U.S., Canadian Sailors Participate in Damage Control Olympics
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS060504-01
Release Date: 5/4/2006 8:46:00 AM
By Journalist 2nd Class Christine Hannon, Fleet Public Affairs Center Atlantic
PORT EVERGLADES, Fla. (NNS) -- U.S and Canadian Sailors squared off in a heated competition at the Damage Control (DC) Competition held during the annual Fleet Week USA in South Florida.
Each ship was invited to put forward their star damage control team to compete against other participating ships and against the records of previous attendees.
Events included everything from timed fire extinguishments to hose rigging drills. Four-man teams from USS Shreveport (LPD 12), USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79), USS San Jacinto (CG 56), and HMCS Preserver (AOR 510) participated.
Damage Controlman 3rd Class Sydney Gasche from Shreveport led his group from R Division into “battle” carrying the unofficial mascot “Woody the Gopher.”
“The gopher makes people laugh, but I think it is also really a motivating factor for us, and we are ready to win!” Gasche said.
Resolve Marine Group, a marine services firm located at Port Everglades, sponsored the event. Company Vice President Todd Duke, a Navy veteran, remembers participating in DC Olympics when he was on active duty.
Duke said the company came up with the idea for the competition “to tell the Navy thank you for all of their hard work.” We provide “great fun and a lot of valuable training, as well as bragging rights” for the winning team, he said.
Frank Prager, from Jacksonville, Fla., was on hand to provide support for his son, Damage Controlman 1st Class Erik Prager, assigned to San Jacinto.
“This is really nice that they put something together like this - a little friendly competition,” he said. “My son went from AZ (aviation maintenance administrationman) to DC (damage controlman) because he really enjoys fighting fires.”
Unfortunately for the American Sailors, the crew from Preserver took top honors for the day.
“I think this was a great opportunity to integrate fun with some valuable training, and I think everyone had a good time,” said Duke.
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