GTMO Resident Returns Home to Final Resting Place
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SEPTEMBER 07, 2012 • VOL. 69 • NO. 33 • NAVY.MIL/LOCAL/GUANTANAMO • FACEBOOK.COM/NSGuantanamoBay NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA • PSC 1005 BOX 25 • FPO, AE 09593 • GTMO Resident Returns Home To Final Resting Place Family members reunited for the first time in over 50 years pay tribute as Sailors attached to NS Guantanamo Bay’s U.S. Naval Hospital begin the funeral procession of Ernesto Gonzalez at the base chapel, Sept. 6. Gonzalez had served the community since 1954 and became a special-category resident, Cuban exille when U.S.- Cuban relations deterietied in the early 1960s. Rusty Baker by a graveside service at Cuzco Well Cemetery on September NS Guantanamo Bay Public Affairs Officer 6, 2012. warm, coastal breeze unfurls the National Ensign In a display of compassion, Cuban officials allowed Gonzalez’ A standing watch over hundreds of weathered marble grave three siblings to attend the service and reunite with the family markers below. Cuzco Well Cemetery, located at Naval Station for the first time in over 50 years. Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, has endured its share of triumph and Born in Guantanamo City in 1932, Gonzalez became an exile loss. It has seen gallantry personified in the actions of Medal of to the base when commuting back and forth to his job grew Honor recipient Sgt. John Quick during the Spanish-American evermore dangerous after the United States and Cuba broke War. It has seen numerous Sailors and merchant marines diplomatic ties in the early 1960s. It was during this time that fall from a sometimes unforgiving Caribbean. In total, 340 he met and fell in love with Carmen Amparo. The two married service members, dependents, residents, refugees and foreign and lived on base, making a living with service-related jobs ever nationals have been interned at Cuzco Well Cemetery. Today, since. history was again made on this hallowed ground, as one of “Ernesto worked as a life guard, a waiter at the Windjammer Guantanamo Bay’s family members came home to be laid to [restaurant], and even had his own ice cream shop back when rest. we had a dairy,” said Navy Chaplain, Cmdr. John Van Dickens A funeral service was held for Cuban exile and long-time during his message at the funeral service, “If anyone had resident, Ernesto Cesar Gonzalez, at the base chapel, followed anything they needed fixed, they’d come to Ernesto.” For more see FINAL RESTING PLACE . page 6 PAGE 2• THE GUANTANAMO BAY GAZETTE received via satellite from Riverside, Calif. Radio GTMO’s current decoder equipment does GTMO’s Defense not allow for insertion, or deletion of product received from satellite feeds. Media Activity To “This new gear allows us to more effectively move entertainment programming to the Update Television appropriate time slot, we still will not be able to insert or delete, only change when it airs,” said Travioli. “With our upgrade we will be Broadcast Equipment able to show late night programming intended MC2(SW/AW) Justin Ailes for a more mature audience, like ‘Dexter,’ ‘True Gazette Editor Blood’ and other shows of that caliber. These shows will be on after 10 p.m. Fridays and efense Media Activity (Radio GTMO) Saturdays.” Dat Naval Station (NS) Guantanamo Currently, AFN “Freedom” broadcasts a mix Bay, Cuba is currently adding new time-delaying of family-oriented sitcoms and dramas. AFN is equipment which will change American Forces the brand name used by the United States Armed ENGINEMAN Network (AFN) television programming at the Forces American Forces Radio and Television FIRST CLASS installation. Service (AFRTS). Radio GTMO’s staff are temporarily replacing The AFN worldwide radio and television CARLOS channel AFN “Spectrum” with channel AFN broadcast network serves American service men “Freedom” during the new equipment installation. and women, Department of Defense and other LOPEZ “We are updating our broadcasting system so US government civilians and their families ■Job/Department: Leading Petty we can time shift entertainment programming stationed at bases overseas, as well as U.S. Navy Officer/Port OPS to a more appropriate time,” said Defense Media ships at sea. AFN broadcasts popular American ■Age: 35 Activity Guantanamo Bay Officer-in-Charge radio and television programs from the major ■Home Town: El Paso, TX Chief Mass Communications Specialist Stan U.S. networks. ■Quote: “The only easy day was Travioli. “We currently pull programming from a “We our planning on this change happening yesterday.” ■Favorite TV Show: Sons of feed meant for European audiences. This had our around late October,” said Travioli. “Once we get Anarchy audience in GTMO watching the wrong content the gear in place to better serve the community ■Favorite Hobby: Cross Fit at the wrong time.” with a time shifted AFN ‘Spectrum,’ we will let Training/Swimming NS Guantanamo Bay’s AFN broadcasts are base residents know before we switch back.” ■Favorite Team: TX Longhorns ■Favorite GTMO Restaurant: Cuban Club ■Favorite Movie: Grandma’s Boy ■Favorite Musician: Disturbed ■Currently Working On: Biology/ General Science Degree ■Hero: My Grandma ■Greatest Passion: My Family ■Greatest Accomplishment: My Children ■How The Navy Has Improved His Life: The Navy allowed me to see the world. I’ve been lucky enough to receive excellent technical schools. ■Sailor Of The Week Because: For assisting NAVSTA Sailors with additional physical training after hours as well as coordinated craft preparations for Security NS Guantanamo Bay community members compete in MWR’s “Runner’s Choice” event at the installation’s Christmas Tree Hill, Sept. personnel’s required training. 1. The open-to-all-hands fitness challenge allowed runners to choose between a 5k course and a 15k course. VOL. 69 • NO. 33 NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA GUANTANAMO BAY GAZETTE COMMANDING OFFICER CAPT. JOHN NETTLETON PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER RUSTY BAKER EXECUTIVE OFFICER CMDR. WILLIAM RABCHENIA GAZETTE EDITOR MC2(SW/AW) JUSTIN AILES COMMAND MASTER CHIEF CMDCM (SW/EXW/AW) ROSS CRAMER PHOTOJOURNALIST MC2(SW/AW) JUSTIN AILES The Guantanamo Bay Gazette is an authorized publication for members of the military services and their families stationed at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Navy, and do not imply endorsement thereof. The editorial content is prepared, edited and provided by the Public Affairs Office of U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. The Guantanamo Bay Gazette is printed by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Document Services with a circulation of 1,000. SEPTEMBER 7, 2012• PAGE 3 Future USS Michael Murphy Sails Away From Shipyard Team Ships, Navy News Service only bring this great warship into the Fleet, but to also do our part in Public Affairs upholding the legacy of Lt. Murphy and his 18 additional Operation Red he future USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) departed General Wings teammates that gave the ultimate sacrifice,” said Cmdr. Tom Shultz, TDynamics Bath Iron Works (BIW) shipyard Sept. 5 for New York commanding officer of PCU Michael Murphy (DDG 112). City, where she will join the fleet in a commissioning ceremony, Oct. 6. Shultz and many of the 280-person crew have trained in Bath for close This milestone marks the completion of the initial 62-ship procurement to a year to safely sail the ship away and begin their transit to the ship’s for the DDG 51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyer program, and the 34th future homeport of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, also the location of Lt. Murphy’s DDG 51 class ship built at BIW, until the class-restart ships begin former command, SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1. delivering in fiscal year 2016. The DDG 51 class ship is a multi-mission, guided-missile destroyer “This sailaway is a poignant milestone for both this ship and the designed to operate in multi-threat air, surface and sub-surface threat program,” said Capt. Mark Vandroff, DDG 51 class program manager for environments. The class of ship provides combat capability and survivability the Navy’s Program Executive Office, Ships (PEO Ships). “This has been, characteristics, while minimizing procurement and lifetime support costs and continues to be, a tremendously successful shipbuilding program. I due to the program’s maturity. The DDG 51 program continues to reinforce have every confidence that PCU Michael Murphy, as with the previous 61 affordability and efficiency in its shipbuilding program with a commitment Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, will ‘lead the fight’ and make our world a to deliver ships at the highest possible quality and to manage a seamless safer, better place.” transition to the Fleet. The new destroyer honors the late Lt. Michael P. Murphy, who was As one of the Defense Department’s largest acquisition organizations, posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions as leader of PEO Ships, an affiliated program executive office of the Naval Sea Systems a Navy SEAL team in Afghanistan. Murphy was the first person to be Command, is responsible for executing the development and procurement of awarded the medal for actions in Afghanistan, and the first member of the all major surface combatants, amphibious ships, special mission and support U.S. Navy to receive the award since the Vietnam War. Maureen Murphy, ships, and special warfare craft. The majority of shipbuilding programs Lt. Murphy’s mother, will serve as the ship’s sponsor. currently managed by PEO Ships are benefiting from serial production “It’s truly an honor for all of us that are part of this initial crew to not efficiencies, which are critical to delivering ships on cost and schedule. controls,” said CNIC Director, Facilities and Environmental, Capt. Navy Shore Installations To J. P Rios.