PA G E
6
July 18, 2014
GOSPORT
Graduation of NAMP Class 14-060 at Whiting From Jay Cope NAS Whiting Field Public Affairs
L
t. Col. Richard Paradise, executive officer of MATSG 23 NAS Pensacola, presided over the recent graduation of the Naval Aviation Maintenance Program (NAMP) indoctrination course class 14-060. The graduation, held at the atrium onboard NAS Whiting Field, culminated 10 weeks of instruction to newly commissioned Navy and Marine Corps aviation maintenance officers. On graduation day, Paradise took the opportunity to talk to the class about leadership, the importance of taking care of Sailors and Marines, and provided advice on how to be successful as an aviation maintenance officer in a time of budget reductions and uncertainty. Students had an opportunity to ask questions oneon-one following the graduation. Many of the students jumped at the
opportunity to gain knowledge from an officer who has held multiple aviation maintenance billets and has a vast knowledge of aviation maintenance. The students receive 335 hours of instruction on the NAMP. It covers a large spectrum from a naval aviation maintenance overview, The naval aviation maintenance organization, and logs and records, to avia-
(Left to right, front row to back): Cmdr. Vencent Logan, 2nd Lt. William Frazier, 2nd Lt. Ezekiel Cary, Lt. Matthew Fuini, 2nd Lt. James Welch, Capt. Travis Holloway, 1st Lt. Ryan Wright, 2nd Lt. Sandra Willis, Ens. Po Chen, Lt. Col. Richard Paradise, CWO5 Daryl Hagemann, Lt. James Bailey, 2nd Lt. Jan Ithier, Capt. William Lee, Ens. Michael Gilbert, Ens. Luis Casal, Ens. Michael Valcke, 1st Lt. Nathan Price, Lt. Cory McRae, Ens. Darlene Bates and Capt. James Halton.
tion supply, weight and balance, and maintenance data system reporting. Training culminates with
a mock maintenance lab where the students manage day-to-day aviation maintenance in both the
intermediate and organizational levels. Upon graduation, students are certified in aircraft weight
and balance, and are prepared to fill multiple billets within aviation maintenance.
Protecting the militar y consumer By Ens. Joshua Lamb NASWF PAO
T
he Navy recognized July 16 as Military Consumer Protection Day. This inaugural event focused on empowering the military community with tips and tools on how to become informed consumers and improve their financial readiness. The personal financial readiness of service members and their families impacts mission readiness. When the service members feel confident about their financial affairs, they can focus on the mission instead of worrying about financial shortfalls they have at home. Today’s financial environ-
ment combined with the military’s unique financial challenges of frequent relocation, a steady paycheck, separation from family and friends, and the stresses of deployment makes service members and their families a target for scam artists. The Federal Trade Commis-
sion (FTC) received more than 72,900 complaints in 2013 from military consumers with 22,000 complaints of identity theft topping the list. Additional complaints from the military community included imposter scams, debt collectors and autorelated complaints. Additionally, in the past 12 months, 43 percent of service members or their significant other experienced a financial shortfall. In recognition of these challenges and the vulnerabilities military families face, the Department of Defense (DoD) provides a range of services, support, and protections for service members and their families to achieve financial stability and avoid financial pitfalls.
As part of its ongoing “Financial Readiness Campaign,” the DoD partnered with the FTC (official sponsor), and is collaborating with other organ-
izations, including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Consumer Federation of America, to launch “Military Consumer.” This campaign conducts regular outreach to educate military audiences about various financial readiness, and support services. The military consumer web-
site www.military.ncpw.gov offers additional free resources from more than 30 federal, state and municipal agencies, consumer advocates, and military support organizations on everything from buying a car, protecting your identity, and providing help when faced with consumer issues. Naval Air Station Whiting Field’s Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) provides local support for service members and their families. If there is a specific issue, question, or you would like to receive more information on consumer issues, contact your command financial specialist (CFS) or Eugene Jackson at FFSC at (850) 623- 7177.
Northwest Florida’s Business Climate Magazine
For tomorrow’s business today! www.nwflbusinessclimate.com