W
THE
S
ASHINGTON
URVEYOR
Vol. 21, Issue 13
June 24, 2021 Special Edition
Change of Command
W
S
THE
ASHINGTON
URVEYOR
Vol. 21, Issue 13 June 24 , 2021 Special Edition
USS George Washington (CVN 73) Commanding Officer
Prospective Commanding Officer
Executive Officer
Command Master Chief
Editor-in-Chief Lt. Cmdr. Javan Rasnake
Copy Editors Lt. Chelsea Cannaday MCC Christina Shaw MC1 Stacy Atkinsricks
Capt. Brent Gaut
Capt. Kenneth Strong
Capt. Michael Nordeen
CMDCM Christopher Zeigler
MC2 Elizabeth Cohen
Media Team
Media Department
MC2 Marlan Sawyer MC2 Anthony Hilkowski
Public Affairs Officer
Deputy Public Affairs Officer
Lt. Cmdr. Javan Rasnake
Lt. Chelsea Cannaday
MC3 Tatyana Freeman MC3 Cory Daut MC3 Robert Stamer
Departmental LCPO
Departmental LPO
MCC Christina Shaw
MC1 Stacy Atkinsricks
Special Edition
Our Strongest Issue Yet 4 SAYING FAREWELL TO CAPT. STRONG
8
CAPT. STRONG ON THE DECKPLATES
MC3 Aislynn Heywood MC3 Leo Katsareas MCSN Jack Lepien MCSN Preston Cash
Media Department Requests PRINT REQUESTS
MCSN Dakota Nack
PHOTO/VIDEO REQUESTS J-DIAL: 5615
E-MAIL CVN-73 Media Print Requests
MCSN Joseph Negusse MCSN Joshua Cabal MCSN Dyxan Williams
mediaprintrequests@cvn73.navy.mil
MCSN Nicholas Russell
PHOTO STUDIO HOURS
6 TIMELINE OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS
10 GETTING TO KNOW THE NEW CO, CAPT. GAUT
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.
2 • The Washington Surveyor
The Washington Surveyor • 3
SAYING FAREWELL TO
CAPT. STRONG
a l o t o f r i s k a n d we wo r ke d i n a
p o r t i o n o f S a i l o r s d o n o t k n ow
t h e av a i l a b i l i t y wo r k a n d t h e n
d i f f i c u l t e nv i ro n m e n t ; we s t i l l d o.
h ow a n o p e r a t i o n a l c a r r i e r l o o k s
a s s u m i n g t h e ro l e o f s u s t a i n i n g
B u t we go t i t d o n e t o g e t h e r. ”
a n d s o u n d s . A c h i ev i n g t h e s m a l l e r
t h e re a d i n e s s ; t h e c l e a n l i n e s s ,
Story by MCSN Dakota Nack
On September 5,
j u g g l i n g p ro d u c t i o n , f i n i s h i n g
S t ro n g i s a c u t e l y
S t ro n g a c k n ow l e d g e s G e o r g e
a c c o m p l i s h m e n t s a l o n g t h e w ay
t h e o p e r a t i o n a l c ap a b i l i t y o f
Wa s h i n g t o n h a s m o re wo r k t h a t
has helped perpetuate a vision
ow n e r s h i p i s n o t e a s y f o r a f i r s t
m u s t b e c o m p l e t e d b e f o re t h e s h i p
t h a t t h e re i s a f i n i s h l i n e t h a t w i l l
[tour of duty]. It is also not easy
will be able to get back to sea,
b e c ro s s e d .
wo r k i n g o u t o f r a t e .”
but during his time as commanding
2 0 1 9 , C a p t . Ke n n e t h
cognizant of the
A . S t ro n g b e c a m e t h e
d i f f i c u l t a t m o s p h e re
14th commanding
of RCOH. Sailors
G e o r g e Wa s h i n g t o n h a s
I t i s i n ev i t a b l e t h a t t h e re
officer of the
a b o a rd G e o r g e
a c h i eve d s o m e c o n s i d e r a b l e
w i l l b e ro u g h t i m e s . T h e re
N i m i t z - c l a s s a i rc r a f t
Wa s h i n g t o n a re
milestones. Some of the
carrier USS George
t a s ke d w i t h a rd u o u s
notable accomplishments
Wa s h i n g t o n ( C V N
e n d e avo r s l i ke
a c h i eve d d u r i n g S t ro n g ’s
7 3 ) . W h e n S t ro n g
re s t o r i n g e n t i re
time as commanding officer
a s s u m e d t h e ro l e a n d
s p a c e s , wo r k i n g
include: exiting the dry dock
re s p o n s i b i l i t i e s a s
out of rate, and
a n d m o o r i n g t o t h e p i e r,
commanding officer of
c o o rd i n a t i n g w i t h
l i g h t i n g t h e i s l a n d , re s t o r i n g
G e o r g e Wa s h i n g t o n ,
off-ship entities,
air conditioning, bringing the
the ship was entering
but all of it has
C o n s o l i d a t e d A f l o a t N e t wo r k s
the second half of
a purpose. That
and Enterprise Services
Refueling and Complex
purpose is to
(CANES) system online,
O ve r h a u l ( R C O H ) ,
build the Spirit of
re b u i l d i n g a n d re i n s t a l l i n g t h e
a m u l t i - ye a r p ro j e c t
F re e d o m a n d re t u r n
c a t ap u l t , i n s t a l l i n g t h e R o l l i n g
performed only once
the ship to the
Airframe Missile (RAM) system,
w i t n e s s w a s t h e g row t h a n d u n i t y
t h e f a m i l y, t o o. T h i s p ro f e s s i o n
d u r i n g a c a r r i e r ’s 5 0 -
f l e e t a s t h e wo r l d ’s
o p e n i n g t h e b a r b e r s h o p, c o f f e e
o f t h e S a i l o r s wo r k i n g a b o a rd .
d o e s t a ke a t o l l o n f a m i l i e s .
ye a r s e r v i c e l i f e t h a t
p re m i e r o p e r a t i o n a l
s h o p, a n d s h i p s t o re , re s t o r i n g
I t h a s b e e n a g re a t s a t i s f a c t i o n
Fo l l ow yo u r b l i s s a n d o p e n yo u r
i n c l u d e s re f u e l i n g t h e
n u c l e a r- p owe re d
s h i p ’s l a u n d r y, re e s t a b l i s h i n g
f o r S t ro n g t o w a t c h t h e s h i p
h e a r t .”
s h i p ’s t wo n u c l e a r
a i rc r a f t c a r r i e r
f u n c t i o n a l g a l l ey s , c rew m e s s ,
c o m e t o g e t h e r. T h e s h i p i s b e t t e r,
re a c t o r s , a s we l l a s
ove r s e e i n g a n a re a
C h i e f ’s M e s s , a n d Wa rd ro o m ,
m a t e r i a l l y a n d c u l t u r a l l y, t h a n
S t ro n g w a s h i s l ove f o r f l y i n g . H e
w h e n h e a r r i ve d .
h a s f l ow n i n a t l e a s t 1 7 d i f f e re n t
S i n c e S t ro n g t o o k t h e h e l m ,
s i g n i f i c a n t re p a i r s , u p g r a d e s , a n d
d e p l oy m e n t p a t ro l c y c l e s , t wo
o f o p e r a t i o n s t h a t s p a n s m o re t h a n
re s t o r i n g m e d i c a l a n d d e n t a l
modernization.
c rew sw ap s , a n “ A ro u n d t h e H o r n ”
1 2 4 m i l l i o n s q u a re k i l o m e t e r s .
o n b o a rd , b r i n g i n g S h i p b o a rd
T h i s w a s n o t S t ro n g ’s f i r s t t i m e s e r v i n g a b o a rd t h e s h i p.
d e p l oy m e n t , a n d a h o m e p o r t s h i f t f ro m J ap a n t o N o r f o l k .
I n S e p t e m b e r o f 2 0 1 4 , S t ro n g re p o r t e d a s t h e e xe c u t i ve o f f i c e r o f G e o r g e Wa s h i n g t o n , w h i l e t h e s h i p w a s i n a v a s t l y d i f f e re n t o p e r a t i n g e nv i ro n m e n t . D u r i n g S t ro n g ’s t i m e a s e xe c u t i ve o f f i c e r, G e o r g e Wa s h i n g t o n w a s t h e N av y ’s f o r w a rd d e p l oye d a i rc r a f t c a r r i e r i n U. S . 7 t h F l e e t . S t ro n g l e d t h e c rew t h ro u g h t wo
4 • The Washington Surveyor
“When they tear your ship apart, don’t let them tear down your culture, too.”
- Capt. Strong
S t ro n g re a l i z e s t h e c h a l l e n g e s
o f f i c e r, h i s f avo r i t e t h i n g t o
S t ro n g a c k n ow l e d g e s t h a t t h e N av y i s c e r t a i n l y a d i f f i c u l t c a re e r.
“Sailors make it look easy, and there’s nothing easy about it.” -Capt. Strong
w i l l a l s o b e wo n d e r f u l l y f u n t i m e s . S t ro n g h a s s p e n t ove r 2 9 ye a r s i n t h e N av y a n d t h e re we re m a ny m o m e n t s t h ro u g h o u t w h e re h e thought about doing other t h i n g s . S t ro n g b e l i eve s t h o s e t h o u g h t s a re h e a l t hy a n d p ro p e r. “ Fo l l ow yo u r b l i s s , yo u r d re a m s , go a l s a n d d e s i re s ,” s ay s S t ro n g . “ I t i s i m p o r t a n t for the individual and for
“ S e e i n g o u r c u l t u re c h a n g e ,
O n e g i f t t h e N av y h a s g i ve n t o
a i rc r a f t p l a t f o r m s . D e s p i t e t h e
I n f o r m a t i o n Tr a i n i n g a n d
h ow we re s p o n d t o c a s u a l t i e s
f a c t t h a t i t i s a n A r my h e l i c o p t e r,
m a ny S a i l o r s a re f a c e d w i t h . D u e
Entertainment (SITE TV) online,
a n d h ow we d e a l w i t h d ay t o d ay
S t ro n g h a s a n a f f i n i t y f o r t h e
to RCOH and the impact of the
a n d m a ny o t h e r m i l e s t o n e s t o
issues, managing people and the
O H - 6 L i t t l e b i rd b e c a u s e o f i t s
C OV I D - 1 9 p a n d e m i c , t h e p a t t e r n
g e t G e o r g e Wa s h i n g t o n c l o s e r t o
t h i n g s t h a t p o p u p, we l o o k a n d
a g i l i t y. H oweve r, S t ro n g a l s o l ove s
and quality of life was interrupted
b e i n g a n o p e r a t i o n a l w a r s h i p.
s o u n d l i ke a n o p e r a t i o n a l c rew,”
flying the F/A-18 and the MH-60R.
s ay s S t ro n g . “ I t i s awe s o m e t o s e e .
Hopefully soon, he can get back to
S a i l o r s f ro m a l l 2 0 d e p a r t m e n t s
W h e n t h ey t e a r yo u r s h i p ap a r t ,
g e t t i n g s o m e re g u l a r f l i g h t h o u r s .
s o m a ny f i r s t t o u r S a i l o r s h ave
we re a b l e t o wo r k t o g e t h e r t o
d o n ’t l e t t h e m t e a r d ow n yo u r
n eve r t a ke n a s h i p u n d e r w ay,”
h e l p b u i l d t h e s h i p.
c u l t u re , t o o.”
f o r m a ny S a i l o r s . “ T h i s av a i l a b i l i t y i s s o l o n g ;
S t ro n g s a i d . “ L e a r n i n g t h e r a t e s ,
S t ro n g i s e l a t e d w i t h h ow
“ S a i l o r s m a ke i t l o o k e a s y, a n d
S t ro n g b e l i eve s o n e o f t h e
l e a r n i n g w h a t i t m e a n s t o ow n
t h e re ’s n o t h i n g e a s y a b o u t i t ,” s ay s
c o n t r i b u t i n g f a c t o r s t o t h e c rew ’s
a s h i p, t h e re s p o n s i b i l i t i e s ,
S t ro n g . “ T h e re i s a l o t o f s a c r i f i c e ,
s u c c e s s i s t h e i r v i s i o n . I t i s h a rd
t h e re i s a l o t o f p a i n , we a l l t o o k
t o h ave t h a t v i s i o n w h e n a s o l i d
T h a n k yo u s o m u c h fo r eve r y t h i n g yo u h ave d o n e , C a p t . S t ro n g . Fa i r w i n d s a n d fo l l ow i n g s e a s .
The Washington Surveyor • 5
Graphic by MCSN Joshua Cabal
6 • The Washington Surveyor
The Washington Surveyor • 7
8 • The Washington Surveyor
The Washington Surveyor • 9
GET TO KNOW THE NEW CO
W h a t h ave b e e n s o m e o f yo u r p ro u d e s t c a r e e r
CAPT. GAUT
accomplishments? T h e p ro u d e s t a c c o m p l i s h m e n t o r f e e l i n g t h a t I h ave i s t h e re l a t i o n s h i p s t h a t I h ave d eve l o p e d t h ro u g h o u t my 2 8 ye a r s i n t h e N av y. I t h i n k t h a t we , a s a c o u n t r y, h ave t h e g re a t e s t
Interview by MC3 Robert Stamer
s h i p s , a i rc r a f t , s u b m a r i n e s , a n d t e c h n o l o g y i n t h e wo r l d . B u t
W h e re d o yo u h a i l f ro m ?
t h i s i s , a n d w i l l A LWAYS b e , a p e o p l e b u s i n e s s . I t re a l l y c o m e s
I w a s b o r n i n S t o c k t o n , C a l i f o r n i a . W h e n I w a s n i n e ye a r s o l d , my f a m i l y m ove d t o H aw a i i . I t ’s a n i n c re d i b l e
d ow n t o t h e p e o p l e yo u g e t t o wo r k w i t h . W h a t I l ove a b o u t
e x p e r i e n c e f o r a yo u n g p e r s o n , b u t I t o o k i t f o r g r a n t e d . I d i d n ’t re a l i z e t h a t l i v i n g t h e re w a s u n l i ke a ny o t h e r
t h e N av y i s t h a t we h ave s o m u c h d i ve r s i t y. We h ave s o m a ny
p l a c e . W h e n I w a s 1 4 , I m ove d t o D a n a Po i n t , C a l i f o r n i a a n d a t t e n d e d D a n a H i l l s H i g h S c h o o l .
p e o p l e w h o c o m e f ro m d i f f e re n t b a c k g ro u n d s a n d we c o m e t o g e t h e r, l i ve t o g e t h e r, t o a c c o m p l i s h a m i s s i o n a n d t o d o o u r
W hy d i d yo u j o i n t h e N av y ? W hy d i d yo u c h o o s e t h e N av a l A c a d e my ?
n a t i o n ’s b i d d i n g w h e n o u r n a t i o n n e e d s i t . T h a t i s w h a t I a m
T h e re a re t wo s i g n i f i c a n t eve n t s t h a t s h ap e d my d e s i re t o b e i n t h e N av y a n d t o p u r s u e b e c o m i n g a N av a l
m o s t g r a t e f u l f o r : t h e c h a n c e t o wo r k f o r a n d w i t h s o m a ny
Av i a t o r. T h e f i r s t : t h e re w a s a g e n t l e m a n t h a t wo r ke d a t my h i g h s c h o o l a s a g ro u n d s ke e p e r. E ve r y b o d y c a l l e d
i n c re d i b l e p e o p l e w h o w a n t t o b e p a r t o f s o m e t h i n g b i g g e r
h i m “ C h i e f ” b e c a u s e h e h a d b e e n a C h i e f Pe t t y O f f i c e r i n t h e N av y. W h e n I w a s f o u r t e e n ye a r s o l d , h e s a i d t o
t h a n t h e m s e l ve s , a n d t r u l y w a n t t o m a ke t h a t s a c r i f i c e a n d
m e t h a t I w a s e x a c t l y t h e t y p e o f yo u n g p e r s o n t h a t t h e N av y n e e d s . H e w a s a m e n t o r t o m e i n h i g h s c h o o l a n d
c o m m i t t o o u r c o u n t r y a n d t h e N av y.
t h a t go t m e t h i n k i n g a b o u t i t . T h e s e c o n d t h i n g w a s t h e m ov i e To p G u n c a m e o u t w h e n I w a s a f re s h m a n i n h i g h s c h o o l . S e e i n g h o w c o o l t h o s e g u y s l o o ke d i n t h e m ov i e , f l y i n g j e t s a n d b e i n g av i a t o r s , go t m e i n t e re s t e d i n
What do you uniquely bring to the George
p u r s u i n g t h i s c a re e r. I s t h e re a ny h i s t o r y o f m i l i t a r y s e r v i c e i n yo u r f a m i l y ? D i d a nyo n e i n s p i re yo u t o j o i n ? I n a d d i t i o n t o my h i g h s c h o o l m e n t o r, my u n c l e w a s a n a i rc rew m a n . H e f l ew i n P 3 s a n d h a s b e e n a n
Wa s h i n g t o n a s C O ? I t h i n k my m e s s a g e i s h o p e f u l l y go i n g t o b e f a i r l y s i m p l e a n d s t r a i g h t f o r w a rd . We k n ow t h a t we a re i n a c h a l l e n g i n g e nv i ro n m e n t r i g h t n ow. T h e s h i p ’s ro l e i n t h e N av y ’s f u t u re i s v i t a l . T h e re i s n o d o u b t t h a t o u r
i n s p i r a t i o n f o r m e . H e c o n t i n u e s t o b e a m e n t o r o f m i n e , eve n t o d ay. H e i s ve r y p ro u d o f w h a t I ’ve d o n e . I a m
N av y a n d n a t i o n n e e d s t h i s s h i p t o b e o p e r a t o n a l , s o t h a t we c a n go d o w h a t t h e n a t i o n n e e d s u s t o d o. B u t
p ro u d o f h i m f o r h i s s e r v i c e , a n d g r a t e f u l f o r h i s i n f l u e n c e o n my l i f e .
i t ’s n o t go i n g t o g e t f i xe d t o m o r row. I t ’s a m a r a t h o n . We h ave t o b e p a t i e n t . We h ave t o b e v i g i l a n t i n s t ay i n g o n c o u r s e t o g e t t h e s h i p b a c k t o s e a . U n d e r s t a n d t h e re a re go i n g t o b e s o m e s e t b a c k s , a n d we j u s t h ave t o
H ow d o yo u m a i n t a i n a h e a l t hy wo r k / l i fe b a l a n c e ?
b e a b l e t o a d ap t t o w h a t eve r c o m e s o u r w ay t o g e t t h e s h i p b a c k u n d e r w ay a g a i n . T h e t e a m , o u r s h i p, i s go i n g
I t i s c h a l l e n g i n g . We t a l k a b o u t i t a l o t i n o u r b u s i n e s s , b u t we d o n ’t d o a go o d j o b o f a d h e r i n g t o t h a t
t o h e a r a l o t o f m e s ay i n g “ we ” , “ u s ” , “ o u r ” , n o t “ I ” , “ m e ” , o r “ my ” . T h i s i s n o t my s h i p . I t i s O U R s h i p . We a r e a
m i n d s e t o f h av i n g a go o d wo r k / l i f e b a l a n c e . M y w i f e h e l p s m e re m e m b e r t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f s e t t i n g wo r k a s i d e ,
t e a m a n d a fa m i l y, s o w e a r e go i n g t o d o t h i s t o ge t h e r. I t i s go i n g t o t a ke eve r y s i n g l e p e r s o n we h ave o n b o a rd ,
w h e n a b l e , a n d f o c u s i n g o n my f a m i l y. I k n ow t h e re a re p re c i o u s m o m e n t s m i s s e d w i t h my f a m i l y t h a t I wo n ’t
wo r k i n g h a rd eve r y s i n g l e d ay, e i t h e r i n a s m a l l w ay, o r a p o t e n t i a l l y b i g w ay, d e p e n d i n g o n t h e j o b t h a t ’s a t
g e t b a c k , s o I n e e d t o, a n d m o re i m p o r t a n t l y w a n t t o, f o c u s o n s p e n d i n g t i m e w i t h t h e m . H av i n g b e e n i n t h e
h a n d , t o m a ke u s b e t t e r.
N av y f o r 2 8 ye a r s , wo r k i s a l w ay s go i n g t o b e t h e re , s o yo u h ave t o re a l l y f i g h t t o p re s e r ve a n d m a i n t a i n t h e t i m e yo u h ave w i t h yo u r f a m i l y a n d f r i e n d s . Wa s t h e re a s p e c i f i c c o m m a n d w h e re yo u l e a r n e d t h e m o s t a b o u t l e a d e r s h i p ? A c o u p l e c o m m a n d s c o m e t o m i n d . I ’ve b e e n b l e s s e d t o h ave h a d c o m m a n d t w i c e a t t h e O - 5 l eve l , a n d t h e n i n m a j o r c o m m a n d . I w a s t h e e xe c u t i ve o f f i c e r f o r C ap t . Ke n n e t h S t ro n g w h i l e h e w a s t h e c o m m a n d i n g o f f i c e r o f H e l i c o p t e r M a r i t i m e S t r i ke S q u a d ro n ( H S M ) 7 7 . I l e a r n e d a l o t , a n d h e t a u g h t m e a g re a t d e a l a b o u t l e a d e r s h i p, a b o u t h av i n g a h i g h s t a n d a rd , a n d a b o u t e x p e c t a t i o n s i n c o m m a n d ; n o t j u s t e x p e c t i n g t h e b e s t f ro m t h e p e o p l e yo u a re b l e s s e d t o wo r k w i t h , b u t a l s o f ro m my s e l f . I go t t o o b s e r ve w h a t I c o n s i d e r n o t j u s t a g re a t f r i e n d , b u t a g re a t p ro f e s s i o n a l . A b o a rd t h e U S S S a n A n t o n i o ( L P D 1 7 ) , n o t o n l y w a s i t a b l e s s i n g t o c o m m a n d t h a t s h i p, b u t i t w a s ve r y
A re t h e re l e s s o n s yo u h ave l e a r n e d t h a t yo u t h i n k w i l l h e l p j u n i o r S a i l o r s ? W h a t I ’ve l e a r n e d i s t h i s : I t ’s n o t s o m u c h t h e d e s t i n a t i o n ; i t ’s a b o u t t h e j o u r n ey. A s a yo u n g e r p e r s o n , I a l w ay s u s e d t o l o o k f o r t h e s h o r t c u t . I ’ve f o u n d t h a t a ny t h i n g wo r t h w h i l e h a s t a ke n t i m e a n d s a c r i f i c e . T h e re a re go i n g t o b e s e t b a c k s . I t ’s go i n g t o b e h a rd , b u t a t t h e e n d o f t h e d ay, i t w i l l b e wo r t h w h i l e . W h a t d o yo u h o p e t o a c c o m p l i s h w h i l e i n c o m m a n d o f G e o r ge Wa s h i n g t o n ? I h o p e t o c o n t i n u e t o b u i l d t h e t e a m : a g ro u p o f p e o p l e w h o c a re a b o u t e a c h o t h e r, c a re a b o u t o u r s h i p, a n d c a re a b o u t t h e m i s s i o n t h a t we a re go i n g t o b e a s ke d t o e xe c u t e . A n d i n t h e s h o r t t e r m , t o d o eve r y t h i n g we c a n r i g h t n ow t o g e t o u r s h i p o f f o f t h i s p i e r. To g e t b a c k t o g e t t i n g o u t t o s e a o n a re g u l a r b a s i s ,
c h a l l e n g i n g t o g o t h ro u g h a ve r y d i f f i c u l t p h a s e o f t h e s h i p ’s l i f e t h ro u g h t h e c o m p l e t i o n o f a y a rd p e r i o d , t h e n
e xe c u t i n g s e a t r i a l s a n d t h e b a s i c p h a s e . To p re p a re h e r t o go a n d d o w h a t eve r t h e n a t i o n a s k s u s t o d o i n
j u m p i n g i n t o b a s i c p h a s e , a d v a n c e d p h a s e , a n d t h e f i n a l p re p s f o r t h e d e p l oy m e n t t h a t w a r s h i p i s o n r i g h t n ow.
d e f e n s e o f o u r n a t i o n a n d o u r N av y.
10 • The Washington Surveyor
The Washington Surveyor • 11