Landing Vol 1 Issue 8

EDITOR’S NOTE: Welcome to Issue 8, the official issue of River City.

The past three weeks since the last issue have been crazy, but we’re all still here (except for those that aren’t), and you can pat yourself on the back for making it to the halfway point.

Go ahead, I’ll wait.

Doesn’t that feel good? There’s nothing wrong with a little self-congratulatory behavior from time to time. Just don’t go overboard. It’s unbecoming.

In this issue, we take a look at two of probably the most underappreciated jobs on the ship and visit the Memphis Redbirds as they go proud, trustworthy and bold against the Nashville Sounds.

A couple of people have asked about last month’s photo contest. Due to connectivity issues outside of my control, I’ve held off on posting this month’s contest to Facebook. Part of the fun is having your friends onboard vote for your photo. We will get that up as soon as possible and catch up with this month’s contest as quickly as possible.

MC1(SW/FMF/AW) Chad V. Pritt Editor

Back Cover by MCC Tommy Lamkin

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ENVIRONMENTAL

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BOATSWAIN’S MATE » OVER 230 YEARS OF TRADITION

» SOMEBODY HAS TO DO THE DIRTY WORK

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PR1 ALEXANDER » OOPSY-DAISY!

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A-ROD » TALKING TO MLB ABOUT PEDs?

JULY 14, 2013 ¬

JOHN CONNOR WARNED US » DARPA AND NAVY SHOW OFF NEW HARDWARE

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Landing Magazine is published tri-weekly by USS Kearsarge Public Affairs. The Commanding Officer has determined this publication operationally necessary. The use of a name of any specific manufacturer, commercial product, commodity, or service in this publication does not imply endorsement by the Navy. Any opinions herein are those of the authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of the Commanding Officer, the Department of the Navy, or the Department of Defense.

The Drug and Alcohol Program Advisor (DAPA) onboard is me, ABHCS Ponders, and the Assistant DAPA is IT1 Hersey. ABHC Dodge has been chosen to be the next DAPA. The DAPA is the Commanding Officer’s advisor on all matters related to alcohol or other drugs. Among other duties, DAPAs conduct administrative screenings, prepare required reports (i.e. DAARs - Drug/Alcohol Abuse Report), provide prevention education, and monitor aftercare.

The chain of command fully supports any KEARSARGE Sailor receiving treatment to return that Sailor fit for full duty. Any Sailor, from E-1 to O-10, may have some sort of substance abuse or alcohol dependency problem that has gone unnoticed. Through the numerous awareness trainings, such as ADAMS for Supervisors (E-5 and above every five years) and Alcohol-AWARE (E1-E4 and O1O3), my DAPA Team does its very best to educate the crew of KEARSARGE to try to reduce the number of alcohol-related incidents that will effect a Sailor’s career as well as their shipmates and families.

Programs sponsored by Navy Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention (NADAP), such as the “Right Spirit” campaign, “Keep What You’ve Earned” campaign, “That Guy”, and a few others, all do their best to deglamorize the irresponsible use of alcohol. The Navy does not say you cannot drink alcohol, but to do it responsibly!

ABHCS(AW/SW) Damien Ponders Drug and Alcohol Program Advisor

EIDWS 6 Steps of Intelligence: Planning and Directing Collection Processing and Exploitation Analysis and Production Dissemination and Integration Evaluation and Feedback 3 Categories of Intelligence: Tactical Intelligence Operational Intelligence Strategic Intelligence

4 Types of Amphibious Operations: Amphibious Assault- Principal type of amphibious operation. It involves establishing a force on a hostile or potentially hostile shore.

Amphibious Demonstration- An amphibious operation conducted to deceive the enemy by a show of force with exception of deluding the enemy into a course of action unfavorable to it.

Amphibious Raid- An amphibious operation involving swift incursion into or a temporary occupation of an objective followed by a planned withdrawal.

Amphibious Withdrawal-An amphibious operation involving the extraction of forces by sea in naval ships or craft from a hostile or potentially hostile shore.

DOD SPOTLIGHT

RISE OF OUR REPLACEMENTS: DARPA BATTLE BOTS BEGUILE Fox News experience wasn’t quite the same as He’s six-two, weighs 330 pounds, and handling an actual, physical robot,” Pratt has arms that stretch wider than a car – but said.

Hydraulically powered the NFL doesn’t want this guy in its lineup.

Weight (incl. powerpack): 330 lbs “Now these seven teams will see if their Defense contractors on Thursday simulation-honed algorithms can run a Height: 74” unveiled one of the most advanced real machine in real environments. And Shoulder Width: 30” humanoid robots ever built as part of the we expect all teams will be further refining Number of hydraulic joints: 28 DARPA Virtual Robotics Challenge in their algorithms, using both simulation Other features: Crash protection, modular wrists, Waltham, Mass. Called ATLAS , the giant and experimentation.”

LIDAR, stereo sensors is controlled by a human operator, who guides the sensors, hydraulics, and limbs through a range of natural motions, the military said.

He can walk up stairs, stay upright after getting hit with heavy weights, and climb over or around obstacles in his path -and may ultimately boost the ability of first responders in a disaster scenario.

“We have dramatically raised the expectations for robotic capabilities with this Challenge, and brought together a diverse group of teams to compete,” said Gill Pratt, program manager for the DARPA Robotics Challenge.

And ATLAS is just one of the robots in the military’s latest robobuilding contest.

“The Virtual Robotics Challenge was a proving ground for teams’ ability to create software to control a robot in a hypothetical scenario. The DRC Simulator tasks were fairly accurate representations Really cool robot pics Really cool robot pics courtesy of DARPA of real world causes and effects, butof DARPA the courtesy

The Stats:

And Then There’s This Thing...

National Defense Magazine

A malfunction during the Navy’s highprofile test flight of its X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System showed that the drone can operate in adverse conditions, service officials said.

The tailless, airborne autonomous vehicle landed on the naval aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush for the first time July 10, paving the way for future use of unmanned aerial vehicles in carrier operations.

“It was nothing short of amazing,” Rear

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Adm. Mat Winter, program executive officer for unmanned aviation and strike weapons, said during a July 11 conference call.

Despite its success, concerns were raised regarding the last of three landing approaches. In it, the aircraft diagnosed a malfunction within its navigation system that caused it to divert its course to Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

This incident proved to naval officials that the X-47B was able to function autonomously.

“You have to design it with unprecedented levels of reliability and system safety,” said Capt.

Jaime Engdahl, Navy UCAS program manager.

“Everything went right.”

In this case, one of the three navigational sub-systems failed, according to post-flight data. “The other two [subsystems] realized that.

It exercised its already pre-planned logic and identified that sub-system anomaly, provided that indication to the mission operator who then made the appropriate choice to follow the procedures in the test plan,” said Engdahl.

From the perspective of its managers, the system was designed for scenarios including off-nominal behavior, he added.

WORLD SPOTLIGHT

STATE DEPARTMENT CALLS FOR MORSY RELEASE CNN Washington — State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki called Friday for the release of ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy from detention, marking the first time the United States has made such a call.

Psaki said the detentions of Morsy and members of the Muslim Brotherhood were “politically motivated” and urged the military to let them go.

Tens of thousands of people rallied Friday in front of a Cairo mosque calling not only for his release, but for his restoration to the

Photo courtesy of CNN

Supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsy attend a rally before breaking the daily fast on the second day of Ramadan, the sacred holy month for Muslims, on Thursday, July 11, in Cairo. The military said it would address the issues of this week’s deadly violence, making it unclear whether the religious observance would calm or inflame tensions.

job of president. Morsy’s supporters filled two avenues of the Nasr City neighborhood as far as the eye could see.

Fifty-one people died there Monday when protesters clashed with security forces, who opened fire.

Many of his supporters have vowed to risk their lives to see him back in power.

Those backing his overthrow were unpersuaded. Interim Prime Minister Hazem El-Beblawi was working to complete a new government by Monday, a state news agency said.

The prime minister of Turkey, a close U.S. ally, agreed with the Brotherhood on Thursday, calling the coup that removed the Islamist president from power “illegitimate.”

“Every military coup, regardless of its target, country and reason, is the murderer of the democracy, people and the future of the country,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, according to the Anadolu state news agency.

Massive protests in Tahrir Square against Morsy did not make a coup legal, he said.

Erdogan heads an Islamic government and has faced off in street battles with secular protesters recently. His country’s military has traditionally held the role of preserving the secular nature of Turkish democracy.

The Obama administration has not referred to Morsy’s ouster through military might as a “coup.” The use of the term could force the United States to terminate aid to

Unsportsman Like Conduct:

Brazilian fans kill, quarter ref who stabbed player CNN SAO PAULO, Brazil – Police say enraged spectators invaded a football field, stoned the referee to death and quartered his body after he stabbed a player to death.

Quartering is the act of severing, usually by force, all four limbs.

The Public Safety Department of the state of Maranhao says in a statement that it all started when referee Otavio da Silva expelled player Josenir Abreu from a game last

weekend. The two got into a fist fight, then Silva took out a knife and stabbed Abreu, who died on his way to the hospital.

The statement issued this week says Abreu’s friends and relatives immediately “rushed into the field, stoned the referee to death and quartered his body.”

Local news media say the spectators also decapitated Silva and stuck his head on a stake in the middle of the field.

Police have arrested one suspect.

Egypt’s military.

A Pentagon source said Thursday that the White House planned to deliver four F-16 fighters to Egypt, but is reviewing its military aid arrangements.

President Barack Obama spoke by telephone with Saudi King Abdullah about the recent developments in Egypt.

“They agreed that the United States and Saudi Arabia have a shared interest in supporting Egypt’s stability,” according to a readout of their conversation.

THE MOST ADORABLE 911 CALL. EVER. Fox News A 5-year-old New Jersey girl dialed 911 when her mother began choking on a chip, thinking her father would be on the other end of the line.

“Daddy, mommy’s choking,” Chloe Olson of Ridgewood, N.J., told the 911 dispatcher Tuesday.

Kerry Olson, the girl’s mother, had recovered by the time rescue units arrived, but police and her family commended Chloe for her quick thinking.

“You could tell she was a little concerned and scared,” said Police Chief John Ward, according to The Associated Press. “She still knew enough to talk to the dispatchers, work it through.”

Below is the transcript of Chloe’s 911 call: 911 dispatcher: “Where’s your emergency? ... Hello?”

Chloe: “Daddy? Hello? Daddy, mommy’s choking.”

Dispatcher: “She’s choking?”

Chloe: “Yes, she can’t talk right now.”

Dispatcher: “OK, she can’t talk?”

Chloe: “No.” Dispatcher: “OK, can you open the front door and I’ll get help over to you?”

Chloe: “OK.” Dispatcher: “Alright, open the front door.

I’ll be right there.”

Chloe: “Love you, bye.”

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Have you ever had the misfortune of parking next to a dumpster behind a buffet restaurant in the dead heat of summer? If you don’t remember, chances are you haven’t. There’s a certain odor that it gives off, the olfactory symphony of discarded meat, fermenting fruits and rotting vegetables. It so happens a similar amalgamation exists onboard the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3): the ship’s environmental waste processing room – or “environmental.” This is where half-eaten meals, discarded soda cans and dip bottles go to die.

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Less dramatically, it’s where the ship processes all of its garbage to prepare it for disposal – and it’s located off the main thorough-fare of the ship: the double-wide passageway.

Proper disposal of trash at sea is vital and, if it is not done correctly, can become unsanitary and unhealthy. It’s a dirty job, but the Sailors and Marines working in environmental play an important role in keeping the ship and the environment clean, day in and day out.

“Can you imagine if we didn’t have the Sailors and Marines in environmental processing trash?” asked Kearsarge Waste Management Officer, Lt. j.g. Gamalier Rivera. “If we didn’t process the trash there is no way that we could spend so many months at sea. The ship would have to pull in due to sanitation issues. It is one of the most important jobs on this ship. It is a dirty job that nobody wants to do and I admire those guys that work in there. It’s hard, it’s dirty, but they get in there and work hard getting the job done.”

When you walk down the double-wide passageway, the smell just slaps you in the face. With temperatures reaching over 90

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degrees, the smell of day-old food and trash can cause the toughest Marine, the saltiest Sailor to choke. You wonder how the people working there deal with it.

“The smell is something that takes some getting used to, but now it really isn't that bad,” said Machinist's Mate Fireman Jessica Bauer. “Smelling like trash is definitely a downfall, but I think it is really important for the ship because otherwise we would have trash piled up everywhere and everyone’s health would be compromised.”

With almost 3,000 personnel deployed on Kearsarge using mission-centric supplies and morale-boosting consumables, about 650,000 pounds of trash is created each month underway. And all of it needs to be sorted and processed properly.

That breaks down to approximately 100,000 pounds of plastic, 400,000 pounds of processed metal and glass, and 150,000 pounds of cardboard and paper per month while out to sea. Need a visual? That’s enough to fill the hangar bay three times.

Some of those things would make Captain Planet cry crystal-clear streams if thrown overboard, so Kearsarge and the U.S. Navy processes those differently, and holds them until they can be disposed of in port.

“It could cause problems not only with the environment, but with our relations with other countries as well,” said Bauer. “No one wants to live with someone else’s litter.”

Nine Sailors and Marines are trained to

work with several machines, such as the pulper, which is like a gigantic garbage disposal which breaks down food and paper waste. Salt water is introduced to speed up the process of breaking it all down. The resulting pulp is then discharged overboard in a festive display of aquatic confetti.

The plastic shredder grinds hard plastic so that it can be easily melted down in one of the four compressed melting units that turn the material into puck-shaped disc for off-load to another ship or disposal ashore.

Metal is processed by the can densifier which crushes metal down to cubes to be thrown over the side. Kind of like Wall-E, but not as cute.

“All the Sailors and Marines working in environmental are TAD (temporary assigned duty),” said Fireman David Blancowatson. “We are given three days of training from the person that we will be relieving. They teach us everything that we need to know, such as safety precautions and how to work the machines.”

The ship’s environmental shop is charged with making sure the crew is a good custodian of the planet by enforcing the Navy's strict environmental stewardship policy. This ensures that nothing goes into the water that is hazardous to marine life.

“We spend the day making sure people’s trash is separated when they bring it to us,” said Lance Cpl. Branden Harford. “We process solid wastes within guidelines that will not harm the environment. The smell is bad and we get real dirty, but at the end of the day I feel good about the work I do here.

The ship uses three methods for disposing trash: plastic processing, pulping, and over the side. Although it may seem the Navy is polluting, they’re not. What is being thrown overboard, such as paper and metal, is biodegradable.

“We process roughly, around two hundred bags a day,” said Blancowatson.

“We get a lot of food from the mess decks.

When the trash is piled to the ceiling the smell is horrible. It may take more than one day to process it all but with pretty much a combined effort between day and night crew, it is almost a clean slate for the next day.”

If you haven’t guessed, working in environmental isn’t glamorous, it isn’t sexy and it isn’t cushy. It’s the day-to-day grind of Sailors and Marines working outside their primary occupation, determined to complete a vital mission.

“Working in environmental is a job that no one wants to do,” said Blancowatson.

“But it is a job that has to be done. Working 12 hours with trash isn’t ideal but it’s one of those jobs that people don’t realize how important it is. Yeah, I have to shower two to three times a day, but I do my job to the best of my ability. Though some look down on the job and don’t want to do it, it is good to know that others appreciate what I am doing and the services I provide.”

It’s a service that can be made more difficult by the improper sorting of

trash. Bags of paper with little plastic bits hidden throughout can cause undue delays in processing, creating a backup, and increasing the vileness of the smell.

“Proper processing of trash and recycling protects the environment and it saves the government thousands of dollars by utilizing our own equipment,” said Rivera. “Everyone on the ship needs to understand that when you don’t sort your trash properly, you’re actually hurting the next guy who has to go through and do it for you.”

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MCSN Travis DiPerna

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That is no different than the pride evident in the work of boatswain’s mates aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3).

“I love my job,” said Boatswain’s Mate First Class Tony Layton, his lean frame and genuine personality outshined only by an intense glare that can be felt through walls.

“When it comes to the boatswain’s mate rate, we have a lot of pride and we love it.

Even as a first class I still get my hands dirty and I try to lead by example. That’s how you breed good boatswain’s mates.”

He wasn’t the only person to mention that the senior enlisted enjoy working sideby-side, sweating and toiling as hard as the most junior seaman.

“It’s tradition for us [boatswain’s mates] to work hard, improving the standard of our ship,” said Boatswain’s Mate Seaman Jamiqua Pearson, while sanding a hatchway as part of preservation work. “Our first classes still work hard even after climbing the chain of command, and they take pride

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in what they do. They set the example and it keeps me motivated.”

Her small stature – she’s 5’5” – doesn’t hinder Pearson from performing her duties, even one as massive as driving a deployed warship 3,000 miles from home.

“My friends back home are so amazed when I say I get to drive a warship,” said Pearson. “On top of that, I have a good time doing it. There aren’t many things that can top the first time I cranked the ship up to 25 knots and made a giant turn.”

“That’s how you breed good boatswain’s mates.”

-Tony Layton, USN

Even though she’s a hardworking Sailor, as a boatswain’s mate it all comes down to teamwork and finishing the job.

They must constantly rely on one another to remain out of harm’s way in countless evolutions, such as directing landing craft air cushions (LCAC) in the well deck, or heaving line with 15 other boatswain’s mates in the forecastle.

“Every thing we do on a daily basis

requires an all-hands effort,” said Boatswain’s Mate Second Class Terence Peran-Viernes. “The vastness of the upper vehicle stowage and well deck can’t be maintained by just a few people, it takes our entire division. At the end of the day, it’s a hell of a feeling and it’s something to be proud of.”

Boatswain’s mates can be found in a multitude of spaces performing a range of tasks from anchoring the ship to being an honors boatswain’s mate.

Although technological advances, such as the mechanized anchor windlass, have modernized much of today’s manual labor, boatswain’s mates have the same missions they did in the 19th century.

A hundred and fifty years ago, boatswain’s mates would work long hours to mend salt-scorched wood and continuously defend the physical integrity of the ship from the harsh sea and unrelenting elements. They fought tirelessly, often through meals and muchdeserved sleep, to control the algae below decks, in the bowels of the ship. They stood watch to track the stars late into the night to make sure the ship stayed on course.

In today’s day and age, they still work long hours to maintain the ship, but to combat a new enemy, rust, and they still stand watch on the bridge, steering the ship to the correct coordinates.

“My job is my life,” said Layton. “There are many times when you think you can’t work another hour but the ship has to be maintained, so my brothers and sisters always fight through the humidity of the forecastle and the grueling heat of the well deck to finish the job.”

The pride of a boatswain’s mate originates not only from the brutal physical labor that they endure, but also from being equipped with the most recognizable tools in the Navy: the pipe and lanyard.

The pipe originated before technology such as the 1MC, and was vital in keeping the crew informed over the sound of the roaring seas. Tuning and playing it properly

is the difference between a harsh shriek and a beautiful tune and can only come with time and experience.

“It’s a pipe!” Exclaimed Peran-Viernes. “We hate when people call it a whistle because whistles are for dogs,” A lanyard is a reflection of a particular individual’s knowledge level and creativity.

A more complicated lanyard demonstrates an increased level of skill, experience, and pride. Whenever a boatswain’s mate makes it to a certain benchmark in their career, they pass down the sacred tools.

“You pass down your lanyard, pipe, knife and sheath,” said Layton. It was easy to see that even as he said this, he was thinking

back to the day the tools of his trade were passed on to him. “It’s tradition to pass the torch, but it is hard to let go because of the sentimental value from forging these tools with your own two hands. The leather is hardened and darkened from the years of wear and tear and the tools carry so much history. It isn’t just something that was bought in a store. It is a big part of our heritage.”

“On the surface, people just see us as paint-chippers and needle-gunners, but we do so much more than that,” said PeranViernes. “We are the backbone of the Navy.”

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Military appreciation was the theme on July 6, 2013 as the Memphis Redbirds took the field against their in-state rival, the Nashville Sounds. The Redbirds, who bare a striking resemblance to their big brothers in St. Louis, wore camo pattern uniforms and military-themed ball caps as part of the festivities for the annual Armed Forces Game.

Among those ball caps, you found three from USS Kearsarge, each having the name of a Sailor and Memphis native embroidered on the back in big proud gold letters.

Pitcher Nick Additon, representing Lt j.g. Madisyn Strole had seven strong innings on the mound retiring the first 14 batters he faced, to earn the win.

Top prospect and second baseman Kolten Wong, wearing the cap of OS2 DeShawn Tillman hit a blaring solo shot over the right wall. Wong was a recent selection in the Futures game.

World Series champion and pitcher Marc Rzepczynski’s represented HMC Marquita Culley.

The Redbirds beat the Sounds 7-2 at AutoZone Park.

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Michelle Alexander MC3 Derek Paumen

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I was really excited to interview Aircrew Survival Equipmentman 1st Class Michelle Alexander after I found out I would be doing this issue’s ‘Q and A’. I had no idea what she was about, and not much to go on, except she is the one who makes all the deployment baby blankets, but my editor said I’d have fun. Being the type to never steer me wrong, I trusted his brilliance.

After sitting down with her, I found out there is a whole lot more to her then just sewing.

DP: What inspired you to join the navy?

MA: The chance to leave my hometown and have some adventures.

DP: What’s your hometown?

MA: My hometown is Calais, Maine. It has about 3,000 people… It’s Mayberry. You can walk to Canada from my parent’s house.

DP: Was aircrew survival equipmentman what you originally wanted to do?

MA: No. Actually, I came into the Navy as an air-traffic controller (AC).

DP: Why did you switch?

MA: I cross-rated in 1999. They gave me a choice of three ratings. So it was either PR, JO or AG. \

DP: If you were a JO, you would be one of us right now.

MA: Right? I know, that’s the funny part. So they came back and said, “Congratulations, you are a PR.” I said, “Cool, when do I leave?”

I left in October of 1999 and reported to A-school. One of my A-school instructors is actually on board this ship. He was Staff Sgt. Moran back then. I used to walk in the classroom and do 20 pushups and then sit down because I knew my mouth was going to earn it. I was going to say something stupid at some point.

DP: It’s a small world isn’t it?

MA: It is! For aviation, we go to school with the Marines. That’s why I have two Lance Corporals working here now. That’s their MOS, parachute rigger. It sounds way more glamorous than it really is. I just stick with telling people I’m a parachute rigger. I don’t go into detail and tell them I do a lot of sewing or anything like that.

DP: What was your favorite duty station, and why?

MA: It was China Lake, Calif. It’s in the

middle of nowhere. So, I was trying to leave Maine, trying to get away from Mayberry. I found the California desert version. There’s a Wal-Mart there and that’s about it. I had my oldest son there, so I’ll always have a soft spot.

DP: How would you describe your job to someone outside of the Navy?

MA: The slogan for parachute riggers is, “We’re the last to let you down.” I joined to save lives. It’s more of a preventive thing, and I hope to God that my gear never gets used.

I would explain that parachute rigging is preventive maintenance for when everything else breaks.

DP: What’s an average day like for you in this shop?

MA: (laughs) It usually involves a lot of laughing. I have the best crew working for me; don’t tell them I said that. They are a really great bunch of guys. They get along well with each other. They have one common goal in their life, which is to drive me crazy. When I walk in, I’ll prep MAFS for the day and we’ll set up the work-load. I’m training PR3 Bates to take over and run the work center and he’s doing really well. We’ll cut the workload for the day. We’ll inflate whatever needs to be leak tested. It’s usually a one to four-hour check. Before we take them down to repack them, the guys will get a little time to go to the gym while we’re waiting for the leak test.

DP: Are the days consistent?

MA: Yes. We know what is coming. The squadrons give us a maintenance plan in advance. So within a given month, we know what’s coming on each day. What we do is maintain what is called the 10 percent pool.

The squadrons come out with all the gear they are going to need for deployment. All the life rafts, life preservers, regulators... They come out with all that gear, plus 10 percent. So what we do is take that 10 percent and it when they bring us gear that is due for inspection, we replace it with what we have in the pool. Then they can go back on their way. We don’t have to stop flights while we repack and inspect their gear.

DP: If you were a civilian, what job would you like to have?

MA: Anything that has to do with safety inspections or safety equipment, things like that. Similar to what I do now, but on a broader scheme that doesn’t involve people jumping out of perfectly good airplanes.

DP: Pancakes or waffles?

MA: Neither, I’m a french toast girl. When they have powdered sugar on the mess line, I’m a happy camper.

DP: Maple… or blueberry syrup?

MA: I’m supposed to say blueberry because that’s a major Maine export, but I’m a maple syrup person. And not the watered down syrup we have here, the out-of-a-tree maple syrup.

DP: You sew blankets for all the deployment newborns, what inspired you to do this?

MA: I have a ton of baby material. My kids are older, so they don’t need baby blankets anymore. I like to sew to relax. I ended up making a pool of stuff, and I thought, “What am I going to do with all of this?” I end up giving it away. Baby blankets are easy, they are quick, they are pretty and it makes people happy when I give them away.

DP: Is this the first deployment that you are sewing for newborns?

MA: Yes it is. I’ve done it at prior commands, but never on sea duty. This is my deployment challenge, because this takes a lot of work.

DP: Are all of the blankets different, or do you follow a template?

MA: Yes, they are different, because I have a limited amount of material. I have a JoAnnfabric.com disorder, where I order hundreds of dollars’ worth of material and I can’t wait until I get it on an upcoming RAS. DP: Are you more of a 80s or 90s person?

MA: I grew up in both.

DP: So, you like both?

MA: Oh, yeah!

DP: Well, which one do you like most?

MA: It depends on the day. I have the worst taste in music, ask anybody. I have music which unfortunately came out before some people I know were born. Or I’ll be listening to Katy Perry, Grace Potter, Joss Stone or Disturbed. I don’t care, I’ll listen to anything.

It’s all on my iPod. DP: What accessory from either of those decades would you want to come back?

MA: None of it! None of the leotards, the pegged jeans with the slouch socks, I don’t want to see any of that come back. The CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE VOLUME I - ISSUE 8

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17 jumpsuits came back in a horrible way, and I don’t want to see any of it. Though, jean jackets would be nice. I liked my jean jacket.

DP: I’m a Summer Olympics person. Are you a Summer or Winter Olympics person?

MA: I’m not an in-front-of-the-TV person.

I don’t watch TV. I don’t care about the Olympics, even though I probably should.

I’m usually outside. I’m not a sporty type, I can swing a hammer, I can’t swing a bat. I’m a licensed contractor, so I fix things. I would be on a roof before I’m on a couch in front of the TV. DP: Hockey or curling?

MA: Oh, yeah, hockey. It’s a New England thing. Give blood, play hockey. The Boston Bruins are playing right now and I heard they lost to Chicago. I’m supposed to be a Bruins fan because we are from that area. Six states share a team, so we are pretty loyal. I couldn’t name any two players though; I’m not going to lie. I know they are Boston team, so I’m a fan.

DP: Paper or plastic?

MA: Paper, because I’m going to reuse it anyway.

It’s biodegradable.

DP: Do you have a favorite part of this deployment so far?

MA: Tomorrow.

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DP: What’s tomorrow?

MA: It’s not today. Every day I’m looking forward to the next day, and the next day, and the next day because it’s one day closer to my kids. I’m homesick. I miss my little boys. And I just can’t wait to be back.

DP: Do you have any personal goals for this deployment, and if so, what are they?

MA: This is my last deployment. I just want to finish it. And to have as much fun as possible because I’m never going to have this opportunity again… To ride a ship around the world for free.

Never again. I would have never have gone to Israel. I’m so glad we went because Jerusalem was amazing. I am never going to go to half of the places that we get to go to, ever again. So, it’s kind of awesome. Not many people get to do this.

in the double wide. You have nothing better to do than to get qualified as far up as you can. Because once you are, nobody can touch you.

DP: You are the First Class Petty Officer Association president. Do I sense a 2016 run for the White House?

MA: (laughs) Absolutely not. I think this will be my last stint in politics in any way, shape or form. It’s been a great run with a great group of people.

DP: Besides A-school, have you gone to any other schools?

MA: I’ve been to clown college. I was stationed in San Diego when I was an AC. West Coast Sailors in the 90s, especially in an AC rate, were off by noon every day, got bored. So I enrolled. It looked like fun. I still make balloon animals, which is really great DP: So, your goal is to enjoy it?

MA: Yes. You should do that every day with for my kids. I used to do volunteer work at a your life. I’m goofy, I know, but that’s why I’m children’s hospital. The school lasted about a month. You learn the basics and choose your this way. I’m usually having fun. clown name. There really is a whole process.

DP: Do you think goals are important for This was back in ‘97 or ‘98. It’s really hard to deployment?

MA: Yes. If you don’t have your pins, get them. From the Editor: Is there somebody out If you already have yours, help someone get there we just have to interview? Who do you theirs. This is the single best time to get it want to hear from? E-mail me at prittc@ done. Where else are you going to go? You lhd3.navy.mil with your suggestion. We are not going to have car trouble. You are not can’t promise we’ll make it happen, but we’ll going to be late for work, unless there’s traffic see what we can do.

ALEX RODRIGUEZ REPORTEDLY MEETS WITH MLB INVESTIGATORS CNN Alex Rodriguez met with Major League Baseball officials probing the distribution of banned performance-enhancing drugs.

The meeting took place Friday before the New York Yankees third baseman’s latest injury rehabilitation game in the minor leagues was rained out.

While A-Rod didn’t speak with reporters Friday, the meeting was confirmed by a person who spoke on condition of anonymity because no statements were authorized.

MLB investigators are probing the closed anti-aging clinic Biogenesis. Rodriguez has said he used PEDs while with Texas from 2001-03 but has denied using them since. He was linked to Biogenesis in a report in January

by Miami New Times.

It was not known whether Rodriguez refused to answer MLB’s questions.

Coming back from hip surgery in January, he had been scheduled to play third base for Class A Tampa. A-Rod was not at Steinbrenner

Field when Friday’s game was called, marking the second straight day he did not speak with reporters. He also did not take part in pregame batting practice with the Tampa players.

A team official said the Yankees are evaluating whether Rodriguez will stay in Tampa this weekend, where the weather forecast calls for additional rain, or be moved to another minor league team.

On Friday, the grounds crew put the tarp on the field around 6:20 p.m., 40 minutes before the scheduled start, and just before heavy rainfall left big puddles on the warning track and in parts of the outfield. A lightning strike during the storm knocked out most of the playing field lights.

Rodriguez started at third on Thursday and fielded one grounder before a sudden downpour made the field unplayable and the game was canceled after one-half inning.

Rodriguez is 2 for 15 (.133) with one RBI in six minor league games for Tampa and Charleston, both Class A farm teams.

KESELOWSKI WINS POLE AT NEW HAMPSHIRE Associated Press LOUDON, N.H. — Brad Keselowski is back on top of NASCAR. Well, for a race, at least.

But he’s quickly running out of time to make it back to the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship and defend his series championship.

His first pole of the season might give his season the boost he needs to become a contender.

Keselowski turned a lap of 135.922 mph on Friday to set a track record at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Keselowski won only his third career pole and first since 2011. With eight races left until the 12-driver Chase field is set, Keselowski is winless and sitting in an uncomfortable 13th place in the points standings.

“There is a sense of urgency but not a sense of panic,” Keselowski said. “I think there is a strong difference between the two. We are eager to get going, we are hungry and feel like we can do it but I don’t feel a sense of panic. There are still two

months of racing essentially to get into the Chase.”

Keselowski led a fast day at the track as nine drivers topped the previous track record held by Ryan Newman, who went 135.232 in 2011.

Ten drivers topped that lap until points leader Jimmie Johnson’s second-fastest qualifying time was scrapped after his car failed inspection. His No. 48 Chevrolet, which had two issues in the pre-qualifying inspection, failed after his attempt because both sides of the front were too low. He’ll start in the rear in 43rd.

“We were able to get the car right,” crew chief Chad Knaus said. “just not exactly right.”

Johnson will actually start behind 71-yearold Morgan Shepherd. Shepherd will become the oldest driver to start a NASCAR Sprint Cup race.

Shepherd, who went only 128.290 in qualifying, made his Cup debut in 1970 and won four times in NASCAR’s top series. He finished as high as fifth in the final standings in 1990 and hasn’t started a race since 2006.

Four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon had no problem with Shepherd competing on Sunday.

MLB STANDINGS A M E R I C A N EAST Boston 58-37 Tampa Bay 53-41 Baltimore 52-42 NY Yankees 51-42 Toronto 44-48 CENTRAL Detroit 51-41 Cleveland 49-44 Kansas‌ City 43-47 Minnesota 37-53 Chicago White Sox 36-53 WEST Oakland 54-39 Texas 53-40 LA Angels 44-47 Seattle 41-52 Houston 33-59 N A T I O EAST Atlanta Washington Philadelphia NY Mets Miami CENTRAL St.Louis Pittsburgh Cincinnati Chicago Cubs Milwaukee WEST Arizona LA Dodgers Colorado San Francisco San Diego VOLUME I - ISSUE 8

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