March 30, 2012 -- Penny Press

INSIDE

Saberhawks earn 2011 Isbell Award

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Images of the Week

Lifting Morale through Music FROM THE EDITOR

No matter how hard we work out here, several months at sea means we have a lot of down time. While some Lincoln Sailors may prefer to make a beeline for their racks after workdays that can stretch into 20+ hours when the work demands (understandably), most of us have to figure out how to unwind when the job is done for the day. Some Sailors take time to hone their musical talents (page 10), and some earn credits toward their college degrees (some even manage to earn master’s degrees--seriously. Check out CS1 Ankuvie’s story on page 6 if you don’t believe me). And hey, since we’re going to do some shopping online from time to time anyway, why not make our way down to the mess decks to negotiate a good price on a new car? I mean, if Navy AutoSource is going to send representatives to the ship to make our lives easier, who are we to pass them up? Eventually, when we step off the ship in Norfolk, we’ll need a way to drive all over the country to come see all of you!

U.S. Navy photo by MCSN Zachary Welch

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Making Deals for

ike any other crew deployed around the globe in service to their nation, Sailors assigned to Lincoln spend their time working long days in the middle of the ocean, thousands of miles from U.S. soil. What better time to sit down with a car salesman and pick out the make and model of your next car? Thanks to visits to the ship by representatives of Navy AutoSource, Abe Sailors can buy those sweet new rides they’ll want to drive around Norfolk, Va., several months from now when the ship eventually pulls into her new homeport to begin a refueling complex overhaul. In fact, Navy AutoSource is only available to Sailors while they are deployed and operating in international waters. The program provides crew members the opportunity to buy a new 2012 vehicle directly from the factory without going through a dealer. Sailors can custom order new cars, trucks

NEW CARS

and motorcycles from Ford, Lincoln, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Harley Davidson. Navy AutoSource has sold more than 450,000 cars to Sailors since the program was launched in the 1960s. AutoSource representative Alistair O’Mara said the program is popular because deployed Sailors are looking for something new and different following long deployments, and AutoSource provides them with opportunities to pre-arrange vehicle purchases at low prices. Navy AutoSource also provides assistance with financing and price protection. “The program is a great help to Sailors making that initial automobile purchase,” O’Mara said. “Buying a car can be a very scary ordeal, especially when working with a dealer looking to make a commission. Navy AutoSource takes the salesman and commission out of the equation, leaving you to make a choice without worry or pressure.”

O’Mara, who arrived on Lincoln March 17, is scheduled to be aboard the ship through the end of the month, helping Lincoln Sailors arrange their purchase new vehicles months before the ship arrives stateside. He said he enjoys working to get Sailors the best possible deals on brand-new vehicles. “I get paid the same for a customer buying a Ford Fiesta or a Ford Mustang,” he said. “It’s nice to know I’m helping people get their first vehicle and setting them up on the right path.” AutoSource can also arrange to deliver Sailors’ new cars and motorcycles to stateside dealers as well as to a number of overseas locations. Delivery for purchases made aboard Lincoln is available any time after deployment until the end of the year. “People have been very interested,” said O’Mara. “I’ve already sold 15 vehicles.” Story by MCSN Zachary Welch

Saberhawks earn Capt. Arnold Jay Isbell Trophy

he Saberhawks of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 77, deployed as part of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2 embarked aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), received the 2011 Commander, Naval Air Forces (CNAF) Pacific Capt. Arnold Jay Isbell Trophy, March 8. Capt. Arnold Jay Isbell served in the Navy for 25 years and was a pioneer for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) during World War II. In Isbell’s honor, the trophy is historically presented to superior ASW squadrons, although antisurface warfare performance is also considered. “We’ve been working tirelessly with our air wing and weapons school to maintain our training and readiness,” said Lt. Jeffrey M. Gonzales, a pilot with HSM-77. “We have the capabilities of coordinating with other air services and the ship’s assets, which allows us to be more effective overall.” Lt. j.g. Adam R. Arndt, another Saberhawk pilot, said the squadron’s current deployment aboard Lincoln enables them to work better as a team while keeping their skill sets sharp. “Everyone is constantly improving at handling anti-submarine warfare,” Arndt said. “We keep a high-paced schedule. We’ve been non-stop, getting better and better.” HSM-77 also earned the 2011 CNAF Pacific Battle Effectiveness (Battle “E”) award, Feb. 10, while deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) aboard Lincoln, which put the squadron in the running for the Isbell trophy. Gonzales said the HSM-77 crew used the awards as motivation to continue their progress. “Everyone is very happy to win the award; it’s a great honor,” Gonzales said. “It’s something that the air crew is happy to have, and it also recognizes the hard work and the efforts of the maintainers and support teams.” Story by MC3 Kyle Henley

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U.S. Navy photo by Lt. j.g. Adam Arndt

U.S. Navy photo by MCSN Zachary Welch

U.S. Navy photo by MCSN Benjamin Liston

U.S. Navy photo by MCSA Josh Walters

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orn in poverty-stricken Ghana in West Africa, Culinary Specialist 1st Class Christoph Ankuvie was brought up in a family of 13 children with a father who was a

farmer. Growing up, Ankuvie and his siblings worked on the farm with their father, and the money they earned helped pay their way through school. Ankuvie attended a strict boarding school where spankings and after-school cleaning were punishments for tardiness. The children stayed at the school for three months at a time and were provided food and a place to sleep. After the three months, they were permitted to return home. Since the opportunity to attend school closer to home was limited, it was a tremendous privilege to them that their father strived to pay their tuition, Ankuvie said. “My father was a big disciplinarian,” he said. “He didn’t tolerate anyone’s misbehavior. Overall, he was a good man and he inspired me.” When Ankuvie’s father was a child, instead of going to school, he was encouraged by his own father to stay home and work on the farm to help raise the family’s rice crops. By doing so, he could never get the education he desired. Knowing this, Ankuvie and his siblings worked hard in school to take advantage of their good fortune.

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“My father inspired me as a child,” he said. “He really taught us how important education was.” After Ankuvie finished middle school and high school, he attended a teacher’s college to learn how to become a French middle school instructor. In Ghana, as well as in many other countries, the U.S. embassy offers foreign nationals the opportunity to obtain a visa to work in the United States via the Diversity Visa Lottery Program. Ankuvie said he applied for the lottery at the insistence of a friend of his. Though Ankuvie was hesitant and doubted his chances, his friend, Vencentio, persisted in his efforts to convince him to apply. She left the form on his desk and, when he finally gave in, she helped him fill out the form and turn it in for submission. Three months later, Ankuvie received a letter in the mail from the United States. When he saw it, he immediately remembered the visa lottery contest. Excited, he rode his bike quickly to his friend’s house to share the good news with her. Shortly thereafter, with a little financial assistance from his brother, Ankuvie was on his way to pursue his dreams in the U.S. “I felt like it was a great opportunity to better my life,” he said. “It’s an opportunity that most people don’t have.” As soon as he set foot in America, he knew that he was

in a completely different environment. Whereas Ghana was hot throughout the year, his arrival in Chicago (intensely cold to him) made him quickly realize he was going to have to get used to all four seasons. Ankuvie’s sponsor stayed with him only until he could get by without basic assistance. When Ankuvie arrived in America in July 2000, he landed a job at the Ritz Hotel, where he worked for three months. “I was watching TV one day, and I saw the advertisement for the Navy offering the Montgomery G.I. Bill,” he said. “Since I left Ghana and came here, my plan was always to accomplish my educational goals, so I figured i would try to join.” “I left for boot camp that same year, in October,” he said. A few years after joining the Navy, Ankuvie enrolled in college courses and earned a bachelor’s degree in management in 2006. He is currently one class away from earning his master’s degree in human resources. “Being a culinary specialist, I work in the galley and deal with people all the time, which helped my decision to major in management,” he said. “I am also in charge of a lot of people, so that’s why I enrolled in human resources.” In 2006, at his shore duty command at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Ankuvie worked the night shift in a kitchen. Work that other Sailors required all night to finish only took

Ankuvie three hours. As a result, he had plenty of extra time on his hands. While his other shipmates spent time playing video games, Ankuvie decided to make his time useful by writing a story about his life entitled, “A Journey to the United States of America.” “I knew how to layout a story in chapters from my teacher’s college in Ghana,” he said. “Before we graduated, we had to write a long essay and divide it into chapters. We had assistance from fellow instructors, so that is how I learned.” Ankuvie said the most challenging part about writing his book was getting it published. Nevertheless, only one year later, his book was printed by a publishing company that only accepts four percent of all the manuscripts they receive. With the profits his book received, Ankuvie intended to provide other books to his schools back in Ghana. From the family farm in West Africa, and with a leap of faith and great support from his friends, Ankuvie made the move of his life and put his American dream well within his grasp. “I am almost at the level where I can truly say I have obtained all my goals and dreams,” he said. “I feel I have achieved something great that I could have never done if I had stayed in Ghana. I moved to the land of opportunity.” Story and photos by MCSA Karolina Martinez

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U.S. Navy photo by MCSN Zachary Welch

Images of the

week

U.S. Navy photo by MCSN Zachary Welch

U.S. Navy photo by MCSN Zachary Welch U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Timothy D. Godbee

U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Christopher Johnson U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Timothy D. Godbee

U.S. Navy photo by MCSA Karolina Martinez

U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Carlos Vazquez

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skip practice to work on qualifications, I say ‘absolutely.’ That is the priority.” Beneath the sound of the music and the entertainment the band provides lie sacrifice, commitment and hard work. The members must not only coordinate rehearsal times around their various schedules, they must sacrifice their time after normal working hours. Rehearsal requires them to play songs over and over again to try to refine their sound. “When we aren’t getting the right sound or our schedules don’t coincide for practice, it becomes difficult, but it pays off in the end when you play that song and it finally sounds right,” said Frye. “It feels great.” Although practices may be difficult, the band members insist that rehearsing helps do more than just reinforce their musical abilities. After a long work day, focusing on making music eases tension and provides a healthy escape from ship life. “When work is done and it comes time to start playing, you just forget about everything with the first few strokes of the guitar strings,” said Tolentino. “It’s a great way for me to stay faithful to my trade.” The band is encouraging their shipmates to suggest songs for an upcoming solo performance they are planning. Soliciting inputs and song recommendations is something the band does regularly. Frye said it’s because the band’s goal is to entertain the crew, not simply to play the band members’ favorite songs. “Being in the band really puts me in a position where I’m constantly thinking about the needs of the crew and what they want to hear,” said Frye. “Even before I go onstage, I get nervous, but then my need to share the music overrides that, because I know I’m doing it for the audience. I enjoy entertaining them.” The primary goal of the ship’s band is to help boost morale. And what better way to connect to people than through music. “It’s a universal language,” said Tolentino. “We aim to reach out to every Sailor on the ship through the sound of our music.”

U.S. Navy photo by MCSA Karolina Martinez

he band River City 72 got their start during Lincoln’s 2009-2010 deployment. A friend of Master Chief Logistics Specialist Joselito Tolentino saw him play his guitar one day and was so enthralled by his talent, he decided to ask if he wanted to form a band on the ship. “I agreed,” said Tolentino. “But I knew that we needed to find more members. At first, I looked at it as a difficult task, but we came up with the plan to advertise some band auditions to help find who we needed.” Over time, the members have changed, but River City 72’s current lineup is a solid group of gifted Sailors. Tolentino rocks out on his guitar, leading the band’s efforts with his smooth solos. Alongside him, Machinist’s Mate 1st Class Max Miller lays down the basslines to steady the sound. Interior Communications Electrician 3rd Class Ashley Nepomuceno plays the piano and Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) 2nd Class Antoine Oliver adds his saxophone skills. Power singers Logistics Specialist 3rd Class Gail Tyrell, Damage Controlman 3rd Class Julia Frye and Aviation Electronics Technician Airman Christina Scarborough provide the band’s vocals. The band’s latest addition, Logistics Specialist 3rd Class Ryan Duff, keeps everything in sync on the drums. “Being on deployment takes you away from your families back home,” said Frye. “We are like our own little family with each other. We all work really well together, and we bring different things to the table. Duff really brings great humor into the group, while Master Chief keeps us focused and works hard to bring out the best in us.” Although the band comes together as often as they can, Tolentino stresses that it does not interfere with the band members’ work priorities. “The thing about our band is that if you can’t keep up with your primary job, then you can no longer participate,” he said. “Our job is our main focus, and then the band comes after that. If someone comes up to me and wants to

U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Kyle Henley

U.S. Navy photo by MCSA Karolina Martinez

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Brandon Jared Speed

Born: Dec. 26, 2011 Time: 12:25 p.m. Weight: 6 lbs., 4 oz. Length: 19 in. Father: MMFN Steven Speed

Eli Hunter Smith

Born: Feb. 18 Time: 10:19 p.m. Weight: 8 lbs., 4 oz. Length: 20 in.

Father: MMFN John Eric Smith II

Lyla Rea Morgan Daugherty

Born: March 8 Time: 4:00 a.m. Weight: 8 lbs., 5 oz. Father: CTTSN Anthony Daugherty

Lorelai Lucille Ann Campbell Born: Mar. 15 Time: 3:33 a.m. Weight: 7 lbs., 14 oz. Length: 19 in. Father: DCFN Dalton Campbell

Vera Diane Kohn

Born: Feb. 9 Time: 8:12 p.m. Weight: 7 lbs., 3 oz. Length: 19 in. Father: AT3 Kevin Kohn

Zachary Raymond Rice Jr. Born: March 3 Time: 11:39 p.m. Weight: 9 lbs., 1 oz. Length: 21.5 in. Father: YNSN Zachary Rice

Jenna Ann Cornell

Born: March 8 Weight: 9 lbs., 6 oz. Length: 21 in. Father: AD1 Michael Cornell

Know Your Shipmate

Briefly

Photo and information provided by MC2 Brian Morales

MCPON: Happy 119th Birthday CPOs!

MA1 Matthew Mulvany Operations Dept./ Security Div.

ne of the hardest jobs a Sailor can do is regulating shipmates they serve with every day. Just ask Masterat-Arms 1st Class Matthew Mulvany. Mulvany, from Leesburg, Fla., started his naval career in September 1999 to save money for school and to travel the world. “My goal outside the military was to be in the FBI. I thought the MA rating would help me achieve that goal,” he said. In his 12 years of service so far, he has been stationed at Yokosuka, Japan; Souda Bay, Crete; El Salvador and Mayport, Fla. When Lincoln returned from her deployment in March 2011, then-MA2 Mulvany reported aboard and joined the ship’s security force. Since reporting, Mulvany has guided many Sailors as his division’s career counselor, led 32 patrolmen in safeguarding the

internal security of the ship as a watch commander and assisted the brig staff as a corrections officer. Throughout the years, Mulvany has been on many deployments and endured a lot of time away from his three daughters. With all the stress that comes with being deployed aboard a carrier, Mulvany keeps motivated during his off time by reading to his daughters via the United through Reading program. “Technology today makes deployments a lot more bearable,” he said. Today, Mulvany is working toward earning his Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist qualification as well as a bachelor’s degree in information technology. “I’m really glad that we could get college professors on board. It makes it easier to get my degree,” he said.

Special from Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (SS/SW) Rick D. West WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON)(SS/ SW) Rick D. West released the following Chief Petty Officer birthday message to the fleet March 28. “My fellow Chief Petty Officers, On April 1st, our entire mess will pause to celebrate 119 years of the United States Chief Petty Officer, our honored mess traditions and heritage, and look to our future. But we’re not just celebrating another year of chiefs serving the Navy; we’re celebrating everything it means to be the chief. Our anchors are the symbol of a culture and a way of life. Since 1893, Chiefs have been charged with the responsibility of ensuring our Sailors are the best in the world, ready to carry out our Navy’s mission when our nation calls. We welcome that responsibility and lead by example with pride, character, and loyalty, a strong commitment to leadership, our core values, and the Navy ethos. Our Navy is the best it has ever been and we must continue to build upon the strong legacy that our mess was founded on as we look toward our future. 2012 is a significant year for us all as the United States Navy Memorial hosts the ‘Year of the Chief.’ The ‘Year of the Chief’ is a worldwide spotlight on the history and contributions of the Navy CPO mess. The ‘Year of the Chief’ will officially be launched on our birthday with a kick-off event held April 2 at the Navy Memorial. For more information on the ‘Year of the Chief’, visit Navy Memorial’s web page. Happy birthday shipmates! I truly appreciate your leadership and the hard work you do every day. Anchor up and HOOYAH Navy Chiefs!”

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