Turning Japanese: 2 Years in Japan Naval Heritage:
Lucky Number Seven Wanderlust:
Aokigahara Forest
Sailor Spotlight 4-7
Turning Japanese: 2 Years in Japan 8-11
Purple Dragon Rising 12-13
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Table of Contents Lucky Number Seven 14-15
Leadership: CO XO CMC PAO APAO Media DLCPO Production LCPO Media LPO
CAPT Buzz Donnelly CAPT Paul Lanzilotta CMDCM Darrell Timpa LCDR David Levy ENS Rachel McMarr MCCS Ryan Delcore MCC Xander Gamble MC1 James Kimber
Media Department:
Wanderlust: Aokigahara Forest
MC1 Greg Johnson MC1 Woody Paschall MC1 Glenn Slaughter MC1 Timothy Black MC2 Kenneth Abbate MC2 Brandon Martin MC2 Jamal McNeill MC2 Janweb Lagazo MC3 James Ku MC3 Jamaal Liddell MC3 Eduardo Otero Santos MC3 Kaila Peters MC3 Charles J. Scudella III MC3 MacAdam Weissman MC3 Jessica Blackwell MCSN Tyler John MCSN Erwin Miciano MCSN Frank Speciale MCSA Randy Adams AA Calisia Brookes
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Turning Japanese: 2 Years in Japan Story by MC3 Charles J. Scudella III
Two years ago, the Navy completed the largest homeport shift in U.S. Naval history, moving three carriers and nearly 10,000 Sailors to three different homes in three different fleets. USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) took USS George Washington’s (CVN 73) place as the forward-deployed aircraft carrier in Japan, and with that, changed the culture aboard America’s flagship. Ronald Reagan’s journey began in August 2015, when the ship announced “shift colors” in San Diego for the last time, getting underway to shift homeports to Yokosuka, Japan. After about a month at sea, Ronald Reagan arrived at Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY), Japan on October 1. “For me, it was all too unreal,” said Aviation Electronics Technician 3rd Class Austin Falcetti, from San Dimas, California. “I never, in a thousand years, thought I would be going to Japan. I was excited and nervous, but in all just pretty stoked to see another country.“ As Sailors got acquainted with the area, they learned the train system and were able to branch out and visit nearby areas in Yokohama, Tokyo, Chiba and Kamakura. “I love visiting the bigger and busier areas like Tokyo,” said Master-at-Arms 3rd Class Anna Donar, from Galena, Illinois. “There are not many places back home like that. I love
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seeing all the lights and people, especially at night. There’s always something new and interesting to see.” After a patrol from October to December 2015 and an in-port period, called the Selective Restricted Availability (SRA), the ship returned to its underway mission June 2016, shifting colors to head out on the 2016 summer patrol. “Summer cruise was my first and worst patrol, because I came to the FDNF [forward-deployed naval forces] carrier
Survey],” said, the Cedar Rapids, Iowa native. “The patrol wasn’t long at all, 56 days out to sea is a work up back in the States. Our patrols are simple.” Once back in Yokosuka, Ronald Reagan conducted its INSURV, an extensive inspection of the ship that occurs every six years to ensure the ship is fit for sea. “We were able to show that we can act as a team, even with brand new people on our team” said Capt. Paul Lanzilotta, Ronald Reagan’s executive officer. “Even the new people on our crew were able to step up and perform on game-day, because folks who had been here for a while brought them on board as teammates, as fellow crew members, and not only got our ship ready for INSURV, but also got our shipmates ready for INSURV.” After INSURV, the ship left CFAY to begin the fall patrol of 2016. This patrol was highlighted by three exercises—Valiant Shield, Invincible Spirit and Keen Sword. Valiant Shield is a U.S.-only biennial field training exercise, with a focus on joint training between the Navy, Marines and Air Force. Invincible Spirit is a field
thinking I was going to see the world, and ended up seeing the inside of my work center for 60 days straight,” said Intelligence Specialist 2nd Class Jamie E. Moticka, from East Windsor, Connecticut. “But it is what you make of it. I joined the Navy to serve my country, and that’s exactly what I am doing, whether I see it directly or not.” For Chief Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Fuels) Nicholas Janda, “I had just checked on board in May and was more concerned about INSURV [Board of Inspection and
training exercise focused on training for sea operations with the Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy in the waters around the Korean Peninsula. Keen Sword is also a biennial field training exercise, but instead of working with U.S. forces, the carrier strike group works with the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force ( JMSDF). Among the exercises, Ronald Reagan pulled into two ports, the U.S. territory of Guam and Busan, South Korea. “Just being off the ‘boat’ is relaxing to me,” said Falcetti about the liberty ports. “In Guam, I was all over the place—from cliff jumping and snorkeling all day. In Busan, I
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did a lot of shopping and relaxing in my hotel. I had nothing to worry about regarding work.” The port calls allowed Sailors to get some time off and also interact with the local community. “It was nice to feel a bit normal and away from the ship,” said Donar. “Guam was one of my favorite ports, because I was able to take leave, and there was also no curfew. While in Guam, I had a friend stationed there, so she took me around the island, and I got to see a lot of beautiful spots as well as enjoy some beaches on my own time.” In South Korea, Donar took an MWR trip to Seoul. “[South Korea] was a different place. It was very modern, while still having its old culture, and I loved all the architecture there,” he said.
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“Sailors need port visits with liberty simply because we need breaks,” said Interior Communications Electrician 3rd Class Brandee Smith, from Roy, Utah. “We need time for ourselves. We need to be rewarded for the hard work that we all put in 24/7. When Sailors have time to relax and relieve some of the stress that builds up underway, the work they continue to put in will have better results.” Along with port visits, Ronald Reagan participated in three major exercises— Valiant Shield, Invincible Spirit and Keen Sword—and numerous on-ship evolutions such as CORE I, CORE II and ULTRA-S (Unit Level Training Assessment-Sustainment) Damage Control evolutions, 3MA, the maintenance and material management (3M) assessment, and numerous gun and missile exercises.
After everything wrapped up, the ship returned home. “There is no greater feeling in the world,” said Janda. “Coming home, hearing my son yell, ‘Daddy’s home’, and giving my wife a hug.” After the holiday break, the crew began work during the SRA, where most of the maintenance that can’t be performed underway is done. It lasted until the next patrol started that summer. “SRA is selective restricted availability, and it’s extremely important because if we don’t maintain the ship then it could threaten our ability to have successful operations out to sea.” said Falcetti. The next step after a successful SRA—especially one in which the ship finished 24 hours ahead of schedule (a feat never before accomplished on an FDNF carrier, according to Capt. Buzz
Donnelly, commanding officer, during an all-hands call)—is to go to sea. “I personally love deployment. It’s extremely easy to get into a routine and schedule,” said Moticka. “We are out here, making a strategic and important difference in the fleet, and I love what we do.” The 2017 summer patrol brought about the port visits of Singapore and Brisbane, Australia, and the ship worked together with Australian Defense Forces during the biennial exercise Talisman Saber. “Talisman Saber 17 provides the opportunity for Ronald Reagan Strike Group and other U.S. forces here operating in Pacific Command to work with the Australians,” said Donnelly during an interview in July. “In the context, that provides us the chance to exercise our current tactics, our
equipment, show our interoperability and capability.” The visit to Australia was preceded by a crossing-the-line ceremony, an event which saw Neptunus Rex, the Ruler of the Raging Main, and his loyal servant, Davey Jones, come aboard Ronald Reagan to inspect and evaluate the crew. The ceremony turned 2,964 of Ronald Reagan’s crew from “slimy pollywogs” into “trusty shellbacks of the deep.” To become a shellback, one must sail across the equator—in either direction—and go through the initiation with Neptunus Rex and Davey Jones. Only then, when Neptunus Rex declares one cleansed, can someone call themselves a shellback. “I was excited to be a part of a longtime Navy tradition,” said Donar. “It was awesome to see so many sailors
come together for the ceremony to complete the tasks we were given to become a shellback. Once I completed the initiation, I felt so honored that I was able to be a part of something so big and a special tradition in the Navy.“ After summer patrol, Ronald Reagan returned to Yokosuka for its mid-patrol maintenance period, getting ready for the second half of the patrol in the Pacific region. As Ronald Reagan patrols the IndoAsia-Pacific region, its crew continues to participate in major exercises, port calls, thousands of sorties, and logging nautical mile after nautical mile. Through all the accomplishments of this mighty warship, the United States remains protected with America’s Flagship standing the watch at the “tip of the spear,” forward-deployed in Japan.
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Purple Dragon Rising Story by MC3 MacAdam Kane Weissman Born in the jungles of Vietnam to protect warriors from themselves, it soars overs our ranks. Its wings guard us from those who would steal our secrets. The beast allows its enemies to know only what it wants. Our ranks admire and cooperate with this guardian. It beats its wings and stokes its flames once more for the warriors it protects. The purple dragon rises. The term operational security (OPSEC) was originally coined during the Vietnam conflict. Vietcong soldiers would gather small pieces of information from different sources to form a larger picture of operational plans. One U.S. soldier would say what they were ordered to do, while another in a different place would say where they were going. Finally, a third could say when they were leaving. These pieces of information were meaningless when separated; together they allowed the enemy to know exactly what, when, and where to attack. “It was born from Operation Purple Dragon,” said Cryptological Technician (Collection) 1st Class Jordan M. Marr, assistant command OPSEC officer. “[Soldiers] were taught to think like the wolf. You have to look at information from an adversarial perspective. Think like the enemy.” The success of many military operations comes from how well they are organized. Marr said that when we move like “clockwork,” the enemy could calculate and predict our movements. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed the national security directive NSDD
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298. This created the OPSEC program and named the director of the National Security Agency the integrated sea operational security support team. Since the birth of the internet and social networking, the Navy has been pushing OPSEC on the cyber-front. “By having an unrestricted [social media] account, you are allowing your enemies possible access to vital information,” said Lt. Ian Kelly, tactical information warfare officer and electronic warfare officer. “Our adversaries can see families posting goodbye photos, ‘last night ashore’ posts, plans for port visits and even posts about prepping for underway. Some even use low-tech techniques like ‘spear phishing’. They’ll send fake emails that look very authentic to gather intelligence.” Before the dawn of the Internet, most information gathering was done face-to-face. “The pretty face at the bar could be a lethal mistake,” said Kelly. “People asking you simple questions may seem meaningless, but by telling one person, the entire base and surrounding area knows our plans.” The dragon can protect Sailors from every corner of the earth, but Sailors are also the only ones who can protect the dragon. By carelessly dispersing information to those who don’t need to know, you take the wind out from the dragons’ wings. “Loose lips sink ships.”
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Lucky Number Seven Story by MC3 Eduardo Otero The largest of the forward-deployed U.S. fleets is made up of approximately 60-70 ships, 300 aircraft and 40,000 Sailors and Marines. It is the watchful sentry and defender of the Indo-AsiaPacific region, ensuring freedom of the seas and stability against potential threats. Its might is unparalleled, and its resolve even more so. It is said that struggle builds character, and if this is true, then the U.S. 7th Fleet must certainly have its fair share. U.S. 7th Fleet was formed March 15, 1943, in Brisbane, Australia under the command of Admiral Arthur S. “Chips” Carpender but by Oct. 25, 1944, it already found itself in a pinch. “We saw this ship come up, it was circling around us, and a guy was standing up on the bridge with a megaphone,” said Jack Yusen, a survivor of the Battle off Samar during World War II. “And he called out ‘Who are you? Who are you?’ and we all yelled out ‘Samuel B. Roberts!’ (a ship destroyed in battle). He’s still circling, so now we’re cursing at him. He came back and yelled, ‘Who won the World Series?’ and we all yelled ‘St. Louis Cardinals!’ And then we could hear the engines stop, and cargo nets were thrown over the side. That’s how we were rescued.” The Battle off Samar was the closest the Japanese came to success during the famous Battle of Leyte Gulf of World War II, considered by many to be the largest naval battle in history. After the U.S. 3rd Fleet was lured north on the chase of a decoy fleet, three escort carrier groups of the 7th fleet were left behind – soon to be discovered by the Japanese
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and attacked. The battle is regarded as the only major action in the larger Battle of Leyte Gulf where the Americans were largely unprepared – due to miscommunication within their forces – and it has been cited by historians as one of the greatest military mismatches in naval history. The bulk of the battle was fought by Rear Admiral Clifton Sprague’s Task Unit 77.4.3, one of the three 7th Fleet escort carrier groups. It lost two escort carriers, two destroyers, a destroyer escort, several aircraft and more than 1,000 Sailors. Their valiant effort, however, persuaded the Japanese to regroup and ultimately withdraw, rather than advancing to sink troop and supply ships at Leyte Gulf, where Allied forces had recently landed an invasion. This battle, in conjunction with the rest of the Battle of Leyte Gulf, marked the end of the naval effectiveness of the Japanese navy during the war. While this was one of the earliest battles to be fought by the newly formed 7th Fleet, it wouldn’t be its last. Seventh Fleet units participated in all major operations of the Korean War. It saw the first Navy jet aircraft used in combat launch from one of its carriers during the conflict. On September 15, 1950, U.S Marine forces made a surprise amphibious landing at the port of Inchon, on the west coast of Korea. The landing – formerly criticized as too risky, but carried out regardless – was conducted by amphibious ships of U.S. 7th Fleet. This action allowed the American-
led United Nations’ forces to break North Korean supply lines and recapture Seoul, which had fallen to the opposing forces. The Fleet also counts as the first official entrance of the U.S. into the Vietnam War with the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, which led to the passage of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. This granted President Lyndon B. Johnson the authority to assist any Southeast Asian country considered jeopardized by “communist aggression,” which served as legal reason for deploying U.S. conventional forces and beginning open warfare against North Vietnam. On Feb. 12, 1965, USS Salisbury Sound (AV 13) was the first Navy ship to conduct operations inside Vietnam coastal waters. During the war, 7th Fleet operated from Yankee Station and Dixie Station off the north and south coasts of Vietnam respectively. More recently, during the Gulf War, 7th Fleet assumed additional responsibilities as Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command. Naval Forces Central Command controlled the largest
Navy armada since World War II during the subsequent Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. After the decisive allied victory in the Gulf War, 7th Fleet relinquished control of Naval Forces Central Command and returned to Japan, its current headquarters, to resume its duties in the region. Today, 7th Fleet is a powerful presence in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region, and if its history of answering the nation’s call time and again is an indication, it’ll continue to be so – ready to fight—for many years to come.
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USS RONALD REAGAN www.reagan.navy.mil
Lt. Chris Williams inspects a hold back bar prior to flight operations on the flight deck of USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). (Photo by MC2 Kenneth Abbate) www.facebook.com/ussronaldreagan
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