Category: United States of America

Source: United States Navy

SAN DIEGO (August 16, 2024) After being closed for nearly two years due to a drydocking selected restricted availability (DSRA) maintenance period, the main gym aboard amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) reopened, August 16, 2024.

From floor repairs to new equipment, a new gym onboard Essex has been a long time coming. At the beginning of the gym project, when the old, worn-out gym equipment and floor mats were removed, it was discovered that the gym flooring was corroded and floor repairs became the main priority.

“The deck was super corroded in two areas, on the starboard (right) side and in the middle of the gym,” said Sara Krise, Essex’s afloat recreation specialist, or more commonly known as Fun Boss.

Fun bosses run the Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) programs on ships and are responsible for the programming of recreational events, sports and special events and activities for military personnel serving at sea to help reduce the stress of deployment and improve morale. One major MWR program is the gym.

With a high quality and well-maintained space a primary concern, said Krise, it was important that proper maintenance be performed before any new floor mats and gym equipment were brought in; which meant that the entire floor needed to be properly sanded and painted.

Unfortunately, due to a rushed deadline, paint not drying correctly and the wet paint accidentally being walked on, a month’s worth of floor repairs needed to be done twice. In the Navy, something as simple as painting a floor takes a lot more steps than simply paint-to-floor. Between finding volunteers to help, coordinating the closing of specific spaces on the ship and getting approval for cold-work (painting) so that it doesn’t interfere with hot-work (welding), a month’s worth of work took about four months, according to Master at Arms 1st Class Michael Norval, who graciously volunteered his time to help.

According to Krise, Norval wasn’t originally involved with the work in the gym. When it became apparent that the floors in the gym needed to be redone, she reached out to the Security department simply because they own the space.

“MA1 Norval did an amazing job at ensuring the deck was resanded and repainted,” said Krise. “He sort of, just, took it upon himself to make sure the work got done, which was fantastic.”

Norval recruited two Sailors specifically to help, Operations Specialist 3rd Class Yajaira Espinoza Soto and Airman Mika Dotterweich.

“I asked these two Sailors to help out because they are the most motivated and reliable and they have a similar drive as I do to make sure the job gets done,” said Norval.

Espinoza Soto and Dotterweich are currently assigned to security as part of in-port security forces (ISF), where their primary responsibility is armed watch standing to protect the ship and their fellow Sailors. All of the assistance they provided was performed during their breaks in-between watches.

“It really wasn’t much of a bother, you just have to take initiative and work together as a team,” said Espinoza Soto.

Dotterweich had much of the same sentiment.

“If you’re coming into work, you’re going to be working no matter what,” said Dotterweich. “I’d rather be helping someone out during my off time, plus, it helps the time go by faster.”

An upgrade of about $170,000 in new gym equipment and about $200,000 in new floor mats is no small feat. Lt. j. g. Jonathan Contreras, who helped with the MWR program, assessed the equipment needs of the gym and placed the order for the new equipment through Deployed Forces Support Program (DFS), Krise coordinated with Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) to ensure a crane was available to assist with the onload of the new gym equipment while also working with Capt. Russell Everitt, executive officer of Essex and Master Chief Charles Parker, command master chief of Essex, to coordinate ship’s personnel to assist with bringing on the new equipment.

The onload and placement of the new gym mats would have taken the MWR team 36 hours to complete, according to Chief Air Traffic Controlman Erin Gladwin, MWR’s “Fun Chief” onboard Essex.

When the duty section of the day pitched in to help, that was cut down to only a two-hour working party. In addition, NAVSUP was able to crane all of the new gym equipment from the pier to the flight deck of the ship, and volunteers of the ship’s crew hand-carried it down to the hangar bay and up two flights of stairs to the gym.

“It took a lot of teamwork from junior enlisted all the way up the ranks to senior officers to get the gym ready at the level it was completed at. Even though it wasn’t mandatory, a lot of people took time out of their schedule to make it happen,” said Gladwin.

Krise has enjoyed revamping the ship’s gym and aspires to make it custom to Essex.

“My intent with the gym is to make it one-of-a-kind,” says Krise. “While gyms are all kind of the same, I want to make it custom-tuned to the Essex with the best equipment and best placement of everything.”

In the future, Krise plans to order additional equipment to continue filling out the available space in the gym. She is also considering the idea of having a few “mini gyms” around the ship, dependent on approval from departments who own specific spaces, to allow for even more opportunities for Sailors to get a quick workout in.

Now that the gym is open, Krise is already planning events such as an “Aloha Challenge”, which runs from September 9 to September 30 and encourages Sailors to run, row or bike 25.21 miles to win a prize, mirroring the fact that Hawaii is 2,521 miles away from San Diego. She also plans to initiate “1,000 Pound Clubs” and other events to encourage camaraderie with fellow shipmates and to help Sailors feel proud of the gym.

For Norval, the gym is one of the most important departments of the ship and it means a lot to the crew as a whole to have the gym open again.

“The two most important departments that I see, that are kind of the heart of the ship, are the galley and the gym. The galley is the left ventricle and the gym is the right ventricle; and I love this ship. I love every Sailor on this ship. I think that they’re all excited for this and that the opening of the gym will increase morale,” said Norval.

Essex is home ported in San Diego conducting a maintenance period to upgrade and refurbish many key systems aboard.

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Source: United States Navy

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii – Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility’s (PHNSY & IMF) workforce successfully docked Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS North Carolina (SSN 777) on Sept. 4 in preparation for a depot modernization period (DMP).

“North Carolina is approaching the midway point of her planned life cycle and it is important to conduct repairs and state of the art upgrades to ensure she is combat-ready and equipped to conduct all assigned tasking well into the 2030s,” said Cmdr. Tad Robbins, North Carolina commanding officer.

Robbins added that the crew was looking forward to the refurbishment and upgrade period after North Carolina went on three Pacific deployments in the last six years.

During the DMP, the shipyard project team and ship’s crew will perform structural inspections and repairs, overhaul and replacement of existing complex mechanical and electrical systems, paint and coatings repair and replacement, system modernization, and nuclear work.

“We are all aligned and working together as one big Ohana to achieve the goal of getting the boat back to the fleet as soon as possible,” said Kevin Alford, project superintendent, PHNSY & IMF. “And while it’s definitely hard, dirty, challenging work, with the right team it can also be a lot of fun. I definitely have the right team.”

North Carolina will spend time in the dry dock, then undergo a 10-month period of testing systems and certification of the boat’s crew. At its peak, there will be more than 600 people working daily on the project.

The Navy’s Pacific submarine force has unique access to a critical undersea domain. The ability to rapidly deploy is a key component to the Pacific Fleet’s ability to deter and respond to crisis and conflict throughout the Indo-Pacific region. While underway, the submarines conduct combat readiness training and employ undersea warfare capabilities in support of a wide range of missions. The shipyard’s ability to complete complex maintenance operations and deliver submarines back to the fleet on time, ensures that our submarine force remains ready and responsive for any tasking.

North Carolina was commissioned May 3, 2008, and is the fourth navy vessel and first submarine named after the state. North Carolina is homeported at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, and has a crew of approximately 140 Sailors and officers representing almost every state in the nation.

PHNSY & IMF is a field activity of NAVSEA and a one-stop regional maintenance center for the Navy’s surface ships and submarines. It is the largest industrial employer in the state of Hawaii. Strategically located in the heart of the Pacific, it is the most comprehensive fleet repair and maintenance facility between the U.S. West Coast and the Far East. Its location places it about a week’s steaming time closer to potential regional contingencies in the Indo-Pacific.

Source: United States Navy

HMAS STIRLING, Western Australia, Australia (Sept. 10, 2024) — The Virginia-class attack submarine USS Hawaii (SSN 776) departed HMAS Stirling today, marking the conclusion of a historic submarine maintenance period in Western Australia. As part of the Australia, United Kingdom, United States (AUKUS) Pillar 1 effort, Royal Australian Navy personnel assigned to submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) worked alongside their U.S. Navy counterparts to make repairs on the U.S. Virginia-class SSN in Australia during a multi-week Submarine Tendered Maintenance Period, or STMP.

“This is the first time since World War II that the U.S. has conducted submarine maintenance in Australian waters, and certainly the first instance in history of a joint American-Australian team performing maintenance on a nuclear-powered attack submarine,” said Rear Adm. Lincoln Reifsteck, U.S. Navy AUKUS Integration and Acquisition program manager. “The importance of this event cannot be overstated. These last few weeks provided essential maintenance and stewardship experience for our Australian partners in advance of establishing a sovereign SSN force in Australia.”

The STMP represents a significant step toward achieving the AUKUS Pillar 1 objective of delivering a sovereign, conventionally armed, nuclear-powered attack submarine capability to Australia. During the STMP, the crew of Emory S. Land and Hawaii performed routine and emergent maintenance and conducted training that included diving operations to inspect the torpedo tube muzzle doors, towed array system, and the simulated movement of a large pump weighing more than 3,500 pounds from within the boat. Royal Navy Sailors observed the STMP maintenance events to integrate learning opportunities for future U.K. SSN port visits to Western Australia.

The maintenance period also featured nuclear stewardship exercises, as well as firefighting exercises and drills. These training evolutions allowed Australian radiological controls policy makers to observe how the U.S. Navy safely handles simulated low-level radiological material as a means to increase their knowledge and enhance their understanding of radiological stewardship.

“Successfully completing the STMP means the Royal Australian Navy has taken a major step forward in our ability to maintain and sustain SSNs,” said Rear Adm. Matt Buckley, Head of Nuclear Submarine Capability within the Australian Submarine Agency. “For the first time, Australian personnel undertook maintenance on a conventionally armed, nuclear-powered attack submarine in our own waters. As we continue to conduct more frequent SSN visits to HMAS Stirling the amount of work conducted by Australians will grow as we build our sovereign capabilities.”

“Each SSN visit to HMAS Stirling has a set of goals and objectives, with each one designed to demonstrate increasing capabilities and stewardship,” said Rear Adm. Chris Shepherd, the U.K.’s Defence Nuclear Organisation AUKUS Director and Senior Responsible Owner for the Replacement Nuclear Submarine Programme. “The STMP demonstrated the synergy we have within the trilateral partners and sets us up for future port visits.”

AUKUS is a strategic partnership that will promote a safe, free, and open Indo-Pacific, enhance national security, and uplift the industrial bases of the three nations. AUKUS Pillar 1 is assisting Australia in acquiring a sovereign conventionally armed SSN capability by the early 2030s. The AUKUS I&A Program Office is responsible for executing the trilateral partnership to assist Australia in acquiring conventionally armed, nuclear-powered attack submarines at the earliest possible date, while setting the highest nuclear stewardship standards and continuing to maintain the highest non-proliferation standard.

To read more about AUKUS, view the fact sheet at the following link: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/03/13/fact-sheet-trilateral-australia-uk-us-partnership-on-nuclear-powered-submarines/.

Source: United States Navy

“It was incredible to see how quickly the NSMV program and Philly Shipyard have come in just a few years,” said Secretary Del Toro.  “Building Patriot State and enabling its mission to train Massachusetts Marine Academy cadets will advance our Maritime Statecraft for decades.”

Philly Shipyard is a U.S. shipbuilder pursuing a mix of commercial and government work, ranging from shipbuilding to repair and maintenance. 

Secretary Del Toro has made Maritime Statecraft and restoring the comprehensive maritime power of the United States a key component of his tenure as Secretary of the Navy. That component was advanced with Korean Shipbuilder Hanwha’s acquisition announcement of Philly Shipyard in June 2024.

“I thank all those who answered the nation’s call to service to ensure we remain the most dominant maritime force in the world,” said Del Toro. “Your contributions to our shipbuilding industry and maritime training are vital to our Maritime Statecraft.”

The christening was attended by U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA 5th District), Maritime Administrator Hon. Ann C. Phillips, Massachusetts Maritime Academy President Adm. Fran McDonald, and Philly Shipyard President and CEO Steinar Nerbovik.

When it is complete, Patriot State will be a key platform to train future leaders of the United States Merchant Marine and United States Navy.

Source: United States Navy

BOSTON – The crew of USS Constitution will commemorate the tragic loss of life and the historic significance of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks with a ceremony aboard the ship on September 11, 2024.

The event will begin at 8:05 a.m. with remarks from commanding officer Cmdr. Crystal L. Schaefer aboard USS Constitution.

In honor of those who lost their lives that day, USS Constitution will fire four gun salutes, one for each plane that crashed.

The ceremony will also feature USS Constitution Sailors reading the names of Navy service members and people from Boston who lost their lives. 

USS Constitution will be open for public visitation on September 11, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The ship is regularly open for public visitation from Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

USS Constitution is the world’s oldest commissioned warship afloat and America’s Ship

of State. She played a crucial role in the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812, actively

defending sea lanes from 1797 to 1855.