Getting 'Big-E' from A to B

the

SHUTTLE

USS Enterprise (CVN 65) -Saturday June 11, 2011

Getting Big ‘E’

From AgB

Photo by MC3 Daniel J. Meshel

Saturday June 11, 2011

the SHUTTLE

Page 3

Enterprise News

Bridge watchstanders steer the course

By MC3 Austin Rooney USS Enterprise Public Affairs

USS ENTERPRISE, At sea – When operating any vehicle, a certain amount of concentration and precision is required on the part of the operator in order to ensure the safety of the passengers.

For a 95,000-ton aircraft carrier with a full load of more than 4,000 Sailors and Marines, the men and women in charge of its navigation must be extremely precise with their every move while plotting its course and steering the ship.

The team of highly-trained Sailors who work on the bridge of the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) have already accumulated countless hours of high-risk navigation while operating during the ship’s 21st deployment.

“It’s our job to get the ship to where it needs to be,” said Boatswain’s Mate Seaman Alexis Montgomery, a helmsman who stands watch on the bridge. “It’s one of the most important jobs on board.”

Every turn, replenishment at sea, or strait transit is made possible by a variety of Sailors of different rates and levels of experience. Every time the commanding officer or officer of the deck needs to change the ship’s course, a team of quartermasters must carefully plot the course on large charts, and then pass the directions to the helmsmen who control the speed and navigation of the ship.

“We make sure the ship gets from point A to point B on time and in the most efficient manner,” said Quartermaster 1st Class (SW) Bill Obry, Enterprise’s Navigation department leading petty

Photo by MC3 Daniel J.Meshel

Quartermaster Seaman Nathaniel C. Allison plots course and speed to determine location using dead reckoning aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65). Allison is part of Enterprise’s Navigation Department and bridge watch team.

officer. “If our calculations are off by even a fraction of a degree, the entire ship would be thrown off course.”

Obry said precision is such an important part of their jobs that they are required to perform what is known as fixes or updates of the ship’s position every two to 15 minutes depending on the proximity to land. The information comes from the quartermasters on the bridge, the commanding officer’s tactical plot and the boatswain’s mates standing lookout watch on the signal bridge.

“It’s very important to double-check everyone’s input, even if it’s someone experienced who you trust,” said Obry. “If the ship’s course is off by even the length of a football field in some places, it could end up with us running aground.”

The boatswain’s mates on the bridge stand their watch on the helm and the lee helm. The helm controls the ship’s course, while the lee helm controls the speed. Montgomery said both watches must remain extremely vigilant and pay close attention to to ensure the course plotted by the quartermasters is carried out effectively.

“You have to stay focused at all times,” said Montgomery.

“The commanding officer usually sits right next to us, so he notices any deviation from the planned course.”

Obry said navigating the ship is not always difficult when everything goes according to plan. According to Obry, last-minute changes are usually issued from the commanding officer, which forces the quartermasters to get new charts and begin plotting

new courses on tight time constraints.

“Whenever there is a change to our course, we have to plot it on the fly,” said Quartermaster 3rd Class (SW) Tom Sanborn, the ship’s chart petty officer.

“A lot of times we don’t even know where we’re going next, so we have to be ready for anything.”

Since Enterprise began its latest deployment coming straight out of the shipyard, Obry said much of the navigation team was inexperienced.

Since Enterprise left the shipyard, every Sailor working on the bridge has gained valuable experience and works together as a team.

“I’m really proud of all of them,” said Obry. “They have come a long way from the shipyard to being a cohesive navigation team.”

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the SHUTTLE

Sailors of the Day

Boatswain’s Mate Seaman

Aviation Electrician’s Mate 1st Class

Evelio Velez- Springfield, MA

Scott C. Cadmus- Westport, WA

BMSN Velez, a deck seaman for Enterprise’s Deck Department, joined the Navy three and a half years ago for the educational benefits and to “serve my country and make my family proud.” To Velez, the most rewarding aspect of his job is completing the job and “seeing the big differences from start to finish.” Velez aspires to become a naval officer in the future. When he returns from deployment, Velez plans to work out and be “the best dad he can be.”

FUN ZONE!

Saturday June 11, 2011

AE1 Cadmus, a line leading petty officer for Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 137, joined the Navy 10 years ago because he wanted to “do something different.”

To Cadmus, the most rewarding aspect of his job is “teaching young Sailors.” Cadmus is working hard to become a chief petty officer and wants “to be with my family as much as possible.” When he returns from deployment, Cadmus plans to ride his quad motor bike.

Photos by MC3 Michael L. Croft

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1 “Star Wars” creator 6 Fermented honey drink 10 Strikebreaker 14 Pass legislation 15 Church recess 16 Jason’s ship 17 Parish donation 18 Authentic 19 Dotted line instruction 20 Mark 21 Disown 23 Singer Helen

Down 1 Rents 2 Military group 3 Cascades 4 Sorest 5 Author of “Le Rouge et le Noir” 6 Get hitched 7 Fencing sword 8 Memo directive 9 Deceive 10 Surfeit 11 Best 12 Playing marble 13 Made holes 22 Scottish river 24 Force unit 26 German wife 27 Camera part 28 Errors 29 Retain 31 African plains grazers 33 “The Wealth of Nations” author 34 Narrow victory margin 35 Eager 38 Fledgling’s place 39 Cherish 42 Most foul 44 Closet 46 “Mamma __!”

47 Players 49 Barbershop accessory 50 “The __ Mutiny” 51 Santa helpers 52 Dispatches 54 Dies __ 55 Wind instrument?

57 Cold wind along the Adriatic Sea 58 Quotation notation

25 Considered 26 Ostentatious and vulgar 28 Kind of shooting 30 Oblong 32 Sharp tug 36 Colony member 37 Clement 40 Female rabbit 41 Former Communist state 43 Capital 45 Accumulate 48 Mariners 49 Worth a look

52 Attempts 53 Garrulous 56 “The Lion King” hero 59 Tear apart 60 Algerian port 61 Workers’ group 62 Little bills 63 Currency, in Capetown 64 Fashionably nostalgic 65 Nuisance 66 Witnesses 67 “__ Frome” (Edith Wharton novel)