CARR Families and Friends,
First off, Happy Father’s Day to all the father’s on board CARR. One of the hardest parts of our job is the time away from our wives and children. In addition, happy Father’s Day to all the fathers of CARR’s Sailors!! Most of us owe a ton to you all!
Great week for CARR as we entered our operating area: we conducted two refuelings at sea, disrupted a narcotics movement, and successfully conducted a boarding.
Also, I want to remind our families and friends that outbound email will be secured whenever we are conducting operations – so please don’t pour Sailors will still get inbound email and will be able to contact you if there is an emergency. Don’t panic if you do not get an immediate response to your email. Your Sailors will still get inbound email and will be able to contact you if there is an emergency.
Day 10 – Sunday, June 10th
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Today we commenced our normal observance of conducting holiday routine on Sunday in order to allow personnel to catch up on sleep and tend to personal matters. This holiday routine had to be cut short in the afternoon as we prepared to conduct an underway replenishment with USNS SACAGAWEA (T-AKE-2).
Having not refueled since the day we departed Norfolk, we were in need of fuel. Typically on an independent deployment, refueling is conducted in port – we refer to them as “brief stops for fuel” or BSF. Typically a BSF is just that; there is no liberty ashore.just refueling and a quick turnaround and back to sea. For a portion of this deployment, we have the advantage of having a supply ship in the area – so instead of an hour into port, 5-6 hours refueling, and an hour departing port, we can quickly come alongside the oiler and be done in about 2 hours.
We were alongside SACAGAWEA longer than normal because of the large amount of fuel we had to take. The seas were rough, but LT Michael Jackson (no relation), our Chief Engineer, brought us alongside sharply and kept us in position about 180 feet away from the SACAGAWEA. Today we took on 89,900 gallons of Diesel Fuel Marine.
SACAGAWEA is a LEWIS AND CLARK class of dry cargo ship tasked with the mission of delivering ammunition, provisions, stores, spare parts, potable water and petroleum products to deployed naval forces at sea worldwide.
Built to commercial standards, T-AKEs take advantage of industry best practices and can be cost-effectively maintained using commercial, off-the-shelf technology. T-AKEs were built to high environmental protection standards; having such things as “green” waste-management facilities that decrease pollutants by 95 percent from conventional ships. The first ship, USNS Lewis and Clark (T-AKE-1), was placed in service with the MSC in June 2006 and is designed for a forty-year service life (think how many cars and televisions you will own in that amount of time). All ships in the class will be named after famous American explorers and pioneers.
Today we held the first of a series of Captain’s Cup events.these events pit division against division in various competitions – the division with the most points at the end of deployment will win the prize!
Today’s event involved 2 Sailors from each division; each had to shoot as many free throws as they could in 45 seconds.to level the playing field for those not possessing high tech basketball sneakers, all contestants had to perform in their socks on the non-skid flight deck. Many of the Sailors were pretty confident about their skills; however, with a moving ship on non-skid, it was not as cake as they had thought. Once all teams gave it a try, the Gunner’s Mates (GMSA Stephen Joyce and GMSN John Hodges) were tied for the win with the Engineman (ENC David Boulter and EN3 Brian Sutton) – tied for first with 14 free throws each. In order to break the tie, both tied divisions chose one representative to shoot a second round.it came down to GMSN Hodges versus ENC Boulter. GMSN Hodges came out confident and surpassed ENC Boulter’s shooting, winning 7 to 3. Repair Division (HT2 Tony Oliveri and XO – LCDR Neil Krueger) finished just one point back to claim third place.
So after the first round, the standing are:
CG Division (5 pts)
EA Division (4 pts)
ER Division (3 pts)
Great job to ET1 Carl Denker and OS2 Sean Malin who teamed up to resolve an issue with our Global Command and Control System (GCCS). Although a minor issue, our system was unable to automatically provide our real time position – as a result, the GCCS operator had to manually enter our position every 15 minutes. Both Sailors used their questioning attitude and level of knowledge to resolve the issue and not to become complacent with a work around. Awesome job!
Day 11 – Monday, June 11th
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Today we continued our patrols in support of Combating Transnational Organized Crime.
BZ to ET2 Michael McCullick and ET2 Corey Mink for their hard work maintaining our communications equipment in full working order. We experienced a couple minor communications issues this week, but both Sailors were ready to respond and get the gear back up and running in minimal time.
Day 12 – Tuesday, June 12th
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This morning we traveled through several squalls, but at least the seas were improving!!
As we continued our patrols, we found a go-fast suspected of smuggling narcotics. This was our first opportunity since last deployment to go after narcotics smugglers. Using our helicopter we made an approach, resulting in the smugglers dumping their load; thus disrupting this smuggling attempt.
After dumping their load at sea, the smugglers beached their vessel and took off running through the jungle. We then sent our RHIB out to look for the packages thrown over the side; not sure if they sunk or the fact that visibility was so bad, we were unable to recover anything.
Great job by GSM2 Kevin (SW) Barrientos who led a team of Engineers to repair one of our fuel pumps which had stripped a gear. The team carefully disassembled the coupling assembly and ensured everything was buttoned up in accordance to the technical manual specifications. BZ is also in order for MR2 Kevin Smith, who used his extensive machine skills – using the lathe and drill press – to cut a new gear assembly. MR2 continues to amaze with what he can do with a limited amount of tools in our shop.I can only imagine what he could do with a fully outfitted machine shop. MR2 Smith was recognized on Friday as the Engineer of the Week award for outstanding efforts. He received a $10 gift certificate to CARR’s store and a well deserved day off from division duties.
BZ to CF Division. They executed a collaborative effort using Distance Support (phone and email with a technical representative back in Mayport) to repair a critical weapons control console in our combat information center. After a few days of troubleshooting, FC2 Justin Campbell and FC2 Gary Freas found the final piece of the puzzle and replaced a faulty circuit component using our shipboard Electronic micro miniature equipment. FC2 Campbell was constantly motivated to push the troubleshooting effort and increase his personal level of knowledge throughout the whole troubleshooting experience.
Well done!
Day 13 – Wednesday, June 13th
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Congratulations to LTJG Rory McGowan upon earning his Surface Warfare qualification today. After several weeks of boards and upon completing a presentation to the rest of the Wardroom regarding the Normandy invasion, he demonstrated the requisite knowledge to earn his Surface Warfare Officer pin.
Day 14 – Thursday, June 14th
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Although only a few days after our last refueling at sea, we rendezvoused with SACAGAWEA to top off our tanks. The weather was excellent today as we made our way alongside. Ensign Joshua Stewart conducted the second approach of his career, driving us alongside with skill. The Master of SACAGAWEA called me immediately after our rigs were across and stated that our approach, “was the nicest approach he had seen while he has been in command.” Great job, ENS Stewart! When the evolution was complete, we had taken on 33,021 gallons of fuel.
The success of our deck evolutions is dependent upon the skill and talent of our Boatswain’s Mates supplemented by personnel from every division in CARR.
Today, special recognition goes out to SA Mark Cardenas, GMSN William Carpenter, ET3 Matthew Darby, IC3 Brent Edwards, OS3 Jonas Flesher, LSSN Keith Green, SR Eric Grijalva, SR William Guevara, SN Christopher Himes, ET2 Corey Mink, SA Okello Niles, LSSN Augustine Otwori, SR Wyatt Pipkin, SN Joshua Quail, SA Brett Sapp, SR Shawn Smith, and SHSN John Wild!
Day 15 – Friday, June 15th
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Today, we had the pleasure to reenlist our senior Quartermaster, QM1 Byron Patterson. We are proud to have him on board and look forward to his continued service. Thanks to CS3 Jonathan Brown who baked a special cake to celebrate the occasion. In addition to serving as our baker, CS3 Brown also serves as “Jack of the Dust.” The Jack of the Dust maintains our food storerooms; at night he ensures everything is taken out of the storerooms and is staged and ready for the upcoming day. CARR serves 700 meals per day at a cost of $10 per person per day.
Great job to our Communications Division who continue to work to maintain our communications and IT systems. IT3 Edward Szwarc and ITSN Christopher Noonan feverishly worked to ensure the correct security patches are in place to ensure we maintain the highest level of network security and maintain our Local Area Network (LAN) performance. The computers in our crew’s lounge get a ton of use and are a challenge to maintain. Both Sailors are working to replace the current machines in the lounge to support crew morale. Great job to IT1 Richard Freese who improved internet performance by caching the sites most visited sites by Sailors.
Later that evening we received information about a potential narcotics smuggle and were off to investigate.
Day 16 – Saturday, June 16th
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We located a vessel of interest and were up all night conducting operations. Although I can’t provide any details, I can say that the Air Crew, Coast Guard, Boat Crew, and Bridge performed well. Upon completion we relied on BMCS Kenneth Feagin’s expertise to take a vessel under tow. Great job to all the Boatswain’s Mates who made this complex evolution simple.
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Jessica Meissner OMBUDSMAN
April Linton Co-OMBUDSMAN
Jackie Lease FRG President
Please join CARR along with our OMBUDSMAN and Family Readiness Group:
CARR
https://www.facebook.com/FFG52
OMBUDSMAN
http://www.facebook.com/pages/USS-CARR-
ombudsman/219688138070847?sk=wall
CARR Family Readiness Group
www.facebook.com/USSCARRFRG
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Until next Sunday, stay safe CARR Family and Friends!
CDR Patrick Kulakowski
Commanding Officer
USS CARR (FFG 52)
“Courage, Will, Determination”
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