Honor, Courage, Commitment

by Leahy, John F.

  Division 005 recruits, photographed in the forward area of the male berthing space in Compartment D-01. The recruits worked together in this compartment when the division was gender integrated. Standing: Recruits Hebert, Treano,* Leitner, Parker, Buki, Miller, Guiterrez, Jackson, Castillo, McClellan, Carpenter, Troeger, Haight. Front row: Recruits Alcazar, Moonyhan,* Nance, Volk, Kyaw, Hattrich. (* Did not graduate with Division 005.)

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  Division 005 recruits photographed during their sixth week of training. Fighting exhaustion, they knew that the greatest challenges, including battle stations, were still ahead. Standing: Recruits Shelton, Callahan, Smith, J., Collins, Burger, Hooton-Hetrick, Gildersleeve, Betton. Front row: Recruits Starks, Gray, Pierce, Gamble.

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  Recruits standing just outside the RDC office in Compartment D-01. Carrie William’s comment “They even teach us how to write” is echoed by the poster prescribing proper recruit handwriting, visible in the upper right corner of this picture. Rear: Recruits Pasillas, Tisdale, Lee, Mills, Stamp, Brunney, Arcia. Middle: Lopez, Ward, Courtheyn, Williams, C., Fletcher. Front: Bruce, Orlando, Adams, Prosper.

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  The heavy peacoats lining the back wall of the barracks were lifesavers, as the division completed training in mid-December. Rear: Recruits Miller, Atitsogbuie, Jones, Jackson, Broders, Schau, Treano.* Front: Paes, Zaragoza, Haight, Smith, D., Longacre.* (*Did not graduate with Division 005.)

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  Chief Martin Zeller and a cadre of recruits, each wearing the despised RECRUIT ball cap. The caps would be exchanged for hats marked NAVY at the battle stations graduation ceremony. Standing rear: Recruits Taylor, Trindade, Kelly, Hopkins, Herring, Leonard, Freeman. Standing front: Rasco, Smith, M., Hardin, Abbott, Scorsone, Dizon, Cavillo.* Kneeling: Ryan, Caldeira, FCC Zeller, Pankratz, Wirsch. Prone: Burrell, Williams. (*Did not graduate with Division 005.)

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  Petty Officer Dan Kent and recruits. Kent retired from the Navy and began a successful civilian career as a corporate trainer shortly after Division 005 graduated from boot camp. Standing: Recruits Taylor, Smith, M., Abbott, Scorsone, Dizon, Williams, S. Kneeling: Cavillo,* Caldeira, PR1 Kent, Pankratz, Wirsch. Prone: Rasco, Hopkins. (*Did not graduate with Division 005.)

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  FCC (SW) Martin Zeller, leading RDC for Division 005. Shortly after Division 005 graduated, Chief Zeller was selected for direct meritorious commission to the rank of Navy ensign.

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  PRl(AW) Dan Kent, Division 005 RDC, wearing the “Johnny Cash” winter working uniform, which the recruits found both comfortable and attractive.

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  DC1 (SW) Lela Russell, Division 005 RDC. Petty officer Russell served as a role model for the female members of Division 005. The crossed axes and chevrons of a first class damage controlman are clearly visible on her winter working uniform.

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  The moment of emotional transition from civilian to navy “boot.” Recruits lined up facing a half-dozen barber chairs, and a typical recruit division was in and out of the barbershop in about twenty minutes. Here, Recruit Troeger is in the barbers chair.

  U.S. Navy

  Initial immunizations were administered along a “production line,” with each recruit receiving six injections in the space of three minutes or less. Here, Seaman Recruit Hattrich reacts to the first injections.

  U.S. Navy

  The recruit confidence course played an important part in the physical training of the recruits. They would revisit the course, in the very early hours of 1 December 2000, as part of their battle stations exercises. Here, Seaman Recruit Mary Smith on the confidence course Jacob’s ladder.

  U.S. Navy

  Both male and female recruits experience identical physical training challenges at Recruit Training Command. Here, Seaman Recruit Nance on the confidence course pole climb.

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  The recruits welcomed performance-based training in the seamanship training division. Here, Seaman Recruit Alcazar learns line-handling procedures in the seamanship training area.

  U.S. Navy

  Naval customs and traditions were reinforced aboard USS Marlinespike. Here, Seaman Recruit Broders reports aboard the fleet trainer.

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  USS Marlinespike has been designed as a generic fleet auxiliary, allowing recruits to practice the skills necessary in the fleet. Here, SR Hebert, Abbott, and Kyaw handle hawsers aboard the Marlinespike.

  U.S. Navy

  Recruit athletic competition—the Captain’s Cup challenge—traditionally ends with a two-mile run from Drill Hall 1400 to Drill Hall 800, at the far southern end of Camp Porter. Recruits of Division 005 pass Ship One, shortly after exiting the tunnel linking Camps Moffett and Porter.

  U.S. Navy

  Fire-fighting training is one of the most important elements of recruit training. Here, Seaman Recruit Collins exits at the emergency egress simulation in the Fire-fighting Training Area.

  U.S. Navy

  Many recruits considered the Investigate and Rescue exercise as one of the most difficult and frightening training exercises. Here, Seaman Recruit Wirsch’s team is seen exiting the smoke-filled compartment during battle stations.

  U.S. Navy

  The mass casualty drill during battle stations is designed to replicate the conditions following the attack on Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia, during which scores of U.S. military personnel were killed or wounded. Here, Seaman Recruit Caldeira’s team takes part in the mass casualty drill at battle stations.

  U.S. Navy

  “Learn or Burn” is the motto of the Firefighting Training Unit. This unit is manned by experienced damage control professionals, and requires strict adherence to safety protocols by recruits and staff alike. Here, Seaman Recruit Davis charges the fire hose as the last element of battle stations begins.

  U.S. Navy

  Recruits are drilled on the proper use of Oxygen Breathing Apparatus and other lifesaving equipment during their time in the Firefighting Training Unit. Here, SR Starks and Abbott, wearing OBAs, advance the line.

  U.S. Navy

  Recruits of Division 005 attempt to extinguish a Class A fire during battle stations. Exhausted by their night’s activities, SR Mills, Gamble, and other members of their fire party advance on the raging fire.

  U.S. Navy

  Most battle stations exercises are simulations, but while in the Firefighting Training Unit, the lives of his or her shipmates are in each recruit’s hands. Here, Seaman Recruit Taylor acts as pump operator during battle stations.

  U.S. Navy

  Seaman Recruit Becky Freeman, lost and abandoned during the Investigate and Rescue exercise in the smoke-filled room, bounced back to motivate her shipmates during the long runs between events. Here, SR Freeman stands at attention as Capt. Ed Gantt calls the recruits of Division 005 “sailors” for the first time.

  U.S. Navy

  Seaman Recruit Rasco, having just received her NAVY ball cap, leads the Blue Team in singing the national anthem during battle stations graduation.

  U.S. Navy

  Seaman Recruit Hopkins, recruit chief petty officer of Division 005, leads the Gold Team in singing “God Bless the USA.”

  U.S. Navy

  Capt. Edward Gantt, commanding officer, Recruit Training Command. A former Army enlisted man, Captain Gantt exhibited the best qualities of a military leader, and was both loved and respected by the recruits and staff of Division 005.

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phic Services

  CMDMC Mike McCalip, command master chief petty officer, Recruit Training Command. As the senior enlisted member assigned to RTC, Master Chief McCalip led a cadre of over seven hundred RDCs as they converted civilians into physically fit, basically trained sailors, ready for assignment to the fleet.

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  Recruit Eric Hopkins, recruit chief petty officer, Division 01-005. The Indiana native was also honored as the outstanding recruit petty officer in his graduation group, 8 December 2000.

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  Recruit Schelly Rasco, assistant recruit chief petty officer, Division 01-005. Her leadership abilities were evident even at the Military Entrance Processing Station, when she was selected to lead a draft of recruits from Kansas City to Great Lakes.

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  Recruit Robert Gildersleeve, recruit master-at-arms, Division 005. The Birmingham, Alabama, native ensured that good order and discipline prevailed when the division was in quarters.

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  Recruit Megan Anne Wirsch, recruit yeoman, Division 005. Her ability to keep track of myriad forms, chits, letters, and other artifacts of naval bureaucracy was considered amazing by her RDCs, and her constantly cheerful approach to boot camp was a delight to both the staff and her shipmates.

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  *Petty Officer Redekop is an electronics technician, first class (E6), with submarine warfare qualifications.

  *Seaman Recruit Leitner and her husband enlisted together, but, following RTC policy, were assigned to separate divisions.

  12

  Battle Stations! Fighting the Good Fight

  2030, 30 November 2000, Ship Eight, RTC Great Lakes

  Dan Kent and Lela Russell mustered with the Division 006 RDCs in the first deck lounge. Senior Chief Nelson rose and searched for a weather report on television. “Too early for the news, Senior,” remarked Russell. “I know, but I heard we might get snow this evening,” Nelson replied. “That’s what the radio said, anyway.”

  Kent, Russell, Nelson, Brown, and Redekop were dressed in coveralls—standard issue, except for Kent’s. Kent, as a former battle stations facilitator, wore dress coveralls, identical to those worn by the staff at Building 1312. Royal blue, with gold accents, the dress coveralls identified “the best of the best.” Each battle stations facilitator had pushed at least six divisions as an RDC before winning the coveted assignment.

  On the second deck, compartment D-01 was quiet. Taps had sounded at 2000. The only sounds were a few muffled coughs, and the footsteps of the compartment watch, provided tonight as a courtesy by Division 032. Battle stations was considered an all-hands evolution, even if several members of the division—those who had failed PT-2 or were sick in quarters—would not participate.

  Gildersleeve lay in his bunk, exhausted. Earlier, there had been much debate among the Nasty Nine, as they conducted field day in the head. Was it better to get one hour’s sleep, or stay awake and let adrenaline carry you through the night? In the end, it was a moot argument, for the master-at-arms, like most of his shipmates, was too keyed up to sleep.

  Topside, Stephanie Prosper tossed and turned. At reveille that morning, she had banged into Jenny Jones, her bunkmate, as they both jumped out of their racks. Her left knee throbbed from the collision. Let me keep going tonight, Lord, she prayed. She promised herself that in the morning she’d go straight to sickbay if it continued to hurt.

  Below, on the quarterdeck, the outer door opened. The JOOD snapped to attention. A team of six battle stations facilitators, led by SMl(SW)* Scott Bowser, reported, turned, and entered the lounge. Bowser greeted Senior Chief Nelson and the assembled RDCs. “005 and 006 tonight?” Nelson nodded. Bowser checked his clipboard. “All eleven events are operating tonight. We’ll double-time between locations—the temperature is still about 35, and the wind chill is holding at about 24 or 25. If we get ice or snow later, we may slow ’em down, but right now it looks like we’ll run all evening. So, if you guys are ready . . .”

  Senior Chief Nelson nodded again. Three divisions would run this evening. In addition to 005 and 006, Division 902, the band, choir, and drill division, would also participate. Dan Kent smiled. During summer surge, it was not unusual for six divisions to run, in two groups. With a single group, battle stations should finish not much later than 0800. That should help avoid total fatigue, he thought.

  The facilitators reviewed the rules for tonight’s event. Any of three major infractions would cause a recruit to immediately fail, and be returned to the barracks. Cheating, gundecking, or attempting to “beat the system” was an automatic failure and, indeed, would no doubt result in a two- to three-week setback to a junior division. Balking at any of the exercises—the formal term was “refusing to train”—would also result in failure. Stopping during any run, or falling so far back as to exceed permitted transit times, was also grounds for immediate failure. Bowser explained that a recruit incurring three “strikes”—minor infractions or safety violations—would fail, and be required to repeat battle stations during the following week.

  Because of the threat of snow and ice later that evening, the facilitators agreed to some leniency regarding transit times between events. They agreed that, so long as a recruit neither passed the facilitator leading the run, nor fell behind the RDC running as the aft safety observer, actual times would not be recorded.

  Bowser also reviewed roles and responsibilities for the evening. Facilitators would conduct the events; two RDCs would accompany the division at all times to motivate and maintain discipline among the recruits. Unspoken, but understood, was the requirement to lead by example. While the RDCs were not permitted to assist the recruits in any way, they were expected to participate in the runs between venues, as well as to act as casualties, safety observers, and general cheerleaders for their divisions. Kent would lead two twenty-member sections of the division (the Blue Team); Russell would lead the remaining two, designated as the Gold Team. Chief Zeller, who had drawn duty as the ship’s OOD this evening, would remain behind as the “catcher,” responsible for any recruit who failed battle stations and returned early.

  “No problems? Let’s go, then!”

  2100, Compartment D-1

  The 1MC squawked into action. A recorded announcement, with sound effects, filled the berthing spaces. “General quarters, general quarters! All hands man your battle stations. General quarters, general quarters. All hands man your battle stations. Incoming missiles, port side! Incoming!”

  Bowser, accompanied by facilitators PN1(SW)* Robinson and AD1(SW)** Velasco, burst through the door of D-01. “RPOC! You have seven minutes to get your division into full battle dress and integrated! Move!”

  Katie Abbott, 19, Pensacola, Florida

  I was ready, because they were prepping us up earlier in the evening. I didn’t even sleep because I was nervous and excited, so I was ready when they came in.

  Hattrich I slept good because I knew we were going to be up all night. But then, when I woke I up I was, like, where am I? What’s going on?

  Quickly, recruits jumped from their racks, dressed, and grabbed their prepositioned seabags. The male members of Division 006 raced out the back door and up the aft ladder toward their space. As 006’s males entered the topside compartment from the aft ladder, 005’s female members left by the forward door. The first female members arrived in D-01 within four minutes; but it was nearly seven minutes before the division was completely integrated.

  Bruce I think we were slow getting downstairs because most of us were tired, even those who slept. We couldn’t move that fast. And another thing. I don’t think we were listening to what they were saying. We weren’t following instructions.

  Veronica Burrell, 18, Painesville, Ohio

&nb
sp; I think it was because we were scared. This was our first battle station and we didn’t want to get any strikes or anything, so we were scared of getting failed or something.

  There was additional delay, as it became apparent that there were not enough road guard vests to safely move the division between venues. Kent called Chief Zeller at the quarterdeck, and extra vests were quickly appropriated from other divisions in the building.

  Bowser positioned the teams. The Blue Team mustered forward, the Gold Team headed aft. Confusion continued among the recruits: during “dress rehearsals” they had stood at their GQ positions, in front of the racks, facing inboard.

  Andrew Krofta, 22, Cleveland, Ohio

  There were some people, males and females, who were sleepy . . . I think the time was pretty good, at least in getting integrated.

  Xavier Pasillas, 26, San Bernardino, California

  We were anticipating things. I don’t think very many people went to sleep. We were just expecting them to come in there and start tearing the place up.

  Katie Adams, 18, Hillsborough, North Carolina

  We practiced different than what they wanted us to do. Like, we practiced getting to GQ, but they wanted us all forward. And we got mixed up with the 006 females, and it was a mess for a couple minutes.

  Because of the confusion, it was eleven minutes before Hopkins reported the group ready and accounted for. Bowser noted the discrepancy on his tally sheet. The slow start would count against the division’s total score, but would not be counted against individual recruits. He began the formal introduction to battle stations.