February 12, 2016• VOL. 73 • NO. 05• NAVY.MIL/LOCAL/GUANTANAMO • FACEBOOK.COM/NSGuantanamoBay NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA • PSC 1005 BOX 25 • FPO, AE 09593 • 011-5399-4520 Library Sets Up Blind Dates with Books Naval Station Guantanamo Bay’s MWR Community Library sets up an interactive display in honor of Valentine’s Day with their “Blind Date with a Book” event, Feb. 8-14. N aval Station Guantanamo Bay’s Community Library celebrates Valentine’s Day with an interactive display for their “Blind Date with a Book” event, Feb. 8-14. e display has books wrapped in colorful wrapping paper and marked with “Adult” or “YA” indicating if the book is for adults or young adults. e books also have keywords to entice the reader in choosing their date. “It’s simple,” explained Senior Library Technician Tiffany Hughey, “Patrons need to visit their MWR Library and head over to the “Blind Date with a Book” display. en, they are able to select books based solely on key words. e title and cover art will remain a secret, until the wrapping taken off once the book is checked out.” For those not interested in a “romantic” date they don’t have to worry as some of the books don’t revolve around romance at all but could be mystery, science fiction, fantasy or another genre. “In the library world, this is a fun and quirky way to get patrons to checkout materials they may not normally read,” said Hughey. “To date, no one has ever been terribly upset about their “blind date.” Furthermore, we have had patrons fall in love with a particular series, based on one book.” Hughey explained that she has been doing this for the past six years and this is the second time to try out the “Blind Date With a Book” here at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay with the first one aimed at teenagers. Libraries and even books stores around the world are holding “blind dates” or “mystery dates” with books to further entice readers. “I think it’s pretty cool,” remarked Library Aid Tammy Whitson. “I really like the idea.” Guantanamo Bay’s Library is not new to trying ideas and creating programs, and already have several events lined up including an Anti-Valentine’s Day Late Night Party for teens on Sat., Feb. 13 from 9 p.m. to midnight. “We’re in the process of creating and implementing many new programs for 2016, for all ages,” added Hughey. Just a few of the programs are Bundles of Joy, an infant story time for children ages newborn to 24 months, Book Buddies, a general story time for children ages 24 months and older, Adult Lego Night to work in conjunction with the Children Youth Service’s “Give Parents A Break Night,” Paws and Pals, a reading to the dogs and literacy program, Pinkalicious Party, open to all ages, and STEM Drop-in Project. “Ensure you get down to your library to check out all our new materials and our awesome DVD collection,” encourages Hughey. For more information, patrons can call 4700 or visit the Guantanamo Bay MWR Community Library Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MWR-GTMO-Community- Library-764287680322441/ MC2 Kegan Kay Photojournalist
Transcript
February 12, 2016• VOL. 73 • NO. 05• NAVY.MIL/LOCAL/GUANTANAMO • FACEBOOK.COM/NSGuantanamoBay NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA • PSC 1005 BOX 25 • FPO, AE 09593 • 011-5399-4520
Library Sets Up Blind Dates with Books
Naval Station Guantanamo Bay’s MWR Community Library sets up an interactive display in honor of Valentine’s Day with their “Blind Date with a Book” event, Feb. 8-14.
Naval Station Guantanamo Bay’s Community Library celebrates Valentine’s Day with an interactive display
for their “Blind Date with a Book” event, Feb. 8-14.The display has books wrapped in colorful wrapping paper
and marked with “Adult” or “YA” indicating if the book is for adults or young adults. The books also have keywords to entice the reader in choosing their date.
“It’s simple,” explained Senior Library Technician Tiffany Hughey, “Patrons need to visit their MWR Library and head over to the “Blind Date with a Book” display. Then, they are able to select books based solely on key words. The title and cover art will remain a secret, until the wrapping taken off once the book is checked out.”
For those not interested in a “romantic” date they don’t have to worry as some of the books don’t revolve around romance at all but could be mystery, science fiction, fantasy or another genre.
“In the library world, this is a fun and quirky way to get patrons to checkout materials they may not normally read,” said Hughey. “To date, no one has ever been terribly upset about their “blind date.” Furthermore, we have had patrons fall in love with a particular series, based on one book.”
Hughey explained that she has been doing this for the past six years and this is the second time to try out the “Blind Date With a Book” here at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay with the first one aimed at teenagers.
Libraries and even books stores around the world are holding “blind dates” or “mystery dates” with books to further entice readers.
“I think it’s pretty cool,” remarked Library Aid Tammy Whitson. “I really like the idea.”
Guantanamo Bay’s Library is not new to trying ideas and creating programs, and already have several events lined up including an Anti-Valentine’s Day Late Night Party for teens on Sat., Feb. 13 from 9 p.m. to midnight.
“We’re in the process of creating and implementing many new programs for 2016, for all ages,” added Hughey.
Just a few of the programs are Bundles of Joy, an infant story time for children ages newborn to 24 months, Book Buddies, a general story time for children ages 24 months and older, Adult Lego Night to work in conjunction with the Children Youth Service’s “Give Parents A Break Night,” Paws and Pals, a reading to the dogs and literacy program, Pinkalicious Party, open to all ages, and STEM Drop-in Project.
“Ensure you get down to your library to check out all our new materials and our awesome DVD collection,” encourages Hughey.
For more information, patrons can call 4700 or visit the Guantanamo Bay MWR Community Library Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MWR-GTMO-Community-Library-764287680322441/
MC2 Kegan KayPhotojournalist
PAGE 2• THE GUANTANAMO BAY GAZETTE
VOL. 73 • NO. 05
The Guantanamo Bay Gazette is an authorized publication for members of the military services and their families stationed at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. The contents do not necessar-ily reflect the official views of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Navy, and do not imply endorsement thereof. The editorial content is prepared, edited and provided by the Public Affairs Office of U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. The Guantanamo Bay Gazette is printed by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Document Services with a circulation of 535.
Guantanamo Bay GazetteNAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA
NS Guantanamo Bay Commanding Officer, Capt. David Culpepper congratulates QM2 Garce on her selection as Sailor of the Week.
■Job/Department: Port Operations■Age: 25■Hometown: Salt Lake City, Utah■Hero: My Father■TV Show: Friends■Movie: Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny■Musician: AC/DC■Hobby: Crochet and Reading■Sports Team: San Francisco 49ers■Book: The Giver■Greatest Passion: Helping others that don’t have the ability to help themselves.■Favorite Quote: “Why fit in when you were born to stand out.” - Dr. Seuss.■Sailors of the Week Because: QM2 Garce was selected as Sailor of the Week for her work as the Duty Section 4 Leader. She was instrumental in coordinating the information out to man the emergency operation center during the suspicious package alert and wasted no time in making sure that after all contacts were informed to make a watch bill to last the night and cover the quarter deck duties with no issues. Her quick work and dedication to put the mission first was outstanding.
QM2 ANNA GARCE
February 12, 2016• PAGE 3
January 2016 marked the 40th year of the United Services Military Apprenticeship Program,
providing sea-service military members with certifications documenting their skills through the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).
According to Tom Phillips, USMAP Certifications and Credentialing Program supervisor, this anniversary also marked a milestone of 80,000 current active participants, with 55,000 registrations in the past year.
“The USMAP team works closely with DOL to provide nationally recognized apprenticeship programs that result in journeyman-level certificates of completion for members of the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard,” said Phillips. “During their apprenticeship, service members document their military duties while working in their rating or Military Occupational Specialty.”
Earning the DOL certificate costs the service member nothing and does not normally require working additional off-duty hours. Phillips also noted that it can give the member a significant head-start on their post-military career.
Recent improvements to the program allow registrations to be done completely online, with few exceptions.
“We’ve made significant upgrades to the program, making it easier for service members to sign up, manage and complete the program,” said Lt. Cmdr. Mark Wadsworth, Navy Voluntary Education operations director. “These upgrades have resulted in the increase in the number of service members actively working toward their USMAP certificates.”
One Sailor who has embraced the program is Senior Chief Hull Technician Jonathan Purvis, 1st Lieutenant Department leading chief petty officer for Naval Base San Diego. Purvis currently holds five DOL certifications, ranging from plumber to welder.
“I started working on USMAP apprenticeships during my first enlistment, when I wasn’t sure whether I was going to stay active duty, and I knew that it could help me get a job in the civilian sector,” said Purvis. “But throughout my career, working on several apprenticeships has helped me focus on different skill areas and made me a better technician. That focus and knowledge has also helped me train my junior Sailors.”
USMAP enables documentation of a Sailor’s formalized and structured training. It combines
on-the-job training (OJT) and related technical instruction. All the individual is required to do is regularly document the hours worked in the various skill areas either in a hard-copy log or electronically through the web and have it verified by their supervisor. In addition, the service member submits a report every six months to the USMAP staff and a final report once their required OJT hours are complete.
“Each apprenticeship requires anywhere between 2,000 and 8,000 hours of OJT work and training,” said Bob Rowland, USMAP senior registrar. “Working a typical 40-hour week, many members can complete an apprenticeship within a year. There are 123 trades available, ranging from aircraft mechanic to x-ray equipment tester. More than 96 percent of Navy enlisted ratings, 85 percent of Coast Guard enlisted ratings, and 232 Marine Corps MOS’ are eligible for these trades. Some trades, such as computer operator are available to all ratings.”
Rowland added that pre-registration credits can be awarded to those who have time-in-service and can even be applied toward college credits.
“Service members can receive a maximum credit up to 50 percent of the required OJT,” said Rowland. “For example, an E-6 with 10 years of service interested in an apprenticeship requiring 6,000 hours can receive a maximum of 3,000 credits toward their certificate, significantly cutting their requirements for hours of logged on-the-job training.”
Any active duty Sailor, Marine, or Coast Guardsman can become an apprentice as long as they have been designated in a rating, have sufficient time to complete the program while on active duty and possess a high school diploma or GED. The selected trade must be their primary job at their current command.
“It’s about quantifying what you’ve accomplished,” added Phillips. “Service members are already doing the work; it’s just a matter of documenting what they do. Now they have their work ‘on the record’ and a completed apprenticeship shows significant professional development, and can look good to promotion boards. Certificates also regularly open doors once a service member decides to hang up the uniform.”
For more information about the United Services Military Apprenticeship Program, visit www.usmap.netc.navy.mil.
Military Apprenticeships Celebrate 40 YearsEd BarkerNaval Education and Training Professional Development and Technology Center Public Affairs
Ari SantanaW.T. Sampson High School
A group of about 50 Naval Station Guantanamo Bay middle and high school students participated in “Muck
Wars,” an event hosted by Club Beyond and Philips Dive Park, Feb. 6.
According to Club Beyond Director, Chris Bell, Club Beyond is a youth ministry program for middle and high school students where “Friends, Fun, and Faith Connect” and “Muck Wars” is “the most legal and legit food fight you’ll ever get to have.”
“The purpose of the Muck Wars was two-fold,” explained Bell. “To give the middle and high school students a chance to vent built up frustrations that tend to come from the end year exams and to allow them a safe, healthy and interesting way to interact with one another in a form that is unique to Guantanamo.”
The total prep time for “Muck Wars” took about a week to purchase supplies and plan games; physical setup of “Muck Wars” involved gathering copious amounts of non-allergenic condiments and food products as well as purchasing approximately 800 pounds of topsoil dirt.
Bell explains how long setup for “Muck Wars” took, stating “the total setup time takes around 2 to 2 and a half hours with a crew of about four to five volunteers.”
During the event, inflatable pools were filled with a hodgepodge of ketchup, tomato juice, beef stew, oatmeal, soda and water. The Muck Pit, a large pit in the center of the battlefield and star of the whole event, was a conglomeration of dirt, oatmeal, stuffing, soda and other miscellaneous food products that were on sale at the NEX.
The wars included a variety of messy games, from tug-o-war to a relay race where participants slid into inflatable pools, moved a melon across the muck pit with their heads, and either threw or squirted a concoction of muck at the opposing team’s queen.
The final battle included a free-for-all that left everyone covered head to toe in muck, including volunteers and some spectators.
As the soiled participants waited for Guantanamo Bay Fire Department to hose them off, Chris Bell took the time to deliver a message from the Bible that uses the muck covered kids as a metaphor for the “muck” in their lives.
The event closed with the arrival of the Fire Department and one of the world’s largest portable showers for the kids to rinse off the labors of the fun filled day.
Club Beyond hosts several events and meetings throughout the year. Students meet almost every Sunday for middle school and Mondays for high school during the school year for ‘Club Night’ where they can play games, hang out, and receive a brief message from the Bible.
There are also Bible Studies for middle and high school students as well as Service Project opportunities and weekend events.
One of Club Beyond’s upcoming events is their Dodge ball Tournament on February 19th where teams of five face off to be Dodge Ball Champions.
To find out more about Club Beyond or to register for their upcoming tournament, contact Chris Bell at 55263 or by email at [email protected].
PAGE 6• THE GUANTANAMO BAY GAZETTE
Saving at Tax TimeArticle from Feb 2016 CNIC Family Connection
Many people view tax refunds as unplanned bonuses. They see the money as a gift
from the government to be used for splurges or treats. Instead, a tax refund could be utilized as an opportunity to improve your financial situation. Here are some tips to get the most value from your tax refund:
• Pay down your debt. Use your refund for some much needed debt relief. Pay off your credit card balance(s). Try to pay off the smaller, high interest balances first, freeing up funds to put toward larger balances.
• Save for a rainy day. Give yourself an even bigger return on your tax refund by putting the money into a savings account, CD or retirement fund. Your refund grows if you put it into savings or invest the money. It is helpful to have an emergency savings account to draw from when an emergency comes along. That way, you do not borrow money and add to your debt load and increase your debt-to-income.
• Consider your financial goals. Trying to save
for a house or car down payment or your child’s college tuition? Consider applying your refund toward these goals. If you do not yet have a set of short-term and long-term financial goals, put some together. You will be more conscientious about how you spend your refund or any other extra money that comes your way.
Remember, you work hard for your money, and you deserve to enjoy a healthy financial lifestyle. Put some thought into how you use your tax refund. Making smart financial decisions is not always easy, but it will definitely benefit you and your family over the long term.
See more at: http://www.militarysaves.org/for-savers/make-
a-plan-how-to-save/saving-at tax-time. For confidential, one-on-one or family
financial counseling, see your Fleet and Family Support Center Personal Financial Manager at Building 2135 or call 4141/4050 to schedule an appointment for a one-on-one session or attend a financial class.
Chaplain’sCorner
February 12, 2016• PAGE 7
DOWNTOWN LYCEUMMOVIES FRIDAY Feb 127 p.m.:
9 p.m.:
SATURDAY Feb 137 p.m.:
9:30 p.m.:
SUNDAY Feb 146:30 p.m.:
8:30 p.m.:
MONDAY Feb 157 p.m.:
9 p.m.:
TUESDAY Feb 167 p.m.:
WEDNESDAY Feb 177 p.m.:
THURSDAY Feb 187 p.m.:
The RevenantR
Ride Along 2PG13
JoyPG13
GTMO SOCK HOPThe Guantanamo Bay Girl Scouts would like to invite the Guantanamo Bay community to a Sock Hop on Feb. 13 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the W.T. Sampson Elementary School Gym. There will be free hot dogs, popcorn, coke floats and costume and hula hoop contests. For more information please e-mail [email protected].
TEEN TECH WEEKMarch 6-12 the MWR Library is celebrating Teen Tech Week, a week long celebration of teens doing techie stuff and this year the library is hosting a digital photo contest. As part of the grand prize the winning teen will be featured in the Gazette and Wire.
CSADD JOG-A-THONThe Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions is hosting
a fundraising jog-a-thon on Feb. 27 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Naval Hospital. Prizes will go to the Top Fundraiser, Person with the most laps and the person to get the most sponsors. For more information contact HN Culp at 72358 or LS2 Prendergast at 84364.
TAX SEASONGTMO’s Tax Assistance Center (TAC) offers self-service stations that all eligible residents can use to prepare their own tax returns online with the assistance of IRS-certified volunteers. All services are by appointment only and there are some restrictions on services. Please call 4692 for more information.
BLACK HERITAGE BALLThe Black Heritage Organization is hosting a ball Feb. 27 at 6 p.m. in the Windjammer Ballroom. Attire is formal and informal and dinner will be served. Tickets are $40 per person. To buy tickets or for more information please call Milta Dumas at 77619, or Chris or
Scoop The
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of BenghaziR
Kung Fu Panda 3PG
Norm of the NorthPG
ConcussionPG13
CALL THE MOVIE HOTLINE @ 4880
The ForestPG13
Point BreakPG13
Wanda Caton at 79449.
ANTI-VALENTINE PARTYThe Library would like to invite all teens to their annual Anti-Valentne’s Day Party on Sat., Feb. 13 from 9 p.m. to midnight. Teens can construct duct tape creations, origami, jewlrey making, playing board games, eating pizza and decorating your own cupcakes and more! The event is open for ages 13-17. For more information call 4700.
IBC AIRWAYSIBC Airways is expanding service to and from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to every Friday. The Friday flight will depart Fort Lauderdale at 7 a.m., arriving in Guantanamo Bay at 8:40 a.m. and then depart at 9:40 a.m. and arrive in Fort Lauderdale at 11:30 a.m. The Monday and Thursday flights will remain on their regular schedule. For more information call 74110, visit their site at www.flyibcair.com or check the base roller.
Daddy’s HomePG13
After months of remodeling and renovations the Naval Station Guantanamo Bay’s Navy Lodge held an Open House on Jan. 29. The Guantanamo Bay community was invited to see the changes to the rooms and outside beautification projects that have been happening. For those who were unable to attend the open house will still have the opportunity as the Navy Lodge plans to hold a few more open houses to show the community the changes and improvements the Guantanamo Bay Navy Lodge has undergone. For more information please contact the Navy Lodge at 3103.
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