May 11, 2012 -- Penny Press

2 INSIDE

FROM THE EDITOR

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Get to knowMiss America

Images of the Week

Get to knowWeapons

Department

When we left Bahrain a few days ago, we kicked off our sixth month of deployment (has it really only been five months? It feels like we just got underway yesterday)!

What better way to celebrate hitting the 75 percent mark than by inviting a young lady once chosen as our nation’s loveliest, Miss America 2011 herself, Teresa Scanlan. Not only was she sweet and kind, she also rocked the house with the help of Abe’s five-star ship’s band.

Once she left, it was back to work for the crew. Weapons department personnel got back to the business of keeping our ordnance ready for use (read all about them, page 10), and the world-class squadrons of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2 picked up their flight readiness like nothing had happened.

The Golden Falcons of HSC 12 (page 3) were so ready to get back to work, they delivered supplies to the ship a full two days early this week. Thanks, guys! And the Sun Kings of VAW 116 (page 6) watched the whole thing unfold from their usual position in the sky, keeping an eye on all of us and ensuring that everything else ran smoothly.

3VOLUME 24 , ISSUE 17

Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 12 Sailors have completed 34 replenishments-at-sea during their 2011-2012 deployment as of April 26, 14 of

which have been to supply the ships of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 9.

HSC 12’s Detachment 1, operating from aboard the Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship USNS Charles Drew (T-AKE 10), have transferred more than 7,200 pallets of cargo over the past five months, including 784 pallets of mail, 3,927 pallets of food and 896 pallets of parts, said Lt. Noel Koenig, a supply officer aboard Lincoln.

All the pallets were moved during more than 150 flight hours.

“Vertical replenishments (VERTREPs) are a more dynamic evolution, and they enhance front-to-back crew resource management,” said Naval Air Crewmen 2nd Class Christopher Mefford. “It becomes a game of precision, where both helicopter crews are competing to see who can place the load more accurately on the flight deck.”

The detachment on Drew consists of six pilots, six air crewmen and 24 maintenance personnel operating two MH-60S Seahawks, which are used to support at least two scheduled replenishments per week. When the crews are not

involved with VERTREPs, pilots and aircrew fly to maintain currency and complete training objectives in order to obtain higher qualifications for other mission sets.

“As a pilot, you really learn how to operate the helicopter in all of its flight regimes,” said Lt. j.g. Ryan Van Loo, an HSC-12 pilot. “Flying forward, backward and sideways, you must precisely fly the helicopter to the hook-up man without striking any of the loads on the deck.”

HSC-12 also provides search and rescue assets, armed surveillance and reconnaissance, and maritime security operations in support of CSG 9.

HSC-12 is one of nine squadrons deployed as part of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2 aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). CSG 9 also includes the guided-missile cruiser USS Cape St. George (CG 71) and Destroyer Squadron 9, comprised of the guided-missile destroyers USS Momsen (DDG 92) and USS Sterett (DDG 104). CSG 9 is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and combat flight operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Story by Lt. j.g. Amanda McNallyPhoto by MC3 Carlos Vazquez

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4 THE PENNY PRESS

Miss America 2011, Teresa Scanlan, visited USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN

72), May 7-9, and performed for thousands of Sailors while aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier.

While Scanlan has participated in many United Services Organization (USO)-sponsored events since being crowned Miss America in January 2011, the visit to Lincoln was her fi rst to a deployed U.S. naval ship. She also visited Sailors on the guided-missile cruiser USS Cape St. George (CG 71) for several hours, May 8.

“When I fi rst walked on the ship, I was shocked and amazed at how big it was,” she said. “I got to see some really cool things while on board, like going on the fl ight deck while fl ight operations were going on.”

During her visit, Scanlan signed autographs, posed for photographs, ate lunch with crew members, learned about various jobs Sailors perform on the ship and accompanied the ship’s

band during a concert in the hangar bay. Scanlan and the band played various cover songs, including one song on the piano that she performed during the talent portion of the Miss America pageant.

While on stage, Scanlan expressed her appreciation and thanked the Sailors for their service and for their sacrifi ces on behalf of their country.

“It may sound cliché, and I can’t say it enough, but there are no words to express my gratitude,” she said. “There’s no way I can ever say ‘thank you’ enough. Our whole country—every American is saying ‘thank you.’”

Scanlan, who will start college in August, said military service is something she has considered for her future. After law school, she said she might join the Navy to practice military law as a judge advocate general before eventually embarking on a civil law career.

Story by MC3 Carlos Vazquez

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5VOLUME 24 , ISSUE 16U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Colby K. Neal

Miss America 2011, Teresa Scanlan, visited USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN

72), May 7-9, and performed for thousands of Sailors while aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier.

While Scanlan has participated in many United Services Organization (USO)-sponsored events since being crowned Miss America in January 2011, the visit to Lincoln was her fi rst to a deployed U.S. naval ship. She also visited Sailors on the guided-missile cruiser USS Cape St. George (CG 71) for several hours, May 8.

“When I fi rst walked on the ship, I was shocked and amazed at how big it was,” she said. “I got to see some really cool things while on board, like going on the fl ight deck while fl ight operations were going on.”

During her visit, Scanlan signed autographs, posed for photographs, ate lunch with crew members, learned about various jobs Sailors perform on the ship and accompanied the ship’s

band during a concert in the hangar bay. Scanlan and the band played various cover songs, including one song on the piano that she performed during the talent portion of the Miss America pageant.

While on stage, Scanlan expressed her appreciation and thanked the Sailors for their service and for their sacrifi ces on behalf of their country.

“It may sound cliché, and I can’t say it enough, but there are no words to express my gratitude,” she said. “There’s no way I can ever say ‘thank you’ enough. Our whole country—every American is saying ‘thank you.’”

Scanlan, who will start college in August, said military service is something she has considered for her future. After law school, she said she might join the Navy to practice military law as a judge advocate general before eventually embarking on a civil law career.

Story by MC3 Carlos Vazquez

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6 THE PENNY PRESS

The success of a squadron includes many different moving parts. If any piece of the puzzle fails, the job cannot be accomplished;

no single part goes unnoticed.The Sun Kings of Early Warning Squadron

(VAW) 116 play a critical role in the air wing’s mission. VAW-116 is Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2’s eye in the sky. They provide command and control capability for CVW-2, Carrier Strike Group 9, and joint and combined forces. With this much responsibility, each member of the squadron plays a part.

Lt. Blake Baccigalopi, an E-2C Hawkeye pilot, said the VAW-116 airmen drive the squadron’s mission, which is to enable other squadrons to do their job more efficiently.

“I really enjoy the opportunity to interact with the airmen that work on the planes,” he said. “It really is a good feeling whenever you get back from a flight with a group of people welcoming you asking if everything is OK with the plane. Everything that

we do depends upon how many man hours they put in. That’s really what I enjoy the most, that feeling knowing that everyone has worked hard to get the plane ready for me to take into the air.”

Aviation Electrician’s Mate 3rd Class Timothy Buxton, who first reported to the squadron in February 2009, said that although he was lost at first, squadron personnel made him feel at home.

“I didn’t really have a good grasp of what the Sun Kings were all about, but I learned really quickly. I have a good squadron,” said Buxton.

Buxton, whose job consists of frequent communication with the Sun Kings’ pilots regarding maintenance and aircraft equipment, said the squadron is an especially tight-knit group.

“The thing I like the most about our squadron is the relationships that the officers have with the enlisted Sailors,” said Buxton. “We can joke around with our officers, but at the same time, we still have respect for them.”

Buxton said the close interaction reinforces the

Story by MCSA Karolina MartinezPhoto illustrations by MCSN Zachary Welch

Providing ElEctronic SuPPort From thE Air


then it wouldn’t be fit enough to fly and complete the warfighting mission of this air wing. Our jobs as pilots wouldn’t exist.”

Sun Kings Command Master Chief Domingo Soto said the Sun Kings continue to work together to accomplish their duties to help one another and to exemplify the values of unity, teamwork and camaraderie.

“Our strength is that, like we say, ‘Sun Kings take care of Sun Kings,’” Soto said. “I believe every Sun King is family, and we go to great distances to take care of one another.”

“Lead the way” is the Sun Kings’ motto. Soto said he tries to put his airmen in leadership roles to allow them to grow and prosper while also getting to know their personal and professional goals.

“I tell my airmen that their mission is to be successful and to accomplish what goals they come into the Navy to do,” Soto said. “By succeeding, they are happy, and all that intertwines with the squadron’s mission as a whole.”

sense that the squadron is all one team that relies heavily on its support personnel.

“We are the eye in the sky. If our equipment goes down, it affects the other planes. If airmen don’t do their job, then this plane doesn’t fly. If the plane doesn’t fly, then it is a huge detriment to the mission.”

Buxton said a pilot’s job relies heavily upon the expertise of the airmen and their ability to maintain aircraft equipment.

“Without us, this aircraft couldn’t launch,” said Buxton. “You need our technical abilities to power the engines. This job is just as essential as a pilot’s because if the plane doesn’t go up, then the pilot doesn’t have a job. If my equipment doesn’t work, then the pilot doesn’t go to work.”

Baccigalopi agreed that the airmen are critical to the squadron’s success.

“They make this plane combat ready,” Baccigalopi said. “There is a safety aspect as well. If they didn’t work on the plane as hard as they do,

Providing ElEctronic SuPPort From thE Air

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THE PENNY PRESS10

The G-2 division plays an integral role in keeping the ship safe. By qualifying and issuing all the small arms on board, the armory acts as the central point for the security and weapons departments. Without G-2, security would patrol the ship unarmed. The division performs maintenance on a plethora of important equipment ranging from G911 grenandes and 40mm paraflares, to operational tests on the 50 caliber machine gun mounts.Without the work of G-2, not a single jet could carry ordnance, due to the fact that the division is in charge of the light airborne multi-purpose systems (LAMS) attachments that connect the ordnance to the aircraft. Not to mention, they perform maintenance on the magazine sprinkler systems (MSS) that protect the weapons compartment from fire-related casualties. Without the G-2 division, the ship would be in very bad shape.

G-1 division is further subdivided into two different sections: flight deck and Armament Weapons Support Equipment (ASWE) technicians. Flight deck personnel deal with the inspection, issuing and handling of ordnance to and from the flight deck. ASWE handles the maintenance for the support equipment used in Weapons dept., such as the skids we see loaded with ordnance and wheeled around every day. In turn, G-1 acts as a middle man between Weapons dept. and the various squadrons that depend on ordnance being there, ready to load onto aircraft when the mission demands. Without G-1, no transfer of ordnance would occur, resulting in bombs not getting issued to aircraft.

“Inspection of working ordnance is vital to what we do as a divison. Today’s dud could be tomorrow’s improvised explosive device (IED).

--AO3 Corey S. Howard

Layout and information provided by MCSN Zachary Welch

G-3 division plays a vital role for Weapons dept With the responsibilty to build bombs and to test all shipboard ordnance, bomb assembly has a direct impact on the way Lincoln carries out its mission. Everyday objectives, including GPS testing of all laser-guided bombs and the installation of electrical fuses to bomb bodies, prove that G-3 works directly to make the ship a fighting force. Without the work of G-3 personnel, no weapons would be built, no aircraft would launch with ordnance, which would prevent us from supporting our troops on the ground. Needless to say, bomb assembly plays an enormous role in Lincoln’s wartime effectiveness.

“Without us, there would be no bombs for our birds to drop. What good is an aircraft carrier that can’t carry loaded aircraft? You tell me.”

--AO2 Edward Salsberry

G-4 division is responsible for all nine weapons elevators on board. All ordnance transferred to and from the flight deck is transported by G-4. It’s a very large responsibility indeed, especially when you consider that they’re dealing with multimillion dollar ordnance. Additionally, G-4 uses its upper-level elevators (elevators one and two) to transport personnel during medical emergencies. G-4 is yet another division without which our aircraft would be unequipped to provide air support to troops on ground..

“If not for the AOs that work in G-4, our mission as an aircraft carrier would be useless. Our birds would have no bombs to drop and protect our troops. Like a gun with no bullets, what good is that?.”

--AOAN Justin A. Rives

G-5 division is responsible for accounting for all the ammunition on board. They are the ship’s single unit responsible for supervising, coordinating and inspecting all the ordnance on the ship. They handle 1,872 tons of ammo/ordnance, which equates to roughly $2.72 million worth of assets. Aside from that, Ordnance Control schedules breakouts, verifies load/flight plans and gives authorizing issuance throughout Weapons department. Nothing ordnance-related gets the green light without the watchful eye of G-5 division.

“You’re not just pushing around a toy, you’re pushing around a million dollars in ordnance. It’s serious work, so you have to be on your ‘A’ game at all times.”

--AO1 Millard Charles

14 THE PENNY PRESS

James Christopher Redford

Born: April 10Time: 6:59 p.m.

Weight: 8 lbs., 3 oz.Length: 20 in.

Father: AS1 Nicholas Redford

Marley Marie MastroBorn: April 17Time: 11:07 a.m.Weight: 6 lbs., 15 oz.Length: 20 in.Father: ABEAN Nicholas Mastro

Evelyn Rachelle RabeyBorn: April 17

Time: 6:00 p.m.Weight: 5 lbs., 7 oz.

Length: 19 in.Father: ATAN Michael Rabey

Lily CossinsBorn: April 27Weight: 8 lbs., 14 oz.Length: 21 in.Father: AD2 Taylor Cossins

Sofia Grace Sullivan Born: April 30

Time: 6:14 a.m.Weight: 8 lbs., 5 oz.

Length: 21 in.Father: MM3 Travis Sullivan

. Briefly

lt. j.g. Craig WrightVFA-137

A native of Akron, Colo., Lt. j.g. Craig Wright seemed destined to leave his small town and travel the world as a naval aviator.

“My grandfather was a pilot in the Air Force during World War II, and I had always had dreams of being a pilot,” he said. “The Navy seemed like the most exciting option to me. It also seemed like the best way to experience the world outside of a small town in Colorado.”

Wright was inducted into the U.S. Naval Academy in June 2004, shortly after graduating high school. He graduated in 2008, finding his way to the Kestrels of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 137 in October 2011, just in time to aid Lincoln with her routine composite training unit exercise (COMPTUEX) and deployment supporting Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF).

While out to sea, Wright enjoys reading and photography and remains active in both.

“When it comes to photography, a lot of the time the difference between a good picture and a great picture lies in the location. In this job, I’m able to take photos in very interesting locations,” he said.

While not taking photos, Wright reads frequently. “I read a bit of fiction, stuff on politics and history. I like

everything from Tom Clancy novels to the Game of Thrones series,” Wright said. “I most recently read ‘Guns, Germs and Steel,’ a book on why different civilizations and cultures progress at different rates. Pretty interesting.”

Above all, he said he has wholly enjoyed his ride in the Navy up to this point.

“I appreciate all the emails and support I get out here; I love being a part of the Kestrels team, and I really can’t wait for the next port call!”

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Roosevelt, Truman Personnel Join Lincoln Crew for Deployment

Sailors permanently assigned to other ships are currently temporarily assigned duty (TAD) aboard Lincoln to support

the ship as she conducts missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

These TAD personnel, from the Nimitz-class aircraft carriers USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) and USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), are also embarked with Lincoln’s crew to earn qualifications and get experience serving at sea on a deployed aircraft carrier.

“We have at least 50 Sailors TAD to departments throughout the ship” said Chief Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) Mike Hopkins, who is himself TAD to Lincoln’s flight deck. “It’s a great experience to be on a ship that’s actually operational and not in a shipyard right now.”

Many of Lincoln’s TAD personnel are deployed aboard a ship for the first time. Of the 15 Sailors TAD to the ship’s Deck department, only two have been deployed before.

“When I came aboard, I was amazed that the ship actually had things inside of it,” said Seaman Haley Sahr. “When we arrived on the Roosevelt, our ship was stripped down to just bulkheads.”

Seaman Alton Young, a maintainer of one of Lincoln’s fueling stations, said he is glad to be able to deploy in order to further his naval career. “It takes some time getting used to a deployed environment, but it’s a very rewarding experience,” he said.

Serving aboard Lincoln grants the TAD personnel opportunities they wouldn’t have in a shipyard environment.

“Being deployed allows a lot of our personnel to work on warfare pins as well as work in their professions,” said Hopkins. “It also benefits Lincoln in the fact that the ship’s crew has extra help on deployment.”

Sahr said that wherever they work, all their efforts ultimately serve the same goal. “At the end of the day, we’re all in the same Navy regardless of what ship we serve on,” Sahr said. “We all support the same mission.”

Story by MCSN Benjamin Liston

May 11, 2012 -- Penny Press

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