Coastal Compass August 2016

Coastal Compass Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division

No. 4 Vol. 8

AUGUST 2016

COMMUNICATION Technical Center of Excellence for Littoral Warfare & Coastal Defense

View from the Bridge

By Acting Technical Director Mr. Robert Walker

The theme of this month’s Coastal Compass is: Communication — You said…We listened.

It is meant to illustrate how effective communication can be used to facilitate positive change in our organization. In this article, I would like to examine the topic of communication and examine why it is so hard.

It is often said that “everything I really need to know, I learned in kindergarten.”

Apparently, this could not be further from the truth. The reality is that throughout our lives communication has and will continue to be one of the most challenging barriers we strive to overcome. Why is this? What makes communication so hard?

According to George Bernard Shaw, “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” Each of us communicates every day with lots of people and via lots of methods.

We phone, we email, we text, we Tweet, we post and sometimes we still communicate verbally face to face.

With today’s faster pace, both at home and work, coupled with ever advancing communication technologies, the problem illustrated so well by George Bernard Shaw not only persists, but is often magnified. As we attempt to communicate, via one of these multitudes of methods, we still believe that we have successfully communicated the message that we intended.

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Why is this belief often incorrect? The answer to this question gets at the heart of why communication is hard. When people read or hear something, the message can be interpreted differently by individuals. For example, have you ever played the Telephone Game? You know the game we used to play as a group of kids where you tell someone a word and then tell them to pass it on to the next person.

This process repeats until the last person has finally been told the word. You then compare what the first person said with what the last person heard. Quite frequently the two words will be different.

Similarly, have you ever been on a phone conference where everyone is feverously taking notes as to the actions that are being conveyed? After the phone conference is over, you compare notes with others to ensure everyone heard the same direction.

More often than not, you will find that most people wrote down different actions. Who is right? How did people hear different things given they all listened to the same conversation? The fact is that received communication is filtered and biased differently by individuals. Each of us has a unique set of experiences that is developed and shaped as we live our lives.

These experiences effect how we perceive and process oral, written, and even non-verbal communication. Like me, you have likely been on both the giving and receiving end of statements like “that’s not what I meant” or “that’s not how I took it.”

These phrases are usually spoken or heard as a result of communication that has gone awry and often lead to frustration or conflict.

So how can we become more effective communicators and reduce the likelihood that our communications are misinterpreted? The following suggestions from helpguide.org can help make us better communicators: “Become an engaged listener — People often focus on what they should say, but effective communication is less about talking and more about listening.

Listening well means not just understanding the words or the information being communicated, but also understanding the emotions the speaker is trying to communicate.

Pay attention to nonverbal signals — When we communicate things that we care about, we do so mainly using nonverbal signals. Nonverbal communication, or

body language, includes facial expressions, body movement and gestures, eye contact, posture, the tone of your voice, and even your muscle tension and breathing. The way you look, listen, move, and react to another person tells them more about how you’re feeling than words alone ever can.

Keep stress in check — To communicate effectively, you need to be aware of and in control of your emotions. And that means learning how to manage stress.

When you’re stressed, you’re more likely to misread other people, send confusing or off-putting nonverbal signals, and lapse into unhealthy knee-jerk patterns of behavior.

Assert yourself — Direct, assertive expression makes for clear communication and can help boost self-esteem and decision-making. Being assertive means expressing your thoughts, feelings, and needs in an open and honest way, while standing up for you and respecting others. It does NOT mean being hostile, aggressive, or demanding. Effective communication is always about understanding the other person, not about winning an argument or forcing your opinions on others.”

Let’s face it, effective communication is hard, but it should be both a personal and professional goal for each of us. I know that I can certainly use some of these helpful tips in becoming a better communicator.

In spite of that fact, let me make this communication very clear — Your commitment and dedication to supporting our nation’s warfighters are the most valuable resources at NSWC PCD. Thank you for all you do!

Sincerely, Robert Walker.

Coastal Compass - August 2016

Defense Media Activity Covers Home of Military Diving

By Jacqui Barker, NSWC PCD Office of Congressional and Public Affairs

PANAMA CITY, Florida – Long-form storytelling is an art form and it’s a skill that Department of Defense journalists continue to embrace both in print and visually. The goal is to capture far more than just a story’s essence – the journalists seek to draw you into a subject’s world.

That was the goal of a four-person, joint Defense Media Activity team comprised of active duty, civilian and contracted personnel that spent four days filming aboard Naval Support Activity Panama City, Florida July 12-14, 2016. Specifically, the DMA team of writers, bloggers, photographers and videographers spent time with Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division, Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center and Navy Experimental Diving Unit. There, the team learned about the three commands that comprise the Home of Military Diving, NSWC PCD’s Diver Augmented Vision Display (DAVD) prototype, 3D print capabilities, the Fanselau Coil Facility and NEDU’s test and evaluation capabilities.

The crew spent a morning with Russ Malcolm and Randy Horne in the Fanselau Coil Facility and learned more about magnetics, mine warfare and the unique facility that is one of two in the entire world. The coverage is anticipated to be released via DoDLiveblog in the upcoming weeks.

DMA’s MC2 (SW) Glen Slaughter attempted to dive in NEDU’s test pond July 13, 2016 to gather images during a heated, thermal garment test in 40 degree water as his counterparts, to include one former Army sergeant and one active duty Marine sergeant all shot images of the divers involved in the NEDU test, but testing did not allow coverage that day.

DMA is a Department of Defense command that broadcasts radio and television to forces in 177 countries and 279 Navy ships at

Veterans Affairs Clinic Media Day PANAMA CITY, Florida - Naval Support Activity Panama City Executive Officer Lt. Cmdr. Adam Walski answers questions from local media at the VA Media Day for the Panama City Beach Veteran Outpatient Clinic construction project located off Magnolia Beach Road in Panama City Beach. The new clinic, which will open this fall, will handle typical primary care and dental services and patients will no longer have to arrange for base access to get to the clinic. U.S. Navy Photo by Jeff Prater (Released) 160714-N-EP040-001

Coastal Compass - August 2016

Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division’s Rapid Prototyping Laboratory Engineering Technician Chuck Self explains the intricacies of additive manufacturing to Defense Media Activity Journalist Aamani Lyle during an interview July 14, 2016. U.S. Navy photo by Jacqui Barker (Released) 160714-N-PY562-006

sea with Department-specific news and information programming.

The activity, located at Fort Meade, Maryland, operates Stars and Stripes newspaper, Armed Forces Network, manages Defense. gov, trains approximately 3,200 DoD Public Affairs and Visual Information professionals – both military and civilian. More information about DMA is available at: http://www.dma.mil/AboutDMA. Final DMA products about commands aboard NSA PC will be pushed to NSWC PCD Public Affairs products, such as social media when made available to the public. ♦

Dragon Masters Train Search and Rescue PANAMA CITY, Florida - Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division “Dragon Masters” Naval Aircrewman and divers conduct search and rescue training in St. Andrew Bay July 20, 2016. Two air crewmen practiced search and rescue insertion and extraction techniques while divers serve as safety observers during the training. U.S. Navy photo by Jacqui Barker. (Released) 160720-N-PY526-060

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Creating Cybersecurity Awareness by Hands-on Simulations

By Katherine Mapp Office of Congressional and Public Affairs

PANAMA CITY, Florida — Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) and Gulf Coast State College joined together to collaborate on the Capture the Flag (CTF) Cybersecurity event July 15, 2016.

According to Daniel Jermyn and Trevor Phillips, Naval Research Enterprise Internship Program (NREIP) interns and CTF developers and co-hosts, the event allows teams of participants to use common hacking tools to break security practices, such as cracking passwords and retrieving information maliciously. By teaching the participants how easily this can be done, it gives them a greater appreciation for information assurance (IA) practices and methods.

NSWC PCD Cybersecurity Architect Kate Maglio said the event makes the participants more likely to employ best security practices.

“This event gives participants an idea of how to secure their own networks while learning how hackers are able to get into their systems and how to keep them out,” said Maglio.

Matthew Chastain, NSWC PCD senior software engineer, believes the event is an eye-opener to participants looking to protect their systems.

“The CTF event shows how important it is to secure your system,” said Chastain. “There are always hackers probing to see what systems and networks are unsecure and vulnerable.”

The initiative to hold their own CTF event began with inspiration from past CTF events hosted by Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Newport.

Their events were focused on providing participants the opportunity to learn about the cyber-attack cycle and tools and to put that knowledge into practice by “hacking” into unmanned vehicles.

Here, Jermyn and Phillips developed the scenario, built the files, developed the threads the “hackers” needed to follow and implemented these with the hacking tools in an off-line network. After a test run with experienced cybersecurity personnel, the event was scheduled with four teams competing to “capture the flag” first.

PANAMA CITY, Florida - Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) mentors pose for a photo with Naval Research Enterprise Internship Program (NREIP) interns during the Capture the Flag event at Gulf Coast State College on July 15, 2016. Pictured from left to right: Matt Chastain, NREIP intern Trevor Phillips, Kate Maglio and NREIP intern Daniel Jermyn. U.S. Navy Photo by Katherine Mapp (Released) 160715-N-PD526-005

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PANAMA CITY, Florida - A group of Naval Research Enterprise Internship Program (NREIP) interns pose for a photo while participating during the Capture the Flag event at Gulf Coast State College on July 15, 2016. Pictured from left to right: Melanie MacBain, Lizzy Shoner, Daniel Findeis, Britney Doll, Melissa Pumphrey, Trevor Phillips, Lauren Rothman and Daniel Jermyn. U.S. Navy Photo by Katherine Mapp (Released) 160715-N-PD526-002

Maglio says one of the main reasons for wanting to bring about this cyber awareness is to create a culture shift on base.

“Right now, a systems engineer or software developer who develops the systems are separate from the IA teams. Cybersecurity processes can be mapped into every part of the systems engineering lifecycle,” said Maglio. “We are trying to bring awareness to this issue and encourage the IA team and engineers to become more integrated as one and work as a team.”

Maglio and her team said that if they are going to deliver a system to the warfighter, they want to ensure that they’re giving them the safest, functioning system possible. This will keep them safe, secure and protected from enemy forces.

“If you are creating software or a network within the system for an aircraft, you don’t want anyone to be able to get into that interface and disable the weapons system or take down the aircraft,” said NSWC PCD Organic Systems Branch Head Mary Hulgan. “This is an example of what could happen if we don’t ensure the proper requirements are met.”

Chastain said this awareness helps the scientists and engineers who are writing code and developing products to build this IA protection into their products from the very beginning, rather than slap something on at the end.

“Some people think ‘let’s build this system and hammer some IA on the outside to make it secure.’ That is not how this works,” said Chastain. “The IA protection needs to be designed within the system so it is secure from the first code that is written, to the hardware vendor selected, to locking ports on the firewall. The whole system needs to be designed with cybersecurity in mind.”

To conduct this testing, Maglio, Chastain and their team received Naval Innovative Science and Engineering funding to create a cyber lab. A cyber lab is a research and development environment that allows for testing of computer systems for vulnerabilities, research of different attack methods and countermeasures and training for scien-

See CYBER, page 5 Coastal Compass - August 2016

Inside This Edition View from the Bridge...........................................2

DMA Covers Home of Military Diving................ 3

HR: And The Award Goes To.............................6

Dive DAVD Emerges as Game Changer.......... 7

GAF Lab Receives Accreditation....................... 8

Supply: New Warehouse Consolidation..........10

Meeting the Navy’s Needs................................ 11

WFC ESH Hold 1st Face to Face in 5 years..12

Command Protects Sailors...............................13

Pokeman Go App —Stops at Front Gate.......14

CO Recognizes Top Military Performers.........15

Guidance for 2016 Political Activity..................17

Former CHINFO Writes on Killing English......18

FEW Scholarship Fundraiser...........................20

DMA Films Aboard NSWC PCD......................20

CYBER tists and engineers to become more aware of cybersecurity and the need to keep our Navy systems more protected from cyber-attacks.

Currently, the team is developing requirements for hardware, software and space for a cyber lab on base at NSWC PCD. “The cyber lab will offer a safe place to test how computer exploits work and to learn how to attack and protect a computer in an effort to keep programs more protected from adversaries, “ said Maglio. “It is an isolated environment that cannot access any other computer system. The tools necessary to learn how to perform penetration testing are not allowed on standard networks due to the potential danger they pose to other systems.”

According to Maglio, the lab will be beneficial to every project at NSWC PCD. “The lab will allow for an in-house capability to do vulnerability testing, problem solving and training for all projects. This will also benefit every project at NSWC PCD and the customers of the projects,” said Maglio.

“Every project is required to go through cybersecurity testing as part of Naval Sea Systems Command’s Initial Operational Test and Evaluation. The cyber lab will give the projects the ability to prepare for this testing and know their security posture prior to this test.”

In the future, the NSWC PCD team hopes to host an event similar to NUWC Newport’s CTF event. The objective of these future events is to train the NSWC PCD workforce about cybersecurity awareness.

Not only was the cyber lab trial beneficial to Navy scientists and engineers, but also to the two NREIP interns who created, organized and co-hosted the event.

“My network experience from gaining a Security+ certification and taking a Cisco course for my degree helped me prepare for this internship,” said Jermyn. “I was able to apply configurations to hardware and perform ‘best practices’ that I learned in courses during the internship to better accomplish some of the networking aspects.”

Phillips learned things that will help him succeed as he completes his undergraduate degree.

“My main focus during the internship was networking and cybersecurity. These were mostly newer concepts to me before beginning my internship.” said Phillips. “I learned a lot this summer and I think these skills will be extremely useful as I complete my last two years at the University of Con-

Coastal Compass - August 2016

from page 4 necticut (UConn).”

Jermyn and Phillips’ internships have taught them that it is essential to practice cybersecurity safety practices.

“Practicing keeps cybersecurity practices relevant,” said Jermyn. “Anyone can be told to follow a practice, but actually seeing the importance will make the practices stick.

Seeing is believing.”

Phillips said cybersecurity becomes more important with today’s technological advances. “The increase in embedded technology and the ‘Internet of things’ is undeniable, making security best practices even more critical. For the U.S. Navy, this is especially true.”

Both Jermyn’s and Phillips’ efforts in planning and executing the CTF event has taught them valuable concepts to use in their future endeavors.

“Hosting this event taught me the importance of preparation and gave me great confidence in my project management skills which will better help me manage my workload obtaining my master’s degree,” said Jermyn. “My biggest takeaway from my internship was the significance of teamwork. I could not have accomplished everything without the help of my mentor, Kate (Maglio), partner Trevor (Phillips), the cybersecurity team at the NUWC Newport base, among many others.” A point to which Phillips agrees.

“Hosting the event has given me experience for planning and implementing events, including leading groups and teaching new skills,” said Phillips. “My time at NSWC PCD has been amazing. The base is doing research on cutting edge of science and technology that looks like it is straight out of an Avengers movie! The best part has been meeting so many incredible people who share in a collaborative work culture.”

The completion of the CTF event fulfills Jermyn’s capstone project and graduation requirement from his technology management bachelor’s degree program at Gulf Coast State College (GCSC).

After graduation from GCSC, Jermyn will begin his master’s degree in software engineering at the University of West Florida. Phillips plans to take his newfound knowledge and use it in furthering his studies at UConn in his computer science and engineering fields of study. ♦

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Awards & Recognition Bulletin

August 2016

Highlight Achievements

August LOS Awards

Congratulations to: LS2 (AW/SW) Vithgia Pich, Code CXA, received a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for professional achievement during his tour at NSWC PCD

35 Years Timothy McTrusty

AWS1 (NAC/AW) David Finn, Code CXA, Awarded the Military

Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal for outstanding public service

30 Years

ND1 (DSW/EWS) Steven Starner, Code CXB, received a Letter of Commendation as the NSWC PCD Sailor of the Third Quarter

James Bryan Donald Hutchison Patrick McDermott Sandra Rizzo

AZ2 (AW/SW) Amanda Panganiban, Code CXA, received a Letter of Commendation as the NSWC PCD Junior Sailor of the Third Quarter AWS1 (NAC) Martin Long, Code CXA, received a Letter of Commendation for recognition as a Safety Professional

Upcoming Recognition Opportunities

Name of Award

Target Month

15 Years James Cobb John Gebhart Russ Malcolm

Captain Robert Dexter Conrad Award for Scientific Achievement

September

Dr. Arthur E. Bisson Prize for Naval Technology Achievement

October

Fred Saalfeld Award for Outstanding Lifetime Achievement in Science

October

10 Years

Office of Naval Research Prize for Affordability

October

Ryan Stewart

NSWC PCD Awards & Recognition Program Manager may be contacted at 234-4808

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Coastal Compass - August 2016

Eyes in the Dark: Navy Dive Helmet Display Emerges as Game Changer

By Amaani Lyle DoD News, Defense Media Activity

PANAMA CITY, Fla., July 27, 2016 — The once-ribbing term “foureyes” now secures a coolness factor, thanks to a team of Navy engineers who have developed a high-resolution, see-through, heads-up display embedded directly inside a KM-37 Navy dive helmet to keep its users safer, more efficient and more effective underwater.

Project Manager Dennis Gallagher, an engineer with the underwater systems development and acquisitions branch special optics lab, said he and his team have developed a next generation, futuristic, 3D-printed prototype that might even evoke the envy of Ironman.

Meet DAVD, also known as the Diver Augmented Vision Display. Years in the making, a plastic waveguide houses binocularstyle “smart glasses,” featuring a tiny micro-display smaller than a postage stamp and ready to receive a variety of critical topside data that assists divers working in even the most austere and low-visibility underwater conditions. Once a mere concept based on a need, DAVD has matured into an operational and testable prototype that Gallagher said is so far earning rave reviews from the Navy, joint and allied forces’ dive communities.

“Unlike recreational diving, where you’re in the Bahamas [and] it’s crystal clear and it’s beautiful, military diving is almost [always] dark, pitch-black water. You’re working in diving in salvage, ship husbandry -- very dangerous, difficult environments,” Gallagher said. “So you can’t see life-support information, critical sensor data that you need. Your gauges are almost useless down there, because you cannot see them in front of your face.”

The technology, Gallagher said, is a culmination of display capabilities, much of which the Air Force has used for years to send and receive information.

“What we can send on that heads-up display is literally anything the topside dive supervisor has on the computer,” Gallagher said of the point-of-view, video game-style device. “It can be sonar or sector scan that’s a top view of what the salvage area looks like. We can even send a 3-D augmented reality overlay on an area.”

PANAMA CITY, Florida — A Marine wears a prototype dive helmet with the Diver Augmented Vision Display at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division, Naval Support Activity Panama City in Panama City, Fla., July 14, 2016. DoD photo by EJ Hersom. Photo by EJ Hersom (Released) 160714-D-DB155-007

Coastal Compass - August 2016

PANAMA CITY, Florida — Navy diver Petty Officer 1st Class Jason Fenn enters the water for training in murky water at the Naval Support Activity Panama City in Panama City, Fla., July 14, 2016. Fenn is assigned to the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division dive locker. Photo by EJ Hersom (Released) 160714-D-DB155-001

The diver, he added, can see the wreck, the object of interest, even him or herself navigating to the target area. The system works through voice commands, which can carry a diver’s request for text messages, drawings, pictures, and video placed anywhere on the screen. He or she can also turn the entire system off and return to see-through mode if necessary.

Gallagher noted that DAVD even has favorable outreach beyond the military, including commercial and first-responder dive realms, including law enforcement. “[The police divers] had people who lost their lives -- they couldn’t see their gas pressure, because [the visibility] was so bad when they were trying to do a body recovery,” Gallagher said. “So this kind of thing has tremendous outreaching capability.”

How the DAVD is made seems to have just as storied a journey as what it can already help divers achieve. Gallagher said he knew the lab would need to bring forth the technology as quickly and inexpensively as possible, which prompted concept development through 3-D models.

“We can take our mechanical engineering models, and electrical engineering models, and literally email it across the base to the 3-D printing shop — they make the versions of them there — then we can do the final assembly, put it in the lab and start testing it at lightning speed for very little money.”

Chuck Self, head of the Navy Surface Warfare Center Panama City rapid prototyping shop, said making something from nothing is all in day’s work, as he and his team are the first stop for designers with prototypes and initial articles.

Self’s work puts 3-D printed models in hands of engineers, enabling them to quickly conduct design reviews, find flaws in parts, make revisions, and get a product to market much faster. Additionally, the prototyping shop partners with all other warfare centers in a 3-D printing, or additive manufacturing, working group, Self explained. ”This working group’s main goal is to help implement additive manufacturing to the Navy in a smart, safe, effective way,” Self said, adding that qualification, certification, and workforce development are all major factors for the Navy to approve additive manufacturing

See DIVE, page 8

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Gas Analysis Facility Recognized by Director Navy Laboratory and Accreditation

PANAMA CITY, Florida — Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) Commanding Officer Capt. Phillip Dawson, USN, and Technical Director Edwin Stewart (SES), pose for a congratulatory photo with Gas Analysis Facility (GAF) lab employees. NSWC PCD’s GAF received official notification from the Director Navy Laboratory and Accreditation Office for becoming certified to perform gas sampling and analysis.

Pictured from left to right: Eila Burr, Lauren Love, Kathy Mintz, Katie Murphy, Kim Presnell, Pam Brown, Lyssa Malvoso, Jessica Kirkton, Capt. Phillip Dawson, Joel Peak, Edwin Stewart (SES), Ron Gibson and Rick Campbell. Photo by Katherine Mapp (Released) 160720-N-PD526-001

DIVE

from page 7

as an acceptable process. “The goal is to approve a process so that it doesn’t have to be a case-by-case situation and we can certify the part to go for fleet use,” he said.

Additive manufacturing uses state-of-the-art technology to instruct computer-controlled machines to print parts in a layered format, Self said. “We have nothing to start with, and we add material layer by layer until we’ve achieved that final part,” he added.

The technology is not as new as much of the public might think.

Self said the Panama City lab has been leveraging 3-D printing for close to 20 years, and the technology originated about 25 years ago.

“During that time, you’ve seen a massive maturation of the process,” Self said.

Perhaps the rubber really meets the road when the concept ripens to practical use in the fleet. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Chris Lambertsen, Navy Diving and Salvage Training Center dive medical technician, said he and his colleagues look forward to wider use of DAVD. “The heads-up display where you can find your compass and heading would aid any diver and would help make diving efficient, keeping your bottom time at a minimum,” Lambertsen said. “It could help not only a lost diver find himself, but would help his dive buddy find a lost diver and ultimately save lives.”

He also shared his personal stake in the technology and diving in general.

“I dive because I love it,” Lambertsen said. “I’m lucky enough to have been here at the Navy Surface Warfare Center to see some of the best and newest diving technology come through and have the

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opportunity to be part of some of the testing and development for it.”

Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Steven Starner, also a military diver and DAVD prototype user, recalled a mission in 2014 in which the priority was to recover a piece of history from the Civil War vessel CSS Georgia. Starner and his team faced low visibility, high currents and limited time to get the job done.

“On the bottom of the Savannah River, everything was done by feel. I was able to see maybe 6 to 8 inches in front of my face, and anything more than that was nothing but a blur and darkness,” Starner recalled. “DAVD would’ve helped to decrease the amount of time it took to complete this mission.”

Today, DAVD testing will continue with ongoing enhancements, capabilities and interoperability, progress made possible by the creative freedom the Navy allows, Gallagher said. But he also stressed that creative freedom isn’t his only motivation in going to work each day. He recalled briefing about one of his earliest diver display systems to a group of service members, newly returned from Iraq and Afghanistan. He remembered how eager they were to use the technology.

Putting it all into perspective, he went back to his office and wept.

“I realized that I complained that the coffee was cold at the mess and these guys have been out doing these kinds of things, trying to get back to their families,” Gallagher said. “That changed my entire outlook – whatever I do could literally make a difference in that person in theater getting back, … because the next crazy idea we have could do something like that. I’ll stay and work the weekend for that one.” ♦

Coastal Compass - August 2016

Coastal Compass Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division

2016 Military Academy Days

Panama City, FL, 32407-7001 (850) 235-5990 DSN: 436-5990 Commanding Officer Capt. Phillip Dawson III, USN Executive Officer Cmdr. Paul G. Werring Jr. Division Technical Director Edwin Stewart (SES) Public Affairs Officer Jeffrey Prater Editor and Media Liaison Dan Broadstreet

Public Affairs Specialists Jacqui Barker

Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2016 5:00PM – 8:00 PM CDT Bay County Commission Room 840 West 11th Street Panama City, FL 32401

Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016 5:00PM – 8:00 PM EST Tallahassee City Hall 300 S Adams Street Tallahassee, FL 32301

and Katherine Mapp

Coastal Compass is published monthly by NSWC PCD and is an authorized medium for news of general interest about employees of NSWC PCD and their work.

Contents of Coastal Compass are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the Department of Defense or Department of the Navy.

Coastal Compass’ content is provided and prepared by the NSWC PCD Office of Corporate Communications.

For details about submissions, contact NSWC PCD Corporate Communication Editor Dan Broadstreet at (850) 235-5990.

To contact NSWC PCD’s Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Hotline, call: (850) 234-4462

Coastal Compass - August 2016

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Supply: New Management Coming to a Warehouse near You

By Dan Broadstreet Office of Congressional and Public Affairs

PANAMA CITY, Florida – Operating Materials and Supplies (OM&S) Lead Paul Bannister is teaming with Naval Sea Logistics Center (SEALOG) to centralize and streamline all processes associated with ordering, purchasing, receiving, storing and warehousing of supplies.

According to Bannister, Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division’s (NSWC PCD) supply staff is working closely with SEALOG Site Manager Ron Shy and personnel to lighten the load for project managers by providing all OM&S related services.

“All of the OM&S processes that our warfare center managers previously handled like inventory management, storage, and costs are going to be fulfilled by Shy and his staff,” said Bannister. “It is our objective to make the supply chain responsive to the customer.”

Bannister said today’s primary focus for the U.S. Navy is accountability.

“The Navy has implemented a way to track our expenditures making them transparent,” said Bannister. “We do this through the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) program: ERP is accountability. So, when we procure items, we’ll receive them and immediately put them in our SEALOG warehouse for storage until the project managers need them.”

“Essentially, project managers will no longer be tying up their high bays as storage facilities,” said Shy. “The days when we used to acquire items and store them in our personal work spaces are over. Today, you simply contact us saying you intend to consume it within five days and we will make it available to you.”

Bannister added that Shy was also the warfare center’s point of contact for disposal of materials, too.

“For example, items you don’t consume should be returned to the SEALOG warehouse,” Bannister said. “So if it’s items you

PANAMA CITY, Florida — Operating Materials and Supplies (OM&S) Lead Paul Bannister (right) reviews procurement with contractor Warehouseman Donny Hawthorne, specifically how ordering, purchasing, receiving, storing and warehousing processes will become transparent to Big Navy via the Navy’s Enterprise Resource Planning program. U.S. Navy photo by Haley Walker (Released) 160308-N-ND734-017

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PANAMA CITY, Florida — Operating Materials and Supplies (OM&S) Lead Paul Bannister (right) and Naval Sea Logistics Center (NSLC) Site Manager Ron Shy (left) shake hands to commemorate the beginning of a partnership between SEALOG and the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division. U.S. Navy photo by Haley Walker (Released) 160308-N-ND734-032

don’t need, materials you don’t need until a later date or perhaps there are items you need to turn over to the Defense Reutilization Management Office (DRMO), it’s important to utilize our SEALOG warehouse services.”

Shy emphasized that the more NSWC PCD employees partnered with SEALOG, the more they will empower Shy’s staff to be responsive with all the aforementioned services. Bannister and Shy said there is also opportunity to turn over excess materials for reutilization by the Fleet.

“When our command workforce follows our processes for excess materials, there will be requisitions we can fulfill for the Fleet at no charge. And using ERP, we can now track reutilization of materials, which help make these transactions transparent so the U.S. Navy can maintain visibility,” said Shy. “Doing business like this helps our Department of Navy document how we are consuming supplies and how we are tracking our resources.”

According to Bannister and Shy, much of the burden from performing these services was traditionally shouldered by project and program managers. Both assert that teaming with SEALOG will save time, manpower and costs.

“We’re going to do the storage, the receipt, we’ll manage the shelf-life,” said Shy. “If it requires climate control, we’ll provide that as well according to the material’s storage criteria. We provide the accounting; we do kitting, entries with ERP, issuing and recovery, too.”

Bannister said neither will project managers have to worry about losing control over inventory.

“I want to assure our customers that items bought for specific use will be stocked as dedicated items, available only to those who

See SUPPLY, page 11

Coastal Compass - August 2016

Rapid Response Facility Meets Navy Need for Mine Detection

By Nikki Montgomery AMRDEC Public Affairs

REDSTONE, Alabama — Army prototype engineers are continuing to support Navy mine countermeasure operations in response to a 2011 urgent need statement.

The Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center’s Prototype Integration Facility developed a Lithium Ion Containment System integrated into a Military Dismountable Van to protect and support the MK18 Mod 2 Underwater Unmanned Vehicle.

The MK18 is used by the Navy for mine detection missions with enhanced endurance and an improved area coverage rate from the previous system. These UUVs are preprogrammed and designed to scan waters for targets or threats while offering sailors faster postmission analysis.

The PIF’s Project Lead Engineer Brad Easterwood said because the need for the MK18 was so urgent, the Navy needed a containment system for the vehicle immediately. Known for its rapid response, the facility was able to contract, design, manufacture and deploy two systems in three months.

“To our knowledge, this is the first lithium ion battery containment and fire suppression system ever developed,” Easterwood said. “The PIF provided the support equipment around the UUV and focused on how a sailor would interface with it in a tactical environment. We were responsible for how they would charge, store and move the vehicle around for deployments onto U.S. Navy ships and Forward Operating Bases.”

The container starts out as a commercial, intermodal container

SUPPLY processed the original purchase request forms. Nobody will be able to appropriate someone else’s supplies,” said Bannister.

According to Shy, the exception for shared supplies will be when multiple projects are using the same stock item.

“I’m estimating approximately 300 projects are going on and at least half of them are using some of the same materials,” said Shy. “So for items like these, we’ll order in bulk creating an economy of scale through consolidation. We’re focused on customer service – letting the engineers do the engineering while we provide them materials when they need them.”

Bannister said teaming with SEALOG will be an efficient and cost effective for procuring supplies.

“There are significant benefits to reap from this partnership.

But to do so, our employees will have to commit to utilizing our procurement processes regularly,” said Bannister. “It’s critical for customers to use purchase request forms regularly. But equally as important, it’s our customers’ regular feedback that will help build reliability – for our project managers as well as for our warfighters whose sole resource for supplies is SEALOG” Bannister and Shy emphasized that both of them are committed to providing assistance to anyone who requires it.

“We’re here to help you through any and all procurement processes, whether it pertains to paperwork, walking someone through the DRMO process or taking a complaint. We are dedicated to being responsive to your feedback. In fact, it’s critical that we get

Coastal Compass - August 2016

REDSTONE, Alabama — The Prototype Integration Facility (PIF) developed a Lithium Ion Containment System integrated into a Military Dismountable Van to protect and support the MK18 Mod 2 Underwater Unmanned Vehicle. The team then uses the PIF developed and Navy approved technical drawing package to modify the container to meet the needs of the MK18 system. (AMRDEC courtesy photo).

approximately 20 feet long, 8 feet wide and 8.5 feet tall. The team then uses the facility developed and Navy approved Technical Drawing Package to modify the container to meet the needs of the MK18 system. Once all equipment is added, the MILVAN includes a lithium ion battery fire suppression system, fire retardant walls and ceilings, air conditioning, maintenance cabinets, overhead crane system, and other equipment required for the operations and maintenance of the MK18 UUV. In a statement from the Department of the Navy, Rear Adm. T.J. Kearney said the facility superbly met this urgent Navy requirement.

See RAPID, page 12

from page 10 your responses so we can perfect procurement processes. Success will hinge on responsiveness – as much from our customers as from our procurement staff members.”

For additional information, please contact OM&S Lead Paul Bannister at (850) 636-6134 and/or Naval Sea Logistics Center Site Manager Ron Shy at (850) 234-4667. ♦

PANAMA CITY, Florida — SEALOG Site Manager Ron Shy (left) poses with contractor Warehouseman Donny Hawthorne at the NSWC PCD shipping and receiving area. U.S. Navy photo by Haley Walker (Released) 160308-N-ND734-004

Page 11

WFC ESH Holds 1st Face to Face in Over 5 Years at PCD

By Jacqui Barker Office of Congressional and Public Affairs

PANAMA CITY, Florida – Almost 40 Environmental, Safety and Health managers from Naval Sea Systems Command Warfare Center sites met July 19-21, 2016 in Panama City, Florida for the first time in over five years.

The goal of the NAVSEA WFC ESH Community of Practice is to provide the Naval Surface and Undersea Warfare Centers’ ESH staff a cooperative forum to share best business practices, collaborate on initiatives and tasks, and remedy cost inefficiencies, according to WFC HQ ESH Lead Kimberly Cannon.

“Our community of practice develops or enhances ESH processes. We outline universal practices, and develop enterprise-wide solutions to remedy cost inefficiencies,” said Cannon. “We also identify knowledge management gaps, and other site-level issues. Our community of practice conducts monthly telephone conferences, but this is our first face-toface (F2F) meeting in over five years.”

While telephone conferences help keep the COP up to date on new ESH initiatives, data calls, or activities that impact WFC site actions or decisions, meeting at Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division for two and a half days expanded the depth and breadth of the agenda discussions and actions taken.

“The WFC Environmental and Safety Communities of Practice play a vital role for the Warfare Centers. “Each WFC Division works very hard to keep our environment and people safe and we should afford an opportunity for this community to come together to problem solve”, said Cannon.

The meeting in Panama City, Florida gave the COP members the opportunity to conduct refresher Safety and Environmental training, as well as collaborate on Naval Undersea and Surface Warfare Center instructions, discuss critical internal and external issues affecting the Warfare Centers collectively, and also put a plan in place for standardization of processes.

Most importantly, the meeting offered personnel an opportunity to evaluate and learn from real-world case studies and analyze them together.

Specific case studies were presented by commands such as NSWC Crane, Dahlgren, and about environmental topics such

RAPID

PANAMA CITY, Florida - PANAMA CITY, Florida - Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division Airborne Mine Countermeasures Branch Head (Code A22) Allen Hawkins briefs the NAVSEA Warfare Center Environmental Safety Managers working group about AMCM missions in Panama City, Florida July 21, 2016 during the group’s first face-to-face meeting in five years.

U.S. Navy photo by Katherine Mapp (Released) 160721-N-PD526-092

as the National Environmental Policy Act. In addition to representation from all WFC sites, regional personnel from Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), NAVSEA Southeast Regional Maintenance Center (SERMC), and the Environmental, Safety, and Occupational Health Training Network (ESOHTN) also participated in the two and a half day meetings.

“Face-to-face discussions are solid means of communication and we were able to accomplish so much during these two and a half days of collaboration,” said NSWC PCD Safety Manager Steve Locke. “Hosting this meeting for the first time in five years offered us all a fantastic opportunity to meet our Warfare Center counterparts in person, not to mention we were also able to show off NSWC Panama City Division as a technical center of excellence for littoral warfare and coastal defense.”

The team spent a few hours on their last day at NSWC Panama City Division touring some of the Division’s unique mission areas, to include airborne mine countermeasures and the MK-107 tow sled, the diving and life support depot, and SEAL Delivery Vehicles, or SDVs. “I strongly believe that the tour was a great way to close out the meeting by reinforcing why we do what we do for the Warfighter,” said Cannon. ♦

from page 11

“The PIF is a truly unique organization that has provided rapid response engineering and outstanding product delivery to the Navy,” Kearney said. “This Army and Navy business arrangement has allowed Navy to rapidly develop and field real capability into the hands of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal warfighter.”

This is not the first critical enabling capability the facility has delivered to the Navy. In 2013, Easterwood’s team was recognized for developing an Emergency Egress Lighting System for the Marine Corps’ Assault Amphibious Vehicle in support of a crucial naval operation.

“The PIF is currently supporting several critical programs initiatives including delivery and certification of the MK18 shipboard

Page 12

lithium-ion support container, supporting ongoing operations in U.S. Central Command, supporting testing and evaluation processes and prototype fabrication,” Kearney said.

Because of the success of the MK18 containment system, the facility is collaborating on additional Navy projects including the Navy Seal Delivery Vehicle, Quickstrike air drop mine fuse and other unmanned submersible work.

The engineering for this program was a collaborative effort between the facility, the Space and Naval Warfare Systems CommandPacific, the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division and the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division. ♦

Coastal Compass - August 2016

Command Protecting Sailors through Readiness Improvement

By Katherine Mapp Office of Congressional and Public Affairs

PANAMA CITY, Florida — Every week, personnel from the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division’s (NSWC PCD) Chemical Biological Defense (CBD) and Ballistic Personal Protection (BPP) team deploy world-wide to provide Readiness Improvement Program (RIP) support for the Fleet.

The CBD and BPP Project is part of NSWC PCD’s Extreme Environment Life Support Branch. The Government team and a contractor workforce support the Fleet and act as the Navy’s designated Engineering Agent for CBD Individual Protective Equipment (IPE) and BPP. During typical support missions, RIP team members assist sailors by providing mask fit-tests, sizing chemical biological protective ensembles and on-load/off-load assistance.

During the period of July 17-30, 2016, 1,577 Sailors were fit tested and sized for CBD IPE from the USS Comstock, USS Ashland, USS Hopper, USS Port Royal and USS Philippine Sea, as well as deploying detachments from Naval Mobile Construction Battalions, Explosive Ordinance Disposal Groups, Coastal Riverine Groups and Naval Air Systems Command squadrons.

An appropriate mask size is selected after a series of facial measurements. The mask fit-testing then required that each Sailor don a protective gas mask and be placed under a plastic shroud that is connected to a mask leakage tester. The test determines whether the size of mask selected provides the appropriate protection level.

The tester pumps an edible oil aerosol into the shroud. Sensors sample the concentration of the aerosol inside the shroud vice inside the mask. Measurements are taken while the Sailor proceeds through a protocol of head movements.

Sailors are next measured to determine the appropriate size for CBD IPE gear. The ensemble consists of a CBD protective coat, trousers, glove inserts, gloves and boots. The appropriate size is confirmed to be correct by asking each Sailor to don the entire

YOKOSUKA, Japan (Nov. 17, 2014) – Cmdr. William Marks, U.S. 7th Fleet Public Affairs Officer, participates in a command MCU2P Protective Gas Mask “fit test” for U.S. 7th Fleet Staff embarked on the flagship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19). The fit tests provide an assessment for sea going commands by analyzing each individuals face size and breathing style for deployable Sailors prior to getting underway. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Joshua Karsten (Released) 141117-N-GR655-002

Coastal Compass - August 2016

YOKOSUKA, Japan (Nov. 17, 2014) – Eric Kujubu, Gryphon Technologies technician, fastens a MCU2P Protective Gas Mask to Legalman 2nd Class Rashay Stokes during a command “fit test” for U.S. 7th Fleet Staff embarked on the flagship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19). The fit tests provide an assessment for sea going commands by analyzing each individuals face size and breathing style for deployable Sailors prior to getting underway. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Joshua Karsten (Released) 141117-N-GR655-001

ensemble along with the mask.

The custom-fit protective gear is an essential element to provide eye and respiratory protection for sailors in the event of a chemical, biological and radiological threat. The mask is designed to protect from blister, nerve, choking and blood agents to include mustard gas, chlorine, sarin and other airborne contaminants.

According to a U.S. Navy instruction, the goal of conducting these services is to “provide forward deployed and deploying warfighters with properly sized and maintained Chemical, Biological and Radiological Defense IPE –ready for immediate retrieval in response to changing Mission Oriented Protective Posture conditions and a fully serviceable, properly fitted and maintained protective mask.”

During the same period, the CBD and BPP team provided CBD on-load/off-load assistance for refreshed CBD IPE to the USS Ardent, USS Scout, USS Paul Hamilton, USS Hopper and USS Port Royal. This assistance ensures that the CBD IPE gear that deploys is fully serviceable and within the appropriate shelflife. Leveraging the Fleet support network of the CBD and BPP team, NSWC PCD’s Damage Control Personnel Protective Project used the team to provide new gear to the USS Philippine Sea, USS Fort McHenry, USS Lassen, USS Iwo Jima, USS Paul Hamilton, USS Halsey, USS Kidd and USS Rushmore.

CBD and BPP Project Manager Bill Bradley describes NSWC PCD’s life cycle management role as extending from cradle to grave. The team has been assigned engineering roles from Naval Sea Systems Command including Technical Design Agent, Acquisition Engineering Agent and In-Service Engineering Agent.

See SAILORS, page 14

Page 13

To All Hands: Pokémon Go app Means Fun Stops at DoD Gates

By Office of Congressional and Public Affairs NSWC Panama City Division

PANAMA CITY, Florida – Fifteen years ago, people were trading Pokémon cards. Today, phase two of the Pokémon craze has reached new heights but the limit just reached military installation gates.

Pokémon GO is a very popular augmented reality game for mobile devices released July 2016. Augmented reality offers character images overlaid on images of real-world locations. Confused?

Think of your Avatar strolling the streets of the Vernon Avenue in front of the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Panama City compliments of the Google Earth satellite view.

The mobile device application, available for both Android and Apple platforms, has created an international buzz both for the fun the app offers as well as the security vulnerability. It’s that vulnerability that has motivated Department of Defense security and information officers to spread the word to DoD employees: Never use the app on DoD devices or within federal facilities, to include sensitive areas.

In Panama City, Florida, Naval Support Activity Panama City (NSA PC) Public Affairs Officer Leslie Brown relayed tips via Facebook for “budding Pokémon trainers” using Pokémon Go users aboard NSA PC. Tip #1: Don’t chase Pokémon into controlled or restricted areas like the flight line, office buildings or homes on the installation.

“Please be careful in parking lots, crossing roads, etc,” Brown wrote. “It’s a good idea to look up, away from your phone and both ways before crossing streets.”

Seven days after its release date, and after 7.5 million down-

Navy Guide to Financial Improvement and Audit Readiness (FIAR)

Myth: I don't work in the Comptroller Department so FIAR doesn't apply to me.

Fact: Everyone influences the reliability and accuracy of our financial data. The things you do everyday impact FIAR:    

From filling out your timecard to receiving your pay From identifying a requirement to receiving a budget From initiating a procurement to executing a contract From receiving property to accounting for assets

Every step of the way, people everyday throughout the Navy are involved in the data that is produced, entered into systems, reported on, and used to make the decisions that enable the Navy to achieve its mission.

loads, Minnesota Senator Al Franken voiced concerns about Pokémon Go’s access to private data in an open letter to the Niantic chief executive officer John Hanke. Franken is a member of the Senate Privacy and Technology Subcommittee.

The app itself may not offer a privacy warning to individual users so caution is recommended for all who download. What security experts and users alike may collectively all have learned so far is the Pokémon GO app requires “full access” upon download.

That means users who download the app give the game and the company, Niantic, access to: • Read all your email • Send email as you • Access all your Google drive documents (including deleting them) • Look at your search history and your Maps navigation history • Access any private photos you may store in photos Hanke stated in interviews with the press after he received the letter from Franken that his company did not originally intend to ask for full access and the company was working to change information requests to only basic profile information, such as a User ID and email address.

Since the app’s release in early July odd things have happened to people who’ve played the game. In Texas, a 15-year old was hit by a bus and was released with minor cuts and bruises. In Los Angeles, two U.S. Marine veterans who were playing the game helped police detain a stabbing suspect. In Washington D.C., managers at the Holocaust Memorial Museum told Pokémon GO fans to avoid playing the game while visiting the museum as it was Table of Contents considered “extremely inappropriate.” ♦

Role

Page

All Team Members 6 Supervisor 8 Timekeeper 10 Traveler 12 Travel Authorizing/Approving Official 14 Government Purchase Card Cardholder 16 Government Purchase Card Approving Official 18 Unit Cardholder 20 Property Custodian 22 Project Officer/Program Manager 24 Procurement Agent 26 Budget Analyst The teamAnalyst/Management supports the development of new CBD IPE 28 sysContracting Officer Representative tems in a multi-service environment. The team ensures 30 that Officer, Grants Officer, Specialist theContracting unique requirements of theContract maritime environment32are Human Resources Specialist included in the design of all CBD IPE, mask and BPP 34 sys-

SAILORS

from page 13

tems. Systems are supported through development and iniGuidethen to Managers’ Internaluntil Control Program tialNavy fielding are sustained ultimate disposal. 36 Whether the Sailor is serving within the Surface Warfare Enterprise, Undersea Enterprise, Naval Aviation EnterPleaseNaval use the Table of Contents above toEnterprise, find the role(s) prise, Expeditionary Combat or you at afillNavy within the Navy. There is a reference card for each identified role Installation, the NSWC PCD CBD and BPP team provides (see page number). Please review the cards for your role(s) to learn support that increases theand readiness levels and how you contribute to FIAR use the back of for yourdeploying reference card forward deployed to help you prepare forces. for auditors. The list of contributions is not all‐ inclusive but focuses on key items that can have a financial impact.

Page 14

Our intent is not to capture every role in the Navy but rather those Coastal Compass - August 2016 roles that are held by the majority of the workforce.

Commanding Officer Recognizes Top Military Performers

Navy Achievement Medal Awarded PANAMA CITY, Florida - Logistics Specialists 2nd Class (AW/SW) Vithgia Pich was awarded a Navy Achievement Medal during an awards ceremony at Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division’s “Dragonmaster” Unit July 15, 2016. Pich’s leadership and technical expertise was recognized for having returned critical testing assets to full mission capability status to safely execute 167 flight-hours in support of airborne mine countermeasures. U.S. Navy photo by Haley Walker (Released) 160715-N-ND734-003

Sailor of the Quarter, Third Quarter PANAMA CITY, Florida – Navy Diver 1st Class (DSW/EXW) Steven Starner was named Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division’s 2016 Sailor of the Quarter, Third Quarter. He was presented the award by NSWC PCD Commanding Officer Capt. Phillip Dawson during a July 15, 2016 awards ceremony in Panama City, Florida. Starner was recognized for his exceptional motivation and performance as a Diver Locker Diving Supervisor and leadership of 146-man hours of research, development, test and evaluation support dives that were under budget and with zero mishaps. U.S. Navy photo by Haley Walker (Released) 160715-N-ND734-009

Community Support Bravo Zulu PANAMA CITY, Florida - Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) 1st Class David Finn was awarded the Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal July 15, 2016 by Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division Commanding Officer Capt. Phillip Dawson. Finn was recognized for support to the Hero’s 9/11 5K run, Shell Island Earth Day clean up, and as an active member of the Bay County Fire and Rescue. In his latter capacity, Finn has responded to 223 emergency calls within Bay County. U.S. Navy photo by Haley Walker (Released) 160715-N-ND734-005

Coastal Compass - August 2016

Aviation Unit Safety Bravo Zulu PANAMA CITY, Florida - Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) 1st Class Martin Long, of Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division Aviation “DragonMasters” Unit was recognized July 15, 2016 by NSWC PCD Commanding Officer Capt. Phillip Dawson for attention to detail and technical expertise that prevented a mechanical failure. U.S. Navy photo

by Haley Walker (Released) 160715-N-ND734-011

Page 15

Why Defense Travel System (DTS)?

USD (P&R) Memorandum of March 2008 mandates use of DTS “The most cost-effective method of meeting DOD’s travel requirements”

DTS allows split disbursement to the GOVCC Flights booked through DTS are fully refundable DTS is automatically update with new per diem rates Scheduled Partial Payments for TDYs exceeding 45days Electronic submission, routing, & approval of travel orders DTS is an auditable financial repository for paid travel claims Efficient submission and reimbursement of official travel expenses Reservations transmitted to the Commercial Travel Office (CTO) real-time For additional DTS information or questions, call (850) 234- 4480

Link to Chief of Naval Operations Strategic Guidance to learn more!

Page 16

Coastal Compass - August 2016

Notice to All Hands: Guidance for Political Activity During 2016

By Office of Congressional and Public Affairs NSWC Panama City Division

PANAMA CITY, Florida – As the United States nears the fall presidential election, communication mediums are flaring with daily buzz topics, but those employed by the Department of Defense are reminded of limits regarding political activity.

Throughout every year, and in particular during election cycles, DoD personnel – defined as active duty, selective reserves, and federal civil servants – are guided by prevailing instructions regarding political activities and involvement.

Military or civilian employees may be eager to take to Facebook or Twitter to jump into the issue du jour but before you list your hashtags and Tweet your personal thoughts, take heed. Why? Simply put – it’s the rules. Does this mean you cannot exercise your First Amendment right to freedom of speech? No, it just means you must understand that you, as a service member or federal civil servant, represent the government. Your actions represent the U.S. government, so before you publish your blogs, chats, posts, Tweets, or share your Memes think about how your actions reflect the U.S. Navy or Department of Defense.

Overall, the bottom line up front is you represent the Department of Defense and the Hatch Act is a law that breaks out civilian personnel into three groups. That law aside, regulations and Operational Security requires all members of the DoD evaluate their words and actions before they are made or taken, respectively.

So, who can do what?

Group 1 and 2 are as follows and these individuals are considered Further Restricted groups (See Figure 1.0). You fall into either of these groups if you are a: • Political appointee • Non-career member of the Senior Executive Service corps • Career SES • Member of the Contract Appeals Board • An employee of the • National Security Agency (NSA) • Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) • National Geo-Spatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) These further restricted groups are prohibited from taking an active part in partisan, political management, political campaigns or political activity or even “in concert” with a political party – that means you cannot be a part of a candidate’s campaign. “In concert”, by the way, refers to any activity that is sponsored or supported by a political party, partisan political group, or candidate for partisan political office.

Prohibited activities also include soliciting or receiving political contributions. Further restricted employees may, however, express their personal opinions, make monetary contributions to a campaign, and attend, but not actively participate in, campaign events or fundraising functions sponsored by candidates for partisan political office or political parties. See Partisan Political Activity Rules for “Further Restricted” DoD Civilians.

Why? Simply put – it’s against the rules. For civilian employees, participation in political activity is regulated by several sources, such as The Hatch Act (5 USC 7321 – 7326), DoD policies, and regulations (5 CFR 733 and 5 CFR 734), but civilians are also

Coastal Compass - August 2016

Figure 1 — Hatch Act Restrictions: Groups 1, 2 & 3.

guided by the employee’s position or office. In short, the farther up the food chain you are, the more you’re watched. The most restrictive guidelines pertain to individuals in Groups 1 or 2 who are also referred to as Further Restricted.

Group 3 is comparatively the more lenient set of restricted personnel under the Hatch Act. It applies to all other employees not included in Groups 1 or 2 (to include Schedule C political appointees). At Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD), more than 1,300 employees fall into this second and less restrictive category. This group of civilian employees may volunteer with a political campaign or political organization.

Examples of permitted volunteer activities include: organizing political rallies and meetings, making phone calls on behalf of a candidate, serving as a delegate to a party convention, and working for a political party to get out the vote on Election Day. These employees are, however, prohibited from soliciting or receiving political contributions, even while off duty. For details, link up to Partisan Political Activity Rules for “Less Restricted” DoD Civilians.

As with everything in life, it’s all about the location and for members of the DoD, regardless of your Group, political activity while on duty or in a federal building is strictly prohibited.

This includes, but is not limited to, the sending or forwarding of political emails, posting political messages to social media such as Facebook, or engaging in political Tweeting while in a federal building – even if you’re off the clock.

Also, there is no distinction between using personal computers, tablets or smartphones when you’re on or off the clock and you seek to engage in political activities. As a rule of thumb – don’t do it unless you’re off base or at home and teleworking is no different than if you are in a federal building because you’re using government equipment. Employees should never use government equipment when engaging in political activities. The attached Office of Special Counsel Press Release illustrates these issues.

Okay, so enough about what federal civil servants can or cannot do under the Hatch Act. What about members of the military?

This is the part of the article that is simple and straight forward.

The primary guidance concerning political activity for military members is found in DoD Directive 1344.10 [Guidance for Mili-

See POLITICAL, page 18

Page 17

Former CHINFO, Rear Adm. John Kirby writes about Killing English

By Office of Congressional and Public Affairs NSWC Panama City Division Editor’s Note: Our theme this month is communication. This is a reprint of an email to all Navy Public Affairs from RDML John Kirby, former CHINFO and who now serves as the Spokesperson for the Department of State.

To All: You’ve heard me talk about good storytelling. Today, I want to spend a little time on good writing and speaking.

Adm. Jim Stavridis once said that, “...all military officers should learn a second language.” I think he’s right. I think that language should be English.

That’s the way Mary Walsh, Pentagon producer for CBS News, kicked off a talk recently to students at Defense Information School.

The line drew chuckles, but it also hit home with me.

If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard Adm. Greenert urge Navy leaders to “say it in plain English,” well, let’s just say I’d have a pot full of nickels. And yet I’m amazed at how often we continue to ignore him.

I don’t think it’s intentional, this butchering of our own language. It’s more a crime of neglect. I think many of us have simply forgotten what it is to write well and speak well. We know good writing when we see it. We know a good speech when we hear it.

But for some reason, or maybe lots of reasons, we can’t measure up to the task ourselves.

For one thing, we’ve never met an adjective or adverb we didn’t like. We don’t “exploit operations in the electromagnetic spectrum; We fully exploit them. We don’t integrate functions; we seamlessly integrate them.” And it’s not sufficient to make investments. We need to remind you they are “essential, long-term investments,” be-

POLITICAL tary Personnel]. Per longstanding DoD policy, active duty personnel may not engage in partisan political activities and all military personnel should avoid the inference that their political activities imply or appear to imply DoD sponsorship, approval, or endorsement of a political candidate, campaign, or cause.

Members on active duty may not campaign for a partisan candidate, engage in partisan fundraising activities, serve as an officer of a partisan club, or speak before a partisan gathering. Active duty members may, however, express their personal opinions on political candidates and issues, make monetary contributions to a political campaign or organization, and attend political events as a spectator when not in uniform.

And now, the home stretch: Using Social Media How members of the DoD – civilian or military – use social media is a new hot topic all its own. Over the last decade, social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and blog sites have opened up how people express themselves on a global platform. What you must remember is that you still represent the DoD and when you use these new and emerging platforms, it’s no different than two decades ago before these capabilities existed – it’s just viewed in a new way.

Think of it this way, civilian and military personnel may generally express their personal views on public issues or political candidates via social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, or personal blogs, much the same as they would be permitted to write

Page 18

cause, some of our other investments aren’t really all that important.

According to this year’s Navy program guide, the world isn’t a dangerous place. It’s a “dynamic and complex international environment.” And the Navy’s most pressing challenge in coming years will be sustaining Fleet capacity while maintaining relevant capability.

I guess I just assumed all our capabilities were relevant.

And why can’t we talk about problems? When did that word become so bad? Everybody has problems. Problems are real. Problems are what we get paid to solve. But no, we in the military have challenges to meet, face, overcome, deter, or defeat.

Jargon and gibberish always win out.

We didn’t tell people we were reducing to one the number of carriers in the Middle East. We told them we were responding to a 1.0 carrier presence requirement in the CENTCOM AOR. We aren’t defending America at sea. We’re delivering offshore options. And we do not sustain troops through supply routes. We do it through lines of communication.

I once heard a general say — no kidding — that he was worried about a “kinetic provocation” on the Korean peninsula. I’m pretty sure he meant attack.

We do not withdraw from Afghanistan. We retrograde. We do not come home. We redeploy. We do not muster out. We reintegrate.

And when we do reintegrate, it’s to places INCONUS rather than just plain old stateside. If you’re not stateside, well, you’re OCONUS — not simply overseas.

Let’s be honest. It’s just a lot easier to complicate things — to

See ENGLISH, page 19

from page 17 a letter to the editor of a newspaper. If, when expressing a personal opinion, personnel are identified by a social media site as DoD employees, the posting must clearly and prominently state that the views expressed are those of the individual only and not of the Department of Defense. Simple, right? As previously noted, active duty military members and further restricted civilian employees are prohibited from participating in partisan political activity.

Therefore, while these employees may “follow” “friend” or “like” a political party or candidate running for partisan office, they may not post links to, “share” or “re-tweet” comments or tweets from the Facebook page or twitter account of a political party or candidate running for partisan office. Such activity is deemed to constitute participation in political activities. Social media guidance for military members [FAQs Political Activities and Members of the Armed Forces] and civilian employees [Social Media and the Hatch Act] offers advice on how to avoid violating the rules.

Service members must also be careful not to comment, post, or link to material that violates the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) or Service regulation. Examples include showing contempt for public officials, releasing sensitive information, or posting unprofessional material that is prejudicial to good order and discipline under the UCMJ. Questions? Contact NSWC Panama City Division’s Office of Legal Counsel or the Office of Congressional and Public Affairs. ♦

Coastal Compass - August 2016

ENGLISH rely on fancy words and acronyms -- than it is to be clear and concise. Being clear and concise might get you quoted. Fancy words might convince people you are smarter than they are. And then, maybe, they’ll leave you alone.

I call it the Prego Proof. I named it after that television commercial, the one for Prego spaghetti sauce.

“It’s in there!” says the announcer, making sure customers know every possible ingredient they need to make good spaghetti sauce is in that jar.

We do the same thing in our writing. We cram as much information as possible into every paragraph and power-point bullet so that, should any Hill staffer dare ask about this or that, we can say with a straight face.

“You bet, it’s in there!”

Here’s another example from the program guide, this one about the Zumwalt-class destroyer: “This advanced warship will provide offensive, distributed, and precision fires in support of forces ashore and will provide a credible forward naval presence while operating independently or as an integral part of naval, joint or combined expeditionary strike forces.”

I count 14 adjectives in that sentence, maybe three of which are necessary. If you remove the 11 others, you come up with this: “This warship will provide fires in support of forces ashore and will provide a naval presence while operating independently or as a part of expeditionary forces.”

That’s still a bit stodgy, but it’s a whole lot easier to understand.

And it gives the reader a better sense of what the ship can actually do, which is what I think we were trying to accomplish in the first place.

Editing out the adjectives reveals something else: a weakness in verbs. “Provide” is used twice, and the word doesn’t exactly instill confidence. Warships don’t provide. They fight. They destroy. They defend. They chase, shoot, engage, transport and steam.

My insurance company provides. My doctor provides. My mother provides.

Somehow, somewhere along the way, we grew scared of verbs.

That’s a shame, because the English language boasts plenty of verbs that convey action and purpose. And the American military, perhaps above all professions, has reason to use them. Action and purpose is what we’re all about.

To be fair, I’m guilty of butchery myself. A reporter asked me last year about the development of an East Coast missile defense system.

This was my response: “Well, we always look very seriously at the broad scope of our missile defense capabilities and how to make them more robust and to improve them. But the general also said, ‘...that we don’t believe we need that kind of a capability right now. It’s not programmed for in the budget we just submitted back in February. But just as a matter of course, we constantly look at ways to improve our capabilities, particularly in a field as dynamic and technologically challenging as missile defense.’”

Well, isn’t that a flash of brilliance? I killed a lot of words right there saying a lot of nothing. The second sentence was all I needed, and it could have been made more crisp. Indeed, I’m sure people will find other mistakes and missteps in this email. But here’s the thing. We can no longer afford to say nothing. Each word must

Coastal Compass - August 2016

from page 18 count. Each word must work as hard as we do. With resources declining and the gap growing between the military and the American people, we must at least try to communicate better and more clearly.

I am reminded of a story that illustrates the point. I found it in Max Miller’s book, “The Far Shore.” Miller wrote about the Navy in World War II, but this particular story is about a U.S. Army officer trying to get information from a British outpost near his location.

“You say the Germans are coming,” the colonel said into the phone. “But you don’t tell me how many. Tell me how many.”

“Considerable,” replied the Brit in a heavy accent. “Considerable.”

“No, for God’s sake,” the colonel begged, “tell me how many!”

Again, the answer came back: Considerable.

“Say,” said the colonel, “you’ve got an American corporal up there with you. Put him on the line.”

The corporal came to the phone.

“Now,” said the colonel to the G.I., “tell me how many Germans are coming.”

“A whole piss-pot full of ‘em, colonel!”

“Thanks. That’s all I wanted to know.”

Whether it’s a pot full of nickels or a pot full of German soldiers, we need to remember it’s not merely what we say that matters. It’s how we say it. It’s about the words we choose — or don’t choose.

It’s about the sentences we build, the stories we tell. Frankly, it’s about how we practice — yes, practice — our own language.

That doesn’t just apply to the people who write the program guide or other policy wonks. It applies to PA professionals and the bosses we advise, too.

Mary Walsh had it right. When it comes to English, we have met the enemy. And they are us. It’s time to put down the adjectives and back away.

Here are 10 tips to help us improve, inspired by William Zinsser’s “On Writing Well:” 1. When in doubt, leave the clarifier out. Use adjectives and adverbs sparingly. If it’s easier, go ahead and write them in. Then walk away from the document for an hour. Come back and take a fresh look. See if you really need them.

2. Run, Forrest, run. Active verbs lend momentum to your lines.

They propel your ideas forward. And if you’re smart about the ones you choose, you won’t need many adverbs anyway.

3. Short words win. We get enamored of long, fancy words like enamor. They make us sound smart. Shorter is better. Of the 701 words in Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address, 505 are words of one syllable and 122 words contain two syllables.

4. Short sentences sing. Long sentences, though necessary at times, are also tough to plod through. Give the reader a break every now and then. Mix in some short ones.

5. So do short paragraphs. Again, it’s about giving the reader a break. Long paragraphs are cumbersome, daunting things.

Keep them short and punchy; limit them to one idea. There’s nothing wrong with a little white space.

6. Acronyms are lazy and cheap. They may help us abbreviate the long and complex names we assign things, but they suck the life right out of a sentence. Avoid them ASAP. 7. Read well, write well. Spend a little time with Austen and Hemingway and Twain and Shakespeare. Read the speeches of

See ENGLISH, page 20

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DMA Films Aboard NSWC PCD PANAMA CITY, Florida - A chess set created by additive manufacturing (3D printing) sits on display in the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division’s rapid prototyping laboratory. U.S. Navy photo

by Jacqui Barker (Released) 160714-N-PY562-002

Federally Employed Women Hold a Hot Dog Scholarship Fund Raiser PANAMA CITY, Florida — Federally Employed Women (FEW) hosted a Hot n’ Humid Hotdog Sale on July 26, 2016 in Building 110. The money raised supports the FEW scholarship fund for local high school seniors. Pictured from left to right: Capt. Phillip Dawson, Pat Howerton, Elizabeth Clark, Mary Locke, Elga Huckins, Jodi Hendrix, Helen Jeroski and Nancy Rutledge. U.S. Navy Photo by Katherine Mapp (Released) 160726-N-PD526-002

ENGLISH Kennedy, Churchill and Lincoln. Read poetry. The best way to write and speak well is to study those who perfected those skills.

8. Lend me your ear. Readers read with the eye, but they actually “hear” the words in their head. Write for the ear. Read your stuff out loud before you turn it in. How does it sound?

9. Whose line is it anyway? Write in your own “voice,” exactly the way you would say it if you were talking to friends and family.

When you put on airs in your writing, you come off haughty and

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from page 19 distant. Write it -- or have it written — like you would say it.

10. Lighten up, Francis. I’m not suggesting we throw out all the rules, but every now and then it’s OK to write a sentence fragment, or end a sentence with a preposition, or even throw in some slang. If it’s how you would say it best, and it strengthens your message, go ahead. Say it.

Sincerely, Rear Adm. John Kirby ♦

Coastal Compass - August 2016