Volume 12, Issue 21 Thursday, May 12, 2011

Losers Go Home

Righteous Music

Trooper Chapel, Sunday 

Nights - Be There!

The Waltons

No, not the TV show

Football season enters playoffs
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 1,000.

JTF Guantanamo

Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Jeffrey Harbeson

Command Master Chief

Command Sgt. Maj.

Mark Porrett

Office of Public Affairs Director

Navy Cmdr. Tamsen Reese: 9928

Deputy Director

Air Force Lt. Col. Don Langley: 9927

Operations Officer

CW2 Raymond Chapman: 3649

Senior Enlisted Leader

Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class 

Sally Hendricks: 3649

The Wire

Command Information NCIOC:

Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Cossel: 3499

Executive Editor:

Spc. Meredith Vincent: 3651

Photojournalists:

Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class 

Maddelin Angebrand

Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason Tross

Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joe Ebalo

Army Sgt. Mathieu Perry

Spc. Kelly Gary

Contact us

Editor’s Desk: 3499

From the continental United States

Commercial: 011-53-99-3499

DSN: 660-3499

E-mail: thewire@jtfgtmo.southcom.mil

Online: www.jtfgtmo.southcom.mil

COVER: With the 2011 flag football season playoffs just around the corner, teams of the league are 

sharpening their plays and preparing themselves for the second half of the season. - photo by Mass 

Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joe Ebalo.

Joint Medical Group, Senior Enlisted Leader

Senior Chief Petty Officer

Today I would like to talk about living 

a healthy lifestyle. With such beautiful 

weather here on Guantanamo Bay, fitness 

and exercise should play an integral role in 

our general health. Daily physical activity 

can re-energize those long, arduous dutydays of Troopers, motivate local residents, 

and of course, help improve health, body 

and mind. The list of benefits from exercise 

is well-documented.

While any exercise is good, running 

is considered to be one of the most 

invigorating. By starting with a light jog, 

you can improve your motivation and 

reduce tiredness immediately. Other ways to 

improve your inner core strength is through 

aerobics and weight-lifting exercises. These 

activities promote healthy muscles and will 

assist in burning fat cells and increasing 

healthy weight loss.

When deciding to exercise, you must not 

only consider the immediate affects but the 

long-term ones as well including hereditary 

diseases and injuries. Those with family 

history concerns need to take extra care by 

first visiting a physician or nutritionist to 

evaluate your condition prior to beginning 

any physical regime.

After checking in with your health 

care provider and planting yourself on an 

exercise path, there are plenty of resources 

available to keep you focused on your goals. 

Current health articles and websites can 

provide help indentifying potential dangers 

associated with particular exercises and 

recommend rewarding work-out plans, 

mentor support and proper exercise attire 

needed for success in attaining fitness 

goals.

To achieve your goal, there is no need 

to work out 60 minutes a day, 7 days a 

week. Large gains can be made with a small 

investment. Working out as little as 20 

minutes a day, 3-4 times a week is more than 

enough to attain any goal. Another key to 

success is changing up your routine.

After a while, just running can become 

redundant and boring. I highly encourage 

riding a bike, elliptical, or swimming. 

Allowing yourself a variety of opportunities 

will keep you fit, trim and quite intrigued 

with exercising.

Here on Guantanamo Bay, there are 

many fitness-oriented programs promoted 

by MWR: yoga, aerobics, kickboxing, 5k 

fun runs, weight-lifting and so much more. 

It is up to you to explore the available 

opportunities. This will not only benefit 

you while you are here on the island but will 

also get you through the everyday stressors 

of work, your energy levels, improve your 

posture, strengthen your immune system 

and make you look and feel better.

Brian Domino

Cuban dissidents push 

for death probe

Voice of America News Service

Cuban dissidents are calling for an 

international forensic investigation into 

the recent death of fellow dissident Juan 

Wilfredo Soto, who they say died after being 

arrested and beaten by police.

The dissidents issued the call Tuesday, 

two days after Soto died at the age of 46. 

They say Soto died in a hospital in the central 

Cuban city of Santa Clara, where he was 

taken following the altercation with police in 

a park last Thursday.

Cuba’s government has denied that Soto 

was beaten. It says he died of natural causes. 

The dissidents have acknowledged that Soto 

had health problems, but they have accused 

the government of lying about the cause of 

his death.

Fifteen months ago, imprisoned dissident 

Orlando Zapata died following a nearly 

three-month hunger strike to protest Cuban 

prison conditions. Zapata’s mother blamed 

Cuban authorities for his death.

Regional commander: bin Laden’s death 

hasn’t altered pace of the fight in Afghanistan

Chris Carroll

Stars and Stripes

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The death of 

Osama bin Laden hasn’t taken the fight out 

of Afghan insurgents, but there’s also no sign 

it’s spurring them to new heights of violence 

as the fighting season commences, the U.S. 

commander for Afghanistan’s eastern region 

said Tuesday.

“Bin Laden was certainly the leader of 

al-Qaida, [and] certainly an important man 

to that organization, but one man does not 

make this war on terrorism,” said Army 

Maj. Gen. John Campbell, commander of 

Regional Command-East.

Coalition and Afghan forces face a 

complex threat in the region, he said, ranging 

from homegrown Taliban to the Pakistanbased Haqqani network, a group targeting 

Afghan civilians that has a great ability to 

regenerate after large numbers of fighters are 

killed.

About 4,000 insurgents of all stripes have 

been killed or captured in the eastern region 

since summer 2010, and several hundred 

more have stopped fighting and reintegrated 

into Afghan society, he said.

With a troop drawdown set to begin this 

year, Campbell said that in the mountainous 

east, where insurgents slip in and out of 

the country from Pakistan’s tribal region, 

time is needed for the troop surge to take 

effect, adding that the final decision on any 

reduction in troop numbers would be made 

by his superiors.

“We’re just now being able to see the 

effect of having the coalition surge over the 

last several months,” he said. “We’ve got to 

let this counterinsurgency — our operations 

here — take effect, and it’s going to take 

some time.”

When he sent 30,000 more troops to 

Afghanistan last year to stabilize the country, 

President Barack Obama said he would begin 

a pullout in July.

The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday 

published a story detailing preliminary plans 

for 5,000 troops to be withdrawn in July and 

another 5,000 to leave by year’s end. The 

Pentagon, however, dismissed the story.

“General [David] Petraeus is the four-star 

action officer on this. Any speculation about 

what General Petraeus is working on is just 

that: speculation,” said Col. David Lapan, 

Defense Department spokesman. “It’s not as 

if staff officers are involved in the process.”

Lapan said Petraeus is working directly 

with Central Command chief Gen. James 

Mattis, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 

Adm. Mike Mullen and Defense Secretary 

Robert Gates, who then will pass the 

recommendation to the president.

Campbell said the Tuesday press briefing 

was to be his last as head of RC-East. The 

Army 1st Cavalry Division, led by Maj. 

Gen. Daniel Allyn, is scheduled to take over 

command next week, he said.

Al-Qaida warns of 

more attacks

Voice of America News Service

The leader of al-Qaida in Yemen is 

warning the United States of more attacks 

in retaliation for last week’s killing of Osama 

bin Laden in Pakistan.

In a statement posted on the Internet 

Wednesday, Nasser al-Wahishi tells 

Americans that the “ember of jihad is 

brighter” following bin Laden’s death and 

that “what is coming is greater and worse.”

The warning from the leader of al-Qaida 

in the Arabian Peninsula came as top U.S. 

Senator John Kerry announced he will travel 

to Pakistan next week to try and put relations 

with that country “back on track” after bin 

Laden’s death.

U.S. special forces killed the al-Qaida 

leader during a May 2 raid on a compound 

in Pakistan’s garrison city of Abbottabad.

The discovery of bin Laden’s hideout 

in Pakistan and his subsequent killing in the 

raid has further strained relations between 

the U.S. and Pakistan.

Kerry, the chairman of the U.S. Senate 

Foreign Relations Committee, told reporters 

in Washington he plans to discuss bilateral 

ties with Pakistani officials during his trip to 

Islamabad.

Earlier this week, Pakistani Prime Minister 

Yousuf Raza Gilani rejected allegations that 

Pakistan’s military and spy agency were 

complicit or incompetent in failing to detect 

bin Laden’s lair.

The Pakistani leader also criticized the 

U.S. raid, warning of “serious consequences” 

from such unilateral actions.

Maj. Gen. John Campbell, commander, Regional Command East, presents a eagle 

statue to Afghanistan President Hamid Karzi. (file photo)

T | News You Can Use The Wire | Page 3 he Wire | Page 2 Trooper to Trooper |
News from the Bay Stories and reporting by Spc. Meredith Vincent 

and Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Maddelin Angebrand

Frisbee tournament 

registration begins

Registration for Morale, Recreation and 

Welfare’s Ultimate Frisbee League begins 

Tuesday at Denich Gym.

There will be a coaches’ meeting May 19 

and league play is scheduled to start May 23. 

Each team will have seven players. Games 

will be played two to three times per week for 

a total of eight weeks at Cooper Field.

Alana Morrison, MWR sports coordinator, 

encourages Troopers to join the league for the 

added fitness benefits.

“It’s really fun – like a cross between flag 

football and soccer,” she said. “It incorporates 

a lot of cardio, making it a great workout for 

everyone.”

Referees will call the games based on 

ultimate Frisbee official rules, which can be 

found online. Other Guantanamo Bay bylaws 

and league rules will apply. 

Registration is free and open to all 

Guantanamo Bay residents. 

For more information regarding sign up 

and rules, call Morrison at x2113.

NEX, MWR co-sponser

fun, family fitness

Morale Recreation and Welfare is partnering 

with the Navy Exchange to bring you a Family 

Fun and Fitness Day, Saturday, from 10 a.m to 

2 p.m at the NEX.

MWR will provide fitness demonstrations, 

information about healthy lifestyles and a 

bounce house for the kids. There will also be 

a run for kids hosted by the Child and Youth 

Programs team starting at 8:30 a.m.

A push-up contest will be conducted with 

prizes for both participants and winners. MWR 

staff members will demonstrate belly dancing, 

Zumba and kick-boxing techniques.

“Fitness is a huge part of well-being and 

builds morale for the active duty members 

here,” said Jen Norton, MWR fitness director. 

“We offer command PT and group exercise as 

a different way of having fun and staying fit 

here in GTMO.”

Schedules of monthly fitness classes will 

also be available with MWR staff members 

standing by to answer fitness and nutritional 

questions. 

For more information contact Norton at 

x2157.

Marina offering next

boat license test prep

The W News from the Bay | ire | Page 4

Boots on the Ground

Should females be allowed in combat arms?

“Sure they should, as long 

as they can meet the same 

requirements as everyone 

else. ”

Yaoman 3rd Class

Britany Epps

“If they can jump that 

hurdle, then let them do it.”

Hospital Corpsman

Daniel Fitch

Spc. 

Davin Wyche

“Everyone has the right to 

serve their country, so if that 

means putting their life in 

harm’s way ... she should be 

able to do that.”

“I think we’re the same and 

equal as men, and if we had 

to do a male’s job then we 

should be able to.”

Senior Airman

Rodrigo Moreno

Morale Welfare and Recreation’s Marina 

staff is offering a free boat license preparation 

course, May 18, at 5 p.m.

The class is scheduled to last 20 minutes and 

prepares Troopers for the process of obtaining 

a boat license. Instructor Cory Geiger, MWR 

outdoor recreation director, highlights how to 

get your boat license, how to be safe and how 

to have fun out on the water.

Geiger said he started the sessions because 

people kept asking him about the process of 

getting a license.

“I had people coming up to me and saying 

‘I need to come down and see you, I have been 

on island for 3 months and haven’t got my boat 

license,’” said Geiger.

Troopers will get all the information they 

need before taking to the seas.

“We are here to help you feel comfortable 

on the water,” said Geiger. “If you haven’t 

driven a boat in a while or have never driven 

one before, we will teach you how to so that 

you can enjoy the water.”

For more information about the boat 

preparation course, call Geiger at x2345.

trooper

Spc. Kelly Gary

Bullet Bio

Time in service: 7 years

Hobbies: softball, football, 

fishing

Pet peeves: NCOs who 

don’t take care of their 

Troops

Next goal: to win Trooper 

of the Quarter

Advice to junior 

Troopers: “Always turn 

the negative into positive – 

and drink water!”

Several years ago, Army Staff Sgt. Kellie 

J. Bell lost her grandmother, who served as 

Bell’s surrogate mother, role model and best 

friend. It wasn’t long after that she decided to 

join the Army.

“I realized I needed to do something not 

only to better myself but to bring back my 

self confidence,” said Bell. “I wanted to make 

my grandma proud and [enlisting] seemed like 

the best thing.”

Bell, supply noncommissioned officer 

for J6, issues, delivers and keeps equipment 

accountability for hundreds of assets.

“She will never leave work without making 

sure that her tasks are complete or have a 

plan of action for completing it the next 

day,” said Sgt. 1st Class Yesenia S. Cooper, J6 

superintendent. 

For Bell, working hard is only one trait 

a leader should possess. Helping junior 

Troopers is key as well.

“Being a good leader and providing the 

lower enlisted with a path they want to go 

down is important,” she said, adding she is 

always happy and willing to help others.

Cooper sees her sergeant’s eagerness to 

give her Troopers a boost.

“Whether be it with weight loss, fitness, 

promotions or classes she is always helping 

others,” Cooper said.

Bell’s contribution to her colleagues 

and community goes beyond the duty day. 

Her leadership skills and ability to work in 

a team environment show in her afterhours 

activities.

“She is outstanding not only in uniform, 

but out of uniform as well,” said Cooper.

When out of uniform, Bell can be found 

on the baseball diamond or the football field. 

When she was four years old, her mother 

signed her up for T-ball. Although the age 

limit was five, she was allowed to play because 

of her talent. She has loved softball ever since.

“The most comfortable I have ever felt in 

my life is on the softball field,” said Bell. “I 

don’t have to think, just react.”

Bell played on the intramural softball team 

the Beach Bums this past season and is currently 

on the flag football team, the Knights.

“I am very competitive,” Bell said. “I love 

the adrenaline, trying to anticipate the next play 

and of course the camaraderie.”

In her seven years in the Army, Bell said the 

comradeship she has found through work and 

play is most important. 

“The best part is the people I meet,” said 

Bell. “The connection, the relationships and 

the friendships that I have built are the most 

rewarding.”

These connections mean the world to her, 

she continued, adding the positive leadership 

and companionship she has experienced since 

being on Guantanamo Bay surpasses any 

previous.

“J6 is definitely a family,” said Bell. “I 

wouldn’t trade this for anything.”

Bell already has two Iraq tours under her 

belt but this deployment has given her deeper 

friendships than the previous two. Having seen 

the very examples of the kind of NCO she did 

not want to be, she now wants to be sure she 

gives more care to the people around her.

Bell’s compassion and genuine concern 

for others are just two aspects contributing to see FOCUS, page 7

PSEC ALERT

USE OPSEC! PROTECT YOUR TRAVEL PLANS!

Would you tell a stranger when you’re not home?

Have you ever left a light on at your house when you’re not home? When you’re on vacation do you have a friend 

pick up your mail, or take the paper off the lawn so it looks as if someone is home? If you did, then you used 

OPSEC. We do these things to keep ourselves and our things safe from people who mean to harm us. So why 

would you post your travel plans online? Putting travel plans online is the same as putting a sign in front of your 

house that says, “I’m not home.” Stay safe. Protect your travel plans. 

| Trooper Focus The Wire | Page 5

her future as a senior NCO. Her peers and 

seniors believe Bell has what it takes to 

focus

Staff Sgt. Kellie Bell
Story and photos by Mass Communication 

Specialist 2nd Class Joseph Ebalo

NFL draft forgotten as GTMO football playoffs begin

 Anxious American football 

fans all over the world gathered 

around their television sets as 

the National Football League 

held their annual 2011 College 

Draft at Radio City Music Hall 

in New York City.

Some teams needed a 

quarterback while others needed 

help on defense or special teams. 

At the conclusion of the threeday event, more than 200 college 

players were officially drafted 

into the NFL and received 

professional contracts to step 

up and fill those positions. 

Many fans are already 

strategizing and deciding on 

how their teams should use 

their new additions to generate 

victories and ultimately win the 

2011 Super Bowl. Unfortunately, 

with a looming NFL players’ 

lock-out and strike, fans might 

not get to see the upcoming 

season’s action as early as they 

think. 

For many hard-core football 

players and fans stationed on 

Guantanamo Bay, the draft was 

an intense, nail-biting ordeal 

as they awaited news on their 

favorite teams. For others, the 

NFL is the farthest thing from 

their mind as there is plenty 

of football going on right here 

and playoffs are just around the 

corner. 

“I love the NFL and, 

deployed or not, I rarely miss 

the details of a game or any big 

news,” said Jamal “Doc” Jones, 

wide-receiver for the defending 

Morale Welfare and Recreation 

flag football league champion 

Spartans. “But honestly, I can’t 

worry about the NFL right now 

because we’re trying to go backThe W Sports | ire | Page 6

to-back and win another one.”

MWR’s 2011 Flag Football 

League is in week 7 of an 8-week 

regularly scheduled season, 

with a two-week playoff. All 10 

teams are fighting for a spot to 

continue on. 

“The season is counting 

down and you can tell by how 

hard the players are fighting 

to win,” said Alana Morrison, 

sports coordinator for MWR. 

“For some it might be too little, 

too late – for others they just 

might barely make the cut. The 

truth is some teams just aren’t 

going to make it.”

Six of the original 10 teams 

will compete in the tournamentstyle, double-elimination 

playoff season where they will 

get another chance to face off 

against some of the teams they 

may have lost to in the regular 

season.

“Once you’re in the playoffs 

it’s a whole different ball game,” 

said Craig Smith, tight-end for 

the Black Knights. “It doesn’t 

matter if you were the best or 

the worst team in the regular 

season because that’s all behind 

you. It’s all about who takes 

their game up a notch to get the 

victory.”

Joe Paddy, quarterback and 

lineman for the Sharks, agrees – 

the playoffs are a clean slate.

“Once you get into the 

playoffs, you know what to do 

against certain teams because 

you’ve seen their strengths 

and weaknesses,” said Paddy. 

“Hopefully you know how to 

take advantage, because that’s 

what we’re planning to do – go 

hard or go home.”

For more information about 

the flag football season, contact 

Denich Gym at x77262.

Bryant Curry, a quarterback for the Black Knights, dodges defenders from the 525th Military Police 

Battalion’s “Bad Boys” team during their last regular season game of the MWR Guantanamo 

Spring Flag Football Season at Cooper Field, May 10. The Black Knights defeated the Bad Boys 

27 to 6, but the teams could meet again during the playoffs, beginning May 16. 

Readying GTMO for refugees, sudden population increase

Story and photo by Mass Communication 

Specialist 2nd Class Jason Tross

FOCUS cont. 

When citizens must flee their 

Caribbean nations, Guantanamo 

Bay is historically one of the first 

places they come. As displaced 

refugees arrive on base, Joint 

Task Force Guantanamo 

Migrant Operations are first to 

react.

Migrant Operations – or Mig 

Ops – is the island’s designated 

response to a sudden population 

increase and have played a 

definitive role in JTF and Naval 

Station Guantanamo Bay’s long 

history.

Army Capt. Dave Rodriguez, 

J3 plans officer and single point 

of contact for MIG OPS said, 

what was a large component of 

the JTF is now just himself and 

only goes into action when the 

need arises.

“There is no JTF MIG OPS 

unless we get an executive 

order from the President,” said 

Rodriguez. “It’s just a plan right 

now because there is no mass 

migration happening here. We 

just make sure this base can 

handle it when it does happen.”

The Department of Defense 

and Department of Homeland 

Security employ MIG OPS 

when refugees leave their home 

nations. Many refugees – most 

notably from Haiti and Cuba – 

end up on Guantanamo Bay.

Just last year, Guantanamo 

was prepared to host hundreds 

of thousands of Haitian 

refugees in the wake of the 7.0 

magnitude earthquake that killed 

an estimated 200,000 thousand 

people and left nearly one 

million homeless, according to 

the U.S. Geological Service. This 

demonstration of preparedness 

| Mission The Wire | Page 7

excel.

“She is a very strong female,” 

said Cooper. “She has a heart of 

gold and she is an outstanding 

leader.”

Bell is competing for Trooper 

of the Quarter – a goal she said 

can be reached with the help of 

her NCOIC and friends.

“It is something that I never 

thought I could do but with 

[Cooper’s] support and the 

support of the people here I know 

it is possible,” she said.

In addition to the award, Bell 

hopes to earn her bachelor’s in 

Logistics and Transportation from 

American Military University. 

Cooper is confident Bell can 

excel all the way to the top, and 

sees her moving forward with 

great momentum.

“I honestly see Bell as a 

command sergeant major,” said 

Cooper. “I think she has it in her 

to lead troops.”

At the bottom of her email, 

Bell has chosen to inlay a quote 

from former president John 

Quincy Adams: “If your actions 

inspire others to dream more, 

learn more, do more and become 

more, you are a leader.” Cooper 

said the quote fits Bell perfectly.

“[Bell] embodies that quote,” 

said Cooper.

is the result of previous 

migrations and population 

problems on the base. The largest 

migrant operation to date for the 

JTF was Operation Sea Signal, 

when thousands of people fled 

Haiti and Cuba seeking refuge 

in the United States. Refugees 

were intercepted and brought to 

Guantanamo Bay.

“We had 45 to 50,000 

migrants here on Guantanamo 

Bay back in the early 90s during 

Operation Sea Signal,” said 

Rodriguez. “They ended up 

staying on the base from early 

1994 to mid 1996. There were 

so many people, they were living 

on the golf course and where 

the JTF is now. Servicemembers’ 

families had to be evacuated 

because there were just too 

many people.”

Army South is identified 

to assume responsibility 

for all future MIG OPS on 

Guantanamo Bay. However, 

that will not completely take 

JTF Guantanamo or Rodriguez 

out of the equation. The captain 

will remain the JTF Guantanamo 

MIG OPS officer to execute the 

initial phases of a large-scale 

migration and serve as a liaison 

to Army South for the phases 

following.

“My job is to get our Migrant 

Operations Center on the 

leeward side [of Naval Station 

Guantanamo Bay] up and 

running and make sure we are 

ready to handle a massive influx 

of people,” said Rodriguez. 

That swell in population is 

not limited to refugees. Planning 

requires additional Troopers for 

support – upwards of 10,000 

at full capacity. Rodriguez 

has locations across both the 

leeward and windward sides 

of Naval Station Guantanamo 

where tent cities, much like the 

one currently at Camp Justice, 

can be erected to house refugees 

and servicemembers separately. 

Hosting more than 50,000 

immigrants, often povertystricken and in dire need of 

medical attention, may seem like 

a daunting and overwhelming 

task. For Rodriguez, having 

this plan in place and being 

able to successfully execute it is 

essential.

“This plan is here for a very 

good reason,” said Rodriguez. 

“If we don’t respond, thousands 

of people will die. We are not 

going to let that happen.”

Naval station, JTF can ‘handle it when it happens,’ says MigOps officer

Old boats and rafts sit on display at the Lighthouse museum. The worn 

and dilapidated boats and rafts were once used by Cuban and Haitian 

refugees to come to Guantanamo Bay. – file photo
Something

toSing about

My biggest concern while traveling to 

Guantanamo Bay was getting my guitar here 

- safely. In transit my luggage was lost, but 

thankfully the guitar stayed safe and snug at 

my side. 

I actually play the drums; however, 

transporting an entire drum set here seemed 

improbable, so I decided to make learning 

something new a priority. I didn’t expect to 

see a drum set anytime soon.

On my first assignment, I was 

photographing an Army sergeant reading 

to his children for the United Through 

Reading Program in the Trooper Chapel 

when I noticed a glimmering gold drum set 

in the corner. I was itchin’ to make noise, but 

managed to patiently wait until my subject 

was finished with his story. 

After the shoot, I jumped behind 

the set and took to the tom toms like a kid in 

a candy store. Religious Programs Specialist 

3rd Class Jeffery Lauber heard and informed 

me the drummer for the praise band was 

leaving soon. Lucky for me, they were looking 

for a replacement! He got me in touch with 

the band’s bass guitarist, Aviation Warfare 

Systems Operator 1st Class Sam White also a 

Joint Task Force member. 

Story by Mass Communication Specialist 

2nd Class Maddelin Angebrand

The Wire | Page 8 Feature |

Guitarist and lead vocalist Machinist Mate 3rd Class Daniel Kurtz (left), bass guitarist 

and back up vocalist Aviation Warfare Systems Operator 1st Class Sam White and 

drummer Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Maddelin Angebrand practice 

their song line up before playing in the Sunday service at the Trooper Chapel, May 8.

 - photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Carlos Cepeda.

When I talked to White, he invited me to practice the following 

Tuesday – of course I accepted. I was nervous at first and almost 

frozen behind the drum set. I had never played with a praise 

band before. My experience was with my high school band 

and playing various beats on friends’ drum sets growing 

up. 

With first time jitters out of the way, I got to know 

these guys a bit and realized this was a story needing to 

be told –volunteering to do this every Sunday regardless 

of 12 hour shifts, lack of sleep and inevitable exhaustion 

convinced me to start writing. 

White assured me and understood my nervousness. 

He said he had grown as a bassist here and that I, too, 

would develop as a drummer. 

“We are blessed to have you with us,” he told me. “It’s 

kind of ironic how our last drummer left no more than 

two weeks ago and we found you a week after.”

White was sitting at an indoctrination 

briefing at the Trooper Chapel when he, 

too, noticed the drum set.

 “I asked one of the chaplains 

[at the brief] if they had a 

praise service here,” said 

White, “Later on he 

emailed me to ask if 

I would like to 

play with 

them.” 

During his time on Guantanamo 

Bay, White has seen many players 

come and go and said it is all part of 

life on deployment.

“At one point, we had a band member 

from each branch of service, including a DOD 

civilian,” said White. “But, that’s what we do - 

we adapt and are blessed to have new players 

show up just as other players are leaving.”

Coincidentally, when lead guitarist 

and vocalist Machinist Mate 3rd Class 

Daniel Kurtz arrived on the base his 

first roommate was Sam White.

“Just as I fell into place, so has 

the rest of the band,” said White. 

“Daniel ended up moving into 

my house and I asked him if 

he knew anyone who played 

guitar and he said, ‘I used 

to play in a traveling praise 

band.’”

Kurtz, also a JTF 

member, shares vocalist 

duty with White. He said 

he has been musically 

intrigued since the 

age of seven when 

he began playing the 

violin. Later, he picked 

up a guitar his brother left 

behind and was immediately 

hooked.

 see BAND, page 19

| Feature The Wire | Page 9

Guitarist and lead vocalist Machinist Mate 3rd Class Daniel Kurtz sings Amazing 

Grace while playing guitar during Sunday’s service at the Trooper Chapel, May 8.
Story and photos by 

Spc. Meredith Vincent

S

tanding in the hallway at the famed 

White House that sits atop Marine 

Hill, Robert G. Walton looks down 

at his feet.

“The floors are the same!” 

he exclaimed. “The floors are exactly the 

same.”

It’s been a little more than 50 years since 

Robert stood in that hallway. The last time 

he was just a boy, a senior in high school, 

and his father was the commanding officer 

of the Marine barracks.

Col. Robert C. Walton led the Guantanamo 

Bay chapter of Marines from 1958 to 1960. 

His wife and three sons lived on the base 

with him during that time. And today, there 

is a family reunion of sorts happening on 

the island. Not just father and son, but three 

generations of Guantanamo Bay residents.

“It’s kind of a nice continuity,” said 

Navy Lt. Cmdr. R. Howard Walton, son of 

Robert G., grandson of Col. Walton and the 

assistant staff judge advocate for Joint Task 

Force Guantanamo who is now deployed 

here. “It really brings a new dimension to my 

experience here.”

When Howard learned he could bring 

his father back to a major site of his youth, 

he seized the opportunity. Showing both his 

father and mother, Barbara Walton, around 

the base was a family trip down memory 

lane, led by the elder Walton.

“My wife says I’m walking around in a 

daze,” he chuckled. 

Robert G.’s father originally enlisted as a 

Sailor in the Reserves when he was 17. After 

his commission, Robert C. transferred to the 

Marine Corps, where he retired as a full-bird 

colonel. 

 “In ’58, the gate was open,” Robert G. 

recalled. “You could go into Caimanera or 

Guantanamo City. Then in January of ’59, the 

revolution took over and things changed.”

Robert G. was in high school at the time. 

He was putting radios together and racing 

sailboats. Looking back, he understands 

what a unique experience his teenage years 

here afforded him.

“I watched Cuban gun boats sail up the 

center of the harbor,” he said. “I woke up to 

the sound of .50 calibers and mortars and all 

the rest of it.”

The Walton family found themselves in 

the middle of a historic period for both the 

United States and Cuba, and little was left 

unchanged.

“When we arrived [to Guantanamo Bay], 

Father had command of an understrength 

company, essentially the gate guards around 

the post,” explained Robert G. “When we 

left, he had a reinforced battalion with tanks 

and armor and artillery and all kinds of 

things. It was a whole different ball game.”

The community around him changed, 

too. What was once a peaceful town-like 

atmosphere quickly spiraled a frontline in 

the Cold War.

“It changed,” he said, remembering his 

boyhood home. “It went from being this 

sleepy little place to being a place on the 

front page of all the newspapers.”

This visit marks the first time Howard’s 

father has come back to his high school alma 

mater. A former Marine himself, Robert G. 

did a short stint as a Reservist from 1961 to 

1965. There is, predictably, plenty of goodnatured ribbing between father and son over 

why the lieutenant commander chose the 

Navy over the Marines.

“I say it was because the Navy made him 

a better deal,” said Robert G., patting his son 

lightly on the back.

“Actually, I just liked the uniforms better,” 

fired back Howard.

FAMILY

all in the

The Wire | Page 10 Feature | | Feature The Wire | Page 11

 see WALTONS, page 19

(far left) Col. Robert C. Walton works at his desk in the Marine Corps Security Forces Headquarters 

building, circa 1959. The office now belongs to the first sergeant of today’s Marine contigent. - photo 

provided by the Walton family

(middle) Lt. Cmdr. Howard Walton stands with his father, prior Marine Robert G. Walton, and his 

grandfather’s picture, April 9, inside the Marine Corps Security Forces Headquarters. 

(top right) The colonel’s name engraved on the Commanding Officer’s U.S. Marine Barracks plaque just 

inside the doors to the White House on top of Marine Hill. 

(bottom right) Robert G. Walton works on his homemade radio inside his home on Guantanamo Bay. 

That house is now home to the Joint Task Force Guantanamo commander, Rear Admr. Jeffrey Harbeson. 

- photo provided by the Walton family
The W At Your Service | ire | Page 12

In The Trenches

Army initiates Medical Evaluation Board improvements

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have generated over the past 

ten years a significant number of Soldiers with multiple and complex 

medical conditions that require a disability evaluation.

What the Army has done?

The U.S. Army and Army Medical Command (MEDCOM) 

implemented an expansion strategy on April 1, 2011, to deploy an 

augmentation team comprised of activated Reserve Component 

Soldiers and TRICARE Management Activity support contractors 

to Dwight. D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center, Fort Gordon, Ga. 

The augmentation team supplements existing resources at the medical 

center and enhances the Army’s ability to provide timely, quality and 

compassionate Medical Evaluation Board (MEB) disability processing 

for Soldiers. The expansion also helps ensure the Army has adequate 

personnel and resources available to process MEB cases and enhance 

continuity of care so Soldiers do not lose entitlements or benefits.

The Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) is another 

initiative the Army, Department of Defense and Department of 

Veterans Affairs (VA) collaborated on to improve the disability process. 

The IDES, which began as a pilot program in the National Capitol 

Medical Command Public Affairs Region in 2007, combines the separate rating systems used by the Army 

and VA into a single disability rating that the VA prepares for use by both 

departments. The Army will deploy IDES to all of its military treatment 

facilities by the end of the fiscal year. The Army also recently opened 

a new Reserve Component Soldier Medical Support Center in Pinellas 

Park, Fla., to transform and improve the disability evaluation process for 

Reserve Component Soldiers.

What does the Army have planned for the future?

The Electronic Medical Evaluation Board (eMEB) is another 

initiative the Army recently implemented to enhance the MEB process 

for Soldiers. In the future, an Electronic Physical Evaluation Board 

(EPEB) will be added to enhance the disability evaluation process even 

more to allow for the seamless transfer of Soldiers’ medical information 

between the Army and VA.

Why is improving the MEB process important to the Army?

The Army and MEDCOM want wounded, ill and injured Soldiers to 

get the care they need at the right time and right place. The improvements 

streamline the MEB process; helps Army meet current and future 

demand for MEBs; enhances continuity of care and benefits entitlement 

for Soldiers; promotes and supports readiness and the Army mission 

“To Conserve the Fighting Strength.”

Pentagon stone dedicated at Fort McNair

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A stone 

recovered from the Pentagon after the Sept. 

11, 2001, attack was dedicated Monday 

in commemoration of actions taken by 

members of the U.S. Army Military District 

of Washington following the attack.

Grace Ohlhaut,

 JFHQNCR/MDW Public Affairs

Maj. Gen. Karl R. Horst, the Joint Force 

Headquarters-National Capital Region and 

the U.S. Army Military District of Washington 

commanding general, spoke at the ceremony 

held at Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, 

D.C.

Soldiers from the 911th Technical Rescue 

Engineer Company played an integral role in 

the ceremony, assisting with the unveiling of 

the stone and presenting the accompanying 

plaque.

For 10 days following the Sept. 11, 2011, 

attacks, the unit, then called the Military 

District of Washington Engineer Company, 

was engaged in rescue and recovery operations 

for which the unit and Soldiers assigned were 

awarded the Army Superior Unit Award.

Also recognized at the ceremony were the 

servicemembers and employees of Military 

District of Washington who were with the 

command on 9/11. Maj. Gen. James T. Jackson, 

who was the commanding general of Military 

District of Washington during the attack, also 

participated in the ceremony.

The limestone block, marked DB849 and 

weighing 225 pounds, was recovered from the 

west facade of the Pentagon, about 50 meters 

from the area where American Airlines flight 77 

crashed into the building nearly 10 years ago.

“The stone will serve as a tribute to the 

184 people who perished and to those who 

assisted in the rescue and recovery efforts at 

the Pentagon; and the lives lost in Shanksville, 

Pennsylvania, and at the World Trade Center. 

It also serves as a daily reminder of just how 

much we have grown as a command since Sept. 

11, 2001,” said Horst during the dedication.

This is the fourth and final commemorative 

ceremony recognizing the rescue and relief 

efforts held over the past three months. 

MDW presented pieces of stone recovered 

from the Pentagon to the Arlington County 

Fire Department on March 24, 2011; the FBI 

Washington Field Office on April 27,2011; and 

the Fire Department of New York City on 

May 6, 2011.

This final piece of stone will be positioned 

in a place of honor within the JFHQ-NCR/

MDW headquarters building at Fort Lesley J. 

McNair. 

Maj. Gen. Karl R. Horst dedicates a stone recovered from the 

Pentagon after the attacks on September 11. during a ceremony, 

May 9 at Fort McNair, Washington, D.C. – photo by U.S. Army

On The Deck

| At Your Service The Wire | Page 13

Conversion opportunities for ERB-eligible Sailors

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In an effort to 

provide conversion opportunities ahead of the 

Enlisted Retention Board, NAVADMIN 160/11 

was released May 9, to waive some standard 

conversion requirements and provide Sailors 

with the guidelines for submitting applications.

The goal of the ERB is to re-balance 

manning in 31 overmanned ratings, improve 

advancement rates, and increase Perform to 

Serve (PTS) opportunity.

“Leadership respects and values the service 

of our Sailors,” explained Rear Admiral 

Tony Kurta, head of personnel policy. “By 

providing increased opportunity to convert to 

undermanned rates, our goal is to keep high 

performing Sailors in the Navy while increasing 

competition and advancement opportunity in 

those overmanned ratings.”

As part of Navy efforts to increase conversion 

opportunities for ERB eligible applicants, some 

of the waived conversion requirements include:

- Years of Service: Personnel with greater 

than 12 years of service will be considered

for conversion.

- Paygrade: All personnel, regardless of 

paygrade, will be considered for conversion.

- Personnel who are more than 12 months 

from their rotation date will be considered

for conversion.

- Minimum activity tour requirements are 

waived.

- Personnel in receipt of PCS orders will be 

considered for conversion.

- Existing obligated service requirements 

incurred as a result of reenlistment, training, or 

other programs are waived.

Chief of Naval Personnel Public Affairs Sailors who desire a conversion will need 

to submit, by June 15, a NAVPERS 1306/7 

signed by their commanding officer or officer 

in charge, a signed memorandum prioritizing 

conversion requests, copies of all evaluations 

for the previous three years, a PRIMS printout showing PFA scores for the previous four 

years, a print out of FleetRIDE qualification 

to the rating(s) they are applying for and any 

additional documents required for their targeted 

conversion ratings.

To learn more about the ERB, including 

eligibility requirements, read NAVADMIN 

129/11 on Navy Personnel Commands website 

at, www.npc.navy.mil.

To learn more about the conversion 

opportunities available, to include a list of the 

eligible undermanned ratings, read NAVADMIN 

160/11 at www.npc.navy.mil. 

George H.W. Bush strike group to deploy

NORFOLK, Va. – The George H.W. Bush 

Carrier Strike Group (GHWB CSG) will 

depart for its maiden combat deployment May 

11.

The strike group, which includes the 

Navy’s newest aircraft carrier USS George 

H.W. Bush (CVN 77), is scheduled to conduct 

operations in the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas 

of responsibility.

This deployment is part of an ongoing 

rotation of U.S. forces supporting maritime 

security operations in international waters 

around the globe. Working with allied and 

Commander

U.S. 2nd Fleet Public Affairs

partner maritime forces, GHWB CSG units will 

focus heavily on maritime security operations 

and theater security cooperation efforts which 

help establish conditions for regional stability.

“The George H.W. Bush Strike Group is 

ready to go,” said Rear Adm. Nora Tyson, 

commander, GHWB CSG. “These Sailors 

have worked extremely hard over the last year, 

and we are fully prepared to execute any and 

all tasking in support of the nation’s Maritime 

Strategy.”

The five ships and eight aircraft squadrons 

of GHWB CSG consist of approximately 6,000 

Sailors who have spent the last year conducting 

intensive training and certification exercises to 

establish a safe, cohesive organization capable 

of performing a wide variety of missions 

across the globe, ranging from anti-piracy and 

ground support operations to humanitarian 

assistance and disaster relief.

The George H.W. Bush Strike Group is 

made up of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 2, the 

Norfolk-based USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 

77), Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8, Destroyer 

Squadron (DESRON) 22 staff, guided-missile 

cruisers USS Gettysburg (CG 64) based at 

Naval Station Mayport, Fla., Norfolk-based 

USS Anzio (CG 68), and Norfolk-based 

guided-missile destroyers USS Truxtun (DDG 

103) and USS Mitscher (DDG 57).
On the Wing

 SAN ANTONIO (AFNS) – As part of 

the Air Force’s recent implementation of 

the new Citibank controlled spend account 

travel cards, funding for lodging costs will be 

pre-loaded on the card once authorization is 

approved in the Defense Travel System.

 As a result, Air Force Inns guests paying 

with the new CSA travel card will be charged 

the total room charges up to a long-term stay 

of 30 days upon check-in. Guests staying 

longer than 30 days will have their credit 

card charged on day 31 to cover previous 

miscellaneous charges and room charges to 

cover up to another 30 day stay.

 According to Capt. Bruce Staufer, the chief 

of lodging at the Air Force Services Agency, 

the new payment procedure will help avoid 

card declines for insufficient funds and 

ensure lodging officials capture the funds 

authorized for the traveler’s lodging stay.

 An added benefit to this new procedure 

is speedier check-out times. The elimination 

of the need to preauthorize charges means 

guests don’t have to return at the end of their 

stay to pay the bill, Captain Staufer said.

 For more information about Air Force 

lodging and other quality of life programs, 

visit www.usafservices.com.

New travel card system 

changes lodging billing

The Wire | Page 14 At Your Service |

 SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE 

BASE, N.C. (AFNS) – The lesson Americans 

should take from recent military operations 

is that we cannot predict where or how U.S. 

forces will be engaged, and having flexible 

capabilities is the best defense for the nation, 

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here 

May 6.

 Since the Vietnam War, U.S. leaders have 

a “perfect” record in forecasting where 

America is going to use military power 

next: “We have never once gotten it right,” 

Secretary Gates said to about 450 Airmen in 

a hangar at this F-15 Strike Eagle base.

 “We just don’t know, and that’s why we 

have to be prepared,” he said.

 Given that record, Secretary Gates said, 

the equipment the military buys and the 

capabilities it develops must be broad-based. 

Especially in a time of budget constraints, he 

said, “we need to buy capabilities that have 

the maximum possible flexibility for the 

broadest possible range of conflict.”

 Americans should be cautious about 

significant cuts in the defense budget, 

Secretary Gates said. Four times in the last 

century America has significantly reduced 

its military capabilities after a war: World 

War I, World War II, Vietnam and the Cold 

War. Each time it was because people thought 

the world had changed, that challenges had 

gone away.

 “Human nature hasn’t changed,” he said. 

“There will always be despots out there, 

there will always be aggressors and tyrants.

 “The United States must keep its military 

capabilities strong as it look to the future, 

because we can’t tell what the future will 

hold,” he said.

Gates: flexible capabilities essential

 The federal debt crisis is dire, but that 

seems to be the only time a democracy will 

confront a problem, the secretary said. 

 “All through our history, people will try 

and put off dealing with a crisis for as long 

as they can, until it cannot be put off any 

longer,” he said. 

 “If there is a consensus in Washington on 

one thing, it is that we cannot put off dealing 

with this crisis any longer.”

 A strong defense needs a strong economy, 

and the Defense Department has a role to 

play in cutting the deficit, Secretary Gates 

said. 

 There are more savings to be made, 

particularly in infrastructure and medical 

coverage, which is eating away at the defense 

budget, he said.

 “What I have been trying to do - in dealing 

with the Congress and the White House - is 

say, ‘Let’s not do this as math, as opposed to 

strategy,” he said. “Let’s take a look at our 

capabilities; let’s take a look at scenario-based 

force planning and see where we can take 

additional risk.”

 The country needs a process that provides 

the president and Congress options that 

make sense, the secretary said. 

 The options would be realistic and convey, 

“if you want to reduce Defense by this much, 

these are the changes in assumptions you 

have to make, and here is the added risk you 

face if you head in that direction,” he said.

 If the country has the time to adopt this 

budget strategy, and plans for reductions, 

“and do it intelligently, we can do our part 

without weakening our national security,” he 

said.

The third production model of the F-35 Lightning II, F-35A AF-8, completed its 

inaugural flight May 6, 2011. On May 9, the Air Force formally accepted its first 

production-model F-35 aircraft at a ceremony in Ft. Worth, Texas. The service plans 

to purchase a total of 1,763 F-35 fighters - Photo courtesy Lockheed Martin

F-35 production ‘takes off’

 The U.S. Air Force has accepted into its 

fleet the first of a planned 1,763 productionmodel Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II 

stealth fighters.

 The signing of formal documents for the 

jet, known as AF-7, took place at Lockheed 

Martin’s F-35 final assembly plant in Fort 

Worth, Texas, Thursday, May 5. The jet flew 

to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., on Friday 

to begin its flight testing program.

 “This first aircraft is the beginning of the 

modernization of U.S. Air Force, Marine and 

Naval Air power and for our coalition partners 

around the world,” said Larry Lawson, 

Lockheed Martin executive vice president 

and F-35 program general manager. 

 “The F-35 family of aircraft will bring an 

incredible increase in capability that our men 

and women defending us deserve. Today we 

begin to fulfill the vision of our government 

and international customers.” 

 F-35s have completed more than 865 

flights since flight-testing began in late 2006. 

In addition to AF-7, eight more productionmodel F-35s have rolled out and are being 

prepared for delivery.

AF receives first

production F-35

Inside the Jar

| At Your Service The Wire | Page 15

The New Breed: Corps unleashes Labradors in counter-IED fight 

CAMP DWYER, Afghanistan – The Marine 

Corps believes it has found the right dog for the 

counter-IED fight, but it’s not the traditional 

military working dog.

It’s a Labrador Retriever, and it resembles 

Old Yeller more closely than Rin Tin Tin.

Unlike the German Shepherd, which was 

carefully bred to herd sheep and fend off 

predators, the Labrador Retriever was bred to 

go fetch.

Originally created to help Canadian hunters 

catch game, today’s typical Labrador is catching 

Frisbees. The energetic yet even-tempered 

canine has become arguably the most common 

household pet in the world.

Yet the Labrador remains an able hunter, and 

therefore a competent aid to Marines conducting 

the delicate search for makeshift explosives, say 

those familiar with the Marine Corps’ counter 

IED efforts.

Sgt. Steven Basham, the kennel supervisor 

with 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, said 

the Marine Corps began taking more interest 

in Labradors after an Auburn University 

study highlighted the breed’s hunting instinct, 

disposition and controllability, or “how you 

could control the dogs with whistles and arm 

signals.”

“Bomb dogs were mainly created for the 

urban terrain, whereas the [Labradors] were 

meant to work off leash,” explained Basham, 

from Hawesville, Kentucky.

Typically, Marines push the Labradors out 

front during patrols, Basham said. Labradors 

can smell 17 different odors associated with 

homemade explosives, and the dogs’ noses can 

sometimes detect what the Marines’ combat 

metal detectors can’t, he explained.

With its unique abilities, the Labrador has 

created a tactical niche for itself within the 

Corps’ counter-IED strategy. The trained 

Labradors are officially called IED Detection 

Dogs, and Marine Corps Systems Command 

has designated a program manager to further 

incorporate the IDDs into counterinsurgency 

operations.

Lt. Col. Kenneth Burger, the program 

manager, said the IDD force is already slated to 

increase from 315 to 647 dogs.

“The first handler course that reflects the 

increase in IDDs started April 9, 2011, but will 

not be realized in-theater until September 2011, 

when the first unit will deploy with an increased 

number of dogs,” said Burger, from Tacoma, 

Wash. “The number of IDDs deployed will go 

for some 130 to approximately 285. A typical 

infantry battalion that used to get 13 dogs will 

now get 34.”

Not only is the program increasing in size, it’s 

increasing in sophistication.

Burger said the Marine Corps is signing on 

more Field Service Representatives to provide 

Sgt. Jesse Stence

Regimental Combat Team 1 ongoing training to 

the IDDs and their 

handlers.

“In conjunction 

with the increase in 

IDDs,” Burger said, 

“each unit receiving 

IDDs will also be 

given a FSR who will 

not only train in the 

[U.S.] with the unit, 

but will deploy with 

them as well.”

The FSRs are 

necessary because 

IDD handlers 

receive limited 

training, Burger said. 

Traditional dog handlers attend a formalized 

Department of Defense school to earn a 

secondary military occupational specialty, 

whereas IDD handlers receive about five 

weeks of basic instruction and four weeks of 

integration training with their unit. The IDD 

training is simply designed to give the handlers 

basic skills without interfering with their 

predeployment training, he said.

“Due to the limited training the IDD 

handlers receive,” Burger said, “FSRs become 

very important, as they provide oversight on 

in-theater training and can conduct in-theater 

homemade explosive imprinting.”

“Our FSR requirement has increased 

dramatically,” added Burger. “Where we once 

had three FSRs in theater supporting the 

IDD program, we’ll now grow to 12: one per 

unit with IDDs, and two at [each Regimental 

Combat Team]. This increase in FSRs will not 

go into effect until Sept. 11, on par with the 

increase of IDDs in theater.”

Currently, two private contracting companies 

conduct the IDD training: American K-9 

Interdiction, based out of Carrsville, Va.; and 

K2 Solutions, Inc., Southern Pines, N.C.

“The IDDs undergo 14 weeks of training 

prior to being presented for certification; 

however, even upon certification, IDDs must 

continually undergo sustainment training to 

maintain proficiency and conditioning,” Burger 

said.

The training for the handlers is also 

continuous, he said.

“Full unit integration training occurs during 

the unit’s participation at Enhanced Mojave 

Viper, [Marine Corps Air Ground Combat 

Center Twentynine Palms, Calif.],” Burger 

said. “Prior to deployment, handlers will also 

participate in one week of refresher training.”

According to Burger, there is plenty of 

anecdotal evidence to show the program is 

helping in the counter-IED fight; however, 

because the program is new, progress is difficult 

to quantify.

“We have just recently begun to receive 

qualitative data on a monthly basis that provides 

a correlation between the number of patrols with 

IDDs and the number of IED finds,” he said. 

“We continue to try to improve the reporting 

process and how to adequately determine IDD 

success.”

Basham said Marines should remember that 

there is no perfect solution to IEDs. Just as 

metal detectors can’t detect non-metallic bomb 

parts, dogs may not be able to smell trouble 

every time.

However, as the counter-IED fight evolves, 

the Corps has yet another weapon to unleash.

New reenlistment standards 

brings big changes to Corps

ARLINGTON, Va. – Recent changes 

in reenlistment procedures will help the 

Marine Corps identify and retain only the 

most qualified Marines by approving them 

through selection boards.

Marine Corps Administrative 

Message 273/11, guidance to all Marines 

implemented May 5, outline new 

competitive reenlistment procedures, 

which can affect Marines in both First and 

Subsequent Term Alignment Plans.

For fiscal year 2012, beginning Oct. 1, 

the system will change from the standard 

commander’s recommendation to a career 

planner’s tool with four ratings, which will 

allow commanders to evaluate the Marines 

based on their performance and eligibility 

to take on a boatspace, or designated 

slot, for fast filling military occupational 

specialties.

The highest rating, Tier 1, is for Marines 

with outstanding performance records, 

whereas Tier 4 is for Marines closer to 

the minimum standards for reenlistment. 

Marines will be evaluated against others 

in the same military occupational specialty 

and year group.

Lance Cpl. Christofer P. Baines 

Headquarters Marine Corps 

Marines and improvised explosive device detection dogs throughout 

the RCT-1 battalions gather to conduct training at Camp Dwyer, 

Afghanistan, April. 13. - photo by Sgt. Jesse Stence
Coast to coast

The W At Your Service | ire | Page 16

CHEBOYGAN, Mich. – Crewmembers 

from the Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw 

are preparing for a busy summer, including 

participation in upcoming events such as 

the 103rd Chicago to Mackinac Yacht Race, 

and the 2011 Coast Guard Festival in Grand 

Haven, Mich., where the cutter is scheduled 

to hold its change-of-command ceremony.

As the current commanding officer, 

Cmdr. Scott J. Smith, approaches the end 

of his third year on board, he will pass 

the mantle of command to Cmdr. Michael 

J. Davanzo during a formal change-ofcommand ceremony Aug. 3, 2011, at the 

Coast Guard Festival in Grand Haven. 

The ceremony is scheduled to take place at 

Escanaba Memorial Park at 1:30 p.m.

Coast Guard aircrew rescues 

two 120 miles off Nantucket

BOSTON – The Coast Guard 

rescued two people Tuesday, 120 miles 

southeast of Nantucket, Mass., after 

their sailboat lost its mast and began 

taking on water.

The two-man crew of the sailing 

vessel Eva contacted the Coast Guard 

Command Center in Boston via satellite 

telephone at 1:45 p.m. stating that their 

45-foot sailboat had lost its mast and 

was taking on water. They also stated 

the vessels dewatering pumps were 

not operating. Weather on scene at 

the time of the report was 25-35 knot 

winds with 12-foot seas. The vessel was 

equipped with a life raft.

They two men were hoisted by an 

Air Station Cape Cod MH-60 helicopter 

crew and are en route the Coast Guard 

air station in Bourne, Mass. Both men 

are reported to be in good condition

Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw facing busy 

summer, upcoming change of command

Davanzo will be reporting aboard 

from the Office of Cutter Forces at Coast 

Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C. 

Davanzo is no stranger to the Great Lakes; 

his previous commands include the Coast 

Guard Cutter Hollyhock, based in Port 

Huron, Mich., and the Coast Guard Cutters 

Rambler and James Rankin. Davanzo has 

had an array of other assignments including 

tours aboard several other cutters, small 

boat stations, training centers and Coast 

Guard Headquarters.

Following the change of command, Smith 

and his family will head to Washington, 

D.C., where he will assume duties as the 

Coast Guard’s program manager for visual 

aids to navigation. 

Coast Guard responds to rising water on Inland River System

NEW ORLEANS – The Coast Guard has stood up a Maritime Transportation System 

Recovery Unit Tuesday, in response to rising water levels on the Inland River System that 

have impacted commercial traffic.

 The MTSRU is comprised of experts in maritime mobility, incident response and port 

operations who work with stakeholders to restore the commercial capacity of a waterway 

following a natural or manmade disruption.

As a result of high water in the Inland River System, the Coast Guard has established 

multiple safety zones and implemented vessel restrictions in several locations.

Restrictions are in place to help ensure the safe facilitation of maritime traffic and may 

vary according to geographic Captain of the Port zones. Information on these restrictions 

can be found on the Coast Guard’s Homeport site.

Mariners are urged to take caution, proceed at a safe speed and adhere to established 

safety zones and restrictions, which will decrease wake impact to levees and other established 

flood control structures.

Rescue crews search for six 

missing from Tarawa

HONOLULU – A Coast Guard 

search and rescue crew from Air 

Station Barbers Point has joined the 

search for six young people missing in 

an outrigger canoe in the Pacific Ocean 

Tuesday.

Aboard the canoe were two men, 

age 19, four girls ages eight, nine, 12 

and 14. The canoe was collecting palm 

leaves for roofing off the west coast of 

Tarawa.

They were last seen at 8 p.m., May 5, 

Hawaii Standard Time. The canoe was 

spotted adrift and swamped by local 

fisherman Saturday. The canoe was also 

towing a 7-foot aluminum skiff which 

was no longer attached to the swamped 

canoe.

The New Zealand Rescue 

Coordination Center personnel 

reported the vessels were believed to 

have drifted out of a lagoon and into 

the open sea.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs 

and Immigration of the Republic of 

Kiribati requested U.S. Coast Guard 

assistance Monday at approximately 8 

p.m.

The Coast Guard HC-130 

Hercules rescue crew arrived on scene 

approximately 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.

A vessel from Tarawa has been 

designated as the surface recovery asset. 

Local fishermen have also been actively 

engaged in search efforts. The crew has 

been missing for approximately five 

days.

| Mind, Body & Soul The Wire | Page 17

Spc. Justin Pierce

Mind, Body & Soul Shake it like a salt shaker:

 “Healthy” food myths bedunked

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

 see BODY page 19

Salt lovers may have noticed a recently 

published study touting the glories of their 

beloved condiment. This study, published 

in the May issue of the “Journal of the 

American Medical Association,” strikes 

back against long held beliefs that salt intake 

and heart problems correlate. As with most 

nutritional studies, the exciting stuff is all 

in the title. Upon closer investigation, these 

results still leave us without the anticipated 

earth-shattering kaboom. The study only 

regurgitates what we already knew with a 

little more leeway for healthy adults under the 

age of 60. Findings from this study suggest 

that folks from the previously mentioned 

age group can benefit from salt, but only if 

they do not have a genetic history of heart 

disease. Moderation is still the key. 

Studies like this do prove one thing 

very clearly: when it comes to nutrition, 

the general public is prone to hype. We fail 

ourselves when we forego the underlying 

logic in favor of fad notions. In light of salt’s 

new-found fame, here are some other food 

misconceptions where logic often is kicked 

to the curb.

1. Fat Free = Good: There’s some sense to 

this statement in that lowering your fat intake 

is good. The problem with fat free foods isn’t 

that they don’t have fat, but how they keep 

a satisfying flavor without it. More often 

than not, fat free foods use highly processed 

fillers to take back the lost flavor, reducing 

the calorie count, but trading it for relatively 

worthless calories in processed sweeteners. 

What’s more, the general consensus on fat 

free foods runs something like this – “Since 

it has less/no fat, I can eat more of it.” This 

just simply isn’t the case. Unfortunately, 

since the flavor is never quite there, you’ll 

want to eat more to fill that fat-craving void. 

Essentially, promoting fat free foods is like 

saying it’s better to drink two beers than eat 

two slices of bread. Sure there’s less calories, 

but you’ll still want that sandwich. 

2. Protein = Muscle Gain: For those 

wanting to bulk up, this may come as a bit 

of a disappointment. Eating protein doesn’t 

mean more protein for muscle. Unfortunately, 

your body comes pre-equipped with a 

recycling center of sorts. I like to call this 

strange contraption a “digestive system.” 

No matter what you force down your throat, 

your body’s recycling center breaks it down 

to the smallest element before beginning to 

use it. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t eat 

protein – after all, no two sources of food 

process the same way and there are certain 

amino acids in protein you won’t find in 

simple carbohydrates. At the end of the day 

though, 52 grams of protein in a shake just 

means roughly 300 calories of energy for 

your body to use.

3. Salads = Healthy: Here’s the 

nutritional info for Iceberg lettuce: 

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 72 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 10 Calories from Fat 1

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 0g 0%

Saturated Fat 0g 0%

Trans Fat 

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 7mg 0%

Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%

Dietary Fiber 1g 3%

Sugars 1g

Protein 1g

Vitamin A 7% Vitamin C 3%

Calcium 1% Iron 2%

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 

calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or 

lower depending on your calorie needs.

NutritionData.com
The Wire | Page 18 At the Movies |

Movie Review

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

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

Rio

(G) 8 p.m.

Limitless

(PG-13) 10 p.m.

Take Me Home 

Tonight

(R) 8 p.m.

Adjustment 

Bureau

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

*last showing*

Fast Five

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Red Riding Hood

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Battle: Los 

Angeles

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Rango

(PG) 8 p.m. 

Limitless

(PG-13) 10 p.m.

Take Me Home 

Tonight

(R) 8 p.m.

*last showing*

Battle: Los 

Angeles

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Fast Five

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Red Riding Hood

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Thor

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Paul

(R) 10 p.m.

The Adjustment 

Bureau

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

*last showing*

Downtown

Lyceum

Camp 

Bulkeley

Thor

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Paul

(R) 10 p.m

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

Let’s just put this out there right away: 

the Fast and Furious franchise is not 

meant to be high art. In place of intelligent 

dialogue or distinguishable plot lines, these 

movies are, instead, judged on crumpled 

steel, body counts and of course, how good 

Vin Diesel looks in a wife beater. Awards 

season is over, ladies and gentleman, 

and summer’s popcorn blockbusters are 

beginning their descent. 

And for my next admission: I didn’t 

watch F & F’s second, third or fourth 

installments. Oops. However, I promise to 

remain as unbiased and impartial as I can. 

After all, I am a professional.

Having said that, “Fast Five” is a pretty 

horrible movie. But it’s a good horrible 

movie. (Stay with me...) The real beauty of 

this car-racing saga is – and has always been 

– that it doesn’t pretend to be something 

it’s not. Director Justin Lin, who helmed 

the last two movies as well, knows his 

audience intimately and serves up heaping 

portions of flash, machismo and fistbumping action – after all, why else would 

you come to see a movie like this?

It’s definitely not for the acting. As 

street-racing alphadog Dominic Toretto, 

Diesel again does his best impression of 

a tree stump, mistaking empty stares for 

unflappable swagger. His pretty, blond 

partner-in-crime, Paul Walker, is as bland as 

ever, but it’s ok ‘cause when he furrows his 

eyebrows over those sorrowful baby blues, 

we know he’s really worried or concerned 

or mad about something. 

There’s other people in the movie, too, 

but all you need to know about them is that 

they’re all really tan, greasy and look good 

both behind the wheel and cocking a gun. 

Especially the chicks. To its credit, with 

nary a blond in sight (except for Walker, of 

course), “Fast Fast” gives a well-deserved 

shout-out to hot brunettes all over the 

world. Word. 

Not that it matters in the least, but 

here’s a quick breakdown of the plot: After 

breaking Dom out of prison, Matt (Walker) 

and Mia – Dom’s sister and Matt’s preggo 

true love, played by Jordana Brewster – 

head to Brazil to steal ridiculous cars off a 

train. Eventually they cross the one guy in 

Rio you don’t want to piss off and naturally 

decide to rob him of millions of dollars. 

So what once was a high-octane narrative 

on street-racing now morphs into a heist 

movie comparable to “Ocean’s Eleven,” 

with Diesel and Walker in the George 

Clooney and Brad Pitt roles, respectively. 

Not something I think the world needed, 

but oh well. 

And did you know The Rock is in this?! 

I didn’t! But, boy, am I glad someone told 

Spc. Meredith Vincent

PG-13

130 min.

 see MOVIES page 19

WALTONS cont. 

me, because skies parted, galaxies 

collided and the stars aligned just perfectly 

to square off Diesel and Dwayne Johnson 

in all their bald, biceped, beefed-up glory. 

(Note: The planets did actually align this 

week. For realz.) Johnson is having way too 

much frenzied fun chewing the scenery; I’m 

pretty sure I saw his goatee twitching. 

What “Fast Five” lacks in quality, it 

makes up for in quantity. This unexplainable 

phenomenon is the very same thing keeping 

As you can see... there’s not a lot there. But 

who eats a salad of just lettuce? Smothered 

in dressing, meat, cheese, nuts and croutons, 

salads generally turn into a cholesterol sneak 

attack. Compare a McDonald’s Big Mac with 

any of their gourmet salads and this point 

becomes abundantly clear. Also, keep in mind, 

the salad nutritional info is sans dressing.

The biggest danger all three of these 

examples show is when we select our food, 

we go into auto-pilot. The box says “X” so 

“X” must be right. And usually this “X” 

health claim is true. Granola bars do contain 

“healthy whole grains.” The unspoken “Y” 

“It’s uplifting for me,” said Kurtz, who 

sometimes must play in his uniform before 

returning to work. “I enjoy playing for the 

service - it’s a great way to give back and is 

fun and rewarding.”

As a praise band, we supplement the 

Sunday 9 a.m service inside the Trooper 

Chapel, where Trooper and spirituality 

unite. For many, it is a place to escape from 

the routines and stressors of deployment. 

“It’s important because it helps the 

Troopers get away from work,” said 

White. “It’s good for your soul to just 

have something to do outside of work and 

be able to escape and give a little back to 

God.”

After playing at the Sunday service for 

the first time, I felt what White was talking 

about – escape. I was clear-minded and 

relaxed by the atmosphere of the music 

and service combined. 

Being a part of the praise band is a way 

of giving back to the Navy and God - it’s 

really a blessing. I hope we can bring joy to 

the Troopers who attend the service and I 

hope they see we are playing for them. 

The trip has been an eye-opener for the 

small family, said Howard. Robert G. found 

some of his old high school classmates through 

the Internet and is now fulfilling his promise 

to bring plenty of pictures for them to see. In a 

graduating class of 16, he said the relationships 

remain strong. Robert G. visited both his old 

high school building – the chaplain’s office and 

Navy College occupy it now – and the new 

high school, where he related to teens growing 

up in a similar environment.

“I was talking to seniors at the school and 

said, ‘Just remember, these people are going to 

be your friends for the rest of your life,’” he 

said. “Being a service brat can be challenging 

at times, but it also has its rewards.”

Comparing then-and-now perspectives 

of the naval station produces excited 

conversations. Both father and son are aware 

they are being given a gift not many receive. 

Laughter breaks out over Guantanamo Bay 

wildlife.

“Banana rats barely exsisted!” revealed 

Robert G. “And we would see iguanas 

wandering around the hills but not [on base]. 

They were treats for the Cubans ... so the 

populations were held in check.”

“It’s hard to imagine GTMO without the 

banana rats,” Howard pondered. “But he 

didn’t even know what one was.”

Banana rats aside, Howard often 

contemplates the two different worlds he, his 

father and his grandfather have known. 

“It’s just fascinating to think about what 

this place must’ve been like when it was open 

and you could go into Cuba,” he mused. 

“Sometimes driving down Sherman Ave., I 

think about how I’m driving down the same 

street my grandfather and my father drove 

down many times.”

“I didn’t drive on it!” his dad interrupted. “I 

was on a bicycle!”

is the problem though. Granola bars also 

contain heaps of corn syrup. Purely healthy 

grains taste remarkably like cardboard, so it’s 

understandable to jazz them up for our finicky 

pallets. The best advice for eating healthy in 

the modern world is to revamp your hunter/

gatherer instincts. We no longer need to stalk 

our prey in the wilderness, but we must stay 

vigilant when selecting. When you see “35% 

less fat,” flip to the side of the box and see 

what’s taking the place of that 35 percent. Be 

cognizant of what you’re putting into your 

body and you’ll be much more likely to fill it 

with good things. 

us fascinated with Snooki, The Situation 

and the rest of the “Jersey Shore” crew. It’s 

a combination of self-indulgent escapism 

and over-the-top cheese, and it sucks us in 

so that the very reasons why we should hate 

it turns out to be part of its charm. 

“Fast Five” was not for me. I watched it 

because it is my weekly duty and pleasure to 

report this review to you, the reader. And 

I’m here to tell you, it was not that good. 

But – it was just the right kind of awful. 

BODY cont. BAND cont. 

MOVIE cont. 

| The Last Word The Wire | Page 19
JTF

The

THAT’S A BIG RING!

Yeoman 1st Class Denise Dalton examines the 

Superbowl Ring of retired Green Bay Packer Will 

Henderson, May 3 at the Seaside Galley.

-photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class 

Jason Tross

TOPPING IT OFF

Air Force Tech Sgt. Christopher Dallas, part of Joint Task 

Force Guantanamo’s Prime Base Engineer Emergency Force, 

fills perimeter barriers with water, May 5. – photo by Mass 

Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason Tross.

UP AND OVER

Petty Officer 2nd Class Justin Chait flips over Petty Officer 1st Class 

Sherron Carter, Saturday. Wakeboarding is just one of the many 

recreational activities available to members of Joint Task Force 

Guantanamo. - photo by Spc. Meredith Vincent

Cinco de Mayo Fun Run

Residents of Guantanamo Bay competed in 

Morale, Welfare and Recreation’s Cinco de 

Mayo 5k Fun Run, Friday. Following the race, 

runners enjoyed food and drinks provided 

by MWR. – photo by Mass Communication 

Specialist 2nd Class Jason Tross