Story and photos byMC3 Sean Furey

Navy Public Affairs SupportElement West DetachmentHawaii

The guided-missile fri-gate USSCrommelin (FFG 37) conductedher final mission off the coast ofOahu on Aug. 27, returning for afinal time to Pearl Harbor.Crommelin is slated for decom-

missioning in late October.“I’m sad but everything has to

come to an end,” said Cmdr.Michael Johns, commanding offi-cer of Crommelin. “The Crom-melin had a great 30 years of oper-ations; it has a great legacy. I’mreally proud of everyone here onCrommelin and our family andfriends that supported us over thelast year and a half.”After the Aug. 27 day-long

underway, Crommelin will beginthe weeks-long process of decom-missioning.“Today is our last underway,

the final voyage of the USSCrommelin. She spent a lot ofhard years at sea,” said ChiefHospital Corpsman Hector Ortiz,the ship’s independent duty corps-man. “The unique challenges ofthis ship have been interesting.There have been some fun times,some bad times but it was arewarding tour overall. She’s agreat ship. We’re going to missthis girl.”Crommelin was commissioned

June 18, 1983 and originallyhomeported in Long Beach, Calif.in August 1983.“It’s kind of a sad experience. I

got to meet a lot of good people onboard this ship. I learned a lot,”said Electrician’s Mate 2nd ClassChristian Giron. “She will bemissed, and the crew memberswill be missed.”Sailors currently stationed

aboard Crommelin will be dis-persed throughout the fleet to dif-ferent platforms where they areneeded.“I met a lot of good people on

the Crommelin. I learned a lotabout my job,” said CryptologicalTechnician (Technical) SeamanPhilip Wang. “This past year hasbeen fun and interesting, I havelearned the most out of my Navycareer here.”The final underway came close

on the heels of a community out-reach visit to Kauai, where thecrew helped build homes withHabitat for Humanity andopened the ship to visitors.“Within a short period of time,

you found a way to make animpact and leave a lastingimpression on our friends andneighbors,” said Rear Adm.Frank Ponds, commander ofNavy Region Hawaii and NavalSurface Group Middle Pacific, tothe commanding officer and crewof Crommelin.“The ohana spirit that you dis-

played will go a long way inensuring that our island neigh-bors and communities under-stand that we are here for themand respect the heritage and the

culture that is uniquely Hawaii.Job well done,” the admiral said.Upon return to Joint Base

Pearl Harbor-Hickam from theirfinal underway, CrommelinSailors manned the rails.“Our manning the rails was

our opportunity for the crew tolook back on our history, ourname sakes,” said Johns. “It wasrepresentative of USSCrommelin’s motto, ‘Job WellDone.’ It was our way of thankingour former shipmates that haveserved the Crommelin.”Over her long career,

Crommelin has participated inmore than eight deployments,been involved in such exercisesas Cooperation Afloat Readinessand Training (CARAT) and KoaKai.Crommelin has been actively

involved in counter narcoticsoperations and tanker escort mis-sions around the world includingoperations in Central and SouthAmerica, the Caribbean, MiddleEast, Korea and the Persian

Gulf. She was a key player in fourmajor cocaine seizures includingmore than 12 tons of narcotics inone of the largest drug interdic-tions in history.She is also well known for her

valuable assistance in severalrescues at sea, including assist-ing fishermen from two fishingvessels in distress and the rescueof 174 Ecuadorian citizens from aleaky vessel at sea.USS Crommelin is the 28th

ship of the Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigates,named for three brothers: ViceAdm. Henry Crommelin, who be-came a surface warfare officer,and Cmdr. Charles and Lt.Cmdr. Richard Crommelin, bothof whom died in combat as navalaviators. All three brothersgained fame in World War II,attaining outstanding combatrecords and multiple decora-tions.(Editor’s note: Crommelin’slegacy will also be featured in anupcoming issue of Ho`okele.)

USS Crommelin conducts final underway

“Navigator”

August 31, 2012 www.cnic.navy.mil/hawaii www2.hickam.af.mil Volume 3 Issue 34

Labor Day SafetySee page A-3, A-6

USS Columbus completes west-ern Pacific deploymentSee page A-4

Navy chiefs, selectees completeannual Ford Island Heritage RunSee page B-1

TV star visits USS Chung-Hoonto thank military membersSee page A-7

Vendors bring taste of Hawaiito ALA food showSee page A-2

Holly Petraeus to hold town hallmeetings Sept. 6See page B-6

MC2 David Kolmel

U.S. Pacific Fleet PublicAffairs

Forty-three chief pettyofficer (CPO) selectees fromaround the Pacific Fleetgraduated from the MissouriCPO Legacy Academy in aceremony held Aug. 24aboard the BattleshipMissouri Memorial.The graduation ceremony

marked the end of five daysaboardMissouri for the luckygroup of selectees chosen toparticipate in this year’slegacy academy.Class 006 boarded Mis-

souri on Aug. 19 and spentan entire week living, work-ing and training aboard theship along with a group of

chief petty officer mentorswho provided leadership andlessons on Navy history andthe heritage of the CPO com-munity.“When they stay aboard

(Missouri), we remove all theother outside distractionsfrom the CPO induction pro-cess, and we wind up with acore heritage event onboardthe ship that culminatedwith a re-enactment of thesurrender of the JapaneseaboardMissouri at the end ofWWII,” said Master ChiefFire Controlman JasonDunn, this year’s legacyacademy coordinator.Throughout the week,

class 006 participated intours to the NationalMemorial Cemetery of thePacific (Punchbowl), histori-

cal civil defense battery sitesat Diamond Head, the USSBowfin Submarine Museum,the USS Arizona Memorialand the Pacific AviationMuseum on Ford Island inaddition to behind the scenestours of the Missouri.“You have to know where

you came from to knowwhere you are going. Chiefsare keepers of history andtradition, and living it heremakes it easier to go backand instruct junior Sailorsand junior officers what itmeans to be a Sailor intoday’s Navy,” said Chief(select) Yeoman Glice PlanasofMobile Underwater Divingand Salvage Unit One.From its humble but ambi-

Chief selectees live Legacy Academy on Battleship Missouri

U.S. Navy phot by Paula M. LudwickoChief petty officer (CPO) selectees march to the grave site of Chief Boatswain’s Mate HaroldEstes to pay their respects at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) aspart of the USS Missouri CPO Legacy Academy. See CHIEFS, A-2

Photo illustration

A-2 Ho’okele August 31, 2012

Story and photos byRandy Dela Cruz

Contributing Writer

The unique flavors ofisland foods are probablymore distinct and diversethan anywhere else in theUnited States and for the15th time in as many years,much of those delectabletastes were found in one loca-tion.The 15th Annual Ameri-

can Logistics (ALA) HawaiiFood Show once again gavelocal vendors the opportunityto audition their productsbefore Defense CommissaryAgency (DeCA) buyers for achance join the lucrativecommissary marketplace.This year, a total of 80

companies from Oahu andthe neighbor islands receivedred-carpet treatment Aug. 22at theHawaii Prince Hotel todisplay and entice their wayinto serving Hawaii’s166,000 active-duty, reserve,National Guard members,retirees and their familymembers in the four DeCAcommissaries on Oahu andpossibly beyond.The importance of the

event was highlighted by aWho’s Who list of dignitariesthat included Congress-woman Mazie Hirono, Cityand County of HonoluluMayor Peter Carlisle, PatNixon, president of ALA, andKeith Hagenbuch, DeCAexecutive director.“It’s gotten better every

year, bigger every year, andthere’s more excitement sur-rounding it,” said Nixon, whowas attending his seventhALA Hawaii Food Show.“One of the reasons is that

the military business is soimportant here in Hawaii,close to three-quarters of abillion dollars, when you lookat commissaries andexchanges. So it’s a greatopportunity for a small com-pany to get their products ina very dynamic retail sys-tem. Also, if you would hap-pen to have your productsmake it all the way into thesystem for Europe and the

mainland, that approaches20 billion dollars,” he said.While the numbers are

staggering to think about,the figures aren’t lost to themany local vendors who hadtheir eyes set on the bigprize.Back for a second time,

local couple Lori and TonyCardenas traveled fromKauai to feature anotherproduct in their long line of“Aunty Lilikoi” sauces,syrups, jellies, dressings andother specialty condiments,such as its Passion FruitKiawe BBQ sauce.Tony, who spent six years

in the Navy, said thatbesides the economic benefitsof having their product in thecommissary, he and his wifeconsider it an honor to servemilitary members and theirfamilies.For Lori, she said that

there is no better way forlocals to connect with theirmilitary neighbors than withfood.“We were picked up by the

Navy exchange, so we haveour products in two of theirstores – the one at PearlHarbor and at Pacific MissileRange Facility BarkingSands, which is just a fewmiles from our store,” she

said. “It’s important to tie themilitary population togetherand make them feel a part ofus. The best way to do that iswith food.”Hagenbuch stated that he

is always delighted to see thevariety of food products andcan’t wait to wrap his tastebuds around some of themore exotic fare, even pork-rind pancakes.“Here we have such a

diverse group of stores,diverse palates, people look-ing for tastes, and you haveso many unique items thatcome out of Hawaii,” he said.“The four stores here do over200 million dollars in sales.It’s very important to keepour stock assortment freshwith new items. Every year, Isee something new and inter-esting. I look forward to itbecause you definitely seesome innovative productideas.”Nixon stressed that

the commissarysystem pro-v ide sa

service to military membersthat ranks only secondbehind health care.Because of the cost of liv-

ing in Hawaii, Nixon pointedout that the local commis-saries offer the high-est savings in theworld at 52 per-cent, with a fami-ly of four typical-ly cutting theirfood bill up to$7,000 per year.Nixon advo-

cated that thebenefits of thec o m m i s -saries faroutweighthe costo f

operating them, but noteveryone agrees.“Something that is of great

concern to us is that in thisbudget-cutting environment,there have been several pro-posals, over the course of thelast year, to scale back, oreven eliminate these mili-tary-resale benefits,” Nixonannounced. “There is about1.5 billion dollars worth oftaxpayer money that’s usedto support commissaries andexchanges. People look atjust one side of the ledgerand say that, ‘Well, if weeliminate this system, wecan save 1.5 billion dollars.’What they don’t take intoaccount is what the militaryfamily saves. By shopping inthe commissary, they saved$2.6 billion a year. And thelargest employer of militaryfamily members and veter-ans is the military retail sys-tem.”In order to keep the com-

missaries and exchanges as acontinued benefit formilitary

families, Nixon hashelped form an

organization called,“Coalition to save our mili-tary shopping benefits,”which can be monitoredthrough the web atwww.saveourbenefit.org.“If someone is proposing

legislation that wants to doaway with this program, youcanwrite a letter to your con-gressman, congresswoman,senator or the president,” hesaid. “We’ve had over 4,500letters sent in already, andwe’ve had very importantgroups join us as valuedassociates. The NationalMilitary Families Associa-tion, Fleet Reserve Associa-tion, Military Officers Asso-ciation, Non-commissionedOfficers Association andNational Industries for theBlind have all joined in tosupport this initiative,”Nixon added.

Vendors bring taste of Hawaii to ALA food show

Members of Hawaii Latino Distributors dish out a healthy helping of food at the 15th Annual American Logistics (ALA) HawaiiFood Show. The local company has been selling its line of gourmet Hispanic and Latino foods, such as Ramona’s enchi-ladas, in the commissary for the past seven years.

Dignitaries at the 15th Annual American Logistics (ALA) Hawaii Food Show untie the garlandlei to signify the opening of the event at the Hawaii Prince Hotel.

tious beginning in 2007, thelegacy academy hasexpanded from 22 selecteesin class 001 to an anticipat-ed 95 graduates this year,thanks to the addition of asecond Legacy Academyclass. On Aug. 26-31, class007 consisting of 52selectees will create theirown legacy aboard USSMissouri.“It was too great of an

opportunity to limit it tojust one class. Normally ourmaximum capacity is 60Sailors, but by opening itup to two classes we canreally hold up to 120,” saidDunn.While aboard, the selec-

tees participated in battledrills which included sce-narios on casualty care,weapons and ammo han-

dling as well as the WorldWar II re-enactment cere-mony. All of these activitieshelped emphasize theimportance of coming to-gether as a team to accom-plish missions or tasks.“(The team building

exercises) really showed usthat you can come togetheras a good and effectiveteam very quickly. We weregetting together that firstnight and our groups wereperforming well,” saidChief Boatswain’s Mate(select) Todd Welsh fromMilitary Sealift CommandFar East in Singapore.Participants also con-

duct service projectsaboard to assist with thepreservation of the shiphelping to ensure that“Mighty Mo” is around forfuture generations to expe-rience the history and her-

itage of the Navy and thePacific Fleet.The guest speaker, U.S.

Pacific Fleet Master ChiefJohn Minyard, explainedhow the course provides theCPO selectees with a bettersense of knowledge aboutNavy heritage and buildsthe camaraderie that willhelp them lead their Sailorsand continue the Navy’smission throughout theircareer.“Remember the lessons

you have learned this weekand the trust that has beenplaced in you,” saidMinyard in his address tothe selectees. “Rememberthe chiefs who came beforeyou, who walked the decksof Missouri, Arizona andBowfin, and paved the wayfor all Sailors through theirsuccesses and their fail-ures.”

Continued from A-1

Chief Selects Academy

U.S. Navy phot by Paula M. LudwickoChief Gunner’s Mate Zachary Kotschwar pays his respect at the grave site of ChiefBoatswain’s Mate Harold Estes during a visit to the National Memorial Cemetery of thePacific (Punchbowl) as part of the USS Missouri CPO Legacy Academy.

Secretary of the NavyPublic Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) --“On behalf of the men andwomen of the NavyDepartment, I extend mydeepest and most heartfeltsympathies to the family ofNeil Armstrong.“Mr. Armstrong rightly

belongs to the ages as themanwho first walked on the

moon, a pioneer of spaceexploration and science, agiant. But to those of us inhis Navy family, he will alsoremain a shipmate—anaval aviator who flewnearly 80 combat missionsduring the Korean War, aleader.“He never wanted to be

a living memorial and yetto generations the worldover, his epic courage and

quiet humility stands asthe best of all examples. Itis not merely his “smallstep” we admire; it is hisvery large and humbleheart.“The world has lost a

legend. We have lost afriend, unique in our life-time and never to be out ofour minds.”Ray MabusSecretary of the Navy

SECNAV remembers legacy of naval avia-tor, pioneer, Astronaut Neil Armstrong

Commentary

Rear Adm. Frank Ponds

Commander, Navy Region Hawaii andNaval Surface Group Middle Pacific

Region and MIDPAC Team,Last May, at the beginning of the “101

Days of Summer,” I asked you to think“safety first” during the critical periodbetween Memorial Day and Labor Day.And you did!Thanks to your efforts we achieved a

safe and incident-free Memorial Dayweekend. With only a few exceptions, thishas been a safety-conscious summer herein Hawaii overall, despite the high opera-tional tempo during the biggest RIMPAC(Rim of the Pacific Exercise).Let’s keep up the effort through this

Labor Day weekend – and beyond.These are the last days of summer, but

they must be the first days for reinvigorat-ing safety in all we do.The fleet’s annual summer safety cam-

paign, “Live to Play, Play to Live,” rein-forces prevention which is the key toenjoying a safe and healthy life.We must begin with alcohol and drug

abuse prevention. Many tragedies beginwith impairment – of mental and physicalabilities, judgment and reflexes.The vast majority of service members

“get it” when it comes to responsible use ofalcohol. DUIs and other alcohol-relatedincidents are going down across the fleet;however, overconsumption remains a con-cern. Be alert for ways you can make apositive difference by offering a ride ortaking the keys from someone who should-n’t be driving.A moment in time can affect a lifetime.Think and plan before taking a trip,

going boating, visiting the beach, or head-ing out on a motorcycle. Each year we loseshipmates to motorcycle accidents. Weneed to prevent those tragic losses.As I mentioned in my safety message

last spring, if you plan to travel outside ofthe local area, use the Travel RiskPlanning System (TRiPS) to enhance yourchances for success on the road. To date,more than 300,000 TRiPS assessmentshave been completed and no naval person-nel have died while traveling on a TRiPS-assessed journey. TRiPS can be found atNavy Knowledge Online, www.nko.navy.mil. For additional resources Iencourage you to visit the Naval SafetyCenter website at http://safety cen-ter.navy. mil.Please think of your families, shipmates

and careers as you make your plans thisLabor Day weekend. We need you to besafe, healthy and strong. We need ourgreatest resource, our most powerful asset:You! Each and every service member isimportant to the nation, to his or her unit,and to the families who love them.Thank you, again, for your leadership

and personal commitment to making thissummer as safe as it has been. Pleasekeep up the good work and “play-it-safe”this and every weekend.

August 31, 2012 Ho’okele A-3

“What are you doing to keepyou and your family safe over

the Labor Day holiday?”

DiverseViews

(Provided by Brandon Bosworthand David Underwood Jr.)

Want to see your command featured in Diverse Views?Got opinions to share?

Drop us a line at editor@hookelenews.com or karen.spangler@navy.mil

Ho’okele is a free unofficial paper pub-lished every Thursday by The HonoluluStar Advertiser 500 Ala MoanaBoulevard Suite 7-500 Honolulu Hawaii96813, a private firm in no way con-nected with DoD, theU. S. Navy or Marine Corps, underexclusive contract with Commander,Navy Region Hawaii.All editorial content is prepared, edited,provided and approved by the staff ofthe Commander, Navy Region HawaiiPublic Affairs Office:850 Ticonderoga, Suite 110, PearlHarbor, Hawaii, 96860-4884.Telephone: (808) 473-2888; fax (808)473-2876; e-mail address:e d i t o r @ h o o k e l e n e w s . c o mWorld Wide Web address:https://www.cnic.navy.mil/Hawaii/ orwww.hookelenews.com.This civilian enterprise newspaper is anauthorized publication primarily formembers of the Navy and MarineCorps military services and their fami-lies in Hawaii. Its contents do not nec-essarily reflect the official views of theU. S. Government, the Department ofDefense, the U.S. Navy or MarineCorps and do not imply endorsementthereof.

The civilian publisher, The HonoluluStar Advertiser, is responsible for com-mercial advertising, which may be pur-chased by calling (808) 521-9111.The appearance of advertising in thisnewspaper, including inserts or sup-plements, does not constituteendorsement of the products and ser-vices advertised by the Department ofDefense, the U.S. Navy or MarineCorps, Commander, Navy RegionHawaii or The Honolulu StarAdvertiser.Everything advertised in this papershall be made available for purchase,use or patronage without regard torace, color, religion, gender, nationalorigin, age, marital status, physicalhandicap, political affiliation or anyother non-merit factor of the purchaser,user or patron.A confirmed violation of this policy ofequal opportunity by an advertiser willresult in the refusal to print advertisingfrom that source.Ho’okele is delivered weekly to Navy &Air Force housing units and Navy instal-lations throughout Oahu. Housing resi-dents may contact the publisher direct-ly at (808) 690-8864 if they wish todiscontinue home delivery.

Commander,Joint Base

Pearl Harbor-HickamCapt. Jeffrey James

Deputy CommanderCol. Dann S. Carlson

Director, Public AffairsGrace Hew Len

Managing EditorKaren Spangler

Assistant EditorDon Robbins

Sports EditorRandy Dela Cruz

Contributing WriterBrandon Bosworth

Layout/DesignAntonio VerceluzPatrick Murray

Commander,Navy Region Hawaii

Rear Adm. Frank Ponds

Chief of StaffCapt. Robert Espinosa

Director,Public AffairsAgnes Tauyan

Deputy Director,Public AffairsBill Doughty

Official U.S. Navy photograph, National Archives.Storekeeper 2nd Class Francella Leigh, Yeoman 2nd Class Patricia McRae and Pharmacist's Mate 3rd ClassSuzanne Hosmer (left to right) remove knapsacks in their stateroom after arriving on board a transport. They andother WAVES were en route to their new duty stations at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in 1945.

WAVES shown en route to Hawaii

OnlineChief Machinist’s Mate DougMerrymanPearl Harbor Naval Shipyard

“We conduct a liberty brief with Sailors andreview responsible use of alcohol and recre-ational safety.”

Tech. Sgt. Ryder Hayes747th Communications Squadron

“This Labor Day weekend I will be spend-ing quality time with family. I believe thatis one of the best ways to make surethey are safe, to actually be with themand be there for them physically andmentally. Also, I believe in prayer, so I will pray for safetyand let the Lord do his work.”

Fire Controlman Chief select Mario Brioli USS Chafee

“We make sure we have a plan. I do drinkalcohol, so my wife usually acts as designat-ed driver. On the ship we ensure our Sailorsknow who they can call to get a ride if theyneed it.”

Airman 1st Class Kevin Maloy56th Air and Space Communications

Squadron

“I consider everyone in my unit familysince we are all overseas. I keep themsafe by having an open ear for anyonewho may be having a hard time for what-ever reason, Be it work, financial or marital issues.”

Special Master ChiefPetty Officer of theNavy (SS/SW) Rick D.West

WASHINGTON (NNS) --Master Chief Petty Officerof the Navy (MCPON)(SS/SW) Rick D. Westreleased the followingLabor Day message to thefleet Aug. 27.“Shipmates and Navy

families, For 130 years, ourgreat nation has celebratedLabor Day, the “working-men’s holiday” as it wasreferred to in the 1800s.Labor Day is, in fact, a cele-bration of the social and eco-nomic achievements ofAmerican workers, thoseworkers whose drive, deter-mination and relentlessstrength made our nationinto what it is today andthose who continue on theirpath.

Labor Day weekend isalso seen as the last “hooy-ah” before the end of sum-mer ... a long weekend filledwith various outdoor activi-ties or one final road tripwith the kids before schoolstarts. Whatever yourLabor Day plans happen toinvolve, be sure your holi-day weekend includes riskmanagement and preven-tive measures so it ends ona safe and positive note. In 2011, between Memo-

rial Day and Labor Day, 16Sailors lost their lives: onein an ATV wreck, twodrowned, one during recre-ational activities, five infour-wheeled motor vehiclesand seven on motorcycles. This year we have lost 15

Sailors in similar mishaps.Let’s not see the numberrise this Labor Day week-end. You and your familiesare important to the Navy,

and the loss of just onetrained and ready Sailor orfamily member is unaccept-able and, in most cases, pre-ventable with proper plan-ning. As you enjoy time off with

family and friends this holi-day weekend, keep in mindour shipmates who aredeployed and in harm’sway. Their labor of keepingthe watch for the safety andsecurity of our nation is onewe all share. It’s because ofyou that Americans canenjoy the freedoms and lib-erties we all hold so dearly.Thank you, shipmates, foryour continued service anddedication to our greatNavy and nation. Stay focused, stay alert,

stay safe, and let’s bringthis summer to a close withzero fatalities or injuries.Enjoy your Labor Dayweekend and hooyah!

MCPON sends 2012 Labor Day messageCommentary

Think ‘safety first’ in last days of summerCommentary

U.S. Navy photoRear Adm. Frank Ponds

A-4 Ho’okele August 31, 2012

Story and photo byMC1 Ronald Gutridge

Commander SubmarineForce U.S. Pacific FleetPublic Affairs Office

Friends and families ofthe crew from USSColumbus (SSN 762) gath-ered at the submarine piersAug. 23 to welcome backthe Los Angeles-class sub-marine as she returned toJoint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam after completing asix-month deployment tothe western Pacific (WEST-PAC) region.“Columbus’ 2012 deploy-

ment was very successful.We executed fleet andnational tasking as well asnumerous exercises andtheater cooperation withour regional allies,” saidCmdr. David Youtt, USSColumbus commandingofficer. “Our crew gained exten-

sive experience operatingin vastly different environ-ments and engaging withdifferent cultures. We are abetter ship and crew as aresult and are better pre-

pared to face future opera-tions,” Youtt said.While deployed,

Columbus executed a widerange of operations in sup-port of U.S. 7th Fleet. Inaddition, she conductedseveral training exercises,contributing to the nation’sstrategic posture in thewestern Pacific region.“The crew performed

superbly through deploy-ment,” said Youtt. “EachSailor faced every day withenthusiasm and profession-alism that was second tonone.” During the deployment,

28 Sailors qualified in sub-marines and are now enti-tled to wear the submarinewarfare insignia, alsoreferred to as “dolphins”after completing a rigorousqualification process thatincluded in-depth under-standing of submarine con-struction and operationsand also practical assess-ments of the Sailors’ abilityto combat a wide range ofcasualties that could beencountered while aboardthe submarine. A majority of the crew

also completed advancedqualifications, includingengineering watch supervi-sor, diving officer of thewatch and chief of thewatch. These qualifica-tions provide greater watchbill flexibility and helpensure that Columbus’ per-formance will remainstrong. “This deployment offered

significant experience andtraining for the youngSailors that will be theleaders of our Navy,” saidYoutt. “More than half thecrew deployed for the firsttime and are now experi-enced future deployers.” Despite steaming more

than 40,000 nautical milesin support of the nation’sdefense, the crew enjoyed

several memorable portvisits which includedGuam, South Korea andJapan. Columbus also con-ducted a time-honored cer-emony of “crossing the line”where 100 Sailors earnedthe title of “shellback” forcrossing the equator for thefirst time. “I really learned a lot

about submarines and my

job on this deployment, butthe best part is when Ibecame submarine-quali-fied and got my dolphins,”said Electronics TechnicianSeaman (SS) Jonathan Di-quattro from Columbus,Ga. “The experience Igained and the places wevisited makes my firstdeployment something Iwill never forget.”

USS Columbus completes western Pacific deployment

The Los Angeles-class submarine USS Columbus (SSN 762) returns to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam after completing ascheduled deployment to the western Pacific Aug. 23.

MC2 Tiarra Fulgham

Navy Public AffairsSupport Element West,Detachment Hawaii

More than 40 militaryservice members from allbranches of military serviceparticipated in a militaryrecognition ceremony Aug.24 at Sharkey Theater atPearl Harbor-Hickam.The ceremony honored

those active duty andretired service memberswho have completed aUnited States MilitaryApprenticeship Programcertificate or have earned,or will be earning, theirassociates, bachelors ormasters degrees betweenJuly 2011 and September2012. “Navy College was not

able to do it alone. It tookall the different counselorsand staff and facility,” saidGerald Gibbons, director ofNavy College Office. “It’struly a collective effort toget the Sailor, Airman,Soldier, Marine and CoastGuardman to get acrossthat stage and achieve theirdream.”In fiscal year 2011, TA

(tuition assistance) fundedapproximately $3.8 millionspread out between 2,200Sailors in Navy RegionHawaii alone.

Hospital Corpsman 1stClass Zainob Andu receiveda certificate for her bache-lors degree at the ceremo-ny. “It’s not easy but it’s nothard. It just takes focus,determination, you have towant it. It is very stressful.It’s a lot to try and do at onetime, but I had a goal.”Capt Jeffrey James, com-

mander of Joint Base PearlHarbor-Hickam, was one ofthe guest speakers for theevent and personally pre-

sented each recognized ser-vice member with a certifi-cate.

“Taking on these chal-lenges and obtaining adegree while on active dutyisn’t easy, but these out-standing individuals knowthe importance of obtaininga good education. Theyknow that in today’s worldand in their militarycareers, it isn’t just some-thing that is good to have, itis critical,” James said.

Military service members recognizedfor educational achievements

U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Daniel BarkerCapt. Jeffrey James, commander of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, presents certificates to more than 40 service mem-bers from all branches in a military recognition ceremony athistoric Sharkey Theater.

Juan M. Garcia III,assistant secretary of theNavy (manpower andreserve affairs), will bethe guest speaker at a“Learn from the Leaders”event from 9 to 10:30 a.m.Sept. 11 at the HickamMemorial Theater, JointBase Pearl Harbor-Hickam. In this capacity, Garcia

acts on matters pertaining

to manpower and person-nel policy within theDepart-ment of the Navy,including issues affectingactive duty and reserveSailors, Marines andDepartment of the Navycivilians.The “Learn from the

Leaders” events arespeaker events sponsoredby Navy Region Hawaii’sWorkforce Development

Office/N16, which was es-tablished in 2004 to devel-op and manage a totalforce training and devel-opment program. The event is open to

military and civilian per-sonnel and tenant com-mands. For more information,

contact Georgette Hughoat 471-1716 or email geor-gette.hugho.ctr@navy.mil.

Learn from the Leaders event willto be held Sept. 11 at JBPHH

Sept. 6: Back to school/Job Fairs JEMSSept. 13: National Preparedness MonthSept. 20: War of 1812/USS Lake ErieSept. 27: Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Air Show “Navy LeapFrogs”Oct. 4: Makahiki festivalOct. 13: Oct. 18: Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard (The segments currently air between 6:20 and 6:30 a.m. each Thursday. Previous segments can beviewed at http://bit.ly/KHONNavy)

Got a story for KHON Hawaii Navy News?Email editor@hookelenews.com or call Navy Region Hawaii Public Affairs at 473-2877.Stories must have a Navy tie and be of interest to the general public.

KHON (FOX) TV 2 Hawaii Navy Newsupcoming segments

August 31, 2012 Ho’okele A-5

(Above) Sailors stationed aboard the Pearl Harbor-based guided-missile frigate USS Crommelin (FFG 37) prepare to hang a lei fromthe ship during the final underway of USS Crommelin before decommissioning.

U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Sean Furey

Chief (Select) Cryptologic Technician (Networks) James Davis commands the helm ofthe ship under the guidance of Senior Chief Navy Diver John Hopkins during battle sce-narios aboard “Mighty Mo” as part of the USS Missouri CPO Legacy Academy. Duringthe week the 43 selectees live and train aboard Missouri with chief petty officers whoprovide leadership and lessons on the history and heritage of the Navy and CPO com-munity.

U.S. Navy photo by MCC Paula M. Ludwick

(Left) Chief Electronics Technician (SS) Robert Denbigh is greeted with a kiss ashe is the first to disembark when the Los Angeles-class submarine USSColumbus (SSN 762) returned to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam after complet-ing a scheduled deployment to the western Pacific Aug. 23.

U.S. Navy photo by MC1 Ronald Gutridge

(Right) Merchants display their products at the 15th Annual AmericanLogistics (ALA) Hawaii Food Show, which was held Aug. 22 at the HawaiiPrince Hotel. A total of 80 companies from Oahu and the outer islandspresented their products in hopes of gaining entry into the lucrative com-missary marketplace.

U.S. Navy photo by Randy Dela Cruz

Chief Master Sgt. WardHanning

Air Education and TraningCommand

RANDOLPH AIRFORCE BASE, Texas --Please read the experienceI received from a fellowAETC member regardingthe Labor Day drivingstatistic. The intent here isto provide information andhopefully open everyone’saperture a bit. The sender’spersonal information wasremoved after he gave per-mission to send-on to all ofyou.“My thoughts on the

most critical hours of theCritical Days of Summer Four years ago my son

and his three best friendswere killed at 10:10 p.m. onLabor Day. They were notimpaired; they had ensuredthe vehicle was road-wor-thy. They planned theirtrip so the driver was wellrested. They did everythingpossible to have a safe day.The only thing they did

not consider, nor had I, isthat there are many in ourculture that party to thepoint of impairment. Needless deaths occurred

when three people inanother car crossed themedian on a divided high-way and crashed into myson’s car. The toxicology report

indicated that the driver

had been doing drugs start-ing Friday. Additionally,the type of drugs that heused enabled him to contin-ue partying without sleepthrough Monday night.After dark on Labor Day,while driving, the driversimply passed out from thedrugs/exhaustion.The last hours of the last

days of summer are evenmore critical than the rest.Maybe not driving afterdark on Labor Day couldhelp. My intent is not tomake people fearful of get-ting out and having a goodtime, but I do believeextreme caution is war-ranted. I pray that no one’s last

party of the summer istruly their last.”

Most critical hours of theCritical Days of Summer Naval Safety Center

• Labor Day: A great time to celebrate labor by gettinga day off work.• Most Sailors and Marines succeed.• Some, however, end up making corpsmen, nurses and

doctors busy. Severity of Labor Day weekend mishaps (2007-

2011):• 11 fatalities (Class A - $2 million or more in material

property damage, fatality or permanent total disability)• 4 Class B mishaps (Class B - $500K-1,999,999 materi-

al property damage, permanent partial disability, morethan three persons hospitalized for inpatient care, beyondobservation)• 88 Class C mishaps (Class C - $50K or more but less

than $500k material property damage; work-relatedinjury/illness causing time away from work )• 145 Class D mishaps (Other (Class D and all other

injury/illness - medical treatment beyond first aid; limit-ed, light or restricted duty or no lost work time)How personnel were killed:• Motorcycle wrecks (5)• Car/truck wrecks (one driver, one passenger)• ATV• Alcohol/accidental drug overdose (2)• Fall from hotel room

The cost:• 5,108 days of light/limited duty• 1,242 lost days of work• 444 days in hospitals• Only about 20 percent of all injuries are reported What were injured people doing?(Class B and C mishaps)• Riding a motorcycle: 25• Driving or riding in a car: 17 (seven were passengers)• Bicycling, riding ATVs: 4 each• Playing football, hiking: 3 eachOther Labor Day activities where people hurt

themselves:• Ice skating• Burning trash• Tubing• Moving furniture• Roller skating• Wrestling (horseplay)• Personal watercraft• Grilling• Riding a horse• Chemical burn• Fall from roof• Skimboarding

How to not mess up a perfectly good Labor Day holiday

A-6 Ho’okele August 31, 2012

Air Force News Service

WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Secretary ofthe Air Force Michael Donley, Air ForceChief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III andChief Master Sgt. of the Air Force JamesRoy issued the following message to all AirForce personnel:As our nation pays tribute to American

workers during Labor Day weekend, wethank all Airmen for your dedicated ser-

vice and hard work every day of the year.While many of you enjoy a well-earnedbreak to celebrate the last holiday of thesummer season, we urge you to plan youractivities with care and to make smartdecisions that will keep you, your familyand your friends safe. Safety is a concern for all of us. Sadly,

more than 40 Airmen have died in off-dutymishaps this year, including 27 Airmenkilled in motor vehicle accidents. Many of

these tragic losses may have been pre-ventable, the result of reckless behaviorsuch as excessive speed, irresponsible alco-hol use, failure to use proper safety gear, orinattention. Equally alarming, our AirForce family has lost 70 Airmen to suicidethis year. Our goal is to eliminate all preventable

mishaps, and you can help by setting astandard of zero tolerance for recklessbehavior and through awareness of subtle

behavioral changes that could indicateheightened levels of stress in yourself orothers. Because one lost life is too many,we urge all Airmen to look out for oneanother, and remember that safetyrequires deliberate forethought. Your family, friends and fellow Airmen

depend on you. Please take time to consid-er safety as you enjoy Labor Day weekendand, as always, thank you for all you do forour Air Force and our nation.

AF senior leaders stress safety over Labor Day weekend

Story and photo byBrandon Bosworth

Contributing Writer

USS Chung-Hoon (DDG93) hosted Richard Harrisonof the popular reality TVseries “Pawn Stars” Aug. 24.Harrison was in Hawaii onvacation and wanted to pay avisit to Pearl Harbor-Hickam. “I wanted to thank service

members,” he said.Richard “The Old Man”

Harrison is considered theexpert appraiser on theHistory Channel’s “PawnStars.” He also served 21years in the U.S. Navy. “I primarily served on

ASRs [submarine rescueships] and fleet tugs,” hesaid. Harrison opened his Gold

& Silver Pawn Shop in 1988.His recent television successis the result of long hoursand hard work. “We film 45 weeks a year,”

he said. “No one thought theshow would grow like it did.It’s shown in 140 countries.”Harrison began his tour of

the Chung-Hoon with a visitto the office of the ship’s com-manding officer, Cmdr.Justin Orlich. They dis-cussed their mutual fondnessfor diving, and Harrisontalked about his time as aNavy diver. “It was a good gig,” he said. As Harrison left to see the

rest of the ship, Orlich toldhim, “It’s great to have peo-ple like you come aboard …It shows that there are manyopportunities for Sailors oncethey leave the Navy.”Harrison was then led

around the Chung-Hoon byLt. j.g. Travis Harlow. Thetour included visits to theship’s bridge, combat infor-mation center, break roomand galley. Along the way, Harrison

took time to talk to Sailorsand pose for photos. The tourended topside where Harlowshowed Harrison the Chung-Hoon’s 5-inch gun. As he left Chung-Hoon,

Harrison commented abouthow important it was to taketime and honor Pearl Har-bor’s Sailors while he was inHawaii. “I love the Navy,” he said.

“I had a great time when Iserved.”

Brandon Bosworth

Contributing Writer

Logistics Specialist Sea-man Andrea Gonzalesreceived a big surprise whenshe came back from leaveand returned to her com-mand at the USS ArizonaMemorial Detachment atFord Island, Joint Base PearlHarbor-Hickam. She is thelatest person to be honoredfor Operation Makeover.“I had no idea I had even

been nominated until I cameback from leave,” she said. “Ijust found out about it lastweek.” This is Gonzales’s second

big honor this year. In April,she was awarded BlueJacket of the Quarter for thesecond quarter of 2012. TheBlue Jacket award recog-nizes outstanding Sailors. ABlue Jacket of the Year isnamed annually.Gonzales was nominated

for Operation Makeover byher lead chief petty officer,Boatswain’s Mate ChiefMaricel Julian. Julian

thought Gonzales was a nat-ural choice for this honor. “I nominated her because

of her work ethic andbecause of all she’s done forus over the last few months,”said Julian. “She is an outstanding

Sailor who gets the job done.We depend on her a lot, espe-cially for someone so junior,”he said.Operation Makeover was

launched by Paul Brown ofHawaii’s Paul Brown Salonsin appreciation of the sacri-fices made daily by militarymembers and their families.Winners receive a personal-ized hair and body makeoveras well as dinner for two atRoy’s and a two-night hotelstay at the Waikiki Marriott.Gonzales isn’t sure when

she is going to take the timeto enjoy her prizes. “I just gotmy hair cut so I might wait afew months to do the make-over,” she said. Accord-ing toGonzales, the two-night hotelstay can wait until a specialoccasion. As for the dinnerfor two, she said, “I might dothat one soon.”

August 31, 2012 Ho’okele A-7

TV star visits USS Chung-Hoon to thank military members

Lt. j.g. Travis Harlow showsRichard Harrison the USSChung-Hoon’s bridge.

Sailor at Arizona Detachment is Operation Makeover honoree

Photo courtesy of Arizona MemorialLogistics Specialist Seaman Andrea Gonzales receives a lei from Carol Wear, outreach director at Armed Services YMCAduring an Aug. 28 ceremony celebrating Gonzales as the latest Operation Makeover honoree.

A-8 Ho’okele August 31, 2012

MC2 Mathew J. Diendorf

Pacific Missile Range FacilityPublic Affairs

PACIFIC MISSILE RANGEFACILITY, Barking Sands, Kauai -The fire department at the PacificMissile Range Facility (PMRF)recently received reaccreditationstatus by the Commission on FireAccreditation International (CFAI),following their initial accreditationin 2007. The department is one ofonly three in the state of Hawaiiand 150 worldwide to achieve thiselite status.“This accreditation really brings

up the morale of the department,”said Janis Kimata, PMRF assistantfire chief who has been a PMRFfirefighter for 11 years.The Commission on Fire Accredi-

tation International (CFAI) is com-mitted to assisting and improvingfire and emergency service agenciesaround the world in achieving orga-

nizational and professional excel-lence.The CFAI program uses a self-

assessment evaluation that enablesfire and emergency service agenciesto examine past, current and futureservice levels and performance andcompare them to industry bestpractices. This process leads toimproved service delivery by help-ing fire departments determinecommunity risk and safety needs,evaluate performance of thedepartment, and establish amethod for achieving continuousorganizational improvement.The accreditation process de-

mands substantial amount of timeto achieve and from 700 to 1,000hours to complete.“The process breaks down into

10 general categories,” said ManuelNeves, PMRF fire chief. “Includedin those 10 categories there are 253performance indicators, 82 of theindicators are core competencies,which means that they need to be

completed. We go through this pro-cess of looking at ourselves as a firedepartment in how decisions aremade, how long it takes to respondto a fire and what each individualin the department does during acall. Everything we say we aredoing has to be documented,”Neves said.The accreditation process results

in the development of planning doc-uments, standard operating proce-dures, short-term and long-termstrategic plans. Accreditation hasthe potential to dramaticallyimprove a department, its servicesand its vision for the future.CFAI commissioners ask chal-

lenging and direct questions toagency representatives before avote is taken. “I was really nervousgoing before the commission,”Kimata said.“You don’t know what they are

going to ask you, but we answeredthe questions to their approval. I’mglad we received the accreditation.

It’s going to be on our trucks andpeople are starting to notice. Wehave it on our uniforms. When wego out in the public, people are sur-prised and say, ‘Wow, such a smalldepartment is accredited. It makesus very proud.”The CFAI convened in Denver on

Aug. 1. Including PMRF’s fire de-partment, 28 fire and rescue agen-cies were represented. After 12hours of deliberations, 13 agenciesreceived their accreditation status,three of which were Department ofDefense fire agencies. Another 13received reaccredited agency sta-tus.

PMRF Fire Department earns reaccredited agency status

U.S. Navy photo by MC1 Jay C. PughManu Kai firefighters conduct livefire training at the Pacific MissileRange Facility in Kekaha, Hawaii.The live fire training enhances thefirefighter’s ability to combat a firein a real-world situation.

1st Lt. Kathleen Eisenbrey

15th Medical Group

For parents, back-to-school season is pre-ceded by a flurry activity including, but notlimited to, purchasing children’s schoolsupplies and back-to-school clothing for thenew school year.For medical providers at the Hickam,

Makalapa and Pearl Harbor Naval Ship-yard clinics, the month of August, recog-nized as National Immunizations Aware-ness Month (NIAM), has been filled withimmunizations and physicals for school-aged children.Throughout the year, as new families

move into the state, there are immuniza-tions that may be required in order for chil-dren to enter Hawaii schools for the firsttime.According to the Hawaii State

Department of Health, children enteringkindergarten through high school arerequired to have vaccinations for DTaP(diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis),polio, MMR (measles-mumps-rubella), hep-atitis B and varicella (chickenpox). Twodoses of the varicella vaccine are required ifthe first dose was administered after achild’s 13th birthday.For parents who desire to update their

child’s annual flu vaccination, the Stop Fluat School program offered through localschools is an excellent opportunity.Through this program, children enrolled inkindergarten through eighth grade at par-ticipating schools are offered free flu vac-cine(s) during a standard school day.A complete list of schools participating in

the Stop Flu at School program can beaccessed at http://flu.hawaii.gov/SFAS_schedule.html.According to the “Stop Flu at School’s

Summary Report” by the Disease Out-break Control Division at the HawaiiDepartment of Health, a total of 66,230school children, ages 5 to 13, participated inthe program at 331 public and privateschools during the 2010-11 school year.Consent forms and additional informa-

tion about the Stop Flu at School programare now being distributed through partici-pating schools. Parents are requested tocomplete the appropriate consent form(nasal spray or shot), sign, date and returnthe consent form to their child’s teacher bySept. 7.Department of Defense beneficiaries who

wish to obtain annual flu vaccinations mayattend influenza clinics at the Pearl HarborNEX from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 4 and 5 andat the Hickam BXtra from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Oct. 27.

Immunization clinics preparechildren for school year round

Karen S. Spangler

Managing Editor

It’s that time of year again. On Sept. 5,school children in Hawaii public schools willtake home federal census survey cards.Parents are asked to fill out the cards andreturn them to the schools the next day.The data collected from these forms deter-

mines the funding received by the HawaiiDepartment of Education (DOE). Non-response could result in the loss of millions ofdollars in federal funds that benefit both ourmilitary and local communities.With approximately 15,000 military

dependent students in the Hawaii publicschool system, Hawaii has the highest num-ber of military dependent children per capitaof any state in the nation. This makes thecompletion and return of federal surveycards even more important in helping to sup-port the local communities.“Completing the Federal Impact Aid card

for each federally connect student is essen-tial in ensuring Hawaii schools receive themillions of dollars in federal reimbursementpayment,” said Darren Dean, school liaisonofficer for Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Since 1950, the federal government has

paid a share of the cost of educating eachchild whose parent or legal guardian either

lives on or works on federal property. Thesefunds are authorized under Public Law 103-382.“Each service has drafted a letter encour-

aging parent to complete these very impor-tant survey cards. It is very important thatwe get the most accurate count possible offederally connected students enrolled inHawaii public schools,” Dean said.Why fill out the card?- Federal Impact Aid is a partial reim-

bursement to the school district for educatingfederally-connected students who attendpublic schools.- Families of federally-connected students

pay less in taxes into the school district thanlocal residents. These are taxes that helpfund education.- Federal Impact Aid funds pay for teacher

salaries, school programs, materials, equip-ment and supplies.- Every card not returned means funds

lost to Hawaii classrooms statewide.- Hawaii has the highest number of mili-

tary dependent children per capital in thenation (the greatest impact on local schools).The cards take only a couple minutes to

compete and all information is kept confiden-tial.If you have any questions or need more

information, contact Dean at 449-1577 ordarren.dean@us.af.mil.

Parents urged to return federalsurvey cards by next day