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Gettysburg Partners with SERMC to Increase Readiness

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS141104-10
Release Date: 11/4/2014 1:53:00 PM

By Ensign Tommy Changaris, USS Gettysburg Public Affairs

MAYPORT, Fla. (NNS) -- Sailors aboard guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG 64) kicked off a partnership with Southeast Regional Maintenance Center (SERMC) Oct. 27.

The partnership is designed to increase self-sufficiency and material readiness at the shipboard level and is intended to last throughout the Gettysburg's current maintenance availability.

During the course of the partnership Gettysburg will send six Sailors to spend 30 days with SERMC technical experts to work on various ships around the Mayport, Florida waterfront. The investment of time and energy into training the Sailors is intended to increase their level of knowledge working toward shipboard self-sufficiency and improved material readiness.

'We're very excited about this opportunity for our Sailors,' said Cmdr. Nathan Scherry, Gettysburg's executive officer. 'They are going to receive top-notch training on systems that they work on from some of the Navy's finest resident experts. This will increase their ability to troubleshoot and correct discrepancies and make us more self-sufficient.'

SERMC is a shore command responsible for ship maintenance, fleet technical support and Sailor training throughout the southeast.

'We love the idea of getting deck-plate Sailors over here to learn from us,' said Phil Schmid, SERMC's chief engineer, 'We firmly believe that hands-on learning is the best kind.'

Schmid was confident the partnership would be worthwhile for both parties.

'It's definitely going to be a good experience,' he said. 'Even if there are some growing pains at first, we'll continually improve and it will only get better. At the end of the day our goal is to make sure we help the Sailors and the ship.'

Gas Turbine System Technician (Electrical) 2nd Class William Kenny, one of the members of the first group of Sailors, quickly began taking advantage of the program.

'I already helped troubleshoot issues on a ship here in the basin,' said Kenny, 'Even after the little bit of time I have spent here I have learned a lot.'

While the technical aspect of the GMRTI is critical, Kenny also recognized the value of building a rapport with the technicians at SERMC, many of whom have previously performed technical assist visits on the Gettysburg.

'After I have finished my training I will leave knowing who to contact for help, however serious the problem is,' he said. 'Just establishing relationships with the SERMC guys is worth its weight in gold.'