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Bataan Marks Maintenance Availability Halfway

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100614-28
6/14/2010

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Julio Rivera, USS Bataan Public Affairs

NORFOLK (NNS) -- Sailors aboard the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) reached the halfway mark of a regularly scheduled maintenance availability at the BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair facility June 14.

Bataan arrived at BAE April 12, and the crew immediately began setting the pace to not only accomplish maintenance on schedule, but to ready the ship for its upcoming training cycle.

"I had three goals for the ship when we arrived in early April—maintaining and repairing the ship, training the crew and allowing for some reset time with friends and families," said Capt. Steve Koehler, Bataan's commanding officer, in a letter to the crew and their families. "We've been successful on all three fronts."

With the halfway mark here, departments have their sights set on restoring the ship's operational capability.

"It means that we have to continue executing the plan to get back into operating mode," said Chief Machinist's Mate Angel Delacruz, Engineering department's maintenance assistant.

With the ship in maintenance mode, everyone is doing their part to keep the ship on schedule.

"Currently engineering department is conducting maintenance in the collection holding and transfer system. All five ships-service-turbine generators are being worked on, and we are also in the middle of boiler inspections forward and aft," said Delacruz. "We have overhauled pumps, valves, calibrated gauges, and switches. We've trained our watchstanders. A lot has been done, and we'll still do a lot more."

Similar workloads are commonplace throughout the ship, and with a depleting schedule, Sailors are balancing maintenance and repairs, training and time at home by working a variety of shifts and helping out across departmental lines.

"If we are not on schedule or we fail a certification, it will just be painful in the long run." said Delacruz. "It is best to be on time, ready and well prepared to sail toward the next mission, whichever gets tasked to us next."

Shipyard success came from Sailors and Shipyard workers quickly learning how to work together.

"They have briefed the ship daily about progress, and we constantly discuss plans to get us where we need to be," said Delacruz. "I think the biggest contribution is being on the same team."

Bataan is scheduled to complete her availability in the middle of August.

The ship arrived at BAE just 10 days after returning from nearly three months supporting Operation Unified Response off the coast of Haiti.