NNS150310-09. Navy Lays Keel for PCU Colorado
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150310-17. NMCB-3 Packs to Perform
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150310-16. SERMC Hosts FIST Lash-Up Meeting
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150310-15. Brain Injury Awareness Month
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150310-10. USNA Hosts Annual Astronaut Convocation
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150310-08. Naval War College Educates, Graduates 85 Leaders
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150310-07. Naval War College Report Reveals New Joint Defense Needs
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150310-06. Abraham Lincoln Sailors Celebrate Women's History Month
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150310-05. NAVSUP GLS Admiral Tours Frank Cable
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150310-04. ROV Deployed to Assist in Missing Diver Recovery
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150310-02. Retired Sailor Returns for Promotion of a Lifetime
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150310-01. Keeping Hand Hygiene program a Successful Wash at Naval Hospital Bremerton
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
DNU -- In today's edition of All Hands Update, the Seabees, the Civil Engineer Corps, and Naval Facilities Engineering Command recently celebrated their respective anniversaries this month and the Navy released and new NAVADMIN reauthorizing the Surface Warfare Officer Critical Skills Retention Bonus.
-- http://www.navy.mil/viewVideo.
DNU -- New revisions to the Navy's liberty policy were announced March 2nd.
-- http://www.navy.mil/viewVideo.
DNU -- An important part of being stationed outside of the United States is being a positive presence in our host nations.
-- http://www.navy.mil/viewVideo.
NNS150310-14. Current All Hands Update
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS011215-11. This Day in Naval History - March 10
-- 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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NNS150310-09. Navy Lays Keel for PCU Colorado
From Team Submarine Public Affairs
QUONSET POINT. R.I. (NNS) -- The U.S. Navy held a keel laying ceremony for the Virginia-class submarine Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Colorado (SSN 788) at General Dynamics Electric Boat, March 7.
The initials of the submarine's sponsor, Annie Mabus, were welded onto a steel plate that will be permanently affixed to the submarine. Mabus is the daughter of Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus.
"Colorado's keel laying is a special day for our Navy, the state of Colorado, and our shipbuilding partners," said Rear Adm. David Johnson, Program Executive Officer for Submarines. "This event marks the first major construction milestone for the submarine and helps forge a special bond between Mabus and her submarine that will last for years to come."
Colorado began construction in March 2012 and is on track to continue the Virginia-class program's trend of delivering submarines early to their contract delivery dates, within budget, and ready for tasking by the fleet.
Colorado is the fourth ship to bear the name of the state. Colorado is also the 15th submarine of the Virginia class and the fifth of the eight ship Block III construction contract. Virginia-class submarines are built jointly by General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries-Newport News Shipbuilding. So far, 28 Virginia-class submarines have either been delivered, are in construction, or are under contract.
In addition to Colorado's keel laying, other Virginia-class milestones this year include the christening of PCU Illinois (SSN 786), the commissioning of USS John Warner (SSN 785), and the keel laying of PCU Indiana (SSN 789).
Ships of the Virginia class embody the commitment by the Navy and industry to reduce costs without decreasing capabilities through a multi-year procurement strategy, continuous improvements in construction practices and cost-reduction design changes. These submarines excel in littoral and open-ocean environments and collect intelligence critical to irregular warfare efforts with advanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. Their inherent stealth, endurance, mobility, and firepower directly enable them to support five of the six Maritime Strategy Core Capabilities - sea control, power projection, forward presence, maritime security, and deterrence.
For more news from Naval Sea Systems Command, visitwww.navy.mil/local/navsea/.
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NNS150310-17. NMCB-3 Packs to Perform
By Builder 1st Sergio Armas, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3 Public Affairs
PORT HUENEME, Calif. (NNS) -- Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 3 Seabees executed an embark exercise (EMBEX) at Naval Base Ventura County, Port Hueneme, March 3-5.
More than 100 Seabees executed the 48-hour evolution which demonstrated the battalion's ability to forward deploy the battalion's air detachment, a company of 89 personnel, their civil engineering support equipment (CESE) and supply cargo pallets for any humanitarian aid or recovery effort anywhere around the world.
According to Equipment Operator 1st Class Abel Abeyta, embark leading petty officer, NMCB-3's embark team conducted weighing and marking unit driven training (UDT's), and embark training exercises (ETX's) to prepare them before this evaluated EMBEX.
"We have a highly motivated young crew of Seabees that have conducted this exercise for the first time and they have done an exceptional job," said Abeyta. "I am very pleased with the results and very proud of them. It goes to prove that you may not have all the experience, but if you have the motivation and eagerness to learn, you can just as easily succeed."
This exercise prepared the men and women from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3 to execute their mount out exercise for their upcoming field training exercise (FTX).
The Naval Construction Force is a vital component of the U.S. Maritime Strategy. The force provides deployable battalions capable of providing disaster preparation and recovery support, humanitarian assistance and combat operations support.
For more news from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3, visitwww.navy.mil/local/nmcb3/.
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NNS150310-16. SERMC Hosts FIST Lash-Up Meeting
By Dan Smithyman, Southeast Regional Maintenance Center Public Affairs
MAYPORT, Fla. (NNS) -- The Navy's Fleet Integrated Sustainment Team (FIST) met in Mayport, Florida, March 3 and 4 to discuss ways to improve communication, cooperation and collaboration between the RMCs and warfare centers.
The presentations included topics such as remote monitoring of shipboard systems, life cycle support contracts, modernization in shipbuilding and cyber warfare, among other current technical issues.
Dr. William Luebke, director of the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) in Port Hueneme, California, chaired the two-day agenda. In his opening remarks, he urged those in the room, and those participating via conference call and Defense Connect Online, to be candid which would encourage better dialogue. The participants were largely representative of NAVSEA and surface force stakeholders, and had come from as far as Japan and as near as the hosting Southeast Regional Maintenance Center (SERMC).
"In order to move forward in continuous improvement of supporting the fleet, we need more communication, transparency and accountability," Luebke said.
One of the more poignant topics that answered Luebke's three-part theme was Cyber Warfare, presented by Chris Nerney from NSWC Dahlgren. He described the threat of cyber attack on the Navy - indeed on the federal government - as constant and prolific. Nerney said anything a computer is connected to is vulnerable to attack.
"We have to reduce the attack surface," Nerney said. "We're looking at creating a 'system of systems' that will reduce the attack vectors, or avenues of approach."
The system of systems Nerney mentioned would be a single integrated system under one virtual umbrella instead of separate systems that may, or may not, be independent of each other. For example, weapons, communications, and engineering systems would be placed under a single system to reduce the number of attack points; instead of three separate vulnerabilities, there would be only one to protect.
"Many cyber-attacks lead to more than computer failure or loss of information," Nerney said while showing images of wreckage on a projector screen. "Some of these cyber infiltrations can allow our adversaries to overload generators to the point they literally explode and hurt people."
Another topic was the ability to remotely monitor shipboard systems to track performance and maintenance requirements with the intention of predicting and correcting systematic problems before they occur. Ron Brown of NSWC Philadelphia discussed the advantages of maintenance centers and NAVSEA engineers to monitor everything from electrical and mechanical engineering systems to computers and navigation systems.
"We can compile data on a specific ship, or class of ship, and provide feedback to the CO to take action before it becomes a problem," Brown said.
Nadia Tepper of SERMC presented the maintenance approach to the pending homeport shift of littoral combat ships (LCS) to Mayport. Because the LCS class ships have the capability to be remotely monitored, this platform presents some maintenance advantages, but also some challenges.
"We are working to drive down maintenance costs," Tepper said. "The scheduled maintenance for the LCS both in CONUS and OCONUS is incredibly busy, and because the size of the LCS crew is so small, the RMCs (regional maintenance centers) may perform O-level and I-level maintenance for them."
The O-level, or organizational level, maintenance is classified as basic preventive maintenance normally performed by ship's force. The I-level, or intermediate level, is more technical and complex, and generally beyond the capability of ship's force to accomplish. These I-level tasks are performed by organizations like SERMC and other regional maintenance centers across the Navy.
One of the challenges of the LCS platform is its complex, high-tech nature. Many of the systems on the LCS are cutting edge technology and the RMCs have never seen them before. The training and familiarization of these systems are ongoing throughout the Navy. Luebke assured the attending commodore of Mayport's LCS Squadron 2 that he has the complete support of the RMCs and NAVSEA to ensure the success of the LCS program.
The Lash-Up seminar attendees tackled these and several other subjects with round-table conversations that would help to either initiate solutions to some challenges or to simply provide updates on current projects. The event ended with a tour of the SERMC production facilities.
For more news from Southeast Regional Maintenance Center, visitwww.navy.mil/local/sermc/.
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NNS150310-15. Brain Injury Awareness Month
From Naval Hospital Jacksonville Public Affairs
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (NNS) -- Every 23 seconds traumatic brain injury (TBI) strikes, claiming 1.4 million new American victims each year. It knows no boundaries, and does not discriminate by age, gender, ethnicity or socio-economic status. March is National Brain Injury Awareness Month, a time to recognize and support the more than 5.3 million Americans who are living with TBI-related disabilities, according to the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA).
"Those suffering from traumatic brain injury can display a wide variety of symptoms based on the severity of the injury," said Kirsten Pollick, Naval Hospital (NH) Jacksonville's neuropsychologist and mental health department head. "Common signs and symptoms include headache or neck pain; memory loss; slowness in thinking, speaking, acting, or reading; getting lost or easily confused; fatigue and mood changes; blurred vision; and ear ringing."
TBI occurs when an outside force impacts the head with enough force to move the brain within the skull, resulting in a direct injury to the brain. Rapidly accelerating and decelerating the head can also force the brain to move back and forth across the inside of the skull. This stress pulls nerve fibers apart and damages brain tissue and is known as a "coup-contrecoup" injury. A coup injury occurs under the site of impact with an object, and a contrecoup injury occurs on the side opposite the area that was impacted.
Signs and symptoms of TBI may be subtle and might not appear until days or weeks following the injury, while some symptoms can be missed altogether. Children with a brain injury can have the same symptoms as adults, but it is often harder for them to let others know how they feel.
Most common sources of TBI are motor vehicle crashes, firearms, falls, sports, and physical violence. Active duty and reserve service members are at an increased risk for sustaining a TBI, due to deployment to areas where risks of experiencing blast exposures - such as improvised explosive devices - are high.
Individuals with suspected brain injuries should seek medical care immediately by contacting their Medical Home Port team to schedule an appointment, or if the situation is emergent, go to the emergency room or call 911.
NH Jacksonville is available to provide services to those with concerns about brain injury. Patients may be evaluated by the hospital's TBI screening program after receiving a consultation or referral from the patient's Medical Home Port team, the Deployment Health Center, Neurology or Behavioral Health.
To find out more about the hospital's TBI program call (904) 542-9133. For more on deployment services, contact the Deployment Health Center at (904) 546-7099.
NH Jacksonville's priority since its founding in 1941 is to heal the nation's heroes and their families. The command is comprised of the Navy's third largest hospital and five branch health clinics across Florida and Georgia. Of its patient population - about 160,000 active and retired Sailors, Soldiers, Marines, Airmen, Guardsmen and their families-about 70,000 are enrolled with a primary care manager and Medical Home Port team at one of its facilities. To find out more, visit the command website atwww.med.navy.mil/sites/
For more news from Naval Hospital Jacksonville, visitwww.navy.mil/local/nhjax/.
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NNS150310-10. USNA Hosts Annual Astronaut Convocation
By Mass Communication Specialist Second Class Tyler Caswell, U.S. Naval Academy Public Affairs
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (NNS) -- The United States Naval Academy (USNA) hosted its annual Astronaut Convocation, March 9 in Mitscher Auditorium.
The convocation was an opportunity for the Brigade of Midshipmen to learn about the future of space flight and exploration from leaders in the field, as well as current and former astronauts.
"There is a future for all of you in technology, medicine, science, aerospace and teaching," said Frank Culbertson Jr., panelist and Naval Academy Class of 1971 graduate. "I encourage all of you to think about how you are going to make a difference and what you are going to say when you get up here 20 or 40 years from now."
Five of the Naval Academy's 52 astronaut graduates served as panel members and provided feedback to the capacity crowd. USNA Superintendent, Vice Adm. Ted Carter, spoke to the deep heritage the Academy has with aerospace.
"This is something that doesn't really happen anywhere in the country. We have produced more NASA astronauts than any other institution. The very first American in space was a USNA graduate," said Carter. "We bring phenomenal people back that have graduated from this institution and we have current access to faculty members that are astronauts. USNA has a great history involving aerospace."
The foundations of the careers the astronauts have built started with their time at USNA. Robert Cabana, the director of NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center and Naval Academy Class of 1971 graduate, explained the hardest lessons are the ones you learn from the most.
"I wasn't able to be a pilot when I first tried, but with time, I was able to do so and more," said Cabana. "I learned an awful lot at USNA. I grew a lot here. I learned to keep trying. There are things that I didn't want to do and assignments that I later didn't want to take, but some of those ended up being the best experiences of my life. Everything is what you make of it."
For the midshipmen in attendance, it was a unique opportunity to gather insight from those who have been in their shoes, and gone on and done great things with their lives.
"There's no other chance you can have to sit down and have a conversation with five astronauts," said Midshipman 3rd Class Will McMasters. "It's really awesome to see what the fruits of your labor can become. These people left USNA and did amazing things and it's inspiring to see."
"As an individual who has wanted to become an astronaut ever since he was a toddler, this convocation provided me advice on how to become a prospect NASA astronaut candidate," said Midshipman 1st Class Vigneshwar Manickam. "The astronauts provided motivation to the many hopeful future astronauts in the crowd by tying their experiences in space directly to their four-year experience at USNA."
For more news from U.S. Naval Academy, visit www.navy.mil/local/usna/.
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NNS150310-08. Naval War College Educates, Graduates 85 Leaders
By Daniel L. Kuester, U.S. Naval War College Public Affairs
NEWPORT, R.I. (NNS) -- Eighty-five Navy, Marine and Army officers graduated from U.S. Naval War College (NWC), March 3, during a graduation ceremony held in Spruance Hall auditorium in Newport, Rhode Island.
The graduating students of the College of Naval Warfare (CNW) and College of Naval Command and Staff (CNCS) received master's degrees in national security and strategic studies, accredited by the New England Association for Schools and Colleges.
With coursework in national security decision making, strategy and policy, and joint military operations, the two programs are designed to prepare students to think critically, operationally and strategically.
"I learned a lot about leadership. I learned a lot about being a better officer. I learned a lot about things that aren't in the curriculum. Most important, I reconnected with the spark that is why I love the profession of arms," said Marine Col. Steven Wolf, honor graduate of the CNW course.
The senior-level CNW course graduated 30 officers. The intermediate-level CNCS course graduated 55.
During the ceremony, the graduates were recognized for their hard work, both in and out of the classroom.
"Your selfless dedication to a cause greater than yourself is truly breathtaking to behold," said Marc Genest, the graduation speaker and Forrest Sherman Chair of Public Policy and co-director of the Center on Irregular Warfare and Armed Groups at NWC. "My respect and admiration for the sacrifices that you and your families make in serving your country deepens each day I come here."
NWC is a one-year resident program that graduates about 600 students and about 1,000 distance learning students a year. Students earn Joint Professional Military Education credit and either a diploma or a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies. Established in 1884, the NWC is the oldest institution of its kind in the world. More than 50,000 students have graduated since its first class of nine students in 1885, and about 300 of today's active-duty admirals and generals and senior executive service leaders are alumni.
Photos from the ceremony can be viewed and downloaded athttps://flic.kr/s/aHsk8VgDiy.
Video can be viewed at http://youtu.be/5vwlYzTRRaY.
For more news from Naval War College, visit www.navy.mil/local/nwc/.
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NNS150310-07. Naval War College Report Reveals New Joint Defense Needs
From U.S. Naval War College Public Affairs
NEWPORT, R.I. (NNS) -- The Defense Department and U.S. Navy will need to develop new areas of expertise, authorities and planning processes in order to meet key goals and objectives, according to a U.S. Naval War College (NWC) game report prepared for the Pentagon's Air-Sea Battle Office and the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO).
The report highlights the findings of the Global 2014 War Game and showed that changes are needed in order to achieve "unity of effort in joint cross-domain operations," which will have important implications for joint doctrine, education, training and career progression.
The game, conducted by NWC's war gaming department, examined four command and control concepts.
This first is the Combined Joint Force Information Component Commander (CJFICC), responsible for cyber, space, information operations and theater electronic warfare.
The second is the Cross-Domain Operations Coordination Element (XDOCE), which provides functional component commanders with cross-domain expertise.
The third is the Combined Joint Task Unit (CJTU), which assimilates capabilities from different domains and services under a functional component commander.
The last concept is the Combined Joint Force Sustainment Component Commander (CJFSCC), responsible for providing theater-wide sustainment support.
"Any efforts made to counter emerging A2/AD [anti-access/area denial] threats must be rooted in rigorous and objective analysis," said Capt. Terry Morris, deputy director of the Air-Sea Battle Office. "This NWC game report will serve as a critical foundation for our ongoing efforts to improve joint XDO C2 [cross-domain operations command and control] and help the Navy contribute to the larger joint force effort."
The report says that an integrated approach to planning and executing joint cross-domain operations will reshape how the joint force is organized, trained and operates, particularly at the operational level of war.
The game results show that the CJFICC concept is ready for implementation, but solely as a cyber-component commander.
The report suggests that follow-on efforts should continue to evaluate whether information operations and theater electronic warfare space could benefit from a dedicated component commander.
Both the XDOCE and CJTU concepts warrant further development and study, including their continued incorporation in joint and combined war games and exercises, according to the report.
The CJFSCC concept, the report said, is not ready to move forward, as it requires further evaluation to determine whether it contains sufficient utility to justify further development.
"The themes that emerged from Global '14 provide a framework for improving quick, effective and proactive decision making in a time sensitive A2/AD environment where communications are often degraded or denied," said Walter Berbrick, NWC professor and lead analyst of the Global 2014 War Game. "Much of the value of Global '14 lies not only in the four, C2 concepts explored themselves, but in the critical working relationships that are developed and sustained beyond the game."
Since 1979, the Navy's Global War Game series conducted in Newport has helped the CNO define the future Navy, as well as help prepare naval and joint warfighters to meet the operational and strategic challenges of today and tomorrow.
The full report can be viewed at https://www.usnwc.edu/global14
For more news from Naval War College, visit www.navy.mil/local/nwc/.
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NNS150310-06. Abraham Lincoln Sailors Celebrate Women's History Month
By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Aaron T. Kiser, USS Abraham Lincoln Public Affairs
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (NNS) -- Sailors assigned to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) kicked off Women's History Month by paying tribute to the trail-blazing women who have served our service and our nation, and recognized one of their own, March 3.
Senior Chief Aviation Maintenance Administrationman Sonya Best served as the moderator during the ceremony and presented an historical look at women and their accomplishments beginning with Abigail Adams, the first lady, to Cmdr. Hannah Kriewaldt, chief engineer serving on board Abraham Lincoln, who also served as the guest speaker during the ceremony.
"We honor Women's History Month by celebrating women who have shaped the value of organizations with class and bold leadership," Best said, who then introduced Lincoln's CHENG.
Kriewaldt shared her personal journey as a mother, a daughter, a sister, a friend, and an officer. She advised the attendees to look at life as a journey and to look at what you can learn from it each and every day.
"I chose to focus on the small victories," Kriewaldt said, adding that she enjoys living in the moment whether it is spending time with her department
or mentoring her Sailors.
Kriewaldt, who is one of four children, followed her father's footsteps in joining the Navy. Her father retired as a chaplain from the Navy Reserves,
and Kriewaldt's older brother and sister, also joined the Navy. Her youngest brother shares her interest of engineering and works at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard.
"Every day is an adventure working in Engineering," Kriewaldt said. She stated that lessons learned early in her career have served as guideposts as she continued her journey as a naval officer.
According to Kriewaldt,teamwork and tenacity have guided her through her naval career. "Leverage the strengths of your teammates and you'll never
know where you will go."
Lincoln is currently undergoing refueling complex and overhaul (RCOH) at Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries.
Lincoln is the fifth ship of the Nimitz class to undergo an RCOH, a major life-cycle milestone. Once RCOH is complete, Lincoln will be one of the most
modern and technologically advanced Nimitz-class aircraft carriers in the fleet and will continue to be a vital part of the nation's defense.
For more news from USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), visitwww.navy.mil/local/cvn72/.
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NNS150310-05. NAVSUP GLS Admiral Tours Frank Cable
By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Zac Shea, USS Frank Cable Public Affairs
SASEBO, Japan (NNS) -- Commander, Naval Supply Global Logistics Support (NAVSUP GLS), Rear Adm. James McNeal, toured the submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40) while the ship was in port in Sasebo, Japan, March 10.
This visit was one of several for McNeal, who is touring various commands in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operation to improve his working knowledge of each command to better facilitate their supply requirements.
NAVSUP GLS oversees and supports logistics for the Navy and joint operations around the world. The sites visited during this tour include Fleet Logistics Commands (FLC) in Guam, Yokosuka, and Singapore.
"It's been really exciting for me to meet all the wonderful Sailors over here that support the fleet," said McNeal. "Frank Cable is a very impressive ship. I was very impressed with the capabilities of the crew and the marriage between Navy and Military Sealift Command (MSC) and how well they work together in providing a really unique capability to submarines and other ships."
The visit to Frank Cable, one of only two submarine tenders in the Navy, allowed McNeal to see a different kind of platform.
"The aim was to give the admiral concrete examples of how NAVSUP GLS allows Frank Cable to not just think outside the box but execute outside the box," said Cmdr. Jay Turner, supply officer of Frank Cable. "The examples we showed him focused on morale and, one of my commanding officer's top priorities, expanding war fighting capabilities. This allows the admiral to understand that not only are we connected to his organization but they're helping us do things that count."
The visit included tours of the postal office, stock rooms, and ship store. McNeal also took the time to speak with Sailors.
"He was very appreciative of the work we are doing onboard," said Logistics Specialist Seaman Michael Scott, a Frank Cable Sailor assigned to the ship's post office. "It was excellent getting to meet the admiral and shake his hand."
Frank Cable has a somewhat uncommon arrangement within its supply department.
"We have what's called a hybrid posture," said Turner. "The Navy side focuses on support and repair of other vessels while our MSC counterparts focus on everything within the skin of the ship."
Despite this difference, Sailors and civilian mariners work side by side to further the mission of Frank Cable.
"It works," said Turner. "We treat it as one team, one supply department. The functionality is a little different but that's no different than having your department divided into divisions."
Frank Cable, forward deployed to the island of Guam, conducts maintenance and support of submarines and surface vessels deployed in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility and is currently on a scheduled underway period.
For more information on Frank Cable, visit www.cable.navy.mil or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/
For more news from USS Frank Cable (AS 40), visitwww.navy.mil/local/as40/.
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NNS150310-04. ROV Deployed to Assist in Missing Diver Recovery
By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (EXW) Timothy Wilson, Joint Region Marianas Public Affairs
SANTA RITA, Guam (NNS) -- A Navy remotely operated vehicle (ROV) assisted in the recovery of a civilian diver who went missing at the Blue Hole near Apra Harbor, Guam, on Feb. 28 and March 1.
The Guam Fire Department received a call regarding a missing South Korean tourist and several marine units were activated, including the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy divers assigned to the submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40).
The search soon turned into a recovery mission and her body was found at a depth of about 350 feet. The ROV launch and recovery system was deployed to assist in the ascent of the body.
"This was the only method we had due to the depth as the depth limitations would not allow us to dive that far," said U.S. Navy Diver 2nd Class (DSWS) Erik Clark, a Frank Cable Sailor and supervisor of the Frank Cable divers. "We were able to get to the required depth and do what we needed to do."
The ROV has sonar capability, which allows for searching for metallic objects, and an integrated GPS tracking system, which helps in determining its position, said Clark. Auto-depth features allow the ROV to sit at a predetermined depth and in a holding pattern at up to 900 feet.
"This was the first time Frank Cable divers used the ROV in a recovery and it proved to be of critical importance," said U.S. Navy Diver 3rd Class (DSWS) Collyn Kelley, the ROV operator for the recovery. "The Frank Cable dive locker first received ROV training about four months ago."
The first day was a bit demoralizing since they were not able to complete the task of recovering the body before sunset, but the divers were able to regroup and complete the mission on March 1.
"It was relieving," said Kelley. "It was relieving to know that we were able to get her up to the surface and return her body to her family."
Kelley said communication and teamwork between the Frank Cable divers and other organizations were instrumental in the success of the operation.
"We have an excellent working relationship (with the other agencies). The (U.S.) Coast Guard is always ready to respond to our needs and (the relationship) is great with the military assets as well as other local agencies," said Guam Fire Department Capt. Alex Castro, who first received the call. "I would like to work together more in the future. We already have a great working relationship and we have something working well right now."
Castro said that they receive similar calls about diving accidents regularly and he cautions that anyone who ventures into the waters need to understand the dangers. He stressed that if you are diving, use your dive buddy and never go under without someone experienced in those waters.
For more news from U.S. Naval Forces, Marianas, visitwww.navy.mil/local/guam/.
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NNS150310-02. Retired Sailor Returns for Promotion of a Lifetime
By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jeff Troutman, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West, Det. Hawaii
PEARL HARBOR (NNS) -- When retired Navy Boatswain's Mate 1st Class Jim Castaneda arrived on Ford Island at Pearl Harbor on the morning of March 8, he was under the impression he and his fellow brothers and sisters in the Navy Wounded Warrior-Safe Harbor program were attending a ceremony honoring the 2015 Wounded Warrior Pacific Trials being held in Hawaii.
What he didn't know was that the ceremony was for him, and the dream of a lifetime was about to become his, at last.
Within the shade of a famous banyan tree marked with the names of service members past, and messages testifying to their bravery and courage, Castaneda was made an honorary chief petty officer during the surprise pinning ceremony. His long, eventful journey as a U.S. Navy Sailor was finally reaching its peak.
"This feeling right now...there are no words for it," Castaneda, fighting back tears, told the approximately 200 service members, active and retired, who came out to share in the joy of his finest Navy achievement. "This was my dream before I retired, to make chief petty officer. And now it's finally a reality."
Castaneda's dream had not come without incredible determination and heartbreaking sacrifice. Joining the Navy in 1990, Castaneda was approaching his 20-year mark of active duty service when he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder in June 2009, a direct result of his shipboard time performing recovery (bodies) operations off the coast of India.
In 2010, while underway, Castaneda suffered a debilitating stroke onboard his ship, and his promising ascent to the rank of chief petty officer was cut short. He was granted an honorary medical retirement from active duty service, receiving a 100 percent Veterans Affairs rating for his disability. More heartbreak followed when, in 2012, he suffered a second stroke, which left him requiring the assistance of a wheel chair.
Despite these setbacks, Castaneda's spirit and pride in his dedication to the Navy remained undeterred, as he remained active within the Wounded Warrior-Safe Harbor community. His involvement and motivational performances in the 2012 Wounded Warrior Pacific Trials, the 2013 Wounded Warrior Pacific Invitational and the 2014 Warrior Games proved that Castaneda had plenty of fight left in him.
Yet his greatest achievement and proudest career moment was still to come.
"The journey to become a chief petty officer is not an easy one, and this man's journey exemplifies that," U.S. Pacific Fleet Master Chief Marco Ramirez told the onlookers at the ceremony. "Boats, as a leader and now a chief petty officer, you are now hereby charged to ensure your Sailors and fellow service members alike have the tools needed to perform the tasks that are required and I know you will willingly accept this responsibility."
The words that Castaneda had longed to hear spoken to him, in the role of chief petty officer, were finally a reality. Members of the audience and the Chief's Mess alike teared up as Ramirez and Master Chief Cryptologic Technician (Control) Tara O'Brien pinned the golden anchors to his collar. Then, as Ramirez placed the chief petty officer cover atop Castaneda's head, welcoming him into the Chief's Mess, the crowd erupted in applause.
"This is...the proudest moment of my naval career, to accept him into the Chief's Mess," O'Brien said afterwards. "It was long overdue. For this man to keep pushing forward, to stay motivated, to ultimately achieve this milestone; I couldn't be more proud right now."
Castaneda's son Junior echoed O'Brien's sentiments.
"I can't put the feeling of pride into words," said Junior. "I wanted to cry when I saw the look on his face, when they announced what the reason for the ceremony was. I know what this means to him, to finally be recognized as a Navy chief."
Castaneda's first order as chief was to express his gratitude to the men and women who came out to support him on his greatest of days, as well as his brothers and sisters who had served with him in the past and continue to support him today.
"I'm going to wear this everywhere, I don't care what anyone thinks," Castaneda said, referencing his chief's cover, as the crowd burst into laughter and applause. "But honestly, some of you took the time on your day off to come here and share this moment with me, and I can't begin to explain how much I appreciate it. I'm not going to let you down."
Ramirez gave the new chief his full blessing as he began his new role.
"The Chief's Mess is the heartbeat of the Navy. They personify the code of honor and commitment the Navy so strongly upholds," he reminded the audience.
Turning to Castaneda, he offered a final compliment, encapsulating a naval career more than 20 years in the making.
"Your ongoing and steadfast commitment is inspiring to all, and these anchors and this cover you now wear is in recognition of your achievements and dedication to the world's finest Navy."
And as another long round of applause was showered upon him, Castaneda could only smile. His dream of becoming a U.S. Navy Chief was finally a reality.
For more news from Navy Public Affairs Support Element West, Det. Hawaii, visit www.navy.mil/local/
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NNS150310-01. Keeping Hand Hygiene program a Successful Wash at Naval Hospital Bremerton
By Douglas H Stutz, Naval Hospital Bremerton Public Affairs
BREMERTON, Wash. (NNS) -- It's a wash with the ongoing awareness campaign at Naval Hospital Bremerton to remind staff members, patients and visitors that they are all the first line of defense for hand-hygiene.
In conjunction with the Washington State Hospital Association, NHB's goal is to continue to raise awareness on proper hand hygiene to improve the health of beneficiaries and employees. Hand hygiene is a simple, effective way to promote personal sanitizing and keep such diseases like MRSA infections at bay.
"Our focus is always on patient safety. We can save lives by eliminating infections especially between our staff and patients," said Tom Shirk, NHB infection control coordinator.
According to Shirk, achieving a high compliance rate is easy by practicing sound hand hygiene habits. Staff members prevent the spread of any infection, as well as set the example for their patients to follow.
"We just need to be certain that hand hygiene, washing with soap and water, sanitizing with one of the available hand-sanitizer sprays, or both, is performed between every single patient contact," Shirk said.
Infections can happen. The goal is to limit and ultimately stop the impact. News headlines from several years ago reported on 'superbug' infections from the bacteria/germ called methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. The number of cases rose across the country even though MRSA had actually been around since the 1960s. MRSA is a type of staph that is resistant to certain antibiotics, including methicillin and other more common antibiotics such as oxacillin, penicillin and amoxicillin.
"Anything that ends in 'illin' is probably not going to be effective," noted Shirk. "But, there certainly are other antibiotics available if needed."
Shirk and other medical professionals tracked the infection rates in the greater Kitsap Peninsula.
"We actually (still) look for, and track, this type of bacteria," said Shirk. "Though we had some cases of MRSA in this area, the number of cases was on par with the nation-wide average."
According to Shirk, regular Staphylococcus aureus, or simply "staph," is one type of bacteria commonly carried on the skin or in the nose of up to 30 percent of healthy people which sometimes can cause an infection. Staph bacteria are one of the most common causes of skin infections in the United States. Most of these skin infections are minor, such as pimples and boils. The skin infections can also be red, swollen, painful, or have pus or other drainage. MRSA can be found in approximately one percent of the general population.
There are considered two basic types of such infections like MRSA - in the community, most MRSA infections are skin infections, but in a hospital, MRSA can potentially cause life-threatening bloodstream infections, pneumonia and surgical site infections.
"Without a doubt, the best way to individually prevent any MRSA-like staph infection is to follow all that great motherly advice about practicing good, overall hygiene and hand washing," said Shirk.
Shirk stressed that all staff are constantly reminded to always practice good hand hygiene on the job, as well as share the knowledge with their patients to do the same. Still, there is awareness that complacency could set it.
"What we could do to really get people's attention is show images of what an infection looks like if someone doesn't practice good hygiene. Hand washing is easy! No one wants to get MRSA so why push it? I hope we all practice what we preach and get our family and friends to do the same," said Lt. Cmdr. Carmelo Ayala, Internal Medicine Department division officer.
Shirks cites that NHB follows the U.S. Center for Disease Control advice in regards to preventing infection.
The CDC recommends that the best method to prevent staph or MSRA skin infection is to practice good hygiene by keeping hands clean by washing thoroughly with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer; by keeping cuts and scrapes clean and covered with a bandage until healed; by avoiding contact with other people's wounds or bandages; by not sharing personal items such as towels or razors, and if in a gym or exercise facility, to use a barrier (e.g., clothing or a towel) between your skin and shared equipment; and wipe down and clean the surfaces of equipment before and after use. Factors that have been associated with the spread of MRSA skin infections include: close skin-to-skin contact, openings in the skin such as cuts or abrasions, contaminated items and surfaces, crowded living conditions, and poor hygiene.
"If we can impact even one infection, then our hand hygiene program will be a success. We're hoping for 100 percent hand hygiene compliance across the board, from staff as well as patients to raise the effectiveness of our campaign," said Shirk.
Shirk notes that NHB doctors, nurses and corpsman see numerous patients during their shift. Gloves are okay, but adding hand sanitizers in addition to good old fashion soap and water can lessen contamination dramatically. Along with these procedures, NHB is also hoping that eligible beneficiaries will actively partake in the campaign and simply ask their providers if they washed their hands and used the available sanitizer.
"It's a patient's right," explained Shirk. "We're hoping as many as 80 to 90 percent of our patients will simply ask their providers if they have washed or sanitized their hands before seeing them. It is a very simple and effective measure."
And if someone thinks they might have an MRSA or some type of infection?
"See your healthcare provider," stated Shirk. "Most staph and MRSA infections are treatable with incision and drainage and/or antibiotics if needed."
NHB staff will continue to take the lead to ensure that all eligible beneficiaries, as well as all staff members continue with proper hand hygiene as the first line of defense, one wash at a time.
For more news from Naval Hospital Bremerton, visitwww.navy.mil/local/nhb/.
NNS150310-14. 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 Tuesday, March 10, 2015: Seabees, CEC and NAVFAC Celebrate
Anniversaries; Navy Reauthorizes SWO Bonus
http://youtu.be/9eOjSUzMqA4
http://www.navy.mil/viewVideo.
Second one-minute newscast-
- Navy Makes Revisions to Liberty Policy
http://youtu.be/8vH0OlsWMfs
http://www.navy.mil/viewVideo.
Third one-minute newscast-
- Sailors From Naval Beach Unit 7 in Japan Volunteer at Local Schools
http://youtu.be/pFwDWBJNJWc
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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NNS011215-11. This Day in Naval History - March 10
From Naval History and Heritage Command, Communication and Outreach Division
1783 - The last naval action of the American Revolution takes place when the Continental frigate Alliance, commanded by Capt. John Barry, battles HMS Sybil south of Cape Canaveral, Fla. Sybil is damaged in the fight and returns to the two warships that did not join in the battle.
1933 - The Pacific Fleet provides assistance after an earthquake at Long Beach, Calif.
1943 - USS Savannah (CL 42) and USS Eberle (DD 430) intercept German blockade runner Karin in the South Atlantic. After boarding the ship, a timed explosion goes off, killing 11 of Eberles boarding party.
1945 - The Navy and civilian nurses interned at Los Banos, Philippines as prisoners of war since early January 1942 are flown back to U.S. The Navy nurses are later awarded the Bronze Star for their time in captivity.
1948 - The carrier suitability of the FJ-1 Fury jet fighter is tested aboard USS Boxer (CV 21) off San Diego, with a number of landings and takeoffs.
2001 - USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81) is commissioned at Naval Station Norfolk. The 31st destroyer of the Arleigh Burke-class is the fourth U.S. Navy warship to be named after a British citizen. Churchill has a Royal Naval officer assigned permanently to the ship and she flies the Royal Navys White Ensign as well as the Stars and Stripes.
2001 - USNS Pomeroy (T-AKR-316) is christened and launched at the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, San Diego, Calif.
2007 - USS New Orleans (LPD 18) is commissioned at New Orleans, La. The second of the 12-ship San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock warships, New Orleans is homeported at Naval Base San Diego.
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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/
NNS150310-17. NMCB-3 Packs to Perform
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150310-16. SERMC Hosts FIST Lash-Up Meeting
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150310-15. Brain Injury Awareness Month
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150310-10. USNA Hosts Annual Astronaut Convocation
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150310-08. Naval War College Educates, Graduates 85 Leaders
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150310-07. Naval War College Report Reveals New Joint Defense Needs
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150310-06. Abraham Lincoln Sailors Celebrate Women's History Month
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150310-05. NAVSUP GLS Admiral Tours Frank Cable
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150310-04. ROV Deployed to Assist in Missing Diver Recovery
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150310-02. Retired Sailor Returns for Promotion of a Lifetime
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS150310-01. Keeping Hand Hygiene program a Successful Wash at Naval Hospital Bremerton
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
DNU -- In today's edition of All Hands Update, the Seabees, the Civil Engineer Corps, and Naval Facilities Engineering Command recently celebrated their respective anniversaries this month and the Navy released and new NAVADMIN reauthorizing the Surface Warfare Officer Critical Skills Retention Bonus.
-- http://www.navy.mil/viewVideo.
DNU -- New revisions to the Navy's liberty policy were announced March 2nd.
-- http://www.navy.mil/viewVideo.
DNU -- An important part of being stationed outside of the United States is being a positive presence in our host nations.
-- http://www.navy.mil/viewVideo.
NNS150310-14. Current All Hands Update
-- http://www.navy.mil/search/
NNS011215-11. This Day in Naval History - March 10
-- 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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NNS150310-09. Navy Lays Keel for PCU Colorado
From Team Submarine Public Affairs
QUONSET POINT. R.I. (NNS) -- The U.S. Navy held a keel laying ceremony for the Virginia-class submarine Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Colorado (SSN 788) at General Dynamics Electric Boat, March 7.
The initials of the submarine's sponsor, Annie Mabus, were welded onto a steel plate that will be permanently affixed to the submarine. Mabus is the daughter of Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus.
"Colorado's keel laying is a special day for our Navy, the state of Colorado, and our shipbuilding partners," said Rear Adm. David Johnson, Program Executive Officer for Submarines. "This event marks the first major construction milestone for the submarine and helps forge a special bond between Mabus and her submarine that will last for years to come."
Colorado began construction in March 2012 and is on track to continue the Virginia-class program's trend of delivering submarines early to their contract delivery dates, within budget, and ready for tasking by the fleet.
Colorado is the fourth ship to bear the name of the state. Colorado is also the 15th submarine of the Virginia class and the fifth of the eight ship Block III construction contract. Virginia-class submarines are built jointly by General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries-Newport News Shipbuilding. So far, 28 Virginia-class submarines have either been delivered, are in construction, or are under contract.
In addition to Colorado's keel laying, other Virginia-class milestones this year include the christening of PCU Illinois (SSN 786), the commissioning of USS John Warner (SSN 785), and the keel laying of PCU Indiana (SSN 789).
Ships of the Virginia class embody the commitment by the Navy and industry to reduce costs without decreasing capabilities through a multi-year procurement strategy, continuous improvements in construction practices and cost-reduction design changes. These submarines excel in littoral and open-ocean environments and collect intelligence critical to irregular warfare efforts with advanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. Their inherent stealth, endurance, mobility, and firepower directly enable them to support five of the six Maritime Strategy Core Capabilities - sea control, power projection, forward presence, maritime security, and deterrence.
For more news from Naval Sea Systems Command, visitwww.navy.mil/local/navsea/.
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NNS150310-17. NMCB-3 Packs to Perform
By Builder 1st Sergio Armas, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3 Public Affairs
PORT HUENEME, Calif. (NNS) -- Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 3 Seabees executed an embark exercise (EMBEX) at Naval Base Ventura County, Port Hueneme, March 3-5.
More than 100 Seabees executed the 48-hour evolution which demonstrated the battalion's ability to forward deploy the battalion's air detachment, a company of 89 personnel, their civil engineering support equipment (CESE) and supply cargo pallets for any humanitarian aid or recovery effort anywhere around the world.
According to Equipment Operator 1st Class Abel Abeyta, embark leading petty officer, NMCB-3's embark team conducted weighing and marking unit driven training (UDT's), and embark training exercises (ETX's) to prepare them before this evaluated EMBEX.
"We have a highly motivated young crew of Seabees that have conducted this exercise for the first time and they have done an exceptional job," said Abeyta. "I am very pleased with the results and very proud of them. It goes to prove that you may not have all the experience, but if you have the motivation and eagerness to learn, you can just as easily succeed."
This exercise prepared the men and women from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3 to execute their mount out exercise for their upcoming field training exercise (FTX).
The Naval Construction Force is a vital component of the U.S. Maritime Strategy. The force provides deployable battalions capable of providing disaster preparation and recovery support, humanitarian assistance and combat operations support.
For more news from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3, visitwww.navy.mil/local/nmcb3/.
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NNS150310-16. SERMC Hosts FIST Lash-Up Meeting
By Dan Smithyman, Southeast Regional Maintenance Center Public Affairs
MAYPORT, Fla. (NNS) -- The Navy's Fleet Integrated Sustainment Team (FIST) met in Mayport, Florida, March 3 and 4 to discuss ways to improve communication, cooperation and collaboration between the RMCs and warfare centers.
The presentations included topics such as remote monitoring of shipboard systems, life cycle support contracts, modernization in shipbuilding and cyber warfare, among other current technical issues.
Dr. William Luebke, director of the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) in Port Hueneme, California, chaired the two-day agenda. In his opening remarks, he urged those in the room, and those participating via conference call and Defense Connect Online, to be candid which would encourage better dialogue. The participants were largely representative of NAVSEA and surface force stakeholders, and had come from as far as Japan and as near as the hosting Southeast Regional Maintenance Center (SERMC).
"In order to move forward in continuous improvement of supporting the fleet, we need more communication, transparency and accountability," Luebke said.
One of the more poignant topics that answered Luebke's three-part theme was Cyber Warfare, presented by Chris Nerney from NSWC Dahlgren. He described the threat of cyber attack on the Navy - indeed on the federal government - as constant and prolific. Nerney said anything a computer is connected to is vulnerable to attack.
"We have to reduce the attack surface," Nerney said. "We're looking at creating a 'system of systems' that will reduce the attack vectors, or avenues of approach."
The system of systems Nerney mentioned would be a single integrated system under one virtual umbrella instead of separate systems that may, or may not, be independent of each other. For example, weapons, communications, and engineering systems would be placed under a single system to reduce the number of attack points; instead of three separate vulnerabilities, there would be only one to protect.
"Many cyber-attacks lead to more than computer failure or loss of information," Nerney said while showing images of wreckage on a projector screen. "Some of these cyber infiltrations can allow our adversaries to overload generators to the point they literally explode and hurt people."
Another topic was the ability to remotely monitor shipboard systems to track performance and maintenance requirements with the intention of predicting and correcting systematic problems before they occur. Ron Brown of NSWC Philadelphia discussed the advantages of maintenance centers and NAVSEA engineers to monitor everything from electrical and mechanical engineering systems to computers and navigation systems.
"We can compile data on a specific ship, or class of ship, and provide feedback to the CO to take action before it becomes a problem," Brown said.
Nadia Tepper of SERMC presented the maintenance approach to the pending homeport shift of littoral combat ships (LCS) to Mayport. Because the LCS class ships have the capability to be remotely monitored, this platform presents some maintenance advantages, but also some challenges.
"We are working to drive down maintenance costs," Tepper said. "The scheduled maintenance for the LCS both in CONUS and OCONUS is incredibly busy, and because the size of the LCS crew is so small, the RMCs (regional maintenance centers) may perform O-level and I-level maintenance for them."
The O-level, or organizational level, maintenance is classified as basic preventive maintenance normally performed by ship's force. The I-level, or intermediate level, is more technical and complex, and generally beyond the capability of ship's force to accomplish. These I-level tasks are performed by organizations like SERMC and other regional maintenance centers across the Navy.
One of the challenges of the LCS platform is its complex, high-tech nature. Many of the systems on the LCS are cutting edge technology and the RMCs have never seen them before. The training and familiarization of these systems are ongoing throughout the Navy. Luebke assured the attending commodore of Mayport's LCS Squadron 2 that he has the complete support of the RMCs and NAVSEA to ensure the success of the LCS program.
The Lash-Up seminar attendees tackled these and several other subjects with round-table conversations that would help to either initiate solutions to some challenges or to simply provide updates on current projects. The event ended with a tour of the SERMC production facilities.
For more news from Southeast Regional Maintenance Center, visitwww.navy.mil/local/sermc/.
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NNS150310-15. Brain Injury Awareness Month
From Naval Hospital Jacksonville Public Affairs
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (NNS) -- Every 23 seconds traumatic brain injury (TBI) strikes, claiming 1.4 million new American victims each year. It knows no boundaries, and does not discriminate by age, gender, ethnicity or socio-economic status. March is National Brain Injury Awareness Month, a time to recognize and support the more than 5.3 million Americans who are living with TBI-related disabilities, according to the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA).
"Those suffering from traumatic brain injury can display a wide variety of symptoms based on the severity of the injury," said Kirsten Pollick, Naval Hospital (NH) Jacksonville's neuropsychologist and mental health department head. "Common signs and symptoms include headache or neck pain; memory loss; slowness in thinking, speaking, acting, or reading; getting lost or easily confused; fatigue and mood changes; blurred vision; and ear ringing."
TBI occurs when an outside force impacts the head with enough force to move the brain within the skull, resulting in a direct injury to the brain. Rapidly accelerating and decelerating the head can also force the brain to move back and forth across the inside of the skull. This stress pulls nerve fibers apart and damages brain tissue and is known as a "coup-contrecoup" injury. A coup injury occurs under the site of impact with an object, and a contrecoup injury occurs on the side opposite the area that was impacted.
Signs and symptoms of TBI may be subtle and might not appear until days or weeks following the injury, while some symptoms can be missed altogether. Children with a brain injury can have the same symptoms as adults, but it is often harder for them to let others know how they feel.
Most common sources of TBI are motor vehicle crashes, firearms, falls, sports, and physical violence. Active duty and reserve service members are at an increased risk for sustaining a TBI, due to deployment to areas where risks of experiencing blast exposures - such as improvised explosive devices - are high.
Individuals with suspected brain injuries should seek medical care immediately by contacting their Medical Home Port team to schedule an appointment, or if the situation is emergent, go to the emergency room or call 911.
NH Jacksonville is available to provide services to those with concerns about brain injury. Patients may be evaluated by the hospital's TBI screening program after receiving a consultation or referral from the patient's Medical Home Port team, the Deployment Health Center, Neurology or Behavioral Health.
To find out more about the hospital's TBI program call (904) 542-9133. For more on deployment services, contact the Deployment Health Center at (904) 546-7099.
NH Jacksonville's priority since its founding in 1941 is to heal the nation's heroes and their families. The command is comprised of the Navy's third largest hospital and five branch health clinics across Florida and Georgia. Of its patient population - about 160,000 active and retired Sailors, Soldiers, Marines, Airmen, Guardsmen and their families-about 70,000 are enrolled with a primary care manager and Medical Home Port team at one of its facilities. To find out more, visit the command website atwww.med.navy.mil/sites/
For more news from Naval Hospital Jacksonville, visitwww.navy.mil/local/nhjax/.
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NNS150310-10. USNA Hosts Annual Astronaut Convocation
By Mass Communication Specialist Second Class Tyler Caswell, U.S. Naval Academy Public Affairs
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (NNS) -- The United States Naval Academy (USNA) hosted its annual Astronaut Convocation, March 9 in Mitscher Auditorium.
The convocation was an opportunity for the Brigade of Midshipmen to learn about the future of space flight and exploration from leaders in the field, as well as current and former astronauts.
"There is a future for all of you in technology, medicine, science, aerospace and teaching," said Frank Culbertson Jr., panelist and Naval Academy Class of 1971 graduate. "I encourage all of you to think about how you are going to make a difference and what you are going to say when you get up here 20 or 40 years from now."
Five of the Naval Academy's 52 astronaut graduates served as panel members and provided feedback to the capacity crowd. USNA Superintendent, Vice Adm. Ted Carter, spoke to the deep heritage the Academy has with aerospace.
"This is something that doesn't really happen anywhere in the country. We have produced more NASA astronauts than any other institution. The very first American in space was a USNA graduate," said Carter. "We bring phenomenal people back that have graduated from this institution and we have current access to faculty members that are astronauts. USNA has a great history involving aerospace."
The foundations of the careers the astronauts have built started with their time at USNA. Robert Cabana, the director of NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center and Naval Academy Class of 1971 graduate, explained the hardest lessons are the ones you learn from the most.
"I wasn't able to be a pilot when I first tried, but with time, I was able to do so and more," said Cabana. "I learned an awful lot at USNA. I grew a lot here. I learned to keep trying. There are things that I didn't want to do and assignments that I later didn't want to take, but some of those ended up being the best experiences of my life. Everything is what you make of it."
For the midshipmen in attendance, it was a unique opportunity to gather insight from those who have been in their shoes, and gone on and done great things with their lives.
"There's no other chance you can have to sit down and have a conversation with five astronauts," said Midshipman 3rd Class Will McMasters. "It's really awesome to see what the fruits of your labor can become. These people left USNA and did amazing things and it's inspiring to see."
"As an individual who has wanted to become an astronaut ever since he was a toddler, this convocation provided me advice on how to become a prospect NASA astronaut candidate," said Midshipman 1st Class Vigneshwar Manickam. "The astronauts provided motivation to the many hopeful future astronauts in the crowd by tying their experiences in space directly to their four-year experience at USNA."
For more news from U.S. Naval Academy, visit www.navy.mil/local/usna/.
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NNS150310-08. Naval War College Educates, Graduates 85 Leaders
By Daniel L. Kuester, U.S. Naval War College Public Affairs
NEWPORT, R.I. (NNS) -- Eighty-five Navy, Marine and Army officers graduated from U.S. Naval War College (NWC), March 3, during a graduation ceremony held in Spruance Hall auditorium in Newport, Rhode Island.
The graduating students of the College of Naval Warfare (CNW) and College of Naval Command and Staff (CNCS) received master's degrees in national security and strategic studies, accredited by the New England Association for Schools and Colleges.
With coursework in national security decision making, strategy and policy, and joint military operations, the two programs are designed to prepare students to think critically, operationally and strategically.
"I learned a lot about leadership. I learned a lot about being a better officer. I learned a lot about things that aren't in the curriculum. Most important, I reconnected with the spark that is why I love the profession of arms," said Marine Col. Steven Wolf, honor graduate of the CNW course.
The senior-level CNW course graduated 30 officers. The intermediate-level CNCS course graduated 55.
During the ceremony, the graduates were recognized for their hard work, both in and out of the classroom.
"Your selfless dedication to a cause greater than yourself is truly breathtaking to behold," said Marc Genest, the graduation speaker and Forrest Sherman Chair of Public Policy and co-director of the Center on Irregular Warfare and Armed Groups at NWC. "My respect and admiration for the sacrifices that you and your families make in serving your country deepens each day I come here."
NWC is a one-year resident program that graduates about 600 students and about 1,000 distance learning students a year. Students earn Joint Professional Military Education credit and either a diploma or a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies. Established in 1884, the NWC is the oldest institution of its kind in the world. More than 50,000 students have graduated since its first class of nine students in 1885, and about 300 of today's active-duty admirals and generals and senior executive service leaders are alumni.
Photos from the ceremony can be viewed and downloaded athttps://flic.kr/s/aHsk8VgDiy.
Video can be viewed at http://youtu.be/5vwlYzTRRaY.
For more news from Naval War College, visit www.navy.mil/local/nwc/.
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NNS150310-07. Naval War College Report Reveals New Joint Defense Needs
From U.S. Naval War College Public Affairs
NEWPORT, R.I. (NNS) -- The Defense Department and U.S. Navy will need to develop new areas of expertise, authorities and planning processes in order to meet key goals and objectives, according to a U.S. Naval War College (NWC) game report prepared for the Pentagon's Air-Sea Battle Office and the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO).
The report highlights the findings of the Global 2014 War Game and showed that changes are needed in order to achieve "unity of effort in joint cross-domain operations," which will have important implications for joint doctrine, education, training and career progression.
The game, conducted by NWC's war gaming department, examined four command and control concepts.
This first is the Combined Joint Force Information Component Commander (CJFICC), responsible for cyber, space, information operations and theater electronic warfare.
The second is the Cross-Domain Operations Coordination Element (XDOCE), which provides functional component commanders with cross-domain expertise.
The third is the Combined Joint Task Unit (CJTU), which assimilates capabilities from different domains and services under a functional component commander.
The last concept is the Combined Joint Force Sustainment Component Commander (CJFSCC), responsible for providing theater-wide sustainment support.
"Any efforts made to counter emerging A2/AD [anti-access/area denial] threats must be rooted in rigorous and objective analysis," said Capt. Terry Morris, deputy director of the Air-Sea Battle Office. "This NWC game report will serve as a critical foundation for our ongoing efforts to improve joint XDO C2 [cross-domain operations command and control] and help the Navy contribute to the larger joint force effort."
The report says that an integrated approach to planning and executing joint cross-domain operations will reshape how the joint force is organized, trained and operates, particularly at the operational level of war.
The game results show that the CJFICC concept is ready for implementation, but solely as a cyber-component commander.
The report suggests that follow-on efforts should continue to evaluate whether information operations and theater electronic warfare space could benefit from a dedicated component commander.
Both the XDOCE and CJTU concepts warrant further development and study, including their continued incorporation in joint and combined war games and exercises, according to the report.
The CJFSCC concept, the report said, is not ready to move forward, as it requires further evaluation to determine whether it contains sufficient utility to justify further development.
"The themes that emerged from Global '14 provide a framework for improving quick, effective and proactive decision making in a time sensitive A2/AD environment where communications are often degraded or denied," said Walter Berbrick, NWC professor and lead analyst of the Global 2014 War Game. "Much of the value of Global '14 lies not only in the four, C2 concepts explored themselves, but in the critical working relationships that are developed and sustained beyond the game."
Since 1979, the Navy's Global War Game series conducted in Newport has helped the CNO define the future Navy, as well as help prepare naval and joint warfighters to meet the operational and strategic challenges of today and tomorrow.
The full report can be viewed at https://www.usnwc.edu/global14
For more news from Naval War College, visit www.navy.mil/local/nwc/.
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NNS150310-06. Abraham Lincoln Sailors Celebrate Women's History Month
By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Aaron T. Kiser, USS Abraham Lincoln Public Affairs
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (NNS) -- Sailors assigned to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) kicked off Women's History Month by paying tribute to the trail-blazing women who have served our service and our nation, and recognized one of their own, March 3.
Senior Chief Aviation Maintenance Administrationman Sonya Best served as the moderator during the ceremony and presented an historical look at women and their accomplishments beginning with Abigail Adams, the first lady, to Cmdr. Hannah Kriewaldt, chief engineer serving on board Abraham Lincoln, who also served as the guest speaker during the ceremony.
"We honor Women's History Month by celebrating women who have shaped the value of organizations with class and bold leadership," Best said, who then introduced Lincoln's CHENG.
Kriewaldt shared her personal journey as a mother, a daughter, a sister, a friend, and an officer. She advised the attendees to look at life as a journey and to look at what you can learn from it each and every day.
"I chose to focus on the small victories," Kriewaldt said, adding that she enjoys living in the moment whether it is spending time with her department
or mentoring her Sailors.
Kriewaldt, who is one of four children, followed her father's footsteps in joining the Navy. Her father retired as a chaplain from the Navy Reserves,
and Kriewaldt's older brother and sister, also joined the Navy. Her youngest brother shares her interest of engineering and works at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard.
"Every day is an adventure working in Engineering," Kriewaldt said. She stated that lessons learned early in her career have served as guideposts as she continued her journey as a naval officer.
According to Kriewaldt,teamwork and tenacity have guided her through her naval career. "Leverage the strengths of your teammates and you'll never
know where you will go."
Lincoln is currently undergoing refueling complex and overhaul (RCOH) at Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries.
Lincoln is the fifth ship of the Nimitz class to undergo an RCOH, a major life-cycle milestone. Once RCOH is complete, Lincoln will be one of the most
modern and technologically advanced Nimitz-class aircraft carriers in the fleet and will continue to be a vital part of the nation's defense.
For more news from USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), visitwww.navy.mil/local/cvn72/.
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NNS150310-05. NAVSUP GLS Admiral Tours Frank Cable
By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Zac Shea, USS Frank Cable Public Affairs
SASEBO, Japan (NNS) -- Commander, Naval Supply Global Logistics Support (NAVSUP GLS), Rear Adm. James McNeal, toured the submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40) while the ship was in port in Sasebo, Japan, March 10.
This visit was one of several for McNeal, who is touring various commands in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operation to improve his working knowledge of each command to better facilitate their supply requirements.
NAVSUP GLS oversees and supports logistics for the Navy and joint operations around the world. The sites visited during this tour include Fleet Logistics Commands (FLC) in Guam, Yokosuka, and Singapore.
"It's been really exciting for me to meet all the wonderful Sailors over here that support the fleet," said McNeal. "Frank Cable is a very impressive ship. I was very impressed with the capabilities of the crew and the marriage between Navy and Military Sealift Command (MSC) and how well they work together in providing a really unique capability to submarines and other ships."
The visit to Frank Cable, one of only two submarine tenders in the Navy, allowed McNeal to see a different kind of platform.
"The aim was to give the admiral concrete examples of how NAVSUP GLS allows Frank Cable to not just think outside the box but execute outside the box," said Cmdr. Jay Turner, supply officer of Frank Cable. "The examples we showed him focused on morale and, one of my commanding officer's top priorities, expanding war fighting capabilities. This allows the admiral to understand that not only are we connected to his organization but they're helping us do things that count."
The visit included tours of the postal office, stock rooms, and ship store. McNeal also took the time to speak with Sailors.
"He was very appreciative of the work we are doing onboard," said Logistics Specialist Seaman Michael Scott, a Frank Cable Sailor assigned to the ship's post office. "It was excellent getting to meet the admiral and shake his hand."
Frank Cable has a somewhat uncommon arrangement within its supply department.
"We have what's called a hybrid posture," said Turner. "The Navy side focuses on support and repair of other vessels while our MSC counterparts focus on everything within the skin of the ship."
Despite this difference, Sailors and civilian mariners work side by side to further the mission of Frank Cable.
"It works," said Turner. "We treat it as one team, one supply department. The functionality is a little different but that's no different than having your department divided into divisions."
Frank Cable, forward deployed to the island of Guam, conducts maintenance and support of submarines and surface vessels deployed in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility and is currently on a scheduled underway period.
For more information on Frank Cable, visit www.cable.navy.mil or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/
For more news from USS Frank Cable (AS 40), visitwww.navy.mil/local/as40/.
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NNS150310-04. ROV Deployed to Assist in Missing Diver Recovery
By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (EXW) Timothy Wilson, Joint Region Marianas Public Affairs
SANTA RITA, Guam (NNS) -- A Navy remotely operated vehicle (ROV) assisted in the recovery of a civilian diver who went missing at the Blue Hole near Apra Harbor, Guam, on Feb. 28 and March 1.
The Guam Fire Department received a call regarding a missing South Korean tourist and several marine units were activated, including the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy divers assigned to the submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40).
The search soon turned into a recovery mission and her body was found at a depth of about 350 feet. The ROV launch and recovery system was deployed to assist in the ascent of the body.
"This was the only method we had due to the depth as the depth limitations would not allow us to dive that far," said U.S. Navy Diver 2nd Class (DSWS) Erik Clark, a Frank Cable Sailor and supervisor of the Frank Cable divers. "We were able to get to the required depth and do what we needed to do."
The ROV has sonar capability, which allows for searching for metallic objects, and an integrated GPS tracking system, which helps in determining its position, said Clark. Auto-depth features allow the ROV to sit at a predetermined depth and in a holding pattern at up to 900 feet.
"This was the first time Frank Cable divers used the ROV in a recovery and it proved to be of critical importance," said U.S. Navy Diver 3rd Class (DSWS) Collyn Kelley, the ROV operator for the recovery. "The Frank Cable dive locker first received ROV training about four months ago."
The first day was a bit demoralizing since they were not able to complete the task of recovering the body before sunset, but the divers were able to regroup and complete the mission on March 1.
"It was relieving," said Kelley. "It was relieving to know that we were able to get her up to the surface and return her body to her family."
Kelley said communication and teamwork between the Frank Cable divers and other organizations were instrumental in the success of the operation.
"We have an excellent working relationship (with the other agencies). The (U.S.) Coast Guard is always ready to respond to our needs and (the relationship) is great with the military assets as well as other local agencies," said Guam Fire Department Capt. Alex Castro, who first received the call. "I would like to work together more in the future. We already have a great working relationship and we have something working well right now."
Castro said that they receive similar calls about diving accidents regularly and he cautions that anyone who ventures into the waters need to understand the dangers. He stressed that if you are diving, use your dive buddy and never go under without someone experienced in those waters.
For more news from U.S. Naval Forces, Marianas, visitwww.navy.mil/local/guam/.
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NNS150310-02. Retired Sailor Returns for Promotion of a Lifetime
By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jeff Troutman, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West, Det. Hawaii
PEARL HARBOR (NNS) -- When retired Navy Boatswain's Mate 1st Class Jim Castaneda arrived on Ford Island at Pearl Harbor on the morning of March 8, he was under the impression he and his fellow brothers and sisters in the Navy Wounded Warrior-Safe Harbor program were attending a ceremony honoring the 2015 Wounded Warrior Pacific Trials being held in Hawaii.
What he didn't know was that the ceremony was for him, and the dream of a lifetime was about to become his, at last.
Within the shade of a famous banyan tree marked with the names of service members past, and messages testifying to their bravery and courage, Castaneda was made an honorary chief petty officer during the surprise pinning ceremony. His long, eventful journey as a U.S. Navy Sailor was finally reaching its peak.
"This feeling right now...there are no words for it," Castaneda, fighting back tears, told the approximately 200 service members, active and retired, who came out to share in the joy of his finest Navy achievement. "This was my dream before I retired, to make chief petty officer. And now it's finally a reality."
Castaneda's dream had not come without incredible determination and heartbreaking sacrifice. Joining the Navy in 1990, Castaneda was approaching his 20-year mark of active duty service when he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder in June 2009, a direct result of his shipboard time performing recovery (bodies) operations off the coast of India.
In 2010, while underway, Castaneda suffered a debilitating stroke onboard his ship, and his promising ascent to the rank of chief petty officer was cut short. He was granted an honorary medical retirement from active duty service, receiving a 100 percent Veterans Affairs rating for his disability. More heartbreak followed when, in 2012, he suffered a second stroke, which left him requiring the assistance of a wheel chair.
Despite these setbacks, Castaneda's spirit and pride in his dedication to the Navy remained undeterred, as he remained active within the Wounded Warrior-Safe Harbor community. His involvement and motivational performances in the 2012 Wounded Warrior Pacific Trials, the 2013 Wounded Warrior Pacific Invitational and the 2014 Warrior Games proved that Castaneda had plenty of fight left in him.
Yet his greatest achievement and proudest career moment was still to come.
"The journey to become a chief petty officer is not an easy one, and this man's journey exemplifies that," U.S. Pacific Fleet Master Chief Marco Ramirez told the onlookers at the ceremony. "Boats, as a leader and now a chief petty officer, you are now hereby charged to ensure your Sailors and fellow service members alike have the tools needed to perform the tasks that are required and I know you will willingly accept this responsibility."
The words that Castaneda had longed to hear spoken to him, in the role of chief petty officer, were finally a reality. Members of the audience and the Chief's Mess alike teared up as Ramirez and Master Chief Cryptologic Technician (Control) Tara O'Brien pinned the golden anchors to his collar. Then, as Ramirez placed the chief petty officer cover atop Castaneda's head, welcoming him into the Chief's Mess, the crowd erupted in applause.
"This is...the proudest moment of my naval career, to accept him into the Chief's Mess," O'Brien said afterwards. "It was long overdue. For this man to keep pushing forward, to stay motivated, to ultimately achieve this milestone; I couldn't be more proud right now."
Castaneda's son Junior echoed O'Brien's sentiments.
"I can't put the feeling of pride into words," said Junior. "I wanted to cry when I saw the look on his face, when they announced what the reason for the ceremony was. I know what this means to him, to finally be recognized as a Navy chief."
Castaneda's first order as chief was to express his gratitude to the men and women who came out to support him on his greatest of days, as well as his brothers and sisters who had served with him in the past and continue to support him today.
"I'm going to wear this everywhere, I don't care what anyone thinks," Castaneda said, referencing his chief's cover, as the crowd burst into laughter and applause. "But honestly, some of you took the time on your day off to come here and share this moment with me, and I can't begin to explain how much I appreciate it. I'm not going to let you down."
Ramirez gave the new chief his full blessing as he began his new role.
"The Chief's Mess is the heartbeat of the Navy. They personify the code of honor and commitment the Navy so strongly upholds," he reminded the audience.
Turning to Castaneda, he offered a final compliment, encapsulating a naval career more than 20 years in the making.
"Your ongoing and steadfast commitment is inspiring to all, and these anchors and this cover you now wear is in recognition of your achievements and dedication to the world's finest Navy."
And as another long round of applause was showered upon him, Castaneda could only smile. His dream of becoming a U.S. Navy Chief was finally a reality.
For more news from Navy Public Affairs Support Element West, Det. Hawaii, visit www.navy.mil/local/
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NNS150310-01. Keeping Hand Hygiene program a Successful Wash at Naval Hospital Bremerton
By Douglas H Stutz, Naval Hospital Bremerton Public Affairs
BREMERTON, Wash. (NNS) -- It's a wash with the ongoing awareness campaign at Naval Hospital Bremerton to remind staff members, patients and visitors that they are all the first line of defense for hand-hygiene.
In conjunction with the Washington State Hospital Association, NHB's goal is to continue to raise awareness on proper hand hygiene to improve the health of beneficiaries and employees. Hand hygiene is a simple, effective way to promote personal sanitizing and keep such diseases like MRSA infections at bay.
"Our focus is always on patient safety. We can save lives by eliminating infections especially between our staff and patients," said Tom Shirk, NHB infection control coordinator.
According to Shirk, achieving a high compliance rate is easy by practicing sound hand hygiene habits. Staff members prevent the spread of any infection, as well as set the example for their patients to follow.
"We just need to be certain that hand hygiene, washing with soap and water, sanitizing with one of the available hand-sanitizer sprays, or both, is performed between every single patient contact," Shirk said.
Infections can happen. The goal is to limit and ultimately stop the impact. News headlines from several years ago reported on 'superbug' infections from the bacteria/germ called methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. The number of cases rose across the country even though MRSA had actually been around since the 1960s. MRSA is a type of staph that is resistant to certain antibiotics, including methicillin and other more common antibiotics such as oxacillin, penicillin and amoxicillin.
"Anything that ends in 'illin' is probably not going to be effective," noted Shirk. "But, there certainly are other antibiotics available if needed."
Shirk and other medical professionals tracked the infection rates in the greater Kitsap Peninsula.
"We actually (still) look for, and track, this type of bacteria," said Shirk. "Though we had some cases of MRSA in this area, the number of cases was on par with the nation-wide average."
According to Shirk, regular Staphylococcus aureus, or simply "staph," is one type of bacteria commonly carried on the skin or in the nose of up to 30 percent of healthy people which sometimes can cause an infection. Staph bacteria are one of the most common causes of skin infections in the United States. Most of these skin infections are minor, such as pimples and boils. The skin infections can also be red, swollen, painful, or have pus or other drainage. MRSA can be found in approximately one percent of the general population.
There are considered two basic types of such infections like MRSA - in the community, most MRSA infections are skin infections, but in a hospital, MRSA can potentially cause life-threatening bloodstream infections, pneumonia and surgical site infections.
"Without a doubt, the best way to individually prevent any MRSA-like staph infection is to follow all that great motherly advice about practicing good, overall hygiene and hand washing," said Shirk.
Shirk stressed that all staff are constantly reminded to always practice good hand hygiene on the job, as well as share the knowledge with their patients to do the same. Still, there is awareness that complacency could set it.
"What we could do to really get people's attention is show images of what an infection looks like if someone doesn't practice good hygiene. Hand washing is easy! No one wants to get MRSA so why push it? I hope we all practice what we preach and get our family and friends to do the same," said Lt. Cmdr. Carmelo Ayala, Internal Medicine Department division officer.
Shirks cites that NHB follows the U.S. Center for Disease Control advice in regards to preventing infection.
The CDC recommends that the best method to prevent staph or MSRA skin infection is to practice good hygiene by keeping hands clean by washing thoroughly with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer; by keeping cuts and scrapes clean and covered with a bandage until healed; by avoiding contact with other people's wounds or bandages; by not sharing personal items such as towels or razors, and if in a gym or exercise facility, to use a barrier (e.g., clothing or a towel) between your skin and shared equipment; and wipe down and clean the surfaces of equipment before and after use. Factors that have been associated with the spread of MRSA skin infections include: close skin-to-skin contact, openings in the skin such as cuts or abrasions, contaminated items and surfaces, crowded living conditions, and poor hygiene.
"If we can impact even one infection, then our hand hygiene program will be a success. We're hoping for 100 percent hand hygiene compliance across the board, from staff as well as patients to raise the effectiveness of our campaign," said Shirk.
Shirk notes that NHB doctors, nurses and corpsman see numerous patients during their shift. Gloves are okay, but adding hand sanitizers in addition to good old fashion soap and water can lessen contamination dramatically. Along with these procedures, NHB is also hoping that eligible beneficiaries will actively partake in the campaign and simply ask their providers if they washed their hands and used the available sanitizer.
"It's a patient's right," explained Shirk. "We're hoping as many as 80 to 90 percent of our patients will simply ask their providers if they have washed or sanitized their hands before seeing them. It is a very simple and effective measure."
And if someone thinks they might have an MRSA or some type of infection?
"See your healthcare provider," stated Shirk. "Most staph and MRSA infections are treatable with incision and drainage and/or antibiotics if needed."
NHB staff will continue to take the lead to ensure that all eligible beneficiaries, as well as all staff members continue with proper hand hygiene as the first line of defense, one wash at a time.
For more news from Naval Hospital Bremerton, visitwww.navy.mil/local/nhb/.
NNS150310-14. 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 Tuesday, March 10, 2015: Seabees, CEC and NAVFAC Celebrate
Anniversaries; Navy Reauthorizes SWO Bonus
http://youtu.be/9eOjSUzMqA4
http://www.navy.mil/viewVideo.
Second one-minute newscast-
- Navy Makes Revisions to Liberty Policy
http://youtu.be/8vH0OlsWMfs
http://www.navy.mil/viewVideo.
Third one-minute newscast-
- Sailors From Naval Beach Unit 7 in Japan Volunteer at Local Schools
http://youtu.be/pFwDWBJNJWc
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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NNS011215-11. This Day in Naval History - March 10
From Naval History and Heritage Command, Communication and Outreach Division
1783 - The last naval action of the American Revolution takes place when the Continental frigate Alliance, commanded by Capt. John Barry, battles HMS Sybil south of Cape Canaveral, Fla. Sybil is damaged in the fight and returns to the two warships that did not join in the battle.
1933 - The Pacific Fleet provides assistance after an earthquake at Long Beach, Calif.
1943 - USS Savannah (CL 42) and USS Eberle (DD 430) intercept German blockade runner Karin in the South Atlantic. After boarding the ship, a timed explosion goes off, killing 11 of Eberles boarding party.
1945 - The Navy and civilian nurses interned at Los Banos, Philippines as prisoners of war since early January 1942 are flown back to U.S. The Navy nurses are later awarded the Bronze Star for their time in captivity.
1948 - The carrier suitability of the FJ-1 Fury jet fighter is tested aboard USS Boxer (CV 21) off San Diego, with a number of landings and takeoffs.
2001 - USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81) is commissioned at Naval Station Norfolk. The 31st destroyer of the Arleigh Burke-class is the fourth U.S. Navy warship to be named after a British citizen. Churchill has a Royal Naval officer assigned permanently to the ship and she flies the Royal Navys White Ensign as well as the Stars and Stripes.
2001 - USNS Pomeroy (T-AKR-316) is christened and launched at the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, San Diego, Calif.
2007 - USS New Orleans (LPD 18) is commissioned at New Orleans, La. The second of the 12-ship San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock warships, New Orleans is homeported at Naval Base San Diego.
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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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