The Carl Vinson Voice is an internal document produced by and for the crew of the USS Carl Vinson and their families. Its contents do not necessarily reflect the official views of the U.S. Government or the Departments of Defense or the Navy and do not imply any endorsement thereby.

Photos and Story by MC3 Aaron R. ShelleyUSS Carl Vinson Staff Writer

VOL 1 / NO 27 June 24, 2010

See Food Drive page 2

Vinson Sailors Volunteer to Feed San Diego

Twenty Carl Vinson Sailors gave back to the San Diego community June 19 by volunteering their time at the Feeding America San Diego food bank.

Feeding America San Diego, a non-profit organization, opened its doors in 2007 and has logged over 14,500 volunteer hours this fiscal year, and provided nearly 13 million pounds of food and groceries in 2008 and 2009 alone.

“There are a lot of people out in San Diego who need a helping hand, that’s why we’re here to volunteer our services,” said Richard Sanders, a team leader volunteer at Feeding America San Diego.

The organization accepts food and household products donated by local and national manufacturers. Once donated, quality assurance volunteers screen the product for expiration and damage, determining whether to sort or dispose of the product.

From quality assurance, volunteers take the products and sort them according to category. Pastas, produce, candy, bread and canned foods are among the products scanned.

The food and goods are organized, labeled, and put on pallets to be wrapped and fork lifted onto a loading zone for shipping. From there, agencies accept the donated food and distribute it throughout the community.

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Publisher Capt. Bruce H. Lindsey

Commanding Officer

Executive Editors Lt. Cmdr. Erik Reynolds

Public Affairs Officer

Lt. j.g. Erik Schneider Deputy Public Affairs Officer

Managing Editor MC2 Michael Lantron

Layout and DesignMCSN Rosa A. Arzola

Staff Writers/Photographers

MC3 Aaron R. ShelleyMC3 Shentel YarnellSTAFF

From `Food Drive page 1

Story By MC3 Aaron R. ShelleyUSS Carl Vinson Staff Writer

Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Travis Stephens, a new Sailor on board Carl Vinson, is already taking advantage of the ship’s community relations program.

“I’ve been volunteering ever since I joined the military. It’s my way of giving back,” said Stephens.

Stephen and the Sailors spent the beginning of their Saturday making a difference in the San Diego community. Four hours of work helped the sailors make a long lasting impression on those who worked beside them, and those receiving the fruits of their work.

“It’s good to see all our Navy Sailors

coming together to achieve a common goal, feeding San Diego,” said Brandi Love, head volunteer coordinator at Feeding San Diego. “We have a lot of Navy volunteers and it’s always great to have their help.”

Feeding America San Diego is open Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. For more information visit their website http://www.feedingamericasd.org or call their toll free number: 858.452.3663.

Carl Vinson has integrated electronic homing devices to of its float coats in an effort to reduce man overboard casualties.

These devices are known as man overboard indicator (MOBI) systems. Each system is individually serialized and assigned to a Sailor’s float coat

in order to locate personnel that fall overboard.

Once a Sailor has fallen overboard, a salt water sensitive i n d i c a t o r activates the systems beacon, alerting bridge watch-standers of the Sailor’s position.

“I trust the device. I have p r e v i o u s l y tested earlier prototypes and

The device doesn’t eliminate mustering and accountability, but it speeds along the process. Cold water temperatures and bone-breaking falls still make rescuing a victim an urgent task.

“We gave training to all the departments and divisions. This will give them confidence in their equipment and performing maintenance will be an easier task,” said Watson.

Carl Vinson will start performing maintenance on the systems starting in July and the systems are becoming mandatory for all U.S. Navy and Coast Guard vessels for the near future.

they were really reliable,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class (SW) Aaron Oliver.

The beacon transmits as far as 20 miles and is estimated to last as long as ten hours. By transmitting wirelessly, the system creates a network. This allows other ships to assist in search and rescue operations, and identifies to the Sailor’s command.

“It’s a clear and concise system, that allows us more time to focus on the mission of rescue,” said Electronic Technician 1st Class (SW) James Watson, Combat Systems Department, CS-6 Division Leading Petty Officer.

The ships rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIB) also have the system’s receivers installed. This gives the coxswain directional location of the fallen Sailor and feedback from the bridge during the at-sea rescue.

According to Watson, all the same hazards are present during a man overboard procedure. Photo by MC3 Aaron R. Shelley

Photo by MC2 Adrian T. White

Vinson Float Coats Get Upgraded

3June 24, 2010

Photo and Story by MC3 Shentel Yarnell USS Carl Vinson Staff Writer

Photo by MC3 Aaron R. Shelley

Sailor Concludes Seven-Year Tour Onboard

For many Sailors, seven years may seem like a long amount of time to spend at one command, but for Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) (AW) 2nd Class Dayton Harryman it’s just the end of his first tour.

Harryman reported to Carl Vinson in August of 2003 as an airman and has been a part of Carl Vinson through countless changes in personnel, three homeports, and a major overhaul within a span of seven years.

“Being stationed here for seven years isn’t bad; my best memories are here,” said Harryman. “The hardest part of being here so long was watching so many people I know leave. And now some of them are coming back; people I saw on [the world tour to Northrop Grumman Shipyards] are back on the ship again as first and second classes.”

Harryman said his time on board has gone by fast because the people he has served with and the responsibilities delegated to him, helped to keep him busy.

One responsibility that kept Harryman busy over his time onboard was mentoring other junior Aviation Boatswain’s Mates.

“I’ve gone through everything they’re going through and then some,” said Harryman.

Bremerton, Wash. was Harryman’s favorite homeport because there was so much to do there. He said that while most people disliked the weather, he enjoyed it because he would go to work in the rain and leave in the sun. Leaving and moving to Washington to Newport News, Va. was less to Harryman’s

liking because of the shipyard atmosphere and there was less to do away from work. He said the work in the shipyard was more strenuous than his work while at sea because there was so much work to do out of rate.

Harryman recalled his favorite memories from the beginning of his tour, including being on the flight deck during a diagnostic Close-In Weapons System (CIWS) firing about three months into the world tour; watching the ship’s island being removed from the flight deck during RCOH months after pulling into Newport News; and being a flight deck safety observer for the Peru Air Show

while experiencing an aircraft sonic boom.

“It was so loud, it rocked the whole ship,” Harryman said.

After seven years and many calls to the detailer, Harryman will finally see what it’s like to be at another command. Harryman said it will be a welcome change, but that it will be strange for him to change commands because he is so used to Carl Vinson.

“Everything I know is here,” he said. “Everything I learned is here.”

Harryman received orders May 28 and is scheduled to transfer in July to Naval Air Station Whiting Field in Milton, Fl.

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