Around the Region

SELRES SUPPORT SANDY RELIEF EFFORTSFirst-Hand Accounts of Sandy

HTCS(SW,SCW,SS) Randolph Bowers, New York State Naval Militia (Reserve drilling unit is

SurgeMain) Delmar, NY. “Being a member of the militia is a volunteer assignment, doing good for others caries that part

of wearing the uniform that makes you feel

good at the end of the day. After seeing first hand the devastation that Sandy has caused, the small

amount of help that we have provided

makes a difference, because I know that their are others

behind me that will continue the effort.”

Capt. Robert S. Bazan, USNNavy Emergency Preparedness

Liaison Officer for New York Glenwood Landing , New York.

“I serve as the Navy Emer-gency Preparedness Liaison

Officer (NEPLO) for New York, responsible for coordinating the communication between the FEMA Region II Defense Coordinating Element and

the New York State National Guard/Dual Status Command

Element.With great personal satisfac-tion I am helping to ease the

suffering and speed the recov-ery to my fellow New Yorkers,

especially since I live in the state.

I live on Long Island which was severely affected by the storm, and thankfully my family and-

Oct./Nov. 2012 “Honoring our Sailors’ Service & Sacrifice” Volume 2 Issue 11

By Lt. j.g. Carl P. Zeilman, Public Affairs Officer, Navy Office of Com-munity Outreach and member of

the New York Naval Militia

NEW YORK, – New York State Naval Militia members received a call to duty to respond to Hur-ricane Sandy. Not knowing what to expect they packed their bags and prepared for one of the worst natural disasters to affect New York state. The hurricane dam-aged infrastructure, waterways and commerce. In some cases complete municipalities were destroyed. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered more than 2,000 citizen Soldiers, Airmen and Sailors to mobilize to New York City and Long Island to assist with the res-cue and recovery efforts for Op-eration Sandy. Of those called to serve, more than 90 were Naval Militia members. The militia is a 2,200 member force made up in part with Navy and Marine Corps Reservists who operate a fleet of emergency service patrol

boats to secure state waterways and assist where manpower is needed. “The New York Naval Militia gives maritime capability to the military forces of the state of New York, as well as the abil-ity to call to duty, within hours, highly trained, Reserve Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen,” said Naval Militia spokesperson Trip Powell, a retired Navy cap-tain. As New Yorkers began to emerge from the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, emergency service boats were patrolling the New York City harbor, and run-ning missions along the Hud-son River. While most would assume these boats were a part of a federal force, the five boats deployed were in fact operated by the state’s Naval Militia and manned with men and women who also call themselves Navy Reservists. “The Navy Reservists in the Naval Militia bring the individ-

ual skills and knowledge they’ve honed on active duty or in the Reserve and put them to work for the people of New York dur-ing natural disasters, emergen-cies and day-to-day ops,” said Eric Durr, the director of public affairs for the New York State Di-vision of Military and Naval Af-fairs and a retired Army National Guard lieutenant colonel. Some of the 40 Naval Militia members were assigned to the Lexington Avenue Armory in hard-hit lower Manhattan. Many of these Sailors faced their own challenges brought on by Hur-ricane Sandy but stepped up and answered the call to serve their community and neighbors in need. The Navy Reservists working as Naval Militia were tasked with various missions from evacuat-ing a major downtown hospital to handing out food and water to displaced victims. The Naval Mi-litia Sailors, part of a joint force, helped hundreds of men, women

SELRES Sailors attached to NOSC Schenectady prepare to leave on a hurricane Sandy relief mission, Nov. 1. They continue to work with the New York City Naval Militia in support of hurricane Sandy relief efforts. Photo courtesy Lt. j.g. Carl Zeilman

Cont. on pg. 4

LT Stefan “Steve” Neuhaus Am-phibious Construction Battalion Two, S1R and Acting S4R Home

Town: Chester, NY“Basically the 15 of us assembled at Floyd Bennett Field which is

across the water from the Breezy Point Section that was impacted by fire and flooding. Our task

was to split the 15 members into 4 groups and man four patrol boats along the Breezy Point Coast and inter coastal areas

for debris, unsecured vessels and any other way we could assist.

Our presence alone was a source of comfort to the civilians on shore. We often had people

shouting thank you and God bless you. With no power, a fuel shortage and reports of looting we represented a safe harbor so

to say for the citizens. -Initially communication. For

the first 48 hours after the hurricane, cell service was very scattered so it was difficult to

get orders from our command in upstate NY.

-Also food and berthing were not available so we had to take the

initiative and fend for ourselves. Most of the time we slept on the floor in various locations with sleeping bags we had brought

with us from home. One night I was able to secure us a room at the HQ for NYPDs Special

Operations Division. The NYPD took very good care of us and provided us with a room, cots, blankets and more importantly

a hot shower. We were even able to watch the movie “Master and

Commander” on one of their training TVs.

In addition, we had to feed ourselves once we were in the

field. Luckily, we assisted one homeowner in the Mill

Basin section of Brooklyn who happened to own a deli. Long story short, he was so appre-ciative of our help (we helped him secure his boat) that he

gave us all sandwiches on the house! “

Around the Region Page 2

Sandy Accounts Cont. from pg. 1

home were spared. We are pro-viding shelter and assistance to our neighbors in need through-

out this ordeal.”

NOSC Baltimore CO’s Team Wins Wilderness Challenge

Commanding Officer of NOSC Baltimore Cdr. Drew Cawlfield is pictured with his team “Trample the Weak, Hurdle the Dead, Oct. 6 before completing and winning the 2012 All-Military Wilderness Challenge. Photo Courtesy Cdr. Cawfield

YORKTOWN, Va.–“Trample the Weak Hurdle the Dead” was named the 2012 All-Military Wilderness Challenge champions, Oct. 6, with a winning overall time of 7:11:13. Defending champions, Team “HT-18B” from Naval Air Station Whit-ing Field, Milton, Fla., came in second with a time of 7:24:01 and Team “MCAS New River Patriots” from Marine Corps Air Station, Jacksonville, N.C., was third with a time of 7:29:23. The challenge was sponsored by Mid-Atlantic Region, Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) Department, Naval Weapons Station (WPNSTA) Yorktown and ACE Adventure Re-sort, West Virginia’s largest outdoor outfitter. More than 200 military per-sonnel representing all five branches of the Armed Forces competed in a series of five outdoor adventure races-52 miles over two days-in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains and on the New and the Gauley Riv-ers in West Virginia. Team “Trample the Weak, Hurdle the Dead” was comprised of four Na-val officers from four different com-mands across the country: Cmdr. Sue Himes, U.S. State Department; Cmdr. Todd Gagnon, Navy Informa-tion Operations Command (NIOC), Fort Gordon, Ga.; Cmdr. Andrew Cawlfield, Commanding Officer, Navy Operational Support Center, Baltimore, Md.; and Lt. j.g. Travis Dill, NIOC, Fort Meade, Md. Their cama-raderie, dedication and determination brought them together for this win. “Between the four of us, we’ve all had a lot of experience doing the Wil-derness Challenge. Even though we never trained together, we knew what we had to do,” Himes said. “We all got along - they were all quality guys with the right attitude - a perfect balance of the desire to win with the desire to have fun while doing it. I couldn’t have asked for a better team.” Forty-one teams participated in the Wilderness Challenge, competing in an 8K mountain run, a 12-mile moun-tain bike race, a 14-mile forced hike through the mountains, a 13-mile whitewater raft race on the Gauley River and a seven-mile kayak race on the New River. For the 12th year, West Virginia has hosted the event and the state is quickly becoming a familiar

site for everyone involved. “It was such a pleasure to be involved in the 2012 All-Military Wilderness Challenge at Ace Adventure Resort, and what an honor it is for West Vir-ginia to host this exciting event year after year,” said Keith Gwinn, Cabinet secretary, West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance. He attended the challenge to support the teams and represent the state of West Vir-ginia in welcoming the participants. “For a state that truly embraces military veterans and also offers some of the most extreme outdoor adventures, there couldn’t be a better match,” he added. For some of the challengers, it was not only the spirit of competition, but the chance to compete against the top athletes in the military that brought them to the Wilderness Challenge. “We are all seasoned athletes who compete on our own in various types of endurance events (triath-lons, marathons, ultra marathons, half Ironmans, etc.) so we all knew what we needed to do individu-ally to be ready for this endurance event,” Gagnon said. In its 12th year, the All-Military Wil-derness Challenge is reaching com-mands from all across the United States, from as far away as Iowa and even Puerto Rico. Over the challenge’s two days, teams had to deal with ev-erything from flat tires to broken wrists in their quest for the title of “most extreme” military team. “Every team dealt with adversity, whether it was injuries, illness, fatigue, or breakdowns,” Cawlfield said. “Our team (Trample the Weak, Hurdle the Dead) possessed a positive attitude which allowed us to pull together and encourage each other when faced

with obstacles.” “A positive attitude, a little perspec-tive and the ability to laugh at yourself are attributes our team possessed and it made the entire experience enjoy-able,” he concluded. The top teams from each branch of service were also recognized at the awards ceremony. For the U.S. Army, Team “Dog and Pony Show” from U.S. Army Reserve Unit, Ames, Iowa, were first with a time of 8:56:12. For the U.S. Air Force, Team “OL-Q” from Defense Security Service, Quantico, Va., were first with a time of 9:29:18. For the U.S. Coast Guard, Team “Ducky Fuzz & the Master of Rub-ber” from the Deployable Operations Group, Arlington, Va., were first with a time of 7:44:10. Team “HT-18B” also took top honors for the Marine Corps and Team “Trample the Weak, Hurdle the Dead” for the Navy. “This event could not have hap-pened without the great teams that competed this year or with-out the support of Rick Bayes and ACE Adventure or the great staff from MWR Mid-Atlantic,” said Mike Bond, MWR direc-tor, WPNSTA Yorktown and the event coordinator. Even as this year’s competition comes to an end, participants and organizers are already preparing for next year’s Wilderness Chal-lenge, building on the success of this year to make it even better. “Congratulations to the winners of this year’s challenge and to all who participated. I look forward to see-ing you back here again next year,” Gwinn concluded. For more news from Naval Weap-ons Station Yorktown, visit www.navy.mil/local/nwsyorktown/.

By Yorktown Weapons Station Public Affairs

RCC Mid-Lant Hosts Regional Commander’s SummitAround the Region Page 3

November NAVAL

HISTORYNov. 1, 1841

“Mosquito Fleet” com-manded by LCDR J. T.

McLaughlin, USN, carries 750 Sailors and Marines into

the Everglades to fight the Seminole Indians.

Nov. 3, 1931 Dirigible USS Los Angeles makes 10 hour flight out of

NAS Lakehurst, NJ, carrying 207 persons, establishing a new record for the number

of passengers carried into the air by a

Nov. 5, 1775 Commodore Esek Hopkins appointed to Commander in Chief of the Continental

Navy.

Nov. 7, 1861 Naval forces under Rear

Admiral Samuel F. DuPont capture Port Royal Sound,

SC.

Nov. 8, 1861 CAPT Charles Wilkes seizes two Confederate diplomats

from the British steamer Trent, causing an interna-

tional controversy with Great Britain (known as the Trent

Affair).

Nov. 20, 1856CDR Andrew H. Foote lands at Canton, China, with 287 Sailors and Marines to stop attacks by Chinese on U.S.

military and civilians.

Nov. 22,1914 Title Director of Naval Aeronautics established.

Nov. 23, 1940 President Franklin D.

Roosevelt appoints Admiral William D. Leahy as U.S.

Ambassador to Vichy France to try to prevent the French fleet and naval bases from falling into German hands.

Nov. 25, 17751775 - Continental Congress

authorizes privateering.

Reserve Component Commanders from all regions including Capt. Jay Adelmann, commanding officer RMARCC, meet with Rear Adm. Cutchen, Commander Navy Reserve Command, at RMARCC for the 2012 Commander’s Summit, Nov. 7. Photo by MC2 Maddelin Angebrand

Navy Reserve Capt. Teresa Fairbanks, ISAF Senior Navy Representative, and the youngest Sailor in the unit cut a cake in honor of the Navy’s 237th Birthday, Oct. 13 in Kabul Afghanistan. Photo by PSC Anton Barte

Senior Chief Barte’s Unit Celebrates Navy Birthday

Lt. j.g. Amy Hession, International Security Assistance Force

Public AffairsKABUL, Afghanistan – Sailors at the International Security Assis-tance Force (ISAF) headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan, celebrated the U.S. Navy’s 237th birthday Oct. 13 with a ceremony which included a remembrance of the Bicentennial of the War of 1812.“The War of 1812 served a critical turning point for our Navy on this 237th birthday, we have the honor to serve in the greatest maritime fight-ing force the world has ever seen,” said Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman Trevor Cater as he read the Navy birthday message on behalf of the

Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Jonathan Greenert. More than 90 participants attended the celebration, including ISAF lead-ership and service members from other coalition nations.Participants observed the Navy tradition of asking permission to come aboard as they entered the ceremony grounds where they each received a commemorative coin. Participants observed a passing of the flag ceremony as well as recog-nition of U.S. Marines.“I would hope that people take away from the ceremony today how important we feel the Navy is to the United States and the impact it makes in the traditions we hold near and

dear to our hearts,” said Capt.Teresa Fairbanks, ISAF’s senior Navy representative, who served as the guest speaker for the event.The event closed with the cutting of the Navy birthday cake by the base’s youngest Sailor and its oldest Sailor.The U.S. Navy was established Oct. 13, 1775 by Congressional Resolu-tion allowing George Washington to command armed schooners to intercept British supply ships. In 1972, then-Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Elmo R. Zumwalt authorized recognition of Oct. 13 as the Navy’s birthday.Today it is celebrated by active forces as well as Reservists, and Navy veterans.

Around the Region Page 4

Photos by MC1 Curtis Biasi

Sandy Relief Efforts SELRES Sailors attached to NOSC Schenectady deliver food and water along with other re-sources to Hurricane Sandy survivors, Nov. 1. These Sailors continue to work with the New York City Naval Militia in support of hurricane Sandy relief efforts. Photo courtesy Lt. j.g. Carl Zeilman

Cont. from pg. 1

and children get through a dif-ficult situation. “Being healthy and able, I felt it was my obligation to go out and help those who were affected the most. New York is my home and it hurts when you see it suf-fer,” Machinist Mate 1st Class Luis Donarye, a Navy Reserv-ist from Long Island and New York State Militia member said.

“Giving a helping hand was the right thing to do. What I enjoyed the most was working with other Sailors and Marines who selflessly dedicated lots of hours of hard work, lack of sleep, time away from home and other discomforts in or-der to assist the people in need.” In addition to providing help to citizens affected by the hurricane, 20 Navy Reservists manned five emergency service boats. The boats

were used on patrol missions to assist the Coast Guard secure wa-terways and identify displaced resi-dents. “To see the destruction was heart-breaking,” said Electrician’s Techni-cian 3rd Class Heather Oligny of Navy Operational Support Center Schenectady. “Every small thing we did made someone’s suffering lessen and that is why we serve.” The importance of the New York’s

State’s Naval Militia has proved to be a valuable asset to New York State’s Defense forces, helping to secure New York state’s waterways and pro-vide relief to residents in need. The skills Navy Reservists bring to the New York Military forces — whether in construction, nuclear engineering, electronics, or boat handling — could not be replicat-ed in a state volunteer-only force, Durr added.

Cont. from pg. 1

Region Mid -ATLAnTic At a Glance Around the Region Page 5

FCPOA Hosts PFA MeltdownRMARCC’s First Class Petty Officer Association hosted a luncheon after the official PFA. The FCPOA is actively involved in boosting command morale and providing leadership to junior Sailors.Photo by MC2 Maddelin Angebrand

Senior Gunkel Reenlists on HalloweenLSCS Todd Gunkel recites the Oath of Enlistment during his reenlistment ceremony on Halloween. Gunkel says Halloween is his favorite holiday. Cdr. Greg Stehman conducted the reenlistment.Photo by MC2 Maddelin Angebrand

Senior Chief Skehan’s Baby Shower

Photos by MC2 Maddelin Angebrand

IT’s A BOY! YNCS Angela Skehan, RMARCC’s Operations Chief, was given a surprise baby shower by her friends at the command, Nov. 9.

Around the Region Page 6

FEEDBACKThis newsletter is

for YOU!

Help us make Around the Region better for you! We need your input on what you’d like to

see in future issues, so send us your

ideas, photos and stories to highlight the great things you and your shipmates are doing! Email or

call:

MC2 Maddelin Angebrand

maddelin.angebrand@navy.mil

757-444-7295 ext. 2015

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hearing from you!

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This month we would like to thank NOSC Baltimore for their active cam-paigning and keeping us informed on all their recent community events and ceremonies!

www.facebook.com/pages/NOSC Baltimore

ACROSS 2. Offensive measure to deter terrorism 3. Days of leave following childbirth 4. “Recall” flag 9. Projecting visibility to defeat terrorist attacks 5. Maximum days of advance leave 10. “Affirmative” flag 6. Category of most pesticides11. Abatement 7. Building cooperative working relationships 13. Service members can always contact 8. Authority granted to officers/ petty officers16. Article 94 12. Examination of records18. Years of good service for gold service stripes 14. Annual leave19. Knot used to tie a neckerchief 15. Maximum award points granted for E6 20. Number of broad award categories examDOWN 17. Careless/ abusive use of government 1. Cancer caused by smokeless tobacco resources

Around the Region Page 7

Around the Region Photos of the Month

(LEFT) NOSC Syracuse Sailors play volleyball for command PT.(MIDDLE LEFT) NOSC Pittsburgh Sailors attended a Tribute to Veteran’s Gala event, Nov. 10. (MIDDLE RIGHT) NOSC Greensboro Sailor cuts cake with Rear. Adm. Cutchen at the Navy Birth-day Ball, Oct. 13.

(RIGHT) SELRES Sailors attached to NOSC Schenectady deliver food and wa-ter along with other resources to hur-ricane Sandy survi-vors, Nov. 1. These Sailors continue to work with the New York City Naval Mi-litia in support of hurricane Sandy relief efforts. Photo courtesy Lt. j.g. Carl Zeilma