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INSIDE — Wheeler joins MSC fleet • MSC lieutenant earns Bronze Star Medal

Comfortreturns

Hospital ship returns from Latin America and the CaribbeanSee article and photos on Page 4

4 months12 countries

98,000 patients

Mission accomplished

Sealift is an authorized publication for membersand employees of the Navyʼs Military SealiftCommand. Contents of this publication are notnecessarily the official views of or endorsed bythe U.S. government, the Department of De-fense or the Department of the Navy. Sealift ispublished monthly by the Military Sealift Com-mand Office of Public Affairs as authorizedunder NAVPUBINST 5600.42A. Submission ofarticles and letters should be addressed to Edi-tor, Sealift, Military Sealift Command, 914Charles Morris Court, S.E., Washington NavyYard, D.C. 20398-5540; phone (202) 685-5055or DSN 325-5055; fax (202) 685-5067; or viathe Internet, sealift editor@navy.mil. All photo-graphic submissions must be sent by an ex-press mail or parcel service.

COMSC Rear Adm. Robert D. Reilly Jr., USNDirector, Public Affairs Timothy BoulayEditor Rosemary HeissWriters Edward Baxter, Singapore

Bill Cook, Norfolk, Va.Susan Melow, Norfolk, Va.

Laura Seal, Washington, D.C.Gillian Brigham, Naples

Sarah Burford, San DiegoArt Director Dale Allen, Washington, D.C.Graphics Susan Thomas, Washington, D.C.

Military Sealift Command reports to the Com-mander, U.S. Transportation Command for de-fense transportation matters, to the Commander,U.S. Fleet Forces Command for Navy-uniquematters and to the Assistant Secretary of theNavy for Research, Development and Acquisi-tion for procurement policy and oversight mat-ters.

Printed on recycled paper

2

Commanderʼs perspective

Robert D. Reilly Jr. Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy

Commander, Military Sealift Command

We are an extraordinary na-tion. That’s been the case

since the Jamestown settlementin Virginia, which celebrated its400th birthday this year, and thepilgrims who landed in Ply-mouth, Mass., in November1620. The freedoms we enjoy —

freedom of choice, freedom of re-ligion, freedom of speech and somany others — are a guidinglight in our world that calls to thedowntrodden and dispossessedeverywhere. So, there’s good rea-son for all of us to celebrateThanksgiving. And, there’s good reason to re-

member those who have madethe ultimate sacrifice over the231 years of our nation’s history.Sometimes, in our haste to

fully take advantage of a well-earned holiday weekend, weforget the reason for the holiday. Veterans Day holds even more

meaning in this decade of theglobal war on terrorism. We allknow family members, shipmatesor friends who are serving, andwe take the time to honor theirlives as citizens, patriots, warfighters and peace keepers. The inscription on the wall of the

Korean War Memorial on the Mall inWashington, D.C., reminds us that,“Freedom is not free.” We all knowthat. And we know that even as wetalk about this, our shipmates are outthere, around the world, going inharms’ way because they know, likewe do, that it is the reason we serveour nation — proudly, quietly and pas-sionately.But there’s more to Veterans Day

and Thanksgiving than just givingthanks. It’s a time when we all need tothink about giving back — to our fam-ilies, to our shipmates, to our commu-nities and to our world.USNS Comfort just returned from

a four-month humanitarian assistancemission to Latin America and theCaribbean. Our mariners and Sailorsaboard ship ‘shared America’ withour brothers and sisters in 12 coun-tries in the region, providing medicalassistance, infrastructure help andgoodwill, from building sidewalksand wheelchair ramps at a school in

Ecuador to performing magic tricksin local hospitals. And there weresome spirited basketball games withthe local kids that made lifelong im-pressions for many children.Closer to home, MSC headquarters

has a relationship with a local elemen-tary school where our staffers tutorand provide mentoring to kids whosometimes have to struggle to stay inschool. Some of our people have been per-

forming this community service for20 years or more. Those who partici-pate say it’s a life-changing experi-ence for them, not to mention for thekids.There are, no doubt, programs at all

of our MSC sealift logistics commandsand other, more remote, operating lo-cations around the world that offer thechance to give back to the community.It’s just a matter of seeking them outand getting involved.And let’s not forget our families, es-

pecially the families of our shipmatesand friends who are deployed.

In his first letter to America’s Sol-diers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines andtheir families, our new Chairman ofthe Joint Chiefs of Staff (and formerChief of Naval Operations) Adm.Mike Mullen, said, “Whether youserve in Baghdad or Bagram, Kabul orKuwait — whether you find yourselfat sea in the Pacific, flying supportmissions over Europe, on the groundin Africa or working every day atstateside bases — you are making adifference, and so is every person inyour family. Your service matters. AndI do not take it for granted.”I echo Admiral Mullen’s statement.

Each and every one of you in MSC ismaking a difference daily. And thefamilies who stand behind you are crit-ical to your well being and capabilitiesas members of the U.S. defense team.You may recall that my number one

operating axiom is that people areMSC’s number one strategic priority.That includes our families. It’s not just because you are critical

to the mission. It’s also because you

show the rest of the worldthe heart and soul of MSC— what we’re made of andwhat we can do as a team— what we bring to thetable as part of the nationaldefense strategy.Today, we’re more than

9,000 strong as we work atsea and ashore around theworld. As Admiral Mullen says,

“The enemies we face,from radical jihadists to re-gional powers with nuclearambitions, directly and ir-refutably threaten our vitalnational interests. Theythreaten our very way oflife. You stand betweenthese dangers and theAmerican people. You arethe sentinels of freedom.”Wherever you are on

this Veterans Day andThanksgiving, take a mo-ment to thank those aroundyou, those who precededyou, those who will followafter and those who havefallen in the struggle.We’re part of the ring

of freedom that protectsthe greatest nation the world has everknown. We are MSC, and we deliver!

Keep the faith,

Thanksgiving—giving thanks and giving back

Civil service mariner Capt. Ed Nanartowich, master of hospital ship USNS Comfort, greets a Haitian girlafter giving her a pair of shoes while the ship was in her country in September.

By U.S. Fleet Forces Command Public Affairs

Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert assumed command of U.S. Fleet Forces Command from Adm.Gary Roughead, during an informal ceremony held in the Pentagon, Sept. 29.

Roughead assumed duties as the 29th chief of Naval operations at the same ceremony. Greenert, a naval submarine officer and a 1975 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy,

most recently served as deputy chief of Naval operations for integration of capabilitiesand resources. He has served in a variety of command positions afloat and ashore, including command

of submarine USS Honolulu and commander, Submarine Squadron 11; commander, U.S.Naval Forces Marianas; and commander, U.S. 7th Fleet.During Greenert’s first meeting with the USFF headquarters staff, he discussed his pri-

orities and USFF’s continued focus on warfighting, force posture and building regional re-lationships. “I believe America needs a strong military and the Navy is the centerpiece of that,”

Greenert said. “Sailors and our civilian employees are the difference that we have overeverybody else. My experience in the fleet has been that it’s an amazing team and anamazing synergy when brought together. I really believe that we need to dwell on ourstrengths and what we can do together.”

Adm. Greenert assumes command of U.S. Fleet Forces

U.S. Navy photo

U.S. Navy photo

3

MSC accepts new OPDS platform— improves ability to support U.S. troops ashore

By Laura M. SealMSC Public Affairs

Military Sealift Command took de-livery of its newest ship at the

Santa Rosa Island test range off thecoast of Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.,Sept. 20. This addition greatly im-proves the command’s ability to deliverfuel to soldiers and Marines operatingashore where port facilities are inade-quate or non-existent. MV Vice Adm. K.R. Wheeler, a

commercial ship under charter to MSCfor up to five years, was delivered tothe command by the ship’s builder andowner, Edison Chouest Offshore, fol-lowing six days of acceptance trials.Wheeler is the platform for a new off-shore petroleum distribution system, orOPDS, that can pump fuel ashore fromup to eight miles off the coast — twicethe distance as existing MSC ships.Wheeler doesn’t carry fuel, but rather

works as an at-sea pumping system totransfer fuel ashore from commercialand military tankers. Following delivery, Wheeler contin-

ued on to Norfolk, where it conductedtwo days of demonstrations for about70 senior military leaders and govern-ment officials off the coast of FortStory, Va., and hosted the ship name-sake’s family for a tour in port. Byearly October, Wheeler got underwayto Guam where it will operate as partof MSC’s Maritime Prepositioning ShipSquadron Three. “This new system allows us to do

more in less time with fewer re-sources,” said Tim McLaughlin, one ofMSC’s lead project officers in chargeof Wheeler’s development and deliv-ery. “To really support our troops, weneeded to improve greatly upon the ex-isting OPDS tankers’ capabilities.”The nearly 349-foot-long, 70-foot-

wide Wheeler carries eight miles offlexible pipe, which is wrapped aroundfive, 35-foot-tall spools mounted onthe ship’s weather deck. The speciallydesigned pipe is eight inches in diame-ter and comprises nine layers of protec-tive materials. In less than 48 hours, Wheeler’s crew

can run the full length of pipe ashore,connect the pipe to the ship’s bow dis-charge unit, run a float hose to a tanker

from the ship’s stern, and be ready topump fuel at a rate of about 1,400 gal-lons per minute — upwards of 2 milliongallons of fuel a day. Wheeler operates with the assistance

of a light, amphibious, resupply, cargovessel — called a LARC — whichbeaches and anchors itself ashore inorder to pull the pipe to shore. TheLARC also carries to shore the beachterminal unit — a piece of equipmentthat receives the fuel and transfers it tothe Army or Marine Corps onshore fuelfacilities.Then, Wheeler’s 165-foot tender ves-

sel, Fast Tempo, runs a float hose fromWheeler to a tanker. Once all hoses andpipes are secure, the tanker beginspumping fuel, which passes throughholding tanks aboard Wheeler beforerunning through the pipe to shore. “It’s very exciting to be part of Wheel-

er’s crew,” said Capt. Robert Verret, theship’s civilian master, who works for theprivate company under contract to MSC.“It’s got all the bells and whistles thatother ships don’t have.”Wheeler’s capabilities expand greatly

on those of the three existing offshorepetroleum discharge tankers that are pe-riodically activated from the MaritimeAdministration’s government-ownedReady Reserve Force. These ships in-clude SS Potomac, SS Chesapeake andSS Petersburg. Chesapeake transferredfrom MSC’s fleet back to the RRF inSeptember 2006, and Petersburg will dothe same later this year. Chesapeake andPetersburg will both ultimately becomepart of the National Defense ReserveFleet, joining Potomac which transferredto NDRF in 2006.

Unlike its predecessors, Wheeler is nota tanker — hence its designation as anoffshore petroleum distribution (ratherthan discharge) system. Because of this,Wheeler is not limited to pumping fuelcarried in its own tanks, but rather canhook-up to any commercial or militarytanker. Wheeler’s improved capabilities also

include the ability to pump 500,000 gal-lons more fuel per day, operate in moredifficult environmental conditions includ-ing surface currents of up to three knotsand winds of up to 40 knots, and installpipe over an ocean bottom of rock andshell in addition to mud, sand and coral. A further advantage is that for all of

these improved capabilities, Wheeler re-quires far fewer people to deploy its dis-tribution system than its predecessors,which required about 150 people.Wheeler’s crew is made up of 30 civil-ians working for private companiesunder contract to MSC. Sixteen civilianmariners operate and navigate the ship,and eight systems operators, six ofwhom join the ship only during fuelingevolutions, operate and deploy the distri-bution system. In addition, a crew of sixmariners operate Wheeler’s tender ves-sel, Fast Tempo.“This is an extremely important ca-

pability,” said Keith Bauer, programmanager for MSC’s PrepositioningProgram. “This new system increasesthe flexibility of the U.S. military byexpanding our capability to supportground operations in coastal areas thatare undeveloped, destroyed by naturaldisaster, or otherwise unable to sup-port arrival of a tanker to distributefuel.”

Marilyn Wheeler, widow ofVice Adm. K.R. Wheeler,namesake of Military SealiftCommandʼs new offshorepetroleum distribution sys-tem ship, sat in the cap-tainʼs chair on the shipʼsbridge during a ship tourled by civilian master Capt.Robert Verret while the shipwas in Norfolk, Oct. 2.

While in port, the ship alsodemonstrated its fuel distri-bution capabilities to gov-ernment officials and mili-tary leaders.

Wheeler will operate inMSCʼs Maritime Preposi-tioning Ship SquadronThree in Guam.

Vice Adm. Kenneth R. Wheelerwas a former supply corps officerwhose role in the Navy was muchlike that of the ship that bears hisname – to ensure that warfightershave what they need, when andwhere they need it. As a prisoner of war for 42

months during World War II,Wheeler faced some of life’s great-est adversities, but overcame themto craft a brilliant Navy career thatculminated in his assignment as the31st chief of the supply corps andvice chief of Naval material from1970-1973.Among his military awards were

the Distinguished Service Medal,three Bronze Star Medals, two Le-gion of Merit Medals, the PurpleHeart and the Distinguished UnitCitations. In addition, he receivedthe George Washington HonorMedal from the Freedoms Founda-tion at Valley Forge.After retirement, the admiral

continued his close associationwith the Navy as an influentialmember of the boards of directorsof both the Navy Supply Corps As-sociation and the Navy SupplyCorps Foundation.

OPDS ship namesakeVice Adm. K.R. Wheeler

U.S. Navy photo

U.S. Navy photo by Bill Cook

U.S. Navy photo

June 1918 — April 2002

By Laura M. SealMSC Public Affairs

In the early morning hours of Oct. 7, MilitarySealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfortraised anchor off the coast of Suriname andbegan steaming north to the United States, mark-ing the end of a four-month humanitarian assis-tance mission to Latin America and theCaribbean. Comfort’s crew of civil servicemariners, uniformed and civilian medical profes-sionals and operations and support personnelworked together to provide medical assistance tomore than 98,000 people in 12 countries.Over the course of the deployment, which began

when Comfort departed Norfolk, Va., June 15, and of-ficially ended when the ship returned to Balti-more on Oct. 19, the floating symbol of good-will has come to mean something different toeach person touched by the mission – patientsand crew members alike.To Luiz Cortez, a 17-year old from Colom-

bia, Comfort means the ability to walk and, per-haps, one day play soccer following life-chang-ing surgery.To the students at Puerto Barrios Children’s

Hospital in Puerto Barrios, Guatemala, Comfortmeans new playground equipment, repairedplumbing in the bathrooms and new ceiling fansin the operating rooms.To civil service mariner Joseph Kranz, Com-

fort means the hardest he’s worked in 18 yearsat sea, and the most inspired he’s ever been byhis job. “This is, to me, the greatest thing I’ve ever

seen happen on board a ship,” said Capt. EdNanartowich, Comfort’s civil service master,who has commanded more than 20 ships duringhis 32-year career with MSC. “Most of theships that I’ve worked on have delivered oil orfuel or ammunition. This ship delivered good-will and compassion, which is the essence ofAmerica.”Nanartowich and his crew of about 70 CIV-

MARs working for MSC were an integral com-ponent of the mission – navigating the shipsafely to each port, providing a constant supplyof fresh water and electricity to the hospital andtransporting patients, mission personnel andequipment between ship and shore in two 33-foot utility boats. Nanartowich coordinated closely each day

with the commanding officer of the ship’s hos-pital and the mission commander, both U.S.Navy captains, to ensure that humanitarian op-erations went smoothly in all of the countriesvisited – Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Pana-ma, El Salvador, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia,Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and Suri-name.

The CIVMARs made it possible for the medicalpersonnel to provide extensive medical care includingmore than 1,000 surgeries, 24,000 pairs of eyeglasses,32,000 immunizations and 122,000 pharmaceuticals. In addition, Comfort’s CIVMARs assisted Seabees

from Mobile Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit202 who performed repairs in more than 20 schoolsand medical facilities. In Ecuador, Carpenter MichaelNanartowich and Chief Electrician Conrad Folk wentashore to assist in constructing two handicap rampsand installing 18 ceiling fans at a school.Do you want to dance? At 105 feet 9 inches wide, Comfort barely eked

through the Panama Canal, falling just within thelimit of 106-feet set by the Panama Canal Authority.But “the ditch” didn’t even come close to posing the

894-foot long Comfort’s most complicated naviga-tional challenges in a region where shallow coastalwaters, fragile coral reefs and small ports tax evensmaller, more maneuverable ships.“It’s almost like trying to get somebody that does-

n’t want to dance to dance,” said Capt. Nanartowichon maneuvering the converted supertanker that he af-fectionately likens to a floating bathtub. “We are try-ing to get it to do things that it’s not intended to do.” Comfort’s medical personnel needed to treat as

many people as possible, and if the ship wasn’t able toget into port – or at least close enough to transfer peopleby boat or helicopter – the mission simply could notsucceed. The challenges began with the first mission stop –

Belize. “We had to navigate a circuitous route through

the world’s second largest barrier reef to get to our an-chorage,” said Nanartowich. The margin for error wasso small and the maneuver so complicated, that Na-nartowich and his crew transposed Belize’s channelonto a chart of the Virginia Capes and did a practicerun before departing for the mission. Each following port and anchorage posed its own

challenges. Comfort was the largest ship to ever pullinto port in Acajutla, El Salvador. “Getting into thatport was a tricky maneuver – we had to go less than amile, but it took two-and-a-half hours to do it safelybecause the ship is so big,” said Nanartowich. The ship also broke size records at Port-of-Spain,

Trinidad and Tobago, where Comfort is the longestvessel to ever pull into port. The primary difficultywas posed by the ship’s draft. Usually Comfort has adraft of around 33-feet, but Comfort had to de-ballastto 26.5 feet to meet the port’s requirements. De-ballasting too far, however, can be a dangerous

proposition. “You have stability requirements for in port and at

sea,” said Nanartowich. “At sea, the requirements aremore stringent to ensure the safety of the ship, so ourde-ballasting plan was an ‘on time’ event where wefinished de-ballasting just as we were able to applythe less stringent harbor standards for stability.”

Small boat operationsA big contribution that CIVMARs made to the mis-

sion was operating two 33-foot utility boats to trans-port patients, mission personnel and equipment be-tween ship and shore in those locations where Com-fort was unable to pull into port. The boats, calledHospitality 1 and Hospitality 2, were painted in Com-fort’s likeness – white with red crosses.“Without the small boat operations … we’d have

seen fewer patients and had much less of an impact,”said Capt. Bruce Boynton, the commanding officer ofComfort’s medical treatment facility.In all, Comfort’s CIVMARs conducted more than

15,000 transfers of people in Belize, Guatemala,Nicaragua, Peru, Colombia and Haiti. Helicopters andcatamarans were used in other ports. Navigating small boats safely in the region’s char-

acteristically choppy waters took great skill, but Com-fort’s highly-experienced CIVMARs were up for it. “The biggest challenge is getting the passengers on

or off the boat safely and transferring them to theship,” said Able Seaman Don Steele, who was specifi-cally asked to join this mission because he has morethan 20 years of experience operating small boats. But the challenge wasn’t just in maneuvering the

boats, it was also in getting passengers into them. The

original plan was to place a pontoon on the water out-side the ship’s gangway and connect the gangway andpontoon with a metal ramp. Passengers leaving theship would go down the ramp to the pontoon and theninto the waiting boat. However, “In the Pacific, the waters are so rough

that the transfers became hazardous,” said Boyn-ton. “So the mariners came up with an ingenioussolution.”“We decided to use the lifeboats like elevators to

lower passengers from the weatherdeck down tothe water,” said Chief Mate Les Waddington. Oncethe lifeboat reached the water, the hospitality boatpulled-up alongside, tied-up to the lifeboat andCIVMARs helped transfer passengers between thetwo.The CIVMARs operating the boats served as am-

bassadors to patients traveling to and from Comfort.“One trip I brought back in Guatemala, the people

who were getting off the boat were hugging me withtears in their eyes – it choked me up, they were justso grateful,” said Steele.“The children light up when they see us,” said

Third Mate Joseph Kranz. “When you see thosesmiles it makes you feel good, and if we got to justone kid, that’s enough.”For Comfort’s medical crew who took the boats to

shore every day, the skill and disposition of the CIV-MARs was also greatly appreciated. “The CIVMARsare a very professional group of boat operators,” saidLt. Cmdr. Lisa Starnes, a U.S. Public Health Servicedental hygienist. “I appreciate their constant vigil tokeep us safe so that we can continue to achieve ourmission.”

No pressure The 30 CIVMARs who make up Comfort’s engi-

neering department are not as well-known as theirdeck department counterparts to the rest of the crew,but if the engineers weren’t performing all their du-ties perfectly, everyone would know. Comfort’s master and mates can’t maneuver the

ship without coordinating closely with the engineers,doctors can’t perform operations without the electrici-ty that is generated in Comfort’s auxiliary machineryroom, the galley crews can’t prepare food withoutfresh water and helicopters can’t fly without being re-fueled – all duties of the engine department.No pressure. Comfort’s watch engineers spend more than eight

hours a day in the ship’s sweltering (100-degree plus)engine room monitoring and maintaining the steamplant that propels the ship and generators, evaporators

and auxiliary machin-ery that providepower, fresh water andair conditioning to theship’s hospital. Without it the hos-

pital’s operatingrooms, CAT scan, ex-amination rooms andlaboratory could notfunction. “The engineering

department goes out oftheir way to fix thingsright away in the oper-ating room,” said Lt.Cmdr. Tracey Kunkel.“The first engineerMatt Clark comesthrough and checksthat everything is run-ning smoothly, and ifit isn’t, they fix it im-mediately.” Not all engineers

are confined to the en-gine room. Comfort’sChief Electrician Con-rad Folk and two CIV-

MARs working for him monitor all of Comfort’s elec-trical equipment.“We do a walk around most every day and we have

an engine room alarm system in case something goesdown,” said Folk. “Basically we just go through theship and look and listen because we know our machin-ery and the sounds it should be making, so if we don’thear the sounds, we know the machinery is down.” “If I missed something everything would shut

down,” said engine utility Javon Gordon. “Somethingcould happen to one of the patients if they are on ma-chines, so it’s very important to keep up the machin-ery and make sure that everything is working well.”

Where did all these smiles come from?Here’s something you don’t see every day – a

young boy getting ready to go into surgery … gig-gling. But 5-year-old Adrian Alcivar was doingjust that aboard Comfort when it was pierside inManta, Ecuador. The source of the smiles? CargoMate David Lieberman, who took a break from gruel-ing boat operations to visit the hospital and lift thespirits of some nervous patients. “I walked over to his bunk and started blowing bub-

bles – he jumped right on top of the gurney trying tograb the bubbles,” said Lieberman. “This went on forthe next 90 minutes. He blew so many bubbles that hewas soaking wet.” While their days were filled with the many activi-

ties necessary to operate the ship and keep the mis-sion running on track, Comfort’s CIVMARs found thetime and energy to spread some cheer to the patients. Able Seaman Ed Muncy, a former professional

clown, always had a pocket full of balloons and coinsthat he would use to entertain crowds of adults andchildren alike. “I’ve seen Ed down in the wards making balloon

animals and pulling coins from children’s ears,” saidBoynton. “It’s not much fun being sick or waiting inline and those little things you can do to show youcare are very much appreciated by people.”“Once in awhile you’ve got to stop and realize that

it’s a big world out there and everybody needs help atsome time,” said Boatswain’s Mate William Ramos.“And that everybody together can make a difference.”

4

Left: Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort Cargo Mate DavidLieberman entertains a 5-year-old boy before the child goes in for surgeryaboard the ship in Ecuador.

Above: In Ecuador, Comfort Carpenter Michael Nanartowich builds a sidewalkthat will improve building access for the handicapped.

Right: Guatemalan children watch as military dentists and technicians, attachedto the hospital ship, provide dental care to patients at Puerto Barrios NationalHospital.

Far right: Able Seaman Guy Traynham stands ready to assist in the transfer ofpassengers onto one of Comfort's lifeboats, which was lowered to serve as anelevator that will bring passengers up to the deck.

Cover: Tugs guide Comfort away from the pier in Trinidad and Tobago as theship pulls out of port Sept. 22.

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joan Kretschmer

U.S. Navy photo by Laura M. Seal

CIVMARs Provide Comfort to others

By Laura M. SealMSC Public Affairs

In the early morning hours of Oct. 7, MilitarySealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfortraised anchor off the coast of Suriname andbegan steaming north to the United States, mark-ing the end of a four-month humanitarian assis-tance mission to Latin America and theCaribbean. Comfort’s crew of civil servicemariners, uniformed and civilian medical profes-sionals and operations and support personnelworked together to provide medical assistance tomore than 98,000 people in 12 countries.Over the course of the deployment, which began

when Comfort departed Norfolk, Va., June 15, and of-ficially ended when the ship returned to Balti-more on Oct. 19, the floating symbol of good-will has come to mean something different toeach person touched by the mission – patientsand crew members alike.To Luiz Cortez, a 17-year old from Colom-

bia, Comfort means the ability to walk and, per-haps, one day play soccer following life-chang-ing surgery.To the students at Puerto Barrios Children’s

Hospital in Puerto Barrios, Guatemala, Comfortmeans new playground equipment, repairedplumbing in the bathrooms and new ceiling fansin the operating rooms.To civil service mariner Joseph Kranz, Com-

fort means the hardest he’s worked in 18 yearsat sea, and the most inspired he’s ever been byhis job. “This is, to me, the greatest thing I’ve ever

seen happen on board a ship,” said Capt. EdNanartowich, Comfort’s civil service master,who has commanded more than 20 ships duringhis 32-year career with MSC. “Most of theships that I’ve worked on have delivered oil orfuel or ammunition. This ship delivered good-will and compassion, which is the essence ofAmerica.”Nanartowich and his crew of about 70 CIV-

MARs working for MSC were an integral com-ponent of the mission – navigating the shipsafely to each port, providing a constant supplyof fresh water and electricity to the hospital andtransporting patients, mission personnel andequipment between ship and shore in two 33-foot utility boats. Nanartowich coordinated closely each day

with the commanding officer of the ship’s hos-pital and the mission commander, both U.S.Navy captains, to ensure that humanitarian op-erations went smoothly in all of the countriesvisited – Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Pana-ma, El Salvador, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia,Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and Suri-name.

The CIVMARs made it possible for the medicalpersonnel to provide extensive medical care includingmore than 1,000 surgeries, 24,000 pairs of eyeglasses,32,000 immunizations and 122,000 pharmaceuticals. In addition, Comfort’s CIVMARs assisted Seabees

from Mobile Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit202 who performed repairs in more than 20 schoolsand medical facilities. In Ecuador, Carpenter MichaelNanartowich and Chief Electrician Conrad Folk wentashore to assist in constructing two handicap rampsand installing 18 ceiling fans at a school.Do you want to dance? At 105 feet 9 inches wide, Comfort barely eked

through the Panama Canal, falling just within thelimit of 106-feet set by the Panama Canal Authority.But “the ditch” didn’t even come close to posing the

894-foot long Comfort’s most complicated naviga-tional challenges in a region where shallow coastalwaters, fragile coral reefs and small ports tax evensmaller, more maneuverable ships.“It’s almost like trying to get somebody that does-

n’t want to dance to dance,” said Capt. Nanartowichon maneuvering the converted supertanker that he af-fectionately likens to a floating bathtub. “We are try-ing to get it to do things that it’s not intended to do.” Comfort’s medical personnel needed to treat as

many people as possible, and if the ship wasn’t able toget into port – or at least close enough to transfer peopleby boat or helicopter – the mission simply could notsucceed. The challenges began with the first mission stop –

Belize. “We had to navigate a circuitous route through

the world’s second largest barrier reef to get to our an-chorage,” said Nanartowich. The margin for error wasso small and the maneuver so complicated, that Na-nartowich and his crew transposed Belize’s channelonto a chart of the Virginia Capes and did a practicerun before departing for the mission. Each following port and anchorage posed its own

challenges. Comfort was the largest ship to ever pullinto port in Acajutla, El Salvador. “Getting into thatport was a tricky maneuver – we had to go less than amile, but it took two-and-a-half hours to do it safelybecause the ship is so big,” said Nanartowich. The ship also broke size records at Port-of-Spain,

Trinidad and Tobago, where Comfort is the longestvessel to ever pull into port. The primary difficultywas posed by the ship’s draft. Usually Comfort has adraft of around 33-feet, but Comfort had to de-ballastto 26.5 feet to meet the port’s requirements. De-ballasting too far, however, can be a dangerous

proposition. “You have stability requirements for in port and at

sea,” said Nanartowich. “At sea, the requirements aremore stringent to ensure the safety of the ship, so ourde-ballasting plan was an ‘on time’ event where wefinished de-ballasting just as we were able to applythe less stringent harbor standards for stability.”

Small boat operationsA big contribution that CIVMARs made to the mis-

sion was operating two 33-foot utility boats to trans-port patients, mission personnel and equipment be-tween ship and shore in those locations where Com-fort was unable to pull into port. The boats, calledHospitality 1 and Hospitality 2, were painted in Com-fort’s likeness – white with red crosses.“Without the small boat operations … we’d have

seen fewer patients and had much less of an impact,”said Capt. Bruce Boynton, the commanding officer ofComfort’s medical treatment facility.In all, Comfort’s CIVMARs conducted more than

15,000 transfers of people in Belize, Guatemala,Nicaragua, Peru, Colombia and Haiti. Helicopters andcatamarans were used in other ports. Navigating small boats safely in the region’s char-

acteristically choppy waters took great skill, but Com-fort’s highly-experienced CIVMARs were up for it. “The biggest challenge is getting the passengers on

or off the boat safely and transferring them to theship,” said Able Seaman Don Steele, who was specifi-cally asked to join this mission because he has morethan 20 years of experience operating small boats. But the challenge wasn’t just in maneuvering the

boats, it was also in getting passengers into them. The

original plan was to place a pontoon on the water out-side the ship’s gangway and connect the gangway andpontoon with a metal ramp. Passengers leaving theship would go down the ramp to the pontoon and theninto the waiting boat. However, “In the Pacific, the waters are so rough

that the transfers became hazardous,” said Boyn-ton. “So the mariners came up with an ingenioussolution.”“We decided to use the lifeboats like elevators to

lower passengers from the weatherdeck down tothe water,” said Chief Mate Les Waddington. Oncethe lifeboat reached the water, the hospitality boatpulled-up alongside, tied-up to the lifeboat andCIVMARs helped transfer passengers between thetwo.The CIVMARs operating the boats served as am-

bassadors to patients traveling to and from Comfort.“One trip I brought back in Guatemala, the people

who were getting off the boat were hugging me withtears in their eyes – it choked me up, they were justso grateful,” said Steele.“The children light up when they see us,” said

Third Mate Joseph Kranz. “When you see thosesmiles it makes you feel good, and if we got to justone kid, that’s enough.”For Comfort’s medical crew who took the boats to

shore every day, the skill and disposition of the CIV-MARs was also greatly appreciated. “The CIVMARsare a very professional group of boat operators,” saidLt. Cmdr. Lisa Starnes, a U.S. Public Health Servicedental hygienist. “I appreciate their constant vigil tokeep us safe so that we can continue to achieve ourmission.”

No pressure The 30 CIVMARs who make up Comfort’s engi-

neering department are not as well-known as theirdeck department counterparts to the rest of the crew,but if the engineers weren’t performing all their du-ties perfectly, everyone would know. Comfort’s master and mates can’t maneuver the

ship without coordinating closely with the engineers,doctors can’t perform operations without the electrici-ty that is generated in Comfort’s auxiliary machineryroom, the galley crews can’t prepare food withoutfresh water and helicopters can’t fly without being re-fueled – all duties of the engine department.No pressure. Comfort’s watch engineers spend more than eight

hours a day in the ship’s sweltering (100-degree plus)engine room monitoring and maintaining the steamplant that propels the ship and generators, evaporators

and auxiliary machin-ery that providepower, fresh water andair conditioning to theship’s hospital. Without it the hos-

pital’s operatingrooms, CAT scan, ex-amination rooms andlaboratory could notfunction. “The engineering

department goes out oftheir way to fix thingsright away in the oper-ating room,” said Lt.Cmdr. Tracey Kunkel.“The first engineerMatt Clark comesthrough and checksthat everything is run-ning smoothly, and ifit isn’t, they fix it im-mediately.” Not all engineers

are confined to the en-gine room. Comfort’sChief Electrician Con-rad Folk and two CIV-

MARs working for him monitor all of Comfort’s elec-trical equipment.“We do a walk around most every day and we have

an engine room alarm system in case something goesdown,” said Folk. “Basically we just go through theship and look and listen because we know our machin-ery and the sounds it should be making, so if we don’thear the sounds, we know the machinery is down.” “If I missed something everything would shut

down,” said engine utility Javon Gordon. “Somethingcould happen to one of the patients if they are on ma-chines, so it’s very important to keep up the machin-ery and make sure that everything is working well.”

Where did all these smiles come from?Here’s something you don’t see every day – a

young boy getting ready to go into surgery … gig-gling. But 5-year-old Adrian Alcivar was doingjust that aboard Comfort when it was pierside inManta, Ecuador. The source of the smiles? CargoMate David Lieberman, who took a break from gruel-ing boat operations to visit the hospital and lift thespirits of some nervous patients. “I walked over to his bunk and started blowing bub-

bles – he jumped right on top of the gurney trying tograb the bubbles,” said Lieberman. “This went on forthe next 90 minutes. He blew so many bubbles that hewas soaking wet.” While their days were filled with the many activi-

ties necessary to operate the ship and keep the mis-sion running on track, Comfort’s CIVMARs found thetime and energy to spread some cheer to the patients. Able Seaman Ed Muncy, a former professional

clown, always had a pocket full of balloons and coinsthat he would use to entertain crowds of adults andchildren alike. “I’ve seen Ed down in the wards making balloon

animals and pulling coins from children’s ears,” saidBoynton. “It’s not much fun being sick or waiting inline and those little things you can do to show youcare are very much appreciated by people.”“Once in awhile you’ve got to stop and realize that

it’s a big world out there and everybody needs help atsome time,” said Boatswain’s Mate William Ramos.“And that everybody together can make a difference.”

5

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Steven King

U.S. Navy photo by Laura M. Seal

CIVMARs Provide Comfort to others

Rear Adm. Robert D. ReillyJr., Military Sealift Commandcommander, hosted commandersand senior staff from MSC locationsworldwide for the MSC LeadershipSummit 2007 Oct. 10-12 at theWashington Navy Yard. Throughpresentations and discussions, atten-dees reviewed enterprise alignment,assessed MSC’s transformation jour-ney and discussed current and futurestrategic initiatives and issues. At-tendees recorded and assigned nu-merous actions for further analysisand follow-up.George Escobar, Washington,

D.C. mayor’s deputy director forLatino affairs, spoke to more than100 MSC headquarters employeesduring an Oct. 9 ceremony thatmarked Hispanic Heritage Month— Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 — during

which time nine Latin countriescelebrate independence days. AfterEscobar’s comments, MSC em-ployees enjoyed Latin music and adance performance by professionalLatin ballroom dancers. MSC welcomes Navy Cmdr.

Gregory Breen, Naval Fleet Aux-iliary Force; Bruce Belden andNavy Lt. Robert Hanson, opera-tions and plans; Michael Brownand Jitesh Kerai, engineering;Fred Colston, logistics; ChristinaCochrane, contracts and businessmanagement; and Carolyn Davis,office administrator. MSC bids farewell to Charles

Metzger, Lance Nyman andGlenda Isaacs from contracts andbusiness management; and An-dria Davis and Scott Dickinsonfrom the Prepositioning Program.

6

HHQQ •• HHIIGGHHLLIIGGHHTTSS

PPAACCIIFFIICC •• BBRRIIEEFFSS

CCEENNTTRRAALL •• CCUURRRREENNTTSSAAttllaannttiicc •• LLiinneess

Navy Information Systems Techni-cian 1st Class Andrew J. Thudiumreceived the Navy and Marine CorpsAchievement Medal from Navy Capt.David Kiehl, commander of SealiftLogistics Command Pacific, Oct. 5.Thudium received the award, in part,for his achievement as Mobile SealiftOperations Center supervisor for the

Military Sealift Fleet Support Com-mand. Thudium demonstrated superiortechnical ability while providing inter-nal communications for joint logisticsover-the-shore/humanitarian supportover-the-shore in Guatemala. Fast combat support ship USNS

Rainier returned from a seven-monthdeployment to the Western Pacific.

Dry cargo/ammunition shipUSNS Lewis and Clark, fast combatsupport ship USNS Supply, andfleet replenishment oilers USNSLeroy Grumman and USNSTippecanoe are supporting carrierstrike group USS Enterprise, expe-ditionary strike groups USS Bon-homme Richard and USSKearsarge, and myriad other U.S.and coalition ships deployed to theCentral Command region. The four

Military Sealift Command shipsconducted more than 70 replenish-ments and transferred more than 11million gallons of fuel in September. Fleet ocean tug USNS Cataw-

ba provided logistics support toRoyal Australian Navy frigateHMAS Anzac by delivering theirnewly repaired rigid-hull, inflat-able boat from Bahrain — wherethe repairs took place — to theNorth Persian Gulf.

Military Sealift Commandwelcomed Navy ReserveRear Adm. Robert O. Wrayaboard as deputy commanderOct. 19. Wray served as acommanding officer atNaval Forces Europe be-fore coming to MSC.

In his civilian career, Wrayhas a broad entrepreneur-ial background, havingfounded and run compa-nies in manufacturing,construction, services, en-ergy and information tech-nology.

MSC Deputy Commander

Rear Adm. Robert O. Wray

Brian Hill, a marine transportationspecialist from SEALOGLANT, pro-vided coverage for tanker USNSLawrence H. Gianella during its portcall in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico. Thiswas the first time in more than 18months that an MSC tanker had visit-ed that port. Hill evaluated the termi-nal’s operation.

Anthony Clark, an antiterrorismand force protection specialist alsofrom SEALOGLANT, was on site toprovide AT/FP training to Gianella’screw and a review of the terminal fromthe AT/FP perspective.

Tom D’Agostino, SEALOGLANTrepresentative in Charleston, S.C., sup-ported the load of U.S. Army 3rd In-fantry Division cargo on large, medi-um-speed, roll-on/roll-off ship USNSBob Hope in Savannah, Ga., Sept. 24.More than 1,600 pieces of cargo — atotal of 250,000 square feet wereloaded on the ship destined for Iraq.Sept. 18, the U.S. Army Field Sup-

port Battalion in Charleston presentedD’Agostino with a plaque showing theArmy’s appreciation for the logisticalcoordination provided by theCharleston SEALOGLANT office.

While underway, Rainier transferredmore than 43 million gallons of fuel,580 pallets of ordnance, 6,684 palletsof frozen stores and 3,316 pallets ofdry stores in support of the fleet. Inaddition, Rainier’s helicopter detach-ment flew more than 55 hours during801 sorties to transfer 648 personnel,3,535 tons of cargo and 6 tons ofmail. Fleet replenishment oiler USNS

Henry J. Kaiser was featured as oneof the ships in the annual San DiegoFleet Week Parade of Ships in Sep-

tember. In addition to Kaiser, the pa-rade featured other Navy and CoastGuard ships and demonstrations byNavy special warfare, explosive ord-nance disposal and amphibious cush-ioned landing craft units. SEALOGPAC welcomes Navy

Cmdr. Quentin Burns, operations,and Sarah Burford, public affairs. SEALOGPAC bids farewell to

Navy Command Master Chief FredA. Cetnar, who has begun terminalleave before retiring from the Navy inDecember.

U.S. Navy photo

Tug and salvage ship class manager Mark Helmkamp, Military Sealift FleetSupport Command; Kevin Baetsen, Military Sealift Command engineeringdirector; Rear Adm. Robert D. Reilly Jr., MSC commander; and Joan Di-vens, MSC environmental and safety policy director, showcase the Depart-ment of the Navy 2007 Safety Excellence Award. Rescue/salvage shipUSNS Grapple received the award Oct. 16. Helmkamp accepted it on be-half of the shipʼs crew.

DON 2007Safety Award

U.S. Navy photo by Susan Thomas

FFAARR •• EEAASSTT •• HHAAIILLSS

7

CCOOMMPPAASSSS •• HHEEAADDIINNGG

Civil service master Capt. Rollin J.Bellfi assumed the duties of MilitarySealift Fleet Support Command portcaptain, west in late September. De-parting the position, Capt. ThomasSchwinn remarked, “I would like toexpress a universal thank you to every-one, ashore and afloat, for the steadystream of support and critical feedbackon literally hundreds of issues. I knowyou will continue to provide that samesupport to Capt. Bellfi.”Ship Support Unit Naples has an-

nounced the upcoming departure ofthree staff members: Director LouisSmith, who leaves Naples for a posi-tion in the continental United Stateswith Military Sealift Fleet Support Com-mand; Pat Gridley, departing an infor-mation technology job at the SSU for aposition with Naval Facilities Engineer-ing Command, Naples; and EmeritaHooker, who vacates a position withinthe comptroller directorate for a job with

Navy Recruiting Command. Acting Di-rector Michael Ragonese will assumeSmith’s duties until a permanent replace-ment is selected. Commander Logistics Group West-

ern Pacific/Commander, Task Force 73Navy Rear Adm. Nora W. Tyson recog-nized the crew of rescue/salvage shipUSNS Salvor. “I went to see Salvor,her crew and her embarked [mobilediving and salvage unit] team here inSingapore last week and can tell youthat they are a great group of profes-sionals. We are excited about havingthem out here in the [area of opera-tion].”MSFSC bids fair winds and follow-

ing seas to Assistant StorekeeperBayani Bongolan, Boatswain’s MateRichard Collins, Chief StewardTravis Smith, Deck Engineer Ma-chinist Walter Taylor Jr., Chief Elec-trician Troy Ward and Chief CookWilbert Wilson as they retire.

San Jose adoptsPhilippine school

Capt. Dan OʼBrien (left), combat stores ship USNS San Joseʼs alternateregular master, Capt. Mike Flanagan, current master, and Mayor of Olon-gopo, Philippines, Bong Gordon, discuss ongoing renovations at GordonHeights Elementary School in Olongopo, Philippines.

Sailors and civil service mariners from San Jose made an impact on thePhilippine community Sept. 24 by helping renovate the local school duringa port call in Subic Bay.

The shipʼs Yeoman Storekeeper Colleen Espinosa led the charge — or-ganizing a crew of 25 to paint classrooms and make minor repairs at Gor-don Heights, which has more than 1,200 students.

Able Seaman and an Olongopo-native Carl Cosby said, “I was veryhappy to give time and support back to the community from which I wasraised.”

Flanagan was part of the team that painted five classrooms, and de-spite being on leave at the time at his residence in Manila, Philippines,OʼBrien, drove to Olongopo to help out.

San Joseʼs crew treated students and teachers to a lunch of hamburg-ers, pizza and chicken.

Before leaving, the crew also donated more than $1,700 dollars, whichthe school used to buy pens, pencils, coloring books, crayons and toys forthe youngest students.

Rescue/salvage ship USNS Salvor,under the command of civil servicemaster Capt. Wade Armstrong,along with its embarked Mobile Div-ing and Salvage Unit One, Detach-ment Seven, visited Malaysia’s Bor-neo Island, Sept. 17-19. While there,Salvor not only made it’s maiden portcall to Sandakan, the ship also brokenew ground as the first USS or USNSship to dock at the KD Sri Sandakannaval base. “In the past, we had to go to the San-

dakan commercial port or have the shipanchor out,” said U.S. Naval Attaché toMalaysia Navy Capt. Claudia Risner.“Bringing Salvor alongside theMalaysian navy base pier means thatprofessional engagement is more pro-ductive and associated port costs aremuch less.” Salvor conducted ship tours for

more than 40 Royal Malaysian Navypersonnel over three days, and hosted22 members of the local SandakanRotary Club as well as journalistsfrom the English-language BorneoPost. In other news from the Far East,

Navy Capt. John Arbter relievedNavy Capt. Scott Anderson as com-mander, Maritime Prepositioning ShipSquadron Two during a change of com-mand aboard the squadron’s flagshipPrepositioning Ship MV Sgt. WilliamR. Button, Sept. 17. Navy Cmdr. Ron Oswald, Military

Sealift Command Office Korea’s com-manding officer, attended the 2007Daedong Scholarship ceremony — atthe invitation of the Scholarship Asso-ciation’s President Jeom-Yong Sohn —where 19 Busan-area students receivedacademic scholarships. Representativesfrom the city of Busan, as well as localconsulate officials from Japan and Tai-wan attended. “This was a great oppor-tunity to recognize impressive studentsand to build camaraderie and fraternitywith local Busan community leaders

and diplomatic representatives,” Os-wald said. On Sept. 18, MSC-chartered MV

American Tern arrived at MSCOKorea’s Pier Eight supporting annualexercise Trident Arch 2007. American Tern discharged 322 pieces

and loaded 135 pieces of equipment. Theexercise was completed on Sept. 22. Tri-dent Arch 2007 is a combined effort be-tween Naval Expeditionary HospitalCommand, Naval Logistics Expedi-tionary Command, Commander NavalForces Korea, Commander Pacific Fleetand elements from the U.S. Army tomaintain a 250-bed field hospital in theKorea theater. Navy Rear Adm. Nora Tyson re-

lieved Navy Rear Adm. William Burkeas Commander Logistics Group West-ern Pacific/Commander, Task Force 73,during a Sept. 10 ceremony held at theTerror Club in Singapore. Navy Capt.Susan Dunlap, commander, SealiftLogistics Command Far East, attendedthe ceremony and later met individual-ly with Tyson, providing a detailedbrief on SEALOGFE’s mission. TaskForce 73 is the operational commanderfor MSC’s combat logistics forces op-erating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of re-sponsibility and is collocated withSEALOGFE in Singapore. Navy Capt. Ulysses Zalamea, com-

mander, MPS Squadron Three hosted of-ficials from the Commonwealth of theNorthern Marianas Islands ports authori-ty aboard Prepositioning Ship USNS 1stLt. Jack Lummus, Oct. 4. Later that day,local elementary students toured the shipand had lunch there. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Alexander Soe,

commanding officer, MSCO Okinawa,attended a bilateral Japan MaritimeSelf Defense Force and U.S. Navyluncheon, Sept. 12 at Camp Shields,Okinawa, Japan. The guest of honorwas Japanese Rear Adm. Kenji Noi,commander, Fleet Air Wing Five,Japan Maritime Self Defense Force.

U.S. Navy photo by Cadet Catherine Horne, USMMA Kings Point

John R. ʻJack ̓Taylor, officiallytook the helm as executive direc-tor of Military Sealift Fleet Sup-port Command, Oct. 9. Havingworked for Military Sealift Com-mand in Washington, D.C., andMSFSC in Norfolk, much of thetime as acting executive director,Taylor has an extensive back-ground in marine engineeringand project management.

“Itʼs an honor to be selected toserve as MSFSCʼs executive di-rector. As we take on new andchallenging roles, I know thatMSFSC will be successful — dueto the talent, dedication and pro-fessionalism found throughout theorganization. To all at MSC, I sin-cerely thank you and look forwardto serving you.”

John R. ʻJackʼTaylor

MSFSC Executive Director

U.S. Navy photo

By Susan MelowMSFSC Public Affairs

USS Safeguard, the last of fourrescue/salvage ships crewed by

active-duty Navy Sailors, was de-commissioned and transferred toMilitary Sealift Command during aSept. 26 ceremony held at SaseboNaval Station, Japan, nestled be-tween volcanic peaks on the islandof Kyushu in western Japan. The end of one era was marked by

the start of another as the ship’scommand was passed from com-manding officer of the Navy crew toan incoming civil service master. Executive Director Jack Taylor,

Military Sealift Fleet Support Com-mand, accepted the vessel from NavyRear Adm. Carol Pottenger, com-mander, Expeditionary Strike Group 7/Task Force 76. Greeting the assembled guests in

Japanese, Taylor thanked Lt. Cmdr.Doyle Hodges and the departingcrew for their service and praised thecivil service master, Capt. EdwardDickerson, and his crew of 26 civilservice mariners for their hard workthat facilitated the smooth transfer ofthe vessel. “Today marks another milestone in

the 35 years since Military SealiftCommand accepted and began operat-ing its first combat logistics force ship,fleet replenishment oiler USNS Talu-ga,” Taylor said. “Safeguard is thenewest addition to the best fleet logis-tics force in the world.”Boatswain Ernest Baker removed the

bunting from the ship’s stack, revealingMSC’s distinctive black, gray, blue andgold stripes. Chief Mate WilliamWoodman, along with members of the

deck department, climbed USNS Safe-guard’s brow and manned the rail as thetransfer ceremony came to an end. During the 22 years Safeguard sup-

ported the Navy as a commissionedship, the vessel completed nine Re-public of Korea Navy salvage exercis-es and five Cooperation Afloat Readi-ness and Training/Western Pacific de-ployments.Among the ship’s milestones, Safe-

guard completed the first salvage exer-cise between the U.S. and Indian naviesin 2005, which salvaged a Seahawk air-

craft – undiscovered for at least 30years – in 165 feet of water. USS Safeguard was crewed by 110

Navy personnel during the more thantwo decades of Navy service. MSC’s26 civil service mariners have relievedthem — freeing the uniformed sailorsfor critical jobs in the combatant fleet.When the ship’s modifications are

finished over the next two months,Safeguard will begin a training phasefor the civil service mariner crew andthe mobile diving and salvage unit thatwill embark. The training will test all

of the ship’s capabilities, includingfreeing grounded ships, off-ship firefighting, heavy lift operations, towing,and diving and salvage.Safeguard will remain in Sasebo

and will have the same missions andoperational capabilities. These mis-sions will support the U.S. Navy’s 7thFleet. The civil service crew will be com-

plemented by a four-person military de-tachment of Navy sailors for communi-cations support and up to 20 Navydivers as the mission requires.

8

USNS Safeguard joins MSC fleet

Civil service mariner Boatswain Ernest Baker removes bunting from rescue/salvage ship USS Safeguard, unveiling MilitarySealift Commandʼs distinctive stack stripes at a decommissioning ceremony in Japan, Sept. 26. The shipʼs designationchanged to ʻUSNS ̓ during the ceremony when the ship transferred to the MSC fleet.

By Rosemary HeissMSC Public Affairs

AMilitary Sealift Command lieu-tenant received a Bronze Star

Medal Oct. 1 for helping reduce thethreat of improvised explosive devicesfor U.S. Army soldiers near Tikrit, Iraq. Lt. Perry A. “Pete” Summers, a strate-

gic plans and special projects officer forMSC, served as an individual augmenteein a Navy squadron designed to aid theArmy from March 2006 to March 2007.During that time, he applied his expert-ise in electronic warfare to the combatenvironment in Iraq where radio-con-trolled IEDs have become a top threat.“His contributions saved the lives of

my soldiers,” said Army Lt. Col. W.H.Adams, commander of the 134th Com-bat Sustainment Support Battalion, one ofthe two battalions Summers supportedwith hardware and training. Because of Summers’ initiative and dedication,

radio-controlled IED strikes – previously 70 percentof the IED threat to the battalion – were fully elimi-nated during his deployment, according to Adams. After 25 years in the Navy, Summers is an expert in

electronic warfare, but advanced infantry, convoy op-erations and some of the other deployment-specificskills he needed were ‘Greek’ to him before he wentto Iraq, he said.To prepare for the year of desert duty, Summers

completed a month of stateside training and a month

of in-country training that included ‘greening,’ or in-troducing Navy personnel to Army operations,weapons qualifications, tactics and convoy operations. When Summers finally arrived at his deployed base

– Forward Operating Base Speicher, less than threemiles from Tikrit – he realized his training wasn’tover.“It was more than a learning curve, it was a learn-

ing cliff,” he said of his first few weeks with the bat-talion he was supporting. “For a while, I spent 18-20hours a day in the operations center just learning the

Army culture andvernacular.” Though Sum-

mers demurs at thepraise he has re-ceived as a result ofthe contributions hemade after the train-ing, the work he did

during hisdeploymentwas signifi-cant.

He in-stalledcounter-

IED equipment in 90percent of the 284 battalion ve-hicles and taught the soldiershow to use it. The equipment heinstalled helped soldiers identi-fy 38 IEDs before they couldpose a threat to the soldiers.

He also helped the Army modify tactics, tech-niques and procedures to avoid IED threats. Summers returned to MSC headquarters in Wash-

ington, D.C., in March and since then has used hisfree time to talk to individual augmentees who willdeploy to positions like the one he held.During his briefing, he uses an anecdote to ex-

plain why their job is so important: “There’s nothinglike having a big, ol’ Army staff sergeant who justcame off a mission give you a hug and tell you,‘Your equipment saved our butts out there.’”

Military Sealift Command strategic plans and special projects officer, Navy Lt. Perry A. “Pete”Summers receives the Bronze Star Medal from Rear Adm. Robert D. Reilly Jr., MSC command-er, during an informal ceremony Oct. 1 in Washington, D.C.

MSC officer receives Bronze Star for reducing IED threat to soldiers

U.S. Navy photo by Barry Lake

U.S. Navy photo by Susan Melow