Volume 13, Issue 9 Friday, January 6, 2012

Trooper New Year’s 

resolutions: 

get fit, get smart

Singers McCain and 

Baker rock in 2012

Joint Task Force today

JTF GTMO marks ten years of progress
| News from the Bay The Wire | Page 3

News from the Bay

Effective Jan. 7, the Camp Bulkeley gym 

will be open until 9 p.m. on weekends. 

MWR will host a half marathon at 7 a.m., 

Jan. 28 with musical acts and cheering sections every mile. Registration is $25 per runner. Runners must register by Jan. 20. There 

will be no same-day registration. This event is 

open to all those 16 years and older. 

For more information, call 2157.

Stop in to the Fleet and Family Support 

Center, building 2135, from 9:30 a.m. to 

11:30 a.m. for a resume and employment application training session. Learn how to upgrade your resume and interpret employment 

applications. Federal job applications will be 

covered in a separate session.

For more information, call 4141 or 4153.

Want to learn how to cook Jamaican food? 

Learn how to prepare Jamaican curried goat, 

traditional johnnycake and fruit punch. Demonstrations will be held at the Community 

Center Jan. 10 at 6 p.m. 

For more information, call 2010 or email 

libertygtmo@gmail.com.

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

for the Martin Luther King Jr. run/walk 

event hosted by MWR and the 525th Military 

Police Battalion. Registration will be held the 

day of the event and the first 100 people to 

register will receive a free t-shirt. 

For more information, call 77262.

A country twist on ye olde beanbag toss: 

Tierra Kay Liberty Center will hold its annual 

Corn Hole tournament tonight at 6 p.m. 

For more information, call 2010.

Bring a fishing pole to the Marina on Jan. 

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

and snacks are provided. 

Reserve a spot by calling 2010.

Hit the beaches on Guantanamo Bay at 

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

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

 Prizes will be given for biggest lionfish, 

smallest lionfish, most lionfish caught and 

other categories. The scoring station will be 

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

Money donated will go toward the Seabee 

Ball. 

For more information, call 4805.

FFSC: Employment 

application seminar

Men and women: get your friends together and register your basketball and 

soccer teams at Denich Gym by Jan. 10 at 

7 p.m. The leagues are open to all Guantanamo Bay residents ages 16 and up. 

There is a coaches’ meeting Tuesday, Jan. 

17 at 5:30 p.m. for basketball and 6:30 p.m. 

for soccer. 

For more information, call 2113.

Interested in helping the Guantanamo Bay 

community during tax season? The Naval Legal Service Office is looking for volunteers.

Beginning Jan. 17, the NLSO will train 

service members to assist others in preparing 

their taxes. The two-week training course will 

be held at Building 760 on the naval station 

side, next to Personnel Support Detachment. 

Contact your chain of command before signing up for the course. There is also self-directed training available at IRS.gov.

Tax preparation will begin Feb. 6 and continue through April. Deployed personnel can 

apply for a two-month extension; however, 

this is not the same as the six-month extension for troops deployed to Afghanistan.

For more information, call 4692.

Effective Jan. 22, the United States Postal 

Service will update shipping prices:

First class stamp $0.45

Priority flat rate regular envelope $5.15

Priority flat rate small box $5.35

Priority flat rate medium box $11.35

Large APO/FPO/DPO box $13.45

Priority flat rate large box $15.45

MLK Jr. run/walk Winter sports 

registration

INDEX

The Wire

january 6, 2012

Happy new year!

Wild Card Weekend 5

Mad Interview Skills 7

Rocking into 2012 8

10 years of JTF GTMO 9

Troopers’ 2012 resolutions 12 

Cartoon: Only at GTMO 17

Movie review: M:I - Ghost Protocol 18

Jamaican cooking 

lesson

New Camp Bulkeley 

Gym hours

Tax assistants wanted

New USPS mailing/

shipping prices 

GTMO Rock & Roll 

Half Marathon

Corn Hole tournament

Lionfish Derby 

Challenge

Jan. 13 Night Fishing

The Wire | Page 2 Command Corner |

JTF Guantanamo

Commander

Rear Adm. David Woods

Command Master Chief

Cmd. Master Chief Reynaldo Tiong

Office of Public Affairs Director

Cmdr. Tamsen Reese: 9928

Deputy Director

Air Force Maj. Michelle Coghill: 9927

Operations Officer

Army Maj. Jon Powers: 3649

Senior Enlisted Leader

Sgt. 1st Class Jerome Grant: 3649

The Wire

Editor: Army 1st. Lt. Amelia Thatcher

Layout Assistant: Army Sgt. Saul Rosa

Photojournalists

Mass Communication Spc. 1st Class Ty Bjornson

Mass Communication Spc. 2nd Class Kilho Park

Mass Communication Spc. 2nd Class Louis Batchelor

Army Sgt. Landis Andrews

Mass Communication Spc. 2nd Class Jon Dasbach

Mass Communication Spc. 3rd Class Marquis Whitehead

Contact us

Editor’s Desk: 3651

Commercial: 011-53-99-3651

DSN: 660-3651

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

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

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

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

Troopers of JTF Guantanamo through news, features, command 

guidance, sports and entertainment. The WIRE seeks to provide maximum 

disclosure with minimum delay with regard to security, accuracy, propriety 

and policy. This DoD news magazine is an authorized publication for the 

members of the Department of Defense. Contents of The WIRE are not 

necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the 

Department of Defense, or Joint Task Force Guantanamo. It is printed by 

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

Some of us were fortunate enough 

to have our families visit during the 

holidays. I was able to meet some of 

your families this past week and learned 

their impressions of Joint Task Force 

Guantanamo. It’s always interesting and 

instructive to learn what other people 

think about your unit and operations. 

The impressions and perceptions we 

exert towards others 

can be interpreted in 

many different ways. 

While talking 

with visiting family 

members, especially 

towards the end of 

their visit, a main 

theme became 

evident. Some of 

the most lasting 

impressions we as 

a Joint Task Force 

have created are 

that of a positive 

attitude, friendliness 

and professionalism. 

That friendliness, 

sense of humor and positivity come 

with confidence which helps us cope 

with the stresses of our jobs in an 

unusual, deployed environment away 

from friends and family. 

These factors are also important in 

Joint Task Force Guantanamo’s positive 

command climate which permeates 

down to the Trooper level. Where 

there are issues, the chain of command 

takes care of them. We want Troopers 

to tell us where the mission distracters 

are, so the chain of command and the 

Command Element can aggressively 

pursue and solve them.

Our professionalism also ensures 

that our conduct on and off duty 

coincides with our service values. For 

example, when we arrived we conducted 

left seat/right seat training in order to 

fully accept the responsibility of our 

new duty positions. We learned the 

tactics, techniques and procedures of 

detainee operations 

to ensure we do 

not comprise the 

standards that are 

so important to our 

no-fail mission. We 

will also provide the 

same training to our 

relief as we prepare 

them for their 

assignments. 

So as we ramp up 

our support to the 

Office of Military 

C o m m i s s i o n s , 

escort our many 

d i s t i n g u i s h e d 

visitors, and continue 

to transition our force over the next 

several weeks we must keep our 

professionalism at its highest standard. 

We must continue to demonstrate this 

professionalism we have established, 

whether we host returning DVs or 

first-time visitors who may have 

preconceived notions about the 

Joint Task Force mission. Every duty 

position is important to our mission, 

and every day we count on each of you 

to perform your job to the best of your 

ability. Keep up the great work!

We must keep our 

professionalism at 

its highest standard. 

Every duty position 

is important to our 

mission, and every 

day we count on each 

of you to perform 

your job to the best of 

your ability. Keep up 

the great work!

Brig. Gen. James Lettko

Deputy Commander, Joint Task Force Guantanamo

Cover, upper left: Camp X-Ray, first used in the 1990s alongside Cuban and Haitian refugee camps 

and briefly reopened after Sept. 11, 2001, has stood vacant for nearly 10 years. Utilized for less than 

three months to house detainees, Camp X-Ray closed permanently as Camps 1-3 were constructed. 

The detainee population peaked in 2003 at the completion of the first communal facility, Camp 4. 

Camps 1-4, collectively known as Camp Delta, presently contain administrative offices and the detainee library and classrooms.

Camp 6, pictured on the lower right, now houses more than 85% of the Joint Task Force Guantanamo 

detainee population. These detainees have access to reading material, television, outdoor recreation, 

and routine medical care, all in a communal setting.

–photos by Joint Task Force Public Affairs

Cc

ommand

orner
The Wire | Page 4 Trooper to Trooper |

As another year has passed and another has just begun, I ask you to 

look back on the past year and reflect on your triumphs, shortfalls, and 

overall wellness. Too often New Year resolutions are made to make up 

for things we did not do well, and do not want to repeat again in the 

next year. Most of the New Year resolutions are in the form of getting 

physically fit or losing the holiday cheer pounds that tend to appear 

after back-to-back holiday functions. After a few weeks of going to the 

gym and working out, the normal routine of last year takes over and 

nothing has changed. If getting in better shape is one of your goals 

for this year, I ask you make it a lifestyle change, and not a one-month 

effort; or you will be doing the same thing next year at this time.

 Another common resolution is to stop using tobacco products 

after years of the habit. I applaud the concept, but one can only obtain 

success when you prepare for this type of change. There are many 

tools to assist in this effort, as most “cold turkey” methods fail. The 

gradual weaning off the substance is the key to a life long change.

 Most of the resolutions made are to better yourself personally, 

but that’s should not limit your resolution. One recommendation for a 

resolution is in the form of reaching out to others or a “pay it forward” 

type of attitude. This is a selfless method of giving to others and 

assisting others in meeting their goals and keeping their resolutions. 

You may find that in doing so you meet some of your goals and feel 

better. The most subtle comment of encouragement may help that 

other person make it through their day or struggle.

 One successful way to stay motivated to reach your goals and 

continue your resolutions is to have constant reminders of what 

you wish to achieve. Some forms of motivation are posters in your 

common area, notes on things you see every day, pictures of what 

you wish to achieve, and physical examples of what you want to earn. 

Strategic placement of these motivators will assist you in times when 

you just want to take a day off.

 Even if you happen to take a day off and have or fall off the 

wagon, the best time to get back on is right after the fall. Don’t expect 

any resolution to be easy, or you wouldn’t have made it a goal. One 

relapse is not a catastrophic failure, but an expected event. Don’t be 

too hard on yourself for not following your strict schedule. The best 

time to rededicate yourself is when it happens. Accept the “stumble” 

and get back to your plan. Plan your work and work your plan. 

 I ask you to look at only making a few obtainable goals or resolutions 

for this next year. As you reach those goals, you can then reassess and 

go to the next level. A year-long resolution is a marathon and not a 

sprint. You should not be able to reach your goal in one month or it will 

soon fall off as a life-style change. If you decide that you do not need 

any New Year resolutions, I hope that you continue to stay physically, 

mentally, professionally, socially, and spiritually fit throughout the next 

year. Happy New Year, Joint Task Force Guantanamo! Honor Bound! 

Trooper to Trooper

Command Sgt. Maj. Mark Porrett

Joint Detention Group

OPSEC is a process!

What is the 5-step process? First, you identify information which is sensitive to you or your 

organization. This is called critical information. Second, you analyze the threat. Third, figure out 

how vulnerable your information is. Fourth, if someone were to get your information, identify 

the risk involved. The fifth step is to emplace countermeasures. Countermeasures can range 

from shredding your important paperwork to changing your routine. It’s easy to do and protects 

everyone. Use the 5-step OPSEC process both personally and professionally. Don’t be an easy 

target. Use OPSEC!

PSEC ALERT

PROTECT YOUR INFO!

making new resolutions

| Student of the Game The Wire | Page 5

It’s the most wonderful time 

of the year. No, I’m not a couple 

of weeks late. I’m talking about 

the National Football League 

playoffs. Starting tomorrow, 

teams will begin the month-long 

battle to make it to the most 

prestigious football game in the 

world (never mind that we’re the 

only country that plays it): the 

Super Bowl. Here is what the 

first round looks like.

AFC

No. 6 Cincinnati Bengals 

(9-7) at No. 3 Houston Texans 

(10-6), Saturday, 4:30 p.m.

If you think only seasoned 

quarterbacks can be successful 

in this league, don’t not watch 

this game. Rookie Andy Dalton, 

nicknamed the Red Rifle for 

his ginger mane, has taken the 

Bengals from the butt of NFL 

jokes to a 9-7 team with a future 

as bright as his hair is auburn. 

Dalton and fellow rookie standout, wide receiver A.J. Green will 

attack the Houston defense that 

ranks in the top five of rushing 

yards allowed, passing yards 

allowed and points allowed.

At the helm of the Texans 

offense is rookie T.J. Yates: 

the 152nd pick out of North 

Carolina (they play football 

too) that started the year as the 

emergency quarterback and has 

a brag sheet as long as his name 

(T.J.).

Houston has the edge in the 

matchup having already beaten 

the Bengals with Yates throwing 

for 300 yards. Nati stole all of its 

wins from below average teams 

and suffered the seven losses 

from teams that are now in the 

playoffs.

UPSET ALERT: All logic 

aside, I think the Bengals will 

have what it takes to knock off 

the Texans and possibly make a 

splash in the playoffs.

No. 5 Pittsburgh Steelers 

(12-4) at No. 4 Denver Broncos 

(8-8), Sunday, 4:30 p.m.

With quarterback Ben 

Roethlisberger nursing a high 

ankle sprain and running back 

Rashard Mendenhall out for the 

playoffs, the Pittsburgh Steelers 

will have to turn in the type of 

gutsy performance submitted 

only by... the Pittsburgh 

Steelers.

Hall of Fame defensive 

coordinator Dick LeBeau and 

his Steelers defense will try 

to contain America’s favorite 

quarterback, Tim Tebow. If the 

Mile-High Messiah can steal a 

win from Pittsburgh it would, 

indeed, be a miracle. Tough 

defenses give Tebow fits and the 

Steelers have the no. 1 ranked D 

in the league.

If the Broncos can keep the 

bleeding to a minimum, it will 

give Tebow a chance to work his 

fourth quarter magic. But, if it 

gets ugly early, don’t expect much 

bucking out of the Broncos.

NFC

No. 6 Detroit Lions (10-6) at 

No. 3 New Orleans Saints (13-3), 

Saturday, 8 p.m.

Last week, the Lions were 

in a shoot-out with the league’s 

number one team, the Green Bay 

Packers. It came down to who had 

the ball last and unfortunately for 

Detroit, it wasn’t them. The silver 

lining in the loss is even though 

backup quarterback Matt Flynn 

set Packers passing records, it 

showed the Lions that they can 

hang with the best of them.

The Saints are definitely 

among the best of them. New 

Orleans is a one dimensional 

team, but that one dimension 

(offense – namely, passing) has 

been good enough to lock down 

the no. 3 seed.

Detroit’s strongest defensive 

player, defensive tackle 

Ndamukong Suh, will have to 

fight his way through a Saints’ 

offensive line that sent three 

players to the Pro Bowl. If this 

game turns into an air show, the 

history books tell us that no one 

can hang with Drew Brees. 

UPSET ALERT: Lions 

quarterback Matt Stafford, wide 

receiver Calvin Johnson and Suh 

will all have to play the game of 

their lives to get this win and I 

think it will happen.

No. 5 Atlanta Falcons (10-6) 

at No. 4 New York Giants (9-7), 

Sunday, 1 p.m.

This game is going to be a 

battle of two average teams. Both 

teams are led by quarterbacks 

that have flashes of brilliance 

appearing between befuddled 

looks of disappointment. There 

are two running games that have 

the potential to be furious, but 

have performed far below their 

abilities. And, both teams have 

young receivers that put the team 

on their back and carry them to 

victory week in and week out.

This battle will come down to 

which defense shows up. Both 

squads have middling defenses, 

but the Giants have the ability 

to get the whole team up to the 

level of the moment. It worked 

for them during their Super 

Bowl run, and it worked last 

week when they beat the Dallas 

Cowboys for the last spot in the 

playoffs. I think it will work for 

them this year, but just enough 

to make it to the next round.

By Army Sgt. Landis Andrews 

Wild Card Weekend: 

a picture of the playoffs

Student of the Game
| Money Matters The Wire | Page 7

For Joint Task Force Guantanamo Troopers, six months or more 

in the hot Caribbean sun can feel like a very long time. But even 

a deployment here can’t last forever, and many of us due home 

sometime this year need to start thinking about what comes next. 

Naval Station Guantanamo Bay’s Fleet and Family Support Center 

has resources available to help Troopers get back into the civilian 

job frame of mind.

“Having a military background will help you bring a lot of good 

skills to the table,” said Angel Holland, FFSC’s work and family life 

specialist. “No matter your rank, you’ve led somebody else. You’ve 

worked in a diverse culture. Nobody completes tasks alone; you 

always work with others.”

Holland teaches FFCS’s career classes, which include seminars on 

interview techniques, resume writing, skills identification and career 

exploration, and how to navigate the federal employment system. 

According to her, the first step towards a successful interview is 

getting to know the company where you’re applying.

“Check out the place beforehand,” she advised. “Dress a step 

above their style. Tell yourself, ‘I’m ready to do this job today.’”

Holland outlined the four major parts of an interview: the 

introduction, employer’s questions, applicant’s questions, and the 

closing. First impressions are lasting ones, starting at the very first 

handshake.

“Be punctual,” Holland said. “Military members have this down. 

Be 10-15 minutes early, never late.”

The seminar’s practice questions include:

How would your coworkers/supervisors describe you?

How would you define an ideal work environment?

How has your education/experience prepared you for this job?

Do you plan to continue your education?

What motivated you to seek this position?

Why did you leave your last position?

Holland recommended practicing interview questions with 

“someone who will take it seriously, and give you feedback.” She also 

recommended crafting a “30 second commercial” for the inevitable 

“tell me more about yourself.” 

“Try to bring information about yourself around to the job,” 

she said. “You don’t have to talk about your kids or your dog. Talk 

instead about your education or goals and how they are relevant 

to the position.”

Holland also discussed the interviewee’s input. Often, she 

said, people don’t know what to ask a potential employer 

and may inadvertently seem uninterested in the position 

after all. 

“Ask specific questions about the company,” she 

said. “Ask how your previous experience would be 

helpful to them.”

Holland added that it is important to follow up with 

the company no more than two or three days after the 

interview takes place, and noted that many people skip 

this step altogether.

“Following up makes them realize you’re still 

interested,” she said. “It brings your name back up 

for consideration. Make sure to establish a timeframe 

with the interviewer, and find out how long it will 

take for them to contact you, or if you should 

contact them.”

Just like a mission, an after action review can 

help to identify any missteps and help you improve 

for next time. And whether or not a potential 

employer decides to hire you, the most important 

thing to remember about the interview process 

is to not give up.

“You have so many skill sets, you might not 

even realize it,” Holland concluded.

For more information on Fleet and Family 

Support Center services, call 4141.

by Army 1st Lt. Amelia Thatcher

Troopers for hire: Make the 

most of a civilian job interview 

M oney M atter s

The Wire | Page 6 Trooper Focus |

What are your New Year’s resolutions?

(see page 10!)

trooper focus

Bullet Bio

Time in service: 9 years

Hobbies: Paintball, bowling, playing the guitar

The boss says: “It’s great working with him. He has 

taught me a lot about the Navy. When he leaves, I hope 

to get a replacement just like him.”

Advice to junior Troopers: “Stay focused on the mission 

and you will get it done, no matter how difficult it is.”

By Mass Communication Spc. 2nd Class Louis Batchelor

BOOTS ON THE GROUND

Petty Officer 2nd Class 

Efren Alano is relatively new 

to his current position, but believes with hard work and cooperation with his unit, everyone 

can achieve all their personal 

and professional goals.

A nine-year veteran, Alano 

is a calibration lab technician 

temporarily assigned to Joint 

Task Force Guantanamo from 

Norfolk, Va. His role on the 

JTF team currently has him 

working in mail operations.

Alano said working out of 

his military occupational specialty is a welcome challenge 

and working in a joint environment affords him the opportunity to see how different services perform similar tasks.

“The thing I enjoy the most 

about working here is having 

the opportunity to work with 

the Army,” Alano said. “We 

get to learn each other’s work 

styles and methods.”

Staff Sgt. James Kleinheinz, 

Alano’s noncommissioned officer in charge, agrees. He believes having Alano’s assistance 

is a valued asset due to Alano’s 

professional background. He 

said he especially appreciates 

Alano’s administrative aid in 

naval affairs.

“He is my liaison for anything and everything pertaining to taking care of the Sailors 

here,” Kleinheinz said. “It is 

nice to learn how other branches operate and having a guy like 

him makes my job easier.” 

Alano’s advice to junior 

Troopers stresses that perseverance through any situation 

is the key to mission success. 

He said every department has 

its difficulties, but if Troopers 

learn to pull together, surpassing departmental goals will be a 

simple undertaking.

“The hardest part of our job 

is working within a strict timeframe,” Alano said. “ICRC is 

our heaviest workload. We have 

to extend our working hours to 

ensure what the International 

Committee of the Red Cross 

brings in is processed in time 

for them to finish their work. 

We get though everything by 

working together and dividing 

the workload evenly. Everyone 

helps each other. That is what 

our mission depends on.”

Left: Petty Officer 2nd Class Efren Alano and his supervisor, Staff Sgt. 

James Kleinheinz, use the different job specialties and military services 

within their section to everyone’s professional advantage. –photos by 

Mass Communication Spc. 2nd Class Louis Batchelor
To bring in 2012, 

Guantanamo Bay invited singers 

Erick Baker and Edwin McCain 

to perform on New Year’s Eve 

and New Year’s Day. 

Erick Baker, a native of 

Knoxville, Tenn., admitted that 

singing was more of a hobby 

until he was offered a chance 

to open for John Legend three 

years ago. Since then he’s 

embarked on his professional 

career as a musician, singer and 

songwriter. 

“I went from playing 

for fifteen people to fifteen 

hundred,” said Baker. “When 

I walked off [Legend’s] stage 

I was like, ‘there’s something 

here,’ and I felt reborn.”

Baker takes passion in being 

influenced by different styles 

of music, to include blues, soul, 

country, pop and rock. He also 

believes music should be about 

experiences apart from just 

sounding good. 

“My music is very personal; 

all of my songs are pages out 

of my life, good or bad that 

I’ve gone through,” Baker said. 

“The passion that I put in my 

performance is because I’m 

singing about what I’ve lived.”

Baker also considered that 

Navy Entertainment recognized 

that his music is reaching all 

different parts of the world. 

“Navy Entertainment called 

and asked me to perform and 

the answer is a no brainer,” 

said Baker. “I honestly wish 

I could do more to show my 

appreciation.”

Baker has produced one 

album thus far and prepares 

to release another one at the 

beginning of the year. 

Baker opened for the Edwin 

McCain Band, which performed 

a series of original songs as well 

as crowd favorites. 

McCain committed to 

making music around the age 

of 17. 

“There was a while when I 

tried to pretend that I wasn’t 

going to make music my career,” 

said McCain. “But music was 

the one of the only things that 

came naturally to me”

To date, Edwin McCain 

has released 11 albums and 18 

singles, and shows no sign of 

letting up anytime soon. 

McCain and his band have 

toured all over the world in 

support of military personnel 

with the hope of lifting the 

spirits of those serving their 

country hundreds of miles 

away from home. 

“This is my second time to 

Guantanamo Bay,” McCain 

said. “We’ve been to Djibouti, 

Bahrain, South Korea, Italy 

and Germany. We’re huge 

supporters.

Baker and McCain’s 

performances at the Tiki Bar 

Lounge on New Year’s Eve 

concluded with midnight 

fireworks as the clock rolled 

into 2012. They also performed 

the following night at the 

Downtown Lyceum. However, 

this wasn’t their first time on 

stage together.

“We went on board the 

(aircraft carrier) USS John C. 

Stennis and watched more 

than 5,000 people working to 

accomplish a mission,” McCain 

went on. “It’s amazing the 

logistics that go into it and it 

just blows me away.” 

Both McCain and Baker 

consider it an honor and 

privilege to come and perform 

in Guantanamo Bay during the 

holidays. 

“This is probably one of the 

greatest experiences I’ve ever 

had,” said Baker. 

By Mass Communication Spc. 3rd Class Marquis Whitehead

Guantanamo rocks 

into 2012 with Erick 

Baker and Edwin McCain

Singer and songwriter Erick Baker (above)

performed a series of original songs New Year’s 

Eve, and opened for Edwin McCain (below) New 

Year’s Day.

Background: After Baker and McCain’s sets, 

Guantanamo Bay counted down to the new year 

with a fireworks display.

–photos by Mass Communication Spc. 3rd Class 

Marquis Whitehead

The Wire | Page 8 Feature | | Feature The Wire | Page 9

Looking back: JTF Troopers trade 

MREs for hot chow, tent city for TK

By Sgt. 1st Class Jerome Grant

Left: The old tent city of Freedom 

Heights was disassembled in 2002 

as Joint Task Force Guantanamo 

Troopers moved into permanent 

housing areas.

–The Wire archive photo

Below: Seaside Galley serves hot 

meals three times per day, available 

to all Troopers; a huge improvement 

over the Meals-Ready-to-Eat of the 

Joint Task Force’s early days. Kittery 

Cafe, adjacent to Camps 5 and 6 

(not pictured) offers the same chow, 

available for take-out by Troopers 

with conflicting work schedules. 

–photo by Mass Communication Spc. 

1st Class Ty Bjornson

We’ve come a long way since 

the guard force boots hit the 

ground in Guantanamo Bay on 

January 6, 2002 in support of 

detainee operations here. The 

first Troopers lived in tents, used 

makeshift shower facilities with 

no hot water and had porta-potties instead of toilets. 

In a January 10, 2003 Wire article, Army Sgt Erin P. Viola captured the first days of Joint Task 

Force Guantanamo.

“Freedom Heights was located just outside the detention facility of Camp X-Ray, and served 

as the original living quarters that 

housed the military police, Marines, infantry, and some other 

service members ...But things 

got better and troops moved into 

SEAhuts at Camp America and 

Camp Bulkeley. Hot showers, 

laundry, and workout facilities became part of the living community landscape. Soon after, more 

living quarters upgrades were 

added in the form of panel buildings that were erected at Camp 

America North, just across from 

Camp America. Later, Kvaerner 

renovated the family housing facilities of Tierra Kay and many 

troops moved into those living 

quarters, freeing up some of the 

SEAhuts for storage and office 

space.”

Today, Troopers reside in 

Camp America, Tierra Kay, 

Cuzco Barracks, and Windward 

Loop.

Regarding meals, Viola wrote:

“When the first troops arrived 

they ate three squares a day, but 

they were of the Meal Readyto-Eat kind, and dining facilities 

were in the open air under the 

hot Caribbean sun. Now, troops 

can get three hearty meals a day 

at the nicely air-conditioned Seaside Galley in Camp America.” 

Seaside Galley and the Liberty Center are located in pre-engineered buildings. In 2005, JTF 

added the Ney Award-winning 

Gold Hill Galley to the many 

dining choices. 

At one time cable television, 

telephone and internet access 

were limited to only certain areas, 

but Troopers have telephones in 

their quarters, and cable and internet if they are willing to pay 

for it. 

Although the Joint Task Force 

mission has not changed very 

much over the last 10 years: safe, 

humane, legal, and transparent 

care and custody of detainees; 

the quality of Trooper life has 

improved.
The Wire | Page 10 Feature | | Feature The Wire | Page 11

Joint Task Force 

Guantanamo: 2012

As we approach the 10-year anniversary of Joint Task Force Guantanamo detention operations, in order to appreciate 

how far the operation has come, it is necessary to return to where it started. When 

the decision was made to move detainees 

here, there was no Joint Task Force there 

were no facilities to house detainees – save 

for Camp X-Ray which had not been used 

for more than six years. 

Three months after the terrorist attacks of September 11th, the first detainees arrived at Naval Station Guantanamo 

Bay in the nation’s immediate response to 

address the threat of further violence to 

the U.S. As with any observance, this is a 

time to reflect on the progress which has 

been made during the past decade. 

Camp X-Ray was first fabricated and 

used in 1993-94 during Operation Sea 

Signal to separate the criminal element 

of the more than 50,000 migrant men, 

women, and children who poured into 

Guantanamo Bay from Cuba and Haiti. 

It was closed in 1995 when the migrants 

were repatriated, and had no further use 

until January 11, 2002. 

The public paid a great amount of attention to the detainees housed in Camp 

X-Ray’s temporary facilities. However, 

during the 92 days that Camp X-Ray was 

used, construction of Camps 1-3 was underway. Camps 1-3 consisted of single-cell 

enclosed facilities complete with eastern style toilets and sinks - a marked 

improvement from X-Ray.

By 2003, the number of 

detainees had peaked to 

approximately 680. 

As the population 

grew, so did 

the facilities. 

That year 

Camp 4, the first communal-style detention camp, was constructed - complete 

with outdoor recreation areas. 

Over the last 10 years, vast changes 

have occurred. The camp population has 

decreased through both military commissions and detainee transfers and the living 

conditions have steadily improved for the 

remaining 171 detainees.

Camps 5 and 6, in a stark contrast to 

Camp X-Ray, are two ultra-modern structures modeled after stateside facilities. 

Camp 5 is the disciplinary camp, where 

noncompliant detainees stay in individual 

cells, have their recreation time curtailed 

to two hours per day and privileges, such 

as reading materials reduced. This is also 

the camp where convicted prisoners reside. 

Inside Camp 6, detainees have the 

privilege of moving freely within their 

block. They have 24-hour access to space 

outside of their cell and can participate in 

recreation when they choose, and watch 

TV whenever they want. They also have 

the opportunity to attend language, art, 

and life skills classes. 

“It is proof of just how far we have 

come,” said Col. Donnie Thomas, commander of the Joint Detention Group. 

“We’re about 85 percent communal, which 

allows the detainees some freedom within 

the confines of the camp facilities. This is 

a win for both the detainees and for the 

guard force.”

Moving from a non-communal setting to a communal setting was significant 

because it minimized the interaction between the guard force and the detainees. 

“It improved the overall behavior of the 

detainees and the work environment for 

the guard force,” said Joint Task Force 

Guantanamo’s Cultural Advisor, Zak. 

“Of the 171, less than 50 have been here 

long enough to see the full evolution of 

the camps.”

Since the opening of the first expeditionary structures in April 2002 to today, 

Joint Task Force Guantanamo has evolved 

tremendously. Camps 1-4 no longer house 

detainees. 

The Camp Delta area now facilitates 

administrative offices, the detainee hospital, and a detainee library containing more 

than 22,000 items. Compliant detainees 

have access to books, magazines, satellite 

radio and TV. 

“They can eat together, pray together and recreate 24 hours a day together. 

These guys are not walled off from viewing society or viewing what’s going on 

outside Guantanamo,” added Thomas. 

“They watch TV and have access to their 

lawyers, who bring them news as well. 

They are able to call home every quarter 

and talk to their family members. They are 

up-to-date on what is going on outside of 

Guantanamo Bay, Cuba,” said Thomas.

Shortly after President Barack Obama 

assumed office, he ordered a review of the 

conditions of confinement at Guantanamo Bay to ensure they met the minimum 

standards of Common Article 3 of the 

Geneva Conventions. Then-Vice Chief 

of Naval Operations Adm. Patrick Walsh 

found that the detention camp’s condition 

met the minimum standards, and oftentimes exceeded them. 

“This is a professionally run facility. 

Our sons and daughters are doing a great 

job here,” said Thomas. “Those who have 

visited the camps from congressmen to 

media have commented on not only the 

facilities and conditions, but also how professionally we operate here.”

Thomas said that the dignified and safe 

care and custody of the detainees is not 

his only concern. His focus on safety includes the guards and visitors as well. To 

that end, Thomas explained that the Joint 

Task Force is always seeking to improve. 

By Sgt. 1st Class Jerome Grant

Camp X-Ray opened in support 

of Operation Sea Signal

1993-4 1995

Camp X-Ray closed

2002

Camp X-Ray reopened after Sept. 

11, 2001; Camps 1-3 constructed

2003

Camp 4 completed; detainees 

move into communal living space

2004

Camp 5 constructed

2006

Camp 6 completed; ultimately replaces 

Camp 4 as communal camp

2012

Of Joint Task Force Guantanamo’s 171 detainees, 

more than 86% are communally housed in Camp 6.

More than 85% of Joint Task Force Guantanamo detainees 

reside in Camp 6, a communal living space with outdoor 

recreation areas, access to reading material and television, 

telephone privileges and routine medical care.

–photos by Mass Communication Spc. Kilho Park

2010

Camp 4 closed

2007

Camps 1-3 closed; detainees 

transferred to Camp 6
| Feature The Wire | Page 13

this year, I 

will...

Score a 300 or better on 

the PT test!

–Spc. Carlos Martinez

Have a smooth transition 

back to my family.

–Tech. Sgt. Jason Burns

Put on E-5 soon and have 

a better year than last year.

–Spc. Sherella Nixon

Every year I just want to 

get to know myself better.

–Staff Sgt. Donte Neal

Enjoy a huge camping trip 

when I get home!

–Sgt. Timothy Moore

Stop drinking pop and 

make it to the gym every 

day.

–Petty Officer 3rd Class 

Leah Sybilred

Get my SCUBA 

certification!

–Petty Officer 1st Class 

Jason Satter

While deployed, finish my 

master’s degree.

–Petty Officer 2nd Class 

Jamie Arbelaez

Be an all-around better 

person.

–Spc. Jonathan Ramos

Finish four college 

courses.

–Petty Officer 3rd Class 

Alexandria Romo

Lose 10 pounds and win 

the soccer championship.

–Spc. Mario Felix

BOOTS ON THE GROUND

The Wire | Page 12 Feature |

I just want to be a better 

man than I was last year. 

–Master Sgt. Don 

Simmons

Not work so hard, and quit 

smoking.

–Staff Sgt. Faye May

Repaint the inside of my 

garage and porch.

–Petty Officer 2nd Class 

Brian Gomez

To ensure my junior 

Sailors have an outstanding deployment and make 

it safely back home to 

family and friends.

–Petty Officer 1st Class 

Gabriela Galarza

Go to college!

–Seaman Naquasia Days

Stop smoking.

–Spc. John Quarles

Finish my bachelor’s degree and put in an officer’s 

package.

–Petty Officer 1st Class 

Hayden Felt

While deployed, finish my 

degree.

–Petty Officer 2nd Class 

Ray Rodriguez

Get into better shape!

–Spc. Brandon Daniels

Background: The Guantanamo Bay community rang in 2012 with a fireworks 

display. –photo by Mass Communication Spc. 2nd Class Jon Dasbach
The Wire | Page 14 At Your Service |

O n T he win g

WASHINGTON – The recently announced 

$29.4 billion sale of F-15SA fighter aircraft 

to Saudi Arabia is just one part of a broader 

U.S.-Saudi military sales and defense cooperation effort that’s central to regional security, 

Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.

U.S. officials announced an agreement 

Dec. 29 to sell 84 new F-15 fighter jets and 

upgrades for 70 existing aircraft to Saudi 

Arabia. Little said the same represents less 

than half of the $60.5 billion in U.S. sales of 

aviation capabilities agreed to by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

In addition to the Royal Saudi Air Force, 

this broader program includes aviation capabilities for the Saudi Arabian National 

Guard, Royal Saudi Land Forces and Saudi 

Royal Guard, he said.

“More broadly, the U.S.-Saudi militaryto-military alliance is a central feature of regional security,” Little said.

Little noted the U.S. Military Training Mission in Saudi Arabia, which was established 

in 1953 and remains a cornerstone of the 

U.S.-Saudi military-to-military relationship. 

In announcing the F-15 sales agreement 

Dec. 29, James N. Miller, the principal deputy under secretary of defense for policy, and 

Andrew Shapiro, the assistant secretary of 

state for political-military affairs, emphasized 

the close military-to-military ties between the 

U.S. and Saudi Arabia.

“The United States is firmly committed 

to the security of the Kingdom of Saudi 

Arabia, as we have been for nearly seven decades, and ... more broadly, the United States 

and Saudi Arabia have a strong mutual interest in the security and stability of the Gulf,” 

Miller said.

The F-15s Saudi Arabia will receive under 

the agreement “will have the latest generation of computing power, radar technology, 

infrared sensors and electronic warfare systems,” he added.

The White House released a statement 

Dec. 29 detailing the full Foreign Military 

Sales program agreement, which also will 

provide munitions, spare parts, training, 

maintenance and logistics support for the 

F-15s to the Royal Saudi Air Force.

I n the fi g h t

Operation Clean Sweep accounts for 

millions in gear and equipment

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – 

Over the last three months, Marine and Sailors of the 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward) have accounted for, sorted, cleaned and 

processed several millions of dollars worth of 

gear and equipment in support of Operation 

Clean Sweep aboard Camp Leatherneck and 

Camp Dwyer. 

This operation is part of Regional Command Southwest’s plan for redeployment and 

retrograde in support of reset and reconstitution (R4), which is a four-part term commonly used to refer to the concept of how 

the Marine Corps will most efficiently and effectively leave Afghanistan.

Planning for the departure of forces has 

become a primary focus of operations, along 

with the continued training of Afghan National Security Forces. 

Not only is the plan facilitating the process 

of leaving Afghanistan, but it is saving the 

Marine Corps money by identifying excess 

gear and reallocating it to the units deployed, 

vice ordering new equipment to be shipped 

here. 

According to statistics compiled by Maj. 

Ken Karcher, the future operations officer 

for 2nd MLG (FWD) and officer in charge of 

redeployment and retrograde (R2) operations, 

Marines and Sailors attached to the sort lots 

and supply management units have recovered 

roughly $30 million worth of excess supplies. 

These items are currently being either 

shipped to Marine commands in the United 

States or reallocated to units currently fighting in support of International Security Assistance Force operations. 

at the ready

By 2nd Lt. James F. Stenger

2nd Marine Logistics Group

WASHINGTON – The chief of the National Guard Bureau is a statutory member 

of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

With the stroke of a pen, the same month 

the nation’s oldest military institution celebrated its 375th birthday, President Barack 

Obama signed legislation that includes a provision adding the CNGB to the Joint Chiefs 

on Dec. 31, 2011.

The provision – part of the fiscal year 

2012 National Defense Authorization Act 

– ushers in a change some National Guard 

historians have called the most significant 

development since the Militia Act of 1903 

codified the modern day dual-status structure of the Guard.

“We are grateful for the efforts the executive and legislative bodies have gone to 

in placing the chief of the National Guard 

Bureau on the Joint Chiefs of Staff,” said Air 

Force Gen. Craig McKinley, the chief of the 

National Guard Bureau.

“We look forward to working alongside 

the other Joint Chiefs to provide our nation’s 

senior leaders with a fuller picture of the 

non-federalized National Guard as it serves 

in support of homeland defense and civil 

support missions,” McKinley said.

The provision is part of an annual federal 

law that has for the last half-century specified the Defense Department budget.

The 2012 NDAA authorizes $670 billion in spending for Defense Department 

programs and Energy Department nuclear 

weapons programs.

Other provisions of the bill that affect 

the National Guard include re-establishing 

the position of vice-chief of the National 

Guard Bureau at the three-star level while 

rescinding the two-star position of director 

of the NGB’s joint staff.

The bill also requires that National Guard 

general officers be considered for command 

of Army North and Air Force North and 

authorizes funding for the National Guard 

State Partnership Program.

National Guard leader 

joins Joint Chiefs

Gen. McKinley’s new seat 

signed into law By Donna Miles

American Forces Press Service By Staff Sgt. Jim Greenhill

National Guard Bureau

Pentagon: F-15 

sale to Saudi 

Arabia ‘central to 

regional security’

| At Your Service The Wire | Page 15

coa s t to coa s t

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – During December 

2011, the Coast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron Jacksonville surpassed 

the $10 billion mark in illegal narcotics interdictions. 

Commissioned in 1998, HITRON was 

America’s first airborne law enforcement unit 

trained and authorized to employ airborne 

use of force (AUF) and is the Coast Guard’s 

only airborne unit that employs disabling 

fire in support of the counter-drug mission. HITRON prepares personnel, deploys 

aircraft, and employs airborne use of force 

against non-compliant vessels within Maritime Drug Transit Zones.

HITRON has multiple crews deployed 

aboard Coast Guard cutters at any given time. 

Operating in both the Caribbean and Eastern 

Pacific, HITRON crews deploy more than 

1,100 days per year. As part of a cutter’s crew, 

HITRON helicopter crews work in concert 

with the cutter law enforcement boarding 

teams to stop and interdict suspect vessels 

within the busiest drug transit corridors.

A true team effort, HITRON partners 

with many other agencies, including maritime 

patrol aircraft from Customs and Border Protection, the Navy, as well the Joint Interagency 

Task Force South, the US Drug Enforcement 

Agency and various South and Central American law enforcement agencies.

During its first year, HITRON intercepted 

all five go-fasts encountered, interdicting 2,640 

pounds of cocaine and 7,000 pounds of marijuana. HITRON has continually adapted its 

tactics and procedures to combat the evolving 

tactics of the drug trafficking organizations. 

Now, 13 years later, HITRON has successfully completed 209 interdictions of non-compliant vessels transporting illegal contraband 

resulting in the detention of 645 drug traffickers. These interdictions have kept 412,076 

pounds of cocaine, 21,041 pounds of marijuana, 135 pounds of hash oil, 304 pounds of 

heroin and $8,752,900 in illegal currency, with 

a total street value $10,064,730,837, from 

reaching American soil.

“Reaching this milestone is a testament 

to the sacrifice and hard work of all the men 

and women who have served at HITRON for 

the past 13 years and demonstrates the Coast 

Guard’s great value to the American public,” 

said Coast Guard Capt. Donna Cottrell, commanding officer of HITRON.

HITRON interdicts $10B worth of drugs

By 7th Coast Guard District Public Affairs

ByVice Adm. Scott Van Buskirk

Chief of Naval Personnel

The Sailors in our Navy today are truly 

the “cream of the crop.” Sailors are increasingly looking at the Navy as a great long-term 

career choice, and the Navy is committed to 

retaining the best trained, most capable, and 

most highly motivated force for the future. 

Programs like Perform-to-Serve (PTS) and 

the Enlisted Retention Board (ERB) have 

enabled those mutual objectives.

 While increased retention over the past 

decade can be partially attributed to the current economy, many additional factors such 

as work-life balance initiatives and improved 

compensation have made the Navy a very attractive career choice. However, this unusually high retention has been uneven across all 

Navy ratings. Some ratings are overmanned 

due to force structure reductions and the 

national unemployment posture, resulting in 

higher retention. At the same time, there is 

persistent undermanning in some technical 

ratings where employment demand in the 

civilian market remains high. Some hardworking, experienced Sailors are not able to 

advance due to overmanning in their ratings, 

and Sailors in some undermanned ratings are 

experiencing unusually high operational demands to meet Navy requirements.

To help in balancing uneven retention, 

Navy is utilizing a range of force management measures to retain Sailors in the right 

mix of ratings and experience. In addition 

to our voluntary early separation programs, 

PTS is our primary system used to manage 

the force to ensure our highest-performing 

Sailors have the opportunity to convert, reenlist and advance. Overmanning in some 

ratings was so high that PTS was becoming 

overburdened and was not as effective as it 

needs to be. The ERB was held to retain our 

highest quality Sailors across each of our 31 

most overmanned ratings.

We have made significant progress in rebalancing the Force this past year. Through 

PTS, 1,052 Sailors were converted from 

overmanned to undermanned ratings in 

the past year. The ERB will further reduce 

overmanning in 31 specific ratings resulting 

in additional PTS and advancement opportunity. Top performers in every rating and 

year group will now have an opportunity for 

reenlistment approval, even when a rating is 

overmanned. The improved rating balance 

has also stabilized advancement opportunity 

Fleet-wide; we will see increased E-4/5/6 

advancement opportunities in the coming 

advancement cycles. Advancements in these 

ratings are projected to be above the Navywide average for the next two to three cycles, 

after which they will fall more in line with 

historical advancement rates. As a result of 

our force management actions, Navy opportunities for top performing Sailors are actually increasing and manning in ratings chronically undermanned is improving. These steps 

to maintain a balanced force are benefiting 

the entire Fleet.

on the DEC K

Better opportunities for sailors 

as force balance improves
The Wire | Page 16 Around the World |

WASHINGTON – Defense Secretary Leon 

E. Panetta added a pointed anti-bullying directive to a holiday message sent to service 

members around the world.

“I cannot be more proud of who you are 

and what you represent as you serve and sacrifice for our great nation,” the message read, 

in part. “With that honor, is the responsibility to show by example our core values that 

demand we treat everyone with dignity and 

respect at all times.

“In that vein, let me be clear,” the secretary continued. “I will not tolerate any instance where one service member inflicts any 

form of physical or psychological abuse that 

degrades, insults, dehumanizes or injures another service member.”

Panetta directed military commanders 

to “personally review” policies and ensure 

compliance.

“This has my personal attention as we 

continue our combat mission in Afghanistan, transition from our campaign in Iraq, 

and continue our global presence performing our nation’s duties,” the secretary wrote. 

“I need you to continue to make this a priority within your commands as this has a direct 

impact on our force readiness.”

Members of the Defense Department and 

the services “will protect each other through 

fair, scrupulous and unbiased treatment as 

individuals -- caring for them, teaching them 

and leading them,” Panetta wrote. “It is the 

obligation of each member in the chain of 

command to ensure hazing is not allowed 

and that all service members are treated, at 

all times, with genuine dignity, fairness and 

respect.”

On Dec. 21, the Army charged eight 

soldiers allegedly involved in the death of 

Army Pvt. Danny Chen. Chen, an infantryman deployed to southern Afghanistan with 

Company C, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry 

Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, who was 

found dead in a guard tower Oct. 3 from an 

apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also spoke 

out strongly against hazing and bullying after 

the charges were announced. In a message 

posted to Facebook and Twitter Dec. 22, he 

wrote that while instances of hazing appear 

to be isolated, the practice is “simply intolerable.”

“It undermines our values, tarnishes our 

profession and erodes the trust that bonds 

us,” Dempsey added.

The secretary’s message to troops ended 

with his thanks for their work.

“May God bless each and every one of 

you and your families, not only through the 

holiday season but also throughout the New 

Year,” Panetta concluded.

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama 

signed the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act on Dec. 31, 2011, which increases 

active-duty and reserve pay by 1.6 percent 

and governs Defense Department activities, from procurement to military personnel 

policy.

Several provisions in this year’s act will 

potentially affect active-duty and retired service members and their families.

Section 347 requires DOD to finance an 

independent assessment of overseas troop 

basing, advising retention, closure, realignment or establishment of U.S. military facilities outside the U.S. “in light of potential 

fiscal constraints on (DOD) and emerging 

national security requirements in coming 

years.”

Section 402 reduces authorized Army 

minimum end strength from 562,000 to 

547,000. The other services’ authorized minimum strengths are unchanged, with 325,700 

for the Navy, 202,100 for the Marine Corps 

and 332,800 for the Air Force.

Section 512 of the act creates a new 

member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, which 

currently includes the Army and Air Force 

chiefs of staff, the chief of naval operations and the Marine Corps commandant. 

The new member will be the chief of the 

National Guard Bureau, who will have responsibility for “addressing matters involving non-federalized National Guard forces in 

support of homeland defense and civil support missions.”

Section 526 extends voluntary separation 

pay and benefits authority, formerly set to 

expire Dec. 31, to the end of 2018. Section 

530 converts the high-deployment allowance 

from mandatory to authorized. The allowance currently pays $100 a day, in addition 

to all other pay and allowances, to a deployed 

service member who has been deployed 401 

days or more out of the preceding 730 days.

Section 701 limits annual TRICARE enrollment fee increases for retirees and their 

family members to an amount equal to the 

percentage by which retired pay increases 

that year.

Section 702 sets mental health assessment 

requirements for service members deployed 

for contingency operations. The act calls 

for a series of assessments: one within 120 

days before deployment; another during the 

period between 90 days after a deployment 

begins and 180 days after it ends; a third 

within a year after the deployment ends; and 

a fourth between 18 months and 30 months 

of redeployment.

The act states assessments are intended to 

“identify post-traumatic stress disorder, suicidal tendencies, and other behavioral health 

conditions ... in order to determine which 

such members are in need of additional care 

and treatment for such health conditions.”

Assessments are not required for service 

members “not subjected or exposed to operational risk factors during deployment in 

the contingency operation concerned,” the 

act states.

Section 954 affirms that DOD “has the 

capability, and upon direction by the president may conduct offensive operations in 

cyberspace to defend our nation, allies and 

interests,” subject to the law of armed conflict and the War Powers Resolution.

Signing the bill into law, President Barack 

Obama acknowledged “serious reservations” 

about parts of the act, particularly provisions 

that regulate the detention, interrogation and 

prosecution of suspected terrorists.

“I have signed the act chiefly because it 

authorizes funding for the defense of the 

United States and its interests abroad, crucial 

services for service members and their families, and vital national security programs that 

must be renewed,” Obama said in a statement released today.

The act also contains critical initiatives 

to control spiraling health-care costs within 

the Defense Department, develop counterterrorism initiatives abroad, build the security capacity of key partners, modernize the 

force, and boost the efficiency and effectiveness of military operations worldwide, he 

noted.

2012 defense bill provisions include pay 

raise, separation benefits extension

Panetta ‘will not tolerate’ bullying, hazing

By Karen Parrish

American Forces Press Service

By Karen Parrish

American Forces Press Service

| Mind, Body & Spirit The Wire | Page 17

Mind, 

Body

& Spirit

by Lt. Cmdr. Marc McDowell

NEGB Chaplain

As we mark time in human terms we have started 

a new year, another year of each of our lives. Some 

of us made resolutions to do things differently, some 

of those may even succeed in that resolve. Most of 

us fail. Most of us, myself included, fail often. 

In a previous assignment at Camp Lejeune, N.C., 

I visited the brig every Friday morning. One of 

the Marines I visited was there because he made a 

bad decision and took a piece of an M-16 from the 

armory. It was a huge mistake, a very bad idea and he 

had a long time to regret it. 

My job with him was to help him look at his 

decision-making methods, as well as what positive 

things remained in his life while demonstrating that 

someone else cared about him. That story and many 

others remind me in this “New Year” that although 

the systems and structures do not often give us a 

second chance, God does.

Every day we choose the short-term over the 

long-term: immediate gratification over discipline; 

ice cream over broccoli; beer over water. It’s a matter 

of urgency versus importance. Those tendencies 

apply to decisions about the afterlife; whether or not 

there is any, and if so who awaits us? If there is a .01 

percent chance that God exists, I don’t want to take 

the chance of ignoring all that would entail, for bad 

and good. 

But if you don’t believe in God, then just 

imagine this as a novel with a great ending. This 

way, if something convincing about God crosses 

your path you will already be familiar with this 

pattern: the biggest factor, the most important 

person in life is also the most forgiving. 

You see, I believe that I am in a parenthetical 

physical existence. There is more before and 

after this lifetime than what is within 

the parentheses, the parameters of 

what I call “my lifetime.” There’s 

just way too much within the 

borders that point outside of it to 

not believe. And so also my failures 

have limits: my mistakes need not 

follow me beyond this life because 

second chances are a reality, with 

God. Even if I make a mistake that 

triggers my fate within a “Zero 

Tolerance” system, God will not 

ditch me. Actually the opposite 

happens: he comes looking for 

me. Jesus Christ describes himself 

and his role as a shepherd who looks 

for lost sheep, even to the point of dying 

for just one sheep. 

Do you need a second chance?

Taking a second chance

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

PG-13

133 min.

By Mass Communication Spc. 1st Class Ty Bjornson

The Wire | Page 18 Movie Review |

This summer Tom Cruise will turn 50 years old. Seems unbelievable, 

doesn’t it? It has been 29 years since he first made a name for himself 

by dancing around in his underwear singing along with a Bob Seger 

song. As a box office marquee headliner for nearly three decades, he 

shows no sign of slowing down at all. In fact, Cruise’s latest movie 

would have you believe the man has discovered the fountain of youth. 

After all, he’s rumored to have done a majority of his own stunts in 

his latest action picture including a brilliant sequence where he actually 

scales the world’s tallest building in Dubai (albeit in multiple safety 

harnesses, digitally erased).

“Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol,” the fourth entry in the 

“M:I” series, is an extraordinarily well-made high octane action picture. 

There is international intrigue, a sleek and sexy assassin, multi-layered 

political agendas, action, suspense and the fate of global dominance 

hanging in the balance. 

Tom Cruise reprises his role as Impossible Missions Force (IMF) 

super agent Ethan Hunt. His team is tracking the elusive “Cobalt” in 

the Kremlin archives, who is believed to have Russian nuclear launchcodes with ambitions to launch a missile strike against the U.S. With 

Hunt’s team on the scene, a bomb destroys most of the Kremlin 

and Hunt’s group is framed as the terrorist masterminds behind it. 

Formally, the U.S. government will hunt (pun?) them down to bring 

them to justice. Before this can happen, the President initiates “Ghost 

Protocol,” the covert black operation of the IMF. Under the “Ghost 

Protocol,” Ethan Hunt’s team is cut off from all resources and the U.S. 

government has disavowed the entire IMF. 

Hunt has only his wit, team and allies to help him save the U.S. and 

subsequently the world from disaster. He is joined in his quest by the 

lovely, yet hard as nails Jane (Paula Patton, “Precious”) and his globe 

trotting I.T. expert Benji (Simon Pegg, “Shawn of the Dead”). IMF 

analyst William Brandt (Jeremy Renner, “The Hurt Locker”) joins their 

quest after the head of IMF (Tom Wilkinson, “Batman Begins”) is 

assassinated. 

This is an amazing live action feature film debut for director Brad 

Bird. He is best known as the director of animated fare like “The Iron 

Giant” (1999), “The Incredibles” (2004) and “Ratatouille” (2007). All 

of those animated movies are planned and storyboarded to perfection 

before being set to film. It is apparent Bird’s initial concept planning of 

“Ghost Protocol” was conducted in a similar fashion to his animated 

works. No doubt every action scene was storyboarded with exceptional 

care and on the big screen it clearly shows. 

“Ghost Protocol” boasts two of the most memorable action 

sequences in multiplex cinema in recent years. One of these scenes 

involves Tom Cruise climbing the 2,723 foot tall Burj Khalifa tower in 

Dubai. This vertigo-inducing sequence is the crown jewel of the entire 

“M:I” film franchise in terms of conception and presentation. The 

other stand alone sequence involves a futuristic-looking multi-level 

parking garage. I don’t want to give too much away, but let’s just say 

audiences will see something they haven’t seen before or at least seen 

done to this level.

Interestingly, the “Mission: Impossible” film series has had quite an 

array of film directors: Brian de Palma (“The Untouchables” 1987), John 

Woo (“Face Off ” 1997), J.J. Abrams (“Star Trek” 2009) and now Brad 

Bird. 

E a c h 

d i r e c t o r 

has painted their 

distinctive style on their 

individual film canvasses. All 

four films are a little different: the 

first movie was suspense driven, the 

second was over-the-top action, the third a 

crowd pleaser and the latest venture is a liveaction cartoon crossed with James Bond.

Though I recommend this picture with a 

rating of four out of five banana rats, I feel it 

necessary to point something out. This movie 

is very high gloss on craftsmanship, style and 

execution. However, like its predecessors, it is 

deficient in the character department. It is also a 

little dry. Not by much, but enough to notice. Maybe 

that doesn’t matter. The “Mission: Impossible” 

series exists to entertain us in the here and now. You 

may enjoy these films while watching them, but once 

they’re over you tend to forget about them. Ethan Hunt 

does not stick with you the same way Jason Bourne, 

John McClane or Indiana Jones do. Yet the “M:I” films 

are fun movies to watch “in the moment.” That is where 

they reign best. 

Tom Cruise and Paramount Pictures seem pleased with 

the current box-office returns on “Mission: Impossible 

– Ghost Protocol.” A fifth film in the series is currently 

planned. Though for Cruise to continue his role in future 

“M:I” entries is in question. The introduction of Renner’s 

Brandt character is part of a deliberate failsafe plan from the 

studio behind the picture: should Cruise opt out of future “M:I” 

films, Brandt would become the central protagonist to carry the 

torch of this series. However, that would really surprise me. Tom 

Cruise is currently in the early talks to appear in the proposed “Top 

Gun II.” I’m sure that film won’t be light on action. Also, he hasn’t 

shown me any signs of slowing down yet. I think he has a few more 

years in action pictures. Time will tell.

Speculation aside, “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” is a 

great example of how a meticulously well-thought-out thriller should 

be. The style, pacing and elaborate action sequences are expertly pieced 

together. It’s easily the best film in this series to date. Just sit back, let 

the movie do its thing and enjoy it “in the now.” 

Mission:impossible

ghost protocol

(Tom Cruise is FIFTY?!)

Downtown

Lyceum

Camp 

Bulkeley

GTMO Quick Reference 

Bayview Club - 75605

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

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

Bowling Center - 2118

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

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

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

Sun. & Holidays 1-11 p.m.

Caribbean Coffee - 77859

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

Sun. 1-10 p.m.

Jerk House - 2532

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

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

KFC and A&W Express - 75653

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

MWR Liberty Centers - 2010 

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

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

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

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

Library - 4700

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

Sun. & Holidays 12-9 p.m.

Pizza Hut - 77995

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

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

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

Windjammer Cafe

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

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

Sat. 5-10 p.m.

Sun. 5-9 p.m.

Windjammer Club - 77252

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

Windjammer Sports Bar

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

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

Sun. 5-9 p.m.

Safe Ride - 84781

| Bulletin Board The Wire | Page 19

 FRI SAT SUN MON TUE WED THU 7

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

6 8 9 10 11 12

Jack and Jill 

(NEW)

(PG) 7 p.m.

War Horse 

(NEW)

(PG-13) 9 p.m.

We Bought a 

Zoo (NEW)

(PG) 7 p.m.

Sherlock Holmes

(PG-13) 9 p.m.

We Bought a 

Zoo (NEW)

(PG) 8 p.m.

Immortals 

(NEW)

(R) 10 p.m.

Jack and Jill 

(NEW)

(PG) 8 p.m.

War Horse 

(NEW)

(PG-13) 10 p.m.

Immortals 

(NEW)

(R) 7 p.m.

Paranormal 

Activity 3 (last 

showing)

(R) 8 p.m.

The Three 

Musketeers 

(last showing)

(PG-13) 7 p.m.

Mission 

Impossible

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Paranormal 

Activity 3 (last 

showing)

(R) 7 p.m.

The Three 

Musketeers 

(last showing)

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Mission 

Impossible

(PG-13) 7 p.m.

Adventures of 

Tintin

(PG) 7 p.m.

Girl with the 

Dragon Tattoo

(R) 8 p.m.

Sherlock Holmes

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Downtown

Lyceum

Camp 

Bulkeley

GTMO Religious Services

JTF Trooper 

Chapel

Daily Catholic

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

 Mass

Vigil Mass

Saturday 5 p.m. 

Mass

Sunday 9 a.m.

General Protestant

Sunday 11 a.m. 

Gospel Service

Sunday 1 p.m.

Christian Fellowship

Sunday 6 p.m. 

Iglesia Ni Cristo

Sunday 5:30 a.m. 

Room A

LDS Service

Sunday 10 a.m. 

Room A

Pentecostal Gospel

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

Room D

Islamic Service

Friday 1 p.m. 

Room C

United Jamaican

Fellowship

Sunday 11 a.m. 

Room B

Liturgical Service

Sunday 10 a.m.

Room B

For other services, 

contact the NAVSTA 

Chaplain’s 

Office at 2323.

Protestant Worship

Sunday 9 a.m.

Bible Study

Wednesday 6 p.m.

Catholic Mass

Saturday 5:30 p.m.

For more information, 

contact the JTF 

Chaplain’s Office 

at 2305.

NAVSTA 

Main Chapel
Right: Joint Task Force 

Guantanamo’s senior enlisted 

leaders gathered for a group 

photo Jan. 4 in anticipation of 

the BEEF’s departure. –photo 

by Mass Communication Spc. 

2nd Class Kilho Park

Background: Make diving one of your New Year’s resolutions, and see a different side of Guantanamo Bay.

–photo by Army Maj. Jon Powers

TheJTF

Left: Members of the Maritime Safety and 

Security Team – San Diego patrolled the 

bay during a joint training exercise with the 

Marine Corps Security Forces Company Dec. 

29. –photo by Mass Communication Spc. 2nd 

Class Kilho Park