Naval Base Point Loma Participates in 'Wreaths Across America'

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW/AW) Justin L. Webb, Naval Base Point Loma Public Affairs

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- More than 1,200 service members, veterans and civilians arrived at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery to lay nearly 3,000 wreaths on the graves of fallen troops Dec. 10.

These volunteers were participating in the 19th annual nationwide event, which is carried out in part by coordinating wreath laying ceremonies on the second Saturday of December at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as veterans' cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond.

This year's keynote speaker was retired Navy Seal Rear Adm. Raymond Smith, who took a few moments to reflect on the more than 105,000 service members and merchant marines laid to rest in Fort Rosecrans.

"This ceremony, which is being played out across our nation today, is a powerful indication that amidst the challenges we face in our nation all of us recognize that we must frequently stop our own busy lives and look to the past for inspiration and courage," he said. "Today we honor them all! Whether they served four years or forty years, there is no distinction. For the raising of one's right hand and swearing of one's allegiance to our nation and its citizens is sufficient to be recognized."

Commanding Officer Naval Base Point Loma Capt. Scott Adams participated in this year's event, and was able to place a ceremonial wreath on a wreath stand as a tribute to fallen Sailors, Soldiers, Airmen, Marines and Merchant Marines laid to rest in Fort Rosecrans and throughout the world.

"I was proud to represent the Navy while recognizing the sacrifices of the service members who have gone before me," said Adams. "However, more to the point of the day I believe, I was thankful for the men and women laid to rest on Rosecrans Hill and for the thousands more they represent who, refusing to be bystanders, took an active role in defending our freedom."

Engineman 3rd Class Kenitha Taylor, who volunteered for her second consecutive "Wreaths Across America" this year was honored to be involved in the ceremony.

"Being able to come here and pay tribute to the people who laid down their lives for us, puts what I'm doing more into perspective," she said. "I could one day be at risk, and it makes me proud to be a part of something bigger. This is what I do every day. It got emotional of course to think about the people who died for the freedoms we have."

USS New Orleans Prepares for Deployment

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Byron C. Linder, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Sailors aboard the amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18) departed Naval Base Point Loma July 20 following a six-day deperming evolution in preparation for the ship's scheduled deployment.

Deperming a ship reduces the ship's magnetic signature. Naval Base Point Loma is the only station on the West Coast with magnetic silencing support capability. Lt. j.g. Ryan Haught, New Orleans assistant combat systems officer and Pittsburgh native, served as New Orleans' deperming coordinator.

"We wrapped cables around the ship, sent a lot of power through them, and unwrapped the cables to reduce our signature. From here, we will go on 14 range runs on the degaussing range to see how they did," Haught explained.

The deperming process is a key element in preparation for New Orleans' future taskings.

"We need to reduce the magnetic signature to be ready for deployment and decrease the undersea warfare threat so we can be good to go when we go into hostile waters," said Haught. "After the degaussing runs, we have a couple of short underways before deploying."

Haught praised the crew's effort during the complex process, and said the endeavor would not have been possible without all hands contributing.

"The crew worked extremely hard. This was an all hands effort, and it went smoothly because they came together to get this done," Haught emphasized. "One way or another, everyone contributed. We spent about four days wrapping the ship up in the cables and two days unwrapping them, starting at 7:15 in the morning and ending at around 3:30 in the afternoon every day."

New Orleans is the first San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship to undergo the deperming process at Point Loma. Haught said the planning and execution phases were influenced by the past.

"We looked at what other LPDs had done on the East Coast, and we took a lot of lessons learned from other ships [that] have already gone through it," said Haught. "We looked at the processes they did, and we tried to make ours better."