USS Monterey Fuels up for 'Partnership of the Americas'
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS060411-02
Release Date: 4/11/2006 10:03:00 AM
By Journalist 2nd Class (SW) Katherine Favell, USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group Public Affairs
USS MONTEREY, At Sea (NNS) -- USS Monterey (CG 61) successfully completed an underway replenishment (UNREP) April 7 as the ship heads south to participate in “Partnership of the Americas.”
Monterey joins the USS George Washington (CVN 73) Carrier Strike Group during the "Partnership of the Americas" maritime training and readiness deployment of U.S. Naval forces with countries from the Caribbean and Latin America, in support of U.S. Southern Command objectives for enhanced maritime security.
"This refueling was excellent," said Chief Boatswain’s Mate (SW) Dwayne Rooker, deck department leading chief petty officer. "Everyone did exactly what they are supposed to do, and the safety efforts were textbook-level.”
Monterey received 5,000 gallons of JP5 and 350,000 gallons of F76 marine grade diesel fuel from USNS Kanawha (T-AO 196). The fuel transfer can reach speeds of up to 3,800 gallons per minute, so the entire evolution took just more than three hours and involved 60 of the ship's crew from all departments.
“This is by far the best crew I’ve worked with in almost 18 years," Rooker said. “We’ve come a long way and in any special evolution, they’re ready to go.”
Monterey completes an UNREP on average once a week underway. The practice has paid off, Rooker said, as evidenced by the crew’s enthusiastic cheers as the shot line hit its mark when first sending fuel lines between ships, and again when the fueling probe from Kanawha hit Monterey’s probe receiver right on target on the first try.
“We’ve learned a lot with steady training and practice, and now we’re at a level where the crew’s excited to show what they know,” Rooker said.
Monterey left Norfolk Naval Station April 4 for “Partnership of the Americas” and is scheduled to return to her homeport later this spring.
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