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Navy Reserve Support Critical for USS Michigan Conversion

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS061021-03
Release Date: 10/21/2006 9:33:00 PM

By Lt. Felice DiMascio, Naval Sea Systems Command Reserve Unit Public Affairs

GROTON, Conn. (NNS) -- Navy Reserve support has played an important role for the nearly completed conversion for the submarine USS Michigan (SSGN 727) at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS&IMF). The conversion began in March will end in December.

The commander of Supervisor of Shipbuilding (SUPSHIP) Groton turned to its two Navy Reserve Units, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Unit 114 from Newport, R.I., and Unit 117 from Bronx, N.Y., to support conversion at PSNS for Michigan when manpower was stretched thin covering new construction and repair in Groton and SSGN conversions in Virginia and Washington. SUPSHIP Groton was also supplying engineering resources in-theater supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF).

“Reserve Engineering Duty Officer (EDO) support to SUPSHIP on the SSGN Conversion Program provides the best of win-win in Active Reserve Integration. The Reservist with the right skills is assigned at the time and place needed, saving the Program the costs of sending other personnel to PSNS and IMF or the Norfolk Naval Shipyard,” said Rear Adm. Paul Shebalin, NAVSEA's deputy commander for mobilization. “I congratulate the engineering leadership which has produced these outstanding results."

These two detachments had been providing weekend shipyard watch support every weekend for SUPSHIP Groton’s new construction and repair departments. With regard to the new mission, a support plan was created where reserve officers would augment the SUPSHIP on-site coordinator staff utilizing their annual two weeks of active duty.

For each week of the 41-week availability, one Reservist began a two-week active-duty period. This assures two significant occurrences; a one week turn-over period from one reserve engineer to the next; and two reserve engineers on-station throughout the availability.

Each Reservist assigned to support the Michigan SSGN conversion completed the Defense Acquisition University Contracting Officers Overview Course and SUBSAFE Awareness Training. Unit training was also conducted during scheduled weekends at SUPSHIP Groton. Training included project updates and lessons learned, discussions with returning unit members and applicable training from SUPSHIP staff. The Reservists perform technical investigations of Government Test & Inspection Report unsatisfactory test results of components and ships systems (TIR UNSATS).

“The primary objective is for us to provide proper and timely disposition of the TIR UNSATs to help keep the USS Michigan on schedule," said Capt. Michael Golden, commanding officer of NAVSEA Reserve Unit 114. "Our secondary responsibilities include daily ship safety tours and participation at key government meetings requiring SUPSHIP representation.”

“The support has been excellent and the support team has stepped in whenever asked to attend meetings and lend a presence whenever and wherever necessary,” said Chief Warrant Officer Jeff Lipps of SUPSHIP Groton, the on-site coordinator at PSNS. “They have also allowed me to expand the visual presence of SUPSHIP on the deckplates, and I find that their assistance is extremely helpful in execution of my mission.”

The reserve officers rapidly integrated into the processes and by the second week of their active-duty cycle, they have been fairly independent of their activities.

“This conversion effort is unique in more ways than one," said Cmdr. Robert Noelsch, commanding officer of NAVSEA Reserve Unit 117. "In addition to the new capabilities and technologies that are brought to our submarine force, new working relationships are being successfully demonstrated on a daily basis between public and private shipyards and active-duty and reserve force personnel. This new model for accomplishing shipyard work will play a continuing role in the transformation of our naval forces for many years to come. Furthermore, this model truly exemplifies the value of Navy Reserve EDO Program.”