Photo By Ryan Carter | Norfolk, Va. (June 3, 2024) - Captain James J. White, Ship Master, USNS Harvey Milk...... read more read more
There’s nothing like a new ship. The gray is hazier, the lights are brighter and brass is shinier. When you walk aboard a new ship, you notice the crew’s sense of pride. They know they are the ones who will lay the foundation for the ship’s future.
That’s the feeling aboard Military Sealift Command’s newest fleet replenishment oiler, USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO 206). The current crew has the very important task of getting her fit and ready future operations, and with a wealth of MSC experience behind him, ship master, Capt. Jim White, looks to lead them to success.
The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy graduate, class of ’86, has been sailing for MSC 34 years. After graduating USMMA, White initially joined the Navy. He said there were limited employment opportunities for career mariners during that time, and he thought a tour aboard a naval auxiliary ship would give him a chance to raise his license from third mate to second mate. But while serving in the Navy, he realized a different path.
“I was assigned to a Navy oiler based in Norfolk, the USS Savannah (AOR 4), and I found I liked it,” said White. “I enjoyed the ship’s mission. I thought it was pretty cool to work aboard ships that operate like that, close together and resupplying Navy ships. And I found out what MSC was when I was aboard the Savannah.”
The Salem, Massachusetts, native transitioned to MSC in 1989. He has commanded numerous MSC oilers and AFS-class ships; including USNS William Mclean (T-AKE 12), USNS Lewis and Clark (T-AKE 1), USNS Kanawha (T-AO 196), USNS Laramie (T-AO 203), USNS Patuxent (T-AO 201), USNS Concord (AFS 5) and USNS Saturn (T-AFS 10). It has been a career that has put White on the frontlines several times when MSC has been called upon for crises abroad and at home.
“I’ve been involved at some points in a few history making events,” he said. “I was on USNS Arctic (T-AOE 8) as a chief mate for Operation Iraqi Freedom. When 9/11 happened, I was on the USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) when we were activated to go to New York City. Lewis and Clark won an AOTOS (Admiral of the Ocean Sea) award for avoiding a pirate attack when I was there in Somalia. It’s been fascinating. Any place the Navy is and a world event happens, MSC is there as well.”
Reflecting on a career that has spanned more than three decades, White remembers the mariners he’s served with over the years who have impacted his career, and credits some mentors with giving him the tools to be the captain he is today.
“I’ve benefited from sailing with a lot of experienced captains like Ed Burns, Ed Nanartowich, Steven Aspiotis, Rich Cicchetti, Randall Rockwood and Keith Walzak. I got just a lot of mentorship from them and I feel I’m trying to do that now,” he said. “Having been sailing captain for 19 years now, I'd say there are probably 15 to 20 permanent masters that are working with MSC that have sailed for me as a junior officers or in some cases unlicensed mariners. I feel pretty proud about that.”
He also credits the support system he has at home – his wife Dee and their three kids. Through all the deployments, transfers and long hours working aboard ships, they’ve been his inspiration.
“I've been married for 33 years. My wife certainly puts up with every aspect of this job, but she's always been supportive of it. And my kids are too. They're all adults now, but they still enjoy hearing all the sea stories. I certainly couldn’t have done it without them,” he said.
With the support of his family and years of experience behind him, White seems to be the perfect leader for MSC’s newest fleet replenishment oiler. Only the second John Lewis-class vessel, Harvey Milk launched November 2021. It is named in honor of activist Harvey Milk, the first openly gay person to be elected to public office.
The vessel arrived in Norfolk in April. The crew will soon began the long, strenuous process of sea trials and qualifications to ensure it is mission ready. White says he excited and honored to lead the crew and to represent a namesake which means so much to so many people.
“I'm very proud to be the captain of Harvey Milk,” said White. “I've met the people in the Harvey Milk Foundation, Harvey Milk’s nephew, Stuart Milk, and Anne Kronenberg, who was Harvey Milk’s campaign manager when he was when he ran for office in San Francisco. Their stories and his are very inspiring. His legacy of inclusion is an important message for today that everybody can contribute too.”
MSC is celebrating 75 years of providing maritime logistics to the Navy and department of defense. White has been with the command nearly half of its existence. In his stateroom, he keeps a coin rack with nearly 50 coins on it. One of those coins is an MSC 50th anniversary coin. It is a reminder of both his and MSC’s longevity and commitment to serving the nation.
“I think 75 years from now, we’ll be talking about the 150th anniversary of MSC,” White said. “I think it's here to stay. I sometimes tell people that we work in a hidden world at sea, but the things I see the crews do, day after day, the professional and outstanding support they render is just awe-inspiring at times. The crews always come through to get the job done to keep the Navy on station.”
MSC directs and supports operations for approximately 140 civilian-crewed ships that replenish U.S. Navy ships at sea, conduct specialized missions, preposition combat cargo at sea around the world, perform a variety of support services, and move military equipment and supplies to deployed U.S. forces. Celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2024, MSC exists to support the joint warfighter across the full spectrum of military operations, with a workforce that includes approximately 6,000 Civil Service Mariners and 1,100 contract mariners, supported by 1,500 shore staff and 1,400 active duty and reserve military personnel.
| Date Taken: | 06.05.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 06.05.2024 14:23 |
| Story ID: | 473131 |
| Location: | NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 712 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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