Volume 12, Issue 29 Friday, July 8, 2011

GTMO celebrates 

Independence Day

The bands! The fireworks! The food!

Camp X-Ray history lesson:

Past, present and future

PLUS:

The cornhole craze:

Do you have what it takes to be a cornholer?
The Wire | Page 2

Trooper to Trooper featuring

The WIRE is the official news magazine of Joint Task Force 

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

inform and educate the Troopers of JTF Guantanamo through 

news, features, command guidance, sports and entertainment. 

The WIRE seeks to provide maximum disclosure with minimum 

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

This DoD news magazine is an authorized publication for the 

members of the Department of Defense. Contents of The WIRE 

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

Government, the Department of Defense, or Joint Task Force 

Guantanamo. It is printed by the Defense Logistics Agency 

Document Services with a circulation of 1,200.

Trooper to Trooper |

JTF Guantanamo

Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Jeffrey Harbeson

Command Master Chief

Command Master Chief Reynaldo Tiong

Office of Public Affairs Director

Navy Cmdr. Tamsen Reese: 9928

Deputy Director

Air Force Maj. Amy A. Oliver: 9927

Operations Officer

CW2 Scott Chapman: 3649

Senior Enlisted Leader

Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Cossel: 3499

 

The Wire

Executive Editor

Spc. Meredith Vincent: 3651

Photojournalists:

Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class 

Maddelin Angebrand

Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Sally Hendricks

Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joe Ebalo

Army Sgt. Mathieu Perry

Spc. Kelly Gary

Contact us

Editor’s Desk: 3651

From the continental United States

Commercial: 011-53-99-3499

DSN: 660-3499

E-mail: thewire@jtfgtmo.southcom.mil

Online: www.jtfgtmo.southcom.mil

COVER: Fireworks explode over the bay behind the Tiki Bar during Morale, Welfare and Recreation’s 

Independence Day celebrations, Monday night. 

Senior Enlisted Leader, Task Force Platinum

Master Chief Petty Officer 

Dwayne White

Sound decision-making: let’s talk about that for a minute. Every 

day we are faced with choices – some are simple, like what to have 

for lunch. Others are more serious and can have long-term impact 

on our lives. In a perfect world, decisions that could harm us or 

change the course of our lives would be easy to spot. However, all 

too often the decisions that end up hurting appear harmless.

So what are these hard to spot decisions I’m talking about? 

They can be as simple as deciding what to do on a Friday night. 

Let’s say you plan on going out to dinner and then clubbing with a 

group of people from your command. Your best friend has to work 

late and won’t be able to join you but, no problem – you’ve gone 

out with the group before and always had a good time. Besides, 

you’re not planning to stay out past midnight and you can hang out 

with your friend tomorrow. About half way through the night, a 

couple people from your group ask if you want to go outside and 

smoke some Spice. You have heard some of them smoked Spice 

before, but that wasn’t your business. Even though you’ve had a 

few drinks, you decide there’s no way you’re going to risk your 

career and decline. A couple hours later you realize you’ve drank 

more than you intended and the room is starting to spin a little. 

When the bar finally closes, one of the guys who’s been talking to 

you and buying you drinks all night offers to let you crash at his 

place...bad decision?

Our friend in this scenario started out making sound decisions, 

including having a liberty buddy and a plan, but didn’t take all 

of the events into account as the evening wore on. Although she 

dodged one bullet to her career, she ended up putting herself in a 

situation that could potentially be worse. Could this situation have 

been avoided with better planning and decision making? I believe 

so.

It is impossible to get to adulthood without making a few 

decisions along the way. From the time we’re old enough to 

understand, we are taught right from wrong. It begins with simple 

lessons like looking both ways before crossing the street or learning 

to not take something that doesn’t belong to you. When we’re 

young, most of our decisions are made for us. As we grow older, 

we begin to make decisions for ourselves. As teenagers, 

 see TROOPER page 19

Voice of America News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The House on 

Thursday turned back an effort to prohibit 

funds for the U.S. military operation against 

Libya, a win for President Barack Obama in 

the ongoing constitutional showdown with 

Congress over war powers.

The vote was 229-199 against the 

measure that would have barred funds for 

U.S. participation in the NATO-led mission 

against Moammar Gadhafi’s forces.

Lawmakers argue that Obama violated the 

1973 War Powers Resolution that requires 

a president to seek congressional approval 

within 60 days of the first military strikes, 

a move the commander in chief did not 

make. Instead, Obama informed Congress 

last month that such assent was unnecessary 

because the limited U.S. role does not rise to 

full-blown hostilities.

Incensed House Republicans and 

Democrats voted overwhelmingly last month 

to deny Obama the authority to continue the 

mission, a largely symbolic vote that was still 

a rebuke to the president. But they stopped 

short of cutting off funds for the operation, 

muddling the message from the House.

The signal from the House Thursday 

also was less clear as lawmakers voted for a 

measure barring the Pentagon from providing 

“military equipment, training or advice or 

other support for military activities,” to 

an outside group, such as rebel forces, for 

military action in or against Libya. The vote 

was 225-201.

The intent of the measure is to prohibit aid 

to the rebels such as weapons and assistance 

to the Transitional National Council including 

operational planning. The broad effort also 

would target contractors in Libya.

“Congress has allowed the president to 

overreach in Libya,” said Rep. Tom Cole, 

R-Okla., sponsor of the amendment. “We 

should not be engaged in military action of 

| News you can Use The Wire | Page 3

A street vendor talks to customers in a street market in the rebelheld Benghazi, Libya, Thursday, July 7, 2011. NATO denied a Libyan 

government charge Thursday that the alliance is intentionally using 

its airstrikes to assist rebel advances, saying it is sticking to its 

mandate to protect civilians. - photo by Sergey Ponomarev

U.S. officials say a Somali man accused 

of ties to Islamist militant groups was 

interrogated for nearly two months 

aboard a U.S. warship and is now in New 

York to face terrorism charges.

The officials say Ahmed Abdulkadir 

Warsame was questioned at sea by 

intelligence officials for his connections 

to the Somalia-based al-Shabab militant 

group and the Yemen-based al-Qaida in 

the Arabian Peninsula.

They say Warsame gave up important 

intelligence about the relationship 

between the two groups.

After the interrogation was complete, 

U.S. officials say a separate group of 

interrogators came in and began to 

question Warsame again in a way that 

could be used in court. The interrogators 

informed Warsame of his rights under 

U.S. law to remain silent and to have 

an attorney, but officials say Warsame 

continued to cooperate.

The case provides insight into how 

the United States plans to interrogate 

detainees now that the Obama 

administration has closed the CIA’s 

secret prison network.

U.S. officials say Ahmed Abdulkadir 

Warsame will now be tried in a civilian 

court.

Somali man to face terror 

charges in U.S.

this level unless it is authorized and funded 

by Congress.”

The votes Thursday ratcheted up the 

pressure on the administration as Libya 

remained a stalemate between Gadhafi 

and rebel forces, and war-weary NATO 

allies signaled their patience was wearing 

thin. Italy announced that it was reducing 

its participation in NATO’s campaign by 

removing an aircraft carrier from the region 

and pulling thousands of troops home.

Calling the conflict “illegal and 

unauthorized,” Cole said Libya “did not attack 

us, did not attack NATO ... quite simply, 

however much we detest Mr. Gadhafi and his 

regime, we have no reason to be at war.”

Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., a co-sponsor 

of the failed measure, said the House had an 

“opportunity to stop this unconstitutional 

war against Libya.”

Opponents, such as Rep. Norm Dicks, 

D-Wash., argued that the United States 

should be allowed to continue the mission 

along with its NATO allies. He reminded 

Republicans that former President Ronald 

Reagan had challenged Gadhafi, and the U.S. 

should finish the job.

The House considered the amendments 

as part of a $649 billion defense spending bill 

that wouldn’t go into effect until Oct. 1. The 

defense bill includes no funds for the Libyan 

operation - the Pentagon has said it could 

cover the expense with existing funds - but 

the measures would effectively bar funds for 

the mission.

Last month, the White House put the cost 

of U.S. military operations in Libya at about 

$715 million, with the total increasing to $1.1 

billion by early September.

Since NATO took command of the Libya 

operation in early April, the U.S. role has 

largely been limited to support efforts such 

as intelligence, surveillance and electronic 

warfare. The U.S. has launched airstrikes and 

drone attacks, flying more than 3,400 sorties.

House rejects effort to prohibit funds for Libya 

Voice of America News

A state-by-state breakdown shows 

Americans are getting fatter, with almost 

one-third of the adult population in 12 

states now classified as obese.

The findings are part of a report released 

Thursday by two private organizations, the 

Trust for America’s Health and the Robert 

Wood Johnson Foundation.

The report found obesity rates 

increased in 16 U.S. states from 2009 to 

2010. It also found that obesity rates are 

highest in the southern U.S., home to nine 

of the 10 fattest states.

Even in the U.S. state with the lowest 

percentage of overweight adults – the 

central state of Colorado – almost one out 

of every five adults is considered obese and 

at a higher risk for ailments like diabetes 

and heart disease.

The executive director of the Trust 

for America’s Health says the findings 

are worrisome. Doctor Jeff Levi warns 

the increasing obesity rates will have a 

growing impact on the country’s health 

care spending.

The study also found differences in 

obesity rates along racial and ethnic lines 

and among those with different levels of 

education.

New breakdown shows 

US getting fatter fast

Stars and Stripes
The News from the Bay | Wire | Page 4

Boots on the Ground

What is your most memorable summer and why?

News from the Bay Stories and reporting by Mass Communication Specialist 

2nd Class Maddelin Angebrand

Four mile guided tour 

of Ridgeline Trail

See Guantanamo Bay from a different 

perspective by hiking Ridgeline Trail 

on a Morale, Welfare and Recreation 

sponsored tour, July 13 at 5:30 p.m. 

“The ridgeline cuts through the heart 

of the base allowing you to see almost the 

entire base, from the southern boundary 

to the northern fence line,” said MWR’s 

Outdoor Recreation Coordinator, Cory 

Geiger. “It’s a great workout and a fun 

way to meet people as you walk the 

trail.”

 The trip is one of Geiger’s favorite 

tours to guide.

“It allows me to meet people and learn 

about their experiences in the military and 

back home with their families,” shared 

Geiger. “It is nice to see groups start in 

small packs and after 15-20 minutes they 

turn into large groups.”

 The hike is 2.25 miles each way, 

totaling 4.5 miles. 

“We go as fast as our slowest hiker,” 

said Geiger. “So, it’s always different.”

Design uniforms for 

dodgeball tourney

Design team uniforms and bring the 

fight this Saturday to the Morale, Welfare 

and Recreation Dodgeball Tournament at 

the hockey rink next to Denich Gym.

 “This tournament is a great way to just 

relieve stress and have fun,” said Alana 

Morrison, MWR sports coordinator. 

“Unlike leagues and some other traditional 

tournaments, it is just a fun, laid back 

event.”

 Morrison said the event is themed 

after the movie “Dodgeball” because of 

the spirit it brings to the field. 

 “We are giving away awards for the 1st 

and 2nd place finishing teams,” Morrison 

added. “The team with the best team 

uniforms or outfits will also be awarded.” 

 Keep uniforms within base attire 

regulations.

Gatorade and water will be provided 

Take kayaking trip to

Mangroves with MWR

Register by Saturday to go kayaking 

to the Mangroves. Sponsored by Morale, 

Welfare and Recreation, the free trip is 

scheduled to take-off at 9 a.m. from the 

MWR marina. 

 “Kayaking is a great pastime in GTMO,” 

said Cory Geiger, MWR outdoor recreation 

coordinator, “because of the beautiful 

scenery both above and below the water.”

Geiger added the bay provides many 

areas for adventurers to explore.

 “You are able to reach so many different 

areas that are only 20 to 30 minute paddles,” 

Geiger said. “Troopers should participate 

because it is a good way to relieve stress 

and meet people.”

 Try something new and enjoy the island 

through MWR’s free and guided trips. 

Call x2345 for more information. 

“Graduating high school 

because I didn’t think I 

would.”

Army Staff Sgt. 

Recardo Davidson

“Here in GTMO has been my 

most memorable summer 

because it’s my first 

deployment.”

Intelligence Specialist 

3rd Class 

Clayton Whitman

 Spc. 

Anya Genoval

“The summer before I joined 

the military. I got to spend 

six months with my dad 

and we played paintball the 

whole time. It was great!”

“When my son was born, 

that was great.”

Aviation Structural 

Mechanic 3rd Class 

Clayton Goode

Cameras are welcome and Geiger 

will explain what pictures can be taken 

before the hike. 

For more information, call x2345.

and games begin promptly at 5 p.m. 

“All teams will be required to be there 

at this time because games go by quick,” 

Morrison noted.

To register, call Morrison at x2113.

trooper

Spc. Kelly Gary

Bullet Bio

Time in service: 7 years

Hobbies: gym, writing and 

sports

Pet peeves: self-chosen 

ignorance

Next goal: pin on E6

Advice to junior Troopers: 

“Take a piece of leadership 

from everyone you come 

into contact with.”

Master-at-Arms 2nd Class James Jones 

had plenty of aspirations. Yet after going 

to college and finding it was not the right 

path, he found himself in a stagnant state. 

It wasn’t until a friend asked Jones to give 

him a ride to a recruiter’s office that he 

considered the military. Despite having a 

father and multiple family members serving 

in the military, Jones was still hesitant. 

Seven years later, Jones is now finishing 

up his fourth deployment and working for 

the Naval Expeditionary Guard Battalion. 

When his father heard Jones joined the 

Navy, he couldn’t wait to ship him off to 

the nearest Military Entrance Processing 

Station.

“He would have pushed me out the 

door,” laughed Jones. “He would have put 

me on his back and ran me to MEPS if he 

had to.”

Jones credits his family for getting him 

to where he is today and they remain his 

number one priority. After returning home 

from his deployment to Fallujah in 2008 as 

a newly pinned petty officer second class, 

his father couldn’t have been more proud. 

Jones is confident his father, before passing 

away last year, was proud of everything his 

son accomplished. 

Jones’ mother, who wasn’t sure about 

his career choice at first, has stood by her 

son through thick and thin.

“My mom is my heart, my rock, my see FOCUS, page 19

PSEC ALERT

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Cyber criminals want your information!

Don’t give it to them! Make sure you safeguard your passwords. Don’t use the same passwords or login names 

for multiple websites. Don’t use obvious passwords like names of pets or children. Do not use birthdays or 

social security numbers as passwords either. Make unique and strong passwords for all your online accounts. 

Don’t make it easy for cyber criminals to access your accounts or personal information! 

| News The Wire | Page 5

everything,” said Jones. “Throughout all of 

this, she has been there for me.”

Jones believes that sense of family extends 

to his leadership, peers and junior Troopers 

as well. 

“He is a go-to guy for the junior troops,” 

said Master-at-Arms 1st Class Michael 

Tucker, Camp 6 lead petty officer for the 

NEGB. “He will get down on a one-on-one 

level with the junior Sailors and help them 

out.”

Being able to lead and assist Sailors is 

one of the most rewarding experiences for 

Jones. Respect from peers and lower-enlisted 

is what counts in his book.

“For my juniors to come up to me or to 

someone and say, ‘ [MA2 Jones] can take care 

of you if you need anything’ – to me that is 

better than any award,” said Jones.

When Jones is not on the job he can 

be found writing poetry, knocking down 

pins at the bowling alley or pumping up 

his fellow teammates at Cooper Field and 

Sports Complex. He recently finished up 

last football season with the Spartans, taking 

second place. He also played in the Army/

Navy game last winter. 

focus

Master-at-Arms 

 2nd Class James Jones

“I love anything sports-oriented,” said 

Jones. “It is all about the camaraderie and 

the togetherness.”
In the Shadow of Ca

The Wire | Page 6 Mission |

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Cossel

| Mission The Wire | Page 7

mp X-Ray
The Wire | Page 8 Mission |

Guantanamo Bay’s most notorious 

legacy, Camp X-Ray was built in 

the mid-1990s. The facility was 

originally established to house the criminal 

element that came along with the waves of 

Cuban and Haitian migrants at the time. 

“During the Haitian migration and 

Cuban migration of the mid-1990s, we 

had about 40,000 migrants here on Naval 

Station Guantanamo,” said Navy Cmdr. 

John Rhodes.

When combatants were taken from the 

battle fields of Iraq and Afghanistan in 

2002, the decision was made to place them at 

Camp X-Ray. The camp was used to hold the 

detainees for just over four months, closing 

down on April 29, 2002. While conditions 

for detainees are constantly improving, in 

the nearly ten years since the last detainee 

walked through X-Ray’s doors, the image 

built over the course of those early days still 

persists.

Since assuming his duties as deputy 

commander of the Joint Detention Group 

in September 2010, Rhodes has become 

something of a subject matter expert on 

Camp X-Ray. He explains the original 

facility had no slots – bean holes – by which 

detainees could place their hands to be 

shackled.

“Even here,” Rhodes said as he waved 

across the camp’s landscape, “you can 

tell where we were gradually increasing 

the conditions by which they (detainees) 

stayed.”

It’s hard to square the images of Camp 

X-Ray as seen in the news with what exists 

today. Mother Nature is winning the war in 

reclaiming the land. Vegetation swallows 

whole the barbed wire fence while the 

elements are doing their best to make a 

mockery of the once strong, imposing guard 

towers. Walking to the gate, Rhodes gives the 

rusted lock an extra tug to open it and then 

(opposite page, top) Overgrown shrubbery covers the chain-link fence at 

Camp X-Ray, while bare wooden rooms (opposite page, bottom) that housed 

detainees in 2002 stand empty. - photos by Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Cossel

(top left) Today, Camp X-Ray is left in shambles, including a door hanging off 

its hinges. - photo by Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Cossel

(top right) An aerial view of Camp X-Ray as it was being constructed in 2002. 

Detainees were only held at the camp for barely four months. - file photo

(bottom right) The infamous Camp X-Ray photo taken in 2002. The Joint 

Task Force has made extraordinary improvements since the early days of the 

camps, culminating in the state-of-the-art facilities of Camp 5 and 6, where 

detainees live communally with one another and have access to crafts, 

entertainment and other amenities. - file photos

| Mission The Wire | Page 9

forces the gate over the weeds.

“The original Alpha Block was here well 

before 2002,” Rhodes explained. “Bravo, 

Charlie, Delta, Echo and Fox – those 

were later constructed during January and 

February of 2002 to provide some sort of 

living conditions for detainees.”

“When they went over to Camp 1 in 

April of 2002, suddenly they had a sink and 

an eastern-style toilet, as well as enclosed 

surfaces to where they could close the 

shutters and be out of the elements,” he 

recalled.

Moving detainees from Camps 1-3, 

where they were held in individual cells, to 

the communal-style living conditions of 

Camp 4 to the ultra-modern, $53 million 

dollar facilities of Camps 5 and 6, Rhodes 

was struck by the constant march toward 

improving conditions for those held. Now, 

where detainees were once subject to the 

elements in the open air, chain-link fence 

cells of Camp X-Ray, they now fuss about 

which PlayStation game they want to play, 

which movie they want to watch, or, from the 

more than 22,000 items available to them in 

the detainee library, they want read. Standing 

in stark contrast to Camp X-Ray, Camps 5 

and 6 are evidence of how far the Joint Task 

Force has come.

The two camps housing the majority 

of the detainees today were modeled after 

facilities in the United States, explained Army 

Col. Donnie Thomas, JDG commander.

“Camp 6 is full communal,” Thomas 

said. “Communal is comprised of detainees 

having much more freedom.”

Thomas explained in the communal 

setting of the camp, detainees are allowed to 

pray with their brothers, have joint recreation 

time, can watch TV around the clock and eat 

together.

“They are granted a lot of opportunities 

 see X-RAY page 19
Feature | | Feature The Wire | Page 11

Story by Mass Communication Specialist 

2nd Class Maddelin Angebrand

Big and tall - that’s 

how one describes 

Army Major Kevin 

Kenworthy, deputy 

director of engineering 

for Joint Task Force Guantanamo. 

There’s just no other way to put 

it. Surprisingly soft-spoken, 

Kenworthy is a gentle giant, the 

kind noticed first for his size, then 

for his demeanor. 

Kenworthy has been the big 

guy since he can remember. As a 

kid, he became a gauge for others 

to determine rather interesting 

feats. He remembers using his size 

as a tool during adventures with 

his two brothers while growing 

up in the Black Hills of South 

Dakota. 

“My brothers and I used to go splunkin’” he shares. “I would go 

through first because I was the biggest and if I could get through, 

then everyone else would follow me.”

“Splunkin,” Kenworthy clarifies, is a term used for cave crawling.

“I’ve actually gone into holes that I couldn’t go through,“ he 

laughs. “I got stuck, then my brothers would pull my legs out and 

we’d go somewhere else.”

Kenworthy’s massiveness and sense of adventure still remain. He 

currently fills his need for exploration as a master scuba diver on 

Guantanamo Bay and again finds himself in hard-to-fit spaces.

“I was about 130 feet down and I got stuck inside this wreck,” 

Kenworthy describes. “I saw this guy, a little smaller than me - he 

twisted and got through this little area. Well, I thought I could too 

and I couldn’t. I was jammed up for about a minute or two.”

Despite getting stuck from 

time to time, it’s worth the release 

he gets from being underwater. 

“It’s an adventure - it’s 

relaxing,” he says. “It’s the only 

sport that I know of that’s 

non-competitive. If you are 

competitive with it, you’re wrong. 

It is only for relaxing and a little 

bit of work if you want to get 

into commercial diving.”

Wanting to share this 

particular sport with others, 

Kenworthy decided to become a 

qualified instructor. He’s taught 

for 13 years now and said upon 

first meeting a class of students, 

he tries to explain what it is he 

loves most about diving. 

“What I tell my open water students is, diving to me is the feeling 

you have when you come home from a real hard day’s worth of work 

and you sit down on your favorite couch or chair, put your feet up on 

the coffee table and pop the top on your,” he emphasizes, pointing 

his finger, “favorite beverage!”

“That feeling right when you put your feet up on the coffee table? 

Multiply that feeling by an hour – that’s underwater.”

In his eight months attached to the JTF, Kenworthy has taught 

80 students and said the opportunity for Troopers to dive here is like 

nowhere else in the world.

“Diving in GTMO is special because it’s the only place in the 

world where you can take conchs legally and spear fish in scuba gear,” 

Kenworthy explained. “Most people can’t afford to dive in this area, 

making this a very unique opportunity for us. It’s also some of the 

best, biggest corals I’ve seen in the world – huge!”

ADVENTURES BIG

Kenworthy currently teaches three classes a month totaling 

about 10 hours a week. He makes sure to also give himself one 

weekend a month off to dive with friends. 

“He’s just an easy-going guy,” said Russ Wampler, a civilian 

contractor who has been on about 15 dives with Kenworthy, 

“I really learn a lot from him. We won a Lion Fish tournament 

together. I dive with him so I can better myself.”

Kenworthy loves teaching. He likes introducing new and 

challenging ideas to people – ideas that take them out of their 

element and show them extraordinary things. 

“Most people can’t go to outer space,” he explains. “Being 

underwater is the closest most of us will ever get to that type 

of experience. The beauty of being underwater with the coral, 

the colors, the shells, crabs, lobsters and everything else is just 

phenomenal.”

Army Major Kevin Kenworthy, deputy director of engineering assigned 

to Joint Task Force, shares a laugh above water and (below) snorkels 

underwater to check on students while instructing a rescue diving class at 

Cable Beach, Saturday. (opposite page) Kenworthy observes his students 

as they carry a simulated victim.

The Wire | Page 10
GTMO community comes together for Independence Day

Story by Army Sgt. Mathieu Perry

The Wire | Page 12 News |

Morale, Welfare and Recreation packed the 

holiday weekend full of events including sports 

tournaments, family activities, and concerts, 

culminating with a spectacular fireworks show 

Monday night at the Tiki Bar as part of their 

Independence Day festivities.

Aimee MacDonnell, MWR community 

activities director, said the aim was to give the 

community plenty of options to fill the holiday 

weekend.

“The troops have extra free time on a holiday 

as opposed to a normal weekend,” MacDonnell 

said. “And we wanted to fill it with as many 

positive activities as possible.”

The triple threat of live entertainment 

would not have been possible without the 

teamwork and cooperation of other agencies, 

said MacDonnell.

After re-scheduling due to inclement weather, 

MWR successfully brought Jacksonville, 

Florida’s Something Distant to the Tiki Bar 

Friday and Saturday, while Navy Entertainment 

and Armed Forces Entertainment sponsored 

the two Independence Day bands, Carbon Leaf 

and Airiel Down.

Kicking off the fun Monday night was 

Carbon Leaf, a celtic/bluegrass rock group 

from Richmond, Va.

“This is our first time playing for a military 

audience and it’s a big deal, especially on the 

4th of July,” said Carbon Leaf’s lead vocalist 

Barry Privett. “It’s easy to get wrapped up in 

the holiday and forget its meaning. It’s special 

to be dialed-in to something so much more 

significant and symbolic.”

Following Carbon Leaf, Airiel Down took 

the stage, led by frontman Beaux Foy. Foy 

paused a few songs into the set as the Tiki Bar 

went silent and colors rang over the speakers. 

Along with providing a rocking soundtrack for 

the evening, the band took frequent breaks to 

give away merchandise and items donated by 

organizations back in the states.

“Being with all of you on the fourth,” Foy 

said to the crowd, “that’s what it’s all about.”

Social opportunities on Guantanamo Bay 

are important to give servicemembers a way to 

get out and meet new people.

“The concerts break up the monotony,” 

said Intelligence Specialist 3rd Class Clayton 

Whitman. “I love hearing live bands. It’s made 

my days here better.”

Directly after Airiel Down’s hard rock set, a 

display of fireworks launched from the fueling 

platform on the bay behind the Tiki Bar.

Many people expect Independence Day 

festivities to be the most memorable of the 

year, said MacDonnell.

“There is something truly special and 

patriotic about fireworks on Independence 

Day,” said MacDonnell. “[Fireworks company] 

Pyroshows put on an amazing 20-minute show 

for the community.”

Concessions and refreshments including 

hamburgers, hotdogs, potato salad and baked 

beans were provided by the Bayview. Months 

of preparation went into making the night a 

success.

“We have been planning the fireworks show 

since February,” revealed MacDonnell. “There 

were a lot of departments involved, requiring 

a great deal of coordination to put on a safe, 

enjoyable show for the audience.”

Airiel Down’s rhythm guitarist Michael Abe teaches the crowd a thing or two about 

shredding as frontman Beaux Foy looks on. - photo by Spc. Meredith Vincent

(below) Barry Privett, lead vocalist for Carbon Leaf, and his band opened the 

Independence Day festivities with their mix of celtic and bluegrass rock, Monday 

night at the Tiki Bar. - photo by Army Sgt. Mathieu Perry

| News The Wire | Page 7

Joint Task Force Commander Rear 

Adm. Jeffrey Harbeson spoke with task 

force Troopers, addressing the state of the 

task force, quality of life issues and other 

topics of interest yesterday during one of 

several All-Hands calls held Wednesday, 

yesterday and today.

Laying a foundation for the meeting, 

Harbeson started by giving a quick overview 

of where the JTF finds itself following the 

reorganization started in February.

“When you look at where we’ve been 

over the last year, the big event was the 

reorganization,” Harbeson said. 

The downsizing of the task force was 

complete April 1. Immediately following, 

the task force launched a command climate 

survey and came under the scrutiny of an 

Inspector General’s inspection.

“Taking that command climate survey 

... all that information ... the sensing 

sessions during the IG inspection and 

piecing all that together ... we’ve put 

together a team to look into parsing the 

data down,” Harbeson said.

Leading the team is Army Brig. Gen. 

Samuel Nichols, JTF Guantanamo deputy 

director, along with members from the 

equal opportunity office and other staff 

members.

“To take this organization to the next 

level, to take it higher, requires your 

feedback,” Harbeson said. “And with that, 

now we’ll have to take a look at everything 

critically and say, ‘what can we do to make 

things better?’”

During his speech, Harbeson also 

spoke of the current JTF awards policy, 

explaining why Troopers in the past earned 

joint service awards and how Troopers 

should submit joint award packages.

“Some of those joint awards given 

out in the past were illegal,” Harbeson 

said, going into a detailed explanation of 

Department of Defense and Southern 

Command policy around awards.

“Of the 2000 or so Troopers in the JTF, 

only those on the JMD (Joint Manning 

Story and photo by 

Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Cossel

Document) - which is about 300 or so 

individuals - are eligible for joint awards,” 

Harbeson explained.

Those submitting joint awards for 

Troopers not on the JMD must include 

an exception to policy letter. The award 

package will then be submitted to 

SouthCom for approval.

“If you’re on that JMD, I can approve 

your joint award. If you’re not, it’s got to 

be approved by SouthCom,” the admiral 

said. 

Harbeson added he didn’t agree with the 

policy and was working to change it but at 

the moment, it is the law of the land.

In addressing some of the housing 

issues, Harbeson explained work is 

being done to secure the nearly $6.1 

million dollars needed to begin a mildew 

remediation project at the Tierra Kay 

housing complex.

“The 6.1 million dollars includes all 

the ventilation upgrades, the insulation 

on the actual outer area and also replaces 

the doors and windows around there,” 

Harbeson said. “It looks like we’ve got that 

funding,” 

The good news was securing the money, 

the bad news is it will take some time to 

get all the contracts in place, Harbeson 

said. The goal is to get the contracts in 

place before September 30, (before the 

end of the fiscal year) and hopefully work 

will begin within 10 to 11 months of final 

contract approval.

“Not ideal,” Harbeson said. “It just takes 

time to get contracts in and approved.”

Moving to the Cuzcos and Camp 

America, Harbeson spoke about the recent 

improvements to the laundry facilities, 

explaining between the two housing 

facilities 36 units were replaced.

Harbeson said another source or 

irritation for Troopers was the quality of 

internet service provided.

“It’s a valid concern,” Harbeson said, 

noting the high price and slow connection 

currently available to Troopers.

“The solution to the problem is getting 

fiber to the island,” he said, noting efforts 

were on-going to find financing to bring 

a fiber-optic connection to the naval 

station.

“I have no control of SCSI, that’s a base 

function,” the admiral said. 

Following the overview, the admiral took 

time to answer questions from Troopers 

ranging from rest and recuperation leave 

policy to dedicated DSN operators.

Answering what questions he could, the 

admiral said those he couldn’t he would 

take down and, through the senior enlisted 

leaders, get the information back to the 

Troopers.

Admiral addresses 

JTF Troopers in 

series of All-Hands

Sexual harassment, 

quality of life among 

topics discussed

Joint Task Force Commander Rear Admr. Jeffrey Harbeson 

speaks to Troopers Thursday morning at the Windjammer 

Ballroom, . 
The Wire | Page 14 At Your Service |

On The Deck

Inside the Jar

GULF OF ADEN – USS Philippine 

Sea responded to a distress call issued 

by the Marshall Islands-owned, 

Liberian-flagged motor vessel 

Brilliante Virtuoso at approximately 

3:30 a.m. (local time), Wednesday.

Brilliante Virtuoso, a 144,000-

ton very large crude carrier, was 

approximately 20 nautical miles 

southwest of Aden, Yemen when 

they issued the call, stating they 

believed they were under attack 

by suspected pirates and required 

assistance. The motor vessel was 

travelling eastbound from the Suez 

Canal through the Gulf of Aden at 

the time of the attack.

Shortly after the suspected attack, Brilliant Virtuoso reported a 

fire on board beyond their control and that their intention was to 

abandon ship.

Philippine Sea, operating 

under Combined Maritime 

Forces, responded to the 

distress call. Upon their arrival, 

they observed smoke coming 

from the superstructure of 

the ship and that the crew had 

abandoned ship in a life-raft. 

They found no evidence of 

pirates and concentrated their 

efforts on assisting the crew 

members.

The owner of Brilliante 

Virtuoso has confirmed that 

all 26 Filipino crew members 

have been recovered safely by 

Philippine Sea.

CMF will continue to assist 

as appropriate.

Combined Maritime Forces is a 25 nation maritime coalition 

that operates maritime security task forces in the Gulf of Aden, 

Red Sea, Somali Basin, Arabian Sea and the Arabian Gulf.

USS Philippine Sea rescues Brilliante Virtuoso crew

From Combined Maritime Forces

Public Affairs

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP 

PENDLETON, Calif. – A 

servicemember returns from 

deployment to his spouse. He’s 

back to his daily routine and in 

high spirits. Then a few months 

go by and he realizes there is 

trouble in his relationship. No 

matter what he says or does it 

just seems to make matters worse. 

What does he do?

The Prevention and 

Relationship Enhancement 

Program helps couples identify 

and solve marital problems before 

they begin.

PREP, a one-day workshop to 

enhance couples’ communication 

skills, is held every other month 

at the Marine Corps Family Team 

Building. 

“It’s a couples communication 

workshop that’s going to help 

both partners understand each 

other and get some new tools 

for their tool box, so they can 

talk to each other in a more 

productive manner when they 

PREP workshop enhances couples’ communication

are having a disagreement or 

misunderstanding,” said Lizz 

Carty, family readiness program 

trainer with MCFTB. 

The class hosts a variety of 

couples including those currently 

dating, newly married and couples 

who have been married for years. 

The class is based on 30 years 

of research and has developed 

along the way. But the common 

theme at the workshop is a variety 

of communication techniques 

and the benefits of developing 

those skills. The MCFTB trainers 

partner with PREP-trained 

chaplains to divide the different 

sessions to give a variety of 

communication examples and 

techniques during the day-long 

workshop.

“We give our participants a 

different style of presentation 

for every section so it’s engaging, 

and you get the perspectives of 

different trainers as well,” Carty 

said. “We use video-clips, posters, 

workbooks and a personality 

activity to try to get everybody up 

and sharing.” 

Cruiser USS Philippine Sea approaches a life boat to rescue crew members 

from the Liberian-flagged motor vessel MT Brilliante Virtuoso. - photo by 

Chief Intelligence Specialist Raynald Lenieux

Navy Lt. Justin Hayes, 

Marine Corps Air Station Camp 

Pendleton chaplain, said Marines 

don’t go into battle without 

training first and it wouldn’t 

be wise to jump into marriage 

without preparation either. 

“We all come out of high 

school with under-developed 

communication skills,” Hayes 

said. “We have a mixed bag of 

good and bad skills. We seem to 

excel at the bad ones and that’s 

what we use to beat our marriages 

up with.”

Some of the techniques 

and topics covered during the 

workshop are relationship risk 

factors, communication danger 

signs, safety and structure in 

communication and forgiveness.

“The techniques my wife and 

I learned from the class, we use at 

home to help us be more effective 

communicators,” said Lance 

Cpl. Samuel Zaragoza, a PREP 

participant. “We are pretty open 

and talk about everything. That’s 

one of the things we pride our 

relationship on. This just gave us 

extra tools in our bag should we 

have any problems.”

Servicemembers, dependents 

and civilian employees are 

encouraged to attend the 

workshop. 

There are no requirements to 

attend the class. Participants don’t 

have to be married or attend with 

a partner, but are encouraged to 

come as a couple. 

It’s a great opportunity for 

couples who are dating or engaged 

to start a relationship with a strong 

foundation for communication, 

Carty said.

“Our main goal is to make 

sure our Marines and families are 

ready to meet their mission, life 

and career events,” he added. “We 

want to make sure you have all the 

education readiness tools at your 

disposal to be ready to meet all the 

challenges you might face.”

The next workshop is scheduled 

for Sept. 22. 

For more information on 

how to sign up or other MCFTB 

programs and classes, call (760) 

725-9052. 

By Cpl. Salvador R. Moreno

On the Wing

KABUL, Afghanistan – On a day marking the 235th birthday of the 

United States, five Soldiers from the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 

10th Mountain Division, Task Force Falcon, took the Oath of 

Naturalization, becoming some of the nation’s newest citizens during 

a ceremony , Monday.

“You are representative of the values and diversity that make 

our country stronger,” said U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl 

Eikenberry as he addressed 48 servicemembers from 25 countries. 

“The great patriots who founded our nation have a lot in common 

with you. Like them, you’ve fought to keep America safe and you’ve 

served with distinction.”

The TF Falcon Soldiers who became U.S. citizens during the 

Independence Day naturalization ceremony included:

Pfc. Felipe Andrade, a pathfinder with Company F, TF Knighthawk, 

10th CAB, originally from Brazil.

Pfc. Robert Holm, an automated logistics specialist with Company E, 

TF Tigershark, 10th CAB, originally from Jamaica.

Pfc. Zeiko Ifill, an automated logistics specialist with Company E, TF 

Soldiers recite Oath of Naturlization during citizenship ceremony

By Staff Sgt. Todd Pouliot Tigershark, 10th CAB, originally from Barbados.

Spc. Tod Lanki, a human resources specialist with Headquarters and 

Headquarters Company, TF Knighthawk, 10th CAB, originally from the 

Marshall Islands.

Spc. Jeridine Stewart, a communications specialist with Headquarters 

Support Company, TF Mountain Eagle, 10th CAB, originally from 

Palau.

Andrade said he lived in the U.S. for 12 years, and although over that time 

he has come to feel like a citizen, he now can truly call himself one.

“There’s no greater feeling than to be called an American,” he said 

with a smile.

For Stewart, who has served in the U.S. Army for seven years, the 

Fourth of July reminds her the U.S. is a nation of immigrants who’ve 

come from all over the world.

“I believe the U.S. is a melting pot of people of all races, all of who share 

the same freedoms,” she said. “Now, I get to be a part of it.”

Eikenberry, who will leave Afghanistan this summer, told the new 

citizens he is proud to call them American patriots.

“I want to thank each of you personally,” Eikenberry said. “You are the 

real U.S. ambassadors here in Afghanistan.” 

JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. – Members of the Air Force 

Reserve’s 315th Airlift Wing departed here July 1 aboard a C-17 

Globemaster III on a humanitarian aid mission to Haiti. 

The aircraft delivered 20 pallets of humanitarian aid containing 

more than 50,000 pounds of rice as well as a 24,000-pound dump 

truck in support of ongoing relief efforts. 

The mission flew in support of the Denton program which has 

been providing aid to Haiti since it was ravaged by an earthquake in 

2010. Much of the aid provided to the people of Haiti is destined 

for orphanages and villages across the island where the ability to 

access those resources is scarce.

The Denton program provides direct transportation of disaster-relief 

materials to countries in need. It gives organizations and individual citizens 

of the U.S. the opportunity to transport the donations via U.S. military 

planes on a space-available basis to eligible countries. 

Air Mobility Command, which has been directed to fly many of the 

missions, uses Joint Base Charleston-based C-17s to deliver the aid.

“This is not just another mission,” said Master Sgt. Ron Newbold of 

Air Force Reserve wing delivers aid to Haiti over holiday weekend

By Staff Sgt. Rashard Coaxum the humanitarian efforts in Haiti.

Newbold, a loadmaster with the 300th Airlift Squadron, has flown 

on several other humanitarian aid missions worldwide. 

“We get the chance to help people who are in need and who have 

no other way to get the necessary things just to live life from day to 

day,” he explained.

The program, managed cooperatively by the U.S. Agency for 

International Development, the State Department and the Department 

of Defense, took flight immediately after the island of Hispaniola was 

struck by an earthquake Jan.12, 2010. Since that time, the 315th AW 

has been called to fly multiple missions to the island, helping to deliver 

more than 2 million pounds of aid cargo. Besides food, C-17s have 

delivered other items such as furniture, clothing and school supplies in 

support of the program.

“We know this (mission) has a direct impact in helping get this rice down 

to folks who need it,” said Lt. Col. Jeffrey Smith, the aircraft commander 

from the 300th Airlift Wing, of the aid delivery mission. “We know Haiti 

is still suffering after the earthquake.” 

“It’s not about us,” Newbold said. “This mission is about the heart, and 

the heart of it is the people in need.”

In The Trenches

| At Your Service The Wire | Page 15
The Wire | Page 16 At the Movies |

Movie Review

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

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

Jumping the 

Broom

(PG-13) 8 p.m. 

Bridesmaids

(R) 10 p.m. 

Water for 

Elephants

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

(last showing)

Super 8

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

(last showing)

Madea’s Big Happy 

Family

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

(last showing)

Green Lantern

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Fast Five

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Downtown

Lyceum

Camp 

Bulkeley

Cars 2

(G) 8 p.m.

Transformers: 

Dark of the Moon

(PG-13) 10 p.m.

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

“We have nothing to fear but fear itself.” 

Or, really bad comic book movies that cast 

“fear” as a multi-tenticled smoke monsterthing that goes around the universe gobbling 

up souls. 

Give me some credit – it’s been quite 

a long time since a movie’s been given a 

really bad review. And being a rabid Ryan 

Reynolds fan, this hurts me much more than 

it hurts you. But twenty minutes into “Green 

Lantern,” my own movie sidekick turned to 

me and said simply, “This is awful.” That’s all 

the push I need.

But where should we start? In this moviemagic age of dazzling CGI technology, 

I never thought I’d see a character look 

completely un-lifelike. Thank goodness 

“Green Lantern’s” pint-size Guardians came 

along and showed me how wrong I could 

be. The tiny, Yoda-esque Guardian who 

succumbs to the power of fear in particular 

reminded me of Hoggle in “Labyrinth,” 

a movie that’s 24 years old. Not the stellar 

progress one likes to see.

Moving on. Let’s check out the messy, 

hodgepodge of a plot. Hotshot pilot Hal 

Jordan (Ryan Reynolds, why do you make 

me do this?) is chosen by some serious outof-this-universe bling to be the first human 

in the Green Lantern Corps, a galactic army 

of do-gooding badasses who police up 

the universe. And just in time too, because 

the aforementioned floating gob of fear 

embodiment (or, as he’s known to his friends, 

Parallax) is, like, swimming – or something? 

– toward Earth. 

Reynolds has been toying with leading man 

status for several years, and perhaps given a 

better script, director and leading lady, things 

could’ve been different. Here, his trademark, 

unimpressed snark is replaced with limp oneliners, not to mention the movie’s fascination 

with his torso. Don’t get me wrong – the 

best scene in the whole film hands-down is 

when he’s lounging in a wife beater tank, but 

chiseled abs does not a character make. You 

know why the “Iron Man” franchise did so 

well? Because the filmmakers were smart 

enough to allow Robert Downey Jr. to go 

nuts, letting him mold Tony Spark from his 

own personality. Unfortunately, that’s not the 

case here. Reynolds has an uncanny ability 

of firing a line with humor and zing, making 

his retorts have the effect of a metaphorical 

whiplash, snapping the receiver square in the 

jaw. But in “Green Lantern,” he’s smothered 

by overproduced, blockbuster hash and not 

allowed to breath any life into his character, 

let alone the movie. As Hal, Reynolds is stiff, 

flat and underwhelming. Not the kind of 

super you need when watching a superhero 

movie. 

I’d rather not even mention Blake Lively 

as Carol, Hal’s playmate both in the sky 

and on the ground. Since she’s kind of the 

second lead, however, I will grant her exactly 

three sentences, starting...now.

Completely unbelievable in her roles 

Spc. Meredith Vincent

PG-13

114 min.

 see MOVIES page 19

Water for Elephants

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Bridesmaids

(R) 10 p.m.

Super 8

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

(last showing)

Green Lantern

(PG-13) 10 p.m.

Jumping the Broom

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Madea’s Big Happy 

Family

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

(last showing)

Fast Five

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Thor

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Transformers:

Dark of the Moon

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Cornholing enthusiasts unite for tournament

Story and photos by Mass Communication Specialist 

2nd Class Maddelin Angebrand

Cornhole. A bag full of corn being 

tossed at a small hole near the top of a 

slightly angled wooden platform.

Also known as Bean-O, the aim of the 

game is to make a three-point “hole in 

one.” Just getting it on the board is worth 

one point. So, let the games begin. 

This weekend, Morale, Welfare and 

Recreation hosted a cornhole tournament, 

inviting the best of the best in the cornhole 

community to come out and battle with 

their bags, Sunday at the Tierra Kay Liberty 

Pavilion.

Teams of two faced off in an epic 

showdown of cornhole competition. 

Furiously intense and rearing to toss 

their bags of corn, team “Redneck Poop” 

chipped away at the other contenders.

“Cornhole is a game mostly played 

at tailgating, which is awesome,” said 

Jyl Bucano, attached to Joint Task Force 

Guantanamo. “Bringing it out here, there’s 

so many people and so much diversity that 

everybody has played cornhole before or 

everybody’s seen it even if they haven’t 

played it.”

Bucano said cornhole newbies will 

be addicted after trying it once; it won’t 

take long before they are calculating and 

strategizing game plans. Bucano’s “Redneck 

Poop” devised such a plan, landing them 

in the semi-final round. 

“My teammate carried us - he is 

awesome,” exclaimed Bucano, offering 

advice to other cornholers. “Get on the 

board, it’s all about aim.”

Jill Lynch, MWR liberty event 

coordinator, said the tournament had a 

great turnout, with 16 people making up 

eight teams.

“It’s such an easy game to play,” Lynch 

explained. “They don’t have to have a 

whole lot of skill, anybody can play it!”

For the champion cornholers, team 

“Who,” the game is a bit more mathematical 

in nature.

“The strategy was to get the wind 

and air temperature right,” said Matthew 

Gillette, team “Who” member. “There’s a 

mathematical equation, but I can’t tell you 

that.”

Underestimated by other contenders, 

team “Who” worked their way out of the 

loser’s bracket and onto victory.

“I don’t think we should have been in 

the loser’s bracket, but that was kind of 

our plan from the start,” admitted Joseph 

(top) A competing cornholer tosses his bag of 

corn toward the platform, Sunday, at the MWR’s 

cornhole tournament. 

(right) Participants retrieve corn-filled bags and 

prepare to reshoot. The tournament attracted 

both old and new cornhole fans. 

| Sports The Wire | Page 17

Powe, Gillette’s cornhole partner. “We 

wanted to make it dramatic - winning from 

the winner’s bracket is not exciting for 

anyone, that’s just easy.”

After a long day of tossing corn-filled 

bag after bag high into the air in the island 

heat, team “Who” said they planned on 

icing their shoulders for the rest of the night 

while preparing for future competitions.

“We hope to hit the gym soon and get 

ready for nationals,” said Powe. “I just work 

the one shoulder. Practicing balancing a 

beverage in one hand is also crucial.”

When asked what advice they would 

give to new cornholers, team “Who” said 

it’s all in the hips and wrist.

 Oh, and one more thing, they advised: 

“Don’t play us!” 
Mind, Body & Soul

Have you ever considered how your 

perception and thoughts impact your 

physical and mental health? The reality is, 

your body responds to the way you think, 

feel and act. This is often called the mindbody connection. Because they are closely 

linked, the relationship between the mind 

and body can exert a positive influence on 

health and quality of life. Attitudes, beliefs 

and emotional states ranging from love and 

compassion to fear and anger can trigger 

chain reactions. That cause and affect can 

influence blood chemistry, heart rate and the 

activity of every cell and organ in the body. 

Emotions also affect the body’s reaction 

to stresses and strains, causing headaches, 

backaches and other physical problems. 

Over the past 20 years, mind-body 

medicine has provided evidence that 

psychological factors play a major role in 

illnesses such as heart disease. Chronic 

stress can also aggravate existing health 

problems – it can worsen angina, disturb 

heart rhythm, raise blood pressure and lead 

to stroke. It can also spark asthma and may 

affect the digestive system, making ulcers, 

acid reflux or make irritable bowel problems 

worse.

Have no fear, there is hope. Mind-body 

techniques can aid in the treatment of 

both physical and mental health problems. 

Clinical trials indicate mind-body therapies 

are helpful in managing arthritis and other 

chronic pain conditions. Exercise is a 

great way to improve your mood changing 

the body’s stress response. If starting an 

Navy Lt. Lindsay Gleason, JSMART officer in charge

Mind and body:

Keeping the connection positive

 see MIND page 19

exercise program seems too difficult, go 

slowly. A few minutes are better than no 

minutes and you can gradually increase how 

much you exercise every day. Yoga helps 

many people relax, while others find peace 

of mind through prayer, meditation, music, 

reading or art. Getting enough sleep is also 

very important for mental and physical 

wellness.

We can help ourselves stay healthy by 

paying attention to our emotional and 

GTMO Religious Services

Daily Catholic Mass

Tues. - 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 5:30 p.m.

Troopers’ Chapel

The Mind, Body & Soul | Wire | Page 18

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

LDS Service

Sunday 10 a.m.

Room A

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. & 5 p.m.

Room D

Liturgical Service

Sunday 10 a.m.

Room B

Church of the Sacred Well

Call 2323 for information

General Protestant

Sunday 11 a.m.

Main Chapel

United Jamaican

Fellowship

Sunday 11 a.m.

Sanctuary B

Gospel Service

Sunday 1 p.m.

Main Chapel

GTMO Bay Christian Fellowship

Sunday 6 p.m.

Main Chapel

| The Last Word The Wire | Page 19

MOVIES cont. 

we face choices about whether to stay 

out past curfew or take our first drink of 

alcohol; and decisions become even more 

complicated as we get older. In the end 

though, it always comes down to deciding 

what’s right and wrong – weighing the gains 

against the risks.

There is a clear difference between 

making a mistake and making a conscious 

decision to ignore what you know is right. 

Anyone can misinterpret signals from a 

member of the opposite sex, but it requires 

a choice to ignore the rules on fraternization 

or engage in a sexual assault.

The decisions we make define us – not 

just who we are, but who we want to be. 

So before you make one, even one that 

appears relatively simple, consider all the 

options and consequences before making a 

sound decision. You’ll be glad you did.

mental status, including our worries, outlook 

and moods. The key to mental and physical 

wellness is to live a balanced life. Try not to 

obsess about the problems at work or home 

that lead to negative feelings. This does not 

mean pretend to be happy when you feel 

stressed, anxious or upset – it’s important 

to deal with these negative feelings. Instead, 

focus on the positive things in your life. 

Try using a journal to keep track of things 

that make you feel happy or peaceful. 

Research shows having a positive outlook 

can improve quality of life and physical well 

being. Be sure to make time for things you 

enjoy.

We all need to find our place of peace. 

Now, go find your happy place and give 

your mind and body a healthy boost.

Completely unbelievable in her roles as 

straight arrow fighter pilot (she’s more Iceman 

than Goose to Hal’s Maverick), stern boss (just 

because you wear a pencil skirt does not mean 

you look smart) or damsel in distress (it helps 

if you care about the damsel), Lively and her 

busty outfits are merely pretty, pouty props, 

adding nothing in substance and ultimately 

dragging the movie down with soul-sucking, 

sappy sweet scenes that only prove over and 

over she and Reynolds hold exactly zero 

chemistry. 

Look at that, I did it in one.

Truthfully, the only one who bothered 

to act in this otherwise wasteland of 

uninteresting characters is Peter Sarsgaard. As 

Hector Hammond, a perpetually awkward, 

balding professor who’s got the hots for Carol, 

If he is not on the field 

himself, Jones cheers on his 

all-time favorite team – the 

Detroit Lions. Fittingly, while 

Jones exemplifies all three of 

the Navy core values, Tucker 

describes his best trait as the 

same his beloved Lions mascot 

is known for – courage.

“Jones is willing to do what is 

best for not only the command, 

for the Navy and his country 

but for his junior troops as 

well,” said Tucker. “Regardless 

of what the consequences will 

be. 

Jones consistently sets a 

good example in his position, 

a post usually held by a pay 

grade higher. In addition, even 

with his busy schedule, Jones 

finds time to give back to the 

of freedom inside Camp 6,” the colonel 

explained. “It’s just a better way, if you’re 

going to be confined, of living here.”

Thomas said Camp 5 is a more disciplinary 

camp, where detainees stay in individual cells, 

have their recreation time curtailed to two 

hours a day and privileges such as reading 

material are diminished.

“This is also the camp where we keep our 

prisoners,” Thomas said, noting the facility 

currently houses four convicted prisoners.

Much like Rhodes, Thomas was impressed 

by the task force’s efforts to improve detainee 

quality of life.

“I think over time, each commander who 

has sat in this seat, either here at the JDG 

or the JTF, has continued to improve their 

footprint,” he said.

In addition to the infastructure 

Sarsgaard – who, in real life, is actually pretty 

easy on the eyes himself – creates a sad, pitiful 

portrait of a harmless loner, the guy who 

never gets the girl. Of course, after Parallax 

sets up shop in Hector’s psyche, creating a 

bulging brain hemorrhoid and causing him to 

get all sweaty and evil, it’s kind of obvious he’s 

going to bite the comic book bullet. Poor guy, 

he deserves better, being the only one who 

brought his “A” game and all. Or any game 

whatsoever really.

Fact is, forgoing all sense of playfulness 

or giddy geekery, the movie takes itself way 

too seriously, relying on stylized FX and 

Reynolds’ glorified midsection to sell tickets. 

It might work, too – but not before a banana 

rat slaughter. Friends, I behold unto you, the 

first negative banana rat. Yes, it was that bad. 

MIND cont. 

FOCUS cont. 

community. He volunteers for 

various Moral, Welfare and 

Recreation 5Ks and assisted W.T. 

Sampson Elementary School 

move furniture for the upcoming 

school year. For those looking to 

Jones as a role model, there are a 

lot of expectations – reaching to 

meet a higher standard is a part 

of Jones’ canon.

“You should always shoot for 

the stars,” said Jones. “If you 

don’t make it then so be it, but 

you have set the bar that high.”

Jones plans to pin on first class 

in the near future. Subsequently 

he will put in his officer’s packet 

and move up from there.

“He will definitely pick up a 

commission,” said Tucker. “His 

future is limitless – whereever he 

decides to go, he will excel.”

improvements, efforts are continuously 

underway to improve the food served to 

detainees. They can also make phone calls 

more frequently (quarterly versus yearly) 

and recreational equipment was updated to 

include elliptical trainers and treadmills.

“We continue to look at ways to improve 

our battle space,” said Thomas. “To not only 

make life better for the detainees but also for 

our guard force.”

And yet, even with all the well documented 

improvements, Joint Task Force Guantanamo 

seems destined to continue swimming 

upstream when it comes to Camp X-Ray. As 

long as media outlets, whether for reasons of 

apathy, neglect or sensationalism, continue to 

brand JTF operations with photos nearly a 

decade old, Guantanamo’s ghost will never 

be exorcised.

Information Assurance Information Assurance 

Tip of the Week Tip of the Week

DO NOT PLUG anything into the anything into the 

NIPR or SIPR computers unless NIPR or SIPR computers unless 

you are authorized. you are authorized.

X-RAY cont. TROOPER cont. 
KICKIN’ IT

Lt. Col. Patricia Charles, Joint Task Force Guantanamo logistics deputy director 

and avid tennis player, hits a slice backhand return during MWR’s Fourth of July 

Tennis Tournament at the Deerfield Tennis Courts, Sunday. 

- photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joe Ebalo

ROCKIN’ OUT

Something Distant drummer Chris Condon performs, Friday, at the Tiki Bar as 

part of Morale, Welfare and Recreation’s free summer concert series. - photo by 

Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Cossel

GLOWING

A disc golf player takes score above a lantern as other players retrieve 

their discs from the basket at the Glow Golf Tournament hosted by Morale, 

Welfare and Recreation, Friday, at the Lateral Hazard Golf Course.

- photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Maddelin Angebrand

TheJTF

READY, SET GO!

Participants in the 10K Independence Day Run, sponsored by Morale, Welfare and Recreation, check their watches before launching from the starting line, 

Saturday, at Denich Gym. - photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Sally Hendricks