november 12 newsletter

7/31/2019 November 12 Newsletter

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FROM THE CO S D ESK

NOVEMBER 2012VOLUME 3 ISSUE 11

I NSIDE THIS ISSUE :

CMCs Call

Ccc news

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

OMBUDSMEN MEMOS

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Community events

frontline

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Family day Photos 9

RESOURCES 10

USS MILIUS COMMAND NEWSLETTER

To the MILIUS Family, as I finish my tour as MILIUS' commanding officer, it is both a sadand happy time for me to be leaving this great ship, sad because I am leaving behind a fantas-tic crew and command who will always have a special place in my heart, and happy because Ican look at all we've accomplished with a tremendous amount of pride. Since I took com-mand of MILIUS in April last year, the time has flown. Looking back, it's easy to see how.Since I took command we successfully passed a major material inspection called INSURV,completed an eight month independent deployment to the Arabian Gulf where we filled du-ties as a Ballistic Missile Defense unit, in addition to accomplishing countless other tasks

from a theater security cooperation exercise with the Qatari, small boat operations, over 400helicopter landings with Army, Air Force, and Navy units, conducted over 27 boarding's,completed ten port visits overseas without a single liberty incident, hosted a reception forthe US Ambassador to the United Arab Eremites, and filled our duties as Ballistic MissileDefense Commander. In addition to these achievements, we completed two family daycruises, one tiger cruise, basic phase training certification, did workups with the AbrahamLincoln Strike group during the Composite Training Exercise, completed several ammuni-tion on loads and offloads, and represented the Navy during San Francisco Fleet Week as theonly ship without a liberty incident, and we gave tours, marched in a parade and hosted areception during Santa Barbara Navy Week. We did all of these things, plus countless otherachievements, always getting the job done and surpassing the standards for maintenance self-sustainment and operational readiness. MILIUS always accomplished our job, every time, nomatter what the task was.While I could write about individual Sailors or group of Sailors and their accomplishments,everything from fantastic photographs, to keeping SPY Enhanced when on station, to thecountless pinhole leaks welded on deployment, to the higher than average advancementrates, and so many more achievements, but I believe on a ship her success or failure is basedon the actions of every Sailor on board and I am immeasurably proud of each Sailor thatmakes up the MILIUS team.My success is because of each and every one of them. A ship is a complex machine and everySailor and every job onboard is critical. And regardless of the challenge or long work hoursmy crew always got the job done. Some of the things that I wanted to pass on to the crewand believe I succeeded at was the belief that you always come home from deployment withthe ship in better condition than when you left. That you never accept anything that is bro-ken or dirty. That this job is hard and demanding but it can still be fun. That balance in life by taking time off when you can makes you more effective when you are on.While I had a vision of what I wanted to accomplish I could not have done it without everyone of my Sailors. You can be proud of each of them, they are the best Sailors in the Navy.It is with a great deal of pride in my ship and her crew that I turn over and reluctantly giveup what is without a doubt the best job in the Navy on the best ship in the Navy. Makingdecisions, being in charge of a destroyer, working with my officers and crew has been in-credibly satisfying. I love my Navy, I love my crew and I love this ship, but it is time to handthings off, and I know Steve Shedd will take care of her.

Sincerely,

CDR Nikki Bufkin


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FROM THE CO S D ESK

Dear MILIUS Family and Friends,

It has been a distinct pleasure serving as XO aboard MILIUS for the past 18 moI'm very excited to take Command of the ship on November 2nd. Over the past yhalf, Lauren and I have been amazed at the high caliber of Sailors aboard MILIUdedication and resiliency of the spouses. We have left you behind each underway thandedly fill the role of parent, plumber, on-call nurse, electrician, coach, tutor and

of other things within the family. It is indeed far more difficult to be on the homwhen we go out to sea. Thank you for your continued support for your Sailor and th

Our upcoming extended yard period is certainly at the fore-front of my prioritiewill be a challenging period in all respects including complete move-off to a berthinumerous installations and upgrades and extensive certifications and training comithe yards next summer. My goal is to take a steady-strain approach over the next 9in order to set ourselves up for a smooth transition from yard maintenance to sea goerations. I will explain more of this in detail in the December newsletter. Of panote, and weve advertised this aboard ship for several weeks now, we are shutting down thships galley on 12 November in preparations for the yard period.This mean all Sailors wneed to bring their own meals to work. Sailors E-9 and be-low will receive over 300 dollars a month in COMRATs formeals. Plan your shopping accordingly.

Sail Safe!

CDR Shedd

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P AG E 3 USS MILIUS COMMAND NEWSLETTER

Hello MILIUS Families!Welcome to FALL. Many things will be changing for your Sailor over the next few weeks. We have oof Command in November then we enter an Extended Maintenance Availability. What does that mean First, our galley will be closing so our Sailors will either have to bring their lunch or buy their lunch whwork. Many of our command organizations will have food sales during lunch to provide food but also for future command events.Working hours will be long and safety will be a primary concern. Most Sailors will have to take busesnd Street to the BAE ship yard and back to their cars so being on time will be very important. However, win San Diego for the holidays again this year and will have more opportunity to spend with our familiesthe last two years. As we move toward Thanksgiving we need to remember what we are thankful for.We made a successful eight month deployment and brought everyone back safe. Thank you for all youSailors and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Sincerely,CMC

CMCs CALL

FROM THE COMMAND CAREER COUNSELOR

ReenlistmentsQM2 Hall

Navy & Marine Corps Commenda-

tion MedalLT Robert Franklin

A big BRAVO ZULU to the followingSailors on their recent Reenlistments,

Advancement, and Awards:

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Greetings, MILIUS Crew, Family & Friends,Hi I am NC1 Gutierrez your new Command Career Cou

selor. This is my third ship previously stationed on a carrier LHD and first time on a DDG. I am from Texas Go TEXANS andI love traveling and BBQ.

MILIUS Sailors:

My door is always open if you want to discuss career counselolated items. If there is anything that you want to sit down and gdepth about please email me [email protected] so wecan schedule an appt or I can answer via email.

In late November the Navy Wide Advancement Examsprojected to post for E4-E6. Results will post Navy AdvancemCenter via NKO and you will also receive official notification your Chain of Command. We hope to have record number of vancements this cycle.

Sailors please check my Career Counselor board on mess decks regularly for any new or important information.

Family and Friends:If you have any questions, please ask your Sailor and I look foto assisting you.

Sincerely,NC1 (SW/AW) D.Gutierrez
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Happy Birthday and Anniversary to all!!

November 2nd Change of Command to CDRSteve SheddNovember 3 Daylight Savings EndsNovember 6 Election DayNovember 5 14 Last underway before yard periodNovember 11 Veterans DayNovember 22 Thanksgiving Day

* Annotates in-port, away from home port Blue highlighted boxes annotate underway periods

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NOVEMBER

Happy Thanks

Giving toeveryone!!!

November 2012

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COCEND DAY-LIGHTSAVINGS

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THANKSGIVING

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Sacrifices are made both by active duty military and their families, but there are also great bentary family members experience that civilian counterparts can only dream about.Here are some ways to make the most out of the time your spouse serves in the military!

Embrace adventure . One of the hardest aspects of military life is a sense of not being in contrter all, someone else decides where you will be stationed, the hours your spouse will work, andmany cases, which specific house or apartment you will live in. This can lead to a sense of dessense of excitement. It's all a matter of perspective. For instance, if moving someplace you're ncited about, get a travel book on the area and read up on the fun and interesting things you canWhen you move into a particular housing unit, rather than feel a sense of being stuck, have a spurpose for being in that particular place at that particular time. Perhaps there are people in thehousing area who need a friend or someone to encourage them. Choose to be that person.Take advantage of freebies and programs . There are many things available for military and th

families that are either free, or lower cost than in the civilian world. As a first time mother withI signed up for support services that were available through the military. That meant that I had couragement and care during my pregnancy, someone who knew the ropes and could tell me wneeded to contact for various things, someone to visit me in the hospital, someone to visit me ahad the baby to make sure I was doing okay, etc. Again, this was a free program; all I had to doup for it. I also participated in numerous programs through the ASYMCA.Express gratitude . Military life, like any life, has its ups and downs. I'll admit that it wasn't funhave my husband called into work at 3:00 in the morning on his day off with his previous comwasn't fun to be separated, and have to deal with red tape that is often a part of any governmen

deavor. Some military personnel and their families choose to focus on and complain about the ties. Whether your experience as a military spouse is positive or negative is largely up to you and donforget your Ombudsman team is here to help!Know how to complain graciously and effectively . There are times when as a military spouslegitimate complaints need to be voiced. Thankfully, there are mechanisms in place to deal witappropriately. For instance, in the military medical system, there are patient advocacy contactsand other options for voicing complaints when needed. At the same time, be kind and graciouscall up and go off like a loose cannon, the person on the phone or at the desk will likely think y

OMBUDSMAN MEMO

USS MILIUS COMMAND NEWSLETTER

Ombudsman Info:[email protected] Phone 619.417.9980

Careline 619.338.1754

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aggerating, but if you maintain your composure and speak kindly, graciously, and factually, you'll heard and responded to in a professional manner.Enjoy the local culture, whether home or abroad . Find out what your area has to offer, and takadvantage of it. Don't leave a location with a lot of regrets for places that you didn't visit and fun you didn't bother doing. Once you leave a location, you may not return, so embrace everything thticular location has to offer while you are there.Be a quality person . One article I read talked about how awful military spouses are. Are there awmilitary spouses? Sure, there are awful people anywhere you go. But there are also great people ayou go. One way to connect with quality people is to be a quality person yourself. As a quality peyou will attract other quality people and will hardly notice the less desirable types.Nurture your marriage . Any marriage takes work to be successful, and military marriages oftenperience stresses that civilian marriages don't. So what to do? Make your marriage a high priorityChoose to invest in it regularly. Think of fun ways to stay in touch when separated and make the mtimes when you are together. Make a commitment to the marriage for the long haul. When you'retempted to throw in the towel, instead choose to redouble your efforts to make the marriage work.advantage of low cost military child care options so you can go out alone when your spouse is hodon't forget to take advantage of counseling services which are provided free of charge when neethis sooner rather than later when problems begin to crop up so that they can be more easily dealtGet spiritual nourishment . The military is obviously open to people of all religious faiths, or formatter, those of no religious faith. It's up to you whether or not you embrace spirituality, but thosedo have a whole other support system available to them. The religious community can provide a wother source of friendship, encouragement, and counsel and support when needed.Have a life outside of the military . Although the military has a lot of wonderful things to offer, sdoes the world outside of the military base. Embrace a set of friends who are not connected with military and whose perspective might be different than yours. Sure, they may not understand everyou go through as a military spouse, but they will help you to have a focus that is more well rounhealthy.

You have the power to make the decision based on your attitudes and actions. be excellent if you make the right choices.It's up to you!

Your Command Ombudsman Team,Teresa and Jeri

Ombudsman Memo Cont:

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Daylight Savings Ends at 2:00 am, Sunday MorningNovember 4th. Remember to set your clocks back aenjoy getting an extra hour of sleep!!

Election Day is here again! No matter if your votingRepublican or Democratic.GET OUT, VOTE, MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!Election Day is November 6th!!

A Veterans Day Parade will be held Monday November12th at 11:00 am in Downtown San Diego on Pacific HwySouth from Grape St to W Harbor Rd.For more details, go to www.sdvetparade.org

COMMUNITY EVENTS


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After a relaxing and much deserved post-deployment stand down, MILIUS Sailors returned ton October 11th to begin preparations for a brief underway period in the Southern California oating area . The October 17th underway was MILIUS first since returning from an eight month,Middle Eastern deployment. The crew brushed up on several shipboard evolutions, includingcopter deck landing qualifications (DLQs), combat scenarios, damage control drills, and seamtraining.MILIUS sailed again on October 22nd to Seal Beach, CA, near Los Angeles, for ammunition offloThe five day evolution allowed the command to return unspent ammunition from deploymenshore based storage facility, one of many events necessary in preparing the ship for an upcomdock maintenance period. MILIUS remained pier side for the offload, giving the crew an opnity to enjoy evening liberty in the area.Following the offload, MILIUS welcomed friends and family members aboard to ride the shito San Diego. The family day cruise gave the 86 participants an opportunity to experience lifand witness various demonstrations and evolutions that occur underway.

This month, MILIUS also welcomed aboard her new Executive Officer, Lieutenant Commanchael Rak. LCDR Rak is a 1997 graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and holds ters degree in National Security Affairs from the Naval Postgraduate School. LCDR Raks previous assignments include tours onboard USS Cape St. George (CG 71), USS Elro(FFG 55), USS Mustin (DDG 89) and USS San Jacinto (CG 56).He recently completed a tour at U.S. Joint Forces Command inthe Resources, Requirements, and Analysis Directorate.His personal awards include the Defense Meritorious ServiceMedal, Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps

Commendation Medal (4), the Navy and Marine Corps Achieve-ment Medal (2), and various other unit and campaign awards toinclude five Battle Efficiency Awards. He was a 1999 recipient of the Atlantic Fleet Junior Officer Ship Handling Award.

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MILIUS FRONTLINE NEWS

By LTJG David Gardner

If you have questions, comments or suggestions for MILIUSFRONTLINE NEWS, please email the Public Affairs Officerat [email protected]. Also, please check the Facebookpage and contact our Ombudsmen for more information!

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Family Day Cruise Photos


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Resources & Information

Naval Base San Diego FFSC (619) 556-7404 or (866) 923-6478American Red Cross (877) 272-7337 www.redcross.orgMilitary OneSource (800) 342-9647 www.militaryonesource.comFOCUS (619) 556-6075 www.focusproject.org

NBSD Legal (619) 556-2211 www.jag.navy.mil/legal_services/nlso/nlso_southwest.Tri-West Healthcare Alliance (888) 874-9378www.triwest.com TRICARE Dental Program (800) 866-8499www.TRICAREdentalprogram.com NMCRS (619) 238-1587/88 www.nmcrs.orgUSO Downtown Center (619) 235-6503www.usosandiego.org Naval Base Chapel (619) 556-2658 www.chaplincare.navy.milArmed Services YMCA (858) 751-5755 www.militaryymca.orgChild Development Center (619) 556-8491Operation Home front (866) 424-5210 www.operationhomefront.net211 www.211sandiego.orgSitter city www.sittercity.com/dodWomen, Infant, & Children (WIC ) Program (800) 500-6411 www.sandiegowic.o

Monthly Bread Ministries & Monthly FREE Food Ministries (858)688-5015Bring your ID card, bags to carry food items. Please contact them for locations and We have plenty of other resources for you from Healthy Military Families and Toddlto Furniture and Used Items to Websites and Re Sale Goods Items.Call the Ombudsman for more details.

RESOURCES Page
http://www.triwest.com/http://www.triwest.com/http://www.tricaredentalprogram.com/http://www.tricaredentalprogram.com/http://www.usosandiego.org/http://www.usosandiego.org/http://www.usosandiego.org/http://www.tricaredentalprogram.com/http://www.triwest.com/

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