Steaming to Launch

The Shuttle January 21, 2012 Issue“We are Legend”Newsletter Edition

USS Enterprise (CVN 65)

Steaming to LaunchBy Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Gregory White

USS ENTERPRISE, At Sea – Engineering department’s cata-pult operators work around the clock aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) to ensure that ship’s steam is prop-erly maintained for distribution to the ship’s catapults. Hidden behind Big E’s bulkheads and buried deep beneath her decks are wide open spaces accessed only by small scuttles and straight ladders. These narrow, vertical ladders lead down to steel bridges and catwalks. These catwalks are used to transit around giant tanks, known as accumulators, which hold water and steam for launching the catapults. Enterprise has two such accumulators for each of her four catapults. Steam is a major component in launching the catapults, and needs to be kept at the correct temperature and pressure for the catapults to work. When Enterprise is ready to start launching planes, the Sailors in the catapult shop go to each accumulator space and open up valves to allow pressure through to the launch pads. The hand wheels used to open these valves need to be turned about 177 times one way to open or close a valve, said Machin-ist’s Mate 3rd Class Terrence M. Ford, a catapult machinist on Enterprise. “You’ve got to do it quick too,” said Fireman Preston T. Dalton, an Enterprise Sailor who works in the catapult shop and accumulator spaces, “because we need to get our guys in the air.” Although these Sailors are not on the flight deck, those in the catapult shop play a major role in Enterprise’s flight operations. “We direct all the steam to the catapults,” said Dalton. “We have the largest accumulators in the whole Navy.” The ship’s catapult shop has two catapult machinists and one catapult supervisor on duty at all times. “My job is basically to keep the system up to 500 pounds of pressure and at a temperature of about 480 degrees,” said Ford. “The pressure is actually steam supplied to us by the plant. We hold the steam in an accumulator and maintain it so that when we do launch the catapults, we will have enough pressure to get the bird off of the flight deck.” The accumulators maintain a level of 33 inches, or 6,500 gallons, of water heated to temperatures well over the boiling point of 212 degrees. The temperature in the Sailors’ work area is consistently around 90 degrees or higher. “It’s not the hardest job on the ship, but it might be the hottest,” said Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class Tristan L. Collazo, a catapult shop supervisor. “Even when the weather is cold our job is still pretty hot,”

said Dalton. The catapult shop works closely with the aviation catapults division (V-2) and Damage Control (DC) Central to supply steam and launch the catapults. Ford said that each catapult has a launch panel manned by an aviation boatswain’s mate (equipment) (ABE). The ABE’s communicate with the flight deck and DC Central to determine what catapults should be used, how much pressure is needed, and when. DC Central coordinates with the ship’s reactor plants and the catapult shop to supply the steam. “We’re kind of like the middle men in the whole plane-launching process,” said Collazo. “We get our steam from the plants and send it to the air department to launch.” “What they do is very important,” said Aviation Boat-swain’s Mate (Equipment) 2nd Class Lavon T. Turner, a cata-pult launching console operator. “They give us our steam for the catapults. Without it, our catapults would not work.” “If we can’t launch planes then this is just a big cruise ship,” said Dalton. “What’s the point in owning a Ferrari if you can’t afford gas?”

Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class Terrence M. Ford opens the accumulator valve to supply steam to the cata-pults. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Gregory White)

Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012Page 2 The Shuttle

The Shuttle is published and printed daily underway and bi-weekly in port by the USS Enterprise (CVN 65) Media Depart-ment, FPO AE 09543-2810. This newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the Department of Defense. Please direct all story ideas, questions and comments to MC1 (SW) Steve Smith at [email protected].

Public Affairs OfficerLt. Cmdr. Sarah T. Self-Kyler

Executive OfficerCapt. G. C. Huffman

Commanding OfficerCapt. William C. Hamilton, Jr.

EditorsMC2(SW) Kristin L. Grover

MCSN Harry Gordon

Big E Happenings

The ShuttleUSS Enterprise (CVN 65)

Command Master ChiefABCM (AW/SW) Eric M. Young

Yesterday’s ESWS answer:The pelican hook is the hook that holds the anchor chain in place.

ESWS Question of the Day: What does the Romeo flag mean?

The movie schedule

can now be found on the Intranet and Channel 3

Photos by Mass Communication Specialist Third Class Scott Pittman

Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012 Page 3The Shuttle

Around the NavyU.S. Navy Chief Tells Pearl Harbor Sailors The Asia-Pacific Region Will Be The Navy’s FocusBy Audrey McAvoy, ASSOCIATED PRESS

Navy Examining Early Retirement Option For Some ERB-Separating SailorsChief of Naval Personnel Public Affairs, NAVY NEWS SERVICE

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii — The head of the Navy told Sailors Thursday that the Asia-Pacific will be the service’s focus in the future, and he views Hawaii as the gateway to the region. “Let me give it to you straight, right here. The focus of this department in the future is the Asia-Pacific re-gion, where you are,” Adm. Jonathan Greenert told more than 500 Sailors during a visit to Pearl Harbor, one of the Navy’s largest bases. “I look at Hawaii and I say it’s the gateway — it’s the most strategic base — out into the Asia-Pacific.” Greenert attributed the shift to an evolving world, the U.S. drawdown from operations in the Middle East, and a declining defense budget. His remarks come after the Obama administration ear-lier this month unveiled a new defense strategy seeking to enhance the U.S. presence in Asia because of the region’s economic importance and China’s rise as a military power. The strategy focuses on the Asia-Pacific region but aims

to retain American military pre-eminence worldwide, even as budgets are cut to reduce the nation’s deficit. Greenert explained to reporters afterward that the Navy would channel future investments to meet the needs of the Pacific Command first. He said ships and aircraft deployments in the Pacific would remain at current levels or be increased. The same goes for efforts involving unmanned equipment, cyber security and electronic warfare, he said. “It’s the culmination of all of our capabilities to get the complete picture,” Greenert said. He declined to say whether the Navy’s other geographic regions might face cuts, noting budgets haven’t been fin-ished yet. Greenert is visiting the islands to attend a Friday cer-emony for a change of command at the Pacific Fleet. He has been stationed in Hawaii several times in the past. In the early 1990s, he commanded the USS Honolulu nuclear-powered submarine based at Pearl Harbor.

WASHINGTON -- As announced by the Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert during an All Hands Call at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH) Jan. 19, the Navy plans to offer voluntary early retirement to certain Sailors separating due to the Enlisted Retention Board (ERB). A NAVADMIN outlining official guidance and applica-tion procedures for voluntary early retirement is forthcom-ing. The National Defense Authorization Act, signed into law Dec. 31, 2011, reinstated the authority for the Department of Defense to implement Temporary Early Retirement Au-thority (TERA) for Sailors who have completed at least 15 years of service. TERA is a temporary, voluntary program that offers voluntary early retirement at a reduced monthly stipend to eligible members with 15 to 20 years of active service. “Our Sailors have served honorably and our Navy is committed to doing all we can to help them and their families successfully transition to the civilian sector,” said Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) (SS/SW) Rick D. West. “We have aggressively pursued the option to offer early retirement benefits to eligible Sailors since Temporary Early Retirement Authority was granted. This is the right thing to do, and it ensures we provide the strongest

possible transition benefits to those who qualify for retire-ment under TERA.” Sailors who will have completed at least 15 years of ac-tive service as of Sept. 1, 2012, and who were not selected for retention by the ERB, will be eligible for early retire-ment benefits under TERA. Eligible Sailors who desire early retirement under TERA must submit an application. As TERA is not an entitlement, all eligible members must apply to receive benefits, and all applications may not necessarily be approved. Detailed application procedures will be promulgated in a future NAVADMIN. Eligible Sailors who wish to apply for TERA will have their ERB results held in abeyance to facilitate their application for voluntary retirement. Sailors whose TERA application is approved will be retired voluntarily no later than Sept. 1, 2012, and will not be entitled to involuntary separation pay (ISP). However, Sailors will remain qualified for enhanced ERB transition benefits until their retirement date. Sailors eligible to apply for early retirement should request to remain in the Navy through Sept. 1, 2012. PERS-81 is now accepting Short Term Extension (STE) requests to extend a Sailors Soft End of Active Obligated Service (SEAOS) to Sept. 1, 2012, to ensure eligible Sailors have the opportunity to receive TERA benefits.

Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012Page 4 The Shuttle

Big E Entertainment

Hospital Corpsman Seaman Apprentice Sean Faulkner from Euless, Texas, joined the Navy one year ago to see the world. In his spare time, Faulkner enjoys going out with his friends. He looks forward to getting promoted and going to a shore command in the future.

Seaman Apprentice Sean S. Faulkner

Sailors of the Day

Aviation Electronics Technician Third Class Farron Carlson from Grants Pass, Ore., joined the Navy two years ago for a new experience and to support his family. Carlson enjoys spending time with his family, playing Wii, camping and fishing. In the future he hopes to become a certified lattice crane operator and be a great husband and father.

Petty Officer Third Class Farron L. Carlson

Photo by MCSN Harry Andrew D. Gordon