Ahoy there Land lubbers

Get 'er done as Larry the cable guy would say. We are on our merry way
again to being deployed. A week of getting our bearings, making sure
she floats, and everything else running good is going along fine. Its
been a long struggle being at the beach for this long. It seemed like
the drama wasn't ever going to stop. Now the flyboys are getting their
shot at trapping and shooting up the cats. After this, everyone will
finally be back for our Summer Cruise. Lots of foreign port calls
mentioned but like always, I am not making any reservations until its
confirmed. One of those ports take me back 22 years when I was a young
airman walking the streets of Olongapo. I can not imagine how great
liberty will be if we do go there. I will be going on leave to meet my
long lost family in the province....my illegitimate family if you know
what I mean (just need to find them).
So far my Sailors have behaved more than I expected. It really worries
me a lot when we are extended pierside at home. I know its sounds crazy
but the longer Sailors stay ashore while on sea duty the worse off they
become. First casualty was knocked the "ef" out at some club and only
got 24 hours of mentoring. The last one got too frisky and couldn't
take no for answer with one of the base taxi drivers. Fortunately he is
the only one that ended up in front of the man but only got restriction
and a suspend bust.
I believe it to be true that Sailors need to be at sea just as ships
belong at sea. I guess with Brada Bama being in "Da House", much has
been tailored down due to the economy. Hard to believe but its been
over 20 years since I last heard that we are out of money. I better
stop off at the 100 Yen store and get me a bunch of toilet paper (TP)
for myself because I have a funny feeling well be buying more fuel for
the birds rather than TP. Too bad there no tangantangan trees out here.
I better bring some lantan spam too for when they run out of frozen
burritos. Theres a bunch of us onboard who will be along a bit longer
than expected. Seems like the only people really getting off this ship
will be heading to Iraq or Afganistan for IA duty..thats a bummer. I
think I would rather extend here for another year than be at those
places.
So now I will be more of a Sailor than the past six months. The smell
of jet fuel and the feel of salt spray off the hangar bay doors would be
the best feeling in the morning when I walk up to my shop. Wish my luck
and please pray for our safety in carrying out our daily "danger"
taskings while we help keep our seas safe from evil forces. If you have
some free time to email (tudelas@cvn73.navy.mil) me personal
encouragements or just to amuse me with your daily lives, please don't
hesitate. I am sure after a while you'll be hearing all the drama I get
to deal with. In advance, I need to extend my appreciation for your
support while Im deployed.

De-Lurking

Hafa adai yan Memorias. Its late Sunday night and I am unsure if I am supposed to post something to let others know who I am when I de-lurk and they get to visit my blog. So here it goes. I am a native to Saipan, born and raise the island way. Joined the Navy to see the world with all the promised adventures my recruiter conned me into. 22 yrs later I am still a Sailor and a damn good one. I got my b-hind kicked and was molded by crusty old Chiefs back in the day when it was all "Rough and Tough Love". Quite thankful for those days because I wouldn't be where I am at now.
I am at the point in my career with the Navy that I consider all Sailors as my kids and I correct everyone of them that needs straightening out even if they are not from my ship. I am stationed on the USS George Washington, Forward Deployed Naval Forces and home ported in Yokosuka, Japan. I am married (my other career) to a lovely Thai lady who can outcook any Thai cook in Saipan (IMHO). Starting to look at retiring soon. Where? don't rightly know yet. Maybe one of you could help me decide if I should return home and be a chicken rancher in the AM then go on photo shoots all day until midnight. I hope one day to publish photobooks of our culture, its people and our island Saipan.
I love photography and enjoy traveling the world to capture photos of our wonderful world, Beautiful people and amazing things. You would probably know me better by viewing my photos on Flickr. http://www.flickr.com/photos/chelu/ Enjoy.
Forgive me if I hardly blog or comment. Due to my frequent at sea periods and slow internet on the ship. Plus I can't really disclose my whereabouts while deployed. Thank you for sharing your blogs.

Pasgua yan Anu Nuebo

The holidays have always been my reconnection to the island and our culture. Our celebration of the Christ's coming has been centered around being together for the holidays and going to church. Being raised up by my "Nang" who was a devote Catholic made it a season to be more emotional than material. I grew up with her meager monthly stipend of SSI checks. Christmas really was never about getting gifts for me. In fact, I can't ever recall getting gifts for christmas nor having a Christmas tree in my house. The usual gift exchanging while in school I experienced but the commercialism of Christmas was never really engrained into my head. I was happy enough to see another Pasgua with "Nang" still alive and well.
I recall the family gatherings for annual Nino Novena feast, After Christmas Mass party, and the weekly sunday Nino visit to friends or family house during the holidays. Those gatherings were usually about being happy to be alive to see another Christmas and that the start of another year was within days reach. The giving gifts in our culture isn't really a part of Christmas. It is the sharing of love amongst our friends and family. The joy of being alive and well was more the dominant ideal shared amongst Chamolinians.
We also take time to reflect on our friends and family who were not fortunate enough to see Christmas or another New year. This is the part that really gets me every time. While being away from home and celebrate Christmas Mass; I have experienced tearful moments during mass. My wife has been puzzled on occasions with my emotional outbreak. It really is heart breaking to celebrate the holidays without your family. This year while we celebrate Christmas with our families and friends please remember the Service members who are deployed downrange or at sea protecting our freedom to celebrate the holidays. Pray for them so they stay safe and return home in a timely manner. Felis Pasgua yan anu Nuebu para todo.

Natives Gone Wild

Roxy had emailed me earlier in the year but couldn't view until recently. Click to watch:



Let the good times roll.

Challenges of Forward Deployed Sea Duty

Over a year and a half ago I was thinking about taking sea duty again. Being ashore for three years was a good break but at a price. My 20 plus years of experience and two previous Aircraft Carrier duty wasn’t much help to get me primed in my game. I took sea duty willingly knowing the history and bad reputation of the USS KITTY HAWK from previous years. Its not any easier with all the uncertainties of the eventual decommissioning and cross decking for the USS GEORGE ”GW” WASHINGTON. Next to my longest deployment which was eight months on the USS CARL VINSON after OEF Sep 11, 2001; this year’s deployment is the most challenging in my career. It has been a very rough challenge on the mind, the body and most especially the spirit. I am at the point where I am even thinking about retirement.

It was hard leading Sailors on a ship that is getting decommissioned. The chain of thought is “we’re going away so why work to keep our equipment going”. Thing was we were still active duty and could be recalled to fight. That is exactly what happened when we took the Multinational exercise of RIMPAC 2008. All along we left Yokosuka thinking we were going to put the Kitty Hawk to bed for good and never bring her back to fight. Additionally, bringing a ship which has been in the yards for over four years from the east coast straight to the tip of the spear is no fun. We’re talking about Sailors that were forced into pulling roots and moving half way around the world. It was a wake up call for the Sailors on the GW that fought the fire onboard after taking her around the straits. It was just a prelude of what the real world had in store for her. Yes all that and a bag of chip. Yes Sir three bags full. Like pulling tooth and nail.

So we made history taking the Kitty Hawk back home being the last conventional Aircraft Carrier in Forward Deployed Naval Force and brought the first Nuclear Aircraft Carrier outside the US Mainland to Forwardly Deployed. Was it worth? Most definitely I can undeniably say YES. The sacrifice of being away from home, friends and family then facing a gamut of challenges made it hard. The diverse leadership and very intrusive atmosphere made it even more challenging but all the better to get the job done right. The price of freedom truly doesn’t come for free. We all pay a price. I am sure one day I will be sitting down sipping warm tea somewhere laughing about this but “boy it has been a very Challenging deployment/decommissioning/crossdecking Sea Duty”. And I hope I never get a chance to do this again. If anyone finds me saying something to doing this again please shoot me. I want to extend my sincerest Thanks to all my friends and family for all the encouragement, the emails, the great times while in port (this ones for you Milma), and the prayers to help me stay sane while out here. As the old saying goes, “its not over until the fat lady sings”. I still got two more years to go on this tour but at least I know there won’t be too many uncertainties. I still ask for the prayers and words of encouragement. It just might keep me going enough to return to shore duty and finally retire.

Until then fellow citizens of the world; rest assure your tax money is well spent this year from this Sailor. Don’t lose any sleep worrying about your freedom tonight. I still have the watch and continue to keep the watch.

Friends at home

Hafa adai yan memorias. I haven't taken the time to blog in a while. I must apologize for not really taking the time. Today will be my last weekend at home before I head out to sea again. This tour on the USS KITTY HAWK is no joke. Its been very challenging coming from shore duty and adjusting back to the "overdrive" mode. Waking up to winter's last cold weather before Spring really does come. I am reminded of how warm it is back in Saipan. I remember how I had blankets to warm up when rain storms came to the island. Now that I've lived in Washington, US and Japan, I can't imagine myself having even sheets to cover while visiting Saipan.

Magahet na sen mahalang yu mampos. I started talking to Nena about how warm it would be at home in Saipan. I also put on the movie Leiweila and started to reflect of the ways back home. Then after the movie I started calling my friends in Saipan. Brada Gus of Olomwaay was first to get the lucky call. Since its a rare occassion getting a call from me, I heard in his voice why I would be calling home. I told him that I missed home and all the great friends that I have in Saipan. We talked about the movement to reignite our love of our island and culture. Everyone seems to be leaving home for greener pastures and forgetting about the rich culture that we have back home. I may be guilty myself for not retiring any sooner and returning home too. Its times like today when I reach out to friends back home that I remember, Saipan is where I belong. Though I won't see much of the luxuries of modern living, Saipan has something more valuable than greenback. Its the family and friends. The life we live of togetherness. Sharing and caring for each other. Extended families and friends make it all worth. Gus mentioned that Olomwaay will be coming out with a second CD and a Christmas CD. You can find out by checking my bloggers list at Brada Gus' Olomwaay link.

Bertha Torres was second to reply to my random phone calls today; She is at the hospital because Antie Margaret's under observation. Hope its nothing very serious. Bertha is my second cousin. Her Grand pa from her dad is my grand ma's brother from my mothers side. She reminded me of how small our island is that almost everyone we interacted with was relative. We've been close since Jr. High because Bertha was in my graduating class back in 1986. She asked me when I was retiring so I can return home. Its sort of hard to say but not any time soon. I still can stick around for shore duty and maybe get Guam for my last duty station but I can't really bank on it. Nena seems to like the idea of retiring in Guam and opening up a restaurant. Its great to hear Bertha again and I let her know that I will be visiting home in August when the USS George Washington will be making a visit.

Nora Sablan "Palaksi" was thinking I was on the island when I called her. She was at the beach with her family. She's been a very great friend ever since Jr High. Her husband Alex Sablan "Pitu" were in love since before we all matured. These two lovebirds have a very lovely family. Nora and Alex were in Washington for almost a year then returned back to Saipan. I guess Alex wasn't too keen to life in the states. One thing is for sure though, they were enjoying their Sunday at the beach. Its one of the things that I remembered we did back in my younger days. The beach was the second place we went to beside church on Sundays. There we BBQ and had picnics with friends and family. We spent time talking about what was going on in Saipan. It was a chance for us to catch up on things what we may not have heard throughout the week. It revived our togetherness every week. Nora was going to let everyone know I was coming home to visit and that we would get together again.

After Nora, was Elsa Duenas. My big sista Elsa who always seems to be the Kaduka in the group but I mean that in a good way. I remember Elsa when we were in Jr High also. She didn't graduate with us in MHS but because we were good friends back in Jr High and several years in MHS, shes always been like my big sister. I am always amazed at how "Mangua" she can be. Theres always got to be a comedian in any gathering and Elsa always seems to take the cake.

Maggie Masga is another close friend that I got a chance to get a hold of. Through thick and thin she been a very close friend to me. I always imagined Maggie being married and with Kids. Unfortunately no wedding bells has rang for her but she has several beautiful girls and a son that she's raised on her own. She been a very strong mother to her kids and I have high regards for her strength in surviving and raising her kids on her own. Maggie was always there to listen to me and what I had to say. I wish that one day Maggie will become as free as the birds in the sky. Her time will come and I wish her and her kids all the best in the world.

Yes, even this Island Boy Sailor longs to go back home. The CNMI anthem reminds me that my island is in the middle of the sea. Every time I go out to sea my island home of Saipan calls me. I ask that my friends say a special prayer for me and my shipmates who will be in harms way for the next four months. Its not an easy tasking but someone has to do it. Until then Memorias, pues adios asta ki.

Thankful

One of the benefits of being at sea during Thanksgiving is being with my second family (Shipmates). Being at sea during the holidays doesn’t make Navy life any better. It is just part of the job. I remember as a young Sailor spending Christmas at sea steaming home to make it back in time for New Years Day. The Navy has changed a lot since then. There’s Sailor phone which you can call home while at sea. Email and internet is available now. So the world is getting smaller and smaller. Still a Sailor endures missing the family, birthdays, anniversaries and other festive holiday celebrations. This Thanksgiving I am thankful for a lot of things and thankful to a lot of friends and family.

I am thankful for:

The friends who keep in touch by email.

The hard working Sailors that sweat everyday to get the job done.

My special Friends Brada Gus, Sevio, Rita C, Milma, Silver & Gigi, Kai Accad, Rose, Maggie M, Barry, Mike & Lil, Mitch and Somsak.

For the people constantly praying for our Service members safety and timely return from deployment.

My wife who is still by my side, even after years of sea duty under my belt.

My family who every now and then remind me how lucky I am.

The rest of my friends and shipmates.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING.