Rough Rider by Theodore Roosevelt Media

Two Teams ... One Fight Story and photos by MCSN Eric Norcross

USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) in-port emergency team and Newport News Shipbuilding Fire Department (NNSFD) conducted an integrated fire drill aboard the aircraft carrier Jan. 30 to evaluate how well the two teams work together. “The purpose of the drill was to train to make sure we know how to interact with NNSFD in case we need their support,” said Chief Warrant Officer Noel Genao, TR’s Fire Marshal. “If we do call for assistance, we need to be able to communicate and [NNSFD] needs to know their way around the ship.” When the drill was called away, TR’s initial response team arrived on the scene and battled a simulated class bravo fire in the ship’s paint mixing and issue storeroom. When the time came to request additional back-up, word was passed to the quarterdeck watches who called for outside support. Once aboard the ship, NNSFD received the turnover and relieved the Sailors manning the fire hose. “It was definitely a good learning experience,” said Yeoman 3rd Class Eli Erickson, a member of TR’s initial response team. “There was coop-

eration between everybody, and the turnover with NNSFD was seamless.” For the remainder of the drill, NNSFD and ship’s force worked in a combined effort to battle the casualty. “The drill went very well,” said Mark McTheny of NNSFD, who evaluated his team’s performance. “For the first type of drill that we’ve done, everybody was prepared and exercised what they needed to and we had proper communications. However, we also found some areas that we need to learn from, but the overall drill was excellent.” Those lessons learned will be used to improve future drills for ships that will arrive at Newport News Shipbuilding. “The TR is the pioneer for these types of drills, because we’re setting the tone for all the other ships that will be coming into the shipyard,” said Genao. “We’re going to take all the lessons learned from this drill scenario and make it better for CVN 72 coming in.” TR is in the final months of Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH) and is preparing to return to the operational fleet. USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) is next in line for RCOH at Newport News Shipbuilding.

All Fueled Up TR undergoes first fuel onload in almost 4 years Story and photo by MC3 (SW) Brian G. Reynolds USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) took on 500,000 gallons of JP-5 fuel Feb. 10, marking the first time the ship has received fuel since it entered Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH) more than four years ago. Sailors assigned to TR’s Air Department V-4 division oversaw the operation, which involved a barge pulling alongside the ship and hooking up fuel lines to transfer the JP-5. Chief Aviation Boatswain’s Mate Ernest Carter, V-4 division’s leading chief petty officer, said V-4 has been training for quite a while to ensure the evolution was successful. “Right now the process is going great,” said Carter. “The small leaks that we have found, we’ve been able to tighten up fairly quickly.” Once the barge was alongside TR, V-4 Sailors and shipyard workers from Newport News Shipbuilding connected fuel hoses to the ship’s JP-5 lines and began pumping fuel. “The hardest part was learning all of the pumps, parts and valves, how they operate and troubleshooting,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Fuels) Airman Averitt Sales. “There were a lot of challenges.” Because of the large quantity of fuel involved, and the fact that most of the fuel pipes and tanks have been refurbished, Carter said the entire ship had to be vigilant to ensure a successful onload. “There is always a hazard and danger of gaskets blowing,” said Carter. “The way we combat that

is just to have Sailors out roving the ship with tools ready to tighten things down and secure pumping if need be.” Cmdr. Dan Case, TR’s Airboss, said the onload marked an important RCOH milestone for TR, allowing the crew to start planning for flight operations in the near future. “This is one step closer to getting underway,” said Case. “One important thing we do at sea is to fuel aircraft. To do that we have to take on fuel – and we do that a lot as we go through deployment and workups. Today gives us a chance to test a lot of our systems that have not been exercised in the past four years. The next time that we do a lot of the testing will be when we go out for sea trials. By then we will be able to fuel all of our aircraft during sea trials and flight deck certification.” TR is in the final months of refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) and is preparing to return to the operational fleet.

HORIZON TR’s weapons department beyond the

prepares for the fleet

Story by MC3(SW) Brian G. Reynolds It has been almost five years since the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) was in a fully operational status. As the carrier moves away from its current Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH) and turns its focus to rejoining the fleet, every department is shifting from a shipyard mentality to a more mission-oriented mindset. Over the course of the next several months, the Rough Rider will run a series of stories exploring exactly what Sailors in those departments can expect once the process is in full throttle.

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Once we start going to sea, it’s going to be a different ballgame

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board any operational carrier, the ship’s Weapons department has a very broad mission. That mission is to requisition, receive, stow, build, test, issue and expend ordnance in support of combat operations. They support Combat Systems department, Operations department, EOD detachments and the Air Wing. However, currently aboard TR, this is not the case. Instead of hearing the thunderous roar of aircraft being launched from the flight deck, it is more common to hear the racketing of a needle gun. “It is a total 180 from what I expected the fleet to be like,” said Aviation Ordnanceman 3rd Class Jonathan Clark. “Work-

photo by MC3 (SW) Brian G. Reynolds ing in G-4, from what I understand, is supposed to be 100 percent maintenance. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to touch on that yet, due to all of the production that we are doing.” It goes without saying that Clark’s general train of thought is one that is shared by more than a handful of Sailors of many rates aboard TR. For many, the production mindset is all that they have ever known of the Navy. However, things are about to change. Although it is clear that things will indeed change in Weapons department, it may seem a bit unclear to some regarding the direction that things will turn. Likewise, while many Sailors in Weapons department yearn to trade in the hardhat and needle gun for the red jersey and cranial, it is important that

they brace for change. “A lot of these junior Sailors expected to go out to the Navy, be on the pointy tip of the spear, and launch aircraft off of the flight deck,” said Aviation Ordnanceman 1st Class Jason Miller, the leading petty officer of G-4 division of Weapons department. “Then they get here and they find themselves picking up a needle gun and grinding out spaces. It’s a big letdown.” However, though it may be a letdown to some, TR’s time in the shipyard is rapidly coming to an end. Like many departments that are transitioning from a production mindset to an operational mindset, Weapons department faces the challenges of bringing the department up to speed. It is finally time for the Sailors in red to step up to the plate and take a swing. According to Lt. Cmdr. James Willet, the ordnance handling officer aboard TR, the daily operations of Weapons department are about to turn full circle in the not-so-distant future. The crew is poised to shift their focus to the real bread and butter of their occupation. “The department will have to be mentally prepared for handling ordnance on a daily basis,” said Willet. “Our weapons onload will take place in approximately 12 months. This is our Super Bowl. During this event, we will bring on 80 percent of our mission load-out via vertrep/conrep. During this time we will work around the clock – for three to four days until all items are onboard and stowed safely below decks.” It goes without saying that training will play a major role in the transition toward becoming operational. “As we shift to an operational mindset, we will focus on training, training, and more training,” said Willet. “Over the past year we have sent over 80 personnel to the Mobile Ordnance Training Team classes and to carriers at sea. In fact, we have 16 Sailors onboard USS George H.W. Bush. Our Sailors who are out to sea will be able to work in rate while gaining valuable at-sea experience.” While Weapons department aboard Theodore Roosevelt is a many-faceted organization, the endgame for all of the divisions within Weapons department is undeniably the same –

that is putting warheads on foreheads. This is why many of the Sailors who make up the ranks of TR’s Weapons department are motivated to rejoin the fleet and return to sea. “I look forward to going out to sea,” said Clark. “There are a lot of people that I talk to that say that they have had several deployments under their belt. I would like to be part of that conversation. I think we are all looking forward to getting into more of an operational mindset instead of a production mindset.” Although, operations in TR’s Weapons department aren’t quite yet in full swing, change is indeed coming. When this transition does show its face, it is important for Sailors to understand that there is absolutely no room for complacency. “Some of these junior Sailors think, ‘Wow, this is shore duty. I’m going to be here for four or five years,’” said Miller. “That is just not the case. Once we start going to sea, it’s going to be a different ballgame.” With that being said, the hard work that the Sailors of Weapons department have been putting in will not cease – it will merely be redirected toward what their Sailors have trained for. Whether it is small arms, ordnance building, moving ordnance, maintenance on weapons elevators, or administration, the bread and butter of what Weapons department does will become routine to their Sailors. “Our Sailors can expect to continue to work hard,” said Willet. “They can also expect to do better on rating exams as much of their daily routine will be learning their rate.” While currently, Weapons department is a ways away from being fully operational, the transition is just over the horizon. This is why it is important for all Sailors aboard TR to remain motivated, because the pace is about to quicken. “The Sailors in Weapons department motivate me every day,” said Willet. “I believe our Sailors understand that every task we complete getting Theodore Roosevelt put back together puts us one step closer to getting back to the fleet.”

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I believe our Sailors understand that every task we complete getting Theodore Roosevelt put back together puts us one step closer to getting back to the fleet

Photo by MC2 Bonnie Williams

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1) TR culinary specialists stand with thier Super Bowl cake in the ship’s aft messdecks during TR’s Super Bowl party Feb. 3. (Photo by MC3(SW) William McCann) 2) Sailors assigned to TR’s Combat Systems CS-7 Division stand next to the first set of components for the ship’s close-in weapons system (CIWS) Feb. 12. (Photo by MC3(SW) William McCann) 3) Capt. William Hart (center), TR’s commanding officer, hosts dinner for the Sailors of the Quarter Feb. 5 in the commanding officer’s in port cabin. (Photo by MC3(SW) Brian G. Reynolds)

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photos of the month

4) Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (AW) Eric Cutright, right, assists Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (SW/AW) John Kotara with his fire fighting equipment during a general quarters drill aboard TR Feb. 5 as part of a bi-weekly readiness exercise. (Photo by MC3(SW) William McCann) 5) Airman Tisha Sutphin makes wetting fuel, an extremely pure form of JP-5 fuel, aboard TR Feb 10. This marks the first time that the ship has received fuel since entering Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH) more than three years ago.(Photo by MC3(SW) Brian G. Reynolds)

HAND

slight of

Story and photos by MC2(SW) Austin Rooney

looked down at the card in my hand. It was the four of Clubs. Across the small table, unable to see my card, sat Culinary Specialist Seaman Jordan Smith, or, as many know him, USS Theodore Roosevelt’s (CVN 71) magician. “Place your card face down on the table, and hold it there,” said Smith calmly, never breaking from his poker face. I complied. Next, Smith asked me a question that completely threw me off guard. “What card do you think your card changed to?” he asked. Confused, I shrugged and told him that it didn’t change. “Are you sure?” I peeled the card off the table slowly, unsure of what he meant. To my shock, the card was no longer the four of Clubs – it was now a Joker. I looked at Smith suspiciously, and asked him the same question he has probably heard thousands of times since he started doing magic. “How did you do that?” Smith laughed and began shuffling his cards, flipping the deck, cutting it, and twisting it around in the air effortlessly, all while staring straight ahead. This was Smith’s fifth year as a magician, and he said he was improving by the day. “I’ve been doing this for so long it’s like second nature,” said Smith, still shuffling his cards. This form of shuffling, he explained, was known as XEM, or ‘Extreme Card Manipulation.’ It all started during the summer break after he finished 8th grade. His father and uncle were at work, and he was bored at

the house with nothing to do. He decided to go to the store one day to break the boredom, and bought a deck of cards on a whim. When he returned home, a Chris Angel advertisement came on TV and Smith said he suddenly had an impulse to learn to be a magician. “I think magic is a forgotten skill, one that needs to be revived,” said Smith. “I knew I wanted to be a magician, so I just started teaching myself tricks and XEM by researching it online.” After beginning to learn the basics, Smith started practicing. Wherever he went, Smith carried a deck of cards and practiced at any spare moment he got. “Whenever I’m just chilling or thinking, I’ll get out my deck and start shuffling,” said Smith. “It took me months to figure out my first shuffle.” Once he arrived back at school and showed off his new talent, their reaction just fueled his desire to get better. As word spread, Smith began getting invites to do magic at birthday parties and restaurants, sometimes for money. “This skill is a real money maker,” Smith said. “I never ask for money, though. I’m not a hustler. I think this is a gift from God, and why should I use that gift for making money?” As a magician, Smith calls himself the Joker, citing his goofy personality and love of cards as the inspiration. With years of experience under his belt, Smith now boasts an arsenal of tricks up his sleeve. “I lost count of how many tricks I know,” said Smith. “Card tricks, finger tricks, illusions… I even did a levitation trick once, and had my Mom walk in on me during it. She said, ‘you’re either going to teach me that, or you’re moving out of my house.’” Coincidentally, Smith did move out soon after as he enlisted in the Navy. Now a TR Sailor, Smith continues to perform for the benefit of his Shipmates.

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I think magic is a forgotten skill, one that needs to be revived

“The main reason I like doing card tricks is because I like seeing people happy,” said Smith. “It sucks when everyone is so down all the time, but as soon as I show them a trick it brightens up their day.” Smith said his first performance on TR was during an especially long day working in the aft galley. As tempers started to flare and his Shipmates began getting irritable, Smith decided to try upping morale by putting on a show. Six hours later, Smith was still performing in front of his captivated audience. “My favorite thing is to hear people say, ‘how the hell did you do that?’” said Smith. “Nobody ever sees it coming when I start doing my tricks.” Now, Smith said he is becoming somewhat of a celebrity aboard the ship. His supervisors and senior leadership constantly point him out to other Sailors as being a magician. He is constantly approached by crewmembers who recognize his name and ask

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him to do tricks. Unlike many celebrities, though, Smith doesn’t mind the attention. “Magic makes me genuinely happy,” said Smith. “Just give me a deck of cards and I’ll be

entertained.” After he finished his shuffling and prepared to leave, I felt compelled to ask him one more question. Did Smith consider these illusions to be magic? “Well, yes and no,” said Smith. “Is it an illusion? Yes it is. Is it magic? Well… It’s whatever you want it to be.”

your navy in the news

Electronics Technician Seaman Jonathan Sanchez, and Fire Control Technician 2nd Class Christopher Light stand watch aboard the amphibious command ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) Feb. 10 as it transits the Strait of Messina. (Photo by MC1Collin Turner)

Landing Craft Utility (LCU) 1651, assigned to Naval Beach Unit (NBU) 7, departs the well deck of the Whidbey Island-class amphibious dock landing ship USS Tortuga (LSD 46) during a off-load evolution Feb 13. (Photo by MC3 Gregory Harden II)

Sailors from the amphibious dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) approach the training support vessel USNS Prevail (TSV 1) during a visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) team training exercise Feb 5. (Photo by MC3 Chelsea Mandello)

Lt. Nancy Okeke performs a dental examination for Logistics Specialist Seaman Joseph Richardson aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) Feb 1. (Photo by MC3 Carrel Regis)

Sailors assigned to the Virginia-class attack submarine USS Missouri (SSN 780) shovel the initial blanket of snow from their pier as a strong nor'easter arrives in Groton, Connecticut. (Photo by MC1 Jason Perry)

MARCH WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH 3 10

NATIONAL ANTHEM DAY

14 E-5 EXAMS

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS BEGINS

crossword

PRESIDENTIALTRIVIA

Down 1) This president smoked at least 20 cigars per day. He later died of throat cancer. 2) The first president to be born in a hospital. 3) The first president to be photographed. In this photograph, he is standing next to his future assassin. 4) The capital of Liberia is named Monrovia after which president? 7) This president refused his presidential salary, which was then $25,000 per year. 10) The first president to be impeached. 11) This president took part in more than 100 duels. 12) Six presidents shared this first name. 14) The only president to resign. 16) The only president who was also a licensed bartender. 17) This president’s middle initial, S, does not stand for anything.

E-6 EXAMS

DAY OF 20 FIRST SPRING

31 EASTER

21 E-4 EXAMS Across 5) Which president is on the $5,000 bill? 6) The first president to have gone on record as seeing a UFO. 8) At 325 pounds, this president often got stuck in the White house bathtub. 9) The only president to be elected on two nonconsecutive terms. 13) This president quietly bought slaves in D.C., and then set them free in Pennsylvania. 15) This president could write Latin with one hand and Greek with the other hand simultaneously. 18) This president finished a speech after being shot during it. 19) This president, who was also a tailor, would only wear suits he made himself. 20) The tallest president.

XO’S READINESS EXERCISE

5 6 7 9

10 13

14 16

18 19

Hint: answers are the president’s last names only!

LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS

C B

A F

O I

ROUGH RIDERS Kimberly Roma

Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (

of the

WEEK

Hometown Spring Hill, Florida

Time in the Navy Three years Job Title Media Department Customer Service representative, Departmental ESWS/ EAWS coordinator, Departmental Yeoman, Departmental Training Petty Officer, Assistant Print Shop Supervisor. Why were you chose as Rough Rider of the Week? “I feel that I was

chosen for Rough Rider of the Week because I’m the department’s go-to person. Everyone comes to me with questions about work orders, training, warfare and print shop equipment. I have also motivated other Sailors in my department to get their warfare pins.” What are you goals? “To make chief or go officer. I am currently looking in to the STA-21 program.”

What are your plans for the future?

“I am currenty going to Saint Leo University to pursue a criminal justice degree.”

What are your hobbies?

Outside of work I like to go swimming. I also enjoy teaching swimming lessons.”

Photo by MC2(SW) Austin Rooney

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(SW/AW)

anowski

Staff Commanding Officer Capt. William Hart Executive Officer Capt. Mark Colombo Public Affairs Officer Lt. Cmdr. Patrick Evans Media Officer Lt. j.g. Michael Larson Senior Editor MCCS (SW/AW/EXW) David Collins Editor MC2(SW) Austin Rooney Layout MC2(SW) Austin Rooney MC3(SW) Brian Reynolds Rough Rider Contributors MC2(SW) Austin Rooney MC3(SW) Brian Reynolds MC3(SW) William McCann Command Ombudsman April Kumley cvn71ombudsman@yahoo.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 534-1406 or stop by 3-180-0-Q.