SHUTTLEtheUSS Enterprise (CVN 65) - Saturday, May 28, 2011

Photo by MC3 Alex R. Forster

shared repairs: Fix ‘em and fly ‘em back

An MH-60 helicopter belonging to Anti-Submarine Helicopter Squadron (HS) 11 flies repaired helicopter blades to the USS Mason (DDG 87) from the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65). Facilities aboard Enterprise allow its crew to repair damaged parts coming in from the entire Enterprise Carrier Strike Group (CSG).

the Page 3Saturday, May 28, 2011

Enterprise NewsSHUTTLE

By MC3 Alex R. ForsterUSS Enterprise Public Affairs

USS ENTERPRISE, At sea – With the capability to quickly repair damaged parts, a program aboard the deployed aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) is integral to keeping other Enterprise Carrier Strike Group (CSG) ships in the fight. Strike Force Intermediate Maintenance Activity (SFIMA) allows Enterprise to act as a hub for maintenance and support throughout the strike group, and sometimes beyond, using the material and personnel assets of the CSG to maintain operational readiness while deployed. “The SFIMA program allows individual units to contact us and make requests for maintenance,” said Cmdr. Mark Nieto, the ship’s aircraft intermediate maintenance (AIMD) officer, who also serves as the Strike Group Repair Coordinator. “Since we’ve got the capability to perform intermediate maintenance, it gives us a unique opportunity to help them out.” The main departments that get assigned SFIMA maintenance are AIMD, combat systems department (CSD), and engineering department. “Most of the time the jobs that come in are an easy assignment, but some of them require the help of multiple departments,” said Nieto. “It’s really a team effort.” Enterprise regularly receives items from other Enterprise CSG ships that need to be repaired by Big ‘E’ crew members via helicopter or carrier onboard delivery (COD). Underway replenishments (UNREP) with the fast combat support ship USNS Arctic (T-AOE 8) also bring equipment for repair, mostly jobs for Arctic itself. “For example, since the Arctic helo detachment doesn’t have a

paraloft shop, they don’t have the resources to repair some of their equipment. So they fly the parts on board, we take them down to the shops, and we have the repaired equipment back on the helicopter and on the Arctic before the UNREP is over,” said Nieto. Nieto said that Arctic is just one example of the many customers the SFIMA program serves, with the Enterprise team redistributing repaired parts across and beyond the strike group. They have supported other aircraft carriers and even units ashore in the Arabian Gulf region, saving the affected commands both time and money by avoiding the part having to be sent to a depot-level maintenance activity in the United States. The Enterprise’s machinery repair (MR) shop is one of the integral shops that plays a vital role in the program, repairing and rebuilding pumps, motors, parts, and fittings for the smaller ships. We’ve been able to machine new parts and get them delivered and installed,” said Machinery

Repairman 3rd Class (SW) Michael T. Petronio, a machinist in the ship’s MR shop. “Sometimes the things we have to repair are unique, giving us the opportunity to get a little more experience with our jobs.” Among the repairs performed by Enterprise’s MRs was a complete shaft creation and replacement on a wench used to stream an anti-submarine warfare torpedo countermeasure unit aboard the guided-missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55). Petronio and Machinery Repairman 2nd Class (SW/AW) Jeremy M. Newkirk spent four days aboard the cruiser and fixed more than they were sent there to fix. “We also rebuilt an air-conditioning motor used in their Combat Information Center in about a half hour,” said Newkirk. “Their engineers were pretty surprised at how fast we did it.” Enterprise’s power/rewind shop, which repairs and rewinds motor coils, has repaired three ventilation

Enterprise Supports Strike Group Maintenance

Photo by MC3 Alex R. Forster

Electrician’s Mate Fireman Akeem D. Harris runs diagnostics on a damaged electric motor belonging to the USS Mason (DDG 87) in the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise’s (CVN 65) motor rewind shop.

motors for Leyte Gulf. “It’s a good feeling when I get the word back from the Leyte Gulf chain of command that the ventilation system is back up and operational,” said Electrician’s Mate 2nd Class (SW) Mark E. Fischer, the power/rewind shop’s lead motor technician. “To know that I’m in a position to be able to help when called upon is a good feeling.” The ship’s ability to produce such vital parts promotes strike group self-sufficiency, saves money and provides for the expeditious repairs to mission critical systems in support of combat operations. “It’s much more effective for us to fix gear while we’re in the area than to return it to the U.S. for repairs. It’s a great feeling to know that you are helping other units or commands get their parts repaired and back to work,” said Lt. Cmdr. Erik D. Coplin, the ship’s maintenance officer. “Not only are we helping the strike group as a whole, it’s a team effort on the ship.”

the Saturday May 28, 2011Page 4

Sailors of the DaySeaman ApprenticeJason Sass- Sugarland, TX

SA Sass, a deck seaman for Enterprise’s Deck Department, joined the Navy one year ago to “get out on my own, see the world and expand my horizons.” Sass says the most rewarding aspect of his job is participating in underway replenishment, “because it means I help keep the enitre ship supplied.” Sass plans to finish his college education in the future. In his spare time, Simmons likes to read, work out and study for his enlsited surface warfare specialist pin.

AME3 Jackson, an aerospace egress technician for Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 137, joined the Navy almost three years ago to “serve my country and do something worthwhile in my life.” Jackson says the most rewarding aspect of his job is “knowing that what I am doing is making a difference in the world.” Jackson is working hard to become a second class petty officer and plans to go to college in the future. In his spare time, Jackson likes to sleep and watch movies.

Aviation Structural Mechanic (Equipment) 3rd ClassRoy Edward Jackson II-Coal Grove, OH

SHUTTLE

Photos by MC3 Alex R/ Forster

Answers can be found on Big ‘E’ Net at S:\Public\MEDIA\GM\Crossword and Sudoku answers

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