Volume 1 (3rd QTR FY12)

The Deep Sea Chronicles

7th Engineer Detachment (Dive)

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CO/1SG News 1

XO/PSG/1st Squad 2

2nd/3rd Squads/Special

Submission

3

Weekly Pictures 4

Hails and Farewells 5

Inside this issue:

Aloha from the 7th Engineer

Dive Detachment! As part of

our continuing effort to keep

our families and friends in-

formed, we will be publishing

our newsletter on a quarterly

basis.

The word to sum up the last

three months has been

CHANGE! We have been part

of numerous Changes of Com-

mand and Responsibility; we

have been busy integrating

new personnel (while bidding

farewell to many of our diving

brethren); and have success-

fully relocated from Fort

Shafter Flats to Joint Base

Pearl Harbor-Hickam.

While change can be hard, it

brings many new opportuni-

ties. In the next few months,

we will begin conducting chal-

lenging training in real world

environments; much of this

will be joint or in support of

governmental agencies. We

look forward to the challenge

and expanding the legacy of

the 7th! Hooyah, Deep Sea!

From the Commander’s Desk by CPT Scott Sann

April-June 2012

From the First Sergeant’s Desk by SFC Beau Woodcox

Since the 7th redeployed, the

detachment has managed to

send multiple NCOs to leader-

ship schools and our new medic

to DMT school. Our team has

dwindled down but will soon be

built back up. The 7th Dive is

now a young but experienced

dive team. We are soon to be

busy doing what all divers like to

do best: DIVE! We just com-

pleted an inspection dive on the

USS Arizona which has opened

lines of communication for sev-

eral other opportunities. Next

we will be heading out to the Big

Island for a Deep Blue training

event. We will then be coming

back to Oahu to conduct sal-

vage diver training in Pearl

Harbor. It’s going to be a busy

quarter, but well worth it.

I would like to thank all of you

that have left and your family

members for years of commit-

ment to the 7th Engineer Dive

Detachment.

Members of the 7th Engineer Dive Detachment conduct a visual inspection of the hull of the USS

Arizona and inspect mooring lines for the National Parks Service.

Aloha and Howzit from the latest and not

quite greatest XO of the 7th Dive!

The past few months have been a time of

great transition for the strapping Sol-

diers of the 7th Dive. In almost every

respect it’s been “out with the old” and

“in with the new”. To wit:

New Location!

We are proud to announce that we no

longer operate out of a decrepit ware-

house located next to a congested Inter-

state in the middle of Honolulu. We now

operate out of a slightly decrepit former

bomb-shelter located next to the ocean

on the gorgeous grounds of Joint Base

Pearl Harbor-Hickam.

New Soldiers!

Sadly, the 7th Dive has had to bid fare-

well to 17 beloved members of the Team

since redeploying from the desert in

early FEB. But the Team has been fortu-

nate enough to receive some stellar new

Soldiers that are fitting in just fine.

New SL (and future 1st Class Diver): SSG

Sven Neilsen

New mechanic (and future Master

Driver): SGT Angel Tizazu

New supply NCO (and future SGT): SPC

Lashay Mays

New medic (and future inside tender):

SPC Bruce Black

New admin NCO (and future DTMS

guru): SGT Ryan Houle

New 2nd Class Divers (and future floor

scrubbing experts) : PFCs Anthony Garcia

and Caleb Whisman.

Welcome to the Team everyone!

Until next time, Mahalo and Shootz from

the XO!

the rest of the squad

to prepare for Shallow

Brown, one of the most

important training

events of the year.

SGT Russell and SGT

Bullington are helping

by performing classes

on charting, chamber

operations, and con-

structing concrete

forms.

Hello out there from beautiful Hawaii.

The newly revamped first squad is finally

starting to find it’s groove. The new

squad consists of SSG Dunham, SGT

Russell, SGT Bullington, departing mem-

bers SSG Hoover and SGT Varas, and the

newest member of the 7th Dive Detach-

ment: PFC Garcia.

Under the leadership of SSG Dunham

first squad has hit the ground running

for upcoming training events. SSG

Dunham has been working diligently with

Looking toward the future we

are going to have our hands full

with jobs such as a survey of

the mooring lines of the USS

Arizona and hull cleaning and

inspection of the Army vessels.

Even with all of this on our

plate we are still hungry. It

looks like it’s going to be a good

year for first squad and a bet-

ter year for the 7th.

From the Operations NCO’s Desk by SSG Sean Rowley

From the Executive Officer’s Desk by 1LT Alessandro Licopoli

1st Squad by SSG Jeb Dunham

Editor’s Note: SSG Rowley is currently

“embracing the suck” at the Sapper

Leader Course in Fort Leonard Wood

(along with SGT Karraker). We wish him

the best of luck and look forward to his

graduation in a month or so.

Page 2 The Deep Sea Chron ic les Vo lume 1 (3rd QTR

SSG Rowley inspects SGT Damon’s rucksack

before one of the unit’s many road marches.

1LT Licopoli gives the OK for SSG Rowley and

SGT Karraker to tear up the Sapper course.

SGT Karraker, SSG Dunham, and SGT Russell in

front of the USS Arizona Memorial.

Mahalo from second squad to the family

members of the 7th Engineer Dive De-

tachment (and anyone else who is a fan

of our famous newsletter). It is good to

be home. Although we have been back in

Hawaii for almost five months it still

feels like we haven’t settled in yet.

A lot of changes have been made to our

team since we redeployed. The 7th now

has a new building on Joint Base Pearl

Harbor-Hickam that we are still moving

into. The organization of our squads have

also changed. Second squad now consists

of SGT Damon, SGT Steffic, SGT

Morales, and one of our new members

PFC Whisman. After our redeployment

everyone in second squad took some R&R

time.

SGT Morales went home (Michigan) to

visit his family and friends.

SGT Damon went to Italy, where he trav-

eled to Venice, Florence, Pisa, and Rome.

During his trip some of the sites he saw

were the Vatican, the Coliseum, and the

Sistine Chapel.

SGT Steffic used his R&R time to enjoy

Hawaii before his ETS date is up.

Our new member PFC Whisman arrived

this month straight from Dive school. He

is from Oklahoma and enjoys playing

baseball.

Second squad and the other members of

the team have been training up for a 65

mile ruck march that will take place later

in the year. We are definitely glad to be

back in Hawaii and although we had to

say good bye to a lot of good team mem-

bers recently the future for this team

looks bright.

give everything I've got to becom-

ing a good Soldier, Diver and val-

ued member of the team. There's

only one thing I can say to my new

team to express my true feelings:

"HOOYAH DEEP SEA!!”

Upon arrival, every new diver coming to

the 7th Dive Detachment gets lei’ed.

SSG Rowley says it's a unit tradition to

welcome newcomers in this special way.

I was nervous while getting lei’ed as it

was my first time, and I wasn't sure if

getting lei’ed in uniform was within regu-

lation. (Editor’s Note: We appreciate PFC

Garcia’s wry sense of humor.)

From the start I've been treated like I

belong here. It feels great to belong to

something special, and it motivates me to

3rd Squad by SSG Sven Neilsen

2nd Squad by SGT Andrew Damon

Special Submission by PFC Anthony Garcia

made up the majority of incoming person-

nel!

I have no doubt that all members of

third squad will meet and exceed the

requirements of the Commander while

continuously living the Army Values.

May has been a time of great change for

Third squad. Squad members have been

staying committed to the team’s mission

statement by being timely, accurate and

precise in all of their assigned duties,

which have included: juggling the needs

of incoming and outgoing personnel, up-

dating MEDPROS , maintaining company

vehicles and dive equipment, updating

PBUSE and sending out SAMS–E reports.

Ironically enough, with the recent addi-

tions of SSG Neilsen, SGT (P) Tizazu,

SPC (P) Mays and SPC Black, third squad

Page 3 The Deep Sea Chron ic les Vo lume 1 (3rd QTR

The 7th Dive Detachment conducts one of a

series of team-building road marches.

SGT Houle, SSG Neilsen, and SGT Tizazu:

Welcome to the 7th Dive Team!

PFC Whisman and PFC Garcia, fresh from Panama City

Beach and ready to go to work.

Divers in Action!

Page 4 The Deep Sea Chron ic les Vo lume 1 (3rd QTR

SGT Bullington sneaks a drink; 1LT Licopoli seems OK with it.

SFC Woodcox regrets packing such

heavy pillows in his ruck sack.

SSG Dunham and SPC Mays seem none the worse for

wear; 7th will be conducting a 65 miler in January.

SGT Karraker, SGT Bullington, and SGT Damon lay out the

new Individual Swimmer Sets (SCUBA gear).

The 7th Dive Detachment combines with other members of the 65th Engineer Battalion during a paintball event, part

of the Warrior Adventure Quest initiative. Recently redeployed Soldiers have a chance to take part in events like

these to lessen stress and reduce at-risk behaviors.

Hail to the Newcomers!

Page 5 The Deep Sea Chron ic les Vo lume 1 (3rd QTR

Fair Winds and Following Seas...

New 7th Dive Members (3rd QTR):

1LT Licopoli, SSG Neilsen, SGT Tizazu,

SGT Houle, SPC Mays, SPC Black,

PFC Garcia, PFC Whisman

Departing 7th Dive Members (3rd QTR):

1LT Guerdan, 1SG Baumgartner, SFC Prater, SFC Harrison, SSG Geffert, SSG Cochran, SSG

Bays, SSG O’Brien, SSG Hoover, SGT Moore, SGT Nnabue, SGT Varas, SGT Steffic