Naval Nuclear Power Training Command April 2020 Volume 1. Issue 7 Facilities Division Page 4 Month of the Military Child Page 6 SAILORS IN THE SPOTLIGHT Hometown: Tamarac, Florida. Why he joined: I joined to start my career, pay off my student loans, and to travel the world. Favorite part of the Navy: Meeting and getting to know a lot of people who have a different background and life experience from myself. I also love the travel and unique job opportunities. Most memorable port call: Scotland. It’s the closest time I’ve ever felt like a pirate. ETN1(SS) Hobbies: Christopher V. Taylor Working out, reading, writing, and people watching. Hometown: McDonough, Georgia. Why he joined: I joined to have experiences that I couldn’t have as a civilian and visit different countries while making a difference for my country. Favorite part of the Navy: Right now, being able to make a postitve impact in students’ lives and helping out my fellow shipmates as much as possible. Most memorable port call: The Bush was the first carrier to pull into Israel since the ’70s, and we got to see Jerusalem. That allowed us to see where Judas allegedly betrayed Jesus, and I got to see the Wailing Wall. Hobbies: MMN2(SW) Muay Thai, lifting weights, longboarding, hiking. Marshall J. Vaughan Hometown: Somersworth, New Hampshire. Why he joined: I wanted to see foreign ports, ensure job security, and do something I felt I would excel at. Favorite part of the Navy: Distributing boot-fulls of freedom and democracy to all those in need. I enjoy working on subs and take great pride in our history and tradition. Most memorable port call: Souda Bay, Crete. They had amazing food and an amazing cultural experience. Hobbies: EMN1(SS) Woodworking, playing the geetar, supporting local music, attending Brandon S. Perkins local metal bands concerts. 2 the primary loop CMC’s Corner A staff member from NPTU who recently separated from the Navy wrote a letter to staff and students that contained the following motivational words that was too good not to share with you all. “I’d like to share with you an exerpt from ‘Mad Dog’ Mattis’ book: ‘Later that year I was sent to Okinawa to join my first infantry unit. I was lucky: I had joined the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, where most of the key leaders had spent years fighting in rice paddies, mountains, and jungles [in Vietnam]. They knew their stuff. Far from being standoffish because they had seen combat, they were tough and friendly, and they readily shared their combat knowledge. I didn’t have to earn their support; it was mine to lose, not to gain.’ Mr. Mattis goes on later to say, ‘Show no favoritism. Value initiative and aggressiveness above all. It’s easier to pull the reins back than to push a timid soul forward. Consistently maintain a social and personal distance, remembering that there is a line you must not cross. But you should come as close to that line as possible – without surrendering one ounce of authority. You are not their friend. You are their coach and commander, rewarding the qualities essential to battlefield victory. You get to know them as individuals – what makes them tick and what their specific goals are. One is striving to make corporal, another needs a letter of recommendation for college, another is determined to break eighteen minutes for three miles. A Marine knows when you are invested in his character, his dreams, and his development. Men like that won’t quit on you.’ It seems that even Marines, who are arguably much ‘tougher’ than the majority of Sailors, find EMPATHY to be a positive characteristic in leaders. We haven’t ‘gone soft’ because we’ve started caring more about students as humans. And as for the pump vs. filter, Rickover told Congress in 1979 that the program attrition rate was about 25%; we’ve been around 40% the last 10 years. I’ve also seen another category of non-empathetic staff, less concerned with the toughness of Sailors...I’ll leave you with this, also from Jim Mattis: ‘At Central Washington State College in 1968, I was a mediocre student with a partying attitude. After I caroused too much one night, the local judge ordered me to spend weekends in jail – punishment for underage drinking. One inmate, Porter Wagner (not the famous singer) had jumped bail in Maryland. One Saturday night he saw me hoisting myself up to look out the barred window, eager to see what I was missing outside. ‘What do you see, Jimmy?’ he said, lying back on his bunk. ‘A muddy parking lot.’ ‘From down here, I see stars in the night sky,’ he said. ‘It’s your choice. You can look at stars or mud.’ He was in jail, but his spirit wasn’t. From that wayward philosopher I learned that no matter what happened, I wasn’t a victim; I made my own choices how to respond. You don’t always control your circumstance, but you can always control your response.” Motivational Quotes “Change your thoughts and you change your world.” - Norman Vincent Peele the primary loop 3 4 the primary loop The Team Behind the Scenes Story & photos by MCSA Keyly Santizo The sounds of a saw cutting Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class the grounds team also helps build into wood, envelopes and boxes Rebecca Brook, assigned to the and construct. They ensure sanitation being processed and packed, and the engraving shop at NNPTC, makes of the command and safety hazards engraving machine making nametags plaques, nametags, and all of the signs are mitigated, perform equipment for staff and students can be heard when that can be seen posted throughout the maintenance, and help with Nuclear walking around the Bowman Center command. Power School graduations. at Naval Nuclear Power Training “I make everything,” said “We make sure that landscaping Command (NNPTC). Brook, a native of Tampa, Florida. needs are met,” said Machinist’s Mate Plaques, mail, wood work and She makes more than 200 1st Class Roeb Ruon, assigned to a variety of other amenities needed nametags and 50 door plates and desk grounds at NNPTC, from Chonburi, throughout the command are the plates daily in the engraving shop. Thailand. “We ensure students are able primary focus of the 1st Lieutenant Brook said the engraving shop to to walk to the barracks safely.” division’s facilities crew as they work and the woodshop work together to Also part of the facilities together to support NNPTC students create memories for students and staff. team, the mailroom ensures students and staff, and keep the campus running. “The woodshop will make the at NNPTC are able to send and recieve Chief Electrician’s Mate templates and give them to me,” Brook mail. James Thompson, leading chief petty said. “The wood comes from them, and “We give packages to 2,000 officer of the facilities team, from San I put brass on it.” students daily,” said Logistics Specialist Antonio, Texas, said customer service The wood shop makes the 1st Class Laudy OliverosGarcia, from is at the center of the facilities team’s awards that are presented to students the Dominican Republic. success. and staff. They also build recreational The mailroom receives and “It’s vital for us to work with areas, such as gazebos, for the processes mail and issues it to the other divisions,” said Thompson. “Our command. students. They process approximately hands are in everything. We try to keep “It’s nice to see people getting 10,000 boxes and 7,000 envelopes it like a family.” awards that I made,” said Machinist’s monthly. OliverosGarcia said she The facilities team runs Mate 2nd Class Noah Corcoran, enjoys seeing the students’ smiles basic facilities such as contracting, assigned to the woodshop at NNPTC, when they recieve letters and packages woodwork, engraving, mail and from Cape May, New Jersey. “Some after a hard day of class. maintaining campus grounds. They student now who is going to retire 20 “There’s a good culture here,” also handle ordering, resupply, and years from now will have a piece of Corcoran said. “We all help each other. contracting of heating, ventilation, and NNPTC that I built.” We all rely on each other. If someone air conditioning (HVAC) work. Along with the woodshop, needs help we all pitch in.” the primary loop 5 Month of the Military Bode, Magnolia, Child Lt. Bell EMN1 Childress The Month of the Military Child has been celebrated every April since its inception in 1986, when former Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger established the commemorations. The celebration honors the important role military children play in the armed forces community. Military children face unique challenges and hardships that may be considered uncommon to most children. They often see their parents ship off for months at a time, sometimes to dangerous combat zones and with limited communication. They weather frequent moves and rarely experience what it is like to settle in one place for long. Their ability to overcome these hardships is truly admirable, and for that we say THANK YOU to the children of our team at Naval Nuclear Power Training Command (NNPTC). It is because of their support and courage through these sacrifices that we continue to complete the mission that our nation has called upon us. Hunter, Chase, April 2020 has brought its own unique challenges as families maneuver through the limitations brought on by COVID-19. Lcdr. Rinehart Lcdr. Rinehart Some of our NNPTC staff members shared photos of their children and how they are navigating education and activities during quarantine.