Vinson Voice 17 Mar 11

Inside this Issue: Day in the Life of... | BCA | Allies with Japan VOL 2 / NO 28

March 17, 2011

LUCK O THE IRISH Story by MC3 (SW) Lori D. Bent USS Carl Vinson Staff Writer

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U.S. Navy Photo By Mc2 (SW) James R. Evans 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.

hey might not all wear green, drink beer, or find a four leaf clover today, but Carl Vinson and Carrier Air Wing (CVW 17) Sailors can still celebrate diversity this St. Patrick’s day underway.

“Understanding other people’s culture helps me to appreciate my Irish heritage,” said Electrician’s Mate 1st Class Frank Herbage of Reactor Department.

Herbage was born in Limerick, Ireland, and migrated to New York City at the age of seven. He believes that being Irish has helped him transition and adjust to Navy life as he grew up with a large family who taught him a lot about being constantly surrounded by people.

“We are exposed to so many different backgrounds and immersing yourself into the culture around you helps with the adjustment of being onboard,” he said. “It helps command climate and Sailors morale when we are aware of each others beliefs.”

Today, Irish and non-Irish alike come together to recognize tradition and culture once again, as St. Patrick’s day marks another holiday the Vinson crew will be able to celebrate at sea.

See`LUCK O’ THE IRISH` page 2

Carl Vinson Voice

2 From `LUCK O’ THE IRISH` page 1

added Guinane If you’d rather run a mile than run the table, MWR is offering a St. Patrick’s Day triathlon. Participants must run 1.5 miles on a treadmill, ride 10 miles on an upright bike and finish off with rowing 4,000 meters on the rower. All finishers will receive a free water bottle and be eligible to win a prize.

As the halfway mark for deployment starts to fade away it just might seem like a little Irish luck has hit the crew as spirits are high and many Sailors can now see the pot of gold at the end of this deployment’s rainbow.

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 MC3(SW) Lori D. Bent Staff Writers/Photographers MC2 Byron C. Linder MC3 Jessica Tounzen MC3 Christopher Hwang MC3 Travis K. Mendoza MCSN Rosa Arzola MCSN (SW)Timothy Hazel

U.S. Navy Photo By Mc2 (SW) James R. Evans

STAFF

St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17 in recognition of Saint Patrick, the most commonly recognized patron saint of Ireland. It originated as a Catholic holiday, became an official feast in the early 17th century and gradually became more of a secular celebration of the Irish culture.

Popular as the ‘day to wear green’, St. Patrick’s Day is also one of the leading days for alcohol consumption across the United States. But the holiday is also a celebration of history and culture.

“It’s not just about going to bars or wearing green,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) Airman Patrick Kelley, a native of Indianapolis of Irish descent attached to Air Department’s V-2 Division. “It’s a celebration of Irish culture. It’s important to remember where you came from.”

Although Gold Eagle and Team Quicksand Sailors will not be trekking to the corner tavern for this year’s festivities, there are alternative activities available at sea for celebrating the holiday and remembering culture.

Vinson’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) is hosting the command’s Second Annual Root Beer Pong tournament tonight at 8:00 p.m. on the aft mess decks.

“This event was held last year while the ship was at sea and since we are underway this year we thought it only made sense to offer the crew an opportunity to enjoy the festivities again,” said Therese Guinane, Vinson’s Fun Boss. “I thought the crew would enjoy the opportunity to play a non-alcoholic version of beer pong on St. Patty’s Day.” MWR will give away t-shirts to all the participants, while first and second place winners will receive additional prizes,

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President Obama: “U.S. Will Stand By Longtime Ally Japan” ASSOCIATED PRESS

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resident Barack Obama said Monday the U.S. will stand by long-time ally Japan as it recovers from last week’s earthquake and tsunami and the nuclear crisis that those twin disasters spawned. The White House said that despite the emergency, nuclear power remains “vital” to U.S. energy policy.

Meanwhile, the Navy reported that several U.S. ships involved in the relief effort had to be moved away from the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant after officials found out that the ships and the 17 helicopter crew members had been exposed to low-levels of radiation. There have been two hydrogen explosions in three days at the plant, a third crisis that developed after the facility’s cooling systems failed following Friday’s earthquake and tsunami.

But U.S. officials said Monday the design of the Japanese reactors and the distance across the Pacific Ocean mean there is little probability of harmful levels of radiation reaching the United States, including Hawaii or U.S. territories.

Obama said he has offered Japan any assistance the United States can provide as it recovers from the “multiple disasters.”

In an education speech at a school in Virginia, the president began his remarks by saying that he continues to be heartbroken by the images of devastation that have struck the U.S. ally. “I know all of you, young and old, have been watching the full magnitude of this tragedy unfold,” he told his school audience. He called the people of Japan “some of our closest friends and allies.”

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has sent two technical experts to Japan, NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko said. The Department of Energy has also dispatched reactor experts and emergency response experts to Japan.

“It is a serious situation and we continue to provide whatever assistance is requested,” Jaczko told reporters at the White House.

He said U.S. nuclear plants are built to withstand natural disasters, including earthquakes, tsunamis and hurricanes.

But he said he did not want to speculate whether U.S. reactors would be able to resist a disaster of the same magnitude that struck Japan.

Administration officials said the U.S. would seek lessons from the Japanese crisis but said the events in Japan would not diminish the United States commitment to nuclear power.

“It remains a part of the president’s overall energy plan,” White House spokesman Jay Carney said. “When we talk about reaching a clean energy standard, it is a vital part of that.”

Cmdr. Jeff Davis, spokesman for 7th Fleet, said air monitoring equipment on the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan detected that the warship had been exposed to very low levels of contamination. It is presumed that the seven other ships traveling together in the carrier group also were exposed, but only the Reagan — which has an air monitoring system meant to detect problems with the ship’s own nuclear power — picked it up, he said.

Smaller hand-held equipment kept on ships for detecting surface contamination separately determined a low level of exposure for the 17 helicopter crew members who had returned to the carrier after a search and rescue mission over Japan, Davis said.

“Bottom line is, the amount of contamination that they were exposed to was very very low,” Davis said from the command ship USS Blue Ridge, which is near the Philippines and headed toward Japan. “It was easily taken care of by washing with soap and water. Once they had discarded their clothing, washed with soap and water and were retested, there was no additional contamination detected.

“The dosage of radiation that they received would have been less than what somebody gets from just normal background radiation over the course of a month from the sun, soil, rocks — all the things around you that give off background radiation,” Davis said.

He said officials then moved the ships out of the downwind path of the nuclear plant.

“We are committed to this operation — we’re going to do it,” Davis said. “We just wanted to make sure that we’re doing it in a manner that accounts for the environmental risk.”

So far, two U.S. Navy P3-Orion surveillance planes have been mapping debris fields and working as spotters for search and rescue missions, passing on information on the location of victims on to Japanese officials. They have mapped a huge debris field in the water that is one nautical mile wide by 60 miles long and official have recovered some bodies but no survivors.

The U.S. assistance operation will ramp up with the arrival of U.S. Marines, who are expected to use the USS Tortuga amphibious dock ship to pick up some 300 Japanese civil defense workers on the island of Hokaido and ferry them and 90 vehicles Tuesday to the island of Honshu.

The Navy also has agreed to allow use of the deck of the Reagan as a floating platform for refueling Japanese helicopters being flown by the coast guard, police and other civilian agencies in the relief effort.

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A Day in the Lif Operati Story by MC3 Jessica L. Tounzen USS Carl Vinson Staff Writer

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perations Department’s OI Division is the “eyes and ears” of the ship. The division’s Operations Specialists (OS) are responsible for gathering, processing, disseminating, evaluating and displaying information for surface, subsurface and air contacts.

“We get that information via voice, visual, electronic chat and sensors…whatever is the quickest means necessary,” said Operations Specialist 1st Class (SW) William Tracey, the ship’s Combat Direction Center (CDC) Watch Officer, a sixhour watch in an environment that requires Tracey and his shipmates to be on top of their game.

“The most intense part is flight operations, because we have to keep the planes labeled so we know what’s what,” said Operations Specialist 3rd Class Greg Keogh, Assistant Work Center Supervisor (WCS).

Keogh is also an Identification Operator, responsible for verifying commercial, military and unknown contacts. To do

this, Keogh uses a system called Identification Friend or Foe (IFF).

“We have to maintain a visual on contacts of interest and keep the Air Defense Weapons Coordinator (ADWC) updated with the information we find, so he can keep the Tactical Action Officer (TAO) updated.”

The TAO, said Tracey, is the central head of operations and the focal point for the ship. While OI Sailors are passing information to the TAO, the TAO is passing that information on to the ship’s warfare commanders. It’s a continuous flow of information, and Vinson’s TAO has three assistants to help him get the information out as quickly as possible.

It’s a job that can get pretty intense, admitted Keogh.

“That’s the best part of my job, being in the middle of it all,” said Keogh. “It’s my job to know where we are and what’s going on at all times.”

High above the CDC, situated in a glass-enclosed room off Vinson’s navigation bridge is Tactical Operations Plot

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fe of ions-OI Division

(TOP), where OI Sailors like Operations Specialist 3rd Class (CPA) so Vinson can avoid colliding with any other ships Frank Gardner scan the skies and sea for surface, subsurface that may be close by.

“We also use CPA to keep other military vessels from and air contacts, and plot their real-time location in relation to taking photos of us, like we do the ship. Like his counterparts in CDC, with Ship’s Nautical or Otherwise it’s a six-hour watch. And although the “That’s the best part Photographic Interpretation and view may be a little better, Gardner’s of my job, being in the Examination (SNOOPIE).

If watch is just as important and can be middle of it all,” said they’re in a certain area, we’ll try to just as intense.

Keogh. “It’s my job to navigate around them because we “When the pirate attack was going down Feb. 2 we were tracking the pirates, don’t want our information to be know where we are the ship that they were harassing, and and what’s going on at out there.” the other military vessels that were It all comes back to information all times.” nearby,” said Gardner. “It really got for the Sailors in OI Division. No - O S 3 G r e g K e o g h matter where it’s from or where it’s my blood pumping and my adrenaline flowing, especially when the captain going, information is vital to the ordered the F/A-18s to be launched.” mission of the ship…and the importance of that information In addition to keeping tabs on Vinson’s sea and air neighbors, means everyone in OI Division must be on point at all Gardner also helps determine the Closest Point of Approach times.

U.S. Navy Photos By Mc3 Christopher K. Hwang

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BCA UNDERWAY Vinson physical fitness assessment just around the corner

Story by MC3 Travis K. Mendoza USS Carl Vinson Staff Writer

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U.S. Navy Photo By McSN Rosa Arzola

en weeks remain until the first bi-annual Physical Fitness Assessment (PFA) of 2011 and Vinson Carrier Strike Group Sailors are preparing to ensure they are in the proper physical standards given Navy-wide.

The big difference for this PFA? No physical fitness test.

“The upcoming PFA will be in what we call Deployed and Operational (DEPOP) status because we are currently at sea,” said Lt. Jack Summerlin, Vinson’s command fitness leader.

“That means it will be a body composition asswessment (BCA) only: weigh-ins, along with the height measurement and body fat taping as necessary.”

Even though the push-up, curl-up, and 1.5 mile run portion will be removed from the equation, it does not negate the importance of preparation and time dedicated to passing the PFA. And that preparation begins well before you hit the gym.

“Definitely watch your portion size in the galley. Your mental control over what you eat when you hit the mess decks is crucial,” explained Chief Aviation Electrician’s Mate (AW/SW) Donald Strickland, command fitness leader for Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 15. “All of that, with a steadfast devotion to physical fitness, is the most important thing to remember when preparing for the PFA.” Dieting can be one of the most common ways for crew members to prepare for the PFA. A good steady amount of the right daily nutrients can go a long way when it comes to a person’s overall weight loss.

“Drinking water is also very crucial. Drinking sodas, energy drinks, and eating cookies and junk food will only prolong your journey to physical fitness,” continued Strickland. “Once you get your self well within the Navy weight standard for your age and height category, you will find it a lot easier to

March 17, 2011

7 U.S. Navy Photo By McSN (SW) Timothy Hazel

maintain your body weight in the future.”

Dedication to physical fitness can often seem difficult due to strenuous hours underway. However, the ship’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) Division provides ample fitness classes to keep Sailors motivated on a day-to-day basis.

“I encourage Sailors to check out the schedule that we have available (on the ship’s sharepoint),” said Vinson’s Fit Boss, Brett Pelfrey. “We have about 30 different fitness classes that the crew is able to attend regularly, including spin, step, yoga, strength and endurance and other various options. We have a lot of ways for Sailors to get involved.”

A solid example set by senior leadership onboard Vinson may also help keep junior Sailors motivated.

“Deckplate leadership is critical to keeping Sailors on the road to physical fitness,” continued Strickland. “Ultimately Sailors should be aware that your PFA scores will affect your Perform to Serve (PTS) in the Navy. We have had several members in our command get kicked out due to their PTS not being approved. If you look back over the longevity of things, you will see that it was their PFA scores that ultimately affected that path in their life.”

Another unique thing about this year’s PFA is that the weighins will be done ‘shot-ex’ style for the entire Vinson command.

Officers will be weighed and measured in the wardrooms, Chiefs in the Chiefs’ Mess, and blueshirt Sailors will be weighed by officers and Chiefs in the hangar bay. Sailors will line up and receive their PFA from khaki leadership in a random fashion.

“Our goal is to make sure everyone is adhering to the regulations,” explained Pelfrey. “We are going to stick to the book, and make sure no one slips by.”

If Sailors need to make a change to get within standards, Pelfrey encourages them to actively seek guidance from their departmental fitness leaders and develop a reasonable fitness program.

“Set realistic goals for yourself. You should not stress yourself out about getting into shape really fast. Set a goal, and stick to it,” explained Seaman Joshua Perschbacher, assigned to Vinson’s Deck Department. “My last PRT scores were not as high as I had hoped they would be. I set goals to achieve, and stayed persistent with them. I am really hoping that my scores reflect that in the future.”

Weigh-ins for Vinson Sailors begin May 9th.

U.S. Navy Photo By Mc3 Christopher Hwang

USS CARL VINSON ST. PATRICK’S DAY RUN, BIKE, ROW!!!

PARTICIPANTS WILL: RUN 1.5 MILES ON THE TREADMILL, THEN RIDE 10 MILES ON THE UPRIGHT BIKE & FINISH OFF WITH ROWING 4,000 METERS ON THE ROWER!

YOU MUST PROVIDE COMPLETION TIMES TO MWR OFFICE FOR ALL 3 EVENTS IN ORDER TO RECEIVE YOUR PRIZE!

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The accommodation ladder, located on the fantail, provides a convenient way for boarding or leaving the ship at anchor.

The TD-1A quick-release aircraft tie-down chain assembly has a safe working load of 10,000 pounds.

DECKPLATE Deckplate Dialogues

What is your Best St. Patty’s Day Memory?

ADAN Cody Kasian

HM3 Victoria Syas

AOAN Jose Verafeliciano

“Going to the St. Patrick’s Day parade in New York City.”

“Dancing with my friends at a huge party in downtown Savannah, GA.”

“Celebrating at Clear Water Beach and playing sand soccer.”