“This is a drill, this is a drill. Man overboard, man overboard.”

To some, it’s just another routine muster, but for others, it’s a matter of life or death. When the man overboard call is sounded, whether it’s the real deal or just a drill, everyone on board the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), including the air wing, has to muster with their respected departments within 12 minutes.

For Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 6, it’s more than just getting to muster on time. Four personnel, consisting of a pilot, co-pilot, hoist operator and a rescue swimmer, rush

to ready room five and check in. After

checking in, the pilots and hoist operator grab their gear and scurry up to the flight deck to begin the pre-flight checklist while the rescue swimmer gets dressed out into a wet or dry suit, depending on the weather conditions and a Trisar harness.

The pilot and co-pilot fly the helicopter

The culinary specialist staff attached to the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) helped Sailors who were born in the month of June celebrate their birthday while being underway by hosting a birthday luncheon June 28.

While underway, Sailors don’t get the opportunity to celebrate their birthdays with their families and friends. To help cope with that, the S-2 division treat them with a special meal including cake and ice cream.

“This birthday celebration makes the Sailors feel special at least for one day,” said Senior Chief Culinary Specialist Glenn Delacruz, production chief for S-2 division. “Being out to sea is not a bad

June 29, 2012 Vol. 1 Issue 31

See “CELEBRATING” page 3

See “MAN IN THE WATER” page 4

Nimitz Celebrates Birthdays with Special Meal

HSC 6: Ready at a Moment’s Notice

Story and photos by MCSN Jesse Monford

Sailors enjoy their birthday meal in the forward mess decks.

Cmdr. Steven Nassau, commanding officer of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 6, performs start ups prior to lifting off the flight deck. Photo by MC2 Michael Cole

Story by MCSN Jess Lewis

Lance Cpl. Connor J. Pruett, an Aviation Ordnance Technician from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 323 aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), was selected as the ship’s Marine of the Day June 28.

While underway, Pruett helped ensure VMFA 323 was outfitted with correct aircraft armament equipment and was responsible for their inventories and condition. Pruett, originally from Alpha, Ill., joined the Marine Corps out of high school in January 2011, something he had wanted to do since he was six years old.

While serving in the Marine Corps, Pruett plans to work up to the rank of Staff Sgt. and eventually become a gunner. In his free time, Pruett enjoys reading and tinkering with computers.

USS Nimitz’ Marine of the Day

Lance Cpl. Connor Pruett stands by an F/A-18F Super Hornet assigned to Marine Strike Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 323.

Photos by MC3 Ian Cotter

Capt. Jeff Ruth, commanding officer of USS Nimitz, named Lance Cpl. Connor Pruett Marine of the Day, June 28 in the Pilot House.

Commanding OfficerCAPT Jeff S. RuthExecutive Officer

CAPT Buzz DonnellyCommand Master Chief

CMDCM Teri McIntyrePublic Affairs OfficerLCDR Karin Burzynski

EditorMC2 Robert Winn Lead Designer

MC3 Jacob Milner

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.

Page 2

thing, but having a special moment away from family is. We have to make it a little bit more special.”

Having birthday celebrations balances out the loneliness of being out to sea. The birthday celebrations have been going strong on board Nimitz for the past few months, he added. It slowed down due to the ship being in dry dock.

A lot of hard work went into the preparations for this event. The Sailors who prepared this meal stayed up later than usual the previous night to prepare the meals.

“Last night after dinner we came here [forward mess deck] to pre-stage everything,” said Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Justin Untalan, the supply, management and assessment tiger team supervisor. “We did everything from the tablecloths to setting up the eating utensils. The vegetables for the Sailors were already precut from last night as well.”

The Sailors who attended enjoyed their meal. The ship’s menu for the June celebrants included roast pork,

chicken yakisoba, beef afritada, shrimp fried rice, lumpia, vegetable chop suey, egg drop soup, and cake and ice cream.

“This is definitely the best meal I have had in the two years that I’ve served on the Nimitz,” said Information Systems Technician Seaman Bradley McMichael, one of many Sailors who celebrate their

birthday in the month of June.After their meal was over, a lot of

the Sailors came back through the line to thank the culinary staff for the good meal, added Untalan.

“These Sailors are very happy,” said Delacruz. “Just the thought of good service and actually thinking about their special day, they really appreciate this.”

Celebrating: June Birthdays on the Mess DecksContinued from page 1

Logistics Specialist Seaman Pavel Varfolomeev is served his birthday meal on the forward mess decks.

Page 3

Naval Air Crewman 2nd Class Thomas Fortney from Knoxsville, Tenn., attached to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 6, simulates a survivor in the water during a drill as part of plane guard operations. Photo by MC2 (AW/SW) Michael Cole.

An HH-60H Seahawk helicopter of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 6 prepares to land on the flight deck. Photo by MC3 Jacob Milner.

while the hoist operator acts as a backseat driver, dictating to the pilots where exactly to go to rescue the person in the water. The hoist operator will also assist in direct deployment of the rescue swimmer. Direct deployment is when the rescue swimmer stays attached to the helicopter by a line hooked to the helicopter and also to the Trisar harness.

“An alert 30, or a pre-flight inspection is done before we can go up,” said Lt. j.g. Brian Knoll, a pilot attached to HSC-6. “It’s a very coordinated event.”

The primary missions of the squadron while attached to the ship are man overboards, medical evacuations and plane guard. Plane guard takes place whenever flight operations are taking place. The squadron has a helicopter up in the

air just in case a pilot has to do an emergency ejection or in case something else goes wrong and an immediate rescue is necessary.

“We always practice like it’s the real deal,” said Lt. j.g. Mary Hesler, another pilot attached to HSC-6. “We run through different scenarios that could happen. SAR (search and rescue) is our bread and butter.”

During Nimitz’ last deployment, there was a case of an actual man overboard while HSC-6 was conducting passenger transports between the different ships.

“My adrenaline was pumping,” said Naval Air Crewman 2nd Class (NAC/AW) Bryan Pancoast. “It’s all a muscle memory. You just get into a groove and do what you’re trained

Man in the WaterContinued from page 1

Page 4Page 4

to do. We were already out when it happened so we searched for a few minutes and found him. The pilot hovered 15 feet over the water at zero knots and I jumped in after him.”

When it comes to a man overboard, time is of the essence. Depending on how long the person has been gone for, the temperature of the water, if the ship has changed direction, the sea currents and what the person is wearing will help the pilots, hoist operator and rescue swimmer pinpoint the location of the man overboard.

“During the last man overboard drill, we were manned up

and ready to go in under 15 minutes,” said Hesler. “Muster times need to be cut down to optimize chance of survival for someone who’s in the water. The quicker the muster takes place, the sooner we can get in the air to find that person in the water.”

It’s essential for crewmembers to take man overboard announcements seriously, whether it’s a drill or not. If someone is in the water, they literally only have minutes to survive. The longer musters take, the less of a chance that person has to survive, said Hesler.

Page 5Page 5

Baking as a profession—it may not seem like something befitting an aircraft carrier working to re-achieve combat readiness, but for Culinary Specialist (CS) 3rd Class Jordan Marrero and Culinary Specialist 3rd Class James Hibbard that’s exactly what it is. Serving aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68), Marrero and Hibbard team up to serve the ship’s galleys with an average of 22 cakes and 40 cases of cookies for the Sailors found from the catwalks to capstan each day as Nimitz’ bake shop personnel.

“All most people know about baking is that their moms used to do it,” Marrero said with a smile. “But for us, it’s how we contribute to the team.”

For Marrero and Jordan, teamwork is the aroma of lemon zest or chocolate as a cake is pulled right out of

the oven. It is the rising bread, neat orders of wheat and grain growing into their own military formation. It is the texture of icing not hardened by the absence of enough milk or butter. It is the idea of service through individual skill.

“We aren’t on the flight deck catching or launching aircraft; we’re not turning wrenches,” said Marrero. “Instead we provide a little serving of comfort at the end of a meal that hopefully puts a smile on a Sailor’s face and allows them to go and accomplish their mission. That’s what counts for us.”

Having spent the better part of two years assigned to Nimitz, Marrero, an Elbert, Colo., native, bounced from galley to galley before settling in the bake shop five months ago. Primarily working alone as the ship’s baking team lead, Marrero received help when Hibbard and his squadron, Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 75 based out of North Island, Calif., checked on board for carrier qualifications.

“They asked me what I could do when I got on board,” said Hibbard. “I told them I could do whatever they needed, so they stuck me in the bake shop, right where I had no prior experience.”

For Hibbard, this assignment wasn’t what he expected and put another twist in his Navy experience. Starting his Navy tour by training to be a sonar technician, Hibbard, originally from Los Angeles, Calif., only became a CS after being told to re-rate while in “A” school.

“I had to re-rate and my options were undesignated or CS. I was disappointed in losing sonar tech, but I am not disappointed with how things turned out,” said Hibbard.

Following “A” school, Hibbard was assigned to HSM-75 where he was given a serious crash course in culinary improvisation.

“When I got to my squadron I was expecting to do much more cooking and cooking from scratch, but all they had was a barbeque grill. I had to work with my materials, so I just converted from working with a conventional kitchen set-up to using frying pans on a barbeque.”

Now serving aboard Nimitz, that adaptability and ‘just go with it’ mentality is serving him well as he grows accustomed to baking the sweet treats and hearty breads required of him.

“I always learn really quickly, I just need someone to show me how it’s done,” said Hibbard.

Learning quickly is exactly what Hibbard has done under the watchful eye of Marrero. The two have worked

A Sweet TreatStory and photos by MC2 Vladimir Potapenko

Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Jordan Marrero frosts a cupcake in the bake shop.

Page 6

so well together that within just a few short weeks their reputations inside of the galleys have grown.

“All I can say is that they’re superb,” said Culinary Specialist 1st Class Gerardo Reyes, S-2’s leading petty officer. “They never have any complaints; they just go out and do the job, even if it is a last minute tasking. Not only is it done, but it’s done well.”

“The bake shop is one of the hearts of our restaurant,” Reyes added. “If you eat, then you must have a dessert; and if you have a dessert, then it must be good. People go crazy for sweets, so we are lucky to have the kind of people we do in the bake shop.”

Though appreciated, the adulation of their supervisors is not what keeps Marrero and Hibbard working on cake after cake.

“It is about the crew,” said Marrero. “To see Sailors enjoying what you do, to actually see that and have them come up to you and show appreciation, it means a lot.”

“Cakes and cookies and sweets are just one of those little things that make it easier for others to cope with their lives,” said Hibbard. “If you eat a meal you didn’t enjoy, then your whole morale can suffer right along with it. But, if you have a good dessert to top it off, you might go back with a different attitude and look forward to the rest of your day. People always remember best what comes last.”

For Marrero and Hibbard, the name of the game is self-improvement. As they improve their product, they can see it reflected in the morale of the ship, and it is that cause and effect relationship that exemplifies the symbiosis of shipboard life.

“It‘s a chain, a cycle of improvement,” said Marrero. “Yes, the bake shop is a small piece, but add in another small piece from the guy in Engineering who had a good piece of cake and add in the small piece from someone in Air who liked their brownie, and next thing you know you have something much larger than you initially figured.”

“We are all important, so we all deserve to have our cake and eat it too,” said Hibbard.

Culinary Specialist 3rd Class James Hibbard selects a fresh egg to use in his recipe.

Page 7

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