Volume 12, Issue 20 Thursday, May 5, 2011

Obama: bin Laden’s death ‘does not mark the end of our effort.’

GOT 

HIM

What does 

this mean 

for the 

Joint Task 

Force?

special expanded issue
The Wire | Page 2 Trooper to Trooper |

Good evening. Tonight, I can report to the American people 

and to the world that the United 

States has conducted an operation 

that killed Osama bin Laden, the 

leader of al Qaeda, and a terrorist 

who’s responsible for the murder 

of thousands of innocent men, 

women, and children.

It was nearly 10 years ago that a 

bright September day was darkened 

by the worst attack on the American 

people in our history. The images 

of 9/11 are seared into our national 

memory -- hijacked planes cutting through a cloudless September sky; the 

Twin Towers collapsing to the ground; black smoke billowing up from 

the Pentagon; the wreckage of Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, 

where the actions of heroic citizens saved even more heartbreak and 

destruction.

And yet we know that the worst images are those that were unseen to 

the world. The empty seat at the dinner table. Children who were forced 

to grow up without their mother or their father. Parents who would 

never know the feeling of their child’s embrace. Nearly 3,000 citizens 

taken from us, leaving a gaping hole in our hearts.

On September 11, 2001, in our time of grief, the American people 

came together. We offered our neighbors a hand, and we offered the 

wounded our blood. We reaffirmed our ties to each other, and our love 

of community and country. On that day, no matter where we came 

from, what God we prayed to, or what race or ethnicity we were, we were 

united as one American family.

We were also united in our resolve to protect our nation and to bring 

those who committed this vicious attack to justice. We quickly learned 

that the 9/11 attacks were carried out by al Qaeda -- an organization 

headed by Osama bin Laden, which had openly declared war on the 

United States and was committed to killing innocents in our country and 

around the globe. And so we went to war against al Qaeda to protect our 

citizens, our friends, and our allies.

Over the last 10 years, thanks to the tireless and heroic work of 

our military and our counterterrorism professionals, we’ve made great 

strides in that effort. We’ve disrupted terrorist attacks and strengthened 

our homeland defense. In Afghanistan, we removed the Taliban 

government, which had given bin Laden and al Qaeda safe haven and 

support. And around the globe, we worked with our friends and allies to 

capture or kill scores of al Qaeda terrorists, including several who were 

a part of the 9/11 plot.

Yet Osama bin Laden avoided capture and escaped across the Afghan 

border into Pakistan. Meanwhile, al Qaeda continued to operate from 

along that border and operate through its affiliates across the world.

And so shortly after taking office, I directed Leon Panetta, the director 

of the CIA, to make the killing or capture of bin Laden the top priority 

of our war against al Qaeda, even as we continued our broader efforts to 

disrupt, dismantle, and defeat his network.

Then, last August, after years of painstaking work by our intelligence 

community, I was briefed on a possible lead to bin Laden. It was far 

from certain, and it took many months to run this thread to ground. I 

met repeatedly with my national security team as we developed more 

information about the possibility that we had located bin Laden hiding 

within a compound deep inside of Pakistan. And finally, last week, I 

determined that we had enough intelligence to take action, and authorized 

an operation to get Osama bin Laden and bring him to justice.

Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted 

operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. A small 

team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage 

and capability. No Americans were harmed. They took care to avoid 

civilian casualties. After a firefight, they killed Osama bin Laden and 

President Barack Obama’s May 1, 2011 speech to the nation

took custody of his body.

For over two decades, bin Laden has been al Qaeda’s leader and 

symbol, and has continued to plot attacks against our country and our 

friends and allies. The death of bin Laden marks the most significant 

achievement to date in our nation’s effort to defeat al Qaeda.

Yet his death does not mark the end of our effort. There’s no doubt 

that al Qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must –- and 

we will -- remain vigilant at home and abroad.

As we do, we must also reaffirm that the United States is not –- and 

never will be -– at war with Islam. I’ve made clear, just as President Bush 

did shortly after 9/11, that our war is not against Islam. Bin Laden was 

not a Muslim leader; he was a mass murderer of Muslims. Indeed, al 

Qaeda has slaughtered scores of Muslims in many countries, including 

our own. So his demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace 

and human dignity.

Over the years, I’ve repeatedly made clear that we would take action 

within Pakistan if we knew where bin Laden was. That is what we’ve 

done. But it’s important to note that our counterterrorism cooperation 

with Pakistan helped lead us to bin Laden and the compound where he 

was hiding. Indeed, bin Laden had declared war against Pakistan as well, 

and ordered attacks against the Pakistani people.

Tonight, I called President Zardari, and my team has also spoken 

with their Pakistani counterparts. They agree that this is a good and 

historic day for both of our nations. And going forward, it is essential 

that Pakistan continue to join us in the fight against al Qaeda and its 

affiliates.

The American people did not choose this fight. It came to our shores, 

and started with the senseless slaughter of our citizens. After nearly 10 

years of service, struggle, and sacrifice, we know well the costs of war.

These efforts weigh on me every time I, as Commander-in-Chief, have 

to sign a letter to a family that has lost a loved one, or look into the eyes 

of a service member who’s been gravely wounded.

So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will 

never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when our 

people have been killed. We will be relentless in defense of our citizens 

and our friends and allies. We will be true to the values that make us who 

we are. And on nights like this one, we can say to those families who have 

lost loved ones to al Qaeda’s terror: Justice has been done.

Tonight, we give thanks to the countless intelligence and 

counterterrorism professionals who’ve worked tirelessly to achieve this 

outcome. The American people do not see their work, nor know their 

names. But tonight, they feel the satisfaction of their work and the result 

of their pursuit of justice.

We give thanks for the men who carried out this operation, for they 

exemplify the professionalism, patriotism, and unparalleled courage of 

those who serve our country. And they are part of a generation that has 

borne the heaviest share of the burden since that September day.

Finally, let me say to the families who lost loved ones on 9/11 that we 

have never forgotten your loss, nor wavered in our commitment to see 

that we do whatever it takes to prevent another attack on our shores.

And tonight, let us think back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 

9/11. I know that it has, at times, frayed. Yet today’s achievement is a 

testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the 

American people.

The cause of securing our country is not complete. But tonight, 

we are once again reminded that America can do whatever we set our 

mind to. That is the story of our history, whether it’s the pursuit of 

prosperity for our people, or the struggle for equality for all our citizens; 

our commitment to stand up for our values abroad, and our sacrifices to 

make the world a safer place.

Let us remember that we can do these things not just because of 

wealth or power, but because of who we are: one nation, under God, 

indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you. May God bless you. And may God bless the United 

States of America.

special coverage
| News You Can Use The Wire | Page 3

Bin Laden’s legacy remains strong in Yemen 

Voice of America News Service

Few places have seen Osama bin Laden’s 

ideology take root as strongly as Yemen, the 

impoverished Arab nation that is the late alQaida leader’s ancestral home.

Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula is one of 

the most active groups inspired by bin Laden. 

In recent years, it has been implicated in plots 

to bring down a U.S. airliner, send bombs via 

cargo planes, attack embassies and kill foreign 

nationals. 

There are direct links to the main al-Qaida 

group, which claimed responsibility for the 

bombing of the American ship, USS Cole, in 

Yemen in 2000. 

And according to Yemeni writer and political 

analyst Nasser Arrabyee, the local franchise may 

have even overtaken its predecessor. 

“They have the same thought, the same 

goals, the same methods. And maybe Al-Qaida 

in the Arabian Peninsula is even more dangerous 

because of the Yemeni-American leader now - 

Anwar al Awlaki.” 

The American-born Awlaki is seen as the 

face of a new generation of terrorists. The 

articulate English-speaker, considered an 

operational mastermind by the United States, is 

an Internet sensation, with his blog, YouTube 

videos and Facebook page attracting a loyal 

following worldwide. 

That ease with social media was seen 

among other Yemeni extremists, who created 

Facebook pages honoring bin Laden just hours 

after his death was announced. For a while bin 

Laden had little to do with the local group, but 

he remains a powerful symbol.

Some in Yemen consider bin Laden a 

liberator, who lived and died a hero. The alQaida leader is also thought as someone who 

stood against the unjust. 

Right now, the unjust for al-Qaida supporters 

is the Yemeni government. And this is where, 

like many things in Yemen, the situation gets 

complicated. 

The anti-government demonstrations 

that have roiled the country for months are 

for the most part a call for democracy and 

greater freedom. But they also offer al-Qaida 

an opening in a fragile state torn by tribal 

allegiances, a rebellion in the north and a 

secessionist movement in the south. Political 

analyst Arrabiyee says extremists are only 

waiting for the right moment.

“Al-Qaida can only make a big victory when 

Yemen collapses into chaos and this is what al 

Qaida is waiting [for] now. Al-Qaida has reduced 

a lot of its operations in order not to help 

President Saleh politically. So they are waiting 

for chaos, for a collapse in Yemen to grow more 

and more and to recruit more and more.”

That puts Western countries, especially 

the United States, in a bind, as they try to 

balance popular demands against the Yemeni 

government’s stated commitment to antiterrorism. 

Washington has made President Ali Abdullah 

Saleh a partner in fighting al-Qaida, and supports 

his government with military and financial aid. 

Saleh’s detractors claim he overstates the terror 

threat - and his role in fighting it - to keep the 

backing of his foreign allies. Najeeb Ghanem 

is a member of the opposition in Yemen’s 

parliament.

“We think the al-Qaida threat might be 

implemented by the Saleh regime to make some 

sort of intimidation of others, and using this 

for abusing of opposition heads and a lot of 

forces in Yemen.”

Ghanem believes the best way out is to take 

the risk of political change. 

“We think that the stabilizing system which 

is going to be alive after the success of the 

revolution will be able to deal with this challenge 

in Yemen. So we do not think we are going to 

face that dangerous threat by al-Qaida.”

American-born Anwar al-Awlaki is one of the most 

influential terror leaders in Yemen (file photo)

The WIRE is the official news magazine of Joint Task Force 

Guantanamo. It is produced by the JTF Public Affairs Office to 

inform and educate the Troopers of JTF Guantanamo through 

news, features, command guidance, sports and entertainment. 

The WIRE seeks to provide maximum disclosure with minimum 

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

This DoD news magazine is an authorized publication for the 

members of the Department of Defense. Contents of The WIRE 

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

Government, the Department of Defense, or Joint Task Force 

Guantanamo. It is printed by the Defense Logistics Agency 

Document Services with a circulation of 1,000.

JTF Guantanamo

Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Jeffrey Harbeson

Command Master Chief

Command Sgt. Maj. Mark Porrett

Office of Public Affairs Director

Navy Cmdr. Tamsen Reese: 9928

Deputy Director

Air Force Lt. Col. Don Langley: 9927

Operations Officer

CW2 Raymond Chapman: 3649

Senior Enlisted Leader

Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class 

Sally Hendricks: 3649

 

The Wire

Command Information NCOIC

Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Cossel: 3499

Editor

Spc. Meredith Vincent: 3651

Photojournalists:

Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class 

Maddelin Angebrand

Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joe Ebalo

Sgt. Mathieu Perry

Spc. Kelly Gary

Contact us

Editor’s Desk: 3499

From the continental United States

Commercial: 011-53-99-3499

DSN: 660-3499

E-mail: thewire@jtfgtmo.southcom.mil

Online: www.jtfgtmo.southcom.mil

COVER: Late into the night of May 1, 2011, President Barack addressed the nation informing them 

the terrorist the country had sought for nearly a decade was killed in a U.S. Military operation in 

Pakistan.

special coverage
News from the Bay Stories and reporting by Spc. Meredith Vincent and 

Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Maddelin Angebrand

Cardboard boat regatta 

sets sail this month

Get your team together, collect the 

cardboard and build a winning boat for this 

year’s Cardboard Boat Regatta May 28 at Ferry 

Landing Beach. 

Considered to be one of the most exciting 

events of the year, this free race is a must-see 

for everyone on base. There will be music, tents 

and drinks to keep competitors and patrons 

entertained and cool.

“The ideas that people come up with are 

amazing,” said Cory Geiger, outdoor recreation 

director for Morale, Welfare and Recreation. 

“We’ve seen pirate ships, banana rat boats, tanks 

and a 40-foot paddling boat that had 20 people 

in it.”

Waste no time – get your command together 

for a great team-building experience and 

compete against your rival commands in this 

year’s regatta. Register at the MWR Marina and 

pick up the rule sheet for guidance on how to 

build a cardboard boat.

Awards will be given for “Best GTMO 

Boat,” “Most Creative” and “Best Titanic.” 

That’s right – even if your team’s boat sinks, it 

could still be a winner.

For more information, contact Geiger at 

x2345. 

Troopers, spouses

treated with night out

Recognizing military couples for their 

support, Morale Recreation and Welfare is 

inviting servicemembers and their spouses to 

treat themselves with local island band “Sounds 

Like Chicken,” playing from 7-9 p.m., and free 

appetizers at the Tiki Bar May 6.

Maggie Luttrell, the event coordinator, spent 

20 years in the Navy and is proud to welcome all 

spouses out for a night of relaxation and welldeserved enjoyment.

“I know that our military members could 

absolutely not do the job in defending our 

country and freedom without the spouses’ 

support of taking care of their family and 

homes while they are away,” said Luttrell. 

Luttrell hopes to see you and your spouse 

there this Friday at 7 p.m. 

“What could be better than being outside 

enjoying free entertainment and food with 

your spouse under the Caribbean sky?” Luttrell 

asked. 

For more information, contact Luttrell at 

x2046.

Coffeehouse Series

brews up second show

Morale, Welfare and Recreation invites 

Guantanamo Bay residents to wind down the 

week and relax with acoustic artist Shawna 

Sweeney and her drummer Shaen Huser. 

Sweeney is an accomplished performer and 

songwriter from Lake Worth, Fla., the second 

Coffeehouse Series performer to come here 

this year.

Three live shows are scheduled, starting 

May 13 from 7-10 p.m at the Triple C Coffee 

Shop, May 14 from 8-11 p.m at O’Kelly’s Pub 

The News from the Bay | Wire | Page 4

PSEC ALERT

KEEP YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION PERSONAL!

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

Free e-mail accounts are a great thing to have when used properly. You ever wonder why they are free? If 

you were to compare the security that your bank uses versus what G-mail, Yahoo or Hotmail uses to protect 

personal information, there really wouldn’t be any comparison. Banks spend millions of dollars to thwart 

hackers – do you think those free websites do? We don’t send work-related material to personal e-mail accounts 

because they are not secure. 

Pros tee up for GTMO’s 

biggest golf event

Bring your “A” game to the Lateral Hazard 

Golf Course March 14-15 starting at 8 a.m each 

day for the GTMO Open. 

Price is $30 per person and includes two 

rounds of golf, range balls and dinner at the 

Windjammer Café following the last round. 

“The GTMO Open has a long history here 

and we’re excited to really bring the event back 

to its glory days,” said Cory Geiger Outdoor 

Recreation Director for MWR. 

The Callaway scoring system will determine 

winners based on two-day cumulative scores. 

Over $1000 in prizes will be awarded for men’s 

and women’s division top finishers.

“The two-day event is a great opportunity 

to get out and enjoy the course, friends and 

the challenge of playing competitive golf,” said 

Geiger. “We hold several golf events during the 

year, but this is our biggest golf event of the 

year.”

For more information, contact Geiger at 

x2345.

and ending May 15 at the Bayview Club from 

10 a.m to 1 p.m. 

MWR started the Coffeehouse Series in 

February this year to offer a unique music 

experience on Guantanamo Bay.

“Due to the success of the initial show, we 

committed to hosting the series every quarter,” 

shared Amiee MacDonnell, MWR community 

activities director.

According to her biography, Sweeney is a 

charismatic songstress with a gift for capturing 

hearts and ears everywhere she goes with her 

original song lyrics and rustic acoustic guitar.

Sweeney is often asked where she gets her 

song ideas from. 

“To me it’s sort of like dreaming; sometimes 

it’s straightforward and other times, very 

abstract,” said Sweeney. “Sometimes different 

elements come to mind that make you think, 

‘Whoa, where did that come from?’” 

You can check out Sweeney’s latest songs at 

http://www.reverbnation.com/shaunasweeney

and come see her live this weekend!

For more information, contact MacDonnell 

at x4882.

Trooper Chapel offers

financial assistance

The 13-week Financial Peace University will 

commence classes, Monday, May 16, from 10 to 

11:30 a.m. at the Trooper Chapel.

“This course equips military personnel with 

the tools to completely pay off debt and build 

wealth,” said Joint Task Force Guantanamo 

Command Chaplin, Air Force Lt. Col. Marvin 

Williams. “It empowers individuals to pursue 

financial freedom.”

For more information, contact Williams at 

x2305. 
Machinist Technician 2nd 

Class William Hernandez

Air Force Staff Sgt.

Corey Stokes

Commander 

John Rhodes

“I was going onboard the 

USS Heron on a training day. 

I went into the conference 

room and we watched as the 

second plane hit the towers. 

We went into full lockdown.”

Army Sgt. 

Rodriguez Neftali

“I had just walked into my 

7th grade science class. 

They had the TV on and I 

thought it was a movie.”

Sgt. 1st Class

Alex Hedges

“I was building a house 

close to St. Louis when I 

found out.”

Machinist’s Mate 1st Class

Christopher Coleman

Senior Airman 

Karie Quenette

“We were at a port visit in 

Guam and I was on the pier.”

“I was at Fort Leavenworth 

in the basement of the 

United States Disciplinary 

Barracks watching it on TV.”

Religious Programs 

Specialist 3rd Class

Jeffery Lauber

Boots on the Ground

Expanded Edition

JTF Troopers

Remember 9/11

“I was in Washington D.C. 

at Bolling Air Force Base 

working out at the gym, and 

I was shocked. Immediately 

I got nervous and thought 

about the Troops.”

“I was in middle school in 

keyboarding class and I 

didn’t understand what was 

going on. A lot of people 

were freaking out. No one 

knew that it was a terrorist 

attack at that point.”

“I was at a Guard Unit in 

Jacksonville, Florida. It was 

my first day and I was fixing 

somebody’s computer in the 

operations center and saw it 

on the TV.”

“I was working in Puerto 

Rico. I was one of the first 

ones to call my unit and 

volunteer to help.”

Air Force Captain

Danielle Wren

Aviation Machinist’s Mate 

3rd Class Timothy Massey 

Army Sgt.

 Tracy Marie Jackson

Yeoman 1st Class

John Palacios

“I was in my 7th grade math 

class in New Jersey and I 

could see the smoke from 

my classroom.”

“On the USS John F. 

Kennedy doing work-ups 

off the coast of North 

Carolina. At first we thought 

it was part of our training 

exercise.”

“I was just coming on 

to active duty from the 

Reserves at Dover Air Force 

Base.”

| Boots on the Ground The Wire | Page 5

special coverage
Spc. Kelly Gary

Bullet Bio

Pet peeves: lack of 

punctuality

Next goal: get an A in 

current Ethics class

Advice to junior 

Troopers: “Regardless 

if you are going to be 

in for 20 [years] or plan 

on getting out, just keep 

working and moving 

forward.”

Hospital Corpsman 

2nd Class Corey Smith

After losing all his possessions in the 

aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, hospital 

corpsman 2nd Class Corey Smith, was looking 

for a new start and soon thereafter enlisted in 

the Navy. 

“I wanted to move toward the medical 

field and [the Navy] was a good opportunity 

to do that,” said Smith.

Smith, laboratory technician for the Joint 

Medical Group, said healthcare is something 

he was always interested in but never had the 

opportunity to pursue.

The Navy gave Smith that opportunity 

– he took full advantage of it and his senior 

leadership said it shows in his work.

“[Smith] values his job,” said Hospital 

Corpsman 1st Class James Frymire, lead petty 

officer for JMG supply. “He is committed to 

the mission, he is committed to the Navy, and 

he is committed to himself.”

On top of his regular workload, Smith 

responds to after-hours calls from the camps 

and is ready 24-7 to get up and go. In addition, 

Smith is working on his masters degree in 

Public Administration, having already received 

his bachelors in Sports Administration.

When he is not working or studying for a 

test, Smith talks to his family back home. He 

also supports Morale, Welfare and Recreation 

events such as the numerous 5ks and the 

JMG flag football team. Even though he does 

not play himself, he offers his support. As a 

command fitness leader, he helps his peers 

and junior sailors get in shape.

“I think it helps people deal with their 

stress,” Smith said about physical training. 

“We have people who are boxers, runners and 

swimmers and bringing that together is cool 

because everyone can learn from each other.”

As a CFL and a warden for Camp America, 

Smith makes sure he is there for his junior 

Sailors.

“He is a great role model,” Frymire said. 

“The junior sailors and peers see him as a 

leader.”

Smith said he strives to lead but follows a 

simple philosophy.

“I mainly just try to lead by example first,” 

explained Smith. “Then, be a sponge and take 

leadership traits from everyone above me and 

apply them.”

Soaking up a great deal of these traits and 

applying them, Smith is still humble in his 

approach. 

“I just try to pass on knowledge I get 

through my experiences,” Smith said.

Even though this is his first deployment he 

has already outlined his primary objective. Smith 

said he wants to help everyone come together, 

move toward the common goal and complete 

the mission. As for his own goals, Smith said he 

hopes to pick up first class soon and maybe put 

in an officers packet in the future.

“I think I have a little more that I could be 

giving,” said Smith.

Frymire said he wishes to see potential 

leaders such as Smith move up in the ranks.

“I see him becoming an officer and 

excelling,” he said

JTF GTMO Troopers take Southern Enlisted Person of the Year honors

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Cossel

Two Joint Task Force Troopers, 

Master-at-Arms 1st Class John 

Lukosus and Master-at-Arms 2nd Class 

Dwain Pemberton were recognized 

as SouthCom’s Senior and Junior 

Enlisted person of the Year during a 

ceremony at SouthCom Headquarters 

in Florida, April 28.

“Both these Sailors demonstrated 

exceptional performance in the 

areas of leadership, job proficiency 

and personal conduct,” said Rear 

Adm. Jeffery Harbeson, Joint Task 

Force Guantanamo Commander in a 

statement.

The two MAs matched-up against 

servicemembers from 10 other regions 

within SouthCom and were awarded 

Joint Service Commendation Medals.

Both Sailors took part in a rigorous 

series of Trooper of the Quarter and 

Trooper of the Year boards to earn the 

right to compete at the SouthCom level.

The Trooper Focus | Wire | Page 6

Master-at-Arms 1st Class 

John Lukosus

Master-at-Arms 2nd Class 

Dwain Pemberton

trooper focus
| News The Wire | Page 7

Seventh annual RadioThon rocks airwaves

 see RADIO, page 23

Don’t touch that dial. We interrupt your 

regularly-scheduled programming to bring 

you the 2011 Radio GTMO RadioThon. The 

annual, week-long rock for relief event raises 

money and awareness for the Navy Marine 

Corps Relief Society by allowing listeners an 

opportunity to play program director from 8 

a.m. to 4 p.m. - for a fee.

Founded in 1904, NMCRS is a private, 

non-profit charitable organization dedicated 

to helping servicemembers in times of 

Story and photo by Sgt. 

1st Class Benjamin Cossel

financial need. Through its 250 offices ashore 

and afloat, NMCRS offers interest-free loans 

to Sailors and Marines in financial distress as 

well as financial counseling, thrift shops and 

other educational services around the world.

“Our goal is to raise $38,000 this year,” 

said Intelligence Analyst First Class Jonathan 

Murray, this year’s fund-raising coordinator.

Through efforts such as the RadioThon 

and other fund-raising events, Naval Station 

Guantanamo took top honors in the 

Southeast Region last year, raising just over 

$42,000. “With the reduction in numbers of 

servicemembers around the base, we set our 

goal a little lower this year but feel we can 

reach that.” 

 “This is an organization that is all about 

helping Sailors and Marines, especially 

younger servicemembers who find themselves 

in some sort of financial trouble,” Murray 

elaborated. “And 100 percent of the funds 

raised during this campaign goes directly to 

the society -- there is no administrative fees 

or other overhead.”

Doing their part to help in the effort is 

the staff of Radio GTMO who, starting 

Monday, manned the mikes for eight hours 

a day playing listener requests $1 at a time. 

With just over $4,000 raised during last year’s 

RadioThon, the yearly event represents a 

significant chunk of the total fund-raising 

dollars.

“For a dollar, listeners can call in and 

request a song,” said station officer in 

charge Norman Corliss, a first class interior 

communications electrician.

But, as Corliss explained, the dollar a hit 

was just one of several options available.

“Say someone plays a song you want off 

the air,” he continued. “For an additional 

dollar you can have that song bumped.”

As if on queue, a voice goes out across 

the airwaves noting the previously playing 

track, Culture Club’s “Do You Really Want 

to Hurt Me” was just knocked off the air and 

Blondie’s “One Way or Another” launches 

with its you-know-it-the-minute-you-hear-it 

guitar intro. 

The real money makers however, Corliss 

said, are the repeater songs – songs played 

Ongoing Camp America renovation keeps Seabees busy building, bonding

Forklifts, hammers and nails 

are a few of the many tools 

used by Navy Seabees to create 

the very structures we work and 

live in here at Joint Task Force 

Guantanamo. Without the sweat, 

strength and determination of 

these professionals we could be 

living and working in tents. And 

guess what – the Seabees build 

those, too!

From building schools 

in third-world countries to 

designing bases on the war 

fronts of Iraq and Afghanistan, 

Seabees do a wide array of 

construction projects. Navy 

Mobile Construction Battalion 

Story and photo by Mass 

Communication Specialist 2nd Class 

Maddelin Angebrand

28 is JTF’s powerhouse of 

builders, equipment operators, 

electricians and utilitiesman. 

Right now, this group is working 

hard clearing out old sea huts and 

making room for newer facilities, 

such as the new Club Survivor 

located inside Camp America.

NMCB 28 Seabees are 

breaking a sweat day-in and 

day-out tearing down the old 

weather-beaten buildings that 

are not only in the way of new 

construction projects, but also 

pose a hazard.

“These huts are not hurricane 

worthy – we’ve got to get them 

out of here,” said Equipment 

Operator 1st Class Robin Staser, a 

NMCB 28 supervisor. “Although 

we haven’t had a hurricane here 

in about 10 years, we want to get 

this done as quickly as we can 

before hurricane season.”

Staser has been a Seabee 

with NMCB 28 for 15 years and 

said the camaraderie of her unit 

is what makes these projects 

successful.

 see SEABEES page 23

Equipment Operator 1st Class Robin Staser operates a forklift 

to move scrap pieces of sheet metal during a demolition 

project at Joint Task Force Guantanamo, April 26.

Dr. J – aka Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Justin Ailes 

– chuckles at a listener request alongside DJ Funkenstein (Landon 

Rosenthal) Monday during Radio GTMO’s RadioThon. 
The Feature | Wire | Page 8

F a m i l i a r 

a

Story and photos by Mass Communication Specialist 

2nd Class Maddelin Angebrand

April Peter is among many military spouses often looking for ways to stay connected with their 

loved ones during deployment. Her husband, Master-atArms 3rd Class Matthew Peter, is a Naval Station security 

member has been stationed on Guantanamo Bay for over 

a year now. 

military heart
Faces

“My little motto is ‘keep your hero close,’” 

said April. “So, no matter where they are, you 

can keep a piece of them with you.”

A few years ago, that philosophy combined 

with inspiration when April saw a girl wearing 

a bracelet made out of a military nametape. 

This was all it took for April to start making 

accessories out of her husband’s old uniform 

material. She created a Facebook page and 

called the burgeoning young business “Keep 

Your Hero Close.” 

Soon people began requesting personalized 

orders and April found herself at the busy 

end of a needle and thread. Elated at the 

overwhelming interest, she started sewing 

right away - all by hand.

“I learned really quickly how much pride 

spouses have for the military when these 

bracelets came out,” said Matthew. “She was 

sending out 15 bracelets every week!” 

Within the first month, April had 75 orders 

to fill and was still sewing by hand. Purchasing 

a sewing machine was a logical next step.

“I took half the donations people had 

given me for the bracelets and saved up the 

other half of the money,” said April. “Now, 

things have really taken off.”

With the sewing machine set up in her 

dining room, April can be more creative. She 

now ventures out by designing customized 

handbags, wallets, tissue holders and key 

chains, all made of unwanted military uniform 

material.

Knowing his wife is always looking for 

more material, Matthew must keep a close eye 

on his uniforms. 

“You gotta be careful,” Matthew laughed. 

“You’ll come in the house with a blouse and 

leave with a purse! I bought some used BDUs 

the other day and the top has mysteriously 

disappeared - I think I saw it on her arm 

yesterday.” 

Not all the fabrics April uses are from 

uniform items. She adds a little edge to her 

designs by using old sheets, shirts and on-sale 

fabrics as lining and decoration to her selfmade accessories. She also keeps drawers full 

of buttons, which are used on many bracelets 

as closure pieces. 

April’s passion for sewing put her husband’s 

old BDUs to good use when the Navy 

switched to Navy Working Uniforms. She 

explained the cargo pockets remain functional 

when needed, and she never throws away a 

sliver of fabric.

“Instead of collecting dust in a closet, why 

not make good use out of the fabric?” she 

asked. “And at the same time put a smile on 

someone’s face!”

To donate old uniforms to “Keep 

Your Hero Close” or to see April’s latest 

military inspired creations, visit her website 

mymilitaryheart.com. 

(top) April Peter sews pieces of 

military uniforms together to create 

her latest design, April 28. April 

works out of her home, sewing and 

stitching a variety of accessories 

(bottom) for military spouses and 

families. 

|

FeatureThe Wire | Page 9
Day at the Bay

The weather was

decidedly cooperative Saturday 

as servicemembers, residents and 

families gathered at Ferry Landing Beach for 

Morale, Recreation and Welfare’s Day at the 

Bay to celebrate the Month of the Military 

Child.

“We really wanted to celebrate the 

military child because they serve, too,” said 

Chris Dickson, school liason officer for the 

Child and Youth Program. “It’s important to 

remember your military family and support 

them.”

Booths sporting T-shirts, wristbands, 

frisbees, beach balls and other giveaways 

beckoned attendees. Miami’s Maritime Safety 

Security Team 91114 displayed one of their 

Coast Guard boat crafts, inviting admirers 

onboard to inspect the vessel while kayaks, 

paddle boats and other water activities were 

available to participants free of charge for 

the day. In all, more than a dozen venders 

and groups donated their time, goods and 

services for the event.

“There were many departments involved 

across the base that pulled together to make 

this event a success,” said MWR Community 

Activities Director Amiee MacDonnell. 

MacDonnell said she estimated more 

than 500 people stopped by Ferry Landing 

throughout the day.

“We were quite pleased with the 

attendance,” she said. “We heard positive 

feedback all day ... and [about] the desire 

for more family-friendly events in the 

community.”

Dickson said cooperation and teamwork 

played an essential part in making the day 

happen.

“Like with most things that are a success 

it’s collaboration,” he acknowledged. “It’s 

working together and [providing] a sense 

of community. Everyone has brought 

something to make this possible.” 

Two main draws for crowds were the 

appearance of “Reptile Man” Dr. Peter 

Tolson, who showed off plenty of creepy, 

crawly and furry critters (see sidebar); and 

the Caribbean Chillers, a Jimmy Buffett 

tribute band visiting from Florida.

“The Caribbean Chillers were very 

honored to be here in GTMO to play for 

the Troopers,” Amiee said. “[They] asked to 

return and play again in the future.”

Seeing the results after weeks of 

preparation was a relief to Dickson and his 

team.

“It’s one thing to have a plan on a piece of 

paper, but to see it fleshed out and manifest 

itself and become real, that’s the cool part,” 

he said. “I keep on hearing people say ‘hey, 

by the way – great day, it was a lot of fun!’ 

That makes you feel like it was worth it.”

A toddler meets her match against a beach ball during the Day at the 

Bay event celebrating the Month of the Military Child, held Saturday at 

Ferry Landing Beach. - photo by Spc. Meredith Vincent

Participants find a beat on the beach at Ferry Landing. Jimmy Buffett 

tribute band the Caribbean Chillers also provided musical entertainment. 

- photo by Spc. Meredith Vincent

Pebbles and sand 

announce MWR’s 

Day at the Bay 

celebration at Ferry 

Landing Beach, 

Saturday. - photo by 

Mass Communication 

Specialist 2nd Class 

Maddelin Angebrand

News | The Wire | Page 10
| News The Wire | Page 11

‘Reptile Man’ shows off slimy, slithery friends

Story and photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Maddelin Angebrand

A team of visiting biologists showcased a variety of Cuban wildlife 

for servicemembers and their families, Saturday, during Morale, Welfare 

and Recreation’s Day at the Bay Celebration on Ferry Landing Beach. 

During the presentation Dr. Peter Tolson, director of conservation 

and research at the Toledo Zoo in Toledo, Ohio, allowed audience 

members to get up close and personal with different critters found 

here on Guantanamo Bay, ranging from a tarantula spider to a ten-foot 

Cuban boa constrictor. 

“I was surprised at how much time they took to show us each 

animal,” said Yeoman 1st Class Denise Dalton, attached to Joint Task 

Force Guantanamo. “It was neat to pet the snake in a controlled setting, 

otherwise I would run!” 

The Toledo Zoo has two co-operative projects with the Navy; one 

is a study of habitat selection and life history for the Cuban boa while 

the other monitors the population of Cuban ground iguanas.

“These species are very common on base and we have more here 

than anywhere else on the island,” said Tolson. “Elsewhere, many are 

killed and eaten.”

Tolson brings his team of biologists to Guantanamo Bay twice 

a year to conduct research. He attributes the large boa and iguana 

populations to the Navy’s dedicated preservation of wildlife inside the 

fence line.

“The Navy has shown to be wonderful hosts to the wildlife that 

inhabit a DOD installation like GTMO,” shared Tolson. “They take 

our research and use it to protect the animals that live on the base with 

you guys.”

Tolson said snakes are very secretive and usually only come out at 

night, making them difficult to study. The Army veterinarian staff on 

base helps with the data collection. 

“We work with the Army vets to insert radio transmitters into the 

snakes,” said Tolson. “It gives each one its own frequency like a radio 

station.”

By using a directional antenna, Tolson and his team follow the 

snakes on a daily basis to see what kinds of habitats they live in. They 

can also determine which boas are chosen as mates and where they go 

to deliver their offspring. 

This extensive research not only helps the Navy protect the animals, 

but is also used by different agencies to aide studies of other endangered 

snake species.

Dr. Peter Tolson presents 

a Cuban boa constrictor to 

the crowd, Saturday, during 

MWR’s Day at the Bay. 

Two young boys inspect the inside of a Coast Guard vessel. Members of Miami’s Maritime 

Safety Security Team 91114 were on hand to guide onlookers around the water craft and 

answer any questions. - photo by Spc. Meredith Vincent
Jim Garamone

American Forces Press 

The plan to attack 

the compound of 

9/11 mastermind 

Osama bin Laden was 

the result of relentless 

intelligence work and 

operational professionalism, White House officials, speaking 

on background, said Monday morning.

The operation was the culmination of years of careful and 

highly advanced intelligence work, officials said, as officers 

from the CIA, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency 

and the National Security Agency worked as a team to analyze 

and pinpoint the Pakistani compound where bin Laden was 

killed.

Once the intelligence pointed precisely to the compound 

in Abbottabad –- a town 35 miles north of Pakistan’s capital 

of Islamabad –- the work on the mission began between the 

intelligence and military communities.

“In the end, it was the matchless skill and courage of these 

Americans that secured this triumph for our country and the 

world,” one official said.

A small team conducted the helicopter raid on the compound. 

An official called it a complex operation, noting that the compound 

was a virtual fortress -– built in 2006 with high walls, razor wire 

and other defense features. Its suburban location and proximity to 

Islamabad complicated the operation, the official said.

“The men who executed this mission accepted this risk, 

practiced to minimize those risks, and understood the importance 

of the target to the national security of the United States,” he 

said. “This operation was a surgical raid by a small team designed 

to minimize collateral damage and to pose as little risk as possible 

to noncombatants on the compound or to Pakistani civilians in 

the neighborhood.”

U.S. helicopters delivered the team to the compound, and the 

team was on the ground for less than 40 minutes, an official said. 

They did not encounter any local authorities. In addition to bin 

Laden, three adult males were killed in the raid.

One of the U.S. helicopters was lost at the compound due to 

mechanical failure. The crew destroyed it on the ground, and the 

assault force and crew members boarded the remaining aircraft to 

‘Justice has b

Intelligence, operations team up for bin Laden kill

Joint Task Force Guantanamo Troopers watch as President Barack Obama announces 

the death of Al-Qaida chieftain, Osama bin Laden, May 1 after an operation conducted 

by U.S. Special Operations Forces. 

The Wire | Page 12 Special Coverage |

special 
leave, an official said.

“There’s also no doubt that the death of Osama bin Laden 

marks the single greatest victory in the U.S.-led campaign to 

disrupt, dismantle and defeat al-Qaida,” the official said. “It is 

a major and essential step in bringing about al-Qaida’s eventual 

destruction.”

Though the organization’s terrorists still are dangerous and alQaida may not fragment immediately, an official said, “the loss of 

bin Laden puts the group on a path of decline that will be difficult 

to reverse.”

The United States did not share any intelligence on the raid 

with any other country, the official said.

“We believed it was essential to the security of the operation 

and our personnel,” he said. “In fact, only a very small group 

of people inside our own government knew of this operation in 

advance.” Shortly after the raid, he added, U.S. officials contacted 

senior Pakistani leaders and told them about the raid and its 

results.

“Since 9/11, the United States has made it clear to Pakistan 

that we would pursue bin Laden wherever he might be,” the 

official said. “Pakistan has long understood that we are at war 

with al-Qaida. The United States had a legal and moral obligation 

to act on the information it had.”

een done.’

JTF-GTMO-CDR 2 May 2011

MEMORANDUM FOR JTF-GTMO 

Our nation felt a tremendous sense of accomplishment 

this week when President Obama told the world that after 

years of painstaking effort, the United States had located 

Osama bin Laden and brought him to justice. The leader 

of some of the most vicious terrorist attacks in history 

will never again plot harm for the United States or our 

allies.

This has been a difficult decade. Some of you in the 

Task Force were still in grade school on that terrible day 

in 2001. Others of you were just starting your military 

service, not realizing the threat or challenges you would 

face. We were cautioned in the days after the 9/11 attacks 

that this was a war like no other. It would not end with a 

formal surrender or a signed document.

It’s very tempting to see the death of bin Laden as an 

endpoint.

It is not.

Our job is not done. There are ongoing combat 

operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and we still hold 

172 detainees and convicted prisoners. As our nation 

continues in our efforts to combat and eliminate violent 

extremism, we must always remain vigilant. We will also 

continue to provide the highest standards of safe, humane, 

legal and transparent care for detainees in our custody.

This recent success was accomplished due to the 

dedicated efforts of many Americans, both military and 

civilian. Most of them, the public will never recognize 

by name. In the same way, each of you quietly and 

professionally performs a vital mission under equally 

challenging circumstances.

I thank each of you for your efforts, here and in 

other commands where you may have served. Our 

achievements to date are because of the dedication of 

hundreds of thousands of men and women like you, 

who answered the nation’s call to duty and serve with 

the highest standards of pride and professionalism. May 

that dedication continue to carry us forward until violent 

extremism and all that it represents is merely an ugly 

footnote in history, and our nation knows peace once 

more.

JEFFREY HARBESON

RDML U.S. Navy

Commander

Throngs of revelers descended upon ground zero in New York City, 

May 1 after learning the mastermind of the 9-11 attacks was 

killed earlier that day in a military operation. 

| Special Coverage The Wire | Page 13

coverage
The Wire | Page 14 Special Coverage |

“Today we are 

reminded that as 

a nation, there's 

nothing we can't 

do when we put 

our shoulders 

to the wheel, 

when we work 

together. And we 

remember the 

sense of unity 

that defines us as 

Americans."

 -President 

Barack Obama

May 1, 2011: A chapter cl

special 

U.S. service members watch President Barack Obama talk on television about the details of 

the death of 9/11 mastermind, Osama bin Laden on Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, May 2. 

-Photo by U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Stephen Schester

special 
coverage

| Special Coverage The Wire | Page 15

oses, an effort continues

coverage

President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and members 

of the national security team, including Defense Secretary 

Robert M. Gates, far right, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham 

Clinton, and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, standing, chairman of the 

Joint Chiefs of Staff, receive an update on the mission against 

Osama bin Laden in the Situation Room of the White House, 

May 1. A classified document seen in this photograph has been 

obscured. White House photo by Pete Souza

A crowd gathers in Times Square as news of the death of Osama bin Laden reached the nation, May 1.
The At Your Service | Wire | Page 16

In The Trenches

3,000 Guard members respond to disasters

ARLINGTON, Va., – About 3,000 

National Guard members were responding to 

weather-related domestic disasters in 11 states 

on Friday, many in tornado-ravaged Alabama, 

while hundreds still tackled rising waters in 

North Dakota, the epicenter of flooding now 

challenging seven states.

In Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi, 

tornadoes killed and injured people and 

destroyed property; in Texas, drought fueled 

wildland fires; in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, 

Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota and 

Tennessee, swollen rivers either escaped their 

banks or threatened to do so.

The rash of domestic weather-related 

responses seemed unlikely to abate any time 

soon: Officials are watching the Mississippi 

River and Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour 

warned of potential major flooding.

More than 300 people are dead after more 

than 160 tornadoes swept through seven 

Southern states midweek in the worst natural 

disaster to hit the nation since Hurricane 

Katrina.

Thousands of people were injured, many 

more rendered homeless and at one point at 

least 1 million people were without power 

after the tornado swarm inflicted damages 

estimated in the billions of dollars, according 

to news reports.

It was the deadliest tornado swarm since 

310 people were killed in 1974.

About 1,100 Guard members were on 

duty in Alabama today, and the governor 

has authorized up to 2,000. President Barack 

Obama, who on Friday declared a major 

disaster in Alabama, was visiting damaged 

areas today. Guard missions included search 

and rescue, security, transportation and road 

clearing, National Guard Bureau officials 

reported.

The National Weather Service today 

reported that it rated one 205-mph, halfmile-wide tornado that struck Mississippi on 

Wednesday that state’s first EF-5 tornado since 

1966 and predicted more of the tornadoes 

that struck the South will receive the same 

damage rating -- the highest.

About 40 Guard members were providing 

traffic control points, security assistance and 

communications support in Mississippi.

More than 50 Airmen were among the 72 

Guard members helping Arkansas residents 

recovering from tornado damage, providing 

security, patrolling roads, delivering water and 

performing search and rescue functions.

“We’re doing all of this while we’re also 

deploying Airmen to support the overseas war 

effort, while our day-to-day mission continues 

uninterrupted,” said Air Force Col. Jim 

Summers, 189th Airlift Wing commander.

Rob McIlvaine

Armed Forces Press Service

“This is a prime example of how flexible 

our Air National Guard is, but it takes the 

support of employers and a Guardsman’s 

family for it to continue to work. I can’t say 

enough about how employers and families 

have stepped up.”

A handful of Tennessee Guard members 

were providing aerial damage reconnaissance. 

In that state, Guard officials said the tornadoes 

had contributed to Mississippi River flooding. 

Tennessee Air National Guard aircraft were 

damaged by hail and wind Thursday, Guard 

officials reported.

High Red River levels affected North 

Dakota, where some Guard members have 

been on duty for more than three weeks and 

311 remained on duty today.

North Dakota Guard quick reaction forces 

placed thousands of sandbags to protect 

homes. Guard members also patrolled dikes 

and staffed traffic control points.

Working with the Guard “has been nothing 

but positive,” Rick Schock, a city contractor, 

told a North Dakota Guard member. “They’ve 

been a great assistance to us.”

Some 680 Guard members were on duty 

in Missouri, including 563 sandbagging, 

monitoring levees and roads, assisting evacuees 

and supporting law enforcement and 115 

responding to damage that hit especially close 

to Guard members: An estimated $10 million 

or more in tornado damage to Missouri Air 

National Guard facilities at Lambert-St. Louis 

International Airport.

About 377 Illinois Guard members 

were assisting civilian authorities with route 

reconnaissance, levee surveillance, water 

deliveries and maintenance.

“In addition to their military responsibilities, 

our Soldiers and Airmen are also committed 

to their careers and families, so I am impressed 

with their rapid response to the governor’s 

call,” said Maj. Gen. William Enyart, Illinois’ 

adjutant general.

Another 213 were on duty in flood-related 

operations in Indiana and 15 in Minnesota.

About 128 Kentucky Guard members 

tackled Ohio River flooding -- building barriers, 

filling sandbags and supporting civilian law 

enforcement authorities.

“I want to express my appreciation for 

what the Guard does,” farmer Mike Gustafson 

told a North Dakota Guard member. “The 

effort makes it comfortable for people who 

are dealing with the stress and the issues that 

could result from a catastrophic problem.

“It’s sometimes so easy to take for granted 

what they do, not only throughout the world 

for security, freedom of the lifestyle we live, 

but those things they do at the community level 

and the presence of them here is extremely 

appreciated.”

Indiana Army National Soldiers fill sandbags at the Indiana Department of Transportation 

branch in Vincennes, Ind., April 25, to support flood recovery in the area. 

- photo by Sgt. John Crosby
| At Your Service The Wire | Page 17

On The Deck

Navy to christen guided-missile destroyer Michael Murphy

WASHINGTON – The Navy will christen 

the newest guided-missile destroyer, Michael 

Murphy, Saturday, during a 10 a.m. Eastern 

Daylight Time ceremony at General Dynamics 

Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine.

The new destroyer honors Navy SEAL 

(Sea, Air, Land) Lt. Michael P. Murphy who was 

posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for 

his heroic actions during Operation Red Wings 

in Afghanistan June 28, 2005.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary 

Roughead will deliver the ceremony’s principal 

address. Maureen Murphy will serve as sponsor 

of the ship named for her late son. In accordance 

with Navy tradition, she will break a bottle of 

champagne across the ship’s bow to formally 

christen the ship.

Murphy led a four-man team tasked with 

finding a key Taliban leader in the mountainous 

terrain near Asadabad, Afghanistan, when they 

came under fire from a much larger enemy 

force with superior tactical position. Mortally 

wounded while exposing himself to enemy fire, 

Murphy knowingly left his position of cover to 

get a clear signal in order to communicate with 

his headquarters. While being shot at repeatedly, 

Murphy calmly provided his unit’s location and 

requested immediate support for his element. 

He returned to his cover position to continue 

the fight until finally succumbing to his wounds.

Designated DDG 112, Michael Murphy, 

the 62nd Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, will be 

able to conduct a variety of operations, from 

Chief of Naval Personnel Public Affairs

Osama Bin Laden Buried at Sea

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Osama bin Laden received a Muslim ceremony as he was buried at 

sea, a senior defense official said in Washington, D.C., Monday.

The religious rites were performed aboard the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) in the 

North Arabian Sea and occurred within 24 hours of the terrorist leader’s death, said the official.

“Preparations for at-sea [burial] began at 1:10 a.m. Eastern Standard Time and were completed 

at 2 a.m.,” said the official.

The burial followed traditional Muslim burial customs, and bin Laden’s body was washed and 

placed in a white sheet, said the official.

“The body was placed in a weighted bag. A military officer read prepared religious remarks, 

which were translated into Arabic by a native speaker,” the official added.

Afterward, bin Laden’s body was placed onto a flat board, which was then elevated upward on 

one side and the body slid off into the sea.

The deceased terrorist was buried at sea because no country would accept bin Laden’s remains, 

a senior defense official said.

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Defense Department officials are sure it was the body 

of bin Laden. CIA specialists compared photos of the body with known photos of bin Laden 

and said with 95-percent certainty it was the terrorist leader, a senior intelligence official said.

In addition, bin Laden’s wife identified the al-Qaida leader by name while the strike team was 

still in the compound, said the intelligence official.

CIA and other specialists in the intelligence community “performed the initial DNA analysis 

matching a virtually 100-percent DNA match of the body against the DNA of several of bin 

Laden’s family members,” the official added.

Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

peacetime presence and crisis management 

to sea control and power projection. Michael 

Murphy will be capable of fighting air, surface 

and subsurface battles simultaneously and will 

contain a myriad of offensive and defensive 

weapons designed to support maritime warfare 

in keeping with “A Cooperative Strategy for 21st 

Century Seapower.”

Cmdr. Thomas E. Shultz, a native of El 

Cajon, Calif., is the prospective commanding 

officer of the ship and will lead the crew of 

279 officers and enlisted personnel. The 9,200-

ton Michael Murphy is being built by General 

Dynamics Bath Iron Works. The ship is 509 feet 

in length, has a waterline beam of 59 feet, and 

a navigational draft of 31 feet. Four gas turbine 

engines will power the ship to speeds in excess 

of 30 knots.

For more information on Michael 

Murphy, visit http://www.facebook.com/

USSMichaelMurphy/.

Media may direct queries to the Navy 

Office of Information at 703-697-5342. 

Additional information on Arleigh Burke 

class destroyers is available online http://

www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.

asp?cid=4200&tid=900&ct=4.
The At Your Service | Wire | Page 18

Inside the Jar

Commandant touts Marine Corps reserve law enforcement unit

James K. Sanborn

Marines.com

The Marine Corps plans to stand up specialty 

Reserve battalions including one dedicated to 

law enforcement, said Commandant Gen. Jim 

Amos during a speech Friday in downtown 

Washington.

These units would help the Corps maintain 

a cadre of Marines with specialized skills that 

can be called upon in a time of crisis, Amos told 

guests at the 39th IFPA-Fletcher Conference on 

National Security Strategy and Policy.

As an example, he cited the need for police 

investigative skills, like those used in Anbar 

province, Iraq, beginning in 2003, to disband 

insurgent cells.

“We were trying to find who the bomb 

makers were. We were trying to find who the 

people were funneling people in ... across 

the borders and into Anbar province to 

cause trouble,” he said. “We didn’t have the 

investigative kind of forensic skills sets in the 

Marine Corps to do that.”

Non-traditional fights against criminals and 

insurgents require a set of skills akin to those 

used by civilian officers fighting narcotics 

organizations in America’s largest cities, he said.

“We went out to a major metropolitan police 

department and said, can you help us?” Amos 

said. “Can you bring in some skills sets to help us 

do some investigation, networking? The kind of 

stuff you are doing if you are dealing in counter 

narcotics investigations. Who’s the kingpin and 

how’s the network built?”

The program was a wild success, Amos 

said. But Marine officials, who sought the help 

of private consultants the Los Angeles Police 

Department, began looking for an alternative. 

They found an answer in the Reserve.

“We began to realize we have 39,600 reservists. 

Out of that, there are a lot of policemen, and 

there are a lot of cops that are investigators,” 

Amos said. “... Now we are building in this 

Marine Corps ... a law enforcement battalion,” 

Amos said. “Notice I didn’t call it a military 

police battalion — a law enforcement battalion. 

And it’s going to be made up of Reserve police 

officers and investigators, and we are going to 

have that as part of our Reserve force.”

Other niche ideas for reservists are also 

being kicked around, said Maj. Gen. Darrell 

Moore, director of the Marine Corps Reserve 

Division at Manpower and Reserve Affairs in 

Quantico, Va.

Language skills and other specialties, such as 

explosive ordnance disposal, will continue to be 

part of the active-duty force. But the Reserve 

could play an increasingly important role in 

these areas, precisely because they are able to 

bring unique skill sets to the Corps that they 

learn and hone in their civilian jobs.

As Marines pull out of Afghanistan, the 

need for EOD techs will likely diminish, Amos 

said, but the skill will remain critical. The EOD 

community grew from about 400 in 2001 to 

about 750 today. With cost-cutting measures 

around the corner and a likely drawdown in 

Afghanistan, the active-duty community might 

take a cut, but a Reserve EOD battalion would 

allow the Marine Corps to maintain a large cadre 

of EOD techs that could be activated when 

needed.

Marines with concussion, MTBI may qualify for Purple Heart 

MARINE CORPS BASE 

QUANTICO, Va. — No one 

steps foot into the combat zone 

in hopes to be wounded. But it’s a 

fact that some Marines in combat 

will be wounded or injured as a 

result of enemy action, with many 

of the Marines being eligible for 

award of the Purple Heart.

A recent decision by the 

commandant of the Marine Corps 

has expanded the number of 

Marines who will now be eligible 

for the Purple Heart when they 

suffer a mild traumatic brain injury 

(mTBI) or concussion caused by 

enemy action.

Mild traumatic brain injuries, 

which can be caused by a blast or 

blow to the head, will now qualify 

for the Purple Heart if a medical 

officer makes a disposition that 

the Marine is not fit for full duty 

for more than 48 hours due to 

the persistent signs, symptoms, 

or findings of impairment from 

the concussion, provided the 

disposition was made within seven 

days of the event.

Under the Marine Corps’ 

revised criteria announced in 

Marine Administrative Message 

245/11 on April 15, the Marine 

Corps will no longer limit award of 

the Purple Heart for mild traumatic 

Capt. Patrick Boyce

Manpower & Reserve Affairs 

brain injury or concussions solely 

to those cases where the Marine 

lost consciousness.

This change is retroactive to 

the start of the Global War On 

Terrorism, which began Sept. 11, 

2001.

The two basic eligibility 

requirements for award of the 

Purple Heart established in 

executive order and Department 

of Defense regulations remain 

unchanged: the wound or injury 

must be the result of direct or 

indirect enemy action and must 

have required treatment by a 

medical officer at the time of the 

wound or injury.

However, MARADMIN 

245/11 provides revised criteria 

by which Marine commanders 

will apply the second of these 

eligibility requirements to cases of 

mild traumatic brain injury where 

the visible signs and symptoms of 

the severity of the injury may not 

be apparent.

Mild traumatic brain injury is 

a physical injury, caused by the 

inflammation of brain tissue that 

can have long-lasting effects if not 

diagnosed and managed properly.

According to Navy Cmdr. 

Dave Tarantino, director for 

clinical programs for Marine 

headquarters’ health services, 

traumatic brain injury is divided 

into three categories from most to 

least severe: severe or penetrating, 

moderate and mild. Severe or 

penetrating traumatic brain injury 

and moderate traumatic brain 

injury have previously qualified 

for the Purple Heart because 

those injuries require evacuation 

to a medical treatment facility 

where the injury can be treated by 

a medical officer. However, there 

are no definitive medical tests to 

diagnose mild traumatic brain 

injury or determine its severity.

“In order to assess mild 

traumatic brain injury and 

concussions, corpsmen and 

medical officers rely on a 

combination of history, physical 

examination, clinical signs and 

symptoms, and other findings,” 

said Tarantino.

DoD guidelines in effect in the 

combat theater for the last year 

require that any service member 

who is involved in a potentially 

concussive event must be placed 

under a 24-hour period of 

observation to determine if they 

have suffered a mild traumatic 

brain injury. That period of 

observation does not provide 

justification for the Purple Heart 

and can be extended if the member 

exhibits signs or symptoms of a 

mild traumatic brain injury.

If a medical officer determines 

that the Marine is not fit for full 

duty for a period greater than 48 

hours due to signs, symptoms, or 

findings of impairment from the 

mild traumatic brain injury caused 

by enemy action, then the injured 

Marine’s command will indicate 

that information in the remarks 

section of the Marine’s Personnel 

Casualty Report.

Given the natural resilience of 

the brain, combined with proper 

diagnosis and management, most 

Marines who have suffered from 

mild traumatic brain injury recover 

fully and experience a very high 

return to duty rate, explained 

Tarantino.

Marines, to include veteran 

Marines, whose medical record 

contains documentation that a 

prior mild traumatic brain injury 

was caused by enemy action 

since Sept. 11, 2001 – meeting 

the revised criteria – may submit 

a reclama through their original 

chain of command at the time of 

injury.

“The Marine Corps will 

continue to maintain the 

importance of the Purple Heart 

Medal at the same level as when 

it was first approved for combat 

wounded Marines during World 

War II,” said Lee Freund, head 

of Military Awards Branch at 

Headquarters Marine Corps.
 WASHINGTON (AFNS) – Officials 

announced April 29 the names of eight 

Airmen killed April 27 at the Kabul 

International Airport in Afghanistan.

 Each died of gunfire wounds.

 Killed were:

 Maj. Philip D. Ambard, 44, of 

Edmonds, Wash. He was assigned 

to the 460th Space Communications 

Squadron, Buckley Air Force Base, 

Colo.

 Maj. Jeffrey O. Ausborn, 41, of 

Gadsden, Ala. He was assigned to 

the 99th Flying Training Squadron, 

Randolph AFB, Texas.

 Maj. David L. Brodeur, 34, of 

Auburn, Mass. He was assigned to the 

11th Air Force, Joint Base ElmendorfRichardson, Alaska.

 Master Sgt. Tara R. Brown, 33, 

of Deltona, Fla. She was assigned 

to the Air Force Office of Special 

Investigations, Joint Base Andrews, 

Md.

 Lt. Col. Frank D. Bryant Jr., 37, of 

Knoxville, Tenn. He was assigned to 

the 56th Operations Group, Luke 

AFB, Ariz.

 Maj. Raymond G. Estelle II, 40, of 

New Haven, Conn. He was assigned to 

Headquarters Air Combat Command, 

Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.

 Capt. Nathan J. Nylander, 35, of 

Hockley, Texas. He was assigned to the 

25th Operational Weather Squadron, 

Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.

 Capt. Charles A. Ransom, 31, of 

Midlothian, Va. He was assigned to the 

83rd Network Operations Squadron, 

Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.

 Secretary of the Air Force Michael 

Donley, Air Force Chief of Staff 

Gen. Norton Schwartz and Chief 

Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. 

Roy released the following statement:

 “The entire Air Force family is 

saddened by this loss and our thoughts 

and prayers are with the families and 

friends of these brave Airmen. (They)

personified the Air Force’s core values 

of integrity, service and excellence. 

We honor the service and dedication 

of these brave Airmen and remain 

firm in our resolve to carry on our 

mission.”

AF identifies 

casualties of

Kabul attack

Fewer officers face 

RIF board this fall

Maj. Jesse Peterson and Tech. Sgt. 

Shane Hargis, 83rd Expeditionary Rescue 

Squadron, practice a hoist mission April 

22, the day before they were called upon 

to recover the pilots of a downed Army 

helicopter. - photo by Staff Sgt. Bill Cenna

Dress rehearsal

 RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas 

(AFNS) – Previously identified competitive 

categories for chaplains, medical service corps 

and 1999 and 2000 judge advocate general 

year groups will no longer meet September’s 

reduction in force board, the Air Force 

announced Monday.

 The RIF board will now only consider officers 

in the grade of captain and major in the following 

year groups and competitive categories:

 Captains: line of the Air Force: 2000, and 

2003 through 2005 only.

 Majors: line of the Air Force: 2000; judge 

advocate general: 2001 through 2003; and 

biomedical service corps: 2000 and 2001.

 According to Air Force personnel officials, the 

board will consider approximately 9,000 officers 

to retain at least 95 percent in the year groups 

and competitive categories listed above. 

 Answers to specific RIF and voluntary 

separation pay questions are available at the 

FY11/12 Force Management Programs section 

on the Air Force Personnel Services website. 

Type “15766” in the search by keyword box to 

access frequently asked questions.

 More than 50 Airmen from the Arkansas 

Air National Guard 189th Airlift Wing Rapid 

Augmentation Team Charlie deployed to 

Vilonia, Ark., April 26 to help residents recover 

from tornado damage.

 RAT Charlie is one of three 50-person teams 

composed of drill-status guardsmen. It’s a 

volunteer force wing officials developed to more 

efficiently respond to state natural disasters.

 “We’re doing all of this while we’re also 

deploying Airmen to support the overseas war 

effort, while our day-to-day C-130 (Hercules) 

training mission continues uninterrupted,” 

said Col. Jim Summers, the 189th Airlift Wing 

commander. 

 “This is a prime example of how flexible our 

Air National Guard is, but it takes the support 

of those external influencers -- employers and a 

guardsman’s family -- for it to continue to work. 

I can’t say enough about how employers and 

families have stepped up to the plate to support 

their guardsmen when they’re needed most.”

 Traditionally, the Arkansas Army National 

Guard has deployed first responders for 

natural disasters, officials said. Now, the Air 

National Guard also has the opportunity to help 

Arkansans in their time of need.

 “We’re going door to door to make sure 

everyone is ok and accounted for,” said Lt. 

Col. Dean B. Martin, the 189th Airlift Wing 

RAT domestic operations chief. “We are all 

Air Guard, CAP provide tornado response

members of this Arkansas community, and it is 

so great to be able to provide help to our fellow 

neighbors.” 

 At the same time, the Civil Air Patrol -- the Air 

Force Auxiliary -- is flying over areas with major 

devastation to assist first responders and state 

and local officials as they assess the damage to 

the region.

 CAP pilots from Alabama, Mississippi, 

Tennessee and Virginia have volunteered their 

time and aircraft to capture aerial photographs 

of the affected towns and villages, while also 

providing airborne communication support as 

needed.

 As of April 29, CAP pilots have flown 20 

sorties, shot more than 2,000 photos, and 

provided nine aircraft, each with a pilot, observer 

and scanner aboard.

 “It’s important to remember that Civil Air 

Patrol pilots participate in Air Force missions 

strictly on a voluntary basis,” said Mark Obrien, 

the CAP liaison officer for Air Forces Northern 

at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. 

 “In instances like these, when people’s lives and 

homes are at stake, it goes without saying that the 

generous and selfless nature of our CAP pilots 

comes immediately to the forefront, and we 

often find ourselves with more volunteers than 

actual assigned missions. It’s a clear example of 

the caliber of people who volunteer their time 

and energy to the Air Force Auxiliary.”

| At Your Service The Wire | Page 19

On the Wing
The At Your Service | Wire | Page 20

Coast to coast

Memorial service held to remember fallen heroes

MANAMA, Bahrain – Members of the U.S. 

Navy and U.S. Coast Guard joined together for 

a memorial service held onboard Naval Support 

Activity, Bahrain to continue to honor the lives 

of three fallen U.S. service members, April 26.

Coast Guard Damage Controlman 3rd Class 

Nathan B. Bruckenthal, 24, of Smithtown. N.Y., 

Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class Michael J. Pernaselli, 

27, of Monroe, N.Y., Signalman 2nd Class 

Christopher E. Watts, 28, of Knoxville, Tenn., 

and were serving aboard USS Firebolt (PC 10) 

when they lost their lives after an unidentified 

dhow exploded during a maritime interdiction 

operation (MIO), in the Northern Arabian 

Gulf, April 24, 2004.

Vice Adm. Mark Fox, commander, U.S. 

Naval Forces Central Command, spoke during 

the event to more than 100 Sailors and Coast 

Guardsmen in attendance.

“It is appropriate for us to take this time 

to reflect on the loss of three shipmates who 

walked the deckplates of some of the very 

same vessels we walk on today,” said Fox. 

“Seven years ago, on April 24, 2004, right after 

dusk, USS Firebolt was conducting routine 

patrol duties northwest of Khor Al Amaya Oil 

Terminal (KAAOT) when two dhows were 

spotted near the platform. Firebolt, conducting 

what was a routine mission, sent a RHIB [rigid 

hull inflatable boat] manned by a crew of 

seven out to investigate. However, as the RHIB 

approached the dhow, it exploded, killing three 

and injuring the other four.”

Fox closed out the ceremony by reminding 

everyone of how important it is to continue the 

legacy of those who have gone before them. 

“None of us get to choose the environment in 

which we operate, that’s chosen for us; however, 

we do choose how we operate and carry 

ourselves,” said Fox. “I think it’s important for 

us to remember what it means to be a shipmate. 

We take care of one another, we train together, 

we build trust and these are the kinds of bonds 

that only come from Sailors serving in difficult 

environments together, working toward a 

common mission.”

U.S. Naval Forces Central Command’s 

mission is to conduct persistent maritime 

operations to forward U.S. interests, deter and 

counter disruptive countries, defeat violent 

extremism and strengthen partner nations’ 

maritime capabilities in order to promote a 

secure maritime environment in the U.S. Central 

Command area of responsibility. 

NEW YORK – The U.S. Coast Guard 

medevaced two people from a boat, which 

reportedly struck a submerged object at about 

6:45 p.m., near the Throgs Neck Bridge, N.Y., 

May 3, 2011.

The Coast Guard received the initial radio 

distress call from the operator, stating their 57-

foot pleasure craft was taking on water.

Coast Guard Sector New York search and 

rescue watchstanders contacted harbor units 

from the New York Police Department and the 

New York Fire Department who responded and 

Boston-based security team 

departs for Guantanamo Bay

BOSTON — A Boston-based maritime 

anti-terrorism unit deployed Monday in 

support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Members of U.S. Coast Guard Maritime 

Safety and Security Team (MSST) Boston 

(91110) departed Hanscom Air Force Base 

for Cuba.

“As a unit, we hope to continue the 

tradition of excellence that the Coast 

Guard has established with other federal 

services and agencies throughout its tenure 

working under the SOUTHCOM area 

of responsibility,” said Lt. j.g. Thomas 

Wieland, MSST Boston’s public affairs 

officer.

Prior to deploying, unit members 

completed two months of training that 

included boat and weapon qualifications, 

team coordination training and CPR 

certification.

“We worked rigorously to improve our 

proficiency with the rules and regulations 

that govern the area and our mission down 

there,” Wieland said.

To augment the MSST’s active-duty 

component, reservists from across 

the nation were hand-selected for the 

upcoming deployment.

“We have added a great mixture of 

individuals from across the country to 

our team. They have already made a great 

impact within the unit,” said Lt. Kevin 

Duffy, MSST Boston’s executive officer.

The reservist members’ civilian 

occupations include everything from 

undergraduate students to emergency 

service personnel and retail employees. 

Each volunteered for the deployment, 

excited to join the unit and serve their 

country.

“My Dad was called up for service 

for Vietnam with the New Hampshire 

National Guard as was Grandfather in the 

Army Air Force for WWII before him,” 

said Petty Officer 1st Class Jeremy Wyskiel, 

a New England native and Chittenden 

County, Colchester Police Officer. “I have 

been waiting for the call to do my part for 

five years in the Coast Guard Reserves and 

now finally have my chance to deploy with 

a great unit.”

MSST Boston was created under the 

Maritime Transportation Security Act of 

2002 (MTSA) in direct response to the 

terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, and 

are a part of the Department of Homeland 

Security’s layered strategy directed at 

protecting seaports and waterways.

MSSTs provide waterborne and a 

shore-side antiterrorism force protection 

for strategic shipping, high-interest vessels 

and critical infrastructure. 

Injured boaters rescued from NYC’s East River

were on scene shortly after. Crewmembers from 

Towboat U.S. were also on scene shortly after the 

initial call and began to dewater the boat.

Sector New York watchstanders were notified 

by the first responders that two of the three 

people aboard suffered injuries upon impact.

Coast Guard Station Kings Point, N.Y., 

launched a 25-foot rescue boat crew, who arrived 

on scene shortly after 7 p.m. The rescue crew 

brought the two individuals to City Island where 

they were transferred to awaiting emergency 

medical personnel.
| Mind, Body & Soul The Wire | Page 21

Hospital Corpsman 

3rd Class Franklin Alexander

Mind, Body & Soul Stress:

Unavoidable yet manageable

GTMO Religious Services

Daily Catholic Mass

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

Main Chapel

Vigil Mass

Saturday 5 p.m.

Main Chapel

Mass

Sunday 9 a.m.

Main Chapel

Catholic Mass

Saturday 7:30 p.m.

Troopers’ Chapel

Sunday 7:30 a.m.

Troopers’ Chapel

Church of Christ

Sunday 10 a.m.

Chapel Annex

Room 17

Seventh Day Adventist

Saturday 11 a.m.

Room B

Iglesia Ni Christo

Sunday 5:30 a.m.

Room A

Pentecostal Gospel

Sunday 8 a.m.

Room D

Liturgical Service

Sunday 10 a.m.

Room B

General Protestant

Sunday 11 a.m.

Main Chapel

United Jamaican

Fellowship

Sunday 11 a.m.

Building 1036

Gospel Service

Sunday 1 p.m.

Main Chapel

GTMO Bay Christian 

Fellowship

Sunday 6 p.m.

Main Chapel

Bible Study

Wednesday 7 p.m.

Troopers’ Chapel

The Truth Project

Bible study

Sunday 6 p.m.

Troopers’ Chapel

Protestant Worship

Sunday 9 a.m.

Troopers’ Chapel

Islamic Service

Friday 1:15 p.m.

Room C

Jewish Service

Friday 7 p.m.

Chapel Annex

LORIMI Gospel

Sunday 8 a.m.

Room D

LDS Service

Sunday 10 a.m.

Room A

Austrian endocrinologist 

Dr. Hans Selye defined stress 

as, “the non-specific response 

of the body to any demand 

for change.” That change is a 

byproduct of environmental, 

social, organizational or even 

emotional stimuli.

Stress is unavoidable 

and refuses to discriminate 

against ethnicity, religion, 

sex or political affiliation. 

However, just because stress is 

unavoidable does not mean all 

stress is bad stress; good stress 

is not a myth! 

Stress can, in fact, be 

beneficial. Good stress, also 

called eustress, allows a person 

to remain alert and provides 

needed energy. Stress can 

provide an athlete the edge 

they need to persevere during 

a triathlon, for example. 

Unfortunately, stress can 

be harmful if not managed 

effectively. Bad stress, or 

distress, can increase the risk 

of developing health problems, 

such as cardiovascular disease 

and anxiety disorders. A 

convenient way to think about 

stress is in terms of stressors 

and stress responses. Stressors 

are characterized as events that 

pressure or threaten people. 

Making a difficult decision, 

getting married or divorced or 

being victimized by a natural 

disaster are examples of 

stressors.

Stress responses are 

psychological, physiological 

and behavioral reactions; 

they are how we react to our 

stressors. Depression, anxiety, 

muscle tension and anger are all 

examples of stress responses.

Stress is managed differently 

by everybody. On Guantanamo 

Bay there are numerous 

stressors: isolation, work, the 

environment, traffic-stopping 

iguanas and, of course, leftover 

banana rat buffets. There 

are also numerous ways to 

relieve stress: hiking, boating, 

swimming, exercise and, 

naturally, karaoke. Regardless 

of what your stressors might 

be, learning effective coping/

stress management skills is 

necessary to avoid long-term 

physical or psychological 

issues. Minimally, it’s important 

to maintain a healthy diet, 

practice good sleep hygiene 

and keep a positive outlook. 

Selye may have added a 

pertinent piece to the stress 

puzzle for the world, but 

JSMART maintains the piece for 

Joint Task Force Guantanamo. 

If you or someone you 

know is interested in stress 

management or information 

about stress, feel free to visit 

JSMART or give us a call at 

x3566. Thank you and have a 

JSMART day!

The 

Greatest 

Flow Chart

Ever
The Wire | Page 22 At the Movies |

Movie Review

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

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

Red Riding Hood

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Battle: Los Angeles

(PG-13) 10 p.m.

Big Momma’s:

Like Father, Like 

Son

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Hall Pass

(R) 8 p.m.

*last showing*

Mars Needs Moms

(PG) 8 p.m.

Beastly

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

*last showing*

Fast Five

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Red Riding Hood

(PG-13) 8 p.m. 

Battle: Los 

Angeles

(PG-13) 10 p.m.

Mars Needs Moms

(PG) 8 p.m.

Fast Five

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

The Adjustment

Bureau

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Rio

(G) 8 p.m.

Fast Five

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Take Me Home 

Tonight

(R) 10 p.m.

Hall Pass

(R) 8 p.m.

*last showing*

Downtown

Lyceum

Camp 

Bulkeley

Rio

(G) 8 p.m.

Fast Five

(PG-13) 10 p.m

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

Fate is tricky business. Rely on it too much 

and you quickly stop taking responsibility for 

your life choices. Don’t believe in it at all and 

you dismiss the possibility of a higher power 

or a greater plan. Can there be a delicate 

balance between the two, between choosing 

your path and accepting your destiny?

These and many other “deep-thinking” 

questions are tackled in “The Adjustment 

Bureau,” a sweet, sleek supernatural thriller 

that confounds the brain but warms the 

heart.

Matt Damon is David Norris, an up-andcoming politician who, on the eve of a difficult 

loss for a senate seat, meets ballerina Elise 

in a men’s bathroom. After a few adorable 

minutes of googly-eyes, witty banter and other 

forms of shameless flirting, David must leave 

to make his concession speech. But, in those 

short moments, the bewitching Elise leaves 

her mark and he ends up tossing out the rule 

book and giving a speech that revitalizes and 

rejuvenates his career. 

Sounds pretty normal so far, right? Boy 

meets girl, girl befuddles boy, inspired by girl, 

boy does seemingly retarded and/or fearless 

stunt. 

What about, boy is blocked from finding 

girl again by angels/guardians/higher power/

the man upstairs-type people with awesome 

headgear because, according to them, “it’s not 

part of the plan.”

Ah ha! Didn’t see that coming, did ya?

“The Adjustment Bureau” aims high 

in concept and mostly hits the mark. The 

storytelling is a little sloppy, with several plot 

holes I’m certain the writers noticed but didn’t 

feel like fixing.

Thankfully, the centerpiece is Damon 

and Blunt. The key to the film is believing in 

their bond before even they do, and the two 

actors pull it off beautifully. Damon has a 

boyish charm working for him that I haven’t 

seen in a while, but as David the Politician, he 

also comes across as a thoroughly good man 

(something lacking in today’s society – did I 

mention I was single?).

Blunt, meanwhile, is a showstopper. She 

has to be – the story hinges on Elise’s ability 

to make David re-evaluate his entire existence. 

She’s graceful and quirky, gentle but resolved. 

Blunt is by far the lesser-known name out 

of the two stars, but she acts with such a 

mischievous quietness that it’s impossible to 

see David falling for anyone else. 

After almost a month of sub-par and nopar-at-all movies, I’m very pleased with the 

last two week’s offerings. “The Adjustment 

Bureau” is a thoughtful, genre-busting cutlet 

that harkens back to classics like “North By 

Northwest” and “Casablanca.” It may not be 

as timeless, but there is an urgency to David 

and Elise’s chemistry that makes you root for 

them, and isn’t that what any good love story 

is supposed to do? The closet romantic in me 

can’t help but give it four banana rats. 

Gross, I feel like such a girl now...

Spc. Meredith Vincent

PG-13

106 min. 
| The Last Word The Wire | Page 19

RADIO cont. 

the top and bottom of the hour.

For a price, Radio GTMO fans can have 

their song played every hour at either the 

double-zero or 30-minute mark. 

“Last year the Marines coughed up a 

considerable amount of money to have a 

certain hymn played at the top of the hour,” 

Corliss chuckled. “Folks from the Navy then 

got together and finally managed to replace 

one service hymn with the other – had a little 

service war going on there.”

Kicking off the event, personalities DJ 

Funkenstein and Dr. J were behind the control 

booth Monday morning and already the 

repeater song of the moment was getting to 

them.

“Someone please get this song off the 

air,” an exasperated Justin “Dr. J” Ailes, mass 

communication specialist second class cried to 

“It’s more like a family,” she 

shared. “These guys are like my 

brothers. I’ve known some of 

them the whole time I’ve been 

in and it makes the work more 

enjoyable.”

Seabees are required to work 

outside in the heat and humidity, 

which means they must stay 

hydrated and on the look-out for 

their fellow “Bees.”

“We go through a lot of 

water,” said Builder 2nd Class 

SEABEES cont. 

Landon “DJ Funkenstien” Rosenthal as the 

theme song from circa 1980’s cartoon, “The 

Smurfs” filled the room.

“Sixty-one bucks, someone, please give the 

sixty-one bones to make this go away,” Ailes 

pleaded.

Even with the groan inducing tune-age, 

those working the shifts move about their 

work with a light step and a smile on their face. 

This is a group not only helping with the fundraising effort but having a lot of fun doing it.

“I regularly donate to things like the 

relief society and CFC (Combined Federal 

Campaign),” said Corliss. “But to be able to 

participate in something of this scale and make 

a large contribution is really satisfying.”

In addition to the money raised through the 

radio-thon, all proceeds from sales of Radio 

GTMO merchandise will also go to the relief 

society.

“We’re hoping to raise an additional three to 

five thousand dollars from sales alone,” Corliss 

said, throwing in a sales pitch. “So if you’re 

looking for Radio GTMO gear, now is the time 

to come get it.”

The only thing missing to make the event a 

larger success, Corliss said, is more volunteers 

helping to answer the phones, run requests 

back to the DJs and other odds and ends.

“The volunteers we have are doing an 

outstanding job,” he said. “But we could 

certainly use more help.”

Radio GTMO will bring their efforts to a 

close Friday while the NMCRS fund-raising 

campaign continues through May 15. Individual 

contributions are always welcome. 

To request a song or find out about volunteer 

opportunities, call the station at x2300.

Marie Cope, attached to NMCB 

28. “You sit down, get a drink, 

get back to work and sweat it out 

almost immediately... it’s a good 

workout, though!”

Cope, who is here for two 

weeks with the NMCB 28 

Reservists doing their annual 

active-duty training, said she is 

getting valuable hands-on training 

and developing closeness with her 

unit.

“Seabees are a small group with 

a lot of camaraderie as opposed to 

being on an aircraft carrier,” Cope 

explained. “It’s a diverse group 

and everyone is like family, which 

makes it nice to enjoy our off time 

at the beaches with each other.”

Before going out to enjoy their 

hard-earned time off around the 

island, though, Seabees must first 

get the project site ready for the 

next day’s work. All materials from 

the tear down – including metal, 

lumber and nails – are separated, 

placed in separate containers 

and recycled for future projects. 

Once the area is completely 

cleared, new construction will 

begin.

NMCB 28 continues to 

rotate unit members through 

on two-week orders not only 

to fulfill their yearly active-duty 

requirement, but also to augment 

NMCB 28 Seabees who are 

mobilized here for a full year in 

support of JTF Guantanamo.

special coverage

Then

Now

Promise kept
Since September 11, 

an entire generation of young Americans 

has gained a new understanding 

of the value of freedom 

and its cost in duty and in sacrifice.

The battle is now joined on many fronts. 

We will not waiver, we will not tire, 

we will not falter, and we will not fail. 

Peace and freedom will prevail.

President George W. Bush

Oct. 7, 2001