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PACIFIC OCEAN (Feb. 21, 2009) Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Fuel) Airman Jacquez Hughes, left, and Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Fuel) Airman Cody Bounds refuel a spotting dolly in the hangar bay aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Nimitz and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 are conducting tailored ship's training availability off the coast of Southern California. U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Matthew C. Haws

PACIFIC OCEAN (Feb. 23, 2009) Sailors aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) perform hellfire release and control checks on an MH-60S Sea Hawk from the "Eightballer" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 8 in the ship's hangar bay. John C. Stennis and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 are on a scheduled six-month deployment to the western Pacific Ocean. U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Kenneth Abbate

Surface Navy Women's Symposium slated for March 5
SAN DIEGO - In honor of Women's History Month, the CNSF Diversity Office is holding a Surface Navy Women's Symposium on Thursday, March 5 at the 32nd Street Naval Base Theater (Bldg 71) from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
The Symposium will highlight the history of women in the Surface Navy, raise awareness of recent initiatives and to discuss leadership and social and family/life balance challenges of those serving today.
Speakers will include CNSF Diversity Office, Office of Women's Policy, and post command female CO's and CMCs sharing their experiences and insight. There will be opportunities to engage the speakers and open forums to ask questions and express ideas. Surface Navy Officers and Enlisted are invited to attend.
Please contact Lt.j.g. Brandy Dixon at (619) 437-3781 or larie.dixon@navy.mil for more information or to RSVP.

SECDEF announces flag officer nominations
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced Feb. 25 that the President has made the following nominations:
Navy Reserve Rear Adm. (lower half) Patrick E. McGrath has been nominated for appointment to the grade of rear admiral while serving as commander, Naval Air Force Reserve/vice commander, Naval Air Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet, San Diego.
Navy Reserve Rear Adm. (lower half) Michael M. Shatynski has been nominated for appointment to the grade of rear admiral while serving as reserve deputy commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, San Diego.

New presidential helicopter faces scrutiny
by Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Feb. 24, 2009 – The VH-71 helicopter being developed as the next-generation presidential helicopter could get the ax before it ever takes flight.
President Barack Obama announced yesterday that he has directed Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates to conduct “a thorough review” of the program, which has experienced big cost overruns.
Speaking at the closing of a White House summit on fiscal responsibility, the president called the helicopter program an example of “the procurement process gone amok.”
“We’re going to have to fix it,” he said, calling it “one of our highest priorities” and urging congressional support.
Obama noted that Gates is a big advocate of the effort and “recognizes that simply adding more and more does not necessarily mean better and better, or safer and more secure.”
The president offered a lighthearted take on the helicopter Lockheed-Martin is developing to replace the Sikorsky Marine One helicopters the White House has used for a quarter-century. “The helicopter I have now seems perfectly adequate to me,” he quipped. “Of course, I've never had a helicopter before. … Maybe I've been deprived, and I didn't know it.”
The VH-71 contract calls for 28 helicopters for $6 billion, but the cost has almost doubled to about $11 billion.
Cost overruns of this magnitude in major defense acquisition programs require congressional notification. This requirement was established under the so-called Nunn-McCurdy provision of the 1982 Defense Authorization Act. The provision was named for its sponsors, U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn and U.S. Rep Dave McCurdy.
The VH-71 program “certainly fits the category of requiring a Nunn-McCurdy breach notification, and that is not a good position to have a program in,” Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters today.
The program will be among many to get a thorough review during the acquisition overhaul, he said. “We are committed to looking at expensive programs, particularly those programs that are underperforming,” Whitman said.

Expeditionary Support Unit CO relieved of duty
by Lt. Kate Raia
SAN DIEGO - The commanding officer of Explosive Ordnance Disposal Expeditionary Support Unit (EODESU) SEVEN was relieved of his duties, Feb 24.
Lt. Cmdr. Kelly Williams was relieved from duty by Capt. Ted Lucas, Commander of Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit (EODGRU) ONE.
Lucas cited the loss of confidence in Williams’ ability to command as the reason for his relief.
Cmdr. Gene Rathgeber has temporarily assumed command of EODESU SEVEN.
Williams served as commanding officer since November 2007. He has been temporarily assigned to EODGRU ONE.
EODESU is based at NAB San Diego, Ca.

CNP wants Sailors to ACT to prevent suicide
MILLINGTON, Tenn. (NNS) -- The chief of naval personnel spoke to Sailors on the importance of suicide prevention, Feb. 11 during a visit to Navy Personnel Command.
"It is an all-hands responsibility for shipmates to recognize when someone may be in distress. It is the responsibility of leadership to ensure the programs are in place and that Sailors have access to them. It is the responsibility of chief petty officers and leaders on the deck plate to recognize when Sailors are under stress and to ensure they have access to treatment programs," said Vice Adm. Mark Ferguson, chief of naval personnel.
"Suicide is generally a response to stress -- to a person feeling hopeless or distressed with their personal situation. It is a tragedy and one that can be prevented" said Ferguson adding that Sailors may be able to help prevent suicide if they ACT.
"If people remember to ACT, ask, care, treat, they will be on the right path," said Lt. Cmdr. Bonnie Chavez, behavioral health program manager for the Navy. Chavez recently introduced a series of suicide prevention posters designed by Sailors to help teach Sailors to ACT.
"Don't be afraid to ask someone if they are thinking of taking their own life. Care enough to let the person know that suicidal feelings are temporary and that depression can be treated and then get help. Treat – take them to an emergency room or walk in clinic, don't leave them alone, take action, remove means, such as guns, stockpiled pills, ropes, and sharp objects," said Chavez.
Suicide prevention education is among the 12 general military training topics required for all hands in 2009. The new course titled Introduction to the Stress Response Continuum and Suicide Awareness is available at Navy Knowledge Online.
Commands can find more information about suicide prevention in OPNAVINST 1720.4, Suicide Prevention Program, which provides guidance for commanding officers and senior enlisted leadership on suicide prevention training.
Early intervention is vital to suicide prevention efforts at all levels of the Navy. Chavez pointed out that most people give some warning of their suicidal intentions to a friend or family member and that all suicide threats seriously should be taken seriously.
To find out more information and to view a list of the warning signs, visit www.suicide.navy.mil.

Religious Program Specialist rating blessing the Navy for 30 years
by MC3 (AW) Eric J. Cutright
PEARL HARBOR (NNS) -- In 1979, the Navy established the Religious Program Specialist (RP) rating to provide Navy chaplains with professional support personnel adept in religious programming and administration.
"This year we are celebrating our 30th anniversary as RP's," said Chief Religious Program Specialist (SW) Tshombe Harris, assigned to Naval Station Pearl Harbor's Chapel. "Before us, there were specialist (W)'s and before that there were yeomen with NEC's [Navy enlisted classification codes]."
Stemming from a concept that a committee of chaplains recommended to the Navy back in 1878, chaplains proposed that the Navy attach a chaplain's assistant anywhere a chaplain was assigned. The Navy's first officially designated chaplain's assistant wasn't until 1942 when the Navy created the specialist (W) rating, with the (W) representing welfare.
Specialist (W)'s had to be able to play the piano and organ for religious services, and they were expected to be competent choir directors, whereas their modern day incarnations do not have this requirement.
"Today our major role is to provide support to chaplains for both Navy and Marine Corps side, with our major claimant being the Marines," said Harris. "We provide physical security to chaplains in the combat field, as they are noncombatants per the Geneva Convention and cannot carry weapons."
In a noncombat environment, RP's aid the chaplain with religious programs, and perform clerical and administrative tasks. They also organize charitable and public service volunteer programs as well as maintain relations with religious communities and public service organizations.
"More than anything, we as RP's are like a gateway to the chaplain," said Religious Program Specialist 2nd Class Justin Robison, also assigned to Naval Station Pearl Harbor's chapel. "The RP is a more approachable person for many enlisted that might not automatically want to go to a commissioned officer, so the RP's are a very much more visible aspect of the chaplain's office."
Alhough the RP rating is just at its 30th anniversary, it is "One of the youngest of the old rates," according to Harris; it still garners respect and appreciation for what it exemplifies in today's Navy.
Religious Program Specialist 2nd Class Mohamed Baayd assigned to Naval Station Pearl Harbor's chapel expressed great pride at being an RP, "I never would have imagined that I would be serving in the Navy as an RP. It is truly a miracle. I get to enrich and recharge the spiritual batteries of Sailors and their families, and at the end of the day, I truly feel I've accomplished something,".

SATTAHIP, Thailand (Feb. 7, 2009) Seaman Christopher Smith, from Washington, D.C., assigned to Beachmaster Unit (BMU) One, Det. Western Pacific, directs Landing Craft Air Cushion 63, assigned to Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 5, as it transports Marines and equipment ashore for Cobra Gold 2009. Cobra Gold is an annual Kingdom of Thailand and U.S. co-sponsored military exercise designed to train U.S. and partner Asian-pacific forces. The exercise will include humanitarian projects with participants from Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Thailand and the U.S. U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Gabriel S. Weber