Carl Vinson Hosts 'Boots on the Deck'

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW/AW) Luke B. Meineke, USS Carl Vinson Public Affairs

CORONADO, Calif. (NNS) -- Naval Aviation Enterprise (NAE) representatives visited USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) as part of a process improvement program known as "Boots on the Deck" (BoD), July 18.

BoD was crafted to give first-hand maintenance and supply work center knowledge to senior leaders of NAE provider commands, addressing processing and production.

Insights or issues viewed from the perspective of fleet Sailors were passed on to the provider commands as data for Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) and the AIRSpeed program.

Commander Naval Air Forces Vice Adm. Allen Myers; Executive Director for the Program Executive Officer, Aircraft Carriers, William Deligne of the Senior Executive Service; Commander Naval Supply Weapons Systems Support Rear Adm. John G. King; and Commander NAVAIR 6.0 Rear Adm. (Sel) C.J. Jaynes were some of the distinguished visitors who boarded Carl Vinson for the event.

During the visit's opening brief, Deputy Director of NAE Mike Warriner explained the command's mission to advance and sustain naval aviation's war-fighting capabilities at an affordable cost today and in the future. He also referenced naval aviation as central to the Navy's six core capabilities: forward presence, deterrence, sea control, maritime security, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and power projection.

"It's important that we keep that [idea] up front and understand it is about the recumbent effects of all six of those core capabilities," Warriner said. Underneath that, he added, NAE looks for the approach that maximizes efficiency and affordability while resolving interdependent naval aviation issues affecting multiple stakeholders.

After the initial briefing, Vinson's Commanding Officer Capt. Kent D. Whalen, Vinson's Executive Officer Cmdr. Paul C. Spedero, and NAE representatives toured six Aviation Intermediate Maintenance Department (AIMD) and Supply Department spaces.

The first part of the morning was spent discussing both NAE and shipboard program managers' perspectives and developing ways to improve maintenance and supply business practices. Afterward, BoD provided the unique opportunity for naval aviation leadership to converse on a one-on-one basis with enlisted Sailors who had an intimate knowledge of the successes and issues of their work centers, said Jaynes.

"[Today's visit] gave us the opportunity to talk to the Sailors directly and find out what challenges they are facing and how we can help them," Jaynes said. "This is really our only opportunity to come face-to-face, on the deckplates, and find out how we can help and directly impact the challenges that they are facing."

Carl Vinson Sailors who presented each space represented themselves, their work centers and Carl Vinson admirably, Myers said.

"The most junior Sailors - and these are kids that came into the Navy 18 months ago [and] have only been on board 10 or 12 months - they were advocates for Naval Aviation Enterprise and they were able to articulate ways they can make their work centers more effective," Myers said. "They knew their business, they knew their mission, and they also knew how to talk about the enterprise in a way that impressed their supervisors and leadership. And we're taking that back with us - that the culture of efficiency is alive and well on the Carl Vinson."

The visit ended with a debriefing in which NAE representatives and Carl Vinson leadership started addressing issues generated during the visit and ways to implement the successful programs developed on board Carl Vinson in the rest of the fleet.

During the debriefing, Myers emphasized that a chief purpose of BoD and the NAE is to focus on creating a culture of efficiency from the most junior Sailor to the most senior leader.

"If naval aviation is about war-fighting, then the NAE is about making that war-fighting more capable, more efficient and more effective," Myers said. "To see the faces of the people who are actually doing the work, and in this case to see the enthusiasm, is really rewarding."

Myers added the visit to Carl Vinson showed him firsthand that young Sailors actually understand the goodness of a culture of efficiency and are employing it.

"These kids wanted to make their work centers more efficient and more effective," Myers said. "When they are that mission-focused - when they are that focused on making war-fighting more effective and more capable - then I think we are where we need to be."

Carl Vinson Enters Planned Incremental Availability Period

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Matthew J. Haran, USS Carl Vinson Public Affairs

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Almost one month after USS Carl Vinson's (CVN 70) return from a Western Pacific deployment supporting Operation Enduring Freedom, the crew is putting on hard hats and safety goggles for a planned incremental availability (PIA) period July 5-Feb. 1, 2013.

According to Cmdr. Dan Lannamann, chief engineer and PIA availability manager, the primary purpose of PIA is to maintain the 50-year projected service life of an aircraft carrier by taking the ship off-line for an extended period to accomplish deep maintenance and modernization that would be impractical during a normal in-port period.

"Deep maintenance means tearing into equipment or taking apart systems that are not going to be restored in a short period of time," Lannamann said. "It is a period where the ship is temporarily not available for war-time operations."

During the seven-month timeframe the ship will undergo several improvements worth $110 million and will be unable to get underway.

The vast amount of maintenance scheduled during PIA will require the effort of all hands, Lannamann said. Many Sailors assigned to the ship's force will be temporarily reassigned to 20 tiger teams - teams focusing on specific maintenance, such as painting, tiling, or watertight doors.

In addition to varied work assignments, Carl Vinson Sailors can anticipate more changes to their everyday lives. Lt. Cmdr. Anthony Oxendine, Carl Vinson's maintenance officer and PIA assistant availability manager, explained one of more significant changes Sailors will experience.

"We have just recently gained custody of a berthing barge that will be implemented for Sailors who live on this ship," Oxendine said. Not only will Sailors' living arrangements be altered, but their meals, also, will be eaten on the barge instead of on board Carl Vinson.

"There is a significant amount of work that is going to impact habitability of the spaces and availability of some of the services. The overall impact of PIA is greater than your average in-port period," Oxendine said.

While Sailors adjust to changes in the ship they called home for six months at sea, they will also see a lot of new faces.

"We are going to come close to doubling the ship's population with the amount of outside assistance we are getting during PIA," said Lannamann. "We will have upwards of 1,500 non-ship's force personnel assisting with PIA in some way, shape or form."

But no matter whom Carl Vinson has assisting with PIA, the ship's force is ultimately responsible for the upkeep and well-being of the ship, Lannamann said.

"The point we really want to hammer home with everyone is that the ship never stops being ours. We never turn over with anyone, and we are the ones who are expected to take her out come February 1st," Lannamann said.

No matter what condition the ship appears to be in at any time, it is still performing a mission.

"We must take advantage of this opportunity while in port to focus on the mission at hand, which is no longer launching aircraft or supporting the boots on the ground, but taking care of our ship so we can finish on time, so she can get back out and do what she was built to do," Lannamann said.

Carl Vinson Sailor Stops Attempted Suicide Atop Coronado Bay Bridge

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (SW/AW) Nicolas Lopez, USS Carl Vinson Public Affairs

CORONADO, Calif. (NNS) -- A USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) Sailor helped prevent a suicide attempt on the Coronado Bay Bridge, June 19.

Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Fuel) 1st Class (AW/SW) David Lawrence, Air Department's V4 Division maintenance leading petty officer, first responded to a 60-year-old man's suicide attempt approximately 4 a.m. after pulling over to assist with what he thought would be a flat tire.

Lawrence, on his way to the gym before work, saw the car in front of him slow and pull to the side of the bridge near the bridge's apex.

"I saw he was an older guy and he didn't have his hazard [lights] on, so I didn't want him to get hit - and he was in a black Fiat and it was dark out," Lawrence said. "Most people going over the bridge at that time won't be paying attention; they're just trying to wake up."

However, Lawrence's decision to stop was rooted in his deeply held belief that one's actions have direct consequences, either positive or negative.

"I try to help anybody I can. What comes around goes around - I sincerely believe that," Lawrence said. "Somebody is returning the favors. My health is good. My family's health is all good. [So I take] any opportunity I get to help somebody."

As Lawrence asked the driver if he needed assistance, he watched as the man climbed over the concrete barrier and onto the bridge's ledge.

"I stopped right where I was at," Lawrence said. "I put my hands up where he could see them; I didn't want to make any hasty moves."

Lawrence immediately called upon the training he received while deployed in the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) program. Lawrence said the information and intervention skills he learned from the two-day workshop helped him that morning.

"Just ACT: ask, care, treat," Lawrence said. "I didn't get to the 'treat' part; the FBI negotiators and cops got that. But I asked the guy."

Lawrence's actions also proved how important how the "care" aspect is as well. When asked by the police if he wanted to leave the scene, Lawrence declined.

"I told the cops that I was the first one talking to him," Lawrence said. "I don't know if this guy got abandoned by someone and so I didn't want him to see me get in my car and leave. So I stayed there the whole time."

For 15 to 20 minutes, Lawrence talked to the man, trying to prevent him from jumping while also flagging passing drivers to call for assistance. Aware of the magnitude of his choice of words, Lawrence said he talked about his experiences in the U.S. Navy.

"My thought was, 'Please don't jump. How am I going to keep this guy from jumping? What can I possibly say that will make him think it's not worth it?'" Lawrence said. "I just talked about everything I did and tried to let him see that there's positive stuff out there."

California Highway Patrol and San Diego Police Officers arrived approximately 20 minutes after Lawrence's initial communication with the man and assumed suicide prevention efforts. FBI agents, California Highway Patrol and San Diego Police Officers successfully talked the man off the ledge and took him into custody shortly before 7 a.m.

Before his morning was over, an FBI agent informed Lawrence the man wished to see him.

"He was just standing there with a jacket on, looked at me and said, 'Thanks,'" Lawrence said. "I said, 'Hey, man, you made the right choice. I'm glad to see you're on this side of the ledge. Have a good day and be safe.'"

Lawrence, a quiet and humble U.S. Navy Sailor, said he feels little difference since Tuesday morning, shrugging off any accolades given him.

"I'd do it again today, if I had to," Lawrence said. "People are saying I'm a hero and thanking me, but I'd like to think if I didn't do it, somebody would have stopped and did it."

Carl Vinson Returns to 3rd Fleet

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Byron C. Linder, USS Carl Vinson Public Affairs

PACIFIC OCEAN (NNS) -- Sailors of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17 returned to the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of responsibility (AOR) May 11.

Vinson is currently transiting to her homeport in San Diego following a six-month deployment to the Western Pacific and Middle East areas supporting maritime theater security operations in the U.S. 7th and 5th Fleets.

"The dedication demonstrated by every Sailor up and down the chain of command was the key factor in accomplishing every mission objective for our time in the 5th and 7th Fleets," said Vinson's Commanding Officer Capt. Kent D. Whalen. "With our return to 3rd Fleet, our focus may have changed but our mission-ready mindset continues."

Vinson serves as the flagship for Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1, led by Rear Adm. T.K. Shannon, which also consists of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 1 guided-missile destroyers USS Halsey (DDG 97), guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), and CVW-17.

CVW-17 encompasses the "Sunliners" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 81, the "Stingers" of VFA 113, the "Redcocks" of VFA 22, the "Fists of the Fleet" of VFA 25, the "Garudas" of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 134, the "Tiger Tails" of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 125, the "Rawhides" of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40 and the "Red Lions" of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 15.

In addition to supporting its primary mission throughout the deployment, Carl Vinson completed the following:

- From Jan. 9 to March 24, flew 1,085 Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) missions, totaling 6,600 total flight hours. This included close air support missions, support for coalition ground forces, airborne electronic warfare missions and airborne command and control missions.

- Deployed 7,283 pounds of ordnance and expended 1,717 rounds of 20mm ammunition in support of OEF.

- Conducted exercises with coalition countries and other nations, including Singapore, Britain, India and Australia.

- Made port visits and conducted community service projects in Hong Kong, Jebel Ali, India, and Australia.

- Earned the 2011 Commander Naval Air Forces Battle Efficiency (Battle "E") award for West Coast-based aircraft carriers.

- Hosted former CBS Evening News anchor and 60 Minutes correspondent Dan Rather for a three-day visit as the subject of a segment for television news magazine Dan Rather Reports.

- Sailed over 53,200 nautical miles.

Third Fleet leads naval forces in the eastern Pacific from the west coast of North America to the international date line.