WASHINGTON SURVEYOR THE
August 30, 2016
By MC3 Alora Blosch
FLIGHTDE CK
WARRIORS YELLOW SHIRTS PLAY PIVOTAL ROLE IN AIRCRAFT LAUNCH AND RECOVERY
By MC2 Jennifer O’Rourke
F I R S T F -3 5 C T R A P F RO M T H E DE PT H S TO T H E S KY
By MC3 Clemente Lynch
GEORGE’S CORNER Crossbetweentwoworlds
how some navy jobs translate into the civilian sector
PHOTO of the DAY
ATLANTIC OCEAN (Aug. 29, 2016) A group of chief petty officer selectees practice marching and singing Anchors Aweigh in preparation for the chief pinning ceremony aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73). Photo by MC3 Wyatt L. Anthony
By M C 3 A l o ra B l o s c h
FLIGHTDECKWARRIORS YELLOW SHIRTS PLAY PIVOTAL ROLE IN AIRCRAFT LAUNCH AND RECOVERY
T
he day starts with the sound of reveille. They go downstairs and eat breakfast before muster. When they report for the start of the workday, they open a hatch and step into their office. A bright, golden sun beams down on them and water glistens resembling glass in every direction. Nothing but open ocean as far as the eye can see. Wind brushes against their faces. Million dollar jets and helicopters patiently await their arrival so the day can truly begin. That’s just another day at the office for aviation boatswain’s mates aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73). Aviation boatswain’s mates are often found wearing either yellow or blue flight deck jerseys. The supervisors wear yellow so they stand out on the flight deck. They direct all the aircraft moving around the deck, and it’s crucial for the pilots to spot their directors easily. “Yellow Shirts” are overall in charge of personnel, equipment and safety on the flight deck. “If I don’t do my job people could
die,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 2nd Class Benjamin Smith, from V-1 division. “Foreign object damage (FOD) on the flight deck poses a huge risk to aircraft and anyone working around them. I am overall in charge of the aircraft movement and cleanliness of everything from the island to aft. If someone or something gets into the landing area when a plane is approaching, [the aircraft] gets waved off which becomes a safety issue if the aircraft is low on fuel. We are overall in charge of safety and are basically the police of the flight deck.” ABHs work the entire time aircraft are launching and landing, which can result in some very long days. “One day we worked from [5:00 a.m.] until [1:30 a.m.] the following morning,” said Smith. “We had flight operations the same day we pulled out of port, so we stayed up late to carrier qualify the pilots. During carrier qualifications, pilots have day and night requirements. Our schedule starts with the first
launch and ends with the last landing.” On top of working long hours, ABHs will often work in extreme weather conditions. On the flight deck, there is no shelter from hot, humid days combined with the heat of jet exhaust, or when it rains combined with the high winds from the movement of the carrier. “I love it when it rains,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 3rd Class Cedric Starling. “We bring in all the birds, and we all get soaked, because we forget our rain gear every time, and we run around tying down all the birds on the deck. It’s exhilarating. You can’t do this job without passion.” Aircraft have to be chocked and chained by blue shirt ABHs whenever they aren’t flying. Extreme weather conditions warrant even more chains have to be used. The ship’s movement could cause the aircraft to move across the deck, resulting in even more movement of the carrier, and the aircraft could roll overboard. ABHs are identified
by their blue or yellow shirts, but it can take a lot of work to become a yellow shirt. “It took me three years,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 3rd Class Basir Riddick. “I started as plane handler, moved to elevator operator, and then tractor driver before I was selected to UI (under instruction) as a yellow shirt, which can take four months to a year to complete.” Sailors training for yellow shirt go through a variety of training and tests before they are able to direct aircraft on their own. Sailors have to prove their knowledge of firefighting procedures, hydraulic failures in both the landing area and catapults, all flight deck instructions, aircraft terminology, break pressure, turning radiuses, towing radiuses, aircraft handling and emergency situations. “[Training] is very stressful,” said Riddick. “You have to learn how to balance the flight deck and the skin of the ship. You have to find time to get food, use the bathroom and train in between flight operations,
even if it means staying up late to do so. When I finally passed everything and got my yellow shirt, it felt like a thousand pounds had been lifted off of my chest. I was also nervous knowing that the next time I directed an aircraft, I would be on my own.” “My favorite part of the job is when we are twelve hours into flight operations,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 3rd Class Juan Cumpston. “Everyone is dead-beat tired and we all push to finish at the end. Not only that, but also the pride and respect that we have wearing these shirts.” The crew was introduced to the Fleet’s newest fighter jets this month, the F-35C Lighting II carrier variant, giving the yellow shirts a new experience with the aircraft and its flight deck protocol. “I made history this underway by launching the first F-35 off of GW” said Cumpston. “So far they are the best pilots we have worked with by far. The aircraft looks so futuristic. The maneuverability and speed make it a revolution for aviation.”
The F-35 is a single engine jet unlike the F/A-18 hornet, so it is louder and more powerful as well. “A big thing we have to watch out for is exhaust management,” said Cumpston. “We don’t want to burn up other birds or equipment and don’t want personnel blown overboard. The F-35s put out a lot more power, so we have to be even more alert then before.” Tough work and harsh environments have a tendency to make or break a crew, but for ABHs aboard GW, it made them family. “It’s always the worst when someone leaves,” said Cumpston. “We build a bond as strong as family. I don’t think I could make friends like this anywhere else.” In a room where everyone talks at the same time, the ABH yellow shirts have found family. They all listen and understand each other in a seemingly impossible environment. They grow and learn from each other, and will continue to support each other through harsh environments, making the good days even better.
By M C 2 J e n n i f e r O ’ Ro u r k e
FIRSTF-35CTRAP F R O M T H E D E P T H S TO T H E S K Y
“I
have always been drawn to aviation. I have always wanted to fly tactical aircraft. It was just a thrill it was amazing. Oddly enough, I don’t remember my first flight in the F/A18 Hornet but I remember my first flight in the F-35 because I had been working on it and chasing that plane for so long.” Tony “Brick” Wilson is a retired Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Test Pilot and the first person to land the F-35C carrier variant Lightning II assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23 (VX 23) on the flight deck an aircraft carrier. “Obviously, landing the F-35C aboard the [aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68)] for the first time was exciting and nerve wracking,” said Wilson. “I was in Yuma and took off on a beautiful day, there was not a cloud in the sky, you could see for miles. The Nimitz had left port that morning, I was supposed to land on her at noon. As I was coming across the mountains and over the coast of California, I could see the Nimitz probably 50 miles away. She was hauling a big white wake behind her and there were delays, delays, delays. I am looking at my gas and I’m like ‘oh, I don’t know if I am going to make it’. The butterflies were starting to build up; I am starting to get nervous. I’m calling down to the boat ‘You guys ready? You guys ready?’ And they said we need a couple more minutes, a couple more minutes.” “Finally, the skipper of the [ship] comes on the radio,”said Wilson. “He calls up and he is like ‘Hey, 73, this is Old Salt actual.’ ‘Yeah, sir, go ahead, what’s up’ and he says ‘I need 15 more minutes to get all the admirals up to the bridge’ and I said ‘roger that, you got 10’ I was expecting him to just start yelling at me. He said ‘okay you got it.’ I remember coming down, but the
minute I hit the [air brake] this calm came over. ‘Okay, its time to put the test pilot hat on and be professional.’ I came in, made the landing and then, of course, I had a smile on my face you could not take off for the next week. That was pretty cool.” Wilson, originally from Florida, spent his formative years close to his grandfather, a Sailor during World War II. “As a young kid, growing up in south Florida, I spent a lot of time with [my grandfather],” said Wilson. “He started off life as a New York City cop and then came down to Florida and was a cop down there. He would pick me up during the day, and right next to the runway [of
Fort Lauderdale Airport], we would sit and talk about life and watch the planes go over. He always had a strong interest in aviation. He has always wanted to be a pilot but life happens, and he never made it happen. That really instilled in me the desire to be a pilot because I always looked up to him. As long as I can remember that is what I have always wanted to do.” After a stint in a college, Wilson joined the Navy seeking direction and a career in aviation. “I wanted to be a [Naval Aircrewman].” said Wilson. “On the way down to [a Military Entry Processing Station], [a recruiter] got
a hold of my transcripts and he said ‘you did really well in math and science, have you ever heard of the nuclear program?’ two years later I am on the USS Boise.” Wilson bided his time as a submariner deep in the engineering spaces of Reactor Department of the nuclear attack submarine USS Boise (SSN 764), never losing sight of aviation goal. After nine years of being enlisted, Wilson emerged a commissioned aviator. Wilson attended yearlong test pilot school after his first tour as a junior officer. He was then assigned to the Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23 (VX 23) based out of Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland (PAX River), the squadron responsible for testing the F-35. At the time, Lockheed Martin had the AA-1 model, a prototype of the future F-35. “I never got to fly it,” said Wilson. “Meanwhile, my peers back at PAX River they were all off doing different sorts of tests of the F/A-18 Hornet, T-45 [Goshawk], [EA-6B] Prowler, EA-18G Growler and the other planes that (VX) 23 was flying at the time. All of my peers were flying and I got to hear stories. In a sense it kind of became my white whale.” D e s p i t e any obstacle he faced, Wilson never forgot his goals. He kept trudging forward with inspiration he attributes to the time he spent with his family. “I am a firm believer that a person makes their own destiny,” said Wilson. “I think it was in second or third grade we took a trip up to Kennedy Space Center. This is in the ‘70’s before the space shuttle started to fly and they had a mock of the shuttle. I remember looking at my teacher and being like ‘what do I have to do to do that?’ She was like ‘well, you have to be one of the best test pilots in the world and I was like, ‘I can do that.’”
CVN MAZE
GAMES CROSSWORD
HARD SUDOKU SUDOKU
CROSSBETWEEN TWOWORLDS HOW SOME NAVY JOBS TRANSLATE INTO THE CIVILIAN SECTOR
By MC3 Clemente Lynch
GEORGE’S
CORNER
Department: Supply/S-2 Favorite Sports Team: Memphis Grizzlies Hobbies: Playing basketball and working out
NAVY NEWS CONCHAGUA, El Salvador (NNS) -- A construction engagement team is currently midway through a construction project in Barrio El Calvario, Conchagua, El Salvador. The team is one of several Adaptive Force Packages (AFPs) deployed to Honduras, El Salvador, and Colombia as part of Southern Partnership Station 2016 (SPS 16). SPS 16 is a U.S. Southern Command-directed operation planned by Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/Commander, U.S. 4th Fleet (COMUSNAVSO/ C4F). AFPs are specialized military teams from Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, Navy Environmental and Preventive Medicine Unit 2, Navy Bureau of Medicine subordinate commands, and civilian personnel that focus on locally identified needs such as security, medical readiness, and improving community infrastructure along with creating strong ties with the civilian community. The AFPs are deployed from August 2016 to October 2016 to Honduras, El Salvador and Colombia in support of SPS 16. The CET is made up of Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133, Salvadoran engineers, and medical personnel who are working together to construct a new community center and upgrade the existing park. “We’ve been able to develop
#USSGW
Navy SeaBees Team Up in El Salvador By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Kimberly Clifford, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command Public Affairs
a partnership with the host nation workers to visibly improve the park,” said Lt. j.g. David Perez, assigned to NMCB 133. “We have also seen an outpouring of interest from people who live in the neighborhood and from local officers. I think the project has already been
successful in strengthening our partnership with the community.” With less than a month for the site to be prepped, the foundation poured, and the building finished, the construction team has been working long days with the hopes that the community center will be completed ahead of schedule. “These guys are great,” said Chief Steelworker Antonio Chavez-Plata, assigned to NMCB 133. “We will have worked together for a year in October, but they have really come together as a team. They show up ready
to work, they get along and the camaraderie is amazing. On and off the job these are the guys you want with you.” The Seabees are constructing a new tworoom community center and local teams are refurbishing the community pool and restrooms, along with creating new concrete walkways. While the projects are separate the teams work together on a small site and work sometimes overlaps. The day concrete was delivered everyone pulled together to ensure the foundation for the new building, walkways and planters were all poured and smoothed before the concrete could set. “It’s great to be here, the country is beautiful and people are helpful, kind and hard working,” said Steelworker 2nd Class Moises Vargas, assigned to NMCB 133. “It’s interesting to see how they do things differently and they will ask us about how we do some things, the exchange of knowledge and learning from each other is an incredible experience.” SPS 16 is an annual series of U.S. Navy deployments focused on subject matter expert exchanges with partner nation militaries and security forces in Central and South America and the Caribbean. U.S. military teams work with partner nation forces during naval-focused training exercises, military-tomilitary engagements and community relations projects in an effort to enhance partnerships with regional maritime activities and improve the operational readiness of participants.
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@GW_CVN73
underway
movie
schedule
AUGUST 30TH 2016
Channel 4 Channel 5 0800 The Conjuring 0800 Hansel and Gretel: Witch 1000 We’re The Millers Hunters 1200 The Smurfs 2 1000 Parker 1200 Stand Up Guys 1400 Runner, Runner 1400 Warm Bodies 1600 Movie Request Call 4988 1600 Movie Request Call 4988 1800 Baggage Claim 1800 The Croods 2000 Movie Request Call 4988/7170 2000 Movie Request Call 4988/7170 2200 The Wolverine 2200 Side Effects 2400 Movie Request Call 4988/7170 2400 Movie Request Call 4988/7170 0200 Planes 0200 Safe Haven 0400 Red 2 0400 The Incredible Burt 0600 Mortal Instruments: City of Wonderstone Bones 0600 G.I. Joe: Retaliation Channel 6 Channel 7 0800 A Few Good Men 0800 Brooklyn 1000 Pearl Harbor 1000 Harry Potter/Goblet of Fire 1200 Double Jeopardy 1200 Harry Potter/ Deathly Hallows Part 1 1400 Rat Race 1400 Harry Potter/ Deathly Hallows Part 2 1600 Movie Request Call 4988 1600 Movie Request Call 4988 1800 Crying Game 1800 Victor Frankenstein 2000 Movie Request Call 4988/7170 2000 Movie Request Call 4988/7170 2200 The Matrix: Reloaded 2200 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi 2400 Movie Request Call 4988/7170 2400 Movie Request Call 4988/7170 0200 The Matrix: Revolutions 0200 Sisters 0400 Harry Potter/ The Sorcerer’s Stone 0400 Joy 0600 Harry Potter/ The Chamber of Secrets 0600 The Finest Hours
staff Commanding Officer CAPT Timothy Kuehhas
Executive Officer CAPT Kenneth Strong
Command Master Chief CMDCM James Tocorzic
Public Affairs Officer LCDR Gregory L. Flores
Deputy Public Affairs Officer LTJG Andrew Bertucci
Senior Editors MC1 Alan Gragg MC2 Kris R. Lindstrom
Design Editor MC3 Kashif Basharat
AUGUST 31ST 2016
Channel 4 Channel 5 0800 2 Guns 0800 Dark Skies 1000 Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters 1000 21 and Over 1200 Kick- Ass 2 1200 After Earth 1400 Getaway 1400 Olympus Has Fallen 1600 Movie Request Call 4988 1600 Movie Request Call 4988 1800 Black Hawk Down 1800 Pain & Gain 2000 Movie Request Call 4988/7170 2000 Movie Request Call 4988/7170 2200 Rush 2200 Dead Man Down 2400 Movie Request Call 4988/7170 2400 Movie Request Call 4988/7170 0200 Shawshank Redemption 0200 Tyler Perry’s Temptation 0400 Unforgiven 0400 42 0600 Edward Scissorhands 0600 Jurassic Park Channel 7 0800 Kung Fu Panda 3 0800 Harry Potter/ The Order of the Phoneix 1000 The Forest 1200 Risen 1000 Harry Potter/The Half-Blood Prince 1400 The Revenant 1200 Avatar 1600 Movie Request Call 4988 1400 Rain Man 1800 Norm of the North 1600 Movie Request Call 4988 2000 Movie Request Call 4988/7170 1800 This is Where I Leave You 2200 Alice in Wonderland (2010) 2000 Movie Request Call 4988/7170 2400 Movie Request Call 4988/7170 2200 The Book of Life 0200 X-Men 2400 Movie Request Call 4988/7170 0400 X-Men 2 0200 The Guest 0600 X-Men: The Last Stand 0400 Annabelle 0600 Interstellar Channel 6
Content Editor MC2 Jennifer O’Rourke
Content MC2 Loni Lopez MC2 Alex Smedegard MC3 Wyatt Anthony MC3 Alora Blosch MC3 Clemente Lynch MC3 Bryan Mai MC3 Jonathon Price MC3 Brian Sloan MC3 Jessica Gomez MCSN Krystofer Belknap 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 (7726).