NNS150219-09. Canadian Warship to Receive Navy Meritorious Unit Award
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NNS150219-23. NAVSTA Newport Observes Black History Month
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NNS150219-19. Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center Kicks off Year of the Military Diver
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NNS150219-15. Fly-Away Team Replaces Gas Turbine Engine on USS Jason Dunham
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NNS150219-14. Commander U.S. Fleet Forces Command Discusses Fleet Readiness at AFCEA West
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NNS150219-13. Eight Ways to Boost Resilience Between Military Couples
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NNS150219-10. USS New Orleans Holds Grand Reopening of Dining Facilities
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NNS150219-08. Navy Leaders Talk Resilience at NCCOSC
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NNS150219-05. Early Detection and Treatment Effective with Chlamydia Screening at Naval Hospital Bremerton
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NNS150219-04. Maintaining the Bonhomme Richard Advancement Machine
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NNS150219-03. USS Fort Worth Crew 104, HSM 35 and SUW Detachments Return Home
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NNS150219-02. Personal Readiness Summit Emphasizes 'Every Sailor Every Day'
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NNS150219-01. Louisville Returns to Yokosuka During Western Pacific Deployment
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DNU -- In today's edition of All Hands Update, the fiscal year 2016 command senior and master chief selection board results have been announced and Sailor inherits title of "Old Tar" from the Surface Navy Association.
-- http://www.navy.mil/viewVideo.
DNU -- Marine Corps Veteran, Wally Kaenzig, recalls his survival on the beaches for the Iwo Jima.
-- http://www.navy.mil/viewVideo.
DNU -- The USS Green Bay joins the Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group at its new home port of Sasebo, Japan.
-- http://www.navy.mil/viewVideo.
NNS150219-17. Current All Hands Update
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NNS011213-30. This Day in Naval History - Feb. 19
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Eye on the Fleet - U.S. Navy Photo of The Day
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NNS150219-09. Canadian Warship to Receive Navy Meritorious Unit Award
By Chief Mass Communication Specialist (SW/AW) Julianne Metzger, Chief of Naval Operations Public Affairs
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The U.S. Navy's top admiral will present a U.S. Navy unit award to a Canadian warship Feb. 20.
Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert is to present the U.S. Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC) on Feb. 20 to HMCS Toronto (FFH 333) of the Royal Canadian Navy in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
U.S. Ambassador to Canada Bruce Heyman, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy Vice-Admiral Mark Norman, and several members of U.S. and Canadian government and navy leadership will also attend the ceremony.
A non-U.S. naval force receiving a U.S. Navy unit decoration is a rarity; this event marking the fifth occurrence of such a decoration in the last 45 years.
Returning from their deployment, the crew of the Toronto was selected to receive the prestigious award due to their continued support of Combined Task Force (CTF) 150. The Halifax-class frigate significantly disrupted the flow of drugs, criminal and terrorist activities in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.
While deployed Toronto responsibilities included tracking, boarding and searching maritime contacts of interest to CTF-150. Among Toronto's accomplishments during deployment which began in February of 2013, the ship's crew seized six large caches of illegal drugs to include 1,300 kilograms of heroin and six tons of hashish. Seizures of a large magnitude can significantly affect unlawful organizations' ability to fund illegal operations.
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NNS150219-23. NAVSTA Newport Observes Black History Month
By Bob Krekorian, NAVSTA Newport Public Affairs
NEWPORT, R.I. (NNS) -- The struggle by African Americans to gain their civil rights with passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was preceded by a long period of systematic oppression, according to William N. Martin Jr., Ph.D., the guest speaker at Naval Station Newport's observance of Black History Month, Feb. 18.
Citing a series of colonial laws, codes, legislation, and constitutional amendments that legalized slavery over the course of 300 years, Martin described how the Negro was treated since the start of the transatlantic slave trade.
The observance, sponsored by the installation's diversity committee, was held at the Navy Supply Corps School.
Martin, born and raised in Washington D.C., during the 1970's, is a mechanical engineer at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Newport.
"The struggle for civil rights didn't happen overnight," Martin said.
Martin described how in the mid-1600's colonial America enacted so-called "Slave Codes" that reduced the Negro slaves to chattel and pieces of property, and legalized slavery.
According to slave codes adopted in South Carolina in 1712, "slaves were forbidden to leave the owner's property, unless accompanied by a white person, or obtaining permission; no slave shall be allowed to work for pay."
"The provision, partus sequitur ventrem, stated that if a mother was a slave, her children at birth were slaves," Martin said.
During the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Mexican-American War, Negroes could be recruited with the promise of a grant of freedom.
The slave trade continued after the Revolution at a time when provisions in the U.S. Constitution allowed enactment in 1793 of the Fugitive Slave Act. The Act stated that children of slaves are slaves for life and considered property.
"Slavery was abolished in 1865 with the passage of the 13th Amendment, and the Slave Codes ended, but the so-called "Black Codes" began," Martin said.
Martin cited examples of the Black Codes in the Jim Crow laws that were enacted starting in 1866. The Jim Crow laws allowed racial segregation and the separate but equal doctrine (Plessy v. Ferguson, 1896).
In a series of family anecdotes, Martin recalled conversations with his grandparents about "white only" and "black only" public drinking fountains in North Carolina during the 1950s.
For more news from Naval Station Newport, visitwww.navy.mil/local/nsnewport/.
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NNS150219-19. Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center Kicks off Year of the Military Diver
From Naval Education and Training Command Public Affairs
PANAMA CITY, Fla (NNS) -- U.S. Representative Gwen Graham, representing Florida's 2nd Congressional District and a member of the House Armed Services Committee, toured Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center (NDSTC) and helped kick off the Year of the Military of Diver (YOMD) Feb. 18.
Graham was visiting area commands to become familiar with programs, personnel and readiness issues. While at NDSTC, Graham and her staff toured the facilities, observed the full range of students in dive training, including the hyperbaric recompression chamber and a dive-tender boat used to conduct offshore dives.
NDSTC kicked off the Year of the Military Diver with a celebratory cake cutting, with the help of Graham, handing out the first piece of cake to the youngest diver present, Army Pvt. Timothy Sparks.
"It was an honor to meet the congresswoman and be part of this celebration as I start my new career as a diver," said Sparks.
Graham repeatedly stated how impressed she was with the training and expressed her gratitude for those military members and civilians for their service. She received some "hands on" training as she donned a military KM-37 dive helmet used for salvage and saturation dives.
"I'm honored to be here and to be in a position to recognize all that you do here," said Graham.
NDSTC Commanding Officer Cmdr. Hung Cao said military diving has a rich and storied history.
"The purpose of celebrating 2015 as the Year of the Military Diver is to bring awareness to the rich history of our nation's men and women who have bravely served in times of need, forging the way for professional and recreational diving practice as we know it today," said Cao. "The military diver has always been an invaluable asset and often an unsung hero to our nation."
Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center (NDSTC) will recognize 35 years of training this year and the 100th anniversary of the Mark V Dive helmet to commemorate the Year of the Military Diver.
The Mark V diving helmet, nicknamed the "Copper Collar," is the most recognizable symbol of Navy diving. Originally designed as a firefighting tool, it was adapted for deep sea diving in 1915 according to the Diving Historical Society. The helmet went on to be the workhorse of the Navy deep sea diver for 65 years.
Later models like the Mk21 and later the Km 37 reduced weight and created a more ergonomic fit, while also providing contamination control. Other countries around the world still use the Mark V today.
Commissioned in 1980, NDSTC is the largest diving facility in the world and trains more than 1,200 divers from all services in the Department of Defense, allied partners, and other government agencies.
For more news from Naval Education and Training Command, visitwww.navy.mil/local/cnet/.
For more news from Naval Education and Training Command, visitwww.navy.mil/local/cnet/.
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NNS150219-15. Fly-Away Team Replaces Gas Turbine Engine on USS Jason Dunham
By Dan Smithyman, Southeast Regional Maintenance Center Public Affairs
GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba (NNS) -- When the gas turbine engine that powers one of the generators aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) failed, a fly-away team from Mayport, Florida, was dispatched from the Southeast Regional Maintenance Center (SERMC) with engine in-hand.
The ship was deployed in the Caribbean when two of its three generators experienced some issues and pulled into port at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
"Their number two generator had problems with an electrical breaker, and number three had a bearing failure on the gas turbine engine that powers the generator, which is the engine we replaced," said Chief Gas Turbine System Technician (Mechanical)(SW) Maurice Waller.
The seven-man fly-away team from SERMC consisted of five active-duty Sailors and two civilians. Gas Turbine System Technician (Mechanical) 1st Class (SW) Kristopher Mitchell, team leader, saw this as an opportunity to bring to bear the capabilities of SERMC and his technicians. The team procured a new engine, gathered tools, and assigned the right personnel to travel to a remote location for an urgent repair that would ultimately enable Jason Dunham to return to its regularly scheduled deployment.
"There was a lot of coordination between the ship and SERMC before we left," Mitchell said. "We had to make sure we had all the right tools, parts and people for this job. It's not like here (in Mayport) where we can come back to the shop if we need more parts or tools."
The team left Sunday, Feb. 8 via C-130 aircraft from Naval Air Station Jacksonville loaded with a new engine, connex box with tools and rigging gear, and a special van that would transport everything to the ship. By Wednesday evening, Feb. 11, the engine was replaced, operationally tested and the ship was underway again Thursday.
"The ship's force prepped everything for us before we arrived, meaning they removed the module wall to access the engine, and disconnected the fuel lines and electrical connections," Waller said.
"We removed the broken engine and installed the new one," said Gas Turbine System Technician (Mechanical) 2nd Class (SW) Nico Carter, one of the team members. "We also changed out the PTO shaft."
Carter explained that the PTO shaft is a power take off shaft that connects the gas turbine engine to the reduction gear, which is connected to the actual generator. The team performed troubleshooting on the entire system to ensure safe and optimum performance before they called the job successful.
"This was a good opportunity for us, and a great experience for me," said Gas Turbine System Technician (Mechanical) 2nd Class (SW) Eric Megargel, one of the technicians.
Mitchell said the first day lasted more than 14 hours as the team worked to remove the broken engine, which weighs about 1,600 pounds and measures eight feet long. The greatest challenge, he said, was lifting the broken engine out from deep inside the bottom of the engineering room, through vertical trunks and narrow passages of the ship, and then bringing in the new engine in reverse order.
"We do our own rigging," Mitchell said. "It's an ownership thing. We want to make sure our engine is handled with care, and no damage occurs because of a chainfall banging a fuel nozzle or something like that."
Gas Turbine System Technician (Mechanical) 2nd Class Matthew Ressler was heavily involved in the rigging evolution. "It took some creativity, but this is normal for a GSM," he said.
"It was a one-shot deal to get it right," Mitchell said. "And we did."
The electrical breaker issue on the number two generator was repaired prior to the number three engine change-out. A sister team from Norfolk's Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center made that repair.
With all three generators back on line, Jason Dunham sailed out of Guantanamo Bay, and the SERMC fly-away team returned to Mayport in time to celebrate Valentine's Day with their loved ones.
For more news from Southeast Regional Maintenance Center, visitwww.navy.mil/local/sermc/.
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NNS150219-14. Commander U.S. Fleet Forces Command Discusses Fleet Readiness at AFCEA West
From U.S. Fleet Forces Public Affairs
SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Commander U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Adm. Phil Davidson, speaking to a group of military leaders, government officials and members of private industry discussed the need to increase the fleet's readiness during a key note address at the United States Navy Institute 25th Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) West Conference Feb. 11.
"It is quite clear to me that my job - the job of Fleet Forces Command - is to make the fleet ready to fight and win - both today and tomorrow," said Davidson.
Praising the fleet's performance in 2014, Davidson expressed his appreciation to Sailors for answering the nation's call to duty. "You met every challenge, whether directing the neutralization of Syrian chemical weapon stockpiles at sea, meeting the rise of ISIS in Syria and Iraq, or deploying an expeditionary response to the outbreak of Ebola in Western Africa," said Davidson.
"But today's fight is evolving rapidly. America's competitors and potential adversaries are flexing their muscles abroad and attempting to match our capability with vastly improved technologies in the air, on and under the sea, and in space and cyberspace," said Davidson. Given all our forward fleets are observing in the Pacific, the Arabian Gulf, and the Mediterranean, Davidson stressed that technology alone will not provide sufficient tactical advantage in contested and denied environments of the future.
"Simply put, the firing key cannot be our only tactic in the battle space. We need to cultivate the minds of our warfighters to think in new and creative ways to fight. I believe we have the tools, and most importantly, the people, to set the course to work through the challenges and succeed today and in the future."
Davidson also addressed the importance of implementing the optimized fleet response plan (OFRP). OFRP sets the framework to improve stability and predictability of the fleet and the fleet's readiness by better aligning maintenance, manpower and training.
"We are already beginning to see the goodness that OFRP will bring," said Davidson. "We have seen improvements in our manpower at sea by aligning personnel to fleet units before the training cycle, not just before deployment. This has reduced the number of previously required cross-decks of critical personnel." OFRP is also bringing predictability back in the maintenance phase as the fleet works through maintenance and modernization deferrals - both critical to readiness.
Another benefit of the improved OFRP alignment is a more predictable and focused integrated training phase. Our Sailors will be in place prior to the integrated training phase and will benefit from exercising as a complete strike group team with advanced warfare tactics across all warfighting domains in contested and denied battle space.
Davidson sited the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group's recent composite training exercise which saw increased time in denied electromagnetic environments, advanced anti-submarine warfare against a live opposition-force submarine and TRCSG's employment of Naval Integrated Fire Control-Counter Air (NIFC-CA) - the first NIFC-CA capable strike group.
The Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) West conference is the largest event on the West Coast and is designed to bring a diverse group of professionals together to discuss issues and share ideas and solutions for the technological challenges of today and tomorrow, including those of the maritime domain.
For more news from U.S. Fleet Forces, visit www.usff.navy.mil.
For more news from U.S. Fleet Forces Command, visitwww.navy.mil/local/clf/.
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NNS150219-13. Eight Ways to Boost Resilience Between Military Couples
By Jenny Collins, Naval Center for Combat & Operational Stress Control Public Affairs
SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- The Naval Center for Combat & Operational Stress Control (NCCOSC) facilitates research and develops evidence-based programs that provide Sailors and Marines with important tools to build and maintain resilience.
As service members build resilience, military couples can also take steps to boost their resilience as well.
Military spouses and significant others play an important part in offering encouragement and support to today's service members.
With a military career that often includes deployments and extended separations, military couples must work harder at being able to withstand, recover, and grow together in the face of stressors, adversity, and changing demands.
Below are 8 ways military couples can improve their resilience.
1. Maintain Your Connection. Being apart can be tough. By figuring out a system of regular contact, couples can build a strong foundation of open communication. It's best to time conversations about upsetting issues as to not overwhelm your partner. Open conversations should still consist of an overall positive and supportive tone.
2. Reshape Interpretation. Some highly stressful life events are inevitable in military life. One cannot change when or how these events happen, but couples can certainly shape their attitudes to best react and respond. Use flexible thinking to place some perspective on the situation.
3. Remain Optimistic. Maintaining optimism in the face of stressors is a couple's best chance to move forward during stressful times. Try to envision what you both want instead of worrying about what you're both scared of.
4. Trust. Discuss in detail your expectations of one another on the homefront and while you are apart. Work together to find ways to maintain trust. Talk about concerns but don't dwell on them. Focus on how to work past them.
5. Take Care of Yourself... and Each Other. Set aside a couple of minutes a day to decompress. Meditation is a great tool to alleviate stress. Make sure that your partner is doing the same or offer ways to help one another. Taking care of yourselves helps keep your minds ready to deal with situations that require resilience.
6. Understanding. If you and your partner are in the middle of a conflict, focus on what is upsetting you and vice versa. Try to disregard what caused the fight. Concentrate and work together to find the solution. This type of behavior control will be much more effective.
7. Create and Work Towards Goals Together. Couples who have common goals are often more successful in their relationship. Develop realistic goals with deadlines. Even completing small accomplishments can help improve your relationship.
8. Professional Help. It's important to recognize that unresolved relationship problems have the potential to impact a service member's well-being and focus on the job. If the stress of military life becomes overwhelming for either party, don't hesitate to seek help from a support group, counselor, clinician, or chaplain. Reaching out for support can help you manage any reaction and boost your resilience.
Resilience is very effective in helping our active duty population manage operational and combat stress, both in their work life and their home life.
At NCCOSC, we envision a future of innovative and relevant research that will increase our knowledge of psychological health. The knowledge that is gained will ultimately contribute to the readiness and resilience of our Sailors and Marines as they face the future challenges of military service.
For more information about NCCOSC, visit www.nccosc.navy.mil, and follow on Facebook or Twitter
For more news from Naval Center for Combat & Operational Stress Control , visit www.navy.mil/local/nccosc/.
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NNS150219-10. USS New Orleans Holds Grand Reopening of Dining Facilities
By Ensign Chloe J. Morgan, USS New Orleans Public Affairs
SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Sailors aboard the amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18) participated in a Mardi Gras themed reopening of the newly refurbished dining facilities, Feb. 17.
The dining facilities underwent extensive renovations to incorporate the ship's namesake during New Orleans' planned maintenance availability.
"When I first arrived at the command, the ship still looked like the stock model after seven years and four deployments. Today, [the dining facilities] match the lively and colorful character of the crew," said Commanding Officer Capt. Douglas C. Verissimo.
The mess decks were renovated to look like the French Quarter, complete with a 35-foot long mural. Further incorporating the theme, the galley was renamed Cafe du Monde, the wardroom was remodeled after Arnaud's restaurant, and the chiefs' mess was renamed the Pelican Club, all after famous restaurants in New Orleans.
Mardi Gras coincided with the reopening of the dining facilities, and Sailors enjoyed a special meal with a presentation of foods commonly enjoyed in the city of New Orleans during the world renowned celebration. Chicken jambalaya, seafood boil, and Cajun spiced pork loin were some of the entrees offered to the crew.
"The food was amazing... I felt like I was at a restaurant. I'm really looking forward to eating here every day," said Damage Controlman 2nd Class (SW) Aaron Gonzales.
Chef Jeff Mora, owner of "Food Fleet", brought his team to assist with the relaunch of the galley. Mora used to work at K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen in New Orleans under Chef Paul Pruthomme, and looked forward to bringing the flavor of Big Easy aboard New Orleans.
"It is important to bring a quality meal to all, especially to those who work tirelessly day-in and day-out. New Orleans is a very special place to me and I am glad to be able to bring the cuisine of New Orleans to this ship," said Mora.
Those in attendance included Capt. Edward Butzirus, President of the Supply Corps Association San Diego Chapter.
"When we get right down to it, this effort is all about supporting the operational warfighter and improving readiness and crew morale. The team that planned and executed this amazing renovation are top shelf and I commend you for your impressive team effort," said Butzirus.
For more information on New Orleans please visitwww.facebook.com/BigEasy18.
For more news from Naval Surface Forces, visit www.navy.mil/local/cnsp/.
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NNS150219-08. Navy Leaders Talk Resilience at NCCOSC
By Jenny Collins, Naval Center for Combat & Operational Stress Control Public Affairs
SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Resilience programs director for the Navy's 21st Century Sailor office, Capt. Mike Smith, visited the Naval Center for Combat & Operational Stress Control (NCCOSC) in San Diego, Calif., Feb. 12. The purpose of the visit was to foster the relationship between the two programs and discuss how each is working to push the principles of operational stress control (OSC) and resilience to the fleet.
The hot topic of Smith's visit was building resilience in support of Total Sailor Fitness (TSF). NCCOSC staff informed Smith on the various studies, tools, and initiatives currently in use within the center's programs and research facilitation departments. These included the Stress Resilience Training System (SRTS), resilience training, and Servicemember Evaluation Tool (SET) pilots at Recruit Division Commander (RDC) School and Wounded Warrior Battalion.
NCCOSC Director Capt. Scott L. Johnston shared his reflections on the partnership between NCCOSC and 21st Century Sailor.
"NCCOSC appreciates the opportunity to work with [21st Century Sailor] and TSF. We have been collaborating for several years with the same goal to improve the well-being of Sailors and their families," said Johnston. "OSC as a part of TSF is critical. Resilience goes beyond preparing for and identifying stress associated with the military service."
Service members can build resilience through such tools as optimism, flexible thinking, and positive coping. These techniques can be applied to virtually any situation in life, improving an individual's ability to respond to and treat their stress, eventually leading to improved work performance, job satisfaction, and unit cohesion.
As the visit concluded, Smith revealed his own methods for staying resilient.
"If I get stressed out.... the first thing I will do is leave my desk and take a walk just to momentarily take my mind off of things. It helps to clear your mind to actually think about things better," said Smith. "I think the important thing for operational stress control is to inform people of these tools so they can know what works best for them."
Resilience remains a key initiative throughout the Navy Medicine enterprise. The 21st Century Sailor office will continue to utilize NCCOSC as a resource for the joint effort on OSC and resilience.
"The collaboration between [21st Century Sailor] and NCCOSC is critically important because NCCOSC and the U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) organization as a whole are the subject-matter experts on psychological health and care," said Smith. "By having these conversations, it helps to better understand what OSC is and how we can best focus our training and tools."
For more news from NCCOSC, visit www.nccosc.navy.mil orwww.navy.mil/local/nccosc, or connect with us on social media:www.facebook.com/nccosc and www.twitter.com/nccosc.
For more news from Naval Center for Combat & Operational Stress Control, visit www.navy.mil/local/nccosc/.
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NNS150219-05. Early Detection and Treatment Effective with Chlamydia Screening at Naval Hospital Bremerton
By Douglas H Stutz, Naval Hospital Bremerton Public Affairs
BREMERTON, Wash. (NNS) -- Communicable diseases and viral infections don't just come and go. Some have a tendency to linger and stay.
Along with such frequent ailments as the common cold and food borne illness - two of the top five most common illnesses that include influenza, strep throat, and respiratory syncytial virus -there is another persistent malady that needs continual awareness of and that is Chlamydia.
"Chlamydia is the most commonly reported sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the United States. It is caused by the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis. It can infect both men and women; and in women it can cause permanent damage to the reproductive system, making it difficult or impossible for a woman to get pregnant later on," said Lt. Cmdr. Vulihn Ta, OB/GYN provider and command's Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) champion for cervical cancer and Chlamydia screening.
According to the Kitsap Public Health District, of the 906 Washington State Reportable Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Kitsap County in 2010, 780 were Chlamydia, or 86 percent. The majority of cases in Kitsap are occurring in sexually active men and women between the ages of 15 and 40, with the cases equally divided between men and women.
Ta attests that the take home message is not one of alarm, but of awareness, with the ability to enact preventative measures.
"Chlamydia infection is extremely common. It is the leading preventable cause of infertility in the United States. The infection rates are highest among sexually active young women 15-25 years of age. Chlamydia infections are readily treated with antibiotics, and screening leads to as much as 60 percent reduction in the incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease. Early detection and treatment are effective in preventing severe and permanent damages to the reproductive system," Ta said.
Ta stresses that it is important to get checked for Chlamydia because for women, approximately 70 percent of cases are asymptomatic.
"In other words you may not even be aware that you have been infected with the bacteria. If you do have symptoms, they may not appear until several weeks later and by then may have already caused severe and permanent damages to your reproductive system," explained Ta, citing that sexually active young women are at highest risk for chlamydial infection.
Women age 24 years or younger are more than five times as likely as women older than age 30 years to be infected. In addition to sexual activity and age, other risk factors for chlamydial infection include a history of chlamydial or other sexually transmitted infection, new or multiple sexual partners, inconsistent condom use, and exchanging sex for money or drugs. Risk factors for pregnant women are the same as for non-pregnant women.
In women, chlamydial infections commonly result in cervicitis and urethritis. Untreated cases of C. trachomatis infection in women frequently progress to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID, in turn, can lead to ectopic pregnancy, infertility, and chronic pelvic pain. Chlamydial infection during pregnancy is associated with adverse outcomes, including miscarriage, premature rupture of membranes, preterm labor, low birth weight, infant mortality, neonatal chlamydial infection, and postpartum endometritis.
"STIs, especially Chlamydia happen more than you think. It happens to single people, people in relationships, and even people who've only had one partner. You can't tell by looking if the other person is infected. You can't even tell if you'd been infected. That's why more and more people are finding out for themselves-by getting tested. Get tested regularly. It is the only way to know for sure. The testing is free and confidential. No one needs to know other than you and your provider," stressed Ta, adding that screening and early treatment help prevent costly complications.
The age requirement varies from state to state. In the state of Washington teens who are 14 years or older do not need parental consent for STI testing. Patients can request the test at their assigned clinic/primary care manager. A woman doesn't need to have a pelvic exam for chlamydia screening. The test can be done with a urine sample.
If not identified and managed properly, Chlamydia and other STIs can cause serious complications. As HEDIS champion, Ta strives to measure performance on important dimensions of confidential care and service such as continually preventing, detecting and treating Chlamydia, an unwelcomed and unwanted communicable disease.
For more news from Naval Hospital Bremerton, visitwww.navy.mil/local/nhb/.
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NNS150219-04. Maintaining the Bonhomme Richard Advancement Machine
By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Cameron McCulloch, USS Bonhomme Richard Public Affairs
NORTHERN LUZON STRAIT, Phillipines (NNS) -- The forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) could be considered one immense machine with many other machines within. These "machines" give us water, supply us heat, cook our meals and propel the ship forward.
But there is one machine that propels our Sailors' careers forward as well; the Bonhomme Richard Advancement Machine (BAM).
BAM was created in response to Bonhomme Richard Sailor's desire for an opportunity to better prepare for advancement examinations. It provides the crew with an hour every Friday for dedicated in-rate training in their work centers.
"When I received word of the crew's desire, the creative process of BAM took place," said Senior Chief Navy Counselor Latonya Luter. "The name I came up with was the Bonhomme Richard Advancement Academy, but in keeping with the commanding officer's explosive personality and energy, the name took on the creative spin of the Bonhomme Richard Advancement Machine. Sailors asked and 'BAM', they got it."
This provides departments a dedicated and ship-wide time to train their Sailors without interruption or distraction.
"We always know we're having BAM on Friday so I ask the Sailors what they want to learn on Monday," said Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class C.J. Anderson, Deck Department's training petty officer. "When Friday rolls around, I can have all that information prepared and have time devoted to training on it, which is a major contribution to Sailors getting advanced."
That advancement and training information, for any rate, is available online for Sailors to use for individual study, as well as departmental training.
"The bibliography for advancement and the topics and sub-topics that Sailors can expect on the advancement examination are the primary tools and can be downloaded from Navy Knowledge Online (NKO) or from the Command Career Counselor (CCC) folder on our network computers," said Luter. "Additionally, leaders can utilize the bibliography references to provide hands-on training to their Sailors. Some Sailors can read reference material for long periods of time and still have difficulties with advancement exams; however, having practical application improves the retention of information."
Work centers use the allotted time to coach their Sailors and enhance the ship's overall warfighting capability.
"It's a set time so there are no excuses not to study," said Machinery Repairman 2nd Class Veronica Cooley, machine shop leading petty officer. "We are always focused on something else and BAM is the one time a week we can focus on ourselves and get ourselves to the next level of proficiency. It not only helps with advancement, but betters the ship as a whole."
Between seeing patients at medical, landing aircraft on the flight deck or performing maintenance on the many machines of Bonhomme Richard, Sailors taking the time to maintain the Bonhomme Richard Advancement Machine is an important part of maintaining warfighting readiness.
Bonhomme Richard is currently underway in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations and is a part of the Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group (ARG). It is tactically controlled by Capt. Heidi Agle, commodore, Amphibious Squadron 11, and reports to Commander, Amphibious Force U.S. 7th Fleet, Rear Adm. Hugh Wetherald, headquartered in White Beach, Okinawa, Japan.
For more news from USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6), visitwww.navy.mil/local/lhd6/.
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NNS150219-03. USS Fort Worth Crew 104, HSM 35 and SUW Detachments Return Home
From Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet Public Affairs
SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- The littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) Crew 104, Detachment 1 from the "Magicians" of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 35, and Surface Warfare (SUW) Mission Package Detachment 3 returned to San Diego Feb. 18.
Crew 104 and the embarked detachments completed the first four months of Fort Worth's 16-month rotational deployment to U.S. 7th Fleet in support of America's strategic rebalance to the Asia-Pacific. Crew 103, Detachment 2 from HSM 35 and SUW Detachment 1 departed San Diego for Singapore Feb. 8.
Deployed since Nov. 17, Crew 104 transited across the Pacific, making port visits in Hawaii, Guam and Jakarta before arriving in Singapore in late December, the ship's primary maintenance logisitics hub during the rotational deployment. Crew 104 also participated in the search efforts for AirAsia flight QZ8501 in the Java Sea.
"The early stage of Fort Worth's deployment shows that we are a value-added asset to the theater commander," said Cmdr. Kendall Bridgewater, Crew 104 commanding officer. "Our response in the search efforts for AirAsia Flight QZ8501 validated that LCS is able to quickly reposition using our high speed while its open architecture design allows for additional capabilities, such as the Mobile Diving and Salvage Team, that make it a valuable platform for humanitarian assistance disaster relief."
HSM 35 Detachment 1 completed more than 230 hours with one MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter and one MQ-8B Fire Scout in support of surface warfare and search and rescue operations in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations (AO). Detachment 1 also searched more than 2,500 square miles in the Java Sea in support of the AirAsia search effort.
Fort Worth will employ the surface warfare mission package for her entire deployment, augmenting her 57mm gun and rolling airframe missile launcher with two 30mm guns, two 11-meter rigid-hull inflatable boats and two six-member maritime security boarding teams. During the multinational effort to locate the AirAsia plane, SUW Detachment 3 conducted 107 hours of search operations in the 11-meter RHIBs.
Fort Worth's deployment to Singapore is in direct support of the Navy's strategic rebalance to the Pacific. Fort Worth is the first LCS to deploy under the "3-2-1" manning concept. This concept allows LCS to continue a more sustained forward presence and reduces crew fatigue for the duration of the deployment. It is named 3-2-1 because three rotational crews will support two LCS ships and maintain one deployed ship. This swap is the first of three planned during Fort Worth's 16-month rotational deployment.
Fast, agile and mission-focused, LCS is designed to operate in near-shore environments and employ modular mission packages that can be configured for surface warfare, mine countermeasures, or anti-submarine warfare.
U.S. 3rd Fleet leads naval forces in the Eastern Pacific from the West Coast of North America to the international date line and provides the realistic, relevant training necessary for an effective global Navy.
For more news from Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet, visitwww.navy.mil/local/c3f/.
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NNS150219-02. Personal Readiness Summit Emphasizes 'Every Sailor Every Day'
By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Gabrielle Joyner, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West, Detachment Hawaii
PEARL HARBOR (NNS) -- Sailors and senior leadership stationed throughout Navy Region Hawaii participated in a two-day personal readiness summit at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Feb. 17-18.
The summit focused on building trustworthy relationships between peers and command leadership, as well as promoting personal resilience to manage an array of personal behavior issues. With a theme of "Every Sailor Every Day," the summit's objective was to empower commands to provide a command climate culture of equal respect as a key part of developing operational readiness.
"It's critically important that naval leaders today ensure their teams, squadrons, ships and boat crews are ready to fight and win," said Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr., commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet (PACFLT). "It's a lot harder to be ready to fight if you're bogged down with personal issues that are distracting from the real mission."
U.S. Pacific Fleet Master Chief Marco Ramirez stressed the serious nature of the subjects addressed during the summit as vital to the organization.
"The purpose of the personal readiness summit is to make sure that we are engaged, and we can better recognize destructive behaviors," said Ramirez. "Part of readiness is to provide education in recognizing these issues because readiness is not a joke, it is what we do."
The summit included a diverse range of interactive presentations on topics such as sexual assault prevention, suicide prevention, stress control, ethics, physical readiness and other personal issues that affect the fleet.
"We try to bring in new and interesting speakers to provide different perspectives on personal and family readiness issues," said John Croce, PACFLT Personal and Family Readiness, Equal Opportunity, & Commercial Services Management, and host of the summit. "We get a lot of good feedback from these very sessions across the fleet and think it's a key component of our whole personal and family readiness program."
The participating Sailors were grouped in targeted audiences as a way to maximize training opportunities and group participation.
"Our organization is hierarchical, we have leaders and followers, but we are also a team and we share ideas and our practices," said Cmdr. John Kalantzis, PACFLT deputy chaplain, and a panel participant. "This summit is a mechanism for discussing the best practices, adjusting the policies where necessary and bringing in new fresh ideas and making processes we have work better so that we can take care of our people and win the fight."
Mike Domitrz, founder of "The Date Safe Project," performed interactive training fueled by crowd participation entitled, "Can I Kiss You." The presentation focused on sexual assault and changing the culture towards the meaning of consent.
"The best part about this training is that it's just blatantly truthful, he just says it like it is and people can better relate to it," said Steelworker 2nd Class William H. Baird, assigned to Naval Facilities Engineering Command. "It's an ongoing issue and everyone wants to do something to stop it but not a lot of people really make the effort to do so. Being straightforward really helps."
Harris suggests that leadership engage with their teams and talk to them about the subjects outlined in the summit sessions when they check in, to set the tone, and when they check out to see if the message has resonated.
"I encourage you to take from this summit the tools you need to communicate with your command team and help put a stop to the issues that distract us from the mission, for the welfare of our Sailors, our Navy and our nation," said Harris.
For more news from Navy Public Affairs Support Element West, Det. Hawaii, visit www.navy.mil/local/
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NNS150219-01. Louisville Returns to Yokosuka During Western Pacific Deployment
By Ensign Hobart Kistler, USS Louisville Public Affairs Officer
FLEET ACTIVITIES YOKOSUKA, Japan (NNS) -- The Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Louisville (SSN 724) arrived at Fleet Activities Yokosuka Feb. 19, for a port visit during its deployment to the Western Pacific.
This was the second port visit for Louisville's crew of 140 during its current deployment.
"They have excelled in every task assigned and have demonstrated that Louisville is ready for any assignment," said Cmdr. Bob Figgs, commanding officer of Louisville. "I could not be prouder of their accomplishments. I know that my officers and crew are looking forward to some well deserved liberty and are glad to be back in Yokosuka."
Measuring more than 360 feet long and weighing more than 6,000 tons when submerged, Louisville is one of the most modern attack submarines in the world. The submarine's stealth, mobility, endurance, and firepower allow this covert, multi-mission platform to operate independently or in conjunction with a carrier strike group or joint forces to support the interests of the United States wherever and whenever needed.
"Our time on deployment has given the crew a significant sense of accomplishment and has rewarded all the hard work and energy spent preparing themselves and Louisville for this deployment," said Command Master Chief Fire Larry Williams, the command master chief of Louisville. "Our crew's ability to pull together as a team in the fast-paced environment of a fast-attack submarine has led to our success. I am excited for the crew to be able to have some liberty again in Yokosuka; this deployment has enabled our crew to do what a lot of them joined the Navy to do: see overseas countries and represent the U.S. Navy well."
For one of Louisville's crew, this visit to Yokosuka will provide the opportunity to realize a lifelong dream.
"Ever since I was a little kid I've been a big fan of Pokemon," said Machinist's Mate 3rd Class Austin Bruns, of Rapid City, South Dakota, referencing the popular Japanese trading card game and television series. "I've always wanted to travel to Tokyo and visit the Pokemon Center, and this trip ought to give me a chance to not only check that off my 'bucket list', but to buy some great memorabilia."
Louisville is the fourth U.S. ship to be named for Louisville, Kentucky. Commissioned on Nov. 8, 1986, at Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut; Louisville is the 35th nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine of the Los Angeles class. Louisville is currently homeported at Hawaii's Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.
For more news from Commander Submarine Group 7, visitwww.navy.mil/local/csg7/.
NNS150219-17. Current All Hands Update
From Defense Media Activity - Navy
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- All Hands Update features three one-minute newscasts today.
First one-minute newscast-
- Headlines for Thursday, February 19, 2015: FY-16 Command Senior and Master Chief Selection Board Results Released; Sailor Receives the Navy's "Old Tar" Award
http://youtu.be/CU8OTGSrtKQ
http://www.navy.mil/viewVideo.
Second one-minute newscast-
- Veteran Recalls His Time on the Beaches of Iwo Jima
http://youtu.be/W7gwOGxEosI
http://www.navy.mil/viewVideo.
Third one-minute newscast-
- USS Green Bay Arrives in its New Home Port of Sasebo, Japan
http://youtu.be/LMYd-mIxOhk
http://www.navy.mil/viewVideo.
Defense Media Activity-Navy produces All Hands Update (AHU) newscasts each day. AHU can be seen throughout the day and evening on the Direct-to-Sailor (DTS)satellite television service available aboard 160 ships of the fleet and via the Navy Web site at www.navy.mil. Check your local DTS program schedule for air times. AHU can also be seen throughout the world on the American Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS).
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NNS011213-30. This Day in Naval History - Feb. 19
From Naval History and Heritage Command, Communication and Outreach Division
1900 - President William McKinley signs an Executive Order placing Tutuila (Samoa) and nearby islands under the Navy Department.
1942 - The Japanese attack Darwin, Australia in the largest attack by a foreign power on that country. USS Peary (DD 226), as well as an Army transport and freighter sink in the raid, as well as a number of Australian and British vessels.
1942 - The overnight Battle of Badoeng Strait begins when the allied naval force (ABDA) commanded by Dutch Rear Adm. W.F.M. Doorman engaged the Japanese in an attempt to stop the invasion force in Bali. USS Stewart (DE 238) is damaged.
1945 - Following pre-invasion naval gunfire and aerial bombardment, U.S. Marines land on Iwo Jima, securing the island on March 16. Fleet Adm. Chester Nimitz describes the invasion, from which 27 Medals of Honor are given, as one where uncommon valor was a common virtue.
2005 - Fast Attack Submarine USS Jimmy Carter (SSN 23) is commissioned.
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Navy News Service is the official news wire service of the U.S. Navy, containing stories recently posted to the Navy Web site at www.navy.mil. It is a product of the Defense Media Navy - 6700 Taylor Rd., Fort Meade, MD 20755. Reprints should be credited to the Navy News Service (NNS).
For the latest in Navy news from around the fleet, visit www.navy.mil.
For all Navy-related questions, review the FAQs posted at www.navy.mil or visit www.history.navy.mil.
Media queries should be directed to the Navy News Desk at (703) 697-5342.
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-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150219-23. NAVSTA Newport Observes Black History Month
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150219-19. Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center Kicks off Year of the Military Diver
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150219-15. Fly-Away Team Replaces Gas Turbine Engine on USS Jason Dunham
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150219-14. Commander U.S. Fleet Forces Command Discusses Fleet Readiness at AFCEA West
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150219-13. Eight Ways to Boost Resilience Between Military Couples
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150219-10. USS New Orleans Holds Grand Reopening of Dining Facilities
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150219-08. Navy Leaders Talk Resilience at NCCOSC
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150219-05. Early Detection and Treatment Effective with Chlamydia Screening at Naval Hospital Bremerton
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150219-04. Maintaining the Bonhomme Richard Advancement Machine
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150219-03. USS Fort Worth Crew 104, HSM 35 and SUW Detachments Return Home
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150219-02. Personal Readiness Summit Emphasizes 'Every Sailor Every Day'
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150219-01. Louisville Returns to Yokosuka During Western Pacific Deployment
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
DNU -- In today's edition of All Hands Update, the fiscal year 2016 command senior and master chief selection board results have been announced and Sailor inherits title of "Old Tar" from the Surface Navy Association.
-- http://www.navy.mil/viewVideo.
DNU -- Marine Corps Veteran, Wally Kaenzig, recalls his survival on the beaches for the Iwo Jima.
-- http://www.navy.mil/viewVideo.
DNU -- The USS Green Bay joins the Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group at its new home port of Sasebo, Japan.
-- http://www.navy.mil/viewVideo.
NNS150219-17. Current All Hands Update
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS011213-30. This Day in Naval History - Feb. 19
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
Eye on the Fleet - U.S. Navy Photo of The Day
-- http://www.navy.mil/list_
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NNS150219-09. Canadian Warship to Receive Navy Meritorious Unit Award
By Chief Mass Communication Specialist (SW/AW) Julianne Metzger, Chief of Naval Operations Public Affairs
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The U.S. Navy's top admiral will present a U.S. Navy unit award to a Canadian warship Feb. 20.
Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert is to present the U.S. Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC) on Feb. 20 to HMCS Toronto (FFH 333) of the Royal Canadian Navy in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
U.S. Ambassador to Canada Bruce Heyman, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy Vice-Admiral Mark Norman, and several members of U.S. and Canadian government and navy leadership will also attend the ceremony.
A non-U.S. naval force receiving a U.S. Navy unit decoration is a rarity; this event marking the fifth occurrence of such a decoration in the last 45 years.
Returning from their deployment, the crew of the Toronto was selected to receive the prestigious award due to their continued support of Combined Task Force (CTF) 150. The Halifax-class frigate significantly disrupted the flow of drugs, criminal and terrorist activities in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.
While deployed Toronto responsibilities included tracking, boarding and searching maritime contacts of interest to CTF-150. Among Toronto's accomplishments during deployment which began in February of 2013, the ship's crew seized six large caches of illegal drugs to include 1,300 kilograms of heroin and six tons of hashish. Seizures of a large magnitude can significantly affect unlawful organizations' ability to fund illegal operations.
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NNS150219-23. NAVSTA Newport Observes Black History Month
By Bob Krekorian, NAVSTA Newport Public Affairs
NEWPORT, R.I. (NNS) -- The struggle by African Americans to gain their civil rights with passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was preceded by a long period of systematic oppression, according to William N. Martin Jr., Ph.D., the guest speaker at Naval Station Newport's observance of Black History Month, Feb. 18.
Citing a series of colonial laws, codes, legislation, and constitutional amendments that legalized slavery over the course of 300 years, Martin described how the Negro was treated since the start of the transatlantic slave trade.
The observance, sponsored by the installation's diversity committee, was held at the Navy Supply Corps School.
Martin, born and raised in Washington D.C., during the 1970's, is a mechanical engineer at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Newport.
"The struggle for civil rights didn't happen overnight," Martin said.
Martin described how in the mid-1600's colonial America enacted so-called "Slave Codes" that reduced the Negro slaves to chattel and pieces of property, and legalized slavery.
According to slave codes adopted in South Carolina in 1712, "slaves were forbidden to leave the owner's property, unless accompanied by a white person, or obtaining permission; no slave shall be allowed to work for pay."
"The provision, partus sequitur ventrem, stated that if a mother was a slave, her children at birth were slaves," Martin said.
During the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Mexican-American War, Negroes could be recruited with the promise of a grant of freedom.
The slave trade continued after the Revolution at a time when provisions in the U.S. Constitution allowed enactment in 1793 of the Fugitive Slave Act. The Act stated that children of slaves are slaves for life and considered property.
"Slavery was abolished in 1865 with the passage of the 13th Amendment, and the Slave Codes ended, but the so-called "Black Codes" began," Martin said.
Martin cited examples of the Black Codes in the Jim Crow laws that were enacted starting in 1866. The Jim Crow laws allowed racial segregation and the separate but equal doctrine (Plessy v. Ferguson, 1896).
In a series of family anecdotes, Martin recalled conversations with his grandparents about "white only" and "black only" public drinking fountains in North Carolina during the 1950s.
For more news from Naval Station Newport, visitwww.navy.mil/local/nsnewport/.
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NNS150219-19. Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center Kicks off Year of the Military Diver
From Naval Education and Training Command Public Affairs
PANAMA CITY, Fla (NNS) -- U.S. Representative Gwen Graham, representing Florida's 2nd Congressional District and a member of the House Armed Services Committee, toured Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center (NDSTC) and helped kick off the Year of the Military of Diver (YOMD) Feb. 18.
Graham was visiting area commands to become familiar with programs, personnel and readiness issues. While at NDSTC, Graham and her staff toured the facilities, observed the full range of students in dive training, including the hyperbaric recompression chamber and a dive-tender boat used to conduct offshore dives.
NDSTC kicked off the Year of the Military Diver with a celebratory cake cutting, with the help of Graham, handing out the first piece of cake to the youngest diver present, Army Pvt. Timothy Sparks.
"It was an honor to meet the congresswoman and be part of this celebration as I start my new career as a diver," said Sparks.
Graham repeatedly stated how impressed she was with the training and expressed her gratitude for those military members and civilians for their service. She received some "hands on" training as she donned a military KM-37 dive helmet used for salvage and saturation dives.
"I'm honored to be here and to be in a position to recognize all that you do here," said Graham.
NDSTC Commanding Officer Cmdr. Hung Cao said military diving has a rich and storied history.
"The purpose of celebrating 2015 as the Year of the Military Diver is to bring awareness to the rich history of our nation's men and women who have bravely served in times of need, forging the way for professional and recreational diving practice as we know it today," said Cao. "The military diver has always been an invaluable asset and often an unsung hero to our nation."
Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center (NDSTC) will recognize 35 years of training this year and the 100th anniversary of the Mark V Dive helmet to commemorate the Year of the Military Diver.
The Mark V diving helmet, nicknamed the "Copper Collar," is the most recognizable symbol of Navy diving. Originally designed as a firefighting tool, it was adapted for deep sea diving in 1915 according to the Diving Historical Society. The helmet went on to be the workhorse of the Navy deep sea diver for 65 years.
Later models like the Mk21 and later the Km 37 reduced weight and created a more ergonomic fit, while also providing contamination control. Other countries around the world still use the Mark V today.
Commissioned in 1980, NDSTC is the largest diving facility in the world and trains more than 1,200 divers from all services in the Department of Defense, allied partners, and other government agencies.
For more news from Naval Education and Training Command, visitwww.navy.mil/local/cnet/.
For more news from Naval Education and Training Command, visitwww.navy.mil/local/cnet/.
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NNS150219-15. Fly-Away Team Replaces Gas Turbine Engine on USS Jason Dunham
By Dan Smithyman, Southeast Regional Maintenance Center Public Affairs
GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba (NNS) -- When the gas turbine engine that powers one of the generators aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) failed, a fly-away team from Mayport, Florida, was dispatched from the Southeast Regional Maintenance Center (SERMC) with engine in-hand.
The ship was deployed in the Caribbean when two of its three generators experienced some issues and pulled into port at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
"Their number two generator had problems with an electrical breaker, and number three had a bearing failure on the gas turbine engine that powers the generator, which is the engine we replaced," said Chief Gas Turbine System Technician (Mechanical)(SW) Maurice Waller.
The seven-man fly-away team from SERMC consisted of five active-duty Sailors and two civilians. Gas Turbine System Technician (Mechanical) 1st Class (SW) Kristopher Mitchell, team leader, saw this as an opportunity to bring to bear the capabilities of SERMC and his technicians. The team procured a new engine, gathered tools, and assigned the right personnel to travel to a remote location for an urgent repair that would ultimately enable Jason Dunham to return to its regularly scheduled deployment.
"There was a lot of coordination between the ship and SERMC before we left," Mitchell said. "We had to make sure we had all the right tools, parts and people for this job. It's not like here (in Mayport) where we can come back to the shop if we need more parts or tools."
The team left Sunday, Feb. 8 via C-130 aircraft from Naval Air Station Jacksonville loaded with a new engine, connex box with tools and rigging gear, and a special van that would transport everything to the ship. By Wednesday evening, Feb. 11, the engine was replaced, operationally tested and the ship was underway again Thursday.
"The ship's force prepped everything for us before we arrived, meaning they removed the module wall to access the engine, and disconnected the fuel lines and electrical connections," Waller said.
"We removed the broken engine and installed the new one," said Gas Turbine System Technician (Mechanical) 2nd Class (SW) Nico Carter, one of the team members. "We also changed out the PTO shaft."
Carter explained that the PTO shaft is a power take off shaft that connects the gas turbine engine to the reduction gear, which is connected to the actual generator. The team performed troubleshooting on the entire system to ensure safe and optimum performance before they called the job successful.
"This was a good opportunity for us, and a great experience for me," said Gas Turbine System Technician (Mechanical) 2nd Class (SW) Eric Megargel, one of the technicians.
Mitchell said the first day lasted more than 14 hours as the team worked to remove the broken engine, which weighs about 1,600 pounds and measures eight feet long. The greatest challenge, he said, was lifting the broken engine out from deep inside the bottom of the engineering room, through vertical trunks and narrow passages of the ship, and then bringing in the new engine in reverse order.
"We do our own rigging," Mitchell said. "It's an ownership thing. We want to make sure our engine is handled with care, and no damage occurs because of a chainfall banging a fuel nozzle or something like that."
Gas Turbine System Technician (Mechanical) 2nd Class Matthew Ressler was heavily involved in the rigging evolution. "It took some creativity, but this is normal for a GSM," he said.
"It was a one-shot deal to get it right," Mitchell said. "And we did."
The electrical breaker issue on the number two generator was repaired prior to the number three engine change-out. A sister team from Norfolk's Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center made that repair.
With all three generators back on line, Jason Dunham sailed out of Guantanamo Bay, and the SERMC fly-away team returned to Mayport in time to celebrate Valentine's Day with their loved ones.
For more news from Southeast Regional Maintenance Center, visitwww.navy.mil/local/sermc/.
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NNS150219-14. Commander U.S. Fleet Forces Command Discusses Fleet Readiness at AFCEA West
From U.S. Fleet Forces Public Affairs
SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Commander U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Adm. Phil Davidson, speaking to a group of military leaders, government officials and members of private industry discussed the need to increase the fleet's readiness during a key note address at the United States Navy Institute 25th Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) West Conference Feb. 11.
"It is quite clear to me that my job - the job of Fleet Forces Command - is to make the fleet ready to fight and win - both today and tomorrow," said Davidson.
Praising the fleet's performance in 2014, Davidson expressed his appreciation to Sailors for answering the nation's call to duty. "You met every challenge, whether directing the neutralization of Syrian chemical weapon stockpiles at sea, meeting the rise of ISIS in Syria and Iraq, or deploying an expeditionary response to the outbreak of Ebola in Western Africa," said Davidson.
"But today's fight is evolving rapidly. America's competitors and potential adversaries are flexing their muscles abroad and attempting to match our capability with vastly improved technologies in the air, on and under the sea, and in space and cyberspace," said Davidson. Given all our forward fleets are observing in the Pacific, the Arabian Gulf, and the Mediterranean, Davidson stressed that technology alone will not provide sufficient tactical advantage in contested and denied environments of the future.
"Simply put, the firing key cannot be our only tactic in the battle space. We need to cultivate the minds of our warfighters to think in new and creative ways to fight. I believe we have the tools, and most importantly, the people, to set the course to work through the challenges and succeed today and in the future."
Davidson also addressed the importance of implementing the optimized fleet response plan (OFRP). OFRP sets the framework to improve stability and predictability of the fleet and the fleet's readiness by better aligning maintenance, manpower and training.
"We are already beginning to see the goodness that OFRP will bring," said Davidson. "We have seen improvements in our manpower at sea by aligning personnel to fleet units before the training cycle, not just before deployment. This has reduced the number of previously required cross-decks of critical personnel." OFRP is also bringing predictability back in the maintenance phase as the fleet works through maintenance and modernization deferrals - both critical to readiness.
Another benefit of the improved OFRP alignment is a more predictable and focused integrated training phase. Our Sailors will be in place prior to the integrated training phase and will benefit from exercising as a complete strike group team with advanced warfare tactics across all warfighting domains in contested and denied battle space.
Davidson sited the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group's recent composite training exercise which saw increased time in denied electromagnetic environments, advanced anti-submarine warfare against a live opposition-force submarine and TRCSG's employment of Naval Integrated Fire Control-Counter Air (NIFC-CA) - the first NIFC-CA capable strike group.
The Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) West conference is the largest event on the West Coast and is designed to bring a diverse group of professionals together to discuss issues and share ideas and solutions for the technological challenges of today and tomorrow, including those of the maritime domain.
For more news from U.S. Fleet Forces, visit www.usff.navy.mil.
For more news from U.S. Fleet Forces Command, visitwww.navy.mil/local/clf/.
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NNS150219-13. Eight Ways to Boost Resilience Between Military Couples
By Jenny Collins, Naval Center for Combat & Operational Stress Control Public Affairs
SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- The Naval Center for Combat & Operational Stress Control (NCCOSC) facilitates research and develops evidence-based programs that provide Sailors and Marines with important tools to build and maintain resilience.
As service members build resilience, military couples can also take steps to boost their resilience as well.
Military spouses and significant others play an important part in offering encouragement and support to today's service members.
With a military career that often includes deployments and extended separations, military couples must work harder at being able to withstand, recover, and grow together in the face of stressors, adversity, and changing demands.
Below are 8 ways military couples can improve their resilience.
1. Maintain Your Connection. Being apart can be tough. By figuring out a system of regular contact, couples can build a strong foundation of open communication. It's best to time conversations about upsetting issues as to not overwhelm your partner. Open conversations should still consist of an overall positive and supportive tone.
2. Reshape Interpretation. Some highly stressful life events are inevitable in military life. One cannot change when or how these events happen, but couples can certainly shape their attitudes to best react and respond. Use flexible thinking to place some perspective on the situation.
3. Remain Optimistic. Maintaining optimism in the face of stressors is a couple's best chance to move forward during stressful times. Try to envision what you both want instead of worrying about what you're both scared of.
4. Trust. Discuss in detail your expectations of one another on the homefront and while you are apart. Work together to find ways to maintain trust. Talk about concerns but don't dwell on them. Focus on how to work past them.
5. Take Care of Yourself... and Each Other. Set aside a couple of minutes a day to decompress. Meditation is a great tool to alleviate stress. Make sure that your partner is doing the same or offer ways to help one another. Taking care of yourselves helps keep your minds ready to deal with situations that require resilience.
6. Understanding. If you and your partner are in the middle of a conflict, focus on what is upsetting you and vice versa. Try to disregard what caused the fight. Concentrate and work together to find the solution. This type of behavior control will be much more effective.
7. Create and Work Towards Goals Together. Couples who have common goals are often more successful in their relationship. Develop realistic goals with deadlines. Even completing small accomplishments can help improve your relationship.
8. Professional Help. It's important to recognize that unresolved relationship problems have the potential to impact a service member's well-being and focus on the job. If the stress of military life becomes overwhelming for either party, don't hesitate to seek help from a support group, counselor, clinician, or chaplain. Reaching out for support can help you manage any reaction and boost your resilience.
Resilience is very effective in helping our active duty population manage operational and combat stress, both in their work life and their home life.
At NCCOSC, we envision a future of innovative and relevant research that will increase our knowledge of psychological health. The knowledge that is gained will ultimately contribute to the readiness and resilience of our Sailors and Marines as they face the future challenges of military service.
For more information about NCCOSC, visit www.nccosc.navy.mil, and follow on Facebook or Twitter
For more news from Naval Center for Combat & Operational Stress Control , visit www.navy.mil/local/nccosc/.
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NNS150219-10. USS New Orleans Holds Grand Reopening of Dining Facilities
By Ensign Chloe J. Morgan, USS New Orleans Public Affairs
SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Sailors aboard the amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18) participated in a Mardi Gras themed reopening of the newly refurbished dining facilities, Feb. 17.
The dining facilities underwent extensive renovations to incorporate the ship's namesake during New Orleans' planned maintenance availability.
"When I first arrived at the command, the ship still looked like the stock model after seven years and four deployments. Today, [the dining facilities] match the lively and colorful character of the crew," said Commanding Officer Capt. Douglas C. Verissimo.
The mess decks were renovated to look like the French Quarter, complete with a 35-foot long mural. Further incorporating the theme, the galley was renamed Cafe du Monde, the wardroom was remodeled after Arnaud's restaurant, and the chiefs' mess was renamed the Pelican Club, all after famous restaurants in New Orleans.
Mardi Gras coincided with the reopening of the dining facilities, and Sailors enjoyed a special meal with a presentation of foods commonly enjoyed in the city of New Orleans during the world renowned celebration. Chicken jambalaya, seafood boil, and Cajun spiced pork loin were some of the entrees offered to the crew.
"The food was amazing... I felt like I was at a restaurant. I'm really looking forward to eating here every day," said Damage Controlman 2nd Class (SW) Aaron Gonzales.
Chef Jeff Mora, owner of "Food Fleet", brought his team to assist with the relaunch of the galley. Mora used to work at K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen in New Orleans under Chef Paul Pruthomme, and looked forward to bringing the flavor of Big Easy aboard New Orleans.
"It is important to bring a quality meal to all, especially to those who work tirelessly day-in and day-out. New Orleans is a very special place to me and I am glad to be able to bring the cuisine of New Orleans to this ship," said Mora.
Those in attendance included Capt. Edward Butzirus, President of the Supply Corps Association San Diego Chapter.
"When we get right down to it, this effort is all about supporting the operational warfighter and improving readiness and crew morale. The team that planned and executed this amazing renovation are top shelf and I commend you for your impressive team effort," said Butzirus.
For more information on New Orleans please visitwww.facebook.com/BigEasy18.
For more news from Naval Surface Forces, visit www.navy.mil/local/cnsp/.
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NNS150219-08. Navy Leaders Talk Resilience at NCCOSC
By Jenny Collins, Naval Center for Combat & Operational Stress Control Public Affairs
SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Resilience programs director for the Navy's 21st Century Sailor office, Capt. Mike Smith, visited the Naval Center for Combat & Operational Stress Control (NCCOSC) in San Diego, Calif., Feb. 12. The purpose of the visit was to foster the relationship between the two programs and discuss how each is working to push the principles of operational stress control (OSC) and resilience to the fleet.
The hot topic of Smith's visit was building resilience in support of Total Sailor Fitness (TSF). NCCOSC staff informed Smith on the various studies, tools, and initiatives currently in use within the center's programs and research facilitation departments. These included the Stress Resilience Training System (SRTS), resilience training, and Servicemember Evaluation Tool (SET) pilots at Recruit Division Commander (RDC) School and Wounded Warrior Battalion.
NCCOSC Director Capt. Scott L. Johnston shared his reflections on the partnership between NCCOSC and 21st Century Sailor.
"NCCOSC appreciates the opportunity to work with [21st Century Sailor] and TSF. We have been collaborating for several years with the same goal to improve the well-being of Sailors and their families," said Johnston. "OSC as a part of TSF is critical. Resilience goes beyond preparing for and identifying stress associated with the military service."
Service members can build resilience through such tools as optimism, flexible thinking, and positive coping. These techniques can be applied to virtually any situation in life, improving an individual's ability to respond to and treat their stress, eventually leading to improved work performance, job satisfaction, and unit cohesion.
As the visit concluded, Smith revealed his own methods for staying resilient.
"If I get stressed out.... the first thing I will do is leave my desk and take a walk just to momentarily take my mind off of things. It helps to clear your mind to actually think about things better," said Smith. "I think the important thing for operational stress control is to inform people of these tools so they can know what works best for them."
Resilience remains a key initiative throughout the Navy Medicine enterprise. The 21st Century Sailor office will continue to utilize NCCOSC as a resource for the joint effort on OSC and resilience.
"The collaboration between [21st Century Sailor] and NCCOSC is critically important because NCCOSC and the U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) organization as a whole are the subject-matter experts on psychological health and care," said Smith. "By having these conversations, it helps to better understand what OSC is and how we can best focus our training and tools."
For more news from NCCOSC, visit www.nccosc.navy.mil orwww.navy.mil/local/nccosc, or connect with us on social media:www.facebook.com/nccosc and www.twitter.com/nccosc.
For more news from Naval Center for Combat & Operational Stress Control, visit www.navy.mil/local/nccosc/.
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NNS150219-05. Early Detection and Treatment Effective with Chlamydia Screening at Naval Hospital Bremerton
By Douglas H Stutz, Naval Hospital Bremerton Public Affairs
BREMERTON, Wash. (NNS) -- Communicable diseases and viral infections don't just come and go. Some have a tendency to linger and stay.
Along with such frequent ailments as the common cold and food borne illness - two of the top five most common illnesses that include influenza, strep throat, and respiratory syncytial virus -there is another persistent malady that needs continual awareness of and that is Chlamydia.
"Chlamydia is the most commonly reported sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the United States. It is caused by the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis. It can infect both men and women; and in women it can cause permanent damage to the reproductive system, making it difficult or impossible for a woman to get pregnant later on," said Lt. Cmdr. Vulihn Ta, OB/GYN provider and command's Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) champion for cervical cancer and Chlamydia screening.
According to the Kitsap Public Health District, of the 906 Washington State Reportable Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Kitsap County in 2010, 780 were Chlamydia, or 86 percent. The majority of cases in Kitsap are occurring in sexually active men and women between the ages of 15 and 40, with the cases equally divided between men and women.
Ta attests that the take home message is not one of alarm, but of awareness, with the ability to enact preventative measures.
"Chlamydia infection is extremely common. It is the leading preventable cause of infertility in the United States. The infection rates are highest among sexually active young women 15-25 years of age. Chlamydia infections are readily treated with antibiotics, and screening leads to as much as 60 percent reduction in the incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease. Early detection and treatment are effective in preventing severe and permanent damages to the reproductive system," Ta said.
Ta stresses that it is important to get checked for Chlamydia because for women, approximately 70 percent of cases are asymptomatic.
"In other words you may not even be aware that you have been infected with the bacteria. If you do have symptoms, they may not appear until several weeks later and by then may have already caused severe and permanent damages to your reproductive system," explained Ta, citing that sexually active young women are at highest risk for chlamydial infection.
Women age 24 years or younger are more than five times as likely as women older than age 30 years to be infected. In addition to sexual activity and age, other risk factors for chlamydial infection include a history of chlamydial or other sexually transmitted infection, new or multiple sexual partners, inconsistent condom use, and exchanging sex for money or drugs. Risk factors for pregnant women are the same as for non-pregnant women.
In women, chlamydial infections commonly result in cervicitis and urethritis. Untreated cases of C. trachomatis infection in women frequently progress to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID, in turn, can lead to ectopic pregnancy, infertility, and chronic pelvic pain. Chlamydial infection during pregnancy is associated with adverse outcomes, including miscarriage, premature rupture of membranes, preterm labor, low birth weight, infant mortality, neonatal chlamydial infection, and postpartum endometritis.
"STIs, especially Chlamydia happen more than you think. It happens to single people, people in relationships, and even people who've only had one partner. You can't tell by looking if the other person is infected. You can't even tell if you'd been infected. That's why more and more people are finding out for themselves-by getting tested. Get tested regularly. It is the only way to know for sure. The testing is free and confidential. No one needs to know other than you and your provider," stressed Ta, adding that screening and early treatment help prevent costly complications.
The age requirement varies from state to state. In the state of Washington teens who are 14 years or older do not need parental consent for STI testing. Patients can request the test at their assigned clinic/primary care manager. A woman doesn't need to have a pelvic exam for chlamydia screening. The test can be done with a urine sample.
If not identified and managed properly, Chlamydia and other STIs can cause serious complications. As HEDIS champion, Ta strives to measure performance on important dimensions of confidential care and service such as continually preventing, detecting and treating Chlamydia, an unwelcomed and unwanted communicable disease.
For more news from Naval Hospital Bremerton, visitwww.navy.mil/local/nhb/.
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NNS150219-04. Maintaining the Bonhomme Richard Advancement Machine
By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Cameron McCulloch, USS Bonhomme Richard Public Affairs
NORTHERN LUZON STRAIT, Phillipines (NNS) -- The forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) could be considered one immense machine with many other machines within. These "machines" give us water, supply us heat, cook our meals and propel the ship forward.
But there is one machine that propels our Sailors' careers forward as well; the Bonhomme Richard Advancement Machine (BAM).
BAM was created in response to Bonhomme Richard Sailor's desire for an opportunity to better prepare for advancement examinations. It provides the crew with an hour every Friday for dedicated in-rate training in their work centers.
"When I received word of the crew's desire, the creative process of BAM took place," said Senior Chief Navy Counselor Latonya Luter. "The name I came up with was the Bonhomme Richard Advancement Academy, but in keeping with the commanding officer's explosive personality and energy, the name took on the creative spin of the Bonhomme Richard Advancement Machine. Sailors asked and 'BAM', they got it."
This provides departments a dedicated and ship-wide time to train their Sailors without interruption or distraction.
"We always know we're having BAM on Friday so I ask the Sailors what they want to learn on Monday," said Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class C.J. Anderson, Deck Department's training petty officer. "When Friday rolls around, I can have all that information prepared and have time devoted to training on it, which is a major contribution to Sailors getting advanced."
That advancement and training information, for any rate, is available online for Sailors to use for individual study, as well as departmental training.
"The bibliography for advancement and the topics and sub-topics that Sailors can expect on the advancement examination are the primary tools and can be downloaded from Navy Knowledge Online (NKO) or from the Command Career Counselor (CCC) folder on our network computers," said Luter. "Additionally, leaders can utilize the bibliography references to provide hands-on training to their Sailors. Some Sailors can read reference material for long periods of time and still have difficulties with advancement exams; however, having practical application improves the retention of information."
Work centers use the allotted time to coach their Sailors and enhance the ship's overall warfighting capability.
"It's a set time so there are no excuses not to study," said Machinery Repairman 2nd Class Veronica Cooley, machine shop leading petty officer. "We are always focused on something else and BAM is the one time a week we can focus on ourselves and get ourselves to the next level of proficiency. It not only helps with advancement, but betters the ship as a whole."
Between seeing patients at medical, landing aircraft on the flight deck or performing maintenance on the many machines of Bonhomme Richard, Sailors taking the time to maintain the Bonhomme Richard Advancement Machine is an important part of maintaining warfighting readiness.
Bonhomme Richard is currently underway in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations and is a part of the Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group (ARG). It is tactically controlled by Capt. Heidi Agle, commodore, Amphibious Squadron 11, and reports to Commander, Amphibious Force U.S. 7th Fleet, Rear Adm. Hugh Wetherald, headquartered in White Beach, Okinawa, Japan.
For more news from USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6), visitwww.navy.mil/local/lhd6/.
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NNS150219-03. USS Fort Worth Crew 104, HSM 35 and SUW Detachments Return Home
From Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet Public Affairs
SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- The littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) Crew 104, Detachment 1 from the "Magicians" of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 35, and Surface Warfare (SUW) Mission Package Detachment 3 returned to San Diego Feb. 18.
Crew 104 and the embarked detachments completed the first four months of Fort Worth's 16-month rotational deployment to U.S. 7th Fleet in support of America's strategic rebalance to the Asia-Pacific. Crew 103, Detachment 2 from HSM 35 and SUW Detachment 1 departed San Diego for Singapore Feb. 8.
Deployed since Nov. 17, Crew 104 transited across the Pacific, making port visits in Hawaii, Guam and Jakarta before arriving in Singapore in late December, the ship's primary maintenance logisitics hub during the rotational deployment. Crew 104 also participated in the search efforts for AirAsia flight QZ8501 in the Java Sea.
"The early stage of Fort Worth's deployment shows that we are a value-added asset to the theater commander," said Cmdr. Kendall Bridgewater, Crew 104 commanding officer. "Our response in the search efforts for AirAsia Flight QZ8501 validated that LCS is able to quickly reposition using our high speed while its open architecture design allows for additional capabilities, such as the Mobile Diving and Salvage Team, that make it a valuable platform for humanitarian assistance disaster relief."
HSM 35 Detachment 1 completed more than 230 hours with one MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter and one MQ-8B Fire Scout in support of surface warfare and search and rescue operations in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations (AO). Detachment 1 also searched more than 2,500 square miles in the Java Sea in support of the AirAsia search effort.
Fort Worth will employ the surface warfare mission package for her entire deployment, augmenting her 57mm gun and rolling airframe missile launcher with two 30mm guns, two 11-meter rigid-hull inflatable boats and two six-member maritime security boarding teams. During the multinational effort to locate the AirAsia plane, SUW Detachment 3 conducted 107 hours of search operations in the 11-meter RHIBs.
Fort Worth's deployment to Singapore is in direct support of the Navy's strategic rebalance to the Pacific. Fort Worth is the first LCS to deploy under the "3-2-1" manning concept. This concept allows LCS to continue a more sustained forward presence and reduces crew fatigue for the duration of the deployment. It is named 3-2-1 because three rotational crews will support two LCS ships and maintain one deployed ship. This swap is the first of three planned during Fort Worth's 16-month rotational deployment.
Fast, agile and mission-focused, LCS is designed to operate in near-shore environments and employ modular mission packages that can be configured for surface warfare, mine countermeasures, or anti-submarine warfare.
U.S. 3rd Fleet leads naval forces in the Eastern Pacific from the West Coast of North America to the international date line and provides the realistic, relevant training necessary for an effective global Navy.
For more news from Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet, visitwww.navy.mil/local/c3f/.
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NNS150219-02. Personal Readiness Summit Emphasizes 'Every Sailor Every Day'
By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Gabrielle Joyner, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West, Detachment Hawaii
PEARL HARBOR (NNS) -- Sailors and senior leadership stationed throughout Navy Region Hawaii participated in a two-day personal readiness summit at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Feb. 17-18.
The summit focused on building trustworthy relationships between peers and command leadership, as well as promoting personal resilience to manage an array of personal behavior issues. With a theme of "Every Sailor Every Day," the summit's objective was to empower commands to provide a command climate culture of equal respect as a key part of developing operational readiness.
"It's critically important that naval leaders today ensure their teams, squadrons, ships and boat crews are ready to fight and win," said Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr., commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet (PACFLT). "It's a lot harder to be ready to fight if you're bogged down with personal issues that are distracting from the real mission."
U.S. Pacific Fleet Master Chief Marco Ramirez stressed the serious nature of the subjects addressed during the summit as vital to the organization.
"The purpose of the personal readiness summit is to make sure that we are engaged, and we can better recognize destructive behaviors," said Ramirez. "Part of readiness is to provide education in recognizing these issues because readiness is not a joke, it is what we do."
The summit included a diverse range of interactive presentations on topics such as sexual assault prevention, suicide prevention, stress control, ethics, physical readiness and other personal issues that affect the fleet.
"We try to bring in new and interesting speakers to provide different perspectives on personal and family readiness issues," said John Croce, PACFLT Personal and Family Readiness, Equal Opportunity, & Commercial Services Management, and host of the summit. "We get a lot of good feedback from these very sessions across the fleet and think it's a key component of our whole personal and family readiness program."
The participating Sailors were grouped in targeted audiences as a way to maximize training opportunities and group participation.
"Our organization is hierarchical, we have leaders and followers, but we are also a team and we share ideas and our practices," said Cmdr. John Kalantzis, PACFLT deputy chaplain, and a panel participant. "This summit is a mechanism for discussing the best practices, adjusting the policies where necessary and bringing in new fresh ideas and making processes we have work better so that we can take care of our people and win the fight."
Mike Domitrz, founder of "The Date Safe Project," performed interactive training fueled by crowd participation entitled, "Can I Kiss You." The presentation focused on sexual assault and changing the culture towards the meaning of consent.
"The best part about this training is that it's just blatantly truthful, he just says it like it is and people can better relate to it," said Steelworker 2nd Class William H. Baird, assigned to Naval Facilities Engineering Command. "It's an ongoing issue and everyone wants to do something to stop it but not a lot of people really make the effort to do so. Being straightforward really helps."
Harris suggests that leadership engage with their teams and talk to them about the subjects outlined in the summit sessions when they check in, to set the tone, and when they check out to see if the message has resonated.
"I encourage you to take from this summit the tools you need to communicate with your command team and help put a stop to the issues that distract us from the mission, for the welfare of our Sailors, our Navy and our nation," said Harris.
For more news from Navy Public Affairs Support Element West, Det. Hawaii, visit www.navy.mil/local/
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NNS150219-01. Louisville Returns to Yokosuka During Western Pacific Deployment
By Ensign Hobart Kistler, USS Louisville Public Affairs Officer
FLEET ACTIVITIES YOKOSUKA, Japan (NNS) -- The Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Louisville (SSN 724) arrived at Fleet Activities Yokosuka Feb. 19, for a port visit during its deployment to the Western Pacific.
This was the second port visit for Louisville's crew of 140 during its current deployment.
"They have excelled in every task assigned and have demonstrated that Louisville is ready for any assignment," said Cmdr. Bob Figgs, commanding officer of Louisville. "I could not be prouder of their accomplishments. I know that my officers and crew are looking forward to some well deserved liberty and are glad to be back in Yokosuka."
Measuring more than 360 feet long and weighing more than 6,000 tons when submerged, Louisville is one of the most modern attack submarines in the world. The submarine's stealth, mobility, endurance, and firepower allow this covert, multi-mission platform to operate independently or in conjunction with a carrier strike group or joint forces to support the interests of the United States wherever and whenever needed.
"Our time on deployment has given the crew a significant sense of accomplishment and has rewarded all the hard work and energy spent preparing themselves and Louisville for this deployment," said Command Master Chief Fire Larry Williams, the command master chief of Louisville. "Our crew's ability to pull together as a team in the fast-paced environment of a fast-attack submarine has led to our success. I am excited for the crew to be able to have some liberty again in Yokosuka; this deployment has enabled our crew to do what a lot of them joined the Navy to do: see overseas countries and represent the U.S. Navy well."
For one of Louisville's crew, this visit to Yokosuka will provide the opportunity to realize a lifelong dream.
"Ever since I was a little kid I've been a big fan of Pokemon," said Machinist's Mate 3rd Class Austin Bruns, of Rapid City, South Dakota, referencing the popular Japanese trading card game and television series. "I've always wanted to travel to Tokyo and visit the Pokemon Center, and this trip ought to give me a chance to not only check that off my 'bucket list', but to buy some great memorabilia."
Louisville is the fourth U.S. ship to be named for Louisville, Kentucky. Commissioned on Nov. 8, 1986, at Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut; Louisville is the 35th nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine of the Los Angeles class. Louisville is currently homeported at Hawaii's Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.
For more news from Commander Submarine Group 7, visitwww.navy.mil/local/csg7/.
NNS150219-17. Current All Hands Update
From Defense Media Activity - Navy
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- All Hands Update features three one-minute newscasts today.
First one-minute newscast-
- Headlines for Thursday, February 19, 2015: FY-16 Command Senior and Master Chief Selection Board Results Released; Sailor Receives the Navy's "Old Tar" Award
http://youtu.be/CU8OTGSrtKQ
http://www.navy.mil/viewVideo.
Second one-minute newscast-
- Veteran Recalls His Time on the Beaches of Iwo Jima
http://youtu.be/W7gwOGxEosI
http://www.navy.mil/viewVideo.
Third one-minute newscast-
- USS Green Bay Arrives in its New Home Port of Sasebo, Japan
http://youtu.be/LMYd-mIxOhk
http://www.navy.mil/viewVideo.
Defense Media Activity-Navy produces All Hands Update (AHU) newscasts each day. AHU can be seen throughout the day and evening on the Direct-to-Sailor (DTS)satellite television service available aboard 160 ships of the fleet and via the Navy Web site at www.navy.mil. Check your local DTS program schedule for air times. AHU can also be seen throughout the world on the American Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS).
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NNS011213-30. This Day in Naval History - Feb. 19
From Naval History and Heritage Command, Communication and Outreach Division
1900 - President William McKinley signs an Executive Order placing Tutuila (Samoa) and nearby islands under the Navy Department.
1942 - The Japanese attack Darwin, Australia in the largest attack by a foreign power on that country. USS Peary (DD 226), as well as an Army transport and freighter sink in the raid, as well as a number of Australian and British vessels.
1942 - The overnight Battle of Badoeng Strait begins when the allied naval force (ABDA) commanded by Dutch Rear Adm. W.F.M. Doorman engaged the Japanese in an attempt to stop the invasion force in Bali. USS Stewart (DE 238) is damaged.
1945 - Following pre-invasion naval gunfire and aerial bombardment, U.S. Marines land on Iwo Jima, securing the island on March 16. Fleet Adm. Chester Nimitz describes the invasion, from which 27 Medals of Honor are given, as one where uncommon valor was a common virtue.
2005 - Fast Attack Submarine USS Jimmy Carter (SSN 23) is commissioned.
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Navy News Service is the official news wire service of the U.S. Navy, containing stories recently posted to the Navy Web site at www.navy.mil. It is a product of the Defense Media Navy - 6700 Taylor Rd., Fort Meade, MD 20755. Reprints should be credited to the Navy News Service (NNS).
For the latest in Navy news from around the fleet, visit www.navy.mil.
For all Navy-related questions, review the FAQs posted at www.navy.mil or visit www.history.navy.mil.
Media queries should be directed to the Navy News Desk at (703) 697-5342.
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