MAKING THE CUTThe honor guard on board

the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) held tryouts in the hangar bay during the week ending June 28 and selected nine new members.

In order to qualify to be a member of the honor guard, the Sailors must receive approval from their divisional command, be available to participate for all five days of tryouts, have their primary warfare pin within the allotted

time on board, have one year left on board, have no non-judicial punishments within the last year, be qualified in all divisional in-rate and ship qualifications and have no failures for the last two physical fitness assessment cycles.

“We are looking for 12 people to join the honor guard,” said Aviation Ordnanceman 1st Class Michael S. Prine, of Lemoore, Calif., Nimitz’ Honor Guard leading petty officer.

“There are eight people now, but we are looking to have a total of 20 people in the honor guard.”

Members of Nimitz’ honor guard have to learn how to properly hold flags and how to drill since the positions can change from ceremony to ceremony. The rifles and flag holders also have to be as close to the same height as possible so that the rifles and

Volume 2 Issue 56July 4, 2013

continued on pg. 3

Nimitz honor guard selects new members b

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Editor

MC2 (SW) Jason Behnke

Lead Designer

MC3 (SW) George J. Penney III

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.

Public Affairs Officer

LCDR Karin Burzynski

Commanding Officer

CAPT Jeff Ruth

Executive Officer

CDR John Cummings

Command Master Chief

CMDCM Teri McIntyre

From the Top

Dual-military couples who tie the knot this year can add one more bullet to their wedding to-do list if they wish to initiate

additional life insurance benefits for their new spouse, officials said July 1.

“Sailors married to other service members must now apply for FSGLI (Family Servicemembers Group Life Insurance) if they wish to have spousal coverage,” said Alan Gorski, Navy Casualty Policy Compliance branch head.

Section 642 of the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act repeals the automatic enrollment in FSGLI for service members married to other service members.

“In the past when dual-military couples got married, additional life insurance coverage would be automatic for most service members already enrolled in SGLI (Servicemembers Group Life Insurance),” said Gorski. “In the case of service members married to other service members, this was often perceived as ‘dual-coverage.’ Automatic deductions often went undetected and in some cases, if premium deductions did not begin right away, there was often times a large amount of back-premiums due. The change in law allows a service member to make their own choice regarding the additional coverage.”

By law, when a Sailor enters the Navy, he or she is automatically awarded SGLI coverage. Upon marriage or the birth of a child, a non-military spouse or child is automatically enrolled in FSGLI. The coverage starts as soon as the marriage or birth is documented and is retroactive to the date of the marriage or birth. The service member may decline the spousal portion of the coverage, but children are automatically covered, with no premiums required.

Sailors must also remember to update their personal and family information in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility and Reporting System (DEERS) within 60 days of any life-changing event such as marriage, divorce, birth of a child or adoption. Failure to do so could result in breaks in eligibility for that family.

For more information about FSGLI coverage, visit http://www.npc.navy.mil/CommandSupport/CasualtyAssistance/FSGLI/, or call 1-866-U-ASK-NPC.

FSGLIfor dual military marriages

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flags are the same height when they are held in formation.

“Presenting colors for various ceremonies and functions such as retirements, commissionings, chief pinnings and award ceremonies are involved in being a member of the honor guard,” said Electronics Technician 2nd Class Yukie M. Grubbs, of Salinas, Calif., Nimitz’ honor guard commander.

Sailors who want to be part of the honor guard should have military bearing, professionalism and be overall good Sailors who will represent their division in a positive way, Grubbs said.

“It’s on a volunteer basis, and their division has to allow them time to be in the honor guard,” said Prine. “They have to have all their basic qualifications done for their division.”

To be in the honor guard, Sailors have to sacrifice a lot of their personal time to practice

for retirements, reenlistments and welcoming ceremonies. They have to practice for weeks for a ceremony because each routine is specific for each occasion.

After an extensive week of tryouts, Nimitz’ honor guard members chose the following nine Sailors to become members of their team:

Interior Communications Electrician 2nd Class Jennifer Cavazos, Information Systems Technician 2nd Class Jasper Mallari, Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Fuel) 3rd Class Gerardo Gascon, Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Fuel) 3rd Class Nile Guerrero, Information Systems Technician 3rd Class James Hudson, Operations Specialist 3rd Class Chauncey Medina, Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Elizabeth Collins, Quartermaster Seaman Cheyann Wright and Airman Apprentice Jarnell Conrad, the newest members of Nimitz’ Honor Guard.

Sailors try out for Nimitz honor guard.

4

HOPESpreading

Nimitz chaplain visits USS Princetonby MC3 Phillip Ladouceur

5

Lt. Andrew Colvin, a chaplain assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), visited the guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59) to perform Catholic services for Sailors, June 27.

“I’m assigned to the Nimitz, but I am the only Catholic chaplain in the strike group,” said Colvin. “I provide Catholic services to ships throughout the strike group.”

Colvin performed mass and took confession for Catholic Sailors while on board.

“What’s special about the visit of a priest is that we can actually have a mass, receive communion, and we can do other things we wouldn’t normally be able to do in the absence of a priest,” said Lt. j.g. Connor Flynn, Catholic lay leader on board Princeton.

Flynn says Colvin usually visits bi-monthly. During those visits he performs six to eight masses for Catholic Sailors.

“Father Colvin makes a great effort to come out to the different ships,” said Flynn.

When a priest is unavailable, Catholic Sailors still have lay services with one another.

“In the absence of a priest we provide the lay services,” said Flynn. “What’s important about providing these services is that it’s a piece of home and it’s a comfort to know you can worship with fellow Catholics.”

Colvin also provides guidance to those Sailors who are considering converting.

“If someone expresses interest in becoming Catholic, I try to provide them with the instruction materials,” said Colvin. “And then at some point set the date to actually have the ceremony.”

In addition to performing Catholic mass and taking confessions, Colvin also provides services to non-Catholic Sailors when he comes on board.

“I also provide general pastoral care, anyone who just wants to come and talk or pray,” he said.

Colvin’s services are also available to Sailors here on board Nimitz. For more information about the services provided by Religious Ministries, call J-Dial 6450.

Through the Lens

Aviation ordnancemen load missiles on a F/A 18 Super Hornet.

EOD2 David Medwedeff gives midshipmen basic training on explosive ordnance disposal.

A midshipman practices a fast roping technique as part of an EOD unit tour.

ABH2 Trevor Grimes directs a plane in the hangar bay.

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