Inside this Issue: Day in the Life of... | USS Carl Vinson’s Birthday | ASVAB & PTS VOL 2 / NO 27
March 15, 2011
Do you Have Two?
number of Dual Warfare Qualifed warriors growing by the day Story by MC3 Jessica L. Tounzen USS Carl Vinson Staff Writer
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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.
he push is on. Three months remain and Sailors across the Vinson, the Air Wing and the Strike Group are fully aware that there is no better time than the present to qualify for a warfare device. Primary qualifications are mandatory but the momentum among the enlisted crewmmebers to attain their second pin is gaining steam across the carrier. Although it’s a becoming a common occurrence to see one or the other on a Sailor’s chest, it’s still a bit of a rarity to see both. Those who wear their surface and air pins recognize the value of being dual-warfare qualified. “Your work ethic should speak for itself, but when you go up for evals, Sailor of the Quarter (SOQ) and Command Advancement Program (CAP) boards, you’re also graded on what else you are doing to better yourself outside your rate,” said Machinist’s Mate 1st Class (SW/AW) Rosemarie Gallegos, leading petty officer of Engineering Department’s “A” Division. Gallegos is responsible for scheduling “murder boards” (preparatory boards Sailors must pass prior to their formal oral boards) for Sailors who are working on getting qualified as an Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist (ESWS). “Not everyone is going to go the extra mile to get dual-qualified, and that is how you distinguish yourself from others,” Gallegos added. “It also makes you well-rounded and gives you a better idea of what takes place throughout the command,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) 1st Class (AW/ SW) Robert Sanders, the Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist (EAWS) command coordinator. Sanders is responsible for organizing, maintaining and supervising the EAWS program. Since Vinson’s been underway, Sanders has helped qualify 163 Sailors under the EAWS program. Sailors with more than one warfare qualification also See`WARRIORS` page 2
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have a long-term advantage in addition to earning recognition in their command and in their rate. “In today’s Navy, where PTS has become increasingly important, achieving dual warfare status can greatly improve a Sailor’s ability to stay Navy. Sailors who have the opportunity to achieve multiple warfare devices should always do so to advance and further their career,” said Chief Electrician’s Mate (SW/AW) Brian Zwak, Vinson’s Command ESWS Coordinator, who has helped qualify 62 Vinson Sailors as surface warriors since the start of the deployment. But trying to obtain additional warfare devices isn’t without its challenges, admitted Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class (SW/AW) Pranali Patel, of A Division. “You have to be determined; you have to stay on track. You have to stay on top of it every single day, because the little bit of time you don’t work on it, you could forget what you learned,” she said. Patel added time management is the most challenging part, whether it’s your first pin or your second one. She said Sailors must make time to work on their pin, whether it means re-arranging their priorities…or even giving up a little sleep. “That’s without a doubt the hardest part,” said Electrician’s Mate 2nd Class (SW/AW) Terry Caldwell of Reactor Department Reactor Engineering (RE) Division. “But once you find a way to manage your time—finding a balance between studying, walkthroughs, work and sleep—it’s not so bad.” Publisher
Capt. Bruce H. Lindsey Commanding Officer Executive Editors
Lt. Cmdr. Erik Reynolds Public Affairs Officer
Lt. Erik Schneider
Deputy Public Affairs Officer Managing Editor MC2(SW) Ashley Van Dien Photo Editor MC2(SW)James R. Evans Layout and Design MC3 Megan Catellier Staff Writers/Photographers MC2 Byron C. Linder MC3(SW) Lori D. Bent MC3 Jessica Tounzen MC3 Christopher Hwang MC3 Travis K. Mendoza
Sometimes unexpected obstacles arise Patel. and Sailors find themselves juggling “The biggest advantage in my eyes the usual challenges while trying to roll is being able to help out other people with the punches. on the ship, by helping them get their “When I was working on getting my walkthroughs and qualifications,” said warfare pins, we were in the process of Caldwell. “Plus it just shows pride in workups and preparing for Inspection the Navy and the ship.” and Survey (INSURV), so I was For more information on the struggling to find time for walkthroughs, ESWS or EAWS programs, check out training, and studying,” explained the Carl Vinson Sharepoint, or see Religious Programs Specialist 1st Class your departmental ESWS or EAWS (SW/AW) Felicia Sherrill, Vinson’s representatives. Command Religious Ministries Department’s (CRMD) Leading Petty Officer (LPO). When Sailors start to feel overwhelmed and feel like they can’t fit it all into one day, Sherrill offers one bit of advice: take it one step at a time. Break the material into sections instead of trying to study it all at once. And for those going for their second pin, Caldwell suggests trying to work on it immediately following the first pin, if possible, since there are often similarities between the surface and air warfare material. “Plus, you’ll have less studying to do since the information will still be fresh in your mind, and you’ll still have the momentum you had when you were working on getting your first pin,” said Caldwell. Although becoming a warfare-qualified Sailor involves long hours and hard work, there are a variety of benefits to making a surface or air warfare pin your goal during the deployment and seeing it through to completion. Personnel Specialist 3rd Class (SW/AW) Carl Vizzi “People don’t question and Interior Communications Electrician 3rd Class me anymore, because (SW/AW) Charmaine Jeffery both earned their they know that I know ESWS and EAWS pins within one year of checking my stuff. Having my on board. Vizzi was pinned in June 2009 and Jeffery surface and air warfare was pinned in March 2009. U.S. Navy photo by Mass pins tells them I know Communication Specialist 3rd Class Christopher what I’m doing,” said Hwang.
March 15, 2011
Improve asvab score to stay navy Once the ASVAB is re-taken, the Sailor is stuck with the score. “You can really hurt yourself if you don’t take it seriously,” cautioned Jordan. “That’s why you can’t just walk in and re-take the test. You have to show you’ve furthered your education.” Vinson’s career counselors emphasize the importance of an ASVAB arl Vinson’s career counselors have maintained a steady score to newly arriving Sailors during command indoctrination. message, emphasizing the importance of understanding “For a junior Sailor with a mediocre ASVAB in an overmanned Perform to Serve (PTS). As the Navy is shaped to put Sailors in the rating, the sooner they start, the better. That knowledge from high positions best suited for their skills, Sailors who want to stay Navy school will be fresher than someone who’s been in for ten years,” said can increase their chances through an increased Armed Services Jordan. Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) score. For Sailors looking for an online refresher course, the Peterson’s On board Vinson, Navy course on Navy “ A lot of r ates ar e ov e r m anne d , and t he Knowledge College Program for Online Afloat College Education u nder m a nned r at e s ar e unde r m anne d (NKO) offers a 40(NCPACE) instructors f or a r e a s on , ” s a id Jor da n . “ The A SVA B i s hour program of study. are offering a preparatory t he k e y fa ctor in g e t t ing se l e ct e d f or Bandwidth limitations English and math class a nother r ate, and t he avail abil i t y of and unavailability on three times a week for NKO Afloat make the r ates ch a nge s m on t h- to- m on t h. ” eight weeks beginning option something to - N C 1 ( S W / A W ) J o s h u a J o r d a n consider upon Vinson’s in early April. These classes, said Personnel return to homeport. Specialist 3rd Class (SW/AW) Carl Vizzi, a Buffalo, N.Y. native While underway, in addition to the courses, Jordan recommended and Vinson’s Education Services Office leading petty officer, are visiting the ship’s library to gain an edge. the pre-requisites for Sailors seeking an opportunity to retake the “If you can’t make it to the courses, all the study material is in ASVAB test. the library. You don’t have to take a class to gain knowledge. If you “This is for Sailors who want to take a next-level English or math gain enough knowledge to do a CLEP (College Level Equivalency course. The instructors really go in depth on the building blocks Program) test and finish the college-level English and math, you can of grammar and algebra,” said Vizzi. “Most of us have been out of save yourself some time. It’s not hard, but it is time-consuming,” said school for a while, and it’s a good refresher course for Sailors who Jordan. want to improve their ASVAB scores.” Sailors who are Approximately 60 Sailors have registered for the classes since choosing to stay the ship began its deployment. The next ASVAB test is scheduled Navy are doing so for for April, and class registration is still available at the education reasons more varied services office, Vizzi added. than they have been A Sailor’s choice of rates available for conversion hinges on in years’ past, even if The stern docks primary many factors, explained Vinson command career counselor Navy that means changing use is for embarking and Counselor 1st Class (SW/AW) Joshua Jordan, a Murfreesboro, a professional skill set disembarking personnel from Tenn. native. employed for over a the ship to liberty launches “A lot of rates are overmanned, and the undermanned rates are decade. while at anchorage. undermanned for a reason, either for clearance requirements or “At one time, we stringent ASVAB requirements,” said Jordan. “The ASVAB is the weren’t overmanned key factor in getting selected for another rate, and the availability and we weren’t of rates changes month-to-month.” downsizing. Staying The ASVAB has multiple components, including verbal Navy has been a expression (VE), arithmetic reasoning (AR) and word knowledge priority, and I’ve seen (WK). senior Sailors who have “The line scores make the difference. They’re looking at specific been doing their job 10 scores out of that field to match the rating’s requirement,” explained to 12 years converting Jordan. because staying Navy An improved score, continued Jordan, regularly reflects the is more important,” During fLight operations, effort put in since the initial test. said Jordan. a planeguard mission is “When a lot of Sailors took the ASVAB, they were in high school Jordan encouraged scheduled on each departure and recovery operation for and could have just blown through it,” Jordan said. “The tested Sailors with questions the purpose of rescuing knowledge was still fresh. Four or five years later, that knowledge to contact either the aircraft crew members who will have decreased if you haven’t been keeping your education career counselor’s office may go down during the operations. going. The average improvement is 10 to 15 points, but I’ve seen or their departmental Sailors put in the effort and go from a 40 to a 70 and I’ve seen and divisional career Sailors blow through it and end up with a 30.” counselors. Story by MC2 Byron D. Linder USS Carl Vinson Staff Writer
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A Day Intel in th Story by MC3 (SW) Lori D. Bent USS Carl Vinson Staff Writer
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ne key to keeping a 3 billion dollar aircraft carrier safe is the highest degree of vigilance to ensure there are no outside threats to the ship and its crew. Carl Vinson’s Cryptological Technicians (Technical) (CTT) of Intel Department OW Division’s primary mission is antiship missile defense through the analysis of signals emitted from surface, air and sub-surface contacts. “We keep watch and are always on the alert for contacts around us,” said CTT2 (SW/AW) Trevor Senseney, a ship’s selfdefense system (SSDS) operator. “We monitor everything that’s around our ship as well as our own emissions.” As the control ship for all electronic
warfare modules in the Carl Vinson Strike Group, Vinson’s OW Division assists the combat direction center (CDC) track, correlate and identify what’s around us and manage the electromagnetic spectrum of the strike group. Part of OW’s responsibility is juggling the tactical and technical aspects of their job. OW Division’s leading petty officer (LPO) CTT1 (SW/AW) William Watson explained the importance of his team working together with each other, various Vinson departments and other ships in the Carl Vinson Strike Group to accomplish their mission. “We work together as a division (in the event of a casualty) to be immediate responders,” said Watson. “We provide
electronic and electronic-attack support to the tactical actions officer (TAO), Intelligence Specialists (IS), Operations Specialists (OS) and to the strike group, allowing all tactical operations and emission controls (EMCON) to be handled on all levels.” The Sailors in OW agreed that although they have a small division they are fully equipped to do their jobs. “What we do is important,” said CTT3 Robert Clopton, a SLQ-32 operator. “We not only learn about the different emissions from ships and aircraft, we learn how to figure out what’s out there and what they might be sending our way.” “It’s a little like detective work,” added
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heOW Life of Division U.S. NAvy Photos by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Christopher Hwang
CTT3 Jessica Nieves, a watch supervisor. “We analyze and re-analyze everything.” In addition to deterring missile attacks, OW division advises when to set emission control (EMCON) conditions and monitors what the ship’s radars are emitting when a condition is set. While deployed, OW divisions watch stations are manned around the clock and every watch brings something new to the table. No watch is ever the same, said Clopton. Ship’s safety is paramount and the role of OW division ensures that Vinson and the ship’s of Vinson’s carrier strike group accomplishes the mission of intercepting threats that may compromise a successful mission.
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U S S C a r l V i n s on NICKNAME: “Gold Eagle” KEEL LAID: October 11, 1975 LAUNCHED: March 15, 1980 COMMISSIONED: March 13, 1982 Displacement: 95,000 tons Spaces: More than 3,000 Length of Flight deck: 1092’ Speed: 30+ knots Propellers: 4 at 21 feet high & 66,200 lbs. each Anchors: 2, weighing 30 tons each Area of Flight Deck: 4.5 acres Breadth of Flight deck: 252 ft. Total Cost (1980): $3.8 Billion
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SS Carl Vinson was commissioned 13 March 1982 at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Corp. in Newport News, Va. Among those present at the commissioning were Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Thomas B. Hayward; Secretary of the Navy, John F. Lehman Jr.; Senator Sam Nunn of Georgia; Senator John Tower of Texas (principal speaker); Commander Naval Air Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet, Vice Admiral Thomas J. Kilcline; Commanding Officer, Captain Richard L. Martin, and the ship’s sponsor Mrs. Molly Snead. The ship’s first underway time as a commissioned vessel was logged in transit from Newport News Pier 12, Nava1 Station Norfolk, Virginia on 15 March 1982. The ship got underway for its first operational sea period on 18 March and began fixed wing flight operations on 22 March. From 22 March to 2 April, the ship accomplished flight deck certification, and conducted the initial F/A-18 Hornet sea trials.
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The next underway period began on 15 April 1982 and included shakedown and fleet carrier qualifications. The first underway refueling was on 16 April from USS Moinester and the first underway weapons onload was on 18 April from USS Seattle. On 7 May, the Atlantic Fleet Training Group and Carrier Airwing Eight embarked and the ship began Refresher Training. Two port visits followed the first training phase; St. Thomas, Virgin Islands from 1720 May and Barbados from 23-25 May. The final REFTRA period and battle problem were completed from 31 May to 4 June. The ship returned to pier 12, Norfolk, Va. on 11 June and was underway again for final contract trials on 21 June. On 7 July, the ship was underway off the Virginia Capes for Reserve Carrier Air Wing Twenty carrier qualifications. The Operational Reactor Safeguards Examination (ORSE) was conducted 19-22 July and the ship earned the highest grades ever received on a first CVN ORSE. July 23 was spent in a weapons off-load at “Whiskey” anchorage in Hampton Roads and the next day, Carl Vinson proceeded to the deperming crib at Craney Island. The ship arrived at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock on 2 August to begin Post Shakedown Availability (PSA) and entered drydock at Shipway 11 on 11 September. While in the shipyard, the ship served as the flagship for COMM ORANGE during READIEX-82, and the CNO announced the homeport change of the ship from Norfolk, Va. to Alameda. Calif., effective 1 March 1983, The ship was undocked on 20 November and on 2 December, RADM Kendall Moranville, Commander Carrier Group Four, broke his flag onboard. PSA was completed on 10 December and the ship was underway on the 11th for post-PSA sea trials, fleet carrier qualifications, and F/A-18 BIS trials. The ship returned to Pier 12, Norfolk, Va. on 15 Dec. for the Christmas holidays and was pierside until 4 January 1983.
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Normalcy And Nervousness On Bases In Tokyo Area Erik Slavin Stars and Stripes
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ilitary families on bases in the greater Tokyo area spent Sunday recovering from the shock of Friday’s earthquake, while remaining concerned about what lies ahead. Among the thousands of family members living at military bases in the area was Erin Wieder, of Allentown, Pa., The earthquake violently shook Wieder’s Yokosuka Naval Base tower apartment for more than two minutes Friday. “I live on the eighth floor and my children are scared to death to go back,” Wieder said. “We haven’t been home since Friday afternoon.” Shannon Temple, of Oak Harbor, Wash., said she wanted to hear from command where she could find out how many more aftershocks to expect, and whether tsunamis were still a threat at the base, which lies on the Miura Peninsula coast. “We need better communication and information,” Temple said. A 6-foot wave entered the protected Yokosuka harbor Friday night, but was barely noticeable at the base. Significant aftershocks are expected to continue for the next several days, according to reports. Japan has suffered more than two dozen aftershocks of more than 6.0 magnitude since Friday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The aftershocks remained a worry for multiple residents. Parents said they weren’t convinced that they should send
their children to school Monday, fearing for both aftershocks and any undiscovered structural damage to buildings. “Before I send my children to school, I need to know that it’s safe,” said Beth Ehring, of San Diego. On Sunday afternoon, Yokosuka officials reiterated that the base would operate normally Monday. “We didn’t sustain any damage or have any problems with the structural integrity of our facilities,” said Yokosuka spokeswoman Michelle Stewart. Residents at Yokosuka and Yokota Air Base also found themselves parsing conflicting news reports about the extent of damage at nuclear power plants in Fukushima prefecture, about 170 miles north of Tokyo. “Specifically, I’m concerned about the plant,” said Staff Sgt. Michael Peralta of the 374th Forward Support Squadron, who spent the day stocking up on emergency supplies and listening for news of any potential nuclear disaster. Some residents asked each other whether they should be taking iodine as a hedge against potential radiation fallout, based on news reports they had heard. For the time being, medical and base officials say residents should not fear any radiological poisoning. At Yokota Air Base, no increased levels of radiation were found following a test Sunday. Stewart said command officials at Yokosuka were just as concerned about the situation in Fukushima as its residents. “If there is a need to take safety precautions at [Yokosuka], we will do that,” Stewart said.
DECKPLATE Deckplate Dialogues
Who is your favorite baseball team and why?
EM2(SS/SW) Nicholas Trinca
AMAN Jonathan Rojas
AN SAMUEL SMITH
“Its has to be the St. Louis Cardinals. My favorite player is Albert Pujols because he does charity work for mentally handicapped children around the world.”
“Well I like the Oakland A’s, but its definitely going to be the San Francisco Giants. Tim Lincecum, because he is freakishly good.”
“Philadelphia Phillies because my entire family is from Pennsylvania.”