The Signature, August 1, 2014

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Around Sigonella

See what's happening around

NAS Sigonella!

PAGE 3

Berlin:

A city of surprises!

PAGE 7 PAGE 8

U.S. Navy Headlines:

CNO visits Italian counterpart.

SIGNATURESIGONELLA, SICILY

August 1, 2014 cnic.navy.mil/sigonellaVol. 31 No. 30

NAS SIGONELLA, Sicily - In a moment when life and death can hang in the balance some people panic and forget the necessary steps needed to save someone’s life. Other people have the ability to take the correct steps in assuring a victim’s heart keeps beating.

Aviation Ordnanceman 2nd Class Marcus Toney was enjoying his Fourth of July, 96-hour liberty weekend lounging and relaxing near the Fusion Discoteca Pool across from NAS 1 with when immediate action was needed.

“I was just sitting at the bar talking to my friend when we started to hear people screaming,” said Toney. “She saw the kid in the pool first and jumped up! That’s when I turned around and looked and we both ran to the other side of the pool and saw everyone there pulling him out of the water.”

The friend was Stefania Di Stefano who was visiting from the States. The child came to the pool with his mother, and had been playing in the water with a friend. Toney said the child may have swallowed too much water with food still in his mouth and that the food got stuck in his throat.

“At first my mind went blank,” Toney said recalling the incident. “I remember his mother was screaming. She was scared, her face was turning white and there were times where you could tell she didn’t even want to look over.”

That’s when training Toney received from the Navy kicked in.Toney, who works at Navy Munitions Command (NMC), Sigonella, says other guests had

tried to get a response from the child before he realized what the child needed – CPR. He began pumping his stomach from what he described as a sideways Heimlich maneuver while Di Stefano removed the pieces of food from his mouth and throat with her fingers.

“He still had water coming from his mouth and I could tell something was stuck in his throat so we laid him down flat, opened his mouth, and saw there was still food lodged in his throat,”

see "Sig Citizen" page 15

Joint effort in historic COMREL

NAS SIGONELLA, Sicily - On July 24, 63 volunteers from the U.S. Na-val Forces Europe Detachment Mari-time Ashore Support Team (CNE DET MAST), Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force, Patrol Squadron - Four (VP-4), and the Religious Min-istries Department (RMD) participated in a major community relations (COM-REL) event in Catania at the Indirizzo Thermal Baths and the Ursino Castle, donating a collective 484 hours to help beautify a historic landmark in the heart of the metropolitan area of Catania.

Volunteers moved famous paintings, archaeological finds, marble artifacts, glass displays, and also removed trash from the castle moat. In addition, vol-unteers cleaned up debris from the Ro-man thermal ruins. Because of the ailing economy, the last time the government paid to clean up these historic sites was approximately two years ago.

Sicilian daily "La Sicilia" and Cata-nia-based magazine "Il Fatto website" reported on the service event sponsored by the city of Catania that after the re-cent clean up of three archaeological sites of Catania. The online report men-

tioned how the U.S. military community from Sigonella continues to support lo-cal governments in helping preserve the heritage of Etna by performing servicies targeted at beautifying the historic sites, making them accessible to citizens as well as promoting the concept of active citizenship and awareness for the envi-ronmental protection of the area.

Marines and Sailors, service mem-bers and spouses, retirees and civilians, senior citizens and youth collaborated with 20 youth members of the Catania Rotary Club Catania West, as well as students from the “Atlas” and “Nuovi Studenti” associations. The group of Italian and American volunteers were welcomed by City of Catania Chairman for Environment Rosario D’Agata who on behalf of Mayor Enzo Bianco, praised the Sigonella community for consistent-ly and continuously supporting Catania through its community service projects.

In attendance were the following lo-cal civic leaders: Architect, Giovanni Patti, a representative of the Catania Historic Preservation Office (Parco Ar-cheologico Greco-Romano di Catania) the Presidents of the Catania Rotary

see "COMREL" page 12

THE

LT EdwARd ERwIN, CHC, USNNAS Sigonella Religous Ministries Department

A joint team of service members from U.S. Naval Forces Europe Detachment Maritime Ashore Support Team (CNE DET MAST), Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force, Patrol Squadron Four (VP-4), the Religious Ministries Department (RMD) and youth members of the Catania Rotary Clubs spent a morning cleaning up two important Catania historic sites: the medieval Ursino Castle and the ruins of the Indirizzo Roman Thermal baths as part of the ongoing NAS Sigonella Public Affairs community relations projects (COMREL). Volunteers also moved heavy glass shelves as well as other castle objects to help museum officials to better preserve them. The groups were welcomed by the City of Catania Chairman for Environment who thanked all the volunteer efforts. (Photos by Marine Public Affairs Office and Religious Ministries Department).

Local Sailor helps save boy’s lifeBY MC3 CAMERON BRAMHAMNAS Sigonella Public Affairs

Aviation Ordnanceman 2nd Class Marcus Toney secures AGM-65F Maverick Missile crates on the bed of a 20-ton truck at Naval Munitions Command (NMC) Sigonella, July 30. Toney was recently recognized for his efforts earlier last month when he aided a local child by performing CPR on the boy who stopped breathing at the Fusion’s Pool and ultimately helped revive him at the scene. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Cameron Bramham/Released)

THE SIGNATUREPAGE 2 August 1, 2014 THE SIGNATURE PAGE 3August 1, 2014

DRI

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SAFE

LYSI

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NASSIG WORSHIP SERVICESROMAN CATHOLICSunday■ 9 a.m. Catholic Mass (naS I Chapel)

TuESday - FRIday■ 11:30 a.m. Catholic Mass (naS II Chapel)Sacraments of Reconciliation/Penance precede each Mass

FRIday■ 11:30 a.m. Catholic Mass (naS I Chapel)

PROTESTANTnaS I ChapelSaTuRday■ 6:30 p.m. Contemporary Worship Services

Sunday■ 10 a.m. Sunday School■ 11 a.m. Traditional Worship

naS II ChapelSunday■ 5 p.m. Protestant Evening Service

LATTER-DAY SAINTS Sunday at 1:30 p.m. (naS I Chapel)Contact: [email protected] or 624-9049

JEWISH SHABBAT LAY SERVICEFRIday at 5:30 p.m. (naS I Chapel)

NIGHT STUDYWEdnESday at 5 p.m. (naS I Chapel)

■ Italian Class Tuesday at 7 p.m (Classroom at naS 1 Chapel)

■ aa Meetings: MOnday at 5:30 p.m. (naS I Chapel) second deck; THuRSday at 7 p.m. (naS II Chapel)

naS Sigonella Religious Ministries department Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/navalairStationSigonella Chapel

Chapel Offices: naS I 095-56-3975, naS II 095-86-9049, dSn: 624-3975, CHAPLAIN DUTY: 335-831-4493 RP DUTY: 335-786-1950

LT Christina Bologna, RD, CSSD, LDU.S. Naval Hospital Sigonella

Direct LineTHE SIGNATUREU.S. NAVAL AIR STATION SIGONELLACommanding OfficerCapt. Chris DennisExecutive OfficerCmdr. Charles G. McKinney IICommand Master ChiefCMDCM David Graham

EDITORIAL

Public Affairs Officer Lt. Paul [email protected]

EditorM. Todd [email protected]

Community Relations Officer Dott. Alberto [email protected]

PAO Staff Writers \ PhotographersMC1 Tony D. [email protected]

MC3 Cameron [email protected]

CONTACT USNaval Air Station Sigonella, [email protected] 624-5440; 095-86-5440PSC 812 Box 7, FPO, AE 09627-0001

PUBLISHERStampa Generale S.r.l., Sig. Bruno Brandi, Publisher,Naval Support ActivityCapodichino (Naples), [email protected]. 081-568-7884Fax 081-568-7887

This civilian enterprise (CE) newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the military services overseas. Contents of The Signature are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense (DoD), or the U.S. Navy. The appearance of advertising in this newspaper, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the DoD or Stampa Generale S.r.l., of the products or services advertised. Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other non-merit factorof the purchaser, user or patron. A confirmed violation or rejection of this equal opportunity policy by an advertiser will result in the refusal to print advertising from that source until the violation is corrected.

The Signature is published weekly by Stampa Generale S.r.l., Sig. Bruno Brandi, Publisher, Naval Support Activity, Capodichino (Naples), Italy. Tel. 081-568-7884. Fax 081-568-7887. E-mail: [email protected].

Editorial submissions are welcomed from all Naval Air Station Sigonella departments, divisions and tenant commands. Editorial submissions should be sent to the Public Affairs Office via [email protected], guard mail stop #68 or hand-delivered to our office no later than the close of business on the Fri-day proceeding the expected publication date. All articles submitted by non-staff members will be considered contributing writers.

The Signature will not publish anyanonymous articles. All advertisements in this publication are the property of Stampa Generale S.r.l. Any reproduction of advertisements in The Signature is unauthorized without the written consent of the publisher.

cnic.navy.mil/sigonella

UMUC Europe opens Fall 2014 registration, offers $2,000 spouse of servicemember scholarship

Food and Nutrition: Fueling the Body Right

The spring PFA is long over and if you are among those who fluctuate in weight between cycles, now is the time to make healthy lifestyle changes for permanent weight loss and/or weight maintenance. Instead of letting yourself go for three to four months eating whatever crosses your path, or skipping your normal gym routine more often than not, start now in making healthy changes to avoid the stress of the fall PFA cycle. Some things you can do to be healthy include:

- Eat breakfast daily! This is the most important meal of the day. Your body needs the fuel to function and for physical activity. Also, if you skip breakfast you are more likely to consume double the amount of calories than you normally would with eating breakfast.

- Keep your pantry stocked with healthy snacks. If you have cakes, cookies, chips or candy in your house, are you more likely to snack on them? If the answer is yes, use the “out of sight, out of mind” approach to limiting the intake of these unhealthy foods and keep them out of your house.

- Rethink your drinks. Do you consume juice, soda or energy drinks? Anytime you are drinking your calories, you are more likely to over consume. These beverages will not fill you up and you will still consume the same amount of calories you normally would, but now you’ve consumed in excess.

- What else are you doing while you are eating? Are you in front of the computer or television? Do you eat out of the bag or box ? If you answered yes, you are more likely to overconsume. Anytime you are not paying attention to what you are ordering, you will most likely overdo it. Portion out meals and snacks to ensure you are not taking in excess calories.

- Hydrate! Do you drink at least 2 liters of water daily? If you do not, you may also be taking in too many calories. Our bodies confuse dehydration with hunger so the next time you think you are hungry ask yourself how much water you’ve taken in for the day.

Remember this is for a lifestyle change, it will not happen overnight. All food can be incorporated into a healthy diet, but moderation is the key. If you’d like more information or would like to set up an appointment to evaluate your meal plan, please call the appointments line at 624-CARE (2273). KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany -- University of Maryland University College Europe (UMUC

Europe) announces registration for Fall 2014 Session 1. On-site and online courses start August 18, with registration open until August 13 for online classes, August 17 for hybrid (on-site and online), and the day each on-site class begins. View the thousands of classes that will take place online and on military bases in Europe and the Middle East at www.europe.umuc.edu.

To kick off the new academic year, UMUC Europe is excited to announce the new $2,000 Spouse of Servicemember (SOS) Scholarship to help military spouses fund their education. This scholarship can be applied towards UMUC tuition and book charges, or refunded to help pay for other educational expenses. Get details and apply online: www.europe.umuc.edu/scholarships

Also, UMUC Europe is welcoming all new students this fall with a $50 application fee waiver for anyone who applies to the university from 28 July to 8 August.

For more information on registration and scholarships, contact a local UMUC Europe field representative, visit www.europe.umuc.edu, or call CIV +49-(0)631-534-800.

Get updates from UMUC Europe on Twitter and Facebook at www.twitter.com/UMUCEurope and www.facebook.com/UMUCEurope.

Charlie's Angels rocks Jox

The local cover band, Charlie’s Angels held a live concert for Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella service members at Jox Pub, July 26. The group, founded in 2004 is an all-female band comprised of six members plating rock and pop cover songs from the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, and present day. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Cameron Bramham/Released)

Money saving tips from FFSC

Friends & Family Plan gift-giving well in advance. That will give you time to decide

on the most thoughtful gifts, which usually are not the most expensive ones. And if these gifts are products that must be purchased, you will have the opportunity to look for sales. In families, discuss limits on spending for gifts. These limits not only tend to reduce expenditures; they also be greatly appreciated by the least affluent family members.

Communication Assess your communications costs. As Internet and wireless use

grows, many consumers are overpaying for unneeded communications capacity. For example, if you have a cell phone and two phone lines -- one for your computer -- consider receiving personal calls on your cell phone so you can give up one of the phone lines. - Communicate by e-mail rather than by phone. If you're on-line, e-mail communications are virtually free. Even for subscribers, landline and wireless calls often carry per-minute charges. - Be aware of your cell phone costs and how to reduce them. Cell phone use has dramatically increased communications expenditures in many households. Understand peak calling periods, area coverage, roaming, and termination charges. Make sure your calling plan matches the pattern of calls you typically make. - Dial phone calls directly without an operator. Using an operator to place calls can cost you up to $10 extra per call. That could easily save you more than $100 a year.

Tax Advantages for Military Serving in the military has a huge advantage. When you look at

your pay, add into the equation the “invisible” tax advantages sheltering BAH, BAS, and Social Security (FICA) not applied to special pay, and depending on legally declared residency, an absence of state income tax. Additional tax relief is given when you make purchases at the military Exchange, Commissary, Package stores, and veterinarian. These tax advantages may be difficult to quantify, but anytime you receive discounts or do not pay tax because of your military affiliation, it is real cash back into your wallet. Navy Pay and Compensation Calculator (PCC). To understand the financial benefits of a military career, you must research well beyond the pay chart. One way to start is by using StayNAVY’s Pay and Compensation calculator, found at: http://militarypay.defense.gov/pay/tax/index.html

Participate in the Thrift Savings Plan All service members can participate in the Thrift Savings Plan

(TSP) http://www.tsp.gov/. This program is separate from, and in addition to, the regular military pension program. The TSP works like a civilian company’s 401(k) plan. It allows you to contribute a percentage of your pre-tax pay into a retirement investment plan. You choose how your money is invested. If you leave active or reserve duty prior to being eligible for regular military retirement, you can “Roll” your TSP account into your next employer’s plan. The money in the TSP will always be yours.

Financial Readiness A Sailor's prudent management of personal finances is an essential

component of unit readiness and directly affects the Navy’s mission accomplishment. Navy leaders realize that nearly everyone eventually experiences a financial crisis and strongly encourage you to avoid predatory lenders and instead turn to your Command Financial Specialist, Fleet and Family Support Center, Navy – Marine Corps Relief Society, or Navy One Source for assistance. Additionally, many on-base credit unions and banks offer alternatives to predatory loans. Save Monthly Through Automatic Transfer From Checking to Savings

Outside of work save monthly through an automatic transfer from checking to savings. These savings will provide funds for emergencies, home purchases, school tuition, even retirement. Almost all credit union/banking institutions will, on request, automatically transfer funds monthly from your checking account to a savings account, U.S. Savings Bond, IRA, or stock mutual fund. What you don’t see, you will probably not miss.

Savings Helps You and the Entire Family Those with savings are not only prepared for emergencies, but also

can afford to buy a car or house, provide for one’s family, and eventually enjoy a comfortable retirement filled with the activities you planned and saved for. Savings helps your country and military career and also helps you build the personal wealth that will enrich your whole life and those of your children.

For more information on this and other topics, contact the office of Personal Financial Management today at 624-4291 or email [email protected]

Palermo Passport Office closuresPALERMO, Sicily - The passport office in Palermo will be closed from Aug. 14 - Sept. 3. They will

only have limited services and will be processing only passport renewals.

BUON FERRAGOSTO!Due to the Italian holiday period in August, "The

Signature" will be on a two - week break begining August 15. Don't miss our next issue available on August 29.

Stay up to date by visiting us on the NAS Sigonella Facebook page.

THE SIGNATUREPAGE 4 August 1, 2014 THE SIGNATURE PAGE 5August 1, 2014

C A L E N D A R

August

2014

Friday1

Relo Fair1:30 - 3 p.m.

FFSC

Saturday2

Eraclea Minoa & Turkish Steps

7 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.ITT

Taormina Stairs to Madonna della Rocca8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Liberty

Sunday3

Messina and Tindari7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

ITT

Monday4

ICR8 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

FFSC

Tuesday5

ICR8 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

FFSC

Kayak by Night Tour4 - 11 p.m.

Outdoor Rec

Wednesday6

ICR8 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

FFSC

Free Italian Lessons5 p.m.Take 5

*Every Wednesday

Thursday7

Survive & ThriveSpouse Orientation

8 a.m. - 2 p.m.FFSC

Semi-Annual PFM Leadership Brief

8 - 9 a.m.FFSC

8 Arrivederci Class8 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

FFSC

Aromi and Scicli by Night

1:15 p.m. - 12 a.m.ITT

9Etna South Tour &

Barone di Villagrande Winery

8 a.m. - 5 p.m.ITT

Tandem Sky Diving7 a.m. - 3 p.m.Outdoor Rec

10Saint Lorenzo's Night: Shooting Stars & Din-ner at Borgo Antico

6:30 - 11:30 p.m.ITT

1/2 price Bowling11 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Sparetime Bowling*Every Sunday

11You and Your Kids: Financial Literacy in

Action9 - 11:30 a.m.

FFSC

12Etnaland Water Park

9 a.m. - 5 p.m.Youth Complex

13Sponsor Training

9 - 11 a.m.FFSC

14Sig Safe

9 a.m. - 4 p.m.FFSC

15Relocation Fair

1:30 - 3 p.m.FFSC

16Palermo and Mondello

Beach6:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.

ITT

17Fireworks at Elephant Square & St. Agatha

Festival4 - 10:30 p.m.

ITT

FFSC: x4291ITT : x4777, x4396

Liberty/Connections/Take 5: x4246, x5602Outdoor Rec: x4777, x4396 Fitness: x4483, x5243

Midtown 2 Theaters: x4248American Red Cross: x4900

Does your command or organization have an event you’d like to see on the Community Calendar? Email us at [email protected] and let us know!

IMPORTANT EXTENSIONS:

Concern regarding hours at NEX:Why is the main NEX store closed on Mondays?

Response: A very good question as I understand your frustration with the store not being open seven days a week. The number of days the store is open is mostly based on sales and, unfortunately, with a smaller base population, it was not financially feasible to open the store seven days a week. But, I have great news. Shortly after the CPO pinning in September, our main NEX will resume 7 days a week operation. We are able to do this as profits have been steadily improving. Additionally here are the hours for the NAS II NEX operations:NEX Depot - Mon-Sat 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sun ClosedNEX 7-Day - Mon-Sat 6:45 a.m. - 9 p.m., Sun 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Concern regarding baloons at NEX: My husband went to try to buy a balloon bouquet for our daughter's birthday. We were told by the florist that having the balloons filled with helium there would be not be possible. Is there any way we could possibly get helium at the NEX?

Response: The NEX Flower Shop does indeed have helium for the balloons that they sell. Unfortunately, at the time your husband was at the flower shop, the helium was out of stock from the vendor. Unfortunately, this occurs from time to time.

Concern regarding parking lines at the commissary/NEX:The parking lines at the commissary/NEX are so faded you can't really see where the spaces are. I know that the NEX spaces in particular are faded beyond recognition. Most people park blindly and hope for the best.

Response: Thank you for bringing this to my attention. This summer we are in the process of conducting a parking study for NAS 1. Upon the conclusion of the study, when funding permits, we will repaint the parking lines and signage.

Concern regarding expired soda being sold in NEX Food Court:Why is expired Diet Coke / Coke Zero (beyond the use by date on the cans) served in the fast food establishments and vending machines throughout the bases?

Response:I apologize for any inconvenience this may be causing. I have directed the NEX manager to work with the vendors to ensure that a process is put in place so that expired products will not be sold at any of our food vendors. The vending machines are also serviced by a contractor who has been informed to check each vending machine and remove any expired product. They will conduct weekly checks with our vendors to ensure that they are in compliance. If a customer should receive an expired drink from any one of our food establishments, they can return the drink to the establishment for either one that is not expired, or, request a refund. If a customer should receive an expired drink from one of the vending machines, they can either go to the Mini Mart on NAS 2, or Customer Service at the main store and request a refund. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

Need an appointment at the hospital? Call DSN

624-CARE (2273) or commercial 095-56-2273,

M-F: 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.

For non-emergent medical questions that arise over the weekend, holidays, or after

office hours, please call 335-578-8077 if you are normally seen

at the hospital or 335-578-8150

if you are normally seen at the Flight Line Clinic.

There are two ways to submit feed back to Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella Commanding Officer Capt. Chris Dennis.

Visit The Interactive Customer Evaluation (ICE) home page on a One-Net computer at: http://ice.disa.mil, All Sigonella services are found under the Navy Europe Listing in the scroll-down menu. Also, visit NAS Sigonella's website www.cnic.navy.mil/Sigonella, go to the "About" drop down menu and click on " CO Suggestion Box".

The Signature will anonymously publish comments and responses for the benefit of the Sigonella community. Please make sure your comments and suggestions are constructive. In other words, "BE NICE ON ICE."

Commanding Officer's Suggestion Box

THE SIGNATUREPAGE 6 August 1, 2014 THE SIGNATURE PAGE 7August 1, 2014

The dazzling allegoric and grotesque floats ‘parades will be back in Acireale this weekend. This amazing historic town, located in the Catania province, will offer a plethora of family-friend events throughout August. (Photo by www.etnacoast.com)

Summer Carnival kicks off in Acireale tomorrow From Chief of Naval Operations Public Affairs

ROME (NNS) -- Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert conducted a two-day visit to Italy to visit the chief of the Italian navy and attended the Naval Forces Europe change of command ceremony this week.

Chief of Staff of the Italian navy, Adm. Giuseppe De Giorgi hosted Greenert July 21 for a welcoming ceremony and a set of meetings at the Italian naval headquarters in Rome.

"The Italian navy is a very close partner in dealing with common maritime security challenges," said Greenert. "Our discussions focused on deepening our relationship and looking at ways to increase interoperability between our fleets."

The two leaders discussed evolving situations in the areas surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, which is crucial for the prosperity and development of Italy and Europe as a whole. They also raised opportunities for the two navies to conduct more exchanges, training and cooperatively operate

together at sea. Both the Italian and U.S. navies have been among many NATO nations contributing to combating threats and ensuring the safety and stability of the region.

Greenert presid-ed over the change of command and re-tirement ceremony July 22 for Com-mander Allied Joint Force Command (JFC)/U.S. Naval

Forces Europe in Naples. Greenert praised outgoing NAVEUR Commander, Adm. Bruce Clingan for his leadership and per-formance while in command.

"Bruce has been the right leader, in the right place, at the right time. The Clingans have provided us an enduring contribution both to the Navy, to NATO and to Naval Forces Europe-Africa," remarked Greenert.

Greenert then presented Clingan, who retires this fall after 37 years of service, with the Defense Distinguished Service Medal.

Adm. Mark Ferguson assumed command of NAVEUR as the 28th U.S. naval officer to serve as commander of JFC. Ferguson, who previously served as vice chief of naval operations in Washington, D.C., addressed his and NATO's continued commitment to the alliance.

"As history has demonstrated, the NATO alliance remains the bedrock of U.S. national security. It is an alliance founded on shared values, cemented in trust and built to endure," said Ferguson. "I am committed to strengthening the alliance and working with our allies and partners to ensure we remain a positive force for stability and peace throughout the region."

Ferguson's NATO operational responsibilities will include operations in the Balkans, Black Sea, Mediterranean and NATO training missions. And as Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, Ferguson will be responsible for providing overall command, operational control, and coordination of U.S. Naval Forces in the Europe and Africa

Command areas of operations.Greenert returned to D.C. July 22. His next planned

interaction with De Giorgi will take place in September at the International Seapower Symposium (ISS) at the U.S. Naval War College. During ISS, leaders from the world's maritime forces will come together to find solutions to areas of common interest and foster cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. The theme for this year's symposium will be "global solutions to common maritime challenges.

CNO visits Italian counterpartpiazza Chiesa Aug. 8 thru 10); beauty contests (Acireale, piazza Duomo, Aug. 13 and 31 at 9 p.m.); the fishermen’s festival (Santa Maria La Scala, Aug. 29/30); Maria Santissima della Scala Religious Festival (Aug. 31, his-toric regatta at 6 p.m. and religious processions at 9 p.m.)

For more info and detailed schedules call Acireale Tourist office at 095-895249 / 895273 or visit Http://www.comune.acireale.ct.it

From comune.acireale.ct.it

Italian HeadlinesAcross Italy, new shows from early Renaissance to 1960s

(ANSA) - Rome, July 24 - A number of major exhibits are opening across Italy over the weekend.

The art showcased ranges from 13th and 14th century painting in the Marche town of Fabriano to Italian interior design in the 1930s-1960s in the hip beach resort of Forte dei Marmi to photo portraits of Sardinia by Alessandro Toscano in Cagliari. Over 100 masterworks from the 13th and 14th centuries from the central Italian regions of Marche and Umbria will be on show at Fabriano's Pinacoteca Civica Bruno Molajoli as well as in the churches of Sant'Agostino and San Domenico and in the Cathedral of San Venanzio from July 26 through November 30.

Rare paintings, frescoes, sculptures, miniatures, manuscripts, gold jewellery and altarpieces on loan from major Italian museums will be on display.

The show 'From Giotto to Gentile, painting and sculpture in Fabriano during the 1200s and 1300s', curated by art critic Vittorio Sgarbi, provides a unique insight into little-known Medieval masterpieces.

The interesting selection is showcased across town, which is surrounded by ancient monasteries and abbeys spread across the surrounding valleys - a breath-taking location that inspired many of the anonymous painters on display. These masters have painted many of the beautiful frescoes in the little churches spread over the mountains near Fabriano.

Among the artists on show is local 14th century painter Allegretto Nuzi, who travelled to Tuscany in 1348 during a plague pandemic and painted the Madonna dell'Umiltà - also portrayed by his pupil in Fabriano, Francescuccio di Cecco Ghissi, in the sumptuous style that made him appreciated by local patrons.

In Forte dei Marmi, the exhibit 'An artist's' room. Italian design in 1930-1960' opening Thursday until September 14 at Villa Bertelli showcases Italian design and interior decoration from that period.

Each room in the building is inspired by a specific time frame and decorated with pieces designed by famous architects.

The selection includes a hotel room designed by Gio Ponti in 1964, a dining room decorated by Ico Parisi in 1952 and a bedroom from a 1939 project by Maurizio Tempestini. The objective of the exhibit is to highlight key changes in interior decoration as conceived by leading Italian designers and architects from the 1930s until the economic boom after World War II in Italy.

A number of important private collections are showcased with unique pieces including armchairs, tables, closets, barstools and vanity tables to re-create a room's interiors as they were originally planned.

The show provides an insight into the history of the Italian designs that have made the country famous worldwide.

A solo exhibit by photographer Alessandro Toscano called 'Sardinian Postcards' will be hosted at the Cagliari cultural centre from July 25 to September 21. Toscano has been documenting his native island since 2011, providing an insight into Sardinia that goes beyond its lush beaches, traditional festivals and local folklore to reveal an ancient land silently and mysteriously changing.

ACIREALE, Sicily - Carnevale (Carnival) mer-rymaking returns this weekend to the breathtaking Baroque town of Acireale featuring the best majestic allegoric, grotesque and flower-decorated “carri” or floats that paraded this winter in the historic center during the traditional February celebrations.

Tomorrow, Aug. 2 and Sunday, Aug. 3, allegoric and flower-decorated floats’ parades will begin in the evening around 6 p.m. in the historic center (piazza Duomo, Largo Giovanni XXII, Corso Umberto, pi-azza Garibaldi, piazza Indirizzo and piazza Cusmana).

Complementing the fun, there will be arts and crafts (via Cavour piazza San Domenico), art exhibi-tions, live music featuring Tinturia (Aug. 2 at 10:30 p.m.) and Archinuè (Aug. 3 at 10:30 p.m.), vintage car parades (Aug. 2 in piazza Garibaldi) and more. Dur-ing the weekend, all the breathtaking Baroque church-es of the town will be open all day through midnight.

Sicilian puppets shows will be held on both Car-nival days at Villa Belvedere (public gardens) in the evening at 7 and 9:30 p.m.

The idea of the first allegorical floats was developed under Pope Alexander VI (1492-1503). Sicily saw its first allegorical float in March of 1601 in Palermo.

The float resembled Neptune (god of the Sea), and had people dressed up as sirens dancing around it.

In Acireale, although the use of paper-Mache was widely used for the realization of sanctuary statues, the first float isn’t seen for a whole century afterwards. This occurred thanks to local artisans of whom Sebas-tiano Longo (1839-1912) was one of the most impor-tant.

He began working with paper-mache with the intention of creating the first allegorical float around 1880. From then on into the last century many groups of artisans have been entering the float-making com-petition, and have been given life to the Acireale Car-nival allowing it to carry the title of “the most beauti-ful carnival in Sicily”.

The masks generally used and seen on the floats are of a satirical nature and appear as caricatures of famous people, which include known politicians, ac-tors, musicians and artists, sports stars, fictional char-acters and other celebrities.

These masks originated around the middle of the 16th century resembled the people who controlled the Italian political and economical environment; they were designed so they would be seen as comical and ridiculous in the eyes of the general public.

Today, the carnival stays true to its origins, with the masks, the floats, and the overall feeling of fun and partying. In older times people used to throw eggs or vegetables at each other and at things as part of the celebration.

Today, people throw the “lighter” coriandoli or confetti (pieces of paper cut up from old newspa-pers or random colored paper). Foam spraying and noise-making or noise-amplifying devices have been banned. (Carnevalediacireale.com).

During the month of August Acireale and its sur-rounding villages Acireale will host a plethora of fun events for the entire family. Highlights include: the Santa Margherita Religious Festival (Pozzillo, Aug. 3, fireworks at 11 p.m.); the Lemon Festival (Scillichenti,

U.S. Navy HEAdLINES

ROME (July 21, 2014) Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert shakes hands with Adm. Giuseppe De Giorgi, chief of the Italian navy, and thanks him for his hospitality following a lunch at his official residence during a counterpart visit. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Peter D. Lawlor/Released)

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This story was very hard for me to start writing. Not because I didn't en-joy our trip, but because I LOVED our time in Berlin! For a week after getting back all we could talk about was how great the food was, how beautiful the monuments are, how green the trees, and yes... how much we loved being able to go to Starbucks four days in a row. So once the Berlin magic spell fi-nally wore off, I needed some time be-fore I could reflect back on everything. It was like salt in a fresh wound having to come back to brown farm-land Sic-ily and the real world and I just wasn't ready to bring up all of those Germany wanderlust feelings just yet! But as we sit now, two weeks since our Berlin ex-pedition, I have wonderful company staying at my home for two weeks to spend some time with and an exciting week in Ireland less than a month out! With those exciting things to keep me happy, I'm ready to share some Berlin imagery and stories with you all.

I'll be honest with you guys... at first I wasn't totally sure about going to Berlin! It wasn't really one of the big ones on my travel wish list, I didn't know much about it and honestly was thinking we'd need to go farther north if we wanted to escape the summer heat! Well when we decided that we needed to make the most of the Fourth of July weekend and get out of town, Tony pulled up skyscanner.com and searched for any flights out of Catania (our nearest airport). He filtered those by price and then called me and sim-ply said "Pick a number between one and ten." I said six. I didn't know it, but six correlated to Germany... the sixth cheapest country that we can fly to from home. Next he said "Pick a number between one and five." I said three and just like that we were going to Berlin, the third cheapest city to fly to in the sixth cheapest country on that particular weekend. We booked the trip and began researching what to do, where to stay and what to photograph. My first thought of course was the Ber-lin Wall, because aside from that I real-ly didn't know much about this city. So why not start there in this week’s story.

The 96 mile Berlin wall was offi-cially torn down in 1989 to reunite East and West Berlin, but many portions of

the wall are still intact today. At some places around the city you will find large portions of the wall with infor-mational boards explaining the strug-gle that residents of Berlin endured for so long. At others, parts of the wall are simply knocked over, but left in one piece. Throughout the city, you will see a two brick wide line on the ground where the wall used to stand. It was amazing how many times dur-ing the day we would pass from East to West Berlin carefree as if it was noth-ing, something impossible to do just 25 years ago.

The Reichstag building. This is where Germany's parliament, the Bundestag has sat since 1999. The building sits at the edge of the Tiergarten, a nearly 2 square mile park that is Berlin's equivalent of NYC's Central Park. Not only is the building absolutely beautiful, but the views from the roof are pretty awesome too! To visit inside of the Reichstag and ascend to the roof, you need to go online and register for the specific time and date that you would like to come. The process is simple and check in is a breeze (German organization for the win!). Once on top of the Reichstag you can stay as long as you'd like. Pick up a free audio tour when you reach the roof (by elevator) and then begin your gradual climb up the spiral path that brings you to the top of the glass dome. During your trip up, be sure to look back down at the very center of the room where you can actually view the Bundestag when they are in session! Our audio-guide informed us that the reason for the clear glass dome is transparency. They want their government to always be transparent with the people and never be holding any secrets behind closed doors... a thought that I really loved!

My absolute favorite thing in Ber-lin is their cute little photo booths! The city has these at various spots all around the city available for public use at just 2 Euro per film strip. The booths date back to the 1960s and are way too much fun. Tony and I thoroughly en-joyed this as a way to add to our ever-growing quirky souvenir shelf!

The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. 2711 concrete slabs of vary-

ing sizes spanning four acres make up this memorial in the center of Berlin. The harsh stone lines were a fun chal-lenge for Tony and I to try and photo-graph in a new way while we watching people jump from slab to slab.

A harsh contrast to these stone slabs was all of the lush greenery we found around the city! From the beau-tiful Tiergarten to other smaller parks, we had a great time just hanging out in a field of green grass sitting under a great big tree!

One of the coolest things we did in the Tiergarten was on our first night in the city. Germany was playing in a World Cup match and the game was being broadcast live onto a big screen in the middle of the park for all of us to enjoy! Vendors were out selling tradi-tional German food, plenty of beer and fan gear. We loved being able to expe-rience Germanys WIN and celebrate with die hard German fans in the na-tions capital!

Some other great architecture we were able to take in was the Bode Muse-um, Berlin's Cathedral - Berliner Dom, Brandenburg Gate and Humboldt Uni-versity where Einstein taught!

Another thing I really loved about Berlin was how easy to use their metro is! Not to mention clean, efficient, and kind of fun with the variety of train cars they use. A metro pass is fairly ex-pensive in Berlin, but I found it to be well worth it since it saved us so much time and got us very close to most of our destinations! A single trip ticket is 2,60 Euro, a day pass is around 7 Euro and a 3-day Berlin Welcome card is 25,50. The welcome card also grants you discounts at various attractions and a few other perks so weigh the op-tions and see if you think that will be worth it to you or if you'd rather buy day/single trip tickets.

A LOT of Berliners got around on bike! They just load their purses or gro-ceries up in a basket and pedal along.

Tony and I had a blast on Sunday, our final full day in Berlin when we went for a nine - mile run through the City. We stopped a few times to take selfies with the monuments we saw and truly loved being able to run under the shade of the trees in the Tiergaten and along the river Spree.

Photos and story by Lyndsay Curtiswww.LyndsayCurtis.com

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As a reminder, all dependents are always welcome at the galley!Please provide any negative or positive feedback. There is a suggestion box near the entrance to the galley, next to the serving line.

Friday, August 1*Breakfast: Hot Oatmeal, Grilled Sausage Patties, Bacon, Asstd. Omelets, Eggs to Order, Hash Brown Potatoes, Waffles.*Lunch: Cream of Potato Soup, Penne Alfredo, Creole Scallop, Roast Beef, Mashed Potatoes, Seasoned Mix Vegetables, Fresh Squash.Speed Line: Pizza.*Dinner: French Onion Soup, Spaghetti w/ Fish Sauce, Chicken Parmesan, Beef Stew, Steamed Rice, Fresh Cauliflower.

Saturday, August 2*Breakfast: Farina, Grilled Ham Slices, Canadian Bacon, Creamed sausage w/ Biscuit, Asstd. Omelets, Eggs to Order, Hash Browned Potatoes, French Toast.*Brunch: Breakfast Items, Beef Rice Soup, Swedish meat balls, Manicotti, Steamed Rice, Brown Gravy, Carrots, Collard Greens, Hot Dog & Chili Dog on Linea Bar, Cookies.*Dinner: Pepper Pot Soup, Baked Scallop, Pasta Chef, B.B.Q. Spareribs, Hot Dog & Chili Dog on Linea Bar, Baked Potatoes, Peas Squash, Cookies.

Sunday, August 3*Breakfast: Rolled Oats, Grilled Minute Steak, Bacon, Creamed Sausage w/ Biscuit, Asstd. Omelets, Eggs to Order, Italian Roasted Potatoes, French Toast.*Brunch: Breakfast items, Chicken Rice Soup, Chicken Cordon Bleu, Pork chop W/ Mushroom gravy, Chicken Gravy, Green Beans, Cauliflower, Hot Dog & Chili Dog on Linea Bar, White Cake.*Dinner: Minestrone Soup, Spaghetti W/Meat Sauce, Fried Shrimp, Roast Beef, Rice Pilaf, Peas & Carrots, Asparagus, Brown Gravy, Hot Dog & Chili Dog on Linea Bar, White Cake.

Monday, August 4*Breakfast: Hot Grits, Oven Fried Bacon, Minced Beef, Asstd. Omelets, Eggs to Order, Italian Roasted Potatoes, Waffles.*Lunch: Onion Soup, Penne Amatriciana, Herbed Salmon Fish, Chicken Florencia, Steamed Rice, Green Beans, Cauliflower, Cookies, Ice Cream.*Speed line: Asstd. Pizza*Dinner: Carrot Soup, Meat Loaf, Chicken Parmesan, Penne w/ Tuna & Tomato Cherry, Steamed Rice, Brown Gravy, Mix Vegetable, Club Spinach, Cookies.

Tuesday, August 5*Breakfast: Farina, Asstd. Omelets, Eggs to Order, Bacon, Hash Brown Potatoes, Pancake, Biscuits and Gravy, Grilled Sausage Patties. *Lunch: Spanish Soup, Beef Burritos, Beef Tacos, Fish Tacos, Beef Enchiladas, Corn Bread, Mexican Rice, Refried Beans w/ Cheese, Calico Corn, Herbed Broccoli, Potato Bar, Ice Cream*Speed line: Manicotti, Hot Spice Chicken, Onion Rings.*Dinner: Navy Bean Soup, Spaghetti Carbonara, Beef Stew, Baked Chicken, Steamed Rice, Chicken Gravy, Cauliflower, Summer Squash, Oatmeal Cookie.

Wednesday, August 6*Breakfast: Rolled Oats, Oven Fried Canadian Bacon, Grilled Minute Steak, Asstd. Omelets, Eggs to Order, Hash Brown Potatoes, French Toast.*Lunch: Cream of Broccoli Soup, Lasagna, Chicken Breast in Orange Sauce, Shrimps Scampi, Oriental Rice, Chicken Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, Squash, Peas w/Carrots, Vanilla Cookies, Ice Cream.*Speed line: Grilled Hamburger/Cheeseburger, Turkey Burger, French Fries, Baked Beans.*Dinner: Beef Rice Soup, Penne w/Fish Sauce, Roast Turkey, Salisbury Steak, Steamed Rice, Steamed Broccoli, Vanilla Cookies.

Thursday, August 7*Breakfast: Hominy Grits, Corned Beef Hash, Bacon, Asstd. Omelets, Eggs to Order, Hash Brown Potatoes, Waffles.*Lunch: Cream of Asparagus Soup, Rib-eye Roll, Penne w/Scallop & Tomato Cherry, Cordon Bleu, Oven Brown Potatoes, Corn Whole Kernel, Broccoli, Easy Chocolate Cake, Ice Cream.*Speed line: Italian Sausage, Chili Macaroni, Onion Rings.*Dinner: Onion Soup, Boiled Crab Legs, Spaghetti w/ Meat Ball, Veal Parmesan, Fried Rice, Carrots.

Friday, August 8*Breakfast: Rolled Oats, Sausage, Bacon, Asstd. Omelets, Eggs to Order, Roasted Potatoes, French Toast.*Lunch: New England Clam Chowder, Chipper Fish, Meat Loaf, Roast Turkey, Mushroom Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, Cauliflower, Carrots, Cake.Speed line: Asstd. Pizza.*Dinner: Vegetable Supreme Soup, Barbecued Spareribs, French Fried Shrimps, Penne Alfredo, Steamed Rice, Cabbage, Cake.

Five reasons to volunteer

NAS SIGONELLA, Sicily - People volunteer for many reasons. It is something that individuals of all ages can do, and it doesn’t cost anything other than a little time and effort. Here are five reasons to volunteer:

1. Give back One of the most common reasons that people

from all over the world spend time volunteering is to give back to their own communities. There are also those who volunteer to help other communi-ties, especially during the aftermath of a disaster. The reward for giving back to the community? That inescapable positive feeling of having made a difference in the lives of others.

2. Boost evaluations or college applica-tions

Many active duty members recognize that every little thing counts when evaluation time rolls around, and volunteering is no ex-ception. Volunteer hours can help boost one’s evaluation. Time spent volunteering can also give college applicants an edge, which can be crucial when applying to competitive col-leges.

3. Fill a resume gapMany active duty spouses take a career

break while living in Sicily. For some, finding the right job with limited offerings on base is difficult. For others, work would get in the way of overseas travel. Regardless of the rea-sons for putting a career on pause, one thing remains the same: a resume gap. Experience and skills gained through volunteering, espe-cially in leadership roles, are often credited in the same manner as paid work and can help to fill that ominous gap.

4. Learn new skillsIt is generally easier to get a volunteer po-

sition with little to no experience than it is to get paid employment without experience. Volunteer-based organizations are often will-ing to train their volunteers. This experience adds up, and can be an asset in the future.

5. Meet new peopleMoving to a new place- especially a foreign

country- can be intimidating. Volunteering helps turn strangers into friends by working together to-ward a common goal. Volunteers tend to meet peo-ple outside of the normal group of neighbors and coworkers, which can quickly turn a strange place into home. Some might even find a romantic con-nection through volunteer time. As a side benefit, volunteering helps reduce boredom by filling extra time that might otherwise be spent on an all-day television marathon.

For more information on American Red Cross volunteer opportunities, call 624-4900.

THE AMERICAN RED CROSS IS A NON-FED-ERAL ENTITY. IT IS NOT A PART OF THE DEPART-MENT OF DEFENSE OR ANY OF ITS COMPO-NENTS AND IT HAS NO GOVERNMENT STATUS.

NAS SIGONELLA, Sicily - A Permanant Change of Station (PCS) is already a stressful ordeal to undergo. So, understandably, if you’re a civilian employee preparing to PCS-out you would want to eliminate any extra anxiety. Some U.S. civilian employees look to do this is by requesting an overlap payment between the Living Quarters Allowance (LQA) and the Temporary Quarters Subsistence Allowance (TQSA) thinking that once all their furniture is packed and out of the way the government will pay for them to stay in a hotel while they have an empty house to clean prior to handing the keys over to the landlord.

Recently, the Human Resources Office (HRO) has seen a rise in requests from outgoing U.S. civilian employees for an overlap payment between the LQA and TQSA. While the Department of State Standardized Regulations (DSSR) does permit an overlap for a maximum of 5 days this is not intended to be a routine automatic entitlement, but for extraordinary circumstances.

Now you might ask yourself, “okay, but where do I sleep?” Remember that loaner furniture is available from the Housing Office. With advanced notice the Housing Office can schedule delivery of loaner furniture (beds, etc.) during the same day your household goods (HHGs) are being packed. This permits you an opportunity for cleaning your home. Collection of loaner furniture can be done on your last day prior to moving into temporary lodging. Unless there is an unusual situation there should be no reason to move out prior to the check-out date with the landlord.

Remember, an overlap means paying twice for lodging (LQA and TQSA) which also means charging the government twice for the same type of expense. Is this appropriate during this time of restricted fiscal resources?

If you believe that you have a circumstance that warrants an LQA/TQSA overlap please feel free to contact the HRO at 624-4165.

Allowances overlap for U.S. civilian employees From NAS Sigonella Civilian Human Resources

BY LIz zENdNERSpecial Events & Fundraising Chair, American Red Cross, NAS Sigonella

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During the historic COMREL at the Ursino castle, the joint team of Sigonella carried out a delicate work by moving precious paintings and statues to safer and well-ventilated areas of the castle to allow a better preservation of those fragile artworks. Volunteers also cleaned the dry moat of the castle to ensure that visitors would have an enjoyable museum experience (Photos by Marine Public Affairs Office and Religious Ministries Department)

Clubs Catania West, Dr. Enzo La Rosa and Rotary Club Catania Duomo 150, Dr. Mirella Portaro who presented Chaplain Erwin with the Club's logo banner and the Catania Rotary Club Duomo 150 volunteer service liaison Dr. Maurizio Catania.

“It is important for COMRELs to involve the local citizens in service projects. It becomes a great opportunity to work together, share our different cultures, and communicate with one another in ways that strengthen our partnership with the community, and build stronger relationships between allies” said Dr. Alberto Lunetta, NAS Sigonella's Community Relations Director. Naval Air Station Sigonella was presented with an award of appreciation from the Catania Rotary Club for the volun-teer services rendered that day on behalf of the citizens of Catania.

Of historic significance, the last time the U.S. military engaged in a COMREL to the Castle Ursi-no Catania was in 1959, the same year that NASSIG opened. Many participants in the COMREL noted that they had been involved in COMRELs before but they never had worked within ancient ruins or a medieval castle. After all, it is rather amazing to have the ability to skype or call relatives back in the States and comment: “Guess what? I got to work on one of the most beautiful castles in all of Sicily. Oh, I had great day in the archaeological treasures of Sicily in one of the ancient thermal ruins where Julius Caesar might have had a bath!”

One junior Sailor remarked “Besides getting to have so much fun in the Italian economy, you feel like you have made a big difference by the end of the day in helping people.” Many of the volunteers had just arrived from the States on a six-month deployment, and this was their first COMREL. They stated that they "were impressed and inspired by their visit to the castle museum which houses many masterful paintings and priceless antiques". "It was also a unique privilege to work with Italian youth and coordinate work efforts with the aid of translators. The day was a cultural learning experience and a humanitarian exercise that was good for building teamwork within the different tenant com-mands of NASSIG and with our NATO partner".

Armed Forces Network (AFN) also reported on this COMREL due to its large number of par-ticipants and the multi-service character of the project. Often COMRELs are adopted by one tenant command, but this particular project was a collaborative effort by at least four different commands and two different service branches.

Research indicates that acts of volunteer service contribute to overall mental well-being result-ing in the phenomena known as the helper’s high and the happiness effect. One study reveals that volunteer service not only enhances the quality of life, but also contributes to longevity of life. Ser-vice events such as this COMREL to Catania nurture personal enrichment and give meaning to life. Nearly every week the PAO offers opportunities for community involvement for service members and their families.

When it comes to the value of humanitarian assistance and self-discovery, Ghandi once said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” For those wanting to discover their individual potential, COMRELs are wonderful venues that help develop personal growth and make the local community a better place in which to live.

"COMREL" continued from page 1

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Toney said. “Once we got a majority of it out of his throat, we realized he still wasn’t breathing, which is when I began CPR.”

Toney, who recently welcomed his first child into the world, said he looked at the boy’s face and realized that if it were his son, he would have wanted someone to act and save his life. “I saw my baby’s face in that child, and that’s when I started shaking a little bit, but something compelled me not to give up,” he said.

“I basically started doing chest compressions on him while giving him two breaths and repeated. It took us roughly 10 minutes to get him to start breathing properly,” Toney added. “We realized his breaths were still short and that he still had stuff stuck in his throat and esophagus. I turned him over, put him on my knee, and patted him on the back so he could spit up the rest of it.”

An American doctor who happened to be on leave heard the commotion from the pool and walked up, saw the child and began doing his part to help the young boy. Toney said the doc-tor realized his pulse was low and began asking the locals if an ambulance was on the way.

The next moment came as a shocking revelation when the child began ceasing. “We scrambled around looking for something the kid could bite onto and finally came across a wooden spoon so he could bite down and not cause any damage to his mouth or jaw,” Toney added.

At this point, the Italian ambulance arrived at the pool. The American doctor explained the situation to the Italian paramedics and then told them what the boy needed. “They gave him oxygen, put him on a gurney, and drove him and his mother away to the hospital,” Toney said.

Although Toney has not spoken to the family since the incident, he remembers the boy’s mother gave him one of the strongest hugs he’s ever had. “She didn’t speak any English, but I know she was grateful and just thankful her son was alright,” he added.

Toney said he didn’t think too much of the event after the scene calmed down, or when he told his command about what happened; but he is excited that the child is okay and that the family didn’t suffer a tragic event that afternoon. He said he is grateful for the opportunity to make a positive contribution to the Italian and American community near NAS Sigonella, and soon hopes to visit the child and his family.

“It feels good, it really does, but I don’t look at it as I saved someone’s life,” he said. “As American military members, we are constantly trained to help out in crisis situations. I just stepped in where I was needed and helped out where I could. It’s not that I don’t appreciate the praise, but I just did what I did when I had too, and that’s it.”

"Sig Citizen" continued from page 1

NAPLES, Italy (NNS) -- U.S. Navy Adm. Mark Ferguson assumed command as Commander Allied Joint Force Command (JFC) Naples/Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, relieving Adm. Bruce W. Clingan in a ceremony, July 22.

U.S. Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Jonathan Greenert, presided over the change of command ceremony. Gen. Philip Breedlove, Supreme Allied Commander, Europe/Commander, U.S. European Command and Gen. David Rodriquez, Commander, U.S. Africa Command, also participated in the event.

Greenert praised Clingan for his leadership and performance while in command."Bruce has been the right leader, in the right place, at the right time. The Clingans have

provided us an enduring contribution both to the Navy, to NATO and to Naval Forces Europe-Africa. Our Navy, our nation and all the international partners here and around the NATO area very much thank you," remarked Greenert.

During the ceremony, Greenert also presented Clingan with the Defense Distinguished Service Medal.

Clingan expressed his gratitude to the men and women serving under him and with him at NATO and U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa.

"I am proud of you, all of you in both staffs, that you had the courage to act; the creativity to turn impediments into opportunities; and the integrity to make good on our solemn promise to be able to defend our nations," said Clingan.

Clingan also commented on the dedication of the military and civilian personnel from 20 different countries who work at JFC.

"Each of the nations represented owe an immense debt of gratitude to these consummate professionals, who ultimately form the foundation of our collective military strength," said Clingan. "Their exceptional contributions have inspired me every day."

Clingan will retire this fall after 37 years of naval service.Ferguson, who previously served as Vice Chief of Naval Operations in Wash. D.C., addressed

his and NATO's continued commitment to the alliance."As history has demonstrated, the NATO alliance remains the bedrock of U.S. national security.

It is an alliance founded on shared values, cemented in trust and built to endure," said Ferguson. "I am committed to strengthening the alliance and working with our allies and partners to ensure we remain a positive force for stability and peace throughout the region."

Ferguson will be the 28th U.S. naval officer to serve as commander of JFC.As commander JFC Naples, Ferguson will prepare for, plan and conduct military operations

in order to preserve the peace, security and territorial integrity of Alliance member states and freedom of the seas and economic lifelines throughout the Supreme Allied Commander Europe's area of operations and beyond. NATO operational responsibilities include operations in the Balkans, Black Sea, Mediterranean and NATO training missions.

As Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, Ferguson will be responsible for providing overall command, operational control, and coordination of U.S. Naval Forces in the Europe and Africa Command areas of operations.

Allied Joint Force Command, Naples/U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa bids farewell to outgoing Commander, welcomes new leaderFrom Allied Joint Force Command, Naples Public Affairs

LAGO PATRIA, Italy (July 22, 2014) Adm. Bruce Clingan congratulates Adm. Mark Ferguson as Gen. Philip Breedlove, Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, Commander of U.S. European Command, looks on during the Commander, Allied Joint Force Command, Naples, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Africa (NAVEUR) change of command ceremony where Clingan retired and was relieved by Ferguson as the NAVEUR commander. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Peter D. Lawlor/Released)

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