12dec13 by Theodore Roosevelt Media

ROUGH RIDER USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN 71)

Underway

December 12, 2013 â&#x20AC;˘ DAILY

inside: Putting the hurt on the dirt and Bone brigade

Fighting Against Disease

Story and Photo by MC3 Stephane Belcher

eing a good shipmate means taking care of one another. Good hygiene, including handwashing, helps keep others from falling ill. In addition to keeping everyone healthy, no one likes to catch a whiff of a shipmate who hasn’t showered. Proper hygiene is essential with more than 2,000 Sailors living aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). On the surface it may not seem like a big deal, but proper handwashing has a major impact on the health of everyone on board. “Wash your hands often, especially before going to bed, after you use the bathroom or before you go eat,” said Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman Gregory Fall, Medical department leading chief petty officer. “ You’d be surprised at how many times you touch certain surfaces. That’s not to say everybody’s going to be infectious and contaminated, but it is a matter of utilizing the things that are there to keep you safe.” Even some of TR’s safety practices bring an increased risk of passing along sickness. “People are working and painting,” said Fall. “They are trying to go up the ladder well. Practicing safety and going up the ladder well is maintaining three points of contact. They are grabbing one side of the handrail and carrying paint in the other hand, when the paint was on both hands. Now you come down the ladder well to go to the chow line. You basically have on your hands whatever it was they had on their hands.” It all boils down to being respectful, said Fall. Accepting a plate in the chow line from your neighbor may not be a great

Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jennifer Fournier demonstrates proper handwashing procedures aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). Proper handwashing helps prevent the spread of illness.

idea after all. When did they last wash their hands? “Good hygiene lets you have good neighbors,” said Fall. “We’re in close quarters and a high social environment. Let’s face it. Nobody wants to be sitting next to somebody that smells like old gym socks. The idea is take a shower and bathe on a regular basis. Be respectful to others.” Sailors can practice good hygiene to help ensure TR’s crew lives in a healthy environment. Be kind to your shipmates and practice healthy hygiene.

Got a Bone to Pick?

Story and Photo by MCSN Bounome Chanphouang

t’s chicken day on the mess decks and Sailors in the trash line each have a plate loaded with chicken bones. A food service attendant (FSA) on trash watch reaches into a new bag to replace the old one. She looks up and then, “Noooooo!”. A careless Sailor mixed the bones with the food. FSAs on trash watch ensure trash stays separated on the mess decks, but they need the cooperation of their shipmates to do the job right. “I like to do things the right way because nobody has time to redo trash,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate Airman Deja Green. “If it’s done wrong, I have to personally dig through it and fix it. It’s disgusting, but it has to be done. So I just get it done. Then I wash my hands about ten times.” When Theodore Roosevelt is underway, trash is divided into bones, plastic, metal, food and paper. Sailors in Supply department’s S-2 division cannot properly dispose of trash if it gets mixed together. After every meal, Sailors form a line to throw their out trash. Some Sailors still put the wrong trash in the wrong receptacle even though it’s the same process everyday. “I had one person say that they dropped a bone in the food bin,” said Greene. “They acknowledged that they dropped a bone, said ‘sorry’, and kept on moving. You can’t help a shipmate out and grab your bone and throw it in the right bag?” FSAs like Green just ask other Sailors to pay attention and throw trash in the correct receptacle. “Take your time,” said Green. “Organize it, so when you get

Aviation Ordnanceman 3rd Class Joshua Patterson removes a bone from a “food and paper” trash bag aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). Food Service Attendents help ensure trash is separated when TR is underway.

up there it’s a smooth operation - bones, plastic, metal. It’s as simple as that.” The FSAs on trash watch are not there to dig out other Sailor’s trash. Be a shipmate and throw trash away in the correct receptacle.

YOURNAVY IN THE NEWS Houston Visits Singapore during WESTPAC Deployment By Lt. j.g. Brett Stewart, USS Houston Public Affairs

The Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Houston (SSN 713) arrived at Changi Naval Base Singapore Dec. 9 for a visit as part of its deployment to the Western Pacific. With a crew of approximately 130, Houston will conduct a multitude of missions and showcase the latest capabilities of the submarine fleet. “I know that our presence and the missions we accomplish in the Western Pacific are important to not only the American people, but to the Singaporeans and our partners and allies throughout the region as well,” said Cmdr. Paul Davis, Houston’s commanding officer. “I couldn’t be prouder

of my crew and what we have accomplished so far.” Houston is a Los Angelesclass, nuclear-powered, fastattack submarine originally designed to be a high-speed submarine escort for aircraft carrier strike groups and task forces. As an extremely versatile platform, Houston

supports numerous national military objectives. Through rigorous training exercises, she maintains the ability to carry the fight to potential enemies at sea or on land with Mark-48 Advanced Capability torpedoes and Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles. “I always say I couldn’t

ask for a harder working crew and they’ve proved it during this deployment,” said Master Chief Jay Cherland, Houston’s chief of the boat. “I know that our visit to Singapore will allow everyone some well deserved rest.” For many of the crew members, this is their first time visiting Singapore. “I’m excited that my first visit outside of the country can be to Singapore,” said Machinist’s Mate Fireman Ryan McKenney. “I’m really looking forward to going to the night safari at the zoo.” Measuring more than 300 feet long and weighing more than 250 tons when submerged, Houston is one of the fastest, stealthiest submarines in the world.

Bataan ARG Begins Composite Training Unit Exercise By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Gary Prill

Sailors from the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) and Marines from 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) departed Naval Station Norfolk for a two-week underway in order to complete Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) off the East Coast of the United States. COMPTUEX affords the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group the ability to interact with other ships including the George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group and smaller

ships like the guided-missile destroyers USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51), USS Truxtun (DDG 103) and the guidedmissile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55), among others. During the exercise each ship will be assessed on command and control

techniques, situational response, and a series of scenario-driven exercises including anti-submarine warfare, electronic warfare and maritime interdiction operations aimed at integrating the ships with the rest of the strike group.

Each scenario tests a different aspect of each ship’s ability to face the possible challenges the strike group and the support ships might face while operating in the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet area of responsibilities. Sailors will be testing nearly every action involved in the normal operation of a Navy vessel at sea, to include intelligence collections and response, visit board search and seizure, along with air and surface defense. This exercise will test nearly every Sailor aboard the ship in one method or another.

LIGHT’EM

Photos by MC2 (SW/AW/IDW) Eric Lockwood

Aviation Machinist’s Mates assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt’s (CVN 71) IM-2 Jet Shop, conduct a full performance test on an F404 aircraft engine off the fantail of TR, Dec. 11. This is the first time in more than four years an aircraft engine has been tested onboard TR. The F404 engine is used by F/A-18 C/D Super Hornet aircraft.

Staff Commanding Officer Capt. Daniel Grieco Executive Officer Capt. Mark Colombo Public Affairs Officer Lt. Cmdr. Patrick Evans Media Officer Ensign Jack Georges Senior Editor MCC Adrian Melendez Editor MC2 (SW) Brian G. Reynolds Layout MC3 (SW) Heath Zeigler Rough Rider Contributors Theodore Roosevelt Media MC2 (SW/AW/IDW) Eric Lockwood MC3 Stephane Belcher Command Ombudsman Sabrina Bishop Linda Watford Michelle V. Thomas cvn71ombudsman@gmail.com The Rough Rider is an authorized publication for the crew of USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). Contents herein are not necessarily the views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. government, Department of Defense, Department of the Navy or the Commanding Officer of TR. All items for publication in the The Rough Rider must be submitted to the editor no later than three days prior to publication. Do you have a story youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to see in the Rough Rider? Contact the Media Department at (757) 443-7419 or stop by 3-180-0-Q.

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Thursday *

Times

Ch. 66

December 12

Ch. 67

Ch. 68

0900

BOURNE ULTIMATUM

THE FAMILY

THE WORLD’S END

1100

BLACK HAWK DOWN

CINDERELLA MAN

TRANSFORMERS

1330

PARKER

WHITE CHRISTMAS

THE GREY

1530

WE WERE SOLDIERS

PRISONERS

MORTAL INSTRUMENTS: CITY OF BONES

1830

TAKEN 2

PARKLAND

KICK-ASS 2

2030