The Deck Department of the USS Carl Vinson is responsible for many critical tasks to keep the ship operational despite being undermanned. They work long hours to get the ship underway and into port, bring supplies onboard, and complete inspections ahead of schedule. Their success is due to strong leadership filling gaps, hard work from junior sailors, and teamwork. The Aviation Department also achieved a milestone of 200,000 aircraft traps on the flight deck, demonstrating excellence over many years due to the efforts of the sailors operating the arresting gear and flight deck equipment.

1. VOL 1 / NO 31 July 18, 2010
This Backbone Never Breaks
Story by MC2 Ashley Van Dien less Sailors.” “It’s all about leadership by example,”
USS Carl Vinson Staff Writer The success of Deck Department said Beesley. “The petty officers are
can be attributed to strong leadership, knowledgeable in their rate, and we
Carl Vinson’s Deck Department is hard work from junior Sailors and work side-by-side with junior Sailors
the backbone of the ship. The Sailors teamwork. to accomplish the job.”
work long, hard hours every day. They “Deck Department thrives on “We have good leadership that
get the ship underway and into port. teamwork,” said Senior Chief motivates us to work hard,” said Luke.
They bring on food and fuel. They Boatswain’s Mate (SW/AW) Thomas “After a long day of hard work, we’re
are ahead of schedule when it comes Hengel. “The Sailors in this department tired, but ready for the next day.”
to inspections. And they are doing it are young, but they are eager to learn. “What motivates me is seeing Deck
all with a department that is only fifty The leadership has really stepped up to Sailors with a sense of satisfaction and
percent manned. the plate, with 2nd Classes filling 1st accomplishment,” said Beesley. “What
“We’re carrying the weight of any Class billets and doing a fantastic job.” we do is really tough, and when we can
other deck department on any other One of those 2nd Class Petty Officers do it safely, that’s what makes it all
ship,” said Boatswain’s Mate 3rd is Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class (SW/ worthwhile.”
Class (SW) Hilary Luke. “We’re AW) Jonathan Beesley, 2nd Division’s Deck Department is responsible for
doing more work in less time, with Leading Petty Officer. the rehabilitation and preservation of
See DECK, page 6
The Carl Vinson Voice is an internal document produced by and for the crew of
the USS Carl Vinson and their families. Its contents do not necessarily reflect
the official views of the U.S. Government or the Departments of Defense or
the Navy and do not imply any endorsement thereby.
Photo by Mass Communication Specialist Petty Officer 3rd Class Luis Ramirez

2. 2 Carl Vinson Voice
Vinson Reaches 200,000th Trap
Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) Airman Kelston Moore and his shipmates from V-2 Division celebrate after Lt. Ian Hudson and Lt. Ben Hartman from VAQ-129
performed the 200,000th trap on the Vinson flight deck. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Adrian White.
landed the EA-18G Growler, and in manned by Aviation Boatswain’s Mate
Arresting Gear Room 4, to the Sailors (Equipment) Airman Shawn Greer.
By MCSN Zachary Bell
manning the V-2 engine room who “I’m honored to be apart of Carl
USS Carl Vinson Staff Writer
manned the arresting gear for the Vinson’s history and V-2’s history with
landmark trap. arresting gear,” said Greer. “Working
Lt. Ben Hartman and Lt. Ian Hudson, in the V-2 engine room can be high
Carl Vinson reached a historic attached to Electronic Attack Squadron pressured because it’s not just the
milestone with its 200,000th trap on (VAQ) 129, said they were honored pilot’s lives on our hands, but everyone
the flight deck July 13. and surprised to learn they got the working on the flight deck as well.
Vinson celebrated with two 200,000th trap. That’s why me and my boys in the V-2
ceremonies, where cakes were presented “It feels good to be part of Carl Division always execute the highest
in Wardroom III to the aviators who Vinson’s history. It’s a new community level of safety.”
we’re a part of, so everything is new V-2 Division is responsible for the
Publisher and exciting, said Hudson. “It takes
” safe recovery of all aircraft on the ship’s
STAFF
Capt. Bruce H. Lindsey 25 years plus to accumulate 200,000 flight deck. V-2 performs maintenance
Commanding Officer
traps on an aircraft carrier. It’s really on industrial cables which catch
Executive Editors surprising we got the 200,000th. ” the planes, as well as the hydraulic
Lt. Cmdr. Erik Reynolds The aviators expressed how proud machinery that assists in stopping
Public Affairs Officer
they were to be flying the aircraft, them.
Lt. j.g. Erik Schneider but also recognized the Sailors who “This is a testament to the kind
Deputy Public Affairs Officer made this monumental achievement of Sailors we’ve had working this
Managing Editor
possible. flight deck for the past 28 years,” said
MC2 Ashley Van Dien “It definitely feels good, but it’s more Cmdr. Richard Wiley, Carl Vinson’s
of a testament to the guys working on air department head. “Two-hundred
Layout and Design the flight deck and the arresting gear.
MC3 Patrick Green
thousand traps means we’ve done
MCSN Rosa A. Arzola They’re the ones working hard all day, it right, and we’ve done it safely for
every day,” said Hartman. a long, long time. Carl Vinson, also
Staff Writers/Photographers The team that was working hard to known as the ‘Gold Eagle,’ has built a
MC3 Shentel Downes
MCSN Zachary D. Bell catch Hudson and Hartman’s plane was legacy of excellence, and it’s been built
Air Department’s V-2 Division. The by the Sailors we had out there today
aircraft was caught by the arresting gear and the men and women who served
Follow Vinson on Facebook: www.facebook.com/USSCARLVINSON on the fourth wire, which was being before them.”

3. July 18, 2010 3
Sailor In The Spotlight: ABHAN Berry
Story by MC3 Shentel Downes
USS Carl Vinson Staff Writer
“Competition breeds excel-
lence” is a motto for Aviation
Boatswain’s Mate (Handling)
Airman Julian Berry.
Originally from Mansfield,
Texas, Berry arrived on board
Carl Vinson in December
2007, and was one of the first
people in the current line-up
of Air Department’s Crash
and Salvage Division to be
fully qualified as an aircraft
firefighter. The main job of
the Crash and Salvage crew is
to ensure the safety of the rest
of the Sailors working on the
flight deck if there is a crash
or if an aircraft is damaged.
“Airman Berry always
has a great attitude with the
rest of the Sailors,” said
Aviation Boatswain’s Mate
(Handling) 1st Class (AW/
SW) Gilberto Cruz. “He is
always willing to help. His
attitude toward his job and the
Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) Airman Julian Berry is the on scene leader for crash and salvage drills on the
Navy is impressive, because flight deck. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Shentel Downes.
he actually asks for work,
does things on his own, and “There’s a lot of stuff I’ve safe and timely manner. You better,” said Berry.
motivates the other Sailors.” picked up from working with can tell he learned a lot on Berry’s goals for his tour
Berry is currently working people like ABH1 (Shaven) the Truman and he brought on board involve getting
as the on scene leader for Savoy, ABH1 (Gilberto)Cruz, that knowledge back and his Enlisted Aviation
aircraft firefighting phase Chief (Aristotle) Warfare Specialist
two and three drills, which is Villahermosa and (EAWS) pin, getting
typically the job of a second Chief (Benjamin) “I think the competitive nature ABH1 qualified as a work
class petty officer or above. Bilyeu that have Cruz has put in our crash crew has center supervisor
Berry said he learned most made me a better made us better.” ABHAN Julian Berry
for Maintenance
of the skills he uses in his leader,” said Berry. and Material
day-to-day job while he was Berry’s supervisor Management (3M),
on temporary assigned duty said that he is key to the improved the work center.” and eventually getting
to the USS Harry S. Truman success of the division. Berry said that he and his co- Crash Leading Petty Officer
(CVN 75) while they were “He’s reliable, he workers in Crash and Salvage qualified.
deployed in 2008. knows his job and what’s are very competitive when “Airman Berry is honest
Berry said he has exceeded expected of him,” said it comes to qualifications, and needs no supervision,”
expectations in the situations Aviation Boatswain’s Mate and that the competition has said Cruz. “I also know his
he was placed in, not only (Equipment) 3rd Class Erick motivated him to get more family personally, and I think
because of the experience he Castellanos, Berry’s direct quals. his biggest accomplishment
got on the Truman, but also supervisor. “He plays a big “I think the competitive is the commitment that he
because of the talents of the role in drills by getting aircraft nature ABH1 Cruz has put in shows to his family and his
leaders he has to look up to. out of the landing area in a our crash crew has made us career.”

4. 4 Carl Vinson Voice

5. July 18, 2010 5

6. 6 Carl Vinson Voice
Seaman Jake Lord and Boatswain’s Mate Seaman Courtney Austin stand lee-helm watch on the bridge. Deck Sailors stand watch 24-hours a day underway, in addition to
their other duties on the ship. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Luis Ramirez.
DECK Continued
110 spaces, including the forecastle, constantly working hard doing space “The rate of boatswain’s mate is one
fantail, anchoring system, rigid hull upkeep, maintenance, evolutions and of pride and professionalism,” said
inflatable (RHIB) boats, and the entire standing watches, they are still striving Hengel. “It is one of the Navy’s first
hull of the ship. Underway, Deck Sailors to improve. ratings, and has many long-standing
stand watch 24-hours-a-day. They are “We have training every Monday, traditions.”
also critical to the success of many Wednesday and Friday,” said “I struck the rate of boatswain’s mate
vital underway evolutions, such as Ensign Dustin Miller, Assistant First because my chain-of-command trained
Underway Replenishments (UNREP) Lieutenant. “We do in-rate training, me well,” said Boatswain’s Mate 3rd
and Connected Replenishments command training, and 3M.” Class Joseph McDonald. “We are the
(CONREP). A lot of the training that Deck backbone of the ship. Without us, we
“Deck Sailors motivate themselves, Department conducts is hands-on. wouldn’t go anywhere because there
because they know the job has to get “Before an evolution, we will do would be no one to drive the ship. We
done,” said Beesley. “Everything we do training on how to do things by the couldn’t rescue a man overboard in
on the ship has something that hinges book,” said Miller. “But ninety percent time without lookout watches, boat
on it, whether it’s taking on cargo or of the training is hands-on. Even operations, and search and rescue
fuel. People gotta eat and people gotta though many of them are new to these swimmers. What we do not only allows
fly. Without us, the mission could not evolutions, they are quick learners and us to complete our mission, it saves
be accomplished.” they do an awesome job.” lives.”
During Southern Seas 2010, Vinson’s Deck Department’s training and “I am extremely proud of my
Deck Department received 3,500,000 operational status has increased their Sailors,” said Lt. Cmdr. Tony Diaz,
gallons of fuel, and transferred 846,000 advancement rate, and the number of First Lieutenant. “I demand a lot from
gallons to the USS Bunker Hill (CG 52) Deck seamen that have struck the rate them and I see results. They work
during UNREPs. They also received of boatswain’s mate has risen as well. really, really hard. We are striving
379 palettes of food and supplies during Last cycle seven seaman put on the for excellence, and we are getting
CONREPs. rank of 3rd Class Petty Officer, and six there due to the hard work from Deck
Even though Deck Sailors are of them were boatswain’s mates. Department.”