Changing Leaders Davila Taking Helm Of VS-31 Page 3 Butterflies Great Day Trip For Military Families Pages 6-7 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2005 Are You In Debt? Tips For Managing Finances Page 9 www.jaxairnews.com Iy 1 F! I A CHINFO AWARD-WINNING NEWSPAPER TOUCHING NAS Jax up for BASE Region rep for Annual Seabee Ball Celebration The Northeast Florida/ Southeast Georgia Seabees are hosting the annual Seabee Ball in celebra- tion of the 63rd ( birthday of the Seabees, the 138th anniver- sary of the Civil Engin- eering Corps, and the 163rd anniver- sary of Naval Facilities Engineering Command. The event will be at the Omni Hotel in downtown Jacksonville March 12. Anyone wish- ing to attend or looking for information, can call EA1 Eric Lamky or BU3 Nicole Kelsh at 270-5225. Tax preparation available on base From Naval Legal Service Office Southeast Free Volunteer Income Tax Assistance/Electronic Tax Filing (VITA/ELF) is available on base in Building 583 weekdays through April 15. The hours are Mon- day, Wednes- day and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to ,4 p.m. The Tax Center will only assist with the preparation and filing of personal income taxes assistance with small business tax preparation is not avail- able. What to bring to your appointment: your ID card; Social Security cards for you and your family mem- bers; Wage and Earning Statementss; Fors aW-2, W-2G, and 1099-R; inter- est and dividend state- ments from banks (Form 1099); a copy of last year's taxes (if you have it); bank routing numbers, and account number for Direct Deposit. Bring other rele- vant information such as the total amount paid for daycare and daycare provider's identifying num- ber. If electronically filing a married filing joint tax returriboth spouses must be present unless a power of attorney is granted to the other spouse. Appointments can be made in person at Building 583 or by calling 542- 8038; appointments are preferred, however walk- ins will be accepted. excellence award By Kaylee LaRocque Staff Writer NAS Jacksonville has been selected by Commander, Navy Region Southeast to represent the region in the 2005 Presidential Commander-in-Chief's Installation Excellence Award com- petition. The award is based on performance during fiscal year 2004. This nomination was the result of the NAS Jax team supporting the war on terrorism, assisting with hurricane relief after the three major hurricanes that bat- tered the State of Florida in 2004 and the dedication of the military and civilian employees here. "I think it's great we were nomi- nated because it shows that our people in the different programs here are doing a really good job on a daily basis. We tend to highlight specific events for awards, but it's really what you do in preparation for those big events like supporting the Federal Emergency Manage- ment Agency (FEMA) during the hurricane season. A lot of it just comes in the day-to-day execution of your job," remarked NAS Jax Commanding Officer Capt. Chip Dobson. "I think it's good and appropriate recognition for NAS Jax to be chosen for this nomina- Official Navy photo NAS lax is surrounded by water as shown in this aerial view. Top inset is Outlying Field Whitehouse which provides practice for carrier landings, bottom inset is Pinecastle Bombing Range, providing an environment for aircrews to learn the proper tactics and weapons delivery techniques. tion" craft which were staged here before shipped from NAS Jax to hurricane The base was cited for numerous deploying to Iraq and assisting victims throughout the state. NAS reasons, including supporting the FEMA as more than 47.7 million Army 101st Airborne Division's air- pounds of relief supplies were See AWARD, Page 12 NAS Jax honors Black History Month By 01 Mike England Assistant Editor Sailors and civilians alike gathered at the NAS Jacksonville Officers' Club Thursday for a luncheon to celebrate Black History Month. The event, sponsored by the NAS Jax Multi-Cultural Awareness Committee (MCAC), featured entertain- ment and a passionate speech by Guest Speaker Michael Payne. SK3 Adrien Dixon kicked of the festivi- ties by singing a solo commemorating Black History Month to a captivated audi- ence. NAS Jacksonville Commanding Officer Capt. Chip Dobson then spoke to the packed house about the progress that has been made in the struggle for civil rights in the military. "Throughout our country's history, the military has always lead by example in the struggle for civil rights," Dobson said. "From the Tuskegee Airmen in World War Two to desegregation in 1948, the military was almost always ahead of its time." After lunch, Payne took to the stage. Payne, the executive administrator for the Mayor's Office of Faith and Community Based Part-ner- ship, roused everyone in attendance from their post- meal slumber with a stirring speech about the Niagara Movement and its place in civil rights history. 1! "The Niagara Guest Speaker Michael Movement wasn't Payne delivered a passion- just a protest ate speech to the crowd at against segrega- the Black History tion, the policies of Booker T Luncheon Thursday. Washington, or Washington, or even our position in society," Payne said. "It was, I think, the first time a group of African- Americans in this country took the initiative by See BLACK HISTORY, Page 12 Heart Fair focuses on women, heart disease Photos by HM2 Michael Morgan Yolanda Gray gets her blood pressure checked by HM2 Renee Dietmeyer of the Naval Hospital Jax Wellness Center. m~~ .s' By Loren Barnes Naval Hospital Jacksonville Public Affairs As Naval Hospital Jack- sonville observes Na- tional Heart Month in February specialists from various hospital departments and the Wellness Center hosted a Heart Health Fair for Women on Feb. 4, the "Heart Truth" Campaign's National "Wear Red Day." The "Heart Truth" Cam- paign is sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and partner organizations and is perhaps most famil- iar to Americans through it's use of the symbolic "Red Dress" and the high profile interest of First Lady Laura Bush. The Heart Health Fair featured displays with edu-, cational brochures on tobacco cessation, nutrition` and exercise in the hospi- tal's Outpatient Clinic area. They also conducted health screenings and blood pres- sure checks. Throughout the day the hospital Galley provided "heart healthy" snacks and menu items. This was Naval Hospital Jacksonville's first year to participate in the Red Dress Day and Lt. Cmdr. Kathleen Knight, Naval Hospital Jacksonville Wellness Center director, said, "This was one of the most successful health See HEART FAIR, Page 12 S~-'--*1wr )residential prize Photos By PHI(SW) JoEllen Finerfrock NAS Jacksonville Multi-Cultural Awareness Committe, Member YN2 Jaquilla Barfield performs the Maya Angelo poem "Phenomenal Woman" during the Black History Month Luncheon Thursday. -C -;. ~. '~c.r,,:~::::;l'. iil ~',::':~ C~ir;.',.;j:-;6~li:~-'-l'lrAi! '' f~fi~i iK.--" ,-TOS'',,'/.' ;.: L