August-September Landmark

LANDMARK The official publication of USS Emory S. Land VOL X / ISSUE IV

FEATURING Torpedoes To-Go

By MC2 Edmund Thompson Making a Difference “Down Under”

By MC2 Jordyn Diomede A New MSC Master Aboard

By MC2 Destinyy Reed

Common Ground

By MC2 Richard Miller Pg. 13

LANDMARK MAGAZINE

TABLE OF CONTENTS THE COMMAND TRIAD COMMANDING OFFICER Capt. Michael D. Luckett EXECUTIVE OFFICER Cmdr. Ritchie L. Taylor COMMAND MASTER CHIEF CMDCS Paul James

LANDMARK MAGAZINE STAFF PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER Lt. Daniel Moore LEADING PETTY OFFICER MC1 Jason Behnke LEAD EDITOR MC2 Jordyn Diomede ASSISTANT EDITOR MC1 Jason Behnke SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER MC2 Richard Miller STAFF JOURNALIST MC2 Destinyy Reed STAFF JOURNALIST MC2 Edmund Thompson Landmark Magazine is an authorized publication for Sailors aboard the USS Emory S. Land (AS 39). Contents herein are not the views of, or endorsed by the United States government, Dept. of Defense, Dept. of the Navy, or the Commanding Officer of the ESL. All news, photos, and information for publication in Landmark Magazine must be submitted to the Public Affairs Officer of the USS Emory S. Land. Landmark Magazine is produced by ESL Media Services department.

ESL is manned by an integrated crew of Sailors and civilian mariners under the administrative control of Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and operational control of the Commander, Task Force 74. As a forward-deployed naval force, ESL is tasked to provide epeditionary, intermediate-level maintenance and repairs, hotel services, and logistics support to deployed Guided-Missile and Fast-Attack submarines deployed in the 5th, 6th and 7th Fleet areas of operation.

REPRODUCTION OF ANY PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MUST BE AUTHORIZED BY THE PUBLISHER AND CREDITED TO LANDMARK MAGAZINE AND THE CONTRIBUTORS INVOLVED. 1

LEADERSHIP

Pg. 03 - Commanding Officer Pg. 05 - Executive Officer Pg. 07 - Command Master Chief

FEATURES

Pg. 09 - Torpedoes To-Go Pg. 11 - Making a Difference “Down Under” Pg. 13 - Common Ground Pg. 15 - A New MSC Master Aboard Pg. 16 - Congratulations to ESL’s Newest CPOs Pg. 17 - What’s New With the Crew?

Pg. 19 - Crossing the Line

Photo by MC2 Jordyn Diomede 2

Capt. Michael Luckett Commanding Officer, USS Emory S. Land

Australia has been an important ally to the U.S. military for many years. How did our visits to Darwin and Fremantle continue to build that relationship?

We’ve been fighting alongside the Australians for more than 100 years, in wars from World War I through Afghanistan, and they continue to stand beside us to this day. It’s an important relationship and I’m glad we had the opportunity to continue to build that. From a military-to-military standpoint, we were able to participate in some valuable exercises in Fremantle, demonstrating the interoperability between both countries and our ability to provide each other with support as needed. We do this to ensure we are always ready, whether during peace time or in war. In addition, we hosted regular tours for Australian sailors and our own crew took the opportunity to tour Australian submarines and surface ships. It’s important to have those opportunities to meet our allies and establish connections with them on a personal level to promote a greater level of understanding between both countries. On a larger scale, we had many good opportunities to interact with the people of Australia through community relations events. The crew did a great job of being ambassadors and going out, meeting people, and building those connections. Our countries share many common values in terms of freedom, democracy and independence.

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What are some highlights from this underway so far?

We had a couple of good events on the underway I’d like to highlight. The Crossing the Line ceremony went very well and I was pleased with the participation from both the Navy and MSC sides of the crew, both as trusty shellbacks and as wogs. We had a great combined crew event that was executed safely and efficiently. It’s a great tradition and I’m a big believer in the Navy’s traditions. I’m glad we were able to carry it on and give people a chance to participate. Similarly, on the topic of tradition, I was very happy with how the CPO pinning ceremony and season as a whole was conducted. It was a very unique opportunity to be able to hold the events in Australia. We had support from the senior rates (CPO equivalents) in the Royal Australian Navy who helped out with some of the final activities of the season and the ceremony itself. This was the second time I’ve been able to experience a chief pinning at HMAS Stirling and it was a memorable, unique experience for all those involved both times.

Additionally, we’ve been keeping busy at sea with training. We had a number of drills and live fire exercises to help us prepare to maintain and defend the ship.

Why is it important to demonstrate our ability to provide our services to allied navies?

The U.S. Navy may be large, but the scope of responsibility we cover across the world is even larger.

It’s important for us to work with our allies and partners throughout the world to help provide additional forces in regions where we share common concerns to help augment and work together with our forces. We may not have enough assets to execute a particular mission, but can count on our allies to bring additional units to work together and solve a shared problem. The Navy works very hard at interoperability with our partners around the world. For us in the submarine tender business, that manifests as us being able to provide the same services we provide to our own vessels to those of our allies as well. Here we were able to do that with the Australians and I look forward to those same opportunities with the other allied nations we visit as well.

Football season is here yet again. As a Naval Academy alumnus, is there anything you’d like to say to any Landmark readers in the Army?

Well, you know what they say about payback and this year it’s time for some payback. Go Navy, beat Army!

GO NAVY, BEAT ARMY!

What sights did you have the opportunity to see in Australia?

This was my fourth time in Australia. Every time I come back it’s a fun experience. It’s a great country with great people. Some of my highlights in Darwin were the market at Mindil Beach, as well as the World War II museum. In Fremantle, I enjoyed having the opportunity to visit Royal Australian Navy ships and submarines. It was a pleasure to interact with their leadership and crew. Those were great experiences from a professional standpoint. On a personal note, I enjoyed going to the wildlife park and seeing some of the local animals. I also enjoyed taking the trip to Rottnest Island to see the quokkas. King’s Park in Perth was a great place to take a walk and get a view of the city. The botanical garden had an extensive selection of many of the plants unique to Australia. Closer to where we moored at Garden Island, I had the opportunity to see the original landing site of the Swan River Colony, the first free colony in Australia. Overall, it is a beautiful country with a lot of exciting history and sights to see.

What are your short and long term goals for the ship and crew?

Making sure that we are ready and trained for the challenges we may face in the next few months.

Primarily, my focus is on two things. First, I prioritize our ability to protect our ship. Our force protection team has worked hard to develop plans and execute the drills. We’ll continue drilling as we progress into regions where the threats are more severe and the waters are more constrained. Additionally, I want to make sure that we are prepared to respond to casualties at sea.

Damage control drills ensure that, as a combined team, we will be fully ready to combat any fire, flooding, or other casualties that come our way. We also have a number of upcoming port visits and engagements with our allies. I’d like to continue the trend we set with our previous ports and continue having safe and successful visits. Longer term, we need to look ahead to our spring deployment and eventual shipyard period. Running throughout all that, we must always remain ready to execute our peacetime mission of repair, rearm, and resupply of our homeported submarines as well as those of our allies. A lot of our crew is still in Guam continuing to fill that role. Additionally, a lot of what we are working on builds toward being ready to do that expeditionary mission in wartime.

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Cmdr. Ritchie Taylor Executive Officer, USS Emory S. Land

How do you think the crew has performed thus far in the 1st month of our deployment?

I’m proud of the crew because everyone is doing well. I have total confidence in the crew from E-1 all the way up to the Captain. Even though I don’t get around as much as I should, the department heads are always telling me about how hard the Sailors are working. Every now and then when I do get to pop into spaces I usually get to see that they are turning and burning. I want everyone to know that I’m very proud of them and how they’ve performed in this first month of deployment.

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Do you have any encouraging words for the crew to stay positive throughout our changing deployment schedule?

The crew has done fantastic thus far, especially the E-6 and below. I’ve started to keep track of our number of days at sea compared to our number of days in port.

Believe it or not, before we left Fremantle we had been in port for 18 days and out to sea for 15 days. That’s a big challenge for everyone to get used to. If you talk to other older experienced Sailors then most of them will tell you that aircraft carriers, submarines and other ships go for months at a time before pulling into port. It’s a new challenge we’re not used to when we’re sitting in these ports for so long as to how to budget accordingly and how or if to grant leave. I just want to tell the crew to stay positive. Especially if our schedule changes, it’s always because higher authority directed us to do so. It’s not something that the TRIAD goes looking to change; it’s something we’re told to change. It’s all a part of business.

What was your favorite activity to do in Australia?

This is probably a funny answer but I enjoyed shopping for my family. I didn’t pick them up anything in Darwin so I had to make sure I purchased something for them in Fremantle before we left Australia. I also enjoyed the many restaurants and food, but one of the hidden gems I ran into halfway through the port visit was a Spanish chocolatier shop. They specialize in Spanish hot chocolate. It was a lot thicker and richer than the usual hot chocolate and I became a little addicted. I even managed to convince the Captain to get a cup or two before we left because it was just that good. Each time it was an explosion of flavor, so my favorite activity was going to get Spanish hot chocolate at the end of the night.

Any thoughts about how the crew executed liberty in Australia?

Australia is a very exciting place. It’s no secret that individuals will be held accountable if they step outside of our guidelines. That’s all a part of being a professional. 98% of the crew are being professionals and doing what we’re supposed to do. I strongly defend our crew when I say that all of us have good intentions and a plan when we go out on liberty, but somewhere down the line, usually involving alcohol, our judgement and plan changes. I want everyone to go out and have a good time, just make sure to keep it responsible. Safety is a big deal. Have fun, but also be safe.

As we head into our next port visit I’m still confident in the crew. Overall, we left Australia without causing any international incidents so we need to continue on striving for perfection this deployment.

Many crewmembers, Navy and MSC, performed numerous community outreach events in Australia, how do these events help strengthen our relationship with our allies?

This was a high visibility port visit. One of our big COMRELs was at the Native ARC wildlife rehabilitation center where we had 24 volunteers including myself go out and assist the 200+ volunteer workforce out there. I can’t think of any of those volunteers that didn’t have a wonderful time helping out there. I think they were a little surprised about the amount of man power, or people power as they called it, we brought out to help them with ground keeping, cleaning and various other tasks. The goal of this center is to nurse wildlife back to health from various injuries and get them back out into the wild. We also had crewmembers go to a local school and interact with the kids and talk to them about what we do in the U.S. Navy. In addition to those events we had soccer tournaments with both a group of local teams and also a group of the Royal Australian Navy sailors.

Of course we can’t forget the numerous amount of ship tours that we gave every day. That’s a form of community outreach that the duty sections supported onboard the ship. I think we nailed the community outreach aspect of our port visit. I’m very proud of the crew for getting out there and doing the right thing.

We’ve recently completed some bilateral training with the Australian Submarine Force, how was this a success and were there any lessons learned?

Our Australian allies welcomed us with open arms. We executed the mooring of an Australian submarine; including the weapons training, refueling and shore power hookup error free and safely. The number one priority is to of course get the mission done, but also to insure that it’s completed safely so that everyone leaves with all of their limbs at the completion of the evolution. This training was a 100% total success. The only input that we received from our debrief was that in the future we’ll recommend mooring Collins-class submarines to match our direction bow-to-bow and stern-tostern. That’s the only major lesson learned that we discovered with our brothers and sisters on the HMAS Sheehan (SSG 77).

Anything else you would like to add?

We’ve been underway for a month, so we have about 3 months left. We’re 25% of the way through this deployment.

We’ve been working on getting the holiday stand-down dates out to the crew so we can grant liberty and leave when we return home. Also, the crew needs to be aware of the world events, especially what’s going on in Iran. Just know that our schedule could change for us to go into a different direction to support submarines. Just be aware. Our ultimate mission is to rearm, resupply and repair submarines so at any moment we can get called away to do so and support our submarine forces.

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CMDCS Paul James Command Master Chief, USS Emory S. Land

How do you feel the crew has performed on this deployment so far?

Team Land has performed exceptionally well so far this deployment. We started our deployment with the crossing the line ceremony. We witnessed our shipmates go from slimy wogs to distinguished Shellbacks, both Navy and MSC. It was a great time and a safe event that was planned and executed superbly. We executed liberty in both Darwin, Northern Australia and Fremantle, Western Australia smoothly with a few close calls, but immediately took action, changed and implemented processes and procedure to reduce risk while on liberty.

We interacted with our Australian allies to build relationships through friendly soccer competitions, invested our time and energy into community relations events which our allies were very appreciative. We conducted a pinning ceremony for our five new Chief Petty Officers at HMAS James Stirling with members of the Royal Australian Navy in attendance, and with our family and friends in Guam, who were able to take part through ESL Facebook page. Most importantly of all, we took care of one another ensuring we all returned to the ship safely and were ready to get underway.

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Even though advancement exams are over for this cycle, what should our Sailors be doing right now to further their careers while on deployment (studying for next exam, working on PQS, etc...)?

Underway is the perfect opportunity for Sailors to complete their Enlisted Surface Warfare qualification, 3-M, quality insurance, damage control, and in-port watch qualifications. This will make the Sailors more competitive among their peers, build on their current knowledge base, give them the opportunity to take advantage of positions that will open up within their division and departments, and improve duty section flexibility that ultimately assists the team in being able to allow Sailors to take leave and perform other duties, which once back in homeport, many Sailors will be taking leave and duty section will require qualified personnel to be able to stand different watch stations.

Sailors must continue to study their rating manuals, NSTMs, and pubs because it is easier to digest small quantities of information over time that you will be able to recall vice studying only for the test, which we at times will cram the information and after the exams are over data dump much of the information that we had vigorously studied.

What message would you like to give to the crew as we continue on this deployment?

Do not get complacent. Continue to stand a proper watch, stay vigilant, and be ready to protect the ship against fire, flooding, and our adversaries that want to do us harm on the open seas and in port. Continue to be great ambassadors on behalf of the U.S. Navy and Emory S. Land as we continue to make port calls in places some of us will never go again. Stay fit. It’s PFA season. If you haven’t been getting down to the gym, now is the time to get a good workout, burn off a few calories and get ready to pass the PFA. Our MSC Food Service team does not make it easy with the tasty meals they serve every day. I will surely miss their cooking. Lastly, keep our ship clean.

We live, eat, and sleep here. Take pride in ESL. We are currently celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.

How do you feel diversity makes our Navy better?

Diversity is a key element within our naval force that continues to make us stronger, smarter, and able to quickly adapt to change. Unlike most militaries around the world that are made up mostly or entirely of members of the same national origin and race, they lose the advantage of being able to pool from the experience and knowledge of military professionals from different cultures and backgrounds that over their lifetime has developed unique skills and techniques to solve problems that have made the U.S. Navy the premier fighting force in the world. Without diversity in our military we would not be able to recruit and enlist the best and brightest minds within our society.

What has been your most memorable moment of this deployment so far?

My most memorable moment until now on deployment would be having the opportunity to complete CPO Initiation season in Australia, a once in a life time event. It was impressive to see the CPO mess on a moment’s notice shift gears and prepare final events to transition our Chief Selects into welcomed members of the CPO Mess. I have to give a special thanks to Senior Chief Wright, our mess brother stationed on HMAS Stirling, which without him ,we would not have been able to accomplish what we did. It was nice to actually see Kangaroos.

Even took a few pictures with them.

Is there anything else you would like to say to the crew?

Take the opportunity to get out and discover the culture of the countries we visit. Continue to do the right thing. It’s an honor to serve as your Command Master Chief.

“Continue to be great ambassadors on behalf of the U.S. Navy and Emory S. Land as we continue to make port calls in places some of us will never go again.”

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Torpedoes To-Go Story by MC2 Ed Thompson Photos by USS Emory S. Land Public Affairs

The submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) participated in a bilateral training evolution with the Australian Collins-class submarine HMAS Sheean (SSG 77), Sept. 13, as part of the ship’s fall deployment to foster positive relations with regional partners.

This bilateral training involved inert training of ordnance handling between Land and Sheean, demonstrating the interoperability of the two navies. Land also provided shore power and fuel to Sheean during the exchange.

“It was an excellent example of how well our two navies work together and exchange best practices,” said Capt. Michael D. Luckett, Land’s commanding officer. “We learned a lot from how the Australian forces operate today and how working together can strengthen our partnership and expand our capabilities in this area of operations.”

The evolution was a success, reaffirming that Land can fully support allied navies when necessary.

“It was a great demonstration of teamwork between the American and Australian navies,” said Lt. Michael J. Atterbery, Land’s weapons officer. “Once again, it proves that we can work together and complete the mission as a combined force.”

Sailors from Sheean and Land flawlessly completed all scheduled tasks during the evolution. Both U.S. and Australian service members also had opportunities to share information and best practices.

“From our end, we demonstrated taking charge of the weapon and embarking it,” said Lt. John Lee, weapons electrical engineer officer aboard Sheean. “I’ve worked with the U.S. Navy before, but there’s generally not been as much face-to-face time as there was today.

My experiences working with the U.S. Navy have always been rewarding, I’ve always found the teams professional and we’ve always worked well together.”

Sheean is stationed in Fremantle and is the fifth of six Collins-class submarines currently serving in the Royal Australian Navy.

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Story and Photo by MC2 Jordyn Diomede

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hiefs and chief selects assigned to the submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) volunteered at Vinnies Depot in Darwin during a community relations event, Aug. 29.

Vinnies is the local nickname for the St. Vincent de Paul Society, which is an international charity that offers “a hand up” to people in need. The society in Australia has more than 60,000 members and volunteers who work to provide assistance to people struggling with homelessness, unemployment, and many other adversities Australians face.

“The people of Darwin have been very welcoming to the Sailors on the Emory S. Land,” said Capt. Michael D. Luckett, commanding officer of ESL. “It’s a great opportunity for us to give back a little bit of that hospitality and friendship, contribute to the community and contribute to the wonderful work that the St. Vincent de Paul Society does here to help those in need.”

ESL chiefs and chief selects gave back to the organization by clearing debris, washing vehicles, and assisting in any way they could.

“It allows us an opportunity to show other nations that we do the same things,” said Chief Hull Maintenance Technician Steven Robinette. “We have the opportunity to come out here and help the locals, and also build that camaraderie.”

Community relations events are important to building and maintaining relationships across the globe.

“I think it’s fantastic to have these relationships between America and Australia,” said Fran Avon, CEO of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. “Just to have the opportunity for you to see what we do here in Australia, see the type of people that we are helping, and to be able to really make a difference while you’re here. That’s so much appreciated.”

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ESL chiefs wash one of the Vinnies vehicles while volunteering at Vinnies Depot, Aug. 29.

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COMMON GROUND ESL SAILORS PLAY SOCCER AT STIRLING

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Story and photos by MC2 Richard A. Miller

“WHEN YOU GET ON THE FIELD, YOU GET TO BUILD THAT CAMARADERIE BETWEEN PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT RANKS AND BACKGROUNDS YOU MAY NOT NORMALLY HAVE THE CHANCE TO INTERACT WITH.” Shortly after dawn, a group of Sailors assigned to the submarine tender USS Emory S. Land crossed the brow onto the pier at HMAS Stirling, Western Australia’s largest naval base. Two Sailors loaded a heavy cooler filled with water into a van waiting on the pier as Lt. Wilking “Happy Chappy” Jean, Land’s chaplain, greeted the group.

“Good morning,” said Jean, greeting the driver of the van. “How are you today, young man?”

The rest of the small group of Sailors, most of them members of ESL’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) committee, finished loading supplies, filed into the van, and chattered amongst themselves on the short ride across base to a large soccer complex. Meanwhile, several Royal Australian Navy service members were already on the field kicking a ball around.

Shortly after they arrived at the field, a larger group of ESL Sailors joined them to participate in a soccer tournament between Sailors from both countries. The MWR team coordinated with HMAS Stirling personnel to organize the event.

“MWR outreach events are a great way for Sailors and civilian mariners to branch out and interact with the community outside of work,” said Gunner’s Mate 2nd Class Heather O’Neill, the MWR president. “Playing sports together is one of many ways we build relationships with the community and strengthen our partnership with the host nation.”

ESL Sailors fielded two teams to compete in the tournament, which included more than a half dozen Australian teams. The soccer teams played on two fields, with the winner of each field eventually competing in the championship game.

“Soccer is one of the best ways to get to know people in the ports we visit,” said Jean. “It varies in name and in popularity around the world, but nearly everyone you meet understands and enjoys the game. Worldwide, it brings people together.”

ESL’s two teams consisted of both casual players and more experienced members of an organized Emory S. Land soccer team.

“We try to get involved in games in each port if possible,” said Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class Jorge Ruiz, captain of the ESL soccer team. “Half of our original team is back in Guam, where they just placed third in the Naval Base Guam Captain’s Cup, but we’re still actively recruiting new players.”

Ruiz mentioned that, besides providing a good way to interact and build rapport with other countries, soccer also provides him and other likeminded Sailors with a constructive outlet to relieve stress.

“There are a lot of us who come from a soccer background,” said Ruiz. “Being in a military environment, we may not always get to play as often as we’d like, so it can be a huge morale boost to have the opportunity. When you get on the field, you get to build that camaraderie between people of different ranks and backgrounds you may not normally have the chance to interact with.”

Ruiz stated they are eager to play in more games in the future.

“This is something I’m grateful to be able to do,” said Ruiz. “If anyone is on the fence about coming, just show up and have fun. It doesn’t matter how good or bad you are, we’re out there to have a good time and would love to have you out there on the field.”

Both ESL teams were eliminated

shortly before the semifinals, but stuck around to eat lunch and interact with the Australian navy personnel they competed against.

“They were great hosts,” said Jean. “It was a pleasure to get to know them and I appreciate the lasting connections we’ve made.”

Almost immediately after the championship game, clouds gathered overhead and a cold rain started to fall.

ESL’s players finished their lunch, shared words of encouragement with their Australian counterparts, and started their walk back to the ship. Despite not winning the championship, many of the players mentioned being satisfied with the experience. No matter what rank, nationality, or background, players from both countries left the tournament with a shared experience and a greater understanding of those around them.

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A NEW MSC MASTER ABOARD AN INTRODUCTION TO CAPTAIN JAMIE MATHLIN Story by MC2 Destinyy Reed

Emory S. Land is manned by an integrated crew of Sailors and civilian mariners under the administrative control of Commander, Submarine Force United States Pacific Fleet, Hawaii and under operational control of Commander, Task Force 74. Captain Mathlin is the Civilian Mariner Master with Military Sealift Command. With a unique hybrid crew, Land has both a Navy Captain and MSC Captain to oversea day-to-day operations.

What do you do onboard Emory S. Land?

I’m the MSC Master. I’m in charge of all civilian mariners onboard. Basically, I take care of the ship and all services onboard so that the Navy Sailors can focus on taking care of the Navy’s mission.

How long have you worked with Military Sealift Command?

21 years. I did four years in the Air Force before coming on as MSC. You’ve been onboard for approximately 3 months now, what are your impressions of the ship and the crew?

I’ve previously worked onboard ESL as an Officer in Charge.

The first time I was the Chief Mate and the second time the Cargo Mate and Chief Mate OIC. There’s a lot different compared to then and now. The ship changed homeports from Diego Garcia to Guam and I feel like we lost the comradery that we once had. Sitting in Guam for nearly two years created a lethargic routine atmosphere and in that environment it’s easy for people to forget that this is a deploying ship and not a 9 to 5 job.

How many other ships have you been on previously?

I’ve been on about 11-12 different ships.

What is the most interesting place you’ve visited?

Haifa, Israel and Ibiza, Spain.

How does the hybrid crew differ from your experience on other MSC ships?

Primarily MSC ships are built for cargo. We’re used to constantly moving doing underway replenishments and moving cargo.

Everyone onboard knows their job. Since we’re constantly moving there’s a high tempo pace and a sense of urgency. It’s like when Sailors come to this command from a DDG or aircraft carrier. On carriers they’re working and doing flight operations day and night.

We’re used to turning and burning seven days a week, whereas here, it’s more relaxed. Sometimes we joke that this is our cruise ship. The main difference is because our primary mission occurs in port so we spend more time in port than underway. This causes the tempo to shift. It’s a challenge trying to keep everyone at the same pace and same sense of urgency across all MSC/Navy vessels.

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How do you plan on making a difference onboard?

I want to improve everything. In order to make this a successful hybrid crew, MSC and Navy need to be one. We are ONE CREW. There should be a level of understanding that we may not follow all of the exact same rules because we have different guidelines, but that shouldn’t affect our comradery. On the MSC side, I’m working on improving the services we provide and the overall look and cleanliness of the ship.

What is your favorite football team?

I’m from Brooklyn and even though we haven’t been doing as well, I’m a New York Jets fan.

Did you get the chance to get out and see Australia? If so, what activities did you enjoy?

I didn’t go out while we were there, but I’ve been to Australia a number of times. I tend to rock star and party when I go out. I’m not much of a zoo kind of guy. There’s a lot going on in Darwin and Perth, but if I got to choose we’d go to Sydney or Brisbane.

Is there anything you’d like to say directly to the crew?

A word of advice: one thing I’ve learned is that as a person in charge you have to be fair and you must listen. A lot of people don’t put themselves in the other person’s shoes and they lose perspective of how you get promoted. Everyone gets promoted not solely because of the work that they do, but mainly because of the work that the people under them does. The most valuable people are those painters, chippers and grinders, and the wrench turners.

The workers that efficiently do their job day in and day out. There has to be a balance, an understanding that this is a lifestyle and not just a job. You have to respect their perspective and respect them, because if you lose their respect and confidence then they won’t work and perform the job to their full capability. One of my goals is to ensure that my workers like being here. One way that I do that is by remaining transparent and consistent. Everything that I do is transparent to the crew, there are no backdoor deals. As the Master I’m loyal to my crew and I’ll move mountains for them. On the backside, I expect the same. Just don’t forget that rank doesn’t conclude to respect. With rank comes responsibility, but respect is earned. At the end of the day I may be hard on you, but I’m not going to let anyone else be hard on you.

Congratulations to ESL’s Newest Chief Petty Officers!

MMC Jonas Garcia

HTC Steven Robinette

HTC Heather Fleming

LSC Dani Harrelson I am a Chief Petty Officer in the United States Navy.

I serve my country and her people with pride and honor.

I seek no special favors.

I make things happen, and do the best I can do.

I am charged with a leadership role like no other in the world.

I develop junior officers and mold my Sailors.

I acknowledge full responsibility for the actions of my Sailors... because these Sailors are the seeds of future Chief Petty Officers.

I live by the Navy’s core values of honor, courage, and commitment.

I set the example.

I establish the standards of performance. my Sailors are students and I am their teacher.

I guide and influence the lives of these young men and women. in the final analysis, I will determine the quality of these Sailors. they look up to me because I treat them with dignity and respect. because they need a leader, I am there for them. after all... I am a Chief Petty Officer in the United States Navy!

LSSC Matthew Kozuszek 16

What’s New with the Crew?

Sponsored by the FCPOA

The mission of the First Class Petty Officer Association is to promote fellowship and unity of all First Class Petty Officers, and to provide a vehicle to demonstrate Honor, Courage, and Commitment to USS Emory S. Land’s crew, families, and the community. The association also serves to provide mentorship and guidance for junior personnel and foster U.S. and international relations through community service projects.

Upcoming Events

Halloween Trick-or-Treat October 24th from 1500-1600

Check out our new “Did You Know?” campaign!

Each week, new flyers will be posted throughout the ship with a DYK fact.

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“We will question our assumptions. We will think differently about the competition we are now in. We will be the Navy the nation needs now and we will build the Navy the nation needs to fight and win in the future.”

“What remains constant are our core values of honor, courage and commitment. We will remain true to our core attributes of integrity, accountability, initiative and toughness. We will remain the premier Navy in the world and I know we will be even better tomorrow than we are today.”

Admiral M. M. Gilday 32nd Chief of Naval Operations

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Crossing the Line From WOG to shellback

ESL Sailors and civilian mariners participated in a crossing the line ceremony out to sea, Aug. 24. The crossing the line ceremony symbolizes a Sailor’s transformation from a slimy wog to a shellback.

PHOTOS BY MC2 JORDYN DIOMEDE AND LN1 JAMES RUFFIN

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CONGRATULATIONS SHELLBACK CLASS OF 2019!

22

23

CONGRATULATIONS SHELLBACK CLASS OF 2019!

24

CONGRATULATIONS SHELLBACK CLASS OF 2019!