4

Greetings Lincoln Nation! It’s been a busy couple of weeks full of opportunities! Reactor Department took the time to adopt a street. They’re keeping the road into the shipyard clean and clear! In the spirit of Earth Day Abe Warriors spent a day volunteering at the beach patroling for litter and washed up debris. For all the Sailors working hard to get their pins we have a history lesson on the ever prestigious Enlisted Surface Warefare Specialist! Big Abe’s Captain’s Cup softball tournament wrapped up swinging for the fences, with weapons coming out in the lead. And, we’ve got the Sexual Assaul Awareness Month Essay Contest Winner. Keep up all the great work Lincoln Warriors!

From the Editor

8

64 12

Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) hosted a prayer breakfast in the Floating Accommodation Facility (FAF) in honor of the

National Day of Prayer May 2.“It’s a way for different groups to come together under

the banner of prayer,” said Cmdr. Denis Cox, Lincoln’s command chaplain.

Sailors of many religions gathered in the FAF to enjoy breakfast before beginning the service. Lt. David Dupree, a chaplain attached to Lincoln, opened up with a prayer for the meal and a brief speech. After the meal, Lincoln’s Commanding Officer Capt. Karl O. Thomas gave a brief speech about prayer.

“I pray for each and every one of my Sailors every night,” said Thomas. “I believe there’s power in prayer.”

Capt. Bob Williams, Fleet Forces Command Chaplain, was the guest speaker at the event.

“If you think about prayer throughout the ages and prayer from different communities, you notice there are a lot of similarities,” said Williams. “This is why we celebrate this day with everyone.”

“It’s always been inter-departmental cooperation that we rely on,” Cox said in thanking Supply Department for their help in the event. “We ask for involvement from different faith communities. Those who desire to come together and wear the same uniform know we pray together.”

Cox said he believes this celebration benefits Lincoln Sailors because it’s another way to bring them together.

“We can practice what we believe and not be ashamed of it,” said Cox. “We show our Sailors this is a safe, open forum to do that.”

The National Day of Prayer is an annually recognized holiday first established in 1952 by President Harry S. Truman. Since its inception, the National Day of Prayer has been held on the first Thursday of May. On this day, the president signs a proclamation requesting Americans of all religions and faiths to pray and “turn to God in prayer and meditation.” This day of prayer isn’t meant to highlight one group, but rather that everyone as Americans to celebrate their faiths and recognize and respect the difference in others.

Story and Photo by MC3 Jonteil L. Johnson

Prayer and PancakesLincoln Celebrates National Day of Prayer

Sailors attached to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln’s (CVN 72) Reactor department took a few hours from their busy

work schedule to clean up the street they adopted in the citywide program called “Adopt-A-Spot” on April 26.

Reactor Department adopted 50th Street from Washington Avenue (at one of the Newport News Shipyard entrances) to the Warwick Boulevard parking lot entrance. Lincoln Sailors E5 and above use the street every day for their walk to work.

“We decided to adopt that particular stretch of road because we don’t want the local residents who live there to think that the trash on the ground is from Lincoln Sailors,” said Machinist’s Mate 1st Class Anthony Vega. “Everybody knows that Reactor Department is always busy, and so we aren’t able to get involved with many community relations projects. This way, we are able to help out in our immediate community without impacting our work schedule.”

Vega proposed the idea to Senior Chief Machinist’s Mate Isaac Bookheim, his division leading chief petty officer, and together they prepared a presentation for the Reactor Department’s chain of command to see if they would be interested in Adopt-A-Spot.

“I told Vega that if adopting that area is what you want to do, you need to get your ducks in a row. Go

through the proper channels. Bring it to me and we will go from there,” said Bookheim.

Once the department had committed to the idea, Vega took his idea to the city of Newport News, going through all the proper channels to get approved for Adopt-A-Spot. There were several different city departments he had to go through during the approval process: the Department of Public Works Solid Waste, Public Works Community Maintenance and Communications, the Community Relations Department.

“It took me almost a week to finalize all of the paperwork,” said Vega. “It started off being very difficult to contact the right people. Once I was connected with the right people, everything else fell into place.”

On the first day of the departmental cleanup, safetygear and cleaning equipment that the city provided was passed out; Sailors in brightly colored vests and trash bags swarmed the area.

“I find myself not wanting to ever throw a cigarette butt on the ground ever again after picking up so many,” said Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Courtney Wedeles. “We must have picked up a thousand of them today!”

Reactor department will be continuing to clean up their adopted area on the second and fourth Fridays of the month while the Lincoln is in Refueling Complex Overhaul.

Adopt-a-SpotReactor Cleans up 50th Street

Story and Photos by SN Phylicia Hanson

4

Sailors assigned to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) joined Rotary Club members from the city of

Hampton, Va., in a beach cleanup at Fort Monroe, Va., May 4.

More than 40 volunteers met at Outlook Beach to help the Fort Monroe Authority pick up trash and other debris.

“We have beautiful beaches and we want to share it with people,” said Joan F. Baker, Human resources manager, Fort Monroe Authority. “We want families to be able to enjoy it, so that is why it is so important to have this beach cleanup.”

The volunteers were given gloves, garbage bags and rakes to facilitate the process of cleaning up the beach.

“Coming out here to Fort Monroe and helping clean the beach of trash and other debris gives me a great feeling of accomplishment,” said Aviation

Structural Mechanic 3rd Class Alejandro Soto Hernandez. “Also, it lets the locals know that USS Abraham Lincoln is here to help the community.”

Sailors who participated in the cleanup said they enjoyed the opportunity to help clean up the beach.

“I think it is great to give back to the community and help out the Fort Monroe Authority,” said Religious Programs Specialist Seaman Joshua Chung. “Someone has to take out the trash that is dumped out in the ocean that washes up on shore.”

Fort Monroe was an Army installation in Hampton until 2011 when it was turned into a national monument. The fort played a huge roll in America’s history, including the first settlement in the Tidewater area, Capt. John Smith’s journeys, the Civil War and defense for the Chesapeake Bay. Now the clean up effort helps recapture the breathtaking history of the fort.

Fort Monroe Clean UpLincoln Sweeps Dirty BeachesStory and Photos by MC3 Joshua Walters

6

In 1979, the qualifications to enroll for the program were a little different than they are today: you had to be a Petty Officer with 24 months aboard ship with performance marks and leadership marks of the top 30 percent of Chief Petty Officers or Petty Officers. One had to complete the personal qualification standard (PQS) for damage control, damage control petty officer, repair party leader and work center supervisor, qualify in all watch stations for rating and pay grade. Finally, the candidate had to pass an oral board conducted by either the commanding officer or executive officer, be recommended by the chain of command and get final approval by the commanding officer.

“We’ve altered the ESWS program to a more linear track,” said Chief Yeoman Ryan Bolton, Lincoln’s ESWS testing coordinator. “After you complete your prerequisite qualifications, we have you take a test, then do an initial board and a final board just to make sure that you are knowledgeable in every aspect of the ESWS program.”

The Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist Insignia is authorized for wear by any enlisted member of the United States Navy who has

The Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist (ESWS) program can trace its roots to Dec. 1, 1978, when then-Chief of Naval

Operations, Adm. T.B. Hayward approved the ESWS qualification program, based on OPNAV Instruction 1412.4.

The initial guidelines for the pin included: qualifications above and beyond the normal level of professional and performance criteria necessary for advancement; be reasonably attainable by all surface ratings; an attainable goal for dedicated enlisted serving on ships and afloat staffs; a program that would not become an administrative burden on the ship with qualification criteria well defined and specific. At the time of its inception, ESWS participation was voluntary, and the initial instruction stated that there was neither a financial reward nor hazardous duty associated with the qualification. The pin was available for the first time in April 1979.

“The ESWS pin shows that you’re a cut above the rest,” said Chief Hull Technician Damion Carpenter, Lincoln’s ESWS coordinator. “It also lets your leadership know that you are a determined and goal oriented Sailor.”

HISTORY LESSON: ESWS PIN

Story and Photos by Lincoln Media

successfully completed the program along with its PQS. The current instruction mandates qualifying ESWS at or above Petty Officer Second Class, but many commands today allow Sailors as junior as E2 to join the program. USS Abraham Lincoln is among those commands.

Sailors with other warfare specialties as their primary qualification, such as Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist, who are aboard Lincoln, are not required to re-qualify ESWS, but they often do.

“It’s amazing to see our junior Sailors receiving not one but two pins while out to sea,” said Carpenter. “It shows that as a Navy we are becoming more unified and determined to to do anything to better ourselves and our fellow shipmates.”

For those enlisted personnel who are subsequently commissioned as officers and successfully complete the Surface Warfare Officer program, the Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist Badge is replaced. Unlike other warfare

pins available to both enlisted and officers, the ESWS and SWO pins differ by more than just color (gold for officer and silver for enlisted personnel). The blade weapons behind the hull on the SWO pin are swords. The blade weapons on the enlisted pin are cutlasses. This can clearly be seen in the curvature of the blades and the shape of the hand guards. This derives from the sword being a symbol of naval officers and their authority, while cutlasses were traditionally the sidearm of the enlisted men.

As of August 2010, OPNAV Instruction 1414.9 states that all qualification and or re-qualification are mandatory for all enlisted Sailors assigned to warfare qualifying commands

such as Lincoln. Each command may establish guidelines for qualification and re-qualification; the maximum allowable time for initial qualification of enlisted Sailors on Lincoln is 30 months.

Story and photos by MC3 Zachary S. Welch

10

AT NORFOLK MARRIOTT

Three Sailors from the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) received leadership awards from the Stennis Center for Public Service Leadership, April 28, at the Marriot

Hotel in Norfolk.The Stennis Center recognized Lt. Casey D.Ferguson, Chief

Cryptologic Technician (Maintenance) Timothy W. Nerbonne and Master-at-Arms 1st Class William N. Matteson during Lincoln’s annual leadership award dinner. Lincoln is one of eight aircraft carriers with a Stennis-sponsored award program.

The Abraham Lincoln Statesman, Union and Liberty Leadership Awards are presented annually to the ship’s outstanding officer, chief and petty officer. These awards recognize individuals who have demonstrated sustained superior performance and exhibited exceptional leadership skills.

Capt. Karl O. Thomas, Lincoln’s commanding officer, opened the dinner by praising the performances of the awardees.

“It’s always great when you have the opportunity to celebrate the people of your command that really and truly exemplify the meaning of leadership,” Thomas said.

Following Thomas’ remarks, Rex G. Buffington, executive director of the Stennis Center for Public Service, recited quotes from the late Sen. John C. Stennis and Abraham Lincoln and then presented the three awardees with eagle statuettes.

Departmental officers and chiefs, along with the awardees’ guests, addressed those in attendance to share a few words about each awardee before the awardees told the audience what the awards mean to them.

Nerbonne said he was honored to be chosen from among the many fine chief petty officers serving aboard Lincoln.

Buffington applauded the awardees, praising them for their unwavering leadership.

“You are the reason the Lincoln carries and will continue to carry forward a great legacy,” said Buffington. “I want to say congrats, and a big ‘thank you’ for working so hard for this great country.”

LINCOLN RECOGNIZES AWARD WINNERS

12

Captain’s Cup softball Championship : WEapons Wins

Sailors attached to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln’s (CVN 72) Weapons Department (WEPS) defeated their shipmates

from the Air Department (AIR) with a thrilling come-from-behind 10-9 victory in their Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) Captain’s Cup Softball tournament April 26, at U.S. Coast Guard Base, Portsmouth, Va.

After trailing for most of the game, Chief Aviation Ordnanceman Juan Nevarez, captain of the WEPS team, recalled the critical moment in the game, in the bottom of seventh inning.

AIR had a runner on first base with one out. After the batter made a blistering shot to Nevarez at short-stop, he rifled in the throw which barely beat the runner to first.

“That call could have gone either way,” said Nevarez. “Any coach would have argued the call. Fortunately it went our way.”

AIR unfortunately, had to accept defeat when their

next batter sent a flyball to the pitcher.At the end of the game, MWR ‘Fun Boss’ Shannon

Smith presented WEPS with the Captain’s Cup trophy.The trophy is held until the end of the next Captain’s

Cup event. Due to the excellent team and spectator turn-out, MWR plans to host another tournament in August.

“I believe we had great advertising and Chief Nevarez worked diligently to make sure the tournament was a great success,” said Smith. “In order to keep our Sailors mission ready, our goal is to provide them with safe, productive and healthy alternative activities.”

The tournament drew 13 teams from the ship and culminated with WEPS making light work of their opponents, ending with a 4-0 record.

“It was more than just winning for our Sailors,” said Nevarez added. “It was the new faces that they got to see and interact with to build camaraderie, since most of the time, everyone is occupied doing shipyard work.”

Story by MC3 Danian Douglas

U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Danian Douglas

U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Benjamin T. Liston

U.S

. Nav

y ph

oto

by M

C3

Dan

ian

Dou

glas

U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Danian Douglas

U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Danian DouglasU.S. Navy photo by MC3 Benjamin T. Liston

U.S

. Nav

y ph

oto

by M

C3

Ben

jam

in T

. Lis

ton

U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Benjamin T. Liston

Captain’s Cup Kickball

Kicks OffPhotos and Story by MC3 Danian Douglas

Sailors from the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) kicked off the Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) Captain’s Cup

Kickball tournament May 8, at the Huntington Hall field in Newport News, Va.

Lincoln’s Commanding Officer, Capt. Karl O. Thomas, “kicked-off” the tournament by sending the ball rolled by CMDCM (SW/SS) Gregg Weber soaring about 30 feet in the air, with scores of Sailors, both players and spectators, cheering him on.

The day’s opener featured six games, with three rounds of simultaneous matches played at opposite ends of the field. Some departments had signed up so many players that they were forced to register multiple teams.

Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Faviola Vail, Medical Department’s leading petty officer, whose department coordinated the tournament, explained the reason for the big turnout.

“The interest in this tournament was big. We have 19 teams for the tournament,” said Vail. “Medical Department

sent out emails to all-hands, and MWR assisted with marketing material such as flyers and the completed brackets, which we posted throughout the ship.”

Lincoln’s Fun Boss Shannon Smith, reiterated MWR’s hard work to secure the playing fields, equipment and refreshments for activities such as Captain’s Cup.

“Our mission is to provide a comprehensive recreation program to boost the morale of everyone on the ship,” said Smith. “This helps to build camaraderie within their departments.”

The emphasis on unity was punctuated by Medical Administrative Officer, Lt. Jessica Woody, who assisted in coordinating the tournament.

“When the Captain comes out here to support and greet everybody, it really encourages the command to think as a big family,” said Woody.

Woody said that events such as Captain’s Cup give Sailors a better impression of their command, and how they view their command influences how they affect their local community.

When Does the Pain Stop?By ABFAN Marnee Williams

When does the pain stop? Years have passed one by one, one cannot seem to

forget. Unwanted emotions play back in forth in their head. Unwanted regrets, of

anger, pain, and doubt consume the thoughts. Without the answers of why? Re-living

the horrific event over and over again, but still there is no response. Unwanted…

How could something unwanted be given? The night of happening will most definitely

ruin the lives of many…but truly will ruin one forever. Something unwanted never

again can be taken back. It’s left someone broken, hurt, and battered without any

concerned, unwanted behavior needs to adjourn. Taking ones innocece without a

care, is taking the air from the atmosphere. One that has not been given the choice

to welcome invitations will soon lose their identity. Unwanted…some may never

know the true meaning behind this eight letter word. Who could fathom having to

experience this? This question may never be answered, but the fact remains the same

the very few recover and very few have come forth to tell their story. Some live in

shame, some remain the same, others never will explain. Ripped of the ability to agree,

something that one may never foresee, and one may never feel complete. Unwanted

that’s may be fine but what if in fact the other thinks otherwise.

SAAM Essay Contest Winner

Story and photo by MC3 Christina Naranjo

12