Ombudsman May 2008 Newsletter

CO’s Corner Hello JPJ Families, We are in the stretch run with only a few more weeks to go until the ship will be home from deployment. After all the schedule changes and rumors, it seems our schedule from prior to deployment will play out. As many of you now know, we never went to Osaka, but went to Hong Kong. The crew had a great time, especially since the weather was much nicer than when we stopped there last deployment. Our ULTRA-S inspection went extremely well as I had expected and yet again, JPJ was the cream of the crop in the Nimitz CSG in terms of overall performance. Soon there after, we went to Guam for some much needed repairs before we split from the Carrier Strike Group to head towards Alaska. Chafee is in company with us, and as I write, we are just about to transfer our operational control from 7^th Fleet to 3^rd Fleet. Our next big exercise will be off the coast of Alaska and is called Northern Edge. It is a Joint Air Force/Navy event that flexes all warfare areas of the ship, though it is highly focused in air defense. Prior to the commencement of Northern Edge, we will pull into Seward Alaska for a few days. The crew seems very excited as Alaska is just one of those states that many of us never seem to get a chance to visit. It should be fun with many outdoor activities to experience, the biggest being a tour into the glacier fields! After Northern Edge, we will stop in Esquimalt, British Columbia, Canada to pick up our Tigers. Yes, the Tiger Cruise is on and the crew is again excited about showing off to our family and friends the great things we do for a few days while at sea. We have a full schedule of events set up that will keep the Tiger’s busy. Upon return to San Diego on the morning of 27 May, we will have a 20 day stand down. Once stand down is over, we will have a few inspections and an underway trip to offload all of our ammunition prior to going into the maintenance yard. This will be the beginning of a well deserved down period for the crew. Additionally, we have a Family Day cruise scheduled for early July so all can enjoy a day in the life of a sailor. We look forward to our return and we look forward to enjoying a few days underway with our Tigers. The crew is doing well and their dedication is proving once again that JPJ is a great ship. Christopher K. Barnes CDR USN Commanding Officer CMC’s Corner Hello JOHN PAUL JONES Family and Friends, I can't believe the final month of deployment is upon us and that we'll be home soon. Crew enjoyed a nice long port visit to Guam; everyone did an outstanding job making the ship look like a brand new one! Chiefs and Officers squared off at the Khaki softball challenge and of course the best team won. Yes that is right the Chiefs have the bragging rights and the trophy! After Guam we headed north to participate in Northern Edge, it's an exercise that involves the other branches of service off the coast of Alaska. I think the crew prefers the weather of Guam especially after we heard that Seward, Alaska just had two more feet of snow dump on them. After our short visit to Seward we'll be heading to Canada to pick up our Tigers for the final leg of our deployment! Thanks for all the support you have given your Sailors during this deployment. I'm looking forward to seeing a lot of you on the pier on the 27th. I would like to personally recognize some outstanding JPJ Sailors on their recent achievement. Good job shipments and keep up the great work! COMDESRON 23 Bluejacket of the Quarter: DCFN(SW) Cummins Sailor of the Week: IT3(SW) Tierney IC3 Kaeding FC3 Reeves Navy Achievement Medal: ENS Harris ET1(SW) Pahl GSM1(SW) Vick BM2(SW) Devers EN2(SW) Tank BM2(SW) Torrez DC3 Dail BM3 Pietras Flag Letter of Commendation: GM1(SW) Anderson EN1(SW) Chhun OS2 Brito EM2(SW) Cabrera EN2(SW) Gibbs OS2(SW) Martin GM2(SW) Singh GM2(SW) Rungfarsangaroo GM3 Bradley ENFN(SW) Dupard GSEFN Santana ENFN(SW) Lariosbriones Letter of Commendation: GSE3(SW) Mousavi ENFN Swan Enlisted Surface Warfare Qualification: FC2(SW) Steck SN(SW) Hobart DCFN(SW) Cummins OS2(SW) Fisher BM2(SW) Gibbs IT2(SW) Beckett STG2(SW) Garcia IT3(SW) Tierney GMSN(SW) Glover OS2(SW) Martin OS2(SW) Temple ITSN(SW) Chan Very Respectfully, CMDCM(SW) Karol M. Kramer OMBUDSMAN’S CORNER Dear JPJ Families and Friends: May is National Military Appreciation Month and for the families and sailors of USS John Paul Jones (DDG-53) this May is even more special because of Homecoming. This is the month that Congress has set aside for the nation to remind our military personnel, past and present, and their families that we appreciate all of their sacrifices. To all military personnel, past and present, THANK YOU! Your service to our country has helped to create and maintain its strength. While military spouses are do have a specific day (May 9^th), all family members and friends of military personnel are also greatly appreciated! It doesn’t matter if you are a parent, spouse, fiancé, significant other, child, distant relative, or friend your support of your sailor is greatly appreciated! Without your love and support our sailors would have a much more difficult time doing their jobs. Please accept my personal thanks to each of you for both your sailor and yourself-especially after having dealt with two back to back deployments. Your service to your country, while often unmentioned, is particularly treasured! Congratulations on making it to the last few weeks before homecoming! Both you and your sailor have worked hard for the past few months, and for those that were on board for the last deployment it can certainly feel like the sailors have been gone for a year! For those that will be seeing the ship pull in the excitement quite often at least starts several hours before with people driving to base and getting checked on board the Naval Station. You drive up to the pier and see tents up with vendors, people visiting with one another discussing all sorts of plans and constantly looking at their watches and the water for that first glimpse of the ship. As the ship rounds the corner and comes into view with all of our sailors manning the rails in their whites, your heart may start racing and you think “There he/she is! I can’t wait to __(fill in the blank)__”. Cell phones quite often start going off as the sailors call you to say “I see you, I love you and I am standing _____. Anticipation abounds but will you be prepared? Homecomings often fall short of expectations, not because banners weren’t done or the house wasn’t perfect but because there was no communication between people about what their expectations were. Have you started thinking of your plans for the weeks following homecoming? Have you started discussing with your sailor how you will readjust to having your sailor home? If you are a spouse or significant other this has seemingly obvious implications: does your sailor want a party, if so when? Who will wash the dishes, take out the trash, deal with the children? If you are a parent, friend or other relative the implications aren’t quite as obvious sometimes. What do you expect from your sailor when he or she steps off of the ship? What does he/she expect? What about calls/visits home? These are all things to take into account start talking with your sailor now about both of your expectations so that no one is disappointed or overwhelmed. Homecoming is an almost electric time but please try to remember that no homecoming is perfect, everyone has to readjust. Take things slow, don’t rush anything-you have all grown and changed but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing! If you find you need help please see the This Resource is for you! section of this newsletter or contact me to get resources. I am always here to help. I am not a counselor but I can point you in the right direction! On a final note, please remember that no balloons will be allowed at JPJ’s homecoming. The Navy doesn’t permit Mylar balloons and we have a family member with a severe allergy to latex and latex balloons give off a lot of dust. We want ALL of our families to have a pleasant and memorable homecoming with no trips to the hospital! While I volunteer as your Ombudsman, I could not do my job without the help of the Command, Sailors and family members, so thank you to everyone for all of your hard work, sacrifices and service to your country. Heather Cox Command Ombudsman USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) (619) 743-5416 OMB line 1-866-310-4650 Careline jpjombudsman@yahoo.com http://jpjfamilynews.tripod.com

Family Support Group News Dear JPJ Families and Friends, We are in the home stretch now. Homecoming is upon us and the homecoming committee led by Mistianna Cerami, is hard at work planning a memorable time. The lei fluffing party will be on May 25^th, 2008. The final children’s event for deployment will be held on May 4, 2008, please look for flyers on this event. The April date night was held at the bingo hall on Dry Side bowling alley and fun was had by all who attended. The next FSG meeting will be on May 6^th, 2008 at the Murphy Canyon Chapel beginning with pizza at 6:00pm and the meeting beginning at 6:30. As always childcare is provided free of charge. Important information pertaining to homecoming will be provided at this meeting as well as a presentation by FFSC. Hope to see you there, Julie Gushlaw, JPJ FSG President United Through Reading Our Sailors will soon be making their way home- something we are all looking forward to! By participating in United Through Reading®, the Sailors and families of the USS John Paul Jones (DDG-53) have been able to stay connected in a special way. The DVDs we have received and the pictures, video, and other responses we have sent back have built memories and moments that have served us well throughout this deployment. The benefits of our time spent reading aloud will continue to be evident even after our Sailors come home. As we talk about all the things we will soon do together, think about making reading aloud on a regular basis one of those special activities. I have been the Home Front Coordinator for the UTR program for the 2007 and the 2008 deployments, but it is time for my family to move onto the next duty station. I have truly enjoyed being involved in such a wonderful program that has helped so many families thru the difficult times of deployment and will miss the families of the John Paul Jones. When the next deployment is scheduled the command will be in need of a new UTR Home Front Coordinator. I am willing to answer any questions to anyone who thinks they might be interested. I can let you know how much time to expect to spend working on it and exactly what all is involved. Please feel free to contact me at annafia8@yahoo.com or contact the JPJ Ombudsman at jpjombudsman@yahoo.com. Let us know about your family’s experience participating in the United Through Reading® program. Simply go online and fill out a Homefront Participant’s survey on our website, www.unitedthroughreading.org. This is your opportunity to provide United Through Reading with feedback that they will use to continue to improve the program. (The Direct Link For Those WHO RECEIVE the Newleter via E-mail is: http://unitedthroughreading.org/utr_homefrontsurvey.htm ) Benefits Ø Fosters creative thinking, problem solving and conflict resolution skills. Ø Expands a child’s vocabulary and enhances language and communication skills. Ø Homecomings are easier for parent and child. Ø Increases a sense of security through the emotional closeness established during reading. Navy Trivia: What was the ditty bag originally called? A. diddy bag B. Xerox bag C. duplicate bag D. ditto bag Save the Date! May is National Military Appreciation Month! This month honors, remembers, recognizes and appreciates all military personnel, past and present for their service and sacrifices made by themselves and their families for their country. For more information check out http://www.nmam.org/ May 24^th Tigers report to the ship May 25^th Lei Fluffing Party-contact Heather at jpjombudsman@yahoo.com for more information. May 27^th Homecoming! Ask the Ombudsman! Question: I’m new to this whole Navy life thing. What can I expect from homecoming? Answer: Homecoming is an exciting time. There is almost a feeling of electricity in the air. It’s the first time in months you have seen your Sailor usually and there is so much catching up to do (even with the modern miracle of email). Emotionally no one can tell you how you will react. Only you will know but know that a wide variety of emotions are perfectly acceptable and you could feel one or more throughout the whole homecoming event. Once the ship pulls up to the pier there is a wait. The ship must be tied to the pier and the brow must be set so that the sailors can get off. During this time cell phones are quite often in use as the sailors call to say “I see you!” A certain group of families will be on the pier as the ship is pulling up to officially welcome the ship home, after this has been done you are able to join in the mad dash to get to your sailor. Keep in mind that this is an extremely crowded situation so it may take some time to find your sailor. Children will need to be kept close by so that they aren’t lost in the crowd or get too close to the water. Once the excitement dies down, however, please remember that you have had 4 months where your sailor has been gone and it is going to take some time to get readjusted to life with your sailor again. Question: My sailor is returning home early. What can I expect homecoming to be like then? Answer: The early return of a sailor is quite often much calmer than the ship’s actual homecoming, although equally exciting. Your heart still races and excitement still builds, but it is a more intimate setting. You will still go through many of the same emotions that those who are waiting for the ship to pull in. Once again, your sailor has been gone for quite a while so make sure that you take your time easing back into family life. Question: My sailor is flying home early. Can I meet my Sailor at the gate? Answer: Maybe! If you go early to the airport go to the counter for your sailor’s airline. Once there explain that your sailor is returning home from a deployment and ask if you can receive a special gate pass to go to the gate to meet him/her. It is up to the individual airlines whether or not you are permitted to meet them at the gate. If they do let you through be aware that you will more than likely be given a more in depth screening when going through security. If you would rather not deal with all of that you can meet them at the baggage claim. Question: What is the difference between the Family Support Group (FSG) and the Ombudsman? Answer: While we work closely with one another the FSG is a social group while the Ombudsman is your official contact for the ship and resource provider. Our FSG does a great job of trying to provide events every month for our families however they aren’t able to pass out information or provide resources to the families. Your Ombudsman is here to provide you with support, resources and a direct link to the ship if necessary. If you have resources that you are looking for feel free to contact your Ombudsman. While I can’t pass out specific civilian resources (i.e. actual companies) I can point you in the right direction or give you information about military resources. This Resource is for You! Homecoming Stress The stress is gone because the sailors are home, right? Well, not necessarily. Just because the sailors are home doesn’t mean that the stress is gone-it has changed. You are now having to deal with the difficulties of readjusting to life with your sailor home. If you need help to deal with these adjustments please get the help you need. The last thing anyone wants is for you to feel stressed out or alone. Here are some great resources for you. If you are eligible to shop at the Commissary: Fleet and Family Support: In San Diego call: (619) 556-7404 Out of San Diego? Check out https://www.nffsp.org/skins/nffsp/home.aspx Chaplains: Call 1-877-4-1-TOUCH or check out http://www.chaplaincare.navy.mil/index.htm ASYMCA: http://www.militaryymca.com/ If you aren’t eligible to shop at the Commissary: In San Diego: 211-this is an information referral hotline (an Ombudsman for the civilian world) Outside of San Diego: Many places offer services like 211. Check out your local phone book. Also, you could try speaking with your spiritual advisor. These resources are not the only resources available, simply some of the most common resources to use. Contact your ombudsman if you need a different resource as well. Disclaimer: The Department of Defense, Department of the Navy, and Navy Personnel Command do not endorse any commercial enterprise or their websites that may be found within this section. Information on any commercial enterprise or their websites are provided because of the useful information provided on these sites at no cost to the visitor. Important Contact Information Phone Numbers Ombudsman Line (619) 743-5416 Careline 1-866-310-4650 Emergency Services: 911 Poison Control: 800-876-4766 American Red Cross: (800) 951-5600 Naval Hospital San Diego ER: 619-532-8274 Naval Medical Center San Diego Appointment Line: 619-532-8225 Fleet and Family Support: (619) 556-7404 Navy Marine Corps Relief Society: 619-238-1588 Operation Homefront: (866) 424-5210 USO (San Diego): 619-235-6503 Military OneSource: (800) 842-9647 www.militaryonesource.com WIC (Naval Hospital, SD) 619-583-6051 Emails Ombudsman: jpjombudsman@yahoo.com Family Support Group: fsg_53@yahoo.com Hospitality Committee: jpj_hospitality@yahoo.com Photography Committee: jpj_photography@yahoo.com Navy Trivia Answer: D “Ditty bag (or box) was originally called ditto bag because it contained at least two of everything: two needles, two spools of thread, two buttons, etc. With the passing of years, the 'ditto' was dropped in favor of ditty and remains so today. Before WW I, the Navy issued ditty boxes made of wood and styled after foot lockers. These carried the personal gear and some clothes of the sailor. Today the ditty bag is still issued to recruits and contains a sewing kit, toiletry articles and personal items such as writing paper and pens.” Source: Smith Sr., Daniel. "Navy Historical Facts and Trivia." State Guard Association of the United States. 15 March 2008. <http://www.sgaus.org/hist_fac.htm >. CONTACT YOUR SAILOR: Sailors love snail mail! Although we have the convenience of email, don’t forget to send letters and packages to your loved one at sea! Send mail to: Service Member’s Name USS JOHN PAUL JONES (DDG-53) FPO AP 96669-1271 Remember…sailors love snail mail! May 2008 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 Loyalty Day 2 3 4 5 Cinco de Mayo 6 FSG Meeting 6pm for pizza Murphy Canyon Chapel 7 8 VE Day 9 Military Spouse Appreciation Day 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Armed Forces Day 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Lei Fluffing Party 3pm-??? 26 Memorial Day 27 28 29 30 31
Every house where love abides And friendship is a guest, Is surely home, and home, sweet home For there the heart can rest. -Henry Van Dyke 1852 – 1933 American author, educator, and clergyman

December 2007                                                                        ISSUE 12

CO’s Corner

Happy Holidays John Paul Jones Family!

As you are reading this, we should be finishing our INSURV

inspection and beginning our month-long holiday leave and stand

down period. For the last three months, our focus on JOHN PAUL JONES has entirely been in preparation for INSURV. Based on the hard work and effort we’ve invested I certainly expect that we will do well. Your Sailor has been looking forward to this moment for a long time, and is truly deserving of some good rest and relaxation before we surge deploy in January.

We recently received the September advancement exam results and, as expected, JOHN PAUL JONES performed superbly with 44 Sailors advancing in rate. We beat the Navy average for advancement to E-4, E-5 and E-6 by very wide margins. Congratulations to everyone on their advancement. I look forward to the next exam cycle in March so that we can have more good news towards the end of deployment.

We are scheduled to deploy on 24 January with the NIMITZ Strike Group with a planned return in late May. As we find out more on proposed port visits, we will get that information out. We will participate in several exercises, including an exciting Undersea Warfare Exercise soon after we depart, a large multi-national exercise with many of our Western Pacific Rim allies, and a final exercise in the North Eastern Pacific near Alaska.

RADM Blake, our Strike Group Commander, recently paid us a visit to re-enforce the information we already know about deployment and seemed pretty sure that we would not be gone for more than the scheduled four months. I know that is a concern amongst our families.

For our new families since last deployment, do not forget the pre-deployment fair on 06 Dec at the bowling alley. Of course all families are welcome, but we felt no need to make it mandatory after such a quick turnaround from our just completed deployment.

In the mean time, I hope you have a wonderful holiday with family and loved ones. Your Sailor has been putting in extraordinary time and effort in to making JOHN PAUL JONES ready for INSURV and for our deployment.   You should be as proud of your Sailor, I know I am!

Christopher K. Barnes

CDR, USN

Commanding Officer

CMC’s Corner

Hello JOHN PAUL JONES Family and Friends,

It was great to see so many of you at the Holiday party, and it seemed like everyone had a great time. We’re                                   back to getting prepared for our last big inspection before our much needed break for the holiday season.                                           Your Sailors have been doing a fantastic job since returning from deployment getting the ship ready for INSURV and Surge Deployment. I couldn’t have ask for a better bunch of Sailors to work with! I would like to wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I would like to extend a “Congratulations on a job well done” to the following Sailors who were recently for sustained superior performance:

Senior Sailor of the Quarter: GSM1(SW) Vick

Junior Sailor of the Quarter: GSE3(SW) Mousavi

Bluejacket of the Quarter: ENFN Swan

Navy Achievement Medal:

EMC(SW) Melmundo              NC1(SW) Oliverio

CS1(SW) Royster               OS2(SW) Holicky

GSM2(SW) Waters

Letter of Commendation:

CS3 Cole

New First Class Petty Officers:

CS1(SW) Bernal                CS1(SW) Hartley

CTT1(SW) Mitchell

New Second Class Petty Officers:

STG2 Barrett                  OS2 Brito

GSM2(SW) Crew                 EN2(SW) Daniel

STG2(SW) Davis                 GSM2(SW) Dummer

GM2(SW) Emerick               OS2 Fisher

STG2 Freeman                  EN2(SW) Gibbs

SK2 Hairfield                 SK2 Harris

FC2 Hathway                   CS2(SW) Hemingway

FC2 Hinson                    OS2 Jenkins

ET2 Magnone                   OS2 Martin

GSM2(SW) Schad                GM2 Schlotterbeck

GSE2(SW) Schultz              GM2(SW) Singh

FC2 Steck                     OS2 Temple

GSM2(SW) Niosco

New Third Class Petty Officers:

CS3 Alidio                    SK3 Atchison

BM3 Chapman                   GSM3 Feliciano

GSM3 Ferguson                  GSM3 Figueroa

CS3 Giesheimer                BM3 Hernandez

YN3 Lamson                    GSM3 Malloy

CS3 Meeks                     FC3 Moore

BM3 Pietras                   BM3 Schwartz

GM3(SW) Shaver                GSM3 Verdugo

Announcing new JPJ Baby:

FC1 Romero’s wife Angelina gave birth to their son Nicholas on 07NOV07.

Very Respectfully,

CMDCM(SW) Karol M. Kramer

Ombudsman’s Corner

Hello JPJ Families and Friends!

            Happy Holidays! I enjoyed meeting many of you at the Command Holiday Party and I hope that those who were able to attend had as much fun as Adam and I did. Once again, ENS Harris, Chief Lovell, and the MWR Committee did a great job!   They were able to provide delicious food, a great slideshow of the crew, and great prizes including several game systems, a laptop, and a 42 inch flat screen t.v.!

            On December 6, 2007 the Command is holding a predeployment briefing at the Admiral Robinson’s recreation center on dry side of 32^nd Street. The briefing begins at 1830 (6:30 pm) with pizza and sodas being provided. We will be having several guest speakers that will give you a wide range of information to help you with this upcoming deployment. While everyone from the Command and their families are invited, this is especially helpful for those who did not attend the last briefing. I look forward to meeting you all there!

            As the holidays approach I want to remind everyone that safety is the number one priority, after all you can’t enjoy the party if you or someone you love gets hurt! With that in mind, please remember to use designated drivers and drink responsibly if you do chose to drink.

I wish you and your family a happy holiday season and a great New Year!



Heather Cox

Command Ombudsman

USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53)

(619) 743-5416 OMB line

1-866-310-4650 Careline

jpjombudsman@yahoo.com

http://jpjfamilynews.tripod.com

Family Support Group News

Dear JPJ Families and Friends,

I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying time with their sailors. The holiday season is upon us and a good chance to spend quality time with family and friends, especially with leave periods approaching us quickly. I would like to take the time to invite you all to our December meeting on the Tuesday the 3^rd at 6:30 pm. The meeting will take place at the Murphy Canyon Small Chapel and childcare will be provided in the nursery. We will be discussing upcoming children’s events, date nights and fundraising activities. We will also be asking for volunteers to help the committee chairs for these events. Hope to see you at the meeting if you live in the area, if not, I will be sending out a meeting summary by December 10^th.

Have a wonderful holiday season,

Julie Gushlaw

FSG President

USS John Paul Jones, DDG-53

Important Contact Information

Phone Numbers

Ombudsman Line (619) 743-5416

Careline 1-866-310-4650

Emergency Services: 911

Poison Control: 800-876-4766

American Red Cross: (800) 951-5600

Naval Hospital San Diego ER: 619-532-8274

Naval Medical Center San Diego Appointment Line:

            619-532-8225

Fleet and Family Support: (619) 556-7404

Navy Marine Corps Relief Society: 619-238-1588

USO (San Diego): 619-235-6503

WIC (Naval Hospital, SD) 619-583-6051

Emails

Ombudsman: jpjombudsman@yahoo.com

Family Support Group: fsg_53@yahoo.com

Hospitality Committee: jpj_hospitality@yahoo.com

Photography Committee: jpj_photography@yahoo.com

Navy Trivia:

What is the oldest military award in continuous use in America ?

                                    A. Bronze Star

                                    B. Battle “E”

                                    C. Purple Heart

                                    D. Navy's Medal of Honor

Save the Dates!

December 6, 2007-Predeployment Brief- Please join us for our predeployment brief, being held at the Admiral Robinson Recreation Center on dry side at 32nd Street. Free childcare, pizza and sodas will be provided.

December is National Drunk and Drugged Driving (3D) Prevention Month: The holiday season is supposed to be a time for family, friends, and festive celebrations, but it is unfortunately also a time when there is a tragic jump in the number of alcohol-related highway fatalities each year between Thanksgiving and New Year’s.

That is why USS John Paul Jones (DDG-53) is joining with other national, state and local highway safety and law enforcement officials to remind everyone this holiday season to always designate a sober driver before each holiday party or event involving alcohol.

Nationally, more than 17,000 people died in alcohol-related highway crashes during 2003. Every 30 minutes, nearly 50 times a day, someone in America dies in an alcohol-related crash. Hundreds of thousands more are injured each year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about three in every ten Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash at some point in their lives.

Remembering to designate a sober driver before the party begins is just one of several, simple steps to help avoid a tragic crash or an arrest for impaired driving during the holiday season. Other reminders include:

• Never get behind the wheel of your vehicle if you’ve been out drinking;

• If impaired, call a taxi – use mass transit if available – or call a sober friend or family member to come and get you;

• Or, just stay where you are and sleep it off until you are sober;

• If you are hosting a party this holiday season, remind your guests to always plan ahead to designate a sober driver, always offer alcohol-free beverages during the event, and make sure all of your guests leave with a sober driver; and

• Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk. Take the keys and never let a friend leave your sight if you think they are about to drive while impaired.

Since 1981, every President of the United States has proclaimed December “National Drunk and Drugged Driving (3D) Prevention Month” to help underscore the public’s commitment to preventing impaired driving and promoting the use of designated drivers and sober ride programs. The month of December and the New Year’s Eve holiday are also often highlighted by significant increases in state and local law enforcement efforts to combat impaired driving such as the use of sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols.

Driving impaired or riding with someone who is impaired is simply not worth the risk. The consequences are serious and real. Not only do you risk killing yourself or someone else, but the trauma and financial costs of a crash or an arrest for driving while impaired can be really significant and not the way you want to spend your holiday season.

So remember, this holiday season, if you catch a buzz, catch a ride.

Source: " HOLIDAY MINI-PLANNER (FRIENDS)." National Highway Traffic Safety Association. 1November 2007.      < http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/alcohol/StopImpaired/HolidayPlanner/downloads/HolidaysFriendsOp-Ed.pdf >.

Navy Trivia Answer: D

The Navy's Medal of Honor, authorized December 21, 1861, is the oldest continuous use military award in America.

Source: Smith Sr., Daniel. "Navy Historical Facts and Trivia." State Guard Association of the United States. 1November 2007.     <http://www.sgaus.org/hist_fac.htm >.

Ten Ways to Save $ During the Holidays

The average family spends about $900 on gifts, food and holiday decorations between Thanksgiving and Christmas. To reduce these costs try some of the following ways to save:

1. “Shop after 6 p.m. the day BEFORE the big sale. Usually the special discounts get put into the system after 6 p.m. the day before and you can beat the crowds.” says Dan Butler, Vice President of Retail Operations and merchandising with the National Retail Federation.

2. Make and send free holiday “e-cards”.

3. Shop online or at the Navy Exchange to avoid sales tax.

4. Pay cash. People who use credit cards tend to spend up to 33% more on gifts and that doesn’t include any accumulated interest.

5. Create a shopping list and stick to it. Include who you will buy for and how much you will spend.

6. Buy “family” gifts rather than individual gifts such as a croquet set, a food basket or gift card.

7. Keep it light if you have to mail your gift as it’s not unusual to spend as much on shipping as you do for the actual gift.

8. Shop for quantity rather than quality. When buying stocking stuffers go to the Dollar Store and fill a stocking for less. Buy lottery tickets for adults.

9. Bake extra batches of cookies to share with neighbors, colleagues and friends.

10. Shop for next year’s holiday supplies the day after the holidays at the 50% off sales.

Source: "Ten Ways to Save $ During the Holidays." IA Family Connection. 27 November 2007.

I Am an Ombudsman
By: Gayle Brinkley

I am not a crutch
But I can support you

I am not a counselor
But I know one

I am not a taxi driver
But I can steer you in the right direction

I am not a rescuer
But I can help save lives

I am not a baby sitter
But I can refer you to a caregiver

I am not a gossiper
But I am a great listener

I am not an enabler
But I can provide tools to empower you

I am not a master of anything
But I know many experts who understand your need

I am not a Recreation or Health Specialist
But I am concerned about your Morale, Welfare & Health

I am not a busybody as I've been called
But I am an Official Command Representative

I am a Navy Family Ombudsman
And I am of service to You
The Navy Family

CONTACT YOUR SAILOR:

Sailors love snail mail! Although we have the convenience of email, don’t forget to send letters and packages to your loved one at sea! Send mail to:

Service Member’s Name

USS JOHN PAUL JONES (DDG-53)

FPO AP 96669-1271

Remember…sailors love snail mail!

December 2007

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

1

2

3

4

5

Hanukkah

begins

6

Pre-Deployment

Briefing

7

Pearl Harbor Day

8

9

10

11

12

Hanukkah

ends

13

14

15

Bill of Rights Day

16

17

18

Waqf al Arafa begins at Sunset

19

Eid al-Adha

begins at Sunset

20

21

22

Winter Solstice

23

24

25

Christmas

26

Kwanza

Begins

27

28

29

30

31

Kwanza

Ends

New Year’s Eve

CO’s Corner

Family Support Group News

Dear JPJ Families and Friends,

Hope to see you there,

Julie Gushlaw, JPJ FSG President

United Through Reading

Benefits

Ø Fosters creative thinking, problem solving and conflict resolution skills.

Ø Expands a child’s vocabulary and enhances language and communication skills.

Ø Homecomings are easier for parent and child.

Ø Increases a sense of security through the emotional closeness established during reading.

Navy Trivia:

What was the ditty bag originally called?

A. diddy bag

B. Xerox bag

C. duplicate bag

D. ditto bag

Save the Date!

May is National Military Appreciation Month! This month honors, remembers, recognizes and appreciates all military personnel, past and present for their service and sacrifices made by themselves and their families for their country. For more information check out http://www.nmam.org/

May 24th Tigers report to the ship

May 25th Lei Fluffing Party-contact Heather at jpjombudsman@yahoo.com for more information.

May 27th Homecoming!

Ask the Ombudsman!

Question: I’m new to this whole Navy life thing. What can I expect from homecoming?

Question: My sailor is returning home early. What can I expect homecoming to be like then?

Question: My sailor is flying home early. Can I meet my Sailor at the gate?

Question: What is the difference between the Family Support Group (FSG) and the Ombudsman?

This Resource is for You!

Homecoming Stress

If you are eligible to shop at the Commissary:

Fleet and Family Support:

In San Diego call: (619) 556-7404

Out of San Diego? Check out https://www.nffsp.org/skins/nffsp/home.aspx

Chaplains:

Call 1-877-4-1-TOUCH or check out http://www.chaplaincare.navy.mil/index.htm

ASYMCA: http://www.militaryymca.com/

If you aren’t eligible to shop at the Commissary:

In San Diego: 211-this is an information referral hotline (an Ombudsman for the civilian world)

Outside of San Diego: Many places offer services like 211. Check out your local phone book. Also, you could try speaking with your spiritual advisor.

These resources are not the only resources available, simply some of the most common resources to use. Contact your ombudsman if you need a different resource as well.

Important Contact Information

Phone Numbers

Ombudsman Line (619) 743-5416

Careline 1-866-310-4650

Emergency Services: 911

Poison Control: 800-876-4766

American Red Cross: (800) 951-5600

Naval Hospital San Diego ER: 619-532-8274

Naval Medical Center San Diego Appointment Line:

619-532-8225

Fleet and Family Support: (619) 556-7404

Navy Marine Corps Relief Society:

619-238-1588

Operation Homefront: (866) 424-5210

USO (San Diego): 619-235-6503

Military OneSource: (800) 842-9647

www.militaryonesource.com

WIC (Naval Hospital, SD) 619-583-6051

Emails

Ombudsman: jpjombudsman@yahoo.com

Family Support Group: fsg_53@yahoo.com

Hospitality Committee: jpj_hospitality@yahoo.com

Photography Committee: jpj_photography@yahoo.com

December 2007 ISSUE 12

CO’s Corner

Ombudsman’s Corner

Hello JPJ Families and Friends!

Family Support Group News

Important Contact Information

Save the Dates!

May 24^th Tigers report to the ship

May 25^th Lei Fluffing Party-contact Heather at jpjombudsman@yahoo.com for more information.

May 27^th Homecoming!