Coast Guard makes it onto “Jeopardy”
September 30th, 2011 | Coast Guard | Posted by Jill Laster
Jeopardy Productions Inc./The "Jeopardy" set
If you are into Coast Guard trivia and don’t mind answering in the form of a question, check out the “Jeopardy” Clue of the Day today.
The question: “The Coast Guard looks out for the smuggling of drugs and people in this practice, from the Old French for ‘to forbid.’”
If you want to know the answer, watch Friday’s Jeopardy or pick up a Saturday copy of the New York Times. Or, if you’re impatient, you could just do some Googling.
(A side note – For Navy/Civil War buffs, Wednesday’s clue could be fun: “By the end of 1862, this newly appointed rear admiral controlled the entire Gulf Coast except for Mobile.” Click here for the answer.)
Navy officer and Doritos inventor dies
September 29th, 2011 | Historical Navy Veterans World War II | Posted by Sam Fellman
Arch West, 97-year-old former naval officer who invented Doritos, died on Sept. 20. // theimpulsivebuy via Flickr
The idea for Doritos tortilla chips, which brought about a sea change in snacking and became a top seller for Frito-Lay, came from the mind of former Navy man Arch West, who died of natural causes on Sept. 20. He was 97. West joined the Navy in 1943 and served as a gunnery officer onboard destroyer escort Holt in the Pacific during World War II, according to The Dallas Morning News.
A chance encounter on a family vacation inspired West to mass-market tortilla chips, according to The Washington Post:
“He was on a family vacation in Southern California in 1964 when he first bought a grease-smeared bag of toasted tortillas at a roadside shack.
As marketing vice president at Frito-Lay, Mr. West immediately sensed he had stumbled upon a snacking phenomenon.
When he returned to work, Mr. West pitched his idea: a crispy, triangle-shaped corn chip that would complement the company’s lighter Lay’s potato chip and the thicker, curly Frito.”
The Washington Post also published a photo of West from his Navy days.
Doritos are now the chips of choice for millions around the world. They come in 21 flavors, from old stand-bys like Cool Ranch and Nacho Cheese to more extreme offerings like Blazin’ Jalapeno and All Nighter Cheeseburger. Global sales of Doritos were nearly $5 billion in 2010, a Frito-Lay spokeswoman told the Post.
Family members plan on tossing Doritos chips at his Oct. 1 burial so that West can face the ages with his addictive creation on-hand.
Haze gray and underway
September 27th, 2011 | Carriers Life at Sea Navy Photos Ships Training Underway replenishment | Posted by Bill McMichael
This simple yet atmospheric photo should resonate with anyone who’s ever been at sea …
Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) Airman Apprentice Raymond Duenas waits on the elevator operator during replenishment at sea operations aboard the Norfolk-based carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower. In the background is USNS Lewis and Clark; USNS Arctic also took part in the "unrep." Ike is currently underway in the Atlantic conducting carrier qualifications. // U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Tony Bloom
SECNAV: Former CNO’s dogs a bit salty
September 27th, 2011 | Admirals Chief of naval operations Humor | Posted by Sam Fellman
Clancy, the Rougheads' labrador, made a cameo in the 2009 holiday message (at the bottom of the screen). // U.S. Navy
Speakers paid tribute to the family of former Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead at his retirement ceremony last Friday in Annapolis. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus presented an award to his wife Ellen and thanked his daughter Elizabeth “for sharing your father with us.”
But for two other members of the Roughead family, Mabus’ compliments proved double-edged.
“And I can’t fail to mention the contributions of Clancy, the smiling Labrador, and Arleigh, the latest addition, although I do have to say that the vaunted discipline of Gary Roughead does not seem to have rubbed off on the dogs at all,” Mabus said.
Clancy appeared in the CNO’s 2009 holiday message — he sleeps throughout the 45-second clip. Since this seems to be Clancy’s only appearance on Navy.mil, it is difficult to confirm Mabus’ charge that Clancy and Arleigh are a little too salty.
Clancy and Arleigh could not be reached for comment. No pictures of Arleigh were available.
Greenert’s first words to sailors
September 23rd, 2011 | Navy | Posted by Joshua Stewart
The new chief of naval operations, Adm. Jon Greenert, wasted no time in addressing sailors. Appearing in a YouTube video posted right after he relieved Adm. Gary Roughead of command, the new CNO laid out a few principles of his leadership:
* Warfighting first. “That’s our craft. We’ve got to be good at it.”
* Operate forward. Sailors are best when they’re all over the world.
* Readiness. It’s always important.
* Bring innovation, diversity and dedication — it’s what makes the fleet sharp.
The sound of silence
September 23rd, 2011 | Navy | Posted by Joshua Stewart
The music has died.
Well, at least for sailors and Marines who were using Pandora to stream tunes via the Navy-Marine Corps Intranet.
The issue: Pandora requires versions of software that’s too new for the versions installed on their computers. It looks like the bug is in the browser – a good chunk of military computers are outfitted solely with Internet Explorer 6 (Microsoft is now up to version 9). Pandora, however, requires at least IE 7 (or, in case you’re curious, Safari 4, Firefox 3.6.3 or Chrome 7 as well).
While the software is old and frustratingly clunky, the military has been slow to install the latest and the greatest browsers out of security concerns. Here at Scoop Deck, we’ve heard stories of sailors who are bummed that they can’t use Mozilla’s versatile Firefox or Google super-fast Chrome on their work computers. Some have installed unauthorized versions only to have their IT guy come over and scrub the software off.
If you’re hard-pressed for a Pandora fix, you can sidestep the whole browser issue: Just install the Pandora app on your smartphone (make sure it won’t gobble up your monthly data allotment) or try another free music service. Or go old school and bust out a phonograph.
No pain, no gain
September 23rd, 2011 | Carrier qualifications Carriers Life at Sea Master-at-arms Navy OC spray Photos Security Force training Training | Posted by Bill McMichael
So you want to be a Navy master-at-arms or join a ship’s security force? Know that this is a hurdle you’ll have to clear:
Air-Traffic Controller Airman Tom Smith, from Boston, Mass., is sprayed with Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) while qualifying for a certification to carry OC spray and a baton as part of the security force aboard the aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower. Ike is underway in the Atlantic conducting carrier qualifications. // U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Nathan Parde
Yep, that’s a faceful of Oleoresin Capsicum spray — a staple of master-at-arms “A” school training and part of a requirement for shipboard security force qualification. But you don’t just get a level one (directly in the face) spray shot of the (obviously) non-lethal pepper spray, which burns like the dickens and can cause breathing problems. You have to show you can fight through the pain and do your job:
Airman James Fritz, from Pittsburgh, Pa., performs defensive strikes after being sprayed with OC spray while qualifying to be certified as part of the security force aboard Ike. // U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Nathan Parde
That guy in the Storm Trooper gear? He’s gotta go down, as well:
Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) Airman Larmonz Lynn, from Toms River, N.J., performs a takedown after being sprayed with OC spray while qualifying for a certification to carry OC spray and a baton as part of the security force aboard Ike. // U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Nathan Parde
Like they say, you really gotta want it.
Crowston comes out
September 21st, 2011 | Anti-gay slurs Commanding officers don't tell leadership Navy Navy secretary Officers Photos | Posted by Bill McMichael
Proposing call signs like “Fagmeister” and “Gay Boy” — and the winner, “Romo’s bitch” — one can only assume that at least a few of Lt. Steve Crowston’s fellow officers in Strike Fighter Squadron 136 felt pretty sure the unit’s administrative/legal officer and avid Dallas Cowboys fan was a homosexual. But Crowston, who filed multiple inspector general complaints over what he regarded as anti-gay hazing in the unit, had steadfastly refused to acknowledge his sexual preference, saying it was irrelevant and that his concern was over inappropriate workplace hazing.Tuesday evening, on the 6 p.m. newscast of Norfolk’s WAVY-TV, with the Pentagon’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy no longer in effect, Crowston came out. “I’ve been in 17 years, livin’ a lie, hiding who I really am, said Crowston (1:52 on the video), interviewed at a downtown Norfolk celebration of the end of the policy’s demise Tuesday. “People have suspected through the years, but I couldn’t come out. Now, I have that choice, without losing my career over it.”
Crowston’s complaints, first voiced following an August 2009 call sign meeting attended by his CO and XO, eventually found their mark. In July, the Navy announced that the very recently retired Cmdr. Liam Bruen, the former CO, had been censured by Navy Secretary Ray Mabus — this after being removed from his post-command job as operations officer on the carrier John C. Stennis. The former XO and current CO, Cmdr. Damien Christopher, wasn’t cited by Mabus but received two formal counselings from senior commanders and an unspecified letter of admonition. He was allowed to remain in command, with officials citing superior performance while in command.
Bruen and Christopher both took issue with the punishments. Bruen said he felt the Naval IG interpreted the Navy’s Equal Opportunity policy too broadly in saying he’d condoned hazing by allowing the call sign meeting to continue, even though he called a subsequent all-officers meeting at which he vowed to provide a command environment “free from hostility and marginalization.” Christopher said the IG used “flawed legal analysis” to impose a “new standard” under the Navy’s hazing policy upon him. Christopher also told Navy Times that the Naval IG’s findings are under review by the Department of Defense IG.
Crowston, now the administrative officer for the Naval Ocean Processing Facility at Dam Neck Annex, told Navy Times Wednesday night that he feels a great sense of relief that the policy has been eliminated and that he’s no longer in the position of “living a lie.”
“It’s such a relief to know that the silent knife that could stab you at any moment and cause you to lose your career in the military is no longer there!” he wrote. But while the policy is gone, there are battles ahead within the ranks, he told WAVY-TV.
“There’s still gonna be homophobia,” Crowston said. “There’s still gonna be bigots. There’s still gonna be people who, you know, are gonna judge you, now that you can declare who you are.”
World Peace Day
September 21st, 2011 | Navy | Posted by Bill McMichael
Today is the U.N.-declared International Day of Peace, a day dedicated to the absence of war that was first observed in 1981.
If only, eh?
Gay sailors coming forward in wake of DADT
September 20th, 2011 | Facebook Life at Home Navy The deckplates | Posted by Sam Fellman
Lt. Gary Ross, right, and Dan Swezy exchange wedding vows on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2011 in Duxbury, Vt. // AP Photo
The law banning gays from serving openly ended Tuesday at 12:01 a.m. Now that it’s history, gay sailors are coming forward in ways ranging from showy to subtle. Others are simply blunt.
One of them is Master-at-Arms Seaman Casie Jude, who’s posted in Italy. In a Facebook update on Tuesday she wrote, “Dear Navy: I’m gay. Duh.”
One of her commenters replied, “I knew it!!!”
Another sailor coming forward is Lt. Gary Ross. The 33-year-old surface warfare officer was married very early this morning at a small ceremony in Duxbury, Vt. to his partner of 11 years, Dan Swezy. It was the first same-sex marriage after the repeal by a servicemember.
Why did he come forward?
“We realized that there [are] still people serving in the military that will need good role models, who are gay and lesbian,” Ross told Navy Times on Monday, prior to his wedding. If by publicly announcing his marriage, he said, “that could help any soldier, sailor or airman realizing that it’s ok if you’re gay or lesbian and you could still become an officer and the service isn’t going to discriminate against you anymore – if that could help anyone, we decided that it was worth it.”