W
THE
S
ASHINGTON
URVEYOR Vol. 21, Issue 12
June 14, 2021
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE
The official party salutes the ship's color guard.
6
12
THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY
SHIP IS ON SITE
The turning point of the pacific theatre in WWII
SITE TV: a great way for Sailors to feel at home on the ship
10
16
CREATING A SAFETY CULTURE
TROUBLESHOOTING FOR THE SHIP
Training Sailors to recognize unsafe conditions this summer
ADP solves any computer problem that arises
18
AROUND THE FLEET SUBMARINERS, SEALS JOIN FORCES ON USS NEW MEXICO
ON THE COVER: Cmdr. Leonard Bunch receives the ensign during his retirement ceremony honoring 35 years of service.
2 • The Washington Surveyor
W
S
THE
ASHINGTON
URVEYOR
USS George Washington (CVN 73) Commanding Officer
Surveyor Magazine Command Master Chief
Executive Officer
Vol. 21, Issue 12 June 14, 2021
Copy Editors Lt. Chelsea Cannaday MCC Christina Shaw MC1 Stacy Atkinsricks MC2 Elizabeth Cohen
Media Team MC2 Marlan Sawyer
Capt. Michael Nordeen
Capt. Kenneth Strong
CMDCM Christopher Zeigler
MC2 Anthony Hilkowski MC3 Tatyana Freeman
Media Department
MC3 Cory Daut MC3 Robert Stamer MC3 Aislynn Heywood
Deputy Public Affairs Officer
MC3 Leo Katsareas
Lt. Chelsea Cannaday
Departmental LCPO
MCSN Jack Lepien
Departmental LPO
MCC Christina Shaw
MC1 Stacy Atkinsricks
MCSN Preston Cash MCSN Dakota Nack MCSN Joseph Negusse MCSN Joshua Cabal
Media Department Requests PRINT REQUESTS
MCSN Dyxan Williams
PHOTO/VIDEO REQUESTS
MCSN Nicholas Russell
J-DIAL: 5615
E-MAIL CVN-73 Media Print Requests mediaprintrequests@cvn73.navy.mil
PHOTO STUDIO HOURS WED. - THU. MON. - TUE. 1230-1430 0900-1100 Located in 01-165-3-Q
A special thank you to all those who let us tell your stories to the crew and to the fleet. The Washington Surveyor is an authorized publication for Sailors serving aboard USS George Washington (CVN 73). Contents herein are not the visions of, or endorsed by the U.S. government, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Navy, or the Commanding Officer of USS George Washington. All news releases, photos, or information for publication in The Washington Surveyor must be submitted to the Public Affairs Officer.
The Washington Surveyor • 3
SAILOR IN THE SPOTLIGHT
HOMETOWN:
YN3 Lisa Tomaga
Hobart, Indiana
WHERE SHE WORKS: XO Admin
HOBBIES:
"I like to go hiking, go outside, and go to the beach. It is a great way to clear my head and relax."
WHAT SHE ENJOYS ABOUT HER JOB:
"Even though we are in RCOH, it is really the people that we are around who make the day a little bit better."
WHAT ‘SAILOR IN THE SPOTLIGHT’ MEANS TO HER:
"It makes me feel like I am doing a good job and going in the right direction."
WHY SHE WAS NOMINATED:
Lt. Cmdr. Wall recognizes YN3 for her exceptional work as an administrative clerk. She led 3 junior yeoman to process 39 awards, 150 correspondence action items, 20 evaluations and 8 plan of the week documents. 4 • The Washington Surveyor
GW’S NEWEST WARRIORS
EAWS FC2 DU ET2 KIM CS3 IZA SHUANG ABE3 OLVERA IC3 MILLIGAN ABE3 NIEVES AT3 RODRIGUEZCASTILLO ABEAN RIVERA
ESWS
EAWS
ESWS GM3 DRUM ABH3 MILYOGUERRERO RS3 URRERA AN GUAJARDO
EIWS
Coordinators
Coordinators
Coordinators
Deck Watch Coordinators
OSC Zachary Machnics MAC Thomas Bohannon
ACCS Matthew Cuppernoll AOC James Cooksey
CTMC Kathleen Chandler IT1 Thaddeus Wiedemeier
Cmdr. Steve Yargosz Lt. Cmdr. John Coughlin
THE B AT T L E OF M I DWAY
STORY BY MMNC STEVEN IVES, PHOTOS PROVIDED BY HISTORY.NAVY.MIL After the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, Japanese militar y forces continued expansion throughout the Pacific . Their strategic goals through the spring of 1942 included seizing various islands far from mainland Japan to create a defensive perimeter. The crux of this plan was the invasion and capture of Midway. The attack on Midway had been expected. In the months prior, American cr ypto-analysts had broken the Japanese navy’s code and identified the island as the target for Imperial Japanese
forces in an attempt to establish a ring of eastern defenses. Japanese invasion forces were spotted approaching the island of Midway from land-based aircraft, June 3, 1942. The outcome of the battle in the days to come would later be deemed the turning point of World War II. The advanced intelligence allowed Adm. Chester W. Nimitz to prepare alongside Task Force 16 and 17, consisting of the Yorktown-class aircraft carriers USS Yorktown (CV 5), USS Hornet (CV 8), and USS Enterprise (CV 6) as well as seven heavy cruisers,
TBD-1 aircraft are prepared for launching on USS Enterprise (CV-6) at about 0730–0740, June 4, 1942. 6 • The Washington Surveyor
The outcome of the battle would be deemed the turning point of the war. 15 destroyers, and various other suppor ting vessels. They would be pitted against four Japanese aircraft carriers, two battleships, two heavy cruisers, and accompanying suppor t vessels of the Imperial Japanese Navy. With Japanese forces located, planes from Enterprise and Yorktown were able to attack and critically damage the carriers Kaga and Akagi. Aircraft from Yorktown also destroyed the carrier Sor yu. In return, Japanese dive bombers from the remaining carrier, Hir yu, struck Yorktown, initially disabling and ultimately forcing its abandonment upon a second attack. As the fight carried
USS Yorktown (CV-5), shortly after she was hit by three Japanese bombs, June 4, 1942. on into the evening, forces from Enterprise would deal fatal blows to Hir yu, effectively destroying the Japanese carrier strike force and ending their plans for the invasion of Midway. As Japanese forces turned westward, the battle would continue until June 6, 1942, when aircraft from Enterprise and Hornet would go on to sink
American victory derailed the Japanese navy's offensive strategy.
the Japanese cruiser Mikuma, and damage the Japanese cruiser Mogami, as well as the Japanese destroyers Asashio and Arashio. Despite the additional losses of the Sims-class destroyer USS Hammann (DD 412) and Yorktown on the morning of June 7, 1942, the outcome of the battle at Midway yielded an incredible victor y for American forces. All told, four Japanese carriers and one cruiser were destroyed, compared to the American loss of Yorktown and Hammann. The defeat at the Battle of Midway derailed the offensive strateg y of the Japanese and began to shift sea superiority in the Pacific while demonstrating the impor tance of naval aviation. Lessons learned from this
decisive battle are carried on and taught to this day. The lasting impact and legacy is seen in the modern fleet. All aircraft carriers built between 1968 and 2006 are named ‘Nimitz-class,’ as the lead ship of the class was named for Fleet Adm. Nimitz. USS George Washington (CVN 73) is the sixth of 10 aircraft carriers in this class. Nimitz-class aircraft carriers were the largest ships built for naval ser vice until the construction of the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) in 2017. For more information visit https://www.histor y. navy.mil/browse-by-topic/ commemorations-toolkits/wwii75/battle-of-midway.html
The Washington Surveyor • 7
F
"When you get an abundance of something you’ve desired for so long, your mind floats away from the safety basics you used to think of." - ET2 Page
Electronics Technician 2nd Class Justin Page discusses the importance of motorcycle safety to Sailors at the safety culture workshop hosted by the safety department.
F "We built a deck team of our own to support the ship" - ATCS Minerly
CREATING A SAFETY CULTURE
STORY BY MC2 ELIZABETH COHEN, PHOTOS BY MCSN DAKOTA NACK S u m m e r t i m e ap p ro a c h e s i n N ew p o r t N ew s w i t h t h e p ro m i s e o f l o n g , s u n ny d ay s . S u m m e r is perfect for socializing and outdoor activities, especially a f t e r o ve r a ye a r o f f e a r and hesitation caused by a global pandemic. The safety d e p a r t m e n t a b o a rd t h e N i m i t z c l a s s a i rc r a f t c a r r i e r U S S
G e o r g e Wa s h i n g t o n ( C V N 7 3 ) w a n t s S a i l o r s t o re c o g n i z e t h e potential risks that come with eve r y d ay a n d s e a s o n a l a c t i v i t i e s s o t h ey a re e q u i p p e d t o m a ke choices that align with our h e a l t h a n d re a d i n e s s . G e o r g e Wa s h i n g t o n m a r k s t h e b e g i n n i n g o f eve r y summer with a series of safety
Damage Controlman 3rd Class Lorena Vasquez trains Electrician’s Mate Moses Ajayi at a safety 10 • The Washington Surveyor
p re s e n t a t i o n s t h a t , t o g e t h e r, a re k n ow n a s t h e s a f e t y s t a n d - d o w n . T h i s ye a r, o n M ay 2 1 , t h e s a f e t y d e p a r t m e n t a l s o p re s e n t e d a s a f e t y c u l t u re wo r k s h o p t o offer information and additional re s o u rc e s t o S a i l o r s d i re c t l y, i nv i t i n g c o nve r s a t i o n a n d q u e s t i o n s f ro m a t t e n d e e s . “[The safety culture workshop] was to help people understand what w e d o a n d g e t p e o p l e ’s minds on safety for the u p c o m i n g s u m m e r,” s a i d E l e c t r o n i c s Te c h n i c i a n 2nd Class Justin Page , the divisional leading petty officer of safety department and command motorcycle safety point of contact. He said that the timing s e e m e d r i g h t t o re m i n d S a i l o r s o f wo r k p l a c e a n d re c re a t i o n a l h a z a rd s . “The transition of seasons and coming out of [the stricter health p ro t e c t i o n c o n d i t i o n ] m a ke s t h i n g s m o re o p e n f o r S a i l o r s ,” h e s a i d . “But sometimes, when yo u g e t a n a b u n d a n c e o f 3rd Class Olusayi s o m e t h i n g yo u ’ve d e s i re d culture workshop. f o r s o l o n g , yo u r m i n d
Operations Specialst 2nd Class Keiva Turner poses for a photo at a hearing conservation information booth at a safety culture workshop. f l o a t s aw ay f ro m t h e s a f e t y b a s i c s yo u u s e d t o t h i n k o f .” T h e wo r k s h o p ’s f o r m a t a l l o we d t h e s a f e t y d e p a r t m e n t ’s p e r s o n n e l t o p re s e n t i n f o r m a t i o n i n a n ew w ay. “ T h i s w a s o n a m o re p e r s o n a l l eve l i n s t e a d o f a b l a n ke t p re s e n t a t i o n , l i ke t h e s a f e t y s t a n d - d ow n [ i s ] ,” P a g e s a i d . “ We e n j oye d p re s e n t i n g o u r p ro g r a m s t o t h e c o m m a n d t o g i ve a n i n s i d e v i ew.” B o a t sw a i n ’s M a t e 3 rd C l a s s A n a l i s e O. Fo s t e r w a s a n o t h e r member of safety department w h o h e l p e d p re s e n t t o p i c s . In the department, she is re s p o n s i b l e f o r eyew a s h s t a t i o n s , w h i c h a re n ow b e c o m i n g o p e r a t i o n a l t h ro u g h o u t t h e s h i p. Fo s t e r s a i d s h e e n j oye d s h a r i n g her knowledge on an impor tant safety topic and establishing
herself as a liaison. “ I f i n d i t re a l l y f a s c i n a t i n g to teach them the purpose [of eyew a s h s t a t i o n s ] ,” s h e s a i d . “ I ’ m f a i r l y n ew t o t h e d e p a r t m e n t b u t n ow p e o p l e k n ow t h a t i f t h ey h ave a p ro b l e m w i t h t h e i r [ eyew a s h ] e q u i p m e n t , t h ey c a n c o m e t o m e .” O n e a t t e n d e e , E l e c t r i c i a n ’s M a t e 3 rd C l a s s O l u s ey i M o s e s A j ay i , f e l t h e re ap e d v a l u a b l e
"This is training on a more personal level." -ET2 Page
rew a rd s f ro m t h e d i re c t , c a s u a l a t m o s p h e re o f t h e eve n t . “ Yo u h av e t h e o p p o r t u n i t y to get more in depth knowledge about the topics that interest you. I was able to see the device used to measure lead levels, I could see the eyewash stations and g e t i n f o r m a t i o n o n h o w t h e y ’r e o p e r a t e d ,” A j ay i s a i d . “ I w a s able to express what I thought a n d g e t d i r e c t f e e d b a c k .” Some of the immediate feedback was a hope that the d e p a r t m e n t h o s t s m o re eve n t s l i ke t h i s f o r g re a t e r re a c h . Page said the department i n t e n d s t o d e l i ve r, w i t h m o r e workshops on the horizon to support their mission of ke e p i n g G e o r g e Wa s h i n g t o n S a i l o r s s a f e f o r n o w, a s w e l l a s f o r t h e i r f u t u re s . The Washington Surveyor • 11
S H I P O N S I T E- T V STORY AND PHOTOS BY MCSN DAKOTA NACK, PHOTO COURTESY OF USS GERALD R. FORD PUBLIC AFFAIRS Brand new flat-screen televisions have been installed
work center supervisor in media
added. Once spaces are completed
department.
and have televisions installed, they
throughout the ship in various
will also be able to utilize all of the
compartments. One common place
channels SITE TV has to offer.
where a Sailor will see these TVs is on the aft mess decks. The content that plays on the TVs comes directly from the Shipboard Information Training and Entertainment Television system, otherwise known
"SITE TV is the cable sytem for all the TVs on board." - MC2 Anthony
as SITE TV. As the Nimitz-class aircraft
Hilkowski
carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) continues to move forward in getting though refueling
The recent accomplishment
of getting SITE TV back on George Washington might not seem too exciting at the moment, but it is something that will benefit Sailors aboard George Washington for the remainder of this ship’s life. SITE TV provides various opportunities for all Sailors. For instance, Sailors can watch the commanding officer on a
Currently, not all televisions
live broadcast, rather than listen to
complex overhaul (RCOH), new
aboard George Washington are
it on the ship’s main announcement
milestones are being completed. A
connected to SITE TV, but that is
system, the 1 Main Circuit (1MC).
significant accomplishment that has
due to the fact that not all spaces
Sailors will also be able to watch
recently taken place aboard George
are fully ready for televisions to be
training videos containing topics
Washington was the implementation of SITE TV. This communication system will benefit all Sailors as it will provide entertainment and educational resources that will stream on all televisions connected to SITE TV.
“SITE TV is basically the
cable system for all the TVs on board. It controls the TV channels and allows us to play our own videos that we make,” said Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Anthony Hilkowski, the video 12 • The Washington Surveyor
Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ryan Seelbach, and Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Riley McDowell operate the tricaster during a live broadcast on SITE-TV.
Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Anthony Hilkowski uploads training videos to shipboard information, training and entertainment television (SITE TV).
on critical training areas such as
and media department have
its educational and entertainment
maintenance material management
been working hard with civilian
offerings.
and damage control, which might
contractors for training on SITE TV.
benefit Sailors who tend to learn
Both departments have received a
I remember we used to live
more by watching videos, rather
lot of on the job training, and there
broadcast bingo nights. It can give
than reading it in a training manual.
is much more to be learned.
Sailors that sense of feeling of
One aspect of SITE TV that
“I am learning so much
many Sailors will appreciate while
from the contractors right now
underway or on deployment is
that I didn’t know. I was originally
the variety of movies that will be
working with phone systems, so
played. This will allow Sailors to
this is completely different,” said
feel more at home after a long day
Interior Communications Electrician
of work. There will be times when
2nd Class Alex Sherwood, assigned
the ship is out to sea and Sailors
to combat systems department’s
will be able to enjoy a live sporting
CS-8 division as the work center
event, such as the Super Bowl, with
supervisor of SITE TV.
contribution from Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR).
The combat systems
department’s CS-8 division
As George Washington resumes getting underway and looks to her
“When I was on deployment,
being back home just by watching a movie,” said Hilkowski.
"It can give Sailors that sense of feeling of being back home." - MC2 Anthony Hilkowski
next deployment, Sailors can look forward to utilizing SITE TV for The Washington Surveyor • 13
A COMMANDER'S
JOURNEY PHOTOS BY MCSN DYXAN WILLIAMS
Cmdr. Bunch enlisted in the Navy as a Seaman and retired as a Commander after 35 years of service.
Troubleshooting for the Ship STORY AND PHOTOS BY MCSN JOSHUA CABAL, PHOTO COURTESY OF USS RAFAEL PERALTA (DDG 115) N e ar l y eve r y t hing a ship
com ple t ion of t he ship’s mission ,”
S h are point por t al , NTC S S [N av al
d oe s re q uire s com pu t e r s t o r un
s aid I nfor m at ion Sys t e m s Te c hnici an
Tac t ic al Com m a nd S u p por t Sys t e m] ,
ne ce ss ar y func t ion s . Ke e ping a
1s t Cl a ss B re t t A r mour, a ssig ned t o
a nd t he proce sse s for pu t t ing in jobs
com pu t e r wor k ing smoot hl y w hile
t he comb at s ys t e m s de p ar t me nt ’s
for a ny m aint e n a nce or orde r ing
al so t roub le shoot ing is a l arge
C S -3 division abo ard G e orge
p ar t s . A ll of t h at r un s t hrough
t a sk . The re mu s t be a de p ar t me nt
Wa shing t on . “ We u pke e p S K E D
C A N E S [Con solid at ed A f lo at
de dic at ed t o d oing suc h a t a sk . Au t om at ed D at a Proce s sing (A D P) is t he di v ision of comb at s ys t e m s se t a side for f i x ing prob le m s w i t h t he ship’s com pu t e r s . A D P abo ard t he N imi t z- cl a ss aircr af t c ar r ie r U S S G e orge Wa shing t on (C V N 73) h a s be e n
N e t wor k a nd E nt e r pr ise S e r v ice]
"Everything runs through CANES, and without that, the ship could not do its mission." -IT1 Brett Armour
wor k ing t o ke e p com pu t e r
a nd w i t hou t t h at , t he ship could not d o i t s mission .” A D P c an be come bu s y at t ime s since t hey are re s pon sib le for so muc h t roub le shoot ing and ot he r s t a sk s . “ The mos t t roub le some t hing abou t A D P for me is t he she e r numbe r of d oor re q ue s t s t h at
s ys t e m s u p and r unning t o e n ab le
[m aint e n ance por t al] , N I A P S [N av al
come pe r iodic all y,” s aid B ar re t t .
t he prod uc t i v i t y of S ailor s abo ard
I nfor m at ion A p plic at ion S ui t e] ,
“ S ome t ime s i t se e m s eve r yone
t he ship. “ J u s t abou t eve r y job t h at S ailor s d o invol ve s a com pu t e r,” s aid I nfor m at ion Sys t e m s Te c hnici an S e a m an J oshu a B ar re t t , a ssigned t o t he comb at s ys t e m s de p ar t me nt ’s A D P abo ard G e orge Wa shing t on . “ We h andle m aint e n ance , account cre at ion , and m ak ing sure ship conne c t i v i t y is wor k ing , and t roub le shoot ing. We h andle i t all .” A D P is im por t ant t o t he ope r at ion of t he ship. B uilding t he ship is one of t he ir pr ior i t ie s . “A D P ope r at e s nume rou s progr a m s t h at cont r ibu t e t o t he
16 • The Washington Surveyor
Information Systems Technician 1st Class John Avestruz installs an ethernet cord aboard Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115).
Information Systems Technician 1st Class Brett Armour looks over maintenance for the day before he starts assisting with troubleshooting. come s d ow n at once , so you are
produc t s , and dedic at ion t o your
wor k goe s unnot iced be c au se i t
jug g ling m ay be t e n t hing s at once .
cr af t .
is some t hing t h at h ad be come so
S ome one m ay ne ed t o ge t t he ir
“ I cont r ibu t e t o he lping ot he r
account unloc ked , and i t ’s a q uic k
pe ople w i t h t roub le shoot ing w he n
proce ss bu t i t add s u p re all y q uic k .”
t hey sub mi t a t roub le t ic ke t and I le t
Wor k ing in A D P c an br ing a new a p pre ci at ion for t he be hind t he sce ne s proce ss on t he ship a s we ll a fe e ling of a job we ll d one . “ We d o a lot of t hing s w i t h se r ve r s and ne t wor k dev ice s t o m ake sure t h at t hose are u p and r unning ,” s aid A r mour. “ The re are some t hing s t h at pe ople
ingr ained int o eve r yd ay li fe . “A lot of pe ople s ay t h at our job is a t h a nk le ss job,” s aid A r mour. “O ur ove r all cont r ibu t ion t o t he
"The most fun part about what I am doing is working on equipment that no one even gets to see."
ship is on p ar w i t h t he aircr af t c ar r ie r c ar r y ing pl ane s . N o com pu t e r s on bo ard me an s nobod y c a n d o t he ir jobs and no pl ane s c an f l y.”
-IT1 Brett Armour
might not eve n k now e x is t . Th at is hone s t l y t he mos t fun p ar t abou t
t he m k now w he n t he ir prob le m s c a n
w h at I a m d oing. Wor k ing on t h at
be f i xed ,” s aid B ar re t t . “ I love w h at
e q uip me nt t h at no one eve n ge t s t o
I d o, and I love me e t ing pe ople from
se e .”
ot he r de p ar t me nt s .”
A p pre ci at ing your job is
The job of A D P c an be
im por t ant a nd c an cont r ibu t e
ove r looked w he n t hink ing abou t
t o be t t e r mor al and im proved
cr i t ic al ship bo ard func t ion s . A D P ’s
The Washington Surveyor • 17
N ANEWS VY
SUBMARINERS, SEALS JOIN FORCES ON USS NEW MEXICO
From U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa / U.S. Sixth Fleet Public Affairs
The combined exercises demonstrate the ability to seamlessly integrate SEALS into existing Navy missions in the U.S. Sixth Fleet area of operations to ensure global access, security, and stability in the maritime domain. “New Mexico’s skill and dedication to the mission make her an ideal submarine to integrate with the special warfare community,” said Vice Adm. Gene Black, commander, U.S. Sixth Fleet. “The asymmetric advantage of these forces enables the Navy to adapt mission sets to address any maritime challenge.” U.S. Special Operations Command Europe commander, U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. David Tabor, was able to visit with the SEALS and submarine Sailors during a trip to the base in Greece. “The training between Navy SEALS 18 • The Washington Surveyor
and USS New Mexico are a real-life demonstration of the capabilities the U.S. military can bring to bear,” sand Maj. Gen. David H. Tabor, commanding general of Special Operations CommandEurope. “It is important to remember Special Forces do not operate in a vacuum. Close coordination between Special Operations Forces and conventional forces acts as a force multiplier and leverages discreet capabilities to enhance lethality and contributes to dominance on the battlefield.” Virginia class submarines have special features to support special operations forces (SOF), including a reconfigurable torpedo room which can accommodate a large number of SOF and all their equipment for prolonged deployments
and future off-board payloads. The class also has a large lock-in/lock-out chamber for divers. New Mexico is on a routine deployment conducting maritime security operations with allies and partners in the U.S. Sixth Fleet area of operations. Homeported in Groton, Connecticut, New Mexico is the sixth submarine of the Virginia class and was commissioned in March 2010. U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied, and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.