NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -Sailors aboard the Navy's newest Ford-class aircraft carrier, Pre-Commissioning Unit John F. Kennedy (JFK) (CVN 79), celebrated the grand opening of the ship's store with a ceremonial ribbon cutting.
Unlike traditional ship’s stores located onboard the ship, services to Sailors were opened at Kennedy's offsite location on the campus of Newport News Shipbuilding.
During the opening ceremony, Commanding Officer Capt. Todd Marzano made the first purchase and took part in the ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the event.
"Today marks another exciting milestone for the command," said Marzano. "A lot of planning and hard work went into making this event possible, and I know the crew will greatly benefit from having a ship store.”
Before establishing a store, JFK's Moral Welfare and Recreation (MWR) organization, with volunteers from all departments, established a retail outlet to support Sailors' retail needs.
JFK’s Supply Department, with support from the Navy Exchange Command, established the ship's store capability. As the JFK Supply Department grew, S-3 began increasing the inventory, offerings, and level of support to JFK and shipyard partners.
Ships Supply Officer CDR Chris Roesner, spoke with supply Sailors after the ceremony expressing his gratitude for overcoming numerous challenges as a team.
"It is with great pride that I congratulate the S-3 Division for achieving this milestone," said Roesner.
Ensign Eric Severn and his team are eager to begin supporting the crew's retail needs.
"The S-3 Retail Services Division has overcome several challenges over the past few months,” said Severn. "COVID-19 significantly affected normal operations and procedures."
Severn added that the safety of the crew is paramount to our division. Through guidance from the Medical and Safety Departments, S-3 has revised how the selling of merchandise will take place. The spaces will be cleaned much more frequently than in the past. The ship’s store’s ultimate goal is to support the crew.
"We are here to boost the crew's morale, provide essential items and support MWR," said Retail Specialist First Class James Ebron.
PCU John F. Kennedy has been under construction at its Newport News location since 2015 and continues to make preparations for its commissioning.
CVN 79 is the second aircraft carrier to honor John F. Kennedy for his service to the nation, both as a naval officer and as the 35th President of the United States.
For more information on PCU John F. Kennedy, follow the ship's fan page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CVN79JFK.
Or at https://www.navy.noclick_mil/local/USSJohnFKennedy/index.asp
| Date Taken: | 08.01.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 08.02.2020 12:20 |
| Story ID: | 375105 |
| Location: | NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 240 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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