VOL 1 / NO 55
December 23, 2010
Story by MC3 Lori Bent USS Carl Vinson Staff Writer
More than 200 Carl Vinson Sailors were frocked to the next pay grade during a ceremony in the ship’s hangar bay Dec 22. During the ceremony, the newly advanced petty officers were presented with a certificate of promotion and congratulated by Commanding Officer Capt. Bruce H. Lindsey, Executive Officer Cmdr. Putnam H. Brown and Command Master Chief (CMDCM) April D. Beldo. “It’s always a pleasure to recognize Sailors when they are successful,” said Chief Personnel Specialist (SW) Ron Allen. “Four of my Sailors are among the group being recognized and that’s a good testament for the leadership in our department. We refer to it as training our reliefs.” For Electrician’s Mate 1st Class (SW) Wesley Nabulsi of Reactor Department, earning the title of a first class petty officer means becoming a better mentor for Sailors. “I tell my junior Sailors to study hard and learn the basics of our job,” said Nabulsi. “Learning your job and basic military knowledge is the key to success.” Newly frocked petty officers have waited a long time to wear their first chevrons. Prior to being frocked, junior Sailors are required to attend a petty See`FROCKING` 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
`FROCKING` Cont.
STAFF
officer indoctrination course where they learned how to take on their new leadership roles. “It feels like I accomplished something,” said Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Romisha Watson of Supply Department S-2 Division. “It’s just a great feeling to move up and assume greater responsibilities.” Senior Chief Culinary Specialist (SW/AW) Andre Harris, Leading Chief Petty Officer (LCPO) Supply Department S-2 division, witnessed the frocking of eighteen Sailors from his department. “This is true honor, courage and commitment at work,” said Harris. “When our Sailors make it to the next step of their careers, it shows that our training and mentoring is successful.” Lindsey wrapped up the ceremony with words of advice and encouragement. “Promotions represent the goodness you represent. You are a hard working crew and you should be proud of and happy for your Shipmates,” said Lindsey. “Sailors who are working on getting promoted and those who we just promoted, we need to work together and do even better on the next exam.” 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 Ashley Van Dien Photo Editor MC2 Adrian White Layout and Design MC3 Patrick Green Staff Writers/Photographers MC2 James R. Evans MC2 Byron C. Linder MC3 Lori Bent MCSN Timothy Hazel MC3 Travis K. Mendoza MC3 Aaron Shelley MCSN Christopher K. Hwang
First Class Petty Officer Association
What Does it Mean to be a Petty Officer?
Sailors scream congratulations to the newest petty officer frockees in the ship’s hangar bay. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Adrian White.
By IS1(AW) Ricardo Amezcua FCPOA Member
Does it mean that I have reached a milestone in my career? Does it mean that now I have greater responsibility? Does it mean that I am held to a higher standard? Each of these statements is true, along with many others. When I earned the rank of third class petty officer, I felt both relief and elation. I was congratulated by more of my Shipmates during that time than any other. It was a truly amazing experience. My dad was a petty officer in the Navy on USS Constellation and USS Ranger. I am very proud to follow in his footsteps. A positive attitude and drive put me in position to take a leadership role. I was viewed differently due to the fact that I joined in my late twenties, but it was my dedication to the mission, my job and my Shipmates that really set me apart.
When you take yourself and your profession seriously and commit to the Navy’s core values, your chain of command will take notice. Challenging yourself with difficult jobs and collateral duties is the calling of a petty officer and your motivation will affect both junior and senior Sailors around you. Petty officers of every rank, from the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) to the newly frocked third classes, are viewed as role models and mentors by someone. You might not know it, believe it, or want to admit it, but we are considered leaders. Everywhere you turn, someone is watching you. They are observing your behavior and they are formulating what it means to be a petty officer. You can do your part by ensuring you always do what is right and correct those who don’t with tact and respect. We can make our mark by being great examples of charity, kindness, loyalty, honor and fellowship to our Shipmates.
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December 23, 2010
Carl Vinson Ensures Hearing Conservation
Robert Webb of Aegisound helps Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) Airman Austin Bauer assigned to Air Department’s V-1 Division, fit custom hearing protection. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Timothy Hazel.
Story by MC2 Byron C. Linder USS Carl Vinson Staff Writer
Carl Vinson Sailors are constantly reminded to be safe on board their ship. Between simple transit in the industrial environment to the steps required to work during air operations, safety is emphasized to maintain a Sailor’s health and ability to perform assigned duties and responsibilities. In many spaces, disposable foam earplugs are readily available to combat exposure to high noise levels. These earplugs offer a degree of defense, but Vinson Sailors are now given the opportunity to have solid molded hearing protection as part of an overall Navy initiative to modernize the protection of Sailors in their high-risk environment. Robert Webb, a program manager with the Aegisound company manufacturing the
solid earplugs, explained the program’s genesis. “There was a recognition that the newer jets like the F/A-18’s and the F/A-35’s coming out are significantly louder. The existing cranial systems designed 50 years ago are inadequate to provide proper hearing protection, so the Navy contracted our sister company to develop new hearing protection and communications equipment,” Webb said. Manufacturing the new custom hearing protection, explained Webb, required meticulous craftsmanship. Bright yellow and worn on a lanyard around the neck, the solid plugs are the result of more than a month’s worth of work. “[The ear plugs] we’re providing are custom-molded. We took a silicone mold of the ear cavity, took it back to the office, scanned the image and created the plugs from that.
On Carl Vinson, we had 542 impressions over three days, and it took six weeks for the manufacturing,” he said. As advanced as personal protective equipment can be, it can only be effective when properly and consistently worn. As elementary as the idea of putting in earplugs seems, Webb had some surprising statistics. “The individual molds themselves provide better rated protection, and our plugs are much more consistently put in. The Navy’s done studies that say only 70 percent of people wear the foam earplugs correctly, so we provide better protection and more consistency,” Webb said. Premature hearing loss can be both personally and professionally devastating. Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (AW/ FMF) Alfonso Camacho, an aviation medicine technician on board Carl Vinson, ex-
plained how hearing protection is an ever-present effort extending beyond the ship. “The Navy has recognized there’s been a significant amount of compensation for hearing loss. I’ve heard it costs about $30,000 in benefits over the course of a Sailor’s lifetime for hearing loss. More important than that, imagine if you have kids or grandkids and not being able to listen to them or hear them laugh or cry or anything else like that,” Webb added. “Early hearing loss from being exposed to loud noises on board a carrier increases the chances of needing a hearing aid earlier in life. On the flight deck, you’re exposed to 140-plus decibels of noise,” Camacho said. “And with the increased rate we have of people using earbuds to listen to loud music, Sailors should be concerned with hearing loss both on duty and off.”
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U.S. Navy photos by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Adrian White and Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Travis K. Mendoza.
Carl Vinson Voice
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December 23, 2010
Congratulations Vinson Frockees! LS1 BRANDI BOWERS EM1 DANIEL CAIN ET1 TITAN CHEN MM1 ZACHARY DRAKE MM1 JASON ECKEL ET1 RYAN FATCHETT ABE1 DERRICK FRASER EM1 JAVIER GONZALEZ MM1 JAMES HAMRICK ET1 CHRISTOPHER HANSON AT1 AUNITRA HOLLAND AT1 STANDLEY HOOKS MM1 DANIEL HOWARD AM1 DANIEL KOZLOWSKI AT1 JASON LECHOWICZ MM1 DANIEL MCCRACKEN AO1 JASON MCMEANS EM1 WESLEY NABULSI ABH1 JOSE NARANJODEALBA EM1 JOHN NIELSEN DC1 JERRAMIE ORTIZ MA1 STEVEN PABON MM1 JOSHUA POPLASKI MM1 DAVID RANDALL MM1 CAMERON RHYNE ET1 GEORGE ROMER IS1 NICHOLAS SKORUP MM1 ROSS THIBODEAUX ET1 CAMERON WILES EN2 TIMOTHY BAKER MM2 STEVEN BAXTER DC2 WILLIAM BECK AT2 JOHN BLACKWOOD AM2 CHRISTOPHER BOEHLERT ET2 GLENN BROWN EM2 WILLIAM BUCK AT2 MATTHEW CLARK AC2 NATHANIEL CRASK SH2 RODNEY DOCKERY DC2 DANIEL DUTTON AO2 DESERI FERNANDEZ IT2 ANTHONISHA FOX HM2 MARVIN GALAPIN ABE2 VICTOR GAMBOABARRERA MM2 TRAVIOUS GIVENS AO2 BRIAN GONZALEZ AD2 RODRIGO GONZALEZ ET2 ARTHUR GRAYSON LS2 PAUL GRISSOM
DC2 DAVID HEATH LS2 ANDREW HINCHEE ABE2 HIPSHER LS2 CHARLES HOBSON AT2 NICHOLAS HOUSE AE2 JEREMY IRELAND HM2 ROOSEVELT JOSEPH AZ2 ZOEKIA KELLER HT2 BRANDON KEY ET2 SEAN KILCOYNE HT2 BRICE LITTLE MM2 EDWARD LOMONGO MM2 JOSHUA MADDOX ET2 MISTY MILLS MM2 GREGORY MOSELEY GM2 SHANE OSTER CTM2 COLIN PALMER MM2 TONY PHAM AC2 KYLE PIERCE ET2 JAIME RAMOS OS2 MARK RANDALL MM2 DONALD REECE HM2 THOMAS SORIANO CS2 JASON THOMPSON MM2 JANICE TORRES CS2 CASEY TRAVERSIE QM2 MATTHEW TRUJILLO IT2 HEATHER VANHASSEL AO2 AARON VAVAS LS2 KEVIN WADE PS3 SIDIK ABDULMUMUNI ABH3 ARISTOTLE ALIPOON DC3 ANDY BARNES MC3 ZACHARY BELL EM3 MATTHEW BENGTSON ABE3 ALEXANDRA BETHEL AT3 DAVID CARLEN AG3 ZACHARIAH CARRUTHERS ABH3 ANTHONY CHILDERS CS3 RENARDA COLLINS ABE3 DREW CROSLOW ATI3 LIAM CUMMINGS ABH3 JOSHUA DEPPELER GM3 TIMOTHY DOUGLAS IT3 MITCHELL EASLEY OS3 QUESTON ELLIOTT CS3 JASMINE FERNANDEZ CS3 PAUL FISHER AE3 JAMIE FISHER
DC3 KIONA FOSTER ABE3 JOHNATHAN GALE ABH3 DAVID GARZA CTR3 CAMERON GATTIS ABF3 PATRICK GILL ABF3 TYLER HALE ABE3 BRANDON HALL MC3 MATTHEW HARAN HM3 ROBERT HERBST AT3 ISIAH HERNANDEZ MC3 CHRISTOPHER HWANG AT3 STOUWEED INNOCENT LS3 JOSE JAUREGUI CS3 KAYLA JOHNSON ABH3 LOGAN JUDD LS3 JAMES KEE MM3 DUSTIN KIMBALL QM3 EDDIE KING PS3 KENNETH KIRLIN AZ3 PAUL KYLES AS3 TRAVIS LAUGHTON CS3 BEE LOR CS3 GABRIELLE LOXTON DC3 JOSEPH MACIEJEWSKI AO3 JERICA MALLORY CS3 YUL MARCHAN SH3 ROBERT MASHEK BM3 SHANE MAURIN EM3 WILLIAM MCNEIL MC3 LUKE MEINEKE MM3 CARLOS MENENDEZ SH3 JESSICA MILLARD AT3 KEVIN MOORE CS3 JOSEPH MUNDY HT3 JOE MUNOZ QM3 ADAM NARANJO PS3 RICHARD NAVALLO AE3 JOHN OSGUTHORPE EM3 MICHAEL PAMPLIN ABE3 NABIL PAREJA AS3 STEPHAN PARKHURST ABH3 MIGUEL PIZANOJAIME HT3 JAMES POWELL CS3 SHANIKA PRIOLEAU AO3 MATTHEW RENTSCHLER CS3 ROBERT RHODES QM3 MATTHEW RIVERA AM3 BRENDON ROBERTS EM3 JAMES ROBINSON
EM3 DAVID SALYERS AZ3 ZANIA SAUNDERS ABF3 SEAN SERABIAN RP3 JESSE SEWARD AO3 ROBERT SHARRAR LS3 LATOYA SINGH AO3 WILNER SISON AM3 KENEISIA SMART EM3 DAKOTAH SMITH AO3 DECARLOS SMITH LS3 MATTHEW SULLIVAN HM3 VICTORIA SYAS ABF3 JAMES SYMON ABH3 MICHAEL TRAVERSE AO3 BRANDON TRUSTY CS3 BOBBY TURMAN AT3 EDWARD VANDERMEULLEN CS3 ROMISHA WATSON GM3 RYAN WERSCHLER AO3 RICHARD WHITMORE AO3 GEORGE WILLIAMS MM3 JASON WILLIAMS ABH3 KENNETH WILSON AO3 JOSEPH WORST ABH3 KRISTOPHER YOUNG ABF3 KEVIN ATKINS ABF3 EDWARD MONTOYA ABH3 NATHAN CASE AO3 MARSADES CEASAR AS3 JOSHUA CASARES AT3 MICHAEL LUTZ AZ3 JONATHAN SUB CS3 DANIELLE PINANGO CS3 DERRICK BATES HT3 KATIE POST IC3 CHARMAINE JEFFEREY LS3 AARON HOUGHTALING LS3 ROBERTO LOPEZ JR. LS3 JAMES ZUMWALT MM3 CHRISTOPHER DE GUZMAN MM3 ZACHERY HIGLEY PS3 ERIK SERRANO SH3 DENNIS HARTGROVE YN3 MICHAEL PROCTOR RP2 EHRMAR MACARAEG HM2 SHEILA WILLIAMS LS1 MAGGIE APPLEWHITE
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Carl Vinson Voice
Sailors rest in the hangar bay while waiting to relieve line handlers during an underway replenishment with USNS Guadalupe (T-AO 200). U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class James R. Evans.
Deckplate Dialogues “What does becoming a petty officer mean to you?”
“I believe this is an opportunity for me to set good examples for others to follow.” Hull Maintenance Technician 3rd Class James Powell
“It shows that if I set goals then good things will happen. Hard work will equal success.” Aviation Electronics Technician 3rd Class Edward Vandermeulen
“To be a positive source of information for junior Sailors and be able to make a difference to them.” Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class Carlos Menendez