Text 19591, 107 rader
Skriven 2007-08-26 15:25:02 av Carol Shenkenberger (3:800/201)
  Kommentar till text 19351 av Stephen Haffly (1:396/45.27)
Ärende: Re: PREDICTIONS 648 70615
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*** Quoting Stephen Haffly from a message to Carol Shenkenberger ***

 CS> Ok, that sounds more like what I see in the Navy.  BTW, once when on
 CS> the Fort McHenry, an Army unit came out to play with us for about 6
 CS> weeks.  They loved being on a ship and taking the beach from the small
 CS> boats.  Usially only the Marines get to come out and practice that.
 CS> Operation Neptune Thunder I think that was.  2003?

SH> When we were in Hawaii, some of our Soldiers would get to go on board
SH> either a ship or submarine out of Hawaii.  One of our Soldiers studied
SH> hard and successfully passed a test (I can't remember what it is calle
SH> and got certified for the vessel he was on.

That would probably be 'ESWS' Enlisted Surface Warfare.  Pronounced eess-wass.
It would be many things to learn, a 'PQS' (sign off book) for each skill area,
then a written test and finally an oral board.  THat or the Submarine version
but it's the same process for Subs.  ESWS is short handed to SW and there is
also an Air Warfare version (AW).  As surface navy (targets per the sub
sailors) I am ITCS(SW/AW) Shenkenberger (meaning E8 IT type with both SW and
AW).  I am also a 'Master Training Specialist (MTS) but you only add that to
your titles when at a school command.  If I went to a school command, I would
be ITCS(SW/AW/MTS) Shenkenberger which is a bit long to type <grin>.

I recall we certified 2 of the Army guys as SW.  I sat their oral boards.  We
gave them a little leeway on some of the more 'Nautical stuff' that isnt
really as important (Naval history, 3M maintenance, Navy specific MISC things
like what an EDVR is used for) but they were really very good with engineering
plant operations and ship's weapons systems.

I remember most the huge grin on the CO's face when he announced the results of
that days boards (we did them every 3 weeks or so) and pinned the 2 Army guys
along with 2 sailors right there on the port side bridge wing. I thought the
1STSarge (sorry, forgot your version of that shorthand again) was gonna pop
the buttons right off his uniform, he was so proudly swelled up.  Every Chief
not on watch was there too so it was a pretty crowded area.


 CS> They really liked the chow and were amazed at how we took them under
 CS> our wings.  Apparently when they do mixed ops normally, they get
 CS> shuttled off to the side and don't get to really be 'joint' feeling
 CS> that much?

SH> I used to eat in the Galley at Kunia, "the best Galley under a pineapp
SH> field" as it was called.  The food was pretty good most of the time, a
SH> they did have special meals at which it was quite a wait to get in, su
SH> as Mongolian Barbeque day.  Otherwise, it wasn't much different than
SH> some of the Army dining facilities I have patronized.  I haven't been
SH> the galley of a ship underway, and can't comment on that though.

A galley on shore, isnt significantly different I am told from any that any
branch has.  The Navy has been trying hard to get better and often are at
times (such as mongolian BBQ days).  On a ship though, we can be either
abysmal or sublime.  See, we have (as you know probably) a full kitchen of
complete restraunt level onboard and may have several (we have 4 on the ESSEX,
I'll get to that in a minute).  These are not 'fast food hamburger places' at
all.  The size of the ship (crew complement) will determine how many 'galleys'
we have and what level of food.  Generally, the smaller the ship the better
the food because it's easier to make really tastey stuff for 300 than 3,000.

Ok back to the ESSEX, I goofed.  It's 5 galleys.  There is a small one just for
the 'Staff' (Officers) and it feeds only 15 or so people.  I'm actually told
the food there has fancy titles but isnt as good.  Not sure why.  Next would
be the Wardroom (all the other Officers).  Pretty decent.  Feeds about 70
people.
The CPO mess has a galley but the food is no longer separate really from the
main mess.  Feeds 70-125 depending on how many E7 and above marines we have at
the time.  The the main mess, feeds 1100-3000 (depends on if the marines are
with us) and this one is dual sided so really is 2 in one galley.  Food for
the CPO mess at least partly comes from here.  Then, you have the bake shop
with all the baked goodies (fresh bread, rolls, cakes, cookies, whathave you).
 The bake shop isnt really a 'galley' because the foods are delivered to the
other ones from there, but it is a cooking place.

We base our 'awards' on the main mess.  ESSEX won the award last year for all
ships of her size.  It's called the 'Ney Award'.  It was well merited.  I'd
pay good money to eat on the ship most days and some meals?  I'd be happy to
pay 20$ for the quality of it.

What we cant compete with is fresh veggies and fruits when we've been out a
long time and are inbetween supply ships.  Get used to slightly brown lettuce
then just cabbage salad greens after a month or so.  Also after 4 months out,
the shrimp and lobsters kinda suffer from being frozen that long.  But unlike
you out in the field, we dont have to suffer with MRE's.  In fact, I've only
had them once.  That was when we had to pull out suddenly from a typhoon while
the shipyard was refitting the galley.  It was ok stuff if you are hungry. 
Hate to have to eat them long term though!

SH> Jointness has been developing.  At one time, there was a lot more
SH> interservice rivalry.  Not that there still isn't competition, but it
SH> more positive now in my opinion.

Yes.  Now we just have a sports day and you guys win <g>.  One of the other
problems we Navy have besides really good food, is lack of space to exercise
properly.  Oh, it's there, but you can easily wait an hour for a turn on a
treadmill.  In fact, we have to have separate hours where the Marines arent
allowed in on the ship, so the Navy can get on the limited machines at all. 
Unless we are not flying and it's daylight and good weather (defined as good
by the wind, not the rain), you arent allowed to run on the lfight deck.  The
right conditions tend to happen about once a week for about 1 hour.  Usually
Sunday from 7-8am.  The hangar bay would be good to run in as well as the
upper and lower V, but they are normally too packed with gear to allow that
safely so it's not allowed except when empty.  These reasons combined are why
a goodly part of the tonnage of any ship, is it's sailors <g>.
                                       xxcarol

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