Bataan Sailors Receive Fleet’s First FRV CoverallsBy MC3 Mark Hays

January 17, 2014Volume: 2 Issue: 1

Look Inside!Year in review, Page 4 & 5| Synthetic Marijuana added to Drug Testing, Page 6 | Taxes, Page 7

Five of USS Bataan’s (LHD 5) Mustangs arrived at the Ronald McDonald House (RMH) in downtown Norfolk on the morning of Dec. 26, volunteering their time for an amazing cause.

Bataan Mustangs (Mustangs are Navy officers that have been commissioned from enlisted ranks) cooked and served breakfast to families staying at the RMH.

“RMH of Norfolk provides support for families with children facing medical challenges and programs that directly improve the health and wellbeing of children,” said Vickie Kennedy, the house manager for the Norfolk location. “We fulfill our mission by providing a home-away-from-home for families of seriously ill children and by providing grants to nonprofit organizations fro programs that enable children to live happier, healthier lives.”

COVERALL story cont. on page 2

Sailors aboard the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) received their Flame Resistant Variant (FRV) coveralls Jan. 15, 2014 while also preparing for their upcoming deployment.

Bataan Sailors will be the first in the fleet to wear the FRV coveralls, which are provided by the Navy at no cost to the Sailors. They will replace Navy Working Uniform (NWU) Type I and other polyester and poly blend uniforms while ships are underway. The NWUs will no longer be authorized for wear while underway, except for special events such as manning the rails, change

of commands, or receptions held at anchor.

“I’m excited about being the first to receive the new coveralls,” said Aviation Electricians Mate 2nd Class Collin Peskett, of Long Island, N.Y. “Tests on these new uniforms have been performed for our safety and safety is paramount, especially since we are deploying soon.”

The FRV coverall is made from 100% cotton fabric treated with a flame retardant chemically bonded into the fibers of the fabric. FRVs passed all flame and flash-fire testing

By MCSN Nicholas F. Cottone

Bataan Mustang Officers Whip Up Holiday Cheer

Photo by MCSN Nicholas F. CottoneMUSTANG story cont. on page 2

Photo by MCSN Nicholas F. Cottone

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The editorial content of this newspaper is prepared, edited and provided by Bataan’s Public Affairs Office. This newspaper is an authorized publication for members of military services at sea. Its contents do not necessarily reflect the official views of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense or the U.S. Navy and do not imply endorsement thereof.

Commanding OfficerCaptain George J. Vassilakis

Executive OfficerCaptain John “J.C.” Carter

Command Master ChiefCMDCM(SW/AW) Kevin M. Goodrich

Public Affairs Officer MCC(SW/SCW) Dennis Herring

News Team 5MC1(SW/AW) John BelangerMC1(AW/SW) RJ StratchkoMC1(SW/AW) Gary PrillMC3 Erik Foster

MC3 Mark HaysMCSN Nicholas Frank CottoneMCSN Chase HawleyMCSA Michael Lieberknecht

Layout and Design MCSN Nicholas Frank Cottone

Editor MC1(AW/SW) RJ Stratchko

The mission of the Ronald McDonald House Charities is to create, find and support programs that directly improve the health and wellbeing of children.

They believe when you change a child’s life you change a family’s, which can change a community and, ultimately, the world. They strive to be a part of the solution, improving the lives of children and their families.

“Since it was the holiday season, myself and a few of the mustangs onboard decided to cook breakfast at the Ronald McDonald House for the families that are currently living there,” said Warrant Officer Richard Barr.

Mustangs and their families showed up bright and early to whip up bacon, eggs, waffles and cinnamon rolls for the 16 families that are currently staying at the house.

“It is always good to be able to volunteer and when it’s for a foundation such as the Ronald McDonald House it makes it so much better,” said Barr.

Volunteers are a huge part of helping the RMH function and there are many volunteer opportunities available at the

RMH, said Kennedy.“Being able to help families in the

surrounding area is great because it allows us to show how much we care and it’s a way to give support to the people

who support us,” said Barr.For more information concerning

volunteering opportunities visit www.rmhcnorfolk.com and click on the “support us” icon.

COVERALL cont. from Front page

MUSTANG cont. from Front page

requirements and the flame resistant properties did not degrade with wear or laundering for the serviceable life of the coverall. They use the same design pattern as the existing utility coveralls Sailors have in their uniform sea bag.

The new coveralls are expected to maintain performance properties, durability and appearance for typical deployments of six to nine months, with an optimal wear life of 18-24 months. Like other organizational clothing, the FRV coveralls will be replaced by each ship over time, based on normal wear and tear.

“The new coveralls are a big step for us,” said Command Master Chief Kevin Goodrich, the ship’s senior enlisted crew member. “All Sailors are fire fighters first, and now with everyone wearing these uniforms, our response time will be even faster in the event of an onboard emergency.”

FRV coveralls will not be worn in place of organizational clothing mandated for specific operational environments such as flight decks or while performing work on electrical systems requiring arc-flash protection.

Name tags and rank on the FRV

coverall will consist of a Velcro-backed name tag and metal collar devices already used on other uniforms. Command ball caps are also authorized for wear with the FRV.

“With the shipboard environment that contains certain inherent risks, this is a step in the right direction towards the safety of our Sailors,” said Capt. George J. Vassilakis, commanding officer aboard USS Bataan. “Sailors are our number one asset and we are always looking for ways to improve their safety. I’m excited this comes at no cost to our Sailors.”

Photo by MCSN Nicholas F. Cottone

JANUARY

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MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR FEDERAL HOLIDAY

ZUMBA

ZUMBAFAST CRUISE

ZUMBA

SHIP STORE RIBBON CUTTING

PPV MOVE OUT ZUMBA

1ST CLASS FLEET TRAINING

ZUMBA ZUMBA

ZUMBA

ZUMBA

Adding some holiday cheer by stringing the ship from stem to stern with holiday lights made Bataan stand out among the other ships pier side. Bataan

Sailors worked busily during the holiday stand down in preparation for the upcoming deployment. One

instance was removing the Tilly from the flight deck.

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Random Synthetic Marijuana Drug Testing BeginsFrom Navy Personnel Command Public Affairs

As part of a new Department of Defense (DoD) policy, the Navy began testing for synthetic marijuana compounds during random urinalysis, officials announced Dec. 31.

According to NAVADMIN 334/13, testing for synthetic marijuana compounds will be randomly conducted on samples submitted to all drug screening laboratories, and positive results will subject members to disciplinary action under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

The Navy expects to test more than 1.1 million samples this year, and a portion of them will be screened for synthetic marijuana. Those that test potentially positive will be forwarded to the Air Force Drug Testing Laboratory at Lackland, Texas for confirmation.

“We are testing synthetic cannabinoids - also known as Spice, K2, Herbal Essence and other names - within the standard testing panel conducted for urinalysis samples,” said Lanorfeia Parker, deputy director, Navy Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Office

(NADAP).The change will be largely transparent

to the command, requiring no changes to

the way they currently collect and ship urine samples for drug testing. In contrast to the Navy’s previous synthetic drug testing program, no action is required by the command to have random synthetic

drug testing performed on the samples that are submitted.

The DoD estimates that nearly 1 percent of military personnel may be using synthetic marijuana. In fiscal year (FY) 2012, illicit marijuana use among active duty military personnel was 0.43 percent and for the entire DoD the prevalence rate was 0.64 percent. FY 2013 testing for Navy personnel indicated that .09 percent of all samples were positive for marijuana.

If a member uses, possesses, promotes, manufactures, or distributes synthetic drugs, they face disciplinary action that could result in unfavorable separation from the Navy. According to Parker, the Navy’s policy on substance abuse is zero tolerance.

“Substance abuse puts lives and missions at risk, undercuts unit readiness and morale, and is inconsistent with our Navy ethos and core values of honor, courage, and commitment,” said Parker.

For more information about Navy Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention, visit www.npc.navy.mil/support/nadap.

U.S. Navy photo

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Batten Down: Navy glossary meaning to close or make watertight, usually referring to hatches.

Bitter End: A turn of a line around a bitt. Those wooden or iron posts sticking through a ship’s deck, are called bitters. Thus, the last of the line secured to the bitts is known as the bitter end.Nautical usage has expanded the orginal definition in that today, the end of any line, secured to bitts or not, is called a bitter end.The landlubbing phrases “stick to the bitter end” and the “faithful to the bitter end” are derivations fo the nautical term and refer to anyone who insists on adhering to a course of action without regard to consequences.

Dog House: A nautical term referring to a small box-like cabin on a modern yacht. But slang usage, “in the dog house” means to be in disfavor or disgrace, and it originated in the early days during the slave trade.Slave ships filled every nook and cranny with their unfortunate cargo and sometimes put slaves in the officers’ cabins. The officers then slept on deck in small box-like uncomfortable structures which were nicknamed “dog houses,” so the term “in the dog house” originated to describe being in a tough spot.

Navy Trivia

WHAT: ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT TAXES

WHO: MICHELLE K. VIOLA-HUDKAK

WHEN: FEB 28 & 29 0900-1100

WHERE: SHIP’S CLASSROOM

WHY: ENSURE BATAAN SAILORS HAVE A SUCCESSFUL AND QUICK TAX RETURN

YOU’VE EARNED IT

DON’T WASTE IT

IT WASN’T EASY GETTING HERE. DRINK RESPONSIBLY.www.nadap.navy.mil