Month: September 2022

Source: United States Navy

There were two types of 1st. class petty officers in the audience: Those counting down in self-imposed isolation the minutes and seconds to the arrival of the command triad who possessed the results; and, those others engaged in nervous conversations with their fellow shipmates.

“Hospital Corpsman Chief selectee Jose Barte,” said Capt. Kim Davis, NMRTC San Diego commander; and, with those words the audience unleashed the exhilaration of the announcements.

One selectee who moments earlier was immersed in his own moment of silent anticipation was Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Jonathan Powell, Naval Branch Clinic San Clemente independent duty corpsman.

“Hospital Corpsman Chief selectee Jonathon Powell,” announced Davis.

“This by far was one of the most nerve-wracking evolutions I have ever been subjected to,” said Powell. “When my name was called, all I can remember is asking myself if I heard correctly, almost waiting for another Powell to stand up. Yet, I was immensely exhilarated when I realized that it was my name that they had called out”

For Powell and the other 18 NMRTC San Diego CPO selectees, this is only the beginning of a process that will take the best and fully qualified for advancement and transform them — through meaningful training and appropriate events — into one of the most revered ranks in all of the world’s militaries.

“Our selectees will now undergo CPO training that will directly contribute to enhancing our capability as a CPO Mess with every event targeted at increasing confidence, trust and teamwork,” said Master Chief Hospital Corpsman Matthew McCoy, command master chief. “Additionally, this season our selectees will have as part of their curriculum Get Real, Get Better and Warrior Toughness training sessions, all geared at ensuring that our future CPO leaders are not only in a position to support the warfighters, but for them to count themselves as part of that same brotherhood in a new leadership capacity.”

Failure to Select

The festive uproar in the auditorium did not overshadow the respect to those who failed to select. Much praise and encouragement was given to them.

“While it’s never easy to hear that you did not make the cut — particularly for something as coveted as selection to Chief, it was both touching and encouraging to have our leaders acknowledge our hard work and determination,” said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Genaro Falaminiano, NMRTC San Diego Radiology Department leading petty officer. “I wish our newly selected Chiefs all the best, I look forward to calling them Chief in a few weeks, and feel reassured that our Navy has as its backbone 19 more warriors who will continue serving and defending.”

The CPO Initiation Season begins upon release of the results and culminates with Final Night on Oct. 20, and pinning ceremonies on or about Oct. 21. The Navy’s focus of the season is “preparing” our newest Chiefs to enter the Mess, not screening them out.

NMRTC San Diego’s mission is to prepare service members to deploy in support of operational forces, deliver high quality healthcare services and shape the future of military medicine through education, training and research. NMRTC San Diego employs more than 6,000 active duty military personnel, civilians and contractors in Southern California to provide patients with world-class care anytime, anywhere.

Source: United States Navy

While the conference has taken various forms since its inaugural event on June 6, 1994, including virtual evolutions during the height of the pandemic in 2020, the focus remains the same: advancing the field of military language programs.
 
DLIFLC Commandant Army Col. James Kievit welcomed the Command Language Program Managers (CLPM) emphasizing the collaborative nature of the sessions. 
 
“The success of this event will rely on your candid interaction as you participate in the workshop,” said Kievit. “Take advantage of this opportunity to expand your network, meet new colleagues, and share your own ideas and best practices.”
 
More than 200 military and civilian CLPMs from across the Department of Defense assembled at the Presidio for the 3-day workshop from August 23-25 to discuss professional development opportunities, share best practices, unveil new technology and changes in the field, and recognize fellow language professionals who have excelled in their field during the prior year.
 
The awards recognize the most outstanding command language program, military and civilian language professionals, and non-career linguists contributing to mission success through the use of foreign language. It was announced in October 2021 that the category for the Navy Language Professional of the Year would be renamed to honor Senior Chief Cryptologic Technician Interpretive Shannon M. Kent, the 2010 Navy and DOD Language Professional of the Year winner, who was killed in action on Jan. 16, 2019, in Manbij, Syria.
 
On the second day of the ACLM conference, James Lewis, the Navy Senior Language Authority, presented Cryptologic Technician Interpretive 1st Class Theamichaela Coyle, a military language instructor at Information Warfare Training Command (IWTC) Monterey, the Shannon M. Kent Language Professional of the Year award, and announced their intention to house the plaque for permanent display at the Pentagon.
 
 “It’s easy to do my job when I have the support of my fellow MLI’s and my family,” said Coyle after being presented with the award. “With the support of my husband, and the support of my family here with me, it’s easy to come to work and push through, even when it gets stressful.”
 
On the final day of the conference, Coyle was announced as the winner of the 2021 DOD-wide Language Professional of the Year as well. Upon being recognized a second time, she reiterated that her success is the success of the team; however, it’s clear to see that her love for language learning and the tireless passion she brings as an instructor drives her outstanding performance.
 
IWTC Monterey, as part of the Center for Information Warfare Training (CIWT), provides a continuum of foreign language training to Navy personnel, which prepares them to conduct information warfare across the full spectrum of military operations.
 
With four schoolhouse commands, two detachments, and training sites throughout the United States and Japan, Center for Information Warfare Training trains over 26,000 students every year, delivering trained information warfare professionals to the Navy and joint services. Center for Information Warfare Training also offers more than 200 courses for cryptologic technicians, intelligence specialists, information systems technicians, electronics technicians, and officers in the information warfare community.
 

Source: United States Navy

San Jacinto, part of the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HSTCSG), operated in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations from Dec. 14 until late August.

San Jacinto, under the command of Capt. Christopher Marvin, was a critical component to various bi-lateral and multi-national surface, subsurface, and air defense exercises, sailing more than 60,000 miles. Participation in these interoperability exercises with the British, Italian, Hellenic, Spanish, and French navies allowed the strike group to demonstrate U.S. commitment to security and stability for all in the region.

The ship also served as a key player in the NATO-led enhanced vigilance activities Neptune Strike 22 and Neptune Shield 22, demonstrating NATO’s ability to integrate the high-end maritime capabilities of allied aircraft carrier strike groups, amphibious ready groups and marine expeditionary units to support the defense of the alliance.

“This deployment was an overall success by allowing us to showcase our ability to flex during an unpredictable period and show the brilliance and resiliency of this crew, putting the ship’s versatile capabilities on full display and highlighting the support we have from our families and loved ones back home,” said Marvin. “From conducting multi-national exercises that strengthen ties with our regional allies and contribute to our continued success day to day, I could not be any prouder how the crew stepped up in a huge way to accomplish the mission.”

San Jacinto also participated in dual and tri-carrier operations with the French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle (R91) and Italian carrier ITS Cavour (C 550) and their carrier strike groups, and the crew conducted port visits throughout Europe including in Rota, Spain; Souda Bay and Piraeus, Greece; Venice, Italy; Barcelona, Spain; Valletta, Malta; and Split, Croatia.. These operations and port visits allowed the Sailors to further strengthen the bonds between the U.S. Navy and its allies and partners.

“Many people focus on the carrier, but the cruiser and destroyers in our strike group are every bit as vital. San Jacinto has been our work horse, sailing with the Truman day and night and remaining ready for any task,” said Rear Adm. Paul Spedero Jr., commander, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 8. “Capt. Marvin and his team were fantastic. They were always ready to protect the carrier, work with our allies and partners, and train with other ships and aircraft. 

The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), commanded by Capt. Gavin Duff, serves as the flagship of the HSTCSG; additional elements include the nine squadrons of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1, commanded by Capt. Patrick Hourigan; and the staff and guided-missile destroyers of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 28, commanded by Capt. Blair Guy, which have included: USS Bainbridge (DDG 96), USS Cole (DDG 67), USS Gravely (DDG 107), USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109), USS Gonzalez (DDG 66), and USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98).

The strike group also participated in a Cooperative Deployment with the Royal Norwegian Navy’s Fridtjof-Nansen class frigate HNoMS Fridtjof Nansen (F310), who returned home to Norway in May.

For more news from U.S. 2nd Fleet, visit https://www.c2f.navy.mil/ and for more information visit http://www.facebook.com/US2ndFleet/  or http://twitter.com/US2ndFleet.

For more news from CSG 8 and USS San Jacinto, visit, www.facebook.com/CSG8, https://www.facebook.com/USSSanJacinto, www.twitter.com/ussharrystruman, http://instagram.com/uss_harrys.truman, www.facebook.com/usnavy, www.navy.mil, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.