Volume 12, Issue 15 Thursday, March 31, 2011

March Madness Gets Hairy

The history, the heroes and the horror!

JTF

The

UNDERWATER REENLISTMENT

Pfc. Justus Rallis carries the flag, March 25 during a reenlistment ceremony for 

Staff Sgt. RoseAnne Dundon. - photo by Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Begnoche

PUNCHING FOR FITNESS

Master-at-Arms 2nd Class Nancy Mora attached to Navy 

Expeditionary Guard Battalion Joint Task Force Guantanamo 

practices her boxing routine, March 25. 

– photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class 

Maddelin Angebrand.

UNITED THROUGH READING

Spc. Meredith Vincent reads a book for her children as 

chaplain’s assistants record the session as part of the United 

Through Reading program. – photo by Mass Communication 

Specialist 2nd Class Joe Ebalo.

KEEPING A WATCHFUL EYE

Machinery Technician 3rd Class Jason Miller a qualified 

coxswain attached to U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Security 

Detachment Joint Task Force Guantanamo, stands watch 

aboard a safety vessel during a training exercise with the Naval 

Station Guantanamo Bay Harbor Security team, March 25. 

– photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class 

Maddelin Angebrand.
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 1,000.

Trooper to Trooper |

JTF Guantanamo

Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Jeffrey Harbeson

Command Master Chief

Command Sgt. Maj.

Mark Porrett

Office of Public Affairs Director

Navy Cmdr. Tamsen Reese: 9928

Deputy Director

Air Force Lt. Col. Don Langley: 9927

Operations Officer

CW2 Raymond Chapman: 3649

Senior Enlisted Leader

Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class 

Sally Hendricks: 3649

The Wire

Executive Editor

Army Staff Sgt. Benjamin Cossel: 3499

Assistant Editor

Spc. Meredith Vincent: 3651

Photojournalists:

Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Elisha Dawkins

Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Jason Tross

Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Jordan Miller

Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Wesley Kreiss

Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Joe Ebalo

Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class 

Maddelin Angebrand

Spc. Justin Pierce

Spc. Kelly Gary

Contact us

Editor’s Desk: 3499

From the continental United States

Commercial: 011-53-99-3499

DSN: 660-3499

E-mail: thewire@jtfgtmo.southcom.mil

Online: www.jtfgtmo.southcom.mil

COVER: A Trooper gives some furry lip service for The Wire. – photo by Spc. Meredith Vincent

Senior Enlisted Leader, 525th MP Battalion 

Command Sgt. Major

Daniel Borrero

With each passing moment 

that we serve there are always 

challenges to be faced. The 

challenge can be something as 

simple as properly wearing your 

uniform to something more 

demanding like charging into a 

firefight to pull a fellow Soldier 

out of harm’s way. The challenges 

that each of us face each day are all 

unique, special and significant to 

that individual and at times to that 

unit. Here at JTF-GTMO these 

anomalies hold just as true. All 

Troopers here face individual as 

well as unit specific challenges that 

force each Soldier, Sailor, Airmen, 

Coast Guardsmen and Marine to, 

at times, fall back on what we term 

“Warrior Ethos” and/or our own 

service specific core values. 

For example: 

The challenge of standing 

a post for 12 hours knowing 

full well that the person you are 

guarding would harm you at a 

moments notice. Or the challenge 

of providing professional medical 

care to an individual that would use 

your exceptional skills against you 

by saying you provided inhumane 

treatment versus saying, “thank 

you for helping me with 

my aliment.” 

The challenge of 

walking away from an 

individual who has just 

spit in your face or has 

thrown feces in your 

face for the third straight 

day, yet you still remain 

professional in all that 

you do. Clearly, I could go on and 

on listing the various challenges 

one individual could face and for 

some of us we have faced all of 

the above listed here and maybe 

even more. 

As a Senior Enlisted Leader 

for my unit, balancing the mission 

while keeping a watchful eye on all 

the individual and unit challenges 

is a charge all SEL’s take on. We 

do this through our subordinate 

unit leaders. In the Army this 

starts with the team leader and 

squad leader and carries on 

through the platoon sergeants 

and first sergeants. All the while 

working hand in hand alongside 

our officer counterparts to make 

mission happen and take care of 

our Troopers. Recently, I received 

an anonymous letter sent to me 

via the Battalion comment box, 

addressing a Soldier’s challenge 

of trying to understand why a 

particular decision was made the 

way that it was. To this question, 

a part of my response was, we 

as a command place the needs 

of the mission to the forefront; 

which kind of sounds like “I will 

always place the mission first.”

While doing this we balance the 

safety of our forces against the 

resources available which kind of 

sounds like “I will never leave a 

fallen comrade” to ensure mission 

success which kind of sounds like 

“I will never accept defeat.” While 

we persevere against the enemy 

and turn their non-compliant 

behavior toward a compliant status 

peacefully which kind of sounds 

like “I will never quit.”

Although my explanations to 

the Soldiers was more specific 

based on the question, you kind of 

see where I am heading with this. 

So I challenge the leaders in the 

units to take the time out to talk 

with their Troopers and explain 

the why behind decisions made 

without using the terms “They 

said” or “They are making us” and 

accept that we - the senior leaders 

- are now, “They” and should hold 

ownership in decisions made by 

the respective commands. The 

Warrior Ethos and our service 

core values are tools that help us 

as leaders answer the questions 

of our Troopers and help us in 

overcoming our challenges as 

well. To the Troopers, you are 

all empowered with these same 

ethos and core values. I now 

“CHALLENGE” you to use 

them when you face adversity or 

whatever size hurdle comes your 

way. To ask for clarification and 

assistance and know that your 

shipmates, battle buddies and 

friends stand by your side to help 

you overcome any challenge, and 

that your leaders stand poised 

to assist you in anyway possible. 

| news you can use The Wire | Page 3

Gadhafi forces drive rebels from key oil town

Voice of America News Service

Libyan rebels are frantically fleeing eastward after forces loyal 

to leader Moammar Gadhafi drove them Wednesday from a key 

oil port.

Western news reports from outside Ras Lanuf say rebels are 

retreating amid intense fighting with pro-government forces 

shelling them and firing rockets.

The reports said large numbers of rebels fled in pickup trucks, 

giving up nearly all the ground they had taken since a weekend push 

westward.

Wounded rebel fighters are treated in a hospital in Ajdabiyah after being brought in from the road to Ras Lanuf, in Libya, 

March 30. – photo by Reuters

On Tuesday, pro-Gadhafi troops reversed the rebel’s push, 

hammering them with tank and artillery fire and forcing a panicked 

retreat to Ras Lanuf. Opposition fighters pleaded for allied air 

strikes as they fled.

Loyalist troops also continued to besiege Misrata on Wednesday, 

the last significant rebel holdout in the west.

Western nations began enforcing a United Nations-authorized 

no-fly zone over Libya on March 19. On Wednesday, NATO 

member states begin enforcing all military operations in the North 

African nation.

Lawmakers, 9-11 Commission Warn U.S. vulnerable to terror threat

Voice of America News Service

The former leaders of the bi-partisan 

9-11 Commission say the United States has 

not done enough to protect itself from the 

ever evolving terrorist threat.

Commission Chairman Thomas Kean, 

former Republican governor of the eastern 

state of New Jersey, and Vice Chairman 

Lee Hamilton, a former Democratic 

congressman, testified before a Senate 

committee in the first of a series of hearings 

to review the U.S. response almost 10 years 

after the September 11, 2001 terrorist 

attacks.

Kean told lawmakers, while the United 

States is better prepared to prevent attacks 

like those on the World Trade Center and 

the Pentagon, there are significant gaps that 

require urgent attention.

He said the terrorist threat has become 

more complex and diverse, making small 

attacks from groups like al-Qaida more 

likely. He also warned there is a growing 

threat from would-be terrorists in the 

United States who are not affiliated with 

any group.

Hamilton said he is concerned the 

country has not done enough to streamline 

communication between its intelligence 

agencies, and it is still not clear which 

federal agency or official is in charge.

Kean and Hamilton also raised concerns 

about the emergency command structure for 

cities and towns across the country, saying 

many communities have yet to decide who 

is in charge, if and when there is an attack.

Lawmakers at the Senate Homeland 

Security and Governmental Affairs 

committee hearing agreed that more needs 

to be done.

Committee Chairman, Senator Joe 

Lieberman (Connecticut) said the United 

States has sometimes avoided disaster 

thanks to an inept bomb maker or a faulty 

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

News from the Bay

Elementary school 

seeking volunteers

Boots on the Ground

Who are you rooting for in the NCAA Final Four?

“I’m going with Kentucky.”

Religious Programs 

Specialist 3rd Class

Jeffrey Lauber

“Virginia.”

Spc. Chaise Myers Spc. Jonathan Williams

“Butler – I want the 

underdog to win.”

“Virginia.”

Teachers of the W.T. Sampson Elementary 

are seeking up to 20 volunteers for the school’s 

yearly field day activities, April 6 beginning at 8 

p.m. and concluding at 11:30 a.m.

“I have eight sections and having about 

three people per station has really worked well 

in case someone needs to take a break,” said 

Coach Denise Winkler. 

To give volunteers a run-down of the day’s 

vents, Winkler said participants should be at 

the school no later than 7:45 a.m.

Food and drinks will be available in the 

school’s teachers’ lounge. 

Anyone interested in volunteering should 

contact Winkler at x2207. 

Stories and reporting by Spc. Meredith Vincent 

and Army Staff Sgt. Benjamin Cossel

Air Force Staff Sgt.

J.T. Peacock

PSEC ALERT

DON’T BE A VICTIM. USE “NEED TO KNOW.”

Did you know going to the website WikiLeaks is a violation of government policy?

Have you ever wondered what is on the website WikiLeaks? The answer is information that should not have been 

released. If you attempt to visit the Wikileaks website from any computer – personal or government – you are 

violating Department of Defense policy and can be punished under article 92 of the UCMJ. If you attempt to 

gather information to post to Wikileaks or another website, or in any way release information to the public, you 

can be held accountable for your actions. Don’t believe me, ask Pfc. Bradley Manning.

| News The Wire | Page 5

trooper

Spc. Kelly Gary

Bullet Bio

Time in service: 13 mo.

Hobbies: sports, 

snorkeling

Pet peeves: lazy people 

Next goal: to make E7 in 

seven years

With just more than a year in the Army, 

Pfc. Robert W. Carroll has already excelled 

as a Soldier, proving to his leadership that 

he has what it takes.

Carroll, a Guantanamo Bay guard 

with the 193rd Military Police Company, 

admitted one reason he joined was for the 

benefits but he was looking for more. 

“I needed something to do with my 

life, something to push me in the right 

direction,” said Carroll. 

The direction the Army took him was 

straight from basic training to Guantanamo 

Bay. Since his arrival, Carroll’s leadership 

said he has displayed great Soldier qualities. 

“This Soldier goes above and beyond,” 

said Sgt. 1st Class Glendon P. Moore, 

Carroll’s platoon sergeant. 

When Carroll is not working his long 

shifts, going to the gym or snorkeling, he is 

training for one of the various competitions 

he has been selected for. 

“Since he has been here he has competed 

for and been selected for the Army Ten 

-Miler and the Bataan Death March team,” 

Moore said.

Carroll expressed he has only benefited 

from being a part of the team. 

“[The March] made me realize that I can 

do things I never thought I could,” he said. 

“I never thought in my wildest dreams that 

I could ruck 26.2 miles.” 

Participating in these events has driven 

Carroll to excel. 

“It is a good way to push myself. In the 

long run it will make me a better leader,” 

Carroll said with conviction.

The Army has seven core values; of

 see GRAD, page 7

Navy Operations Specialist 

2nd Class Ginny Mae Grady did 

more than just graduate with 

her associate’s degree at the 

Naval Station Guantanamo Base 

Chapel March 20.

She passed yet another 

milestone and overcame some 

unique challenges on the way 

toward achieving her dream 

of becoming both a nurse and 

naval officer. 

“Considering I’m the first 

person in my family to graduate, 

it feels awesome,” said Grady. 

“Hopefully next year I’ll get 

accepted to the MECP [Medical 

Enlisted Commissioning 

program] and be working on my 

bachelor’s.” 

Grady, who currently works 

as a guard with the Naval 

Expeditionary Guard Battalion, 

earned her entire degree on 

active duty using the Navy’s 

education programs and an 

internet connection. 

“I’ve done everything online 

and paid for the entire thing with 

tuition assistance,” said Grady. “I 

started taking one class at a time 

when I joined the Navy in 2005. 

It’s been an ongoing process 

with a few classes here and a few 

classes there and a few breaks in 

between.”

Between erratic work hours in 

the fleet and unreliable internet 

at Guantanamo Bay, Grady faced 

her share of difficulties. 

“I definitely feel like the 

Trooper reaches education milestone, earns degree

Story and photo by Mass Communication 

Specialist 2nd Class Jason Tross

discipline I learned in the military 

helped me with college,” said 

Grady. “Online college isn’t easy. 

I’ve lost so many papers due to 

the Internet kicking me off and 

having to log back in. I learned 

the hard way to save my work.”

Pfc. Robert Carroll

focus

 see FOCUS page 7
The Wire | Page 6 Feature |

More than a thousand people 

crowded the Downtown Lyceum 

Saturday night to see Chelsea 

Handler, host of E!’s late night talk 

show “Chelsea Lately,” and her 

comedy team perform, courtesy 

of Guantanamo Bay’s Morale, 

Welfare and Recreation and the 

USO. 

“This was, by far, the largest 

turnout I have seen at an event since 

I arrived in GTMO,” said Amiee 

MacDonnell, MWR community 

activities director. “We knew there 

would be a crowd but this even 

surpassed my expectations.”

Handler was joined by Sarah 

Colonna, Chris Franjola and Josh 

Wolf, all comics and writers who 

work on “Chelsea Lately.” The 

group arrived Friday evening. 

On Saturday they were given a 

small tour of Joint Task Force 

Guantanamo by JTF Guantanamo 

Commander, Rear Adm. Jeffrey 

Harbeson, with a stop by Kittery 

Café for lunch and autographsigning. 

The group then traveled to 

Radio GTMO, where they traded 

barbs with radio personalities Dr. 

J and DJ Funkenstein. The show 

began with insight into Handler’s 

new book, “Lies Chelsea Handler 

Told Me,” but soon veered off 

the rails into what became a hint 

of the act that night. Known for 

her crude behavior and deadpan 

delivery, Handler and Co. schooled 

the Radio GTMO crew – and a 

packed-in booth – in one-liners 

and jaw-droppers.

“That was great radio,” 

exclaimed Mass Communication 

Specialist 2nd Class Justin Ailes aka 

Dr. J. 

The interaction with Troopers 

was exactly what the group was 

looking for, said MacDonnell.

“Chelsea and her team were 

excited to get out and meet the 

Troops,” she said. “[They] made 

that clear from the time they 

arrived Friday night.”

Tackling taboo subjects, raw 

material and confronting hecklers 

head on, Handler’s team made it 

clear they meant serious comedy 

business as well. The shock factor 

did not discriminate. During 

Wolf’s set, an unknown individual 

took to the stage dressed in a full 

gorilla costume. 

“I can honestly say that has 

never happened before,” laughed 

An evening with Chelsea

Story and photos by Spc. Meredith Vincent

Wolf, who was clearly thrown off 

by the primate’s appearance. The 

comedian had to be reminded by 

the audience what joke he was in 

the process of telling before the 

interruption. 

MacDonnell, for one was 

pleased with the entire night’s 

turnout.

“We really appreciate the USO 

sending celebrity acts of this caliber 

to GTMO,” she said. “Shows like 

these really give people something 

to look forward to.”

Cheslea Handler gets real with 

DJ Funkenstein at Radio GTMO, 

Saturday afternoon. 

An MWR official estimated approximately 1500 hundred 

people showed to see Handler perform Saturday night. 

Handler and her comedy team signed autographs 

at Kittery Cafe Saturday during the lunch hour, 

and then again after the show that night. 

Sarah Colonna shows off her 

good side during her set at the 

Downtown Lyceum.

Josh Wolf monkeys around with an audience member. Wolf said 

this was the first show where a stunt like that had been pulled off. 

| News The Wire | Page 7

Master-at-Arms 3rd Class Dominique Johnson, a patrolman stationed at Naval 

Station Guantanamo’s Security Department, stands armed sentry watch in front 

of the air traffic control tower at Leeward Point Airfield, March 28. 

The Caimanera municipality of Cuba is 

widely known in the Caribbean for its bright, 

blue skies, calm tropical waters and breathtaking views of the Nipe-Sigua-Baracoa 

Mountains in the northern Guantanamo 

Province.

This sight greets incoming personnel 

who step off the plane at Naval Station 

Guantanamo Bay at Leeward Point Airfield. 

The next thing they see is a U.S. Navy 

Master-at-Arms Sailor clad in a blue digital 

camouflage uniform.

MA’s are the primary law enforcement 

and security personnel of the U.S. Navy and 

are trained to guard piers and waterways 

as well as the surrounding areas in a patrol 

boat or vehicle. However, this small team of 

NAVSTA flight line security Sailors is tasked 

with the unique responsibility of protecting 

the base airfield and ensuring the safety of all 

NAVSTA and Joint Task Force Guantanamo 

personnel, visitors, equipment and facilities.

Security Department Operations Chief, 

Chief Master-at-Arms James Lloyd said 

whether the plane is filled with supplies or 

distinguished visitors, the flightline MA’s are 

going to be right there to identify them upon 

arrival. 

 “Their mission is to ensure that 100 

percent of the personnel with access to 

the airport is authorized to be there and to 

protect all aspects of flight line operations,” 

said Lloyd. “It’s a challenging job.”

In addition to monitoring the actual 

runway and airport entrances, the flight line 

MA’s are also responsible for upholding the 

U.S. Department of Transportation Security 

Administration travel safety guidelines 

by conducting physical inspections and 

operating the X-ray machine. 

They are also required to stay in constant 

communication with the base Air Operations 

Department in order to support the various 

NAVSTA and JTF Guantanamo missions.

“The most challenging part of the job is 

Flight line security Masters-at-Arms protect base airfield

Story and photo by Mass Communication Specialist 

2nd Class Joe Ebalo

being in an isolated location away from the 

rest of the security department and having 

to deal with changes to different missions at 

a moment’s notice,” said Flight Line Security 

Leading Petty Officer, Master-at-Arms 2nd 

Class Benjamin Eastman. “But we are all 

well-trained and we know we have to stick 

together and execute as a team.” 

All MA’s receive about six months of 

security and patrol operations training school 

before taking orders to an assignment. Once 

they check in to the NAVSTA GTMO 

Security Department, they go through 

continuous weapons qualifications and 

general military training. On average, MA’s 

will work on and patrol NAVSTA for about 

three to five months before rotating to the 

flight line where they’ll receive extensive TSA 

and airport security training, said Eastman.

Master-at-Arms Seaman Jessica Jimison, 

the most junior of the current flight line 

MA’s, said she uses her training and relies 

on her teammates every day on the job. 

During a recent VIP visit March 28, Jimison 

was one of the first to greet a group of 

U.S.Congressman and got the chance to 

have a conversation with one of our nation’s 

decision makers.

“He asked me about my job and about 

where I’m from. He also thanked me for 

my service and for my professionalism,” 

said Jimison. “On his way out I ran into 

him again and he told me he was impressed 

with how sharp all the servicemembers here 

were, starting and ending with me. Getting 

the chance to talk with a distinguished 

visitor like that made me feel more proud 

of the job I do in the Navy and here at 

GTMO.”

In the MA community there is 

commonly known saying: “You can tell 

how a base operates and how well run it is 

the second you get to the guard shack.” The 

security personnel are the most prominent 

representatives of an installation and – in 

the case of Guantanamo Bay regardless of 

whether passengers are flying in or departing 

– the flight line MA team are committed to 

making a good impression for the whole 

military community.

GRAD cont. 

Military members are 

entitled to various forms of 

assistance to pursue their 

higher education – be it a high 

school diploma, undergraduate 

or beyond. With the abundant 

services available, 19 students 

graduated this spring. Naval 

Station Guantanamo Bay 

Navy College Office Director 

Candice Rice feels that number 

reflects each graduate’s drive 

and commitment.

“It takes a very dedicated 

person to begin or continue 

their education while in 

Guantanamo,” said Rice. 

“GTMO students face 

challenges such as slow 

internet and not having the 

capability to view videos due 

to the [Internet] bandwith and 

arduous work schedules.” 

Grady confronted these 

issues head on and remained 

focused on her long-term 

goals.

“I missed part of a mid-term 

test because I got kicked off [the 

Internet] half way through,” said 

Grady. “But I got through it and 

still graduated.” 

Aside from studying and 

working, Grady also finds time 

to volunteer at the Naval Station 

Guantanamo Bay Naval Hospital. 

There, she practices what she will 

need to know in the Nurse Corps 

– taking vital statistics, drawing 

blood and helping develop 

diagnoses.

“Ginny is a hard-charging 

individual who is dedicated to 

completing the goals she sets in 

life,” said Rice. “A year ago when I 

met Ginny, she was smiling and it’s 

great to see she still has that great, 

upbeat personality a year later.”
The Wire | Page 8 Feature |

Real Men Grow

Mustaches

Guantanamo Bay residents 

may have noticed a curious 

trend sprouting on the lips 

of some servicemembers 

these past few weeks. While 

March Madness has long been 

associated with college basketball 

and the road to the NCAA 

championships, the month now 

has a new nomenclature, along 

with a new look. Breath a sigh 

of relief, GTMO: “Mustache 

March” is almost over!

The history of Mustache 

March is surprisingly steeped 

in military tradition and 

controversy. It all started with 

American fighter pilot and 

general officer Robin Olds. Olds 

was a “triple ace,” with a total 

of 16 victories in World War II 

and the Vietnam War, He was 

known for his extravagantly 

waxed, non-regulation mustache, 

which he grew while in Vietnam. 

It was a common superstition 

among the airmen to grow the 

“bulletproof mustache,” but 

Olds was particularly proud of 

his. Upon his return home, Olds 

reported to Air Force Chief of 

Staff, Gen. John P. McConnell, 

who promptly stuck a finger 

under the fighter pilot’s nose 

and said “Take it off.” Olds 

answered automatically, “Yes, 

sir.” It was from this incident 

that Mustache March was 

born, as servicemembers from 

all branches join together in 

solidarity and grow – oftentimes 

Story and photos by Spc. Meredith Vincent

“It’s going to be weird staring at 

myself in the mirror again.”

“I don’t like to go on the record ... and 

my mustache likes it even less.”

| Feature The Wire | Page 9

hideous – mustaches. 

The mustache did not always 

enjoy the notoriety it does today. 

In fact, in simpler times it was 

a sign of a boy coming into 

dignified adulthood. In the 21st

century, however, mustaches 

are often associated with the 

nefarious, the creepy and the 

reviled. The look has not been 

able to shake its ties to the 

over-sexed and over-groomed 

machismo of the 1970s, 

epitomized by Burt Reynolds 

and Tom Selleck and expertly 

lampooned in Will Ferrell’s 

“Anchorman.” 

As further evidence of 

the mustache’s plight for 

legitimacy, an organization was 

established to explain, defend 

and protect those who bore 

the look. According to their 

website, the American Mustache 

Institute protects “the rights 

of, and fights discrimination 

against, mustached Americans 

by promoting the growth, care 

and culture of the mustache.” 

The AMI sponsors an annual 

Mustached American of the 

Year and hosts several mustache 

competitions and charity events. 

Luckily, there are signs of 

progress. The mustache is gaining 

new credibility and along with 

it, new life. Take a look at Brad 

Pitt’s character in “Inglourious 

Basterds.” Pitt himself actually 

dreamed up the look, which 

did not fit the World World II 

time period. The filmmakers 

rolled with it anyway and Pitt’s 

loony yet heroic Lt. Aldo Raine 

stole a place in America’s heart, 

mustache and all. 

In 2006, documentary 

filmmaker Jay Della Valle set 

out to reclaim mustache glory. 

In “The Glorious Mustache 

Challenge,” Della Valle 

challenged a group of men to 

grow mustaches for one month 

– no beards, no goatees – and 

save the look from permanent 

extinction. With a range of ages, 

ethnicities and professions, these 

brave souls soon discovered 

how a sliver of hair on the upper 

lip can change a man’s life, for 

better or worse. 

During the month of 

March, servicemembers on 

Guantanamo Bay learned their 

share of lessons as well. While 

many joined the Mustache 

March challenge begrudgingly, 

they now admit it was a 

worthwhile bonding experience. 

“If I could, I 

would rip it off 

with my bare 

hands right now.”

“Mine’s like polar bear fur – it’s clear 

but keeps [my lip] really warm!”

 see MUSTACHE, page 19
The Wire | Page 10 News | | News The Wire | Page 11

... Boatswains Mate 2nd Class Christopher 

Valdes, a qualified Coast Guard coxswain, 

ordered over the radio as he engaged his 

vessel’s throttle to reach thirty knots, after 

warning his crewmembers they would be 

“coming up,” a term used by the U.S Coast 

Guard to inform crewmembers that an 

increase in vessel speed is about to take place. 

In other words, hang on!

As the skies boast a brilliant blue color and 

the afternoon sun shone through scattered 

clouds above Naval Station Guantanamo 

Bay, the U.S Coast Guard Maritime Security 

Detachment Joint Task Force Guantanamo 

welcomed three Naval Station Guantanamo 

harbor security Sailors for a couple hours of 

intense tactics, techniques and procedures 

training, March 25.

With four different scenarios about to 

unfold, the entire crew gathers to review a 

crucial safety brief, capitalizing on vessel-tovessel communication, a max speed of 50 

knots and a minimum distance of 50 feet 

between the vessels. 

“Communicating is absolutely 

paramount to the safety of the crew and 

to the effectiveness of the mission,” 

emphasized Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Brian 

Clampitt, MARSECDET’s commanding 

officer. “We have internal communications 

with the boat crew itself, so each of us 

needs to be talking to each other. If we 

see something that isn’t safe, everybody’s 

responsible to speak up. Then, we can 

break from the drill and start again if we 

need to.” 

Both Coast Guard and Navy 

crewmembers and all coxswains suited up 

in Kevlar helmets and safety vests before 

boarding the vessels. The coxswain on 

a Coast Guard small boat is in charge of 

the vessel and all personnel on board. 

Coxswains, while underway, operate 

without regard to rank or seniority. 

The training scenarios posed one vessel 

as the high value asset to be protected by 

one reaction vessel and one screening vessel. 

A fourth vessel posed as the opposing force 

vessel or “OPFOR.” 

For the first scenario, the OPFOR acted 

as a weary fisherman, drifting near the 

“zone” where the Coast Guard and Navy 

both protect and patrol. Upon entering 

that zone, crewmembers of the reaction 

and screening vessel must make a warning 

announcement stating it is getting close to 

the “line.”

After giving the initial warning 

announcement, crewmembers follow a 

four-step approach to intercepting the vessel 

in order to protect their high value asset, 

which in a real scenario could be anything 

from a tanker to the U.S president.

“Warning shots, warning

 shots! You are inside the

 zone, warning shots!”...

Story and photos by 

Mass Communication 

Specialist 2nd Class 

Maddelin Angebrand

U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Security Detachment Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay 

conducts a joint tactical training exercise with the Naval Station Guantanamo 

Bay Harbor Security team on Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, March 25.

Lt.j.g Caitlin Quinn, operations officer, maneuvers a vessel while Master-at-Arms Seaman 

Brandon Shambaugh simulates the use of a mounted automatic weapon during a joint 

tactical training exercise on Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, March 25

 see TRAINING, page 19

CoastiesWET with the Navy

GET
The At Your Service | Wire | Page 12

In The Trenches

DoD announces stationing of two Combat Aviation Brigades

The Department of Defense announced 

Wednesday the stationing of two Army Combat 

Aviation Brigades. The 16th Combat Aviation 

Brigade will be split-based and established at 

Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., and Fort 

Wainwright, Alaska, using existing aviation units 

not currently assigned to a combat aviation 

brigade. A new Combat Aviation Brigade, or 

CAB, will be activated at Fort Carson, Colo.

The 16th CAB stationing action realigns 

existing assets resulting in an increase of 

approximately 1,400 new Soldiers and 44 

helicopters at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. This 

action for the split-based CAB at Joint Base 

Lewis-McChord will begin in fiscal year 2012, 

and is expected to be completed by fiscal year 

2014.

The Army recognizes Alaska as a strategic 

location and will continue to maintain a significant 

aviation presence there. This stationing increases 

the invaluable medical evacuation strength in 

Alaska by three additional aircraft in fiscal year 

2013. It also validates the Army’s commitment 

and support to the aviation infrastructure 

through military construction programmed for 

replacement and upgrade of the aviation facilities.

Capt. Christopher Bulson and Capt. Zachariah Gummert, from Provincial 

Reconstruction Team Zabul, step off a CH-47 Chinook in Daychopan, 

Afghanistan, Mar. 29 - photo by Air Force Staff Sgt. Brian Ferguson.

Department of Defense

Public Affairs 

The new CAB activation at Fort Carson, 

Colo., will result in a total growth in Army forces 

and equipment by approximately 2,700 Soldiers 

and 113 helicopters. Fort Carson establishes the 

new brigade beginning fiscal year 2013 and is 

expected to be completed by fiscal year 2014.

The activation of these brigades will increase 

the capabilities of the active component of 

the U.S. Army and increase dwell time for 

aviation units between deployments in support 

of overseas contingency operations. These 

combined force structure actions represent 

integrated changes that support the Army’s 

transformation requirements.

Forces kill insurgents in Afghanistan airstrike

International Security Assistance Force 

Joint Command 

A coalition airstrike killed more than 10 

insurgents in the Bermal district of Afghanistan’s 

Paktika province Sunday, military officials 

reported.

An air weapons team reported insurgents 

armed with rocket-propelled grenades massed 

at two known insurgent outposts, requested 

permission and launched precision airstrikes on 

both locations, officials said.

In other operations on Sunday throughout 

Afghanistan:

- An International Security Assistance 

Force patrol killed several armed insurgents 

and wounded others after being ambushed in 

Helmand province’s Sangin district.

- Security forces in Kandahar province’s 

Zharay district captured several suspected 

insurgents linked to a drug cache. The operations 

resulted in seizure of 1,500 pounds of marijuana 

and 350 pounds of marijuana seeds.

- In Khost province’s Sabari district, troops 

captured numerous Hezb-E Islami Gulbuddin 

terrorists while searching for one of the group’s 

facilitators responsible for procuring funds 

and providing the group with intelligence 

information.

- Afghan and coalition forces captured several 

suspected insurgents, including a Taliban bomb 

expert who is connected to several recent attacks 

on security forces and Afghan civilians, in the 

Pul-e Alam district of Logar province.

- Forces in Nangarhar province’s Jalalabad 

district detained two suspected insurgents while 

searching for a Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan terrorist 

responsible for trafficking weapons and fighters 

from Pakistan.

- Based on tips from local civilians, security 

forces in Logar province’s Mohammed district 

arrested a senior Taliban leader who is linked to 

other Taliban leaders throughout the province.

- In Baghlan province’s Baghlan-e Jadid 

district, troops arrested two “high-value” Taliban 

leaders, officials said. One is a bomb expert 

responsible for attacks on security forces, while 

the other is responsible for assassinating the 

Nahrin district governor.

- Security forces in Kandahar province’s 

Kandahar City arrested a Taliban leader 

responsible for planning and carrying out attacks 

on security forces after tips from local residents 

led troops to his location.

- Afghan and coalition forces found several 

weapons and drug stockpiles throughout 

Afghanistan. The operations resulted in seizure 

of 18,810 pounds of ammonium nitrate -- a 

banned fertilizer used for explosives -- as well as 

32 mortars and rockets, 15 machine-gun rounds, 

six rocket-propelled grenades and assorted 

bomb-making materials.

In March 26 operations:

- Forces in Helmand province killed an 

insurgent and disrupted enemy activity with 

mortar fire after spotting a group of insurgents 

maneuvering toward a known enemy fighter 

position.

- Security forces captured two suspected 

insurgents, including a weapons trafficker 

responsible for acquiring and supplying other 

insurgents with munitions and explosives, in 

Afghanistan’s Kabul province.

- Afghan and coalition forces in Baghlan 

province’s Baghlan-e Jadid district detained two 

suspected insurgents, including a senior Taliban 

leader, after local villagers reported them to 

security forces.

- In Kandahar province, troops discovered 

two weapons stockpiles and a bomb factory 

during a routine patrol. The operations resulted 

in troops finding the bomb factory, 110 artillery 

rounds, four mines, an 82 mm mortar round 

rigged with explosives and other bomb-making 

materials.

On The Deck

| At Your Service The Wire | Page 13

MCPON: Happy 

118th Birthday CPOs

US Navy P-3C, USAF A-10 and USS Barry engage Libyan vessels

USS MOUNT WHITNEY, 

At Sea (NNS) – A U.S. Navy P-3C 

Orion maritime patrol aircraft, 

U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt 

attack aircraft and guided-missile 

destroyer USS Barry (DDG-52), 

engaged Libyan Coast Guard 

vessel Vittoria and two smaller 

Joint Task Force Odyssey Dawn 

Public Affairs

craft March, 28.

The vessels were engaged 

after confirmed reports that 

Vittoria and accompanying crafts 

were firing indiscriminately at 

merchant vessels in the port of 

Misrata, Libya.

The P-3C fired at Vittoria with 

AGM-65F Maverick missiles, 

rendering the 12-meter patrol 

vessel ineffective and forcing 

it to be beached after multiple 

explosions were observed in the 

vicinity of the port.

Two smaller Libyan craft were 

fired upon by the A-10 using its 

30mm GAU-8/ Avenger cannon, 

destroying one and forcing the 

other to be abandoned.

WASHINGTON (NNS) 

– Master Chief Petty Officer 

of the Navy (MCPON)(SS/

SW) Rick D. West released 

the following Chief Petty Officer birthday message to the 

Fleet March 28.

“My fellow chief petty officers,

On April 1st, our entire 

Mess will pause to celebrate 

118 years of the United States 

Navy Chief Petty Officer, 

and we’re not just celebrating 

another year of chiefs serving the Navy, we’re celebrating everything it means to 

wear the fouled anchors we 

all cherish.

Those anchors are the 

symbol of a culture and a way 

of life, representing character, loyalty, a strong commitment to leadership, our core 

values, and Navy ethos. Our 

anchors carry with them a responsibility to live up to the 

tradition of selfless service, 

while remembering our proud 

heritage that we’ve spent 118 

years building as we look toward our future.

Thank you Chiefs! 

Through your leadership of 

our Sailors, you continue to 

keep our heritage alive and 

our Navy strong — and as 

you know our Navy is the 

best it has ever been. Continue to make a positive impact 

on your command, your Sailors, yourself and our Mess.

Remember those who 

have gone before us and 

those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to 

our great nation.

Happy birthday Shipmates! I truly appreciate your 

leadership and the hard work 

you do every day.

Anchor Up and Hooyah 

Navy Chiefs!”

Essex ARG Assists Oshima Island in Restoring Power

PACIFIC OCEAN (NNS) – Essex Amphibious 

Ready Group elements and Japan Self Defense 

Force members combined efforts to restore power 

to Oshima Island, Japan, March 27.

Marines assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary 

Unit (MEU), accompanied by Japan Maritime Self 

Defense Force Capt. Masanori Ide, liaison officer 

for the bilateral crisis action team, used landing craft 

utility vehicles assigned to Assault Craft Unit 1 to 

deliver 15,000 pounds of relief supplies, including 

food, water, and health and comfort kits.

Getting the vehicles and equipment to their 

intended destination proved to be a challenge, even 

before arriving on the island.

“This mission wasn’t as easy as I thought it was 

going to be,” said Electrician’s Mate 2nd Class Raoul 

Simms, LCU deck supervisor. “The vehicles were 

not made to come aboard an LCU. It took some 

strategy getting them on board.”

ACU-1 also faced challenges with getting the 

Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) 

Eva-Marie Ramsaran

LCU ashore, such as floating debris in the water. 

Instead of landing on a beach or ramp, as LCUs are 

designed to do, they pulled into a pier, which was a 

first for the crew. Despite these challenges, the mission 

proved successful.

“We were the link that was needed to provide 

the electrical vehicles and supplies for the Japanese 

workers, in order to restore power back to the island,” 

said Quartermaster 2nd Class Miguel Thormes, LCU 

navigator. “Even though this mission wasn’t as safe 

as we would have hoped, it was definitely for a good 

cause.”

“Oshima island residents are suffering greatly. 

There is no electrical power at all. These vehicles will 

help them and help ease the situation,” said JSDF Maj. 

Shinya Takase, operations officer, 1st Division, 41st 

Infantry Regiment, in charge of disaster response in 

Kesennuma. Japanese forces and Marines are doing 

very well in working through this together. At this 

moment, there is no other option to get these vehicles 

to Oshima. That is why we are so grateful for your 

help.”
SAN DIEGO — Marines from Marine 

Aviation Logistics Squadron 16, Marine Corps 

Air Station Miramar, helped Feeding America 

San Diego open its new warehouse, March 25.

Thirty Marines from MALS 16 assisted 

with the grand opening of the new building by 

cleaning and organizing the new warehouse and 

the Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron 

color guard performed during the ceremonies.

The Marine volunteers came to the 

warehouse a week before its grand opening 

to help clean, organize and prepare it for the 

celebration, explained Cpl. Mason Turner, an 

aviation ordnance systems technician with 

MALS 16.

“If we get one or two Marines here, they’ll 

do the work of 20 volunteers,” said Tim Ney, 

chief operations officer at Feeding America San 

Diego.

Turner explained that Marines bring 

military discipline and efficiency whenever they 

volunteer in community service.

“We have individuals who are outgoing, 

Marine Corps spirit fills Feeding America 

Inside the Jar

| At Your Service The Wire | Page 14

Lance Cpl. Lisa M. Tourtelot

Marine Corps Air Station Miramar

Marine receives award on

behalf of hero mother 

Cpl. Tommy Bellegarde 

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP 

LEJEUNE, N.C — One doesn’t need to 

be in the military to be a hero and ordinary 

citizens are certainly capable of extraordinary 

action.

The Congressional Medal of Honor 

Foundation recognizes civilian heroes with 

its annual Citizen Service Before Self Honors 

during a ceremony at the Tomb of the 

Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery 

every March 25.

One of the recipients for 2011 was 

Marie Conley, a crossing guard from Boston 

who was killed in the line of duty when she 

sacrificed herself to save the life of a young 

boy crossing the street in October 2008. 

Conley was seriously hurt after being struck 

by an automobile while shielding the child 

with her body to protect him from harm. 

Sadly, she succumbed to her injuries several 

days later.

Receiving the honors in her absence were 

her three sons including Cpl. Christopher 

Conley, a crew chief with 2nd Assault 

Amphibian Battalion, 2nd Marine Division.

“It’s crazy – I can’t even think of the right 

words,” explained Conley about his feelings 

for receiving the award on behalf of his 

mother. “I’m just honored – it’s an absolute 

honor.”

The day before the ceremony, Medal of 

Honor recipients approached Conley, giving 

him their support.

“These people have gone above and 

beyond (the call of duty) and are thanking 

me for my service and my mother (for her 

bravery),” said Conley. “That hit me pretty 

hard – definitely in a good way though.”

Marie Conley was selected from hundreds 

of other applicants to be one of three 

individuals to receive Citizen Service Before 

Self Honors. She was chosen directly because 

of her heroic actions on that October day 

over two years ago.

“I think what this does is, on a national 

basis, brings forward the fact that (there are) 

Americans out there who have the courage 

to do the right thing – who will put others 

before themselves,” said Nick Kehoe, the 

president of the Congressional Medal of 

Honor Foundation.

After originally learning about the accident 

in October 2008, Cpl. Conley was shocked 

and devastated by the sudden news. However 

he was not at all surprised to learn that his 

mother sacrificed herself to save a child.

“It didn’t surprise me to be honest with 

you,” said Conley. “Her whole life she always 

put other people first.”

they know what needs to be done and they’re 

good with timelines,” said Turner. “We get tasks 

from [Feeding America] employees and we 

get it done. This place looked pretty hectic last 

weekend,” said Turner.

While Marine volunteers support Feeding 

America, the organization also supports local 

military families struggling to put food on the 

table, explained Ney.

“As much as the military contributes to our 

organization, we love to give back,” said Ney, a 

former Marine. “I was in the fight. I understand 

the sacrifices.”

Feeding America San Diego distributes food 

to more than 175 charitable organizations and 

feeds 73,000 children, families and seniors each 

week, which includes military families.

The new warehouse can move 16 million 

pounds of food each year, but this feat cannot 

be accomplished without efficient and wellorganized help.

Turner explained he believes most service 

members enlisted to help their communities, 

and Feeding America is a great local opportunity 

to support. 

 RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas – Air Force Personnel Center officials 

visited three bases in Southwest Asia March 1-9 to get feedback on personnel 

support for deployed Airmen and inform them about personnel services available 

through the Total Force Service Center and Air Force Personnel Services website. 

 Col. Jim Davis, AFPC’s TFSC director, led a four-person team that held 17 

focus sessions over eight days with diverse groups of Airmen ranging from general 

officers to junior enlisted members.

 “One of the biggest things we wanted to do during our trip was advertise our 

current capabilities and discuss how the TFSC operates and liaisons with force 

support squadrons and military personnel sections to get personnel actions 

accomplished for all Airmen,” said Davis. 

 “People need to understand that the AFPERS website and TFSC are the same 

entity. Much like customers who use online banking services from United Services 

Automobile Association via the web, email and through their phones, Airmen can 

access personnel information and other self-service applications through the same 

avenues,” he added.

 Colonel Davis said they received constructive feedback about current personnel 

issues affecting deployed Airmen. Many said they had difficulty understanding 

where to obtain specific information and how to request some personnel actions.

 “We spoke to Airmen from various deployment categories who were down range 

from four to 12 months,” the colonel said. “One of our key messages was that 

deployed Airmen should contact the TFSC for expedited service from our newly 

established deployment cell.”

 Tech. Sgt. Michael Condon from the 73rd Expeditionary Air Control Squadron 

superintendent and first sergeant at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, attended one 

of the focus sessions and said he had positive results using the TFSC for personnel 

assistance.

 “I have contacted them about several issues and usually my issue was resolved 

immediately or I was given the information I needed within a day,” said Condon. 

“With the reduction of force in the personnel career field, the member may need 

to temper their expectations about what we are able to do and how easy it will be 

to accomplish at our home station MPS. But, I believe the service we receive is 

constantly improving.”

 Beyond the dedicated deployment cell in the TFSC, efforts are currently underway 

to stage customer self-help computers and telephones at most Personnel Support 

for Contingency Operations, or PERSCO, locations in U.S. Air Forces Central’s 

area of responsibility. 

 “This initiative does not end with these site visits,” said Lt. Col. Steve Zubowicz, 

AFPC’s TFSC operations chief. “Our dedicated deployment cell will continue 

expanding to meet customer demand and we will stand up a provisional TFSC 

element within the AOR to gain a first-hand customer perspective and further 

shape reach-back personnel support.”

 The new TFSC forward element would be in place by the end of April. 

 For more information about personnel services and self-service applications, 

log onto https://gum-crm.csd.disa.mil. All active duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian 

Airmen will need to create an account to log into the personnel services website 

using their common access card or a login name and password. Once they have 

an account created, they will be able to access personnel services, applications and 

information from home or any military computer.

 Airmen accessing the information from personal use Web browsers may need 

to download Department of Defense root certificates at http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/

announcements/dodrootcertificates.html if they are having difficulties accessing 

the personnel services website. For additional personnel assistance, call the TFSC 

at 800-525-0102, overseas DSN 312-665-5000 or use the form on the personnel 

services website under “My Account” using the “E-mail Us” link on the left side 

of the Web page.

On the Wing

The Wire | Page 15 At Your Service |

AFPC teams visit deployment bases, 

promote web-based personnel services

 YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan (AFNS) -- A team 

of Airmen here labored nonstop March 25-27 to 

design and create essential components for water 

pumps to be used at a nuclear power plant in 

northern Japan. 

 The power plant, located roughly 130 miles 

north of here in Fukushima Prefecture, incurred 

catastrophic damage to its cooling system in an 

earthquake and subsequent tsunami March 11.

 To help Japanese crews stabilize the reactors, the 

U.S. government purchased several water pumps to 

help their cause, and the Royal Australian Air Force 

helped transport them to Yokota Air Base. The 

Japanese hoses, however, didn’t fit the attachment 

points on the pumps.

 Airmen from the 374th Maintenance Squadron 

developed the solution. 

 Two teams of four Airmen on 12-hour shifts 

designed and fabricated the necessary adapters, 

pressure valves and other pieces so Japanese crews 

could use the pumps to augment the plant’s cooling 

system. The pumps will be used to transport fresh 

water into the plant instead of ocean water, which 

leaves corroding salt residue when it evaporates. 

The project is another way Airmen have supported 

Operation Tomodachi, the overall relief mission to 

help the Japanese people in their recovery efforts.

 “We were all wishing we could be a bigger part 

of everything that was going on,” Airman 1st Class 

Jeremy Hamblin said about Operation Tomodachi. 

“Now we know we’ve had a direct impact in helping 

cool the reactors. It’s nice to know we were there 

for them when they needed us.”

 The pieces were delivered March 27, with Japanese 

crews expected to place the pumps into service that 

day. 

Tech. Sgt. John Obermuller and a Japan Ground SelfDefense Force member join two sections of hose March 

26, 2011, at Yokota Air Base, Japan. The hoses are 

part of water pump donated by the U.S. government to 

help the Japanese government stabilize the Fukushima 

nuclear power plant. Obermuller is assigned to the 374th 

Maintenance Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st 

Class Krystal M. Garrett) 

Airmen aid Japan’s effort 

to stabilize nuclear plant
Coast to coast

The At Your Service | Wire | Page 16

30 years later Petty Officer Lonnie Jones continues to ‘Be The Light’

Coast Guard News Service

It was 30-years-ago Wednesday, the 

morning of March 30, 1981, and Jacqueline 

Jones could feel that something just wasn’t 

quite right.

“I just felt like something had happened 

to Lonnie. Something just wasn’t quite right. 

I had cooked Lonnie some breakfast, and it 

was sitting on the table waiting for him, and 

he never showed,” said Jones.

Unfortunately Jones was correct. 

Something had happened to her husband of 

six years. In the early morning hours of March 

30, 1981, Petty Officer 3rd Class Lonnie 

Jones, a machinery technician at Coast Guard 

Station Destin, had lost his life doing what he 

had been trained to do: save lives.

Almost 30 years later, on Nov. 19, 2010, 

Jones was honored posthumously in a 

ceremony at Coast Guard Station Destin. The 

ceremony, complete with taps and a flyover 

from Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans, 

was held under a crisp fall sky and attended 

by local dignitaries and Coast Guardsmen 

from units as far away as Mobile, Ala.

Local Destin businessman Ken Wright, a 

retired Coast Guard warrant officer, donated 

an Italian-made marble lighthouse statue, 

now a permanent tribute at Station Destin 

to Petty Officer Lonnie Jones. Wright, and 

Master Chief Petty Officer Timothy Hudson, 

officer-in-charge of Coast Guard Station 

Destin, unveiled the memorial lighthouse 

during the ceremony on Nov. 19 (see photo, 

right). The lighthouse, as described by Wright, 

is a fitting way to memorialize Jones.

“The goal of the memorial is to recognize 

what the Coast Guard does and the sacrifice 

made by Lonnie Jones. The late Petty Officer 

Jones will continue to save lives through his 

sacrifice,” said Wright.

The tragic chain of events that occurred 

in 1981 unfolded in a matter of three hours. 

On that morning, lives were forever changed, 

a son would never meet his father, a wife 

would be left raising three children on her 

own, and the Coast Guard would be void of 

a dedicated shipmate.

The mishap report from March 30, 1981, 

chronicled the events leading to the demise 

of Petty Officer Lonnie Jones. The weather 

that March day was ominous. By Florida 

standards, it was a chilly 60 degrees, as Jones 

described it. Reports from the National 

Weather Service logged the day as overcast 

with dense fog, the sea temperature hovered 

at 58 degrees and there was a small craft 

advisory.

At approximately 5:45 a.m., a man walked 

into Station Destin reporting that the boat he 

was in capsized and one of his crewmembers 

was still missing. Somehow the man had 

struggled to shore, but he still required the 

assistance of the Coast Guard.

At 5:55 a.m., the station launched a 41-

foot utility boat with three crewmembers, 

including Petty Officer Lonnie Jones, and 

by 6:10 a.m. the UTB crew was ordered to 

return to base because the second survivor 

from the initial search and rescue case was 

located safely on the beach.

As the UTB crew made its way back to 

Station Destin, the boat was struck broadside 

by a wave in seas greater than 15 feet. A second 

wave struck the UTB, eventually causing the 

boat to lose power and rudder control, and 

capsize with three Coast Guard crewmembers 

aboard. The three crewmembers were swept 

forward into the passenger’s compartment 

of the UTB and found relief in an air pocket 

allowing the crewmembers to breath.

At 6:14 a.m., the crewmembers were 

standing in rising water in the forward 

compartment. It was then that the 

crewmembers sighted the jetties approximately 

200 yards away. Fearing imminent death the 

three broke a side window and attempted 

to swim to the jetties without a life jacket in 

58 degree water and 15-foot waves crashing 

over their heads. Two of the crewmembers 

successfully made the swim, but Petty 

Officer Lonnie Jones rapidly succumbed to 

hypothermia and perished.

The surviving two Coast Guard 

crewmembers were rescued via helicopter 

at 8 a.m. and medevaced to a local hospital 

where they were treated for hypothermia. 

At 9 a.m., Petty Officer Lonnie Jones’s body 

was recovered and brought to the local 

hospital. By 9:25 a.m., Petty Officer Jones 

was pronounced dead. The cause of death: 

hypothermia-induced drowning. Sometime 

that morning Jacqueline Jones received a 

phone call from two of her husband’s friends 

from Station Destin.

“They called and said that Lonnie had 

been in an accident while at work. I asked 

them if he was OK. They said he was in 

critical condition, but something still wasn’t 

right,” said Jones.

When Jones arrived at the hospital, she 

learned that her husband had passed away, 

leaving Jones with two young daughters, 

Michelle and Latesha, and one child on-theway who would later be named Lonnie Jr.

“Lonnie never knew that I was pregnant 

with our son,” said Jones.

It has been almost 30 years since Lonnie’s 

death, and Jones still misses him very much.

“For me that was the day my life stopped. I 

lived for my husband. I have never remarried. 

My husband was a gentleman and they just 

don’t make men like him anymore,” said 

Jones.

Jones described her husband as an 

outgoing, caring, loving person, who was a 

jokester. His job in the Coast Guard was very 

fitting to his personality.

“He loved people. He was always helping 

people because he said that’s what made him 

happy,” said Jones.

Capt. Peter Troedsson, chief of staff for 

the Eighth Coast Guard District, who offered 

some kind words to the Jones family during 

the memorial service, noted that Jones is now 

part of a long line of distinguished Coast 

Guardsmen.

“Petty Officer Jones made a commitment 

to the service of the American public. He 

now follows a long line of heroes,” said 

Troedsson.

Jones may be gone, but he is not forgotten. 

The lighthouse at Station Destin will be a 

constant reminder for the Guardians who 

follow that the sea is not forgiving. Etched 

on that memorial are the words “be the 

lighthouse.” Though gone for eternity, Jones 

will continue to “be the light,” allowing his 

legacy to shine, lighting the way for Coasties 

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

| Mind, Body & Soul The Wire | Page 17

heavy and light weight travelers. Some even have slightly weighted 

handles. One word of caution when using bands in a new location, 

stress test any poles or anchors before you use them too much. A bed 

leg makes a great anchor for a resistance band, but some seemingly 

solid table legs may be more moveable than you’d think.

Connect with the local community: If you never ask, you’ll never 

know is the mantra behind this tip. Contact local gyms and explain 

your situation, most are very accommodating to travelers, especially 

to servicemembers. If you can find a gym that will offer a reasonable 

rate for their facilities then why not take advantage? By calling around 

I’ve received outstanding discounted rates to full-sized facilities to 

even a couple occasions where I was invited to use the gym for free. 

Following these few tips will take you a long way in staying fit 

while living in transition. Always remember though, exercise is 

only half the battle. Maintaining a healthy diet is just as important. 

Combine these suggestions with good eating habits and you’ll be able 

to maintain your fitness no matter where the military may take you.

Spc. Justin Pierce

Mind, Body & Soul

Whether you’re a reservist, active duty, or even a contracted 

civilian, travel is a common occurrence in your military life. Attending 

classes, conferences and just moving around to different jobs can 

make anyone all too familiar with sub-par hotel gyms and lack of 

good weather or routes for outdoor training. Nevertheless, physical 

fitness is still an achievable goal during our times in transition. Here 

are a few techniques to maintain and even improve physically while 

on the go.

Recon your destination: One of the biggest assets the Internet 

gives a wayfaring wanderer is the ability to quickly and accurately 

reconnoiter an area they’ve never been to. Websites like Google maps 

not only allow you to see the roads and land marks topically, you 

can also use them to plan running routes. Everything from a total 

distance, to a quick boots on ground glance of the terrain can be 

obtained with just a little effort. 

Use your resources: Anyone who spends time traveling from one 

town to another can become all too familiar with hotel “Fitness” 

rooms. Generally these rooms have a very bare minimum of 

equipment for weight training, a tread mill, and a bike. As the saying 

goes, however, when life hands you lemons it opens a window... 

or something like that. I won’t argue that the complimentary fitness 

rooms are typically poorly furnished. If it’s there though, why not 

use it? Running gives a great cardio workout that actually hits pretty 

much all of your musculature. Throw in some nice isolation exercises 

like dumbbell flies, even light weight, and you’ll be heading toward a 

decent little workout.

Find hotels with pools: Whenever you have the luxury of choice, 

use it. Any hotel with a pool that still offers a competitive rate is 

a great tool for staying fit. Swimming offers a much less traumatic 

experience for your joints and still gives a good total body workout. 

The freestyle swim-stroke is a great example for this, your core is 

heavily worked turning from side to side, and your back, arms, legs 

and chest also enjoy a consistent use through the strokes. If you’re 

not much of a swimmer, this is a great time to learn and practice; 

hotel pools are rarely deeper than five feet.

Pack your gym: I don’t expect anyone to literally pack dumbbells in 

their checked bags or carry-on. Still, there are light weight alternatives 

that still provide good resistance training. Elastic bands are a great 

example of mobile gym equipment. These bands have caught on 

a bit more lately and new styles have emerged to appease both the 

Fit for Travel
 see MOVIE, page 15

The Wire | Page 18 At the Movies |

Movie Review

Watching such a military-focused movie 

on a military base can be tricky business. It’s 

important to be able to look past all of one’s 

militant training and judge it based on the 

bigger picture. 

So as I settled in to watch “Battle: Los 

Angeles,” the story about a Marine unit 

battling an alien invasion, I was determined 

not to listen to all the nitpicking and naysaying 

going on nearby. So fair warning: this review 

is not going to be about what they got right 

or wrong, but on the larger themes 

Staff Sgt. Michael Nantz has just put in his 

retirement papers. Cue alien invasion. That’s 

how we roll.

Nantz, played by Aaron Eckhart – who 

is the second-most recognizable face in 

the movie – is tossed into a tight knit unit, 

complete with a brand new lieutenant. 

Because of a past incident in combat, the 

guys don’t trust their new staff sergeant and 

the inner conflict begins. 

But not before some stuff blows up. 

Equipped with much better technology and 

profound knowledge of where the biggest 

metropolis areas of the world are (movie 

aliens would be so good at playing Risk!), 

the invaders set about wreaking massive 

destruction on the human race. Yawn.

Things get tricky when the group starts 

collecting survivors and stragglers. First they 

stumble on a group of civilians, complete with 

Tom Brady’s baby mama (Bridget Moynahan) 

and some kids. It’s important to add children; 

they up the stakes and make it so much more 

dramatic. 

Next they adopt Michelle Rodriguez as an 

Air Force lass who got separated from her 

crew. With all due respect to my Air Force 

compadres, I was disappointed Rodriguez 

was not a Marine. The actress has made 

being an unflappable badass her specialty; she 

deserved that Marine uniform.

“Battle: Los Angeles” is a rousing crowdpleaser, designed to manipulate movie-goers’ 

emotions with cheesy monologues about 

selflessness and courage that play out like 

an after-school special. In a civilian movie 

theater, the message might be hollow and 

worthless. Surrounded by men and women 

who know these lessons first hand, however, 

can be a chilling experience that gives you 

goosebumps. 

As with everything in the military, the 

importance of leadership is front and center. 

This isn’t just the story of Nantz’ struggle 

with his own demons. It is the story of the 

young Marines witnessing firsthand some of 

the sacrifices, tough judgements and decisions 

a real leader must make when looking down 

the barrel of hopelessness. 

My personal gripe goes back to Rodriguez’ 

character – and sorry guys, but I’m going to 

get all girl-indignant for a second. Why is it 

still a big deal for a woman to pick up a rifle 

and not only know how to shoot it but be 

Spc. Meredith Vincent

PG-13

 116 min. 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

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

Rango

(PG) 8 p.m.

Sanctum

(R) 10 p.m.

Battle: LA

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Country Strong

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

No Strings 

Attached

(R) 8 p.m.

The Roommate

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

The Mechanic

(R) 8 p.m.

The Roommate

(PG-13) 8 p.m. 

The Mechanic

(R) 10 p.m.

No Strings 

Attached

(R) 8 p.m.

Country Strong

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Battle: LA

(PG-13) 8 p.m.

Sanctum

(R) 

8 p.m.

Justin Bieber:

Never Say Never

(G) 8 p.m.

The Eagle

(PG-13) 10 p.m.

The Rite

(PG-13) 10 p.m.

Downtown

Lyceum

Camp 

Bulkeley

Justin Bieber: 

Never Say Never

(G) 8 p.m.

The Eagle

(PG-13) 10 p.m

| The Last Word The Wire | Page 19

those seven, Duty stands out the 

most to Carroll. 

“It is my duty to work in the 

camps,” he said. “I don’t like 

it some days but that’s why I 

signed up and if that’s the way I 

serve my country, that’s the way 

I’m going to do it.”

Carroll’s dedication to the 

Army and his job has set him 

apart from his peers.

“He is probably one of the 

best privates I have ever had 

work for me,” boasted Moore. 

“He is outstanding, very mature. 

That right there, in itself, will 

excel him through his career.”

Although he is new to the 

military, Carroll is already off to 

a great start. 

“He is one of our veteran 

privates,” Moore said. “The 

others look to him for 

guidance.”

Carroll said he plans on 

staying Army Strong for 20 plus 

years and hopes to reach the 

rank of sergeant major.

“There is no reason why he 

can’t go all the way to the top,” 

said Moore. “All you have to do 

is give him the chance to excel 

and he will.”

able to blow E.T. to smithereens? 

We are in the 21st century. 

Women have been in the military 

for decades now and with recent 

recommendations that females be 

allowed into combat units, why is 

this still used as a tool to shock 

and awe? Aren’t we at a place 

where a chick in uniform can just 

simply kick ass without it being a 

big deal? Ok, rant over.

Remember that little alien 

invasion movie with Will 

“We take it slow at first and then we 

ratchet things up,” said Clampitt. “We call it 

a crawl, walk, run approach to these different 

scenarios, so that everyone can get in the right 

mindset and keep that frame of mind before 

we take things to a higher speed.”

From a Navy security perspective, the 

interactive training is an important part 

of working alongside the Coast Guard on 

Guantanamo Bay.

“It’s good for us, because we don’t get 

this kind of hands-on training as much as 

the Coast Guard does. So, it helps us learn,” 

expressed Master-at-Arms 3rd Class Shawn 

Rutgers. “Our boats are a lot different, but we 

can still learn how to maneuver with a hostile 

vessel with our boats just by watching and 

riding along with them.” 

The Coast Guard also noted how 

important it is to train alongside their Navy 

counterparts.

“Two of their coxswains have gone through 

the Navy’s version of level two [coxswain] 

school so, it’s good to train together in order to 

be able to compare different styles of training, 

driving techniques, positioning and different 

uses of force,” explained Valdes. “While 

we’re working out there if we have something 

happen, then we are knowledgeable of their 

level of training and mechanics.”

For the last training scenario, the OPFOR 

posed as a real “bad guy” allowing both 

Coast Guard and Navy personnel aboard the 

reaction and screening vessels to fully engage 

and go through all four tactical steps to detect, 

intercept and interdict the OPFOR. 

“We work with the NAVSTA daily on 

a consistent basis, so it’s important for us 

to understand each other’s TTP- or tactics, 

techniques and procedures,” Clampitt said. 

“That’s part of the reason we are out here 

with Navy personnel, so that we can exchange 

information and make sure that we understand 

what to expect if we have something that we 

need to engage together as a team.”

Smith and Jeff Goldblum? 

“Independence Day” did the 

same thing, but with way more 

style and humor. And “District 

9” did it only a year ago, but with 

a lot more originality. “Battle: Los 

Angeles” is by no means a standout film. It’s a re-hashed, thawed 

out version of a dozen movies 

before it. But sitting alongside 

hundreds of servicemembers, it’s 

hard not to root for it. After all, 

“one team, one fight,”... right? 

TRAINING cont. 

MUSTACHE cont. MOVIE cont. FOCUS cont. 

m u s t a c h e - c e n t r i c 

conversations abounded as each 

individual became used to his 

particular new addition. Some 

were happy with the growth, 

some were frustrated. Many 

experienced operational trouble, 

such as eating and drinking. Each 

day was full of new discoveries 

and facial hair adventures. As 

April quickly approaches, most 

are looking forward to the 

moment when the clippers firmly 

eradicate the unwanted growth 

from their faces. A rare few have 

decided to keep their mustaches, 

explaining that, after 30 days of 

dedicated growth, parting with it 

would be too painful. 

Morale is always a key 

element to any military 

operation. To many, Mustache 

March may seem like a silly 

stunt by servicemembers with 

too much time on their hands. 

But look closer and they might 

see something more meaningful. 

They might see Troopers 

accepting a challenge and joining 

ranks with their buddies. They 

might see Troopers standing 

strong and fast in the face 

of jeers and ridicule. They 

might see Troopers who take 

selflessness to another level in 

support of their squad, unit, 

shop or block and who believe 

in the importance of bringing 

some joy into the monotonous 

daily life of deployment. For 31 

days, these men dared to think 

and dream bigger. Tom Selleck 

would be proud. REMEMBER: LEAVE FRED ALONE UNTIL JUNE!