Feb. 22, 2013 Vol. 38, No. 7

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COMMUNITY

Volunteer Voices

Public Affairs OfficerLt. Cmdr. Karin BurzynskiMedia Division OfficerLt. Jason Scarborough

Media LCPOMCC (SW/AW) Mike JonesMedia Production Chief

MCC (SW) Gregory RobertsMedia LPO

MC1 (AW/SW) Michael ColeEditor

MC2 (SW) Glenn Slaughter Lead Designer

MCSN Kole Carpenter

Nimitz News accepts submissions in writing. All submissions must be in by Friday, COB. Submissions are subject to review and screening. “Nimitz News” is an authorized publication for the members of the military services and their families. Its content does not necessarily reflect the official views of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Navy, or the Marine Corps and does not imply endorsement thereby.

Commanding OfficerCapt. Jeff S. RuthExecutive Officer

Capt. Buzz DonnellyCommand Master Chief

Master Chief Teri M. McIntyre

Media DepartmentMC2 Jacquelyn ChildsMC2 Ashley BerumenMC2 Nathan Gomez

MC2 (SW) Robert WinnMC2 Andrew Jandik

MC2 (SW) Nichelle WhitfieldMC2 (SW/AW) Ian Cotter

MC3 (SW) Renée L. Candelario MC3 (SW) Ryan MayesMC3 Shayne Johnson

MC3 Jacob MilnerMC3 (SW) Devin Wray

MC3 Christopher BartlettMC3 (SW) Alexander Ventura II

MC3 Derek VollandMC3 Linda SwearingenMC3 (SW) Jess Lewis

MC3 W. J. CousinsMC3 Vanessa DavidMC3 George Penney

MCSN Nathan McDonaldMCSN Joshua Haiar

MCSA Phillip LadouceurMCSA Andrew Price

MCSA Aiyana Paschal

"Even though our jobs were decades apart, we still spoke a similar language." - AO2 Alexis Suarez

All of us story and photos by MC2 (SW) Glenn Slaughter

"Getting old is scary because I fear losing my ability to walk, for example. I do look forward to having those stories that come with experience."

"I like helping people I don't know. I volunteer at the Boys and Girls Club as well. To be able to put a smile on someone's face, maybe that comes back to me when I need it." AO2 Alexis Suarez PS3 Victoria Arnold

COMMUNITY

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Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 2nd Class Adam Baez receives a letter of appreciation from Jeff Honeycutt, Director of Voluntary Service for VA Puget Sound Healthcare System. Baez has led three volunteer trips to Seattle Veteran’s Hospital.

- AO2 Alexis Suarez

AO2 Alexis Suarez talks with retired Nuclear Weapons

Specialist Kevin Effert at Seattle Veteran’s Hospital Feb. 13,

as part of National Salute to Veterans Patients Week.

From left, Ship’s Serviceman Seaman Angelica Aguilar and

Personnel Specialist 3rd Class Victoria Arnold spend time with

Mr. Fairweather, who served in the infantry during the Vietnam War.

The word veteran is synonymous with service to country, and our nation has learned the importance of honoring service with respect. When USS Nimitz Sailors visited the Seattle Veteran's Hospital on Feb. 13, as part of National Salute to Veterans Patients week, they showed the

care and support that accompanies that respect."I came out here out of gratitude for those who've served," said Ship's

Serviceman Seaman Angelica Aguilar. "They've given us an example to follow. You can see the appreciation in the way they react when we walk into the room."

Over several hours, the volunteers toured the hospital's many wings, taking time in each to talk to patients. Some vets stood quietly in hallways, others watched from wheelchairs. Many were bedridden in rooms marked with "gown and gloves required" signs. Handing out Valentine's Day cards, the Sailors spoke to almost everyone.

"I enjoy talking to them, hearing their stories, especially if they don't have any other visitors," said Personnel Specialist 3rd Class Victoria Arnold. "I want to show them that people care."

One visit lined up perfectly. Within moments of talking to one veteran, Aviation Ordnanceman 2nd Class Alexis Suarez realized they held very similar jobs. The man lying in bed was Kevin Effert, a retired Air Force Nuclear Weapons Specialist.

"It was a good coincidence, because it made for easy conversation," said Suarez. "Even though our jobs were decades apart, we still spoke a similar language."

"I was surprised," said Effert. "That was kind of ironic, seeing him walk in. I worked on 60-foot long Minuteman missiles, and they definitely don't have those on a carrier. You know, it's encouraging to see you all come by. I don't get many visitors, besides my daughter and the occasional chaplain."

National Salute was started in 1974, and continues today as an opportunity for citizens to thank the more than 98,000 veterans being cared for in Veteran's Administration facilities.

"It allows the community to come in and pay tribute to our vets," said Jeff Honeycutt, Director of Voluntary Service for VA Puget Sound Healthcare System. "We have veterans here for a few days, or for more extended stays. To be remembered by anyone is special, but when active duty military visit, you really see their faces light up. They share a common bond."

An unexpected moment came at the end of the day when CARSTAR, an auto repair company in partnership with iPods for Wounded Veterans, handed out gifts to the Nimitz Sailors in appreciation of their service. It brought everything full circle, revealing the bond all service members share, as veterans of the United States military.

AO2 Alexis Suarez PS3 Victoria Arnold

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IMAGE AN

FOR THE AGES68 years ago Saturday Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal captured the most famous image of World War II, and arguably, military history. It was four days into what would prove to be one of the costliest and bloodiest campaigns of Chester Nimitz’ retaking of the Pacific: the Battle of Iwo Jima.

LEGACY

The flag was up. Old Glory, small as she seemed, was flapping proudly in the Pacific breeze atop Mt. Suribachi, the ancient volcano on the tiny island of Iwo Jima, claimed after four days of bloody fighting in February 1945.

“The flag’s already up,” growled Leatherneck Magazine Photographer Sgt. Lou Lowery as he staggered down the rugged slope past Associated Press Photographer Joe Rosenthal and Marine Photographers Pfc. Bob Campbell and Staff Sgt. Bill Genaust.

At approximately 10:30 a.m., Feb. 23, Marines from Easy Co., 2/28 raised the American flag over Mt. Suribachi, signaling the capture of the strategic position.

“The view’s nice up there,” Lowery added. “You should go check it out.”

Shrugging off the missed photo-op, Rosenthal continued the climb with Genaust and Campbell – the view might be worth it.

It was then that Rosenthal noticed a slight-built New Hampshire Marine named Rene Gagnon scurrying up the cliffs with a large flag tucked under his arm. He had been dispatched to the summit with fresh batteries for the radioman, and to help replace the first flag with a much larger one – one that could be seen across the entire island.

Although he missed the first flag-raising, Rosenthal instinctively prepared his cumbersome Speed Graphic camera in the off-chance he might get the second. “I saw a small group of Marines assembling a pole on the ground,” Rosenthal remembered in a recent documentary. “I said, ‘What are you doing, fellas,’ and one of them responded, ‘We’re getting ready to put up this larger flag. The Colonel down below wants it up. He also wants to make damn sure he gets that first flag back.’”

by MCC (SW/AW) Michael Jones

7

AGESBarely standing over five feet tall, Rosenthal built a small

pile of rocks capped with a sandbag to give him a better view. Passing in front, Genaust asked, “Am I in your way, Joe?” “Nah,” Rosenthal replied, making final adjustments with the Speed Graphic’s viewfinder. “Wait! There it goes!”

Swinging the camera to his face, Rosenthal clicked the shutter. He wasn’t sure what he got, if anything at all.

With the larger flag planted firmly in place, Rosenthal gathered the jubilant Marines for a group photo. He hurried back to his command ship and dutifully wrote out the captions for the images he shot that day.

What he captured in 1/400th of a second proved an enormous sensation to the public back home, and made instant celebrities out of Sgt. Mike Strank, Cpl. Harlon Block, Cpl. Rene Gagnon, Cpl. Ira Hayes, Pfc. Franklin Sousley and Navy Pharmacist’s Mate John Bradley.

Of the six flag-raisers, only Bradley, Hayes and Gagnon would return home alive.

Sensing the photo’s mass appeal, President Franklin Roosevelt immediately printed millions of posters and plastered cities across the country with the image, kicking off the Seventh War Bond Tour. Led by reluctant celebrities Bradley, Hayes and Gagnon, the drive generated approximately $24 billion – more than any other.

A mere 72 hours after seeing the Rosenthal photo for the first time, an ambitious sculptor named Felix DeWeldon completed a clay replica of the flag raising.

Congress was besieged with letters from an adoring public calling for a national monument of the photo they loved. The

sheer size of the sculpture reflected the scope of the project itself: it would be the largest bronze

statue of any kind - the largest in the world, standing 78 feet tall.

Survivors John Bradley, Rene

Gagnon and Ira Hayes modeled for DeWeldon as he created each 32-foot tall figure. Once cast in bronze, each section was shipped to Washington, D.C. where workers reassembled the massive sculpture atop a large granite base at Arlington, Va.

Inscribed on the base were the locations of major U.S. Marine Corps battles since the Revolutionary War and Adm. Chester W. Nimitz’s summary of the Battle of Iwo Jima: “Uncommon Valor Was a Common Virtue.”

President Dwight D. Eisenhower officially dedicated the United States Marine Corps Memorial Nov. 10, 1954 with Bradley, Gagnon, and Hayes in attendance. It would be the last time the three survivors would be photographed together.

Of all the flag-raisers, only Bradley lived to old age. Hayes, battling severe depression and alcoholism, would die from exposure almost 10 years to the day after he helped raise the flag. Gagnon, struggling hard to capitalize on his celebrity, died of a heart attack in 1979 at the age of 54. Bradley, who spoke only once of the event, died at the age of 70 on Jan. 11, 1994.

The photo, reproduced millions of times since it first appeared, garnered Rosenthal the Pulitzer Prize.

Skepticism over the picture’s authenticity gnawed at him over the years, as Rosenthal told and retold the story of the second flag-raising. Genaust’s motion picture footage of the event confirms Rosenthal’s account.

“I feel a gratification that the use of the picture, in general, has been very good,” he explained. “It happened to be me. It might have been any photographer, or perhaps it might never have been taken at all. But it was me, and I stand for any photographer who would have been in a position to get such a photo.”

Rosenthal died at the age of 94 on Aug. 20, 2006.

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When Sailors on board the aircra� carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) need to see a medical provider

that can meet their day-to-day medical needs, they need to look no further than Nimitz’ new physician assistant, Lt. Sarah Browning.

A physician assistant provides much of the same primary care needs as an independent duty corpsman (IDC). However, a physician assistant di� ers from an IDC in that they are licensed and certi� ed from an accredited college rather than attending a military “C” school. Physician assistants treat patients, diagnose medical issues and can write prescriptions under the supervision of a doctor.

“Having Lt. Browning as our new physician assistant is great because it lessens the heavy workload for other medical providers in our department,” said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (FMF) Ej Vaitaulolu, an IDC on board Nimitz. “During sick call hours we are able to see more patients during that time due to her knowledge and expertise. She is a good addition to our team.”

As Nimitz’ only primary care physician, Browning is in charge of taking care of Sailors’ day-to-day primary medical care, which includes, but is not limited to sick call visits. She usually sees between 10 to 15 patients a day during sick hall hours.

Prior to joining the Navy, Browning was a Lab Technician in the Air Force from 1988 through 1991. A� er leaving the Air Force in 1991, Browning went back to school and obtained a master’s degree as a physician assistant.

Browning � rst reported to Nimitz Nov. 2, 2012. Nimitz is Browning’s second duty

station since joining the Navy in 2009. Her � rst duty station was Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where she was a physician assistant at the base’s clinic.

Her medical experience since joining the Navy also includes working overseas with military members from other branches including the Army.

“While I was stationed in Hawaii, I went I.A. to Afghanistan for seven months with the Green Berets,” said Browning. “I was the main medical provider for the locals.”

When she’s not helping Sailors on board Nimitz with their primary care needs, Browning enjoys running and hiking.

While on board Nimitz, Browning’s plans include obtaining her surface warfare pin while providing the best possible medical care to meet the needs of Nimitz’ Sailors.

Tour the Past Nimitz Museum Showcase

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25

EVENTS

PHOTOS BY MC3 LINDA S. SWEARINGEN

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Story and photo by MC3 Linda S. Swearingen

When Sailors on board the aircra� carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) need to see a medical provider

that can meet their day-to-day medical needs, they need to look no further than Nimitz’ new physician assistant, Lt. Sarah Browning.

A physician assistant provides much of the same primary care needs as an independent duty corpsman (IDC). However, a physician assistant di� ers from an IDC in that they are licensed and certi� ed from an accredited college rather than attending a military “C” school. Physician assistants treat patients, diagnose medical issues and can write prescriptions under the supervision of a doctor.

“Having Lt. Browning as our new physician assistant is great because it lessens the heavy workload for other medical providers in our department,” said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (FMF) Ej Vaitaulolu, an IDC on board Nimitz. “During sick call hours we are able to see more patients during that time due to her knowledge and expertise. She is a good addition to our team.”

As Nimitz’ only primary care physician, Browning is in charge of taking care of Sailors’ day-to-day primary medical care, which includes, but is not limited to sick call visits. She usually sees between 10 to 15 patients a day during sick hall hours.

Prior to joining the Navy, Browning was a Lab Technician in the Air Force from 1988 through 1991. A� er leaving the Air Force in 1991, Browning went back to school and obtained a master’s degree as a physician assistant.

Browning � rst reported to Nimitz Nov. 2, 2012. Nimitz is Browning’s second duty

station since joining the Navy in 2009. Her � rst duty station was Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where she was a physician assistant at the base’s clinic.

Her medical experience since joining the Navy also includes working overseas with military members from other branches including the Army.

“While I was stationed in Hawaii, I went I.A. to Afghanistan for seven months with the Green Berets,” said Browning. “I was the main medical provider for the locals.”

When she’s not helping Sailors on board Nimitz with their primary care needs, Browning enjoys running and hiking.

While on board Nimitz, Browning’s plans include obtaining her surface warfare pin while providing the best possible medical care to meet the needs of Nimitz’ Sailors.

PEOPLE

BIG BLUETO THE

FROM

ARMY GREEN

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After the Chief of Naval Operations Professional Reading Program (CNO-PRP) was revised this past

fall, Nimitz News thought it would be a good idea to start offering reviews of the books on the new list so Nimitz’ crew could have a better idea of what is available.

The first book in this ongoing series of reviews is "The Crisis of Islam," by Bernard Lewis. It attempts to explain to American audiences the historical context for the rise of Islamic terrorism, in particular Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda.

It is commonly known that the Middle East has been torn by religious violence for millennia, but as Lewis explains, the kind of violence of we have become familiar with is a recent phenomenon.

In fact, the political geography of the Middle East is of recent origin, with most of the nations of the region having been largely created by the British and French governments following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire after World War I, and are less than a century old.

Early chapters of the book offer a very brief definition of Islam, outlining its basic tenets and origin. He also defines Muslim fundamentalists as “those who feel that the troubles of the Muslim world at the present time are the result not of insufficient modernization, but of excessive modernization, which they see as a betrayal of authentic Islamic values. For them the remedy is a return to true Islam…” This ‘true Islam’ that fundamentalists aspire to is largely a creation of the modern era, and doesn’t actually reflect the historical faith.

Lewis shows how in the 20th century many of the governments in the Middle East have repressed political opposition. Because opposition groups have no forum to meet and organize they lack the

political organization and vocabulary necessary for popular movements.

Because religious life is the one aspect of life that those governments have been unable to completely restrict, fundamentalist ideology has become the sole ideology available to people in opposition to repressive governments.

The vocabulary and symbolism of Muslim fundamentalism is intelligible to educated and uneducated alike. In the absence of other alternatives, it’s the only option for many to express their frustrations.

Lewis emphasizes the newness of groups like Al Qaeda. Arab terrorist groups of the 70s and 80s fought for nationalist causes, not religious ones. In fact, a significant proportion of the Palestinian Liberation Organization’s leadership and activists were Christian.

Suicide bombers, the most prominent feature of modern Islamic fundamentalist terrorism, didn’t appear until the early 80s, and seems to have originated in groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.

By the early 1990s, the defeat of Saddam Hussein and the fall of the Soviet Union created the conditions for what we now think of as Islamic terrorism. Many fundamentalists had seen the Soviet Union as the stronger of the two superpowers, and attributed its subsequent breakup to the defeat that Muslims had handed them in Afghanistan. For Al Qaeda, it was simply one superpower down and one to go.

The rest of the story is well known to anyone who has been within earshot of a television in the last decade or so since the book was first published. The Arab Spring and its aftermath throughout the region are more comprehendible after reading this book, even though it wasn’t published yesterday. It explains not the events of a few decades, but a small part of a story that has gone on for centuries.

As Lewis notes, we are unfortunate to be living at such a time. For much of its history, the Islamic civilization was far more advanced and open than it’s contemporaries. And when considering suicide bombing and the ruthlessness terrorist leaders show in regard to both their victims and followers, Lewis asks, “Can these in any sense be justified in terms of Islam? The answer must be a clear 'no'.”

In a closing passage, he advises that there are individuals in the Middle East “who share our values, sympathize with us, and would like to share our way of life. They understand freedom and want to enjoy it at home. It is more difficult for us to help those people, but at least we should not hinder them. If they succeed, we shall have friends and allies in the true, not just the diplomatic, sense of these words.”

For anyone seeking to understand the news coming from the Middle East every day, this book provides as short and concise an introduction as is possible.

UNDERSTANDING THE MIDDLE EAST

Professio

nal R

eadin

g P

rogram

By MCSA Philip Ladouceur

CNO-PRP

SAILORS

COOL

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Sailors on board the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) are participating in the Navy Credentialing Opportunities On-Line (COOL) program.

Navy COOL began in June 2006 and is an internet-based system for Navy personnel to learn where they can earn civilian certifications, apprenticeships and licenses that relate to their current ratings or collateral duties performed while in the Navy. The certification and licensing information obtained from COOL is designed to help Sailors obtain civilian job credentials to make the transition to the civilian work force smoother.

“Navy COOL is for all Sailors, both enlisted and officers,” said Navy Counselor 1st Class (SW) Domenique A. Sanchez, one of Nimitz’ command career counselors. “Everyone can utilize it. Sailors don’t have to be a certain rate to participate in Navy COOL.”

Sailors can use COOL to gather information for certifications and licensing on civilian jobs that are related to their current rating or designation in the Navy or for another civilian job field in which they are interested in entering. Some of the information Sailors can obtain with COOL is how to form an education plan for college courses they wish to take and information on tuition assistance.

“It’s your one stop shop for gathering information for certifications and licenses,” said Sanchez.

Using COOL, information can be gathered on civilian occupational equivalents to a Sailor’s current rating, whether their G.I. Bill can be used

for certain credentials and if college credits are available for the programs offered. COOL can also be used to obtain a listing of the local average wages for a civilian worker and the availability of those jobs in various states.

“I’ve gotten two certifications through Navy COOL: certified calibration technician and certified technical trainer,” said Aviation Electronics Technician 1st Class (AW) Clarence G. Hartestine. “I got the calibration technician certification from the [American Society for Quality] ASQ and the certified technical trainer certification I got from [Computing Technology Industry Association] CompTIA. Normally it would have cost me $400 for the calibration technician certification and $575 for the certified technical trainer certification, but through Navy COOL it was free.”

For more information visit: https://www.cool.navy.mil

Story by MC3 Linda S. Swearingen

“It’s your one stop shop for gathering information for certifications and licenses,”

- Sanchez

HOW

SAILORSST

AYCOOLCAREER