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INSIDE
Ways to save in foreign ports
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Photos of the Week
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LSEs help helos fly on and off the deck
FROM THE EDITOR
Where do you think you’re going? Thailand? Well, yeah, of course you are, but not for a few hours yet. And what better way to wind down in the hours before the CMC bellows her favorite famous spunky “liberty call!” announcement over the 1MC than by sitting back and reading your favorite command newsmagazine, the Penny Press? Spend a day with the ship’s quartermasters, learn who, exactly, signals the helos on and off the flight deck, and get some sage advice on how not to squander your account balance once you do get off the ship. Also, how else are you gonna find out who’s had a new baby enter the family unless you check the Stork Report? Have fun and be safe in Thailand, everyone. And if you see one of our intrepid Penny Press photographers out in town or on your MWR tour, remember to smile for the camera! Cheese!
VOLUME 24 , ISSUE 2
Navigation A Sailor’s adventure spending an afternoon with the quartermasters
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“Mastering celestial navigation is the toughest thing about this rate.” ~QMCS James Fox
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s I was walking up 12 ladderwells from the Media Office to the signal bridge, which is the highest point a Sailor can walk on the ship, I started wondering how the day was going to go. Although I had so many thoughts going through my head, one thought in particular stood out from the rest. Being new to the ship, I realized navigation was something I didn’t know anything about. As the day went on, however, I learned quite a bit about the quartermasters (QMs) of the navigation team and their importance to the strike group’s mission and to the safety of the crew. The knowledge that the QMs had to offer to me was unbelievable and exciting. Aside from what they do, their traditions and history intrigued me. Senior Chief Quartermaster James I. Fox taught me about the rating’s long and storied history. “QM is one of the oldest rates in the Navy,” said Fox. “When people first started sailing wooden ships, there were only two people that knew how to navigate the ship: the captain of the ship and his firsthand mate.” In addition to the history of their rate, the QMs also told me their navigation responsibilities are many. One of the biggest responsibilities of a QM is to stand watch as the quartermaster of the watch (QMOW). There is a QMOW standing watch 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The QMs stand this watch for five-
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hour shifts. QMOWs are the Sailors who make sure everything is going according to plan day and night in all weather conditions. Watch standing is just one important job as a QM. When not standing a watch, they perform other tasks to keep the ship on the right track. QMs not only get the ship from point A to point B safely, they have a lot of other important jobs beyond navigating the ship based on a marker on a chart. They also ensure the ship is ahead of the planned intended movement (PIM) schedule and calculate the exact sunrise, sunset, moonrise and moonset times. They maintain the ship’s charts and conduct colors (raising and lowering the ship’s flags during special evolutions and raising and lowering the national ensign during sunrise and sunset while the ship is in port). They maintain the bridge and ship deck logs, and conduct precision navigation while pulling in and out of ports so the ship doesn’t hit any piers. When planning out the path where the ship must go, the QMs make sure the path they draw is precise and error-free. “When being a QM, your math has to be spot-on,” said Fox. “If there is a slight error while plotting out the path of the ship, it can throw off the whole course of the ship.”
See “Navigation” Pg. 16
VOLUME 24 , ISSUE 2
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HOW to overspend while
visiting foreign ports
Lincoln’s Financial Counselor Gives You Her Two Cents
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s our excitement builds for liberty on foreign shores, most of us will certainly spend some of our hard-earned money after we step off the brow. So what is an appropriate way to spend that money while still saving and taking care of our personal finances? USS Abraham Lincoln’s (CVN 72) command financial counselor, Chief Legalman Karyn Sigurdsson, said there are many ways Sailors can keep from overspending during port visits. Sigurdsson said in-port spending begins when a Sailor decides where to stay. “The choice of a hotel is a huge factor during port visits,” said Sigurdsson. “People tend to stay in villas or in the nicest hotel they can find. There are many affordable, safe hotels that you can share with a liberty buddy, but you have to do your research. You should always look through multiple websites and reviews before making a final decision because there might be hidden fees that you won’t know about until it’s too late.” Sigurdsson said Sailors should get out of their hotels to save money on other services as well. In her experience, she said, hotel restaurants and spas are typically more expensive than local corner shops. Once out of the hotel, she recommends Sailors understand currency conversion rates so they know how far their dollars are going. “A lot of Sailors use credit cards and don’t understand how much they’re spending until they get their statement,” she said. “It’s best to take out a set amount of cash to spend. That way, you know exactly how much you’re spending.” If Sailors do use credit cards, they should always ensure that their cards never leave their sight, she said. According to the State
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THE PENNY PRESS
Department’s 2011 Thailand Crime and Safety Report, credit card fraud has skyrocketed over the past year. Criminals are using skimming devices on legitimate ATMs to ascertain credit card numbers and pins for debit cards. The State Dept. recommends travelers only use debit and credit cards in well-established businesses. Sailors should always communicate regularly with their banks and their families in order to ensure they are aware of transactions in foreign countries, Sigurdsson added. “It’s also recommended that Sailors contact their banks before entering any foreign countries,” she said. “Sometimes the banks will shut off credit and debit cards out of suspicion of credit card theft when transactions start showing up from overseas.” Aside from overspending while visiting foreign ports, Sigurdsson strongly suggested Sailors remain vigilant and mindful of unforeseen situations to ensure a safe and enjoyable visit. “Sailors should make sure they have emergency money just in case they lose their wallets or their cards,” she said. “They should keep that money separate from the rest of their cash so they don’t spend it.” If Sailors have trouble finding financially friendly activities, Lincoln’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) office sets up plenty of fairly priced tours for Sailors prior to every port visit. There are also community service projects that allow Sailors to get off the ship and learn about the local culture without spending any money at all. If you have any questions about how else to protect your earnings in port, call Chief Sigurdsson at J-Dial 6460. Story by MCSN Sean Hiller
VOLUME 24 , ISSUE 2
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U.S. Navy photo by MCSA Karolina Martinez U.S. Navy photo by MCSN K. Ashley Lawrence
U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Christopher Johnson
U.S. Navy photo by MCSN K. Ashley Lawrence
U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Jon Idle
U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Christopher Johnson
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mong the many different qualifications available aboard an aircraft carrier, the landing signal enlisted (LSE) qualification allows Sailors in aviation ratings to direct, launch and recover helicopters during flight operations. From “deck hits” (aircraft landings) to “hot seats” (aircraft land, refuel and swap pilots), LSEs are the Navy’s front-line runners responsible for getting helicopters safely on and off the deck during real-time operations. Aviation Electrician’s Mate 3rd Class David Coley, assigned to the Saberhawks of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 77, said the LSE qualification puts him in a position of responsibility that not only allows him to gain the trust of his fellow shipmates, but also expands his versatility and in-rate knowledge. “As an LSE, I’m in charge of getting the helos off the deck. From the technical side, I perform a wide range of procedures that include safety checks beginning well before start-up,” he said. These procedures start with daily turnaround
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inspections of the entire aircraft. From gear boxes to hydraulics, squadron Sailors look for any signs of wear and tear, including loose or missing bolts, corrosion, faulty wiring and rotor head obstructions. Once the daily turnarounds are complete, aviation boatswain’s mates move the aircraft to designated staging areas. “From that point, I coordinate and maintain communication with Primary Flight Control all the way to start-up and get the aircraft off the deck,” Coley said. With the helicopter ready, pilots do a complete pre-flight inspection. If any problems are found, pilots must communicate using hand signals to summon members of a standby DEMOT crew to troubleshoot the problem. DEMOT stands for five different aviation ratings: aviation machinist’s mate, aviation electrician’s mate, aviation structural mechanic, aviation ordnanceman and aviation electronics technician. As experts within their respective fields, these Sailors are called upon to identify and
correct any problems that may arise. If the pilot finds a problem, he or she will use a hand signal to call a particular member of DEMOT to isolate and correct the problem. For example, if a structural issue is found, the pilot would make a “T” with both hands followed by throwing three fingers in the air. This would signal the third member of DEMOT to identify and troubleshoot the issue at hand. Once the aircraft is deemed operationally ready, weapons systems are loaded under the direction of an aviation ordnanceman team leader while aviation electronics technicians load codes into the aircraft’s electronics to allow pilots to open communications with other ships. After all this is complete, a squadron safety and quality assurance inspector will start a final pre-flight inspection. From this point, the staging area is cleared of unnecessary personnel and, with a headsup from the pilot, the LSE in charge signals a two-man team of brown shirts to unchain the helicopter for flight.
Coley says the whole cycle is an organic and fluid process that requires understanding and careful collaboration among many different people. “It’s a challenging job where a lot of eyes are on me, but it’s the challenge that I love,” he said with a slight grin. Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Marty K. Gore, also assigned to HSM 77, says the job is often gritty and involves long hours. The hard work, Gore said, is balanced by the amount of recognition and respect he feels the squadron gets. “The adrenaline rush is huge. Sometimes it’s like you’re the only one out there and all eyes are on you, including the commanding officer and air boss. We get a lot of recognition for doing a good job,” Gore said. With the operational tempo in full swing, LSEs are doing their part to ensure the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group has the tools it needs to support coalition efforts at sea and abroad. Story and photos by MC3 Adam Randolph
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Jocelyn Marie Means
Born: Dec. 3, 2011 Time: 8:14 a.m. Weight: 7 lbs., 14 oz. Length: 19 in. Father: MMC Timothy Means
Jayden Christian Wester
Born: Dec. 22, 2011 Time: 8:04 a.m. Weight: 6.15 lbs Length: 19.5 in. Father: HM3 Jason Wester
Noah Ryan Velasquez
Born: Jan. 2, 2012 Time: 10:43 a.m. Weight: 8 lbs., 3 oz. Length: 22.5 in. Father: AO3 Daniel Velasquez
Isaiah Richard Faavi Born: Dec. 9, 2011 Time: 10:49 a.m. Weight: 8 lbs., 7 oz. Length: 20.5 in. Father: ABE1 Doublas Faavi
Braelynn Mckenzie Lee Born: Dec. 26, 2011 Time: 11:18 p.m. Weight: 7 lbs., 2 oz. Length: 20 in. Father: ABEAN Brandon Lee
Edward Noah Griggs Born: Jan. 4, 2012 Time: 3:39 p.m. Weight: 8 lbs. Length: 21 in. Father: LS3 Joseph Griggs
Photo and information provided by MCSA Karolina Martinez
Know Your Shipmate
OS2 Jasmica L. Harvey Supply Dept./S-7 Division
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perations Specialist 2nd Class Jasmica Latoya Harvey, of Los Angeles, is a hard-charging Sailor who enjoys her job as both an OS and a Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) representative. Before her enlistment, the former track runner was a working college student studying sociology on a scholarship. Once an aspiring social worker, she began her Navy career in March 2007 to try something new. “I was tired of doing the same stuff,” she explained. While in the Navy, Harvey has traveled, met new people and broadened her perspective on life. Her biggest Navy highlights include the times she has advanced to the next pay grade. “Both times I made rank, it showed me that anything is possible. I feel like I’m not going to leave the Navy the way I came in-with nothing,” she said. Harvey has come a long way from operations specialist seaman recruit. Operations specialists maintain surveillance of both surface and air contacts for the safety of the ship. After four years in Combat Systems department, she is now on temporary assigned duty (TAD) to the ship’s MWR office. As MWR’s assistant leading petty officer, Harvey said she has more responsibility and contributes more of her leadership than in the past, which is different than what she is used to. “I am always at events before they begin and until they shut down,” she said. “I make sure things go as planned.” In her free time, Harvey likes to watch movies and add to her massive shoe collection. She plans to stay in the Navy and sees herself eventually becoming a petty officer first class.
NAVIGATION (Continued from p. 4) In addition to the more modern charts and navigation aids, QMs still also use many of the traditional tools of navigation. The stadimeter is an instrument used to determine the distance of an object based on the object’s height, such as another ship or other landmark. The telescopic alidade reads true and relative bearings, the parallel motion protractor helps plot directions quickly and accurately and the sextant measures angles using the altitudes of celestial bodies, or the stars. “One of my most memorable moments as a QM was crossing the Atlantic Ocean in eight days just using a sextant,” said Fox. “Mastering celestial navigation is the toughest thing about this rate.” Fox said that not only can QM can be a challenging rate, it remains one of the most important rates in the strike group. Without their support aboard the ship, we wouldn’t know where we were going or where we were, Fox said. These trained professionals are the ones that get us to our destinations safely and on time. The QMs taught me a lot during the time I spent with them about what they do and how complicated their jobs can be. When I try to imagine drawing out the ship’s course and making sure the ship is on the right track while using only a sextant and my math skills, I get a headache. I came away convinced the QMs are essential to strike group’s mission. Without them, none of us would get to the intended location by the right time.
Story and photos by MCSA Josh Walters
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