Story By: JO2 Donald P. Rule
email: parule62@cv62.navy.mil
Date: February 1, 1998
Within the last ten years, the U.S. Navy has been caught in the middle of change, especially on aircraft carriers. Seven years ago, public telephone service (INMARSAT) was introduced; within the last five years, women have permanently reported aboard all but one carrier; and in more recent years, satellite television has premiered on the floating cities.
"Freedom's Flagship" has definitely seen her share of change.
Saturday, CWO2 Tyrone Clasablanca, Educational Services Officer, cut the ribbon for the new and improved Learning Resource Center located at 02-212-2L.
This research and entertainment center now has its' own Intranet set-up. Eight new computers are hooked up through a Microsoft NT system to a central computer server, which provides various educational, and entertainment software.
Sailors now can do research for their job or for any college courses that they are taking. It also provides entertainment for the crew with several games available for their use. The crew may also bring their own software as long as it runs without having to be installed.
According to Clasablanca, once the Internet is up and running and the ship's crew begins to line up outside to get their chance on the Internet, ESO will start an appointment log to sign-up for login time - a maximum of three hours per day.
Within the next month, Indy's Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) will add to the Learning Resource Center and its available staff.
"We have ordered four Sony Playstations (each with a 20 inch television) and $1,100 worth of games," said AGC (AW) Mark D. Shaffer, MWR leading chief petty officer, and a native of Ft. Wayne, Ind. MWR expects the shipment to arrive in the next couple of weeks.
Currently, the Learning Resource Center is open daily from 7 a.m. to midnight. After MWR moves in, the plan is to keep the Center open 24 hours a day.
Caption: SM1 Rafael Austria, of Chicago, Ill. takes an opportunity to try out the new equipment in the LRC.