Road Runner Staff

Cmdr. Derek WessmanCommanding Officer

Cmdr. Michael MosbrugerExecutive Officer

CMDCM(SCW/SW) Eric ColeCommand Master Chief

MC1(AW) Adrian MelendezPublic Affairs Officer

Editor/Layout and Design

The Road Runner is a monthlynewslet-ter produced by the U.S. Navy Recruit-ing District Phoenix Public Affairs. It is intended primarily, but not exclusivly, for the use, information and entertain-ment of it’s active duty and reserve members, civilian employees and their families. Any views exspressed herin are not necessarily the official postions of the U.S. Navy. The Road Runner staff encourages feedbacl from it’s readers. Please submit all articles, suggestions, ideas, comments, photos, compliments or complaints to MC1(AW) Adrian Melendez at adrian.b. melendez@navy.mil.

Inside This Issue

Page 3 RDAC

Page 4 Spartans

Page 6 Training

Page 8 Around the Fleet

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COMMAND CORNERStay HungryCmdr. Derek WessmanNRD Phoenix, Commanding Officer

ThisismyfinalRoadRunnerarticle.Iwriteitwithbothsadnessandjoy-sadnessbecauseitsignifiestheendofatremendouslyenrichingtourandjoybecauseNRDPhoenixisonapathtogreatness.Justlookatthefollowingpagesofawards!WebeganFiscalYear2013withonegoal–“ToBe#1!”Afterthefirstquarter,that’sexactlywherewestand.Why?It’ssimple…Becauseofyourhardworkanddedicationtoeachotherandourmission.I’mcontinuallyimpressedwiththepro-fessionalismofeverymemberofourNRDPhoenixFamily.Eachofyoutrulytakesownershipofyourrolesandpromotesacultureofdisciplinebasedonourguidingprinciplesofpro-activeness,teamwork,transpar-encyandtrust.Thatisthekeytoourcurrentsuccess.“Inlifeweareoftenfacedwithtwochoices.Oneofthemiseasy,buttheonlyrewardisthatitwaseasy.”(Unknown)Beingpartofachampionshipteamisnevereasy…Yourhardworkismakingadiffer-

ence. I’dliketotakethisoppor-tunitytowelcomeaboardournewXO,CDRMichaelMosbruger,whocomestousafterfiveyearsatthePentagononboththeCNOStaffandtheSecretaryofDefenseStaff.Hehitthegroundrunningandisalreadymakingsignificantcontributionstoourteam.Welcomeaboard! OnMarch8,IwillturnovercommandofNRDPhoenixtoCDRAlexOrtiz,anoutstandingNavalOf-ficerwhoneedsnointroduction,buttowhomIoweatremendousdebtofgratitude.Hehasbeenmysound-ingboardeverystepoftheway.Icouldn’thaveaskedforabetterExecutiveOfficerandhewillbeanevenbetterCommandingOfficer.ItiswithconfidencethatIwillgivethe“con”tosuchacompetent,trustwor-thyanddeterminedleader. IthastrulybeenanhonorandhumblingexperiencetoservealongsideeachandeveryoneofyouasyourCommandingOfficer.NRDPhoenixiscurrentlyheadandshouldersabovethecompetitionandonthevergeof“explosivegrowth,”acrossthefullspectrumofourmis-sion.However,thiswillonlyhappenifwestaytruetotheprinciplesthatgotushere.It’sgoodtobe#1,ofcourse,butonlyifwe’veearneditandourintegrityisintact.Don’tletcomplacencyorshrinkingbudgetsgetintheway.Finally,continuetolookoutforyourShipmatesbyadheringtoourNavyCoreValuesofHonor,CourageandCommitment-BeHonest,BeYourselfandBeThere…andtheresultwillBe#1!StayHungry! Skipper

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TheRecruitingDistrictAssistanceCouncil(RDAC)recentlyheldtheirsemi-annualluncheonattheEastValleyInstituteofTechnology(EVIT)onDecember6,2012.Thecounciliscomprisedoflocalbusinessleaders,educators,NavyLeaguemembers,andmilitaryguestwhogatheredtobothnetwork,andforgeideasthatfurtherlendsupporttoourfieldrecruitingstaff.

Offeringtheopeningremarks,CommanderDerekWessman,CommandingOfficerofNavyRecruitingDistrictPhoenixandMr.DaveCollins,theRDACChairmanpresentedthecouncilasummaryoftheon-goingoperationsofourNavy’sglobalfootprint.WessmanwentontofurtherprovidethecouncilwithasnapshotandoverallupdateofNRDPhoenix’scommandobjectives,missionsuccess,andchallengesinboththecurrentandthepastfiscalyear.CommanderWessmanfurtherexpressedhissincereappreciationtoeachRDACmemberandthedirectpositiveimpactthecouncilhas

hadwithhisfieldrecruitersandheadquartersstaffalike.Chiefly,CommanderWessmannotedthespecificaccomplishmentsofthecouncil’smeasurableimpactincriticalmissionareassuchasofficerinterviews,highschoolandtechnicalcampusaccess,ScienceTechnologyandMath(STEM)initiatives.

CommanderWessmanconcludedhisremarksbypresentingPaul“Doc”JohnsonwithaplaqueofappreciationforhostingtheluncheonandhisunwaveringsupportoftheNavyrecruitingmission.Johnson,aretiredChiefHospitalCorpsman,currentlyservesastheCampusDirectoratEVITandacceptedtheawardonbehalfofhisstaffandstudents.“Doc”,indescribinghiscampus,alsonotedthattheimpressiveluncheonwascoordinated,prepared,andservedentirelybyhisculinaryartsdepartmentstudents.JohnsonalsointroducedtothecouncilhiskeystaffmembersanddepartmentchairsatEVIT,andalsonotedseveralNavyrecruitinginitiatives

currentlyongoingandinthefuturethroughoutthecampusrespectively.

Aftertheluncheon,thecouncilhadtheopportunitytobreak-outintotheirrespectivecommitteestofurthernetwork,forgeideas,andfosterrelationships.Inclosing,RDACChairmanDaveCollinsdescribedtheRDACsstrategicplantoeachcommitteerespectivelyandclosedwith“Intheend,therelationshipbetweenourlocalcommunityandtheNavyisavitalandimportantpartofwhatmakesourRDACwork.”

NRD Phoenix Hosts RDAC LuncheonBy Daymond Howell

On The CoverEquipment Operator 1st Class Alana Siegwald stands proudly as part of the Navy Recruiting District (NRD) Phoenix Color Guard, during the retirement ceremony of Cryptologic Technician (Collection) 1st Class Charles Dodd at Wesley Bolin Memorial Park in Phoenix, Ariz., Jan. 18. The Color Guard is looking for volunteers, from local Phoenix Navy recruiting stations, to be part of the command’s color guard team and represent America’s Navy at ceremonies and sporting events throughout the valley. Interested Sailors should contact EO1 Siegwald at alana.siegwald@navy.mil for more information. (U.S. Navy photo by MC1 Adrian Melendez)

ThreeSailorsfromNavyRecruitingStationAlbuquerqueparticipateintheannualSpartanRaceinPhoenix,Ariz.,Feb.10. NavyCareerCounselor1stClassWillieHerron,Electrician’sMate1stClassCecilDeveau,andYeoman2ndClassAdriannaGonzalezmadethesixhourdrivefromAlbuquerquetoparticipateinthe4.7raceandobstaclecourse,whichconsistoftestingpartici-pantsstrengthandstaminabyhav-ingthemclimbropes,crawlthroughmudandcarrysandbags. Herronsaidhehasdoneothermud-basedracesbefore,buttheSpartanRacewashisfirstobstaclecourseandthedifficultyliveduptohisexpectations.

“TheracewaseverythingIexpectedittobeandIlookforwardtodoingitagainnextyear,”saidHerron. BecauseofthedifferentobstaclesallthreeSailorshadtheirstrengthsandweaknessesthrough-outtherace,andifanyparticipantfailedtoaccomplishanobstacletheywererequiredtodoasetof

squatthrust,or“Burpees”,tomakeupforthefailure.

Gonzalezsaidthemostdifficultpartforherwastryingtoclimbupa30-footrope2milesintothecourse.“Iexpectedtobeabletoclimbtherope,soIwasa

littledisappointedtohavetodotheburpees

instead,”Shesaid.“I’mgoingtotrainmoreonmyupperbodyandcomebackstrongernexttimeandclimbtherope.” Throughallthedifficultyofthecourse,allthreeSailorsfinished

theracetiredandingreatspirits. “Theobstacleswereablast,”saidGonzalez.“Ilikedrun-ningupallthehillsbecauseitwasreallychallenging.” “Ithinkwedidprettywell,”saidHerron.“Ican’twaitfornextyear.”

Albuquerque Recruiters Compete in Annual RaceBy MC1 Adrian Melendez

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AllthroughthemonthofJanuarytheNavyRecruitingDistrictPhoenixchainoffcommandtravelledthroughoutthedivisionsgivingannualtraining,aswellasrecognizingthehardworkSailorshavebeendoingthroughoutthedistrictduringthelastfiscalyear. Someofthetraininggivenincludedresponsibleuseofalcohol,suicideawareness,andSexualAssaultPreventionResponse-Fleet(SAPR-F). TheSAPR-FisafleetwidemandatedtrainingaimedatteachingSailorshowtorecognizethesignsandpreventsexualassaultbeforeithappens. “Itisimperativethatwedisruptthecontinuumofharmre-sultingfromsexualassault,”saidChiefofNavalPersonnel,ViceAdm.ScottVanBuskirk,inaNAV-ADMINreleasedNovember2012.“EverySailorhasaresponsibilitytomakeadifferenceandpreventthiscrime.” ChiefNavyCareerCoun-selorToniaBranco,SAPRadvo-cateforAlbuquerqueandElPaso,assistedinfacilitatingthetraining,andechoedVanBuskirk’scallto

stopsexualassaultinAmerica’sNavy. “Ihopefromthisdayforwardyouhavethehonor,cour-ageandcommitmenttostopwhatshouldbestoppedandbethatdif-ference,”saidBrancotoagroupofSailorsfromDivision2inElPaso,Texas. NRDPhoenixCommandingOfficer,Cmdr.DerekWessman,attendedeachoftrainingsessions

acrossthedistrictnotonlytoreiteratetheimportanceofthetraining,butalsotorecognizetheSailorsforalltheirhardworkduringtheyearandtheamountofpridehehasforalltheaccomplishmentsthedistrictaccomplishedasateam,includingtheRecruiting“R”,Enlisted“E”andOfficer“O”.

Lt. Peter Rancourt, and Chief Navy Career Counselor Tonia Branco, train Sailors from Navy Recruiting District Phoenix’s Division 5 on the Navy’s Sexual Assault prevention Response-Fleet (SAPR-F) in Tucson, Ariz., Jan. 10. SAPR-F is fleet-wide mandated training, aimed at educating Sailors how to prevent, and report, sexual assault in America’s Navy.

NRD Phoenix Conducts Annual All-Hands Training, Awards CeremonyStory and Photo by MC1 Adrian Melendez

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WASHINGTON-TheNavyjoinsthenationincelebratingWomen’sHistoryMonthduringthemonthofMarch,asannouncedinNavalAdministrativemessage039/13,releasedFeb.22. CommandsarestronglyencouragedtoincreasetheirknowledgeandawarenessofthecontributionsofwomentoourNavyandnationbycelebratingthenationalWomen’sHistoryMonththeme,“WomenInspiringInnova-tionthroughImagination:Celebrat-ingWomeninScience,Technol-ogy,EngineeringandMathematics(STEM)”throughprograms,exhib-its,publications,andparticipationinmilitaryandcommunityevents. OneNavySTEMpioneerincludesGraceMurrayHopper,whowantedtoputherPh.D.inMathematicstouseforhernationinthemidstofWorldWarII.In1943,shejoinedtheNavalRe-servesandwascommissionedasalieutenantin1944.DuringWorldWarIIsheworkedattheBureauofOrdnanceComputationProjectatHarvardUniversityandattheendofthewarjoinedtheHarvardfaculty.Retiringasarearadmi-ral,Hopper,wasrecognizedasa

pioneercomputerprogrammer,theco-inventorofCommonBusinessOrientedLanguage(COBOL),andforcoiningtheterm“bug”forcomputermalfunctions.HopperwasburiedatArlingtonNationalCemeteryin1992.USSHopper(DDG70)wascommissionedashernamesakein1997;thiswasonlythesecondNavywarshiptobenamedafterawoman. AlsoduringWorldWarII,theNavylaunchedtheWomenAcceptedforVolunteerEmergencyService(WAVES)program.AlongwithHopper,morethan85,000WAVESworkedinSTEMfieldsasairtrafficcontrollers,cryptologists,draftsmen,meteorologists,andtranslatorsduringWorldWarII. InDecember2012,historywasmadeintheNavy’snuclear

communitywhenLieutenantJuniorGradeMarquetteLeveque,assignedtothegoldcrewofUSSWyoming(SSBN742),andLieutenantsJuniorGradeAmberCowanandJenniferNoonanofUSSMaine(SSBN741)bluecrewbecamethefirstfemaleunrestrictedlineofficerstoqualifyinsubma-rinesandreceivetheirSubmarineWarfareInsignia,alsoknownas“dolphins.” TodayintheNavy,femaleofficersfill10percentofSTEMpositions,includingengineeringdutyofficersandinformationwar-fareprofessionals.FemaleenlistedSailorsmakeup22percentofthecryptologyandintelligencecom-munityand21percentofopera-Women Continued OnPage 9

Women at the Helm: Celebrating 2013 Women’s History MonthBy Chief Operations Specialist Jessica Myers, Navy Office of Women’s Policy

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tionalratings,includingaviationwarfaresystemsoperatorsandsonartechnicians.FemaleSailorscontinuetoexcelbothashoreandafloat,servinginvariousSTEMrelatedfields.Morethan54,000activedutywomenandmorethan10,000femaleReservistsareserv-ingintheNavy.Theymakeup17.3percentoftheforceandmakeindispensablecontributionstoourmissionandoperations.Nearly59,000womenserveinawiderangeofspecialtiesasNavycivil-ians.ThecurrentNavyTotalForceincludes33activeandReservefemaleflagofficers,67femaleseniorexecutiveservicemembers,56femalecommandmasterchiefs,and6femalecommandseniorchiefsleadingfromthefront. Currently,thetopthreehighest-rankingfemaleofficersintheNavyareViceAdm.CarolPot-tenger,ViceAdm.MichelleHow-ard,andViceAdm.RobinBraun.Pottenger,asurfacewarfareofficer,wasoneofthefirstwomenselectedforseadutyandwentontobecomethethirdcommander,NavyEx-

peditionaryCombatCommand.Howardalsoasurfacewarfareofficer,wasthefirstAfricanAmeri-canwomantocommandashipintheU.S.Navywhenshetookcom-mandofUSSRushmore(LSD47),andin2012shebecamethefirstAfrican-Americanwomantore-ceiveathirdstarinflagrankwithintheDepartmentofDefensewhenshewaspromotedAug.24.Braun,acareernavalaviatorandformercommandingofficerofVR-48,hasmorethan5,800flighthoursinNavyaircraft. Thetopthreehighest-rankingfemaleenlistedleadersintheNavyareFleetMasterChiefJoannOrtloff,FleetMasterChiefAprilBeldo,andForceMasterChiefNancyHollingsworth.ForceMasterChiefAprilBeldo,currentlytheNavalEducationandTrainingCommandForceMasterChief,willmakehistoryastheNavy’sfirstfemaleAfricanAmericanFleetMasterChiefwhensheassumesherpositionastheManpower,Personnel,TrainingandEducation(MPT&E)fleetmasterchieflaterthismonth. TheNavy’s67-strong

SeniorExecutiveServicealsohasastrongSTEMpresenceamongstitsseniormostwomen.CarlaLuc-chino,DepartmentofNavyAs-sistantforAdministrationisthetopfemalecivilianSES.SteffanieEaster,executivedirectorfortheF-35LightningIIJointProgramOffice,holdsabachelor’sdegreeinchemicalengineeringandmaster’sdegreeinengineeringmanagement.EasteriscurrentlyleadingtheF-35LightningIIJointProgram,theDe-partmentofDefense’sinitiativefordefiningaffordableandsustainablefifth-generationstrikeaircraft.

Women Continued FromPage 8

Rights and Empowerment Highlighted in PRT Farah Visit to Radio Television AfghanistanBy Lt. j.g. Matthew Stroup, Radio Television Afghanistan Public Affairs FARAHCITY,Afghani-stan-IncreasingrightsforwomeninsocietyandtheirempowermentoverthepastdecadewasthefocusofconversationduringameetingbetweenrepresentativesfromPro-vincialReconstructionTeam(PRT)FarahandlocalleadersattheRadioTelevisionAfghanistanbroadcastfacilityinFarahCity,Feb.23. ThiswasPRTFarah’sfirstvisittothetelevisionandradiobroadcastfacilityinFarahsince

turningoverwiththepreviousPRTinOctober2012. PRTFarahvisitedtheRTAFarahfacilityasafollowuptoarecentjournalismskillstrainingcourseinFarahledbystafffromthelocaldirectorateofinforma-tionandculturethatbuiltmediacapacityforbothmaleandfemalestudents.Intotal,41students,20ofthemfemale,graduatedfromthecourseataceremonyinFarahCityoneweekago.Oneofthestudents

intheclass,NargasKarimi,isoneoffivefull-timeradiobroadcastjournalistsforRTAFarah.Karimi,whoisalsoasecondyearstudentattheFarahTeacherTrainingInsti-tute,hasattendedmanyjournalismworkshopsbothinFarahandinneighboringHeratprovince. “IlearnedalotaboutmediaandjournalismduringthetrainingworkshopinFarah,”saidKarimi.

PRT Farah Continued onPage 10

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“IactuallylearnedmorethanIthoughtIwould.Itwasreallyben-eficialtraining.” NotlongagoinFarah,inallofAfghanistaninfact,womenwouldn’thavehadtheopportunitytogotoschoolorworkoutsideofthehome.Theycertainlywouldn’thavehadtheopportunitytoworkasaradiopersonalityonalocalradiostation.OnepersonwhoremembersthattimewellistheFarahdirectorofwomen’saffairs,LeilumaSediqui. SediquirecalledatimewhensheworkedasateacherinKabulduringtheTalibanregime.Herdaughterwassickandneededtovisitthedoctor.Atthattime,Sediqui’shusbandwasinPakistanworkingasamerchant,havinglosthispositionasalocalprosecutorundertheTaliban. “Itookmydaughtertoseethedoctor,whowasacousinofmyhusband’s,”saidSediqui.“Whenhestartedtheexaminationonmydaughter,aTalibwassittingbehindmeandnoticedthatIuncoveredmyface.Hewantedtolashmebutthedoctorstoppedhim.Iquicklycoveredmyface.TheseweremydarkesttimesinAfghanistan.” MuchhaschangedsincethattimeinAfghanistan,andwhilewomen’srightsandissuesarecer-tainlynotanafterthought,ideasarechangingwithintheculture. “Ihavebeenthedirectorofwomen’saffairsfortenyears,”saidSediqui.“Forthefirsttwoyears,Ididn’tleavemyoffice.WhentheTalibanwentaway,womenwereabletobeapartofmeetingsandparticipateinsocietyandthegov-ernment.” Sediquibelievesthattherearetwomainreasonsforthe

cultureshiftregardingwomen’srightsinFarah.TheremovaloftheTalibanisthefirstreason,followedbyanincreasedawarenessandunderstandingofwomen’srights.Sediquinotedthatpublicinfor-mationcampaignsandmonthlywomen’srightsseminarsinallofAfghanistan’sprovinceshaveledtoashiftinthemindsetofthepeople.ShealsopointedoutthefactthateachofAfghanistan’sprovincesnowhasadirectorateofwomen’saffairstocontinueprogressintheseareas. Despitetheincreaseinwomen’srightsinFarah,therearestillchallenges.Karimi,whowashelpedbyamalefamilymembertogetherjobatRTAFarah,alsosaidthatnotallofherfamilyandfriendsareentirelysupportive.Sheevennotedthatsomeoneclosetoheraskediftherewasn’tanotherwomaninFarahthatcouldworkontheradio. Herresponse,“ThisiswhatIwanttodo.” Karimi,now25-years-old,spentherformativeyearsinIranasarefugeeduringtheTalibanyears.Despitethechallengesherfamilyfaced,shegrewupwithadreamtobeontelevision.Infact,Karimisaidthatsheusedtofrequentlylookintoamirrorandpretendlikeshewasajournalist.Herdreamsareslowlybecomingherreality. Alongwiththegrowthofwomen’srights,positionsinthemediaarebecomingmoreread-ilyavailableforwomeninFarah,despitealackofopenpositionsonthegeneralmanager’stashkil-adocumentoutliningtheamountofstaffhecanhire.Currently,anotheryoung,Farahiwomanworksonapart-time,volunteerbasisatRTAFarah,producingatelevisionshowaboutchildren.

“ItusedtobethatIwouldnevergetjobrequestsfromwom-en,”saidMohammedHashemOmari,generalmanagerofRTAFarah.“NowIgetrequestsfromwomentoworkhereonaregularbasis.UnfortunatelymytashkilisfullsoIhavenofull-timeposi-tionsformenorforwomen.But,Idomakeanefforttogivejobstowomenwhenpositionsbecomeavailable.” DuringthePRT’svisittotheradioandtelevisionbroad-castcenter,PRTmembershadanopportunitytowatchthroughtheglassasKarimiinterviewedSediquiforaliveradiointerview,aneventthatcertainlywouldn’thaveoccurredtenyearsago.En-gagementslikethisareasignalthatchangeistakingplaceinkeywaysinAfghanistan. Whilemanypeoplearecon-cernedthatthepost-transitionse-curitysituationinAfghanistanwillleadtothelossofgroundgainedonwomen’srightsissues,Sediquiisn’toneofthem. “Therearesomepeoplewhoareafraidofwhatwillhappen[aftertransition],”saidSediqui.“andmaybesecuritywillgetworse.Butwhateverhappenswiththesecuritysituation,themindsetofwomenandpeoplewhohavebeenexposedtowomen’srightswillnotchange.Nobodycanchangeourminds.” PRTFarah’smissionistotrain,advise,andassistAfghangovernmentleadersatthemunici-pal,district,andprovinciallevelsinFarahprovince,Afghanistan.Theircivil-militaryteamiscomprisedofmembersoftheU.S.Navy,U.S.Army,theU.S.DepartmentofStateandtheU.S.AgencyforInterna-tionalDevelopment(USAID).

PRT Farah Continued FromPage 9

EOD School Graduates First Students from Albania, St. Vincent and the Peruvian NavyBy Ensign Elizabeth Allen, Naval School of Explosive Ordnance Disposal Public AffairsEGLINAIRFORCEBASE,Fla.(NNS)--ThefirststudentsfromAlbania,thePeruviannavyandtheislandchainofSt.VincentandtheGrenadinesgraduatedfromtheNa-valSchoolofExplosiveOrdnanceDisposal(NAVSCOLEOD)receiv-ingtheirBasicEODTechnicianqualificationpinsFeb.13. Seventeenstudentscom-pletedtheInternationalExplosiveOrdnanceDisposal(EOD)PhaseIISurfaceCourse,whichbeganAug.2. ElevenofthegraduateswillcontinueintotheUnderwaterOrdnanceDivisionofschoolforathree-weekcourseinidentification,render-safeproceduresanddisposalproceduresforunderwaterord-nance. “Thiscoursewasverychal-lenging,”saidAlbanianArmyCapt.VladiminPica,arecentgraduateoftheinternationalcourse.“Itwasalongcourse,butwiththehelpoftheinstructorsandmyfriendsintheclassandcomingtostudyhall,

Imadeit.” Currently,94countriessendtheirstudentstoNAVSCO-LEODtoreceivetrainingandbasicknowledgeofEOD.Theinterna-tionalstudentsareheldtothesamecurriculumstandardsastheirU.S.counterparts. “Everythingthatneedstobelearnedhastobelearnedattheschool,”explainedPica,whenspeakingofthecurriculumtaughtatNAVSCOLEOD.“Wearen’tal-lowedtotakebookshome.” PettyOfficer3rdClassDamianFranklyn,amemberoftheSt.VincentCoastGuard,isoneofthe11studentscontinuingontotheUnderwaterOrdnancecourseofstudy. “IfeelhonoredthatI’vemadeitsofar,”saidFranklyn.“IwilltaketheknowledgeIlearnedheretohelpteachothersandmakemycountry’ssecuritysystemsstronger.I’moptimisticmycountrywillstartsendingmorestudentstothisschooltoformourownEOD

team.” Theschool’sInternationalMilitaryStudentOfficer,BillyMartin,isinchargeofupto125in-ternationalstudentseachyearwhoattendNAVSCOLEODandistheirliaisonforallissuesinandoutsideoftheclassroom. “HavingstudentsgraduatefromNAVSCOLEODandreturnhomeastheircountries’firstEODtechniciansrepresentsasignificantaccomplishment,”saidMartin.“Theycanreturnhomeknow-ingtheymadeadifferenceattheschoolandwillcontinuetomakeadifferenceperformingEODworkwhencalledupon.” “I’mgladtobegoinghomeandtomeetmytwo-montholddaughter,”addedPica.“TheU.S.governmentandMr.Martinhavebeengreat-I’dliketogiveabig‘thankyou’totheschool.”

(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Derek R. Sanchez)

(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communica-tion Specialist 3rd Class Molly Anne Greendeer)

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