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Ronald Reagan Sailors Certified for Underway Operations

Navy Newsstand

Story Number: NNS030513-17

Release Date: 5/13/2003 4:03:00 PM

From PCU Ronald Reagan Public Affairs

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (NNS) -- Precommissioning Unit (PCU) Ronald Reagan Sailors have passed "with flying colors" their Phase II Crew Certification, according to Cmdr. Jene Nissen, Commander, Naval Air Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet (COMNAVAIRLANT) Aircraft Carrier Training and Readiness officer.

"The ship did extremely well," Nissen added.

The purpose of crew certification is to determine the ability of the crew to evaluate its own training and its competency to train to Type Commander objectives. Once a crew successfully completes all three phases of crew certification, the Type Commander approves the ship to move on to the next hurdle and enables the crew to take the ship safely to sea -- fast cruise.

Ronald Reagan Sailors not only passed the certification process, but also saved valuable resources in the process.

"We are the first PCU aircraft carrier to perform crew certification from assets taken strictly from our own crew members," said Cmdr. Judy Lee, training officer. "All previous carriers have had contractor support, costing approximately $1 million that Ronald Reagan (crew members) saved by doing it themselves."

Lee credited Master Chief Aviation Boatswain's Mate(AW) Dwayne Dubie with much of the success. "He headed up the Ronald Reagan Crew Certification Cell and has invested two long years in preparing for today's success," she said.

Almost every functional area was reviewed to ensure Ronald Reagan crew members are ready to take the ship to sea - safely, professionally and on time. Of particular interest, the combined COMNAVAIRLANT/Afloat Training Group focused on underway watch bills and evaluated a series of drills that tested the crew's ability to effectively coordinate navigation, engineering, operations, administration, deck and air evolutions. Separately, medical, supply, intelligence, and security departments received critical reviews and came through with flying colors.

"The crew has to be trained and qualified to perform all tasks and functions in a coordinated manner, in order to accomplish its operational mission," Lee said. "Crew certification is a three-step process that focuses initially on administrative accomplishments (completion of Ship's Instructions, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and watch bills), the level of knowledge tests, and culminating in assessing the ship's ability to successfully perform Phase II required drills on the schedule the ship writes for itself.

"This is the kind of event that allows us to press on and get this warship ready," said Commanding Officer Capt. Bill Goodwin. "The Sailors on the deckplates did a great job getting themselves ready. The drive was for a sense of excellence, not to settle for second best," Goodwin said.

Just on the timeline horizon lies Builder's Sea Trials and Acceptance Sea Trials, after which the event many crew members have been waiting for, the commissioning of the Navy's newest aircraft carrier July 12. But, even more importantly, Sailors will finally have the opportunity to put all the training to the test, as the ship joins the fleet in support of operations around the globe.