The Shuttle USS Enterprise (CVN 65)
Newsletter Edition
“We are Legend”
December 15, 2011 Issue
‘GITMO 8’ Trains Sailors To Save Lives
By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Daniel J. Meshel
While USS Enterprise (CVN 65) is underway in the Atlantic Ocean Dec. 5-14, the risk of injury during day-to-day operations presents a possible threat to the welfare of the crew and the success of the ship’s mission. To better prepare for potential injuries, Sailors aboard Enterprise are participating in a training series, known as “GITMO 8,” which covers the treatment of the most common wounds and injuries. GITMO 8 provides Sailors with knowledge to recognize and treat injuries such as amputations, sucking chest wounds, and fractures. These guidelines for treatment allow all Sailors to be first-responders in the event medical personnel are unable to reach the victims. “The training was recorded and will be broadcast to the crew to help better
MC3(SW) Daniel J. Meshel
prepare and train Sailors for mass casualty situations,” said Lt. Darcy R. Guerricagoitia, the ship’s nurse aboard Enterprise.
MC3(SW) Daniel J. Meshel
According to Guerricagoitia, the Medical department aboard the ship is one of the smallest departments and training Sailors to be first-responders during a mass casualty situation increases the chances of an injured shipmate receiving life-saving treatment. “We’ve tried to make sure that we have disseminated [GITMO 8] throughout the entire crew,” said Capt. Roderick L. Clayton, Enterprise’s physical therapist. “We don’t want them to have to think too hard, because when the adrenaline starts pumping, sometimes you forget exactly what it is you are supposed to do for a given type of injury.” Using theatrical make-up and prosthesis to reproduce wounds found within the GITMO 8 training, Sailors recreate scenarios and injuries for maximum realism. “We want to make it as realistic as possible so that if something were to happen, all [Enterprise Sailors] will understand how they can support medical by being first responders,” said Clayton. Along with training, Sailors are given reference cards with a detailed template for responding to specific injuries found in the GITMO 8 training. Sailors are recommended to always keep a copy with them. “They can pull the card out and go step-by-step to help treat wounds and potentially save their shipmate’s life,” said Guerricagoitia. “We hope that everyone takes this training seriously,” said Clayton, “because one day, and it’s not a matter of ‘if’, but ‘when,’ you’ll have to step in and save a Sailor’s life.”
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The Shuttletle
Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011
USS Nitze’s Damage Control Program Gets a Makeover
damage control assistant aboard Nitze. "Using our method, the The Arleigh Burke-class, guided-missile only other watch destroyer USS Nitze (DDG 94) put its new a Sailor on the damage control program to the test while Rapid Response underway Dec. 9. and Isolation team Nitze recently adjusted its damage control might be standing program in an effort to better fight the ship in a would be an under multi-mission environment. instruction watch, With the implementation of the Rapid meaning they Response and Isolation (RRI) team, Nitze is can report to the innovating the way their Sailors respond to assigned repair damage, to any part of the ship, while the ship is locker immediately performing any of its myriad missions. and not have to wait "With the increase in multi-warfare platforms for someone else and technology and decrease in personnel, to take over that reorganizing the remaining Sailors to complete station." missions of increasing complexity is key The primary team to success," said Cmdr. Christopher Nerad, is made up of Sailors Nitze’s commanding officer." Nitze Sailors are with a higher level of damage control training now functionally aligned to fight the ship and and experience. They are the first to respond to save the ship. This organizational approach to any casualty that may be called away. These maximizes both combat readiness and our Sailors are constantly on standby to fight the ability to sustain operations when deployed." ship, making damage control readiness their Sailors on the RRI team are distinguishable watch station. by their red coveralls, setting them apart as If the initial response team cannot combat the personnel whose primary responsibility is the problem on their own, one of three specialized combating of fires, toxic gas and hull damage, and functionally aligned "attack" teams will be which could occur at any time. called in to assist. Attack team alpha specializes "On other ships, when a casualty is called in fighting fires, while team bravo responds to away, sometimes Sailors may be delayed while hull damage, from flooding to burst pipes, and waiting for watch relief for whatever station team charlie is responsible for crash and salvage they may be at," said Lt. j.g. Dirk Wooten, the on the flight deck, as well as toxic gas leaks. Attack team bravo is also the primary rescue and assistance crew. "Normally, Sailors assigned to a certain repair locker will respond to any type of casualty that occurs as long as it happens in the area assigned to that locker," said Wooten. "We have teams that cover the entire ship, but only respond to their team's assigned casualty type." Organizing Sailors with this method leaves plenty of time to train the Rapid Response and Isolation team for all possible variables, while leaving the rest of the ship with an adequate number of Sailors to maintain a three-section watch rotation. "As far as I know, we're the only ship that has our watchbills set up to the point that we can run full damage control drills during other major evolutions, like a replenishment at sea," said Damage Controlman 1st Class John Pogue, the Damage Control Training Team (DCTT) Photo by MC1(SW) Steve Smith coordinator. By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Scott Pittman
Photo by MC3 Scott Pittman
The RRI team keeps the ship from going to general quarters for anything less than a simulated combat emergency with multiple casualties, or a situation determined by the commanding officer. The DCTT runs multiple casualty exercises daily to keep the RRI and attack teams prepared to work together and, ultimately, discover the best way for all teams to repair any casualties as a cohesive unit. "We've been using this system for around six to eight months, and after we started getting the initial kinks worked out, we're seeing a big improvement in our abilities to maintain the ship," said Pogue. "I wouldn't be surprised at all to see this type of damage control organization get picked up by the rest of the Navy."
ESWS Question of the Day Q: When is the “Bravo” flag flown? Yesterday’s answer: The animals on the foc’sle include the pelican hook, wildcat, alligator back, bullnose, crane and frogs.
The Shuttle USS Enterprise (CVN 65)
The Shuttle is published and printed daily underway and bi-weekly in port by the USS Enterprise (CVN 65) Media Department, FPO AE 09543-2810. This newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the Department of Defense. Please direct all story ideas, questions and comments to MC1 (SW) Steve Smith at smithsw@cvn65.navy.mil.
Commanding Officer Capt. William C. Hamilton, Jr.
Executive Officer Capt. Greg C. Huffman
Public Affairs Officer Command Master Chief ABCM (AW/SW) Eric M. Young Lt. Cmdr. Sarah T. Self-Kyler Editors MC3(SW) Jeffry A. Willadsen MCSN Eric Brann MCSN Harry Gordon
Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011
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The Shuttle
Around the World Lawmakers Ready To Pass Defense Bill Authorizing 1.6 Percent Pay Hike By Leo Shane III for Stars and Stripes Troops will see a 1.6 percent pay increase next month and the military will receive more than $115 billion for overseas contingency operations under a defense budget agreement worked out by lawmakers on Monday. Both chambers are expected to approve the measure later this week. If signed into law, the measure would also make the head of the National Guard Bureau a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, provide new protections for sexual assault victims and order an overhaul of operations at Arlington National Cemetery. However, the measure still faces a veto threat from President Barack Obama over issues regarding the detention of captured terrorism suspects. The draft defense authorization bill would require that the military take custody of suspects who are members of al-Qaida or its affiliates, or those plotting attacks in the United States. In an effort to ease White House concerns over the language, lawmakers specified that
those rules do not apply to U.S. citizens and will not interfere with investigations by the FBI or other domestic law enforcement groups. White House officials had no comment on the new language. The draft measure calls for a $552 billion base budget for the Pentagon in fiscal 2012, $24 billion less than what the president and Defense Department requested last spring and $19 billion less than what lawmakers approved in last fiscal year’s authorization bill. Conference committee members said that’s part of an early down payment on billions of defense savings ordered under budget-cutting plans approved by Congress earlier this year. The 1.6 percent pay raise for troops is up slightly from 2011’s 1.4 percent increase, but it’s only about half of the average pay boost troops had received over the last decade. If approved, the increase would mean about $40 more a month for an E-4 with six years’ service and about $90 for an O-4 with six years. The draft measure also prohibits any pharmacy co-pay changes for 2012, and
limits any Tricare Prime enrollment fees to the percentage increase in retired pay. It also for the first time elevates National Guard leadership to the Joint Chiefs level, a move the Pentagon has resisted for years. Military officials argued the Guard was sufficiently represented in leadership ranks, but lawmakers said the new roles and responsibilities of the Guard warrant a voice in budgeting and strategic matters. The measure includes new legal counsel for sexual assault victims and a guarantee that unit transfer requests by accusers will be considered within 72 hours, both provisions supported by advocacy groups. Lawmakers also approved new sanctions on financial institutions that do business with Iran and froze $700 million in military assistance to Pakistan. The bill also calls for the creation of an overseas bases panel to look at possible cost-savings “ahead of an anticipated reduction of America’s global posture.” Lawmakers said they also reduced military construction requests by $1.7 billion and did not fully fund flight hours for the services in an effort to trim costs.
Energy. Lt. Rebecca Rebarich, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Strait of Hormuz Not Closed, ofNavy’s Fifth Fleet based in the Gulf kingdom of Bahrain, confirmed the strait was open. Iran Foreign Ministry Says “There are no indications of any disruptions in, or in the By Ladane Nasseri for Bloomberg Businessweek The Strait of Hormuz remains open to shipping, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said, after oil prices surged amid speculation that vessels might be blocked from using the strategic waterway. The spokesman, Ramin Mehmanparast, said reports about the strait’s closure were untrue. Oil prices spiked by as much as 3.6 percent today in New York and London. “These claims are sometimes made, but they are by people who have no role, no official title or authority,” Mehmanparast said by telephone from Tehran. About 15.5 million barrels of oil a day, about a sixth of global consumption, flows through the waterway between Iran and Oman at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, according to the U.S. Department
vicinity of, the Strait of Hormuz,” she said in an e-mail. “The flow of maritime traffic is normal.” U.S. crude for January delivery jumped $3.48 a barrel to as much as $101.25 on the New York Mercantile Exchange before easing to $100.01 at 11:59 a.m. Brent crude rose $3.84 a barrel to $111.10 on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange before slipping to $109.43 a barrel. Iran’s state-run Fars news agency reported earlier today that the country’s military is set to conduct drills to practice closing the strait, citing parliamentarian Parviz Sorouri. “If the world wants to make the region insecure, we will make the world insecure,” Sorouri was quoted as saying. His comments first appeared yesterday on the website of the state- run Iranian Students News Agency before the report was withdrawn without an explanation.
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Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011
The Shuttle
Sailor of the Day
December 15, 2011 Movie Schedule
Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Derek Wayne Schulz
Channel 6: Life As We Know It For Colored Girls Into The Wild Invictus
0900/1930 1100/2130 1300/2330 1645/0215
Channel 7: The Grinch Dance Flick Duplicity Nothing Like The Holidays
0900/1930 1100/2130 1300/2330 1645/0215
Channel 8: MM2 Schulz from Justin, Texas, joined the Navy four years ago to serve our country and see the world. Today he works in the aft station office for Reactor Department’s RA Division. The most rewarding aspect of his job is completing a project or a maintenance evolution and feeling like he has accomplished something. In the future, Schulz plans to move back to Texas and get a job working in water chemistry or mechanical engineering.
Street Fighter Takers Troy The Dark Knight
0900/1930 1100/2130 1300/2330 1645/0215
Big E Game Room
Across
1 Charitable donations 5 Three-toed mammal 10 Forest females 14 Gripe 15 Battery terminal 16 Pound of poetry 17 Fairy-tale fiend 18 Checked before a heist 19 Forenoon
20 Rwanda’s capital 22 Occurred 24 Japanese dog 26 Ribbed 27 Mideastern land 29 Intervene 31 Author Heine 33 Chop-chop 37 Bit of grain 38 Coast
40 Race unit 41 Desk drawer item 44 Ecclesiastical vestment 47 Tiny amounts 49 Inveigled 50 More agile 52 Jostle 54 Old Germanic legal code 56 La Scala productions
Down 1 Berserk 2 Norse fire god 3 Tequila cocktail 4 Enter secretly 5 Implied 6 Anecdote collection 7 Ritzy 8 Think creatively 9 Capsicum 10 Lord’s estate 11 Atmospheric layer 12 Committed a faux pas 13 Hourglass filler 21 False witness 23 Couple 25 “The Prophet” author 27 Nursery rhyme residence 28 Calendar period 30 Them there 32 Exodus participant 34 Low-tech calculator 35 Filled tortilla 36 Begin bidding 39 Actor Tamblyn 42 Walks firmly 43 Clapton of rock 45 Sound of a drip 46 Young hare 48 Cowardly 50 Dark fur 51 Travels back and forth 53 Grizzled 54 Roadside guide 55 Desire 57 Shortened version, for short 58 Clothes line? 61 Negative conjunction
59 Footnote abbr. 60 Former Mrs Trump 62 Hick 63 Delight 64 Luciano Pavarotti, e.g. 65 Exile isle 66 “Untouchable” Eliot 67 Admittance 68 Appointed date