WASHINGTON SURVEYOR THE
Feb. 3, 2017
By MC2 Jennifer O’Rourke
Dr. king
Celebrated on mess decks
By MCSN Jamin Gordon
work control The team behind the action
By MCSN Krystofer Belknap
MWR Moves Washington sailors now occupy huntington hall
On the cover: A statue of Martin Luther King, Jr. can be viewed year-round on the tidal basin in Washington D.C. (Photo by MC1 Alan Gragg)
PHOTO of the
Sto r y a n d P h oto s by M C S N K r ys to f e r N . B e l k n a p
MWR MOVES
DAY
Washington takes over Huntington Hall
A IC3 Mike Cohen, from Buffalo, New York, participates in an M16 rifle qualification course at the Cheatham Annex Small Arms Range. (Photo by MCSN Krystofer N. Belknap)
The Washington Surveyor Commanding Officer
Executive Officer
Command Master Chief
CAPT Timothy Kuehhas
CDR Colin Day
CMDCM James Tocorzic
Public Affairs Officer
Deputy Public Affairs Officer
Media DLCPO
LCDR Gregory L. Flores
LTJG Andrew Bertucci
Editors MC1 Alan Gragg MC2 Kris R. Lindstrom MC3 Kashif Basharat
MCC Mary Popejoy
Staff MC2 Alora Blosch MC2 Jessica Gomez MC2 Jennifer O’Rourke MC3 Wyatt L. Anthony MC3 Anna Van Nuys
MC3 Michael E. Wiese MCSN Krystofer Belknap MCSN Jamin Gordon MCSA Julie Vujevich
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).
*For comments and concerns regarding The Washington Surveyor, email the editor at kashif.basharat@cvn73.navy.mil*
s the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) prepares to transition to Newport News, Virginia, for the ship’s refueling complex overhaul (RCOH) maintenance, 50 Sailors are now assigned temporary duty to support the Huntington Hall Liberty Center and housing office. Sailors who work in Huntington Hall are responsible for manning the front desk, completing room inspections, facility inspections, writing maintenance tickets, and ensuring the overall conditional of the building is being maintained. Additionally, they are in charge of the daily cleaning of the building, completing trouble calls from the residents, working parties to replace furniture and linens, and completing daily grounds clean up and maintenance. In addition to all of that, they have a leading petty officer and Administrative Sailors who file all housing listings, rosters, and coordinate names for Sailors moving in and out.
The Huntington Hall housing office provides barracks and housing for Sailors who are moving to Newport News. “Since the GW has taken over the building, this team has ensured all rooms are cleaned, assisted in painting, and increased the standard within the building to allow for all our GW Sailors to feel welcome and have a clean place to call home for the upcoming RCOH period,” said Senior Chief Aviation Ordnanceman Dave Niedholdt,” housing liaison manager. In the Liberty Center, Sailors are responsible for opening and closing the center, checking identification cards,
creating Wi-Fi accounts, cleaning all fitness equipment, computer areas, theater, and gaming areas, maintaining inventory of hundreds of video games and DVDs, and assisting in the setup of various events such as frocking ceremonies, re-enlistments, and PT sessions. “Without GW Sailors at the liberty center, the place would be in disarray,” said Chief Sonar Technician (Surface) Corey Davidson, Huntington Hall Liberty Center leading chief petty officer. “The wait time to get anything checked out or to gain information about upcoming events would be much longer. The fitness area would be a mess,
By M C S N Ja m i n G o rd o n
T “The Liberty Center is important because it gives the Sailors an easy-to-access central meeting point where hard hats are not required,” STGC COREY DAVIDSON
(continued from previous page)
Huntington Hall has various sources of port future physical fitness assessments. and weights would not be organized.” entertainment and exercising equipment. “The Liberty Center is importDavidson said the services these SailThe center includes a small movie theant because it gives the Sailors an ors provide are important for the ship easy-to-access cenand anyone who utitral meeting point lizes Huntington where hard hats are Hall. Nearly every not required,” said Dadepartment on the vidson. “It’s even more ship is contributconvenient for the Sailing to the success of ors who actually live the liberty center. in Huntington Hall be“I like working cause it affords them here,” said Inforthe opportunity to simmation Systems ply walk downstairs Technician 1st Class to see a movie, play Shawn Koettel, a GW some pool, workout, supervisor at Hunor play video games. tington Hall. “TAD They don’t have to go Sailors working here IT1 Shawn Koettel stands in the fitness center at Huntington Hall. (Photo by MCSN Krystofer anywhere, which saves check people in and N. Belknap) them money, keeps them keep the place tidy.” safe, and encourages esprit de corps.” Koettel said Huntington Hall ater, game tables and video gaming staThe recreation center is open from is a reliable place for all Sailors tions for entertainment. It also includes 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. everyday for to have fun or get a good worka computer lab, which will allow Sailors all active duty and veteran personnel. out in during their off duty hours. to do NKOs, and a gym that will sup-
Work Control The Team behind the Action
hroughout the aircraft carried, Sailors report to damage control haul which includes many jobs that er USS George Washington central for the proper paperwork. range from simple to complex,” said (CVN 73), Sailors and conNow the process is slightly different. Diaz. “Whenever a job happens, a tractors are busy with work require“Every job has to go through a conWAF comes in and we use it to dictate ments in preparation for Refueling tractor now, unless it is short-term scheduling. There is a lot of work to and Complex Overhaul (RCOH) PMS (preventative maintenance sysbe done in four years, so it’s important maintenance. The work requirements tem),” said Aviation Electronics Techthat we schedule jobs properly. This alvary from simple to complex, and nician 2nd Class Joseph DeMarco, the lows us to control what is being done may require hanging a specific tag. assistant leading petty officer of work on the ship, and when it will be done.” A tagout is needed to de-energize control aboard George Washington. While organization is the main focus mechanical and electrical equipment “If a job extends into RCOH, a Sailof work control, safety is an issue that to safely perform maintenance. The or will come with a draft for approvis always at the forefront of accomplishtagout proing any job. cess requires “We have multiple AOs (authoquality assurrizing officer) ance checks and AAOs and needs to (assistant aube executed thorizing ofwith high atficer) in place tention to deto make sure tail to ensure the correct the safety of personnel unall personnel. derstand what To some, specific tags the tagout are being inprocess may Work Control members brief Sailors about new maintenance procedures during the ship’s refueling complex cor porated,” overhaul (RCOH). (Photo by MCSN Jamin Gordon) seem dauntsaid Diaz. ing or over“There are whelming, but there’s no need to stress al. If it is approved, they will receive a lot of system tags and master tags, because more GW Sailors were assigned a WAF number. Then the Sailor gets so these checks help everyone make to the work control team Jan. 17 to make the line items and creates a package sure safety procedures are followed.” the process easier and more organized. containing any pertinent information In addition to focusing on safety, the “The work control team serves as to be passed on to the contractors. work control team also provides customa liaison between contractors and The contractors will make a WAF of er service for the tagout process. DeMarship’s force,” said Aviation Boattheir own for the job to be completed.” co, who joined the team February 2016, swain’s Mate (Equipment) 1st Class In addition to processing WAFs and is a resource for Sailors and contractors. Roy Diaz, the leading petty officer of tagouts, work control is responsible Work control will be in full effect work control aboard George Washingfor ensuring the correct personnel are for the foreseeable future. Although ton. “We will primarily be processheld accountable for any work they some Sailors like DeMarco have been ing WAFs, which are work authorizacomplete, as well as make sure jobs on this temporary additional duty tion forms, and tagouts,” said Diaz. are completed in an organized manner. (TAD) for approximately a year, the Typically, when a tagout is need“RCOH is a big maintenance overworkload is just starting to pick-up.
By MC2 Jennifer O’Rourke
DR. KING
CELEBRATED ON THE MESS DECKS
IT1 Scott Augustine speaks at the MLK observance event, as Cmdr. Jason Davis prepares to make his remarks. (Photo by MC2 Jessica Gomez)
Members of the Heritage Committee cut a cake with the guest speaker, Cmdr. Jason Davis, and GW’s Commanding Officer Capt. Timothy Kuehhas at the MLK observance event. (Photo by MC2 Jessica Gomez)
T
he heritage committee aboard ‘The Beloved Society’ that’s not some- tally significant for servicemembers. the aircraft carrier USS thing like a utopian dream where every“You have so many different cultures George Washington (CVN one loves each other and such. He was and nationalities within the Navy,” said 73) held an observance of the life working towards something where we Chief Boatswain’s Mate David Brown. and works of Dr. Martin Luther talk about ‘and justice for all.’ When “It is important to address, so peoKing Jr. on the mess decks Jan. 26. we have conflict we can settle it peace- ple know their history. There are some The event featured members of the fully, through talking and through un- things people may not know and so they heritage committee sharcome to events like this.” ing an overview of King’s In 1955, King received storied accomplishments, his doctorate degree in playing a recording of his systematic theology at famous ‘I Have a Dream’ 26-years- old and bespeech, and guest-speakcame the pastor of the er Cmdr. Jason Davis Dexter Avenue Baptist spoke of the impact Church in MontgomKing has had on his life. ery, Alabama. In the “Dr. King, he has alsame year, he became ways been a personal the leader of the Monthero of mine. His acgomery Bus Boycott. Cmdr. Jason Davis, GW’s intel officer, delivers a speech during the Martin Luther King, complishments are ab- Jr. Day event on the forward mess decks, Jan. 26. (Photo by MC2 Jessica Gomez) During the boycott, solutely amazing,” said King was arrested, his Davis. “Dr. King was also a philoso- derstanding and serving others in the home bombed, along with other perpher, besides being the architect of the hope bringing about a better society.” sonal attacks, but he emerged successcivil rights movement. In his philosoChief Boatswain’s Mate David Brown ful and a symbol of hope for equaliphy, he talked about something called said King’s message is fundamen- ty in the United States. The peaceful
protests resulted in a Supreme Court ruling the segregation of buses unconstitutional. “The most important thing I think he did was try to bring people together and implant in everybody that everybody is created equal,” said Personnel Specialist 1st Class Salvador Murillo. His ideals were gleaned from his faith and intellectual understanding of Christianity, his peaceable protesting techniques from Mahatma Gandhi, who brought change to his native India and South Africa with nonviolent civil disobedience. “I enjoyed the speech,” said Murillo. “It was really nice hearing a different perspective and hearing the quotes from Dr. King. He changed the way that minorities were looked at, a lot of us wouldn’t be here doing what we are doing if it wasn’t for the sacrifices he made. As a minority, we are no longer viewed just as manual labor, as not-equal citizens. Now we are viewed as educated citizens. We are no longer limited.” Ending racial discrimination was a prominent goal for King, but solidifying equality in Unit- Command choir members perform at the MLK observance event. (Photo by MC2 Jessica ed States laws was his overall objective. While Gomez) ing the pipeline that’s going through their reservation being the leader of Southern Christian Leaderand a lot of them are using peaceful protest techniques, ship Conference and the National Association for the Advanceit was so effective for Dr. King, to get their point across.” ment of Colored People for African-American justice, he also In his quest, King traveled over six million miles, fought for human rights such as poverty and worker’s rights. spoke at more than 2,500 gatherings—appearing wher“He created more of a purpose for me to help out othever his voice of equality, fairness, and action was er people in the world, of all different races,” said Seaman needed—and wrote five books and numerous articles. Trinity Sells. “Right now Native Americans are fight-
NAVY NEWS
By MCSA Julie Vujevich
REMEMBERING
MLK D
r. Martin Luther King Jr., was born Jan. 15, 1929. He was an American Baptist minister and leader in the Civil Rights movement. On the third Monday in January, we remember the life and legacy of a man who made it his life’s work to bring equality and fair treatment for all. King played a key role in the American civil rights movement from the mid-1950s until his death in 1968. Inspired by advocates of nonviolence, such as Mahatma Gandhi, King sought equality for African Americans, the economically disadvantaged, and victims of injustice through peaceful protest. Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) had the chance to reflect on King’s impact. “It’s such a huge accomplishment that
one man could rally so many people around him,” said Aviation Ordnanceman 1st Class Johnathan Masangcay about King. “He was one of few people
that were able to really push the civil rights movement forward.” King was the driving force behind events such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the March on Washing-
ton, which helped bring about the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He helped organize and plan events, and made public speeches to promote peace and equality. GW crew members took the time to recognize King, who is remembered and celebrated by the nation for his achievements as a pivotal figure in American history. “I think it’s important to remember what King accomplished,” said Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Wittney Beckstead. “A lot of people don’t know about what he did for our country, so this holiday serves as a reminder.” Sailors involved in GW’s Heritage Committee hosted an event Jan. 26, to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
LEMOORE, Calif. (NNS) -- Four of the Navy’s newest F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft arrived at Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore, Jan. 25. The jets’ arrivals mark the first time the new strike-fighter variant has been deployed to a west coast-based squadron, the recently reactivated “Rough Raiders” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 125. “It was my first squadron as a student at NAS Lemoore in 1999, and to re-establish it as the commanding officer makes me tremendously proud of the Sailors and the F-35 program,” said Cmdr. John Turner, commanding officer of VFA-125. As a multi-role joint strike fighter, the capabilities the F-35C provide go beyond the scope which was previously offered by the Navy’s legacy F/A-18
First Pacific-Based F-35Cs Arrive at NAS Lemoore By MC2 Ryan Batchelder, Navy Public Affairs Support Element
Hornet and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet platforms. “The fifth-generation capability of the F-35 stands apart from every other airplane in the world,” said Jeff Babione, executive vice president and general manager of the F-35 Lightning II program for Lockheed Martin. “The F-35 is able to penetrate previously inaccessible anti-access airspace, which gives pilots increased lethality, precision, and survivability.” NAS Lemoore, the Navy’s designated west-coast strike fighter hub and master jet base, is expected to add more personnel and F-35C squadrons over the coming years. An additional increase in community growth and activity is expected to boost both local demographics and the economy. “We enjoy basically unencroached airspace in Lemoore to practice here as
we do at sea,” said Capt. David James, commanding officer of NAS Lemoore. “I know that myself, the people on the installation, and the community are very excited to have Lemoore chosen as the site for the west coast F-35 placement.” Currently, naval aviation has been engaged in sustained combat operations for more than 15 years. Future operations require the enhanced flexibility and power projection the F-35C and its aviators bring to carrier air wings and joint task forces. “The F-35 is the single largest acquisition program that the Navy has had,” said Turner. “For VFA-125 and Lemoore itself, it establishes our legacy in naval aviation at the west coast’s master jet base. There is no other place that fifth-generation fighters should be.”
Rear Adm. Roy Kelley, the director of Joint Strike Fighter Integration Office, answers questions during a press conference. (Photo by MC3 Zachary Eshleman)
CVN MAZE
GAMES CROSSWORD
SUDOKU KAKURO