Oct. 30, 2013
Vol. 2 Issue 133
SAILORS SHARE CULTURE WITH DANCE Story by MCSN Eric M. Butler
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f you ever wanted to learn a dance that works with a variety of different musical styles, is fun and looks great, consider Latin dance. There are many types of Latin dances to suit anyone from beginners to advanced. Salsa, merengue, and bachata are some styles recently seen at the steel beach picnic and Hispanic Heritage Month celebration. For almost two months, they were taught in classes led by Aviation Maintenance Administrationman 1st Class Cora J. Garcia, from Chicago. Garcia was part of the multicultural committee and volunteered to lead a dance class that practiced Latin dances. While it was the first time she taught an official class, teaching Latin dance has been a part of her life and family since childhood. “Growing up I used to teach dance, salsa and
merengue, to the kids in the neighborhood,” said Garcia. “I actually used to perform during a Puerto Rican parade. It was like a week-long celebration in Chicago and we would have a bunch of different dancers performing in different groups, so I used to be part of that.” Garcia said that as the Hispanic Heritage celebration approached, dance practice went from about three or four days a week to two hours every night but Sunday and that some people learned Latin dance for the first time. Aviation Ordnanceman 2nd Class Alexis M. Suarez, from Westbury, N.Y., joined the dance class when the ship-wide invitation went out. Suarez said he already knew how to dance from a young age, but there were still new things he learned at the class. “They taught me to Continues on page 3
Commanding Officer
Executive Officer
Command Master Chief
Public Affairs Officer
Capt. Jeff Ruth
Capt. John 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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dance a little bit slower because on the East Coast you dance it a lot faster,” said Suarez. “As the male, you set the tone. I was always accustomed to dancing at one pace. So that was a learning process because from the beginning I was off beat with everybody else, I was so used to dancing it the way I danced it.” While there were several styles of dance and music to represent various Hispanic cultures at the celebration, bachata was the main style used for the choreographed dance the class had been practicing. “Bachata is a Dominican dance,” said Suarez. “Most people can connect with the East Coast Latin culture. The vast majority of eastern Latin people pretty much know how to dance to it. The choreography was made from scratch with inputs from everyone in the group.” Bachata originated in the Dominican Republic and is a threestep dance using the hips and a tap
“I actually used to perform during a Puerto Rican parade.”
-Garcia
on the fourth beat. The turns and moves start simple at first and become more complex as the dance continues. Merengue is another Dominican style dance learned at the class, where partners dance in small steps side-to-side and in a circular motion. Dancers take separate slower turns and twist their hand-holds in intricate ties. Another style was salsa. Originating in the Caribbean Islands and Cuba, it is an eight-count dance with a three-step to-and-fro movement either forward or side-to-side with a weight change to signify a new direction. It involves keeping
THINK RESPONSIBLY. 3
the upper body level while using the hips. Turns are fairly complicated and showy, making salsa similar to ballroom dancing. Aviation Ordnanceman 1st Class Alberto Perez-Badillo, from Rincon, Puerto Rico, took part in the multicultural committee and the dance group led by Garcia. Perez-Badillo said he mostly learned to dance from a friend who was a professional dancer while stationed in Florida. Perez-Badillo said one focus the class taught was how to listen and move to the music rather than try to follow a sequence of steps. While it was hard to get a lot of people to follow the choreography and stay in step together, Perez-Badillo said he thought the end result was a success. The class was designed to make a choreographed production for the Hispanic Cultural celebration, but the real heart behind the class was to have fun and teach something new about Latin heritage.
CSS Promotes Brilliant on the Basics, BET on Sailors By MCC (AW/SW) Shawn D. Graham, Center for Service Support Public Affairs
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he Center for Service Support (CSS) touted the importance of training new Sailors on being Brilliant on the Basics and the importance of learning command required programs Oct. 24. Brilliant on the Basics, addresses six personnel programs every command should be using; sponsorship, indoctrination, career development boards, mentorship, individual recognition and a rigorous ombudsman/family outreach program Capt. Mark S. Murphy, CSS commanding officer said that it is also important to train Sailors in the programs that are essential for operations. “I like the rule of threes and don’t wish to overwhelm the CSS training domain during uncertain times,” said Murphy. “The ongoing budget process and sequestration have a tendency to pull everyone down to a tactical day-to-day level of just figuring out how to keep training and operations moving forward. As we enter the new
fiscal year, I wanted to ensure that we maintain focus in three areas: B- Back to Basics -We must ensure we’re keeping an eye on the things all commands should be doing well (Navy Programs). E- Engage our customers. We must work closely with our customers to maximize training efforts in a resource constrained environment. We must be more efficient in training future Sailors despite world events going on around us. T- Take care of our people. The Navy team is resilient. We need to keep an eye on the entire team to ensure stress levels don’t spike; we need to be creative in rewarding our Navy civilians. They haven’t had a pay raise in three years, suffered through furloughs and didn’t receive any performance rewards funds. That is a tough way to treat a great workforce. On the Sailor side we must continue to Sailorize to meet the Chief of Naval Operation’ principles: Warfighting First, Operate Forward and Be Ready.” “I don’t want to confuse Bril4
liant on the Basics and BET, although they are similar,” said Murphy. “Brilliant on the Basics focuses specifically on six tenets. BET takes the original concepts of Brilliant on the Basics and expands it to include all basic Navy programs that every command should execute every day. They are the areas normally monitored during a command inspection. By getting these down pat and running these programs smoothly, a command displays attention to detail, organizational discipline and sets the tone for everything it does.” “The importance of Brilliant on the Basics shouldn’t be overlooked in the training pipeline,” said Murphy. “Junior Sailors can only absorb so much information in the beginning phase of their training so we must continuously reinforce
“Sailorization shouldn’t stop after ‘A’ school.”
-Capt. Murphy
Official U.S. Navy file photo.
these concepts. Sailorization shouldn’t stop after ‘A’ school. We must continue to teach all the additional programs that are tenets of well run, disciplined organizations.” Murphy also said that leadership is the key when training junior Sailors. He also said good leaders must understand the impact of these programs and understand all the requirements their commands should meet. “Leaders must read and understand the instructions driving the Navy’s key programs,” said Murphy. “Junior Sailors should be confident that their leaders know the intricacies and requirements of these programs.” “Interaction and encouragement from their leaders about these programs and concepts will help spark genuine interest within the mind of young Sailors,” said Murphy. “That interest can pay dividends and may stay with them their entire career.” According to Command Master Chief (SW/SCW/AW) Ray Rosado, the success or failure of many Navy programs begins and ends with chief petty officers (CPO). “We must understand and execute,” Rosado. “The basic programs are the ones that affect everyone. Success of these programs leads to a bet-
ter command environment with informed Sailors and families.” “We talk to our chiefs every day about the importance of mastering the basics,” said Rosado. “I expect our Sailors to have knowledge about our programs, but chiefs must be able to explain and teach our Sailors the importance of each program.” Rosado also expects CPOs to seek guidance if there are aspects of a program that they don’t fully understand. “Effective chiefs know who to turn to and when,” said Rosado. “All CPOs must leverage the knowledge found in their commands, particularly if they don’t have a Navy Counselor (NC) assigned.” “Career counseling is a part of a chief’s job description but we mustn’t let pride get in the way of asking for help,” said 5
Rosado. “We should have a healthy, professional relationship with the Sailors we lead. Chiefs and supervisors must understand their Sailor’s goals, both personal and professional. Monitoring their well-being should be an everyday activity, a discussion point every time they speak with Sailors.” CSS and its learning sites provide Sailors with the knowledge and skills needed to support the fleet’s warfighting mission. More than 300 staff and faculty work hand-in-hand with the fleet and are dedicated to ensure training is current and well executed on behalf of 10,000 Sailors who graduate from CSS courses annually in the administration, logistics and media communities. For more news from Center for Service Support, visit www. navy.mil/local/css/.
An F/A-18E Super Hornet assigned to VFA 147 prepares to land on the flight deck.
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MCSA (SW) Kelly M. Agee MCSN (SW) Derek Harkins
Sailors and Marines man a hose during a flight deck scrub.
AM3 Brandon Stinson performs maintenance on an MH-60S Seahawk helicopter assigned to HSC 6.
MCSN (SW) Siobhana R. McEwen
MCSN (SW) Siobhana R. McEwen
Sailors and Marines participate in a flight deck scrub.
HELP THE FIGHT
AGAINST
SEXUAL ASSAULT
YOUR VOICE
2013
YOUR NAVY
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVEY
NOW ON THE SHIP’S
INTRANET
ON THE COVER: PR1 Galo Juradotapia dances with MA3 Yessenia Molina during a steel beach picnic. Photo by MCSN (SW) Kole E. Carpenter.