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Carl Vinson Sailors Pass Crew Certification Phase Three

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS090605-12
Release Date: 6/5/2009 3:08:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist Mark Erks, USS Carl Vinson Public Affairs

NEWPORT NEWS, Va (NNS) -- Sailors aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) recently passed Crew Certification (Crew Cert) Phase Three by conducting general quarters to demonstrate the crew's ability to protect the ship and to go to sea.

Crew Cert Phase Three is an important evolution that every ship in the Navy has to complete. In this phase, Carl Vinson Sailors were tested in how well they responded to casualties.

"Crew Cert Phase Three is to make sure that there is enough manpower, equipment, watchstanders and proper damage control", said Lt. Cmdr. Nathan King, training officer.

Since October 2008, Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier have been participating in general quarters. This is a normal drill that Sailors take part in to man-up repair lockers, learn how to fight fires, combat flooded spaces and how to provide basic first-aid. It's this kind of drill that the Afloat Training Group (ATG) grades the ship on for phase three.

The ATG is comprised of about 30 people strategically placed in different areas around the ship so that they can observe the crew's performance.

"When I was walking around, I could see the fatigue setting in," said King. "But when our Sailors were being watched by the ATGs, they rose to the occasion and performed well."

Although it was humid as the exhausted shipmates put their gear away, the sense of pride from doing well on the casualties radiated throughout the hanger bays.

"I love to do this. It's the pinnacle of my day," said Damage Controlman Fireman Kenneth McCoy-Darden from engineering department. "It's a great feeling going out there to make my ship safe."

USS Carl Vinson is completing its scheduled RCOH at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding. 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 prepare for another 25 years or more of service.