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REGGAE ROUGH RIDER

AOAN Pereira sings in off time

October 19, 2012

GOING DOOR TO DOOR Door team nears 100% completion

Story and photos by SN Eric Norcross USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) Public Affairs "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away..." Unknown.

USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) held a memorial service Oct. 12 at Langely Air Force Base chapel in Hampton, Va. to remember Electrician’s Mate 2nd Class Russell Neff, who was killed by a drunk driver while walking home in Newport News, Va., Oct. 7.

Neff began his enlistment in the U.S. Navy on Feb. 4, 2008. After completing Nuclear Power School, he reported to USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) on Jan. 6, 2010, and served as a member of TR’s Reactor Electrical Division.

“To say that I was lucky to know Petty Officer Neff would fail to say what he meant to the command, to the division, and me,” said Chief Electronics Technician (SW/AW) Nate Jones, who has known Neff since the time he was at A school.

“Quick to laugh and smile, he provided unending optimism in every situation. He was unflappable in emergencies. His calm demeanor when things went south made him one of the most reliable watch standers I’ve ever known.”

Electronics Technician 3rd Class Sean Page 2

REMEMBERING A SHIPMATE TR HOLDS MEMORIAL FOR EM2 RUSSELL NEFF

Jarvis, a close friend and shipmate of Neff’s, also reflected upon his friendly, spirited character.

“I’ve known Russell for a little over four years. I’m here to say you’ll never meet anyone like Russell Neff,” said Jarvies, who met Neff at Nuclear Power School. “His fun-loving attitude was contagious. Being around Russell put a smile on your face, regardless of where you were.”

Russell is survived by his wife, Taylar Neff, who he married on July 24, 2010.

“Although Russell was a quiet, lighthearted guy, he knew what he wanted in life, and got it,” said Jarvis. “When he met Taylar, he knew he had found the one.”

Although Neff’s life was cut short, he left a lasting impression with those who knew him.

“Every person he knew was made to feel like a close friend. He saw the best in people and was there to lend help to anyone who needed it,” said Jones “We all grieve the loss of our dear friend, a great man and a loyal shipmate.”

“we all grieve the loss of our dear friend, a great man and a loyal shipmate.”

Family, friends, and shipmates gather at the Langley Air Force Base Chapel in Hampton, Va., to attend Electrician’s Mate 2nd Class Russell Neff’s memorial service Oct. 12. Neff was killed by a drunk driver Oct. 7 in Newport News, Va.

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Story by MC3 Andrew Sulayao Photo by MC2(SW) Austin Rooney USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) Public Affairs

TR’S GOT TALENT

AOAN PERIERA DOUBLES AS REGGAE SINGER

he prepared to lay on her bed as her off-white headphones transported sound waves from her iPhone to her ears. As she took off her discolored black boots, she took a breath and tossed them on the floor. The sweat fell off her skin while her long braids seemingly gasped for oxygen.

A prepared blue camouflage uniform hung pristinely on the doorknob of her bedroom door.

While her head hit her pillow, the bass from her music pulsed in an oh-so-familiar rhythm as she scribbled another line in her notepad. As the beat dropped, she exhaled as she readied herself to project her voice.

She stopped, shook her head in dissatisfaction, and took a deep breath. She crossed out the lyric she wrote and tried again.

At 20 years old, Brooklynborn reggae singer Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Shana P. Pereira, stationed aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), has been in the music “game” since the age of four.

However, in the music business, success doesn’t come easy. It takes years of fine-tuning – finding producers for original instrumentals, writing hours and hours a day for a rough draft of one song, and studying the theory of music – to catch the attention of major, even minor record labels.

Still, in a world where many young people view drinking and driving and substance abuse as forms of recreation, those hours in the studio amount to time well-spent.

“Others will use drugs or alcohol to escape their problems.

I write,” said Pereira. “Music is my escape from the world around me.”

She spoke softly, her voice being a smooth fusion between that “Bwook-lynn, New Yawk” attitude and her island roots.

“Before the Navy, my mother enrolled me in performing arts to keep me out trouble while I lived in Brooklyn,” said Pereira. “It wasn’t until high school that I started writing reggae. Since then, I’ve been an artist.”

According to Pereira, she has been in almost ten performances. While in high school, she performed approximately six times at various shows. Since she enlisted, she has performed at four events – including Changing Lanes, a local car show in Virginia Beach, Va. with more than 2,000 people.

“People from all backgrounds relate to my music,” said Page 4

Pereira. “I write about my life and my struggles, my family coming from Jamaica to this country. I write about growing up, issues that young females face. I just keep it real when I write.”

Her ability to empathize her lyrics and songs to many individuals correlate with her three years of experiencing “ship life,” as the U.S. Navy prides itself with representing America’s melting pot.

“Not many people can be a Sailor,” said Pereira.

“I’ve been in three years and have never been in trouble. The hours are long and being a Sailor itself is a 24/7 job.”

Pereira exhaled and smiled.

“But when you have a passion for something, you will always find time. After the long days on the ship, I muster up the energy to finish what I started – because when I hear the beat, lyrics and my voice mesh together, it’s worth it.”

“She’s focused,” said Chief Aviation Ordnanceman (AW/SW) Aisha Hodges. “People need outlets in this [shipyard] environment. Complacency causes chaos – and Pereira doesn’t have that because she’s focused on her music.”

According to Hodges, Pereira is enrolled in school as an undergraduate, a “squared-away” Sailor, and a “positive” singer.

“Her music…,” said Hodges as she took a breath. “...that’s that ‘sit on your porch, rockin’ music.’ She has that music that makes you want to talk to all of your friends. That BBQ music where you just want to chill, and that music where you just want to get up and dance.”

So, where is Pereira headed after the Navy?

“As of right now, I’m going where the music takes me,” said Pereira. “If the music takes me far, I’m in it to win it.

However, I’m not going to set myself up for disappointment, so I always have a back-up plan.”

The breeze from the ocean whistled in the background.

“Always believe in yourself,” said Pereira. “Know who your biggest critics are. My mother is my biggest critic – if I didn’t have potential, my mom would have been the first to tell me.”

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Story and photos by SN Eric Norcross USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) Public Affairs

WORKING DOOR TO DOOR DOOR TEAM NEARING 100% COMPLETION

ince March 2010, PM21 division’s non-tight door team has been removing, transporting, and reinstalling all the nonwatertight doors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71).

Aviation Electronics Technician 1st Class (AW) Eric Petrone, Aviation Electronics Technician 2nd Class (AW) Malachi Bassett, Aviation Electronics Technician 3rd Class (AW/SW) Mathew Walker, and Aviation Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class (AW) Adam Johnson have all been a part of the team from the start and are now nearing 100 percent completion of the reinstallation of TR’s 1,562 non-tight doors.

“We are in charge of completing all the non-tight doors on the ship,” explained Petrone, the non-tight door team’s leading petty officer. “We take a door off and send it over to LIFAC and they repair it – strip it down, paint it, weld it - whatever needs to be done. That takes about two weeks. Then, we store it at the warehouse until we need to install it.”

In January 2011, Petrone and his team began reinstalling doors aboard TR as refurbished spaces started coming back online.

“Once people began requesting doors, we started installing them then,” said Petrone. “When we install a door, it typically takes anywhere from 15 minutes to two hours. At one point we were doing 20 doors a week. Now we’re down to three or four doors a week.”

According to Petrone, there are 1,562 non-tight doors on the ship. Since the refurbishment process began, the non-tight door team has reinstalled over 95 percent of the overhauled doors.

“In the beginning we did so much in a short period of time that we now only have 66 doors left,” said Johnson, a member of the non-tight door team.

The temporary services and ventilation systems that run through the door frames prevent the proper alignment of latches and hinges.

As a result, progress has slowed as they near project completion.

“This was probably our biggest challenge along the way,” said Petrone. “We can’t install a door until [the temporary systems] are gone, because everything has to line up.”

In addition to obstructed door frames, other obstacles were encountered along the way.

“The hinges with 25 years of corrosion were difficult to take off nicely, so we have to give them some motivation with our ‘master keys’ - also known as a hammer and impact driver. Over time we’ve perfected our methods and it has gotten easier,” said Johnson.

Aviation Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class (AW) Adam Johnson, assigned to USS Theodore Roosevelt’s (CVN 71) door team, installs a non-watertight door aboard the ship Oct. 15.

After over two and a half years of taking down doors and putting them back up, and with project completion in sight, Johnson said he has developed an appreciation for his team’s accomplishment.

“It’s crazy. You really don’t get the full perspective until you walk around the ship and look at all the non-tight doors and realize, ‘we did all this,’” he said. “Every door that you see and every door that you walk through every day is a door we’ve worked on.”

TR is in its last year of Refueling Complex Overhaul at Newport News Shipbuilding. Thanks to efforts of the non-tight door team, TR is moving closer to rejoining the fleet.

“These guys are awesome,” praised Petrone. “They work really hard and I’m proud of them.”

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Story by MC3(SW/AW) John Kotara USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) Public Affairs

“

ALL I COULD SEE WAS BRIGHT RED BLOOD POURING FROM MY NOSE AND HEAD.

BLOOD WAS EVERYWHERE.” O n my hands and clothes was the evidence of a horrible accident, one I could not recall. I could not make out any words, any thoughts, or any sounds. The only thing I could make out was an overwhelming feeling of panic - was my family alright? Were they still alive? What had I done to my little boy and wife? This is my first memory that Friday night.

It is cliché to say that Oct. 5 had started out like any other Friday, but in fact, it did. After working nine to 10-hour work days, the weekend had finally arrived.

When I reached for the door, my wife and six-month-old child were standing there to welcome me home from work. Almost immediately my son threw out his arms for me to hold him, and with a smile I picked him up. After feeding him his food it was time for a bath and then I was on my way out. My favorite band, August Burns Red, was playing at the Norva in Norfolk, and I had tickets to see them.

When I arrived to the venue I decided to get a few beers and wait for the first band to start playing. When the first band

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was over I went to the bar and ordered some more beers, and I started feeling the effects. Even with that knowledge, I kept drinking.

When August Burns Red was done playing, I made the mistake of going to my car to drive home. With everything that the Navy and society tells us about not drinking and driving, I still made the choice of doing just that.

The first thing I remember is struggling to get out of my seatbelt. I did not have the slightest clue of what I was doing, or why I was doing it. All I could do was try to get free of the only thing that had saved my life. I was upside down in my 1995 Jeep Wrangler when I finally heard my first noise. Everything was a haze - unreal and scary. I was scared of something - I didn’t know what, but I was. When I finally was able to unbuckle myself I dropped out of the seat and tried to stand up. In my condition I was not sure what was happening and I tried to walk away. I was forced to lay down by who I believe was Emergency Medical Service.

The next moment I was staring at a

light and heard people talking to me. They told me I was in an accident and sustained injuries. I was being rushed to the hospital.

Time and memories skipped. I could not tell if I was in a bad dream, or if it was real. I could feel no pain, but the thought of my family was strong. The first thing I remember saying was, “Oh lord, what have I done to my family.” For almost three hours the medical staff questioned me throughout my moments of consciousness.

“Where do you work? How old are you? Can you remember your name or anything else?”

I couldn’t say much other than that I was in the Navy and was stationed on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). I could not remember anything at the time, and this was very frightening.

At this point I remember looking around and seeing a woman who I should have known, but was not able to recognize. She was crying and looked devastated by what she saw. Behind tears in her eyes she asked me with a shaky voice, “Do you know who I am JP?”

FAMILY MEANS EVERY“ MY THING TO ME, AND I COULD

Looking back up at this woman, I could not remember. I could not put a name to the face that I knew I had seen and cared about. I lied when I told her I knew who she was, but as soon as I did, I remembered. My wife was beside my bed, and for the first and only time all night I saw clearly. While her eyes showed tears, they also showed so much more. I could see the pain in her eyes, knowing I had let her down and it was my fault. Knowing that in that moment she could not trust me, and would not for a long time. Above all was the anger. She was angry for the fact that I was so selfish. I had not thought of anyone else before I him, and teaches him everything I know. All he could do was decided to get into the car and drive that night – not of the innosmile at me and giggle in a way that hurt the most. cent people driving with their families, not the law enforcement My family means everything to me, and I could have very officers keeping order, and most of all, not her or my child who well lost that. How could my wife recover from losing a husband were asleep and waiting at home for me. to a DWI incident? Not only physical, mentally, but also finanAfter my wife had left, she was tasked with the responsibility cially. Living together, some people start to take for granted what of getting hold of my chain-of-command. What was she supthey have. My wife and I do everything together, and in turn it posed to say about me, a Sailor that always tries to do everything makes us stronger. With her husband not there, who could tell right but, just did the worst thing imaginable? What could my what would have happened? She would have to raise my son by chain tell her in response to this situation? herself, and provide for him by herself. She would have to do the Throughout the night and into the early, morning consciouswork of two people, with only one person. Doing this would have ness came and went. I eventually gained my senses and found left her little time to be with my son.

11 staples holding two large gashes together My son is the person I feel I have wronged on the back of my head. My nose was still the most. A child is born into this world inbleeding and I was aware that my right eye nocent, not knowing right or wrong. It is the was swollen and had a laceration right below responsibility of the parents to make sure they my brow. I looked over myself and saw that educate this child to the best of their ability. I caked blood still layered my skin and hospital feel I have not done this for my child. If I had gown. died in this car wreck what would have hapAt this time a police officer entered the pened to my child? My son is only six months room and told me it was time to go. old and would hardly remember anything I cautiously planted my feet on the ground about me at his age, so would he even know and swayed to where I met him at the door. I who I was when he grew up? was placed in hand cuffs and escorted to his This is the thought that makes me never car where I later arrived at the Virginia Beach want to do anything related to this ever again.

Police Department.

The sorrow I feel about knowing my son When I first arrived, my picture and fingercould have grown up without a father chills prints were taken. I was told I injured a police me to the core. It deeply saddens me to know officer and nothing more. One officer showed that I could have been nothing more than a me where my holding cell was and told me picture on my son’s night stand to keep him Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class they would get me in a while. During this company at night.

(SW/AW) John Kotara’s mugshot from the period I had plenty of time to think of what I A DWI incident is something that affects night of his arrest. had done. everyone, not just the people you love and How could I have been so selfish? What had I done that had know. Luckily the police officer that was involved in this accijeopardized my Navy career and ruined the lives of my family? dent received only minor injuries, but it could have been worse. If What if I would have died - where then would they be?

I would have swerved just a foot or more I could have killed this In the afternoon I met my bail bondsman and was told of the man. What would his family do without him? How could I even charges to be brought against me - one case of driving while face my family? intoxicated and another for disobeying Virginia’s “Move Over” It’s never easy to deal with the thought of bringing dishonor law. Things seemed bad, and to make it worse the officer conand shame to yourself, your family and friends, and the Navy. ducting the discharge paperwork spoke of what had happened There were many options for me to use instead of trying to drive. and joked about it.

I could have easily called a friend or used my safe ride card. I Waiting outside in the sun I was filled with anxiety. For the could have even called a cab and paid $50 for that, but instead I first time, I was going to see my wife and child after my DWI will be paying so much more. The advice I give to anyone who accident. My wife arrived and did not speak to me, and with thinks of doing what I did is to sit down with your husband or good reasons not to. All she could do was cry as soon as she saw wife and sons and daughters before you leave. Tell them you love me, and this in turn made me feel several times worse. What can them with all your heart and you will never forget them. Because you say to the woman whose life has been turned upside down if you do drink and drive it could be the last time you see them. in a blink of an eye? My son laughed and looked unaffected. To Kotara is scheduled to appear in court Jan. 2013 to face his this little boy, I was still the same dad who protects him, feeds charges before a judge.

HAVE VERY WELL LOST THAT.

”

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Story and photos by MC3(SW) Tyrell Morris USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) Public Affairs

s Hispanic American Heritage Month wraps up, the celebration and education of Hispanic culture aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) will continue yearround, especially in Damage Control Division, which has three Hispanic Sailors in the upper chain of command who are very proud of their culture, and contribute their success to their Hispanic roots.

TR’s Damage Control Assistant, Lt. Cmdr. Ruben Galvan is of Mexican descent, TR’s Fire Marshal Chief Warrant Officer 2 Noel Genao is Puerto Rican and Dominican, and DC division leading chief petty officer Chief Damage Controlman (SW/AW) John Scott is Panamanian.

“There have been countless Hispanic men and women to serve our country and several have won the Medal of Honor, but facts like that are not well known,” said Galvan. “It’s our job to research these things, teach our children and others of these contributions.”

For more than 200 years, Hispanics have proudly served in the Navy. AcPage 8

DC’S HISPANIC HERITAGE ENGINEERING’S DC DIV CELEBRATES DIVERSITY

cording to NAVADMIN 265/12, there are more than 50,000 Hispanic active duty and reserve Sailors and officers with nearly 15,000 Hispanic civilians serving in the Navy Total Force. This includes four Hispanic flag officers and 172 Hispanic master chiefs.

“Today’s Navy is a reflection of society,” said Galvan. “Over the years the Navy has done an excellent job in becoming a melting pot of different cultures and races.”

Hispanic America Heritage Month recognizes those American citizens whose ancestors hailed from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America by celebrating their histories, cultures and contributions to the United States.

“The American culture is what attracts a lot of Hispanics to this country,” said Genao. “My parents always worked hard so they could make sure I had more and strived for better than what they had. This has been my motivating force to succeed in life and my naval career.”

Close family ties and relationships

are very important in the Hispanic culture. Almost everything is done together and shared as a family.

“We do our best to incorporate that ‘family feeling’ within our department and division so that we provide the best working environment possible for our Sailors,” said Scott.

Damage control is one of the most important components of ship life.

Damage Control Assistant and ship’s fire marshal are some high visibility jobs on any ship.

“Because of these jobs Sailors always see us around the ship and I think they feel comfortable approaching us about anything from Hispanic culture, personal issues, or damage control,” said Scott.

“I remember the days early in my Naval career when I was the only Hispanic in my division and sometimes my department,” said Genao. “Now it’s common to have several Hispanics working together in a department.

I think that says a lot about the round turn the Navy took with its diversity initiative.”

Story and photo by MC3(SW) William McCann USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) Public Affairs

KNOW YOUR RATE

RELIGIOUS PROGRAM SPECIALIST

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stablished on Jan. 15, 1979, the Religious Program Specialist rating was formed out of necessity the demanding workload of the Chaplain corps. The concept of having a chaplain’s assistant assigned to each ship with a chaplain aboard goes back to 1878.

The Department of the Navy did not immediately support the recommendation, but came through successive generations of chaplains giving support for the rate.

“We are a critical rate in today’s Navy,” said Religious Program Specialist 2nd Class Raja Armstrong, a member of USS Theodore Roosevelt’s (CVN 71) Command Religious Ministries Department. “We are the first response for morale on the ship.”

Serving as a chaplain’s personal assistant, the RP performs administrative tasks such as setting up and breaking down for religious services out to sea, on shore, and in combat zones.

“There are many great ratings, but being an RP is one of the best,” said Chief Religious Program Specialist (SW/FMF) Chelboni Martin. “RP’s are basically the Chaplain’s right hand.”

A Religious Program Specialist guards an unarmed chaplain while on a deployment to Afghanistan.

Being the only military service members who are not allowed to carry a weapon, chaplains depend upon their Religious Program Specialists to safeguard them in the theater of war.

To equip the RP with the tools necessary to protect their assigned chaplain, they must become Fleet Marine

Religious Program Specialist 2nd Class Raja Armstrong of USS Theodore Roosevelt’s (CVN 71) Command Religious Ministries Department works at his desk aboard the ship’s library.

Force qualified. A six-week training program similar to Marine combat training, the course gives the Sailor training equivalent to that of a Marine infantryman.

Often the first to encounter Sailors or Marines who have a great deal of stress in their lives, the RP is the first to hear of specific needs or problems that individual is enduring. As with the chaplain, the RP maintains the same confidentiality privilege, but cannot counsel as would a chaplain.

“RP’s are not counselors but provide guidance to Sailors and Marines through referral services,” said Martin.

Sailors are only able to reach their full potential when they are mentally healthy and happy, which means the work done by RPs directly affects mission readiness and the ship’s morale as a whole. While setting up for religious ceremonies is part of their job, the responsibilies of an RP extend to the welfare of the entire crew or unit they are stationed with, making RP one of the most versatile ratings in the Navy.

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DC 301-306

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DC 307

DC 308

3M 301

3M 302

3M 303

DCPO

MOOW

BOOKS

TEST

WALK THRU

BOARD 1

BOARD 2

Story by MCSN Casey Cosker USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) Public Affairs

you fulfill that role?”

“Okay,” I said. “So how does that affect your career?”

“It makes you stand out as a hard charger— the motivated ones who go on to get things done,” Thomas said. “Are you ambitious enough to be dual warfare qualified—to have your primary warfare qualification?”

That was the real question. Was I ambitious? Before I’d joined the navy the answer had clearly been “no,” but I’d been in the Navy for more than a year. Had a year’s worth of people ordering me around, yelling at me and telling me to do pushups improved my motivation?

I decided to prove my motivation to myself by standing under instruction (UI) watches for messenger of the watch (MOOW), which Thomas had told me was one of the qualifications I needed to earn my ESWS. I figured this would be an easy personnel qualification standard (PQS) to get signed off, as I’d already stood two UIs when I’d first arrived at TR. So on my most recent duty day, May 30, I stood a UI under Chief Hospital Corpsman (SW/AW) John Joiner.

When I showed him my MOOW PQS he told me, “You have the wrong PQS. This one’s outdated. Where did you get this old thing?”

“Off the ship’s shared drive?” I guessed. I honestly couldn’t remember.

Joiner told me that the signatures I had from my past two UIs were useless.

There was another Sailor standing UI— an enthusiastic, young Airman named Yoa Yang—who had the correct, recent PQS.

CONGRATULATIONS!

egalman 2nd Class (SW/AW) Jessica Everett, from the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt’s (CVN 71) Legal Department, and Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (SW/AW) Melissa Cason, from TR’s Medical Department, were selected as TR’s nominees for the Hampton Roads Military Citizen of the Year award and attended an event at the Waterside Marriott hotel in Norfolk where the winner of the award was announced Oct. 12.

The title of Military Citizen of the Year Page 10

AMR

ROAD TO ESWS FINDING THE TIME

’ve been working long days slaving over the pages of the Rough Rider, carrying boxes from one end of USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) to the other, helping set up the media department’s new photo and video studio, and trying to get some rest in my off time. The whole while my editor, Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Austin Rooney, has been pushing me to get him articles and photos for the paper more quickly than I thought humanly possible.

So here I am.

In the past two weeks since I thought it would be a smart idea to write a column detailing my journey toward earning an enlisted surface warfare specialist (ESWS) pin, I have not reached a single notable milestone.

This is not to say I have done nothing. For one thing, I met with Chief Logistics Specialist (SW/AW) Renold Thomas, who is TR’s ESWS coordinator, and I asked him questions that have been bothering me since I first heard of an ESWS pin.

I asked him, “What does the ESWS qualify you to do?”

“It allows you to have a general idea of how the ship operates,” Thomas told me. “If something were to happen—okay, you are the man now. We want you to be the line handler—can you do that? We want you to be in supply; we want you to order our requisition.

Do you know how to do that? Engineering— something went down, we want you to be the damage control guy. It will give you the basic idea, the basic knowledge, to be the integral part of the ship. If something happened—can

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POOW

Joiner explained the basics of messenger of the watch station, many of which I already knew, and signed off on my form.

After I finished my UI with Joiner, I decided to stand another UI. Joiner was replaced

by Chief Operations Specialist (SW/AW) Donald Williams.

“What is the difference between observing sunrise and observing sunset?” Williams asked me, expecting me to deduce the answer with logic.

“When the sun sets you observe colors,” I said, remembering this lesson from boot camp.

“Yes. And what else?”

“I don’t know, Chief.”

“What happens when the sun sets?”

“The sun goes below the horizon, Chief.”

“What else, guy?”

“It gets dark, Chief.”

“So what might you have to do when it gets dark?”

“Turn the lights on, Chief.”

“Yes! You turn the lights on when it gets dark. Excellent answer, guy,” Williams said, and he signed off that portion of my PQS. I’ve done things in the past week and taken steps toward earning my ESWS. I just haven’t reached any important milestones or earned any notable qualifications. I hope to change that by the time I write my next column.

I, MCSN Cosker, am on a quest to earn my ESWS pin. If you think you can help or have a way to make this process more streamlined, email me at coskercp@cvn71.navy.mil or call the Media Department at 4-1406.

LN2 EVERETT AND HM1 CASON TR’S MILITARY CITIZEN OF THE YEAR HONOREES

went to Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW/AW) Eric Brown, stationed at PCU Arlington , in Norfolk. Although they did not receive the main award, both Everett and Cason said they were excited to be among only 29 honorees from all branches of the military around the Hampton Roads area.

The award is presented by the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce to reward the servicemember who has given the most back to the local community.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Staff Commanding Officer Capt.

William Hart Executive Officer Cmdr. 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

Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (AW) Airman Andrew Bustos completes a set of push ups while participating in his physical fitness assessment (PFA) at the Huntington Hall track Oct. 17.

Photo by MC3(IDW) Eric Lockwood

PHOTO FIND Can you find the 9 out of place items in this photo?

1. Photobomber 2. Soccer ball 3. Quarter 4. Goblin 5. King 6. Sword 7. TR the man 8. Candy cane 9. Ruler

Photo illustration by MC2(SW) Austin Rooney.

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Rough Rider Contributors MC3(SW) William McCann MC3(SW/AW) John Kotara MC3 (SW) Tyrell Morris SN Eric Norcross Command Ombudsmen 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 endorsedt 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 you’d like to see in the Rough Rider? Contact the Media Department at 5341406 or stop by 3-180-0Q. Page 11