Photo By Oscar Pope | Engineman First Class Petty Officer, John Bell (right) and Engineman Second Class...... read more read more
The Navy Reserve Forces continue to be a vital partner in support of the Navy's wartime readiness mission. From June 10 -21, Reserve Sailors integrated with Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center’s (MARMC) active-duty personnel for a two-week Deployment Exercise (DEPLOYEX 24). DEPLOYEX is a Deployment Exercise for the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Reserve organization.
“Typically, Navy Reservists conduct their training on individual or unit-level schedules, not all-together as a community,” said Richmond Naval Reserve Commanding Officer, Capt. Alex Leanos. "The exercise is designed to test our ability to deploy our Officers and Sailors, in masse, to their assigned mobilization commands and integrate rapidly with their active-duty counterparts.”
There were an estimated 171 officers and 953 enlisted personnel who participated in the exercise and deployed to numerous locations in response to the call to duty. Training, one weekend a month and two weeks a year is a typical schedule for Reservists.
“Within the NAVSEA Reserve organization, officers and Sailors originate from reserve centers located across the country, deploy to a wide variety of activities including Public Shipyards, Regional Maintenance Centers (RMCs), Strategic Weapons commands, Warfare Centers, as well as NAVSEA headquarters,” said Leanos. "This is the first DEPLOYEX that the NAVSEA Reserve organization has conducted.”
During the Reservists’ two-week deployment, they worked alongside active-duty Sailors to fortify their skills in their respective fields. Aboard USS Bataan (LHD 5) several Reservists conducted a two-week long cableway inspection ensuring shipboard cables have not been compromised. Just 17-minutes away at Little Creek Amphibious Naval Base, Reservist executed a center section overhaul on the number three Ship Service Diesel Generator (SSDG) aboard USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44). A job that usually takes weeks to complete, reducing installation time.
“Our job is to deploy to MARMC to 'Fix Ships', said Leanos. “We will serve as either a force multiplier by boosting the repair capacity at MARMC, or as a sustaining force that can backfill MARMC personnel who are sent forward.”
The expectations of the Reservists are that they are as knowledgeable as their active-duty counterparts and are able to integrate rapidly wherever they are assigned. When a critical job arises, the Reservists will be called upon to support those efforts wherever they are needed. This exercise ensures that happens. Reservists also maintain a readiness by staying up to date on qualification such as Maintenance and Material Management (3M).
“MARMC has been a great experience and it’s great to finally be onboard and do the work that we have been training hard for,” said Electrician’s Mate Petty Officer 2nd Class, Zachary Olsen, Navy Reserve Richmond, Virginia. Olsen conducted the cableway inspection aboard USS Bataan (LHD 5).
“Our MARMC Navy Reserve Force is critical to our mission now and in the future,” said Capt. Jay Young, commanding officer, Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center. "We work closely with our Navy Reserve team to develop the Reserve capability and strengthen our relationships to ensure our Reserve Forces are ready and able to integrate into our MARMC team and execute our mission.”
The Navy remains vigilant in maintaining the readiness of all its assets—installations, ships, aircraft, and people, both active and Reserve. Integration remains a priority, and the first step is always determining fleet requirements for reserve capabilities.
MARMC, a field activity under Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), provides surface ship maintenance, management and oversight of private sector maintenance and fleet technical assistance to ships in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States.
| Date Taken: | 07.18.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 07.18.2024 12:44 |
| Story ID: | 476485 |
| Location: | US |
| Hometown: | NAVAL STATION NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 52 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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