COMMANDING OFFICER Capt. David M. Oden EXECUTIVE OFFICER Capt. Christopher C. Westphal COMMAND MASTER CHIEF CMDCM (SW/SS) Neal Olds PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER Lt. Emily Wilkin DEPUTY PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER MCC (SW/AW) Rosa Paschall MEDIA LEADING PETTY OFFICER MC1 (SW) John Hetherington LAYOUT DESIGNER MC2 (SW/AW/IW) Devin M. Langer STAFF MC1 (SW/AW) Andrew Gordon MC2 Eric Zeak MC2 Asher Allen MC3 (SW) Austin Breum MC3 Jeremy Laramore
AROUND THE ISLAND is an authorized publication for the crewmembers of USS MAKIN ISLAND (LHD 8). Contents herein are not necessarily the views of, or endorsed by the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Navy or the Commanding Officer of MAKIN ISLAND. ATI is edited, prepared and provided by the MKI media division. All news releases, photos or information for publication in AROUND THE ISLAND must be submitted to the PAO. All submissions are edited for accuracy, clarity, brevity and conformance to style. The staff reserves the right to edit or reject any submission.
Sept. 27, 2018 - Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class Anthony Edwards, assigned to the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8), drives a rigid-hull inflatable boat during a training exercise. Edwards participated in the training to obtain his coxswain qualification. (U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Jeremy Laramore)
Engineering department Sailors compete in the CHENG’s Cup tournament.
TABLE of CONTENTS Makin’ Anchors...........................................................................................................................................5 Backpack Regulations................................................................................................................................7 Makin Island Raid Anniversary...............................................................................................................9 CHENG’s Cup...........................................................................................................................................11 Honoring Hispanic Heritage.................................................................................................................13 Tuition Assistance.....................................................................................................................................15 Navy News.................................................................................................................................................16 Fall in Review............................................................................................................................................17
Upcoming COMREL Event
Noah Homes “Enchanted Village” Volunteers needed to work event activities Dec. 21, 2018 3:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Makin Island medical officer Lt. Matthew Gallagher brings his son Cristiano aboard USS Boxer (LHD 4) for a baptism.
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For more information or to sign up, please contact the Chaplain’s Office
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by Makin Island Public Affairs
HMC Amber Peck salutes the sideboys during the Chief pinning ceremony.
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ight of USS Makin Island’s (LHD 8) finest stood before family, friends, and fellow Sailors and received the anchors of a chief petty officer at Naval Base San Diego’s chapel, Sept. 14. Earning the rank of chief petty officer was no easy task according to Chief Damage Controlman Patrick Butters, who donned his anchors during the ceremony. “Being the third person in my family to don anhcors, I feel an immense amount of pride,” said Butters. “This is what the Navy is all about.” Makin Isand Commanding Officer Capt. David Oden said he couldn’t be more proud of the newly promoted chiefs. “One of the greatest things I get to do is promote Sailors,” said Oden. “It’s great to be able to recognize the new leadership coming up in the Fleet. Of course, it wouldn’t be possible without the family and friends who have supported these Sailors
throughout their careers, and especially over the last few weeks. We are excited to welcome these Sailors into the Makin Island chiefs’ Mess.” The Navy boasts a proud history of men and women rising to the call of deckplate leadership. Some have aspired to the position of chief for the entirety of their naval careers, while others never dreamed they had what it took. However, all who made it have a few things in common: perseverance, dedication, and good old-fashioned hard work. “I was honestly in disbelief when I first heard my name called,” said Butters. “I was apprehensive at first, but I feel ready to fill the role as the chief.” Each year the Navy promotes a new set of chiefs, inspiring Sailors as they progress through their careers. While some may have other goals in mind, becoming a chief is what many aspire to be.
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LS1 Alexandra Becerra My favorite Thanksgiving tradition is breaking out my fine china, properly setting up the table with all the plates, cups, silverware... I also love eating pumpkin pie with LOTS of whipped cream.
ON THE NON-SKID
CTRSN Clayton Smith My favorite tradition has to be our family fudge recipe that’s been passed down for generations. We’ll make a huge batch of fudge and eat it along with other desserts after our Thanksgiving dinner.
FC2 Melissa Leon-Carey My favorite tradition is getting to see my extended family and having both a traditional Thanksgiving meal and Puerto RIcan meal.
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Thanksgiving Traditions
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A CHANGE SCENERY CHENG’S CUP OF
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by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jeremy Laramore
D
eep down in the belly of the ship, where most people would never dare go, the engineering department works day after day. Their eyes have grown accustomed to the dim lighting. Their sense of sound has faded to a dull hum. It’s rumored that their skin requires heavy layers of sunscreen if they ever want to step out into the sunlight.
All jokes aside, no one can say the engineering department isn’t one of the hardest working departments aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8). Makin Island’s Chief Engineer (CHENG), Cmdr. Howard D. Watt decided it was time to get his Sailors out of their hot, loud, and dark spaces and into the sun for a day of fun. CHENG’s cup did just that. Sailors from engineering’s four divisions, Main Propulsion (MP), Repair (R), Electrical (E) and Auxiliary (A), competed in basketball, volleyball and tug of war to win the prestigious CHENG’s Cup. “This is definitely a morale booster,” said Watt.
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“It builds cohesiveness, and to complete any ship’s mission you need that cohesiveness.” The day began with a basketball tournament at the Vice Adm. Martin Fitness Center on Coronado Island. Game one pitted the MP-division against R-division. The rules were simple: first team to 15 points advances to the championship. The game ended with MP-division winning 15 to 7. Game two, between A-division and E-division, was a bit more competitive. With emotions running high, the teams tied at 15. A-division eventually pulled away to 17 for the win, taking them to the basketball final. In a thrilling back and forth championship match,
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Today we showed that A-DIVISION is the
MOST DOMINANT division in engineering.
A-division pulled into the lead with a score of 14 to 12. A risky pass by the MP-division led to a steal by Machinist Mate 3rd Class Demarco Spivey from A-division. Spivey scored the game winning basket with an easy layup. “I should have dunked on that play,” said Spivey, “but this event is all about building camaraderie with my shipmates, and I was glad to be a part of it.” After the basketball championship game, engineering department retired to Breaker’s Beach for a barbecue and more sporting events. Sailors enjoyed hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken at the barbecue. It didn’t take long for conversation and laughter to flood the beach in the company of friends and family. The competition resumed after the barbecue, and volleyball started on two separate nets. The best of three matches would go on to play in the volleyball championship. A-division was put up against MP-division and won quickly with two victories back-to-back.
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E-division beat R-division with a score of 2-1, sending them to the final game versus A-division. A-division took the championship shutting out E-division 2-0, making A-division the winner of the volleyball tournament. The final event was tug of war. A-division was in the lead for the CHENG’s Cup with E-division in 2nd place. The two divisions lined up to face off one more time. Each division sent their strongest 11 Sailors to represent. The lines were lifted and the tug of war began. A-division yelled, “HEAVE, HEAVE, HEAVE!” in unison while pulling. After a standstill, slowly but surely the flag moved in A-division’s direction. A -division gave one last, “HEAVE,” to win the tug of war, securing their spot as the winners of the 2018 CHENG’s Cup. “Today we showed that A-division is the most dominant division in engineering,” said Machinist’s Mate 1st Class Diapakha Tandia, leading petty officer of A-division. “We’re going to bring this teamwork back to the ship and get the job done.”
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Honoring Hispanic Heritage by MC3 Austin Breum
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an Diego, being home to many historic locations, provides great examples of the influence the Hispanic culture has had in the community. Hispanic culture is also a very important part of the Navy’s diversity. The amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8) held an observance in honor of Hispanic Heritage month, Oct. 10. “It makes me really happy that we are able to celebrate each type of culture in the Navy,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 3rd Class Jennifer Lebron. “A lot of people try to say ‘You’re all Mexican, you’re from Mexico.’ But no, there’s more than that.” The Hispanic influence varies widely from Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Venezuelans, Dominicans, Mexicans, and many more. USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) Command Master Chief Roberto Venegas, guest speaker at the observance, is a firm believer in Hispanic heritage being essential in the Navy. “Celebrating Hispanic heritage is a continued effort to make diversity in the Navy one of our strongest attributes,” said Venegas. “The enemy sees one service but internally we have to know more about each other and pay the ultimate sacrifice when it comes to defending our country.”
Center, LS2 Jeffrey Gomez and ABH3 Jennifer Lebron perform a salsa dance during the Hispanic Heritage month celebration. U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Austin Breum Background, a statue of Mexican Revolutionary Emiliano Zapata at Chicano Park in San Diego. Photo by MC2 Devin M. Langer
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ON THE NON-SKID Daily Commute to Work
MM3 Qiang Chen
I live in the Beacon and wake up at 0500 and leave around 0530 to go ride the bus. I usually get to the ship early about 0600 and wait until quarters at 7000. I like to be early and while I wait I will read through my Chinese Martial Arts book on my phone.
AEC Randy Griffeth I live in East County and have a 40 minute commute. On my way in I will listen to music and try to plan out my day before I arrive. The worst part of my commute is the wait to get on to base.
BMSN Abigail Fetherolf I leave for work by 0515. Most mornings, I’ll listen to The Wrecks and occasionally yell at drivers that cut me off in line to the gate.
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TUITION ASSISTANCE Tuition Assistance is the Navy’s educational financial assistance program. It provides active duty Sailors funding for tuition costs for courses taken in an off-duty status at an accredited college, university, or technical school.
THE PROCESS Inform Command
Inform your chain of command of your interest to start or continue your education. Many commands require a special request chit to proceed.
Complete Training
Sailors are required to complete two training topics: Navy Tuition Assistance training IMI Navy Virtual Counseling 101 training IMI These courses can be found on the My Education module on the NETC website.
THE RESULTS “I finished my associate and bachelor degrees with tuition assistance. I don’t think enough people take advantage of the program, but they should because the step by step process has been laid out for us.”
YN1 Tammy Bellay
Counseling & Education Plan
Contact a Navy College Education Counselor to discuss your education interests and goals. After researching possible programs, apply to the school of your choice. Next, request an official degree plan to submit to the Navy College Office.
Apply
Once your record has been updated, submit your WebTA application using the My Education module.
Send Voucher To School
After your command approves and your application has been authorized, a voucher is generated. All vouchers can be found under “Existing Applications” in the My Education module. Print, sign, and forward the voucher to your academic institution for payment.
“It’s a good program if you’re willing to work for it. Free money is always nice, but if you don’t pass the class, you have to pay the money back.”
AS1 Kyle Mattocks
Navy Announces Deployability Assessment and Assignment Program by Chief of Naval Personnel Public Affairs
I
n an effort to maximize warfighting effectiveness and lethality across the force, the Navy announced implementation of its Deployability Assessment and Assignment Program. The program will ensure the timely disposition, processing, and accountability of all active component, full time support, and selected reserve Sailors who are either medically, legally or administratively limited from deployment. The Deputy Chief of Naval Personnel (DCNP) is the single-process owner of the program. “The Navy our nation needs is a talented, ready and lethal active and reserve force, and we need deployment ready Sailors to accomplish the mission,” said Rear Adm. Jeff Hughes, DCNP. Starting Oct. 1, 2018, Sailors who have been nondeployable for 12 consecutive months will be notified of mandatory processing for administrative separation or referral to the Disability Evaluation System (DES), as appropriate. The policy applies to all Sailors regardless of current duty type (operational or non-operational). Military treatment facilities and Sailors’ commands will make deployability assessments by determining a Sailor’s ability to perform appropriate military duties commensurate with his or her office, grade, rank, or skill in light of ongoing medical treatment or administrative limitations.
Commands will use written counseling and performance evaluations to document a Sailor’s knowing failure to comply with responsibilities to maintain individual readiness. Sailors who fail to comply with this policy could ultimately receive administrative separation. “Sailors who receive notifications will have the opportunity to be considered for retention by the Secretary of the Navy,” said Capt. Chris Harris, the director of distribution management at Navy Personnel Command. “All retention determinations will be made on a case-by-case basis.” Retention may be granted if determined to be in the best interest of the Navy. A Sailor who is unable to deploy for administrative reasons must personally submit a retention request. A medical evaluation board may recommend retention on behalf of a Sailor who’s unable to deploy for medical reasons, if its likely that the Sailor’s medical condition will ultimately permit a return to a deployable status. Pregnant and postpartum Sailors are exempt from this policy. No other Sailors are exempt, but special categories for retention consideration include combat wounded members, Sailors who will be non-deployable for 12 months or longer due to administrative reasons, and Sailors who have attained such years of creditable service so as to be within three years of qualifying for retirement. More information can be found in NAVADMIN 239/18.
Cyber Security Safety Tips • Refresh your knowledge of Cyber Security (CS) by completing the annual Cyber Awareness Challenge training on the Navy eLearning website. Review and maintain MKI’s Command User and Network Use Policy. • Do not connect personally owned removable media (ex., personal cell phones, personal or contractors issued computers, thumb drives, or other personal electronic devices) to the DoD network. This includes charging mobile devices. • Downloading unauthorized software to the DoD network is strictly prohibited. • Keep your common access card (CAC) in your possession at all time. When you leave your computer unattended, you must remove and take your CAC with you. • Personally Identifiable Information (PII) - Do not reply to spam email or reveal personal information such as your date of birth, social security number or credit card information to unknown sources. This could result in your identity being stolen and used for illegal purposes. When in doubt always encrypt and digitally sign all PII, OPSEC, medical, and/or contact sensitive date.
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8 1 0 2 W E I V E R FALL IN
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