What’s Inside...
Public Affairs Officer Howard Sam Samuelson Assistant Public Affairs Officer Courtney Pollock
Suicide Prevention
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Leading Chief Petty Officer MCC Ben Farone Editor MC3 Matthew Duncker Skywriter Staff MC3 Jason C. Bawgus MC3 Matthew Duncker
CPO Season Wrap Up
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Host Nation Relations Masako Takakura Sumie Maruyama Ikumi Tanaka Webmaster Noriko Yamazaki
Facebook.com/naf.atsugi
25 Years of HSM-51
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ON THE COVER LT. BRITTANY
GILMARTIN, A PILOT ASSIGNED TO HSM-51,COMMENCES A PRE-FLIGHT CHECK ON AN MH-60R SEA HAWK ENGINE PRIOR TO A SCHEDULED FLIGHT. (U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY MASS COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST 3RD CLASS MATTHEW C. DUNCKER/ RELEASED)
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Turning the Page
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Pictured from left, Sailors assigned to Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Light Five One pose for a photo with their detachment sign in July 1991 during the squadron’s pre-established event. Pictured below, Sailors stand in formation during a change of command ceremony for Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 51 in July 2016.
PHOTO BY MC3 MATTHEW DUNCKER
JULY 1991
A look back at Skywriter news from past decades and what’s happening today.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE
Story by mc3 Matthew C. Duncker
NAF Atsugi Public Affairs Office
Lazatin added, “Deployments are also very stressful for Sailors and some succumb to feelings of hopelessness and depression that can lead to suicidal behavior. As a leader I try to stay as intrusive as I can in my Sailors’ lives to know when they are reaching this point and how to better help them with these issues.” Effective treatments and interventions are available for depression, situational stressors, and other health problems that are risk factors for suicide. Understanding warning signs and risk factors can help prevent, identify, and enable early intervention to save lives. Tips to help Sailors stay mission-ready include: find personal time; improve physical conditioning; avoid alcohol and substance abuse; and identify people to turn to when in need such as a friend, family member, chaplain, or health care professional. “Engaging in social programs such as the Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions or the Junior Sailor and Petty Officer associations can help prevent feelings of hopelessness,” said Lazatin. “Also referrals to medical professionals, Fleet and Family Support Center or the Chaplin’s office are also ways to help Sailors.” “A Sailor can come to my office and speak to me about any problems or issues with complete confidentiality,” said Ballaban. “We have a duty phone, if you are feeling hopeless or depressed, even at 2 a.m., we will answer your call, we want you to be cared for, and we want you to live a long, healthy life.”
Suicide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), was the 10th leading cause of death (for all ages) in the U.S. in 2013. In that same year there were 161 suicides D.O.D.-wide. That’s one every 18 hours. Building resilience and preventing suicide requires all members of the Navy being there for every Sailor and family member. “Even if it was only one Sailor a year committing suicide it would be one Sailor too many,” said Lt. Steven Ballaban, a Chaplain at Naval Air Facility Atsugi and a Suicide Prevention counselor from Atlanta, Ga. Suicide, as defined by the CDC, is when people direct violence at themselves with the intent to end their lives, and they die as a result of their actions. “When a Sailor’s losing hope, they tend to forget where they come from, forget about the fact that people care about them and their wellbeing,” said Ballaban. “They begin to have no connection with their past and can’t see where they fit in with the Navy or the future in general.” “When a shipmate begins to talk about not having a future or giving away their possessions, that is a large sign that something is wrong and help or treatment is needed,” said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Vanessa Lazatin, assigned to Branch Health Clinic, Atsugi. “Specific risk factors and stressors associated with suicide have been linked to illness, isolation, family issues, financial difficulties, depressive disorders or other mental health concerns, impulsive behaviors or lack of sleep. Warning signs include thoughts or comments about The Command Chaplin’s office can be reached at suicide, substance abuse, purposelessness, anxiety, feeling On-base: 264-3202, DSN: (315) 264-3202 and Commercial trapped or hopeless, withdrawal, anger, recklessness, and (within Japan): 0467-63-3202 mood changes,” said Ballaban. 4
NAF ATSUGI HOSTS BON ODORI PHOTOS BY MC3 MATTHEW C. DUNCKER
Naval Air Facility Atsugi hosted a mini-Bon Odori festival at the installation’s Halsey Gymnasium. The festival featured performances from the Bon Odori Dancers, NAF Atsugi Taiko Kids and a taiko drum performance from command leadership.
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MAKING
CHIEFS IN JAPAN:
A True Team Effort
Story by MCC Ben Farone Photos by NAF Atsugi Public Affairs Office 6
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After six weeks of mental, physical and team-building challenges, 16 Chief Petty Officer selectees donned their new khaki uniforms and marched onto the stage in Naval Air Facility Atsugi’s Cinema 77 to receive their anchors, Sept. 16. Though faced with these challenges, the group met the high standards required for acceptance into the Chief Petty Officers Mess. “The selectees did a great job overall during the season. In the beginning, like every year, it’s hard to get the teamwork to happen, but towards the end of the season they gelled together nicely and worked together as one cohesive team and we’re happy to have them join our mess”, said Senior Chief Aviation Electronics Technician Dennis Fain, Watertown, N.Y. native and CPO 365 Phase 2 co-lead. Challenges like those faced during a first class petty officer’s transition into Chief are difficult enough for U.S. Navy Sailors, but what happens when you step outside your comfort zone and even your own country’s uniformed service to face this task? That’s exactly what Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) Chief Aviation Machinist Mate Kazuhiro Konaru accepted when he chose to join fifteen other Chief Petty Officer selectees from Atsugi for Phase 2. This choice may be unique enough on its own, but according to pinning ceremony guest speaker, Capt. Richard Prest, Commander Task Force 72 / Commander Fleet Air Forward, it’s just one of the many aspects of the bilateral relationship shared between the U.S. Navy and JMSDF.
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“We’re not only sharing the tradition of this ceremony with our close Japanese friends, but today Chief Select Kazuhiro Konaru, from the JMSDF 61st Flight Squadron will be pinned alongside his U.S. Navy counterparts – a powerful sign of the strength of our alliance” said Prest. For Konaru, the idea of participating in Phase 2 was an intimidating, yet interesting prospect. “I watched some of my former JMSDF shipmates participate and I was interested as well. My former Command Master Chief offered me the chance to take it and I did. I didn’t know the details of what it took to complete Phase 2, but watching from the outside, it looked very cool to be a Chief. The U.S. Navy Chiefs show very good leadership performance… public speaking, positive attitude and correcting mistakes of junior guys.” For Fain, having an active participant from the JMSDF helped shape ideas and practices beneficial for both of the services. “With Kaz (Konaru) in the mix, it really helped diversify our group and we were able to learn some of the challenges JMSDF has and they were able to learn some of the challenges we had and we learned from those; we learned how each other’s forces are structured and how they handle diversity and those things really helped our selectees learn and take those lessons and put them PHOTOS BY MC3 JASON in their toolbox for later.”
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PHOTO BY MC3 NATHAN BURKE
YOUR AIRWING AT SEA
PHOTO BY MCSN JAMAAL LIDDELL
Sailors maneuver and prepare aircraft for flight operations on the flight deck of the Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). Flight operations mark the embarkation of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 aircraft to Ronald Reagan for their routine patrol.
PHOTO BY MCSN JAMAAL LIDDELL
Sailors assigned to the “Diamondbacks” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 102 perform a fresh water wash-down on an F/A-18 Super Hornet on the flight deck of the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76).
Aviation ordnancemen remove an AIM-120/AMRAAM missile from an F/A-18 Super Hornet on the flight deck of the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), for use during a SINKEX evolution as part of Exercise Valiant Shield 2016. Valiant Shield is a biennial, U.S.-only field-training exercise with a focus on integration of joint training among U.S. forces. 11
CELEBRATING
25WITH
YEARS
HSM-51
“HSL-51 Warlords established at ceremony” Skywriter October 11. 1991
The Warlords of Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Light Five One were formally established as the Navy’s newest fighting unit at 2 p.m., Oct. 3, 1991 during a ceremony in hangar 195, Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan. VADM Stanley R. Arthur, Commander U.S. Seventh Fleet was the principal speaker. Also speaking was RADM Don W. Baird, Commander Antisubmarine Warfare Wing Pacific. Other distinguished guest included VADM Matasaburo Saito, Commander fleet Air force (Japan), RADM Jesse J. Hernandez, Commander Naval Forces Japan, RADM Tetsuya Nakama, Commander Fleet Air Wing four (Japan), RADM Daniel P. March, commander Carrier group five and RADM Steven R. Briggs, Commander Fleet Air Western Pacific. HSL-51 becomes the Navy’s first and only lamps MK III (Light Airborne multi-purpose System) squadron to be established overseas and forward deployed. The squadron will assume the commitments and responsibilities currently held by several detachments from San Diego-based lamps MK III Squadrons. Arthur remarked “by consolidating the various forward deployed lamps detachments, HSL-51 will not only save money for the Navy in this era of constrained budgets but also serve to increase the professionalism, quality, and esprit d’corps within the Seventh Fleet Lamps community.” This is an excerpt from NAF Atsugi’s newspaper the Skywriter when HSL-51 was established in Atsugi twenty-five years ago this month. In the initial stages of the squadron’s days in Atsugi they flew the SH-60B helicopters, and grew to around 250 personnel and ten aircraft. Since then HSL-51 has not only undergone the change to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron Five One (HSM-51) now flying the MH60R Seahawk, but have also taken part in some of the most important missions in the forward-deployed naval forces, further cementing the U.S. Navy’s partnership with our Japanese allies.
Story by mc3 jason c. bawgus NAF Atsugi Public Affairs Office
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“The Warlords are a unique squadron due to their focus on operational prowess- be it maintenance, tactics, operations, or administration, the Warlords know how to execute the mission,” said Capt. John Bushey NAF Atsugi commanding officer and former Quality Assurance Officer for the HSL-51 Warlords. “The Warlords’ operational mindset is just not seen anywhere else. The Warlords are the experts at getting the job done professionally all the time.” On March 11, 2011, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and resulting tsunami ravaged northeastern Japan. Responding immediately, HSM-51 surged two detachments within 24 hours and within three days had a total of five detachments deployed, operating independently and as a part of the Ronald Reagan Strike Group in direct support of Operation Tomodachi. In a first for the HSL/HSM community, the entire squadron redeployed from its home base of NAF Atsugi to NAF Misawa with less than 18 hours’ notice while Warlord families were simultaneously evacuated to safe havens in the continental United States. The Warlords flew 382 hours and 118 sorties delivering more than 100 tons of critical relief supplies. Naval Aircrewman 3rd Class Kristina Hoyer, assigned to HSM-51 shared her opinion on why being a Warlord is so rewarding. “We are the tip of the sword, the first responders in the primary area of responsibility where America needs responding. It’s a good feeling to know, that when someone thanks you for your service, you’ve actually been out there, fighting the good fight and weaving the blanket of freedom,” said Hoyer. “We are always on watch and ready to deploy at last minute notice. Yes, it may be hard and stressful, but it comes with being part of the elite. Knowing that we could put all of our detachments out to sea, ready to defend what we believe in.” Being a former Warlord, Bushey has a unique perspective of not only what makes the squadron work but also the importance of comradery that is built there. “It’s the people and the teamwork they create. The expeditionary deployment model molds detachments into unique teams and builds professional relationships that will last an entire career,” said Bushey. “I still have ties with detachment and squadron members from my two tours with the Warlords.”
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PHOTO BY MC3 MATTHEW DUNCKER
DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT
Naval Air Facility Atsugi
Navy Family Ombudsman Program
How do you describe your The Ombudsman’sprimary official members of the command. They fall under the rules of confidentiality. mission?
The Navy Family Ombudsman Program promotes healthy, self-reliant families. They are the official Something special... The Office of the Chief of Naval Operations link between the command and the families. established the Mrs. Sybil Stockdale Ombudsman How do the services you provide support the of the Year Award in 2015. Nominated by their commanding officers, these ombudsmen maintain command’s mission? Ombudsmen disseminate information both up and the highest standards of professionalism and create down the chain of command, including official a healthy sense of community by being positive role Department of the Navy and command information, models for command members and their families. command climate issues, local quality of life (QOL) improvement opportunities and “good deals” around HOW CAN YOUR CUSTOMERS REACH YOU? the community. In 2006, Admiral Michael G. You can reach an Ombudsman by email, speaking Mullen, then CNO, re-emphasized the importance with a represetitve at the Fleet and Family Support of the program and signed an updated instruction, Center. Sailors and their families can also register highlighting the requirement that all Navy families with CNIC Ombudsman’s page at http://www. ombudsmanregistry.org have access to a Navy Family Ombudsman.
What can you tell us about your group that others may not know? Ombudsmen have a unique role in that they are
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COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF VOLUNTEERS WHO OFFERED THEIR TIME TO THE YAMATO STATION CLEANUP DURING THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER.
THE FOLLOWING PARTICIPANTS PROVIDED SIGNIFICANT VOLUNTEER SUPPORT: CAPT JOHN BUSHEY AZC SALAS LS1 HAMMAR LS1 JOHNSON LS1 NARVAEZ LS1 MATEL AT1 MOORE AS2 BORROMEO AS2 CARRILLOALVARADO AM2 DELAROSARIO LS2 HERRING AT2 HOADLEY LS2 NUNEZSANTANA AM2 OCTAVIANO LS2 STRICKHOUSER LS2 WEBB
Flight Line News Briefs are compiled monthly news reports from squadrons, tenant commands, departments and command groups onboard Naval Air Facility Atsugi.
MWR
Grammy Award-winning hiphop artist, Nelly, put on an exciting show at NAF Atsugi on September 16. Nelly performed many of his well-known songs in front of an energetic crowd, and several people from the audience were allowed to sing and dance on stage during Nelly’s crowdfriendly performance. 470 active duty members and civilians attended the concert at Cinema 77, which was provided by MWR Atsugi.
NAVSUP
FLCY Site Atsugi team delivered and unloaded materials to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 51 hangar for airlifting from NAF Atsugi to Tokyo disaster prevention park in support of Disaster Relief Exercise conducted on Sept. 4, 2016. This exercise was a combined effort between the U.S. Navy and Japanese government.
Safety
YNSN ZERTUCHE AA HORGA SAM SAMUELSON
THANK YOU!
NAF Atsugi recently completed their 2016 biennual explosives safety inspection (ESI). The purpose of the ESI is to assess compliance with Department of Navy (DoN) explosives safety program requirements; determine the command’s ability to sustain operational readiness through 15
management of risks associated with ammunition and explosives (A&E) operations, and evaluate the command’s ability to selfassess A&E compliance and provide effective oversight.
BHC Atsugi
Branch Health Clinic Atsugi hosted students from Kikuchi College of Optometry on Sept. 8, 2016. The visit included a windshield tour of NAF Atsugi and a tour of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 51 hangar.
Public Works
This October Public Works recognizes 30 MLC employees for length of service awards varying from 10 to 30 years. An awards ceremony will be held in Yokosuka to celebrate all the individuals’ decades of service in support of NAVFAC Far East and NAF Atsugi. Employees being recognized are: Yoshitaka Shibuya (30), Mamiko Inoue (10), Michie Ishii (20), Shigemasa Ito (30), Yukimasa Komatsu (20), Akira Tabei (30), Miwa Nakajima (20), Tsutomu Saitoh (20), Takehiko Ooya (20), Koutarou Yonemori (20), Yoshikazu Wakabayashi (30), Yuuzou Kawakubo (20), Toshinori Aoyama (10), Mariko Tsuchiya (10), Hitoshi Sato (30), Hidetoshi Fukuhara (20), Hiroto Oota (10), Kouji Suzuki (20), Tokurou Sakamoto (10), Manami Tatebayashi (20), Tadashi Kosuge (20), Satoru Dewa (20), and Mutsuo Kuroki (30).