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.