The Shuttle Newsletter Edition December 14, 2011 Issue

USS Enterprise (CVN 65)

“We are Legend”

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Gregory White

USS ENTERPRISE, At Sea – Everyday, like clockwork, as the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) conducts Fleet Replacement Squadron carrier qualifications in the Atlantic Ocean Dec. 5-14, Sailors gather on the ship’s Foc’sle with their books in hand as they await directions from the petty officers instructing them. These Sailors are studying to get their Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist (ESWS) pins. ESWS training is held every day while underway, and is scheduled to continue until the ship returns to homeport. For many Sailors ESWS is more than just a pin. For some, it is a way of life. “I want to learn more about this ship, and Navy history,” said Culinary Specialist Seaman Heaven T. White, an Enterprise Sailor who has been attending ESWS training. “I want to build up knowledge.”

ESWS instructors, from various departments, teach basic knowledge about their rates and shipboard living. Sailors attend training with their ESWS book, which lists all the requirements needed. After every lesson, the Sailors receive signatures indicating completion of the portions they were just taught. “It helps out a lot,” said White. “You obtain knowledge on different jobs and see what people in different rates do.” “It’s important to have your ESWS because it shows that you have a basic knowledge of what everyone else does,” said Hull Maintenance Technician 2nd Class Stephen A. Laroche, an ESWS instructor. “You will have basic knowledge on everything from the engineering side to the combat side of ship life.” Once Sailors have completed the training prescribed by their ESWS books, they are required to take a test. After passing the test, they are drilled by a board consisting of second class petty

officers and above. The board questions them on the information they’ve learned throughout the qualification process. “I enjoy doing it so that I can see people progress in their career,” said Laroche. “Also, if I’m ever responding to a casualty and I look around to see a couple guys with their ESWS pins I can confidently say, ‘come with me,’ because I know these guys are basic DC (damage control) qualified. They have an understanding of what we’re doing.” Laroche said ESWS training would continue throughout the duration of this underway period and continue once Enterprise returns to sea in January. Laroche recommends not waiting to begin the process, however. “Once you check into your first command you have 30 months to get your ESWS pin,” said Laroche. “It’s hard sometimes, but at the end of the day we have to go through a little pain,” said White, “The work is worth the reward.”

ESWS: Get There

Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011Page 2 The Shuttle

Question of the Day:

Q: Name an animal on the Foc’sle.

Photo by MC2 (SW) Brooks B. Patton

Yesterday’s answer: HERO stands for hazards of electronic radiation to ordnance.

Command Climate Assessment

The Shuttle is published and printed daily underway and bi-weekly in port by the USS Enterprise (CVN 65) Media Depart-ment, FPO AE 09543-2810. This newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the Department of Defense. Please direct all story ideas, questions and comments to MC1(SW) Steve Smith at smithsw@cvn65.navy.mil

Public Affairs OfficerLt. Cmdr. Sarah T. Self-Kyler

Executive OfficerCapt. Greg C. Huffman

Commanding OfficerCapt. William C. Hamilton, Jr.

EditorsMC3(SW) Jeffry A. Willadsen

MCSN Eric BrannMCSN Harry Gordon

The ShuttleUSS Enterprise (CVN 65)

Command Master ChiefABCM (AW/SW) Eric M. Young

Big E Happenings

Ensign Gregory L. Farrell and Operations Specialist 2nd Class James J. Westrich track surface vessels during a general quarters drill aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65). General quarters drills are performed in order to prepare the crew for possible casualties while out at sea.

ESWS History

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Thomas B. Hayward approved the Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist (ESWS) Qualification Program on Dec. 1, 1978. Earlier in Hayward’s career, he was appointed as the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations and was responsible for pushing the development the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65).

Official U.S. Navy photo

Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011 Page 3The Shuttle

AOL DEFENSE-Carlo Munoz

Around the Navy

NAPLES, Italy — With the 2012 presidential election campaign in full swing and the first primaries only weeks away, those living overseas who want to vote should think about registering now to cast an absentee ballot.

The Pentagon’s Federal Voting Assistance Program website offers a range of resources and easily guides voters through the absentee ballot process.

The site takes some of the tedium out of figuring out a state or county’s specific requirements, according to FVAP head Bob Carey.

“They don’t have to go through our 372-page voting assistance guide,” Carey said.

Voting requirements for military members and Americans living overseas can vary by state, but once a voter clicks on his or her last state of residence, the FVAP site provides specific information needed to register and get a ballot, he said.

Once the form is filled out, a PDF form is generated that the voter signs and mails to the relevant election office, although some states now allow ballot requests to be sent via fax or email.

“We’ll give them all the instructions about how to send these forms back in” based on a voter’s legal voting residence, Carey said.

There is still time for troops overseas to vote in next month’s primaries, FVAP officials say.

NAPLES, Italy — With the 2012 presidential election campaign in full swing and the first primaries only weeks away, those living overseas who want to vote should think about registering now to cast an absentee ballot.

The Pentagon’s Federal Voting Assistance Program website offers a range of resources and easily guides voters through the absentee ballot process.

The site takes some of the tedium out of figuring out a state or county’s specific requirements, according to FVAP head Bob Carey.

CAPITOL HILL - The $669 billion set aside by defense lawmakers for fiscal 2012 is $24 billion short of the White House’s initial request but will be enough to finance several of the Pentagon’s high-profile programs.

The Pentagon will get $554 billion in its baseline budget and $115.5 billion to continue fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in the upcoming fiscal year, according to a compromise version of the fiscal 2012 defense spending bill approved late Monday night. The White House originally wanted $693 billion for the Pentagon. The spending levels in the bicameral bill also include reductions mandated in the Budget Con-trol Act passed earlier this year. The bill could be introduced onto the House floor for a vote as early as Wednesday, House Armed Services Commit-tee Chairman Buck McKeon said during a press conference late Monday night. A full Senate vote is expected no later than the end of this week, he added. The legislation could be ready for President Obama’s signature by early next week.

The bill that’s set to hit the president’s desk will include $8.5 billion to purchase the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter for the Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force. JSF funds were included despite efforts

Hill Sets Aside $669 Billion For Defense: Bill Hits House Floor This Week

STARS AND STRIPES -Geoff Ziezulewicz “They don’t have to go through our 372-page voting assistance guide,” Carey said.

Voting requirements for military members and Americans living overseas can vary by state, but once a voter clicks on his or her last state of residence, the FVAP site provides specific information needed to register and get a ballot, he said.

Once the form is filled out, a PDF form is generated that the voter signs and mails to the relevant election office, although some states now allow ballot requests to be sent via fax or email.

“We’ll give them all the instructions about how to send these forms back in” based on a voter’s legal voting residence, Carey said.

There is still time for troops overseas to vote in next month’s primaries, FVAP officials say.

Carey said voters should “register early and register often.” Voters should submit a new ballot application every election, and when they change addresses, he said.

The Military Postal Service Agency and the U.S. Postal Service will again offer free express mail for completed absentee ballots next year. Troops serving overseas can express mail their ballots from any military post office, U.S. consulate or embassy by asking for Express Mail Label 11-DOD, and can then track their ballot via usps.com.

The website of the Overseas Vote Foundation, a nonprofit advocacy group for Americans voting overseas, offers easy-to-use tools, and also has a website geared toward the military.

Through all these new tools, much of the guesswork will be eliminated for military voters next year, said Susan Dzieduszycka-Suinat, head of the OVF.

“They have a lot to look forward to,” she said. “In terms of ease of voting, they’re in great shape.”

by Senate Armed Services Ranking Member John McCain to cut F-35 money in the bill, he said at the same Hill briefing.

Aside from JSF, the legislation will finance Osprey procurements for the Air Force and Marines to the tune of $2.43 billion. Defense lawmakers also opted to funnel $3.2 billion into Navy coffers for additional F/A-18 Super Hornets and EA/18G electronic warfare fighters. But it also clears the way for the Air Force to scrap six of its legacy B-1 bombers from the fleet, according to the bill. Defense lawmakers also directed the Pentagon to begin “a competitive acquisition strategy” to build the future jet engine that will power the Air Force’s next generation bomber.

On the sea side, defense lawmakers set aside $14.9 billion for 10 new Navy ships but demanded a new “cost benefit analysis” on maintenance costs for the Littoral Combat Ship.

The bill also approves a one year extension on the Navy’s aircraft carrier financing plan. That extension would only apply to the third and fourth Ford-class ship, the summary states. The bill also directs the Navy “to maintain an aircraft carrier air-wing force structure and associated command structure commensurate to effectively support aircraft carrier force structure requirements.” Lawmakers also want Navy and Pentagon officials

to make their case -- in writing -- to the defense committees for the new Ohio-class replacement submarine, according to the bill summary.

On the ground side, Defense legislators set aside $449 million for the Army’s next-generation Ground Combat vehicle and $255 million to revamp the service’s Abrams combat tank. Also tucked away in the defense spending bill is $5.1 billion for Army and Marine Corps tactical wheeled vehicle programs. Of that amount, $2.7 will go toward modernizing the services’ fleet of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles, according to the bill summary.

Defense lawmakers were forced to retool their original fiscal 2012 defense spending plan to comply with the White House’s deficit reduction strategy. That plan has the Pentagon trimming roughly $450 billion over the next decade. That number is expected to hit the $1 trillion mark due to the recent failure of the congressional Super Committee. The administration tasked the com-mittee with cutting $1.2 billion in government spending across the board. Their failure triggered an additional $500 billion in defense cuts. Those cuts, set to go into effect in fiscal 2013, are on top of the initial $450 billion in reductions already approved.

Overseas Voters Should Check Website For Registration Options

Sailor of the DayWednesday, Dec. 14, 2011Page 4 The Shuttle

December 14, 2011 Movie Schedule

Channel & Show Air Times

Channel 6: The Natural 0900/1900Let Me In 1100/2100Good Morning Vietnam 1300/2300 Black Swan 1500/0100August Rush 1700/0300

Channel 7:Shrek: Forever After 0900/1900Yes Man 1100/2100Youth In Revolt 1300/2300Beverly Hills Chihuahua 1500/0100Invention Of Lying 1740/0430

Channel 8: Machete 0900/190010,000 B.C. 1100/2100Stop Loss 1300/2300Stakeout 1500/0010Rocketeer 1700/0300

Photo by MCSN Heath Zeigler

Big E Game Room

 

CTT2 Springer, from Denver, Colo., is the Electronic Warfare Module Leading Petty Officer. Springer joined the Navy four years ago to see the world and to continue a family tradition. To Springer, the most rewarding aspect about her job is the opportunity to repair equipment and teaching others the best way to fix it. Springer is preparing to reenlist and is working toward a degree in forensics.

Cryptologic Technician (Technical) Petty Officer 2nd Class Elizabeth Springer