Volume 12, Issue 27 Thursday, June 23, 2011

Roosevelt’s 

Guardians

Soldiers of the 296th 

protect JTF entrance

Thrift store

expands hours

MWR’s summer 

softball begins
The Wire | Page 2

Trooper to Trooper

featuring

The WIRE is the official news magazine of Joint Task Force 

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

inform and educate the Troopers of JTF Guantanamo through 

news, features, command guidance, sports and entertainment. 

The WIRE seeks to provide maximum disclosure with minimum 

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

This DoD news magazine is an authorized publication for the 

members of the Department of Defense. Contents of The 

WIRE are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed 

by, the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, or Joint 

Task Force Guantanamo. It is printed by the Defense Logistics 

Agency Document Services with a circulation of 1,200.

Trooper to Trooper |

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 Maj. Amy A. Oliver: 9927

Operations Officer

CW2 Raymond Chapman: 3649

Senior Enlisted Leader

Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Cossel: 3499

 

The Wire

Executive Editor

Spc. Meredith Vincent: 3651

Photojournalists:

Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class 

Maddelin Angebrand

Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Sally Hendricks

Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joe Ebalo

Army Sgt. Mathieu Perry

Spc. Kelly Gary

Army Pfc. Justin Pierce

Contact us

Editor’s Desk: 3651

From the continental United States

Commercial: 011-53-99-3499

DSN: 660-3499

E-mail: thewire@jtfgtmo.southcom.mil

Online: www.jtfgtmo.southcom.mil

COVER: A reflection of traffic glimmers off of Sgt. Aljady Soto’s sunglasses as he stands guard duty at Roosevelt 

Gate, Friday. Aljady is assigned to Company B, 296th Infantry Regiment, Puerto Rico Army National Guard, which 

plays a major role as the first impression Troopers and visitors see when entering Joint Task Force Guantanamo.

Command Sgt. Maj., Joint Task Force Guantanamo

Command Sgt. Maj. 

Mark Porrett

Lately there has been a rise in the alcohol-related incidents on 

base and in the Joint Task Force. I have seen more careers end 

over alcohol than any other one contributing factor and heard 

every reason to excessively drink while here – none really pass the 

common sense test. We’ve all seen the silly drunk who tries to 

explain the ways of the world and how they would fix it. All they 

really do is embarrass themselves and others. This is not how we 

want to be known or remembered. 

We all recognize the movie stars whose mug shots become 

plastered on TV after they are arrested for an alcohol-related 

incident. Our Troopers often look just as bad. Leaders, formal 

and informal, must help de-glamorize the consumption of alcohol. 

I can’t imagine our highest military leaders drunk and trying to 

represent the military – we wouldn’t expect this either. Often, 

overdrinking is due to immaturity, a dare, a drinking game or 

blaming it on geographical location. None of these are legitimate 

excuses – drinking is a personal choice.

So if you don’t drink, what do you do? There are many alternatives 

to drinking alcoholic beverages. For your first 21 years of being 

alive, you cannot legally drink. You make it that far having fun and 

learning, so it can’t be that bad to be abstinent. Consuming alcohol 

is a choice and must be done in moderation. Alcoholism is a true 

disease and remains high on the list of reasons why families and 

careers suffer. Society recognizes alcohol as part of our lifestyle 

– we have agencies ready to assist Troopers when they think they 

need help, hopefully before an incident occurs.

It is everyone’s responsibility to intervene when they see 

someone embarrassing themselves with too much alcohol. All 

too often, leaders come forward and say how good the Trooper 

who got into trouble has been. My usual question is, what systems 

were in place to prevent the situation? Good commands have good 

systems. The best system of prevention is having caring leaders 

who know their Troopers. They know who is most at risk. They 

know who is disciplined enough to be a designated driver and not 

“just have one.”

I have a challenge for the JTF: while alcohol is the most abused 

legal drug in our society, it doesn’t have to be here. Can you go 30 

days without consuming any alcohol? If not, how come? I think 

that if you can meet this 30-day challenge, you’ll see more money in 

your pocket, your career still intact and you feeling better. You will 

also be there for anyone who is drinking and can help them before 

they get into a problem. Honor Bound! 

The U.S. Senate confirmed Leon Panetta as 

defense secretary by a unanimous vote of 100 

to nothing, Wednesday. The current director 

of the Central Intelligence Agency, Panetta 

will shift to the Pentagon, replacing outgoing 

Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

Panetta’s already-impressive resume is about 

to get longer. The onetime congressman, White 

House chief of staff and current CIA director 

will oversee the military as the United States 

winds down two wars and engages in a limited 

mission over Libya.

Ahead of Tuesday’s vote, senators lined up 

to praise Panetta and endorse his nomination.

Senate Armed Services Committee 

Chairman Carl Levin called him a “wise and 

solid” choice.

“Director Panetta has given decades of 

dedicated service to this nation, and we should 

all be grateful that he is once again willing 

to answer the call and take the helm of the 

Department of Defense. He is going to bring 

a reassuring level of continuity and in-depth 

experience. The Department of Defense will 

need Director Panetta’s skill and wisdom to 

navigate the extraordinarily-complex set of 

challenges in the years ahead,” Levin said.

The top Republican on the Armed Services 

Committee, John McCain, noted Panetta’s vast 

experience in matters of state.

“Director Panetta has had an extraordinary 

career of public service. He served in the House 

of Representatives, representing his California 

district for eight terms. He served in the White 

| News you can Use The Wire | Page 3

Senate confirms Panetta as U.S. Defense Secretary

Newly appointed Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, testifies 

on Capitol Hill in Washington, before the Senate Armed Service 

Committee, June 9. - photo by AP

Some U.S. officials are voicing 

increasing concern about the 

burgeoning cost of American military 

involvement in simultaneous wars in 

Iraq, Afghanistan and now Libya.

By various government and private 

accounts, the U.S. has spent more 

than $1 trillion over the last decade 

on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, 

and already more than $700 million in 

the three-month-old NATO air war 

against troops loyal to Libyan leader 

Moammar Gadhafi.

President Barack Obama announced 

U.S. troop withdrawals from the war 

front in Afghanistan in a televised 

address Wednesday night, and the U.S. 

involvement in Iraq is winding down 

this year. Some Americans, though, 

weary of a decade of warfare spawned 

by the 2001 terrorist attacks on the 

U.S., are saying that with the sluggish 

national economy, the money spent on 

the wars instead should be spent on 

domestic needs.

The U.S. Conference of Mayors 

this week approved a resolution 

calling for an early end to the U.S. 

involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, 

and requesting the savings be spent at 

home. In Afghanistan, where 100,000 

U.S. troops are stationed, the war tab 

is expected to reach nearly $120 billion 

this year.

One freshman U.S. senator, Joe 

Manchin of the eastern state of 

West Virginia, is a Democrat, as is the 

president. But on Tuesday, he called 

for a substantial troop withdrawal from 

Afghanistan, more than the president 

appears ready to endorse. Manchin 

said it is time “to rebuild America, not 

Afghanistan.” In an unusual coupling 

of political thought in the U.S., some 

of the most conservative Republican 

lawmakers have called for a diminished 

U.S. military force overseas, as have 

some of the country’s most liberal 

Democrats who normally would be 

aligned with Obama on other issues.

Yet Senator John McCain, the 

Republican Obama defeated in the 

2008 presidential election, criticized 

Manchin’s call for a quick reduction in 

U.S. troops in Afghanistan. McCain, 

a U.S. Navy veteran once held as a 

prisoner of war in the Vietnam War, said 

Manchin’s comments were indicative 

of the “isolationist-withdrawal, lackof-knowledge-of-history attitude that 

seems to be on the rise in America.”

Michael Bowman 

Voice of America News

House as President Clinton’s chief of staff, and 

director of the Office of Management and 

Budget. Since 2009, he’s been the director of 

the Central Intelligence Agency, strengthening 

that agency and forging positive relationships,” 

McCain said.

At his confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill 

earlier this month, Panetta predicted Iraq will 

ask the United States to keep some American 

troops in the country beyond the end of this 

year. He endorsed a draw-down of U.S. forces 

in Afghanistan, but said reductions should 

be based on ground conditions there. He said 

Libyan Leader Moammar Gadhafi’s grip on 

power is weakening, and described Pakistan as a 

critical, if frustrating U.S. ally.

Panetta takes over from Robert Gates, who 

is leaving the Pentagon after four and a half 

years as defense secretary, spanning both the 

Bush and Obama administrations. Senators also 

lauded Gates for having overseen U.S. efforts 

to stabilize Iraq, refocused the U.S. campaign 

against the Taliban in Afghanistan, and initiated 

a restructuring of the massive Pentagon budget.

Senator McCain described Gates as one 

of America’s greatest secretaries of defense. 

Speaking of Panetta’s task in replacing Gates, 

Democratic Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois 

put it this way:

“Big shoes to fill. Secretary Gates has had a 

remarkable term as secretary, and a remarkable 

career in public service,” Durbin said.

President Barack Obama’s pick to replace 

Panetta at the CIA is General David Petraeus, 

who has commanded in both Iraq and 

Afghanistan. Petraeus is also expected to be 

confirmed by an overwhelming vote.

Slack economy for U.S.,

growing war costs

Voice of America News
The News from the Bay | Wire | Page 4

Boots on the Ground

What is your favorite summer song?

News from the Bay Stories and reporting by Mass Communication Specialist 

2nd Class Maddelin Angebrand

JTF broadcasters bring

news, stories to roller

The Wire Magazine is making its way to 

your local Roller Channel! Hear and see more 

of your favorite stories during meal hours in 

“The Wire Update.” 

Joint Task Force Guantanamo broadcasters 

will be taking their journalistic talents to new 

heights, researching and answering your 

questions about day-to-day happenings on 

Guantanamo Bay. 

“Every time the broadcast team puts 

together a story, it can be hard for the people 

involved to see themselves on FaceBook 

and YouTube,” shared Pfc. Amanda Russell, 

broadcaster for JTF public affairs. “By 

broadcasting on the roller channel, we’ll still 

be able to reach stateside markets, but the 

Troopers and families here will also be able to 

enjoy them.”

Fishing class offers 

bait and troll basics

Learn the basics of baiting and trolling at the 

Morale, Welfare and Recreation Marina Fishing 

Workshop Wednesday, at 5 p.m. 

 Participants will learn how to make their 

own trolling rigs and proper trolling techniques, 

said Cory Geiger MWR’s outdoor activities 

coordinator.

“The water in GTMO provides the Troopers 

a great way to relax, have fun and not only 

pass the time, but make great memories,” said 

Geiger. “Learning how to fish here will provide 

an awesome pastime and the rental rates here 

are the cheapest you will find in the world.”

 Boat rental in Key West, Fla. from MWR is 

$240 a day plus gas, for example. 

“We have boats for $6 an hour or $30 all day 

or night. We also have half price days,” Geiger 

added. “If you rent a boat 10 times, we give you 

free hours for that as well.” 

Rigs and parts will be available to practice 

with and Geiger said the class will give 

participants the know how to go home and 

make their own rigs. 

Register for the fishing class by Tuesday and 

call Geiger at x2345 for more information.

Rock sensation Saving

Abel comes to GTMO

International rock sensation Saving 

Abel is scheduled to perform Friday at the 

Downtown Lyceum at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 

the Windjammer Ballroom at 9 p.m.

Saving Abel was formed in 2004 and gradually 

came together as a five-member group. When 

their single “Addicted” made its way into the 

hands of producer Jason Flom, the band was 

signed days later.

“Our goals are always to concentrate on the 

song, not just one cool part to make a kid bop his 

head,” said Jason Null, lead guitarist for Saving 

Abel. “Every person I talk to loves a different 

song of ours.” 

With a radio-ready sound combining big riffs 

and memorable melodies, Saving Abel has a 

polished sound sure to reach any audience. 

For more information call x4882.

“‘Summertime’ by a country 

singer. I can’t think of the 

name.”

Army Sgt.

Pedro Navarro

“Sisqo’s ‘Thong Song.’ 

That’s funny.”

Spc.

Brandon Cummings

Hospital Corpsman

3rd Class Gernando Wright

“‘Pump It Up’ by Joe Budden, 

it makes me think of 

summer.”

“‘Hotel California,’ by The 

Eagles, makes me feel like 

sumertime!”

Navy Lt. 

Lindsey Gleason

MWR Liberty hosts fun 

day at Windmill Beach

Morale, Welfare and Recreation’s Liberty 

Team invites you to a fun-filled beach day, 

Saturday, 2 p.m. at Windmill Beach.

Snorkel gear and rafts will be provided. Sand 

volleyball, corn hole and horseshoes will also 

be offered, as well as burgers and beverages.

“It is just a fun, free day at the beach,” said 

Jill Lynch, MWR Liberty representative. “I 

am offering rides for anyone who needs one 

as well!” 

To coordinate a ride or receive more 

information, call Lynch at x2010.

For more information, call or e-mail 

Pfc. Amanda Russell (Amanda.M.Russell@

jtfgtnmo.southcom.mil) or Pfc. Justin Pierce 

PSEC ALERT

NEED TO KNOW IS HOW TO GO!

Who has the “need to know?”

Have you ever had someone ask you questions you thought were unusual or a bit too personal? Questions from 

strangers about your job, family or private life can feel uncomfortable. So how do we know what to say? How much 

information do we give about ourselves? Use the “Need to Know” principle. Ask yourself, why this person might be 

looking for information? Then ask yourself, do they have the need to know? Some people do need to know things 

about us – our work supervisors, doctors, even security personnel might need to know things as part of their jobs. 

But does the person next to you in line need to know how you do your job? Does the guy at the laundromat, or the 

next door neighbor? Think before you speak. Don’t just give out information because someone asks for it. 

High E. coli levels prompt beach closure

A view of the ocean from Windmill Beach during the record-breaking rainstorms, June 7. 

Beaches were temporarily closed on Guantanamo Bay due to increased levels of E. coli caused 

by the rainfall. - photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Maddelin Angebrand

A microscopic image of the E. coli bacteria. 

The more than 10 inches of rain that fell 

between June 6 and 10 not only contributed 

to washed out roads and flood damage in 

low-lying buildings, it also played a key role in 

shutting down Guantanamo Bay’s beaches.

“During post rainfall testing, water from 

Windmill Beach to Cable Beach was found 

to be 12 times the local, normal level for 

contamination and more than three times 

an acceptable level,” said Naval Station 

Guantanamo Bay Commander, Capt. Kirk 

Hibbert in a prepared statement. 

In the statement, Hibbert specifically 

highlighted unacceptably high levels of 

E.coli. Hibbert explained Guantanamo Bay’s 

normal level of E.coli is around 30 milliliters 

for all the beaches. When officials from 

the Naval Station hospital’s preventative 

medicine department performed water 

quality tests following the rains, E. coli 

levels at Windmill Beach topped 360 mL 

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Cossel with acceptable levels set at 100 mL. The 

preventative medicine staff checks water 

quality at the beaches on a regular, biweekly 

basis.

“I know that several hundred 

Guantanamo residents swim, dive and 

snorkel in the water every weekend,” 

Hibbert said. “As the commanding officer, 

it is my job to protect residents from harm 

when possible.”

Hibbert said with the information 

provided him, he ultimately decided to shut 

down all beaches until normal contamination 

levels returned.

“I closed the beaches to keep residents, 

especially our small children, from becoming 

sick with E. coli ... I did not want to see any 

of our residents, who work so hard to keep 

the base operationally sound and missionready, to become ill because I had not taken 

action.”

Following water quality tests this past 

weekend, Hibbert said all beaches have 

been reopened with the exception of two.

“Please keep in mind that Kittery 

Beach and Chapman Beach will be closed 

indefinitely,” the captain said. “We will keep 

everyone informed of any changes through 

the roller, ‘Gazette,’ marquee signs and the 

Naval Station Guantanamo Bay Facebook 

page.”

| News The Wire | Page 5
Story by Spc. Meredith Vincent

Blistur brings big beats, 

classic covers to Tiki Bar

Summer softball season starts sizzling

Story and photo by Mass Communication Specialist 

2nd Class Joe Ebalo

Jacksonville, Fla. alternative 

metal trio Blistur brought 

their brand of rock n’ roll to 

Guantanamo Bay this weekend, 

playing for more than 100 people 

both Friday and Saturday nights 

at the Tiki Bar. 

Amiee MacDonnell, community 

activities director for Morale, 

Welfare and Recreation, said both 

shows were a success, mostly due to 

the band’s williness to play audience 

requests. 

“I heard great feedback from 

the community, saying they were 

pleased with the quality of music... 

each night and their talent in 

accommodating a variety of song 

requests,” said MacDonnell. 

Blistur consists of drummer 

Neal Gupton, guitarist/vocalist 

Chris Kellam and bassist/

vocalist Bart Hammond. The trio 

released their debut EP “Before 

There Were Seasons,” in 2007, 

followed by a full-lenth album the 

same year with the cheekily-titled 

“Greatest Hits, Vol. 2.” While 

their albums boast original music, 

it is the band’s ability to cover 

radio hits with eerie accuracy that 

has helped them make their mark 

on the Florida rock scene. 

The shows here on 

Guantanamo Bay were not their 

first time playing for a military 

audience, having previously 

performed at the Mayport 

Naval Air Station in Florida. 

Gupton, said he’s pleased with 

the relationship the band has 

developed with the MWR.

“The people are great,” praised 

Gupton. “Everybody’s been very, 

very kind and the hospitality from 

MWR has been fantastic.”

The Blistur show was just the 

latest in MWR’s Summer Concert 

Series. The Fourth of July will 

offer more oppotunities to rock, 

with the Celtic-influenced Carbon 

Leaf from Richmond, Va., and 

progressive rock band Airiel 

Down, from Raleigh, N.C. 

Morale, Welfare and Recreation kicked 

off their annual summer softball league last 

week on Guantanamo Bay as a dozen teams 

– made up of Joint Task Force and Naval 

Station Guantanamo personnel – took to the 

fields in the first round of games. 

The two-month long sports league 

schedules back-to-back games almost every 

evening of the work week at Cooper Field 

and Sports Complex, starting at 6 p.m. and 

sometimes ending late into the night.

“Growing up, I played baseball every 

summer at the local park and the lights didn’t 

turn off back then,” said Rich Buenaventura, 

an outfielder with the GTMO Latinos. “My 

job here is pretty tough, but when I’m out 

on the field I get so into the game, I kind 

of forget that I’m even in GTMO, I’m just 

playing ball.”

Out of all the MWR sports leagues held 

on Guantanamo Bay, softball attracts the 

most participation, with more than 150 

players from the base community signing 

up, said MWR Sports Coordinator Alana 

Morrrison.

“I’m excited with the turnout and I think 

it’s awesome that our players are so into 

the games that they lose themselves in it,” 

exclaimed Morrison. “It just makes me love 

my job more when I hear that our events are 

helping our Troopers have fun and relieve 

stress.”

It is important for players to leave their 

work off the field and even more critical to 

bring their best performances onto the field.

“I played a lot of baseball growing up 

too, but everyone was really good so you 

had to play extra hard if you wanted to win,” 

said Daisy Estevez, third baseman with the 

GTMO Latinos. “It’s pretty much the same 

here because the competition is tough and 

even the best teams can get beat.”

Last season’s defending champions the 

GTMO Crush, did not enter to defend their 

title.

“Even though the Crush isn’t playing, 

many of their players have been picked up 

by other teams,” said Morrison. “Now the 

teams that were already good are even better 

with some of the added players – every team 

has a chance to win.”

For more information on Guantanamo 

Bay’s sports leagues, activities and schedules, 

contact the Denich Gym at x77262. 

The Wire | Page 6 News |

Chris Kellam (left) and Bart Hammond of the rock group 

Blistur melt faces Friday night at the Tiki Bar. - photo by Mass 

Communication Specialist 2nd Class Maddelin Angebrand 

April Settles, outfielder for the PWD team, 

sizes up an incoming pitch during an MWR 

Summer Softball League night game at the 

Cooper Field and Sports Complex, Monday. 

| Feature The Wire | Page 7

where

thrifty

meets

crafty

When April Anderson, a 

Marine spouse, moved 

here she didn’t plan on 

working full time in front of a 

cash register. Having worked a lot 

in the States she wanted to take a 

part-time position and have more free time to support her husband’s 

unit. Little did Anderson know, she was in for a heartwarming 

surprise.

She found her time invested in the Guantanamo Bay community 

more than expected after accepting a management position at the 

Treasures and Trivia Thrift Store. A year and a half later, the store is 

thriving and Anderson recently expanded the hours.

“It gives the community a lot more time to come in,” said Anderson. 

“I have people who come in at lunch and those who can only come 

in after 4 p.m.” 

When Anderson started working at the thrift store, it was only 

open 15 hours per week and the hours were sporadic and confusing 

to customers.

“The more we’re open,” Anderson said, “the more successful we’re 

going to be.”

The store is now open a total of thirty-five hours per week and 

serves as the Spouse’s Club main fund-raiser, providing the community 

with scholarships and assistance as requested. 

“If an organization on this island needs a little help, they can submit 

a request and we have that money available to them,” said Anderson. 

“Like the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts, we are able to help them out, for 

example.”

Anderson, who worked as a surgical assistant before moving to 

Guantanamo Bay with her husband, said she was happy to take what 

seemed at first to be a small job. She soon noticed, however, the bigger 

impact Treasures and Trivia has on the Guantanamo Bay community.

“Once I came in and realized how much it gave back to the 

community,” Anderson explained. “I knew I would never leave until 

I leave the island. I see the more work I put in, just like anything else, 

the more the community gets from it.”

Most items are dropped off during the weekend, so Anderson 

spends Mondays sorting and organizing donations, which are placed 

on a ‘new arrivals’ rack for quick access by customers.

Luckily, she has the help of volunteers who donate their time to 

assist with the store upkeep.

“The volunteers are the one thing that keep us running,” praised 

Anderson. “I’m here everyday, but if it weren’t for them I’d go crazy. 

They come in and do those daily tasks that, because I’m up here 

working the register, I can’t do.”

All volunteers, to include Joint Task Force Troopers, sign in on 

a small white board and log their time before leaving. They perform 

tasks such as retrieving hangers from the clothing racks or organizing 

sections of the store.

Master-at-Arms 2nd Class Walter Rappel works in the JTF behavioral 

health unit and started volunteering at the store five months ago.

“The most rewarding part is helping people find stuff they really 

need,” said Rappel. “Its part of giving back to the community and 

represents the Navy too.” 

“I have a lot of JTF who come in,” said Anderson. “He’s [Walter] 

wonderful; he’ll do anything I need him to do.” 

Treasures and Trivia even sells slightly used uniform items, but only 

to military members. All shirts and pants are $1 while boots are $3.

“People move here and accumulate a lot of uniforms they won’t 

use in the States,” said Anderson. “We have a small room in the back 

that is always secured, so you have to ask and show valid military ID to 

purchase these items.”

Anderson encourages Troopers to stop by on Saturdays for the 

$5-Fill-a-Bag-Sale. Shoppers receive a small bag and pay only $5 for all 

items they can fit in the bag. Fill-a-Bag-Day helps alleviate some of 

the inventory and also clears out the store for new merchandise.

Shoppers may be surprised to find items are either lightly used or 

brand new. Regardless of quality or name brand, all shirts are $1 and 

pants are $3.

“There’s a lot of designer items that come in here like the Prada 

bag, Abercrombie pants, a lot of Billabong and Hurley too,” said 

Anderson. “Brand new clothes come in, but a lot of people think it’s 

just second hand stuff.”

The best treasures may be found after an hour of searching, 

Anderson said.

“That’s the fun of a thrift store,” she said. “To look, to dig and find 

that treasure.” 

Anderson also explained if a customer is looking for something 

specific and cannot find it, she will gladly take their number and call 

them when the item comes in. 

With hundreds of items such as books, clothes and household 

items donated weekly, Treasures and Trivia is the place where thrifty 

meets crafty. The store is now open Monday through Friday from 10 

a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. with Saturday open from 9 a.m. to 

2 p.m and closed on Sunday. 

Story and photo by Mass Communication 

Specialist 2nd Class Maddelin Angebrand
The Wire | Page 8 Feature |

English translation: go with the flow.

As the first greeting to Troopers and 

visitors when they enter Joint Task Force 

Guantanamo, the Company B, 296th Infantry 

Regiment, Puerto Rico Army National 

Guard have a sometimes tedious and always 

essential mission. To combat the long days, 

members of the 296th use this battle cry, 

reminding them to focus on their tasks at 

hand.

“!Dejate llvar!” The simple phrase is their 

way of dealing with the stress and pressure 

that come with not only being a guard, but 

with most any job within the JTF. 

 “Working in the heat with high-ranking 

members as an E4 can be a little challenging,” 

said Spc. Jose Montalvo. “You may want to 

do something your way, but you just have to 

listen and do the right thing.”

Montalvo said he enjoys meeting and 

working with Navy and Air Force personnel 

as they come through the gate and likes to 

learn about different cultures within the 

JTF.

“Actually, it’s nice because a lot of people 

will speak to us in Spanish when passing 

through,” said Montalvo. “We get a sense 

of being home because we’re in the tropical 

weather here, too.” 

When traffic dies down things can get 

monotonous at the gate, said Montalvo, but 

thinking about his future helps to pass the 

time.

“I want to study and become an officer 

through the ROTC program,” said Montalvo. 

“Being enlisted first means once you become 

an officer, you can understand what the 

people under you are going through.”

Spc. John Morales agrees time at the gate 

tends to go slow at times. 

“We are always looking for entertainment 

and most of us have a good imagination,” 

said Morales. “We will call the other posts for 

radio checks and look around for different 

animals or the one deer we call Bambi.” 

Morales plans to stay in the Army after 

this deployment and said “Dejate llavar!” can 

help when things are tough.

“You know sometimes we question 

things,” said Morales, “like ‘why do we have 

to do this or that,’ but then we say ‘just go 

with the flow’ and it helps us to not worry 

about the little things.” 

guard

the g

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

Sgt. Aljady Soto assigned to Company B, 296th Infantry Regiment, 

Puerto Rico Army National Guard waves a familiar hand signal letting 

the next driver know it is OK to move forward at Roosevelt Gate, 

Friday. 

| Feature The Wire | Page 9

 see GATE, page 11

Sgt. Angel Bringas, another Trooper with 

the 296th, said he wanted to join the military 

since he was a kid and is now thankful for the 

opportunities the Army gives him.

“I got my master’s degree,” said Bringas. 

“So, I serve my country and the Army served 

me, too. I’m very happy because of that. I 

thank them for the opportunity and help 

they’ve given me.” 

Bringas, who works as a car part salesman 

as a civilian, said his experience with both 

jobs compliment each other well.

“As a salesman, you have to speak with 

people and learn to have a good customer 

relationship,” he said. “You have to smile at 

people all the time. I can use that here when 

“It’s nice because a lot of people speak to us in 

Spanish when passing through... we get a sense 

of being home. ”

Staff Sgt. Arturo Emmanuelli, assigned to Company B, 296th Infantry 

Regiment, Puerto Rico Army National Guard stands guard duty awaiting 

oncoming traffic during the night shift at Roosevelt Gate, Monday. 

ing

ate
The Wire | Page 10 Feature |

Photo by Brian Margavich

Staff Sgt. Arturo Emmanuelli, assigned to Company B, 296th Infantry 

Regiment, Puerto Rico Army National Guard, conducts a radio check 

during his guard duty at Roosevelt Gate, Monday night.

| Feature The Wire | Page 11

“We are the first 

faces people see – 

we have to make 

a good impression 

and be professional 

at all times.”

GATE cont. 

I’m on post to make it easier. I challenge 

myself to stay in a good mood.”

To Bringas, being a gate guard is a small 

piece of a larger puzzle.

“Everyone has a mission here that 

is very important and sometimes you 

do something that looks very small, but 

when you put it all together you see the 

big picture,” explained Bringas. “Here I 

do my part, other people do their part and 

together we make it better.”

Although their tour here is almost 

done, the Soldiers of the 296th will pass on 

the professionalism and “go with the flow” 

positivity to the next group of guards to 

keep their part of the mission alive.

“We are the first faces people see on 

JTF,” said Gringas. “We have to make a 

good impression and be professional at all 

times. I like it, because I serve my country 

and I serve the JTF. I put my grain of sand 

in the War on Terror.”

Sgt. Aljady Soto salutes two officers allowing them to 

enter Roosevelt Gate during his guard duty, Friday.
The At Your Service | Wire | Page 12

In The Trenches

WASHINGTON, D.C – A combined 

Afghan and coalition security force killed 

several insurgents, including a senior Haqqani 

leader, during a nighttime security operation 

in the Zurmat district of Paktiya province 

Tuesday, military officials reported.

The deceased leader, Yasin, was the 

preeminent source of roadside bomb attacks 

in the Zurmat and Gardez districts. He was a 

bomb expert who constructed and facilitated 

explosive weapon systems throughout the 

province, targeting Afghan and 

coalition forces.

The Afghan-led security force 

found themselves under attack 

by several armed insurgents 

shortly after arriving at the 

targeted compounds. After 

receiving extended heavy fire, 

the security force responded 

by killing several insurgents, 

including Yasin.

After the engagement, the 

force discovered and destroyed 

a rocket-propelled grenade 

launcher with three warheads, 

several grenades, a machine 

gun, multiple AK-47 rifles 

and numerous rounds of 

ammunition.

The force also detained 

several suspects.

In other operations in 

Afghanistan:

A combined Afghan and coalition force 

detained several suspects during an overnight 

security operation at a Taliban leader’s 

suspected compound in the Archi district of 

Kunduz province. The target is a leader with 

the Kunduz attack network and is responsible 

for planning and conducting suicide attacks 

against Afghan government officials within 

the district.

The ISAF confirmed the capture of a Taliban 

leader during a June 14, security operation in 

the Archi district of Kunduz province. The 

leader was the Taliban-appointed governing 

official for the district.

A combined Afghan and coalition security 

force in Kandahar province captured a Taliban 

facilitator and more than five associates 

during a security operation in the Arghandab 

district. The facilitator was responsible for 

the movement of lethal materials for other 

Taliban networks.

In Helmand province, a combined Afghan 

and coalition force captured a Taliban 

facilitator and an associate during a nighttime 

security operation in the Nahr-e Saraj district. 

The facilitator was a key transfer agent, 

smuggling materials and resources from Iran 

for senior Taliban leaders in Helmand.

A combined Afghan and coalition force 

captured a Taliban leader during a security 

operation in the Qalat district of Zabul 

province. The leader was responsible for 

kidnapping and assassinating local Afghan 

civilians.

The ISAF confirmed the capture of a 

Taliban facilitator during a June 14, security 

operation in the Tarnak wa Jaldak district of 

associates during a nighttime security search. 

The facilitator purchased, sold and transported 

weapons and ammunition in support of 

Haqqani operations.

In Wardak province, a combined Afghan 

and coalition force detained two individuals 

for questioning during an overnight security 

search in the Chak-e Wardak district. The 

targeted leader is responsible for financial 

and logistical support to insurgents within the 

Onkhai Valley area.

The ISAF confirmed 

the capture of a Haqqani 

facilitator during a June 10, 

security operation in the 

Sabari district of Khost 

province. The facilitator was 

responsible for the purchase 

and sale of weapons 

and supplies to Haqqani 

insurgents in the district. He 

also prepared homemade 

bombs for attacks against the 

Afghan National Army.

 Combined Afghan and 

coalition security forces 

discovered two caches in 

different districts of Farah 

province. In Farah district, 

a combined force patrol 

discovered a weapons cache 

consisting of nine mines, 

two 122 mm rockets and one 

107 mm rocket. A separate 

Afghan and coalition-force patrol operating 

in Bakwa district discovered a drug cache 

consisting of 441 pounds of opium. All the 

drugs and weapons will be destroyed.

A combined Afghan and coalition force 

discovered a drug cache in the Maiwand district 

of Kandahar province. The cache consisted 

of 3,307 pounds of hashish, 661 pounds of 

marijuana and 146 pounds of opium.

In the Zharay district of Kandahar 

province, a combined Afghan and coalition 

force discovered a drugs cache consisting of 

220 pounds of hashish.

A coalition force patrol conducting a 

security operation in the Sangin district of 

Helmand province discovered a weapons 

cache containing four 82 mm mortar rounds, 

one rocket-propelled grenade and several 

improvised explosive device components.

In the Sabari district of Khost province, a 

coalition force discovered a weapons cache 

consisting of five anti-personnel mines, five 

rocket-propelled grenades, one 82 mm mortar 

round, 400 12.7 mm rounds and several 

improvised explosive device components. 

All the weapons were safely destroyed by the 

security forces. 

Afghan, coalition force combats terrorists

Army field artilleryman Sgt. Ryan Kennedy and Spc. Douglas Petty, serving with Battery 

B, 1st Battalion, 6th Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Task Force Duke, 

pull security and discuss possible enemy locations while in Katalai village, Khowst 

province, Afghanistan, June 15, 2011.

Zabul province. The facilitator assisted in the 

transfer of Uzbeks and Farsi-speaking foreign 

fighters from Pakistan into Afghanistan to 

fight for the Taliban.

A combined Afghan and coalition force 

killed two insurgents and detained another 

during an overnight operation in the Mota 

Khan district of Paktika province. The target 

of the operation was a Haqqani leader who 

conducts, coordinates and directs roadside 

bomb attacks against Afghan and coalition 

forces. The security force provided medical 

aid for a wounded insurgent and transported 

him to a medical facility. Additionally, they 

found multiple grenades, AK-47 rifles and 

chest racks.

A combined Afghan and coalition force in 

Khost province captured a Haqqani network 

leader and a network facilitator during separate 

security searches in the Sabari district. The 

leader directed 20 fighters who carried out 

Haqqani operations in the district and was 

actively involved in building roadside bombs.

Also in Sabari, a combined Afghan and 

coalition security force captured a Haqqani 

network facilitator and detained several 

Coast to coast

SAN PEDRO, Calif. – 

State and federal marine law 

enforcement officers will 

be working together during 

Operation Dry Water, June 24 

- 26, looking for boaters whose 

blood alcohol content exceeds 

the legal limit of .08 percent.

Operation Dry Water will 

include increased patrols, 

breathalyzer tests, and boater 

education. Boaters found to be 

impaired can expect penalties to 

be severe.

During the nationwide 

operation last year, 322 boating 

under the influence arrests 

Public Affairs Detachment 

Los Angeles

were made and 4,171 citations 

handed out.

Studies conducted by the 

Coast Guard’s Office of Boating 

Safety reflect the dangers of the 

overuse of alcohol over the 

past nine years. In the reported 

number of boating fatalities, 

nearly 80 percent of victims 

were not wearing a life jacket. In 

those same fatal cases, 59 percent 

of victims were found to have a 

blood alcohol content over .04. 

During non-fatal accidents, 22 

percent were found to have a 

BAC higher than .04.

Alcohol is even more 

hazardous on the water than on 

land. The marine environment – 

motion, vibration, engine noise, 

sun, wind and spray – accelerates 

a drinker’s impairment. These 

stressors cause fatigue that 

makes a boat operator’s 

coordination, judgment and 

reaction time decline even faster 

when using alcohol.

Operation Dry Water is a 

multi-agency, education and 

enforcement initiative launched 

by the National Association 

of State Boating Law 

Administrators in partnership 

with the Coast Guard, putting 

thousands of local, state and 

federal marine law enforcement 

officers on the water nationwide 

the last weekend in June to give 

BUI enforcement high visibility 

during the peak boating season.

Coast Guard enforces BUI 

regulations on the water

| At Your Service The Wire | Page 13

FORT MACON, N.C. 

– A Coast Guard boatcrew 

responded to a dive accident 

involving a 60-year-old man 

approximately 29 miles 

southeast of Beaufort Inlet, 

N.C., Tuesday.

A crewman aboard the dive 

boat Olympus contacted Coast 

Guard Sector North Carolina 

via VHF-FM channel 16 at 9:39 

a.m., reporting that a diver was 

recovered from the bottom of 

a 120-foot dive unresponsive 

and not breathing.

An Olympus crewmember 

immediately started 

administering CPR.

A Coast Guard 47-foot 

Motor Lifeboat crew was 

dispatched from Station Fort 

Macon with a Coast Guard 

EMT aboard. Upon arrival, 

the EMT was transferred to 

the Olympus and both boats 

returned to Fort Macon to 

await emergency medical 

service personnel. The diver 

was then transported to 

Carteret General Hospital in 

Morehead City, N.C. where he 

was declared deceased. 

The Coast Guard is 

investigating the cause of the 

incident.

“This is the fourth diving 

accident in eastern North 

Carolina in the last two 

months,” said Lt. Kevin 

Sullivan, of Sector North 

Carolina. “Cases like this 

are a reminder that diving 

is an inherently dangerous 

sport. Those participating are 

encouraged to exercise all due 

caution.”

For more information visit 

www.coastguardd5publicaffairs.

com

Coast Guard 

responds to

dive accident

13th District Public Affairs

CAPE MAY, N.J. - Boater David Wetten hands Coast Guard Auxiliary member Jim Kight his boat 

registration documents during his free, no-fault vessel safety exam at Snug Harbor Marina, May, 21. 

- photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Crystalynn A. Kneen.
Inside the Jar

ST. LOUIS — Every Marine is instilled 

with a warrior ethos, always poised and ready 

to fight when needed. At the First to Fight 

Boxing Event Monday, Marines participating 

in Marine Week St. Louis, were invited to 

prove their fighting prowess against St. Louis 

police officers and firefighters.

The Scottrade Center was packed with 

supporters of both the Marines and local 

boxers. Some of the crowd sat at tables 

around the ring, eating, drinking and cheering 

on their fighters while the rest filled the front 

rows of the arena.

The thrill of the fight, while the most 

entertaining, was not the focus of the night. 

All proceeds from the event went to Toys for 

Tots, Backstoppers and the Semper Fi Society 

of St. Louis, organizations that support the 

families of fallen first responders and Marines, 

Marines fight police, firefighters to raise money for charity 

Lance Cpl. Chelsea Flowers

Headquarters Marine Corps

respectively.

“As long as the money gets to the right 

people, that’s all that matters. And to have 

fun doing it,” said Sgt. Seth Forbes, a boxer 

in the competition and a motor transport 

mechanic with 

3rd Battalion, 

24th Marine 

Regiment, Special 

Purpose Marine 

Air Ground Task 

Force Marine 

Week.

Each Marine boxer was pitted against 

a member of the St. Louis police or fire 

departments for three rounds or a knockout, whichever came first. A majority of the 

Marine boxers had never boxed professionally 

and jumped on this unique opportunity at the 

last minute.

“Who doesn’t want to box a police officer 

The At Your Service | Wire | Page 14

Lance Cpl. Dennis Wiatt, a data technician specialist with 3rd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 

Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force Marine Week, uses fast footwork to defend 

himself against his opponent during the amateur boxing tournament in St. Louis, Monday. Wiatt 

said he and the other Marines were excited about the opportunity to fight while at the same time 

raising money for charity. - photo by Lance Cpl. Chelsea Flowers

and get away with it?” said Lance Cpl. Dennis 

Wiatt, a competitor and a data technician 

specialist, 3/24, and St. Louis native. “That’s 

what sold me over.”

Throughout the course of the evening, 

there were 

enough blows 

to the head, 

hooks, knockdowns and even 

one near topple 

over the ropes to 

keep the crowd 

roaring all night.

While the Marines came out victorious, the 

amateur boxing event gave Marines and St. 

Louisans a chance to engage in some friendly 

competition while giving back to the families 

of those who were lost or injured protecting 

them. The Marine Corps and the people of 

St. Louis will never forget the dedication and 

sacrifice of those brave men and women.

“Who doesn’t want to box a police 

officer and get away with it?” 

Lance Cpl. Dennis Wiatt

On the Wing

CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN AIR 

FORCE STATION, Colo. – Nine paintings 

depicting the evolution of air and space, 

displayed in the Cheyenne Mountain Air 

Force Station technical support building 

lobby, will be adopted into the Air Force Art 

Program this year. 

The paintings were rescued years ago 

after being abandoned inside a storage 

closet at the Chidlaw Building, the thenheadquarters building for the Aerospace 

Defense Command of the North American 

Air Defense Command.

Since their rescue, the 3-by-4 paintings 

have been displayed in various CMAFS 

conference rooms and offices. Once the 

paintings become part of the Air Force Art 

Program, no one can ever put them in a 

closet again.

“The big significance is that we capture 

some heritage, so it doesn’t get lost,” said 

Col. Russell Wilson, 721st Mission Support 

Group commander at CMAFS.

The paintings will be assigned inventory 

numbers with instructions that they are not 

to be moved without notifying the Air Force 

Art Program, said Russell Kirk, Air Force 

Art Program director.

“If we didn’t accession them, they could 

be put in a closet and be forgotten,” Kirk 

said. “With accession numbers, if someone 

were remodeling and didn’t want those 

paintings anymore, they would come back 

to us.”

For years, the paintings have been a 

source of conversation and mystery, Wilson 

said. The only clue about the paintings’ 

origins is the signature, “T. Patterson.” 

Beyond that, the paintings are not dated and 

no one knows who T. Patterson was.

“We still ask the question, where did 

these paintings come from?” he said.

Art Marthaller, a retired chief master 

sergeant and retired Department of Defense 

civilian, found the discarded paintings in the 

mid 1980s in the Chidlaw Building. The 

paintings were covered in dust, but he liked 

them, he said.

“I knew those paintings were something 

special,” he said.

Marthaller asked around and no one 

objected, so he took them up to the mountain 

and put them up in the conference room. 

The paintings run as a series that begin 

with Greek mythology and the depiction of 

Icarus, the Greek man who made wings of 

feathers and wax to escape Crete. However, 

he flew too close to the sun and melted his 

| At Your Service The Wire | Page 15

Abandoned paintings make Air Force history

A painting by T. Patterson, an unknown artist, is now on display at Cheyenne 

Mountain Air Force Station, in Colorado Springs Colo. The art will be adopted 

into the Air Force Art Program in 2011. (Courtesy photo)

wings causing his crash to earth.

Each painting has a number of faces or 

images that represent different eras of flight 

history. The paintings depict the first manned 

balloon flight in France by the Montgolfier 

brothers in 1783 and the first successful airplane 

flight by the Wright brothers in 1903. 

T. Patterson also paid homage to World 

War I German fighter pilot Manfred von 

Richthofen, also known as the Red Barron, and 

in a separate painting to Valentina Terskova, a 

Soviet cosmonaut who in 1963 became the 

first woman in space. 

The paintings also treat viewers to the Flying 

Tiger, the P-38 Lightning, the Supermarine 

Spitfire and the CH-47 Chinook, which spans 

1941 to the early 1960s in three paintings. The 

artist also paints the Apollo 11 moon landing 

of 1969 and then the more modern F-15 Eagle 

tactical fighters and the all-weather surveillance 

E-3 Sentry, which would indicate the paintings 

were done after 1977, when those aircraft were 

introduced.

“As you look at them, they really show the 

transition of air power,” Wilson said. “There 

are a lot of famous people in the paintings – 

it’s fun, a lot of folks will stop here and try to 

figure out who they are.”

The paintings have been examined by 

the 21st Space Wing and Air Force Space 

Command historians, but neither had ever seen 

the paintings or knew anything about the artist, 

Wilson said.

“I heard comments and rumors that the 

painter was a Vietnam veteran doing some art 

therapy,” said Jim Burghardt, 721st MSG test 

control operations chief. “I would like to know 

who he is.”

Another theory is that the artist was a 

professional because of the detail and quality 

of work, said Jeff Lucas, 721st MSG test 

control division chief.

Last year, Wilson bought new frames for 

the paintings and invited a representative 

from the Air Force Art Program to take a look 

at them.

The AF Art Program, headquartered at 

the Pentagon, began in 1961 and now has 

adopted 10,000 works, Mr. Kirk said. The Air 

Force commissions a cadre of artists from 

the New York and Los Angeles Society of 

Illustrators and works with the nation’s top 

aviation artists. Not just any art gets accepted 

into the program, Kirk said.

“These paintings (at CMAFS) are of the 

quality that fits with our program,” he said.

Wilson and other CMAFS employees have 

searched for T. Patterson on the Internet, but 

have never found any news of an artist by that 

name. 

Wilson said he would like to find the 

artist. 

“I would like to set up a little plaque that 

tells the significance of each painting and even 

a little bit about the artist, and if he is still with 

us, maybe we could get him to paint another 

one to continue the series,” Wilson said.

No matter what, T. Patterson is now a 

part of Air Force history, said Lucas, who 

remembers when Marthaller first found and 

displayed the paintings.

“It’s about time,” he said. “They are historic 

in their own way.”

Anyone who has information about the 

paintings or the artist, T. Patterson, can call 

Lucas at 719-474-2031.
On The Deck

NORFOLK, Va. – USS Dwight D. 

Eisenhower completed sea trials June 15, 

marking another milestone in the warship’s 

long and storied career. 

During the sea trials, the aircraft carrier 

engaged in high-speed turns and various 

other tests. Along with testing the ship 

and its equipment, Sailors participated 

in drills ranging from man overboard to 

general quarters, as well as various other 

evolutions.

As the crew took their ship out to sea, 

it was proven that IKE can withstand the 

rigors of at-sea operations following a ninemonth pierside shipyard availability period.

“At this stage, I could not be happier 

to see the way the crew and this ship have 

responded,” said Cmdr. Paul A. Beckley, 

IKE’s operations officer. “[The maintenance 

period] was critically important to the 

longterm maintenance of IKE, and the 

shipyard did an outstanding job.”

IKE’s crew accomplished nearly 300 

Board of Inspection and Survey items in 

three days.

“Whatever needed to be done was done 

at the end of the day,” said Quartermaster 

3rd Class Taquia Stokes from IKE’s 

navigation department.

“I’m looking forward to getting to do the 

job I joined the Navy to do,” Stokes added.

The sea trials tested IKE materially and 

physically, said Beckley. 

“It is a testament to the crew that we 

were able to do this safely and with pride,” 

he added.

Eisenhower’s crew enhanced many of 

IKE completes sea trials, returns home

 Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class 

Christopher Marshall

the communication systems, ship’s radio 

systems, telephone systems and combat 

systems suites. Basic maintenance and 

habitability upkeep, tiling, lagging and 

painting were done as well.

During the availability, more than 

260,000 man days of work were completed 

and major jobs such as refitting the reactor 

training spaces, main coolant check valve 

replacement and a brand new media center.

“We came out of the shipyard in 

better shape than when we entered it,” 

said Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class Tommy 

Hernandez, of IKE’s deck department.

The crew’s extensive training during the 

availability, was key in preparing themselves 

for the arduous task of getting IKE 

underway after a long layoff.

Sailors’ training during the planned 

incremental availability prepared them to 

get the ship back to the fleet and transition 

to being operational “mainly by preparing 

for AIRLANT-directed training evaluations 

and conducting general quarters drills, 

reviewing all watchbills, and performing 

additional medical, navigation, and air 

drills,” said Lt. Cmdr. Brock Miller, IKE’s 

training officer.

Now that IKE has successfully 

completed the PIA, she has commenced atsea operations, working toward becoming 

surge ready. Her next major milestone will be 

flight deck certification. Those evolutions, 

along with on-loading ammunition and 

preparing for INSURV, will allow IKE to 

increase its combat readiness. 

For more news from USS Dwight D. 

Eisenhower, visit www.navy.mil/local/

cvn69/. 

 

Navy Dive Southern 

Partnership Station 2011

by Mass Communication Specialist 

2nd Class Gregory N. Juday

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – U.S. 

Navy divers from Mobile Dive and 

Salvage Unit 2 Company 23, concluded 

a two-week training evolution with 

multinational Caribbean divers in 

Barbados, Friday.

MDSU 2 Company 23 trained divers 

from seven Caribbean countries on 

basic dive medicine, anti-terrorism force 

protection diving, lift bag procedures 

and chamber operations.

“It was an overall great experience 

working with the Caribbean divers,” 

said Navy Diver 2nd Class Ryan Arnold, 

MDSU 2 Company 23. “I especially 

enjoyed the exchange of knowledge 

amongst each other.”

Many difficulties can arise while 

working in different countries. One 

of the most prominent is cultural 

differences.

“Dealing with cultural differences 

was a challenge at first,” said Arnold. “It 

was great to see everything smooth-out 

and come together in the end.”

For many of the divers, U.S. and 

Caribbean, this is there second venture 

together.

“It is a wonderful experience for the 

Caribbean divers, learning the different 

equipment and technology that U.S. divers 

have to offer,” said Chief Petty Officer 

Austin Howell, Barbados coast guard. “It 

allows us to work together safely as a team, 

sharing tactics in the water.”

The Barbados coast guard hosted a 

closing ceremony in celebration of the 

event and continued the camaraderie with 

a fish cookout and socializing.

U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command 

and U.S. 4th Fleet supports U.S. Southern 

Command joint and combined fullspectrum military operations by providing 

principally sea-based, forward presence 

to ensure freedom of maneuver in the 

maritime domain, to foster and sustain 

cooperative relationships with international 

partners and to fully exploit the sea as 

maneuver space in order to enhance 

regional security and promote peace, 

stability, and prosperity in the Caribbean, 

Central and South American regions.

The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower conducts rudder turns during sea 

trials, June 14. Dwight D. Eisenhower completed a nine-month planned incremental availability 

at Norfolk Naval Ship Yard, June 10 and is scheduled to resume underway operations this 

summer. - photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Christopher Stoltz

The Wire | Page 16 At Your Service | | Mind, Body & Soul The Wire | Page 17

Mind, Body & Soul

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

Any given weekend presents one 

very simple fact here on Naval Station 

Guantanamo: alcohol use is a common 

activity for most weekend events. Whether 

dancing at the club, barbecuing out back 

or just conversing with friends, many 

Guantanamo residents also choose to add 

alcohol to their mix of fun and revelry. By no 

means am I condemning the use of alcohol 

or pointing fingers at anyone. Instead, as the 

title suggests, this article is meant purely for 

education. Alcohol by definition is a drug 

and like any other drug, it has positive and 

negative effects along with potential hazards 

with overuse. 

Let’s start with a closer look at what 

alcohol is and how your body treats it. If 

you’re familiar with the term “drinking 

your dinner,” it should come as no surprise 

alcohol contains calories just like any other 

food. Medicine.net notes the ratio of calorie 

to substance for alcohol at seven calories 

to every one gram of alcohol. Comparably, 

proteins and carbohydrates hold four calories 

to every one gram and fats contain nine 

calories per every one gram. So right off, it 

is clear alcohol acts as a more concentrated 

food source than proteins or carbs, nearly 

twice as much. In itself, this should not cause 

too much concern – but there is a deeper 

problem in the relative emptiness of these 

calories. Unlike proteins, carbs and even fats, 

alcohol contains nearly nothing in the way 

of essential vitamins, minerals, acids or really 

anything your body actually needs to sustain 

itself. Over consumption of alcohol becomes 

Pfc. Justin Pierce

Alcohol use:

An education

problematic as it gets in the way of delivering 

more useful food sources to your body, and 

this emptiness can lead to overeating when it 

comes time to sit down for a real meal. This 

is especially the case with hard liquors, which 

on average contain 90 calories per ounce 

(plus whatever you mix it with).

Ninety calories per ounce of hard liquor 

may set your internal calculator reeling, 

leaving you to wonder how on earth alcohol 

could be considered beneficial. The key to 

alcohol’s benefit lies within maintaining 

moderate limits. The Department of Health 

and Human Services considers moderate 

consumption to be not more than four 

drinks per day for men, three for women – 

due primarily to a lower relative body weight 

(sorry ladies, sexual dimorphism isn’t your 

friend here). With these responsible limits, 

a weight-watching gentleman would be 

consuming only 360 calories with two double 

jack and diets. Think of it as dessert. At a 

moderate level, alcohol doesn’t look so bad 

 see BODY page 19
The Wire | Page 18 At the Movies |

Movie Review

24 25 26 27 28 29 30

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

Kung Fu Panda 2

(PG) 8 p.m. 

Scream 4

(R) 10 p.m. 

Water for 

Elephants

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

The Hangover: 

Part 2

(R) 8 p.m.

Hookwinked Too: 

Hood vs. Evil

(PG) 8 p.m.

X-Men: First Class

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Green Lantern

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Downtown

Lyceum

Camp 

Bulkeley

NO MOVIES -

Saving Abel 

Concert

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

Think back to the original cast of 1996’s 

“Scream” and play a game of “Where Are 

They Now?” Skeet Ulrich’s latest gig was as 

Detective Rex Winters on “Law & Order: 

Los Angeles.” Courtney Cox moved on from 

“Friends” to “Cougar Town.” Rose McGowen 

is now ex-Mrs. Marliyn Manson. Jamie 

Kennedy and Matthew Lillard have all but 

dropped off the pop culture map. And the 

lovely Neve Campbell, so promising as heroine 

Sydney Prescott, hasn’t done anything of note 

since 2003’s “The Company.” 

The scariest, cruelest joke in “Scream 4” is 

a generation’s forceful acknowledgment that 

their time is up. Move over, 90’s nostalgia - the 

Facebook Era is here to stay. 

To enjoy this movie, it’s important you’re 

“in” on the joke. Director Wes Craven (not 

exactly a fresh face to the industry at 71 years 

old) and writer Kevin Williamson (who gave my 

generation “Dawson’s Creek” and who I hold 

responsible for Tom Cruise’s couch-hopping 

shenanigans over wife and “Creek” star Katie 

Holmes) are well aware their Ghostface Killer 

– the raspy-voiced, butcher who terrorizes 

residents of Woodsboro, N.C. – is outdated, 

practically a relic. Since the last sequel, “Scream 

3,” hit theaters in 2000, audiences have been 

subjected to the new, gruesome “torture porn” 

trend – done to ghastly perfection in the 

“Saw” movies – and our shock tolerance has 

become practically nonexistent. Therefor, true 

gore is replaced with a cheese-factor so thick, 

you could add two slices of bread and make a 

damn good grilled cheese sandwich. 

Knowing this, what “Scream 4” lacks in 

creative kills it makes up for in subversive selfawareness. Nearly every scene is tailored around 

the movie’s interest in analyzing itself, which 

is actually the perfect metaphor for today’s 

Twitter-obsessed society.

After a trio of cheeky false starts, the plot 

settles once again on Sydney and her return to 

Woodsboro after writing a self-help book about 

how all her friends and family were hacked to 

death but she ended up OK after all. Isn’t that 

nice?

Instead of a sequel, the movie is being 

marketed as a “reboot,” allowing the filmmakers 

to introduce a host of perky, glossy faces to 

the franchise, including Jill, Sydney’s bland, 

good-girl niece (played by Julia’s actual niece, 

Emma Roberts), Jill’s BFF Kirby (a saucy 

Hayden Panettiere) and movie geek Charlie 

(Rory Culkin, Macaulay’s little brother.) These 

youngsters teach the veterans a thing or two 

about making a horror movie in the 21st 

century – first and foremost, everything must 

be filmed. Well done, YouTube. 

The body count is large and the laughs are 

plentiful, but “Scream 4” still does not match 

the spark of the original. If anything, it forces 

fans of the first “Scream” to accept that we, 

like Sydney, are all grown up and perhaps out 

of touch with the meta-fied generation nipping 

at our heels. And isn’t that a scary thought?

Spc. Meredith Vincent

R

111 min.

Kung Fu Panda 2

(PG) 8 p.m.

Water For 

Elephants

(PG-13) 10 p.m.

Hoodwinked Too: 

Hood vs. Evil

(PG) 8 p.m.

Super 8

(PG-13) 10 p.m.

Green Lantern

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

The Hangover: 

Part 2

(R) 8 p.m.

X-Men: First Class

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Scream 4

(R) 8 p.m.

Madea’s Big Happy 

Family

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

| The Last Word The Wire | Page 19

BODY cont. 

in terms of calories. This level of drinking 

also holds the key for alcohol’s health 

benefits. Moderate drinking can be linked 

to numerous positives in relation to good 

health, as studies conducted by the National 

Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 

show moderate drinkers live longer, suffer 

less acute hospitalizations, have healthier, 

more resilient hearts and generally maintain 

a better level of health than BOTH heavy 

drinkers AND non-drinkers. Coupling a 

routine exercise regimen with moderate 

drinking increases the likelihood of these 

benefits.

The major key with all of these benefits is 

they’re only available to those who maintain 

responsible limits. Heavy drinkers often find 

themselves far more likely than non-drinkers 

to succumb to heart conditions, cancer, 

serious and fatal accidents, obesity, etc. The 

Center for Disease Control and Prevention 

notes the end state for heavy drinkers isn’t 

a pretty picture – on average, 79,000 deaths 

annually in the U.S. can be attributed to 

heavy drinking and binge drinking. The 

larger tragedy here is of these 79,000 lives 

lost, roughly half are from sporadic periods 

of binge drinking, resulting in fatal accidents. 

That’s roughly 40,000 people who woke up 

fine in the morning, but never made it back 

to bed and for no greater reason than a poor 

decision. The other 40,000 suffered the 

unfortunate circumstance of knowing their 

days were drawing to a close as their bodies 

failed them throughout months and years 

in and out of hospitals – not exactly gilded 

plans for the golden years.

The reality of heavy drinking is a sobering 

fact, but it’s important to note these statistics, 

like all statistics, only represent what HAS 

happened in the past – future stats will be 

as bright or dark as we make them. Making 

a choice to drink responsibly or not at all 

may not correlate directly into reducing 

alcohol-attributed deaths, but it does make 

a difference for the better. And more so, it 

honors the memory of our predecessors and 

encourages all those who will follow in our 

footsteps.

If you or your friend’s drinking patterns 

make you worry, please don’t hesitate to 

take advantage of the numerous avenues of 

support offered through Behavioral Health, 

JSMART, or even your local chaplain. We all 

owe it to ourselves and each other to maintain 

the proud moral standards of America’s 

Fighting Force. There’s no embarrassment in 

being strong enough to seek help – I’ve been 

there before and I’d like to think I’m a better 

person today because of it. 
STAY HYDRATED

Staff Sgt. Tim Brooks (left), rotation noncommissioned officer in charge at Joint 

Task Force Guantanamo and Sgt. Shawn Kirk, warehouse noncommissioned 

officer in charge, load cases of water from the warehouse, Monday. - photo by 

Sgt. Mathieu Perry

CORPSMAN BALL

The Joint Medical Group Guantanamo Color Guard presents the colors during the 

113th Hospital Corpsman Ball at Windjammer Ballroom, Friday. More than 100 

Hospital Corpsman stationed at Joint Task Force and Naval Station Guantanamo 

attended the event. - photo by Sgt. Mathieu Perry

SAYING GOODBYE

Sailors attached to the Navy Expeditionary Guard Battalion Guantanamo load 

duffel bags and luggage onto a cattle truck near the Naval Exchange store in 

the pre-dawn darkness, Tuesday. More than 100 Sailors prepared to fly home 

after completing a year-long deployment to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. - photo by 

Sgt. Mathieu Perry

TheJTF

FORM IT UP

1st Sgt. Phillip Dietz, of the 189th Military Police Company, salutes his commander, Capt. Christopher McCann, before leading his unit on a 2.7-mile company run, 

Monday. - photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Sally Hendricks