Teamwork Keeps Kitty Hawk in the Fight
Navy Newsstand
Story Number: NNS031208-13
Release Date: 12/8/2003 11:03:00 PM
By Journalist Seaman Christopher Koons, USS Kitty Hawk Public Affairs
USS KITTY HAWK, At Sea (NNS) -- Since the Nov. 1 beginning of their fall cruise, Sailors of USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 have worked together in various capacities aboard the ship, and personnel from both crews say the level of teamwork between them is high.
"We have excellent coordination with Kitty Hawk's crew," said Chief Storekeeper (SW/AW) Edmon Manalac, CVW-5's head storekeeper.
Manalac said he is a liaison between the air wing and Kitty Hawk's supply department. "I work with supply to get everything the squadron needs, especially aircraft parts."
According to Manalac, CVW-5 coordinates with supply and aircraft intermediate maintenance department (AIMD) to ensure the air wing's planes have all the parts they need.
"AIMD repairs our parts, and supply gives them to us when they're done," said Manalac. "We have great teamwork."
Avionics Master Chief (SW/AW) John Barron of AIMD production control said his office handles all of CVW-5's repair requests.
"The air wing pulls the parts that need to be repaired off of the aircraft and brings them to us," said Barron. "After we repair them, we send them to supply, which puts them on their shelf for CVW-5 to pick up."
Barron described AIMD, supply department and CVW-5 as a "triad" which works as a team to get things done. "The level of cooperation is very good," he said.
Storekeeper 3rd Class R.J. Magbitang of supply department said his division supplies AIMD and the air wing with all the repair parts they need.
"No matter where in the world we have to order them from, S-6 division is the one who gets the parts to the ship," said Magbitang.
According to Magbitang, supply department and the air wing complement each other well.
"We're all one team," Magbitang said. "Without us, the air wing wouldn't be able to fly."
Other departments from both the air wing and the ship are also involved in creating a sense of unity between the two crews. "One of the purposes of our staff is to build a bridge between the air wing and the ship, to make sure we're coordinated," said Aviation Maintenance Administrationman 1st Class (AW) William Whittington, the leading petty officer of CVW-5's maintenance department.
Whittington described his 31-person staff as a liaison between the ship and the CVW-5 leadership.
"Maintenance department sets priorities based on the air wing's needs," said Whittington. "If they need something maintenance-related from the ship, we coordinate between the two to get it."
Like AIMD and supply, Kitty Hawk's air department works alongside CVW-5 personnel to make sure the air wing's planes are ready to fly.
"We coordinate with CVW-5 to find out what aircraft maintenance needs they have," said Chief Aviation Boatswain's Mate (SW/AW) James Carter of air department's hangar deck control office.
After these needs are determined, said Carter, his staff gives the air wing crew a helping hand.
"We use elevators to lower aircraft from the flight deck to the hangar bay, and park them where the air wing personnel can work on them," Carter said.
Carter also said his staff works with the air wing on firefighting and flood control, and described the level of teamwork between the two crews as positive.
"We love moving aircraft and they love working on aircraft," said Carter. "We scratch each other's backs."
CVW-5 Command Master Chief (SW/AW) Kenneth Green described the level of cooperation between Kitty Hawk and the air wing as "outstanding."
"Operation Iraqi Freedom really brought us together," said Green. "We gelled as a team during the war."
Green said CVW-5 and Kitty Hawk kept in close contact during the summer when the ship was in Dry-docking ship's Selected Restricted Availability (DSRA). "Senior air wing staff, including me, made weekly visits to Kitty Hawk," Green said.
The level of cooperation between the two crews built up during the war, and DSRA has paid off well during the current cruise, commented Green.
"We keep our issues and concerns on the table through frequent communication," he said.
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