May 11, 2014 | Vol. 40| Issue 16
INSIDE: pg. 4
New Chaps
pg. 8
Mother’s Day Shoutouts
pg. 10
90-Year-Old Chief Comes Full Circle
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COMMAND
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT CMC OFFERS EVEN MORE REASON TO DO THE RIGHT THING
C
CMDCM Greg Renick
ommand Master Chief Greg Renick has initiated three new incentive programs aimed at encouraging Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) to continually strive for professional and personal excellence. “I want to institute as many positive incentives as I can,” said Renick. “I want Sailors to understand that if they do good things there’s a lot out there that we can do to recognize you. I’m really looking for ways to single out Sailors and pat them on the back for the good things they do.” First, the Sailor of the Day, awarded while Nimitz is underway, will now get to stay in a state room overnight, on top of the headof-line privileges and badge they wear. “There’s a special stateroom set aside for them,” said Renick. “They can have guests up there
until 2200; they can have snacks and watch movies. These are exceptional Sailors who we want to recognize and I thought it would be a really neat thing to put them in a stateroom. I want them to see what happens when you keep doing good things and advance and
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I want Sailors to understand that if they do good things there’s a lot out there that we can do to recognize you. - Renick
Executive Officer Capt. J.J. Cummings Media DIVO
Ensign John Mike
Media LPO MC1 Michael Cole
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put yourself in better spots with your career. I want to give them an idea that maybe will inspire them.” Secondly, Renick is also introducing the “CMC bravo zulu chit,” which will reward Sailors with head-of-the-line privileges for outstanding performance. “It can be for anything,” said Renick. “If I see a Sailor putting
Commanding Officer Capt. Jeff Ruth
Public Affairs Officer
Lt. Cmdr Karin Burzynski Editor
MC2 Phillip Ladouceur
Media Department
a little extra work into preserving a space or a Sailor doing really good things on watch, or even a Sailor that looks phenomenal. Their boots are shined, they look presentable, they just got a haircut – I’m going to give them a chit and say ‘thanks for doing what you’re doing. Here’s a token of my appreciation.’” Thirdly, Renick is instituting b lue jacket meals on Nimitz, where chief petty officers bring junior personnel to the chief ’s mess and have a meal together. “It’s recognition for the blue jackets that do so much good work for us,” said Renick. “It also shows them that if they stick to it and do great things, you’ll advance and advance your future.” With the command master chief ’s incentives programs, Sailors have more reasons than ever to see that hard work and consistent excellence has its rewards, both in the present and the future.
Command Master Chief CMDCM Greg Renick Media LCPO
MCC Gregory Roberts
Lead Designer
MC3 Sam Souvannason
MC2 Jacquelyn Childs | MC2 Devin Wray | MC2 Ryan Mayes | MC2 Jacob Milner | MC2 Jess Lewis | MC3 Shayne Johnson | MC3 Linda S. Swearingen | MC3 Vanessa David | MC3 W. J. Cousins | MC3 Nathan McDonald | MC3 Joshua Haiar | MC3 Kaitlyn Haskett | MC3 Eric Butler | MC3 Siobhana McEwen | MC3 George J. Penney III | MCSN Aiyana Paschal | MCSN Andrew W. Price | MCSN Kelly Agee | MCSN Victoria Ochoa | MCSN Eli Buguey | MCSN Lauren Jennings | MCSN Derek Volland | MCSA Kole Carpenter
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Story by MC3 (SW/AW) Nathan McDonald
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.
HONOR
1st Lieutenant Honored By
NAACP
Story and Photo by MC3(SW/AW) Sam Souvannason
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he Snohomish County branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s (NAACP) will honor local veterans at their 6th annual “Day of Honor” awards luncheon Friday, May 23. This year’s recipient of the Distinguished Armed Services Member award is Lt. Cmdr. Edward Alexander, USS Nimitz (CVN 68)’s 1st Lieutenant. “Lieutenant Commander Alexander has proven himself to be an outstanding Sailor and effective leader in the United States Navy,” said Raymond Miller, vice-president of the Snohomish County Branch NAACP. “He has demonstrated through his actions that he supports the mission of the NAACP.” Alexander arrived on board Nimitz in January 2013, and is frequently seen throughout the ship as someone who won’t let you get away without a friendly greeting. “The NAACP is a great organization and has been for a long time,” said Alexander. “I was very excited and honored when I found out they were going to recognize me for this award.” However, he never thought he was being considered as a candidate for this award. “I remember a few weeks ago
that I had given a tour of the ship for some local judges as well as members of the local chapter of the NAACP,” said Alexander. “One of the tour members had taken a particular interest in my career and my thoughts on the area. That man happened to be Mr. Raymond Miller, president of the chapter and was the one who nominated me for the award.” Alexander enlisted in the Navy in 1987 and has received a variety of Navy awards, including the Joint Commendation Medal and Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal. “I’ve received a lot of awards throughout my career in the Navy, but this one is particularly satisfying because I’m being recognized by my community,” said Alexander. “It really means a lot.” Founded in 1909, the NAACP is America’s oldest and most prominent civil rights organization and has carved a path of equality in our nation and our military ranks. “Without the accomplishments of the NAACP I would not have had the opportunities that I’ve had in the Navy so far,” said Alexander. “I’m honored to continue making the Navy a better organization using the strength of diversity.”
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SPOTLIGHT
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No matter what else I do in my entire career, this will be the highlight of it.
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Mission: Minister
Chaplain Checks On Board Nimitz Story by MC3(SW) Vanessa David Photo by MCSA Kole E. Carpenter
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I
t started with a single stroke on his keyboard while composing a mass email when he attained a call sign that didn’t fit his character, but seemed to stick with him ever since. He meant to type “Chaps,” but accidentally wrote “Chaos” instead. His call sign is Chaos, and Cmdr. J. Michael Hakanson, an Astoria, Ore., native, has a lot of concern for Nimitz’ crew. As the new command chaplain on board, he is excited to be here and looks forward to the job ahead of him. “The hardest part about checking in is knowing that I have to accomplish something, and I can’t just walk the deck plates,” he said. “As a department head, I’m responsible for all these meetings, getting our spaces ready to go into the yards, supervise, write evals, and all kinds of stuff. The real ministry happens on the way to those meetings.” The U.S. Navy has 10 aircraft carriers in commission and approximately 900 chaplains. Hakanson is pleased with his selection to serve on board Nimitz. “The greatest privilege of the Navy is serving as a command chaplain on a carrier,” he said. “To be selected for this kind of assignment— there’s nothing better; it’s a major symbol of the Navy. No matter what else I do in my entire career, this will be the highlight of it.” He reported on board from Chaplain’s Religious Enrichment Development Operation (CREDO) Northwest out of Bremerton, Wash. CREDO is the retreat arm of the chaplain corps where they conduct family, marriage, and personal growth retreats for Sailors and their families. “I was the officer in charge, and I expanded the CREDO Northwest from approximately three personnel to 14 by the time I left,” said Hakanson. “With three detachments established, we provided more retreats in one quarter than the old CREDO did in an entire year.” With great confidence in his abilities to lead and take care of the crew
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on board, Hakanson is determined to make improvements on the tasks ahead of him. “I want to build on the fine work that Cmdr. Emile Moured did on board,” Hakanson said. “He put together a fine team and was well integrated into the crew. All I can do is just refine what he’s done. Nothing that he’s started will be dropped, and we’ll just take everything to the next level.” Coming from a military family and feeling a calling toward the world of ministry at a young age, Hakanson knew that one day he would become a Navy chaplain. “I was seven years old in Tustin, Calif., in a chapel for Catholic Mass with my dad when I looked up and saw a Navy chaplain offering Mass,” said Hakanson. “I was overwhelmed with this experience, and I thought to myself, ‘Someday, I will do this.’ I’m not
skills and experienced things in his naval career that are considered unique to those who serve in the chaplain corps. “I spent time with special operations Seal Team 4 at Special Operations Command South,” he said. “That’s my background and why I have a Naval Parachutist warfare pin. Very few chaplains do or can say that they’ve made 18 parachute jumps.” His first carrier experience in 2001 was on board the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). He has also served in Okinawa with the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing alongside Lt. Cmdr. Andrew Colvin, a Baker City, Ore., native and the Catholic chaplain on board Nimitz. “I’m excited about working with Chaplain Hakanson again,” said Colvin. “He’s a wonderful man, he has a big heart, and he’s very sincere about his concern for Sailors, Marines and his chaplains.” Colvin says that he has learned a lot from Hakanson since the last time he worked with him and looks forward to working with him again. “While working with him, I learned a lot about patience and compassion,” said Colvin. “As a chaplain, he does his best to reach out to everyone, regardless of denomination. He runs the non-denominational services on board, and he’s very comfortable with that. He’s professional and works very well with other chaplains. I look forward to knowing him better and his leadership style.” Hakanson doesn’t wait for Sailors to show up at his door. He seeks out those who need encouragement and takes counseling into his own hands. “You can tell by reading their faces that they’re tired and the job is taking a toll on them,” said Hakanson. “I’m able to catch their eye, talk to them, and make their day; make them want to make it through, whether it’s the cruise or any difficult situation in their life. That, to me, is one of the most rewarding things.”
The greatest privilege of the Navy is serving as a command chaplain on a carrier. a priest, but I’m doing exactly what I thought I would do when I was seven years old.” In pursuit of his dream, Hakanson earned an undergraduate in theology at Pacific Union College in Napa Valley, Calif., and attended seminary shortly after. His specialties are in spirituality and trauma, and he has also looked into the field of social neural science for a modern approach of counseling Sailors and Marines. “It helps to understand how to take and bridge science and religion together scientifically,” he said. “Psychologists and doctors counsel their patients, and I’ve studied ways to use both disciplines together. It helps to understand the types of techniques to use when treating trauma, and it validates methods that work. Counseling, like medicine, is an art. The more science we have, the better chance we have of being able to help somebody.” Hakanson has also developed special
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TRAVEL
Elegance
Everett
in
Studio Provides Dance Lessons Story and Photos by MC3(SW) Vanessa David
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heard about a dance studio nearby from one of my friends on board, and decided to look it up. I typed “Oly’s Dancesport Studio” into my GPS, and started on my way. I heard that it was close to the ship, but I hadn’t expected to find it on Pacific Avenue within two minutes of driving off base. Its outer appearance is like that of a law office, elegant and commonplace with letters across the top spelling, “The Dorothy Jayne Studio.” Olga Foraponova Wright, founder and artistic director of Oly’s Danc-
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esport Studio, says the name comes from her family’s history. “My husband’s mother was a ballet, tap and jazz teacher, and her name was Dorothy Jayne,” said Olga Foraponova Wright, founder and artistic director of Oly’s Dancesport Studio. “In the past, she created great shows for her time. Many people still remember the adventure and lust created by her productions that resembled a Las Vegas show. It was on a stage with costumes, and it depicted that kind of life. We thought it would be great for us to
keep the name, ‘Dorothy Jayne Studios.’ We built up the studio with a different style, but the same excitement.” Because the outside of the building didn’t say much, it did not prepare me for what I saw when I walked through the doors. From its high ceilings to the polished wooden dance floor, it spoke of nothing but elegance. After taking in my dazzling surroundings, my eyes landed on my friends across the room who were getting ready for their classes. They provided me with a little of their insight.
“The establishment is high quality, and the staff is very friendly and professional,” said Yeoman 3rd Class Veronica Garay. “I gain a sense of self-accomplishment and confidence from taking the classes. It also makes me feel elegant; that I could possibly be graceful. Even though I’m Hispanic, my favorite dance so far is the waltz. I feel like a princess.” Oly’s teaches partnership dancing, which combines physical activity, social interaction and mental stimulation. With each lesson, Oly’s Dancesport Studio’s professionally trained staff challenges its students to be more graceful and expressive by improving poise, posture, self-confidence and communication skills. The classes also provide relaxation through stress relief and a great low-impact cardio exercise. The entire staff is committed to assuring that their students achieve all goals and
cha cha, waltz, foxtrot, rumba, samba, lindy hop, dance east coast swing, nightclub two-step and salsa. While I was there, I even got to meet the well-respected owner of the facility and ask her about how the studio came to fruition. “I opened the studio almost 10 years ago,” said Wright. “The 10-year anniversary is this June. It was a decision that I made after I retired professionally as a U.S. champion in this country. I danced in Los Angeles, and then moved to Seattle. I had a kids program started in Kirkland, and then it started to grow. It was difficult to keep the program going at the studios because they had different activities going, and there was a lack of space. I was lucky to have the chance to start up this studio and find great teachers to help it succeed.” Wright has been dancing almost all of her life, and is familiar with a wide
waltz, foxtrot, tango, quickstep and Venus waltz.” She then moved to the United States in 1992 to continue her education in the art of dance. “In this country, I started dancing standard at first, and I was a United States finalist in entire show standard,” Wright said. “Later on, I had the opportunity to dance in different American styles of dance. I entered a show program that included a combination of the Latin and standard dancing. My dance partner and I were invited as one of the top two couples to represent the United States in a competition that is open to the world.” Oly’s offers classes for beginners and advanced students from ages 4 and up. Group classes and personalized private lessons are offered throughout each week, and they also offer a military discount. Providing your own dance partner AS3 Jarrod Beck and YN3 Veronica Garay dance the foxtrot at Oly’s Danceport Studio.
benefits possible from each lesson. “I love the classes,” said Aviation Support Equipment Technician 3rd Class Jarrod Beck. “It gives me something to look forward to after work. I like the tango and waltz the most. The look and feel of each dance is distinct, but I like both of them equally.” After hearing their point of view, I knew that I had to give it a try, and I’ve been hooked ever since. I take at least two private lessons a week and frequently attend group classes whenever I can. So far, I’ve learned how to tango,
variety of syles. “I started dancing in Russia about 30 years ago when my mother introduced me to a studio that taught many styles of dance, including folklore, modern, ballet, and jazz,” said Wright with a smile as she remembered. “I was lucky that my mom took me on a day when they were covering ballroom dancing, and I stuck with it ever since. I was a 10-dance champion in Europe. I had mastered most Latin dances, such as cha cha, rumba, jive and doble-samba, as well as ballroom dances, including
is not required. Throughout group classes, partners are rotated because dancing with a variety of partners has many benefits in the learning process. For couples, rotating is optional. To get to Oly’s Dancesport Studio, head south on West Marine View Drive, then turn right onto Hewitt Avenue. Go around the bend, and the studio will be on the left. It’s only a two-minute drive or 20-minute walk. They’re open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
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Mother’s Day Shoutouts
[To Moms]
AOAA Justin Graham Weapons Department
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She is the best person I know. She has a way of being able to talk to everybody.
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She isn’t afraid to hide from her feelings. It’s something I really respect about her.
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AM3 Tim Goraj AIMD
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There’s no one else - she’s my mom. No matter what the issue is, she always has the cure. She takes care of me.
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OS3 (SW/AW) Danielle Krieger Operations Department
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[From Moms]
MC2 (SW/AW) Jacquelyn Childs
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Media Department
It’s difficult leaving, but the heartache always reminds me how lucky I am to have something that important in my life. I’d rather feel the pain of leaving and the joy of coming home than nothing at all. I always planned on doing one enlistment and getting out, but since having my son, I’ve second-guessed that. We really do have awesome benefits and the military really cares about family. That’s important to me.
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LSC (AW/SW) Stephanie Lerette Supply Department
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Finding a balance between raising kids and having a career is difficult. My children have learned to adapt and handle new things due to my being in the Navy. We’ve benefitted from some of the great services the Navy offers. If I could talk to them right now, I’d just tell them I miss them very much and to hold on, because I’m almost home.
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When I first came into the Navy, I hated it and couldn’t wait to get out. Now I know I want to stay in. I know he’ll always be taken care of as long as I’m in the military. Leaving him is hard, but I have to do it for him. I want him to know that the sacrifices I make are for him so he can have more growing up than I did.
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BMSN Crystal Bailey Deck Department
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Being in the Navy has allowed me to more completely provide for my family. It does have its sacrifices, but so does everything else. We do what we have to for our families.
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YN1 (SW/AW) Cindy Coulter Reactor Department
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HERITAGE
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Just go, go, go and never stop. If you love (the Navy), then never stop learning new things of your trade and always keep working hard to reach your goals. - James Drown
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Retired BMC James Drown, left, assists USS Constitution CMDCS Nancy Estrada, center, and NCC Louie Beasley with hoisting the American flag during morning colors aboard Old Ironsides.
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Coming Full Circle
How a 90-Year-Old Boatswain’s Mate Celebrated the Navy CPO Birthday Story and Photo by SN Matthew Aboard the Ship That Inspired Him to Enlist Fairchild USS Constitution Public Affairs
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he U.S. Navy chief petty officers’ (CPO) birthday comes around each year on the 1st of April, and is always a special day for any chief serving at sea or ashore. For one retired chief and his family, this year’s CPO birthday meant much more. At age 90, a newly-pinned, retired Chief Boatswain’s Mate named James Drown was invited to perform morning colors with USS Constitution’s CPO mess aboard Old Ironsides in observance of the 121st birthday of the Navy CPO rank. Drown was accompanied to the event by many of his family members, who watched with pride and excitement in their eyes as he helped raise the American flag at the aft end on the spar deck of America’s Ship of State. “My father, as a chief, inspires me and inspires the people around him,” said Wayne Drown, James’ son. “I cannot really think of a better man that I want to strive to be like.” Drown, who enlisted in the Navy on June 7, 1942, decided to do so for a variety of reasons. “My aunt was going with a Sailor from an old tin can at the time, and he really put the idea (of enlisting) into my head for the first time,” said Drown. Then, with tears slowly filling in his eyes, Drown began to reflect on his first visit to USS Constitution. The Somerville, Mass. native explained how excited he was to first step aboard Old Ironsides, and how he was overcome by a curiosity of how one of the Navy’s original ships operated and sailed. “I came down (to Charlestown) to see how the ship was built and to see the rigging and how everything worked together, and from there I knew the Navy was going to be a career path for me,” said Drown. During his active duty career, Drown served aboard the Mount McKinley-class amphibious force command ship USS Eldorado (AGC-11) and the Heywood-class attack transport USS William P. Biddle (APA-8). During his nine years of active service, Drown was twice commended for heroic actions performed in the line of duty. He received his first commendation at quarters ‘for prompt and effective action in discovering, reporting, and putting out a potentially dangerous fire in the ship’s hole’ aboard Eldorado. Drown was also recommended for the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for
heroic action as coxswain of a volunteer lifeboat crew from Eldorado that engaged in the rescue of survivors from the stern section of the tanker SS Fort Dearborn on March 17, 1947. Fort Dearborn was steaming from San Francisco to Shanghai when she broke in two during a gale and eventually sank. Thanks to the efforts of Drown and his fellow first responders, 32 of Fort Dearborn’s crew of 44 were rescued. “The reason for any success that I had was because I had a very good chief aboard the Eldorado,” said Drown. For Drown, USS Eldorado will always be a ship that he will never forget. Drown referred back to not only the duties he conducted aboard Eldorado, but also his fellow Sailors that he served with and remained friends with for quite some time after the conclusion of his naval career. “[USS Eldorado] was the ship I went through the war with, you know,” said Drown. “Me and my guys served with each other and continued being friends for a long time after as well.” Drown finished talking about his active duty career with a brief statement about the work a boatswain’s mate would conduct aboard a ship during World War II, most of which are not too different from the duties still conducted aboard modern Navy vessels today. “You know, we chipped paint, painted,” said Drown. “Things have not changed much, and it was easy because the guys I was working with made it easy.” On paper, Drown was actually advanced to the rank of chief petty officer shortly after entering the Navy Reserves in 1948, however, knowing his time in the reserves would be brief, he never informed anyone that he had made chief until recently when he stumbled across the paperwork and told his daughter. “It was just a piece of paper lying around - it was out there in the open,” said Drown. “So I told my daughter, ‘Jamie, just for the fun of it, see what you can find out about this’.” Thanks to help from family members, Drown was finally pinned chief petty officer in March 2014 by Capt. Steven M. Benke, commanding officer of the Boston University-Massachusetts Institute of Technology Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps
(NROTC) Boston Consortium. The pinning ceremony was a privately-held event, with Drown’s friends and family in attendance to watch him receive his gold fouled anchors - a mere 66 years after earning his initial promotion. “I was very proud,” said Drown. “I had admired the chiefs back when I was in (the Navy), and me making chief had a lot to do with the things they taught and told me.” A month later, Drown was an honored guest aboard Old Ironsides, the ship he first admired as a young man, to help celebrate the 121st birthday of the Navy CPO rank, and Constitution’s CPO mess made certain to welcome him with open arms. After assisting the CPO mess with morning colors, Drown was guest speaker at an all-hands CPO heritage training event, where he was able to meet with the remainder of Constitution’s Sailors. Following the training, he was then treated to a special CPO birthday meal from the ship’s galley, complete with a cake-cutting ceremony in which he and the command’s youngest CPO performed the honors. “The way I see it, we all are going to be there someday,” said Constitution Command Senior Chief Nancy Estrada. “So when I am 90 years old, that would be how I’d want an active duty command to welcome me.” At the end of Drown’s visit to Constitution, he was overwhelmed with joy and speechless when asked ‘What does Constitution mean to you now as a chief?’ All he could do was continue to marvel at the ship that helped influence him to join the Navy nearly 72 years ago. “Every time I came down to see how it was built, it was always very impressive to me - just to see it,” said Drown. Advice from a 90-year-old WWII veteran chief boatswain’s mate is something that does not come around very often in a Sailor’s career. The advice and guidance that Drown imparted on Constitution’s crew during his visit was some of the same advice that he had once received from a chief during his active duty career: “Just go, go, go and never stop,” said Drown. “If you love (the Navy), then never stop learning new things of your trade and always keep working hard to reach your goals.” For more news from USS Constitution, visit www.navy.mil/local/constitution/.
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Stingers
On The Cover
photo by MC3 (SW) Siobhana McEwen
ABH3 Bryan Labrador, front, and ABH3 Ralph Swan direct an aircraft onto the catapult on the flight deck.
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