Volume 12, Issue 23 Thursday, May 26, 2011

Keeping Marines 

On The Road

Boston Uncommons

New MSST settles in

Game, Set, Match

Tennis Season Gets Underway
The Wire | Page 2 Trooper to Trooper |

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 Maj. Amy Oliver: 9927

Operations Officer

CW2 Raymond Chapman: 3649

Senior Enlisted Leader

Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class 

Sally Hendricks: 3649

The Wire

Command Information NCOIC:

Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Cossel: 3499

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

Sgt. Mathieu Perry

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: Marine Sgt. Max Hauge, attached to the Marine Corps Security Forces Company on Naval Station Guantanamo Bay checks a wheel shaft for proper function during routine humvee maintenance, 

May 18. Hauge is responsible for the maintenance and repair of 14 tactical vehicles used for security 

patrols. The MCSFCO uses the humvees to provide 24-hour perimeter security for the entire fence line 

on Guantanamo Bay. - photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Maddelin Angebrand

Senior enlisted leader, 525th MP Battalion, Operations 

Sergeant Major

Six hundred million dollars. That’s a lot 

of money and a lot of zeros. An Abrams 

tank cost the U.S. military $6.21 million 

dollars. Do the easy math, that’s enough 

to buy just fewer than 100 tanks. What 

does that $600 million get us? According 

to a Department of Defense report, 

that’s how much the military spends every 

year counteracting the effects of alcohol 

abuse. 

By the same DoD study, it is estimated 

that 21 percent of servicemembers fall 

into the category of heavy-drinker with 

those in the 18 to 25 year-old bracket 

abusing alcohol at much higher numbers 

than their civilian peers.

And then there are the Troopers of 

Joint Task Force Guantanamo. I recently 

asked several Troopers around the JTF 

footprint what their plans were for the 

weekend. Most of them responded with 

“lots of drinking,” and different ways of 

telling me they were getting drunk. This 

is unacceptable, especially with all of the 

different, non-drinking, activities there are 

available to each of us.

Whether its joining one of the many 

Morale, Welfare and Recreation sports 

teams or getting involved with diving or 

hiking one of the many available trails, 

Guantanamo Bay affords us a wealth of 

opportunities to not only avoid falling into 

the heavy-drinking category, but improve 

our overall fitness and reduce stress – a 

reason cited by many as why they begin 

drinking in the first place.

It goes without saying, working for the 

task force can be an extremely stressful 

situation and we all need to find ways 

to mitigate that stress -- the bottom of 

a bottle is not the answer. It is in fact 

the exact opposite; it only makes your 

problems worse. You get drunk, you get 

rowdy, you go to bed – the things that 

caused you to feel stressed are still there 

waiting for you to deal with them. And 

that’s assuming you didn’t go out and do 

something stupid like get a DUI while you 

were blasted.

In a report released by the Mayo Clinic, 

one of the best ways to reduce stress is 

through exercise. As noted – exercise 

pumps up your endorphins (the brains 

feel-good neurotransmitters), it improves 

your overall mood and it is meditation in 

motion; after a good game of hoops you’ll 

find you have often forgotten the day’s 

irritations or that your mindset is adjusted 

enough that you can deal with stressors.

Let me be clear, I’m not advocating 

that you should never drink – use is not 

the problem, abuse is. And with so many 

resources available, no one should ever 

feel they need to drink to deal with their 

problems. All of us need to take account 

for ourselves and those around us. 

Do you have a Trooper just barely 

hanging on or talking about drinking all 

the time? Take charge, get them help and 

get them involved in one of the many 

things our community has to offer. 

Steven Townsend
| News you can Use The Wire | Page 3

Lawmakers to grill VA over 

suicides among troops, vets

Stars and Stripes

The Veterans Administration is taking 

heat for what Congress sees as the agency’s 

inadequate response to the problem of 

suicides among active-duty and military 

veterans after a court ruling cited the VA’s 

“unchecked incompetence” in treating 

mental health issues among vets.

But the ruling is just the latest indication 

of a mental health system that has a 

longtime reputation for failing military 

veterans — a fact that almost any veteran 

who deals with the system can confirm.

“I won’t trust the VA,” said Sgt. 1st 

Class John Kyte, a decorated Iraq War 

veteran who is in treatment for a serious 

disorder that has caused him to black out 

more than 40 times.

Kyte’s assessment of the VA: “They are 

overwhelmed.”

At least 13 dead in latest U.S. tornadoes 

Voice of America News

Severe storms and tornadoes have 

claimed at least 13 lives in the central 

United States, just two days after scores of 

people were killed in nearby Missouri, in 

the deadliest tornado to hit the nation in 

more than 60 years.

Emergency officials reported the 

latest deaths in the states of Oklahoma, 

Kansas and Arkansas as at least three 

dozen more tornadoes ripped through the 

region Tuesday and into the early hours of 

Wednesday. The storms, accompanied by 

baseball-sized hail, toppled trees, crushed 

cars and tore apart a rural fire station.

The latest tornadoes bypassed the 

devastated city of Joplin, Missouri that 

was struck Sunday by the single deadliest 

tornado to hit the U.S. since 1947. The 

death toll in the city of 50,000 residents 

has hit 123 and is expected to climb further. 

Local authorities said about 1,500 people 

are unaccounted for, but cautioned that 

the number likely includes many people 

who have not been able to reach friends 

and family because of spotty cell phone 

service.

The death toll from the tornadoes this 

week, along with more than 300 killed by 

other tornadoes in recent weeks in the 

southern U.S., has pushed the year’s total 

to more than 500, the highest number of 

U.S. tornado deaths since 1953, when 519 

were recorded.

President Barack Obama says he will 

travel to Joplin on Sunday. Speaking during 

a visit to London Tuesday, Obama pledged 

that the federal government will use all 

available resources to help the victims 

recover and rebuild.

Rescue workers in the Missouri city 

continued to search through the devastation 

on Wednesday in hopes of finding more 

trapped survivors. Cheers erupted Tuesday 

when volunteers heard that another person 

had been found alive.

A United States flag tied to a tree branch waves in the wind over a 

business building destroyed by a tornado in Joplin, Missouri. Search 

teams accompanied by cadaver dogs on Tuesday picked their way 

through the rubble of thousands of homes and businesses laid to 

waste by the massive tornado, May 24, 2011 Afghan forces retake eastern 

district From Taliban

Voice of America News

Afghan officials say security forces 

have retaken control of a district in eastern 

Nuristan province, after pushing Taliban 

militants back.

Nuristan’s governor, Jamaludin Badar, 

told reporters that the western part of Duab 

district has been recaptured by Afghan 

troops, after insurgents briefly overran the 

area.

Afghan forces and Taliban militants 

had been battling for control in Duab for 

several hours on Wednesday, with at least 

three police officers and eight insurgents 

killed in the fighting.

Earlier in the day, a NATO spokesman 

confirmed the coalition was providing 

support to local forces.

Nuristan is a highly volatile area of 

eastern Afghanistan, with militants regularly 

crossing from neighboring Pakistan to carry 

out attacks inside Afghanistan. The province 

is one of several areas in the northeast that 

is secured mainly by local police as opposed 

to Afghan or foreign troops.

The Taliban recently stepped up attacks 

against NATO and Afghan troops, civilians 

and government officials, as part of its 

spring offensive.

Near the capital, Taliban gunmen killed 

the headmaster of a Kabul school in an 

attack late Tuesday in Logar province.

And NATO says separate bomb attacks 

killed two of its service members. One 

soldier was killed Wednesday in northern 

Afghanistan, the other died Tuesday in the 

south.
The News from the Bay | Wire | Page 4

News from the Bay Stories by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class

 Maddelin Angebrand

Natalie Stovall, Young 

Joc, The Frontmen 

live in concert

Get your groove on this weekend with 

Natalie Stovall, Young Joc and The Frontmen 

in concert at O’Kelly’s Irish Pub and the 

Windjammer. 

First up is Natalie Stovall starting at 7 p.m., 

Saturday, on the Windjammer Patio. This show 

is open to all ages. Next up, will be Young Joc 

starting at 10 p.m. which will be open to the 18 

years and up crowd. 

Sunday Stovall will do a second performance 

from 8-10 p.m. at O’Kelly’s Irish Pub. The 

Frontmen will perform their show at 9 p.m. 

outside on the Windjammer Patio.

Memorial Day sports 

tournaments kick off

Come out and support your fellow 

Troopers this weekend at the Denich gym 

and Cooper Field where multiple sports 

tournaments are taking place in honor of 

Memorial Day.

The softball tournament will be held at 

field two and starts at 7 p.m., Friday. The 

basketball tournament will start at 5 p.m., 

Saturday and the sand volleyball tournament 

starts at 6 p.m., Sunday.

“All of our teams are primarily military 

members,” said Alana Morrison, MWR 

representative. “It’s a great way to see our 

members out and about being active. It’s 

going to be a relaxing weekend so come on 

out.”

Although registration for these 

tournaments ended on May 23, your support 

is what completes these events. Having fans 

in the stands is all part of the fun.

For more information contact 

Alana at x2113.

Angry Birds Flock to 

Marina

What would your first concern be in the case of a zombie apocalypse?

“My family and my kids.”

Spc. Joel 

Rodriquez

“My family and a couple of 

shot guns.”

 Pvt. Eric 

Confer

EO1 Heather 

Clouser

“A safe shelter or barricade.” “My girlfriend’s safety.”

HT2 Demarcus 

Thurman

Morale Welfare and Recreation’s liberty program will host Angry Birds at 1000 Saturday, 

after the Boat Regatta event at the Marina. In 

Angry Birds, players take control of a flock of 

multi-colored birds that are attempting to retrieve eggs that have been stolen by a group of 

evil green pigs. On each level, the pigs are sheltered by structures made of various materials 

such as wood, ice and stone.

The objective of the game is to eliminate 

all the pigs in the level. Using a slingshot, 

players launch the birds with the intent of 

either hitting the pigs directly or damaging 

the structures, which would cause them to 

collapse and kill the pigs.

In various stages of the game, additional 

objects such as explosive crates and rocks 

are found in the levels, and may be used in 

conjunction with the birds to destroy hardto-reach pigs.

MWR’s liberty manager Jill Lynch is organizing the event and encouraged Troopers, 

families and their kids to come out and participate. “We will have lots of slingshots and 

water balloons,” she said. “It will be a fun 

-filled day for everyone.” 

For more information, contact MWR at 

x2010.

It’s Memorial Day weekend, have some fun

Volunteer tea luncheon

Enjoy an afternoon of cake, tea and punch 

with community volunteers June 2, in the WT 

Sampson multipurpose room at 3 p.m.

The event is being held for anyone who has 

been volunteering at WT Sampson and also 

to those interested in becoming a volunteer. 

Upcoming volunteer opportunities will be 

discussed. For more information, contact 

Taylor Edwards at x2207.

 Reporting by Sgt. Mathieu Perry
| Trooper Focus The Wire | Page 5

PSEC ALERT

 Don’t give information to an adversary. Be safe, use OPSEC

What is an adversary?

People or groups who mean to do us harm are called a “threat,” but to be an adversary they have to have two things, 

capability and intent. Have you ever heard someone give a threat? Unless they can actually act on it, it’s just that, a 

threat. But if someone can act, then that makes them an “adversary.” There are many threats to our information, so 

we must always use OPSEC and common sense to protect it before someone can act. If an adversary doesn’t know 

the plan, then they can’t try to stop it. Knowing what information a potential adversary knows, or wants to know, 

helps to keep them from acting against us. Don’t give information to an adversary. Be safe, use OPSEC!

trooper

Mass Communication Specialist

2nd Class Maddelin Angebrand

Bullet Bio

Time in Service: 7 years

Hobbies: Fishing, boating, snorkeling 

and frolfing (disc golf)

Pet peeves: punctuality and 

unreasonable people

Next goal: Bachelor’s degree in 

communications and marketing

Advice to junior Troopers: “Don’t 

worry about the things you can’t 

control, it will all come together in 

the end.”

Meet Mass Communication Specialist 

2nd Class Carlos Cepeda a member of 

Combat Camera here on Joint Task Force 

Guantanamo. 

Originally from the Dominican 

Republic and raised in New York, this 

Trooper said he joined the Navy to see the 

world. What better place to be than here, 

right? 

“Before the Navy, I worked in a 

uniform factory counting boxes and went 

to college at night,” said Cepeda. “I needed 

some sort of adventure.”

Aside from working night hours 

in support of documenting detainee 

operations, Cepeda enjoys boating, fishing 

and throwing discs at the Lateral Hazard 

Disc Golf Course. He and his friends refer 

to the game as “frolfing” a nickname they 

repeat while on the course for a laugh.

During the work day, Cepeda travels 

with a camera in hand as he also provides 

photography coverage for events around 

the JTF to supplement The Wire and 

“Gazette” news sources. 

“I enjoy my work because I get to 

experience other jobs in the military,” said 

Cepeda, “and see the Navy in a different 

perspective than most people do.”

For his first tour, Cepeda was stationed 

on the USS Tarawa (LHA1) for three years, 

and said being on a ship is a rewarding part 

of his career.

“It shows you what it means to be a 

Sailor,” he said. “You go cranking, do fire 

parties and underway replenishments, but 

at the same time you have to do your actual 

job.”

Cepeda also earned his surface and air 

warfare pins while stationed on the ship, and 

said his motivation came from wanting to 

know his peers.

“On a ship there are so many things to 

learn, and getting your pins is that challenge 

- to learn everything you can about your ship 

and the Sailors who make it function.”

For Cepeda, the best part of his job as 

a mass communication specialist is seeing 

that he has reached an audience whether it 

be through words in a story or through the 

faces in his photographs.

“Getting a young Sailor’s story out there 

and seeing them get excited when their 

family sees what they’re doing is what makes 

this worthwhile to me,” he shared.

Chief Mass Communication Specialist 

Michael Heckman, Combat Camera’s 

operations chief noted the importance of 

having Cepeda in their shop.

“He’s the only active duty member in our 

group and he’s been deployed,” said Heckman.

“So he brings great ideas and insight to what 

we do.” 

When it comes to Cepeda’s work ethic, 

Heckman added his approach is admirable. 

“He doesn’t question challenges,” said 

Heckman. “He confronts them, and that 

makes him a great asset to combat camera 

and the Navy!”

focus

Mass Communication 

 Specialist 2nd Class

 Carlos Cepeda
For the love of the game – GTMO softball

Story and photo by Mass Communication Specialist

2nd Class Joe Ebalo

The All Guantanamo Military Softball 

Team held tryouts, prior to going to the 

Naval Base Mayport, Fla. Tri-Base Annual 

Softball Tournament, at Cooper field May 

21-22.

This is the first time Joint Task Force and 

Naval Station Guantanamo troops have put 

together a team for the event.

“We have some great athletes and 

team players here,” said, Alana Morrison, 

Guantanamo Moral Welfare and Recreation 

Sports Coordinator. “This is a good 

opportunity for our players to represent the 

GTMO military community in competition 

against some of the other softball teams at 

nearby bases. 

Morrison coordinated the GTMO Spring 

MWR Softball League and is involved with 

all the sports leagues on the island. She came 

up with the idea to join the tournament 

and worked with Mayport MWR to get an 

invitation.

“As soon as we got approval to go, we 

have been working hard to make it happen,” 

said Morrison. “Luckily, we had a really 

good response at the tryouts and the local 

commands have been supportive of their 

troops.”

More than 25 team Guantanamo hopefuls 

from all branches of the military attended 

the grueling two-day try out practice 

sessions and competed for 14 positions on 

the traveling team. On both days, the players 

came out early to warm-up and stretch. 

Then, they participated in intense hitting and 

fielding drills and ended the day with fullon scrimmages against each other under the 

scorching sun.

“It was hot! And there was definitely 

some good competition out there,” said 

Daisy Estevez, the only female athlete to try 

out for the team, and a previous All Navy 

Women’s Softball Team player. “I’m working 

nights, so I should be resting right now, but 

I know all of us have to adjust around our 

work times to play. Plus, I love the game and 

I want to make the team.”

Morrison said all the players are making 

sacrifices to play and they are committed to 

representing the base.

“We understand the mission comes first, 

“said Morrison. “But if the players make the 

team and their commands sign-off on them 

participating and traveling to the tournament, 

the best thing we can do is practice hard and 

bring our best game to Mayport.” 

The players that make the team will be 

notified before Memorial Day Weekend 

and will begin a month of three to four 

mandatory practices week in preparation for 

the tournament.

“If I make the team, I know it going to 

be hard work not just for softball, but also 

making sure I’m taking care of everything I 

need to do at my job,” said Troy Clark, another 

team Guantanamo hopeful. “But its worth it, 

I think it would be an awesome experience 

and I would be honored to represent all the 

great people at GTMO.” 

The Sports | Wire | Page 6

Players swing into spring tournament

Story and photo by Mass Communication 

Specialist 2nd Class Joe Ebalo

Spring is here and that 

means warmer weather and 

more sun. For many athletes in 

the Joint Task Force and Naval 

Station Guantanamo military 

community, that also means 

more time to exercise and play 

sports outside. So, in addition to 

the local runners, bike riders and 

softball players, there are some 

new competitors taking their 

games to the court. You may 

have heard their shoes squeaking 

from running around followed 

by some loud grunting when 

hitting the neon green balls.

Morale Welfare and Recreation 

kicked off their annual Spring 

Tennis League earlier this week 

with a full draw of matches 

for more than 25 Guantanamo 

singles and doubles players at the 

Deerfield Point Tennis Courts 

for the month-long event.

“Tennis is a great sport 

and we are excited for all the 

players participating,” said 

Alana Morrison, MWR GTMO 

Sports Coordinator. “Compared 

to some of the other athletic 

events, tennis is a little bit more 

independent and individual. And 

we setup the scheduling and 

officiating of matches to work 

for our players.”

Participants received a 

schedule of matches and a 

contact roster of all the other 

players and are tasked with 

scheduling their own match days 

and times. With no umpires for 

the league, players abide by the 

honor code and officiate their 

own games 

“I really like being able to 

make my own match times,” 

said Chad Webster, a participant 

in the tennis league. “My work 

schedule is really busy, but I love 

tennis and I want to play as much 

as I can. This scheduling system 

lets me do that.”

Chad’s doubles partner agrees 

and said the league is a good way 

to meet other people on the 

island who share a love for the 

sport. 

“Before the league started, I 

 see TENNIS page 19

Miguel Simonet, a participant in Guantanamo MWR’s Spring Tennis 

League, runs to the net to hit a volley winner during his first round 

match at the Deerfield Tennis Courts, May 16. 

Jeffery Porter drills a line drive into deep center Sunday during tryouts 

for the All Guantanamo Military Softball Team.
| Mission The Wire | Page 7

MEDOPS: At the Forefront of Transparency

Story and photo by Mass Communication Specialist 

2nd Class Maddelin Angebrand

The Freedom of Information Act 

states a democracy requires accountability. 

Accountability requires transparency. 

Ensuring an open, transparent government 

to the American people, the FOIA is 

implemented at commands across all 

military branches and department of 

defense offices to give agencies such as 

the media access to 

information.

At the heart of that 

commitment here 

on Joint Task Force 

Guantanamo Bay 

is the Joint Medical 

Group Operations 

Department. 

This department is 

responsible for more 

than 3,200 detainee 

record volumes, 

which are potentially 

open to the public 

according to the 

FOIA. In order for 

these records to be 

accessed by outside 

agencies, detainees 

must sign a release 

form and MEDOPS 

will then screen, or 

redact, every page of 

that record. 

By screening the 

records, MEDOPS 

is also protecting 

the individually 

identifiable health information of the 

detainee allowing the flow of health 

information needed to provide and 

promote high quality health care and 

transparency.

First, the record is scanned, making 

every page digital. Next, the names and 

signatures of doctors, corpsman and any 

medical personal in the record must be 

removed to protect their privacy. Detainees 

are protected by a number corresponding 

with their name, which replaces their name 

throughout the record.

“I process 1,000 pages a day,” said 

Hospitalman Nicholas Maxwell, attached 

to MEDOPS. “When we get a request, 

that equals another 3,000 pages of a 

record to go through before we can fulfill 

that request.”

With more than 30 requests made by 

lawyers and media organizations in the past 

two months, MEDOPS is working overtime 

to uphold their duty and commitment to 

transparency by way of the FOIA.

“A lot of people want to know what 

kind of care the detainees get and that 

information is here,” said Maxwell. 

“Many detainees have conversations with 

the medical personnel and that is in the 

record, showing they are given the care 

they need.”

The small MEDOPS staff, each serving 

in positions above their pay grade, plays a 

role many of us do not see and directly 

contributes to the JTF mission.

“When we got here there were eight 

people,” said Maxwell. “Now, we have four 

doing that same mission. We do what we 

can to keep the pages scanning in order to 

fill the requests.” 

MEDOPS also coordinates the logistics 

and sourcing of medical specialists with 

numerous U.S. military hospitals, ensuring 

high quality specialty healthcare is provided 

to detainees. They initiate requests for 

the medical specialists, coordinate travel 

arrangements and track the replacements 

from the next wave of the JMG.

“We are really the first impression 

certain people get when they come here,” 

said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Dustin 

LeRoux. “I like setting the bar high and 

letting them know we’re here for them 

during their stay.”

C a r d i o l o g i s t s 

and audiologists 

are a few of the 

specialists brought 

in every three to 

four months to meet 

medical needs of the 

detainees.

“In between 

visits of the other 

specialists, patients 

who require 

specialized services 

will be combined in 

a list,” said Hospital 

Corpsman 1st Class 

Matthew Gustafson, 

MEDOPS leading 

petty officer. “Once 

the specialist arrives, 

appointments will 

be arranged to 

ensure each detainee 

receives the requested 

services.”

 The department’s 

role is a large task 

critical to the success 

of the JMG and 

ultimately the JTF. By supporting the FOIA 

office of the United States and ensuring 

the detainees receive specialized care, 

these dedicated Troopers have exceeded 

the expectations of their leaders.

MEDOPS has completed the 

digitization of more than 3,200 medical 

records - totaling 195,000 pages - reducing 

the record redaction time from one week 

to less than a day. 

“This is a result of the hard work these 

guys do,” said Gustafson. “My guys know 

the importance of their jobs and I can see 

they take pride in their work although they 

aren’t in the spotlight. What more can I 

ask of them?”

A Hospitalman with the Joint Medical Group reviews Freedom of Information Act guidelines. Troopers of 

the JMG are responsible for maintaining health records for both Troopers and detainees.
The Wire | Page 8 Feature |

Story and photos by Mass Communication Specialist

2nd Class Jason Tross

Maritime Safety Security Team 91110, from Boston, assumed 

anti-terrorism duties earlier this month at Camp Justice and the 

waters surrounding Naval Station Guantanamo Bay as part of 

Joint Task Force Guantanamo.

The nearly 100-strong group assumed watches from MSST 

91113 Miami and is now getting comfortable in their new jobs 

and homes for the coming months of their deployment.

“Things are going excellent,” said Maritime Enforcement Specialist 3rd Class Desirae Villa, who works security at Camp Justice in support of military commissions. “We’re getting a lot of 

work done already and settling in to GTMO just great.”

MSST Boston boat crews and maintainers made quick work 

of turnover, something Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class Tom Pease, 

a tactical coxswain on the 25-foot Transportable Port Security 

Boats, attributes to his experienced Boston crews and excellent 

pass down from the departing Miami MSST.

“So far we’ve relieved the Miami crew and we’re finished getting 

settled into our rooms,” said Pease. “Now it’s just getting used to 

our day-to-day functions and making some fine tweaks on the 

watches to suit our specific people.”

Although MSST Boston may still be settling in, many of them 

are very familiar with their jobs at JTF Guantanamo. Villa, who 

U.S. Coast Guard Electronics Technician 1st Class Fredrick Tripp, 

wrenches an oil filter off one of two Evinrude 175 ETEC outboard 

motors. 
| Feature The Wire | Page 9

completed a six-month deployment back in 2009 with MSST Seattle, is one of them. She enjoyed her previous assignment and 

feels this visit will be equally rewarding.

The young Coast Guardsman with just three years of service, 

chose this deployment after responding to a Coast Guard-wide 

solicitation for reservists. 

“I volunteered to come down here again because I really had a 

blast last time,” said Villa. “It is definitely what you make of it. 

We have a really good crew and we stick together, which makes 

for such a great time.”

Unity is a big part of how MSST Boston works. The unit already 

put together a softball team for the next tournament and is playing ultimate Frisbee and kickball – something that was not available during their previous visits.

Pease is quite comfortable being called a Trooper, having been 

deployment to JTF Guantanamo in 2003 and 2004. 

“A lot of things have changed here since then,” said Pease. “And 

they’ve changed for the better. Accommodations are a lot better 

with the Cuzco Barracks. My last time here we stayed over in 

Windward Loop – it was six people to a house. The privacy here 

at the Cuzco’s is a fantastic improvement.” Coast Guard Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class Mike Brown, 

assigned to Boston-based Maritime Safety Security 

Team 91110, inspects a personal locator beacon during 

routine maintenance. 

U.S. Coast Guard Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class Fredrick Tripp, assigned to Bostonbased Maritime Safety Security Team 91110, applies a fresh coat of protective 

wax to a 25-foot Transportable Small Boat. 

 see Boston page 19
The Wire | Page 10 Feature |

Their hands are never entirely clean and the smell of engine oil 

lingers in their presence. Crevices on each finger are lined with 

dirt, oil and sweat. This resin seems to stay put even after the most 

vigorous wash. Cuts, scrapes and burns are also part of the job 

when working as a mechanic under the hood of a humvee. 

For Marine Sgt. Max Hauge, a Marine Corps Security Force 

Company member stationed on Guantanamo Bay, being a 

mechanic is not just a job - it is his passion. 

Since he was 15-years-old, Hauge remembers turning wrenches 

and was fueled by the satisfaction of troubleshooting and solving 

engine problems.

 “It clicked with me when I was young and just stuck,” said 

Hauge. “I’ve been getting paid as a mechanic ever since.” 

Hauge joined the Marines in 2007 and attended mechanic school 

after boot camp where nuts, bolts and engines are part of the daily 

agenda.

“Day one they start with ‘this is a screwdriver’ and then we get 

into what kind of screwdriver it is,” he said. “They start out basic, 

but by the end, you can pull an entire engine out of a humvee 

and replace it, so you start from the ground up it’s a really good 

program.”

Hauge’s formal training is backed by two combat tours, one to 

Iraq and the other to Afghanistan where he worked on 7-ton trucks 

and humvees. 

Hauge is responsible for the maintenance and repair of 14 

humvees which patrol the fence line here on Guantanamo Bay 

around the clock. 

According to his supervisor Gunnery Sgt. Brian Salois, MCSFCO’s 

Maintenance Chief, the usual vehicle to mechanic ratio is seven 

vehicles to one mechanic making Hauge’s skills a valuable asset to 

both the Joint Task Force and Naval Station.

“When he got here he dove right in, rolled his sleeves up and I 

didn’t see him until a truck was finished,” said Salois. “He knows 

how to troubleshoot any issues with the vehicles and that’s what 

we need here.”

The MCSFCO provides overall security for the entire fence line 

of Guantanamo Bay to include the Joint Task Force, which has 

additional security inside the fence line.

“The humvees are a time efficient protective form of transportation 

along the fence line rather than having them do a foot patrol the 

whole time,” said Hauge. “That way they keep moving all the time 

and that’s my job – to keep those humvees moving.”

Hauge said the satisfaction comes with knowing he is his own 

reward system.

“You might have to push or pull it into the shop, but then 

you’re going to drive it out,” he shared. “You get that sense of 

accomplishment like you did something and there’s something to 

Born to turn wr

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

show for it.” 

He added there are some challenges when it comes to having the 

right tools for the trade.

“With the Army next door and the Seabees we all work together to 

get parts and tools,” said Hauge. “The Army will have something 

I need or vice versa so, the whole Joint Task Force thing works out 

well.” 

Hauge said there are weeks where nothing will go wrong and 

weeks where everything that can go wrong will go wrong, but luckily 

for Hauge if engines never broke he would be out of work.

“Working with my hands is what I love to do,” he said. “That 

sense of accomplishment when I figure out something that’s really 

tough and really rack my brain on it makes me feel like I’m a part 

of this mission!”

Marine Corps mechanic brings his 

passion to work every day to the 

benefit of GTMO’s Marine Corps 

Security Forces.

(Above) Marine Sgt. Max Hauge, attached to the Marine Corps Security 

Forces Company on Naval Station Guantanamo Bay performs regular 

maintenance on a humvee, May 18. (Right) Hauge adjusts a timing belt 

during the same maintenace check of the vehicle. Hauge is responsible 

for the maintenance and repair of 14 tactical vehicles used for security 

patrols. The MCSFCO uses the humvees to provide 24-hour perimeter 

security for the entire fence line on Guantanamo Bay.
| Feature The Wire | Page 11

You might have

to push 

or pull it

into the shop, but

then you’re going to

drive it out.

Sgt. Max Hauge

renches
The At Your Service | Wire | Page 12

In The Trenches

WASHINGTON – About 40,000 National 

Guard members working with active duty 

servicemembers and federal and state emergency 

personnel completed “National Level Exercise 

11” on May 20, 2011, signaling the successful 

execution of the largest interagency exercise 

ever, Guard officials said.

The exercise, based around the New Madrid 

Seismic Zone and with an earthquake of 

disastrous magnitude as the scenario, tested the 

response capabilities of the Alabama, Arkansas, 

Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, 

Missouri, Tennessee and Wisconsin National 

Guards.

“National Level Exercise 11”, or NLE 11, 

incorporated several other exercises, to include 

the Joint Chiefs of Staff Positive Response 

2011, U.S. Northern Command’s Ardent 

Sentry 2011, the Department of Health and 

Human Services Noble Life Saver 2011, the 

National Guard’s Vigilant Guard and U.S. 

Transportation Command’s Turbo Challenge 

2011/Ultimate Caduceus 2011.

Each state worked with their current 

emergency response plan to find strengths and 

weakness, said Army Maj. Gen. David Harris, 

the National Guard Bureau’s director of 

domestic operations and force development.

Harris said issues brought to light by 

exercises like NLE 11 -- such as organization 

and staffing -- can be solved quickly, but 

others - such as communication package and 

hardware issues - take a little more planning 

and budgeting to fix.

“That’s why exercises like this are important, 

to show those potential shortfalls,” Harris said.

Alabama Guard members provided aerial 

support for infrastructure assessments, basic 

first aid and medical triage and security support 

in several counties.

Like several states, they activated their 

chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and 

high yield explosives, or CBRNE, enhanced 

response force package, also known as CERFP, 

for search and rescue and mass casualty 

support.

The Arkansas Guard had engineering teams 

providing damage assessment and repairing 

damaged airport runways.

They also filled about 50,000 sand bags for 

potential flooding, provided enough shelters 

for about 4,500 displaced citizens and delivered 

cots, blankets and relief goods.

In Illinois, Guard members assisted local 

law enforcement with public safety and welfare 

Tech Sgt. John Orrell

National Guard Bureau

checks in rural areas.

They had several civil support teams, or 

CSTs, responding to a simulated biohazard 

emergency where about 15,000 gallons of 

soybean oil leaked into the Ohio River.

Indiana made the NLE 11 an opportunity 

to practice with their 53rd CST and worked 

with first responders from various Indiana 

Department of Homeland Security districts on 

emergency response procedures.

As part of their full-time mission set, the 

53rd CST responds to chemical, biological, 

radiological or nuclear incidents and works 

with local first-responders to determine the 

type of attack or incident.

Kentucky took the opportunity to bring past 

experiences to the table for the purposes of 

updating and rewriting their Commonwealth 

Earthquake Response plan.

“We learn something with each event or 

disaster, such as the historic flooding Kentucky 

just experienced,” said John Heltzel, director for 

Kentucky Emergency Management. “The trick 

is to take lessons learned and turn them into 

lessons applied.”

The Kentucky Joint Air Operations Center,or 

JOAC, also worked to prioritize and allocate air 

assets for missions across the Commonwealth.

They transported personnel and equipment, 

and provided aeromedical evacuation and 

search-and-rescue capabilities when needed, 

said Air Force Brig. Gen. Mark Kraus, who 

commands the JAOC and is Kentucky’s Joint 

Forces Air Component commander.

Missouri Guard members provided 

CBRNE agent monitoring and mitigation and 

decontamination, emergency medical services 

and extraction at collapsed structures.

“The Missouri National Guard is a key 

component of disaster response,” said John 

Campbell, of the State Emergency Management 

Agency, who is also a retired Missouri National 

Guard master sergeant.

“The Guard brings capabilities that don’t 

exist in everyday situations,” he said. “They 

bring disciplined citizen Soldiers and Airmen to 

check the well being of folks who are suffering 

from the effects of a disaster or to provide 

warnings.”

The Mississippi Guard’s 4th CST worked 

with Florida, Georgia and Texas CERFPs 

providing search and extraction and mass 

casualty support in a simulated hazardous 

environment.

Tennessee had Guard members establishing 

communication lines at the county level, 

providing security and shelters for citizens, 

and provided aviation support for damage 

assessments.

The Wisconsin National Guards 54th CST 

supported local and state authorities at domestic 

emergency incident sites. They worked to 

identify substances and assess current and 

projected consequences.

“The CST provided safety of the scene, data 

modeling, communications and liaison between 

the incident commander and public health 

authorities,” said Lt. Col. Timothy Covington, 

commander. “This was a great opportunity to 

introduce our capabilities to local agencies and 

to show how those resources might be used in 

the event of a large-scale disaster.”

NLE 11 also allowed Guard members and 

NORTHCOM to practice their developed 

Contingency Dual Status Command initiative.

During a natural or man-made disaster, 

the initiative allows a commissioned officer of 

the regular Army or regular Air Force or state 

Army National Guard or Air National Guard to 

command and control state and federal military 

assets in a Defense Support of Civil Authorities 

environment, NORTHCOM officials said.

Guard completes 

largest-ever exercise

Members of the 434th Chemical Company, Minnesota National Guard CBRNE 

(Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and High Explosives) Emergency 

Response Force Package (CERFP), assist a role-player posing as a victim during 

a Vigilant Guard exercise. - photo by Spc. Alyson Swanke
| At Your Service The Wire | Page 13

On The Deck

NORFOLK, Va. – The Naval Safety 

Center’s (NAVSAFECEN) annual summer 

safety campaign officially begins Memorial 

Day weekend, and materials are available 

now to help Sailors and Marines prepare for 

their upcoming off-duty and recreational 

activities.

The last few years have shown that it’s 

possible to have fun while managing risk.

“Last summer, Sailors and Marines set 

the bar high and statistically achieved the 

safest summer on record,” said Rear Adm. 

Arthur J. Johnson, commander, Naval 

Safety Center. “I firmly believe we have 

all the components in place to continue 

that positive trend and do even better this 

year.” 

While last summer was a successful one 

for most, 14 Sailors and 14 Marines lost 

their lives in motor vehicle and recreation 

mishaps. That was a tragedy for their 

families, for their units, and for the fleet 

as a whole. Sailors and Marines do a great 

job of managing risk on duty, and that’s 

a mindset NAVSAFECEN’s command 

master chief said must carry over outside 

the gates of the installation.

“Just like in an operational environment, 

we are faced with obstacles that, unless 

we plan ahead, could result in negative 

consequences,” said CMDCM(AW/SW) 

Navy emphasizes summer safety 

By April Phillips 

Naval Safety Center Public Affairs

 WORTH Pampers Bataan’s 

Female Sailors

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman 

Tamekia Perdue, USS Bataan Public Affairs

USS BATAAN, Mediterranean Sea 

(NNS) – The Women’s Organization to 

Reach Teach and Help (WORTH) aboard 

the multipurpose amphibious assault ship 

USS Bataan (LHD 5) held a beauty shop 

day for female Sailors and Marines in the 

ship’s barber shop May 22.

Beauty shop day was organized to 

provide female service members aboard 

time to spend with one another in an 

atmosphere not typically found aboard 

Navy ships. 

“Sometimes you just need an outlet,” 

said Information Systems Technician 1st 

Class (SW) Connie Blevins, one of the many 

active members of WORTH. “Sometimes 

you just want to talk to another female 

that might understand what you’re going 

through. I can hang with the guys for 12, 

16, or even 18 hours a day, but at the end of 

the day, I want to be a female. I am a female. 

I want to go somewhere and just be a girl.” 

WORTH is an organization started 

by senior enlisted female Sailors aboard 

Bataan as a way to give junior female 

Sailors guidance and an outlet to discover 

themselves. 

Beauty shop day is the first of many 

WORTH-organized activities for female 

service members aboard Bataan. 

“We decided to come up with the beauty 

day, so we could go over the regulations 

of how we can wear our hair, what’s 

acceptable, and what isn’t, as well as boost 

morale for the junior personnel aboard,” 

said Information Systems Technician 1st 

Class (SW/AW) Trinika Savage.

WORTH members opened the beauty 

shop doors to all females aboard Bataan, 

providing hair, nail, and eyebrow care. 

“It is a free event, and all of the services 

were donated by the talents [of female 

Sailors] aboard Bataan,” said Blevins.

A day at the beauty shop gave Bataan’s 

females an opportunity to relax and feel 

pampered.

“I got my nails and eyebrows done, and 

it made me feel quite elated,” said Aviation 

Boatswain’s Mate Fueling 3rd Class Ananasa 

Dobson. “There is never a day for females 

to take a break and get something done for 

themselves without it being after taps in the 

berthing.” 

According to Blevins, the members of 

WORTH are trying to coordinate beauty 

shop day at least once a month. The goal 

is to boost the morale aboard the ship 

and continue to give females the beauty 

outlet they normally would not obtain on 

a warship. 

There are a number of planned events 

for Bataan’s current deployment. Movie 

night, bingo, and fitness challenges are just 

a few of the upcoming events in the works. 

Chief Master-at-Arms James Blagg, from New Port Richey, Fla., and Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class Richard Grier, from Afton, N.Y., command drug and alcohol prevention advisors at Naval Air Station Key 

West, hang a banner next to a vehicle that crashed near Key West while the driver was under the influence of alcohol. - photo by Trice Denny

Dominick Torchia. “Off duty recreation 

is really no different. It requires planning, 

from something as seemingly minor as 

wearing sun block, to ensuring vehicles 

are running properly and your trip is well 

planned out. These details could mean 

the difference between mitigating risk and 

suffering the consequences.” 

To help manage risk, NAVSAFECEN’s 

summer campaign known as “Live to Play, 

Play to Live,” reinforces positive things 

Sailors, Marines, and their families can do to 

have fun this summer. While most activities 

carry a certain amount of risk, that danger 

is usually easy to plan for and manage.

“Managing risk not only reduces 

mishaps, but it allows us to thoroughly 

enjoy the activities we participate in,” 

Johnson said. “A little advance planning 

goes a long way.”

NAVSAFECEN has presentations, 

booklets, videos, and other materials to 

help service members and their families 

plan for summer fun. These tools can 

be downloaded at www.public.navy.mil/

navsafecen. 

Johnson said he hopes everyone will 

take advantage of these materials so the 

fleet can build on the positive trends of the 

past several years and have a great summer 

at the same time.

“Don’t let a preventable mishap constrain 

your summer fun and enjoyment,” he said.
The Wire | Page 14 At Your Service |

On the Wing

 JOINT BASE PEARL 

HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii 

(AFNS) -- In the early hours of 

the morning on May 22, a group 

of Airmen here departed with a 

moment’s notice for Pago Pago, 

American Samoa, to save the life 

of a critically ill child.

Medical personnel from the 

13th Air Force surgeon general’s 

office and the 18th Aeromedical 

Evacuation Squadron Det. 1, 

along with a C-17 Globemaster 

III aircrew from the 535th Airlift 

Squadron, were called upon to 

medically evacuate the five-yearold dependent of a retired Army 

member. 

The child, who suffers from 

a congenital seizure disorder, 

was hospitalized for more than 

two weeks due to his inability 

to breathe independently. 

Following a prolonged seizure, 

his family rushed him to 

Lyndon B. Johnson Tropical 

Medical Center in Pago Pago, 

where doctors attempted to 

intubate him. During the effort 

to insert a breathing tube, the 

child vomited and inhaled the 

Air Force executes life-saving mission by Senior Airman Lauren Main

15th Wing Public Affairs

matter into his lungs, which is 

also known as aspirating. While 

doctors at the medical center 

were able to medicate and treat 

him for his seizures, he was now 

entirely reliant on a ventilator to 

breathe.

LBJ Medical Center officials 

recommended the patient be 

moved to the nearest military 

medical facility with the resources 

to treat him. With his condition 

listed as critical and the transport 

urgent, the hospital called upon 

the 535th AS and a team of 

medical professionals from the 

13th AF and 18th AES.

“I received the call Friday 

night about 8 p.m. to fly to 

American Samoa and medically 

evacuate the patient to Tripler 

(Army Medical Center, Hawaii),” 

said Maj. Aaron Fields, a critical 

care air transportation doctor 

with the 13th AF surgeon 

general’s office. “I initially felt 

the child was too sick to move, 

but the transport was critical.”

Less than 36 hours after 

the initial phone call from LBJ 

Medical Center, a C-17 touched 

down in American Samoa and 

made preparations to transfer 

the child to Hawaii.

“Once we had the child (and 

guardian) in the back of the 

plane, we took off in less than 

45 minutes,” said 1st Lt. Audrey 

McCabe, a C-17 pilot with the 

535th AS. “(The crew) all took 

turns going down to check on 

him. We were all a little worried, 

but the flight docs were on top 

of it and kept updating us on his 

status.”

Upon the child’s arrival to 

Hickam Field here, an ambulance 

transported him and his legal 

guardian to Tripler, where he 

continues to receive treatment.

“They will gradually wean him 

off the ventilator and give him trial 

periods each day until he is able to 

breathe on his own,” Major Fields 

said. “His condition is still critical, 

but listed as stable and improving.”

According to Major Fields, the 

family members of the child said 

they were grateful for everything 

the Air Force has done to ensure 

the health and wellness of their 

son.

Law enforcement 

members honored

by Staff Sgt. Chad Thompson

51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs

OSAN AIR BASE, South 

Korea -- Security forces 

members, the Air Force Office 

of Special Investigations and 

the South Korean air force 

honored two law enforcement 

Airmen by ceremonially retiring 

them and removing them from 

duty here May 19.

The ceremony was part of 

National Police Week, which 

ran from May 15 to 21 and 

honored law enforcement 

members who died in the line 

of duty.

“Over the past year, both the 

Office of Special Investigations 

and security forces have 

suffered tragic losses of 

outstanding Airmen,” said Maj. 

Traci Wallace, from the 5th 

Field Investigations Squadron. 

“We are gathered here today to 

honor the service and mourn 

the loss of Master Sgt. Tarra 

Jacobs Brown from the Office 

of Special Investigations and 

Senior Airman Nicholas Alden 

from security forces.”

“Today, we join together to 

comfort each other, grieve our 

lost colleagues and publically 

declare that each one has 

brought honor to our Air 

Force and our nation,” said 

Lt. Col. Shan Nuckols, the 

5th FIS commander. “They 

demonstrated the true meaning 

of heroism, and together, we 

respectfully pledge that their 

courage and service will not be 

forgotten.”

“We celebrate the sacrifice 

and professionalism of you 

every day, and your civilian 

counterparts in the U.S.,” said 

Lt. Col. James Damato, the 

51st Security Forces Squadron 

commander. “But, tragically, 

we have to have events like this 

to memorialize the dead and 

wounded, which unfortunately 

are too numerous over the 

years.”

Members of the 18th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron Det. 1 and 13th Air Force surgeon general’s office transport 

a critically ill patient out of the rear of a C-17 Globemaster III May 22, 2011, at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, 

Hawaii. The patient was aeromedically evacuated from Lyndon B. Johnson Tropical Medical Center in Pago Pago, 

American Samoa, after he aspirated following a seizure that left him completely reliant on a ventilator to breathe. 

After arriving in Hawaii, the patient was transferred to Tripler Army Medical Center, Hawaii. - photo by Senior Airman 

Lauren Main
At Your Service | The Wire | Page 15

Inside the Jar

USS BATAAN, Atlantic Ocean – Sailors 

and Marines aboard multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) are 

working toward accomplishing objectives 

with either a personal or professional significance during their current deployment, April 

19.

While the spectrum varies for each individual, the most popular milestones are 

expected to be qualifications, education, advancement and physical fitness.

“There’s time for a little bit of everything,” said USS Bataan Command Master 

Chief (SW/AW) Brian Collier. “Start early, 

and make progress every single day. When 

that happens, the goals become reality.”

Deployments allow Sailors to experience the full range of shipboard operations, 

which provides them with unique first-hand 

knowledge that can be applied to achieving 

warfare qualifications. 

“My main focus is to earn my ESWS and 

EAWS pins,” said Boatswain’s Mate 2nd 

Class Bakar Washington, from Los Angeles. 

“I want to put myself in the best position for 

advancement. That’s the reason why I came 

to Bataan.”

The crew will also have the opportunity 

to start or further their education by taking 

Navy College Program for Afloat College 

Education (NCPACE) courses. More than 

190 Bataan personnel have signed up to 

take classes in business, history, philosophy, 

speech, psychology and sociology. NCPACE 

instructors are expected to join the crew 

while Bataan is in the Mediterranean Sea. 

Many Sailors will work to increase their 

options in the Navy’s perform-to-serve program by increasing their Armed Service Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) scores, which will 

allow them to choose from a greater pool of 

Navy ratings when cross-rating becomes the 

only option. ASVAB classes on board began 

April 18. 

A long deployment also provides plenty 

of time to hit the gym, work the ramps or 

run the flight deck. 

Staff Sgt. Jacky Brun, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) commodities chief 

from Plantation, Fla., said he is working to 

get his six-pack abs back and will also try to 

Marines accomplish 

goals while on 

deployment with 

Bataan Sailors

by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class 

Michael J. Scott 

USS Bataan Public Affairs

reach brown belt status in the Marine Corps 

Martial Arts Program. 

“I plan on being in much better shape 

when this (deployment) is over,” said 

Brun.

Crew members who are looking to improve their health by quitting smoking during the deployment will have to look no 

further than Bataan’s Medical Department. 

Medical will offer smoking cessation classes throughout the cruise. 

In addition to reaching goals and completing the command’s mission during the 

deployment, the crew will also have the 

opportunity to relax while exploring and 

experienceing different cultures. During 

port visits, Morale, Welfare and Recreation 

Department will offer tours, and the Religious Ministries Department will sponsor 

community relations projects that will give 

Sailors and Marines a chance to make a 

positive influence on local communities.

“One of the reasons I like going on deployments is seeing the world,” said Staff Sgt. Clinton Hackney, 22nd MEU engineering chief 

from Maribel, N.C. “I enjoy learning about 

other people and their culture. It helps me understand how we all relate to each other.”

“Deployments can be long and stressful,” 

said Collier. “Setting and meeting goals can 

help pass the time, provide the crew with stress 

relievers and a sense of accomplishment.” 

For more news from USS Bataan (LHD 5), 

visit www.navy.mil/local/lhd5/. 

Marines and Sailors man the rails in prepartion to depart on a deployment. - photo by U.S. Navy
The At Your Service | Wire | Page 16

Coast to coast

CLEVELAND – In conjunction with 

National Safe Boating Week, which began 

Saturday, the Ninth Coast Guard District is 

urging all Great Lakes boaters to not only 

have life jackets for every person aboard their 

vessels as required by law, but to go one step 

further and ensure everyone aboard is wearing 

a life jacket at all times while underway.

This weekend alone, Coast Guard 

boatcrews ended the voyages of 10 vessels on 

the Great Lakes because there weren’t enough 

life jackets on the boats for everyone aboard, 

along with other infractions. Click here to 

read an earlier news release regarding voyage 

terminations on the Great Lakes.

“If you don’t have the lifesaving gear that 

is required by law to be on board, the Coast 

Guard will send you back to the pier,” said 

Rear Adm. Michael Parks, commander of the 

Ninth Coast Guard District. “We don’t want 

to ruin anyone’s day - we do this for your own 

safety. It’s far better to terminate your voyage 

than to have to make a next-of-kin notification 

to your family members.”

Coast Guard stresses importance of wearing life 

jackets while boating

To meet U.S. Coast Guard requirements, 

a boat must have a Coast Guard-approved 

type I, II, III, or V (wearable) life jacket for 

each person aboard. Boats 16 feet and longer 

(except canoes and kayaks) must have at least 

one Type IV (throwable) device as well.

Owners/operators of vessels found to be 

in violation of 33 CFR 175, the portion of the 

Code of Federal Regulations that pertains to 

recreational boating safety, may be assessed a 

civil penalty up to $8,000 per violation.

“A life jacket is the single-most important 

piece of survival equipment a boater can wear, 

is the first line of survival for unexpected 

falls overboard, and buys time necessary for 

rescue,” said Frank Jennings, Jr., recreational 

boating safety program manager for the Ninth 

Coast Guard District. “Boating on the Great 

Lakes is a popular pastime we encourage 

people to partake in, but they should do so 

safely.”

“There is an old stigma that life jackets 

are ugly, bulky and uncomfortable, but 

that’s just not true anymore,” said Jennings. 

Coast Guard and Navy Salvage crews medically evacuate diver

HONOLULU - A Coast Guard 

rescue boatcrew partnered with 

Navy Salvage units to medically 

evacuate a diver Tuesday, two 

miles offshore of Joint Base Pearl 

Harbor-Hickam Firing Range at 

approximately 2:30 p.m. 

Coast Guard Sector command 

center personnel received a distress 

call via VHF-FM channel 16 from 

the dive vessel Wailoa concerning 

an unresponsive 41-year-old 

male who had been conducting 

commercial dive operations for 

Hukilau Foods Inc.

The USNS Salvor and Mobile 

Diving Salvage Unit One also 

responded to the distress call and 

were on scene in approximately 

five minutes. Navy personnel 

immediately transferred the diver 

aboard the Salvor and into a 

hyperbaric chamber. Coast Guard 

Station Honolulu rescue crews 

launched a 45-foot Response 

Boat–Medium to assist.

Once the RB-M arrived on 

scene, a Navy medical officer 

determined the diver needed to be 

medically evacuated to emergency 

medical services. The diver was 

transported aboard the RB-M 

while the Navy medical officer 

continued to administer medical 

services.

The diver was transferred 

to EMS personnel at the pier 

and transported to Pali Momi 

Medical Center in Aiea where 

he was subsequently declared 

deceased.

Coast Guard Sector 

investigators are conducting an 

investigation into the incident.

Coast Guard investigators 

examine parasail accident

HONOLULU – Coast Guard 

investigators are examining the cause 

of a reported parasailing accident 

that occurred offshore South Oahu at 

approximately 8:30 a.m. Saturday.

Honolulu Fire Department officials 

who responded to the incident initially 

notified Sector Honolulu watchstanders 

at 8:43 a.m. It was reported that three 

individuals aloft entered the water when 

the towline connecting the parasail 

harness to the vessel parted. The 

commercial passenger vessel involved 

in the incident successfully recovered 

the individuals. The three passengers 

involved in the incident were brought 

to shore and received medical treatment 

from emergency medical service with 

one 30 year-old female transported to 

Queen’s Medical Center for follow on 

care. A casulty investgation is underway 

at this time.

“Many modern life jackets are made to be 

comfortable, lightweight and even inflatable, 

and consumers now have an incredibly wide 

range of style and color options.”

The goal of National Safe Boating Week, 

held annually during the week leading up 

to Memorial Day weekend, is to heighten 

awareness among recreational boaters of 

the importance of boating responsibly and 

wearing a life jacket at all times.

In 2009, three-fourths of all fatal boating 

accidents in the United States resulted from 

the victims drowning, and 84 percent of those 

who drowned were not wearing life jackets.

Of the 7,000 boaters who died during 

the past 10 years, 5,000 of them drowned. 

Drowning is the third leading cause of 

accidental death in the U.S. and the second 

leading cause of accidental death for people 

5 to 44 years old.

Most boating accidents occur quickly and 

unexpectedly, and it is extremely difficult to 

locate and don a life jacket at the moment an 

accident occurs.
Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Shane Sexton

Mind, Body & Soul

Overcoming Separation

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

Separating from our loved ones and 

deploying to a new environment can be very 

stressful. Long stretches apart, frequent moves 

and financial insecurities are all things that 

can test our resilience. The stress from being 

deployed can cause our emotions to affect the 

way we perform and how we interact with 

others. There is something, however, that we 

can do! 

Often we forget to show appreciation or 

give praise, and we forget how much it means 

to simply say “I appreciate you.” These words 

can go a long way. Verbal support during a 

deployment can make a world of difference 

and reduce the amount of pressure we endure 

while away. 

The ability to trust in one another, to 

accept new roles and responsibilities is 

challenging, especially with limited resources 

and communication. Trust is the basis for 

a relationship; it is a solid belief that leads 

individuals to count on one another to 

be sensitive and faithful. Furthermore, it 

allows you to express your needs and share 

responsibilities from a distance. 

Our values and beliefs are based on our 

experiences pertaining to what we have 

learned throughout life. They help us to 

make decisions that are often trying. Share 

and express your values and beliefs with your 

loved ones and remember to honor what is 

expected. Try to avoid doing anything you 

wouldn’t do in their presence. 

Equal partnership and working together is 

beneficial to reaching goals. It is important to 

tackle conflict as a team effort. Spouses share 

a responsibility to achieve common goals, it 

is not an individual effort. Accomplishments 

together help strengthen a relationship and 

build a solid foundation. 

Financial stress is one of the major causes 

of marital discord. Budgeting expenses and 

having a plan can prevent unneeded stress. 

Discuss your budget and reach benchmarks 

together, this will help relieve stress, reward 

you equally, and create a bond for working 

together. 

Open communication and understanding 

can prevent conflicts before they arise. Work 

on talking about your feelings, hopes, fears, 

failures, successes and needs. Be able to give 

constructive criticism as well as receive it. 

Listen effectively and avoid aggression as this 

can shut down communication and act as a 

barrier in the future. Showing that you care can 

ease stress and keep communication open. 

Deployments can be stressful, but 

preventative techniques can help decrease the 

effects of stress and worry during this tough 

time. Maintain connection through letters, 

video chat, e-mail, pictures, tapes, pictures 

and phone calls. Do activities together for 

long-distance couples such as reading a book 

together and discussing it, or having a date 

night with video chat. These small activities 

help to keep the connection light-hearted and 

carefree. Encourage each other to stay busy 

and develop interests and hobbies. These 

things will help ease the length of separation 

and draw you closer through common 

interests and unique differences. Remember, 

it is the little things that count, good or bad, 

it can make a difference and build cohesion in 

your relationship.

| Mind, Body & Soul The Wire | Page 17
The Wire | Page 18 At the Movies |

Movie Review

28 29 30 31 01 02

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

Pirates of the 

Caribbean On 

Stranger Tides

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Hannah

(PG-13) 10 p.m.

Thor

(PG) 8 p.m.

Diary of a Whimpy 

Kid

(PG) 8 p.m.

Battle L.A.

(R) 8 p.m.

*last showing*

Lincoln Lawyer

(R) 8 p.m.

Thor

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Downtown

Lyceum

Camp 

Bulkeley

Sucker Punch

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Source Code

(PG-13) 10 p.m.

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

It is difficult to explain the plot to Zack 

Snyder’s humorless, over-stylized “Sucker 

Punch.” Not because it’s confounding 

or intricate, like Christopher Nolan’s 

“Inception,” but because it’s so ludicrous 

and over-the-top that, by retelling even a 

small, vague summery, it brings back the 

horror of having to sit through it.

Emily Browning is Babydoll, a used 

and abused little hottie with a penchant 

for pigtails. After her mother’s death, she 

is sent to an insane asylum by her father 

after she rebuffs his advances with a 

clean scratch to the face. This first twenty 

minutes of plot setup is completely void of 

any dialogue, only a thumping soundtrack 

and slow motion photography. Because 

who needs storytelling when you have the 

Eurythmic’s “Sweet Dreams (Are Made 

of This)” to do it for you?

At the crazy house, Babydoll meets 

a host of characters: Blue, the sneering, 

conniving orderly; Madam Gorski, a 

therapist/mother figure (Carla Gugino, 

with a whole lotta eye makeup); and a 

ragtag group of mishandled, mistreated, 

misdiagnosed girls with their own issues 

(Vanessa Huggens of “High School 

Musical” fame, Abby Cornish and Jena 

Malone. The latter two obviously lost a 

bet of some kind - they are far above this 

sort of material).

Here’s where things get weird. 

Presumably, to escape her hellish 

surroundings, Babydoll re-imagines the 

mental ward as a glamourous Moulin 

Rouge-type brothel, with Blue as the club 

manager, Madam G as the dance instructor 

and all her newfound friends served up as 

tasty morsels for the clientele. Soon we 

learn that Babydoll has special dancing 

powers that turn her audience into 

drooling goons, which makes a perfect 

excuse to hatch up an escape plan.

Here’s where things get really weird. 

When she dances, Babydoll is transported 

into a third reality, where she and her 

clan of bondage-clad babes make like 

superheroes and kick the snot out of Nazi 

zombies, robots and dragons. Snyder 

is actually a skillful director; he did a 

better-than-alright job remaking George 

Romaro’s “Dawn of the Dead” (one of 

my all-time favorite horror movies) in 

2004, then catapulted Gerald Butler into 

fame with the dazzling “300.” “Sucker 

Punch,” however, is nothing more than an 

excitable boy playing with his brand new 

toys. The effects that made “300” gripping 

are now used in sickening excess. 

Snyder claims to be exploring the roles 

of feminine power by lifting his meek 

Spc. Meredith Vincent

PG-13

114 min.

 see MOVIES page 19

27

Sucker Punch

Hannah

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Pirates of the 

Caribbean On 

Stranger Tides

(PG-13) 10 p.m.

Source Code

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Lincoln Lawyer

(R) 10 p.m.

Battle L.A.

(R) 8p.m.

*last showing*

Thor

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Sucker Punch

(PG-13) 8p.m.

Limitless

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Paul

(PG-13) 8 p.m.
| The Last Word The Wire | Page 19

MOVIES 

movie is an unabashed celebration of 

everything dudes are supposed to want 

in life. Having said that, I’m not going 

to apologize for my banana rats, or lack 

thereof. If you want a quality story about 

girl power that mixes gore, rad fight scenes 

and a compelling plot, I suggest Quentin 

Tarantino’s “Kill Bill” saga. But there’s no 

dragon in that. So if you have to have the 

dragon, go ahead and waste two hours of 

your life on “Sucker Punch.”

helpless heroines up, strapping them with 

machine guns and grenades and letting 

them blow the crap out of robots. But all 

that is lifting these girls up are stilettos 

and Wonder Bras. 

The movie does the most disservice to 

Browning. All bee-stung lips and rougestained cheeks, she doesn’t really act 

so much as pout and glare. Some may 

remember a young Browning as the highstrung Violet Baudelaire in “Lemony 

Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events,” 

in which she showed much promise. 

Unfortunately, in “Sucker Punch,” she is 

reduced to a body in a mini-skirt, filling 

Snyder’s own fantasies of young girls, 

violence and indiscernible movie titles.

Last week, someone told me I need to 

“know my audience” while reviewing. It 

will come as no surprise to me that many 

readers will react strongly to this review 

- most of you are male, after all, and this 

everyone at GTMO who played tennis,” said Miguel Simonet. “But after attending the 

league meeting and playing the first few matches, I was surprised to meet even more 

people to play and practice with, so I’m glad I joined.”

Whether players are trying to improve their tennis skills or just meet other fans and 

learn more about the sport, Morrison said knowing who the other players are is key.

“Our goal is to generate interest in different sports teams and events for the 

community,” said Morrison. “And I think we are doing pretty good with all the local 

tennis players. Game on!”

For more information on the spring tennis league or any MWR sports teams or 

tournaments contact the G.J. Denich Gym at x77262. 

“The sports fields are the other major improvement since my last visit. 

It’s a huge morale booster. You can’t 

go anywhere but base, so being able to 

run on the track and use the fields is 

just awesome.”

 Whether at work or on the fields, 

expect to find MSST Boston together. 

It is something they say is key to how 

their unit and the Coast Guard function.

“We stick together,” said Villa. “Everyone and everything benefits from 

it. I don’t think the mission will be as 

successful if people are unhappy and 

don’t get along. We stay open-minded 

and understand each individual in this 

team. We know our differences and 

that helps us keep his unity. We also 

apply that to working with the other 

services too since we’re here in a joint 

environment.”

While unity helps these Coasties take 

care of their mission, which they consider top priority, it also helps them 

as individuals. The rigors of any deployment introduce unique stresses 

not felt anywhere else. Their familylike approach to work carries over to 

their personal lives too – helping make 

them even stronger.

“We can’t always email home everyday or call home everyday,” said Pease. 

“We’re looking out for each other 

and we’re not going to let people get 

into trouble or fall down. We’re with 

friends and really count on each other 

here. It’s especially nice when all of us 

are away from friends and loved ones. 

We have our own here. We all care 

about each other – that’s just how we 

work.”

TENNIS

BOSTON
BATTER UP!

Manny Sanchez, a softball player for the Naval Expeditionary Guard Battalion 

team, takes a big swing during the All Guantanamo Military Softball Team 

tryouts at Cooper Field, May 22. – photo by MC2 Joe Ebalo

JTF

The

CARE PACKAGES!

Operations Specialist 1st Class Antonio Herring (left) smiles after receiving 

some cookies from the Naval Expeditionary Guard Battalion Chaplain at 

Camp Delta, May 23. The Joint Task Force-Guantanamo Chaplains conduct 

daily outreach programs with the troops to offer guidance and counseling, 

promote the chapel services and sometime give away snacks and goodies 

to improve morale. – photo by MC2 Jason Tross

WAY TO GO!

Master Sgt. Crystal Davis-Vails (left), Superintendent for JTF GTMO SJA, 

congratulates Capt. Scott Shinn for receiving the Navy Marine Corps 

Achievement Medal during a ceremony near Camp America, May 23. -photo 

by MC2 Joe Ebalo

CROSSING THE BORDER!

Troopers take a tour of the Northeast Gate during the monthly trip hosted by the Marine 

Corps Security Forces Company, May 20. – photo by MC2 Maddelin Angebrand