Nimitz News Daily Digest - Oct. 5, 2013

Oct. 5, 2013

Vol. 2 Issue 117

DAILY DIGEST

CONGRATULATIONS

Rear Adm. Michael S. White

Rear Adm. Michael S. White, right, is promoted by Vice Adm. John Miller, commander, U.S. 5th Fleet, during a pinning ceremony Oct. 3.

ATO SAILORS PROVIDE EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE Story by MCSN (SW) Kole Carpenter

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lmost every day, cargo and people are flown to and from Nimitz, but nothing gets on or off without going through the Air Transfer Office (ATO). They are the gatekeepers; the middlemen who ensure a smooth, continuous flow of mission-critical supplies and a safe transition for Sailors traveling on and off of the ship.

The ATO is a temporary assigned duty staff made up of Sailors from all Supply divisions. Logistics Specialist Seaman Tyler Horton, a member of the ATO team, is from S-6, the aviation support division. Horton compared ATO to an airport terminal, as well as its luggage crew.

Continued on page 3

Sailor of the Day

Story and photo by MCSN Eric Butler

support of Carrier Air Wing 11 operations. Additionally, Torres-Ramirez’ craftsmanship and work ethic led to the successful fleet sentencing and transfer of more than 20 tons of conventional ordnance to the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) with no mishaps.

Torres-Ramirez offered advice to any other Sailor looking for recognition of their hard work.

“Keep working hard,” said Torres-Ramirez.

“Work towards a main goal to get achievements.”

Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Apprentice Andres Torres-Ramirez, from Compton, Calif., was selected as Sailor of the Day Oct. 4.

“It feels good,” said Torres-Ramirez. “It’s a big privilege to be Sailor of the Day.” Displaying a positive attitude, Torres-Ramirez’ efforts were pivotal to the successful breakout, testing, build-up and handling of 69 precision-guided weapons and more than 128,000 rounds of 20 mm ammunition in Commanding Officer Capt. Jeff Ruth

Executive Officer Capt. John Cummings

Editor MC2 (SW) Jason Behnke

Command Master Chief CMDCM Teri McIntyre

Public Affairs Officer Lt. Cmdr. Karin Burzynski

Lead Designer MC3 (SW) George J. Penney III

Nimitz News accepts submissions in writing. All submissions are subject to review and screening. ”Nimitz News” is an authorized publication for the members of the military services and their families. Its content does not necessarily reflect the official views of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Navy, or the Marine Corps and does not imply endorsement thereby.

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“We call it the terminal,” he said. “Basically we bring up material that needs to get off the ship or things that need to go to (VRC) 30. We get it up on the flight deck before the COD (Carrier Onboard Delivery) lands. They’re on the beach, so they repair a lot of things on the beach. If they have a plane down, we’ll send them parts. And as long as there is not a big demand for cargo, we’ll transfer people on and off the ship. If there are people on the beach going to another ship, we’re obviously the only landing area, so they’ll COD them onto our ship and helo them over. It’s nice for them. They get a little break, if they need to use the bathroom or something, and then go onwards.

However, according to Logistics Specialist 3rd Class Brandi Hall, passengers are not always easy to accommodate. Hall has worked as ATO administration petty officer for more than 18 months, and says the hardest part of the job comes when they have to prioritize supplies over people.

“We have a joke that we’re the hopes and dreams killer, up in our office,” she said. “Honestly, it’s the hardest part – having to kick people off of CODs. Sometimes they’ll come on and we won’t have enough seats. Or something happens to a COD, and they have to bring them back down after getting on the plane.

They get on, and we’re like, ‘oh, it’s broken. And you have to stay until tomorrow.’”

Supply is of foremost importance in ATO. Horton said that Nimitz often takes on stores for other ships to be transported to them later when more space is available or they are in need of resources.

“We’ll bring up stuff that’s going to another ship, like cigarettes,” he said. “If we’re the ship with more

By MCSN (SW) Kole Carpenter

Continued from page 1

The men and women of the Air Transfer Officer (ATO) work around the clock to provide excellent customer service.

stuff, we’ll send it out to the Stockdale or what have you. Sometimes they don’t have the room to store stuff, so they send it to us first, and when they get the room we’ll send it to them. Ninety percent of the time it’s them running out of stuff, and we send it over to them.”

According to Horton, for Sailors in Supply Department to qualify for ATO duty, there is a specific path they must follow.

“You have to go through aircraft firefighting school to do it,” he said. “And get your flight deck physical, flight deck qual., and then your chain of command has to route a request for you to go to it, and also be eligible for flight deck pay.”

But the job is worth it, Horton said.

According to him, the team gets along and has fun working together.

“Up here, we have a good crew,” he said.

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WOUNDED

WARRIOR

ENHANCEMENT Regionalizing Support Program Nationwide

Story by Patty Babb Navy Wounded Warrior Safe Harbor Marketing Coordinator

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afe Harbor, the Navy’s support program for seriously wounded, ill and injured Sailors and Coast Guardsmen, regionalized all operations effective

Oct. 1.

NWW realigned from Total Force Requirements Division (OPNAV N12) to Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) in October 2012. The program, which is headquartered at the Washington Navy Yard, has been reorganizing field staff within CNIC’s U.S. regions throughout the past year.

“The regionalization process is helping NWW enhance the delivery of support to wounded warriors in each region,” said Navy Capt.

Steve Hall, the director of NWW. “The program can now better leverage existing services available at Navy installations throughout the country - from mental health support, to sports, to housing.”

NWW provides nearly 1,200 Sailors and Coast Guardsmen, as well as their families, with non-medical assistance while they are recovering from serious illness or injury. Regional non-medical care personnel tailor support to each enrolled service member’s

recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration needs. The program is a department of Fleet and Family Readiness within CNIC. In addition to regionalizing field operations, NWW headquarters has adopted a new organizational chart, which is designed to better support the new regional structure and tackle key policy issues.

“Ensuring our wounded warriors receive the gold standard of care is of paramount importance,” said NWW Program Director Merissa Larson. “We 4

Sailors and Coast Guardsmen participate in a Wounded Warrior-Safe Harbor project volunteering to stain a deck to aide a service member with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

- Photo by MC3 Chris Brown

larly collaborates with Fleet Readiness (N92) to secure discounted, readily-available child care for the families of wounded warriors.

Enrollment in NWW is available to service members wounded in combat, as well as to those diagnosed with a serious illness or injured in shipboard, training, and liberty accidents. For more information, call 1-855-NAVY WWP/1-855-628-9997, visit http:// safeharbor.navylive.dodlive.mil or email navywoundedwarrior@navy.mil.

routinely assess and refine NWW’s infrastructure and operations to better serve our enrollees and their families.�

Regionalization efforts already have resulted in critical efficiencies. For example, the program works closely with Navy Housing (N93) to connect wounded warriors leaving military treatment facilities with both short- and long-term base housing, sometimes bypassing lengthy waiting lists, which eliminates an often stressful and costly burden. NWW also regu5

Sailors play a game of chess on the forward mess decks.

By MCSN Siobhana R. McEwen

By MCSN (SW) Kole Carpenter

By MC2 (SW) Devin Wray

ADAN Chris McCarthy, bottom, and AD2 Susana Chinea dislocate a blade from the propeller of an MH-60R Seahawk helicopter assigned to HSM-75 for maintenance.

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Sailors perform a foreign object damage (FOD) walkdown on the flight deck.

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