The Waterline

Page 1

The Waterline

February 16, 2012

Vol. XXIX No. 7

www.cnic.navy.mil/ndw

www.facebook.com/NavDistWash

waterline@dcmilitary.com

NEWS AND INFORMATION FOR THE NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION

Out with the Old, In with the New By MC2 Kiona Miller, NDW Public Affairs Naval District Washington's (NDW) Small Arms Training Centers (SATC) are getting a major overhaul. The training enhancements are just in time as NDW prepares for the nationwide Navy exercise Solid Curtain /Citadel Shield 2012. "It is a (training and readiness) policy to have the ranges located on different installations all working in tandem, and to standardize the Small Arms Range requirements," said Master-at-Arms Senior Chief Christopher M. Merz, South Potomac Police Department. "Additionally, it also provides each range the ability to schedule down time for maintenance while the other ranges can take up the slack." The upgrades include new and improved target retrieval systems, which allow Range Safety Officers (RSO) to conduct a more efficient and in-depth training for those in need of a small arms qualification. The system is used to train military and civilian police officers, along with any personnel who are required to carry a firearm as part of their daily responsibility.

"At Patuxent River we have approximately 20 agencies that use the facility," said Gregory Mclane, Range Master for Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River Small Arms Training Center. "Plus when other facilities are down, we all assist in ensuring that personnel who need to maintain their qualifications have a facility and instructors to safely carry out the mission." Naval Support Facility (NSF) Dahlgren and NAS Patuxent River are the first to receive the new modifications. Prior to installing the system, NSF Dahlgren trainers went through the cumbersome task of manually setting target distances via an electronic pulley system, which was constantly damaged by stray bullets. The new system eliminates those issues by avoiding the electric component all together and running on a wireless system. "BeforeTargetWorx, the ranges would have downed lanes due to substandard parts or long lay-over of repair. This would reflect directly on the budgeting constraints and reduce U.S. Navy photo MC2 Kiona Miller the capacity of each range," said Merz. "The Sgt. Jay Tu, assigned to Naval Support Facility Carderock, participates in three ranges in the Small Arms Training Cen-

Notable African American Sailors: The Golden Thirteen In January 1944, 16 black enlisted men gathered at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station to begin a crash course that would turn them into the Navy's first African-American officers on active duty. Although compelled politically to take this step, the Navy had chosen its officer-candidates well. All had demonstrated top-notch leadership abilities as enlisted men.The pace was demanding and forced the men to band together so that all could succeed. Their common perception was that they would set back the course of racial progress if they should fail. All passed the course, but only 12 were commissioned as ensigns; a 13th was made a warrant officer.Years later these pioneers became known as "the Golden Thirteen." Only one of them ended up making a career of the Navy, and he opened still more doors to black officers. The other members of the group made their marks in civilian life afterWorldWar II.Their num-

See Soldiers, Sailors Page 5

a small arms qualification at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling's (JBAB) Small Arms Training Center, Feb. 13. JBAB's SATC will receive upgrades to its See New, Page 4 current range system in March 2012.

ROC OPS training course preps NDW's Crisis Management team By Chatney Auger, NDW Public Affairs Naval District Washington (NDW) hosted the Commander, Navy Installation Command (CNIC) Shore Training Center (STC) Region Operations Center (ROC) operations course on Feb. 6 - 10. The critical training prepares ROC watch standers to manage crises like the ones that will be presented in the upcoming Solid Curtain Citadel Shield 2012 antiterrorism force protection exercise. Since STC's inception two and a half years ago, the center has served as the Navy's primary emergency management learning center and exercise hub. The goal of the STC is to standardize, align, and synchronize emergency operations

See ROC OPS, Page 8

U.S. Navy photo by Chatney Auger, NDW Public Affairs

Naval District Washington's Crisis Action Team (CAT) members participate in a simulated emergency scenario during the Commander, Navy Installation Command's (CNIC) Shore Training Center's Region Operations Center (ROC) operations course.

Inside Link directly to the NDW Facebook page on your smart phone

Military Saves Week, Page 2

AFPAK Hands, Page 6


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