July 13, 2012

FWC-SD Changes CommandBy Aerographer’s Mate 1st Class (AW) Stella G. Swartz

Capt. Greg Ulses relieved Capt. Todd Monroe as commanding officer (CO), Fleet Weather Center San Diego(FWC-SD) July 6.

Guest speaker Capt. Van Gurley, commanding officer, NavalOperational Oceanographic Command, praised Monroe’saccomplishments since standing up FWC-SD as its first CommandingOfficer.

Monroe, who was awarded the Legion of Merit, will report next to theSpace and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) Pacific.

“I will miss the day-to-day energy, talent, and professionalism of thisworkforce,” Monroe said. “They have truly come together, overcomingnumerous challenges, to achieve something special in the service ofour Navy and nation. From specialized civilians, to motivated, hungrySailors to our wardroom, it has been my genuine honor to haveserved with each of them as their commissioning CO.”

Ulses comes to San Diego from the Naval Meteorology andOceanography Command (NMOC) where he served as assistantchief of staff, Strategic Plans and Policy as well as DeputyHydrographer of the Navy.

“FWC-SD is carrying out the most challenging and dynamic mission inour community, in the Navy’s most important theater of operations,”Ulses said. “I can’t imagine being offered a more exciting Commandopportunity.”

Changes of Command

Capt. Greg Ulses, incoming commandingofficer, Fleet Weather Center San Diego, ispiped aboard during a change of commandceremony, July 6. U.S. Navy photo byAerographer’s Mate 3rd Class ElisePerdichizzi

Fleet Survey Team Holds Change of CommandBy Lanee Cooksey, Naval Oceanographic Office, Public Affairs

The Fleet Survey Team (FST) held a change of command ceremony at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi,June 21.

Cmdr. Ronald R. Shaw relieved Cmdr. Christopher J. Sterbis as commanding officer.

"You should be extremely proud of what you haveaccomplished. The Navy understands the value of the FleetSurvey Team and what it does," said Naval OceanographicOffice Commanding Officer Capt. Paul Oosterling, guestspeaker.

Shaw is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, the NavalPostgraduate School, the University of Southern Mississippiand the Naval War College.

A former FST executive officer, he comes to Command fromthe staff of the U.S. Pacific Command.

Sterbis' next assignment will be in Washington D.C. atOPNAV, Assessment Division.

The following Chief Aerographer's Mates have been selected for senior chief:Matthew P. Euler, David H. Perrin, Ann Marie Powell and Michael S. Vinson.

NOAD San Diego Participates in Neighborhood ExchangeBy Lt. j.g. Geoff Eberle

Every month the San Diego Armed Services YMCAvolunteers distribute food to young sailors and theirfamilies via the Neighborhood Exchange program.

This program is available for income-qualified militaryfamilies and the food is provided by local donors.

Sailors assigned to Naval Oceanography Anti-Submarine Warfare Detachment (NOAD) San Diegohelped to distribute beans, canned tomatoes, cereal,fresh peaches, bananas, watermelon and potatoes.

Promotions

Items of Interest

Cmdr. Chris Sterbis, outgoing Fleet Survey Team(FST) commanding officer, reports to Capt. PaulOosterling, Naval Oceanographic Office and Sterbis'commanding officer, as Cmdr. Ron Shaw, FSTincoming commanding officer, looks on during achange of command ceremony at Stennis SpaceCenter on June 21. U.S. Navy photo by GeorgeLammons

Fleet Weather Center San Diego Receives Blue H Award for Second Consecutive YearBy Lt. Cmdr.Thomas Keefer

For the second year in a row, Fleet Weather Center San Diego(FWC-SD) has been awarded the Navy Surgeon General’s Blue Haward.

The Blue H award is a Health Promotion and Wellness Awardencouraging and rewarding the promotion of health and wellnessin Navy and Marine Corps organizations.

Fleet Weather Center received the highest of three levels, theGold Star award, as the result of continuous focus on health andwellness throughout the year.

USNS Henson in the Republic Of Korea

Naval Oceanographic Office surveyors Michael Dunn and Holly Garvin raise theAmerican flag on the hydrographic survey launch deployed from USNS Henson inpreparation of surveying ports in the Republic of Korea. Personnel deployed onHenson’s hydrographic survey launch survey areas too shallow and toorestricted for the ship to enter. U.S. Navy photo by Steve Faber

Students from Dauphin Island Sea Lab Visit NAVOCEANOBy Whitney Scheffel

The Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO) hostedsix students from Dauphin Island Sea Lab (DISL) for atour of oceanographic science and technology activities atStennis Space Center, June 12.

The students are participating in Research Experience forUndergraduates (REU) sponsored by the NationalScience Foundation.

“One of our goals for the DISL-REU program and thesestudents is exploration of the variety of career options inmarine sciences,” said DISL mentor Dr. Tina Miller.“Coming from an academic setting, students are oftenunaware of the types and applications of research thathappen in state, federal, private and non-governmentalorganizations.”

Dauphin Island Sea Lab students visit the BoatOperations Branch in Pass Christian as part of theirNaval Oceanographic Office tour. Photo by WhitneyScheffel

Cmdr. Mike Kuypers, executive officer, FleetWeather Center San Diego, accepts the Blue HGold Star Pennant from the Navy SurgeonGeneral. U.S. Navy photo by Aerographer’sMate 3rd Class Elise Perdichizzi

Naval Oceanography ASW Detachment, Naples in ActionBy Aerographer’s Mate 3rd Class Kathleen Mosher

Commander Task Force Six Nine (CTF-69) and NATO allies completed exercise Shark Hunt 2012, May 23-June 3.

CTF-69 successfully completed this task with the help of the Naval Oceanography Anti-Submarine Warfare(ASW) detachment (NOAD), Naples.

The NOAD Sailors manned a 24/7 meteorology and oceanography watch alongside the CTF-69 staff, providingtimely, tactical oceanographic and acoustic analysis to assist CTF-69 planners in optimizing ASW tactics,techniques and sensors against environmental conditions.

The exercise allowed CTF-69 to become fully certified as Theater Anti-Submarine Warfare Commander(TASWC).

FWC-SD attends FLIP 50th Celebration

The Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) at University of California, San Diego, and the Office of NavalResearch hosted the 50th celebration of FLIP (Floating Instrument Platform) June 29.

FLIP is a 355-foot research vessel, owned by theOffice of Naval Research (ONR) andadministered and operated by the MarinePhysical Laboratory of Scripps Institution ofOceanography to conduct investigations in anumber of fields, including acoustics,oceanography, meteorology and marine mammalobservation.

Rear Adm. Jonathan White, commander of theNaval Meteorology and OceanographyCommand, was a guest speaker at the eventluncheon and talked about the important linkbetween the U.S. Navy and SIO.

The vessel can partially submerge like a sinkingship by filling ballast tanks in its stern with water.When in the vertical position, FLIP's visible

From left to right: Lt. Darin Keeter, Lt. Charlotte Hill, Lt. j.g. ChrisMitchell, Rear Adm. Jonathan White, Capt. Todd Monroe, Cmdr.Mike Kuypers, Lt. Cmdr. Tom Keefer, Lt. Lynne Edwards, Lt.Michelle Mahan, Rodney Jacques and Lt. Chuck Browder pose infront of the floating instrument platform.

From left to right: Capt. Wesley Guinn,Commander of Task Force (CTF) 69,presents Aerographer’s Mate 1stClass Rhyan Winbush with a NavyAchievement Medal andAerographer’s Mate 3rd ClassKathleen Mosher and Aerographer’sMate Airman Kylie Marty with flagletters of commendation for their workduring exercise Shark Hunt 2012.

floating platform extends 55 feet above the ocean surface while the rest of the hull reaches 300 feet below thewater.

Because much of the vessel is submerged when upright, the platform is impervious to the effects of oceanwaves, providing a stable environment for researchers to do their work.

The steel-hulled platform, built in 1962, accommodates 11 researchers and a crew of five for up to 30 days.

FLIP operates in two modes, drifting with the currents or moored to the sea floor, and supports the deploymentof a variety of sensors and instruments.

NGA Hydrographer RetiresBy Howard Cohen, NGA Maritime Safety Office

Rear Adm. Chris Andreasen, chief hydrographer, NationalGeospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), retired May 24.

As NGA’s Chief Hydrographer for 15 years, he helpeddevelop strategic planning, technical developments andassisted in the transition to electronic charting.

“I am honored to have served with fine professionals andto have played a small part in the growth of world ofhydrography,” Andreasen said. “I’m thankful for asupporting family and will miss the day to day work withmy dear colleagues.”

Rear Adm. Jonathan White, commander of the NavalMeteorology and Oceanography Command, alsorecognized Andreasen’s nearly 50 years of work,presenting him with a chart of the Bay of St. Louis duringthe 18th International Hydrographic conference in Monacoin April.

Former Oceanographer of the Navy Seesholtz Dies

Retired Rear Adm. Rich Seesholtz, former Oceanographer of the Navy, died of leukemia and lymphoma, June8 at the age of 79.

Seesholtz served as the Oceanographer of the Navy from 1983 to 1988.

He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1956 and in 1968, received a doctorate in oceanography at theMassachusetts Institute of Technology.

He served aboard submarines, including command of the USS Dolphin (AGSS 555), a deep-diving submarine,which undertook deep sonar operations.

Personnel

Retired Rear Adm. Chris Andreasen accepts, fromPeter Doherty (left), deputy director, Maritime SafetyOffice, and Capt. Ray Chartier Jr. (right), director,Maritime Safety Office, a ships bell engraved withthe names of the five ships he served on. Photo byLarry Franklin

Seesholtz’s decorations included two awards of the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, the JointService Commendation Medal and the Navy Commendation Medal.

Sailor Lends a Hand in MexicoBy Kelly LeGuillon, CNMOC Public Affairs

Aviation Electrician’s Mate Airman Clara Valdes ventures to Tijuana, Mexico, as often as she can to work withchildren in the orphanage, Casa Hogar de Belen.

She first visited the orphanage in October 2001 as part of a church group.

Valdes instantly fell in love with the children and has been returning ever since.

“I walked off the bus and one of the children ran forward and gave me a hug, and I realized that love doesn'tneed to have boundaries,” she said.

The orphanage houses around 70 children, none of whom are trueorphans but are cases of abuse in which the courts have removedthem from their homes.

Valdes is temporarily assigned to Fleet Weather Center San Diego’straining department.

She has dreamed of serving in the military since she was six-years-old and applies her Navy core values to her work in Tijuana.

“I need commitment to keep going, even when I see the heartbreak,the courage to brave Tijuana and the honor of having the Navy trustme in Mexico,” she said. “You have to work hard and give it your allin the military. The kids deserve me giving my all and working hardfor them too.”

Valdes, who grew up the youngest of nine, has always loved workingwith children and is a big kid at heart.

“I'm 20 and my answer to problems is ice cream,” she said.

She has also fallen in love with the culture and made friends withmembers of a local church.

“My friend Carlos's family has basically adopted me,” she said.“They framed a photo of me and it lives on the wall with the photosof their kids.”

Valdes grew up in Roatan, Honduras, but hopes to live in Tijuanaone day when she is finished serving in the Navy.

“I want to watch them (the children from the orphanage) grow up,” she said.

Her goal for the orphanage is to help provide the children with dental care.

Until then, it’s the memories that keep bringing her back.

Aviation Electrician’s Mate Clara Valdes,Fleet Weather Center San Diego,pushes a child from Casa Hogar deBelen, on a swing during a recent trip toTijuana, Mexico.

“When a little girl or boy falls asleep in your arms, and you know that even though this child has lived a life ofhorror, they can still trust and love, those are the best memories,” she said.

Follow Naval Oceanography and Rear Adm. Jonathan White on Facebook and @navyoceans on Twitter tokeep up with all the latest news and images from the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography community.

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Rear Adm. Jonathan W. White, USNCommander, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography CommandNaval Meteorology and Oceanography Command News1100 Balch Boulevard, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529

The editorial content of this newspaper is edited and approved by the public affairs officeof the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command.

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