Nov. 1, 2012
2012 NIMITZ
This year’s goal...
$100,000!
To donate contact your departmental CFC For more information visit: www.opm.gov/CFC
Message to the Fleet
Vol. 1 Issue 74
Information Dominance Warfare Story by MC3 Carla Ocampo
Information has always played a role in warfare dating back to World War II. Over the years it has only progressed, leading today’s modern warfare and now a new qualification is available to Sailors of the Information Dominance Corps (IDC) community: the Information Dominance Warfare Specialist (IDWS) pin. Members of the IDC gain a deep understanding of the inner workings of adversaries, develop new unmatched knowledge of the
see IDW pg. 4
From Commander, Naval Surface Force Public Affairs
The commander of Naval Surface Forces, and commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, outlined his leadership priorities in a message to the fleet, Oct. 5. After three months at the helm of the Naval Surface Force, Vice Adm. Tom Copeman took some time to talk about the fleet and chart its future. He said he drew his inspiration from the Chief of Naval Operations’ own guidance. Adm. Jonathan Greenert’s “Sailing Directions” - warfighting see Priorities pg. 6
battlespace, provide operating forces with sufficient over-match in wartime command and control, and project power through and across the network. IDW was created in February 2010 to provide common linkage among the IDC community, and now Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) have an opportunity to pursue this new pin. “There are two warfare programs aboard, one officer and one for
Flightdeck Batman
Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 2nd Class Andre Taylor directs a fixed-winged aircraft on the flight deck. (Photo by MC3 Ryan Mayes)
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 Benjamin Crossley Lead Designer MC3 Renee L. Candelario
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.
Sailors from the Blue Diamonds of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 146 attach a LATR pod to an F/A-18C Hornet on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). (Photo by MC2 Benjamin Crossley)
1841 “Mosquito Fleet” commanded by Lieutenant Commander J. T. McLaughlin, USN, carries 750 Sailors and Marines into the Everglades to fight the Seminole Indians. 1941 President Franklin D. Roosevelt places Coast Guard under jurisdiction of Department of the Navy for duration of national emergency. 1987 Operation Coronado IX began in Mekong Delta. 1979 Beginning of retirement of Polaris A-3 program begins with removal of missiles from USS Abraham Lincoln (SSBN 602). Last Polaris missile removed in February 1982. Page 2
Sailor of the Day: Be Open For Change Story and photos by MC3 Carla Ocampo
Airman Brittany Lofgren enjoys a day at sea in Nimitz’ hangar bay.
Airman Brittany Lofgren, a Woodville, Wis., native, currently serving aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), was named Sailor of the Day, Oct. 31 for her outstanding performance as an E-2C plane captain in Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 117. Lofgren performed her demanding duties as plane captain in an exemplary and highly professional manner, displaying superb knowledge and leadership. Her efforts were instrumental in the qualification of three plane captains, 13 various support equipment licenses, six CVN deployable squadron flight deck observers, and eight fuel surveillance sampling technicians. She directly contributed to the safe recovery and launch of more than 30 sorties and 110 flight hours at a 100 percent mission completion rate. Additionally, as a member of the FOD team, she assists in the cleaning and scrubbing of 4.5 acres of flight deck on a daily basis, ensuring the deck is clean and FOD free for daily operations. Lofgren said she is very excited to be Sailor of the Day and that she has been very fortunate since she joined the Navy. Even when Lofgren isn’t busy on the flight deck,
she is still busy, studying. She is currently taking college courses because she enjoys overcoming new challenges. When she’s in port she enjoys writing and playing sports. Some of her favorites are softball and football. Lofgren has been in the Navy for two years and so far her favorite aspect of her job is that it is constantly changing and there is never a dull moment. For Sailors who hope to be nominated as Sailor of the Day, Lofgren recommends Sailors be open to new experiences. “Be open for change and take in every day because every day is a lesson,” said Lofgren. “Take every experience because it does make your career and yourself a better person.”
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Capt. Jeff Ruth, Nimitz’ commanding officer, names Airman Brittany Lofgren Sailor of the Day in the Pilot House Oct. 31.
IDW: New Information, New Qualifications
continued from Pg. 1 enlisted,” said Cmdr. Albert Angel, Nimitz’ IDW officer program coordinator. “The officer program was stood up during RIMPAC (Rim of the Pacific) and the enlisted program kicked off this month. Enlisted IDWS boards won’t start up until we get certified.” Once Nimitz is certified by Navy Cyber Forces (NCF), Sailors will have the opportunity to sit through a board and wear the IDWS pin. “A representative from NCF has to come aboard and validate our program,” said Senior Chief Information Systems Technician Mathew Steiner, Nimitz’ enlisted IDWS program coordinator. “They inspect everything from our coordinators to our training program to ensure the integrity of the program.” Sailors who wish to begin working on their EIDWS books can get them from Senior Chief Steiner’s office. Only approved subject matter experts can sign off on the different topics. According to NIMITZINST 1414.3, Sailors must complete EIDWS common core, platform specific and Nimitz specific and must be recommended for EIDWS qualification by their chain of command to qualify. Sailors must also demonstrate general knowledge of command’s overall mission to include; intelligence, information warfare, meteorological, oceanographic, joint missions and other mission essential tasking
through written and oral examination. Those who qualify to obtain a pin include: information warfare officers, naval intelligence officers and meteorological and oceanography officers. IDC enlisted rates include: aerographer’s mates, cryptologic technicians, intelligence specialists and information systems technicians who have their primary warfare pin and a qualifying security clearance. A command has to be more than 65 percent IDC in order for Sailors from outside rates to participate said Steiner. Steiner also explained that like many of the other warfare qualifications, IDW helps Sailors understand how the different ratings intertwine and work together to accomplish the mission, enabling members of the IDC to better support each other. “Experience shows that it is essential that every warrior in our Navy be totally familiar with the mission of their command and be able to apply this knowledge to support the successful execution of the command’s current and future support,” said Capt. Jeff Ruth, commanding officer, USS Nimitz. IDW expands Sailors’ knowledge while helping them develop and deliver dominant information capabilities in support of Navy and joint warfighting requirements.
Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 2nd Class Andre Taylor and Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 2nd Class Terence Emanuel dress up for Halloween. (Photo by MC3 Ryan Mayes)
Hull Maintenance Technician 3rd Class Brett Robinson cuts a pipe as part of a qualification demonstration aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). (Photo by MC3 Raul Moreno)
Aviation Electronics Technician Airman Phillip Huggett performs maintenance on the canopy of an F/A-18E Super Hornet from the Argonauts of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147 on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). (Photo by MC2 Benjamin Crossley)
Aviation Ordnancemen load sonobouys into an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to the Wolf Pack of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 75 on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). (Photo by MC3 Raul Moreno)
Priorities: Blueprint for Delivering Readiness continued from Pg. 1 first; operate forward; and be ready summarize the core responsibilities and tenets of the Navy and each decision made for the fleet. “When you look at what Adm. Greenert put out, it really says it all,” Copeman said. “And the way we do things in the Navy, you take higher guidance and craft your own priorities and guidelines around them to keep everything in sync. The surface forces represent the core mission of the Navy; I don’t think anyone argues with that. We put men and women out to sea and potentially into harm’s way. The tasking of ‘man, train and equip’ has a critical part in making that happen. We are delivering readiness.” “Our ships have to be fully manned and they have to have highly skilled Sailors,” Copeman said. To achieve this, Copeman said, requires looking at personnel readiness based upon a “wartime requirement” and not by what is funded. Just as important as being properly manned is ensuring the experience level of the crew is also the best it can be. Copeman said he wants to, “develop methods and the metrics for incorporating experience into determining the right Sailor for the right job.” He said the formula is a simple one: Fit = Paygrade + Navy Enlisted Classification code + Experience. To track that experience, Copeman said he wants to foster a strong working relationship with the Naval Personnel Command, using “directive detailing” to track experience levels to ensure key leadership billets are filled with Sailors who have the right experience and training. The training Sailors require is a crucial part of Copeman’s priorities.
Ships participate in a formation in the Pacific Ocean as part of the conclusion of Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2012. (Photo by MCC Keith Devinney)
“If we really want our crews to fight and win, we need to lay that foundation right there in the school house,” he said. “The schools - our basic, integrated and advanced training - must be focused on preparations for high-end combat operations. I think of it as improving the ‘Public School System’ (“A” and “C” schools) by increasing the hands-on training for our Sailors and taking a hard look if we are delivering the information in the best manner.” To start with, Copeman said he intends to invest $170 million into schoolhouse upgrades for surface engineering, with plans to do the same for combat systems and its respective school houses. Copeman said he wants to reverse the trend of many Sailors spending large amounts of time at school only to require in-depth supervision once reporting aboard ship to do basic maintenance or watchstanding. “Our schools must challenge our Sailors and make better use of their time,” he said. “We have returned some of the billets lost to optimal manning but we cannot restore them all. This
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leaves us with a deficit of time and people to stand over someone’s shoulder and walk them through a process With fewer people and same sets, the people must be highly trained,” he said. He urged leaders to use the Surface Force Readiness Manual as a guide for training their crews: “You must be confident in your command’s abilities, knowledgeable of your weaknesses, and proactive in working to improve yourself and your crew.” “Always look ahead and relentlessly communicate your requirements up the chain of command,” Copeman said. “My staff’s primary job is to provide the resources you need so be proactive in reporting your requirements.” The end result for all this manning and training? Providing warships ready for combat. “Here we’re getting to the balance between maintenance and modernizations of our ships and providing our Sailors with the necessary equipment, repair parts, tools, technical documentation, education, and training to fix and maintain their equipment,” Copeman said.
Disease
All of these goals are within the surface forces’ reach, Copeman said. “But to achieve this, I require a dedicated and focused effort to deliver a ready command,” he said, “a command in which deck plate compliance and a deep-rooted culture of ownership and self-sufficiency are the standard.” In his message, Copeman charged his commanders to, “accurately assess and report the material condition of your ship. Your chain of command must know the operational impact of your maintenance condition. There is no shame in having broken or degraded equipment; the only shame is failing to properly report and then accepting and living with the broken equipment.” The challenge of a more austere fiscal environment is not lost on him, he said, but he’s optimistic. “It’s not an easy path we’re going down, looking out the next several years,” Copeman said. “But I think we’ve been fortunate enough to retain the best Sailors and challenge them to take us forward. I’m personally excited to see where they lead us.”
Prevention
Living on a ship presents many challenges, due to so many people living in close quarters. Stopping the spread of disease can be especially difficult. In order to stay healthy and stop the spread of disease on board, it is important that everyone follows good hygienic practices.
These practices include:
Bathing daily
Washing uniforms, clothes and bedding regularly
Not sharing food, drinks, cigarettes, etc. with other people
Maintaining cleanliness in all spaces aboard
And most importantly, WASHING YOUR HANDS frequently throughout the day with soap and water. At a minimum, you should wash your hands after using the bathroom, smoking, doing any type of dirty work, and before and after meals. Remember that hand sanitizers are meant to supplement, not replace hand washing. Page 7
TV Guide 5 - 8MM MOVIES 6 - 8MM MOVIES 7 - 8MM MOVIES 8 - ROLLER 9 - DVD TRAINING 10 - FLIGHT DECK 11 - CNN 13 - ESPN 14 - TBS 15 - HISTORY
16 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
- NFL NETWORK - CBS - Nat. Geo. - ABC - AMC - NBC - COMEDY CENTRAL - FOX NEWS - DISCOVERY
Channel 5 0800/2000 1000/2200 1200/0000 1400/0200 1600/0400 1800/0600
Bad Teacher Bridesmaids Cars Cars 2 The Hangover The Hangover 2
Channel 6 0800/2000 Something Borrowed 1000/2200 Lean On Me 1200/0000 Harry Potter: Goblet of Fire 1400/0200 Monte Carlo 1600/0400 Pirates of the Carribbean: Stranger Tides 1800/0600 Super 8
Channel 7 0800/2000 1000/2200 1200/0000 1400/0200 1600/0400 1800/0600
X-Men: First Class X-Men Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon
Green Lantern Patriot Games Rocky
Master-at-Arms 2nd Class John Kuchler demonstrates proper takedown techniques on a volunteer as part of a Between the Lifelines course for security personnel aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). (Photo by MC2 Benjamin Crossley)