® Serving the Hampton Roads Navy Family Vol. 18, No. 19, Norfolk, VA FLAGSHIPNEWS.COM May 13, 2010 Deborah Mullen speaks at CORE spouse leadership conference STORY AND PHOTOS BY MICHEAL T. MINK for the spouses in attendance. The Flagship Managing Editor Mullen was introduced to more than 150 spouses by Admiral “Provide continuing education John C. Harvey, Jr., Commander, for spouses to meet the unique U.S. Fleet Forces Command. challenges of a military lifestyle” “CORE is a very important pro- is the mission statement for Con- gram ... it was fi rst formed here tinuum Of Resource Education and the continuum of education or CORE – and there isn’t much for enlisted and offi cer spouses is more unique than fi tting the chal- a program that I am glad to see lenges of balancing an education fl ourishing,” said Mullen. into those of being a military A staunch advocate for military spouse. spouses and family readiness ef- The CORE Spring Conference forts, she said “I was asked to held at Naval Station Norfolk’s give a speech, but I really do not Vista Point Center, Monday, fea- like to do that.” Deborah Mullen tured Deborah Mullen, wife of “When I do that, I do not learn speaks at the CORE the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of anything from you and I will con- Spring Conference Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen. tinue to learn from you as long as held at Naval Station The theme for the conference my husband is lucky enough to Norfolk’s Vista Point – “What’s it all about? Challeng- serve,” she added. Center, Monday. es and Opportunities for Today’s The fi rst question of the night Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Leadership Spouses” addressed Mullen looks on. those issues on multiple levels See CORE, A10 Photo by MC1 LaTunya Howard Mark Vaughn and Russ Hilbert, civilian employees at Navy Personnel Command, take inventory of computer equipment damaged by fl ooding at Naval Support Activity Mid-South. Two days of rain dumped more than 14 inches in the area causing a drainage ditch on the east side of the base to spill over and fl ood parts of the base. Navy Personnel Command gets Pentagon motorcycle back to business after fl ood safety event raises PRESS RELEASE awareness Navy Personnel Command le photo U.S. Navy fi Public Affairs BY APRIL PHILLIPS race tracks. MILLINGTON, Tenn. — Just a Naval Safety Center Public Affairs “If you are one of those people week after torrential rains sent up who feel the need for speed, take a to four feet of water across Naval WASHINGTON — Motorcy- lesson from these guys and get to Support Activity Mid-South (NSA) cle riders stationed in and around the track. That’s where speed be- Millington, Navy Personnel Com- Washington got an opportunity to longs – not out on the highway,” mand (NPC), with the assistance of hone their skills, swap riding sto- Garcia said. NSA personnel, have restored the ries, and learn from professional The Pentagon Motorcycle Safe- majority of services that support riders May 7 - 8 at the fourth an- ty Event also featured information the fl eet. nual Pentagon Motorcycle Safety from various Department of De- The May 1 fl ooding caused base- Event. fense agencies. Of particular note wide power and phone outages, The event’s keynote speaker was to Sailors is the new require- interrupted internet access and Juan Garcia, assistant secretary of ment that all motorcycle training damaged the servers that provide the Navy (Manpower and Reserve be logged in the web-enabled NMCI services to the more than Affairs). He commended the Navy Enterprise Safety Application 2,000 military, civilians and con- Photo by Chief Hospital Corpsman Vincent M. Soto and Marine Corps for their success- Management System, or ESAMS, tractors that work at NPC as well Streets in the family housing section of Naval Support Activity Mid-South es in motorcycle safety, noting that which can be accessed at www. as PERSNET which hosts a variety (NSA) were under water during major fl ooding after heavy rains breeched fatalities in fi scal year 2009 were navymotorcyclerider.com. Each of systems that provide services to nearby protective levees, May 1. down by 61 percent for Sailors and service had motorcycle safety the fl eet. agement Division has relocated to up their records,” said Smith. 44 percent for Marines. experts available to speak to rid- “We are incredibly lucky that the local Navy Operational Support The NPC Customer Service Cen- “This was no fl uke,” he said. ers and help ensure they comply no one was injured May 1st,” said Center and minimal services have ter was also located in a heavily “It was due to committed leader- with all training and PPE require- Rear Adm. Don Quinn, command- been restored. damaged building. ship across the fl eet and to riders ments. er, Navy Personnel Command. “We’re open for business, and “We were able to relocate agents like you who decided to close the Garcia said motorcycle safety “We, the entire Millington military we’re providing basic services and get them back on the phones gap between what the rules for re- events like this one at the Penta- community, all came together to now and hope to be at 90 percent in a short period of time but ask sponsible riding say, and what you gon are happening all across the support the local families who lost by the end of this week. We ex- that, for the next few days, only actually do out there on the roads.” fl eet, and that they serve an impor- their homes and possessions and pect to steadily add to the services those with emergency questions The motorcycle rodeo featured tant purpose. then turned to restoring our mis- we’re providing as they become call,” said Fred Chambers, director, several screenings of the Marine “As you well know, our resourc- sion of supporting personnel in the available” said Capt. Greg Smith, Customer Relations Management Corps-funded feature fi lm “Sem- es are stretched thin,” he said. fl eet. assistant chief for Reserve Person- department. per Ride” and demonstrations by “Many of you have been asked to “Many of our NPC buildings nel Management. “In addition to taking calls, we several stunt riders. Athletes who do more with less. That’s why the were damaged by the fl ood. At “We ask for patience as we bring have begun processing the elec- appeared in the movie were on loss of even a single trained and least three buildings’ fi rst decks more processes back online. We tronically submitted selection board hand to sign autographs and speak ready Sailor or Marine is so tragic. are still uninhabitable,” said Quinn. want to assure members of the Re- packages. Members can check the to riders about motorcycle safety. These are preventable losses, and “Most heavily damaged include serve force that their information is status of their packages by logging Garcia said riders of all experience we can’t afford them. The Ameri- the Reserve Personnel Manage- secure and that they can be proud of into www.npc.navy.mil and select levels can learn from the stars of can people are counting on each of ment Division, the offi cer detailer the way their fellow Reservists, ac- ‘selection board status’ in the upper the fi lm, who always wear the prop- you to ride smart.” offi ces and the computer server tive duty counterparts and civilian right-hand box,” Chambers said. er personal protective equipment, For more news from Naval Safety buildings.” peers all pulled together to protect and who only ride fast in controlled Center, visit www.navy.mil/local/ The Reserve Personnel Man- the computers and fi les that make See FLOOD, A11 environments, such as motorcycle nsc/. INSIDE: GOING IA – PART IV: RETURNING HOME A6 FRONT AND CENTER B1 OFF DUTY C1 Just because an Individual Ten Sailors set out to USO Sesame Street Tour to Augmentee is back from conquer the Chesapeake visit Little Creek-Fort Story deployment doesn’t mean their Sailors are attempting to row/sail The Sesame Street/USO mission is over, it may have just a 26-foot long Monomoy Pulling Experience for military families begun. Boat across Chesapeake Bay. will be presenting four shows. Norfolk Pass and I.D. offi ce gives customers a pass for Express Service Commander Navy Region BY MC3 SAMANTHA ROBINETT have the following documents: a valid driv- Mid-Atlantic is: The Flagship staff writer er’s license, a Government I.D. card, current Rear Adm. Mark S. Boensel Vehicle Registration and proof of insurance. The Flagship® is produced by The Norfolk Pass and I.D. offi ce is con- Also, all vehicles that are registered in Vir- Commander Navy Region Mid-Atlantic staff. The editorial content of this tinuing the use of Express Service for ginia must have a valid vehicle inspection. newspaper and any supplement is decals, which allows customers to complete Ellen Swicegood, the security assistant at prepared, edited and provided by the public affairs offi ce of Commander Navy part of the process to renew or receive new Norfolk Pass and I.D. said the program has Region Mid- Atlantic. decals online in order to limit the amount of proven very useful so far but that many cus- Regional program manager for Commander Navy Region Mid-Atlantic is time customers spend at the Pass and I.D. tomers still aren’t using it. Offi ce. “It would be more effective if more people Public Affairs Director The Express Service was established over would use it,” said Swicegood.