“Leaders to Sea” Takes Video Professor John W. Scherer on Tour of Guided Missile Cruiser
On June 23, 2005, I reported to the Navy Amphibious Base on Coronado Island off San Diego at 6:45 a.m. to take part in the Navy’s “Leaders to Sea” program. And I want to make sure you know that I paid for all my travel expenses connected with this trip including my lunch aboard the ship.
I was briefed by Vice Admiral Terry Etnyre, Commander of the Naval Surface Force. He spoke about today’s Navy and my upcoming day at sea aboard the Guided Missile Cruiser, USS Lake Champlain.
Just before 8:00 a.m. I boarded a Navy H 60 Seahawk Helicopter and was flown out to the USS Lake Champlain, already underway off the California Coast. As a bonus, we flew over a Nuclear Attack Submarine that was also headed out to sea for its two-month patrol. The crew was standing on the bridge getting one last look at daylight. What an awesome sight that was!
Outbound United States Navy Nuclear Submarine, destination: classified.
The Seahawk landed effortlessly on the helipad near the stern of the USS Lake Champlain and my day aboard the ship began.
Our H 60 Seahawk lands aboard the USS Lake Champlain.
I was struck by the professionalism and dedication of the crew as soon as we landed. Even with the well-defined military chain of command, the crew functioned well as a team, a family.
I was met by career Navy Captain Donald “Pat” Roane, Jr., the skipper of the USS Lake Champlain. The ship and the 370 crewmembers are his responsibility, and it’s one that he takes very seriously.
John W. Scherer and Captain Donald "Pat" Roane, Jr.
At 565 feet long, CG-57 is BIG, and like most Navy ships, quarters are cramped and every nook and cranny is filled with something. Powered by twin 80,000 SHP gas turbines, the USS Lake Champlain can cruise at 30 knots!
USS Lake Champlain CG-57
The weapons aboard the ship are very impressive, including missiles, twin phalanx guns, cannons, and helicopters. The technology required to operate all of this is just remarkable. In the combat operations center I felt like I was on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise with huge screen monitors surrounding me and crewmembers working at their computers.
The highlight of my trip was meeting so many of the officers and crew. These are men and women from across America who make it possible for all of us to live and work safely in the United States.
My day aboard the Lake Champlain came to an end much too soon. Upon boarding the Seahawk for the flight back to San Diego I thought about how proud I was of all these exceptional Navy men and women. I slept soundly that night, knowing they were on guard . . . defending America.
I cannot think of a better way to spend a day.
John W. Scherer
CEO & Founder, Video Professor
June 23, 2005
About John W. Scherer and Video Professor:
John W. Scherer is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc. The leader in computer tutorial instruction for 20 years, Video Professor has over 8 million customers. John W. Scherer is known to millions of television viewers as “The Video Professor” through commercials and infomercials and makes regular appearances on local and television news programs like FOX & Friends, Neil Cavuto, Tony Snow, and ABC’s World News Now. For more information on John W. Scherer, Video Professor, and all its products, visit www.videoprofessor.com. Video Professor, Inc., is a member of the Denver/Boulder Better Business Bureau, and you can read their report about Video Professor at www.denverbbb.org.
For more information about VIDEO PROFESSOR, Inc. contact:
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