c1andc4.nov05 10/14/05 11:04 am page c1 making … · as our efforts to support the joint task...

MAKING SOUTHERN WATERS SAFE

C1andC4.Nov05 10/14/05 11:04 AM Page C1

[Number 1063]

[Features]

N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 5 • A L L H A N D S

[Departments]Around the Fleet — 8

Focus on Service — 38

The Final Word — 40

[On the Front Cover]STG2(EOD/PJ) Matthew Strawn sets perimetersecurity while a teammate builds a disruptivetool to positively neutralize the bomb threat.

Photo by JO1(SCW/SS) James Pinsky

[Next Month]All Hands explores the opportunitiesavailable to Sailors when they acceptDuty in Korea.

1

14 Making Southern Waters SafeHurricane Katrina’s Category 4 winds and record-setting 23-foot, levee-breaking storm surge turned New

Orleans’ most abundant natural resource lethal by flooding homes and businesses, and contaminating the

city’s drinking water. But the thorough water testing done by the Forward Deployable Preventive Medicine Unit

(FDPMU) East, Norfolk, has helped to bring the water supplies of the storm-struck cities of the Gulf Coast

back on line more quickly.

Photo by JO1(SCW/SS) James Pinsky

22 EOD Down UnderGuam-based Electronics Technician 1st Class (EOD/PJ) Eric

Fisher was rudely reminded of his mortality when he triggered

a simulated booby trap while trying to clear a suspected

roadside bomb during Exercise Talisman Saber held in

Queensland, Australia, at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area

(SWBTA). While there, Fisher and his teammates learned

even more from their Australian hosts.

Photo byJO1(SCW/SS) James Pinsky

30 DEP – Eyes on the futureIn September 2003, Brian Connelly walked five miles to thenearest Navy recruiting office with just one small problem. He weighed about 390 pounds. Right after talking to Connelly,Torpedoman’s Mate 1st Class Frank DeGrand, a Navy recruiterfor Upper Darby, Pa., took a chance, worked with the youngman, helped him make Navy standards and attendedConnelly’s graduation from Boot Camp this past summer.

Photo by PH2 Todd Frantom

4 A L L H A N D S • w w w . n a v y . m i l

Number 1063 • November 2005www.navy.mil

Secretar y of the Navy

The Honorable Gordon R. England

Chief o f Naval Operat ions

ADM Mike Mullen

Chief o f In format ion

RADM T. L. McCreary

Commander, Naval Media Center

CAPT Gordon J. Hume

Deputy Chief o f Product ion

CDR Ed Austin

C h i e f o f P u b l i s h i n g

LT Bill Couch

E D I T O R I A L

Editor

Marie G. Johnston

Managing Edi tor

PHCS (AW/SW) Joseph E. Dorey

Assistant Edi tor

Stephanie N. Collins

Photo Edi tors

PH1 (AW) Shane T. McCoy

PH3 Todd Frantom

Editor ia l Staf f

JO1 (SW) Hendrick Dickson

JO1 (SCW/SS) James Pinsky

JO2 (SW) David G. Beyea

E D I T O R I A L& W E B D E S I G N

R + B Design Firm

Design + Project Management

Kevin Richards

Graphic Designer

Liz McGrail

Digi ta l Prepress Specia l is t

Lisa J. Smith

P R I N T I N G

Universal Printing Company

G PO Pr int ing Specia l is t

John Kennedy

Recipient of the following Awards of Magazine Excellence

for 2000-2004:

AWARDS

Speaking with SailorsMaster Chief Petty Officer of the Navy

MCPON (SS/AW) Terry D. Scott

Personnel readiness is important to our Navy’s ability

to carry out our mission and is crucial for the well being of

the Sailors who will take that fight to our enemies. Taking

the steps now to maintain a high level of personal readi-

ness also develops character and habits that will pay off

long into the future.

Start with physical readiness. This means more than

your dedication to the requirement of a

30-minute cardio-vascular workout three

times a week. It means that if you’re a

smoker, you seek help to stop. It means

you make a pledge to follow a path of

responsible behavior, including moderation

in alcohol use; safe, responsible driving

habits; and restraint in your personal

life. Failure to live up to a high goal of

physical readiness or engaging in risky

behavior can lead to unfortunate conse-

quences that impact much more than

the Navy’s readiness to meet its mission

— these decisions impact your life.

Continue with financial fitness.

In taking time to plan a budget, to save

a little each pay day and to participate in the Thrift

Savings Plan, you are building a foundation of financial

independence and prosperity for the future.

On the other hand, not knowing how to manage your

money effectively can lead to stress and poor decisions.

Some Sailors mistakenly turn to pay day loans from

disreputable lenders for short-term cash at high interest

rates, resulting in a downward spiral of desperation.

Financial trouble could lead to a loss of a security

clearance and your career, bankruptcy or worse. There are

resources available from your Fleet and Family Support

Center, or online at www.NavyOneSource.com that can

help you avoid the stress and worry of financial trouble

and enjoy the confidence and freedom that goes with

financial fitness.

Live up to an ideal of ethical fitness. As we continue

to find innovative ways to leverage the new and latest to

continue to capitalize on the tried and

true, one thing will remain constant:

the Navy needs Sailors with the highest

character to ensure our standards, pro-

ductivity and success remain the model

for the Navy and our nation as well. This

demands a high level of ethical fitness

and a dedication to Honor, Courage and

Commitment in our professional and

personal behavior. A culture of ethical

fitness means no tolerance for hazing,

blue-on-blue violence or sexual harass-

ment and assault, while promoting fair

treatment and equal opportunity to

success for each Sailor.

Remember to maintain a high level

of family fitness. Families need to be involved and

informed and not feel that their needs are taken for

granted. We recruit Sailors, but we retain families.

Family fitness means taking care of powers-of-attorney,

wills and points of contact before departing on deploy-

ment, and ensuring that families can find care when

needed while their Sailors are away keeping us safe. There

is no understating the case that as our Sailors and their

families face uncertain deployment schedules and

demands of service under extremely stressful conditions,

our efforts to ensure a high level of family fitness is vital.

With a high level of personal readiness, paying particular

attention to each aspect of physical, financial, ethical and

family fitness, each Sailor will be ready at all times to

accept and meet the unknown challenges we will face.

After all, our enemies won’t wait around to allow us to

get ready before they attack.

Phot

o by

JO1

Pres

ton

Kere

s

Speaking with Sailors is a monthly column

initiated by the Master Chief Petty Officer of the

Navy as a way of reaching out to the men and

women of the fleet, whether they are stationed just

down the road or halfway around the world.

All Hands (USPS 372-970; ISSN 0002-5577) Number 1063 is published monthly by the Naval Media Center, Publishing Department, 2713 Mitscher Rd. S.W., Anacostia Annex, D.C. 20373-5819. Periodicals postage paid

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publication is necessary in the transaction of business required by law of the Department of the Navy. Funds for printing this publication have been approved by the Navy Publications and Printing Committee.

Putting the focus on personal readiness

To meet the Navy’s mission, our nation demands Sailors with the capability to anticipate and react to the unknown

challenges of the future. We need people who are creative, innovative and educated to be prepared at a moment’s

notice to leverage our technological advantage and capitalize on our competitive edge in ensuring a safer world.

We also need people who have a high degree of personal readiness and the ability to deploy anywhere at any time.

“Throughout the crisis, evenas our efforts to support the jointtask force ramped up, we neverlost sight of our responsibility tohelp Navy families get back ontheir feet,” Mullen said. “A numberof commands immediatelymobilized to help our shipmates.These efforts have been great,but they require long-term coor-dination and support. Task ForceNavy Family is the answer.”

The mission of the task forceteam is to coordinate and aug-ment full-spectrum communityservice operations in order toprovide a rapid and coordinatedreturn to a stable environmentfor affected Navy Family mem-bers. TFNF is supporting andcomplementing existingprocesses, said Mullen, notreplacing them.

Leading the TFNF team isRADM Robert Passmore, aReserve flag officer normallyassigned to Naval Forces Europe,who was selected by the CNO forthis important endeavor.

“The Navy has Sailors andcivilians around the world, whoare completely dedicated toserving their country and helpingothers,” said Passmore. “Nowsome of those extraordinary

people and their families - theNavy Family - need our help.Everyone involved with TFNF iscompletely devoted to ensuringeveryone who needs help gets it.”

Passmore and the Task Force’sdeputy commanders, RADMRobert Reilly Jr., Director of theOffice of Civilian HumanResources Debra Edmond, andthe rest of their team, are cur-rently located at the NavalDistrict Washington AnacostiaAnnex at the headquarters ofCommander, Navy InstallationsCommand (CNI).

Mullen said the new taskforce will provide a “full-spec-trum community serviceoperation,” which includes fullaccounting, pay and benefits ofaffected Navy family members;availability of temporary and,eventually, permanent housing;getting children back into school;and access to health care, coun-seling services and child care.

After Katrina struck the region,several Navy commands andoutside sources immediately setup operations to provide support.

CNI began 24-hour operations,building an organizational struc-ture for the relief and reconstruc-tion. They established community

support centers at Naval AirStation (NAS) Meridian, Miss.,NAS Joint Reserve Base NewOrleans, Naval Station Pascagoula,Miss., and Construction BattalionCenter Gulfport, Miss., which pro-vide a wide range of services tothose in need.

The Navy PersonnelCommand rapidly stood up anemergency call center inMillington, Tenn., to fostercommunications and answerquestions.

“I want the net cast wide, andI want it hauled in often,” saidMullen. “There are people hurt-ing out there – our people andtheir loved ones – and we will do

all we can to alleviate their pain.“I liken it to a man over-

board,” added the CNO. "Youshift rudder over, go to flankspeed and pluck the Sailor out ofthe water. In my view, we’ve gotnearly 45,000 people in the waterright now, and we’re going topick them up.”

For Navy Family memberswho need additional informationor assistance please call the NavyPersonnel Command’sEmergency Coordination Centerat (877) 414-5358, or visitwww.navy.mil.

Story by JO1(SW/AW) Kristin

Fitzsimmons, Task Force Navy Family.

In a recent interview,

Commander, Navy

Installations Command (CNI)

RADM Christopher E. Weaver

discussed the Navy's initiatives

to ensure support is available

for Sailors and family members

affected in the aftermath of

Hurricane Katrina.

Soon after Katrina roaredthrough the Gulf Coast states,leveling almost everything in itspath, the Navy began efforts toprovide a routine, day-to-daysupport infrastructure forSailors, their families and civil-ians in the area.

“Our first response is the sta-bilization of the installationsthemselves and the facilities,structures and people withinthem,” said Weaver. “So, in theimmediate aftermath of thestorm, what we have sought todo is to make the bases safe againfor transportation, mobility andso forth.”

“Then immediately after, wehave tried to get into the supportfor the individual Sailors andcivilians and their families,” hecontinued. “And that is probablythe No. 1 thing in the case of adisaster such as this. That isgoing to get us back up on our feet.”

One way the Navy is support-ing Sailors is by standing up com-munity support centers on thebases where Sailors and familymembers can go to receive thesupport they are accustomed to.

These one-stop centers will

house such services as PersonnelSupport Activities, theNavy/Marine Corps ReliefSociety, Fleet and FamilySupport Programs, Housing,Child Development Service andmore. The first center is alreadyup and running in Gulfport,Miss.

“Within a day or so [of thehurricane strike], in Gulfport,Miss., some services were beingprovided from the Fleet andFamily Support Centers and theNavy/Marine Corps Relief Societyto be able to support and sustainour Sailors there,” said Weaver.

Weaver said as the regionbecomes more stabilized, thesecenters will continue to be stoodup until there is one to supportevery Navy base.

“As we regain electrical powerto the bases that have beenaffected, we will be establishingthe same type of centralized support process where the com-munity support functions will beavailable from central locationson these bases,” said Weaver.

“In the case of Pascagoula(Miss.), where there has been asignificant amount of damage,we'll actually put [the support]on a bus and site it there.”

Weaver also described othersupport avenues available, notonly for Sailors in the affectedarea, but others as well. In partic-ular, he pointed out the NavyPersonnel and Family MemberHelpline currently available forHurricane Katrina ReliefInformation (1-877-414-5358).

“The 877 number is availableto people all over the Navy - notjust for people in the affectedarea - that they can call. Theywill be received on the phone by

a person, not a recording, andthat person will own the ques-tion or issue until it is properlyresolved by someone in the com-munity support process withinCNI or within [Navy PersonnelCommand].”

“We have a long way to go,”he continued. "We know a lot ofpeople are suffering and hurting,but we are very confident in theprocesses and the resources and,above all, the people that we haveto get this job done.”

Navy Personnel Commandhas set up a 24-hour help line for Navy members and theirfamilies to call for informationregarding their loved ones.Those who need help can call 1-877-414-5358 or visitwww.navy.mil.

Story by JO1(SW) Hendrick L.

Dickson, Navy News Service,

Washington, D.C. For the latest on

Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, visit

www.news.navy.mil/local/hurricane.

Navy EstablishesTask Force to HelpSailors, FamiliesAffected ByHurricane Katrina

T he Navy has taken a proac-tive role in ongoing post-Hurricane Katrina relief

efforts along the Gulf Coastregion by establishing a supportsystem for its personnel called“Task Force Navy Family”(TFNF) in September.

More than 18,000 Navy fami-lies stationed in Louisiana andMississippi were directly affectedby the Katrina’s Category 4 winds,flooding and destruction, withsome families losing everything.

In a message to the Navyreleased Sept. 19, ADM MikeMullen, Chief of Naval Operations(CNO) said the service is mobilizingto help families immediately.


Around the Fleet

6 A L L H A N D S • w w w . n a v y . m i l 7

Gunner’s Mate 1st Class (SW) Janelle Fifer,

assigned to the security department

aboard Naval Station Corpus Christi, Texas,

recently donated 12 inches of her hair to

“Locks of Love,” a charitable organization

that makes wigs for children suffering

from long-term medical hair loss. The wigs

allow these children to achieve self-

esteem and confidence.

She recently donated her golden

mane while visiting family in Washington

state. Fifer says she found out about the program a couple of

years ago when her stepfather donated his shoulder-length hair.

S h i p m a t e s

CNI Discusses Support for Sailors in the

Aftermath of Katrina

Ricky’sTourBy JO1 Mike Jones www.rickystour.com

� The family housing area aboard Naval Construction BattalionCenter (NCBC) Gulfport, Miss., suffered considerable damage from HurricaneKatrina after she came ashore near the Louisiana bayou town of Buras.

Photo by U.S. Navy

To be considered for the “Around the Fleet” section, forward your

high resolution (5” x 7” at 300 dpi) images with full credit and

cutline information, including full name, rank and duty station to:

[email protected]

Directions on how to properly submit photos can be found at

www.navy.mil/photo_submit.html

Mail your submissions to:

Navy Visual News Service

1200 Navy Pentagon, Rm. 4B514

Washington, D.C. 20350-1200

Click on the Navy’s home page, www.navy.mil, for fresh images

of your shipmates in action.

� BUCN Guthrie Kees and UT3 Robert Jones use trowelsto smooth freshly poured concrete for a new dispatch office for NavalMobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 74. The Seabees of NMCB-74 arecurrently deployed to Okinawa.

Photo by PH3 Er ic Powel l

� ABH2 Ronald Tenorio supervises Sailors performing aflight deck scrub down aboard USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63).

Photo by PHAN J immy C. Pan

8

New HousingAllowanceGuidelines Won’tResult in Pay Cut

Defense officials are elimi-nating the “geographicrate protection” clause

that ensures service membersmoving to a new area receive thesame housing allowance as thosealready living there.

Geographic rate protection isexpiring in January because BasicAllowance for Housing (BAH)rates have reached a level whereservice members no longer haveto pay out-of-pocket expensesfor housing, said Air Force Col.Virginia Penrod, DOD directorof military compensation.

Any rate cut from year to yearwill not negatively affect servicemembers who are remaining inthe area where they alreadyreceive BAH, she noted.

Penrod stressed that the BAHrate is set at the average housingcost for the area. Rates are furtherset based on military rank, witheach pay grade level having a setacceptable standard of housing.Service members may still haveto pay some out-of-pocketexpenses if they choose to liveabove that level. Conversely, ifservice members choose to livebelow the average level, they willstill receive the same BAH rate.

Personnel still have “individualrate protection” as long as theystay within the same geographicarea. If average housing costs in agiven geographic area go down,troops already living in that areacontinue to receive the higheramount. However, troops movinginto that area receive the loweramount. Geographic rate protec-tion was a temporary protectionput into effect to prevent troopsof the same pay grade living inthe same area from getting differ-ent amounts of housing allowance.

Rate protection was institutedin 2000 to ensure troops’ BAH

rates were the same among like-pay grade individuals living inthe same area while troops werestill paying part of their ownhousing expenses, Penrodexplained. Now that BAH ratesare high enough to cover servicemembers’ entire housingexpenses, geographic rate protec-tion isn’t necessary, she said.

Under the new BAH guidelines,a service member moving to anew area will receive the appro-priate BAH rate for that area,regardless of whether troopsalready living there are receivinga higher rate, she said.

Each year, BAH rates areadjusted with input from militaryhousing offices in the area,Penrod said. If it is determinedthe rate needs to be increased, allservice members living in thatarea will receive the increase.

Story by Army Sgt. Sara Wood,

American Forces Press Service,

Alexandria, Va.

Career ManagementSymposiums HelpSailors, FamiliesManage Their Futures

For the past four years, theCenter for CareerDevelopment (CCD),

located at the Navy PersonnelCommand, Millington, Tenn., hasbeen conducting symposiums allover the world to ensure thatevery Sailor gets the opportunityto get the most up-to-date infor-mation on everything frombenefits and bonuses to policyand procedures.

“We have become the one-stopsource for career developmentinformation,” said CMDCMLloyd W. Long, command masterchief and operations chief forCCD. “During a CMS, we tell theSailor about programs such as

N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 5 • A L L H A N D S 9

Around the Fleet

� CT3 Jennifer Bolton, a member of a color guard from USSCole (DDG 67), holds the American flag during the playing of the National Anthemat a Philadelphia Phillies baseball game.

Photo by LT Michael Dean

� HM3 Brooks Hagel braises a pipe fitting in the pipeshop on board the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76).

Photo by PH3 Aaron Burden

� AMs assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ)130 work together to determine the cause of an engine problem on anEA-6B Prowler on the flight deck of USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75).

Photo by PH3 Kr is topher Wi lson

continued on page 11

10 11A L L H A N D S • w w w . n a v y . m i l N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 5 • A L L H A N D S

Sea Warrior and Perform ToServe, and give them data oneducational opportunities andother career progression-relateditems that will help them developa professional and personal“resume” for their life in theNavy and beyond.”

Long is a member of one ofthree CMS teams of enlisted and officers that travel about 50times a year to fleet concentrationareas and other bases around theworld to talk to Sailors. A teamof enlisted and officer detailers aswell as civilian transition profes-sionals and Navy counselormentors accompanies them.

“On average, we bring with usabout 12 enlisted detailers oneach trip, along with officer andspecial programs detailers,” saidCAPT Raoul Rall, operationsofficer for the Center for CareerDevelopment. “We highlyencourage all Sailors to talk withthe detailers even if they aren’t intheir window for receivingorders, as this helps align theirexpectations down the road.”

Joining the group is a team ofthree civilian speakers, two ofwhom are Navy veterans: LeeCohen, military placement man-aging partner for Lucas Group,retired CAPT Jim Carman, anAmerican Airlines first officer, andNed Hunter, former Navy officerand aviator, who is the CEO of amulti-million dollar company.

“These people know a lotabout what corporate America islooking for in a job candidate,”said Rall. “They talk about thingslike how fitness reports matter,interviews matter, compensationcomparisons, and how theserelate to the job market. If youwant to succeed in corporateAmerica, you have to move, worklong hours, miss critical familymoments and follow the com-pany plan. Our speakers help thesymposium attendees align theirexpectations and educate themon what it takes to succeed.”

For more information or if a

base is not currently on the CMSschedule, a symposium can bespecially arranged by contactingCCD. Contact numbers are listedon the NPC Web site atwww.npc.navy.mil/CareerInfo/Car

eerManagementsymposia/Contact

_Info.htm.

Story by JO1 Teresa J. Frith,

public affairs office, Navy

Personnel Command.

FFSP RelocationAssistance ProgramHelps Sailors,Families MakeSmooth Moves

Relocation AssistanceProgram (RAP) coun-selors, available through

the Fleet and Family SupportProgram (FFSP), have theanswers and resources to helpensure Sailors and their familiesexperience a successful, stress-free move to a new duty station.

“RAP provides transitioningservice members and their fami-lies with information about theirnew duty stations,” said HughDurden, program analyst forMilitary Career ReadinessPrograms, Commander, NavyInstallations Command (CNI),Millington Det. “If a transition-ing family has the right informa-tion, that can go a long way indetermining whether they have a successful move or not. Studiesshow that the best predictor of asuccessful move is the accuracyof the mover’s expectations.”

Relocation assistance is notjust for families or new Sailorswho are completing their firstPCS move, according to Durden.

“Everyone can benefit fromassistance, whether it’s their firstmove or their tenth,” he said.

Experienced FFSP counselorscontinued on page 13

Around the Fleet

� CS3 Peter Welch backcrawls through mud-filled trenchesas part of an obstacle course at theJungle Warfare Training Center(JWTC), located in the NorthernTraining Area on the island ofOkinawa. Welch is assigned toNaval Mobile ConstructionBattalion (NMCB) 74.

Photo by PH2 Er ic S. Powel l

� Sailors aboard USSFitzgerald (DDG 62) participate in aflight deck fire drill.

Photo by PHAN Adam York

� LTJG Armando Marronfires a flare gun during a routinetraining exercise aboard USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63).

Photo by PHAN Joshua Wayne LeGrand

� AW2 Scott Wilson,a search and rescue (SAR)swimmer assigned to HelicopterAnti-Submarine Squadron(Light) (HSL) 49, prepares to belowered during recent missionsover New Orleans.Photo by Mar ine Corps Staff Sgt . Steven Wi l l iams

continued from page 9

12 13A L L H A N D S • w w w . n a v y . m i l

can help service members ask theright questions and find theanswers to questions ranging fromhouse hunting, moving expenses,local employment, schools andpreparing vehicles for travel tolearning about the cultural differ-ences at the new location.

The Navy’s RelocationAssistance Program can help youcreate your own personal reloca-tion plan, designed to addressissues that are relevant to yourmove. For more information onRAP or to locate the nearest Fleetand Family Support Center, visitwww.ffsp.navy.mil or call their24-hour information and referralhotline at 800-FSC-LINE.

Relocation assistance is alsoavailable for all service membersonline through the SITES Website at https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/

appj/sites.

Additional information isavailable from Military OneSource at www.militaryone-

source.com or by calling 1-800-540-4123.

Story courtesy of Fleet and Family

Support Program Marketing,

Commander, Navy Installations

Command, Millington Det.

DOD AnnouncesIncrease in DeathGratuity, SGLI

DOD recently announced a significant increase in thedeath gratuity for the sur-

vivors of service members killedin action and the Service members’Group Life Insurance (SGLI) cov-erage for service members deployedto designated combat zones.

The Emergency SupplementalAppropriations Act for Defense,the Global War on Terror andTsunami Relief Act 2005 (PublicLaw 109-13) increases this imme-diate cash payment from $12,420

to $100,000 for survivors of thosewhose death is as a result of hostileactions and occurred in a desig-nated combat operation or combatzone or while training for combator performing hazardous duty.

The supplemental alsoincreased the maximum amountof SGLI coverage from $250,000 to$400,000 for all service memberseffective Sept. 1, 2005, and providesthat the department will pay orreimburse the premiums to ser-vice members who are deployedin a designated combat zone for$150,000 of SGLI coverage.

Until the effective date for theSGLI increase, the supplementalprovided for a special death gratuityof $150,000, retroactive to Oct. 7,2001, for survivors of those whosedeath is in a designated combatoperation or combat zone oroccurred while training for combator performing hazardous duty.

The Secretary of Defense hasdesignated all areas where servicemembers are in receipt of thecombat zone tax exclusion asqualifying combat zones and allmembers deployed outside theUnited States on orders insupport of Operation EnduringFreedom or Operation IraqiFreedom as participating inqualifying combat operations.

Effective immediately, sur-vivors of service members whodie in these qualifying zones oroperations will receive theincreased benefits.

All beneficiaries for retroactivepayments will be contacted bymail or telephone. If someone isnot contacted, but thinks he maybe entitled to added benefits, hemay inquire at the followingaddresses or telephone numbers:

Navy: Navy PersonnelCommand (PERS-62), 5720Integrity Drive, Millington, TN38055-6200 or call 1-800-368-3202.

USMC: HQMC CasualtyOffice, 3280 Russell Road, Attn:MRPC, Quantico, VA 22134 orcall 1-800-847-1597.

Story courtesy of DOD.

Around the Fleet

� Simulated protestorsgather at the gates of the Naval Mobile ConstructionBattalion (NMCB) 22 campsite during Operation Bearing Duel.

Photo by JOSN S.C. I rwin

� MA2 Guy DeCoito,assigned to Naval Station PearlHarbor Security, demonstrates tomilitary family members how to usea .50-caliber machine gun duringthe command’s National Night Out Program.

Photo by JO3 Ryan C. McGin ley

� Petty Officer Keith Lowe, assigned to ExplosiveOrdnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 3, Det. 7, serves as the safetybelay during rappelling operations in Darwin, Australia. EODMU-3, Det.7, is deployed aboard USS Tarawa (LHA 1).

Photo by PH3 Tony Spiker

continued from page 11

1911

CDR T.G. Ellyson, the first Naval aviator with the first U.S. Navy plane,the A-1, at Lake Keuka, Hammondsport, N.Y.


14 15

If Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (SW/FMF) Shannon Taylor

had his way, bottled water would still be just a novelty item

in New Orleans. Crisp, clean, clear water for New Orleans’

half-million-strong population would be only as far away as

their kitchen faucet.

On Aug. 28, 2005, things were just that simple.

The abundance of water, which surrounded the “Crescent

City,” gave its citizens plenty to quench their thirst and provided

rich fishing, commerce, trade and petroleum resources, making

water one of the city’s most precious commodities.

What a difference a day makes.

In less than 24 hours, Hurricane Katrina’s Category 4 winds

and record-setting 23-foot, levee-breaking storm surge turned

New Orleans’ most abundant natural resource from hero

to villain.

There was no more drinking water. There weren’t any more

water-based resources. Katrina smashed homes, flooded busi-

nesses and shorted out power citywide. Even world-famous

Bourbon Street was devoid of people, with the majority of the

“Big Easy’s” population chased away, rendering the Gulf Coast’s

most popular port city a ghost town.

It was a chaotic scene that Taylor hoped the news got wrong.

“We came down here hoping to find out there was nothing

wrong,’ said Taylor. As a Navy preventive medicine technician

(PMT) assigned to Forward Deployable Preventive Medicine

Unit (FDPMU) East, Norfolk, he knew what disasters like

Hurricane Katrina could do to a city’s fresh water system.

He hoped he and his eight teammates drove more than 1,000

miles just to say everything was fine. But he knew better.

� HM1(SW/FMF) Shannon Taylor uses an IFICON HAP-SITE Field-Portable Gas Chromatograph/ Mass Spectrometer to measurethe level of air contaminants in the residential areas surrounding an oilrefinery in St. Bernard Parish, La. Taylor, and eight other members ofFDPMU East, deployed to NAS JRB New Orleans to assist DOD, federal,state and local officials establish habitable living conditions for peopleaffected by Hurricane Katrina.

S t o r y a n d p h o t o s b y J O 1 ( S C W / S S ) J a m e s P i n s k y

How nine Sailors and their

science are saving New Orleans

one glass of water at a time

� Hurricane Katrina’s damage was compounded by itsstorm surge which broke several levies protecting New Orleans fromthe Gulf of Mexico and Lake Ponchatrain. Flooding caused the mostdamage throughout the city and surrounding parishes and contaminatedthe survivors’ drinking water supply.

The Navy’s knack for understandingand combating disease in environmentallyunstable regions like post-Katrina NewOrleans is no accident. During World War II in the Solomon Islands, the Navydiscovered that disease, moreso thancombat casualties, was responsible forrendering the most manpower ineffective.As a result, the Navy organized the SouthPacific Malaria and Epidemic ControlOrganization, which in 1949 evolved intosix Navy Epidemic Disease Control Units (EDCU).

In 1971 these units became today’s NavyEnvironmental and Preventive MedicineUnits (NEPMU).

17N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 5 • A L L H A N D S MAKING SOUTHERN WATERS SAFE

Survivors struggled to stay alive wadingin neck-deep floodwaters contaminated byraw sewage, disease, oil and debris whilefighting off widespread dehydration to tryand find shelter.

“Desperate times call for desperatemeasures, and if you had to cross contaminated water to get to shelter you’reprobably going to do it,” said LCDR RayStiff, executive officer, FDPMU East.

FDPMU East is a specialized team ofpreventive medicine specialists from theNavy’s Environmental and PreventiveMedicine Unit (NEPMU) 2 withaugmentees from NAS Jacksonville, Fla.

The survivors weren’t the only ones in danger. Braving the same waters that horrified New Orleans residents were first-responders who fought soaringtemperatures, contaminated water and

treacherous collapsed buildings to savewhomever Katrina “mercifully” spared.

Rescuers, dependent upon water theyhad to bring in themselves, in a tragicirony used one hand to pull the living outof the contaminated water that could killthem while using the other hand to feedthose same people water to save them.

“We found a few things like E.Coli (anindicator of fecal pollution) and some heavymetals in the water in some of the sampleswe tested,” said Taylor. “And something likeE.Coli in the drinking water can knock downan entire unit, ultimately destroying theircohesion by cross contamination throughshaking hands, sharing water bottles, etc.”


� HM1(SW/FMF)Shannon Taylor pulls a water sample fromthe boy’s locker roomof Biloxi High School.FDPMU East visitedthe improvised FEMAemergency shelter totest the school’s drink-ing water supply forthe more than 1,000evacuees who calledthe school home afterHurricane Katrina devastated the Gulfregion.

� One of FDPMU East’s duties was to measure the level of air contaminantsin the residential areas of St. Benard Parish soaked in oily sludge as a result of damages to alocal oil refinery from Hurricance Katrina. FDPMU East researched the area as a precaution forMarines who needed to walk through the neighborhoods while conducting house-to-housesearches for survivors.

FDPMU East’s uniqueness lies in itsability to forward deploy to the warfighterand provide enhanced preventive medicinecapabilities beyond the needs of routinePMT surveillance like those needed tofunction safely during relief operationsalong the Gulf Coast.

“Clean water means more than justhaving a safe source for drinking,” saidHM1(AW) Jason Jordan. “Troops need itto wash their clothes and maintain goodhygiene. Poor hygiene breaks down yourimmune system, making your body moresusceptible to the diseases and infectionsthat exist in an environment like NewOrleans.”

FDPMU East’s first priority was to makesure DOD’s contribution to HurricaneKatrina relief efforts had just that – cleanwater. To do that, the Sailors brought morethan fancy test equipment; they brought theability to fix the problems they discoveredas well.

In the case of hurricane relief operationslike those taking place in New Orleans,some of the problems can be as simple asensuring shipmates wash their hands orhaving units, like PCU San Antonio (LPD17), bring their potable water system backon line.

“We don’t deploy just to tell units theyhave a problem,” said Taylor. “We tell themhow to fix it – and we’ll help your unit doit. We don’t like telling people they haveproblems without giving them solutions.”

While FDPMU East employs theirSailors to fix the problems they discover,PMTs and their science help eliminateproblems that never existed – like rumors.

“One of the first things we had to dowhen we got to NAS JRB New Orleans,”said Taylor, “was to calm fears about whatwas in the water. We’ve done that bytesting the water supply and coordinatingwith the Seabees to bring chlorine levels upto where they need to be for everyone tohave clean, safe drinking water.”

Despite having the power to open galleys,get showers running and put commandersat ease about their potable water supply,FDPMU East Sailors understand that theirjob is largely behind the scenes.

“But when things go wrong, we’re thefirst people the chain of command turns-tofor information, and they want it rightnow,” said Stiff.

Since units like FDPMU East have allthe necessary test equipment with themwhen they deploy, they’re able to give theatercommanders answers to their environmentalquestions faster than conventional methods.


Today, the concept of a preventivemedicine posture and the infrastructureneeded to sustain it is validated by theeffect disease has on modern militaryforces when simple preventive medicinemeasures are ignored.

According to an article written byretired Army Lt.Col. Lester W. Grau,and U.S. Army Reserve Maj. William A.Jorgensen, 67 percent of the Soviet Army

who served in Afghanistan required hospi-talization, not for combat-related injuries,but for a serious illness.

Commanders know sick Sailors can’tfight, and in the Gulf Coast sick reliefworkers wouldn’t be saving anybody. Sothey do whatever they can to keep peoplefrom getting sick in the first place.They understand that nobody – not thesurvivors, police, firemen, the thousands

of Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Soldiers, orthe National Guardsmen protecting whatprecious infrastructure New Orleans hadleft – have a fighting chance of saving NewOrleans if they can’t get clean, safe water.

“If you’re living out of a parking garageand you’ve [got diarrhea] because you’vegot bad water,” said Stiff, “how much reliefwork are you doing?”

Prevention, under the circumstancesrelief workers are enduring in NewOrleans, is precisely why the Navy sentFDPMU East to New Orleans despite mostunits having inherent PMT medical assets.

“In a normal situation we wouldn’t behere,’ said Stiff. “But we’re in austere condi-tions, we need to know if the hurricanecontaminated the well water, or the freshwater distribution system and a normalPMT doesn’t have the time or theresources to do what we do.’


� Sediment lines left by recedingwaters on abandoned cars clearly show floodwater heights.

� FDPMU East pulls water samplesfrom the Mississippi River where USS Tortuga

(LSD 46) was moored in support of HurricaneKatrina relief efforts. The PMTs tested thewater to give the ship accurate and detailedinformation about the quality of the water theywere drawing to make potable water.

� HM1(SW/FMF)Shannon Taylor testswater for inorganiccompounds likecyanide and lead,along with PH levelsand alkalinity andwater hardness. The tests identifycontaminants whichare carcinogenic and can cause kidneyfailure. An averagetest takes about anhour for results.

“A good example of our usefulness iswhat we were able to do with USS IwoJima,” said Stiff. “We went to the ship andpulled samples. Within six hours we calledthem with results, which is well beforetheir overnight package would even arriveat an off-site lab. And in today’s worldevery second counts, because commanderswant to know real-time answers to ques-tions they have right now.”

Commanders need the information assoon as possible despite typically havingaccess to plenty of bottled water for theirunits, because, as Stiff points out,depending on bottled water creates its ownproblems.

“A deployed group needs about fiveliters of drinking water a day,” said Stiff.“So when you consider that a gallon ofwater weighs about eight pounds, you’re

looking at moving about 12 pounds ofwater for each person just for one day.Multiply that by a number like the 1,000people in Biloxi, Miss., and you’ve gotyourself a logistic burden that can be elim-inated by bringing a city’s normal watersupply back on line. Then additionalresources can be redirected to other prioritiesin the relief efforts.”

In addition to identifying contaminantsin the water, three members of FDPMUEast hunted the mosquito — another ofLouisiana’s potential disease carriers. Whilethe hurricane took a majority of the thingsNew Orleans needed away, the one thing itgave the city too much of was standingwater, which just happens to be the perfectbreeding ground for mosquitoes,

“Mosquitoes can be more than justbiting nuisances,” said HM1(SW/SCW)

Johnathan Wells, FDPMU East. “They canand do carry diseases like West Nile Virusand EEE (Eastern Equine Encephalitis).”

Tracking the mosquito populationaround NAS JRB New Orleans — a major

operating base for DOD and other govern-ment relief workers — allowed FDPMUEast to contribute its findings to the Centerfor Disease Control (CDC) and theLouisiana Department of Health. DOD,along with federal and state officials,planned and executed citywide mosquitopopulation control practices like aerialspraying of pesticides.

FDPMU East’s mission stretched alongthe entire Gulf Coast region, beginningwith Biloxi, Miss., when FederalEmergency Management Agency (FEMA)requested FDPMU East test the water atBiloxi High School, which was operating as an emergency shelter for the area’s morethan 1,000 displaced survivors of thehurricane. They also brought their scienceto Pascagoula and Gulfport, Miss.

While fellow relief workers saved livesby giving out food and water one person at a time, FDPMU East took solace inknowing their testing sometimes meanthuge groups of people were provided forwith just a cell phone call.

“With one phone call, I was able to give1,000 people hot showers and freshdrinking water for the first time in days,’said Stiff. “That’s a great feeling.”

Pinsky is a photojournalist assigned to

All Hands.


Website Exclusive

Find more photos online atwww.news.navy.mil/media/allhands/flash/ah200511/feature_1/

� Army PFC Mario Payne of the 190thMP Company, Georgia Army National Guard, wearsa mask to protect himself from the unstable envi-ronment first responders like his unit discoveredwhile providing relief for the city of New Orleans.

� Boats that floated onto city streetsduring the flooding were a common sight asthe water receded.

� Two UH-1V “Huey” helicopters from the Georgia Army National Guardsit atop a portion of U.S. Interstate 10 which served as a make-shift evacuation point for NewOrleans residents to escape the flood waters associated with damages from Hurricane Katrina.Survivors sought refuge from the storm’s deadly flood waters on this overpass until emergencypersonnel could evacuate them to a safer location.

� LTJG Efraim Ragasa, FDPMU East’s entomologist, looks for mosquito larvaein standing water at a hotel on St. Charles Street in New Orleans.

Fisher, a nine-year Navy veteran who joined the Navy’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal

(EOD) community in September 2004, was rudely reminded of his mortality when he

triggered a simulated booby trap while trying to clear a suspected roadside bomb during

Exercise Talisman Saber held in Queensland at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA).

“I realized I’m not invincible today,” said Fisher following his simulated fatality. “I’ll be

a lot more careful next time.”

Luckily for Fisher and his six Guam-based teammates from EOD Mobile Unit

(EODMU) 5, Det. 55, there will be a next time because the improvised explosive devices

(IED), munitions, booby traps and landmines used during Talisman Saber were as imaginary

as kryptonite and Superman.

23N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 5 • A L L H A N D S EOD DOWN UNDER

D u r i n g h i s r e c e n t v i s i t t o Au s t ra l i a ,

El e c t r o n i c s Te c h n i c i a n 1 s t C l a s s

( E O D / PJ ) Er i c Fi s h e r l e a r n e d that

though he may be blessed w i t h n e r v e s

o f s t e e l , h e ’ s n o S u p e r m a n .

EOD DOWN UNDEREODMU 5 rookies deploy to Australia.S t o r y a n d p h o t o s b y J O 1 ( S C W / S S ) J a m e s P i n s k y

� Navy EOD mobile units like EODMU 5 have to be prepared to handle any situation including chemical, radiological, and biological hazards.

Now, kryptonite doesn’t exist, butIEDs do.

“Bomb-building doesn’t take much morethan a basic knowledge of electronics,” saidChief Gunner’s Mate (EOD/PJ/SW/AW)Trey Gabbert. “There are a lot of people whohave that, and that’s why there are a lot ofIEDs right now.”

In fact, IEDs have become the primaryweapon used by terrorists and insurgentsagainst the United States and its allies.

“IEDs seem to be the tool of choice forterrorists,” said LCDR Michael Runkle,EODMU 5 operations officer. “They’revery easy and cheap to use, and they canbe produced in mass quantities. MoreIEDs means a greater need for EODtechnicians.

“EOD is intimately involved in thewar on terrorism through education athome and on the front lines wheretroops are kicking in front doors. We’rethe ones looking behind those doors sothere aren’t any bombs waiting forthem,” said Runkle.

According to Runkle, two years ago thereweren’t enough people in the Navy who hadthe necessary skills to defuse bombs. Now

there are plenty of operators–they just lackexperience.

“We were only about 60 percentmanned two years ago,” said Runkle,“and since then our numbers haveincreased. But they’re new bodies and weneed the time, money and tools to trainthem properly. Most of our guys arebrilliant, but they’re junior, and the onlyway they’ll get better is with time andtraining.”

Enter EODMU 5, Det. 55, assembledjust for Exercise Talisman Saber. Formedfrom a collection of rookie operatorsfrom EODMU 5’s detachments in Guam,EODMU 5 decided Talisman Saber wasthe perfect opportunity to hold an EODtraining camp.

“Being in Australia gave us flexibility to run operations without the restrictionsof time or other distractions,” said Runkle.“Out here we had the luxury of waking up and doing whatever training we wanted to do. If we wanted to do landnavigation training, or IED training orland mine training we could do it out herewithout interruption. No phone calls.No e-mails.”

EODMU 5 Sailors bunked at theSWBTA’s Camp Growl with some ofAustralia’s own EOD, Australian ClearanceDive Team (ACDT) 4, who impressed theAmerican Sailors from Day 1.

“The Australians are a fantastic groupto work with,” Runkle said. “I’ve workedwith other countries with varying degreesof expertise and skills,” continued thewell-traveled operations officer, “and [theAustralians] have fantastic EOD skills.”

Living and working with ACDT 4exposed EODMU 5 Sailors to a lot moreof Australia’s culture than just seeingkangaroos.

“Australians are a lot like us,” saidFisher. “They eat the same things we eat,they just call it something different.“Camp Growl was better than weexpected. We thought we’d be eatingMREs [Meals Ready to Eat] every day,but the Aussies cooked hot meals everynight. Queensland is the beef capital ofAustralia, so we ate a lot of steaks. We hadhot showers, hot food and cool weather.We didn’t suffer.”

Some Sailors got a little more culturethan they bargained for, though.

A L L H A N D S • w w w . n a v y . m i l EOD DOWN UNDER

� IEDs have become the weapon of choice forterrorists, so specially trained units like EODMU5 use techniques like disrupting the explosivetriangle (high explosive, detonator, booster) torender the ordnance safe for disposal.

� One of the techniques EOD units use is

remotely pulling devices from a safe distanceto reveal booby traps.

24

“A big old ‘wooly mammoth’ spider(Australian Mouse Spider) walked into ourtent like he owned the place,” said AviationOrdnanceman 2nd Class (EOD/PJ) DanielHatfield. “And he did,” added Hatfield,“because I left.”

Spiders aside, EOD Sailors aren’tfearless. But bombs aren’t what give themgoose bumps.

“Jumping out of airplanes is thehardest part of being EOD for me,”admitted Hatfield. “The first time Ijumped I closed my eyes tight andleaped. And when that chute finallyopened I thanked God that the 18-year-old E-1 who packed my chute knew whatthe hell he was doing.”

But living on the edge is what luresmany Sailors to the EOD community inthe first place.

“EOD was the only choice for me,” saidHatfield, “because there’s really nothingelse like it. Where else can you dive, jump,go down range, work on electronics—andget to blow things up?”

The Navy EOD tool chest of expedi-tionary skills grew out of a need to providedirect support to SEAL units withoutcompromising the mission.

“Operating with small unit tactics withfront line combat troops is a skill set webuilt for ourselves by supporting SEALs,”said Runkle. “And it’s grown to where wenow support Army Special Forces, MarineCorps Infantry, Army Rangers and anyother unit that needs us.”

“Bombs are a mystery to the vastmajority of [military] units,” Runklesaid, “so we educate units in addition toworking for them to help pull back the

veil on IEDs a little, and they begin tofeel better.”

Being able to go anywhere in any fashionneeded makes Navy EOD very marketable.But what sets them apart from every otherSailor in the Navy is that these guys pur-posely jump, dive and hike to the bombs.And with an adversary as unforgiving as anIED, the cliché “practice makes perfect” arewords to live by.

According to Runkle, being able totrain in drill scenarios “so real you callyour wife because you’re still alive” is theonly way to train.

“Realistic wartime training is probablythe most important training you can do asan operator,” said Runkle. “When you’re ina scenario where your life is really in danger,and people are really shooting at you, andyou’re working on a real device that’s going

� Dean Withroder inspects a suspected IED

made from a cigar box. All Navy EOD units trainfrom up to the minute intelligence reports so thattheir level of knowledge reflects what units areseeing out in the field.

� EODMU Five Det 55 personnel like MM2

(EOD/PJ) Joe Guerra (Right) have to trainconstantly on evolving weapons like booby traps,IEDs, ordnance, and land mines. Here, membersof EODMU Five Det 55 conduct familiarity trainingon a Yugoslavian anti-personnel mine.

� Joe Guerra carefully transports a hydrojet

device used to disrupt the explosive cycle.EOD Sailors are taught that there are three basicthings needed for a device to function as abomb; high explosive, detonator, and a booster.


to kill you, the adrenaline takes over andthe brain starts to shut down. You fallback into the very basics that were drilledinto your head. Realistic training drivesthose basics.”

EODMU 5’s rookies understand.“When you’re in this line of work

there’s not a lot of room for error,” saidHatfield.

One of the most effective tools EODtechs use to minimize error is good,old-fashioned teamwork. “An EOD techdoesn’t go down range alone,” Hatfieldsaid. “He has seven other brains workingwith him, every step of the way.”

And in EOD, everyone contributes.“EOD is a different community than

most because we’re used to people puttingtheir two cents in,” said Machinist’s Mate2nd Class (EOD/PJ) Orwin Guerra.

“In fact, we’re trained to listen toother peoples’ suggestions,” he added.“Knowing you have to work with otherpeople means they have to trust you toalways do the right thing. So sometimesyou have to swallow your pride to getthe job done the best way possible.”

And while it doesn’t take a rocket scientistto build bombs these days, it takes at leastone, and then some, to disarm them.Think McGyver meets Iron Man.

“You have to have above average intelli-gence to be an EOD tech,” said Gabbert.“But common sense plays a large role inbeing an operator as well,” he cautioned.

The EOD education process weeds outanyone who doesn’t meet those two basicneeds during 51 weeks of rigorous training,beginning with nine weeks of dive schoolheld at the Naval Diving and Salvage TrainingCenter (NDSTC) in Panama City, Fla.

After successful completion of diveschool, candidates transfer to Naval SchoolExplosive Ordnance Disposal (NAVS-COLEOD) at the Naval Ordnance Station,Fort Walton Beach, Fla. EOD candidatesthen go to three weeks of airborne trainingat Ft. Benning, Ga.

Knowing how explosives work in alltheir improvised forms is the key to

EOD techs having the confidence theyneed to go down range and deal with adevice that scares everyone else away.And while EOD’s unique knowledge andskill sets may give Sailors like Fishernerves of steel, don’t expect them toshow up wearing red capes.

After all, these guys know they’remortal.

Pinsky is a photojournalist assigned to

All Hands.

28 29A L L H A N D S • w w w . n a v y . m i l N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 5 • A L L H A N D S EOD DOWN UNDER

� When EODMU 5 deployed to Australia they

were prepared to eat MREs every day. But sincethe team camped with one of Australia’s own EODunits. Clearance Dive Team 4 (AUSCDT) they atelike the Aussies ate, which meant hot meals likebacon and eggs for breakfast.

� Anthony “Buddy” Leigh patrols through the

open range of Australia’s Shoalwater Bay TrainingArea, the military’s largest training area. The uniqueterrain with rolling hills and eucalyptus treeschallenged EODMU 5 personnel who were used toworking in the tropical climate of Guam.

� Australia provided EODMU 5 Sailors the

opportunity to camp in the wilderness away from the day-to-day distractions so they couldconcentrate on developing their combat skill sets.

Website Exclusive

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DEPEYES ON THE FUTURE

Brian Connelly’s eyes are on the future.

His father was near death with cancer.

Watching his mother suffer, Connelly

realized that his lazy lifestyle would no

longer do. The time had come for him to

make a change.

He promised his dad, a Korean War

vet and former Army paratrooper, that

he would “do something worthwhile”

with his life. Barely a week after his

father passed, the Navy gave Connelly

that opportunity.

But, after walking five miles to

the nearest Navy recruiting office in

September 2003, Connelly realized there

was just one problem - he weighed about

390 pounds.

S t o r y a n d P h o t o s b y P H 3 T o d d F r a n t o m

� Brian Connelly looks through photosof his Dad in preparation for embarking on hisNavy career. Connelly promised his Dad, a KoreanWar vet and former Army paratrooper, that hewould “do something worthwhile” with his life.

33

hanging out with friends at the local pizzajoint or bar,” said Connelly.

“Nothing to be proud of,” he said. “Iknew that the decision to join the servicewould take a lot of hard work and time toeven be allowed to go to boot camp, but Iwasn’t going to give up.”

DeGrand recognized Connelly knewwhat he wanted, so he gave him theDelayed Entry Program (DEP) physicalfitness guide, and explained all that wouldbe asked of him before he could join.

“I told him, ‘If you are serious about it,

N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 5 • A L L H A N D S DEP – EYES ON THE FUTURE

Torpedoman’s Mate 1st Class FrankDeGrand, a Navy recruiter for UpperDarby, Pa., immediately noticed the heftyConnelly as he entered the office.

“He looked like someone that had justeaten turducken – a chicken stuffed in aduck stuffed in a turkey,” recalled DeGrandwith a smile.

“Connelly looked way over standardsfor entering the Navy, but I think everyoneshould be given a fair chance. I told himflat out that he was going to have to losethe weight.

“He told me that he wanted to make theNavy a career,” DeGrand continued.“He openly admitted to wanting to be a‘lifer.’ He then went on to explain to methat he had always been a ‘techie’ and thatin the Navy he would get to learn thecutting edge.

“I hear individuals’ dreams all the time;heck, I was just impressed that this kidwalked so far, just to come and see whathis chances were. I explained to him thatthe road would be a bumpy one and maytake some time,” said DeGrand.

A determined and undeterred Connellyagreed with DeGrand and vowed to dowhatever it would take to become a Sailor.He had always dreamed of becoming asubmariner and believed his father wouldhave been proud if he was successfulgetting into the Navy.

Until he visited DeGrand, Connelly hadintermittently worked as a videographer,shooting weddings and commercials, butmost of his time was used up “boozing the day away.”

“I spent most of my time drinking and


� ET1 Patrick Valerio (right) of the Upper Darby, Pa.,recruiting office checks Brian Connelly’s final weigh-in before shipping himoff to boot camp. Connelly’s first weigh-in a year before was well aboveNavy standards. Connelly lost more than 200 pounds while enrolled in DEP.

� TM1 Frank DeGrandexplains to Connelly exactlywhat he can expect whenhe arrives at boot camp.Connelly’s strict fitnessregimen included threesets of push-ups threetimes a day along withmany hours of running.

� ABEC(AW) MarvinGoggins, RDC for Div. 199,speaks with Connelly aboutsuccessfully completing thestrenuous recruit training.

Connelly was regardless of his obviousstruggles with running.

“He showed up every time we plannedto run.”

DeGrand not only ran with Connelly,but also gave him the Navy’s height andweight standards, and showed him how tomeasure himself. Connelly recalls how sillyhe felt taking measurements of his body allthe time, but he started reaping therewards of a new, slim body.

“I can buy clothes right off the rack,”Connelly said. “I don’t feel like a slug in the morning. I stepped up my workoutsand the fat started disappearing. The onlydrawback to losing so much body fat is I get cold now.”

Connelly’s dogged fitness routineincluded three sets of 30 push ups threetimes a day along with as many sit ups andpushups as he could handle. Connellycould be seen walking in sweats up anddown the streets of Upper Darby duringthe scorching summer days.

His hard work and strenuous workoutswere paying off. Connelly lost about 200pounds in the two years since he hadwalked into the recruiting office. The 22-year-old Connelly eventually weighed in at190 pounds, meeting requirements for boot camp.

Connelly did everything required of anew Navy recruit in preparation for bootcamp. He consistently attended all meet-ings, memorized Navy terminology andlost the necessary weight. On May 1, 2005,he shipped off to Great Lakes, Ill., to tryand accomplish what he had set out to do.

“He’s a great kid and has a big heart,”said DeGrand. “He’s done everything he’ssupposed to and regardless of the weight,he overcame this obstacle and made me proud. He knows all his PersonnelQualification Standards (PQS). He’s ready to go.”

Recruit Connelly arrived at RecruitTraining Command, Great Lakes, duringthe wee hours of the morning. He was

hurried along with other recruits like cattleto new pastures. During the processingConnelly began to have second thoughts.

“When I first stepped off the bus Ithought to myself, ‘Yep, I really screwedup,’” said Connelly.

The Navy has established mentorshipthroughout a Sailor’s career, which startsbefore boot camp with the recruiters.There is always an outlet for knowledgeand help. At RTC Great Lakes, RecruitDivision Commanders (RDC) are theleaders who mold and fine-tune Sailors for the fleet. They take training andmentorship to a whole new level forprospective Sailors.

Connelly was like a little fish in a bigpond as he hurried into formation. Thiswould be his new home for the next threemonths, a humid, non-air-conditionedspace the size of a large classroom. A roomfilled with more than 70 bunk beds andthe same number of scared individuals.

“When Connelly lined up with all his

I’ll help you,’” said DeGrand.Connelly will never forget September

2003. As he walked back to his home,visions of submarines and open oceanfilled his mind. The journey was close, andConnelly could taste it.

“I immediately went on a strict, lowcarbohydrate diet and started walkingeverywhere,” said Connelly.

“I would wear sweats to burn the fat,and I drank water until I felt sick, evenwhen I didn’t think I needed it. I also quit

drinking so much with my friends andtook notice of everything I ate.”

Seven months later, Connelly trekkedback to the Upper Darby recruiting station80 pounds lighter. DeGrand fully realizedhow serious Connelly was and took himunder his wing.

“We would meet four times a week nearmy home at a local track and run for aboutan hour,” said DeGrand.

“I remember the first time we ran acouple of laps around the track, mostly at a slow trot. He looked like a wounded deerlimping with every stride. When wefinished, he was gasping for air with everybreath. I thought he was going to die.”

Shaking his head in amazement,DeGrand expressed how determined

35N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 5 • A L L H A N D S DEP – EYES ON THE FUTURE34 A L L H A N D S • w w w . n a v y . m i l

� Connelly has come a long way from the days when he weighed almost400 pounds. He now breezes through Navy PT

� Connelly found himself to be a little fish in a big pond while going throughthe daily routine at RTC Great Lakes, Ill. His goal: to serve in the submarine community. He is slatedfor training as a machinist’s mate in that field after boot camp.

� Connelly became Education PettyOfficer for Div. 199 to help his shipmates bettertheir scores, assembled here for a daily studysession. Connelly claimed that one of the mostawesome things about boot camp is the oppor-tunity to meet people from all walks of life.

37N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 5 • A L L H A N D S DEP – EYES ON THE FUTURE

other recruit peers, there wasn’t a thingthat stood out about him from the others,”said Chief Aviation Boatswain’s MateMarvin Goggins, RDC for Connelly’sDivision 199.

“I was impressed because I knew he had lost a lot of weight, and expected a larger man.”

“My only concern was how muchmuscle he had lost and that he may needspecial attention. That was not the case atall,” added Goggins as a grin slowly creptacross his face.

“Forty-eight hours later, while laying in my rack that thought surfaced again.About week two I still thought I screwed

up but I can handle this. It wasn’t untilweek four that I knew I had made the right decision.”

The change that hits a new recruitstraight in the face can at times be over-whelming; but, in time, most make theadjustment. Connelly, like so many recruitsbefore him, realized that his decision tojoin the Navy was a good one.

“It was on week five that I realized that I am no longer running into the woods tohide but running out,” said Connelly.

“This recruit shows a lot of heart. He istotally committed and dedicated. His CoreValues really stand out. He even steppedinto a big position here as the Education

Petty Officer (EPO).”According to Goggins, Connelly showed

that he was not only going to graduate, buthe helped the other guys to do the same.In accepting his role as EPO, Connellychallenged himself yet again and shockedeven himself.

“Our EPO was medically discharged onshort notice and I thought, ’What the heck,I can do that job; I don’t want to let theguys down,’” said Connelly.

“Our division had 20 failures during thefirst test, so I came up with a new lessonplan. I retaught the lesson plan duringnight study, giving them ways to rememberall the answers. I even vowed to do 10


8-counts for every failure. I finished thetest early and sweated bullets while the restof the guys finished up. When the pettyofficer in charge told me that everyonepassed, it was all I could do not to jumpfor joy in the testing office.”

With a smile from ear-to-ear, Connellyexpressed how amazed he was at howmuch passing a test meant to the guys.

“Some hugged me and thanked me withtears in their eyes,” Connelly said.

Connelly’s choice to join the Navy hasbecome a rewarding one. Even at bootcamp, he can see the light at the end ofthe tunnel.

“One of the awesome things about

being here is the chance to meet peoplefrom all over the country and from allwalks of life,” he said.

“While getting into formation early onemorning, one of our guys, Yabbara, or ‘YogiBear,’ spotted a rabbit. Apparently therearen’t a lot of rabbits in San Antonio. Wideeyed and locked-jawed he exclaimed, ‘Lookman, a bunny!’ This from a tattooed, 200-pound guy you would think twice aboutcrossing in a dark alley.”

The Navy gave now-Seaman RecruitConnelly a chance, with the help of theDEP program and support of a caringrecruiter.

On July 2, 2005, Connelly graduated

from boot camp, and his Mom, his fiancéand DeGrand, shared in his celebration ofthis milestone that made a man a Sailor.

“Your Dad would be proud,” said Mrs.Connelly, “I’m sure he is smiling, lookingdown on you.”

Frantom is a photojournalist for All Hands.

Editor’s Note: Since we interviewedConnelly at Great Lakes, he has passed a few more milestones. He married hisfiance’ and they are expecting their first child.

� DeGrand congratulates now-SA Brian Connelly on a job well done.I’m proud to see Brian graduate from boot camp, and I knew all along he had it in him,”DeGrand said. “I’m thankful to have helped.”

� Jennifer Cellucci, Connelly’s fiance’, embraces her Sailor aftergraduation from boot camp. Connelly’s Mom watches, proud of her son’s accomplishment.


Focus onService

The Seabees have long been known for their “We

build, We fight” motto, and no one knows more about

construction in the Seabees than someone like Builder

1st Class (SCW) Andrew J. Bugs, assigned to Naval

Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 40.

“If you need it built, anywhere at any time, we can do

it,” said Bugs.

As a builder, Bugs is well-versed in constructing

everything from a gazebo to keep your picnicking friends

out of the hot sun to mortar-proof bunkers in the sands

of Iraq.

Bugs and the rest of his air detachment shipmates

from NMCB 40, homeported at Naval Base Ventura

County, Calif., are getting to put their woodworking

skills to some patriotic use by helping victims of

Hurricane Katrina recover from the devastation.

“There’s plenty of work here for us to do,” said the

second-term NMCB 40 Sailor.

“Since this is considered contingency construction we

are doing a lot of planning on site which helps keep our

skills sharp for places like Iraq,” said Bugs.

While most Seabees will tell you any job where they

get to use their rating is a good one, what Bugs likes

most about helping the hurricane victims is the amount

of cooperation he’s getting from local residents.

“The best thing about helping NAS JRB New

Orleans recover has been that everyone is willing to give

us tools, supplies and even an extra hand if we need it to

get the job done.”

Pinsky is a photojournalist for

All Hands.

Building: Anywhere, Anytime

A L L H A N D S • w w w . n a v y . m i l40

The Final Word

Underway FamilyS t o r y b y J O 1 ( S W ) H e n d r i c k D i c k s o n

W hen I was growing up, Thanksgiving was

always my favorite holiday. It was the one

holiday that brought the family closer

together. The rest of the year, up to the fourth

Thursday in November, was mediocre when it came

to taking the time out to appreciate family and being

blessed for having them there for you.

In my family there is nothing hokey about

Thanksgiving like some other holidays. No gimmicky

gifts that overshadow the true meaning of the

moment. And no family cookouts that always seem

to end with some kind of controversy.

On Thanksgiving we never just tolerated each

other because it was a holiday and it was the thing to

do. The feeling of love was always genuine – we always

seemed really and truly "thankful” for each other.

But the first Thanksgiving I spent out at sea

aboard USS America (CV 66), “the Big Dawg,” began

as the most depressing “turkey day” ever. It was as

eerie as a climactic scene from an old Vincent Price horror flick.

The way everyone walked around in a daze, I swear, it was like

watching zombies wander through a cemetery.

I missed home and my family, and my mom’s turkey and

dressing with the cranberry sauce. And the pecan pies, and the

potato salad, collard greens and the cornbread. Everybody felt

the same, you could see it in their eyes.

At the end of the watch, we dragged ourselves toward the mess

decks. There was supposed to be this big celebration to commem-

orate the day, but you could read in everyone’s face, “Yeah, right!

I’m out to sea. What do I have to be thankful for?”

When we got to the serving line, we couldn’t help but notice

the extra hands working in the galley. The mess specialists were

really turning to, but even more impressive was that familiar

aroma of Thanksgiving classics – turkey and dressing, ham, roast

beef, macaroni and cheese, cakes and pies. If you named it, they

cooked it. Even shrimp cocktail. It was like a Thanksgiving buffet.

The mess decks were bustling like never before. Everyone

joking and telling stories about home and holidays. I really

couldn’t put my finger on it, maybe it was the food and seeing

how much the mess specialists had gone out of their way to make

the day special for us. But it didn’t take long to realize that even

though we were not at home, we did have a lot to be thankful for.

Later that evening, we gathered on the hangar bay with the

rest of our shipmates and listened as the ship’s choir belted out

inspirational songs and the chaplain delivered a message of

thanks before taps.

It wasn’t the Thanksgiving I was used to at home, but it was

truly special. I still missed my family, of course, but I realized

I wasn’t alone.

And that’s just it – for those six-months you are away from

home, there is always someone there who is going through the

same thing you are. No matter how tough things get out there,

you always have each other to keep you going, cheer you up, look

out for you or whatever. Somebody is always there to help you

through the rough time. Kinda sounds like a family, huh?

Dickson is a journalist assigned to All Hands.

Photo by PH2 Char les E. A lvarado

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