Man the Ship and Bring Her to Life Naval Heritage:
If Bulkheads Could Talk Sailor in the Spotlight
A Plankowner Returns
Table of Contents Man the Ship and Bring Her to Life 8-15
Sailor in the Spotlight 4-7
If Bulkheads Could Talk 16-19
Patrol 2017 In Review 20-23
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Leadership: CO XO CMC PAO APAO Media DLCPO Media LPO Production LPO
CAPT Buzz Donnelly CAPT Paul Lanzilotta CMDCM Darrell Timpa LCDR David Levy ENS Rachel McMarr MCCS Ryan Delcore MC1 James Kimber MC1 Woody Paschall
Media Department: MCC Xander Gamble MC1 Greg Johnson MC1 Glenn Slaughter MC1 Timothy Black MC2 Kenneth Abbate MC2 Jamaal Liddell MC2 Brandon Martin MC2 Jamal McNeill MC2 Janweb Lagazo MC3 Tyler John MC3 James Ku MC3 Erwin Miciano MC3 Eduardo Otero Santos MC3 Kaila Peters MC3 Charles J. Scudella III MC3 MacAdam Weissman MCSN Frank Speciale MCSA Randy Adams AA Calisia Brookes
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Weapons / G-5 (Division Officer and Weapons Department Quality Assurance Officer) Hometown: New York City (Manhattan), New York Soundtrack: Non Je Ne Regrette Rien, Edith Piaf Special Place: Venice, Italy Sports Team: Yankees Movie: I can’t name just one. Lawrence of Arabia, the original Blade Runner, Bridge on the River Kwai; Metropolis (silent film) Food: anything Thai and spicy. Can’t live without: The New Yorker weekly magazine. 6 | The Seventy-Sixer January 2018
“Every ship has it own personality and character. Coming back to this ship is like meeting an old friend whom you haven’t seen in years, but have great love for; you pick up where you left off and it’s like you were never gone. I am happy to be here!” I pre-commed this ship, so I am a plank-owner. I got to the ship in March of 2002 as an E-3 and I left in 2006 as an AO2. After the things I saw firsthand on 9/11, I gave up my career as a cinematographer to join the Navy and work in Weapons. I knew I wanted to work in Weapons even before I knew there was such a thing as an Aviation Ordnanceman.
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&
Man the Ship Bring Her to Life Story by MC2 Janweb B. Lagazo Man the ship and bring her to life. “It was my first ship so I had no idea what I was in for,” said Chief Machinist’s Mate (Nuclear) Nicholas Smith, from Burlington, Iowa, who first served aboard the Navy’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), from 2001 to 2005. Man the ship and bring her to life. Fifteen years and counting, Sailors
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have manned all 1,092 feet and 97,000 tons of her. “I was shocked at the mere size of the ship,” said Chief Hull Technician Chance Mays, from Fayetteville, North Carolina, who first served aboard Ronald Reagan from 2001 to 2005. “All of the bulkheads
were bare metal, there were no TAC numbers, and there were sections of the deck plates that
USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) operates in the western pacific. (Photo by MC2 Kenneth Abbate)
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Nancy Reagan breaks a bottle of champaign during the christening ceremony of the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). (Photo courtesy of Naval Archives)
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were missing so we had to walk on ‘planks’ to get down passageways.” Man the ship and bring her to life. Those traditional first words were the first order given by former First Lady Nancy Reagan during the ship’s commissioning ceremony in 2003. Since then, Gipper has always been shaped by the actions of her crew – for the good or for the bad. From being an integral part of designing the ship’s seal through its construction, homeport shifts, participation in exercises and operations, and into its current mission as a part of forward-deployed naval forces (FDNF), it has remained steadfast in its motto: Peace Through Strength. “We had time to grow together back then and go through some growing pains to build continuity,” said Chief Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) Sylvester Lloyd, from Philadelphia, who first served aboard Ronald Reagan from 2001 to 2004. In 2004, the ship transited from Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, through South America’s Strait of Magellan, to her first homeport of Naval Air Station North Island, California. Hays said taking the ship from the East Coast around South America, through the Strait of Magellan, near Chile, up the West Coast to California was an amazing experience he wished his junior Sailors could have been a part of. The crew made visits to Rio de Janeiro, Valparaiso, Chile, and Lima, Peru. “Back when we first built her, we had some of the most advanced technology at the time,” said Chief Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Fuels) Jesus Rodriguez, from San Francisco, who first served aboard Ronald Reagan from 2003 to 2005. “Through the years, we’ve continued to fit her with advanced technology. I was a junior Sailor and I was proud of her, so it motivated me to ensure I did all repairs and maintenance to the best of my ability.” In January 2006, Ronald Reagan departed San Diego to support Operation
Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. The ship conducted operations in the Persian Gulf until July 2006, amassing 6,100 sorties. “It’s a very humbling experience to see the amount of hard work that is put in daily by the crew to bring this mighty warship to complete missions we conduct,” said Mays. In January 2007, Ronald Reagan was called upon to conduct an unscheduled deployment to the Western Pacific. The surge deployment helped Ronald Reagan earn its first Battle Efficiency “E” award. “Being sent to the forefront to deal with the disruptions in today’s social era gives comfort to our families back at home,” said Rodriguez. “We have been equipped with the best, and the best trained Navy is the one that is guiding it while we stand the watch.” In May 2008, Ronald Reagan deployed to the 5th and 7th fleet areas of operation. Ronald Reagan along with her carrier-strike group (CSG), conducted humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions in the Philippines, especially the island of Panay in Central Visayas. Ronald Reagan delivered more than 519,000 pounds of food and water to the otherwise unreachable area. Her actions and those of the ship’s in company ultimately earned the entire CSG the Navy’s humanitarian service medal. The CSG went on to support Operation Enduring Freedom launching more than 1,150 sorties. The ship’s performance in 2008 earned her a second Battle Efficiency “E” award. In 2009, Ronald Reagan again deployed to support Operation Enduring Freedom in the 5th and 7th fleet area of operations which earned her a third Battle Efficiency “E” award. In 2010, after four years of continuously being called upon to deploy, Ronald Reagan entered a scheduled period of maintenance and testing with the Board
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Sailors aboard aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) group together sailors from aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) with their respective divisions during a hull swap. (Photo by MC3 Class Ryan McFarlane)
for Inspection and Survey and Composite Training Unit Exercise. The ship’s systems were upgraded and overhauled to better deal with future situations. Flight deck certifications were conducted before Ronald Reagan participated in the 22nd Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise. RIMPAC included 32 ships, five submarines, 1,700 aircraft, and more than 20,000 personnel. “The memorable experiences come back daily while walking the ship and seeing things that I fabricated that are still being used to this day,” said Mays. “The mission was different, the workups were different, and the assessments were different. INSURV on a brand new ship was different than an INSURV on a 12-year-old ship.” 12 | The Seventy-Sixer January 2018
The events of 2011 were slated to prove the crew’s training and Ronald Reagan’s upgraded systems. The Tohoku earthquake and tsunami ravaged Japan and caused the Fukushima nuclear incident. Operation Tomodachi provided support and relief missions to the devastated Japanese coastline. Toshimi Kitazawa, Japan’s former minister of defense said that he was never more encouraged and proud of Japan’s alliance with the United States. The ship then shifted homeports in 2012 to Bremerton, Washington for a 12-month scheduled maintenance cycle conducted at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. During 2013, Ronald Reagan finished maintenance and returned to San Diego to finish her training and
qualification cycle. In 2014, the Navy announced Ronald Reagan was taking the place of USS George Washington (CVN 73) as the Navy’s FDNF aircraft carrier in Yokosuka, Japan. “Having Ronald Reagan out in FDNF instills great pride because we built something meant for greatness and gave it a name of a leader who did greatness in his era,” said Rodriguez. “The highly desired peace we want in this area of operations, which was once witness to massive destruction and suffering, is kept at peace.” Having grown up while Ronald Reagan was president, Rodriguez said he feels serving his country by standing the watch in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region
“Having Ronald Reagan out in FDNF instills great pride because we built something meant for greatness...”
A bronze statue of Ronald Reagan greets Sailors from aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) as they walk aboard their new duty station, aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). (Photo by MC3 Ryan McFarlane) January 2018| 13
SN Alicia Rios paints the graters of a rigid hull inflatable boat in the forecastle of USS Ronald Reagan. (Photo by MCSA Jamaal N. Liddell)
aboard Ronald Reagan offers him the opportunity to be part of history. Gipper finally made it to Yokosuka, Japan, in 2015 as the new flagship of Carrier Strike Group Five. “It’s great knowing our schedule,” said Smith, “It is good not going
underway for six months or nine months. However, we do not get a lot of down time. We are either underway or in a shipyard environment the vast majority of the time.” In 2016, Ronald Reagan again completed INSURV before
participating in Exercise Valiant Shield and Exercise Invincible Spirit. The ship continually worked with allies and regional partners in the area amid growing tensions. “It’s much different now than it was before,” said Hays. “I was a brand new
The Nimitz-class aircraft carriers USS George Washington (CVN 73) and USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) transit the Pacific Ocean prior to conducting a hull-swap. (Photo by MC3 Chris Cavagnaro)
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The USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) and USS Nimitz (CVN 68) Strike Groups conduct operations in international waters as part of a three-carrier strike force exercise. (Photo by Lt. j.g. James Griffin)
HTFR without a clue of what was to come. Coming back to the Reagan as a chief, having seen what I did as a fireman, it helps me understand what the Sailors on the ship are trying to learn or are struggling with.” In 2017, Ronald Reagan participated in Exercise Talisman Saber, made port visits to
Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, and the Republic of Korea before conducting tricarrier operations with the aircraft carriers USS Nimitz (CVN 68) and USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). “Fast forwarding to the present, the ability to lead, guide and mentor the
next generation of Sailors in and out of air department is an honored privilege,” said Rodriguez. Fifteen years and counting, Ronald Reagan’s crew has been true to Nancy Reagan’s order. Man the ship and bring her to life.
Adm. John Richardson, Chief of Naval Operations, talks to Sailors during an all-hands call in the hangar bay of USS Ronald Reagan (Photo by MC2 Janweb B. Lagazo)
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If Bulkheads Could Talk Story by MCSN Frank Joseph Speciale
Sailors on the flight deck of USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) participate in a Memorial Service for former President Ronald Reagan. (Photo by PH2 Andrea Decanini)
USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) would be filled with boisterous stories of accomplishment, sacrifice and honor. Ronald Reagan’s story began before those bulkheads were hung. Her story began when Congress ordered this new warship Dec. 8, 1994. The keel was laid four years later on Feb. 12, 1998. But if these bulkheads could talk, they would tell the tales of the many men and women who brought her to life at Northrop Grumman Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia. They would tell stories about the regalia March 4, 2001, the day Ronald Reagan was christened by former first lady Nancy Reagan becoming the first nuclear-powered warship to be named after a living former president. They would tell tales of that first day and night the crew moved aboard the ship Oct. 30, 2002. They would talk about the commissioning ceremony July 12, 2003, at Naval Station Norfolk with her first commanding officer, J.W. Goodwin, and Nancy Reagan present. They would describe her giving the traditional first command, “Man the ship and bring her to life.” They would talk about the anticipation of that day, May 8, 2004, when she began her transit from Naval Station The Zojoji-temple is a great way to take in the local culture and area.
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Norfolk to Naval Air Station North Island, California. The excitement as she pulled into Rio de Janeiro on June 5, 2004. The sadness later that night, as President Ronald Reagan passed away. The solemnity of the ceremony was held in his honor. They would ring out with pride for transiting the Strait of Magellan on June 20-21, and with joy for arriving to the cheers of friends and family at the pier in San Diego on July 23. However, none of those stories, nor any of the stories to come later, could replace this story. On Jan. 4, 2006, Ronald Reagan departed San Diego on her maiden deployment for Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations in the Persian Gulf. She was, for the first time, answering her nation’s call. The stories from that deployment are demonstrate the compassion, teamwork, warfighting prowess, and overall excellence that would set the standard aboard this ship forevermore. Sailors aboard Ronald Reagan set a record between Jan. 11 and April 2, for the number of books read on tape for their children during deployment as part of the United Through Reading program with more than 1,700 recordings. The previous record holder was USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), with 1,069 recordings. On Feb. 22, 2006, F/A-18E Super Hornets assigned to the “Eagles” of Strike Fighter Attack Squadron (VFA) 115 became the first aircraft launched from the flight deck of USS Ronald Reagan to drop ordnance on enemy targets during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Lt. John T. Yow, an engineering officer from Ronald Reagan’s Reactor department, was named as the 2005 Commander, Naval Air Forces Pacific Engineering Officer of the Watch—Propulsion Plant Watch Officer of the Year, March 6, 2006, for his work onboard Ronald Reagan the previous year. “I am glad that I could bring positive recognition to the Reagan and her crew,” said Yow. “The best advice I can give someone who would like to win this award or any award is there is no substitute for hard work.” Sailors assigned to Ronald Reagan broke a fundraising record with more than $190,000 for Navy/Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS) Fund Drive during the month of April. The previous record set by USS Constellation (CV The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) prepares to make a port call in Jebel Ali, U.A.E. (Photo by PH3 Aaron Burden)
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The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), French nuclear powered surface vessel FS Charles De Gaulle (R92), Cassard-class destroyer FS Cassard (D-614), guided missile cruiser USS Vicksburg (CG 69), and the guided-missile destroyer USS McCampbell (DDG 85) conduct joint operations in the Persian Gulf during a passing exercise (PASSEX). (Photo by PH3 Kevin S. O’Brien)
64) was $155,000 set during the 1995 fund drive. “During the campaign we were also able to help educate the crew on the many services provided by NMCRS,” said Lt. John Brabazon, Ronald Reagan’s NMCRS fund drive coordinator at the time. “We used Sailors who have utilized their services in the past to share their testimonials in order to help get the message to the rest of the crew. It worked, and the result was an outstanding fundraising campaign that broke the record for money raised by an aircraft carrier.” The crew set a new standard the same month with the highest 3M grade ever given by an inspection team with an overall score of 98.76 percent. Inspectors conducted more than 200 spot checks during the assessment. “We could not have done this alone. The entire chain of command was with us from the preparation through the final day of the assessment,” said
19,600 98.76%
FLIGHT HOURS
6,100
SORTIES
ON MORE THAN 200 SPOT CHECKS DURING ASSESSMENT
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USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), Commanding Officer, Capt. Terry B. Kraft, addresses the crew on the 1MC from the pilothouse. (Photo by PHAN Christine Singh)
Master Chief Electrician’s Mate (SW/AW) Dennis Reydom, Reagan’s 3M program coordinator at the time. “We extend our gratitude to the work center supervisors and the maintenance personnel who performed very well on this assessment.” Ronald Reagan, along with USS Vicksburg (CG 69) and USS McCampbell (DDG 85) took part in a passing exercise (PASSEX) with the French aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle (R-91), the French navy’s first nuclear-powered surface ship and flagship, and FS Cassard (D-614), the lead ship in the Cassard-class of French anti-air frigates, April 27, 2006. The exercise was conducted to allow Ronald Reagan and Vicksburg warfare commanders to practice working together with their French counterparts. Aircraft from FS Charles de Gaulle also made “touch-and-go” landings aboard Ronald Reagan during the exercise. On May 29, 2006, Ronald Reagan, Destroyer Squadron Seven (DESRON 7) and Carrier Air Wing Fourteen (CVW14) concluded military operations as part of Carrier Strike Group Seven (CSG 7) in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations where Ronald Reagan once again supported Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, and conducted maritime security operations. Ronald Reagan and CVW-14 launched more than 6,100 sorties totaling more than 19,600 flight hours. Of those, more than 2,940 sorties and 14,200 flight hours were in direct support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Ronald Reagan returned to home port after her maiden voyage on July 6. The following year Ronald Reagan was presented with the 2006 Commander Naval Air Force Carrier Battle Efficiency “E” award for the West Coast, Feb. 26. “Ronald Reagan’s readiness allowed us to excel during a challenging year that included our maiden combat deployment, 3M assessment, an Operational Reactor Safeguards Examination, and sustainment training under the Fleet Response Plan,” said Capt. Terry B. Kraft, Ronald Reagan’s commanding officer. “We’ve (known) for a long time how dedicated the men and women are on board Ronald Reagan and this achievement demonstrates their total commitment. I’m extremely proud of our departments who worked hard at earning this prestigious award. The entire crew can take pride in knowing that Ronald Reagan was awarded its first ‘Battle E’ on the ship’s maiden deployment.”
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Patrol 2017 Sailors cheer for their shipmates during a frocking ceremony in the hangar bay. (Photo by MC2 Janweb Lagazo)
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HTFN Rachel Kachi, fire team leader, waits for instructions from the repair locker as her team combats a simulated fire during a general quarters drill. (Photo by MC2 Kenneth Abbate)
An F/A-18E Super Hornet, from the Royal Maces of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 27, lands on the flight deck during Talisman Saber 2017. (Photo by MC2 Kenneth Abbate)
BM3 Blake Collins secures the phone and distance line to USNS John Ericsson (T-AO 194) from the flight deck (Photo by MC2Kenneth Abbate)
In Review LS3 Chance Risdon carries cargo hooks off the landing area as an MH-60S Sea Hawk, from the “Island Knights� of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 25, picks up pallets from USNS Charles Drew (T-AKE 10) as part of a replenishment-at-sea. (Photo by MC2 Kenneth Abbate)
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Chief petty officer selectees march in formation after their pinnings during a ceremony in the hangar bay. (Photo by MC3 MacAdam Kane Weissman)
Sailors observe as the Ronald Reagan, Theodore Roosevelt and Nimitz strike groups, and Japan Maritime Self Defense Force ships steam in formation in international waters. (Photo by MC3 James Ku)
Sailors aboard USS Ronald Reagan man the rails on the flight deck as the ship moors for a scheduled port visit in Busan, Republic of Korea. (Photo by MC3 MacAdam Kane Weissman)
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Supply Department Sailors attach cargo to an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to Military Sealift Command’s dry cargo and ammunition ship, USNS Charles Drew (T-AKE 10), during a replenishment-at-sea. (Photo by MC3 MacAdam Kane Weissman)
Sailors, assigned to crash and salvage crew, respond to a simulated aircraft fire casualty during flight deck drills. (Photo by MC2 Kenneth Abbate)
Capt. Buzz Donnelly, commanding officer of USS Ronald Reagan, visits with children during a welcoming ceremony after the ship’s arrival for a scheduled port visit in Busan, Republic of Korea. (Photo by MC3 MacAdam Kane Weissman)
Capt. Buzz Donnelly, commanding officer of USS Ronald Reagan, center, Capt. Paul Lanzilotta, executive officer, right, and Command Master Chief Darrell Timpa congratulate newly frocked Sailors during a frocking ceremony in the hangar bay. (Photo by MC2 Janweb B. Lagazo)
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USS RONALD REAGAN www.reagan.navy.mil
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson talks to Sailors during an all-hands call in the hangar bay. (Photo by MC2 Janweb B. Lagazo) www.facebook.com/ussronaldreagan
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