VOLUME 16 NO. 12 JANUARY 22 – FEBRUARY 4, 2021 SUBMIT STORIES TO: [email protected] FACEBOOK.COM/STRIPESPACIFIC FREE Asheville sailor STARTS JAN. 25 named top CSS-15 junior officer YOUR VOTE COUNTS! BY PO2 KELSEY HOCKENBERGER, new year is upon us, and it’s time once again to And if you do, you may qualify to win a $300, $200 or SUBMARINE SQUADRON 15 turn your attention to the yearly tradition unlike $100 Exchange gift card. SANTA RITA – Lt. Matthew A any other – Best of the Pacific voting season! We at Stars and Stripes want to thank you for For the past 20 years, our annual Best Flores, assigned to the Los An- helping us make our community products Cellphone Provider geles-class fast-attack subma- of the Pacific magazine has been the ones that help you enjoy rine USS Asheville (SSN 758) authority on the best places YOU your stay in the Pacific. Off-Base Shopping was selected as the Command- need to go in the Pacific. How That’s what we’re all er, Submarine Squadron 15 Ju- do we know? Because you about. As we are nior Officer of the Year. told us so! fond of saying, our papers, Place to Buy a Car Flores, a native of Las Vegas, You’ve made your websites and Nevada, serves as the subma- voices heard over magazines “are Bowling Alley rine’s damage control assistant. the years, and in about you, for DentalD Clinic “My selection as Junior Offi- turn, informed you, and in cer of the Year is a big stepping fellow members some cases, stone for a tour of hard work Real Estate Agency of the military by you.” done every day,” said Flores. community like The votes “It’s great to be recognized yourselves of keep rolling in AFN Radio Personality as one of the Pacific’s year after the best best attractions, year and it’s amongst restaurants, On-Base Outdoor Rec all thanks by peers on festivals, Sunday to you! We the water- brunch, getaways Enlisted/Officers’ Club had a great front.” and more. A dedi- turnout in Have a favorite Off-Base Event cated lead- 2020, and we bowling alley that also er, Flores expect nothing just happens to serve the On-Base Restaurant was recog- best wings around? What short of a record nized for Off-Base Restaurant about that on-base lodging number of votes in Lt. Matthew Flores his work 2021. So, be sure to take during that goes above and beyond in ensuring you enjoy your stay? We want a minute or two and vote for Sunday Brunch Asheville’s 2020 Western Pacific your favorites so even more deployment, his quick thinking, to know what you like and most importantly, of you can experience the best the positive attitude, and tactical why you like it so much. On-Base Lodging Voting is quick, easy and you just might get your Pacific has to offer! abilities. Off-Base Lodging Flores was also selected name in the magazine. So, please take a few minutes to as one of only six naval offi- vote by going to bestofpacific.stripes.com. – Stars and Stripes staff Travel Agency cers accepted into the Wood’s Exchange Store / Mini Mart/ Express/ Marine Mart Military Resort Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. VOTE BY GOING TO: bestofpacific.stripes.com “I work to do my best every day and to the best of my abil- ity,” said Flores. “I hope this will be motiva- CTF-75 medical officer wins award tion to my colleagues in the wardroom and drive them to be BY PO2 COLE PIELOP, the best they can be.” close, and known’ to sailors and COVID-19 alternate sources of care. COMMANDER TASK FORCE 75 identify and quickly treat their response,” “While this is an individual areas of distress,” said award, it certainly wasn’t earned SANTA RITA – Lt. Neil Rampy, Rampy completed nearly 300 Rampy. “It in a bubble,” said Rampy. “I had the senior medical officer and one-on-one behavioral health en- was an all- the support of a fantastic CTF psychological health officer counters with service members hands ef- for Navy Expeditionary Forces 75 team, the mentorship and throughout the year. His close fort to re- peer support from many in Navy Command Pacific-Commander, attention to sailor’s behavioral spond and Medicine, and – most of all – the Task Force 75, was awarded health exacerbated by the CO- adapt to support and understanding from Navy Medicine’s Clinical Social VID-19 pandemic and restric- the crisis.” my wife and our kids. My fam- Work Officer of the Year for 2020. tion of movement quarantine Lt. Neil Rampy Rampy “I preserve our force’s psy- orders resulted in a 99 percent implement- ily understood that this was a chological readiness while the fit for full duty and a worldwide ed tele-health programs to reach year in which we all had to make CTF 75 mission continues,” said deployable rate among 1,200 patients during this unprec- sacrifices. My wife jokes that I Rampy. “I provide confidential deployed and forward-deployed edented era of social distancing have a few gray hairs after this one-on-one screening and coun- naval forces. and integrated with local behav- year, but I don’t mind - I earned seling. The aim is to be ‘quick, “I’m most proud of our ioral health resources to provide them!” 2 STRIPES GUAM A STARS AND STRIPES COMMUNITY PUBLICATION 75 YEARS IN THE PACIFIC JANUARY 22 − FEBRUARY 4, 2021 Year of Ox offers optimistic look Chinese Horoscope at 2021 after dreadful 2020 BY DAVE ORNAUER, faithful wives and parents, who put great em- Max D. Lederer Jr. STARS AND STRIPES Publisher phasis on their children’s educations. Yet the oxen can be stubborn. They work Lt. Col. Richard E. McClintic he turning of the page from a year bygone Commander maybe too much, have a tough time relaxing and to a new year brings with it new hope and Chris Verigan tend to forget meals, which may cause intestinal optimism, especially after what we expe- Engagement Director T problems. Solutions: Regular diet and rest. https://www.thechinesezodiac. Marie Woods rienced in 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic org/chinese-horoscope-2021- Colors considered lucky for those born in the Publishing and Media Design Director turned life as we know it pretty much upside year-of-the-metal-ox Chris Carlson down. year of the Ox are white, green and yellow; blue Publishing and Media Design Manager At least according to the Chinese Zodiac, 2021 is considered unlucky. Eric Lee Peach blossoms and tulips are thought to be Advertising and Circulation Manager could be a harbinger of good things to come, a lucky flowers, as well as numbers 1 and 4 and Monte Dauphin very welcome sign after all the trials and diffi- Guam Area Manager culties endured during the last 12 months. numbers containing each, like 14 and 41; 5 and 6 Kentaro Shimura Welcome to the Year of the Ox, the second of are considered unlucky. North and south are said Production Manager the 12 zodiac signs: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Drag- to be lucky directions, while southwest is consid- Rie Miyoshi ered unlucky. Engagement Manager on, Serpent, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog Signs considered best matched for those born Denisse Rauda and Boar. Publishing and Media Design Editor Technically, the Year of the Ox does not be- in the year of the Ox are the rat, monkey and Publishing and Media Design Writers gin until the Chinese or Lunar rooster; the worst matched signs ChiHon Kim Shoji Kudaka New Year, which this year falls on EXCLUSIVE NEWS FROM: are the tiger, dragon, horse and Takahiro Takiguchi Feb. 12 and lasts through Jan. 31, goat. Layout Designers Among the many famous (or in Mamoru Inoue 2022, but it’s generally observed Yukiyo Oda on Jan. 1 according to the western some cases infamous) people who Yuko Okazaki Kayoko Shimoda calendar. Previous years of the Ox were born in the Year of the Ox Multimedia Consultants have been 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997 and were: Max Genao Doug Johnson Napoleon (1769), Adolf Hitler (1889), Walt Chinese Zodiac Sign Jason Lee Hans Simpson 2009, and the next one will be 2033. Chae Pang Yi Gianni Youn According to thechinesezodiac.org, the Year Disney (1901), British Prime Minister Marga- Robert Zuckerman of the Ox will be a lucky one and is also perfect ret Thatcher (1925), presidents Gerald Ford and Graphic Designers Kenichi Ogasawara Yosuke Tsuji to focus on relationships, whether friendships Richard Nixon (both in 1913) and Barack Obama Sales Support or love, and when hard work will be rewarded. (1961), Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein (1937), Kazumi Hasegawa Hiromi Isa Those zodiac signs lucky in terms of money will actor-filmmaker Charlie Chaplin (1889), actors Ichiro Katayanagi Yoko Noro Yusuke Sato Saori Tamanaha be ones who make a considerable effort. George Clooney (1961), Richard Gere (1949), Toshie Yoshimizu Un Chong Yu The Chinese zodiac describes oxen as crea- Meryl Streep (1949), Morgan Freeman and Distributors Joe Guzman tures known for dependability, strength, deter- Dustin Hoffman (1937), artist Vincent Van Gogh John Wesley mination and diligence. (1853) and Princess Diana (1961). https://www.chinahighlights. For feedback and inquiries, Male oxen are strongly patriotic, according But whatever sign you are, a very happy and contact [email protected] com/travelguide/chinese- to the zodiac; they have ideals and ambitions for blessed New Year to each and every one of you! zodiac/ox.htm To place an ad, call 355-5160 life and attach great importance to family and [email protected] guam.stripes.com/contact work.