Five Days Out

My 3rd anniversary (21SEP) of joining the Navy, and I had Saturday duty and double watches. The first watch and the last watch (the last one was all Sonar Techs!). 

Starting Monday, 23 September, we went back out to sea for a few INSERV demonstration rehearsals. S&A was set from 09-11, then I took the first watch (after lunch). I observed a MOB (man overboard) drill from CIC for an ESWS item, then had some DC training, then a CSTT (combat systems training team) drill, and finally worked out on the bike before bed.

24SEP started with a GQ drill during my first watch. My LPO had me find out the measurements for the tape markings on the torpedo countermeasures tow cable, and then I prepared for late watch scheduled maintenance checks with hazmat and tagout and the associated spot check. Had steak and lobster (and scallops) for dinner, and then an All Hands Call on the flight deck for awards (But you should have heard the rumors fly about the ship's schedule all day long in anticipation of it! Lots of people were talking about Syria.). That evening I observed another MOB drill, this time from the bridge.

25SEP started very early with the late watch, did the scheduled maintenance, so it went faster than normal. After breakfast, there was a connected underway replenishment (UNREP) and my station was on the forecastle for the first time in a long time. Managed a little rest before another MOB drill (this time requiring us to muster with our divisions). All of Sonar went to early chow because of our schedule... but when we got there, we were all surprised to learn that we were required to get a flu shot at the same time. Nothing like a hamburger and a shot in the arm! Not long afterwords they manned the stream team, and a few of us re-taped a bunch of the tow cable, until we ran out of tape. After dinner, I had a spot check with OPS (operations officer). Worked out again (proud of myself for doing it twice in one week underway!), then managed a short rest before the mid-watch, in which I trained our new guy on lots of things, including the dailies.

26SEP: There was a field day until lunch, and the new guy and I took care of two passageways and two spaces ourselves. That evening, CMC (command master chief) sent an email to the crew, calling out my division for being the "most impressive" and giving us a "BZ" or Bravo Zulu, which is Navy code for "Well Done".

"Clean decks, high dusting, sparkling hand wheel and all the corners and angle irons.  But most importantly, witnessing the TEAM effort with all paygrades pitching in, set a positive tone for me."

That night we had a quick and successful sonar scenario. I verified the frequency of the thing we tracked. It was fun to watch the drill go so well with equipment and personnel working so fluidly.

27SEP: Pulled in mid-morning, and I was able to observe Sea & Anchor from the forecastle for ESWS. As we were coming up the Elizabeth River, we passed a Frigate going out to sea, and rendered passing honors. Even though I wasn't on the watch-bill, I joined everyone in falling in at parade rest, and in saluting as the whistles blew as we passed. Since it was my duty day, I obviously stayed on board. I wrote a job and searched for a couple part numbers on our computer program for jobs. Conducted pier sweepers just before sunset (picking up lots of trash in the parking lot). Up in plenty of time for the last watch, and it went by quickly enough, I guess. LSC was my OOD, and he said he knew someone on the USNS Comfort (hospital ship) that is moored across from us on our new pier. Apparently, on that ship, an E-5 would have their own stateroom. What a shock it would be for somebody like that to come to a fighting ship and have to share a berthing with 50+ other people!

Turning over the duty on Saturday morning was very pleasant... I had two whole days to relax at home!