Memorial Day 2009: We remember

SAN DIEGO (May 13, 2009) Capt. Mary S. Greenwood, Naval Medical Center San Diego Director for Nursing Services, and staff nurse Ens. Thuy Lanane cut the Navy Nurse Corps 101st birthday cake. Traditionally, the most senior nurse and the most junior nurse cut, then share the first pieces of the cake. U.S. Navy Photo by MC3 Jake Berenguer

Mabus sworn in as new Navy secretary
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Ray Mabus, former Mississippi governor and U.S. ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, was sworn in May 19 as the 75th secretary of the Navy.
Leading the Navy and Marine Corps, Mabus will be responsible for an annual budget in excess of $150 billion and almost 900,000 people.
The secretary of the Navy is responsible for conducting all the affairs of the Department of the Navy, including recruiting, organizing, supplying, equipping, training and mobilizing. Additionally, he oversees the construction, outfitting and repair of naval ships, equipment and facilities and is responsible for the formulation and implementation of policies and programs that are consistent with the national security policies and objectives established by the president and the secretary of defense.
Prior to joining the administration of President Barack Obama, Mabus served in a variety of top posts in government and the private sector. In 1988, Mabus was elected governor of Mississippi where he stressed education and job creation. In 1994, he was appointed ambassador to Saudi Arabia, where during his tenure, the Kingdom officially abandoned the boycott of U.S. businesses that trade with Israel. Mabus also was chairman and chief executive officer of Foamex, a large manufacturing company, and also served as a Navy surface warfare officer aboard the cruiser USS Little Rock.
Mabus is a native of Ackerman, Miss., and received a bachelor's degree from the University of Mississippi, a master's degree from Johns Hopkins University, and a law degree from Harvard Law School.

Bidens visit Coronado
by MC1(SW) Ryan Valverde
The vice president and his wife met with and thanked Sailors and their families for their service during a visit to Naval Base Coronado installations May 14.
The vice president and his wife met and thanked Sailors and their families from the base for their service and sacrifice.
“We want every American to know the sacrifices you are making,” Vice President Joe Biden said during a pier side address to the crew of USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). “I admire you; the president admires you, and the nation is grateful for what you do.”
Ronald Reagan is preparing for an upcoming deployment to the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean later this spring.
After his address, Biden and his wife joined Sailors for lunch in the ship’s mess deck, making a point to stop and shake hands, pose for photos and sign autographs.
After visiting with Sailors aboard Ronald Reagan, Dr. Jill Biden met with local military spouses and community volunteer groups to discuss issues facing military families. She shared her experience of saying goodbye to her son before his 12-month deployment to Iraq.

CNP: 'We are striving to become a top 50 employer'
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The chief of naval personnel (CNP) released a podcast May 19 discussing the Navy's innovative programs and policies designed to attract, recruit, develop and retain a high quality workforce.
Vice Adm. Mark Ferguson, CNP, highlighted the Navy's efforts to be recognized as a Top 50 employer.
"We believe that a Top 50 organization is one that has innovative programs for its people, that recognizes people as their most valuable asset and rewards them with an environment that is personally and professionally rewarding and challenging, that promotes a climate of respect and trust, that encourages development and provides the rewarding work of service," said Ferguson.
The Navy has been recognized through national and international awards for its innovative personnel policies and practices to include the Tele-Vision Award for the telework initiative and American Society for Training and Development's Excellence in Practice Award for its diversity policies.
To listen to the complete podcast, visit www.navy.mil/media/audio/cnp/cnppodcast.htm.

Navy christens USS Gravely
WASHINGTON - The Navyc christen the newest Arleigh Burke class guided-missile destroyer, Gravely, May 16 during aceremony at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Miss.
The new destroyer honors the late Vice Adm. Samuel L. Gravely Jr. He was born in Richmond, Va., June 4, 1922. After attending Virginia Union University, he enlisted in the Naval Reserve in September 1942.
In 1943 he participated in a Navy program (V-12) designed to select and train highly qualified men for commissioning as officers in the Navy. On Dec. 14, 1944, Gravely successfully completed midshipman training, becoming the first African American commissioned as an officer from the Navy Reserve Officer Training Course. He was released from active duty in April 1946 but remained in the Naval Reserve.
Gravely was recalled to active duty in 1949. As part of the Navy’s response to President Harry S. Truman’s executive order to desegregate the armed services, Gravely’s initial assignment was as a Navy recruiter, recruiting African Americans in the Washington, D.C.

NAVFAC Southwest awards Recovery Act contract to replace reservoir at Travis AFB
by Lee H. Saunders
SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southwest awarded Stronghold Engineering Inc. of Riverside, Calif., a $2.5 million Recovery Act funded contract May 14 to remove and replace a reservoir at Travis Air Force Base (AFB) in Fairfield, Calif.
"This project will provide much needed improvement to the base's water supply system which sees upwards of six million gallons per day pass through it during the summertime," said Lt. Cmdr. Jason Zeda, NAVFAC Southwest resident officer in charge of construction at Travis AFB. "The new reservoir will ensure a consistent flow of this valuable resource to the 21,000 personnel that work and call Travis home."
Stronghold Engineering Inc. will demolish the existing reservoir and build a new two million gallon reservoir. The new reservoir is made of circular welded steel with a concrete ring foundation. The project will replace the water line with an 18-inch diameter line. New fencing and gates will replace demolished fencing.
"Stronghold Engineering Inc. is pleased to be the recipient of the contract for the removal and replacement of Reservoir 1518 at Travis AFB," said Scott Bailey, Stronghold Engineering Inc. chief operations officer. "This project is an initiative to save energy and replace sub-standard infrastructure. Stronghold Engineering Inc. looks forward to serving the Navy as it provides critical services to its clients and creates jobs to promote our economy."
The contractor will complete work by spring 2010.

Keel laid for future USS Spruance
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- General Dynamics Bath Iron Works (BIW) laid the keel for the future USS Spruance (DDG 111) during a brief ceremony May 14 at the BIW shipyard in Bath, Maine.
The 900-ton keel unit represents the first "ultra" module to be fabricated in BIW's Ultra Hall facility that opened last year. Ultra Hall stretches 1.5 acres and allows workers to complete construction, pre-outfitting and testing more efficiently and in a controlled climate. Ultra Hall has enabled BIW workers to complete installation of thousands of feet of cable, compartment air tests, water-tight door testing and pipe segment testing which are all normally completed in later stages of construction.
The keel module is the most pre-outfitted and tested at this stage in construction to date. These advancements will be used in future Arleigh Burke- (DDG 51) and Zumwalt- (DDG 1000) class ship construction, which will ultimately lower production costs.
USS Spruance will be the 61st Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer and the 30th built by BIW. The ship will be able to conduct a variety of operations from peacetime presence and crisis management to sea control and power projection. USS Spruance will be capable of fighting air, surface and subsurface battles simultaneously and contains myriad offensive and defensive weapons designed to support maritime warfare. The ship can operate independently or as part of carrier strike groups, surface action groups or amphibious ready groups. The ship's combat system centers around the Aegis combat system and the SPY-lD(V), multi-function phased array radar.
Bath Iron Works expects to deliver USS Spruance to the United States Navy in the fall of 2010.
The Navy's Program Executive Office (PEO), Ships manages the development and acquisition of U.S. Navy surface ships and is currently acquiring 11 major ship classes and a variety of small boats and craft. These platforms range from major warships such as frontline surface combatants and amphibious assault ships to air-cushioned landing craft, oceanographic research ships and special warfare craft. Since its creation in November 2002, PEO Ships has delivered 31 major warships and hundreds of small boats and craft from more than 20 shipyards and boat builders across the United States.

PACIFIC OCEAN (May 21, 2009) Search and salvage specialists assigned to Explosive Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 1 deploy an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) into the Pacific Ocean in the vicinity of the HH-60 Sea Hawk helicopter that went down May 19. The data collected by the UUVs will be analyzed to help determine follow-on salvage operations. The HH-60 was assigned to Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron (HS) 6 based in San Diego. U.S. Navy photo by MC1 Scott Taylor

Downed Navy helicopter
Navy Helicopter Crewmembers Identified
The names of the five Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron (HS) 6 aircrew involved in the crash of a Navy HH-60 Seahawk helicopter Tuesday night have been released. They are:
- Lt. Cmdr. Eric J. Purvis, 37, of Poway, Calif.
- Lt. Allison M. Oubre, 27, of Slidell, La.
- Naval Air Crewman 1st Class (AW/NAC) Samuel "Grant" Kerslake, 41, of Hot Springs, Ark.
- Naval Air Crewman 2nd Class (AW/NAC) Aaron L. Clingman, 25, of Bend, Ore.
- Naval Air Crewman 3rd Class (AW/NAC) Sean M. Ward, 20, of Lovelock, Nev.
The bodies of three crewmembers were recovered from the crash area on Wednesday, during search and rescue (SAR) operations conducted by assets from the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, San Diego Harbor Police, Customs and Border Protection, and the Mexican Navy.
The helicopter crashed into the ocean while conducting training operations during a composite training unit exercise (COMPTUEX).
HS-6 is homeported in San Diego and is part of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 assigned to the USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG). The helicopter was operating from USS Nimitz (CVN 68) when the mishap occurred.
The mishap is under investigation.

Ford Elementary students tour BHR

SAN DIEGO (May 15, 2009) Boatswain Mate 2nd Class Ashley Bevan explains the anchor chain to a group of students from Gerald R. Ford Elementary School in the forecastle of the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) during a ship tour. For more than 10 years, the fifth grade students from Gerald R. Ford have annually toured Bonhomme Richard as part of a triangular adoption partnership that also includes the city of Indian Wells. U.S. Navy photo MC2 Drew Williams

Thank you for 40 years of service!



KANEOHE, Hawaii (May 15, 2009) Capt. T.K. Hohl renders a salute during his retirement ceremony at Kaneohe Marine Corps Base, Hawaii. Hohl was piped ashore after serving more than 40 years of continuous naval service from 1969 to 2009. U.S. Navy photo by MC Patrick C. Murray

Nimitz Sailors get vaccinations

PACIFIC OCEAN (May 18, 2009) Health Services Department personnel administer anthrax vaccinations to Sailors in the hangar bay of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Nimitz and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 are conducting a Composite Training Unit Exercise off the coast of Southern California in preparation of a scheduled deployment to the western Pacific Ocean. U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Patrick Heil