Naval Hospital Pensacola to hold Health Services Consumer Council meeting Feb. 21 ... Naval Hospital Pensacola (NHP) will be hosting a Health Services Consumer Council meeting Feb. 21 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. at the Mustin Beach Club’s Bay Room onboard Naval Air Station Pensacola. The purpose of this forum, which is open to everyone, is to share information that will help the hospital better assist customers and inform them of any changes that may affect beneficiaries and the military health care community. Some of the topics that will be covered include nutrition, TRICARE Online and recent changes to prescription co-pay charges. For more information, call NHP at 505-6601.
Vol. 77, No. 7
VISIT GOSPORT ONLINE: www.gosportpensacola.com
February 15, 2013
NAS Pensacola to conduct Citadel Shield 2013 (CS13) From NASP PAO
Onboard USNS Spearhead ... (above) Douglas D. Casavant (right), captain of USNS Spearhead (JHSV 1), explains the vessel’s control panels to Navy Medicine Operational Training Center (NMOTC) service members during a Feb. 5 tour of the ship at Naval Air Station Pensacola. The first ship in the Spearhead-class joint high speed vessel line, Spearhead’s configuration allows a rapid refit with various equipment for a variety of non-combat missions, such as transporting troops or equipment. Photo by MC1 Bruce Cummins (Inset) Spearhead uses its steerable water jets to move away from the pier – sideways. Photo by Harry White
Exercise Citadel Shield 2013 (CS13) is a force protection exercise conducted by Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) on all CONUS Navy installations from Feb. 19 to March 1. The exercise was developed to enhance the training and readiness of Navy security personnel. The goal is to establish a learning environment for security personnel to exercise functional plans and operational capabilities. Exercise CS13 is an annual exercise and not a response to any specific threat. CS13 is designed to exercise and evaluate anti-terrorism command and control in the USNORTHCOM area of responsibility (AOR) in response to terrorist activity indications and warnings or actual event. Though specifics of the exercise cannot be revealed, this year’s exercise will provide a stern test for security forces, but will have very little impact on the base population. Naval Hospital Pensacola (NHP) will also participate in this exercise with NAS Pensacola Feb. 20. Despite participating in the exercise, the hospital will be operating as normal and patient care will not be affected. At the hospital, do not be alarmed if you hear alerts or see staff wearing protective gear.
Phone upgrades call for new dial plan By Janet Thomas Gosport Staff Writer
Telephone switch services are about to get an update aboard NAS Pensacola, NASP Corry Station, NASP Saufley Field and NAS Whiting Field. The changes will include a new dialing protocol and base telephone services could be out of commission for several hours during the switch upgrades, according to Alethia Brewer, Pensacola Division Manager for Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station Jacksonville. Information about the upcoming changes was distributed at a Feb. 6 meeting of the Base Communications Control Board (BCCB) at NAS Pensacola. The new dial plan will take effect Feb. 23 for NAS Pensacola, NASP Corry Station and NASP Saufley Field and March 2 for NAS Whiting Field.
NAS Pensacola, NASP Corry Station and NASP Saufley Field’s telephone switch upgrades are scheduled to start at 8 a.m. Feb. 23 and are estimated to take approximately 11 hours. The base telephone switches will be out of service during this time period. People will not be able to dial in or out from any 452-XXXX numbers until the switch upgrades are completed. NAS Whiting Field’s telephone switch upgrade is scheduled to start at 8 a.m. March 2 and is expected to take approximately eight hours. The base telephone switches will be out of service during this time period. People will not be able to dial in or out from any (850) 623-XXXX or (850) 665-XXXX numbers until the switch upgrades are completed. For emergency services during these time periods, base personnel will need to use cell phones. Brewer said the current
telephone switches provide service to approximately 10,000 customers and upgrades that are being made conform to Navy standards. The telephone switch equipment and software is being
updated from late 1980s technology (parts are not available for repair) to the new off-the-shelf version, she said. The dial plan changes for all bases are as follows:
The five-digit phone dialing option will no longer be available. You will need to dial the complete seven-digit number for any phone with a 452/623/665 exchange after the new switch
upgrades are completed. All alarms that call someone via 452/623/665 numbers will have to be reprogrammed to dial seven digits. Speed dial
See Dial plan on page 2
African American History Month: Event at NEX today; NASP program Feb. 21 From NEX, staff reports
In celebration of African American History Month, Navy Exchange (NEX) Mall is presenting its Third Annual Black History Month Event today, Feb. 15, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. inside the front mall entrance. The Pensacola NEX has partnered with the African-American Heritage Society (AAHS), the Gumbo Gallery and various local artists and performers for this year’s celebration. NAS Pensacola’s Diversity Heritage Committee is hosting a program Feb. 21 at 9 a.m. in the NASC auditorium (Bldg. 633). This year’s theme is, At the Crossroads of Freedom and Equality: The Emancipation Proclamation and the March on Washington. Capt. Willie Billingslea, commander, Training Air Wing Six, will be guest speaker. All hands are invited to attend. At today’s NEX event, seven authors, including Charlie Davis, Jack Beverly, Dr. Rosalind Fisher,
See AA Month events on page 2
Civil War history brought to life at NASC for African American History Month ... Service members onboard NAS Pensacola attended a lecture on African American Soldiers and Sailors in the Civil War Feb. 11 by historian retired Lt. Col. Bernie Siler. The presentation, at Naval Aviation Schools Command auditorium, was to a standing-room-only crowd of service members and command leadership. African Americans were allowed entry into the U.S. Navy before they were able to enlist in the Army, Siler pointed out. “It turned out to be a positive thing,” he said, “because some of the Navy battles were successful earlier in the war whereas the Army battles were not.” Photo by Mike O’Connor
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