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Stennis Test Mission Readiness During Underway Period

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100305-09
Release Date: 3/5/2010 3:24:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Dmitry Chepusov, USS Stennis Public Affairs

BREMERTON, Wash., (NNS) -- USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) returned to its homeport of Bremerton, Wash., Feb. 19 after completing a monthlong underway off the coast of Southern California.

While underway, Stennis conducted a shipwide medical vaccination, carried out pilot carrier qualifications and hosted professional football players and comedians who interacted with Sailors.

The medical readiness exercise, which was conducted the week of Jan. 20, ensured Stennis remains mission-ready. Medical department's mission to vaccinate the crew was part of a Department of Defense strategy to protect service members from the H1N1 flu.

"As soon as we received the H1N1 shipment, we expedited vaccination to the crew," said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Alejandro Salazar. "We vaccinated more than 2,500 crew members in four days, and we are confident we can handle something similar as efficiently in the future."

Stennis also provided a platform, for Commander, Naval Air Training (CNATRA) and Fleet Replacement Squadrons (FRS) Carrier Qualifications (CQ). More than 60 pilots were qualified after approximately 870 carrier arrested landings during eight days of flight operations.

Pilots from CNATRA used the carrier arrested landing opportunity as the first step in a series of qualifications they must accomplish before they are designated as naval aviators.

FRSCQ is the final step before pilots are assigned to a squadron within the fleet, and landing aboard Stennis prepared them for their careers in naval aviation.
"They do a lot of prep work before getting to this stage," said Stennis' assistant air operations officer Lt. Kyle Leslie. "Without carrier qualifications, the Navy can't produce the pilots to refill squadrons across the world and complete its mission."

After the carrier qualifications, three professional football players from the Green Bay Packers and three stand-up comedians from the Comics on Duty Tour made an arrested landing to tour Stennis and interact with and entertain Sailors.

The comedians performed for hundreds of Sailors in the hangar bay, while the players tossed footballs with their fans on the flight deck during Super Bowl weekend.

"We have a lot of appreciation for what the Navy does, so we wanted to come out and get a first-hand look at how they go about their day-to-day business," said Packers Fullback John Kuhn. "It's breathtaking to see the amount of work that these individuals do out here every day to defend our country."

Stennis' underway demonstrated the Navy's commitment in executing its Maritime Strategy by providing qualifications for pilots and warfighter readiness for the ship's crew