OCTOBER 20, 2013
Vol. 39 No. 37
INSIDE: SHEPHERD’S KNITTING PG. 4 SECOND CHANCES THE LAST BATTLESHIP BATTLE
NIMITZ NEWS | OCTOBER 20, 2013
PG. 6 PG. 9
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Commanding Officer Capt. Jeff Ruth Executive Officer Capt. John Cummings Command Master Chief CMDCM Teri M. McIntyre Public Affairs Officer Lt. Cmdr. Karin Burzynski Media DIVO Ensign John Mike Media LCPO MCC Mike Jones Media Production Chief MCC Gregory Roberts Media LPO MC1 Michael Cole Editor MC2 Jason Behnke Lead Designer MC3 Raul Moreno Jr. Media Department MC2 Jacquelyn Childs MC2 Ashley Berumen MC2 Devin Wray MC2 Ryan Mayes MC2 Alexander Ventura II MC3 Shayne Johnson MC3 Jacob Milner MC3 Christopher Bartlett MC3 George J Penney III MC3 Linda S. Swearingen MC3 Jess Lewis MC3 Vanessa David MC3 W. J. Cousins MC3 Derek Volland MC3 Phil Ladouceur MC3 Sam Souvannason MC3 Nathan McDonald MC3 Joshua Haiar MCSN Kole Carpenter MCSN Derek Harkins MCSN Kaitlyn Haskett MCSN Eric Butler MCSN Siobhana McEwen MCSA Aiyana Paschal MCSA Kelly Agee MCSA Victoria Ochoa MCSA Andrew Price Nimitz News accepts submissions in writing. All submissions must be in by Friday, COB. 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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By Lt. Cmdr. Harding
THE BREASTPLATE OF
RIGHTEOUSNESS
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Marine I served with in Iraq in 2007 told me the following story. In 2006 he was serving in Afghanistan in the Korengal Valley, where his Forward Operating Base frequently came under indirect fire. Anytime he or his Marines were outside of their hardened positions they had to wear their flak vests. These vests had ceramic plates inserted in the front and back to protect them from shrapnel and sniper fire. Late one night as he went to use the head, he donned his flak vest and stepped outside his of his hardened “hooch.” Immediately, he saw a muzzle flash just a few feet away, followed by the instantaneous feeling of a sledgehammer hitting him with full force in the chest. A member of the Taliban had somehow infiltrated the FOB and shot him blank point in the chest with an AK-47. However, because he was wearing his flak vest with ceramic plate inserts, the bullet was stopped and he lived. In Ephesians chapter six Paul discusses putting on the whole armor of God. One of the items Paul refers to is the “breast plate of righteousness. “Over the course of many years I have learned the protection that comes by living a righteous life. I understand that we “all fall short” and make mistakes, but we can and should strive to live a virtuous life. Additionally,
while some things that affect our happiness and quality of life are out of our power, there is much we can control. Imagine the consequences for my Marine friend if he had not put on his breast plate of righteousness. Learning to make righteous choices takes discipline. It isn’t always easy to do the right thing. Not doing it though can have devastating costs. Across the major faith traditions are codes of behavior that are all very similar. In the Judeo-Christian tradition we have the Ten Commandments. Even in secular institutions we have codes of behavior designed to protect us and keep us safe. In Navy and Marine Corps we have Honor, Courage and Commitment. These codes, if followed serve as our “breast plates of righteousness.” At a previous command I frequently visited a former Sailor in jail. He ran a red light while driving drunk and killed a 19-year-old woman. I have counseled with many Marines and Sailors over the years that have broken their marriage vows. The heartache and pain caused by their choices is nearly all consuming. These and many other consequences could have been avoided by wearing the breast plate of righteousness. So, please follow the admonition of Paul and put on the whole armor God, especially the breast plate of righteousness. God Bless and Semper Fi.
HELP THE FIGHT
AGAINST
SEXUAL ASSAULT
YOUR VOICE
2013
YOUR NAVY
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVEY
NEW ON
THE SHIP’S
INTRANET
NIMITZ NEWS | OCTOBER 20, 2013
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Crow-Shay It’s Pronounced,
Story and photos by MC3 Linda S. Swearingen
T
he word crochet is a French word which means “hook” and it has started to hook a lot of Sailors recently on board Nimitz. The origins of crocheting are unclear due to textiles decaying over time. The art of crochet, as it is known today, gained popularity in Europe in the 19th century where it was referred to as “slip stitch crochet” or “shepherd’s knitting”.
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Crocheting is similar to knitting in that it involves creating fabric made from materials such as yarn or thread by means of pulling loops of yarn or thread through other loops multiple times. Unlike knitting, which is done with two knitting needles to create multiple stitches at once, crocheting is done with a hook typically made out of metal or wood and creates only one stitch at a time. Electrician’s Mate Fireman Apprentice Alicia D. Paeth, of
Wild Rose, Wisc., a Sailor currently stationed on board Nimitz, has been crocheting since she was a young girl. “My grandma taught me how to crotchet when I was seven years old,” said Paeth. “I put it down for a few years and picked it back up during college. When I got to [Nimitz], a friend on board got me started crocheting again.” According to Paeth, her love of crocheting started when she was visiting her grandmother one day
Crocheting helps me de-stress from the day and helps my creativity come out. -Paeth
and saw a blanket her grandmother hand made from crochet. After admiring the blanket, Paeth’s grandmother offered to teach her the art of crochet. “[My grandmother] took me to the store and bought me a crotchet needle and some yarn and got me started with crocheting,” said Paeth. “I can still remember the first crochet set I got. It was a teal blue colored crotchet hook and a dark multi-colored yarn. I didn’t have enough yarn to really make anything with it, but I used it to practice.” Paeth said that she mostly crochets blankets and scarves for her family and friends, although she
is looking to branch out into other projects involving crocheting. Recently, Paeth said she learned how to enhance her skills from another Sailor on board Nimitz who shares her love of crocheting. “I learned from another girl on board who also crotchets how to double crotchet,” said Paeth. “[Double crocheting] completes the project faster because it’s wider rows which aren’t as tight. It looks really complicated, but it is a pretty fast procedure.” Although crocheting has been a hobby of Paeth’s for the past 13 years, she said the reason she took it back up after putting it down for
a few years is simple. “It takes my mind off every day work and keeps me calm,” said Paeth. “I like how it relaxes me and I notice that it relaxes me more [on the ship] than anywhere else. Crocheting helps me de-stress from the day and helps my creativity come out. There are a few other girls in my berthing who also crotchet and I love learning new techniques from them.” Paeth’s current crocheting project is a blanket she is making for her soon-to-be niece or nephew. Her future plans include learning more techniques from fellow Sailors who share her love of crocheting.
NIMITZ NEWS | OCTOBER 20, 2013
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COLORS: A SECOND CHANCE FOR SAILORS
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s a result of non-judicial punishment from a commanding officer of the United States military, a service member can receive a restricted status. The specific requirements of this disciplinary measure can differ from station to station. Restriction may include mandatory musters, inspections and military drill. One component is virtually guaranteed and implied: a loss of privileges. Aboard Nimitz and at many other Navy commands, restricted Sailors wear badges on their uniforms to differentiate them from others. While some Sailors on restriction also face administrative separation, many will return to a normal status once the badge comes off. According to Electronics Technician 3rd Class Anthony J. Black, the coordinator of Nimitz’ Shift Colors program, restriction isn’t the end. It could be a new beginning.
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Story and photos by MCSN (SW) Derek A. Harkins
Shift Colors provides classes once or twice a month, with the primary goal of assisting Sailors facing, risking or recovering from restriction. All Sailors aboard Nimitz who are placed on restriction without administrative separation are required to attend the class. “We try to key in on choices, values, and decision-making [while] going back to the reason why you got into the Navy,” said Black. “I feel like everyone wants to change. Nobody joins the Navy to get in trouble, and nobody signs their life away for four or six years saying, ‘I wanna get on restriction.’” The name of the course, Shift Colors, refers to a ship shifting its colors when going underway. It tries to accomplish the same for the Sailors who attend it: help them ‘shift their colors’ and get their careers back underway again. Before Black became the program’s coordinator, he had a lot in
common with the Sailors who attend his class. After going to captain’s mast (the Navy’s term for non-judicial punishment), Black faced restriction and a reduction in paygrade from E4 to E3, and attended the course. He managed to pick himself up and dust himself off, using many of the same skills he now teaches. He has gone on to earn back his previous rank while earning numerous “early promote” evaluations, dual warfare qualifications and a good conduct award. “You can take it or leave it, and I chose to take it,” said Black. When Black was asked later what he thought of the class, he had several criticisms, including that he felt the program did not succeed in effectively communicating its message to the junior Sailors of a more modern Navy. “They needed somebody they could relate to, who could put his situation out there and show how you can get back on track after you’ve had that little black cloud over your head,” said
Lt. Cmdr. Brandon Harding speaks with Sailors enrolled in the Shift Colors program.
Black. “Junior Sailors hear it from one person, but they don’t necessarily latch onto the point that one person is trying to get across [if] it’s in the past. That’s the ‘old’ Navy, where [they think] you got a slap on the wrist and now you’d get kicked out for doing stuff like that.” Today, Black and Lt. Cmdr. Brandon Harding, chaplain and principal assistant for religious ministries aboard Nimitz, run the program. According to Black, Harding’s counseling experience from Nimitz and previous commands allows him to provide crucial skills to the Sailors attending the class. “I think one of the key skills that helps Sailors is developing good boundaries, whether personal or professional,” said Harding. “Many of the reasons they find themselves in trouble is because of boundaries that were crossed. We also spend time on developing good communication skills and ethical decision making.” According to Harding, the Sailors also view and analyze the movie “Antwone Fisher,” the true story of a Sailor who got in trouble and turned his life around. This helps them apply what they’ve learned from the class and their experience to a real situation. “When you think everybody would fall asleep when you turn the lights out, everyone is right into it,” said Black. “It’s not death by Pow-
erpoint, and it’s been working.” Participants in Shift Colors are encouraged to envision a brighter future for themselves and their careers. One of the exercises the Sailors perform during the class requires them to write a brief essay describing their short-term goals. To allow them to maintain that process, Shift Colors is also designed to teach the basics of stress management. “It’s very basic stuff that we tend to overlook, but it’s basic tools and principles to make your work environment and personal relationships better,” said Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Karlton J. Gregson, a Sailor aboard Nimitz. Gregson recently came off of restriction, which he received along with a temporary reduction in rank. “One thing that the captain said to me was, ‘I want you to take that 2nd class petty officer crow off,’” said Gregson, remembering his captain mast experience. “‘I want you to remember what it felt like to have it while you walk around as a third class. Once you get paid for it, you can put the second class crow back on. I want you to think about what it feels like to be a third class petty officer becoming a second class petty officer.’” Gregson had aspirations to become one of the Navy culinary specialists who serve at the White House, but he believes having re-
striction on his record may make this impossible. “That was a lesson learned the hard way,” said Gregson. However, Gregson said that he would not let this bring him down, instead using it as a learning experience. “I can take my life back and not let poor decisions I’ve made in my past define my future,” said Gregson. “Instead of saying, ‘oh there go my dreams’ and turning into some shipwrecked Sailor, I’m going to take this opportunity to figure out how to be the best I can and take it very seriously. I need to focus on being a better leader, a better follower and train and guide these junior Sailors to help them have that same success.” According to Black, he and other Sailors who got into trouble have gone on to accomplish exactly that. One of these Sailors is Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Thomas B. Soper, a Sailor aboard Nimitz who went on to earn his enlisted surface warfare specialist qualification, become a petty officer 2nd class and achieve qualification and assignment as a work center supervisor. “I feel this class can turn a Sailor’s attitude and motivation back on the right track as long as the individual is willing to listen and
“
Nobody joins the Navy to get in trouble, and nobody signs their life away for four or six years saying, ‘I wanna get on restriction.’
NIMITZ NEWS | OCTOBER 20, 2013
-Black
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accept the challenge that the class is offering,” said Soper. “The class challenged me to strive for more and get back on the track that I was on before I had gotten into trouble.” Soper and many other Sailors have clearly accepted this challenge. According to Black, approximately 80% of the feedback from the attendees’ chains of command has been positive. “I get positive feedback, not just from stats from the chain of command, but also from the attendees in the class, no matter what kind of person they are or what they did,” said Black. “Not everybody is going to make that change, but if I can help one person make a difference for themselves, it can make a difference for the whole ship.” According to Soper, one way that the program accomplishes this is by giving Sailors tools that will allow them to guide not just themselves, but also others. “Shift Colors teaches you to mentor others to not make the same mistake you did and to prove not just to others, but yourself, that you can always overcome them and excel afterwards,” said Soper. “I can sit there and tell how I was proactive with my situation, accepted responsibility and made everything better,” said Black. “Now I have the CMC and XO coming in to
“
The class challenged me to strive for more and get back on the track that I was on before I had gotten into trouble. -Soper 8
Capt. John Cummings speaks with Sailors enrolled in the Shift Colors program.
show they have confidence in them and that they’re not against them. It gives them that feeling that, ‘yeah, they’re mad at me, but they’re doing their job and they’re here to help me, not to be against me.’ It helps them to accept responsibility.” Black described the thought process he tries to bring Sailors to: “Now that I’ve accepted [where I’m at], I’m going to restart my whole program and go back to the reason I got in, why I slammed on the brakes, put my blinker on and went into the MEPS office and said ‘okay, I’m here.’” This lesson is useful not just for Sailors who have been placed on restriction, but also for those risking it. Black even believes the course can be helpful for Sailors who aren’t necessarily experiencing disciplinary issues at all. “Anyone is invited,” said Black. “If you need motivation, come to the class. If you’re feeling stressed or depressed, come to the class.” One of the topics of the class that can benefit even Sailors outside of its intended target group is maintaining a positive attitude. “It’s okay to feel the way you feel about certain things, [but it’s about] the way you portray it,” said Black. “Instead of being angry because of anger, be proactive because of anger. That way, by the end of the day when you hit your rack, you’ve got a smile on your face.” According to Soper, this attitude
not only affects the way you live your life, but who you are. “The things you experience and how you deal with them shapes you to be the person you are,” said Soper. “The class tries to teach you how to use those experiences to become the best possible person you can become by showing you the positive outcome of such experiences.” Shift Colors provides Sailors the tools they need to put their careers and their lives back on track. “I wish this class was a mandatory part of petty officer indoctrination,” said Gregson. According to Black, he doesn’t view the changes observed in many who attend the class as ‘changes’ at all. As far as he’s concerned, they are simply reverting back to the basics and thinking about why they’re here before they act. “It’s a constant reminder of why I’m here and a constant reminder of my values,“ said Black. “I believe everyone wants to be better. I think a lot of people need help and motivation to get back on track; it makes a big difference.”
AGAINST ODDS THE
Story by MC3 (SW) Phil Ladouceur
On Oct. 20, 1944, American ground forces began landing on the island of Leyte, beginning the campaign to take the Philippines back from Japan. Taking the island would cut the Japanese off from vital resources. Japanese ships to the south of Leyte could be refueled but not rearmed, and the ones to the north rearmed but not refueled. The Imperial navy felt there was no reason to save the fleet if they lost Leyte and the rest of the islands of the Philippines. They decided to risk all . This was the Battle of Leyte Gulf. The Americans had two fleets with two different chains of command. The 7th Fleet, under Vice Adm. Thomas Kincaid, was charged with supporting the ground forces fighting on Leyte. The 3rd Fleet, under the command of Adm. William Halsey, was there to protect the invasion force from attack by the Japanese navy, and strike against them if possible. The first signs of a Japanese counteroffensive came on Oct. 23, when two American submarines sighted and attacked a large fleet of Japanese ships coming from the south toward Leyte. These forces, under Adm. Takeo Kurita, were intercepted by Halsey’s 3rd Fleet on Oct. 24. The Japanese had no air cover, and they were attacked and turned back.
Survivors are rescued from the Battle off Samar.
Later that day, Americans detected another force coming from the north. The Japanese had sent these ships, mostly light carriers with only about 100 aircraft, as a decoy to draw away 3rd Fleet. Halsey began to head north to intercept them, believing that Kurita had been destroyed as an effective force and was retreating, and that the decoy force represented the cream of the Japanese navy. Always aggressive, he wanted to strike a killing blow. That night, yet another group of Japanese warships were making their way toward Leyte, through the Suriago Strait. Early in the morning, American battleships waiting for them hammered the Japanese fleet. It was the last battleship battle in history. In fact, some of the battleships that night had been damaged in the attack on Pearl Harbor. Repaired and supposedly good for nothing but shore bombardment, they had an unexpected moment of revenge. NIMITZ NEWS | OCTOBER 20, 2013
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USS Heerman at sea.
At this time Kinkaid thought Halsey was watching for enemy ships approaching Leyte. Halsey thought Kinkaid was watching. Halsey had issued an order to leave behind a number of his ships to watch the San Bernardino Strait, but the order was never executed. The problems of a divided command were about to show themselves in a frightening way. On the morning of Oct. 25, as the sun came up, Kurita’s ship came into view off the island of Samar. They had sailed 150 miles unnoticed through the San Bernardino Strait and snuck right up on 7th Fleet’s carrier escort units, called “Taffies.” These task forces were comprised of a few destroyers and escort carriers. Escort carriers were small, slow, carried only a few aircraft, and had little or no armaments. They weren’t meant to fight; they were just there for support. In fact, many said that their ‘CVE’ designator stood for “Combustible, Vulnerable and Expendable.” At 6:47 a.m., a report came in that there were four battleships, eight cruisers, and escorting destroyers 20 miles away from Taffy 3. It’s commander, Rear Adm. Clifton Sprague, at first thought that the approaching ships were Halsey’s 3rd Fleet. Then at 6:58, Kurita’s fleet opened fire. For those Sailors in Taffy 3, it looked as if the entire Japanese navy was attacking them. Taffy 3 consisted of three destroyers, a smaller destroyer escort, and six escort carriers. The carriers immediately tried to fall back, and the only ships that could
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buy them time were the destroyers. A heavy rain suddenly swept through the area, blocking the American ships from sight for 15 precious minutes, limiting the Japanese to radar-directed attacks. As planes got in the air, many had the wrong armament for attacking the Japanese ships, and could only strafe with largely ineffectual machine gun fire. But the intensity with which they attacked created a reaction in the Japanese forces, leading them to believe that they were attacking not a small escort task force, but that they had made contact with Halsey’s 3rd Fleet. Kurita had been told nothing about the decoy force that Halsey was currently chasing: The Japanese navy had their own issues of miscommunication. Against this force of battleships and cruisers, the little destroyers did the impossible. Cmdr. Ernest Evans, commanding officer of the USS Johnston, announced to his crew: “Prepare to attack major portion of the Japanese fleet!” He launched into the Japanese attack, firing his five-inch guns and torpedoes, taking out an enemy cruiser. At 7:30 they were hit by three 14inch shells. Three officers died on the bridge when the radar collapsed onto it. Evans lost three fingers. The Johnston lost speed. USS Hoel’s captain had been about for only two weeks. They fired 10 times at the enemy’s ships before they were damaged too badly to continue, receiving more than 40 hits from the big ships. Many of the hits passed right through the tiny vessel
USS Samuel B. Roberts two weeks before the battle off Samar.
without exploding. Cmdr. Amos Hathaway, commanding officer of the USS Heerman, had no radar or visual contact with the enemy, but nonetheless plunged in the general direction they were supposed to be. “I told the crew this was either going to be the bloodiest, worst thing we had ever seen—or nothing,” said Hathaway. “That is always an easy and good prediction to make.” When the rains cleared away, Hathaway saw the ships directly in front of them. Enemy fire was splashing in the water around them. There was only one thing to do. Hathaway looked at his navigator. “Buck, what we need is a bugler to sound the charge,” he said. When the navigator asked why, Hathaway announced that they were going to make a torpedo run. The navigator gulped. He launched seven torpedoes at a heavy cruiser before a Japanese shell hit the bridge. The helmsman was dead, along with four others. Heerman was hit also in the engine and keel, but survived to launch the remaining torpedoes and fire it’s guns at one of the battleships. Ammunition exhausted, she turned away, barely missing the Johnston. On the Johnston, the Sailors were throwing body parts over the side. Only two guns were still working, and the ship could only make 15 knots. Evans turned the ship into action to help protect the damaged USS Hoel and cover the retreat of the escort carriers.
“We were weaving back and forth, taking on whatever ship seemed to be closing on the carriers the fastest, and we still stayed up with the Japanese cruisers, destroyers, while the Japanese battleships dropped aft,” said Lt. Robert Hagen, the Heerman’s gunnery officer. “The captain fought that ship as no other man has ever fought a ship.” Though the destroyer counter-attack was uncoordinated and was almost like throwing pebbles at a tank, the ferocity of the attack alarmed the Japanese. By 8:20 the destroyers were all retiring back toward the carriers. All except the Heerman, which continued firing on the enemy until the crew had to abandon ship while still under fire. Less than half its crew survived.
Evans wasn’t among them. The pilots were doing their part. One pilot flew passes at battleships for two hours with no ammunition, just to help keep whatever pressure on them that he could. The little escort carriers maneuvered as best they could to avoid enemy fire. By now Halsey had started to send ships back to help, but they were hours away. Whatever the bravery of the Taffy’s crews and pilots, it seemed as if nothing was going to keep the Japanese from grinding them down to nothing. Then it happened. Kurita ceased fire, turned away, and left. Sprague watched the enemy turn away in disbelief. “I could not get the fact into my battle-numbed brain,” said Sprague later. “At best, I had expected to be
Japanese fleet sails in a column Oct 22, 1944.
swimming by this time.” A few destroyers, a few little carriers, many converted from old merchant ships or oilers, and a few old and obsolete aircraft had managed to drive away a Japanese battle fleet. A combination of poor communication and a lack of command unity had bedeviled both the American and Japanese forces. But the Japanese had been repeatedly pushed and pushed until at last they had broken. They never again amounted to a real threat. But as the Japanese navy slowly wore down, the American Navy had built itself up. When the Johnston had been commissioned a year earlier, only seven of its 331-man crew had any experience at sea. And yet, they had shaken the confidence of a battle fleet with four mighty battleships. Halsey eventually found and drove back the decoy ships, which marked the end of the Battle for Leyte Gulf. It was the last great encounter between surface forces, and the largest naval engagement in the history of the world. By the time the Japanese attacked the naval forces in Leyte Gulf there were enough American troops and supplies ashore that a Japanese victory would have been a setback to the recapture of the Philippines, but would not have changed the course of the invasion. But the bravery and sacrifice of the men on those destroyers had helped insure that the end came sooner rather than later. For more information on this and other historic naval battles visit www.history.navy.mil
Japanese battleship Yamato fitting out. Yamato, one of the largest battleships ever built, served as part of Kurita’s forces.
NIMITZ NEWS | OCTOBER 20, 2013
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PUT TOGETHER BY CSADD
WHAT IS CANCER?
tumor with nutrients that promote growth. As the malig-
Breast cancer occurs when cells in the breast divide and
nant breast tumor grows, it can expand into nearby tissue.
grow without their normal control. By the time a lump is
This process is called invasion. Cells can also break away
large enough to feel, it may have been growing for as long
from the primary or main tumor and spread to other parts
as 10 years. Some tumors, however, are aggressive and can
of the body. The cells spread by traveling through the blood
grow much faster. Between 50 and 75 percent of breast
stream and/or lymphatic system. This process is called me-
cancers begin in the milk ducts, 10 to 15 percent begin in
tastasis.
the lobules and a few begin in other breast tissues.
When malignant breast cells appear in a new location,
Every day, cells in your body divide, grow and die. Most
they begin to divide and grow out of control again as they
of the time cells divide and grow in an orderly manner. But
create another tumor. Even though the new tumor is grow-
sometimes cells grow out of control. This kind of growth of
ing in another part of the body, it is still called breast cancer.
cells forms a mass or lump called a tumor. Tumors are either
The most common locations of metastatic breast cancer are
benign or malignant.
the lungs, liver, bones and brain.
TYPES OF TUMORS
BREAST CANCER SYMPTOMS
Benign tumors: Benign tumors are not cancerous.
When breast cancer starts out, it is too small to feel
When these tumors are removed, they typically do not re-
and does not cause signs or symptoms. As it grows, breast
appear. The cells of a benign tumor do not invade nearby
cancer can cause changes in how the breast looks or feels.
tissue or spread to other parts of the body.
Symptoms may include—
Malignant tumors: Malignant tumors are made of ab-
•New lump in the breast or underarm (armpit).
normal cells and are cancerous. Malignant tumor cells can
•Thickening or swelling of part of the breast.
invade nearby tissue and spread to other parts of the body.
•Irritation or dimpling of breast skin.
A malignant tumor that develops in the breast is called
•Redness or flaky skin in the nipple area or the breast.
breast cancer.
•Pulling in of the nipple or pain in the nipple area. •Nipple discharge other than breast milk, including
HOW DOES BREAST CANCER GROW AND SPREAD? To grow, malignant breast tumors need to be fed. They get nourishment by developing new blood vessels in a process called angiogenesis. The new blood vessels supply the
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blood. •Any change in the size or the shape of the breast. •Pain in any area of the breast.
BREAST CANCER IN MALES
mogram is an X-ray of the breast. Doctors use a mammo-
Men can also develop breast cancer; it is however very
gram to look for early signs of breast cancer. Having mammograms regularly can lower your risk of dying from breast
rare with only about 2,190 diagnoses each year.
cancer. LOWERING YOUR RISKS •Control your weight and exercise.
STATISTICS
•Know your family history of breast cancer. If you have
In 2009 •211,731 women and 2,001 men in the United States
a parent, sibling, son or daughter with breast cancer, ask your doctor about your risk of getting breast cancer and
were diagnosed with breast cancer.*† •40,676 women and 400 men in the United States died
how you can lower your risk. •Find out the risks and benefits of hormone replace-
from breast cancer.*† •If you are 50 to 74 years old, be sure to have a screen-
ment therapy. •Limit the amount of alcohol you drink.
ing mammogram every two years. If you are 40 to 49 years
•The best way to find breast cancer early is with a mam-
old, talk to your doctor about when and how often you
mogram. If you are a woman age 50 years or older, be sure to have a screening mammogram every two years. A mam-
should have a screening mammogram.
Percentage of cases per age group
Cases of Breast Cancer Related to Ages at Diagnosis 30
29.1% 24.7%
25
20.3%
20 15
13.9%
10 5.9%
5 0
5.9%
0.3% 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 70-79 80-89
Age at Diagnosis
Source: The Breast Health Center 1993-2008
*Incidence counts cover approximately 90% of the U.S. population; death counts cover approximately 100% of the U.S. population. Use caution when comparing incidence and death counts. †Source: U.S. Cancer Statistics Working Group. United States Cancer Statistics: 1999–2009 Incidence and Mortality Web-based Report. Atlanta (GA): Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Cancer Institute; 2013. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/uscs.
References •“CDC - Cancer - Resources - Breast Cancer Awareness.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. •: “ Susan G. Komen® | Understanding Breast Cancer | Breast Facts | What is Breast Cancer? | What is Breast Cancer?.” Susan G. Komen®. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2013 NIMITZ NEWS | OCTOBER 20, 2013
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Finance
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Can We Save Social Security A Fun and Easy Guide Cmdr. Matthew Miller
Editor’s note: Cmdr. Matthew Miller has transferred from Nimitz, but he left this series of articles to aid the Sailors and Marines aboard in making sound financial planning and investing. He is not a Certified Financial Planner. The opinions expressed in this series of articles are his and do not guarantee any type of financial success whatsoever. There are many rules and regulations associated with taxes, fees, withdrawal penalties, and other complications that require a detailed understanding of various financial products. Before investing you should review the prospectus associated with the financial product and check with a professional to ensure you understand it and that it is right for you. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.
Introduction Both Social Security and Medicare have been in the news over the last several years under the blanket of doom and gloom. Both of these programs are officially in deep trouble based on the inaction of leadership in Washington D.C. For this article I’ll focus on Social Security and explain how the Social Security Trust Fund works and provide recommendations on how we could fix the long term fiscal challenge. Social Security Trust Fund The Social Security Trust Fund receives money from all of us that pay social security taxes. These taxes are also known as FICA taxes – FICA stands for Federal Insurance Contributions Act. The taxes are also sometimes referred to as OASDI taxes – OASDI stands for Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance. Lastly, they are sometimes referred to as Payroll taxes. I will refer to them as Social Security taxes throughout this article, but these are all basically the same thing. Pay As You Go Social Security is a “Pay as You Go” system. This means that today’s taxpayers pay for today’s retirees. As long as there is more money coming in from today’s taxpayers than is going out to today’s retirees, there is no problem. The impending massive retirement wave that’s beginning now due to the baby boomer gener-
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ation has created a situation where there will not be enough coming in to pay out the current commitments. The math just doesn’t work. This isn’t the first time we’ve faced this threat as a nation. History Repeats Itself In 1981, it was clear that the Social Security Trust Fund was about to go broke. A commission was set up to address the issue and the leader of the commission was none other than Alan Greenspan (who later became Chairman of the Federal Reserve from 1987 to 2006). After two years of debates, reviews, analysis, options, etc., the commission provided a report in January 1983 and changes were made to Social Security. The crisis was temporarily averted - taxes were raised and the retirement age to receive full benefits was increased. Where Are We Now? For the past several decades, we have been building up the Social Security Trust Fund since more money has been coming in than going out. There is over $2.4 TRILLION dollars of SURPLUS that has been paid into the trust fund. As I’ve mentioned previously, the trust fund was expected to run dry in the year 2041. The numbers vary somewhat, but the “run dry” estimate has been moved up 4 years to 2037. That’s 25 years in the future, so no big deal right? Wrong. It wouldn’t be a big deal if that $2.4 TRILLION was actually sitting in the trust fund. The reality of the situ-
ation is the Government has already spent every single cent of that $2.4 TRILLION. The trust fund is nothing more than a big joke. I’m not exaggerating. The 2037 date is completely meaningless. As I’ve mentioned before, the date that money coming in from taxes falls below money paid out was 2017. This date has now moved up a year to 2016. At that point, the Government will need to borrow extra to pay back to the trust fund because the money has already been spent – this borrowing will be ON TOP OF the already tremendous amount of borrowing the Government is currently doing. Recommendations For A Fix First of all, it’s unfortunate that it’s come to this. Our Government has made promises that it simply can’t keep. It’s almost like one of those commercials that sounds too good to be true – work just a few hours a month from home and make $100,000 per month. Maybe the Government’s promise wasn’t quite that ridiculous, but to think with the age demographics facing our country (that has been known for decades) that we could continue to pay out at the same rate to all retirees indefinitely was a fallacy. We need to either raise taxes, cut benefits, or both. We have no choice. The longer we wait, the more painful the fix. Below is my possible recommendation for a fix: Establish a Social Security Commission that is modeled after the Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC). BRAC is the process that is used to determine which military bases should be closed to save money. If Congress was left to its own devices, no bases would be closed even though there would be significant savings opportunities. The BRAC commission provided a list of recommended closures that Congress had to vote yes or no on the total package. This helps take out the politics somewhat. There have been five rounds of BRAC with the latest one in 2005. A similar Social Security Commission would make recommendations that Congress voted yes or no on the whole package. If it were up to me, I would propose the following: 1. Increase the age to receive full retirement benefits from 67 to 70 over a decade (similar to the way the age was increased from 65 to 67 back in 1983). The full retirement age should then be indexed to our national life expectancy. When Social Security was started in the 1930’s, the life expectancy in the U.S. wasn’t even 70. Now it’s almost 80. We need to raise
the full retirement age (you could still receive reduced benefits beginning at age 62 like now). 2. Index the annual cost of living adjustments to the inflation rate instead of wage inflation. This would result in a smaller annual cost of living increase for the Social Security program. 3. Raise the maximum amount of income that can be taxed. In 2009, income above $106,800 is not subject to Social Security taxes. This limit goes up every year (in 2008 it was $102,000). I think all income should be subject to Social Security taxes and that would just about clean up the problem, but that probably wouldn’t fly with most people. At a minimum, we could significantly raise the amount of income subject to Social Security taxes. By the way, all income is subject to Medicare taxes. Note that I do NOT think the tax rate should be increased, only the amount of income subject to the tax. If we implemented the above, the Social Security program would be fixed. Even if we phased this in over time, it could still be worked out that the program would remain solvent and current retirees would not be impacted. Future retirees would all receive a little less benefit, but we would not be passing on unbearable debt loads to the next generations. There are plenty of other alternatives that would fix the program including raising the tax rate, means testing the benefit (i.e., paying less benefit to wealthier people who arguably don’t need the money), cutting benefits, etc… This is not an unsolvable problem. What we need is to get past the leadership deficit that’s facing our nation and take some action. To do anything else is irresponsible… leaving our debts for someone else to pay is immoral. Closing Relative to fixing Medicare, Social Security is easy. Medicare has a much worse projected deficit and we’re already paying out more than is coming in. Although there are plenty of alternatives to address the Medicare problem, one thing we should NOT do is add more benefits to an already totally broken program without figuring out how to pay for them (i.e., the Prescription Drug Coverage benefit that was passed under the Bush administration). We’re just kidding ourselves that this is sustainable. With all this debt we’re running up as a nation and the continued talk of expanding benefits, the most likely outcome is much higher inflation down the road.
NIMITZ NEWS | OCTOBER 20, 2013
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