Sept. 14, 2013
Vol. 2 Issue 102
DAILY DIGEST
S SEARCH RESCUE “ ” AND
Story and photos by MC3 (SW) Raul Moreno Jr.
I feel that we can man up this RHIB, get it lowered, and have the person recovered in well under 20 minutes.
- JACOBSON
ailors conducted a man-overboard drill while underway, Sept. 8. The objective of the drill was to prepare search-and-rescue (SAR) swimmers for an upcoming SAR swimmer re-certification. This method of man-overboard recovery deploys a rigid-hull inflatable boat (RHIB) into the water to recover any personnel. “The evolution went well, it was mainly for the SAR swimmers to practice up for their certification,” said Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class Christian Cruz, from San Antonio, Texas, a RHIB coxswain. In addition, Cruz said that this particular event went by quicker than most in the past. Continued on page 3
Sailor of the Day
Story and photo by MCSA Kelly M. Agee
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viation Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class Michael J. Walsh, a native of Port St. Lucie, Fla., was named Sailor of the Day Sept. 13. “It feels great,” said Walsh. Walsh performed his demanding duties in an exemplary and highly professional manner. Walsh obtained his security patrolman and security dispatcher qualifications in record time, integrating into the mission to supply daily law enforcement and force protection for more than 5,000 personnel. Walsh responded to more than 25 calls for service, completed six incident complaint reports Commanding Officer Capt. Jeff Ruth
and stood more than 50 hours of watch as an M20 machine gunner during transits and five port visits. Additionally, Walsh achieved the qualification of duty armorer, a position normally held by a seasoned second class petty officer. He maintained 100 percent accountability of more than 200 weapons, optics, serialized items and 4,500 rounds of ammunition valued at $3 million. Walsh has advice for Sailors looking for the same recognition. “No matter how much negativity you hear on the ship keep a positive attitude and keep working your hardest,” said Walsh.
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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Continued from page 1 Man overboard drills also increase the speed and performance of all other Sailors involved with small-boat recovery procedures. “If someone fell off right now, and our aft lookout calls it out immediately, they would already be on their way back up here,” said Seaman Amy Haskins, from Kansas City, Mo., a line handler during RHIB operations. “The davit captains, the coxswains, the line handlers; when it comes down to it, the whole thing goes very smooth because we all know what to do.” The SAR swimmers involved in the exercise believed the drill was a great success and confidently said they are prepared for the real thing. “I feel that we can man up this RHIB, get it lowered, and have the person recovered in well under 20 minutes,” said Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class Christian Nathanial Jacobson, from Aransas Pass, Texas, a qualified SAR swimmer.
Sailors recover Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class Trevor Barkley during a search-and-rescue drill..
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Adm. Jonathan Greenert delivers remarks during an all-hands call at Naval Air Station Oceana. Photo by MC1 Peter D. Lawlor
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BUDGET TALKS
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert speaks on Fiscal 2014 Story by Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service
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ven without the uncertainty caused by budget negotiations, it will take years for the Navy to recover from the effects of sequestration, the chief of naval operations told an audience at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington. Sequestration and the effects of the continuing budget resolution damaged readiness, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert said. The Navy’s budget reduction was $11 billion, the admiral said. The service cancelled five ship deployments, and the reduction cut into the service’s surge capacity, he added. “Usually, we have three carrier strike groups and three amphibious ready groups able to respond within a week,” Greenert said. “We have one now, and that’s going to be the story in fiscal 2014.” The reduction in fiscal 2014 is $14 billion. The service exempted military manpower from the cuts, and this would mean 14 percent reductions for all other accounts, the admiral said. Barring help from Congress in the next budget, he told the audience, the Navy will have to cancel half of its ship availability. “We will cancel a lot of aircraft availabilities,” he added. “If we restored the budget after [fiscal 2014] and said, ‘You have a full-up operations and maintenance budget,’ it’ll take about five years to get that 5
backlog in aircraft maintenance down.” Navywide, the service will reduce training for those not deploying, Greenert said. Some air wings will fly and aircrews will receive training, he said, but officials are uncomfortable with the amount of flight hours. Shipbuilding will drop in fiscal 2014 also. “I would see the loss of a littoral combat ship, an afloat-forward staging base and advanced procurement for a Virginiaclass submarine and a carrier overhaul,” Greenert said. “We might lose two more - a submarine and a destroyer - if we are unable to reprogram and move money into those accounts.” The Navy will lose about 25 aircraft, from helicopters to P-8s to F-35s, the admiral said. “We need about a billion dollars to get into the operations and maintenance account and a billion into the procurement accounts so we can get it into shipbuilding, which will be my No. 1 priority in the Navy,” he said. Beyond fiscal 2014, Greenert said, the bywords will be forward presence, readiness of deployed forces, developing and stressing asymmetric capabilities and new technologies, and cyber capabilities. “We will reduce force structure in this plan, but we have to do it while preserving the right capacity to do one [major combat operation] in the future,” he added.
THROUGHTHELEN
By MCSA Kelly M. Agee
Sailors from V-2 Division work on a catapult on the flight deck.
AD3 Brian Sanaria, right, hoists a J-52 engine from an EA-6B Prowler with the assistance of ADAN Tyra N. Owens, center, and AD1 Robert Dorr.
ABE3 Kassandra Rebello performs a retractable sheave check on the flight deck.
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By MCSN Eric Butler
By MCSN Siobhana R. McEwen
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TV
30 nel 29 Ch annel 6 Channel 7 Chan Channel 5 Channel 0800 / 2000 Ace Ven tur a: When Natur e Calls
Thin Red Line (Pa rt 1)
1000 / 2200 You Aga in
Thin Red Line (Pa rt 2)
1200 / 0000 Eas y A
1400 / 0200 Life As We Know It 1600 / 0400 How Do You Know 1800 / 0600 Du e Dat e
The Town
The Int ernship
Resident Evil: Aft erlife
Aft er Earth
Par anorm al Activity 2
Killing Them Sof tly
The Social Net work
Conv iction
Pulp Fic tion
For Color ed Gir ls
The Wa rriors Way
Wa ll Str eet: Money Nev er Sleeps
Prince of Per sia : Sands of Tim e
The Tou rist
Ale x Cross
The Vow
M an on Fir e
Safe
The Cold Light Of Day
Life Of Pi
02 - AFN News 03 - AFN Xtra 04 - AFN Sports
05 - 8MM Movies 06 - 8MM Movies 07 - 8MM Movies 08 - ROLLER 09 - NTV
10 - FLIGHT DECK 11 - CNN 29 - DVD MOVIES 30 - DVD MOVIES
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The Per ks Of Being A Wa llflow er
ON THE COVER: BM3 Trevor Barkley adjusts his helmet strap during a search-and-rescue drill.