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VOLUME 1, NO. 25 | 16 SEPTEMBER 2011

By Thomas Jamestjames@kitsapnavynews.com

The federal government last week stopped all payments to a Bremerton-based Puget Sound Naval Shipyard contractor after citing violations of federal law.

The Department of Labor on Sept. 1 told PSNS to withhold all payments from Puget

Feds stop payments to PSNS

contractor

SEE STOP | PAGE 5

By Thomas JamesTjames@kitsapnavynews.com

W hat’s long and red, with a big black snout?

If you guessed the MNV-2 submarine, you just might have been one of the eight teens that took part in the Naval Undersea Museum’s summer teen docent program, and helped choose, design and install the museum’s new Remotely Operated Vehicle exhibit.

“ROV’s,” a card on the wall explains, “can be used to complete tasks divers can’t reach themselves.”

That text, along with the rest of the narrative information provided with the displays, was researched and writ-

ten by participants in the program, said museum curator Mary Ryan.

“The idea of the program is that they get to make the choices,” said Ryan. “It’s a learning experience.”

Installed at the end of August, the exhibit is called Extending Our Reach, and features three artifacts from the museum’s collection of unmanned submarines.

The MNV-2, or Mine Neutralizing Vehicle, greets visitors walking through the front doors, and forms the centerpiece of the exhibit.

Behind it are the RCV-125, an exploratory submarine nicknamed “the f lying eyeball” for its distinctive shape, and a scale model of the CURV III, a submarine built for remote recovery operations.

The teens chose the three to show the two general categories of unmanned underwater vehicles, as defined by their mission: observation versus work.

And although Ryan said this year’s group wanted to focus more on the variety of modern technology than on ancient history, the exhibit isn’t

without its historical points of inter-est: MNV-class subs were deployed to operation Desert Storm, while CURV, the mechanical grandparent to CURV III, was used to recover a lost nuclear weapon from the Mediterranean Sea.

The exhibit arrived earlier this month at almost the same time as the museum’s new head educator, John Buchinger, who Monday detailed his plans to make the museum an asset for local teachers.

The teen docent program, Ryan said, starts mid-June and runs through Aug. 31. During the annual program, participants split their time evenly between preparing the exhibit, building a functional ROV of their own and leading the museum’s sum-mer educational program for younger children.

Each year’s exhibit topic is based on a theme chosen by the museum’s director, but from there on out it’s all about the teens, said Ryan. This year’s group chose the centerpieces of the display from 10 ROVs in the muse-um’s collection, wrote the exhibit’s

By the kids, for the kidsJohn Buchinger, the Naval Undersea Museum’s new educator, stands beside the MNV-2, part of an exhibit designed and built by the museum’s summer teen docent program. Also pictured is the RCV-125, “the flying eyeball.” TOMAS JAMES/STAFF PHOTO

Navy museum gains new teen-organized exhibit, teen-focused

educator

SEE EXHIBIT | PAGE 5

THIS EDITION

PSNS cyclists arn’t fazed by cut in safety program pg. 2

NBK badge program pg. 3

Rarely convenient, childrens questions Sarah Smiley ....................pg. 4

USS Augusta choice of presidents ............ pg. 13

By Thomas JamesTjames@kitsapnavynews.com

Bicycle commuters at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard will faced a new development on their SR-3 ride to work Tuesday morn-ing, as the state Department of Transportation cut its unique “shadow car” program by half.

Jerry Moore, DOT project manager overseeing the SR-3 road work, said Thursday that the ser-vice was being scaled back from two cars to one roving car, but that the hours when the car would be available were staying the same.

The cars escort cyclists through a quarter-mile section of SR-3 that is temporarily without shoulders during work to prevent rockfall from nearby cliffs.

“We’re going down to one vehicle,” said Moore, “because we have a track record of how many bicycles are going through, and we should be able to cover that with one vehicle.”

Steve Roark, DOT assistant region administrator for construc-tion, said that about 11 cyclists per day had been counted going through the area in the first five days of the project.

Cyclists were counted in both directions, he said, so the number is for total trips through the work zone, not necessarily the actual number of individuals moving through the area.

“We expect to have service every 10 minutes. That could be affected by heavy traffic volumes, but I think that’s a reasonable expecta-tion,” Roark said.

Moore said the move represent-ed the second cut to the service since the start of the project about two weeks ago.

Initially, he said, DOT provided four vehicles in response to pre-dictions by local cycle advocates of a large number of cyclists moving through the area.

When the number moving through appeared to be smaller, he said, they scaled back to two vehicles.

The vehicles cost the state $78 per hour, Moore said. They oper-ate between 6 and 9 a.m. and between 3 and 6 p.m., a total of six hours. The reduction will save the state more than $13,000 on the project.

Shadows helpfulCyclists using the corridor had

mixed feelings about the change Thursday.

Suzanne Diesen, who said she rides from Port Orchard to the shipyard three or four days per week and uses the shadow vehicles every day, said that she thought the cut was a bad idea, but that she would try waiting for the shadow vehicles.

Ten minutes wouldn’t be too

long to wait, she said, but fifteen would. If the wait stretched beyond that, Diesen said she would prob-ably consider using another mode of transportation.

“That’s a long time to stand [next to] traffic,” said Diesen. “And when you wait you cool down. I like to keep moving.”

Diesen said that overall she felt like the shadow cars were very helpful, and that she hadn’t had any negative interactions with drivers.

“I just ride up, signal the guy, and he follows me. It works like clockwork,” she said. “It is so dan-gerous otherwise.”

Another shipyard commuter, Dennis Pierce, said he only rides with the shadow car on about half of his 10 weekly trips through the zone now, the rest of the time rid-ing in traffic on his own. But, he said, he plans to start using the

shadow car more when the weath-er, and the visibility, deteriorates later in the month.

“That’s what the escort car pro-vides for you besides shielding, is visibility,” said Pierce.

Pierce said one of the main rea-sons he often doesn’t use the shad-ow car now is that he doesn’t feel certain it will return to pick him up. At least once, he said, he has arrived during its posted hours of operation but not seen the shadow vehicle.

If the shadow car is there, he said, he uses it, but if not he con-tinues without it.

Once the weather deteriorates, though, Pierce said, he will start waiting for the escort.

“The risk is just too high. In the dry the cars can see me, but in the rain and the dark, I don’t want to chance it.”

If the escort is unreliable, he

said, he will start taking the foot ferry.

Diesen agreed. “There’s so little space for a person to ride,” she said.

“People are groggy in the morn-ing and want to go fast. Without that vehicle there it would be very dangerous and I would not want to ride my bike.”

Cliff Olin, a cycling advocate at PSNS who has represented ship-yard commuters at meetings with the DOT, said that despite negative reports in local media, what direct feedback he has received on the shadow cars has been positive.

Olin said he thought the DOT move was driven partly by that negative coverage, but that he didn’t feel cyclists were losers in the change.

“We understood when we set it up that it would be a work in progress,” Olin said.

Slowdown doesn’t faze cyclists

Dennis Pierce enters the Department of Transportation work zone on SR-3 accom-panied by the project’s shadow vehicle Tuesday. Tuesday was the first day of the DOT using just one shadow vehicle at the project.

THOMAS JAMES /STAFF PHOTO

Dennis Pierce rides south through the Department of Transportation work zone on SR-3 accom-panied by the proj-ect’s shadow vehicle Tuesday. It was the first day of the DOT using just one shadow vehicle at the project.

THOMAS JAMES/STAFF PHOTO

WSDOT cuts shadow service by half, bike commuters remain determined

“Old Ironsides.” The name alone evokes images of the War of 1812 where USS Constitution earned her nickname and her place in history. For three chief petty officer selectees from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), the chance to serve aboard the Navy’s oldest warship still in commission was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity not to be missed.

Chief Logistics Specialist Frances Estrada, Chief Hospital Corpsman Edgar Nunez and Chief Aviation Boatswain’s Mate Robert Jimenez Jr. were among 150 chief selectees from around the fleet to arrive to the historic vessel last month.

Once aboard, the group immediately immersed itself into every aspect of what it takes to operate and maintain the ship. The Chief Selects also received a first-hand experience about how living condi-tions have improved on board Navy vessels since the 19th Century. “We slept on the deck,” explained Estrada. “It was hard to imagine that up to 500 Sailors would call such a small area to sleep ‘home.’”

The climax of the visit for the selectees was the opportunity to complete the “up and over” evolu-tion. This gave the CPO selects a chance to safely

climb the ship’s rigging to the top of the main mast before descending down the other side.

Traditionally the Chief Selects end the visit by get-ting Constitution under-way, showcasing the skills they’ve acquired during the week-long visit.

This year, however, the ship remained pierside as a safety precaution due to Hurricane Irene’s projected path.

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By Thomas JamesTjames@

kitsapnavynews.com

Installations in Navy Region Northwest modified their access protocols earlier this month, switching to a two-tier system of badges for contractors and service providers.Since Sept. 1, the changes have affected those who need to access installations but are not authorized to receive a Common Access Credential, said Navy region spokesman Jay Overton in an email Monday. Tuesday more than 30 people waited at Naval Base Kitsap’s

Trident Gate Pass and ID center, either to complete part of their application for the new badges, or to apply for temporary daily passes.

According to information post-ed on the NBK web site, for those without the Common Access Credential, the new system effectively differentiates between two tiers of users: those with the RAPIDGate credential and those without it. For those ineligible for the CAC, the new credential is the only alternative.

The new technology is intend-ed to speed up entrance process-ing at installations in the region, said Overton.

It replaced a system of contrac-tor badges issued by individual installations, or by Navy Region Northwest itself.

Overton said that the change did not affect active duty or retired personnel or

family members, or civil service employees, unless they happened to also be vendors or contractors.The new credential allows access for up to one year with less-frequent random vehicle inspec-tions, the release said. Without it, users including contractors who previously held contractor badges will need to apply and re-apply each day for facility access, and will face more frequent vehicle inspections, limited inspection station hours, and will have to produce a work order or bill of lading each day to access the facility.

Overton said the transition has been a smooth one so far, and that no significant delays had been reported at any region

installations. Some contractors and others waiting outside the NBK Pass and ID center had a different take on the issue. Myron Hawkins, an appliance repair technician, said Tuesday

he had been wait-ing an hour for a temporary pass to use while his RAPIDGate appli-cation is process-ing, and that he had to re-apply

every day for a one-day pass. Already, he said, he had been

unable to gain access to the base two days in a row. Friday he was delayed because he didn’t have proof of citizenship, he said, and Monday a customer who was supposed to escort him onto the base had never showed up. Hawkins said he wasn’t bothered by the delay. The changeover, he

said, had been well-publicized. “They put the word out this was gonna be a pain,” he said. “It’s just something you got to do.” Another contractor, Katie Baldwin, said that she was also waiting for the new pass, but that in the interim she had been issued a temporary pass good for a month.

Patricia Crawford said she doesn’t qualify for the RAPIDGate program since she only travels onto the base to teach an irregularly scheduled class. Tuesday she said she had been waiting 40 minutes for a daily pass.“They thought it would go more quickly than it is. My class started 10 minutes ago.”

Next time she said she plans to arrive an hour-and-a-half early. She wasn’t thrilled at the thought but, she said, “I just want to be sure.”

Badge entry program revampedNavy Region

Northwest switches to two-tier system

“I just want to be sure.”

Patricia Crawford

Nimitz chiefs embark Ironsides

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The rush and pressure to properly remember is now past, but a question remains; what will the final Kitsap 9/11 Memorial look like?

At this point, no one can say.Sunday saw a “ceremonial” ground breaking and celebra-

tion, at the proposed site of a 2-acre memorial in Bremerton’s Evergreen Park, with craft booths, bands and barbecue, commemorated the 10th anniversary of the al-Qaida attack in New York, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania that spurred 10 years of war, which grew to encompass two fronts.

Last May when the Kitsap 9/11 Memorial Design Committee presented its initial designs to the Bremerton

Parks Commission, it was lambasted as too grandiose, perhaps intimidating in its New York-centered narrative for the gen-eral public and lack-ing any connection to the 9/11 experience in Kitsap County.

It is, however, exactly what a local fire commissioner wanted to remember.

At the time, the 9/11 design committee was rushing to get the plans approved before the 10th anniversary so that a ground breaking could be held on Sunday.

We support the city council’s move to put plans back under the purview of the parks commission, to solve that disconnect. To that end, an agreement was written and signed that called for more public involvement in the design.

The first of three public events was held over four hours on Aug. 24.

Two more public sessions were to follow. Also to have hap-pened, according to the signed agreement between the city and the design committee, was a new design incorporating public input and concern and cost estimates to be forwarded to city council by Sept. 1.

Neither have yet happened.Dave Fergus, the memorial designer and Central Kitsap

Fire Commissioner, has publicly said that little or no work has been done to change the original design.

One perspective being forwarded by Fergus and Parks Director Wyn Birkenthal, charged with guiding the design through the public process until it returns to city council, is that much of the focus since the agreement was signed

9/11, back to work

Children’s tough, often unan-swerable, questions rarely come at convenient times.

In the middle of the produce aisle at the grocery store, or through the stall of a public bath-room, they say, “Mommy, how did I get out of your stomach?” Or, “Did my pet fish go to Heaven?”

In an ideal world, these “teach-ing moments” would happen on a schedule, or, at the very least, at a better time (for instance, after you have just read an article about how to be a better parent).

In reality, however, we smile nervously at passers-by, or at the person next to us at the sink in the restroom – all of whom are thinking, “Glad it’s not me!” – and we say something really profound to our child, something like, “You didn’t come out of my stomach, Dear. A stork left you on our doorstep.”

We try to pick up the conversation later, after we’ve banged our head against a wall for being such a lousy parent, but then, again, the timing is off. No child wants to talk about the miracle of life when they are busy playing with toy trains. They wanted to talk about it while you were using the bathroom at Target.

At least, this has been my experience.On a recent car trip, however, my luck began to

change. From the backseat of the van, Ford, 11, asked, “Is there any truly selfless act? Can anyone really be selfless?”

Dustin and I looked at each other. Finally, an insightful, life-changing question asked within the

privacy of our car. But wait! I had not yet read

anything about how to answer this one.

I deferred to Dustin. “Service men and women do

selfless acts all the time,” Dustin said. “There have been many soldiers who threw themselves on a grenade to save their fel-low soldiers.”

“But they did that for a medal, right?” Ford said.“No, they were already dead when they received

any medal.”“Oh.”The car was quiet again. I stared at the crossword

puzzle in my lap. I had waited for this, a teach-ing moment not inside a public restroom, and yet now I was speechless. I didn’t want to think about what Dustin had just said, especially because he is leaving for a deployment soon. I wished that Ford had asked about babies being born. Not that I’ve handled that question any better. Clearly.

A year ago, before leaving for one of my night classes, and while the rest of the family sat down to plates of spaghetti, I lay a book titled something like “Where Babies Come From” in front of the older boys. Dustin, mid-bite, looked like he would blow noodles out his nose. He seemed helpless and des-perate, sort of like I was dropping a bomb and then fleeing. Which is exactly what I did: flee. And that was the “easy” topic, far easier than “sacrifice” and

Kids ask the toughest questionsNAVY WISESARAHSMILEY

SEE SMILEY | PAGE 8

Publisher ......................................................................... Sean McDonaldEditor ....................................................................................Greg SkinnerReporter ............................................................................Thomas JamesAdministrative Coordinator .................................... Stella ChamberlainAdvertising ............................Rita Nicholson, Wayne Nelson, Chris OlsonProduction .................................................Bryon Kempf, Bruce PritchardCirculation Manager ...........................................................Jim Johnson

SEE EDITORIAL | PAGE 8

The 9/11 design committee was rushing to get the plans

approved before the 10th anniversary so that a ground

breaking could be held.

Sound Environmental for violations of federal worker protection laws, according to a PSNS official.

Gary Whitehead, the shipyard contract services officer charged with over-seeing the contract, said that along with the request, his office received instruc-tions to deposit the money in a Department of Labor account for distribution to workers with claims against the company.

The letter specified that the company had been found in violation of the McNamara-O’Hara Service Contract Act, Whitehead said. The act specifies that employees of federal con-tractors be paid a prevail-ing wage, Whitehead said, and that they also be given either health coverage or a cash equivalent.

When asked for a copy of the letter, Whitehead said that his office had been instructed by the DOL not to release information on the case, and that a Freedom of Information Act request would have to be filed.

The DOL did not return calls for comment on the issue.

Under investigation

Puget Sound Environmental CEO Carlos Moreno Tuesday acknowledged that his company was under inves-tigation. He said the DOL had met him and Rick Lopez Monday and laid out breaches of the minimum wage, hazard pay, and health benefits section of the Service Contract Act.

Lopez, a director at PSE, said Sept. 9 that earlier in the day the shipyard had canceled its weekly personnel order with the company.

In response to the can-cellation, he said, PSE was laying off the eight non-administrative employees that remained after a larger round of scheduled mid-August layoffs.

Moreno said the hazard pay violations were the result of a misunderstand-ing of the nature of the work on the part of the investigator, and that the minimum wage issue resulted from a misclas-sification in the original contract of the work being done.

Lopez admitted some violations of the law had occurred when the com-pany allowed its insurance coverage for the employees to lapse, but only for three months at the start of the year when the company switched insurance provid-ers.

Outside Lopez’ office, former employee John Norman waited with ques-tions about a photocopied check he received in place of a paycheck.

Lopez said that since the shipyard began withhold-ing payment on the com-pany’s invoices, employees were temporarily being issued photocopied checks as IOUs.

Employee complaints

Blake Larson, formerly PSE’s accounting adminis-trator, said that he left the company in July after he realized that the company was funneling workers’ health insurance payments into a company operated in the name of the son of the PSE President Carlos Moreno and did not hold federally-required long-shoreman’s insurance for its shipyard workers.

Larson said the company also broke an agreement it made with him about pay.

Larson, who worked at PSE from October 2010 through July of this year, said that he was respon-sible for maintaining the company’s financial records.

During the 10 months he worked there, Larson said he saw payments for golf memberships, health insurance payments for the Morenos, for the Carlos Moreno’s horse breeding business, and for personal vehicle insurance for the

family, but never for long-shoreman’s insurance.

Larson said that a com-pany called More Support Services was contracted to provide health insurance for his company’s workers, but that More was owned by a Moreno family-mem-ber. Initially, he said, it was under the name of Carlos Moreno, but soon after his arrival Moreno’s son David took over running it.

When employees tried to use the insurance, Larson said, instead of going to More Support Services, the bills eventually made their way onto his desk at PSE. Then, Larson said, Moreno would sometimes pay them directly out of PSE’s accounts, sometimes out of More’s accounts, or some-times not at all.

When he left the compa-ny in July, Larson said, the company had already been found by the Department of Labor in a previous audit to owe more than $320,000 in unpaid health benefits.

Jeff Pritchard, who start-ed as a laborer and worked his way up to a manage-rial position, called PSE’s healthcare “a joke.”

The company switched providers five times duing the three years he worked there, Pritchard said. Pritchard tried to use the different plans six times, but every time he received notices from the provider that the insurance account didn’t exist.

Bills for all six visits were eventually payed by PSE directly, Pritchard said.

Money was also taken out of former employee Jonathan Simpson’s pay-check for coverage.

But when Harper was assaulted in January, four months after starting work, and ended up with a $7,487.24 hospital bill, PSE told him that his coverage had been stopped, he said.

That didn’t stop them, he said, from continuing to take money out of his pay-check for it each month, all the way through April, when he left the company.

The bill, Simpson said, has since gone to collec-

tions, but he hasn’t heard anything from PSE.

“You don’t forget a num-ber like that. Not when they’re saying you owe us all this money,” said Simpson.

Lopez admitted that the

company had left “a few” bills unpaid, but only when employees sent in bills too vague to justify payment.

The Kitsap County Prosecutor’s Office did not return calls for comment on whether it was looking

into any aspects of the case.Beyond a conspiracy

amongst disgruntled employees, Lopez said he could not understand why anyone would feel cheated by the company.

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STOP | FROM PAGE 1

narrative text and chose pictures to accompany it.

“They really worked hard for this,” Ryan said.

Building an ROV is part of every summer’s program, Ryan said, regardless of that summer’s exhibit topic. After building the sub, the teens test it at Bangor, refining its design as time allows and getting hands-on science experience in the process, Ryan said.

As staff for the museum’s weekly summer series for younger kids, Ryan said, the teens lead science demon-strations and help with educational activities.

Overall, Ryan said, the summer program is actually one of the easier ways to get kids into the museum. “Once upon a time,” Ryan said, “you made a program and kids showed up.”

Now it’s not so easy. During the school year, she said, attendance often drops.

Buchinger, himself a former middle school teacher, said public schools are often under intense pressure to shrink budgets while improving scores on standardized tests. Renting a bus to take kids to a museum often falls off the bottom of administrators’

priority lists, he said, especially when museums focus on material that, while informative, isn’t integrated into increasingly regimented national curriculum standards.

Along with developing future exhibits with an eye toward that cur-riculum, Buchinger, who had his first day at the institution Monday, said he is going to make developing new lessons to go with existing exhibits a top priority.

Buchinger said he also plans to cre-ate a teacher advisory board. In time, he said, he hopes teachers from local schools will sit on the board, simul-taneously publicizing the museum’s push into education and involving educators themselves in making les-sons as useful as possible.

Having students summarize exhibit material in their own words is one example, Buchinger said, of how the museum could align itself with national curriculum standards that place emphasis on synthesizing ideas from nonfiction text.

Ultimately, Buchinger said, it’s a matter of making the museum an asset for teachers struggling to justify any additional expense.

Extending Our Reach will be on display at the Naval Undersea Museum until Summer 2012.

John Buchinger and the the RCV-125, “the flying eyeball.” TOM JAMES/STAFF PHOTO

EXHIBIT | FROM PAGE 1

BAY OF BENGAL (NNS) – Sailors aboard USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) com-memorated the 10th anni-versary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks during a memorial ceremony Sept. 11.

Sailors gathered in han-gar bay two to pay their respects to the more than 3,000 people who lost their lives that fateful September morning and the countless who have died in its wake while defending against the threat of terrorism.

“It is important that we as an institution, the United States Navy, take time out of our very busy schedule to feel, reflect and ultimately remem-ber the horrific events of Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001,” said Stennis’ Commanding Officer Capt. Ronald Reis. The enemies of freedom had committed an act of war against our country and all of their hate was brought upon us without warning or care for the

innocent.” The ceremony began

with a screening of pho-tographs from the morn-ing of the attacks and the aftermath in the days that followed. The service then paid particular tribute to the 125 sailors, soldiers and civilians who were killed when United Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon.

Lt. Cmdr. Bill Motes, the administrative offi-cer for Carrier Air Wing 9, embarked aboard Stennis, was working at the Pentagon that day and recalled to the crowd how a call from his wife just minutes before the crash stopped him and his coworkers from entering

an area of the building that was destroyed in the attack.

“After some reflection I realized that if my wife hadn’t called at that precise time I, along with my sailors, would have lost our lives,” said Motes. “At times I feel guilty for being a survivor. Why them and not me? It is a difficult feeling to express. Yes, I am thank-ful to still be alive, but I grieve every day for my brothers and sisters who lost their lives and for the families they left behind.”

An American flag dis-covered beneath the rubble of the World Trade Center’s North Tower was displayed center stage during the

ceremony. Stennis was one of the first ships called to action in the beginning of the War on Terror, and the flag has been displayed

aboard since Sept. 15, 2001, serving as both a symbol of Amer-ica’s determi-nation in the face of ter-

rorism and of the United States Navy’s swift response to an attack on its home-land.

“People sleep soundly because of our service,” said Commander, John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group Rear Adm. Craig Faller. “We are out here standing the watch. It is our time and we are join-

ing this war. We only have one chance to make a dif-ference and honor the lives lost.”

The ceremony came to a close as the names of those who perished in the attack on the Pentagon were read aloud, accompanied by a ring of the ship’s bell. Immediately following the reading, a 21-gun salute set to of “Taps” rang through the hangar bay as a solemn tribute to the fallen.

“We must put the smol-dering remembrance of 9/11 in our wake, not to forget, but to look ahead at the promise we see here Sept. 11, 2011,” said Faller. “We must be ready to take the fight to our enemies and support the Marines and the Soldiers in the fox-holes on the ground. And we will. Let’s honor the memory of 9/11 and never forget.”

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Stennis marks 9/11 in Bay of BengalCarrier was one of first called to

action after terrorist attacks

Commander, John C. Stennis Strike Group, Rear Adm. Craig Faller

speaks to the crew during a 9/11 remembrance ceremony in hangar

bay two aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis.

John C. Stennis Carrier StrikeGroup is on a scheduled Western

Pacific Ocean and Arabian Gulfdeployment. U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY MASS

COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST 3RD CLASSKENNETH ABBATE

The names of those who perished in the

attack on the Pentagon were read aloud,

accompanied by a ring of the ship’s bell.

was spent on the ceremonial ground breaking celebration and with that out of the way, time is now being taken to include the public with the next level of design.

No hurry now.There is a second possibility as well. After facing criticism from the parks commis-

sion during that May meeting, Jerry McDonald, a former airline pilot stood in a circle with the design committee and offered the idea to let the public and the parks commission offer what ideas they will, but in the end do what “we” want anyway. Laughter by all followed.

None objected.We encourage the design committee to move

as far as possible from that kind of thought and respect the wishes of the community that will see the memorial daily in their neighborhood and through visits to the park.

The design committee and parks should return to the business of planning as soon as possible, including public participation and review.

“selflessness” on the heels of a father’s deployment.

Ford’s question and Dustin’s response hov-ered in the car like a thick cloud. Ford is a smart kid. He knows his father is paid -- and provided excellent benefits -- for his job. So is being away from us for 13 months selfless? Would he do it if he wasn’t compen-sated? How loosely should we define “selfless”?

The crickets chirped. Not every story -- not every question -- wraps up with a “happily ever after.” I wondered: Can we just get back to the whole

babies-coming-out-of-my-stomach thing?

I knew I had fumbled this teachable moment. I was neither acting, nor thinking, like a selfless person. I didn’t want to consider Dustin being gone, and frankly, his posi-tive attitude toward service members and their selfless acts made me a little angry. “What about us?” I wanted to say. I was being selfish.

At some point later, Ford said, “What I’m hearing is that it’s hard to be truly selfless if you have a fam-ily.”

“Yes,” I said.“Wellllll...” Dustin coun-

tered.

More crickets.I thought about the

question again. Was Dustin right? Is it actually the reverse? Are some acts selfless specifically because someone has a family?

On Sept. 11, 2001, many men and women made sac-rifices. And some of those sacrifices are infinitely more incomprehensible and awe-inspiring because the person had a family.

Ford was just 10-months old that morning in 2001. I remember feeding him mashed bananas and sing-ing “Happy Birthday” to our family dog just before my mom called and told me to turn on the news.

Dustin was on deployment. During the months that followed, baby Ford was like an oasis from the sad-ness. He smiled and cooed, blissfully unaware of how the world had just changed. I delighted in that.

Now, 10 years later, Ford is offering me, albeit unin-tentionally again, a new perspective on sacrifice and his dad’s upcoming service. From the backseat of the van, he reminded me to be less selfish and more selfless. He answered ques-tions for himself, in spite of my ignorance and previous failed attempts.

I am glad the stork brought him to me.

VIGILANT | FROM PAGE 4

EDITORIAL | FROM PAGE 4

LAS VEGAS (NNS) – Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Ray Mabus delivered the keynote address at the National Clean Energy Summit 4.0 in Las Vegas Aug. 30.

The summit brought together leaders of industry, government, and those specializing in research and development to chart the course for the future of energy in America.

Secretary Mabus told attendees that “changing the way the United States uses, produces, and acquires energy is one of the central policy challenges that confront us as a nation.”

While there are many reasons why the Navy has prioritized energy independence and energy security, Mabus stressed the most important is because doing so addressees a vulnerability and allows the Navy and Marine Corps to be better war fighters.

Mabus said President Obama

has authorized the Departments of Agriculture, Energy and Navy to invest up to $510 million over the next three years.

“The combined effort of these three departments is a powerful force that will decrease U.S. dependence on foreign oil, position American compa-nies to be global leaders in the pro-duction of advanced drop-in biofuels, and create jobs for American farmers and American companies,” said Mabus.

The Department of the Navy has made steady progress in testing and certifying its aircraft, ships and tacti-cal vehicles with drop-in biofuels and alternative energy sources.

At the Clean Energy Summit, Mabus announced the next highly

visible milestone the Navy will reach will occur this weekend when all six of the Blue Angels flight demonstra-

tion team perform using a 50/50 blend of drop-in biofuel during the Pax River Labor Day Air Show.

“This will be the first time an entire unit has flown on a biofuel mix,” Mabus said.

Vice President Biden and Secretary

Chu also delivered speeches to the veteran business executives, energy policy innovators, and senior pub-lic officials attending the Energy Summit.

SECNAV delivered his speech a day after he announced that the Naval Postgraduate School would begin developing a dedicated energy graduate degree program in the fall.

Mabus delivers keynote at Clean Energy Summit

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus deliv-ers the keynote address at the National Clean Energy Summit 4.0 in Las Vegas. The summit brought together leaders of industry, gov-ernment, and research and development to chart the course for the future of energy in America. U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY CHIEF MASS COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST SAM SHAVERS

All six of the Blue Angels will perform

using a 50/50 blend of drop-in biofuel during

the Pax River Labor Day Air Show.

By Karen ParrishAmerican Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON – Vice President Joe Biden joined Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at a Pentagon ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Many of the estimated 1,300 people who gathered near the spot where a hijacked airliner slammed into the build-ing were family members of the 184 people who died there Sept. 11, 2001.

“I know … as you sit here right now, unlike a month ago, everything has come back in stark relief,” Biden said to the families at the Pentagon’s 9/11 Memorial. “It’s not a thought. It’s precise. You remember that God-awful empty feeling, … that feeling of hollowness.”

The families of the nearly 3,000 people who died in the 9/11 attacks give hope to thousands of other Americans who also have suffered loss, the vice president said.

“You let them know that hope can grow from tragedy, and that there can be a second life,” he said.

Milestones such as today’s anniversary “compel us to reflect and to remember, to honor and, with God’s help, to heal, because that’s what this is ultimately about,” Biden said.

The vice president described some of those killed at the Pentagon 10 years ago: “A Marine who lost his leg, and nearly his life, in Vietnam but who used what he called a ‘second chance’ to become a father of five; a 3-year-old passenger aboard that fateful flight, who held her stuffed ‘lambie’ each night, as her parents read her bedtime sto-ries; the secretary who worked for American Airlines for 45 years, whose colleagues considered her a second mother, and who dressed as Mrs. Claus each Christmas; the Navy physicist, whose wife said after his death: ‘He was a wonderful dancer. I’ll never be able to dance with anybody else. He was a perfect partner. And above all, he was a good, caring and loving man.’”

They and thousands of other people are being remem-bered in towns and cities across America today, Biden said.

“But nowhere are the memories more immediate, more vivid, more compelling, more real than in New York City; Shanksville, Pa., and right here in northern Virginia at the Pentagon,” he added.

Recalling not only that day’s horror, but also the hero-ism it evoked, he said, “can hopefully give you some com-fort and stiffen the resolve of this nation.”

Those who worked in the building, and thousands of first responders across the region, sprang to action, the vice president said, risking their lives so others – friends, colleagues or total strangers – might live.

“From corporals to cafeteria workers, right up the chain of the command to the top brass, to Secretary [Donald] Rumsfeld, … streamed into that breach between the 4th and 5th corridors, where the devastation was the greatest, where death came in an instant, but also where there were survivors to be found,” Biden said.

It’s a basic American instinct to respond in crisis, Biden said.

That instinct, he said, “echoes through the ages – from Pearl Harbor to Beirut, from Mogadishu to ground zero, [from] Flight 93 to right here in the Pentagon.”

That same American instinct, he said, galvanized what he called “an entire new generation of patriots – the 9/11 Generation.”

“Many of them were just kids on that bright September morning,” he said. But like their grandparents during World War II, he added, “they courageously bore the bur-den that history had placed on their shoulders.”

As they came of age, they showed up to fight for their country, “and they’re still showing up,” he said.

“Two million, eight hundred thousand of that 9/11 Generation moved to join our military since the attacks on 9/11, to finish the war begun here that day,” Biden noted. They joined knowing that they were likely to be deployed in harm’s way, in Afghanistan and Iraq and other dangerous parts of the world, he said.

Admiral Mullen praisedBiden said leaders such Mullen “turned this … 9/11

Generation into the finest group of warriors the world has ever known.”

“Over a decade at war, they pioneered new tactics, mas-tered new languages, developed and employed advanced new technologies,” the vice president said.

Today’s forces take on sobering responsibilities early in their careers, Biden said -- responsibilities extending to the politics and economies of Afghanistan and Iraq, and to “the development tasks that ultimately will lay the groundwork for us to leave behind stable countries that will not threaten us.”

Defense, intelligence and law enforcement forces “relentlessly took the fight to al-Qaida and its affiliates,” he said. “They were prepared to follow bin Laden to hell’s gate if necessary. And they got him.”

The 9/11 Generation has paid an incredible price, the vice president told the audience: 4,478 troops killed in Iraq, 1,648 who have died in Afghanistan, and more than 40,000 wounded in both countries.

“Having visited them multiple times like many of you, I am awed not only by their capability, but their sacrifice today and every day,” he said.

The terrorists who attacked the Pentagon sought to shatter the defining symbol of America’s military might, Biden said.

“But they failed,” he added. “They failed because they continue to fundamentally misunderstand us, as they misunderstood us on that day. For the true source of American power does not lie within that building.”

Americans draw their strength from “the rich tapestry of our people,” he said.

“Our spirit is mightier, the bonds that unite us are thicker, and [our] resolve is firmer than the million tons of limestone and concrete that make up that great edifice behind me,” he added.

The terrorists who attacked America never imagined that the 3,000 people who were killed “would inspire 3 million to put on the uniform, and harden the resolve of 300 million Americans,” the vice president said.

Speaking again to the families, Biden said, “My prayer for you is that, 10 years later, when you think of them, that it brings a smile to your lips before it brings a tear to your eye.”

The vice president said his thoughts and prayers, and those of his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, also are with the nearly 80 American service members and eight civilians wounded, and the two Afghan civilians – one a 3-year-old girl – killed in the recent truck bombing in eastern Afghanistan’s Wardak province.

The attack is “a stark and vivid reminder this war con-tinues,” Biden said. “The courage, determination and the sacrifices of our forces in Afghanistan and around the world is literally astounding.”

“Here, on Sept. 11, 2001, at exactly 9:37 a.m., it was summoned,” he said. “It was summoned from the hearts of the thousands of people who worked here to save hun-dreds. It was summoned in the hearts of all those first responders who answered the call. For courage lies deep-est in and beats the loudest in the heart of Americans.”

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Biden honors fallen at 9/11 observance‘Courage lies in their hearts’

Vice President Joe Biden delivers remarks during the 9/11 ceremony at the Pentagon, Sept. 11, 2011, to remember the 184 people killed in the building and aboard American Airlines Flight 77 in a terrorist attack 10 years ago. DOD PHOTO BY R.D. WARD

WASHINGTON (NNS) – The Department of the Navy wrapped up more than two months of col-lection efforts in support of the Feds Feed Families Campaign Aug. 31 by donating 831,002 pounds of food to local food banks worldwide.

This number was almost 100,000 pounds more than the Department of Defense (DOD)-wide goal of 733,800 pounds and

more than four times the Navy’s goal of 200,000 pounds.

“Our Sailors, civilians and their families rose to the occasion – as they always do, and made the Feds Feed Families campaign a huge success. This program was led by our Navy chaplains and our results, in these uncer-tain financial times, speak to their superb leadership,” said Commander, Navy Installations

Command (CNIC) Vice Adm. Michael Vitale.

Navy regions collected non-perishable goods from all par-ticipating Navy commands and ships around the globe. In June, collection stations were set up at multiple locations at every Navy installation where everything from food and basic hygiene supplies were collected in sup-port of this annual federal food drive campaign. The food drive encouraged Sailors, civilians and their families to bring nonperish-able food items to their offices for distribution to local food banks.

“The Feds Feed Families cam-paign has been like a summer-

long Olympic relay race,” said Capt. James Fisher, CNIC direc-tor, strategic plans and program-ming for religious ministries and manager of the food drive. “Every member of the Navy team carried the baton of community,

compassion and responsibility. In our last week of the race, we surpassed our goal, each one of us sprinting to the finish line, and together we achieved a great victory for our communities throughout this nation.”

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By Jim GaramoneAmerican Forces Press Service

CORAL GABLES, FLA. – Navy Adm. Mike Mullen has billed his frequent speak-ing engagements around the nation as a “Conversation With the Country,” and that proved especially fitting as three members of the military community spoke here today.

Marine Corps wife Karen Aguirre, Army reservist Harry Zayas and wounded warrior Jason Recio shared their military experiences with about 500 leaders, stu-dents and community members here at the University of Miami. The three were part of a panel discussion that preceded those of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

“There is nothing a veteran can’t do,” Recio, a police officer with the municipal police department here, said. “And there’s nothing a veteran can’t do better.”

Recio was deemed 100 percent disabled from injuries he received in Iraq: his vehi-cle was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, and he was shot twice. He was medevaced to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, and spent three years recov-ering.

Recio wanted to be a police officer, but couldn’t find a department in southern Florida that would take a chance on him, based on his injuries. He battled back, and finally the Coral Gables department gave him a chance.

“That’s all I wanted,” Recio said, “a chance.”

The American people need to hear these stories, the chairman said. While they respect and honor service members, they don’t really understand the sacrifices men and women in uniform and their families have made and the stressors they face as the nation fights two wars.

Harry Zayas, an explosive ordnance expert, has deployed to Iraq. He will deploy again soon with his unit, this time to Afghanistan. Mullen noted the multiple deployments, the actions that many have been involved in overseas, and the stresses of readjusting to the United States.

Military families, too, are under stress. “They sit and wait, every single night” to find out if that is the day they receive news that a loved one is wounded or has made the ultimate sacrifice, he said.

Into 11th year of warThe United States is entering its 11th

year of war, the chairman said. The all-vol-unteer force has deployed for a year, been home for a year, then deployed again. The Army and Marines have borne the brunt, but sailors, airmen and Coast Guardsmen, too, have been stressed, he said.

And their children also have been affected. A 5-year-old in 2001 with a mom or dad in one of these high-deploying units has spent an entire conscious life with a parent at war, Mullen said. “We’ve never had this before,” he said.

There is light at the end of the tun-nel. The Army is moving to nine-month deployments beginning next year, and soldiers will have 18 months at home. The other services are moving in that direc-tion also. But warfare has changed, Mullen said, and service members will continue to deploy even after U.S. troops depart

Afghanistan at the end of 2014.Americans need to understand what

service members and their families are going through, because “these young men and women have generated a debt we can-not repay,” Mullen said.

The military has 2.2 million people on active duty or in the National Guard or reserve components. All have volunteered, all make sacrifices, and all have made a difference. “We’ve been able to execute the missions in these two very difficult wars because of the support of these people and the support of the American people,” Mullen said.

By their service, soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines have earned the respect and honor. When they get out of the military they have learned leadership and disci-pline, are technically qualified, and know how to put together teams to reach mutual goals, Mullen said.

“If I heard one message from the panel, it was, ‘Just give me a chance,’” he said. “Give me an opportunity. That’s all.”

If America invests in the generation serving today – a generation he says “is hard-wired to serve” – it will make a dif-ference for 60 years, the chairman said.

Vets need opportunities, Mullen saysAdmiral notes sacrifices, urges home-front help

DOD food drive a roaring succes

Religious Programs Specialist 2nd Class Yolanda Jordan and Ensign Casie Krady load a pickup truck with donations for the Bay Area Food Bank in Santa Rosa County, Fla. U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY LT. J.G. TIM MOSSO

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By Katherine H. CrawfordOffice of Naval Research

ARLINGTON, VA. (NNS) – The Department of the Navy began counting down the final days to a Sept. 27 launch of its new joint tactical satellite, which will bring on-the-go communi-cations to the battlefield.

The Tactical Micro-satellite (TacSat)-4, funded by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and devel-oped by the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), is scheduled to begin trans-mitting data 30 days later.

“TacSat-4 fills a Navy and Marine Corps capabil-ity gap by enabling ‘comms on the move,’” said Bob McCoy, an ONR senior scientist. “That is a unique feature of this system-no other Department of Defense [DoD] satellite system can relay informa-tion from the satellite all the way down to warfight-ers’ portable communica-tions packs and handheld radios.”

It enables warfighters to use a regular handheld radio for mobile com-munications without hav-ing to stop and set up an antenna in the field. This eliminates downtime and maintains connectivity to the base of operations at all times, so one is never out of touch, said John Moniz, ONR’s program officer for Expeditionary Warfare Command, Control, Computers and Communication, whose work could potentially benefit from TacSat-4.

The fourth-generation microsatellite, TacSat-4, is smaller - weighing 990

pounds as opposed to the industry average of approx-imately 4,300 pounds and is less expensive than a conventional system. It is designed to support tradi-tional satellite communica-tions, providing two hours of coverage, up to three times per day in multiple theaters, worldwide in a 24-hour period.

“This gives additional capability and more com-munications channels to where there’s a ‘hot spot’ in the world,” McCoy said.

TacSat-4’s communica-tion is also flexible and faster, providing dynamic channel assignments with-in 24 hours during normal operations rather than the typical several days. It offers a smarter, more efficient way of assigning channels.

The satellite will carry an ONR-sponsored pay-load built by NRL on infrastructure funded by the former DoD Office of Force Transformation and built by NRL and the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. The Operationally Responsive Space Office funded the launch, which is managed by the Space Development and Test Directorate, a directorate of the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, and performed using a Minotaur-IV rocket built by Orbital Sciences.

ONR provides the sci-ence and technology neces-sary to maintain the Navy and Marine Corps’ tech-nological advantage. ONR employs approximately 1,400 uniformed, civilian and contract personnel.

Countdown set for communications satellite launch

USS WASP, AT SEA (NNS) – USS Wasp flight deck certified to land AV-8B Harriers Sept.11 while under-way.

For the past several weeks, Wasp upgraded part of its flight deck to land fixed-winged aircraft during this underway period for the AVCERT facilitated by Afloat Training Group (ATG).

During an earlier underway period in July, Wasp attained certification to land helicopters and rotorary aircraft such as MH-60S helicopters and V-22 Osprey tilt rotor aircraft.

During this underway, the focus was on certifying the flight deck for use for the AV-8B Harriers. The Harrier is a USMC Vertical/Short Take-off and Landing aircraft that provides close-air support for Marines on the ground in combat situations.

Having full aviation certification allows Wasp to land different types of aircraft; including vertical take off and landing aircraft, such as the AV-8B Harrier and the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, said Senior Chief

Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handler) Richard McCray.

“When the ATG staff came aboard Wasp for AVCERT they came to a ship whose crew was fully prepared,” said McCray. “We sent 15 Sailors from the air department down to Cherry Point, N.C. for aircraft han-dling training as well as launch offi-cers and shooters training. We did all of this training to make sure there would be no problems when it came time to be fully certified. The flight deck is 100 percent ready to go.”

From Aug. 17-19, those Sailors became familiar with the different types of aircraft slated to land aboard Wasp for AVCERT, and learned the expectations of the pilots and the requirements of the aircraft, accord-ing to McCray. Sailors also learned how to launch and recover the AV-8B Harrier using two different methods.

During nighttime flight quarters, the flight deck crew as well as the pilots make use of the aided method (using night vision goggles) and unaided method (without night vision goggles) to land on the ship.

These methods ensure optimal com-petency and safety when landing.

Wasp air traffic controllers also participated in the certification pro-cess.

“Our job for this mission was to control the Harriers to perform dif-ferent landing approaches aboard Wasp,” said Air Traffic Controller 1st Class Serena Andreano. “In order to make sure Wasp was prepared for AVCERT, my entire division went to Pensacola, Fla.”

The training Andreano and her shipmates received in Florida allowed them to simulate controlling Harriers and V-22’s performing day and night landing approaches on the flight deck.

“Being able to finish this certifi-cation is really wonderful because this means Wasp is just another step closer in becoming a fully operational amphibious ship,” said Andreano.

McCray said V-1 division has done an excellent job in completing the flight deck certification the first time around.

Harriers land on Wasp during underway training

Aviation Boatswain’s Mate Airman Makeema

Lee, left, and Chief Aviation

Boatswain’s Mate Steven Vlasich

give flight infor-mation to the pilot

of a AV-8 Harrier before take off

from the amphibi-ous assault ship

USS Wasp (LHD 1). Wasp is underway

conducting sea tri-als. (U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY

MASS COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST 1ST CLASS

JUSTIN K. T HOMAS

Flight deck upgrades will accommodate fixed-wing aircraft

The technology will boost battlefield communication

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The Northampton-Class heavy cruiser USS Augusta (CA-31) had the distinc-tion of having two U.S. Presidents and one famous Army general sail aboard to foreign shores.Augusta was built by Newport News (Va.) Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. It was com-missioned Jan. 30, 1931. Displacing 9,050 tons, Augusta was 600 feet in length and carried a draft of 24 feet. A portion of the 621 men aboard operated the nine, 8-inch and four, 5-inch gunmounts.In addi-tion, Augusta boasted six, 21-inch torpedoe tubes. Under full power the ship’s powerplants could attain a top speed of 33 knots through the swells.After

sea trials, Augusta operated with the Atlantic Fleet until March 1932 when it trans-ferred to the Pacific Fleet. Joining the Asiatic Fleet as flagship Nov. 9, 1933, Augusta remained in the Orient for six years until returning to the United States for a major overhaul in November 1940. Upon completion of the work, the cruiser was ordered to the Atlantic Fleet and named its flagship.

Augusta carried Preisdent Franklin Roosevelt to Placentia Bay, Newfoundland, in August 1941 for the Atlantic Conference. With the beginning of World War II, the Commander-in-Chief-Atlantic Fleet transferred his flag to the constellation (IX-20) allowing Augusta to join a carrier task force operating out of Bermuda.

Augusta took part in the North African landings Nov. 8-11, 1942, as flag-ship of Rear Adm. Hewitt, commander, Western Naval Task Force, and effectively turned back the French units on sorties from Casablanca, French Morocco, to break up the

landing at Fedhala.Following a refit at New

York Navy Yard from Dec. 1942 to January 1943, and the completion of two escort missions across the Atlantic, Augusta joined the British Fleet at Scapa Flow to help protect the Murmansk convoys. It remained on that duty until returning to the United States for modern-ization in November 1943.Returning to the fleet in April 1944, Augusta sailed for England to take part in the Normandy landings. It sortied from Plymouth, England, on the night of June 5, 1944, carrying Rear Adm. Kirk, commanding general, First Army.

Augusta joined in the

pre-invasion bombard-ment and remained off the beaches until June 25. In July, it shifted its opera-tions to the Mediterranean, participating in the inva-sion of Southern France from Aug. 15 to Sept. 25, 1944. Following the southern France landings, the cruiser returned to Philadelphia Navy Yard for a five-month overhaul.President Harry S. Truman embarked Augusta July 7, 1945 as the ship sailed for Antwerp, Belgium. Following the Potsdam Conference, President Truman reboarded the ship for the return trip which ended at Newport News, Va., Aug. 7.

At the close of World

War II, Augusta was refit-ted for transport duty with the “Magic Carpet” fleet, returning service-men from Europe.Augusta was decommissioned July 16, 1946 and placed out of commission in reserve in disposal status at the

Philadelphia Navy Yard.USS Augusta received

three battle stars for its

service in both European and African waters during World War II.

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USS Augusta was choice of presidentsFDR and

Truman both sailed aboard

at critical junctures

(Left) President Harry S. Truman (center) is piped ashore from USS Augusta (CA 31) after arrival at Antwerp, Belgium, en route to the Potsdam conference, 15 July 1945. Note mid-ships details of this cruiser, including embarkation ladder davit, catapult and heavy side plate riveting. Men are watching from portholes in the catapult tower. PHOTOGRAPH FROM THE ARMY SIGNAL CORPS COLLECTION IN THE U.S. NATIONAL ARCHIVES.

(Below)USS Augusta at Utah BeachTAKEN FROM LCT 510 BY LTJG. O.C.

YOKUM, USNR, OIC

USS Augusta (CA 31) steaming off Portland, Maine, on 9 May 1945. PHOTOGRAPHED FROM A UTILITY SQUADRON 15 (VJ-15) AIRCRAFT. OFFICIAL U.S. NAVY PHOTOGRAPH, FROM THE COLLECTIONS OF THE NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER.

NAVAL BASE KITSAP

CINEMA PLUS THEATER BANGOR

Movies are open to all active duty, retirees, reserv-ist, DOD civilians, base contractors, families and guests.

Movie schedules are subject to change depend-ing on availability. Call the 24-hour movie line for recorded information (360) 535-5923 or see the line up at navylifepnw.com

Friday, September 16 Double Featur Night6:00 pm - Final

Destination 5 (R)7:45 pm - The Change-

Up (R) Saturday, September 17 FREE Movie1:00 pm - Kung Fu

Panda 2 (PG)Double Feature Night6:00 pm - Captain

America: The First Avenger (PG-13)

8:20 pm - Rise of the Planet of the Apes (PG-13)

Sunday, September 18 5:00 pm - The Smurfs

(PG) Wednesday, September

21 FREE Movie6:00 pm - Thor (PG-13) Thursday, September 22 6:00 pm - 30 Minutes or

Less (R) Friday, September 23 Double Feature Night6:00 pm - Conan the

Barbarian (R)8:10 pm - Fright Night

(R) Saturday, September 24 FREE Matinee Movie1:00 pm - Zookeeper

(PG)Double Feature Night6:00 pm - Spy Kids: All

the Time in the World (PG)

7:45 pm - The Smurfs (PG)

Sunday, September 25 5:00 pm - The Help (PG-

13) Wednesday, September

28 FREE Movie6:00 pm - Pirates of the

Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (PG-13)

Thursday, September 29 6:00 pm - Rise of the

Planet of the Apes (PG-13)

BREMERTON RECREATION

CENTER MOVIE LOUNGE

Located in the Bremerton Recreation Center, Building 502.

Free family friendly movies are shown Friday and Saturday nights at 6 p.m.

Wednesdays are Premier Movie Nights; $5 gets you in the door for the show and covers Pizza and bowl-ing. Call 467-3178 for more information.

Friday, Sept. 16 6 p.m. - Toy Story 2 (G) Saturday, Sept. 17 6 p.m. - Toy Story 2 (G) Thursday, Sept. 22

Premier Movie Night - Movie, Pizza & Bowling! 6 p.m. - The Conspirator (PG-13)

Open to ages 18 and up only.

Friday, Sept. 23 6 p.m. - Despicable Me (PG)

Saturday, Sept. 24 6 p.m. - Despicable Me (PG)

Thursday, Sept. 29 Premier Movie Night - Movie, Pizza & Bowling! 6 p.m. - Bridesmaids (R) Open to ages 18 and up only.

Friday, Sept. 30 6 p.m. -

Horton Hears a Who! (G) Saturday, Oct. 1 6 p.m. -

Horton Hears a Who! (G) Thursday, October 6 Premier Movie Night -

Movie, Pizza & Bowling!6:00 pm - X-Men: First

Class (PG-13)Open to ages 18 and up

only.Register online ‚Üí Friday, October 7 6:00 pm - Cars 2 (G) Saturday, October 8 6:00 pm - Cars 2 (G) Thursday, October 13 Premier Movie Night -

Movie, Pizza & Bowling!6:00 pm - Bad Teacher

(R)Open to ages 18 and up

only.Register online ‚Üí Friday, October 14 6:00 pm - Monte Carlo

(PG) Saturday, October 15 6:00 pm - Monte Carlo

(PG) Thursday, October 20 Premier Movie Night -

Movie, Pizza & Bowling!6:00 pm - Green Lantern

(PG-13)Open to ages 18 and up

only.Register online ‚Üí Friday, October 21 6:00 pm - Judy Moody

and the Not Bummer Summer (PG)

Saturday, October 22 6:00 pm - Judy Moody

and the Not Bummer Summer (PG)

Thursday, October 27 Premier Movie Night -

Movie, Pizza & Bowling!6:00 pm - Pirates of the

Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (PG-13)

Open to ages 18 and up only.

Register online ‚Üí Friday, October 28 6:00 pm - Mr. Popper’s

Penguins (PG) Saturday, October 29 6:00 pm - Mr. Popper’s

Penguins (PG)

SEPT. 17Youth Bowling League sign-ups: Bangor Olympic Lanes, 10 a.m. 360-535-5917

Oktoberfest at Mt. Angel, Oregon: Register online by Sept. 15 (myFFR #5411260B). 360-476-3178/315-2137

SEPT. 23Women’s Volleyball League registration deadline: Season starts Oct. 3. Open to all FFR eligible patrons. 360-315-2141

Vancouver Island Zipline & Mountain Bike Adventure, through Sept. 25: Includes transportation, ferry tickets, Zipline fees, bicycle, helmet, camping equipment, campsite fee, one dinner, two breakfasts and an experienced guide. Register online by September 20 (myFFR #4411266B). 360-535-5919/315-2137

SEPT. 24 Autumn Leaf Festival: Register online by September 22 (myFFR #5411267B). 360-476-3178/315-2137

Flag Football Tryouts: For Army vs. Navy game at NBK Bremerton, 10 a.m., for active duty military only. 360-315-2141

OCT. 1Bike the Olympic Discovery Trail: Includes round-trip transportation, bicycle, helmet and experienced guide.

Register by Sept. 28 (myFFR #4411274B). 360-315-2137/535-5919

OCT. 3-8PEO Fall Sale: 20-50 percent off selected merchandise throughout the store, including backpacks, parkas, camping gear, ‘Life is Good’ brand apparel and more. Pacific Edge Outfitters (PEO) 360-535-5919

OCT. 7 TO 9 Mountaineers Lodge at Mount Baker: Includes round-trip transportation, lodging, Saturday meals and Sunday breakfast. Register by Oct. 3 (myFFR #4411280B). 360-315-2137/535-5919

OCT. 8Grape Stomp - Eagle Haven Winery: Includes round-trip transportation, light snacks, bottled water, movies en route, entry to Grape Stomp and lunch. Register by September 22 (myFFR #5411281B). 360-315-2137/476-3178

OCT. 11Registration Deadline: Oktoberfest Flag Football Tournament. Dates: Oct. 15 and 16. 360-315-2141

OCT. 22Salt-Water Fishing Trip: Includes round-trip transportation, boat, boat fuel, all bait and tackle and experienced guide. Register by October 20 (myFFR #4411295B). 360-315-2137/535-5919

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Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Courtesy of 20th Century Fox

NORFOLK (NNS) – Stress relief in the form of laughter came to many of the San Jacinto (CG-56) crew Sept. 7 during a visit from four nationally known cartoonists.

According to Cmdr. Rick Potter, executive officer of the San Jacinto, Jeff Bacon, Bruce Higdon, Paul Fell, and Mason Mastroianni, brought more than laughter and humor to ship.

“For Mr. Bacon and the other wonderful artists to volunteer their time to visit Sailors and Marines is inspirational to us,” Potter said.“I hope they enjoyed

their time on San Jacinto as much as the Sailors enjoyed hosting them.”

While crew members enjoyed the personalized cartoons and caricatures drawn for them, the car-toonists reportedly took away as much as they gave.

Bacon, creator of “Broadside,” said the visitors had ‘a blast’ and believe their visits contrib-ute to relieving the stress from the day to day pres-sures of military life.

It’s also, he said, an opportunity to thank ser-vice members for their service. This visit was

part of the Operational Stress Control program’s Humor Tour that is designed to help miti-gate stress through humor and laughter. The visit to the San Jacinto fol-lowed a visit to wounded

warriors at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth and preceded a visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

in Bethesda, Md.Bacon is the creator of Broadside and Greenside; Higdon, is a caricaturist and creator of Punsters; Fell, is a cari-caturist and illustrator for Cornhuskers Illustrated;

and Mastroianni, is a cartoonist for B.C. These and other members of the National Cartoonists Society regularly entertain troops stateside and over-seas.

WASHINGTON (NNS) – The Navy joined the nation Sept. 15 in celebrat-ing Hispanic Heritage Month, which will be observed until Oct. 15.

With a national theme of “Many Backgrounds, Many Stories...One American Spirit,” the observance cel-ebrates the histories, cul-tures and contributions of Americans who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and

South America. According to 2010 data

from the U.S. Census Bureau, Hispanics com-prise 16.3 percent of the total United States popula-tion, or 50.5 million peo-ple, forming our county’s largest racial or ethnic minority.

Additionally, it is pro-jected that by 2050, a quar-ter of the nation’s work-force will be Hispanic.

The Navy’s work-force reflects this diver-sity - today, nearly 60,000 Hispanic active duty and reserve Sailors and officers and nearly 10,000 Hispanic civilians serve in the Navy Total Force, including three Hispanic flag officers and one rear admiral select, 158 Hispanic master chiefs and five Hispanic members

of the Senior Executive Service.

The Navy’s senior Hispanic flag officer, Rear Adm. Patrick Brady, commander of Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR), emphasized the contribu-tions of Hispanic service members to the readiness of the Navy.

“America’s strength lies in its diversity of back-grounds, experiences and skills,” said Brady. “As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage month, we recognize the Hispanic Sailors that have proudly served in the Navy during every war and con-flict since the American Revolution.

Today, Hispanic Sailors, officers and civilians serve across every facet of naval

operations and are critical to our Navy’s success.”

According to Dr. Regina Akers, director of the Diversity Project at the Naval History and Heritage Command, this legacy of service of Hispanic Sailors dates back to our nation’s independence.

“Hispanic Americans have served honorably in every war of our nation’s history - from David Glasgow Farragut, who became America’s first admiral during the Civil War; to Cmdr. Marion Frederick Ramirez de Arellano, the Navy’s first Hispanic submarine com-manding officer and recipient of two Silver Stars in World War II; to aviator Everett Alvarez, who endured eight years

of torture after being shot down over Vietnam, to Cmdr. Yvette Davids, who became the Navy’s first Hispanic female warship commander in 2007; to Rear Adm. Samuel Perez, who managed all port activities and coordination during Operation United Response in Haiti in January 2010,” said Akers.

“Hispanic civilians, past and present, also contribute immensely to our Navy’s legacy,” contin-ued Akers. “One notable example was Secretary of the Navy Edward Hidalgo, a Mexican-American who made recruitment of Hispanics a top priority for the Navy.

One of his recommen-dations was the establish-ment of an organization of

Hispanic naval officers that would link the Hispanic community and the sea services in order to attract quality Hispanic officer candidates.

This goal is embod-ied today through the Association of Naval Services Officers (ANSO), an organization that fosters the professional develop-ment and mentorship of Hispanic Sailors, officers and civilians in the sea services.”

These individuals are only a few examples of the notable Hispanics in our Naval service,” Akers said. “They have not stood on the fringes of service, but rather at its center as makers of American naval history.”

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THE LION KING IN REAL D 3D - EVENT PRICING (G) Fri. - Thu. (2:40)4:50 7:00 9:10STRAW DOGS (R) - ID REQ’D Fri. - Thu. (1:30)4:20 7:20 9:50I DON’T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT (PG-13) Fri. - Thu. (1:10)4:30 7:10 9:20DRIVE (R) - ID REQ’D Fri. - Thu. (2:00)4:40 7:30 9:45WARRIOR (PG-13) Fri. - Thu. (12:40 3:40)6:40 9:35CONTAGION (PG-13) Fri. - Thu. (1:40)4:10 7:15 9:40THE DEBT (R) - ID REQ’D Fri. - Thu. (1:20)4:00 6:50 9:30THE HELP (PG-13) Fri. - Thu. (1:50)5:00 8:40RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (PG-13) Fri. - Thu. (12:50 3:20)6:30 8:50COWBOYS AND ALIENS (PG-13) Fri. - Thu. (1:00 3:30)6:20 9:00

THE HELP (PG-13) Fri. (3:20)6:30 9:30 Sat. (12:20)6:30 930 Sun. (3:20)6:30THE LION KING IN REAL D 3D - EVENT PRICING (G) Fri. - Sat. (1:20 4:20)7:00 9:20 Sun. (1:20 4:20)7:00I DON’T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT (PG-13)Fri. - Sat. (1:10 4:10)7:10 10:10 Sun. (1:10 4:10)7:10STRAW DOGS (R) - ID REQ’D Fri. - Sat. (1:40 4:40)7:40 10:30 Sun. (1:40 4:40)7:40DRIVE (R) - ID REQ’D Fri. - Sat. (1:00 4:00)7:20 10:00 Sun. (1:00 4:00)7:20CONTAGION (PG-13) Fri. - Sat. (1:30 4:30)7:30 10:15 Sun. (1:30 4:30)7:30APOLLO 18 (PG-13) Fri. - Sat. (12:50 3:50)6:50 9:50 Sun. (12:50 3:50)6:50THE DEBT (R) - ID REQ’D Fri. - Sat. (12:40 3:40)6:40 9:40 Sun. (12:40 3:40)6:40RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (PG-13) Fri. - Sat. (12:45 3:45)6:45 9:45 Sun. (12:45 3:45)6:45CAPTAIN AMERICA (PG-13) Fri. - Sat. 6:20 10:20

CONTAGION (PG-13) Fri. - Sun. (1:10)4:10 7:10 10:10APOLLO 18 (PG-13) Fri. - Thu. 4:40 9:50OUR IDIOT BROTHER (R) - ID REQ’D Fri. - Sun. (1:40)7:40THE HELP (PG-13) Fri. - Sun. (1:00)4:00 7:00 10:00STRAW DOGS (R) - ID REQ’D Fri. - Sun. (1:30)4:30 7:30 10:20

Navy celebrates hispanic heritage monthNavy joins the

celebration of Hispanic

Heritage Month

Humor tour sparksSan Jacinto laughter

Cartoonists bring stress

relief to many San Jacinto

(CG-56) crew

“I hope they enjoyed their time on San

Jacinto as much as the

Sailors enjoyed hosting them.”

Cmdr. Rick Potter

ANNAPOLIS, MD. (NNS) – The U.S. Naval Academy has been ranked among the top schools in the country by the U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges 2012.”

The Naval Academy was ranked No. 14 overall for “Best Liberal Arts Colleges” nationwide, No. 1 in the nation in public schools, and No. 1 in the nation among high school guidance counselors. The Naval Academy was also ranked No. 5 for overall “Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs,” and in engineering specialties the academy ranked No. 6 in mechanical engineering and No. 7 in electrical/electronic/communications.

The announcement follows the Naval Academy’s earlier selections this year as the No. 9 most desirable school by Newsweek and the No. 3 best value and No. 17 overall ranking by Forbes Magazine.

“It’s an honor for the Naval Academy to be included once again among the best colleges and universities in America,” said Vice Adm. Michael M. Miller, Naval Academy superintendent.

“We take great pride in developing the next genera-tion of leaders to serve the nation, and I’m pleased that our academic programs have been recognized for lead-ing their fields of study. We’re dedicated to our students here at the Naval Academy, and that dedication shows in the rankings.”

“When you combine a superb academic program with world-class professional development and ath-letic programs, it’s easy to see why the Naval Academy stands out,” said Bruce Latta, dean of admissions. “Any student who’s thinking about applying to schools like Harvard, MIT, Stanford or any Ivy League school should challenge themselves to see what the Naval Academy is all about.”

Naval Academy excels in rankings

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