U.S. Coast Guard Alaska Bear

8/7/2019 U.S. Coast Guard Alaska Bear

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GoldenSeas

Response

Building Sweet StructureS

Survival of the fitteSt

ZoMBieS

eyeS pind on SucceSS

the SurfMen of noMe


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08

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ContentsAlaska Bear

Sta- District Commander -

Rear Adm. Christopher Colvin----------------------

- External Aairs Ocer -

Lt. Eric Eggen----------------------

- Deputy External Aairs Ocer-

Chie Dana Warr----------------------

- Editor / Layout -

PA1 David Mosley----------------------

- Sta Writers / Photographers -

PA1 Sara Francis

PA3 Charly Hengen

PA3 Jon-Paul RiosPA3 Walter Shinn

PA3 Jonathan Lally----------------------

This quarterly publication is

authorized or members o the

military services stationed in Alaska,their amilies and the general public.

Its contents do not necessarily

reect the ocial views o the

U.S. Government, the Department

o Homeland Security or the U.S.

Coast Guard and do not imply

endorsement thereo.

Editorial content is edited, prepared

and provided by the sta o the 17th

Coast Guard District external aairs

oce.

All queries concerning news and

editorial content should be directed

to Coast Guard external aairs,

709 W. 9th St., Juneau, AK 99801.

(907) 463-2065.

www.uscgalaska.com

Is there an event you want covered

or the Alaska Bear? Do you have an

opinion to be heard? Does your unit

have anything newsworthy to report?

I so, we want to hear rom you, call

907-463-2065.

Coast Guard external aairs

709 W. 9th St.

Juneau, AK 99801

----------------------

On The Cover

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - The bulk

carrier Golden Seas is towed throughrough seas in the Bering Sea by the

Tor Viking II Dec. 6, 2010. The vessels

were en route to Dutch Harbor

transiting at about 8 mph arriving

saely on Dec. 7, 2010. U.S. Coast

Guard photo courtesy o Air Station

Kodiak .

Winter 2010

Around the 17th Distr

A)csg aS Sks mc w, 13--s cbss, c., ba training ight to Mt. Edgecumbevolcano and around the city of Sitka on anMH-60 Jayhawk rescue helicopter Oct. 22, 2010.Wineland, who is terminally ill, reportedly dreamtof visiting Alaska but was not permitted by her doctor due toher health condition. Winelands condition reportedly improved andspent the last nine days in Alaska with her family. While at the AlaskaDay Celebration in Sitka she witnessed a search-and-rescue demonstrationby Coast Guard helicopters. Her family made the request to visit the airstation and be allowed to y.

B)Members of the Juneau Coast Guard Auxiliary otilla and Coast GuardCutter Elderberry work together to remove 18 buoys weighing 200pounds each in the Gastineau Channel Friday, Oct. 15, 2010.

C)The Coast Guard successfully rescued ve people from the shingvessel Sandy M after they had abandoned ship Dec. 18, 2010. A Sitka-based MH-60 rescue helicopter crew transferred the shermen to localemergency medical service personnel in Sitka where they were later released .

D)Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk crewmen rescuedRebecca Moffat, a 25-year-old female, who suffered a broken leg whilehiking near Uyak Bay on Kodiak Island Oct. 11, 2010. Moffat was safelytransported by the helicopter rescue crew to the awaiting emergency medicalpersonnel who transferred her to Providence Kodiak Island Medical Center instable condition for further treatment.

C

BA

Paying tribute.......08Responding over a vast, empty and stormy sea.......10

Building sweet structures.......14Santa brings cheer.......16

Who rescues the rescuers?.......20Survival of the ttest.......24

An aircraft of mythical proportions.......28Fog doesnt delay determination.......32

Zombies.......36

Part Coast Guard.......38Eyes pind on success.......40The Surfmen of Nome.......42Pay TRICARE online.......45

The four risks.......46

D


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FUNdamental Reading

KODIAK, Alaska - Coast Guard Petty Ocer 3rd Class Brandon

Robinson, an inormation technologist aboard the Coast GuardCutter SPAR, reads to Simon Corrieie and Savana Long at North

Star Elementary Nov. 3, 2010, as part o the Partners in Educationoutreach program. Approximately 10 SPAR crewmembers

volunteer time monthly with North Star Elementary in an eort to

assist teachers with class assignments. U.S. Coast Guard photo byPetty Ocer 3rd Class Charly Hengen.


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Winter

Chiefs Call

JUNEAU, Alaska - Master Chie Petty Ocer o the Coast Guard

Michael P. Leavitt addresses Coast Guardsmen stationed inthe Juneau area Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2010. The Master Chie

Petty Ocer o the Coast Guard was established by legislativeaction on August 27, 1969 to provide the Commandant with

a personal advisor and assistant in matters aecting the

enlisted members o the Coast Guard, both active and reserveand their amilies. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Ocer 3rd

Class Walter Shinn.


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Story and photo by Petty Ocer 1st Class David Mosley, PADET Anchorage

For years the Alaska Aces, Alaskasonly professional hockey team, hasbeen showing support for the menand women in the military who arestationed in the Nations largest state.

Spanning two nights in e arly November, thetradition continued as two home games werededicated to these men and women throughmilitary themed activities and events.

The Alaska Aces have been honored to hostMilitary Night for the last several years, saidd h, ask as pms d.Anchorage is a military town and we all areconnected to someone who is serving or hasserved in the past. Our goal as an organizationis honor the sacrice made each day by thesesoldiers, from all branches of the military.

The rst of the two game dedications was forthe rst time ever hosted by the only admiral

in Alaska, Coast Guard Rear Adm. Christopherc, ds 17 mm.Colvin started the Friday night game with

a few words of thanks to the fans and theteam for their support of the military. He thenceremonially started the game with the puck.

e s k s s

chosen, said Hewlett. The Aces were honoredto have Rear Adm. Christopher Colvin as a guestNovember 11, 2010. His appearance was the rstfor the Coast Guard.

Brent Thompson, Alaska Aces head coach,thanked Colvin for his participation bypresenting a team signed military themed jerseythat was designed and worn just for the militarynights.

Events across the two nights included a jointmilitary service ag presentation, a joint military , bss ms ceremony conducted by the Alaska chapter of thevm vs M cb.

I was extremely honored to participate in theAces salute to the military, said Colvin. Themen and women of the armed services havededicated their lives to protecting and serving

our great country. It was great that they couldbe recognized and honored by the Alaska Aceshockey team and their fans.

While the Alaska Aces lost both home gamesto the Ontario Reign, however, the event wasanything but a loss to the men and women whowere honored for their service to the people ofAlaska and the United States.

Thank You

ANCHORAGE, Alaska BrentThompson, Alaska Aces head co

presents Rear Adm. Christophe

Colvin, District 17 commander,the unique Alaska Aces military

appreciation night jersey Nov. 2010. The Alaska Aces honor t

military each year at two back-t

back home games by inviting mmembers to participate in even

watch the hockey game.

Paying tributeProfessional team honors Alaskas military members


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Story by Petty Ocer 3rd Class Walter Shinn, D17

F

a s 30-foot seas assaulted a 738-foot freighterwith 20 crewmembers aboard ndingthemselves helplessly adrift withlimited engine power in the midst of

an ice-cold storm 70 miles north of Adak.Trouble loomed on the horizon as they were

drifting toward land carrying more than 132,277s s s mk ,450,000 gallons of fuel oil and 11,700 gallonsof diesel fuel with the only help more than 400ms .

In the midst of the Golden Seas voyage tothe United Arab Emirates the crew experienceda turbo-charger failure Dec. 3 2010. The powerfailure disabled the vessels propulsion setting

the ship adrift in heavy seas heading toward thea is ak.

As soon as the Coast Guard received the reportof the vessels problem the life-saving serviceimmediately began mobilizing personnel inpreparation for a major incident.

Six years ago nearly to the e xact day a similar .

The Malaysian freighter, Selendang Ayu,went aground and broke in half at Skan Bay offUnalaska Island in the Aleutian chain December8, 2004. The accident sent 336,000 gallons of oiland 66,000 tons of soybeans into the water andonto the shores of the island. Six crew members s m.

The familiarity of the Golden Seas to the

Selendang Ayu was in the minds of personfrom federal and state agencies who formeunied command to prevent a bad situatioturning into a major incident.

The unied command was faced witha difcult situation. There was a gap withhundreds of miles of empty ocean and no responders close by to come to the aid of thg Ss.

However, there was a 251-foot, 18,300horsepower towing vessel moored in DutcHarbor. The crew of Tor Viking II was justaway from being able to rescue the GoldenThe Tor Viking II vessel and crew was conby OBriens, who was part of the uniedcommand, to respond from Dutch Harbor

Responding overa vast, empty andstormy sea


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the Golden Seas to safety.In addition to the Tor Viking II Two Air

Station Kodiak Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawkhelicopters and crews were deployed to Adak s bs . acs g hc-130 hs s sdeployed to communicate with the vessel and s, , mm m mk b by the aircrew.

Battling through nearly overwhelmingconditions in the Bering Sea, the Coast GuardCutter Alex Haley was also diverted to respondto the Golden Seas but was three days away.The Cutter SPAR was also deployed fromKodiak to help with any needed e nvironmentss.

ws m 10 30-

to the reputation of harsh weather conditionsin the Bering Sea. Rescue aircraft and vesselsfought through the weather conditions toswiftly aid the troubled Golden Seas.

Ferocious seas were no match for the TorViking II vessel and crew as they were able toreach the Golden Seas after a days travel ofplowing through the weather.

By the time the towing vessel crew arrived,the weather became calmer for a short periodlong enough for the Golden Seas to utilizem b mnortheast away from land giving rescue vesselsthe time needed to get to the stricken vessel.The Tor Viking II reached the bulk carrier at5:30 p.m. and was able to successfully attachtowlines and began the tow at 8:30 p.m. Dec. 4.2010.

A rescue operation of this size demonstratesthe immense area of responsibility for the Coastg.

The 17th Coast Guard District operates ask s m encompassing 3,853,500 square miles and more

than 33,000 miles of coastline, an area larger thanthe land mass of the continental U.S.

Large bulk carriers navigate through thisarea because it is part of the great circle route,decreasing vessels traveling time and fuel whilecrossing the Pacic Ocean.

This case demonstrates the extreme distances s ask the challenges ahead for the Arctic regions, saidc. Js fsk, -s .M cs g s srequiring a coordinated airplane, helicopter andocean-going cutter response. Fortunately the

Alex Haley was able to respond, demonstratingthe need for Coast Guard cutters that can handleheavy seas in the Bering.

Crews from the Coast Guard and Tor VikingII valiantly braved through stormy seas to aidthe stricken motor vessel Golden Seas. The TorViking II towed the vessel near the port of D utchHarbor for the crew to make repairs. Six dayslater the motor vessel departed Dutch Harbor enroute to the United Arab Emirates after successful ss .

This is a very different outcome than woccurred six years ago when the SelendanAyu grounded on Unalaska Island, said GFolley, state on-scene coordinator. The SAlaska is grateful for the efforts of all invoin the response, in particular the crew of thViking II who demonstrated tremendous s

taking the Golden Seas in tow at night in hseas.The Tor Viking II and the Alex Haley tra

more than 400 miles one way while Coast helicopters traveled more than 600 miles toposition to rescue the 20 vessel crewmemb.

A major crisis was averted and lives wersaved when the Coast Guard sprang into aand did what the service does best; maintas s.

PhotocourtesyofAirStationKodiak

The Response (top to bottom)

The 738-oot tanker Golden Seas makes 3.5 mph through 20-oot seas

50 miles north o Adak Island Dec. 3, 2010. -- The crew o the tug TorViking II is making 12 mph through 20 oot waves and 46 mph winds 48

miles rom the 738-oot cargo vessel Golden Seas in the Bering Sea Dec.

4, 2010. -- A crewmember aboard the tow vessel Tor Viking II maneuversthe vessel upon arrival with the bulk carrier Golden Seas 40 miles north

o Atka Island Dec. 4, 2010. -- The bulk carri er Golden Seas is towedthrough rough seas in the Bering Sea by the Tor Viking II Dec. 5, 2010.

Safe Harbor

The bulk carrier Golden Seas is towed into anchoring position i n

near Dutch Harbor by the tug Tor Viking II Dec. 7, 2010. The Tor Vrendezvoused with the Golden Seas and was able tow the ship

500 miles along the Aleutian Islands to sae harbor near Dutch H


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Photo courtesyof Alice Kaker

tory by Petty Ocer 3rd Class Jon-Paul Rios, D17

Imagine building a house using merely yourimagination shingles replaced by twizzlers,bk sbs b s s b

he mortar that keeps it all intact.a Kk, g Ss ams

mployee and wife to the Navy Liason for thes g J, s s

hese masterful designs made of deliciousondiments but translates those ideas into s.

B s S d, c.,aker always had a love for baking.

hat love stemmed from her fatherhose deep Italian roots tailoredm to be an excellent baker.I remember my fatheraking enormous batchesItalian dough that we

ould make about 20 s ksith, said Kaker. Being

10 sbs, ould all decorate the

ks m ith different ideasreally make them

nique to ourselves.Inuenced by her fathers passion to bake,

k bm m m s xpanding and executing her ideas. However,er ideas only became grander as she started toake gingerbread houses.

When my children were going to catholichool I started to bake gingerbread houses forhool functions and activities, said Kaker.

Once the word got out that I could make these, s m i iould make them a house.Most of Kakers creations have been donations

ut upon moving to Virginia she started sellinger houses to a local shop and to people whoquested her talents.

Kaker can make anything, in fact, you nameit and shes probably already made it. Shesmade such creations as a plantation home basedoff a photograph, the White House, a HarryPotter scene, an aquarium, a winery and asynagogue amongst other beautiful gingerbreadss.

Kaker has been making gingerbread housesfor so long that it has become second nature

for her.During the winter season to get in the

holiday mood she turns on her favorite

Christmas music and pulls out heringredients of: our, shortening,

bk s, b s,msss, s, m,, s, s.Sometimes shell even sprinkle

m.Kakers works of art haves b s

s csg s msrecently the Chief PettyOfcers Associations

Senior Dinner where shecreated a masterful house

bathed in frosting and glistening ms.

This house took about a week to create andwas given as a gift and rafed off during the.

The houses I make are never duplicated and

range from small as an ornament to about 75pounds, said Kaker.

Kaker puts her time, heart and imaginationinto each of these houses which is why theycan go for up to $500 though she rarely likes tocharge for Coast Guard functions.

With a little imagination and a boatload ofsweets, Kaker continues to donate her amazingcreations and her bountiful imagination to thecs g.

Building sweet structures


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tory by Petty Ocer 3rd Class Charly Hengen, PADET Kodiak

Big red bags overowing withbrightly wrapped presents lined theoors of Coast Guard helicopters asa S Kk s, S s

elves took ight to visit Kodiak Islands remotevillages to spread the Christmas spirit.

The 37th Annual Santa to the Villages outreachin Kodiak was held from Dec. 6 Dec 10 andSanta and his elves visited eight villages greetingmore than 259 children.

The cheery entourage visited Ouzinkie, DangerBay, Larsen Bay, Karluk, Ahokiok, Port Lions a ndChiniak while Coast Guardsmen with the CutterSpar s o hb.

Santa to the Villages began with the late CoastGuard pilot Jim Stiles in 1973, when he noticedthe children in the remote villages of Kodiak

didnt receive a lot of Christmas presents. and his wife, Lynn along with Jane Clark,president of the Ofcers S pouses Associaat the time, created Santa to the Villages. Sthe rst ight, it has grown to become an a.

On the original Santa ight, the childrereceived hand-knit items and fruit, said Tws, Sss ass Kk and co-chairperson for Santa to the VillageThis year, the children received handmad

scarves, hats and mittens along with a stocbag lled with crayons, coloring books, anappropriate toy, an apple and an orange.

In order to have enough gifts for the chieach year, the Spouses Association of Kodgathers donations and raises funds througthe year.

Santas Helpersp

KODIAK, Alaska - Tracy Wise, let, and Christa Marquardt, stu Santas bags at AirStation Kodiak Dec. 9, 2010, with gits or children living in the remote villages o

Karluk and Larsen Bay on Kodiak Island as part o the Santa to the Villages outreach.The Spouses Association o Kodiak collects donations and raises unds year-round

or this annual community relations outreach. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty

Ocer 3rd Class Charly Hengen.

u Filling the Sleigh

KODIAK, Alaska - Santa and his elves load a Kodiak-based Coast Guard Air StationMH-60 Jayhawk helicopter, Dec. 8, 2010 in preparation or Santa to the Villages

outreach around Kodiak Island. The Spouses Association o Kodiak has teamed upwith Kodiak-based Coast Guard Air Station helicopter crews or Santa to the Villages

outreach spreading Christmas cheer to the remote villages o Kodiak Island since

1973. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Ocer 3rd Class Jonathan Lally.

Santa brings cheerto remote villages


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The Stiles-Clark auction is held annuallySeptember on the Coast Guard base to raise

unds for Santa to the Villages, said Wise. Plus,e have volunteers from across the United States

nitting the items and donating them.Over 125 contributors provided for Santa to the

illages this year. The knitting network acrosshe United States sends the handmade items tolark in Washington.Jane has been gathering all of the it ems in

Washington and once she has them, Horizonnes provides us shipping from Seattle, free of

harge, said Wise. Its saves us a lot of moneyshipping.

Once the items reach Kodiak, the wrappingegins. For Wise, Christmas seems to be year-.

It really starts in September with the auction,aid Wise. And then I start wrapping the gifts

October and continue collectingeven the dayter Christmas.Each gift is hand wrapped and the ta gs arel handmade as well. The presents are selected

pecically for the children and the Santa to the

Villages chairperson keeps a database of whateach child received in previous years. Thisprevents the child from receiving a duplicatedgift. Santa can talk to each child about what he orshe received last year.

Its wonderful for the kids, said ArnoldKewan, board president of the Native Village ofPort Lions Tribal Council. Theyve come outhere since I was in school and Im 45 years old.It gives the kids a chance to believe in Santa. Itmakes them think about what they want to do intheir lives when they see the helicopters y overthe villages.

The Christmas spirit is alive in Kodiak as

the Spouses Association, Air Station Kodiakand Cutter SPAR provide the wonderment ofSanta and his elves to the children of the remotes Kk is .

Its a wonderful program and such a givingone too, said Wise. The children are soappreciative and so excited to see us. Theyask many questions about the North Pole. TheChristmas spirit is alive and well in this programfrom the beginning to the end.

antas Sleighq

DIAK, Alaska - An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter rom Air Station Kodiak

nsports Santa and his elves to the remote villages o Kodiak Dec. 13,10. The Santa to the Villages program has been in action or more than

years and through the generous support o the Coast Guard Spouses

sociation o Kodiak, Air Station Kodiak and the Coast Guard Cutter SPARngs holiday cheer, books and warm garments to the children o Ahkiok,

rsen Bay, Karluk, Ouzinkie, Port Lions and Old Harbor. U.S. Coast Guardoto by Petty Ocer 3rd Class Jonathan Lally.

uHoliday Hug

LARSEN BAY, Alaska - Santa receives a hug rom a young boy ater heopened his present rom Santa in the Larsen Bay School gym Dec. 13,

2010. Santa teams up with the Spouses Association o Kodiak, Kodiak-

based Coast Guard Air Station helicopter crews and the cutter SPAR to visitthe remote villages o Kodiak Island during the annual Santa to the Villages

outreach. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Ocer 3rd Class Jonathan Lally.


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Story and photo by Petty Ocer 1st Class Sara Francis, PADET Kodiak

The swimmer shop at Air Station Ko diakhums along without much notice from therest of the crew. A typical day is maintenance,physical training followed by moremaintenance. Out of sight on the second deckof hangar three youd never know swimmerswere busily testing life rafts, examiningequipment, packing parachutes, testingthe dewatering pumps that are dropped toms sss s.

The Kodiak swimmer shopis on the large end with 19

people, but they manage theequipment and gear for vehc-130 hs , MH-60 Jayhawks and fourHH-65 Dolphin helicopters.Additionally they manage gearand teach survival skills to about250 aircrew personnel.

cs g s smms bs k people from the water orm m ssfrom vessels in the most turbulent of seas butthats only a small part of their job.

Were aviation survival technicians, saidPetty Ofcer 1st Class Claude Morrissey, anaviation survival technician with Air StationKodiak. Our main job is anything lifes. w s m support gear throughout the air station. Ourcollateral, what we get the most glory for, is

being a rescue swimmer, but thats maybe 10percent of our job.

All the gear is inspected on a predeterminedcycle. Life rafts and vests are every six months,EMT kits are monthly and the dewateringpumps are run every other month. Thesmms ss s b the aircraft so everything is packed as t ightly asssb.

Youll hear guys say if I just had anotcouple of inches to get this life raft into icrate itd be easier, but you dont, everytdesigned to be as small as possible, saidOfcer 1st Class Rachid Arnick, an Air SKodiak-based aviation survival techniciahave to pack the helicopter and weve gosquare pump, a rescue litter, bags and a rbsk. is k ts mk t.

People walk into schoothinking Im going to be a

bad rescue swimmer and ttheyre shown their sewinmachine and they get a reacheck, said Arnick.

Completing school doesqualify you as a swimmer.merely gives you the tools

Once you get to your shfrom A school you beginqualication process with tools you learned in schoosaid Arnick. We are quali

s smms bs m. wthe radios and know the basic operationthe aircraft. You have up to a year to getqualied.

The black and gold name patches you on aircrew uniforms are produced by t heswimmers. Last year the Kodiak crew mname patches alone.

John Niel is probably our best sewer,

Morrissey. We all have our strengths. MeMt sks, s i s m b in. We all work together in the shop to mthe best of everyones skills and constanwork to improve where we can.

Its not only equipment the swimmersprovide. They also train the air crews insurvival. There are two types of trainingswimmers provide wet drills and cold

Its likeplaying Tetristo make it allfit.

_Petty Ofcer 1st ClassRachid Arnick

Swimmer Recovery

KODIAK, Alaska - The crew o a Kodiak-based MH-60

Jayhawk helicopter recovers the rescue swimmer atersuccessully rescuing our Northern Belle crewmen rom a

lierat dropped by the crew o an HC-130 Hercules aircrat

rom Air Station Kodiak, 50 miles south o Monatgue Islandin the Gul o Alaska April 20, 2010. The Northern Belle crew

issued a mayday call and abandoned the 75-oot Seattle-based vessel into the chilly waters o the Gul o Alaska

shortly ater 5:30 p.m.

Who rescues the rescuers


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Wet drills are an annual requirement faircrew personnel. The swimmers provioverview of survival skills and what is iaircrew vest. If theyre on xed wing airthey don a survival suit, swim to a raft ibay, then proceed to t he pool to swim 75in all their gear, tread water for two minand manually inate their life vest.

If theyre on rotary wing aircraft thesesteps are similar but theyll also leak tesdrysuit in the bay and the pool portion followed by the SWET chair.

SWET stands for shallow water egrestraining. You sit in a cage with a seat anstrap into the ve-point harness. Two reswimmers rotate the cage and you mustcomplete a series of tests to get out of t hchair and cage using your reserve air bo

sm s bms mencounter. This training prepares you toa helicopter that has gone in the water aipped over due to t he weight of the rot

Lt. Doug Watson, a helicopter pilot thcrashed off Unalaska in 2004 trying to rethe crew of the S elendang Ayu said thatthey went in the water the training tookHe found his reference point, released hsafety belts, found his exit and swam tosurface. A surface that was cold and darcovered in oil and pounded by 20-foot wand snow squalls.

So who keeps safe those who go into hway? That would be the roughly 250 avsurvival technicians of the U.S. Coast GuThey truly live by the motto: So others mlive. Just dont challenge them to a sewis.

Steps to Survival

KODIAK, Alaska - Petty Ocer 1st Class James Bogert, an av

survival technician with Air Station Kodiak gives instruction onsteps to survival during the classroom portion o wet dri lls at t

station Dec. 2, 2010. Rescue swimmers at the air station provideiterations o wet drills, required annually or air crews to prac tic

survival skills.


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ory and photos by Petty Ocer 3rd Class Jon Lally, PADET Kodiak

H

b ssituation and had to face cold nights inthe wilderness? Are you prepared for

an unexpected stay in harsh Alaskanms?For these reasons most of the aviators with Airation Kodiak receive survival training shortlyter reporting to the unit.r s mmbs a S

odiak went through a course known asold School. During this weeklong class, 15udents had two days in the classroom where

hey received instructions on how to deal with ss, ms, mazards and a variety of terrains followed by twoays in the wilderness.Petty Ofcer 1st Class Scott Gordon, an

viation survival technician with the air stationnd the senior instructor, called the class to order.Introducing themselves, each student talked

bout the experiences they had hunting, camping s s ss. otroduced, Gordon and the other instructors

olled straight into the classroom lectures.The critical information Gordon

mphasized to take from the training werehe seven steps to survival to includeroper clothing, shelter building and being .Gordon asked what the rst step was

nd a handful of students spoke upsponding by saying, Recognition.

Gordon agreed and referenced his favorite storyon the topic: the sinking of the H.M.S. Titanic.

There were 2,229 people on the vessel and

only a few recognized the ship was going to sink.There were not enough lifeboat seats for all thepassengers and crew but what was most tragicis that lifeboats were lowered half full and 472seats went empty because no one recognized thegravity of the situation early enough.

Gordon stated thatrecognizing you sss

m m s bs sthe situation allows you to proceed in the right s.

He emphasized that when building a shelterthe students should remember a level location forthe build is ideal and if the area has

natural shelter evenbetter. In the

m sthey woulds nightsin the

Kk

ss dmb.Gordon got the class more involved in th

discussion on the types of shelters by askin

what primary shelter for people in a survivsituation is. Most of the students respondeclothing. This would be one of the most crpoints for the students to remember, as it wof the only things they could control and pfor during the outdoor portion.

As day two of the classroom instructionoccurred, the instructors talked about typefood that could be eaten and not eaten in tAlaska wilderness. They gave examples oflife to eat and those in which you should aGordon showed the students a video on bebehavior and how to handle an encounter one. Kodiak is home to over 3,000 Brown b

At the end of the video Gordon reviewethe seven steps to survival with the class aemphasized the importance of each step buof mentally handling a survival situation.

a s m s k surviving, stated Gordon. It could meandifference between surviving and not.

On the third day of the class the studentwent out into the Kodiak wilderness to puknowledge from the classroom to the test. student was allowed to bring a quart size Zbag of material, food and anything else thecould t into it. It was overcast and cold bu s .

On the rst night the students had the ta

Survival o the FittestKodiak Guardians receive training to fght Alaskas harsh elements


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building a shelter and were not allowed touild a re even though the temperatures dippedelow 30 degrees overnight.Each group built their shelters to t ve people

nd in the spirit of the seventh step to survival,ay, the groups named their shelters or areas.One group named their shelter Fort Epic.nother named their area the Bone yardecause they found bones in the wilderness andung them around their camp. Fort Epic was in

he valley, which channeled the wind, and theyere colder than the group at the Bone Yard up

n the nearby hill. The students experienced rstand the consequences of their choices.As evening fell the students felt the cold airttling in around them and wished they could

ave a re to bring them a little warmth. As theyaited out the night the instructors went around

each group to check on them and their shelters.The Kodiak Cold School is a good hands-onemonstration to members of how challengingn un-expected stay in the demanding Alaskannvironment can be, said Petty Ofcer 2ndss B Sms, s chnician with Air Station Kodiak. It also

provides a taste of the misery involved withtaking on such a task ill-prepared and un-equipped.

The next morning the instructors brought thegroups good news during their check-ins. Theywere told they could build res, which raised themorale of each group to a new high. The fteenmembers had to hold out one more night beforethey could leave for home cooked meals and am b.

Everyone reacts differently, said Gordon,Ive had guys who nished the school andwanted to do it again and Ive had other guyswho hated every minute of it, they joined to ynot camp in the woods. They understand thevalue of the training they just hope they donthave to use it.

Sampson praised the instructors and their

knowledge saying they provided a great learningenvironment and did an excellent job sharinginformation on the tools and skills necessary fors.

The goal of this training is the education ofmembers and their families to better preparethem for a worst-case wilderness scenario,

said Sampson. I highly recommend thisinvaluable training to any who can attend.

S s s m. i s s s m remember the seven steps to survival.

As the students learned, keeping as m mk the difference in surviving in the harshAlaskan environment or anywhere elsein a challenging outdoor environment.The instructors at Cold School just likethe professionals at National OutdoorLeadership School nationwide or the ArmyCool School in Fairbanks, Alaska, teach thatattitude can mean the difference betweenlife and death.

Seven Steps to Survival:1.) Recognize to mentally understand that you are in a survival situation or

s s.2.) Inventory involves accounting for people, equipment and supplies.3.) Shelter primary and secondary. Primary is clothing you are currently

wearing (this includes dry suits). Secondary is anything that helps better keepyou out of the elements.

4.) Signals anything that gets you found!! (Flares, smoke, reectors, etc.)5.) Water Hydration is a critical part of your survival. The body can goweeks without food but only ve days without water.

6.) Food nutrition for your body to help keep your strength.7.) Play anything that helps you keep a positive mental attitude and keeps

m s s. K s could mean the difference between life and death.

uKodiak Camp

KODIAK, Alaska - A shelter stands in the wilderness ater

Kodiak Cold School students made the shelter to sleep in Dec. 1,

2010. Coast Guard members rom Air Station Kodiak par ticipate inthe survival school to learn how to better ace the harsh Alaskan

environment is a survival situation.

Survival Schoolt

KODIAK, Alaska - Petty Ocer 1st Class Scott Gordon, an

aviation survival technician with Air Station Kodiak, stands inront o a Kodiak Cold School class giving instruction on survival

situations Nov. 30, 2010. Gordon was reviewing with the class on

topics that they covered the previous day.


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Story and photos by Petty Ocer 1st Class Sara Francis, PADET Kodiak

Of the three different airframes the CoastGuard employs in Alaska, the Herculescrews have the biggest lift by touching all

f the Coast Guards Alaska-based missions inome way while supporting their rotary-wingolleagues. What is most notable is the loyaltyhat Hercules crews have to this big awkward

achine.Air Station Kodiak is home to ve HC-130s

nd a department of approximately 130 peopleho crew and maintain the planes.The C-130 Hercules has been the xed-ing workhorse of the Last Frontier for severalecades, said Cmdr. Joe Deer, operationsfcer for Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak.We conduct ights for search and rescue,sheries law enforcement, logistics, rotary-ing support and VIP transport throughouts Ss s ssbn a daily basis.

The air station ew more than 106,000hours supporting missions in 2010, which wasaccomplished with only four aircraft as onewas out of service for signicant electronicss s ask much of the year.

The aircraft are getting old, said PettyOfcer 1st Class Hayward Workman, anaviation maintenance technician with

Air Station Kodiak. Most have about200,000 hours on them and were made in themid 80s,

I did once have to perform maintenancein Cold Bay at 2 a.m. in the winter, saidWorkman. Three other mechanics and I had totake turns because our hands were getting sosluggish in the cold.

i k s other branch of service or maintenance group,said Chief Warrant Ofcer Randall Ching, the

C-130 maintenance chief at Air Station Kodiak.Our folks are top notch!

We perform more scheduled inspectionson our aircraft than I do on my own car, saidChing. The Coast Guard has been approachedby other services and organizations on howwe keep our asset availability so high andI tell them its because of our outstandingm s

programs.What the hours logged doesnt tell you arethe attitudes of the crews who have spenthundreds of hours airborne away from family s.

o mb fbk s bto Hercules crewmembers youll see photosof them in the aircraft with amazing viewsbehind them and the captions that read myofce, better than yours. Or photos from rescuecases where they feel really excited they made

s s s b

at the crack of dawn, ying for many holosing their lunch due to turbulence.Each year the Coast Guard forward de

helicopter crews to the Alaska towns ofc, c B S. p sthe shing eets during known periodsof increased activity. The extra crews andthousands of pounds of gear are transpothe Hercules crews.

g m 4,000 -we deliver on target, on time, said Petty

Sunrise Delivery

KODIAK, Alaska - Personnel at Air Station Kodiak use a truck Trailerable Aids to Navigation Boat originally rom Aids to Navia

Duluth in Minnesota rom an HC-130 Hercules aircrat Nov. 30, 2

boat was brought rom Seattle to Kodiak aboard the Hercules anused by the crew o the 225-oot Coast Guard Cutter SPAR.

An aircraft of mythical proportions: the HC-130 Hercule


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fcer 1st Class Kenneth Norris, an aviationaintenance technician at Air Station Kodiak.In 2010, helicopter crews deployed toordova saving 19 people and seven dogs in

even different cases. When the shing vesselorthern Belle sank in April, a Hercules crewas rst on scene, located the survivors,ropped life rafts and marked their locationith smoke ares for the helicopter crew. Thes m s

over for the helicopter crew and managingheir communications so they could focus onoisting survivors.As a navigator the work is more challenging

ere in Alaska than some other places due tohe weather and terrain, said Petty Ofcers css a B, ectrical technician at Air Station Kodiakho transferred from Air Station Clearwater,

Fla., in 2010.Each year the Coast Guard conducts

o a csss outreach and educational programs with thenorthern communities while testing boats andaircraft in the Arctic environment. All of thiswould have been impossible to accomplishwithout the logistical support of the Herculess.

The C-130 is the most visible, regularrepresentation of the U.S. Coast Guard onAlaskas most distant and remote shores, saidd.

The Hercules crews also support on-goings msss. cs m 14 aDomain Awareness ights between March andNovember. The crews assessed vessel activityin the region, surveyed the Alaskan coastlineand supported other federal agencies projects.

On all the ights, a NOAA contractor wasaboard collecting air samples with specializedequipment mounted in the plane to measuremethane and carbon dioxide emissions foranalysis and on-going research over the BrooksRange in Northern Alaska.

w m adomain awareness now that climate change isreshaping the architecture of Alaskas watersand shorelines, said Deer. Our aircraft crewsprovide regular reports of the activity andchanges up there.

The Coast Guards 24 C-130 operate on an$18.5 million budget, however, money andhours aside, it is the aircrews of the Herculescommunity who keep these planes ying ands ask s s.

Workman joined the Coast Guard in 1997 s ss a S Bbs p,

Hawaii, out of A school. He was giventhe choice of the Hercules or the Dolphinhelicopter and chose to go with the Herc

I am happy with my choice and woulagain, said Workman.

The crews hard work to keep one of thCoast Guards main aircraft ying is anexample of the dedication the Coast Guaknown for. They routinely stretch the limof the aircraft to ensure Alaskas mission sss m m

Engine Maintenance

KODIAK, Alaska - Petty Ocer 3rd Class Craig Miller and Pett

3rd Class Cade Ekstrom, both aviation maintenance techniciansStation Kodiak, place nuts on new thermocouple fttings on the

HC-130 Hercules engine Jan. 21, 2 011. The engine was recently and new thermocouples had to be installed ater the engines b

period.


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A relocation team consisting of Chief WarrantOfcer Casey Jones, Chief Petty Ofcer StephWolf, Petty Ofcer 1st Class James Hopkins, PettyOfcer 2nd Class Daniel Archer, Seaman LeahKillingsworth, Seaman Para Upchurch, Air ForceStaff Sgt. Joshua Coulombe and civilians JimWells and Richard Belisle were needed to movethe towers from Attu to Shemya.

w eks a fBase, located on Shemya Island, July 25 fromKodiak, said Chief Warrant Ofcer CaseyJs, cmms a Ms S-COMMSTA Product Line Branch project ofcer.We installed the equipment, radios, antennasand poured concrete. It was quite a task putbefore us but the team came together andaccomplished it smoothly.

For Upchurch and Killingsworth, COMKodiak is their rst unit out of boot camp athis was their rst temporary duty assignm

I had practiced putting the tower sectiotogether in Kodiak so I knew that would mjob when we got to Shemya, said Upchurlot of things needed to happen to build a n mk k, s i m bs follow directions and be available to help.

Once the tower parts were in Shemya anthe crew arrived it was time to begin thes.

We began the project indoors by assemthe antenna and this was the primaryresponsibility of Upchurch and myself, saSeaman Leah Killingsworth. We built woboxes outside then poured concrete into th

tory by Petty Ocer 3rd Class Charly Hengen, PA DET Kodiak

A-mmb m ms csgsm, s a fmember traveled to the remote island of

hemya, 1,200 miles southwest of Anchorage, toect two 40-foot, high frequency automatic linktablishment, HF/ALE, transceivers in July.S loran S a s

ecommissioned in August 2010,mms S Kk sad to discover a new location to place theF/ALE transceivers, a 4125 kHz HF receiver, ss s, s s

quipment and Shemya Island seemed the most .Shemya is approximately 40 miles east ofttu and by installing the towers it will providemilar HF coverage. Both commercial andilitary ights are routinely available on and off

he island, plus Shemya has the infrastructure toupport the network services.

Finding a new location for the HF networkOMMSTA Kodiak operates began in April with

urveying and determining logistics. Three tripsere made to Shemya to assess the land and

uilding available for the equipment.District 17 has the operational need for HF

utomatic Link Establishment coverage to theommunity with aircraft patrolling the high seasrift net areas, the maritime boundary line and

hroughout the Bering Sea, said Rear Adm.hristopher Colvin, 17th Coast Guard District

ommander ofcer, in a memo to Coast Guardacic Area commander. In addition to the 4125Hz search and rescue radio guard in the westernnd middle Bering Sea, the Coast Guard requires125 kHz guard coverage for vessels in distress

in the extreme western portions of the Bering Seaand the waters of the North Pacic beyond the180th meridian.

Teamwork Tower

SHEMYA, Alaska A nine-member team comprised oCoast Guardsmen, an Air Force member and civilians erect

two 40-oot high requency automatic link establishmenttransceiver towers in Shemya between July 25 Aug. 1,

2010. Due to the LORAN Station Attu decommissioning,Communications Station Kodiak had to fnd a new location

or these towers to continue HF coverage in the western an

middle Bering Sea. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

Fog doesnt delaydetermination


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WinterAlaska Bearnchor the guide wires down.The crew worked 12 hour days for 10 days and

xperienced several foggy days.Luckily the weather didnt stall us to o much,

aid Killingsworth. The fog in Shemya is likeothing I have ever seen before! Some days itas like sitting in a steam room minus the heatcourse and you could barely see the person

anding next to you.Once the project was complete, the difcult

art was nexttrying to depart Shemya and Kk.Air Station Kodiak ew three ights to

hemya to try to get the team off the island, saidnes. But unfortunately, the weather was tooggy for the C-130 to land.A contracted plane was able to get four of theam members off of Shemya. The other ve had

remain an additional 10 days and due to theeather conditions.o a. 10, cs g orking with a crew on neighboring Attu came

nd picked up the remaining ve team membersnd ew them to Attu.

Once in Attu, the team spent an additionalur days at the end of the Aleutian Island chain.

While they were on the island, LORAN Stationttus signal was turned off. They made newiends and assisted the crew in packing up thest of their gear.We caught a ight on a contractedane with only six seats available

s

able to take us back to Anchorage, said Jones.It was a great trip and I cant say enoughabout the crew and how well everyone workedtogether.

Even though the crew worked diligently inerecting the towers, they are not permanentxtures. In the summer of 2011, a team willreturn to Shemya to nalize the project.

The current towers are 40-feet and arescheduled to be replaced by two permanenttowers, a 120-foot TCI antenna and an 88-footVoba antenna next summer, said Jones. Theequipment hut was removed from Attu andwas barged off that island. It will be own intoShemya via Air Station Kodiak C-130 in the nearfuture so the project can be nalized.

A lot of teamwork went into this entire projectto ensure that long range tactical communications

in support of District Seventeens search ands m msss .

This was my rst experience in the CoastGuard going somewhere other than Kodiakand being a part of a remote project like this,said Killingsworth. The effort of every personwas what made the trip such a great one. Plusk s m ksand everyone having a hand in completing ourmss m sss. i mksme proud to be a part of the Coast Guard.

Towering Transceiver

SHEMYA, Alaska Coast Guardsmen, an Air Force member,and civilians erect a 40-oot high requency automatic link

establishment transceiver July 30, 2010, on the remote islando Shemya. The HF tower is utilized by the Coast Guard aircrat

during law enorcement operations and search and rescue

or vessels in distress in the extreme western portions o theBering Sea and the waters o the Nor th Pacifc beyond the

180th meridian. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

Two Services, One Team

SHEMYA, Alaska (let to right) Air Force Sta Sgt. JoshuaCoulumbe, Petty Ocer 2nd Class Daniel Archer, Chie Warrant

Ocer Casey Jones, Petty Ocer 1st Class James Hopkins andSeaman Leah Killingsworth pose Aug. 1, 2010, on Shemya

Island. These fve were stranded on Shemya an additional 10

days ater erecting two 40-oot high requency automatic linkestablishment transceivers on Shemya. U.S. Coast Guard photo.


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Screams ring out across the wateremanating from the end of a dark sm s askshing town. Crewmembers of acs g b in Homer have been infected by aviral outbreak where many die orare transformed into zombies.

This scenario, which seems torn right from aHollywood B-movie script, is the theme of the2010 Coast Guard Cutter Hickorys communityoutreach effort the Haunted Hickory. Thisyears production involved more than 50 peopleincluding most of the crew and supportingm mmbs.

Having conducted the same style hauntedship for many years, we decided to change thetheme after many community members had

stated they could almost predict what was goingto happen, said Lt. Jason Hopkins, executiveofcer aboard the Hickory. Imagine a virusbreaks out aboard the ship after a militaryexperiment has gone wrong, This is the themethat we are focusing on this year.

The crew looks forward to the event each yearas a way to give back to the community that thecrew calls home. The community is asked by thecrew to bring two nonperishable food items astheir admission to the Haunted Hickory with allof the collected food being donated to the Homerf p.

This is my fourth year doing this and I love

it, it is a great time, said Petty Ofcer 1st Matt Reines, medical corpsman aboard theHickory. This all goes to a real good caussupporting the food pantry.

The annual event that dates back to wheCoast Guard Cutter Sedge was homeporteHomer has risen in size and popularity. Inthe cutters crew raised 500 pounds of foothe food drive. That amount has steadily with more than 2,000 people touring the sh2009 resulting in 3,000 pounds of food donthe community.

This is a special time of year for us, saDiane Jeska, executive director of the HomFood Pantry. We look forward to the infood that is collected by the Hickory crew.traditionally are low this time of year and food donation will carry us through the ho

seasons and into next year.Building upon the success of the last fewyears, the crew anticipated a great turnoutthe event. However, despite the line of wapeople that stretched down the pier, cold wkept many at home resulting in 1,800 pounfood gathered from the community for the.

The Haunted Hickory is an event that tcommunity has come to look forward to anupon, said Hopkins. Even more importus, the Haunted Hickory is another chancecrew to say thank you to the Homer commwhich they call home.

tory and photo by Petty Ocer 1st Class David Mosley, PADET Anchorage

Haunted Hickory

HOMER, Alaska Crew and amilymembers o the Coast Guard Cutter

Hickory participate in the 2010 HaunterHickoryOct. 29, 2010. The Coast Guard

Cutter Hickory transorms into the

Haunted Hickory or one night a year aspart o a ood drive and community out

reach eort.

ZOMBIES!Coast Guard crew haunts community


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meant that he was able to respond fully asan entry-qualied responder for any type ofemergency the station was called on for.

as m ls for a lieutenant position and took the State ofAlaskas written re ofcer exam. This was noeasy task as the exam requires more than 1,200s m b . hpassed the exam and now leads a company ofeight other volunteers.

Serving in the re ghting profession is associally rewarding as serving in the militaryas we absolutely trust in the abilities of ourteammates to watch our back, said Lawrenson.I also am tasked with developing and delivering, i m cs gexperiences while training boarding ofcers andcommercial shermen in technical subjects from

sheries law enforcement to water survival tovessel stability.Lawrensons passion for volunteering extends

from his education and career as he has anextensive background in vessel stability. He has

a master degree in naval architecture and hworked several positions such as a commesafety examiner, shing vessel regulationshuman factor engineering at Sector Portlan

Lawrenson has been working as the shvessel safety coordinator for the Coast GuaAlaska since 2006. His time on active dutya civilian spans more than two decades of to the Coast Guard.

My 24 years with the Coast Guard hadan excellent foundation for becoming a voreghter at the age of 44, said Lawrensooften joke about life after the Coast Guardwhat we want to do when we grow up. I out that I could be a reman while still serthe Coast Guard.

As time continues Lawrenson works harmaintain his company of volunteer regh

b m sprovide technical expertise. Additionally, maritime safety subject matter specialist foshing vessel industry and Coast Guard wensures that everyone remains as safe as ca

tory and photo by Petty Ocer 3rd Class Walter Shinn, D17

Hundreds of feet of re hose were coveredby ice that grasped and froze them into athick layer while the re garishly scorched

store as the air temperature hovered aroundinus 12. The building was smoldering with

aints, oils, chemicals and other ammableaterials being consumed by the ames for an

our prior to the reghters responding.In the middle of the re that was burning

k -- s -ms s K ls, reghter with Capital City Fire and Rescue, andcivilian employee working for the Coast GuardJ, ask.As the re continued to burn, Lawrenson ands fellow reghters worked to extinguish the

re that just happened to be on the coldest nighturing the month of February in 2008. More

han one million gallons of water were usedhich created a layer of ice a foot and a half

hick on the street as reghting crews workedxhaustively to extinguish the re that consumedhe unoccupied structure.

The re was eventually extinguished on theame night but work continued through theay to get the gear and equipment free from theyers of ice that became more nuisance for thereghters than anything else.

Graduating from the Coast Guard academy1984, Lawrenson served on active duty for sixs k mm s.y day he works for his country as the 17th Coastuard District shing vessel safety coordinatorut after hours he uses all of his military trainingy serving the community of Juneau as aolunteer reghter.Fires can happen at any time which is why

reghters continuously train to be prepared forny situation. However, its one thing when a

reghter receives a paycheck but another whensomeone selessly serves the community ontheir own time. This is the case for Lawrensonwho helped extinguish the re that was his mostmemorable since becoming a volunteer in 2007.

The act of volunteering for him was driven byhis observation that the Lynn Canal Fire Station

was closed at the time due to a lack of volunteers.Lawrenson drove by the station every day untilhe nally came to the decision to volunteer andserve his community.

I have always believed that volunteerism andmm s sm, i sthis as a good way to bk Jand get involved withthe community in ameaningful way, saidls. ldid I appreciate thenthat the re service isa tight brotherhood,and that the corevalues of reghtingare exactly the same asfor the Coast Guard...service to the public,

sssm readiness.With the required

ms mand 200 hours of reghter level I training,ls s the yellow helmetthat signied he wasa volunteer reghterin January 2007. This

Part Coast Guard,Part Fire Fighter


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Alaska Bear

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toughnessthroughout them.

It was extremelyexhausting and thecompetition was tough,said Leftwich. Playingthose 24 games denitelyk m mbody as there were times Ihad to super glue the cutson my ngers to helpthem heal in time for thenext match.

Leftwich wasss, bthrough pain and

adversity. Thoughhe wasnt a part

of the Navy, heshared onemmgoal and thatwas to win the coveted titles in the team

challenge, doubles, mixed doubles andss s.

Leftwich and his teams perseverance wonthem the title of top honors in mens doubles andmixed doubles contests.

Not only was Leftwich one of the twoCoast Guardsmen bowling in the event, butindividually, amongst the 200 different armedforces personnel who tried out, he placed 7th.

My greatest accomplishment was averaging

over 200 on the tough competitive oil pattand maintaining that consistency during tand through the tournament, said Leftwiwent out their just wanting to play the gamlove and left knowing that I did well for nomyself but the Coast Guard.

With a high score of 264 in one of the mochallenging and competitive tournaments life, Leftwich beat out the odds. His perfohas secured him a try out spot for next yeaNavy team and further demonstrated theexcellence found in Coast Guard personne

tory and photo by Petty Ocer 3rd Class Jon-Paul Rios, D17

S

urrounded by dim lights and theclamoring of his team he ties his laceswhile 15 pounds of spherical resin

pounds the oil laced wood resonatinghrough the alley. He steps up on his turn, palmsweaty and eyes focused on his pin of choice, heakes his descent toward the foul line and bowlssk.For ten years now the same could be said about

etty Ofcer 2nd Class Chris Leftwich, a yeomanurrently stationed in Juneau, Alaska, has beenowling just about as long as hes been in thes g.Ive been in the Coast Guard for nine years

ow and have been bowling for just about 10ears, said Leftwich. I started bowling whenwas 16-years old and as I got better I used thatkill to compete in tournaments to earn extraoney.The true competitiveness of the sport didnt

ourish until the rst standardized rules weretablished in New York City, Sept. 9, 1895.Leftwichs competitive nature and desire to

xcel at the game got him an invitation on theavys bowling team during the 2010 Armed

orces Bowling Championship, hosted by Navals S d. B b m bs the most prestigious competition to test their

kill amongst other servicemen, it lasted a week d. 6 d. 10.Prior to ofcially being part of the Navy team, the Coast Guard wasnt represented in theurnament, Leftwich had to try out. He bowledultiple games a day against 22 of the Navysite bowlers to earn his spot on the four-man

roster. In the end his hard work paid off as hebowled well enough to make the team and fromthere went on to the championships.

The Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines eachprovided eight person teams comprised offour men and four women who competed ineight games a day on multiple different oils.

Smm s s s bto protect the surface of the lanes from damage,the oil patterns have evolved into an integral partof the game as bowlers must read the patterns todetermine how much hook and spin they mustput in their ball.

The oil patterns played a huge part onLeftwichs performance as he had to constantlychange his strategy and style in order to bowl tohis optimum ability.

The main thing to focus on is the oilpatterns layed on the lanes, said Leftwich.e m practice for two hours on the oil patternsthat we were going to face the next day.

Of the 100 people that initially triedout, only 32 made it to the championships.Leftwich stood out like a soar thumb andeveryones eyes were on him and a femaleshipmate who were representing for not onlythemselves and the Navy but the entire 34,000s cs gsm.

The Armed Forces Bowling Championshipconsisted of 24 games played in seven categoriesduring the course of four days. Playing so manygames really adds to the fatigue which meansthat one must maintain mental and physical

Eyes p ndon success


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YYou may have heard that a virus calledhpv s sk ,but did you know taking birth controls b ?

While the best way to survive cervical cancer isto catch it early by screening regularly with a Paptest, here are four lesser-known risk factors forthis disease:

1. Birth Control Pills:According to the Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention (CDC), using birth control pillsfor ve years or more can increase ones risk forcervical cancer. However, the American CancerSociety stresses that the risk returns to normalabout 10 years after the pills are stopped.

2. Giving Birth to Three or More Children:Although no experts can pinpoint why this is a

risk factor, the American Cancer Societys websiteexplains a few theories:

A. Studies have indicated hormonal changes s mk m m hpv .

B. Pregnancies might weaken a womansimmune system, also making her moressb hpv m.

3. HIV:According to the CDC, having HIV, the vi

that causes AIDS, or another condition thatmakes it hard for the body to ght infection a risk factor for developing cervical cancer. TAmerican Cancer Society states that HIV alsmakes it more difcult for the body to ght the HPV infection, which is a large risk facto .

4. Smoking:Women who smoke are about twice as li

as non-smokers to get cervical cancer, theAmerican Cancer Society website says. Thisbecause smoking exposes the body to cancercausing toxins and elements that affect otherorgans, besides the lungs.

ab s, mmb ptests to screen for cervical cancer. They are aTRICARE-covered benet, so take advantag

them.

For more healthy living tips and news artfollow TriWest on Facebook and Twitter:www.facebook.com/triwestwww.twitter.com/triwest

Courtesy of Shari Lopatin, TriWest Healthcare Alliance

January is Cervical Cancer awareness month

TheFo

urRisksYo

uDidn

tKnow

Abou

tCerv

icalCance

r


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Match Shot

KODIAK, Alaska - Coast Guard Petty Ocer 3rd Class John

Brennan, aviation survival technican with Air Station Kodiak,

burns type 1 nylon cord in the air station rescue swimmer

shop Dec. 9, 2010, or use in the Coast Guard aircrew

survival vests. The cord is cut to dierent lenghths and tied

to every survival item in the vest to serve as a lanyard in

case a Coast Guard aviator drops a survival item while in an

U.S. Coast Guard Alaska Bear

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