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Vision AwardsFRCSE“SuggestorsoftheYear”

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Fall FestivalChildDevelopmentCenter“TeamsUp”

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VOL.66•NO.43•NASJACKSONVILLE,FLA

www.jaxairnews.comTHURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2008

Big Bash!FabulousFood,PhenominalPrizes

Pages6-7

TOUCHING

BASENavy Band Southeast“Sound of Freedom”

Friday at 6 p.m.Patriots Grove Pavilion

Groovin’ for the whole family

All-Navy Rugby Team vs.Jax Men’s Rugby Club

Saturday at 2 p.m.Sea King Park

Grapplin’ for the whole family

ByDebraBinghamDefenseSupplyCenterRichmondPAO

An activation ceremony at NAS Jacksonville marked the Oct. 12 transfer of more than 90 positions

from Fleet Industrial and Supply Center Jacksonville (FISCJ) detachment of Fleet Readiness Center Southeast (FRCSE) to the newly activated Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Jacksonville.

The employees transferred in place to DLA and will continue to provide sup-ply, storage and distribution support to maintenance activities at FRCSE. Cmdr. Bernard Knox is the officer in charge of DLA Jacksonville. He previously served as FRCSE supply officer.

DLA Jacksonville reports to Defense Supply Center Richmond, the DLA avia-tion supply and demand chain, based in Richmond, Va.

Brig. Gen. Andrew Busch, commander of Defense Supply Center Richmond, presided at the ceremony in the VP-30 auditorium at NAS Jax.

The transfer is the result of a 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) congres-sional decision that directed all supply, storage and distribution functions at ser-vice-run maintenance depots, industrial sites and shipyards be transferred to DLA to optimize military readiness.

Knox said, “We look forward to main-taining our focus and providing world-

class warfighter support to FRCSE. To all former FISC Jacksonville employees, I congratulate you on joining the DLA Jacksonville workforce. Even though we have a new name and a new leader, our commitment to meeting supply chain chal-lenges remains the same.”

Busch said that his role was to imple-

ment public law and consolidate retail sup-ply functions into the DLA aviation supply chain, with the intent of improving inven-tory efficiencies and enhancing support to the FRCSE.

“This isn’t a manpower drill, where we do a transfer of people and we’re done. This is about a partnership and a detailed process

that goes beyond today. This is an opportu-nity to take a fresh look at old problems,” Busch said.

“On day one, work will continue as is, where it is –so that the transfer to DLA will be fairly seamless to customers,” said Busch.

As officer in charge of DLA Jacksonville, Knox is responsible for daily operations of retail supply, storage and distribution in support of FRCSE.

Knox praised the work force for its accomplishments in customer support, call-ing them the “standard bearers” for excel-lence, and congratulated them on their performance record. Over the last four years, Knox said immediate issue rate and work order effectiveness metrics have been at all-time highs.

“There is no other work force that I would rather face challenges with. I am proud to have received the DLA flag and proud to have done it with you. We shall strive for continuous improvements as the realm of the possible keeps growing.”

DLA and the Navy worked together to smooth the transition for realigned employ-ees, while ensuring continuity of service to warfighters. A similar transfer took place in August at Navy Fleet Readiness Center, Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, N.C. The next Navy site to implement the BRAC mandate will be North Island, Calif., in February 2009.

ByLorenBarnesNHJaxPublicAffairs

“Wh a t a g o r g e o u s ward!”

Those were the first words from Naval Hospital Jacksonville Commanding Officer Capt. Bruce Gillingham in his remarks at the Oct. 29 ribbon-cut-ting ceremony for the hospital’s newly renovated multi-service ward.

C. Young Construction of Jack-sonville completed the $5 mil-lion, 20,000-square-foot renova-tion. Located on the seventh floor of the hospital, the new ward includes 20 private patient rooms with bathrooms and showers. This project also includes two new iso-lation rooms, along with upgraded nurses’ stations and staff support spaces. The first patients entered the new ward on Nov. 5.

Gillingham said, “This will tan-gibly pull together the hospital’s great care and services with a great new facility.”

C. Coleman Young Jr. spoke for his construction team at the cer-emony. He said it was an honor

to provide a better facility for our service members. “This is an expression of our appreciation for what they do defending our coun-try.” He also noted that $4.9 mil-lion of the project’s funding was spent locally; $2.4 million went to payroll for local employees.

As to how his team worked with the Navy, he said, “We like to build a good rapport with our cus-tomers.” The firm has completed several projects for the hospital, including the ER renovation six years ago in which Young said the whole team, the Navy oversight

commands, the hospital staff and the contractors had a great work-ing relationship.

Young said the project’s suc-cess was a direct result of the teamwork and dedication of all involved. From C. Young Construction, he recognized Project Manager Jeremy Isbell, Project Superintendent Tim Puhlick, Quality Control Manager Tim Ryczek and Administrative Assistant Catherine Humphrey. F r o m N a v a l F a c i l i t i e s Engineering Command SE, he thanked Contract Administrator Susan Hueler, Rusty Dahms and Art Mosely of the NH Jax Facility Engineering and Acquisition Division. Representing the hos-pital in this collaboration was Facility Manager Larry Forbes and Jim McKinder.

The seventh floor renovations

started in 2007. Forbes said throughout the work that Young’s crews took care to minimize the impact on patients receiving care at the hospital. “They really know how to work in a patient care environment,” he said.

This is the latest of a series of improvements for NH Jax. It is part of a cohesive design plan to present a safe, appealing and effi-cient environment of care for NH Jax patients, visitors and staff.

Projects underway include a $35.8 million, three-story surgi-cal suite slated for completion in 2010.

Forbes said there are also five special projects, including a pan-demic flu warehouse, a facilities department building, two new parking lots, upgrades to all the hospital elevator controls, and a $2 million laboratory renovation.

A Veterans Day message from the president

On Veterans Day, we pay tribute to the service and sacrifice of the men

and women who in defense of our freedom have bravely worn the uniform of the United States.From the fields and forests of war-torn Europe to the jungles of Southeast Asia, from the deserts

of Iraq to the mountains of Afghanistan, brave patriots have protected our Nation’s ideals, rescued millions from tyranny, and helped spread freedom around the globe.

America’s veterans answered the call when asked to protect our Nation from some of the

most brutal and ruthless tyrants, terrorists, and militaries the world has ever known. They stood tall in the face of grave danger and enabled our Nation to become the greatest force for freedom in human history.

Members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast

Guard have answered a high calling to serve and have helped secure America at every turn.Our country is forever indebted to our veterans for their quiet courage and exemplary service.

We also remember and honor

SeePRESIDENT’SMESSAGE,Page10

DLA Jacksonville activates

PhotobyClarkPierceCommander,DefenseSupplyCenterRichmond,Brig.Gen.AndrewBusch(frontleft)congrat-ulatesCmdr.BernardKnoxontheactivationofDefenseLogisticsAgencyJacksonvilleOct.31attheVP-30auditorium.

New ward receives patients at NH Jax

PhotobyHM1(SW)MichaelMorgan(From left)Construction contractorC.ColemanYoung Jr.,TomTryon ofNaval FacilitiesCommand SE,NH JaxCommandingOfficerCapt. BruceGillinghamandNHJaxFacilityManagerLarryForbescuttheribbonOct.29 to officially open the renovatedmulti-serviceward on the hospital’sseventhfloor.

PhotobyLorenBarnesKrissy Sierski, an employee of contractmaintenance companyA.P.Hill,attachesahandsanitizerinoneoftheNHJacksonville’snewpatientroomslocatedintheseventhfloormulti-serviceward.