After weeks of review, DefenseSecretary Chuck Hagel has con-cluded budget cuts will requiremost of the department’s civilianemployees to be furloughed be-ginning in July, but that becauseof other efforts to deal with theshortfall, only half of the 22 daysoriginally envisioned as temporarylayoffs will now be necessary.During a town hall meeting

today at the Mark Center inAlexandria, Va., Hagel told De-fense Department employees thatmost will be required to take 11furlough days beginning July 8,one per week, through the end ofthe fiscal year, Sept. 30.Hagel noted that when he took

the oath of office less than threemonths ago, post-sequester planscalled for 22 furlough days. Con-gress allowed the department toshift or reprogram some funds inMarch that cut that number to 14.Now, he said, as maintenance,training, flying hours and ship de-ployments are increasingly af-fected, he had no choice but toauthorize the furloughs.“We kept going back. And finally,

we got to a point where I couldnot responsibly go any deeperinto cutting or jeopardizing ourformations, our readiness andtraining,” he said.In a memo to senior department

leaders, Hagel said he had “veryreluctantly” concluded that majorbudgetary shortfalls triggered by

a $37 billion cut in defense spend-ing for fiscal year 2013 forced adecision he said he deeply re-grets, and one that he acknowl-edged will disrupt lives andimpact DOD operations.However, he credited congres-

sional passage of a defense ap-propriation bill in March in part forhelping to reduce the number ofdays civilians would be temporar-ily laid off by half.It may be possible later in the

year to “knock that back” to aneven lower number, the secretarysaid, but he emphasized that hecould not promise such an out-come.“I won’t promise that,” Hagel

said. “You deserve fair, honest, di-rect conversation about this, andI’m not going to be cute with youat all. This is where we are. We’llcontinue to look at it, [and] we’llcontinue to do everything wecan.”

Naval Construction Battalion Center, Gulfport, Mississippi May 17, 2013Vol. 53 No. 21

www.cnic.navy.mil/gulfport

NMCB 133 BHS CompetitionNMCB 133 BHS Competition

Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 133 participate in anobstacle course during the 4th annual Black Hell Squad (BHS) Competition at the Fit-ness Center on board NCBC Gulfport, May 13. The obstacle course consisted of variousactivities, such as combat carrying techniques, and an ammo can carry. The BHS com-petition is named in honor of the Seabees of NMCB 133 who participated in the Battleof Iwo Jima. (U.S. Navy photo by Utilitiesman Constructionman Alicia Fluty/Released)

By Nick Simeone andKaren ParrishAmerican Forces Press Service

Hagel announcesfewer furlough daysfor DOD employees

Charles Timothy “Chuck” HagelSecretary of Defense

See FURLOUGH page 5

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NCBCCommanding Officer

Capt. Rick BurgessPublic Affairs Officer

Rob MimsEditor

Bonnie L. McGerrMass Comm. Specialist

MCC(SCW/SW/AW) Ryan G. Wilber

Special ContributorsCECN(SCW) Lucinda Moise

UTCN Alicia Fluty

The Seabee Courier is aweekly authorized on-linepublication for members ofthe military services and theirfamilies. Content does notnecessarily reflect the officialviews of the U.S. Govern-ment, the DoD or the U.S.Navy and does not imply en-dorsement thereof. The ap-pearance of advertising in thisnewspaper, including insertsor supplements, does notconstitute endorsement bythe U. S. Government, DoD,the Navy or NCBC Gulfport ofthe products and services ad-vertised. All content in thisnewspaper shall be madeavailable for purchase, use orpatronage without regard torace, color, religion, gender,national origin, age, maritalstatus, physical handicap, po-litical affiliation or any othernon-merit factor of the pur-chaser, user or patron. If aviolation or rejection of thisequal opportunity policy byan advertiser is confirmed,the publisher shall refuse toprint advertising from thatsource until the violation iscorrected. The Seabee Couriersolicits news contributionsfrom military and civiliansources, but the Public Affairsstaff reserves the right to editand/or rewrite material se-lected for publication to con-form with journalismstandards. The deadline formaterial is close of businessevery Friday. Your commentsare always welcome. TheSeabee Courier office is inBuilding 1, Room 205. Themailing address is 4902 Mar-vin Shields Blvd., Code 15,Gulfport, MS 39501. Phone:228-871-3662., Email:seabeecourier@navy.mil

Volunteers needed at Biloxi National Cemetery The Biloxi National Cemetery Memorial Committee is asking for vol-unteers to place approximately 18,000 flags on the gravesides atBiloxi National Cemetery, 400 Veterans Ave., May 25 at 8 a.m. forthe Memorial Day weekend. Military personnel do not need to bein uniform and family members are encouraged to participate. Formore information, please call Liz Burchett at 228-871-2427 or 228-860-8678.

Adoption is a process that cuts alllegal ties between the adopted childand the birth parent and transfersparental authority (e.g., makingmedical, educational, and welfaredecisions for the child) to the adopt-ing parent. While child adoption is the most

common, it is also possible to adoptan adult. Common reasons are forinheritance purposes, to formalizean existing parent/child relationship,or to provide perpetual care for anadult with a disability. Stepparentscenarios are unique. Unless astepparent officially adopts astepchild, both biological parents ofthat stepchild keep their parentalauthority. However, the stepchild isstill eligible for DEERS enrollment ifthe stepparent is the active dutymember. Adoption is different fromguardianship or temporary legal cus-tody because those actions are typi-cally only temporary measuresconcerning a child’s welfare, notpermanent. Adoption is permanent– when a child is legally adopted,that child is treated like a naturalchild born to that family who can in-herit real and personal property. Whether adopting domestically or

from a foreign country, there aretwo methods of adoption: Agencyadoption or Direct Placement/Inde-pendent adoption. An agency adop-tion involves a prospective parentworking with a public agency or li-censed private agency who is taskedwith ensuring that the prospectiveparents are well-matched to thechild’s background, capabilities, andneeds. An independent adoption is

when the birth parent places thechild into an unrelated home by ei-ther identifying an adoptive parenton their own or by using an attorneyor adoption facilitator. An independ-ent adoption cannot take place with-out termination of the birth parent’sparental rights, either through thebirth parent’s voluntary consent orthrough a court’s involuntary termi-nation of the parent’s rights. Inde-pendent adoptions also require fullcompliance with the law, meaningthat it is crucial to seek legal coun-sel before trying to adopt a child vianon-agency adoption. To illustratehow important it is to be aware of astate’s lawful process for adoption,some state laws prohibit a hospitalfrom releasing an infant to someoneother than a natural parent; andother states make it a crime for theadopting parent to pay for any ex-penses associated with the directplacement of the child, includingmedical expenses and home carearrangements. Each state has its own adoption

laws and eligibility criteria that willdictate your options. Adoptionacross state lines means that youmust comply with the laws in bothstates, though neighboring statesoften have compacts with eachother regarding adoption. If youchoose international adoption, eachcountry has specific guidelines andrequirements for prospective par-ents. That being said, the basicsteps for adoption are:Petition: Adoptive parents sign and

file a petition for adoption either inthe county where the child lives,where the adoption agency is lo-cated, or where the adoptive par-ents live.Consent: If the adoption is by con-

sent, the birth parents must ac-knowledge their consent in writing.Some states require children over 12years of age to consent to theiradoption. Under certain circum-stances, consenting parents havethe ability to withdraw consent. Ifthe adoption is based on abandon-ment, then a separate petition fortermination of parental rights mustbe filed with the court.Order of Reference and Home

Study: An order of reference is filedand refers the case to a licensed pri-vate adoption agency or publicagency to conduct a home study.Home studies typically include thebackground history of the adoptiveparents and home situation, recentmedical examinations, and otherpertinent information.Interlocutory Decree: After the

home study is filed, the court issuesan interlocutory decree temporarilygiving the adoptive parents legalcustody of the child. Before a finalorder is issued, there may be a sec-ond home study to assess the place-ment progress.Final Order: The final order of

adoption from the court makes thechild legally one of the family. Afterthe final order, the child’s birth cer-tificate is amended to list the adop-tive parents as the birth parents. Reimbursement: Active duty mem-

bers of the Armed Forces who adopta child under age 18 (includingadoption of a stepchild) are eligiblefor reimbursement of up to $2,000per child for “qualifying expenses.”For multiple adoptions, the maxi-mum reimbursable amount is$5,000 per calendar year. If bothadoptive parents are active duty,only one member is eligible for re-imbursement.

To qualify, the adoption must bearranged through one of the follow-ing: a governmental agency with re-sponsibility under state or local lawfor child placement; or a privateadoption agency authorized by stateor local law to place children foradoption. Qualifying expenses include place-

ment fees, legal fees, and medicalexpenses of the biological motherand child. To make a claim for reim-bursement, the adoptive parentmust submit DD Form 2675 to DFASand also be able to show documen-tation of agency involvement, sub-stantiation of expenses, andfinalization of the adoption. Claims for reimbursement must be

submitted no later than one yearfollowing the date the adoption is fi-nalized. See DODINST 1341.9 andOPNAVINST 1754.4 for further de-tails on reimbursements for adop-tion expenses. Service members who adopt a

child in a qualifying adoption arealso eligible to receive up to 21 daysof non-chargeable leave of absenceto be used in connection with theadoption. The absence must betaken within 12 months followingthe adoption and is granted under acommanding officer’s discretion. Adoption is a legal process that po-

tentially involves state and interna-tional laws. Additionally, anadopting parent’s age, marital statusand years of being married, ethnic-ity and religion, and even incomeare all factors that may impactwhether or not they can adopt. Consult your local legal assistance

office for guidance on where to startand what benefits you can take ad-vantage of when planning to add amember to your family.

Legal: Adoption: How to navigate theprocess of adding to your family

By Lt. Jacqueline Leonard, JAGCLegal Assistance AttorneyPensacola RLSO Southeast

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Aroundthe

Equipment Operator 2nd Class Nadia Norris-Mitchell,student of Naval Construction Training Center (NCTC)Equipment Operator “C” School, surveys the elevationof a berm being constructed at the NCTC Dozer Fieldwith a transit level, while using a Medium Tactical Ve-hicle Replacement (MTVR) dump truck to gain the re-quired height on board NCBC Gulfport, May 9. A transitlevel is invaluable for excavation and foundation workas means of measuring or surveying a location, andfinding the elevation and degree of inclination of ob-jects, such as buildings, trees and fences relative to theplacement of the transit. (U.S. Navy photo by UtilitiesmanConstructionman Alicia Fluty/Released)

Logistics Specialist Seamen Michael Torkelson, left, andHeath Jones, assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Bat-talion (NMCB) 1, inventory Special Containers for MilitaryTransportation that store Table of Allowance (TOA) ma-terials and construction equipment at Warehouse 18 onboard NCBC Gulfport, May 10. Since its inception duringWorld War II, Naval Construction Force (NCF) personnelhave mobilized and shipped organizational constructionequipment, materials, and supplies to support active andreserve units. (U.S. Navy photo by Utilitiesman Construction-man Alicia Fluty/Released)

Center

Mike Green, operations manager/supervisor for Ad-vanced Disposal, gave a presentation on garbage dis-posal and recycling, and demonstrated the placementof a garbage bin to four and five-year-olds enrolled atthe Child Development Center (CDC) on board NCBCGulfport, May 14. Green taught the children aboutthe impact garbage has on the Earth, and to remem-ber the “Three Rs” - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. (U.S.Navy photo by Utilitiesman Constructionman Alicia Fluty andConstruction Electrician Constructionman Lucinda Moise/Re-leased)

“It’s good because it savestime for all parties and de-creases the chance of a mili-tary member being targeted.”

“I think it’s a good ideafinancially.”CE2(SCW) Mac Wilbourn

NMCB 21

Hometown: Brooklyn, N.Y.

“What do you think aboutthe Navy no longer requir-ing vehicle decals?”

BU3(SCW) Brandon Wood

NMCB 1

Hometown: Hodgenville, Ky.

By CECN(SCW) Lucinda MoiseNCBC Public Affairs

Buzz on

the Street

Jennifer Schonwitz

Navy Exchange employee

Hometown: Long Beach, Miss.

“I think it’s a great way tosave money.”

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FF: What single experience during your careerstands out the most and why?MAS: Receiving a full acquittal at a Gen-eral Court-Martial for a client facing lifein the brig. When I was initially detailedas lead counsel I was concerned aboutour chances for a positive outcome, how-ever I made every effort to zealously rep-resent my client and ensure he receivedfull due process. After eight long monthsof traveling to visit my client and the al-leged crime scene, interviewing numer-ous witnesses and experts, filing a recordnumber of motions, countless hours ofpreparation, and proceeding through afull members trial, there was nothing likehearing the members return a verdict ofnot guilty to all charges.

FF: What has been your biggest motivationthroughout your career?MAS: I became interested in the JAGCduring my third year of law school afterI learned of the unique opportunity I hadto use my law degree to serve those whoserve in our Navy. Not only do I have anexciting and rewarding job, but I amproud of what I do and am honored tohave this position.

FF: What advice would you give to futureSailors?MAS: Stay motivated. You will never re-gret putting forth your best effort – nomatter what the actual outcome is, atthe very least you will have the satisfac-tion of knowing you did not sell yourself

or your team short.

FF: What is your favorite thing about workingwith the Seabees?MAS: My favorite part about being sta-tioned with the Seabees is getting to sup-port the members of the Navy who putboots on ground to build and fight. Thehumanitarian projects and assistance of-fered by the Seabees around the UnitedStates and the world are extremely ad-mirable and impressive. I have alsofound that Seabees are always ready andhappy to lend a helping hand to others.

FF: Who was your most influential mentor dur-ing your career, and why? MAS: While I was assigned in a defense

billet, Lt. Laura Bateman was my most in-fluential mentor. One of the most lockedon trial attorneys I have met, she crossedover to the Navy from being a senior Cap-tain Marine Judge Advocate and collabo-rated on several cases with me. Sheemphasized the importance of working asa team, always offering to help a ship-mate who needs it, and never giving upthe fight until the job is done. Sincetransferring to RLSO SE, Lt. Cmdr. BillLucier has been my mentor especially inregards to JAGC career progression andintegrating me into the base. I credithim with providing exceptional guidancefor my military and JAGC professionaldevelopment that will benefit me for therest of my career.

Lt. Maren Alicia Sheppard, JAGC

Region Legal Service Office Southeast

Legal Assistance Attorney

NCBCFRAMES

By CM3(SCW) Katchen Tofil and

UTCN Alicia FlutyNCBC Public Affairs

FREEZEFREEZEFRAMEFRAME

Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)on NCBC Water Quality . . . Important information about the quality of your drinking water isavailable in the 2012 Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) at:http://www.slideshare.net/SeabeeCenterGulfport/ncbc-gulfport-2012-consumer-confidence-report-ccrcrAlthough a copy of the CCR will not be delivered to you, you may ob-tain a hard copy from NCBC Gulfport’s Environmental Office locatedin building 322, room 103 or by emailing a request for a copy to ken-ton.lottinger@navy.mil. PWD Environmental encourages all cus-tomers with concerns or questions to contact them directly at228-871-2373.

NCBC Base-wide Housing

Yard Sale

May 18, 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Housing residents can place sale itemson their front yard. Please place allsigns advertising sale in front yards.

Law enforcement officials fromseveral agencies along the GulfCoast met at the Naval Crimi-nal Investigative Service(NCIS) Gulfport building onboard NCBC Gulfport to sign aMemorandum of Understand-ing, creating a Gulf CoastCyber Crime Task Force (GCC-CTF), May 1.According to Brian Swords,

NCIS Gulfport supervisory spe-cial agent, the GCCCTFevolved from the InternetCrimes Against Children (ICAC)Task Force, and has been inthe works since 2010.“This [GCCCTF] task force

has taken that [ICAC] up an-other notch and we’re utilizingour resources to do cyberforensics, Internet investiga-tions, not just involving childpornography,” said Swords. That’s [ICAC] where the seed

was planted, and it says ‘whydon’t we work collectively in-stead of individually?’,” addedDonnie Dobson, Biloxi PoliceDepartment detective sergeantand task force coordinator.

As the first of its kind in Mis-sissippi, the task force willallow law enforcement person-nel to pool resources to moreeffectively combat cybercrimes using a multi-jurisdic-tional, three-prong approachof investigations, forensics andtraining. Dobson said the officers

present were fortunate to be apart of what he sees will becommon to future law enforce-ment agencies in the age of in-formation.“This is something you guys

can be proud of. You are at thevery bottom of what you aregoing to see 20 years fromnow is going to be commonevery day, in every departmentjust like you see narcotics taskforces and stuff like that,” saidDobson.Pooling resources between

the agencies will not only in-crease the manpower for eachagency and allow easier accessto officers with specializedtraining in cyber crimes, it willalso save each agency money.“Due to the expertise re-

quired or equipment requiredis cost prohibitive to a lot of

agencies. Through the poolingof resources, we’ve been ableto save each affiliate agencythousands of dollars that itwould have cost them other-wise.”Swords said that the task

force team was fortunate to beable to take advantage of the

NCIS spaces available on theSeabee base. “We’re lucky to have this op-

portunity, because it reallyhelps all of us out, and thisspace that we were providedby Capt. Burgess is what reallygave us the push to havethese agencies come here

today and choose this site tohelp us build this task force forthe first time.”Swords and Dobson advise

anyone having informationabout cyber crimes being com-mitted to contact their locallaw enforcement to make a re-port.

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Hagel said the furloughs will af-fect every military department andalmost every agency, with limitedexceptions. “We will except civil-ians deployed to combat zonesand civilians necessary to protectlife and property,” he wrote in hismemo, adding that others will beexcepted if forcing them to stayoff the job would not free upmoney for other needs.Employees set to be furloughed

will begin receiving written notifi-cation June 5.In March, defense officials had

told civilian employees to expectas many as 22 furlough days dur-

ing the current fiscal year, part ofdepartmentwide efforts to slashspending in response to across-the-board budget cuts known assequestration. In the time since,Hagel has been working to avoidor reduce the temporary layoffs,saying he had sought advice fromdepartment leaders and agencies,both civilian and military, butfound no other way to help inclosing the budget gap.In his memo today, Hagel said if

the budget situation eases, hewould strongly prefer to end thefurloughs early. “That is a decisionI will make later in the year,” headded.

From FURLOUGH page 1

NCIS Gpt signs MOUfor first MississippiCyber Crime Task Force

Law enforcement officials from several agencies along the Gulf Coast met together at theNaval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Gulfport building on board NCBC Gulfport tosign a Memorandum of Understanding, creating a Gulf Coast Cyber Crime Task Force, May1. The task force, the first of its kind in Mississippi, will allow law enforcement person-nel to pool resources to more effectively combat cyber crimes using a three prong ap-proach of investigations, forensics and training. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass CommunicationSpecialist Ryan G. Wilber/Released

By MCC(SCW/SW/AW)Ryan G. WilberNCBC Public Affairs

. . . Follow Seabee Center on Facebook and Twitter . . .

Recycling Saves! Recycling Saves! Recycling Pays!Recycling Pays!It’s all about the green!

Moving? Mailing packages?Need a box? Visit the RecyclingCenter, located inbuildings 275/276, be-hind building 200 offof McKinney Ave between thehours of 6:30 a.m. and 2:30p.m., and get all the boxes youneed for FREE!

Questions on recycling?Call 228-871-4031/3336 or 228-871-3001

Naval Mobile Construction Bat-talion (NMCB) 11 deployed toCamp Shelby last week to beginits evaluated field exercise(FEX). FEX consists of scenario based

training and assessment to cer-tify the battalion as the “readybattalion.” Seabees will demon-strate knowledge and skills bysatisfactorily completing pre-defined tasks, and appropriatelyreacting to drills facilitated byNaval Construction Group

(NCG) 2.The battalion must build up

their self-contained operationsat Camp Shelby with everythingfrom command posts and acombat operations center to agalley, and shower facilities.Operations run 24 hours per dayincluding fighting positions andwatch-stations.“We are performing very well,

said Cmdr. Lore Aguayo, com-manding officer of NMCB11.Our evaluators are providing alot of great constructive criticismand input on how we can be

better, and every single day Isee us making those improve-ments. Even with the rain we’vehad over the last couple of days,our Seabees have maintainedhigh readiness and a high levelof motivation. I’m very proud ofwhat they’re doing,” One unique aspect of this FEX

is the multi-layered commandand control that Aguayo is exer-cising. This three tiered ap-proach adds an additional layerof complexity to command andcontrol and to communicationsup and down the chain, and it

better resembles the way battal-ions operate when deployed tovarious locations throughout theworld, according to Aguayo. Because battalion personnel

are comprised of various levelsof experience, newer Seabeeswill rely on the more experi-enced for help. One of a number of Seabees

who will be experiencing theirfirst FEX is Builder Construction-man Amira A. Ramelize. “Beingat the ECP (Entry Control Point)and making decisions has beenthe hardest part so far, but it’s

fun,” said the Brooklyn, N.Y. na-tive.The length of FEX depends on

how well the battalion performs.Any evolutions that produce un-satisfactory results must be re-peated. Once NCG-2 isconfident that NMCB 11 hasdemonstrated the required profi-ciency in all areas of evaluationthe exercise will end, and NMCB11 can return to Gulfport. NMCB 11 is a Seabee battalion

specializing in contingency con-struction, disaster response andhumanitarian assistance.

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Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion(NMCB) 11 participate in a Field Exercise (FEX) in which thebattalion is evaluated in various areas of readiness prior toa deployment cycle. NMCB 11 is a Seabee battalion spe-cializing in contingency construction, disaster response, andhumanitarian assistance. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Commu-nication Specialist 1st Class Jonathan Carmichael / Released)

NMCB 11 takes to the field for training at Camp ShelbyBy MC1(AW) Jonathan CarmichaelNMCB 11 Public Affairs

Underwater

Construction

Team (UCT)

ONE

Contact UCT CCC/Diver recruiting team at 757-462-3988/4313 or Email YNC Aberle atchristopher.aberle1@navy.mil; SW1 Dohse atryan.dohse@navy.mil or visitwww.facebook.com/seabee.diver for information.

Join an ELITE forceand travel as a small,professional team. Ex-ecute specialized con-struction, diving anddemolition skills withthe latest and greatesttechnology and equip-ment.

UCT 1 is searchingfor highly motivatedSeabees and CEC Officers looking for acareer and lifestylechange.

A Smooth Moves

class will be held at

Fleet and Family

Support Center (FFSC) May 21, 10

a.m. - noon. This class is for any-

one undergoing a PCS move in the

next few months. Call FFSC at

228-871-3000 to enroll.

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Health Watch: Health Watch:

New plan forNew plan for

scheduling scheduling

appointmentsappointments

at NBHC Gulfportat NBHC Gulfport

Naval Health Branch Clinic(NBHC) Gulfport has increasedits capabilities and added sev-eral easy–to-access optionsfor scheduling appointments Enrollment in

Relayhealth.com via your Pri-mary Care Provider providesdirect interactions with yourdoctor and appointment book-ing via email. NBHC has alsorecently changed their ap-pointment line number to228-871-4033 and is openweekdays from 7 a.m. - 3:30p.m. The After Hour’s appoint-

ment line is 1-877-879-1621.Active duty and family mem-bers can book an appointment

with their Medical Home Portprovider 24 hours/7 days aweek. If you are currently active

duty assigned to a battalionyou will need to contact FleetCenter Medical Home at 228-822-5409. Active duty service members

who wish to schedule a dentalappointment should call 228-871-2605. As always, if you are on

base, feel free to stop by andsee our friendly front deskstaff who will be happy to as-sist you in scheduling an ap-pointment. These are just a few ways

NHBC Gulfport is working toprovide the best patient cen-tered care possible!

By Lt.Cmdr. Stephen ThateNBHC Gulfport

The NEX is committed to offer-ing its customers low pricesevery day. As part of thatpledge, the NEX has made a bigchange to its Price Match Policy.The NEX will now match pricesto Walmart.com, Target.com,Amazon.com, BestBuy.com,Sears.com, ToysRUs.com and

BabiesRUs.com. “We expanded our Price Match

Policy to be more responsive toour customers,” said Rear Adm.Robert J. Bianchi (Ret), ChiefExecutive Officer, Navy Ex-change Service Command (NEX-COM). “More people areshopping online for their pur-chases and we want to assurethem that they can get thesame price at their NEX, so weare now matching major onlineretailers.” The qualifying competitive on-

line price may be presented ona mobile device such as a tabletcomputer or smartphone. If theprice difference is $10 or less,

the price will be matched on thespot. No proof is required. Ifthe lower price on one of theonline sites listed above is morethan $10, the price may be veri-fied by a NEX associate or su-pervisor. As before, the NEX will con-

tinue to match the regular,everyday shelf price or adver-tised price in a local competitor’scurrent advertisement. Cus-tomers should present the ad-vertised price in the form of aprinted advertisement or dis-played on a mobile marketingdevice such as a tablet com-puter or smartphone. The NEX also has a 14 day

price guarantee, so if you findthe identical item for less at theNEX within 14 days of the origi-nal purchase we will match thelower price. The same 14 dayprice guarantee applies to alocal competitor’s advertisementor at a qualifying on line re-tailer; the NEX will match theprice. Items already on layaway also

qualify for a price reduction dueto a competitor’s lower price orthe NEX 14-day price guarantee. “This new and improved price

match policy is the best in theretail business,” said Tess Pa-quette, Senior Vice President,Chief Merchandising Officer,

NEXCOM. “The NEX is the onlyretailer to match everyday shelfprices and major online retailersas well as offer the 14-day priceguarantee. We want our cus-tomers to know they will findthe products they need at thebest possible price when theyshop our stores. We are excitedto offer this new policy whichwill help ensure that they do.”For details and more informa-

tion about the price matchingpolicy and all NEX policies, logonto www.mynavyexchange.com/command/customer_service/price_match.html or stop in and speakwith a NEX associate.

NEX expands pricematch policy tonow include majoronline retailorsBy Kristine M. SturkieNEXCOM Public Affairs

In the fragile darkness of morn-ing, birds chirp outside our bed-room window, heralding the startof another day. I hear my hus-band snort, scratch, then hit acouple of buttons on his bedsideclock to ward off the inevitablealarm bells. My sports swatch emits a beep,

but I slap my wrist to make itstop and curl onto my side, snug-gling into my pillow. Just tenmore minutes.From under the foot of our bed,

comes an elongated yawn, begin-ning deep and low, and finishingwith a high-pitched squeal and afew jaw-smacking clucks. It’sDinghy, our aging Labradoodle,whose 110-pound body clock isnow considerately working intandem with ours. A bit of a late bloomer, Dinghy

took his sweet time maturing,despite the fact that everyonetold us that “dogs take two yearsto settle down.” We picked himout of a litter of fat pups on afarm in rural North Carolina in2006, and named him Dinghy –an homage to our life as a Navyfamily. Although a bit naughty –stealing socks, sampling toiletwater, and turning the backyardinto Swiss cheese – Dinghy be-came our constant companion,comforting and entertaining usthrough deployments and PCSes.Now, in his eighth year, Dinghy

is technically as old as my hus-

band and me, and we’re allshowing our age. Like us, Dinghyno longer faces each day withunbridled enthusiasm and spon-taneity, but instead, thrives onroutine. As we drag our wearybones out of bed and to thebathroom to wash and brush,Dinghy begins each day with hisown morning self-cleaning ritual. As a male dog, he starts with

the unmentionable area thatmales find most important. Afterspending what seems to be aninordinate amount of time lickingthat general location, he comi-cally turns himself into a pretzel

in order to scratch inside his earswith his long awkward hind feet.Inevitably, he misses the first fewtimes, haphazardly wapping hisneck and the back of his head,until he finally finds that sweetspot under his floppy ear. With-out looking, we know he’s foundit when we hear him grumbledeeply as if to say, “Oh yea,that’s the ticket.”Once done scratching, he

cleans his paws in preparation forwhat is arguably one of thecutest things you’ll ever see. Al-ternating each enormous frontfoot, Dinghy wipes his own faceover and over, then with pawsdaintily crossed, he licks themone last time.Despite this elaborate cleaning

ritual, Dinghy faces each daylooking like a dirty bathroom rug,with shaggy legs and a perpetu-ally dripping, foul-smelling beard. Once downstairs, we pour cof-

fee, as Dinghy slurps water from

his nearby dish, waiting for thesubtle signals that we’re ready totake him on a walk: putting onour shoes, filling a travel mugwith coffee, grabbing his leashfrom the hook in the garage. For that moment, he turns into

an adolescent again, excited toexperience the sights, soundsand flavors outside. Every morn-ing, he marks the same trees,nibbles the same grass patches,and makes his daily deposit con-veniently close to the neighbor-hood pet waste bin.Once home, Dinghy takes in-

ventory of the family, and theneats his breakfast. Betweenchomps, he slurps water, thenlopes out of the laundry room tomake sure we’re all still there. Bythe time he’s done, there’s a pathof slimy drips and kibble shardstrailing out of the laundry room. Belly full, he licks his chops and

belches, before finding a suitablespot to sleep the remainder ofthe day. Usually, he prefers toclimb slowly onto the couch inthe den and circle around forwhat seems like forever beforelowering is body in one slow,groaning plop.Other than a brief frisky period

when the kids get home fromschool, Dinghy’s middle aged eat-walk-sleep routine continues lateinto the evening, when he followsus back upstairs for the night. As my husband and I nestle

into the well-worn spots in ourbed, Dinghy plops down with onefinal groan as if to say, “Whew,these dogs’r barkin’.” As a Navyfamily still on the move aftermore than 20 years, we couldn’thave said it better ourselves.

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erGet more wit and observationsfrom Lisa at her blog,http://themeatandpotatoes-oflife.com.

‘The Meat & Potatoes ‘The Meat & Potatoes of Life’of Life’

By Lisa Smith Molinari Military Spouse Contributer

The dog days . . .

‘The Professionals’of NMCB 5

OKINAWA, Japan - Naval Mobile Construction Battalion(NMCB) 5 Seabees begin placing the expanded poly-styrene walls together on an alternative building struc-ture being built on Camp Marvin G. Shields. Thestructure is made out of expanded polystyrene blocksand a layer of a concrete mix. Expanded polystyrene isa similar material to white foam coolers except it isthicker and fire resistant. After the concrete mix isapplied to the interior and exterior of the building, it israted as being able to withstand hurricane winds andearthquakes. The structure was built in five days, whileSeabees train in preparation for NMCB 5 constructionprojects in the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, andThailand. NMCB 5 is currently supporting Navy and jointforces throughout the U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM).(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st ClassJohn P. Curtis/Released)

Collision avoidance . . . Ifyou get into a collision itcould turn into a massivepile-up. Don’t stand onthe road and try to warnapproaching traffic. Somedrivers will be going toofast for the conditions(which could lead to amulti-car collision) and youmight get hit. Get off theroad, and that meansWAY OFF!

NCBC Safety Note

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Focus on Education Focus on Education

NCBC School Liaison Officer KevinByrd is located at MWR building352, 1706 Bainbridge Ave., 228-

871-2117 or emailkevin.r.byrd@navy.mil

Academic achievement

Construction Electrician 3rd Class ShaQween Holman is presented with her Asso-ciate of Arts degree from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College by Alrie’ Poil-lion, MGCCC representative during an impromptu ceremony May 10, at the NavyCollege Office on board Naval Construction Battalion Center (NCBC) Gulfport. Hol-man is assigned to Naval Construction Group (NCG) 2. (U.S. Navy photo by KimGuillemette/Released)

Information-NOW - iNOWHarrison County School District recently changed to a new stu-

dent information system called InformationNow (INOW). The

district is now accepting applications from parents and

guardians for online accounts that will allow them access to their

children’s attendance, grades, discipline, etc. To access the appli-

cation, visit the district website at:http://www.harrison.k12.ms.us/

Once the form opens, print the form, fill it out completely ac-

cording to the directions on the form, sign it and return the form

to any school in the district with any one of your children. Once

the signed form is approved by the school district, within a few

days you will receive a welcome email with your login name,

password and directions for accessing the INOW website.

NCIS has two new anonymousways to report crimes or suspiciousbehavior with the use of discreetand secure online or texting tiplines.To report information by Celltext:1. Text “NCIS” to the short code274637 (CRIMES) from any cell orsmart phone.2. Receive a response, for example:“Your alias is: S2U5 Call 911 if ur-gent! If replies put you at risk, text

“STOP”3. Begin dialogue

To report information Online:1. Go to www.NCIS.navy.mil, clickon the “Report a Crime” tab and se-lect the icon for “text and Web tipHotline.”There is a reward of up to $1,000 forinformation leading to a felony ar-rest or apprehension.

See Something Wrong, Do Something Right!

Five Love Languages encore . . . Due to anoverwhelming demand, the Five Love Lanagues workshop isbeing offered June 5, 6 - 8:30 p.m. at the NCBC Chapel Fel-lowship Hall. Free child care and dinner will be provided. CallCmdr. Ruth Goldberg at 228-871-4906 to sign up.

FREE Movies at the Training Hall are Back!

Take a load off. Sit backand watch the big screenall by yourself for some

alone time, or make it afamily night and bring thewhole crew! Stop by theSnack Bar on your way into get that buttered moviepopcorn and those othergoodies that help you getlost in the moment. Forgetwhat was playing? No wor-ries - put the movie hotlinein your phone, 228-871-3299 and call anytime!

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Anchors & Eagles

Auto Hobby

Beehive

Child Development Center

Fitness Center

Information, Tickets &

Travel

Liberty Center

Seabee Heritage Center

Navy Outdoor Recreation

RV Park

The Grill

Training Hall

Youth Activities Center

Main Office

228-871-4607

228-871-2804

228-871-4009

228-871-2323

228-871-2668

228-871-2231

228-871-4684

228-871-3619

228-871-2127

228-871-5435

228-871-2494

228-871-4750

228-871-2251

228-871-2538

For MWR program For MWR program information contact:information contact:

Friday: Identity Theft, R, 6 p.m.; Saturday: EscapeFrom Planet Earth, PG, 11 a.m., The Impossible, PG13,1:15 p.m.; Broken City, R, 4 p.m.; Sunday: EscapeFrom Planet Earth, PG, 2 p.m., Side Effects, R, 4:15 p.m.

The Grill The Grill Does the warmer weather make

you want to get out of the office?Well, call in a “To Go” order fromThe Grill and swing right aroundthe corner to Seabee Lake. De-stress and enjoy the pleasantscenery while you dine at one ofthe picnic areas. The Grill is openMonday – Friday from 6:30 a.m. –1:30 p.m. and offers a lunch deliv-ery option too from 11 a.m. – 1p.m. Need an office menu? Let usknow. Call 228-871-2494.

Biloxi National Cemetery The Biloxi National CemeteryMemorial Committee is askingfor volunteers to place approx-imately 18,000 flags on thegravesides at Biloxi NationalCemetery, 400 Veterans Ave.,May 25 at 8 a.m. for the Me-morial Day weekend. Militarypersonnel do not need to be inuniform and family membersare encouraged to participate.For more information, pleasecall Liz Burchett at 228-871-

2427 or 228-860-8678.USO GULF COAST - Interestedin volunteering? We need volun-teers every day to assist at ourcenters throughout the Militarycommunity. Whether you’re inter-ested in providing coffee and con-versation to our traveling troopsor assisting in deployments theUSO Gulf Coast has a special op-portunity for you. We are alsolooking for volunteers to assist in community outreach eventsscheduled throughout the year. To

become a USO volunteer, you’llneed to create a volunteer profilethrough www.usovolunteer.org.This website allows you to keeptrack of your hours and if youmove to another location yourhours will transfer with you to anyUSO in the world. If you have anyquestions please feel free to con-tact USO Gulf Coast’s ProgramManager, Nicole Lewis atnlewis@uso.org. We look forwardto having you on our volunteerteam!

2013 SPECIAL OLYMPICS -NCBC Gulfport will host the Area 32013 Special Olympics Saturday,June 8. Games will be held out-side of the Fitness Center, nearthe softball fields, and will begin following a 9 a.m. opening cere-mony. An awards ceremony willhappen immediately after thegames conclude. A minimum of200 volunteers are needed to setup, register and accompany theathletes, cheer them on and teardown the site. Volunteer request

forms will be available on eachCommand Quarterdeck and will becollected May 24. Uniform for mili-tary volunteers: Service PT gear;civilians: appropriate athletic at-tire. Please direct inquiries to MCCRyan Wilber, 228- 871-3663 orryan.wilber@navy.mil.COAST SALVATION ARMY -Volunteers are needed for variousprojects throughout the year.Contact Shawna_Tatge@uss.sal-vationarmy.org if you have a bit ofspare time to help out.

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NCBC Center Chaplains: Lt. Cmdr. Paul Smith, Protestant Chaplain

Lt. Yoon Choi, Protestant ChaplainFor information concerning other faith groups,

call the chapel office at 228-871-2454Services: Sunday Gospel Service: 8 a.m.

Sunday Catholic Mass: 9:30 a.m.Sunday Protestant Divine Worship: 10:30 a.m.Weekday Catholic Mass: Tuesday, 11:15 a.m.

Seabee Memorial ChapelSeabee Memorial Chapel

NCBC Helping Hands volunteer opportunitiesNCBC Helping Hands volunteer opportunities

Looking for a church?The Seabee Memorial Chapel holds services every Sunday that might suityour needs. Protestant Services include a Gospel Service at 8 a.m. andDivine Worship Service at 10:30 a.m. Catholic Services include CatholicMass at 9:30 a.m. There is also Catholic Mass Tuesdays at 11:15 a.m.Seabee PantryThe Seabee Pantry needs restocking. During the holidays, the need forfood donations is at its highest level. Please donate as many canned goodsand other nonperishables as possible. Donation drop-off sites are locatedat the Navy Exchange, Chapel, Commissary, Fleet and Family Support Cen-ter and Armed Forces Retirement Home. The Seabee Pantry is for anyone affiliated with NCBC.Praise and WorshipThe Seabee Memorial Chapel is looking for new members for the Praise andWorship Team for the Divine Worship Service at 10:30 a.m. Sundays. If youcan sing or play an instrument, you are invited to come share your gift.Women’s Bible Study Women’s Bible Study is held Wednesdays at 11 a.m. at the SeabeeMemorial Chapel. Free child care is available. For more information onall offerings that are available, contact the chapel at 228-871-2454.

Chapel Offerings

Fraud, Waste andAbuse Hotline: Due to limitedIG resources throughout the Southeast Region,all Fraud, Waste and Abuse hotline work willnow be handled by the Region. To reportFraud, Waste and Abuse, contact the Region at:Toll Free 1-877-657-9851 Comm: 904-542-4979 DSN 942-4979 FAX: 904- 542-5587, E-mail: CNRSE_HOTLINE@navy.mil.

LADD is a program sponsored by the NCBC/20th First Class Association. The mission ofLADD is to prevent drunk driving on board NCBC Gulfport by providing rides for any serv-ice member who needs assistance getting home after an outing that involves alcohol.

~ LADD is strictly confidential. NO REPRISAL!~ LADD will take individual home only, no stops.

~ Volunteers who stand the watch are on call 24/7.~ It is always important to have a plan in place when going out in town, but if your

plans fall through, please call LADD and we will pick you up!

LADD . . . Leaders Against Drunk Driving

Call 228-239-9007100 percent confidential, Zero reprisal!

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SUPPORTFamily Readiness Groups NMCB 1 FRG invites friends andfamily members to attend FRG meet-ings the second Monday of everymonth at the Youth Activity Center,building 335. Meetings are from 6 - 8p.m. Children are welcome andbabysitting is provided during deploy-ment. Contact FRG President JennyRichter, e-mailnmcbonefrg@gmail.com. NMCB 11 FRG For more informationregarding the NMCB 11 FRG, pleasevisit www.facebook.com/nmcb11frg oremail us at nmcb11frg@gmail.com.NMCB 74 FRG All families of NMCB74 are invited to the 74 FRG meetingthe third Monday of each month.Meetings are at the MWR Youth Activi-ties Center, building 335, behind theGrinder on NCBC. Socializing begins at5:30 p.m., and meetings begin at 6p.m. Bring a covered dish to share atour potluck dinner. Children are wel-come. Email nmcb74fsg@yahoo.comor visit our Facebook page at

“NMCB74 Fearless FRG” for details.NMCB 133 FRG invites all friendsand family members to attend FRGmeetings the first Monday of themonth at 6 p.m. at the Youth Center.Children are welcome and babysittingis provided. Please bring a dish toshare. For more information contactFRG President Jaime Royal at 317-730-4064 or email NMCB133fsg-@gmail.com. Log on to the FRG site,http://www.wix.com/NMCB133FSG/133frg. FOCUSFamilies OverComing Under Stress(FOCUS), provides resiliency trainingto service members and their familiesby teaching practical skills to helpmeet the challenges of military life, in-cluding how to communicate & solveproblems effectively and to success-fully set goals together. Confidentialand free with family-friendly hours,contact FOCUS today! Call 228- 822-5736 or email Gulf-port@focusproject.orgGulfport Officer’s Spouse ClubThe Gulfport Officers’ Spouses’ Club isa social organization that has FUNwhile helping our community. Wemeet monthly and have special inter-est groups for almost everyone! Formore information, email goscgulf-port@yahoo.com. We hope to seeYOU soon! Navy Wives Clubs of America,Inc. The Navy Wives Clubs of Amer-ica, Inc. is interested in reestablishinga club in the local area. If you are in-terested in joining an organizationthat promotes the health and welfare

of any enlisted member of the Navy,Marine Corps or Coast Guard, pleasecontact Darlene Carpenter at 228-342-2271 or Tina O’Shields, 228-357-0513. Visitwww.navywivesclubsofamerica.org formore information on NWCA.. NMCRS The Navy-Marine Corps Relief SocietyThrift Shop is located in building 29on Snead Street. The Thrift Shop isstaffed entirely by volunteers, andchild care and mileage are reim-bursed. Retail hours of operation areTuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 9a.m. - 1 p.m. Volunteers are alwayswelcome. Visit the NMCRS offices atthe Fleet and Family Support Center,building 30, suite 103 or call 228-871-2610 to find out how to become apart of the NMCRS volunteer team!Gamblers AnonymousThe Fleet and Family Support Centeroffers GA meetings every Thursday at11 a.m. GA is a fellowship of peoplewho share their experience, strengthand hope with each other. All meet-ings are confidential and facilitated byGA. Come to a meeting or call Jim So-riano at 228-871-3000 for more infor-mation.TRAINING Naval Sea Cadets The Gulfportbranch of the Naval Sea Cadets arerecruiting youth ages 11 to 17 for SeaCadets, a nation-wide organizationthat help youth achieve personal suc-cess through nautical training. Meet-ings are the third Saturday of themonth from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m., build-ing 1, 2nd floor conference room.

Contact Lt.j.g. Bowling at 228-313-9035 or coachcb@yahoo.com formore information.SOCIAL Miss. Gulf Coast First Class Asso-ciation is always looking for newmembers. Meetings are everyWednesday at 2:30 p.m., at the Fit-ness Center classroom. For more in-formation, contact Associationpresident, CE1 Daniel Shaver, 228-871-2145. NCBC Multi-Cultural DiversityCommittee is seeking members.Meetings are held the first and thirdWednesday of the month at 9 a.m., atthe Seabee Memorial Chapel. ContactBU1 Jerma Cloude, 228-871-2454 fordetails. VFW Post 3937 Long Beach isopen Monday - Thursday from noonuntil 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday fromNoon until 10 p.m., Sunday from noonuntil 7 p.m. The first Friday of themonth is Seafood Night, the remain-ing Fridays are Steak Night. Breakfastis served from 7 to 10 a.m. on Satur-days. VFW meetings are held the sec-ond Wednesday of the month at 7:30p.m. New members are always wel-come. Contact Post Commander BillNorth at 228-863-8602 for info. VFW Post 4526 Orange Grove isopen daily from Noon to 10 p.m. andlocated at 15206 Dedeaux Road, Or-ange Grove. Meetings are the firstWednesday of the month at 7 p.m. Allare welcome and encouraged to at-tend. Call 228-832-0017 for more info. NMCB 62 Alumni GroupNaval Mobile Construction Battalion

(NMCB) 62 was recommissioned inGulfport in 1966, and decommissionedin 1989. To become a member, go tohttp://nmcb62alumni.org or for linksto Seabee historical sites. D.A.V. - Disabled American Veter-ans, Chapter 5 invites Veterans andfuture Veterans to monthly meetingsheld the 3rd Monday of each month at7 p.m. Call Service Officer, SilvaRoyer at 228-324-1888 to find outmore about our organization. Navy Seabee Veterans of America(NSVA) Island X-1, Gulfport is al-ways looking to add new members.You do not have to be retired to be amember. If interested, please con-tact Eugene Cowhick ateugene.cowhick@navy.mil, 228-871-2488 or Robert Smith atRobert.p.smith5@navy.mil, 228-871-2436. If you are already a member,please join us on the second Thursdayof each month at 6 p.m. in the A&EChiefs and Officers Club, NCBC Gulf-port, for the Monthly Island X-1 busi-ness meeting. For more informationon NSVA Island X-1, visitwww.nsva.org.HERITAGE The Seabee Gift Store is located inthe Seabee Heritage Center TrainingHall, building 446. Hours are Monday -Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Satur-days from 11a.m. to 3 p.m. The shophas a variety of Seabee related mem-orabilia, books and DVD’s. Contact themuseum at www.seabeemuseum-store.org or call the gift shop at 228-871-4779 for information on all that isavailable.

CENTERNOTES

Pass Road:24 hours,

7 days a week

Broad Avenue: 5 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Friday

and9 a.m. - 5 p.m.,

Saturday, Sunday and Holidays

28th Street: 5 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Monday - Friday and 5 - 7 p.m., Outbound Only

NCBC Gate Hours