I T I: Y | Y A S | Y A P | E C | M S
Vol 03 No 29 | March 13, 2012
Carl Vinson Celebrates 30 years of excellence
Cover Illustration by: MC3 Phoenix Levin | Carl Vinson Staff Graphic Artist
CONTINUE ‘30TH BIRTHDAY’ ON PAGE 2
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Carl Vinson Marks 30 Years of Service STORY BY
MC2 (SW) Byron C. Linder | Carl Vinson Staff Writer
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arl Vinson Sailors celebrated the carrier’s 30th year of service March 13. Navy veterans who commissioned the ship joined them from afar as they recalled their service aboard Vinson. Commissioned March 13, 1982 in Newport News, Va. with Capt. Richard L. Martin as her first commanding officer, the Navy’s third Nimitz-class carrier has completed 11 deployments spanning the world’s oceans. “When you look at the amount of time Carl Vinson has spent at sea over the last thirty years, it’s a tribute to the dedication of every Sailor who’s served aboard her. Prolonged success for a ship always equals one thing and that’s exceptional maintenance practices,” said Vinson’s Command Master Chief CMDCM (AW/ SW) Jeffrey Pickering. “It’s something we focus on in 2012 and it’s obvious that it was just as important to the Sailors who sailed Vinson for three decades before us.” Vinson Plankowner Boiler Technician 3rd Class Michael Dorgan reported to Carl Vinson in 1981 as part of the precommissioning unit (PCU). He said via email that there are multiple moments throughout his tour aboard CVN 70 that stay with him to this day. “It’s a collection of memories of the people I served with as well as the ports of call,” he said. “My years of service aboard the Vinson are very special to me, and I will always cherish them.” Mess Specialist 3rd Class Pierre Wheaton, also part of the PCU and a plankowner, shared his fondest memories. “Watching the ship being brought to life on commissioning day, seeing the ship for the first time at Newport News, and knowing I would be forever affiliated with the greatest carrier in the fleet,” are moments he still holds dear, he said in an e-mail exchange. Carl Vinson was the first modern aircraft carrier to conduct operations in the Bering Sea in 1986. In 1990, the ship
FROM ‘30TH BIRTHDAY’ ON PAGE 1
earned the first of what would be six Battle Efficiency (Battle “E”) awards. The Discovery Channel boarded Carl Vinson in 1995 to film a documentary titled “Carrier: Fortress at Sea”, chronicling the carrier’s six-month deployment to and from the Persian Gulf. In 1996 and 1998, Vinson Sailors earned the ship its second and third Battle “E” awards. Aviation Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class Casey Hall, assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 22 from 1997 to 2000, cited teamwork as a key element to the ship’s success. “The way people from all around the U.S. came together for one purpose and one mission,” he said in an e-mail. What sticks with him more than a decade later is “the way the medical staff worked on me after I was brought back on board,” after falling overboard during Vinson’s 1999 operations in the Arabian Sea. Coming together for one purpose and mission is something Vinson has become well known for. On Oct. 7, 2001, Vinson launched America’s first air strikes in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, launching more than 4,000 combat sorties. Vinson was recognized with a fourth Battle “E” award for her work that year. Plankowner Aerographer’s Mate 2nd Class (AW) James O’Brien said he felt nothing but pride when he heard of Vinson’s involvement in the War on Terror. In 2004, Carl Vinson earned a fifth Battle “E” for her successes in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The ship was the third carrier to undergo a refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) in 2005. When the ship returned to the fleet in 2010, her Sailors remembered what her first commanding officer said to them during their RCOH. “It’s the crew’s job,” Martin said during Vinson’s steppingthe-mast ceremony in 2007, “to bring the ship out of the yards with the same kind of spirit that has been with it forever.” Immediately following her RCOH the ship changed homeports from
Bremerton, Wash. to San Diego. When she began her transit from Virginia to California intending to go around the Horn of South America, a devastating earthquake struck Haiti. Vinson changed course just hours after getting underway to provide humanitarian assistance to the island nation as part of Operation Unified Response. From the flight deck, Vinson provided medical supplies, food, and fresh water to the victims. Vinson Sailors departed on her first combat deployment since RCOH November 2010 to the U.S. 5th Fleet AOR, returning June 2011. On Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11, 2011, Carl Vinson hosted the inaugural Quicken Loans Carrier Classic NCAA basketball game on the ship’s flight deck between the Michigan State Spartans and the North Carolina Tar Heels. Nineteen days later, Carl Vinson Sailors departed San Diego for her current deployment. Vinson was awarded her sixth Battle “E” in February 2012 for her performance the previous deployment. “You have done us plankowners proud. You’ve picked up the torch we passed back in the ‘80s and ran with it in ways I would have never believed,” Wheaton said. “Remember to stay modest and humble, and keep working hard to maintain the Vinson’s good name. You’re part of the best carrier in the best Navy in the world.” Vinson Sailors acknowledged the importance of maintaining the legacy they carry on. “It is a testament to our naval superiority that with teamwork and a lot of maintenance, this ship is ready for anything,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class (Handling) (AW) Logan Judd, assigned to Air Department’s V-1 Division. “I’m proud of everything this ship has been through and achieved. It has definitely had a name in the past and has carried that name with honor throughout the years,” added Seaman Jessica Hamilton of Deck Department 3rd Division, temporarily assigned to Supply Department’s S-2 Division.
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13 March 1982 – USS Carl Vinson commissioned at Newport News, Virginia.
22 September 1990 – Vinson entered the yards at Bremerton Naval Station, Washington for a 28-month complex overhaul (COH) and received her first COMNAVAIRPAC Battle “E” award for 1990.
1 March 1983 – Carl Vinson embarks on maiden deployment around the world to NAS Alameda, CA. 1984 – 1985 – Vinson earns first Meritorious Unit Commendation. February 1985 – CNO names Carl Vinson winner of the Admiral James H. Flatley Memorial Award for operational readiness and aviation safety for 1984. 12 August 1986 – Vinson departs for a western Pacific deployment, becoming the first modern U.S. aircraft carrier to operate in the Bering Sea. 15 June 1988 – Vinson and CVW-15 depart for fourth overseas deployment. Support Operation Earnest Will, escorting U.S. flagged tankers in the Persian Gulf.
16 December 1988 – Vinson is awarded Admiral Flatley Memorial Award for aviation safety. 18 September 1989 - Vinson departs Alameda to participate in PACEX PACEX ‘89, the largest peacetime naval exercisee since the Second World War. 1 February 1990 – Vinson deploys with CVW15, serving as the final deployment for the A-7 Corsair.
17 February 1994 – Vinson, with Carrier Air Wing Fourteen n embarked, departed for the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watc . Watch 17 August 1994 – Vinson returns to Alameda, receiving her third Admiral Flatley Award for aviation safety. 14 May 1996 – Vinson deploys to Pacific Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch and Operation Desert Strike. Also participated in Operation Rugged Nautilus.
1998 - With Carrier Air Wing Eleven embarked, Vinson participates in RIMPAC ‘98 before departing for the Persian Gulf. July 1999 – Vinson is drydocked in the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for 13 months as the Navy spends more than $230 million to upgrade the ship. Post refit shakedowns continue into 2000. 23 July 2001 – Again with CVW-11 embarked, Vinson steams from Bremerton, Washington, bound for the Persian Gulf to support Operation Southern Watch.
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5 15 January 2010 – The ships arrive off Port au Prince to commence operations.
11 September 2001 – In response to the terror attacks on U.S. soil, Vinson changes course and speeds toward the North Arabian Sea. 7 October 2001 – Vinson launches the first air strikes in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. For 72 days, Vinson, along with Carrier Air Wing 11, launch over 4,000 combat sorties in the War on Terror, earning the ship the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal. Vinson earns the Battle “E” and Navy Unit Commendation during this deployment. 2004 - Vinson wins the Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award, awarded to the most battle-ready ship in the U.S. Pacific Fleet.
January 2005 – Vinson departs Bremerton, Washington with CVW-9 embarks for a six month deployment, including several months in the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. November 2005 – Vinson becomes the third Nimitz-class carrier to undergo a mid-life Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH), which was scheduled to last 36 months. 12 January 2010 – Hours after the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Vinson is ordered to redirect from current deployment in the North Atlantic Ocean to Haiti to contribute to the relief effort as part of Operation Unified Response. Upon receiving orders from USSOUTHCOM, the Carl Vinson proceeds to Mayport, Florida where the ship loiters offshore to receive additional supplies and helicopters.
18 January 2010 - CNN medical correspondent and neurosurgeon Sanjay Gupta, pediatric surgeon Henri Ford, and two Navy doctors remove a piece of concrete from the skull of a 12-year-old earthquake victim in an operation performed aboard Carl Vinson. In addition to providing medical relief, CVN70’s excess desalination capacity was critical to providing water to Haiti’s population during the earthquake relief. 12 April 2010 – The carrier arrives at her new home port of Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego California. 30 November 2010 – Vinson, with Carrier Air Wing Seventeen embarked, departs Naval Air Station North Island for a three-weekcomposite training unit exercise (COMPTUEX) and its 2010–2011 deployment to the U.S. Seventh Fleet Area of Responsibility (AOR) in the Western Pacific and U.S. Fifth Fleet AORs in the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf as part of Carrier Strike Group One.
21 June 2011 – It is announced that the Michigan State Spartans will play a regular season men’s basketball game against the North Carolina Tar Heels on the flight deck of the USS Carl Vinson on Veterans Day. 11 November 2011 – The inaugural Carrier Classic takes place at Naval Air Station North Island on San Diego Bay in Coronado, California. U.S. President Barack Obama is one of 8,111 people in attendance as the Tar Heels defeat the Spartans by a score of 67–55. 30 November 2011 – Vinson departs Naval Air Station North Island, California, on its scheduled Western Pacific (WESTPAC) deployment. January 2012 – Vinson begins to patrol the Arabian Sea in order to guarantee international rights of way to all shipping within the area.
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30 Years of Air Power STORY BY
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MC2 (SW) Byron C. Linder | Carl Vinson Staff Writer
ailors working on Carl Vinson’s flight deck 30 years ago had many similarities with their modern-day counterparts. Just like the Sailors gearing back up at this moment for another day of flight ops, the singular focus in the early ‘80s was to put birds in the sky and safely bring them back home. They worked as a team to get the job done, and they conducted regular foreign object damage (FOD) walk-downs. But the nature of the missions 30 years ago was of a very different breed than today’s maritime theater security operations. When Carl Vinson was commissioned March 13, 1982 in Newport News, Va., the Cold War was still nine years from conclusion. The threat from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) came in multiple forms – Soviet-produced Mikoyan-Gurevich (MiG) supersonic jet fighters, cruise missiles and bombers - and the Navy’s air deterrence methods were designed and employed in kind. Vinson’s first deployment had Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 15 embarked, carrying seven types of aircraft: the F-14 Tomcat, the EA-6B Prowler, the A-7E Corsair, the E-2C Hawkeye, the S-3A Viking, the SH-3H Sea King, and the A-6E Intruder. Over the past 30 years, only the Prowler and Hawkeye remain in service. “When you look at the aircraft in the ‘80s flying off the Vinson, you had singlerole aircraft. The A-6 and A-7 were attack aircraft. The F-14 at the time was air-toair only, and the S-3 was your tanker,” said Cmdr. Stephen Higuera, Vinson’s assistant air officer. “Variants of the Hornet and Super Hornet now execute almost all the same missions those aircraft performed.” While transiting the Tsugaru Strait
into the Sea of Japan on the ship’s second deployment in 1984 with the USS Midway, numerous Soviet aircraft, ships and submarines continually surveyed Vinson. This forced both carriers to maintain a 24hour flight schedule. The Russians were able to close to within 60 nautical miles of Carl Vinson, with the Sailors enduring 50knot winds on the flight deck. In 1985, the action on the flight deck drew film director Tony Scott to Carl Vinson to film flight deck and aerial footage for “Top Gun”. Two years later, Carl Vinson’s current Aircraft Handling Officer Lt. Cmdr. Tommy Edgeworth reported to the USS Forrestal (CV 59) Air Department’s V-2 Division as an airman. “The flight deck, for the most part, was pretty much the same as it is today. You have some equipment upgrades over the past 24 years, but the concept and operation of the flight deck is still the same,” he said. As the Soviet threat waned, Vinson served as the final platform to deploy with the A-7 Corsair in 1990. The ship then entered the yards at Bremerton Naval Station, Wash., for a 28-month complex overhaul. Higuera emphasized the Cold War’s end in 1991 did not reduce the focus on air-toair combat skills. “I was a training officer for several squadrons, and we focused equally on airto-air training and air-to-ground training,” he said. “These days, air-to-air challenges might come from any number of countries the carrier might be near. However, they are much less frequent than back in 1983.” Following a 28-month “yard” (maintenance) period beginning September 1990, Vinson and CVW 14 deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch in 1994, the first deployment for the newest F/A-18C Hornet, flown by Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 25. Two World War II planes were launched off Vinson’s deck during San
Francisco Fleet Week in 1995, and Bay Area residents also witnessed the first-ever launch and recovery of an S-3 Viking in San Francisco Bay. 1996 saw Vinson Sailors deploying to support Operation Southern Watch a second time, enforcing no-fly zones over Iraq. Vinson also served as the platform for Operation Desert Strike. Higuera flew his Hornet in similar missions from the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) that same year. “For Operation Southern Watch, we flew surveillance missions on the southern portion of Iraq, south of the 33rd parallel and flew from the carrier in the Gulf. Also, we’d make sure the Iraqis didn’t fly any aircraft into this surveillance area,” Higuera explained. With a 1997 homeport shift to Bremerton, Wash., Vinson hosted the final carrier launch and recovery operations for the A-6E Intruder. From 1998 to 1999, Vinson and embarked CVW 11 conducted operations in the Persian Gulf, launching air strikes in support of Operations Desert Fox and Southern Watch. Vinson relieved the Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, which Higuera was a part of. “Desert Fox was a major four-day bombing campaign on Iraqi targets in December of 1998. This strike was the result of Iraq’s failure to comply with UN Security Council resolutions as well as their interference with UN Special Commission inspectors,” Higuera said. “For Operation Southern Watch, most missions were typically surveillance missions although there were a few challenges made by the Iraqis throughout the years.” Carl Vinson began the new millennium in dry dock and prepared for an upcoming deployment. She was quickly called to action in 2001. Already en route to the Persian Gulf to support Operation Southern Watch, Vinson changed course
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to the North Arabian Sea in response to the 9/11 attacks. On October 7, 2001, Vinson launched the first air strikes in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. For 72 days, Vinson and embarked CVW 11 launched more than 4,000 combat sorties. Following the exhaustive operations, 2002 saw Vinson receive a complete overhaul. During this time, the flight deck and catapults were completely renovated. In 2003 the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) resulted in a nine-month deployment from January to September, where for the first time the F-14 was not aboard. The Navy had begun phasing out the F-14 in favor of the Hornet and Super Hornet. “As a young Sailor, I remember the F-14 put on a lot more strain and maintenance for us because of the speed and the weight it came in at. It was a beast, and it’s probably my favorite aircraft,” Edgeworth noted. “I was in a unique position as one of the first Super Hornet guys in the Navy, and I transitioned three Tomcat squadrons to the Super Hornet. Every transition has its challenges,” Higuera recalled. “It was fun at the time, and I look back on those tours fondly, but when you have to get a whole squadron up to speed, it’s challenging. They had to learn the new systems and how to fly and fight the jet.” The final deployment before Vinson’s refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) in 2005 saw Vinson Sailors returning to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR) to support OIF. With a return to the fleet and homeport change in early 2010 in the works, Vinson instead responded to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, flying medical supplies, food and water to the victims. Less than seven months after arriving in San Diego, Vinson departed with CVW 17 on the first deployment since RCOH
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to provide air support for Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation New Dawn in the U.S. 5th Fleet AOR. When Vinson returned to San Diego June 2011, the flight deck received a unique transformation. The inaugural Quicken Loans Carrier Classic NCAA basketball game in November 2011 saw the Michigan State Spartans and North Carolina Tar Heels launch three-pointers and lay-ups from the flight deck court, providing more than 8,000 in attendance and millions watching on television with a memorable game. Since departing San Diego Nov. 30, 2011, Vinson is once again conducting maritime theater security operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet AOR, launching CVW 17’s aircraft to support the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines on the ground. Higuera noted although many fundamentals of the flight deck haven’t changed in 30 years, one welcome addition has been improvements in safety. “Any time a mistake is made, we learn from it. Within the tower itself, the procedures we use are more structured than they were even 10, 15 years ago. We’ve standardized procedures so fewer mistakes are made,” he said. “There’s a lot of oversight on the flight deck, with many safety observers. For example, any of our numerous officers and Sailors are able to call a foul deck if there is a foul deck incursion, which we see from time to time.” “When I came in the Navy, it wasn’t like it is today. There were a lot of Sailors who got hurt on the flight deck. Right now the number one priority is completing the mission safely,” Edgeworth emphasized. “I think that’s been the biggest improvement over the course of my time on the flight deck.” Edgeworth, observing the condition the ship is in 30 years from its commissioning, expressed confidence Carl Vinson has 20 more good years of service left in its deckplates.
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The Evolution of Navy Communications STORY BY
MC3 (SW) Luke B. Meineke | Carl Vinson Staff Writer
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hen Vinson was commissioned in 1982, reliable operation and security of communications were especially critical. Vinson began her maiden deployment March 1, 1983 at a time when the United States was embroiled in the Cold War with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) – a war primarily consisting of arms buildup in Europe, and intelligence and counter-intelligence operations throughout the world. According to a Naval Historical Center report on Carl Vinson, only four days after departing Norfolk, Va., a Soviet reconnaissance plane surveyed the ship while operating off the coast of Puerto Rico. In order to communicate between ships or from ship to shore, battle groups (now strike groups) relied heavily on high frequency (HF) transmission circuits, said Lt. Cmdr. David Oldham, Vinson’s combat systems information officer (CSIO). Oldham, joined the Navy in 1985 as a Radioman. “For ship-to-ship communications, we relied on HF frequencies back then – doing HF teletypes,” Oldham said. It was a lot higher-priority than now, Oldham said, though it had difficulties associated with it. “It takes a lot of finessing, a lot of skill to effectively get HF communications to work because you have a lot more variables involved in HF, like atmospherics, trying to get the right amount of power and the right frequency for the time of day.” In the 1980s, HF communications were not only a much more dominant medium used to communicate tactically, but the crew used it as a morale tool, as well, Oldham said. Sailors, who were reliant on “snail mail” if they wanted to communicate with their family, were able to use HF voice circuits and HAM radio operators throughout the world when both were available.
“To communicate with your family, you would find a HAM radio operator to connect with – this is someone that does this as a hobby – and you would find their frequency,” Oldham explained. “Once connected, they had the ability to take your call over a HF circuit and connect it to a telephone.” Calls were transmitted over a half-duplex circuit, which meant each person had to say “over” after they were done talking to trigger the HAM radio operator to flip it so the other person could talk. For Sailors who waited weeks for letters, this direct connection to family was important to their morale and quality of life. Carl Vinson continues to use HF circuits in daily operation, said Oldham. “We use it to communicate with the E-2C Hawkeyes and we use it to communicate with the embassies while we’re in the Persian Gulf.” Narrow communication paths, or pipes, were another limitation Vinson contended with at the beginning of its service. “Navy ships received message traffic over very small pipes, equivalent to when we first had dial-up internet with modems that put out 100 bits per second,” Oldham said. Receiving message traffic at approximately 100 bits per second to 2,400 bits per second, those narrow pathways caused problems when operational and mission demands increased, such as during conflict. “During the first Gulf War, our message traffic systems became saturated – we couldn’t handle the volume,” Oldham said. “Ships were flying message traffic around. They would put it on a helicopter and fly it from one ship to another because the communication paths were saturated and they could not push the messages through – there were just too many.” Around the same time, ships started allowing Sailors to write e-mails using the supply system. Limited to 500 characters, (roughly three tweets), e-mails in the early 1990s were written and copied to a diskette for later release. “You would go to Supply Department
and buy a diskette for a dollar, write up an email for your family, and then drop it into a box at Supply to be sent out,” Oldham explained. Email progressed through the ‘90s to self-help local area network (LAN) services that gave Sailors access to a network where they could send e-mails. “Bandwidth was very limited. Our ability to allow the crew to personally send e-mails was not like it is today,” Oldham said. Sailors were able to send e-mails off the ship, but “the incoming e-mails would be printed out and handed to the crew, hard copy,” he explained. The slow communications progression in the 1980s and ‘90s was because the Navy was reliant on an analog system which was limited to a bandwidth no higher than 9,600 bits per second. Though that system was unable to handle the amount of message traffic generated during heightened operations, the Navy was unable to advance its communications sufficiently in time for the second Gulf War. “We still had not transitioned fast enough from the first Gulf War to new technology,” Oldham said. “At the beginning of the war, we still had our systems being saturated and that’s what really forced us to transition to an IP-based system – a digital system as opposed to an analog system.” The Navy incorporated a digital system which allowed the user to expand bandwidth to provide more capacity and receive more traffic, along with super high frequency (SHF) capability in the 21st century, though the new capability still had its limitations, Oldham explained. “Over the years, we’ve gone from under a one-megabyte capacity to where we can get a carrier up to 20 megabytes of bandwidth if we needed to,” Oldham said. The increase in bandwidth has affected how ships tactically operate and, as a by-product, Sailors’ quality of life. “We are so connected now that the higher headquarters have the ability to influence what we do directly,” Oldham said. “We have the ability now, while we
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are going through the Straits of Hormuz, to have real-time video pushed back to higher headquarters so they see what we see. They are participating in the tactical environment in real-time. That is a significant difference from what it was like in the ‘80s.” Increased communication has opened up avenues of information, both technical and experienced, to create larger communities, Oldham said. “When I come into the theater and I’m trying to provide consistent reliable service for the war fighter, I’m able to reach out in real-time and get assistance. How I provide service is enhanced.” The quality of life for Sailors has improved as a by-product of addressing the increased tactical requirements of the Navy. The bandwidth required to support the mission during an operation surge can be used for quality of life purposes, such as family VTCs (video teleconference), when the mission doesn’t call for it, Oldham explained. “We’ve gotten to the point today where I feel that, for the most part, we have enough bandwidth to support
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our requirements,” Oldham said. “It’s just about becoming more effective with managing what we have to ensure what we have is optimized. We have broadband off-ship connectivity, but we’re still struggling to take the most advantage of this capacity.” Vinson Sailors today have a wide
array of methods to stay in touch with their families, whether it be the Sailor phone, Facebook, or e-mail. Vinson’s Web User Groups (WUG) are a prime example of the efforts being made every day to make connecting to loved ones back home a little easier and more convenient.
SN Jaboris Jackson stands starboard lookout watch as Vinson heads to Haiti to offer humanitarian aid. Photo by MC2 (SW) Adrian White
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30 Years of the American Sailor STORY BY
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MC3 (SW/AW) Rosa A. Arzola | Carl Vinson Staff Writer
oday is not just an anniversary for an aircraft carrier. It celebrates three decades of hard work, struggles, and history many Sailors have invested in this warship and the Navy, said Vinson’s Weapons Officer, Cmdr. Keith Rowe, who enlisted in the Navy as an E-1 in 1978. With multiple homeport changes, a Refueling Complex Overhaul (RCOH) period and 11 deployments, it is not surprising that the lifestyle and expectations of Vinson Sailors have evolved throughout the years as well. “It was a different era of Sailors back then,” said Air Department’s departing Leading Chief Petty Officer Master Chief Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (AW/SW) Robert Everson. “As times change, people change.” Senior Chief Personnel Specialist (SW/AW) Raymund Gloria joined the Navy at the age of 18 in 1986 and said that he was the norm. Most of his Shipmates were the same age, recent high school graduates and without the kind of money needed for a college education. Today, said Gloria, many Sailors with college degrees are joining the service since job opportunities are scarce in the civilian world. But it is not just the average age and education of a junior Sailor that has changed, Everson added. He noted fundamental changes starting with recruit training. “I remember back in boot camp I had to march everywhere. From chow, to the drill halls, and to classes,” said Everson, who attended Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Ill. in 1988. “The RDCs [Recruit Division Commanders] were a lot tougher back then than they are now. I remember being in formation and if a guy would make a mistake, an RDC would come curse at you and whack you across the head.” “I remember when I heard my RDC say the phrase ‘make it rain’, we would be participating in physical IT [intensive
training] until our uniform was soaking wet,” recalled Chief Logistics Specialist (SW/SCW) Beatriz Davis, Supply Department’s S-8 Division assistant leading chief petty officer. “Our RDC’s told us we were the first female division in boot camp they pushed through in 1995 and that we were not going to be like ‘typical women’. We were going to succeed and be the best.” The age-old debate as to which generation’s boot camp, “A” school or fleet experience was the “toughest” will never fade. And that’s not a bad thing, said Everson, as it opens all our eyes to the different challenges faced by different eras of Sailors. He said that one improvement he’s seen has been the re-introduction of the term “deckplate leadership” into the Chief Petty Officer’s vocabulary. “Very seldom did you see your Chiefs on a routine basis,” Everson said. “The petty officers had a lot more responsibilities back then when dealing with their junior Sailors. I always went to my first classes if I had any problems, and if I had to see the Chief it was because I was in deep trouble.” Rowe agreed that Chiefs and officers are far more engaged with the careers of their Sailors than they were 30 years ago. “It was uncommon to see a Chief in a work center and to be as involved as they are right now,” Rowe said. Everson also recalled life on a carrier meant longer working hours for the junior Sailor. “Aircraft recoveries could add up to 250 a day in comparison to 100 now,” Everson said. “Day crew was night crew and night crew was day crew. You were always on alert status. It was a lot more challenging back then but it made you tougher. The interesting part, though, is that while today’s Sailors may not have to go through some of the things we did back then, they’re just as good at their jobs as we were.” In 1994, the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) was the first carrier to have permanent women crew members and opened the doors for females to be deployed. When Vinson departed for her seventh deployment May 14, 1996 it was the carrier’s first cruise with with women onboard.
March 13, 2012
Davis said her time in the Navy has required hard work and extra effort to prove to her Shipmates she has the same capabilities as any male Sailor, and she did so during her first tour aboard the submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40) as an undesignated seaman. “It didn’t matter whether you were a male or a female,” Davis observed. “We would go over the side and paint the side of the ship whether in port or underway. The third classes got on you and made you work, but in the end it made you a better Sailor.” Although the living and working conditions were tougher decades ago, liberty was more lenient whether a junior or senior Sailor, Everson noted. “We had more port calls, no need of ‘liberty buddies’, and no curfew hours,” Everson recalled. “I had fewer restrictions as an airman than I do now as a Master Chief. But it’s a different world we live and serve in.” Rowe explained how stricter liberty policies today can be traced to advancement in technology and the ability to immediately communicate to any part of the world through the Internet. “If a small incident happened in a foreign country back then, it wasn’t as publicized as it is today,” Rowe said. “Now, we are more in the public eye and any scandal can get to American taxpayers, or anyone’s ears, in a matter of hours. We have to be very careful how we conduct ourselves in other countries.” Just as liberty, like today, was one of the things Sailors looked forward to
11 the most while on deployment, so was communication with loved ones back home, Everson said. “Mail call was very important because it was the only means of communications. You were so happy to get a letter from anybody back home,” he said. “E-mail, Sailor phones, and Internet were not available like today for Sailors and receiving news from loved ones could take weeks, if not months.” Over the course of 30 years, the standards for a Sailor who wants to make the Navy a career have shifted significantly through the use of force-shaping tools. “The days of the ‘professional seaman’ are gone. Back when I joined, you could see an E-3 Sailor that had been in the service for eight years, or second classes that were retiring with 20 years in the service,” Gloria said. “The needs and requirements have changed. The Navy has evolved, and it requires more multitasking.” “I remember back then, standing out from your peers was as simple as being to work on time, following orders, and working hard,” Everson added. “Now it’s more competitive. You have to worry about PTS [Perform To Serve], getting your warfare qualifications, meeting physical fitness standards, bettering your education, collateral duties and demonstrating you are willing to be more than the average Sailor.” “Expectations are higher. We expect far more even out of our junior Sailors than we did back then,” Rowe noted. Gloria explained why today’s Sailors have to continue to prove they are
valuable assets to the Navy. “We went from about 80 rates to about 55 from the time I joined. Part of it is the consolidation of different jobs that could be done by a single Sailor,” he said. “Rates such as Logistics Specialist or Ship’s Serviceman are greats examples of different rates consolidating into one and multitasking.” Whether a Sailor plans to commit a single enlistment or an entire career to the Navy, Rowe emphasized the importance of taking advantage of the higher education opportunities military service offers. “Today’s Sailor is a smart Sailor,” Rowe said. “They understand they have to better their education – whether staying in the military or transitioning into the civilian community – if they want to succeed in life.” Gloria emphasized Sailors have no excuses not to take advantage of their educational opportunities and obtain a college degree with the incorporation of programs such as Navy College Program for Afloat College Education (NCPACE). “NCPACE was just starting at the time frame I joined,” Gloria said. “The old Montgomery G.I. Bill was limited to about 4,000 dollars, but now you can practically get a college degree within your four years of enlistment if you apply yourself the right way and use this program the right way.” Generational differences aside, Vinson’s most seasoned Sailor stands firm with the absolute certainty that the choice he made in 1978 was the right one. “I wouldn’t trade my Navy experiences for anything. I can’t see myself doing anything else,” Rowe said.
Vinson Voice
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DIALOGUES D E C K P L A T E
| What does Vinson’s 30th anniversary mean to you? | “It’s incredible that the ship is able to operate for a period so long. It definitely shows the dedication put forth in its maintenance.” FC2 (AW/SW) P a u l S a n n e s
“Honor, Courage and Commitment - A ship that can hold onto those three qualities for thirty years makes me proud to be an American.” ICFN A r t h u r P o r t e r
“I’m proud to say that I’m part of a ship that has so much history.”
ABHAA W i l l i a m A r m s
“I feel proud to be a part of this ship and its legacy.”
ABEAN T a m e r a R e y n a
STAFF
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
ESWS||EAWS
The BMOW is in charge of the underway watch section. The status of the BMOW in this respect is the same whether the ship is in condition of readiness I, II, or III, or the regular sea watch or inport watch has been set. The normal peacetime underway watch for which the BMOW is responsible for consists of the helmsman, lee helmsman, messenger, lookouts, lifebuoy watch, and lifeboat crew of the watch. Besides being an enlisted assistant and executive arm of the OOD, the BMOW is the watch PO.
Air Plan - To obtain maximum efficiency from personnel and equipment, carrier air operations must be precisely scheduled in every respect. Air operations and strike operations are the coordinating and scheduling agencies for all flight operations. The strike operations officer will collect all required flight information for preparation of the daily air plan that will be submitted to the operations officer via the air operations officer, for approval and signature.
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/AW) ROSA A. ARZOLA MC3 (SW) LUKE B. MEINEKE ABH3 (AW) RYAN M. LITTLE