USS Enterprise (CVN 65)
The Shuttle Newsletter Edition
“We are Legend”
September 4, 2012 Issue
Nuclear Propulsion Mobile Training Team Visits Big E Story and Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Scott Pittman USS ENTERPRISE, At Sea – The Reactor and Engineering departments of aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) recently worked with the Nuclear Propulsion Mobile Training Team (NPMTT) from Naval Air Forces, Atlantic Fleet, to test the level of readiness of the departments’ multiple divisions. The NPMTT arrived Aug. 31 and departed Sept. 3 after reviewing the different aspects of administration, training, maintenance and emergency response of Reactor and Engineering. “We start out with an administrative review, where we review the different programs associated with the training of both Reactor and Engineering department, as well as(look at) how they administer their maintenance and the paperwork associated with it,” said Senior Chief Electronics Technician David Barber, a member of the visiting NPMTT. “We also do some evolutions where we go down to the plant and watch them do maintenance real-time to make sure everything is being done correctly.” However, administration and maintenance were not the only things the team reviewed while aboard Enterprise. “We also run drills, which is what you guys hear in the middle of the night when they call away the casualty assistance teams,” said Barber. “We simulate something wrong with the plant and watch how the watch-teams take action to place the plant in a safe condition, and then restore the plant.” This level of testing may seem like it could be an annual event. However, when dealing with nuclear power, safety is paramount, so these evaluations happen more often. “The training team comes out three to four times a year to help us prepare for our Operational Reactor Safeguard Exam (ORSE),” said Master Chief Machinist’s Mate Cameron Cuskey, the Reactor department Master Chief. Though the NPMTT is testing the overall readiness and capabilities of the Reactor and Engineering departments, individuals may find themselves put to the test as well through a level of knowledge (LOK) oral examination. The LOK can be administered to anyone in the department. “Sometimes the level of knowledge assessment is given to someone who has just been qualified at a watch station. Sometimes it may be people who are actually standing watch, but the training team picks who they assess at random,” said Cuskey. “Generally, they stick to people who are rotating on the watchbill, but sometimes they’ll go beyond that to the people who are qualified but may not be on a current watch rotation.” The ship may be close to inactivation but the crew is still going strong when it comes to maintaining the ship. “We still have eight operational reactors,” said Cuskey. “Realistically, though the reactors are about to be shut down, we are going to assess that our operators are still maintaining those reactors safely. The safety of those reactors is essential for us to be able to pull into any port, whether it is Jebel Ali or Norfolk.”
Master Chief Machinist’s Mate Eric Richie, the Reactor Mechanical Assistant with the Nuclear Propulsion Mobile Training Team (NPMTT), speaks with Reactor and Engineering master chiefs during a debrief.
Enterprise is more than 50-years old, and even though a lot of equipment has been replaced throughout the years, some has been around since the ship’s commissioning. Despite this fact, Enterprise’s Reactor and Engineering departments were more than prepared for the NPMTT’s visit. “It’s an old ship, and everybody knows that, and it’s a very difficult ship to learn,” said Barber. “The level of knowledge required to operate down there is extensive. They definitely performed well.” The fact that Enterprise is so different from the rest of the aircraft carriers in the fleet can present a problem for the training team, but the job still needs to get done. “The theory associated with operating a propulsion plant stays the same regardless of where you go. However, the specifics are certainly different,” said Barber. “We have a few members of the team who have Enterprise experience, so the other 11 members kind of relied on them as to what to expect when we went into the propulsion plants. Certainly, the Reactor department themselves and the drill team helped us get an understanding if we had a question as to what to expect out of certain operators or where certain equipment was.” The Sailors in the Reactor and Engineering departments did well enough during their assessment to merit praise from members of the training team. “I’m impressed,” said Barber. “It’s hard to stay motivated when you know the ship is about to be shut down. It’s impressive for us to come onboard the ship and see you guys doing the daily grind, taking care of the ship, fixing things when they break even though six months down the road it may be taken out.” Enterprise’s performance during the NPMTT visit bodes well for the upcoming ORSE, which is designed to ensure that the Engineering and Reactor departments of nuclear-powered vessels are operating their reactors in a safe manner. The exam also ensures the readiness of the Engineering department to safely respond to any nuclear power plant casualties.
The Shuttle
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Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Big E Happenings
Chief Hospital Corpsman (Select) Lestary Plair, from Columbia, S.C., reviews coin sales during the last week while selling coins. (Photo by MC3 Scott Pittman)
Culinary Specialist Seaman Dewahn L. Johnson, from Chicago, cuts melon to be used as garnish for the line. (Photo by MC3 Jared King)
he aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) prepares for night flight operations. (Photo by MC3 Jared King) Aviation Ordnanceman 3rd Class Adan Acosta, from Pomona, Calif., and Electronics Technician 3rd Class Brittian McIntosh, from Portland, Ore., exercise by sparring in the hangar bay. (Photo by MC3 Jared King)
The Shuttle USS Enterprise (CVN 65)
The Shuttle is published and printed daily underway and bi-weekly in port by the USS Enterprise (CVN 65) Media Department, FPO AE 09543-2810. This newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the Department of Defense. Please direct all story ideas, questions and comments to MC1 (SW) Steve Smith at smithsw@cvn65. navy.mil. Commanding Officer Capt. William C. Hamilton, Jr.
Executive Officer Capt. G. C. Huffman
Command Master Chief Public Affairs Officer CMDCM (AW/SW) Dwayne E. Huff Lt. Cmdr. Sarah T. Self-Kyler Editor MC3 Brian G. Reynolds
Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) 2nd Class Jonathan P. Saberon, from Bakersfield, Calif., records aircraft information upon recovery in arresting gear engine room two. (Photo by MC3 Jared King)
The Shuttle
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
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In the News
Marine F/A-18C Hornet Crash By Naval Air Forces Pacific Public Affairs
A Marine F/A-18C Hornet crashed in a remote range area of the Fallon Range Training Complex at approximately 3:15 p.m. CDT Saturday. The pilot ejected safely from the aircraft and was treated at Banner Churchill Community Hospital in Fallon for minor injuries and has been released. The pilot and aircraft are from Marine Fighter
Attack Squadron 323 (VMFA 323), based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. VMFA 323 is part of Carrier Air Wing 11, which is currently conducting routine training at Naval Air Station Fallon. No one on the ground was hurt in the incident. The cause of the mishap is under investigation.
Gulf States Lambaste Syria, Iran By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
JEDDAH - Arab monarchies in the Gulf on Sunday lambasted Syria’s regime for deploying heavy weapons against civilians while ordering Iran not to interfere in their internal affairs. The six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council at a meeting in Jeddah also urged the international community to “assume their responsibilities and take measures to protect civilians” in Syria, where according to a watchdog more than 26,000 people have been killed in a revolt that erupted in March 2011. The GCC in a statement issued after the meeting in the Saudi western city condemned “the ongoing massacres which are due to the obstinacy of the regime in using heavy weapons, including planes and
tanks” against civilians. The monarchies ordered Iran to halt its “interference” in their internal affairs, citing an incident at the opening of the Non-Aligned Movement in Tehran when an official interpreter reportedly replaced the word “Syria” with “Bahrain” in a speech by Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi. They asked their powerful neighbour to “cease these acts and not resort to or threaten to use force.” Bahrain earlier issued a statement saying it had “requested the Iranian government apologise for this act, and take the necessary action to correct the breach and ensure that actions like this one donít happen again.”
Iran Would Take Action if U.S. Attacked Syria By REUTERS
DUBAI- Iran would take action if the United States were to carry out an act of “stupidity” and attack Syria, an Iranian military official was quoted as saying on Saturday, but the comments later disappeared from the state-linked agency website. Iran has steadfastly supported Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in his bid to suppress an uprising which both Tehran and Damascus see as a proxy war by Israel and Western states to extend their influence in the Middle East. “If America were to attack Syria, Iran along with Syria’s allies will take action, which would amount to a fiasco for America,” Mohammad Ali Assoudi, the deputy for culture and propaganda of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was quoted as saying. Assoudi’s comments were first carried by the government-linked news agency Young Journalists’ Club but were later apparently taken down from
the group’s website. The comments were picked up by Iranian news sites including Iran’s Jam-e Jam newspaper and the BBC’s Persian-language site. Iranian officials were not immediately available for comment. Assoudi did not specify exactly what steps Iran would take, but said Syria’s allies would implement their joint military pact in the case of a U.S. attack. “In the case of American stupidity and a military attack by this country on Syria, the joint military pact of Syria’s allies would be implemented,” Assoudi said. Iran and Syria signed a mutual defense pact in 2006, but little is known of its details, or whether there are any other signatories. The Islamic Republic considers Assadís government, along with Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah, part of an “axis of resistance” against the influence of the United States and Israel in the Middle East.
The Shuttle
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Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Big E Entertainment 39. Loyal (archaic) 40. Lair 41. Visitor 42. Dried coconut meat 43. Unworthy 45. Sand bar 49. Caviar 50. Deluge 53. Half-naked 57. Unmerited 59. Type of sword 60. Encounter 61. A river through Paris 62. Location 63. Combustible pile 64. Canvas shelters 65. Stigma
ACROSS 1. Stair 5. Send, as payment 10. Historical periods 14. Unit of pressure 15. Avoid 16. Observed 17. Monster 18. Written material 20. A punch of sweetened
ale 22. Memory loss 23. Before, poetically 24. Hellenic language 25. Glorify 32. 1/16th of a pound 33. Kidney-related 34. Hemp 37. Found in some lotions 38. Coil of yarn
DOWN 1. Put away 2. Roman robe 3. Makes a mistake 4. Charisma 5. A change for the better 6. Wicked 7. A thick flat pad 8. Bright thought 9. School session 10. A chemical compound 11. Utilize again 12. Eagle’s nest
13. Move stealthily 19. Supernatural being 21. Backside 25. Tailless stout-bodied amphibian 26. Govern 27. Nameless 28. Annoyed 29. Ganders 30. Pieces 31. Dashed 34. Yachting cap 35. Acquire deservedly 36. Banner 38. Our star 39. Unloved 41. Throats (archaic) 42. Prune 44. Wears away 45. The base part of a tree 46. Product of bees 47. Law and _____ 48. Mountain crest 51. Where a bird lives 52. Tall woody plant 53. Canvas dwelling 54. Sweeping story 55. Bristle 56. Clairvoyant 58. French for “Wine”