12 Agent Orange Exposure Impacts Veterans’ Descendants

17 FRA Congratulates New Life Members

A U G U S T 2 0 1 6F I N A L N D A A C O U L D I N C L U D E C U T S T O P A Y A N D B E N E F I T S 8

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Volume 95 Number 8

Featured18 BREAKING THE ICE

Research scientists in Antarctica must rely on annual resupply missions to restock stores of food, fuel and other essentials. Delivery of these critical provisions depends on the U.S. Coast Guard’s unique capability to break a channel in the thick Antarctic ice so cargo ships reach the bottom of the earth.

Departments 2 COMMUNICATIONS

4 FROM THE FANTAIL Our Multi-Mission Coast Guard

6 SHIPMATE FORUM

8 ON & OFF CAPITOL HILLFinal NDAA Could Include Cuts to Pay and Benefits

16 MEMBERSHIP MATTERSRecruiting the Next Generation

17 FRA CONGRATULATES NEW LIFE MEMBERS

27 TAPS

28 REUNIONS / LOOKING FOR…

30 SHIPMATE NEWS

32 NEWS FROM THE AUXILIARY OF THE FRAMessage from Northeast/New England Regional President Cindy Rodham-Tuck

ON THE COVERUSCGC Polar Star is the nation’s only heavy icebreaker and the only U.S. vessel capable of penetrating ice in Antarctica, which can reach thicknesses of 20 feet or more.

FRA IS A CONGRESSIONALLY CHARTERED, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION ADVOCATING FOR CURRENT AND FORMER ENLISTED MEMBERS OF THE U.S. NAVY, MARINE CORPS AND COAST GUARD ON CAPITOL HILL. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP, PLEASE VISIT WWW.FRA.ORG OR CALL 800-FRA-1924.

LOYALTY, PROTECTION AND SERVICE

August 2016

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COMMUNICATIONS

Lauren Armstrong

NATIONAL OFFICERS/BOARD OF DIRECTORS

National President Virgil P. Courneya, High Sierra Branch 274 National Vice President: Donald L. Larson, Corpus Christi Branch 94

National Executive Dir. Thomas J. Snee, Navy Department Branch 181 Finance Officer Nora M. Graham, CPA, CMA Junior PNP John D. Ippert, Honolulu Branch 46 National Parliamentarian PNP F. Donald Mucheck, Low Country

Branch 269 National Chaplain Dana Wallace, Annapolis Branch 24

REGIONAL PRESIDENTS

Northeast/New England Donna M. Jansky, North Shore Branch 31 East Coast Penny Collins, Annapolis Branch 24 Southeast Dave W. Davis, Atlantic Beach Branch 290 North Central Marcia Cunningham, Milwaukee Branch 14 South Central Donald R. Gibson, Lone Star Branch 11 Southwest Donald L. Kelley, Imperial Beach Branch 289 West Coast Patrick H. LeClaire, Silver Dollar Branch 192 Northwest Julian “JJ” Wynn, Honolulu Branch 46

ACTIVE DUTY ADVISORY COUNCIL

Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Michael Stevens

Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Ronald Green

Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Steven Cantrell

RESERVE ADVISORY COUNCIL

Force Master Chief of the Navy Reserve Clarence “CJ” Mitchell

USMC Reserve Force Sergeant Major Anthony Spadaro

Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Reserve Force

Eric Johnson

FRA TODAY MAGAZINEThe monthly membership publication of the Fleet Reserve Association

Publisher Fleet Reserve Association

National Executive Director Thomas J. Snee

Communications Director Lauren Armstrong

Managing Editor Victoria Duran

Contributing Photographer Paul Gunther

Design and Art Direction

FIREBRAND, Alexandria, VA www.firebrandstudios.com

Design Director Scott Rodgerson

Production Manager Sandy Jones

FRA TODAY (ISSN 1935-7192) IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY FRA, 125 N. WEST ST., ALEXANDRIA, VA 22314-2754. A MEMBER’S SUBSCRIPTION IS COVERED BY THE MEMBER’S ANNUAL DUES. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT ALEXANDRIA, VA AND ADDITIONAL OFFICES. PUBLICATION OF NON-SPONSORED ADVERTISING IN FRA TODAY DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN ENDORSEMENT BY THE FRA OR ITS REPRESENTATIVES. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO: MEMBER SERVICES, FRA, 125 N. WEST ST., ALEXANDRIA, VA 22314-2754. FRA TODAY IS PUBLISHED IN THE INTERESTS OF ALL CURRENT AND FORMER ENLISTED PERSONNEL OF THE U.S. NAVY, MARINE CORPS, AND COAST GUARD. ELIGIBLE NON-MEMBERS ARE NOT ENTITLED TO SUBSCRIPTION RATES. ESTABLISHED 1 NOVEMBER 1923. TITLE REGISTERED WITH U.S. PATENT OFFICE.

FRA ADMINISTRATIVE HEADQUARTERS: 125 N. WEST ST., ALEXANDRIA, VA 22314-2754 • PHONE: 703-683-1400, 800-FRA-1924 •

FAX: 703-549-6610 • E-MAIL: FRATODAY@FRA.ORG • WWW.FRA.ORG

VOLUME 95 NUMBER 8

Find us on Facebook: www.fra.org/fb

Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/FRAHQ

Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/FRA_HQ

Lauren Armstrong is FRA’s Director of Communications and serves as the Managing Editor of FRA Today. Please contact her at lauren@fra.org.

The Final FrontierSTAR TREK FANS will undoubtedly identify outer space as “the final fron-tier,” but marine researchers would argue that the icy waters off the coast of Antarctica can make a similar claim. The Ross Sea is the last intact and most pristine ocean ecosystem on the planet, and is home to a wide variety of whales, seals, penguins and fish, many of which can’t be found anywhere else on Earth. It’s a living laboratory and provides scientists the last chance to understand how a healthy marine ecosystem functions.

As the U.S. Coast Guard celebrates its 226th birthday, it’s relevant to note the role this service plays in advancing this research and, ultimate-ly to protecting our planet. This month’s feature story highlights the Coast Guard’s crucial icebreaking work to keep Antarctic scientists and support teams supplied for “wintering over” at the base of the world.

In contrast to the bone-chilling cold and violent thrashing of crush-ing through thick ice, I invite you to watch a beautiful video that con-denses two months of icebreaking into five minutes. It’s a time-elapsed display of the Nathaniel B. Palmer’s journey through the Ross Sea and highlights the beauty and grandeur of this natural wonderland. (The Palmer is a privately-owned, ice-capable vessel that is chartered by the U.S. National Science Foundation.) The video (available at www.fra.org/icebreakingvideo) is produced by Cassandra Brooks, a PhD student at Stanford University, who is studying international ocean policy and highly focused on protecting Antarctica. You can learn more about Ms. Brooks, her blog posts for National Geographic and efforts to protect the Ross Sea at the following websites: • www.cassandrabrooks.com• http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/blog/ocean-views• www.lastocean.org• www.asoc.org

The Coast Guard’s work in the Polar Regions is a great example of cooperation between the U.S. and other nations, as well as with aca-demic, scientific and technology communities across the globe. It’s also a graphic demonstration of the Coast Guard’s multiple missions and how the service’s unique capabilities serve our citizens and the world.

Thank you, USCG, and “Happy Birthday!!”

HAPPY BIRTHDAYto the

U.S. Coast GuardAugust 4, 2016

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FROM THE FANTAIL

Our Multi-Mission Coast GuardHAPPY 226TH BIRTHDAY, UNITED STATES COAST GUARD! Created on August 4, 1790, today’s Coast Guard is our na-tion’s oldest continuous seagoing ser-vice and has been involved in every U.S. war up to and including the con-flicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. From it’s beginning as the “Revenue Marine” to its eventual transition to the “U.S. Revenue Cutter Service,” its original mission was to collect customs du-ties in U.S. seaports. When it merged with the U.S. Life-Saving Service in 1915, the modern Coast Guard was formed. Today, the Coast Guard is charged with maintaining maritime borders, facilitating the global move-ment of goods, responding to threats and hazards to our natural interests and security, and safeguarding natu-ral marine resources. According to the Coast Guard’s 2013 White Paper, the Coast Guard, at its most fundamen-tal level, “protects those on the sea, against threats delivered by sea and the sea itself.”

Growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, I had the opportunity to tour a moored

Coast Guard Cutter on several oc-casions. What struck me then and continues to inspire me is the Coast Guard’s focus on service to our citi-zens. As one of our nation’s seven uniformed services, the Coast Guard’s multiple and varied missions cover … quite literally … the waterfront. In addition to supporting a variety of military operations around the world, the Coast Guard is also tasked with securing our ports, waterways and coastline; drug and migrant interdic-tion, law enforcement, placing and maintaining buoys and other aids to navigation, providing search and res-cue resources in maritime emergen-cies, protecting marine environments, ensuring marine safety and conduct-ing ice operations (as highlighted in this month’s feature story starting on page 18).

This year, Coast Guard Aviation is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Who would have ever thought that back in 1903 a group of surf men from Kill Devil Hill Station in North Carolina would have provided the Wright

brothers the added muscle needed to launch their epic flight? By 1915, the Coast Guard had conceived the use of aircraft for Coast Guard missions and established a flying school. In 1916, Congress authorized the Coast Guard aviation service, which has evolved to the cadre of planes and rescue helicop-ters we know and rely upon today.

FRA annually hosts a breakfast event for members of the congres-sional Coast Guard Caucus to meet with senior leaders of the service. Commandant Admiral Paul Zukunft and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Steve Cantrell attended this year’s event and thanked FRA for its longstanding support of Coast Guard personnel and their families.

The Coast Guard is dedicated to service and has given us a rich 226 years of protection and safety. The Coast Guard is “Always Ready.” SEMPER PARATUS!

Tom Snee

Tom Snee is FRA’s National Executive Director and can be reached at NEDFRA@fra.org.

MCPOCG Cantrell and Deputy MCPOCG Leilani Cale-Jones take a moment to pose with FRA National Vice President Don Larson during FRA’s annual Coast Guard Caucus Breakfast. Photo by FRA.

FRA National Executive Director Tom Snee (center) discusses Coast Guard quality-of-life issues with Connecticut Congressman Joe Courtney and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard (MCPOCG) Steve Cantrell. Photo by Patrick Kelley/USCG.

We’ve all had nights when we just can’t lie down in bed and sleep, whether it’s from heartburn, cardiac problems, hip or back aches – it could be a variety of reasons. Those are the nights we’d give anything for a comfortable chair to sleep in, one that reclines to exactly the right degree, raises feet and legs to precisely the desired level, supports the head and shoulders properly, operates easily even in the dead of night, and sends a hopeful sleeper right off to dreamland.

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“The USS Liberty Story”As a member of the Naval Security Group for 25 years and serving during this time, I thank you from the bot-tom of my heart for writing “The USS Liberty Story” from the crewmembers’ perspective. This is a story that needed to be told. I only hope and pray that the U.S. government gives the crew the proper and fair investigation of this cover-up that is 49 years overdue.

Norman S. Landino

Thank you for printing the true story about the USS Liberty. The world needs to know what really happened. I was flying plane guard duty on that day, off the USS Saratoga, and was returning from delivering mail to our escorts. We noticed a lot of activity on the flight deck and saw the bomb eleva-tors were open, and rockets being loaded on the fixed wing aircraft.

The Air Boss called us and told us to hot refuel and launch immediately for plane guard for the fixed wing launch. We were surprised when he recalled us to the ready room shortly after that, and told us to launch for recovery aircraft. All too soon! After recovering the aircraft, we went down to the ready room again and found the pilots were livid because they had been recalled when they were just minutes from the Liberty.

It was some time later that we were told that the news from the White House [reported] that the pilots could not find the ship. I wonder why I don’t trust the government.

Rev. G. D. Alfrey

Upon reading the account of the USS Liberty, I feel com-pelled to forward my take on the subject. I was incensed to read this account of what happened during the Six Day War! There is one word which jumped out at me — ABANDONED! This is a pattern established years ago. I refer you back to 1964.

I was serving in VFP-63, a photo squadron stationed in Miramar, Calif. We sent a detachment on all carriers head-ing for WESTPAC. Lt. Charles Klusmann, pilot of the F-8 Crusader, with the detachment on USS Kittyhawk, was shot down by ground fire during a recon mission over Laos (June 6, 1964). Although a rescue mission was mounted, it was recalled by Secretary of Defense McNamarra. In a telecom, Admiral Felt in Hawaii was told by the Secretary that “there was to be no round eye rescue of pilots under these circum-stances!” De facto policy of abandonment. The account of Klusmann’s capture, subsequent escape, and the entire con-versation between Felt, McNamarra and President Johnson is a matter of record.

This is precisely why all America is fed up with “ques-tionable process,” but what goes around will eventually

come around! (Hopefully, someone will one day get to the bottom of this.) Sad!

It’s disturbing  to know  how many of our military key personnel have denounced the official version of the attack on Liberty and that the full and true story remains officially untold. 

Thanks to you, Ernie [Gallo] and Phil [Tourney] for “The USS Liberty Story.” It’s a great one!

Joe Steranka

I did 30 years in the U.S Navy and my last duty station was on the USS Shangri La (CVA-38). On the fateful day for the Liberty, I was the assigned Catapult Officer. As the war was developing, we were at general quarters with two loaded fighter planes on the catapults in condition three. At one point, I had the green light from the bridge to launch as one of our ships was being attacked. I had the starboard plane on the cat wound up and ready for the pilots salute, at which time I would do my thing, drop to the deck, touch it two times and the catapult deck edge operator would hit the launch button. Just as I was about to do this sequence I looked up at the bridge and the green light had turned red, meaning the deck was fouled and to shut down the launch. There seemed to be mass confusion on the bridge as they shut down the entire operation and we stood down from condition three and General Quarters.

The crew of the Shang never knew the details of the at-tack until a press release indicated that one of our destroy-ers had been hit. We assumed the Arabs had destroyed our ship. Years later, I read a story that the Israelis were the ones that had [attempted to sink Liberty]. I couldn’t believe it!

I  was really thrilled to see and read the first-hand ac-count in the FRA Today.

Walter King, JR, LT USN (RET) 

Thank you from PNP Jim Eblen’s FamilyThere are simply no words to express my gratitude for all the expressions of care and concern shown to my family and me in the wake of Jim’s passing. I can’t begin to list the many shipmates and Auxiliary members who went above and be-yond to demonstrate their support and love during this most difficult time. You all live “Loyalty, Protection and Service” every day and our entire family will be forever grateful for the bond we share with our FRA Family. Thank you.

Ruth Eblen

SHIPMATE FORUM

Submissions Send Shipmate Forum letters to Editor, FRA Today, 125 N. West St. Alexandria, VA 22314. E-mail submissions may be sent to fratoday@fra.org. Please include “Shipmate Forum” in the subject line. FRA reserves the right to select and edit letters for publication. Letters published in Shipmate Forum reflect the opinions and views of FRA members. They do not necessarily reflect the official position of FRA as a whole. FRA is not responsible for the accuracy of letter content.

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ON & OFF CAPITOL HILL

John Davis

AS THIS ISSUE OF FRA Today goes to print, a conference committee is meeting to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of the FY 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), and military pay and benefits are in jeopardy. Cuts that will impact military re-tirees and active duty personnel are being considered as House and Senate negotiators attempt to meet the spend-ing limits established in the 2015 budget agreement.

A major difference between the House (H.R. 4909) and Senate (S. 2943) versions of the Defense Authorization bills is that the House seeks an additional $18 billion more for Defense programs than the Senate. The Administration also opposes the additional funding. Establishing the “bottom line” for Defense spending will drive decisions on specific programs.

Despite the challenges, FRA has been successful in get-ting both the House and Senate to:• Reject the Administration’s request for new TRICARE

for Life (TFL) fees for new beneficiaries; • Extend the Special Survivors Indemnity Allowance

(SSIA) for widows/widowers for at least one year;• Eliminate a pilot program to privatize stateside com-

missaries; and• Improve military divorce law (USFSPA) by requiring

awards to former spouses be based on service mem-ber’s grade/years of service at the time of the divorce

and not at retirement. The change is not retroactive and pertains to settlements after the effective date of the bill. This FY 2017 NDAA is shaping up to be a critical

bill for benefits and compensation. The House approved a 2.1-percent pay increase for active duty personnel, but the Senate’s lower bottom line limits the increase to only 1.6 percent. Proposals to restructure the TRICARE healthcare program and substantially increase costs for TRICARE beneficiaries (targeted primarily at retirees un-der age 65) are also on the table. FRA strongly opposes a Senate provision that would reduce Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) payments for stateside service members who are married to, or who share off-base quarters with, another service member. The bill also seeks to limit BAH payments to actual housing costs or the established BAH rate, whichever is lower. These proposals would impose a heavy financial penalty on service members who choose to marry other service members rather than civilians, and it would particularly penalize junior service members who choose to room together and homeowners who man-age to pay off mortgages.

FRA shipmates are encouraged to communicate with their legislators by using FRA’s online Action Center (action.fra.org/action-center/) to express concern on these and other critical issues.

Final NDAA Could Include Cuts to Pay and Benefits

Shipmates and Auxiliary members are gearing up for our national conventions, scheduled for October 11–16th.

The Lexington Hotel and Conference Center (1515 Prudential Drive, Jacksonville, FL) has reserved a block of room at a special rate of $89 (plus tax) per night, which includes two hot breakfasts per double-occupancy room.

Call 904-396-5100 to make hotel reservations. (Be sure to mention the group code “Fleet Reserve” when making your reservations.)

Visit www.fra.org/nc2016 for more information. Plan now to be part of the fun!

Have a BIG TIME in Jacksonville!!

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ON & OFF CAPITOL HILL

Training for New Blended Retirement SystemThe Department of Defense (DoD) released the first of four online training courses that provide education about the military’s new blended retirement system that takes effect on January 1, 2018. The first training course is specially designed for leaders, so they can understand the new retirement system before service members are introduced to it. The Leader Course (J3OP-US1330) is posted to Joint Knowledge Online (common access card required) and will be posted to Navy e-Learning soon. Three other web-based training courses for financial spe-cialists, new accessions and those who are eligible to opt-in to the new system will be released in the coming months.

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2016 established this new blended military retirement system and will automatically be the retirement program for military personnel who join on or after January 1, 2018. All currently-serving personnel are grandfathered into today’s military retirement system, but those with fewer than 12 years of service as of December 31, 2017 (or fewer than 4,320 retirement points in the case of Reserve Component members), will be able to choose to remain in the current system or opt-in to the blended military retirement system.

Visit www.fra.org/onwatch/blendedretirement for more information.

SecNav Implements New Administrative Separation PlanSecretary of the Navy Ray Mabus signed a new procedural policy that will make the Navy and Marine Corps the first branches of the military to assure mental health conditions such as PTSD and TBI are considered before a service member is given an involuntary administrative separation that is less than honorable. Any service member previously separated under similar circumstances may also petition to have their discharge reviewed through either the Naval Discharge Review Board or Board for Correction of Naval Records (BCNR). This reform will protect Marines and Sailors who have mental health conditions contributing to their miscon-duct, whereas before the misconduct took priority over diagnosed mental health conditions. This regulatory reform takes effect immediately.

For more information on this issue go to: http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=94996

For more information on the Naval Discharge Review Board, visit: www.secnav.navy.mil/mra/CORB/pages/ndrb/default.aspx.

For more on the Board for Correction of Naval Records, visit: www.secnav.navy.mil/mra/bcnr/Pages/home.aspx

Navy Reviews Enlisted Rating TitlesAt the requests of Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, the Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Mike Stevens, the Navy has announced it will work to develop a new approach to its enlisted ratings. The new enlisted ratings are intended to provide greater detailing flexibility, training and credentialing oppor-tunities, are more gender inclusive, and ultimately translates Navy occupations more clearly to the American public.

“As we move to achieve full integration of the force, mirroring more closely the nation that we defend, this is an opportunity to update position titles and descriptions to be more inclu-sive and better translate occupation and skill sets to prospective employers when Sailors and Marines leave the service,” said Mabus.

The Navy will establish a working group comprised of senior leaders from throughout the fleet to study how potential changes to rating titles may affect related personnel policy issues. Results of that review are expected to be completed and announced later this fall.

ACTIVE DUTY/RESERVE ISSUES

New MCPON AnnouncedFleet Master Chief Steven S. Giordana has been selected to be the 14th Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON). Giordano, a native of Baltimore, Md., enlisted in the Navy in June 1989 and is currently serving as U.S. Naval Forces Europe/U.S. Naval Forces Africa Fleet Master Chief. He will relieve MCPON Mike Stevens, who assumed the watch in June of 2012 and plans to retire from the Navy in early September of this year.

The MCPON position was created by legisla-tion in 1966 that was strongly supported by FRA. MCPON, the most senior enlisted member of the Navy, is appointed by the Chief of Naval Operations to serve as a spokesper-son to all levels of Navy leadership on issues impacting enlisted personnel.

VA Eliminates Paper Signature for Health CareThe Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) re-cently announced it has eliminated paper sig-nature requirements for veterans wishing to enroll in VA health care. Effective immediately, VA has amended its enrollment regulations to allow veterans to complete applications for enrollment in the VA health care system by telephone, without the need for a paper sig-nature. This action also accelerates VA’s effort to enroll all combat veterans with pending enrollments as part of its ongoing Veterans Enrollment Rework Project (VERP).

By adding this telephone application option, the VA now offers a variety of ways to enroll in VA healthcare systems: Visit www.va.gov/healthbenefits/apply to access forms or apply online. Veterans who wish to enroll by phone can call 1-877-222-VETS (8387), Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM (Eastern time).

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Senators Push for “Veterans First Act”Members of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs (SVAC) recently came together on the Senate floor to urge their fellow senators to allow a vote on the “Veterans First Act.” Committee Chairman Johnny Isakson (Ga.) introduced a bi-partisan omnibus bill (S. 2921) to improve accountability at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and make improvements to veteran’s health care and benefits. The bill, which is supported by Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (Conn.) and 41 other co-sponsors, was voted out of committee and is awaiting consideration by the full Senate at press time.

The bill includes:

• Establishing prompt payment standards for community medical providers under the Veteran’s Choice program;

• Requiring the VA to implement a fully-developed appeals program, to test the concept of a significantly streamlined process, and permitting the Board of Veterans Appeals to increase use of video hearings;

• Expanding VA’s Family Caregivers program for all catastrophically disabled veterans (cur-rently only veterans disabled after September 11, 2001 are eligible).

• Expanding VA’s Family Caregivers program services for caregivers to include financial planning and legal services;

• Enhancing research on potential health effects from toxic exposure to veterans and their descendants; and

• Requiring the VA to do a study on the scope of issues related to unclaimed remains of veterans.

This bill improves accountability at the VA, advances veteran’s health care delivery and benefits. FRA supports many of these provisions and urges members to use the FRA Action Center (action.fra.org/action-center/) to ask their senators to support this legislation.

Veterans Suicide Prevention Discussed An average of 22 veterans commit suicide each day. As a result, suicide prevention is a prior-ity issue for FRA. During a recent event at the National Press Club, in Washington D.C., Kim Ruocco of Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), addressed the topic “How can we Reduce Veteran Suicide?” Ruocco noted that veterans are 12 times more likely to die by suicide than nonveterans; female veterans are six times more likely to die by suicide than their civilian counterparts; and more lives have been lost to suicide in the past 15 years than the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Ruocco also noted that those who unfortunately choose suicide commonly have some kind of unresolved condition, such as a traumatic event. Family, friends and spouses often want to protect the service member, and may hesitate in encouraging them to seek outside counseling.

Other speakers, including family members of veterans who committed suicide, stressed the importance of remaining engaged, looking at family life, and medical history. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is working to improve its methods of gathering and analyzing data to better understand the motives of those who commit suicide, and to break the stigma in the military culture that would portray the service member as weak if he/she seeks help for suicidal thoughts. The VA is nearing completion of a new study that will give a more accurate picture of the number of veterans who are dying by suicide.

FRA supported the “Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act” (H.R. 203/S. 167) that was signed into law (P. L. 114-2) last year. The measure was sponsored by Rep. Tim Walz (Minn.) and Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), respectively, and had bi-partisan support. It requires the VA and DoD to annually (at a minimum), allow for an independent third-party evaluation of the agencies’ mental health care and suicide prevention programs.

Supreme Court Rulings Helps Veteran Small Business OwnersThe U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled unani-mously against the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in the case of Kingdomware Technologies, Inc. v. United States, for fail-ing to comply with The Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006. The law is intended to increase the number of federal contracts awarded to disabled veteran-owned small businesses. All eight justices sided with Kingdomware Technologies, a Maryland-based company owned by a disabled veteran.

Federal law requires government agencies to use a bidding process if two or more disabled veteran-owned companies can offer service at a fair and reasonable price. A federal ap-peals court ruled the VA did not have to fol-low the “Rule of Two,” if it otherwise met the government’s goal of awarding between 7 and 12 percent of all contracts to veteran-owned small businesses. In overturning the lower court ruling, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas said, meeting annual benchmarks does not allow VA to ignore a mandatory contracting rule; that it applied to all contract determinations.

To read the court opinions go to: http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/15pdf/14-916_6j37.pdf

VETERANS/RETIREE ISSUES

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Agent Orange Exposure Impacts Veteran’s DescendantsThe Virginian-Pilot and ProPublica recently hosted a panel discussion near Capitol Hill to discuss the effect Agent Orange exposure has on children of Vietnam veterans. The Virginian-Pilot has been doing research over the past year and has a series of stories on their website that relate to the impact of Agent Orange on the offspring of those who were exposed to it . While nobody denies that the toxin, Agent Orange (AO), used as a defoliant during the Vietnam War, has caused serious health problems in the service members, there is strong evidence to suggest that the children of those service members are also dealing with a higher risk of health problems.

Heather Bowser, co-founder of Children of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance and the daughter of a Vietnam Vet who died of an AO-related illness, was born without a right leg below the knee and several deformed fingers. She emphasized that because AO was spread where they lived, it was in the water they drank, and was mixed in with “the everyday life” of the service members. Rory Riley-Topping, principal at Riley-Topping Consulting and a lawyer who has represented vet-erans before the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA), acknowl-edges that in many individual cases there is not enough evidence to suggest the disability is AO-related. Nonetheless, after hearing so many cases, one can’t help but make the connection.

Several Vietnam veterans gave emotional statements about their experiences in dealing with the death of their children and their concerns for future generations. Panel members insisted that more studies are needed. When asked directly if there should be a research facility within the VA to study toxins, panel members all agreed that such a facility should exist as part of a coalition of research facilities.

Also discussed during the event was the VA’s pledge to conduct its first nationwide survey of Vietnam veterans in more than 30 years and plans to enlist an outside panel of experts to further study the effects of AO on veterans, their children and grandchildren.

FRA National Executive Director Thomas Snee, Assistant Director of Veterans Programs Brian Condon and Intern Joseph Moore attended the event, entitled “A Toxic Legacy: Has Agent Orange Hurt the Children of Vietnam Vets?” Panel members included Bowser, Riley-Topping, Linda Spoonster Schwartz, Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Kenneth Ramos, chair at the Institute of Medicine (IOM).

Visit www.fra.org/AOchildren to view the entire panel discussion.

Agent Orange Provision Dropped from MilCon/VA Appropriations Bill The House approved a spending bill (H.R. 4974) for Military Construction and the Department of Veterans Affairs (MilCon/VA) that included language to provide presumptive service-connection to Blue Water Navy Vietnam veterans who are experiencing health problems associated with exposure to Agent Orange. Unfortunately, this provision was not in the Senate version of the appropriations bill and the FRA-supported amendment was dropped when a conference com-mittee met to resolve differences between the two measures. The final conference report failed to get the required 60 votes in the Senate and House staff believe that many of the original provisions will be included in an omnibus appropriations bill that will encompass many, if not all, of the other 11 spending bills that provide funding for the federal government for FY 2017.

FRA thanks the many shipmates who used the FRA Action Center to generate nearly 5,000 e-mail messages in support of the Agent Orange provision. FRA will continue its efforts to secure presumptive status for the thousands of Navy veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange during their off-shore duties in Vietnam, but are denied healthcare benefits or disability compensation. Members can continue to weigh in on this issue through the FRA Action Center at action.fra.org/action-center.

VETERANS/RETIREE ISSUES

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FRA defends those benefits and ensures that key decision makers on Capitol Hill understand the military and veterans’ perspectives. America’s security depends on you, and FRA believes that you should be able to depend on the promises that Congress made to you in return for your service.Visit www.fra.org to learn more, read our legislative agenda and see the real ways we ensure that your needs are met. We are proud to serve you and to make sure your voice is heard.

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Bill Proposes New Management of VA Hospitals

House Republican Conference Chairwoman Cathy McMorris-Rogers (Wash.) has released (not introduced) draft legislation that eliminates the Veterans Health Administration’s (VHA) role in hospital care, medical services and other health care services for veterans, and creates a Washington, D.C.-based cor-poration and board of directors to take its place. The draft legislation comes as Congress continues to grapple with delays and dysfunction in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) nationwide network of hospitals and clinics more than two years after a scandal over long wait times for care.

McMorris-Rogers stated, “My goal is for veterans to have the ability to choose what health care plan best fits their individual needs. This proposal should serve as the starting point for putting veterans in charge of their health care. I look forward to receiving feedback from veterans and the organizations that represent them, so we can ensure veterans receive the health care they de-serve and have earned in a timely manner.”

Members are encouraged to weigh in on this issue on Facebook (www.fra.org/fb)

New TRICARE Coverage for Major Depressive Disorder Treatment

TRICARE recently announced coverage of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) as a treatment for major depressive disorder. TMS is used when other depression treatments have not been effective. Research shows that only half of the depressive disorder patients treated with medication and talk therapy achieve any success. Consequently, there is a need to try an alternative treat-ment like TMS.

During a treatment, an electromagnetic coil is placed against the patient’s scalp. The coil delivers a magnetic pulse through the skull, inducing a low level electric current. The patient receives multiple pulses over several seconds, with each treatment session lasting about 40 minutes.

TMS is non-invasive and treatments are typically done in an outpatient setting without anesthesia. The electromagnetic pulse stimulates nerve cells in the region of the brain that controls mood and depression. Because treatment is typically repetitive, you may hear the treatment called repetitive TMS or rTMS.

This new benefit took effect May 24, 2016 and is not a part of a pilot or demonstration program, but a part of the basic TRICARE benefit. Visit Tricare.mil for more information.

VETERANS/RETIREE ISSUES

The FRA Legislative Team is National Executive Director Tom Snee, Director of Legislative Programs John Davis, Assistant Director of Legislative Programs Stephen Tassin, Assistant Director of Veterans’ Programs Brian Condon and National Veterans Service Director Chris Slawinski.

FRA’s Education Foundation awards over $100,000

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on financial need, academic standing, character

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open to anyone who has an affiliation with the USN,

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spouse, parent or grandparent.

To learn more about the FRA Education Foundation

and our scholarships, visit www.fra.org/foundation

where you will find descriptions of each scholarship

program, lists of past winners and, starting in

September of each year, applications for the current

year’s programs. We encourage all eligible recipients

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Recruiting the Next Generation

MEMBERSHIP MATTERS

THE KEY TO RECRUITING the next gen-eration of FRA members may be to help recruit new shipmates into the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. By sharing your Sea Service experi-ences, you can offer a young millen-nial (born between 1980 – 2000) an opportunity to think about serving their country. As a Coast Guard retir-ee, I want to dedicate this article to the men and women of the United States Coast Guard, which celebrates its 226th birthday on August 4th.

Whichever branch of service you are affiliated with, your experience gives you a unique perspective on military service to share with poten-tial recruits. The Coast Guard pro-motes a program called Everyone is a Recruiter, which encourages Coast Guard personnel, including active duty, reserves, auxiliary and retirees, to support recruiting efforts and criti-cal recruiting needs. The Navy and Marine Corps have similar programs that encourage service veterans to promote military service to others.

Here are ways to get involved in military and FRA recruiting efforts:

Be involved in the community ac-tivities that bring you in contact with young adults. Participate in service projects, volunteer efforts, mentorship programs and schools within your community. Use these opportunities to share your stories and personal experiences.

Refer a potential recruit to your service’s Recruiting Command’s web-site: www.navy.com, www.marines.com or www.gocoastguard.com. Each site provides information on all avail-able programs that service has to of-fer and all of them include a “Find a Recruiter” feature. You might also encourage them to “like” the service’s Facebook page, where they can stay up

to date on the service’s activities and share that information with friends.

FRA members can also visit those recruiting offices and get to know the local recruiters. Make contact to offer support and see if there are any partic-ular needs that FRA could help meet. You can also volunteer to help out at ongoing recruiting events. Wear your FRA regalia and stand alongside the recruiter to tell your story about your sea service life.

Be prepared in advance to answer questions about your service, especial-ly about its rich history, current mis-sions and how you helped the service accomplish its missions during your tours of duty. Much may have changed since you were on active duty, but the pride in service and the warrior ethos is constant.

Be proud to engage with interested perspective recruits, as well as rela-tives and friends and explain your mil-itary experiences. Be available to make presentations on your service expe-rience to prospects at school career days, scout meetings, and other events

attended by millennials and their fam-ilies. If you interact with a very inter-ested prospect, know your bounds and refer them to the expert recruiter.

The U.S. military is looking for applicants who are motivated, trust-worthy, judicious, athletic, intelligent and demonstrate the right attitude. This Sea Services are also looking to introduce talented applicants into the enlisted and officer ranks. Enrichment through diversity is a hallmark of our nation’s armed forces and military service provides an excellent oppor-tunity to introduce men and women who represent a wide range of races, ethnicities, religions, cultures, talents, geographic origins, ideas and perspec-tives into the military lifestyle.

To become a member of the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard, each applicant must meet minimum standards regarding age, education and physical fitness. Applicants must be at least 18 years old (17 with pa-rental permission) and must be a U.S. citizen or legal resident of the U.S. Most recruits must have a high school diploma, but GEDs are accepted in some circumstances. Applicants must pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test and a military entrance medical exam.

As FRA members you can assist in this recruiting effort for your re-spective service by demonstrating your knowledge and sharing your Sea Service experiences. Lend a hand and become a volunteer recruiter for the U.S. military, as well as FRA.

Penny Collins is FRA’s Director of Membership Development and a member of FRA Branch 24 in Annapolis, Md. She can be reached at penny@fra.org.

Penny Collins

Whichever branch

of service you are

affiliated with, your

experience gives you

a unique perspective

on military service

to share with

potential recruits.

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FRA NEW LIFE MEMBERS

FRA CONGRATULATES THE FOLLOWING shipmates who have become Life Members during the second quarter of 2016. The listing also includes their branch number or their designation as a Member-at-Large (MAL). Call 1-800-FRA-1924 to learn how you can become a Life Member of FRA.

AprilGerald G. Von Ronne MALEllis F. Price 184Robert L. Dunlap 067Coy Junior Walker 023Robert T Behm 113Alberto P Tcruz 018William E. Robbins, Jr. 309Richard Leissner MALJoseph T. Bandao 154Michael Roy 060William F Bailey 311Jose P. Sepagan 247Jack Peebles 097Richard L O ‘Laughlin 208Raymond E Brown, Jr. MAL

Ellis L Barger MALDonald Ferus, Sr. 015Jon Broadbent MALPaul E. Taylor 212David N McCoy 291William Neaton MALMichael J Rigby 276Robert Winn 099David N Mentink 238Tyson D. Dorman 024Leonard J. Morgan 055Thomas D Gall, Jr. MALRobert E Lefaive 175David J Black 023Donna M Wilson MAL

Arthur D Enzenauer MALRoger T. Morrow, Sr. 024William D Astin 086Betty J Witt 097Fain B Boruff, Jr. 367Kenneth J. Keller 105Larry D Dickerson MALPaul W Gerrard 091Douglas M. Burr 024John Hayes MALSam Kirsch 307Charles D Kuck, Sr. 269James E. Flori MALRalph J. Myrick MALRod R Kroll MAL

Edward A. Wright MALBryce Higa 024Vernon E Zuleger 090Stephen K Sippel MALWilliam W Price MALGeorge L McCullen 020Raymond Cole MALBarry L Larson 367Richard Kovach 126Jack M Pleger 163Robert L. Brekke 212Ralph J Vigenski 040Roger L Arnold MALCharles C. Jarrett MALDaniel K Morgan MAL

MayJames F Perry 024Huey Jones 091John Kreider MALPhillip S Massie MALVernon M Pegram 261Russell L Jurkovich MALAndrew C Fish 024Lorrie P Fish 024John Bastien 136Robert M Noonan MALChester Nowak 017Padgett R Ballard, Jr. MALCharles E. Rogers 307Kevin C. Sullivan 307John Edward Oberle MALRalph R Dykman 159John M Bunting 102Charles E Angell 042James Turner, Jr. 202

Alejandro S Bravo, Jr. 004Jessie Crawford, Jr. 112Ray E Brown 104Jerry T Pennington 070John G Payne 091Joseph H. Vocelka 276Charles J Weber 115Leroy D Dailey MALRodney Ricker 156Raymond L Schilly 161Willard E Cross MALAlexander Phillips 001Wayne H Hopkins MALWilliam C. Fish 126Ronald Duncan MALDonald P. Moade MALRaymond E Fulton 147Deborah A Long 214Alfred J. Decker MAL

Dannie D. Carroll 289Hal Tatlow MALJames R. Cantrell 024Robert L Lish 289Don F Bailey, Sr. MALEarl L Simpkins MALRichard A Bond 126James T. Green 293John M Brady 178Alvin H Kracke 273Michael Raber 024Ted G Everhart 259John D Zito 290John R Childers 029Charles R Cooley, Jr. MALThomas J Owens 324Sandra L Holicky 046Joseph Mauro MALEdwin R Spitzer 170

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JuneKenneth R Leonard 242David E Weller 024James L Feenstra 175Donald D Hensley 022Marvin D Hildreth 161Willis Samuel Nestlerode MALWilliam S. Edwards MALFrank W Damstra MALGene G Simpo 269Melvin Atchison MALBobby L Oakley 126Paul Theobald 201

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Delbert C Glover 208Jack D. Sturdivant MALDouglas O Doza MALWilliam H Weyant 057James F Flyntz 042Merrill H Schlicker 006Olav E Selle 120Donald W Black, Jr. 061Carole Darlyn Davis MALMark W. Thompson 104

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It’s a cycle as constant as the changing of the seasons. When those of us in the Northern Hemisphere are experiencing sum-mertime heat waves, the scientists doing research in Antarctica are experiencing winter, braving brutal July temperatures that range from 18 degrees below zero (F) to a low of -76 degrees. And when we’re hoping for a white Christmas in North America, those serving in the Antarctic are looking forward to nearly end-less sunlight and relatively balmy average highs of -16 degrees (F). They’re also looking forward to the annual harbinger of summer — the arrival of USCGC Polar Star (WAGB-10) as she plows through thick ice to make way for the supply ships that will follow her.

Polar Star makes her annual trek to McMurdo Station, a U.S. Antarctic Program base run by the National Science Foundation (NSF). NSF works with the Coast Guard to ensure access each astral summer and it’s the Polar Star’s mission to cut a channel in the dense ice that clogs McMurdo Sound so that fuel, food and other supplies can be delivered to restock the station for the coming year.

Homeported in Seattle, Wash., USCGC Polar Star is the Coast Guard’s only heavy icebreaker and the only vessel in our na-tion’s fleet capable of cutting through ice that can reach 20 feet thick or more. Her annual routine is as constant as the

seasons. She traditionally leaves Seattle in November, travels south to break up the sea ice of McMurdo Sound during the region’s warmest period and returns home sometime in April.

“Trips to Antarctica are approximately six-month tours,” explains Deputy Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard (MCPOCG-D) Leilani Cale-Jones, who experienced two rotations to Antarctica during her assignment to the now-inactive USCGC Polar Sea (WAGB-11) in 2000–2002. “We left Seattle, turned left and kept going. Our motto was ‘Always Summer; Never Warm.’”

ICEBREAKING MISSIONThe Coast Guard’s icebreaking mission serves two critical purposes in the Antarctic — U.S. sovereignty and scientific support.

Cale-Jones summarizes it well. “The USCG’s presence in the polar regions is significant for the U.S. and NSF missions. The Antarctic continent isn’t really claimed by anyone. The U.S. has signed the Antarctica Treaty, [which sets aside the conti-nent as a scientific preserve, establishes freedom of scientific investigation and bans military activity there] and our pres-ence demonstrates our national sovereignty there. We’re also providing critical support to the NSF scientists doing research

there. The NSF covers the cost of fuel and helicopter hours once we cross below 60 degrees South.”

Cale-Jones adds that all USCG cutters are multi-mission platforms. It’s not uncommon for U.S. icebreakers to rescue other ships that are ice-bound or otherwise in distress during their Antarctic journeys. “We also protect the Howland and Baker Islands’ Exclusive Economic Zone and other places where fisheries are the mainstay to smaller countries’ economy. The U.S. Coast Guard ensures there are no intercessions of these fisheries in order to maintain economic stability.”

“The Polar Regions offer valuable opportunities for interna-tional interoperability among Arctic nations and others who have shared interests in the region,” Admiral Paul F. Zukunft, Commandant of the Coast Guard, elaborates. “These harsh, unforgiving environments require unprecedented coopera-tion across governments, agencies, communities, academic institutions and industry as we ensure safety, security and stewardship of all. The Polar Star is a national asset, vital to our sovereignty as an Arctic Nation.”

The United States has been studying the Antarctic and its interactions with the rest of the planet since 1956. The National Science Foundation sponsors three year-round research sta-tions, where scientists seek to understand the region and its

ecosystems; study the effects of, and needed responses to, global climate change and other processes that impact the region; and use the area as a platform for studying the upper atmosphere and space. According to the NSF website, research is done in Antarctica only when it can’t be performed at more convenient locations.

McMurdo Station is the hub for all the research being under-taken on the icy continent. The lion’s share of scientific support is orchestrated from McMurdo and the U.S. military coordinates resupplying the outpost as part of Operation Deep Freeze. Without the USCG’s icebreaking efforts there, resupplying the facility would be impossible and the NSF mission would have to be abandoned.

“I like to think that we’re allowing those scientists to conduct research that just might save the planet,” said USCG Captain Matt Walker in a 2014 interview (ww2.kqed.org), during his command of the Polar Star. “We might just be rescuing mankind by supporting the science that’s being conducted in Antarctica.”

Because of climate change, polar science is more important than ever and supporting the scientific mission is a justifi-able point of pride for Coast Guard personnel who have the privilege of experiencing this unique duty. Just ask MK3 Lauren Leonard, who joined the Coast Guard in 2012 and is currently serving the third of a three-year tour aboard Polar Star.

“The Coast Guard’s Antarctic mission is extremely impor-tant because if we didn’t go south to break open a shipping channel, McMurdo station would not be supplied with the things they need to survive. People would starve without food shipments, freeze without propane deliveries, or be trapped without fuel shipments for planes and cars,” says Leonard. “Without us, those deliveries would never make it to Antarctica. Our mission literally allows these people to survive.”

The Coast Guard’s icebreakers also have the capability to con-duct their own scientific research onboard, but since Polar Star is the only icebreaker that can go to Antarctica, its workload has increased and the scientific aspect of its mission has been seriously curtailed in recent years. But that isn’t to say that the crew and ship lay idle once they reach McMurdo Station. During their time there, the Polar Star crewmembers perform their daily watch duties and also conduct maintenance work on their vessel, as well as some of the infrastructure at the station.

CRUSHING THE ICEThe actual process of breaking a channel into McMurdo Station is a demonstration of sheer mass and power. The objective is to find the path of least resistance and Polar Star will follow fis-sures and breaks in order to avoid solid ice whenever possible. But if breaking is required, there no U.S. vessel better equipped to do the job.

This engineering marvel weighs in at about 14,000 tons when fully loaded — twice the weight of a U.S. Navy destroyer. (By

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TOP: McMurdo Station. Photo by Eli Duke/flickr.com

LEFT: Kris Waters, an engineering flight test specialist with Aerovironment Inc., records a wind reading with an anemometer on Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star’s flight deck in the Southern Ocean. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Grant DeVuyst.

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comparison, Polar Star is 399 feet long compared to the 520 feet of a Navy destroyer.) Of that total weight, approximately 10,000 tons is accounted for in her hull, which is a primary ele-ment of her unique capabilities. The ice-crushing bow is nearly two inches thick and made of a special steel alloy that’s resis-tant to the cold. To withstand the vibration and forces involved with icebreaking, the ribs of the ship are placed six inches closer together than in more traditional ship construction.

Polar Star is driven by three huge engines that bring a com-bined 75,000 horsepower to the fight. Those engines drive three propellers that measure 18 feet in diameter and deliver enough force to literally drive the shallow bow up onto the ice, crushing it with its massive weight.

“If you look at a cross section of the hull, you’ll see the bow is shallower than the rest of the ship. Aft of the bridge, the draft is 32 feet, but it’s considerably less forward of that,” explains Cale-Jones. “When we get our weigh on, the bow of the boat actually goes over and on top of the ice and the weight of the vessel helps break it.”

Polar Star can break through six feet of ice without stopping and, if the ice is thicker than that, a back-and-ram technique is employed to crush through ice as thick as 21 feet.

As you might imagine, breaking ice is not a gentle process. Captain Walker compared it to an on-going earthquake. Break-ins might last a week or more and, once the ship impacts the ice, it’s too loud and bone-rattling for crew members to watch TV or read. “If you can imagine experiencing [an earthquake] every minute for hours as we crush through the ice, it’s pretty violent,” said Walker.

Each trip south tests every element of the ship and crew’s capability. “Icebreaking is hard on equipment, which in turn, requires a lot of maintenance and operational attention,” recalls Shipmate Don DeLauter (Branch 276, Omaha, Nebr.), who served as a machinery technician aboard two icebreakers during his four years on active Coast Guard duty. “I remember many long days and nights making repairs, constantly mov-ing and filtering fuel from storage tanks to day/use tanks, and watches that seemed to start just after they ended. The extra personnel required during each watch to keep things moving as smoothly as possible meant that we had to stand watch more frequently.”

READY FOR ANYTHINGBy definition, Antarctic operations require the ship and crew to conduct their duties in remote and extreme conditions. The crew is issued heavy winter parkas before they hit the ice; items that must be returned when a crewmember leaves the unit.

“In addition to parkas, we basically get issued enough heavy weather items to cover every inch of our body,” explains

Leonard. “Balaclavas and goggles, gloves, boots, etc. are all issued so that we don’t have to be uncomfortable in the cold. During our small boat operations, I don’t have any skin exposed to the elements, or else I will suffer from the wind and sea spray.”

When deployed to the Antarctic, Polar Star is miles from any source of help or support, so they must be self-sufficient and able to handle any emergency. Every crew member is trained in emergency response techniques and daily training drills are tailored to the unique platform and mission.

During her tours aboard Polar Sea (WAGB-11), Cale-Jones was assigned as a yeoman. Her primary responsibilities entailed admin and personnel work, but she was also the command senior chief aboard. “I also had watch station responsibilities to communicate damage reports to the bridge. If there was a fire, for example, it would be reported from damage control central through me to the captain. I’m not an ice-driver myself, but I was also investigator-qualified, if the need arose.”

As a machinery technician, MK3 Leonard has undergone exten-sive training in order to do the work necessary to keep Polar Star in top form. “The training we get on this cutter’s specific engineering plant is very unique. The equipment used onboard is more powerful than any other boat in the fleet, and the knowledge required for even entry-level members is extensive. Every single person on board is required to be educated and prepared to spot problems on short notice.”

DeLauter’s icebreaking duty included a tour in the Arctic, where some crew members had to sit on polar-bear lookout when the crew had ice liberty. Other than that, he doesn’t believe his duties as an MK were that much different from his counterparts

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serving in non-polar regions, “though perhaps a little more at-tention to the equipment was required, such as more frequent filter cleaning/changing, ensuring sea chests (where sea water is obtained for cooling equipment) didn’t freeze or clog with ice, and venting air from the cooling water piping.”

Training is essential in all military units, but even more for a crew that has a high percentage of young, inexperienced service members. “For many of our crewmembers, icebreaking duty is their first assignment out of boot camp,” explains Cale-Jones. “On Polar Sea, we had about a 30-percent turn over each summer.”

When the ship isn’t underway, it is almost always in dry dock being repaired. According to Leonard, the ship has an annual contract with the dry docks, because it is always in need of repair after being beaten by the ice for months.

“Icebreakers take a lot of abuse during their six-month rotation,” echoes Cale-Jones. “The ice beats the boat around terribly. The icebreaking process shakes the hell out of the

entire ship, so everything has to be examined and repaired — the shafts, the engines, everything.”

THE NEED FOR NEW ICEBREAKERSThe Polar Star is currently the only U. S. vessel capable of hand-ing Antarctic icebreaking operations. (USCGC Healy, a medium icebreaker, operates in the Arctic, but isn’t adequate to handle the thick ice of Antarctica.) Commissioned in 1976, the Polar Star is operating well past her 30-year life expectancy. She was refitted in 2006, which was projected to extend her service life through 2020-2023, but she’s now doing double duty and the need to handle the icebreaking mission solo is taking its toll on the 40-year-old vessel.

Polar Star used to alternate Antarctic tours with her sister ship, USCGC Polar Sea. But Polar Sea was taken off active status in 2010 and it seems unlikely that she’ll see ice ops again. As the cutter continues to age and its equipment becomes obsolete, repairs to Polar Star are often accomplished by cannibalizing parts from Polar Sea. With Polar Sea out of commission, the Polar Star … and her crew … must travel south every year instead of every two.

“Some boats in the fleet have A and B crews that rotate, but our ship needs every person of the crew onboard during every movement, because there’s so much going on in our engineer-ing plant and on deck at all times,” explains Leonard.

Deploying more frequently increases the wear and tear, dry dock periods are lasting longer and the current operational tempo can’t be sustained. The Government Accounting Office estimates the cost of a new heavy icebreaker could reach a staggering $1 billion. President Obama announced in September 2015 that the U.S. should accelerate its icebreaker program to support increased activity in the world’s Polar Regions and the Administration requested $150 million for FY 2017 to be earmarked for design activities necessary to aggres-sively pursue production of a new icebreaker in FY 2020.

“The ability to operate in the Polar Regions is critical to our nation’s security and economic interests. Polar Star is just one of only two polar icebreakers the Coast Guard operates, and the only ship in service with the power required for year round, safe and reliable access to both the Arctic and Antarctic regions,” says Commandant Zukunft. “In more certain terms: the U.S. is one engineering casualty away from being unable to protect national interests, assert our sovereignty and respond in the polar regions.”

One such “engineering casualty” happened aboard Polar Star in January. While breaking six- to eight-foot thick ice, the cutter’s thrust bearing bracket suffered a catastrophic failure. This criti-cal part is a series of enormous beams that hold up one of the ship’s three propeller shafts. Without it, the shaft isn’t supported and the engine can’t be safely operated.

Two Coast Guard divers are lowered from the Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star into the water at the National Science Foundation’s McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Both U.S. Coast Guard photos by Petty Officer 2nd Class Grant DeVuyst.

“I paid a visit to Polar Star and I can personally attest to the ingenuity Coast Guard women and men employ to keep this aging asset running. One of Polar Star’s crewmembers, Seaman Manon Mullen, was part of a team that conducted a 36-hour repair to fix [the broken bracket],” said Commandant Zukunft. “At just 18, she helped repair a ship more than twice her age.”

In a similar demonstration of ingenuity, another Polar Star crewmember improvised when specially-designed replacement parts weren’t available. When a generator was inoperable, Electricians Mate 1st Class Kevin Oakes used a shipmate’s surfboard repair kit to remedy the problem.

“The entire engineering department plays an integral part in repairs of basically everything on board,” says Leonard, who wasn’t directly involved with the generator repair, but works closely with Oakes and others who did. “They had to utilize an epoxy solution in the surfboard repair kit to fix an electrical component that had cracked in one of our engines. We were out of real repairs kits, considering how many things need to get repaired regularly and we had already been underway for several months. A handful of our engineers worked late into the night to fix up our engine and get it back to working order, so that we could make it home to Seattle.”

The most challenging part of icebreaking deployment is trying to keep up the repairs that come with an icebreaker that is

far past its expected life cycle. Polar Star is sadly aging and it shows.

“A brand new boat will experience difficulty with the constant shaking and beating of breaking ice, so you can imagine how rough it is for a boat that is 40 years old. We have cracks in vital machinery components, we have electrical components so old they constantly catch fire, and we have engines that mysteriously secure themselves,” recounts Leonard. “It’s a constant fight to make this boat move forward through miles of Antarctic ice when it so badly wants to rest.

“During my two years here on Polar Star, I have seen a lot of creative repairs,” adds Leonard. “I have seen gum successfully plug leaks, baby lotion used to lubricate gaskets, and Band-aids used to cover cracks. This crew commonly has to think on their feet because we are underway for so long without access to replacement parts.”

While this is a tribute to the creativity and innovation of the crew, it is also a stark reminder about the hazards of keeping things running on chewing gum and string.

NEW LEARNING EXPERIENCESDespite the challenges, Coast Guard personnel seem to love participating in their service’s Antarctic mission. Spending time at the bottom of the world is a unique experience, one that polar crews find interesting and illuminating.

“The thought of serving in Antarctica never crossed my mind. I actually didn’t even know that we had cutters that went to Antarctica until I was assigned this unit,” smiles Leonard. “I’d

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RIGHT: Petty Officer 1st Class Kevin Oakes, Petty Officer 3rd Class Augustin Foguet, and Seaman Manon Mullen pose for a photo in the engine room of the Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star. The Coast Guardsmen were recognized by U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Paul Zukunft for their quick-thinking and ingenuity that helped save the mission of the nation’s only heavy icebreaker, Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star, following a recent deployment to Antarctica. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. Donnie Brzuska.

Top: The USCGC Polar Star taken by Petty Officer 3rd Class Katelyn Shearer.

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like folks to simply know that we DO go to Antarctica. The world’s most powerful non-nuclear icebreaker is sitting right here in Seattle and almost nobody knows. I would love for the public to really understand what we do and how the Coast Guard’s missions reach to every corner of the Earth.”

“I was able to see a part of the world that most people, even in the Coast Guard, don’t get to see. During my tenure aboard Polar Sea, the scientists were mapping underwater volcanoes and determining where the hot water moves in the ocean. I loved being part of the science mission. It’s gratifying to know that my efforts supported global research on what the seas are doing,” said Cale-Jones. “I loved the mission and loved being at sea. I also loved working with the people. There were 146 people on board and we were all a part of the same crew and we pulled together as a team.”

During his tour on Thunder Bay, DeLauter learned about the Coast Guard’s Arctic and Antarctic missions. “I wasn’t even aware we did those kinds of missions and I didn’t imagine, nor have any aspirations of, serving in Antarctica until an assign-ment on USCGC Polar Sea became available after I finished my MK A-School.

My decision [to apply] was based on opportunity to learn and my assumption that there would be more equipment on a ‘polar roller’ than any other unit. I operated and maintained a wide array of equipment, and that experience directly helped me start and excel in my current career. I left the Coast Guard in 2000 and began a career with a biotechnology firm in 2001. The experience I gained in the Coast Guard helped me immensely in my position with the biotech firm, first as a Plant Utility Operator and then as a Critical Utilities Engineer. This joy and desire for continuous learning and improvement has snowballed into my current role as a Senior Business Analyst. While not Antarctic duty-specific, it did all start with my duty on Polar Sea. I enjoyed the ports of call and seeing the world and, besides that, talking about this duty is a good icebreaker (pun intended) when meeting new people!”

TOP: Passengers and the crew of CGC Polar Star gather to observe their first encounter with ice during Operation Deep Freeze 2016 in the Southern Ocean Jan. 3, 2016. The mission to resupply the National Science Foundation’s McMurdo Station, Antarctica, is one of the most difficult U.S. military peacetime missions due to the harsh environment. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Grant DeVuyst.

LEFT: The Polar Star crew encounters a variety of Antarctic marine life, including penguins, whales and seals. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Grant DeVuyst.

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Lauren Armstrong is the Contributing Editor and Member of the FRA Auxiliary. She can be reached at lauren@fra.org

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In Memoriam TAPS

NAME BRANCH NAME BRANCH

Aldridge, Fred A, CWO4, USN 269Annino, Carl A, RM1, USN 020

Baldus, Richard L, ICC(SS), USN 020Banks, Morris G, PO1, USN 099Bell, Edward S, MCPO, USN 060Benson, Roy A, AZ1, USN 201Berry, James A, AFCM, USN 061Brooks, Theodore F, ABCS, USN 156Brown, James D, HMC, USN 031Bush, Sidney C, YNCM, USN MAL

Calloway, Wendall Eugene, RMC(SS), USN 269

Campau, Victor L, CS1, USN 358Capps, L G, MSGT, USMC MALCaunin, Paulino C, MAC, USN 061Coffey, George F, PO1, USN MALCole, Carlos C, AMSC, USN 022Collins, Herbert H, BMC, USN 061Conboy, Thomas E, SK1, USN MAL

Dickinson, Fred, EOC, USN 053Dominquez, Antonio, BTCM, USN 094Doying, Raymond R., Am2, USN 185

Eitel, Robert M, ADCS, USN 261Ellsberry, James, SN, USN 307

Farrell, James F, BM2, USN 275

Gallawa, Jacob, CTCS, USN 022Gohranson, Anna C, ACCM, USN MALGoldader, Thomas George, HMC,

USN 029Gura, Edward W, AMC, USN 124

Hissong, Orville C, IC1, USN 174

Kitchens, Cecil E, PNC, USN 278

Lacewell, Daniel S, PNC, USN 201Laforce, Lewis A, POC, USN MALLane, Wilbur I, ADCS, USN MALLankford, George H, ATC, USN 089Larson, Doug, DSC(SW), USN 185Lattus, Frederick J, AO2, USN 105

Machen, David E, DCCS, USN 024Magoun, James L, SGT, USMC 130Maloney, William J, CPO, USN MALMarcom, Charles W, RMCS, USN 061

Marquis, David, YNCS, USN MALMcCluskey, Leo F, RMC, USN MALMcKean, Thomas B., LCDR, USN 113Meyer, Eugene L, AMSC, USN 136Michaud, Donald L, POC, USN MALMiller, William, ADR1, USN 201

Odell, Richard M, MMC, USN 163

Parsons, G.E, USMC 216Peterson, Richard B, SMC, USN 175Plyler, Charles R, ADRC, USN 101

Rasmussen, J.E. Eugene, YNSN, USNR 024

Reichenbach, Alan R, HM1, USN MALReynolds, Robert L, ADCS, USN 289Richardson, Daniel W, MUCM, USN MALRogers, Bobby G, CPO, USN MALRose, Jimmie L, PNCM, USN MAL

Schorre, William L, ADR1, USN 022Stark, Orin H, MKCM, USCG, 020Steed, Lewis E, HMC, USN 269Steele, Richard A, FTCS, USN 053Stephens, Alfred S, MSCM, USN MAL

Travis, Monroe M., SKC, USN 316Turner, Delano F, LT, USN 068

Vandenabeele, Robert N, AC1, USN 210

Wallace, Ray C, SC3, USN MALWantuch, Ferdinand R, POCS, USN 124Wenzel, Henry R., SGT, USMC 229Wilbur, Orval R, AX1, USN MAL

Young, Donald D, YNC, USN MAL

Zdolsek, Martin F, LCDR, USN 275

Names in red indicate 50 year continuous members.

The toll of the ship’s bell

reminds us of the reverence

we owe to our departed Shipmates

and to those who guard the honor

of our country

upon the sea,

under the sea,

in the air

and upon foreign soil.

Let it be a reminder

of the faith they

confide in us.

Let us who gather here

not forget our obligations

and in silence

breathe a prayer

for our absent Shipmates.

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LOOKING FOR…

REUNIONS

Aviation Boatswain’s Mates Association (ABMA)August 8 –12, 2016, San Diego, CA. Contact Doug Thornton, 5765 Jade Moon Circle, Milton, FL. 32583, thunderdjt@gmail.com or 619-578-1523.

Naval Nuclear Power Unit-PM-3AApril 30–May 5, 2017, Albuquerque, NM. Contact Bob Fort at 505-835-5358.

USS Concord (AFS-5)September 7–11, 2017, Norfolk, VA. Contact Sherry Mills, P.O. BOX 25806, Colorado Springs, CO 80936, 719-380-1412.

USS Dixie (AD-14)October 2– 6, 2016, Las Vegas, NV. Contact J.T. Smith, jts912@att.net, 615-513-2440.

USS Monticello (LSD- 35)September 6 –10, 2017, San Antonio, TX. Contact Bob “Beamer” Behm, 3011 Dunn Road, Valley Springs, CA 95252, beamer@ussmonticello.com, 209-772-0543. More information is available at www.ussmonticello.com

USS Towers (DDG-9)September 27– October 1, 2016, Reno, NV. Contact Raymond Wong, usstowersddg9@ pacbell.net or 415-601-6285.

All reunion notices must be submitted in writing. Members are authorized one free reunion posting/year and can post reunions online at www.fra.org, submit via e-mail to VictoriaD@fra.org or in writing to FRA Reunions, 125 N. West St., Alexandria, VA 22314. Please include your FRA member number and a daytime phone number. Questions regarding reunion submissions should be directed to 1-800-FRA-1924, ext. 124.

All Looking For … notices must be submitted in writing. Members can submit requests via e-mail to Lauren@fra.org or in writing to FRA Looking For, 125 N. West St., Alexandria, VA 22314. Questions regarding Looking For… submissions should be directed to 1-800-FRA-1924, ext. 126.

ASMI or ASMC Vernon Reeves, USNR (TAR) We served together aboard NAS Atlanta, Marietta, GA (1974-1976) and NAF Washington, DC (1978-1980). Please contact AKI Willie B. Locklear, USNR (TAR) (Ret.) at 850-458-7629 or 850-356-1672.

Anyone who graduated from A, B, or C Schools in Bainbridge, MD., Oct 1973 – June 1974. Contact RMCS Linda Thompson via email at insyncx2@aol.com.

IF YOU’RE HOSTING OR attending a reunion, please consider how many prospective FRA mem-bers will also be there! FRA has published a prospective member brochure with an informa-tion request form. You can easily talk through benefits of membership with the prospect using this brochure and offer NewsBytes or one of the FRA guides, provided by filling out the information card.

These work great for one-to-one conversations with someone who you know is eligible for membership (at least one day of enlisted service in the Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard). You can request these brochures or other items for your reunion from Penny Collins at 1-800-372-1924 (ext. 123) or penny@fra.org. Reunions are great places to recruit. If you’d like additional information or ideas for your reunion, please contact Penny!

Reunions are a Great Recruiting Opportunity!

The FRA prospective member brochure is a great tool for recruiting new members.

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SHIPMATE NEWS

BRANCH 162 NEW ORLEANS, LA.

Cadets Tyler McNabb (left) and Alexys Wright (right) were recognized as graduating seniors from New Orleans Maritime & Military Academy by FRA PRPSC Dave Field.

BRANCH 276 OMAHA, NEBR.

Shipmate Ralph Engelhardt (left) was recognized for his 50 years of continu-ous FRA membership and accepted his FRA certificate, pin and tie tack from Branch President Peter Vuchetich.

BRANCH 316 SPRINGFIELD, MO.

The branch had a BBQ meal before its monthly meeting, which included the installation of branch officers. Pictured (left to right) are Branch Secretary Chuck Ewy, PRPNC John Partin, Shipmate Bobbie Combs; Branch President Jim Grier.

BRANCH 112 BIRMINGHAM, ALA.

Branch President Garland O’Dell pres-ents Shipmate Charles Tamborino (right) with his pin and certificate commemorat-ing 50 years of continuous FRA membership.

BRANCH 287 LIVERMORE, CALIF.

Shipmates presented a Certificate of Appreciation and flowers to Barbara Davis for her more-than-20 years of dedicated service to preserving the history and artifacts of the shipyard, as the Museum’s Librarian and Historian. Pictured (left to right) are Branch Vice President Greg Karl, President George Mancuso, Davis, Secretary/Treasurer Roy Warner, and Tom Watson of MIM.

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SHIPMATE NEWS

To submit a photo for Shipmate News, please e-mail a photo as an attachment in jpeg format to FRAToday@fra.org or mail a high-quality photograph to FRA Today, 125 N. West Street, Alexandria, VA 22314. Please include a brief description of the photograph and include the names of those pictured. Laser prints and scanned copies of photographs cannot be accepted.

BRANCH 146 JOHNSVILLE, PA.

Shipmates presented FRA medals to Boyertown (Pa.) High School Navy JROTC Cadets for Loyalty, Protection & Service. Winners were selected by Naval Science Instructors at the school. Shown (left to right) are Shipmate Tom Concannon, Adam Flaharty (12 Grader), Imani Egbe (9th Grader), Jason Crunetti (10th Grader) and Branch Secretary Joe Millman.

BRANCH 207 DALE CITY, VA.

Shipmate Bill Ashton congratulates his son, Brandon, after completing the Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon in Fredericksburg, Va. The branch sponsored Brandon’s involvement and sponsored his shirt that had a large FRA logo on the back.

BRANCH 20 GROTON, CONN.

At the 20th Anniversary of the branch’s involvement with the Navy Submarine School’s Sailor-of-the-Quarter (SOQ) program, PNP George Hyland presented a plaque to Sailor of the Quarter MM1(SS) Patrick C. Kohr.

BRANCH 29 BREMERTON, WASH.

Shipmates were proud to host and help represent Pudget Sound Honor Flight (PSHF) at the 68th Annual Armed Forces Day Parade. Pictured (left to right) are WWII veteran Burke Waldron (92 years old), PSHF Co-Executive Directors Jim and Renee Peavey and Shipmate Otis Robinson.

BRANCH 101 SANTA CLARA, CALIF.

2nd place Essay Contest winner for the Branch level received her award of $300. Shown (left to right) is Branch President Chuck McIntyre, Student Gisselle Sanchez, and 1st Vice President Richard Ruiz.

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NEWS FROM THE AUXILIARY OF THE FRA

Message from the Regional President Northeast/New England

AT THE END OF the National Convention in Chattanooga in 2013, we became the Northeast/New England Region. Despite the fact that this new Region had a few strikes against it — aging population, limited resources to recruit new members, and many miles separating the then-seven units, there has always been a bond between us. At the very least, we could keep what we had and stay strong. Like newlyweds, we continue working to merge our two “families” and, as you would expect, there are always a few “bumps in the road.” But it’s a lot easier when you love and respect each other.

For several years, the New England Regional President has been invited to present a plaque at the Awards Ceremony for graduating cadets at the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn. This year the award was given to Cadet Megan Fornaro, who received the “Most Outstanding Athlete of the Class of 2016.” It was an honor to once again be in attendance at this ceremony.

The units continue with various projects such as funding a Cakeless Cake Sale; making phone calls to shut-ins; and attending funerals, rituals, and parades. For example, Unit 226 (Staten Island, N.Y.) donated to “Wreaths Across America” at Arlington National Cemetery; Unit 124 (Lakehurst, N.J.) volunteers to read at local schools on America Day; Unit 20 (Groton, Conn.) helps to serve breakfast at the Branch home; and other units donate to their local food pantries. One of the Unit 42 (Quonset-Davisville, R.I.) member lives in Maine and greets servicemen and women at Bangor International Airport as they leave for or return from deployment. Our region may only have five units, but each and every member contributes to the mis-sion of our Auxiliary.

The FRA Northeast/New England Region will hold its 2016 Regional Convention on August 19-20, 2016. Hosted by Branch and Unit 20 (Groton, Conn.), the conven-tion hotel is the Groton Inn and Suites, 99 Gold Star Highway, Groton, CT. Phone the Reservation Desk at 860-445-9784.

Thank you for this opportunity and I hope to see many of you at the Northeast/New England Regional Convention and again at the National Convention in Jacksonville.

CINDY RODHAM TUCKNortheast/New England Regional

President

Northeast/New England Regional President/Past National President Cindy Rodham Tuck poses with US Coast Guard Academy Cadet Megan Fornaro, the most outstanding athlete of the Class of 2016, and RADM Jim Rendon, Superintendent of the Coast Guard Academy.

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POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO:

MEMBER SERVICESFRA

125 N. WEST STREETALEXANDRIA, VA 22314-2754