I T I: D A L | V V | O C W | A W | S C T
Vol 03 No 30 | March 15, 2012
Vinson Welcomes Rather Distinguished Visitor STORY BY
MC3 (SW) Luke B. Meineke | Carl Vinson Staff Writer
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arl Vinson Sailors welcomed former CBS Evening News anchor and 60 Minutes correspondent Dan Rather March 9 for a three-day visit. Rather and his media crew visited Carl Vinson for the television news magazine Dan Rather Reports, which airs on cable channel HDNet. Rather sat in on several briefings and met with Commander
Carrier Strike Group One (CSG-1) Rear Adm. Thomas K. Shannon before Vinson Sailors were afforded the chance to share a meal on the ship’s aft mess deck with the media legend. “It seemed surreal just to see one individual who went through so many events and then actually get an opportunity to sit down and pick his brain about those events,” said Hospital CONTINUE ‘RATHER’ ON PAGE 2
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Corpsman 2nd Class (SW/AW) Travis Stephens, a Birmingham, Ala. native, and Medical Department preventative medicine technician. Rather expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to share a meal with Vinson Sailors. “I was very impressed that everyone around the table was, number one, totally, completely, absolutely dedicated to the mission,” Rather said. “Number two, everybody around the table was intelligent and had good questions.”
Rather noted the confidence shown by the Sailors he met permeated the dinner hour, praising the high level of standards in the U.S. military services. “They know what their job is. They know how to do their job in no conceited or arrogant way and I’m very impressed with that,” Rather said. “I had a wonderful time. I just wish, frankly, every American could come once and sit at that kind of table, eat on the ship or with some of our land-based or air forces, because they would come away
impressed – mightily impressed.” Rather and his HDNet film crew interviewed Vinson’s commanding officer, Capt. Kent D. Whalen. They spent the weekend meeting Sailors and filming the daily evolutions of Vinson on deployment. Stephens emphasized the importance of capturing Sailors’ efforts which go into general quarters training or daily air operations. “We’re doing something important. This is not just for USS Carl Vinson – it is for the whole United States of America,” he said.
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Vinson Vignette
Who Was Carl Vinson? W
hile Vinson was the Chairman of the Naval Affairs Committee, he had a habit of speaking possessively of “my Navy” and of characterizing particular Navy secretaries as the best, or worst, that he had ever had. Vinson himself was sounded out by several presidents on his availability for appointment to the post of Secretary of the Navy. President Harry S. Truman had sent an emissary to Vinson for this purpose and the replay was characteristic of Vinson, “No, I am not interested. I prefer to run the Navy Department from here.” The years from 1931 to 1940 saw an almost total rebuilding of the U.S. Navy, a rebuilding p r o d d e d
constantly by authorization acts initiated in the House Naval Affairs Committee. World War I had brought a temporary buildup of the fleet, but many of the newly constructed warships were sunk under the post-war treaty agreement. American international policy showed a distinct trend towards arms reduction and the advocacy of various methods for the outlawing of war. The U.S. had deliberately kept the Navy strength under what it was entitled to under London Naval Treaty in 1930 and the Washington Treaty for Limitation of Naval Armaments in 1922 in the hopes that further reductions would be agreed upon. On Jan. 7, 1932, Vinson wrote an article for the Washington Herald in which he explained the need for a new Navy. “I favor a Navy for this country second to none in power. I do not advocate a Navy to rule the waves, but I do believe our country has a tremendous responsibility in helping to preserve the freedom of the seas for peaceful commerce,” he wrote. Who is Carl Vinson? is part of a continuing series based on the book, Carl Vinson: A Legacy of Public Service.
Naval Missions and Heritage Naval Missions and Heritage Taken from the 24th edition Blue Jackets’ Manual
Crossing Nests
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estroyers and smaller ships sometimes tie up in nests (clusters) alongside a tender or pier, and you may have to cross one or more ships to get to your own. The usual quarterdeck procedure described for boarding and leaving is modified somewhat in this case. When you board the inbound ship, salute the colors and the quarterdeck, and address the OOD by saying, “I request permission to
cross, sir (ma’am).” When the OOD says, “Very well,” or “Permission granted,” and returns your salute, drop your salute and head across the ship to the brow that leads to the next ship in the nest. It is not necessary to salute the colors on leaving, but be sure to do so when boarding the next ship in the nest. Repeat this procedure on each ship until you reach your own.
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Dinne r with a Le g end STORY BY
MC2 (SW) Byron C. Linder | Carl Vinson Staff Writer
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group of Carl Vinson Sailors welcomed Emmy Award-winning Broadcast Journalist Dan Rather to dinner on the aft mess decks March 9. The Sailors represented both Carl Vinson and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17. They went through the line with Rather and sat down to a meal surrounded by Rather’s camera crew from cable channel HDNet, filming for his Dan Rather Reports television news magazine. Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Lauren Lash, of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 113 and temporarily assigned to Supply Department’s S-2 Division as a food service attendant in the Chief Petty Officers’ Mess, was taken aback by her selection to join the dinner hour. “I was really surprised they picked me because I wasn’t a petty officer, Sailor of the Year or anything like that,” she said. “But it was really cool. It’s not often you get opportunities to do things like this.” “I was honored to be selected to have dinner with arguably the most important news reporter and analyst of the past 50 years,” added Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (SW/AW) Travis Stephens, a Medical
Department preventative medicine technician and Carl Vinson’s 2011 Junior Sailor of the Year. Though not all the Sailors were regular viewers of Rather’s tenure on CBS News or his 60 Minutes contributions, his name still carried significant weight. “My grandmother used to watch a lot of his reports, and growing up I’d be there with her. He’s been through it all. He’s a legend,” Lash said. “I told my mother, and she was excited for me,” added Ship’s Serviceman 3rd Class (SW/AW) Teca Sneed, assigned to Supply Department’s S-3 Division as the ship’s store supervisor and Carl Vinson’s Blue Jacket of the Year. Over dinner, Rather asked several questions regarding Vinson’s operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR). Despite the cameras, the Sailors agreed it was a relaxing meal. “It was weird having the cameras float around. One person was telling us he needed to move his microphone, and I was trying to dodge out of the way. Having
Photos by: MCSN George M. Bell | Carl Vinson Staff Photographer
people pass between the tables and asking you to repeat what you said was kind of weird, I’m not going to lie,” Lash said. “But it felt like table conversation. It didn’t feel like anyone was getting interviewed. They were the kind of questions you’d expect from someone meeting you for the first time.” “It was more like a big dinner conversation with cameras everywhere,” Stephens added. When news of the dinner reached home, the family response was instantaneous. “I told my aunt, and once they put the pictures up on Facebook, she got really excited and started posting them on her page and mine. I told her she needed to calm down,” Lash said. “Before I had the chance to tell anyone, my mom e-mailed and told me the pictures were up on the ship’s Facebook page. She has told anyone and everyone she has spoken to CONTINUE ‘DINNER’ ON PAGE 5
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navy Commences Urinalysis Te s t i n g f or S y n t he t i c PROVIDED BY Chemical Compopunds Office of the Chief of Naval Operations
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he Navy will begin testing urine samples for synthetic chemical compounds such as “Spice” this month. The Navy has zero tolerance for drug abuse. Drug abuse (including the use of designer and synthetic compounds) by members of the Navy is incompatible with the maintenance of high standards of performance, military discipline, readiness and reliable mission accomplishment. The wrongful use, possession and/or distribution of these products are punishable under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Urinalysis testing for synthetic compounds is separate and distinct from the existing urinalysis program in place. Testing will use the model currently in place for steroid testing. Commanders, commanding officers, officers-in-charge, or their designated representative must obtain quotas for testing from OPNAV N135 prior to collection of a synthetic compound urine sample, just as is required for steroid sample collection. The Navy’s testing capacity and quotas will increase as we transition later this year to
testing at Navy facilities. Samples will be collected using current urinalysis procedures, except synthetic compound sample materials – bottles, labels, boxes, etc. must be purchased with OPTAR and samples will only be shipped to the Navy Drug Screening Lab in Great Lakes. Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) and commands will be notified of positive samples. For each positive sample, NCIS will open an investigation, the command may take appropriate actions related to health, safety and security based on positive results, and commanders may conduct further inquiry if misconduct is suspected. Execution specifics for program coordinators and further guidance to commanders will be provided via separate correspondence. Engaged leadership and education of our force on the dangers of synthetic compound abuse and our zero tolerance policy is paramount. It is incumbent on us to ensure our people know the risks these drugs present to their health, career, and to their family.
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since,” Stephens added. The dinner had an added benefit of emphasizing Vinson’s perpetual combat readiness to Rather’s audience. “We talked about the dangers we face in this AOR and how trained we are as a team. There’s no need to worry because we’re always ready,” Sneed said. “I remember he asked us if we get scared of something happening when we go to sleep, and of course our response was ‘no’. We’re all trained to do what we’re supposed to do every
day,” Lash added. The Sailors agreed dinner with Rather would be a fond memory. “I’m grateful. I’ll always remember this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity while serving in the U.S. Navy,” Stephens said. “It’s definitely something to add to my Navy scrapbook,” Sneed added. Dan Rather is the first celebrity guest to visit Carl Vinson this year while on deployment and the first to have a meal on the mess decks with Sailors since Vinson’s 2010-2011 WestPac deployment.
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Operation Cyber Warrior STORY BY
MC3 (SW) Luke B. Meineke | Carl Vinson Staff Writer
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peration Cyber Warrior, a class educating Sailors on computer security via the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) Security+ certification, began its second cycle March 7. CompTIA is a non-profit trade association offering certifications for the information technology industry. Security+ training and certification deals with computer security topics like cryptography and access control. Information Systems Technician 1st Class (IT1) (SW) Victor Morquecho, assigned to Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1 N6C Division, and IT1 (IDW/SW/AW) Jared T. Williams, Combat Systems Department’s CS-2 Division’s leading petty officer, created the Operation Cyber Warrior class to meet the requirement for information assurance (IA) workforce personnel to earn the Security+ certification. “We founded this class on the ideal of getting our entire IA work force qualified up where they need to be and to raise user awareness for all of the administrators to get them the knowledge to do their job,” Williams said. “We teach several different topics that cover security – not just basic user awareness, but more in depth, to understanding the intricacies involved in having an attacker try to get into your network,” Morquecho explained. “It builds your foundation for higherlevel, more advanced certifications that qualify you as a more capable technician, systems administrator or information assurance support agent.” While the training is geared toward IA work force personnel, Morquecho and Williams have opened up the class to all Sailors to raise average user awareness of computer security concerns as well as offer an avenue and resource for those not in the IA community. Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (SW/AW) Marcel A. Geegbae, a biomedical technician assigned to Medical Department, signed up for the class because he is personally and professionally invested in computer
systems. “Most of our job is going digital,” Geegbae said. “If a technician comes to look at an X-ray machine, he’s not going to look at every part of it. He’s going to plug his computer into it, look at the system to see what’s wrong and fix it from right there. That’s what it’s coming to and that’s why I’m taking the class.” “I don’t think people realize how necessary it is to have this type of knowledge,” Williams said. “Department of Defense’s (DoD) IA training just gives you a broad aspect of how to protect your information, like not leaving your CAC card out. What a lot of people don’t realize is the technical aspects of how you do that.” Williams pointed out the tools available have enabled the most basic hackers to be more versatile and more dangerous. Someone completely unfamiliar with network security has the ability to hack into someone’s home wireless network because it is easier and more user-friendly than ever, Williams said. “That’s why it’s critical everybody gain some knowledge on the technical aspect of how this works and that’s what our class offers.” The training teaches regular users and system administrators to identify abnormal use on a network, Morquecho added. “If you aren’t aware of what your regular baseline network is supposed to look like, how are you going to be able to defend that network?” Morquecho asked. “How are you going to be able to identify if malicious activity is going on?” “Say I’m a security manager at a hospital,” Geegbae said. “I’m looking at a screen and saying, ‘You know, the spike in this is a little bit too much. Somebody’s doing something they’re not supposed to be doing, or somebody’s trying to get into our network to get somebody’s medical information.’ My job is to protect the patient and I have to do everything in my power, even though we are in electronics, to protect your information.”
Users are taught to discern what constitutes a secure website and whether or not information received is credible, equipping them with more protection for their personal identifiable information, Morquecho said. Because understanding the concepts of technical computer security is not part of a layperson’s general knowledge, Williams said he and Morquecho attempt to make the material relatable to all. “At the very beginning of class, we try and focus in on the basics to build up a foundation so [Sailors] will be able to understand [the lessons],” Williams said. “We try to improve on relating it to everyone. That comes from getting personnel in the class from all divisions and all aspects of Navy life.” “I understand some of the [material], but some of it is over my head,” Geegbae laughed. “That’s why, any time they go through something, they ask if there are any questions. If you don’t understand anything, you just raise your hand.” Twenty Sailors are enrolled in the current Cyber Warrior class, but Williams said he and Morquecho hope to complete two more classes before reaching San Diego. Any Sailor interested in the class or learning about protecting themselves digitally are encouraged to contact either Williams, Morquecho or Lt. j.g. G. J. Jones, Vinson’s network security officer. “It’s a great class,” Geegbae said. “I’m learning stuff about computers I can apply to work and I can apply to my home.”
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Ask The Wizard Resilience COLUMN BY
Lt. Cmdr. Robert Lippy | Carl Vinson Clinical Psychologist
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ello again Shipmates. Lt. Cmdr. Lippy here, bringing you another installment of “Ask the Wizard!” Last week I wrote about stress. I talked about some common warning signs of stress (which probably most people identified with), and suggested some strategies for managing your stress that you may not have considered. I urge all of you to continue practicing good stress management and helping your Shipmates to do the same. It is vital that you take care of yourself and your Shipmates so, as the CO says, we can “take care of this ship” and carry out our mission, and ultimately be there to take care of our family and friends waiting for us back home. Because it is such an important and pervasive issue, this week I wanted to expand on the topic of stress by talking about something related: Resilience! Rather than trying to discuss this topic articulately, I decided to share with you a brief article from the Naval Center for Combat and Operational Stress Control (NCCOSC) website (http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/nmcsd/ nccosc) that explains well the topic of resilience: Resilience: What Is It? Resilience can best be understood as a type of response to intense stress. By definition, resilience means “bouncing” or “returning to form.” Resilience to stress is not the same as resistance to stress because resistance implies that there is no response to stress. With these definitions in mind, you might think of that stress resistance is better than stress resilience. That’s not always the case. Consider the differences between steel and rubber as an example. A steel bar is resistant to stress and is capable of maintaining its form while bearing large loads. But steel is susceptible to shearing and completely breaking. A rubber brick, on the other hand, will bend easily under even small loads, but it’s extremely difficult to snap or break. Moreover, once the load is removed from the rubber, its flexibility returns it to its original form. Resilience: How to Get It and How to Keep It A scale has been developed by researchers with the National Center for PTSD to rate psychological traits that promote resilience – the ability to undergo stress and still retain mental health and well-being. Called the Response to Stressful Experiences Scale (RSES), the measurement has been tested in more than 1,000 active-duty military personnel. RSES identifies six factors that are key to psychological resilience: - Positive Outlook - Spirituality - Active Coping - Self Confidence - Learning and making meaning - Acceptance of limits Here are suggestions for developing and maintaining resilience in each of these areas: - Positive Outlook o Use people who are great at dealing with stress as role models.
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
Find an opportunity for growth in every stressful situation. Calm and comfort yourself. Try to recharge before facing the next challenge. Find something to laugh about. Practice ways to handle a situation better the next time. Spirituality Pray or meditate. Lean on faith in God or a higher power. Rely on a value system or set of guiding life principles. Active Coping Take action to fix things. Don’t give up trying to solve problems. Find a way to get help when it is needed. Face fears. Look at a problem in a number of ways. Look for creative solutions to the problem. Self Confidence Expect that you can handle a problem. Know that you will bounce back from the stressful situation. Learning and Making Meaning Look for meaning in the experience. Find strength in the meaning, purpose or mission of your life. Learn important and useful life lessons from an event and learn from past mistakes. Understand that bad things can - and do - happen to anyone. Acceptance of Limits and Circumstances Put things in perspective and realize that you will have times of joy and times of sadness. Be good at determining what situations are changeable and what situations are not (think the ‘Serenity Prayer’). Accept things you cannot change (again…‘Serenity Prayer’). Know you have limits.
“Mental flexibility is one of the common denominators of psychologically resilient people,” says Dr. Douglas C. Johnson, a clinical psychologist and one of the co-authors of the resilience scale. “To see the benefits of flexibility, just look at the difference between an oak tree and a blade of grass. The oak tree is large and massive, with a strong but rigid trunk and a system of roots and branches. The blade of grass is slight and has a very shallow root system. Yet, in the face of hurricane-force winds, it’s the oak that’s destroyed because the blade of grass is able to bend, deflect and return to form.” Mental resilience is a skill you can learn. Start by practicing at least one of the factors identified above. A big bonus: bolstering one resilience factor usually has the positive effect of boosting other resilience factors, as well. So remember that resilience is something that can be learned. As I said last week, the more we practice these skills, the stronger and more resilient we become. Keep your questions coming by emailing me at Robert. Lippy@cvn70.navy.mil with the subject line “Ask the Wizard.” I have received several questions that I have responded to on an individual basis. I will continue to look for common themes in your questions to address in future columns. But, I will also continue to present topics that I think will be beneficial for the crew as a whole.
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DIALOGUES D E C K P L A T E
| What media personality would you like to come aboard next? | “Chelsea Handler. She would bring humor to our everyday routine.”
“Conan O’Brien, because I would like to see his take on our way of life out here.”
ABHAN Kimberly Simmonds
OSSN D a n i e l l e W o o d
“I would like Steven Colbert to visit. He would definitely bring up some of the morale.”
“Jay Leno. I like his big chin.”
MA2 Andrew Hochstein
ABFAN S h a v n a N e w e l l
Electrohydraulic Steering Gear - The direction of a ship moving through the water is controlled by changing the angle of its rudder(s), located in the stern of the ship. As the gross tonnage of ship increases, more and more force is required to move the rudder(s) through the required angle. On a large ship, the power required to position the rudder is provided by one or more electrohydraulic steering engines which respond to rudder orders transmitted electrically from the helm (steering wheel) in the pilot house to the steering gear, located directly above the rudder(s) in the stern. The steering engine or gear transmits power from the steering engine to the rudder stock. The term steering gear normally includes the driving engine and the transmitting mechanism.
Arresting Gear Engine - Simply stated, arrestment is accomplished in the following manner: the arresting hook of the incoming aircraft engages a wire rope cable, called a deck pendant, that spans the flight deck in the landing area. The force of the forward motion of the aircraft is transferred to purchase cables that are reeved around a movable crosshead of sheaves and a fixed sheave assembly of the arresting engine. The movable crosshead is moved toward the fixed sheave assembly as the aircraft pulls the purchase cables off the arresting engine, forcing a ram into the cylinder holding pressurized hydraulic fluid (ethylene glycol). This fluid is forced out of the cylinder through a control valve that meters the flow to an accumulator until the aircraft is brought to a smooth, controlled arrested landing.
STAFF
ESWS||EAWS
STAFF
|PUBLISHER|
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 MEDIA ALCPO
|MANAGING EDITOR| MC2 (SW) BYRON C. LINDER
|PHOTO EDITOR|
MC2 (SW) JAMES R. EVANS
|GRAPHICS/LAYOUT| MC3 PHOENIX LEVIN
|STAFF WRITERS/PHOTOGRAPHERS| MC3 (SW) LUKE B. MEINEKE ABH3 (AW) RYAN M. LITTLE MCSN GEORGE M. BELL