Navy News Service 15/95 - 22 Mar 95

[Navy News Service]

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NAVY NEWS SERVICE - 22 MAR 95 - NAVNEWS 015/95
TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR NAVNEWS 015/95
Top News and Policy Stories
NNS202. Seawolf Ready for Final Production Work
NNS203. Ball Caps to Become Mandatory with Dungaree Uniform
Personnel Notes
NNS204. New System Tracks Non-deployable Personnel
NNS205. Troops to Teacher Program Available After Military Service
NNS206. National Apprenticeship Program Helps Sailors Get Ahead
NNS207. Reserve E8 and E9 Advancement Opportunities Increase
NNS208. Immigration Service Extends Use of Old Green Card
Salute to Excellence
NNS209. Search Teams Rescue Three Following Fire on Greek Ship
Around the Fleet
NNS210. Notable Quotable: Secretary of Defense William J. Perry
NNS211. SECNAV Launches Hawaii Housing Project
NNS212. Navy Helicopter Crashes off Coast of Japan
NNS213. Navy Submarine Featured in PBS Documentary
NNS214. Navy Astronaut Assigned to Russian Post
NNS215. Status of U.S. Navy on March 20, 1995
NNS216. This Week in the Navy: March 22, 1821
Short Splices
NNS217. National Image Award Nominations Needed
NNS218. "Carrier" Sets Ratings Record for Discovery
NNS219. Navy-Marine Corps News
-USN-
Top News and Policy Stories
NNS202. Seawolf Ready for Final Production Work

GROTON, Conn. (NNS) -- The world's most technologically
advanced submarine, the Seawolf, has transited from the
construction building to the outdoor patio for final production
work at the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics, Groton,
Conn.
Seawolf is approximately 80 percent complete and is scheduled
to be christened in June 1995. According to a Department of
Defense (DOD) release, the complexities involved in designing and
building a new class of submarine -- particularly a submarine like
Seawolf which pushes the envelope of new technology -- have made
the management of this essential program one of the most
challenging ever for DOD.
(This Story appeared on Navy Wire Service as NWSA384)
-USN-
NNS203. Ball Caps to Become Mandatory with Dungaree Uniform
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Navy enlisted personnel are now authorized
to wear the Navy ball cap or command ball cap instead of the white
hat or garrison cap with dungarees.
Recruits will be issued two plain blue "Navy" ball caps
beginning Oct. 1 for wear with dungarees. Personnel entering the
Navy before Oct. 1 can wear the white hat for men and the blue
garrison for women or the Navy ball cap and command ball cap with
dungarees until Oct. 1, 1996, when the ball cap becomes mandatory.
Commands issuing command ball caps to arriving personnel may
require the mandatory wear of that ball cap.
More information is available from BUPERS Notice 1020, dated
March 21 or through the Uniform Matters section, bulletin number
26, on BUPERS Access.
by LT Dan Bates, BUPERS Public Affairs
-USN-
Personnel Notes
NNS204. New System Tracks Non-deployable Personnel
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Navy has begun tracking service
members who are either temporarily or permanently non-deployable,
to help assess their impact on fleet readiness.
The FY95 Defense Authorization Bill requires each service to
provide an annual report to Congress on personnel who are
non-deployable or otherwise assignment-limited as a means of
improving overall military readiness.
While the system will report officer and enlisted
non-deployability, it will not be used to initiate or justify a
transfer. Further reporting using established administrative
systems is still required to begin the transfer process.
Personnel who are assignment-limited for 30 days or more must
be reported using the Diary Message Reporting System (DMRS).
More information is available in NAVADMIN 051/95.
by LT Dan Bates, BUPERS Public Affairs
-USN-
NNS205. Troops to Teacher Program Available After Military Service
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- To help military members leaving the
service find challenging civilian work and improve American
education institutions, Congress enacted legislation for the
formation of the "Troops to Teachers" program.
The program provides schools with motivated, experienced, and
dedicated personnel for the nation's classrooms. The program helps
relieve teacher shortages, especially in math and science, and
provides opportunities for military personnel impacted by
downsizing.
The Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support
(DANTES) manages the program by providing information and
resources. Additionally, financial assistance is available for
qualified individuals for teacher training and for school systems
to help defray costs of hiring new teachers.
More information is available through DANTES at DSN 922-1151
or 1-800-231-6242.
by LT Dan Bates, BUPERS Public Affairs
-USN-
NNS206. National Apprenticeship Program Helps Sailors Get Ahead
ABOARD USS SHENANDOAH (NNS) -- Ask any new Navy recruit why
they joined the Navy and a common answer is to get the education
and training needed to survive in today's work force. Crew members
of USS Shenandoah (AD 44) are finding the Navy's National
Apprenticeship Program to be a great way to document their Navy
experience in a way civilian employers understand.
The Navy's National Apprenticeship Program is a joint effort
with the Department of Labor which allows Sailors to become
certified journeymen. Once basic qualifications are met,
participants are eligible to receive a "Certificate of Completion
of Apprenticeship" from the U.S. Department of Labor. At this
point, participants are considered to be journeymen by the
Department of Labor. All fees for the program are paid by the
Navy.
"Having this certificate in hand will allow you to quickly
meet the local and state licensing requirements in many technical
career areas," said Shenandoah's Apprenticeship Program
Coordinator Machinist's Mate Second Class (SW) David Harrity. "With
a certificate you may start off at a higher rate of pay than your
counterparts. This documentation also may be accepted as technical
credit towards an associates degree."
Sailors wishing to apply should contact their command career
counselor to review a copy of OPNAVINST 1560.10 series on the
Navy's National Apprenticeship Program.
by JO2 Nancy Hesson, USS Shenandoah
-USN-
NNS207. Reserve E8 and E9 Advancement Opportunities Increase
NEW ORLEANS (NNS) -- Advancement opportunities for those
selected reservists up for promotion to senior chief and master
chief petty officer increased this year. Although specific numbers
will not be available until the FY96 selection board convenes
March 27, the overall percentage figures show a significant
increase compared to FY95.
"This good news continues our recent trend of increased
promotion opportunities for our people," said RADM T.F. Hall,
Commander, Naval Reserve Force. "It's further evidence that we
have entered a period of stability in our force. The future looks
bright."
Selective reserve advancement opportunities as a percentage of
total people eligible:
FY95 FY96
E-8 5% 7%
E-9 6% 9%
Promotion opportunities are dependent on vacancies which are
created when people retire or when force-shaping tools such as High
Year Tenure restrictions require people to get out of the reserves.
(This story appeared on Navy Wire Service as NWSA395)
-USN-
NNS208. Immigration Service Extends Use of Old Green Card
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The U.S. Immigration and Naturalization
Service (INS) announced March 16 it is extending the validity of
Form I-151 green cards issued to lawful permanent residents prior
to 1979 until March 20, 1996.
The purpose of this extension is to ensure that those lawful
permanent residents who have applied for the new I-151
counterfeit-resistant green card maintain acceptable identification
while awaiting receipt of the new cards.
INS stated that individuals who have not applied for a new
card yet cannot be guaranteed that they will receive a replacement
card before the one-year extension expires.
Detailed information on how and where to apply for a new green
card or for naturalization and citizenship may be obtained by
calling the INS toll-free at 1-800-755-0777.
(This story appeared on Navy Wire Service as NWSA394)
-USN-
Salute to Excellence
NNS209. Search Teams Rescue Three Following Fire on Greek Ship
LONDON (NNS) -- USNS San Diego responded to Sixth Fleet
tasking to assist in a search and rescue (SAR) operation by getting
underway on 47 minutes notice, while aircraft from Reserve Squadron
53 (VR 53) and Patrol Squadron 26 (VP 26) assisted from above.
The rescuers were looking for survivors from the Greek
registry container ship Pel Hunter, which was reported to be on
fire and abandoned about 120 nautical miles east of the coast of
Siracusa, Sicily, March 13. Three survivors of the 15 person crew
were found during the extensive operation.
Battling gale force winds of more than 45 knots and high seas,
San Diego joined 10 foreign ships, a C-130 from VR 53 and three P-3
aircraft from VP 26 to comb the area for survivors.
The C-130 crew initially located the site, as well as rafts
and debris in the water. Two survivors were then picked up by
Italian SAR helos. VP 26 also spotted a raft, which resulted in
the SAR helos picking up a third survivor.
-USN-
Around the Fleet
NNS210. Notable Quotable: "We live in an imperfect world. And we
can never make it perfect. But we can attain moments of perfection.
Operation United Shield was such a moment." -- Secretary of Defense
William J. Perry, during the Operation United Shield award ceremony
at the Pentagon, March 17, honoring key participants in the
withdrawal of United Nations forces from Somalia
-USN-
NNS211. SECNAV Launches Hawaii Housing Project
PEARL HARBOR (NNS) -- "Our commitment to Navy housing is real,
it's dedicated, ... and we plan to triple the dollars invested in
housing on the island of Oahu."
Speaking to the crowd at a ground-breaking ceremony March 16,
Secretary of the Navy John H. Dalton launched a $44 million project
to build more than 300 new homes for Hawaii Sailors, Marines and
their families. Secretary Dalton and his wife Margaret dug the
first shovelful of soil near Doris Miller park housing.
The amount of money spent on housing improvements will triple
from $60 million in FY94 to $180 million in FY96.
New housing will be built at two locations. Doris Miller
Park, located along Nimitz Highway, will get 158 homes adjacent to
the existing military housing. Another 164 units will be built
adjacent to the existing Pearl City Peninsula housing. A community
center also will be built there.
The units will have two, three or four bedrooms for junior
enlisted personnel. Plans include tot lots, basketball courts and
jogging paths. Construction is scheduled for completion in March
1997.
by JO2 Lisa A. Mikoliczyk, Pacific Fleet public affairs
(This story appeared on Navy Wire Service as NWSA402)
-USN-
NNS212. Navy Helicopter Crashes off Coast of Japan
YOKOSUKA, Japan (NNS) -- A Navy SH-60F Sea Hawk helicopter
crashed March 15 in the western Pacific Ocean while conducting
plane guard operations for USS Independence (CV 62). The pilot and
co-pilot were rescued, while two other crew members were declared
deceased following an extensive search.
The crash occurred at 8:26 p.m. local, about 112 miles east of
Honshu, Yokosuka, Japan, while the ship was conducting routine
carrier qualifications for the embarked Carrier Air Wing 5 (CVW 5).
The anti-submarine warfare helicopter was part of Helicopter
Anti-submarine Squadron 14 (HS 14) attached to CVW 5.
The pilot, LT Todd Flannery, was transferred to Naval Hospital
Yokosuka after suffering a broken leg and facial lacerations. The
co-pilot, ENS Gust Sparangis, only suffered minor abrasions and
remained on board Independence.
An extensive search was conducted for Aviation Systems Warfare
Operator First Class (AW1) William Quinn and AW1 Humberto Escobar
by other CVW 5 helicopters, USS Rodney M. Davis (FFG 60) and small
boats from the Independence. The Japan Maritime Self Defense Force
(JMSDF) joined the search with two SH-3 Sea King helicopters and
two P-3C Orion aircraft from Atsugi, Japan, and the destroyers, JDS
Yuuguri (DD 153) and JDS Shirane (DDH 143).
(This story appeared on Navy Wire Service as NWSA383 and NWSA389)
-USN-
NNS213. Navy Submarine Featured in PBS Documentary
CHICAGO (NNS) -- USS Montpelier (SSN 765), homeported in
Norfolk, Va., will be featured on public television's "The Sounds
of Discovery." The program, documenting the advances of whale
migration and communication, airs April 5 at 8 p.m. (EST) on PBS
stations nationwide.
Host Bill Kurtis and the Peabody Award-winning science-
adventure series, "The New Explorers," go below the ocean's surface
on board the nuclear-powered submarine with Dr. Chris Clark,
director of Cornell University's Bioacoustics Research Program.
As a result of an unprecedented collaboration, the Navy
allowed Dr. Clark to use its previous classified worldwide network
of underwater hydrophones, the Integrated Undersea Surveillance
System, to search for the acoustic signature of whales instead of
submarines.
Based on his access to naval data, Clark theorizes the whales
may use low frequency sounds to "image" the ocean. Like a nuclear-
powered submarine's sonar system, the whale's powerful burst of
sound may be echoing back the positions of sea mounts that can be
used as landmarks.
(This story appeared on Navy Wire Service as NWSA401)
-USN-
NNS214. Navy Astronaut Assigned to Russian Post
HOUSTON (NNS) -- Astronaut Michael A. Baker (Capt., U.S. Navy)
has been assigned as the NASA manager of operational activities at
Star City, Russia, near Moscow. The assignment coincided with the
March 14 launching of a NASA astronaut and two cosmonauts aboard a
Soyuz rocket for a three-month stay aboard Russia's space station,
Mir.
As Director of Operations, Russia, Baker will support training
and preparation of NASA astronauts at the Gagarin Cosmonaut
Training Center (GCTC), Star City. Baker is the fourth astronaut
to serve in this rotational assignment.
Baker has flown three times on the Shuttle -- STS-43 in August
1991, STS-52 in October 1992, and most recently on STS-68 in
September and October 1994.
(This story appeared on Navy Wire Service as NWSA377)
-USN-
NNS215. Status of U.S. Navy on March 20, 1995
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The status of the U.S. Navy on March 20
Personnel: approximately 451,400 active duty
approximately 100,700 selected reserves
Ships: 378
Aircraft: approximately 5,400
Underway: 161 ships (43%)
Deployed: 83 ships (22%)
Exercises: 9
Port Visits: 11
Carriers/Air Wings Deployed:
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower/CVW 3 - Operations Deny Flight/Provide
Promise/Sharp Guard
USS Constellation/CVW 2 - Operation Southern Watch, Persian Gulf
Carriers/Air Wings Underway:
USS Nimitz - local operations, Eastern Pacific
USS Independence - local operations, Northern Pacific
LHAs/LHDs/LPHs Underway:
USS Wasp - port visit Norway
USS Nassau - port visit Haifa, Israel
USS Belleau Wood - port visit Phuket, Thailand
USS Essex - port visit Perth, Australia
(This story appeared on Navy Wire Service as NWSA407)
-USN-
NNS216. This Week in the Navy: March 22, 1821 -- Captain James
Barron killed the popular Commodore Stephen Decatur in a duel at
Bladensburg, Md. The resulting public outrage spelled the
beginning of the end for duels.
-USN-
Short Splices
NNS217. National Image Award Nominations Needed
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- National Image Inc. salutes two military
members from each service at its national convention each year.
Nominations are needed for the 1995 conference and convention, May
22 to 28, in Philadelphia.
The organization is a Hispanic group which has maintained
close ties to the Department of Defense for more than 20 years.
Each year, National Image salutes American service members at a
banquet held during their national convention. The highlight of
this banquet is the presentation of the National Image Inc.
Meritorious Service Award to members who have contributed
significantly to increased opportunities for Hispanic Americans.
For further information contact LDCR Jorge Sierra (PERS-614A) at
DSN 224-2007 or (703) 614-2007, or by fax at (703) 693-6891.
(This story appeared on Navy Wire Service as NWSA336)
-USN-
NNS218. "Carrier" Sets Ratings Record for Discovery
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- More than two and a half million American
households tuned in to the Discovery channel March 4, for the first
airing of "Carrier: Fortress at Sea." According to Discovery
officials, this made it the cable channel's most-watched program
ever.
"Carrier" was shot primarily aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70).
(This story appeared on Navy Wire Service as NWSA378)
-USN-
NNS219. Navy-Marine Corps News
The March 24 edition of Navy-Marine Corps News -- a videotaped
newscast generated for broadcast to Navy-Marine Corps fleet and
shore units -- includes the following stories:
-- Navy's first Seawolf class submarine unveiled in Groton, Conn.
-- Secretary of the Navy expands housing in Hawaii
-- RTC Great Lakes upgrades boot camp curriculum
-- Marines in Twentynine Palms make some "Home Improvements"
-- USS Savannah makes its final port visit to namesake city
-- USS Cowpens Sailors use back braces to improve safety
-- Navy's Blue Angels take to the skies for the 1995 season
-- Norfolk Sailors help their community during outreach week
-- Sailor's model building brings USS Independence down to size
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-USN-
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-USN-
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-USN-
Released by RADM K. Pease, USN.