Aug. 17, 2013
Vol. 2 Issue 82
DAILY DIGEST
E H T
GEAR DOGS Story and photo by MC3 Chris Bartlett
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vital part of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz’ (CVN 68) deployment mission comes from the success of the dedicated Sailors in the arresting gear room from V-2 Division. These Sailors maintain and operate all the equipment associated with the recovery of aircraft from all four wires and the ship’s emergency-landing barricade. Each is powered by its own hydraulic system designed to bring a landing aircraft to a safe stop in 340 feet or less. A normal day on deployment for arresting gear is to start flight operations at about 7:30 a.m. and continue almost non-stop until the last aircraft of the day is recovered around 9 p.m. “No recovery could take place without the arresting gear,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) 2nd Continued on page 3
Sailor of the Day
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Story and photo by MC3 Derek Volland
or his outstanding performance, Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class William Cousins, a native of Seattle, was selected as the Sailor of the Day aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) Aug. 16. Cousins performed his demanding duties in an exemplary and highly professional manner, since the beginning of deployment he has recorded more than 215 hours of video to include retirements, reenlistments, burials at seas and day-to-day carrier operations. His products have been used in the daily editions of the local paper, uploaded to the Nimitz’ Facebook Commanding Officer CAPT Jeff Ruth
page and released to the Navy’s official website. As a principle creator, news anchor and contributor to the ship’s TV show “The Run Down,” he has directly contributed more than 257 hours of work shooting, editing and assisting in the production of eight successful episodes. Additionally, as a member of SNOOPIE team, he has spent more than 30 hours on watch during strait transits and other evolutions, documenting surveillance footage for use in future intelligence products. Cousins’ initiative, loyalty, and total devotion to duty led to his selection as Sailor of the Day.
Executive Officer CDR John Cummings
Editor MC2 (SW) Jason Behnke
Command Master Chief CMDCM Teri McIntyre
Public Affairs Officer LCDR 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
Class Erik Gonzalez, a native of Moreno Valley, Calif. V-2 alone has almost 200 people with about 50 of those working in arresting gear. A primary flight operator who sits in the O-10 level visually checks on the aircraft coming in. They verify what aircraft are coming in and then send an electronic message down to all the engines in arresting gear rooms which then sets the Constant Run-Out Valve (CROV). The CROV is what actually meters the flow of the hydraulic fluid. It sets it at a specific weight setting for each aircraft so the heavier the aircraft, the less fluid it allows through. “What we do is maintain all this equipment that’s been operating since 1975, so we are keeping up with a piece of equipment that has been worked on before us by different people, different generations, different types of Sailors and a Navy that is changing everyday,” said Gonzalez. There are two types of wires on board Nimitz. One is a 2,200 feet purchase cable, which actually wraps through the engine. It gets replaced every 1,0001,500 traps which takes up to 24 hours. The spare cable is kept in hangar bay 3 on a spool. The second, which is on the flight deck, is the cross deck pendant, which is replaced every 125 traps. It is kept in the junkyard on the flight deck. To replace it takes about one minute and thirty seconds. “There are a lot of rules and regulations that are set-aside for us, anytime we do maintenance checks we have to ensure that everything we do is top-notch quality work,” said Gonzalez. “All the work we do has to be perfect. If we forget a tool, don’t do something correctly, that could end up resulting having a bird in the water.” Recently during routine maintenance Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) 1st Class Lucas Johnson, a native from Forks, Wash., and others from V-2 noticed an issue with some of the equipment. “When the aircraft took the trap, it seemed like nothing out of the ordinary, but when we retracted the cable, we received an error from our linear variable differential transformer sensor telling us that something was wrong with the CROV,” said Johnson. The CROV actually meters how much fluid is allowed through the system and is what actually stops the aircraft. Inside there is a piece which stops fluid flow, and in turn stops cable payout bringing the aircraft to a halt. “After trouble shooting several easier pieces of equipment that could have caused it, it was decided 3
that we would take the CROV apart and attempt to find the problem,” said Johnson. When they broke that piece down and opened it up, they found a bolt with a safety wire attached to it that was causing the equipment to seat incorrectly giving a bad seal. “If the bolt head would have got caught in the opening valve, vice the little piece of safety wire it could have been a catastrophic failure of our hydraulic system causing the valve not to close when the aircraft took a trap,” said Johnson. “If we wouldn’t have caught it, it would have been a major accident,” said Gonzalez. “Luckily we caught it when we did. The system did its job, which a lot of people doubted. Its sensors noticed something was wrong.” The incident had never been seen by anyone where the actual piece of equipment broke off from the inside. “I believe a higher power was looking out for us and the pilot,” said Johnson. “We were one inch from disaster.” “Pride comes when you fix something and you watch that aircraft recover safely because of the work you did,” said Gonzalez. This sense of pride from V-2 comes from knowing that the aircraft carrier’s reason to be out here is to launch and recover aircraft. “I would say the best part of our job is knowing that we are the primary mission division,” said Johnson. “Without us, this ship wouldn’t have a purpose, it would be a floating supply ship. The huge amount of pride that comes with the ABE rate is breathtaking most of the time.” During this deployment, Nimitz has had approximately 6,000 traps on board. “I would like to emphasize how much work goes into this job,” said Gonzalez. “It goes from a 18-year-old straight from high school to someone who becomes a mechanical expert in the field.” Arresting gear carries the nickname “Gear Dogs.” Theory is they got that name because the area they are assigned to is called the junkyard and their counter parts in V-2 who work on the catapults are called the “Battle Cats.” The long hours, hard work and dedication put forth by the “Gear Dogs” team on every trap on board Nimitz ensures all pilots and aircraft a safe return back to the ship.
DoD ANNOUNCES
SAME-SEX
SPOUSE BENEFITS
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he Department of Defense announced its plan to extend benefits to same-sex spouses of uniformed service members and Department of Defense civilian employees Aug. 14. After a review of the department's Jerrel Revel proposes to his boyfriend upon the return of the Virginia-class fast attack submarine benefit policies following the MM2 USS New Mexico (SSN 779) from a scheduled 6-month deployment. Supreme Court's ruling that Section Three of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) marriage may occur. This will provide accelerated is unconstitutional, and in consultation with the access to the full range of benefits offered to married Department of Justice and other executive branch military couples throughout the department, and agencies, the Defense Department will make spousal help level the playing field between opposite-sex and and family benefits available no later than Sept. 3, same-sex couples seeking to be married. For civilian benefits administered government2013, regardless of sexual orientation, as long as service member-sponsors provide a valid marriage wide to federal employees, the Department of Defense will follow the Office of Personnel Management and certificate. The Department of Defense remains committed the Department of Labor's guidance to ensure that to ensuring that all men and women who serve in the the same benefits currently available to heterosexual U.S. military, and their families, are treated fairly spouses are also available to legally married samesex spouses. and equally as the law directs. Read the implementation memo from Secretary Entitlements such as TRICARE enrollment, basic allowance for housing (BAH) and family of Defense Chuck Hagel online (http://www.defense. separation allowance are retroactive to the date gov/home/features/2013/docs/Extending-Benefitsof the Supreme Court's decision. Any claims to to-Same-Sex-Spouses-of-Military-Members.pdf ) entitlements before that date will not be granted. as well as further guidance on extending benefits For those members married after June 26, 2013, to same-sex spouses of military members from Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel entitlements begin at the date of marriage. We recognize that same-sex military couples and Readiness Jessica Wright (http://www.defense. who are not stationed in a jurisdiction that permits gov/home/features/2013/docs/Further-Guidancesame-sex marriage would have to travel to another on-Extending-Benef its-to-Same-Sex-Spouses-ofjurisdiction to marry. That is why the department Military-M.pdf). The Navy will provide additional servicewill implement policies to allow military personnel in such a relationship non-chargeable leave for the specific guidance on www.navy.mil for Sailors and purpose of travelling to a jurisdiction where such a families later this week. 4
Photo by MC2 Kristina Young
Story by Department of Defense Public Affairs
5 Photo by MC1 Peter D. Lawlor
A Sailor checks the catapult as an F/A-18F Super Hornet prepares to launch offthe flight deck.
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MR2 Justin Persek works on a deck edge door track.
By MC3 Chris Bartlett
By MCSN Derek A. Harkins
ADAN Victor Sanchez performs maintenance on the propeller of an MH-60R Seahawk.
By MCSN Derek A. Harkins
An F/A-18C Hornet assigned to the “Blue Diamonds” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 146 prepares to land on the flight deck.
By MCSA Kelly M. Agee
THROUGHTHE LE NS
TV
30 nel 29 Ch annel 6 Channel 7 Chan Channel 5 Channel 0800 / 2000 50\ 50
In Tim e
Immortals
1000 / 2200 The Sit ter
Rocky 4
Fin al Destin ation 5
The Lucky One
The Croods
Cowboys and Aliens
Men in Black 3
Red Dawn
1200 / 0000 The Big Yea r 1400 / 0200 Jack and Jill 1600 / 0400 I Don’t Know How She Does It 1800 / 0600 I Lov e You Bet h Cooper
Money ball
Dri ve
Akeela h and the Bee Rea l Steel
heus They Were Promet Expendable
A Snow Indian a Jones: Thousand and ite Wh of Tem ple rds the Huntsma n Wo Doom
Resident Don’t Be Evil: Afr aid of the Apocalypse Da rk Contagion
Mir ror Mir ror
ON THE COVER: ABE3 Lori Davis stands watch in Arresting Gear 3.
Am azing Spiderm an
Da rk Skies
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