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Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet Visits GW

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS050622-16
Release Date: 6/22/2005 12:58:00 PM

By Chief Journalist (SW/AW/IUSS) Henry W. Rice, USS George Washington Public Affairs

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (NNS) -- Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet Vice Adm. Mark Fitzgerald visited USS George Washington ("GW") (CVN 73) June 20 at the Northrup Grumman Newport News Shipyard.

Fitzgerald toured the dry dock and the ship before talking to the crew live via GW’s shipboard information, training and entertainment television system. He praised the crew for their hard work and encouraged them to keep up the good work.

Aside from the shipyard work, Fitzgerald also talked about some of the other successes that GW has experienced since arriving in Newport News in late January.

“GW’s reputation is very good on the waterfront, particularly during this yard period,” Fitzgerald said. “So much so, that we have been looking to your ship for ideas.”

The command’s aggressive approach to physical readiness, safety and many other initiatives are all being used as part of a pilot program known as “Task Force Core Values.” The task force is being set up to minimize Sailor incidents on and off duty to achieve mission success and build modern-day sea warriors. Fitzgerald said senior leadership has a responsibility to Sailors to help set them up for success.

“We are a big organization, and we don’t want anyone slipping through the cracks,” he said. “We as leaders are going to be there and we are going to help you along the way.”

GW leadership uses “School of Ship," the ship’s indoctrination course, as its first step in providing new Sailors some tools it can use to be a successful sea warrior.

“At School of Ship, every Sailor learns that GW standards are higher than anywhere else, and that the standards in the Navy are higher than anywhere in the world,” Capt. Garry White, the ship’s commanding officer, said. “And we make no apologies for that.”

Fitzgerald was happy to hear about GW’s initiatives and said Navy leadership on all levels needs to commit to minimizing incidents and working to stamp out problems like preventable traffic fatalities, domestic abuse and drugs.

“These are not problems we can just put band-aids on and hope they go away,” he said. “It’s a day-in and day-out kind of effort required by each of us who wear the uniform.”

Fitzgerald added that the Navy must provide tools and training to make sure they have the sea warrior who will make a return on the investment. This investment will serve the Navy as a mission-ready asset, but will also serve the nation after their time in the Navy is completed.

“We want to make the kind of Sailors that not only the Navy is proud of” he said, “but that when you go back to your hometown, everyone stands and says, ‘Look at that guy! He is the kind of person I want to be!’”

Fitzgerald said he believes GW is setting the standard for excellence and looked forward to taking back some of the great ideas and programs from “The Spirit of Freedom” and sharing them with the waterfront. He added that he looks forward to getting the ship operational again when the ship leaves the shipyards.

GW is currently dry-docked in Newport News undergoing scheduled maintenance as part of a docked planned incremental availability, and will be leaving the shipyards by the end of the year.