Vol. 64 No. 47 Friday, Dec.7, 2007 Electric Light Parade, Hollywood style Story by MC1 Robert Lamb, NAVSTA Public Affairs Saturday night, a feeling of Christmas The parade featured 38 different floats up on the street before”, said GM2 Craig was in the air, along with candies, air-horns this year. Everything from trucks, cars, Brown. “Candy was flying and being and sirens that all combined to produce the boats, emergency vehicles and military tossed from one float to the next”, he added. annual Guantanamo Bay Electric Light Pa- transportation vehicles were decked out Johnny Grant, the honorary Hollywood rade. with lights and signs wishing everyone a Mayor, and Stefanie Powers were the The Morale, Welfare and Recreation happy holiday season. Young cheerlead- Grand Marshals for this year’s parade. sponsored parade went off without a hitch ers, servicemembers and civilians waved Powers was sitting up on the back seat on Saturday, Dec. 1. If you weren’t on to the crowds and randomly threw candy and Grant sitting in the front passenger seat, watch or standing along Sherman Avenue to children standing on the sides of the road. as Charity Sandstrom drove her red Mus- between SCSI and the Downtown Ly- "The parade was gnarly", said Katie tang convertible along the parade route to ceum, then you were probably sitting Basel, who marched in parade as part of the Downtown Lyceum. Not far behind aboard a parade float tossing out candy or the Sea Cadet. "When we stopped at the were Victoria’s Secret super models Marisa t-shirts. This was one of the biggest Elec- Downtown Lyceum, was the best part of Miller, Selita Ebanks and Adriana Lima, es- tric Light Parades that people had seen in the parade, because we were at the begin- corted by CMDCM Brad Levault, in his recent memory. ning of it all so it gave us a chance to see all 1976 Eldorado Cadillac. Also participating “It was great,” said ND1(DSW) Dean the floats that were behind us." in this years parade was Kate Linder, an Paraskeva. “It looked like everyone was “I’ve been here for almost three years really having lots of fun.” and I have never seen so many people lined See Parade, page 6 2 Friday, Dec. 7, 2007 Fleet Forces Admiral discusses IAs Story by MC1(SW) Stefanie Holzeisen-Mullen, Fleet Public Affairs Center, Atlantic Recently Adm. Jonathan W. ”This [IA assignments] is not Greenert, Commander, U.S. Fleet a short-term process,” said Forces Command, traveled to the Greenert. “We have 10,000 now Navy Individual Augmentee and are training to turn over that Combat Training Unit in Fort amount.” Jackson, S.C., to get a firsthand In October, 2006 the United look at the training facility and States Joint Forces Command speak to Sailors preparing for an assumed responsibility of the IA on educating the Navy family on proactive family support to the IA assignment. And that visit training program at Fort Jackson this new type of deployment by families of IAs, ad-hoc individuals inspired a podcast to share what and has worked in concert with making sure they have access to and provisional units deploying he learned. the Army to ensure the best current information and the for non-traditional expeditionary ”That was a great trip ... it possible training program is in resources to ensure success on missions in support of the global totally changed my impression place to prepare Sailors for the home front. war on terrorism. and my ideas on our individual success in their IA ”We are doing a lot but we need ECRC is designed to be a augmentee program,” said assignment.The course was to get better at what we’re center for IAs and their families Greenert, noting specifically the based on theater requirements for doing.” Greenert admitted. “The to lean on for resources, support intensity of the skills being taught all service members. The Navy is good at caring for a unit and guidance. The IA handbook, and the confidence and character program is designed to teach or family of a unit when that unit available on the ECRC Web site, of the Sailors he met. essential skills to individuals deploys. But what we’re talking is one publication Greenert said With more than 10,000 IAs assigned to Army units. The about now are individuals within many of those he spoke with at serving in the U.S. Central course includes training in basic a unit and we need to take that Fort Jackson pointed to Command area of responsibility, marksmanship, combat first aid, same approach. The Navy repeatedlyAdm. William as a Jameskey reason Crowe why Jr. including active-duty and reserve land navigation, urban operations ombudsman program is they felt prepared. components, Greenert was quick and an introduction to Army strengthened and ready to deal Fleet and family support to note that this type of duty is culture. Perhaps most important with this need.” centers, Navy Personnel quickly becoming the norm for is training in convoy and counter- Greenert pointed to one Sailor Command and other Navy career Sailors and that the Navy improvised explosive device he met while at Fort Jackson commands and organizations are is working overtime to ensure the operations. who praised the dedicationPresident andof the continuallyUnited States developing George W.and Bush fine- necessary training and support “I feel very good about the tenacity of his unit’s ombudsman, tuning the network of resources systems are in place. The people who are there,” said crediting them with preparing him to get the knowledge to those evolution of IA training is part of Greenert. “They are very for deployment in just one week who need it. the Navy’s shift to a more confident when they are done and versus the traditional four to five Quick to laud the volume of expeditionary force with the they have good reason to be. I weeks. assistance and wealth of majority receiving orders to duty feel very good about the training.” ”It’s this caring for the knowledge available to better in Iraq and Afghanistan. Greenert has also set his sights individual,” Greenert added. “The prepare a Sailor to serve in an IA unit looking out for the individual. assignment, Greenert had a Guantanamo Bay That’s the mindset we have to simple suggestion for those who Vol. 64 No. 47 have.” really want to know what to Gazette In the past, IA deployment expect and how to prepare - go Commanding Officer.....................................................................................Capt. Mark M. Leary information was often scattered straight to the source. Executive Officer..........................................................................................Cmdr. Sylvester Moore Command Master Chief...............................................................CMDCM(SW/AW) Keith Carlson and difficult to find. Recognizing ”Talk to somebody who has Public Affairs Officer......................................................................................................Bruce Lloyd this, the Navy stood up the been there. You’ll get the insight, Mass Communication Specialist/LPO...........................................................MC1 Robert lamb Mass Communication Specialist/Editor.................................................MC2 Kimberly Williams Expeditionary Combat Readiness you’ll help get rid of some of the Command (ECRC) in October anxieties that build up. Have faith The Guantanamo Bay Gazette is an authorized publication for members of the military services and their families stationed at U.S. Naval Station 2006. ECRC is designed to that this training process will Guantanamo Bay. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views provide oversight and ensure prepare you well.” of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Navy, and do not imply endorsement thereof. The editorial content is prepared, effective processing, equipping, To listen to the podcast edited and provided by the Public Affairs Office of U.S. Naval Station training, certification and interview with Greenert on the Guantanamo Bay. Questions or comments can be directed to the PAO. The Gazette staff can be reached by phone at ext. 4502; fax 4819; by email at deployment. In addition to getting Navy’s IA training program log [email protected]. Get the Gazette online at www.cnic.navy.mil/ Sailors prepared, ECRC provides on to www.cffc.navy.mil . guantanamo reach-back, redeployment and Friday, Dec. 7, 2007 3 Religious Services/ GTMO aerographer’s Base Chapel Catholic Daily Catholic Mass Mon. - Fri. 5:30 p.m. (Main Chapel) Vigil Mass, Sat. 5 p.m. (Main mates at your service Chapel) Sun. Mass, 7:30 a.m. (JTF-Troopers Chapel) Team ensures flights take off in favorable weather conditions Sun. 9 a.m. Mass (Main Chapel) Protestant (GTMO Chapel) Sat. 11 a.m. Seventh Day Adventist Story by MC2 Kim Williams, NAVSTA Public Affairs Service (Room B) Sun. 7 p.m. Filipino Christian Fellowship (Room A) There’s an exact science to 8 a.m. Pentecostal Gospel Temple (Room D) analyzing the weather that in- 9 a.m. LDS Service (Room A) volves a lot more than just 10 a.m. Liturgical Service (Room B) 11 a.m. General Prot. Service waiting for a groundhog to see 11 a.m. United Jamaican its shadow. Fellowship (Bldg 1036) 1 p.m. Gospel Service A group of well-trained and 7 p.m. Iglesia Ni Cristo (Fellowship highly qualified Sailors sta- Hall) Friday Religious Services tioned at Naval Atlantic Meteo- 1:15 p.m. Islamic Service (Room C) rology and Oceanography De- 7 p.m. Jewish Service (FMI call tachment Guantanamo Bay 2628) (NAVLANTMETOCDET) Religious Services/ have the unique mission of us- JTF Troopers Chapel ing the meteorological and Catholic Services Wed. 11 a.m. Spanish Mass (New) oceanographic information Sat. 6:30 p.m. Vigil Mass (PPI they collect to ensure Navy air- Chapel) Sun. 7:30 a.m.