Submarine visits and orientations should improve the Submarine Force's ability to attract under-represented minority groups.

As part of the Submarine Force's ongoing efforts to introduce their program to under-represented minority groups, USS Maryland (SSBN-738) and USS Florida (SSBN-728) hosted representatives from the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), Howard University, the Navy League, Nuclear Power Officer Candidates, local educators, and the National Scholarship Foundation.

USS Maryland departed from Port Canaveral, Florida with her contingent of visitors for a one day underway
to show them why submarine Sailors are the finest in the Fleet. The group received a complete tour of the boat and was able to spend some quality time with Maryland's CO, CDR Chris Hayes. CDR Hayes discussed minority career opportunities in the Navy and the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. Howard University recently had one of their students, Patrick Price, accepted into the Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate Program (NUPOC). Dr. LaWanda Peace, Assistant Dean for the College of Engineering/Architecture/Computer Science at Howard University and Ms. Jean-Louise Turner, Howard's Coordinator of Pre-College Programs anticipate that many more students will be applying for the program this fall. The program affords college students the opportunity to earn their way through college without working 40-hour weeks by actually paying them a stipend while they are in school. Thus, the students can concentrate on their studies as they complete their degrees. The Navy benefits from having
exceptional students with technical backgrounds become the leaders of tomorrow's Submarine Force. The second group was treated to pierside tours of both USS Florida (SSBN-728) and USS Portsmouth (SSN-707) in San Diego, California to give them a taste of the differences between fast attack and TRIDENT life. This trip was also covered by a film crew from Univision, a Spanish language television station in Corpus Christi, Texas.

The group was escorted by CAPT Henry Gonzales, Commander Recruiting Region West, who has been working very closely with SHPE's Executive Director Leticia Vidal and Regional Vice President Manuel Hernandez on minority recruitment issues.
Embarkation of special interest groups further enhances the Sub-marine Force's standing with local organizations and can serve to accelerate programs, such as minority recruiting, which the Navy sees as a top priority. According to the Bureau of Personnel's most recently published demographics, Blacks and Hispanics make up about 30 percent of all Navy enlisted personnel on active duty.

Line Officer Qualified In Submarines

LTJG Magnum Vassell, USS Philadelphia (SSN-690)
LTJG Eric Nelson, USS Augusta (SSN-710)
LTJG Alonzo Barber, USS Florida (SSBN-728)(BLUE)
LTJG Arthur O'Keefe, USS Georgia (SSBN-729)(GOLD)
LTJG Joseph L. Riehle, USS Georgia (SSBN-729)(BLUE)
LTJG Christopher Marks, USS Alabama (SSBN-731)(BLUE)
ENS William Crabtree, USS Tennessee (SSBN-734) (BLUE)
LT Michael King, USS Tennessee (SSBN-734) (GOLD)
LTJG Issac Armstrong, USS Pennsylvania (SSBN-735) (BLUE)
ENS Douglas Ballie, USS Pennsylvania (SSBN-735) (BLUE)
LTJG Joseph Ertel, USS Pennsylvania (SSBN-735) (GOLD)
LTJG William Ryan, USS Pennsylvania (SSBN-735) (BLUE)
ENS James Scalzo, USS Pennsylvania (SSBN-735) (BLUE)
ENS Robert Brandt, USS West Virginia (SSBN-736) (BLUE)
LTJG Keith Douglas, USS West Virginia (SSBN-736) (BLUE)
LTJG Robert Good, USS West Virginia (SSBN-736) (GOLD)
LTJG William Michau, USS West Virginia (SSBN-736) (BLUE)
LTJG Robert Fessele, USS Kentucky (SSBN-737) (BLUE)
LTJG Carl Jewett, USS Kentucky (SSBN-737) (BLUE)
LTJG Bradley Lacour, USS Kentucky (SSBN-737) (GOLD)
LTJG Michael Loeffler, USS Kentucky (SSBN-737) (BLUE)
LTJG Joseph Buczkowski, USS Nebraska (SSBN-739) (GOLD)
ENS Mark Nowalk, USS Nebraska (SSBN-739) (BLUE)
LTJG Nirav Patel, USS Nebraska (SSBN-739) (GOLD)
ENS James Raycraft, USS Nebraska (SSBN-739) (BLUE)
LTJG Justin Sauer, USS Nebraska (SSBN-739) (GOLD)
LTJG James Willsy, USS Rhode Island (SSBN-740) (GOLD)
LTJG Patrick Perdue, USS Maine (SSBN-741) (GOLD)
LTJG Benjamin Chance, USS Wyoming (SSBN-742) (BLUE)
ENS Sanford Kallal, USS Wyoming (SSBN-742) (BLUE)
LT Patrick Koehler, USS Wyoming (SSBN-742) (BLUE)
LTJG Brian Benney, USS Louisiana (SSBN-743) (BLUE)
LT David Dromsky, USS Louisiana (SSBN-743) (BLUE)
LT Charles Harrison, USS Louisiana (SSBN-743) (BLUE)
LT Michael Stinson, USS Louisiana (SSBN-743) (BLUE)
LTJG Matthew Kane, USS Springfield (SSN-761)
LTJG William Getchius, USS Springfield (SSN-761)
LTJG Jerod Markley, USS Springfield (SSN-761)
LTJG Thomas Berres, USS Boise (SSN-764)
LTJG Nathan Boyden, USS Boise (SSN-764)
LTJG Jonathan Retzke, USS Boise (SSN-764)

Jimmy Buffet Visits Louisville as Last 'Tour' Stop for 2000 

Jimmy Buffett made one final surprise appearance on the heels of his 2000 tour schedule. He visited the nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Louisville (SSN-724) while visiting the island of Oahu, Hawaii.
Buffett, a musician and writer, is best known for songs including "Margaritaville," "Come Monday," "Cheeseburger in Paradise," "Son of a Son of a Sailor," "A Pirate Looks at Forty" and "Volcano." He was on the island after having just completed his concert-touring schedule here that started in March on the mainland.
True to form, Buffet showed that he really was "Growing Older but Not Up," as he enthusiastically got around the sub and met with crewmembers.
"The guys were great, the boat was great. And I can't wait to get back here and drive this thing!"
Buffett was escorted on the tour by the submarine's Commanding Officer, CDR Russ Janicke from Chicago, Ill. They made stops in the control room, a berthing area, crew's mess, the torpedo room and the ship's sail.
An aviation aficionado, Buffett was kidding with crewmembers as he sat at the control panel that the rudders found on aircraft weren't at his feet were they belonged. He also pointed out that it had everything one needed to drive it - right down to the cup holder.
While visiting the crew's mess, Buffett obliged the eager crew by signing everything from compact disc covers, to books written by him, to day planners. The ship's navigator, LCDR Matthew Kosnar, of Lock Port, Ill., asked him to sign his guitar.
When Buffett briefly strummed the guitar, he jokingly grimaced about the condition of the guitar's strings.
"Agghhh! They don't sell strings on this boat?!? They ought to make it standard issue," Buffett said.
ETCM (SS) Tim Butler, the Chief of the Boat from Canton, Maine, said the visit meant a lot to the crew.
"I think it was really neat. The guys were pretty pumped up, and I know a bunch of them made it to the concert this past weekend."

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