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CNO Visits USS John F. Kennedy

Navy Newsstand

Story Number: NNS030826-11

Release Date: 8/26/2003 4:09:00 PM

By Journalist 2nd Class Leah N. Smith, USS John F. Kennedy Public Affairs

ABOARD USS JOHN F. KENNEDY (NNS) -- On a recent quick trip to Jacksonville, Fla., Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Vern Clark visited the Mayport, Fla.,-based aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67).

Clark talked to Sailors about the ship's ongoing availability and future changes in the Navy.

"It was about time," said Clark about the extensive maintenance now taking place as part of its Extended Selected Restricted Availability (ESRA). "We did right by providing the tools and resources so we can be a culture of readiness around the world, around the clock."

Navy Counselor 1st Class (SW/AW) Tom Butler of JFK's command career counselor's office said Clark's speech inspired him.

"He let the crew know we've done this before and we can do it again. It just proves that the CNO and the Navy stands behind the greatest crew to sail the seven seas. And we're ready to join the fight!"

Kennedy's Commanding Officer Capt. Ronald H. Henderson Jr. attributed recent Navy successes to the CNO.

"Navy stock is pretty high in Washington right now," he said. "And it is because of Vern Clark."

Henderson said Clark is familiar with the crew's efforts in wrapping up Kennedy's ESRA. "He is very familiar with the details of what is going on here. He's amazed and is almost as proud of you as I am," he said. He continued by saying that it's time to get "Big John" back out to sea.

"Your job is to bring her back on-line and be prepared for orders from the president of the United States," said Clark. "In order for us to keep the enemy on the run, Kennedy must be in the fight."

The CNO explained that in December, the Navy had a total of eight aircraft carriers that were either deployed or standing by for deployment orders. According to Clark, this state of readiness served as a basis for the Fleet Response Plan (FRP), which will revamp availabilities and deployments.

"Instead of six month deployments heel-to-toe, we are going to create a force which is ready for the call to duty at any time," said the Navy's senior admiral. "In the future, this will also reshape the way we do availabilities, keeping ships operationally available for longer periods of time." Kennedy's crew applauded the concept.

Kennedy is in the final stages of a nine-month ESRA. JFK's unprecedented availability marks the most extensive of it's kind conducted outside a naval shipyard. Thousands of contractors and crew members have worked forward and aft, mast to keel, to recapitalize Big John.