July 26, 2012 Vol. 1 Issue 45

With so many careers affected by Perform-To-Serve (PTS) and Enlisted Review Board (ERB), it is crucial for Sailors to know the most up to date and correct information about separation from the Navy.

Pre-separation counseling through Department of Defense form 2648 in conjunction with transition assistance program (TAP) classes are being offered on board the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) to ensure that Sailors, who are separating, both voluntarily and involuntarily, will step into the civilian world with their right foot forward.

“The 2648 pre-separation counseling is for anyone within 12 months of their soft end of active obligated service,” said Navy Counselor 1st Class Dominique Sanchez. “It’s mandated for every transiting Sailor, enlisted and officer.”

The pre-separation counseling reviews a checklist of information which Sailors will take with them to TAP class to help them form an individualized plan for crossing into

the civilian sector. It reviews and provides contact information for job search and placement assistance, financial planning, family care, housing and relocation assistance, GI bill and educational privileges, medical and dental coverage, and legal assistance.

“There are a lot of ‘sea-lawyers’ out there,” said Sanchez. “If you don’t attend both of these classes you’ll never get the right information about benefits offered to you.”

What’s Inside

ESO Note

RemindersPFA Information: BCA: Aug. 27-31, Sept. 17-21 PRT: Sept. 4-7, Sept. 24-28

Seeing StarsPg. 3

Silent HeroesPg. 4 & 5

Sinking ShipsPg. 7

*Medical Waivers due by Aug. 28

The new NCPACE term will begin 10 September. Registration will be held 16-20 August. The request form and a list of courses are located at: S:\ADMIN\PUBLIC\ESO\NCPACE. All request forms are due to the ESO by 15 August. In order to participate in NCPACE you must attend a crew brief and education plan on file with Navy College. Various courses have pre-requisites which must be completed prior to registration. For additional information, contact the educational services officer at J-Dial 5031.

The list of Sailors eligible to take the September exam has been posted to the ESO public folder: S:\ADMIN\PUBLIC\ESO. E5 EP Sailors must route a special request chit approved by the department head and submitted to the ESO no later than Wednesday, 1 August. Departmental yeomen must submit the most recent periodic evaluation for their Sailors to the ESO office. Worksheet signing will take place per the following schedule:

NCPACE

ADVANCEMENT

- E6 exam - 28 July - 2 August - E5 exam - 6 - 10 August - E4 exam - 13 - 17 August

Nimitz Helps With Smooth TransitionStory by MC2 (SW) Robert Winn

See TAP on PG. 7

Chief Aviation Ordnanceman Robert Vegara walks through the honorary sideboys during his retirement ceremony in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii July 3, 2012. (Photo by MC3 Ian Cotter)

Commanding OfficerCAPT Jeff S. RuthExecutive OfficerCAPT Buzz Donnelly

Command Master ChiefCMDCM Teri McIntyre

Public Affairs OfficerLCDR Karin Burzynski

EditorMC3 Ryan Mayes Lead Designer

MC3 Renee L. Candelario

Nimitz News accepts submissions in writing. All. submissions are subject to review and screening. “Nimitz News” is an authorized publication for the members of the military services and their families. Its content does not necessarily reflect the official views of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Navy, or the Marine Corps and does not imply endorsement thereby.

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1812 - Frigate Essex captures British brig Leander.1912 - First airborne radio communications from naval aircraft to ship (Lt. John Rodgers to USS Stringham).1942 - Capt. Joy Bright Hancock appointed director, Women’s Naval Reserve.1948 - President Harry S. Truman orders desegregation of the Armed Services.1954 - -

Aviation Boatswain’s Mates (Equipment) brace against the thrust of an E-2C Hawkeye from the Wallbangers of Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 117 as it prepares to launch off the flight deck of Nimitz. (Photo by MC2 Michael D. Cole)

Three aircraft from USS Phillippine Sea (CVA 47) shoot down two Chinese fighters that fired on them while they were providing air cover for rescue operations for a U.K. airliner shot down by a Chinese aircraft.

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Keep Your head SW IVEL

Story byMC2 (EW/AW) Eva Marie Ramsaran

on a Story by MC2 (SW/AW) Eva-Marie Ramsaran

Many people when working on a project, walking around the ship or simply going down a ladder well take safety for granted, whether it is not wearing the proper personal protective equipment or not paying attention to where they are walking throughout the ship; thus potentially causing harm to themselves or those around them.

Little do they know that there is a department aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) whose sole purpose is to “keep an eye out” or ensure the safety of more than 4,500 personnel and roughly 1,500 compartments on board. This department, comprised of 11 service members of various rates identified by their white jerseys with green crosses, is known as the Safety Department.

The reason for having diverse rates work in safety is so that at a minimum one person will have the knowledge of what is happening in certain work centers or areas around the ship.

“All we do is observe,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) 1st Class (AW) Steven W. Augustine, Safety Department leading petty officer. “A lot of people get really focused on their job and sometimes aren’t aware of what is going on around them, that’s why we remove ourselves from everything that is going on so we can find things that could potentially hurt someone.”

Personnel in safety conduct daily walk-throughs around the ship looking for safety hazards in work centers such as having illegally stored hazardous material, having items that aren’t approved for use and departments not performing the proper planned maintenance system (PMS) in their designated spaces.

“PMS is the number one thing that most people are complacent about on the ship,” said Chief Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (AW/SW) Robert Scott, Safety Department leading chief petty officer. “There’s no sense of ownership and a lack of enthusiasm when it comes to the material condition of the ship.”

Scott explained that if Sailors have something they can call their own in their respective spaces, they would take more responsibility and care for it, as they would do if they were at home.

Not only does the department perform walk-throughs, they also give training, ensure evolutions such as general quarters, damage control and engineering drills are conducted safely and maintain a firm presence on the flight deck during flight operations.

“The flight deck is one of the most dangerous areas on the ship,” said

Augustine. “Our presence alone makes people check themselves out there. Some of these guys don’t pay attention to their surroundings when they are wrapped up in what they are doing as plane captains, maintainers, AOs (aviation ordnancemen) loading ordnance. We are basically the eyes on the back of everyone’s heads.”

Currently, the Safety Department is working on the command wide industrial hygiene survey, which reports potential health hazards from different work centers on the ship and preparing for Nimitz’ upcoming safety stand down in August.

So while you are out there on the deck plates, keep your head on a swivel, pay attention to your surroundings and don’t slide down the ladder wells!

“We are basically the eyes on the back of everyone’s heads.”

- ABE1 Steven Augustine

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on a

Story byMC2 (EW/AW) Eva Marie Ramsaran

Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) 1st Class Steven Augustine stands watch over the flight deck as the safety observer. (Photo by MC3 Ryan J. Mayes)

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Throughout the course of Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2012, multiple countries are given the opportunity to lead several exercises.

Sailors from different nations, such as Chile, Colombia, Peru and Australia, are currently working on board the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Colombia has provided two officers to the crew.

“This is Colombia’s third time participating in RIMPAC,” said Lt. Cmdr. Pablo Perafan, Colombian commanding officer of the Buemaventura Coast Guard Station. “This is my first RIMPAC and it’s been a huge experience for me and all my expectations have been met.”

The Colombians aim to enhance their navy’s maritime operations based on their experiences gained on Nimitz like shipboard life, how the crew trains and conducts flight operations.

“Watching flight operations is awesome,” said Lt. Cmdr. Carlos

Cruz. “We don’t have the same kinds of aircraft or strike operations. I’ve been learning a lot more about strike operations and maritime practices.”

Working alongside the Operations Department, the Colombians can be found in the zulu module of Nimitz’ Combat Direction Center (CDC) along with the Chileans and Peruvians.

“Both of us have the same position as a watch officer in the zulu module,” said Perafan. “We observe operations, how evolutions work every day and we keep track of ships, submarines and aircraft. We also track, plot, watch and look for different types of threats like sub-surface, surface and air.”

Nimitz offers a unique perspective as the largest of Colombia’s ships, a supply ship, is only one-twentieth the size of an aircraft carrier.

“It’s amazing to see 5,000 people working together 24 hours a day,”

said Perafan. “People are always working somewhere, no matter what time of day it is. It’s very disciplined here.”

Cruz and Perafan appreciate the friendships and hospitality they’ve received since embarking Nimitz.

“You all are beautiful people,” said Perafan. “We want to thank everyone here, especially our sponsor, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 23. The work done here is fantastic. We’re very proud to be here.”

This year’s Colombian involvement is just the beginning. Colombia hopes to increase their participation in RIMPAC over the next few years.

“We expect to send some surface ships and submarines in the next RIMPAC,” said Perafan. “We also hope to be a part of the staff because [RIMPAC] is the most important and biggest maritime operation in the world.

USS Nimitz Welcomes ColombiaStory by MCSN Jess Lewis

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Kauai, Hawaii -A live-fire exercise, part of Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2012, sank the ex-USS Kilauea (T-AE-26) in waters 15,480 feet deep, 63 miles off the coast of Kauai.

A sink exercise (SINKEX) benefits the U.S. Navy and participating allies and partners by providing crews the opportunity to gain proficiency in tactics, targeting and live firing against surface targets, which enhances combat readiness of deployable units.

“HMAS Farncomb’s success reminds us yet again of the invaluable role submarines play in modern warfare,” said Combined Forces Maritime Component Commander, Commodore Stuart Mayer. “RIMPAC allows us to train with our allies for a worst case scenario in a real life environment.”

Former Navy vessels used in SINKEXs are prepared in strict compliance with regulations prescribed and enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Strict environmental compliance is observed during all SINKEXs. Each SINKEX is required to sink the hulk in at least 1,000 fathoms (6,000 feet) and at least 50

nautical miles from land. Surveys are conducted to ensure that humans and

marine mammals are not in an area where they could be harmed during the event.

Ex-USS Kilauea was an ammunition ship commissioned in August 1968, decommissioned and transferred to MSC in October 1980 and deactivated in September 2008.

The Navy offers a lot of benefits for Sailors, explained Lt. Andrew Meyer, part of Reactor Electrical division and attendee of a recent 2648 class. Though, the Navy won’t just give these benefits to you -- you have to seek them out and apply for them.

“You should think of this as a tool to get you as much information as you need,” said Meyer. “The only person in charge of your career is you. If you don’t go out and apply for these things, then you’ll lose out on the opportunity to take advantage of them.”

Sanchez encourages service members to bring their spouse along when attending the classes.

“These benefits are for both Sailors and their families,” said Sanchez. “It’s highly encouraged to bring your spouse so they can be aware of the benefits offered to

them independently of those offered to you. The class was very worth my time, explained Meyer.“It was a short class, I was only away from work for

an hour,” said Meyer. “I got a range of websites and databases to pull information from.”

Sanchez notes that one of the most forgotten things about transition that Sailors have is one of the Navy’s initial promises.

“The Navy tells you when you first enlist, ‘We’ll pay to get you to boot camp, and pay to get you back home when you’re done,’” said Sanchez. “It takes a lot to move back to your home of record. And that’s a whole move, not just a plane ticket home.”

Pre-separation classes are offered Wednesdays at 10 a.m. in the Education Services Officer’s (ESO) classroom. For more information on separation and veterans benefits, contact you departmental career counselor.

Third Sink Exercise during RIMPAC

TAP: Aid For the Next Step

Story and photo provided by COMTHIRDFLT Public Affairs

Navy News

Ex-USS Kilauea (T-AE-26) sinks 63 miles off the coast of Kauai as part of a sink exercise during RIMPAC.

Continued from PG. 1

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