Prison guards drill in Thailand

By Lt. Leslie Hull-Ryde, CARAT Public Affairs

SATTAHIP, Thailand - One reservist is a grandmother, the other a mother of two, yet carrying weapons and wearing uniforms are just part of their jobs.

“I can’t wait to hear my grandson say, ‘My grandma wears combat boots,’” says YNC Theresa Romine.

She and her sister, Catherine, both from San Jose, Calif., work as prison guards when they’re not on active duty. Catherine, a second class yeoman, works at a maximum security prison for women. The inmates there are on death row.

Theresa works at a security housing unit. Known as the “hole,” it’s for women who’ve committed crimes while in prison. The women there spend one month to two years in her facility.

In July, these reservists turned in the prisons’ uniforms; put on their cammies; grabbed a Navy-issued weapon and stood watch at their unit’s camp in Thailand.

The two ladies assigned to the Mobile Inshore Undersea Warfare Unit 104 deployed to Southeast Asia as part of Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training. CARAT is a series of bilateral exercises which take place in the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore.

One weekend a month and two weeks a year, these correctional officers leave their jobs. Theresa leaves her grandson, and Catherine leaves her two children and they serve in the Navy. As reservists on active duty, have had the chance to travel around the world.

“I wish I had gone on active duty. I would have done more traveling,” says Theresa. “It’s the only way to travel, get an education and learn a trade.”

The Romine sisters stay active even when not deployed. Theresa runs; Catherine swims, and they both roller blade. They feel the Navy’s commitment to physical fitness is important and helps keep them fit for duty.

“A lot of people think we’re crazy because of our ages,” says Theresa, 41. “Putting up tents, giving up weekends - it’s not an age thing. It keeps us young.”

They spend a lot of time together, even when they’re not working for the prisons or the Navy. But sibling rivalry is not an issue for these Navy professionals, even though the younger Romine outranks the older.

“We’re in different watch sections when we’re out in the field, so it’s not likely we’ll be in the office together,” says Catherine, 42. “If by some chance we are, we just work together.”

When drilling, they handle personnel files for the unit’s 75 members. They keep track of the group’s pay records, evaluations and leave requests - important concerns for deployed sailors.

“They can do anything. They are cross-trained,” says Lt. Jean Hopwood, their supervisor. “They are very flexible as to what they can do for the unit.”

These daughters of a Navy Seabee say the reserves benefit both the sea service and the reservists. They get to travel, and the Navy gets talented civilians who help accomplish the mission - at home and throughout the fleet.

“The Navy depends on reserves to fill gapped billets because recruitment is so low,” says Theresa. “They use reservists until they get new recruits to fill the job. It’s a great opportunity for reservists to go anywhere they want.”

Right now, they both say they want to go home.

In Thailand, they lived in tents during the hot, humid rainy season. Now that CARAT has wrapped up here, they want time to get cleaned up before going back to work.

Georgia Tech mid gets training afloat

By Lt. Leslie Hull-Ryde, CARAT Public Affairs

SATTAHIP, Thailand - The son of a pilot says he’s doing more than following his dad into the Navy.

“It’s important to serve,” says Midn. 1/C Matthew J. Lambert, a Georgia Tech student in the Navy’s Reserve Officer Training Program. “A lot of people enjoy the rights we have in America, but someone has to protect them.”

A few of his friends who aren’t in ROTC at Georgia Tech don’t understand why he wants to go into the service.

“Some think we don’t need a military or a Navy anymore, but we need it now more than ever,” he says.

An International Affairs major, Lambert has served in the fleet during his summer breaks at Tech. These experiences introduce ROTC students to their career options in the Navy.

Last year, he spent the summer on board the submarine, USS Connecticut.

“It’s the most advanced sub we have, and it’s cool,” he says.

This summer, the Navy gave him a chance to train aboard the Thai frigate Phutthaloetla Napalai. Lambert traveled from Georgia to Thailand in support of CARAT 2000.

“This is a good way to understand another country and its culture,” says the college senior.

But Lambert says he’s taking away more than cultural awareness. He’s seeing the importance of his ROTC training.

“I have seen the benefits of the constant drills on U.S. warships,” he says. “I thought they were tedious and at times fruitless. I now have a fondness for the safety, confidence and competence that comes from these drills.”

In both the American and Thai navies, sailors work - and live - on ships. When deployed, the ship is “home” to the sailors on board.

Fires on ships can be disastrous. Sailors must train on how to prevent and fight fires on ships. They Navy calls this damage control.

Through the summer’s exercise, Lambert has worked with Thai sailors, sharing fire fighting techniques.

“This phase of CARAT has been the most beneficial thus far,” he says.

Although the crews speaks Thai, most of the directions on board are written in English. This helped Lambert, who is the only American on board the Thai frigate.

Through CARAT, he learned more than just the language. He learned about the Thai Navy culture.

“Officers are almost like royalty,” he says. “Junior personnel must bow to every senior in the wardroom.”

Before going to bed each night, he has to take his shoes off before going into his bedroom, or berthing, on the ship. The Thais equip their ships with shoe racks hanging on the wall outside berthing areas.

The Thais and Americans taking part in CARAT got underway July 10 for the at-sea portion of the exercise. During that time, Lambert learned more about the Thais’ ship handling techniques and the capabilities of the frigate.

The ROTC program at Georgia Tech made these experiences possible.

“ROTC is a great way to get into school and a fantastic way to see the world,” Lambert says.

The program works like a scholarship. The Navy pays for Lambert’s education. Once he graduates, he pays it back by serving in the fleet.

His grandfather was in the Navy, and his father is a pilot stationed in Tampa, Fla. But Lambert made the decision to join the service himself.

“I’m not making this decision to make him happy; I’m doing it for myself,” the future naval flight officer says. “I get a sense I’m paying back to my country, but I am following in his footsteps.”

The “16th Annual Bartender Contest 2000”, organized by the Eastern Region and Pattaya business communities and TAT Region 3 (Pattaya), is scheduled to take place on September 20th at the Town in Town Hotel in Central Pattaya.

The always-exciting contest will test bartenders’ skills in a competitive atmosphere, offering tourists an exciting spectacle promoting tourism to the eastern region. Along with the bartender contest, other contests will be held, including cake decorating, fruit and vegetable carving, table dressing and a “Miss Bartender Contest”, with cash prizes and trophies presented to the winners.

The TAT Region 3 (Pattaya) invites the entire business community and all hotels in the eastern region to enter the contest. They also invite the general public to attend the competition, which promises to be an enjoyable evening. For further details contact the Asia Pattaya Hotel (038) 250602-6, (fax) 250496.

The Delaney’s Paddy / Mex Mexican Night has now been extended to two nights, the standard Wednesday night plus now Saturday night. This is because a lot of people cannot get into town mid week, so therefore being ever obliging, it’s “oh lave” on Saturdays too. Enchiladas, burritos, tacos, rice, refried beans, cheese, peppers, salsa, you name it Delaney’s has got it. As much as you can eat for B. 245, plus Robo’s Margaritas B. 80 a glass or B. 400 a pitcher (which works out at about 12 glasses). The Best Mexican Food in Pattaya (well who’s going to argue with Larry & Dennis Willet or Vic Cross) & the most lethal Margaritas in town (and nobody is ever in any state to argue about that).

The Rotary Club
of Jomtien-Pattaya