Wasp Excels At Aircraft Firefighting Team Trainer
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS080725-09
Release Date: 7/25/2008 2:06:00 PM
From USS Wasp Public Affairs
PENSACOLA, Fla. (NNS) -- The Crash and Salvage team from USS WASP (LHD 1) completed the Aircraft Firefighting Team Trainer in Pensacola May 16, with almost perfect results – surpassing the fleet average in every category.
The Wasp team scored a closed book examination average score of 92.6 percent. The fleet average was 89.7 percent. For the "Full Crash" mode, the team scored a perfect 100 percent. The fleet average is 99.58 percent. Wasp's overall course completion score of 96.0 percent also exceeded the fleet average of 94.6 percent.
According to Chief Warrant Officer Benjamin Marshall, the ship's air boatswain, beating the fleet average was their goal from the start.
"Before we even left Norfolk, we dedicated ourselves to doing whatever it took to succeed. From paying extra attention in class, to studying in groups after class, these Sailors gave their best effort, and it showed in the results."
Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) 2nd Class (AW) Russell Brown, a crash and salvage team member and former instructor at the schoolhouse in Pensacola, Fla., noted that teamwork and dedication is the reason Wasp did so well.
"The hardest part about accomplishing what Wasp did is bringing together a lot of Sailors with various experience levels and getting them to work together as an effective team. We had several Sailors right out of basic training who had never touched the equipment we used before."
Marshall and Brown both credit the instructors at the school, the leadership on the crash and salvage team and the desire of the individual Sailors to do their best.
During the training, Wasp's crash and salvage crew accomplished internal and external firefighting procedures using the self-contained underwater breathing apparatus. They also tackled aircraft rescue and salvage scenarios, using air department training aircraft and ground support equipment.
"The instructors set up various fire-fighting and salvage scenarios," said Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) 1st Class (AW) William Welch. "We had to work as a team to put out the fire, salvage the aircraft if possible, and clear the landing area."
Those scenarios came in the form of training labs, including an Emergency Aircrew Rescue Lab, using the 6K forklift and rescue basket on AV-8A aircraft; an Aircraft Salvage Lab with 20K forklift on an AV-8A aircraft with collapsed starboard main landing gear; and Aircraft Salvage Labs using the Amphibious Assault crash crane, or "Tilly," on HH-60 Sea Hawks and H-46 Sea Knights.
Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) Airman (AW/SW) Melvin Steward was one of the most junior Sailors at the trainer.
"Facing the fire simulator was a brand new experience for me. Holding the hose in the proper position, and feeling the heat from the fire was tiring. You had to be able to take everything you learned in the classroom and apply it to what you were doing."
Not only did Wasp receive their highest score ever at the trainer but Marshall said the quality training and experience the Sailors received prepared them to do their job when the ship gets back underway.
"We had several Sailors with us that had never done this type of training before. Now, I have absolute confidence in their abilities to save aircraft, rescue pilots, and keep Wasp's flight deck open and operational."
After the training, Wasp's Commanding Officer Capt. Daniel Fillion received a message from the Naval Air Technical Training Center, Pensacola.
"The USS Wasp team displayed outstanding leadership and teamwork throughout the week. Wasp's senior leadership was enthusiastic, infusing pride in the crew to train for any emergency. Bravo Zulu."
Fillion said he was not at all surprised to hear of his team's success.
"Wasp Sailors train hard to be the best. This is yet another example of the drive and motivation you get from the Sailors on the number one ship in the fleet."
For more news from USS Wasp, visit www.navy.mil/local/lhd1/.
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