August 1, 2023 - VOLUME 4 - ISSUE 8
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Gators: facts and tips for interacting with our bitey base mascots
- From the Flightline
- Touching Trucks and Lives
- NAS JRB New Orleans Fire Dept. conducts off-station drill
- Through the lens
- NAS JRB New Orleans Sailors attend Joint Women's Leadership Symposium
- LANG partners with college student in Governor’s Fellow Program
- 159th Fighter Wing holds change of command ceremony
You may not believe it, but up until the 1960’s the American alligator was an endangered species, hunted nearly to extinction for their hides and meat. Luckily, wildlife preservationists recognized that these prehistoric apex predators had much more important things to do in the ecosystem than make new boots.
Overhunting drastically reduced the number of wild alligators until hunting was prohibited in Louisiana in the 1960’s. After the population recovered, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries created a management plan that allowed for alligator eggs to be collected in the wild, then farm-raised for leather and meat, with a portion of the baby alligators returned to the wild to repopulate. Alligator populations are now fully recovered and are very common throughout suitable habitats in South Louisiana.
According to phys.org, alligators help manage bird and raccoon populations, and their heavy travel through swamps and marshes creates habitats for fish and marine invertebrates.
These large freshwater reptiles are often found in ditches, ponds, and canals on base, and males can reach up to 14 feet in length. Females lay clutches of 30-50 eggs beneath rotting vegetation and you can expect hatchlings by late August. Attentive gator moms carry them from the nest to the water in her mouth, then continue to guard their hatchlings until they are big enough to fend for themselves. Life is treacherous for baby gator, though, and they are often eaten by large fish, great blue herons, raccoons, raptors, and even other alligators.
Alligators eat fish, turtles, and other small animals by lying motionless and ambushing prey from the water with incredible speed. While they typically avoid humans, if they are fed they lose this natural fear and see humans as a potential food source. While most adult humans are far too large to be attacked by an average-sized alligator, children and off-leash dogs are particularly vulnerable. For this reason, it is imperative to keep dogs and small children away from ditches, canals, and ponds where alligators may be lurking.
The feeding of alligators on base is forbidden, but they can still be enjoyed from a safe distance as they bask on muddy banks or prowl with only their eyes and nostrils above the water.
Alligators are a unique part of the ecosystem and culture of south Louisiana and should not be disturbed. If an individual is spotted somewhere inappropriate (like a playground, parking lot, or yard), please avoid the reptile and contact USDA Wildlife Services (225) 400-8201). The USDA will attempt to capture and relocate the alligator to better habitat away from humans.
For alligators or snakes around Patrician Housing or Navy/tenant buildings, call Daniel Riggs, Natural Resources Program Manager at (504) 678-3095.
For nuisance cats, dogs, rodents, raccoons, and opossums in/around Patrician Housing, call Patrician Management at (504) 392-7500.
For nuisance cats, dogs, rodents, raccoons, and opossums in Navy or tenant command buildings, notify the building manager. Building managers can have an RCC ticket put in for the shops/BOS contractors to respond. A building manager list can be obtained off of the NAS JRB NOLA base app by selecting the Facilities Management button.
For wildlife issues within the airfield fence, contact the USDA at (225) 400-8201.
From Captain Lena Kaman
I am excited to share with you that the National WWII Museum in New Orleans is hosting the 2023 Medal of Honor Convention Oct. 30-Nov. 4, 2023. In just a span of a week, there will be more than 25 separate events occurring that the New Orleans military will support in various capacities to honor our nation’s Medal of Honor recipients. Many events will be open to the public and free to service members. We will be posting information on our social media platforms as details become available. Consider this your official Heads Up!
Closer on the calendar, our Fleet and Family Support Center is putting together what promises to be a fantastic career fair—the first one the base has ever held at an off-base location. Our hope is we will attract more participants by holding this event off base. The career fair will be held Aug. 31 at the Plaquemines Parish Multi-Purpose Center. Much more information will be posted on our Facebook page.
In August, we must also prepare for an increase in vehicular and foot traffic, on and off base, as Plaquemines Parish schools open and Belle Chasse Academy welcomes children back. Please be extra observant of our school crossings and all pedestrian crossings on base and off. Be aware of the designated school zones on Highway 23 near Belle Chasse High School and Our Lady of Perpetual Help School, where crossing guards and parish officials enforce lowered speed limits.
We are on the cusp of what is usually the busiest part of hurricane season in Louisiana. The strongest storms spin up during August, September, and October, as conditions are suitable for budding storms to form. With this in mind, be ready to act and execute your hurricane plan should the need arise.
The heat and humidity this time of year can be oppressive and dangerous. If you must be outdoors, drink plenty of fluids. When exercising or working in the heat, monitor the condition of your workout partner or workmate. Be a good shipmate—look out for each other!
We currently live in interesting times, facing global challenges never experienced, looking ahead to what may come. As an installation, I can assure you that we will continue to implement every needed measure to ready our personnel for all contingencies. I can also promise that we will continue to get our job at NAS JRB New Orleans done—to complete our mission to the very best of our collective ability. It is what is expected, and it is what we do!
I appreciate the outstanding work here at NAS JRB New Orleans. Your efforts continue to make positive impressions. We often never know the impact we may have on those we encounter whether at work, home, or in the community. I know that the impressions we provide exemplify honor, courage, and commitment.
NAS JRB (Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base) New Orleans Fire and Emergency Services has a 5-Level Strategic Initiative Plan. The number one item is: “Improve community outreach and engagement.” The department lived up to the standard and held the inaugural “Touch a Truck” event on board NAS JRB New Orleans at Belle Chasse Academy on Saturday, July 1st.
Fire Chief Thomas "TJ" Maury stated, “Community education, collaboration, and involvement is at the center of everything we do in our department. With this up close and personal approach of enlightening children, as well as adults, we let them know who we are, what we do, and show them the tools we use to do the job.”
Belle Chasse Fire Department and Terrytown Fire Department also joined in the event that was attended by over 150 local children and adults. Terrytown Fire Department brought their classic 1948 Fox Fire Engine to illustrate not just the history of the fire service, but also the pride and professionalism that firefighters have in taking care of their equipment. In total there were seven fire department apparatuses on display, including an Aerial (Belle Chasse), an Aerial Platform ARFF Apparatus (Terrytown), a Rescue Truck, an Ambulance, and the Chief Command Vehicle from NAS JRB.
The various trucks and equipment showed the community the full scope of our supporting capabilities. For example, the Rescue Truck houses a vast array of equipment, such as the “Jaws of Life,” ropes, rigging, technical rescue, HAZMAT equipment, and more. Whether on base or with our mutual aid partners, we work collectively to save lives, minimize incidents, and conserve property. While giving tours of the apparatuses and equipment, many conversations were had. Captain Tony Barnes from NAS JRB remembered a large number of children that stated, “When I grow up, I want to be a firefighter!” It is Captain Barnes’s high point to give back to the community, especially to the youths. The day was spent allowing the children and adults to live up to the events name, “Touch a Truck.” Members of the community entered each vehicle and were able to partially experience the life of a first responder behind the wheel.
Because of the sheer size and its two turret nozzles, the ARFF Apparatus always seems to be a highlight. During the tours, the crowds are impressed to find out that these apparatuses can hold 3,000 gallons of water. The astonishment is taken a step beyond whenever visitors have the opportunity to touch and feel the weight of the structural bunker gear, the self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) bottle, and helmet that firefighters must wear on every call while performing our duties. One would think that this would dissuade someone from wanting to be a firefighter, but in direct contrast, this is the moment when most kids say, “I want to be a firefighter!”
“It feels good every time we do this, educating and entertaining at the same time,” said Assistant Fire Chief Todd Albarado. NAS JRB and its partners look forward to continuing community events such as this one while continuing to provide stellar service to the community with the help of the Terrytown and Belle Chasse Fire Departments.
On July 7th, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base (NAS JRB) New Orleans Fire and Emergency Services conducted an off-station drill in conjunction with Belle Chasse Volunteer Fire Department, Plaquemines Parish Fire Department, Terrytown Volunteer Fire Department, Marrero-Rugusa Volunteer Fire Department, Plaquemines Parish Sheriffs Office, Navy Regional Dispatch Center, and Plaquemines Parish Dispatch Center.
The purpose of the exercise was to test the response to an off-station aircraft crash and validate response plans; test the ability for mutual partners to assemble an effective response force; and evaluate the flow of information from the local public safety answering point (PSAP) to responders and Regional Dispatch Center (RDC).
Marine Air Group 49 change of command
Awards ceremony and all hands call
According to the Department of Defense’s (DoD) latest Demographics Profile of the Military Community, the upward trend in the number of women serving in the U.S. Armed Forces continues.
The latest data, released in late 2022, shows that women made up 17.3% of the active-duty force, totaling 231,741 members; and 21.4% of the National Guard and reserves at 171,000 members. The year before, women made up 17.2% of the active-duty force and 21.1% of the Guard and reserve. Since 2017, the percentages of women in the active-duty and selected reserve have risen 1.1% and 1.8% respectively.
About 1,200 women, including three from NAS JRB New Orleans, attended the Sea Service Leadership Association's Joint Women’s Leadership Symposium (JWLS) 2023 June 29-July 1. JWLS is a two-and-a-half-day event focused on mentorship, leadership, and inspiring service women.
The symposium’s purpose was to create a unique experience by bringing together service women and men from all eight uniformed services. The theme for this year's symposium was "Find Your Fit," which encouraged attendees to discover themselves as unique leaders, delving into subjects such as fitness, mental health, professional alignment, and balancing of personal life with military service.
Lt. Angela Delli Paoli, NAS JRB Administration Officer, was a first time attendee of JWLS.
“I was expecting to learn more about myself. Last time I went to something like this, I learned that the struggles I face are not just a ‘me thing,’ they are an ‘every woman in the workforce thing.’ I also hoped to find out what the Navy is doing to continue to make this a better work environment for women and men alike. I was not disappointed,” she said.
It was also Electronics Technician 1st Class Tammie Garcia’s first time attending JWLS. She works in the NAS JRB Ground Electronics Division.
“I was hoping to make some great connections networking with people and learn more about what it means to be a female in leadership,” Garcia said. “The event that stood out the most was ‘Leadership Types and How You Fit as a Leader.’ It was led by MSgt. Tyskanay Schofield, U.S. Air Force, who educated us on the Enneagram Human Personality Test and discussed what those test results could teach us about our own leadership style. This was the first event of the conference, and it encouraged every participant to self-reflect on their own leadership.”
Schofield also made an impression on Delli Paoli.
“I learned what type of leader I am through the leadership presentation given by MSgt Tyskanay Schofield, USAF. She had us take the free enneagram test and it not only taught me about myself, but it also taught me a lot about the Sailors I lead,” she said.
Spreading the wealth, upon return to the command, Delli Paoli led her department in taking the Enneagram test and a discussion afterwards.
Capt. Lena Kaman, NAS JRB New Orleans Commanding Officer, initially registered to attend the symposium, and was then asked to lead a male mentorship panel discussion.
“Now, I’m not just saying this because my boss led the panel, but the workshop on ‘Finding Mentorship in our Male Counterparts and Male Allies’ stood out the most. It struck a deeper chord for me listening to the male mentors on the panel speak,” Delli Paoli said. “I thought to myself, ‘If every male leader I’ve had (and they’ve all been male until now) advocated for me the way the men on the panel advocated for their female mentees, there would have been times in my Navy career where I would have felt a lot less lonely.’
“It just solidified to me how important it is for our male counterparts to take an interest in events like these. How do we make change and bring awareness to the issues women in the military face when a majority of our team isn’t there to hear it?” she asked.
JWLS is open to all service members. The overwhelming majority of attendees are female.
“Symposiums such as JWLS are important for mission and organizational success. The symposiums develop today’s and tomorrow’s leaders though professional education, mentorship, and networking. Attendees benefit from open dialogue and career development information. When our people succeed and are professionally fulfilled, our organization succeeds,” Capt. Kaman said.
Garcia said service members are typically aware of the obvious path to success and achieving rank in the service, but JWLS showed her that many service members are able to deviate from the path while still achieving all of their goals.
“We heard from some amazing women who shared stories of how they successfully followed a non-traditional career path in order to make their career work for themselves and their family. The theme of this year's event was ‘Find your Fit,’ and I enjoyed how all of the speakers encompassed that philosophy,” Garcia said. “It was amazing to see all of the branches in attendance. Looking around the room to see all of these amazing women in attendance was a powerful image."
Delli Paoli departed the symposium with an empowered image of her own.
“We don’t need to wait for Big Navy to come out with a new policy for us to shift our culture. There is so much positive change that can start right here in our own command, in our own department, with a single Sailor. We, as leaders (and I don’t just mean the officers), need to be vigilant, to pay attention, to the atmosphere around us. We have the power to change it if it needs changing. Embrace discomfort for a short time to gain a new perspective on what it is to be a minority in the service,” she said.
A 2020 Department of Defense study shows the Navy holds the top spot for diversity when it comes to minority enlisted service members—more than 40% higher than any other service. If temporary discomfort is what is needed, the Navy has the opportunity to lead the embrace.
PINEVILLE, La.– The Louisiana Army National Guard along with the Louisiana Governor’s Office, have partnered together to support Prairieville, Louisiana, native Harun Vemulapalli in the Governor’s Fellow Program. The program runs from the first week of June until the first week of August.
The Governor’s Fellow Program provides college and university student leaders with the opportunity to experience public policy in action while learning history and current affairs in Louisiana’s government. While participating in the program, fellows have the opportunity to observe the Governor’s leadership strategies, how state policies are developed and collaborate with different government agencies’ leadership.
“We get paired with a department and get to intimately understand the inner workings of the department,” Vemulapalli continued. “We also take a public administration class to prepare us for public policy that we present to the Governor at the end of our program.”
In order to be selected for the program, fellows must submit an application that includes a resume, college transcript and letters of recommendation.
“Applicants also have to choose a House or Senate bill from the 2022 Louisiana regular session and write an essay on whether the Governor should support or oppose the legislation,” said Vemulapalli.
Once selected for the program, fellows are assigned to a state organization that mirrors their interests on their applications.
Harun was paired with the Louisiana National Guard for his fellowship. This is the first time LANG has been assigned a fellow.
“I think that a lot of the fellows in future years should be getting sent to LANG. It is a highly underrated department and it is important for future fellows to be open minded and be willing to absorb all of the information the department has to offer,” said Vemulapalli.
While working with the LANG, Vemulapalli was assigned to help develop a policy involving emergency management.
“His understanding of our programs throughout LANG will assist him in developing an overall understanding of how LANG is funded, organized and trained for our state and federal missions,” said Col. Greg St. Romain, director of LANG Joint Directorate of Military Support. “The complexity of LANG will assist Harun in developing this policy to present to our Governor that shows the capabilities of our organization and how we support multiple state and federal partners.”
Harun learned quite a few valuable lessons during his time with the Louisiana National Guard.
“I think everyone in the LANG is very reflective. They understand that it is important to look back at what they have done and to constantly find ways to improve. Being involved with the Governor’s Fellow Program is one way to continue that process. These small improvements are what saves lives, and I think I have been trying to adopt that mindset of constant reflection and self improvement,” said Vemulapalli.
“Staying cool during a crisis and the importance of communicating with others are important lessons to grasp and I think it would be very easy to lose focus on the bigger picture during an all-hazards event without staying cool,” he continued.
St. Romain speaks highly about Harun and his work ethic.
“He operates well above his age and is a true professional,” St. Romain said. “He has a wealth of knowledge and has much respect for what we do and will be an advocate for Guardsmen in whatever career profession he decides to pursue.”
As a non-military member, Harun sees value in learning about the military and its policies.
“I have learned what feels like an infinite number of acronyms with regards to military terms and procedures. Asking a lot of questions in order to improve your knowledge base is vital,” Vermulapalli said. “Often times people within the department might assume that you know something, and it’s easy to pretend you know what is going on rather than asking questions or trying to fully gain an understanding of the department.”
Harun explained that the most important lesson he learned from the program is to take initiative, speak up and ask questions when he does not know the answer.
Harun is currently attending the University of California at Los Angeles, where he is majoring in Political Science and Data Theory. With an interest in international relations, he writes for a political science journal at UCLA, the Bruin Political Review. When he is not attending classes in California, Harun coaches debate at Isidore Newman High School in New Orleans as well as teaches debate summer programs across the United States.
NEW ORLEANS – Col. Jonathan D. Mumme relinquished command of the 159th Fighter Wing (159 FW) to Col. David M. Anderson in an official ceremony held at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans, June 30.
Anderson started his Air Force career in 2001 upon commissioning from the Texas A&M University Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program and earning his pilot wings at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas. From there, he served eleven years on active duty, flying the F-15C in multiple operational and training capacities. In 2013, Anderson transitioned to the Louisiana Air National Guard (LAANG) as the chief of scheduling and, later, a flight commander. Anderson has deployed in support of Operations Peaceful Summit and Enduring Freedom as well as two theater security package missions providing the United States European Command (EUCOM) and United States Pacific Command (PACOM) commanders with deterrent air superiority forces while maintaining regional stability.
Maj. Gen. Keith Waddell, adjutant general of the Louisiana National Guard, acknowledged the achievements of the 159 FW under the outgoing commander, Col. Mumme.
“He understood what our priorities were as far as readiness,” said Waddell of Mumme and the 159th’s response during the COVID-19 pandemic and multiple all-hazards missions between the years of 2020-2023.
Waddell went on to recognize the recent achievements of, as well as provide specific guidance to the incoming commander, Col. Anderson.
“The two ‘due outs’ I have for him [Col. Anderson] is first, take care of our Airmen and second, bring this unit to the next level,” expressed Waddell. “I have the ultimate confidence in you that you will get it done with the tremendous Airmen that we have here today and those that were unavailable to take part in the ceremony.”
Anderson has served as the commander of multiple squadrons and groups within the wing during his time with the LAANG. He served as chief of scheduling, flight commander and weapons officer for the 122nd Fighter Squadron. Prior to assuming his position of wing commander, Anderson held the positions of operations support flight commander and operations group commander within the 159 FW.
“I’m humbled to be a part of that endeavor to continue to make it a better organization,” said Anderson regarding the legacy he inherits from the previous leaders of the 159 FW. “But we all know that’s not going to be possible without all the Airmen of Louisiana, and that’s really who put in all the effort to make this organization what it is, and the great people that are in it. Your dedication and sacrifice to provide ready forces for America is the true airpower of the Air Force, this fighter wing and what they deliver.”
In his address to the 159th, Mumme recognized his mentor’s guidance, thanked his family for their support and asserted his confidence in Anderson’s ability to be a great wing commander for the unit.
“RIPPER (Col. Anderson), I’ve appreciated your friendship, attention to detail and tenacious problem solving throughout the years. I know the 159th is in great hands with you and you will, in fact, take them to the next level,” said Mumme.
Mumme went on to thank the service men and women of the 159 FW.
“I stand here in absolute awe of you. Through an extremely turbulent time in our state and nation’s history, you stepped up to every challenge, pulled together and made success happen,” said Mumme. “You saved lives, you saved property, you fought, you sweat, you bled. It’s hard to put in words what you all mean to me. Thank you for every minute.”
Mumme had an accomplished career during his time as the wing commander from 2020 to 2023. He will continue his career by attending the Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy.
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