Battleground Bonding Vol. 69, No. 19 www.cherrypoint.marines.mil May 12, 2011 See A3 Moondogs return to hero’s welcome LANCE CPL. SCOTT L. TOMASZYCKI MCAS CHERRY POINT After six months of patiently waiting loved ones welcomed home the Marines and Sailors of Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 3 upon their arrival to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point from Afghanistan May 7. While deployed, VMAQ-3 fl ew more than 2,575 hours in combat, conducting more than 630 missions, and jamming enemy communications in support of operations in southern Afghanistan. “The communications jamming is critical because the insurgents use communica- tions to set up ambushes and coordinate attacks on coalition forces,” said Capt. Nathan C. Berth, electronic countermeasures offi cer for VMAQ-3. “It’s given all our troops outside the wire the upper hand. They’re able to successfully do their mission whether it’s convoys, road clearing, country building, or raids without the enemy being able to use an early warning system.” After a successful deployment, the Moondogs came home to a warm welcome. Fam- ilies, friends, an ensemble from the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Band, and supporters from the USO greeted the Marines when they returned to the VMAQ-3 hangar. “It’s night and day from being deployed and being able to stay at home and see your family,” said Berth. “Being able to have those little creature comforts are nice again. For most guys, it’s getting reacquainted with the family. One of our captains had a kid while he was deployed, and this is going to be the fi rst time he’s seen his new born.” It wasn’t until shortly after midnight when the families reunited with their Marines and Sailors. “I felt really empty inside while he was away,” said Trinh DiNoto, who welcomed home her husband, 1st Lt. Christopher J. DiNoto. “When he arrived, I felt like we were whole again, like our family was complete.” Donald J. Coons, a retired corpsman and a member of the Marine Corps League, John A. Lejeune detachment of Virginia Beach, Va., was also in attendance. This Viet- nam War and Beirut veteran came to meet a friend and fellow member of the Marine Corps League, Petty Offi cer 2nd Class Kenneth Palmer, a corpsman for VMAQ-3. In his years, Coons said returns have changed much for the better. LANCE CPL. SCOTT L. TOMASZYCKI “It was my honor and a privilege to meet and greet the Marines coming home,” said 1st Lt. Christopher J. DiNoto, his wife Trinh, and their daughter, Claire, share a Coons. “I think it’s a great opportunity to say thanks for a job well done. I think it’s special moment at the return of Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron great the way the military is being treated today in comparison to the way we were be- 3 to Cherry Point May 7. DiNoto, an intelligence officer for VMAQ-3, returned ing treated when we came back from Vietnam. It’s a major change. It’s wonderful.” home from a six-month deployment where the squadron flew more than 630 missions in support of operations in Afghanistan. Air station breaks New headquarters sets high ground for new standards for energy effi ciency sports complex PFC. CORY D. POLOM MCAS CHERRY POINT Members of the Cherry Point community will have a new complex to conduct athletics in the future. A new sports com- plex is being built across from the Child Development Center where Lanham Housing once stood. “The athletic complex will be built in stages,” said Ches- ter A. Conklin, the facilities director for Cherry Point. “The initial stage will be the removal of debris, building up of the slope of the ground and fi nally the laying of sod and seeding of the remaining area.” When fi nished, the new sports complex will cover 15 acres and will serve as a safer place to conduct combat fi tness tests and physical training sessions rather than using the open road. The complex will also have restrooms and extra parking PFC. CORY D. POLOM space. The new headquarters building is home to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing and Marine Corps Air Station “After this is done we will move to stage two in the future. Cherry Point command elements. This high tech facility uses multiple resources to help save energy and Until then the complex will be opened for use by the public money such as ultraviolet protected windows, LED lighting in the parking lots and solar panels to power for practices and intramural games,” said Cmdr. Kevin K. Jun- 2.5 percent of the building. tunen, a facilities engineer and the resident offi cer in charge of PFC. CORY D. POLOM help the air station save money by using less energy, construction for Cherry Point. MCAS CHERRY POINT water and being environmental friendly. Juntunen said after the complex is fi nished it will be the site In September 2007, a late-night fi re broke out, de- “The contractors hired to build the new headquar- of a running track, two athletic fi elds, a combat fi tness test site stroying Cherry Point’s World War II-era headquarters ters used recycled pieces of the old building as well as and beach-like volleyball courts. building. Marines, Sailors and Department of Defense local products,” said Cmdr. Kevin K. Juntunen, a fa- “We are trying to make sure the fi elds that are currently civilians were moved to modular buildings and tempo- cilities engineer and resident offi cer in charge of con- being used for all athletics get a chance for a break,” said Jun- rary work spaces throughout the air station to continue struction for Cherry Point. “The fi nished building uses tunen. “They are being torn up by the constant use and that on with their duties, not knowing when construction many environmental friendly products to help make is why this new complex is so vital. The softball fi elds never on a new building would occur. the building more energy effi cient.” get a break. They start to be severely damaged in the outfi elds Nearly four years later, an 84,000 square-foot, The new building uses windows that are ultraviolet which are causing headaches for the athletic grounds crews state-of-the-art headquarters building now houses 2nd protected, LED lighting in the parking lots and draws Marine Aircraft Wing and Marine Corps Air Station See SPORTS COMPLEX page A7 Cherry Point personnel. The structure was built to See HEADQUARTERS page A7 NOAA visits Cherry Point, educates local community LANCE CPL. SCOTT L. TOMASZYCKI where fi rst responders displayed the gear MCAS CHERRY POINT they use to help people if a hurricane Hurricane season begins June 1, which hits. Marine Transport Squadron 1 made will bring the possibility of destructive an appearance, as well as Coast Guard and deadly storms to the East and Gulf units from both Elizabeth City and Fort coasts. Macon, N.C. Knowing the threat, the National Oce- “We do a thing called the Hurricane anic and Atmospheric Administration Awareness Tour every year where we has conducted the Hurricane Awareness visit fi ve coastal cities one year on the Tour for almost 30 years, alternating be- East Coast, and next year on the Gulf tween the Gulf and Atlantic coasts. This Coast,” said Bill Read, the director of year, one of the fi ve tour stops on the NOAA’s National Hurricane Center. East Coast was Marine Corps Air Sta- “The whole point of it is, by using the tion Cherry Point May 4. hurricane hunter aircraft as an attraction, In 2010, no hurricanes made landfall we can bring together local offi cials, LANCE CPL. SCOTT L. TOMASZYCKI in the United States. However, Hurri- emergency responders and the media Marines, Sailors and civilians aboard Cherry Point tour a WP-3D Orion the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration uses for hurricane hunting during NOAA’s cane Earl grazed the Carolina coast with who have to work together and know East Coast Hurricane Awareness Tour May 4. Aircraft like this one are vital for a near miss, reminding people that they what’s going on in a hurricane. We use forecasters to make accurate predictions concerning the path of a storm. In 2005, the have to be prepared for hurricanes any that opportunity to educate people on hurricane hunters ensured the successful forecasting of Hurricane Katrina. time. The event was held on the fl ight line, See NOAA page A7 A2 May 12, 2011 The Windsock Pool shark PFC. CORY D. POLOM Tony J. “the Sniper” Crosby lines up his shot during one of many challenge matches against a group of Marines during a pool clinic he taught at Cunningham’s April 23- 24. Crosby gave away T-shirts and raffl ed off pool cues during both days of the clinic. “Seeing the enjoyment on the Marines’ faces makes me feel like what I do benefi ts others,” said Crosby. “It means a lot to me to see that and makes me feel appreciated.” From the chaplain: God’s draft pick CMDR. PERRY HAAGAN Since Saul had chosen not to live in obedience to God, God decided that it was time 2ND MAW to draft a new king. The Lord told Samuel the prophet – in this story God’s general man- If you are a football fan, the NFL draft was a breath of fresh air during an otherwise ager - to go to Bethlehem and anoint one of the sons of a man named Jesse to be the new long drought.