ATI The
Official
Magazine APRIL 2015
of USS MAKIN ISLAND (LHD 8) Navy’s Best Magazine of 2014
AROUND THE ISLAND
Empty Magazine MKI completes ammo offload
ALSO INSIDE
CPO Anniversary • Golden Anchor Award • Hiking Hot Spots • PMA • MWR Corner
CAPT Jon P. Rodgers CAPT Mark Melson Command Master Chief: CMDCM(SW/AW) Thomas Moore
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LCDR Michael L. Smith Deputy PAO: MCC(SW/AW/EXW) Bradley Sapp Media LCPO: MCC(SW/AW) Adam Vernon Lead Editor/ Quality Control: MC1(SW) Corwin Colbert Layout Editor: MC3 (SW) Dennis Grube
MC1(SW/AW/SCW) Ronald Gutridge MC2(SW/AW) Lawrence Davis MC3 (SW) Robin Peak MCSN Nick Cerilli
AROUND THE ISLAND is an authorized publication for the crew member 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 edited, prepared and provided by the MKI media division. All news releases, photos or information for publication in AROUND THE clarity, brevity and conformance to style. The submission.
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Master Chief’s Corner MCPON Steven’s Message to the Chiefs
Golden Anchor MKI Awarded Retention Excellence Award
Happy Birthday, Chiefs! 122 Years of Deckplate Leadership
Empty Magazine MKI Conducts Ammo Offload Underway
CFL Benefits of Hiking on Body and Mind
MCPON’s CORNER
This month’s contributor: MCPON Mike STEVENS
Chief Petty Officers, On April 1st, we will celebrate 122 years of excellence. One thing that CPOs have always excelled at, despite the challenges, is our ability to recognize and implement change. If I could coin one word for this year’s birthday theme, it would be ‘progress.’ Our Navy is 239 years old - could you imagine where our Navy would be without progress? We went from wind-powered sails to coal-powered steam. Now we sail under nuclear power. Our aircraft have gone from propeller power to jet power. We went from CPO Initiation to Transition to Induction and now CPO 365. Without change, there is no progress. Change is not always easy, but that’s OK, because hard is what we do. George Washington once said, “The harder the conflict, the greater the triumph.” As CPOs, we have the responsibility to ensure our Navy continues to progress - we owe this to our Nation, our Navy and our people. Chiefs, I can’t begin to tell you how proud I am of you. I’ve had the opportunity to be a member of our CPO Mess for two decades, and I can tell you today with great confidence that our CPO Mess has never been better. You should feel good about who you are, what you represent, and your ability to lead our Sailors. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for 122 years of excellence. Very Respectfully, MIKE STEVENS
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Retention Excellence T
Story By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Dennis Grube
he amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8) was awarded the Retention Excellence Award for fiscal year 2014 by Naval Surfaces Force Pacific in a message received Jan. 15. The Retention Excellence award, also known as the Golden Anchor, recognizes commands that meet or exceed retention goals for the year. Makin Island exceeded the established minimum goals with retention rates of 51 percent for Sailors in the first six years of service, 83 percent for Sailors with six to 10 years of service, and 78 percent for Sailors with more than 10 years of service. “To earn the award, aside from exceeding the minimum retention goals,” said Chief Navy Counselor Jessica Lawson, a native of West Hills, Calif. “we received a 100 percent on the annual Career Information Program Review for 2014 with a total attrition rate of 4.2 percent for Sailors in their first six years.” Makin Island has now won the award for eight consecutive years. Lawson credits the retention success to a joint effort between the Navy Counselors and the divisional career counselors. “Career counselors play a vital role in tracking and coordinating Career Development boards and assisting Sailors with a variety of other aspects in Sailors’ decision-making process when it comes to their careers,” said Lawson, the command career counselor. “Navy Counselors manage the Career Development program at the command level and assist leadership and Sailors in providing specialized counseling for those who require assistance.” “One of the goals of Navy Career Counselors is to provide all the necessary information that a Sailor needs to know to make the important decisions about their time in the Navy,” added Navy Counselor 1st Class Maria Moffett. To help navigate Sailors through their careers, Navy Counselors have a variety of tools and programs available to them.
“One of the main programs we have to offer is Professional Apprentice Career Track (PACT),” explained Lawson. “Through PACT, undesignated Sailors are able to apply for ratings that are available to them and that they are qualified for. If they are given a rating quota, they have an opportunity to stay in the Navy for another six years as long as they continue to maintain their eligibility requirements. Other programs include Career Waypoint (CWAY), Selective Reenlistment Bonuses (SRB), Sea Duty Incentive Pay (SDIP), Assignment Incentive Pay (AIP) and negotiating for orders to special duty assignments. “I think the best feeling in the world is being able to help others by helping them understand what they want to do with their career,” said Moffett. “The discussions can range from rate conversions to pursuing options for outside education to reenlistment preparations.” Providing clear, consistent career guidance is one of the keys to maintaining high retention rates. “It is important to manage Sailors’ expectations by providing sound, honest, consistent career guidance and maintaining proactive leadership at all levels of the chain of command,” said Lawson. As a Retention Excellence Award winner, the command’s personnel are given permission to paint the ship’s anchor gold as a symbol of their achievement. The golden anchor speaks volumes to the command and surrounding ships. “It symbolizes the epitome of what we strive for every day: Brilliant on the Basics,
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taking care of each other and our Sailors and retaining the necessary skill sets and manning that allow us to remain a strong, capable warfighting force,” said Lawson. Makin Island, the flagship of the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, is on a deployment with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit to promote peace and freedom of the seas by providing security and stability in the 7th Fleet area of operations.
GATOR WEEK 2015
Story by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW/AW) Lawrence Davis
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hief petty officers aboard amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8) commemorated a time-honored naval tradition; 122 years since the Navy’s establishment of the chief petty officer (CPO) ranking. CPOs gathered in the ship’s hangar bay for reflections and sea stories from the Commanding Officer and Command Master Chief. “The job of the chief petty officer is not easy,” said Makin Island’s Command Master Chief Thomas Moore. “As deckplate leaders, it is your job to ensure that our ship and her crew are better today than we were yesterday and better tomorrow than we are today. With ‘Progress’ being this year’s theme, I think this is what matters most.” The rank of Chief Petty Officer was established April 1, 1893, and provided first class petty officers the opportunity to further advance in their career. Chiefs are responsible for the training, discipline, and recognition of Sailors under their guidance and serve as experts in their designated field. “Being a Chief means everything to me,” said Chief Aviation Ordnanceman (SW/AW) Burton Venaas, Makin Island’s Weapons department, G-3 divison, leading chief petty officer. “It was the most important day of my naval career when I found out I made Chief. It affords me the opportunity to ensure that the Navy’s Sailors are properly trained.” At the beginning of the newly established Chief Petty Officer legacy, the new grade encompassed only nine ratings: masterat-arms, boatswain’s mate, quartermaster, gunner’s mate, machinist, carpenter’s mate, yeoman, apothecary and bandmasters. “I’m proud to be among deckplate leaders who are responsible for upholding the traditions, pride, and heritage of the United States Navy,” said Chief Logistics Specialist (SW) Mario Orellano, Makin Island’s Supply department, S-1 divison, leading chief petty officer. The Chief Petty Officer rank is a highly regarded naval career achievement with longstanding Navy tradition. The pay grades of Senior Chief and Master Chief were created effective June 1, 1958, under a 1958 Amendment to the Career Compensation Act of 1949. Eligibility for promotion to the senior chief level was restricted to chiefs with a minimum of four years in grade and a total of ten years of service. For advancement from E-7 to E-9, a minimum of six years service as a chief petty officer with a total of 13 years service was required. Commanding Officer Capt. Jon P. Rodgers recounted a few Chief Petty Officer sea stories during his career and the importance of the frank counsel and over-the-shoulder leadership that bridge the gap between the deckplates and the wardroom He concluded with a hearty, “Thanks, Chiefs. Happy Birthday!”
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Empty Magazine Story by Mass Communications Specialist Seaman Nick Cerilli
After returning home from a seven-month deployment, USS Makin Island (LHD 8) Sailors wasted no time completing an ammunition offload slated off the coast of Southern California. This evolution is a critical component in prepping the ship for a planned maintenance availability which is another integral step in getting the ship ready to return to sea and continue its mission in protecting the nation’s interests. Sailors of Makin Island’s Weapons department spent long hours throughout the workday planning and accounting for the offload of more than 950 pallets of military gear and ammunition for the evolution. “There are a lot of distractions that come up after returning home from a long deployment. It is important to keep everyone focused on the task at hand,” said Chief Aviation Ordnancemen Shawn Campbell. Preparations for the offload began a couple months before the
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amphibious assault ship returned to its homeport. “We started getting ready for this in January. Accountability and organization has been our focus and this can take a lot of time,” said Campbell. A lot of preparation and planning goes into this type of logistical operation, and everyone was be ready and able to adapt as needed to complete the mission. “Everyone needed to be flexible preparing for something like this. Things come up all the time that you don’t expect and you have to be ready for it. We get a lot of training and this is exactly what it’s all for,” said Aviation Ordnancemen 3rd class Lindsay Thompson. Safety is paramount when handling ammunitions of any kind and Weapons department understandably makes this their main focus and top priority as they prepare for offload. “There are so many moving parts involved in this evolution. We are using heavy equipment, and helicopters to move dangerous cargo, so we of course had to remain focused, remembering our training, and work as a team to get the job done,” says Thompson The deployment may be over for the Sailors of USS Makin Island (LHD 8), but the work never stops, and as the date approaches for the ship’s planned maintenance availability (PMA) period, focus and work ethic remains at an all time high.
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W men’s
His ory M o n t h
Story by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (SW) Robin W. Peak
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he amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8) hosted a Women’s History month celebration on the mess decks, April 17.
The observance not only commemorates the contributions of women in the armed forces but also the achievements and contributions women have made throughout the nation’s history. “My experience in the military and in civilian life has been extremely positive and that is thanks to all of the women we have talked about here today who paved the way and inspired us to do great things,” said Lt. Hope Moore, from Rutherfordton , N.C., the General Medical Officer aboard Makin Island. Women have served in some capacity in military engagements for centuries, but it wasn’t until 1901 with the establishment of the Army Nurse Corps that women were officially incorporated as service members and then in 1908 the Navy also established its own Nurse Corps.
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By World War II more than 14,000 served in the Navy Nurse Corps and were stationed stateside, overseas on hospital ships and as flight nurses during the war. In 1976 the service academies were opened to women and the Navy promoted the first female line officer to Rear Admiral. Master Chief Avionics Technician Joy S. McGill, from Alloway, N.J., gave a brief history of her timeline in the military and how it related to women’s more recent accomplishments in the military. “I joined the delayed entry program in 1990 and was at boot camp in Orlando by 1991,” said McGill. “Meanwhile 2,600 Navy Women participated in Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and Capt. Marsha Evans took command of Naval Station Treasure Island in San Francisco becoming the first woman to command a U.S. Naval Station.” She continued to say, “I completed five memorable days at sea onboard the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) where the women’s berthing had an armed guard at the entrance 24/7. In 1993 congress repealed the law banning women from duty on combat ships, and in 1994 sixty-three women were assigned to the USS Eisenhower (CVN 69), the first carrier to have permanent women crew members.” Today more than 17% of active and reserve service members are women and roughly 200,000 women have served in the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Among the many male and female service members in attendance at the ceremony, was Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 3rd Class Nicole M. Liskey, from San Bernadino, Ca. “I really enjoyed Master Chief McGill’s speech because she lived some of the recent history of women in the Navy,” said Liskey. Liskey added, “This event is important to celebrate because there are a lot of women service members today who don’t know where we came from and how we got to where we are. Understanding that history helps us to appreciate what we have and strive to do more great things.” As the ceremony came to a close, Moore gave one final thought to the military women in attendance. “Be a role model to other women who will come after you,” said Moore. “We owe it to those that have gone before us and are our role models to carry on that legacy of success and determination.”
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Liam’s Baptism
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MKI MWR
CORNER Feature Event Sexual Assault Prevention & Response 5K Run/2-Mile Walk NASNI, Quay Wall Eliminate sexual assault: Know your part. Do your part. Event is open to all MWR patrons and their guests. Registration checkin opens at 8:30 am, race starts at 10 am. Plus, stick around after the run for the Victim Advocate of the Year award presentation. Online registration closes at 3 pm on April 23. Day of race registration will be available at 8:30 am. Friday, April 24 @ 10 AM
LOCAL
CFL
REMINDER Hiking outdoors has plenty of perks: nice views, fresh air, and the sounds and smells of nature. It’s good for you, too. Hiking is a powerful cardioworkout that can: -Lower your risk of heart disease -Improve your blood pressure and blood sugar levels -Boost bone density, since walking is a weightbearing exercise -Build strength in your glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and the muscles in your hips and lower legs -Strengthen your core -Improve balance -Help control your weight -Boost your mood. “Research shows that hiking has a positive impact on combating the symptoms of stress and anxiety,” says Gregory A. Miller, PhD, president of the American Hiking Society. “Being in nature is ingrained in our DNA, and we sometimes forget that.” Exercising With Your Dog “Being in nature is ingrained in our DNA, and we sometimes forget that.” -- Gregory A. Miller, PhD Step Up Your Hiking Workout You can get more out of your hiking with these fitness-boosting strategies. Start slow. A short, local hike is best for beginners. Gradually work up to trails with hills or uneven terrain. Use poles. Digging into the ground and propelling yourself forward pushes your upper body muscles to work harder and gives you a stronger cardio workout. Head for the hills. Even a small hill will intensify your heart rate and burn extra calories. Miller says a 5% to 10% incline equals a 30% to 40% increase in calorie burn. Bump it up. Uneven terrain can work muscles
friday 24 1000 SAPR 5K (NASNI, Quay Wall)
monday 27 1700 Dodgeball (NASNI, Liberty Center)
For more local San Diego events, check out: 13
while improving balance and stability. Weigh yourself down. Stock your day pack with extra weight. (Water’s a good option.) According to Miller, a 10- to 15-pound day pack will boost your calorie burn by 10% to 15% while strengthening your lower back muscles. Get into a groove. On the days you can’t make it to the trails, power-walk on a hilly terrain while carrying various degrees of weight in a backpack -- it will keep your hiking skills and fitness level on track. Safe Hiking Tips Bring a buddy. It’s best not to hike alone at first, especially on unfamiliar or remote trails. A partner or group can help you navigate and assist if you get hurt. As your skill level improves, you’ll feel more comfortable going solo. Know before you go. Familiarize yourself with the trail map. Check the weather, and dress and pack accordingly. If storms are a possibility, rethink your plan. Follow marked paths and trails. Article courtesy of WebMD Fitness.
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Local Hiking Hot Spots Sunset Cliffs 3.7 miles Los Penasquitos Canyon 4.7 miles Cowles Mountain 3 miles Iron Mountain Trail 5.8 miles El Cajon Mountain 11.8 miles Cedar Creek Falls (Devil’s Punch Bowl) 4.2 miles San Bernardo Mountain 7.3 miles San Miguel Mountain 4.7 miles