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Essex Meets TRAV Training Requirements in Yokosuka

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS061003-11
Release Date: 10/3/2006 12:21:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Christian Lemus, USS Essex Public Affairs

YOKOSUKA, Japan (NNS) -- USS Essex (LHD 2) Sailors completed their annual Training Availability (TRAV) Sept. 22 at Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY).

The ship met all of its training objectives during the two-week TRAV period. The training benefited crew members on an individual level, said Essex’ Training Officer, Lt. Cmdr. Roger Castro.

“Our training objectives were to fill many Navy Training Management and Planning System requirements, saving thousands of dollars in temporary additional duty travel target costs,” said Castro. “The crew worked hard and performed very well.”

The main purpose of the TRAV is to enable Sailors to attend various schools at CFAY to ensure the ship has the required qualifications and naval enlisted classification codes for future operations.

There were more than 520 seats for a total of 26 schools, ranging from Prevent, the Navy-wide alcohol awareness class, to a host of damage control classes for specific watchstander positions like fire marshal.

A majority of the training was held at the Afloat Training Group Western Pacific firefighting facility. The three-year-old facility features state-of-the-art equipment for training in a monitored, controlled environment. The instructors provided training in all areas of firefighting, shoring, pipe patching, and other vital repair locker fundamentals.

“Doing the TRAV was a great learning experience,” said Quartermaster 3rd Class Daniel Reynoso. “It was cool being in full firefighting equipment and actually putting out fires. You feel the heat from the fires and the adrenaline rush sets in.”

Reynoso added that the realistic and authentic scenarios gave everyone a sense of actually being in a real-life situation.

“The main space fire drill was impressive," he said. "Everything about it was real. It seemed like we were on the ship and it was up to our team to put it out. The training helps build more confidence when combating fires and helps you feel more comfortable with the equipment.”

Essex is the Navy’s only forward-deployed amphibious assault ship and is the flagship for the Sasebo, Japan-based Essex Expeditionary Strike Group, which serves under Commander, Task Force 76. Task Force 76 is the Navy’s only forward-deployed amphibious force and is headquartered at White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa, Japan, with an operating detachment in Sasebo, Japan.