Future San Antonio Chiefs Begin Paving Way for Successful Chiefs' Mess, Crew
NAVSEA News
By JOC David Nagle, Naval Sea Systems Command Public Affairs
LITTLE CREEK, Va. -- Although their ship won't be commissioned for another two years, eleven Chief Petty Officers being assigned to the future amphibious assault ship San Antonio (LPD 17) recently met in Little Creek, Va. to learn more about their new ship and to lay the foundation for a strong Chiefs' Mess.
The chiefs, who will report to San Antonio's Pre Commissioning Detachment (PCD) at Naval Station Norfolk this fall, received an orientation to the LPD 17 class of ship and an overview of the PCD's mission and services.
San Antonio, the first of twelve planned LPD 17-class amphibious transport dock ships, is designed to support the entire spectrum of the Marine Corps' missions in amphibious warfare, special operations, and the multi-mission requirements of expeditionary warfare. San Antonio, under construction at Northrop Grumman Ship Systems Avondale Operation near New Orleans, is scheduled for christening in July and commissioning in 2005.
The orientation, organized by Chief Electrician's Mate (SW) David Ansink from Naval Support Activity Norfolk, Chief Engineman (SW/AW) Eric Hovan from Naval Service Training Command in Great Lakes, Ill. and Greg Dziagwa from the LPD 17 Program Office, provided the chiefs with important information about training, area housing in New Orleans and other administrative items.
"In 18 years of providing Fleet Introduction Support for various ship classes, I've found that most officers and enlisted crewmembers assigned are new to the precommissioning process," said Jesse Castano, Northrop Grumman's director of precommissioning training and the LPD 17 PCD manager. "If we can give these Sailors sufficient information to meet their basic needs and get them and their families into a good comfort zone, we've significantly increased their effectiveness to learn as they go through their training pipelines."
Most importantly, said Ansink, the orientation provided a venue for the chiefs to meet face to face before reporting to the PCD.
"We want to establish a strong Chiefs' Mess for this newest class of ship, so we may lead our Sailors confidently, from the front," said Ansink.
Prior to the orientation, the chiefs were already communicating with each other through e-mail and phone calls.
"When I was first informed of my orders to San Antonio, I was already involved with the program as a participant in the Engineering Control System conferences and I wanted to gather ideas from others who might be going to the ship as well," said Hovan, an instructor at Engineman "A" School. "When you begin to form early like this, it gives you the ability to form a strong working and personal relationship with those whom you will be working very closely."
"Now we have a face with the name," said Chief Fire Controlman (SW) Scott Clemens from Fleet Technical Support Center Atlantic.
Overall, the chiefs found the orientation beneficial in both preparing them to report to the ship and in helping their junior Sailors when they check aboard.
"The orientation allowed me to put into perspective all of the facets and capabilities of the ship," said Hovan. "For junior Sailors, this can serve as a detailed introduction to the command and how the future of the Navy is going to look in terms of shipboard operations."
"Since I'm new to the precomissioning process, I found the orientation beneficial in describing how the training pipelines are determined, filled and tracked," said Clemens. "Also, I'm now aware that I can track the history and progress of my junior Sailors through the Navy Training Management and Planning System."
The orientation also allowed the chiefs to address any potential personnel and quality of life issues and look for ways to resolve them before the rest of the crew begins reporting to the PCD.
"Housing in New Orleans is going to be an issue," said Ansink. "Although there are two bases in the local area (Naval Support Activity New Orleans and Naval Air Station New Orleans), there is, at present, no housing for single Sailors or geographic bachelors, which most of us will be. This is something the mess is working on."
Castano said that, due to the success of this orientation, it will be implemented into the crew's indoctrination process.
As construction of San Antonio continues and more crewmembers are identified, the chiefs expressed their enthusiasm over serving on the Navy's newest expeditionary warship.
"I had mixed feelings about the ship when I first heard of its conception several years ago, but as I began to study it and follow its progress, I became extremely interested," said Hovan. "Now that I will be reporting to San Antonio, I am very excited about serving on what is going to be a top-notch command and a gateway into the 21st century and how ships will be built and operated."
"I've been tracking LPD 17 for many years," said Senior Chief Boatswain's Mate (SW) Tony Difolco, currently assigned to the auxiliary floating drydock Resolute (AFDM 10). "My very first ship was USS Alamo, which is in San Antonio, so it's fitting that what will possibly be my last ship is USS San Antonio."
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