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Tips on how to prepare for the

school year

Read on easy ways to prepare your child's first day of the 2014-15

school year.

PAGE 8 PAGE 14

USNH Sigonella's Change of Command

Check out more photos from the

ceremony.

CNP visits MED, talks pay and benefitsBy MC3 grant waMaCk & Morgan overNaval Station Rota, Spain Public Affairs

SIgnatUreSIgoneLLa, SICILy

July 25, 2014 cnic.navy.mil/sigonellaVol. 31 No. 29

NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain (NNS) -- The admiral and fleet master chief responsible for manpower in the Navy spoke with Naval Station Rota, Spain, Sailors about advancement, manning and changes in Navy uniforms during multiple all hands calls, July 17 and 18.

Chief of Naval Personnel (CNP) Vice Adm. Bill Moran and Fleet Master Chief April Beldo visited Sailors aboard USS Ross (DDG 71), and addressed rumors and concerns from all ranks during the question and answer sessions and radio interviews.

"We're trying to stabilize advancement across the rates," said Moran. "As you know better than I do, there are some rates in the Navy where you have 100 percent opportunity to advance. The next advancement cycle could drop down to single digits. That kind of wild swing in advancement is not healthy for us as a Navy. We're trying to flatten those curves and become a little bit more predictable for each rate."

In addition to advancement, Moran dispelled rumors about the retirement program and benefits.

"There are a lot of rumors and innuendo out there about your benefits," said Moran. "We are not getting rid of your retirement program. There is absolutely no intent or plan to change your retirement plan if you stay in for 20 years. Nothing's changing. Tricare, medical benefits, none of that is changing for active duty members at

Chief of Naval Personnel, Vice Adm. Bill Moran, addresses concerns from Sailors about advancement, tuition assistance, and manning during an all-hands call at the base theater. Moran was on a two-day visit to Naval Station Rota, Spain, speaking to service members and spouses. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Grant Wamack/Released)see "CNP" page 15

U.S. Naval Hospital Sigonella CO bids farewellNAS SIGONELLA, Sicily - The

tears did not come willingly. They first came at the conclusion of a July 16 awards ceremony filled with emotion.

Bathed in the afterglow of end-of-tour medals, U.S. Naval Hos-pital Sigonella Commanding Of-ficer Capt. Patricia McDonald said goodbye to her Sailors in the friendly confines of the hospital.

Less than 48 hours later, she of-ficially bade farewell in a ceremony at Naval Air Station Sigonella, turn-ing over command to Capt. Wil-liam R.K. Davidson.

“I go with a heavy heart, but I go with a good feeling,” McDonald said. “I don’t want to go. I know I need to, and I know that I’m leaving the command in a very good state. We have an amazing command and a very good staff here.”

McDonald is leaving to become the Diversity Officer at the Bureau of Medicine in Falls Church, Va., while Davidson arrives from Naval Health Clinic Corpus Christi where he served as Executive Officer.

It’s admittedly difficult for Mc-Donald to leave. Being that it’s her fourth tour overseas, she’s no stran-ger to living abroad actively seeking OCONUS assignments for specific reasons.

“I like the community. I like the camaraderie,” McDonald said. “I like the cultural experience, and the local nationals welcoming us into their lives and their cultures. I like that all the Americans do stuff together. You see them on base. You see them participating in activi-ties outside of work. Those are the things I’ll miss.”

That love of the small-town community is probably why her command saw her everywhere during her time at Sigonella, from dancing to Zumba at Command PT to painting handmade ceram-ics at the hospital’s Italian Heritage Day celebration.

She guided the command into its third decade of existence with the 20th anniversary celebration in April 2013. And she welcomed the change of a culturally transitioning

see "Hospital" page 8

tHe

By HM2 MattHew CLUtter U.S. Naval Hospital Sigonella

Incoming U.S. Naval Hospital Sigonella Commanding Officer Capt. William Davidson (right) with outgoing Commanding Officer, Capt. Patricia McDonald (left) and Deputy Commander, Navy Medicine East and guest speaker, Rear Adm. Christina Alvarado stand during U.S. Naval Hospital Sigonella’s Change of Command ceremony, July 18 at Naval Air Station Sigonella. U.S. Navy Photo by Hospitalman Jasper Seisa/Released)

tHe SIgnatUrePage 2 July 25, 2014 tHe SIgnatUre Page 3July 25, 2014

DRIV

E SA

FELY

SIGO

NELL

A

NASSIG WORSHIP SERVICESROMAN CATHOLICSunday■ 9 a.m. Catholic Mass (naS I Chapel)

TuESday - FRIday■ 11:30 a.m. Catholic Mass (naS II Chapel)Sacraments of Reconciliation/Penance precede each Mass

FRIday■ 11:30 a.m. Catholic Mass (naS I Chapel)

PROTESTANTnaS I ChapelSaTuRday■ 6:30 p.m. Contemporary Worship Services

Sunday■ 10 a.m. Sunday School■ 11 a.m. Traditional Worship

naS II ChapelSunday■ 5 p.m. Protestant Evening Service

LATTER-DAY SAINTS Sunday at 1:30 p.m. (naS I Chapel)Contact: sigonellalds@gmail.com or 624-9049

JEWISH SHABBAT LAY SERVICEFRIday at 5:30 p.m. (naS I Chapel)

NIGHT STUDYWEdnESday at 5 p.m. (naS I Chapel)

■ Italian Class Tuesday at 7 p.m (Classroom at naS 1 Chapel)

■ aa Meetings: MOnday at 5:30 p.m. (naS I Chapel) second deck; THuRSday at 7 p.m. (naS II Chapel)

naS Sigonella Religious Ministries department Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/navalairStationSigonella Chapel

Chapel Offices: naS I 095-56-3975, naS II 095-86-9049, dSn: 624-3975, CHAPLAIN DUTY: 335-831-4493 RP DUTY: 335-786-1950

Commanding Officer, Capt. Chris DennisDirect LinetHe SIgnatUre

U.S. NAVAL AIR STATION SIGONELLACommanding OfficerCapt. Chris DennisExecutive OfficerCmdr. Charles G. McKinney IICommand Master ChiefCMDCM David Graham

EDITORIAL

Public Affairs Officer Lt. Paul Newellpaul.newell@eu.navy.mil

EditorM. Todd Butlermichael.butler@eu.navy.mil

Community Relations Officer Dott. Alberto Lunettaalberto.lunetta.it@eu.navy.mil

PAO Staff Writers \ PhotographersMC1 Tony D. Curtisanthony.curtis@eu.navy.mil

MC3 Cameron Bramhamcameron.bramham@eu.navy.mil

CONTACT USNaval Air Station Sigonella, Sicilythesig@eu.navy.milDSN 624-5440; 095-86-5440PSC 812 Box 7, FPO, AE 09627-0001

PUBLISHERStampa Generale S.r.l., Sig. Bruno Brandi, Publisher,Naval Support ActivityCapodichino (Naples), Italystampagenerale@tin.itTel. 081-568-7884Fax 081-568-7887

This civilian enterprise (CE) newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the military services overseas. Contents of The Signature are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense (DoD), or the U.S. Navy. The appearance of advertising in this newspaper, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the DoD or Stampa Generale S.r.l., of the products or services advertised. Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other non-merit factorof the purchaser, user or patron. A confirmed violation or rejection of this equal opportunity policy by an advertiser will result in the refusal to print advertising from that source until the violation is corrected.

The Signature is published weekly by Stampa Generale S.r.l., Sig. Bruno Brandi, Publisher, Naval Support Activity, Capodichino (Naples), Italy. Tel. 081-568-7884. Fax 081-568-7887. E-mail: stampagenerale@tin.it.

Editorial submissions are welcomed from all Naval Air Station Sigonella departments, divisions and tenant commands. Editorial submissions should be sent to the Public Affairs Office via thesig@eu.navy.mil, guard mail stop #68 or hand-delivered to our office no later than the close of business on the Fri-day proceeding the expected publication date. All articles submitted by non-staff members will be considered contributing writers.

The Signature will not publish anyanonymous articles. All advertisements in this publication are the property of Stampa Generale S.r.l. Any reproduction of advertisements in The Signature is unauthorized without the written consent of the publisher.

cnic.navy.mil/sigonella

Youth Sports hosts wrestling camp for Sigonella children

Fellow Sigonellans, I am cautiously optimistic about our CNRE Biggest Energy Loser contest progress. To those who have made intentional decisions to conserve energy - THANK YOU! The $50,000 our Sigonella community might win is a very nice enticement and if we win, our community together will decide how to spend the money towards base beautification.

As Sig' Citizens know, Resource Conservation is one of our three principal community obligations (virtues). Energy is a resource, and a very precious one at that, therefore - the Biggest Energy Loser contest is exactly in our community swim lane! But, can we do better? Is everyone working to make energy conscious decisions? I am not so sure. I still walk around the base and see open doors dumping energy in the form of air-conditioning into the Sicilian summer heat (I am pretty sure I was not the first person to notice these doors open...). In each case, doors were open because of some structural problem and occupant’s shortcut the fix by opening doors. How many of us still regularly leave on lights, computers, and other appliances when we are out of our offices or home? How many of us could simply use natural lighting altogether? Is everyone adjusting the air-conditioning to a higher setting when out of the house, particularly over weekend European getaways? All these decisions not made have the same result - WASTE. Did you know the electricity we buy in Sicily, is most often produced by natural gas. Natural Gas, like its cousin gasoline, takes over 100,000,000 years to form. We should all think of that next time we leave on our computer monitor, or idle our car, or drive gas guzzlers or drive at all when we could just as easily walk or ride a bike. 100,000,000 years gone in a useless poof! Additionally, let’s be clear, when we waste energy we waste personal and government dollars. The same money that could be spent on things we need and want individually and as a community.

Let's consider the discussion on a different scale. The US is the second largest consumer of energy in the world, the largest consumer is China, and number three is the entire European Union. Per person, China has about four times the population of the US and the EU has about 50% more people than the US. So per person, the US uses nearly four times the energy than China and considerably more than the EU. Germany, the fifth largest economy in the world,

uses much less energy per person than the US. So what do we get for our massive per person consumption of energy? A few things to be sure, when compared against Gross Domestic Product, the US energy usage is reasonably competitive as the US economy is still the largest in the world. However, Germany, like most of our Western European allies, is extremely productive and ultimately much more energy efficient. What personally, do you and I gain from massive US energy consumption? Well it turns out not to be so clear…

Let's look at personal issues across the globe to see if we can glean benefits from massive US energy consumption. (Note: below, the lower the ranking value the better the outcome, e.g. #1 = the best)

Infant Mortality (early death) - US #55Life Expectancy - US #42 (Americans on

average live a full 10 years less than #1 Monaco and 5 years less than #3 Japan)

Unemployment (ages 18-24) - US #74Obesity - #163 OUCH (this almost certainly

has a correlation to energy waste as food is an energy source and food production demands a tremendous amount of energy resources in the forms of mechanized planting, tending, harvesting, storing, transport and distribution; water production and irrigation; and fertilizers and pesticides). Did you know per person Americans as a whole 'use' more than 2.5 times the daily caloric need per person per day?! In this case ‘use’ means a combination of consumption and waste. That is a lot of overconsumption and a lot of wasted food (and energy and water)!!!

Happiness - US #104 (based on American citizenry responses when compared to citizens of other nations; in contrast, #1 Denmark is also one of the most energy efficient modern nations in the world).

In the past U.S. citizens enjoyed cheap energy but those days are almost assuredly gone for good. As the rest of the world continues to develop, the global demand for energy continues to grow. Twenty-plus years ago, China barely used any noticeable energy... Today, China consumes more energy than any other nation and as the vast majority of Chinese still have yet to gain modernity, when they do, their demand for energy will vastly grow too. The same affect

is happening around the globe. The impact, growing global population and modernity have resulted in a 2.5x increase in average US gas prices ($1.52 in ’99, $3.61 in ’12; adjusted for inflation). Since energy is part of every aspect of life, these cost increases drive the costs of everything we need and want, literally everything. Wasting energy is like fiscally cutting ourselves over and over again.

Please realize my intent is not to imply that the United States is anything less than a great nation with conscientious, hard-working citizens forming its backbone. But we do have our blind spots, and being inattentive stewards of energy is a big fat one.

So Sigonella, let’s continue to focus on making resource conscious choices each and every day. We should become our Regions Biggest Energy Losers! Be proud, at mid-month we were just leading this month’s energy contest. Already we have saved $100,000 in the first two weeks of July. That is a tremendous accomplishment. But think of the open doors and windows, the unnecessary lighting and appliances and act intentionally. The contest suggests we are getting better, but we know in our hearts we can do better, much better. In the end, the Biggest Energy Loser is not simply a contest, it is a call to change our culture, our way of life – we must recognize our obligation to be resource stewards this month and beyond. Change starts within each of us and when done together will lead to a better tomorrow for us and our children.

Sigonella – work hard, be honest, make smart decisions.

Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella children ages 10 – 15 participated in a Youth Wrestling Camp, which took place from July 21 through today. The camp was hosted by Youth Sports as part of Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) Sigonella and provided participating children the opportunity to learn wrestling fundamentals through instruction in a fun and exciting environment designed to improve their skills. (Photo provided by MWR Sigonella)

Be on the look-out for Navy Ball Committee's fund-raisers in Aug.

Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Anthony Ward (left) and Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Christopher Campbell flips burgers during a fund raiser hosted by the Navy Ball Committee at Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella, July 17. The Navy Ball Committee has been hosting fund raisers throughout July and will continue fund raising events through August as well. Events include barbecues, car washes, bake sales, and bagging groceries at the Commissary. The Navy Ball Committee is also hosting a golf tournament today at La Saei Golf Course. Check All Hands messages for future fund raising opportunities to support the 2014 Navy Ball at NAS Sigonella. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Cameron Bramham/Released)

THE NAVY BALL COMMITTEE IS A NON-FEDERAL ENTITY. IT IS NOT A PART OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE OR ANY OF ITS COMPONENTS AND IT HAS NO GOVERNMENT STATUS.

Please report stray dogs to base security

NAS SIGONELLA, Sicily - Security is working hard to keep you and your family safe but we need your help. Security is asking for the community's assistance locating all stray dogs on base. If you see a stray dog we are asking that you call us and report it as soon as its safe to do so. Please be prepared to provide the location of the stray and a brief description. Security will respond and do everything they can to collect the animal. Please call Security Dispatch at DSN 624-5225 or 095865225.

Upcoming Palermo Passport Office closures of business

PALERMO, Sicily - The passport office in Palermo will be closed from Aug. 14 - 26 and from Aug. 27 - Sept. 3. They will only have limited services and will be processing only passport renewals.

Sign your kids up for school today!

Next Ship Shape Class scheduled to begin in Sept.

NAS SIGONELLA, Sicily - If you have a school-age child and have not registered them for school, please do so as soon as possible. Both schools are open for registration Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. We look forward to seeing you and your kids in school!

NAS SIGONELLA, Sicily - U.S. Naval Hospital Sigonella's Health Promotions Department has scheduled its next Ship Shape class:

Each Thursday beginning Sept. 18 and lasting until Nov. 6, from 2 - 3 p.m. at the Midtown Classroom on NAS 1.

This is a great opportunity for Sailors who have failed the PRT and for all those who want to learn the healthy way to weight loss and managing weight.

To sign up and for more information, call Health Promotions at 624-4710. Active duty have priority and need CFL referral. 15 seats available.

tHe SIgnatUrePage 4 July 25, 2014 tHe SIgnatUre Page 5July 25, 2014

C A L E N D A R

JULY/AUG

2014

Friday25

Arrivederci Class8 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

FFSC

Empty Wallet Lunch11 a.m.Take 5

Caltagirone Candle Lighting

6 p.m. - 12:30 a.m.ITT

Saturday26

Marzamemi Boat Tour

7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.Outdoor Rec

Sunday27

World War II Museum Tour: PART 2

8 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.ITT

Alcantara Gorges9:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Take 5

Monday28

ICR8 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

FFSC

Sign Ups Begin for Youth and Start Smart

Soccer SeasonNAS I Fit District

Tuesday29

ICR8 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

FFSC

Wednesday30

ICR8 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

FFSC

Family Records Organizer Workshop

9 - 10:30 a.m.FFSC

Thursday31

Life Skills9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

FFSC

AUG. 1 Relo Fair

1:30 - 3 p.m.FFSC

2Eraclea Minoa &

Turkish Steps7 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.

ITT

3Messina and Tindari

7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.ITT

4ICR

8 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.FFSC

5ICR

8 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.FFSC

6ICR

8 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.FFSC

Free Italian Lessons5 p.m.Take 5

*Every Wednesday

7Survive & Thrive

Spouse Orientation8 a.m. - 2 p.m.

FFSC

Sponsor Training9 - 11 a.m.

FFSC

8 Arrivederci Class8 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

FFSC

9Etna South Tour &

Barone di Villagrande Winery

8 a.m. - 5 p.m.ITT

10Saint Lorenzo's Night: Shooting Stars & Din-ner at Borgo Antico

6:30 - 11:30 p.m.ITT

1/2 price Bowling11 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Sparetime Bowling*Every Sunday

FFSC: x4291ITT : x4777, x4396

Liberty/Connections/Take 5: x4246, x5602Outdoor Rec: x4777, x4396 Fitness: x4483, x5243

Midtown 2 Theaters: x4248American Red Cross: x4900

Does your command or organization have an event you’d like to see on the Community Calendar? Email us at thesig@eu.navy.mil and let us know!

IMPORTANT EXTENSIONS:

Concern regarding local nationals at NEX:I'm wondering why local nationals are purchasing goods from the NEX and Commissary. Is every patron required to show an ID card?

Response: Thank you for your concern. We have many service members and civilians who work for the US Government who are married to local nationals and, as do any military family member, they have shopping privileges at the NEX and commissary. In addition, starting this summer, we will gradually see a substantial number of NATO military members and their dependents become part of our community. They too will have NEX and commissary privileges, regardless of nationality. As a matter of policy, every customer shall be asked to provide a privilege card prior to their purchase. The general manager is reviewing this policy with the staff so that every customer is asked prior to the purchase. I realize that at most facilities in the US and even in Naples, ID cards are checked as you enter the stores. Unfortunately, our NEX and commissary were not designed with this in mind. To off-set the inconvenience of securing the door from the commissary to both the NEX and the food court, this important responsibility has been delegated to the cashiers at both facilities.

Concern regarding American employees at NEX: Why aren't there more Americans working at the NEX and Commissary?

Response: Thank you for asking this question as I am sure many Sigonellans have thought the same thing. As all of you know, we are guests in this country and we are here under various treaties and other diplomatic agreements. In addition to the Status of Forces Agreement, Naval Air Station Sigonella and its tenants are required to comply with the Conditions of Employment (COE) for Local National Employees of the U.S. Armed Forces in Italy. Article 10 of the COE provides that to the maximum extent consistent with operating requirements the employer:

Will satisfy newly established manpower needs through employment of Italian citizens and/or citizens of other European Union (EU) countries; and will continue to ensure that continuing positions, when vacated by non-US personnel, will be refilled by Italian citizens and/or citizens of other European Union (EU) countries. More specifically, substitution of US employees for non-US employees is strictly forbidden. In the exceptional event of the need to substitute a US citizen employee for a non-US employee, prior consultation will take place with the local union representatives. The criteria to be considered will include sensitivity/security clearance, availability of skills, agreed upon conditions of employment, etc. The union and the employer subscribe to maintaining job security for all employees covered by these conditions of employment. Accordingly, since the skills needed for the majority of the positions within the NEX do not require a US security clearance or specific certifications, etc., a large number of NEX employees are Italian.

Concern regarding Marinai sprinkler systems:In the common areas in Marinai, sprinklers run night and day to keep the lawns green; however, in our fenced in yards, no sprinklers run. I've rented a tiller, planted seed, and laid a layer of topsoil, but since my wife and I work and can't water the lawn mid-day, with the full sun our yard is barren. When I contacted the housing office about this issue, they sent out a land keeper to evaluate who told me I would have to pay to get my lawn back into good shape. Housing told me I could pay it now or when I leave. I realize that, although a green lawn would be ideal, I feel I am being punished for not having the resources required to upkeep a standard without becoming completely negligent of your goals to preserve water.

Response: Thank you for your question. The care of the assigned house and yard is the resident's responsibility. For the yard, this includes mowing, watering, fertilizing, seeding, and weed removal. Hiring a neighbor’s kid or another individual to help fix/maintain your yard is an option that can be used, but is entirely up to each resident. The Housing Office Inspectors and NAVFAC Quality Assurance Inspectors do inspect the green spaces at Marinai to ensure the contractors and the residents comply with the required lawn maintenance, and keep this neighborhood in a clean, pleasant and attractive manner. Please find the time to periodically water your lawn and maintain your green space. There are no watering restrictions; however, since you will be using fresh potable water, Housing recommends doing it early in the morning or late evening. One to two inches of water per week is normally sufficient to keep the grass green and healthy. I appreciate your effort in keeping your assigned residence and yard well maintained.

Need an appointment at the hospital? Call DSN

624-CARE (2273) or commercial 095-56-2273,

M-F: 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.

For non-emergent medical questions that arise over the weekend, holidays, or after

office hours, please call 335-578-8077 if you are normally seen

at the hospital or 335-578-8150

if you are normally seen at the Flight Line Clinic.

There are two ways to submit feed back to Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella Commanding Officer Capt. Chris Dennis.

Visit The Interactive Customer Evaluation (ICE) home page on a One-Net computer at: http://ice.disa.mil, All Sigonella services are found under the Navy Europe Listing in the scroll-down menu. Also, visit NAS Sigonella's website www.cnic.navy.mil/Sigonella, go to the "About" drop down menu and click on " CO Suggestion Box".

The Signature will anonymously publish comments and responses for the benefit of the Sigonella community. Please make sure your comments and suggestions are constructive. In other words, "BE NICE ON ICE."

Commanding Officer's Suggestion Box

tHe SIgnatUrePage 6 July 25, 2014 tHe SIgnatUre Page 7July 25, 2014

The annual festival honoring the patroness saint of Acireale, the breathtaking Baroque city in the Catania province, returns tomorrow with processions, holy masses, arts and crafts and fireworks (Photo provided by http://www.isolainfesta.net)

Acireale honors Saint Venera ITALIAN HEADLINESRestoration work to go on at Rome's Colosseum

(Reuters) - Italian authorities gave the thumbs-up to the company restoring Rome's Colosseum - once the site of gladiator fights and re-enactments of Roman battles - to carry on their work after a dispute with a rival for the contract.

The task is one of several privately-funded projects to save Italy's historic and cultural landmarks from decay.

Two Italian companies, Gherardini and Lucci, had bid for the contract, financed by 25 million euro ($34.1 million) in sponsorship from luxury shoemaker Tod's.

The council of state, Italy's highest administrative appeals court, said on Monday that Gherardini, which had already begun the work, could continue.

The council upheld a decision by a regional court which found that Lucci, another contract bidder, had not shown it had sufficient technical capability to restore the monument, which was built in the 1st Century A.D.

Elsewhere in Rome, jeweller Bulgari and fashion house Fendi, both owned by LVMH are paying to restore the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain respectively. Diesel jeans founder Renzo Rosso is paying to spruce up the Rialto Bridge in Venice.

(TL) Archaeologists in Italy have uncovered a cemetery, including tombs containing inscriptions with curses to ward off looters, in the 2,700-year-old ancient port of Rome.

The archaeologists believe the variety of tombs found reflects the bustling town's multi-cultural nature.

Ostia "was a town that was always very open, very dynamic," said Paola Germoni, the director of the sprawling site - Italy's third most visited after the Coliseum and Pompeii.

"What is original is that there are different types of funeral rites: burials and cremations," she said this week.

The contrasts are all the more startling as the tombs found are all from a single family - "in the Roman sense, in other words very extended", Germoni said. The discovery is the latest surprise at Ostia after archaeologists in April said that new walls found showed the town was in fact 35-percent bigger than previously thought, making it bigger than ancient Pompeii.

Ostia, which was founded in the 7th century BC and is believed to have covered an area of 85 hectares, was once at the estuary of the Tiber River and is now about three kilometers from the sea because of silting.

The place where the latest burials were found is inside a 15,000 square meter park close to a Renaissance castle on the edge of the main excavated area of the town, which had docks, warehouses, apartment houses and its own theatre.

The port was founded by Ancus Marcius, the fourth king of Rome, to provide his growing city with access to the sea, ensuring it would be supplied with flour and salt and to prevent enemy ships from going up the Tiber.

Around a dozen tombs have been found so far at the site, some of them including lead tablets with inscriptions containing curses to ward off potential looters.

The cemetery "shows the free choice that everyone had with their own body, a freedom people no longer had in the Christian era when burial became the norm," Germoni said.

The latest excavations, which began in 2012, have also revealed an aristocratic home with a polychromatic floor. Thirty students from the American Institute for Roman Culture are also taking part and could be seen at work under the cypress trees next to the ancient basalt-block Roman road that once connected Ostia to the capital.

Hailing from Canada, Switzerland and the United States, the budding archaeologists were spending a few weeks in Rome on the dig as part of their studies.

"It's a dig that is very rich in different experiences," said Darius Arya, a US archaeologist who heads the institute.

They "are discovering restoration work but also a more anthropological approach with excavations of tombs," he said.

Among the students was Michal Ann Morrison from Austin, Texas in the United States, who is completing a degree in religious studies.

"You get to deal with tangible objects from history, which is really exciting," she said.

"I worked as the artifact intern for this year and it's an exciting position because you get to get your hands on all the coolest stuff."

By MCSn JaMeS P. BLeyLeUSS Carl Vinson Public Affairs

CORONADO, Calif. (NNS) -- Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Mike Stevens visited the crew of aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) July 17 for an all-hands call prior to the ship's up-coming deployment.

"First and foremost, I want to thank these Sailors for all the hard work and prep-aration they have invested in this deploy-ment already," said Stevens. "I wish them and their families all the best and want them to know Theresa and I are thinking about them."

Carl Vinson completed pre-deployment training as part of Carrier Strike Group 1 (CSG 1) with elements of Destroyer Squad-ron 1 (DESRON 1) and Carrier Air Wing 17 (CVW 17) in June. Carl Vinson is sched-uled to deploy for 10 months to the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean areas.

"I believe I can speak for the Navy when I say that the performance of the Carl Vin-son and its crew, along with the support that their families provide, has been unwavering and has allowed the United States the abil-ity to ensure the Navy's forward presence is always where it matters, when it matters, as the Chief of Naval Operations often re-minds us," said Stevens.

Because of the extended time Carl Vin-son and the rest of CSG-1 will deploy, ships deploying afterwards will fall into timeta-bles for the Navy's new Optimized Fleet Re-sponse Plan (O-FRP), said Stevens.

O-FRP is designed to provide Sailors and their families with more stability and predictability for when they will be at sea by standardizing the length of deployments to eight months. The changes are intended to help even out Sailors' home life and return a sense of normalcy to their schedules.

O-FRP comes with other benefits as well. MCPON outlined the Navy's plan for a "high deployment allow-ance" to Sailors, which will award Sailors an additional $17 a day, up to $500 a month, after 220 days de-ployed. The high deployment allow-ance is in the pipeline for approval by the Secretary of the Navy.

"The Navy recognizes the sacri-fices that you and your families are making," Stevens said. "This initia-tive shows our Sailors and their fam-ilies how much we value their com-mitment and sacrifice, and in some small way this helps compensate them for their time away."

MCPON also briefed the crew on his E-Sailor initiative to put tab-lets into the hands of Sailors, giv-ing them ease of access to necessary training and command information while also providing them with a personal device with which to con-nect with family and friends.

"Smart devices are a part of our everyday culture. It's not a thing that we can avoid," Stevens said. "I believe it's something we have to embrace. Reliance on smart devices is increas-ing, and I want to make sure the Navy is ready to adapt."

MCPON envisions equipping every Sailor in the fleet with a smart de-vice capable of cloud connectivity to act as a "personal companion" that would store medical records, orders, and other impor-tant information, as well as giving Sailors real-time updates on command activities and planning.

"Learning about the E-Sailor initiative made me excited for my future in the Navy. I also feel better about the deployment knowing we are helping to set the pace for the entire fleet," said Personnel Specialist Ernest Frame from Carl Vinson's Admin-istration Department. "MCPON Stevens was very personable, and I really believe he cares about every Sailor in the fleet."

During the all hands call, Stevens also educated Sailors on a new change coming to the fleet Sept. 1. Each commanding of-ficer will have the authority to authorize their unit to wear a command ball cap with the Navy Working Uniform (NWU) Type I, II and III.

"Sailors love their ball caps. Since we implemented the current NWU in 2009 when I was a Force Master Chief, and every time I would come out and do fleet engage-ments as the MCPON, Sailors would ask

me about bringing back ball caps," Stevens said. After hearing the same message for five years, MCPON and CNO are making the change.

Stevens made it clear he is still listen-ing to the fleet when he invited Carl Vinson Sailors on stage with him for questions.

"I'm here to hear from you, more than anything else, because I'm going to go back to Washington and they're going to ask me to make decisions that are going to impact you and your family, and I want to make sure that those decisions are made on your behalf," said Stevens.

Questions about potential Basic Allow-ance for Housing (BAH) changes and the need for expanded capacity of child devel-opment centers were two concerns Sailors presented to MCPON during the open ses-sion.

One Carl Vinson Sailor received the MCPON's personal coin after asking for ca-reer advice.

"Number one, no matter what your job is, work hard every single day," said Stevens. "Whatever your job is, give it your best ef-fort every day, and do it with a smile on your face and the energy and the passion that it

deserves, because it is what the American people expect and demand of us.

"Number two, stay out of trouble. That means doing the right thing on and off duty. If you don't do the right thing, all of that hard work that you've been putting into your job can just go away.

"Number three is what I consider to be the most important thing: be a good and decent person to yourself, your shipmates, your family and your friends. We have many programs and training in place to deal with a lot of things that trouble our Navy, but if we were all good and decent people, we wouldn't need those programs - good and decent people do the right thing," said Stevens.

MCPON ended the all hands call by saying that when he looked out into the gathered crowd of Carl Vinson Sailors, he saw family.

"And I'm not embarrassed to say that I love my family," Stevens said. "Theresa and I love and care for all of you."

While on board, Stevens also met with CSG-1 Commander Rear Adm. Christo-pher Grady and Carl Vinson's Command-ing Officer Capt. Kent Whalen.

MCPON hosts All Hands Call aboard Carl Vinson

Roman graves contained curses to deter looters

ACIREALE, Sicily - Tomorrow, Saturday, July 26, the community of Acireale, the city of the 100-tower-bells for its impressive number of churches, will pay homage to Santa Venera (Saint Venera) its beloved celestial patroness saint with a spectacular festival which is one of the most im-portant religious events in the Catania province.

According to tradition, Venera was born in Aci Xifhonia on Good Friday of the year 100 AD. She was raised in accordance to Christian principles and dedicated her to serve the needy and the poor in the area where the thermals baths are located.

After becoming an orphan when she was twen-ty years old, tradition has it that she gave all her possessions to those in needs and began to preach the Gospel in Sicily, Campania and Calabria as well as abroad. Because of her intense preaching she was beheaded on July 26 in 143 AD in Gaul.

The festival of Santa Venera is similar to the ancient feast of Saint Agatha in Catania. After the holy mass held at 10:30 a.m. at the cathedral, the procession, during which the bust depicting the saint and containing her relics (kept inside a small chapel of the cathedral of Acireale) is paraded throughout the historic center, begins tomorrow night at 9 p.m. and proceeds along the following streets: via Davì, via G. Meli, piazza Lionardo Vigo, via Ruggero Settimo, with a stop in piazza Duomo.

The reliquary bust made by Mario D'Angelo

Messina and painted by Giacinto Platania is kept in one of the most beautiful chapels in all of Sicily. The Saint's statue, which is covered with “ex-voto” (offerings given by devotees after receiving a mira-cle), has the gospel in one hand and a crucifix in the other. At the base of the statue, there is a sword, a tribute to the city of Catania to seal the peace after long-standing rivalry between the two cities.

During the night, the bust of the saint is car-ried in a procession led by the local bishop, on silver carriage called “fercolo” made in 1659. The carriage is pulled by devotees dressed in white and accompanied by five “candelore” (giant can-dles placed inside elaborate Baroque floats) which represent the city guilds (shoemakers, bakers, fish-mongers, masons and artisans) which perform the traditional “sway” and dance to the rhythm of the band in front of the procession among the crowd’s rejoicing. During the night, a Cantata concert will be performed by the local city band and polyphon-ic choirs.

At the end of the procession spectacular fire-works that light up the man square (piazza Duo-mo) of Acireale.

On November 14, the transfer of the relics of the saint from Ascoli Piceno, occurred in 1642, is remembered with a church ceremony.

For more information and detailed festival schedule visit, http://www.comune.acireale.ct.it/

U.S. navy HeaDLIneS

Learn TheseWords in Italian!

English: congratulations! Italian: congratulazioni!

English: Happy Birthday! Italian: Buon Compleanno!

English: Merry Christmas! Italian: Buon Natale!

Special Occasions

Have fun practicing your Italian! Buona Fortuna!

English: Happy Easter!Italian: Buona Pasqua!

English: Have a good holiday! Italian: Buone vacanze!

English: Enjoy the meal! Italian: Buon appetito!

JUST SAY IT!

Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Mike Stevens addresses Sailors during an all-hands call on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). Carl Vinson is pierside at Naval Air Station North Island. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Shantece Gonzalez/Released)

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Navy with the Command’s first Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Pride Month celebration in July 2013.

She watched as the Command’s Coalition of Sailors Against De-structive Decisions grew from a group of five to more than 40 while they worked to try to make positive changes outside the gates of the base. And she welcomed the creation of the hospital’s first Second Class Petty Officers Association.

But for McDonald, it always came back to her staff. Looking for a new, more permanent way to pay tribute to staff members who were deployed, she unveiled a deployment board in April 2014, a project almost two years in the making. She lightened restrictions on Tuition Assistance, enabling more staff members to pursue education, and she strengthened the Enlisted Advancement Program. She also changed the liberty out-of-bounds policy to enable more travel for her staff.

In short, many of her Sailors believe these changes increased ad-vancements and decreased alcohol related incidents, purportedly be-cause staff members used the new out-of-bounds policies to travel.

“The staff is getting out of town and enjoying Italy and Europe,” McDonald said. “They’re going to college, and they’re realizing that their future is within their control.”

Her command presented unique challenges with Branch Health Clinic Bahrain, located 2,000 miles away and Branch Health Clinic Souda Bay in Greece. But McDonald made a concerted effort to bring these clinics closer under the umbrella of U.S. Naval Hospital Sigo-nella.

“Bahrain being 2,000 miles away, we were continuously working to improve communication so that they felt closer to decisions and what was happening and having an influence on changes in the Command,” McDonald said. “From Day one, my goal was to create a virtual stair-well between the Commands.”

As a result, improvements were made in the tracking and ordering of supplies, in addition to ongoing improvements with the IT system that has enhanced communication.

“There’s really nothing left to do on my bucket list here,” McDonald said. “I’ve done what I could in my two years here. I’d stay another year or two in a heartbeat if they offered it to me.”

There’s no doubt she’d be welcomed.

"Hospital" continued from page 1 U.S. Navy photos by Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Matthew Clutter and Hospitalman Jasper Seisa/Released

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As a reminder, all dependents are always welcome at the galley!Please provide any negative or positive feedback. There is a suggestion box near the entrance to the galley, next to the serving line.

Friday, July 25*Breakfast: Rolled Oats, Grilled Sausage Patties, Bacon, Asstd. Omelets, Eggs to Order, Hash Brown Potatoes, Waffles.*Lunch: Clam Chowder Soup, Baked Salmon Fish, Chicken Florencia, Lasagna, Carrots, Broccoli, Cookies, Ice Cream.Speed line: Asstd Pizza.*Dinner: Chicken Noodle Soup, Roast Turkey, Fish Sandwich, Pasta Chef, Tossed Green Rice, Chicken Gravy, Corn O’Brien, Green Beans, Cookies.

Saturday, July 26*Breakfast: Farina, Grilled Ham Slices, Bacon, Asstd. Omelets, Eggs to Order, Hash Brown Potatoes, French Toast, Asstd.*Brunch: Breakfast Items, Egg Drop Soup, Drumettes Chicken, Lasagna, Creamed Sausage Gravy, Hash Brown Potatoes, Summer Squash, Asparagus, Pie.*Dinner: Vegetable Soup, Pasta al Forno, Pork Chop w/Mushroom Gravy, Pepper Steak, Rice Pilaf, Fresh Cauliflower, Mashed Potatoes, Pie.

Sunday, July 27*Breakfast: Rolled Oats, Creamed Sausage Gravy, Bacon, Minute Steak, Asstd. Omelets, Eggs to Order, Italian Roasted Potatoes, French Toast.*Brunch: Breakfast Items, Cream of Broccoli Soup, Salisbury Steak, Chicken Patties, Peas, Corn on The Cob, Italian Roasted Potatoes, Pie.*Dinner: Chicken Vegetable Soup, Veal Parmesan, Beef Pot Pie w/Biscuit, Penne Alfredo, Rice Pilaf, Gravy, Seasoned Carrots, Pie.

Monday, July 28*Breakfast: Hot Hominy Grits, Oven Fried Bacon, Minced Beef, Asstd. Omelets, Eggs to Order, Italian Roasted Potatoes, Waffles.*Lunch: Creamed of Potato Soup, Chicken Cordon Blue, Roast Rib of Beef, Penne Americana, Mashed Potatoes, Brown Gravy, Mixed Vegetables, Summer Squash, White Cake, Pie.*Speed Line: Asstd Pizza.*Dinner: Vegetable Supreme Soup, Grilled Chicken Breast, Herbed Salmon Fish, Pasta Chef, Rice Pilaf, Chicken Gravy, Fresh Cauliflower.

Tuesday, July 29*Breakfast: Hot Farina, Omelets, Grilled Sausage Patties, Bacon, Eggs to Order, Hash Brown Potatoes, Waffles. * Lunch: Cream of Asparagus, Barbecued Spareribs, Fried Chicken, Chicken Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, Hopping John, Corn on The Cob, Collard Greens, Oatmeal Nut Cookies, Ice Cream.*Speed Line: Pasta Bar.Dinner: Zesty Bean Soup, Pepper Steak, Fried Shrimp, Spaghetti Carbonara, Steamed Rice, Peas & Carrots, Squash, Cake.

Wednesday, July 30*Breakfast: Rolled Oats, Creamed Beef, Bacon, Asstd. Omelets, Eggs to Order, Roasted Potatoes, Pancakes.*Lunch: Beef Rice Soup, Baked Fish W/ Tomato Cherry, Lasagna, Chicken Florencia, Rice Pilaf, Cauliflower, Mixed Vegetable, Peanut butter Cookies, Ice Cream.*Speed Line: Grilled Cheese/Hamburger, Baked Beans, French Fried Potatoes, Grilled Bacon.*Dinner: Cream of Chicken Soup, BBQ Pork Ribs, Spaghetti w/Meat Sauce, Steamed Rice, Fried Cabbage, Cake.

Thursday, July 31*Breakfast: Hominy Grits, Corned Beef Hash, Bacon, Asstd. Omelets, Eggs to Order, Hash Brown Potatoes, French Toast.*Lunch: Corn Chowder Soup, Chicken Cordon Bleu, Manicotti, Roast Beef, Baked Potatoes, Brown Gravy, Carrots, Cabbage, Pie, Ice Cream.*Dinner: Minestrone Soup, Chicken Drumettes, Meat Loaf, Penne Alfredo, Ginger Rice, Broccoli.

Friday, August 1*Breakfast: Hot Oatmeal, Grilled Sausage Patties, Bacon, Asstd. Omelets, Eggs to Order, Hash Brown Potatoes, Waffles.*Lunch: Cream of Potato Soup, Penne Alfredo, Creole Scallop, Roast Beef, Mashed Potatoes, Seasoned Mix Vegetables, Fresh Squash.Speed Line: Asstd Pizza.*Dinner: French Onion Soup, Spaghetti w/ Fish Sauce, Chicken Parmesan, Beef Stew, Steamed Rice, Fresh Cauliflower.

Water more important than ever in the summer

NAS SIGONELLA, Sicily - With summer in full swing and the temperatures reaching sweltering proportions, it’s more important than ever to consume the most important nutrient for your body.

Water is a necessity for good health. The human body is made up of 60 percent water, making its consumption essential for every system in our body. The amount of water needed varies upon gender and activity level.

The Institute of Medicine determined that an adequate intake (AI) for men is roughly three liters (about 13 cups) of water per day. The AI for women is 2.2 liters (about nine cups) of water per day. These numbers are for individuals who are not exercising or working in the heat.

Major factors that increase water needs include exercise and the environment. When exercising, fluid is lost through sweat. Depending on the length of exercise session and sweat rate, the amount lost varies and should be replaced properly.

To determine fluid loss, take a body weight measurement before and after an exercise session. For every pound of body weight lost, consume 16 to 24 ounces of fluid post-exercise. Dehydration can be very dangerous so knowing the signs and symptoms is key.

Symptoms of mild to moderate dehydration include dry mouth, decreased urine output, headache, dry skin, dizziness and/or lightheadedness. Symptoms of severe dehydration can be a combination of extreme thirst; very dry mouth, skin and mucous membranes; sunken eyes; low blood pressure; dry skin that lacks elasticity and doesn’t “bounce back” when pinched into a fold; rapid heartbeat or rapid breathing.

Thirst is not always a gauge when determining hydration level. A good gauge is urine color. Clear or light colored urine indicates being well hydrated, whereas a dark yellow or amber urine color is indicative of dehydration.

Dehydration can lead to serious complications to include heat injury causing heat cramps, heat exhaustion or a life-threatening heat stroke. The bottom line is dehydration can be prevented through proper planning.

Remember these factors when heading outdoors this summer. For more information, contact Health Promotions at 624-4710.

By Lt CHrIStIna BoLognaU.S. Naval Hospital Sigonella

Navy Caps for KidsBy MC2 DUSty gooD anD MC1 DavID MCkeeNavy Office of Community Outreach Public Affairs

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (NNS) -- For the past 15 years, Sailors around the fleet have been making a difference in the lives of children battling serious illnesses in hospitals across the country, and in doing so, they have been enriching their own lives in the process.

Through the Navy's Caps for Kids program, Sailors have delivered thousands of command ball caps to hospitalized children throughout America. The program is maintained solely through donations of ball caps made by wardrooms, Chiefs Messes, First Class Associations and other organizations throughout the Navy. The powerful effect visits from Navy Sailors have on children in hospitals across the country provides children with the chance to meet their Navy heroes and become s Sailor themselves, after receiving a command ball cap and Honorary Sailor designation.

The Caps for Kids program was created by the Navy Office of Information, Southwest in 1998. Modeled on a similar program in the private sector, which distributed celebrity-autographed caps and other items to children in hospitals, the Navy's program sends Sailors directly to the hospitals with caps in hand and the authorization to bestow Honorary Sailor designations to children on the spot.

Personnel Specialist 2nd Class Melissa Gray, now serving with Navy Operational Support Center, Battle Creek, saw firsthand the effect the program can have on children who are facing incredible hardships in their lives.

"The kids' faces lit up when they saw us in our Navy uniforms bringing them a cap," said Gray.

While stationed aboard USS Germantown (LSD 42), Gray had the opportunity to coordinate a Caps for Kids visit with the Navy Office of Information, Southwest and the Ronald McDonald House of Hong Kong in the programs early years - around 2000.

"It was a wonderful opportunity for children to talk with the Sailors, as many of them never had the opportunity to do so before."

The experience stuck with her and she is now helping See "Caps" page 12

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Find and circle all of the words, names, songs, and movies that have to do with Elvis. The remaining letters spell a line from an Elvis song.

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CNO's China visit builds cooperation for greater U.S., PLA Navy relationship

BEIJING (NNS) -- Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert departed the People's Republic of China (PRC) Friday after a successful four-day counterpart visit with mili-tary leaders, fleet units and leaders of the State Oceanic Administration (SOA).

Adm. Wu Shengli, commander in chief of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), hosted Greenert's visit, which marked the fourth major interaction between Greenert and Wu in the past year and is a clear indication of each country's desire to grow their existing relationship.

Directed by both the President and PRC Pre-mier to improve military to military relations both Greenert and Wu have been focusing on identifying tangible measures that can build a better understanding and trust between each other's navies and safeguard maritime peace and stability in the region.

"I'm here at the invitation of Adm. Wu to continue our agenda for improving cooperation of our navies," said Greenert. "We are moving ahead in a series of steps to increase our confi-dence in each other."

In meetings between the two leaders during the visit several actions were discussed that, if implemented over the course of the next year or two pending approval, will provide the coop-erative opportunities mutually sought out by the U.S. Navy and PLAN.

Creating additional port visits in the U.S. for PLAN ships and additional Chinese port visits for U.S. ships as well as extending more invita-tions to take part in each other's exercises were two of the actions Greenert and Wu discussed. These initiatives would help advance the rela-tionship portion of the countries' desires to mili-tarily work more closely together.

Ensuring the full understanding and imple-mentation of the Code for Unplanned Encoun-ters at Sea (CUES) through the ranks was one of the more challenging proposals by Greenert and Wu as it will take time to integrate CUES into the standard operating procedures for both navies; however, achievable and actually already in the works.

But the action proposed by Wu and Green-ert that will present the greatest hurdle for each Navy to overcome is conducting personnel ex-changes-exchanges that if approved will mitigate any doubt as to whether or not trust exists be-tween the two navies and will signify a huge rela-tionship milestone. Greenert said that although personnel exchanges are on the table, it could take years to implement, but that the previously mentioned actions are a step in the right direc-tion.

Wu said after the initial meeting with Green-ert that a new type of naval relationship had pos-itive significance for the "new type of great power relations" that China and the United States are trying to build.

Greenert's visit was not solely spent in meet-ing rooms with Wu, he also toured several PLAN ships pier side and got underway on a PLAN frigate interacting with PLAN sailors at each juncture.

Greenert even held an all-hands call as he would with his own Sailors but with aircraft car-rier Liaoning crewmembers, who were eager to talk with the U.S. service chief about a number of topics ranging from his impressions of their first aircraft carrier, to port visits and chow, to his views on women in service. During the all-hands call, a female PLAN officer told Greenert she was inspired by the recent news of Adm. Michelle Howard's four-star promotion to vice chief of na-val operations and that it gave her hope to aspire to great heights in her own organization.

When asked by a Liaoning crewmember dur-ing the all hands about how the U.S. and Chinese Navy can cooperate, Greenert highlighted that common interests and potential cooperation can take place in areas such as disaster relief, search and rescue, counter piracy, and counter smug-gling operations. Greenert also emphasized that both navies have to be responsible examples for others in the world and that the two navies have to work together to gain a better understanding of each other.

The all-hands call proved to be equally valua-ble to the Liaoning crew and Greenert in gaining a better understanding of each other as Sailors and as people.

Another valuable interaction that occurred during Greenert's visit was in a meeting with civilian leadership at the State Oceanic Admin-istration (SOA), whose coast guard ships are frequently used as frontline forces patrolling the disputed areas of the East and South China Seas. Greenert said although he and the other 20 member-states of the Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) are focused on their na-vies implementing CUES, he stated the Chinese Coast Guard should also adopt CUES in order to reduce the chances of misunderstanding.

The Asia-Pacific rebalance has been a huge priority during Greenert's tenure as CNO. In the Asia-Pacific Greenert has placed a major empha-sis on forces, capabilities and pushing for better understanding among nations. To enhance un-derstanding, CUES, which was endorsed at the WPNS in the Chinese port city of Qingdao in April 2014, has been a major step in facilitating communication and synergy among navies and could easily be extended to mariners such as the Chinese Coast Guard to reap the same benefits and avoid miscalculations.

Greenert said, "These visits combined with our discussions on confidence building measures provided me valuable insight to the PLAN as we work to manage our way through a growing re-lationship."

Greenert's next planned interaction with Wu will take place in September at the Inter-national Seapower Symposium (ISS) at the U.S. Naval War College. During ISS, leaders from the world's maritime forces will come together to find solutions to areas of common interest and foster cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. The theme for this year's symposium will be "global solutions to common maritime challenges."

DALIAN, China (July 17, 2014) Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert departs the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ship Datong FFG 580 with the ship's Commanding Officer Lt. Cmdr. Hao He after touring the ship and transiting to Lushun Naval Base. Greenert's visit to the PLAN came at the mutual request of U.S. and Chinese leadership to strengthen existing military relations between the two navies through additional military exercises, port visits and exchanges to advance maritime cooperative efforts in the Asia-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Peter D. Lawlor/Released)

to coordinate Caps for Kids visits for her Navy Operational Support Center to local hospitals around Battle Creek, Michigan.

The program is carried out by Sailors who volunteer their time in a variety of ways. Some make visits while home on leave, in town for a command sponsored namesake city visit or Navy Week, or by making a trip to the children's ward at a hospital near their duty station.

During the 2014 Dallas-Fort Worth Navy Week, USS Texas (SSN 775) and USS Dallas (SSN 700) Sailors made a visit to the Dallas Children's Hospital for a Caps for Kids sponsored visit.

Yeoman 1st Class Gary White, a USS Dallas Sailor, was among the crowd of Sailors who packed into the hospital's playrooms and took a special interest in a shy young patient.

"The nurses told us she was really shy and rarely opened up to them, but as soon as she saw us, she came right up and opened up instantly," said White.

White said the experience was one of the most memorable in his Navy career. He was honored to be the highlight of this child's day and felt like he helped break up the monotony of constant the many rounds of treatment the children have to endure throughout the day.

"She seemed like the cap we gave her made her feel like the queen of the world. Her face lit up and she had the biggest smile on her face," said White.

The Navy Office of Community Outreach (NAVCO) currently runs the Caps for Kids program, maintaining the inventory of donated items and overseeing the coordination of all visits.

Each year, usually in the fall, NAVCO makes a fleet-wide appeal for donations to keep the program going. Ships, submarines, squadrons, other units and even detachments throughout the fleet donate their command ball caps for the program. This year's annual call for donations generated donations from 44 commands that included hundreds of ball caps and various other pieces of command memorabilia.

Capt. David Melin, commanding officer, University of Washington Navy Recruit Officer Training Command, has supported the program from both sides by donating ball caps as a commanding officer and visiting hospitals to distribute them.

Melin donated many ball caps in the first few years of the program while commanding officer of USS Stethem (DDG 63), and then as commanding officer of USS Princeton (CG 59). He knew the importance of the program then but didn't fully appreciate it until this past year when he got the chance to personally deliver caps and participate at the Seattle Children's Hospital.

"As a [commanding officer], I never gave the covers the command donated a second thought, but after seeing firsthand the impact those ball caps can have on a child, I wish I had sent more," said Melin.

Melin and his Sailors distributed 50 ball caps from various commands at the hospital. Following the visit, he was inspired

"Caps" continued from page 10

From Chief of Naval Operations Public Affairs

see "Caps" page 15

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"CNP" continued from page 1Six ways to get organized for Back-to-School

Putting the following strategies into action now will save a lot of time and anxiety later!

1. Shift your schedules. The lazy, unstructured days of summer are ending, and so is your child's freedom to sleep in and eat erratically. Ease him back into a school schedule by shifting his bedtime back to a school-day bedtime and waking him closer to the hour he'll need to rise.

2. Have a morning routine run-through. The week before school starts, start getting your child up, dressed, and fed at the same times as you would on a school day. Both you and your child will benefit from a few practice runs to smooth out trouble spots and get comfortable with the routine.

3. Clean house. Go through your child's clothes, and get rid of anything he's outgrown or worn threadbare. It'll be easier to choose outfits if there's less clutter. Do a thorough cleaning of his room and study area as well.

4. Stock up on supplies. After you and your child are through cleaning, make a list of everything she'll

need for the coming year, from socks to crayons. Ask her teacher or the school for a list of supplies, and check what's missing. Buy extras of essential items and store them for later.

5. Get papers in order. While you're calling the school, ask what paperwork your child will need to start. Take care of any missing vaccinations or forms ASAP, then gather all the papers in a large, clearly marked envelope or file and photocopy everything.

6. Create calendar and file central. Set up an area with a large calendar so everyone in your family can see everyone else's plans for that month. For added organization, color-code each family member and keep colored markers nearby so everyone can easily mark plans. Pen in after-school activities, lessons, play-dates, and family time. Nearby, set up file baskets or bins marked "To Be Signed," "From School," and "To School," so your child can deposit papers you need to see in a regular place right after school and pick up things to go "To School" each morning.

froM www.SCHoLaStIC.CoM

How would you spend $50,000 to beautify our base?During the month of July, Naval Air Station Sigonella will compete against four other regional installations during the Biggest Energy Loser contest as part of the Navy's ongoing effort to be good stewards of our resources. The winning base will be awarded $50,000 to beautify their base! Specific details of the contest will be posted soon, but we want to hear from you now! How would you like to see $50,000 spent on beautifying NASSIG? Please send your ideas to us at thesig@eu.navy.mil.

Don't miss this great volunteer opportunity

CALL THE CHAPEL & SIGN UP TODAY! 624-3975/9049

Vacation Bible School is right around the corner Sigonella!

all. When you read about it and it sounds like they're cutting this or cutting that, we're not cutting anything for active duty members."

Beldo also answered questions and dispelled rumors about CPO 365 being a "fad" for the Navy.

"CPO 365 is not going anywhere. We will always look to make things better and build upon a great product that we started with," said Beldo. "As far as somebody thinking, (it's) just a fad, is this going to go away? Absolutely not. We all agree that CPO 365 is setting up our leaders for success for the future and we'll move to make it better, but it's not going away."

Moran spoke about new Navy uniforms, such as a new service dress blue uniform for females, a new service dress blue uniform for males, and the approval of commanding officers to allow their Sailors to wear command ball caps with Navy working uniforms (NWU), officially due to take effect Sept. 1. Additionally, he addressed Sailors' concerns about new uniforms while wearing a new lightweight NWU uniform being tested across the fleet.

"It's basically the Type III greens that we have dyed blue. That's the make-up of this uniform. We know the Sailors like the Type IIIs, that comfort level and wear," said Moran. "Now we're doing this with a version of the NWU to see if that will hold up to the stresses of the cleaning systems both ashore and at sea. It is lighter. It is more breathable and the feedback we're getting from the 350 Sailors testing this is that they like it."

The CNP is responsible to the chief of naval operations for the Navy's manpower readiness. Dual-titled, CNP also serves as deputy chief of naval operations (manpower, personnel, training education/N1) and oversees the Bureau of Naval Personnel, Navy Personnel Command, and the Navy Manpower Analysis Center.

CNP's conglomerate serves as the single resource for all strategy and resource policies concerning manpower and training program matters.

to write the commanding officers of each of the different commands who donated the caps for his visit to give them a firsthand account on the impact their donations make.

"You brighten the day and bring smiles to the faces of children, many who are fighting for their lives," said Melin.

Lina Lewis, program coordinator for Seattle Children's Hospital, noticed the spirits of patients in the children's cancer ward rise as they engaged with Melin and his Sailors.

"The kids can identify with a hero figure like men and women in the Navy. They think it's kind of cool," said Lewis.

Lewis also saw the effect these visits can have on the parents of the patients.

"The parents are always thankful too, and it's an especially positive experience because they know the Sailors not only serve their country, but they put smiles on the faces of their children."

Cmdr. Kim Marks, former director of NAVCO, believes the program has been one of the Navy's most consequential outreach programs over the past decade.

"Caps for Kids is not only one of our most successful outreach programs, it is also one of the most personally rewarding programs," said Marks. "Nothing beats the feeling you get from the kids' smiles when you give them a command ball cap."

To make a donation of command ball caps, simply mail them to:

Navy Office of Community OutreachAttn: Caps for Kids5722 Integrity Dr., BLDG 456Millington, TN 38054

"Caps" continued from page 12

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Do you have a passion for writing? Are you looking for a little experience in journalism?

The Signature is seeking volunteers to help cover base events as well as feature and travel stories.

If this interests you, please call the NAS Sigonella Public Affairs Office at DSN 624-5440 or email us at thesig@eu.navy.mil.

We thank you in advance for your interest and we look forward to our communities input as we continue our efforts to bring you the best possible local newspaper!

tHe SIgnatUrePage 16 July 25, 2014