Military

IKE Receives Multiple Awards

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS070912-01
Release Date: 9/12/2007 8:26:00 AM

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Holly Whitfill, USS DWight D. Eisenhower Public Affairs

NORFOLK (NNS) -- The crew of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (Ike)(CVN 69) took part in an highly anticipated awards ceremony this week, where the ship received the Battenberg Cup, the Battle Efficiency Award and both the Enlisted Surface and Aviation Warfare Pennants Sept. 10.

Rear Adm. John W. Goodwin, Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic, presented the awards to Ike’s Commanding Officer Capt. Dan Cloyd during an awards ceremony in the ship’s hangar bay.

“This ship has served our nation well and you all are a part of that legacy,” said Goodwin. “The performance during the last eight-month deployment to support boots on the ground was superb.”

Cloyd contributed Ike’s success to cumulative efforts of the crew and not to individual performance.

“This is something we have earned as a team going back many months, and we have something to be proud of,” said Cloyd. “Everyone on this ship contributes to what we do every day.”

Sailors aboard Ike realize how much their hard work and dedication has paid off.

“I feel proud when I compare Ike to other ships on the waterfront and see the excellence we have achieved,” said Electronics Technician 2nd Class Simeon Maslin.

Cloyd congratulated Ike’s crew on the accomplishments but reminded the Sailors that sustaining the high level of professionalism that earned the ship these honors is important to the ship’s ability to support the fleet.

“We have set a standard and will continue to set a standard,” said Cloyd. “We need to realize that it’s not what we did then but what we’re going to do next.”

This is the first time Ike has received the Battenberg Cup since her commissioning in 1977. The cup is awarded annually to the best all-around ship or submarine for operational excellence in the United States Navy Atlantic Fleet.

The Battle “E” is awarded to the best ship in her class and signifies high tactical training performance for the calendar year.

The Ramage Award recognized Ike and Carrier Air Wing 7 as the best ship-air wing tandem by maintaining the ability to achieve maximum performance while operating as an integrated unit.

The crew was selected earlier this year for the awards.