Inside this Issue: A Day in the Life of... | Strait Transit | Anti-Pirate Software VOL 2 / NO 53
May 31, 2011
FROM FIREMAN TO FIRST on board USS Carl Vinson Story and Photo by MC2 (SW) Ashley Van Dien USS Carl Vinson Staff Writer
A
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 ref lect the official views of the U.S. Government or the Departments of Defense or the Navy and do not imply any endorsement thereby.
junior Sailor fresh out of ‘A’ School reporting to an aircraft carrier for their first command is presented with a new environment filled with many challenges and great opportunities. Christopher Langtry checked on board Carl Vinson May 23, 2007, as a Damage Controlman Fireman Recruit, and set an impressive goal for himself. “I wanted to leave this command as a dual qualified first class petty officer,” said Langtry. And as a result of his dedication, consistent studying and hard work, he will do just that. Damage Controlman 1st Class (Select) (SW/AW) Langtry found out he’d been selected to the rank of first class petty officer May 23, 2011, exactly four years after he checked on board as an E-1. Goal set. Goal met. Langtry accomplished what few could and fewer have. He says he owes it to countless hours of dedicated studying, a habit which Langtry applied from the beginning of his career. “When I was going through DC ‘A’ School, I volunteered to take extra classes at night,” said Langtry. “I really wanted to pass the class and get out into the fleet.” Not only did Langtry’s extra hours of school work help him pass, he actually raised his score so high that he graduated at the top of his class with a final score of 99%. At DC ‘A’ School, the top performer in the class is eligible to be frocked to the rank of petty officer third class. Due to class scheduling, Langtry received the news of his success after being on board Carl Vinson for three months. “I was excited to become a petty officer,” said Langtry. “I had already started working on my qualifications. I wanted to be a work center supervisor, and I earned my enlisted surface warfare specialist (ESWS) pin.” See `FIRST` page 2
Carl Vinson Voice
2 persistent climb up the ranks. “Our first classes always told us they would be transferring soon, that we needed to be ready to take their place,” said Langtry. “So that’s what I did.” Immediately after earning one rank, Langtry began studying for the next. He volunteered for schools to get handson training, took non-resident training courses online, and gathered study materials by referencing bibliographies, technical manuals and making hundreds
ESWS and enlisted aviation specialist (EAWS) pins. Langtry’s dedication to his Sailors, especially now as a soon-toEngineering Department’s Leading be frocked first class petty officer, is all Chief Petty Officer, Senior Chief Damage about getting the job done. Controlman (SW/AW) Michael Bates, “I want people to listen to me, not said that Langtry’s can-do attitude and just because of my rank, but because eagerness set him apart as a Sailor on they know I know what I’m talking the path to success. about,” said Langtry. “Studying is also “I met his wife at a command Christmas important because when an actual party, and I told her that Langtry would casualty happens, I will know what to be a Chief soon,” said Bates. “That was do, because I have read it over and over after only a week of knowing him, and and I know I will he was a third class at remember it.” the time.” “I want people to listen to me, not Langtry is ready After earning two major milestones just because of my rank, but because to fight any casualty the ship, and now early in his career by they know I know what I’m talking on that he has achieved becoming an ESWSabout.” the goal he set for qualified petty officer, Langtry was just getting - D C 1 ( S E L ) ( S W / A W ) C h r i s t o p h e r L a n g t r y himself four years ago, his is ready to started. He teamed take on the next up with one of his Shipmates to achieve the goal he set for of flash cards. But his personal tools for challenge. “This is just another step toward himself, dedicating his off-duty hours success are something he gladly shares with his Shipmates. making Chief,” said Langtry. to prepare for advancement. “Now that I have made first class, it Langtry is transferring to Camp “We would study every night for about an hour,” said Langtry. “We decided we is very motivating to me that I can help David, a naval support facility in wanted to make second class and made my Shipmates also advance in rank,” Maryland, this December and although it a competition. I realized that I was said Langtry. “They will ask me to use the transition is bittersweet for Carl going up against several third classes my flashcards, and it’s good that they Vinson’s DC Division, Bates said that he knows Langtry will continue to excel who had been on the ship for a while, want to study and make rank also.” “Langtry is a model Sailor who always just as he always has. and that really motivated me to study trains his subordinates to the point “It assures me as a Damage Controlman even more.” His studying paid off when he made where they are capable of correctly that I have good Sailors coming up to DC2 his first time up, and the first time doing anything he trains them to do,” the rank of Chief to lead Sailors in the future,” said Bates. “He will continue he’d taken a Navy-wide advancement said Bates. Langtry is part of a team organizing a to look for what he can do to make his exam. As a newly frocked second class, he was immediately feeling the pressure study program for DC’s on board, both Sailors’ lives better, and the Navy better from his upper chain of command his for advancing in rank and earning their for all.”
STAFF
From `FIRST` page 1
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 Staff Writers/Photographers MC2 Byron Linder MC3 (SW) Lori Bent MC3 Christopher Hwang MCSN (SW/AW) Nicolas Lopez
Auditions airing now ! On SITE T.V. Channel 11 at 0600, 1200, 1800 and 2000 VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE CONTESTANT VIA E-MAIL STARTING TOMORROW
May 31, 2011
3
Seaman Matthew Teixeira, assigned to Security Department, stands fantail observer watch as Carl Vinson transits the Surigao Strait May 28. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman (SW/AW) Nicolas C. Lopez.
Departmental 3MA’s and OMMS-FAS must be trained in the use of the MCF form.
HTCM MICHAEL BARFIELD ASSISTANT CNAF 3-M TEAM LEADER
Conduct training of all OMMS-NG users on how to correctly use OMMS-NG. An OMMS-NG Practical Inspection sheet must be given to all users to ensure that the thirteen areas of review are performed correctly and in a timely manner.
Carl Vinson Voice
4
C
A Day In The Li Story by MC2 (SW) Ashley Van Dien USS Carl Vinson Staff Writer
T
he divisions of Carl Vinson’s Combat Systems Department (CSD) all work together to provide communication to the ship and around the strike group. This week, we feature a day in the life of CS-9 division, which maintains stationary and portable external communication equipment for communication headed outbound Carl Vinson. Consisting of 16 Electronics Technicians (ET), CS-9 is the smallest division in CSD, yet they own hundreds of pieces of equipment. Their shop is located aft on the 02-level port side, but they are often working out and about the ship. “We own equipment from the top of the mast all the way down to the keel of the ship,” said Chief Electronics Technician (SW/AW) Chris Eggleston, CS-9 Division’s Leading Chief Petty Officer. “We are a small division, but we make it work. We respond to trouble calls from all warfare areas and maintain equipment all over the ship.”
CS-9 is able to respond quickly and efficiently to trouble calls due to constant cross-training. When an experienced technician, trained in a specialized piece of equipment, responds to a trouble call, a junior Sailor goes with them so they can learn as well. “’ET’ really does stand for ‘Everything Tech’,” said Eggleston. “Everyone learns each other’s equipment so we can be flexible. It also makes our Sailors more competitive for advancement exams.” Electronics Technician 3rd Class Kelly Hall said her favorite part of the job is getting her hands in the gears and figuring out how to fix things that are broken. “Sometimes the trouble calls have stumped me, and it felt like they were impossible,” said Hall. “But I have had a lot of help from other technicians who have always been there to help me. The camaraderie is amazing and we all get along pretty well. The way we communicate about what steps we have tried helps us to move forward.” In addition to responding to trouble calls, CS-9 performs preventative and corrective maintenance on external communication
and portable equipment. The division consists of top-notch technicians, said Eggleston, divided into four subdivisions: CS91, which handles ultra high frequency (UHF), line of sight (LOS) and satellite communication (SATCOM); CS92, which works on high frequency (HF), auxiliary and cryptographic equipment; CS93, which maintains portable communication devices such as hydras; and CS49, which maintains the division’s damage control readiness. CS-9 maintains equipment that affects Carl Vinson and the strike group on a multi-level basis, particularly with their frequency modules. UHF is used for tactical missions and HF for long range communication. But they affect the ship’s mission in another way, by keeping super high frequency equipment up and running, which allow for the use of internet, e-mail and the plain old telephone system (POTS) lines. “It’s a pretty good feeling to know that Sailors are able to communicate with their families in part because of this division,” said Electronics Technician 2nd Class (SW) Edward Raqueno.
May 31, 2011
Combat Systems - CS-9
5
ife of
U.S. Navy Photos By MC3 Christopher Hwang
Carl Vinson Voice
6
Steady She Goes... Carl Vinson Completes 26-Hour Transit Story by MC2 (SW) Byron Linder USS Carl Vinson Staff Writer
C
arl Vinson and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17 Sailors departed Hong Kong May 26, and as they began the journey to Hawaii, the plan for a straightforward route was derailed by a typhoon in the Western Pacific Ocean. Vinson’s navigation team met the challenge to by quickly assemble assembling a plan to avoid the storm by transiting the Straits of Mindoro and the Mindanao Sea in the Philippines beginning at 3:30 p.m. May 27 and concluding at 6:15 p.m. May 28. Before the navigation detail could be set, Navigation Department Leading Petty Officer Quartermaster 1st Class (SW/AW) Reed Gonzales, a Reno, Nev. native, explained the challenge of charting the route. “There were a lot of charts and a ridiculous amount of chart corrections. We’re talking 30-plus pages of corrections on some of these charts,” explained Gonzales. In addition to calculating Vinson’s movements, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1’s guided-missile destroyer USS Gridley’s (DDG 101) and guided-missile Ccruiser USS Bunker Hill’s (GC 52) navigation had to be factored in. “I prepared our movement reports, which let them know where we’ll be and when. We don’t want to hold back any information from them, because they have significantly fewer quartermasters than we do, and they had to prepare the same number of charts we did,” said Gonzales. The hours required to prepare the charts demanded significant tweaking to the navigation watchbill, and long hours for Navigationthe quartermasters. “We had to have some of our people work around the clock the day before until noon on the 27th, and rearrange our teams to do the transit without them. We’re ready to go at all times, but all these corrections are hard to do on short notice,” said Gonzales. Vinson’s navigation team completed their significant tasking on time, accounting for the challenges present in the transit route. “The navigation hazards like shoal water weren’t too bad. There were a few points to watch out for, but traffic was the main concern,” explained Gonzales. “We have the best navigation team, and we have the past scores, inspections and exam results to prove it.”
As the strike group made the 2614-hour transit past historical World War II landmarks in the series of battles to liberate the Republic of Philippines from the occupying Imperial Japanese forces; including Leyte, Mindoro and Luzon; Gonzales reflected on the importance of Sailors knowing their legacy. “When Sailors know their history, it feeds their pride in what they do. Pride comes over time when you know your history, and the past helps us understand the present,” said Gonzales. “I liked being able to go outside, see the islands and waters and imagine what was going on during World War II as the commanding officer was explaining it over the 1MC.” As Vinson enters the final weeks of deployment, Gonzales emphasized the value of the experiences, both planned and unplanned. “An unplanned transit with a few challenges is always good for a quartermaster’s experience. I wish we could say the navigation team started as rookies and came out of this as seasoned veterans, but the truth is we trained extensively before we left San Diego. We were on our A-game when we came out here,” said Gonzales. “We couldn’t train in the yards, so we sent people TAD all the time.” The most important lesson learned, said Gonzales, has been strict procedural compliance. “I have a collection of incidents where people just started taking shortcuts or skipped steps, and it just snowballed into negligence,” said Gonzales. “That’s how you become a statistic. By holding our people to these high standards, it helps them do well.”
U.S. Navy Photos By MC2 (SW) JAmes Evans
May 31, 2011
7
Anti-Pirate Software Tracks Risks At High Seas Story by Eric Miller ABC News
T
he U.S. Navy has developed a new weapon in the war against pirates, a sophisticated computer model that combines weather, ocean currents, shipping routes and classified intelligence data to predict where modern-day buccaneers may strike next. Developers are hoping this mathematical analysis of pirate behavior will give naval commanders a leg up on high-seas criminals whose attacks are getting bolder and more frequent. “You need three pieces of information for an attack to happen,” said James Hansen, lead scientist at the probabilistic prediction research office at the Naval Research Laboratory in Monterey, Calif. “You need pirates in the area, you need to have vulnerable shipping, and meteorological conditions conducive for an attack. We have a model that takes into account everything we’ve learned from observations, past incidents and interrogation, along with oceanographic and meteorological data.” Naval researchers update the anti-pirate program every 12 hours with new data about winds, wave heights and undersea currents -- all factors that affect the pirates’ ability to operate small skiffs to attack commercial ships. The model, known as the Piracy Attack Risk Surface (PARS), also uses classified reports about pirate whereabouts from captured sailors or unmanned drone aircraft patrolling the skies. The result is a color-coded map that divides the ocean into zones of probability of pirate strikes, much like NOAA’s hurricane forecast. “We run thousands and thousands of scenarios to come up with most likely path the pirate are taking,” said William Lingsch, a naval oceanographer at the Naval Meteorology and Oceanographic Command who oversees the model, which has been in beta testing by U.S. naval forces for the past two months. The new computer model is the latest bit of technological wizardy aimed at stopping
pirates. Earlier this month, the Pentagon rolled out an online war game that uses crowdsourcing to come up with creative solutions to scenarios involving pirates, hostages and naval ships. Navy Developing Remote-Controlled, High-Speed Robot Patrol Boat Decisions on what to do are voted on by other users, and the results are passed on to naval researchers who say it could help in real-world encounters. The Navy has also been developing a remote-controlled, high-speed robot patrol boat called the Predator, while military contractors are selling high-powered lasers, sound weapons and slippery antitracking goo to deter pirate boardings. U.S. warships currently patrol the seas off Somalia and the Persian Gulf as part of Combined Task Force (CTF) 150, a multinational force that includes forces from NATO, the European Union, China and India. Despite the naval presence, commercial shipping companies say pirate attacks are getting worse. “There are more pirates and they are navigating greater distances from shore,” said Erik Nielsen, director of container operations for the Copenhagen-based Maersk Line. Nielsen oversees his firm’s 550 ships, which made more than 2,000 passages through high-risk sea lanes last year. Nielsen said Maersk is now being forced to sail bigger, less efficient ships that are harder to board, running them at higher speeds, and taking detours around known pirate hotspots. Those measures cost Maersk $100 million last year in added fuel and crew costs, and the firm expects that figure to top $200 million this year. Awareness and Leadership Needed on Piracy, Expert Says “There needs to be a much bigger awareness and a clear leadership role on piracy,” Nielsen told Discovery News from Copenhagen. “There are naval ships and still there are more attacks, and it’s escalating. So, not enough is being done. High-seas hijackings jumped from 46 in 2008 to 62 in 2010, Nielsen said, and at least seven sailors have lost their lives this year in 18 hijackings this year.
Nielsen and other shippers want access to the Navy’s new anti-piracy computer model, but Navy officials say they can’t yet release it because of the risk that pirates could use it to adapt their tactics. “Once it’s public, then you have a game theory problem,” said Hansen. “The very existence of the dissemination of information will change the behavior of the players you are trying to simulate.” One piracy expert says new technology like PARS may repel pirates in the shortterm, but the only solution is dealing with the failed state where they make their home. “It’s a political and economic problem,” said Martin Murphy, a visiting fellow at King’s College in London and author of “Somalia, The New Barbary? Piracy and Islam in the Horn of Africa.” “Technology is only ever going to be an aid, not a magic bullet.” With more pressing conflicts around the world, Murphy says that the political will to deal with the chaos in Somalia doesn’t currently exist. That lack of interest in Somalia and modern-day piracy may change -- at least for moviegoers. Columbia Pictures just purchased the rights to a film about Richard Phillips, the Maersk Alabama captain who fought off Somali pirates in 2009. Hollywood hero Tom Hanks has been enlisted to play Phillips; Kevin Spacey will produce.
Carl Vinson Voice
8
CV Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures standardization (NATOPS) Manual and air department instructions provide procedures for landing, launching, and handling aircraft.
n Reboiler Heating Steam: Provides steam from the Main Steam system via a reducing station to the tube side of the Reboiler drum.
• Issued only to USS CARL VINSON Sailors 21 years and up, with a valid driver’s license. • Destination limited to residence only. • Not available for TAD >90 days, students or visitors. • Once used, see the command 511 coordinator for a new card. (ABHC Willdigg) • Serialized to promote accountability and responsible use. • Can not be loaned, borrowed, bartered, sold, traded, or given away. • Chits must be routed for lost, stolen or damaged cards. • ALL Sailors 21-years and up on board must have a card prior to departure in San Diego. • Card issue for new check-ins and Sailors that turned 21 on cruise will receive head of the line.
• Card issue will take place June 1st, Hangar Bay 2 @ 1200-1600 and 1800-2000.
DECKPLATE Deckplate Dialogues
“What was your favorite souvenir bought this deployment??” EMFN Donzel Moore
ABHAN (AW) Ryan Little
IC1 (SW/AW) Thomas Ingram
“I bought shot glasses from every port we have been to for me and my family.”
“I bought a flight jacket. It’s a great way to remember the deployment for years to come.”
“I bought a copy of the ‘I Ching’: Book of Changes in Honk Kong. It focuses on the principles of Confucius and my outlook on life.”
USS Carl Vinson’s Media Department is home to the 2010 Navy-wide Junior MC of the Year, Mass Communication Specialist (SW/AW) 3rd Class Stephen G. Hale II and winners of the following Chief of Information (CHINFO) awards: 1st place for Social Media Presence; Honorable Mention for 2010 Outstanding New Navy Writer, Mass Communication Specialist (SW) 3rd Class Lori D. Bent; 2nd place for Broadcast Television News Report and 3rd place for Broadcast Television News Feature, Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Isaac Needleman.