FLAGSHIPNEWS.COM | NOV 26, 2015 | THE FLAGSHIP | B7
NMOTC CELEBRATES NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE, CULTURE
Above: Tribal members from Santa Rosa County performed traditional dances as part of the Native American Heritage celebration on board NAS Pensacola. Right: Commanding Officer of Navy Medicine Operational Training Center Capt. Paul Kane presents a plaque to Chief Thomas Nichols in appreciation of his tribe’s participation in the Native American Heritage celebration on board NAS Pensacola.
Photos by HM2 Matthew Clutter
Republic of Korea Navy tours San Diego Training Center By Lt. Nicholas O’Neil Fleet Anti-Submarine Warfare Training Center Public Affairs
SAN DIEGO, CALIF.
The commander of Battle Group (BTG) 8 for the Republic of Korea navy (ROKN) toured the Center for Surface Combat Systems (CSCS) Fleet Anti-Submarine Warfare Training Center (FLEASWTRACEN) Nov. 5, as part of a combined effort to improve Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) capabilities for the ROKN. As commander of BTG 8, Rear Adm. Choi Myung-han is responsible for ASW training, qualification and assessment from unit level through Surface Action Group. Choi’s visit to FLEASWTRACEN was part of a larger area visit focusing on Navy ASW related commands in order to foster increased tactical proficiency and cooperation between allied nations. Commanding Officer of FLEASWTRACEN Capt. Scott Dugan welcomed Choi and provided a command level brief detailing mission and highlighting the process for providing ASW training. The brief focused on the maintenance, operator and tactics training pipeline for U.S. Navy sonar technicians. “We are honored to host Rear Adm. Choi and show him how we execute ASW training,” Dugan said. “We are always ready to support the ROKN in any way we can.” Following the brief, Chief Operations Specialist Dustin Wooldridge provided Choi an Anti-Submarine Tactical Air Controller demonstration by using FLEASWTRACEN’s newest tactical training laboratory. “Here at the schoolhouse, we deliver basic training in air control,” Wooldridge said. “The students learn to conduct safe
We are always ready to support the ROKN in any way we can.” -FLEASWTRACEN Commanding Officer Capt.
control of aircraft while simultaneously conducting basic ASW tactics through a series of high-fidelity simulations. When they leave the school environment, Sailors have a solid foundation of skills that they will continue to hone on at their respective ships through rigorous shipboard and fleet training.” After the demonstration, Dugan thanked Choi for visiting. “Increasing collaboration and strengthening our ability to work together is our goal and we look forward to our continued partnership in ASW training and operations,” Dugan said. As the premier ASW training center, FLEASWTRACEN develops and delivers world class training through 79 highly technical courses of instruction educating more than 4,000 Navy and partner nation Sailors annually. As a component of CSCS, FLEASWTRACEN instructs students from initial accession Sailors to junior officers and senior enlisted Sailors in the many facets of maintaining and operating their ships in the areas of antisubmarine and anti-surface warfare. For information on Fleet Anti-Submarine Warfare Training Center, visit www. netc.navy.mil/centers/cscs/fasw. Visit them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ fleaswtracen. For more news from Center for Surface Combat Systems, visit www. navy.mil/local/cscs/.
By HM2 Matthew Clutter Navy Medicine Operational Training Center Public Affairs
PENSACOLA, FLA.
Sailors from the Navy Medicine Operational Training Center (NMOTC) celebrated National American Indian Heritage Month with an observance ceremony and pot luck luncheon. Chief Thomas Nichols, a descendant of Chief Jackson Knight of Georgia and Chief William McIntosh of Alabama, along with several tribal members, highlighted typical Native American dances and music of his tribe’s culture. “An event like this gives us the opportunity to get our word out,” Nichols said. “It allows us to talk about our culture and history and greet the people of our community.” Nichols has ancestral history dating back to the Creek Indians who fought alongside Americans in the War of 1812. Three of the tribe members who participated in training center’s event are U.S. military veterans.
Native Americans have participated with distinction in U.S. military actions for more than 200 years. Today, 22,248 American Indians serve in the armed forces, making up 1.7 percent of the military population. During the presentation, Sailors asked questions and learned about a variety of unique aspects to the tribe, including the significance of feathers, and their use of homeopathic medicine. “The American Indian has a rich military history,” Commanding Officer of NMOTC Capt. Paul Kane said. “It is important to honor that and remember what a diverse military we have in the United States.” NMOTC is a global health care network of Navy medical professionals around the world who provide high-quality health care to more than one million eligible beneficiaries. Navy Medicine personnel deploy with Sailors and Marines worldwide, providing critical mission support aboard ships, in the air, under the sea and on the battlefield.
NHRC Sailors volunteer aboard USS Midway Museum By Regena Kowitz Naval Health Research Center Public Affairs
SAN DIEGO, CALIF.
Active-duty personnel from the Naval Health Research Center (NHRC) volunteered aboard USS Midway Museum Nov. 12, to help keep this piece of naval history ship-shape. A researcher at NHRC Cmdr. Abigail Marter organized the event as an opportunity to give back to the local community while also building camaraderie among NHRC’s active-duty staff. “Being in the Navy, we are already volunteers, but getting out in the community allows us to give back in more ways,” Marter said. “This was a great opportunity to come together and do something that helps others ,while also being able to connect with our Navy’s history. As researchers, we are finding solutions to modern problems or concerns, but knowing our history can inform what we do today and how we approach things.” The Midway was commissioned in 1942 and served until April 11, 1992, when she was decommissioned, making her the longest serving aircraft carrier of the 20th century. Even though Midway is now a museum, visitors can glimpse what life aboard ship is like
■ historic ship USS Midway was commissioned in 1942 and served until 1992, when she was decommissioned, making her the longest serving aircraft carrier of the 20th century.
for today’s Sailors. “We are really fortunate in San Diego to have the USS Midway,” a microbiologist with the DOD HIV and AIDS Prevention Program headquartered at NHRC Cmdr. Kellie McMullen said. “This is a really great way for people to remember their history, and I’m glad we were able to come out as a team and support it. My dad was in the Navy, so I’ve been on aircraft carriers before. As soon as I walked on, the smell is something I remembered from my childhood.” In terms of the research NHRC conducts, McMullen said that being able to visit the carrier and interact with the environment is important. “Being on the ship and walking through the spaces just helps you have some perspective on what our operational Navy experiences,” McMullen said. “Whether you’re doing human factors or warfighter performance research, it really puts things
in context. You can see how small and cramped the spaces are and better understand what shipboard life is like.” Volunteer Coordinator for USS Midway Museum Steve Suslik stated thousands of people visit the museum every month, so the work that volunteers do to help keep the Midway in top shape is important. “This is an old ship and there’s a lot to do,” Suslik said. “The NHRC group is helping us today with a community relations project by cleaning, what we call ‘detailing,’ along our tour routes.” NHRC staff spent the day dusting, polishing, and detailing spaces in several areas of the ship including the chapel, galley, engine room, and berthing spaces. As the DOD’s premier deployment health research center, NHRC’s cutting-edge research and development is used to optimize the operational health and readiness of the nation’s armed forces. In proximity to more than 95,000 active duty service members, world-class universities, and industry partners, NHRC sets the standard in joint ventures, innovation, and translational research. For more news from Naval Health Research Center, visit www.navy.mil/local/nhrc/.