Volume 12, Number 279 Naval Support Activity Bahrain February 4, 2015

INSIDE THESE

STORIESA N DMORE...

CUB SCOUTS VISIT, P. 2 ASTRONAUT LANDS AT BAHRAIN SCHOOL!, P. 3

MISAWA SAILORS BEGIN USS CONSTITUTION SNOW SCULPTURE, P. 5

4 - DOD LAUNCHES CHILD CARE WEBSITE TO EASE MOVING TRANSITIONS - WEEKLY WARRIOR5 - MIAMI DOLPHINS CHEERLEADERS PT WITH NSA BAHRAIN6 - MWR EVENTS & INFO

Photo by MCC Julianne F. Metzger

Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert, center left, testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee. Greenert, along with other service chiefs, Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, left; Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, center right; and Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford, Jr., testified on the impact of the Budget Control Act of 2011 and sequestration on national security.

Greenert Explains Value of Presence, Danger of CutsBy Amaani Lyle DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON (NNS) — Presence remains the mandate of the Navy and the service must operate forward “when and where it matters,” the chief of naval operations testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee here today.

However, sequestration in 2013 not only whittled the Navy’s contingency response force to one third, but forced reductions in afloat and ashore operations, generated ship and aircraft maintenance backlogs, and compelled the Navy to extend unit deployments, Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert said.

“Sequestration resulted in a $9 billion shortfall in 2013, below our budget submission ... degraded fleet readiness and created consequences from which we are still recover-ing,” the admiral said.

Long DeploymentsGreenert also described carrier strike groups, amphibious-ready groups and destroyers experiencing eight- to 10-month, or longer, deployments. “This comes at a cost of our sailors’ and our families’ resiliency; it reduces the per-

formance of the equipment and it will reduce the service lives of our ships,” he said.

The Navy’s fleet readiness likely will not recover from the ship and aircraft maintenance backlogs until about 2018, five years after the first round of sequestration, according to Greenert.

“We reduced procurement of advanced weapons and aircraft, [and] we delayed upgrades to all but the most critical shore infrastructure,” the admiral said. “The end result has been higher risk [to] those missions requiring us to deter and defeat aggression and ... project power despite an anti-access, area-denial challenge.”

Forward Presence Provides ValueStill, recent events speak to the value of forward presence, Greenert asserts.

“When tasked in August, the George H.W. Bush Strike Group relocated from the Arabian Sea to the North Arabian Gulf and was on station within 30 hours, ready for combat operations in Iraq and Syria,” Greenert said.

Additionally, Navy and Marine Corps strike fighters from the carrier generated 20-30 combat sorties per day and

Photo by Lt. j.g. Alexander Perrien

U.S. Navy Sailors and American and Romanian contractors construct a U.S. Aegis Ashore missile defense system at Naval Support Faculty Deveselu, Romania. Once completed, Aegis Ashore will support the European phased adaptive approach to ballistic missile defense.

A New Base Leads to Deeper U.S. Ties in RomaniaBy Lt. j.g. Alexander Perrien Commander, Navy Region Europe, Africa, Southwest Asia Public Affairs

DEVESELU, Romania (NNS) — Since the ground break-ing of Naval Support Facility (NSF) Deveselu, the daily interaction between Romanian and U.S. contractors, and military personnel has provided a platform for multi-cultur-al exchange and understanding.

NSF Deveselu is part of NATO’s ballistic missile defense (BMD) system. With the Forward Deployed Naval Forces ships in Rota, NSF Deveselu will increase the level of protection for Europe and U.S. allies. The support from the Romanian government, military and locals, during the early construction phase, has left an impression on the installation’s leadership.

“Since arriving in August, I’ve been thrilled with the level of support from the Romanian government,” said Cmdr. Rod Tribble, NSF Deveselu executive officer. “Our Romanian allies have done everything in their power to make us feel welcomed. They have been great partners in every aspect of construction and support for this base.”

Many Romanians who work on the installation come from the nearby towns of Craiova or Caracal. The installa-tion has provided a significant number of employment opportunities to local citizens allowing the formation of new bonds between the two countries.

“I worked for Hotel Plaza in Craiova before coming to work at NSF Deveselu in May of 2014,” said NSF Deveselu Housing Manager Sorina Obrcea. “I have learned a lot about American culture and feel respected by the people I work with.”

The only struggle in the workplace is the language bar-rier, which is overcome through the use of translators and by team members committed to excellence.

“I have an excellent staff,” said NSF Deveselu Galley Manager, Donald Douglas. “They are very dependable, hard workers, who enjoy coming to work every day.”

NEW BASE Page 4

GREENERT Page 4

2 The Bahrain Desert Times February 4, 2015

The Bahrain Desert Times is an authorized publication primarily for members of the Navy and Marine Corps military services in Bahrain.

Its contents do not necessarily reflect the official views of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, the U.S. Navy or Marine Corps and do not imply endorsement thereof.

All editorial content is prepared, edited, provided and approved by the staff of the NSA, Bahrain, Public Affairs Officer.

The appearance of advertising in this newspaper, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the DoD, the U.S. Navy or Marine Corps and Commanding Officer Naval Support Activity Bahrain of the products and services advertised.

Everything advertised in this newspaper shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other non-merit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. If a violation or rejection of this policy by an advertiser is confirmed, the publisher shall refuse to print advertising from that source until the violation is corrected.

A confirmed violation of this policy of equal opportunity by an advertiser will result in the refusal to print advertising from that source.

The Bahrain Desert Times is published bi-weekly by Red House Marketing, P.O. Box 20461, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain, a private firm in no way connected with DoD, the U.S. Navy or Marine Corps.

Red House Marketing, is responsible for commercial advertising, which may be purchased by calling: (973) 1781 3777 or send in a Fax to (973) 1781 3700.

439-4520www.cnic.navy.mil/bahrain

Commanding OfficerNaval Support Activity Bahrain Capt. David Meron

NSA Bahrain Executive OfficerCmdr. Leif Hammersmark

Public Affairs OfficerJennifer L. Stride

Public Affairs SpecialistsMC1 (SW) Steven SmithMC2 John BensonHanar Al Balooshi

Cub Scouts from Pack 826, Wolf Den, learned about the American flag with a demonstration from Sgt. Jarrett Worth and Sgt. Marco Vides, assigned to Command Element, Marine Forces Central Command.

The Scouts were instructed on the proper handling of the flag. The Marines answered questions and provided an opportunity for the Scouts to fold the flag themselves. They also learned how to properly raise and lower the flag.

Cub Scout Pack 826 “Tiger Den” visited Naval Support Activity Bahrain’s Public Affairs Office. The Scouts learned about photography, reporting and how the base newspaper is produced. The boys also had the opportunity to take each other’s photo in a studio mock up. Following the successful visit the

Scouts earned the “Tiger Rank” and “Photo Belt Loop.”

Cub Scouts Visit the Public Affairs Office

Cub Scouts Learn About the American Flag Photos by MC1 Steve Smith

Photos by MC1 Steve Smith and MC2 John Benson

February 4, 2015 The Bahrain Desert Times 3

Bahrain School students were left star struck when an American spaceman who flew to space and arrived at their school.

About 400 Middle and High school students were given a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet and talk with NASA astronaut Captain Christopher Cassidy.

Captain Cassidy, a Navy SEAL who became an astronaut in 2004, had completed six spacewalks and accumulated 182 days in space.

Students peppered him with questions on a wide array of space travel topics, ranging from what he ate in space to how he dealt with gravity and if he got bored in space.

The 45-year-old astronaut encouraged the students to study hard in order to succeed, stressing that a sound education was important to fulfill dreams.

Cassidy’s most recent trip into orbit was with Expedition 35/36 from March 28, 2013 through September 11, 2013.

He showed the Bahrain School students a video of the trio’s experience during their trip and commented on it.

Astronaut Captain Cassidy and Russian cosmonauts Pavel Vinogradov and Alexander Misurkin launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to the International Space Station.

The three-member crew worked on hundreds of research experiments and science investigations that will have benefits for future human spaceflight and life on Earth. Cassidy conducted three spacewalks during his 166 days aboard the station. During the expedition, the crew completed 2,656 Earth orbits and traveled more than 70 million miles.

Astronaut lands at Bahrain School!

4 The Bahrain Desert Times February 4, 2015

By Terri Moon Cronk DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON (NNS) — As military families move frequently and face a host of concerns, finding child care can be one of the greatest challenges, Barbara Thompson, director of military community and policy’s office of fam-ily policy/children and youth/special needs, said.

To streamline and standardize what can be a daunting search, the Defense Department unveiled MilitaryChildCare.com, an online resource to help military, DoD civilian and contractor families find an array of military-operated and military-subsidized child care options for children between the ages of 4 weeks and 12 years, Thompson said.

Child Care Affects the Force“Child care is a workforce issue that impacts the readiness and retention of the force,” Thompson said. “As families relocate to other areas, it’s really challenging to make sure your child care needs are being met, and this tool gives parents an opportunity in advance to find those child care spots that will work for the family.”

MilitaryChildCare.com is a “single gateway” for fami-

lies to enter as they request child care, she noted.Of the 200,000 children DoD serves in child care, more

than 50 percent are younger than age 3, Thompson said.“It’s very difficult to find infant and toddler care in the

civilian community,” she said. “[DoD has] young families with young children and we really feel that we’re providing a high-quality environment for those babies and toddlers [with the website].”

Families can customize their search, put their children on waiting lists and monitor requests for placement, Thompson said.

“The idea is that you have choices, and you see the array pictorially of what’s available at those locations,” she noted.

A help desk online and at 1-855-696-2934, toll-free, is also available to help personalize families’ searches, she added.

Pilot Program ExpandingThe website initiative used focus groups comprising child care staff and parents, with a goal of making the website functional and intuitive to make sure families can easily navigate the system, Thompson said.

A pilot program was also conducted in the study at numerous installations over the past 18 months at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, for the Air Force, Hawaii for the Army, Hawaii and San Diego for the Marine Corps, and Hawaii, San Diego, Key West, Bahrain, Meridian and Singapore for the Navy, she said.

Recently, 13 more installations were added to the web-site in addition to the pilots.

They are Naval Air Facility El Centro, California; Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada; Naval Air Station Joint Readiness Base Fort Worth, Texas; Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas; Naval Air Station Joint Readiness Base, New Orleans, Louisiana; Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California; Naval Air Station Lemoore, California; Naval Support Activity Monterey, California; Naval Base Ventura County, California; Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas; Naval Station Everett, Washington; Naval Base Kitsap, Washington; and Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington.

The child care website is expected to be fully func-tional worldwide in September 2016, Thompson said, add-ing that it will remain a work in progress as it takes in feedback from parents for improvements.

WEEKLY WARRIORSathasivan, Annavietha - Born in Sri Lanka in 1979, Sathasivan started working for MWR in 2004 as store keeper. Prior to his employment with MWR in 2000 he worked in the same area as a contractor for Tamimi Global catering company. Sathasivan works in Oasis front line serving area as a team leader and demonstrates a high degree of initiative in performance of his daily duties. Sathasivan is conscientious and always displays excellent customer service skills. He is a good listener and is responsive to customer requests and recommendations.

MWR Bahrain is very lucky to have such a talented and dedicated employee andproud to recognize him as Warrior of the Week.

Sivakumar, Andavarayan - Born in Tamil Nadu, India, Mr. Sivakumar started working for MWR in 2004 as store keeper. Prior to his employment with MWR, in 1996 he worked in the same area as a contractor for NADAR catering company. With primary duties as a receiving agent, he is responsible for receiving all local purchases which include; fruits, vegetables and dairy products. Mr Sivakumar ensures all produce is of good quality and stored properly. He is a highly skilled employee who is very dedicated to his job and the MWR Department as a whole. He has an

amazing memory which serves him well organizing and inventorying freezers, chillers and dry storage areas. He ensures all areas are clean and sanitary to meet the Preventive Medicine (PM), Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) or Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) standard. MWR and NSA Bahrain are fortunate to have him as an employee and proud to recognize him as a Warrior of the Week.

Zafar Ahmed - Mr. Zafar Ahmed started working for the NSA Bahrain, MWR Food and Beverage Division through the sub-contractor Tamimi Global Catering in February of 1999, officially moving to MWR in 2004. He lives in Bahrain with his wife and three children. Zafar is an exceptional performer and is one of our lead workers for our branded concepts. He is always willing to share his talents with coworkers and management. Recently MWR opened a new concept in the Desert Dome “ CAFÉ PANINI”. Zafar played a major role in designing the concept from the ground up. His work

included the counter design, menu design, cost cards, menu items preparation, design of the preparation areas, staff training and ordering. Mr. Zafar Ahmed’s hard work and dedication has resulted in a successful new concept for NSA BAHRAIN. MWR Bahrain is very lucky to have such a talented and dedicated employee and proud to recognize him as Warrior of the Week.

DoD Launches Child Care Website to Ease Moving Transitions

for 54 days represented the only coalition strike option to project power against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, the admiral said.

Greenert highlighted the USS Truxtun, which arrived in the Black Sea to establish a U.S. presence and reassure allies within a week after Russia invaded Crimea. He recounted the USS George Washington Strike Group’s dozen ships that provided disaster relief to the Philippines in the wake of super typhoon Haiyan just over a year ago.

Overall, he said, a return to sequestration further delays critical warfighting capabili-ties, further reduces contingency response force readiness and jeopardizes ship and sub-marine procurement.

“Unless naval forces are properly sized, modernized at the right pace ... ready to deploy ... and capable to respond in the numbers and at the speed required by the combatant com-manders, they won’t be able to answer the call,” Greenert said.

GREENERT from Page 1

NEW BASE from Page 1Sailors temporarily assigned to NSF

Deveselu, have the unique opportunity to travel a part of the world that has been seen by relatively few Americans.

“I’ve been stationed overseas before, but just on deployments. I have been to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Bujara, and Jebel Ali,” said Master-at-Arms 1st Class (EXW) Billy Young. “In those places they see a lot of Americans. Here, there were virtually no Americans before this base opened.”

As NATO Allies, Romania and the U.S. have served together in Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan and routinely participate in military exercises and engagements. With the eventual completion of NSF Deveselu,

Americans and Romanian’s will have ample opportunity to interact and multiply the strong bonds of partnership and goodwill already being created.

“When you really like what you are doing,” said Obrcea. “You never work.”

NSF Deveselu sits on about 430 acres. The site will consist of a fire-control radar deckhouse with an associated Aegis com-mand, control and communications suite. Separately, it will house several launch modules containing SM-3 missiles and be manned by about 200 U.S. military person-nel, government civilians and support con-tractors. Construction is expected to be complete on NSF Deveselu late 2015.

VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION

A VA Benefit Advisor is available in Bahrain to meet individually with requesting Service members and their families throughout the week to personally assist with

answering questions about VA benefits and services.

To schedule an appointment, please call DSN 439-4692. Office hours are 0800-1600, Sunday-Thursday in Building 109 (next to chapel).

Your onsite VA Benefit Advisor is here to assist you and your families in learning about VA benefits and services.

February 4, 2015 The Bahrain Desert Times 5

Misawa Sailors Begin USS Constitution Snow Sculpture

Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders PT with NSA Bahrain

By MCCS Ryan C. Delcore Naval Air Facility Misawa Public Affairs

SAPPORO, Japan (NNS) — Sailors stationed at U.S. Naval Air Facility (NAF) Misawa and its tenant commands began work on a snow sculpture as part of the 66th annual Sapporo Snow Festival in Hokkaido, Japan Jan. 29.

The team will build a replica of the Navy’s oldest commissioned ship: USS Constitution, marking the 32nd anniversary of Misawa Sailors participating in the festival, which draws about two million spectators each year.

In recent years, Misawa Sailors have sculpted replicas of “The Lone Sailor,” USS George Washington (CVN 73), and the famous U.S. Navy Seabee logo: “The Fighting Bee.”

“I think it’s time to take on a design that’s a little more challenging than what we would normally do, but as challenging as it is, it’s a great opportunity to put a true treasure of American naval history like USS Constitution in the spotlight,” said Chief Builder Billy Harger, a native of Pearl City, Hawaii, and this year’s team leader for his second year run-ning. “This design had been brought up in the past but had always been voted against due to its intricate design.”

The team has seven days to build the sculpture in time for the festival’s kick off, Feb. 5. The fact that none of the team members have any previous snow sculpture experience adds to this year’s challenge but the team accomplished as much on their first day as many of the other teams made up of experienced snow sculptors from Sapporo who participate in the festival annually.

While in Sapporo, the team will once again be hosted by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) members at Camp Sapporo. NAF Misawa and Camp Sapporo have an ongoing relationship that has grown even closer in recent years, with both com-mands hosting bilateral events for the other.

Along with Harger, this year’s all-Navy snow sculpting team is also comprised of Mineman 3rd Class Brandon Askins, from Navy Munitions Command East Asia Division Unit Misawa, who hails from Burkburnette, Texas; Master-at-Arms 3rd Class Jawana Grant, from Naval Security Forces Misawa, who hails from Georgetown, South Carolina; Operations Specialist 3rd Class Ryan Hershiser, from Commander, Task Force Seventy-Two, who comes from Columbus, Ohio; Aviation Electronics Technician 2nd Class Anthony Moscarella, from Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department Misawa, and a native of Long Island, New York; Builder 3rd Class Nickolas Picard, from Public Works Department Misawa, who comes from Boyd County, Kentucky.; Electronics Technician 3rd Class Ashley Verones, from NAF Misawa, originally from Westminster, Maryland.; and Aerographer’s Mate 1st Class Steven Zosso, from Naval Oceanographic Anti-Submarine Warfare Detachment Misawa, who originally hails from Boise, Idaho.

To follow the progress of the 2015 All-Navy Sapporo Snow Scultping Team, please follow the Naval Air Facility Misawa Facebook page at www.facebook.com/nafmisawa.

Photo by MCCS Ryan Delcore

Members of the 2015 Navy Misawa Snow Team shape a portion of the USS Constitution snow sculpture during the 66th Annual Sapporo Snow Festival. The team is creating the sculpture for the festival and as a tribute to the U.S. Navy’s oldest commissioned ship. This is the 32nd year that Naval Air Facility Misawa and its tenant commands have sent a delegation of Sailors to the festival to create a sculpture, and to serve as goodwill ambassadors.

Photos by MC2 John Benson

Members of the Miami Dolphins cheerleading squad attended Naval Support Activity Bahrain’s command PT session, Feb. 3. The session, lead by CMDCM (SW) Steve Timmons, included a run through NSA-I and continued on the ball fields with various aerobic activities.

6 The Bahrain Desert Times February 4, 2015

HR Classified AdsANNOUNCEMENT: NSA-15-004Position: Waiter/WaitressDepartment: MWR, BahrainClosing Date: 08 February 2015

ANNOUNCEMENT: NSA-15-013Position: Management AnalystDepartment: FDRMC Dept., BahrainClosing Date: 11 February 2015

ANNOUNCEMENT: NSA-15-053Position: Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR); Victim Advocacy Support SpecialistDepartment: Navy Region Europe, NSA Bahrain, ManamaClosing Date: Open until filled

ANNOUNCEMENT: NSA-15-077Position: Supervisory Education Technician (CYP Assistant Director)Department: Commander, Navy Region Europe, Fleet & Family Readiness Program, Child And Youth Program, BahrainClosing Date: 09 February 2015

The mission of the Human Resources Office (HRO) is to administer Human Resources Management programs for U.S. civil servants and foreign national employees of the Naval Support Activity Bahrain. HRO provides consultative advice and guidance to various commands and activities in the following program areas: position management and classification; recruitment and staffing; labor management advisory services; Equal Employment Opportunity Program; employee development; employee relations matters; and benefit entitlements.

Questions? To speak to a Human Resources Specialist, please call: 1785-4763 or DSN (318) 439-4763.

NSA Bahrain@

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN BAHRAIN?By Hanar Al Balooshi

DISCOVER THE SOUQ LIKE NEVER BEFORE!When: February 6 – 7 Event: RaceVenue: Bab Al Bahrain Souq Embark on a unique trip and rediscover one of the oldest markets in Bahrain, Manama Souq, by participating in the Bahrain Noor El Ain Souq Explorer. This event offers teams of three the chance to race through the Souq at Bab Al Bahrain in an explorer’s adventure challenge.

To add a dynamic element, Go-Pro cameras will track the teams during their race to find treasure-hunt items, logging their time on a scoreboard. Visitors to the souq can watch the action live on screens in the main atrium area, while also participating in workshops, displays and interactive activities.

Entry: BD 15 per team.Registration: www.bahrainnoorelain.com; email completed registration to info@bahrainnoorelain.com.

A MUSICAL DREAMWhen: February 11 – 12Event: MusicalVenue: Cultural Hall If you think Shakespeare isn’t your thing, think again. Introduce your children to a world of classics this month as the musical adaptation of one of Shakespeare’s most popular works comes to Bahrain. Entertainment+ brings you a fantastic new Shakespeare 4 Kidz (S4K) production that will have you laughing out loud.

Entry: BD 16; limited special family offer of BD 60 for four tickets.Call 39 616-858.

HILARIOUS AFFAIRWhen: February 11 - 13Event: Comedy ShowVenue: February 11 - Bahrain Rugby Club; February 12 - The British Club; February 13 - InterContinental Regency Bahrain The Chuckle Club returns to the island this month. It will feature international joke slingers Dana Alexander, Tom Allen and Mark Normand, who will be performing in Dubai, Doha and Saudi Arabia before arriving in Bahrain.

Disclaimer:The activities and events are controlled by individuals acting in their private capacities. These events are not part of the U.S. Department of Defense or any of its components and have no governmental status.

Arabic Words of the Week1. Assalam Alaikum (Al - Sa - Laam Ah- Lay - Kum)Assalam Alaikum a formal greeting in Arabic. It means “Peace be upon you”.Example: Assalam Alaikum! How are you?

2. Walaikum Assalam ( Wa - Ah - Lay - Kum - Al - Sa - Laam )Walaikum Assalam means “…and Peace be upon you too” is said in response to Assalam Alaikum. Example: Walaikum Assalam! I’m fine, thanks. How are you?