The Penny Press Volume 25 Issue 17

INSIDE

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Culinary Specialists

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OS2 Storms

Anchor Install

Around The Fleet

All I Ever Needed to Know I learned in Basic Training

by Cmdr. Carl P. Koch, PA, CRMD

My half-sister is getting married soon, and I’ll be performing her wedding. I was 32 when she was born.

The wedding should be fun, but planning has had some hiccups.

My dad died last year, so one brother is walking her down the aisle. But what about our oldest brother? What would he do? My sister finally decided he would do a reading.

My sister wants him to read, “All I ever needed to know I learned in Kindergarten.” An interesting reading for a wedding, but it fits her and our oldest brother.

Here’s part of the reading: “Share everything. Play fair. Don’t hit people. Put things back where you found

them. Clean up your own mess. Don’t take things that aren’t yours. Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody.”

There’s more, but you get the idea. Simple stuff. It’s not from any sacred text but it’s good counsel for a young couple getting married. It made me realize that we could probably say: “All I ever needed to know I learned in basic training.”

So, what did we learn in basic training? Wear the correct, clean uniform. Show up on time. Show up at the right location. Stay out of trouble. Do what you’re told.

Aim straight. Just like the kindergarten list, it’s pretty simple stuff.

This simple counsel works for new married couples as well as new Sailors. It works well for old ones too.

Why we make things more challenging is beyond me. But sometimes, we do.

Sometimes, we need to return to what we learned in kindergarten. Or what we learned in basic training. Have you complicated your life? Are you having a hard time returning to the simple stuff? Why not visit one of your chaplains. We may be able to help you untangle stuff.

And, we have good candy.

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Lincoln Sailors Train Aboard Truman Story and Photo Courtesy of USS Harry S. Truman Public Affairs

Sailors aboard aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) noticed a few new faces in the galley as three Sailors stationed on aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) took the opportunity to embark Harry S. Truman to receive training in an underway environment, Aug. 20 - 28.

Culinary Specialist Seaman Apprentice Robert Salet, Culinary Specialist Seaman Briana Robinson and Culinary Specialist Seaman Francis Childress trained in various Supply Department divisions aboard Truman to familiarize themselves with underway food service operations.

“The three Lincoln Sailors we had working with us had never been underway before,” said Master Chief Culinary Specialist Nathan Jiggetts, Supply Department’s S-2 division lead culinary specialist. “We were contacted by the Assistant Supply Officer from Lincoln requesting to send some new accession Sailors here to receive some training at sea.”

Jiggetts said the opportunity allowed Sailors the chance to receive hands-on training to use upon returning to their ship.

“There are a lot of Sailors like these [three] who have never been out to sea to have the opportunity to see how everything works,” he said. “It is easier to show a culinary specialist how to handle meal hours while underway than to just tell them. Physically being in the element is effective, efficient and builds morale at the same time.”

Jiggetts said it was important for the three of them, with a combined four years of Navy experience, to receive a holistic experience while aboard Truman.

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“Being a culinary specialist is about more than just cooking,” he asserted. “Here, we started them in the galley, but they didn’t finish there. We included the chief’s mess, wardroom, cargo and storerooms in their training.

When they return to their ship, they’ll have multiple tools at their disposal.”

Salet said his time out to sea has been a great experience and now has an example of how future deployments could be.

“I am so glad I took the opportunity to come here,” he said. “Everyday we were there, we learned something new. It was exciting because it’s important to continue to train and enhance my skill-set. Whether it was food preparation, baking or sanitation that I was learning, there is a lot to take away from this and apply on my ship.”

While in-rate training was the primary focus of their time underway, ship-wide knowledge and familiarity training was also an expectation.

“To see all the departments and spaces finished and operating was astonishing,” said Robinson. “Because [Lincoln] is in the shipyards, it’s hard to see what everything will potentially look like when it’s finished. As I walk through the mess decks or go to the gym here on Truman, I understand why everything is where it is on our ship.”

Robinson said she appreciated this opportunity and will always remember her time aboard Truman.

“This was a milestone for me,” she said. “This was my first time being out to sea and I took full advantage of it.”

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Photo by MC1 Gary Prill

A Week With Lincoln

Photo by MC3 Jeremiah Mills

Photo by MCSN Christopher Huot

Photo by MC3 Zachary Anderson

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Sailor In The Spotlight: OS2 Stephen Storms Photos and Story by MCSN Christopher Huot

“Operations Specialists are truly unique because we are capable of working in every area of operation,” said Operations Specialist (OS) 2nd Class Stephen Storms, assistant leading petty officer (ALPO) of PM-22 division aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).

Storms, originally from Arlington, Texas, began his Navy career in 2009 when he enlisted with the intent of becoming a nuclear field technician based out of his hometown. During Navy recruit training, he changed his job specialty to operations specialist.

“I chose OS because of their participation in search and rescue missions,” Storms said. “We help make the actual search and rescue plan that ships and aircraft use to locate missing persons.”

In 2010, Storms received his assignment to Lincoln after completing “A” school at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois. This was a course designed to train Sailors on different forms of radar, communications, weapons defense systems and other various techniques and lessons that would be needed for his new job.

“When I was assigned to Lincoln, after ‘A’ school, I stood what’s called the surface radar watch,” Storms said.

“The watch entails close range monitoring of all boats, and plotting and corrective course changes. Every OS gets to stand the surface radar watch, it’s kind of a starting point for us when we check onto our first ship.”

In 2011, Storms worked his way up to the position

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of systems track manager and was in charge of the equipment used for detection and tracking.

After Lincoln left its homeport of Everett, Washington for an eight-month around-the-world deployment in 2011, Storms was designated as the Carrier Tactical Support Center Data Base Manager (CVTSCDBM) of Destroyer Squadron 9 (DESRON 9).

“Working at DESRON 9 as the CVTSCDBM, I helped to build plans for search and rescue missions and transmit them to the search helicopters,” Storms said.

Among the ports of call Lincoln made before arriving in 2013 to its new homeport of Newport News, Virginia, Storms had the opportunity to visit exotic locations like Turkey and Singapore.

“Singapore was very diverse and hosted a lot of different cultures,” Storms said. “There was a lot of Asian culture and surprisingly a lot of American and British culture intertwined within the city. Overall, what stunned me was that Singapore was probably the cleanest city in the world.”

RCOH Milestone: Anchor Install Story by MCSN Matthew Young Photos by MC2 Danian Douglas

USS Abraham Lincoln’s (CVN 72) Deck department, along with help from Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) recently re-installed Lincoln’s anchor chains.

The installation of the anchor chains was part of a two week evolution was a major milestone in the refueling complex overhaul (RCOH) that the ship is currently in the midst of.

“This is a major RCOH milestone because we made sure that everything on the anchor chains and anchors were up to par and good to go,” said Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class Ackeem Stewart, lead Boatswain’s mate. “Lincoln could not move out of the dry dock until this evolution was complete.”

One of Lincoln’s anchors was deemed unusable, so an

anchor was installed from the recently decommissioned USS Enterprise (CVN 65).

“It carries on the heritage of the first nuclear powered aircraft carrier, Enterprise, to the second term of the Lincoln,” said Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class Nicholas Visbeck.

“By doing this it also saves the Navy money and allows us to shorten the times that we are in the yards.”

“This whole evolution is important to me because this is the first rate-specific job that I have gotten to do since we’ve been in the yards,” Visbeck said. “My favorite thing about deck department and being out at sea is anchoring. So to be able to get the anchor chain back on board and to be able to see it every morning again; it feels like I just walked on board yesterday.”

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Fiscal Year 2015 General Military Training Requirements Announced

by Susan D. Henson, Center for Personal and Professional Development Public Affairs

The Navy’s General Military Training (GMT) schedule for fiscal year 2015 (FY-15), announced Sept. 2, outlines significant changes for the program, according to Naval Administrative Message (NAVADMIN) 202/14.

“We listened to what the fleet had to say and what command leaders recommended, and as a result the Navy is giving command triads greater flexibility and more say in how their individual commands deliver GMT topics,” said Capt. Ferdinand Reid, commanding officer of the Center for Personal and Professional Development, which administers the GMT program.

The feedback came from a variety of levels throughout the Navy and was provided to the Navy’s Flag/Senior Executive Planning Board for Training, with input from U.S. Fleet Forces Command, as well as numerous others, according to the message. The outcome of this coordination was the consolidation of several training topics into fewer lessons and eliminating anger management as a topic altogether.

Another significant change is command leaders will have the option of what subjects to deliver that satisfy the personal financial management (PFM) GMT requirement.

“This allows commanders to best meet the needs of their command by tailoring the training to their Sailors’ knowledge level and requirements,” said Reid.

Examples of PFM topics include car buying strategies, credit management, home buying, and financial planning for deployment.

The NAVADMIN also lists required training for FY-15, provides updated guidance for unit commanders regarding which lessons must be delivered face to face, and gives discretion on how some lessons are delivered to Sailors in their commands.

“All the required lessons are listed on the Navy Knowledge Online (NKO) GMT page along with the standardized training materials. Content is also available on Navy eLearning for certain topics that aren’t required to be delivered in face to face sessions,” said Reid.

DARDANELLES STRAIT (Sept. 3, 2014) Intelligence Specialist Seaman Ronald Freeman observes outbound civilian merchant traffic aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) while transiting the Dardanelles Strait en route to the Black Sea. Ross, forward deployed to Rota, Spain, is conducting naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe.

(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class John Herman/Released)

PACIFIC OCEAN (Aug. 29, 2014) Gunner’s Mate 2nd Class Ashley Jebens, from Devine, Texas, observes Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Joel Ochoa, from Riverside, Calif., fire an M2HB .50-caliber machine gun from the fantail of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). Carl Vinson is underway in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Scott Fenaroli/Released)

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GMT is an opportunity for command leaders to have targeted, meaningful conversations with their Sailors about character, integrity and professionalism using the GMT content as their road map, he said.

In keeping with guidance that supports the Navy’s efforts of reducing administrative distractions to eliminate administrative burdens on the fleet, FY-15 GMT topics are divided into two categories.

Category one training must be conducted as face to face sessions led by facilitators at the command level.

Commands are directed to use senior leadership, such as chief petty officers and command training team members, to deliver this category of training.

“We encourage commands to partner with local subject matter experts and collateral duty officers to complement the standardized GMT content. This will help expand the impact of the training experience for Sailors,” Reid said.

FY-15 training topics in category one include Equal Opportunity; Hazing Policy and Prevention; Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Awareness; and Suicide Awareness and Prevention.

The topics listed on the NKO GMT page not identified as category one are considered category two.

The delivery method for category two lessons is at the discretion of unit commanders. Several, but not all, category two lessons are available as web based training and can also be delivered in face to face sessions. When multiple delivery methods exist, commanders may also choose to combine them in order to most effectively

CARTAGENA, Colombia (Sept. 1, 2014) Navy Diver 1st Class Shawn Gerasimchik, assigned to Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU) 2, Company 2-1, explores an underwater wreck during a joint dive with Colombian divers from the Departamento de Buceo y Salvamento.

The MDSU-2 divers are in Colombia working with the Armada de la Republica de Colombia as part of Southern Partnership Station 2014.

Southern Partnership Station is a U.S. Navy deployment focused on subject matter expert exchanges with partner nation militaries and security forces in Central and South America and the Caribbean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Brett Cote/ Released)

balance command operational requirements with training opportunities.

To help commands plan their training, the NKO GMT page has a planning calendar that lays out suggested months for training delivery coinciding with national and Navy wide communication themes.

These won’t be the only changes to the Navy GMT program, said Reid.

“We’re constantly reviewing GMT materials with the intent of delivering the most up to date training to meet fleet needs and Sailors’ learning styles,” he said.

“Because of this, we update the GMT page on NKO on a monthly basis, at a minimum. So keep checking the NKO GMT page and please send us feedback on how we can improve GMT lessons and the overall program.”

Sailors with feedback should submit it to the Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD) via email at gmt.distribution(at)navy.mil.

For more information about the CPPD, visit https:// www.netc.navy.mil/centers/cppd/.

For more news from the Center for Personal and Professional Development, visit www.navy.mil/local/ voledpao/.

Find CPPD on Facebook at https://www.facebook. com/pages/Center-for-Personal-and-ProfessionalDevelopment/100056459206 and on Twitter @ CENPERSPROFDEV.

PHILIPPINE SEA (Aug. 28, 2014) Damage Control Fireman Marten Palomo, right, from Edenbergh, Texas, relays a message to Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Julius Gomez, left, from Reno, Nev. during an engineering casualty drill aboard the Oliver Hazard Perry-class guidedmissile frigate USS Rodney M. Davis (FFG 60). Rodney M. Davis is on patrol in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility supporting security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Derek A. Harkins/Released)