® Serving the Hampton Roads Navy Family Vol. 18, No. 30, Norfolk, VA FLAGSHIPNEWS.COM July 29, 2010 Navy accepts delivery of future USS Gravely BY CHRIS JOHNSON Team Ships Public Affairs WASHINGTON — The Navy offi cially ac- cepted delivery of the future USS Gravely from Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding during a ceremony, July 26, in Pascagoula, Miss. Desig- nated DDG 107, Gravely is the 57th ship of the Arleigh Burke class. The ship successfully completed acceptance trials, June 28. Due to the oil spill currently affecting the Gulf of Mexico, the trials were slightly modifi ed, with the ship conducting pierside tests and inspections by the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV), fol- lowed by a 36-hour underway period to assess the ship’s main propulsion, auxiliary, steering, damage control equipment, navigation sys- tems and deck equipment as well as overall completeness. “Though the oil spill forced us to modify our normal trial schedule, we were still able to de- liver Gravely as originally scheduled,” said Capt. Pete Lyle, DDG 51 class program man- ager in the Navy’s Program Executive Offi ce (PEO) Ships. “That is really a testament to the maturity of the class and the program’s suc- cessful history of delivering ships on time and on schedule.” Gravely is a multi-mission guided-missile Photo by MC2 Corey Truax destroyer designed to operate in multi-threat The Arleigh Burke class guided-missile destroyer USS Gravely (DDG 107) is surrounded by oil containment booms to prevent oil from the air, surface and subsurface environments. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill from reaching it’s hull while pierside in Pascagoula, Miss. Deepwater Horizon was an ultra-deepwater oil rig that sank, April 22, causing a massive oil spill threatening the U.S. Gulf Coast. See GRAVELY, A11 Act locally to improve schools, education leader says BY LISA DANIEL American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON — Progress is being made at the national and state levels for broad improvements in the public educa- tion of military children, but parents still should be involved at the local level to affect change the most, the head of the Military Child Education Coalition said. “With great relationships, positive con- nections and enthusiasm for working in the local community, when parents are engaged and involved – then you’re sure the voice of the military child is heard,” Mary Keller said in an interview with American Forces Press Service. Keller, who holds a doctorate in ed- ucation, detailed initiatives outlined by James H. Shelton III, an assistant deputy secretary at the Education Department, Photo by MC1 Christina M. Shaw who spoke at the coalition’s 12th annual Damage Controlman 1st Class Viron Smith, assigned to the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5), runs a 30-meter conference held July 23 in National Har- dash with students at W.T. Cooke Elementary School in Virginia Beach. Sailors from the Bataan teamed up with the faculty to hold an end- bor, Md. Those initiatives include the of-school fi eld day. department’s push for all states to adopt Corps father, said military children es- into new school districts. So far, 35 states offi cials currently can track only the common standards in core subjects and pecially would benefi t from common have signed onto the Common Core Stan- progress of military children at the dis- improving how states measure the edu- standards so they know what is expect- dards compact, he said. trict level, rather than by schools or cation data of military children. ed from year-to-year and so that all their Improving data collection and tracking Shelton, who grew up with a Marine credits are accepted when they move also is important, said Shelton, because See SCHOOLS, A11 Chairman appalled by Wikileaks release BUPERS uses new system BY JIM GARAMONE the trust that was broken in the for delivering messages American Forces Press Service 1990s,” he said. “In the Afghan- BY WM. CULLEN JAMES ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY istan-Pakistan strategy, none Navy Personnel Command Public Affairs AIRCRAFT — The chairman of of us have been anything but the Joint Chiefs of Staff said he is very forthcoming on the criti- MILLINGTON, Tenn. — The Bureau of Naval Personnel (BU- “appalled” by the breach of secu- cality of Pakistan. We can’t get PERS) and Navy Personnel Command (NPC) announced they rity represented by the Wikileaks at the safe havens that we know will transition to a new message system beginning in August. case, July 27. exist in Pakistan without their According to NAVADMIN 249/10, all unclassifi ed message Adm. Mike Mullen told report- cooperation.” traffi c from BUPERS and NPC, including permanent change ers traveling with him that the The chairman is very con- of station orders, will be sent via command E-mail through the leaks could put American service cerned about the release of these Offi cial Information Exchange (OIX). This change is a result members at risk. Investigators documents. “Releasing classifi ed of Navy ending support for the Defense Messaging System are still sifting through some documents could put in jeopardy (DMS). 90,000 classifi ed documents to American lives,” he said. “This process should be transparent for the Sailors in the determine the exact harm that “We’re going through a review Photo by MC1 Chad J. McNeeley Fleet,” said Capt. Brian Wenger, NPC assistant commander for the release could bring, he said. to see in fact if that release has Adm. Mike Mullen said that by Business Operations and Comptroller. “The important thing is for releasing classifi ed documents The chairman said the informa- done that. But in my experience could put American lives in commands to set up their command e-mail in the OIX system,” as tion is older – from 2004 to 2009 with troops from conventional to jeopardy. outlined in the NAVADMIN. – and this may mitigate the situ- special forces, I think sometimes To create as transparent a change as possible, BUPERS is ation to an extent. Many of the people don’t appreciate what in- don’t occur in the future,” he con- fi elding a new system called Government Offi cial Information Ex- documents are fi eld reports cov- formation could be out there that tinued. change System (GOES). The internal system will act as a router ering the situation in Pakistan. makes their jobs a lot more diffi - Mullen spoke to the report- for all BUPERS offi cial information into OIX. All commands that “From the time I’ve been chair- cult and in fact, could jeopardize ers aboard an Air Force C-17 have set up command E-mail with OIX will receive message traf- man I’ve been very clear about their lives.” transport following a meeting in fi c from GOES. the need to improve the relation- “I feel very strongly to do all we Kabul, Bagram and Kandahar, Af- “Our intent was to develop a solution that would have the least ship with Pakistan, re-establish can to make sure leaks like this ghanistan. See SYSTEM, A11 INSIDE: NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE A8 TIM ALLEN VISITS SAILORS B1 PLAY IN THE DIRT AGAIN C1 The Naval Special Warfare Funny man Tim Allen came Join the Armed Services (NSW) community held its 41st to Naval Station Norfolk YMCA as they put on the Annual East Coast Underwater and shook hands, signed 10th Annual 8K Mud Run. Demolition Team (UDT)/ Sea, autographs and yukked it up Sign up individually or as Air and Land (SEAL) reunion. as he took tours on two ships. a team. Navy Safety Center offers Commander Navy Region tips to weather the heat wave Mid-Atlantic is: Rear Adm. Mark S. Boensel BY APRIL PHILLIPS The Flagship® is produced by Naval Safety Center Commander Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Public Affairs staff. The editorial content of this newspaper and any supplement is prepared, edited and provided by the public affairs offi ce of Commander Navy Region Mid- Atlantic. NORFOLK — No mat- Regional program manager for ter where Sailors and Commander Navy Region Mid-Atlantic is Marines are stationed, Public Affairs Director chances are they are ex- Beth Baker periencing the current Editorial Staff heat wave that is gripping Managing Editor many locations across the Micheal Mink globe. Deputy Managing Editor Record high tempera- MC1 (AW) Tim Comerford tures are still expected for Editorial Assistant much of the U.S., reports MC3 Samantha L. Rivero say roads are melting in Graphic Designer Europe, and in Japan, five David Todd people died recently as a Off Duty Editor / Designer result of the skyrocket- Tim Rafalski ing temperatures. The Flagship® is an authorized Across the fleet, 43 publication for members of the military Sailors and Marines have services and their families. Its contents do not necessarily refl ect the offi cial views of suffered reportable heat- the U.S. government, the Department of related illnesses and Defense, the U.S. Navy or the U.S. Marine Corps and do not imply endorsement injuries this fiscal year – thereof. both at work and during The appearance of advertising in this newspaper, including inserts off-duty activities. or supplements, does not constitute While there’s nothing endorsement by the Department of Defense, the Navy or Marine Corps, that can be done about Commander Navy Region Mid-Atlantic or the weather, there are Flagship, Inc. of the products and services advertised. measures Sailors and Everything advertised in The Flagship® Marines can take to pro- shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, tect themselves from the color, religion, gender, national origin, age, heat, said Dan Dray, a marital status, physical handicap, political affi liation or any other nonmerit factor of the recreation and off-duty purchaser, user or patron.