Today Indy was host to a special guest (above), the Honorable Rudy de Leon, the Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel and readiness). He met with Indy crewmembers and answered questions about training, retirement, health benefits and others. With him (right) was Lt. Gen. Normand G. Lezy, USAF Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Military Personnel Policy) who also spoke to the crew.

Chief Engineer, Commander Craig Little (right) explained the many dials and switches in the "Log Room" where Mr. de Leon with Rear Adm. Charles W. Moore, Jr. listened to request and questions from the Engineers.

Mr. de Leon also met with the Chief Petty Officers of Independence and AIMD's Shop ONE Radar shop.

Departing with the "Rainbow sideboys" standing by (right).

"NAVY AND MARINE CORPS RELIEF FUND DRIVE: Although the campaign has a few days remaining, INDY is well on her way to achieving a record donation year. We have collected over $79,000 in contributions from the crew since the drive began, and with the raffle of first in line for liberty in coming ports of call and return to Yokosuka, we believe we will definitely clear the $80,000 mark," - Capt. Milliken.

And even though I haven't been topside to bring you the action in awhile, flight Ops hasn't slowed. I did manage to hang out and watch a few take off and recoveries today.

Now these are just some shortcuts to get you to these new updates, but you'll find the links to department and squadron pages on the INDY INFO page.

(Right - Engineering) Auxiliary Divisions deck hydraulic shop showing support for the "Any Sailor Program" by answering mail from a 1^st grade class.

(Above - Weapons) Lance Cpl Isaiah Peterson of Oakhurst, CA.

This morning on the forecastle, the following Sailors re-enlisted with Indy’s Commanding Officer, Capt. Mark R. Milliken: AC3 R. Steele, ET3 J. Roberts, MM3 J. Adams, RM2 T. Pittman, DS2 D. Rhudy, MM2 R. Lim, MM3 K. Salter, ET2 D. White, MM3 E. Jones, DP3 G. Kresicki, MM3 R. Brookstein, MM3 B. Roebuck, MM3 H. Raynes, MM3 M. Carroll, AT3 W. Hielscher, and ET3 C. Mason.

The party visited spaces from the VAQ-136 Ready Room (left) to the Engineer's Main Control room (below).

Breaking out fresh dinner rolls in the Bake shop was MSSN Jason Lowery (left) from Benicia, CA.

Selling raffle tickets for the Navy and Marine Corps Relief Fund Drive tonight was ETC (SW/AW) Darin Kuklis (above, left) from Fort Washington, MD and DTC (FMF) Lito Roxas from Quezon City, Philippines.

It's been off and on cloudy out here. This evening the skies were clear, the temps cool, and morale was high in the 90's without any signs of it decreasing.

(Left - Deck) The boat crew transfers 11 INDEPENDENCE sailors to the nuclear-powered, fast-attack submarine, USS TUCSON. The transfer was part of an exchange program to provide carrier sailors with a look at life aboard a submarine.

(Left - VAW 115) AK3 Stacey Bailey from Torrington, CT, AT3 Ryan Selzer from Grand Blanc, MI, AA Michael Tucker from Knoxville, TN, and Joseph Renteria from St. Visalia, CA, stand near a VAW-115 E-2C Hawkeye prior to launching an Operation Southern Watch mission.

To get to these photos, check out their Bulletin Boards, which you'll find on their pages. More Departments are almost finished, and that means more photos. Although, I think I've finally found the limit to our server space... unfortunately we need to pull photos off our Photo Gallery to make some room. So check 'em out today before they're gone. Thanks for tuning in today.