Daylight Saving Time March 8!
Spring Forward Sunday at 2 a.m.
Set your clocks forward one hour when you go to bed Saturday night!

USS Preble live-fire operational test



PACIFIC OCEAN (Feb. 26, 2009) Gunner's Mate 2nd Class Andy Knowles, right, from Dallas, and Electronics Technician 3rd Class Cory Woodul, from Austin, Texas, load nine 25mm rounds into a machine gun mount with for a live-fire operational test aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Preble (DDG 88). Preble, as part of the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group, is on a scheduled six-month deployment to the western Pacific Ocean. U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Elliott Fabrizio

Official U.S. Navy file photo of Amphibious transport dock USS Dubuque (LPD 8) passes under the Coronado Bay Bridge as she returns to San Diego from deployment to the Western Pacific in May, 2007. Dubuque has been named to carry this summer's Pacific Partnership 2009 mission for Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mark A. Leonesio

Pacific Fleet announces Pacific Partnership 2009
PEARL HARBOR (NNS) -- Preparations are underway for Pacific Partnership 2009, the fourth in a series of annual U.S. Pacific Fleet humanitarian civic assistance missions, the commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMPACFLT) announced on his blog March 3.
"This year we plan to head to Oceania and bring much needed supplies, medical, dental, veterinary and engineering aid to this region that has such a rich history with the United States," said Adm. Robert. F. Willard in his blog posting. The mission will visit Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Tonga.
"For the past three years COMPACFLT has conducted this important humanitarian civic assistance mission in concert with allies, partners, friends and NGOs (non- governmental organizations) throughout the Asia-Pacific region," said Willard. "Lives have been saved and quality of life improved in many of the regions we've visited."
Pacific Partnership works by, with and through partner nations, non-governmental organizations and other U.S. government agencies to execute a variety of humanitarian civic action (HCA) missions in the Pacific Fleet area of responsibility from a ship dedicated to this HCA mission.
The mission is being coordinated with several partner nations and will be carried out in conjunction with non-governmental relief organizations. A number of military and civilian agencies are planning myriad details that go into a months-long mission which includes a variety of engineering, medical and dental civic-action programs to provide humanitarian assistance to nations in the Oceania region.
This year's mission will be based on board USS Dubuque (LPD 8), an Austin-class amphibious transport dock ship homeported in San Diego.
This year's mission will be more engineering focused, taking advantage of the unique capabilities Dubuque provides to transport and expeditiously unload construction equipment and supplies. Medical and dental civic action programs will be conducted ashore.
In 2008, USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), one of the U.S. Navy's two hospital ships, conducted a four-month humanitarian mission, visiting the Republic of the Philippines, Vietnam, the Federated States of Micronesia, Timor-Leste and Papua New Guinea. The Pacific Partnership 2008 team provided a variety of medical, dental, educational and preventive medicine services to more than 90,000 patients.
In 2007, amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA 5), conducted a four-month humanitarian mission, visiting the Philippines, Vietnam, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. During these humanitarian missions, the Pacific Partnership 2007 team provided a variety of medical, dental, educational and preventive medicine services to more than 31,600 patients.
For this mission, Dubuque will be configured with humanitarian civic assistance equipment and a robust multi-specialized team of preventive medicine personnel, veterinarians, medical and dental teams, a construction battalion and engineering personnel.

Nesting season is here
NAVAL BASE CORONADO, Calif., -- The Navy is asking the public to join in efforts to safeguard federally protected birds and their precious offspring now as nesting season begins on Naval Base Coronado beaches.
The California Least Tern and Western Snowy Plover breeding seasons typically last from March through September and due to protection under the federal Endangered Species Act, the Navy is joining local authorities to ensure that people and pets do not harm or disturb the birds or their nesting areas on Navy beaches.
“We are working in partnership with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, local authorities and the public to protect the nesting areas, and to do all we can to ensure the bird's survival and success while supporting our military mission," said Naval Base Coronado Commanding Officer Capt. Tony Gaiani.
The NBC is asking beachgoers to stay on wet sand close to the waters edge on beach areas adjacent to the Naval Radio Receiving Facility and Silver Strand Training Complex found along the Silver Strand between the City of Imperial Beach, State Beach and the City of Coronado.
The Navy is also reminding citizens to ensure all dog walking takes place on Dog Beach in order to help support the NBC Environmental Department and conservation of the Western Snowy Plover and Least Tern habitat areas. The NBC Security Department will be patrolling NBC’s southern beaches to deter human and pet encounters with the birds during nesting season in an ongoing effort to promote stewardship and protection of all plants and animals in Navy areas.
For additional information please contact NBC Public Affairs at (619) 545-8136.

Navy's Submarine Rescue Unit holds inactivation/naming ceremony
The ceremony to honor the nearly 40 years of the Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) Program as the deep-sea rescue asset for the U.S. Navy Submarine Force and name its successor, the Pressurized Rescue Module (PRM), will be held Friday, March 6, at 1 p.m. at Deep Submergence Unit on Naval Base Coronado.

Sailors: 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.

Navy Region Southwest leads San Diego toward water conservation
by Lt.j.g. Lenaya Rotklein
SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- As part of an ongoing comprehensive effort to be good stewards of natural resources, Navy Region Southwest lowered water consumption by 15 percent from October 2007 through September 2008.
The conservation effort has been championed by Commander Navy Region Southwest Rear Adm. Len Hering, Sr.
"I have maintained an even greater focus on the Navy's efforts to manage our water requirements and achieve greater sustainability," said Hering.
There are many factors that contribute to the Navy's water usage in San Diego. As expected of any large organization – and particularly one that has global deployments – usage of a range of resources is dependent on operational tempo and personnel movements.
As the second-largest consumer of water in the area, with nearly 2,000 buildings on three large installation complexes throughout San Diego County, Navy Region Southwest has focused efforts towards greater reductions. These efforts include replacing 7.5 acres of turf with smart landscaping and artificial turf.
Approximately 5,000 2.5-gallon-per-minute showerheads were replaced with more efficient 1.5-gallon-per-minute showerheads. More than 200 urinals were replaced with waterless units in addition to replacing 3,000 faucet aerators.
In Metro San Diego, during wet seasons, the Navy adjusted irrigation to exceptionally low levels; turning off sprinklers and lowering the number of days and times sprinklers were on. To ensure the integrity of the irrigation systems, more controls were installed on the systems and practices were implemented to increase inspections and leak detection. Irrigation was even turned off from November 30, 2007 until late March 2008.
"Our water challenge does not end here," said Hering, "we have a significant number of water meters throughout our facilities and will use the data we collect to focus on those areas where we can make more progress."
Given San Diego is an arid climate, Navy Region Southwest takes water conservation seriously. Senior Navy leaders have launched an increased awareness campaign to Sailors and civilians who live and work at Navy installations.
"I am focused that our facilities meet the mission requirements of the Navy," says Hering. "Our mission includes focusing on natural resources and fiscal stewardship."

PACIFIC OCEAN (Feb. 26, 2009) Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class Chris Fox, from Toledo, Ohio, hoses down the bow during a fresh-water wash down aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Preble (DDG 88). Preble, as part of the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group, is on a scheduled six-month deployment to the western Pacific Ocean. U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Elliott Fabrizio