Spotlight on

MANAGING RISKS UNDERWATER 

AND UNDER PRESSURE

casualty drills in korea:

cooperation and safety abroad

Navy SEALs test their skills and limitations 

with closed-circuit UBA MK 25

10-day exercise prepares Seabee divers for 

worst-case scenarios and mission readiness 

DIVE SAFETY
EDITORIAL STAFF

Media Division Head Derek Nelson

Editor Evelyn Odango

Graphics Allan Amen

John W. Williams

Webmaster Darlene Savage

EDITORIAL OFFICE

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Attn: Sea Compass

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Editor's email: evelyn.odango@navy.mil

afloat safety programs directorate

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Norfolk, VA 23511-4399

Afloat mishap line: DSN 564-1562 / 7130; Fax: DSN 564-8636

Afloat safety email: safe-afloat@navy.mil

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NOTICE TO READERS

Contents are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Navy, the 

Department of Defense, or the U.S. government. Photos and artwork are for illustrative 

purposes only, unless otherwise noted. Reference to commercial products or links 

to non-DoD resources do not imply Department of the Navy endorsement. Unless 

otherwise stated, material in this publication may be reprinted without permission; 

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mission statement: Our goal is to provide information and resources to help 

our Sailors, Marines and civilians focus their efforts on the mission. We will provide 

relevant data and analysis to help you manage risk, on or off duty. Sea Compass will 

do its part to keep you informed and be combat ready.

Sea Compass is published twice yearly and distributed to ships, submarines, diving 

commands, shore-based commands, and DoD agencies. Sea Compass (ISSN 1550-

1434) is published by Commander, Naval Safety Center, at 375 A Street, Norfolk, 

VA 23511-4399. Periodical postage paid at Norfolk, Va. Postmaster: Send address 

changes to Commander, Naval Safety Center, Attn: Sea Compass, 375 A Street, 

Norfolk, VA 23511-4399.

Fall-Winter 2012/2013

Vol. 1, No. 4

RADM Brian C. Prindle, Commander, Naval Safety Center

COL Michael Young, USMC, Deputy Commander 

CDR Rosario D. McWhorter, Director, Afloat Safety Programs

LCDR Timothy Debelak , Assistant Director, Afloat Safety Programs

Mr. John Mahoney, Director, Communications and Marketing

naval safety center ANALYSTSAND TECHNICAL advisors

AFLOAT SAFETY PROGRAMS

CDR Kevin L. Smith kevin.l.smith@navy.mil

Surface Ship Division Head

CDR Eduardo Sandoval eduardo.sandoval@navy.mil

Diving and Salvage Division Head

LT Richard Ray richard.d.ray1@navy.mil

Submarine Division Head

Steve Scudder steve.scudder1@navy.mil

Afloat Safety Analyst/Publications Review

SURFACE

LCDR Russell Goff russell.goff@navy.mil

Deck Analyst

HMC (SW/AWFMF) Randahl S. Benson randahl.benson@navy.mil

Medical/Independent Duty Corpsman Analyst

EMCM (SW/AW) Jim Burke jim.burke@navy.mil

Electrical Analyst

EMCM (SW) Matt Kerridge matthew.kerridge@navy.mil

Electrical Analyst

GSCS (SW) Esworth Carty esworth.carty@navy.mil

Main Propulsion/Gas Turbine Analyst

MMC (SW/AW) Esters Wright esters.wright@navy.mil

Main Propulsion/Auxiliary Analyst

LT Kevin Ginter kevin.ginter@navy.mil

Damage; Control Lead/Mishap Investigator

ETC (SW) Jason Mobbs jason.mobbs1@navy.mil

Fleet Combat Systems Analyst

GMC (SW) Ramiro Salas ramiro.salas@navy.mil

Weapons Analyst

Submarine and Diving

NDCM David Schoephoerster david.schoephoerster@navy.mil

Diving/Salvage Assistant/MDV

ETC (SS) Kevin Dawson kevin.d.dawson@navy.mil

Submarine Electrical and Mechanical Analyst

HMC (SS) Christopher Harris christopher.l.harris@navy.mil

Submarine Medical Analyst

NDC (DSW/EXW) Rebecca Jones rebecca.a.jones@navy.mil

Diving Analyst

MMCS (SS) Arthur Sisk arthur.sisk@navy.mil

Submarine Damage Control Analyst

EMCM (SW/AW) Frank Valdepeña frank.valdepena@navy.mil

Submarine Division LCPO

COVER PHOTO AND OPPOSITE PAGE: A Basic 

Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) candidate waves 

a flare during a simulated dive casualty drill while training 

at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado. Dive training is the 

second phase of training candidates participate in during 

training. The Navy SEALs are the maritime component 

of U.S. Special Operations Forces and are trained to 

conduct a variety of operations from the sea, air and land. 

(U.S. Navy photo by MC2 (SW/AW) Dominique Canales)

connect with us on the web

http://twitter.com/NSC_updates

http://www.youtube.com/user/navalsafetycenter

http://www.facebook.com/navalsafetycenter
SEA COMPASS fall-winter 2012/2013 1

FALL-WINTER 2012/2013

http://www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/media/sea-compass/index.aspx

spotlight on dive safety

Managing risks underwater and under pressure 8

By MC2 (SW/AW) Dominique Canales

Navy SEALs train at the Naval Special Warfare Basic Training Center

Casualty drills in korea: 

cooperation and safety abroad 12

By CEC (SCW/MDV) Terence Juergens

Seabees and their counterparts train in South Korea 

featureS

nEW hose improves Fire-fighting response time 14

By Brian McNeal

Norfolk Naval Shipyard and USS Newport News (SSN 750) 

project team develops non-collapsible fire hose.

time to get familiar

New shipboard electrical safety bible 16

By EMCM (SW/AW) Jim Burke and 

EMCM (SW) Matt Kerridge

The Navy’s shipboard “electrical safety bible” is up-to-date.

Mishap & hazard reporting system

goes to sea 18

By Edward Hobbs

Afloat mishap module is now online. 

you've gotta see this 19

By LCDR Dave Williams

Shipboard safety officers never know what they're going to 

see from one day to the next.

the silent killer 23

By DCC (SW/AW) John Ralston, USN (Ret.)

Know the indicators of toxic gas presence and avoid longterm health risks or death.

IN THIS ISSUE

COMMANDER'S MESSAGE

Traits of a Better, Stronger Warfighter 3 

RADM Brian Prindle, Commander, Naval Safety Center, talks 

about the traits that are vital to mission execution.

bravo zulu

Blue Ridge Gets Top 3M Score on Waterfront 6 

By MCSN Samuel Weldin

Work and effort of USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) Sailors, on the 

3M system, receive highest score on Japan's waterfront.

spotlight on excellence

2012 Department of the Navy Safety Excellence

Award 7

Under Secretary of the Navy Robert Work honors recipients 

of the DON Safety Excellence Award.

health matters

managing hearing loss: the military paradox 27

By LTCOL Mark Packer, M.D.

The author outlines a collaborative effort between the 

Defense Department and the Veterans Health Administration 

to ensure hearing ability and protect hearing from noise.
2 fall-winter 2012/2013 SEA COMPASS 

departments

EDITOR'S note

sea compass turns one 4

We thank our contributors and readers for their support. 

best practice

no need for that midnight oil 20

By LTJG Aaron Getty

New watch routine helps USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) 

watchstanders stay focused and alert.

lessons for a long cruise 21

By Sam Fellman

Some thoughts on complacency and your greatest risk on 

deployment.

ASK THE EXPERTS

Can Your GFE Program Pass the Sniff Test? 22 

By LT Kevin Ginter

Seven recurring issues that could jeopardize your gas-free 

engineering program.

orm playbook

breathe easy 24

By HMC (SW/AW/FMF) Randahl S. Benson

The respirator program seems to be one of the most 

overlooked. Here are nine tips to help you breathe easy.

sea story

what's that you say? 26

By GMC (SW) Ramiro Salas

The author talks about the noise that affected his hearing 

while working as a young torpedoman.

ship propulsion

tracking your refrigerant 28 

By MMC (SW/AW) Esters Wright

did you know? 30 

By GSCS (SW) Esworth Carty

deck

rECall of defective life preservers 30

By LT Edward Alexander

off duty

recreation 

ready, aim ... ouch! 31 

By LT Richard Ray

A story about a hunting experience gone wrong when 

preparations were not properly done.

motorcycle

vaq-139 riders get back to basics 32

By AO1 (AW/SW) Marlon Blackmon

VAQ-139 Cougars practice motorcycle techniques to 

prepare bikes and riders for the Northwest winter months.

navy reading program

a novel way to align your safety compass 33

By CDR Daniel Dolan

Flipping through a paperback, hardback or e-book is a great 

way to be ready and to operate forward.

2012 Afloat CNO Safety Award

Submissions for calendar year 2012 Afloat CNO Safety Awards and the Ship’s 

Helicopter Safety Awards are due to the Naval Safety Center, via TYCOMs, no later than 

Feb. 15, 2013. 

We had some great submissions and fierce competition last year, and hope to receive 

equal or greater submissions this year. 

Additionally, the VADM Bulkeley and RADM Buie Awards submission packages are 

due to ISICs by March 15, 2013 and to the NSC by April 1. 

The point of contact for the awards submission is LT Kevin Ginter. He can be reached 

at kevin.ginter@navy.mil. Please refer to OPNAVINST 3590.24E for package submission 

criteria.
SEA COMPASS fall-winter 2012/2013 3

A

s we bring this year to a close, I want to congratulate the recipients of the 2012 

Department of the Navy Safety Excellence Awards. You epitomize empowering the 

team and professional mission execution—two of the most valuable attributes that make 

us better warfighters. You are the driving force in building a leaner, stronger fighting force. 

To the leaders of these commands, I applaud your dedication to empowering your people and 

working together as a team.

You have proven that although we face many challenges, we can create a culture of safety 

where risk management is foremost in our thoughts while afloat, or on liberty. Everyone, from 

Commanders to junior Sailors, must be involved in ensuring mishap prevention is the foundation 

of our safety culture.

Over the years, we have done well in understanding the causal factors of mishaps, identifying 

and minimizing the hazards, and placing risk-management tools in our Sailors’ hands. We have 

established safety programs with sound policies, standard operating procedures and references. 

That’s a good starting point, but we need to continue expanding the safety culture mentioned above. Our work is 

inherently dangerous. When mishaps occur, we cannot accept them. Instead we must focus on what allowed them to 

happen and most important, what steps we can take to ensure they will not be repeated. 

To successfully embrace this safety culture, awareness must become a daily conscious effort by everyone. This is 

attainable by focusing on preparedness and ensuring every member of the command shares these three traits:

First, our Sailors must be Capable. Leaders must ensure they are taught proper procedures so they can follow 

and enforce them. Second, they must be Empowered by command leadership. Every CO, XO and CMC must make 

clear that even the most junior person with the least experience can be in the right place to prevent a mishap, and 

they are expected to do so. Third, they must be actively Engaged. Safety doesn’t belong to the skipper and safety 

officer. Everyone must be a self-starter because we cannot afford to have anyone standing back thinking someone else 

will take required action. 

Everyone must help manage risk. “Risk management” isn’t just a “safety” term. It is about how professionals 

prepare for a task, execute it, and how the team learns from every experience. It means following procedures no 

matter how much pressure there is to get a job done. It means taking the time to think about what we’re about to do 

before we do it, especially during an unfamiliar, demanding activity that involves some risk. 

By now, we all know there are different levels of risk management. When we have plenty of time, we use 

deliberate risk management. But because conditions can change with little or no warning, being ready and alert can 

help manage that change and minimize risks associated with it. That’s when we use time critical risk management 

(TCRM). Some of this year’s accomplishments (DON Safety Award winners, USS Blue Ridge achieving top 3M 

score on the waterfront and the fleetwide effort on updating the “electrical safety bible”) are evidence of how ORM 

and TCRM are helping us understand and manage the risks we face.

Throughout this issue, we address risk-mitigation strategies that can benefit commands and Sailors, alike. Fleet 

contributing writers and Naval Safety Center subject-matter experts talk about best practices, lessons learned, and 

resources that can help prevent future mishaps. As Sea Compass enters its second publication year, we are anxious 

to receive more of your submissions. Through sharing of experiences and information we are able to empower our 

people and perform our mission with maximum efficiency.

 RADM Brian Prindle

Traits of a Better, 

Stronger Warfighter

Traits of a Better, 

Stronger Warfighter

commander’s message
4 fall-winter 2012/2013 SEA COMPASS 

editor’snote

Sea Compass

Turns One

We had a pretty good first year! Thanks to our 

supporters: the Naval Safety Center staff and 

subject-matter experts, contributing writers 

and photographers, fleet public affairs officers, retired 

service members and civilian contributors, and leaders. 

Most importantly, thanks to our subscribers and readers. 

You have inspired me to make each issue as 

informative, resourceful—as well as entertaining— 

as possible. It is an honor to be in this position. To 

be responsible for delivering relevant and useful 

information to our readers is a charge I take on very 

seriously. I am counting on your continued support to 

make the future issues robust with information, articles 

and personal stories.

We accomplished many things during our first year 

in circulation. We distributed more than 10,000 copies 

of our inaugural issue in Fall 2011. The first “green” issue 

(Winter 2012) was published online as part of the new 

Sea Compass landing page on our Web site. We sizzled 

the spring/summer issue with our damage control and 

fire-fighting cover story.

As you read this year’s final issue, I hope you enjoy 

our spotlight on dive safety. Our Navy SEALs and 

Seabee divers endure so much during training and 

while performing actual missions. MC2 (SW/AW) 

Dominique Canales and Chief Construction Electrician 

(SCW/MDV) Terence Juergens give us a close look at 

how these underwater warriors manage risks.

As you get ready for the season’s downtime—

whether on vacation, staycation, or holding the fort at 

work—pick up a copy of Sea Compass. Enjoy feature 

stories, regular topics and off-duty tips that will get you 

through the winter break. 

Best wishes for a great new year!

Evelyn Odango

evelyn.odango@navy.mil

Our online page offers articles 

and resources that can help you 

chart the course to a mishapfree Navy. Visit the Sea Compass 

magazine page at http://www.

public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/

media/sea-compass/index.aspx. 

Scan the code with your smartphone to download 

each full issue (data rates may apply).

PREVIEW MAGAZINE

Read each full issue online before it arrives in the mail.

DOWNLOAD ARTICLES

Share articles as PDF downloads.

MANAGE SUBSCRIPTION

Make sure your command’s distribution is up-to-date.

SUBMIT STORY

Read our guidelines for article and photo submissions.
SEA COMPASS fall-winter 2012/2013 5
6

bravo zulu

fall-winter 2012/2013 SEA COMPASS 

Blue Ridge Gets Top 3M Score on Waterfront

By MCSN Samuel Weldin, Navy News Service

Naval Safety Center photo composite

U.S. 7th Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) 

wrapped up a week-long Maintenance and Material 

Management (3M) assessment with an overall score 

of 92.53 percent by summer’s end. Afloat Training 

Group Western Pacific (ATGWP) evaluated Blue 

Ridge Sailors on the 3M system and its compliance 

with COMNAVSURFLANT/COMNAVSURFPAC 

Instruction 4790.1F.

Chief Engineman Tony Doyle, the lead ATGWP 

3M inspector, said Blue Ridge is in the lead across the 

waterfront after the implementation of the instruction

“These are phenomenal numbers, sir, they really 

are,” Doyle said during the inspection out brief with 

Blue Ridge’s [then] Commanding Officer, CAPT Will 

Pennington and the ship’s officers and chief petty officers. 

“Continue to press on with your khaki engagementthere's no way you’d be where you are today without 

your officers and chiefs,” Doyle added.

The inspection included spot checks, administrative 

effectiveness reviews (AER) and equipment validations 

and a thorough review of the consolidated ship's 

maintenance program (CSMP). The AER is a review of 

a division’s 3M record-keeping practice while the CSMP 

review challenges maintenance men and work center 

supervisors’ knowledge on writing work candidates. 

“Writing a work candidate the right way is extremely 

important,” explains EA02 work center supervisor, 

Engineman 2nd Class David Kirchens. “It’s through the 

work candidate that the big Navy receives material and 

equipment information from the fleet.” 

Kirchens added evaluations did not stop with the 

CSMP review. ATGWP also challenged work center 

supervisors and 3M assistants in their proficiency of the 

Navy maintenance scheduling program SKED. 

“Being called down and tested by a master chief 

from ATG on how well I know SKED can be kind of 

scary,” Kirchens said. “Luckily, my chain of command 

gave me all the support I needed to do well.” 

Through the 3MA, Blue Ridge maintained its 

high standards set by 3M Coordinator Senior Chief 

Machinery Repairman Edgardo S. Agustin. “The score 

was the highest of all the ships on Japan’s waterfront,” 

said Agustin. “The work and effort by the 3M training 

team made this 3MA a success. The 3M process is all 

about intensive preparation and I challenge our Sailors 

to keep this level of maintenance and high standards.” 

3M is one of the most important inspections 

because it directly affects the ship’s longevity. The 3M 

system is always a top priority for Blue Ridge Sailors 

because they understand how the program affects the 

crew and the ship.

“Blue Ridge was commissioned in 1970 and our goal 

is to prolong the ships life to the 2039 decommissioning 

date,” said Agustin. “I expected us to pass, but my 

expectations were definitely exceeded. 3M is not a 

process, but a way of life for us.”

Navy ships must re-qualify their 3M program every 

18 to 24 months, to ensure equipment is being properly 

maintained and their programs are effective.
SEA COMPASS fall-winter 2012/2013 7

Industrial, Category A - Naval Facilities Engineering Command Northwest

Industrial, Category B - U.S. Naval Ship Repair Facility and Japan Regional Maintenance Center

Industrial, Category C - Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow

Non-Industrial, Category A - Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay

Non-Industrial, Category B - Naval Air Station Lemoore

Non-Industrial, Category C - Naval Base Ventura County

Fleet Operational/Fleet Support - Marine Corps Support Facility Blount Island

Large Deck Combatant - USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76)

Surface Combatant - USS Lake Champlain (CG 57)

Amphibious - USS Green Bay (LPD 20)

Submarine - USS Tennessee (SSBN 734) (Blue)

Auxiliary - USNS Grasp (T-ARS 51)

Marine Corps Active Duty Aviation - Marine Attack Squadron 223

Navy Active Duty Aviation - Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 77 "Saberhawks"

Marine Corps Reserve Aviation - Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 773

Navy Reserve Aviation - Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 57

Training Aviation - Training Squadron 10

Safety Integration in Acquisition - Naval Sea Systems Command Shallow Water Combat Submersible Team

Emerging Center of Excellence - U.S. Forces Afghanistan (USFOR-A), Naval Sea Systems Command, Naval 

Ordnance Safety and Security Activity, and USFOR-A Systems Safety

“You saved lives and property and prevented accidents. On behalf of the Secretary of the Navy, 

I thank you and offer congratulations for your accomplishments.” – Under Secretary of the Navy Robert Work

Established in 2002 by former SECNAV Gordon R. England, the Safety Excellence Awards are designed to promote 

safe practices throughout the Department of the Navy and personally recognize those commands that have integrated 

an awareness of safety in everyday operations, reducing loss in man-hours, material damage, among other factors 

that may decrease Navy assets.
8 fall-winter 2012/2013 SEA COMPASS 

spotlight on dive safety

Managing Risks Underwater and 

Under Pressure

By MC2 (SW/AW) Dominique Canales,

Naval Special Warfare Command

H ome to the second most active dive locker in 

the Navy, Naval Special Warfare Basic Training 

Command students and instructors make more 

than 10,000 dives per year. This environment—along 

with the MK 25 rig the divers must proficiently use–

tests the students’ abilities and limitations.

“Instructors help mitigate the magnified risks by 

using a ‘crawl, walk, run’ approach to student dive 

training,” said Lt. j.g. Mim Warlick, the BTC diving 

officer. “This helps ensure that precautions and safety 

principles are ingrained in each student-diver’s memory.” 

Before donning a rig and getting wet, students learn 

the rules about diving. They receive medical briefs and 

take a proficiency exam in the classroom. While briefs 

are a staple for most training, they significantly help 

ensure each participant’s well-being during dive training.

Chief Special Warfare Operator Ben Oleson, 

NSWBTC dive chief, explained that instructors try 

to build on what students have already learned. After 

providing a good foundation of basic skills, instructors 

put less emphasis on what students previously learned 

and focus more on new skills or what in a particular 

scenario has changed. The instructors also use quizzes 

and demonstrations to ensure each student is fully aware 

of expectations.

“We try to reach every type of learner,” said Warlick. 

“We tell them, we question them, we use illustrations 

and we have them demonstrate newly acquired skills in 
SEA COMPASS fall-winter 2012/2013 9

The Naval Special Warfare (NSW) 

community’s roots can be traced 

back to the WW II aquatic commandos of the Scouts and Raiders, 

Naval Combat Demolition Units and 

Underwater Demolition Teams. Clad 

in only swim trunks and armed with 

a dive knife, the heroic underwater 

exploits of these courageous and 

groundbreaking operators saw them 

doing everything from intelligence 

gathering to demolition—all under 

the cover of darkness and hypothermia-inducing cold water. 

As NSW developed into one of the 

world’s most formidable special 

operations force (SOF) assets, 

qualifying as a combat swimmer and 

diver has become the cornerstone 

of SEAL history and training. It is 

the main capability that separates 

SEALs from other SOF components. 

With most populations and possible targets near bodies of water, a 

frogman’s ability to reach and strike 

objectives from underwater has 

proven to be an invaluable asset. 

Left: Students from BUD/S Class 

287 participate in night gear exchange during the second phase of 

training at Naval Amphibious Base 

Coronado. During this evolution, 

two students enter the water and 

exchange dive gear with masks that 

have been completely blackened. 

(U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Kyle D. 

Gahlau)

The closed-circuit oxygen underwater breathing apparatus, MK 25, is used by SEALs so that their presence can 

go undetected during dive missions. While the upside of 

the unit is that it prevents any exhaust bubbles from surfacing, it also comes with a long list of risks not found with 

open-circuit units. (U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Dominique 

Canales)

Time, depth, water temperature, 

stress—and even oxygen—can 

all work against a diver using 

the MK 25 underwater breathing 

apparatus (UBA). Knowing the 

risks and how to mitigate them 

is the key to safe naval special 

warfare UBA operations. Learning 

them begins at Basic Underwater 

Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training.
10 fall-winter 2012/2013 SEA COMPASS 

training as close to base as possible for safety. If we get 

closer to Naval Base San Diego or by North Island, it 

gets harder to manage.”

Prior to a dive in the bay, the instructors and 

operations department at NSWC put operational risk 

management (ORM) to use as they assess risks and plan 

for the evolution. 

“The ORM process is key when it comes to high-risk 

training,” said Hucker. “In this case, the training is away 

from Naval Base San Diego because of the ships that go 

in and out of the bay.” 

The center carefully coordinates to ensure that 

boat support is available and sends notice to mariners 

in the area that there will be divers. Boat support can 

be limited, so SEAL qualification training instructors 

and BUD/S instructors meet weekly to eliminate 

conflicting dive schedules and ensure that safety boats 

are available for every evolution in a week. Before an 

The safety practices learned as 

BUD/S students remain etched 

in a SEAL's mind forever. 

front of the class. We have a very compressed schedule 

and these students are expected to know a lot in a short 

period of time.”

Precautions are critical while students learn to 

use the closed-circuit dive system. “The closed-circuit 

system uses pure oxygen and comes with additional 

risks over and above the risks of mixed-air systems used 

by professional divers,” said Doug Hucker, NSWC highrisk training officer. 

Instructors review the students in class, discuss the 

minimum amount of allowable oxygen for a UBA dive 

and review all necessary signaling and protective gear. 

“Anytime a student dives, they run the risk of 

touching something and need to be protected,” said 

Oleson. “There is a signal device attached to the rig so 

that if there is a problem, they can signal. They start with 

hand signals, then use a whistle or, if needed, smoke or 

flares. Students should do anything they need to do to 

get our attention if there is a problem.”

Students are equipped with a depth gauge and a 

watch to monitor dive time to ensure they don’t exceed 

the excursion limits of the apparatus. 

“This UBA is only certified to a certain depth,” said 

Hucker. “The only reason why a dive student would 

need to go beyond the limitations of the closed circuit 

system is if they are in the bay and a large cruiser passes 

through. Then they would have to ‘eat mud’—dive to the 

bottom of the bay—and wait for the ship to pass. On the 

off chance they reach that limit in the bay and go too deep, 

they would need to surface and terminate their dive.”

The students wear all their gear in a controlled 

environment long before venturing into the bay. Hucker 

explained that instructors keep a close eye on students 

to ensure they properly don their equipment and remain 

focused on the task at hand rather than what may lie 

ahead of them. Training in a controlled environment 

also helps instructors effectively manage large groups, 

which means more equipment and students to observe.

“Class sizes have at least doubled since I went 

through,” said Oleson. “We have had as many as 87 

students in a class, and trying to manage more than 40 

buoys becomes a safety problem. We try to keep the 
SEA COMPASS fall-winter 2012/2013 11

event, instructors fill out an evolution sheet (pre-dive 

checklist) for training. 

“It has the names of the dive officer and dive 

supervisor for that evolution,” said Oleson. “We 

annotate that we have called to ensure that the primary 

decompression chamber is up and running or make 

preparations if it is not. It also has the procedures and a 

timeline to follow in case there is a dive mishap.”

After briefing, students file onto the grinder, gear up 

and wait for an inspection from the dive supervisor. This 

is the second of three equipment checks for the students 

before stepping foot into the water. The final check is 

purging. This is when students purge all the regular 

breathable air in the tubes of their UBA and begin 

breathing pure oxygen for two minutes prior to entering 

the water. This process is referred to as “going on air,” 

and where all the primary points of safety and awareness 

students learned in the classroom start to apply. 

“When the students go on bag, this is where they 

start to look for systems such as lightheadedness, 

dizziness and incoherent behavior to name a few,” said 

Hucker.

Extra medical equipment is on standby and at the 

site in case of emergency. A standby diver is also present 

on the end of the pier, ready to go. 

“Everything is here at the site for the instructors to 

recall-extract a student from the water, treat an injury on 

site or transport a student in case of an emergency,” said 

Oleson. “We are never without it.”

For the first few dives, the students work on 

buoyancy and pace. 

“During the first dives they are learning how to 

trim their bodies to move efficiently in the water,” said 

Oleson. “This is so they don’t potentially overwork 

themselves because they are swimming inefficiently.”

Oleson said the students want to avoid constantly 

changing depths because they’re not neutrally buoyant. 

The constant changes in pressure can cause an arterial 

gas embolism and uneven swimming can cause the 

MK 25 re-breather to malfunction because the diver is 

overworking his body. 

By design, the rig contains a scrubber to remove 

carbon dioxide from the closed breathing loop at a 

certain level of efficiency. If the diver is over swimming, 

stressed or begins breathing too hard, the efficiency of 

the scrubber can be overwhelmed. By learning to move 

efficiently through the water, a student has less potential 

of overwhelming the rig and suffering carbon dioxide 

buildup, which is potentially deadly.

“These principles and safety techniques are uniform 

throughout the NSW community,” Hucker said. 

SEALs will dive with different partners throughout 

their careers, so students learn the same dive safety and 

practices used at the team level. 

“Safety is a way of life here,” Hucker added. “These 

are uniform practices across the board, the same 

safety practices are used at the teams. Having the same 

practices ensures that everyone knows the way we dive 

and will be able to dive with anyone.”

The safety practices learned as BUD/S students 

remain etched in a SEAL’s mind forever. According to 

Hucker, the basic training is like muscle memory, the 

SEALs will never forget the safety practices they learned 

during initial training.

MC2 Canales is a communications specialist with Naval Special 

Warfare Command.

BUD/S candidates give the "ok" sign prior to 

entering the water during dive training at Naval 

Amphibious Base Coronado. (U.S. Navy photo by 

MC2 Dominique Canales)
spotlight on dive safety

12 fall-winter 2012/2013 SEA COMPASS 

Top photo: Divers from Underwater Construction Team 

Two and the Republic of Korea perform topside checks 

prior to entering the water to conduct underwater cutting 

and welding operations. Divers operated side-by-side 

in support of Exercise Foal Eagle 2012, a bilateral fleet 

exercise. Left: Republic of Korea (ROK) diving supervisor 

looks on as U.S. and ROK divers perform simultaneous 

cutting and welding operations.

Constant training, both in the classroom and on 

the dive side, prepares everyone for diving casualties. 

Before any of the three Construction Dive Detachments 

(CDDs) deploy, all divers—from the most senior to 

the most junior—form a cohesive team. Members are 

expected to know what to do and what role they play in 

any situation. On the dive side, being free from danger 

is not an option. Preventing mishaps is a step-by-step 

process that every Seabee diver understands and is 

trained on. 

During Exercise Foal Eagle 2012 in South Korea, 

U.S. and Republic of Korea (ROK) divers were put 

to the test. During this 10-day, bilateral exercise, U.S. 

and ROK divers trained side-by-side during various 

scenarios in support of Humanitarian Assistance/

Disaster Recovery (HA/DR).

Each day a new supervisor would take the reins 

and essentially be dubbed the “Sup of Day,” which in 

diver terms means “Stand by and be ready for anything.” 

Divers practiced emergency casualty drills simulating 

an unconscious diver in the water caused by arterial gas 

embolism (AGE) and decompression sickness (DCS). 

Each drill was evaluated by the on-site master diver and 

diving officer and then briefed back to the members of 

the dive side.

During the unconscious diver drill, two divers 

(Red and Green) entered the water to do underwater 

cutting and welding on steel projects at a depth of 

approximately 40 feet. Afterward, divers ascended to 

the surface. Once on surface, the Red diver became 

unresponsive. The diving supervisor sprang into action, 

Story and photos by CEC (SCW/MDV) Terence Juergens

As a Sailor, Seabee and diver, 

I believe that safety is at the 

forefront of any operation. Seabee 

divers face inherent risks, doing tasks 

fraught with dangerous outcomes. As a 

result, divers on Underwater Construction 

Teams (UCTs) go to great lengths to 

mitigate unnecessary risks at all times.
SEA COMPASS fall-winter 2012/2013 13

During all emergency casualty drills, supervisors are 

evaluated on such things as response time, management 

of the dive side, diagnosis and the course of action 

for treatment. Whether it’s a drill or the real thing, 

the diving supervisor has to take in to account many 

factors: diving platform, diving dress, weather, and the 

proximity of the dive side to a recompression chamber. 

As with all diving operations, planning is essential and 

takes place months before. From day one, the phrase 

“plan the dive and dive the plan” is constantly preached 

to every diver. The importance of constantly testing and 

evaluating diving supervisors is an important function 

that prepares the dive side for the worst-case scenario 

and is a driving force for mission readiness. 

CDD Bravo’s most recent deployment included 

visits to countries around the Pacific Ocean and 

Indian Ocean. During their six-month rotation, they 

did training, inspections and repairs in Thailand, the 

Philippines, Japan, Diego Garcia, and South Korea, as 

well as missions in San Diego and Oregon. Throughout 

this demanding, six-month deployment, divers logged 

115 hours of bottom time with zero diving mishaps—a 

direct result of constant training and strict adherence to 

safety guidelines.

Chief Steelworker (SCW/DV) Meko Kaprelian, CDD Bravo 

Officer in Charge, demonstrates the use of the TRCS to 

Republic of Korea ship salvage unit commanding officer. 

The TRCS is used for emergency recompression in the 

event of any diving-related casualty and is also used to 

support surface decompression when conducting surfacesupplied diving operations.

Constant training, both in 

the classroom and on the 

dive side, prepares everyone 

for diving casualties.

saying “OK Red, OK Red.” He quickly told Green diver 

to maintain an open airway while the tenders readied 

the extraction line.

“Is he breathing?” Green diver could feel the rise 

and fall of the chest and hear the audible signs that Red 

diver is breathing.

“One-two-three, pull.” Red diver was hoisted onto 

the deck and moved away from the water’s edge. The 

diving supervisor directed the diving officer to get 

Green diver out of the water and onto the bench. 

“Get that hat off him.” Tenders quickly removed the 

KM-37 dive helmet.

“Doc, is he still breathing?”

“Still breathing, got a solid pulse too,” said HM1 

Eric Ketelsen, CDD Bravo’s diving corpsman. Tenders, 

without prompting, quickly removed the stricken diver’s 

integrated diver’s vest and stabilized him on the stretcher 

for the 100-yard walk to the recompression chamber.

“Ready, lift.” Tenders lifted the diver with ease 

and at steady pace rushed him to the transportable 

recompression chamber system (TRCS). Without 

missing a beat, the dive sup already had the internal 

stretcher of the TRCS out and ready for transfer. 

Tenders quickly transferred the stricken diver to the 

TRCS stretcher and muscled him in the chamber. The 

inside tender donned hearing protection and notified 

the sup that he was ready to travel.

“OK in the viewport, traveling.” The outside 

tender quickly opened the pressurization valve and the 

chamber left surface traveling at 100 feet per minute.

“One-zero feet, two-zero feet.” The sup quickly 

acknowledged the tender. “Understand, stopping at sixzero feet.” HM1 Ketelsen saw the diver starting to come to.

“Sup, the patient is starting to open his eyes.”

“Understand,” said the sup. “Tender, what’s my depth?”

He quickly replies, “five-zero feet.”

The sup acknowledged the tender and directed 

him to continue traveling to 60 feet. Once at treatment 

depth, the sup started to orchestrate the side, giving 

direction to every able body. Then, as the master diver, I 

ended the drill. 
14 fall-winter 2012/2013 SEA COMPASS 

Improves

New Hose

Fire-Fighting Response Time 

Story and photos by Brian McNeal, Norfolk Naval Shipyard

To enhance its fire-fighting response, Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) 

and the crew of USS Newport News (SSN 750) have developed a noncollapsible fire hose. It weighs one pound per foot when filled with water, a 

fraction of the weight of a collapsible canvas hose. Stored topside on a winch, 

it is easily deployed and operated by one person. 

 “This system is an extinguishing bridge. There are about 15 fire 

extinguishers on the whole boat and if the first couple don’t cut it, the crew is 

stuck running up and down ladders with fire extinguishers,” said ship safety 

officer Lt. Jeremy Young. “This hose allows us to get an unlimited amount of 

water onto the scene quickly until the fire-fighting team in FFE (fire-fighting 

ensemble) can get a larger hose onto the scene.”

The original idea was to replace and eliminate the collapsible hose, but 

the requirement for water volume was not achievable with a non-collapsible 

hose. The project team decided to instead augment the system and improve 

upon the first-response system. 

Working with ship’s force, the hose took less than three months to go 

from idea to deployment. “The first hose [we came up with] was too big, but 

it was the 90 percent solution,” said Young. “We worked with a local vendor 

and told them our needs and after a couple of iterations we were able to 

come up with this 1-inch-diameter hose. It’s very light and affordable. The 

project has deployed two hoses nicknamed Zeus and Neptune.

USS Newport News Commanding Officer Cmdr. Jasper Hartsfield, who 

initiated the project, is extremely happy with the results. “My Sailors and 

our project team have been recognized time and again for their dedication, 

teamwork, and aptitude. The creation of Zeus and Neptune are just one 

example, and I am proud to say there are many more.”

NNSY, a field activity of the Naval Sea Systems Command, is the oldest 

industrial facility belonging to the U.S. Navy, and specializes in repairing, 

overhauling and modernizing ships and submarines.

Mr. McNeal is a public affairs specialist at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard.

I

n fire fighting, the first few moments of response can mean a world of 

difference in the outcome. Getting fire-fighting agent on a fire as soon 

as it is detected, can minimize smoke, fire and water damage; and more importantly minimize the risk of injury. 
SEA COMPASS fall-winter 2012/2013 15

Norfolk Naval Shipyard 

and USS Newport News 

project team develops 

this non-collapsible fire 

hose to enhance firefighting capability.

 “This hose allows us 

to get an unlimited 

amount of water 

onto the scene 

quickly.” 

— Lt. Jeremy Young, 

Ship Safety Officer

Lt. Jeremy Young 

demonstrates how easily 

the new non-collapsible 

hose deploys by pulling 

the nozzle with only two 

fingers.
16 fall-winter 2012/2013 SEA COMPASS 

By EMCM (SW/AW) Jim Burke and 

EMCM (SW) Matt Kerridge

I

t’s here! The Naval Ships’ Technical Manual (NSTM 

300), the afloat bible of electrical safety, has undergone a full revision to align more closely with civilian electrical safety rules and regulations. 

The three-year revision process eliminates outdated 

practices and terminology, establishes safety criteria 

for future high-voltage systems, implements new PPE 

(personal protective equipment), and addresses several 

gaps left out of the previous revision. Both Atlantic- and 

Pacific-based ships were directed by their respective 

type commands (TYCOMs) to implement Revision 9 

in August 2012. 

A working group of more than 150 people from 

surface, submarine, shipyard, nuclear and technical support communities met monthly both by teleconference 

and in person. They worked every section based on fleet 

feedback and technical support weigh-in. The result is 

streamlined and user-friendly.

Although we have used 4,160-volt systems on CVNs 

since the 1960s, voltages above 450 volts were not seen 

in the conventional surface fleet until the delivery of 

USS Makin Island (LHD 8) in 2009. Future deliveries 

of higher voltage ships include LHA-6, LHA-7, CVN 78 

and DDG 1000. Higher voltage designs on the horizon 

dramatized the need for updated safety requirements reflecting new PPE, boundary distances and other criteria 

necessary to protect personnel. 

The revision contains easy-to-read charts for energized gear work, circuit breaker rack-out procedures, 

IVV (initial voltage verification), fuse removal/replacement and more. These charts spell out exactly required 

PPE, number of personnel, boundary distances, permissions, tag-out requirements and several other criteria. 

Previous revisions had Sailors bouncing paragraph to 

paragraph, causing misinterpretation and frustration 

along the way.

A major emphasis focuses on arc-flash theory, new 

PPE introduced to the fleet in the form of 12 cal/cm2 

face-shields and coveralls. The face-shields replace the 

old blue/black band face-shields used for voltages above 

30 volts, and the coveralls will be required for energized 

gear work and IVV checks between 300-1000 volts. The 

initial set of PPE for all units was funded by OPNAV. 

TYCOMs will deliver these to the ships in early FY13.

Other major changes

	The way electrical safe workbenches are downgraded 

(new criteria for disconnect switches and a full 

list of workbench supply information and drawing 

numbers).

	“Breaking the plane” clearly defined with diagrams.

	Portable, personal and mobile electrical gear clearly 

explained.

	Requirements for hard-wiring vs. plug on newly 

acquired electrical gear.

	Circuit-breaker rack-out procedures for all voltages.

	An appendix listing current stock numbers for all 

PPE and safety equipment.

	Removed the term “deranged gear” in favor of 

“damaged gear” and added “wetted gear.”

	Risk categories within charts determining level of 

PPE and isolation.

	Visual inspection safety criteria for electrical panels/

controllers. 

NSC file photo.

Time to Get Familiar

New Shipboard Electrical Safety Bible

30-1000 volt face shield
SEA COMPASS fall-winter 2012/2013 17

Note that the new revision comes with no change 

page as this is a full line-by-line revision. Also, the previous version was Revision 7; Revision 8 lasted about 30 

days until an observant reader noticed a typo in one of 

the charts. That was considered serious enough to warrant a new revision instead of an advance change notice.

Shipboard electrical rates should become familiar 

with the new Revision 9 as soon as possible. Electrical 

officers should bounce the new information off of their 

existing electrical safety instructions and make necessary changes. Training should be conducted across the 

enterprise to include shipboard and submarine Sailors, 

as well as inspection teams, training teams and support 

teams. As with all new manuals, if inconsistencies are 

found, NAVSEA 05Z welcomes all feedback via the 

TMDER (Tech Manual Deficiency/Evaluation Report) 

in the back of the manual.

EMCM Burke is the leading electrical analyst of the survey team 

and EMCM Kerridge is the fleet electrical analyst in the Naval Safety 

Center’s Afloat Safety Programs Directorate. 

Related Article:

“Protection, Safety of Fleet Electricians Reach 

New Heights” by EMCM (SW/AW) Jim Burke, 

Sea Compass, Fall 2011.

USS Makin Island (LHD 8). Photo by MCSC John Lill.
18 fall-winter 2012/2013 SEA COMPASS 

I

f you have served in a safety billet, you probably have 

heard comments similar to these. You may have even 

voiced them yourself. Well, help is on the way.

During the first quarter of calendar year 2013, the 

Naval Safety Center introduced the Afloat Mishap & 

Hazard Reporting System (AMHRS). This reporting 

system was upgraded to assist users in submitting afloat 

on-duty mishap reports. AMHRS has significantly 

reduced the number of required data fields. 

Only data mandated by the Office of the Secretary 

of Defense or data that is frequently requested by the 

fleet or senior leadership has been included. Almost 

50 percent of the data fields have been eliminated 

depending on the type of afloat mishap. AMHRS has 

also reduced the number of web pages to complete an 

afloat report from about 70 pages to 13 or fewer pages.

Other Improvements:

Mishap causal factors have been completely 

overhauled. AMHRS uses the DoD Human Factors and 

Analysis Classification System (HFACS), an enhanced 

method of analyzing, tracking and trending the human 

element in mishaps.

Instead of making them all fit in a single narrative 

block, AMHRS now contains separate areas for 

event description, cause factor narratives and 

recommendations.

As the Equipment Identification Code (EIC) 

provides a consistent, reliable method of tracking 

specific property that has been involved in a mishap, 

property will be submitted using the involved property’s 

EIC as opposed to using a type-in field.

AMHRS will provide three permission levels for 

additional command oversight of mishap reporting. 

Customers with draft permissions may enter a report 

in the system but cannot submit it to the Naval Safety 

Center. Customers with release permissions may 

enter and submit reports. Customers with notification 

permissions may receive redacted copies of mishap 

reports submitted by other afloat commands.

AMHRS has been designed to be used by ships with 

limited bandwidth. After log-in, the initial load of the 

module may still take several minutes. Once it loads, 

the code structure has been designed to greatly improve 

speed and performance. Many customers will be able 

to navigate from page to page with only a few seconds 

delay. Since AMHRS is saved to the computer’s 

memory, additional reports can be initiated without 

having to reload the module.

Mr. Hobbs is an operations research analyst at the Naval Safety 

Center. If you would like more information about AMHRS, please 

contact the Naval Safety Center WESS help desk at 757-444-3520, 

ext. 7048 (DSN 564), Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST or 

email NRFK_SAFE_WESShelp@navy.mil.

“The Web Enabled Safety System (WESS) is not 

user friendly.”

“It takes too long to enter a mishap into WESS.”

“I’m too busy with my primary duties to spend 

hours entering a WESS mishap report.”

“Why are they asking for height, number of 

dependents and other useless information?”

By Edward Hobbs
SEA COMPASS fall-winter 2012/2013 19

While serving as safety officer aboard 

USS Makin Island (LHD 8), I became 

quite close to the staff in our medical 

department. We shared a relationship on 

many different levels. We worked on common programs 

such as heat stress, sight conservation, and respiratory 

protection. 

We also shared mishap reports so that we could 

track injuries and trends. I was rarely surprised by 

medical reports, but this particular day was different. 

We were just about to pull 

in from a two-week workup when I was contacted by 

our duty doc. He said, “Dave, you’ve gotta come down 

here and see this. Oh, and bring your camera.” 

I thought, “This can’t be good.”

I made my way down to medical, and it seemed as 

though everyone was expecting me. The corpsmen were 

smiling. They directed me to the treatment room and 

said I was going to enjoy it.

I glanced through the doorway of the treatment 

room and saw a fire controlman second class (FC2) 

standing there with all the doctors deliberating their 

next course of action. The doctor who had called me 

earlier pulled me into the room and had the FC lift his 

right hand. A strange object protruded from his right 

thumb. I had no idea what it was, but it had clearly 

gone all the way through. It appeared to be some sort 

of metal pin.

The doctor led me to the X-ray room and showed 

me the X-ray. Surprisingly, the pin had missed 

everything on this FC’s thumb, including the bone and 

the fingernail.

So the doctors sat the petty officer down on the 

treatment table to extract the pin. The problem was that 

one end of the pin was knurled. It was too rough to just 

pull out in the opposite direction. The doctors decide to 

cut off the knurled end of the pin and slide the rest out.

Enter the leading chief petty officer. He reassured 

the young petty officer that everything will be alright. 

The doctors were set on the plan and discussed it with 

the FC. It would be quick, painless, and result in little to 

no damage. As the cutter came out, the doctors heard a 

loud thump and a crashing sound. The LCPO was out 

like a light.

Now keep in mind that this chief has witnessed the 

birth of all five of his children. That is not an experience 

for the faint of heart. However, the thought of cutting 

a metal pin that had skewered a shipmate’s thumb was 

apparently too much to bear. 

Both parties made a full and quick recovery. The 

chief came to a few moments later and went on with his 

day. It turned out that the metal object wasn’t a pin at 

all but rather an axle from a toy car that the petty officer 

was trying to put together for his daughter. The wound 

needed only a band-aid and a cleaning.

You never know what you’re going to see from one 

day to the next. 

LCDR Williams, a student at the Army Command and General Staff 

College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, is a regular contributor. His 

articles have also appeared in Decisions magazine.

You’ve Gotta 

See This

Story and photos by LCDR Dave Williams
20 fall-winter 2012/2013 SEA COMPASS 

best practice

This new routine substitutes the daily rotating watch 

schedule of five hours on-watch followed by 10 hours off 

with fixed daily watches that rotate weekly. 

An internal survey of watchstanders shows that the 

circadian rhythm rotation ensured watchstanders were 

more alert and better focused while on-watch and, at the 

same time, able to conduct more work while off-watch. 

The rotation has four sections, where three of the 

four sections stand two three- or four-hour watches 

each day. 

Section 1: 0600-0900 and 1500-1800

Section 2: 0900-1200 and 1800-2200

Section 3: 1200-1500 and 2200-0100

Section 4: 0100-0600 (stands one longer watch)

Watch stations with sufficient qualified personnel have 

a fifth section. Section 5 stands the 1800-2200 everyday 

and removes that requirement from section 2. Those 

Sailors on the late watch are authorized crew-rest time 

to compensate for the early morning watch. 

Arleigh Burke’s watch routine incorporates more 

watches throughout the day with more down time 

between watches, in an effort to combat fatigue and 

increase alertness. It puts the watchstanders in a 

position to stand the same watch every day. This allows 

each watchstander to develop a daily routine that 

easily accounts for sleep, meals, exercise, training, and 

divisional work. For balance, the watch schedule rotates 

every week on Saturday evening.

By LTJG Aaron Getty

During its 2012 deployment, USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) 

increased watchstander focus and alertness by replacing 

the conventional method of rotating underway watches 

with a circadian rhythm watch routine. 

U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Scott Pittman
SEA COMPASS fall-winter 2012/2013 21

BESTPRACTICE: DON'TGETCOMPLACENT

In addition, meal hours were changed to support 

the new rotation. Breakfast occurs at 0500-0630, lunch 

at 1100-1230 and dinner at 1700-1830. This new 

schedule allows all watchstanders time to eat before or 

after watch.

The implementation of crew rest has created an 

environment that promotes forceful watch team back-up. 

Junior officers and enlisted Sailors alike must assume 

duties normally assigned to just one Sailor or even their 

immediate superior. This allows junior officers to fill 

department head roles at times and creates opportunities 

for additional professional development. First class petty 

officers are allowed to step into a more senior role and 

become aware of the chief ’s responsibilities on a deployed 

ship. The chain of command fully accepts a suitable and 

knowledgeable substitute to conduct the duties of their 

shipmates on crew rest. 

Implementation of this routine would not be 

possible without two things: qualified watchstanders 

and chain of command support. Arleigh Burke has both. 

This adjustment challenged young officers and Sailors to 

qualify aggressively in order to provide the flexibility of 

a four-section underway routine. Because of the Sailor’s 

hard work, Arleigh Burke fully implemented this routine 

in the two months of deployment. 

Overall, the circadian rhythm rotation allows Sailors 

to stay alert on watch and to develop healthy sleep 

patterns. Implementation of this simple routine alone 

improves the culture of safety throughout the ship. 

LTJG Getty serves as Arleigh Burke’s first lieutenant. 

Implementation of 

this routine would not 

be possible without 

two things: qualified 

watchstanders and 

chain of command 

support.

Lessons for a 

Long Cruise

By Sam Fellman, Navy Times Staff Writer

(As first appeared in Navy Times, Aug. 6, 2012)

Your greatest risk on deployment—especially 

one that stretches beyond what the crew expects 

or is used to—comes from succumbing to 

the sense that dangerous things aren’t. The 

key to combating complacency as a cruise 

stretches on is asking yourself before each 

hazardous event, “What’s different this time?” 

said Capt. Erik Ross, CO of USS Bataan (LHD 

5). “We’ve done this 39 times. This is time No. 

40. Do we have different watchstanders? Do we 

have different environmentals?” Ross studied 

the crew’s most common mishaps, typically 

mundane things like falling down ladders or 

bumping into knee-knockers.

Each week, during a 30-minute videotaped 

session, a chief reminded the crew about these 

hazards and others to avoid. That chief dressed 

as “Complacency Cow” and occasionally had 

skits to make the lesson more fun for viewers. “I 

think we pay more attention and have heightened 

awareness when we’re doing more dangerous 

things and when we’re in the middle of an 

operation,” Ross said. “But when you do things 

so often that they become routine, that’s where 

the danger of complacency is the greatest.” 

During a 101⁄2-month deployment, there are 

more opportunities for complacency to set in. 

The Bataan’s workload, for example, included 

recovering hovercraft 123 times, running 10 

Close-In Weapon System gun shoots, and 

conducting 39 underway replenishments and 

18,404 flight deck evolutions, according to 

figures compiled by the ship.
22 fall-winter 2012/2013 SEA COMPASS 

By LT Kevin Ginter

►Gas-free engineer (GFE) designation: Sounds 

simple enough, but with turnovers happening every 

day, it is your responsibility to ensure that your program 

is up-to-date and that includes letters of designation. 

Ensure that you have continuity in your program.

►Improperly issued gas-free chits: Chits are 

issued in maximum eight-hour increments, with two 

recertifications of eight hours (max) each, for a total of 

24 hours. We are finding chits that are being issued for 

24 hours during the initial certification. Additionally, if 

there is a possibility of circumstances changing in the 

space being gas-freed, the chits should be updated more 

often. An example of this is work within a potential 

IDLH (immediately dangerous to life or health) space, 

or work on a system that has the potential for IDLH 

conditions (for example, work on a collection, holding 

and transfer (CHT) system where piping or equipment 

is being opened up). For work within a potential IDLH 

environment, the commanding officer must approve the 

gas-free certification. 

►Expired Draeger tubes or missing stickers on 

tubes: Draeger tubes must have the expiration sticker 

clearly visible on the cases, or the case must be stamped 

from the manufacturer with expiration date. If the 

expiration date is missing, then the tubes are considered 

expired and unsafe for use. Ensure that your GFE 

personnel are taking care to protect the tube cases and 

expiration date stickers. Order replacement tubes early 

to ensure no gaps in coverage due to expired tubes. 

►Expired calibration gasses: There has been an 

upward trend in expired calibration gas cylinders. If your 

calibration gasses are expired, then your entire program 

comes into question. How and what are you using to 

calibrate your analyzers?

►Safety officer evaluation: There is an annual 

requirement for the safety officer to evaluate the GFE 

program. What we are finding is that the evaluations 

are either not being conducted, or the ones that 

are being conducted are not being documented 

correctly. Something as simple as a date missing from 

an evaluation can keep you from meeting the annual 

requirement.

►Training and proficiency: Training is required 

for all hands at indoctrination, annually and prior to 

entering shipyard training (specific training is required 

for all hands prior to entering a shipyard environment). 

There are many differences between civilian marine 

chemist programs and ship’s force programs. All hands 

must be familiar with the differences and ensure that 

they know what to look out for with regard to open 

tanks and voids, and the certificates required before 

entering any space.

► CPR training and certification: GFE personnel 

are required to be CPR-qualified. Training is not a 

qualification, however. Do not place a muster sheet in 

your GFE binder for CPR training and use this as your 

proof of qualification. GFE personnel must be qualified 

in CPR and have copies of certificate on file. Remember, 

training documented is training conducted. 

LT Ginter is a damage control analyst in the Naval Safety Center’s 

Afloat Safety Programs Directorate. 

Recent surveys have shown that not all ships are 

complying with the Naval Ships’ Technical Manual

(NSTM 074 Vol. 3) with regards to the Gas-Free 

Engineering Program requirements. Some of the 

recurring issues we are finding are listed below.

Send your questions to safe-seacompass@navy.mil.

Related Article: 

“Gas-Free Engineering,” Safety Training 

Gouge#6, March 2012, Naval Safety and 

Environmental Training Center.

questions, mysteries and unclear issues answered by Naval Safety Center analysts
SEA COMPASS fall-winter 2012/2013 23

The Silent Killer

While performing routine 

maintenance on a waste drain fitting 

in the galley, a Sailor was overcome 

by hydrogen sulfide. The Sailor was not 

aware that the level of hydrogen sulfide 

surrounding the waste drain pipe was nearly 

three times the permissible personnel exposure limit. 

In this incident, the maintenance was not being done 

in an enclosed tank or void. However, the hydrogen 

sulfide gas that surrounded the waste drain was 

sufficient to cause serious respiratory injury. This 

incident brings to light the importance of adherence 

to precautions whenever working around potentially 

toxic atmospheres.

Hydrogen sulfide gas is a toxic gas that is associated 

with stagnant and decomposed organic matter that 

exists in and around enclosed tanks and piping systems. 

This gas has a distinct smell of rotten eggs. Collection 

and holding transfer (CHT) systems normally come to 

mind when Sailors think about hydrogen sulfide gas; 

but, other systems such as AFFF, seawater, fuel/oil, and 

plumbing systems can emit this toxic gas as well. The 

hydrogen sulfide detection alarm system will assist with 

keeping Sailors safe during an H2

S leak. This system 

requires proper maintenance and a log kept with the 

dates the sensors were calibrated and replaced.

Supervisors must ensure that maintenance 

personnel have a thorough knowledge of the 

maintenance and system on which they are working. 

Survey the work area and ensure it is well-lit and 

ventilated. A safety observer should be assigned and 

safety procedures reviewed. Treat any openings 

to piping systems the same as a confined space 

with regards to gas-free requirements. The ship’s 

gas-free engineer (GFE) should determine when 

a hazardous area is safe for personnel to perform 

work. COMFLTFORCOMINST 4790.3, Joint Fleet 

Over the years, hydrogen sulfide (H2

S) gas has severely 

injured some Sailors and killed others. In most cases, 

the mishaps were caused by a lack of awareness and a 

failure to use operational risk management. 

By DCC (SW/AW) John Ralston, USN (Ret.)

Maintenance Manual ( JFMM), has included some 

changes with the ship’s gas-free responsibilities. The 

important point to remember is to notify the GFE 

of all work that will be performed on and around 

toxic gas systems. OPNAVINST 5100.19E, JFMM 

(COMUSFLTFORCOMINST 4790.3, REV B CH 5), 

Naval Ships’ Technical Manuals—Gas-Free Engineering 

(NSTM 074 V3), Pollution Control (NSTM 593), and 

Piping System (NSTM 505)—outline procedures that 

ensure safety for working in and around confined spaces 

and piping systems.

Our Sailors are doing a lot of great work, but as with 

anything you do, remember to take a few minutes to 

consider the hazards and risks involved before jumping 

in and going to work. Don’t let the “silent killer” claim 

you as the next victim!

DCC Ralston was the chief damage control analyst in the Naval 

Safety Center’s Afloat Safety Programs Directorate at the time of this 

writing.
24 fall-winter 2012/2013 SEA COMPASS 

Playbook ORMMANAGE RISK. ENSURE SUCCESS. COMPLETE THE MISSION.

By HMC (SW/AW/FMF) Randahl S. Benson 

Based on our 

fleet surveys, 

the respirator 

program seems 

to be one of the 

most overlooked. 

Respirators play 

an important role 

in our safety and 

health; yet they are 

poorly understood. 

They protect us from 

damage to our bodies 

that may not present 

itself for many years 

into the future. 

If you work in an 

environment where 

you must wear a 

respirator, ask yourself the following questions. 

•	 Are you doing your part to keep yourself safe? 

•	 When was the last time you cleaned your 

respirator? 

•	 Do you keep your own respirator, or do you 

return it to the respirator program manager after 

each use? 

•	 Are you using the right type of respirator for the 

job you are doing? 

•	 Do you know the difference between an organic 

vapor filter and a particulate filter? 

These are just a few of the things that you need 

to be thinking about before, during and after using a 

respirator. 

HMC Benson is the medical/independent duty corpsman analyst in 

the Naval Safety Center’s Afloat Safety Directorate.

9 tips to keep you safe when using a respirator

Inspect your respirator prior to each use, 

even if it is brand new.

Wearing anything on your head to keep 

sweat out of your eyes may interfere with a 

full-face mask.

Check the fit of your respirator every time 

you put it on. Your face may not have 

changed during lunch; however, something 

(like a piece of pizza on your chin) may be 

breaking the seal.

If you can smell traces of detergent, then 

your mask wasn't rinsed well enough the 

last time it was cleaned. Skin irritation or 

dermatitis may result if you wear it.

There's no need to pull the straps so tightly 

that the mask leaves a permanent ring 

around your face.

Dust masks do not protect against vapor 

and gases (including paint vapors). They 

are not authorized for use except by 

medical personnel.

Facial hair does interfere with the seal of 

a full or half-face filter respirator, even 

though the mask may seem to fit perfectly.

Always check the cartridge(s) on an airpurifying mask to verify they are screwed in 

securely.

Don't trust the color-coding on the 

cartridge. Read the label and ensure it is 

the proper type for what you are doing.

If you follow the steps above, you can continue 

to breathe easy knowing that you are protected.

http://www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/orm/orm.aspx

browse

preview

download 

sign up

Breathe Easy

Related Articles: 

“ORM Playbook: Respiratory PPE & Industrial 

Hygiene Surveys” by Joseph Perfetto, Decisions

Magazine, Fall-Winter 2012.

“What Is an IH Survey?” by CDR David S. Horn, 

Ships’ Safety Bulletin, January-March 2011. 
SEA COMPASS fall-winter 2012/2013 25
26 fall-winter 2012/2013 SEA COMPASS 

sea story

What’s That You Say?

I

remember when I was a young torpedoman 3rd 

class aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). 

We were setting up for my first UNREP (underway 

replenishment). That morning I had been assigned to 

work under instruction, firing lines to the UNREP ship. 

Now, mind you, I had never fired a gun and didn’t know 

what to expect or prepare for.

My counterpart was less than helpful and didn’t tell 

me that I needed hearing protection. I thought, “It can’t 

be that loud.” I didn’t want to seem like a fool asking 

for things I may not need. I stood next to my shooter, 

anxious to see those lines fly over. The order was given. 

“Fire!” 

I heard the loudest bang I had ever heard in my life. 

Then things went silent. Seconds later, the silence was 

followed by a loud ringing in my ear. It was very painful. 

Looking back, it was probably the stupidest thing I’d 

ever done in my career.

A typical gunshot rates at 140 decibel (db), roughly 

comparable to jet-engine noise and able to cause 

immediate hearing damage. Single hearing protection 

(either muffs or plugs) is required when noise levels are 

above 85dbs, and double hearing protection (ear muffs 

and plugs used simultaneously) when noise levels reach 

104db.

Know your working environment and ask questions 

if you’re unsure. Some hearing damage will repair itself 

in time, but extreme exposure to high noise or severe 

damage to hearing can make it completely gone. 

GMC Salas is a weapons analyst in the Naval Safety Center’s Afloat 

Safety Directorate.

By GMC (SW) Ramiro Salas 

Torpedoman’s Mate Seaman Jerimiah Street fires an 

M-14 rifle with MK-87 line throwing adapter toward 

Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS 

John Lenthall (T-AO 189) in order to exchange lines 

during a replenishment at sea with Nimitz-class aircraft 

carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73). (U.S. Navy 

photo by MC2 Michael D. Blackwell II)
SEA COMPASS fall-winter 2012/2013 27

Read more in the Web Extra section online.

health matters

Managing Hearing Loss:

The Military Paradox

Iraq and Afghanistan—expand the threat and damage 

to the audio vestibular (hearing and balance) system. 

In our current military conflicts, the two most common 

diagnoses in the field are hearing loss and tinnitus 

(which is usually a symptom of an underlying hearing 

loss, most likely acquired in the field).

Tinnitus was the most prevalent service-connected 

disability for veterans receiving compensation in 2010, 

affecting nearly 750,000 servicemen and women. 

Hearing loss was the second, affecting 675,000. 

Impairment of auditory acuity—which includes hearing 

loss and tinnitus—rose 15 percent from 2009 to 2010, 

the largest jump among 15 disabilities.

Service members may also endure traumatic brain 

injury that damages the hearing senses and the ability 

to process sound efficiently and effectively. Dizziness is 

a nearly universal symptom in mild traumatic brain 

injury, and a significant number of service members 

complain of vertigo following blast exposure. Other 

direct effects, related to the spreading acoustic radiation 

centered around blast injuries, are also common.

Blasts can disrupt how sound travels through 

the ear canal by introducing blood, debris, or foreign 

bodies. Fluid or blood accumulating behind the ear 

drum can tear the eardrum, separate the ossicles 

(middle-ear bones), and cause leakage of fluid from 

the inner ear. Other injury, infection and inflammation 

can result. These injuries result in symptoms of pain, 

hearing loss, tinnitus, dizziness, and disorientation, 

any of which degrade personal and unit effectiveness 

on the battlefield.

Even though some of these injuries are transient 

and resolve spontaneously, most cause some degree 

of permanent disability. Each ear-related injury can 

indicate deeper, more ominous brain injury. The HCE’s 

goal is to offer comprehensive, state-of-the-art care for 

every wounded warrior, and commit to leading the way 

toward prevention and restorative technologies for all of 

our service members and veterans. 

LTCOL Packer is the interim director charged with developing the 

congressionally mandated DOD Hearing Center of Excellence at 

Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. He is also codirector, Neurotology and Cranial Base Surgery, at the San Antonio 

Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium at Lackland.

By LTCOL Mark Packer, M.D.

he sense of hearing is important for 

communication. In the military, hearing is 

crucial for the instruction, teamwork, and 

reporting that are necessary to accomplish 

missions. Hearing is also a critical defense for the 

warfighter, warning against threat and danger and 

promoting self-preservation.

Hearing loss is truly a silent disability. It often has 

no visible external manifestation of injury and has 

low priority for care in the trauma setting. Hearing 

loss and auditory system injury often confound other 

injuries, presenting a barrier to communication and 

understanding, which is especially dangerous in lifeand-death war situations. This barrier can delay recovery 

and rehabilitation of our wounded warriors. The scope 

and magnitude of the effects of war and military service 

on today’s soldier warrants a vigilant, focused effort to 

combat the negative impact on the auditory system.

The U.S. Department of Defense Hearing Center 

of Excellence (HCE) is leading this focused effort. 

The collaborative culture of the Center includes active 

participation by the Veterans Health Administration. 

The Air Force Medical Service is the lead Department of 

Defense component, operating the HCE as a hub from 

the Wilford Hall Medical Center at Lackland Air Force 

Base in San Antonio, Texas. The HCE was formally 

established in 2010 and will achieve initial operational 

capability this year, with full operational capability 

scheduled for December 2013. 

To foster unity and consistency throughout the 

collaboration, staffing of the HCE includes clinicians 

and researchers across the Department of Defense and 

the Veterans Health Administration. 

The Trouble withTinnitus

Compounding the scope of the noise-related 

hearing loss problem, the effects of improvised explosive 

devices—which military personnel face regularly in 

Adapted from Hearing Health Magazine, Summer 2011
28 fall-winter 2012/2013 SEA COMPASS 

B2BPMS is your basic guide on how to not fall a victim of complacency. 

It is a common-sense approach to keeping your ship on the right course. 

Have you ever taken a short-cut to save time, but instead, cost you and 

your ship time, resources or people? Share your short story with our 

readers so they might learn from your experience. Submit your article to 

safe-seacompass@navy.mil.

Any air-conditioning or refrigeration system with an 

installed refrigerant charge of 50 pounds or more will 

adopt the following performance goals: 

A) Make sure annual leakage for air condition 

systems does not exceed 15 percent of the 

system’s total charge.

B) Ensure the annual rate for refrigeration system 

does not exceed 35 percent of its total charge.

C) Calculate allowable monthly leakage rate using 

the follow formula below:

Max Monthly Leakage rate = RC x .15 for A/C 

or .35 for reefers 

Conduct monthly PMS (M-2 and M-4 of reviewing 

the refrigerant usage log. Make sure all accidental 

releases are documented. Compare the refrigerant 

leakage with the allowable monthly leakage rate. If it 

doesn’t exceed the allowable leakage rate, then PMS 

is done and no further action is required. If the leakage 

exceeds the allowable leakage rate, the system has to 

be leak-tested and all leaks must then be repaired.

Document all refrigerant addition, removal, and 

consumption on a refrigerant usage log (sample logs 

are in the NSTM and MRC). Refrigerant can be lost 

through either accidental or unintentional release, or 

from leakage. Determine whether or not refrigerant 

added to your system compensated for accidental 

release, or for leakage. Apply the definitions as follows: 

Accidental or unintentional release: Refrigerant 

which is lost through accidental release, purging air 

and non-condensable, routine maintenance, and 

as documented on the accidental, or unintentional 

release form.

MM3 Joe Dickinson transports refrigerant bottles in the 

hangar bay of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. 

Bush (CVN 77). (U.S. Navy photo by MCSN K. Ashley 

Lawrence)

Ship propulsion

basic requirements By MMC (SW/AW) Esters Wright 

Releasing refrigerant into the atmosphere is 

illegal. If refrigerant is unintentionally released into 

the environment or during a mishap, you would need 

a “get-out-of-jail” form to stay out of trouble. Sailors 

working on air condition and refrigerant systems must 

document any and all refrigerant released into the 

atmosphere. Unfortunately, while conducting shipboard 

safety surveys, I find personnel who are responsible for 

refrigerant–leak repair and record-keeping still don’t 

have a good handle on this critical task. The two most 

common refrigerant used on Navy air-condition and 

refrigeration system are R-134a and R-236. No matter 

which refrigerant your system uses, record-keeping 

requirements are the same. Source documents for these 

tasks are paragraph 516-1.11 of Naval Ships’ Technical 

Manual (NSTM 516 Refrigeration System) and on 

maintenance requirement cards (MRCs) MIP 5161 M-2 

and 5140 M-4. 

MMC Wright is the main propulsion/diesel analyst in the Naval Safety 

Center’s Afloat Safety Directorate.

Tracking Your Refrigerant
SEA COMPASS fall-winter 2012/2013 29

1. No power. 

2. Sounder alarm switch is in the off position. 

3. System operating under faulty condition blinking green light.

1. A steady green light on the front panel indicates 

system is healthy and operating correctly.

2. When a fault is detected, the green light will flash 

and indicate on main screen the system is faulty.

3. After 18 months of operation, the monitor will 

report one of the following messages:

a. Calibration Check Required,

b. Recalibration, or

c. Service Required

These faulty messages can only be cleared by 

replacing the STYX module.

4. If any other messages are observed on the monitor’s display screen indicating either a refrigerant 

leak or any other problem, exercise appropriate 

personnel protective measures and notify supervisor as required by the following:

a. PMS: MIP 4361/028

b. Technical Manual: NAVSEA TM S9514-FLMMA-010 Parasense Leak Monitoring System

 Parasense refrigerant monitor common discrepancies

 What to look for when standing watch
30 fall-winter 2012/2013 SEA COMPASS 

did you know?

By GSCS (SW) Esworth Carty

Most main reduction gears (MRGs) have 

dehumidifiers installed to reduce the humidity 

levels inside of the gear casing when the oil system 

is secured. High levels of humidity in the gear casing 

can lead to rusting of the sump pump walls and the 

casing. This can lead to pitting of the reduction gears. 

Moisture inside the gear casing develops when 

the internal gear casing temperature is lowered to 

space ambient temperature after the propulsion 

system is secured. This difference in temperature 

will lead to condensation developing on metal 

surfaces. To prevent this moisture from happening, 

the dehumidifier is placed on line. As it draws the 

saturated air from inside the gear casing, the moisture 

is removed by the desiccant wheel and the dehydrated 

air is recycled back throughout the gear casing. By 

maintaining the humidity level in the casing at 30 to 

35 percent humidity, dehumidifiers effectively reduce 

the chance of rust damage to reduction gears and 

casings. If your MRG dehumidifier doesn’t work or 

if one wasn’t installed in your system, then the MRG 

lube oil system must be operated periodically to 

prevent moisture buildup in the gear casing.

GSCS Carty was a main propulsion analyst in the Naval Safety 

Center’s Afloat Safety Directorate.

By LT Edward Alexander

Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Panama 

City is recalling inherently buoyant life preservers (NSN 

4220-01-485-1135) currently in the supply system.

The cover on the distress marker light and whistle 

pocket is supposed to have a hole to allow users to 

see the light when pocket is closed. The defective life 

preserver has the hole over the whistle instead.

Users should inspect their life preservers to make 

sure the hole is in the right place. Ships that have 

defective life preservers should take them out of service 

DECK

Recall of Defective 

Life Preservers

immediately and submit a quality deficiency report 

(QDR). NSWC Panama City is working with Defense 

General Supply Center to remove the rest of the life 

preservers from the supply system. 

LT Alexander was a deck analyst in the Naval Safety Center’s Afloat 

Safety Directorate at the time of this writing.
SEA COMPASS fall-winter 2012/2013 31

off duty: recreation

Ouch!

Short on measurement

The archer placed the arrow on the bow and drew 

the arrow back, preparing for the shot. The arrow 

fell from the rest. It was pointed at his hand when he 

released the trigger.

The root cause: The arrow had been cut too short. 

The result: he required assistance from an emergencyroom doctor to let go of the bow. The arrow (and the 

rest of the arrows in his holster) was too short for the 

archer’s length of pull on the bow. 

Lesson on ORM

So anyone who uses the basic principles of 

operational risk management (ORM) would say 

... “Pffft, that’s totally preventable!” If ORM was 

implemented in this situation, one would simply have 

asked, “What if?” before proceeding with the task. 

ORM affords you to have a questioning attitude. 

What could go wrong? Be deliberate in your planning. 

Consider your scenario. If you are going shooting, how 

will you prevent mishaps? Is it possible that someone 

could be shot? Who could get shot? How do you keep 

everyone safe, including yourself? What PPE do you 

need? What steps can you take to prevent damage 

to equipment and injury to people? Does everyone 

involved know how to properly use the equipment? 

In this scenario, a technical specification was not met. 

Someone could have asked, “What is the required 

length of the arrow for the given make and model of the 

bow?” and “What is the size of the operator?” 

Time is critical

As soon as the archer realized that something was 

wrong—and had he managed risks previously—he 

would have engaged into time critical risk management 

(TCRM). This component of ORM applies to complex 

situations that put people under pressure. The first step 

of TCRM is to assess the situation. If the archer would 

have determined that things were falling apart quickly, 

he probably could have prevented the arrow from being 

shot into his hand and finger. He could have slowly let 

the string back down. He then should have moved the 

trigger finger away from the trigger, then slowly let the 

bow relax. He would obviously have to get re-measured 

for proper fitting. TCRM steps are as simple as ABCD. 

Assess the situation, Balance resources, Communicate

to others, Do and Debrief. 

ORM is an effective tool. Use it. OPNAVINST 

3500.39C is a very easy read. ORM works 24/7. 

Not just at work, but at home, off-duty and during 

recreation. Learn more about ORM and TCRM by 

contacting your safety officer or visiting the Naval Safety 

Center’s ORM web page at http://www.public.navy.

mil/navsafecen/pages/orm/ORM.aspx.

Food for thought: What would the extent of 

injuries be if the arrow had a broad head?

LT Ray is the submarine division head in the Naval Safety Center’s 

Afloat Safety Directorate.

LT Richard Ray

Ready, Aim ... 

Photo courtesy of the author.

This is a story about someone learning 

the hard way that he wasn’t as 

prepared as he thought.
32 fall-winter 2012/2013 SEA COMPASS 

off duty: motorcycle

VAQ-139 Riders

Get Back to Basics

By AO1 (AW/SW) Marlon Blackmon

Three motorcycle riders from among the 

VAQ-139 Cougars decided to get back to 

basics after attending the August 2012 NAS 

Whidbey Island Motorcycle Safety Representative 

(MSR) meeting. CMDCM (AW/SW) Brian D. 

Wenrich, AM1 (AW) Ramiro Alaffa and AT1 (AW)

Joshua N. Cook hosted a Cougars motorcycle rally in 

September. 

News about the rally quickly spread throughout 

the community and gained the interest of eight 

Sailors and Marines, bringing the total to 11 riders. 

The Cougars’ riders explained the basic 

operations of the motorcycle and then challenged 

the riders to find discrepancies on each other’s bikes. 

The training resulted in finding a sticky throttle, 

improperly adjusted clutch lever and a loose chain. 

The coaches corrected the discrepancies, and 

each member performed the following exercises: 

cone weave, U-turn maneuver, stop check, obstacle 

swerve and the peanut drill. 

This provided the riders important skills that are 

critical while operating on the highways. After the 

training exercises, the riders were ready for a safe group 

ride around the island. Everyone completed a successful 

ride and returned to the starting point for a debrief. 

“I learned that I needed to improve my ability to 

ride in a group,” said AME3(AW) Daeshawn Tidwell 

from Buffalo, N.Y. “But I had a lot of fun and look 

forward to more Cougar rider rallies.” 

Getting this training helps the riders get smart about 

their bikes and prepares them for the coming winter 

months. Whidbey Island is known for its breathtaking 

Deception Pass and beautiful scenic views. 

But the winters in Washington are long and cold. 

Roadways can be covered with black ice, also called clear 

ice—a thin coating of glazed ice on a road surface. It is 

barely visible and can be treacherous if riders and drivers 

aren’t prepared.

AO1 Blackmon is the VAQ-139 safety petty officer.

The volunteers include (from left): AO2 (AW) Kraig Ekstein, AME3 (AW) Daeshawn Tidwell, PR3 Cory Lynch, AT1 (AW)

Joshua N. Cook, ADCS (AW) Boby Lym, SSGT John F. Kiner, LSSN Huy Q. Ly, and AT1 (AW) Michael C. Riordan. 

(Photo courtesy of the author)
SEA COMPASS fall-winter 2012/2013 33

navy reading program

Can reading a great book make you a safer 

operator? It can—there is much to be learned 

from both great works of fiction and nonfiction. Understanding how others found 

their way out of sticky situations gives us knowledge to 

draw upon that extends well beyond the bounds of our 

own experience. Great books allow us to experience 

the thinking of great leaders and relive situations in our 

mind’s eye that have no boundaries of time, culture or 

space. When we are faced with an emergency, we can 

better align our own safety compass if we draw on the 

vast well of knowledge placed between our ears when 

we read great books.

The Chief of Naval Operations Professional Reading 

Program (CNO-PRP) was recently revised along the 

lines of Admiral Greenert’s three tenets: Warfighting 

First, Be Ready and Operate Forward. The program’s 

new motto “Read to be Ready” is a fitting addition to 

all of those things that we do in the fleet to be at our 

best when duty calls. We train to be ready, we drill to be 

ready, and we stay fit to be ready. We can add reading to 

be ready to those activities that keep us ready to respond 

when the klaxon rings and the 1MC announces, “This is 

not a drill!” 

The CNO-PRP includes great books like James 

Hornfischer’s Neptune’s Inferno, a gripping account of 

the five major surface engagements that were fought 

during the battle for Guadalcanal. This book is a 

great study in leadership and courage in battle. I have 

never read a book that so vividly recreated the terror 

of fighting a night-surface engagement. In Neptune’s 

Inferno you will learn of the many bad decisions that had 

disastrous consequences that left far too many U.S. Navy 

ships and Sailors beneath the waters of Iron Bottom 

Sound. You will also learn how our Navy adjusted tactics 

and procedures, allowing us to eventually win the battle 

for the Solomon Islands and put our Navy on a course to 

win the war in the Pacific. 

My own experience as an aircrewman and naval 

flight officer were greatly enhanced by reading great 

books. Early in my Navy career, a shipmate loaned 

me a copy of The Endurance by Alfred Lansing. This 

book details the harrowing story of survival of the 

British Antarctic crew of the HMS Endurance. Every 

chapter provides vivid examples of innovative problem 

solving, the challenges of leadership under duress 

and the importance of teamwork. The story of HMS 

Endurance is detailed in Shackleton’s Way by M. Morrell 

and S. Capparell, is one of the 24 recommended books 

in the current CNO Professional Reading Program. 

Shackleton’s Way draws out key lessons of leadership 

from the experiences of the expedition’s leader Sir 

Ernest Shackleton. 

Like every aircrewman and aviator I felt it was 

important to be prepared for the unlikely event where 

my crew and I might have to ditch or parachute out 

of our aircraft. As an aircrew we often drilled and 

trained but I wanted to be ready to always make the 

right decision, and those books I loved to read on my 

spare time gave me great leadership models to follow. 

Fortunately, I never had to test my survival skills to 

the degree of Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew, but 

in those more routine emergencies that I did have to 

respond to, I’d like to think I was guided by the reservoir 

of knowledge I had stored up by making reading part of 

my readiness plan. 

Reading is indeed a novel way to be ready. Pick up a 

great book and read to be ready! For more on the CNOPRP, visit http://navyreading.dodlive.mil/.

CDR Dolan, a faculty of the U.S. Naval War College, serves as the 

Deputy Director of the CNO Professional Reading Program. 

By CDR Daniel Dolan

A Novel Way 

 to Align Your 

Safety Compass