A gay sailor tells viewers: “It gets better”
October 31st, 2011 | Don't ask Navy Video | Posted by Sam Fellman
A gay sailor tells his personal story as part of a campaign to bolster the self-confidence of gay youth. // Youtube
“Being in the Navy actually has helped me a lot with getting comfortable with who I am,” says Electronics Technician 3rd Class Taylor Short, a 21-year-old sailor who posted videos online this month about being gay in the Navy.
Since the ban on gays serving openly ended on Sept. 19, gay sailors are finding a variety of ways, large and small, to come forward about themselves. A lieutenant married his long-time partner at the stroke of midnight when the law lifted; a seaman posted “I’m gay” on her Facebook page.
Short said in a video that he was already out to many of his shipmates before repeal, adding that, at the time, “no one really cared.” His video was inspired by the It Gets Better project, which showcases testimonial videos that remind gay youths it’s OK to be themselves.
“Don’t be scared to tell people,” Short told his viewers. “People who I never thought I would really be friends with are now my closest friends.”
Boo! Haunted ship visits Washington, D.C.
October 26th, 2011 | Washington | Posted by Sam Fellman
A ship is making a Halloween port call in Washington, D.C., and not just any ship — ghost ship Barry.
“Hundreds have served onboard, but some never left,” reads the invitation to the haunted ship, written by the Naval History and Heritage Command. “Come and find out who still haunts the decks of display ship Barry…”
For those who dare, the ghoulish ship — a decommissioned destroyer which spends the rest of the year tied up as a fairly staid display ship at Washington Navy Yard — is open to the public on Friday night from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. But think twice about dressing up: costumes are discouraged and masks, capes, wands, swords, short skirts and candy buckets are off-limits.
Occupy Navy surfaces
October 25th, 2011 | Navy | Posted by Joshua Stewart
The 99 Percenters have brought their protest to the Navy.
Or so it looks. Maybe. A Twitter account, @OccupyNavy, was registered, complete with a profile linking to an organization called Occupy Together, a clearinghouse for all the various “Occupy” protests. There’s also a similar account for veterans, the Air Force, Marine Corps, Army and Coast Guard.
Occupy Together calls itself “a hub for all of the events springing up across the country in solidarity with Occupy Wall St. As we have followed the news on Facebook, Twitter and the various live feeds across the Internet, we felt compelled to build a site that would help spread the word as more protests organize across the country. We hope to provide people with information about events that are organizing, ongoing, and building across the U.S. as we, the 99%, take action against the greed and corruption of the 1%.”
Exactly what Occupy Navy is after is unclear, nor is is known whose interests Occupy Navy has in mind. Is it service members? Or taxpayers who don’t like the national defense budget? Are members looking for cuts in defense spending? Better benefits for service members? More comfortable berthing? Among other economic factors, 99 Percenters have lamented the high national unemployment rate. But so far, Occupy Navy has made no reference to Perform to Serve, enlisted retention boards or forced early retirement for officers that would send sailors into a hardscrabble job market.
If you’re really interested, you can contact Occupy Navy. Per the Twitter feed, they’re looking for someone to run the account. You may have to play catch-up. As of this post, the feed hadn’t been updated in at least five hours and has a total of 22 posts. Occupy Marines had more than 1,600.
Today, the skies; tomorrow, the highways
October 25th, 2011 | Navy | Posted by Joshua Stewart
If only it were true.
Parked in a lot at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., outside the office that handles upcoming unmanned aerial vehicles, was complete with one of the most appropriate bumper stickers in the lot.
Somebody has a clever sense of humor, but it would be much better if the technology was already in place. At the very least, texting and driving would no longer be an issue.
A solemn duty
October 23rd, 2011 | Burial at sea Carriers Navy Photos Traditions | Posted by Bill McMichael
It takes place about 20 times each month: The casketed or cremated remains of an eligible individual are buried at sea. It’s an ancient tradition that’s probably been practiced as long as people have gone to sea, according to Naval History & Heritage Command. On Saturday, Oct. 22, crew members of the carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower carried on that tradition as the ship was training in the Atlantic.
Sailors bow their heads during a prayer before sending a sailor's remains over the side during a burial at sea aboard the carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower Oct. 22. // U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communications Specialist Third Class Tony Bloom
Ceremony procedures do not change. “All hands bury the dead” is passed over the ship’s intercom; the ship is stopped, if practicable; the colors are displayed at half-mast. The casket bearers, firing party and bugler are assembled. The formation is brought to attention, then parade rest. The chaplain then conducts the burial service, reflected in the above photo. The remains are then committed to the deep, and the firing party fires a three-volley salute.
Sailors with the honor guard render a gun salute during a burial at sea aboard the Dwight D. Eisenhower. // U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communications Specialist Third Class Tony Bloom
Those eligible include active-duty members of the military, retirees and veterans who were honorably discharged, U.S. civilian marine personnel of Military Sealift Command and dependent family members of each group.
The committal ceremony is always performed on a deployed ship, so family members are not allowed to attend.
Busy days and nights aboard Ike
October 19th, 2011 | Carrier qualifications Carriers Life at Sea Navy Photos Ships Training Underway replenishment | Posted by Bill McMichael
The Norfolk-based carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower is deep into the basic phase of pre-deployment training while underway in the Atlantic. Technically, it’s taking part in a Tailored Ship’s Training Availability and Final Evaluation Problem, or TSTA/FEP, and conducting carrier qualifications for Carrier Air Wing 7 fliers.
An F/A-18E Super Hornet launches from the flight deck of the carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower Oct. 14. // U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Nathan Parde
Ike will be out for several weeks to come, so it’s a busy time for the crews of the ship and the wing. All that activity demands fresh stores of all sorts. On Oct. 18 — not clear if it was pre-sunrise or post-sunset — the fast combat support ship USNS Arctic delivered the goods.
The fast combat support ship USNS Arctic sails alongside Ike during an Oct. 18 underway replenishment. // U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Julia A. Casper
During an UNREP, the flight deck remains quiet — but under a watchstander’s careful eye.
Boatswain’s Mate Seaman Nicholas Blackburn of the Eisenhower stands watch during an underway replenishment with USNS Arctic. // U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Julia A. Casper
Navy women meet in Norfolk
October 18th, 2011 | Navy Norfolk Naval Station Photos SURFLANT Women in the Navy | Posted by Bill McMichael
SURFLANT hosted an all-day symposium for Navy women today in Norfolk, an event “designed to provide an interactive forum addressing the challenges that affect women in the surface force.”
An eight-women panel has an interactive discussion with audience members attending the 2011 Surface Force Women's Waterfront Symposium held on Naval Station Norfolk. // U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Kayla Jo Finley
The idea was to provide a forum for women in the surface force and other communities along with discussion opportunities and interaction with successful surface force role models, and simply to network. Breakout sessions were held on topics ranging from child care, women’s policy and mentorship, as well as with officer and enlisted detailers.
The keynote speaker for the 2011 Surface Force Women's Waterfront Symposium was Vice Adm. Carol Pottenger, deputy chief of staff for capability development, NATO Headquarters, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, shown here giving opening remarks. // U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Kayla Jo Finley
CNO: Happy birthday from the Persian Gulf
October 13th, 2011 | Chief of naval operations Navy | Posted by Sam Fellman
In a birthday video, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jon Greenert celebrated the 236th anniversary of the Navy’s founding in a dramatic setting.
“Happy 236th birthday!” he said from the deck of the carrier John C. Stennis, as it passed through the Strait of Hormuz, with the cruiser Mobile Bay serving as a backdrop. “We’ve got 200 more good years ahead of us.”
The setting reinforced one of his three central tenets: operate forward.
“It’s about being forward, it’s about deterrent and it’s about bringing the offshore option to our president,” he said. “I want to thank you for all you do in that regard.”
It is Greenert’s first overseas trip since becoming chief of naval operations on Sept. 23. He also visited Japan, South Korea and Bahrain.
HT-18 wins 2011 Wilderness Challenge
October 12th, 2011 | Inter-service competition Sports Wilderness Challenge | Posted by Bill McMichael
The two-day competition was rugged, to say the least: an 8-kilometer run through the heart of the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia, a 10-mile bicycle race, a 15-mile forced mountain hike, a 14-mile whitewater raft race on the Gauley River and a 7-mile kayak race on the New River.
When the dust had settled Oct. 8 on the 2011 All-Military Wilderness Challenge, the four-member team from Helicopter Training Squadron 18, Whiting Field, Fla., had come out on top, finishing in 7 hours, 30 minutes, 47 seconds.
Team HT-18, winners of the 2011 All-Military Wilderness Challenge. The team completed the five extreme outdoor events, totaling more than 50 miles through the mountains and rivers of West Virginia, with a total time of 7:30:47. Team members are, from left to right, Marine Capt. Joe Heintz, Marine 1st Lt. Marianne Sparklin, Cmdr. John Quillinan and Lt. Cmdr. Thaddeus Smith. // Photo by Mark Piggott
Team “Motor City Racing” from Coast Guard Medical Clinic, Detroit, came in second with a time of 7:34:08. Third was Team “Paradoxical Trinity” from Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., which finished with a time of 7:40:17.
“We wanted to finish first,” said Navy Cmdr. John Quillinan, HT-18 team captain. “At the end of the first day we were up by three minutes, so we started thinking we can do this. On day two, we pushed ourselves hard to get to the finish.”
Everyone pushed hard, as this photo makes clear:
Team "Dead Last" from the Wounded Warrior Program at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Va., fights its way through Koontz's Bend on the Gauley River on Oct. 7 as part of a 14-mile whitewater rafting race during the 2011 All-Military Wilderness Challenge. Another team from the program, "Lost in the Woods," also competed; both finished to rousing applause from other participants as they crossed the finish line. // Photo by Mark Piggott
More than 100 Navy, Army, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard personnel spent Oct. 6-7 competing in the annual event, sponsored by the Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Morale, Welfare and Recreation Department, Naval Weapons Station Yorktown and ACE Adventure Resort, West Virginia’s largest outdoor outfitter. Teams must be composed of four active-duty service members, and one must be a woman.
“This event could not have happened without the great teams that competed this year or without the vision and leadership of Mike Bond, our MWR Director,” said Capt. Lowell Crow, commanding officer of WPNSTA Yorktown. “This is a world-class competition bringing together the best athletes the military has to offer.”
Sneak peek of a CG-themed reality show
October 12th, 2011 | Coast Guard Navy Reality TV Video | Posted by Jill Laster
We wrote in July about a new reality show featuring Coast Guardsmen from Air Station Kodiak, Alaska. The trailer for the Weather Channel show – which debuts Nov. 9 – is now online. Check out the trailer here:
You can read more about the show – and learn about the Coasties featured on “Coast Guard Alaska” – at the Weather Channel’s website for the show.