July Landmark by USS Emory S. Land

Volume 7 issue 4

LAND

July 2016

MARK

The Official Newsletter of USS Emory S. Land (AS 39)

On the cover: Samuel Green gets frocked to third-class by Volume 7 issue 4

LAND

July 2016

MARK

The Official Newsletter of USS Emory S. Land (AS 39)

his wife and MM1 Lara.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LANDMARK FROCKING

SHIP’S STORE

BECOMING A LEADER

CLEAN UP

POINT CLUB OPENS 26

ESL Sailors advance to the next pay grade.

Read about MM3 Green’s advancement and the continuation of tradition.

BAKE SALE

First Class Petty Officer Association holds a bake sale on the mess deck!

$$$

FINANCE TIPS

DC1 Wells gives some tips on being financially sound.

See what the Junior Enlisted Association has been up to!

A new recreational facility opens up for Sailors and civilian mariners on Polaris Point.

COMMAND PICNIC 14 Get a look at photos from the command picnic held on Polaris Point!

BIG CHANGES

MC3 Doan tells the story behind the changes to the ship’s store.

CO’S CORNER

CMC INTERVIEW

Captain Prokopius speaks to the crew.

CMC Greene answers some questions on ESL matters.

See photos from recent changeof-command ceremonies here on Guam.

CHAPLAIN’S CORNER 32 Chaplain Skelton has a new message for the crew.

Emory S. Land PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Frocking Ceremony “It’s not about the rank or paygrade, it’s about leading by example and charting the course for everyone else around you. -MMCS Paul James

Frocking

Landmark

JULY 2016

Emory S. Land PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Frocking

“What is your ambition? You joined for a reason. You may not have a road map yet. Be willing to go out there and strive for the information you need to succeed.” -MMCS Paul James

LIBERATION DAY PARADE JULY 21

CELEBRATE THE LIBERATION OF GUAM

Emory S. Land PUBLIC AFFAIRS

The Road to Becoming a Leader

“Adhere to your purpose and you will soon feel as well as you ever did. On the contrary, if you falter, and give up, you will lose the power of keeping any resolution, and you will regret it all your life.”

-Abraham Lincoln

A Civil War-era naval officer’s frock coat.

By MCSN Dan Willoughby

What does the word frock mean? According to the Naval Historical Center, in the 15th century it related to a monk’s cloak. When monks would put on the frock cloak, they were “investing with priestly office or privilege.” This idea of using a piece of clothing to symbolize growth or assuming more responsibility found its way into the naval world during the age of sail. The outer jacket for a midshipman was a short coat, while a lieutenant wore a longer frock coat. When a midshipman was advanced to take on the duties and responsibilities of a lieutenant, he donned the frock coat. This tradition has continued, in certain aspects, in the U.S. Navy today. Sailors today are frocked by having their newly-advanced rate insignia pinned on their uniform. Advancing Sailors assume the duties and responsibilities of the next higher rank or pay grade. A Sailor’s first opportunity to get frocked occurs when he or she makes petty officer third class and continues all the way up to master chief. The advancement is more than just better pay and position. It is a testament to their hard work and dedication. With the support of peers and family, they have done everything asked of them and more. Frocking is at the heart of every Sailor. More than 25 USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) enlisted Sailors were advanced to the next pay grade during the spring cycle. The frocking ceremony on the Emory S. Land was conducted in the ship’s classroom with family, friends and peers filling the seats. For Samuel J. Green, the ceremony was especially important to him. Not only was he making petty officer third class, but his newlywed wife, Carissa, was going to help tack on the petty officer collar device. For Green, the frocking was a memorable one he said he couldn’t have achieved without the support of his family, the support of his Navy leadership, and his own hard work. Green said he never anticipated joining the

Navy, but it has been worth it. “I didn’t always want to join,” said Green. “When I was in high school, I would always get newsletters from the Navy. I wondered why these people were sending me all these letters. I wanted to go to college with a month left to go in high school, but I didn’t want to put the financial stress on my mom. I was like, ‘Why don’t I look at my options?’ The military offers tuition assistance. I thought the military wouldn’t be a bad thing for me. I was a hell raiser. Joining the military shaped my life and molded me into a better human being and man.” Green said his father taught him valuable lessons on being a man, and the Navy has helped better equip him to face adversity. “I lost my dad when I was 15 years old,” said Green. “That was the toughest time of my life. It wasn’t easy. He taught me a lot. He always said, ‘You have two ears and one mouth for a reason.’ I thought he was saying that to make me mad, but now I see that he was right. The biggest challenge in the Navy, so far, is adjusting to living alone. Life away from family for a long period of time has been difficult. One of the things I had to get used to was that life goes on, and you have to learn how to adjust.” Adjusting is exactly what Green has done so far on the Emory S. Land, said Machinist’s Mate 1st Class Sandro Lara, Green’s leading petty officer. “So much has changed with Green since I first met him,” said Lara. “He has become someone you can rely on. He has become someone born into R-2 division. He has really matured and become more responsible.” Lara said with the increased responsibility, comes the need for Green to be even more of a leader. “Green is in charge of three peers now. He

helps with qualifications and is now the RPPO (Repair Parts Petty Officer). Overall, he has grown and taken on more responsibilities. His mindset is on the job and he is really focused.” Focus is exactly what Green needed while he studied for the spring exam. “The first time I took the test I didn’t really study, and I missed it by one point,” said Green. “I thought this recent test was harder than the first test I took, but this time I studied and it paid off. For the people that didn’t make it; study.” Green said enveloping all of his recent success was the support from his family and leadership. “MM1 Lara is my LPO now. He has been one of my biggest supporters since I arrived on board,” said Green. “He has guided me the whole way. My wife helps me out when I have a bad day and brings me up. It’s good to have that support when you’re home. My uncle, who was a chief, has also been a huge support. I call him and ask for advice. Family is a huge influence on me.”

“One of the things I had to get used to was that life goes on, and you have to learn how to adjust.” -MM3 Green

Over 21,000 Sailors were frocked during the spring cycle, and even though each of their stories are unique, one thing that is similar between all of these Sailors is the hard work and motivation to excel. These Sailors take with them, to the next pay grade, the duties and responsibilities of that pay grade just as Sailors of the past did. They are not alone. Right beside them is the support of family and peers. Frocking is the heart of every past, present and future Sailor, and the reason Sailors strive for excellence, because they believe that they can achieve what they set out to do, even if it is difficult.

Emory S. Land PUBLIC AFFAIRS

FCPOA Bake Sale “Donations from this event go to the First Class Petty Officer Association. We make sure we find ways to give the money back to junior Sailors.” -“Big Dog” LN1 Demetric Hart

FCPOA

“I think it went great. We actually earned about $100 more than we thought we would. I feel it was very successful.” -HT1 Rachel Reynolds

Take Fleet & Family courses.

Monitor your budget.

GOOD FINANCES What you can do to be more ﬁnancially sound.

Establish credit.

Immerse yourself in an aﬀordable hobby.

“It all starts with having a budget and knowing where you can spend. In order to have good credit, you have to establish credit, and show you are responsible.” DC1 Victoria Wells Command Financial Specialist

Emory S. Land PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Command Picnic Emory S. Land held a command picnic for Sailors, civilian mariners and their families.

Picnic

“I thought the basketball tournament was a success. The idea is to get people involved with each other. People who don’t know each other, can come together on familiar grounds, compete and have a good time.” -DC1 Jeffery Dallemand

Emory S. Land PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Picnic

“I helped set up the picnic. ESL command functions are fantastic. ESL pulls out all the stops, everybody had a good time. Also, any time you get to hit a volley ball at the captain, it’s a good time.” -HT2 Dylan Baker

Emory S. Land PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Changes of command Sailors from USS Emory S. Land recently supported change-of-command ceremonies for USS Chicago, Maritime Prepositioning Ships Squadron 3 and CSS 15.

CHICAGO

“I am excited to serve as your commanding officer and become part of the crew. I know we will continue the professionalism and hard work I’ve already seen in my short time here and look forward to the adventures that lie ahead of us.” -Cmdr. Brian Turney USS Chicago (SSN 721)

Emory S. Land PUBLIC AFFAIRS

MPSRON 3

“To the masters and crews, I’ve been impressed with your ships as I’ve conducted my turnover. I continue to be in awe of the immense capability that this squadron contains and how smoothly operations are conducted across the 7th fleet AOR by such a small group of folks. I look forward to working with such a professional team.” -Commodore Eric C. Linfors, Commander,

Maritime Prepositioning Ships Squadron 3

SUBRON 15

“Submarine service is a team sport. Without my teammates, past and present, there would be no accomplishments.”

-Capt. David G. Schappert Commander, SUBRON 15 21

Emory S. Land PUBLIC AFFAIRS

THE SHIP’S STORE RE-OPENS By MC3 Michael Doan

The ship’s store aboard the submarine tender

USS Emory S. Land re-opened June 9, following a 3-day period of remodeling and rebranding.

The Navy Exchange Service Command

(NEXCOM) sent merchandising specialist Veronica Naughton to work hand-in-hand with the Ship’s Servicemen as well as local Naval Base Guam NEX representatives to develop and fund an improved layout

The new design incorporates Navy Pride graphics

for the store.

featuring pictures of the ship, more shelf space, and a wider variety of products. “It was nice to be able to come to Guam and help with the rebranding,” said Veronica Naughton, merchandising specialist from NEXCOM. “I have been to other ships to help with their ship’s store being rebranded, but this ship’s store really sticks out for me. This is a gorgeous ship’s store.”

With the expertise of

for the Customer Service division aboard Emory S. Land. With its central location on board, the crew was able to see the day-by-day transition from the old to the new and the shelves being stocked with more than 150 new items. “I have heard some of the crew walking by and saying ‘thank you, I haven’t seen this store so stocked,’” said Moore. “And, my reply to that is, we are not even fully stocked yet. This is just the tip of the iceberg.” “I really do like all the new stuff,” said Electrician’s Mate 3rd Class Seth Fairfax, a Sailor assigned to Emory S. Land. “I am single-handedly going to keep our MWR well funded,” an allusion to the fact that a large portion of the store profits go toward funding the ship’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation program.

specialists sent from NEXCOM the ship’s store was able to open again in a timely fashion. “We are very lucky to have had Veronica and her team out here for this evolution,” said Cmdr. Cameron Rogers, the ship’s supply officer. “We are the first permanently forward-deployed ship to get this treatment, and it is very exciting for us to be able to benefit from their expertise. I think the crew will be very happy with the results.” “NEXCOM paid for the branding opportunity because they wanted to spice up the store and make it more presentable for the crew,” said Chief Ship’s Serviceman Jarmaine L. Moore, leading chief petty officer

Emory S. Land PUBLIC AFFAIRS

JEA Clean Up The Junior Enlisted Association organized a clean up of Polaris Point in preparation of the command picnic.

Clean Up

“It went amazingly. People really came together, and the beforeand-after was totally noticeable. They did a great job cleaning up. -ET1 Troy Lee

“It made me feel good because it gave people a chance to play volleyball right outside of the ship, instead of going to the base. It’s our own space!” -IT3 Ashley Benjamin

Emory S. Land PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Point Club Grand Opening

A new recreational facility has opened up on Polaris Point for Sailors and civilian mariners. The Point Club has something for everyone.

GRAND OPENING

“I’m so excited about the new Point Club. They’ve got so much to offer. I’m going to spend a lot of my free time there.” -HT3 Meredith Moss

Emory S. Land PUBLIC AFFAIRS

CAPTAIN’S CALL Captain Mark A. Prokopius Commanding Oﬃcer USS Emory S. Land (AS 39)

Friends, Family, and Crew of the USS EMORY S. LAND, The past two months have been successful for Emory S. Land. Sailors onboard continue to exceed all expectations while supporting submarines and surface ships in the 7th Fleet area of operations. Over the last two months, we have provided maintenance and support to USS BUFFALO (SSN 715), USS CHICAGO (SSN 721), USS GREENVILLE (SSN 772), USS KEY WEST (SSN 722), USS OHIO (SSGN 726), USS TOPEKA (SSN 754), and USS TUCSON (SSN 770). Additionally, the crew completed a short-fused repair for the Peruvian Navy vessel BAP Ferre. I continue to be impressed with the level of dedication and focus given to the submarines and ships we support. As I walk around the shops, I see Sailors working at full capacity, often in shift work, completing high quality work in a timely manner. Feedback from the Commanding Officers of the ships and submarines continues to be very positive. They recognize the enthusiasm and professionalism that Sailors assigned to Land demonstrate on a daily basis. Over the past several months, our crew has also completed several annual inspections. Each area evaluated – Weapons, Medical, Supply, & Safety - exceeded the fleet standards. I was most proud of the positive comments that the inspectors made about the attitude and professionalism of the sailors on the deck-plate. Each of you continues to make incremental improvements in the programs you manage. I hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable Independence Day weekend. I encourage all of you to take advantage of our time in port to explore Guam and enjoy your time here. We will have another opportunity for extended liberty later this month with the celebration of Guam’s liberation from Japanese occupation during World War II on July 21. I encourage all of you to attend the parade, and if possible, volunteer to represent ESL by marching with our float. As we head into the heat and rain of Guam’s summer season, be sure to keep safety in mind no matter what activity you are doing. Keep working hard and have a productive month.

Capt. Mark A. Prokopius, commanding officer of USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) and Military Sealift Command civilian mariner Michael S. Flanagan, officer in charge aboard Emory S. Land, pose for a photo with a plaque the ship received after winning the Fiscal Year 2015 Chief of Naval Operations Environmental Quality Award. (U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Michael Doan)

Emory S. Land PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Interview with CMDCM Greene by MC3 Jason Amadi

Q: The last time I interviewed you, you were just checking into the command. How have you acclimated to life on Guam and the ESL?” A: “Guam is good. It’s a little bit of a shock going from the 350 Sailors we had to almost 800 now, because with that comes all the problems of having a big crew. We are undermanned in some divisions. My concern is whether, ESL or Frank Cable, all the Sailors are being taken care of. But Guam is definitely good. I like it. I’ve been SCUBA diving; I’ve gotten my daughters certified in SCUBA diving. I’m pretty much loving surface ship life.” Q: The NBA Finals just wrapped up. Were you following it closely? Did you have any rooting interests? A: I wanted the Cavaliers to win. There are a lot of LeBron haters out there, but Cleveland needed a win. Plus the CO is from that area. I have no loyalty to either team, but it’s nice for Cleveland to have a win. Q: Any thoughts on the command thus far? A: The command is great. Sailors’ attitudes are positive. I know a lot of people say there are differences between the Cable and the Land, but generally the climate seems good. I get comment cards and emails and things like that, and I think people appreciate it.

Q: What was the idea behind having people submit comment cards and posting them outside your office? A: I think if you ask the crew to give you feedback and tell you what’s going on, you have a responsibility to get back to them. That’s really what it’s all about. Sailors have complaints and some of them are legit and some of them are not. Some of them are just weird. Like someone asked, ‘can we play Born in the USA before field day?’ and I said, ‘absolutely.’ I think it’s important to let the crew know what’s going on. You can’t make everyone happy all the time, but letting Sailors know their opinions were at least considered in your decision-making process is important. Q: There have been some changes since you’ve come aboard, for example, the changes to field day. How has the truncated field day been received thus far? A: I think Sailors like it. We have a clash sometimes of two different mentalities: submarine and surface. On a submarine you have a lot of things to do to keep you busy. I mean, on the ship there’s a lot of spaces you own. For instance, bilges, you know. We don’t own a lot of that. So as I analyzed that and took some feedback from the previous command climate survey that said ‘Hey, why are we doing field day for two hours? What are we going to do during field day that we’re not going to catch during sweepers?’ The answer is there’s some focus areas that are important to get the crew to stop and take care of. So now we only do that for an hour and after that, people have the rest of the day with their divisions or departments. Q: Is there anything else you’d like to say to the crew? A: Keep up the hard work. We’ve had some incidents. We’ve had some issues with alcohol and just like the Captain said, we’re going to hold people accountable for it. But that being said 99.5% of the crew is doing fine. We’ve had three or four people mess up out of a crew of about 800. A lot of times, we forget to reflect and acknowledge that the majority of the crew is doing things right.

Emory S. Land PUBLIC AFFAIRS

haplain’s orner

Lieutenant Takana Skelton Command Chaplain USS Emory S. Land (AS 39)

“Grief never ends but changes. It’s a

and to go through it more than once.

you with by being in your life, if even

passage, not a place to stay. Grief is

for a brief moment.

not a sign of weakness, nor a lack of

be angry with God and to cry. Why?

faith. It is a sign of love.”

Because it is a natural human emotion

have lost in our lives is to continue to

to grieve. There is no order or method

live after they have left us. Allowing

to grief. It is at your own pace.

our lives to reflect the love they

ll of us, at some point in our

embodied in us and share it with others

lives, have or will experience

allows you the ability to be able to

keeps their legacy everlasting.

some form of grief; whether it was

work through the situation, be it a

due to the death of a family member

death or loss. One main thing to

friendships we feel may have ended

or friend, the loss of a friendship or

remember is that you will NEVER get

to soon, we can look at those as

relationship or the loss of something

“over it” nor should you. However,

opportunities to learn even more about

significant in our lives.

as each day goes by and you begin to

ourselves and what we truly desire out

allow yourself to work through your

of life. Not every person who enters

type, there is going to be grief. Grief

grief, it will become easier to handle.

our lives is meant to stay. Remember,

will manifest itself in many different

there are no coincidences in meeting

forms from crying, to rage or anger,

remembering the good times and the

someone by chance. It is chance to

to feeling guilty and even a sense of

ability to finally smile, breath and let

love, learn and live.

hopelessness. It is okay to have or

go. To let go of all the guilt and pain

experience each form and type of grief

as you embrace the gift they blessed

~Author unknown

Whenever there is a loss of any

You have permission to even

To allow yourself to grieve

You will find yourself

A way to honor to the ones we

For those relationships and

The Official Newsletter of USS EMORY S. LAND (AS 39)

Commanding Officer Captain Mark A. Prokopius Executive Officer Commander Brian C. Rednour Command Master Chief CMDCM (SS/NAC) William L. Greene Public Affairs Officer Lieutenant Bradley Newsad JAGC Leading Petty Officer MC1 (SW) Brandon Shelander Editing/Design/Journalism MC3 Jason Amadi MC3 Michael Doan MCSN Dan Willoughby