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EMP
Artifacts of music and entertainment
Surprise Reunion Sailor’s secret homecoming
NEW BLUES
Female dress uniform gets an upgrade
Commanding Officer Capt. Jeff Ruth Executive Officer Capt. J.J. 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 Phillip Ladouceur Lead Designer MC3 Kole E. Carpenter
Media Department
MC2 Jacquelyn Childs MC2 Devin Wray MC2 Ryan Mayes MC2 Jacob Milner MC2 Jess Lewis MC3 George J. Penney III MC3 Shayne Johnson MC3 Linda S. Swearingen MC3 Vanessa David MC3 W. J. Cousins MC3 Derek Volland MC3 Sam Souvannason MC3 Nathan McDonald MC3 Joshua Haiar MC3 Kaitlyn Haskett MC3 Eric Butler MC3 Siobhana McEwen MCSN Aiyana Paschal MCSN Andrew W. Price MCSN Kelly Agee MCSN Victoria Ochoa MCSN Eli Buguey MCSN Kaitlyn Jennings 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.
ANCHOR UP By MCSN (SW) Aiyana Paschal
1ST CLASS PETTY OFFICERS PUSH FOR NEXT PAYGRADE
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35,000 1st class petty officers Navy-wide took the chief petty officer advancement exam including 179 Sailors from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). The Nimitz Sailors took the Navy-wide advancement exam for E-7 on board Nimitz in the first class mess and the forward mess decks Jan. 14. For many Sailors, becoming a chief is a momentous part of their naval career. “If I make it, it will be awesome,” said Culinary Specialist 1st Class Reed Williams, from Dallas. “It’s like the high point of your career when you make chief. This is my third time taking the test. I feel pretty confident. Hopefully the third time will be the charm.” The sheer volume of material covered in the exam means proper study technique is a must. “It was definitely in-depth,” said Aviation Ordnanceman 1st Class oughly
Jasmin T. Shackelford from San Antonio, Texas. “If I study too far out in advance I forget things. So I kind of pace myself as I study and I use flash cards.” The Navy-wide chief petty officer advancement exam is administered once a year in January. The process doesn’t end there for those first class petty officers who score high enough on their final multiple. In the next phase, a selection board will review their chief petty officer packages for the final determination of which Sailors will advance. Shackelford has passed the exam her last three times taking it, and hopes this time she will make board. “It’s tough,” said Shackelford. “There’s only so much you can do. That’s why it’s so important you take care of everything you can; PRTs (physical readiness test), evaluations. That’s why it’s important you’re a well-rounded Sailor.”
EMP Experience Music Project I
have always felt that the best way to really get to know a city when you first arrive is to go to a museum. The Experience Music Project (EMP), located in the Seattle Center in downtown Seattle, is one of the best museums I have ever been to.
Below: Relics from the exhibit “Nirvana: Taking Punk to the Masses.”
Story and Photos by MC3 Linda S. Swearingen
Entrance to EMP museum. Viewed from above, the museum is shaped like a guitar.
Named after Jimi Hendrix and the Jimi Hendrix Experience, the museum is shaped to look like one of Hendrix’s guitars if viewed from above. There is an exhibit in the EMP dedicated to Hendrix, a Seattle native, called “Hear My Train a Comin’: Hendrix Hits London” which boasts some of Jimi’s guitars which he famously smashed onstage, among other personal items. In addition to the current exhibits, there is a lounge area in the center of the museum where visitors can sit and watch music videos and documentaries that are constantly playing and an interactive music room called the “Sound Lab” where visitors of any age can play various instruments in sound proof booths, scratch records or jam with their friends. Admission is $14 for active duty military. Online tickets are $12. Driving from Everett, take I-5 South to exit 167. Follow the signs to the Seattle Center (look for the Space Needle). You can park in any of the parking garages near the Seattle Center. From the Everett Train Station, buses 510 or 512 will take you downtown Seattle. The EMP is just a short 10-15 minute walk from there. For more information on the EMP and upcoming exhibits please visit: www.empmuseum.org./
Robot outside “Icons of Science Fiction.” The exhibit features items from sci-fi film, TV and literature.
Visitors enjoy one of the many interactive stations throughout the museum.
Tower of guitars in the museum center.
Floor projection of Bela Lugosi from “Can’t Look Away: The Lure of the Horror Film.” The exhibit features props from horror movies and areas to watch clips from various films.
Story by: MC3 Eric Butler
KING’S ENDURING LEGACY
REMEMBERING
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through history rise to influence their generation, but very few rise to influence future ones as well. Martin Luther King Jr. is a name very few Americans would need an introduction to. His legacy as a civil rights leader reaches beyond his life and is well-known around the world. The holiday held to remember his birthday is significant in that only one other person’s birthday is remembered as a national observance, George Washington. It is also significant because it helps us to remember that the fight for equality for African-Americans, and ultimately all races in the United States, was not that long ago. Nimitz Sailors recently expressed why they feel it is an important holiday to remember. “I think it’s important that we recognize and celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day because it promotes diversity, coming together as one,” said Culinary Specialist Seaman Averie J. Davis. “That’s what the Navy is, because we have some of every race here. It’s one team, one fight here.” Operations Specialist 3rd Class Sackiema Thomas reflected on how King has helped inspire others to reach their full potential. any
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“I feel really good now, knowing that we inaugurated an African-American president and that even in major corporations and the Navy there is diversity,” said Thomas. “I think it’s good to remember that Martin Luther King paved the way.” In one of his most famous speeches, King envisioned what Thomas described as a modern reality. “I have a dream my four little children live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but the content of their character,” said King. US Navy Regulations, Chapter 11, article 1146 almost seems to be written in response to King’s vision. “Equal opportunity shall be afforded to all on the basis of individual effort, performance, conduct, diligence, potential, capabilities and talents without discrimination as to race, color, religion, creed, sex or national origin. Naval personnel shall demonstrate a strong personal commitment to stand on these principles and carry them out.” Even though the military has its own culture, it is also a part of American culture as well. The Navy was no exception during the difficult times around King’s life. The years following his assassination saw a society struggling to come to terms with the changes King helped bring. Until recently, racial unrest in the Navy was not widely covered or known. Naval History and Heritage Command recommends the book, “Black Sailor, White Navy,” by John Darrell Sherwood, as a good source of related reading material in regards to AfricanAmerican naval heritage. It covers a period of time during the Vietnam War when race riots actually occurred on US Navy vessels. Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt, Chief of Naval Operations from 1970 to 1974, spearheaded a reformation in Navy regulations to help rectify unequal treatment. Today, it is not uncommon to see many races represented in senior ranks in the Navy, from officers to chiefs, working together professionally to accomplishing the mission at hand. “All the marches, it wasn’t just black people,
there were a lot of white people there too,” said Seaman Ryan L. Johnson. “So, I think it’s good that we celebrate it because it shows unity.” Johnson also mentioned that, ultimately, Martin Luther King’s efforts meant equality for all people, a sentiment shared by Culinary Specialist Rebeca Centeno. “He inspired a lot of people to come together as one. It doesn’t matter what color you are, we are equal,” said Centeno. To learn more about King and his life, visit www.thekingcenter.org. Started in 1968 after his death, the King Center is located in Atlanta and was established to communicate King’s philosophies and how they apply today.There is an archive of historical documents from newspaper clippings to journal entries and program events that trace King’s footsteps and reveal his life. To make his legacy real today and create a way to celebrate practically, www.mlkday.gov is dedicated to helping coordinate events to improve local communities around the country in various ways. As we head into a four day weekend, consider seeing what is going on around Seattle as a way to explore the area, volunteer for the community and have fun while remembering the legacy of civil rights leaders like King. On the main www.mlkday.gov page, there is a box where you can enter your zip code to see what projects are happening in your area and when. For Seattle, a few of the events include helping kids with education, helping provide to at-risk youth or homeless, and even landscaping. Most events occur on Jan. 20 or later, but some events are already filled, so take a look soon.
LIGHTS CAMERA ACTION Nimitz Sailor Surprises Family on National Television Story by MC3 (SW) Siobhana R. McEwen
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Specialist 1st Class Raymond McKnight recently spent some time getting a taste of that in Hollywood. McKnight was chosen from Nimitz’ crew to appear on the television show ‘Last Man Standing.’ McKnight played a Sailor who gave his family a surprise homecoming from Afghanistan – a scenario that allowed him to surprise his own family on national television. McKnight said he was selected for the trip because he met a series of criteria the show had established. Some of the requirements were that the Sailor be a specific age and pay grade, and that he also had to have two children, each within certain ages. Being selected for the trip was the easy part – McKnight still had to get his family to take a trip to Los Angeles. McKnight had pranked his family with surprise homecomings before, but this time required much more planning. McKnight’s wife, Chiho, and their two sons, Julius and Jayden, eventually flew to Los Angeles for what they thought was a vacation McKnight had won during a Nimitz Bingo night. ersonnel
McKnight spends time with his family. Courtesy Photo
“I told her I wanted to win the Jeep, but won a trip to LA instead,” McKnight said. “I told her I’d given the tickets away because I couldn’t go and didn’t think she’d want to without me.” McKnight said he knew his wife would tell him that he shouldn’t have given away the tickets, so when she said she would have gone in his place, he was able to set up a prank that would ensure his surprise trip home was in the bag. “I told her that I was able to get the tickets back, but then she started to say she didn’t want to go,” said McKnight. “I said I’d worked too hard to get the tickets back, so she had to go ahead and make the trip.” McKnight left Nimitz shortly before the ship left Pearl Harbor, the morning of Dec. 6. Getting to the airport was a bit of an adventure in and of itself, and McKnight had to hustle to catch his flight. “I couldn’t find a taxi, but eventually ran into a guy on the base,” McKnight said. “I told him, ‘you have a choice to make right now – either you help me get a taxi to get to the airport, or you get me back to that boat. Either way, you need to hurry, because that boat is leaving soon, and so is my plane!’ He pointed me in the right direction to catch a cab, and I made it on time, but it was close!” When McKnight got to LA, he met up with military and studio liaisons who had helped coordinate the whole trip. They took him to his hotel, and he got to rest that night, and the next day. On his second day in LA, McKnight awoke early and was driven to the TV studio for the big show.
“The guy who drove me said that everyone in the studio was excited to film the scene and for me to surprise my family,” McKnight said. When he made it to the studio, he discovered the driver wasn’t exaggerating. “I felt like there was pressure on me from both sides,” McKnight said. “I wanted to pull everything off and surprise my family, but because everyone in the studio was crazy excited, I felt like I had to do a good job for them, too.” According to McKnight, the scene had already been shot, and the show brought everyone back to re-film, just to give a military member the chance to surprise his family. McKnight wasn’t the only one faced with pressure to perform. His wife and kids attended the show under the pretense that they would be extras on the set. They met with the cast and crew and did a few practice runs through the scene. Eventually, everyone was put on a break, and McKnight was snuck onto to set. He crawled into a giant box, out of which he would appear and surprise his family. There wasn’t a lot of time for McKnight to rehearse his role and lines, or any ‘do-overs,’ so he knew he had to get it right. McKnight said he knew he had been successful when he saw his family’s reaction. “After I left for deployment, my son Jayden
kept looking for me around the house. When I came out of the box, he looked at me like, ‘hey – I’ve been looking for you all year!’” McKnight said. “My family was in shock. They didn’t really know how to react.” McKnight was able to spend the next day or two with his family, seeing the sights around Los Angeles before rendezvousing with Nimitz in San Diego. Though he was glad to have the opportunity to see and surprise his family, McKnight said what he really appreciated was the excitement and appreciation he felt from all of the cast and crew members he met. “When you’re gone from home for a long time, working really hard and sacrificing all the time, it’s easy to forget why you serve,” said McKnight. “I was reminded why I served by meeting so many people who all received me with open arms.” With nearly 11 years of service under his belt, McKnight said he has had some pretty exciting and memorable experiences. “This is at the top of my list,” said McKnight. He is no fortuneteller, and doesn’t know when his next deployment is, or where it will be taking him, but one thing is for sure, in regards to future homecomings. “I’ve always got tricks up my sleeve,” he said. Sailors watch Mcknight’s television appearence on board the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz. Photo by MC3 (SW) Kole E. Carpenter
FEMALE SAILORS’ UNIFORMS TO CHANGE Story by MCSN (SW) Aiyana Paschal
Elements of the female dress blue uniform for both enlisted and officers will be evaluated and redesigned to ensure the best fit and functionality along with uniformity. Sailors man the rails during Nimitz’ return to homeport. Photo by MC3 (SW/AW) Nathan R. McDonald
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are scheduled to change beginning no later than May 2014. Elements of the female dress blue uniform for both enlisted and officers will be evaluated and redesigned to ensure the best fit and functionality along with uniformity. “These changes ensure greater uniformity in our service and ceremonial dress, but more importantly, they send a clear signal that we are one in dress, one in standard and one in team,” said the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Ray Mabus, who announced these plans Dec. 22, 2013. “As you look out across a group of Sailors, you ought to see, not female and male Sailors, but Sailors.” The new female jumper for E-1 through E-6 will closely resemble the male dress blue jumper that has not yet been issued. Women will not simply be put in male the fleet
uniforms however; they will be tailored for female form and functionality. Along with the new jumper, females will also be issued new covers. E-1 through E-6 will receive Dixie cups that are tailored to fit a female’s head. As for E-7 and above females, a combination cover that resembles their male counterparts will be issued. A survey was issued to female Sailors throughout the fleet. Those who chose to participate sent out a clear message to the fleet, ‘Don’t simply put us in men’s uniforms.’ Views among women throughout the fleet varied from optimistic at a chance to look like one Navy to worried about what this means for their heritage as women in the military. “Our current dress uniform has been this way since women were allowed in the military, and I think that’s an important part of history and women’s heritage,
and to take away this uniform is almost taking away that memory,” said Airman Dominique Jones from Brooklyn, N.Y. “There’s a lot of masculinity associated with the Navy, so I don’t see what’s wrong with having femininity as well.” Other Sailors believe the change will only positively effect personnel in the Navy. “I don’t think the uniform change will impact the fleet in any negative way,” said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Elizabeth Anderson, from Austin, Texas. “I think it’s good to keep us uniform since we all fight for the same team.” More information about uniform changes and allowances for uniforms can be found at the Naval Personnel Command (NPC) website http://www.public. navy.mil/bupers-npc/. The ‘US Navy Uniforms’ link can be found under the ‘Support and Services’ tab at the top of the page.
On The Cover
photo by MC3 Eric Butler
USS Nimitz (CVN 68) sits moored to the pier at Everett Naval Station.
Nimitz Media Department captures day to day life
Always Ready photo by MC3 (SW) Siobhana McEwen
Officers participate in weapons handling training in the hangar bay of USS Nimitz (CVN 68).
Preparing to Moor photo by MC3 Eric Butler
Seaman Chad T. Beall (left) and Seaman Elijah S. Blanks stand ready to help moor the guided-missile destroyer USS Shoup (DDG 86).
Paint Prep
photo by MC3 (SW) Siobhana McEwen
Aviation Support Equipment Technician 3rd Class Wallace Pelesasa, of Honolulu, Hawaii, prepares the Aviation Intermediate Maintenance Department tunnel for painting.