Jan. 25, 2013
Vol. 38, No. 3
Keeping the Anchors Gold Story by MC3 (SW) Ryan Mayes
Commanding Officer Capt. Jeff S. Ruth Executive Officer Capt. Buzz Donnelly Command Master Chief Master Chief Teri M. McIntyre Public Affairs Officer Lt. Cmdr. Karin Burzynski Media Division Officer Lt. Jason Scarborough Media LCPO MCC Mike Jones Media Production Chief MCC Gregory Roberts Media LPO MC1 Michael Cole Editor MC3 Ryan Mayes Lead Designer MC3 Renee L. Candelario Media Department MC2 Jacquelyn Childs MC2 Ashley Berumen MC2 Nathan Gomez MC2 Thomas Siniff MC2 Robert Winn MC2 Glenn Slaughter MC2 Andrew Jandik MC2 Nichelle Whitfield MC2 Ian Cotter MC3 Ryan Mayes MC3 Shayne Johnson MC3 Jacob Milner MC3 Devin Wray MC3 Christopher Bartlett MC3 Alexander Ventura II MC3 Derek Volland MC3 Linda Swearingen MC3 Jess Lewis MC3 W. J. Cousins MC3 Vanessa David MC3 George Penney MCSN Phillip Ladouceur MCSN Kole Carpenter MCSN Nathan McDonald
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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Sailors paint the starboard anchor of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz
The aircraft carrier USS (CVN 68) gold in preparation for the ship’s Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) cruise June 6, 2012. (Photo by MC2 (SW/AW) Ian Cotter) Nimitz (CVN 68) received confirmation Jan. 13 that it was among the list of commands to receive the Pacific Fleet Command’s Retention Excellence Award, known to many Sailors as the ‘Gold Anchor Award’. The Retention Excellence Award recognizes those commands which have met or exceeded the benchmarks of 100 percent on-time Perform to Serve submissions, 100 percent professional apprentice career track Sailors, a score of 85 or higher on the annual career information program review and an attrition rate not exceeding five percent. The criterion, set by the Navy Personnel Command, ensures every command handles the careers of its Sailors properly. “The big thing this year was making sure everyone was submitted on-time for This isn’t the first time Nimitz has been PTS approval,” said Navy Counselor 1st recognized for its outstanding careerClass Domenique Sanchez. “They were also counseling program. looking at attrition rate. The criteria can “This is our seventh consecutive year to change year to year.” receive the award,” said Perez Badillo. “This As each command goes through an annual means we are doing our job. The biggest inspection, every Sailor’s career file is looked satisfaction is knowing our Sailors are being at to make sure nothing is overlooked. taken care of.” “The worst thing we could do is allow As visual recognition for the award, a Sailor to fall through the cracks,” said Nimitz will receive a special pennant as Aviation Ordnanceman 1st Class Alberto well as the privilege to paint her two 30 ton Perez Badillo, a Nimitz command career anchors gold. This signals to other ships that counselor. Nimitz Sailors are receiving great career By receiving this reward, Nimitz can management from a team of dedicated proudly say Sailors’ careers are not falling professionals. by the wayside. These accomplishments “Without everyone on this team, those are directly related to the hard work of the anchors would be grey,” said Perez Badillo. commands career counselors, departmental Sanchez explained that moving forward career counselors and divisional career Nimitz’ Career Counseling Department will counselors. continue to ensure every Sailor’s career is “The departmental counselors and the handled with care and not without a smile on division counselors make it a lot easier,” his face agreed that the gold anchors serve said Sanchez. “The program runs smoothly as well deserved bragging rights for the because of them and this award proves it.” command.
OPSEC: Protect the Lives and Mission Story by MC3 (SW) Alexander Ventura II
The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) conducted semiannual operational security (OPSEC) training over the shipboard internal training and entertainment television channel, Jan. 15. OPSEC has become a more pressing issue as Nimitz is slated to deploy within the next few months, said LT. Mate Aerandir, Nimitz' operational security officer. "Operational security is a five-step process that identifies, controls and protects; sensitive, critical and unclassified information about a mission, operation or activity," said Aerandir. The first step in ensuring OPSEC is to identify information that would be useful in the hands of our adversaries in order to achieve their objectives, or degrade our ability to achieve our own. “The best way to secure sensitive information is to only pass it on to people who need to know,” said Aerandir. “One way is to encode the information somehow, whether it is creating a system of numbers or card of the day which represents another word.” The second step is to assess the threat to a friendly mission, operation, or activity. “A threat is present when an adversary has the intent, capability, and opportunity to undertake any actions detrimental to the success of our mission,” said Aerandir. The third step is to evaluate our own vulnerabilities. “Vulnerabilities are weaknesses in our security that could be targeted and exploited by our adversaries to gain access to critical information, disrupt our operations, or worse kill our people,” said Aerandir. The fourth step is to calculate the risks to our mission if our adversaries were to gain access to our critical information. “Think of it as the cost, in terms of your time, resources, money, and life, if vulnerability is successfully exploited,” said Aerandir. The final step is to apply countermeasures that deter, defeat
and disrupt our adversaries' ability to collect critical information. “OPSEC requires constant vigilance and requires you to actively participate in the process,” said Aerandir. “Don’t discuss sensitive information over cell phones, landlines, email or any other unsecured information line.” Chief Intelligence Specialist (SW/EXW) Aaron Poore, OPSEC manager, stressed the importance of refraining from posting sensitive information on social media web sites. “If you post anything on social media sites anyone can see that information,” said Poore.“Once it’s out there on the
Internet, it’s not going away. It can easily be hacked by the wrong person and used against us.” If personnel are going to discuss sensitive information do so in person and be aware of your surroundings, said Poore. “The overall goal of OPSEC is to protect the mission, lives and resources such as money and equipment that can affect our Navy,” said Poore. For more information on OPSEC contact Aerandir at mate. aerandir@cvn68.navy.mil or Poore at aaron.poore@cvn68. navy.mil.
In Loving Memory Sailors belonging to the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz' (CVN 68) air department paused for a moment of silence Jan. 23 on Nimitz' flight deck to remember Lt. Cmdr. Regina Mills, Nimitz ' former aircraft handling officer who passed Jan. 23, 2012. In December 2004, Mills was transferred aboard Nimitz as the flight deck officer where she completed two deployments in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Mills reported for her second tour aboard Nimitz in December 2009 to serve as the Navy's first female aircraft handling officer. Mills touched the hearts of many and left behind some valuable lessons. "She taught me to put the needs of others before my own," said Lt. Cmdr. Jeff Mills, Regina's husband. "She lived by that motto, and died by that motto."
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ailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) should be aware when traveling, of the current weather conditions applying to the region. Many dangers are present with the full onslaught of winter hitting the Pacific Northwest and Sailors should take all necessary precautions when traversing these areas for work, or when off duty. “Obviously the Pacific Northwest is a lot different from San Diego, Calif., where the ship came from,” said Cmdr. Lisa Ketterman, Nimitz’ safety officer. “The biggest threat here, since it doesn’t snow all that much, is what we’ve seen the last several days which is freezing fog and black ice.” Black ice is a particularly dangerous and notorious danger on the roads in this area. Many Nimitz Sailors have learned the dangers of this hazard from the loss of one of their shipmates, Lt. Cmdr. Regina Mills, Nimitz’ former handling officer. “Black ice is so dangerous here that there are more people who get injured in the Pacific Northwest by black ice than by snow, rain or anything else,” said Ketterman. “You can’t really see the black ice from your car.” Black ice can form from any kind of
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moisture on road surfaces that freezes as the surrounding temperature falls. The resulting sheet is nearly clear, making it a very hazardous obstacle on the road. With the many dangers Sailors face on the roadways in the area, one of the best ways to keep safe this winter is to take certain precautions to prepare for what they may encounter. “The best thing folks can do is plan ahead,” said Ketterman. “First, before they leave the house, they need to check the weather for the local area, and the weather and temperature of where they are going. I always tune in to the local news stations that have weather updates every ten minutes and it also provides the trouble areas for my commute. If the weather calls for freezing fog and black ice, I know that I am going to have to leave earlier so that I can drive more carefully and slowly.” There are other steps for those already on the road that can help Sailors avoid dangerous situations they may encounter. “When driving in these conditions you always want to leave plenty of room in front of you,” said Ketterman. “You do not want to crowd the person in the vehicle in front of you, so you
need to give several more car lengths to them because you never know what they are going to do on the road.” As well as making themselves more aware of the dangers on the road this time of year, there are also steps Sailors can take to prepare their vehicles for traveling in these conditions. “Obviously you need to prepare your car, not only yourself,” said Ketterman. “Cars that have tires that are not properly inflated have a longer stopping distance and it also reduces the effectiveness of the tire. If the tire pressure is low and you are on a wet road, the speed needed for your vehicle to hydroplane is dramatically reduced. There is actually a formula to calculate this effect and it is nine times the square root of your tire pressure. At that speed, your vehicle will hydroplane. So make sure your tires are properly inflated, that they have good tread and that your car is properly serviced.” Along with the colder weather in this area of the country, there are also some geographical hazards unique to the Pacific Northwest due to the inherent mountainous terrain. “A thing that is particular to this area are the passes through the mountains,” said Ketterman. “Sailors driving to the mountains up here to go skiing need to prepare themselves for getting stuck up there. The authorities stop traffic for avalanche removal, large wrecks or even if the weather just gets too bad for travel. If you don’t have extra clothes, good walking boots or other provisions, it could be a problem. I keep a survival kit in my car with hiking boots, a sleeping bag, extra food and water just in case.” With the dangers in the area, Sailors are encouraged to take the necessary precautions to keep themselves and each other safe. Seeing the beauty of the Pacific Northwest and experiencing its wilderness can be fun, but Sailors are reminded stay alert and enjoy it safely.
Fire Controlman 2nd Class Perry Kendrick works to reassemble a Close In Weapons System (CIWS) on board the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). (Photo by MC3 (SW) Ryan Mayes)
Gunner's Mate 3rd Class Natalie Sanon, from Boston, Mass., gives weapons-familiarization training to Airman Destanie Gardner, from Springfield, Mo., in the armory aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). (Photo by MC2 (SW) Robert Winn)
Around
the
Ship Nimitz Sailors stay hard at work
Seaman Van Le and Gunner's Mate 3rd Class Joseph Janelle prepare to throw out a line mooring the Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate USS Ford (FFG 54). Photo by MC3 William Cousins)
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Explore:
Local Character
Unique People
Hidden Talent Granite Falls'
Story and Photos by MC2 (SW/AW) Ian Cotter
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very Saturday morning Adam Grant pulls his handmade wooden chair out of his tiny studio in Granite Falls, Wash., sits on the sidewalk in the brisk mountain air and begins to chip away at a seemingly shapeless piece of wood. Though the log may look ordinary, Grant’s eyes and chisel can see past every unneeded layer to the unique work of art within. “I’ve always loved the outdoors,” he beamed, as he sanded his latest masterpiece in the making, a four-foot Chinook salmon. “When I was growing up in Bay City, Mich., my father and grandfather were sportsmen, so I’ve been around outdoor wildlife my whole life.” Grant wasn’t always a wood artist. He’d never taken art classes and for 23 years of his life he made a living as an asphalt foreman, paving parking lots and strips of road. Then unexpectedly, he decided to try something new. “I had a friend who had one of those chainsaw-carved black bears in his front garden which held a porcelain fish in its mouth,” said Grant. “One day, the fish fell out and broke. I wanted to help, so I tried carving a new one out of a piece of wood and somehow it came out pretty good.” Since then, he’s carved 27 fish and 21 ducks, as well as countless other personalized items such as pens and birdhouses. “After each piece, I wanted to make the next one more realistic and soon my wife, Toni, got involved painting the finished pieces,” said Grant. “Granite Falls is a small town, and a lot of times I hear people leaving the pizza parlor across the street arguing about whether I’m a taxidermist or a whittler. It gives me pleasure knowing that people can
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mistake my work for the real thing.” Each project Grant starts requires a lot of meticulous craft and scrutiny from its maker. Some pieces can take hundreds of hours to complete, but even in a few minutes one can see the metamorphosis of a block of wood into a leaping fish or a bird in flight. “During the past two years, I’ve discovered my gift,” Grant said. “I don’t know if I could’ve done it twenty years ago and I’ve had a lot of people ask how I do it; I don’t know. I just see [the potential] in a piece of wood. Sometimes, I don’t see it one day and another day it pops and I get the files and chisels and start working on it.” Previously from Detroit, Grant and his wife moved to Washington after Toni picked up a job helping to design the nose gear for the F-35B Lightning II fighter jet. Soon after Grant discovered his hidden talent he was able to open a studio where he now proudly displays and sells his works. “Aside from the passion, I’m doing it for myself,” Grant said. “I answer to nobody, make my own decisions. Although I really can’t count on a regular paycheck, it’s really exciting flying by the seat of your pants.” Now middle-aged, Grant has his own family of artists, with a painter wife, a tattoo artist son and another son who records his own hip-hop music. “I’ve always told my kids if you do something you love and are passionate about, success will come,” Grant smiled. “People may chase the dollar, but most are never really happy earning it. I may not have a steady paycheck now and I may struggle with bills, but life finds a way and I can sleep at night knowing I do what I love.”
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Save Some
$
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Helpful Tips on How to Save
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While Underway Some Cash While Underway
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Defense Department Withdraws the Direct Combat Exclusion Instruction From Department of Defense Public Affairs
Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey announced Jan. 24 the rescission the 1994 Direct Ground Combat Definition and Assignment Rule for women and that the Department of Defense plans to remove gender-based barriers to service. "Women have shown great courage and sacrifice on and off the battlefield, contributed in unprecedented ways to the military's mission and proven their ability to serve in an expanding number of roles," Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta said. "The Department's goal in rescinding the rule is to ensure that the mission is met with the best-qualified and most capable people, regardless of gender." Today, women make up approximately 15 percent, or nearly 202,400, of the U.S. military's 1.4 million active personnel. Over the course of the past decade, more than 280,000 women have deployed in support of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Today's announcement follows an extensive review by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who unanimously concluded that now is the time to move forward with the full intent to integrate women into occupational fields to the maximum extent possible. It builds on a February 2012 decision to open more than 14,000 additional positions to women by rescinding the co-location restriction and allowing women to be assigned to select positions in ground combat units at the battalion level. "The Joint Chiefs share common cause on the need to start doing this now and to doing this right. We are committed to a purposeful and principled approach," said Chairman of Chief Engineman Patricia Cooper, a student in the Riverine Combat Skills course (RCS), patrols the training grounds during a field training exercise in the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey. Camp Lejeune, N.C. This class is the first RCS training group composed of The Department of Defense is determined to successfully Coastal Riverine Force (CORIVFOR) Sailors and the first to incorporate women integrate women into the remaining restricted occupational into the course. (MCSN Heather Paape) fields within our military, while adhering to the following Public Law 103-160, Section 542 (1993). guiding principles developed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff: -Ensuring that a sufficient cadre of midgrade/senior women -Ensuring the success of our nation's warfighting forces by enlisted and officers are assigned to commands at the point of preserving unit readiness, cohesion, and morale. -Ensuring all service men and women are given the opportunity introduction to ensure success in the long run. This may require an adjustment to recruiting efforts, assignment processes, and to succeed and are set up for success with viable career paths. -Retaining the trust and confidence of the American people to personnel policies. Assimilation of women into heretofore defend this nation by promoting policies that maintain the best "closed units" will be informed by continual in-stride assessments and pilot efforts. quality and most qualified people. Using these guiding principles, positions will be opened -Validating occupational performance standards, both physical and mental, for all military occupational specialties (MOS), to women following service reviews and the congressional specifically those that remain closed to women. Eligibility for notification procedures established by law. Secretary Panetta training and development within designated occupational fields directed the military departments to submit detailed plans by should consist of qualitative and quantifiable standards reflecting May 15, 2013, for the implementation of this change, and to the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for each occupation. move ahead expeditiously to integrate women into previously For occupational specialties open to women, the occupational closed positions. The secretary's direction is for this process to performance standards must be gender-neutral as required by be complete by Jan. 1, 2016.
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The Importance of Family Planning
On the Cover:
Story by MC2 Ashley Berumen
For many Sailors, deployments, even short underway periods, involve a wide variety of pre-planning---did you shut off your utilities? Did you terminate your lease? Does someone have power of attorney in your absence? Service-related separations bring about their own set of challenges, and with the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz’ (CVN 68) impending deployment, Sailors are encouraged to remember family readiness is just as important Sailor readiness. Family readiness is more than preparing an existing family for an extended time apart; it also includes the decision to start a family during your naval career. Losing Sailors to unexpected or unplanned pregnancies can affect the ship’s mission. “When you accept orders for this ship, you know that you’ll be here for two or three years,” said Lt. Sarah Browning, Nimitz’ physician assistant. “The command is affected because we don’t have a body, and we may not be able to replace that body this close to deployment.” Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions (CSADD) topic this month is “planning a family around your Navy career,” and they are educating Sailors on what they can do to ensure they are prepared. “Nobody knows everything there is to know when having a baby,” said Personnel Specialist 3rd Class (SW) Carisa Gonzalez, Nimitz’ CSADD coordinator. “A child is a very big responsibility and there are a lot of things to learn.” Browning encourages Sailors to avoid an unplanned pregnancy through the options available to them, by using condoms or one of the various contraceptives. “Ask yourself, ‘Are both you and your partner ready?’” said Browning. Browning said pregnancy can’t always be planned, but advises Sailors to consider their responsibility to their command, and their obligation to the military. “We can’t say you can’t have a baby,” said Browning. “Orders on a ship, the needs of the Navy and what we need to do in the military, should definitely have high priority in the decision making.” Unplanned pregnancy is not the only outcome of unprotected intercourse with a partner. The chance of contracting a sexually transmitted disease is also a possibility. CSADD will be providing more information to help Sailors understand the importance of planning a family during their career. “I will have information to pass out to interested Sailors and plan on having mandatory training for the ship,” said Gonzalez. “I hope the word gets through to some people when they see the cost of babies and other outcomes.”
Quartermasters conduct in-rate training aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). (Photo by MC2 (SW) Robert Winn)
Seaman Jessica Mcneely, a Freeport, Ill., native, performs needle-gunning maintenance on the side of a bulk-head aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Mcneely is performing maintenance as part of corrosion control. (Photo by MC3 William Cousins)
Tax Note: W-2's Now Available on MyPay
The IRS plans to open the 2013 filing season and begin processing individual income tax returns on Jan. 30 after updating forms to reflect the recent tax law changes made by Congress under the American Taxpayer Relief Act. There is no advantage to filing on paper before Jan. 30 as the IRS will not process paper returns prior to that date. USS Nimitz anticipates opening the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance center on board to assist in filing taxes beginning Jan. 30. Several trained volunteers will be available to assist filings. If you will be filing jointly and your spouse will not be present, you must bring a completed Form 2848 (available online or for pick up at the Legal Office) signed by the spouse and one witness in order to complete your taxes.
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