Nov. 20, 2013
Vol. 2 Issue 144
DAILY DIGEST
Monsters On Board Bullying in the Workplace Story and photo by MCSN (SW) Kole E. Carpenter
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t enters the room like a monster, and even the sound of its voice puts you on edge. The room seems to get colder and darker. All you can do is hope it leaves you alone. Don’t speak. Don’t make any sudden movements. If it sees you, it will pounce. It will make you feel small, feel helpless, feel less than human – just because it can. You have a job to do, and you just want to do it. You’ve overcome so much just to make it
here, and all you ask in return is the ability to move through your world. You just want to live your life. But the monster will absolutely not allow it. Every day is a one-sided cage fight for your dignity. There is nowhere you feel safe, nowhere it won’t find you. It’s not a pack of wolves. It’s not a jungle cat. It’s a fellow Sailor or Marine. Someone who swore to work beside you and call you brother, but tortures you instead. One who warps your workspace – your home,
into a prison. It’s a bully. According to a message put out by Nimitz’ commanding officer (CO) bullying is foremost defined as intentionally aggressive behavior in the form of verbal, physical and emotional abuse repeated over time. Chief Machinist’s Mate Joshua Jackson, Nimitz’ Equal Opportunity Advisor, defines bullying in his own way. “It’s going way out of your way to make someone miserable,” said Jackson. Spreading rumors, gossip, Continued on page 3
SAILOR OF THE DAY
Stories and photos by MCSN Eric Butler
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oatswain’s Mate Seaman Walker S. Lowder, from Sacramento, Calif., was selected as Sailor of the Day Nov. 19. “It’s pretty exciting,” said Lowder. “I definitely didn’t think I would deserve it, but I’m appreciative.” As replenishment-at-sea deck rigger, his efforts proved invaluable as he assisted in the safe and expeditious on load of more than 2,400 lifts of cargo, including 15 critical lifts and more than three million gallons of fuel from the USNS Rainier and USNS Cesar
Chavez. Serving as one of the primary deck riggers for sea and anchor, he was instrumental in the safe execution of two deep water precision anchorages in the Sixth Fleet Area of Responsibility and Suez Canal. Additionally, as a maintenance man, he completed more than 100 preventative and corrective maintenance of vital equipment. Lowder gave advice to anyone looking for recognition for their hard work. “Stay optimistic,” said Lowder. “Someone cares.”
Commanding Officer
Executive Officer
Command Master Chief
Public Affairs Officer
Capt. Jeff Ruth
Capt. J.J. Cummings
CMDCM Teri McIntyre
Lt. Cmdr. Karin Burzynski
Editor MC3 (SW) George J. Penney III
Lead Designer MC3 (SW) Raul Moreno Jr.
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
put-downs, name-calling, verbal threats, menacing, harassment, intimidation, social isolation or exclusion and physical assaults are the weapons of a bully, according to Nimitz’ policy. “It’s all about power,” Jackson added. “It’s to show that they’re in charge, to look cool, to get attention.” Jackson said these actions can be extremely detrimental on not only a personal level, but also on a much bigger scale. He explained that bullying takes your focus away from work, effectively making you less able to fulfill your duties. Therefore weakening the big picture as a whole. “There’s a difference between correcting, and hurting a Sailor,” said Jackson. “As
leaders, we shouldn’t be doing that. The Navy is paying you to do your job. If you don’t want to work because you’re being abused, then you’re less effective at your job. So, it’s basically like a piece of the puzzle is just missing.” This problem spans all ranks and pay grades. “Officer to enlisted, enlisted to enlisted, senior, junior,” Jackson said. “It can be anyone. We’ve seen quite a bit. It’s all over the place.” Unfortunately, bullying often goes unreported. The abused party, Jackson said, has to first hurdle quite a bit of selfshame to call attention to their feelings of being victimized. “They’re embarrassed,” he said. “They’re ashamed.” This puts the victim right be-
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tween a rock and a hard place. “They don’t want it to go on any longer, but they don’t want to admit they’re getting picked on,” said Jackson. He asserted however, that bullying would absolutely be addressed if reported. He said the policy is black and white and crystal clear. “Their chain of command will hold them accountable,” Jackson said. “Its right there in the instruction.” If you feel like you have a monster in your midst, tell someone. If you are a victim of bullying, the US Navy has given you the power to stop it. For more information, look up the ship’s policy on bullying located through the CO’s five stars of equal opportunity link on Nimitz’ intranet homepage.
Wounded Warrior Care Makes Significant Strides By Patty Babb, Navy Wounded Warrior - Safe Harbor
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retired hospital corpsman and a member of the U.S. Paralympics Snowboarding National Team, is participating in a world cup competition in Landgraaf, Netherlands, Nov. 21-22. Three years ago, Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Tyler Burdick had resigned himself to a future as an amputee. He was wounded in Afghanistan in July 2010 when his armored vehicle struck a roadside bomb, resulting in serious injuries to both of his feet. Throughout the next year-and-a-half, he underwent multiple limb-salvage efforts, but he continued to struggle with pain and limited mobility. In October 2011, he was fitted with new, cutting-edge braces - Intrepid Dynamic Exoskeletal Orthoses - at Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) in Fort Sam Houston, Texas. The braces completely redefined his abilities and allowed him to keep his limbs. He soon began snowboarding competitively, and he currently is working toward a spot on Team USA at the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games. “I decided if I was able to get back on a snowboard, then I would consider myself recovered, and I wouldn’t feel disabled anymore,” Burdick said. November marks Warrior Care Month, a time to honor the service and sacrifices of seriously wounded, ill and injured service members like Burdick. It also is an opportunity to celebrate the contributions of those who provide medical and non-medical care to wounded warriors - at bedside, during rehabilitation, and throughout their transition back to active duty or to civilian life. During the past 12 years of war, more than 51,000 service members have been wounded in action. Tens of thousands of other service members have been diagnosed with serious illnesses or experienced injuries in training, shipboard or liberty accidents. As a result, the past decade has witnessed tremendous advancements in military medicine.
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For example, on the battlefield, the military has begun using blood components to prevent potentially fatal hemorrhaging and clots. In 2009, QuikClot Combat Gauze - which has been credited with saving many lives on the battlefield - was named one of the “Top Ten Greatest Inventions of 2008” by the U.S. Army Materiel Command. Also, after experiencing serious trauma in a war zone, service members are quickly evacuated by air to a combat support hospital. During the past decade, the crews and equipment on medevac helicopters have become increasingly skilled and sophisticated. Experts estimate that, if service members do not succumb to their wounds while en route to a hospital, they have about a 95 percent chance of survival. “War and conflicts drive military medicine to develop new techniques to address medical challenges in the most effective manner,” said Cmdr. David Shapiro, medical officer at Navy Wounded Warrior (NWW) - Safe Harbor. NWW is the Navy’s wounded warrior support program. “Historically, this has also driven advancement of medical care in the civilian sector, which utilizes what is learned from the military.” In 2008 - in response to the large number of burn casualties from improvised explosive devices in theater - the military implemented new fire-safety procedures and innovative treatments, such as replacing burned skin with new-growth or spray-on skin. More than 1,600 service members have lost one or more limbs in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and many more have lost limbs in motor vehicle and other accidents. When a service member loses a limb, he or she is sent to one of three rehabilitation centers - BAMC, Naval Medical Center San Diego and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center - where every available tool is deployed to support recovery. Cutting-edge technology is used in sophisticated gait labs and biomechanics labs, such as
brain-controlled prosthetic arms or the leg braces used by Burdick. “We have seen marked advancements in prosthetics, as well as PTSD and TBI - which has garnered a great deal of interest in the pediatric and organized sports communities - in military medicine over the last decade,” said Shapiro. “Ultimately this will lead to better care for all patients faced with these challenges.” Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) has been called one of the signature injuries of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, many service members sustain TBIs in shipboard falls and motor vehicle accidents, as well. More than 275,000 service members have been diagnosed with mild, moderate or severe TBIs since 2000. Several programs have stood up during the past decade to assess and care for these service members, including Navy Medicine’s Wounded, Ill and Injured Program and the National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICOE). They are conducting research, exploring new therapies and improving assessment methods. Likewise, PostTraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is now more easily identifiable and less stigmatized, and promising new treatment methods have surfaced. In addition to traditional therapy, service dogs, acupuncture, and expressive arts are shown to help wounded warriors with PTSD recover. The NICOE, for example, draws from the best of western medicine, complementary and alternative approaches, and mind-body skills to treat PTSD. “When I think about what it was like when I was first diagnosed with PTSD, and then I compare it to now, and the things I am able to do, it’s pretty amazing,” said Lt. Chet Frith, who was diagnosed with PTSD in 2011, after returning from a one-year deployment to Iraq as an Individual Augmentee. “The key is first accepting it, and then seeking help. To me, that was the biggest struggle. Once you accept it, there are a lot of resources out there,” he added. Frith currently is a NWW non-medical care manager stationed at Naval Hospital Jacksonville,
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supporting other seriously wounded, ill and injured service members located throughout Navy Region Southeast. Programs like NWW, which was established in 2008, are now providing the high quality non-medical care - from assisting with pay and personnel issues, to sharing employment and education resources - to wounded warriors and their families. “Military treatment facilities are providing expert restorative and rehabilitative care for wounded warriors on the battlefield and beyond,” said NWW Director Capt. Steve Hall. “Wounded warrior support programs like NWW address their non-medical needs, allowing wounded warriors and their families to focus on recovery without distractions.” For example, all enrollees in NWW are encouraged to make adaptive athletics a key component of their recovery and rehabilitation efforts. In addition to promoting physical healing, athletics give service members feelings of team unity and purpose. In showcasing the abilities of wounded warriors, adaptive athletics events also can encourage some wounded warriors to take the next steps in their recovery journeys. “After meeting wounded warriors [at an adaptive athletics event] who understood and shared my struggles, my feelings towards amputation shifted 180 degrees,” said Chief Yeoman Javier Rodriguez Santiago, who was injured in a motorcycle accident in 2011. This summer, after -Cmdr. Shapiro more than a year of multiple surgeries, he elected to amputate his leg. “All in all, amputation was the best decision for me. Being ambulatory again feels great, and I love feeling tall once more,” he added. To learn more about wounded warrior care, contact the Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery visit www.med.navy.mil/bumed. To learn more about Warrior Care Month or NWW, visit http://safeharbor.navylive.dodlive.mil, or call 855-NAVP WWP (628-9997). For more news from Commander, Navy Installations Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/ cni/.
Ultimately this will lead to better care for all patients faced with these challenges.
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By MCSN Eric M. Butler
Sailors clean and perform maintenance on an EA-6B Prowler assigned to VAQ-142 on the flight deck.
By MCSN (SW) Kole E. Carpenter
AOAN Joshua Torres watches the sun set on the flight deck.
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By MCSN (SW) Kole E. Carpenter
An MH-60S Seahawk helicopter assigned to HSC-6 lands on the flight deck.
By MCSN Eric M. Butler
Naval officers scrub the flight deck.
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