APRIL, 6 2014

VOL 5 ISSUE 09USS CARL VINSON (CVN) 70)

Survivalof theFittest

Q&A: Leading Culinary Specialist

Nothing But Net

2 PG

April is celebrated as the Month of the Military Child. This tradition was started by former Secretary of Defense

Caspar Weinberger in 1986 in order to honor the sacrifices made by military children and families. The Voice is dedicating a series of articles in this month’s publications to the Month of the Military Child to commemorate the families supporting our mission.

Logistics Specialist 3rd Class Mason Hoppe understands what it means to be a military child.

He understands how his son, Logan, born Nov. 6, 2012, will feel when Mason has to move the family from one duty station to the next. He knows the importance of cherishing every second he has with his wife, Aspen, and their son. He has seen how dedication to his service earns the unwavering support of his loved ones.

Hoppe learned all of those important lessons in how to be a military father by first being a military child.

His father, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Brandon Hoppe, Weapons Department’s G-2 divisional officer (DIVO), has served in the Navy since 1992, a year before his first child, Mason, was born.

Due to his lifelong exposure to the

military lifestyle, Hoppe grew up accustomed to the inherent changes that come with the territory for a military family.

“It was interesting growing up as a military child because I got to meet a lot of different people and see a lot of different places,” Hoppe said. “You don’t get to make a lot of long-term friends because you move so often, but it was a good experience.”

The Hoppe family started in Texas and has since moved to Great Lakes, Ill., Norfolk, Va., Jacksonville, Fla., New Orleans, back to Texas, on to Hawaii and then to San Diego. They lived in Hawaii for eight years, the longest stay in one place the family experienced.

Although constantly changing scenery can be jarring for a child, Hoppe embraced the adventure and molded his personality through the variety of his experiences.

“I think the biggest benefit of being a military child is, it makes you cultured and open-minded,” Hoppe explained. “When you live in one place I’m sure you don’t get to see a lot of things out there. I mean, I’ve only lived in the U.S. but all the places I’ve lived are unique. Hawaii’s like another country itself. When you meet a lot of different types of people with diverse M

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by MCSN Matthew Carlyle

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personalities, your personality grows off of those experiences and relationships.”

Hoppe admitted the most difficult aspect of being a military child was his father’s absence during underways and deployments. No matter how long his dad was home, Hoppe appreciated how his father always seized the chance to spend time with his family.

“My dad being away wasn’t so bad because he was always part of my life when he was around,” Hoppe said. “I remember one time he was gone and he came back for about a week. In that week he taught me how to ride a bike. I was maybe seven years old. That is probably the most memorable experience of him coming back, spending most of his time with me and then leaving. When he was there, he focused on me and that was important to me.”

Although he didn’t understand his father’s job until he joined the military, Hoppe was always impressed by his dad’s dedication to being a Sailor.

“He was always motivated and always loved the Navy,” Hoppe said. “He loves wearing the uniform and loves what it represents. That

made me appreciate everything he did for us.”Hoppe’s admiration of his father’s service

inspired him to join the Navy Jan. 15, 2013. While he followed in his father’s footsteps,

Hoppe respects his brother Devin’s decision to create his own path and join the Army. He’s also excited for his sister, Ashton, who is currently in high school and planning to take the college route.

“All three of us experienced the military child life a little bit differently,” Hoppe said. “Due to those experiences, I’m not

surprised that we’ve all paved a different path for ourselves.”One lesson Hoppe and his siblings all learned from their

father was to take advantage of your time with family.“The best advice I can give anyone is to be involved while

you’re home,” Hoppe said. “That’s the most important thing, especially when you’re in the military. You’re going to be away a lot. If you’re involved, your family is not going to remember so much you being gone but rather what you’ve done to be there and be involved.”

Now that Hoppe is a military father as well, he understands the sacrifices and appreciates the rewards of the military from a new perspective. It has increased the pride he has always felt for his father and his service.

“His love for the Navy makes me love my job,” Hoppe said. “I say the Sailor’s Creed with pride every day. It hasn’t gotten old for him, and I don’t think it’ll get old for me either.”

“My dad being away wasn’t so bad because he was always part of my life when he was around.”

CWO2 Hoppe and LS3 Hoppe

participate in a live-fire exercise.

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Nothing But Net

Since made commercially available in 1994, the Internet’s popularity steadily rose as a crucial tool for communication in American society. According

to the Pew Research Internet Project of December 2013, 73 percent of internet users over the age of 18 use social networking sites like Facebook to communicate with loved ones, and Sailors aboard Carl Vinson are no exception.

This has caused a drastic shift in the way Sailors keep in touch with those at home while at sea. Where once they had to wait on handwritten letters, Sailors now have email and instant messaging capabilities, giving them instant access to loved ones anywhere in the world.

It’s the Sailors at the ship’s Automated Data Processing (ADP) center who make it possible.

“It’s important to have Internet at sea so Sailors can keep in touch with family,” said Information Systems Technician 2nd Class Adrian Canles, an ADP technician from Combat Systems Department’s CS3 division. “They can also pay bills, do taxes, and

take care of important matters at home using shipboard Internet.” In order to provide that much-needed tether to heart and

home, Sailors in ADP work around the clock maintaining the ISNS [Integrated Shipboard Networking System])

“The hardest part of this job for me is keeping up with all the trouble calls,” said Information Systems Technician 3rd Class Brandon King, of Combat Systems Department’s

by MCSN James Bleyle

5 PG

CS3 division. “When we’re underway we can get upwards of 40 trouble calls a day. But it’s worth it. I’ve gotten to meet so many people doing this job. I’d say I’ve seen about 95 percent of the spaces on the ship because of it.”

Despite the efforts of ADP technicians, the ship’s Internet can still be sluggish while underway, said Canles, but there are things shipboard Internet users can do to help eliminate the bandwidth struggle.

“When we’re underway the Internet is slow enough,” Canles said. “Going to sites like YouTube, Facebook, and ESPN during high traffic hours in the evening makes it worse. I suggest Sailors try and cut down on using those sites to help keep our Internet service running at a decent speed.”

King cautions that some pages refresh automatically and frequently, so having multiple browser tabs open at the same time could also slow the connection.

The ship’s bandwidth (capacity and speed) is guarded closely. Due to technology constraints, the ship’s bandwidth is only 20 to 25 megabytes per second, which gets shared between priority tasks for Carl Vinson’s war fighting capability, and up to 4,500 Sailors, which can slow the Internet down considerably for the end user.

“When we’re in port, we have a T1 connection to the pier, which is just like being at home,” King said. “We’re plugged into a hard-line that provides Internet capabilities for the ship. But when we’re out at sea, we’re unplugged, so we transmit data packets on the Super High Frequency (SHF) band to Pacific Region Naval Operations Center in Wahiwa, Hawaii, and they send the requested information back.”

The time it takes for that information to be passed back and forth is referred to as latency, which can be affected by a whole host of factors.

“Basically we have a router on our side, and they have a router on their side, passing data packets over SHF to bring us the Internet. Things like foul weather can limit the signal strength of our connection,” King said.

Depending on the severity of the slowdown, ADP can implement web user groups (WUGs) –which rotate internet availability in blocks for each Sailor to limit the amount of people using the Internet at one time – and redirect web address requests to a mobile version. This frees up much-needed bandwidth.

ADP technicians and their team have other tools at their disposal as well to monitor web usage and be proactive in preserving bandwidth for users.

“Network security can see how much bandwidth you’re taking up,” King said. “They can also see what websites you’re using the most while underway. They use a program called the Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA), which logs bandwidth and top-visited sites per user. If there is a Sailor using too much bandwidth, we can generate a report for their head of department to rectify the problem.”

ADP’s goal is to maintain vital mission-oriented data transfer systems and provide every Sailor with a means to communicate with home, and they take those goals seriously.

“Having the internet while underway is a huge morale booster,” King said. “It’s a great tool for family support, but it needs to be utilized properly. I would suggest using email to talk with loved ones. It’s the sure-fire best way to talk to family while underway.”

For more information on how you can help provide a better Internet experience on Carl Vinson, contact ADP at J-dial 6716.

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around the

7 PG

around the VINSON

8 PG

With exercise, a proper diet and a motivational push by Carl Vinson’s Fit Boss, getting an outstanding on the next Physical Fitness Assessment is within reach.

Reporting in January, Jacqueline Hernandez came to Carl Vinson after a successful tour at Northwest Annex, Chesapeake, Va., where she significantly increased the physical readiness of the personnel stationed there and reduced the amount the number of service members enrolled in the commands Fitness Enhancement Program (FEP) by 75 percent.

“I’m all about learning and growing, so being on a ship is different from my normal routine with the Marines,” Hernandez said. “My main focus is to build and create the ultimate athlete; it’s what I was trained to do. My job is to push you to your limits when you think you can’t go any further.”

“Everyday at FEP is a different workout. Will you sweat? Yes. Will you not want to come back? Probably. Will you throw up? Maybe. But it will definitely push you,” said Hernandez. “What I’m going to bring is a different prospective on how to lift, how to eat and a way to view different options for cardio. Most importantly I want people to know that FEP is a club we designed to get people off of.”

Raised in a household of Marines, Hernandez brings a new attitude to Carl Vinson’s physical training sessions. Her approach of taking and building, creating and reformatting physical training classes gives her the ability to offer Sailors a variety of exercises which keep them sweaty – and engaged.

“There are many different gyms on board and not every gym is the same, so figuring how I can get the best workout possible to benefit a Sailor on the O-3 gym compared to someone at ‘The Mez’ is what I was looking for,” said Hernandez.

“My whole program has something for everybody, so if you only run and never lift weights, great, this is what you’re going to do,” said Hernandez, referring to a workout plan to incorporate muscle groups previously unused. “I’ve been blessed enough to where I’ve been able to meet so many people in my life that have opened my eyes to great things I can incorporate and that’s the great thing about coming to work.”

Although Hernandez’s versatility, structured planning and challenging training sessions are aimed to meet any

Meet Carl Vinson’s

Fit Boss -

Jackie Hernandez

9 PG

Sailor’s needs, she says commitment is key to success. “It takes a lot of commitment, dedication, and integrity; that

talks volumes about a person,” said Hernandez. “When it’s command PT, people work better in a group; that’s human nature. We try to motivate the person next to us, the Shipmate across from us. We don’t want to see anybody fail,” Hernandez said. “I believe in creating an all-around athlete, whether it’s during your first time or for someone who has been coming all the time and wants to learn something new or how to do things correctly.”

For Sailors wanting to understand why they are not meeting their physical goals, Hernandez advises them to attend of her classes.

“Come to the 0600 and 1400 class, it’ll help you understand why you’re not dropping weight,” said Hernandez. “If you are a dedicated gym rat, come to functional fitness. That’ll isolate muscle and push you to where you’ve never been pushed before. If you are a female health seeker, then I’d say come to Zumba. If you’re all about running and wanting to learn about how to increase your stride, come to spin class.”

Though Hernandez thinks working out is just as fun as it is good for you, her job satisfaction comes from those participating in one of her classes.

“What makes me the happiest and why I love doing my job is when I get the dirty looks from Sailors. I get the ‘Oh, gods’, the ‘you’re crazy’ – those are the highlights,” Hernandez explained. “And definitely when someone says this is the best class ever and I’m coming back. Especially when I’m at the warehouse gym and I say, yes I’m the Carl Vinson Fit Boss and people from other commands come joining in because their PT classes aren’t pushing them. The fact that I don’t know these people and they are comfortable enough with me, that’s makes me really proud and I know I’m doing the job right.”

Hernandez has just one message for Carl Vinson.

Survival

fittestof the

by MC2 Brent Pyfrom

“I challenge those who think they know how to lift correctly,” said Hernandez. “There are different ways to get to where you want to be and I want everyone to have an open mind. Come in and ask questions.

Be willing to change the way you used to do things to reach your goals.”

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The Navy understands the importance of feeding its Sailors, not only so they can

perform in their jobs, but also as a way for them to take a break from the rigors of shipboard life and to relish the company of their fellow Shipmates.

Although the hours are long, many Culinary Specialists say the best part of their job is knowing they have made someone’s day better though a wholesome, nutritious meal. Master Chief Culinary Specialist (SW/AW) Carl Demus sat down with The Voice to discuss what being a CS means to him.

by MC2(SW/AW) Travis Alston

Leading Culinary Specialist

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Why did you decide to enlist as a Mess Specialist?I enlisted in the Navy in August 1992. I decided to be an MS because I love to cook, and I liked the idea of possibly working at the White House.

What are your day-to-day responsibilities as the leading CS?Just imagine a chain of restaurants; I’m the guy in charge. I walk about and make sure everybody is doing what they need to do. I have other leadership who assist me. We try to run these great big restaurants on board. There are a lot of moving parts so I ensure they are running as smoothly as can be, in the proper way.

How do you go about ordering food supply? How often is an order placed? Are certain items ordered at certain times of the month? We order for a standard 21-day cycle menu. The menu is developed to provide nutrition and variety for 21 days and then it starts over and repeats itself. This allows us to have an idea when we need specific menu items and we can order based on that frequency. Then, there are many variables that are in place when we order food, depending on if we are underway, underway with our air wing, in port, etc.

What do the food service feedback meetings do for your division? How do the meetings work and what happens with all of the comments that you receive?The meetings help tremendously. We like to see a good turn-out of about 50 people or more. We get positive and negative feedback. The food service officer and I review each and every card, and we try to respond directly to the person if they leave the info or J-dial on the card.

What do you like about food services?I like that we can make people happy. I can make someone’s day better. It can boost morale. To me, it is the most rewarding rate to be in.

Is there anything you want to change about Carl Vinson’s food service or anything you have already changed since you arrived on Carl Vinson?I would like to make our food service better overall. Sending our CS’s to schools and getting them more advanced training is going to help do that for us. We have already begun sending our CS’s to schools, and we will continue to get them more advanced training in the future. This boosts their morale and gives them more confidence in their abilities.

What are your top priorities for your division? I strive to have top notch service and to give my Sailors the opportunity to go to school and gain NEC’s and qualifications. I want to set them up for success just like my leadership did for me as I was coming up in the Navy.

At this point, have you noticed any changes in the level of morale throughout the ship or with your CS’s?I know that we have sent a few of our guys to school. These guys want to learn. They want to better themselves in our

rate, which will, in turn, help with advancement.

From your perspective, how do you combat negativity in the workplace, i.e., complaints about the food and things of that nature?It is difficult keeping everybody happy. We try to communicate with individuals who submit a food suggestion card to find out how we can solve any issues. You are always going to have those who complain about the food, but we want to know so we can learn to avoid future situations.

What is the most difficult part of your job?I hate seeing my guys in trouble or struggling though any type of personal issue. As far as the job, I have been doing this for 20 plus years. As any other job it has its good and bad days, but nothing I can’t handle.

What is the most rewarding part of the job?Seeing my Sailors succeed, getting promoted, qualified and bettering themselves – that makes me proud. It is extremely satisfying to see units embark the ship, knowing they can get whatever it is they need from us.

Do you plan to work in food service in the civilian sector when you retire someday? If not, what are you interested in doing, if anything?I plan on staying in the Navy for 30 years. I haven’t thought about exactly what I plan to do after that.

What’s your favorite shipboard meal to eat?My favorite shipboard meal is any kind of baked fish, especially salmon.

Can you tell what the crew’s favorite shipboard meal is by how much is consumed?I’ve been on board for two months, and I would say that the crew really loves a good salad bar, pizza, burgers, steak, chocolate chip cookies, and pasta dishes. This is based on how much we go thru on days we serve these items.

What’s the best way the crew can show appreciation to the CS’s for their work?The best way the crew can show the CS’s appreciation is thru comment cards, and by telling them personally when they see them.

What is the most interesting thing you’ve seen in your field?Having celebrities and talents visit and show interest in the ship’s food services

What is one thing you want the ship to know about your job?I have a great job. It is fun, challenging and demanding. There are a lot of moving parts and a lot of effort goes into food preparations. The CS’s in the galley are just a few of them.

Anything else you would like to add.I’ve been here two months, and I love it; keep striving.

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ME

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VOIC

E STAFF

a team of Sailors w

riting for Sailors

PUBLISHERCAPT KENT WHALENCommanding Officer

GRAPHICS/LAYOUTMCSN JACOB G. KAUCHER

MC2 PHOENIX LEVIN

JUNIOR EDITORSMC1 (SW/AW) RYAN TABIOS

MC2 BRENT PYFROM

STAFF WRITERS&

PHOTOGRAPHERSMCC (AW/SW/EXW) DAVID CRAWFORD

MC2(SW/AW) TRAVIS ALSTONMC2 (SW) GEORGE M. BELLMC3 (SW) SCOTT FENAROLIMC3 SHANTECE GONZALEZ

MC3 CURTIS D. SPENCERMCSN MATTHEW A. CARLYLE

MCSA JAMES P. BLEYLE

EDITORS-IN-CHIEFMCCS (SW/AW) MONICA HOPPERMedia Leading Chief Petty OfficerMCC (AW/SW/EXW) DAVID CRAWFORDMedia Operations Leading Chief Petty Officer

EXECUTIVEEDITORSLCDR KYLE RAINESPublic Affairs Officer

LTJG TREVOR DAVIDSAssistant Public Affairs Officer

Media

Department’s

mission is t

o tell th

e

story of C

arl Vinson and

her embarked airw

ing and

staff. T

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Communication Specialists

who work in Media are

highly trained in Graphic

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maintain a dominant

presence online - their

work can be viewed on

the ship’s F

acebook page

and on Navy.mil.

D E C K P L A T EDIALOGUES How do you help your child deal with separation while you are at sea?

AZ1 (AW/AW) Kelly Paulson

Lance Corporal Brandon Vizcaya

AOC (AW/SW) Hector Gonzalez

HM1 (SW) Jona May Alvela

AN Krisitan Campa

Lt. Richard Tan

MCC (EXW/SW/AW) David Crawford

ABF2 (AW/SW) Jaypee Corpuz

“I LET THEM KNOW HOW LONG I AM

GOING TO BE GONE AND I TELL THEM

THE BASIC DETAILS ABOUT WHAT I

WILL BE DOING.”

”MY SON IS ONLY TWO MONTHS OLD SO, I MAKE SURE MY WIFE IS TAKEN CARE OF COMPLETELY. I MAKE SURE SHE HAS EVERYTHING SHE MAY

NEED TO TAKE CARE OF OUR SON WHILE I AM

AWAY.”

“I HAVEN’T DEPLOYED SINCE

I HAVE HAD KIDS. I PLAN TO SIT THEM

DOWN AND EXPLAIN THAT I WILL BE

GONE FOR A WHILE AND THAT I WILL BE

BACK.”

WE ALWAYS TAKE OUR KIDS TO THE PARK OR CHUCKY CHEESE THE DAY BEFORE I LEAVE.”

“I HAVE QUALITY TIME WITH THEM

AND I ALWAYS TUCK THEM IN AT NIGHT BEFORE I

LEAVE WITH THEIR FAVORITE STUFFED

TOYS.”

“I HAVE A CHAT WITH THEM OVER

DINNER AND EXPLAIN WHAT I WILL BE DOING

AND HOW LONG I WILL BE GONE.”

“I SPEND DEDICATED TIME WITH THEM

BEFORE AND AFTER AT- SEA PERIODS. I ALWAYS STAY ENGAGED WITH

THEM THROUGH PHONE CALLS, E-MAILS AND PICTURES WHILE WE

ARE OUT.”

“I SPEND QUALITY TIME WITH MY KIDS BEFORE

I LEAVE. BEFORE THIS UNDERWAY I TOOK BOTH OF MY

DAUGHTERS TO DISNEY LAND.”

SUNDAY

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TALLADEGA NIGHTSSAVING MR. BANKSGRUDGE MATCHTHE VOWTOP GUNDILEMMA, THEBATMAN BEGINSTALLADEGA NIGHTSSAVING MR. BANKSGRUDGE MATCHTHE VOW

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MONSTERS UNIVERSITYSOCIAL NETWORK, THESUPER 8TAKENFROZENUPMONSTERS UNIVERSITYSOCIAL NETWORK, THESUPER 8TAKENFROZEN

GOING THE DISTANCETOURIST, THE

AMERICAN HUSTLELONE SURVIVOR

CINDERELLA MANMAN ON A LEDGE

DREDDGOING THE DISTANCE

TOURIST, THEAMERICAN HUSTLE

LONE SURVIVOR

50/50DRIVE

END OF WATCHFAST AND FURIOUS 6

LIMITLESSTHE INTERNSHIP

50/50DRIVE

END OF WATCHFAST AND FURIOUS 6

LIMITLESSTHE INTERNSHIP

GANGSTER SQUADINGLORIOUS BASTERDS

LAWLESSDJANGO UNCHAINED

THE THINGGANGSTER SQUAD

INGLORIOUS BASTERDSLAWLESS

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CH 6 CH 7PG-PG13 PG13-R

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