Featuring a snow playground, children’s games,free prizes, vendors, warm cookies & milk and avery special visitor! Call 228-871-4010 for details.Don’t miss the fun!

Dec. 7, 6 - 8:30 p.m. Youth Activities Center

Naval Construction Training Cen-ter (NCTC) Gulfport selectedBuilder Petty Officer 1st Class asSailor of the Year (SOY) for fis-cal year 2012.“It is a distinct honor and privi-

lege to be named NCTC Sailor ofthe year, and a deeply humblingexperience. Considering all thegreat petty officers at NCTC, Iam very proud of this achieve-ment," said award recipientPace, who is an AssistantBuilder “A” School Course Man-ager and Instructor Supervisor."Petty Officer Pace has demon-

strated his leadership in every

facet and has made a tremen-dous positive impact on NCTCGulfport's command climate andour mission to train and developSeabees. He is an exemplaryrepresentative of the commandand the cadre of professionalson our staff,” said NCTC Com-manding Officer, Cmdr. Scott An-derson. When asked what he believes

set him apart from the othernominees Pace stated, “I don'tthink any one thing sets meapart from the rest, as each hastheir own unique qualities theybring to the table. Dedicationand an honest effort put forth inevery assigned duty and task isto be expected from all at NCTC.

Going above what is expectedmay be a factor, as well as striv-ing to improve professionallyand personally through educa-tion, physical fitness, and com-munity involvement.”Pace gives his students this

advice to help them succeed inthe Navy, “Don't just do theminimum required, push furtherand achieve to the best of yourability. Learn from those wholead you, and do your best tostay one step ahead. Don't waitto be asked for tasks or assign-ments. Be proactive and stayengaged, hungry to attain thenext level of leadership. Learn

Naval Construction Battalion Center, Gulfport, Mississippi December 6, 2012Vol. 52 No. 28

www.cnic.navy.mil/gulfport

Naval Construction Training Center (NCTC) Sailor of the Year, Builder 1st Class (SCW)James Pace speaks with students during a Builder “A” school class on board NCTC. Pacehas been assigned to the schoolhouse since October 2010, and is the assistant Builder“A’ school course manager and instructor supervisor. (U.S. Navy photo/Released)

MWR Tree Lighting & Holiday Gift Village

~Annual Tree ~Annual Tree Lighting Friday~Lighting Friday~

Pace named NCTC Sailor of the YearBy Chief Engineering AidePeter S. SydowNCTC Public Affairs

See NCTC page 2

COBAN, Guatemala - Seabees from Naval Mobile Con-struction Battalion (NMCB) 27 and peacekeepers at theCREOMPAZ military base pour a concrete pad as part of arenovation project in support of U.S. Southern Command'sGlobal Peacekeeping Operations Initiative. The Seabeesfrom NMCB 27 are forward deployed throughout South andCentral America in support of U.S. Naval Forces SouthernCommand and U.S. 4th Fleet peacekeeping, multinationalpartnership, and humanitarian assistance missions. (U.S.Navy photo by Lt. j.g. Keith Ferreira/Released)

NMCB 27 - Global Peacekeepers

from mistakes, don't be discour-aged, and keep a positive atti-tude!”As Vice President of the E5/E6

Association, Pace was responsi-ble for coordination of allfundraising efforts for the E5/E6Association, which earned ap-proximately $1,000. These fundswere used to assist those inneed in the local community aswell as family members of localSeabees. He also led CharlieCompany’s Community Serviceproject where he planned, de-signed and executed the con-struction of a pavilion atHarrison Central High School in

Gulfport. The project consistedof over 800 volunteer hours oftotal combined support. Pace checked onboard NCTC in

Oct 2010 after completing Jour-neyman Instructor Training(JIT). In his role as Builder “A”School Instructor Supervisor hemanaged 42 instructors whotrained over 1,200 Tri-servicestudents, while maintaining 100percent qualification of instruc-tors and updating curriculum.For more information on the

Center for Seabees and FacilitiesEngineering (CSFE) LearningSite Naval Construction TrainingCenter, Miss., visit the site:https://www.netc.navy.mil/cen-ters/csfe/gulfport/.

Navy families need to ensurethey're planning for the after-party when considering plans fortheir holiday get-togethers ac-cording to Navy officials.With the holiday season here,

Navy leaders want holiday partyhosts to make plans for gueststo get home safely afterwards. From Dec. 24, 2011 to Jan. 2,

2012 there were 33 drivingwhile intoxicated incidents in-volving Sailors. "Depending on the laws of

your state, if you host a partyand serve alcohol, you could po-tentially be legally liable if an in-toxicated party guest drivesaway and gets in an accident,"said Dorice Favorite, director,Navy Alcohol and Drug AbusePrevention Office (NADAP)."There are some steps you cantake before, during, and afteryour party to keep everyonesafe."* Prepare an overnight guest,

or two - guest room; air mat-tresses and sleeping bags, any-one?

* Always have taxi phonenumbers handy. * Make sure you know who the

designated drivers are ahead oftime, make sure the designateddrivers have the keys and en-sure the designated drivers areparked where they are notblocked by other cars. "If you plan activities like party

games, door prize drawings or agift exchange you'll engage yourguests," said Favorite "They'll beless likely to drink too much andthey'll remember the great timethey had. You should also pro-vide plenty of food to keep yourguests from drinking on anempty stomach. Offer non-alco-holic beverages or mocktails fordesignated drivers and otherswho prefer not to drink alcohol." During the party make sure

the designated drivers don'tdrink and be aware of who getstoo drunk to drive. If someonehas had too much to drink makesure they have a safe ridehome. Don't let anyone leavewithout your knowledge. As the host, have fun - but not

too much fun. To be a responsi-

ble host, you should stay withinyour limits in order to make sureyour guests stay within theirs.Close the bar 90 minutes beforethe party ends and serve a greatdessert treat with coffee. Re-member, only time sobers some-one who has been drinking. "If, despite your efforts, some

of your guests have had toomuch to drink - take control,"said Favorite. "Drive themhome, arrange for a ride withanother guest who is sober, calla taxi, or insist they stay over. Aparty should be a good time andnot something you regret host-ing."For more tips on being respon-

sible hosts visit NADAP atwww.nadap.navy.mil.

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The Seabee Courier is a weekly author-ized on-line publication for members ofthe military services and their families.Content does not necessarily reflect theofficial views of the U.S. Government,the DoD or the U.S. Navy and does notimply endorsement thereof. The ap-pearance of advertising in this newspa-per, including inserts or supplements,does not constitute endorsement bythe U. S. Government, DoD, the Navyor NCBC Gulfport of the products andservices advertised. All content in thisnewspaper shall be made available forpurchase, use or patronage without re-gard to race, color, religion, gender, na-tional origin, age, marital status,physical handicap, political affiliation orany other non-merit factor of the pur-

chaser, user or patron. If a violation orrejection of this equal opportunity pol-icy by an advertiser is confirmed, thepublisher shall refuse to print advertis-ing from that source until the violationis corrected. The Seabee Courier solic-its news contributions from military andcivilian sources, but the Public Affairsstaff reserves the right to edit and/orrewrite material selected for publicationto conform with journalism standards. The deadline for material is close ofbusiness every Friday. Your commentsare always welcome. The SeabeeCourier office is in Building 1, Room205. The mailing address is 4902 Mar-vin Shields Blvd., Code 15, Gulfport, MS39501. Phone: 228-871-3662., E-mail:seabeecourier@navy.mil

NCBC/20SRGCommanding Officer

Capt. Rick BurgessPublic Affairs Officer

Rob MimsEditor

Bonnie L. McGerrMass Comm. Specialist

MCC (SCW/SW/AW) Ryan G. Wilber

Special ContributorsCM3 (SCW) Katchen Tofil

CECN Lucinda Moise

22 NCRCommander

Capt. Darius BanajiPublic Affairs Officer

Vacant

25 NCRCommander

Capt. Darius BanajiPublic Affairs Officer

MCC (SW/AW) Scott Boyle

NMCB ONECommanding Officer Cmdr. Chad M. BrooksPublic Affairs Officer

Lt. Brian GatesMass Comm. Specialist

MC1 (AW/NAC) Aron TaylorSpecial Contributor

CE1(SCW) Joshua Thonnissen

NMCB ELEVENCommanding OfficerCmdr. Maria Aguayo

Public Affairs OfficerLt.j.g. Brian Myers

Mass Comm. Specialist

MC1(AW) Jonathan Carmichael NMCB SEVENTY FOURCommanding Officer Cmdr. David McAlisterPublic Affairs Officer

Lt.j.g. John Parizek Mass Comm. Specialist

MC2 Ryan Williams

NMCB ONE THIRTY THREECommanding Officer

Cmdr. Nicolas D. YamodisPublic Affairs Officer

MC1(SW/AW) Steven Myers

NCTC GULFPORTCommanding OfficerCmdr. Scott Anderson

Public Affairs OfficerLt. J. Johnson

Don’t be a regretful holiday hostFrom Navy PersonnelCommand Public Affairs

LADD . . . Leaders Against Drunk DrivingLADD is a program sponsored by theNCBC/20th First Class Association. The mis-sion of LADD is to prevent drunk driving onboard NCBC Gulfport by providing rides for anyservice member who needs assistance gettinghome after an outing that involves alcohol.~ It is strictly confidential. NO REPRISAL!~ Will take individual home only, no stops.

~ Volunteers who stand the watch are on call24/7.It is always important to have a plan in placewhen going out in town, but if your plans fallthrough, please call LADD and we will pick youup! 100 percent confidential, zero reprisal.

Call 228-239-9007

From NCTC page 1

SECRET SANTA EVENT SECRET SANTA EVENT DEC. 8, 10 A.M. - 1 P.M.DEC. 8, 10 A.M. - 1 P.M.

Bring the kids out and let them do their shopping with our volunteerElves! Children ages 4 and older are invited to participate. This event isopen to all with regular base access. Call 228-871-2070 for details.

NMCRS-GULFPORT THRIFT SHOP, BUILDING 29NMCRS-GULFPORT THRIFT SHOP, BUILDING 29

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Information Systems Technician 1st Class Kelli Rogers, left and Con-struction Electrician 1st Class Nerissia Lowers, assigned to 20th SeabeeReadiness Group (SRG), sort toys for the Operation Homefront Toy Col-lection Drive sponsored by Balfour Beatty Communities on boardNaval Construction Battalion Center (NCBC). Balfour Beatty will con-tinue its tradition of hosting toy giveaways this holiday season withtoys collected from local Dollar Trees as a result of the generosity oftheir customers. Bring the kids to the NCBC Fire Department Dec. 10,9:30 - 10:30 a.m. or 3 - 5 p.m. to see Sparky and to get a bag of good-ies!(Photo courtesy of Balfour Beatty Communities/Released)

“It doesn’t impact memuch, I’m from here soI’m used to it.”

Alex Carter

Navy College

Hometown: Gulfport, Miss.

“As long as it’s not snowing I’mhappy.”

Kim Guillemette

Navy College

Hometown: Douglas, Mass.

“It’s frustrating.”

How do you feel aboutthe constantly fluctuat-ing weather?

BUCN (SCW) Juan Vazquezl

NMCB 11

Hometown: Abilene, Texas

By CECN Lucinda MoiseNCBC Public Affairs

Naval Construction Battalion Center (NCBC) and 20th SeabeeReadiness Group (SRG) held a frocking ceremony at theTraining Hall for Sailors selected for advancement from theSept. exam, Nov. 29. Frocking authorizes a Sailor to wear theinsignia of the paygrade of which they have been selected,and carries with it additional duties and responsibilities,but does not include pay and allowances. (U.S. Navy photos byChief Mass Communication Specialist Ryan G. Wilber/Released)

Around

Personnel assigned to the Colmer Dining Facility on board NavalConstruction Battalion Center (NCBC) prepare food for thelunchtime meal Nov. 30. The Colmer Dining Facility is open forbreakfast Monday - Friday , 5:45-7:45 a.m., lunch, 11 a.m.-12:30p.m., and dinner, 4:30-6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, break-fast, 6:30-8 a.m., lunch, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., and dinner, 4-5:30p.m. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Ryan G.Wilber/Released)

the Center

Buzz on

the Street

Water is fluid and follows apath whether predetermine byhumans or created by natureand runs clean or dirty basedon the path it follows.“Water is used for so many

things,” said Douglas Pojeky,Public Works Department Gulf-port Stormwater Program Man-ager. “We use it to washdishes, cars, floors, driveways,etc. We choose to use it forits fluidity and power.”Water over time created one

of the nation’s most beautifulnatural national parks, theGrand Canyon. “Water is the one element

that if controlled will find away to continue its path. Thisis why it is important to man-age where and how we use it,”explained Pojeky.Water, whether it travels

through a garden hoses or itcomes down from the sky canrun many different channelsand may carry numerous pol-lutants as it runs its path.

“The best deterrent to filter-ing all of the pollutants isthrough vegetation,” said Po-jeky. Although the earth has this

natural deterrent to pollutantsit is still important for every-one to assist in the fightagainst erosion and pollution.With all of the constructionand constant shifting of thelandscape that everyone doeson a daily basis, at home andon base, it is crucial to the en-vironment that everyone makean effort to do their part. “We must continue to clean

up our own living space andnot pollute,” said Pojeky. “Thewater that hits the groundcould eventually make it backinto our bodies. Whether it befrom the fish we eat or thewater we drink we are all re-sponsible for our Earth. Weonly get one.”Questions pertaining to

proper water conservation canbe made directly to the NCBCStormwater Program Managerat 228-871-3118.

Morale, Welfare and Recreation(MWR) will host their annualChristmas Tree Lighting at theYouth Center on board Naval Con-struction Battalion Center (NCBC)Gulfport from 6 - 8:30 p.m., Dec. 7. All MWR departments fromMaintenance to the Liberty Centerare joining together to host theevent. According to MWR Marketing

and Publicity Coordinator, MarandaJohns, the Christmas Tree Lightingis held each year three weeks be-fore Christmas to bring everyonetogether to celebrate the holidays.“The MWR hosts this event every

year to provide a traditional light-ing of the tree ceremony forNCBC, and to bring people out toenjoy the holiday atmosphere,”said Johns.There will be food, children’s

games, prize giveaways and aspecial appearance from SantaClaus. This year’s event will alsoinclude a Holiday Gift Village withoutside vendors selling potentialholiday gifts, such as custom

stuffed animals, jewelry and spaproducts, as well as handmadeitems.

“We enlisted the help of thesevarious vendors for those who arelooking for that perfect gift. Thisyear we have also invited Heifer

International for anyone inter-ested in making a donation insomeone’s name as a gift,” saidGrace Sheets, MWR informationtechnology team manager. For more information, contact

Maranda Johns at 228-871-4010.

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MWR to host annual treelighting Friday nightBy CECN Lucinda L. MoiseNCBC Public Affairs

A youngster gives a snowman a thorough inspection at last year’stree lighting. This year’s tree lighting includes an added featureof a Holiday Gift Village. (U.S. Navy photo/Released)

Santa arrives at 9 a.m.

Our water, ourresponsibilityBy NAVFAC SoutheastPublic Affairs

The water run off samples above show how important veg-etation is for soil. You can see in the first sample on the left,the "filtering" effect that vegetation has on water. The tworemaining samples are clouded with sediment. (Photo cour-tesy of CBC Environmental/Released)

Balfour Beatty hosts‘Pancakes with Santa’

Dec. 15, 8 -10 a.m. at McDonald's on board NCBC

. . . Follow Seabee Center onFacebook and Twitter . . .

Marine Toys for Tots - Staff Sgt.Marvin Perez-Diaz, of I&I, 3rd Platoon, A com-pany, 4th AABN on board NCBC is coordinatingthe area’s annual Toys for Tots campaign.Your contribution of new, unwrapped toys or amonetary donation would be greatly appreci-ated. Drop off boxes are located throughoutHarrison, Hancock and Stone Counties, Keesler

Air Force Base PX and on boardNCBC at the Navy Exchange andthe Navy Federal Credit Union.Donations are being acceptedthrough Dec. 22. To make amonetary donation, or for moreinformation on Toys for Tots,visit http://gulfport-ms.toysfortots.org.

The Labor Department, in concert with two other federal agencies, hasprovided a tool to guide potential employers seeking to hire disabledveterans, a Labor Department official said, Dec. 3.John K. Moran, deputy assistant secretary of labor for veterans’ em-

ployment and training service, said the “America’s Heroes at Work”website provides resources to organizations looking to hire veteranswith or without disabilities.“What it does for the employer is it gives them some information

about -- and demystifies, quite frankly -- a lot of the issues around thedisabilities that many veterans might have – particularly, traumatic braininjury [and] post-traumatic stress disorder,” he said. “It advises andhelps an employer understand what those issues are, what they’re not,and how they can effectively recruit and hire veterans who may havethose issues into their workforce without any particular problems.”This website guides employers to understand the disabilities and po-

tential accommodations that may be necessary, and how they can bemade, he added.“In fact, [it] points out that many of the accommodations that might

need to be made can be made very, very simply and easily,” Moran said.“So it’s really a guide for the employer how to hire the veteran who hasthese issues.”The website originally launched in 2008 and was down recently for a

short period as the three agencies involved -- the Labor, Defense andthe Veterans Affairs departments -- considered who should manage thewebsite.“We went through a few discussions this past summer,” Moran said,

“which resulted in a decision that since we, the Department of Labor,are the employment arm, if you will, for the federal government, itrightfully should stay where we are.”Moran also noted contracting issues and “a couple of technical

glitches” also caused the website to go down for a short period, but asof Nov. 26, the website has been back online and fully accessible.Moran said Labor Department officials believe the toolkits for employersthat the website provides have factored into declining veteran unem-ployment.“One of the indicators that we look at, that we believe lends itself to

the fact that this website is working well for the employers, is that vet-eran unemployment continues to go down,” he said. “So there are manyfactors behind that, but one of the factors is, we believe, that employersare using this toolkit [and] they’re learning from it,” Moran said.“They’re more willing and able, then, to bring on the veterans, which isprobably why we’re seeing the decline in the veteran unemploymentrate.”Moran noted that nonveterans also experience PTSD and other brain in-juries, but that doesn’t preclude them from being effective contributorsto the workforce.In addition to giving employers toolkits and information about veteran

disabilities, Moran said, the website also emphasizes the advantages ofhiring veterans, whether they have these disabilities or not.Officials are updating all of the information so there is one “holisticplace for an employer to go,” Moran said.“They’ll simply come to the DOL website,” said he added, and “they’ll

access this information, and they’ll learn about everything there is forthe value of hiring a veteran, period.”Whether a veteran has a disability won’t be germane at that point, he

said. “If they want to drill down further into ‘Now, what do I need toknow about the veteran who has disabilities?’ then they can further ac-cess this information,” he said. “So we are kind of putting it all in oneplace.”

Challalumsa, Ethiopia is a verysmall village that you won’t findoff the side of a main road, near ariver, stream or even on a map.This village is a treasure hidden inthe desert near the town of DireDawa, and home to nearly 500Somali Ethiopians. Life in Challalumsa is quiet and

simple, and most work consists ofherding camels, goats and don-keys. People travel up to 20 miles

daily for fresh water, and for thatreason it is a perfect place tosend a group of Navy Seabees todrill a well. The Seabees of Naval Mobile

Construction Battalion (NMCB) 1began their mission to bringwater to the people of Chal-lalumsa Nov. 21. A pre-assessment was done by

Lt. j.g. Michael Gibson, officer-in-charge, Chief Equipment Operator

(SCW) Tremayne Nicholson, assis-tant officer-in-charge and Equip-ment Operator 1st Class (SCW)William Wilson, lead driller. “During the assessment we met

with the village elder to discussthe placement of the well, howmany people the well will serve,the effect it will have on the vil-lage and job site safety,” said Gib-son.After the road leading to the wellsite was prepped, work on thewell started Nov. 25.

Equipment Operator 2nd Class(SCW) Corey Hileman worked toflatten some areas and dig outothers, so that the T2W WaterWell Rig and Tender would beable to reach the site. Once on-site, set up began with two 20-foot Container Express (CONEX)boxes being dropped off, a 750cubic feet per minute (CFM) aircompressor and well drilling ma-terials. A water well operation is a 24

hour-a-day mission broken into

three eight-hour shifts. Each shifthas a “Tower Leader,” “DerekHand,” “Worm” and a “Mechanic.” The Tower Leader is in charge of

his shift and is the one that willcontrol the drill rig. His second incharge and right hand is theDerek. The Worm collects cuttingsamples and keeps the drillingmud program correct, and theMechanic keeps everything work-ing properly. The water well required a 250-

foot depth to have an effectiveground water flow that producesenough water for the village. It took the team four days and

nights to reach this depth, over-coming a clogged mud pump, airin the hydraulic lines and cold,wet nights. For the village of Challalumsa,

Ethiopia, the placement and com-pletion of this well means nomore 20 mile hikes just to getwater; the gold so needed tokeep the village thriving and hid-den from the rest of world. 5

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By EOC (SCW) TremayneNicholsonNMCB 1 Public Affairs

NMCB 1 drills for liquid gold in Ethiopia

Seabees attached to NavalMobile Construction Bat-talion (NMCB) 1 performdrilling operations in Chal-lalumsa, Ethiopia. Thecompletion of this waterwell ensures that the peo-ple of Challalumsa will nolonger have to travel 20miles for water. NMCB 1 iscurrently deployed to theEurope and Africa (AOR) insupport of construction op-erations and African Part-nership Stations. (U.S. Navyphoto by Lt. Jeff "SF" Fu-sick/Released)

Website assists thoseseeking to hire vetsBy Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyronne C. Marshall Jr.American Forces Press Service

CAMP KRUTKE, Afghanistan –Under the sun in Afghanistan’ssouthern provinces, through thedesert, flood plains and moun-tains, into the bustling metropol-itan area of the capital, Kabul,coalition forces continue to de-velop, mentor and train mem-bers of the Afghan NationalArmy (ANA), security forces andpolice. Beginning in October, 11 mem-

bers of Naval Mobile Construc-tion Battalion (NMCB) 133, TaskForce Anchor, embedded withcoalition partners at four for-ward operating bases (FOBs)across Helmand and KabulProvince to train, coach and ad-vise ANA engineering units incontingency construction opera-tions. Embedded with U.S. Marines of

a Security Force Advisor Assis-tance Team and the engineersof the ANA 2nd Brigade 215thCorps at FOB Nolay in northernHelmand Province, Builder 1stClass Matthew Culberson worksclosely with the company com-mander mentoring and givingtechnical advice on planning andexecution.Culberson said the ANA’s con-

struction tasking came soonafter his arrival and as the engi-neers eagerly moved forward inthe construction of a mosque,an administrative building, andconstruction of a roof structurefor the cistern on their camp,the company commander fre-quently requested his expertisein devising a comprehensiveplan. Coupled with the knowledge

and skills attained during a con-tingency construction course,Culberson said the companyproved to be resilient and re-sourceful. In southern Helmand Province,

two more members of the team,Construction Electrician 1stClass Justin Urban and Con-

struction Mechanic 2nd ClassTimothy Woznick, attached tothe 1st Brigade 215th Corps Ad-visor Team at FOB Dwyer, as-sisted in the instruction of 22ANA students in a 30-day gener-ator operator and maintenancecourse. Along with daily lectures, theSeabees conducted hands ontraining with the ANA Soldiers. “I was a little apprehensive

about coming here and teachingthe ANA Soldiers,” said Woznick.“But once we started and metwith these guys it became reallyfun. It was amazing to see theirprogress in just a few weeks. Ireally can’t wait to teach themmore classes.”“I don’t always know how to

respond when I hear ‘heySeabee, great job today. You re-ally are working hard; we don’tknow what we would do withoutyou guys.’” Woznick said.His normal response: “I’m just

doing my job.”Not all the jobs in the engi-

neering battalion consist of con-struction workers, however, andto the north, at Camp Black-horse in Kabul Province, sevenother members of the team arementoring the ANA’s 215th Engi-neering Battalion in more thanjust construction. Yeoman 2nd Class Narkedrian

Hollis, the NMCB 133 Engineer-ing Development Team’s admin-istrative instructor, said therewere a few challenges presentupon their arrival, but werequickly overcome with the assis-tance of interpreters. “They all had dealings with

prior ANA battalions and U.Smilitary mentors,” said Hollis.“As the initial conversation pro-gressed, each interpreterchimed to share their experi-ences, expectations, and signifi-cant do’s and don’ts.”The interpreters were subject

matter experts in various fields,said Hollis, so they matchedtheir expertise with each teammember. The next step was todevelop a course of instructionfor each specialty and Hollis saidhe had to really give it somethought. “I had no idea whether or not

their administrative personnelhad any experience,” he said. “Ididn’t want my course of in-struction to overwhelm them.”Ultimately, after several meet-

ings with the garrison person-nel, Hollis had the informationhe needed to fine tune thecourse.“I gave them advice on how to

make their personnel status re-ports better and instructed themon the importance of timeli-ness,” said Hollis. “I began bygoing out to watch them musterin the mornings. I also incorpo-rated tools on how to evaluatepersonnel, document leave, theimportance of positive and neg-ative counseling, and accuratelymaintaining personnel records.Though they had doctrine thatdictated these matters, I at-tempted to streamline and rein-force what was already inplace.”Hollis said he plans to pass the

course of instruction on to thenext administrative mentor sothey can continue to support theANA on their road to independ-ent operations.Regardless of the location

within the country, Task ForceAnchor’s mentors continue torenew the enduring partnershipbetween the coalition forces andthe ANA toward one commongoal: the future prosperity ofAfghanistan.

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A common goal: Independentoperations, future prosperityBy MC1 Steven MyersNMCB 133 Public Affairs

Underwater Construction Team (UCT)ONE is searching for highly motivatedSeabees and CEC Officers looking for acareer and lifestyle change.

Join an ELITE force and travel as a small, professional team. Execute specialized construction, diving and demolition skills with thelatest and greatest technology and equipment.

Contact UCT CCC/Diver recruiting team @ 757-462-3988 or 757-462-4313 or Email YNC Aberle at

christopher.aberle1@navy.mil; SW1 Dohse atryan.dohse@navy.mil or visit

www.www.facebook.com/seabee.diver formore information.Tis the Season for Safety

U.S. Sailors assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Bat-talion (NMCB) 133, lay sand grid to create a compactablesurface above a simulated crater during an airfield dam-age repair exercise. NMCB 133 is deployed to the U.S.5th Fleet area of responsibility to support engineeringoperations. (U.S. Navy photo by Construction Electrician 2ndClass Richard Rickert/Released)

NMCB 133 conducts AirfieldDamage Repair Exercise

Dikhil, Djibouti -- Naval MobileConstruction Battalion (NMCB) 1 isleading the way in building andsustaining relationships with EastAfrican partner nation military lead-ership, and local community lead-ers in their Area of Operations(AO). Detail Kontali Officer-in-Charge

(OIC) Lt j.g. Alexsandra Reed andAssistant OIC Chief Steelworker(SCW) Chris Sterner took time tocoordinate meetings with key offi-cials in the Dikhil region to discussopportunities for engagements withDjiboutian military, local civiliansand U.S. Seabees.These engagements will be fo-

cused on allowing Local Nationalsto participate in the construction ofa medical clinic compound locatedin the Village of Kontali.The Detail OIC, AOIC and Detail

Interpreter had a morning meetingwith the Dikhil military base Com-manding/Operations Officer, Lt.Col. Idriss Omar, which focused onthe future military-to-military con-struction engagements that will

allow Djiboutian military personnelto learn basic construction prac-tices and quality control measures. The skills acquired will be of great

value and benefit to the Djiboutianmilitary as they learn the variousconstruction trades. Their contribu-tions will also allow them to takeownership of the projects beingconstructed in their AO.During the visit, Omar was ex-

cited about having his troops par-ticipate in the construction of theKontali Clinic. “This will be a great opportunity

for my personnel to learn the con-struction trade and maybe apply itto our future construction needs …and we can teach the Seabees the‘Djiboutian way’ to do stucco,” saidOmar. Later that afternoon, the Detail

leadership conducted anothermeeting with the Dikhil Region Pre-fect, Mohamed Cheiko Hassan.

During the meeting there wasdiscussion of the utilization of adultstudents from the local vocationaltechnical school located within thecity.

The Dikhil Prefect was equally ex-cited about the students learning the construction tradefrom Seabees, and how it will allowthe students to acquire the skillnecessary to support

independent economic growthin the region.“This opportunity will allow the

students to learn and apply theirnewly gained knowledge to futurejobs,” said Hassan.

The actions by the Seabees willnot only enhance the current U.S.relationship with the East Africanmilitary, but allow for new bridgesof friendship and coordinated ef-forts to be built in the future.

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Lt. j.g. Alexsandra Reed and Chief Steelworker (SCW) Chris Sterner meet with Dikhil Mil-itary Base Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Idriss Omar to discuss future plans for collabo-rating on the construction of a medical clinic in a nearby village. NMCB 1 is currentlydeployed to the Europe and Africa (AOR) in support of construction operations andAfrican Partnership Stations. (U.S. Navy photo by NMCB 1 Public Affairs/Released)

‘First and Finest’ ofNMCB 1 enhancepartnerships in AfricaBy NMCB 1 Public Affairs

When Construction Electrician 1stClass Eric R. Montag detachedwith his Seabee shipmates as-signed to Naval Mobile Construc-tion Battalion (NMCB) 11 fromtheir homeport in Gulfport, toprovide disaster response assis-tance to the people of HurricaneSandy affected areas in New Jer-sey and New York in early No-vember, he had a pretty goodidea of the fears and emotionsthat those people were dealingwith.Montag, a native of Klamath

Falls, Ore., was living on the GulfCoast of Mississippi when Hurri-cane Katrina plowed through in2005. “I spent six weeks with no

power,” said Montag. At the time,Montag was assigned to NMCB 7,also in Gulfport. He spent twoweeks cleaning up the Gulf Coastin the immediate aftermath, buthe and the other Gulf CoastSeabees weren’t alone. “The entire NCF (Naval Con-

struction Force) was helping out.There was CBMU (ConstructionBattalion maintenance Unit) 202,the National Guard, West CoastBattalions, Spec War; It seemedlike everyone from everywherewas helping us out,” explainedMontag.When Montag received the call

that he would be needed to pro-vide assistance in the northeast,he felt like he was returning afavor.

“Once we got the word I washoping I’d be one of the ones

that went,” said Montag, “so Ihad an opportunity to help some-one else out after going througha bad storm myself.”

While clearing debris, putting uptents, and dewatering, Montagwas relating with the residentswhom he was assisting.“I talked to several residents

and city councilmen about my ex-perience with Hurricane Katrinaand how we overcame thingsover time,” said Montag. “I thinkbeing able to relate to thembased on our similar experienceshelped give them a sense of hopethat they would come out alright.” The stress and anguish felt by

his community following Hurri-cane Katrina is something thatMontag remembers all too well.This shared experience of lossgave Montag a personal interestin the communities he was assist-ing in the northeast. “The hardest part was telling

them that they couldn’t go into

their homes to get stuff becauseit was too dangerous,” said Mon-tag. “That really upset the home-owners and store owners, and Ifeel bad for them.”Montag and his NMCB 11 ship-

mates provided assistance insome of the hardest hit areas ofNew Jersey and New York forroughly two weeks.While most of the NMCB 11

Seabees who traveled to thenortheast United States to aid indisaster response of HurricaneSandy are simply too new to theNavy to have been a part of theresponse to Hurricane Katrina,there are many still serving whowere part of the post-Katrina re-sponse.History has proven that Seabees

are eager and ready to come tothe aid of those in need.

Seabee who assisted Sandy victims rememberswhen others came to rescue of Gulf Coast

CE1(SCW) Eric Montag

By MC1 (AW) Jonathan CarmichaelNMCB 11 Public Affairs

My brother grabbed thechrome knob of our Buick’sradio and cranked it up, hopingMom wouldn’t complain. Fromthe back seat, I could hear thegrinding voice of Ted Nugentand see my brother’s elbowjerk to the rhythm of his airguitar. “I just don’t get it,” Mom

piped up over the screechingsounds, “Why on Earth would a‘cat scratch a beaver?’ That just

doesn’t make sense ecologi-cally.” My brother and I were mortal

enemies, but he grinned at meto share our mutual opinionthat Mom was totally uncool. She was notorious for embar-

rassing us by botching lyricsand doing cheesy “momdances” to our favorite songs.My brother and I shriveled inhumiliation when Mom pointedher thumbs alternately into theair to the beat, or did theMashed Potato to Rod Stewart’s“Da Ya Think I’m Sexy” or KC &The Sunshine Band’s “Shake,Shake, Shake Your Booty.” She must’ve been born un-

cool, we thought, and werethankful that we would neversuffer the same fate. But then, life played its cruel

joke, and I became a middle-

aged mom. Although fully entrenched in

denial, I sometimes get thefeeling that, much like mymother before me, I have noidea what’s cool anymore. I re-luctantly allow my kids to con-trol the radio on our way toschool, and am forced to listento the repertoire of new rockalternative and pop tunes thatonly serve to keep me fromhearing the news and weather.As cool as I think I am, I’m justrealizing who Foo Fighters andTrain are. It’ll take me anotherfive years before I can wrap mymind around Mumford & Sons,Fun and Young the Giant. Recently, our kids wanted to

go to a base concert featuringa band named Switchfoot. Allour friends were going, so de-spite the fact that we couldn’tidentify the music off the top ofour heads, we jumped on thebandwagon like groupies. The

morning of the concert, myhusband and I figured we’dbetter do our research. Withthe assistance of our teenagedaughter, we played snippets ofSwitchfoot’s songs on iTunes. “Hey, I’ve heard this one be-

fore!” I said, and my husbandand I gyrated to the beat whileour kids rolled their eyes.“Oooo, this one’s actually prettygood,” my husband exclaimedupon hearing another familiarsong. “’Yea, hmmm, uhuh, da,da -- HEY, we are the DarkHorses!!’” he belted at the topof his lungs. Later at the concert, my hus-

band and I were ready to provethat we hadn’t lost our cool.Pairing middle-aged dancemoves with inaccurate lyrics,we appeared to be having ablast. An hour later, my hus-band asked me to search mypurse for ibuprophen for a painin his lower back. Another hour

later, we began to yawn andcomplain about the noise. Fi-nally, in the last hour of theconcert, we just wanted to gohome, take our fiber tablets,and go to bed. No matter how obvious it is

that we’re not cool anymore,we middle-aged parents neverwant to face reality. “Sounds like a xylophone.

What’s the name of this band,Honey?” I asked my teenagedaughter last week while driv-ing our minivan to school. “Gotye,” she answered with a

slight eye roll. Sheesh. Kids these days just

don’t know good music. Whywould anyone name a band‘Goiter’ anyway? I thought tomyself, secure in the knowl-edge that I’d always be cool. Get more wit and observa-

tions from Lisa at her blog,http://themeatandpotatoesof-life.com.

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‘The Meat & Potatoes of Life’‘The Meat & Potatoes of Life’By Lisa Smith Molinari, By Lisa Smith Molinari, Military Spouse ContributerMilitary Spouse Contributer

Seabee Memorial Chapel Sandy Relief

Religious Program Specialist Sea-man Jamie Hamm, assigned to theNaval Construction Battalion Cen-ter (NCBC) Seabee MemorialChapel is pictured with the healthand comfort items donated byNCBC military and civilian per-sonnel and their families. Chapelpersonnel coordinated the baserelief effort before turning thegoods over to points of contact atthe Shed BBQ as part of “Opera-tion BBQ Relief,” who traveled tothe East Coast in late October.(U.S. Navy photo courtesy of NCBCChapel/Released)

Never lose your cool

NCIS has two new anonymous ways to

report crimes or suspicious behavior with

the use of discreet and secure online or

texting tip lines.

To report information by Cell text:

1. Text “NCIS” to the short code 274637

(CRIMES) from any cell or smart phone.

2. Receive a response, for example: “Your

alias is: S2U5 Call 911 if urgent! If replies

put you at risk, text “STOP”

3. Begin dialogue

To report information Online:

1. Go to www.NCIS.navy.mil, click on the

“Report a Crime” tab and select the icon for

“text and Web tip Hotline.”

There is a reward of up to $1,000 for infor-

mation leading to a felony arrest or ap-

prehension.

See Something Wrong,Do Something Right!

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Are you thinking about retire-ment? The only CSRS andFERS retirement planningcourses being offered at NCBCGulfport during Fiscal Year 13will be offered in Februaryand are limited to 25 studentseach.Information on all civilian

course offerings can be foundat: Https://www.cnic.navy-.mil/gulfport/OperationsAnd-Management/HumanResources-Office/ServiceCenterTrain-ing/index.htm orhttp://www.donhr.navy.mil/and click on HR office - south-east to find a course.

Civilian federal employees

Focus on Education Focus on Education

NCBC School Liaison

Officer, Kevin Byrd is

located at MWR

Building 352, 1706

Bainbridge Ave.

NCBC, 228-871-2117

or email:

kevin.r.byrd@navy.mil

FFSC DecemberClasses The Fleet and Family Sup-

port Center (FFSC) invites

you to check out their De-

cember class schedule at:

http://www.slideshare.net/S

eabeeCenterGulfport/ffsc-

classes-december-2012.

Please call FFSC at 228-871-

3000 to pre-register.

Right place, right time

Chief Utilitiesman (SCW) James Penney welcomes thestudents and teachers from Quarles Elementary Schoolof the Long Beach School District. Approximately 225students were rewarded with a movie, soda and popcornfor perfect attendance. NCTC partnered with Quarles El-ementary School as part of the Navy Partner In Education(PIE) program. (U.S. Navy photo courtesy of NCTC/Released)

Five Star Service

Naval Construction Battalion Center (NCBC) Gulfport MWRITT Manager, Grace Sheets, and Navy Gateway Inns andSuites Front Desk Supervisor, Fanny Crispell present NCBC Fit-ness Center Life Guard Charlie Smith with his Star Service cer-tification. Instructors Crispell and Sheets conducted a StarService course Nov. 27- 28 in which 10 different MWR em-ployees from various programs like Navy Outdoor Recre-ation, Liberty and Human Resources learned effectivecustomer service techniques and practices. The course de-tailed the importance of earning the trust of the customer andconsistently providing positive, helpful service. (Photo cour-tesy of MWR/Released)

DeCA 2013 ScholarshipsIn 2012, the Scholarships for Military Children Program celebrated a

major milestone as it reached more than $10 million in scholarshipsawarded to 6,742 students from around the globe.It’s time, once again, to add to these impressive numbers, as applications

for the 2013 Scholarships for Military Children Program will be availablestarting Dec. 3 at commissaries worldwide. You can also find them onlinethrough a link at http://www.commissaries.com and directly athttp://www.militaryscholar.org.Scholarship awards will be based on funds available, but the scholarship

program awards at least $1,500 at each commissary. If there are no eligi-ble applicants from a particular commissary, the funds designated for thatcommissary will be awarded as an additional scholarship at another store.To apply for a scholarship, the student must be a dependent, unmarried

child, younger than 21 — or 23, if enrolled as a full-time student at a col-lege or university — of a service member on active duty, reservist, guards-man, retiree or survivor of a military member who died while on activeduty or survivor of a retiree. Eligibility is determined using the Defense En-rollment Eligibility Reporting System database.Applicants should ensure that they, as well as their sponsor, are enrolled

in the DEERS database and have a current military ID card. The applicantmust also be planning to attend or already attending an accredited collegeor university, full time, in the fall of 2013 or be enrolled in a program ofstudies designed to transfer directly into a four-year program. Applicantsmust submit an essay on a topic chosen by the Fisher House. The essaytopic will be available Dec. 3 on http://www.militaryscholar.org. Applica-tions must be turned in to a commissary by Feb. 22.

Applications for Navy-MarineCorps Relief Society (NMCRS) ed-ucational scholarships and inter-est-free loans for the 2013 - 2014academic year are now availableand can be downloaded atwww.nmcrs.org/education.Students eligible to apply include

spouses or children (under theage of 23) of Sailors and Marineswho: are on active duty, are re-tired or who died on active duty

or in a retired status.Consideration for selection is

based on scholastic ability and fi-nancial need. Applicants must begraduating high school seniors orfull-time (minimum 12 credithours) college students workingtoward their first undergraduatedegree. Applications must be re-ceived at NMCRS by May 1, unlessthe due date on the applicationstates otherwise. The NMCRS Education Program

has provided scholarships and in-

terest-free loans totaling morethan $60 million to more than50,000 students over the last 30years. It is based on the Society'smission "to provide financial, edu-cational and other assistance."The program is supported entirelyby donations and bequests toNMCRS. For more information on the

NMCRS Education Program,please visit www.nmcrs.org/edu-cation or emaileducation@nmcrs.org.

Navy-Marine Corps ReliefSociety Scholarships: From Navy-Marine CorpsRelief Society Gulfport

Special EventLight up the season with MWR atour annual Tree Lighting and Holi-day Gift Village event, Friday from6 – 8:30 p.m. at the Youth ActivitiesCenter. There will be a snow playarea and lots of fun games for thechildren, along with cookies andmilk. Adults can shop for gifts at theHoliday Gift Village which includesnew vendors this year. And ofcourse, Santa will be waiting to hearwhat is on everyone’s wish list. Call228-871-4010 for more details.

FitnessSign up for the Monthly Dodgeball

Challenge at the CBC Fitness Center.There is no charge and the eventwill be held Friday. All eligible com-mands are welcome. Call today fordetails, 228-822-2668.Do you like tennis or is badminton

more your style? Sign up forLunchtime Intramural Pickleball.Pickleball is a racquet sport whichcombines elements of badminton,tennis, and table tennis. Head to theCBC Fitness Center and sign up. Theleague starts Feb. 6 and games will

be held 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. inthe Fitness Center gymnasium.

RecreationMovie Theater: FREE every week-

end. Grab some popcorn and sitback and enjoy the movie!

Friday, “Bourne Legacy,” PG13, 6 p.m.Saturday, Movies cancelled due

to trainingSunday, “The Possession,” PG13,

6 p.m.

Information, Tickets andTravel:Looking for a great holiday event

for the family? Look no further, ITTis taking you and your family toMickey’s Music Festival in MobileDec. 15 for only $25! Departingfrom the ITT parking lot at 11 a.m.,and returning approximately 7 p.m.Space is limited- sign up today!(Children ages 6 and under must bein a passenger restraint device, notprovided by MWR.)The last Saints game of the season

Saints vs. Panthers will go on saleon Dec. 17 at 9a.m. for just

$52.25/ticket! The first week ofsales will be open to Active Dutyonly. During the second week ofsales tickets will be available forpurchase to all eligible MWR patrons(Active Duty, Reservists, Depend-ents, Retirees and DOD employees)with proper ID. Limit two (2) ticketsper Military ID card. Parking passesare $40 for parking inside of the Su-perdome Parking Garage and will beavailable on a first come first servebasis. (No refunds or exchanges. Allticket prices are subject to changewithout warning. ITT is not respon-sible for lost, stolen or launderedtickets and will not replace them.Resale is prohibited. Active Duty, Reservist, National

Guard, USCG and Retirees are noweligible for a complimentary Univer-sal 3 Day Park-to-Park ticket andBlue Man Group Ticket at children’sprice! All dependents and DOD per-sonnel are eligible for discountedUniversal 2 Day, with 3rd Day Freetickets! Call ITT for info.!We have Nutcracker tickets avail-

able for the performances on Friday,Dec. 21 for just $15/ ticket! CallITT for more information.

Liberty Center: Head to the Liberty Center for

FREE food while you enjoy the113th Annual Army vs. Navy Foot-ball Game, Saturday, 2 p.m.Find the inner animal in you! Join

the Liberty center on a trip to the

Audubon Zoo for only $10, Sunday,9 a.m.

Navy Outdoor Recreation: Do you have holiday parties sched-

uled this season? Outdoor Recre-ation offers all kind of equipment forgatherings from grills and cookers tochildren’s bounce houses at very af-fordable prices. Calling all fishermen! Navy Out-

door Recreation presents the FishingRodeo at Seabee Lake, Dec. 22. Tosign up or for more details, callODR.FREE Batting Cage: No more to-

kens needed. Stop by and take aswing! Rent bats and helmets at nocharge from Outdoor Recreationduring business hours.

Food & BeverageStarting this Sunday, the Beehive

will be open. New hours are from

11:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. Enjoy Sundayfootball with friends.Fight the cold weather by getting

a hot breakfast from the Grill. TheGrill is located at the corner ofColby and 7th Street and haseverything from French Toast platesto breakfast burritos or traditionaleggs and bacon. Anchors & Eagles: Open Tuesday-

Thursday 2 - 9 p.m.

Youth ActivitiesTake a trip to the Louisiana Chil-

dren’s Museum with YAC this Satur-day from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The trip islimited to 30 so sign up now for only$6. Bring a lunch and any money forcool things from the museum store.Don’t get bored after school. Do

something cool at the Youth Activi-ties After-School Program andPower Hour, Monday - Friday, 2 –5:30 p.m. Call YAC for details.

Anchors & EaglesAuto HobbyBeehiveChild Development CenterFitness CenterInformation, Tickets & TravelLiberty CenterSeabee Heritage CenterNavy Outdoor Recreation RV ParkThe GrillTraining HallYouth Activities Center

228-871-4607228-871-2804228-871-4009228-871-2323228-871-2668228-871-2231

228-871-4684228-871-3619228-871-2127228-871-5435228-871-2494228-871-4750228-871-2251 10

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For more information about MWR proFor more information about MWR pro--grams and opportunities, contact:grams and opportunities, contact:

Parents enjoy a turkey dinner with their children at lunch as partof the Child Development Center's Thanksgiving celebration. TheCDC works hard to maintain strong parent participation in theirprograms. (Photo courtesy of MWR/Released)

WEST HARRISON HIGH SCHOOLWHHS needs 10 volunteers to assistwith proctoring the Mississippi SATPTests the Dec. 10, 10 volunteers forDec. 12, five volunteers for Dec. 13,seven folunteers for Dec. 17 and twovolunteers Dec. 14. Volunteers shouldreport to West Harrison High School at10399 County Farm Rd, Gulfport nolater than 7:30 a.m., and should befinished around noon. Volunteers maydress in civilian clothes or uniform. Ifyou are interested, please e-mail Julieat JHadley@harrison.k12.ms.usLONG BEACH ALTERNATIVESCHOOL SEEKS MENTORS - LongBeach Alternative School on Old PassRoad in Long Beach is looking formentors for three high school girls andfour high school boys. Mentor dutieswill include providing direction on as-

signments, increasing personal ac-countability and other life skills.Please call Michelle Harrison at 228-865-1956 for more information or tovolunteer.WOOLMARKET ELEMENTARYSCHOOL SEEKS MENTORS - Wool-market Elementary School on John LeeRoad in Biloxi is looking for mentorsfor their male students as they pre-pare for middle school. Please contactShirley Hardman at 228-392-5640 formore information or to volunteer.COAST SALVATION ARMY NEEDSVOLUNTEERS - Volunteers are needfor various projects throughout theyear. Contact Shawna Tatge for info,Shawna_Tatge@uss.salvationarmy.org DRIFTWOOD NURSING HOME -Want to make a difference in the lifeof the elderly then volunteer this fall

with Driftwood Nursing Home locatedright outside the Broad avenue gate.The contact for this volunteer opportu-nity is Christina at 228-243-3421.VOLUNTEER WITH USO - Volunteer-ing is both fun and rewarding. If youare interested in volunteering or wouldlike more information, please visithttp://www.usovolunteer.org/. Volun-teers are needed at both USO loca-tions - (NMPS 2nd Floor, NCBC andGulfport Biloxi International Airport.)

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Center Chaplains: Lt. Cmdr. Paul Smith, Protestant Chaplain

Lt. Yoon Choi, Protestant ChaplainFor information concerning other faith groups,

call the chapel office at 228-871-2454

Services:Gospel Service: 8 a.m.

Sunday Catholic Mass: 9:30 a.m.Weekday Mass: Tuesday, 11:15 a.m.

Divine Worship: Sunday, 11 a.m.

Seabee Memorial ChapelSeabee Memorial Chapel

NCBC Helping Hands volunteer opportunitiesNCBC Helping Hands volunteer opportunities

Looking for a church?The Seabee Memorial Chapel holdsservices every Sunday that might suityour needs. Protestant Services in-clude a Gospel Service at 8 a.m. andDivine Worship Service at 11 a.m.Catholic Services include CatholicMass at 9:30 a.m. There is alsoCatholic Mass Tuesdays at 11:15 a.m.Seabee PantryThe Seabee Pantry needs restocking.During the holidays, the need for fooddonations is at its highest level.Please donate as many canned goodsand other nonperishables as possible.Donation drop-off sites are located atthe Navy Exchange, Chapel, Commis-sary, Fleet and Family Support Centerand Armed Forces Retirement Home.The Seabee Pantry is for anyone affili-ated with NCBC.

Praise and WorshipThe Seabee Memorial Chapel is lookingfor new members for the Praise andWorship Team for the Divine WorshipService at 11 a.m. Sundays. If you cansing or play an instrument, you are in-vited to come share your gift.Women’s Bible Study Women’sFall Bible Study is held Wednesdaysat 11 a.m. at the Seabee MemorialChapel. The Fall Bible Study is con-ducting a six-week study by Jen-nifer Rothchild - Missing Pieces.”Free child care is available. Angel Tree Program Sign up sheets are now available atthe chapel for the annual Angel TreeProgram for children. Deadline forsign up is Dec. 12.For more information, contact theChapel at 228-871-2454.

Chapel Offerings

The NCBC Angel Tree program is an op-portunity to help children of militarymembers in need that may not other-wise receive a Christmas gift. Children ofactive duty and Reserve military mem-bers E-5 and below are eligible for theprogram. Deadline for signing up a childis Dec. 12. at the Seabee MemorialChapel. To choose a child to help, selectan angel from the tree at the Navy Ex-change near the Customer Service Desk,purchase appropriate gifts and returnthe gifts to the NEX Customer ServiceDesk or drop them off at the Chapel byDec. 15. For more information contactthe Chapel, 228-871-2454.

NCBC Angel Tree

CAN DO ChristmasCAN DO Silent Baked Good Auction . . . The CAN DO Christmas Charity is holding a Silent

Baked Goods Auction throughout the day, Dec. 13.Anyone who is interested in supporting the charitycan stop by CCCT/building 260A and submit awritten bid, complete with contact information, on a bakeditem of interest. The bidder can stop by throughout the day tocheck on their bid and add to their bid if they have been outbidby someone else. All bids begin at $5.Donations of baked goods for the auction are needed. Cakes,

cookie, cup cakes, brownies and pies would be most wel-comed. Anyone interested in donating a baked good is askedto contact one of the CAN DO coordinators listed below byDec. 10 and bring the item to CCCT/building 260A the morningof the Silent Auction (Dec. 13.) Monetary donations would alsobe welcomed.

CAN DO coordinators: UT1 Deangelo, 757-513-8001, UT1 Rygh, 228-547-7240, CE1 Troup, 571-331-0043

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SUPPORTFamily Readiness Groups NMCB 1 FRG invites friends and fam-ily members to attend FRG meetingsthe first Monday of every month at theYouth Activity Center, building 335. Apotluck dinner is served at 6 p.m., fol-lowed by a meeting at 6:30 p.m. Chil-dren are welcome and baby sitting isprovided during deployment. ContactFRG President Mary Belanger, e-mailnmcbonefrg@gmail.com. NMCB 11 FRG For more information re-garding the NMCB 11 FRG, please visitthe FRG and Ombudsman website athttp://nmcb11.webs.com.NMCB 74 FRG All families of NMCB 74are invited to the 74 FRG meeting thethird Monday of each month. Meetingsare at the MWR Youth Activities Cen-ter, building 335, behind the Grinderon NCBC. Socializing begins at 5:30p.m., and meetings begin at 6 p.m.

Bring a covered dish to share at ourpotluck dinner. Children are welcome.Email nmcb74fsg@yahoo.com or visitour Facebook page at “NMCB74 Fear-less FRG” for more information.NMCB 133 FRG invites all friends andfamily members to attend FRG meetingsthe first Monday of the month at 6 p.m.at the Youth Center. Children are wel-come and baby sitting is provided. Pleasebring a dish to share. For more infor-mation contact FRG President JaimeRoyal at 317-730-4064 or send an emailto NMCB133fsg@gmail.com. To receiveupdates, log on to the FRG site athttp://www.wix.com/NMCB133FSG/133frgGulfport Officer’s Spouse Club The Gulfport Officers’ Spouses’ Club is asocial organization that has FUN whilehelping our community. We meetmonthly and have special interest groupsfor almost everyone! For more infor-mation, email goscgulfport@yahoo.com.We hope to see YOU soon! NMCRS The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Soci-ety Thrift Shop is located in building29 on Snead Street. The Thrift Shopis staffed entirely by volunteers, andchild care and mileage are reim-bursed. Retail hours of operation areTuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 9a.m. - 1 p.m. Volunteers are alwayswelcome. Visit the NMCRS offices at

the Fleet and Family Support Center,building 30, suite 103 or call 228-871-2610 to find out how to become apart of the NMCRS volunteer team! Gamblers Anonymous The Fleet and Family Support Centeroffers GA meetings every Thursday at 11a.m. GA is a fellowship of people whoshare their experience, strength andhope with each other. All meetings areconfidential and facilitated by GA. Cometo a meeting or call Jim Soriano at 228-871-3000 for information. TRAININGNaval Sea CadetsThe Gulfport branch of the Naval SeaCadets are recruiting youth ages 11 to17 for Sea Cadets, a nation-wide or-ganization that help youth achieve per-sonal success through nautical training.Meetings are the third Saturday of themonth from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m., building1, 2nd floor conference room. ContactLt.j.g. Bowling at 228-313-9035 orcoachcb@yahoo.com for information.SOCIALMiss. Gulf Coast First Class Associ-ation is seeking new members. Meet-ings are every Wednesday at 3 p.m. atCBC’s Beehive, building 352. Call BU1Tony Boldrey 228-871-2577 for moreinformation or just come and join us ata meeting. CBC/20SRG Second Class Petty Of-ficers Association is seeking mem-

bers. Meetings are Tuesdays at 2:30p.m. in the Fitness Center classroom.Contact the Association’s Public AffairsOfficer LS2 Matthew Wasson atmatthew.t.wasson@navy.mil or Presi-dent LS2 Earl Simpson at earl.simp-son@navy.mil for information. NCBC Multi-Cultural Diversity Com-mittee is seeking members. Meetingsare held the first and third Wednesdayof the month at 9 a.m., at the SeabeeMemorial Chapel. Contact BU1 JermaCloude at 228-871-2454 for details.VFW Post 3937 Long Beach is openMonday - Thursday from Noon until 8p.m., Friday and Saturday from Noonuntil 10 p.m., Sunday from noon until 7p.m. The first Friday of the month isSeafood Night, the remaining Fridaysare Steak Night. Breakfast is served from7 to 10 a.m. on Saturdays. VFW meet-ings are held the second Wednesday ofthe month at 7:30 p.m. New membersare always welcome. Contact Post Com-mander Bill North at 228-863-8602 forinformation. VFW Post 4526 Orange Grove is opendaily from Noon to 10 p.m. and locatedat 15206 Dedeaux Road, Orange Grove.Meetings are the first Wednesday eachmonth at 7 p.m. All are welcome and en-couraged to attend. Call 228-832-0017for more info. NMCB 62 Alumni Group Naval Mobile Construction Battalion

(NMCB) 62 was recommissioned in Gulf-port in 1966, and decommissioned in1989. To become a member, go tohttp://nmcb62alumni.org or for links toSeabee historical sites. Seabee Veterans of America Is-land X-1 Gulfport are seeking ActiveDuty, Reserve, Retired or Seabees wholeft the military after a short period oftime. Island X-1 Gulfport meets the firstThursday of each month at Anchors &Eagles at 7 p.m. Contact Joe Scott (sec-retary) at 228-669-8335 orelevenoaks58@cableone.net or log ontowww.nsva.org for information. D.A.V. - Disabled American Veter-ans, Chapter 5 invites Veterans and fu-ture Veterans to monthly meetings heldthe 3rd Monday of each month at 7 p.m. Call Service Officer, Silva Royerat 228-324-1888 to find out more aboutour organization and all that is offeredto members.HERITAGEThe Seabee Gift Store is located in theSeabee Heritage Center Training Hall,building 446. Hours are Monday-Friday,10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturdays from11a.m. to 3 p.m. The shop has a varietyof Seabee related memorabilia, booksand DVD’s. Contact the museum atwww.seabeemuseumstore.org/-/shop/index.php or call the gift shop at228-871-4779 for information on all thatis available for customers.

CenterCenterNotesNotes

Fraud, Waste and Abuse Hotline InformationDue to limited IG resources throughout the Southeast Region, allFraud, Waste and Abuse hotline work will now be handled by the Re-gion. To report Fraud, Waste and Abuse, contact the Region at: TollFree 1-877-657-9851 Comm: 904-542-4979 DSN 942-4979 FAX:904- 542-5587, E-mail: CNRSE_HOTLINE@navy.mil.

PORTRAITS OF LOVETake advantage of a FREE por-trait session sitting and FREEportrait done by worldrenowned photographers tosend your loved one whetherthey are currently serving over-seas or have returned home. Inaddition to your free familyphoto, you will also receiveyour sitting photos via e-mailfrom the photographers. Thegoal of Portraits of Love is toprovide military families withportraits to have and sharewith those serving both nearand far. Portraits of Love will beavailable Dec. 8 from 10 a.m.– 6 p.m. and Dec. 9 from 10a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Hilton Gar-

den Inn Gulfport located at14108 Airport Road, Gulfport,MS 39503. Sittings will be donein 10 minute increments with a5 minute transition period be-tween families. To schedule asitting please e-mail theusogulfcoast@uso.org or callthe USO Gulf Coast office at228-248-0533. **Families mustbe Active Duty, Guard, or Re-servist.

Your Gulfport Commissary. . . It’sworth the trip! Visit www.commis-saries.com to see all that the Commissary has to offer!

NCBC CIVBEEs . . . Are You Up for a Challenge? Announcing the NCBC/Keesler

Civilian ‘Biggest Loser’ Contest

NCBC Civilians (CIVBEEs) have challenged Keesler Air Force Basecivilians to a Biggest Loser Team Challenge competition. Thecompetition will kick off Jan. 14 at the Fitness Center during aninduction to Fitness Center equipment. Anyone who is interest inparticipating in the six week-long competition must have a doc-tor’s release of good health form turned in to their supervisor.The release states that the participant is cleared to begin an exer-cise program. Official weigh-in for participants will be conductedJan. 7 - 11, 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. at the Fitness Center. Benefitsof participating include access to a free training class during thelunch hour, as well as nutritional classes. Weigh-ins will be con-ducted weekly during the challenge. The base that wins will havebragging rights to a trophy that will be displayed at the winner’scommand suite. For more competition information, contactDorothy Coleman, 228-871-4848 or dorothy.coleman@navy.mil.

Balfour Beatty OperationHomefront ToyDistributionBalfour Beatty Communitiesstaff has been volunteeringwith Operation Homefrontduring the holiday season.The staff has been collectingtoys donated from generouscustomers of local DollarTrees. Some of the dona-tions will be distributed atthe NCBC Fire DepartmentDec. 10 from 9:30 to 10:30a.m. and from 3 - 5 p.m.Bring the kids to see Sparkythe Fire Dog andreceive a bag ofgoodies! If youhave any questionsplease feel free toemail Leah Ladnerat lladner@bbc-grp.com