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From the Editor Greetings Lincoln Nation! Another week on the books and a lot has been going on. Big Abe hosted a command picnic where family and friends were invited to share in the fun. The CO took a splash in the dunk tank, many burgers were flipped and the first command picnic since moving to the shipyard was a success. The fun doesn’t stop there! Our Sailors have been hard at work over at Lincoln’s Light Industrial Facility. You can read all about the work they have been doing sand blasting and painting, and who knows, they might even throw in some welding for good measure! This weekend provides Lincoln Nation with a much needed break, it’s Memorial Day! But, this day isn’t just a random day off, go out and honor those who have given the ultimate sacrifice. Keep up the good work Lincoln Nation!
Bravo Zulu
From The Community Dear Capt.Thomas,
Good afternoon. My name is Caroline Tetschner. I am a 7th grade Reading Teacher here at LafayetteWinona Middle School and am also a retired Navy Commander (PAO). First, a number of your Sailors have been volunteering here at our school and we really appreciate all of their support. I wanted to especially highlight the outstanding efforts of two of your crew members, Chief Petty Officers Eric Mack (Aviation BM) and Jeremy Crandall (Crypto). Both have been in my classroom a couple of times now and their help is truly appreciated. They also shared their amazing experiences being stationed around the world, (great P.A. for the Navy!) which the kids really enjoyed hearing. But much more than that, they also listen to the children, mentor them, assist with their classroom academics and serve as another great set of eyes and ears in my large classes. Their genuine love of children makes them wonderful role models, especially as senior enlisted who are now in leadership roles. All of your Sailors have been helpful, but I wanted to highlight these two Chiefs for their clear commitment and caring. THANK YOU for supporting this school and this community at large. What a “win win� situation for the Navy and these children, many of whom can greatly benefit from positive outside influences. Very Respectfully, Mrs. Tetschner
Chillin’ N’ Grillin’’ Lincoln Hosts Command Picnic Story photos by MC3 Danian Douglas
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SS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) hosted a command picnic for its Sailors, family and friends May 17, at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard Scott Annex in Portsmouth, Va. An estimated 1,500 people attended the event and feasted on grilled hamburgers, pulled pork, corn-on-the-cob, cheeseburgers, baked beans, coleslaw and potato salad provided by Lincoln’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) program. “These events were supported, paid for, or organized in conjunction with MWR,” said Lincoln’s Fun Boss Shannon Smith. The day’s activities also included paintball, bowling, a Boot Camp Challenge, the Abraham Lincoln Motorcycle Show and several carnival style events sponsored by the ship’s associations. Lincoln’s various associations were out in force, voluntering heavily during the picnic. The Abraham Lincoln Family Association (ALFA) and Junior Enlisted Association (JEA) directed a Dunk Tank, children’s
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bouncy houses and the motorcycle show, the First Class Association ran Pie in the Face and the Second Class Association supported a Tug-O-War. The JEA also handled carnival games such as the ring toss, balloon popping and Sadie’s race. “We had about 250 people come to our booth and we gave away stuffed animals, boxes of candy, large sunglasses, bouncy balls, and other carnival-type prizes,” said JEA President, Religious Program Specialist 3rd Class Katrina Wright. “We used money from our JEA funds that we collected from members’ dues, as well as the profits from tickets we sold for the dunk tank.” Wright said that events like these provide opportunities for the members of the JEA to be a positive representative for their peers and fellow Sailors. “This event also allows Sailors to have fun and build camaraderie with their fellow shipmates and with their families in a safe environment,” Smith said.
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Blasting It
LIFAC: Bay Two Story and photo by SN Phylicia Hanson
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s USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) continues its 44-month refueling complex overhaul (RCOH), the Sailors assigned to the Light Industrial Facility (LIFAC) continue to renew the ship, piece by piece. LIFAC is broken up into three different bays that work as an assembly line; 68 personnel operating 135 different machines process items brought in from the ship. Bay Two is the heart of LIFAC to the Sailors who work there. Bay Two is where most of the larger pieces of the ship are sent to be refurbished, reinforcing the structure and receiving new paint. “Bay Two sees nearly every single piece of the ship that gets sent to LIFAC because of the extensive range and amount of work we do here,” said Aviation Ordnanceman 3rd Class Jose Verdin. “We blast, sand, weld and repaint the mass of components from the inside of the ship in this bay.” When parts of the ship arrive at Bay Two they are separated into one of two booths that use fine sand under high pressure to sand blast all of the layers of old paint and rust off of different items such as stanchions, non-watertight doors, watertight doors, cabinets, racks and a variety of shelves. “It always takes two people to operate the sandblasting booths,” said Verdin. “One is doing the actual blasting and one is standing by for safety.” Next these parts go to the welding booth where they are restructured. “We don’t just weld here,” said Aviation
Structural Mechanic 2nd Class Gabriel Horner. “We also band and grind here as well. Anything that you can think of to help reinforce a metal object, we do it.” After welding, the items are separated for painting. Depending on the type of paint and paint process needed, sanding or powder coating is the next step. Non-watertight doors are sent to the sanding booth. This is where a putty-like material smooths out all of the ridges, then is sanded down to leave a smooth finish for painting. “It can be a slow, step-by-step process,” said Verdin. “We have to make sure that it is all done right the first time because redoing the process once the new paint or powder coat has been put on can take up to a week to blast off again. So it is very important to get it right the first time.” The watertight doors are sent to the powder room. In this booth they hang the door so it can receive an even layer of powder coat before it is then sent through an oven to bake the coating on to the metal. After the metal has cooled it is then sent to the painting booth. “Once it’s done it looks like it is brand new,” said Aviation Structural Mechanic 3rd Class Alejandro Soto Hernadez. “You would never think to look at it that this door or rack is the same one we pulled off of the ship after deployment.” LIFAC continues down the long road in front of them as they renew the parts they work on to last another 25 years at sea.
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Take A Moment To Remember M
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Essay by MC3 Jonteil Johnson Photos by SN Phylicia Hanson
emorial Day is a special holiday for the American people - a single day during which we honor the spirit of each individual who died during service to our great nation. It is a day when we continue to remember and honor fallen troops in our hearts. On this special day we see the faces of all those who have sacrificed their lives in defense of freedom. On this day, Sailors think about the families and friends who have been affected by such sacrifices. We take this day to celebrate their legacy while grieving their absence in our lives. Memorial Day was first recognized by Gen. John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic May 5, 1868, and was first observed May 30, 1868. Citizens put flowers on the graves of both Union soldiers and Confederate soldiers at what would become Arlington National Cemetery. New York was the first state to officially recognize the holiday in 1873. By 1890, all Northern states recognized the holiday. The Southern states however refused to acknowledge Memorial Day and instead honored their dead on separate days until the end of World War I. Memorial Day has been celebrated on the last Monday in May since 1971. Sailors attached to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), like most of the armed services, will have that Monday off; however, this day shouldn’t be observed as just another federal holiday. This is a day for Lincoln Sailors to come together with friends and family who may have lost someone in the line of duty. Memorial Day is meant to recognize the risk service members take and also to recognize those who have lost their lives defending America. Many non-military people see Memorial Day as a vacation day. Others see it as a day to honor all people who have passed away, not just those lost in the defense of this country. Lincoln Sailors can alter this mindset by taking the time to think about purpose of Memorial Day. Sailors can volunteer to help out veterans in their local area. They could even make the trip to Arlington National Cemetery and place flowers on a few graves. “A nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces but also by the men it honors, the men it remembers,� said John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States.
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Suicide Prevention Command-wide Awareness
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he Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln’s (CVN72) suicide prevention program is having a positive effect on command-wide awareness, said Cmdr. Denis Cox, Lincoln’s command chaplain and coordinator of the ship’s suicide prevention program. “We are pleased to see a significant increase in ship-wide participation in our suicide prevention program as Sailor’s take the initiative to help fellow shipmates,” said Cox. Since September of 2012 thenDefense Secretary Leon Panetta acknowledged suicide in the U.S. Armed Forces as a “military wide epidemic.” Last year, 349 service members were lost due to suicide, a number that surpassed the 295 combat related deaths in 2012. From January through May this year, there have been nearly two dozen suicides in the Navy. “The success of the program is due to the steadfastness of Lincoln Sailors who are being trained as suicide prevention coordinators,” said Lt. Gregory Asgaard, Lincoln’s
suicide prevention coordinator instructor. “These are Sailors who have been taught to know how to approach a very serious situation with a how to ACT attitude.” The acronym (ACT) stands for Ask if the person is thinking about suicide. Care about the person, and get Treatment as soon as possible. ACT is a Navy-wide suicide prevention method that is taught to suicide prevention coordinators but is a general acronym for Sailors who are attempting to intervene in order to assist fellow shipmates. “Risk factors behavior is also taught a as general prevention tool for Sailors to look out for potential warning signs,” said Asgaard. “Training Sailors in situational awareness and risk factors concerning suicide coupled with proper intervention methods is an important part of suicide prevention,” said Asgaard. “Classes are built heavily on interaction to acclimate Sailors into the scenario of intervention, as well as allowing for their training to kick in. Hopefully this training prepares them for the real thing.” Story and Graphic by MC3 Jeremiah Mills
‘Training Sailors in ‘Training Sailors on situational awareness situational awareness and and riskrisk factorsfactors concerning suicide... concerning suicide... is an an important important part partof of suicide prevention.’ suicide prevention.’ Asgaard - -Lt. Lt. Gregory Gregory Asgaard
Path to the Pin Story and graphics by MC3 Benjamin T. Liston
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he Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist (ESWS) qualification shows that a Sailor has achieved a general level of proficiency on a specific ship and its components. For Sailors aboard USS Abraham Lincoln, obtaining this qualification is a major milestone and achievement. “Being able to apply yourself is a key factor in earning this qualification,” said Yeoman 1st Class Eric Pickett, Lincoln’s Reactor Department Yeoman. “I’ve seen Sailors earn their pins in nine months, and I’ve seen Sailors earn their pins in two years.” Qualifying for ESWS on Lincoln requires Sailors to complete Personnel Qualification Standards
(PQS) and be knowledgeable in the areas of ship’s maintenance and material management system; basic and advanced damage control applications; deck watches for in-port and underway periods, in-rate watch qualifications and an ESWS core and unit specific PQS. That’s just the beginning of Lincoln’s ESWS qualification program. After all prerequisite qualifications have been completed, Sailors are eligible to take the written exam. The exam consists of 100 multiple answer questions. Sailors must answer 80 percent or more correctly to advance to the next phase of qualification. “The test is drawn from various areas aboard Lincoln,” said Chief Cryptologic Technician
(Reconnaissance) Jeremy Crandall, Lincoln’s ESWS testing coordinator. “If Sailors study all of the various areas covered on the test, they should be prepared for the initial as well as the final boards.” After the written exam, Sailors receive a final walkthrough card. Each Sailor must see all of the required spaces aboard Lincoln. This allows the Sailor to get reacquainted with Lincoln’s systems and its processes before heading into the final steps of the qualification process. Two oral boards are required during the qualification process. The initial or “murder” board is usually conducted by two or more ESWS qualified first class petty officers stationed on Lincoln. The board consists of questions about all the departments from all over the ship. The initial board can last up to four hours. “Sailors don’t have to know every detail of the ship,” said Pickett. “We just want to make sure they have an overall knowledge of how the ship works and the various systems it has.” Sailors who are nervous about this part shouldn’t fret. The petty officers give many opportunities to answer the questions and often give hints to help the Sailor through the process. “Retaining all of the information about ESWS is nearly impossible,” said Pickett. “I usually give Sailors a hint to help them through the process. It usually jogs their memory and gets them back on track.” Concluding four hours of questioning, Sailors
will be notified if they passed or failed the first oral examination. Once they pass the oral examination, Sailors are eligible for the final board. “The final board process is strictly done by the Chief’s Mess,” said Chief Hull Maintenance Technician Damion Carpenter, Lincoln’s Command ESWS coordinator. “Sailors can prepare for the final board by using knowledge gathered during walkthroughs and studying.” The final board can last up to two hours. The Chief Petty Officers ask questions tailored for Lincoln. Once the Sailor’s final board is complete, all paperwork is routed through the Sailor’s direct chain of command, the ship’s ESWS coordinator, Command Master Chief and Commanding Officer. When all the paperwork has been signed by the Commanding Officer, the Sailor will receive his or her designation and be allowed to wear the Enlisted Surface Warfare Qualification Designator. “Receiving your primary warfare pin is one of the most rewarding things a Sailor can do,” said Machinist’s Mate 1st Class Anthony Vega, Lincoln’s assistant ESWS coordinator.
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
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Story and photo by MC3 Benjamin T. Liston
he Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) hosted an Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month celebration on the Floating Accommodation Facility (FAF) May 16. The celebration honored the rich history of AsianPacific heritage in the United States and especially throughout the Navy. “It’s amazing to see such an appreciation for not only my heritage, but other people’s heritage during this celebration,” said Master Chief Logistics Specialist Joselito Tolentino. “It’s an honor and a privilege to be a part of this celebration.” Lt. Michael Davis, Lincoln’s Diversity Council coordinator, shared the origin and history of the month as well as the legal processes that made it a nationally observed event. Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month was proposed June 1977. A bill was later passed through Congress and signed by then-president Jimmy Carter October 1978 declaring a one-week observance. In
1990, then-president George H.W. Bush signed an extension making the duration of the celebration a full month. In 1992, the celebration was designated a national observance month. The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869, which Asian Pacific Islanders helped build. “Learning about different cultures and where some of the crew members grew up or come from is what makes my job great,” said Davis. “Celebrating these cultures is what makes the Navy a unified, but diversified, team of well-rounded Sailors.” After the speech by Davis, Lincoln’s Commanding Officer, Capt. Karl O. Thomas, cut a commemorative cake with Tolentino, Master Chief Navy Career Counselor Paul Tyquiengco and Cryptologic Technician Seaman Imberli Tutor.
Personal Accounting Know Your BAH Regulations Information provided by Lincoln Personnel Department
E-4 OVER 4 and E-5 (Single BAH) Eligibility
• Member must be paid E-4 over 4 years of active duty or Paid E-5 • If member is already receiving BAQ Differential (for paying child support) prior to receiving single BAH member is entitled to Dependent BAH.
Required documents • BAH request Chit (It is not a special request chit) Member can pick up the request chit from Pay section in Personnel Office) • Full lease with signature from both member and landlord • Utility bill (Cell Phone Bill, Water or Electricity) • BAH Page 13 • Copy of Barracks Check out sheet (Even if you are not living in Barracks) • All the required documents must be routed in a folder with routing sheet.
E-6 and Above (Single BAH) Eligibility • Member who is paid E-6 or above • If member is already receiving BAQ Differential (for paying child support) prior to receiving single BAH member is entitled to Dependent BAH.
Required Documents • BAH Page 13
Member to Member (Mil to Mil) Eligibility • A uniformed service members married to another member who is in pay grade below E-6 and assigned to permanent sea duty is entitled to single BAH under JFTR PER U10400-E4 effective 01Jan2013.
Required Documents • Barracks Check out sheet (Even if you are not living in Barracks; E-5 and below) • BAH page 13 • Updated Page2. If page 2 is not updated yet, please bring your original marriage certificate to update your page 2.
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THE PENNY PRESS
Story and photo by MC3 Christina Naranjo