The Shuttle
USS Enterprise (CVN 65)
Newsletter Edition
“We are Legend”
March 13, 2012 Issue
Reactor Department Steams Ahead By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Scott Pittman The Reactor department aboard aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) is using lessons learned during their composite training unit exercise (COMPTUEX) and exercise Bold Alligator 2012 to keep the ship cruising throughout deployment. The Reactor team, working in tandem with Sailors in the Engineering department, is responsible for systems that provide steam for the ship, the aircraft catapults on the flight deck, and powering the four propulsion plants which move the ship. “We’re not necessarily involved in the day-today operations that people hear about so much, but nothing could get done on the ship without the ‘nukes,’” said Lt. j.g. Sarah Kuehl, a reactor mechanical division officer. During COMPTUEX, Enterprise Sailors working in Reactor department spaces ran continuous training evolutions ranging from propulsion drills to reactor casualty drills. The primary concern, besides ensuring the ship is able to complete operational commitments, is always the safety of embarked Sailors and Marines. “There is constant training,” said Machinist’s Mate 1st Class Carlos Jimenez, assistant leading petty officer of Reactor Mechanical Division 22. “We perform drills in case there is an
Photo by MC3 Scott Pittman
emergency so we can respond correctly, figure out the cause, and fix the problem.” Enterprise, the Navy’s oldest nuclear powered aircraft carrier, is also the only aircraft carrier that houses eight nuclear-powered reactors and four propulsion plants. Nimitz-class aircraft carriers also carry four propulsion plants, but only house two nuclear reactors. This presents a unique challenge for Reactor Sailors aboard Enterprise, as they are part of one of the largest reactor departments in the Navy. “Sailors of Reactor and Engineering Departments manage and maintain the By Hugh Lessig, NEWPORT NEWS DAILY PRESS most complex steam engineering plant, not only in the United States, but of any Ray Godfrey was a 21-year-old Sailor his shipmates and readied himself for Navy in the world.” said Cmdr. Kirk on the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise his first time at sea. Weatherly, Enterprise’s Reactor officer. when it first deployed 50 years ago. Airman Myles Thompson of “They do it every day of the week to “It was about duty, truthfully, how to Colombia, Tenn., didn’t know Ray keep this 50-year-old warship moving serve my country,” he said. “I liked it – Godfrey, but he knew what the older through the water, giving the Captain 16-hour days.” man represented. As he spoke pier side on Sunday at “They laid the groundwork for us,” and the Admiral the operational support Naval Station Norfolk, the Enterprise he said. “We’re just following in their they need.” prepared to leave for its final footsteps.” Enterprise is currently deployed to deployment, ending a remarkable run This is being billed a “business-asconduct maritime security operations that began in 1962 and saw it serve in usual” deployment for the nation’s and theater security operations in the major conflicts from the Cuban Missile oldest aircraft carrier, which will lead U.S. Navy’s 5th and 6th fleet areas of Crisis to the Middle East wars. a strike group into the perilous waters responsibility. This is Enterprise’s 22nd On the flight deck Sunday, another of the Middle East. The crew will and final deployment. Big E continued on page 2 21-year-old Sailor manned the rails with
Big E’s Final Journey
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Big E Happenings Big E continued worry about the usual things: pirates, mariners in distress, humanitarian crises and the ever-present threat of hostilities in hot spots like Iran and Syria. The Enterprise will handle another task that has also become routine. It will take another generation of Sailors to sea. And across the years, those Sailors have more in common than might be apparent at first glance. Unconventional Paths Godfrey, now 72 years old, joined the Navy after dropping out of high school. “I made it all the way through the ninth grade,” he joked. That didn’t stop him from taking on a big challenge: entering the Navy’s nuclear program. After being selected, he began a rigorous period of academic study and trained on prototype nuclear equipment. The Enterprise was being constructed as the nation’s first nuclear-powered flattop. There was no other ship on which he could practice. Shortly after his maiden voyage, the ship was reloaded and sent south. It was the fall of 1962. “All of a sudden, we were off the coast of Florida and the water was warm and President Kennedy got on and told us what was going on,” Godfrey recalled. The young Sailor found himself in the midst of the Cuban Missile Crisis, a dangerous standoff that brought the U.S. and the Soviet Union to the brink of war. “We just went down there and did our job,” Godfrey said. Thompson, the young airman, followed a different path to the Enterprise, but it also might be considered unconventional. He didn’t plan on entering the military at all. He spent time applying to colleges, but that didn’t work out. “I needed something to get my life started, and I decided the military was at least a way to get it started,” he said. Thompson’s friend had joined the Navy the previous year, so Thompson chose that path as well. Getting his start on the Enterprise was icing on the cake. “I got switched here and got orders to the Enterprise,” he said. “I actually got told it was the some of the best orders I SMOKE DECK RULES: No food on or around the Smoke Deck No open or unopened soda cans on or around the Smoke Deck. (Refillable water bottles are allowed) NO TRASH in the butt kits. No smoking while cleaning the Smoke Deck.
When the smoke deck gets secured for the above mentioned, it will be the Sailors on the Smoke Deck at that time that will do the cleaning and trash separation.
Photo by MCSN Harry A. Gordon
could have gotten.” Like Godfrey, Thompson has no illusions about the dangers of life at sea. In his case, it has tragically hit home. The friend who convinced Thompson to join the Navy was Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew Bergman, who was lost at sea while serving on the USS Boxer last year in the Gulf of Aden. On Sunday, Thompson wore a wristband inscribed with his friend’s name as the Enterprise headed out. Thompson has an entire career ahead of him, and if he needs inspiration, he can look to Godfrey, who did pretty well for a high school dropout. Godfrey not only received his high-school equivalency diploma while in the Navy, but his military training catapulted him to career with Westinghouse. He worked in research and development on spent nuclear fuel and moved into senior management – all without a college education. Capt. William Hamilton Jr., the Enterprise commander, said that first crew represented something special. “These are the guys who invented this stuff,” he said. “They were the pioneers in this eight-reactor nuclear warship that was the largest ship in the world at the time it was built. We appreciate them a lot and we owe them a lot.”
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. G. C. Huffman
Command Master Chief ABCM (AW/SW) Eric M. Young
Public Affairs Officer Lt. Cmdr. Sarah T. Self-Kyler
Editors MC2 (SW) Kristin L. Grover MCSN Harry Gordon
3M 3M Question of the Day: Who is responsible for determining IEM status for equipment? Yesterday’s 3M answer: The # symbol means mandatory related maintenance.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
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World News Up-To Date Emergency Data Vital For Family Readiness By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class LaTunya Howard, Navy Public Affairs MILLINGTON, Tenn. - Off-duty accidents and illnesses oversee arrangements after their death and whom we were among the leading causes of death for Sailors in will take our direction from in fulfilling the Sailor’s final calendar year 2011, said a Navy official March 9. wishes,” said Swope. “As service members, we usually remember to update According to Swope, the Page 2 and Servicemembers’ our emergency data prior to a deployment or individual Group Life Insurance (SGLI) forms are among the first augmentee assignment,” said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class documents the Navy will turn to in the event a Sailor is Dana Swope, leading petty officer and licensed mortician, very seriously injured or dies. Navy and Marine Corps Mortuary Affairs. “Non-combat “Unfortunately, we sometimes find out when we need to related incidents such as car accidents, happen daily so notify family members of injury or the death of a service we should get in the practice of verifying our records at a member, that the information [in the Page 2 and SGLI] minimum of twice a year.” is outdated or incomplete which hampers the notification Sailors must keep their Record of Emergency Data process,” said Swope. “Not maintaining up-to-date Page 2 (DD form 93) and Dependency Application Record of information could delay notification to next-of-kin and the Emergency Data (NAVPERS 1070/602 also known as your distribution of death benefits.” Page 2) updated with their primary and secondary next-ofAlso, during a Page 2 update, Sailors should identify kin upon marriage, divorce, the birth of a child or any other three people that they would desire to be bedside should significant life changing event. they be injured and incapacitated. The Navy has a Bedside During a Page 2 update, Sailors should identify a person program that allows up to three family members to be authorized to direct disposition (PADD) of the deceased. present at an injured service member’s bedside should the “The PADD is the individual the Sailor appoints to injury be sufficient enough to warrant it.
U.S. Leaders Recall Japan Disasters, Relief Efforts By Karen Parrish, AMERICAN FORCES PRESS WASHINGTON - President Barack Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Obama, Vice President Joe Biden Kan said the disasters were the worst and Defense Secretary Leon E. crisis his nation had faced since World Panetta issued statements marking War II. Some 3,000 Japanese people the upcoming one-year anniversary remain missing. of the “3/11” earthquake, tsunami In today’s statement, the president and nuclear disasters that devastated said the United States mobilized Japan. immediately to aid Japan in a relief Obama said he and First Lady effort named for the Japanese word for Michelle Obama join all Americans “friend.” in honoring the memory of the 19,000 “At the peak of Operation victims lost or missing. “We continue Tomodachi -- our single, largest to be inspired by the Japanese people, bilateral military operation with Japan who faced unimaginable loss with ever -- the Department of Defense had extraordinary fortitude,” he said. 24,000 personnel, 190 aircraft, and 24 The 8.9 magnitude earthquake Navy ships supporting humanitarian struck northeastern Japan in the assistance and disaster relief efforts,” afternoon of March 11, triggering Obama noted. a tsunami. The disasters killed an Japan’s government has led estimated 16,000 people and destroyed rebuilding efforts over the past year, coastal villages, towns and cities in Obama said, while U.S. experts the Tohoku region. The earthquake “continue to support Japan’s ongoing damaged the Fukushima Dai-Ichi efforts to deal with the challenges nuclear plant, which suffered cooling associated with Fukushima.” system failures, fires and explosions Obama said he and the first lady are continued through March 15. grateful for the contributions American
civilians and service members have made to Japan’s recovery. “On this day when our thoughts and prayers are with the Japanese people in remembrance of the hardship faced one year ago, let us also celebrate the recovery under way in Japan and pay tribute to Japan’s unflagging dedication to bettering the lives of others throughout the world,” the president said. Biden, in his statement, recalled his visit to Japan five months after the disasters. “The survivors I met in Natori and Sendai made clear to me that the disaster met its match in the resilience and fortitude of the Japanese people,” the vice president said. “While struck by the scale of the devastation, I also witnessed remarkable and inspiring progress in rebuilding homes, schools, and workplaces.” In Sendai, Biden said, he visited an airport that had been flooded and later became a refugee center.
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