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Saturday, November 27, 2004

          After a lengthy stay in the OAKRIDGE DRY DOCK, CAMPBELL is wet again and one major step closer to returning to homeport. While at COAST GUARD YARD BALTIMORE, CAMPBELL has been seeing a new kind of action. Welding, brazing, painting, needle gunning, and the installation of new systems are among the many things the crew has been doing. Days are often long with daily tasks never in short supply, but confidence is high and the crew has met every task head-on. One point proven during this period is that “setback” is a word not recognized by our CAMPBELL shipmates. The crew has stayed focused on what needs to get done and progress has been steady.

          Baltimore and the surrounding area have given the crew ample opportunities to relax once liberty is granted. From Ravens football games, karaoke, watching tv and snacking at the e-club, the crew has found many ways to relax. Despite all this fun, the crew is eager to get the job done and make the trek back to Kittery. It is now only a matter of time. With their hard work and focus, the crew will ensure this dry dock availability is a complete success. CAMPBELL will be ready once again to take to the seas and handle any task. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers and we’ll be home soon! Semper Paratus!

          This halloween, ET1 Trawick created a special scene on his carport for all the trick-or-treaters to come to. He began working on it around a week before Beggars night. He closed off his carport with industrial black plastic to give a feeling of depth and eeriness. There were several black lights to make things glow and strobes to simulate alarms. There were two yellow drums labeled "Biohazard" with one knocked over and a system inside of it that ET1 Trawick called a "Fog chiller". This system consists of a fog machine, a cooler filled with ice, some PVC pipe, and wire mesh. The system is designed to chill the fog down lower than the ambient temperature producing a creeping blanket that hugs the ground. Tint the fog with a green light and add four people in glowing bunny suits, one guy hiding in the dark with a mask and you've got yourself a creepy toxic waste scene.

          ET1 Trawick and his wife Cheryl were the good guys to guide you through. IT1 Matlack and ET3 Austin were the infected workers. FS2 Roth was the creepy mutant in the dark. Several people commented on the scene. Most adults were impressed with the mysterious fog and the general idea of the concept while some of the children claimed it resembled something from "Resident Evil" (a popular videogame and movie series). OS1 Munger brought his family in and said, "It is a wonderful thing". MK2 Tatu and his oldest son also visited the site and seemed to enjoy it. GM2 Mantopoulos and his significant other also made an appearance. Once the people stopped coming and the candy was all gone, the scene was cleaned up in ten minutes.

          Dear shipmates and family members, over the dry dock period CAMPBELL participated in two week-long community service projects with Habitat for Humanity. CAMPBELL crewmembers provided numerous hours of work for two Habitat for Humanity projects.           The first project was renovating a home that Habitat had acquired and had been in very poor condition. The house had been gutted and needed repairs to many areas including the wiring, wall structure, overhead, and flooring to name a few. All hands involved worked very well Together and provided valuable assistance to Habitat for Humanity in order to advance the project and give a needy family a new home.           The second project was a lot clearing project that had been virtually untouched when we arrived, following our assistance the area was just about ready to have the foundation site excavated and filled.           I would like to personally thank all members who came out to help, you took our motto of Tradition Pride and Readiness and brought it to the public to help a good cause showing that no matter what the call, CAMPBELL stands ready to answer it.

          While driving down to RTC Yorktown GM1 Marrazzo and GM2 Bales came upon an accident that had just occurred (1430 OCT 04). The place of the accident was on RT 58 in Williamsburg, VA. A red CRX was struck by a logging truck which destroyed the rear driver’s side of the CRX and ejected the passenger approximately 70 feet from the damaged vehicle. The 26 year-old woman was thrown into the ditch between the north and southbound lanes. GM2 Bales grabbed the first aid kit which was available in the government van and donned proper equipment in order to render immediate assistance to the victim. GM1 and GM2 were the first responders to the scene acting under the good Samaritan law.

          Once on scene, they secured a safe environment to render first aid to the victim. They then performed the ABCs check (Airway, Breathing, Circulation). After stabilizing the victim, who was in slight shock and somewhat disoriented, they assisted EMS personnel with information regarding the accident as well as potential injuries and initial action taken when they arrived. Prior to intervention from EMS personnel (ten minutes of assistance prior to their arrival), they treated the victim for a laceration on the forehead by applying direct pressure as well as cleaning the wound. They also treated several abrasions and cuts along the torso as well as on her extremities. Based on the condition of her left hand, they immobilized it fearing a potential fracture.

          Because of their training as well as immediate and effective medical response, they stabilized the patient and ensured the scene was safe for her to receive immediate care. We should be proud of our shipmates and the help they rendered to the public in this venue. Bravo Zulu!

          Dry dock holds a near and dear place in all our hearts, no department has more drastically changed pace to adjust to the environment quite like the Operations department. I have seen ET’s with paintbrushes, GM’s with needle guns(they refused to use anything without a pistol grip), OS’s with sanders, and Nav type BM’s, well, being BM’s. I hold a special pride in our department due to the adaptability shown by our members to get the job done. I would like to say “Welcome Aboard” to the following new members of our Department: OS1 Clendaniel, OS1 Munger, ET2 Kliman, and OS3 Aulph. As CICO, I will be seeing each of you on watch and in our preparations for CART and TACT during this upcoming inport. Many parts of the ship were worked on during dry dock, the Weapons Division would like to thank each of our shipmates who helped preserve the condition of the forward magazine by cleaning and repainting the raised deck plates, bulkheads, deck and ammunition storage bins.

          Many hours went into this project and the results are impressive. As the department prepares to depart dry dock I would like to thank each of our members for their hard work and diligence. All of you have shown pride in our ship and our seagoing profession, it has been a great experience working with you and I look forward to our future patrols.

          Despite the many personnel changes in the past couple of months our work ethic has stayed the same. We bid farewell to many deck shipmates that decided to move on and further their careers in the Coast Guard by going to school like SN Cortes and SN Bonner who went to Yorktown, VA for Boatswain’s Mate ‘A’ school and SN Durrant who went to Petaluma, California for Store Keeper ‘A’ school. Soon enough, we will be losing two more shipmates due to an ’A’ school, SA Moulton is going to Air Station Cape Cod to become an airdale and work on aircraft and SN Schustereit will be departing in December for Damage Control ‘A’ school in Yorktown, VA.

          On the other hand, we had many new shipmates arrive such as SA Nunez, SA Alvarado, and SA Suarez who are all from New York, and SA Murray from Boston. Needless to say, they were archrivals during the playoffs between the Yankees and Red Sox. Luckily, the good guys (Red Sox) won.

CAMPBELL T-Shirts, Sweatshirts, Polo Shirts, and numerous other symbols of CAMPBELL Pride. Feel free to place an order with your member of CAMPBELL for your CAMPBELL items. Please make all item inquiries through members of CAMPBELL.

          My Coast Guard career began over 9 years ago when I reported to the CGC MIDGETT (WHEC-726) home ported in Seattle, WA. I was a young and eager Fireman Apprentice starting out on a most exciting ride.

          When I heard the ship’s name for the first time while in recruit training, I thought to my self, “It can’t be too big with a name like that.” Needless to say, I was a bit surprised to learn that it was 378 feet in length with a crew of over 160. After reporting, I was more surprised after being handed a stack of qualification packages loaded with deadlines. I wondered, “DCPQ what? Drawings, huh?”

          Though extremely difficult, my time aboard MIDGETT was highly rewarding. I made life-long friends and was able to experience things, and visit places that most people only read about. We sailed as far south as American Samoa and as far north as the Arctic Circle. Most importantly, I learned that with determination and hard work, nearly anything is possible. After striking DC, moved on to one adventure after another, which is how I view each new challenge and duty station. Once again I find my self at a new beginning. I am at the start of a new career path and the most difficult challenge thus far. I couldn’t have asked for a better ship on which to begin this endeavor. Daily, I am impressed and inspired by the efforts of the crew. Despite many long hours of extremely difficult work, and extended periods away from family, the crew maintains an upbeat, can-do attitude. The camaraderie is apparent, as is the willingness to assist one another. I am proud to be part of such an outstanding crew, and I am sure that when I leave here, I will have a ton of great memories to add to my collection.

          The past few months has been a time of great joy and great sorrow for the navigation division. These have been the best of times; these have been the worst of times. BM3 Buck, BM3 LaClair, and their sidekick from the Main Prop division, MK3 Phelts, embarked on a mystical journey in search of the American dream. We had always had a feeling that jumping off of waterfalls might be of great importance, so we began outside of Plattsburg, NY, where we jumped off three awesome waterfalls in a row into a freezing cold river. All we found were some mushrooms and a few frogs. The mushrooms were good, but BM3 LaClair was the only one who would eat them.

          We did most of our driving at night. Once in Wyoming, we almost ran into an elk that was twelve feet tall. It hardly even acknowledged us as we slammed on the brakes and screeched to a stop next to it. We visited Cleveland, OH, where the great rock and roll hall of fame is in this crazy looking white building. We arrived early in the morning, hoping to eat a satisfying breakfast and then tour the hall of fame. We walked around for over an hour and found no restaurants or anything that even looked like a place you could order some eggs and bacon. We ended up eating bagel sandwiches from Dunkin’ Donuts, unsat.

          From Cleveland, we journeyed on to visit a former Campbell sailor, ET3 Matthew Ostergard, who now lives with his parents, sleeps till afternoon on the average day. He showed us a wonderful time at a festival being held in Rockford, IL, where the band legend, Tesla, performed. Keeping the scene alive!

          We then visited BM3 Buck’s parents in New Ulm, MN. New Ulm is a thriving retirement community, so any of you lifers looking for somewhere to grow old, check it out. We went to a medieval festival, more crazy people shouting in crazy tongues, but there were plenty of turkey legs. Huge juicy barbequed turkey legs. It was quite the spectacle.

          After Minnesota we pushed on to the Badlands of South Dakota. The landscape is incredible, and there are prairie dogs everywhere, millions of them. We decided that though humans and cockroaches have been the leaders in the battle for control of the universe, prairie dogs must not be overlooked as a very real threat to our way of life. BM3 LaClair attempted a close encounter of the buffalo kind, but when confronted, the shaggy beast turned tail and ran. This was not the best angle for a photo, but maybe the healthiest alternative to being chased down by a thousand pounds of raging fury.

          The next stop was by far the best, Jackson Hole, WY, a beautiful town at the base of the Grande Teton mountain range. There were elk and buffalo running around everywhere. We bathed in a hot spring, drank Pabst Blue Ribbon on the bank of a river, and jumped off a cliff into it. The American dream lives in Jackson Hole. You can get a chili cheeseburger for breakfast and camp anywhere you want. BM3 LaClair even got a massage and salt rub before we had to leave. We did finally run into a spot of bad luck; the trunk to the car got stuck, so for the next two days we accessed our belongings through a hole in the back seat. We drove on through Idaho and Utah and Nevada under the cover of darkness.

          We reached the Pacific Ocean at Bodega Bay, CA, a really nice little town where the wine country meets the sea. BM1 Babcock had served at the station there, we drove past it and remembered how nice it was not having to think about work at all.

          Next came a long drive south through California, stopping in Las Angeles to take a friend of LaClair’s little brother out to dinner. We high-tailed it out of L.A., cruisin’ on to Vegas. Vegas was another spectacle with flashing lights everywhere, fountains, people walking around constantly. We showed up at 2 in the morning and went to have fun. You can’t always be the golden child, but you can get a gin and tonic at 8 in the morning in Vegas. Good times.

          In Austin, Texas, we attended the Austin City Limits music festival. We showed up the first day on time and paid for it in sweat. We walked around Zilker Park all day listening to some awesome shows in the hot sun then BM3 Buck got separated from the rest of us, and we had to meet him back at the car. The second and third days we did it right, we slept in a little more, showed up later and went swimming often in this bodacious pool/ river/spring with a diving board. The concert was a great time as we even saw Lance Armstrong introduce Sheryl Crow. Unfortunately, one night while out on 6th St. someone ran off with Roger’s golden Elvis “taking care of business in a flash” glasses, unsat. We were deeply grieved.

          We moved on to New Orleans where SN Alonzo was TAD at the time and staying with his family, so we had a place to sleep. We showed up at 8 in the morning and slept till 4, it was great. Then Alonzo gave us a good tour as he showed us around the French Quarter and a good portion of the city.

          The last visit was to BM3 LaClair’s home in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia which entailed more swimming and sleeping. This was the last real stop, and it was really nice to be home and visit family for a few days, long enough to have some fun but short enough not to get wrangled into any of LaClair’s dad’s crazy projects. Another day and we could have ended up wandering around collecting rocks for him.

          Campbell sailors aren’t like the rest; we are quite well adapted to tough situations. The crew has been working very hard to keep the scheduled date to depart MD and return to PNSY. Hopefully we will be home in time to share Thanksgiving with our families. BM3 LaClair, BM3 Buck, and ENS Schmidt can’t wait to get back underway. BM1 Babcock keeps telling us that it is only a few months out of our lives. As far as the other members of the Nav Division go, it seems they have been laying low. BM1 Babcock and SNBM Marcoccio went TAD to Station South Portland, but they haven’t really shared what they did while they were there, maybe it was too secret. Our fearless leader, ENS Schmidt, is soon to be married on the first weekend of November in Philadelphia. He’ll be honeymooning at the beautiful Copperwynd Resort and SPA in Arizona where he’ll enjoy horseback riding, jeep tours, long walks at the Grand Canyon, among other things. Good luck to the newlyweds.

          The inport during December and January will be filled with Cutter Annual Readiness Training and preparation for another session of Tailored Annual Cutter Training in Little Creek, VA. On our liberty, the Nav Division plans on hitting the slopes for some skiing and snowboarding, and doing whatever it takes to stay warm during another long cold New England winter.

          The gold and blue star banners are placed in the windows of homes throughout the nation again. We have not seen them out and placed in such prominence since WWII. The gold star denotes the loss of child in a conflict far away and the blue star denotes those whom are serving their country during armed conflict. These grim reminders of sacrifice are now once again, part of our lives.

          November 11th was set-aside after WWI for America to reflect the loss of life sustained on our behalf to preserve freedom both here and abroad. The cost, at times, has been almost too much of a burden to bear as Mothers and Fathers buried sons and daughters in droves during our beloved Nation’s conflicts both domestically and abroad. Each of us has been touched whether by a family member or friend that has sustained such a loss and we are touched as never before in our lives when it happens. Each sacrifice ensures the freedom and protection we all enjoy. This is not lost on us as our nation mourns twice a year, more than most countries, concerning this noble sacrifice.

          So, as you awake on November 11th, take a moment and reflect…remember the lives lost on our behalf by those who will never return. The gift they have given us must not be squandered nor dishonored.

          We, here on Campbell, are doing our utmost to perform our duties to ensure that we sustain and protect our nation’s way of life. Our part may be small or large, depending on the perspective, but it is our bit nonetheless. Every day spent at sea or ashore gives all of us hope that our families are safe and democracy prevails. This is the legacy left to us from those lost and gone on before. For those of us in the Military…take a look beside you to those whom you serve with…they are there with you…say thank you to them. We will stand the watch together until we are relieved of our duties or are asked to return. We will remember our heritage. We are Americans. We are our Brothers’ keeper.

          Take a moment and shake a Veteran’s hand or visit a cemetery with that small American Flag next to the headstone… and say thank you if you are so inclined. Take the little ones by the hand… so they will know and understand. The Veteran will be humbled as they probably bow their head and mumble when you mention their sacrifice, “I did not do very much or… not as much as some”…but that is not the reason for the thank you…that is a result of stating it. If you see those Stone Soldiers standing eternal guard in the village square or the small cemetery headstone… say thank you…quietly…they will hear you…The Almighty, I am sure, will make sure they hear every last word of thanks.

Greetings to my new CAMPBELL family.

          Susan, Gene, Sean and I are very excited about being at sea again. I have been in the service for 20 years, serving in both the enlisted and officer corp's. In our 15 years of marriage we have moved 7 times. So Susan has become an expert at change, settling into new homes and making new friends. Susan is a school teacher who is presently a stay-at-home mom and volunteers in the York Schools System. Our boys are 10 and 8 years old, they play every kind of sport, the piano and alto sax. Both are involved in after school activities and can't wait to get home to play their Gameboys. Our last assignment was in Chesapeake, Virginia, so we are a little concerned about the coming winter. The cold breezes are bringing in many stories about last year’s colder than normal temps. Our hope is for snow on Christmas and an early spring.

          For the crew and families, I am working with the Morale committee to arrange a ship’s Christmas Party. As of right now, we are looking at December 22nd. More details will be available soon. I look forward to meeting you as we celebrate the holiday season. I am also working on a family pre-deployment night event that is tentatively scheduled for January 11th. The exact format and time for the event is still up in the air. I will be inviting representatives from the Coast Guard's Work-Life staff, the Local Military Chaplain, and a few others. My hope is to provide you the latest information on your earned benefits and local support services available. Please let me know if you have any particular concerns for the evening: Information you would like passed, childcare, etc....

          As you probably know, CAMPBELL has been at the Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore, MD since the end of August. During this scheduled quadrennial dry-dock availability, the ship has seen over $3 million in maintenance and system upgrades.

          Much of the effort has been driven by the addition of a new operational asset – the “Over the Horizon Boat,” or OTHB. This new boat is equipped with radar, high frequency radio and a navigation system that enable it operate independently from the cutter. This new capability will be a great force multiplier for CAMPBELL in all mission areas. The heavier boat required a new davit system to safely put it in the water. To compensate for the additional weight topside, we had to make some major changes below decks. The evaporator and waste heat recovery system were removed and replaced with a modern reverse osmosis water making plant. We also added 28,000 lbs of lead ballast in the engine room. Other system upgrades include a new engine speed control system, a new inertial navigation system, and a new oil/water separator. Routine maintenance included preservation of the underwater body, inspection of the controllable pitch propellers, overhaul of sea valves and renewal of ventilation ducting.

          The work was expertly performed by the Coast Guard Yard’s civilian labor force. This was my first visit to the Yard and I was very impressed with their expertise, professionalism and customer focus. In addition to CAMPBELL, there were up to six other ships undergoing repairs at the same time. The Coast Guard is very fortunate to have such a tremendous capability at its disposal.

          The CAMPBELL crew was challenged in new ways throughout this three-month period. In an initiative to save cutter Operational Days, half of the crew was sent home to work in Kittery or another Coast Guard unit of their choice for five of the twelve weeks. This translates into five more weeks of operational time that CAMPBELL can provide to the public. During their time away, crewmembers were encouraged to take leave and spend time with family. Many seized the opportunity to experience other Coast Guard missions or to work closer to their homes.

          During their time onboard CAMPBELL, each crewmember had to work extremely hard to help the ship meet its responsibilities. Many served as quality assurance inspectors, helping to ensure that the work was completed in accordance with the specifications. Others worked on critical ship’s projects that can only be completed while the cutter is in dry-dock, such as painting the bilges. Such work is backbreaking and monotonous, but it is critical to extending the life of the cutter for the additional fifteen plus years that are needed until replacement cutters can be designed and built.

          This morning the crew was reunited at the Yard and is frantically working to prepare the ship to get underway. We are shooting for November 22nd, so that we can make it home for Thanksgiving. Whether we make it or not, all of us can be extremely proud of our efforts to improve CAMPBELL during this maintenance period. Our efforts will surely pay off in the many operational challenges that lie ahead over the next four years. Thanks to CAMPBELL family and friends for your support during this challenging period. We all look forward to spending some well-deserved time off with you during the upcoming holiday season.

Sincerely,

CDR Mathew von Ruden
Commanding Officer

We are coming to the end of this Dry Dock “deployment.” We have many new faces and we’ll be saying farewell to many longtime shipmates. We will continue to protect our Great Nation and continue to carry out the Campbell command philosophy, Tradition, Pride, & Readiness! Thank you for your strength, messages of support, letters and packages. News from home means a lot to us, please keep it coming! ©

I apologize if you were not mentioned in this edition of the CAMPBELL-Times. If you have a story or know of an accomplishment of a shipmate, please let it be known in the next CAMPBELL Times. Let me know if you’d like to be a part of putting this newsletter together. Thanks to all members of CAMPBELL who contributed articles, ENS P.A. St.Pierre, Editor, reporter, and distribution. © 12 Nov 2004

Disclaimer, The information contained in CAMPBELL Times newslettewr is used to convey information of what the Campbell has been involved with while deployed to our family and friends, and is not to be used as official reports or orders.

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This Newsletter Posted On-August 8, 2004

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CWO Allen 14 yrs
Crewmember w/ most sea time
MKC Smith 22+ yrs
Crewmember Longest in Service
MK2 Lachowsky 3 yrs
Longest on-board Campbell

PATROL BRIEF: Hello to all of our friends and family at home. CAMPBELL got underway on July 6th and returned to her home in the Atlantic Ocean. We spent a few days making sure that people were fishing in accordance with all applicable federal laws and treaties before making an early port call in Portland, ME. But this was no ordinary port call. As soon as we pulled in we were pulling right back out again with more than 100 passengers. This dependent’s cruise was highlighted by whale sightings and the excellent food prepared by CAMBPELL’s galley. The weather was perfect and everyone had a great time with their friends and families. A few hours later we pulled back in to Portland for a few days of liberty. This provided the crew a great chance to recharge before we were underway again and on our way out to police the high seas. We spent a few more days boarding fishing boats here and there, before pulling into Boston to stock up on supplies and prepare for our role in the Democratic National Convention security plan. Now we were once again at home on the sea, and in just a few short weeks we will be at home in the arms of our loved ones.

1. Congratulations to FSC J. Moore, OSC P. Kisela, BMC J. Pritchard, and ETC S. Fisher for qualifying to participate in the CWO Appointment Board convening Jun 2004.
2. Congratulations to YN3 C. Kirtsinger for being selected for OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM.
3. Congratulations to SK1 R. Molder for placing 10th on the May 2004 SWE. He also successfully screened for Recruiter Duty and has been assigned to recruiter office El Paso, TX.
4. Congratulations to SK3 J. Ross for placing 14 on the May 2004 SWE.
5. Congratulations to FS3 J. Roth, FS3 D. Chanthapho, FS3 N. Guevara for their placement on the FS2 Supplemental Eligibility Adv Lists.
6. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of ET1 Trawick, SK1 Molder, YN3 Kirtsinger, ET3 Olson and BM2 Strickland our shipmates can now enjoy the comforts of our newly remodeled lounges. The $24K rehab included flat screen TVs, surround sound systems, new upholstery and carpet, and the ability to watch TV and play video games at the same time.

1. FS3 Guvera for his promotion to FS2
2. ET1 Robert Rue for his acceptance into the fall 2005 OCS class.
3. DC1 Bryan Velez: Achievement Medal
4. BM3 Ryan Gilren: Letter of Commendation
5. ITC Scott Eubanks: Letter of Commendation
6. SN Kyle Pelchat: Sea Service Ribbon and Cutterman’s Pin
7. SN Angel Cortez: Sea Service Ribbon and Cutterman’s Pin
8. CWO Dave Palacios: Cutterman’s Pin and Inport OOD
9. ENS Chris Dusfrane: Sea Service Ribbon
10. ENS Brian Schmidt: Sea Service Ribbon
11. ENS Neal White: Sea Service Ribbon

1. ENS Goldstein: Quatermaster of the Watch
2. ENS St. Pierre: Quatermaster of the Watch
3. ENS DiIulio: Quatermaster of the Watch
4. SN Alonzo: Boarding Team Member, Boatswain’s Mate of the Watch
5. SN Bonner: Boarding Team Member
6. BM3 Buck: Boarding Team Member
7. ENS Whiteside: Boarding Officer
8. ENS Schmidt: Boarding Officer
9. SN Torres: Helm/Lookout
10. ET3 Olson: CIC Watch Stander
11. ET1 Rue: CIC Watch Supervisor
12. BM3 LaClair: RHI and MSB Coxswain
13. BM2 Strickland: MSB Coxswain
14. EM2 Joyce: Throttleman

            The following is an essay of the definition of our Core Values and what they mean to me as a Coast Guardsmen. The following definitions were taken from Webster’s dictionary and are not of my own.

1. Honor – 1. person of superior standing 2 one whose worth brings respect or fame 3. a keen sense of ethical conduct or integrity
2. Respect – 1. an act of giving particular attention: consideration 2. high or special regard 3. to consider worthy of high regard
3. Devotion to Duty – 1. to commit by a solemn act 2 to give over or direct (such as time, money) 3. the fact or state of being ardently dedicated and loyal

            These three words are the United States Coast Guard’s Core Values. They were instilled into our brains from day one of boot camp. They are more understood in the actual fleet than they were in boot camp. Although, these words were more commonly used in boot camp, it’s something that just can’t escape the mind. Honor, to me is doing the right thing at all times. Such as, when someone is not around and you’re alone on watch. It’s telling the truth even when sometimes you feel you have to lie. And it’s being honest with yourself, keeping your head up through the Coast Guard’s ups and downs. Sometimes it when you break such a value, such as Honor, you really learn it for what it is, and understand it a lot better then you did before.
            Respect, to me is showing care for other shipmates, looking out for one another and helping each other. Using care of your words in thought of respect. Doing as you’re told and not going behind superiors’ backs. Taking care of your unit, be it that you have to p.m.s. equipment, or you have to clean and scrub something.
            Devotion to Duty, to me is being committed and focused on your job. It is said “choose your rate you choose your fate”. This is true but you don’t have to love it, just do it right and be dependable. Being on time, not sleeping on watch, these are all part of being devoted to your job. There is a fine line between doing your job and doing a good job. It is up to the Coast Guardsmen how much Devotion to Duty they want to put in.
            In conclusion, this essay has reminded me the values the Coast Guard was built on from day one. It has shown me what sometimes we can take for granted even when we don’t realize or mean to.

ENS St. Pierre     ENS Eustace     ENS Goldstein     ENS DiIulio     CWO Allen     MKC George     DC1 Rago     MK1 Proctor     BM1 Babcock
DC3 Tauzer     ET3 Ohler     SNBM Maroccio     SN Moulton     SN Torres     SN Sullivan     SA Nunez     FN Crowley     FN Scirghio
FA Gigliotti     FA Scirghio

CWO Becerra: Group Woods Hole, MA     MKCS Clancey: Station Southwest Harbor, ME     MKC Lefebvre: Group Moriches, NY
EM1 Serdyuk: CGC EAGLE     ITC Eubanks: ESD Southwest Harbor, ME     OS2 Sander: CG Intel Corpus Christi, TX
DC1 Velez: GANTSEC, Puerto Rico     DC2 Warlick: GANTSEC, Puerto Rico     ET1 Allen-ELC Baltimore     LTJG Lee: District 14 at Honolulu, HI
MK1 Turner: Station Pensacola, FL     FN Folster: Group South Portland, ME     FN Restall: Air Station Cape Cod, MA     FN Maupin: OS ‘A’ School
BM3 Gillis: Station Cape Cod Canal, MA     BM3 Gilrein: Station Kuwi, HI     BM3 Whiting: Station Woods Hole, MA.
BM3 Robertson (former “Deckie”): Station Menemsha, MA

            Greetings from the Captain’s Cabin. I hope you have enjoyed this edition of the CAMPBELL Times. Thanks to ENS DiIulio for taking on the responsibilities of editor so that we can continue the CAMPBELL tradition of keeping our families and friends informed of the many missions, accomplishments and general happenings of the ship while we are away. I enjoyed meeting many of you during our recent family and friends cruise in Portland. I hope those that attended had an enjoyable day seeing CAMPBELL in action.

            The CAMPBELL that began this patrol on July 6th is quite different from the ship that arrived home from our last trip only weeks earlier. As happens every summer, the most experienced twenty percent of the crew moved on and were replaced by an equal number of new people. While it always hurts to loose the experience, this dynamic personnel environment is actually critical to any ship’s success. The new individuals bring with them a heightened level of energy and enthusiasm and a diverse set of skills and experiences that strengthen the ship. The rest of the crew is focused on training the new people, so there is less chance of complacency and the resultant mishaps. As a Commanding Officer, it is very satisfying for me to see new people step up and emerge as leaders in the place of those who have departed.

            Thanks to the hard work of the crew during our short five-week import, CAMPBELL also sailed with several new capabilities this patrol. We replaced our aging firefighting breathing equipment that used a chemical canister to “recycle” breathed air with a modern compressed air breathing apparatus. This change significantly enhanced our firefighting capabilities and eliminated a costly stream of hazardous waste. We also have a new Secret Internet Protocol Network that allows us access to classified material underway and the ability to send classified e-mail. This new capability greatly improves our operational effectiveness.

            No two patrols are alike, and this trip has been particularly unique. We hosted a reception for the New England Fisheries Management Council during our port call in Portland, ME. Representatives from the fishing industry, scientists, regulators and enforcement officials all met aboard the ship and enjoyed hors d’oeuvres prepared by the Main Fisherman’s Wives Association. The CAMPBELL crew worked hard to prepare the ship for the event and attend to the guests during the reception. We represented the Coast Guard extremely well, winning the praise of the First District Commander, RADM Pekoske. We were also fortunate to conduct some exciting training with the Coast Guard’s newest tactical law enforcement team, the Enhanced Maritime Safety, Security and Response Team and the FBI, in preparation for our role in the Democratic National Convention. The New Area Commander, VADM Crea joined RADM Pekoske and numerous others aboard CAMPBELL to witness this new Coast Guard capability. During the week of the convention, we patrolled the offshore approaches to Boston and boarded virtually every inbound vessel that potentially posed a threat to the city. I was extremely impressed with the crew’s stamina and enthusiasm during this arduous week of round-the-clock operations.

            CAMPBELL hosted a Career Development Advisor onboard for several days this patrol to provide training on individual personal and professional development. Topics included continuing education, financial management and career planning. We also placed a new emphasis on health and fitness in anticipation of the new Coast Guard fitness standards that go into effect in October. We now allow one hour out of each workday for people to exercise and there are group fitness activities at least once per day. The addition of a new treadmill and dumb bell weights are further incentives for people to get in shape.

            A lot of time and effort have gone into the preparations for our upcoming drydock availability. As you probably know, nearly all of the crew will spend only half of the time aboard the ship in Baltimore while it is being repaired. The balance of the time may be spent on leave, on temporary duty at another Coast Guard unit of interest, or home in Kittery enjoying a rather relaxed work routine. This should provide a nice break for many of the crew, but supervising the ambitious repair efforts will be a real challenge. The Chiefs Mess and wardroom have come up with a great plan that I’m sure will be successful.

            Well, that’s what’s going on from my perspective. I hope you all are enjoying your summer. I hope to see you all on the pier upon our return.

Once again we are coming to the end of this deployment. We have many new faces and we’ll be saying farewell to many longtime shipmates. We will continue to protect our Great Nation and continue to carry out the Campbell command philosophy, Tradition, Pride, & Readiness! Thank you for your strength, messages of support, letters and Packages. News from home mean so much to us, please keep them coming! See ya soon!

I apologize if you were not mentioned in this edition of the C-Times let me know. And if you have a story or know of an accomplishment of a shipmate let it be known in the CAMPBELL Times newsletter put out during the final 2 weeks of deployment. Let me know if you’d like to be a part of putting this newsletter together. Thank all of my shipmates who contributed articles, ENS D.A. DiIulio, Editor, reporter, and distribution. © 04 May 2004

Disclaimer, The information contained in the Campbell Times newsletter is used to convey information of what Campbell has been involved with while deployed to our families and friends, and is not to be used as official reports or orders.