Courtesy Photo | 240714-N-JR318-1161 NORFOLK, Va (July 14, 2024) The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS...... read more read more
Julie Shourds-Chernitzer, who serves as a Personal Financial Manager at the Naval Support Activity Mid-South Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC), was selected to deploy with the return and reunion team onboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69). While Julie was the first team member from NSA Mid-South FFSC to have a presence on a returning ship, this was her second time deploying as part of a return and reunion team. Shourds completed a similar trip in 2019, returning the USS Stennis (CVN-74) home to Norfolk, Virginia. She is no stranger to the resiliency required of a military family, as her husband, Cmdr. Rick Chernitzer, has served for 32 years.
At the end of June 2024, Shourds packed her seabag and flew to Souda Bay, Greece, where her and a team of FFSC personnel from across the country met the ship ahead of its two-week transit home to Norfolk, Virginia. The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, better known as the “IKE,” spent over nine months at sea on an unprecedented combat deployment. Nine months away from home and family life can create a tough readjustment period. To alleviate this burden, the return and reunion team taught classes on topics such as reuniting with your partner, life with children, and new parent classes. During the new parent class, the team went as far as incorporating a realistic baby doll to allow Sailors the opportunity to practice holding a baby before returning home.
During the deployment, many Sailors took it as an opportunity to save a good chunk of change. “I want them to be smart with the money saved. It took them nine months to earn it,” stressed Shourds. She conducted car buying classes to assist sailors in creating budgets to ensure they purchased only as much as they could afford, helping them make the most of their hard-earned money. “So often they aren’t thinking about insurance, gas, and the expenses that come with owning a car. I wanted to ensure these Sailors had the information they need to make such a purchase,” said Shourds. Being a financial guru to these servicemembers earned her the nickname “Money Mama”.
West Tennessee was well-represented on the IKE. Shourds was reunited with Religious Program Specialist Second Class Javarus Stewart, formerly of the NSA Mid-South Chapel, as well as Sailors from the Arlington and Bartlett area. She made it a habit to ask Sailors where they were from, not only as a conversation starter, but to learn if she could save them even more money. States such as Ohio and Louisiana have special Servicemember Civil Relief Act considerations.
Shourds often walked around the ship with a Buc-ee beaver stuffed toy, just to get a smile from people and give them a moment to be silly. Buc-ee served as a great conversation starter and was hard to miss in his red shirt on a gray ship. She worked to make FFSC services fun and aimed to take away the stigma that FFSC is only for problem-type situations. The return and reunion team kept their tables stocked with fun items, MWR information, and travel information. Shourds spent time walking around with the therapy dog, named Captain Demo. Captain Demo was sure to bring a smile to everyone he met.
Outside of duty hours, Shourds celebrated Independence Day with a steel beach party, where the crew enjoyed all things American-football, golf, hotdogs, and hamburgers.
Shourds was amazed at how well young Sailors, the majority between 18-20 years old, handled the stressors of deployment. A particular Sailor that stood out to her was a 19-year-old from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He stated, “Pressure can break a pipe and pressure can make diamonds. I want to be that diamond!” Shourds calls her time onboard the “honor of a lifetime.”
The IKE returned home to Naval Station Norfolk on July 14, 2024. Thank you, Julie for representing NSA Mid-South, your service to the IKE, and our great Nation.
| Date Taken: | 08.09.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 08.09.2024 14:39 |
| Story ID: | 478232 |
| Location: | MILLINGTON, TENNESSEE, US |
| Web Views: | 68 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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