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Mustin Proves Practice Makes Perfect During ULTRA-C

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS080319-07
Release Date: 3/19/2008 11:51:00 AM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Derek J. Hurder, Fleet Public Affairs Center, Det. Japan

YOKOSUKA, Japan (NNS) -- Sailors aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile cruiser USS Mustin (DDG 89) demonstrated that practice makes perfect during a Unit-Level Training Assessment-Certification (ULTRA-C) conducted March 10-14.

ULTRA-C assesses a ship's ability to conduct drills ranging from firefighting, anchoring, and defending the ship in simulated combat situations, to personnel management and other administrative tasks.

"ULTRA-C is part of our ship's training cycle," said Lt. j.g. Aubrey Young, Mustin's damage control assistant. "Afloat Training Group [ATG] boards the ship and assesses the training teams, programs, administration, drills and evolutions, to make sure the ship is running properly and everything is in accordance with Navy technical manuals."

Cmdr. Jim Jones, Mustin's commanding officer, said members of ATG Western Pacific qualified the ship to "self-assess" in 11 areas. "That shows we have a good understanding of those areas," he added.

The ship spent three weeks during a recent deployment practicing for the assessment by "running constant drills and making sure our administration is set from top to bottom," Young said.

Jones said the rigorous schedule of drills and scenarios paid off substantially during the assessment.

"It definitely helped," he said. "It gave our watch teams a lot of opportunities to practice and refine some of the areas we normally wouldn't be able to, so it definitely paid off."

Jones said Mustin's demanding underway schedule and a short training cycle added to their success.

"Our training cycle is compressed and intense," he said. "Since we are underway a lot, our proficiency is higher than average. I think that the proficiency we have because of our busy schedule allows us to handle that compressed training cycle."

Mustin's performance during ULTRA-C ensured success for future training.

"Based on the outcome of ULTRA-C, we will be able to tailor our time underway to our training schedule," said Jones. "We should be able to finish the majority of our training cycle by the end of April. That's what we planned on."

Mustin is one of seven Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers assigned to Destroyer Squadron 15, which operates out of Yokosuka.

For more news from USS Mustin, visit www.navy.mil/local/ddg89/.