Tester 121715 flipbook

Frocking photosPage 3

Sonobuoy testing systemPage 4

Wreaths Across AmericaPage 7

Vol. 72, No. 49 Celebrating 72 Years of Community Partnership December 17, 2015

TESTERNaval Air Station Patuxent River

By Donna CipolloniNAS Patuxent River Public Affairs

Winter arrives Dec. 22; and so does all of the potentially bad weather that comes along with it.

When a storm bears down on southern Maryland, it sets into motion a rippling wave of activity that spreads out across NAS Patux-ent River.

Even before the snow starts to fall, person-nel aboard the installation are discussing their plan of attack and as soon as the first flakes hit the ground, it’s full steam ahead.

Snow removal“Once there’s a one-inch accumulation, it’s

considered a snow event and we activate the snow removal process,” said Lt. Johnathan Zis-ko, production officer with Public Works.

Plows will begin clearing Priority 1 areas first — main roads and essential parking — and will only initiate Priority 2 areas, such as the airfield, when it has stopped snowing and there is no more than an inch of snow left on the ground, Zisko said.

“The goal is to get as many people back to work as we can and then get the planes back in the air quickly thereafter,” he noted. “Through it all, I’ll be talking with the [Public Works Of-ficer] who will be communicating with [NAS Commanding Officer Capt. Heidi Fleming].

To fly or not to flyOver on the airfield, airfield division (AFD)

personnel will remove the E-28 arresting gear offline and begin marking strategic taxiway and runway lights to avoid plow damage and will conduct frequent Runway Condition Reading (RCR) checks to monitor runway friction.

“When you get a ‘nil’ reading, it means an air-craft will experience little or no braking action when the pilot applies the brakes,”explained Jim Fletcher, airfield manager. “At that point, we’ll go through the Air Ops officer and he’ll brief [NAS command] about closing the air-field down.”

Once plowing begins out on the airfield, Fletcher noted there will already be a plan laid out as to which areas are cleared first.

“Naval Test Wing Atlantic sets the priorities

based on what they need,” he said. “If VX-23 has an aircraft that needs to ‘get out on a boat,’ for example, that’ll be our priority. We’ll get the VX-23 ramp opened up, so once we start flying again, they’re the first to go.”

It usually takes about two days to get every-thing cleared and runways will reopen only if there’s good traction, and only after AFD per-sonnel have conducted a complete sweep and FOD (foreign object damage) check.

“They’ll want to make sure the snow plows left no snow removal equipment parts on the airfield,” Fletcher added.

Command decisionAs the NAS commanding officer, Fleming

ultimately determines what course of action is taken in any emergency condition that results in changes to the installation’s normal oper-ation; and her decision not only affects Pax River operations and personnel, but spills over into the community as well.

In addition to being briefed about the air sta-tion’s situation during bad weather, Fleming also communicates with the St. Mary’s County

school district and emergency operations center.“The decisions made are definitely not just

Navy-related,” said Mike Quigley, Pax opera-tions officer. “If 22,000 people are coming onto the base, it directly affects [the county’s] ability to plow. They may even ask us to delay open-ing for a while so they can clear Route 235 and other main arteries.”

Quigley also noted that if schools are closed and the base is closed, the situation presents a childcare issue for essential personnel who must report for work.

Preparing for bad weather at Pax River

By Donna CipolloniNAS Patuxent River Public Affairs

Be prepared for winter weather by knowing how to obtain the information you’ll need on delays and alternative work scheduling at NAS Patuxent River.

In the event of an emergency situation during non-work-ing hours, information will be relayed as soon as possible to various sources for dissemination. Official sources for infor-mation include:

AtHocThe recommended and effective system whereby users

can choose to have emergency messages sent directly to their home, cell phones, TTY/TTD phones, pagers, faxes and personal or work emails – but registration is required. To register, follow any of these steps:

• Visit www.ReadyNavy.mil, click on Stay Informed and then Wide Area Alert Notification from your NMCI or One Net networked computer

• Email you contact information to the air station’s emer-

gency preparedness personnel at [email protected]

• Right click the purple globe on the bottom right of your NMCI computer screen, click Access Self Service and then click on the Devices tab

Installation website or phone numberVisit www.cnic.navy.mil/patuxent or call 301-342-BASE

(2273)Pax River’s Facebook pagewww.facebook.com/NASPaxRiver (not an official source)Delay/closing information will also be sent to local tele-

vision and radio stations, but Pax River personnel should not confuse the base’s reporting status with the dismissal or closure announcements of the federal government, Office of Personnel Management and Naval District Washington, as they don’t affect Pax River.

For details and definitions regarding emergency reporting and the use of administrative leave, refer to NASPAXRIV-INST #12610.7G – Employee Reporting Procedures During Emergency Situations.

Where to obtain base delay/closing info

See WEATHER, Page 2

U.S. Navy Photo

U.S. Navy photo illustration by Shawn Graham

NAS Patuxent River Gate 3 and Webster Field Back Gate closed Dec. 15-Jan. 10

Pax River Gates 1 and 2; Webster main gate and NRC Solomons open with normal hours of operation

All gates resume normal operations Jan 11.

Entry gates holiday hours

Happy holidays!Tester will not publish

again until Jan. 7

2 Thursday, December 17, 2015Tester

Courtesy of SMECO

According to the Southern Maryland Elec-tric Cooperative (SMECO), the following is a list of steps customers can take to prepare for power interruptions:

• If someone in your household depends on electricity to operate life support systems, make plans for alternate sources of power or alternate lodging. For county shelter infor-mation, call SMECO’s special needs number: 1-866-524-9402. In addition, check with your local fire department, which may offer tempo-rary shelter.

• If you plan to use a portable generator, use extension cords to connect what you want to power directly to the generator. Place your generator outside, not in an attic, crawl space or basement. Carbon monoxide poisoning is deadly. When your power comes back on, turn off and disconnect your generator immediately.

• Keep flashlights and fresh batteries on hand. Lanterns and candles are not recom-mended because they can cause fires.

• Stock nonperishable foods and keep a manual can opener handy. The ideal choices are foods that require no cooking, such as fruit, canned tuna, peanut butter, crackers, cereals, cereal bars, canned soup and bread.

• If you plan to use a charcoal or gas grill for cooking, keep the grill outdoors.

• If your water at home is supplied by a well, store extra water in clean jugs, bathtubs, or laundry tubs.

• Keep a battery-powered radio with fresh

batteries and stay tuned to local news bulletins and weather reports.

• Make sure that you have a standard phone available. Cordless phones do not work with-out electricity. If you use a cell phone, an auto adapter may be needed to recharge your phone.

• Keep your automobile gas tank above half full.

• Keep fresh batteries in your smoke detec-tors.

• As in preparing for any other emergency, maintain a supply of cash. Credit cards and ATM machines may not work if the power is out.

What to do if the power goes out:• Call SMECO’s Outage Hotline at 1-877-

747-6326. Customers may also download the SMECO 24/7 app, use SMECO’s text mes-saging service, or go to the co-op’s website to report the outage online at smeco.coop/ac-count/report-an-outage.

• Never touch downed power lines or attempt to remove trees from power lines. Contact with live lines may result in serious injury or death. Please report downed power lines to SMECO immediately by calling 1-888-440-3311.

• Make sure the oven and stove are off to prevent fires if the power comes back on while you’re away.

• Turn off all the major appliances in your home, especially the heat pump. This will pre-vent damage to the appliances once the power is restored. Then, turn on appliances gradually so the electric demand does not jump suddenly.

Be ready for weather-related outages

Courtesy of NAS Patuxent River Occupational Safety and Health Program

Removing Ice from WindshieldReplace your windshield wipers twice per year; be sure to

change your windshield wiper fluid to one with antifreeze before winter weather arrives

Start your car’s engine and turn the heat and defroster levels to low; the windshield could crack by heating it too quickly

Scrape the windshield using downward strokes to avoid scratching the glass

Do not pour hot water on your windshield to melt ice; it may crack

Black IceLook for signs of ice other than on the roadway, such as

on windshield wipers, sideview mirrors, on road signs, trees or fences along the highway; if ice is forming on any of those items, it’s possible it may be on the road as well

If you hit ice, let up on the accelerator to allow the car to slow down, without using brakes if possible

If you begin to skid, remove your foot from the accelerator or brake and steer in the direction of the skid; after the vehi-cle steadies itself, straighten the wheel and proceed

Anti-lock Braking Systems (ABS) are designed to over-come a loss of steering control; to make antilock brakes work correctly, apply constant firm pressure to the pedal

Freezing RainWhen driving in rain and temperatures are above freez-

ing, you’ll see a spray of water from surrounding vehicle tires; when you no longer see spray, there’s a good chance the roadways are icy

SnowDon’t fall into a false sense of security when driving in

snow, even if you feel in control; remember, the tires are barely grabbing road

Drive slowly to avoid skids and loss of control; drive as if there were eggs on the bottom of your feet — step on the gas and brake pedals so gently you don’t break the eggshell

Clear snow from windows, headlights, mirrors and car roof — or, if you come to a quick stop, the snow left could slide off, cover your windshield and obstruct your vision; it could also fly off onto someone else’s windshield, possibly causing an accident

Road Maintenance VehiclesWhen approaching snowplows, slow down and do not

pass unless absolutely necessary; these trucks have blind spots, which reduce side and rear visibility

Winter driving safety tips

• Have no fear of running in the cold; the lungs warm air sufficiently as it enters your body.

• Try warming up indoors before going outside, if possible• Cover your head and hands; the majority of the body’s heat

is lost through its extremities• Dress in layers; the layer next to the skin should be make

from a breathable fabric such as polypropylene• Gore-Tex and polar fleece in outerwear help retain heat;

while polypropylene helps draw in moisture• Avoid overdressing, you’ll warm up with exercise• Keep your running or walking enjoyable by doing it in

daylight and with a friend or group• If you have any medical conditions which would impair

or limit your ability to participate in physical activity, consult your physician first

“It affects our child care center because we have to bring in just enough people to serve our critical personnel who require child care,” he said.

Safety firstThe core theme that runs throughout all of

the weather preparation, discussion, planning and action is safety.

“Safety is our top priority,” stated Chief Mas-ter at Arms Brian Ferguson, NAS security department. “Give yourself plenty of time to travel into work and slow down when entering the gates.”

After the ID check at the gate, accelerate smoothly from the stopped position because

there could be an icy spot. “Hitting the gas too fast will make the tires

spin -- we see this all the time in the rain -- and possibly, fishtail, which poses a danger to our gate sentries,” Ferguson said. “And, if you see a truck plowing snow, allow them to finish their job before trying to rush in.” Ferguson also add-ed that drivers need to remove the snow and ice from their entire vehicle and not just from a small portion of the windshield directly in front of the steering wheel.

“Keep an ice scraper handy,” he suggested. “All windows should be clear of ice and snow for maximum visibility. Drive safely and plan accordingly.”

Running or walking in cold weather

WEATHERContinued from 1

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Kenneth Takada

U.S. Navy photo

Thursday, December 17, 2015 3Tester

Stay up to date with us on Facebook

Naval Air Station Patuxent River • [email protected] • www.facebook.com/NASPaxRiver • www.flickr.com/photos/naspaxriver The name Tester is a registered mark in the state of Maryland. This paper is published by Comprint, Inc., 9030 Comprint Ct., Gaithersburg, Md. 20877, 301-948-1520, a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Navy, under exclusive written contract with Naval Dis-trict Washington. This commercial enterprise newspa-per is an authorized publication for mem-bers of the military services. Contents of the Tester are not necessarily the official views of, nor endorsed by the U.S. Gov-ernment, the DoD, or the Department of the Navy. The appearance of advertising

in this publication, including inserts or sup-plements, does not constitute endorse-ment by the DoD or Southern Maryland Newspa pers and Printing of the products or services advertised. Everything advertised in this pub-lication shall be made available for purchase, use, or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, na-tional origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation, or any other non-merit factor of the purchaser, user, or patron. If a violation or rejection of this equal opportunity policy by an advertiser is confirmed, the publisher shall refuse

to print advertising from that source until the violation is corrected. Editorial content of this publication is the responsibility of the NAS Patuxent River Public Affairs Office. All editorial con-tent submitted to Tester is subject to editing and is approved by the Public Affairs Office of NAS Patuxent River. Editorial content should be submitted by Friday one week prior to be considered for the following week’s edition. To inquire about news copy, call 301-342-4163 or fax the Tester at 301-863-9296.Commercial advertising may be placed with the publisher by calling 301-862-2111.

Capt. Heidi FlemingCommanding Officer

Capt. Scott StarkeyExecutive Officer

CMDCM Jeffrey OwejanCommand Master Chief

Connie Hempel Public Affairs Officer

Shawn Graham Public Affairs Specialist

and Tester EditorDonna Cipolloni

Staff WriterMatthew Getz

Layout Designer

Capt. Heidi Fleming, NAS Patuxent River commanding officer, frocked new petty of-ficers first, second and third class Dec. 10 at Center Stage Theater.

Navy; Patuxent River welcomes newest petty officers

Air Traffic Controller 2nd Class Shawn Dilimone

Air Traffic Controller 3rd Class Maria Rodriguez

Electronics Technician 2nd Class Joseph Hockman

Master-at-Arms 1st Class Evan Desrosiers

Air Traffic Controller 3rd Class Justin Cano

Master-at-Arms Mykah Calhoun

Air Traffic Controller 2nd Class Wyatt Vowell

Master-at-Arms 3rd Class Nicholas Lowe

Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) Rachel Reasey

U.S. Navy photos by Shawn Graham

Air Traffic Controller 1st Class Wailani Okamura

Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 3rd Class Taquonna Little

Master-at-Arms 3rd Class Casey Montoya

Air Traffic Controller 1st Class Daniel Roberts

Master-at-Arms Michelle Runge

Master-at-Arms 1st Class Matthew Wilson

4 Thursday, December 17, 2015Tester

By Bill Couch, Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division public affairs

Engineers, technicians and others from three Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) lab-oratories and the Anti-submarine Warfare Systems program office (PMA-264) rapidly developed a new sonobuoy launching system in the summer and fall of 2015 and com-pleted delivery in late November.

The new system, an adaptation of two SH-60B helicopter sonobuoy launchers into a forklift-suitable, pallet-mounted roll-on, roll-off sys-tem for KC-130T tanker aircraft, was needed because the existing testing aircraft were being retired.

“We brainstormed and came up with the idea of putting two SH-60B launchers on a pallet to roll on and off from a C-130,” said sonobuoy test support engineer Ansel Toutsch with PMA-264. “The C-130 was a perfect choice because the squad-ron that had been performing the tests using their soon-to-be retired S-3s also flew C-130s. Plus, we hope this may spawn ideas for other uses with other platforms.”

PMA-264 purchases all U.S. Navy sonobuoys, and for more than 50 years, its Sonobuoy Quality Assur-ance Program (SQAP) has used real-world ocean airdrop accep-

tance tests of random samples of sonobuoy production lots to ensure their performance and reliability. In that time, SQAP has used P-3, S-3, NC-12 and SH-60 aircraft for the testing.

Air Test and Evaluation Squadron

(VX) 30 with Naval Air Warfare Cen-ter Weapons Division’s (NAWCWD) Naval Test Wing Pacific performs the testing, and NAWCWD collabo-rated in developing this innovative solution. In October 2015, VX-30 retired the S-3B Viking aircraft it had

been using to test sonobuoys, transi-tioning to the KC-130T.

“As lead designer, the NAWCAD Engineering and Prototyping Facil-ity (AD 4.11.5.1) worked collabora-tively with Air Vehicle Stores Com-patibility (AD 5.1.6.7), the Stores

Compatibility Support Labs (AD 5.1.6.8) and PMA-264 to identify re-quirements and generate a design that could be efficiently fabricated and assembled to support cost and schedule constraints,” said Joe Bai-ley, NAWCAD Rapid Capabilities Engineering and Integration De-partment (AD 4.11). “We also devel-oped the airworthiness certification package while 5.1.6.8 fabricated the parts, assembled the systems and delivered them for wiring and test-ing.”

Air Vehicle Stores Compatibility engineers then planned and con-ducted the successful ground and flight testing.

“The team has been ecstatic at the end result and the timeframe that we were able to receive the final end product,” said Ken Sherman, PMA-264 deputy integrated program team lead for sonobuoy produc-tion. “There has been great cooper-ation between the representatives of PMA-264, the Air Vehicle Stores Compatibility Support Labs, and the Engineering and Prototyping Facil-ity in providing the new launcher system within the desired timeline.”

In total, the team produced three launching systems for VX-30. Fit checks took place in August, and the final system was delivered Nov. 23, ahead of schedule.

NAWCAD/NAWCWD team creates sonobuoy testing system for KC-130T

U.S. Navy photo

Ground support crew load a new launch system for testing sonobuoys onto a KC-130T aircraft at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, July 1. Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division laboratories and the Anti-submarine Warfare Systems program office (PMA-264) developed the system to test sonobuoy performance and reliability before delivery to the fleet.

By Program Management (AIR 1.0) Communication Support

The Navy’s Avionics Component Improve-ment Program (AvCIP) is prepared to accept proposals, from NAVAIR program offices, to award more than $10 million in funding to-ward fiscal 2017 projects, officials announced in December.

NAVAIR’s Air Combat Electronics Program Office (PMA-209) will manage the propos-al process for the Office of Naval Operations (OPNAV). Nomination forms are due Jan. 29. Those that meet AvCIP criteria will then be requested to submit a detailed project pro-posal by Feb. 26. In April, submitters will brief their proposals to a working group comprising representatives from NAVAIR, Marine Corps avionics officers, Navy resource sponsors, Naval Supply Center Logistics managers and programmatic and acquisition subject matter experts.

The working group reviews proposals and recommends the strongest for selection to PMA-209’s program manager. Selections are made based on cost, availability of proper funding types, extent of benefits, urgency, crit-icality and ability to successfully execute the project.

In 2015, nine out of the 10 proposals re-viewed at the FY16 working group were ap-proved for funding in FY16. Some of the proj-ects included:

• H-1 Optimized Top Owl Helmet Display Module obsolescence correction

• Harpoon II Common Munitions Bit & O-Level Programming sustainment improve-ment

• Shipboard Power Station Test Set obso-lescence correction & performance improve-ment

• EA-18G Electronic Warfare Range Signal Generator reliability enhancement

Projects will be selected by the end of May and can start executing as soon as October.

“Just about every platform has problematic systems that are either failing to meet reliabil-ity objectives or are facing obsolescence is-sues,” said Candace “Candy” Chesser, program manager for PMA-209. “Both cases usually present excessive sustainment or correction costs and present risk to user readiness. AvCIP resources enable acquisition managers to ad-dress these issues with near-term funds, rather than waiting for out-year Program Objective Memorandum (POM) money to arrive, or sacrificing existing internal funds that were planned for other uses.”

For nomination forms, contact Jerica Beav-an at [email protected]. This prelim-inary step allows proposals to be reviewed for AvCIP applicability.

The program was established in 2006 by the Office of Secretary of Defense Business Initia-tives Council and funded by OPNAV. AvCIP provides funds to address current avionics

system problems, including decreased reli-ability and readiness degraders, impending obsolescence issues that threaten to stop sus-tainability, and high sustainment cost drivers.

For more information about AvCIP, contact Maj. Kyle Hollis, the AvCIP integrated product team lead, at 301-342-2263 or [email protected].

$10M in funding available for NAVAIR avionic projects

U.S. Navy photo

The AH-1Z Viper’s turret control assembly circuit card was one of 13 propos-als to receive funding from the Navy’s Avionics Component Improvement Program (AvCIP) for fiscal 2015. AvCIP, which is managed by NAVAIR’s Air Combat Electronics Program Office (PMA-209), is accepting proposals for the FY17 working group until Jan. 30 that will award more than $10 million to projects that solve avionics problems.

Thursday, December 17, 2015 5Tester

U.S. Navy Photo

Rear Adm. Mark Darrah, Program Executive Officer for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons, presents Doug Thorp a Navy Meritori-ous Civilian Service Award Nov. 12. Thorp has served as the Navy and Marine Corps Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems (PMA-263) Close Range Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance integrated product team lead since 2005. He was recognized for his exemplary leadership and depth and range of coordination across services and or-ganizations to support the warfighter, most recently to include Operation Inherent Resolve missions and multiple ship-based UAS support efforts in theater.

Darrah awards Thorp

U.S. Navy photo

Summer Daniels (center), financial analyst for the Commander, Fleet Readiness Center (COMFRC) comptroller’s office, has been selected as COMFRC Fleet Facilitator of the Week. According to Dino Tsakonas (second from right), COMFRC’s deputy comptroller, “Summer has been providing outstanding support in the COMFRC Budget Execution and Reporting area. She produces high quality work and is always ready to jump in and assist wherever needed.” On hand to extend their con-gratulations were Joan Deem (left), COMFRC comptroller; COMFRC Command Master Chief Timothy McKinley (second from left); Daniels; Tsakonas; and Dawn Brewer (right), COMFRC budget officer.

Facilitator of the Week

By Cindy Mattingly, Airborne Electronic Attack Systems and EA-6B Program Office (PMA-234) communications support

‘’Tis the season of audibles, blitzes and coaches’ challenges, with college bowl games and professional playoffs sure to leave some in moods nice, and others naughty. Capt. John Bailey, Airborne Electronic Attack Systems and EA-6B (PMA-234) program manager, is one of the many avid football fans; however, his enthusiasm doesn’t stop with cheering from the comforts of an armchair, but moves him from living room to the sideline.

Bailey, or Coach John to the 25 players he mentors on the football field, is the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator for the Patuxent River Raiders, a 14 year old-and-un-der Southern Maryland Youth Athletic Con-ference football team located in the heart of St. Mary’s county. He’s coached for the organiza-tion since 2008, training students between the ages of 9 to 14 during his tenure.

A former high school wide receiver himself and longtime fan, Bailey initially went back to the sport because of his sons’ involvement.

“My sons brought me back to the football field as a spectator,” said Bailey. “By the next year, I was part of the coaching team. I went from having two boys to 25 in a matter of a sea-son, and on my team, I treat each one as my own. When you practice together two hours a day, four days a week for several months, you become attached to the families, getting to

know their joys and personal struggles.”His passion for coaching stems from want-

ing to give back to St. Mary’s county youth. He said outside of football tactics and strategy, he teaches the analogy of football mirroring life . when you get knocked down, you pick your-self up and keep going.

“Mentoring youth is about building charac-ter through consistency and discipline, two attributes some rarely witness,” Bailey said. “Football offers a fantastic arena to emphasize teamwork, mental and physical toughness and goal setting. In a world filled with self-ful-fillment and instant gratification, our coaching staff encourages players to work together to-ward a common goal and to strive for success.”

“Capt. Bailey is a coach that players from all teams look to as a role model,” said Lindy McHone, PMA-234 Next Generation Jammer Foreign Military Sales lead and football mom. “He teaches the importance of teamwork on and off the field. He ensures players can always talk to him about whatever their con-cerns are, whether at home, school or on the field. He instills relevance through developing personal relationships.”

Several of Bailey’s former students have re-ceived scholarships to play football in college. He attributes this to the staff’s hands-on meth-odology.

To learn more about Southern Maryland Youth Athletic Conference football, visit them online at http://smyac.com/.

Passion fuels PMA-234 program manager’s return to gridiron

Courtesy photo

Capt. John Bailey, Airborne Electronic Attack Systems and EA-6B (PMA-234) program manager, encourages one of his players during a practice in St. Mary’s County. Known as Coach John to his Patuxent River Raiders, he em-phasizes teamwork, mental and physical toughness, and goal setting both on and off the field.

6 Thursday, December 17, 2015Tester

Season’s GreetingsAT MIL, WE ARE PROUD TO BE APART OF THE LEXINGTON PARKCOMMUNITY. WISHING YOU ANDYOURS A SAFE AND HAPPYHOLIDAY SEASON.

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Thursday, December 17, 2015 7Tester

Purchaser must close by December 31st, 2015

Thursday, Dec. 176:30 p.m., Spectre (Rated: PG-

13; 2 hrs. 28 mins.)A cryptic message from Bond’s

past sends him on a trail to uncov-er a sinister organization. While M battles political forces to keep the secret service alive, Bond peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind Spectre.

Friday, Dec. 186:30 p.m., The Hunger Games:

Mockingjay Part 2 (Rated: PG-13; 2 hrs. 16 mins.)

With the nation of Panem in a full scale war, Katniss confronts Presi-dent Snow in the final showdown. Teamed with a group of her closest friends — including Gale, Finnick and Peeta — Katniss goes off on a mission with the unit from District 13 as they risk their lives to liberate the citizens of Panem, and stage an assassination attempt on President Snow who has become increasingly obsessed with destroying her. The mortal traps, enemies, and moral choices that await Katniss will chal-lenge her more than any arena she faced in The Hunger Games.

9:30 p.m., The Night Before (Rat-ed: R, 1 hr. 41 mins.)

Ethan, Isaac, and Chris have been friends since childhood, and for a decade, their yearly Christmas Eve reunion has been an annual night of debauchery and hilarity. Now that they’re entering adult-hood, the tradition is coming to an end, and to make it as memorable as possible, they set out to find the Nutcracka Ball — the Holy Grail of Christmas parties.

Saturday, Dec. 194 p.m., The Peanuts Movie (Rat-

ed: G; 1 hr. 33 mins.)Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy,

Linus and the rest of the beloved “Peanuts” gang make their big-Screen debut, like they’ve never been seen before, in state of the art 3D animation. Charlie Brown, the world’s most beloved underdog, embarks upon an epic and heroic quest, while his best pal, the lovable beagle Snoopy, takes to the skies to pursue his arch-nemesis, the Red Baron.

6:30 p.m., The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 (Rated: PG-13; 2 hrs. 16 mins.)

9:30 p.m., The Night Before (Rat-ed: R, 1 hr. 41 mins.)

Sunday, Dec. 202 p.m., Point Break (Free Sneak

Preview) (Rated: PG-13; 2 hrs. 12 mins.)

A young FBI agent, Johnny Utah, infiltrates a cunning team of thrill-seeking elite athletes — led by the charismatic Bodhi. The ath-letes are suspected of carrying out a spate of crimes in extremely un-usual ways. Deep undercover, and with his life in imminent danger, Utah strives to prove they are the architects of this string of inconceiv-able crimes.

First come first served. Admis-sion begins at 1 p.m. No camera phones, camcorders or any other recording devices will be permitted in the theater. This includes tablets and hand held gaming systems that have a camera.

Monday, Dec. 21 — Tues-day, Dec. 22

Theater is not open

Wednesday, Dec. 236:30 p.m., The Hunger Games:

Mockingjay Part 2 (Rated: PG-13; 2 hrs. 16 mins.)

Center Stage Theater

For more news from other bases around the Washington, D.C. area,

visit www.dcmilitary.com.

By Donna CipolloniNAS Patuxent River Public Affairs

Approximately 40 volun-teers from Naval Health Clin-ic Patuxent River (NHCPR) traveled to Arlington National Cemetery, Dec. 12, to partic-ipate in the annual Wreaths Across America event, honor-ing the Sailors, Marines, Air-men and Soldiers no longer with us this holiday season.

In order to reach the cem-etery in time for a 6:30 a.m. briefing, 15 of the volunteers set off from the clinic before sunrise; others arrived a cou-ple hours later.

Assigned as a truck crew, the group unloaded wreaths and handed them out to more than 3,000 people.

“All the trucks were opened on time at 9:45 a.m., in almost perfect synchronization,” said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Curtis Jones, NHCPR team lead.

Jones went on to explain that 1,000 key volunteers — comprised of 64 truck crews, 20 docent teams, nine greeter teams and ten parking lot at-tendants — were in place to

make the day special for an additional volunteer crowd of 70,000 who would honor buried service members by laying a live balsam wreath on their headstone in ceremoni-ous fashion. Over 240,000 wreaths were laid that Satur-day.

“I saw people of all walks of life working together for one common cause; it was awe-some,” said registered nurse Kecia Wilson, who lost a fam-ily member on the USS Cole and wanted to get involved to pay her respects to the fallen. “It is a time for remembrance and respect.”

Each NHCPR volunteer had their own reason for wanting to be part of the event, includ-ing Jones, who has several friends buried at Arlington National.

“I personally wanted to honor them and their sacri-fice,” he said, “and I wanted to honor their families, who sacrifice every day since their death.”

Wreaths Across America is a nonprofit organization who, through fundraising and donations, laid over 700,000 memorial wreaths at 1,000 locations in the United States and beyond in 2014.

Clinic personnel honor veterans with wreaths

U.S. Navy photo by Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Curtis Jones

More than 240,000 wreaths were laid on service members’ gravestones at Arlington National Cem-etery during the Wreaths Across America event, Dec. 12.

8 Thursday, December 17, 2015Tester

Around TownChristmas Village in Balti-

moreThrough Dec. 27; closed Dec. 15

and 25501 Light Street, BaltimoreWest Shore Park at Baltimore’s

Inner Harbor is transformed for the holidays. Over 50 international ven-dors are offering their unique gift-ware and delicious European food specialties. Come and celebrate with us at Baltimore’s authentic German Christmas Market. Open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Closing 5 p.m. Christmas Eve. Weekdays and outdoor area free; visit www.baltimore-christmas.com to get more info on weekend costs, programming and vendors; or visit Facebook at www.facebook.com/christmasvillage.baltimore.

Flat Iron Farm Christmas Village and Light Display

5-9 p.m.; through Jan. 1; closed Christmas

Flat Iron Farm, Great MillsTune radios to 88.7 and watch

the lights dance to the music. Pony rides, candy cane house, petting zoo, manger scene, train and tree display, handmade crafts, unique gifts. Pictures with Santa on Fridays and Saturdays.

Annmarie Garden in Lights6-9 p.m.; through Jan. 2Annmarie Sculpture Garden and

Arts CenterThe award-winning holiday light

show runs twenty-three nights, but is closed Dec. 24, and 25. The show features hundreds of handmade

light sculptures scattered along a glittering wooded path. Stroll the protected path and be surrounded by princesses, mythical beasts, wild animals, dinosaurs, outer space, sea creatures and more. Admission is $6; free for children 4 and under. Visit www.annmariegarden.org for the nightly entertainment schedule, information about special discount nights and to download a $1-off coupon.

Solomons TUBACHRISTMAS4 p.m. Dec. 20Our Lady Star of the SeaSolomons’ 14th Annual

TUBACHRISTMAS features a per-formance of traditional Christmas carols arranged for tuba and bari-tone horn players as well as op-portunities for the audience to sing along. The performance is open to the public and free. All low brass players in the local area are wel-come to play in the group. For de-tails, visit www.tubachristmas.com; for more information, call Bill White at 443-975-4421.

Maritime Concert Series: EVA

7 p.m. Dec. 18Calvert Marine Museum, Harms

GalleryCelebrate the holidays with the

international band EVA, performing a seamless mix of traditional and contemporary original folk music. EVA blends the sounds of the piano, guitar, percussion and harmonious vocals. Tickets are $10 in advance at www.bit.ly//MaritimeConcerts; or $15 at the door. For more infor-

mation contact Sherrod Sturrock at 410-326-2042, ext. 32.

Snow Globe Workshop1 p.m. and every 30 minutes on

the half hour; Dec. 28Calvert Marine MuseumCreate your own winter wonder-

land in a recycled jelly jar, while supplies last. Each session limited to 20 children. Sign up in the Dis-covery Room. Fee is $2.00 per child with museum admission.

Free Military Night at An-nmarie Garden in Lights

6-9 p.m. Dec. 29Enjoy free admission with valid

ID; sponsored by the College of Southern Maryland.

Winter Wishes10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 30Calvert Marine MuseumWhat are your hopes and wishes

for the New Year? Make a paper ornament with your secret wish writ-ten inside to hang in the Discovery Room. Ongoing throughout the day; free with museum admission.

Noon Year’s Eve Party10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Dec. 31Calvert Marine Museum Harms

GalleryMake a party hat and a New

Year’s wish ornament, hear a spe-cial story, enjoy a juggler and join the dance party. Toast in the Noon Year with sparkling ginger ale and fishy snacks when the ball drops at high noon. Fee is $2 per child with museum admission.

FFSCAll classes are held at the Fleet

and Family Support Center in Build-ing 2090 off Bundy Road unless otherwise noted. Classes are open to active-duty and retired military and Reservists. Reservations are necessary and can be made at FFSC or by calling 301-342-4911.

Playgroup at Glenn Forest Com-munity Center: 10-11 a.m. Dec. 17

Ten Steps to a Federal Job: 9 a.m. to noon Dec. 17

FFSC Closed Dec. 25

Ready Navy- www.ready.navy.mil

If you would like an information packet on how to prepare for se-vere weather and other potential emergencies, please stop by the Fleet and Family Support Center for your free information bag.

Clinical Counseling Ser-vices

Clinical Counseling services can directly improve the quality of life of service members and their family by addressing the stressors facing to-day’s military. To make an appoint-ment with a counselor, call 301-342-4911 or 202-685-6019.

Exceptional Family Mem-ber Program (EFMP)

EFMP is a DOD program that addresses the special needs of military families. Sailors with an ex-ceptional family member — a family member with special needs such as a medical or educational disability — are encouraged to enroll in the EFMP so the Navy can do its part in caring for EFM needs. For more in-formation, please contact the EFMP coordinator at 301-757-1861.

Financial Counseling Ser-vices

The Personal Financial Educator can help individuals and families in managing their finances, resolving financial problems and to reach long-term goals. Take control of your finances and make an appoint-ment with a counselor by calling 301-342-5442.

Find Your Command Om-budsman

Find out who your Ombudsman is. Visit www.ombudsmanregistry.org, click on “Contact Your Om-budsman” and follow the prompts, or call 301-757-1861 to speak with the NAS Patuxent River Ombuds-man Coordinator.

Thursday, December 17, 2015 9Tester

Bryans RoadApril Hancock

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10 Thursday, December 17, 2015Tester

What’s Happening With MWRFor all MWR news, events and

programs visit www.NavyMWRPax-River.com.

Phone directoryInformation, Tickets and Travel

Office 301-342-3648Drill Hall 301-757-3943River’s Edge 301-342-3656NRC Solomons 410-326-6903Fleet & Family Support Center

301-342-4911Center Stage Theater 301-342-

5033Customized Creations 301-342-

6293Rassieur Youth Center 301-342-

1694Bowling CenterNew Year’s Eve BowlRegister by Dec. 207 p.m. to 1 a.m. Dec. 31Bowl in the New Year with MWR.

Rent a lane for $150; max of six people per lane. Lane rental in-

cludes: All you can bowl; food and beverage; DJ spinning tunes; dance contests; six hours of family fun. Non-refundable deposit of $50 due at time of booking.

River’s EdgeOpen for lunch11 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekdays“We Proudly Serve Starbucks”7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday — Fri-

dayRiver’s Edge and Eddie’s Cafes

in Buildings 2185 and 2187.The River’s Edge will be closed

for lunch service Dec. 23 through Jan. 3.

Cedar Point Golf CourseDiscounted Punch Card Rates

and Pro Shop Special OfferThe golf course will be offering

$20 off all 10-game punch cards. Also, for every $50 you spend in the Cedar Point Golf Course Pro Shop, receive a free voucher for

nine holes of golf. Both specials are available until Feb. 29, 2016.

ITTOffice will be closed Dec. 24 and 25Tickets availableNavy FootballWashington CapitalsWashington WizardsWashington MysticsICE!Gaylord NationalFeaturing “Santa Claus is Com-

ing to Town!” Use promo code:ICE-PAX2015

Drill HallNew Hours effective Dec. 15 a.m. to midnight, Monday —

Friday9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Sun-

day and holidays5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 24Closed Dec. 25

ON BASE:NMCRS Holiday HoursThe Patuxent River Navy-Ma-

rine Corps Relief Society is closed for the holidays beginning Dec. 24. It will reopen at 8 a.m. Jan. 4. For emergencies that cannot wait and, most importantly for emergency leave, contact the After Hours As-sistance Program Chiefs by phon-ing the NAS Command Duty Office at 301-342-1095. The Washington Navy Yard office is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. throughout the holi-day week for regular appointments. Call 202-433-3364

If You See Something, Say Something

Department of the Navy Chief Information Office announced a new mobile app developed by the Identify Theft Resource Center (ITRC) to help victims and potential victims of identify fraud. ITRC is a

non-profit organization whose mis-sion is to provide no cost assistance to victims of identity fraud. For more information about the app, go to: www.idtheftcenter.org/itrc-app.html

View Special Events and Awards Photos

Ever wonder where to find the photos from awards ceremonies, reenlistments and other events that were captured by PAO? Not only are they published in Tester month-ly, but you can also find them and download them on Facebook and Flickr. Visit www.flickr.com/photos/naspaxriver/; or www.facebook.com/NASPaxRiver.

Free Identity Theft Mobile App

Department of the Navy Chief Information Office announced a new mobile app developed by the Identify Theft Resource Center (ITRC) to help victims and potential victims of identify fraud. ITRC is a non-profit organization whose mis-sion is to provide no cost assistance to victims of identity fraud. For more information about the app, go to: www.idtheftcenter.org/itrc-app.html.

Where’s Gnorman?Somewhere in this issue we’ve

hidden Gnorman the gnome. Any-one spotting him can email [email protected] or phone 301-342-4163 now through 5 p.m. Monday with a brief description of his loca-tion. One name is drawn from the correct entries and wins a Center Stage Theater movie ticket. The same person cannot win more than once per month. Last week’s win-ner was Darin Leeman, who found Gnorman on page Page 2 in the NMCRS photo.

OFF BASE:Blood DriveNoon to 5:30 p.m. Dec. 22MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital,

LeonardtownGive the gift of life this holiday

season. The Red Cross Bloodmo-bile will be parked outside the hos-pital’s Outpatient Pavilion. Donors register inside the pavilion lobby. To schedule a donation appointment, call 301-475-6019 or go online at redcrossblood.org. For the fastest donation experience possible, do-nors should complete a RapidPass at redcrossblood.org/rapidpass. RapidPass is not the same as an appointment and must be complet-ed the same day of your appoint-ment. For more information, call the Health Connections office at 301-475-6019.

Master Gardner Program5-8:30 p.m. Jan. 20Agricultural Services Center,

LeonardtownThe University of Maryland Ex-

tension-St. Mary’s Master Gardener program helps educate Maryland residents about effective and sus-tainable horticultural practices that build healthy gardens, landscapes, and communities. Volunteers en-roll in a 40 hour basic training and conduct 40 hours of community outreach service for certification as a Master Gardener. Course fee is $165, including texts and course materials. Pre-registration is re-quired. For more information visit http://extension.umd.edu/mg. The program will run most Wednesday evenings through April 20, 2016.

News Briefs

St. Nicholas Chapel Temporary Services Schedule

The chapel is temporarily closed while a

new boiler is being installed. Religious ser-

vice will be held at the following times in the

Religious Programs Center, Building 401,

until further notice:

• Protestant Services10-11 a.m. Sunday. Children’s church, ages

4-14, is provided

• Prayer and Reflection9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday-Friday, Room 15

• Next base-wide Christian worship serviceNoon to 1 p.m., Nov. 18

Thursday, December 17, 2015 11Tester

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