Navy News Service for Thursday, January 10, 2008
NNS080110-03. CNO Honors Recruiters of the Year at Ceremony
--
http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=34258NNS080110-14. CNO Visits NAS Brunswick
--
http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=34263NNS080110-13. VH-71 Begins U.S. Flight Testing
--
http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=34262NNS080110-12. Commander, Naval Forces Europe Visits USS San Jacinto
--
http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=34261NNS080110-10. VCNO Promotes Top Recruiters of the Year
--
http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=34248NNS080110-09. HMCS Charlottetown Assists Vessel off Somalia Coast
--
http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=34254NNS080110-08. DISA-PAC Opens New Facility on Ford Island
--
http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=34260NNS080110-07. 'Air Boss' Experiences, Discusses Future of Helicopter Aviation
--
http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=34259NNS080110-06. Yokosuka Looks Forward to NMCRS Quick Assist Loans in 2008
--
http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=34247NNS080110-05. Navy Region Northwest Commemorates Martin Luther King Jr.
--
http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=34246NNS080110-04. Jacksonville Mayor Tours Navy Construction Projects
--
http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=34228NNS080110-11. Daily News Update for January 10, 2008
--
http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=34257NNS011213-07. This Day in Naval History - Jan. 11
--
http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=312Eye on the Fleet - U.S. Navy Photo of The Day
--
http://www.navy.mil/list_single.asp?id=54419 -USN-
-USN-
-USN-
NNS080110-03. CNO Honors Recruiters of the Year at Ceremony
By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) David Beyea, Navy News Service
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Gary Roughead honored the Navy's top recruiters during an awards ceremony held at the U.S. Navy Memorial Jan. 9, during the annual Recruiter of the Year (ROY) week in Washington.
Roughead, who often speaks of the importance of recruiting, attracting and retaining Sailors, thanked the recruiters and emphasized the importance of what they do for the Navy.
"All of what we own, all of what we buy, our ships, our submarines, our airplanes, or expeditionary equipment, has no value," said Roughead. "None whatsoever, until we take the ingredient that [recruiters] give us. And that's people. People are the Navy. And the people you're dealing with are the Navy of tomorrow."
Roughead went on to explain that recruiters don't find people to fill out the Navy, but rather they make it possible for young men and women to find the Navy and it's multitude of challenges and opportunities.
"This award tonight is a very special occasion," said Recruiter of the Year winner Navy Counselor 1st Class (AW/SW) Louis Garza. "Going through recruiting and dealing with the trials and tribulations of recruiting duty is very difficult, and to find out that hard work and dedication has paid off in the end, really makes you feel good."
Various organizations presented certificates, gift cards and awards to the 13 top recruiters. In addition, each received a Navy Commendation Medal, a coin from the CNO and their family members received certificates of appreciation for their support and sacrifice.
Rear Adm. Joseph Kilkenny, commander, Navy Recruiting Command, kicked of the festivities addressing the 13 recruiters, who represent the best of the Sailors serving as recruiters around the world.
"Navy recruiters may not be at the tip of the spear, but never doubt that the work they do, day in and day out has a direct impact on the Navy's state of readiness." said Kilkenny. "[They] work each and every day to maintain, build and support our Navy."
The awards ceremony was the culmination of the week of Jan. 7 - 11 in the nation's capital for the 13 winners. Events included luncheons with civilian organizations with strong support of the Navy, meetings with senior Navy leadership and visits to historical sites.
Additionally, the two enlisted recruiters of the year were promoted to the next paygrade.
For more news from the Chief of Naval Operations, visit
www.navy.mil/local/cno/.
-USN-
-USN-
-USN-
NNS080110-14. CNO Visits NAS Brunswick
By Mass Communication Specialist (SW/A) Christopher Thien, Naval Air Station Brunswick Public Affairs
BRUNSWICK, Maine (NNS) -- Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Gary Roughead, arrived at Naval Air Station Brunswick (NASB), Jan. 8 on the first leg of his trip visiting public and private ship yards around the country.
His first stop after landing at NASB was General Dynamics' Bath Iron Works shipyard located in Bath, Maine. Roughead, along with U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine and Susan Collins, R-Maine received briefs and went on a tour of the yard.
"I was really impressed with what I saw at Bath Iron Works," Roughead said.
The group also toured the Pre-Commissioning Unit Sterett which was one day away from its final sea trial, obviously bringing back memories for the CNO.
"The first ship I served in was a Bath-built ship, and their reputation for quality is superb. It's a great shipyard. It always has been," said Roughead.
Bath Iron Works is one of the oldest shipyards in the country and has provided hundreds of ships for the Navy since World War I, and is already designing and planning the next generation guided missile destroyer, DDG 1000.
"They are building great ships that give us incredible capabilities," Roughead said.
Before the CNO departed NASB, he held an All Hands brief inside Hangar 5 where over 800 Sailors of all ranks and rates listened to his initial comments and then asked questions. The first question concerned Sailors' increasing roles in individual augmentee (IA) assignments.
"I think we are doing the right thing with IAs that we have deployed. The individual augmentees are doing great work in the Central Command area of operations. They are saving lives and supporting the ground troops in ways that we can't," Roughead said.
The numbers of IAs are steady and look as though they will stay that way. IA procedures such as notifications and support, especially for family members, are getting better.
"We are changing the ordering process. We are making the IA's part of the permanent change of station process. We put in more structure to better assign, order, train, and support IAs who are going forward," Roughead said.
Roughead, who recently returned from Iraq and speaking to Sailors there, seems to have grasped many of the concerns that average Sailors have about being away from their commands.
"The work they are doing is greatly appreciated and they are making a difference. I am often asked the question, 'If I go on an IA, am I hurting my chances of promotion?' That is not the case, in promotion, advancement and selection boards. IA's are a valuable asset to any Sailor's career," said Roughead.
One of Roughead's priorities as CNO is to build the Navy of tomorrow. The recently published Maritime Strategy calls for future Navy forces being deployed in more areas throughout the world. In order to achieve
this vision, Roughead reiterated the Navy's need for more ships, referring to 313 as "the floor," said Roughead.
While visiting the last active-duty military airfield in the Northeast, Roughead had many comments for Navy pilots and aircrew.
"Our P-3s have never been employed in missions like they are now. We are flying them at an incredible rate and that is just one dimension of the tactical aviation we use everyday around the world. We are an agile and capable air force," said Roughead.
When not speaking of the aerial capabilities the Navy has presently, Roughead looked to the future of naval aviation.
"I believe, based on what I have seen in my time as CNO, that our air force should be about 3,800 airplanes," said Roughead.
To make this number viable the Navy is looking toward new planes, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles.
Roughead left NAS Brunswick after speaking to regional media at the Air Operations Terminal, and continued his tour of private and public shipyards throughout the U.S.
For more news from Chief of Naval Operations, visit
www.navy.mil/local/cno/.
-USN-
-USN-
-USN-
NNS080110-13. VH-71 Begins U.S. Flight Testing
From Naval Air Systems Command Public Affairs
Patuxent River, Md. (NNS) -- The first two VH-71 helicopters built for the President of the United States have entered the flight test phase with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md.
The Navy-owned test vehicles, TV-2 and TV-5, arrived at NAS Patuxent River in November and December, respectively, aboard a U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo plane from AgustaWestland's facility in Yeovil, England. The government and industry integrated test team will use the aircraft primarily for structural and propulsion testing, and pilot training.
TV-2 and TV-5 are the first of four test aircraft built for the initial phase of the VH-71 program known as Increment One.
Two more Increment One aircraft, TV-3 and TV-4, will undergo additional assembly and missionization at Lockheed Martin Systems Integration, Owego, N.Y. prior to being transferred to NAS Patuxent River this year for testing of the avionics and mission systems.
TV-1, an industry-provided test asset, has been in flight test since shortly after the contract award, and currently has 555 flight hours.
Over the next eleven months, all Increment One aircraft will be delivered to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., including the initial fleet of five presidential helicopters.
For more news from Naval Air Systems Command visit
www.navy.mil/local/navair/.
-USN-
-USN-
-USN-
NNS080110-12. Commander, Naval Forces Europe Visits USS San Jacinto
By David Holmes, Commander U.S. Naval Forces Europe-U.S. Sixth Fleet Public Affairs
NAPLES, Italy (NNS) -- Adm. Mark Fitzgerald, Commander, Naval Forces Europe visited USS San Jacinto (CG 59) Jan. 9 to congratulate them on their role of bringing maritime strategy to life.
"We're focused South. We're focused East," said Fitzgerald, who recently released his 2008 maritime strategic guidance. "We have to make sure we maintain our enduring partnerships we have in Europe, but we've got to be able to reach out and be able to prevent that next war. By doing this engagement that we're doing in Africa, the Black Sea and Eastern Mediterranean, we start to develop the partnerships necessary for the future."
The guided missile cruiser's recent port call to Dakar, Senegal proved invaluable while the ship's engineering team assisted in repairs to the Senegal Navy's patrol craft Matelot Ourmar Ndoye. Diesel engine preventative maintenance training was given by San Jacinto, and repairs to the patrol craft's speed regulating valve were made. Before the repairs the patrol craft's top speed was just 7 knots, afterwards the craft was able to reach a top speed of 19 knots, according to a crew member.
The following day of training, San Jacinto and Senegalese sailors participated in a Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) exercise involving the repaired patrol craft. The exercise displayed and executed specific techniques involving approach, boarding and searching a vessel.
"It was exciting to work with people who were so enthused to be there and want to take part in [the training]," said Aviation Warfare 1st Class(SW/AW) Brian Trippett. "It was really neat to see the look on their faces."
Trippett, a Search and Rescue (SAR) swimmer from Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 48 attached to San Jacinto, was part of a training team that held SAR exercises with the Senegalese involving the ship and the helicopter detachment.
"It's a challenge. It's a hard job. But I think it will make you feel very satisfied at the end of the cruise when you look back at all the different things that you were able to do out here on the tip of the spear," said Fitzgerald.
San Jacinto deployed Nov. 28 with the Harry S. Truman Strike Group and is participating in a deployment to Africa and Europe. While in the region it served as a premier platform for the Africa Partnership Station, which performs safety and security training with militaries from African nations located on Africa's western coast.
For more news from Commander U.S. Naval Forces Europe-U.S. Sixth Fleet, visit
www.navy.mil/local/naveur/.
-USN-
-USN-
-USN-
NNS080110-10. VCNO Promotes Top Recruiters of the Year
By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW/AW) Gabriel Owens, Commander, Navy Recruiting Command Public Affairs
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Vice Chief of Naval Operations (VCNO) Adm. Patrick Walsh meritoriously promoted two Enlisted Recruiters of the Year from Navy Recruiting Command (NRC) to the next pay grade on Jan. 8 in a ceremony at the Pentagon in Washington D.C.
Chief Machinist's Mate (SW/AW) Phillip Wharton (Navy Recruiter of the Year, Active Component) from Navy Recruiting District (NRD) Ohio was promoted from E6 to E7, while Machinist's Mate 1st Class (SW) Jeffrey Harp (Reserve Component) from NRD Raleigh was promoted from E5 to E6.
"The life of a recruiter is challenging and takes a special Sailor," said Walsh. "Recruiting is not about meeting a quota, it's about touching other lives!"
Rear Adm. Joseph Kilkenny, Commander, Navy Recruiting Command, concurred with Walsh. "A recruiter may get 110 'no's' before they get one 'yes.' It's a tough market out there."
The two were among 11 other Navy recruiters from around the country who were selected in different categories for Recruiter of the Year (ROY) and are attending ROY week in Washington D.C. Jan. 7-11. Each year, all the winners are treated to a week of honors, tours and celebrations of their achievements.
As he presented both Sailors with their certificates of promotion, Walsh read the citation for each pay grade advancement.
"You have proven yourselves outstanding role models as well as great recruiters," he said. "Today's ceremony marks a role of confidence by today's leadership, and great challenges await you."
"This is beyond my imagination," said Wharton. "I'm stunned."
"This took a lot of hard work," said Harp. "This shows that with perseverance and faith, good things can happen to you."
Both awardees went on to thank their NRDs, supervisors, and family for their support.
Additionally, Secretary of the Navy Donald C. Winter and Chief of Naval Personnel Vice Adm. John Harvey Jr., stopped by to give words of encouragement and praise to the top performers in Navy recruiting.
"I'm enormously proud of what you do. The Navy starts with you!" said Harvey.
Winter says he appreciates all the recruiters and their spouses and what they do. "It's a critical job," he said. "Building and maintaining this Navy is an important task ... thank you for your support in this incredible activity."
Other ROY winners are: Officer Recruiter of the Year, (Active Component), Lt. Christopher Carmichael; Officer Recruiter of the Year (Reserve Component), Lt. Michael Kerley; Diversity Officer Recruiter of the Year, Lt. Martin Fajardo; Medical Officer Recruiter of the Year; Lt. Jill Maldarelli-Drey; Nuclear Field Coordinator of the Year, Master Chief Electronics Technician (AW) Stanley Olsen; Zone Supervisor of the Year, Chief Navy Career Counselor (SW) Frank Caronia; Naval Special Warfare/Special Operator/AIRR Coordinator of the Year, Chief Cryptological Technician (Technical) (SW/AW) Alan Hardrick; Recruiter-in-Charge of the Year (Active Component), Navy Career Counselor 1st Class (AW/SW) Louis Garza; Recruiter-in-Charge of the Year (Reserve Component), Navy Career Counselor 1st Class Christopher Torres; Classifier of the Year, Personnel Specialist 1st Class (SW/AW) Renaldo Hall; Diversity Recruiter of the Year, Yeoman 2nd Class (SW/AW) Lashandra Tart.
Events this week include luncheons with Friends of the Navy, meetings with senior Navy leadership and visits to historical sites. The celebration's main attraction is an awards ceremony at the U.S. Navy Memorial Jan. 9.
For more news from Commander, Navy Recruiting Command, visit
www.navy.mil/local/cnrc/.
-USN-
-USN-
-USN-
