Photo By Lee Mundy | NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka Logistics Support Center (LSC) team welcomed aircraft carrier USS...... read more read more
Navy Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Fleet Logistics Center (FLC) Yokosuka Logistics Support Center (LSC) team welcomed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) to Berth 12 of its homeport by providing transportation, waste management, delivery of mail and other support, August 25, 2023.
Before Sailors and carrier air wing crew are reunited with their loved-ones, many things need to happen in preparation of a ship returning to homeport. For the Reagan, with a crew of approximately 5,000 personnel, waste materials, recycling, supplies and more, offloading is no easy feat. NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka plays a large role in preparations – both on land and at sea – to ensure the return to homeport runs smoothly and efficiently to prepare for its next phase of deployment. NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka Logistics Support Center (LSC) is the liaison between the actual facilitators and the ship.
Several days before the Reagan’s return, I had the opportunity attend the briefing lead by NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka’s Logistics Support Representative (LSR), LS2 Nigel Pasague. Filling the room were the FLCY LSC team, civilian, military and master labor contractors (MLCs), who provided the technical and operational assistance. Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY), NAVFAC Far East, NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka Contracting, and Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) worked together to iron out any last minute concerns, reviewing the minute-by-minute execution of the staging and offload process, and arranging for transportation of the air wing crew’s supplies and parts that must make their way back to Naval Air Facility Atsugi (NAFA) and Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni (MCAS Iwakuni).
The USS Ronald Reagan made specific requests for transportation and equipment, such as cranes, forklifts, buses and trucks, which Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Far East provided. However all equipment and transportation needed to be vetted and approved by the LSC team first. The team was responsible for coordinating all transportation and ordering and overseeing the deliverables.
At sea, the last fuel replenishment was made, and Carrier Air Wing 5, consisting of nine squadrons and 81 aircraft, returned to NAFA and MCAS Iwakuni before the Reagan’s arrival. On land, two industrial-sized cranes were strategically placed on the pier, forklifts were delivered, hoppers were set nearby for metal and industrial waste removal, including over 100 large pucks of compressed recyclable plastics, and dumpsters stood by to accept the sorted, personal trash of each Sailor and military personnel as they disembarked. Areas were mapped out for the delivery of incoming ship parts, ships store replenishment and other munitions.
Upon arrival and over the course of two days, 32 buses transported air wing personnel stationed in Atsugi back home, while 17 trucks transported their luggage, baggage and mechanical tools and equipment to their perspective locations. Eleven dumpsters were on rotation, continuously filling and emptying material waste.
Lt. Philip Reilly, S-8 Material Division, Division Officer, onboard the USS Reagan, explained the important relationship between the LSRs and the ship. “We came in to receive some parts and undergo maintenance before heading out to complete our deployment. It’s great to see everything come together,” said Lt. Reilly. “What we’re able to accomplish to sustain the strike group…it’s due to training and also being part of a team. We make what we accomplish look easy,” he continued. “Working with the team at FLC Yokosuka is awesome. We are not an easy customer. Our schedule changes within a day, as well as the amount of materials coming on and off the ship. We have non-stop support. At times I have been on the phone at six, seven, eight at night, and they are still working late to make sure that we have contracts and have the services we need for the next day. I’ve never heard no, it’s always ‘it will get done’”.
Before the Reagan’s return, more than 7,200 pounds of mail was stored at Fleet Mail Center (FMC) Yokohama, staged for delivery. FMC mail routers communicated directly with the Reagan’s supply team and postal personnel, to set up pier-side deliveries upon return. Because a quantity of mail that large cannot be processed at one time, the FMC worked out a delivery plan with the ship to deliver the mail incrementally until all mail was delivered.
The following week, the well-executed choreography between large cranes, forklifts, and pallet jacks and personnel performed the onboarding of general cargo and food. “Everything was separated a week ago… they requested a lot of materials to be delivered this week. Simultaneously, bags of mail, 20-40 pallets of general cargo and ships store material, and 20-40 pallets of food are all being delivered in one day,” said LS2 Pasague. Cranes were arranged on the pier near the air craft elevators and pallets were delivered pier-side. JLG lifts were loaded onboard, which moved the pallets to their staging areas, strategically located near the appropriate storerooms. From there, the Culinary Specialists (CSs), Logistics Specialists (LSs) and Retail Specialists (RSs) received, inspected and stowed the incoming materials.
With the strong support of the LSRs, as well as the other major players, NAVFAC Far East, CFAY, NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka Contracting, and DLA, the Reagan successfully prepared for its next phase of deployment.
A special thank you to LS2(SW) Nigel Pasague for his contributions to this article.
| Date Taken: | 10.12.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 10.12.2023 15:41 |
| Story ID: | 455640 |
| Location: | YOKOSUKA, JP |
| Web Views: | 318 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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