The Grind Begins

GROWLTHE GATOR

One Sailors PassionVOLUME 3 ISSUE 2Eyes on Five

Building Community Relations

The Yard period is in full swing, Sailors focus on safety and the effort to get the ship out on time.

The editorial content of this newspaper is prepared, edited and provided by Bataan’s Public Affairs Office. This newspaper is an authorized publication for members of military services at sea. Its contents do not necessarily reflect the official views of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense or the U.S. Navy and do not imply endorsement thereof.

Commanding OfficerCaptain John “J.C.” CarterExecutive OfficerCaptain Eric N. Pfister

Command Master ChiefCMDCM(SW/AW) Scott HarvillePublic Affairs Officer MCC(SW/SCW) Dennis Herring

News Team 5MCC(SW/SCW) Dennis HerringMC1(AW/SW) RJ StratchkoMC1(AW/SW) Julie Matyascik

MC3(SW/AW) Erik Foster MC3(SW/AW) Nicholas Frank CottoneMCSN Caleb Strong

Layout and Design MC3(SW/AW) Nicholas Frank CottoneEditor MC1(AW/SW) RJ Stratchko

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Breakfast and Tales at Bunny’s

Junior Sailors met at Bunny’s with veterans dating all the way back to

the Bataan Death March. The Sailors enjoyed breakfast and listened to

the veterans tell stories of when they served back in the day.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- Bataan Sailors participated in the ship’s first community relations (COMREL) mission since returning to homeport from deployment. Bataan Sailors worked in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity volunteers to move furniture from The Spring Hill Suites Hotel in Virginia Beach, Va. to Habitat for Humanity’s front end store. Habitat for Humanity is an establishment where they sell donations to lower income families so they can have quality furniture for their homes.

“We are forging a relationship with Habitat for Humanity with USS Bataan that will be a longstanding one,” said Lt. Hardy Owens. “Outside of going on deployment and opportunities where we physically can not be here, it is our goal that we stay in contact with the community and support them in any

way possible.”Bataan’s Commanding Officer

Capt. John ‘JC’ Carter said that he wants the ship to average 1,000 man-hours of volunteer work every month.

“It was great to be able to be a part of the very first COMREL since returning from deployment,” said SIMONE.

“We helped move lamps, chairs, couches and framed art. Once we removed items from the rooms, we transported the items in a box truck to the Habitat for Humanity store,” said Hull Maintenance Technician 3rd Class Alexander Cole from Kodak, Tenn. “After getting to the store we moved the items inside for inventory and sale.”

“This is a good first start for us with partnerships with Habitat for Humanity, Campostella Elementary School, The

Bataan Memorial and perhaps doing some things with the VA Nursing Home as well. And this will be the beginning of great things to come,” said Owens.

Photos By MCSN Caleb Strong

Part of our Community

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Story By MC3 Nicholas Cottone

NORFOLK, Va. -- Waking up in the morning and going about your day with the ability to see clearly is something a lot of people take for granted.

People with glasses are even required by the Navy to have a back-up pair of glasses since every thing a Sailor does from standing watch to even walking around the ship requires him or her to have the best vision possible.

Bataan Sailors improved their quality of life through the Clinic’s “Ship of the Month” program organized by the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth

Ophthalmology Clinic. “There are two types of laser

refractive eye surgery: laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) and photo refractive keratectomy (PRK),” said Lt. Edgar Rhoderick of Germantown, Md., who is the ship’s liaison for the program “They accomplish the same thing, there is only a slight difference in how the procedure is performed.”

“With LASIK, the eye surgeon uses a tiny plane to make corneal,” said Lt. Sylvester C. Izah of Farmington Hills, Mi. “Then they use a laser to carefully reshape the layers of the cornea in place to repair imperfections in curvature that causes defective vision. The corneal flap is then put back in place and heals over the reshaped part of the cornea.”

“PRK, the eye surgeon does not create a flap of corneal tissue,” Izah

said. “Instead the outer layer of the cornea is removed or pushed aside to expose an area for the laser to reshape.”

“With LASIK, the recovery time is slightly quicker, but in the end, the patient recovers with 20/20 vision. The type of surgery received is based off the results of a surgeon/patient consultation. PRK tends to be a better option for patients with a thin cornea or who have chronic dry eyes. After the operation, the patient is prescribed eye drops and antibiotics along with 3 to 4 follow up appointments,” said Rhoderick.

“I received the PRK and I am currently in the recovery period,” said Cryptologic Technician (Collection) 3rd Class Michael Concialdi, from Greenfield, Ind. “At my three week appointment the surgeon said that my

Photo By MC1 RJ Stratchko

Photo By MC3 Nicholas CottonePhoto By MC3 Erik Foster

Bataan’s All Seeing Eyes

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Story By MC3 Erik Foster

vision should be up to 20/20.”“I had the LASIK procedure

about a year and a half ago after Bataan got back from deployment,” said Interior Communications Electrician 1st Class Jessica Lopez from Houston. “My vision now is better than 20/20 and not having to wear glasses or contacts definitely means I can do my job more effectively. It has made everyday activities from driving to using the computer easier and I couldn’t be more happy with the end results of the procedure.”

The Navy’s refractive eye surgery program is so popular that the waiting period can take years to get through system. Designating Bataan as the “Ship of the Month” will help the hardest working Sailors receive the vision they deserve after such a long and arduous deployment.

“The “Ship of the Month” program definitely allowed me to

get LASIK a year ahead of when the waiting list said I would,” said Lopez.

“The program is designed to give surface fleet ships a certain month for head of the line privileges,” said Rhoderick. “Bataan is trying for February or March because the program requires a minimum six month period free of deployments afterwards. Since we are scheduled to be in the yards at that point, it would be a great time for the ship to participate in the program.”

“The Sailor’s quality of life will improve along with the war-fighting capability of the ship and the Navy if more Sailors have 20/20 vision,” added Rhoderick. “The Sailors aboard Bataan deserve this opportunity because they will have just completed a deployment. This is one of the benefits for men and women who serve their country. They have earned it, so they should take advantage of it.”

Photo By MC3 Nicholas Cottone

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