Nimitz News - Sept. 8, 2013

September 8, 2013

Vol. 39 No. 31

INSIDE:

ON THE BRIDGE A PHOTOSTORY

PG. 8

2013 NFL KICKOFF PREDICTIONS BY SENIOR CHIEF MCDANIELS PG. 11

NIMITZ NEWS | SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

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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 MCSA Andrew Price Media Department MC2 Jacquelyn Childs MC2 Ashley Berumen MC2 Nichelle Bishop MC2 Devin Wray MC2 Ryan Mayes MC2 Alexander Ventura II MC3 Renée L. Candelario MC3 Shayne Johnson MC3 Jacob Milner MC3 Christopher Bartlett MC3 George J Penney III MC3 Raul Moreno 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 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 Cmdr. Emile Moured

The Certainty of Uncertainty Most of us like to be in control. We like to have things mapped out – which is certainly the mark of a thoughtful and disciplined person, but it also feeds our personal desires for a sense of security and power. For that reason, we sometimes get frustrated or even angry when our personal goals get blocked by people or situations that interrupt our plans. If you’re a human being, you have likely experienced this to some degree already this week. In my personal and professional experience, I would say that most of our frustrations and anger stem from interruptions that block our goals and challenge the illusion that we are in control of everything in our own lives.

Those interruptions could be simple – such as a short-fused tasker or a Sailor who suddenly needs your help, causing you to miss a deadline or not get chow on time.

Or those interruptions could be more significant – such as a sudden change to my deployment or the death or illness of a family member. Sometimes interruptions need to be viewed as distractions to be placed aside or quickly handled in order to keep focused on a goal or the mission at hand. But often, I think those interruptions are the “stuff ” of real life – the very people and challenges that provide us opportunities to grow and to better see the bigger picture in life.

Woody Allen once said “If you want

to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.” I wholeheartedly agree; yet, knowing a bit about the source, I doubt this was a statement about faith. Allen was acknowledging that so much in life is out of our control, despite our inward belief to the contrary.

I can’t tell you what is going to happen for sure tomorrow morning, let alone next week or year. But I can tell you with absolutely certainty that things will not go 100 percent according to plan. In those moments wherein we are most tempted to get spun up in anxiety, frustration or anger, I want to share two maxims with you that might help and which I need to constantly remember myself: 1) I believe that God is less concerned with fixing my problems, and more concerned with “fixing” me; and 2) Perhaps those interruptions in life are not hurdles in my day, but they are opportunities to build relationships with others and let myself be changed for the better – the stuff of real life.

As we deal with the uncertainties that life throws at us, let us expect to be interrupted by real life. Let’s not grow weary, but exercise grace and patience toward others despite our own fatigue, immaturity or anxiety. Let’s humbly lean on each other for help and selflessly reach out to others who could use support.

NIMITZ NEWS | SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

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Story and photo by MC3 Linda S. Swearingen

Many Sailors had careers or jobs before they joined the Navy that differ greatly from what they currently do.

For one Sailor onboard, the job she held before she joined the Navy included being dragged over 100 yards by a horse, driving cars at dangerous speeds and being set on fire, among other things.

Before she joined the Navy, Aviation Electronics Technician 3rd Class Lorraine G. Mackin, of Orange Park, Fla., was a stunt woman.

“I was a stunt woman for one and half years,” said Mackin. “I got started when I was working for Nickelodeon Family Suites Hotel where I played characters in costumes. I played Sponge Bob, Dora the Explorer and Chucky from the Rugrats. I loved dressing up in the costumes and playing with kids.”

After working as a character actor, a friend of Mackin’s helped her get hired at a dinner theatre show in Orlando, Fla., called Arabian Nights where he worked as a stuntwoman.

“At first I started with taking care of the props and horses,” said Mackin.

“Arabian Nights was a show that showed off Arabian horses. I was involved with a horse drag where I was dragged about 100 yards by a horse as part of an act. I also did fire breathing as part of a gypsy act.”

The fire breathing stunt was her favorite of all the stunts she performed with the dinner show.

“I still do [fire breathing] sometimes at parties,” said Mackin. “It’s one of the easiest stunts to do, but it’s also one of the most dangerous.”

Mackin had no experience working as a stunt woman when she started working at the dinner show, but she didn’t let that stop her from learning how to do stunts with horses and breathing fire.

“I never had any experience before I started working as a stunt woman, but I wanted to be an actress,” said Mackin.

“I was the first girl to do the horse drag at Arabian Nights

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and they weren’t doing the fire breathing act anymore when I started working there, but I brought it back. I also drove the horse carriage for the closing of the show.”

During her time as a stunt woman with Arabian Nights, Mackin was able to participate in a form of community service by touring the country with the Black Stallion Literacy Project.

“I toured around the country with the show and went to Las Vegas, Little Rock, Phoenix, Tucson and Ft. Worth for the Black Stallion Literacy Project, which was a program to get kids to read more,” said Mackin. “If kids read a certain amount of books they could come to the show for free.”

The best part of being a stunt woman, according to Mackin, was when kids would come up to her after the show to ask for her autograph and to have their picture taken with her.

After her stint at the dinner show, Mackin went on to do stunt work with a private stunt group company and worked on independent films choreographing fights, stunt driving cars, fire breathing and performing falls -Mackin from heights.

“When you’re being lit on fire or breathing fire or driving a car 60 mph [doing a stunt] you get a kind of rush that’s different than any other,” said Mackin.

“You never forget the first time you were set on fire. It was the longest 30 seconds of my life.”

For Mackin, the discipline of having to throw herself into learning something new without any previous experience, as she did when she started working as a stunt woman,has helped her with the transition to Navy life. According to Mackin it has also given her the patience to help train junior Sailors.

Mackin has been in the Navy for two years, and though she doesn’t plan on going back to stunt work, it still holds a special place in her heart.

“Being a stunt woman was the absolute most memorable part of my life besides being in the Navy,” said Mackin.

You never forget the first time you were set on fire. It was the longest 30 seconds of my life.”

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NIMITZ NEWS | SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

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DENTAL DESIGN H

ospital Corpsman 2nd Class Domonique Eaddy can tell a lot about a person from their mouth.

It is one of the first things that Eaddy, a dental technician (or lab tech) aboard Nimitz, notices when he meets new people after working in the medical field for many years. He can often guess what kind of dental issues they’ve had and what work they’ve required by the appearance and movement of their mouths.

But mainly, Eaddy notices a person’s smile. As a lab tech, it is a crucial element of his work.

“I always wanted to be a lab tech, ever since I first saw what they do at my first duty station,” said Eaddy.

Lab techs are responsible for creating and maintaining dental prostheses and artificial dental appliances. These can include dentures, crowns, mouth guards and retainers.

Eaddy works with a broad range of materials while building prostheses. These include acrylic, gold, porcelain, and titanium alloy. By his estimation, about 60 to 75 percent of the materials he utilizes are flammable, which requires a great deal of caution on his part.

Because each person’s mouth and teeth are slightly different, Eaddy’s work also requires a great deal of focus.

“A lot of what I do is very technique sensitive,” said Eaddy. “If I mess up, I have to start all over. I have to be attention-to-detail oriented.”

According to Eaddy, the work can occasionally become frustrating.

“It can be very tedious and time consuming,” said Eaddy. “I spend a lot of time waiting for material to dry.”

But regardless of any inherent challenges that come

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Story and photos by MCSN Derek Harkins

from his craft, Eaddy says it is a job he loves.

“I’ve worked everywhere in Dental, and I think this is the best,” said Eaddy. “I can work at my own pace, listen to music and get left in my own world.”

Eaddy’s previous duty stations only included shore commands, making Nimitz his first sea duty station.

“This was a good career move on my part,” said Eaddy. “Working on Nimitz [has given] me the opportunity to experience the real Navy after working at shore commands back-to-back.”

According to Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Wendi Collier, a dental assistant, working aboard an aircraft carrier at sea also places a great deal of responsibility in Eaddy’s hands. “[Eaddy] works non-stop [and] he’s vital to Dental,” said Collier. “While we’re underway, he’s all we have. He has to take care of 5,000 people.”

Generally, when things go right, Eaddy may not be complimented or even noticed for his work. However, many customers are familiar with him and how he’s helped them, including those who have worked with him directly.

“Pretty much everyone I make things for seems pleased and thanks me,” said Eaddy. “It makes me feel good about what I do.”

As a lab tech, Eaddy has the opportunity to help people with their smiles. According to Eaddy, it’s an important part of peoples’ lives. While creating prosthetic teeth, Eaddy ensures that each product conforms to the natural form of the rest of a person’s teeth while blending with their natural expression as much as possible.

“You’re making art, pretty much,” said Eaddy. “What’s better than that?”

HM2 Eaddy sculpts a prosthetic tooth mold for a patient.

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ONBRIDGE THE

Photos by MCSN Kole E. Carpenter

Bridge watchstanders, QM2 Norris and OS3 May use a variety of instruments to gather and relay information to other watchstanders.

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NIMITZ NEWS | SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

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NAVY RECOGNIZES SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH STORY BY MC3 PHIL LADOUCEUR

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eptember is Navy Suicide Prevention Month, kicking off a yearlong effort to help build and fortify a culture of support for those dealing with adversity.

According to NAVADMIN 212/13, this year’s theme is “Thrive in your Community.” The emphasis is on promoting community involvement and working together to encourage others to seek help.

“Shipmates that are willing to help one another are more likely to be willing to receive help in return,” according to the announcement from the CNO’s office. “Seeking help is a sign of strength and by helping others we help ourselves.”

During the month, Sailors are also encouraged to learn to deal with stress as a way to build resiliency.

On board USS Nimitz (CVN 68), there are a number of resources available to Sailors.

The Five Star Plan was recently developed to create conversation and awareness about many of the issues being highlighted this month. The Five Star Plan offers facts, scenarios, and questions intended to provoke thought and conversation. It is distributed through the chain of command and in pamphlets available on the mess decks.

“The idea is to get our Sailors talking about these subjects at the lowest level,” said Lt. Lara Myers, the psychologist on board Nimitz. “We are trying to get everyone to think, ‘How can we help each other?’”

In addition, religious ministries provide classes on a number of subjects that can help Sailors deal with a variety of issues.

“We have life classes that help you learn to deal with stresses in life before it comes to the point you don’t know what to do,” said Religious Programs Specialist Seaman Casey Niedorf.

The classes deal with a variety of issues that can cause stress to build up, including money management, relationships and anger management.

“They deal with a lot of the precursors that lead people to start having thoughts about suicide,” said Lt. Cmdr. Brandon Harding, a chaplain on board Nimitz.

In addition to the classes, they also provide counseling.

“Whether you’re religious or not we can fit you

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with a chaplain of your religion or just anyone to talk to,” said Niedorf. “They’re great counselors.”

Counseling is confidential and offered for spiritual issues, grief, marriage, personal, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other issues.

Religious ministries also provide a community for those of various faiths.

“Whether you worship with one of the groups on the ship or go to bible studies, that gives you another community you can feel connected to,” said Harding.

“Often suicidal people feel alone,” he continued.

“They feel a sense of isolation. ‘No one understands me, no one knows what I’m feeling.’ The more alone they get, the more distorted their thinking becomes, and they start to think, ‘Well, the only answer must be to end my life by suicide.’”

Harding believes that offering a variety of ways to interact with other people can keep them from feeling isolated.

“The more someone is connected, as a part of a group, whether it’s a club or something they’re doing around the ship or worshiping, that’s one of the things we’re trying to foster,” he said.

Another place Sailors can find a sense of community is the Coalition of Sailors against Destructive Decisions (CSADD).

CSADD handles a topic every month and this month they’ve made it suicide prevention to coincide with Suicide Prevention Month, said Electrician’s Mate 3rd Class Suzan Chisolm, president of CSADD. They plan on distributing informational pamphlets, providing informational slides on SITE-TV, and producing a spot on the ship’s television show, “The Rundown.”

“The spot is focused more toward stress management, so things don’t get to the point that someone would want to commit suicide,” said Chisolm.

In addition, CSADD tries to provide ways for people to come together and just have fun, including board game nights and 5K runs.

“We do various events just so people can feel included, so they can be a part of something, and they can feel like there’s somebody there to listen.”

For more information about suicide prevention, please visit www.suicide.navy.mil.

2013 NFL SEASON

KICKOFF! This weeks predictions by Senior Chief Horatio “Tiny” McDaniels

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hat’s more American than representing your country on a mighty warship in a time of need while the 2013 NFL Football Season kicks-off this weekend? Ladies and gentlemen I am proud to say that the football season is back in our lives. There is no more uncertainty in our daily lives, that piece that has been missing is back in place. It’s time to represent in your teams colors, the water cooler talks are more alive than ever, and the trash talking is in full throttle mode. So lace those boots before you go into work today knowing, that it’s time for some football! Oh, and Tim Tebow is still a free agent ;)

Thursday, September 5 Baltimore at Denver, 8:30 ET

What a start for the 2013 NFL season. Peyton Manning throws for a record tying seven touchdown passes against last years Super Bowl champs. Broncos win in dominating fashion 49-27.

Sunday, September 8 Atlanta at New Orleans, 1:00 ET (2000 Nimitz Time) Saints Coach Sean Payton returns from a season-long bounty suspension and believe me, his team will be fired up and ready to play their first game of the year at home. Any other time I would take Atlanta, but playing in New Orleans with the crowd energized with their head coach back, I’m going 36-24 Saints baby.

Cincinnati at Chicago, 1:00 ET (2000 Nimitz Time) Bengals and Bears oh my! The Bengals stock is on the rise and they have quite the test ahead of them with the Bears. I’m expecting some hard hits and some unfortunate key injuries in this game. I really could go either way with this one so I am just going to go with what makes sense to me. A bear could take a bengal tiger right? 24-21 Chicago in what has the possibilities to be won in overtime by the least intimidating player on the field, the kicker.

Kansas City at Jacksonville, 1:00 ET (2000 Nimitz Time) I commend the Chiefs in the pick up of quarterback Alex Smith. I don’t expect huge numbers by him, but I do expect smart football with him getting the ball to his teammates to make the big plays. Maurice Jones Drew and the Jags will try to claw there way to a victory but in the end be tamed by the Chiefs 24-16.

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Miami at Cleveland, 1:00 ET (2000 Nimitz Time) The focus will be on Miami’s fast new sports car in wide receiver Mike Wallace acquired from Pittsburgh. The Browns have the perfect answer in cornerback Joe Haden who will shut him down. Browns fans get a little giddy as their team grinds it out with defensive plays and a balanced offense for a final score of 14-10 Browns. Browns to the Super Bowl? Not a chance!

Minnesota at Detroit, 1:00 ET (2000 Nimitz Time) This is a game you don’t want to miss. You have the top running back in the league with Adrian Peterson and the top wide receiver with Calvin Johnson, playing against each other. This divisional matchup will not disappoint, unless of course your team happens to be the Lions. 29-20 Vikings, in what may be the game of the week.

New England at Buffalo, 1:00 ET (2000 Nimitz Time) This to me is like seeing a family feud between a snotty nosed big brother (Patriots), beating the crap out his scrawny little brother (Bills).

Despite the key losses at tight end and wide receiver, the Patriots will generate new dependable players as long as Brady is behind center. The Bills will give it their all, but fall short losing 34-6 to the Patriots.

Oakland at Indianapolis, 1:00 ET (2000 Nimits Time) The Colts come into their first game of the season with Luck on their side, but it isn’t the kind of luck that wins you the game with a Hail Mary. It’s second year quarterback Andrew Luck as he leads his team with all new weapons against a scrappy Raiders team at home. 31-10 Colts, who win convincingly without any luck.

Seattle at Carolina, 1:00 ET (2000 Nimitz Time) The Seahawks enter the game as favorites due to the emergence of last year’s rookie sensation quarterback Russell Wilson and what could be the top ranked defense in the league. Panthers quarterback Cam Newton will give headaches to any defense coordinator and will bring his “A” game to the “Hawks.” Both teams will grind it out with the final outcome, 17-14 Seahawks.

Tampa Bay at NY Jets, 1:00 ET (2000 Nimitz Time) The Bucs are heading in the right direction, going back to their roots with a solid defense and a punishing running game. Quarterback Josh Freeman is in a contract year and will be playing with something to prove. The Jets have too many holes, namely at the all-important quarterback position. Maybe they should have kept Tebow? Buccaneers lick their chops in a win over the Jets 24-3.

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Tennessee at Pittsburgh, 1:00 ET (2000 Nimitz Time) The Steelers have gone winless this preseason and the Titans have won just one game. Yes it’s true, it’s just preseason, but you hope that ugly momentum doesn’t carry over into the regular season. I foresee a sloppy game with both teams turning the ball over, but give the edge to the Steelers because of their veteran leadership and special teams play.

24-21 Steelers, barely.

Arizona at St. Louis, 4:25 ET (2325 Nimitz Time) Two of the young up and coming teams for the future will face off in what has the makings of a great game, not to mention an NFC rivalry.

I expect to see both defenses making the difference as Carson Palmer and Sam Bradford attempt to air it out to put points on the scoreboard. Special teams will make or break this game. My prediction, 24-17 Cardinals in a doozy.

NY Giants at Dallas, 8:30 ET (0330 Nimitz Time) Both teams have been in playoff droughts over the past three years. It’s not even a case of a lack of talent for both teams either. I think what it’s going to come down to is the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders stepping it up with perfect synchronized dance moves that hypnotize the Giants team. 34-27 Cowboys, thanks to some awesome cheers.

Monday, September 9 Philadelphia at Washington, 7:00 ET (0200 Nimitz Time) I’m excited to see what head coach Chip Kelly brings to the Eagles.

Michael Vick has had a great preseason and has kept himself healthy.

Speaking of health, RGIII is starting the game after reconstructive knee surgery last season. He is just as deadly as Vick but both have styles of football that can work against them as much as it works for them. Both offenses are a push, but in the end the Redskins defense will make the stops necessary to get the victory. 24-21 Redskins, in a Monday Night Football showdown.

Houston at San Diego, 10:15 ET (0515 Nimitz Time) The Texans face off against the Chargers in a place we’d all like to be right now, sunny San Diego. On paper you look at the Texans, and they look to be a powerhouse of a football team but seem to fall short come the playoffs. The Chargers are in complete rebuilding mode from owner, coach to the team itself. I’m not counting on an upset just yet by the “Bolts.” The Chargers keep it close but Texans rally to win 17-10.

NIMITZ NEWS | SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

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16 Finance

Professional Financial Planners A Fun and Easy Guide Cmdr. Matthew Miller

Introduction

This article discusses whether or not you should hire a professional financial planner, how to choose one, and what to look out for if you do. There are a lot of different certifications available and a lot of different ways that you could be charged, so it is very important to do some research if you choose to hire one.

Who Needs a Professional Financial Planner?

In my opinion, there are two very distinct situations where I think someone should consider hiring a professional financial planner: (1) you have accumulated a large sum of assets and have increasingly complex investment and tax strategies that should be implemented or (2) you have absolutely no desire or inclination to deal with managing your money.

High Net Worth The focus of what I have been writing about the last couple months is really driven towards people in their 20’s and 30’s who should be funding 401(k)’s, TSPs, IRAs, building an emergency fund, minimizing credit card debt, buying a house, and just generally applying a couple hours a month towards managing your personal finances (yes, that’s all it really takes). If you do these things, you will have a significant amount of money once you reach your 50’s

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and 60’s (easier said than done, but much easier than you probably think). Once you have accumulated these assets, you have given yourself financial freedom. You need to make sure you do things like minimize tax bills, ensure your money lasts until you die, position yourself for passing down assets to your heirs, and meet IRS distribution requirements (e.g., begin taking the right amount of withdrawals from your 401(k), TSP, and Traditional/Rollover IRAs before April following the year you turn 70 and ½ in most circumstances).

Without question, this can get very complicated. If you are so inclined, it is definitely possible to do the research and learn about what to do yourself; however, it is not nearly as straightforward as just putting money in a Target Retirement Index Fund when you are 25 as part of your IRA. A Professional Financial Planner could be of significant help in this case.

Zero Desire Article six focused on the difference between Index Funds and Actively Managed Funds. Recall the 2.5% annual expense disadvantage (on average) for Actively Managed Funds that could cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars over a long period of time. The same concept applies to paying for financial advice. If you pay for advice, it will cost you a significant sum over time. The business case analysis you need to do is what would happen if you didn’t pay for the advice. If the answer is you would take a proactive role and do what I’ve been suggesting over the last several articles, you would in all likelihood have more money in 20 or 30 years than if you pay a professional advisor (due to the fees associated with the advice). HOWEVER, if you are like most people and put off taking action, this “no action” approach will cost you SIGNIFICANTLY MORE than the fees associated with professional advice. If a financial planner prompts you to take action that you would not have otherwise taken, the planner will most likely earn his or her fees many times over. Remember, the time to start investing and saving is NOW and the younger you are the more powerful compounding interest will work for you. If hiring a financial planner spurs you to action, then by all means PLEASE do it!

How to Pick a Financial Advisor There are all kinds of websites that provide advice and registries of advisors. I would NOT go this route. There is only one way I suggest you find a financial advisor and that is from a referral. You should ask your friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, etc. if they know of someone they trust. Trust is the most important factor in establishing a relationship with a financial advisor. Ideally, you should meet with several advisors before you commit. You need to feel comfortable with turning over any aspect of your personal finances to someone else and you really need to feel like they are going to act in your best interest. A good planner will start with asking questions about you to understand your goals, timeline, risk tolerance, current situation, etc. If they give you any specific recommendations before understanding your goals, then you should walk out (recall I start all my recommendations with a caveat that you need to understand your goals, which drives timeline, which

drives asset allocation).

It is also critical that you understand how the advisor is compensated. There are many different compensation models in the financial planning industry including an hourly rate, a percentage of assets, commission based, etc.

You absolutely need to understand what incentive structure the planner is operating under. If he/she is compensated through commissions, then the planner has an incentive to recommend frequent trading (NOT GOOD FOR YOU).

If the planner takes a percentage of assets, he/she has an incentive to grow your assets (generally good, but can be expensive so make sure you compare what this will cost you to other alternatives). If the planner charges an hourly rate, the incentive is to take longer to give you recommendations.

Please don’t misunderstand and think I believe financial planners are bad people. They are not (generally speaking).

They are making a living and hopefully providing value for their services. You just need to be aware of what incentives they have for their advice. After all, if it came down to feeding their kids or getting you a slightly better return, what do you think they would do? What would you do? Exactly.

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.

NIMITZ NEWS | SEPTEMBER 8, 2013

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NAVY, WARFARE CENTER CRITICAL FOR NATION’S

BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE

By Troy Clarke and Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Christopher Okula, Naval Surface Warfare Center Corona Public Affairs

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he Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Corona delivered its first quick-look analysis Sept. 13 of the Missile Defense Agency’s (MDA) test earlier this week, kicking off the collaborative assessment process for the first operational test of the nation’s Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS).

The test, named Flight Test Operational-01 (FTO-01), took place near the Army Kwajalein Atoll/Reagan Test Site and surrounding areas in the western Pacific and marked the first time combatants in different regions defended against near-simultaneous ballistic missile launches.

During the test, MDA successfully integrated Navy destroyer USS Decatur (DDG 73) with the Army’s Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system and a spacebased infrared detection system.

“This was a great feat for our Navy and the nation as we move toward an operational ballistic missile defense system,” said Capt. Eric Ver Hage, commanding officer of NSWC Corona, a Naval Sea Systems Command field activity based in Norco. His command served as the lead analysis and assessment agent of the Navy’s system in the test - Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) - providing missile telemetry and combat system data collection.

To conduct the test, MDA launched two medium-range ballistic missile targets in close sequence toward Kwajalein.

An Army-Navy/Transportable Radar Surveillance and Control (AN/TPY-2) radar detected the target and relayed track information to the Command and Control, Battle Management and Communications (C2BMC) system, which integrated, analyzed and synchronized combatants to formulate a real-time threat response among participating units.

The crew of Arleigh Burke-class destroyer Decatur provided the Navy’s operational element, tracking and intercepting the first target missile with a missile of its own - a Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IA. Soldiers from the Alpha Battery, 2nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment provided the Army’s operational element, using the THAAD system to intercept the second target.

Aboard Decatur, NSWC Port Hueneme’s Aegis BMD personnel extracted data from the ship’s system, which subsequently traveled on Corona’s innovative mini-Ku band satellite back to shore. The mini-Ku system cuts data transmission time by more than 95 percent from earlier

versions, sending all missile telemetry and Aegis combat system data to the warfare center’s Joint Warfare Assessment Laboratory (JWAL) where analysts from gathered to provide live monitoring of test data.

Initial data indicated the test elements performed as designed, but MDA officials have ongoing evaluations using the test data, starting with Corona’s quick-look analysis.

“NSWC Corona will collaborate with the MDA Joint Analysis Team and Commander, Operational Test and Evaluation Force to provide an overall assessment of the BMDS from both an engineering and an operational perspective,” said Tony Jones, NSWC Corona’s Aegis BMD assessment lead.

As a core mission for the Navy, Aegis BMD capability defeats short- to intermediate-range ballistic missile threats with SM-3, as well as short-range ballistic missiles in the terminal phase with the Standard Missile-2 (SM-2).

Since the 1970s, Corona’s sister division at NSWC Dahlgren has been intimately involved in the development, test, certification and fielding of almost every new baseline of the Aegis Weapon System (AWS), providing an integrated system that supports warfare on several fronts - air, surface, subsurface and strike.

At sea, the Navy has 28 Aegis BMD combatants - five Ticonderoga Class Cruisers and 23 Arleigh Burke-Class Destroyers - with 16 assigned to the Pacific Fleet and 12 to the Atlantic Fleet. MDA and the Navy plan to increase the number of BMD-capable ships to 30 by the end of 2013.

“As a former ship’s captain, I’m excited by the positive results we’re seeing,” Ver Hage said. “Corona has been providing independent assessment of guided missile systems for nearly 50 years, and the progress our military is making toward building a comprehensive ballistic missile defense system is truly remarkable. It’s an awesome capability we absolutely need.”

As part of the Navy’s Science and Engineering Enterprise, NSWC Corona leads the Navy in independent assessment, measurement and calibration standards and range systems engineering. The warfare center is home to three premier laboratories and assessment centers - the JWAL, the Measurement Science and Technology Lab, and the Daugherty Memorial Assessment Center -and employs approximately 2,000 scientists, engineers, technicians, and support personnel at its headquarters in Norco and at its

LEFT: A Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block 1A interceptor is launched from the guidedmissile destroyer USS Decatur (DDG 73).

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