The official publication of the USS Emory S. Land
THE
LANDMARK
MAY 2018
V9|5
Inside this issue PG. 5 At a Moment’s Notice PG. 13 Asian/Pacific Islander Heritage PG. 15 SAPR Victim Advocates
MORE THAN A GAME
THE COMMAND TRIAD COMMANDING OFFICER | Capt. Douglas A. Bradley EXECUTIVE OFFICER | Cmdr. Robert J. Lopez COMMAND MASTER CHIEF | CMDCM William T. Greene THE LANDMARK MAGAZINE STAFF PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER | Lt. Daniel Moore LEADING PETTY OFFICER | MC1 Oliver Cole QUALITY ASSURANCE | MC1 Steven Khor LEAD EDITOR | MC2 Alex Miller SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER | MC2 Daniel Willoughby STAFF JOURNALIST | MCSN Destinyy Reed STAFF JOURNALIST | MCSN Benjamin Zuercher The 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 The Landmark Magazine must be submitted to the Public Affairs Officer of the USS Emory S. Land. The 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 GuidedMissile 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 THE LANDMARK MAGAZINE AND THE CONTRIBUTORS INVOLVED.
Capt. Douglas A. Bradley removes debris at 99 Islands Beach during a community relations event to restore and beautify the Sasebo area. Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Daniel Willoughby
TABLE OF CONTENTS
USS SAN FRANCISCO SEA STORY ON PAGE 05
PG 09
LEADERSHIP Pg. 03 - The Commanding Officer
FEATURES
Pg. 05 - At a Moment’s Notice Pg. 09 - More than a Game Pg. 13 - Heritage Pg. 15 - SAPR Victim Advocates
THE AFTERMATH The Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine USS San Francisco (SSN 711) undergoes dry dock maintenance to repair damages sustained from running into an underwater mountain.
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Capt. Douglas Bradley Commanding Officer, USS Emory S. Land
Sasebo Port Visit The ship was able to get underway and demonstrate expeditionary mission skills during a 10 day port visit to Sasebo, Japan this past month. We provided repair services for five of the homeported surface ships in Sasebo and engage in several community relations projects strengthening our Navy’s bilateral partnership with Japan. In addition to these vital missions, we conducted a number of training events with the different capabilities of our ship, exercising skills that we would need to perform to tend units in more remote places. All of those events were successfully conducted. Liberty is a Mission One of the top concerns in any port visit is executing good liberty, this is an all-hands mission. We had about 500 Navy sailors and civilian mariners visiting and participating in activities in and around Sasebo and they represented EMORY S. LAND well. They were great ambassadors for the United States, great ambassadors for the Navy, and we executed the liberty plan with no incidents. I am very proud of the crew’s support for our mission by executing safe liberty. Make the Most Out of MTA MTA or mid-term availability is a time to make our ship materially better and only comes around every two to three years. We recently found out that the ship will be relocating to Mare Island Dry Dock LLC in Vallejo, CA to conduct our three month MTA. There are a number of ways to get the most out of MTA. The first way already happened – preparation. This is the day-to-day identification of material issues, zone inspections, and reporting of things that need to be fixed. These are many of the items that are in the work package and why we must continue to find, report, and track all new issues in order to prepare for the next MTA. Next is preparing for the new shipyard environment. To be successful, we need to properly prepare the crew that will stay with the ship to stand watches in an industrial environment to keep our ship safe, ensure the right work is getting done, and keep people safe from the new hazards we will find ourselves in. This will require more training on the shipyard policies
and work controls in the coming weeks. There will also be a number of opportunities to continue strengthening our sailors. Many of our crew will stay behind and be re-assigned temporarily to the FRANK CABLE and continue to support the Guam maintenance mission. This is a time to continue to refine their expertise in repair. The others will go with the ship to support the MTA mission. I anticipate we will have opportunities for some sailors to exchange roles, have time to take leave, and get to vital schools. Lastly, our temporary summer home gives us a unique experience to get involved in a new community and make a positive difference. Like visiting Japan, as ambassadors for the Navy, I expect the crew to take advantage of this opportunity to immerse in the history, culture, and activities of the surrounding San Francisco Bay area and engage in making our local community better. Sasebo Memories One of the great things about going to different places aboard Navy ships is getting to experience new cultures. I had the opportunity to visit Sasebo once before in 2004 and was fortunate to rediscover one of my favorite restaurants that cooks and serves up individual meats or vegetables on sticks. I love the steak, chicken, seafood, and cheesy bacon wraps served on a stick. While this was one of my favorite places around the local ginza, I was able to see some new things on this visit too including sushi trains, cat cafés and two great MWR visits one to Nagasaki and one to Fukuoka for a baseball game. Recognize Our Families April was month of the military child, May we celebrate Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day follows in June. This month, I would like to recognize the incredible families of ESL and thank them for their support. Whether your family is in Guam or somewhere else, thank you to the strong children of military members who move and move, the sacrificing spouses who endure periods of separation keeping home together, and proud parents who have loaned their best sons and daughters to the Navy to serve our country. Lastly, Happy Mother’s Day to all our ESL moms, spouses who are moms, and all the moms of sailors – thank you for being awesome!
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AT A MOMENT’S NOTICE
SEA STORIES: Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman James Aiken
A piece of rock from the underground mountain that San Francisco hit sits on display in Akin’s office.
USS San Francisco (SSN 711) returns to Apra Harbor after the incident with support from tug boats. (U.S. Navy photo)
By MC2 Daniel Willoughby
“
I DON’T REALLY REMEMBER THE FIRST SIX HOURS, BECAUSE IT WAS SO CHAOTIC. I WAS REALLY JUST ON AN ADRENALINE RUSH.
”
Hospital corpsmen are the Navy’s medical personnel. They are stationed throughout the fleet, on carriers, destroyers, on the ground with Marines, and in the depths of the sea aboard submarines. The job naturally requires courage and selflessness. At a moment’s notice, corpsmen are called upon in the most dangerous situations. In early January 2005, the Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine USS San Francisco (SSN 711) was on a routine deployment around 350 miles to the south of their homeport of Guam, when the submarine struck an undersea mountain that was not on their current charts. Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman James Akin, then a first class petty officer, was the independent duty corpsman aboard the submarine. His job consisted of mainly administrative work, taking care of the crew’s basic medical needs, and training shipmates on medical emergency responses. On January 8, Akin and his shipmates were called upon to go beyond normal duties. “I was in berthing getting ready for watch when I felt a violent shake reverberate throughout the ship,” said
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Akin. “Then it happened again, and we didn’t hear anything. At the time, I didn’t think anything big happened. As I was leaving the forward berthing, they started calling off injuries throughout the ship.” Akin quickly moved throughout the submarine, finding injured shipmates, while his medical emergency team, consisting of cooks and supply personnel, began setting up a triage and taking care of the less serious injuries. “I don’t really remember the first six hours, because it was so chaotic,” said Akin. “I was really just on an adrenaline rush. I was worried that I was forgetting something, or not doing everything I could for my shipmates. Everyone was doing what they could.” Akin tended to Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Allen Ashley, who had a severe head injury, while other Sailors began fabricating a hoist and removing stops on a ladder well in order to assist moving Ashley up to the bridge. Ashley would unfortunately succumb to his injuries sustained from the accident despite medical care. Of the 137 Sailors on board, 68 were treated by Akin and his team. 29 other Sailors would later be treated
at Naval Base Guam. The submarine would return to Guam under its own power with assistance from local tug boats and Military Sealift Command vessels. “I will never forget how well my shipmates reacted and responded to the incident,” said Akin. “They were doing everything they possibly could. I try to teach my junior corpsmen now to be level headed and calm. I want to emphasize the importance of training. In situations like that, you kind of go in automatic mode, so you want to be as prepared as you can.” Akin now serves as a department leading chief petty officer on the submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) and brings his unique experience to the medical team. In the face of adversity, Akin and his shipmates were ready at a moment’s call, just as many others are throughout the Navy every day.
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MORE THAN
A
GAME
Story & photos by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Alex Miller
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“Beyond just playing soccer, these events are a great opportunity to branch out and interact with the community outside of a work setting.”
Shortly before sunset, Religious Programs Specialist 1st Class Robert Washington slid on a pair of gloves as he stretched next to a soccer goal at the edge of Nimitz Park in Sasebo, Japan. He was the first Sailor attached to the submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) to arrive for a soccer game against locals from the Sasebo area. As daylight gave way to dusk, a group of players took to the field wearing matching warmup suits and neon cleats. They began running warm-up drills as Washington watched and continued stretching. “Oh goodness, what did I do?” said Washington, smiling. “I’m over here in tube socks and sneakers and they bought out the entire sporting goods store. Did we challenge a professional team?” The sun continued to set as Land Sailors took to the field and started kicking a soccer ball back and forth. The two opposing teams formed separate circles and warmed up amongst themselves. Washington, the Land team’s goalie, positioned himself in front of the goal. “This one is coming for the corner,” said Lt. Wilking Jean, Land’s chaplain, as he prepared to kick the ball at Washington. “It will be too fast for you. I’m sorry in advance.” Jean took a running start and kicked the ball high and to the right, bouncing off Washington’s gloved hand and over the goal to a nearby picnic shelter. A sweat suit-clad player from the Sasebo team kicked the ball back to the Land team as he smiled and waved. “Arigato gozaimasu,” said Jean, which means “thank you” in Japanese. The players from both teams began to meet in the middle of the field and shake hands. Players from both teams knew the opposing team’s language to varying degrees, some better than others, but the friendly body language and pats on the back had no language barrier. “It was great to get a team out there to play and have fun,” said Chief Logistics Specialist Bryan Reid. “Beyond just playing soccer, these events are a great opportunity to branch out and interact with the community outside a work setting.”
Reid walked past the soccer field several times on his way to downtown Sasebo before he noticed the players practicing one evening. “We didn’t have an organized team, but I figured it would be fun to challenge them,” said Reid. “The game wasn’t planned before our arrival and I had never met the team before. We set a time and I spent the following few days putting the word out.” Before Sailors stepped off the ship in Sasebo for the first time, Capt. Douglas A. Bradley, Land’s commanding officer, briefed the crew about in-port conduct and how to act as a proper ambassador for the ship and the Navy as a whole. “Playing sports and building these relationships with the community help us strengthen our partnership with those who live in the area,” said Reid. “It’s just like the captain said, be an ambassador. That doesn’t only mean making good decisions and staying out of trouble, it means having positive interactions with the community.” Reid hopes the experience will lead to the formation of an organized Land soccer team. “Everyone who came out to play loved it and I hope to see them come out again,” said Reid. “I’m working on getting a team together to compete with other Navy commands as well as whoever wants to play in ports we visit. It’s a good way for Sailors to go out and have fun in a constructive way.” The sun disappeared completely by the time the game was over. Afternoon warmth had shifted to a chilly Sasebo spring night. Bright lights lined the sides of the field, illuminating the steam rising from the players as they began putting on their jackets and saying their goodbyes. Both teams shook hands and exchanged encouraging words before going their separate ways. “We didn’t win, but I’m happy we got to enjoy the experience,” said Reid. “We know where to find them, and I’m sure they’ll be happy to have a rematch someday. In the meantime, we will build a team as organized as the one we had the pleasure of meeting.”
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Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Facts researched by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Destinyy Reed
FLYING TIGERS (1941) Since 1992, May has been designated to recognize the personal achievements and valuable contributuions to the American story by Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the transcontinental railroad completion on May 10, 1869. This year, Navy commands are encouraged to celebrate and reflect on the theme “Unite Our Vision By Working Together.�
Here are 5 facts about Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the Navy:
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33 Asian American and Pacific Islander veterans have received the Medal of Honor. The first Native Hawaiian to be awarded the Medal of Honor came during the Korean War. Pfc. Herbert K. Pilila’au of Waianae, Oahu, received this award posthumously for valor shown on September 17, 1951 while serving with the 2nd Infantry Division. In January 2000, the United States Navy named a strategic sealift ship (T-AKR 304) after him. Sunita Lyn “Suni” Williams, is an American astronaut and United States Navy officer of Indian-Slovenian descent. She holds the records for total spacewalks by a woman (7) and most spacewalk time for a woman (50 hours, 40 minutes). Williams was assigned to the International Space Station as a member of Expedition 14 and Expedition 15. In 2012, she served as a flight engineer on Expedition 32 and then commander of Expedition 33. She also became the first person to run the Boston Marathon from the space station on April 16, 2007. Dr. Eleanor Concepcion “Connie” Mariano is a physician, the first Filipino-American to reach the rank of Rear Admiral in the United States Navy, the first graduate of the Uniformed Services University of Medicine to reach flag officer status, and the first woman to be the director of the White House Medical Unit. The 1st American Volunteer Group (AVG) of the Chinese Air Force, nicknamed the Flying Tigers, was comprised of pilots from the United States Army Air Corps, Navy, and Marine Corps. From December 20, 1941 (just 12 days after the attack on Pearl Harbor) until July 4 of the following year, the Flying Tigers consisted of three squadrons of around 30 aircraft each. The nose of each aircraft was emblazoned with the face of a shark and quickly became one of the most easily recognized images of an aircraft or combat unit in World War II.
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SAPR VICTIM ADVOCATES
MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN TIMES OF NEED
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Previous page, from left: HT2 Jannisha Ingram, LSCS Mariaathea Hernandez, LS2 Almira Rose Rivera, MC2 Alex Miller and HM2 Brett Holmes
By MCSN Benjamin Zuercher
Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Victim Advocates (SAPR VA’s) are always available to provide help to any Sailor who has been a victim of sexual assault. Aboard the Guam-based submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) SAPR VA’s are on call at all times to assist the Land’s Sailors whenever they are in need, and can be reached at ext.6534. However, many Sailors wonder why these advocates volunteer themselves to be a part of SAPR and why they care about victims of sexual assault. “I wouldn’t have joined if I wasn’t passionate about being a SAPR Victim Advocate,” said Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Almira Rivera, a Sailor Assigned to the Land. “I have past experience with sexual assault; two of my friends from my last command were victims and I thought it would
“It’s a lot to take in all at once. It’s difficult for someone to explain what might have happened to them. To be there, to hear their story and try to grasp what they might have felt is a challenge we have to face in order to support them however we can.”
be great if I could help them. It’s not something you expect to happen to those around you or those close to you.” Some situations can be difficult for victims to express themselves, therefore it is important that victim advocates do their best to listen and understand what someone may be going through in order to provide emotional support. “It’s a lot to take in all at once,” said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Brett Holmes, a Sailor assigned to the Land. “It’s difficult for someone to explain what might have happened to them. To be there, to hear their story and try to grasp what they might have felt is a challenge we have to face in order to support them however we can.” Holmes said he and the other SAPR VA’s care a great deal about every Sailor they assist in getting the help they need. “If anyone comes to me or calls the SAPR phone when I’m on call, I’ll do everything I can to help them or get them the help they need,” said Holmes. “No one deserves to be sexually assaulted, just as no one deserves to be left for themselves in those times. There is always help available and we are more than willing.” Rivera said that despite the emotional and painful experiences that can come with being a SAPR Victim Advocate, the rewards are well worth it. “Being a SAPR victim advocate is very emotional,” said Rivera. “But, it’s worth it. When I help someone, I feel some of the same emotions that they feel. Being able to help victims, even if it’s just pointing them in the right direction, it is very rewarding knowing I’ve helped someone who’s gone through so much. When they cry, I cry, when they laugh, I laugh, and when they just need a hug, I will be there to hug them.” 18
BE 2 0 1 8
safe respectful honest ready
ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH