USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN 71)
ROUGH RIDER Group Sail Edition
May 7, 2017
IN THIS EDITION
Chillin with A . Corona
MAN OVERBOARD: THIS IS NOT A DRILL TR Strike Group Participates in Group Sail How it work: Cougar Flight Missions Aerographers Mate: The Navy’s Weatherman
170430-N-DM308-526 PACIFIC OCEAN (April 30, 2017) Aircraft sit on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). Theodore Roosevelt is underway conducting a tailored ship’s training availability off the coast of Southern California. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Paul L. Archer/Released)
PHOTOS BY THEODORE ROOSEVELT MEDIA
Theodore Roosevelt Par ticipates B Y M A S S C O M M U N I C AT I O N S P E C I A L I S T 3 R D C L A S S V I C T O R I A F O L E Y, U S S T H E O D O R E R O O S E V E LT ( C V N 7 1 ) P U B L I C A F FA I R S
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he Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group began a Group Sail training unit exercise May 1. Group Sail is the first step in the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt’s (CVN 71) integrated training phase and aims to enhance mission-readiness and warfighting capabilities between the ships, airwing and the staffs of the TRCSG through stimulated real-world scenarios. Roosevelt is a part of the Group Sail in order to improve interoperability with the other ships in the strike group. “For the Sea Combat Commander staff and the ships of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 23, the Group Sail will be a phenomenal growing experience and a very productive stepping stone into integrated operations,” said Capt. William Daly, commodore, DESRON 23.
Daly said the lessons learned with all the partner units of Carrier Strike Group Nine will make DESRON 23 a superb fighting team as they finalize their readiness for deployment. “With the basic phase of work-up cycle complete, we begin integrated training with the entire Team Fury Strike Group this week,” said Capt. Craig Clapperton, commanding officer of Theodore Roosevelt. “I am incredibly proud of the extraordinary level of effort and teamwork throughout the ship, air wing and embarked staffs.” Lt. Cmdr. David Crescitelli, assistant chief of staff plans officer, said this would be the first Group Sail this year in preparation for the upcoming deployment. “You have to practice how you intend to play,”
Strike Group in Group Sail
said Crescitelli. “You can use simulators until you’re dead from exhaustion or perform table top exercises but Group Sail is essential because each individual unit will go out to sea, act as if deployed and integrate with TRCSG.” Group Sail is a pre-deployment underway which allows the TRCSG units, USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), USS Halsey (DDG 97), USS Higgins (DDG 76), USS Preble (DDG 88), USS Sampson (DDG 102), USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), Carrier Airwing (CVW) 17, and Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 9 staffs, to conduct exercises together in a maritime environment. “We are now leaning forward, training and exercising our warships through many situations vital to our success during deployment,”
said Clapperton. “Because of the hard work, professionalism, innovation and energy of each Sailor and Marine on board, we are able to fully capitalize on this underway time. We will continue our work to be the best ship on the waterfront, always ready for any challenge.” Crescitelli said there is no substitute for our strike group getting out to sea and making sure things operate the way they are designed to. “In preparation for Composite Training Unit Exercise we intend to be over-prepared now,” said Crescitelli. “We hope to make COMPTUEX just another opportunity for the Carrier Strike Group to showcase its many superstars and to prepare us for deployment.”
MAN OVERBOARD B Y M A S S C O M M U N I C AT I O N S P E C I A L I S T S E A M A N R A C H A E L T R E O N U S S T H E O D O R E R O O S E V E LT ( C V N 7 1 ) P U B L I C A F FA I R S
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t all happened so fast,” said Senior Chief Aviation Ordnanceman Matthew Muravez. “It was just another day moving aircraft from the hangar bay to the flight deck and the next thing I knew, I was waking up in the water.” It was the middle of October 2001 when Muravez fell overboard USS Enterprise (CVN 65). The ship was operating in the Northern Arabian Sea off the coast of Pakistan when the day took a turn for the worst. Muravez, then assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 141, blacked out and tumbled into the water after slamming his head on the underside of a jet. Enterprise was sailing off into the distance by the time he processed the dangerous situation he was in. Man overboard calls overheard from the ship gave Muravez hopes of a rescue, but they faded away, as did his view of the ship. “My mind started racing back and forth. I could see Pakistan in the distance and I considered swimming to shore, but I realized I had a better chance of surviving in the water.” As minutes passed, feeling like hours, Muravez faced additional challenges which could have easily been prevented. The decision to wear personal protective equipment without completing a pre-operational check left him overboard with an ineffective float coat. Every 10 minutes he used his valuable energy to manually inflate his float coat. Unknown to Muravez, more issues were preventing his rescue. The search and rescue swimmer also chose to ignore their responsibility to keep their gear operational which led to a large delay and the rescue helicopter engine failed. “I held up my fingers three or four inches apart and the entire ship could fit in-between them,” said Muravez. After more than an hour in the water, the first lieutenant and the rest of the crew on the rigid-hull inflatable boat located him in the water. “I couldn’t begin to explain the feeling when I heard someone yelling my name. I started yelling back and they told me they were coming to get me. All I could think was
thank God, thank God.” Muravez was pulled into the RHIB and safely transported back to Enterprise. After a medical evaluation, he was cleared and immediately put back to work by his leading petty officer. “I’m thankful to be alive to tell this story, and I’m happy to tell it because I learned a lot of lessons that day. Now, as a Senior Chief, I always make sure to tell my guys of the importance of mustering quickly during a man overboard drill and to always wear and check their PPE. The littlest things help surviving.” Capt. Fred Goldhammer, Theodore Roosevelt’s executive officer, keeps the crew ready for a man overboard by ensuring all departments are properly performing maintenance on their life-saving equipment and conducting drills whenever possible. Every first day out to sea, Goldhammer runs a man overboard drill to familiarize new Sailors with the process and keep the entire crew prepared. At the completion of Theodore Roosevelt’s tailored ship’s training availability, the crew proved its readiness to face this difficult situation. “When we drill man overboard, we make it a point to push ourselves to beat the clock,” said Goldhammer. “The whole point is to get ourselves proficient enough so that we can quickly account for everybody. If needed, we can pull a person out of the water in the most challenging circumstances, whether it’s during flight operations or in the middle of the night while a lot of folks are asleep.” Goldhammer also said everything else we do, our success is driven by teamwork. Depending on sea state and temperatures, a delay of only a few minutes can make the difference between life and death. “So far, our record is 12 minutes; I’m sure we can do better,” said Goldhammer. “While it is funny to joke during drills about the 1MC calls about ‘man bears’ in the water, this is serious business that we have to get right the first time, every time. It might be you that we’re trying to rescue.”
Chillin’ with
A. Corona
[This is a continuous series by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Alex Corona in which Sailors aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) provide a glimpse into their personal lives and aspirations.] “My grandmother raised me and my four siblings,” said Aviation Machinist’s Mate 1st Class Billy Markham, a Riverside, California native assigned to the Sun Kings of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Attack Squadron (VAW) 116, aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). “From a fairly young age I was working construction jobs while still attending high school.” Markham said that growing up as the oldest of five children was a trying experience. His father was serving time in prison and his mother wasn’t around either. Without guidance, it led him to make poor decisions as a young man. “I had a humble upbringing,” said Markham. “I was a big trouble maker growing up. One year my grandmother had me dig a pool and fill it all the way back up as punishment.” Markham said that before he turned 18, he decided to join the Navy. Markham’s best friend’s mother was a Navy recruiter and convinced him it was an opportunity to turn his life around.
“My first couple years in the Navy were pretty rough,” said Markham. “Luckily, I had good leadership and they helped me to finally get my act together.” In 2012, I was stationed at Point Magu, California and went out with a group of friends one night for dinner, said Markham. That night I met a woman who would become my wife. “I really don’t deserve a woman as good as Tiffany,” said Markham about his wife. “She is extremely smart, beautiful and what I have always dreamed for in a woman.” His grandmother remains his inspiration. She is still raising two of his younger siblings at 70-years-old, said Markham. She instills values of hard work and shows him that being humble is where real growth as a person takes place. “My advice for junior Sailors is to make the most out of every opportunity,” said Markham. “Learn from your mistakes and move forward.” Having already served 12 years in the Navy, he hopes to advance to the rank of Chief Petty Officer, stay attached to his air wing and serve a minimum of 20 years. Markham looks forward to his son’s 4th birthday in May and giving him the opportunities he never had.
AD1 Billy Markham
How It Works: Cougar Flight Missions BY MASS COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST 3RD CLASS SPENCER ROBERTS USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN 71) PUBLIC AFFAIRS
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he Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) and embarked airwings conduct multiple flight operations weekly. From the orders of the commander of the air wing (CAG) to the landing of the last jet, how does the whole flight mission process work? Pilots and Naval Flight Officers aboard Theodore Roosevelt go through an extensive process to go from the flight deck to the air every day. “First, we decide who is in need of missions to make the squadron combat ready,” said Cmdr. Ladislao Montero, executive officer of the Cougars of Electronic Attack Strike Squadron (VAQ) 139. “From the ship side, strike operations will tell us what we are flying the next day.” The ship’s CAG and other warfare commanders will usually be the ones who will dictate strike operation dates, times and other details for a specified mission. “We have responsibilities to meet on an assigned mission,” said Lt. Cmdr. William Blanton, a department head and pilot assigned to the Cougars. “For aircrew, we will typically fly once or twice a day. Our typical schedule will start with a brief two hours prior to an event. We will fly the event, which will last an hour and 15 minutes to an hour and a half for a typical cycle, then we’ll land after that.” There are always briefings and constant reviews of mission orders prior to and after each flight. “We’ll do our paperwork and provide information to intelligence and carrier
vessel information cell,” said Blanton. “Then we’ll come back and debrief the conduct of the flight here in our ready room.” Although the pilots are the ones flying the planes into the sky, the flight missions would not be possible without the entire ship. The air wing is a vital but small portion of the aircraft carrier and Theodore Roosevelt requires the ultimate team for success.
“This is a team effort,” said Lt. jg. Brandon Hill-Rogers, NFO and public affairs officer for the Cougars. “The people down in reactor, food service administrators, the culinary specialists, the people on the bridge driving the ship, the people working the steam for the catapults, the shooters and everyone else is critical to our mission success. Everything has to go pretty much perfectly to get
an aircraft off the carrier and they make it happen.” Keeping the team charged up and rolling forward is a continuing theme for the Cougars and Theodore Roosevelt. “It is a team effort from beginning to end,” said Montero. “No one is independent on this ship; every department helps the next one.” Theodore Roosevelt is conducting a Group Sail training unit exercise (GRUSL) with the Theodore
Roosevelt Carrier strike Group (TRCSG). GRUSL is the first step in the Theodore Roosevelt’s integrated training phase and aims to enhance mission-readiness and warfighting capabilities between the ships, airwing and the staffs of the TRCSG through simulated real-world scenarios.
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NEWS STATION 71 WEEKLY WEATHER REPORT
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Aerographer’s Mate “The Navy’s Weather Man” BY MASS COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST SEAMAN RACHAEL TREON USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN 71) PUBLIC AFFAIRS
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n Aerographer’s Mate is a rare find aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) but their contributions are more valuable than their nickname, the “weather guessers.” AGs play a vital role in the maritime mission by focusing on meteorology, oceanography and hydrographic operations. The data collected and produced ensures safety for not only the Theodore Roosevelt, but the entire strike group and prepares the forces to succeed in any physical environment. “Weather is a 24/7 matter,” said Lt. Cmdr. Stephen Fleet. “Jets can’t land, launch or carry out strike missions in bad conditions. Weather can’t be controlled, but it’s important to predict and avoid potentially dangerous situations to ensure maximum operational capabilities.” Daily tasks for AGs include producing weather forecasts, electromagnetic propagation predictions,
strike forecasts, climatology, hourly observations and briefing senior staff. The shop consists of analysts and forecasters. Sailors become analysts after completing “A” school at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi. Typically, AGs have the opportunity to return to “C” school to become forecasters following their first tour. “We handle the more technical side of the job,” said Aerographer’s Mate 3rd Class Kristopher Hawk, an analyst aboard Theodore Roosevelt. “As analysts, we create tactical decision aids based on the information provided by our forecasters. We’re making observations every hour and spending time outside is the best part.” Forecasters focus on the ship’s navigational safety as well as creating accurate predictions to ensure maximum capabilities of flight operations.
Aerographers Mate 2nd Class Christian Wilcox, assigned to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17, is one of seven strike forecasters in the Navy. Stationed at Fleet Weather Center Strike Detachment in Fallon, Nevada, Wilcox is an essential asset to the Theodore Roosevelt while underway. “My favorite part is the direct impact that weather and oceanography has on a wartime environment,” said Wilcox. “Meteorology has been my dream job since my house was destroyed by a tornado when I was five years old. No one in my family was injured but we lost a lot of material possessions. My outlook on the experience was that weather is so intriguing and beautifully violent. Simple changes in temperature, moisture, and air pressure can turn a bright and sunny day into something only found in nightmares.” Strike forecasters provide the environmental
strategy for the carrier air wing. Expert knowledge in radars, sensors and munitions assist the tactical planners to make the most informed decision based on the current environmental condition. The rate originated in 1925 after Alexander G. McAdie, who instructed the first aviation-related weather courses for the Navy, coined the term “Aerographer.” The name changed to Aerographer’s Mate in 1942. Although “weather guessers” is a term associated with the rate, Aerographer’s Mates aboard Theodore Roosevelt don’t let it get them down. “Every rate has their own jokes,” said Aerographer’s Mate 2nd Class Ashley Johnson, a forecaster aboard Theodore Roosevelt. “We just embrace it and at the end of the day we know it’s just poking fun.
A THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN 71) COMIC BY MASS COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST 3RD CLASS JIMMI LEE BRUNER
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STAFF COMMANDING OFFICER Capt. Craig Clapperton EXECUTIVE OFFICER Capt. Fred Goldhammer PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER Lt. Cmdr. Beth Teach MEDIA OFFICER Lt. Michael Hathaway SENIOR EDITOR MCC Jennifer Roy MCC Jay Pugh EDITOR MC1 Michael Russell MC3 Alex Perlman ROUGH RIDER CONTRIBUTERS MC2 Paul Archer MC3 Spencer Roberts MC3 Victoria Foley MC3 Jimmi Lee Bruner MCSN Rachael Treon MCSN Alex Corona MCSN Bill Sanders COMMAND OMBUDSMAN
cvn71ombudsman@gmail.com
NAME: PS3 Aaron Darrell Ingram HOMETOWN: Columbia, SC Favorite Thing About the Navy: “Travel and having the opportunity to better yourself.” Message to the crew: “The best way to predict the future is create it.” Favorite Food: Spaghetti and Meatballs Favorite Movie: Remember the Titans
The Rough Rider is an authorized publication for the crew of USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). Contents herein are not necessarily the views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. government, Department of Defense, Department of the Navy or the Commanding Officer of TR. All items for publication in The Rough Rider must be submitted to the editor no later than three days prior to publication. Do you have a story you’d like to see in the Rough Rider? Contact the Media Department at J-Dial 5940 or stop by 3-180-0-Q. CHECK US OUT ONLINE about.me/ussTheodoreRoosevelt @TheRealCVN71
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