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Ike Successfully Completes INSURV

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS060331-17
Release Date: 4/1/2006 1:00:00 AM

By Journalist 2nd Class (SW) Benjamin Ballweg, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Public Affairs

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- The Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) walked off USS Dwight D. Eisenhower’s (Ike) (CVN 69) brow March 31 after giving her the highest average achieved by an aircraft carrier on her material readiness on record, since 2001.

Included in the overall score were eight subject areas in which Ike scored the best ever for aircraft carriers, with all graded areas well above the fleet average.

"Some external assessment groups assess the ship’s training readiness. INSURV assesses a ship’s material readiness, that is, how well the ship’s equipment and systems operate in accordance with technical specifications,” said INSURV Board President Rear Adm. Curtis Kemp. “Congress has mandated that INSURV will periodically inspect each ship and submarine in the Navy to determine its material fitness.”

INSURVs are usually conducted at least every five years.

The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier’s warriors spent months making sure spaces looked good, making critical self-assessments regarding the material readiness of the ship, and fixing discrepancies.

“The purpose of every INSURV inspection is to identify and prioritize the material deficiencies on the ship,” said Kemp. “The resulting list of deficiencies should provide the ship with a useful work list to make corrective repairs.”

Ike’s crew worked long and hard to get the excellent grades.

Chief Fire Controlman (SW) Donald Lawhead, Ike’s Engineering INSURV coordinator, was busy both before and during the inspection.

"Engineering had 145 different systems tested during the inspection,” said Lawhead. “[Rigid hull inflatable] boats, [self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)] recharging stations, air-conditioning plants, [refrigeration units], potable water, [collection, holding and transfer] systems…. Just about every piece of Engineering equipment was tested to make sure it ran, and ran correctly.”

“Those ships that employ good maintenance, repair, and housekeeping habits throughout the year, what I call “365-processes,” will need to make much less additional effort to get ready for INSURV because they already are caring for their ship on a routine basis,” said Kemp.

The weeklong inspection included both inport and underway aspects. The inspectors, easily recognizable in their grey coveralls, thoroughly looked at everything from nuts and bolts to habitability.

Inspectors examined how the crew conducts preventative maintenance, identifies discrepancies and the steps they take to fix them, executes a meaningful Zone Inspection program with maximum involvement, and takes ownership in and responsibility for their equipment and spaces.

"Our guys have been doing an awesome job,” said Lawhead. “We’ve had very few discrepancies. Any [repair-before-operates] we received were repaired within the day.”

Damage Controlman 2nd Class (SW/AW) Laura Barber of Ike’s Damage Control division prepared and presented equipment used to test air, as well as SCBAs. Her inspection was flawless. She was pleased with her own inspection, as well as with how the ship did.

“[Our passing grade] means everyone’s doing what they’re supposed to do, everybody’s supporting the DC-men,” said Barber. “The integrity of the ship is everyone’s responsibility.”

Ike Commanding Officer Capt. Dan Cloyd was also pleased.

“What we achieved was not about departments or divisions, or even individuals; it was about teams, made up of 3,400 [shipmates] strong,” said Cloyd. “This was a team effort.”

“We believe that INSURV’s goal is to play a significant role in helping to make our Navy ships materially ready to take our Sailors into harm’s way,” said Kemp. “It is apparent that Ike was, by-and-large, well-prepared for this INSURV Material Inspection. Keep up this professional approach to all your mission requirements, and I know that your ship will be well prepared to do our nation’s business on your upcoming deployment.”