VOL. 7 | ISSUE 1 June 18, 2017
NIMITZNEWS.WORDPRESS.COM 1
in this issue:
NIMITZ NEWS Capt. Kevin Lenox Commanding Officer Cmdr. J.W. David Kurtz Executive Officer CMDCM Jimmy Hailey Command Master Chief
Media Department 4
Lt. Cmdr. Theresa Donnelly PAO Ens. Meagan Morrison DIVO MCCS Ahron Arendes Media DLCPO MCC Grant Probst Media LCPO MC1 Porter Anderson Media LPO MC1 Jose Hernandez Production LPO MC2 Holly Herline Phojo WCS MC3 Marc Cuenca Lead Designer
Safety Triple Crown: There is no better work environment than a danger free one. Read on to learn about how Nimitz became one of the most safety conscious ships in the fleet.
MC2 Jessica Gray MC2 Austin Haist MC2 Erickson Magno MC2 Elesia Patten MC2 Ian Zagrocki MC3 Chad Anderson MC3 Kenneth Blair MC3 Colby Comery MC3 Deanna Gonzales MC3 Ian Kinkead MC3 Weston Mohr MC3 Liana Nichols MC3 Cole Schroeder MC3 Leon Wong MC3 Bethany Woolsey MC3 Leon Wong MCSN David Claypool MCSN Cody Deccio MCSN Emily Johnston
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HSM-75 Change of Command: The “Wolf Pack” gains a new pack leader as Cmdr. Michael E. Madrid relieves Cmdr. John C. Kiefaber as commanding officer of HSM-75.
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SAFETY TRIPLE CROWN MC3 IAN KINKEAD
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he aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), T Cmdr. Jason Garrett a native from Eudora, Kan., Nimitz’ former Safety Officer and Brian
Fazio, project superintendent for Nimitz’ Fiscal Year 2015 Extended Planned Incremental Availability (EPIA), all received Fiscal Year 2016 safety awards. Nimitz, Garrett and Fazio received their respective awards due to their combined efforts to create a culture of safety at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS) that reduced on-thejob injuries by approximately 50 percent in comparison to the Navy’s three previous carrier availabilities. “The fact that both the ship, and the shipyard earned national recognition for safety during the same period speaks volumes about the culture aboard Nimitz during its EPIA,” said Capt. Howard Markle, a native of Pa., PSNS and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (IMF) commander. “The entire team was perfectly aligned in keeping a laser focus on hazard identification and accident prevention, and the results were a successful project and an unprecedented safety record. We were extremely proud to partner with them, and I can think of no one more deserving of these awards than the Nimitz team.” The ship received the Vice Admiral Bulkeley Award for Afloat Safety Culture in large part due to the efforts of the Nimitz safety department’s ability to disseminate information to Sailors and contractors assigned to the ship throughout the yard period using posters, safety standdown presentations and other forms of visual information. Garrett earned the Rear Admiral Buie Award for Afloat Safety Culture by heading up a large portion of the communication effort. He published four safety articles to various fleetwide magazines, authored 45 safety related Monday comics in the Nimitz plan of the week and created two safety posters for the ship. He also created and presented four safety stand-down videos, each reaching more than 2,500 Sailors. “I am tremendously honored to receive the award and thankful that Capt. Ring and the leadership onboard Nimitz nominated me for this honor,” said Garrett. “As with all things in the Navy, our greatest achievements are a team effort. I am thankful to have been part of such a tremendous team onboard the greatest ship in the Navy.”
The efforts of the shipyard workers led by the Shipyard Safety Team (code 106) throughout the EPIA also didn’t go unrecognized by Nimitz Sailors. “While undergoing the overhaul in the shipyard, over 2,000 contractors and shipyard workers integrated with the ship’s crew of more than 3,000 Sailors,” said Garrett. “This team of more than 5,000 people conducted high-risk evolutions around the clock to repair Nimitz and get her ready for sea. It was a tremendously dangerous environment for everyone involved, yet we did it with the lowest number of mishaps, by more than 50 percent of any carrier in PSNS history.” Fazio received the Navy League Secretary Gordon R. England Safety Award due to his ability to construct a strong working relationship amongst his PSNS and IMF team, the Nimitz crew and contractors working on the project. “Brian Fazio’s contribution to our safety success on Nimitz cannot be understated,” said Capt. Howard Markle, PSNS and IMF commander. “He cares deeply about the wellbeing of our employees assigned to his team. His personal commitment and constant focused attention to detail set the standard for the Nimitz team and were directly responsible for this achievement. His efforts exemplified what we want from our leaders: to get the job done and to get it done safely. After the success of the last yard period, expectations will be high as Nimitz prepares for its next maintenance period in 2018. “During the 20-month overhaul of the 41-year-old ship, the Nimitz and PSNS team recorded the lowest mishap rate, by more than 50 percent, of any equivalent project on record,” said Cmdr. Jason Thompson, a native of El Paso, Texas, Nimitz’ Safety Officer. “It didn’t happen by luck; leadership on both sides proved instrumental in maintaining a safety focused culture, and a cooperative environment where everyone was empowered to improve the safety aspects of any process or activity. Our safety team looks forward to building on the relationships formed during the last overhaul, and we are focused on lowering the mishap rate even further.” Nimitz is currently underway in the Pacific Ocean with Carrier Air Wing 11, Destroyer Squadron 9 and the rest of Carrier Strike Group 11 on a regularly scheduled deployment.
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MC3 IAN KINKEAD
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HSM-75 CHANGE OF COMMAND LT. SHELBY GILLIS MC3 LEON WONG
Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 75, or the “Wolf Pack,” held a change of command ceremony aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), June 15, 2017, in the Pacific Ocean. During the ceremony, Cmdr. Michael E. Madrid, a native from Vallejo, Calif., relieved Cmdr. John C. Kiefaber, a native of Great Falls, Va., as executive officer of HSM-75. Under Kiefaber’s command, the squadron completed flight deck certifications, Tailored Ship Training Assessment, Surface Warfare Advanced Tactical Training, Air Wing Fallon and Composite Training Unit Exercise. “It has been an honor to lead the most accomplished helicopter squadron in the fleet,” said Kiefaber. “I was in the ‘Wolf Pack’ earlier in my career, and to come back as the skipper has truly been an honor and a privilege. The hard work and dedication of every Sailor at HSM-75, day-in and day-out, is truly impressive and continues to make this job so rewarding.” Capt. Robert Westendorff, a 1992 graduate of Kansas State University, commander, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11, awarded Kiefaber with the Meritorious Service Medal. Madrid will be replacing Kiefaber after serving 15-months as the squadron’s executive officer. “It’s an amazing feeling to have the opportunity to lead the squadron as we head out on deployment,” said Madrid. “We have spent more than a year preparing for the mission, and I look forward to seeing our Sailors and aircrew put their training into action. The Wolf Pack is forging
ahead on this WESTPAC cruise, ready to take on any challenges. We will be successful! HSM-75 is homeported on Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego. It currently employs MH-60R Seahawk helicopters for its primary missions: surface and anti-submarine warfare. The Seahawk’s operational capabilities enable the squadron to conduct all-weather operations in open ocean and littoral environments as an integral part of CVW 11, in support of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 11. HSM-75’s secondary missions include vertical replenishment, search and rescue, medical evacuation and command and control. Kiefaber will be joining the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) as the Operations Officer. HSM-75 is currently on a regularly scheduled deployment with Nimitz and the rest of CVW 11 and CSG 11 to the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean providing capabilities to geographic combatant commanders for any national interests or responses.
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Deployment | so | far
U.S. Navy Airman Michael Nyawir, a native of Nairobi, Kenya, signals that an F/A-18E Super Hornet, from the “Argonauts” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147. Photo by MC3 Ian Kinkead U.S. Navy Gunner’s Mate 1st Class Kristopher L. Carmody, a native of Great Lakes, III., operates a MK-38-25mm machine gun system during a live-fire exercise. Photo by MC3(SW) Marc Cuenca
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Sailors prepare to man the rails aboard USS Nimitz. Photo by MCSN David Claypool
U.S. Navy Aviation Structural Mechanic 2nd Class Robert Dean, a native of San Pablo, Calif., pushes a fuel pod to an aircraft elevator aboard USS Nimitz. Photo by MC3 Leon Wong Sailors man the rails aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz. Photo by MC2(SW/AW/IW) Holly Herline Sailors and Marines perform a pushback on a jet. Photo by MC3 Ian Kinkead
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crossword
channel list CH. 02- MOVIE CHANNEL CH. 03- MOVIE CHANNEL CH. 04- MOVIE CHANNEL CH. 05- MOVIE CHANNEL CH. 07- AFN CH. 08- AFN CH. 09- SCROLLER CH. 10- ILARTS CH. 14- CBS CH. 15- NBC CH. 16- FOX CH. 17- ABC CH. 18- ESPN CH. 19- MLB NETWORK CH. 20- NBA NETWORK CH. 21- A&E CH. 22- HISTORY CH. 23- TNT CH. 24- TRUE TV CH. 25- DISCOVERY CH. 26- FX CH. 27- AMC CH. 28- TBS CH. 32- CNN CH. 33- BBC NEWS
SuDOKU Find Chester Admiral Chester Nimitz’s face is hidden somewhere in every Nimitz News. Can you find him?
weekly throwback A Sailor attached to the “Fighting Checkmates” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VF-211) cleans the cockpit of a F-14B Super Tomcat on board Nimitz while on deployment in 1991.
Religious service schedule Friday 1200 Muslim Lay Service (Relmin Classroom) 1700 Jewish Lay Service (Ship’s Chapel) Saturdays 1600 Catholic Confession (Ship’s Chapel) Sundays 0830 Catholic Mass (Fo’c’sle) 0830 Lutheran Lay Service (Ship’s Chapel) 1030 Protestant Service (Fo’c’sle) 1030 Ladder Day Saint Lay Service (Ship’s Chapel) 1300 Gospel Lay Service (Fo’c’sle) 1700 Catholic Mass (Ship’s Chapel) 1800 Heathen Lay Service (Relmin Classroom) 1900 Protestant Service (Ship’s Chapel) Nimitz News accepts submissions in writing. All submissions are subject to review and editing. “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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CMC's : R E N COR
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Do you feel the heat and humidity in the air? Those annoying beads of sweat running down your brow, or the feeling of a damp uniform from working on the flight deck or machinery space (think the rhino scene in Ace Ventura, When Nature Calls). Well, you should probably get used to it as it will only get worse as we push further along into 7th and 5th Fleets. Watching AFN News as I am writing this, the predicted high temperature for Bahrain tomorrow is supposed to be 108 degrees...and we aren’t even to the hottest part of the Summer yet. Although we cannot control what the weather is going to be for the next few months, we can mitigate a lot of the factors of heat stress by doing a few things ourselves and policing our shipmates. First and foremost...YOU MUST STAY HYDRATED! Drink water often, before you head into the heat stress environment. Hopefully you also noticed that I said drink water not Monster, Redbull, Soda, or Coffee. Although those drinks are okay in moderation, they do nothing in the overall effort to keep hydrated and functioning at peak performance. Whoa! I almost forgot...as per the updated XO’s standing orders, only ice and water are authorized in Camelbak’s aboard Nimitz. Bottom
line in regards to hydrating . If you wait until you are thirsty to start drinking...you are already too late. It takes time for your body to absorb the fluids. Next and just as important, we have to maintain the AC boundaries aboard the ship. I realize that this is a new muscle memory that we are working on as we don’t have to deal with it much in the Southern California and Pacific Northwest areas, but we need to get this onboard, and quickly. If you are walking around the main deck or on the 03 level and you feel a wonderful gust of warm/hot air, take a look around and see if there is a fitting that is opened that should not be and close it if necessary. The days of cooling down spaces by opening doors to the outside world are long gone and won’t be back for quite a while. Nimitz and Carrier Air Wing (CVW-11) leadership are working through some other lessons learned from previous CSG’s that operated in the same areas that we are heading into and we will implement a lot of them on board to assist with the temperatures that we are going to be facing throughout the Summer. That is all I have for now, I look forward to seeing you all around the ship!
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Letters to Home
Words on paper and sealed with a stamp can be far more valuable than any material item purchased. Your handwritten letter will send a clear message. You are important and you do matter. Family and friends will have a lifelong treasure, so make time to write to your loved ones. Buy a stamp and mail it off the ship. Let your loved ones know the invaluable power of a handwritten letter today.
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RELMIN Department’s “Letters to Home Campaign,� has writing materials and envelopes available at 03-118-10-Q.