Tester 112014

ByDonnaCipolloniNAS Patuxent RiverPublic Affairs

NAS Patuxent River has won theNaval District Washington re-

gional Personal Excellence Program(PEP) flagship award, recognizingvolunteer service within our area’spublic andprivate schools.

From across the installation,460 military and civilian volunteersspent over 6,500 hours tutoring,mentoring, providing technical ex-pertise or simply serving as positiverole models for youth throughoutSouthern Maryland, thus helpingto develop students to their fullestpotential in the areas of academicachievement, healthy lifestyle andcivic responsibility.

Pax River also received honor-able mention in three other volun-teer flagship program categories:Project Good Neighbor; Health,Safety and Fitness; and Environ-mental Stewardship.

“NASPaxRiver’s teamof profes-sionals is continually leaning for-ward to give their time and talents,not just inour schools, but through-out the community in a variety ofprograms, events and activities,”said NAS Commanding OfficerCapt. Heidi Fleming. “This robustspirit of volunteerismdemonstratesthe incrediblepartnershipweall feelwith the local community, and thetruedesire to give back.”

The Project Good Neighbor cat-egory recognized volunteerism and

humanitarianassistance,whendur-ingChristmas inApril, 75volunteerscontributed over 600 hours repair-ing the homes of needy communitymembers; and over 1,500 poundsof food was collected for local areafood banks through Feds FeedsFamilies.

Other 2014 events in this cat-egory included the monthly Meetthe Airplane presentations at thePatuxent River Naval Air Museum,the Potomac River Waterfowl Showandnumerous activities at JeffersonPattersonPark andMuseum.

The Health, Safety and Fitnesscategory noted our participationin Special Olympics, where nearly

Marines CollectToys for TotsPage 2

O’Neill Award Goesto NAS OfficerPage 3

What FFSC Hasto Offer YouPage 8

Vol. 71, No. 46 Celebrating 71 Years of Community Partnership November 20, 2014

TESTERNaval Air Station Patuxent River

By Shawn Graham

NAS Patuxent River Public Affairs

Naval Health Clinic Patux-ent River certified 18 Sailorsfrom commands through-

outSouthPotomacasShipshape fa-cilitators Nov. 13-14. The Shipshapeprogram is tailored to active-dutymembers who exceed, or are in

danger of exceeding, body compo-sition assessment (BCA) standards.

The individually designed pro-gram provides active duty person-nelwithbasic informationonnutri-tion, stress management, physicalactivity and behavior modificationtechniques to lower and maintainan acceptable body weight withinNavy standards.

Pax Sailors get ShipshapePax Sailors get ShipshapePax Sailors get Shipshape

Buse Road: Nov. 22-23Roadwork conducted on

Buse Road between CedarPoint and Tate roads. Work in-cludes crack sealing the road,which involves rolling laneclosures. Traffic will be flaggedthrough this area.

Cuddihy Road: Nov. 22-23Roadwork conducted on

Cuddihy Road between Buseand Tate roads. Work includescrack sealing the road, whichinvolves rolling lane closures.Traffic will be flagged throughthis area.

Roadworkcontinues

U.S. Navy photo by Donna Cipolloni

NAS Patuxent River volunteers devotedover 6,500 hours in local schools tutor-ing,mentoring, providing technicalexpertise and serving as positive rolemodels for youth throughout SouthernMaryland.

Base wins regional volunteer service award

See Award, Page 7

U.S. Navy photo by Shawn Graham

Shipshape is theNavy’s official weightmanagement program

Every Navy MilitaryTreatment Facility is man-dated to offer Shipshapeat least twice a year

It is also recom-mended for adult fam-ily members in supportof family readiness

An interventionoption for retirees whohave a higher than aver-

age number of weight-related health problems

Based on themost current scientificevidence for achievinghealthy and permanentweight loss

Shipshape Highlights

Happy Thanksgiving!Testerwill not be publishedNov. 27

Victory puts installation in running for Bainbridge

2 Thursday, November 20, 2014Tester

By Donna CipolloniNAS Patuxent RiverPublic Affairs

The Marine Corps Re-serve Toys for Tots programis collecting toys thatwill helpbring tidings of joy to childrenof families in need of a littleextra support this holidayseason.

With a small Reservedetachment in St. Mary’sCounty, NAS Patuxent River’sMarine Aviation Detachment(MAD) has partneredwith thelocal Marine Corps League,a veteran organization, tostep forward and take up thecause.

The collection boxes,sporting the familiar red Toysfor Tots train logo, are alreadyin place in the communityand in many buildings acrossPax River, including the RearAdm. William A. MoffettBuilding, North and SouthEngineering, the PaxRiverOf-ficer’s Spouses’ Club and theNavy Exchange.

“We take any new, un-wrapped toy, and all toyscollected stay right here in

our county,” said MAD Toysfor Tots coordinator StaffSgt. Anthony Collins, addingthat the group works with St.Mary’s County social servicesagencies to identify local fam-ilies in need.

“In 2013, we collected over15,000 toys,” said Bruce Van-denBos, the St.Mary’s CountyToys for Tots coordinator.“We helped more than 608families, and that translatedto 1,783 children.”

Since the beginning of the

U. S. Marine Corps Toys forTots program in 1947, Ma-rines have distributed morethan 469 million toys to over216million less fortunate chil-dren, according to the foun-dation’s website.

“It’s a great cause thathelps so many in the com-munity,” Collins said. “That’swhy I felt I needed to partici-pate in it.”

The last toy collectionpickup date is Dec. 18. Cashdonations are also welcome.

Oorah! Toys for Tots

U.S. Navy photo by Donna Cipolloni

MarineCorpsCapt. Garrett Blakely stands duty at a Toys for Tots collection site outside a Lexing-ton Park business, Nov. 14. Boxes are in place throughout the community and acrossNASPatux-ent River to collect new, unwrapped toys for less fortunate children in St.Mary’sCounty.

By Carrie GriffinMunnAircraft Launch andRecoveryEquipment (PMA-251)Communications Support

In late October, 16 Sail-ors from USS Gerald R. Ford(CVN 78) became the first inthe fleet officially trained tooperate the ElectromagneticAircraft Launch System (EM-ALS).

The initial 10-day trainingwas created for senior leader-ship either directly involvedwith launching operations orwho perform supervisory du-ties from CVN 78’s V-2 whomaintain the ship’s aircraftlaunch and recovery equip-ment.

These members of theship’s pre-commissioningcrew learned the ins and outsof EMALS during classroominstruction and the realisticexperience of launching air-craft, under normal and ab-normal scenarios, via simu-lation at contractor GeneralAtomics’ (GA) Ship Set Con-trol Lab in SanDiego.

“Being a part of EMALS isa dream come true . this is theultimate to me,” said AviationBoatswain’s Mate (Equip-

ment) 1st Class Earl Fowlkes.“Nine years in [service] and Inever dreamed I’d be workingon something like this.”

EMALS Training LeadTerry Hotz suggested candidfeedback from senior lead-ership attending the initialtraining session would beinstrumental for improvingthe curriculum for future ses-sions, adding many of thosereceiving the training will be

right there to support the ini-tial check-out process andshipboard testing.

“It is incredibly importantthat we provide the absolutebest training possible to thosewho will be responsible forthis critical equipment, en-suring they can safely do theirjob,” Hotz said.

The entire effort to providethe critical training for EMALShas beenone of collaboration,

Hotz explained. PersonnelfromPMA-251,GA, theFutureAircraft Carrier Program Of-fice (PMS-378) and the Centerfor Naval Aviation TechnicalTraining (CNATT) combinedefforts to ensure the trainingcurriculum is comprehensiveand robust.

“There will be much lesswear-and-tear and there is go-ing to be huge cost-savings inthe long-term with EMALS,”said Master Chief AviationBoatswain’s Mate (Equip-

ment) Eric Young, who willsupport the system’s flightdeck certification aboard theFord. “This system doesn’trequire the lube and hydrau-lic fluids that are necessary torun the legacy system. EMALSis much cleaner and easier asa whole. EMALS is less labor-intensive and more user-friendly. The whole system isplug-and-play. If there’s anerror of any kind, we knowwhere it is right away with themaintenance workstation.”

Five more training ses-sions will convene at Lake-hurst between early 2015 andmid-2016, using the EMALStest site, where operators andmaintainers from CVN 78 aswell as CNATT instructorsand Carrier and Field Servicerepresentatives will get upclose and personal with thetechnology. Some of thosecourses are specifically slatedfor Electrician’s Mates and

First Sailors trained on Navy’s newest launch system

Photos courtesy of General Atomics

Sailors fromUSSGeraldR. Ford’s (CVN78) V-2Division, leftto right, AviationBoatswain’sMate (Equipment) Senior ChiefThomasCreaturo, AviationBoatswain’sMate (Equipment) 1stClass Earl Fowlkes andAviationBoatswain’sMate (Equipment)2ndClassDennis Paglingayan test out the Electromagnetic Air-craft LaunchSystem (EMALS)maintenanceworkstation duringan intensive training on the newaircraft launcher lastmonth atGeneral Atomics’ Ship Set Control Lab in SanDiego.

Instructor and training developer Rich Villarreal gives 16 Sailors on USSGerald R. Ford’s (CVN78) pre-commissioning crew an in-depth lesson on the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System(EMALS) lastmonth at General Atomics’ Ship Set Control Lab in San Diego. The crewwill workwith the new systemduring shipboard testing in comingmonths.

Marine support at collection sitesNov. 229-10 a.m., Kmart9 a.m. to 3 p.m.,Wal-Mart

Nov. 289 a.m. to 3 p.m.,Wal-Mart4-6:30 p.m., The Rex, 22695Washington St.,Leonardtown

Nov. 299-10 a.m., Dress Barn9 a.m. to 3 p.m.,Wal-Mart

Toy collection boxes will be available at Dress Barn, Kmart andWal-Mart from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on all three of the dates noted above.

See EMALS, Page 3

By Donna CipolloniNAS Patuxent RiverPublic Affairs

Air Operations Lt. Cmdr.Earl Drey is the 2014 re-cipient of the Adm. MerlinO’Neill Officer of the YearAward recognizing the mostoutstanding junior officer atNAS Patuxent River.

For the second consecu-tive year, Air Operationshas produced the winnerof the award, which honorsoutstanding performance,significant achievement andexceptional qualities of pro-fessionalism not only withinthe military, but also in thesurrounding community.

The recipient is selectedby the NAS executive officer;vice commander of NAW-CAD; and commander, Na-val Test Wing Atlantic.

“We had five highly qual-ified naval officers submit-ted for consideration fromacross the installation,” saidCapt. Scott Starkey, NAS ex-ecutive officer. “Lt. Cmdr.Drey’s package stood out

due to his outstanding lead-ership and volunteerism.”

Drey’s nomination waswritten by Cmdr. Craig Pear-son, Air Operations officer.

“Lt. Cmdr. Drey is anoutstanding Limited DutyOfficer [LDO],” Pearsonsaid. “He worked his way upthrough the ranks and hasa history of superior perfor-mance and selfless commu-nity service. He excels at avery demanding job here atNAS Patuxent River and stillfinds the time and energy tovolunteer within the com-munity. He perfectly match-es what the O’Neill awardrepresents.”

On the job, Drey leadsthe Air Traffic Control Divi-sion comprising 75 Sailors,10 DOD civilian controllersand three flight planningcontractors. He is respon-sible for over 6,500 squaremiles of controlled airspaceand the safe air traffic con-trol (ATC) operations for twoairfields, including the train-ing of 88 ATC professionals.

“His keen leadershipresulted in a streamlinedlong range training plan thatyielded over 13,000 traininghours, 149 qualificationsand 39 supervisor designa-tions,” Pearson wrote in thenomination package. “He’saggressively training moreFlight Watch Supervisors —the highest qualification at-tainable — and his trainingprogram has developed intoa model for all other facilitiesto emulate.”

Additionally, Pearsonnoted that Drey’s drive tocreate opportunities forhis Sailors resulted in threeJunior Sailor of the Yearand Blue Jacket of the Yearawards; the 2013 CNIC AirTraffic Controller of the Year;an 82 percent retention rate;18 advancements and a 100percent LDO selection rate.

In the community, Dreyis an active volunteer at hischildren’s St. Mary’s Countyschool, devoting over 120hours a year at weekly bingoevents, which raise an aver-

age of $7,500 per week andhelp reduce the tuition costsfor lower income families.

Thursday, November 20, 2014 3Tester

On Base:Naval Health Clinic Holiday HoursNov. 28

Naval Health Clinic PatuxentRiver will have access for urgentmedical and dental services until4 p.m., and the pharmacy, labora-tory and radiology closes at noon.After normal clinic hours andon weekends, patients requir-ing medical care are authorizedto seek urgent care in the civil-ian network after consulting withthe Tricare Nurse Advice Line at800-TRICARE (874-2273). NavalHealth Clinic Patuxent River willresume normal operations Dec. 1.During normal clinic hours, callthe clinic directly at 301-342-1506to speak to a nurse who will evalu-ate your symptoms.

Mandatory CounterintelligenceAwareness Briefs9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 26Eagle’s Nest Conference RoomBuilding 2109

These NCIS briefs are man-datory annual training for allDpeartment of Navy military andcivilian personnel. Each brief is 50minutes in duration and beginsevery hour on the hour.

Pax River Clinic Flu VaccineActive-duty military: 8-11:30

a.m. and 12:30-3 p.m. Tuesdaysand Thursdays at the PreventiveMedicine Department.

Eligible beneficiaries and

DOD civilians: 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.weekdays at the ImmunizationClinic.TRICARE beneficiariesenrolled off base can receive theinfluenza vaccination from theirPrimary Care Provider. TRICAREbeneficiaries can also receive theseasonal Influenza vaccine froma TRICARE retail network phar-macy at no cost and without aPrimary Care Manager referral.To find a participating pharma-cy, search http://express-scripts.com/TRICARE/pharmacy/ orcall 877-363-1303.

Drill Hall Courts ClosingDec. 5-6

The Drill Hall basketball andvolleyball courts close at 1 p.m.Dec. 5 to set up for the 37th An-nual Christmas Arts and CraftsFestival, and again from 9 a.m.to 5 p.m. Dec. 6 for the festi-val itself. The indoor pool andGear Issue are not affected andremain open for business. TheBowling Center also remainsopen for normal business from10 a.m. to midnight.

Get Alerts with AtHOCGet base delay and other

emergency notifications withAtHOC. AtHOC messages canbe sent to up to three differentdevices: home and cell phone,TTY/TDD phone, pager, fax, andpersonal and work emails. Mes-sages provide official updates onbase delays and early departures,

as well as other notifications thatmay affect the base populous.Register & update contact op-tions in one of three ways: www.Ready.Navy.mil, click on Stay In-formed and then Wide Area AlertNotification from an NMCI- orOne Net-networked computer;from your NMCI computer, rightclick on the purple globe locatedon the bottom right of the screenfollowed by left clicking “AccessSelf Service”; or call 301-342-6325 with your computer nameand asset tag number.

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

hidden Gnorman the gnome.Anyone spotting Gnorman canemail [email protected] orphone 301-342-4163 now through5 p.m. Friday, and include a briefdescription of where he’s located.All correct answers are enteredinto a drawing and one nameis chosen to win a Center StageTheater movie ticket. The sameperson cannot win more thanonce per month. Last week’s win-ner was Nathan Meddaugh whofound Gnorman on Page 4, sit-ting on the table in the Ready, set,grow photo.

Off Base:

Symphony of Lights OffersMilitary Discount Nights6-10 p.m. Dec. 1 and 8Columbia, Maryland

Symphony of Lights, locatedin Symphony Woods off BrokenLand Parkway in Columbia, of-fers a series of animated andstationary light displays illu-minated by more than 250,000bulbs on a 1.4-mile drive. Mem-bers of the military receive $10off the regular price of admis-sion Dec. 1 and 8; active dutyReservists and retired militarymembers with government-is-sued IDs and their family qual-ify. Regular cost: $20 per car orvan up to eight passengers; $45for commercial vans and mini-buses seating nine to 24 people;and $125 for buses exceeding24 passengers. Visitors can alsoenjoy listening to seasonal mu-sic on the Symphony of LightsFM radio frequency. For moreinformation, visit HYPERLINK“http://www.hcgh.org/” www.hcgh.org/symphonyoflights.

US Naval Academy Seeks ReserveInstructors

The U.S. Naval Academyneeds qualified Navy Reserveofficers, especially at the ranksof lieutenant, lieutenant com-mander and commander, withat least a master’s degree in anappropriate academic disci-pline to instruct in designatedacademic departments for fall2015 and to serve as outstand-ing military role models andmentors for midshipmen. In-terested Navy Reservists should

email the following to [email protected]: a cover letterthat states which discipline(s)he or she is applying for and hisor her qualifications for the po-sition; a résumé of experience;and a full-length khaki photo.For more information, call 410-293-6513.

NEWS BRIEFS

St. Nicholas ChapelService ScheduleCatholic ServicesMass5p.m.Sundays throughOctoberContinuing Catholic Development (CCD)Postponeduntil further notice

Protestant ServicesWorship11a.m.SundayMen’s Discipleship6-7:30p.m.SundayReligiousProgrammingCenterWomen’s Study6-7:30p.m. Tuesdayand10-11:30a.m. ThursdayReligiousProgrammingCenter

Interior Communications Elec-tricians; rates that Hotz said willsee an increase in the number ofbillets due to the electromagnetictechnology employed by EMALS.

“Going from legacy to EMALShas been a seamless transition,”said Chief Aviation Boatswain’sMate (Equipment) ChristopherBoone. “They kept the systemsvery similar and familiar, butmade things much easier as well.”

EMALS is currently being in-stalled and undergoing numerous

subsystem assessments on thepath toward shipboard certifica-tion. The system is slated to makeits debut in the fleet aboard USSGerald R. Ford (CVN 78), sched-uled to deliver in 2016.

“There is a great deal of excite-ment surrounding EMALS and itsimminent debut aboard the Ford,”said Aircraft Launch and RecoveryEquipment Program Office (PMA251) Program Manager Capt. Ste-phen Tedford. “This technologystands to impact the future of na-val aviation for the next half cen-tury and well-trained personnelare critical to its integration in thefleet and continued success.”

EMALSContinued from 2

Photo courtesy of General Atomics

Lt. Sergio Ibarra gives the signal as fellow Sailors fromUSSGerald R.Ford’s (CVN 78) V-2 Division take part in a launch simulation at the first-of-its-kind training on the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EM-ALS) lastmonth at General Atomics’ Ship Set Control Lab in San Diego.

Courtesy photo

Air Operations Lt. Cmdr.Early Drey, NAS PatuxentRiver Air Traffic ControlDivision, received the2014 Adm.Merlin O’NeillOfficer of the Year Awardfor outstanding leadershipand community service ata Nov. 15 luncheon. Theaward is sponsored by theSouthernMarylandChap-ter of theMilitary OfficersAssociation of America.

Adm. O’Neill Award goes to NAS officer

See O’Neill, Page 7


Stay up to datewith us onFacebook

Naval Air Station Patuxent River • [email protected] • 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. Heidi FlemingCommandingOfficer

Capt. Scott StarkeyExecutive 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

All classes are held at theFleet and Family SupportCenter in Building 2090 offBundy Road unless otherwisenoted. Classes are open toactive-duty and retired mili-tary and Reservists. Reserva-tions are necessary and canbe made at FFSC or by calling301-342-4911.

Classes:SAPR Refresher Training:

1-3 p.m. Nov. 25

Ready Navy, www.ready.navy.milHazardous weather is pos-

sible any time. Get a free in-formation packet on how to

prepare for hurricanes, se-vere weather and other po-tential emergencies at theFleet and Family SupportCenter.

Exceptional Family MemberProgram (EFMP)

EFMP is a DOD programthat addresses the specialneeds of military families.Sailors with an exceptionalfamily member — a familymember with special needssuch as a medical or educa-tional disability — are en-couraged to enroll in theEFMP so the Navy can do itspart in caring for EFM needs.

Email James Lettner at [email protected].

Clinical Counseling ServicesClinical Counseling ser-

vices can directly improvethe quality of life of servicemembers and their family byaddressing the stressors fac-ing today’s military. To makean appointment with a coun-selor, call 301-342-4911 or202-685-6019.

Financial Counseling ServicesThe Personal Financial

Educator can help individu-als and families in manag-ing their finances, resolving

financial problems and toreach long-term goals. Takecontrol of your finances andmake an appointment witha counselor by calling 301-342-5442.

Find Your CommandOmbudsman

Find out who your Om-budsman is. Visit www.om-budsmanregistry.org, clickon “Contact Your Ombuds-man” and follow the prompts,or call 301-757-1861 to speakwith the NAS Patuxent RiverOmbudsman Coordinator.

FFSC

Thanksgiving HoursBowling Center: ClosedNov. 27; normal

hoursNov. 28Cedar Point Golf Course: 7:30 a.m. to 3

p.m.Nov. 27; normal hoursNov. 28Center StageTheater: ClosedNov. 27;

normal hoursNov. 28ChildDevelopment Center: ClosedNov.

27; normal hoursNov. 28CustomizedCreations: ClosedNov.

25-28Drill Hall: ClosedNov. 27; 9 a.m. to 5

p.m.Nov. 28Energy Zone: ClosedNov. 27; 11:30 a.m.

class onlyNov. 28Fleet and Family Support Center: Closed

Nov. 27; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.Nov. 28Housing: ClosedNov. 27; 6:30 a.m. to 3

p.m.Nov. 28ITT: ClosedNov. 27 and 28Liberty: Normal hours throughout

holidayNavyGateway Inns and Suites: Open

24/7NRC Solomons Admin and Lodging:

ClosedNov. 27; normal hoursNov. 28RassieurYouth Center: ClosedNov. 27;

normal hoursNov. 28River’s Edge and Eddie’s locations:

ClosedNov. 27 and 28West BasinMarina: ClosedNov. 27;

normal hoursNov. 28

River’s Edge

Thanksgiving Dinner Prepared to GoLet the River’s Edge handle the cook-

ing for your Thanksgiving Feast! Pack-ages available for families of all sizesstarting at $89.99 for a dinner for four.The River’s Edge is accepting ordersuntil Nov. 21 by phone at 301-342-3656;payment is due when order is placed. Allorders are available for pick up on Nov.25 or 26 andmust be picked up by 5 p.m.

Customized Creations

37th Annual Arts and Crafts Festival10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 6

Over 175 local vendors offering hand-made crafts with no admission fee. Thisevent is open to the public. Shuttle areavailable at the Frank Knox Building park-ing lot just south of Gate 2 next to theCedar Point Federal Credit Union for allpersons without base access. All foreignnationals who wish to attend the eventmust be vetted through base security atleast oneweek prior to the event.

MWRBy Donna CipolloniNAS Patuxent RiverPublic Affairs

Missing home?The holidays can be a particu-

larly lonely time for anyone awayfromhome, but if you’re unable togather around the table and enjoythe festivities with your own fam-ily, there are plenty of members inthe community surrounding NASPatuxent River who are openingtheir doors and inviting servicemembers to join them for Thanks-giving and Christmas.

And, if your penchant forfamily ties extends beyond theholidays, there are a number offamilies already registered withOperation Homeport, just waitingforwilling servicemembers to takeadvantage of their hospitality andfriendship throughout the year.

Operation Homeport is a pro-gram where single unaccom-panied service members can besponsored by host families in thelocal community. Its purpose isto give junior service memberssomething to do and somewhereto go when they’re not on duty.

“We want to introduce themto people who can provide friend-ship and be positive role models,”

explained Lt. Helen Teague, N9deputy director and host familyprogramdirector. “Wewant to cre-ate an environment in which theycan prosper, have fun and relax.”

NAS Command Master ChiefJeffrey Owejan participated insimilar host family programs backin themid-90s, while serving over-seas in Europe and the MiddleEast.

“I personally saw benefit in theprogram for a number of reasons,”Owejan explained. “First, I reallyhad nothing better to do for theholidays while moored pier-sideon deployment. Second, I figuredI could meet new and interest-ing people who were willing andexcited to host me at their homefor the holidays. In particular,I’d meet great supporters of themilitary, have an experience and ameal, plus build a new friendshipor bond. Lastly, I knew the familieswere screened, so I also felt safe indoing so.”

Service members wishing toshare the approaching holidayswith a host family can contactOwejan at [email protected] or 301-342-1038.

Anyone interested in becom-ing part of the ongoing Operation

Homeport programcan visitwww.cnic.navy.mil/patuxent; then clickon the Operation Homeport iconin the column on the right-handside. There, they will find furtherinformation regarding the pro-gram, plus a questionnaire to befilledout thatwill helpmatch themupwith anappropriate family. Ser-vicemembers canalso contactCu-linary Specialist 2nd Class JeremyAndersen, host family programco-ordinator, at [email protected] or 301-995-2574 for infor-

mation andassistancewith gettinginvolved in the program.

“The families who’ve offeredto open their homes are willingto include a service member intheir lives and maybe take themsomewhere once in a while so thatthey aren’t sitting at home alone,”Teague said. “It can be a positiveexperience, if given a chance.”

Hard copies of the OperationHomeport application can also befound at the barracks or LibertyCenter.

Community offers service members a home away from home

Photo illustration by Dave Cardinale

Operation Homeport, a programpairing single, unaccompanied Sailorsat NAS Patuxent River with sponsoring families in the community, is nowseeking applicants.


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BY: JEFF TOMCSIKResearch Reporter

If you’re lucky enough to have a jobthat provides dental insurance youshould know what’s covered and whathappens if you don’t take advantage ofthe coverage you are provided. Dentalinsurance is not a required insurance forbusinesses to provide. In fact manybusinesses offer dental coverage at thesole expense to the employee throughpaycheck deductions. Whether you oryour employer is paying for thecoverage, you need to know what’scovered andwhat’s free.

Almost without exception, all dentalinsurances provide their insuredindividuals and families with twoprophylaxis (traditional) dentalcleanings per year, provided they are sixmonths apart, at no cost to the patient.They will also cover the necessary x-rays, doctor’s exam, education, andoften time fluoride, sealants and otherpreventative services. Depending onthe age of the patient and the insurancecoverage the patient has, these are at nocost to the insured party and it has noeffect on their annual limits.

With most insurance plans these arethe only procedures that are fullycovered as they are consideredpreventative procedures. In otherwords, your dental insurance companyknows that preventative measures (i.e.dental cleaning, fluoride, sealants) areessential to avoiding very expensiverestorative procedures. Restorativedentistry is expensive for both theinsurance company and the individualgetting the procedures done. Dentalinsurance companies are very smart.They’ve done themath. They know it ismuch less expensive (more profitable)for them to provide you with freecleanings than it is to assist in thepayment of restorative care to bringyourmouthback to goodhealth.

The cost to a dental insurancecompany to have your teeth cleanedranges from $70 - $200. The cost to theinsurance company for you to have twocrowns could be well over $1500. Yourout-of-pocket cost for the same twocrowns, even with dental insurance,could easily be over $1000 dependingon the coverage you have and yourannual limits. So it is in the best interestfor you and the insurance company thatyou get your teeth cleaned as prescribedby the dentist, as regular cleanings andpreventativemaintenance are proven toreduce the risk of decay and damage tothe teeth andgums.

If you do need restorative care, suchas fillings, root canal therapy,periodontal treatment, or crowns yourinsurance company has negotiatedspecial fees for you with the dentist, aslong as they are a “preferred provider”dental office with your carrier. Thismeans your dentist agrees to charge youthe discounted fee that was prearrangedwith the insurance company. Yourinsurance company will cover themajority of those fees until your annuallimit is reached. Your annual limit is the

amount of money your employer andinsurance company has agreed to payfor your restorative treatment under theinsurance terms defined by theemployer agreement. Most insurancecompanies will cover between $1000and $2500 worth of treatment per year.If you don’t use your benefit that yearyou lose it.

The “use it or lose it” policy is howdental insurance companies make theirmoney. They are charging you a feeevery month that comes out of yourpaycheck, or from your employer. Theycollect that fee knowing that a portion ofitmay go to restorative dentistry. If yourmouth is in good health, you both win.They keep the money you paid eachmonth and you never have out-of-pocket costs for your preventative care.On the other hand, if you have

restorative care that needs to be done,they’ve set a limit to the loss they arewilling to accept (your annual limit).But, if you put off needed dentistry andthe year expires, so does your benefit.

In other words, if you have a $1500annual limit and you have $3000 worthof dentistry that needs to be done youcan take full advantage of yourinsurance benefit by having half thedentistry done in the current year andthe other half in the beginning of thesecond year. Conversely, if you are thetype of person to put off dentistry foryears, you could end up having atreatment plan for over $10,000. Yourinsurance company will still only paythe annual limit. The rest becomes yourresponsibility. Situations like theseoften times end up with the patientneglecting care due to the cost. The endresult is usually a very sad health and

esthetic situation for those who neglecttheir care for so long.

In these instances it is important tonot give up hope and let finances standin theway of your health. Workwith ourdental office and your insurancecompany to come upwith an affordableplan to get back your smile and restoreyour health. A good dental practice willhave multiple options for helping youpay for your treatment while workingwith your insurance.

It is in your best interest to go to thedentist twice a year for all of yourpreventative care and get other dentalwork done as needed. The longer youput off dentistry the more you will payin the long run. Don’t let your dentalinsurance company keep yourmoney.

Are You Getting Your Money’s Worth?

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Thursday, November 206:30 p.m.,The Best of Me

(Rated: PG-13, 1 hr.58 mins.) The story ofDawson and Amanda,two former high schoolsweethearts who findthemselves reunited af-ter 20 years apart, whenthey return to theirsmall town for the funer-al of the beloved friend.Their bittersweet re-union reignites the love

they’ve never forgotten,but soon they discoverthe forces that drovethem apart twenty yearsago live on, posing evenmore serious threats to-day. Spanning decades,this epic love storycaptures the enduringpower of our first true

love, and the wrenchingchoices we face whenconfronted with elusivesecond chances.

Friday, November 216:30 p.m., JohnWick

(Rated: R, 1 hr. 41mins.) An ex-hitman

comes out of retirementto track down the gang-sters that took everythingfrom him. With New YorkCity as his bullet-riddledplayground, John Wick isa fresh and stylized takeon the “assassin genre”.

9 p.m., Fury(Rated: R, 2 hrs. 14

mins.) April, 1945. Asthe Allies make their fi-nal push in the Euro-pean Theatre, a battle-hardened army sergeantnamed Wardaddy com-mands a Sherman tankand her five-man crew ona deadly mission behindenemy lines. Outnum-bered and outgunned,

and with a rookie soldierthrust into their platoon,Wardaddy and his menface overwhelming oddsin their heroic attemptsto strike at the heart ofNazi Germany.

Saturday, November 224 p.m.,The Book of Life

(Rated: PG, 1 hr. 25mins.) This film is a vi-brant fantasy-adventure,tells the legend of Mano-lo, a conflicted hero anddreamer who sets off onan epic quest throughmagical, mythical andwondrous worlds in orderto rescue his one true loveand defend his village.

6:30 p.m., Ouija(Rated: PG-13, 1 hr. 30

mins.) A group of friendsmust confront their mostterrifying fears when theyawaken the dark powersof an ancient spirit board.

9 p.m., JohnWick(Rated: R, 1 hr. 41

mins.)

Sunday, November 232 p.m.,The Book of Life

(Rated: PG, 1 hr. 25 mins.)

Monday, November 24 andTuesday, November 25

Theater is not open

Wednesday, November 266:30 p.m., Ouija

(Rated: PG-13, 1 hr. 30mins.)


CENTER STAGE THEATERl 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 foradmission

Scan to seemore MWR events

on Facebook.

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1,500 volunteer hours helpedencourage physical fitness, in-crease motor skills and buildself-confidence in the 235athletes with disabilities whotook part in the games. Amongother jobs, Sailors and civiliansassigned to installation com-mands served as coaches orassistant coaches in soccer, cy-cling, basketball, snowshoeing,swimming, track, kayaking andvolleyball.Theirparticipation isa year-round commitment.

This is the 16th year PaxRiver has eitherwonor received

an honorable mention in theEnvironmental Stewardshipcategory.

Environmental Divisionstaff members — comprisingfish and wildlife biologists, for-esters, archaeologists, environ-mental engineers, geologists,chemists and hydro geologists— provided over 1,400 volun-teer hours of educational assis-tance to St. Mary’s and CalvertCounty residents, includingmore than 2,000 students.

Their myriad programs,classes, exhibits and specialactivities not only educate, butencourage environmental pro-tection and demonstrate howthe Navy preserves and pro-

tects the natural and culturalresources entrusted to its care.

“Volunteering and commu-nity service is ingrained in ourDNA here at Pax River, whichsaysa lotabout thequalityofourpersonnel,”saidNASCommandMaster Chief Jeffrey Owejan.“Their hard work and desire toserve is tremendous, and I’m soproud that their tireless effortshavebeen rewarded.”

Pax River, as an NDW re-gionalwinner,will nowadvanceto the Navywide competitionfor the USS Bainbridge Award,presented to theoneNavy com-mandthatexhibitsoverall excel-lence in community service.

AWARDContinued from 1

The additional 35 hours ofgroundskeeping he performedalso saved the school money inlandscaping costs.

Perhaps even more impor-tant than Drey’s own com-munity service, is his ability tofoster volunteerism in others.Within in the last year, the Sail-ors in his division accumulatedover800 totalman-hoursof vol-unteer service.

“Lt. Cmdr Drey approaches

every situationwitha levelheadand a calm demeanor,” saidMaster Chief Air Traffic Con-troller Dan Tobias, ATC lead-ing chief petty officer. “Trulyone of the best, he inspires hisSailors by leading by exampleand showing them that caringfor others is an essential partof a rewarding lifestyle. It’s anhonor to servewith him.”

Never seeking recogni-tion, Drey was humbled by theaward.

“A true volunteer knowsthat making a difference in

someone’s life is gratifyingenough,” Drey said. “I won thisaward against many other fineofficers and it’s a great honorto be chosen from such a selectgroup.”

Drey received his award ata luncheon Nov. 15, accompa-nied by his children and wife,Lt. Cmdr. Jill Maldarelli-Drey,associate director of qualitymanagement at Naval HealthClinic Patuxent River, whomherecognizedwith appreciation.

“Without her support, Icouldnotdowhat Ido,”hesaid.

O’NEILLContinued from 3

8 Thursday, November 20, 2014Tester Thursday, November 20, 2014 Tester 9

TransitionAssistanceProgram

Résumé writing classesInterview skills andpreparationJob search assistanceVeterans AdministrationconsultationCareer coaching

Life SkillsClasses/workshops includeStress managementAnger managementNew spouse orientationCouples communica-tionSteps to a strongermarriageEffective communica-tionSuicide prevention andawareness

FamilyAdvocacy andCounseling

Advocacy services toassist adult victims of do-mestic abuseShort term, solution fo-cused marital andIndividual counseling

New ParentSupport ServiceHome visitationParenting instructionLactation instruction/assistanceFree breast pump pro-gramPrenatal/postpartuminstructionHospital visitationChild play group

Sexual AssaultPrevention And

Response Program(SAPR)

Immediate 24/7 advoca-cy services to victims ofSexual assaultVictim advocate accom-paniment during medical,Investigative and legalprocessPrevention and aware-ness educationProvides military and ci-vilian resources

IndividualAugmenteeSupport

IA preparation classesReturn and reunionclasses

Photo illustration by Shawn Graham


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

PRNAM Third Thursday Night at the MuseumNov. 20

Come by the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum to takeadvantage of our third Thursday late nights. See our im-proved exhibit area and hang out for a while before youhead home. PRNAMwill remain open until 7:30 p.m. Joinus after hours with the purchase of a regular admission:$5 per person; $3 active-duty military and seniors over 65years; museummembers free. Food and drink available.

Christmas on the Square and Annual Tree Lighting5 p.m. Nov. 28Leonardtown Square

Holiday festivities, music, entertainment, sleigh rides,live Nativity and Santa’s arrival. Raindate: Nov. 29, toconsist of the tree lighting only at 7 p.m.

Hearth and Home in Early Maryland11 a.m. Nov. 28-29Historic St.Mary’s CityVisitor Center

Explore the colonial table and discover how Mary’adfirst citizens celebrated the harvest. Free.

Christmas by the BayDec. 1 through Jan. 4St. Clement’s Island Museum

The exhibit features doll collections from the Black-eyed Susan and Southern Maryland Doll Clubs. Dollsare arranged to depict Christmas scenes and vignettes ofChesapeake coastal living in the early 20th century. Cost:$3, adults; $2, senior citizens and military with ID; $1.50,youths ages 6-18; free, children ages 5 and younger. Dec.1-19 hours: noon to 4 p.m.Wednesdays through Sundays;Dec. 20 through Jan. 4hours: 10 a.m. to 4p.m. daily. ClosedChristmas Eve, Christmas Day andNewYear’s Day.

Military Exhibits at Piney Point LighthouseBegins Dec. 1

Military exhibits fill the lighthouse keeper’s quarters andfeature theU.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy,War of 1812,WorldWar II and theU. S. CivilWar. The keeper’s quarters are notnormally open to the public so this is a chance to look in-side. Cost: $7 adults; $3.50 senior citizens, military with ID,and youths ages 6-18; free, children ages 5 and younger.Admission includes the holiday exhibit, and tour of themuseum, Potomac RiverMaritime Exhibit and Piney PointLighthouse tower.Dec. 1-19 hours: noon to 4p.m.Wednes-days throughSundays;Dec.20 throughJan.4hours:10a.m.to 4 p.m. daily. The exhibits and tours are closed ChristmasEve, ChristmasDay andNewYear’s Day.

PRNAM: MQ-4C Triton Panel and Reception5-7 p.m. Dec. 4Patuxent River Naval Air Museum

The Patuxent Partnership and The Association of Na-val Aviation’s Squadron No. 18 invite you to an “MQ-4CTriton: Naval Aviation’s Unmanned Maritime Solution”panel and reception. Cost: $10 in advance or $15 at thedoor. Register online at http://paxpartnership.org/in-dex.cfm?action=CL2&Entry=1450 <http://stmarysmd.us8.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=90313f082a6c8954fb8a6bc60&id=6affd08612&e=4f2a93b7e9> .

Calvert County:www.calvertcountymd.us

Maritime Concert Series: Bumper Jacksons7:30 p.m. Nov. 21Calvert Marine MuseumHarms Gallery

Bumper Jacksons is deeply rooted in their love forjazz, blues, swing, and old-time country. They are play-fully creative with their originals and unafraid to scraptogether new sounds from the forgotten late 70s. Doorsopen at 7 p.m. with beer and wine for sale. Tickets are$10 at the door; cash or check only.

Ornament Show and Sale10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Jan. 3Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Arts Center

This juried show featuring hand-crafted ornamentsby 20 regional artists is the perfect place to find uniqueand affordable gifts.Visitors shop off the trees and taketheir purchases to the gift shop.

AROUND TOWN

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Visit DCMilitary.com/CFCfor a complete preview anda full list of participatingcharities that need yoursupport through donationsto help those in need.

Please support theirefforts and donate today!

The Combined Federal Campaign is Underway!

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