[Navy] Digest (12/15/2001 18:01) (#2001-59)

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(#2001-59) - Topics This Issue:

1) Navy News

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Date: Sat, 15 Dec 2001 11:43:01 -0800

Subject: Navy News

NAVAL MEDIA CENTER NavNews by e-mail:
NavNews (NNS) is the official newsletter of the U.S.
Navy, and is a product of the Naval Media Center, 2713
Mitscher Rd. SW, Anacostia Annex, D.C., 20373-5819. Reprints
should be credited to NNS.
Submit news content to mailto:pu...@mediacen.navy.mil.
Contact the NavNews editor, Mr. Jerome Mapp, at
mailto:ma...@mediacen.navy.mil or Lt. Brook DeWalt at DSN 288-
4380, (202) 433-4380 or mailto:dew...@mediacen.navy.mil for
further NavNews information.
For all other Navy information-related questions, call
the Navy News Desk at (703) 692-6704/5/6/7.
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Table of contents for NavNews 100/01 - 101/01
NNS10001. Today's Military Takes Lessons from WWII Generation
NNS10002. Dec. 11 Event Will Show Americans Won't Forget
NNS10003. Navy Commissions Guided Missile Destroyer Bulkeley
NNS10004. GW Sailors Learn How to Handle Stress, Anger
NNS10005. Comfort Training Maintains Readiness
NNS10006. Protecting Critical Military Infrastructures
NNS10101. President, SECDEF Lead Sept. 11 Commemorative Events
NNS10102. SURFLANT Retention Practices Paying Off
NNS10103. Pensacola Demonstrates CBR Decon Unit
NNS10104. City of Portsmouth Proclaims December as "Saipan Month"
NNS10105. This Week on Navy/Marine Corps News
NNS10106. This Week in Naval History

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NNS10001. Today's Military Takes Lessons from WWII Generation
By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- President Bush told the Sailors and
Marines of the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) that
they are the new defenders of freedom during ceremonies
commemorating the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, 60
years ago.
"What happened at Pearl Harbor was the start of a long
and terrible war for America," Bush told the crew of the ship
in Norfolk, Va. "Yet out of that surprise attack grew a
steadfast resolve that made America freedom's defender. And
that mission, our great calling, continues to this hour as
the brave men and women of our military fight the forces of
terror in Afghanistan and around the world."
Enterprise returned to Norfolk in November, after
participating in operations against the Taliban and the al
Qaeda terrorist network in Afghanistan.
Bush said the surprise attack on the American base in
Hawaii galvanized America. "During four years of war, no one
doubted the rightness of our cause; no one wavered in the
quest for victory," he said.
"As a result of the efforts and sacrifice of the veterans
who are with us today and millions like them, the world was
saved from tyranny.
"Many of you in today's Navy are the children and
grandchildren of the generation that fought and won the
Second World War," he continued. "Now your calling has come.
Each one of you is commissioned by history to face freedom's
enemies."
The Enterprise sailed from Norfolk in April. "We were a
nation at peace," Bush said. "All that changed on the morning
of September the 11th. You were among the first to fight in
the first war of the 21st century. You were ready. You
performed with skill and honor. And you have made your nation
proud."
Bush said terrorism is an ideology that respects no
boundary of nationality or decency. He said terrorists want
to concentrate power in the hands of a few individuals who
will make the rest conform to their standards.
"They celebrate death, making a mission of murder and a
sacrament of suicide," he said. "Yet, for some reason, . only
young followers are ushered down this deadly path to paradise
while terrorist leaders run into caves to save their own
hides."
The President said the terrorists are the heirs to
fascism the United States defeated in World War II. "They
have the same will to power, the same disdain for the
individual, the same mad global ambitions," he said. "And
they will be dealt with in just the same way."
He said free nations cannot appease terrorists; free
nations must defeat them. "This struggle will not end in a
truce or a treaty. It will end in victory for the United
States, our friends and for the cause of freedom!" Bush
said.
The President told the Norfolk audience that he would
detail the new capabilities and technologies the military
needs to fight and win these new wars.
"We'll need the intelligence to find the enemy where he
dwells, and the means to strike swiftly across the world," he
said. "We must have a military organized for decisive and
total victory. And to you, the men and women of our military,
I make this pledge: You'll have every resource, every weapon,
every tool you need to win the long battle that lies ahead."
For this and other Department of Defense news, go to
http://www.defenselink.mil.
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NNS10002. Dec. 11 Event Will Show Americans Won't Forget
By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- American leaders take every
opportunity to tell the world why the United States is
fighting a war against global terrorism.
President Bush is asking the citizens of the world to
show on Dec. 11 that they, too, understand the need to
stand up against terror.
He is asking countries to hold remembrance events and to
play their national anthems at the exact moment the first
terrorist-hijacked airplane struck the World Trade Center in
New York: 8:46 a.m. Eastern time.
Bush will lead the initiative at 8:46 a.m. EST with a
White House ceremony and the playing of "The Star-Spangled
Banner" by the U.S. Marine Corps Band. He will ask the United
Nations and all U.S. embassies, installations and agencies to
hold similar events.
Following the ceremony at the White House, Defense
Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld will hold a brief remembrance at
9:30 a.m. at the Pentagon helicopter pad, at the time and
near the spot where terrorists crashed their hijacked
airliner into the building three months ago.
U.S. service members at installations around the world
are urged to participate.
The initiative grew out of a Taliban communiqu' released
Nov. 20 stating that the United States should "forget" about
the attacks of Sept. 11.
White House officials said the United States refuses to
forget the thousands of victims from more than 80 countries
who perished in the attacks in New York, at the Pentagon and
in a Pennsylvania field.
For this and other DoD news, go to
http://www.defenselink.mil.
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NNS10003. Navy Commissions Guided Missile Destroyer Bulkeley
By Jerome W. Mapp, Navy News Service
NEW YORK (NNS) -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile
destroyer USS Bulkeley (DDG 84) was commissioned into service
Dec. 8, during a ceremony at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space
Museum. The event took place not far from ground zero --
where the destroyed World Trade Center once stood.
Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz delivered the
ceremony's principal address. New York Mayor Rudy Guiliani
was among the dignitaries on hand for the commissioning.
"This ship bears the name of a man whose service over the
course of nearly six decades displayed the same traits of
character that define this city, which was his hometown,"
Wolfowitz said. "There is no more fitting place to commission
this ship as we stand in the shadow of Lady Liberty and
within walking distance of ground zero," said Wolfowitz.
The ship is named in honor of Vice Adm. John Duncan
Bulkeley (1911-1996) recipient of the Medal of Honor, Navy
Cross, and numerous other decorations for heroism during
World War II.
The ship's sponsors were Bulkeley's three daughters,
Regina Day, Joan Stade, and Diana Lindsay; a daughter-in-law,
Carol A. Bulkeley and Sarah Fargo, wife of Adm. Thomas B.
Fargo, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. In the time-
honored Navy tradition, the sponsors gave the order to "bring
our ship to life!"
While in command of Motor Torpedo Boat (MTB) Squadrons 3
and 7 during the defense of the Philippines, Bulkeley
evacuated Army Gen. Douglas MacArthur and President Quezon of
the Philippines, and destroyed several Japanese planes,
surface combatants, and merchant ships.
As commander of MTB Squadron 102, he supported the
Normandy and Southern France invasions. Following the war, he
became president of the Board of Inspection and Survey, where
he continued to serve upon transfer to the retired list on
Jan. 1, 1974. He died in 1996 at the age of 85.
The ship's commanding officer is Cmdr. Carlos Del Toro, a
native of Havana, Cuba, raised in New York. With a crew of
approximately 380 officers, chiefs and enlisted personnel,
Bulkeley will be homeported in Norfolk, Va., as a member of
the U.S. Atlantic Fleet.
The ship is the 34th of 58 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers
currently authorized by Congress, and the 15th of this class
to be built by Northrop Grumman Ship Systems Ingalls
Operations in Pascagoula, Miss.
Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are the most capable
surface warships ever built. Truly multi-mission combatants,
these ships can conduct a variety of operations, from
peacetime presence and crisis management to sea control and
power projection, in support of the National Military
Strategy.
For more information on Arleigh Burke-class destroyers,
go to http://www.navy.mil and first select "Fact File,"
then"Surface Ships" and "Destroyers."
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NNS10004. GW Sailors Learn How to Handle Stress, Anger
By Journalist Seaman Matthew Liddell, USS George Washington
Public Affairs
USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The average Sailor tends
to get a little peeved from time to time. But aboard USS
George Washington (CVN 73), the command religious ministries
department (CRMD) is doing something to reduce stress aboard
ship. CRMD and the ship's medical department are helping
Sailors deal with any stress and anger they might experience.
"We try to help Sailors develop the skills and tools they
need in order to manage their anger," said Cmdr. Steve Gragg,
GW's command chaplain. "You have to understand that anger
isn't necessarily a good or a bad thing. It's something that
we all have to deal with. Some shipmates need to fine-tune
the skills to manage (anger) so they don't end up in a place
they don't want to be in."
CRMD offers two classes: a two-day anger management
class, and a two-day stress management class held in the
ship's chapel.
"We teach people the physical and emotional signs of
anger," Gragg said "In the first part of the class, we try to
define what anger is. How you can recognize it in your own
life. What are the physical signs. And how you can tell it's
coming on."
Gragg said that identifying anger is the first part of
dealing with it. The next step is dealing with it
constructively.
"We teach the old "fight-or-flight" philosophy," Gragg
said. "When you get upset you have two choices. One is to
fight -- let your anger go and just take it out on somebody
else. The other one is flight -- get away from the situation
that is making you angry. In the environment that we work in,
learning to find your way out of the situation that is making
you angry is important. So we teach simple steps on how to
walk away, how to get out of the situation where you feel
yourself giving your control away."
Chief Religious Programmer(SW/AW) Donna Norman, a class
instructor, said that she tries to keep classes relaxed and
somewhat informal.
"We try to let the students in the class kind of be the
teachers," Norman said. "When they hear that other people are
having the same kind of problems that they are, it makes them
feel better about it. We try to let them share their
experiences and give advice to each other. We're really just
the coaches."
Gragg said that personal information Sailors share is
kept strictly confidential.
"Those people who come in, if they want to share, that's
their choice. We don't discuss what is said anywhere else but
the classroom. Because of that people tend to open up and be
very frank. Sometimes it's hard to limit the talking time to
just one hour because people don't want to stop."
Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Joel Blockton, a mental
health technician, instructs the stress management class. He
said the effects of stress can be more extensive than people
realize.
"Stress is something that affects people both
psychologically and physically," Blockton said. "The physical
effects of stress can be damaging to a person's health. The
effects can range from headaches to back pains to high blood
pressure, hypertension, heart disease, insomnia, maybe even
cancer. A lot of health problems can be attributed to
stress."
One thing Blockton tells his students is that the classes
are not designed to "cure" anyone of their stress or anger.
"In some ways stress can even be a good thing," Blockton
said. "It might help you rise to the occasion and achieve
things they never thought they could before. Sometimes people
function better under a certain amount of stress."
Norman and Gragg said they have taught the anger
management class for about a year and a half, and they feel
the response to the class has been positive.
"I think it helps to raise awareness," Norman said. "They
become more aware of how their anger is affecting their
lives. Basically we're trained to be fighters and that anger
is a part of our job; we just need to deal with it
constructively."
"A good Sailor recognizes when he has an issue with his
anger," Gragg said. "There may be some chains of command that
insist that the Sailor come to the class, but the majority of
the people (who take the class) are there because they want
to come, and I think that's a good sign."
For more information on USS George Washington, go to
http://www.spear.navy.mil/gw.
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NNS10005. Comfort Training Maintains Readiness
By Journalist 2nd Class Ellen Maurer, National Naval Medical
Center Public Affairs
BALTIMORE (NNS) -- Nearly 250 staff members from the
National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Md., took part in
training recently aboard USNS Comfort (AH 20) as the ship lay
berthed in Baltimore.
The crew joined a small, reduced operating staff of 58
Sailors permanently stationed on the ship. Together, the team
practiced man overboard, fire and mass casualty drills,
gearing up for a possible joint training exercise in the
Baltic Sea next summer.
The exercise, MEDCUER/RESCUER 02, is tentatively planned
for July 2002. Given the current political circumstances
around the world, Comfort crewmembers realize that training
during dock trials also ensures the ship's readiness to
deploy and medically support military forces in wartime
conditions.
Under Navy requirements, Comfort must be ready to deploy
within five days. During the ship's most recent mission to
New York City after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade
Centers, the crew activated in less than 24 hours.
Commander of the military treatment facility aboard
Comfort, Capt. Charles Blankenship, Medical Corps, said the
crew has proved they can be ready; now they need to stay
ready.
"Keep your sea bags packed," Blankenship told the crew
during an all-hands meeting on the first night of dock
trials. "I don't know of any current plans to send the ship
anywhere, but I do know that all medical platforms are in a
state of readiness. This is the time to prepare because we
don't really know what's in store for the future."
Blankenship added that the emphasis during these dock
trials would be on personnel and patient safety.
To keep the crew prepared for the uncertainty of real
life aboard a ship, surprise drills in the middle of the
night were a planned part of dock trial training, along with
situational scenarios that involved the entire crew reacting
to events that could really happen during a longer
deployment. Some situations, though, didn't have to be
simulated.
Sailors also got the chance to practice their skills in
flexibility, working around shipboard upgrades that didn't
get finished earlier due to the ship's short-notice
deployment to New York City in September.
Medical training in the ship's casualty receiving area
had to be contained to a smaller section due to some minor
maintenance, and emergency escape paths needed to be re-
routed due to blocked-off passageways.
First-time Comfort Sailor Hospitalman Reynaldo Gallegos
said he appreciates the ship's overall focus on training.
Gallegos, who's only been in the Navy for a little more than
a year and is regularly assigned to NNMC's medical/surgical
social work unit, says he's learning a lot about his rating
aboard the ship and is determined to take advantage of his
training opportunities.
"I think I've learned more about Navy medicine in the
last few days than I've learned since I joined," Gallegos
said, adding that he hopes he'll be able to go with Comfort
if the ship does deploy to the Baltic Sea in six months.
For more information on NNMC Bethesda, go to
http://www.nnmc.med.navy.mil.
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NNS10006. Protecting Critical Military Infrastructures
By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service
ARLINGTON, Va. (NNS) -- Even before Sept. 11, the
Department of Defense recognized the importance of protecting
critical infrastructures.
For more than two years, experts in the Office of the
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Command, Control,
Communications and Intelligence have been working to identify
DoD's critical assets and their associated supporting
infrastructures, and develop policy on their protection, and
game how the department would work if a node in these
infrastructures were destroyed.
Tom Bozek is the director of the Critical Infrastructure
Protection Office. He leads a small staff that is putting in
place the policy framework for critical infrastructure
protection.
The military has long known certain physical or cyber
capabilities are essential to protect the nation. They are
also essential to help the military accomplish its missions.
Measures can be as mundane as physically protecting a
facility or installation to ensuring satellite communications
continue uninterrupted. The office studies the big picture
and applies lessons to specific fixes.
"We want to learn the lessons once and implement the
solutions many times," Bozek said.
Bozek's office works with the warfighting commands to
determine what capabilities are critical to their missions.
Then the office works with the service or agency that "owns"
the asset to ensure the capability is protected or that
procedures are established so the mission continues in the
event of a breakdown.
It's a big job. "We're trying to understand what assets
are critical to military mission success," Bozek said. The
office concentrates on these critical infrastructures:
transportation, logistics, financial services, public works,
health affairs, personnel, defense information, space, and
intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
Bozek said the picture is complicated because there are
many interrelationships between the various infrastructures.
"We know that there are interrelationships among the assets
in these infrastructures," he said. An asset failure in one
infrastructure may have an adverse cascading effect on assets
in many other infrastructures.
Once the group defines the interdependencies, it can
isolate where the single points of failure may be that would
cause mission failures.
The group has built on experience gained during the Year
2000 computer bug effort. "We're taking advantage of the Y2K
experiences. That's a good example of the interdependencies,"
Bozek said.
"You have a variety of information systems that are
connected. They pass data to each other through this network.
The same is true on physical infrastructures --
transportation, logistics, financial services and so on. So,
we find the same principles apply to these infrastructures
that we learned in Y2K."
The office calls on many different agencies for help.
Bozek relies on the Navy's Joint Program Office for Special
Technology Countermeasures as the overall technical agent. He
also calls on the Defense Threat Reduction Agency for
balanced survivability assessments.
In addition, the office works closely with the Homeland
Security Division of the Joint Staff, and with all the combat
commands, services and combat support agencies. The office
also works with the FBI and the National Infrastructure
Protection Center.
The Sept. 11 attacks underscored for the military the
need for redundant facilities and partnerships with private
industries. The attacks in New York, for example, illustrated
the robustness of U.S. telecommunications facilities. Private
telecommunications companies -- that DoD uses also --
reconstituted financial communications networks fairly
quickly.
But the attacks illustrated how much the military relies
on private firms for infrastructure support.
"We are dependent on our private sector partners,"
Bozek said. "Our telecom is over private lines, most bases
take power from private sources. Private shipping lines
augment our sealift and airlift.
"We are developing even closer relationships with our
private partners to identify potential vulnerabilities and to
get better."
In light of the asymmetrical threats the U.S. military
faces, the mission given Bozek's office is never-ending.
"Critical infrastructure protection has a defensive
focus, offense almost always has the advantage," he said.
"There are always going to be newer creative ways adversaries
are going to use to try to overcome our defenses. Everyone
needs to be vigilant."
For this and other DoD news, go to
http://www.defenselink.mil.
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NNS10101. President, SECDEF Lead Sept. 11 Commemorative
Events
By Jerome W. Mapp, Navy News Service
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- President George W. Bush and
Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld paused Dec. 11 to
remember the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks,
during solemn ceremonies at the White House and at the
Pentagon.
Last week Bush had asked the citizens of the world to
show on Dec. 11 that they, too, understand the need to stand
up against terror. He asked countries to hold remembrance
events and to play their national anthems at 8:46 a.m. EST --
the exact moment the first terrorist-hijacked airplane struck
the World Trade Center in New York.
The President led the initiative at 8:46 a.m. EST with a
White House ceremony and the playing of "The Star-Spangled
Banner" by the U.S. Marine Band. He asked the United Nations
and all U.S. embassies, installations and agencies to hold
similar events.
During the White House ceremony, Bush said, "We remember
the cruelty of the murderers and the pain and anguish of the
murdered. Every one of the innocents who died on September
the 11th was the most important person on earth to somebody.
Every death extinguished a world.
"We remember the courage of the rescue workers and the
outpouring of friendship and sympathy from nations around the
world. We remember how we felt that day: our sadness, the
surge of love for our country, our anger, and our
determination to right this huge wrong.
"Today, the wrong is being righted and justice is being
done. We still have far to go. And many dangers lie ahead.
Yet, there can be no doubt how this conflict will end. Our
enemies have made the mistake that America's enemies always
make. They saw liberty and thought they saw weakness. And
now, they see defeat."
The White House ceremony was followed by a ceremony at
the Pentagon, where Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld
and Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff, held a brief remembrance at 9:30 a.m. at the
Pentagon helicopter pad -- near the spot where terrorists
crashed their hijacked airliner into the building three
months ago.
After a crane at the reconstruction site hoisted a large
American flag, Myers spoke briefly to the assembly.
"Those who lost their lives in this building and the
innocent passengers and crew members on the aircraft were
among the first to give their life in this global war on
terrorism, but certainly not the last. Their deaths were a
clarion call to our nation -- a call to once again confront
the enemies of freedom, a call to once again join with
friends and allies to preserve our basic values, and a call
to stand united, Myers said."
Myers then introduced Rumsfeld, who thanked the service
members and civilians who turned out on an overcast day to
remember the fallen men, women and children.
"Three months ago today at this hour, in this place, some
184 people died. They died because they were Americans, sons
and daughters of the Land of Liberty. They died because they
were here, in this place that symbolizes the power of freedom
and the strength of American purpose and principle," Rumsfeld
said.
"The terrorists who are responsible for their deaths
prefer us to extinguish the memory of their lives, of their
deaths, and the meaning of their sacrifice.
"We will not. We will remember their lives, and the
reason for their deaths, until freedom triumphs over
oppression, over fear, and long beyond. We will remember
them, and the other victims of that day -- their children,
their families, their friends, and the heroes -- both living
and dead -- whose strength and courage prevented the loss of
still more."
The initiative grew out of a Taliban communique released
Nov. 20 stating that the United States should "forget" about
the attacks of Sept. 11.
White House officials said the United States refuses to
forget the thousands of victims from more than 80 countries
who perished in the attacks in New York, at the Pentagon and
in a Pennsylvania field.
For this and other DoD news, go to
http://www.defenselink.mil.
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NNS10102. SURFLANT Retention Practices Paying Off
By Journalist 1st Class Janet Davis, Naval Surface Force,
Atlantic Fleet Public Affairs
NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- Just one year after refocusing its
retention efforts, Naval Surface Force Atlantic Fleet
(SURFLANT) commands have begun to produce positive results.
More commands than ever have been awarded the Commander in
Chief Atlantic Fleet (CINCLANTFLT) Retention Excellence Award
for Fiscal Year 2001.
The Retention Excellence Award, formally the Fleet Golden
Anchor Award, was initiated three years ago to recognize
commands that sustained superior levels of retention.
Under the program, SURFLANT commands must meet or exceed
the standards of retention excellence established by
CINCLANTFLT for their first term, second term, and career
Sailors.
Ninety SURFLANT commands were recognized this year, as
compared to 53 last year. Overall, reenlistment statistics
for SURFLANT increased 22.7 percent for first-term Sailors,
12.7 percent for second-termers, and 3.16 percent for career
Sailors.
In his ALNAVSURFLANT message, Rear Adm. Jay Foley,
commander of SURFLANT, directed credit to all the awardees.
"These successful retention efforts are a product of
strong and resourceful leadership, innovative personnel
programs, and commitment to quality of life and work
programs. We are improving and retaining superb individuals,
the mainstay of our future. Keep the interest and active
participation going."
And while the receiving commands may have used different
approaches in obtaining their retention goals, their efforts
were concentrated on the same area - focus on the Sailor.
"We have focused on proper indoctrination of our new
Sailors, continuing education programs such as the Navy
College Program for Afloat College Education (NCPACE),
Functional Skill and master's degree programs, and our
Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs," said USS Nassau
(LHA 4) Command Master Chief John Snell.
"We believe that our Sailors possess the positive
attitude and ability to be the best and they in turn believe
in themselves," said Snell. As a result, command climate has
improved, training is more effective and our Sailors have
truly become part of the solution."
USS Normandy (CG 60) took a proactive approach to finding
Sailors who were undecided.
The command career counselor held weekly interviews of
Sailors in a selected division. Command Developmental Boards
were held weekly and the commanding officer made it a point
to do one-on-one interviews with at least four Sailors a day.
"In just under a year, we have been able to focus our
retention efforts in a positive direction," said Normandy's
CMDCM (SW/AW/FMF) Bennie Pearce. "The difference was in the
leadership's commitment to developing good Sailors and taking
care of their families."
A common thread to retention on all ships is a commitment
to Sailors and their quality of life. With rising advancement
numbers, Basic Allowance for Housing being extended to E4s
and career sea pay authorized for all ranks, the increasing
of retention numbers will likely remain positive.
"We all know the major things that effect retention --
money, promotions, duty assignments to name a few," said USS
McFaul (DDG 74) CMDCM(SW/AW) Steve Luster. "After that it is
simply showing people you care and understand them."
For more information on SURFLANT, go to
http://www.cnsl.spear.navy.mil.
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NNS10103. Pensacola Demonstrates CBR Decon Unit
By Rod Duren, Naval Hospital Pensacola Public Affairs
PENSACOLA, Fla. (NNS) -- Naval Hospital Pensacola gave
local bio-terrorism preparedness task force members an eye-
opening experience recently by demonstrating its new
chemical, biological and radiological decontamination (CBR)
unit.
The unit is part of the hospital safety office's
hazardous material and weapons of mass destruction response
plan that has been under development for the last 18 months.
The hospital is the first medical facility in the area to
have a fully functional exterior decontamination unit for the
use against CBR contamination in the event of a mass
casualty.
Pensacola provided the demonstration to a group of safety
officers from area hospitals who belong to the area's bio-
terrorism task force to show them the cost efficiency of
having their own decon units and the ease of set up.
Lt. Kim Zablan, Nurse Corps, and her set-up crew has the
unit assembled in less than 20 minutes -- the suggested time
a medical facility has once it received notification of an
CBR emergency.
Cecil McLeod, head of Pensacola's safety office, hopes
the demonstration will help open lines of communication
between all of hospitals in the event of an incident.
"We'll need those lines opened between the first-
responders (fire departments, EMS and police) and our medical
facilities which will be needed to protect the community in
case of a mass casualty," he said.
For more information on Naval Hospital Pensacola, go to
http://psaweb.med.navy.mil.
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NNS10104. City of Portsmouth Proclaims December As "Saipan
Month"
By Chief Journalist Michael R. Marsh and Journalist 2nd Class
Eric S. Dehm, USS Saipan Public Affairs
PORTSMOUTH, Va. (NNS) -- For the crew aboard the general-
purpose amphibious assault ship USS Saipan (LHA 2),
dedication to duty and community service go hand-in-hand.
Recently the crew's volunteer work at an elementary school
earned the ship high praise from a local government leader.
During a meeting of the Portsmouth City Council on Nov.
27, a select group of Saipan officers and enlisted Sailors
were present for the reading of a proclamation by City Mayor
Dr. James W. Holley III, thanking the command for its
charitable accomplishments.
In the proclamation, Holley said "Saipan's dedicated
efforts and sincere concern for Portsmouth students and the
local community was instrumental in enhancing quality of
life." To show his appreciation, he designated December 2001
as "USS Saipan Month" in Portsmouth.
Saipan's benevolent service to the city began early this
year. Shortly after the ship entered the Norfolk Naval
Shipyard (NNSY) in Virginia for a 13-month complex overhaul
in February, the command's leadership expressed an interest
in supporting the local community through volunteer work.
When Portsmouth officials heard of the request, the timing
couldn't have been better.
Located just blocks from the NNSY complex was Brighton
Elementary School, a 45-year-old facility comprised mostly of
students from low-income and minority families. During recent
years, the Brighton school had fallen into disrepair. The
ravages of time and a 350-student body population had taken
its toll. Electrical wiring wasn't up to standard, and the
overall appearance and condition of the school wasn't
conducive to a good learning experience. To make matters
worse, civilian contractors couldn't be hired to make repairs
due to a lack of funds.
"The needs are great here," said Brighton's Principal
Doris McNeal. "There's never enough money to give attention
to all the work that needs to be done. The manpower cost of
fixing up the school would be astronomical!"
The list of tasks was daunting. All the classrooms and
office spaces needed refurbishing, as did hallway walls,
restrooms, and other interior and exterior property. With the
school in need of such a major facelift, McNeal said a
volunteer work force was the only way to get the job done.
The answer to Brighton's problem was quickly solved when
Saipan volunteers gathered en masse for a renovation project
last April.
During the school's spring break, more than 160
crewmembers went to Brighton to repair electrical fixtures
and equipment, paint hallways, and renovate structures.
In addition to extensive landscaping, they also built a
wooden storage shed. The crew's five-day effort resulted in
approximately $25,000 worth of renovations and repairs
throughout the school.
That same month, the ship officially "adopted" Brighton
Elementary and immediately established an educational
partnership, with crewmembers donating their time each week
throughout the remaining school year to serve as tutors and
teacher's assistants.
Over the summer, the Saipan crew again volunteered their
talents painting 20 classrooms and making additional
renovations. Once classes resumed in September, Sailors again
filled the need for tutors.
The seven-month long educational partnership has been a
challenging and rewarding time for the ship's volunteers.
Just days before Thanksgiving, Brighton's faculty and
students held a special assembly to "thank" them for their
contributions.
With more than 40 Saipan Sailors lining the auditorium
walls, Brighton's students took to the stage for a series of
skits and songs.
The highlight of the assembly was a skit featuring first-
graders holding a sign reading "Thank you for your helping
hands," followed by the fifth-grade class singing country
music group Alabama's "Angels Among Us", and Lee Greenwood's
patriotic pop-ballad, "God Bless The U.S.A."
In between songs, Brighton fifth-grader Raquia King had a
special message for the Saipan crew.
"Our prayers are definitely being answered. We are able
to see your many contributions as we walk the halls and enter
our classrooms. Your time, effort and helping hands are
touching our lives. Just knowing you care makes a difference.
You are truly angels among us."
For more information on USS Saipan, go to
http://www.navy.mil, select the "Our Ships" link, then select
"Amphibs," then "Amphibious Assault Ships."
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NNS10105. This Week on Navy/Marine Corps News
By Naval Media Center Staff
Look for the following stories and more on next week's
Navy/Marine Corps News show:
- Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Vern Clark leads Navy's
Pearl Harbor memorial commemoration;
- The President of the United States George W. Bush, and
Secretary of the Navy Gordon England, commemorate Pearl
Harbor aboard USS Enterprise, the "Big E;"
- USS Bulkeley (DDG 84), named after a WWII hero, is
commissioned in New York City;
- Hootie and the Blowfish wrap up their USO "Homeland
Heroes" tour with a concert at Marine Corps Base Quantico,
Va.;
- With the new advancement results out, Chief of Naval
Personnel Vice Adm. Norb Ryan continues to look for ways to
improve the advancement opportunities.
Compiled on tape #2001-51, the show is on its way to the
fleet now.
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NNS10106. This Week in Naval History:
- Dec.17, 1846: Ships under Commodore Matthew Calbraith
Perry capture Laguna de Terminos during the Mexican War.
- Dec. 18, 1902: Admiral of the Navy George Dewey receives
orders to send his battleship to Trinidad and then to
Venezuela to make sure that Great Britain's and Germany's
dispute with Venezuela was settled by peaceful arbitration
not force.
- Dec. 19, 1956: Adm. William F. Raborn's Special Projects
Office is assigned the responsibility of developing the
complete Polaris missile system, which is accorded the
Navy's highest priority.
- Dec. 20, 1941: Adm. Ernest J. King is designated
commander-in-chief, U.S. Fleet in charge of all operating
naval fleets and coastal frontier forces. He reports directly
to the President.
- Dec. 21, 1861: Congress authorizes the Medal of Honor, the
nation's highest award, for naval personnel.
- Dec. 22, 1775: Congress commissions the first naval
officers: Esek Hopkins, commander-in-chief of the Fleet, and
Captains Dudley Saltonstall, Abraham Whipple, Nicolas Biddle,
and John Hopkins. Lieutenants included John Paul Jones.
- Dec. 23, 1910: Lt. Theodore G. Ellyson becomes the first
naval officer sent to flight training.
Visit http://www.history.navy.mil for more information
about the Naval Historical Center and naval history.
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