The Carl Vinson Voice is an internal document produced by and for the crew of the USS Carl Vinson and their families. Its contents do not necessarily reflect the official views of the U.S. Government or the Departments of Defense or the Navy and do not imply any endorsement thereby.

VOL 1 / NO 33 July 25, 2010

Photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Matthew Haran

Story by MCSN Rosa A. ArzolaUSS Carl Vinson Staff Writer

See GREEN, page 2

Carl Vinson’s Green TeamSteps up and Helps Out

Carl Vinson has initiated a program on board to promote and implement environmentally-friendly alternatives while in port and at sea.

Vinson’s Green Team is a group of motivated volunteers organized to generate policy, practices and partnership to measure and improve overall environmental impact afloat and ashore. The team is implementing the recycling of plastic, aluminum, metal, paper and cardboard.

“I started the research on how and what we can

recycle,” said Aviation Electronics Technician 1st Class (AW/SW) Jason Wasson, member of the Recycling Group from Vinson’s Green Team. “Then the team took it from there and we implemented blue recycling bins in some departments so recycling can be more convenient.”

In addition to recycling, Carl Vinson is trying to eliminate dumping garbage while at sea completely.

The garbage produced by thousands of Sailors out to sea can take up a lot of space, so it is condensed into

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command and help the environment,” said Wasson. “I volunteered to do this for future generations. We have to change our attitude of how we feel about recycling.”

“Don’t just recycle at work, implement this at home too,” said Sharpe. “It’s not always easy to recycle from one day to another, but if we take it one step at a time it can be accomplished.”

Follow Vinson on Facebook: www.facebook.com/USSCARLVINSON

GREEN Continued

Publisher Capt. Bruce H. Lindsey

Commanding Officer

Executive Editors Lt. Cmdr. Erik Reynolds

Public Affairs Officer

Lt. j.g. Erik Schneider Deputy Public Affairs Officer

Managing Editor MC2 Ashley Van Dien

Layout and DesignMCSN Rosa A. Arzola

Staff Writers/Photographers

MC3 Patrick GreenMCSN Zachary D. BellMCSN Rosa A. Arzola

Aviation Support Equipment Technician Airman Christopher Hicks operates a compress melting unit. Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Luis E. Ramirez.

tri-walls and pucks to be dumped when Vinson pulls into port.

A tri-wall consists of about 10 bags of garbage. Plastic is melted down into pucks which are one-inch thick and 15-inches in diameter.

“ V i n s o n accumulated 17 tri-walls of cardboard, 14 tri-walls of metal, two tri-walls of aluminum, 11 tri-walls of paper, and 120 plastic pucks during the last six-day underway period.” Said Lt. Wayne McDonald, the Supply Department’s S-8 Division Material Officer.

Carl Vinson held all trash on station until it could be properly disposed of in port. Vinson is also trying to minimize waste by changing a few things on the mess decks.

“We have now switched from individual condiment bottles on each table to condiment stations with industrial-size, refillable containers,” said Logistics Specialist 1st Class (AW/SW) Frederick Sharpe, member of the

Recycling Group from Vinson’s Green Team. “The ship got rid of our plastic cereal bowls and replaced them with mini-cardboard cereal boxes. We are also trying to get rid of the small peanut butter and jelly plastic containers for reusable ones.”

All it takes is one motivated Sailor to make a difference on board.

“I wanted to do something for my

SPOTLIGHTSailor

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Story by MCSN Zachary D. BellUSS Carl Vinson Staff Writer

a small amount of effort to separate aluminum cans from paper will decrease the carbon footprint this ship will leave on the earth.”

The Green Team is doing its part in a major way by not only helping the environment but also giving back to Vinson. Money received from the recycling of aluminum cans goes to the 2nd Class Petty Officer Association, Family Readiness Group and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) Division, which in return is given back to the Sailors.

Wasson is also making an effort to help the environment even when he is not on board.

“When I go home I just ride a bicycle everywhere. It’s natural, gets you some exercise and not to mention a lot cheaper,” said Wasson.

Wasson is aware of the way emissions from vehicles and other toxic substances can harm the environment.

“If you go out to eat and notice that they use Styrofoam cups, realize what that does to the environment,” Wasson said. “If Styrofoam is burned, it releases toxic gasses into the air and if it is buried, it lasts for hundreds of years. Something as simple as not eating at a place like that helps our environment.”

Wasson has goals for the future that include starting to recycle plastic and paper on board and ascending the ladder of success.

“My main personal goal for the future is following in my father’s footsteps and putting on anchors,” said Wasson.

One of the Navy’s biggest resources is the environment and a certain Carl Vinson Sailor wants to make sure it stays protected.

From implementing a recycling program on board to simply riding a bike instead of driving a car, Aviation Electronics Technician 1st Class (AW/SW) Jason Wasson is doing his part.

Wasson is the aviation electronics technician Shop 8 Leading Petty Officer (LPO), Divisional Training LPO for Aviation Intermediate Maintenance Department’s IM-3 Division and a member of Vinson’s Green Team Recycling Group.

Aviation Electronics Technician 3rd Class Luis Gray works in Shop 8 and looks up to Wasson as a supervisor.

“He is a very good leader. He knows his stuff and passes his knowledge down to others,” said Gray. “Whenever I’ve had a problem he’s helped me find the solution.”

Wasson is looking to find solutions when it comes to environmental preservation.

“When I came here and the opportunity came up that I could be part of the Green Team, I joined without hesitation,” said Wasson. “I felt like I could give something back to the environment. Even if it’s something as simple as helping get the recycling program started.”

The Green Team Recycling Group’s initial focus was aluminum can recycling. They’ve procured blue bins to separate garbage and recyclables and Wasson says bigger and better things are coming to the near future.

“Right now we’re only recycling aluminum cans, but as the program expands Sailors just need to be conscientious and open-minded to the program,” said Wasson. “Using Photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Zachary D. Bell

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Polk. “Stay with your schedule and your group the whole time, and you’ll be okay.”

Polk said that help with preparation is available a lot closer than many of Sailors think.

“Talk to your mentors,” said Polk. “You can find a subject matter expert to learn more about a rate, and ask them some of the things that are more important to study for. Know your weaknesses and make sure you spend more time on those.”

Other techniques may include setting up a study plan, pulling study materials from NKO, and forming a study group.

Sailors with any questions or concerns are more than welcome to visit the ESO during their normal working hours, as they’re always preparing for the exam.

“We’re preparing throughout the year. It’s very time-consuming, but we’re happy to do anything to help Sailors advance,” said Vizzi.

An Early Start is Key for Advancement

Personnel Specialist Seaman Luis Cano Espinoza assists Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Kimberly Frye sign her worksheet on the aft mess decks. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Matthew J. Haran.

Story by MC3 Patrick GreenUSS Carl Vinson Staff Writer

The Navy advancement exam is a major part of a Sailor’s career. For Vinson Sailors taking the upcoming exam in September, preparation is key to success.

The Educational Services Office (ESO) is working with Sailors to help them get ready for the advancement exam in several ways.

“Advancement for a Sailor is important for many reasons,” said Ens. Edward Polk, Vinson’s Educational Services Officer. “Of course there’s the monetary gain, but there’s also the leadership opportunities that arise and it helps you professionally.”

Polk adds that not preparing for advancement could affect a Sailor’s career due to the Perform to Serve (PTS) program. PTS is a readiness program that acts as a quality screening process by controlling re-enlistments for Sailors by measuring their overall performance.

According to Personnel Specialist Seaman (AW/SW) Carl Vizzi, a member of the ESO team, preparation for the exam begins several months before your pencil hits the paper.

The process begins five-to-six months out, with the ESO office gathering names of the candidates who are eligible to take the test. Shortly after that, Sailors can get started on their own personal preparation.

“The first thing you should do is review and sign your worksheet,” said Polk. “Make sure to check the plan of the day to see when the correct date to sign the worksheet is.”

Polk added that it’s also a good idea for Sailors to make sure their enlisted service record is in order, with award and passed-not-advanced (PNA) points properly accounted for.

“You have a lot of Sailors that come

after the results are out, and they are a couple points shy of advancing,” said Polk. “We then go back and see they have awards that weren’t accounted for, and it adds a lot more work for the Sailor and ourselves.”

Along with signing the worksheet, Sailors can be studying and preparing for their exam.

Both Polk and Vizzi recommend first going to the rate bibliography, which provides all the information that may be on the exam. Bibliographies are available on Navy Knowledge Online (NKO).

“Imagine that the bibliographies are all your notes for the final exam,” said Vizzi. “All of the material in the test will be in the bibliography.”

There is also help available on board, with the First Class Petty Officer’s Association working to provide basic military knowledge (BMR) training, which is part of the test as well as rating knowledge.

“As far as BMR goes, people from any rate can get together to study that,” said

5July 25, 2010

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