Aug 11, 2011 Nimitz News 1Page

August 11, 2011 Vol. 36, No. 31

10 week noticeThe Navy’s semi-annual physical readiness test is less than ten weeks away. Sailors are encouraged to prepare.

USS Nimitz delayed from leaving PSNS dry dockStory by MC2(SW) J.D. Levite

USS Nimitz (CVN 68) will not undock from Dry Dock 6 at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility on Aug. 25 like it was originally scheduled to do. Additional work required on the ship’s starboard rudder has caused the delay.

The rudders were removed for repairs during the beginning of the Docking Planned Incremental Availability, and after that work was complete a section was discovered to be out of alignment.

Lt. Cmdr. Chuck Jones, the ship’s maintenance manager, said while fixing the alignment is causing a delay, other systems will continue to be tested during this time to keep the project on course toward completion.

“The maintenance community has discussed it and decided it makes more sense to take a little extra time and fix it correctly now,” said Jones.

During an announcement to the ship’s crew, Capt. Paul O. Monger, Nimitz’s commanding

officer, said, “Our goal is to take a look at what we had planned to do and see how much of that we can do regardless of where we are. The shipyard and ship’s force will continue to accomplish the testing work so Nimitz can keep as close to its timeline as possible.”

Monger said the Aug. 25 date was just a milestone and it doesn’t change the entire project’s original end goals. It does, however, change some things for the crew.

The delay in leaving dry dock means the crew won’t need to move out of the barracks and onto the ship just yet. It also means the galley won’t begin serving meals yet, so Sailors will continue to receive commuted rations pay.

“My challenge to everyone, what I need you to focus on, is to continue to do the things we need to do to get to our flood dock goal and our flood dock date,” Monger said. “Make sure you stay focused on the work we need to get done.”

USS Nimitz (CVN 68) will conducting an administrative General Quarters Aug. 12 to update the ship’s watch teams, damage control training teams and repair lockers.

The integrated training team has been meeting over the past several weeks to make sure everyone was on the same page, said Damage Controlman 1st Class Scott Loehendorf, the assistant DCTT coordinator.

During the Admin GQ, the damage control training team and repair locker leaders will update watch bills and fill positions in the repair lockers and verifying qualifications.

The Admin GQ is needed, said Loehendorf, because of the personnel turnover aboard since the ship was last at sea.

The last such procedure was before the ship entered the dry dock.

It’s a way to make sure the ship has everything it needs before we have an actual GQ and to begin focusing on obtaining their damage control qualifications, said Damage Controlman 1st Class Edward Carriero.

“You are your brother’s keeper on the ship,” said Carriero. “If you don’t get qualified and learn to do the job, then the chances of a fatal accident occurring increases exponentially.”

Loehendorf said, “This is a very basic element to organizing the damage control organization ship wide. It’s essential to telling us where we need to go. Who are we training? Then we can tailor what we need to be training everyone.”

Administrative general quarters scheduled for Friday, Aug. 12By MCSA Derek W. Volland

Aug 11, 2011Nimitz News2Page

Public Affairs Officer LTJG Jason Scarborough

Media LCPOMCCM Jon McMillan

Media Production ChiefMCC Mike Jones

EditorMC2 J.D. Levite

Lead DesignerMC3 Matthew Patton

Media DeptMC2 C.J. AmdahlMC2 James MitchellMC2 Amara TimberlakeMC2 Adam Wolfe MC3 Ashley Berumen MC3 Ian CotterMC3 Mark SashegyiMC3 Glenn SlaughterMC3 Thomas SiniffMC3 Nichelle WhitfieldMC3 Robert WinnMC3 Devin WrayMCSN Andrew JandikMCSN Jacob MilnerMCSA Alexander Ventura IIMCSA Renee CandelarioMCSA Jess LewisMCSA Derek Volland

Nimitz News accepts submissions in writing. All submissions must be in by Friday, COB. 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.

Commanding OfficerCAPT Paul Monger

Executive OfficerCAPT Buzz Donnelly

Command Master ChiefCMDCM William Lloyd-Owen

The days of “Go individual!” are over.Part of the Deployed Planned Incremental

Availability has included the scheduled upgrade of the Hierarchical Yet Dynamically Reprogrammable Architecture (HYDRA)-1 system to the HYDRA-2 system by USS Nimitz’ (CVN 68) Combat Systems department’s CS- 83 division.

“We’ve switched over to the new system and taken in all 583 bricks, 440 from ships’ crew and 143 from the flight deck, reprogrammed them with the new (Logical Identification) numbers and gotten everyone up to speed,” said Electronics Technician 2nd Class Travis Sandberg, CS-83’s assistant leading petty officer and the HYDRA’s work center supervisor.

The new system is designed to be less like a phone and rely more on group channels.

“What they HYDRA system is supposed to be is an initial contact for someone you need to get a hold of,” said Sandberg. “It’s intended for you to go over open air (for your local group, like media, ops or cs) contact the person you need, ask them to call you over the j-dial and get off the brick.”

The reliance on group channels will make the overall quality of calls noticeably higher, said Electronics Technician 3rd Class Erin Mulholland.

“Every time you call someone as individual, it takes up a large amount of space on the repeaters and they get bogged down,” explained Mulholland. “You’ll still be able to call people individually, but if the majority of the people just says what they need to over open air and get off, the repeaters don’t get overloaded and the overall call quality will be improved.”

Sandberg said when you go over “open air” the

whole ship won’t hear what you say.“We still have the duty section and command

channels for when you need to get a hold of people from other departments,” said Sandberg. “Most of the time you should be on your department’s channel

in which case the only people who’d hear you are in your department.”

Some departments have received fewer radios back than they turned over for upgrades, said Sandberg.

“(COMNAV) Air Forces has mandated that each repair locker has six radios each,” he continued. “In order to accommodate that, we’ve had to take some from various departments and turn them over to the repair lockers.”

One of the changes that will affect the user, other than call quality and group channels, is that nearly all of the LID numbers have changed.

“Some people might not realize that the numbers are different and may accidently call the wrong person,” said Mulholland. “The new bricks run on a four-digit system, so if you call the CSO as such, the call will go through, but if you tried to dial it off his old number you’ll get no one on the other end.”

When all of the radios have been updated, a new phonebook of LID numbers will be released, but combat systems is stressing that people try and stray away from calling individual, said Electronics Technician 2nd Class Mondae Killian, CS-8 leading petty officer.

Story by MC3(SW) Robert Winn

‘Go individual!’

“Every time you call someone as individual, it takes up a large amount of space on the repeaters and they get bogged down.”

- ET3 Erin Mulholland

Aug 11, 2011 Nimitz News 3Page

Nimitz hosts Aviation Boatswain’s Mates Conference, brings young, old togetherStory by MC3 Ian Cotter

USS Nimitz (CVN 68) hosted the 41st annual Aviation Boatswain’s Mate Association symposium from Aug. 2 to Aug. 6 at the Silverdale Beach Hotel. The symposium generated ideas and suggestions from senior and junior personnel about the working environment of Aviation Boatswains’ Mates.

“If you look at what you do as a young AB, you realize that your peers [from high school] who are 18 to 20 years old are worrying about if they have to go to that eight o’clock class or not,” said Nimitz’s Commanding Officer, Capt. Paul O. Monger, who attended the event Aug. 2. “If they miss that class, it’s no big deal. You guys don’t have that luxury. Instead, you have responsibility beyond anything they can ever imagine, and that is very impressive, especially at such a young age.”

Capt. (Ret.) Anthony McFarlane, a former president of the ABMA, attended the event as a board member. “The primary purpose of this meeting is so that a professional working group can discuss the improvements of aviation safety,” he said. “The results of the symposium go directly

to the Chief of Naval Operations and then get disseminated to the fleet.” McFarlane served 36 years in the Navy and now runs the ABMA museum in Pensacola, Fla.

“It’s safe to say that about 500 people attended this year,” said Ens. Brian Lewis, Nimitz’s Air Boatswain. “It’s tough to say how many Nimitz Sailors attended, but the Air department fully supported the effort to get as many Sailors to go without taking away from production and support on the ship.”

Nominations and awards for various positions in the organization were also held at the event. Lewis was nominated for the position of Vice President and Nimitz’s Handler Lt. Cmdr. Regina Rogers gained the position of board member.

Rogers and Lewis were both part of the team that helped set up and coordinate the event this year. “It was a challenge,” said Lewis. “But, it was also an opportunity to showcase Nimitz and show the Air community how Nimitz does things.”

Without input generated at the annual symposium, it can take years for a new product to be designed. “With real-time research and development here, Sailors and

vendors can discuss a product to a point where it can be available in six months,” said Cmdr. Tony Hernandez, the Program Manager for AB Handler and AB Fuels Workshops. “Modern systems were born in this forum, and here they continue to evolve.”

Nimitz Sailors were also able to give their input at the symposium. “Talking with the younger folks, I found that they appreciated the opportunity to discuss ways to improve the AB community,” said Lewis. “Our Sailors felt like they had a say where rank didn’t affect the situation and their opinions could be heard.”

Captain Paul O. Monger, the commanding officer of the USS Nimitz(CVN 68), speaks at the Aviation Boatswain’s Mates 41st annual symposium. Photo by MC3(SW) Thomas Siniff.

“The primary purpose of this meeting is so that a professional working group can discuss the improvements of aviation safety... the results of the symposium go directly to the Chief of Naval Operations and then get disseminated to the fleet.”- Capt. (Ret.) Anthony McFarlane

former president of the ABMA

Aug 11, 2011Nimitz News4Page

The safety stand- down event kicked off yesterday and continues today at the West Sound Safety and Health Expo at the Kitsap Conference Center and Bremerton Boardwalk. The event runs from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. and can be found next to the Bremerton ferry terminal at the east end of the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.

This safety stand-down is unique compared to previous stand-downs. There will be dozens of exhibits and hands-on displays.

“The exhibitors are professionals who are experts on each safety and health related topic they are presenting,” said Cmdr. Todd McVay, USS Nimitz’s (CVN 68) safety officer. “Some will also have items for sale and some will be giving away free stuff.”

The Safety department has always been encouraged to use more creative means to deliver this training, said McVay.

“We are required to complete a certain amount of annual safety training each year,” said McVay. “Many of the videos intended for this purpose are awful and old. We could also accomplish this training through PowerPoint. Neither method is effective.”

This is an annual event put on by the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, the city of Bremerton and the many businesses participating in the WSSHE.

“There was a tremendous amount of coordination work to

facilitate our participation,” said McVay. “Besides all of the work the Safety department did in planning the event and coordinating our participation, the Supply department arranged bus transportation to the event, the Funboss obtained prizes for a post event drawing,

duty section will provide a working party to assist each day and the chief petty officer selectees will help direct the entire process.”

The safety stand-down will be separated into three times: 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. Everyone will be required to attend the training if they have not already done so, and family members are also encouraged to attend.

Transportation will be provided for this event. Buses will pick up personnel at the bus stop in front of the Canteen 30 minutes before each session. If the bus is

missed, it is a 20 minute walk to the Kitsap Conference Center. Sailors will either ride the buses back or walk.

“Basically, we want everyone to take a couple of hours out of their day to go have some fun while learning something that will improve their life and reduce their chance of future injury,” said McVay. “We have had some close calls and far too many off duty injuries. This safety and health expo should greatly help to educate our Sailors and reduce those near misses as well as our off duty injury rate.”

Nimitz holds safety stand-downStory by MC3 Shayne Johnson

“This safety and health expo should greatly help to educate our Sailors and reduce those near misses as well as our off

duty injury rate.”

- CDR Todd McVayNimitz Safety Officer

Aug 11, 2011 Nimitz News 5Page

Aug 11, 2011Nimitz News6Page

Out on the Bay

Story and photos by MCSN Jess Lewis

Aug 11, 2011 Nimitz News 7Page

On a beautiful Saturday afternoon, I found a baby seal. She followed me around and I thought she was

cute. I called her LoLo and as she played this “peek-a-boo” game with me, I took pictures of her. I discovered more of her friends sunbathing as we played in the bay. Granted, seals are larger animals and can be kind of scary considering they weigh between 400 and 600 pounds, but, I didn’t find them to be too frightening. They were probably more afraid of me than I was of them, so I continued to snap photos and look for LoLo as I paddled around the bay in a kayak.

My friend Travis and I went down to Poulsbo that day looking to do something adventurous. We discovered a small stand on the pier with a sign that read “Olympic Outdoor Center.” Then we saw a bunch of kayaks. We decided to head out on the water to see what we could find.

After walking down the brow towards the rental place, we met Keith Kuntz, an employee at Olympic. After briefly talking

with Keith about kayaking, he said, “It’s pretty popular around here and anyone can kayak. It doesn’t matter your age. It’s easy and it’s always going to be fun.”

Travis and I grabbed some life vests and paddles, picked out our kayaks and, shortly after, we were in the water ready to go.

Keith also showed us some ways to paddle that wouldn’t make our arms sore the next day then showed us what to do if we happen to capsize.

Off we went, out into the bay. Travis pointed out a bird grabbing fish out of the water. I looked down into the water and to my surprise, saw numerous jellyfish. Next thing we know, two seals pop their heads out of the water. I pointed them out to Travis and he pointed out two more seals behind me. I tried to catch up to them so I could take their pictures but they kept popping out of the water too far away from me to get a good shot.

Eventually, I gave up on trying to take their picture and paddled further out into the bay. This was where I met LoLo and

the rest of her friends sunbathing on these floating logs tied up to another pier. Once we got closer, I was able to take better pictures of LoLo and her friends.

Looking into the distance, I was even able to clearly see Mt. Rainer.

After Travis and I decided we were done, we headed back to the shore. Upon our return, I discovered we had been out for nearly two hours. Keith asked how our trip was so we shared what we saw. Keith said it’s a lot easier to see wildlife and the bay itself from kayaks since they’re more maneuverable.

We went to pay and found out Olympic offers a 10 percent discount to military members on top of their already reasonable prices. Keith also told us if we were interested in learning more about kayaking we could take advantage of the sea kayak classes Olympic offers.

Aug 11, 2011Nimitz News8Page

Maintenance material management or 3M is the basic system of damage control maintenance and preventative maintenance for USS Nimitz (CVN 68). The system is soon to be overhauled to better fit the needs of both Nimitz and the U.S. Navy.

The 3M program for Nimitz is standardized and regulated by Command Naval Air Force, or COMNAV Air Force instruction just as all other carriers. The change coming to Nimitz’s 3M program will follow their guidelines and coincide with standardization of the rest of the carrier fleet.

“We are trying to align ourselves in accordance with the COMNAV Air Force work center standardization,” said Master Chief Petty Officer Hull Technician David Conduff, the 3M coordinator for Nimitz. “In doing so, this was the perfect time to make changes and make our program mirror what all carriers are trying to do.”

Although 3M is the elemental maintenance guideline for the entire Navy, some individual damage control departments vary from fleet to fleet or surface to air ship.

“There were a lot of differences and a lot of things that weren’t in accordance with COMNAV Air Force instruction,” said Conduff.

Some changes involve TX40, the training department’s damage control center aboard Nimitz. TX40 is still in charge of the damage control maintenance for admin,

safety, religious ministries, legal, media and training but that is soon to change.

“TX40 is now only going to be responsible for training department and their damage control maintenance,” said Conduff. “We will pick up another work center, LN40, which is going to be responsible for the legal department’s damage control maintenance as well as one for admin, safety and religious ministries.”

The changes taking place in the 3M office are not only supposed to make the processes more efficient, but also make the life of the 3M work center supervisor in individual departments job a little less stressful.

“This is ultimately going to lighten the load of weekly reports,” said Lt. Cmdr Arthur Fuller, the 3M officer for Nimitz. “It’s going to streamline the process by making the weekly reports more accurate and inclusive. This change will force them to pay closer attention to PMS and to make sure that it is done correctly.”

The change to standardization with the rest of the fleet will affect not only weekly reports, but also spot checks for some departments.

“Some shops have up to three or four spot checks a week,” said Fuller. “They should ultimately have no more than one a week.”

TX40 and work center flow are not the only processes being overhauled. All Nimitz departments are now going to be responsible for their own work center’s damage control maintenance.

“We are going to implement ownership of maintenance throughout all of the departments,” said Conduff. “Instead of one entity doing maintenance for five or six different departments, those departments are going to take ownership.”

The change from single entities doing multiple spaces is not only to lighten the load on those departments but also to provide a more efficient and localized answer to maintenance problems.

“If a department owns their own gear, they’re more likely to pay attention to it and whether or not maintenance is being

Nimitz 3M program undergoing major procedural changes, improvementsStory by MCSN Jacob Milner

“We’re going to start utilizing all three Ms in 3M and make this a program that is actually going to work better... we want to be the model for all of the other carriers.”

- HTCM David ConduffNimitz 3M Coordinator

SEE “MAINTENANCE” ON PAGE 11

Hull Maintenance Technician 3rd Class William Clarck welds a metal frame in the machinery shop. Photo by MC3 Eduardo Zaragoza.

Aug 11, 2011 Nimitz News 9Page

Extending deep into the belly of USS Nimitz (CVN 68) lie the starboard and port forward peak tanks. Usually filled with water to maintain the ship’s buoyancy underway, the tanks were emptied during Nimitz’ Docking Planned Incremental Availability period in the dry dock for cleaning and maintenance by the Tank Team.

“Originally, the tanks were filled with salt water,” said Hull Technician 2nd Class John Hilgar, the team’s leading petty officer. “Now we’re filling them with fresh water to minimize erosion. Even with the water flowing into the tank at 100 gallons per minute, it still takes 20 hours to fill a whole tank.”

Nimitz only has two forward peak tanks, both located at the bow of the ship. “Both of them were filled to the top with sea water,” said Hilgar. “After the other one was emptied, we took pressure washers down there and cleaned it, removed the barnacles, had it inspected, and filled it back up with fresh water. Before we fill the tank, we inspect it thoroughly to make sure there’s no one down there. Once the ship gets out to sea, the tank won’t be drained again.”

The only time the tanks are drained or filled is during a DPIA period. “I’ve enjoyed it,” said HT3 Dale M. Delizio, one of the members of the Tank Team. “It’s cool checking out spaces people don’t normally look at. It’s one of the many hidden aspects of the ship.” His experiences on the team have led Delizio to aspire to become a gas free technician after serving his time in the Navy.

Since Nimitz is slated to pull out of the dry dock soon, the Tank Team is nearly finished with all of the work they were assigned. “It’s a shame to see it end,” said Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Ascia Harrisson. “All of the people on the team are really helpful to each other, and our teamwork has definitely gotten the job done.”

Over the course of Nimitz’s DPIA, the Tank Team has cleaned and inspected more than 125 tanks and voids aboard the ship.

Nimitz’s tank team goes deep into the shipStory by MC3 Ian Cotter

Aug 11, 2011Nimitz News10Page

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Aug 11, 2011 Nimitz News 11Page

done, as opposed to some outside entity coming in to work on their gear for them,” said Conduff.

Though all carriers are being standardized under the same COMNAV Air Force instruction, the transition for submarine or surface warfare vessels should be no more difficult. The basic preventative maintenance system should be similar from ship to ship.

“We operate under COMNAV Air Force where as the surface ships operate under SURF Force,” said Conduff. “PMS is PMS is PMS. It’s going to look the same regardless of whether you’re on a submarine, a surface ship or a carrier.”

The crew of Nimitz not only has the leadership from upper command on Nimitz to help with the transition but a more than capable and experienced 3MC.

“I did a successful tour on USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) as

the 3MC,” said Conduff. “Coming here with fresh eyes, it was an easier approach and the right time to change it.”

With 3M undergoing such a large and elemental change, a change in attitude towards the program may be required for its success.

“Most people view 3M as only being preventative maintenance,” said Conduff. “3M is maintenance material management. We are also looking to help change the way everything is being maintained, the way it’s being managed and the parts that are being ordered.”

The fundamental changes 3M is undergoing are numerous and hefty, but these changes are meant to eliminate deficiencies in maintenance productivity and ensure the safety of Nimitz Sailors.

“We’re going to start utilizing all three Ms in 3M and make this a program that is actually going to work better,” said Conduff. “We want to be the model for all of the other carriers.”

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

Maintenance

“It’s going to streamline the process by making the weekly reports more accurate and inclusive. This change will force them to pay closer attention to PMS and to make sure that it is done correctly.”

- Lt. Cdr. Arthur FullerNimitz 3M Officer

Aug 11, 2011Nimitz News12Page