Nov. 21, 2013
Vol. 2 Issue 145
DAILY DIGEST
WHERE THE
HEART IS
A Sailor keeps in touch with family and tradition Story by MCSN Eric M. Butler
A
viation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) 3rd Class Kristina M. Spalding, from Seattle, stands on the flight deck, weight board in hand. The grime of the workday covers her green uniform. Her face is hidden behind tinted goggles and a green bandana. She is the assistant catapult captain of catapult 4. However, this outstanding mother of two is also an artist who has drawn some of her
own tattoos and a proud nativeAmerican member of the Raven/ Beaver Clan of the Tlingit tribe. Spalding said her tribe primarily exists in Alaska and Canada and is made up of the Raven/Beaver and Eagle clans. While she said she did not grow up immersed in tribal culture, she began pursuing it in high school when she developed a relationship with her grandmother. Her native identity has since
helped play a role in her professional attitude. She said her mother and grandmother, representing the Native-American side of her family, have played the biggest role in shaping her outlook on life. “My ma and my grandma both taught me that instead of running to people for help, we need to try and see if we can take care of stuff on our own,” said Spalding. “So, pretty much be independent. Be proud of where Continued on page 3
SAILOR OF THE DAY
F
Stories and photos by MCSA Kelly M. Agee
ire Controlman 3rd Class Jordan M. Lillie, a native of Junction City, Ore., was named Sailor of the Day Nov. 20. “CS-7 is a great division,” said Lillie. “We really work hard.” As CS-7 repair parts petty officer, Lillie was instrumental in ordering, tracking and receipt of standard CASREP and ANORS parts across five work centers supporting six vital weapons systems and two radars.
During a recent NSSMS Target Illuminator causality, Lillie was key in the expeditious identification, repair and testing of one director control unit. Lillie’s efforts restored the full motion video capabilities of the STALKER camera system, guaranteeing 100 percent operability of ship’s self-defense systems. “Keep doing what you’re doing,” Lillie suggested to others seeking similar recognition. “Everyone is doing a great job.”
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.
2
Continued from page 1
By MCSN Eric M. Butler
you come from and don’t forget your people.” Beyond the influence of her family members, being a part of the larger family of the Tlingit tribe helps keep Spalding on track in life. “If I do anything bad, it looks bad on the tribe,” said Spalding. Spalding said she belongs to the Washington state chapter of her tribe in Seattle. “We have potlucks and pow-wows,” said Spalding. “Stuff to bring everyone together as a big family.” Spalding said she wants her children, Jessalynn and Jeffery, to know the tribe’s heritage, language and folklore. A bit of folklore that Spalding’s mother taught her while growing up was the Tlingit version of the bogey man. Spalding said the legend is that the “kushtaka man” is a half beaver, half otter spirit that takes away naughty children. “If I did anything bad or was acting up, mom would say ‘Kristina, watch out for that kushtaka man,’” said Spalding. “That usually did the trick.” The Navy runs in Spalding’s blood now. She joined shortly after high school July 30, 2007, mostly by the influence of her grandfather, who served in the Navy during the 60s as Store Keeper 2nd Class Roger Kreighbaum. Her husband, Jeff Spalding, whom she met at a county fair, served with her on the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) as a machinist’s mate fireman. She said she enjoys her work, being on the flight deck and working in the grease. Her favorite tattoo is her grease monkey in a pirate outfit that she got along with a shipmate from Stennis. Spalding said she grew up drawing nativeinspired designs and then moved on to tattoo designs. One of her tattoos she drew herself includes a purple rose with her daughter’s name. She also remembers her uncle, a Marine who passed away while on deployment in Iraq, with
ABE3 Spalding holds up a photo of her family.
a tribal cross with his name on her shoulder. She has started a collection of Navy tattoos as well, though not all are her own drawings. Spalding said she wants to serve a full 20 years in the Navy and use her skills after retiring. Her ideal future would be to open up a tattoo shop and maintain small aircraft in Sitka, Alaska, where she would like to move to be close to many of her relatives. The pride Spalding takes in her work and the tattoos she wears displays what’s important to her: a Navy life, her awaiting family back home and representing the Tlingit tribe well. As the saying goes, “home is where the heart is.” Spalding’s story is told with her “Sailor Jerry” style sparrow on her ankle. She said in Navy tradition, sparrows always find their way home. 3
Admiral Discusses Need to Bridge
U.S. Military-Civilian Divide By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service
S
ervice members must not be afraid to reach out to their fellow citizens, the Navy’s chief of information said at the Defense One Summit here yesterday. Rear Adm. John Kirby discussed what he sees as a growing civilian-military divide and its ramifications with Al Jazeera’s Jamie Tarabay. “I think it is important that those of us in uniform stay apolitical -- certainly politically aloof,” Kirby said. “But I also think it is critical that we stay politically astute.” Those in the military need to understand the political environment, because political leaders are the ones making the decisions, he said. “Politics can be messy, and it can be ugly at times, and for those of us who have grown up in uniform, it’s almost in some ways foreign,” the admiral said. “What I worry about is that it becomes too easy for us to turn away from that and say, ‘Well, it’s beneath us.’” But politics cannot be beneath military personnel, Kirby said. “It’s actually above us,” he added. “Those are the people making the decisions that we’re going to have to execute.” Understanding where politicians come from and being open to the discussion is cru4
cial to bridging the civilian-military divide, Kirby said. “It’s part of the democratic system -- the system that we defend,” he said. “I just worry that it is too easy for us to walk away from that [and] to think we’re apart from it, or some of us think we’re better than that. And that’s a dangerous place for us to be.” The nature of the military almost encourages this divide, he acknowledged. First, with an all-volunteer force, fewer and fewer Americans have first-hand knowledge of the military. Those who do serve often live on bases with little contact with the surrounding communities. Another aspect, Kirby said, is that it’s the children of service members -- who grew up in the military culture -- who have the propensity to serve. The military may understand the communities outside the combat outposts in the Middle East and Central Asia better than in the United States, the admiral said. “We spend a lot of time -- particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan -- learning foreign languages, learning the culture,” he said. “I don’t know if we spend enough time learning about the American people we serve. Now is the time, … as our budgetary needs don’t lessen and the world doesn’t get any safer, for us to listen more to the American people and engage more.”
5
By MCSN (SW) Kole E. Carpenter By MCSN Eric M. Butler
By MCSN (SW) Siobhana R. McEwen
ABH3 Nicholas Beard stands by on a tow tractor on the flight deck.
By MCSN (SW) Kole E. Carpenter
Sailors work through the morning rain to conduct maintenance on aircraft.
The sun sets behind the bridge aboard Nimitz.
Sailors participate in locker training in the hangar bay.
6
CHANNEL 5
CHANNEL 6
CHANNEL 7
CHANNEL 29
CHANNEL 30
0800/2000
ACE VENTURA: WHEN NATURE CALLS
UNSTOPPABLE
TOMORROW NEVER DIES
A THOUSAND WORDS
THE PURGE
1000/2200
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2
CONVICTION
DIE ANOTHER DAY
RED 2
LOCKOUT
1200/0000
1400/0200
CASE 39
ALPHA & OMEGA
1600/0400
SKYLINE
1800/0600
THE SOCIAL NETWORK
MEGAMIND
RED
GOLDENEYE
THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH
FOR COLORED GIRLS
LIFE AS WE KNOW IT
SECRETARIAT
DUE DATE
TV
02 - AFN News 03 - AFN Xtra 04 - AFN Sports
THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE
AMAZING SPIDERMAN
05 - 8MM Movies 06 - 8MM Movies 07 - 8MM Movies
RESIDENT EVIL: APOCALYPSE
CHINATOWN
08 - Roller 09 - NTV Smallville
CIQUE DU SOLEIL: WORLDS AWAY
THE RAVEN
10 - Flight Deck 11 - CNN
THE BEST EXOTIC MERIGOLD HOTEL
IDENTITY THIEF
29 - DVD Movies 30 - DVD Movies ON THE COVER: ABE3 Spalding holds a wieght board on the flight deck. -Photo by MCSN Kelly M. Agee