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FDNF Ships take next step in Training Cycle

7th Fleet Release

Release Date: 9/15/2003

Chief Journalist (SW/AW) Roger Dutcher, USS Essex public affairs and Journalist 2nd Class Robert N. Sealover, USS Fort McHenry public affairs

USS FORT MCHENRY AT SEA -- Having recently completed a crucible of ship specific training, the Sailors of USS Essex (LHD 2) and USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) got underway from White Beach, Okinawa Sept. 6, to participate in a series of exercises. Those exercises will not only help forge the Sailors and embarked Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (31st MEU) into one cohesive fighting force, but will test new concepts in expeditionary warfare and help shape the future.

These exercises, to include Blue/Green workups, Special Operations Capable Exercise and Trident Warrior '03, were preceded by extensive hard work and specified training by the Essex and Fort McHenry Sailors to develop each ship into a solid, self sustaining team. For each ship, their work culminated in the Command Assessment of Readiness and Training II (CART II).

CART II is held as part of a ship's regular training cycle and is designed to evaluate the ships ability to train it's own crew by having outside observers watch how the crew responds to a variety of scenarios. These scenarios include everything from how the crew responds to small boat attacks, medical emergencies and man overboard drills, to ship handling and communications proficiency.

The major benefit of CART II is that we get to see from an outside point of view the shortcomings of our watchstanders, said Lt. Cmdr. Brad Manning, Fort McHenry's executive officer and Integrated Training Team leader. Our training teams can sometimes get blinders on and so when someone comes in from the outside like ATG (Afloat Training Group) they can point out some things that we're missing.

While other training assessments may focus more on one particular area of a ship's efficiency, like engineering, CART II evaluates the ability of all the different training teams of a ship to act as one collective unit. These integrated groups include the Medical Training Team, Engineering Training Team, Damage Control Training Team, Seamanship Training Team and Combat Systems Training Team.

Each training team is evaluated by servicemembers from Afloat Training Group Western Pacific (ATG WESTPAC) to determine their effectiveness and where there's room for improvement.

This was not so much an assessment that we do for ourselves, but it is for ATG and our ISIC (Immediate Superior In Command) to know our proficiency level, said Lt. Cmdr. William Edge, Essex Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department Officer, and leader of the Damage Control Training Team, so as we move through the training cycle, we can tailor the type of exercises and training, so we can attain the major qualifications we have to achieve.

You want to come away with two things in CART II, and that is you pre-assessed yourself well and that your training teams are at least good enough that they are ready to train, said Manning. I think we assessed ourselves very well and accurately and our training teams, although not perfect, are ready to train the ship.

There's an emphasis on teamwork throughout each situation the crew responds to.

For me, being new on board, I identified quickly that the ship has a lot of teamwork, said Ensign Carlito Dacoco, Fort McHenry's damage control assistant. Everyone contributes in a coordinated effort, and helps their shipmates in every way. They merge together, transforming from many individuals, to one ship, one crew, Dococo added.

That team effort and willingness to sacrifice is nothing short of vital to the ship.

When we are in the middle of the ocean doing our job and something happens, only the crew of Fort McHenry will save the ship, said Dacoco. We can't call anybody to help us, we're it.

CART II is a very important part of the training cycle because in a short time it allows the training teams to determine what direction they need to go in to build on their strengths, and improve any weaknesses.

CART is crucial to our overall training cycle. It is only 4 days long, but in that four-day period it identifies everything we need to train for in the rest of our training cycle, said Manning. It sets us up for success, without it we wouldn't know where we needed to go from here.

The tenet going into CART II is that you are assumed to have no experience and are on a learning curve, Edge added. After talking to people on the staff and in ATG, we are much further along than they assumed we would be.

By keeping the ships and their crews trained, the Navy also maintains its ability to perform its missions at home and abroad.

Just like in anything else we do, if we don't train towards what our job is and what we're supposed to be doing, and we don't use those skills everyday, then those skills erode and we lose our edge, said Manning. By training consistently and having good teams in place we can stay sharp in our skills.

Essex and Fort McHenry are currently underway with USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) and embarked elements of the 31st MEU in the Western Pacific, to further develop the Navy/Marine Corps team and develop cutting edge concepts like the Expeditionary Strike Group and Force Net.

The three ships are permanently forward deployed to Sasebo, Japan as part of the Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ARG); the Navy's only permanently forward deployed amphibious force.