Jan. 11, 2013 Vol. 37, No. 40

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As I was leaving the base gym this week I overheard one of the employees tell

another “it’s about to get busy with all the New Year’s resolutions.” The other replied, “ya, but it’ll only last about two weeks.” From my experience, I’d say he has it about right! The reason I typically avoid even discussing the whole “New Year’s resolution” thing is that it seems to be a useless waste of time for most people.

Why do we have a hard time keeping New Year’s resolutions? Part of the problem may be that our resolutions are just simple goals like “lose 20 lbs.” or “become a better parent” with no detailed plan to ensure victory. But even with a plan (like the one provided by the Insanity DVDs you just got for Christmas), we are bound to have our difficult days where we need some conviction to help us keep our commitments.

So let me encourage you this New Years that if you intend to make a resolution, ensure you back it up with at least three things: 1) a detailed plan, 2) accountability, and 3) some mental conditioning. Amazingly, none of these things should be new concepts to you if you have paid attention to the training you have received as a Sailor. We just need to apply good training to our personal lives.

A DETAILED PLAN. Proverbs 23:7 tells us that “where [there is] no vision, the people perish.” Having vision entails having a clear sense of the goal and how to get there. Don’t let your resolutions die

their typical deaths! Script out for yourself what you’re going to do every day for three months. Planning will do at least two things: 1) remove excuses or inaction because you “don’t know what to do” today, and 2) give you at least three months of discipline that will help you turn your resolution into a habit – part of your daily lifestyle – which makes it easier to keep 8 months down the road. That’s part of the reason that workout plans like P90X or Insanity can be so effective – they plan your workouts for you and all you have to do is show up! Whether you intend to lose weight, workout more or learn a new skill, if you’re serious about it then spend some time mapping out the way ahead. Not sure what the way ahead entails? Talk to a subject matter expert that can help you!

ACCOUNTABILITY. It’s “forceful backup.” In telling us about the value of camaraderie and accountability, an old wise guy gave us this proverb: “though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves; [and] a cord of three strands is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12). Have you ever told your friends “I’m going on a diet – don’t let me eat any desserts, and tell me if you see me overeating”? I know it may be humbling, but if you do that (and if you have honest friends) you’ll be amazed at how much that accountability will keep you on track. Have you ever noticed how much easier it is to workout when you have other people working out with you? When I did

If setting financial goals is on the list of New Year's resolutions

Sailors should create a plan, write down goals and review saving and spending strategies, said a Navy financial specialist Jan. 3.

"State your financial resolutions simply and clearly for the new year," said Stacy Livingstone-Hoyte, financial counselor, Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC). "If Sailors set too many or unrealistic financial goals, they may not be able to accomplish any of them. To stay accountable, maintain a checklist, track how you are doing throughout the year and make modifications as needed."

Livingstone-Hoyte also suggests Sailors meet with their local command financial specialist (CFS) or other financial counseling resource to review the plans they have set in place to achieve their goals. A CFS provides financial education and training, counseling, and information referral at the command level at no cost to Sailors and their families.

After Sailors create their financial plan, Livingstone-Hoyte encourages them to make S.M.A.R.T. goals; this money management acronym refers to making Specific, Measureable,

Action-Oriented, Realistic and Timely financial goals.

And don't forget to write them down. A crucial part of any money management plan is to establish or review financial goals, evaluate accomplishments, anticipate, and make and implement changes where necessary.

"With a proposed 1.7 percent pay increase in 2013, Sailors should consider viewing this as 'found' or 'new money'," said Livingstone-Hoyte. "New money can be saved, spent, invested or a combination of each. The idea being that what isn't seen cannot be spent."

Sailors are also encouraged to review their credit reports. Active-duty service members and spouses can request their free myFICO credit report from their base financial counselor.

Paying off debt is one of the top financial resolutions for many and there are several methods for Sailors to consider when doing this, said Livingstone-Hoyte. One strategy is to tackle the debt that has the highest interest rate first. Mathematically, this is usually the most advantageous way to pay off debt. Once that is paid off, move on to the next highest interest

it runs in the family What Are Your Financial Goals?Story by Cmdr. EmilE mourEd, Command Chaplain

Story by mC2 andrEa pErEz, navy pErSonnEl Command publiC affairS

SEE finance pg. 11

CrossFit with some friends at my last command, we’d call each other on our cell phones if we weren’t there to do the WOD (workout of the day) and say “where are you?!” When I wanted to be a husband and father (which I still do), I met regularly with other men who wanted to do the same thing. Accountability helps provide that motivation to help us push through the tough days.

MENTAL CONDITIONING. We all know how easy it is to set off with good intentions, only to find ourselves failing to follow through. A leader in the early church told us that "anyone who listens to the Word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like” (James 1:22-25). Since we each hate that kind of self-hypocrisy, how can we ensure our actions and choices stay consistent with our commitments? Simply “trying harder” or trying to be more disciplined will

only change your behavior for a period of time. Therefore, remind yourself of the reasons you are doing what you’re doing -- remind yourself that choices have consequences and list those ( be they good or bad); write down the benefits of making this change in your life and revisit that list frequently; watch videos or read material that informs and motivates you to change the area(s) of your life you’re trying to change; choose to be around uplifting people that will make you a become the person you want to be. And spend time in prayer, giving your goals, hopes, and struggles to the only wise God who can sustain you through the whole process.

Can I promise you a formula that will make you keep this year’s priorities? No. But if you want to make a change, remember that lasting change begins in the mind and heart — not on a list of written resolutions (Romans 12:1-2).

Public Affairs OfficerLt. Cmdr. Karin BurzynskiMedia Division OfficerLt. Jason Scarborough

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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.

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Media DepartmentMC1 Michael Cole

MC2 Jacquelyn ChildsMC2 Ashley BerumenMC2 Nathan GomezMC2 Thomas SiniffMC2 Robert Winn

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Although the state of Washington has recently

updated the law on the use of marijuana, essentially decriminalizing use for civilians, Zero Tolerance drug policy regulations remain unaffected for Sailors aboard USS Nimitz home ported in Everett, Wash., as well as all military personnel.

The Zero Tolerance drug policy was implemented after a fatal crash of an EA-6B Prowler on board the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) in 1981, killing 14 crew members and injuring 45 others. The incident resulted in testing conducted during autopsies, which found that several members of the flight deck crew tested positive for marijuana. Following this discovery, President Ronald Reagan instituted a Zero Tolerance drug policy across all of the armed forces.

As a result regular, random urinalysis drug checks are conducted on all military personnel.

“Marijuana can stay in the system

for up to 30 days depending on the person’s metabolism, dosage and method of consumption,” said Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class David Johnson. “Because it’s lipid-based, it can stay in the fat cells for a long period of time, whereas water-based substances would flow through very quickly.”

Marijuana, or Cannabis, induces multiple psychological affects to the users mental state.

“Being under the influence of marijuana can result in slow reaction speed and poor judgment, and can negatively affect operational success,” said Legalman 1st Class Michael Lightsey. “In the case of an emergency, people could get hurt. You don’t want anyone to be high while operating a jet.”

Illegal or wrongful use, possession, sale, transfer of controlled substances, or any attempt to commit drug offenses results in maximum punishment under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which includes

forfeiture of half month’s pay for two months, reduction in rank, courts martial, three days confinement on bread and water (for E-3 and below Sailors), 45 days of extra duty and 45 days on restriction or 60 days of restriction and discharge from military service.

“Aside from the typical punishment that follows drug use, there are collateral consequences to getting kicked out of the military,” said Lt. Cmdr. Ryan Anderson, Nimitz’ Command Judge Advocate. “Aside from increasing the difficulty of finding a job, you also lose your G.I Bill. It’s not a good idea for Sailors to dabble with marijuana because it’s not worth it. Before you eat that pot brownie, ask yourself if it’s worth losing $90,000.”

For more information about the misuse of controlled substances and its consequences, reference Milpersman 1910-146.

This day in navy hisTory...

11January 1944

Story by mC3 vanESSa david

On 11 January 1944, TBF air-craft from USS Block Island

(CVE 21) make first aircraft rocket attack on German submarine, U-758. The submarine survived the attack and returned to St. Nazaire, France, on 20 January. In March 1945, it was stricken from the German Navy after being damaged by British bombers at Kiel, Germany.

First AircraftRocket Attack

Considered Legal?Sailors remain aware of the Navy's Zero Tolerance policy.

information providEd by navy.mil

Story by mC3 William CouSinS

Sailors Advised of2012 Tax Deadline

With the beginning of the new year it’s time to start

thinking about the up-coming tax deadline. Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) should try not to put off completing their taxes this year for a couple of reasons.

“Reason number one is our deployment schedule,” said Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman Scott Thrasher, Nimitz’ command financial specialist. “Also, we are likely not going to be eligible for deadline extensions this year.”

With Nimitz’ schedule subject to change, Thrasher recommends not procrastinating until the due date of April 15 to file tax returns. Once W2’s (wage and tax statements) come out Jan. 24, for active duty military personnel, Thrasher recommends going to the online website turbotax.com.

“Turbo Tax is good,” said Thrasher. “If you’re doing the basic federal income tax return it’s free on Turbo Tax. Unless you have a lot of assets, a [1040EZ] form is probably the way to go for a junior Sailor.”

Other websites Sailors can use for tax returns include hrblock.com

or militaryonesource.com. The most commonly used form by junior Sailors is the 1040EZ. Thrasher recommends Sailors research which form applies to them because there are different forms for different circumstances. If the 1040EZ form doesn’t apply, there are other tax form options, said Thrasher.

“Frequently, people are filling out the wrong form, which makes [filing tax returns] difficult,” said Thrasher. “Unless you have a lot of assets, own a home, are taking college courses or you’re married, the 1040EZ form is the best way to go.”

For a fee, Sailors can do their state and federal tax returns together online and receive their funds electronically via direct deposit.

“You can do for yourself what you would normally pay someone else to do for really cheap,” said Thrasher.

Thrasher recommends Sailors contact their chain of command with questions or assistance for help with filing their tax returns. Especially if they are a new Sailor or someone who isn’t familiar with doing taxes on their own. Grumman TBF-1 “Avenger” drops a torpedo in

practice in 1942. Note: fins of this torpedo have been retouched by censor to eliminate shroud. National Archives photograph, 80-G-43237.

MarijuanaIsto be

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It’s been a while since we high-lighted one of the more popu-

lar spots of Downtown Seattle. Pike Place Market, shrouded in the nos-talgia of fish being thrown to and fro, is a must see destination for anyone new to the area. If you just arrived to the ship, you’re in luck. There is no shortage of things to do in the North West and the market is easily one of the top five destina-tions on anyone’s list. What are the other four you ask? Well I’m not exactly sure. It seemed presumptu-ous to say number one and top 10 doesn’t seem quite as attractive.

So what’s so special about this public market? I’m glad you asked.

Since 1907, the corner of Pike St. and 1st Ave. has been the premier farmers market of Seattle. Offering a place for merchants and farmers to cutout the middle man and provide original produce directly to the con-sumer. Over the past 100 years, the market has grown. Now drawing in more than 10 million visitors a year, the market has been nicknamed the ‘Soul of Seattle’.

Whether you are looking for fresh produce or unique local art, Pike Place offers an extensive va-riety of food, goods and your daily dose of street performers.

Parking will be the largest con-cern for most visitors. Many local parking garages are within easy

walking distance and street side parking is free most evenings after 6 p.m. or for the traveller wishing to immerse themselves completely into the experience of the city, many bus routes pass directly through the market area.

For the coffee aficionado, the birthplace of the Seattle coffee gi-ant, Starbucks, is located at the cen-ter of the market while convenient signs direct the casual wanderer to attractions like the ‘Gum Wall’, an unexplainable collection of used chewing gum on display in the post alley. Feel free to make your own contribution but be sure to check the bottom of your shoes before leaving.

The Seattle waterfront is close by and offers an extended selection of food and attractions like Seattle’s Great Wheel, the newest edition to the waterfront skyline. For $15 dollars, visitors can take in a pic-turesque view of both downtown Seattle and Elliot Bay. The view is especially breathtaking during sun-set.

Open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon-day through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, the market can offer a full day of exploration with plenty of things to see and do and that’s why it makes it to my list of top five local destinations.

Story and photos by MC3 Ryan Mayes

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As the armored vehicles move through the streets of the small hillside towns, the soldiers are attentive and alert. As they look toward the evergreens that cover the mountains, smoke begins to rise in the distance. The signal fires have been lit.

The presence of provincial reconstruction teams (PRT) is not always welcome and now the fires have alerted possible insurgents that the soldiers are close.

Along the border of Afghanistan, next to Pakistan, lies the Kunar province. U.S. and Coalition forces have met consid-erable resistance in the region over the years and as one of the most dangerous parts of Afghanistan, the Kunar province has gained notoriety with the media through the documen-tary ‘Restrepo’ and as the once presumed location of Osama Bin Laden. This is the same area of Afghanistan where Med-al of Honor recipient Lt. Michael Murphy laid down his life, as have many others over the years.

Asadabad, the capital city of Kunar known to the sol-diers as Abad for short, is home to Forward Operating Base _______ and for nine months it was the home of Machinist Mate 2nd Class Bryan Brys, a USS Nimitz (CVN 68) Sailor, as he served as an Individual Augmentee (IA). Brys returned to the Nimitz just a couple days before Christmas after being gone for 15 months.

“I called it my Navy Appreciation Tour,” said Brys. “Nothing prepares you for what you experience.”

In the months of schooling prior to reaching Afghanistan, Brys learned how to maintain the 50,000-pound Mine-Re-sistant Ambush-Protected (MRAP) vehicles used by Interna-tional Security Assistance Force (ISAF) troops and became a certified combat driver. This was a strong contrast to the work he was accustomed to as a member of Nimitz’ Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration division.

“It was pretty easy for me to learn,” said Brys. “My father taught me a lot when I was younger. He and I used to work on diesel engines together so I already had a good under-standing.”

One of Brys many responsibilities was to maintain a mo-tor pool of MRAPs, a job he says he was able to do well.

“I kept he vehicles in my motor pool at 100 percent most of the time,” said Brys. “If for any reason one of the trucks had a problem I usually had it fixed that day.”

As mentioned before, running the motor pool was only one of he jobs that kept Brys occupied.

“They called me a jack of all trades,” said Brys. “At one point, I was the FOB mayor. I was responsible for more than

50 locals that worked on the base as forklift operators and carpenters. I would respond to any trouble calls about daily operations.”

Brys was also responsible for ordering supplies, receiving and transfer of mail, and a fuel and ammunition replenish-ment point.

While it may seem a demanding list on paper, it’s also important to realize that the soldiers at the FOB are work-ing under extremely dangerous conditions. It’s not just the 120-degree weather… at night. It’s the constant threat of at-tack from insurgents from both Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Brys explained that the base came under fire, on average, every other day. Both gunfire and mortar attacks were com-mon but the base was also victim to a vehicle born impro-vised explosive attack that claimed the life of the base com-mand sergeant major.

“The whole experience changed me,” said Brys. “I’m a completely different person. The stress of the environment affects you a lot. Before I got to Abad, I had never eaten an MRE (meal ready to eat). Standing outside in the heat in full gear wears on you too.”

As if this wasn’t enough of a culture shock for a Sailor, Brys also took part in 25 missions as a combat driver and one mission as a gunner. It was on these missions that Brys would witness the signal fires being lit in the distance alert-ing the enemy that the PRT was on the move. Brys explana-tion as to why he volunteered for this job was pretty strait forward.

“While I was there, I was representing the Navy,” he said. “I wanted to get out and take part in the missions. The Soldiers I worked with were real stand-up guys so that only made me want to work harder, whether that meant work-ing out more, clean my weapon or take part in the missions. I definitely felt like I was serving my country while I was there.”

Volunteering for an IA tour isn’t something every Sailor wishes to do and many never think it is something that they could do.

“Never in a million years would I have pictured myself in Afghanistan,” Said Brys. “I was able to take several he-licopter rides between the different FOBs. It’s a beautiful country. So beautiful but so dangerous.”

With such a dangerous environment, the question to be asked is: Is it worth it?

“I know we made a difference,” he said. “The purpose of the PRTs is to connect the infrastructure of the area. We

were re-stabilizing the area by providing help to farmers and by building schools and roads. They need that education, it’s the only way I see them learning how to help themselves.”

While in Afghanistan, Brys received a field promotion to 2nd class, which he describes as the best thing that happened to him while there.

“It was great to get the promotion,” he said. “They called me upfront and, in Army fashion, ripped my old patch off my uniform and threw it across the room before attaching the new one. Everyone came by to say congratulations, as they ‘made sure the rank was attached’ by giving the patch a solid punch, not too hard though.”

Brys explained that downtime on the FOB wasn’t too bad. They were able to build a basketball court to hold tourna-ments. They set up an outdoor gym and even held a karaoke

night where troops from other FOBs would fly in just to par-ticipate.

After enduring the stressful environments coupled by a strain on personal relationships, in large part due to commu-nication restraints, Brys still encourages other Sailors who are interested in becoming an IA to go for it, stating that it can make you a better person and allow them to appreciate what they have when home.

One thing is certain, Sailors like Brys who volunteer for IA not only have a chance to represent the Navy to the other services but they may also have the opportunity to repre-sent the Navy and their country to local communities. If that is not enough it can be a time to challenge one’s self both physically and mentally.

Individual AugmenteeStory and photos by MC3 Ryan Mayes

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rate debt. This way, an individual is making more progress by reducing how much of their money goes to paying interest each month.

"Smallest balance" and "shortest term" are a few other debt-elimination choices. For some people, paying off the smallest balance can provide a strong sense of accomplishment and the motivation to keep moving forward. Using a simple debt repayment calculator can help a person make this decision.

"Set a goal, make a plan and save automatically - this is the theme of the 2013 Military Saves campaign," said Livingstone-Hoyte. "The focus here is to master the fundamentals of money management by implementing good habits and sticking to your plans."

Service members can visit www.MilitarySaves.org to take the "Saver's Pledge," read success stories of other military families and sign-up to receive objective year-round advice about personal finances.

Financial matters that occur from overspending or bad budgeting, such as failure to pay bills, bad credit, bankruptcy and foreclosures can negatively impact a Sailor's career.

"Financial management is a key quality of life issue that affects every Sailor, their family members and the command," said Livingstone-Hoyte. "Bad financial decisions can drastically affect the morale, readiness and retention of Sailors."

Sailors experiencing financial challenges should notify their chain of command and work with their CFS to develop a budget and explore additional options such as military relief societies, eligibility for interest rate reductions and other strategies.

For more information on financial planning, budgeting or investing, contact CFS, the local FFSC or call the Navy Personnel Command customer service center at 1-866-U-ASK-NPC or email CSCMailbox@navy.mil.

The role of the chief petty officer (CPO) has long been an integral

part of our Navy. When Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Mike Stevens took office last year, he recognized that training chiefs for their new leadership role in six weeks, as the original CPO induction dictated, was hindering them in becoming as successful as possible.

"We recognized that we wouldn't always have the time that we would like to provide the training for our first class petty officers (FCPO) to become chiefs. So two years ago we implemented the CPO 365 training process that would afford them a longer period of time to train," said Stevens.

"What we've done now is said, 'Why should we have a break six weeks prior to pinning and change the way we've been training?' What we've decided to do is continue to train throughout the year, all the way up to the final night, and progressively make the training more intense and more relevant as they get ready to become chief petty officers."

CPO 365, a year-long development and training for FCPOs, was first introduced in 2010 under former MCPON Rick West. It includes two phases, the first of which begins in September each year. Under MCPON Steven's revised program, detailed in his 2012-2013 CPO 365 Guidance, all FCPOs will participate through the duration of Phase One, whether they are board-eligible or not.

"CPO 365 depends a lot on momentum," said Stevens. "It's a continuous process of learning and development. What we don't want to do is have a clean break from CPO 365 where the FCPOs who were not selected to chief, are no longer involved in the training. We want to maintain that momentum, and continue to train. We recognize that there will be some events where all FCPOs won't be able to participate in, but by and large, we'll keep them together and continue to do the training they've been doing, because it's vitally important that all of our petty officers continue to learn and develop."

Phase Two of training begins when CPO selectees are announced and concludes with the pinning ceremony. Upon announcement, each command will hold a congratulatory meet-and-greet for the selectees and their families, after which they will continue with training while maintaining good order and discipline.

Phase Two will continue to contain many time-honored traditions, such as CPO Charge Books and a capstone event focused on teamwork and resilience.

"We wanted to continue a program that set the conditions for every FCPO to be a successful and effective chief, and remove any road blocks that would interfere with that opportunity for success. We'll add in various things that

would afford them a greater opportunity to be successful chief petty officers."

One process that will no longer be a part of CPO 365 is the word "induction".

"Effective immediately, we're respectfully sun-downing the word 'induction', and in its place we'll use CPO 365 as the primary term," said Stevens. "I believe that induction is more about a moment in time, and CPO 365 and the development of our FCPOs to become CPOs is not about a moment in time. It's about a continuous time. This is something we're going to do every day, 365 days a year, and so we want to make sure the term we are using is matching what we are doing."

MCPON added that the term CPO 365 was coined by CPOs in the fleet, due to their belief that developing leaders is a year-round process.

"This training is far more by the fleet, for the fleet than it is from folks in Washington," said Stevens. "A couple of years ago, when I was working with then-MCPON Rick West to help develop the CPO 365 guidance, I was overseas talking to a CPO Mess about the program. While I was addressing them, I looked in the corner and I saw their CPO guidon, and on it was written '365'. I asked them what they meant by that and what they shared with me was "we believe that developing FCPOs to become chiefs is a year-round process, so we use the term CPO 365. So, this is a title that was developed by the fleet and we just adopted it."

Additionally, Stevens said that although the CPO 365 is primarily geared towards FCPO and CPOs, all Sailors will benefit from the training.

"To develop great leaders we must have a training process that is ongoing in a Sailor's career," he said. "If everything we do starts and stops with leadership, then every Sailor will benefit from a more effective leader."

finance Cont'd

Members of the USS Nimitz (CVN 68) Chief Petty Officer's Mess gather on the ship's flight deck. (Photo by MC2 Ian Cotter)

Story by mC2 alExandra SnydEr, dEfEnSE mEdia aCtivity

MCPON Releases CPO 365 Training Guidance On the COver

Aviation Maintenance Administrationman 1st Class Jeff

Reyholbrook dresses into the firefighter’ ensemble during an

in-port emergency team training drill aboard the aircraft carrier USS

Nimitz (CVN 68). (Photo by MCSN Kole Carpenter)