw sees Josh as a trustworthy 

go-to guy and it’s obvious both men have a 

mutual appreciation of each other. On some 

level, Josh even deeply admires Shaw.

One day Josh discovers what appears to 

be Shaw’s kidnapping and alerts authorities. It 

turns out that Shaw was attempting to flee the 

city before he’s raided by the feds. The Wall 

Street tycoon is implicated in a Ponzi scheme, 

and is suspected of stealing over $2 billion 

from investors. To make matters worse, Shaw 

has also taken The Tower staff’s pensions 

and life savings on the promise of increased 

returns. Now everyone’s money is gone and 

Shaw is under house arrest.

Josh assumes responsibility for the staff’s 

loss. He’s the one who convinced his staff 

to trust Shaw and to invest with him. After a 

failed suicide attempt by one of his staffers, 

Josh and a few staff members confront Shaw. 

They are all fired and forbidden to set foot in 

The Tower ever again.

While having a few flirtatious drinks with 

FBI agent Claire Denham (Tea Leoni), who 

is investigating Shaw, Josh learns that Shaw 

has over $20 million in cash hidden in a safe 

in his apartment. Josh quickly deduces where 

it would be hidden and concocts a plan to 

coerce Shaw out of his apartment (which is 

a challenge, since Shaw is under house arrest 

and can’t go anywhere), break into the safe, 

steal the $20 million, and return to the jilted 

Tower employees their hard-earned money. 

Robin Hood, anyone?

To do this job, Josh enlists the aid of 

streetwise Slide (Eddie Murphy) for his 

expertise on how to successful complete such 

an astounding task, and hires a few others to 

help carry it out.

Now, did I say steal $20 million? Didn’t I say 

earlier in this review the actual heist was for $44 

million? There may be a plot twist or two for 

viewers to discover on their own. For instance, 

why would this heist be visible during a Macy’s 

Thanksgiving Day Parade? Well, I wouldn’t 

dream of revealing those details here.

As Slide, Eddie Murphy is back to the 

comedic form that made him a superstar in 

the ‘80s. He’s fun to watch as he channels his 

“Trading Places” (1983) character Billy Ray 

Valentine into his new role and stealing every 

scene he’s in. The supporting cast is fun and 

likeable as they set out the do the unlikely. It’s 

also interesting to see Matthew Broderick in 

the picture as the paranoid Wall Street burnout who joins the team to pull off the caper. 

This isn’t the first heist Broderick has been 

involved with – see “Family Business” (1990).

Watching this movie unfold is ludicrous, 

but it’s fun. Not a ton of fun, but just enough 

to keep you involved. I wish there were 

more to “Tower Heist,” but it is enough for 

satisfactory entertainment. After all, it is the 

concept of make believe that keeps us all 

going back to the movies. Let’s not forget to 

have a little fun too.

Movie Review

PG-13

104 min.

Tower Heist

By Mass Communication Spc. 1st Class Ty Bjornson

 The Wire | Page 18 Movie Review |

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Petty Officer 2nd Class Andrew Norman (left) reenlists in true Guantanamo 

Bay fashion. Norman, who was also recently promoted, opted to sign his 

new (waterproofed!) contract at Phillips Dive Park Nov. 18. –photo by Mass 

Communication Spc. 2nd Class Jon Dasbach

TheJTF

Marcus Edd, point guard for Militia, sets up the offense during the Nov. 22 

victory over “The Shottaz” in the Morale Welfare and Recreation men’s 

basketball league championship game. “Militia” battled back from the 

loser’s bracket to upset regular season champions with a score of 

50-48 in the second of two championship showdowns at G.J. 

Denich Gym. –photo by Army Sgt. Landis Andrews

Background: Rear Adm. David Woods welcomes U.S. Southern Command 

commander Gen. Douglas M. Fraser to Joint Task Force Guantanamo Nov. 24 for 

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