March Landmark

The official publication of the USS Emory S. Land

THE

LANDMARK

Inside this issue PG. 9 CIVMAR in the Spotlight PG. 13 ESL Returns to Sea PG. 15 Women’s History Month PG. 17 PS1 Aguilar

MAR 2018

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THE COMMAND TRIAD COMMANDING OFFICER | Capt. Douglas A. Bradley EXECUTIVE OFFICER | Cmdr. Robert J. Lopez COMMAND MASTER CHIEF | CMDCM William T. Greene THE LANDMARK MAGAZINE STAFF PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER | LT. Daniel Moore LEADING PETTY OFFICER | MC1 Oliver Cole QUALITY ASSURANCE | MC1 Steven Khor LEAD EDITOR | MC2 Richard A. Miller SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER | MC2 Daniel Willoughby STAFF JOURNALIST | MCSN Destinyy Reed STAFF JOURNALIST | MCSN Lorenz Zuercher The Landmark Magazine is an authorized publication for Sailors aboard the USS Emory S. Land (AS 39). Contents herein are not the views of, or endorsed by the United States government, Dept. of Defense, Dept. of the Navy, or the Commanding Officer of the ESL. All news, photos, and information for publication in The Landmark Magazine must be submitted to the Public Affairs Officer of the USS Emory S. Land. The Landmark Magazine is produced by ESL Media Services department.

ESL is manned by an integrated crew of Sailors and civilian mariners under the administrative control of Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and operational control of the Commander, Task Force 74. As a forward-deployed naval force, ESL is tasked to provide epeditionary, intermediate-level maintenance and repairs, hotel services, and logistics support to deployed GuidedMissile and Fast-Attack submarines deployed in the 5th, 6th and 7th Fleet areas of operation.

REPRODUCTION OF ANY PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MUST BE AUTHORIZED BY THE PUBLISHER AND CREDITED TO THE LANDMARK MAGAZINE AND THE CONTRIBUTORS INVOLVED.

Tugboats assist the USS Emory S. Land as the ship prepares to get underway for the first time in two years.

Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Steven Khor

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Capt. Douglas Bradley Commanding Officer, USS Emory S. Land

RETURN TO SEA Any time you get a ship underway there’s always similar battles. One is material readiness of the ship; we had to come through a number of material issues.

Personnel readiness is another. We have to make sure that we have enough personnel qualified to stand watches and to do the right trainings to insure that we’re ready to operate the ship at sea. We must also take care of the manning plan so we know who’s staying behind and who’s coming with the ship. Those were some of the big challenges we had to come through. The top issue is always making sure that the team is ready to operate the ship at sea. We put a lot of effort into that. Our fast cruise validated that the team was safe and ready to go to sea.

HYBRID CREW The MSC team that we have provides food services in port and at sea. All of the supply and logistics remained the same. They maintained a ready state to go to sea.

The engineering plant is continuously manned by MSC licensed mariners. When we look at our operational readiness compared to other Navy ships, licensed mariners enable us to get the ship quickly back out to sea. The core functions of the ship are always properly manned. The MSC team does a great job keeping the ship operationally ready to go to sea. The Navy Sailors perform the fleet support missions, supports damage control, and protects the ship with force protection. We’re good at some things that they don’t focus on, so we get the best of both worlds between civilian mariners and the Navy. The Navy protects the ship while MSC drives the ship, and we fight the ships casualties together.

HIGHLIGHTS Highlight number one from the underway was breaking the med moor. This ship has been in med moor for almost two years, so that was a big highlight for us. We did a lot of trainings, walkthroughs and talkthroughs about the evolution, and we finally got to do it. I would say that every day was filled with highlights, from the sunsets to drill sets. But my biggest highlight was watching the crew’s enthusiasm and confidence grow each day and seeing the ship perform as a complete team. And of course, I can’t forget the 50 cal. shoot.

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH Women contribute here just like any other Sailor on the ship. Man or woman, everyone here is a Sailor who’s trained to do their job regardless of their gender. I see Sailors all around the ship doing their job. It allows us to have diversity onboard. Everyone offers something different because we come from different backgrounds with different life experiences. Women bring a different view point to the job. It’s good for solving problems and looking at things in a different way. At the end of the day the fundamental job is just Sailors doing what they’re trained to do.

DEPLOYMENT GOALS I look forward to bringing the tenders capabilities outside of Guam. We offer a very unique platform for use in the 7th Fleet. We bring a new skillset to the Navy because we’re one of only two submarine tenders. This will be our opportunity to go expeditionary with our unique skillset, wherever that may be.

CLOSING REMARKS I want to thank the crew for their efforts. It was an all-hands effort to get the ship where she is today. I’m extremely proud of the enthusiasm that I see around the ship from the crew. In 2018 our theme is “Up Our Game.” In 2017 we achieved our objectives of building our capacity to become a full tender. Now in 2018 it’s time to take it to the next level. We built the foundation last year, and this year we’re going to expand that and up our game. Getting the ship underway is one step towards achieving that goal. I appreciate the support of our families, especially with our upcoming schedule demands. I appreciate the team that we had to leave behind in Guam to support the mission. It’s not easy to shift crew members off, even though they’re now on the Frank Cable, they’re still a part of Emory S. Land.

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Cmdr. Robert Lopez Executive Officer, USS Emory S. Land

Interview conducted by MC2 Miller MC2: You were previously on the deckplates as a Leading Petty Officer for your first tour on the ESL; what is it like going underway again 22 years later as the XO? XO: I was an LPO on ESL from 1994 to 1996 and most of the ship is still the same. It goes to show you that if you set goals, define your path and work to achieve them, then anything is possible. I think back 22 years, and it seems like so long ago, but I can clearly remember the day-to-day operations of the ship. At that time I was standing CIC supervisor underway tracking all contacts and providing forceful back-up to the OOD. ESL no longer has a CIC but the important job of tracking contacts is still there and falls on the Mate on Watch. Looking back, the memories, the shipmates, and now as the XO underway ... simply amazing!

MC2: How can Sailors make the most of their time underway when it comes to personal/ professional development?

XO: The best advice I can give is to get out and qualify, qualify and if I didn’t mention it yet, qualify. Make the best use of the underway and get to know your ship. During the underway you don’t have to worry about liberty or going out in town; it is all about the ship, the team and you. Take the time to learn something new each day, get out of your comfort zone and see where you can better the ship.

Get involved, make a positive difference and, together as one team, the ship will succeed.

MC2: In lieu of triathlons, what are some good ways for Sailors to modify their physical fitness regimen to suit the different conditions they’d see while underway?

XO: Physical fitness is more of a state of mind for me. I may not be into yoga, but it is a good activity for a lot of people. Sunrise or sunset yoga is a great way to start or finish the day. As for me, you can find me most mornings running on the treadmill and

breaking a good sweat. The important thing is find something that interests you, whether it is TRX, yoga, dancing, or weightlifting, and dedicate some time every day to accomplishing your PT regimen. It is more than being physically fit; that workout refreshes the mind, fights stress and helps mentally prepare us for the day.

MC2: What are you looking forward to most about deployment?

XO: Deployment is a time for us to come together as a ship. We will spend weeks onboard training alongside one another and learning to fight a multitude of things together as a team. We will build trust and unity and the positive memories will last a lifetime. Deployments are great but we must all remember to take care of each other out on liberty. I hope to see zero liberty incidents on deployment, and let’s have all memories be positive ones.

MC2: If you could go back in time, knowing what you know now, and give yourself some advice before your first deployment in the Navy, what would you tell yourself?

XO: I would look myself in the eye and say enjoy the port visit, look at the sites and take some tours. Don’t waste your time or money in a bar or night club because they are all the same. There is nothing wrong with going out and grabbing a drink, just don’t forget to immerse yourself in the culture and see the sights while you are there. Make sober forever memories and, years later, you will appreciate it!

MC2: Is there anything you’d like to add, sir?

XO: We had our first underway on the ship in almost 2 years and I am honored to have shared it with each of you. This underway was the start of at-sea operations for Emory S. Land and we all made this happen. Each of us working together made this a reality. For that, I thank you. Remember, together we will succeed. See you on the deckplates!

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CMDCM William Greene Command Master Chief, USS Emory S. Land

Interview conducted by MCSN Zuercher

MCSN: How did you feel about this underway and the deployment in the near future?

CMC: I felt really good; we have a lot of things to be proud of. The MSC team is doing a lot of the work with getting the ship ocean ready and preparing the food. I liked the energy from the crew. Despite the obstacles we faced, a lot of people really made the best of it. They were participating in the MWR events we held and participating in getting qualifications. I’m encouraged by that, I think the next underway I’d really like to see us continue to build on that.

Continue coming to MWR events, continue to work on ESWS qualifications and take full advantage of the time you don’t have outside distractions.

MCSN: What are some things you expect to happen during the underways to come?

CMC: More of the same, I think we will constantly up our game with what we’ve been doing. Last underway we did a certain set of drills at basic level, now we can take those drills that we do and maybe make it a multilevel fire or a more complicated flooding scenario. It’s going to look about the same, but the drills and evolutions will be a lot more complex.

MCSN: What would you like to see

involving the relationship between the MSC and the Navy crew?

CMC: Going on deployment with MSC means a lot, they’re part of the ship’s crew too.

They might play by a different set of rules, but at the end of the day they are our shipmates too. We take care of them and they take care of us, so I look very forward to interacting more with them, going on liberty with them, and the helicopter operation on the last underway was a great effort with MSC. Flight Ops is something they practice but haven’t really done in a while, but it came together perfectly.

MCSN: What advice would you give to newer Sailors regarding deployments?

CMC: Double and triple check your sea bag and what you’re bringing, and be ready to be an ambassador to the United States when you’re out on liberty. We’re going to make a liberty call, your attitude and presentation of yourself needs to be impeccable. Yes, we want to go out and have fun but liberty is a mission, it’s not just for fun. It’s showing the other countries that we can go out and have fun and act like United States Navy Sailors by staying out of trouble while supporting the theatre of commands objectives.

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CIVMAR IN THE SPOTLIGHT AMOS LONDON, THIRD MATE WATCH OFFICER Story and photos by MC2 Richard A. Miller

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“WE HAVE A VERY SPECIFIC MISSION AND IT’S INTERESTING TO SEE THE INS AND OUTS OF WORKING WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT UNITS THAT WE TEND.” What do you do on board Emory S. Land?

In port I stand eight-hour watches, much like the Officer of the Deck or Command Duty Officer would.

Underway, I stand as Officer of the Deck of the bridge watch team.

How long have you worked with Military Sealift Command?

I’ve been with MSC since 2012. I did roughly a year of sea time when I was a cadet at school before that.

If you count that, it’s been around seven and a half years.

What other ships have you been on previously and how do the ESL and its hybrid crew differ from what you’ve experienced previously?

I have been on another hybrid ship. I was on the USS Ponce back in 2014 in the Arabian Gulf. It was similar, but the Navy crew was much smaller.

Our total was 170 people but only about 55 were Navy. I’ve been on three MSC tankers, three ammo ships, a salvage boat, and now Emory S. Land. This platform is interesting. We’re not doing underway replenishment, which is MSC’s usual bread and butter. We have a very specific mission and it’s interesting to see the ins and outs of working with all the different units that we tend. Due to its mission, this ship also gets to see unique ports a lot of other ships don’t visit as much.

What is the most interesting place you have visited?

I really enjoyed Singapore, the food is great. I had a lot of fun in England; I went to Plymouth, saw Newcastle United play a match against Brighton City, and saw the wall the Romans built to separate the Roman Empire from Scotland. I’ve been to Rome, Sicily, France, Spain, and all over the Middle East and Pacific.

What were some highlights from the recent underway and what are you looking forward to about deployment?

I don’t really enjoy sitting at the pier, so being underway is enjoyable. It’s even better that the ship sat at the pier for two years and we were still able to get underway with no major hiccups. We went out, did what we needed to do, nothing got broken, and nobody got hurt.

What is the difference between being licensed and unlicensed?

In order to sail on a commercial ship, you need to hold an endorsement, whether that endorsement is as an able-bodied seaman or as an engine utility. A license is an officer’s endorsement. There are only two kinds: deck and engine. If you go deck, you start as third mate and it goes to second mate, chief mate, and master. On the engine side, there’s third, second, first, and chief. The difference is that a Coast Guard license is about seven different tests that you take over the course of a week and you need a certain amount of sea time. To get your third mate’s license, you need 1,000 sea days and to pass those seven tests. The unlicensed guys have an endorsement, but sometimes the requirements aren’t as stringent.

There’s not a real difference when it comes to college education, such as officers holding college degrees and unlicensed not holding degrees. You can have a Coast Guard license without a college degree.

Likewise, we have plenty of unlicensed guys who hold college degrees. It really just comes down to the sea time and tests. The main difference is the level of endorsement.

Thank you for your time, is there anything you’d like to add?

I appreciate the readers taking the time to learn more about what MSC does on board the Emory S. Land and look forward to getting underway with you again.

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LAND RETURNS

Story by MC2 Richard A. Miller Photo by MCSN Destinyy Reed

TO SEA

“WE WILL BUILD TRUST AND UNITY, CREATING POSITIVE MEMORIES TO LAST A LIFETIME”.

The submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) homeported in Guam, returned from a week at sea March 8.

The Land, one of the Navy’s only two submarine tenders, conducted sea trials in preparation for deployment as the mobile-repair element for submarines in the U.S. Pacific fleet area of responsibility.

While at sea, the crew conducted training including anti-terrorism force protection, damage control, and abandon ship drills to prepare the crew to handle potential casualties while at sea.

The sea trials enabled the crew to assess the material condition of the ship after a two-year in port period.

Capt. Douglas A. Bradley, Land’s commanding officer, praised the ship’s hybrid crew consisting of Navy Sailors and Military Sealift Command civilian mariners for improving Land’s underway readiness.

“I want to thank the crew for their efforts,” said Bradley. “It was an allhands effort to get the ship where she is today. I’m extremely proud of the enthusiasm I see around the ship from the crew.”

Cmdr. Robert J. Lopez, Land’s executive officer, sees the at-sea training as a valuable tool to prepare for Land’s upcoming deployment and stated the importance of continued training underway.

“Deployment is a time for us to come together as a ship,” said Lopez. “We will spend weeks onboard training alongside one another and learning to fight a multitude of things together as a team.

We will build trust and unity, creating positive memories to last a lifetime.”

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WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH IS NOT JUST A CELEBRATION OF WOMEN, BUT A MESSAGE FOR ALL SERVICE MEMBERS ABOUT THE ROLE DIVERSITY PLAYS IN THE SUCCESS OF OUR MISSION. -LSCS THEA HERNANDEZ, COMMAND CLIMATE SPECIALIST

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“Women’s History is POWERFUL.”

March isn’t just a month for St. Patrick’s Day, it’s also the month that the United States celebrates women and their many achievements. The Navy joins the nation in celebrating Women’s History Month throughout March.

ALNAV 007/18 encourages participation in all heritage celebrations and special observances throughout the year. In the month of March, Navy commands are encouraged to celebrate and reflect on the theme “Honoring Women Who Fight All Forms of Discrimination.”

“Women’s History is powerful,” said Chief Information Systems Technician Rose Williams, automated data processing leading chief petty officer. “It highlights how far we’ve come because often times woman are seen as the underdogs until people learn about our many achievements.”

Women have been contributing to the Navy’s story ever since the 1800s. In 1948, women were granted permanent status in the Navy with the passage of the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act. “Women’s history is important because it’s always an untold story of how we’ve came to be,” said Interior Communications Electrician 2nd Class Sophia A.D. Jackson, female berthing petty officer. “A lot of people forget that females in a male dominant field often times feel as though they have no voice.”

Likewise, Williams agrees stating that

there’s a stigma that women aren’t usually seen as equally capable as a man or strong enough, because of this it’s extremely inspirational seeing a salty female captain because she’s probably had to put up with so much just to get to where she is.

“Women bring diversity to the Navy,” said Williams. “It’s a different perspective that may not have been thought of by our male coworkers.”

Williams is excited to be able to impact that stigma because she is a female chief.

She’s experienced people applauding her and viewing her as inspirational because of her accomplishments as a woman.

“Women’s history is something we have to embrace, acknowledge and understand,” said Jackson.

Over the last century, women have served aboard auxiliary ships, combatant ships, and now even submarines.

“We need to understand that women have done so much and haven’t always been represented, but we’re still strong and persistent,” said Jackson. “We’ve come a long way since the Navy was founded in 1775 and we’re still doing amazing things; it’s just a reminder that there are still so many amazing things to come.”

This is merely the beginning of what women are capable of. With enough awareness and appreciation, many more inspirational women will contribute to the Navy’s story.

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ESL DISBUR$ING EARNS TOP HONOR Story and photo by MC2 Richard A. Miller

Former USS Emory S. Land disbursing officer Lt. j. g. Brittany Saulsberry and Personnel Specialist 1st Class Raymundo Aguilar received the Navy Cash Sailor of the Month award for superior performance of their duties as disbursing officer and deputy disbursing officer throughout 2017.

“My main concern and my motto is keeping the Sailors happy and going above and beyond,” said Aguilar. “That is what motivates me to uphold the highest standards, whether in disbursing or administrative work.”

Aguilar and Saulsberry spent extra hours managing and troubleshooting Navy Cash servers and communication issues. Due to their extra effort, the command excelled in consecutive U.S. Pacific Fleet field examination audits in September 2016 and September 2017, receiving an “outstanding” in both Navy cash management and accountability categories.

“Aguilar has been a tremendous asset to the disbursing team,” said Ens. Adam J. Weisgerber, Land’s current disbursing officer. “He made sure to learn the program inside and out. His knowledge and dedication helped the disbursing office operate efficiently, and his guidance helped us keep up those standards.”

Along with their successes in the

annual audits, the disbursing team maintained zero aged negative balance accounts and mentored Sailors about responsible financial planning and proper management of their Navy Cash accounts.

Aguilar admitted it was a challenge to work outside of his rate and take on so many new responsibilities, but he adapted to the constantly-changing circumstances and grew to appreciate the opportunities he had to mentor those around him.

“An award is great, but having a positive impact is a reward of its own,” said Aguilar.

After completing his tour in the disbursing office, Aguilar plans to take the lessons he learned and apply them to his responsibilities as leading petty officer of the ship’s personnel office.

“Navy Cash introduced me to an entire different realm of responsibilities,” said Aguilar.

“Thriving in disbursing’s challenging environment has helped me expect the unexpected and become a stronger leader overall.”

With Saulsberry and Aguilar out of the disbursing office, a new team has taken over the reins. The Navy Cash Sailors of the Month continue to make their mark through training and mentorship with their peers.

“AN AWARD IS GREAT, BUT HAVING A POSITIVE IMPACT IS A REWARD OF ITS OWN” - PS1 RAYMUNDO AGUILAR

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