Serving the Nato, Naples and Gaeta military community in italy
58th year, No. 18
Friday, May 10, 2013
Commodore Visits Ships at Sea By MC2 James R. Turner, USS Gravely Public Affairs
scouts from troop 007 white-water rafting down the Lao River in Papasidero, Italy, april 27. the group of 10 scouts also spent the weekend camping on the banks of the Lao River learning outdoor cooking skills and nature conservation. (Photo courtesy of Adventure Lao)
White-Water Rafting with Boy Scout Troop 007 By Lt. Col. Abel Carreiro, Troop 007 Scoutmaster
Troop 007 took 10 Boy Scouts white-water rafting at Rafting Adventure Lao in Papasidero, Italy, April 27. The Scouts took beginner and intermediate water rapids courses and spent the day on the Lao River. The lead Scoutmaster for the weekend was Chief Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) (AW/SW) Erik Avery from Naval Support Activity Naples’ Operations Department. "One of the most rewarding things in volunteering with this program is seeing the development of these young men into America's future leaders,” said Avery. “The Naples Troop 007 has a fantastic outdoor
program which allows the Scouts to participate in numerous activities in areas that most Scouts in the U.S. will never have the opportunities to see.” The group camped on the banks of the Lao River before and after the day of rafting. When they were not on the water, they learned outdoor cooking skills and nature conservation. “The Scouts had a great time on the Whitewater Rafting trip, both through the teamwork aspect of the rafting as well as learning the essential skills of water sports safety," said Avery. The next few months hold more exciting opportunities for Boy Scouts in the Naples
community. The Troop’s summer camping schedule starts in May with a visit to Pisa, camping on the side of Mt. Vesuvius, and a week-long summer camp in Switzerland. There is a full summer planned for the Scouts, who will have camping opportunities in different locations each month through the end of the year. The Boy Scouts of America aims to provide an educational program for boys and young adults to build character, to train in the responsibilities of participating citizenship, and to develop personal fitness. Troop 007 meets on Monday nights at 6:30 p.m. in the Community Center at the Support Site.
Learning from a Photo Pro By MC1 Christopher Stoltz
I first met Ron Haviv 10 years ago aboard USS Harry S Truman (CVN 75). It was after the Towers fell and the war was starting to ramp up in Iraq. A news agency had sent him to document the carrier operations for the kick-off of the war. VII (pronounced “seven”) Photo Agency, which Haviv helped found, has been the premier photography agency since 2001. So when a friend posted on my Facebook page that VII would be kicking off the Fotografia Europea 2013 event in
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Reggio Emilia, Italy, I jumped at the chance to see him again. Fotografia Europea is a photographer’s dream festival – it is comprised of workshops, guest speakers and exhibits scattered throughout the city, all celebrating photography. It seemed like everyone in Reggio Emilia was carrying a camera, and a few of the camera stores had serious gear for sale, such as my beloved German Leica in the window. I spent my Friday afternoon checking out exhibits, some of which were still being setup. see PHOTO WORKSHOP Page 10
Ron haviv, left, and Mass Communication specialist 1st Class Christopher stoltz pose for a photo during the workshop. (Photo provided by MC1 Christopher Stoltz)
The commander of Destroyer Squadron 60 (DESRON 60), Capt. John Esposito, completed a tour of ships under his command in the Mediterranean Sea, April 29-May 1. During the three-day trip, the commodore visited the guidedmissile destroyers USS Gravely (DDG 107), USS Mahan (DDG 72) and USS Barry (DDG 52); and the guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61), where he met with Sailors and was able to observe the crews in their at-sea routine. "It is important for commanders to visit our ships and actually surround ourselves with the Sailors who work on the deckplate level,” said Esposito. “They are the ones who actually get the job done." During his visits, Esposito observed flight operations, navigation operations and toured divisional spaces. "The commodore's mid-deployment visit serves as a positive reminder to the crew of the impact of our hard work,” said Lt. j.g. Carissa Hawley, Mahan’s navigator. “It's always a great opportunity to ask questions and get immediate feedback from the top." While aboard each ship, Esposito met with the commanding officers, talked about upcoming commitments and observed tactical-level operations.Esposito said he was pleased with the status of the ships and thanked the crews for a job well done. “Every Sailor out here contributes to the team effort, which allows our ships to do all the great things they do," said Esposito. “I truly believe they are some of the best Sailors in the fleet.” “I especially enjoyed the chance to meet some of the crew on each ship,” said Esposito. "These Sailors are doing a great job and these ships are accomplishing an important mission.” Barry, Mahan, Gravely and Monterey, all homeported in Norfolk, Va., are on scheduled deployments supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility.
W hat ’ s I nsIde
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Weekly crime statistics SUNDAY High 73 / Low 61 Chance of Rain
Review what happened between April 27 and May 3. Page 11
Riding a Rocket at Ducati Motors in Bologna Pages 4-5
USO Honors Sailor of the Quarter Recipients Page 11
Sisters Compete on Horseback Page 13