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Wasp Crosses INSURV Finish Line

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100429-02
4/29/2010

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Christopher Koons

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- After four days of tests, Wasp was certified as having passed Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) with a grade of satisfactory, April 23.

For the past year and a half, Sailors aboard USS Wasp (LHD 1) have been working long hours to ensure their ship was ready for its INSURV.

"Out of 27 INSURV areas, seven were rated as 'green,' which means the inspectors gave us a score of 80 percent or above on them," said Lt. Bradley Lewis, Wasp's INSURV coordinator. "Our strongest areas were the detect-to-engage, ballast/de-ballast, anchoring, and quick reversal ahead and astern demonstrations. We performed superbly in just about every other area, too."

INSURV was established by Congress in 1868 to ensure that the ships of the Navy are equipped for sustained mission readiness at sea. All ships are required to go through the inspection at least once every five years. During the inspection, a team of naval officers conduct material inspections and surveys of the ship and provide an assessment of its material readiness to the Navy's senior leadership.

Vital to Wasp's success this INSURV was a group of Sailors pulled from various departments across the ship known as the "Pit Crew," which went around rehabilitating spaces on the ship that were in a state of disrepair.

"The Pit Crew was handed lemons and turned them into lemonade, fixing 67 spaces total," said Lewis. "They went into spaces that were in dire condition and restored them to a near pristine state. It goes to show you that when people unite for a common cause, good things happen."

Also vital to Wasp's success was the efforts of its engineering department, which was involved in just about every major evolution during the ship's INSURV testing.

"Our Sailors were able to perform well during all of the tests, from the aqueous film forming foam testing to the full power run," said Lt. Shawn Gibson, Wasp's main propulsion assistant. "Everything on our schedule of events was finished on time with near perfect execution."

For Logistics Specialist 3rd Class Shaun Beale, who was awarded with a Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal for his work during INSURV, getting the ship ready was a total team effort.

"All of us in hazardous materials division worked hard to renovate our storerooms, get our inventories in order, and do a general overhaul of our HAZMAT handling procedures," said Beale. "We made a lot of changes that will benefit the ship in the long run."

Junior Sailors such as Beale could not have gotten the job done without the guidance of Wasp's senior leadership, said Capt. Tom Snyder, the INSURV team's senior inspector.

"You've got a great crew, and they had the leadership that directed them to get the job done," said Snyder during the INSURV out brief. "You should continue to increase your knowledge so that you can raise the skill level of your Sailors so that they can always execute high standards in their jobs. Because of what I saw this past week, I'd be proud to wear a Wasp ball cap on the pier anytime."

Capt. Lowell D. Crow, Wasp's commanding officer, praised the crew for their hard work and said he will never forget their efforts in getting the ship prepared.

"The inspectors told me that this was the best big deck presentation they've seen in the past two years," said Crow. "The way you've turned the ship around these past 18 months has been remarkable. This victory belongs to you."