APRIL 9, 2014
USS CARL VINSON (CVN 70) VOL 5 ISSUE 10
Don’t Stress It Junior SailorsTalk: The Ultimate Downer
Fit For Full Duty: A 3-Part Assessment
Hands Up
Hands Up
Collaborative Story by MC2 Brent Pyfrom and IC1 (SW/AW) Amanda Munson
O
n Saturday, April 5, Carl Vinson’s Commanding Officer Capt. Kent Whalen took a stand before his Sailors at sea and invited them to join with him against sexual assault. “When I got to Carl Vinson, the saying was, ‘keep your hands to yourself.’ That’s a pretty good saying. I like that idea,” said Capt. Kent Whalen, Carl Vinson’s commanding officer. “Today, with this project, we are saying ‘these hands won’t hurt’, and this is very important. I know you will help me stamp out sexual assault.” Sexual assault is defined as intentional sexual contact characterized by the use of force, threats, intimidation, or abuse of authority, or when the victim does not or cannot consent. The term includes a broad category of sexual offenses consisting of rape, sexual assault, forced sexual contact, abusive sexual contact, forcible sodomy, or the attempts to commit these offenses. Whalen, Executive Officer Capt. Walt Slaughter, Command Master Chief CMDCM Jeffrey Pickering and Carl Vinson Sailors lined up to sign paper hand cut-outs and glue them to a lengthy banner for display on the ship’s mess decks, pledging “these hands won’t hurt”. Carl Vinson’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) team held the Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) kick-off event to educate the crew on sexual assault, bystander intervention, and reporting options available to them.
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“Sexual assault happens somewhere every day,” said Chief Yeoman (SW/AW) Lovie Rush, Carl Vinson’s command SAPR and the leading chief petty officer of Reactor Department’s administration division. “Even with all the training, people still don’t understand the procedures for restricted and unrestricted reporting, and it’s important we get that out.” The effects of sexual assault for victims include depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, and suicide. Reporting sexual assault is extremely important to receive the type of care necessary to help in the healing process. When an individual is sexually assaulted, there are two types of reports that can be initiated – restricted and unrestricted. Regardless of how you choose to report sexual assault, you will be offered a full range of advocacy, medical and counseling services. If you initially make a restricted report, you can change it to an unrestricted report at a later date. However, if you initially make an unrestricted report, it cannot be changed to a restricted report. Restricted reporting gives a victim time and opportunity to get information about available services and fully explore his or her rights, so he or she can make informed decisions without the pressure of an investigation or any legal processes. Once a victim becomes fully informed about the services available to him or her, he or she may elect to change his or her restricted report to an unrestricted
report. Victims can make a restricted report to the Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) Diana Tovar, SAPR Victim Advocates (a list of SAPR VA’s are listed in the plan of the day), or command chaplains. A victim’s communication with another person such as a roommate, friend or family member does not prevent the victim from later electing to make a restricted report. However, if the person the victim confided in is in the victim’s chain of command or a member of DoD law enforcement, then it cannot be a restricted report. Unrestricted reporting ensures the widest range of rights and protections for the victim. An unrestricted report initiates the investigation process immediately, allowing law enforcement to preserve crucial evidence and potentially hold the offender accountable. It also gives the command the ability to ensure the safety of others (i.e. issuing a Military Protective order or approving an expedited transfer from command under certain circumstances.) A victim can make an unrestricted report to Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), SAPR VA, SARC, or a member of the command. “I wanted to become a victim advocate because a lot of times victims feel like it’s their fault. Whenever something happens, the victim feels like they get the blame,” said Chief Information Technician (AW) Lashala Hall, Combat System’s Department’s CS-3 leading chief petty officer. “A lot of times they don’t know it’s not their fault and they also have resources to help them make it through the situation.” SAPR services are available to service members who are on active duty regardless of when or where the sexual assault took place, including those who were victims of sexual assault prior to enlistment or commissioning. Reserve component and National Guard members who were sexually assaulted while performing active service or inactive duty training are eligible as well. Military dependents, 18 years of age or older, who are eligible for treatment in the Military Healthcare System and victims of sexual assault are also eligible for SAPR services. Sexual assaults by an intimate partner are referred to the Family Advocacy Program. Same-sex domestic partners of military members and, when applicable, children of same-sex domestic partners who are 18 years of age or older, and victims of sexual assault perpetrated by someone other than a spouse or intimate
partner are also eligible for SAPR services. “The name says it all, Sexual Assault Prevention and Response,” said Hall. “We want to get to the root of the problem before it happens so we can teach people how to prevent it. It’s equally important that if it happens people know how to respond, whether it’s a victim or someone in the chain of command, or even a peer. They need to know what to do when they come across someone who’s been sexually assaulted.” As for preventing sexual assault, Rush recalled the buddy system. “Bystander intervention, get involved,” said Rush. “When you see something that doesn’t look right, get involved, say something, do something – that’s how we’ll fight it. When we go on deployment and you go on liberty, make sure you have your liberty buddy and stay with them.” Sexual assault is a difficult and uncomfortable subject to talk about. One purpose for Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) is to educate people on how to communicate more comfortably in a real situation. Other goals of SAAM are to inform Sailors about their reporting options and introduce members of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) team.
PG 3
Fit
For Full Duty:
A
3-Part
ssessment by MCSN Matthew Carlyle
T
hough the Navy takes every precaution to ensure Sailors remain safe in any combat or emergency situation, nothing prepares them more for a fight than being fit. That’s why each Sailor’s physical fitness is measured twice a year through the Physical Fitness Assessment (PFA) consisting of three parts: a medical screening, the Body Composition Assessment (BCA) and the Physical Readiness Test (PRT). First, Sailors must complete a medical screening process that includes the Physical Activity Risk Factor Questionnaire (PARFQ), a survey which allows Sailors to highlight any health risk that might impede their ability to complete the PFA. They must also have a current Physical Health Assessment (PHA) on record or make an appointment to complete one prior to their PRT. Sailors must then pass the BCA, an evaluation of a Sailor’s body fat determined by height and circumference measurements, if required. “If an individual exceeds the weight screen, the circumference technique is used to determine body fat percentage,” said Lt. Phil Torem, Carl Vinson’s command fitness leader (CFL). “Individuals who are within standards via the height-and-weight measurement are exempt from the circumference calculation procedure.” The maximum weight considered healthy for a male Sailor under the age of 40 is 22 percent. Male Sailors 40 and over can maintain a 23 percent body fat calculation by Navy standards and still be fit to fight. For female Sailors under 40, their body composition must be 33 percent or lower. Female Sailors over 40 can have up to 34 percent body fat. If a Sailor exceeds their allowed body fat percentage, they fail the PFA cycle and are unable to take the PRT. But for each Sailor who passes the medical screening and BCA, the PRT comes next. All hands must complete a minimum requirement of sit-ups and push-ups and run a mile and a half within a prescribed time to finish the PFA cycle. PRT requirements are determined by age and gender and can be found in OPNAVINST 6110.1J.
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“The PRT is a series of physical events that assesses cardio-respiratory fitness, muscular strength and endurance,” Torem explained. “Each PRT event is scored for five levels of performance and assigned points based on performance. Points from each event are added together and divided by three to determine a Sailor’s overall score.” The five levels of overall performance include outstanding (100-90 points), excellent (89-75 points), good (74-60 points), satisfactory (59-45 points) and failure (44 point or below). “I think the great thing about the PRT is that it gives Sailors goals to shoot for when working out,” said Yeoman 3rd Class (SW) Chancellor Mason, Admin and Security Department’s fitness leader (DFL). “Plus, preparing for and participating in the PRT keeps everyone healthy. Nobody wants to fail it and feel unhealthy.” Those who fail to pass any portion of the BCA or PRT are enrolled in the Navy’s Fitness Enhancement Program (FEP) until the next PFA cycle. “FEP is meant to improve fitness and overall nutrition,” Torem said. “Any member on FEP should play an active role in developing their plan for obtaining a healthier lifestyle as well as meeting Navy fitness standards. They can tailor their plan to meet their nutrition needs and include goal setting, long-term behavior modification and ongoing support.” Any Sailor who fails a total of three PFA cycles within four years is then awarded a general discharge from the Navy. “I know a lot of people might think ‘when I get out I’m going to do this or that differently’ but the reality is you’re getting separated from the Navy for being unfit,” Mason said. “If you aren’t motivated to stay healthy here – where you are given every opportunity to work out and learn how to stay healthy – then you definitely aren’t going to be motivated outside of the Navy. That’s why Sailors shouldn’t take the culture of fitness here for granted.” The Sailors in charge of seeing that all personnel participate in regular physical training (PT) is the command CFL and DFL’s. “As CFL, I’m ultimately responsible for conducting the semi-annual PFA and overseeing the command’s PT and FEP,” said Torem, who became Carl Vinson’s CFL November 2013. “I also ensure all DFLs are non-smokers, CPR certified,
meet the same PFA requirements as the CFL and can competently conduct the PRT, BCA, FEP and command PT.” Each department on board Carl Vinson has a DFL who is charged by the CFL with preparing their department’s personnel for the PFA and ensuring they stay within Navy fitness standards. “I love it because I get to interact with everybody in my departments,” Mason said. “It’s an opportunity to do something fun as a team. I make sure we have fun when we work out because if people don’t enjoy it, then they won’t want to work out. I’ll incorporate something like a relay race every now and then or let somebody else lead our work out so they can feel like they’re having fun rather than exercising.” In addition to DFL’s holding regular exercise sessions, the ship’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) Department’s Fit Boss also offers Sailors nutrition and fitness classes. “With all the opportunities to PT, especially underway, there’s really no excuse for our Sailors to be out of standards,” Torem said. To ensure Sailors are fully prepared for the PFA, Torem suggested Sailors participate in moderate physical activity at least 150 minutes per week. “The amount of time depends on the intensity, though. The more intense the exercise, the shorter the time may be,” Torem explained. “You also must exercise daily if you want to lose body fat. One hundred and fifty minutes per week is only the minimum guideline if you want to lose weight. If Sailors want to see significant weight loss, they should shoot for more than 225 minutes of exercise per week.” In order to keep exercise fresh and exciting, Torem suggested Sailors incorporate a variety of exercises throughout the week and elevate the intensity of exercise their bodies are used to so they will see the rewards of their labor. “To see improvements in fitness, you must manipulate the three factors which induce exercise
overload: frequency, intensity and time,” Torem said. Mason had similar recommendations. “Put in the work. You won’t see results otherwise. You don’t want to go out there and get a bad score and feel unhealthy,” said Mason. “Stick to the basics like drinking plenty of water, staying away from fatty foods and stretching. If you go out to the PFA, do your best and pass, you’ll feel relieved.”
PG 5
around the
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V I N S O N
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Junior Sailors Talk:
The Ultimate Downer by MC3 Curtis D. Spencer
A
t the end of each underway, Sailors have a lot to be proud of – they overcame hurdles and completed a mission given them by the Department of Defense. Back in San Diego, stalwart Sailors who selflessly performed their duties at sea can enjoy a measure of freedom. Their liberty, however, is not clear of hurdles. One of those hurdles too often in the spotlight is alcohol. “For me, it’s simple,” said 20-year-old Yeoman Seaman Apprentice Robert Dorsey of Operations
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Department’s OX division. “I am not 21, so I choose not to drink, but I know that it is difficult for some people to turn away from the peer pressure they face.” The Navy offers all Sailors a wealth of training and implements instructions governing conduct when they consume, or are around, alcohol. However, Carl Vinson has still had more than 20 DUI’s and alcohol-related incidents (ARI) this year. Twenty-six year-old Air-Traffic Controller 2nd Class Mark Silva of Operations Department’s OC division, says “information on alcohol awareness is readily available,” and plants the problem firmly with Sailors’ poor planning. “Some Sailors just don’t thoroughly prepare for all possibilities. For some reason people have a mindset that bad things can’t happen to them when they go out drinking. So, people only half-heartedly develop a plan, or have no contingency plan if the first one falls through,” Silva said. When alcohol is involved, having a plan and back-up plans can be crucial. Without a strategy, a person may find themselves in an unanticipated situation where the wrong decision can have a lasting impact on their life and career,
as well as the lives of those around them. “If a person decides to operate a vehicle after having a drink, they put their life and the lives of other drivers and pedestrians at risk,” said 21-year-old Logistics Specialist 3rd Class (SW/AW) Patricia Smith of Supply Department’s S-1 division. “They put their Navy career at risk along with all they have accomplished. It is like hitting the erase button on all of their hard work.” Having a plan is just one aspect to consider when preparing for an event that may include alcohol. Silva believes you should also know the people you are with. Much like work underway, a plan is only as strong as the team who executes it. “It is not a good idea to put yourself in a position where you are drunk and do not know or trust the people you are with,” Silva said. “Getting to know someone while drinking is a risky proposition. Even though you may think you know someone, alcohol can change their personality. Also, you are just assuming they are 21, which could be a mistake.” These junior Sailors say simply accounting for yourself when part of a group is not good enough. In the Navy, you are also expected to take care of your Shipmate. If someone you are with loses control, you may also be held responsible. Perception can be reality, and if the evidence leads to the conclusion that there is a violation of Navy regulations, a Sailor may have a difficult time explaining the situation. “I know Sailors who have gotten ARI’s for just being there when someone was caught drinking underage,” Smith said. “The consequences for providing alcohol can be just as severe as the penalty for drinking underage. If you are the senior person present, you can be held responsible if you do not mitigate or report an incident.” These junior enlisted Sailors aboard Carl Vinson say they are learning from the example of the senior enlisted and the expectations communicated to them by their chain of command. They remember standing before the commanding officer in the hangar bay to hear his expectations, and they hear from leadership during quarters on a regular basis about safety on liberty. “I think the policies in place are good,” said Smith. “I think there are effective deterrents in place. The only addition I would make would be to have the Sailors who have gotten DUI’s and ARI’s come forward and tell their story. I think hearing them talk about what happened to them, how it could have been avoided and the long-term effects it had on their life would really drive the point home for the crew.” For Sailors on liberty, Carl Vinson and Naval Air Station North Island both have Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) departments which provide Sailors affordable and enjoyable activities for stress relief. Silva suggested Sailors pursue hobbies or community
service projects in the area that don’t involve alcohol. “I think the trap a lot of Sailors fall into is thinking they can only have fun if they drink,” Silva said. “There is nothing wrong with alcohol used in moderation, but if a person is completely unwilling to take precautions, then they will eventually be another statistic and wind up in the NJP results in the plan of the day.”
PG 9
Don’t Stress It by MCSN James Bleyle
T
he lunchtime crowds had died down by the time I arrived at the ship’s library for the “Stress Busters” class. The watch pointed me toward the lounge and told me to wait. Even here I could feel the stress of the ship like a palpable entity. Across the room a Sailor irritably polished his boots for inspection and complained to his friend as jet engines roared just a few feet above our heads. I perused the “free book” section as I listened - settling on a particularly fitting book titled Ship Fever - and took a seat on a leather couch. It wasn’t long before I had company. Electrician’s Mate 3rd Class (SW) Blake Olson, of Engineering Department’s maintenance division, took a seat on the opposite end of the couch. We struck up a conversation and I quickly learned that he was here for the class as well, and for good reason, I soon found out. He got his start in the Navy in “nuke school”, a grueling two year process combining Nuclear Field “A” school followed by an immediate “C” school. We spoke about how the stress then and now affected him and his Shipmates. “There are a lot of nukes that are really stressed,” he said, and referred to six-hour watches and frequent examinations to demonstrate proficiency and keep their jobs. As for Olson, he is also newly married, helping to put his wife through school and dealing with the natural separation from family that comes with sea duty. He said he’s wrestling with career decisions himself, trying to find the right fit for his life and his new family. At times, he analyzes his situation so much he cannot sleep, and then starts the next day at work, exhausted.
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As we were ushered into a small room connected to the lounge, Olson told me his leading chief petty officer (LCPO) suggested he attend the class. Olson had high hopes that he would find something in the class that would help him deal with stress. When we took our seats, we were joined by the class’s only other participant: Personnel Specialist 2nd Class Caroline Davis, assigned to Administrative Department’s X3 division. After a few minutes, Carl Vinson’s Chaplain Cmdr. Stephen Duesenberry walked in. “Good afternoon,” he said, as he sat down and casually crossed his legs. “Let me start by saying this isn’t going to be a ‘death by PowerPoint’ kind of lecture. I want to open up a dialogue with you today,” he paused as his words were drowned out by the familiar boom-hiss of an aircraft landing before continuing. “I want to have a discussion about stress.” We let out a sigh of relief – appreciative of the absence of another dry PowerPoint to slog through. Then Duesenberry threw us a curveball: he asked us to define stress. Although the three of us had different definitions, we all used the same word to describe stress - “overwhelmed.” “This can be caused by a lot of different things,” Duesenberry said. “But a feeling of a lack of control over your life can be a huge factor, and that can be inherent in the day-to-day operations of the Navy.” “Why do you think some people feel less stressed than others when placed in the exact same situation?” Duesenberry asked. “Stress is affected by how you think about it and how many other stressors you are dealing with in your life,” Olson suggested.
“If you’ve done whatever task it is before, you feel less stressed about it,” Davis added. “For me, I don’t know what to expect on deployment, because I’ve never been on one. That stresses me out a lot.” Duesenberry explained that going through an experience multiple times alleviates stress because “then you know what to expect.” But, because we didn’t have these experiences, he urged us to seek out those that have and talk with them. “Talking about your stress with someone who will listen is huge,” Duesenberry said. “Not talking about it is like jamming stress into a bottle. It fills up and up and can explode if you don’t have an outlet. We need to find ways to ease the pressure of stress before we break, because a Navy warship is not a good place to break.” “So how can we deal with stress?” I asked. “There are a number of relaxation techniques, many of which you can do in your rack.” Duesenberry said as he passed out folded pieces of paper. “Here is a list of 101 ways to cope with stress.” One of the easiest, a breathing exercise, we practiced in class. We closed our eyes, inhaled deeply through our noses, and exhaled slowly through our mouths for a few moments. For me, the effects were undeniable. “With crowded berthings, it can be hard to find a moment to yourself on the ship,” Duesenberry continued as I felt my heart rate continue to slow. “I encourage you all to come to the library, come into the reading room where we recently put in seven televisions, and take a moment for yourself. And if you’re experiencing a lot of stress,
the best thing you can do is talk to someone about it.” As for the looming deployment, Duesenberry had a simple solution to the problem: break it up into smaller term goals. “The key is to find small victories and stay positive,” Duesenberry said. “Don’t only look forward to the end of the deployment or it’ll feel like it will never end.” After a brief discussion swapping relaxation techniques
“We need to find ways to ease the pressure of stress before we break, because a Navy warship is not a good place to break.” amongst ourselves, our small little group disbanded. On the way out, I asked them to share their impressions of the class. “It helped me a lot,” Davis said. “Doing the breathing exercise felt good.” “Yeah, I feel like the class itself helped relieve a lot of my stress,” Olson agreed. “It was nice to be able to talk with Chaps.” For myself, I felt recharged; I felt like I had just gained a few more tools to deal with the daily stresses of the ship, and I would suggest it to every single Sailor on board.
Feeling stressed?
Here are a few ways to cope with stress. ◊Get up 15 minutes earlier. ◊Avoid relying on chemical aids.
:|
?
◊Look at problems as challenges. ◊Look at challenges differently.
Zzz... -.-
◊Get enough sleep.
:o :D
D:
:)
:)
◊Schedule playtime into every day.
◊Say something nice to someone. PG 11
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DIALOGUES
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D E C K P L A T E
LION, BECAUSE IT’S CUTE AND CUDDLY, PLUS IT CAN BE MEAN.
ZEBRA, IT HAS THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS.
CS2 (SCW) Gregory Gatchell
MM3 Kalyn Acy
ELEPHANT, BECAUSE OF MY BIG EARS
IT WOULD BE A LION BECAUSE IT’S TOUGH AND COMPETITIVE LIKE ME.
CS2 (SW) Michael Cosek
LN1 (SW/AW) Felicia Allen
BEAR. CALIFORNIA, YOU KNOW.
I’M A LIONESS. I SPEAK MY MIND, AM TERRITORIAL AND AGGRESSIVE.
sw
MMFA Rita Mediano
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PS1 (SW) Charles Wright
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MEERKAT. THEY’RE SMALL AND POP UP OUT OF NOWHERE, LIKE ME.
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CAT, BECAUSE IT’S CALM AND CONSERVATIVE.
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What animal best represents you and why?
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PUBLISHER
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LCDR KYLE RAINES Public Affairs Officer
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EXECUTIVE EDITORS
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CAPT KENT WHALEN Commanding Officer
LTJG TREVOR DAVIDS Assistant Public Affairs Officer
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF MCCS (SW/AW) MONICA HOPPER Media Leading Chief Petty Officer
MEDIA DEPARTMENT
MCC (AW/SW/EXW) DAVID CRAWFORD Media Operations Leading Chief Petty Officer
AO3 (AW) JoTawn Boyd
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MC2 (SW) GEORGE M. BELL MC2 (SW/AW) TRAVIS ALSTON MC3 (SW) SCOTT FENAROLI MC3 SHANTECE GONZALEZ MC3 CURTIS D. SPENCER MCSN MATTHEW A. CARLYLE
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