INSIDE
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Fit Boss
Senior Says Goodbye
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Hispanic Heritage
Around The Fleet
Working on a Chain Gang? by Cmdr. Carl P. Koch, PA, CRMD
Driving to work one day, I heard this song and it struck me, this could be the ABE Shipyard Theme Song: “Ooh, aah, ooh, aah Ooh, aah, ooh, aah (Well, don’t you know) That’s the sound of the men Working on the chain gang That’s the sound of the men Working on the chain gang” “Chain Gang,” written by Sam Cooke, was released in 1960. In its day, this lament was an incredibly popular song. We may revive it! I was trained to be a chaplain. I always do chaplain stuff. But I know that’s not true for many of you. You’re not doing what you were trained to do. And you’re doing what you’re not trained to do every day. With no end in sight, these words may be bouncing around in your head: “That’s the sound of the men Working on the chain gang That’s the sound of the men Working on the chain gang” Some guy named Asaph wrote the following words: “All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning. When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me” (Psalm 73:14,16, NIV).
Asaph identified a huge part of the problem, “When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant...” (Psalm 73:21). A huge part of the problem was his embittered attitude! Asaph was given a glimpse of the big picture. When he gained understanding his whole attitude changed! He went from complaining about his situation to praising God! No matter what our job is on ABE, getting a glimpse of the big picture may help change our attitudes. The big picture is simple: We’re not on a chain gang. We’re getting this beast of a warship prepared for 25 more years of warfighting. Ooh, aah, ooh, aah Ooh, aah, ooh, aah (Well, don’t you know) That’s the sound of the crew Working on the LINCOLN…
Sam Cooke may have been singing this before your parents were born, but it’s like he was singing it for you! Asaph wrote before I was born, but it’s like he was writing for you. Chain gang work and oppressive punishment that can’t be understood! Exactly! Welcome to ABE! Sam Cooke’s song doesn’t have a happy ending but Asaph’s story ends far better than it started. So can our shipyard story.
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Meet the Fitboss N Photos and Story by MCSA Ashley Northen
imitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) Sailors pursuing physical fitness goals received a valuable resource when Chris Jacquard arrived at the command as the new Command Fitness Director, or Fit Boss. Jacquard has an extensive background in the strength and conditioning fields and he says he intends to use his knowledge to help Sailors become the warriors that the Navy needs. Jacquard holds a bachelor’s of science degree in exercise science and a master’s of science degree in kinesiology. In addition to his college education, Jacquard has multiple certifications in fitness and has coached Olympic athletes and National Football League (NFL) players. The mixture of experience and education has influenced the way that Jacquard coaches and the understanding he has for people trying to obtain their fitness goals. “With the diversity between the education, with the bachelor’s, the master’s and my two certifications, I was able to get a base of knowledge ranging from the Olympic lifts, to power lifts, all the way through to injury rehab and all the anatomy and physiology that goes with it,” Jacquard said. “There is a broader ray of education and experience and all the exposure that comes with those.” Although the experience and knowledge that Jacquard has encourages him to be a committed coach to Lincoln Sailors, his passion for sports is what led him to the career in fitness that he has now. “I pursued what I love,” Jacquard said. “I was able to play a lot of sports. That led me to college sports, which led me to enjoying the strength and conditioning, or performance training aspect of it and I just fell into a position where I was fortunate enough to get a shot to
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coach at the highest levels.” Jacquard’s passion for fitness influences the way he coaches the Sailors and the care that he gives when training people and helping them achieve their goals. “I enjoy interacting with the Sailors,” Jacquard said. “I enjoy the gratification that they get when they are pushed and they look at me and you can tell by the look on their face that they have found something new in themselves.” Jacquard enjoys the fact that his job at the Lincoln presents him with a specific group of people to work with and focus on. He is in charge of the physical training of Sailors and the fitness goals that they set for themselves. “The Lincoln is a team and I am responsible for a set amount of individuals and making sure they have the best opportunities to succeed through physical fitness and training,” Jacquard said. “What I hope to do is engage the Sailors and give them something to look forward to. They need to be able to PT well, have a good PT structure and really believe and know that they can come to me with questions.” Jacquard says that he wants Lincoln Sailors to know that he is committed to his work and to helping them have a strong conviction towards achieving their fitness goals. “If they come to me with dreams, goals and aspirations, we are going to see them through to the end, one way or another,” Jacquard said. “I think that having a positive attitude, having a constructive mentality and aspiring to be something more than you are, that is something very special and it is something that every person should have. I am here to help Sailors with that in whatever capacity that I can.”
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Photos of the week
FCCS Says Goodbye To AFRH Story and Photo By MCSA Brandon Davis
Fire Controlman Senior Chief (FCCS) Eric Paschal, a Sailor assigned to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) participated in his final community relations project (COMREL) for the Navy’s 239th birthday October 13 at the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Washington, D.C. Paschal brought a total of eight Sailors to the Armed Forces Retirement Home, where he participated in, and gave a speech in honor of, the Armed Forces Retirement Home’s celebration for the Navy’s 239th birthday. Paschal has been volunteering monthly at the Armed Forces Retirement Home since 2013, and was grateful to be able to participate in the celebration. “I feel honored to have had the opportunity to speak at the Armed Forces Retirement Home on the Navy’s birthday,” said Paschal. Paschal is slated to transfer to New Mexico, and said that he is appreciative of the connection that he shares with all of the veterans at the Armed Forces Retirement Home. “I’m glad I was able to come out and speak,” said Paschal. “As it turns out, there’s a lot of connection with the veterans, especially the army ones who served in the area that I’m headed to next. It makes you realize how small our military community is, active duty and veterans alike. We’ve all been to similar places and shared similar experiences.” Paschal regularly participated in COMRELs at the Armed Forces Retirement Home to help the veterans, but also to give the junior Sailors a chance to see the military
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from a different point of view. “Every time that I come up to the Armed Forces Retirement Home I’ve had good responses from the Sailors that come up with me, so the experience that I feel when I come up here isn’t something unique to just me, the other Sailors who come up with me feel the same way,” said Paschal. “I hope the opportunity to come to the Armed Forces Retirement Home and meet with the residents will put some perspective into their lives about serving in the Navy and serving their country.” Paschal has plans to participate in other COMRELs once he arrives at his duty station in New Mexico. “I’ve been station in New Mexico before, and I had the opportunity to with a group that does a yearly “Military Appreciation Week” where we showed the community some of the things that the military does,” said Paschal. “I liked having all of the civilians come by and show their appreciation, and I’d like to be a part of that again.” At the end of the day, Paschal was happy to help the veterans at the Armed Forces Retirement Home in any way he could. “The majority of our time at the Armed Forces Retirement Home is more service-oriented,” said Paschal. “Today was about being part of the celebration of the Navy’s birthday, but normally when we come up we’re here to help the veterans. Being able to come here to assist people who have given basically everything to this country makes you feel like you’re a part of something that’s beyond just yourself.”
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Lincoln Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month
Story and Photos by MCSN Aaron Kiser
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ailors assigned to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month aboard the ship’s floating accommodation facility Oct. 10. The event was held as part of National Hispanic Heritage Month and the galley was crowded with Sailors taking part in a cake cutting ceremony. “This celebration is dedicated to honoring Hispanic Americans who have served in the present and the past,” said Lt. Jihyeok Lim, Lincoln’s command diversity officer. Lim is in charge of organizing events every month to honor different cultures. He said he feels that educating Sailors on diverse heritages is important to understand one another. “By raising awareness of different cultures, we can also enable our Sailors to celebrate all of the differences that make up the crew together,” Lim said. Yeoman 3rd Class Julius Vega attended the ceremony and said he felt pride at being able to see everyone come out in support of the event. “I’m happy that so many Sailors came to take part in this ceremony,” Vega said. “I think that everyone, no matter who you are, should always be proud of where they came from and learn from their past in order to look forward to their future goals to meet them with success.”
Lincoln is currently undergoing a refueling complex overhaul (RCOH) at Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries. Lincoln is the fifth ship of the Nimitz-class to undergo RCOH, a major life-cycle milestone. Once RCOH is complete, Lincoln will be one of the most modern and technologically advanced Nimitz-class aircraft carriers in the fleet and will continue to be a vital part of the nation’s defense.
Fleet week San Franciso Hosts USS America (LHA6) Commissioning by Chief of Naval Operations Energy and Environmental Readiness Division Public Affairs
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he Navy is spreading the word about its energy and environmental programs as part of Fleet Week San Francisco, with exhibits aboard USS America (LHA 6), USS Kidd (DDG 100) and at Pier 39. The USS America (LHA 6), the Navy’s newest amphibious assault ship, was commissioned during a formal ceremony at Pier 30/32 during San Francisco Fleet Week, on October 11. Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV), the Honorable Ray Mabus, highlighted the ship’s advanced technology, including energy efficiencies that enhance the ship’s warfighting and humanitarian assistance capabilities. “From the fuelsaving hybrid drive to a host of other systems, American technological innovation and manufacturing skill have always been powerful advantages,” said SECNAV. In addition to its gas turbine engines, USS America is equipped with an electric auxiliary propulsion system (APS) that saves fuel at speeds under 12 knots. Because LHA ships spend the majority of their time traveling at low speeds, this hybrid system can allow the ship to stay on station longer and/or travel farther between refueling.
During the ceremony, Adm. Harry B. Harris, Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, commended the crew for their performance during acceptance trials and sailing around South America. He also stressed the importance of the Navy’s use of biofuels, fuel-saving electric auxiliary propulsion systems afloat, and solar and wind power ashore. The Chief of Naval Operations Energy and Environmental Readiness (N45) exhibits on board the USS America (LHA 6), USS Kidd (DDG 100), and at Pier 39 highlight the Navy’s efforts to become more energy efficient and combat capable through technology and workforce training, and to explore domestically-produced sources of alternative fuel. The displays also describe Navy environmental initiatives such as marine mammal research, shipboard management of plastics and other materials at sea, and using technology and best practices to keep oil out of the ocean and manage chemicals for ship maintenance. Fleet Week San Francisco also enabled Sailors and the general public to learn about the Navy’s recently launched “Energy Warrior” app that is available free from the app store for iPads and Android devices.
PEARL HARBOR (Oct. 2, 2014) Col. Randall Huiss, 15th Wing commander, tours a P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft assigned to the Golden Eagles of Patrol Squadron (VP) 9 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam, Hawaii. Patrol squadron units will be operating out of Hickam Airfield during a two-month renovation of Marine Corps Base Hawaii spaces, requiring coordination and cooperation between Navy and Air Force commands to ensure successful missions. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Amber L. Porter/Released)
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION (Oct. 15, 2014) Capt. Barry “Butch” Wilmore, left, from Mt. Juliet, Tenn., and Cmdr. Reid Wiseman, from Baltimore, Md., both U.S. Navy pilots, show fly Navy signs in the International Space Station after a spacewalk. Wilmore is scheduled to assume command of the station in November. (U.S. Navy photo courtesy of NASA/Released)
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