VOL.54 NO. 16 MAY 14, 2015
SERVING NAVAL AIR STATION OCEANA, DAM NECK ANNEX, AND NALF FENTRESS
Sex Signals performs at NAS Oceana and Dam Neck
JET
INSIDE
BY AT2 JANEL PERKINS NAS Oceana Public Affairs Sex Signals, a comical, interactive theater production about the uncomfortable but crucial topic of sexual assault, was performed for over 800 attendees at the Dam Neck Annex and NAS Oceana theaters on April 29. Sex Signals is a sexual awareness program that is used by the military to educate personnel on all matters concerning sexual assault. Using humor in a very relaxed and approachable way, the performers discussed things that are expected, like the difference between restricted and unrestricted reporting, and things not so expected, like how to ask for consent without seeming awkward and how male hazing can lead to male sexual assault, a grossly underreported crime. The presentation “uses humor to relate to the audience to get them to a comfortable place to be able to tackle some of the more difficult issues,” according to Kristen Pickering, one of the two performers in the presentation. The subject is presented in a way that demonstrates their knowledge of Navy and youth culture as a whole. The performers have spent time talking to military personnel as well as being trained under the sexual assault prevention and response (SAPR) program to gain that knowledge. In a section of the training called “Not my fault,” the audience was able to interrogate Jack Reitz, the
— See Awareness, Page 10
OCEANA STABLES HOST YOUTH SUMMER CAMPS —Page 6
Photo by Harry Gerwien Amber Huffman shares a moment with her husband AT1 Andrew Huffman, assigned to VFA-37, after being honored as Military Spouse of the Year during the Heroes at Home luncheon May 7 at the Norfolk Marriot. The Heroes at Home program was launched by The Flagship Military Newspaper in 2005 as a way to recognize outstanding military spouses.
Oceana ombudsman honored as the 2015 Military Spouse of the Year BY CARRIE ANDERSON Jet Observer Amber Huffman is one busy woman. When she’s not working a full-time job as a secondary special education teacher and intervention specialist serving low-income students or parenting Shealyn, age 5, and Tyler, age 1, she’s serving the 200 military families of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 37, the Ragin’ Bulls, as the command ombudsman and as a mentor to the command’s Family Readiness Group (FRG). Prior to being named ombudsman, Huffman served as the command assistance ombudsman, FRG president, FRG board member, homecoming chair and fundraising chair.
“I started volunteering at the age of 14, when my great grandmother was placed in a nursing home, and I wanted to spend more time there with her. They suggested that I volunteer to spend time with her but also to help out the community because a lot of the residence had no family to visit them,” said Huffman. Huffman started her military spouse volunteer activity early on as well. “Our first command as a married couple, [my husband] deployed three months after we were married. I didn’t know much about the military community, nor deployment as a spouse, so I wanted to meet others. I went to my first FRG meeting
— See Volunteers, page 11
FALLEN HEROES HONORED DURING 250 MILE RUN —Page 8
FAMILY FEST NAS Oceana MWR is hosting Family Fest at the Main Gate Park May 21, 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. Special entertainment includes a magician, face painters, balloon artist, hayrides, inflatables, and much more. Also enjoy live entertainment from the Tidewater Drive. For more information call, 433-3301