Vinson families link up

Associated Press

BREMERTON — From 12,000 miles away, Robert Miller gazes and coos at his 12-day-old son, Alex.

Miller, aboard the USS Carl Vinson in the Arabian Sea, is looking at Alex for the first time, thanks to a real-time satellite video link that connects the father aboard the aircraft carrier and his newborn son here at home.

In a Navy classroom here, Lacy Miller carefully positioned Alex in his car seat in front of a video camera on Monday and watched as her husband appeared on a screen.

"I can see him now! I can see his eyes," exclaimed Robert Miller, a petty officer third class on the Bremerton-based carrier taking part in the strikes against the Taliban in Afghanistan.

In all, 29 families are taking advantage of video and audio equipment that allows new fathers to view and talk to babies born after the Vinson departed in July.

Kessara Guerrero, a training facilitator with the Navy Learning Network at Naval Station Bremerton, wanted to find some way to bring fathers together with their newborn children. She set up the video hookup on the Vinson after hearing about a similar trial program on the San Diego-based carrier USS Constellation. Two Bremerton-area families were the first to test the technology last week.

Each family is given 20 minutes of air time. The system isn’t perfect. Face-to-face contact is interrupted if the ship deviates from its course. Some families lost contact in the middle of their allotted time and had to wait for the connection to be re-established.

But nobody was complaining.

Brandy Lewis, along with 2-month-old Elijah and 2-year-old Brandon, waited two hours to see her husband, Derrick Lewis, a petty officer third class. He was shown on the screen wearing dungarees with rolled up sleeves.

"You look good," Brandy Lewis said.

"You look good, too," her husband replied. "I see you’ve got your hands full. … I miss you."

Another crewman, Petty Officer 2nd Class Mike Campos, got a chance to view and talk to his wife, Tina, holding their 2 1/2-month-old son, Caden.

"Don’t let him walk till I get home," Campos told his wife.

Technology has become important for Navy families to keep in touch with their loved ones. While many Bremerton-area businesses have been slowing in the soured economy and with so many crews out to sea, cell phone providers and computer companies are reporting flourishing sales.

Bremerton is home to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, while Naval Submarine Base Bangor is on nearby Hood Canal and Naval Station Everett, across Puget Sound, is home to the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln.

A-1 Computers in Bremerton has seen a steady stream of Navy wives rushing in to get their computers fixed.

"There’s never a dull moment in this shop now," said Chad Brown of A-1 Computers. "They’ll come in at noon and say, ‘My husband can only send me an e-mail at 3 p.m., I gotta talk to him.’ "

Copyright ©2001 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Customers enter and exit the Costco on Dec. 2, 2022, in Lake Stevens. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Costco stores could be impacted by looming truck driver strike threat

Truck drivers who deliver groceries and produce to Costco warehouses… Continue reading

Two Washington State ferries pass along the route between Mukilteo and Clinton as scuba divers swim near the shore Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023, in Mukilteo, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Ferry system increases ridership by a half million in 2024

Edmonds-Kingston route remains second-busiest route in the system.

Hundreds rally against Trump on Presidents Day in Everett

People lined Broadway with signs and flags, similar to other protests across the country

Alina Langbehn, 6, center, and Vera A., 6, right, sit on a swing together at Drew Nielsen Neighborhood Park after school on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett council votes to renovate Drew Nielsen Park

Construction on the $345,000 upgrade could start as early as this fall.

Northshore School District bus driver Stewart O’Leary pictured next to his buses shattered drivers side windshield on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025 in Bothell, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘Put me in, coach’: Bus driver back at work after struck by metal bar

Stewart O’Leary, a Northshore employee, has received national attention for his composure during a frightening bus trip.

Robin Cain with 50 of her marathon medals hanging on a display board she made with her father on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Running a marathon is hard. She ran one in every state.

Robin Cain, of Lake Stevens, is one of only a few thousand people to ever achieve the feat.

People line up to grab food at the Everett Recovery Cafe on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Coffee, meals and compassion are free at the Everett Recovery Cafe

The free, membership-based day center offers free coffee and meals and more importantly, camaraderie and recovery support.

Lynnwood councilor Joshua Binda speaks during a Lynnwood City Council meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Does the Lynnwood Council VP live in Lynnwood? It’s hard to say.

Josh Binda’s residency has been called into question following an eviction and FEC filings listing an Everett address. He insists he lives in Lynnwood.

The Everett Wastewater Treatment Plant along the Snohomish River on Thursday, June 16, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett water, sewer rates could jump 43% by 2028

The rate hikes would pay for improvements to the city’s sewer infrastructure.

The bond funded new track and field at Northshore Middle School on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024 in Bothell, Washington. (Courtesy of Northshore School District)
Northshore School District bond improvements underway

The $425 million bond is funding new track and field complexes, playgrounds and phase one of two school replacements.

An American Robin picks a berry from a holly tree on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Calling all birders for the annual Great Backyard Bird Count

The Audubon Society will hold its 28th annual Great Backyard… Continue reading

A view of one of the potential locations of the new Aquasox stadium on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024 in Everett, Washington. The site sits between Hewitt Avenue, Broadway, Pacific Avenue and the railroad. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Initial prep work for AquaSox stadium to start, with $200k price tag

The temporary agreement allows some surveying and design work as the city negotiates contracts with designers and builders.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.