Laps ForLife RelayPage 2

BecomingA ChiefPage 3

Accolades Aroundthe Air StationPage 8

Vol. 71, No. 36 Celebrating 71 Years of Community Partnership September 11, 2014

TESTERNaval Air Station Patuxent River

U.S. Navy photo by Donna Cipolloni

Air Traffic Controller 1st Class JasonWood demonstrates thetower training simulator that utilized nearly 300 digitized photosto realistically recreate the view of NAS Patuxent River’s airfield.

By Donna CipolloniTester staff writer

Whether they’re 12 sto-ries above the installa-

tion looking out from thetower, or confined to aradar screen in the cornerof a darkened room, NASPatuxent River’s air traf-fic controllers study longand hard to get there; andon-site training simula-tors play a valuable partin that effort.

Radar SimulationsThere are seven con-

soles in the radar room,located in Air Opera-tions, Building 103. Eachhas the ability to simu-late training scenariosdepicting various aircraftwith different flight char-acteristics that accurate-ly mimic real life.

“We have scenariosdesigned for every radarposition and all automa-tion functions are identi-cal to what we see on livetraffic,” said Bob Cooney,air traffic control special-ist. “We work togetherwith Air Force, Navy and[Federal Aviation Ad-ministration] facilities towork traffic into and outof our airspace and thetraining simulates thosefunctions. We can evenprogram weather to bepart of it.”

Radar training scenar-ios might include F-16sout of Andrews Air ForceBase, Maryland, passingthrough Pax River’s re-stricted areas; approachcontrol involving any ofour airspace’s 30 satelliteairports for which Paxprovides air traffic con-trol services; or a situ-ation where a user hasrequested a certain sec-tion of airspace be “ster-ilized.”

“That means no oneelse can be in that area,”Cooney explained, “andthat can get dicey some-times.”

Cooney said the sim-ulators also provide abeneficial platform fortraining for emergencysituations.

“We do our best to in-clude whatever we’veseen in the past,” he said.“You might only handlean emergency once ortwice during your entiretraining lifetime here,but as many scenariosas we can throw into thesims, the better it pre-pares the Sailors for whatthey need to do whenworking live traffic.”

Tower SimulationsWhile the radar room

controls an approximate

Simulators boostAC training at Pax

From Ready Navy

Ready Navy is rapidlybecoming the Navy’s

“go to” resource for emer-gency preparedness.

Rebranded in 2012, thepublic awareness pro-gram has created a ro-bust website and varioussocial media sites. Per-sonnel and family mem-

bers of all ages areable to link to a widearray of hazard infor-mation and resourcesto help guide familyemergency plans thattake into account in-dividual needs.

“We’d like to see ev-eryone in the Navycommunity become fa-miliar with and take ad-

vantage of the numberof resources that canbe found on the ReadyNavy website before theinformation is a critical

necessity,” said JeffSanford, Command-er, Navy InstallationsCommand N37 Emer-gency Management.“Throughout themonth of September,

installation emergencymanagers will also be

Be InformedReady Navy delivers resources for emergency preparedness

See Simulators, Page 4 See Ready, Page 5

IIntroduced in the U.S. Navy in2002, the MH-60S helicopter is anexceptionally reliable and versa-

tile multi-mission aircraft.It has operated around the globe in

the most demanding environmentsand demonstrated unmatched levelsof safety and mission success.

Based on its battle-proven predeces-sors, the UH-60 Black Hawk utility he-licopter and the multi-mission SH-60BSeahawk helicopter, the MH-60S pro-vides state-of-the-art controls, displaysand decision aids as well as a sophisti-cated, fully integrated sensor suite.

Missions:Troop TransportVertical ReplenishmentVertical Onboard DeliveryCombat Search and RescueSpecialWarfare SupportMedical EvacuationNoncombatant Evacuation

Operations

AirborneMine CountermeasuresAnti-SurfaceWarfare

Specifications:Max Speed

180 knots (about 207mph)Approximate Range

245 nautical milesMaxOn-Station Hover Endurance

75minutesMaxCeiling

13,000 feetOperatingWidth

53.7 feet (16.4m)Operating Length

64.8 feet (19.8m)Operating Height

16.0 feet (4.9m)MaximumTakeoff GrossWeight

23,500 poundsMax Internal Payloadweight

5,500 poundsMax External Payloadweight

8,000 pounds

CrewTwo pilots, two aircrew and 12 troops

Propulsion:TwoGeneral Electric T700-GE-401C

turboshaft

Sensors:Forward looking infraredRadarWarningSystemMissile/LaserWarningSystemInfraredcountermeasuresCountermeasuresdispensingsystemAirborneLaserMineDetectionSystemAirborneMineNeutralizationSystem

Armament:Crewserved 7.62mmwindowmount

and0.50 caliber door-mount guns20mmGatling gun2.75-inch unguided and laser guided

rocketsHellfire laser guidedmissiles

The MH-60S

U.S. Navy photo

Information provided by Program Executive Office for Air Anti-SubmarineWarfare, Assault and Special Mission Programs (PEO(A)) Public Affairs.

By Shannon CollinsDefense Media Activity

This month is SuicidePreventionMonth, and

Defense Secretary ChuckHagel has said preventingmilitary suicides is one ofthe Defense Department’shighest priorities.

“As we observe SuicidePrevention Month,” hesaid in amessage to the de-partment’s workforce, “wemust rededicate ourselvesto actively working notonly every month, but ev-ery day to fulfill our collec-tive responsibility to watchout for each other and takecare of each other.”

This is the first articlein a four-part series abouta Navy petty officer whocame close to taking hisown life but did not do so,thanks to the interventionof his leadership and theuse of support networks,and how he continues tobrave his battle with alco-holism and depression.

Navy Petty Officer 1stClass Jason Thompson, amass communication spe-cialist, is an instructor at ajoint command in Mary-land. He began his jour-ney in Detroit as the childof a mother and stepfa-ther who were drug users.He suffered physical andemotional trauma, he said,and his mother repeatedlytold him he was a liar anda cheater, that he was stu-pid, and that life was onlygoing to get worse.

Because of this, Thomp-son said, he first thoughtof suicide when he was 8years old, and he attempt-ed it when he was 9.

Early Suicide Attempts“I tried to hang myself,”

he said, “but I didn’t under-stand the physics of hang-ing, so I wound up embar-rassed on my closet floorwith a wooden clotheshanger bar snapped andall of my clothes on top ofme and a belt around myneck.”

When he was 11, hismother found him witha gun before he had thechance to pull the trigger,and then at 13, he thoughtabout using a knife to cuthis wrists. With every at-tempt, he said, he wastold, “Just get over it” and“Just toughen up,” or hereceived more disciplinaryaction instead of therapyor counseling.

While living with hismother could be challeng-

ing, Thompson said, hisfather fought for custodyand was a positive influ-ence in his life.

“My father was and re-mains my best friend,”he said. “Unfortunately,given Michigan’s legal pro-cesses at the time and mymother and stepfather’sunified efforts, I was ter-rified to speak out againstthem, and my father sim-ply could not get any legalrecourse.

“Over the course ofweekends and holidays,”he continued, “my fatherand I bonded truly as aparent and child should.We continue an excellentdialogue that both nur-tures and guides whilealso being a slapstick com-edy show. He’s one of fourpeople in my entire familyI speak to regularly.”

Choosing Navy ServiceOver Suicide

Thompson said hethought again about sui-cide at 18, but decidedhis best way forward wasjoining the Navy, and heenlisted July 7, 1998. Hebegan his naval career asan undesignated seamanaboard USS John PaulJones, where he became aboatswain’s mate and thena quartermaster. In 2003,he cross-rated into thejournalism career field,and then in 2006, the ca-reer field merged into themass communication spe-cialist rating.

“My time in the Navyhas been adventurous,”Thompson said. “My timein the Navy has beenmarked by tidal shifts of

long periods of sustainedsuperior performance andalso intense depression,melancholy, lonelinessand dystopia.”

Navy Senior Chief PettyOfficer Misty Hubbard,the Navy element seniorenlisted advisor at Thomp-son’s command, hasknown him for 11 years.They first served togetheraboard USS Enterprise inNorfolk when Thompsonwas a petty officer thirdclass, and as an petty of-ficer first class at the time.

Hubbard said she candescribe Thompson in oneword: “phenomenal.”

“He’s always been a phe-nomenal worker,” she add-ed. “We used to tease himall the time [that] he wasSuperman. Anything thatneeded to be done welland quickly went to him,because he could performlike a champ in a pinch.He did great work underpressure — really enjoyedtight deadlines, becauseadrenaline went up inthose kinds of circum-stances. He was always an

incredible worker in thatregard. The challenge washe wasn’t very good at let-ting people know when hewas overwhelmed or whenhe had taken too much onhis plate.”

Hubbard said when peo-ple are deployed, they learneach other’s quirks, andthat one of Thompson’squirks was that he had abit of a temper and wouldhave little “hiccups.”

“He would have a blow-up but then he would veryquickly get control of him-self again and pull him-self back together,” shesaid. “And 95 percent ofthe time, he was No. 1, onfire, with a bullet — just[an] incredible sailor [and]worker.

“But every three or fourmonths, you could guar-antee he was going to dosomething impulsive andsilly and not well thoughtout that was going to resultin him getting in trouble,”she continued. “You couldguarantee that about once aquarter, Thompson was go-ing to do something stupid.”

Thompson kept intouch with Hubbard andmaintained a protégéeand mentor relationshipwith her. They met backup as instructors at thejoint command, and Hub-bard continued providingprofessional developmentto Thompson and felt re-sponsible for him.

Passed Over for PromotionIn 2012, Hubbard said,

she started noticing achange in Thompsonwhen the chief petty offi-cer promotion boards didnot select him.

“Initially, he took it hard,which is not abnormal,”she said, “and we sat downand talked aboutwhatwerethe factors that preventedhim fromgetting promotedand what could we focuson in the upcoming year tomake him more competi-tive for promotion. In mymind, that’s when it started— he wasn’t selected forpromotion.”

Not long after that, shesaid, Thompson broke upwith his girlfriend, a rela-tionship she said was oneof the healthiest she hadseen Thompson in sinceshe had known him.

“He didn’t get promot-ed; the relationship ended;those were two big thingsthathappenedwithina fewmonths’ span,” she said.

“He started oversleeping,showing up unshaven withhis uniform not looking itsbest, and then he missed aduty day. He was behavingout of character. These arethe sort of things you seefrom a junior Sailor who isstruggling to adapt to Navylife. This is not what yousee all of a sudden fromthis senior E-6 who’s beenin the Navy for 14 years.

During this time,Thompson, at age 32, haddecided he was going totake a jump off the DukeEllington Bridge in Wash-ington, D.C.

“I didn’t give away any ofmy possessions,” he said,“but I did write two suicideletters, one of which I wasgoing to pin tomy body foremergency people to find.I left the other one at thehouse for my dad to read.”

He said he did not saygoodbye to anyone, be-cause he did not wantto give away any kind ofsigns.

“I didn’t want an inter-vention,” he explained. “Ididn’t want to cry for help.That wasn’t my interest.That wasn’t my goal. Mygoal was to die. I wantedto die.”

(This is the first articlein a four-part series to beprinted in Tester. Read parttwo, The Intervention, nextweek.)

Navy petty officer recalls battle with suicide2 Thursday, September 11, 2014Tester

DOD photo by EJ Hersom

Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jason Thompson stands at the Duke Ellington Bridge in Washing-ton, D.C., Sept. 4. Thompson said he planned on committing suicide by jumping from the bridgebefore his chain of command intervened and led him to a path of recovery.

Help when you need itIt’s free, it’s easy, it’s confidential

If you need help, know someone who does,or even if you just need someone to talk to,there’s help available 24/7.

Military Crisis LinePhone: 800-273-8255 and press 1Online: www.militarycrisisline.netText: 838255

Vets 4 WarriorsPhone: 855-838-8255Online: www.Vets4Warriors.com

From theNAVAIRTotal Force StrategyandManagement Department

To increase awareness of Na-tional Suicide Prevention Month inSeptember, the NAS Patuxent RiverSuicide Prevention CoordinatorTeam is sponsoring the fourth an-nual Laps for Life Walk/Run/TeamRelay from 10:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept.17 at the track behind the fire stationand Building 1489.

Emphasizing the fact that one lifeis lost every 17minutes due to suicide,teams will walk or run 17 laps aroundthe track; teams can comprise two to17 members and walk or run the 17laps relay style.

Participantscanalsofilloutcards inmemory of loved ones who may havebeen suicide victims. The cards will beposted to the backstop fence duringthe event.

Military, civilians, contractors andtheir family members can sign up towalkor runasmany lapsas theychooseanddonot have tobepart of a team.

To register, civilians shouldcontact Twila Kopaniasz attwila.kopaniasz@navy.mil, andmili-tary members should contact ChiefAviation Structural Mechanic JamesGarza at james.garza@navy.mil.

The rain date is Sept. 24.

Annual ‘Laps for Life’ relay takes off Sept. 17

Thursday, September 11, 2014 3Tester

Commentary by retired Chief MassCommunication Specialist(AW/SW) Shawn GrahamNAS Patuxent River Public Affairs

Many people enlist in theNavy with aspirations of ad-vancing to chief petty officer(CPO). There are several thingsto keep in mind when youare setting your sights on thelong-term goal of earning yourfouled anchors.

Sustained SuperiorPerformanceIt’s important to set smaller

goals and career milestones.You must pace yourself alongthe way. Navy selection boardsrefer to it as “sustained superiorperformance.” Anyone can be ameteoric shooting star, but toconsistently be a quality Sailortakes stamina, patience and agreat deal of perseverance.

Humility and TrustBe careful to avoid stepping

on toes as you ascend up theranks. You must practice hu-mility and be gracious in yourdemeanor and always helpothers advance through the

ranks. A CPO has to earn thetrust of his or her Sailors. If youhave a reputation as a leaderwho takes care of your Sailors,they will take care of you.

Community InvolvementA Sailor who has years of

documented community ser-vice and has earned a MilitaryOutstanding Volunteer ServiceMedal shows he or she gets thebigger picture. Leaders giveback to the community andfoster that mentality in theirfollowers. Community out-reach is also a great opportu-nity for Sailors to gain leader-ship experience.

Command InvolvementThink about collateral du-

ties early. Being a chief meansthat you’re willing and able tomulti-task myriad projects andstill be successful. Leadershipin a collateral duty also gives

someone a chance to stand outif their primary role isn’t in aleadership position.

Lifelong LearningThe Navy is very supportive

of education. Working on a de-gree or having one is anotherway to embody the impor-tance of education on the restof your life especially after theNavy. Understanding the intri-cacies of these programs willalso help other Sailors to fol-low your example.

Accurate Service RecordYour service record is your

responsibility. Take the timeto annotate any discrepancies.You should fix things long be-fore your submission to the se-lection board. Sailors shouldn’twait until they find out they’reselection board eligible beforecorrecting their record.

SailorizationGet involved in both for-

mal and informal mentoring.A Sailor’s selection to chiefis a direct reflection of thosewho provided mentorship. You

should pay it forward by men-toring others. Take the timeto show a shipmate how to dosomething or help them getsign-offs for a tough personnelqualification standard. Teach-ing others will also help youmaintain perishable skills.All of this planning can lead

to success, but isn’t a guaran-tee.There are many stellar Sail-

ors who retire as first classpetty officers, not because

they wouldn’t have made goodchiefs, but because there wereno vacancies in their rating.Obviously your chances of

advancing to chief dependon the needs of the Navy so ifyou’re in a rating that is closed,don’t hesitate to explore youroptions and remain flexible.Remain focused and deter-

mined but never lose sight ofwhat is truly important: TheSailors.

A guide to becoming ‘chief’

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jessica Bidwell

A newly pinned chief petty officer (CPO) receives his combination coverduring a previous CPOPinning Ceremony at theWashington Navy Yard inWashington, D.C. The journey to CPO is a continuous process that beginsearly in an enlisted Sailor’s career. Sailors undergo rigorous training through-out their careers to obtain the knowledge and expertise of a chief.

On BaseLeadership Southern Marylandand LEAD Program 5K/10K Walk8 a.m. SaturdayCedar Point Golf CourseAll proceeds benefit Leader-

ship Southern Maryland andthe LEAD Youth Leadership Pro-gram. Preregistration is availableonline at www.active.com/nas-patuxent-river-md/running/distance-running-races/lead-5k-10k-walk-run-2014?int=.Race-day registration begins at6:30 a.m. Cost: $25 in advanceand $30 race day for 5K; $30 inadvance and $35 race day for10K.

Mandatory CounterintelligenceAwareness Briefs9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 24Building 2109Eagle’s Nest Conference RoomThese NCIS briefs are man-

datory annual training for allDepartment of Navy militaryand civilian personnel. Eachbrief is 50 minutes in durationand begins every hour on thehour.

ProQuest Database Training11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sept 24NAVAIR Technical LibraryBuilding 407, Room 108aJoin the base library for a

training session on the newProQuest databases now avail-able to patrons 24/7. ProQuestdatabases are comprehensivecollections of indexed and full-text content on business andapplied research in aerospace,space sciences and materialssciences. No registration re-quired. Refreshments providedat 11 a.m. Contact the libraryat 342-1927 or technical.library.fct@navy.mil for additional in-formation.

239th Navy Birthday Ball6-11 p.m. Oct. 9River’s EdgeFormore informationor topur-

chase tickets, contact your com-mand Navy Ball representative,or Personnel Specialist 1st ClassTramika Carr at 301-342-9473.

Navy Lodge EnhancementsThe Navy Lodge has initiated

a new pillow program provid-ing guests with a choice in pillowcomfort. Each bed now offers twofirm pillows and two soft pillowsfor guests. Stop by theNavy LodgePax River for more informationor for a free tour of the renovatedlobby and guest rooms.

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

hidden Gnorman the gnome.

Anyone spotting Gnorman canemail tester@dcmilitary.comor phone 301-342-4163 nowthrough 5 p.m. Friday, and in-clude a brief description ofwhere he’s located. All correctanswers are entered into a draw-ing and one name is chosento win a Center Stage Theatermovie ticket. The same personcannot win more than once permonth. Last week’s winner wasE’lise Graves who found Gnor-man on Page 6 in the Into theStormmovie poster.

Off BaseRock the Museum6:30-11 p.m. SaturdayPatuxent River Naval AirMuseumCome for live music, dancing,

good food and to support a greatcommunity cause. Entertain-ment provided by the SouthernMaryland Teen Piano Group fol-lowed by Harmonie & Bleu jazzband. Tickets are $35 members;$40 per person; $75 per couple.For ticket sales and informationcontact Mari Rondeau at 301-863-1900.

Out of School Camp6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sept. 19Hollywood Recreation CenterCost: $30 per child. Event is

for youths ages 5-14. For more

information, call 301-373-5410or visit www.stmarysmd.com/recreate.

Parents Night Out6-10:30 p.m. Sept. 20Hollywood Recreation CenterCost: $15 per child. Event for

youths ages 4-13. For more in-formation, call 301-373-5410or visit www.stmarysmd.com/recreate.

239th Marine Corps Birthday Ball6-11 p.m. Nov. 15HollywoodVolunteer FireDepartmentThis year’s Marine Corps Birth-

day Ball celebration is open to all.Tickets are on sale at the MarineAviation Detachment (MAD),Building 102. Cost: $20, E-5 andbelow; $40, E-6 to E-9, and datesof MAD Marines and MarineCorps League members; $45 of-ficers, warrant officers and Ma-rine Corps League members; and$50, retirees, other military andadditional guests. Contact Capt.Daniel Hagarty at 301-342-7776or daniel.hagarty@navy.mil, orGunnery Sgt. Gary Bliss at 301-342-1427 or gary.bliss@navy.mil.

Check Local Traffic OnlineLive video from Maryland traf-

fic cameras at four St. Mary’s in-tersections can be viewed online

at www.somdnews.com/section/news20?nocache=1, along with anaudio link to the county’s emer-gencydispatch communications.

NEWS BRIEFS

CPO Pinning Ceremony10 a.m. Sept. 16Building 2272 atrium

St. Nicholas ChapelService ScheduleCatholic ServicesMass: 5 p.m. Sundays throughSeptember.Continuing Catholic Development (CCD):Postponed until further notice.

Protestant ServicesWorship: 11 a.m. SundayMen’s Discipleship: On hiatus untilfurther notice.Women’s Study:6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday and10-11:30 a.m. Thursdayat the Religious ProgrammingCenter

After a good night’s sleep, wewake feeling refreshed, alert

and ready for the day ahead.Sleep affects how we look, feel

and act every day, and has a ma-jor role in the overall quality of ourlives. Even so, one-quarter of theU.S. population reports not get-ting enough sleep, according to theCenters for Disease Control andPrevention (CDC), and nearly 10percent have chronic insomnia, theinability to fall asleep or stay asleep.Getting the quality and quantity

of sleep your body needs can helpprotect your mental health, physi-cal health and safety.

SafetyThe average adult should get

seven to nine hours of sleep eachnight. After several nights of los-ing one to two hours of sleep, thebody’s ability to function suffers.People who are sleep deprivedare less productive at work andschool, take longer to finish tasks,have a slower reaction time, andmake more mistakes.

The CDC states drowsy driv-ing can be as dangerous as drivingwhile drunk. In fact, the NationalHighway Traffic Safety Administra-tion estimates up to 6,000 fatal carcrashes each year are caused bydrowsy drivers.

Mental HealthWhileyouaresleeping,yourbrain

ispreparing for thenextday.TheNa-tional Institutes ofHealth (NIH) saidagoodnight’s sleephelps to improvelearning, problem solving skills,

attentionspan,decisionmakingandcreativity. In adults, a lack of sleephas been linked to depression, sui-cideandriskybehavior.Amongchil-dren and teens, a lack of sleep maylead to feeling stressed and gettinglower grades.

Physical HealthYour body needs sleep to stay

healthy. Deep sleep triggers hor-mones to promote cell repair andboost the immune system. Peoplewho are sleep deprived often havetrouble fighting common infec-tions and colds. NIH states a lack ofsleep is also associatedwith a num-ber of chronic diseases and condi-tions, including: diabetes, heartdisease, kidney disease, high bloodpressure, stroke and obesity.Formore informationonthis top-

ic, visit the Navy and Marine CorpsPublic Health Centers webpage atwww.med.navy.mil/sites/nmcphc/health-promotion/psychological-emotional-wellbeing/Pages/sleep.aspx. Get relaxation tips online tooat http://go.usa.gov/NmeJ.

All classes are held at the Fleetand Family Support Center inBuilding 2090 off Bundy Road un-less otherwise noted. Classes areopen to active-duty and retiredmilitary and Reservists. Reserva-tions are necessary and can bemade at FFSC or by calling 301-342-4911.

Optional Track-Educational: 8a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 15-16

Résumé Writing: 1-4 p.m. Sept.16

Consumer Awareness and IDTheft: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sept.17

Stress Management: 11 a.m. to12:30 p.m. Sept. 22

Budgeting for Baby at Bldg. 401:10 a.m. to noon Sept. 24

Clinical Counseling ServicesClinical Counseling services can

directly improve thequalityof lifeofservice members and their familyby addressing the stressors facing

today’s military: family hardships,marital conflicts, parent/child is-sues, money concerns, frequentmoves, health and environmentalfactors, etc. To make an appoint-ment with a counselor, call 301-342-4911 or 202-685-6019.

Exceptional Family MemberProgram (EFMP)EFMP is aDODprogram that ad-

dresses the special needsofmilitaryfamilies. Sailorswith anexceptionalfamilymember—a familymemberwith special needs such as a medi-cal or educational disability — areencouraged to enroll in the EFMPso theNavy can do its part in caringfor EFMneeds. Email James Lettnerat james.lettner@navy.mil.

Financial Counseling ServicesThe Personal Financial Educator

can help individuals and familiesin managing their finances, re-solving financial problems and to

reach long-term goals. Take controlof your finances and make an ap-pointmentwith a counselor by call-ing 301-342-5442.

Find Your Command OmbudsmanFind 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 withthe NAS Patuxent River Ombuds-manCoordinator.

FFSC

4 Thursday, September 11, 2014Tester

NicoleM. QuinnNaval Health Clinic Patuxent River

Public Health Educator

Clinic corner:A body’s benefits of a good night’s sleep

Stay up to datewith us onFacebook

Naval Air Station Patuxent River • tester@dcmilitary.com • www.facebook.com/NASPaxRiverThe 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 theU.S. Navy, under exclusive written contract withNaval District Washington.

This commercial enterprise newspaper isan authorized publication for members of themilitary services. Contents of the Tester are notnecessarily the official views of, nor endorsedby the U.S. Government, the DoD, or the De-partment of the Navy. The appearance of ad-vertising in this publication, including inserts orsupplements, does not constitute endorsementby the DoD or Southern Maryland Newspapersand Printing of the products or services adver-tised.

Everything advertised in this publication shall

be made available for purchase, use, or patron-age without regard to race, color, religion, sex,national origin, age, marital status, physical handi-cap, political affiliation, or any other non-merit fac-tor of the purchaser, user, or patron. If a violationor rejection of this equal opportunity policy by anadvertiser is confirmed, the publisher shall refuseto print advertising from that source until the viola-tion is corrected.

Editorial content is edited, prepared, andprovided by the Public Affairs Office. News copyshould be submitted by Friday to be consideredfor the following week’s edition. All material is ed-ited for accuracy, brevity, clarity, and conformity toregulations. To inquire about news copy, call 301-342-4163 or fax the Tester at 301-863-9296.

Commercial advertising may be placedwith the publisher by calling 301-862-2111.

Capt. Ben ShevchukCommandingOfficer

Capt. Heidi FlemingExecutive Officer

CMDCM Jeffrey OwejanCommandMaster Chief

Connie HempelPublic Affairs Officer

Shawn GrahamPublic Affairs Specialist

Donna CipolloniStaff Writer

Breton Helseland

Deirdre ParryCopy/layout editors

Frederick C. FairVolunteer

See more FFSC classeson Facebook.

78-mile wide area reachingup to 7,000 feet and is re-quired to keep aircraft sepa-rated by a distance of threemiles, the tower deals onlywith “seen and be seen air-craft.”“Radar flows everything

into us and we land it,” saidAir Traffic Controller 1st ClassJason Wood, tower chief. Ourairspace is 4.5 miles aroundthe tower, up to 2,500 feet.”Trainees for the various

tower positions must trainat least one hour per day ontheir own set of simulators,located on the ground floorof the tower.“During our down time —

first thing in the morning, lateat night or on rainy days — iswhen our simulators are busi-est,” Wood explained. “Whilemost of our training is done

on the job, the simulators areexpected to reduce that train-ing time by 30 percent.”Tower simulations could

include taxiing planes to andfrom runways; a conflict atAlpha and Echo taxiway thatrequires a resolution; or a re-port to the tower that an air-craft has blown a tire, whichcalls for runway FOD removalprocedures.“We currently have about

20 different sims tailored toour [position performancehandbooks],” Wood said.“But we can build as manyas we want to; it’s bound bynothing.Whether in the radar room

or the tower, air traffic con-trollers have a limited num-ber of months to successfullytrain and become qualified ata position and must also passwritten exams. In addition,wherever they go in their ATCcareer, they will have to re-certify.

SIMULATORSContinued from 1

From the NAS Public Affairs Office

At around 3:30 p.m. Sept. 3, a 17-month-old male infantwas discovered unresponsive in the back of his parent’s ve-hicle by his father in a parking lot near Building 2187.The father called 911 upon discovery. NAS Pax River fire

and emergency services responded and immediately tookover CPR.The infant was pronounced deceased at 4:15 p.m. by

EMS personnel.The following is a statement NAVAIR, NAWCAD andNAS

Patuxent River commands provided to press on Sept. 4:“Yesterday, a Pax River family suffered a tragic loss when

their 17-month-old son was found unresponsive in theback seat of their car. On behalf of NAVAIR CommanderVADM David Dunaway and the entire NAVAIR and PaxRiver community, our deepest sympathy and support arewith the family during this heartbreaking time. Counsel-ing services have been made available to the family, andwe stand ready to assist in any waywe can.We’re also offer-ing counseling resources for all employees and coworkers.An investigation is ongoing. Questions may directed to theNaval Criminal Investigative Service and the US Depart-ment of Justice.”

Infant found deadin vehicle on base

Thursday, September 11, 2014 5Tester

For all MWR news, visit www.cnic.navy.mil/Patuxent and clickon the Fleet and Family Readi-ness tab.

Phone directoryInformation, Tickets and TravelOffice - 301-342-3648River’s Edge - 301-342-3656NRC Solomons - 410-326-2840Drill Hall - 301-757-3943Energy Zone - 301-342-5449Customized Creations

- 301-342-6293Cedar Point Golf Course

- 301-342-3597

Special EventsFreedom Live featuringLittle Big TownSept. 20Doors open at 6 p.m.; concertstarts at 8 p.m.Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling inWashington, D.C.This event is open to all

authorized patrons and theirguests. Government contrac-tors with base access cansponsor guests to this event.There must be at least one au-thorized base ID cardholderin each vehicle. Ticket and in-formation available at www.FreedomLiveNDW.com.

Burst of Color 5K Fun-Run10 a.m. Oct. 4;Register by Oct. 1West Basin Marina

Cost: Free for children ages 5and younger; $10, E-1 to E-6 ac-tive duty, their dependents andall children ages 6-12; $15, E-7and above active duty and theirdependents; and $20, all otherauthorized patrons. Price in-cludes: Swag bag, Burst of Color5K white T-shirt, dye pack andrace bib. Register at the Sportsand Fitness Office in the DrillHall.

River’s EdgeOpen for lunch11 a.m. to 1 p.m.weekdays

Bald Eagle Pub is open3-7 p.m.Wednesday-FridayHappy Hour specials from 3-6

p.m.Wednesdays and Thursdays

Comics On DutyOct. 16Doors open at 5:30 p.m.; showstarts at 7 p.m.Tickets go on sale Sept. 15 at

River’s Edge and ITT Office.

NRC SolomonsPumpkin Carving Contest3-8 p.m. Oct. 11Campfire pit next to the logcabinsCost: $8 per person. Pumpkin

carving contest is open to thefirst 50 patrons. A spooky after-noon including a pumpkin carv-ing contest, campfire, hayride,

DJ, marshmallows to roast andmore.

37th Annual Arts and CraftsFestivalVendor RegistrationOct. 6, military and retired

military; Oct. 14, past craft-ers; and Oct. 20, DOD civiliansand contractors. All registrationforms must be submitted in per-son at Customized Creations.

ITTHours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.weekdaysLocation: Building 2655,in front of the Drill Hall

NASCAR Dover 400 TicketsSept. 28; order by Sept. 12Cost: $43.25; price includes

reserved mid-grandstand, track-side access pass to visit pit roadand walk on the speedway asteams set up their pit stalls.Make it a family event; tickets foryouths ages 14 and younger are$11.

Great Wolf Lodge AdventureOct. 17-18; register by Sept. 15Cost: $468; price includes a

suite that sleeps six, six passes tothe water park and $8 in arcadetokens. Join the fun at this indoorentertainment area with its owngigantic water park. Register atthe ITT office. Open to availableto all NAS Patuxent River-eligible

patrons. Call 301-342-3648 formore information.

Tickets availableWashington NationalsNavy FootballRichmond International

Speedway

Drill Hall

Drill Hall Annual FloorRefinishing ProjectSept. 8-21The Drill Hall basketball

courts, racquetball courts, vol-leyball court and family fitnesscenter are closed for floor re-finishing. This project does notaffect gear issue, fitness cen-ter, cardio fitness room, lockerrooms, bowling center, indoorpool or the administration of-fices; these areas are open fornormal business hours.

Energy Zone

Energy Zone Annual FloorRefinishing ProjectSept. 12-15During this time period the

dance floors will secure and allclasses are postponed or can-celled.

Krav Maga5:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesdays,beginning Sept. 30Cost: six-week session is

$154.80. Must register for theentire session; pro-rating is notavailable. To register, call 301-757-3943 or stop by the Fitnessand Sports Office in the DrillHall.

Cedar Point Golf CourseClub ChampionshipWeekendSept. 20-21Four events in one: Men’s,

Ladies, Men’s Senior and Ac-tive Duty. Players may competein multiple events, using their36-hole score for each. Open toall eligible patrons with a validU.S.G.A. handicap. Entry fees:$30, Men’s and Ladies Champi-onship; additional $20, Men’sSenior Championship. No

additional charge for StationChampionship. Entry does notinclude greens fees. This is atwo-day, 36-hole stroke playcompetition with assigned teetimes and pairings; no requestsaccepted. Flights by handicapwith gross and net prizes.

MWR

Scan to seemore MWR events

on Facebook.

educating the communityabout emergency prepared-ness, and each day during thesecond week of National Pre-paredness Month, Ready Navywill highlight resources tomeet a variety of emergencypreparedness needs throughFacebook and Twitter.”According to Sanford, being

and staying informed is thefirst step in the emergency pre-paredness cycle.Navy personnel and families

can fulfill their pledge to takeaction and take the first stepto increasing their knowledgebase by taking advantage ofinformation displays at NASPatuxent River and by follow-ing this week’s schedule of re-source highlights.Find more information on

National Preparedness Month,potential hazards and steps toprepare at www.Ready.Navy.mil.

Emergency Planning forPetshttps://www.ready.navy.mil/make_a_plan/family_plans/pets.html

Emergency ManagementInformation DisplaySept. 17Navy Exchange lobby, morningCommissary, afternoonOne-stop shop for emergencykit needs.

Ready Navy Kids Resourcesand 2014 Zombie Challengewww.ready.navy.mil/ready_navy_kids.html

Emergency Plans forWounded, Ill, Injured and Ex-ceptional Family Memberswww.ready.navy.mil/make_a_plan/family_plans/people_with_special_needs.htmlhttp://safeharbor.navylive.dodlive.mil/

Resources for Fleet andFamily ReadinessAlerts: https://www.ready.navy.mil/stay_informed/waan.htmlTraining: Navy E-LearningCNIC-RNEP-0001Needs Assessments: https://navyfamily.navy.mil/

Regional and InstallationSpecific Informationhttps://www.ready.navy.mil/s t a y _ i n f o rmed/ re g i ona l _information.html

READYContinued from 1

U.S Navy photo

Twelve NAVAIR Naval Acquisition Development Program interns had the opportunity to go aboardUSS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) for a week in August to learn how their jobs impact support for thewarfighter. The Naval Acquisition Development Program (NADP) interns -- who work at various NAVAIRlocations providing equipment and other logistics necessities for Sailors across the fleet -- embarked theship to gather information on how logistics works on an aircraft carrier while at sea. The NADP programdevelops highly skilled professionals to meet projected Department of the Navy acquisition workforcerequirements. Read more on this story online at www.navair.navy.mil/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.NAVAIRNewsStory&id=5718.

Interns gain insight, experiencewhile underway with Roosevelt

Thursday, September 116:30 p.m.,The Hundred-Foot Journey(Rated: PG, 1 hr. 57 min)

Hassan Kadam is a culi-nary mastermind with thegastronomic equivalent ofperfect pitch. When Has-san and his family move toa quaint village in the Southof France with plans ofopening an Indian restau-rant, they are undeterredby the fact that only 100 feetopposite stands a Michelinstarred classical French eat-ery. Outraged by the newarrivals, Madame Malloryis determined to have Has-san’s business shut down.As cultures clash and foodflies, an all-out war esca-lates between the two es-tablishments — until, thatis, Hassan’s passion and

talent for French cuisinebegin to enchant MadameMallory and even she can’tdeny this young chef couldhave what it takes to garnereven more acclaim for herbeloved restaurant.

Friday, September 126:30 p.m.,The Expendables 3(Rated: PG-13, 2 hrs. 08

mins.) Barney, Christmasand the rest of the teamcomes face-to-face withConrad Stonebanks, whoyears ago co-founded TheExpendables with Barney.Stonebanks subsequentlybecame a ruthless armstrader and someone whoBarney was forced to kill

... or so he thought. Stone-banks, who eluded deathonce before, now is mak-ing it his mission to endThe Expendables. Barneydecides that he has to fightold blood with new blood,and brings in a new era ofExpendables team mem-bers, recruiting individu-als who are younger, fasterand more tech-savvy. Thelatest mission becomes aclash of classic old-schoolstyle versus high-tech ex-pertise in the Expendables’most personal battle yet.9:30 p.m., Let’s be Cops(Rated: R, 1 hr. 44 mins.)

It’s the ultimate buddy copmovie except for one thing,they’re not cops. When two

6 Thursday, September 11, 2014Tester

CENTER STAGE MOVIESl Movie Line: 301-342-5033l Reservations: 301-342-3648l Ticket Prices: E-1 to E-5 category:adults, $3.50 and youths ages 6-11,$2.50. All others: adults, $4.50;youths ages 6-11, $3.50.

l 3-D glasses: $1

l Authorized ID required for admis-sion

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struggling pals dress as po-lice officers for a costumeparty, they become neigh-borhood sensations. Butwhen these newly-minted“heroes” get tangled in areal life web of mobstersand dirty detectives, theymust put their fake badgeson the line.

Saturday, September 134 p.m.,The Giver

(Rated: PG-13, 1 hr. 37min) This haunting storycenters on Jonas, a youngman who lives in a seem-ingly ideal, if colorless,world of conformity andcontentment. Yet as he be-gins to spend timewithTheGiver, who is the sole keep-

er of all the community’smemories, Jonas quicklybegins to discover the darkand deadly truths of hiscommunity’s secret past. Atextreme odds, Jonas knowsthat he must escape theirworld to protect themall - achallenge that no one hasever succeeded at before.6:30 p.m.,The Expendables 3

(Rated: PG-13, 2 hrs. 08mins.)9:30 p.m., Let’s be Cops

(Rated: R, 1 hr. 44mins.)

Sunday, September 142 p.m., Teenage MutantNinja Turtles

(Rated: PG-13, 1 hr. 39

mins.) Darkness has set-tled over New York Cityas Shredder and his evilFoot Clan have an irongrip on everything fromthe police to the politi-cians. The future is grimuntil four unlikely out-cast brothers rise fromthe sewers and discovertheir destiny as TeenageMutant Ninja Turtles.

Monday, September 15 andTuesday, September 16Theater is not open

Wednesday, September 176:30 p.m.,The Giver

(Rated: PG-13, 1 hr. 37min)

Thursday, September 11, 2014 7Tester

MOVIES Continued

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8 Thursday, September 11, 2014Tester

Air Traffic Controller 2ndClass (AW/SW)Marilyn Brew-er, NASAir Operations, reen-listed Aug. 22 for threemoreyears of Navy service.

Electronics Technician 3rdClassWilliamSung, NASAirOperationsGroundElectron-ics, reenlisted Aug. 26 for threeyears andwill be reporting toUSSBlueRidge (LCC19).

ACCOLADES AROUND THE AIR STATION

Paul Crumppinnedon captainduring a ceremonySept. 2.Crump is themilitary classdeskwith theNAVAIRAircraftLaunch andRecovery Equip-ment department.

Ian Espichwaspromoted tolieutenant commander duringa ceremonyAug. 27. Espichis the flag aide for theCom-mander, Fleet ReadinessCen-ters andNAVAIRAssistantCommander for Logistics andIndustrial Operations (AIR 6.0).

Tony Hernandez pinned oncaptain during a ceremonySept. 2. Hernandez is the fleetliaison officer with theNAVAIRAircraft Launch and RecoveryEquipment department.

HughRankinwaspromotedtocaptainduringaceremonyAug. 27.Rankin is themilitarydirector forNAVAIR IndustrialandLogisticsMaintenancePlanning/Sustainment (AIR6.8).

Fair Winds andFollowing Seas

Darryl Ray Stroup retired fromtheNavy on Aug. 31 aftermore than 11 years. Stroupwas the Aircraft Signatureand AvionicsMeasurementsbranch head at the AtlanticTest Range. He also served21 years on active duty in theU.S. Air Force.

Jamahl Stokes, Commander,Fleet Readiness Centersoperations research analyst,received a Fleet Facilitator oftheWeek certificate on Sept.3. Stokeswas recognized forhis assistance for a businesscase analysis and to a newtechnology investment work-shop.

Fleet Facilitatorof the Week

Reenlistments Promotions

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Purchase: $269,000Rent: $2000 per month

Military Rental: $1800 per month

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Thursday, September 11, 2014 9Tester

Michelle Adams, left, and Vick-ie Majors received Letters ofCommendation, Aug. 28, fortheir counseling service in theEmergency Family AssistanceCenters following the Sept. 16,2013, active shooter event atWashington Navy Yard.

Master-at-Arms 1st ClassKenneth Mack received aNavy and Marine Corps Com-mendation Medal, Aug. 28, forhis service as the NAS MilitaryWorking Dog leading petty of-ficer and kennel master fromJanuary 2012 to September2014.

Naval Aircrewman (Helicop-ter) 1st Class Michael Spar-hawk received a Navy andMarine Corps AchievementMedal, Aug. 28, for his serviceas the leading petty officer ofthe NAS search and rescuedivision from June 2011 toSeptember 2014.

Lt. Cmdr. Clinton Stonewallreceived a Navy and MarineCorps Commendation Medal,Aug. 28, for his service as theNAS Airfield Facilities DivisionOfficer from July 2012 to Sep-tember 2014.

ACCOLADES ContinuedMedals, Certificates and Awards

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10 Thursday, September 11, 2014Tester

St. Mary’s County:www.visitstmarysmd.com/events-entertainment/

Master Gardeners: Turf GrassRenovation10 a.m. SaturdayHome Grown Farm Market

Join the University of Mary-land Extension-St.Mary’sMasterGardeners for information and abrief presentation.

Indian Discovery Day10 a.m. SaturdaySt. Mary’s City visitors center

Explore and celebrate the lifeways of Maryland’s first people. Na-tive Americandancers, hide tanningdemonstrations, canoe burning,

pottery, story-telling, flint knapping,demonstrations and crafts to makeand take home. Cost: $10, adult; $9,senior citizen; $6, student; free forchildren ages 5 and younger.

Taste of St. Mary’sNoon SundayLeonardtown Square

Sample menu favorites from St.Mary’s County restaurants. Kids’activities, free entertainment andclassic car show. Drawings heldthroughout the afternoon.

Homeschoolers’ Workshop2-3:30 p.m. TuesdayLeonardtown libraryStudents and parents will

learn how to get the most fromthe library’s resources and ser-

vices and have a chance to meetfellow homeschooled families.

Calvert County:www.calvertcountymd.us

Hazardous Waste Collection Day8 a.m. to 2 p.m. SaturdayMt. Hope Community Center,Sunderland

During the collection day, alicensed contractor will collecthousehold hazardous waste forfree proper disposal. Collec-tion is limited to Calvert Countyresidents only and proof of resi-dency, such as a tax or utility billor driver’s license, is required.Waste from commercial busi-nesses is prohibited. Latex paintis not hazardous and will not be

accepted at the event. For moreinformation, call the CalvertCounty Department of PublicWorks, Division of SolidWaste, at410-326-0210 or visit the CalvertCounty website at www.co.cal.md.us/hazardouswaste for a fulllisting of materials accepted.

Friends of the Library Gently UsedBook Sale9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. SaturdayCalvert library, Prince Frederick

Sidewalk sale; weather per-mitting. Great selection of usedbooks at low prices.

Full STEAM Ahead6:30-7:30 p.m. MondayCalvert library, Prince Frederick

Interact with books, crafts

and experiments while explor-ing the skills of science, technol-ogy, engineering, art and math(STEAM). Adults are encouragedto participate with their child,ages 4-7. Registration opensone month before each event.Please register at, 410-535-0291,301-855-1862 or http://calvertli-brary.info.

Pirate Day10 a.m. to 5 p.m. WednesdayCalvert Marine Museum

Come dressed as a pirate, hearpirate stories, sing sea chanteys,make a pirate hat, learn to talklike a pirate, play Treasure Islandand walk the plank on our pirateship. Regular museum admis-sion applies.

AROUND TOWN

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For more information on volunteering for the local Honor Flight program,visit facebook.com/honorflightdca or honorflightcr.org

Area military families are invited to join the DCMilitary Family Life staff in honoring our World War II veterans on

Saturday, September 13.

Veterans will be arriving into Reagan National Airport on September 13, and there are several ways you can

participate throughout the day:

• Welcome 90 veterans at the US Airways, Terminal Cat 10:02am to salute and cheer their arrival.

• Salute these veterans as they visit the World War II Memorial on the National Mall from 2:30pm – 3:45pm.

• At the end of the day, you can help bid farewell after their full day of touring as they return to Reagan National

Airport at 6:30pm.

Look for a special pullout banner in the August 15th issue of DCMilitary Family Life, or visit

DCMilitary.com/honorflight to download a special welcome banner to customize and hold

as you greet our veterans. Our photographers will be on hand to snap a photo of your family

with your personal banner for future publication.

Help DCMilitary Family Life and Comprint honor our veterans and meet other military

families while you are volunteering. It will be the perfect way to spend a Saturday in D.C.

Thursday, September 11, 2014 11Tester

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CASHONLY301-475-5381 Fax 301-475-0337

8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Friday & Saturday

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