Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Kaitlin Young | ATLANTIC OCEAN (Oct. 6, 2024) Gunner’s Mate 3rd Class Jacob Baldwin, a native of...... read more read more
ATLANTIC OCEAN (Oct. 5, 2024) After a long, intense month at sea completing Composite Unit Training Exercises (COMPTUEX), Sailors aboard the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG 64) could finally see glimpses of home. When they stepped outside on the evening of Aug. 25, 2024, they no longer had a 360-degree view of the vast, blue ocean; they could now see familiar sights, such as the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and the Virginia coastline from which they departed. However, many Gettysburg Sailors would not go home; their work was not yet finished.
Gettysburg headed straight from COMPTUEX to Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, Virginia, to conduct an ammunition onload for the ship’s regularly scheduled deployment. The ammunition onload was an arduous, time-consuming evolution for weapons department Sailors, who often worked into the early morning hours. While many Sailors could commute between Norfolk and Yorktown, the weapons department Sailors were on the ship 24 hours a day until the onload was complete.
According to Fire Controlman 1st Class Hunter Davis, although the ammunition onload required a lot of hard work, it presented an opportunity for certain Sailors to shine. To him, the Sailor who shined the most was Gunner’s Mate 3rd Class Jacob Baldwin, a Mk 41 vertical launching system (VLS) technician and Gettysburg’s first Sailor of the Week of the deployment.
“When most of the division was suffering in Yorktown due to the massive workload and long hours, Baldwin took charge and used his knowledge to help the team ensure all missiles were loaded correctly,” said Davis. “He was one of two deck supervisors and led troubleshooting efforts to fix VLS discrepancies throughout the nights.”
Davis is Baldwin’s leading petty officer and one of the members of Baldwin’s leadership who nominated him to be the Sailor of the Week.
“VLS technicians often don’t get the recognition they deserve,” said Davis. “The ship can’t operate without them, and I want to make sure their work doesn’t go unnoticed. Baldwin has gone above and beyond, receiving VLS qualifications three paygrades higher than what is required, and he deserves recognition for his hard work.”
As a VLS technician, Baldwin maintains the ship’s missile launchers and ensures they are clear of faults so the ship can excel in its air and surface warfare capabilities. While Baldwin has thrived in his role, he has not always been a gunner’s mate and is relatively new to working on missile launchers.
Baldwin began his time on Gettysburg as an undesignated Sailor working in deck division before transition to gunner’s mate. While he loved his time in deck division, he said it’s not what he wanted to do for the rest of his career.
“Becoming a gunner’s mate is probably the best decision I’ve made for my career,” said Baldwin. “I’ve had the best moments of my career as a gunner’s mate. My favorite moment was experiencing the pride of launching our first missile here on Gettysburg. It was an amazing feeling to know that our years of hard work and many certifications finally paid off.”
Baldwin never expected to be selected as Gettysburg’s Sailor of the Week, but he said it is a good surprise and that he is happy for the recognition.
“I’ve been [aboard Gettysburg] for nearly four years without something like this happening,” said Baldwin. “Not a lot of people know what we do because most of our work takes place in restricted spaces, so to be Sailor of the Week and receive this recognition helps people realize that there are a lot of different types of gunner’s mates who do a lot of important work.”
Baldwin’s leadership describes him as a dedicated, tireless, and hardworking Sailor who excels in all areas and inspires those who serve with him. Baldwin aims to continue his hard work and dedication through deployment and beyond.
“This deployment, I hope to push myself to the limits and discover what I’m capable of,” said Baldwin. “I’m excited for the opportunity to learn more about myself and my job.”
| Date Taken: | 10.05.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.21.2024 05:56 |
| Story ID: | 485811 |
| Location: | ATLANTIC OCEAN |
| Hometown: | HOUSTON, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 124 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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