Photo By Jeffrey Landis | LITTLE CREEK, Va. (Oct. 26, 2017) – Employees and military staff from NAVSUP Weapon...... read more read more
By Jeff Landis, Office of Corporate Communications, NAVSUP WSS
NORFOLK, Va. (Oct. 26, 2017) – More than 80 employees and military staff from the three Naval Supply Systems Command, Weapon Systems Support (NAVSUP WSS) locations had the unique opportunity to converge in southern Virginia to participate in a Meet the Fleet trip, Oct. 24-26.
Held semi-annually, Meet the Fleet focuses on NAVSUP WSS’s newer employees by providing an opportunity to see first-hand how the command supports the fleet with its supply chain management and its linkage to end users or “customers” of the equipment, parts and supplies managed by NAVSUP WSS.
“It was a humbling experience, knowing that I am privileged to be a part of something bigger and greater than myself or any human being,” said Yolandra Nathaniel, contract specialist for the Maritime Support Department, NAVSUP WSS Mechanicsburg. “We had the opportunity to interact face-to-face with the item managers as they expressed the importance of the fleet’s needs while showing their gratitude and appreciation for what we do for them. This put things into perspective for me, but also gave me a sense of pride in being a part of a team and a fellowship.”
Buses departed Philadelphia and Mechanicsburg, Pa., heading south to link up with NAVSUP WSS Norfolk members for the three-day event. The first stop was Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, the Navy’s East Coast Master Jet Base. The sounds of freedom filled the air as the Meet the Fleet team arrived at their first stop, the Regional Supply Office. After a few informational briefs and tours, the team then visited the aviation support and maintenance division and had an opportunity to interact with the Sailors and civilians who work with NAVSUP WSS. As the day wrapped up, the team got a chance to peek behinds the scenes at Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA)-106, as well as inside the hangar and flight line among a variety of F/A-18 Hornets and newer class Super Hornets.
The following day, members headed to Naval Station Norfolk for a visit to three ships, a submarine and another aircraft squadron. The first stop was the newly commissioned supercarrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), where the group visited various supply and logistics divisions as well as the flight deck and hangar bay, where the supercarrier’s new elevator system, which makes logistician’s lives much easier on ship. The group also got to tour the Ticonderoga-class Aegis guided missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf (CG-55) and the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Cole (DDG-67), known as the Determined Warriors. The Cole’s fitting moniker tells the story of a determined ship and crew facing and overcoming adversity – much like their actions during the infamous terrorist bombing of USS Cole 17 years ago, Oct. 12, 2000, which killed 17 of her crew. The Cole honors their memory across many passageways and dining halls on ship, including 17 gold stars on the deck of the port-to-starboard passageway which doubles as a chow line. The remainder of the day included two separate tours – a tour of the fast attack submarine USS Boise (SSN-764) for the NAVSUP WSS Mechanicsburg team, and a Carrier Airborne Early Warning (VAW)-120 tour for the Philadelphia team.
Visiting the ships and the Sailors with direct linkage to NAVSUP WSS was a welcoming experience for one Common Electronics Department member and his logistics colleague on USS Cole. “It’s great being here and able to link up with our counterparts,” said Paul Brown, Program Manager for AN/SPS-67 and 73 radar systems and the RIM-7 NATO Sea Sparrow, and retired Navy Logistics Specialist Chief. “And even though I may not work on the same systems, I can be a point of contact to link him up with the right program manager or supply planner.”
“It’s great to get a chance to meet and greet the people we work with,” said USS Cole’s Logistics Specialist Chief Mark Ramirez. “I am truly blessed and very satisfied with all of the help NAVSUP WSS provides us like expediting parts and understanding the nature of what we do to adjust and allow us to get what we need.”
On the last morning, Oct. 26, the NAVSUP WSS team visited Assault Craft Unit FOUR (ACU-4) at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, learning about the unit’s Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) and its unique capability to move seamlessly from sea to land, as well as the challenges the unit faces with supplies, parts and repairables for the more than $40 million dollar landing craft. The group then split into two groups again for the two final tours of the day. The Philadelphia team visited Naval Special Warfare Group 2, Logistics Support Unit (LOGSU)-2 for a series of briefings about the organization, including a tour of the paraloft to learn about parachute equipment and the unit’s intense skydiving training. The Mechanicsburg team visited Coastal Riverine Group TWO (CRG-2) for tours, briefs and a chance to use CRG-2’s patrol boat and marksmanship simulators.
The tenor and tone of the NAVSUP WSS Meet the Fleet team was that of being especially grateful for the opportunity and the lessons and memories they walked away with were far more deep and meaningful than a chance opportunity.
“Attending the Meet the Fleet trip was one of the highlights of my 30-year career,” said Mary LaVelle, Deputy for the Engines Integrated Weapon Systems Team Branch 1, NAVSUP WSS Philadelphia. “I can only imagine the impact this trip had on the new hires just starting their careers. Hearing and seeing how our jobs impact the fleet first-hand underscored the importance of doing our jobs right. The tour of USS Gerald R. Ford was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I would recommend to all our employees, if given the opportunity, to go on the next Meet the Fleet trip.”
NAVSUP WSS plans to regularly continue with Meet the Fleet trips in the future to ensure all employees are granted this unique opportunity with the intent to capture most new employees within their first 100 days of on boarding.
A field activity of the Naval Supply Systems Command, NAVSUP WSS is the U.S. Navy’s supply chain manager providing worldwide support to the aviation, surface ship, and submarine communities. NAVSUP WSS provides Navy, Marine Corps, joint and allied forces with products and services that deliver combat capability through logistics. There are more than 2,000 civilian and military personnel employed at its two Pennsylvania sites, and one site in Norfolk, Va. The NAVSUP WSS Philadelphia site supports aircraft, its Mechanicsburg site supports ships and submarines and the Norfolk site supports Price Fighters and Transportation/Distribution.
| Date Taken: | 10.26.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 11.17.2017 11:27 |
| Story ID: | 255704 |
| Location: | NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 385 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, NAVSUP WSS employees, military staff converge for ‘Meet the Fleet’, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT