Vinson Voice: 31 January 2012

I T I: S   S | T   CMC | V A D | CO’ S B | G G Vol 03 No 14 | January 31, 2012

Family Matter Finding Family Underway STORY & PHOTO BY MC3 (SW/AW) Rosa A. Arzola | Carl Vinson Staff Writer

E

very day Sailors are moving at a fast pace to get from one point to another. When we walk through the passageways, hangar bays, or mess decks, it is almost certain we will bump into one of the 4,614 familiar or unfamiliar faces onboard. But for all we know the Sailor walking, sitting, standing, or working next to us could be from our hometown, share our last name, or even our bloodline.

Such was the case with Operations Specialist 3rd Class (SW/AW) Rita Maurin, of Operations Department’s OI Division, now temporarily assigned to Security Department, and Aviation Structural Mechanic 3rd Class (AW) Oscar Hopper, assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 81, when the 23-year-old cousins met each other for the first time onboard Jan. 3.

“It’s a complicated family situation,” said Maurin, a Spring, Texas native. “Due to family differences my mother lost contact with my aunt [Hopper’s mother] for 31 years. Just recently, our grandmother fell ill so my mother had to communicate with her sisters.

This allowed my mom and my aunts to reconcile.”

The reconciliation between both military mothers led to conversations about the past, their careers and their families. It is during one of their many conversations the two sisters realized their children were both not only in the Navy but also currently serving on the same ship.

“It was next to a miracle finding out my nephew is onboard the Vinson,” said Maria Ortiz, Maurin’s mother. “To find out another family member shares the same patriotism is a very deep honor.”

Soon after the discovery, she contacted Maurin to inform her she had a family member deployed with her.

CONTINUE ‘FAMILY’ ON PAGE 2

Vinson Voice

2

IN SAILORthe SPOTLIGHT MM1 (SW/AW) Jeremy Hendricks | Reactor Department | RL Div

STORY & PHOTO BY

MC3 Shentel Downes | Carl Vinson Staff Writer

A

first glance at Machinist’s Mate 1st Class (SW/AW) Jeremy Hendricks, an Orlando, Fla. native, portrays a cool and collected Sailor. That impression remains as you get to know him better and it becomes even more impressive when you realize just how much he has on his plate.

As Reactor Department’s Reactor Laboratories (RL) Division leading petty officer and lead engineering laboratory technician (ELT), Hendricks leads 18 other ELTs and manages dosimeter monitoring – tracking how much radiation more than 700 Sailors are exposed to while working in the plant. On top of all that, he is also responsible for the division’s material history, and maintenance and material management (3M).

“Hendricks is very goal-oriented and has excellent military bearing,” said Chief Machinist’s Mate (SW) Benjamin Lee, RL Division leading chief petty officer. “His level of knowledge makes him perfect for

the leadership position he currently holds.”

Monitoring the chemistry trends in both the nuclear reactor and the steam plant systems is another part of Hendricks’ job.

He observes the other ELTs while they take their samples and tracks trends to catch any abnormalities that may lead to corrosion and could potentially lead to a failure in either system. Any such failure could result in undesirable conditions inside the plant.

“A lot can go wrong if we don’t do our jobs correctly; we have procedures for everything,” Hendricks stressed.

The monumental job of RL Division is to ensure the reactor plant and steam system are within specifications by taking samples and adding chemicals as needed. Having highly trained and proficient laboratory technicians is one of the ways the Navy keeps its reactors as safe as they currently are, Hendricks explained.

“Juggling all the responsibilities associated with operating our reactors safely takes a special kind of Sailor. MM1 Hendricks is that kind of Sailor,” said Lt. Pat Escalona, Reactor Department’s chemistry and radiological controls assistant.

Hendricks is also in charge of tracking the material history of every component RL Division owns by keeping the Material History Log (MHL) up to date anytime corrective maintenance is done or abnormalities are noticed. This log, a longstanding database that lasts the life of the ship, is important and must be kept updated

in order to pass inspection and keep the reactor in operation. Keeping this log gives Reactor Department Sailors an idea of what issues occur frequently and what solutions were used to fix those issues, Hendricks explained.

The MHL can also help other ships troubleshoot their issues by passing on information about any components that may be faulty. The log gives other ships an idea of what to look for in order to begin troubleshooting.

With such a large amount of responsibility on his shoulders, Hendricks still is motivated and strives for more opportunities to display his worth to the Navy and set an example for his fellow Sailors. “I like to think if my Sailors see me performing at a high level it motivates them to do the same,” he said.

An active participant in the CPO 365 program, Hendricks also conducts training on chemistry and radiological controls for the entire department. He is working toward becoming watch supervisor qualified – a position typically held by a Chief or those chosen by Reactor Department’s Chiefs.

It is the highest watch qualification for an enlisted Sailor in his rate.

Hendricks knows while his job isn’t one widely recognized by the crew, it’s incredibly important to the ship and the Navy.

“While all jobs are important to the mission, without us the ship doesn’t move, we don’t have electricity or water, and not one jet gets launched,” Hendricks said.

FROM ‘FAMILY’ ON PAGE 1

“I didn’t even know about my aunt or her son,” Maurin said. “I received an e-mail from my mom right after New Year’s Eve telling me I had a cousin onboard. I contacted Hopper via the ship’s e-mail to let him know about the whole thing and asked if we could meet.”

That same day Maurin’s wish came true when a Shipmate, who knew Hopper personally, helped the cousins cross paths.

“I was roving on the hangar bay when suddenly I saw them walking toward me,” Maurin said of Hopper and a friend of hers. “She just came up to me saying she found my cousin. I didn’t know what to say. I still don’t know what to say, but I am surprised that I have family that I didn’t even know about.”

“It’s so awesome to have such a crazy situation like this happen while in the Navy,” Maurin continued. “Now I know I just don’t have friends, but also family this deployment, and I am happy to have a new family member in my life.”

What makes these cousins’ meeting even more unusual is that this deployment was not the first time both Sailors were underway together, said Hopper, a Hanford, Calif. native.

“We were both here for Southern Seas, WestPac 2010-2011, and this current one,” Hopper informed. “We didn’t know of each other’s existence at all. It’s funny because I now remember seeing photographs

of Maurin and her brother [Hopper’s cousin] at my grandfather’s house, yet I never recalled seeing her on the ship.”

Maurin agrees the situation is strange but for other reasons.

“Who knows how many times I walked by him while he was working on an aircraft?” Maurin said. “How different it would have been if we grew up together? Would we still have been both in the military?

Would we have grown up to be good friends? Would we have ended up in the same duty station? Would our past underway experiences have been different? I just ask myself all these questions.”

Now that the Ortiz family is reunited and there aren’t any missing links, both Sailors and their respective families look forward to the future, Hopper said.

“I am looking forward to meeting all my new family members and having a family reunion once we get back from deployment,” Hopper said.

Maurin confesses meeting Hopper makes her happy not only for her, but also for her mother. “My mom is very affectionate and caring.

I know this reconciliation with her sister has made her feel fortunate since she holds family values at a high standard.”

Clearly, those values are held in high regard by the whole family, one that is now larger thanks to two Shipmates and cousins.

January 31, 2012

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Two Months Down De ploy m e n t Updat e

Air Ops

Chapel

S-8

Barbershop

Post Office

MWR

5744 hours flown since 30 Nov. 1999.2 hours in support of OEF 2373 traps performed 3,000 cuts for January 5,763 cuts since Nov. 30

Medical (January)

270 Services 412 United Through Readings recorded 6 COMSERVs 171,790 lbs mail total 165,150 lbs mail received 6640 lbs mail outgoing

17 Surgeries 1427 Sick call patients 402 VGE patients 266 IV’s 189 wound clinic visits 1823 over-the-counter drugs 312 X-rays

S-3 Ship’s Store

Reactor

Average daily bandwidth usage in 5th Fleet: 30-40 gigabytes New Web User Groups have provided users a more consistent and better connected access to internet.

9,958,199 gallons of water consumed 10,062,219 gallons of water produced

Since Nov. 30: Total revenue from all outlets - $1.1 Million Monster and Red Bull - $148,000 Soda from vending machines - $85,000 Chuckie’s Café - $34,000

ADP

Diverted approximately 195,000 lbs of plastic, cardboard and aluminum from the ocean during this deployment Bingo Cards – 2,355 packs of 4 cards 680 Fitness Challengers 462 Dodgeballers 138 3-on-3 basketball players Tours in Hong Kong – 632 Sailors Total dollar amount awarded in MWR event prizes - $12,227

S-2

Poultry – 28,207 lbs/$115,566 Beef – 15,557 lbs/$92,840 Seafood – 5848 lbs/$81,926 Pork – 5445 lbs/$40,132 Coffee – 3,000 lbs/$26,714 Milk – 2400 gal/$12,078

Naval Missions and Heritage Naval Missions and Heritage

Taken from the 24th edition Blue Jackets’ Manual

Code of Conduct - Article VI

I

will never forget that I am an American, fighting for freedom, responsible for my actions, and dedicated to the principles which made my country free. I will trust in my God and in the United States of America.

The provisions of the UCMJ continue to apply to members of the armed forces while POWs, and they have a continuing obligation to remain loyal to country, service, and unit. Should you become a prisoner, never give up hope and always resist enemy indoctrination.

This will, of course, serve the best interest of the nation, but it will serve your best interests as well. The life of a POW is hard. If all nations lived up to the terms of the Geneva Convention as it is intended, a POW experience would be difficult enough, but Americans who have been captured by the enemy have, more often than not, been subjected to terrible living conditions and have often been tortured. Experience has proven that POWs who stand firm and united against the enemy

help one another survive this ordeal.

After POWs are released, their conduct may be examined and evaluated. For this reason alone, you should strive to uphold the Code of Conduct while a POW. But, even more importantly, you will have to live with yourself after your release, and experience has proven that those POWs who upheld the Code of Conduct to the best of their ability are much better prepared to lead a normal life after their POW ordeal is over. Those who failed to uphold the Code to the best of their ability must live with the shame and dishonor of knowing that they failed their nation and fellow POWs. Hope that you never become of prisoner of war. Do everything in your power, consistent with honor, to avoid becoming a POW. But if you are captured, remember the Code of Conduct and uphold it.

Your chances of survival will be enhanced and your personal sense of honor will be undamaged.

Vinson Voice

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Vinson After Vinson Afte STORY BY

MC3 (SW) Heather M. Roe | Carl Vinson Staff Writer

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eeling the heat from an F/A-18E Super Hornet’s exhaust, seeing the power the aircraft holds and witnessing a successful launch are just a few things Sailors assigned to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17 live and work for every day.

But what goes into making the aircraft fly seamlessly isn’t always considered by those of us who are simply spectators.

The Sailors of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 25, VFA-81, and VFA-113 night check maintenance crews are the backbone of an efficiently-run fighter jet. It’s up to them to ensure the aircraft on board are prepared to fly according to the flight plan.

It’s up to them…to do it by flashlight in the dead of night.

“Working at night has many more roadblocks than conducting maintenance in daylight,” said Chief Aviation Structural Mechanic (AW/SW) Eric Bart, a night-check maintenance control Chief assigned to VFA-113. “When working only with flashlights, there are more operational risks to take into account before doing maintenance.”

“We must be very careful; low visibility is a high-risk factor out on the flight deck when you can’t see where you’re going,” said Aviation Electronics Technician (AT) 2nd Class (AW/SW) William Chick, shop 210 night-check supervisor for VFA-81 as he describes working on the flight deck at night. “Using your hands during night maintenance is like using your eyes.”

Aboard a naval ship, no “white light” can be visible from the outside between sunset and sunrise. The flight deck is out in open air and easily falls under this rule, as does any space with windows to the outside, but what about the hangar bay?

Since hangar bay doors are frequently open and aircraft often transported from flight deck to hangar bay or vice versa, that rule also applies to each of the three hangar bays.

Every Sailor assigned to night-check maintenance must learn to use only blue

The Maintenance Night-life

light flashlights and a “sixth sense” to complete their job safely and effectively in the hanger bay or on the flight deck.

Chick and his division are responsible for many aspects of the 12 F/A-18E Super Hornet aircraft belonging to VFA-81. As ATs, they focus on the electronics affecting communication, radar, navigation, video and display for the aircraft.

ATs are also responsible for conducting release and control checks on each aircraft every seven days. Without this check the aircraft would not be able to fly. They conduct Advanced Targeting Forward Looking Infra-Red (ATFLIR) Pod checks daily, which ensure the structural integrity of the main sensor the aircrew uses to put ordnance on target. If there are any discrepancies, the aircraft will not be put in the air.

Aviation Electrician’s Mate 1st Class (AW) Brian Smith and his division are responsible for the wires within the jet, their lighting systems and the electronic flight control systems. Each part is critical in order for each of the 10 F/A18Cs assigned to VFA-25 to fly.

“Steady hands are a must,” said Smith, shop 220 work center nightcheck supervisor assigned to VFA-25.

“Having only a flashlight to see by can make maintenance difficult in the dark when there are small parts and wires involved.”

“The fact that I get to work on an F/A-18C Hornet makes me proud,” said Aviation Electrician’s Mate 2nd Class (AW) Christopher Reyes, shop 220 night-check supervisor assigned to VFA-113. “The better I do my job to isolate the problem, the easier it makes everyone else’s job.”

Each squadron puts in anywhere from 150-200 hours of maintenance per day throughout their 11 work centers and seven ratings to keep the jets safely in the sky.

“When it comes down to it, it’s all about teamwork within each squadron,” Chick said. “If the aircraft isn’t washed

by the line shack, it won’t fly. If the ATs radars aren’t working, the jet won’t fly.

If the AMEs ejection seat isn’t operating properly, the aircraft won’t fly.”

While each squadron works on their own set of aircraft – F/A-18F, E and C Hornets, E-2C Hawkeyes, C-2A Greyhounds, SH-60F Seahawks and the HH-60Hs - they all have one thing in common. They must be able to launch off the flight deck and complete a mission.

So, despite the difficulties of working in the dark, each Sailor is driven by the importance of their job. The aircraft they are performing maintenance on are the jets troops on the ground rely on to assist in completing a mission on the ground, and those needs can be hourly by hourly, day or night.

January 31, 29, 2012

erDark Dark

5

Above: AMAN Derek Robb, assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 25, replaces an aileron servo cylinder on the starboard wing of an F/A-18C Hornet in the hangar bay aboard Vinson.

Photo by MC3 (SW) Christopher K. Hwang Below: AE2 Michael Hard, bottom, and AMAN David Southworth, top, paint an EA-6B Prowler in the hangar bay aboard Vinson.

Photo by MC3 (SW) Christopher K. Hwang

Top: AM3 (AW) Lance Brandi, assigned to Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 125, inspects propeller blades on an E-2C Hawkeye on the flight deck aboard Vinson. Photo

by MC3 (SW) Christopher K. Hwang Above: AMAN Derek Robb, assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 25, replaces an aileron servo cylinder on the starboard wing of an F/A-18C Hornet in the hangar bay aboard Vinson.

Photo by MC3 (SW) Christopher K. Hwang

Vinson Voice

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FROM THE DECKPLATES:

TUESDAYS WITH THE CMC A NOTE FROM

CMDCM (AW/SW) April D. Beldo| Carl VInson Command Master Chief

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hipmates, Many questions you have about policy or life aboard Vinson can be answered by your chain of command. More specifically, your first classes and Chiefs are there to answer them. If they don’t have those answers, they know where to find them. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have

CO’s

the means or opportunity to take concerns or questions right to the commanding officer. As you’ll see below, the Captain reads your questions and welcomes them.

If there’s something you’d like to get directly to the CO, his suggestion boxes are right beside the main ship’s store and next to the medical entrance on the starboard side.

Suggestion Box

Sir, Can we please have the same washer and dryer in the enlisted self service laundry like the other ones in the CPO/Officers’ laundry? That way we can have more people and less time for waiting.

Response: The washer and dryers we currently have onboard have to last us through the rest of our deployment. Many of them were actually replaced in October. During this summer’s PIA, there is a plan to overhaul the crew’s self serve laundry, and install stackable washers and dryers. As the Sailor noted in his question, this will increase the total number of washers and dryers we can fit in the space. In the meantime, we all need to do out part to ensure that the washers and dryers we do have last. Parts support for these machines is extremely limited. That means everybody has to follow the rules that are posted. We can’t overload the machines. No washing linens or uniforms in the machines either.

Sir, Could we possibly get no shave and ponytail chits from MWR? Response: No. We will conform to regulations.

Sir, Can we get a script on the ships “Home” page (intranet) to show the current WUG group, and have it update automatically like the world clock that is currently on there?

Response: Good idea, checking with CSD on feasibility.

Captain, I am writing you to make you aware the food being served on mess decks is not equal to what others, including me, eat onboard the ship. The CSs and their friends are not eating the same thing being served to me. I respectfully request your assistance in resolving this matter. v/r A concerned Sailor Response: The Supply Department held training on not providing favoritism to other sailors IRT “special meals” and to ensure what is served on the main line is the same as what is being served to the CSs and FSAs. In regards to your question on MIDRATS, MIDRATS is a non-funded meal that is served as food not previously served during dinner. Based on this feedback, the Supply Officer will evaluate the feasibility of other meal options during MIDRATS. I hope we have addressed all your questions and concerns.

Dear Sir, We should incorporate staph prevention in our medical briefs. We spend plenty of time briefing STD’s but not enough briefing staph. Bacterial infections are serious regardless where they occur and we should learn how to prevent, identify and treat staph, too.

Response: Staphylococci bacteria exists everywhere in the environment and is known as “good” bacteria! Practicing good hygiene habits normally keeps this bacteria from causing infections.

During our medical briefs we discuss proper hand washing techniques and can incorporate staph.

Sir, Why do we have money taken out of our pay in port when we are home for food if we do not live on the ship? I get just about 300 dollars taken out for food on the ship then 400 for my family and I at home. So that’s 700 dollars a month just for food, and I hardly eat on the ship, so I’m respectfully requesting something to be done about this situation. Thank you for you time, Sir, have a great day.

Response: BAS is meant to offset costs for a member’s meals. This allowance is based in the historic origins of the military in which the military provided room and board (or rations) as part of a member’s pay. This allowance is not intended to offset the costs of meals for family members. Because BAS is intended to provide meals for the service member, its level is linked to the price of food. Therefore, each year it is adjusted based upon the increase of the price food as measured by the USDA food cost index.

THE

CO’S

SUGGESTION

BOX

IS LOCATED BESIDE THE MAIN SHIP’S STORE AND NEXT TO THE MEDICAL ENTRANCE ON THE STARBOARD SIDE.

January 31, 2012

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THIS ISSUE’S REVIEW:

Top 5 Free Programs for your new laptop REVIEW BY

MC2 (SW) Byron C. Linder | Carl Vinson Staff Writer

A

shiny new laptop is a beautiful thing. There’s a deep sense of satisfaction when you remove the packaging and carefully strip the plastic wrapping off the screen. And when you get your power cord safety-checked and enter in all the information at the first startup, you’re ready to take on the world.

Then reality sets in. Your Windows machine is full of “free for 30 days” trial software that’s a massive pain to uninstall. Your MacBook is all but empty. And the prospect of buying a bunch of new software you’ve never used is not appetizing at all. Plus, with so much software requiring you register online before you can use it, you could be paying for the privilege of waiting until we hit port and hoping the software doesn’t freak out because you’re trying to register as a California resident and your computer’s IP address is on the other side of the world. That happens more than you’d think.

The open-source software community has produced some amazing products for both Windows and Mac. There’s no trial period, no key generators that could do who knows what to your new system, and no financial obligation on your end. Most just want donations, and if you like the product, it couldn’t hurt to send them five bucks for an alternative to $100 retail software. There are countless free useful applications out there, but this list will focus on software with both Windows and Mac versions, requiring no Internet connection, and that can get a lot of use aboard the ship.

1) VLC – The VLC player can solve issues with video formats not wanting to play ball with your new machine.

Your Windows Media Player or Apple Quicktime programs often want to have their video drivers updated right out of the box, and can’t always play the many file formats out there. VLC has an amazing success rate with both video and audio files, and legacy support for older formats.

2) HandBrake – HandBrake is a wonderful program for video conversion, with presets for a variety of Apple iDevices and options to encode to a VLC-friendly .mkv file or .mp4 file for watching on the laptop. A robust legacy support structure is included, for Sailors who prefer the large storage of an iPod classic over the iPod touch series.

3) OpenOffice.org – OpenOffice.org is an excellent alternative to the Microsoft Office suite, providing straightforward word processing, spreadsheet, database and presentation programs free of charge and at less than half the required hard drive space.

While offering its own proprietary formats, it also plays nice with opening and creating Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents.

4) The GIMP – The GIMP is a robust photo editing suite in the vein of Adobe’s Photoshop series. While by no means a threat to Adobe’s empire, it offers a lot more options for manipulating images than the stock photo editing software on new laptops. The program has had a large, active user community who create filters and other add-ons free of charge, so there’s always something new to try out with your photos.

5) Audacity – Sailors who want to dabble in audio recording can cut their teeth on Audacity, a free audio recording and editing program. Full-fledged recording software (Apple’s GarageBand notwithstanding) can run hundreds of dollars, and offers a mind-boggling array of choices and controls that can be incredibly overwhelming to fledgling recording artists. Audacity offers a very friendly interface and straightforward approach to audio editing.

All these programs are relatively small downloads when we hit port, easily attainable through a public Wi-Fi hotspot. Or ask your friends if they have them. They’re free, they’re useful, and they can provide a sense of purpose for your new machine.

MC2 Linder’s first computer was an IBM 386 PC, with a combination five-inch and 3.5-inch floppy drive, running both Windows 3.0 and MS-DOS 6.0. As he learned to upgrade his own RAM and swap out components, it grew into a machine capable of running Duke Nukem 3D, Star Wars: Dark Forces and Quake. His first laptop was an HP whose motherboard died after about a year of use. Instead of getting it fixed, he deconstructed it and sold the parts to buy a Sony Vaio, which lasted him for over three years. He then made a nice chunk of change living in Japan and bought a MacBook Pro, becoming an annoying Apple fanboy in the process.

Vinson Voice

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DIALOGUES D E C K P L A T E

| What TV shows are you watching right now? | “‘Friday Night Lights’.

It’s based on the movie about high school football.”

“‘True blood’ and ‘The Wire’. They are interesting. One is about vampires and the other about gang violence.”

DCFN Fr a n c i s c o De a n d a

ENFA J a m e s H a y s

“‘The Boondocks’. It’s a wonderful, funny show that has you laughing until you cry.”

“‘Supernatural’. It’s very entertaining and very different.”

IT2 (SW/AW) Antoenisha Fox

LSSN Sean Weber

STAFF

|PUBLISHER|

STAFF

CAPT. KENT D. WHALEN COMMANDING OFFICER

|EXECUTIVE EDITORS| LT. CMDR. ERIK REYNOLDS PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER

LT. ERIK SCHNEIDER

ASSISTANT PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER

|EDITOR IN CHIEF|

MCC (AW) MONICA R. NELSON

ESWS||EAWS

The total distilling capacity of the ship is 400,000 gallons per day.

Of that, about 200,000 gallons are consumed for propulsion plant, reactor plant, steam catapult operations and other official uses for water.

Crash and Salvage Team is trained in the rescue of aircrew and the removal of damaged aircraft from the landing area.

attention on deck!

It is basic military and shipboard courtesy for personnel to stand aside when seniors approach in a passageway or a ladderwell. Additionally, “Attention on Deck” is expected and appropriate when CSG-1, the CO, XO, or Captains or above enter a space. Heads of departments are extended the same courtesy.

MEDIA ALCPO

|MANAGING EDITOR| MC2 (SW/AW) LORI D. BENT

|PHOTO EDITOR|

MC2 (SW) JAMES R. EVANS

|GRAPHICS/LAYOUT| MC3 PHOENIX LEVIN

|STAFF WRITERS/PHOTOGRAPHERS| MC2 (SW) BYRON C. LINDER MC3 (SW/AW) ROSA A. ARZOLA MC3 SHENTEL DOWNES MC3 (SW) CHRISTOPHER K. HWANG MC3 (SW) LUKE B. MEINEKE MC3 (SW) HEATHER M. ROE ABH3 (AW) RYAN M. LITTLE