Nimitz News Daily Digest - June 30, 2012

June 30, 2012

Vol. 1 Issue 32

Nimitz’ Mail Prepared for Voting Season Story and photos by MC3 Jacob Milner

As the 2012 presidential election gets closer, Sailors aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68) still have time to register and vote for their Commander in Chief.

The only way this is possible is through the qualified and capable hands of the postal service offered by Supply Department’s S-1 division.

“We receive the ballots and distribute them just like regular mail,” said Logistics Specialist Seaman Jessica Penadelgado. “When they are completed and we receive them back from Sailors we enter a serial number Sailors sort and prepare to deliver mail to shipmates in Nimitz’ hangar bay two. that is on the ballot and upload it onto them. We receive them, record them and then send them MPSA (Military Postal Service Agency). Everyday we go out.” onto the website and register votes.”

Unlike the registration for the primary elections, which Because of the added time lapse for military units is still ongoing, presidential election registration is the same deployed across the globe, and the timeliness of a presidential for everyone, regardless of a Sailor’s home of record. vote, the registration and voting ballots get head of the line “For the registration process you have to go to the privilege. website provided,” said Penadelgado. “When the website “The ballots are priority over regular mail,” said opens it asks where the user is from and asks for information Penadelgado. “They go in front of any other mail that Sailors to verify it. Then you actually print out an envelope that has may be receiving.” prepaid postage and send in the form and envelope through In order to handle sensitive documentation, such as a our mail center, here. The only way you can register is by Sailor’s ballot, the handles are required to have a certification mail or fax. You can’t register online.” handled by MPSA. This ensures that the ballot is correctly Once the registration has been accepted, the individual dealt with and submitted properly.

Sailor’s ballot will be mailed to the ship.

“There are two representatives on Nimitz that can handle “The ballot comes addressed to each Sailor,” said the ballots,” said Penadelgado. “Myself and (Logistics Penadelgado. “It’s very much like when the ship was in Specialist 1st Class Julio) LS1 Hernandez had to take a California. The Sailors will receive the ballots in the mail course on the MPSA website. The course was to make sure and mail them back in instead of going to a voting center. that we were not going to tamper with the ballots or open See “VOTE” page 3

USS Nimitz’ Sailor of the Day Photos by MC3 Ian Cotter

Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) 3rd Class (AW) Elena J. Goes, an administrative separation clerk aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), was selected as the ship’s Sailor of the Day June 29. Aboard Nimitz, Goes has prepared more than 100 military justice cases, 50 powers of attorney, completed 20 administrative separations and managed four special courts-martial and one administration separation board. Originally from Bogotá, Columbia, Goes joined the U.S. Navy in July 2008 to embrace American culture. With the help of her coworkers in Nimitz’ Legal Department, Goes has made learning English a prerogative, and her piers help her expand her vocabulary daily. In her spare time, Goes enjoys running and spending time with her husband Tom, and their two children, Sarah and Thomas. Goes is striving to become a Legalman and aspires to complete her bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies.

Capt. Jeff Ruth, commanding officer of USS Nimitz, named Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) 3rd Class (AW) Elena J. Goes Sailor of the Day, June 29 in the Pilot House.

Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) 3rd Class (AW) Elena J. Goes sits at her work station in Nimitz’ Legal Department.

Commanding Officer CAPT Jeff S. Ruth Executive Officer CAPT Buzz Donnelly Command Master Chief CMDCM Teri McIntyre Public Affairs Officer LCDR Karin Burzynski

Editor MC2 Robert Winn Lead Designer MC3 Jacob Milner

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Nimitz News accepts submissions in writing. All. submissions are subject to review and screening.

“Nimitz News” is an authorized publication for the members of the military services and their families.

Its content does not necessarily reflect the official views of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Navy, or the Marine Corps and does not imply endorsement thereby.

Vote: Sailors Have a Say in the White House Continued from page 1 They get it, fill it out and just drop it back into a mail box.”

With a straight forward and simple process, the registration and votes of Sailors should be sent and counted in time to have influence on who their next boss will be.

“I think Sailors should be motivated to get out there and vote,” said Fire Controlman 2nd Class Brian Keown, a Combat Systems departmental voting assistance representative.

“After all, we are selecting our new Commander in Chief and leader of the free world.”

Mail is sorted and stacked in Nimitz’ hangar bay two as it is prepared to be delivered to Sailors.

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T

Good Health is Not an Option

Story and photos by MCSA Ryan Mayes

Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Apprentice Shaun Gobble, a new Nimitz check-in, receives a vaccination from Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Grady Fox in the Birth Month Recall office of the ship.

here are 4,500 crew members aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Keeping record of these Sailors is a monumental task especially, when it comes to their health and wellness. It requires a certain devotion to the care of others that can be found throughout the medical facility.

The Birth Month Recall (BMR) office is the front line of total Sailor care and the hospital corpsmen that work within the small office are dedicated in keeping their shipmates healthy and well.

“I love helping people,” said Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Erin Johnson. “That’s what we do here every day,” explained the aspiring pediatric nurse.

When new Sailors arrive to the ship for the first time, one of the first stops within the check-in process is the BMR office.

“New check-ins are given five days to report to medical,” said Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Jessica Williams. “We check their records and get them entered into our system. It can be a long process if they come from certain commands that don’t have all their information in the electronic system we use. We will go through and individually update the records of each individual right down to every shot they’ve been given since joining.”

Ensuring the ship’s company has up-to-date vaccinations and immunizations is a large part of what these corpsmen do.

“Working here has been a great opportunity for me to get familiar with the immunization process,” said Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Grady Fox. “Making sure everyone gets the proper treatment is very important and I’m glad I get to do it. I’d potentially like to pursue a career as a physician’s assistant, so this a good way to get some of the experience needed.”

With so many Sailors to care for, the team follows a simple yet Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Apprentice Shaun Gobble, a new Nimitz check-in, has his vital signs checked by Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Grady Fox in the Birth Month Recall office of the ship.

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effective system.

“Sailors are required to complete an annual periodic health assessment (PHA),” said Williams. “We schedule the checkup for the Sailors birth month so they won’t forget. They have all month to complete the checkup and it’s hard to forget your birthday, so it doesn’t leave anyone with an excuse to not come see us.”

Beyond dividing the crew by birth month the BMR office has taken steps to make the annual checkup even more painless.

“We are now asking each department to arrive on specific days during the week,” said Williams. “This way we can be expecting you and it will cut down on the wait time when lines form.”

Even though the BMR exists solely for the benefit of the crew, many would prefer to avoid the annual checkup.

“I think people avoid us because they are afraid they are going to receive a shot,” said Williams. “They procrastinate and don’t come see us and that becomes a problem later.

This affects the general well being of the ship.

Everyone needs to be cared for and be mission ready and that is what we do. We are really good at helping if you need to have your BMR check. Even if it’s afterhours, one of us is on duty. Stop by and we will try to help.”

While underway the business hours for the BMR office are 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Mondays are reserved for Air, Medical, Dental and Navigation departments. Tuesdays are Reactor, Deck, Religious Ministries and Safety. Wednesday is for Engineering, Combat Systems and Training. Thursdays are Security, Supply, Admin and Weapons. Friday is Aviation Intermediate Maintenance Department, Operations and Media. Saturday is for Legal and is open to stragglers from all other departments.

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Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Apprentice Shaun Gobble, a new Nimitz check-in, has his temperature taken by Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Grady Fox in the Birth Month Recall office of the ship.

if we can’t fix it, it ain’t broke

Story and photos by MC2 (SW/AW) Eva-Marie Ramsaran

Machinery Repairman 2nd Class Justin Persek turns down a deck drain on a lathe.

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M

ost Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) know the difficulties of not having items readily available to them for repairs while at sea, but there is a solution to that.

Machinery repairmen (MR) in the Machine and Engraving Shop’s primary purposes are to produce and manufacture parts not easily obtainable on the ship while underway and perform emergency repairs to hatches, scuttles, the flight deck, distilling units and just about anything on the ship.

“We are like the fix-it-all of the ship,” said Machinery Repairman 2nd Class (SW) Stephen Hughes Jr., Machine and Engraving Shop leading petty officer.

“We do emergent repairs on the ship’s systems like A/C units, distilling units and anything that breaks that they need us to assist them in repairing.”

The MRs do a lot of repairs around the ship as small as fixing a broken bolt, but sometimes they can’t repair an item so they fabricate it from scratch in their shop.

Machinery Repairman 3rd Class Stephen Mills, an engraver in the shop, said he gets most of his custom orders from the DC (damage control) shop or the aircraft maintenance personnel. “We are supposed to be the most knowledgeable on taking things apart and putting it back together and making a new piece to go into an old piece.”

The MRs not only fix things, but they also engrave in their shop. They can engrave glass, metal, plastic and wood. Most of the things Machinery Repairman Fireman Kirsten Bishop they engrave are shapes a brass fitting with a lathe in the machine labels to enhance shop

A boatswain’s pipe is engraved with the name of who it is to be presented to in the machine shop.

the material conditions of the ship.

“We basically make and engrave everything cool that is on the ship,” said Mills. “We engrave a lot of the farewell items like ‘skateboards’ (aircraft carrier plaques), signs, congratulatory plaques and boatswain’s pipes.”

Many Sailors or distinguished guests receive plaques, keepsakes or gifts when they visit or depart the ship. Some gifts like the ‘skateboards’ are made in the Carpenter Shop by the hull maintenance technicians (HT), who work hand-in-hand with the MRs. “Sometimes we will make something out of nickel, copper, brass or titanium as a farewell gift then we engrave it,” said Mills.

The hardest part of their job is organizing all the engraving requests they get daily and the long work days.

“We get a couple hundred requests a day,” said Hughes. “Every single day we get about 20 to 30 engraving requests with multiple engravings on them.

We’re also on the flying squad so that requires us to do work at different hours throughout the day.”

Despite the long hours, “I’m a machinist. I like fixing things. I like making things from nothing,” said Hughes. “It’s awesome working here because there is a sense of accomplishment every time I do.”

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Channel 5 Channel 6 Channel 7 Channel 29 0800 / 2000 Meet the Parents 1000 / 2200

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

Rocky

Madea’s Big Happy Family 1200 / 0000 Prom

Harry Indian Potter and Jones: the Deathly Temple of Hallows Part 2 Doom

Tyler Perry’s Good Deeds

Happy Gilmore

Larry Tr ansformers: Legend Crowne Dark of the of the Moon Guardians

1400 / 0200 Hangover 2

Chronicles of Narnia

Green Lantern

Inception

Cr azy, Stupid, Love

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

1600 / 0400 Rio

1800 / 0600 Arthur

A Better Life Conan the Barbarian

Sherlock Holmes

TV LINEUP 2 - AFN Sports 3 - AFN NEWS 4 - AFN XTRA 5 - 8MM MOVIES 6 - 8MM MOVIES 7 - 8MM MOVIES 8 - ROLLER 9 - DVD TRAINING 10-FLIGHT DECK 11-CNN 29-DVD MOVIES