Gosport - February 19, 2016

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MWR’s ‘Winter Wonderland’ tomorrow ... The NASP Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) department is presenting its Frozen Winter Wonderland from noon to 4 p.m. tomorrow, Feb. 20, on the old hospital grounds across the street from Mustin Beach Club on Radford Boulevard. Enjoy downhill snow sledding; there also will be games and activities including penguin bowling, ice fishing, cookie decorating, inflatable games, face painting, tattoos and a coloring station. Event is free and open to all MWR authorized patrons: Active-duty, retirees, DoD civilians and their families are invited. Food and beverage will be available for purchase.

Vol. 80, No. 7

VISIT GOSPORT ONLINE: www.gosportpensacola.com

February 19, 2016

Military apprenticeships celebrate 40 years Story, photo by Ed Barker (NETPDTC) Public Affairs

AZ1 Yvonne Dumas, assigned to the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, conducts a pre-flight inspection of the landing gear on one of the Blue Angels’ F/A-18 aircraft. Dumas earned her computer operator apprenticeship certificate through the United Services Military Apprenticeship Program (USMAP) as part of her normal daily routine on the maintenance control staff. USMAP certificates are earned in partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor. U.S. Navy file photo

FY-18 Olmsted Scholarship Program seeking applicants By Ed Barker (NETPDTC) Public Affairs

Career-minded officers interested in developing language skills and regional cultural knowledge are encouraged to apply for the FY-18 Olmsted Scholar Program, announced Feb. 11 in NavAdmin 034/16. Currently available to unrestricted line, Information Dominance and Supply Corps officer designators, the Olmsted program is a unique scholarship opportunity offering two years of graduate study using a foreign language while providing overseas cultural and travel opportunities, often leading to a graduate degree at a foreign university. The Naval Education and Training Professional Development and Technology Center (NETPDTC) is currently accepting applications from regular or full time support officers in the approved designators. Applicants should be available to start language training in summer/fall 2017, begin study at a foreign university in 2018 and complete study in 2020. The ideal candidates will display the qualities of dedicated career officers and aspire to command assignments. Applicants must have demonstrated strong leadership qualities, solid overall performance, strong promotion potential, and proven superior scholastic ability. Candidates must have three years of commissioned service – but no more than 11 years of total active federal service as of April 1, 2017 to apply for the scholarship. Specific designator eligibility is listed in the NavAdmin. Historically, Olmsted Scholars have benefited from the program and continue to promote to senior See Olmstead on page 2

January 2016 marked the 40th year of the United Services Military Apprenticeship Program (USMAP) providing seaservice military members with certifications documenting their skills through the U.S. Department of Labor. According to Tom Phillips, USMAP Certifications and Credentialing Program supervisor, the 40th anniversary also marked a milestone of 80,000 current active participants, with 55,000 registrations in the past year. “The USMAP team works closely with DoL to provide nationally-recognized apprenticeship programs that result in journeyman-level certificates of completion for members of the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard,” said Phillips. “During their apprenticeship, service members document their military duties while working in their rating or military occupational specialty.” Earning the DoL certificate costs the service member nothing and does not nor-

mally require working additional off-duty hours. Phillips also noted that it can give the member a significant head-start on their post-military career. Recent improvements to the program allow registrations to be done completely online, with few exceptions. “We’ve made significant upgrades to the program, making it easier for service members to sign-up, manage and complete the program,” said Lt. Cmdr. Mark Wadsworth, Navy Voluntary Education operations director. “These upgrades have resulted in the increase in the number of service members actively working toward their USMAP certificates.” One Sailor who has embraced the program is HTCS(SW/AW) Jonathan Purvis, 1st Lieutenant Department leading chief petty officer for Naval Base San Diego. Purvis currently holds five DoL certifications, ranging from plumber to welder. “I started working on USMAP apprenticeships during my first enlistment, when I wasn’t sure whether I was going to stay active duty, and I knew that it could help See USMAP on page 2

Military Saves Week 2016: Feb. 22-27 From Pen Air FCU

As part of Military Saves Week 2016, scheduled for Feb. 22-27, both NAS Pensacola and NAS Whiting Field Fleet and Family Support Centers (FFSC) and Pen Air Federal Credit Union (FCU) are spreading the savings message, and urging military personnel and their families to participate in Military Saves Week and take the Military Saves pledge. During the official week, free Military Saves events designed to help

people build wealth, not debt, will be scheduled and announced through the Fleet and Family Support Center at each military installation. The 2016 Military Saves Week theme is simply, Set a Goal, Make a Plan, and Save Automatically. “We want our military personnel

ready for action and not worrying about home finances, and this program helps offer the financial education needed to accomplish their mission,” said Joe Henderson, financial counselor at NASP’s FFSC. The concept seems easy enough, but “50 percent of service members say they have too much debt,” according to FINRA Investor Foundation Financial Capability Military Survey. Financial See Military Saves on page 2

Air Force Education and Training commander visits NASP From Capt. Meghan O’Rourke 479th FTG Unit Public Affairs Representative

The commander of the Air Force’s Air Education and Training Command (AETC), based at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph in Texas, visited NAS Pensacola Feb. 4-5. Lt. Gen. Darryl L. Roberson is responsible for recruiting, training, and educating Airmen to deliver airpower for America. About 1,500 Airmen live and work near NAS Pensacola and many are students or permanent party members with AETC’s 316th Training Squadron (TS), 359th TS or 479th Flying Training Group (FTG). Capt. Keith Hoskins, commanding officer of NASP and Col. John Edwards, 479th FTG commander, greeted Roberson at NASP’s Forrest Sherman Field. Edwards, along with Maj. Bradley Allen from the 359th TS and Master Sgt. Arin Drake of the 316th TS Col. John Edwards, commander of the 479th Flying provided Roberson a mission brief at 479th headquarTraining Group (FTG), and local squadron commanders ters. welcome Lt. Gen. Darryl L. Roberson to NAS Pensacola. See AETC on page 2 Photo by Lt. Justin Fitzwater

Published by Ballinger Publishing, a private firm in no way connected with the Department of the Navy. Opinions contained herein are not official expressions of the Department of the Navy nor do the advertisements constitute Department of the Navy, NAS Pensacola or Ballinger Publishing’s endorsement of products or services advertised.


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