COMMANDFUNCTION

2

2013

Interior Communications Electrician 3rd Class Dashawn T. Banks

PICNIC

TR CAPS

Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 1st Class Shirley Edgerton

Electricians Technician 2nd Class Brittnay Horne

3

COMMAND2013

Interior Communications Electrician 3rd Class Dashawn T. Banks

Logistics Specialist 3rd Class Ryan Witt

Aviation Electronics Technician 3rd Class Daniel B. O’Connell

TR Sailors take the day off work to enjoy some summer games, BBQ and comaraderie at Dam Neck beach in Virginia Beach. This year’s command advancement selectees were also awarded at the picnic.

Photos by MCSN Brian FloodPICNIC

Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class Jonathan Fiouris

4

Story by MC2 (SW) Brian G. Reynolds

Chapter 71Most seasoned Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS

Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) could argue that Sail-ors who make up the rate of Aviation Ordnanceman

are a motivated bunch. In the last couple of weeks Sailors aboard TR may have

noticed an increased presence of AOs around the ship and at ship functions. Some are selling AO t-shirts on the mess decks, while others are working community relations (comrels) proj-ects or putting on contests at command functions.

Recently the Sailors in red have revamped the Association of Aviation Ordnancemen (AO Association) aboard TR. This association not only celebrates this motivation, but also cele-brates the brotherhood, camaraderie and need to give back to the community that makes this rate unique.

“The Association of Aviation Ordnancemen is one of two associations that is actually recognized by the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO),” said Aviation Ordnanceman 1st Class Em-manuel Zapata, a TR Sailor with the Association of Aviation Ordnancemen.

The AO Association program has actually been around since 1971 and had a presence on TR for approximately 15 years. After the ship entered its Refueling and Complex Over-haul (RCOH), the presence of the association dwindled as TR moved from an operational mindset to a more production-based mindset.

However, as TR is coming out of RCOH and back to life, things are changing, and the AO Association is coming back in full effect.

“We were established in 1971 for the AOs to discuss the new weapons coming to the fleet, accidents that had happened, etc. and it grew from there,” said Aviation Ordnanceman 1st Class Jason Miller, the president of Chapter 71 of the Associa-tion of Aviation Ordnancemen. “Pretty much every carrier has a chapter other than CVN 69.”

“We’ve revamped the program,” said Zapata. “We’ve got some new people taking charge. We’re on the map. We are defi-nitely trying to do some big things.”

Not only is the AO Association focusing on embracing the brotherhood and camaraderie within the rate, but it is also making strives to make a mark in the community and the ship as a whole. The association is actively involved in organizing comrel projects that better the community. Earlier in June, the association participated in a beautification project at the Botan-ical Gardens in Norfolk. The AO Association also organized the

cornhole tournament at the command picnic. “The comrel at the Botanical Gardens and the Angel Tree

program that was established last year have all been conducted through the Association of Aviation Ordnancemen,” said Zapa-ta. “Not only are we trying to get Chapter 71 on the map, but we are also trying to get CVN 71 on the map.”

“It’s really nothing quite like having a large group of peo-ple with different backgrounds to come together to help out the community with whatever that they need,” said Aviation Ord-nanceman 1st Class Christopher Duff, a TR Sailor with the AO Association. “Many more of the comrels that we are going to be doing will involve helping the community. It’s great to see our guys coming together to help out for the greater good.”

As far as the future is concerned, the AO Association is actively planning new comrels throughout the community of Hampton Roads. The association has even joined forces with the Habitat for Humanity, an organization that builds homes for less fortunate families.

“We have another comrel lined up for the Habitat for Hu-manity in Norfolk,” said Miller. “So we are trying to get out there a little bit more.”

In the beginning, one of the challenges that the senior members saw was the ability to recruit junior Sailors to the as-sociation. However, that seems to be a trend that is changing.

“Trying to get membership and participation from some of the younger Sailors was a little difficult,” said Miller. “Some of the younger guys think, ‘Hey, this is just for senior Sailors.’ That’s not necessarily the case. Everyone wants something for joining something, but the truth is that you get out of it what you put into it.”

According to the AO Association’s leadership and mem-bers, the payout may not be necessarily tangible, but does have a sought-after reward.

“The entire purpose of the AO association is to build cama-raderie and to help out any aviation ordnanceman,” said Zapata. “The actual AO rate is like a brotherhood. You would be hard pressed to see any type of camaraderie in any other rate like what the AOs have.”

“During deployment, when we’re down there and we are building bombs, we have to depend on the next guy beside us to do his or her job and to do it correctly,” said Duff. “If one per-son makes a mistake, then everybody can potentially get hurt or killed. So we really depend on each other to carry the load and to use the honor, courage commitment system.”

5

TR’s new AO association

LEFT: AO1 Jason Miller trims roses at the Botanical gardens in Norfolk during a comrel organized by the AO Association (Photo by MC2 (AW) Austin Rooney). RIGHT: MC2 (SW/AW) Jessica Echerri tosses a bean bag during a cornhole tournament organized by the AO Association at the TR Command Picnic (Photo by MCSN Brian Flood)

Members of the AO Association pose for a photo at the Botanical Gardens in Norfolk. (Photo by MC2 (SW) Austin Rooney)

6

As the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) prepares to leave the shipyards in Newport News, Va., it welcomes aboard its new Fun Boss, Megan Villapadua.

Villapadua is no stranger to this position. She served as the Fun Boss for the historic eight-month final deployment of USS Enterprise (CVN 65).

“This is my second ship doing the Fun Boss job,” said Villa-padua. “I am so excited.”

The role of the Fun Boss is to head the ship’s Morale Welfare and Recreation department (MWR). MWR coordinates a multi-tude of events and activities – ranging from games to coordinat-ing tours during port visits. Ultimately MWR’s role is to provide entertainment to TR’s Sailors. This is where Villapadua comes in.

“The most important part of the job of being a Fun Boss is customer service,” said Villapadua. “I think that it is important to know exactly who you are working for. It may seem cheesy and clichéd, but I look at it like you are a character at Disneyland. You have to be happy for everyone. You are here for the Sailors. You are here for the Marines when they are onboard. You are here to provide morale for them.”

It goes without saying that providing entertainment to (what will be) over 5,000 Sailors and Marines is no easy task, consid-ering that the ranks of TR’s crew have backgrounds that span the globe. However, this is Villapadua’s specialty.

“Everyone is so different,” said Villapadua. “You’ve got dif-ferent age ranges, ranks, rates and interests. You basically have people from all over the world. You’ve got to constantly be think-ing about things that everyone will have fun with.”

MWR is planning several events within the coming months to entertain the crew.

“We will have The Norfolk Tides day on Aug. 22,” said Vil-lapadua. “We will also continue to do the Adventures of the Un-known trips. MWR will also coordinate the command Holiday party.”

Within the next year, MWR is planning several events to en-

MEET FUNBOSS

Story by MC2 (SW) Brian Reynolds

TR’s new Fun Boss is serious about fun.

tertain the crew of TR, however, Villapadua states that the real fun begins when the ship gets underway.

“It’s going to be a lot easier once we start getting underway because right now there are so many distractions,” said Villapa-dua. “Staying here for anything recreational is probably not very high up on most people’s list.”

During deployment life can become somewhat repetitious and sometimes dull. One of MWR’s primary jobs is to provide recreation to combat that boredom and the dreaded “Groundhog Day” syndrome. The Fun Boss, along with MWR, will coordi-nate events to entertain the crew on a nearly daily basis.

“MWR is kind of like your one-stop shop for recreation,” said Villapadua. “We are going to have many nightly programs for people to unwind. Whether it’s a card tournament – or some-thing bigger like ‘TR Idol’ – we try to have something for every-one.”

During port visits, MWR plays another role as a sort of travel agent. Whether it is helping Sailors arrange hotel rooms in for-eign port cities, or providing tours of local attractions at highly discounted rates, MWR will be there to ensure that TR Sailors have a safe and memorable time in foreign ports.

“On an actual deployment we will do port visits,” said Villa-padua. “MWR will be there to give people insight about what the area has to offer and trips and tours they can do through MWR. If we are in 5th Fleet, we are in charge of what hotels are available to Sailors.”

Though being in a position where fun is the name of the game, Villapadua does not take her position lightly and is here to ensure that TR Sailors have a blast, whether in port or at sea.

“We are that recreational powerhouse,” said Villapadua. “We are going to be there for the day-to-day events. When we get to port visits, we are kind of like your travel agents.”

7

”“We are that rec-

reational power-house,” said Villapa-dua. “We are going

to be there for the day-to-day events.

When we get to port visits, we are kind of like your travel

agents.

8

When many people think of the typical military lifestyle, the idea of a high-stress and fast

paced way of life may come to mind. When the service member is single and a child is thrown into the equation, this already complex lifestyle becomes even more com-plicated.

No one knows this better than a single military parent trying to raise a child on their own. Mass Communication Special-ist 2nd Class Tyrell K. Morris represents just one of the many solo parents trying to balance both their professional career and their family life. Morris is the proud father of Kyndall Brielle Morris, his four-year-old daughter.

“The hardest part of raising my daugh-ter is trying to be both the mother and the father, as well as work almost a 12-hour day for the Navy,” said Morris.

According to the 2010, Census the number of children living in single parent homes has almost doubled since 1960.

Today, more than one third of American children are being raised without a mother or a father. Raising a child in a single parent household presents many daunting chal-lenges, not only for the child, but also for the adult.

The military services have always had regulations which required single parents and military-married-to-military couples with children to have plans concerning the care of their dependents in the event that they were ever deployed. The military requires all single parents to maintain a current family care plan. While each service has a few administrative differences, family care plans have three basic requirements: short-term care providers, long-term care provider, and care provision details.

Morris, who has had sole custody of his daughter, has been in the Navy for four years. Since graduating “A” school Morris has been stationed on USS Theodore Roos-evelt (CVN 71). While serving on TR, Mor-ris said that he has been extremely blessed

with help he has received for childcare. “I was very lucky to have a family

friend that has an in home daycare,” said Morris, “She is flexible with the hours I work and when I have duty my daughter stays the night.”

This care provider is a civilian who is designated to take care of Morris’ daughter while Morris is at work, or any other short term engagement.

When he is on duty or at work, Morris makes it a point to at least call his daughter to make sure everything is OK during the day.

“When I was growing up my father was not around, so when I had a child I made it a point that I was always going to be there for her, no matter what,” said Morris.

The second portion of the family care plan deals with long-term care providers. This is a provider who is designated in writing to take care of a child in the event a parent is selected for an unaccompanied overseas tour or is assigned to a ship at sea.

singleparent lifeThe

9

parent lifeStory by MC3 (SW/AW) John Kotara

The long-term provider does not have to live in the local area, but plans must contain provisions to transfer a child from the short-term care provider to the long-term care provider.

For Morris, this part of the provision has proven to be the most difficult. Morris has been selected to do a unaccompanied overseas tour to Guantanamo Bay beginning in August.

“I have so many things I have to do,” said Morris, “I have to pack everything up and take my daughter to my mother’s, get an updated power of attorney, find a new doctor and dentist, find a new school.”

These are just a few of the concerns with relocating a child to the long-term care provider.

When being told to deploy single-par-ents miss all social events occurring at home.

“I will have people there who will be able to video tape everything that happens,” said Morris, “but it is not the same as being

there for her and experiencing firsthand what she is doing.

Morris explains that while he is deployed he will miss a number of events for his daughter. He will miss walking her to her class on her first day of school and telling her everything will be alright and have a great day. He will miss her local church recitals, cheerleading practice, and a number of other things.

The last part of the family care plan deals with the care provision details. This part of the plan includes detailed plans for the care and support of the children. Family care plans must include provisions for logis-tical movement of the family or caregiver. This includes but is not limited to, reloca-tion arrangements, financial, medical and le-gal support and any other logistical problem that may arise.

In addition to these provisions and problems, a single parent must deal with the day-to-day problems that may occur.

“When my child gets sick, it is hard,”

said Morris, “We do not have a normal job and can’t call in sick. We still have to come into work after staying up all night with her and then come into work and perform to Navy standards.”

Being a single parent in the military is a daunting task. Everything that must be done for your family rests solely on their back. It takes a strong parent to be able to maintain the family and still perform to Navy standards.

“Even though I was not planning or prepared to be a father, when it happened I stepped up to the plate and accepted responsibility,” said Morris. “I think that when a single parent, whether a mother or a father, steps up to the responsibilities of both roles and does it without hesitating that is something to be admired. The people that take that responsibility are outstanding individuals that exemplify honor, courage, and commitment.”

10

rough riders

Department: TAD to Engineering Why Largo was picked:

ABE3 Largo is an exceptional Sailor who has performed above and beyond his duties. He is trusted with a po-

sition in Maintenance Support Center (MSC) validating command configuration records. He quickly adapted

to a customer service position mastering and qualifying in a short time period.

He provided service to more than 200 customers processing requests for technical manuals and

NAVSEA drawings. His tireless work ethic was invaluable in preparing MSC for operational

readiness.

His great foresight reflected in his job ac-complishment. He ensured 3M proce-

dures for PM40’s Damage Control equip-ment in 14 spaces were above standards

from the initial start-up of a new work center through standardization. He inspires others

around him to excel, leading to three other Sailor’s in his work center to qualify as Divisional Damage

Control Petty Officers.

His attention to detail was critical in validating more than 1,200 configuration discrepancies and correcting

324 unassigned equipment items.

ABE3 Largo is a consummate team player. His reliability and professionalism are paramount to the success of

Maintenance Support Center. His exceptional work ethic and dedication are worthy of recognition as THE-

ODORE ROOSEVELT’s Rough Rider of the week.

MANUELLARGO

Aviation Boatswain’s Mate(Equipment)3rd Class

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rough riders above& beyond

Department: Legal Home Town: Albany, GAGoals: Complete a degree in nursing with minor in business administration,become an officer and a career SailorHobbies: Reading and doing familyoriented activitiesWhy Polite was picked:AN Polite is a motivated and dependable Sail-or who has performed above and beyond her assigned duties. A proactive thinker, she main-tained an up to date tracker on all unauthorized absences of the ship and drafted and coordi-nated all correspondence ensuring they were received by appropriate personnel.

AN Polite sets the example for her fellow sailors and has repeatedly produced quality results and shown what it means to be a team player. From her attention to detail of all legal matters to her organizational skills, she has ensured the legal departmental is ready for success. AN Polite has shown time and time again that she knows what it takes to get the job done and to attain the goal of mission readiness.

TERRIPOLITEAirman

12

MEET CMEOCHIEF HOSPITAL CORPSMANLENELLE KIRKPATRICK

By MC3 Casey Cosker

Locate CMEO in dental, at J-Dial 5438 orEmail: lenelle.kirkpatrick@cvn71.navy.mil

TR’s new command managed

equalopportunity

officer

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF A CMEO?The role of the CMEO is to be a direct advocate within the command dealing with issues relating to sexual harassment, maltreatment, treatment, or anywhere where a Sailor feels that they’ve been treated unjustly in their department. I work directly with and for the CO to make sure that he knows of any type complaints that we have within the com-mand.

WHAT ISSUES ARE DISCUSSED WITH THE CAPTAIN?Well, recently we did the command climate sur-vey, which ran from May 3 to May 10. The results have just come in. We met with Capt. Grieco. He has the actual survey in its entirety for him to read, and later next week we’ll be briefing him, the XO and the CMC a more simplistic version. The actual survey is 560 pages.

WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM THE COMMAND CLI-MATE SURVEY?As with the Navy at large, we have some issues. We are doing well. We are above board, but of course we have areas of improvement that we can fo-cus on. I think that will be done through training. Of course, all Sailors say, “How much training can we do?” But one case is too many. We treat sexual harassment like sexual assault. Regardless of what was the “norm” or what you would “expect,” one is just too many.

WHY DO WE NEED A CMEO?Every command needs a CMEO because although you utilize your chain of command, you need someone who is not part of your immediate chain. For one, we are available to bounce an issue off of to see if there is grounds for a formal complaint. Also, we act as mediators in some cases.

WHAT CAN SAILORS EXPECT FROM YOU AS THEIR REPRESENTATIVE?Sailors can expect from me complete honesty. I’m completely open. There’s nothing a Sailor can’t say to me. I don’t pass judgment. If you come in, you’re a Sailor. If there’s an issue, I’m there to help. I love Sailors. Being a corpsman, I’m in the customer ser-vice business, and being CMEO is just an extension of that. A Sailor just needs a listening ear regardless of who they are, what they look like, what depart-ment they’re from. I’m here to help. I’m a voice and I’m a shoulder.

DO YOU HAVE ANYBODY WORKING WITH YOU IN THIS ROLE?What I want to tell everyone is that CMEO is much larger than just myself, because I have a team. Along with the survey that we had, because there were areas of improvement, the command can look forward to having focus groups. When you are approached to go to the focus groups, be open-minded and be honest. We need to identify the problem. We can’t fix a problem if we don’t know it exists or how we can go about it.

WHO’S PART OF YOUR TEAM? That is the CAT team, or the command assessment team. It’s comprised of 11 Sailors from various de-partments, ranks and ethnicities. Basically, it’s a warm, fuzzy melting pot of TR Rough Riders. The CAT team will only activate in the event that there’s a command climate survey. Also underneath CMEO is the Command Training Team. I am the primary CMEO, and under me is AOC Eidson.

13

Unders tanding Reenl i s tment Opportun i t ies

Career Navigator From Navy PersonnelCommand Public Affairs

Yeoman 2nd Class Syrena Pratt takes the Oath of Enlistment from Capt. George Vassilakis, commanding officer of the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5),

during a reenlistment ceremony aboard an SH-60 Sea Hawk helicopter. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Erik Foster/Released)

MILLINGTON, Tenn. (NNS) -- With the in-troduction of Career Navigator, Sailors have improved opportunities to stay Navy, officials said June 13. “This new program is a change to how we do business for enlisted Sailors,” said Navy Personnel Command Force Master Chief (SW/AW/EXW) Leland E. Moore. “We dismantled PTS and created a reenlistment process more advantageous for Sailors.” Under Career Navigator, Sailors who desire to reenlist can now request approval 13 months prior to the end of their enlist-ment, or operative extension if they extended service. Knowing Sailors’ desires to reenlist or separate is critical to accurately predict the number of Sailors the Navy will have in each skill set, rate and pay grade in order to manage manning needs of the Fleet. In return, most Sailors will receive a reenlistment quota on the first look. The new policy is as follows: ● All non-nuclear E-6 Sailors with com-mand approval will receive reenlistment approval on their first application. ● Sailors E-5 and below who desire to reenlist and have command approval and are in the open category for reenlistment will receive a reenlistment approval on their first application. ● Reenlistment for Sailors E-5 and below in skill sets included the balanced category will be based on manning in their year group. A Sailor’s year group is based in the fiscal year they attend Recruit Training (i.e., entered boot camp December 2009 makes them YG 2010). Command approved Sailors in under-manned year groups will receive approval on their first application. ● Sailors E-5 and below in skill sets that are competitive or overmanned year groups in the balanced category will be compared to their peers and any special reenlistment requirements when they apply in Career Nav-igator and the available in-rate re-enlistment quotas will be awarded to the top performers. Sailors can only request an in-rate quota four times, 13 to 10 months prior to the end of their contracts. That way, all Sailors will know at least 10 months out from the end of their contracts if they will be able to reenlist in their current rating. Even though there are fewer times a Sailor can request an in-rate quota, the number of quotas hasn’t been reduced. Instead, more quotas will be granted each month so Sailors don’t have to wait as long for a result. Non-nuclear Sailors who are not approved to reenlist in rate may apply

for rating conversion or apply for transition to the Selected Reserve in Career Navigator. These Sailors will have up to four more looks for conversion nine to six months from their end of service. Command approval to reenlist is a major part of the new process; your chain of com-mand will have a big say in whether or not you are approved to reenlist. Sailors may improve their conversion opportunity by taking the Armed Forces Classification Test to improve their initial ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Ap-titude Battery) score. This may expand the number of ratings they qualify for. Sailors not granted an in-rate or conver-sion opportunity will still have additional time to request to join the Navy Reserve, all the way up to three months from the end of their active service. In-rate or conversion applications are not authorized at this stage 5 to 3 months from the end of their contract. Currently there are only nine overmanned ratings, accounting for approximately 800 Sailors. Sailors in overmanned year groups applying for a reenlistment in overmanned ratings have limited opportunity and should consider a rating conversion to remain in the Navy. “Approximately 75 percent of Sailors

requesting reenlistment will receive approval on their first application and all Sailors will know at least 10 months from the end of their contract whether they will be able to reenlist in their current rate,” said Moore. “For most Sailors E5 and below who are command-ap-proved to reenlist, you will have approval on your first request, within approximately 30 days.” Sailors can check manning levels in their rating by viewing community health slides published monthly in the Enlisted Communi-ty Management section of the Navy Person-nel Command Web site. This information can help a Sailor determine the career opportunity within their community. The slides feature a snapshot of community health by year group. Sailors can also see if their skill set is in the open, balanced, or competitive reenlistment groups by reviewing this information, also posted on the NPC website. To review a community health slide, visit the enlisted community management section of the NPC website at http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/enlisted/community/Pages/default.aspx , then select the commu-nity followed by specific rating in the left column. Complete details and guidance for nuclear and Reserve communities can be found in NAVADMIN 150/13.

CMEO

14

YEAR-OLDSailor graduates boot camp91

GREAT LAKES, Ill. (NNS) -- World War II veteran and Battle of Mid-way survivor, Mr. Joe Sanes, Wil-

mette, Ill., became an honorary graduate of Recruit Training Command (RTC) here at Naval Station Great Lakes, more than 70 years after enlisting in the Navy, June 14. Sanes enlisted in the Navy on Nov. 14, 1941, and attended boot camp at Great Lakes. However, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, four weeks into boot camp, Sanes was immediately assigned to the destroy-er USS Hammann (DD 412). He never graduated. During the Pass-In-Review (PIR) recruit graduation ceremony, Capt. John Dye, commanding officer of RTC, recognized Sanes’ service, presented him with an hon-orary graduation certificate and designated him an honor graduate of the PIR. “When we say the Sailor’s Creed, when we say the words ‘I represent the fighting spirit of the Navy and those who have gone before me to defend freedom and democ-racy around the world,’ we are talking about men like Mr. Joe Sanes,” said Dye to the new Sailors their friends and family members. During the ceremony, nine divisions comprised of 701 Sailors, or 702 including Sanes, graduated from RTC, the Navy’s only boot camp. The ceremony was attend-ed by more than 1,500 friends and family, including Libby Sanes, Joe’s wife of 65 years. “After 72 years, I am proud and happy to be a part of this graduation,” said Joe. “The Sailors today are better looking than the Sailors of my time. I was impressed with what I saw today. I am sure the grad-uations back in 1941 wouldn’t have been anywhere close to this.” Joe was aboard Hammann during the Battle of the Coral Sea. Hammann helped rescue more than 500 Sailors from the crippled USS Lexington (CV 2). On June 6, 1942 during the battle of Midway, Ham-mann was assisting USS Yorktown (CV 5)

recovery after the carrier had been damaged during the battle. While participating in a defensive screen of Yorktown, Hammann was struck by a torpedo from a Japanese submarine and sank in less than four min-utes. Seventy-nine enlisted crew members died along with 10 of the 14 officers. “My battle station was on the port side, I saw the torpedoes coming at the ship. I was in water up to my ankles by the time I got to the deck,” said Joe. “Most of the casu-alties came when the Hammann exploded underwater after she sank. I was lucky. The survivors are not the heroes. The real heroes are the ones who never came back.” Joe also took part in the Solomon Is-lands Campaign, the Aleutian Islands Cam-paign, and the Mariana Islands Campaign, before receiving an honorable discharge on Nov. 14, 1947. “The first thing the Navy Taught me was

discipline,” said Joe. “It’s very important in battle. Everyone has to be coordinated; everyone has to do their job. Without disci-pline there will be failure.” Sanes participates in speaking engage-ments throughout the country educating the public, ensuring the legacy of Naval heritage, and honoring his fallen shipmates. RTC is overseen by Naval Service Training Command (NSTC), commanded by Rear Admiral Dee L. Mewbourne. RTC trains more than 35,000 volunteers annu-ally, transforming civilians into basically trained Sailors. Learn more at http://bootcamp.navy.mil or find us on Facebook at http://www.face-book.com/NavyRecruitTrainingCommandFor more news from Naval Service Train-ing Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/greatlakes/.

World War II Navy veteran and Battle of Midway survivor Joe Sanes, left, becomes anhonorary boot camp graduate and receives a command coin from Capt. John Dye, commanding officer of Recruit Training Command, in the USS Midway Ceremonial

Drill Hall at Recruit Training Command

By Naval Service TrainingCommand (NSTC) Public Affairs

StaffCommanding OfficerCapt. Daniel Grieco

Executive OfficerCapt. Mark Colombo

Public Affairs OfficerLt. Cmdr. Patrick Evans

Media OfficerLt. j.g. Michael Larson

Senior EditorMCCS (SW/AW/EXW)

David Collins

Public Affairs SupervisorMC2 (SW) Brian G. Reynolds

Editor & LayoutMC3 Katie Lash

MC2 (SW) Brian G. Reynolds

Rough Rider ContributorsMC2 (SW) Austin RooneyMC3 (SW/AW) John Kotara

MC3 Katie LashMC3 Casey CoskerMCSN John DrewMCSN Brian Flood

Command OmbudsmanApril Kumley

cvn71ombudsman@yahoo.com

The Rough Rider is an authorized publication for the crew of USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71).

Contents herein are not necessarily the views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. government, Department of Defense, Department of the Navy or the Commanding Officer of TR.

All items for publication in the The Rough Rider must be submitted to the editor no later than three days prior to publication.

Do you have a story you’d like to see in the Rough Rider? Contact the Media Department at 534-1406 or stop by 3-180-0-Q.

Newport News Shipbuilding employee of the week, Carlos Guerra, Supervisor of Shipbuilding Employee of the Week, Cheffie Williams and Rough Rider of the week, Mass Communication Specialist 3rd class William G. McCann are presented their awards June 19 by USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) Commanding Officer Capt. Daniel Grieco (left) and Todd West, TR’s RCOH program manager during an award ceremony. Theodore Roosevelt is currently completing Refueling Complex Overhaul (RCOH) at Huntington Ingalls Newport News Shipbuilding. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Com-munication Specialist Seaman John M. Drew.

The aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) is tugged alongside the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) at Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Va. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Austin Rooney.

AWARDING EXCELLENCE

HELLO NEIGHBOR

By Naval Service TrainingCommand (NSTC) Public Affairs

summerSAFETY

EYE SAFETY BIKE SAFETYWATER SAFETY

SKIN & SUN SAFETY

MOTORCYCLE SAFETY

HYDRATION

BUGS & TICKS

Eye injuries can cause long-term vision loss and discomfort.

Protect yourself by wearing sunglasses with 100% UVA and UVB protection while outside. Also, always wear proper eye

protection, and take spe-cial care, when working with

household and lawn chemicals, power tools or engaging in

hobbies involving small pieces of material.

Riding bikes is an activi-ty everyone can enjoy.

Whether it’s on the muddy trails or city streets, a hel-met is a must. Try to pick

slower, less busy streets that are wide. Wear reflective gear and put mirrors and

lights on your bike. Re-think listening to music while rid-

ing. Distractions can lead to accidents and being able to hear your surroundings

may be key to your safety.

One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime*. Avoid skin damage by wearing a broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher every day. For extend-ed outdoor activity, use a wa-ter-resistant, broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. Re-appli-cation every two hours is key! Avoid burning. Keep newborns out of the sun, and make sure children 6-months and older are always protected with shade and sunscreen. Exam-ine your skin every month to look for new or oddly shaped and colored moles or spots. *skincancer.org

Staying properly hydrated not only helps you stay fit, but will also

ensure your body is functioning properly in the heat and reduce

the risk of heat stroke.

If you love swimming, make sure you and your family are strong and smart swimmers. Only swim in designated areas in the ocean. Be aware of how to escape rip currents, which can pull you out to sea, by swimming parallel to the beach (sideways), until you are out of the rip current and can swim back to shore. Wear Coast Guard-ap-proved life jackets, not just floaties, on boats, jet skis, and on other personal watercraft.

“The failure of motorists to detect and recognize motorcycles in traffic is the predominating cause of motorcycle accidents...”Make sure you attend the command approved motorcycle course and wear all PPE while riding your motorcycle. This includes reflec-tive gear to make you more visible on the road!

Bugs, mosquitoes and especially ticks can cause serious illness. When work-

ing or playing outside in wooded areas, wear light

colored clothing that covers the skin. Use bug spray containing permethrin,

DEET or other bug repellent ingredients on clothing and

conduct a body check after returning to check

for ticks. *Use DEET sprays with caution on children

because adverse reactions have been reported.

You’ve heard it time and time again, but for good reason. Safety tips and pre-cautions aren’t pounded in your head for fun, they are meant to keep you safe and healthy! Even with the warm sun inviting weather, there can be hidden dangers this summer that put you and your family at risk.

By MC3 Katie Lash

*Products pictured do not constitute an endorsement by the U.S. Navy or USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71)