Navy News Service for Tuesday, March 25, 2008
NNS080325-02. Warning Shots Fired in the Suez Canal
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http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=35972NNS080325-17. APS Conducts West Africa Training Cruise '08
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http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=35977NNS080325-16. Africa Partnership Station Brings Veterinary Care to
Liberia
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http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=35974NNS080325-15. USNS Grasp Recovers Two U.S. Air Force Jets
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http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=35966NNS080325-12. Seabees Preserve Naval History
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http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=35968NNS080325-11. Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center Encourages
Physical Fitness
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http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=35963NNS080325-10. Lake Erie Gets 'Top Gun' and Retention Excellence Awards
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http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=35969NNS080325-08. ONR Announces 2008 Young Investigator Award Recipients
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http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=35757NNS080325-05. Russell Departs for Deployment with Abraham Lincoln CSG
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http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=35970NNS080325-04. The 'Grey Knights' Cheer Navy NASCAR Team on to Top-Five
Finish
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http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=35962NNS080325-01. IC Rating Gets Closer Look at CSCSU Performance Review
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http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=35921NNS080325-13. Daily News Update for March 25, 2008
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http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=35978NNS011215-27. This Day in Naval History - March 26
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http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=407Eye on the Fleet - U.S. Navy Photo of The Day
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http://www.navy.mil/list_single.asp?id=56669-USN-
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NNS080325-02. Warning Shots Fired in the Suez Canal
From Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/Commander, U.S. 5th
Fleet
MANAMA, Bahrain (NNS) -- The Global Patriot, a ship on short term
charter to the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command, fired warning
shots
at a small boat approaching the ship as it was preparing to transit the
Suez Canal March 24. There were no reports from the Global Patriot of
casualties.
Global Patriot was approached by several boats while preparing to
transit the Suez Canal. The boats were hailed and warned by a native
Arabic speaker on the Global Patriot to advise them to turn away. Other
warning steps, including a signal flare, were used to caution the
boats.
One small boat continued to approach the ship and received two sets of
warning shots 20-30 meters in front of the boat's bow. All shots were
accounted for as they entered the water.
The incident is under investigation. The U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet Command
is cooperating with Egyptian authorities, including the Suez Canal
authorities, through the U.S. Embassy in Cairo.
For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central
Command/Commander, U.S. 5th Fleet
www.navy.mil/local/cusnc.
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NNS080325-17. APS Conducts West Africa Training Cruise '08
By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW/AW) Elizabeth Merriam,
Africa Partnership Station Public Affairs
MONROVIA, Liberia (NNS) -- Over a four-day period Sailors and Marines
conducting the West Africa Training Cruise (WATC) 08, under the command
of Africa Partnership Station (APS), successfully built and used the
Improved Navy Lighterage System (INLS) for it's first sea trial.
"WATC '08 started from numerous events put together under one exercise
that falls under APS," said Lt. Col. Roy Edmonds, lead planner, Marine
Forces Europe. "Sailors and Marines from 4th Marine Logistics Group and
Naval Beach Group 2 are here to demonstrate sea basing capabilities by
bringing together multiple building block like structures and putting
them together to create a mobile platform at sea."
The INLS is a redesign of a floating dock system originally used during
World War II. Composed of smaller component links the system pieces can
lock together to create ferries, causeway piers, or roll-on, roll-off
discharge facilities to transport cargo and equipment from ship to
shore
while leaving a minimal footprint tailored to the individual mission.
The construction began aboard container & roll-on/roll-off ship USNS
Lance Cpl. Roy M. Wheat (T-AK-3016) when various commands from Naval
Beach Group 2 worked together to crane the links off of the ship and
combine them into their final structures.
"Usually when we do stuff like this it's pier side in Jacksonville and
it is different doing this on water," Boatswain's Mate 3rd Class
Antoine
Salik, crane operator, Navy Cargo Handling Battalion 1 said. "On the
pier you have no pitch and roll it's just lift and put it on the pier,
unlike how it is out here on the ship but we adapt and over come."
Once the construction on the INLS components was completed the
discharge
facility was transported to container & roll-on/roll-off ship USNS 2nd
Lt. John Bobo (T-AK-3008) where it was loaded with Marine Corps
vehicles.
"Putting together a mobile platform at sea that we can lift on, lift
off
Marine Corps vehicles is similar to the capability that is provided to
us through causeway ferries. Now we can move those vehicles from one
platform to another platform while altogether sustaining the force at
sea," Edmonds said. "What this does is it gives us really a robots'
capability to operate off shore and move equipment and personnel to
ports that we can operate out of."
The vehicles were then transported to the staging deck aboard
amphibious
dock landing ship USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) where the ship's crew and
the members of Assault Craft Unit 2, piloting the roll-on, roll off
discharge facility, would attempt to dock an INLS structure in a well
deck for the first time.
"We got to play a significant role in proving our capability, to take a
written concept like ILNS and make it a successful executable operation
for moving equipment and personnel from ship to sea base to shore,"
Fort
McHenry 1st Lieutenant, Lt. Diane Middleton said.
"I think the reason it went so smoothly is the cooperation and teamwork
between the Marines and the Navy. I am lucky in having an experienced
deck department with experienced line handlers, who have done
operations
like this before with a landing craft unit (LCU). They have the mindset
that it's just a longer LCU, and they're able to take that and
incorporative it with ILNS, and that is why I think this evolution went
very well," Middleton continued.
Once the Sailors secured the discharge facility in the well deck
members
of the 4th Marine Logistics Group simply drove the vehicles off the
platform rolling directly into the staging area.
While Fort McHenry's crew worked with the discharge facility, John Bobo
moored next to the INLS causeway. As part of the exercise, Marines
reloaded the platform and the discharge facility and departed Fort
McHenry to rendezvous with John Bobo, again exhibiting the ability of
the INLS to dock with an amphibious vessel to transport cargo from ship
to ship the once the roll-on, roll-off discharge facility and causeway
ferries were attached to the causeway, High Speed Vessel 2 Swift moored
next to John Bobo, where ready receive Marine vehicles were transported
to ship to shore.
This is the first time INLS has been used successfully at sea to
transport cargo from ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore. During the rest of
WATC the INLS will be used to aid in transporting humanitarian
assistance supplies to Monrovia as part of the APS contribution to the
area.
As part of the Navy's new global maritime strategy, Africa Partnership
Station is a U.S. Naval Forces Europe-led initiative, executed by a
multinational staff aboard Fort McHenry and Swift.
Commander Task Force 365 and training teams from various U.S. and
European military commands, as well as governmental and nongovernmental
organizations are embarked on board Fort McHenry to enhance cooperative
partnerships with regional maritime services in West and Central Africa
and the Gulf of Guinea on a seven-month deployment.
For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe -Commander, 6th
Fleet or Africa Partnership Station, visit
www.navy.mil/local/naveur/.
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NNS080325-16. Africa Partnership Station Brings Veterinary Care to
Liberia
By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (AW) Brian A. Goyak, Africa
Partnership Station Public Affairs
MONROVIA, Liberia (NNS) -- Africa Partnership Station (APS) brought
members of the 64th Medical Battalion and Project Hope to help control
the rabies virus in the local pet population in Monrovia, March 24.
Capt. Brian Smith and Pvt. Valerie McCants, with the help of Marley
Gevanthor, an emergency room nurse from San Francisco General Hospital
volunteering with Project Hope, began administering a combination
vaccine to dogs and cats and a host of other animals belonging to
locals.
Project Hope is a nongovernmental organization working in conjunction
with APS in order to bring medical supplies and services to those in
need in West and Central African countries.
"This project will only cover a small percentage of the population due
to the limited number of doses. We are working with the Ministry of
Agriculture and Health to arrange funding and assistance to broaden the
rabies program here to allow for wider coverage of animals that will
receive the rabies vaccine," said Smith.
In addition to protecting against rabies, the vaccine protects the
animals from rhinovirus, respiratory virus, herpes virus and intestinal
virus. The pets were given deworming medication as well. The dewormer
is
important because it kills parasites that can be transferred to humans.
"It's wonderful to be able to take my skills and use them in a
different
discipline," said Gevanthor.
"They're all little patients and we're helping to keep them healthy."
By the end of the day the trio had administered 100 doses of the
vaccine
with another clinic scheduled for tomorrow.
"I wish I could do more, Liberia has a large need, especially with
rabies," added Smith. "Rabies is very prevalent in the dog population
here and I'm glad that I'm able to do a little bit to help, hopefully I
can arrange to do more in the future."
Part of the U.S. Navy's Global Fleet Station, APS provides a platform
with the capacity and persistent presence to support sustained, focused
training and collaboration on a regional scale to maritime partners in
West and Central Africa. Commander Task Force 365 and training teams
from various U.S. and European military commands, as well as
governmental and non-governmental organizations are embarked aboard USS
Fort McHenry (LSD 43) to enhance cooperative partnerships.
For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe -Commander, 6th
Fleet or Africa Partnership Station, visit
www.navy.mil/local/naveur/.
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NNS080325-15. USNS Grasp Recovers Two U.S. Air Force Jets
By Laura M. Seal, Military Sealift Command Public Affairs
GULF OF MEXICO (NNS) -- Military Sealift Command (MSC) rescue and
salvage ship USNS Grasp completed recovery operations for two U.S. Air
Force F-15C fighter jets in the Gulf of Mexico March 22.
The jets crashed over the Gulf approximately 50 miles from Eglin Air
Force Base, Fla., Feb. 20.
Recovery efforts began March 1 when Grasp arrived in the vicinity of
the
crash site to locate the wreckage, and ended March 22 when the last
recoverable debris from the second aircraft was lifted onto the ship's
weather deck.
Salvage operations, which could normally have been conducted within a
week, were delayed by severe weather conditions that twice sent the
ship
back to port.
The first aircraft was recovered March 12 from a depth of 177 feet and
the second aircraft was recovered March 22 from a depth of 185 feet.
More than half of each aircraft was salvaged including their engines,
data collecting devices (flight recorders) and main computers. These
items are vital to the Air Force's investigation to determine the cause
of the crash.
The salvage operations were conducted jointly by Grasp's crew of 28
civil service mariners and 20 Sailors from Mobile Diving and Salvage
Unit (MDSU) 2, based at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Va. MDSU-2
is not permanently assigned to Grasp, which also carries a detachment
of
three Sailors to perform communications functions.
Since the exact position of the wreckage was unknown, the ship's
civilian crew worked in cooperation with Sailors of MDSU-2 to locate
the
debris by combining the ship's navigational information with data
obtained from the dive unit's locating equipment. Upon arrival at each
site, Grasp's civilian crew anchored the ship directly above the
wreckage and the divers submerged to prepare the debris for recovery.
Grasp's 40-ton boom then lifted the wreckage out of the water using a
cable that was attached by the divers.
"This recovery operation was extremely difficult," said Grasp's
civilian
master, Capt. Jose Delfaus. "The wreckage was scattered across a wide
area and the divers had to overcome dangerous depths and diving
conditions. Some of the wreckage was so entangled that it took several
dives to complete the mission."
Four Air Force personnel, including a civilian wreckage photographer,
were aboard Grasp during the salvage operations to conduct the initial
research and data analysis about the crash.
The crash claimed the life of one of the two pilots, and both were
recovered the day of the accident. The jets were assigned to the 33rd
Fighter Wing at Eglin Air Force Base.
Grasp is one of MSC's four 255-foot salvage and recovery ships that are
able to deploy rapidly to recover objects from the sea, tow stranded
vessels and provide firefighting assistance.
For more news from Military Sealift Command, visited
www.navy.mil/local/MSC/.
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NNS080325-12. Seabees Preserve Naval History
From Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs
PEARL HARBOR (NNS) -- Seabees from the Pearl Harbor-based Construction
Battalion Maintenance Unit 303 received a hearty thank you from the
Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet March 21, during an informal ceremony in
the backyard of 37 Makalapa Drive just doors down from Commander, U.S.
Pacific Fleet (COMPACFLT) headquarters.
Adm. Robert F. Willard and his wife, Donna, thanked the Seabees for
refurbishing a garden and relocating a concrete birdbath built for
Fleet
Adm. Chester W. Nimitz. Nimitz resided at the "The Nimitz House" from
December 1941 to November 1945.
"Looking back on the affiliation Fleet Adm. Nimitz had with the
Seabees,
it couldn't be more special that you moved his birdbath here to his
home," Willard said as he spoke with the Seabees. "I can't think of a
better place for this historic piece. Donna and I owe you great thanks
for helping us to preserve part of naval history. We love it here."
The concrete birdbath, now located in the north yard of the Pearl
Harbor
Nimitz House, was originally located at Quarters 1 on Yerba Buena
Island
in San Francisco Bay, Calif. Nimitz enjoyed gardening and nature, and
he
erected the birdbath in his yard at Quarters 1, also known as the
Nimitz
House, sometime between 1964 until his death on Feb. 20, 1966. The
Department of Defense closed the Yerba Buena Island Naval Training
Station in 1993.
During a visit to Yerba Buena Island on Feb. 11, 2007, Capt. Scott
Gureck, Pacific Fleet public affairs officer, rediscovered the birdbath
sitting exactly where he had last seen it as a high school student
nearly 30 years earlier.
"I was relieved it was still there and undamaged," Gureck said. "But,
knowing the Naval Training Station has been closed, I became concerned
the birdbath was likely to become a lost or forgotten historical
artifact."
It was at that time that Gureck set out to save the bird bath,
believing
that the relic should be moved to the Pearl Harbor Nimitz House. Thus,
a
plan was launched that became affectionately known around the Pacific
Fleet Headquarters as "Operation Birdbath."
"Fleet Adm. Nimitz loved nature. He maintained a thriving garden at his
home at Yerba Buena," said Gureck. "Therefore, it's fitting,
considering
our Navy's commitment to the environment, that we would bring the bird
bath to the Nimitz House at Pearl Harbor - both for our feathered
friends and for generations to come."
The Seabees engaged in the project were proud to be involved as they
looked back on the legendary Pacific Fleet commander and the part he
played in their origins.
"Since Adm. Nimitz helped found our Seabees, it felt good doing
something for him," said Builder 1st Class (SCW) Michael Holloman, the
crew leader who managed the installment at 37 Makalapa. "My team is
proud that we could be part of this project."
Holloman and his eight-person crew restored the bird bath in three
weeks, after receiving it from their fellow Seabees of the 30th Naval
Construction Regiment based in Port Hueneme, Calif. The 30th NCR
removed
the birdbath from Nimitz' home in Yerba Buena and prepared it for
shipment to Hawaii.
"The Seabees here and from California did an awesome job moving the
bird
bath," said Chief Construction Electrician (SCW) Chris Gwin, the
COMPACFLT facilities manager. "It was a great opportunity for the
Seabees to preserve history."
According to Seabee history, Rear Adm. Ben Moreell, who served as the
chief of the Navy's Bureau of Yards and Docks, believed a construction
force was needed - a force that proved crucial to the success of World
War II. Nimitz, in his role as chief of the Bureau of Navigation,
authorized the establishment of the first Headquarters Construction
Company and the enlistment of its men Oct. 31, 1941. In January 1942,
nearly a month after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Moreell's wish was
granted, and he established the Naval Construction Force. The Seabees
were officially founded March 5, 1942.
"The Seabees of the United States Navy were born in the dark days
following Pearl Harbor when the task of building victory from defeat
seemed almost insurmountable. The Seabees were created in answer to a
crucial demand for builders who could fight," reads the introduction to
Seabee history at history.navy.mil.
Nimitz forever remembered the Seabees, as he kept on his desk at
Pacific
Fleet headquarters a three-dimensional model of the Seabee logo,
designed by Frank J. Iafrate in January 1942. During World War II, when
Nimitz commanded the Pacific Fleet, Seabees built major airstrips,
bridges, roads, warehouses, hospitals, gasoline storage tanks and
housing. Worldwide, more than 325,000 Seabees fought and built on six
continents and more than 300 islands.
"Our Seabees were birthed out of World War II, so back in 1942, and
since then our fighting Seabees have been very central to many, many of
not only our wartime missions but our peacetime missions, as well, and
I
couldn't be prouder of the Seabees and the Seabee tradition," Willard
said March 12 in his weekly podcast honoring the Seabees.
At the most-recent Seabee birthday celebration held in Hawaii, Willard
recognized the contributions of Seabees throughout naval history.
"Through their conception in World War II, what the Seabees have
accomplished for our nation currently in Iraq, Afghanistan and North
Africa, to what you're doing in our Pacific Partnership activities
where
you are helping us win the hearts and minds in the Pacific theater,
thank you Seabees for everything you do."
The Nimitz House, built in 1941 just before the attack on Pearl Harbor,
is one of 18 flag quarters on Oahu maintained by the Navy for its
admirals and Marine Corps generals.
For more news from Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, visit
www.navy.mil/local/cpf/.
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NNS080325-11. Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center Encourages
Physical Fitness
By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Santos Huante, Fleet Public
Affairs Center Atlantic
HAMPTON, Va. (NNS) -- Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center
(NMCPHC) showcased the pilot program, Navy Physical Training Series, to
command fitness leaders during the Innovative Strategies for Navy
Physical Conditioning class as part of the 2008 NMCPHC Conference at
Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, March 20.
The goal of the pilot program is to provide the basics for Navy health
and fitness professionals to be able to build a fitness program for
their command physical training (PT) program said Diana Settles, lead
author for the series and program manager of physical fitness and
musculoskeletal injury prevention for NMCPHC.
More than 40 fleet officers and enlisted Sailors who signed up for the
seminar arrived in PT gear. Not only were they introduced to proper
exercise techniques, but performed them as well.
The program is in response to a 2006 fleet survey asking Sailors what
they thought of their physical training.
"The response we got was 'Don't tell us. Show us,'" said Settles.
In addition to providing safe and effective alternatives to familiar
Navy workouts, the program offers a different approach to a command PT
program to include medicine balls, balance boards, exercise rubber
bands
and improvised weights and equipment that can be used on shore or on a
flight deck at sea.
"[This seminar] opens your eyes. Just by showing us a different way to
do our PT it makes me really excited to take what I learned back to my
command," said Construction Electrician 2nd Class Robert Pittman,
assistant command fitness leader for Construction Battalion Maintenance
Unit 202.
Many at the seminar wish the program had a wider audience.
"They are preaching to the choir here," said Command Master Chief
(SW/AW/PJ) David Carter, Maritime Civil Affairs Squadron 2. "What I
would like to see is this information being given to the mid-level
management and senior grade officers to talk to their Sailors of just
how important this is."
Reference material listing over 100 exercises and industry guidelines
by
Navy and civilian fitness industry subject matter experts, was given to
the participants who later offered feedback to the center.
"Our goal is to reduce injuries from physical activity and improper
exercises and provide Sailors with information and proper techniques
based on an industry standard," said Settles.
NMCPHC rolls out a completed training series later this summer.
This is the 47th NMCPHC Conference with emphasis in the areas of
occupational health, preventive medicine, health promotion, risk
communication and operational medicine.
For more news from Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, visit
www.navy.mil/local/nablc/.
