Bahrain Desert Times (495) - May 2023

NSA Bahrain Fire and Emergency Services Department Receives Official Accreditation

NSA Bahrain Fire and Emergency Services Department received accredited agency status from the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) at the Center for Public Safety Excellence Commission hearings in Orlando, Florida.

NSA Bahrain Fire Department is now a part of a very distinct group of 74 Department of Defense Fire Departments and 227 civilian fire departments worldwide that have obtained CFAI accredited status.

“I’m overjoyed. This is a major accomplishment for this young department. To think that this department was only established 11-years ago in 2012, and now has achieved this status is a true testament of all the members’ hard work and dedication to pursue excellence,” said NSA Bahrain Fire Chief Shawn Herrera. “The CFAI accreditation process is excellent. It is a proactive mechanism to plan for agency and service area changes, which is extremely valuable considering the constant growth onboard NSA Bahrain. This process will aid in the future when locating areas where we can improve the quality of the services we provide.”

Agency accreditation is a requirement for U.S. Navy Fire Departments. The accreditation model examines 250 performance indicators that must be verified through document review and onsite assessment process

conducted by CFAI peer assessors. The process enables fire and emergency agencies the ability to examine performance levels and compare them to industry best practices. The process is very thorough and accreditation reports often include peer recommendations for improvement beyond what the department has identified. In total, NSA Bahrain Fire Department accreditation documentation that was submitted and reviewed by CFAI exceeded 400 pages. This

is the first time NSA Bahrain went through the CFAI accreditation process. In order to maintain accreditation, the department will have to go through the process every five years.

“It was a collective effort from our internal and external stakeholders to get through this accreditation

Local Teacher Wins Prestigious Award

Drazek Teaching Excellence Award to outstanding faculty members in the United States, Europe, and Asia.

Nominated by UMGC Europe students, Dr. Alaa Afifi was selected as a Drazek award recipient and recognized at the UMGC Europe commencement ceremony held at Ramstein in late April.

Courtesy story from Michael Kono and Dr. Alaa Afifi

The late Chancellor, Dr. Stanley J. Drazek, had a 32-year career with The University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC). He was devoted to establishing teaching excellence as the university's top priority. In this spirit, UMGC recognizes the highest teaching accomplishments each year by bestowing the Stanley J.

“There are no words I could actually use to describe how I felt when honored with presentation of the Stanley Drazek Teaching Excellence Award,” said Dr. Afifi. “Standing up on the stage after my name had been announced, was a great and auspicious occasion for me.”

Dr. Afifi has been teaching with UMGC in Manama, Bahrain, since 2004. A fixture on the base, as well as at the US Embassy, Dr. Afifi is the go-to person when it comes to teaching Arabic language and culture. He is able to take students

with no prior knowledge of Arabic and, within a semester or two, give them a working knowledge of the language and a greater appreciation of the culture.

He does this through a combination of continuous engagement with students in and out of the classroom and adding healthy doses of kindness and humor in all his interactions. Because of his contributions, a whole generation of students gained the knowledge and skills to appreciate their time better downrange.

“I felt proud of my profession and career to receive such a prestigious and honorable award. It is a great feeling for me to have been selected as a deserving

professor for this recognition,” said Dr. Afifi. “That moment solidified my dedication and reassured me that I could make difference. I love what I do and the award reinvigorated me to return to the classroom and continue inspiring my phenomenal students.”

U.S. Navy Completes Participation in Oman-led Naval Exercise

U.S. naval forces completed participation in a weeklong Oman-led naval exercise in and off the coast of Oman, May 11, with forces from France and the United Kingdom.

The five-day exercise, called Khunjar Hadd, focused on mine countermeasures, explosive ordnance disposal, maritime interdiction and other combined naval operations. Personnel from a U.S. 5th Fleet expeditionary mine countermeasures unit participated with crewmembers from mine countermeasures ship USS Dextrous (MCM 13) and a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.

“Training alongside the incredible forces of Oman’s Royal Navy has been an invaluable experience for our aircraft, ships and divers,” said United Kingdom Royal Navy Capt. Derek

McKnight, deputy commander for Task Force 52, which oversees U.S. 5th Fleet’s mine countermeasures

NSA Bahrain Fire and Emergency Services Department Receives Official Accreditation

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journey,” said NSA Bahrain Accreditation Manager Nathan Hollway. “We couldn’t have completed our self-assessment and obtain required information without the support from our Human Resources Department, Emergency Management Department, Naval Branch Health Clinic Bahrain and N6 IT Department. Special thanks to Human Resources Specialist Allison D'souza-Gomes, Emergency Management Specialist Jared Applefield, NMRTU Contracting Officer Representative Darren Taylor, and Field Service Engineer Robert L. Swafford for always being there when we knocked on their door with questions.”

NSA Bahrain Fire Department’s accreditation journey started in 2017 with former Fire Chief John Rodgers. Chief Rodger created the department’s community risk assessment – standard of cover document and strategic plan document which was essential in laying the foundation for accreditation success.

To complete the accreditation process, the fire department logged thousands of hours in preparing all requisite documents, to include addressing assessment-related inquiries and peer team review action items.

“I feel accomplished knowing the department now has the ‘Seal of Approval’,” said NSA Bahrain Assistant Accreditation Manager Joselito Asinas. “I feel proud to be an integral part of an organization that has been verified to not only have quality work, but a sound financial, operational and oversight practice. I am confident that the accreditation process will continue to push the department in its infancy stage to move forward and improve over the coming years.”

There are 37 members who make up the NSA Bahrain Fire Department. The department responds to a wide range of emergencies to include structure fires, shipboard emergencies, medical emergencies, hazardous materials incidents, and technical rescues.

mission in the Middle East. “I have no doubt that opportunities such as this increase our effectiveness

and enable us to achieve shared objectives.”

The exercise aimed to strengthen relationships

and enhance interoperability among participating military forces. It began May 7, the same day U.S.

5th Fleet hosted Oman’s top naval commander at the U.S. Navy base in Bahrain.

Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, U.S. 5th Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces, hosted Commander of the Royal Navy of Oman Rear Adm. Saif bin Nasser bin Mohsin Al Rahbi and other senior Omani officials for discussions on strengthening regional maritime security cooperation. Cooper later traveled to Oman and embarked Royal Navy of Oman patrol vessel RNOV Al Rahmani (Q41) to observe the exercise.

U.S. 5th Fleet’s area of operations encompasses approximately 2.5 million square miles of water area and includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean and three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, Suez Canal and Strait of Bab al Mandeb.

Navy Recognizes NAVSUP FLC Bahrain with Award for Human Resources and EEO Community Excellence

Bahrain Business Office received the Human Resources (HR) and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Community Support Medium Team Award as part of the 2022 Department of the Navy (DoN) HR and EEO Community Awards for Excellence, April 30.

The DoN HR and EEO Community Awards for Excellence recognizes the contributions made by an individual or team outside of customary HR and EEO organizations.

The NAVSUP FLC Bahrain Business Team includes personnel from the Workforce Management (WFM), Finance, and Public Affairs Offices: Tracy George, Robert Genaro, Jason Kaplan, Judineth Castillo, Gaylord Casanas, Dalia Colon de Rubera, Cinthia Puello, Lolita Cruz, Magdy Abdullah, Toni Opimo, and Margaret Algarin.

Using the Navy’s “Get Real – Get Better” mindset, the team was determined over the course of the year to implement valuable changes in each area of the onboarding experience. After a full assessment of the

existing program, an improvement plan was created highlighting crucial elements that would advance the hiring process. These changes focused on implementing effective strategies to integrate new employees into their new overseas position.

“The team’s ability to recognize and overcome the range of challenges relevant to staffing and onboarding in order to meet mission requirements were key to the team’s success,” said Robert Genaro, Acting Business Director.

To overcome the hiring challenges of overseas positions, two key steps were taken in an effort to increase recruitment numbers. First, the WFM team proactively engaged with our mission partners to acquire additional dependent entry authorizations for the

command. Secondly, the WFM and Public Affairs Officer (PAO) coordinated with Naval Support Activity Bahrain’s PAO office to use their marketing video that highlights Bahrain and its support to the 5th Fleet Warfighters. This video allowed job candidates the opportunity to educate themselves on the remarkable region and the vital mission their position supports.

Externally, the WFM team worked hand-in-hand with many Office of Civilian Human Resources (OCHR) while HR services were relocated from OCHR Bahrain to OCHR Sigonella and then to NAVSUP Headquarters. The hiring process was reorganized beginning with the candidate’s tentative job offer, which triggered the WFM, admin, and finance teams to coordinate with work centers and external

agencies for cost estimates associated with Permanent Change of Station (PCS). While working collaboratively to provide additional staffing tools to the hiring manager, the team’s efforts garnered a more diverse group of candidates and reduced the onboarding process time by an average of 30 days.

The ability to reduce hiring times has proven invaluable, allowing the command to better support the warfighter and mission readiness within the 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

NAVSUP FLC Bahrain is one of eight FLCs under Commander, NAVSUP. Headquartered in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, NAVSUP employs a diverse, worldwide workforce of more than 25,000 military and civilian personnel. NAVSUP and the Navy Supply Corps conduct and enable supply chain, acquisition, operational logistics and Sailor & family care activities with our mission partners to generate readiness and sustain naval forces worldwide to prevent and decisively win wars.

Learn more at www. navsup.navy.mil, www. facebook.com/navsup and https://twitter.com/NAVSUP

439-4520

www.cnic.navy.mil/bahrain

Commanding Officer

Naval Support Activity Bahrain

Capt. William Lane

NSA Bahrain Executive Officer

Cmdr. Ernesto Rivera

Public Affairs Officer

Chief Editor

Lt. Nicolas Mahone

Mark C. Mosher

Mass Communication Specialist

1st Class Sean Gallagher

Host Nation Public Affairs Director

Ameera Al-Kooheji

The Bahrain Desert Times is an authorized publication primarily for members of the Navy and Marine Corps military services in Bahrain. Its contents do not necessarily reflect the official views of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, the U.S. Navy or Marine Corps and do not imply endorsement thereof.

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New MOVIES at the MWR Cinema

The Super Mario Bros. Movie (PG) – 1h 32m

With help from Princess Peach, Mario gets ready to square off against the all-powerful Bowser to stop his plans from conquering the world. | Cast: Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Jack Black, Charles Martinet

The Pope’s Exorcist (R) – 1h 43m

Father Gabriele Amorth, chief exorcist for the Vatican, battles Satan and innocent-possessing demons. A detailed portrait of a priest who performed more than 100,000 exorcisms in his lifetime. | Cast: Russell Crowe, Laurel Marsden, Alex Essoe, Daniel Zovatto

John Wick: Chapter 4 (R) – 2h 49m

With the price on his head ever increasing, legendary hit man John Wick takes his fight against the High Table global as he seeks out the most powerful players in the underworld, from New York to Paris to Japan to Berlin. | Cast: Keanu Reeves, Scott Adkins, Donnie Yen, Lance Reddick

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (PG-13) – 2h 30m

Still reeling from the loss of Gamora, Peter Quill must rally his team to defend the universe and protect one of their own. If the mission is not completely successful, it could possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them. | Cast: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Will Poulter, Karen Gillan

Endless traditional souqs, malls and shops selling the best of Bahrain. Be prepared to barter! The Kingdom offers first-class shopping malls that cater to every consumer need. Cars, haute couture clothing, electronics, furnishings and sports equipment will likely all be found under the same roof. Free of tax, many designer labels are less expensive here than in their countries of origin. Items, such as gold and jewellery, high fashion, carpets and handicrafts can be bought for amazing deals unmatched anywhere else.

Retail Destinations

• Al A’ali Shopping Complex (Seef)

• Al Hayat Shopping Centre (Segaya)

Al Murjan Centre (Juffair)

• Bahrain Mall (Sanabis)

• BFH Harbour Mall (Manama seafront)

• City Centre Bahrain (Seef)

• Country Mall (Budaiya)

• Dana Mall (Sanabis)

• Enma Mall (Riffa)

• Gold City (Central Manama)

• Gold Souq (Central Manama)

GOSI Complex (Exhibition Ave.)

• Isa Town Mall (Isa Town)

• Juffair Mall (Juffair)

• Lulu Centre (Manama)

Marina Mall (Manama)

• Moda Mall (Manama)

• Najibi Centre (Saar)

• Oasis Centre (East Riffa/Muharraq)

• Palm Square (Budaiya)

• Ramli Mall (A’ali)

• Reem Centre (East Riffa)

• Saar Mall (Saar)

• Seef Mall (Seef District)

• Sitra Mall (Sitra)

• Yateem Centre (Manama Souq)

• The Centre (Nwaidrat)

• The Jawad Dome (Barbar)

• The Lagoon (Amwaj)

• The Walk (Riffa)

• Wadi Mall (Riffa)