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'Gold Eagle' Loads Her Guns

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS090605-31
Release Date: 6/5/2009 11:00:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (SW) Philip Schrickel, USS Carl Vinson Public Affairs

NEWPORT NEWS, Va (NNS) -- Sailors from USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) weapons department on-loaded more than 10,000 pounds of inert ordnance May 28 to assist in their day-to-day training.

The onload enables weapons personnel to gain hands-on experience with the transport, loading, maintenance and assembly of various ordnance required while underway. It also offers an opportunity to execute real-time scenarios such as keeping ordnance cool in the event of a fire on the flight deck.

"The onload evolution, and having the inert weapons readily available for training, allows us to show our airmen what it really means to be an aviation ordnanceman," said Aviation Ordnanceman 1st Class (AW) Joseph Stackhouse, weapons G-1 leading petty officer.

More senior aviation ordnancemen also had the chance to re-familiarize themselves with procedures and weapons they may not have handled since the four-year refueling complex overhaul (RCOH) began.

"It's nice to get back into the swing of things," said Stackhouse.

"It was challenging having not handled ammunition in four years, but this first onload prepared all of us for the real deal," said Aviation Ordnanceman Airman (AW) Deonte Cordell from G-1 division.

The inert onload is a precursor to Carl Vinson's upcoming live ammunition onload. It will bring the "Gold Eagle" one step closer to getting underway -with ammunition ready for .50 caliber machine gun mounts and general ordnance for the squadrons.

"This evolution was great, the tempo of our training environment seems like we're operational," said Aviation Ordnanceman 3rd Class Geary Haas of weapons, G-1.

Carl Vinson is completing its scheduled refueling complex overhaul (RCOH) at Northrop Grumman Newport News Shipyard. The RCOH is an extensive yard period that all Nimitz-class aircraft carriers go through near the mid-point of their 50-year life cycle.

During RCOH, Carl Vinson's nuclear fuel has been replenished and the ship's services and infrastructure upgraded to make her the most state-of-the-art aircraft carrier in the fleet and ready for another 25 years or more of service.

For more news from USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), visit www.navy.mil/local/cvn70/.