Theodore Roosevelt Bridge Watch Team Navigates Northern Edge

Photo By Petty Officer 3rd Class Brandon Richardson | The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) transits the Gulf of Alaska, May 7, 2021, in support of flight operations above the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex and Gulf of Alaska during Exercise Northern Edge 2021 (NE21). Navy, Air Force and Marine aircraft executed flight missions during NE21 demonstrating seamless, joint combat capabilities. Approximately 15,000 U.S. service members are participating in a joint training exercise hosted by U.S. Pacific Air Forces May 3-14, 2021, on and above the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex, the Gulf of Alaska, and temporary maritime activities area. NE21 is one in a series of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command exercises designed to sharpen the joint forces' skills; to practice tactics, techniques, and procedures; to improve command, control, and communication relationships; and to develop cooperative plans and programs. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brandon Richardson)  

GULF OF ALASKA

05.17.2021

Story by Petty Officer 3rd Class Conner Blake  

USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71)     

GULF OF ALASKA (May 17, 2021)—Lt. Cmdr. Ron Piramide, auxiliary’s officer and Ensign Mary Morocco, deck department division officer, both stationed aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), manned critical watch stations on the bridge during exercise Northern Edge 2021, 3 – 14 May 2021 in the Gulf of Alaska.

Bridge watch standers play a crucial role aboard ships around the fleet, ensuring the ship and crew gets where it needs to be, when it needs to be there, and that it accomplishes both safely.

“The commanding officer puts his trust in all the bridge watch standers to do their job to the best of their abilities and to ensure that safety of navigation is the primary objective on the bridge,” said Parimade.

“To be an effective bridge watch stander requires two things,” continued Piramide. “One part of being a watch stander has to do with science. There is math. There are rules we have to live by to include ‘rules of the road’ and a lot of ‘bridge math.’ The second part is an art. The art part is the experience from being on the bridge and applying that experience to the science of bridge watch standing.“

Morocco has been standing watch on the bridge since 2019 and is currently qualified as an officer of the deck. The officer of the deck is responsible to the commanding officer for the ship’s safe navigation, as well as everything that happens on and around the ship while they are on watch.

“During the Northern Edge exercise, our bridge team has had to operate in some of the harshest conditions that we have experienced on deployment so far,” stated Morocco. “From periods of extremely low visibility to high sea state, we have had to adapt to navigate and operate safely while supporting exceptionally dynamic flight operations.”

“The unique training environment has pushed our team to think and plan even further ahead. Large numbers of aircraft per event and long open deck periods have forced us to manage sea space more effectively and utilize time in between exercises efficiently to set ourselves up in the best possible position to support future operations,” she continued.

NE21 takes place in and around the Gulf of Alaska and Theodore Roosevelt’s bridge watch standers played a vital role in safely navigating the area during the exercise. The climate and weather of NE21 are new experiences for Theodore Roosevelt’s bridge watch team, who have been operating in the warmth of the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans during their 2021 deployment.

“Weather has been a factor when it comes to our bridge watch standing,” said Piramide. “We have called low visibility detail in these waters more than we have the entire deployment. That type of challenge has been prevalent throughout this exercise and I am proud of the way our team has stepped up.”

“Low visibility is not a standard watch that we maintain all the time,” continued Piramide. “We have to get Sailors from other departments to stand watch out in the weather decks, in a very, very cold climate for hours on end to ensure that they support the role of safety of navigation.”

“Operating in the north is absolutely necessary though because, at some point, sea lines of communication will start to open up in the Arctic Circle. When that happens, we, as a Navy, and also as a joint force, need to know how to operate in these waters,” he continued.

Everywhere the ship goes, and potentially in the Gulf of Alaska, there is also the responsibility of protecting any marine life that may be present. U.S. Navy bridge watch standers are required to complete marine species awareness training as part of their qualifications.

“While we are always on the lookout for marine life while transiting,” said Morocco, “we have to be especially mindful of the whale species that are native to this part of the world and frequently pop up without much warning. “It is important that we detect these animals early so that we have time to maneuver around them safely.”

“An interesting and appealing part of bridge watch standing is that the control station on the bridge can communicate with all other control stations on the ship from the bridge, to include: the combat direction center, the flight deck and damage control central,” said Piramide. “When it comes to control stations, the bridge, or the “brain” of the ship, if you will, has the ability to communicate with other control stations where other watch stations would not have that same benefit.”

“A good bridge watch stander will include science which is the math and the rules part of bridge watch standing, and they will apply the art piece which is experience,” continued Piramide. “From the officer of the deck, to the boatswain’s mate of the watch, we all play a critical role in safely navigating the ship.”

The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group consists of USS Theodore Roosevelt, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11, the Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), Destroyer Squadron 23, and the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Russell (DDG 59).
Theodore Roosevelt’s embarked air-wing consists of the “Tomcatters” of Strike Fighter Squadrons (VFA) 31, “Golden Warriors” of VFA-87, “Blue Diamonds” of VFA-146, “Black Knights” of VFA-154, “Liberty Bells” of Airborne Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 115, “The Gray Wolves” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 142, “Wolf Pack” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM 75), “Eightballers” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 8 and “Providers” of Fleet Logistic Support Squadron (VRC) 30 Detachment 3.

Theodore Roosevelt departed San Diego for a scheduled deployment to the Indo-Pacific December 23.

For more information on USS Theodore Roosevelt, visit https://www.public.navy.mil/airfor/cvn71/Pages/default.aspx

• Date Taken: 05.17.2021
• Date Posted: 05.18.2021 01:21
• Story ID: 396647
• Location: GULF OF ALASKA