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Boxer Begins ULTRA, Tests Training Teams

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS080215-17
Release Date: 2/15/2008 2:42:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW/AW) Jon Rasmussen, USS Boxer Public Affairs

USS BOXER, At Sea (NNS) -- USS Boxer (LHD 4) began its Unit Level Training Assessment – Certification (ULTRA-C) Feb. 12-14 while underway off the coast of Southern California.

The assessment, administered by Afloat Training Group Pacific (ATGPAC), helps determine the abilities of various shipboard teams to respond to emergency situations.

"ULTRA-C is to make sure your training teams are doing the right thing, on the right track and meeting the objectives we set," said Chief Operations Specialist (SW/AW) Paul Reynolds, an evaluator with ATGPAC.

"The Navy has instructions and guidelines on how we do things," said Reynolds. "We want to make sure the ship is following those instructions and guidelines and doing the right thing."

All of Boxer's Sailors and systems will be put to the test. Damage control, Combat Systems, Medical, and Engineering are just a few of the many areas being reviewed.

"We've done complex combat scenarios to test out your ability to fight a war," said Reynolds. "We've done some complex ship survivability exercises to see if you can fight the ship, defend the ship then, if the ship gets hit, save the ship."

Throughout the assessment, many shipboard training teams interact with each other to share information and training tactics to keep the ship's first responders ready for anything. Many of the damage control drills began with Sailors in Boxer's Combat Information Center painting a picture over the ship's announcing system of the ship in hostile waters to lend as much realism to the scenario as possible.

"We did our mass-conflagration drill which covers every warfare area. We integrated with the Combat Systems Training Team with some class fires and pipe ruptures," said Chief Damage Controlman (SW/AW) Ron Beltowski, Boxer's Damage Control Training Team (DCTT) coordinator.

In the midst of this simulated chaos, Sailors in repair stations around the ship fell back on their training to battle these simulated emergencies. The training teams are with them every step of the way to reinforce that training, make sure Sailors are staying safe and evaluating the effectiveness of their efforts.

"DCTT is grading the fire parties on their abilities to accomplish these evolutions. DCTT evaluates the teams and ATG evaluates DCTT's ability to self-assess our teams," said Beltowski. "ATG calls the hits, we call the hits and it should all match up across the board."

Boxer is scheduled for another at-sea period in late February, where the various teams will be reviewed in further scenarios.

For more news from USS Boxer, visit www.news.navy.mil/local/lhd4/.