VOL 1 / NO 51 December 14, 2010
Story by MC2 Byron C. Linder USS Carl Vinson Staff Writer
Carl Vinson Sailors welcomed Jason “Wee Man” Acuña on board Dec. 10. “I am super excited to meet everyone, and I’d like to thank everyone for having me here,” said Acuña from the commanding officer’s chair over the ship’s 1MC. Acuña, the 4-foot-7-inch star of the “Jackass” MTV series and theatrical film trilogy, toured the ship’s spaces and held two autograph sessions for Carl Vinson Sailors on the ship’s mess deck. Signing photos, skateboards, “Jackass” DVD’s, a cardboard check good for “one million high-fives”, Carl Vinson ship photos, and command T-shirts, “Wee Man” cracked jokes and posed for photos with the Sailors. See`JACKASS` page 2
The Carl Vinson Voice is an internal document produced by and for the crew of the USS Carl Vinson and their families. Its contents do not necessarily reflect the official views of the U.S. Government or the Departments of Defense or the Navy and do not imply any endorsement thereby.
U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Travis K. Mendoza
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Carl Vinson Voice
Wanna Wiki? Onboard Vinson, WikiLeaks Is Off-Limits Wee Man chats with Sailors while enjoying the view from the fantail. Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class James R. Evans. From ‘JACKASS’ Page 1
“My mom wouldn’t let us watch the show, but my aunt bought me ‘Jackass: The Movie’. My brothers and I sneaked in the bathroom with a portable DVD player, and we were cracking up watching it. Since then, I’ve been hooked,” said Futrell. “It’s really good of him to take time out of his schedule to show support for us. I love when people come here for that,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate-Equipment Airman Anthony James, a Houston native of Air Department V-2 Division assigned Publisher to Food Service Attendant duty. “I’m Capt. Bruce H. Lindsey working on the mess decks, so I’ll Commanding Officer definitely be getting his autograph.” “Wee Man” expressed his Executive Editors Lt. Cmdr. Erik Reynolds appreciation for being able to visit Public Affairs Officer with Vinson Sailors over the holiday season. Lt. Erik Schneider “It’s fun,” said “Wee Man.” “The Deputy Public Affairs Officer CAG invited me out here, and I was Managing Editor available. I just got back from Walter MC2 Ashley Van Dien Reed and Bethesda, so I’ve been Photo Editor doing a couple of military things.” MC2 Adrian White “We’re fans just like everyone else,” Layout and Design said Airman Kenneth McDonald, an MC3 Patrick Green Austin, Texas native assigned to Air Department V-3 Division. “We Staff Writers/Photographers don’t get a lot of TV out here, but MC2(SW) James Evans MC2 Byron Linder letting us know they’re fans of us MC3 Travis K. Mendoza just as much as we’re fans of them MC3 Jessica Robertson is awesome.”
STAFF
“I sat in a couple of CO chairs in the ready rooms, took their names off and flipped them off. We got some good photos, so that was pretty cool,” said Acuña to the Sailors’ delight. Airman Christopher Futrell, a San Diego native of Air Department V-2 Division assigned to Vinson’s Security Department, shared his memories of watching “Jackass” with his family.
Lt. Cmdr. Mitch D. Eisenberg Command Judge Advocate
It is all over the news, leaked documents from the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, personal communications between embassies in Moscow and the U.S. The best part is it is all available on the internet on the WikiLeaks website. Can you go look at the websites, either at home or on your Government computer? Rumor is that the information is no longer classified since it resides in the public domain. Unfortunately, the rumors are false. All DoN personnel are directed not to access the WikiLeaks website to view or download the publicized classified information. Doing so would introduce potentially classified information on unclassified networks. The information has not been properly declassified and viewing it, disseminating it, or storing it could subject you to disciplinary proceedings under the Uniformed Code of Military Justice and/or revocation of your security clearance. Bottom line, stay away from WikiLeaks or similar sites. As always, your Government computer usage is subject to constant monitoring and that monitoring can be used in disciplinary proceedings. Furthermore, attempts to access the WikiLeaks site are being monitored by the OSD Computer Network Defense Service Provider (CNDSP).
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December 14, 2010
Vinson Navigators Look to the Stars Story byMC3 Jessica Robertson USS Carl Vinson Staff Writer
It’s a pitch-black night in 1492. Christopher Columbus sails the high seas on the Magellan, embarking on a journey to discover the New World, with only the stars to guide him on his way. More than five centuries later, a group of Sailors on board Carl Vinson have a host of modern technology at their disposal…but they also rely on the heavenly bodies to get them where they need to go. These Sailors have taken a relic of seafaring and given it a fresh breath of life. “[Celestial navigation] is a dying art, but we’re trying to bring it back,” said Quartermaster Seaman Jacob Williams of Vinson’s Navigation Department. “The ship wouldn’t have known about it if our [Leading Chief Petty Officer (LCPO) Senior Chief Quartermaster (SW) Jonathan Myers] hadn’t been here. He’s taking us back to the way Columbus did it, and it’s pretty cool.” Quartermaster 3rd Class Erich Hoffman, the department’s chart petty officer, explained one reason he and his shipmates use this ancient method of plotting the ship’s course and location. “We practice celestial navigation so that if our equipment fails, we know where we are and where we’re headed,” Hoffman said. These Sailors also use the North Star, Polaris, to calculate the ship’s ‘gyro error’, a way of ensuring their compass is accurate and the ship is going in the right direction at all times, said Quartermaster 2nd Class Daniel Gastaldi.
And that kind of accuracy is the most important part of the job, Hoffman added. One of his responsibilities as the department’s chart petty officer is marking on the charts in blue ink, places where Vinson can’t go. “It’s something that has to be done to a ‘T’,” Hoffman said. “If I miss something and I don’t mark a section of the chart where we can’t go, we could run aground. Our primary focus is ensuring the ship doesn’t run into anything or anyone.” Maintaining that high level of accuracy is something that comes with a great deal of pressure, but there’s also a certain satisfaction in a job well done. Hoffman explained the reason he’s committed to his job. “My name is attached to my work,” said Hoffman, “and the Captain sees it. There’s a lot of pride that goes into it.” There’s also a lot of satisfaction to be had when the ship’s skipper sees your work and doesn’t question it, said Williams. “I’m in front of the Captain all day and it’s a good feeling when he comes up, puts his finger on the location I just plotted, and walks away without giving it a second glance,” said Williams. While being a quartermaster may afford them a good opportunity for star-gazing, Hoffman and Gastaldi agree the biggest reward of the job by far is something that’s a little more down to earth. “I have to put the ship in a certain place in order to do flight operations…not many people get to do that,” said Gastaldi. “We influence where the ship’s going to go,” said Hoffman. “Deciding where a multibillion-dollar U.S. asset is headed, that’s pretty cool.”
Senior Chief Quarter Master (SW) Jonathan Myers demonstrates how to properly use a marine sextant during a lesson on celestial navigation. Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Travis K. Mendoza.
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Carl Vinson Voice
U.S. Navy photos by MC2 Adrian White and MC3 Travis Mendoza.
December 14, 2010
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An aircraft director guides an F/A-18F Super Hornet assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 22 as it is taxied to be parked after making an arrested landing on the flight deck. Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class James R. Evans.
Deckplate Dialogues “What do you like most about your job?”
“Taking care of my Shipmates’ emotional and spiritual needs, and just being there when they need someone to talk to.” Religious Program Specialist 1st Class Felicia Sherrill
“I like the fact that we can use our creativity to make the food and the dining experience better. Plus being creative allows us to have more fun!”
Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Barbi Maness
“Being able to help people feel better. People come in scared and worried, and it’s my job to help them feel more at ease.” Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (FMF) Rashan Robinson