Welcome Aboard! USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) 4th of July Safety Our nation’s glorious Independence Day is fast approaching and many of us will be celebrating the United States’ 240th birthday with family, cookouts, and fireworks galore. But before we go fire up the grills, it is important for us to consider holiday safety to ensure that we all have a pleasant 4th of July and return back to our ship safely. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), this is the most dangerous holiday of the year. The NSC estimates that over 400 people in the United States may be killed on the road and over 53,000 may be seriously injured in crashes during the threeday holiday period. The NSC estimates that 181 lives will be saved by wearing seatbelts. It is important that you take extra precaution while driving during this holiday weekend as roads will be more congested, increasing the likelihood of an accident.
Remember, alcohol and driving do not mix. Have a designated driver or use your safe ride card if you are going to drink. Remember to always wear your seatbelt and to never use a cellphone behind the wheel. For those of us going on long trips, make sure you are well-rested and take regular breaks during your trip.
MCSN Jacques-Laurent Jean-Giles
Fireworks are another thing that do not mix with alcohol. For Sailors staying in Virginia for the holiday, be mindful that fireworks are illegal in Virginia without permit. An adult should handle fireworks; never give them to children. Sparklers burn at approximately 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit, and account for 19 percent of fireworksrelated injuries, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. If a firework is a dud, do not pick it up to relight it. After a firework has been lit, stay clear from it. Don’t light fireworks near power lines or homes.
INTHIS ISSUE
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One of Lincoln’s own is chosen to play in worldwide soccer championship.
The Penny Press wishes to remind everyone that a safe 4th of July is a fun 4th of July.
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Lincoln Sailor mentors youth for Memorial Day.
Lincoln Sailors take a day for funin-the-sun at the command picnic.
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Navy Announces Further Review of Enlisted Rating Titles From Chief of Naval Personnel Public Affairs
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- In order to be as inclusive as possible and reflect that all Navy occupations are open to men and women, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus recently met with his leadership team to discuss the service’s enlisted rating titles review.
force, mirroring more closely the nation that we defend, this is an opportunity to update position titles and descriptions to be more inclusive and better translate occupation and skill sets to prospective employers when Sailors and Marines leave the service,” said Mabus.
During the meeting, senior Navy leaders, including Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Mike Stevens, agreed to develop a new approach to enlisted ratings that provides greater detailing flexibility, training and credentialing opportunities, is more gender inclusive, and ultimately translates Navy occupations more clearly to the American public.
The Navy will establish a second working group comprised of senior leaders from throughout the fleet to study how potential changes to rating titles may affect related personnel policy issues. Results of that review are expected to be completed and announced later this fall.
“As we move to achieve full integration of the
As the Navy implements several personnel
“This is an important opportunity for the Navy,” said Stevens. “We have a chance to pour a foundation that will last for decades to come.”
policy changes as part of its Sailor 2025 program, senior leaders expect the results of this review to allow more flexibility in detailing Sailors, provide greater training and credentialing opportunities, and help Sailors become more marketable to civilian employers once they leave the service. They also envision a point where some combinations of today’s rates, with similar training and experience, can quickly and easily cross into the occupations of other similar rates with a limited amount of additional training or experience. This has the potential to enhance career flexibility and detailing options for our Sailors, while also improving “fit” - our ability to get the right Sailors with the right skills into the right billets across the fleet.
Requests for Separations, Retirements Move to Online Process From Navy Personnel Command Public Affairs
MILLINGTON, Tenn. (NNS) -- The transition to requesting retirement, including requests to transfer to the fleet Reserve and separations online, was announced June 8 in NAVADMIN 133/16. Retirement and separations (R&S) will be implemented incrementally through the Navy Standard Integrated Personnel System (NSIPS) beginning in June 2016 and continuing throughout the summer and fall. The initial roll out will include the commands supported by Personnel Support Det. (PSD) Gulfport, Mississippi; Little Creek, Virginia; and Memphis, Tennessee. Once
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implementation satisfactorily, a phased roll out of the remaining PSDs will follow. A schedule will be posted and announced. Additionally, NSIPS Web-Afloat implementation timeline is dependent on the ship modernization process and will be completed in about 24 months after initial roll-out. “The transition to requesting and routing retirement and separations requests is the first end-to-end personnel process to be reengineered,” said Ann Stewart, assistant chief of naval personnel for pay and personnel. “This major modernization integrates and streamlines the retirement and separation business process and is inclusive of officers, enlisted, active and reserve personnel.”
Routing online will allow for verification along with routing and transparent tracking of applications for the individual Sailor, their command, the PSD and Navy Personnel Command. Sailors and command personnel can begin training for the new process now. Once logged into NSIPS, users can find a link to User Productivity Kits near the bottom of the page. Beyond that link is training geared toward familiarizing Sailors with the R&S process as well as listing the requirements command will need to be able to route the requests.
Damage control fireman angel vallejo
SCORING THE GOAL Story and photos by MCSN Jacques-Laurent Jean-Gilles
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eemingly unfazed by the intense Norfolk evening heat, a young USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) Sailor put his whole heart into the Naval Station Norfolk Spring Soccer League Championship June 9, bringing home the command’s first championship trophy in three years. Damage Controlman Fireman Angel Vallejo, a native of Anaheim, Calif. put on a show in front of the packed bleachers with his pinpoint passes, trickery in tight spaces, and his mazy runs to cut through the defense of USS Gerald R. Ford’s team.
Vallejo’s talents have not gone unnoticed. The Lincoln Sailor was not only selected for the All-Navy Soccer team, but also the United States Armed Forces Soccer team, a team comprised of the best players from each branch of service.“I applied for the All-Navy team because my teammates believed in my ability and urged me to go for it,” said Vallejo. “I played pickup games in Virginia Beach where I met Lt. Scott Cook, the captain of the All-Navy team, and he kept telling me that I was talented and should try to join the team.” Vallejo was tested both physically and mentally at the All-Navy training camp in Pensacola, Fl, where the coaches observe the Navy’s brightest talents, sending
the majority that attend home in order to make a team. “It was a really tough experience,” said Vallejo. “The first day there we ran for 13 miles, which I didn’t expect. Luckily, I had been training hard with Chris Jacquard, “the Fit Boss” on the Lincoln, who helped me get in the best shape of my life.” Vallejo didn’t think he would last through the rigorous training, and felt he was fighting against the odds. “When we all got to the training camp, the coach there said that he was going to send 10 of us home,” said Vallejo. “I really thought that I was going to be one of the ones sent back because not only was I the youngest and most junior Sailor at the training camp, I hadn’t played for a Division 1 college team like most of the other guys.” Vallejo turned to his father whose advice helped him find the mental strength to exhibit his talents and succeed at the training camp, “My dad would always tell me since I was a little boy that when I played soccer, to play in a way to make people remember my name,” said Vallejo. He applies this advice to his everyday life, not just in soccer.
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“I try to make people remember my name in a good way when it comes to being the best damage controlman and Sailor I can be, being a good person and a good family member,” said Vallejo. “My twoyear-old daughter carries my name, and I know that I have to be the first example of a great man in her life.” Vallejo and the All-Navy team made it to the final of the Armed Forces Championship where they met the Air Force. He was injured and missed the final half of the game, and the Navy lost the match. In spite of his injury and the Navy’s loss, Vallejo still managed to make a name for himself at the Armed Forces Championship, and was chosen for the AllMilitary team to represent the United States military at the Conseil International du Sport Militaire World Football Cup in Muscat, Oman, in January 2017, featuring 16 national teams from all over the world. “I can only thank the outstanding chain of command at the Lincoln,” said Vallejo. “They supported me every step of the way so it’s a great honor to be able to pay them back by doing great things.” He prides himself in being a damage controlman that plays soccer for the Navy. “I chose damage controlman as my job because it’s a lot like soccer,” said Vallejo. “I’m a team player, and when things go wrong, I like to able to influence a solution, whether I’m fighting a fire or helping the team score a goal.”
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Hope Through Tragedy
Lincoln Sailor mentors youth for Memorial Day
Story by MC2 Eric Soto
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or many, Memorial Day is a time to relax and spend time with their loved ones. For many others, however, it is a somber time as they remember those they have lost in the defense of freedom and our nation. Masterat-Arms 1st Class Jarmaal Kellogg, assigned to Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), works to support those who have suffered such loss with the help of the national Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS).
TAPS, established in 1994, provides a ‘Good Grief Camp’ which aims to give children the opportunity to succeed in life following the loss of a loved one in the military. The goal was to have 500 mentors but we still made it work with 425, said Kellogg.
The program works to bring children and teens from all over the nation and pair them with military mentors throughout the Memorial Day weekend to learn how we honor our fallen service members.
Lincoln is currently undergoing a Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH) at Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries in Newport News. Lincoln is the fifth ship of the Nimitzclass to undergo an RCOH, a major lifecycle milestone. Once ROCH is complete, Lincoln will be one of the modern and technologically advanced Nimitz-class aircraft carriers in the fleet and will continue to be a vital part of the nation’s defense.
“I learned about TAPS when I was stationed out in DC. I was on the Secretary of the Navy’s protection detail and on the ride home one night was asked if I was interested in volunteering for it,” Kellogg said.
Kellogg has been mentoring the same child for the past four years and keeps in contact with him throughout the year. “This program is one of the most rewarding, selfless experiences,” Kellogg said.
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Manage Stress While it’s Still Small 1. “I do not want to just sit there and talk about my feelings” - Good, because I do not want to sit there and talk about them the whole time either. Research behind treatment encourages action, be that behavioral changes or cognitive restructuring. I primarily practice Cognitive Behavioral Therapy which integrates those concepts. Words from Lt. Vahe Sarkissian, ship psychologist
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hat were 43.6 million adults (18% of the adult population) in the United States diagnosed with the previous year? I am sure the title of this article gave it away; it is a mental health disorder. The above number does not include substance use disorders. If you think about it, that means almost 1 out of every 5 people in the last year had a mental health disorder. Now look around the ship, we have about 3,000 Sailors, which means that it is likely that someone in your workspace is experiencing some type of distress that may meet criteria for a mental health disorder, including yourself. There are a wide range of disorders people may be experiencing. It is important not to minimize the impact that mental health can have. We need to not be ashamed of our mental health, just like we do not hide when we have a cold, leg injury or stomach pain due to eating gas station sushi. Experiencing mental distress is completely normal. I know people have personal reservations about mental health, and I am going to attempt to address the more common ones:
2. “I am going to lose my NEC/rating/ job” - That may happen, but you have to ask yourself, what is more important doing that job right now, or your health, because as we said mental health is just as important as physical health. In addition, if you come early, we may resolve the symptoms and have no impact at all on your job. You also have other resources that may not impact your NEC that have confidentiality such as the Chaplains, Fleet and Family, and Military One Source. If you have any questions regarding these resources, HM2 Brown or I can provide all the information needed. 3. “I do not want to be put on meds” That also works, because I personally cannot give them to you anyway and we cannot force you to take them. Also medication alone has a lower chance of continued success if therapy is not combined with it. There are many resources available out there for mental health treatment. I often compare mental distress to fire - when is the best time to put out a fire? When it is still small. The same is true when it comes to distress. If people have questions regarding mental health, it is important that they ask the ship’s Medical department and not Dr. Google. Even if you are just interested in the world of psychology or a particular mental health field, I will be glad to answer all questions.
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Command Picnic 2016 Photos by MCSN Jacques-Laurent Jean-Gilles
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AROUND
THE COMMAND
Airman Vincent Stewart prepares to raise the American flag during morning colors. Photo by MC3 Aaron Kiser
Commanding Officer Cpt. Ronald Ravelo and Retail Operations Officer Lt. j.g. Melissa Smith cut the ribbon for the opening of the Lincoln Mall. Photo by MC3 Juan Cubano
Chief Aviation Electronics Technician Traffic Controller Joel Burton is piped ashore following his retirement ceremony. Photo by MC3 Evan Parker
Sailors stand in front of the White House during a Washington, D.C. trip. Photo by MCSN Ashley Northen
Sailors participate in Lincoln’s Captain’s Cup. Photo by MC3 Ciarra Thibodeaux
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Capt. Todd Marzano, Capt. Ron Ravelo and Master Chief Lee Salas with Sailors cut a cake during a Battle of Midway remembrance ceremony. Photo by MC2 Eric Soto
Shipbuilders move equipment from the top of the ship for work in lower spaces aboard Lincoln. Photo by MC3 Aaron Kiser
A wrecked car is brought onboard during a Safety evolution. Photo by MC3 Evan Parker
Sailors participate in the spring PFA cycle. Photo by MCSN Ashley Northen