Your Link to News and Events From USS Frank Cable (AS 40)

AS40CABLE CONNECTIONJanuary 2014 | 1ST Quarter

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FROM THE BRIDGE...................................pg.3-4

A NOTE FROM THE CHIEF MATE.................pg.5

FROM THE DECKPLATES with the CMC......pg.5

A Note from Your Command Ombudsman..............................................pg.6

FROM THE FAMILY READINESS GROUP......pg.6

SAILORS AND CIVMARS OF THE WEEK......................................pg.18-19

AWARDS / ADVANCEMENTS....................pg.22Who was awarded for their hard work? Find out Here!

ENLISTED SURFACE WARFARE SPECIALIST..............................pg. 23Do you have what it takes to join the ranks of these Surface Warriors?

DEPARTMENTSDIVERS COMPLETE REPAIRS....................pg.7

CHANGE OF COMMAND....................pg.8-9

Call of Duty Meets Frank Cable....pg.10-13

SENIOR CHIEF VS. THE BLACK WIDOW..........................pg.14-15

Medical Department Upgrade...........pg.20

FEATURED STORIES

CABLE CONNECTIONCONNECTION STAFF

eXtras

Community Spotlight....................pg.16

Underway..........................................pg.17

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FROM THE BRIDGEWITH THE COMMANDING OFFICER

Dear Frank Cable Families,I am Captain Mark Benjamin, the Commanding Officer of USS FRANK CABLE (AS 40). I relieved Captain Pete Hildreth in a Change of Command Ceremony on January 31st, 2014. I saw many of you there, and I thank you for coming. Since then, FRANK CABLE has been busy. In March we finished a productive maintenance period in Guam and got underway for our first mission. As I write this, we are sailing towards our first of three foreign ports planned for this voy-age. In each of these ports we will interact and train with the militaries of our allies, exchanging ideas and building relationships. We will also interact with the communi-ties through several Community Service and Community Relations projects, where we will help where help is needed, while building friendships and memories with the local populations – a truly rewarding experience.

During this underway period, we also plan to receive Fuel at Sea and to conduct a Vertical Replenishment from a helicopter at sea – two critical capabilities that FRANK CABLE has not accomplished in a long time. As you can tell, I am proud of this ship and her crew, and I couldn’t be happier to be their Captain.

As you all know, we will be returning home about one week later than expected due to changing opera-tional commitments. While this means more time at sea to build much needed skills and proficiencies, it also means that we will miss the Submarine Birthday Ball and be away from our families even longer. For this I apologize. However, if you planned to go, I ask that you consider attending the Birthday Ball without your Sailor. I know it won’t be the same, but it is a sign to others of your support and commitment to your loved one at sea. On a brighter note, next month, we will be honoring our spouses on Military Spouse Ap-preciation Day on May 9th. Details are forthcoming, and I hope to see you all there. I also want to thank our new FRG Board members for volunteering so selflessly. Please come join us on the third Tuesday of every month, usually at 6:00PM, either at the Naval Base Guam Chapel or at the Com-munity Center across the road from the gym parking lot. There will always be a command representative in attendance (it will be myself, the XO, and the CMC when the ship is in port), who can answer specific questions about the crew, the ship, and the schedule. It is also a great way to meet other families and to make new friends. The FRG hosts many fun and informative events and social functions. I hope to see you all there. Lastly, but certainly not least, I want to congratulate and thank all five of our Ombudsman for generously offering to help our families. Tricia Beltz, Jenn Cronin, and Antonia Wilber were all reinstated, while Stepha-nie Nelson and Jamie Garrison are new to the team. Get to know your Ombudsman; they are trained and ready to assist you and your family with vital information when you need help, especially when your Sailors are at sea. In closing, thank you all for the support that you give to your Sailor, so that he or she can come to the ship each day and go to sea for long periods knowing that you are taking care of the home and the children. Without that support, mighty FRANK CABLE could not do her mission, and for that, I thank you.

Fondly,M. B. BENJAMIN

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FROM THE BRIDGEWITH THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Hello Frank Cable Family,Change of Command always brings in a renewed vision to the command, and this quarter was no exception as we welcomed Captain Mark Benjamin and his family to the FRANK CABLE team. Captain Benjamin brings a vision of recognizing FRANK CABLE’s world-wide viability and mission capability with great enthusiasm. This effort began from day one, empowering the entire team to collaborate efforts to incorporate Sailor skills with MSC Civilian Mariners to improve ship readiness and promote the professional development of our Sailors by working alongside their Civilian Mariner counterpart. This is a win-win situation that has already seen promising results.

I shift gears to report another banner quarter for FRANK CABLE Sailor accomplishments. Two FRANK CABLE Sailors were selected for the Limited Duty Officer/Chief Warrant Officer (LDO/CWO) program. PSC Rafael Azconasanchez was selected for CWO2 (Surface Administrative Warrant) and MM1 Arturo Garza was selected for Ensign (Submarine Engineering). Additionally, 110 Sailors were advanced to Petty Officer Third, through, First Class. FRANK CABLE received the USN Community Service Award for Environmental Stewardship (Large Overseas) for an un-precedented third year in a row. The Weapons Department received the FY-13 Weapons White “W”; Repair the Repair Red “R”; and Health Services/Executive received the Personnel White “P”.

As we approach the spring and the summer months, we get ready for the moving season as many of you will be departing us for your next duty stations. Remember the hard work you put into FRANK CABLE and our home ported submarines and deployers. It was vitally important to national security and maintaining a forward presence in the Pacific. I also ask you to spread a positive word that Guam is a great place to live where your family can enjoy island life along with the opportunity to travel to unique places.

Thank you again for all the hard work you do to keep us mission ready and I am excited to see your positive results over this year. If we keep the performance up as we have so far this year, we will get the Battle “E” this year, mark my words.

RespectfullyCDR Tom Gorey

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Greetings FRANK CABLE Sailors, Families and Friends,

I am very pleased to write this quarterly newsletter underway. It has been a long time since the ship was underway. The crew is performing admirably and working hard on at-sea qualifications and much needed underway training.

It gives me great pleasure to inform you that the crew’s hard work and dedication was recently recognized by our Type Commander, Submarine Force U.S. Pacific Fleet, Rear Admiral Sawyer. FRANK CABLE earned the Repair “R”, Personnel “P” and Weapons “W” for the calendar year 2013. Additionally the crew’s hard work toward community service was recognized by the Vice Chief of Naval Operations by awarding the command the USN Community Service Award for Environmental Stewardship (large overseas). All of this recognition is a testament to the families and friends that provide unwavering support to not just the FRANK CABLE but our community as well.

Yes, it’s that time of year again and we are preparing for another Typhoon season. Joint Region Marianas is conduct-ing a typhoon readiness drill to exercise the military’s resources and capabilities necessary to respond to a major storm. For the families, it’s the perfect time to think about your own typhoon preparation. The Ombudsman and the Fleet & Family Support Center (FFSC) have an excellent selection in reading material and checklists to help you prepare. These

storms can form close to the Island and leave us with very little warning. It’s helpful to understand what happens island-wide during each phase of Typhoon Condition of Readiness (TCOR). For example, if you live off base, you need to know that during TCOR-1, the Guam Water Authority will shut down the island’s water system to prevent saltwater contamination, so stocking up on water is extremely important. In addition to water, you should consider candles, flash-lights, non perishable food, medication, pet items, gas and battery operated radio. Please stop by the FFSC for more information and recommendations.

This is also a good time to visit the Navy Family Accountability and Assessment website https://www.navyfamily.navy.mil <https://www.navyfamily.navy.mil/> . After you login, please verify your family’s information including recall and address. If this information is not correct, make sure you constantly bug your Sailor until they property fix the information. In the event of a major storm, the Navy will use this system to account for all families on Guam. From this website you can also list any assistance needed. This system is successfully being used for the current natural disasters in Japan.

As always I am proud of the FRANK CABLE Crew, their professionalism, accomplishments and dedication to mission accomplishment.

Respectfully,

CMDCM(SW/SS/DV) Roger Schneider

FROM THE DECKPLATES

FROM THE CHIEF MATE

Hello Frank Cable Crew and Families,

As my time onboard this fine ship comes to an end, I wanted to take the time to highlight some major milestones our civilian mariners have achieved.

The engineering department has been hard at work this quarter, conducting major engine repairs on schedule that al-lowed the ship to deploy on time. Deck department assisted in moving an enormous amount of material, both on and off the ship, for six separate entities including USS FRANK CABLE, USS KEY WEST, GSY, Cabarus Marine, PHNSY, and Gulf Copper. Communications department continued to keep radio running smoothly and completed repairs to the video teleconference onboard, bringing back a capability absent the past two years. Supply department continued to deliver excellent food service and took second place in the annual food excellence award given to large ships in the fleet.

I am extremely proud of this ship and her crew, both civilian mariners and Sailors. I wish you all well.

Sincerely,

Casey Bell

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Respectfully,

Heather Dome,Cable FRG President(671) 489-5771cablefrg@gmail.com

Hafa Adai USS Frank Cable Families--

The Family Readiness Group (FRG) has had an amazing start to the year! Our meetings, coffee socials, hikes, luncheons, and playgroups have all had such a great turn out-- thank you for joining us for these events.

Back in January, we sent around a survey asking our Cable families what they would like to see more of in 2014. The responses included more events around the island, family picnics and hiking. Since the survey, we have added Hiking Club to our monthly gatherings, and we are cur-rently working on organizing a few island outings and family picnics in the coming months.

As we approach summer, we would like to mention two of our bigger events in motion for this year, which include the Military Spouse Ap-preciation breakfast on May 9th and the Red, White, and Blue Summer Bash in July. We are looking for help to plan the Red, White and Blue Bash. If you are interested in being part of the planning committee, please send us a message—we’d love to have your help! Keep an eye on your inboxes for more information regarding both of these events.

The FRG Board is happy to work with the needs of our families. If you have any questions, comments, suggestions please send us a message to cablefrg@gmail.com.

Si Yu’us ma’ase,

Your Cable FRG Board

When a Captain takes a new command, it is customary for the new Captain to choose his Ombudsmen. We would like to introduce your USS FRANK CABLE OMBUDSMAN TEAM: Jennifer Cronin, Tricia Beltz, Antonia Wilber, Stephanie Nelson, and Jamie Garrison. As Ombudsmen, we are the official liaison between the command and the families and will be the primary point of contact for any issues or concerns. We are a reliable source for referrals, guidance, and support. We are excited to be representing the command in helping you - our families!

The month of June is the start of the peak, PCS season. Are you ready? It’s never too early to begin planning your next move. Below, are just some of the resources that might help make your next move go more smoothly.

A Note from your Command

OMBUDSMAN

A Note from your Command

fAMILY READINESS GROUP

Fleet & Family Support Center (FFSC); 671-333-2056/2057FFSC will provide you with all the necessary resources to make your transition to a new base efficient and simple. Attend a Smooth Move workshop or schedule an appointment to speak with a Relation Specialist to create your individual PCS plan and get information about shipping your personal belongings, PCS entitlements, financial planning, learn details about your new homeport, the Sponsorship Program, and much more. • Whether you have shipped your household goods or you are waiting for them to arrive, you can borrow basic household items such as pots, pans, dishes, utensils, appliances, baby items, and furniture from the FFSC’s Loaner Locker.

Military OneSource; http://www.militaryonesource.mil/moving; 800-342-9647 The Relocation Assistance Program (RAP) can help you get organized, make smart financial decisions, understand your allowances, and manage stress. Find maps, photos, and information about your new military installation and state/country. Select “Plan My Move” to create a personal moving calendar with checklists, phone numbers, and links to critical moving processes and information, create a budget and estimate expenses, locate necessary forms for housing and household goods, and take other necessary actions to ensure a successful move. Space-A Information

Military Space-Available Travel (Space A) is a privilege that service members and their families have available to them at no cost. The way Space A travel works is passengers are able to fill empty seats on Air Force, air transport flights. The number of seats available varies on each flight and is based on how many duty passengers and cargo are on the flight. All passengers wishing to travel are placed into one of six categories based on certain criteria and purpose of their travel. Family members may sign up for travel up to 60 days in advance and Active Duty members can sign up the day their leave starts. Passengers are selected for flights based on their category and the date they signed up. Please be advised that when using Space A travel you need to have patience because you will not always be placed on the flight you want. Everyone considering Space A must be prepared to purchase meals, lodging and in some cases return plane tickets (if you need to be home by a certain date and no flights are available). Most Space A terminals update their schedules to show flights for the next 72 hours.For more information about Space A travel please take a looks at the links below:http://www.andersen.af.mil/units/734ams/http://www.amc.af.mil/amctravel/index.aspwww.facebook.com/AndersenPassengerTerminal

**Please contact your Ombudsmen if you need additional guidance and support** USSFrankCableOMB@gmail.com

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A Note from your Command

POLARIS POINT, Guam (Feb. 14, 2014) – The dive locker onboard the submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS-40) safely and effectively replaced one propeller and two sets of bearings in 18 days on Los Angeles class fast-attack subma-rines USS Chicago (SSN 721) and USS Key West (SSN 722). This repair availability allowed Frank Cable Sail-ors to correct material deficiencies while the submarines remained alongside Frank Cable. Dive teams managed high risk lifts of equipment and parts weighing more than 37,000 pounds without injury to personnel and without damage to equipment or to the submarines. The divers amassed 343 man-hours of bot-tom time over the course of these repairs. “My dive locker’s ability to complete these jobs shows that meticulous planning, hard work and attention to detail are evident in their accomplishment. This is a complex and complicated job that can only be accomplished

DIVERS COMPLETE BACK-TO-BACK

SUBMARINE REPAIRS

with a lot of prior planning and proper execution,” said Chief Warrant Officer Raymond Miller, Frank Cable’s diving officer. “The dive locker did an outstanding job accom-plishing both of these jobs. I am extremely proud of their professionalism and devotion to duty.” Frank Cable divers performed all aspects of these repair availabilities. They cleaned equipment, conducted quality control inspections and replaced materials needed without the support of shops and shipyards that most dive lockers are accustomed to. “The closest available dry-dock that can support a Los Angeles class fast-attack submarine is located in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, so having Frank Cable divers perform these repairs while the ships remain in the water, saves the Navy two million dollars in dry-docking fees, transit time to and from the dry-dock, plus four days spent inside the dry-dock facility,” added Miller.

Story By: Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Greg House,Photos By: Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Gabrielle Joyner

Navy Divers assigned to Frank Cable perform maintenance on the submarine USS Key West (SSN 722)

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USS Frank Cable’s Change of Command

“We must con-tinue to promote the relevance of subma-rine tenders, not just to US submariners who rely upon them daily for maintenance and support, but also to the surface navies of the United States and of our allies. We must high light to those outside our submarine lifelines that the ten-ders are not only in-dispensable repair plat-forms, but also viable platforms for inter-national humanitar-ian assistance, disaster relief, theater security cooperation, and for critical war fighting support. Clearly, our relevance is directly tied to our capabili-ties; in order that we keep this ship relevant to be online for an-other 20 years, we must expand upon what we are currently trained and equipped to do. We must get back some of the lost capabili-ties of our proud ten-der fleets of the past, where it makes sense. We must develop new

capabilities to keep up with the fleet modern-ization. This is my vi-sion: increase the capa-bilities of this ship and her crew. Become more relevant to our Navy and to those of our al-lies and thereby persist as an indispensable pro-gram of record within this great navy. In pur-suit of this vision:

-we will adhere to the following principles: the crew will be provid-ed with the necessary training, tools, trust and time to do your job correctly. Time not only for your work, but also time for your family, your heath and fitness, your rest and relaxation, and your worship with your be-liefs. This will help us maintain balance with-in our lives while at work; we will promote a command climate based on open communica-tion, integrity and re-spect. Respect for each other regardless of our differences and on this ship we have quite a

diverse crew”Capt. Mark Benjamin, right, assumes command of the submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40) the change of command ceremony January 31, 2013

- CAPT. MARK BENJAMIN COMMANDING OFFICER USS FRANK CABLE (AS 40)

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POLARIS POINT, Guam (Jan. 31, 2014) – Capt. Mark Benjamin relieved Capt. Pete Hildreth as commanding officer of USS Frank Cable (AS 40) during a change of command ceremony held pierside on Polaris Point, Jan. 31. Rear Adm. Phillip Sawyer, commander, Submarine Force U.S. Pacific Fleet, was the guest speaker at the ceremony where he congratulated Hildreth and the crew of Frank Cable on a job well done. “Pete, you and your Frank Cable team, really hit the ball out of the park in each and every thing we’ve asked you all to do,” said Sawyer. Sawyer presented the Legion of Merit award to Hildreth for his accomplishments during his time as commanding officer. During Hildreth’s tenure as commanding officer, the ship completed over 10,000 jobs in sup-port of submarines and surface vessels in the U.S. Fifth and Sev-

Story By: Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jon Erickson,Photos by: Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jon Erickson, and MC2 Chirstopher Salisbury

pete, you and your Frank Cable team, really hit the ball out of the park in each and

everything we’ve asked you

all to do,” -Rear Adm. Phillip Sawyer, Commander, Submarine Force U.S. Pacific Fleet

enth Fleets area of responsibility and earned numerous awards. Hildreth will be report-ing to Commander, Strike Group FIVE as chief of staff in Atsugi, Japan. Benjamin, a native of Florida, received his commission in 1989 from the NROTC at the George Institute of Technol-ogy and most recently served as Commanding Officer of USS Key West (SSN 722). Benjamin said he is ex-cited to command Frank Cable, and hopes to exemplify the significance of the Navy’s subma-rine tender force during his time aboard. “We must highlight to those outside our submarine lifelines, that the tenders are not only indispensable repair plat-forms, but also viable platforms for international humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, theater security cooperation, and for critical war fighting support,”

Top: presentation of the colors during a change of command ceremonyMiddle: BMSA Jasmine Jackson renders honors for Rear Adm. Phillip Sawyer, commander Submarine Force U. S. Pacific Fleet, during the change of command ceremonyBottom: The crew of Frank Cable presents flowers to show their gratitude to members of the ship’s Family Readiness Group (FRG) during the change of command

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Frank CableMeets

CALL OF DUTY

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jon Erickson,USS Frank Cable Public Affairs

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POLARIS POINT, Guam (March 4, 2014) – Voice ac-tors from the popular video game ‘Call of Duty - Black OPS II’ visited the submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40), March 4. James Burns, the voice of Sgt. Frank Woods, and Kamar de los Reyes, the voice of Raul Menendez, portrayed in the video game ‘Call of Duty - Black Ops II’, came aboard for a tour of the ship and to meet with Sailors to thank them for their service overseas. “I’m honored and humbled by the men and women who work here in support of our country,” said Reyes. “This was an opportunity for us to come aboard and show our appreciation and our support.”In the beginning of the tour, Burns and Reyes received a demonstration of the ship’s Firearms Training Simu-lation (FATS) system in the ship’s weapons depart-ment. The system simulates various live-fire exercises used to assist Sailors in maintaining firearm qualifica-tions. “Getting to see this system was really fun,” said Burns. “I think it’s such a brilliant idea to help keep the force on the ship up-to-date and ready if they ever need to use firearms.” The tour continued to various work centers onboard the ship where Burns and Reyes were able to personally express their appreciation for the Sailors on Frank Cable as well as offer autographs and photos op-portunities for their fans. “I think just about every time I go into a space where there is a video game system, 9 times out of 10, they’re going to be playing Call of Duty against each other,” said Machinery Repairman 1st Class James Garrison, a fan of the video game. “To see the faces

Machinery Repairman 3rd Class Javier Terrones, left, explains to James Burns, right, and Kamar de los Reyes, both voice actors from the video game ‘Call of Duty – Black Ops II’, what Sailors create in the ship’s machine shop during a tour of the ship

James Burns, and Kamar de los Reyes, voice actors from the video game ‘Call of Duty – Black Ops II’ are given a tour of Frank Cable . Their visit was sponsored by the USO and will include multiple locations in Guam and Hawaii to allow Burns and de los Reyes to express their gratitude to service members.

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behind the voices is really cool.” Burns and Reyes both agreed that they were in awe with the efforts the Sailors aboard Frank Cable put into ensuring their mission is successful. “This is by far the most prime example of what it takes to make the military run,” said Burns. “People don’t realize that the bulk of jobs in the military are the ones behind the scenes like the ones here. The workers here are the ones that make our Navy run smooth.” After touring all the work spaces, Reyes point-ed out how enjoyable it was to see the ship and her crew. “It was incredible, I’m still having a hard time wrapping my brain around it all,” said Reyes. “The cohesiveness of this unit is really, really impressive. Watching all the Sailors work together, it seems like they’re at the top of their game and it’s been impressive to watch.”

Kamar de los Reyes, a voice actor from the video game ‘Call of Duty – Black Ops II’, meets the Weapons Officers during a tour of their spaces

Kamar de los Reyes, a voice actor from the video game ‘Call of Duty – Black Ops II’, reads the Bios of the fallen Hospital Corpsman while touring the medical department onboard Frank Cable

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THE BLACK WIDOW

VSSENIOR CHIEF

SANTA RITA, Guam (March 13, 2014) – Senior Chief Personnel Specialist Paul Smith, the executive department’s leading chief petty officer for the submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40), was one of three people to challenge visiting world champion pool player Jeanette Lee “The Black Widow” during her professional pool show, March 13, at Molly McGee’s Irish Pub on Naval Base Guam.“The atmosphere was awesome,” said Smith. “They moved the pool table and made it look like you were actually at a professional pool tournament like they have on ESPN. I’m an avid pool player and she’s definitely someone I have wanted to meet.”Smith and the other two challengers, Manny Alamonte and Mike Pierson, all won previous 8-Ball pool tournaments hosted by MWR Guam. The winner of each tournament earned the right to challenge ‘The Black Widow’. For Lee, it’s not about competition, it’s about giving back.“I’ve been doing events like these every year since 1994,” said Lee. “It’s easily the most rewarding thing I do. It’s how I thank our service men and women for their contribution

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Brandon Shelander, USS Frank Cable Public Affairs

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to our country and I’m happy to give them just a little bit of home.”The evening started out with an hour of Lee and her hus-band George Breedlove, who is also a professional pool player, demonstrating a host of trick shots while explain-ing the physics of pool and what techniques and forces are at play when the pros pull off the shots that leave most amazed. Smith was able to try one of the shots himself when Breed-love set a shot glass at the end of the table and placed a quarter on the bumper. The task was simple in principle, but difficult for all who tried; hit a queue ball at just the right power, straight into the quarter to flip it up and into the glass. Smith tried twice, but came up short.“It was amazing,” said Smith. “Just watching the trick shots and how they can maneuver that queue ball and make dif-ferent shots was fantastic.”Afterwards, they started the main event and Smith finally competed in a one-on-one match with Lee. Smith said everything was going in his favor at first, but he missed one of his final shots which gave Lee the opening she needed to clean the table. “I don’t feel like I have anything to prove,” said Lee. “I came here to give them the best experience possible, but of course I don’t let anyone win.”Lee is a former female number one world-ranked pool player and holds 15 Women’s Professional Billiard Asso-ciation (WPBA) titles. She was ranked as the third most powerful person in the sport by Billiards Digest in 2003 and received the Billiard & Bowling Institute of America’s Indus-

try Service Award in 2002. She was also a gold medalist of the 2001 World Games. According to her biography, Lee had to battle health issues throughout her career. Lee was diagnosed with scoliosis at age 13 and has undergone a total of 11 surgeries to her back, neck and shoulder and has been the national spokes-person for the Scoliosis Association for almost two decades. Despite all of her medical problems, she continues to be a dominate competitor in the sport.Smith said her personal story was inspiring.“I think she’s very humble, very down to earth. Her story that she talked about that evening, shows that just because she’s at a high level and at the top of her game, she still has problems. She has an awesome story because it’s a suc-cessful story. I think we can relate because we all have challenges to overcome and ultimately we’ve got successful stories regardless of whether we’re playing professional pool or we’re professionals in the Navy,” said Smith.Lee will continue her pool show at Anderson Air Force Base before returning back to the United States.

SENIOR CHIEF

Lee “The Black Widow”, a world champion pool player, tries to distract Senior Chief Personnel Specialist Paul Smith, a Sailor stationed aboard Frank Cable (AS 40), dur-ing a trick shot challenge at Molly McGee’s Irish Pub.

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PLAYGROUNDRecycled

BARRIGADA, Guam (March 1, 2014) – Sailors from the subma-rine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40) and the Los Angeles class Fast attack-submarine USS Key West (SSN 722) helped build a playground at the Guahan Charter School in Barragada. The project was a 10-foot diameter tire structure for the kids to play on, stacked up in layers and filled with a mix of Styrofoam and sand. The idea to turn recycled materials into a playground came from the school’s principle, Donna Dwiggins. She saw the project on the website Pinterest, and through her contacts, was able to get local businesses and construction companies to donate tires. “Basically what we’re trying to do with this is divert some of the waste out of the waste stream. The tires are all old tires that can’t be used for anything else,” said Dwiggins.

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHTFRANK CABLE

AGAT, Guam (Jan. 16, 2013)

Sailors assigned to the submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40) and Naval Base Guam took

part in a Big Brothers Big Sisters of Guam community service project at the Pagachao Community Center in Agat, Guam.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Guam and Sailors worked to-gether to organize an afternoon filled with fun for with the kids. The group was split into two, one played ultimate Frisbee and the others made friendship bracelets.

Sexton encourages Sailors to take part next month at the Pagachao Community Center with Big Brothers Big Sisters of

Guam and was grateful to those who showed up.

BIG BROTHERSBIG SISTERS

Thailand (March 25, 2014) – Sailors assigned to the submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40) visit the children and staff at the Child Protection and Development Center in Hua Yai, Thailand. The Sailors volunteered their off-duty time to meet and play games with the children and to learn more about Thai culture. Thailand (March 27, 2014) – Sailors from the submarine tender USS Frank Cable(AS 40) donate clothing to children from the Pattaya Orphanage during a community service event in Pattaya, March 27. Frank Cable Sailors, along with Military Sealift Command civil service mariners, visited the Pattaya Orphanage to present donations and to spend time with the children.

CHILDREN OF

THAILAND

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COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

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Sailor of the Week

MM3Chizobam OkekeonuaraMarch 22, 2014

Repair Department

HM3 Sharon TateMarch 15, 2014

Medical Department

EMSN Marcus WyattFebruary 7, 2014

Repair Department

MM2 Jeremy MooreFebruary 14, 2014

Repair Department

LS2 Jason FordJanuary 30, 2014

Supply Department

MC2 Greg HouseJanuary 10, 2014

HT3 Billy K.WilliamsJanuary 17, 2014

MR2 Wyatt PearsonJanuary 24, 2014

Exec Department

HT2 Kristofer WoodsFebruary 28, 2014

Repair Department

LSSA Abigail LindsayFebruary 21, 2014SupplyDepartment

HT3 Michael KaufmanMarch 7, 2014

Repair Department

Repair DepartmentRepair Department

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CIVMAR of the Week

Every week, USS Frank Cable picks one Sailor to recognize for his or her accomplishments. a Sailor of the week is one who stands out and goes above and beyond the call of duty.

This Sailor gets to eat lunch with the Chiefs, get out of field day and each Sailor of the week gets special recognition from the ship’s commanding officer.

Now we introduce our...

Yeoman StorekeeperRohito TaimanaoFebruary 21, 2014

Chief Radio ElectricianRobert Arredondo Jr.

March 07, 2014

Cargo BoatswainTuaina TogotogoMarch 15, 2014

WiperMark Strauss

March 22, 2014

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POLARIS POINT, Guam (Mar. 15, 2014) – The submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40) upgraded its medical department’s patient care medical records system from a local-only paper medical record system to the Theater Medical Information Program (TMIP) system, March 11.TMIP allows Frank Cable’s medical depart-ment to communicate their crew member’s medical encounters to the DOD’s electron-ic medical record system called AHLTA, the current electronic medical record storage system that comminutes with all military treatment facilities worldwide and is an information source for the Veteran Administration’s medical system. This is a first in that Guam operational platforms can now share medical encoun-ters with Naval Hospital Guam and all other military medical facilities, thus pro-viding better care for all military members.“The software tracks patient encounters more efficiently than other systems. This

MEDICAL DEPARTMENTUPGRADE

system makes it possible to track your progress fleet-wide,” said Hospital Corps-man 3rd Class Sharron Tate, Frank Cable’s petty officer in charge of training for the TMIP system.Using TMIP can also act as a safeguard if something happens to a patient’s medical record.“Even if your paper medical record is lost, this system will retain the data about all previous visits,” said Tate. “This will streamline medical treatment and make treatment information more accessible to other military providers.” Patients are not the only ones reaping the benefits of having this program installed on Frank Cable.“Our staff will greatly benefit from utiliz-ing the TMIP program by allowing us to use the same program that other military hospitals and operational units are cur-rently using,” said Tate. “We all can com-municate on the same system allowing for

maximum treatment services for all of our armed forces.”Frank Cable also recently established a link into AHLTA as an actual clinic, with as-sistance from Naval Hospital Guam. This capability is used while in port. The next planned phase of bringing the electronic medical record systems to the waterfront, now that Frank Cable was able to demon-strate operational success, will be to estab-lish both AHLTA and TMIP clinics for all associated platforms with medical assets.

“We all can communicate on the same system allow-ing for maximum treatment services for all of our armed forces.”

-HM3 Sharon Tate

Hospital Corpsman Sharon Tate logs onto the Theater Medical Information Program (TMIP) system onboard the submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40)

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POLARIS POINT, Guam (March 14, 2014) – The submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40) has an extremely important mis-sion in the Pacific, to maintain and repair submarines and surface ships within the Fifth and Seventh Fleets’ areas of responsibilities.Frank Cable is a small floating city of workshops where just about anything can be repaired or manufactured, and while the work-force is primarily active duty, the U.S. Navy Reserves have an equally important role. “As currently defined, it would be impossible for Frank Cable to meet all aspects of its mission without the contributions of the reserve force,” said Capt. Mark Benjamin, commanding of-ficer of Frank Cable. “Specifically, during a war-time scenario, the augmentation of these 417 reserve Sailors to the Frank Cable team would be necessary to maintain U.S. assets at prescribed levels.” When not at war, the reservists deploy to Frank Cable in segmented teams and are seamlessly integrated into its work-shops. “It’s a smooth transition,” said Hull Maintenance Techni-cian 3rd Class Devon Hopper, a Navy reservists and a civilian call center trainer in Atlanta when she’s not deployed. “Everybody was helpful with my check in process. The crew was really personable and welcoming.” This is Hopper’s first time aboard Frank Cable. Her previous deployment had her in Norfolk, Va., performing admin-istrative work. Once aboard, she was assigned to the ship’s sheet metal shop, where she commenced work on important projects for the ship and tended submarines within a day of her arrival. “I’m learning a lot, especially within my rate, so I’m kind

of trying to absorb as much as information as possible,” said Hop-per. As part of the sheet metal shop, she helped build storage lockers, bunk pans, cup holders and various other items that may seem mundane to the average Sailor, but to a submariner whose space is severely limited, they make all the difference. Reservists who create parts and conduct repairs are fulfilling the role of an Expeditionary Maintenance Detachment (EMD), which is just one part of the bigger pie that is the Subma-rine Force Reserve Component. With this system in place, they lend not only manpower to these vessels, they lend their expertise, which is kept sharp through what’s called the Submarine Force Reserve Intermediate Maintenance Activities (RIMA). “Since over half of the EMDs that support Frank Cable have a RIMA located at their primary drill site, this allows a sig-nificant portion of the reserve work force to hone their technical skills in a production environment during their drill weekend,” said Benjamin. “This routine, continuous training opportunity, permits many reservists to maintain proficiency within their do-main of expertise, which ensures they are always ready to support the strategic war-time mission as well as allowing these Sailors to be more productive team members during their annual training.” Currently the Expeditionary Maintenance Reserve sup-port is made up of 20 detachments spread throughout the United States. Within those detachments, there are 417 Reserve billets, including 18 commanding officers, all reporting directly to Benja-min, who is the reporting senior for this group.

The Frank Cable Reservists

By Mass Communication1st Class Brandon Shelander,USS Frank Cable Public Affairs

“As currently defined, it would be

impossible for Frank Cable to meet all aspects of its mission without the contributions of the reserve force,”

-CAPT Mark Benjamin

Logistics Specialist 3rd Class Robert Revell, right, is trained by Ricardo Munoz and learns more about his rate in the customer service office onboard the Frank Cable

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awards & advancementsNavy Commendation Medal

Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal

CONGRATULATIONS TO FRANK CABLE’S NEWLY FROCKED PETTY OFFICERS

BM3 Tanner Brown ND2 Damian Pelton

LT Stephen BoarwrightMMC William CraigEMC Gerald Fine

MMC Anthony TapiaGMC Justin Webb

BM1 Christopher AbairMM1 Johnathan Archbold

EM1 Ryan BielanskiLS1 Griselda BohanonYN1 Lakendra Brown

YN1 Christopher Capuano

GM1 Carlos CastroGM1 Quincy Conquest

EM1 Bernard DadorSH1 Barry Degoma

EM1 Chistopher DejesusYN1 Erik Estrada

MM1 Benton KubeLS1 Jonathan LeeND1 Mark MartinezSH1 Ebony Sweat

PS1 Christian Vonmaluski

MM2 Roman Arnold HM2 Edinmel Balterocruz

IC2 Michael BrittenGM2 Patrick Castellanos

ND2 Chance GriffithEN2 Rex Hartung

ET2 Raumel LorickMM2 Gregory LovingMM2 Gilbert Martinez

BM2 Jasper OliverPS2 Given Perez

ND2 Ronald RoweMM2 Ronald Tavarez

ET2 David TurnerEM2? Jason VillanuevaEM3 Aubrey Anderson

BM3 Tanner BrownHT3 Tyler Drumm

SH3 Ladonna RiversHM3 Sharon Tate

SH3 Tamisha TownsendLSSN Keeli Matthews

HTFA Mark Wells

LCDR Michael AustinLSCM Therone Fischer

HTCS David DevoeHMCS Dennis DoweryNDCS William DunnEMCS Duane Kiszak

MMC Juan Abreu

EMC Charlie DuqueMMC Joshua EllisonBMC Richard Kinney

HT1 James BaileyBM1 Jarrod HickamMM1 Gary Penzien

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MR3 Carvin, Jacob HT3 Cothren, CortneyEM3 Hardy, ChaseEM3 Jeffreymoe, BradleyHT3 Kaufman, Michael HT3 Lane, Aniecia IT3 Leon, GinoEM3 Loney, Romaine IC3 Morris, AnnET3 Ojedaosorino, LuisET3 Ramey, JohnMM3 Roderrick, RobertsGM3 Sears, DanielleIT3 Smith, Zachary IT3 Springbob, DavidET3 Thomas, EddieIC3 Torain, Favian

HT2 Lewey, WilliamHT2 Mercer, Richard HT2 Meyer, SeanHT2 Montiel, PhillipHM2 Muff, ChristopherMM2 Penetrante, Rhode ET2 Perez, WilliamPS2 Portier, MalcolmND2 Rowe, RonaldEN2 Shute, Terrence HT2 Spivey-Carter, MalcolmHT2 Thorington, TravisHT2 Willson, Michael IC3 Avery, DejuanLS3 Bly, SamuelDC3 Brannon, KennethLS2 Butler, Dominic

GMC Barnet, RaymondMMC Moore, DamonLSC Rodriguez, AntonioMMC Schirmacher, EricBM1 Chinn, CoreyMM1Collier KennethHT1 Dressman, MatthewMM1 Heitjan, JeremyET1 Howe, BrianMM1 Landers, EthanDC1 Strasser, DavidET2 Alexander, LarryHM2 Baltecruz, EdinmelGM2 Belles, NathanialHT2 Bueter, ShaneYN2 Fabre, Melanie HM2 Hopwood, Jennifer

SH3 Tuck, ShakemaEM3 Wade, Reginald PSSN Bobis, JuneBMSN Cason, DanicaMMFN Chavez, David BMSN Gillen, RachelSHSN Gray, DaltonSN Glenn, GreshayLSSN Lindsay, Abigail LSSN Mathews,KeeliICFN Mino, JoshuaMRFN Roberts, MlynnMRFN Timberlake, Edward HTFA Bednarz, Caleb

Cable Connection is an authorized, unofficial publication for the crew and family of USS Frank Cable (AS 40). The magazine content is provided, prepared, and edited by Frank Cable personnel and does not necessarily reflect the official views of, or endorsement by the U.S. Government, Department of Defense or Department of the Navy.

-The Public Affairs Office can be found at 2-135-2-Q and may be contacted at either x7507 or e-mail the webmaster- at PAO@as40.navy.mil