Coontz (DDG 40) - Naval Cruise Book

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E LISTED SURFACE ORS i '11 ,X- SKCS Scroggins GMM2 bemont RMCS Hossink STG2 rlardiman GMMC Claisse FC2 Wdafla STGC Jansen FC2 Comer BMC Patron ET2 Mitchell GMMC Pattee GMM2 Cephas FCC Spangenburg FC2 Johnson EWC Lett GMM2 Riley MM1 Williams GMT2 Taft IC1 Vlhlson EM2 Kroenung ET1 Oliver TM2 Hutton BT1 Purkey OS2 Donner QM1 Founders FC2 Allen HM1 Pifer HTZ5 Angelastro D51 Alonzo GMGI5 Roybal FC1 Harrell FC5 Marlett OS1 Jones RM5 Banfy MM1 Jocko ET5 Mallory Crewmembers ofthe USS Coontz KDDG 403 decided to put their off-duty time to good use, by participating in the Shlp s Enlisted Surface Warfare Spe cialist KESWSJ qualification program. The program reached a large number ofthe crew: over 50 crewmembers eamed ESWS pins during the Persian Gulf deployment ESWS qualification means a great deal to chief petty officer selection boards, said NC1 Chris Gabor, Coontz' Command Career Counselor, and I would strongly recommend that all first class petty oliicers going up for chief and all second class petty officers going up for first become ESWS qualified. A Gabor went on to explain that ESWS qualification counts as two points towards advancement for E-1 through Ef6,while for E-7 and above it is up to the selection board. The ESWS instruction is designed to make a sailor a better sailor, to make him more knowledgeable about the class of ship he sails on. While there are basic guidelines of instruction, the course varies according to the class of ship a sailor is assigned to. When l studied for my ESWS qualification, I took the approach of being a good tour guide for my ship, said Gabor. For example: The tour guides of the Smithsonian Institution aren't experts in each field that they discuss, but they do have a good background knowledge. The same applies to ESWS qualification. An HT doesn't have to be an expert at electronic warfare, but he needs a basic knowledge of it to become ESWS qualified. 16

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GI TIVE REE LIS IVIENT S GF CGONTZ Who says today's reenlistments lack imagination? HM1 Charles E. Pifer QSWJ Cleftb decided to take a unique approach to his reenlistment ceremony by taking the oath from LCDR Grey A. Glover lrightl under the Tree of Life, a national attraction in the Persian Gulf state of Bahrain. The tree is named for the fact that it is the oldest existing plant in the desert of Bahrain. Top: CDR Gnerlich lleftj administers the oath of reenlistment MMC5 Sobelefski lrightj in Main Control. The senior chief bec so overwhelmed with the ceremony that oxygen had to be ru in to complete the reenlistment. Middle: DS5 Snyder lrightl reenlists aboard the motor whale in the Persian Gulf. Bottom: PN1 Hasse trightl shakes hands with reenlisting LCDR Glover fleftl after his successful ceremony on top of the ROC launcher. To PI'l1's disappointment, the cake had to be on the mess decks. 15

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RIGHT: SN Robinson fleftl takes orders to the lee helm from MM1 Jocko, an Enlisted Surface Warfare pin recipient According to Gabor, as the Navy demands more combat-ready and better- prepared sailors, the Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist pin may become a mandatory requirement, as the Submarine Warfare Specialist pin already is for those stationed on submarines. Under the program established aboard Coontz, it takes an average of about 2 months to beoome ESWS qualified. During this time, sailors undergo instruc- tion in various combat, engineering, operational and navigational aspects of the ship The instructors aboard Ooontz which include first class petty officers and senior chief petty officers take a few hours out of their day to teach the essence of their ratings and sign their students qualification book After the student acquires the required number of signatures in his book he goes before a questioning board to test his comprehensive knowledge Ques tionmg can last as long as two hours Although becoming ESWS qualified IS not an easy task many Coontz crewmen feel lt1S a worthwhile one It was something I had attempted twice before said TM2 Brian Hutton who became ESWS qualified in two months but l had never finished This time I wanted to complete the program and gain points towards advance ment While the men of Coontz may be answering a call with each person who becomes ESWS qualified the fleet gains one more combat ready sailor TOP flhfom leftl EM2 Kroenung, GMT2 Taft CT1 Vollva CTC Grim BUTTON ftrom lefizl l'llVI1 Plfer RM2 Barry SKCS Scroggms RIGHT fFrom lefty DS1 Alonzo OS1 Jones CT2 Burton TM2 Hutton GMMC Clalsse FC1 Harrell - , 6 . . ' . , . . , , . . V I I , , , . I . f I 1 f I - 1 7 1, 1 I 1 Z , 1 : , , . , , 1 Q