Seven F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft did their final round of at sea developmental testing aboard USS George Washington. See A6
More than 20 years of
Vol. 24, No. 36 Norfolk, VA | flagshipnews.com | 09.08-09.14.16
serving the Hampton Roads Navy family
IKE RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB COMPETES IN BAHRAIN
MC3 Nathan T. Beard
“
Crouch, touch, pause, engage!”
GWHB chiefs accept the 22Kill pushup challenge
-Rugby captain
From USS George H.W. Bush Public Affairs By MC3 Nathan Beard ATLANTIC OCEAN
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Public Affairs
A representative from a veterans’ advocacy group challenged the chiefs’ mess aboard USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) (GHWB) to the 22Kill Pushup Challenge. Mike Brauer, a board member for 22Kill, issued the challenge to the chief petty officers and chief selects during a visit to the carrier. 22Kill was formed in 2013 to bring awareness to the epidemic of veteran suicide. “We’re a veterans organization focused on raising awareness, finding solutions, and providing counseling for vets that have transitioned but also drawing attention to the active duty suicide rate as well,” Brauer said. “We’ve lost more in the last two years to suicide than to combat. It’s the highest death count we have in the military right now.” Brauer said 22Kill helps veterans transition back to civilian life through both constructive activities and making connections with other people. “We do a lot of activities to help people reintegrate with the civilian world, and also do a lot of healing through outdoor activities,” Brauer said. “We do [things like] fly fishing and hunting. We also built a nation-wide interactive map of battle buddies that
Roosevelt on track with O-FRP
MANAMA, BAHRAIN
MCSN Tristan Lotz Chiefs and chief selects do 22 pushups for the 22Kill Challenge aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77). 22Kill is a veterans’ advocacy group that brings awareness to the daily veterans’ suicide rate. GHWB is underway conducting routine training and qualifications for an upcoming deployment.
will pick up the phone 24/7 if you’re in crisis or in need. In each city, we’ve started identifying vet-friendly organizations that will provide their services free if there’s a vet in crisis.” Medal of Honor recipient Army Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta was aboard GHWB along with Brauer as part of the Distinguished Visitors (DV) program, and also took part in the challenge. » See BUSH | A7
St. Juliens Annex celebrates significant environmental milestone By Jennifer M. Zingalie
By Lt. j.g. Katherine Poulin
Norfolk Naval Shipyard Public Affairs
USS Roosevelt Public Affairs CHESAPEAKE
The guided-missile destroyer USS Roosevelt (DDG 80) completed her mid-deployment voyage repairs and pre-selective availability while ported in Manama, Bahrain. This maintenance availability enabled Roosevelt to remain on track through the rest of deployment and sustain mission readiness in support of the Optimized Fleet Response Plan (O-FRP).
A near-perfect summer day marked the celebration of a significant milestone regarding the Navy’s Environmental Restoration Program during a ceremony held at St. Juliens Creek Annex in Chesapeake, Virginia. The shipyard, which worked collaboratively with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Virginia Department of Environmental
» See ROOSEVELT | A7
» See MILESTONE | A7
ARABIAN GULF
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The lights shone down on the players as they interlocked with one another and awaited commands. “Crouch, touch, pause, engage,” yelled a rugby captain as two opposing players launched themselves into one another during a scrum to start the next play of rugby. USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) Rugby Football Club, the Ike Maulers, battled hard against the Golden Eagles, the local Bahraini rugby football club, in Manama, Aug. 14. This marked a couple of firsts for many Ike players – their first international rugby game and, for some, playing the sport for the first time. “The team did phenomenal overall,” Maulers’ captain Lt. j.g. Caleb Healy said. “We got every one of our players at least 15 minutes of playing time, which was our biggest success today because they got to see the feats of their work.” The team had been practicing for the past several weeks as often as they could in Eisenhower’s hangar bays while at sea to prepare for the match. There may not have been a lot of room, but the team found the time and space to make the practices work, even with the heat reaching above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. “It’s much nicer to play in Bahrain than in the hangar bay,” Airman Michael O’Connell said. “Playing on grass with cleats is definitely better than playing on » See RUGBY | A7
MCSN Justin R. DiNiro Commander of Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Rear Adm. Jack Scorby Jr. delivers a speech during the Environmental Restoration Program ceremony at the St. Juliens Creek Annex.
Top photo: Lt. Cmdr. Bradley Hunsaker, assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 130, breaks through a tackle in a rugby game between the Ike Maulers and a local rugby team, the Golden Eagles, during a port visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain.
HEROES AT HOME Well-baby exams, which are just regular checkups, are an important way to ensure babies are growing and developing properly.
EXCHANGE PROGRAM A member of the Royal Australian navy deployed with the inaugural U.S. 3rd Fleet Pacific Surface Action Group is helping enhance bilateral relations and support interoperability between the U.S. and Australia through the Personnel Exchange Program (PEP).
FLAGSHIP EXCLUSIVES Turn to the On Liberty section for exclusive stories from Flagship writers Yiorgo and Jonathan McLarty! This week, they cover local entertainment and professional wrestling!
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