Vol 03 No 51 | May 19, 2012

I T I: D P | H R | D S | M L

STORY BY

CONTINUE ‘TIGER’ ON PAGE 2Cover photo by: MC2 (SW/AW) James R. Evans | Carl Vinson Staff Photographer

This Is Your Ship

MC2 (SW) Byron C. Linder | Carl Vinson Staff Writer

Carl Vinson steamed out of historic Pearl Harbor Wednesday morning with 938 friends and family

members swarming the � ight deck to take in the sights of one of our Navy’s most hallowed ports. � ese “Tigers”, friends and family members of Sailors who were invited to ride along with Vinson and her embarked crew for her return to homeport San Diego, took photos until the island disappeared from view.

At an address to the Tigers and Sailors, Vinson’s Commanding O� cer Capt. Kent D. Whalen expressed enthusiasm and pride for the e� orts Vinson Sailors put into deployment along with his anticipation to share the ride home alongside the crew’s Tigers.

“� is ship is thrilled to have each and every one of you here. We’ve got a great program set up for you for the next four days. I’m very proud of this ship and crew and all the things they’ve done since we le� home,” he said. “I think you’ll � nd everyone

on this ship is ready to help with anything you need. I’ve waited 28 years to run one of these Tiger Cruises, and I look forward to seeing you around the ship.”

Following the address, the Tigers proceeded to the � ight deck for a “Tigers 2012” spell-out photograph. A gun shoot demonstration with the ship’s 50-caliber machine guns, followed by an ice cream social and a movie night in Hangar Bay 2 hosted by MWR, closed out the � rst day of Tiger Cruise in memorable fashion.

Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Matthew Stroud, a Red Blu� , Calif. native assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 22, brought his mother Vicki aboard for his � nal deployment.

“I just wanted to see what goes on in this big ship. It’s exciting to me,” she said. “We’re trying to take in as much as we can.”

Vicki Stroud’s � rst visit to a U.S. Navy ship was in the 1960s, as a guest of her uncle aboard the USS Yorktown in Long Beach.

Vol 03 No 51 | May 19, 2012

I T I: D P | H R | D S | M L

This Is

Vinson Voice2FROM ‘TIGER’ ON PAGE 1

“Vinson’s a lot bigger and there’s a lot more activity. Back in those days, women weren’t allowed on ships per se, so I only got to see the bare minimum. Here I’ve been able to take the whole gamut in. I love what everybody’s doing out here.”

Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) 2nd Class (AW/SW) Anthony Padilla, a Bakers� eld, Calif. native assigned to Air Department’s V-2 Division, brought his younger brother Noah aboard.

“He’ll remember an experience like this for a long time. I never had an older brother, and if I did, I would love for him to do something like this for me,” ABE2 Padilla said.

“I couldn’t wait, especially when I heard we were going to stay in Hawaii for a day,” Noah Padilla added. “I’m looking forward to the steel beach picnic with basketball and sumo wrestling, and working with my brother when he’s getting everything ready for the jets to take o� .”

� is Tiger Cruise caps Vinson’s second consecutive combat deployment to the U.S. 5th and 7th Fleet areas of responsibility supporting maritime theater security operations. Carl Vinson serves as the � agship for Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1, led by Rear Adm. T.K. Shannon. CSG-1’s assets also include the Ticondergoa-class guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52) and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Halsey (DDG 97).

From Jan. 9 to March 24, CVW-17 aircra� � ew 1,085 missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, totaling 6,600 total � ight hours. We deployed 7,283 pounds of ordnance and expended 1,717 rounds of 20mm ammunition in support of the coalition forces on the ground.

We transited the Straits of Hormuz four times, even hosting former CBS Evening News anchor and 60 Minutes correspondent Dan Rather as the subject of a segment for his Dan Rather Reports television news magazine during one of them.

We conducted exercises with coalition countries and other nations including Singapore, Britain, Australia and India. We made port visits and conducted community service projects in Hong Kong, Jebel Ali, India and Australia, and earned the 2011 Commander Naval Air Forces Battle E� ciency (Battle “E”) award for West Coast-based aircra� carriers.

With the operational mission in the books, the next few days provide an opportunity for the Tigers to witness � rst-hand how we carry out the Navy’s mission every day and to accompany us back home to close out the WestPac 2011-2012 deployment.

Photo by: MC2 (SW/AW) James R. Evans | Carl Vinson Staff Photographer

Photo by: MCSA (SW) Andrew K. Haller | Carl Vinson Staff Photographer

Photo by: MC2 Benjamin Stevens | Carl Vinson Staff Photographer

May 19, 2012 3

Photo by: MC2 (SW/AW) James R. Evans | Carl Vinson Staff Photographer

Photo by: MC2 (SW/AW) James R. Evans | Carl Vinson Staff PhotographerPhoto by: MCSN (SW) George M. Bell | Carl Vinson Staff Photographer

Photo by: MC3 (SW/AW) Rosa A. Arzola | Carl Vinson Staff PhotographerPhoto by: MCSA (SW) Andrew K. Haller | Carl Vinson Staff Photographer

Vinson Voice4

“I think this is a very fitting place for [these Sailors] to choose to re-enlist,” Spedero said. “In their lifetimes, they have seen surprise attacks on our nation as we did on December 7, 1941 in this very spot where we lost 1,177 of our Shipmates. And in the wake of these attacks, these Sailors decided to join the United States Navy to serve, and today they are electing to continue to serve.”

Spedero thanked the re-enlistees for their service, their further pledge to serve and praised their resolution, saying though the oath they take is very simple, and takes only a minute to pledge, “the life that they lead and the life that they will continue to lead is not so simple – it comes with great sacrifice, not only for them, but great hardship for their families as well.”

“The XO (Executive Officer) did a tremendous job,” Daily said. “He was very social and conducted a wonderful speech that was short and to the point which was appropriate because not many words were needed to convey what a special thing it was not only to re-enlist, but to re-enlist at the Arizona Memorial.”

With the names of the 1,177 Arizona crew members who passed away during the Pearl Harbor attack standing starkly behind them, the 10 Vinson Sailors received their honorable discharges and were sworn in again in front of the memorial’s white marble shrine. Sub, who felt overwhelmed and ecstatic, said the ceremony “was exactly what [he] wanted.”

“I thought, if I’m going to re-enlist, I’m going to re-enlist for the maximum amount of years and I’m going to do it at a place that, if it’s my last re-enlistment and my first re-enlistment, I want it to be as memorable as possible,” Sub said. “I’m speechless as to how much of an experience that really was for me.”

Commanding Officer Capt. Kent D. Whalen promotes seven officers assigned to Vinson aboard USS Missouri Battleship Memorial. Photo by MC2 Benjamin Stevens

Executive Officer Cmdr. Paul C. Spedero reenlists ten Sailors assigned to Vinson aboard the USS Arizona Memorial. Photo by MC2 Benjamin Stevens

STORY BYMC3 (SW/AW) Luke B. Meineke |Carl Vinson Staff Writer

At 7:30 a.m. Thursday, May 17, 10 Carl Vinson Sailors left the shadow of their carrier as they transited from

the pier in Pearl Harbor to the USS Arizona Memorial to officially re-commit themselves to the Navy.

The USS Arizona Memorial, which marks the resting place of 1,102 of the 1,177 crew members who perished Dec. 7, 1941 during the Imperial Japanese Navy’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, provided a special and significant setting for those re-enlisting.

“It was a lot more than what I expected,” said Aviation Maintenance Administrationman 2nd Class (AW) Jonathan M. Sub, a supervisor assigned to Aviation Intermediate Maintenance Department’s IM-1 Division. “It was silence. You can’t hear the water hitting, you can’t hear planes, you can’t hear anything – just silence. It was an experience unlike anything I’ve ever had in my life.”

Vinson’s Executive Officer Cmdr. Paul C. Spedero and Command Master Chief CMDCM (AW/SW) Jeffrey Pickering joined the family, friends and Shipmates of the re-enlistees for the morning’s ceremony. All present were given the chance to appreciate the memorial before the re-enlistment ceremony. The historical weight and the somber spirit surrounding the Arizona affected the atmosphere and the company, said Yeoman 3rd Class Michael K. Daily, the departmental yeoman assigned to Supply Department’s S-0 Division.

“It’s hard to express; it was overwhelming,” Daily said. “When I got off the ferry and looked into the memorial, I had to sit there a minute. You think about how these Sailors paved the way for you to do what you’re doing now in the Navy. It also reminds you why you enlisted in the first place and now why you are re-enlisting.”

Spedero initiated the ceremony, calling his duty to re-enlist the Sailors an “honor” and a “distinct pleasure.”

A Historical Reenlistment

May 19, 2012 5

Schedule of Events for Saturday, May 190500 – 0700 Breakfast0830 – 0900 Ordnance Load Demo #1 – Hangar Bay0900 – 1100 Tours #10900 – 1130 GITMO 8 Medical Training – 75 Tigers1000 – 1300 Lunch1100 – 1130 Ordnance Load Demo #2 – Hangar Bay1100 – 1300 Tiger Damage Control Hands On – Fantail1100 – 1300 Pictures and Knot Tying – Foc’sle1300 Advance clocks 1 hour1400 – 1600 Tours #21500 – 1900 Static Display Fair – Hangar Bay 21600 – 1900 Dinner1930 – 2030 Night Gun Shoot – view from Hangar Bay2030 – 2200 Ice Cream Social & DJ, Open Mic & Karaoke – Hangar Bay 2

Vinson Voice6

DIALOGUES

STAFF

STA

FF|PUBLISHER|

|EDITOR IN CHIEF|

|EXECUTIVE EDITORS|

|MANAGING EDITOR|

|PHOTO EDITOR|

|GRAPHICS/LAYOUT|

|STAFF WRITERS/PHOTOGRAPHERS|

CAPT. KENT D. WHALEN

MCC (SW/AW) MONICA R. NELSON

LT. CMDR. ERIK REYNOLDS

LT. ERIK SCHNEIDER

COMMANDING OFFICER

MEDIA ALCPO

PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER

ASSISTANT PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER

MC2 (SW) BYRON C. LINDER

MC2 (SW/AW) JAMES R. EVANS

MC3 PHOENIX C. LEVIN

MC2 BENJAMIN STEVENSMC3 (SW/AW) ROSA A. ARZOLA

MC3 (SW/AW) LUKE B. MEINEKEMCSN (SW) GEORGE M. BELL

MCSA (SW) ANDREW K. HALLER

D E C K P L A T E

| What do you want to see for this Tiger Cruise? |

“I haven’t seen my son in five years, so I want to spend as much time as possible with him and see how the Navy

runs business.”

“I want to see what my son goes through while on

deployment.”

“I want to see what my daughter does to defend

our country.”

TigerS a l v a d o r E s q u e d a

TigerW i l l i e M c C a l l

“I want to see the Air Show.”

TigerA i d a n B a l u y o t

TigerD o n C o l a n e r o

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