Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Jacob Mattingly | Aviation Boatswain’s Mate Senior Chief Christine Tyler, from Onalaska, Wisconsin,...... read more read more
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NEWPORT NEWS, VA. – Every month, a few dozen Sailors report to USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) and start a new chapter in their life. Regardless of whether it is their first time assigned to a U.S. Navy ship or their 78th, all Ford Sailors must attend Wolverine Academy before reporting to their division for duty.
Wolverine Academy is a week-long course consisting of presentations from various departmental representatives with the goal of making each Sailor’s transition into the command as smooth as possible.
“Wolverine Academy ensures Sailors have the resources they need to succeed onboard,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class Rashaun Ford, Wolverine Academy’s Leading Petty Officer. “We give them a proper introduction to the command, resources and basic shipboard training.”
Although Sailors are trained on basic damage control and first-aid at boot camp, they receive refresher courses as part of the curriculum. At the end of the week, they get the opportunity to test for and earn their ship-specific basic damage control qualifications.
“Our goal at Wolverine Academy is to reinforce the skills they previously learned so that they are ready for more advanced training once they get to the ship.” said Ford.
Students are also given a brief on the ship’s namesake, the late president Gerald R. Ford’s, life and legacy, the ship’s history and an introduction to ship life.
“It is an honor to be able to serve on Ford. When you look at the name of ships, they all represent something not only important to the Navy, but also our country as a whole,” said Lt. j.g. Alexander Chang, from Manalapan, New Jersey, assigned to Ford’s reactor department and a student at Wolverine Academy, “When you have a brand-new class of ship of someone who came before us, it’s important for us to remember the legacy they left behind.”
Another large part of working on an aircraft carrier is interacting with Sailors from various departments and Wolverine Academy provides them the opportunity to start building their network.
“The course gives them a chance to make friends and begin connecting with other Sailors of all paygrades and jobs,” Ford explained. “Wolverine Academy makes sure nobody comes to the command alone or unprepared.”
Representatives from Fleet and Family Support, Morale Welfare and Recreation, and other Navy programs visit the class to equip Sailors with the resources necessary to have a successful assignment.
“We make sure to hit on as many important programs on and off-ship as we can,” Ford explained. “Our goal is to ensure new Sailors are fully aware of the resources and programs available to them and their families.”
New Sailors also get to meet and personally interact with the Commanding Officer, Executive Officer and Command Master Chief (CMC), also referred to as the command “triad.” Here, they get a chance to introduce themselves and ask questions and the triad gets to share their expectations and personally welcome them to the ship.
“Wolverine Academy is essential to building a solid foundation for these new Sailors,” Ford’s CMC Bryan Davis explained. “The instructors serve as these Sailors’ first impression of the command, so we want to make sure we are sending Ford’s best and most motivated Sailors to lead these classes and leave a lasting impression.”
As Ford prepares to leave the Newport News shipyard and resume underway operations, the nation can be assured that the crew is dedicated to maintaining President Gerard R. Ford’s strong legacy and will continue to serve as a lethal U.S. Navy vessel for many years to come.
Ford is in port at Newport News Shipyard executing Planned Incremental Availability, a six-month period of modernization, maintenance, and repairs. For more news from USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), visit www.dvidshub.net/CVN78.
| Date Taken: | 02.04.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 02.04.2022 10:03 |
| Story ID: | 413978 |
| Location: | NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA, US |
| Hometown: | MANALAPAN, NEW JERSEY, US |
| Web Views: | 179 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, This is Ford Class: Establishing Connections at the Wolverine Academy, by PO2 Jacob Mattingly, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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